QATAR | Page 16 SPORT | Page 1 Afi f goal gives Qatar victory INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 16 COMMENT 14, 15 REGION 3 BUSINESS 1-6, 8-12 over 25,779.28 9,135.86 64.30 ARAB WORLD 3 CLASSIFIED 7, 8 Pedal power: cycling +204.55 +87.69 +0.50 INTERNATIONAL 4-13 SPORTS 1-8 Oman +0.80% +0.97% +0.78% track at Ras Abboud Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10697 January 13, 2018 Rabia II 26, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Star attraction QTA aims In brief

QATAR | Offi cial for more Emir holds phone talk with Tunisian president His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani held a telephone conversation yesterday evening with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi. business During the phone call, the two leaders reviewed bilateral relations and means of boosting them, in addition to the latest regional and international developments. QATAR | Offi cial British distance running great Mo Farah (centre) pictured with HE the Minister for Culture and Sport Salah bin Ghanem bin events Greetings to Barbados Nasser al-Ali (left) and Ooredoo Chairman HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohamed bin Saud al-Thani during the Ooredoo Doha Marathon yesterday. Farah, who was the star attraction at the event, pulled out minutes before the start after hurting his Achilles By Joey Aguilar Governor-General during warm-up. Sport Page 8 Staff Reporter His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin atar Tourism Authority (QTA) is Hamad al-Thani sent yesterday cables aiming to increase the number of congratulations to Sandra Mason Qof business events in the coun- on the occasion of her inauguration as try this year in a bid to further boost the Governor-General of Barbados. sector’s contribution to the economy. UNHCR receives $26mn “Last year, we had about 120 busi- ARAB WORLD | Confl ict ness events. Up to April of 2018 we have 28 in the pipeline but our target is to Palestinians injured in have like 130 this year,” QTA’s exhibi- clashes with Israeli army tions director Ahmed al-Obaidli said in Violent confrontations between from Qatar during 2017 Doha earlier this week. Ahmed al-Obaidli Palestinians and Israeli soldiers broke He was addressing a press confer- out in the West Bank and on the he United Nations Refugee Agen- Qatar recently responded to UNHCR’s ence about the Doha Jewellery and events sector, which further boosts the outskirts of the Gaza Strip yesterday. cy, UNHCR, received contribu- emergency appeal for the Rohingya Watches Exhibition (DJWE), one of tourism industry in general. At least 35 Palestinians were injured, Ttions worth over $26mn from refugee emergency, which has displaced the major and much-awaited business “Tourism is an industry, it needs according to the Palestinian Ministry of Qatar during 2017, making it the largest over 650,000 people since August 2017. events in Qatar, featuring more than stakeholders and these are the hotels, Health and Red Crescent rescue workers donor from the Middle East and North Moreover, the Qatar Fund for Develop- 400 brands from over 10 countries in airlines, the transportation that you yesterday; 25 people were injured by live Africa region, it was announced yester- ment (QFFD) has provided $6mn to its 15th edition. have, the hotels and the restaurants,” ammunition, a further 10 with rubber day. support basic needs and shelter for dis- The six-day exhibition, scheduled he said. bullets on the border to West Bank. After The fi gures were revealed in a sum- placed Iraqis. from February 21 to 26 at the Doha Ex- “When an international exhibi- the United States recognised Jerusalem mary of contributions to UNHCR for “Qatar has a long-standing history of hibition and Convention Centre, will tor comes, he brings money into the as the capital of Israel, there has been 2017 placing Qatar as UNHCR’s 19th top addressing the needs of those aff ected showcase a wide range of classic and country by utilising your airline, by an increase in clashes in the region. Two donor. The generous donations helped by confl ict and persecution. As a nation, contemporary luxury collections by using your hotel, the transportation, Palestinians were killed in clashes with UNHCR secure life-saving assistance we believe that we must, whenever pos- internationally-recognised brands and eating at your restaurants,” al-Obaidli the Israeli military on Thursday. Page 3 for hundreds of thousands of forcibly sible, assist those less fortunate, partic- designers at a 29,000sq m area. explained, adding that they use an displaced women, children and men ularly those who have been forced to fl ee Al-Obaidli noted that business equation to compute the return of in- REGION | Nuclear globally, including uprooted families their homes” said QFFD director general events such as exhibitions and confer- vestment if, for example, an interna- in Iraq, Yemen, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Khalifa al-Kuwari. ences alone contribute 2.3% of Qatar’s tional businessman comes to Qatar for Trump ‘desperate’ to Lebanon, Ethiopia, and Somalia, among QFFD director general Khalifa al-Kuwari “UNHCR’s work in that regard is of total gross domestic product (GDP) to an event. undermine deal: Zarif others. utmost importance, and we look for- its economy. The percentage translates About the blockade on Qatar, he Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad Commenting on the importance of in UNHCR’s emergency response.” ward to jointly alleviating the plight into $3.5bn if taken from Qatar’s total said the current siege provides a good Zarif said yesterday US President increased support for displaced persons “Thanks to the generous contribu- of the forcibly displaced globally,” he GDP of $152bn in 2016, it is learnt. opportunity for the business events Donald Trump’s latest attacks on the globally, Khaled Khalifa, UNHCR Re- tion, UNHCR was able to secure shel- added. QTA, particularly the business sector to expand – a move that would nuclear deal were a “desperate eff ort” gional Representative to the GCC coun- ter, health services, cash assistance, Since 2012, Qatar has donated over events sector, wants to further increase attract more foreign investors and visi- to undermine an accord that cannot tries, noted: “At a time when 20 people education and other essential support $76mn for refugees and Internally Dis- the number of foreign business visi- tors. be renegotiated. “Trump’s policy & are forcibly displaced every minute, Qa- for some of the world’s most vulnerable placed Persons globally through UN- tors/travellers to Qatar, as part of its “We are currently over 200 days of today’s announcement amount to tar’s generous contributions are much people.” Khalifa added. HCR, notwithstanding its bilateral con- eff ort to attract 5.6mn tourists by 2030. the blockade, but as you can see more desperate attempts to undermine a needed, and have played an integral role In addition to contributions in 2017, tributions through local partners. “This sector (business events) has than 400 brands from diff erent coun- solid multilateral agreement,” Zarif been contributing to the whole tourism tries are coming to Qatar. Even the ex- tweeted after Trump reluctantly agreed industry (of Qatar),” al-Obaidli said, hibition space is increasing,” al-Obaidli to continuing to waive sanctions under citing that many of the events organ- said. “We have actually 80 exhibitors the deal, but warned it could be the last ised in the country are expanding and who would like to come to the exhibi- time. “JCPOA is not renegotiable: rather “becoming more international” such tion but the space is limited.” than repeating tired rhetoric, US must Second UAE military jet violates Qatar’s airspace as the DJWE. QTA is mulling to expand or extend bring itself into full compliance — just The senior QTA offi cial also stressed the exhibition area for the DJWE next like Iran,” Zarif added. Page 3 QNA tions, drew the attention of the UN and then landed in Bahrain at 11:27am. the important role tourism stakehold- year to accommodate more domestic New York Secretary-General and the President of HE Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif al- ers play in enhancing the business and international exhibitors. BUSINESS | Markets the Security Council to a UAE military Thani stressed that the repetition of this airlift carrying induction code (DHC-6) terrible incident and the continuation of Wall Street stocks he State of Qatar has sent two coming from the UAE airspace bound the UAE in violation of the sovereignty of end at records again messages to the UN Secretary- for the Kingdom of Bahrain to enter Qatar and its threat to the safety of its bor- Outrage over Trump’s ‘racist’ remarks Wall Street stocks surged to another TGeneral and to the President of the airspace of Qatar, at 10:10am, on ders and territories is evidence of the UAE Facing strong condemnation at home US Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, round of records yesterday as earnings the Security Council on a UAE military Wednesday, January 3 2018, fl ying over authorities continuing their approach to and abroad, US President Donald who attended the gathering, told season kicked off amid optimism airliner fl ying from the airspace of the the country’s special economic zone, violating international law, conventions, Trump yesterday denied using foul reporters yesterday that Trump ignited by the US tax reform. All United Arab Emirates to the Kingdom without prior authorisation of the com- charters and international norms. language to describe Haiti and African used “vile, vulgar” language, when three major indices again ended at of Bahrain, violating Qatar’s airspace at petent Qatari authorities. On Thursday, Qatar also sent two countries, but kept up criticism of speaking about African countries. The records, with the Dow Jones Industrial 10:10am on Wednesday, January 3, 2018. HE Sheikha Alia noted that an emer- identical message to the UN Secretary- a Senate immigration plan that he Republican president’s comments Average up 0.9 % at the closing bell In a letter sent by Qatar’s Permanent gency fl ight order had been given to a General and the President of the UN said would force the United States were decried as racist by African to 25,801.95. The broad-based S&P Mission to the United Nations, HE am- Qatari fi ghter jet for periodic patrols. Security Council regarding an Emirati to admit people from countries that and Haitian politicians, by the United 500 jumped 0.7 % to 2,786.13, as did bassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif It was later discovered that the UAE fi ghter aircraft coming from the UAE “are doing badly.” Trump reportedly Nations human rights office and by US the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index al-Thani, Permanent Representative aircraft was fl ying between the air corri- airspace violating Qatar’s airspace on made the remarks at a White House lawmakers from both major parties. which closed at 7,261.06. of the State of Qatar to the United Na- dor UL-768 and the air corridor UM-600 December 21, 2017. meeting on immigration on Thursday. Page 5 Paediatric emergency facility treats over 320,000 cases yearly

By Joseph Varghese cine Fellowship Programme, HMC. est developments in the fi eld and share some signs of the diseases but in some what could be the approach in both the Staff Reporter Speaking to Gulf Times on the side- it among their colleagues. other cases, there will not be any signs cases. This is applicable to other cases lines of the second annual Qatar Paedi- “This year, we have a large number of and can be diffi cult to diagnose the and each speaker’s presentation deals atric Emergency Medicine Conference, participants including doctors, nurses problem. We discuss such peculiar cas- with such cases. On each topic, the l Sadd Paediatric Emergency he clarifi ed that out of the emergency and other paramedics amounting to es and share the fi ndings and solutions speaker highlights a main issue, ad- Center, the busiest facility of its cases, 70% are non-urgent cases who over 500 participants. The three-day with others. They will be aware of the dresses the pitfalls and provides solu- Akind in Qatar and under Hamad are sent back after providing necessary conference is exploring ways about issues if any such cases happen in their tions and necessary actions to over the Medical Corporation (HMC), attends to care. the management of acute emergency facilities. The participants are from a situation,” Dr Alyafei added. about 320,000 emergency cases a year, “The rest are urgent and very urgent cases. We are also discussing system- number of health facilities in the coun- He also pointed out that the con- a top offi cial revealed yesterday. cases - the group of patients who need atic treatment of diseases, especially try and they will carry the messages to ference, this year, will deliberate on a “Most emergency cases pertain to to be admitted in the facility for obser- those related to respiratory problems their colleagues and will enable them to number of topics that aff ect children kids with infection, shock, low blood vation and require more care or further and cardiovascular issues. In addition, be better prepared to solve the issues,” and common diseases that are ad- pressure, jaundice, respiratory prob- treatment.” patient safety, child maltreatment and he said. dressed at paediatric emergency cen- lems, dust allergy and others viral Dr Alyafei described the conference a set of diseases are some of the major “Today morning, we discussed the tres. It will also address hospital care infections,” said Dr Khalid Alyafei, as an opportunity for the participants topics discussed in the conference,” Dr case of skin diseases and rashes that for children and other special treat- emergency physician and programme to network and learn more about the Alyafei said. could be something simple and at times ments and pathologies related to chil- director, Paediatric Emergency Medi- paediatric care in the country, the lat- Dr Khalid Alyafei “Sometimes, the patients may have could be something life threatening and dren. Page 2 Gulf Times 2 Saturday, January 13, 2018 QATAR Landlords cut rents as fl ats’ availability surges Landlords in Doha are recent months and rents becom- to tenants who have lived in who have not been off ered any Tenants of some other complex- making off ers such as ing more ‘aff ordable’ in many the same accommodation for a rent reductions by their land- es in the same neighbourhood reduced monthly rents and areas, giving tenants the option minimum of 4-5 years, though lords, according to people famil- have also benefi ted from similar ‘rent-free’ facility for certain of relocating to new properties people who have spent less time iar with developments in the real reductions, it is learnt. The solar system. months during the contract that are being promoted through in an apartment also get such estate sector. “While not willing This is because quality ac- period special off ers, sources told Gulf benefi ts at times depending on to reduce rents, particularly in commodation is available in Times. various factors. the cases of tenants who have some newly constructed resi- Enquiries in some city neigh- There have been reports of spent only a year or two in an dential buildings in the same andlords of some residen- bourhoods showed that land- such off ers coming directly apartment, some landlords are area at ‘attractive rates’. tial buildings in Doha are lords are making off ers such from building owners as well as off ering relief to customers by However, the situation seems Planets are Lcoming up with ‘attrac- as reduced monthly rents and through property managers, the not increasing rents during re- diff erent for some commercial tive’ off ers such as rent reduc- ‘rent-free’ facility for certain sources point out. “But it is more newal,” said another source. tenants as there are reports of tions in order to retain existing months during the contract common in the cases of prop- A long-time resident living in a real estate fi rms seeking a hike tenants, it is learnt. period, while renewing rental erties handled directly by their two-bedroom apartment in Doha in rents in certain cases. “It This comes in the wake of the agreements with tenants. owners,” said one of them. said his landlord recently re- is, though, not clear as to why approaching availability of apartments across It is also found that these of- There is something to cheer duced the rent by more than 10% widely prevalent this practice Doha increasing considerably in fers are generally made more about even for those tenants at the time of agreement renewal. is,” he added. moon during QU-CPH students hold January

eople in Qatar can see from the southern moon’s awareness campaign on a number of planets of centre, while Mercury will Pthe solar system close be at three degrees from the to the moon this month, Qa- southern moon’s centre, Dr tar Calendar House (QCH) Marzouk explains. has said citing astronomical People in the country will be common cold, allergies calculations. able to see Saturn and Mercury These astronomical phe- together with the moon with nomena are important be- the naked eye over the eastern atar University College CPH students were on hand of our expert professors. cause they off er a good horizon of the Doha dawn sky of Pharmacy (QU-CPH) at a booth to answer the ques- “This campaign is part of a chance to observe these from the rising time of Sat- Qstudents have held a tions of more than 170 visitors series of various outreach initia- planets and the moon to- urn and Mercury until before public awareness campaign on on issues related to fl u vaccines, tives that have been conducted gether at the same time with sunrise. Saturn and Mercury ‘Common Cold and Allergies’ at causes of common cold and fl u, in the past, including smoking the naked eye or through will appear over the eastern Landmark Mall. common allergens observed in cessation and diabetes, to pre- digital cameras, and also act horizon after 5am, Dr Marzouk Organised by the newly the region and ways to avoid pare our students to provide op- as a guide for amateur as- adds. elected Qatar Pharmacy Under- spreading the cold. timal pharmaceutical care upon tronomers to learn about the On Thursday, Jupiter and graduate Society (QPhUS) ex- Commenting on the cam- graduation.” map of the sky and validate Mars came close to the moon ecutives, the campaign engaged paign, CPH dean Dr Mohamed CPH assistant professor Dr astronomical calculations, in the dawn sky, with the two undergraduate, graduate and Diab said: “The College of Phar- Sowndramalingam Sankaralin- noted astronomer Dr Beshir planets being at approximately alumni pharmacy students. macy is committed to providing gam said, “Visitors to our booth Visitors at the campaign booth held at Landmark Mall. Marzouk has said. four degrees from the south- The initiative aimed to raise its students with the opportu- expressed their gratitude to have Mercury and Saturn will be ern moon’s centre. Qatar in- community awareness on com- nity to connect with the public the opportunity to learn from year pharmacy student Sarah Third-year pharmacy student coming close to the moon on habitants were able to observe mon cold, seasonal fl u and aller- through outreach initiatives and students of the College of Phar- Thiab noted, “Our knowledge Radoa Abdulla al-Ansari added, Monday, January 15, according Jupiter and Mars together gies, and provide tips to prevent to educating them and raising macy and mentioned that they is gained to be spread. I found it “I have volunteered in this out- to a statement issued jointly with the moon with the naked the spread of infection such as their awareness about impor- are looking forward to attending amazing how the people of Qatar reach event hoping that I could by QCH director Dr Mohamed eye or recent digital camer- hand-washing and vaccination, tant health issues and common future similar events.” are very receptive and willing to help people in improving their al-Ansari and Dr Marzouk. as over the eastern horizon QU said in a statement. illness under the supervision QPhUS president and second- learn.” quality of life and health.” Saturn will be at two degrees of the Doha dawn sky. Bedaya organises workshop to help entrepreneurs plan future

he Bedaya Centre for En- He added: “Strong belief, en- contribute in achieving our trepreneurship and Ca- thusiasm, and passion are the objective,” he said. Treer Development (Be- real starting point for change in He also reviewed the stages daya Centre), a joint initiative all individuals who seek change. that a person must pass through by Qatar Development Bank and The ambitious desire to become before reaching one’s goal such Silatech, in collaboration with something or to do something is as the evaluation stage, devel- educational instructor Khaled the starting point for any dream- opment stage, planning and re- Saleh al-Yafei, held a workshop er. Dreams are not born for peo- planning stage, the overcoming HBKU students stand to benefit from an innovative new programme developed by SC’s Qatar Behav- titled ‘How to plan your life’. ple with indiff erence, laziness, diffi culties stage. ioural Insights Unit. The workshop aims to help and those who lack of ambition, He also touched upon other Educational instructor Khaled participants plan their future by hence there is a big diff erence be- aspects infl uencing the devel- Saleh al-Yafei speaks during a setting their goals with a focus tween wishing for something and opment and implementation of discussion. on a specifi c timeframe. working hard to achieve it.” goals such as faith, family, social, Al-Yafei said: “If you do not Al-Yafei further said that set- academic, functional, physical, velop a successful plan to bal- know what you want, you will ting plans and believing in one’s health and recreational. ance his or her life to achieve SC partners with HBKU not reach where you want. This ability is needed to transform Bedaya Centre general man- goals and aspirations.” is the baseline for setting up a dreams into ambitions and de- ager Reem al-Sowaidi said: “It is necessary for all of us to set plan for your work life. Each one sire. “You should all remember “This workshop is a continua- goals and properly plan our lives. We of us should set his or her goals that achieving your goals re- tion of a series of workshops that should identify our priorities and in mind and determine the time quires eff orts and determina- are held to help entrepreneurs arrange them accordingly so that it to deliver behavioural required for its implementation, tions. To attain one’s objective, and those interested in plan- can be reviewed at any given time, regardless if those goals are im- virtues like precision, realism, ning, irrespective of any level of in addition to focus on motivational mediate, short-term, medium- and following a timeframe are business, goals or even practical things that help us to achieve our economics programme term, or long-term.” among the many factors that lives. Every individual must de- goals,” al-Sowaidi added.

he Supreme Committee design, implementation and tests and theories to the chal- for Delivery & Legacy analysis of their projects. Cur- lenges we face on a daily basis Paediatric emergency medicine conference begins T(SC), Qatar’s 2022 FIFA rently, 14 HBKU students are and the challenges we expect World Cup organising body, enrolled on the course and be- to face when the tournament has partnered with the Col- ing taught by Dr Fadi Makki, begins in less than fi ve years’ he second Paediatric lege of Law and Public Policy at QBIU founder, and professor time.” Emergency Medicine Hamad bin Khalifa University Georgis Dimitropoulos, from Professor Clinton Francis, TConference organised by (HBKU) to design and deliver HBKU’s College of Law and founding dean of HBKU’s Col- Hamad Medical Corporation an innovative new programme Public Policy. lege of Law and Public Policy, (HMC) and the Department of focused on law and behavioural SC secretary-general Hassan said: “Law and behavioural Emergency Medicine at Sidra economics. al-Thawadi said he was happy public policy development in Medicine started yesterday Developed by the SC’s Qa- to see HBKU endorse the con- Qatar is readily harnessing the with the participation of a large tar Behavioural Insights Unit cept of behavioural economics power of behavioural econom- number of attendees. (QBIU), the programme is cur- in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA ics to address some of the most The three-day conference rently being off ered to final- World Cup. important challenges confront- taking place at Grand Hyatt year students on HBKU’s Juris “This is a legacy initiative ing the country and region. Doha is attended by about 500 Doctor course. that will benefi t HBKU stu- “Working at the juncture participants, including physi- The programme will provide dents today and long after the of law and public policy, the cians, paramedics, pharmacists, students with a foundational last ball has been kicked in course focuses on the develop- allied healthcare providers, understanding of behavioural 2022,” al-Thawadi said. ment of cutting-edge theory, dentists and nurses. The event science and demonstrate how “By training and giving them and will enable students to ex- will cover the fundamentals of nudge theories can be practi- exposure to leading fi gures in plore new and exciting behav- paediatric emergency medicine. An expert speaking at a session of the conference yesterday. PICTURE: Nasar T K cally applied to Qatar’s historic the theory of behavioural sci- ioural theories to see how they The conference features both hosting of the 2022 FIFA World ences, real-life policy chal- can be directly applied to Qatar local and international experts will also be discussed includ- chairman,Department of Emer- Emergency Medicine Confer- Cup, along with the endeav- lenges and access to insights and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.” who will discuss current best ing emergency medical services, gency Medicine at Sidra Medi- ence in Qatar. The discussions ours of Qatar National Vision and tools, we are off ering stu- Since its formation in 2016, practice in the treatment of nursing, child abuse and paedi- cine and medical director, Pae- and learning sessions will help 2030. dents something that no other QBIU has successfully im- common and critical paediat- atric trauma. diatric Emergency Services at paediatric care clinicians provide Field experiments carried university in the region can. plemented a range of experi- ric emergency conditions. A Plenary sessions are held in the HMC said: “On behalf of Sidra even better care to children with out during the programme will “The SC will also benefi t ments related to subjects such number of specialist areas re- mornings and sessions dedicated Medicine and HMC, I am very urgent and emergency health is- be supported by QBIU mem- from the programme as the as workers’ welfare, legacy lated to paediatric emergencies to participants’ individual learning proud that we were once again sues and this, in turn, will result bers, who are coaching stu- bright young students who programme participation and for healthcare professionals needs will be held in the afternoons. able to host colleagues from in a happier and healthier paedi- dents to help them with the take the class will apply their healthy eating. working in this fi eld of medicine Dr Khalid al-Ansari, across the globe at our Paediatric atric population.” Gulf Times Saturday, January 13, 2018 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD Trump grants sanctions relief to Iran

Reuters time to toughen the terms of the pliance with the deal and issue a Washington agreements. waiver to allow US sanctions to A decision to withhold a waiv- remain suspended. er would have eff ectively ended Trump in October chose not to S President Donald the deal that limits Iran’s nuclear certify compliance and warned Trump upheld US par- programme. he might ultimately terminate Uticipation in the Iran nu- The 2015 agreement between the accord. clear deal yesterday by granting the United States and Iran also He accused Iran of “not living Tehran relief from US sanctions was signed by China, France, up to the spirit” of the agree- but aides said it would be the last Russia, Britain, Germany and ment even though the Interna- time he would do so. the European Union, and these tional Atomic Energy Agency A wounded Palestinian is evacuated during clashes with Israeli troops, near the border between Israel and central Gaza Strip, yesterday. A senior administration offi - countries would have been un- says Tehran is complying. cial said Trump wants the 2015 likely to join the United States in Hard-liners on Iran in the US Iran deal strengthened with a reimposing sanctions. Congress have called for the re- follow-on agreement in 120 days Two senior Trump adminis- imposition of the suspended or the United States will unilat- tration offi cials told Reuters on sanctions and an end to the nu- erally withdraw from the inter- Wednesday that the president, clear deal, while some liberal Palestinians protesting US national pact. a Republican, had privately ex- Democrats want to pass legisla- Trump had privately chafed at pressed reluctance to heed the tion that would make it harder having to once again waive sanc- advice of top advisers recom- for Trump to pull Washington tions on a country he sees as a mending he not reimpose the out without congressional con- rising threat in the Middle East. suspended sanctions. sent. move clash with Israeli troops The agreement was reached Trump has argued that Trump and his top advisers during Barack Obama’s presi- Obama, a Democrat, negotiated have been negotiating with US dency. a bad deal for the United States lawmakers on Capitol Hill to Reuters While Trump approved a in agreeing to the nuclear accord. try to change sanctions legisla- Gaza sanctions waiver, the Treasury Hailed by Obama as key to stop- tion so that he does not face a Department decided to impose ping Iran from building a nuclear deadline on whether to recertify new, targeted sanctions against bomb, the deal lifted economic Iranian compliance with the nu- undreds of Palestinians 14 Iranian entities and individu- sanctions in exchange for Tehran clear deal every 90 days. clashed with Israeli sol- als. limiting its nuclear programme. Senate Foreign Relations Hdiers in the Gaza Strip The decision was to be an- Trump had come under heavy Committee Chairman Bob Cork- and occupied West Bank yes- nounced in a statement issued pressure from European allies to er has been working on amend- terday in what they said was a by the White House a day after issue the sanctions waiver. ing a US law to include “trigger protest against US recognition Trump engaged in lengthy dis- Iran says its nuclear pro- points” that if crossed by Iran of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. cussions with US Secretary of gramme is only for peaceful pur- would automatically bring back Such clashes occur weekly, State Rex Tillerson, national se- poses. US sanctions. but tensions have risen fol- curity adviser HR McMaster and It has said it will stick to Britain, France and Germany lowing US President Donald others about the deal. the accord as long as the other called on Trump on Thursday to Trump’s announcement on Dec Trump has argued behind signatories respect it but will uphold the pact. 6, which stirred anger across the scenes that the nuclear deal “shred” the deal if Washington French President Emmanuel the Arab and Muslim world and makes the United States look pulls out. Macron stressed to Trump in a concern among Washington’s weak, a senior US offi cial said. The US Congress requires the telephone call on Thursday the European allies as well as Rus- The argument for staying in, president to decide periodically importance of abiding by the sia. The move was welcomed by the offi cial said, was to allow whether to certify Iran’s com- deal. Israel. “There is almost nothing left for the United States to do be- fore it clearly declares a state of war against the Palestinian EU concern at detention of ‘slap video’ teenager people, its authority and lead- ership,” wrote commentator The European Union voiced concern yesterday over the determine whether she stays in detention until her trial Rajab Abu Serreya in the wide- Israeli detention of two Palestinian minors, one of whom begins. Her mother and another relative who took part ly-circulated Palestinian news- who was arrested after a video of her confronting Israeli in the incident have also been charged. paper Al-Ayyam. soldiers went viral. The EU also expressed deep concern over “the fatal A total of 17 Palestinians and The Jerusalem and Ramallah EU missions expressed shooting by Israeli security forces of another Palestinian one Israeli have been killed in “deep concern regarding the circumstances of the minor”, Musab al-Tamimi, 17, who was killed on January the fl are-up since Trump’s an- recent arrests of two Palestinian minors, Ahed Tamimi 3 in a clash with the army in Deir Nizam village north of nouncement, though analysts Palestinian protesters wave national flags during clashes with Israeli security forces on the eastern and Fawzi Mohamed al-Juneidi”, a statement read. Ramallah. say neither Israel nor the Pales- outskirts of Gaza City, yesterday. Ahed Tamimi, 16, was on charged on January 1 with 12 “The European Union and EU Missions in Jerusalem tinians are interested in a major counts including assault for slapping and kicking Israeli and Ramallah recall the importance of respecting and escalation. couple of West Bank cities where by Israel in the 1967 war and later checking the reports. soldiers near her home in the occupied West Bank. protecting the rights of the child, including and in par- A few hundred Gazans ap- protesters threw stones and annexed, though that action has “We want the Americans to Hailed as a hero by Palestinians who see her as bravely ticular during arrest, detention and judicial procedures,” proached the border fence with burned tyres. not been internationally recog- know that the bloodshed here of standing up to Israel in the December 15 incident the statement read. Israel, throwing stones at sol- Israeli soldiers fi red tear gas nised. Palestinian medical of- unarmed people is on the hands caught on video, she could face a lengthy jail term if “The EU calls on Israeli authorities to respond propor- diers who tried to disperse them and threw stun grenades. fi cials said 14 Palestinians were of their president,” said Ali, a convicted. tionately to protests, and open investigations following by fi ring canisters of tear gas, ac- East Jerusalem, which Pales- wounded by live ammunition in 20-year-old university student She will face a military court on Monday which will fatalities, in particular when involving a minor.” cording to Reuters video. tinians want for the capital of a yesterday’s clash.An Israeli mili- in Gaza who did not want to give Smaller crowds gathered in a Palestinian state, was captured tary spokeswoman said she was his family name.

Turkey says off ensive in Syria’s Nearly 800 arrested in Egypt plans unrest over price hikes curfew in Idlib will cause new migration wave DPA demanding the cancellation of parts of Tunis recent austerity measures. Reuters “The people want the Ankara downfall of the Financing Act,” North Sinai unisian authorities have they chanted, referring to a arrested 773 people in law passed by the parliament ncreased attacks in Syria’s Tconnection with violent last month ushering in hikes in Reuters rebel-held Idlib province unrest that hit the country this prices of some goods and a levy Cairo Iwill spark a new wave of mi- week, a security offi cial said of new takes. gration, Turkish Prime Minister yesterday. The march was in response Binali Yildirim said yesterday, The arrests have been made to a call by the protest group gypt will impose a curfew calling on Russia and Iran to since Monday when pro- What Are We Waiting For? on parts of the North Sinai rein in a Syrian army off ensive tests erupted over price and Security forces were de- Eregion starting today after near Turkey’s southern border. tax increase and were marred ployed in the area and prevent- the country extended its state of The Syrian government of- by lootings, a spokesman for ed the protesters from coming emergency, the offi cial gazette fensive supported by militia has the Interior Ministry, Khalifa closer to the city hall. said. gathered pace and displaced Chibani, said. Most demonstrators in the The curfew includes areas at tens of thousands of people Those arrested included rally yesterday were young the border town of Rafah near since November, according to 16 militants “found to be in- people. Gaza from 7pm to 6am and the United Nations. volved” in acts of looting and Unemployment is offi cially around the town of El-Arish Turkey, which opposes Syr- arson in several parts of Tu- estimated at 15% in Tunisia. from 1am to 5am, it said. ian President Bashar al-Assad nisia, Chibani told the offi cial Many of the jobless are uni- Egypt extended its state of but has been working with his news agency TAP. versity graduates. emergency for three months last allies Iran and Russia to reduce The situation was calmer “We have come in broad week to help tackle “the dan- the fi ghting in Idlib, says the yesterday in the North Afri- daylight in order to protest gers and funding of terrorism”. latest army assault could not can country, according to local peacefully,” a young activist Egypt’s security forces have for have taken place without Te- media. said yesterday. years been battling an Islamic hran and Moscow’s support. “Last night, no operations “We do not want to clash State insurgency in North Sinai Already host to 3mn refugees of plundering, theft, arson or with the security forces,” he that has killed hundreds and has from the six-year-old confl ict, attack on private and public added. also included civilian targets. Turkey fears a further infl ux properties have been record- One protester was killed on across its border from Idlib. Syrians carry bread back to their home in Raqqa, the former “capital” of the Islamic State (IS) group. ed,” Chibani added. Monday during demonstra- The curfew includes areas The northwestern province Ninety-six security per- tions in the town of Tebourba, at the border town of Rafah is the largest region still held reporters after Friday prayers. civilians, in order to gain land... said, warning that the fi ghting sonnel were injured and 88 west of Tunis. near Gaza from 7pm to 6am by rebels driven out of other Turkey has been deploy- while the initiative by Tur- was hindering eff orts to reach a government-owned cars dam- Authorities denied the man and around the town of strongholds in Syria, and is ing forces inside northern Idlib key, Russia and Iran on a last- political solution. aged in the unrest, according was killed due to police vio- El-Arish from 1am to 5am home to more than 2mn people, and setting up bases there after ing peace in Syria has made Russia aims to convene a to Chibani.” lence. many in need of aid. agreeing with Iran and Russia progress,” Yildirim said. Syria peace congress later this The situation is gradually Some local media reported President Abdel Fattah al- “Carrying out increased at- to establish a “de-escalation “We are discussing this is- month, though it is not yet clear returning to complete calm,” that the victim had a chronic Sisi gave the armed forces three tacks in Idlib will cause new zone” in Idlib and nearby areas. sue with Russia and Iran, we are who will attend. On Thursday, he said. breathing problem and prob- months to end the insurgency migration waves and victimisa- “It is very wrong for the As- making our warnings regarding rebels launched a counter attack Later yesterday, about ably died after inhaling tear after militants killed more than tion there. This is very danger- sad regime to launch an off en- the potentially horrible ramifi - against government forces and 2,000 people staged a march in gas used by police to disperse 300 people at a mosque in North ous and wrong,” Yildirim told sive, without diff erentiating cations of Assad’s attacks,” he their allies in Idlib province. the centre of the capital Tunis, the demonstrators. Sinai in November. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, January 13, 2018 AFRICA Africans outraged over Trump remarks

AFP day posted images of modern Nairobi skylines and beautiful nature from their countries with the ironic hashtags mentioning fricans reacted angrily the slur. yesterday after Donald Many Africans reminded ATrump reportedly re- the US of its historic role in the ferred to their nations using a continent’s woes. slur, with many lashing the US “President Trump, One day, president for racism and igno- I’ll take you to Ghana,” wrote rance. Ghanaian Edmond Prime Sar- The 55-nation African Un- pong on Facebook. ion condemned the remarks “First stop would be Osu while the southern African Castle, Elmina Castle, and the state of Botswana hauled in over 40 Forts that detained the US ambassador to com- about 30mn slaves, beaten and plain. shipped out like sardine cans The comment “truly fl ies and then I will tell you the his- in the face of accepted behav- tory of Africa and why people iour and practice,” said Ebba like you made that a ******** Zambian police forces patrol the streets of Lusaka’s Kanyama Township, yesterday, during clashes with protesters demonstrating against a curfew and a ban on street commerce Kalondo, spokeswoman for continent.” imposed by the government in the wake of a cholera outbreak. AU chief Moussa Faki. Prominent Kenyan com- “This is even more hurtful mentator Patrick Gathara, given the historical reality of said that Trump’s words were just how many Africans ar- nothing new from a “racist rived in the United States as and ignorant” administration, slaves, and also terribly sur- nor from the West at large. prising as the United States “This is no diff erent from remains a massively positive what Hollywood and Western Zambia arrests 55 in riots example as just how migra- media have been saying about tion can give birth to a nation,” Africa for decades.” Kalondo said. Some acknowledged prob- The comments were “clear- lems in their countries, but ly” racist, Kalondo said, but blamed this on their poor stressed the US was “much leaders as well as Western na- over cholera control rules stronger than the sum total of tions such as the US. one man.” “Our motherland is the Reuters Trump made the remarks most blessed continent that Lusaka on Thursday in a meeting with has been raped by imperial- lawmakers on immigration ists in collaboration with our reform, The Washington Post misleaders for generations,” olice in Zambia arrested and The New York Times re- wrote Kenyan activist Boni- 55 people in Lusaka af- ported. face Mwangi on Twitter. Pter residents rioted over a Yesterday, Trump tweeted In South Africa, the ruling curfew and ban on street vend- an implicit denial, saying “this party declared “ours is not ing imposed to control a cholera was not the language used”. this country” and described outbreak, the government said The United Nations Trump as “extremely off en- yesterday. slammed Trump’s reported sive”. “It is not as if the United The riots in the densely popu- remarks as “shocking and States doesn’t have diffi cul- lated Kanyama township were shameful” and “racist”. ties. sparked after police sealed off a “You cannot dismiss en- There are millions of unem- market where trading had been tire countries and continents ployed people in the US, mil- banned on Sunday, when the using a slur and whose en- lions of people who don’t have curfew was declared. tire populations, who are healthcare services or access Home Aff airs Minister not white, are therefore not to education and we would not Stephen Kampyongo said at a welcome,” Rupert Colville, deign to make comments as media briefi ng that the residents spokesman for the UN human derogatory as that,” said Jessie smashed window panes at a local rights offi ce, told reporters in Duarte, the deputy secretary police station and set ablaze one Geneva. general of the African National motor vehicle. Botswana summoned the Congress (ANC). Kampyongo said police man- US ambassador to the country Nigerians however did not aged to stop the unrest after bat- to “clarify”, according to a for- hold back. tling with the stone-throwing eign ministry statement which Even war-torn South Sudan rioters for about six hours. called Trump’s comments “ir- weighed in, with President “One of our (police) offi cers responsible, reprehensible Salva Kiir’s spokesman At- has been injured and 55 sus- and racist”. eny Wek Ateny slamming the pects have been apprehended,” People walk past the charred remains of a truck in Lusaka’s Kanyama Township, yesterday. This is not the fi rst time comments as “outrageous”. Kampyongo said, adding that Trump has rubbed Africans However Juba business- the number of police in the area capital, since it broke out in Oc- Lusaka to prevent the spread locals destroyed property and Peter Zulu, a local resi- up the wrong way — he was woman Jenny Jore, 31, told would be increased. tober, Health Minister Chitalu of the disease, but residents looted shops, state-run Zam- dent, said rioters had blocked widely derided last year after AFP that Trump’s remarks “All the public health laws will Chilufya said at the same brief- of Kanyama, where around bia National Broadcasting Corp Los Angeles Road, a major he twice referred to Namibia were “on point”. remain in full force.” ing. 370,000 people live, have been said earlier. thoroughfare, and that po- as “Nambia”. “It is thanks to our African Cholera has killed 70 people Street vending and public defying the order at night. Reuters did not verify the re- lice had fired tear gas to try to On social media, users leaders that we are insulted countrywide, including 67 in the gatherings were banned across The army was deployed after port. disperse them. across the continent yester- that way,” she said.

Gambia ‘suspends political events’ over violent clashes Boko Haram kills 20 The Gambia has suspended Congo police fi re tear gas permission for rallies and other loggers in Nigeria public political events after clashes allegedly between supporters of President Adama Barrow and AFP gan in 2009, has killed more those of the former regime of than 20,000 and forced some on churchgoers’ protest Kano Yahya Jammeh. Gambian police 2.6mn others from their said in a statement issued late homes, triggering a dire hu- Reuters the end of 2016 under which Thursday that permits for political oko Haram fi ghters have manitarian crisis in the region. Kinshasa an election would be held by parties to campaign were on hold killed at least 20 loggers, But despite clear military early this year, but it has slipped while it investigated two violent Bmilitia members and gains in major towns and cit- again and is now loosely sched- incidents in rural areas this week. residents said yesterday, in the ies, hard-to-reach rural com- ongolese police fi red tear uled for the end of this year. “The off ice of the Inspector General latest attack against civilians munities remain vulnerable to gas yesterday to disperse This has fuelled suspicion of Police (IGP) notifies all political in northeast Nigeria. attack. Cdozens of churchgoers that Kabila may try to remove parties that all permits granted to The attack happened on On December 30, 25 loggers who had gathered in the capi- constitutional term limits on conduct political activities have Monday when gunmen on mo- were shot dead at Maiwa vil- tal Kinshasa to mourn seven continuing in offi ce. been suspended until further no- torbikes opened fi re on a group lage, which is three kilometres people killed in protests against “Our brothers and sisters tice,” the statement said. The Gam- of loggers collecting fi rewood from Kaje, and three truck- President Joseph Kabila two died because they took a deci- bia holds local elections in April. The at Kaje village, near the Borno loads of fi rewood was burned. weeks ago. sion to remind us that (this)... first incident occurred on January 8 state capital, Maiduguri. Liman said: “We believe the A Reuters cameraman who agreement must be respected,” near Mankamang Kunda, the home “They (Boko Haram) killed same gunmen behind the Mai- was fi lming the church service Donation Bafuidinsoni, the village of President Barrow, where 20 people in the attack. Fifteen wa attack were responsible for said police fi red a volley of tear Auxiliary Bishop of Kinshasa supporters of the ruling United others are missing and pre- the Kaje attack.” gas outside, apparently to pre- told mourners at the service. Democratic Party (UDP) allegedly sumed kidnapped by the at- The attackers were be- vent the gathering turning into Its bishops are making ever clashed with Alliance for Patriotic tackers,” civilian militia leader lieved to have come from Boko another political demonstra- louder criticism of human Reorientation and Construction Ibrahim Liman said. Haram’s main enclave in the tion. rights abuses by the govern- (APRC) members returning from Details of the attack have Sambisa Forest area of Borno, Scores have been killed in ment and alleged plans by a nationwide tour. “We were going been slow to emerge due to which is accessible from the protests over Kabila’s future Kabila to remove term limits to our party leader’s compound limited communications in- two logging sites, he added. in the past two years and mi- A Congolese woman runs for cover after police fired warning shots stopping him from running for in Tallinding with a jubilant crowd frastructure after years of Many of those displaced by litia violence has destabilised to disperse a crowd at the end of a Catholic service that re-election — Kabila has de- when our vehicles were attacked fi ghting in the remote region. the confl ict are forced to rely swathes of Congo, stoking fears commemorates the victims of a crackdown on last month’s march, clined to comment on whether by supporters of the United Kaje resident Shuaibu Sidi on food handouts from aid the vast central African country in Kinshasa, yesterday. that is his intention. Democratic Party,” APRC National corroborated Liman’s ac- agencies. will slide back into civil wars. In power since his father was Mobiliser Yankuba Colley said. “Our count and said his brother was Others have turned to fell- Security forces in Democratic olic Church in Congo, Pierrot stitution that enjoys broad killed in offi ce in 2001, Kabila supporters were again attacked on among the dead. ing trees in the semi-desert Republic of Congo killed at least Mwanamputu, two days later credibility in Congo, has blames delays on the logistics of Thursday by the UDP supporters in Nigeria’s government and region to sell as fi rewood and seven people in the capital on condemned that repression as emerged as a lightning rod for voter registration. Busumbala,” he added. A UDP MP, military maintain that the use the proceeds to buy food. New Year’s Eve during demon- “nothing more, nothing less opposition to Kabila’s eff orts to “I don’t know why they Alagie Darboe, said the incidents militants, who have pledged Boko Haram has increas- strations that Catholic activists than barbarism”. The police, stay in power with no mandate, fi red tear gas at us. Truly, this were “between the APRC and allegiance to the Islamic State ingly targeted loggers in their organised to protest Kabila’s re- which admit killing only four while his political opposition government has to go,” said a the residents of the area, and not group, are on the verge of de- armed campaign to establish fusal to step down, the United people, described those killed remains weak and fragmented. mourner fl eeing the cloud of between APRC and UDP.” feat. a hardline state in northeast Nations said.. as militants and gangsters. It brokered a deal between teargas who gave only her fi rst The confl ict, which be- Nigeria. The head of the Roman Cath- The Catholic church, an in- Kabila and the opposition at name of Florence. Gulf Times Saturday, January 13, 2018 5 AMERICAS

SCHEME POLL PEOPLE DEFENCE HATE CRIME Kentucky implements work Most Americans ‘don’t want Rapper imprisoned Pentagon mum on fate Canada schoolgirl requirements for Medicaid Oprah to run for president’ for selling drugs of secret satellite attacked over hijab

Kentucky yesterday became the first US state to Americans may love Oprah Winfrey, but most The US rapper behind the songs Sell Drugsz and The mystery surrounding the fate of a secret A Toronto schoolgirl was yesterday assaulted receive approval from the federal government don’t want the chat show queen to run for Feds Watching has been sentenced to three years military satellite deepened further when the by a man who tried to cut off her hijab with to implement work requirements in Medicaid, president, although if she did she would beat in prison for selling heroin and the synthetic opiod Pentagon refused to answer even simple scissors and then fled, police said. Authorities a fundamental change to the 50-year-old Donald Trump, a poll revealed yesterday. Winfrey’s fentanyl to an undercover police off icer, it was questions about whether the mission to launch are investigating the incident, which occurred government health insurance programme for rousing speech at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards reported. Rhode Island’s Michael Persaud, known it had gone awry. On Sunday, private space at about 9am in or around the Pauline Johnson the poor. The approval came one day after the ceremony ignited speculation that the billionaire professionally as Montana Millz pleaded guilty firm SpaceX blasted a Falcon 9 rocket from school in Toronto’s east side, police spokeswoman Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued entertainment mogul, the first black woman to in October to arranging the sale and delivery of Cape Canaveral, Florida carrying the secret Katrina Arrogante said. “The information we policy guidance allowing states to design and own a television network, is harbouring Oval Off ice almost 22 grammes of fentanyl and two grammes government satellite, known as Zuma. US media have currently is that the child was not injured propose test programmes that require work or ambitions. Sixty-four percent of respondents have of heroin to the off icer, local newspaper the this week reported that the billion-dollar payload and the suspect has fled the scene.” The school jobs training as a condition of receiving Medicaid, a favourable view of Winfrey, including 43% of Providence Journal said. Persaud was twice driven did not make it into orbit and was presumed to serves nearly 300 kindergarten to grade six which has never had such conditions attached. Trump supporters, according to the NPR, PBS by his girlfriend to deliver fentanyl to the detective. have been lost. SpaceX said on Tuesday that the students “of diverse cultural and socio-economic Kentucky’s waiver also imposes premiums on able- NewsHour and Marist survey. But when asked if The rapper also faces sentencing in Pennsylvania rocket worked fine, but its statement left open backgrounds,” according to the local school bodied, adult Medicaid beneficiaries — another first they wanted Winfrey to run in 2020, only 35% said after being convicted in August on 16 drug- the possibility that something could have gone board. More than two-thirds speak a language for the key social safety net programme. yes. A majority — 54% — said no with 11% unsure. traff icking and conspiracy charges. wrong after the launch. other than English at home.

New York opts to keep Columbus Trump denies statue after ‘hate’ review controversial

AFP New York

ew York will keep its famed but controversial remarks as Nstatue of Christopher Columbus following a review of “symbols of hate,” as the US de- bates tributes to fi gures whose legacies are increasingly ques- tioned. Democratic Party mayor Bill anger grows de Blasio ordered the 90-day review after deadly violence at Reuters ring to some of the countries in bers for permanent residence in a neo-Nazi rally in Virginia last Washington derogatory terms. the country. August built nationwide mo- A group of Republican and Among other objections, mentum to remove symbols of Democratic senators has been Trump said the plan did not pro- the pro-slavery Civil War South. acing strong condemna- working for months to craft vide proper funding for the pro- The commission recommend- tion at home and abroad, legislation that would protect posed wall that he made a centre- ed that just one of four statues FUS President Donald 700,000 children who were piece of his election campaign. on public land — that of a gynae- Trump yesterday denied using brought to the US as illegal im- He added the country “would cologist who experimented on contemptuous language to de- migrants and later given protec- be forced to take large numbers enslaved black women without scribe Haiti and African coun- tion from deportation under a of people from high crime coun- anaesthesia — be relocated from tries, but kept up criticism of a programme known as Deferred tries which are doing badly.” Central Park to a Brooklyn cem- senate immigration plan that he Action for Childhood Arrivals, Haiti said it was shocked by etery. said would force the US to admit or DACA. Trump’s reported remarks on A plaque dedicated to Philippe people from countries that “are In a series of tweets yester- Thursday and summoned the Petain, a World War I hero who doing badly.” day, Trump also suggested that top US diplomat in the country later collaborated with the Na- Trump reportedly made the momentum toward a deal on for an explanation. zis and lead Vichy France, would remarks at a White House meet- maintaining such protection had Botswana also said it had remain in place, the commission ing on immigration on Thursday. stalled. summoned the US ambassador recommended. US Democratic Senator Dick “The so-called bipartisan to that country, Earl Miller, to De Blasio had initially said the Durbin, who attended the gath- DACA deal presented on Thurs- “express its displeasure.” plaque would be the fi rst to go. ering, told reporters yesterday day to myself and a group of Trump’s comments are ex- “Reckoning with our collec- that Trump used “vile, vulgar” Republican senators and Con- tremely off ensive to South Af- tive histories is a complicated language when speaking about gressmen was a big step back- rica, said Jessie Duarte, a senior undertaking with no easy solu- African countries. wards,” he said. offi cial with the ruling African tion,” said de Blasio. The Republican president’s The tentative deal also ad- National Congress. “Our approach will focus on comments were decried as racist dresses border security, includ- In Geneva, UN human rights adding detail and nuance to — by African and Haitian politi- ing a border wall, the diversity spokesman Rupert Colville said instead of removing entirely cians, by the United Nations hu- visa lottery and so-called chain “These are shocking and shame- — the representations of these man rights offi ce and by US law- migration, a programme by ful comments from the president histories.” makers from both major parties. which US green-card holders of the US. There is no other word As a result, information Trump, who has been ac- can sponsor other family mem- one can use but ‘racist.’” plaques about Columbus’s life cused of racism over several is- will be added and a monument sues since he took offi ce a year US ambassador to Panama resigns to indigenous people erected ago, sought to walk back the near the statue at the gateway to comments yesterday, saying on US ambassador to Panama, Feeley said, according to an Central Park. Twitter, “The language used by John Feeley, a career excerpt of his resignation The commission also recom- me at the DACA meeting was diplomat and former Marine letter. “My instructors made mended adding “context such as tough, but this was not the lan- Corps helicopter pilot, has clear that if I believed I could wayfi nding, on-site signage and guage used.” resigned, telling the state not do that, I would be honour historical information” to the Trump also denied saying department he no longer bound to resign. That time Petain plaque on Broadway. “anything derogatory about feels able to serve President has come. “Undersecretary Columbus, the so-called man Haitians other than Haiti is, ob- Donald Trump. “As a junior of state Steve Goldstein said who “discovered America,” has viously, a very poor and troubled foreign service officer, I Feeley’s departure was not a been increasingly denounced as country.” signed an oath to serve response to Trump’s alleged embodying the genocide of in- According to two sources, faithfully the president and his use of controversial remarks digenous Americans. at Thursday’s meeting Trump administration in an apolitical to describe Haiti and African Protesters have gathered in questioned why the US would fashion, even when I might not countries at a meeting on front of the statue to denounce President Donald Trump speaks during an event in honour of Martin Luther King Jr. in the Roosevelt want to accept immigrants from agree with certain policies,” Thursday. “genocide” and “slavery.” Room of the White House in Washington, DC, yesterday. Haiti and African nations, refer- Rescuers at California Canada lynx ‘no longer mudslide expand search facing extinction threat’ Reuters 48 states, would lead to its de- Pinedale, Wyo., mise where it is found in parts of Reuters Triggered by heavy rains, the “We need people out, be- Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Minne- Montecito, Calif. massive slides struck before cause they’re really hampering sota, Montana and Washington. dawn on Tuesday. our eff orts for not only the res- he Canada lynx, a wild cat The lynx is not considered im- Walls of mud and debris cas- cue, but for the cleanup,” said found in just a handful of perilled where it is found in Alaska mergency offi cials in caded down hillsides that were Santa Barbara county fi re de- Tmostly western US states or Canada. “This spells disaster for southern California yes- that were stripped bare of trees partment spokeswoman Amber as well as Canada, no longer lynx,” Michael Garrity, head of Al- Eterday said they were and shrubs last month by wild- Anderson said yesterday. needs federal protection from liance for the Wild Rockies, said. looking for fi ve people missing fi res, including the Thomas In one of the worst-hit ar- extinction in the Lower 48 states, The Montana-based Alliance and feared dead or trapped by Fire, the largest blaze in the eas of Montecito, mud blew US wildlife offi cials said, sparking is one of several conservation deadly mudslides and have ex- state’s history. through doors and windows, an outcry from conservationists. groups that have sued to force panded the search area. “Realistically we suspect fi lling the interiors of houses The fi nding is one step in a the Fish and Wildlife Service to At least 17 people have died we are going to have the dis- with muck and debris. process that will see the US Fish broaden restrictions on activi- and offi cials warned that finding covery of more people killed in The walls at one end of a and Wildlife Service formally ties such as logging, mining and more survivors in the thick brown this incident,” Santa Barbara home had completely disap- propose removing Canada lynx snowmobiling where they take mud was becoming unlikely. county Sheriff Bill Brown said peared, leaving its roof hanging from the federal endangered and place on public lands and are The new fi gure of fi ve miss- at a briefi ng, adding that he precariously. threatened species list. likely to harm lynx. ing compared with the 43 peo- was hoping to fi nd “miracle” Downed power lines wrapped There is no timeline for when The reclusive wild feline, about ple listed on Thursday night as survivors. around trees at one prop- such a plan would be fl oated, twice the size of a domestic house unaccounted for by the Santa He noted it was possible some erty, while elsewhere the lines agency spokeswoman Jennifer cat, is known for its solitary na- Barbara Sheriff ’s Offi ce, ac- of those listed as missing may dropped almost to the ground. Strickland said. ture, and disproportionately long cording to a spokesman for not have been in the area and Elsewhere, cars were perched Conservationists said it was legs and large paws that make the offi ce, who declined to checked in with friends, or real- on mounds of earth and garage mystifying how the Trump ad- it well-adapted to hunt in deep elaborate on the reason for the ise that they are listed as missing. doors had caved in. ministration determined the mountain snows for its preferred sharply lower number. County offi cials ordered Tree trunks and branches lynx has recovered and should be prey, the snowshoe hare. Offi cials say estimates of residents in most of the south- were strewn everywhere and delisted since the Fish and Wild- Although climate change, missing people can fl uctuate eastern corner of Montecito, boulders littered front yards. life Service doesn’t know how including decreased mountain dramatically in the days after a an unincorporated community The area, northwest of Los many of the wild cats there are snowpack, is “an important fac- natural disaster as people call in east of the city of Santa Bar- Angeles, is home to many ce- where they are protected in the tor” aff ecting Canada lynx, they reports of missing loved ones, bara, to leave their homes for lebrities and other wealthy Rocky Mountains and elsewhere. are not at risk of extinction from some of whom may not have what they said was likely to Californians, who relish the Conservationists say strip- climate change in the foreseea- been in the area when the dis- be one or two weeks to aid the sense of seclusion and relative A house lies completely destroyed after the mudslide in Montecito, ping protections from Canada ble future, US wildlife managers aster struck. search and recovery eff orts. proximity to the city. California. lynx, listed in 2000 in the Lower said in a statement. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, January 13, 2018 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA UN Indonesia earthquake plan foresees 47mn aff ected

Reuters pare for disaster in one of the ther 60,000 people would be would be major disruption to air at national and local levels and huge 1699 earthquake in Bata- report on disaster risk manage- Geneva world’s most quake-prone re- seriously injured and 200,000 and sea ports. a tsunami warning system, he via, the location of modern-day ment prepared by Indonesia’s gions, is based on a 7.8-magni- lightly injured, while 9.6mn In 2004, the Indian Ocean said. But as in most earthquake- Jakarta. government said a major earth- tude quake in the Sunda Strait, would be temporarily displaced. tsunami killed 226,000 people prone countries, it needed to Further scenario model- quake, occurring once every 250 UN contingency plan for close to the capital Jakarta, simi- Although 2.5mn people would in 13 countries, including more improve building regulations. ling should look into multiple years, could cause losses in ex- an earthquake in Indo- lar in size to one that struck the need immediate help, fewer than than 120,000 in Indonesia. “It is buildings which kill in disasters such as a tsunami or cess of $30bn, or 3% of GDP. A nesia foresees a scenario Caribbean this week. one in 10 would get it. Since then, a culture of disaster earthquakes,” McClean said. fl ooding in a big city, bringing in In December a 6.5-magnitude where 10,000 people would die “Within the fi rst 24 hours, Electricity and telephone net- prevention has spread around The scenario, which assumes more accurate data on damaged quake killed at least three peo- within 24 hours with 47mn more approximately 10,000 deaths works would go down for as long the world, said Denis McClean, an earthquake aff ecting west buildings and infrastructure, the ple when it hit Java, Indonesia’s aff ected, according to emer- with a substantial number of as two weeks, and large-scale oil spokesman for the UN Offi ce for Java and Sumatra with no tsu- documents said. most densely populated island, gency response planning docu- missing people is reported,” said and chemical spills would cause Disaster Risk Reduction. nami, was developed by Indo- The World Bank reckons natu- at a depth of 92km, and build- ments. the contingency plan based on fi res and disrupt fuel supplies Indonesia has established nesia’s geophysics and meteoro- ral disasters cost Indonesia 0.3% ings in Jakarta swayed for several The UN-led exercise to pre- a worst-case scenario. A fur- for a week after the quake. There disaster management agencies logical agency BMKG, based on a of its GDP annually, but a 2015 seconds. Student leader becomes new face of democracy campaign in Hong Kong

Reuters Law, along with several other ment to tighten control of the Hong Kong opposition leaders like 21-year- city, and there is little sign that old Joshua Wong, will return to Beijing is winning favour with the courts, defending their role Hong Kong’s young. aving seen a court dis- in the largely peaceful protests In the latest survey conduct- qualify her friend from that blocked major roads in the ed by the University of Hong Hholding a seat in Hong former British colony for 79 Kong of 130 youths, only 0.3% Kong’s legislature, 21-year-old days in 2014. identifi ed themselves as “Chi- Agnes Chow stands ready to The High Court could jail nese,” a new low since polling step into the breach by contest- Wong and 19 other protesters, began in 1997. On the fl ip side, ing his seat for a pro-democracy with sentencing expected on around 70% of respondents — movement that has provoked Wednesday, while in a separate the highest ever — saw them- China’s wrath. hearing Law is appealing an selves as “Hong Kongers”. “We can’t aff ord to be scared,” eight-month jail term that he Several civil disobedience said the soft-spoken university has already partially served be- leaders from 2014 studied or student, who will announce her fore being released on bail. taught at the university, but candidacy today. “People think “When my friends are going while the survey showed where if they don’t touch politics they to jail for defending democracy sentiments lay its student body will be fi ne but this is not the ... I keep thinking, ‘how can I has become less politically ac- North Korea’s female cheerleaders are a marked contrast to the regime’s menacing nuclear ambitions. case anymore,” Chow told Reu- do more and take up more re- tive, to a point where none ters, referring to what she per- sponsibility?’,” said Chow, who wants to lead the student union. ceived as creeping interference has been a student leader since “Everyone feels numb,” said by Beijing’s Communist Party 2012. incumbent union president rulers in the city’s freedoms. “It forces us to grow.” Wong Ching-tak. “The issues If she wins the Hong Kong Hong Kong has been gov- keep coming but you can’t do Island constituency in March, erned under a “one country, anything, and if you do some- Chow will become Hong Kong’s two systems” formula since its thing you face imprisonment.” youngest ever lawmaker. return from British to Chinese While recent protests have S Korea proposes The by-election is one of sev- rule in 1997, allowing freedoms failed to garner huge numbers, eral necessitated after the Chi- not enjoyed on mainland China some activists say the pressure nese parliament issued a legal that include an independent for change is slowly brewing interpretation that eventually judiciary but not a fully demo- beneath the surface. led to the debarring of six op- cratic vote. “I don’t necessarily think position lawmakers, leaving the The failure of the “Umbrella we’ll see a revolution with big pro-democracy camp with 24 Movement” protests to wrestle fanfare, but an underground joint march with seats in the 70-seat legislature concessions on democracy from community that slowly ex- and also eff ectively taking away Beijing, coupled with prosecu- pands,” said Yau Wai-ching, 26, some of its veto powers under tions of at least 100 protesters, who was ousted from the legis- Hong Kong’s complex system. mostly youths, discouraged lature. Chow’s friend Nathan Law, many young people from go- “And this community takes 24, was one of the disqualifi ed ing back out on the streets. a diff erent stance against the lawmakers. The street occupations also government ... This can be a North at Olympics During the coming week, prompted the Chinese govern- revolution too.”

AFP heighten a sense of soaring opti- Yonhap said South Korea has ceremonies – under the blue and Seoul mism about the Games since the asked the International Olym- white ‘unifi cation fl ag’ – the two North confi rmed its attendance pic Committee (IOC) and the Koreas have never fi elded a joint during rare, high-level talks on International Hockey Federa- team at any multi-sport compe- outh Korea has pro- Tuesday. tion for permission to expand tition, such as the Olympics or posed marching together Also yesterday, South Korea’s the roster of its women’s hockey Asian Games. They previously Swith North Korea at next unifi cation ministry invited the team, to bring in North Korean formed unifi ed teams in 1991, at month’s Winter Olympics open- North to further talks about the players. There was no immedi- the World Table Tennis Cham- ing ceremony and also forming a Olympics in the truce village ate response from North Korea pionships and the FIFA World joint women’s ice hockey team, of Panmunjom on January 15, a to the proposals. Both sides will Youth Championship both held a government minister said yes- statement said. A joint march also meet at the IOC’s Lausanne that year. terday. at the opening ceremony would headquarters on January 20 to For the Pyeongchang hockey The proposal was made dur- be a stunning statement for the discuss details of their participa- competition, Roh said South Ko- ing Tuesday’s inter-Korean talks, “Peace Olympics”, which will tion. rea wouldn’t cut home-grown where North Korea confi rmed it open about 80km from the heav- Only two North Korean ath- players from its squad in favour would attend the Pyeongchang ily fortifi ed Korean border on letes, fi gure skating pair Ryo- of North Koreans. “Even if we Olympics following months of February 9. mTae-ok and Kim Ju-sik, quali- have one Korean team in wom- tensions over its nuclear weap- The two Koreas, who are still fi ed for Pyeongchang, but they en’s hockey, we’ll make sure it ons programme. technically at war, marched to- subsequently missed a deadline will not come at the expense of “We made various proposals gether at the opening ceremonies to register. However, the IOC South Korean players,” he said, including the fi elding of a joint of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, has said it will consider off ering according to Yonhap. women’s ice hockey team and the 2004 Athens Games and the wildcards to North Korean ath- He added that Seoul was a joint march into the Olympic 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. letes. Cross-country skiers and reaching out to other countries stadium,” South Korea’s vice- North Korea boycotted the 1988 speed skaters are understood to in the hockey competition to ex- sports minister Roh Tae-kang Summer Games in Seoul, mean- be among those who could ben- plain the situation. South Korea said, according to Yonhap news ing Pyeongchang will be the fi rst efi t. are grouped with Sweden, Swit- agency. The proposals were not Olympics they have attended in Although they have marched zerland and Japan in the women’s Student activist Agnes Chow poses for photo ahead of her campaign to join Legislative Council by made public at the time, but they the South. at previous Olympics opening tournament. election at Demosisto party’s off ice in Hong Kong.

Chinese bishop Real encounter freed after Fourth stonefi sh seven months sting in eight days in captivity A Chinese bishop who was removed from his diocese and in Queensland held by authorities in detention for seven months has been freed, the Vatican said yesterday. DPA barb from a 35-year-old wom- Last June, the Holy See had Sydney an.” “This takes our total to expressed “grave concern” for four reported stonefi sh stings Peter Shao Zhumin, saying he in just 8 days.” was being held in an unknown our people have been Surf Life Saving said an location and had been missing stung by venomous 11-year-old girl was stung on for some time. His friends said Fstonefi sh in the south- Thursday and a 12-year-old they feared the authorities were eastern beaches of Queensland girl was stung last week – both trying to force him to switch in just eight days, rescue offi - at Tallebudgera Creek, which from the underground church cials said yesterday. Two inci- is just south of Gold Coast. All recognised by the Vatican to dents took place yesterday. the victims are in stable condi- the state-run Chinese Patriotic “The fi rst was a 27-year- tion, offi cials said. Stonefi sh Catholic Association (CPCA). The old man at Bulcock Beach in are lined with spines that re- bishop was released on January Caloundra, with Queensland lease a venomous toxin, which 3, Vatican spokesman Greg Ambulance Service transport- is extremely painful and dan- Burke said. His disappearance ing the patient to hospital,” gerous, sometimes even fatal to sparked a public spat between Surf Life Saving Queensland humans. the Vatican and China, said on their Facebook page. Stonefi sh are considered complicating discussions aimed “Not long after, a second the most dangerous fi sh in the at improving relations long Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha walks next to his cardboard cutout during preparations for national Children’s Day at the sting occurred at Tallebudgera world and are found largely in strained by diff erences over who Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. Creek on the Gold Coast, with the coastal regions of the Indo- has the authority to appoint lifeguards removing a stonefi sh Pacifi c. bishops in the country. Gulf Times Saturday, January 13, 2018 7 BRITAIN

TRIAL LEGAL CRIME DOWNSIZING OUTBREAK Couple admit burning ‘Essex Boys’ murderer Schools students being Defence cuts ‘may reduce Flu rates in London French nanny’s body loses £100,000 claim targeted by gangs army to 71,000 soldiers’ have doubled: doctors

A couple who deny murdering a French nanny One of the notorious “Essex Boys” murderers has Pupils at schools in one of London’s most aff luent Dramatic cuts to the armed forces could Flu rates almost doubled in London over have admitted they tried to dispose of her body lost a £100,000 compensation claim against the neighbourhoods are being targeted by teenage reduce the army by 14,000 to just over 71,000 Christmas, GPs revealed yesterday. The capital by burning it. The charred remains of Sophie government after he was beaten unconscious in gangs. Councillors in Highgate have called for soldiers and see famous units such as the also leads the country in the number of people Lionnet, 21, were discovered in the garden at a a prison kitchen. Michael Steele, 75, was attacked police to step up after-school patrols to combat Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment suff ering from a common cold, according to the house in Southfields on September 20. Police and kicked in the head by a fellow inmate in the “cowardly” crime spree in an area that merged to save money. Service chiefs Royal College of General Practitioners. The figures were initially unable to identify the body but later 2010 at HMP Whitemoor, near Peterborough. counts Kate Moss, Jude Law and Jamie Oliver as are maintaining official silence but some came after 27 people in the UK died from flu in the confirmed it was Lionnet, originally from Troyes The killer is currently serving a life sentence residents. In one incident, a boy was dragged to commanders, serving or recently retired, first week of January, taking the total number of in north-east France. Sabrina Kouider, 34, and her for the 1995 gangland shootings of three drug a cash machine and ordered to withdraw money suggest the cuts are inevitable. An outline deaths since the start of winter to 85. The Royal partner Ouissem Medouni, 40, pleaded guilty to dealers as they sat in a Range Rover on a farm by three muggers. Another pupil was collared by blueprint for Britain’s defence will be in the College’s weekly survey of communicable and perverting the course of justice. At the Old Bailey, track in Essex — the inspiration for the 2000 youths who demanded he empty his pockets and Security Capability Review drawn up by the respiratory diseases yesterday showed rates of the pair, of Wimbledon Park Road, Wandsworth, Sean Bean movie Essex Boys. Steele launched a threatened to beat him. Highgate neighbourhood Cabinet Office, to be published in the next influenza-like illness increased in London from south London, admitted the charge of perverting claim against the ministry of justice for failing to watch co-ordinator Cindy Jackson said: “These few weeks. The services have been strapped 16.7 to 30.3 per 100,000 people, between the last the course of justice by attempting to “dispose of protect him. But judge Simon Freeland threw out crimes continue because people are not getting for cash for years, struggling to re-equip after week in December and the first week in January, the body of Sophie Lionnet by burning”. the case at the Central London county court. caught. It’s out of control.” campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. but still remain below the national average. Remainers cheer Farage’s call for second Brexit vote

Guardian News and Media sation) rules, I don’t believe our London political class will accept. “So, I’m out of denial. I was in denial. I was saying: ‘We’ve won, igel Farage’s surprise call it’s all over.’ I have now got my- for Britain to prepare for self mentally ready for the possi- Na second EU referendum bility – as happened in Denmark has ignited hopes among anti- and Ireland and other countries Brexit campaigners that both - that they’ll make us vote again sides of the debate will back a and we must be prepared.” poll on Theresa May’s fi nal deal. Despite May’s position, the The former Ukip leader bookmakers Coral and Betfair shocked his colleagues on Thurs- slashed the odds on another poll day by suggesting another Brexit being held before the end of 2019 vote should be held, arguing it to 5-1. would lead to a more decisive Some suggested it could make victory for the Leave campaign it easier for Labour to shift its and silence Remain supporters position to supporting another Pedestrians pose by a Madame Tussauds wax figure of US President Donald Trump outside the new US embassy in Embassy Gardens in southwest London yesterday. for a generation. referendum on May’s fi nal Brexit Yesterday, Farage said he was deal, joining the LibDems, who calling on the Leave side to pre- have already called for a second pare for a second vote because of poll. the likelihood that one would be But it could also fuel divisions brought about when, as he ex- within Labour. The party lead- pected, parliament rejected the ership currently maintains that deal eventually struck with the there is no need for another pop- EU. ular vote – in contrast to some of Trump cancels UK trip His intervention was seized its pro-EU backbenchers. on by those who believe another Chuka Umunna, a former referendum is the best way of shadow Cabinet minister, said overturning the result, includ- Farage was for the “fi rst time in ing the former Liberal Democrat his life” making a valid point and leader Nick Clegg and the Labour the British people have “every peer Andrew Adonis, as it was right to keep an open mind about citing ‘bad’ embassy deal seen as a sign that political pres- Brexit”. sure is building for a poll on the He yesterday told Today that Reuters trip to London is that I am not a with Washington has taken on ing British far-right videos. to Trump being granted a state fi nal deal. new facts had emerged and the London big fan of the Obama adminis- added importance as Britain During May’s US trip a year visit, and say the invite should Although the prime minister costs of the Brexit process were tration having sold perhaps the prepares to leave the European ago, she extended an invitation be recalled. has insisted she will not allow beginning to crystallise. “Ulti- best located and fi nest embas- Union in 2019 and seeks new to Trump to make a formal state “Many Londoners have made another referendum, Farage yes- mately, the debate in 2016 was S President Donald sy in London for ‘peanuts,’ only major trade deals. visit — which includes pomp, it clear that Donald Trump is terday said he had accepted the hypothetical. This is now a fac- Trump cancelled a trip to build a new one in an off lo- Prime Minister Theresa May pageantry and a banquet with not welcome here while he is possibility of one being held. tual thing,” he said. Uto London scheduled for cation for $1.2bn,” Trump said was the fi rst foreign leader to Queen Elizabeth. pursuing such a divisive agen- “Of course I don’t want one, The most natural time for a next month to open a new em- in a tweet. “Bad deal. Wanted visit Trump after his inaugu- May’s spokesman told re- da,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan, we won a referendum and that second EU referendum would bassy, saying he did not want me to cut ribbon-NO!” Trump ration in January last year, and porters Trump was welcome in who has often exchanged barbs should have been that. But I do be a poll on whether to accept to endorse what he understood said. they were fi lmed emerging from London and that the invitation with Trump on social media, not trust the sheer dishonesty of any deal that May negotiates was an Obama-era decision to The decision to acquire a the White House holding hands. to visit had been accepted, al- tweeted. “It seems he’s fi nally our political class,” he told BBC with Brussels before the date of move out of the old one. The new London embassy site on She later said Trump took her though no date agreed. got the message.” Radio 4’s Today programme. Brexit in March 2019, or whether cancellation is a further blow to the south bank of the Thames hand in a gentlemanly gesture He said the opening of the Foreign Secretary Boris John- Farage said his recent meeting the UK should leave without an relations between the allies. was announced in 2008 under as they walked down a ramp. embassy was a matter for the son said opponents such as with the EU’s chief negotiator, agreement if she fails to secure More than a year into his George W But British officials have US government. Khan were putting the relation- Michel Barnier, had convinced one. presidency, Trump has yet to Bush along with the plans to been dismayed by some of “The US is one of our oldest ship with the US, the biggest in- him a “decent deal” would not If parliament was to vote visit London, with many Brit- put the old Grosvenor Square Trump’s pronouncements, and most valued allies and our vestor in Britain, at risk. be off ered and parliament would against May’s deal with the EU, ons vowing to protest against a site in upscale Mayfair up for particularly a proposed ban on strong and deep partnership “We will not allow US-UK reject it. it could provoke another refer- man they see as crude, volatile sale. Muslims entering the US and will endure,” the spokesman relations to be endangered by “The idea that, in that cir- endum on the issue or a general and opposed to their values on a A pillar of Britain’s foreign most recently when Trump said. some puff ed-up, pompous cumstance, we’ll just crash out election in which Brexit was the range of issues. policy since World War II, the rebuked May on Twitter after Many British politicians popinjay in City Hall,” Johnson on WTO (World Trade Organi- central issue. “(The) reason I cancelled my so-called “special relationship” she criticised him for retweet- have voiced their opposition tweeted.

Rail station fire Surgeon who branded Review of Worboys’ patients’ livers fi ned

AFP “This was conduct born of rape cases ruled out professional arrogance of such London magnitude that it strayed into Guardian News and Media prosecuting him for their al- It said: “Prior to trial, the cas- criminal behaviour. I accept London legations. This clearly has not es of three further complainants surgeon who admitted that you didn’t intend or fore- happened and we are left with were assessed to have passed branding his initials on see anything but the most trivi- dozens of women fearing for the evidential test. However, by A the livers of two patients al of harm would be caused.” he Crown Prosecution their safety and feeling sorely that stage it had been decided undergoing transplants at a Another surgeon spotted Service (CPS) has rejected let down by the very system that there were suffi cient counts hospital was yesterday fi ned and Bramhall’s initials on one of the Tcalls for it to review its that is meant to protect them.” on the indictment to enable the sentenced to carry out unpaid livers. The branding was four decision not to prosecute the se- However, a spokesman for judge to impose an appropriate community work. centimetres high. rial sex attacker John Worboys the CPS said: “Our decision- sentence in the event of convic- Simon Bramhall, 53, used an He told police it had been a for further allegations of sexual making was on the basis of all tion.” argon beam machine to burn misguided attempt to relieve the assault. available evidence and there Victims and alleged victims his initials on the organs of two tension in the operating theatre. The 60-year old black-cab are no plans to review it. We of Worboys are also asking for anaesthetised victims in Febru- Bramhall resigned from the driver is due to be released from would consider further charg- him to be banned from entering ary and August 2013. Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bir- prison at the end of this month ing advice in the event of mat- London when he is released. The “What you did was an abuse mingham in 2014. after serving almost 10 years for ters being referred to us by terms of his licence are yet to be of power and a betrayal of trust The consultant was given a drugging 12 women, sexually as- police. If cases did not pass fi nalised. that these patients had invest- formal warning by the General saulting seven of them and rap- the evidential test there would One said it would be “a total ed in you,” judge Paul Farrer Medical Council professional ing one. have to be new evidence avail- scandal” if the previous claims told him at Birmingham Crown body last February. Lawyers for other alleged able that altered that assess- against him were not looked at Court. He now works for the state- victims had asked for 93 other ment before they could be again. Bramhall was sentenced to run National Health Service in cases to be considered for pros- prosecuted. No cases can be “There are few things more a 12-month community order, Hertfordshire, north of Lon- ecution by the CPS. Following prosecuted unless they pass diffi cult and upsetting than meaning he will carry out 120 don. the Parole Board’s decision to the test in the code for crown coming forward after being hours of unpaid work, and fi ned The Queen Elizabeth Hospital release Worboys, Richard Scor- prosecutors.” sexually assaulted or raped,” she £10,000. said in a statement: “ Bramhall er at Slater and Gordon, which It said earlier that during the said. “But when you do, then not “Both of the (transplant) op- made a mistake in the context of represented 11 of his victims in police investigation into Wor- to have your evidence taken into erations were long and diffi cult,” a complex clinical situation and a successful civil claim, said: boys, fi les relating to 83 separate account, is much, much worse. Firefighters attend the scene of a fire at Nottingham Farrer said. “I accept that on this has been dealt with via the “Our clients were led to be- complainants were referred to What signal does that send? Un- Railway Station in Nottingham yesterday. Police are both occasions you were tired appropriate authorities. lieve their attacker would not prosecutors. However, only 14 less these cases are reopened we investigating the cause of the huge fire that broke and stressed and I accept that “There was no impact what- be walking free for many many of those passed the “evidential can have no faith in the justice out in a block of toilets at the station. this may have aff ected your soever on the quality of his clin- years, so there was no point in test”. system.” judgement. ical outcomes.” Gulf Times 8 Saturday, January 13, 2018 EUROPE

The main points of coalition blueprint Europe Germany, the EU’s biggest economy, supports the ambi- tious reform drive of French Merkel deal to President Emmanuel Macron and the European Commis- sion but stays vague on some of the details. The coalition blueprint starts with the topic of Europe and includes pledges to strengthen common EU foreign give Europe and defence policy. It vows eff orts to, “in close partner- ship with France, sustainably strengthen and reform the euro- zone so that the euro can better withstand global crises”. The plan supports the creation a ‘fresh start’ of a European Monetary Fund that could lend to countries in AFP the German deal was “signifi - embattled mainstream parties economic crisis, but only pledg- Berlin cant” and “positive” for the EU’s have also struggled to fend off es to study other Macron ideas, future. Despite the deal, potential the encroaching far right, which including a common eurozone pitfalls remain, including up- has seized on anger over a mass budget and finance minister. hancellor Angela Merkel coming votes by sceptical SPD infl ux of more than one million Economy said her conservatives delegates and then party mem- migrants and refugees since 2015. Thanks to flush public coff ers, Creached a breakthrough bers that could yet derail plans Roughly in line with a core Germany will boost public deal yesterday with Germany’s for another left-right “grand CSU demand, they agreed that investment while maintaining a second biggest party, the Social coalition”, the constellation that “the number of new arrivals... balanced budget, says the paper. Democrats, toward building a has ruled Germany for the past should not exceed the range of The conservatives were able to new coalition government that four years and remains in charge 180,000 to 220,000 per year”. stick with a pledge not to raise would give Europe a “fresh start”. as a caretaker government. A new coalition deal can still be taxes, which the SPD had wanted After more than 24 hours of Germany has been in political torpedoed when SPD delegates, to do for the very rich. The talks and months of political pa- limbo since a September 24 elec- and later rank-and-fi le members, SPD won some social welfare ralysis, red-eyed party chiefs and tion in which Merkel failed to win get to vote on whether the party concessions, including in health their negotiating teams reached a clear majority – in part due to should once again govern in Mer- insurance. an in-principle agreement to the rise of the far-right and anti- kel’s shadow. Scepticism is high On energy and climate, the start formal coalition talks that immigration Alternative for Ger- after the SPD scored a humiliat- parties agreed to formally stick could lead in coming months to many (AfD) which took millions ing result in September, its worst with Germany’s carbon emission a new government for the biggest of votes from all major parties. of the post-war era. That initially reduction goals, even if experts EU economy. Merkel initially turned to two led Schulz to vow to head into agree Germany looks set to In the all-night negotiations smaller parties, the Free Demo- opposition to rebuild the party’s overshoot its 2020 target. They in Berlin, Merkel and her Chris- crats and Greens, to form a new fi ghting spirit and voter appeal. also said Germany would from tian Democrats, Horst Seehofer coalition government for her The SPD’s youth wing chief this year study ways to phase of her Bavarian allies the CSU and fourth term. But when those talks Kevin Kuehnert has said he would out dirty coal plants. the Social Democrats (SPD) chief collapsed in November, she had embark on a national tour to press Martin Schulz hammered out a to once more woo a reluctant SPD his case against a new grand coa- Refugees 28-page paper that will form the for a new power pact. lition, known as “GroKo” in Ger- The parties agreed to limit basis for the talks ahead. Both Merkel and Schulz went man political shorthand. “The the numbers of refugees and The hope was to form a new into the talks Thursday warn- mood of the party rank-and-fi le migrants coming to Germany government “before Easter”, ing of “big obstacles” ahead, but with regards to a grand coalition following the arrival of more which falls on April 1, said See- also knowing that their political is still grim. That’s why I think we than 1mn asylum-seekers since hofer. In their joint blueprint, the lives were on the line. “The nego- have a good chance,” said Kueh- 2015. The mass influx drove the three parties agreed on key policy tiations are not just about a coa- nert. rise of the far-right Alternative outlines — to join EU partner lition, but also their careers,” said Opinion polls suggest most for Germany (AfD) party which France in a push to “strengthen Karl-Rudolf Korte of Duisburg- Germans are less than enthusias- scored almost 13 percent in and reform” the 19-member eu- Essen University. “It would be the tic about a new conservative-SPD September elections. rozone, to limit the controversial end for all three if this coalition alliance, with a Focus magazine Under the blueprint, Germany infl ux of asylum-seekers to Ger- does not come about.” survey giving it just 30 percent will seek to limit the annual many to around 200,000 a year, In the tough talks, all sides support. Political observers also intake of people seeking safe and to refrain from tax hikes given have been under pressure to de- judge that Merkel, damaged by haven to around 200,000, in line the healthy state of state coff ers. liver some of their parties’ sig- the poor election outcome, is with a long-standing demand of Merkel voiced relief that the nature policies. A key SPD posi- now in the twilight phase of her the CSU, whose southern state parties had passed a milestone, tion was refl ected in a pledge that reign. “Angela Merkel is past her of Bavaria was at the frontline of telling a press conference that Germany would, “in close part- zenith,” Oskar Niedermayer of the refugee arrivals. Germany “the world is not waiting for us nership with France, sustainably Berlin’s Free University told busi- will also allow some refugees — we need a fresh start in Europe. strengthen and reform the eu- ness daily Handelsblatt. “In the with temporary status to bring A fresh start for Europe is also a rozone so that the euro can bet- interest of her party’s electoral their families, but cap the fresh start for Germany.” ter withstand global crises.” But strength, she should not stay in number of relatives coming to Acting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, leader of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) Horst European Commission presi- the party failed with a demand to offi ce for the entire legislative Germany at 1,000 a month. Seehofer and Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader Martin Schulz speak after exploratory talks about dent Jean-Claude Juncker said raise taxes for the very rich. The term.” forming a new coalition government at the SPD headquarters in Berlin, Germany, yesterday. Japan PM arrives in Europe Turkey slams top court for amid North Korea tensions ‘wrong decision’ on writers AFP ation on cybersecurity, a topic between Estonia and Japan. Tallinn that digital-savvy Estonia has I believe that it will act as a championed since being hit by good catalyst for the economic AFP Turkey reinstates over 1,800 civil servants forces, parliament and govern- one of the fi rst major cyberat- co-operation of our two coun- Istanbul ment. Most of its 17 members apan’s prime minister yes- tacks a decade ago. tries,” Ratas said ahead of the Turkish authorities yesterday group. A total of 1,823 civil were appointed during the rule terday landed in Estonia, Abe will then visit fel- visit. reinstated more than 1,800 servants will return to work, of Erdogan’s predecessor Abdul- Jhis fi rst stop on a tour of low Baltic states Latvia and Japan is keen to raise its pro- urkey’s deputy prime min- civil servants in an emergency including 544 personnel from lah Gul or the previous president the Baltic states and other Eu- Lithuania, before continuing fi le in the region as China bol- ister yesterday slammed decree after finding they had the education ministry and Ahmet Necdet Sezer. ropean nations as he seeks to on to Bulgaria, Serbia and Ro- sters its ties there. All six na- Tas “wrong” a ruling by the no links to a group blamed 204 health ministry staff . The “Now we know why they drum up support for his hawk- mania. He is the first sitting tions Abe is visiting are among Constitutional Court that two for the 2016 failed coup. The decree also said 458 personnel weren’t released last night,” ish stance on North Korea. Japanese leader to visit these the 16 Central and Eastern Eu- veteran writers arrested in the public sector employees were from the police force could commented Emma Sinclair Despite a recent cooling of countries. ropean countries that hold an wake of the failed coup should sacked after being accused return to their jobs. Webb, the Turkey director of tensions in the run-up to the “I want to confi rm our co- annual summit meeting with walk free as their rights had been of downloading an encrypted Following the failed overthrow Human Rights Watch, on Twit- Winter Olympics in South Ko- operation on North Korean and China. violated. messaging app known as of President Recep Tayyip ter after Bozdag’s remarks. The rea, Shinzo Abe has insisted other urgent issues the inter- China has been pushing its Sahin Alpay and Mehmet Al- ByLock, which the authorities Erdogan, Turkey imposed a Istanbul courts said that the men on “maximising pressure” on national community faces,” massive $1tn “One Belt, One tan had been accused — in sepa- say was used by the movement state of emergency which has could not be released as Consti- Pyongyang over its nuclear and Abe told reporters before he Road” initiative, which seeks rate cases — of links to US-based of US-based preacher Fethullah been renewed five times and is tutional Court had not formally missile programmes. left. He also noted that repre- to build rail, maritime and road preacher Fethullah Gulen who Gulen who is blamed for the likely to be extended again this communicated its rationale. In the Estonian capital sentatives from more than 30 links from Asia to Europe and Ankara says masterminded the attempted putsch. But late last month. But the top court hit back with Tallinn, Abe met with Presi- companies would accompany Africa in a revival of ancient failed 2016 coup attempt. Gulen year, the authorities said that Using emergency decrees, a rare message on Twitter, say- dent Kersti Kaljulaid and Prime him to develop business ties. Silk Road trading routes. Abe denies the charges. the app had been unknowingly more than 140,000 public ing its full ruling could be read Minister Juri Ratas and will no- “Abe’s visit defi nitely sig- is due to return to Japan on Rights campaigners hoped downloaded by thousands of workers have been sacked or by anyone on the Internet. OSCE tably discuss bilateral co-oper- nifi es a new level of relations Wednesday. the Constitutional court ruling people. Gulen denies Turkey’s suspended including teachers, Representative on Freedom of the could set a major legal precedent accusations and insists his judges, police off icers and Media Harlem Desir said he was and could help dozens of other movement is a peaceful academics since July 2016. “deeply concerned” by the Istan- journalists arrested in the crack- bul courts’ decision. “Journalists down. But two Istanbul crimi- must be freed immediately.” Eyeball-to-eyeball nal courts late Thursday defi ed Yargitay. “With this decision the der the release from jail of the Alpay, 73, is a political scien- the ruling and ordered that both Constitutional Court has crossed former editor of the Cumhuriyet tist who wrote a column for the writers should for now remain over its legislative and constitu- daily Can Dundar. President Re- now closed staunchly pro-Gulen behind bars. tional limits,” Bozdag wrote on cep Tayyip Erdogan had at the Zaman newspaper. Deputy Prime Minister Be- Twitter. “This court should not time fumed over that decision, Mehmet Altan, 64, has writ- kir Bozdag accused the Consti- act as an appeals court.” saying he had “no respect for it”. ten books on Turkish politics. His tutional Court of exceeding its He described the decision as The Constitutional Court, Tur- brother Ahmet, a novelist and powers by acting as a top court “bad and wrong”, saying it was key’s top court, is one of the very journalist for some of Turkey’s of appeal. Turkey has its own reminiscent of the same court’s few public institutions in Turkey leading dailies, is also being held Court of Cassation, known as the ruling in February 2016 to or- who enjoys the support of armed in the same case.

Turkey issues tit-for-tat travel warning for US

Turkey yesterday issued an increase in terrorism links to a cleric blamed for the US consulate in Adana, areas have increased a travel warning urging and “risk of arbitrary Turkey’s 2016 failed coup. on charges of links to risk”. It singled out areas its citizens to reconsider detention” in America. In a tit-for-tat move at the Kurdish militants. The two along the Turkish-Syrian their travel plans to the Relations between the time, Turkey responded by countries have also fallen border and area where the United States, citing the two Nato allies have suspending visa services. out over the US’s refusal to Turkish army is fighting risk of terror attacks and become increasingly That crisis was resolved extradite US-based cleric Kurdish militants, warning arbitrary detentions. The strained over a number in December when Fethullah Gulen, who that US citizens could be move follows a US State of issues, including the US said it had won Turkey holds responsible accused of being linked to Department advisory on Turkey’s detention of two assurances from Ankara for the 2016 coup attempt, terror groups with “scant Wednesday which urged Turkish employees of US that no further legal and US military support or secret evidence and Americans to reconsider diplomatic missions in the proceedings would be for Kurdish rebels in Syria grounds that appear to be visiting Turkey due to country. launched against its staff , which Ankara considers a politically motivated”. security concerns. Washington suspended though Turkey insisted it terrorist group. In return, the Turkish A statement by the visa services for Turkish had given no assurances. The recent US State foreign ministry said Turkish foreign ministry citizens after Istanbul Meanwhile, Turkey has Department travel Turkish public sector A zookeeper looks for Northern Caiman Lizard during the annual inventory in Hagenbecks zoo – using almost identical consulate staff er Metin since March 2017 been advisory listed a rigorous employees in the US in Hamburg, Germany, yesterday. language to the original Topuz was arrested in holding Hamza Ulucay, a “Level 3” warning for had been detained on US advisory – warns of October over suspected veteran translator from Turkey, saying “some “baseless allegations.” Gulf Times Saturday, January 13, 2018 9 INDIA

DECISION EVENT POLITICS OBITUARY OFFBEAT Kashmir terror funding Naidu meets Modi Chennithala talks down Eminent Hindi author Flights diverted as cow chargesheet ‘next week’ amid strain in ties JD-U quitting of alliance Doodhnath Singh dies strays onto runway area

The National Investigation Agency yesterday Amid visible tensions between the TDP and BJP, With the Janata Dal-United’s Kerala unit parting Eminent Hindi writer Doodhnath Singh, First it was monkeys and rabbits. Now a cow has told a Delhi court that it will next week file a Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu ways with the Congress-led United Democratic winner of the Bharat Bharti award, died in forced flights to be diverted from the Sardar Val- chargesheet in the case of terror funding in the Naidu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here Front (UDF) and returning to the ruling Left Allahabad early yesterday, doctors said. He labhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmeda- Kashmir Valley as a court extended till January yesterday and urged him to fulfil all the com- Democratic Front’s fold, Congress leader Ramesh was 81. Singh was diagnosed with prostrate bad. Airport authorities said human negligence 18 the judicial custody of seven Kashmiri sepa- mitments when the state was split. During an Chennithala yesterday said it was better that peo- cancer in October 2017 after he was admitted may have had a role. The brave bovine crept past ratists and a businessman. According to court hour-long meeting, the Telugu Desam Party ple who rocked the boat left. “The JD-U state unit at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. security at a cargo gate to stray near the runway sources, during the in-camera proceedings, the (TDP) president discussed with Modi what he decision to leave the UDF will have no impact. In December, he was shifted to the Phoenix sparking a rodeo chase with guards. A flight from NIA told judge Tarun Sherawat “the investiga- said were unfulfilled promises under the And- It is similar to rocking the boat one is travelling Hospital in Allahabad. Within days, his condi- Abu Dhabi and a cargo plane had to be diverted tion of the case is at a concluding stage and hra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and submitted in. Hence, it’s better they leave and the UDF will tion deteriorated, a family member said. On to Mumbai after one of the pilots spotted the the evidence on record is being summed a 17-page memorandum. The meeting assumes go forward without any issues,” said Chennithala January 4, he suffered a cardiac arrest after beast. The arrival of five domestic flights and up.” The agency urged the court to extend significance as it comes amid indications of soon after JD-U state unit chief Veerendra Kumar which he was put on life support, a hospital several departures were also delayed. Aviation the judicial custody of the eight accused for strain in the relations between the Telugu announced his decision. State Congress president official said. Singh is survived by two sons sources said airport security guards and fire off i- another seven days. The court did so, via video Desam Party and its ally the Bharatiya Janata M M Hassan said Kumar had committed “political and a daughter. Singh was very active in cials struggled for more than 90 minutes to move conferencing. Party (BJP). treachery” by leaving the UDF. political commentaries. the cow away from the runway.

China Political clashes in Kolkata strong, but Four judges India not weak, says army chief revolt against

IANS New Delhi chief justice of tressing that India should shift its focus to its north- Sern borders with China, army chief General Bipin Rawat yesterday said China is a strong nation but asserted that India is not weak either. Supreme Court Addressing the customary annual press conference of the IANS died of cardiac arrest in 2014. His “A necessary corollary to the army ahead of Army Day on New Delhi family has raised doubts over the above mentioned principle is January 15, General Rawat for circumstances in which judge the members of any multi-num- the first time talked in detail Loya died and have sought an in- bered judicial body, including about the India-China stand- ivisions in the Supreme dependent probe into it. this court, would not arrogate off on the Doklam plateau Court burst out in the Pleas seeking probe came up for to themselves the authority to along the tri-junction of India, Dopen yesterday when four a hearing in the Supreme Court deal with and pronounce upon Bhutan and China for over two senior most judges took an un- yesterday when the top court ex- matters which ought to be heard months. precedented step of addressing pressed concerns over it and said by appropriate benches, both “The focus has to shift to the the media to accuse chief justice it was a “serious issue”. It asked the composition-wise and strength- northern borders (with China). Dipak Misra of breaching rules Maharashtra government to pro- wise with due regard to the roster We have focused too long on the in assigning cases to appropri- duce all the documents related to fi xed,” they wrote in the letter. western side (bordering Paki- ate benches, with one of them the case before January 15. They said any departure from stan),” the army chief said. pointing to the plea regarding the In a seven-page letter, the four the two rules would not only lead He said the terrain along the mysterious death of special CBI judges said they were not men- to “unpleasant and undesirable northern borders was in favour judge B H Loya. tioning details of cases only to consequences of creating doubt of India. At a hurriedly called press avoid embarrassing the institution in the body politic about the in- The army chief said China has conference at his residence, jus- because “such departures have al- tegrity of the institution” but emerged as a powerful country, tice J Chelameswar and three ready damaged the image of this would create “chaos”. adding that dealing with the other colleagues said the Su- institution to some extent”. The four judges also touched Communist giant was the gov- preme Court administration was The clash among the judges in upon another controversial is- ernment’s job. “not in order” and their eff orts to the highest court also comes in sue, the memorandum of proce- “China is emerging as a pow- persuade Justice Misra even yes- the wake of a controversial order in dure (MoP) on appointment of erful country, though I will terday morning “with a specifi c November in which justice Misra judges over which the Supreme not call it a global power. But request” failed, forcing them to declared that the chief justice “is Court had locked horns with the certainly, it has emerged as a “communicate with the nation” the master of the roster” having government. regional power. It is becoming directly. exclusive power to decide which The government, the letter assertive. We understand Chi- The four judges – justices case will go to which judge. said, had not responded to the na is a powerful country, but we Ranjan Gogoi, Kurian Joseph and The CJI had given the order communication and “in view of are also not a weak nation,” he Madan B Lokur besides justice a day after a two-judge bench this silence it must be taken that said. Chelameswar – released a let- headed by justice Chelameswar the MoP has been accepted by Rawat, however, hastened to ter they wrote to justice Misra a had passed an order that a fi ve- the government on the basis of add that India is also seeking couple of months ago, conceding judge bench of senior most judg- the order of this court”. support from other countries in that he was the master of roster es in the apex court should be set Justice Chelameswar told the region so that it is not iso- but that was “not a recognition up to consider an independent the media that they were “con- lated. of any superior authority, legal probe into a corruption case in vinced that unless this institu- Infrastructure development in or factual of the chief justice over which bribes were allegedly tak- tion is protected and maintains areas along the northern borders his colleagues”. en in the name of settling cases its requirements, democracy will needed speeding up, the general Asked specifi cally if they were pending before Supreme Court not survive in the country or any said adding that India should upset over reference of the mat- judges. country... The hallmark of a de- also be prepared for future wars ter seeking a probe into the sus- Holding that the chief jus- mocracy is independent and im- in the cyber space. picious death of judge Loya, jus- tice was only the fi rst among partial judges. Asked about increase in in- tice Gogoi said: “Yes.” equals, the four judges contend- “Since all our eff orts failed... cidents of interaction between Judge Loya, who was hearing ed that there were well-settled Even yesterday morning, on a Indian and Chinese soldiers, the a case relating to the killing of and time-honoured conven- particular issue, we went and army chief said it is a result of Police were deployed after clashes broke out between the BJP and Trinamool Congress (TMC) gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh in tions guiding the chief justice in met the chief justice with a spe- increase in the number of Indian workers during a motorcycle rally by the BJP’s youth wing to mark the birth anniversary of an alleged fake shootout in which dealing with the strength of the cifi c request. Unfortunately we troops on the borders and in- Swami Vivekanada in Kolkata yesterday. BJP chief Amit Shah was named bench required or the composi- could not convince him that we creased patrolling. an accused (later discharged), tion thereof. were right.” BJP downplays Kerala Anger at film Nation’s 100th govt’s diaspora event satellite launched IANS nous orbit. It has a five-year Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) life span. IANS tribution of the Kerala diaspora members are co-ordinating the The 100kg micro satellite, Thiruvananthapuram through their remittances has two-day event which includes which was India’s 100th satel- turned out to be the lifeline for panel discussions on the state’s ndia yesterday deployed a lite, was slotted into its sun syn- the state,” the chief minister said economy. remote sensing Cartosat and chronous orbit, at an altitude of he two-day ‘Kerala Loka “However, till now the diaspo- However, state BJP chief Kum- I30 other satellites, including 359km above the Earth. Sabha’ which started here ra has had no avenue to air their manem Rajasekheran downplayed 28 from six countries, into the The mission control had fi red Tyesterday could well be an views and it’s here that this sabha the event terming it as nothing earth’s orbit after a copybook the engines to restart the fourth engine for the future growth of will come useful,” Vijayan said. more than a meeting of “repre- launch of a polar rocket from stage for lowering the rocket to the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi The chief minister assured the sentatives of the CPI-M party who its spaceport here in Andhra deploy the micro satellite in its Vijayan said inaugurating the gathering that all the discussions have their organisations abroad”. Pradesh. intended orbit. fi rst-of-its-kind event. and debates that takes place at “This can be called a meeting of “The Polar Satellite Launch The fi rst space mission in 2018 Held at the banquet hall of the the event would be taken forward CPI-M well-wishers as several re- Vehicle (PSLV-C40) deployed on board the PSLV-C40 comes state assembly, the event resem- to its logical conclusion. spectable organisations from abroad India’s 710-kg Cartosat and 10- four months after a similar rock- bled a legislature in session. who have been working among the kg nano satellite and a 100kg et failed to deliver the country’s There were 351 members, in- “This can be called Kerala diaspora have been left out. micro-sat along with 28 foreign eighth navigation satellite in the cluding 141 legislators, parlia- a meeting of CPI-M “Moreover it should be noted satellites into the Earth’s or- earth’s lower orbit on August 31, ment members from the state well-wishers as that a few of the selected repre- bit after a perfect lift-off from 2017. and some 130 selected represent- several respectable sentatives even have cases regis- the launch pad,” said outgo- “We took rigorous measures to atives of Kerala-based organisa- organisations who have tered against them by the Central ing Indian Space Research Or- ensure that the heat shield issue tions from within and outside the been working among the Bureau of Investigation,” Rajas- ganisation chairman A S Kiran that prevented the last mission country, taking part in the event. Kerala diaspora have ekheran said. Kumar at the mission control (PSLV-C39) from deploying the Vijayan said: “This is the fi rst been left out” Two members from Melbourne facility, about 80km northeast satellites would not be repeated,” event of its kind to be held in the were found protesting in front of Chennai. Kumar asserted. country. This will be held once “For this to become an eff ec- of the state secretariat as they The four-stage rocket had de- The rocket carried a total of every two years. The discus- tive event, the parliament mem- claimed their “very respectable ployed the Cartosat-2 in the sun 31 satellites, among which three sions and deliberations that take bers here should take the recom- and decades old Kerala diaspora synchronous orbit about 17 min- were Indian: Cartosat-2, nano place in the next two days, could mendations forward and seek organisation was not included”. utes 33 seconds after its lift-off satellite and micro satellite. well be an engine for the future the Centre’s participation... The “We only want to highlight from the Satish Dhawan Space The performance of the de- growth of Kerala. state alone will not be able to do that the selection process was Members of the Rajput community protest against the Centre, Sriharikota High Alti- ployed Cartosat-2 was satis- “This sabha (meeting) could be it,” added Vijayan. faulty and we want it to be recti- release of the upcoming Bollywood movie Padmavat in tude Range (SDSC-SHAR). factory as monitored by the the vital link... as all through the Kerala Speaker P Sreera- fi ed,” said Thiruvallam Bhasi and Mumbai yesterday. The Cartosat-2 was injected mission control facility, Kumar past several decades, the con- makrishnan and a panel of seven Varghese John. into its 505km sun synchro- added. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, January 13, 2018 LATIN AMERICA

INTOLERANCE CRIME INVESTIGATION COMMENT WILDLIFE Churches attacked in Chile Gunmen kill legislator Mexico probing export Mexico will never pay for Brazil curbs soy farming ahead of Pope’s visit in Venezuela bank hacking: off icial Trump wall: minister deforestation in Amazon

At least three churches were attacked with A pro-government member of Venezuela’s Mexico’s attorney general’s off ice is Mexico has made clear it will never pay for Brazil all but stopped growth of soy farming in explosive devices in the Chilean capital controversial legislative superbody was shot investigating an attempt to hack and rob President Donald Trump’s planned southern newly deforested parts of its Amazon rainforest Santiago yesterday, local media reported, and killed in the west of the country by two Bancomext, the government-run export bank, border wall, the country’s economy minister said, during the 2016-2017 crop year after eff orts to halt four days ahead of Pope Francis’ visit to the assailants riding a motorcycle, authorities said. an off icial said. The hackers were not successful after the US leader again insisted he would make purchases of beans from such areas, off icial data South American country. “Pope Francis, the Lawyer Tomas Lucena, 31, was in his pickup in siphoning money from the bank’s accounts, Mexico pay for the barrier. “The president of showed. Soy farming has been a driver of Amazon next bombs will be in your cassock,” said a truck with relatives when he was shot several said the off icial at the attorney general’s off ice, Mexico (Enrique Pena Nieto) has been very clear: deforestation, marking the total destruction of pamphlet left at the Santa Isabel de Hungria times. He died in a hospital in Trujillo state, the who declined to be named. He said some funds Mexico will never pay for this wall,” Economy jungle areas after activities such as logging and parish in the west of the capital, where doors public prosecutor’s off ice said in a statement. A had been frozen but he did not specify the Minister Ildefonso Guajardo wrote on Twitter after ranching clear larger trees and undergrowth. and windows were damaged. Other attacks relative unknown in Venezuelan politics, Lucena amount. “Emergency protocols were activated a day of meetings in Washington. Trump told Brazil is the world’s largest soy exporter, with 13% targeted the Catholic church of Emmanuel in was a member of the 545-strong ‘Constituent immediately, a malfunction was detected the Wall Street Journal in an interview published of the planted area in the Amazon, and lowering the north of the capital and Cristo Vencedor Assembly’ created last year by socialist and the money was protected,” he said. On on Thursday that Mexico could pay for the wall, the crop’s impact on the forest has been seen parish in the east. Police were reportedly President Nicolas Maduro in a move widely Tuesday, Bancomext alerted clients that it had which he hopes will stem illegal immigration, as vital in the fight against climate change. Soy investigating a possible fourth attack. The condemned by western powers and fellow Latin suspended operations and by Wednesday the “indirectly” through changes to the North farming in 2016-2017 grew to account for roughly Pope will arrive in Chile late Monday. American nations. bank said it had been hacked. American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). 474 square kilometres of jungle deforested.

Brazil Anger at fare hikes to forge Four killed on with reforms in Venezuela AFP Sao Paulo

razil has vowed to push on with economic reforms af- Bter the international credit food riots: ratings agency Standard and Poor’s downgraded its long-term credit rating because of “slower- than-expected” changes by Presi- dent Michel Temer’s government. “The government reiterates its commitment” to forge on opposition with measures such as a reform of pensions in an eff ort “to guar- AFP Hyperinfl ation is expected Zuley Urdaneta, a 50 year- antee the sustainable growth of Caracas to top 2,300% this year in Ven- old vet in Merida, witnessed the the Brazilian economy and long- ezuela. looting of a truck along the high- term fi scal balance,” the fi nance Local universities say 30.2% way. ministry said in a statement. our people were killed of Venezuelans face poverty and About two hours later, he said S&P earlier announced it was and 15 injured in violence 51.5% extreme poverty while the some 800 people converged on a downgrading Brazil’s credit Flinked to food looting in government puts the fi gures at food collection centre and pro- standing further into junk sta- Venezuela, according to mem- 18.3% and 4.4%, respectively. ceeded to plunder it. tus, at BB- because of its dis- bers of the opposition and the The information ministry did “They knocked down the appointing eff orts to “correct local press. not respond to a request for in- gates and looted fl our, rice, structural fi scal slippage and ris- It brought to six the number formation about the latest dis- cooking oil, cooking gas,” said ing debt levels on a timely basis.” of deaths tied to desperate food turbances to rock the nation. Urdaneta. “The police and the There was also uncertainty shortages in the oil-rich but Looters plundered a truck car- National Guard tried to control from Brazilian presidential elec- crisis-riven country since De- rying corn, a food collection cen- the situation by giving out what tions later this year, in which Te- cember. tre, and a state-run supermarket, was left.” mer was not standing. In the town of Arapuey in the according to Paparoni, and a vet Looting has been increasing in The agency kept Brazil’s west of Venezuela, for several who witnessed the mayhem. the provinces since Christmas. short-term rating at B. days now looters have targeted A video on social media also “What we’re living is bar- S&P said there was “less than shops and stores and clashed with showed around a dozen men baric,” said opposition lawmaker one-in-three likelihood” of it soldiers, said Carlos Paparoni, an running into a lush pasture, Juan Guaido in a tweet referenc- changing its long-term rating, opposition lawmaker. chasing a cow, and then appar- ing the slaughter the cattle. “The either up or down, over the com- He said around 100 people ently beating it to death. dehumanising regime of Nicolas ing year. have been arrested. “They’re hunting. The people Maduro is turning a blind eye to “This refl ects Brazil’s com- Gaby Arellano, another op- are hungry!” says the narrator of the tragedy that we Venezuelans parative external and monetary position lawmaker, said the area the video, who fi lmed the inci- are living.” policy strengths that help off set has been “overtaken” by soldiers dent from his car. Maduro’s government accuses signifi cant fi scal weakness, an and police, with shop owners Paparoni said some 300 ani- political opponents and busi- economy with growth prospects doing what they can to defend mals were believed to have been ness-friendly foreign powers of lower than peers, and our view their property. killed. trying to foment a social upris- that eff ectiveness of policymak- Venezuela is in the throes of a Reuters could not verify the ing against him by stoking infl a- ing across branches of govern- deepening crisis caused by fall- information. tion and hoarding food. ment has weakened,” it said. ing oil prices, spiralling infl a- It noted “lack of support” tion, and corruption that has Government, opposition in fresh talks on crisis among Brazilian politicians for decimated the economy. stronger fi scal measures, and ex- In the past several days loot- Delegates from the Venezuelan in turn, threatened to resume pressed pessimism that whoever ing and attempted looting has government and opposition street protests which cost the ends up leading the country after broken out in a number of towns have met in the Dominican lives of 125 people last year. elections would have the “sig- and cities. Republic for a third round of The head of the government nifi cant political capital” needed A 19-year-old Venezuelan was talks on resolving the country’s delegation, Communications to pass reforms. shot dead on Wednesday when protracted crisis ahead of this Minister Jorge Rodriguez, “While the economy has stabi- hundreds of people looted trucks year’s presidential election. The accused the opposition of lised, we see slow growth and fi s- carrying fl our and chicken in the two-day meeting, on the neutral paying lip service to the talks cal weaknesses as key credit con- western city of Guanare. ground of the Dominican while planning to “return to straints,” the ratings agency said. On December 31, a young Republic, comes after the the strategy of violence.” The fi nance ministry said the woman, also aged 19, died after government of President “We do not need to go to the S&P downgrade showed the being shot in the head, allegedly Nicolas Maduro threatened to Dominican Republic if they do “need and urgency” for reforms to Students hold placards reading “4 reais ($1.25) not for public bus” in front of riot police by a soldier, while waiting in Ca- ban key opposition parties from not want to,” he said on the eve be approved by Brazil’s Congress, during a protest against fare hikes in Sao Paulo, Brazil. racas to buy meat distributed by the election. The opposition, of the talks. notably the pensions system. the government. Ecuador grants Illegals deported Protesters demand Kuczynski’s ouster

Assange citizenship AFP Kuczynski — who defeated Lima Fujimori’s daughter Keiko for the presidency in 2016 — said he had Reuters facilitate a just, fi nal and digni- thousands of classifi ed military pardoned the ex-president for Quito/London fi ed solution for all parties,” Es- and diplomatic documents in housands of Peruvians humanitarian reasons, reneging pinosa told a press conference one of the largest information took to the streets nation- on an election pledge never to in Quito. leaks in US history. Twide to demand that Pres- do so. cuador has given citizen- Britain saw only one resolu- “There are well-founded fears ident Pedro Pablo Kuczynski step Relatives of those killed under ship to Julian Assange as tion to the diplomatic standoff . we have about possible risks to down over his pardon to former Fujimori’s rule — all dressed in Epart of its eff orts to allow “Ecuador knows that the way his life and integrity, not nec- strongman Alberto Fujimori — black — led the cortege for the the WikiLeaks founder to leave to resolve this issue is for Julian essarily by the UK but by third rallies that ended in clashes be- rally in central Lima, under the the country’s London embassy Assange to leave the embassy to party states,” Espinosa said. tween demonstrators and police. watchful eye of police. where he has been holed up for face justice,” said a British For- She did not give details on Police used tear gas against Rallies were also held in Areq- more than fi ve years. eign Offi ce spokesman. how granting Assange citizen- protesters in the capital Lima uipa, Cusco and other cities, lo- Ecuador made the move Assange’s US lawyer Barry ship might help him leave the and in San Isidro, to the south. cal media said. hours after the British govern- Pollack had no comment. embassy and avoid arrest. In Lima, as night fell, protest- “Kucyzinski has to go, he has ment refused a request from Assange has been living Ecuador’s left-wing presi- ers were still marching — police shamelessly lied to the people,” the South American nation for in the red-brick embassy in dent Lenin Moreno, who took put turnout at 5,000, while local said Veronika Mendoza, a former Assange to be given diplomatic Knightsbridge, London, since offi ce in May, has been less television estimated that 8,000 leftist candidate for president status, which could give him he was granted asylum there friendly toward Assange than were in the streets. who took part in a march in Cus- immunity from arrest should in 2012 to avoid extradition to his predecessor Rafael Correa. The 79-year-old Fujimori, co. he try to leave the embassy. Sweden for questioning in a Moreno last year said As- who was serving a 25-year sen- Artist Carla Coronado, who After a year in which Ecua- sexual molestation case. sange could stay in the embassy tence for human rights abuses was protesting in Lima, said of dor’s president has spoken out Swedish prosecutors but called him a “hacker” and committed during his time in of- the pardon: “We are sure it was a against Assange, Ecuador’s dropped their probe into the warned him not to intervene in fi ce from 1990 to 2000, was par- political negotiation.” She add- Foreign Minister Maria Fern- allegations but British police the politics of countries friend- doned last month. ed: “We are fed up with politics anda Espinosa said she hoped to said Assange would be arrested ly to Ecuador. The move came just days af- as usual and so much corruption fi nd a solution to his dilemma. for breaching bail conditions For some, Assange is a cyber ter his son Kenji and other Fu- in the country.” “Ecuador is currently ex- should he leave the building. hero for exposing government jimorist lawmakers abstained Victims’ relatives are ap- ploring other solutions in dia- Assange, who denies the al- abuses of power and champi- from voting on Kuczynski’s im- pealing the pardon to the In- logue with the UK, like good legations, believes Sweden oning free speech but to others Deportees sit with their belongings at an immigration facility peachment in what was seen by ter-American Court of Human offi ces of renowned authori- would hand him over to the he is a criminal who has under- after a flight carrying illegal immigrants from the US arrived many as a backroom deal to save Rights, which sits in Costa Rica ties, other states, or interna- US to face prosecution over mined the security of the West in San Salvador, El Salvador. the president from corruption and will hear their case on Feb- tional organisations that could WikiLeaks’ publication of by exposing secrets. charges. ruary 2. Gulf Times Saturday, January 13, 2018 11 PAKISTAN Nation felt ‘betrayed’ at

US criticism: army chief Imran Khan Reuters inside Pakistan, the Pakistani “(Bajwa) said that entire Trump’s tweet, which infuriat- drone strikes and other military sion to topple the Taliban in Islamabad army said in a statement. Pakistani nation felt ed Pakistani offi cials and caught missions targeting Taliban and Afghanistan. Tension between the United betrayed over US’ recent the rest of the US other militant fi gures outside Since Trump took offi ce, there States and Pakistan has grown statements despite administration off guard. the border area. have been several drone strikes ‘I have only akistan’s army chief told over US complaints that the decades of co-operation” The Pakistani statement yes- In 2016, a US drone killed in Pakistan’s border region but a top US general the na- Afghan Taliban and Haqqani terday did not directly refer to the then-leader of the Taliban, they have not so far gone deeper Ption “felt betrayed” at network that target Ameri- respecting its vast sacrifi ces - Trump’s tweet. Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in the into Pakistani territory, though spiritual criticism that it was not doing can troops in Afghanistan casualties have numbered in the “(Bajwa) said that entire Pa- southwestern province of Bal- Islamabad believes that is on a enough to fi ght terrorism, the are allowed to take shelter on tens of thousands - in fi ghting kistani nation felt betrayed uchistan, prompting protests menu of punitive actions the US military said yesterday, after Pakistani soil. terrorism. over US’ recent statements de- from Islamabad of a violation of administration is considering. relations US President Donald Trump Trump’s administration last The US aid suspension was spite decades of co-operation,” sovereignty. However, the US military is accused Pakistan of “lies and week announced the suspen- announced days after Trump the army said, referring to the And in 2011, a secret Amer- also concerned that the Paki- deceit”. sion of about $2bn in security tweeted on January 1 that the phone call between Bajwa and ican raid in the military gar- stani army, which eff ectively with Bushra’ US Central Command chief aid to nuclear-armed Pakistan United States had foolishly Votel. rison city of Abbottabad runs foreign policy, might close General Joseph Votel told Gen- - offi cially a US ally - over ac- given Pakistan $33b in aid over The Pakistani assertion that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama the air and land corridors on eral Qamar Bajwa during a tel- cusations Islamabad is playing a 15 years and was rewarded with Votel said no unilateral action bin Laden, the architect of which US-led troops and Af- Internews ephone call this week that the double game in Afghanistan. “nothing but lies & deceit, inside Pakistan was being con- the September 11, 2001 at- ghan forces in landlocked Af- Karachi United States was not contem- Islamabad denies this and ac- thinking of our leaders as fools”. sidered may have referred to the tacks on American cities that ghanistan depend for supplies. plating any unilateral action cuses the United States of dis- It is not clear what prompted possibility of cross-border US prompted the US-led inva- So far, Pakistan has not done so. akistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran PKhan said he has only had spiritual relations with Bushra Maneka, to whom he proposed marriage after her divorce. Pakistan, US in ‘secret talks’ During an interview with a private television channel yes- Internews “These are highly sensitive Pakistan, however, is ada- son said both sides ‘understand terday, Khan said it was “now Islamabad matters related to our national mant that it has done enough the importance of the lines of up to God” whether his proposal security and hence cannot be in the fi ght against terrorism communication.’ would be accepted or not. discussed publically at the mo- and that there are no organised “Pakistan has been facilitat- Responding to a question ar from the public postur- ment,” said one offi cial with the presence of any militant outfi t. ing the US-led mission in Af- about rumours of his third mar- ing and rhetoric, Pakistan direct knowledge of the back “On the question of the pres- ghanistan through its ground riage, the PTI chief said: “It hurts Fand the United States are channel talks. ence of Taliban leadership in and air lines of communication me to talk about the matter be- thought to be holding ‘secret At his weekly briefi ng, For- Pakistan, we completely deny for the last sixteen years. Pa- cause she [Bushra] belongs to a talks’ in a desperate attempt eign Offi ce spokesperson Mu- this allegation,” Faisal insisted. kistan’s support to the US has very conservative family and ob- to avoid a complete rupture in hammad Faisal confi rmed that However, he said Pakistan been critical in dealing with the serves the purdah.” their fragile relations. Pakistan and the US continued had repeatedly said that it challenges of terrorism in the He claimed that even his chil- Offi cials familiar with the to communicate with each oth- would take action on the basis region,” he said. Civil society activists light oil lamps during a vigil held in tribute dren and his sisters didn’t know development said some Trump er on various issues of mutual of any actionable intelligence He also clarifi ed the remarks to a child who was abused and murdered in Karachi on January that he had proposed marriage to administration’s offi cials vis- interest at diff erent levels. and information provided to us. of Foreign Minister Khawaja 12, yesterday. Bushra Maneka. ited Islamabad this week and “Since, it is being done out- He said on the basis of intelli- Asif that US was no more an “What upsets me is the fact held talks with their Pakistani side media glare, I cannot share gence shared with the US, Paki- ally of Pakistan. “The foreign that some sections of the media interlocutors, in what appears further details with you,” Faisal stan had been able to secure the minister was expressing his use information like this to make to be a last ditch eff ort to find replied when asked to share de- region and decimate Al Qaeda. frustration at the unwarranted money. This is not journalism. a common ground in the fi ght tails of such contacts. “This has been acknowl- US accusations against Paki- Special desk to address Investigative journalism is like a against terrorism. The back channel eff orts came edged by the US leadership. We stan and the unilateral deci- jihad … you bring the truth for- A Pakistani delegation is also just days after the US suspended have conveyed to the US that sion to suspend the security ward like the Kasur incident, not expected to travel to Washing- the entire security assistance to actionable intelligence shar- assistance, despite Pakistan’s crimes against children personal matters,” he said. ton in coming days as part of Pakistan in wake of President ing can help in advancing the extraordinary sacrifi ces and Khan added: “This woman has the ongoing behind the scene Donald Trump’s New Year tweet shared goal of defeating terror- contribution in the war against Internews in the Complaint Cell of the observed purdah for most of her diplomatic maneuvers, added in which he accused Islamabad ism from the region,” he added. terrorism,” Faisal explained. Karachi CM House where complaints life. It hurt her family’s senti- the offi cials. of ‘lies and deceit’. When his attention was “The provocative state- of crimes against children ments. Every time I have inter- Some sources indicated that Washington has stepped up drawn towards the recent state- ments by the US leadership and would be looked into and ad- acted with her, she has been in a high ranking American intel- pressure on Islamabad to do ment by Defence Minsiter Pakistan’s response has been indh province Chief dressed. The phone number of purdah. This story has caused ligence offi cial recently visited more in the fi ght against terror- Khurrum Dastagir that Pakistan measured, as we believe that Minister Syed Murad Ali, the cell are 021-99202080-1, her so much embarrassment.’’ Islamabad. But the Foreign Of- ism. Reports suggest that Paki- could block key supply lines for continued Pak-US co-opera- Skeeping in view the hor- 99207394 and 99207568. The PTI chairman said the fi ce and the US embassy in Is- stan was given ‘specifi c targets’ the US forces in response to the tion is important for the sta- rifi c incident in Kasur city of He directed the complaint media organisations that tel- lamabad said they were not to act on within the stipulated Trump administration’s hard bility of the region, especially Punjab province, has ordered cell duty offi cer(s) to forward ecast “news about my marriage” aware of any such visit. time frame. line approach, the spokesper- Afghanistan,” he stressed. setting up a separate desk at such complaints to the relevant achieved nothing other than the CM House Complaint police station as well as to him hurting people’s sentiments. Cell to address complaints of on his WhatsApp number so He said he had written about crimes against children, par- that prompt, co-ordinated and his spiritual journey in a book ticularly what he termed “sex- strict action could be taken. about seven years ago, in which ual terrorism against children”. “I have given clear instruc- he described how he had come to Election commission gets census data He said the society was de- tions to the police to deal with read a lot about Rumi and Iqbal. generating, and the Islamic such cases as terrorism cases,” “I met Bushra [Maneka] al- values and the values of hu- he said. most two years ago. I will like to inally, the Pakistan Bureau had been provided as per the site, the election commission The data consists of 130 manity such as love and care Through the chief secretary, reiterate that every time I met of Statistics (PBS) yester- 24th constitutional amend- had asked for provision of the books, one for each district and for children and respect for Shah also directed the educa- her, with family and alone, she Fday shared with the Elec- ment, which would be the basis hard copy of the same and it each book consists of 100-150 elders were fading away, which tion department to educate has been in purdah. My interest tion Commission of Pakistan of carrying out delimitation of had been duly shared with the pages. ECP sources said that was quite painful. children against sexual as- in her lies in the fact that I have (ECP) the hard copy of the pro- constituencies of the provin- electoral body yesterday. after the most crucial develop- “The Kasur incident is a big saults and such other crimes. not seen or met anyone with visional census data, Internews cial assemblies as well as the For provision of notifi ed ment and as per the decision question mark on the face of “I believe it is sexual terror- her level of spirituality,” he said, reports from Islamabad. National Assembly. documented data, the elec- taken earlier, the related staff our society.” ism against children and such adding that he only sent the pro- Sources in the commission While population data is tion commission had especially would be on its toes today to do The chief minister ordered criminals would be booked posal for marriage after she had said that the provisional data available on the PBS web- written to the bureau. the preparatory work. setting up a separate desk accordingly.” divorced her husband. Plot twist as soap operas seek to break taboos Valuation of properties By Khurram Shahzad and In 2016, the channel aired Ud- heroine of autonomy - essential- reduced in six cities Ashraf Khan, AFP dari, or “Flight”, which told the ly portraying Baloch as a victim. Islamabad/Karachi story of a young girl abused by “The actual Qandeel didn’t con- her stepfather and ignited a de- sider herself a beychari (helpless) Internews duced the valuation of indus- bate about the sexual abuse of at all, even a cursory reading of her Karachi trial plot to Rs9,603/square n life, she chased fame, hop- children inside the home. interviews shows she worked hard yard from previous valuation ing to make her mark in the “Uddari took the sensitive and was proud of what she had of Rs12,000/square yard in Isociety. In death, murdered subject ... to every household,” achieved,” Haider wrote. he Federal Board of Karachi. social media starlet Qandeel Ba- says one avid fan, Aabida Rani. “Qandeel took full responsi- Revenue (FBR) of Paki- The valuation was cut to loch may have achieved her goal. In Sammi, which revolves bility for her choices... So why Tstan yesterday brought Rs7,500 from Rs9,100 for resi- Today she is a household around its eponymous star char- has Baaghi portrayed something down its valuation of proper- dential plots located in DHA name, and her tragic story has acter, the station highlighted else entirely?” ties in six major cities by more Phase-9, Karachi. been turned into a soap opera - honour killings, forced marriag- Journalist Fifi Haroon has than a half. The FBR sources said the one of several popular TV shows es, and denial of property inher- complained the portrayal of FBR issued six notifi cations revenue body is likely to face seeking to challenge taboos. itance to women all in one show. women in such shows still fi ts in to cut the valuation of proper- major blow to its tax revenue Baaghi, which means ‘Rebel’, Sultana Siddiqui, a producer to a patriarchal narrative. ties by up to 55% in Islamabad, collection from properties fol- charts the rise of Baloch from young, Director Angeline Malik (second right) posing for a photograph with who later set up her own TV sta- “Simpering, dewy-faced her- Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, lowing the reduction. exploited girl to Internet sensation actors during a promotional event for social drama serial Mujhe tion, said they wanted Sammi oines ... suff er in obstinate si- Faisalabad and Peshawar. FBR collects withholding infamous for her provocative selfi es Jeene Do (Let Me Live) in Karachi. to be a mirror of society, and lence or misguided stoicism,” she In August 2016, FBR issued tax, under Section 236C of the until her shocking murder. an example of “how a taboo is- wrote in a BBC piece. “Tears are valuation tables for 20 ma- Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, The show airs on private TV The decision to turn her death viewers watch entertainment sue could be displayed in proper plentiful. Producers now claim jor cities for the fi rst time to from sellers and, under Sec- channel Urdu 1 every Thursday. into one of Pakistan’s popular shows, mainly soaps. manner.” that if you don’t show women bring black money invested in tion 236K, from purchasers Viewing fi gures are unavailable, television soap operas has en- Their popularity makes them Their eff orts are not without crying, the drama won’t garner the property business into the of properties in line with its but its pilot episode has been sured the debate surrounding a potentially powerful vehicle backlash, and Siddiqui describes ratings.” documented economy. valuation tables. viewed more than 1.6mn times such murders of women endures. for progress, says lawyer Bena- pressure from media regulators Lawyer Jatoi, while prais- Tax experts said the FBR Withholding tax collec- on YouTube. Notorious for its high-profi le zir Jatoi, who works for wom- as well as a wave of vitriol on so- ing soap operas as vehicles for issued valuation tables af- tion on sales and purchase of “That girl was a lioness. She story, Baaghi is just one of a wave en’s rights watchdog the Aurat cial media with people accusing change, took a cautious view. ter consultations with all the properties registered a robust should not have died yet,” says of soap operas and dramas air- Foundation and has long argued her and her channel of spreading “They must ensure they are stakeholders with a pledge growth of 45.26% to Rs6.71bn Shazia Khan, a writer on the series. ing plotlines that revolve around that laws protecting women are vulgarity and destroying social responsible enough to handle that the notifi ed values would during the July-November Baloch’s fate polarised Pa- such social issues: from do- not enough to eff ect grassroots values. such sensitive topics and address gradually be enhanced in the 2017 period over the corre- kistan. For some, it infl amed mestic violence to child abuse, change. But the shows’ popularity underlying issues so as not to add years to come. sponding period a year earlier. outrage over so-called “hon- forced and child marriages, and Mujhe Jeene Do (Let Me Live), kept them on the air despite the to the already existing stigmas,” Sources in FBR said busi- The apex tax authority also our” killings in which hundreds women’s rights. another soap on Urdu 1, highlights blowback, she says. she said. ness community urged the tax collects a fl at three per cent of women are killed each year, They are devoured by Paki- the issue of child marriages. Even as the shows push for Haroon agreed, writing that authorities to revise down- on the diff erential amount usually by relatives, for bringing stan’s 207mn strong population. “If there (is) not widespread awareness and change, the way their makers must be aware of ward the valuation of indus- between FBR’s and provincial what they perceive as shame on Research by media regulator awareness, who would know that soap opera heroines are portrayed their audience. “It is not just trial open and constructed valuation tables for proper- their families. shows that in 2016, 65% of tel- it is a crime?” Angeline Malik, can cause consternation. women,” she wrote. plots. ties under an amnesty scheme But other voices argued that evision viewers watched drama the show’s director, says. Sadaf Haider, a blogger at the “Men too are observing what “The valuation tables were announced two years back. Baloch had made herself a tar- channels featuring such soap op- Pakistan’s biggest entertain- country’s major Dawn.com news it takes to be a man in Pakistani revised downward for most- The scheme was announced to get by her actions - tame by eras. Another survey by Gallup Pa- ment channel, Hum TV, is a pio- portal, wrote in October that the society and of course, what they ly posh residential areas,” a encourage documentation and Western standards but deemed kistan shows 67% of adult female neer in using social issues as soap storyline for Baaghi followed a can expect from the women in source said. bring undocumented transac- provocative in the country. viewers and 56% of adult male opera fodder. predictable track relieving the their lives and homes.” FBR, in a latest move, re- tions into the tax net. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, January 13, 2018 PHILIPPINES

Health dept seeks Duterte rebounds with $27.8mn refund ‘excellent’ trust score from Sanofi By Kenneth H Hernandez Earlier, Duque said that Reuters Manila Times based on offi cial data from Manila President explains the Epidemiology Bureau, gum-chewing habit there were four cases out of 17 he Department of deaths due to “dengue shock.” hilippine President Rod- Philippine President Rodrigo Du- Health (DoH) yesterday Other cases of deaths of rigo Duterte’s trust rating terte, who has a habit of chewing Tdemanded a P1.4bn re- children were due to other ill- Pbounced back to “excel- gum in public, even while meeting fund from Sanofi Pasteur for nesses or other complications. lent” in December from “very world leaders, has revealed he did its stock of anti-dengue vac- However, Duque said there high” three months before, with it to ease pain from a spinal condi- cines, and asked the French was still no conclusion yet on four of every fi ve adult Filipinos tion. The fiery 72-year-old has up- pharmaceutical giant to pay whether or not the inocula- giving him the highest score in a set traditional decorum by lacing for testing on inoculated indi- tion of Dengvaxia caused any survey that focused on his per- his speeches with curses, chewing viduals. deaths. sonality. gum in public, and wearing casual The Health department An expert panel from the Duterte’s trust rating in poll- clothes, sometimes dispensing made the demand in a letter University of the Philippines ster Social Weather Station’s with socks. Duterte aff irmed his to Sanofi Pasteur Asia-Pacifi c and Philippine General Hospi- (SWS) quarterly surveys had gum habit during a speech to a head Thomas Triomphe, for tal is still evaluating the clini- been “excellent” from the time private audience on Thursday, all unused vials of anti-den- cal records of the cases. he took power in June 2016 until when he suggested how people gue vaccine Dengvaxia worth The DoH reiterated that it June last year, before it dipped in should repay him for his public P1.4bn or $27.8mn. was willing to co-operate with the third quarter, raising ques- service. “Just pay me chewing gum In another letter, the DoH the investigation being con- tions about whether he might be because it eases up the pain when told Sanofi it should conduct ducted by the Department of starting to lose his almost rock- I’m chewing,” he said, accord- the “serotesting” of more than Justice and the Public Attor- star appeal. ing to a transcript of the speech 830,000 individuals inocu- ney’s Offi ce, and would com- Although that rating was released by his off ice yesterday. He lated with the vaccine using ment on the petition for man- still high, the size of the fall — suggested it had something to do a newly developed test to de- damus before the Supreme 18 points — was notable for a with a “spinal” condition but did not termine their pre-vaccination Court, asking it and other gov- former southern mayor who is elaborate. “It eases a bit,” he added. status, at no cost to the Philip- ernment agencies to provide regarded by millions of working Protocol-conscious Japanese of- pine government. free medical services to the class Filipinos as the best hope ficials were on faux pas alert ahead The DoH also requested patients. for long overdue change after a of a meeting with revered Emperor documents on all clinical tri- Sanofi has been in hot water succession of Manila-centric Akihito last year after a video of als and other studies involving after admitting that the anti- leaders who failed to deliver. Duterte with Chinese President Xi Dengvaxia in the Philippines, dengue vaccine, administered But Presidential spokesman Jinping showed him apparently including proof that these have on about 830,000 individu- Harry Roque said the latest sur- chewing gum – considered rude passed ethics review standards als, may cause a more severe vey showed the public recog- on such an occasion. A photo of of the Philippine Council for case of dengue for fi rst-time nised that Duterte was exercising Duterte meeting with Cambodian Health Research and Develop- patients. political will to address security King Norodom Sihamouni in 2016 ment. The Department of Health and crime problems and ensure also showed him with rolled-up Sanofi has yet to answer the last month suspended the sustained economic growth. sleeves and an open collar, draw- Health department, Secretary dengue immunisation pro- “He has promoted the rule of ing unfavourable social media Francisco Duque said. gramme based on an advisory law against the threats of terror- comments, according to the “The Dengvaxia vaccine of Sanofi . The FDA ordered the ism and, of course, he is winning Cambodian press. which Sanofi Pasteur aggres- recall of the medicine the same the war against drugs,” he told sively promoted and sold to month. reporters, referring to Duterte’s Rodrigo Duterte: high public satisfaction the Philippine government has The government spent signature and deadly anti-nar- SWS said public satisfaction undeniably failed to deliver its P3.5bn or around $70.2mn for cotics campaign. done by another pollster, Pulse drugs that has killed thousands face-to-face interviews with with Duterte’s performance was supposed clinical benefi t and the immunisation programme, The fi rebrand leader has also Asia, despite drawing interna- of Filipinos. 1,200 respondents, found 83% also high with a score of 58 in safety claims, hence, consid- which began during the time of been enjoying majority approval tional criticisms for his abusive The SWS survey, conducted of adult Filipinos with “much December, improving from 48 in ered defective under Philip- Health Secretary Janette Garin and trust ratings from surveys public comments and a war on from December 8 to 16 using trust” in him. the previous quarter. pine civil laws,” Duque said. in the Aquino administration. Foreign Aff airs dept unveils 10-year validity passports

By Jeff erson Antiporda the agency increase its capacity offi ces nationwide. The new Manila Times to process passports and pro- offi ces will be located in San vide more slots under the on- Nicolas, Ilocos Norte; San- line appointment system. tiago, Isabela; Malolos or Mey- he Department of For- The DFA was criticised by cauayan, Bulacan; Calamba or eign Aff airs (DFA) yes- Filipinos renewing their pass- San Pablo, Laguna; Dasmari- Tterday started issuing ports, including OFWs, be- nas City, Cavite; Antipolo City, passports that will be valid for cause of diffi culties getting a Rizal; Oroquieta City or Ozamiz 10 years and with no extra cost slot from its online appoint- City, Misamis Occidental; and for applicants. ment system. Tagum, Davao del Norte. In a simple ceremony held There were allegations that Cayetano said the locations at the DFA Offi ce of Consu- travel agencies were able to get were selected based on the lar Aff airs in Pasay City, DFA slots from the online appoint- number of OFWs and frequent Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano ment system and selling them travellers residing in the area. said the longer passport valid- to applicants. The DFA is also set to de- ity is expected to benefi t over- Some even alleged that DFA ploy starting next week four seas Filipino workers (OFWs), insiders were conniving with Passporting on Wheels (PoW) particularly those who are as- syndicates off ering applicants vehicles that are expected to signed to areas far from an em- help with their appointment in help decongest the consular bassy or a consulate where they exchange for cash. offices in Metro Manila. can apply for a new one. But Cayetano said the DFA Each POW vehicle has the It is also one way to address already removed all opportu- capacity to process over 500 congestion among various nities that would enable travel applicants daily, creating a consular offi ces all over the agencies and “fi xers” to abuse total of 2,000 additional daily country, Cayetano added. the online appointment sys- slots. The new passport with 10- tem. Cayetano said the POW is year validity was in accord- He added that it is unlikely intended to bring the DFA’s ance with Republic Act 10928, for a travel agency to sell ap- passporting services closer to which extends the validity of pointment slots because the the public, especially those Philippine passports, signed by DFA has already removed their who do not have access to a President Rodrigo Duterte in allocation since last year. consular office. August 2017. The DFA used to allot 1,200 With the opening of new Cayetano said there would slots for travel agencies per day consular offices and mobile Marvel’s new editor-in-chief CB Cebulski, speaking at a forum in Manila. be no changes in the passport that they could off er to their passport service, the depart- processing fee but they are also clients but Cayetano said they ment is expecting to increase considering coming up with decided to remove the alloca- its daily capacity from 9,000 an option wherein applicants tion and open it to all appli- to 15,500. would have to pay extra if they cants. The DFA, Cayetano said, is want to have more pages on Meanwhile, the DFA, in its also closely co-ordinating with eff ort to decongest the con- the National Bureau of Inves- Marvel’s new superheroes their passport. But apart from the new pass- sular offi ce in Metro Manila tigation to catch unscrupulous port validity, he added, the DFA and increase the daily capac- individuals who are planning to would be coming up with sev- ity of passport applicants, will victimise applicants by off ering eral measures that would help be opening nine new consular bogus appointments for cash. aim to attract fans in Asia

AFP try to hire more Asian creators, last two years in Asia, serv- in the late 1960s. Luke Cage, Manila writers and artists to bring a ing as Marvel’s vice president another popular black Marvel piece of their culture to Marvel for the region, conceded that superhero, has also had a recent Five killed in Palawan bus accident comics,” he said in Manila where Marvel had not given Asian revival through a popular TV se- hinese superheroes will he visited a major university for characters prominent positions ries on Netfl ix. soon be joining the pan- fresh talent. in the past compared to main- But Asian superheroes are still By Belly M Otordoz Palawan; Charnengel Fernandez, eight months Ctheon of larger-than- The comic giant plans to in- stays like Captain America or comparatively rare in the Marvel Manila Times/Puerto Princesa City old, reportedly from Barangay San Rafael, Puerto life Marvel universe mainstays troduce two new Chinese su- the Hulk. universe despite the franchise’s Princesa; and Anna Liza Talde. The identities Spider-Man, Iron Man and the perheroes: “Sword Master” and But this is changing, he said. growing popularity there. of the two others who were declared dead at the X-Men, a company offi cial said “Aero” who will be based in Chi- “We want to have stories that are In the Philippines, a former ive of about 27 passengers, including an hospital were not immediately known. as the comic book giant makes a na, Cebulski added. refl ective of every culture.” US colony, Marvel is already eight-month-old baby, were killed when Bus driver Ruben Talde Sr, 45, of Barangay 3, major thrust into Asia. “They are going to be heav- There is huge fan expecta- deeply ingrained in the nation’s Fthe bus, San Isidro Lines, slammed into a Roxas town, and Riazar Teston, 33, Tamaraw FX As part of a push to grow its ily based on Chinese culture and tion over Marvel’s latest fl agship popular culture, said Cebulski. parked vehicle on Thursday in Barangay Santa driver, of Barangay Panacan 2, also of Roxas, Pal- Asia fanbase, the Disney-owned Chinese mythology but set in movie — Black Panther — which Filipino illustrators in turn Cruz here. awan were both critically injured. franchise has released mobile the modern world and they will will be released worldwide next have also provided art for Marvel Police investigation revealed the bus was trav- The other injured bus passengers were brought games in China, opened “Mar- interact with the other heroes (in month. comics since the 1970s. elling north at about 9am toward Barangay Salva- to the nearby Adventist Hospital and Palawan vel Stores” in South Korea and the Marvel universe),” he said. The fi lm stars Chadwick People from the Southeast cion in the city proper when it fl ipped on its side, Provincial Hospital, as well as the three passen- is searching for artistic talent in These new characters will be Boseman playing Marvel’s Asian nation are now the third falling into a curve of the road and hitting the gers of Tamaraw FX. Bystanders and residents in the Philippines, Marvel editor- drawn in the ‘manga’ style of breakthrough black superhero largest nationality of artists em- parked Tamaraw FX, whose passengers fell into the area helped retrieve the injured passengers in-chief CB Cebulski said. Japanese comics that is more T’Challa, a king of a fi ctional Af- ployed by Marvel, just behind a canal. The bus passengers who died instantly from the bus, as well as those who were thrown “We have been making great popular in Asia, he added. rican nation who fi rst featured Americans and Italians, Cebul- were Emilita Abid of Barangay Caramay in Roxas, out from the Tamaraw FX. strides especially in Asia. We Cebulski, who has lived the in the company’s comic books ski said. Gulf Times Saturday, January 13, 2018 13 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL 4 Rohingya 3 suspected militants perish in killed in Dhaka raid camp fi re AFP Joseph Tripura, a spokes- DPA/AFP man of the battalion, without Cox’s Bazar man for the UN refugee Dhaka giving any details about the agency UNHCR, said an i suspects’ identity. nvestigation had been started. The militants fi red bullets and Rohingya woman and “We are working closely hree suspected mili- threw grenades on the lawmen three children perished with the Bangladeshi au- tants have been killed in as they cordoned off the build- Awhen a fi re gutted their thorities to ascertain how the Tan exchange of fi re dur- ing early in the morning, Khan tent shelter in a UN camp in fi re started and how tragedies ing a raid by security forces in said adding that the lawmen Bangladesh, authorities said like this can be prevented the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, retaliated with bullets. yesterday. in the future,” he said in a police said yesterday. Local residents said they woke Police and a Red Crescent statement. Benazir Ahmed, head of the up hearing sounds of heavy offi cial said a candle sparked More than 650,000 Ro- crime-busting Rapid Action gunfi re. the fi re late Thursday at a UN- hingya have arrived in Battalion (RAB), said the bodies The Hasina government has run transit camp for refugees Bangladesh since August of the suspects were found on vowed to root out extremism in in Ghumdum border village. 25 after Myanmar’s se- the fourth fl oor of a residential Muslim-majority Bangladesh in “Seven people were se- curity forces launched building after the gunfi ght in the the wake of numerous attacks by verely burnt. They were what the UN and US of- city’s Tejgaon area. radical groups in recent years. shifted to a Red Crescent fi cials have called ethnic He said the raid was con- In July 2016, militants fi eld hospital where two peo- cleansing in the country’s ducted based on intelligence stormed a Dhaka cafe and mas- ple died last night and an- Rakhine state. information that suspects had sacred 22 hostages, including 18 other two died this morning Many refugees start at tran- been using the building as one of foreigners. (Friday),” Ikram Elahi Chow- sit centres set up along the their hideouts to carry out acts That attack was claimed by dhury, a regional head of the Bangladesh-Myanmar border of sabotage. the IS group, although Hasina’s Bangladesh Red Crescent before they are brought to the The building is less government denies that inter- Society, said. main refugee camps in Cox’s than a kilometre from the prime national radical groups operate The victims had only ar- Bazar. minister’s offi ce. inside Bangladesh. rived from Myanmar in the Aid workers have warned Police found a suicide vest, Since the cafe assault, secu- past week and were waiting at that fl imsy tents and bam- improvised explosive devices rity forces have shot dead more the transit centre to be shifted boo and tarpaulin shelters set and a fi rearm at the scene, said than 70 alleged militants in a to a refugee camp in Cox’s Ba- up to house the refugees are Mufti Mahmud Khan, spokes- major crackdown. Members of anti-crime elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) are seen ready for action in Dhaka. zar district. potential fi re traps. At least 13 Lanka’s central bank suspends four offi cers die from fl u Reuters preventing irregularities arising “It has taken measures to to implement most of the other ies made profi ts through illegal Several legislators were in- Colombo in connection with future bond improve the management recommendations,” it said. means, and it blamed the bank jured in a fi stfi ght on Wednes- outbreak issues. and control of public “The Monetary Board has governor and other offi cials. day that broke out as opposi- Last week, President debt and the government consulted the Attorney General, Mahendran, his son-in law tion parties and a faction of ri Lanka’s central bank Maithripala Sirisena said a pension fund, and is as appropriate, in the actions it and Perpetual Treasuries have the ruling coalition demanded in Nepal said it has suspended four commission investigating the studying the commission’s has taken.” denied any wrongdoing. the report be presented in the Soffi cers and taken disci- 2015 bond sales has recom- recommendations” In the 2015 auction, more than In its statement, the central parliament as promised ear- plinary action against several mended legal action against the half of the bonds were sold to bank also said that it will initi- lier. The commission report DPA others following alleged irregu- fi nance minister and the central ernment pension fund, and Perpetual Treasuries, a subsidi- ate measures to carry out fo- was not debated on Wednesday, Kathmandu larities in a 2015 government bank governor at the time. is studying the commission’s ary of a company owned by the rensic audits on the issuance as it had not been presented to bond auction. The Central Bank of Sri recommendations. son-in-law of then-central bank of Treasury bonds during the parliament. In a statement on Thursday Lanka statement said it has “The central bank has already governor Arjuna Mahendran. 2008 to 2014 and the Treasury Opposition lawmakers have t least 13 people have died night, the monetary authority taken measures to improve implemented some of the recom- Sirisena said the presidential bond auctions held in March alleged the bond auction cost in a remote north-west- also said it has initiated several the management and control mendations therein, while meas- commission of inquiry con- 2016, as recommended by the the state more than $1bn be- Aern district in Nepal fol- legislative changes aimed at of public debt and the gov- ures have already been initiated cluded that Perpetual Treasur- commission. cause of rising borrowing costs. lowing an outbreak of seasonal infl uenza, health offi cials said yesterday. Hundreds of villagers in Ju- nichade and Majkot of Jajarkot Balancing act district have suff ered from the Nepal accesses Internet Austrian disease, with the elderly and children hardest hit from the outbreak two weeks ago. services through China climber “We have already treated 1,555 patients of the fl u. We have sent a Reuters bles between Kerung in China team of health offi cials and doc- Kathmandu and Rasuwagadi in Nepal, about found dead tors to the area,” said Ram Baha- 50km (30 miles) north of Kath- dur Nepali, head of the district mandu, the companies said. health offi ce. epal has joined hands “This will give us an al- AFP “The victims include seven with China to of- ternative to India for cyber Kathmandu children. The youngest among Nfer Internet services connectivity and ensure un- them was an infant,” he said, to its citizens, offi cials said interrupted connections,” adding that they had sent sam- yesterday, ending India’s Pratibha Vaidya, a Nepal Tel- n Austrian climber has ples from the outbreak sites to decades-long monopoly of ecom spokeswoman, said. been found dead in the Kathmandu for investigation. the Himalayan nation’s cyber “Consumers can now look AHimalayas after attempt- The district, one of the poorest connectivity network. forward to a reliable service.” ing a solo ascent of a peak in Ne- in Nepal, is prone to outbreaks of For years, Nepal depended More than 60% of Nepal’s pal’s Everest region, offi cials said epidemics. on Indian telecom companies, 28mn people had access to the yesterday, the fi rst death since In 2015, at least 24 people died such as Bharti Airtel and Tata Internet last year, up from just new laws were introduced ban- after an outbreak of swine fl u. Communications, for access 19% in 2012. ning lone climbs. A cholera epidemic killed 300 to the worldwide web, which Both Asian giants China The 41-year-old climber is people in Jajarkot eight years ago. Nepali offi cials said made con- and India have been jostling believed to have died in late nections vulnerable to network to increase their infl uence in December after falling from a failures. Nepal, a natural buff er sepa- ridge on his way to the 6,119m First phase of Nepal Telecom and China rating them, by ramping up (20,075ft) summit of Mount Telecom Global launched their their investments in roads and Lobuche’s eastern peak, which Biswa Ijtema A worker stacks bricks on his head at a brick factory in Bhaktapur, near Kathmandu. services after they wrapped up hydropower projects in the neighbours Mount Everest. begins the laying of optical fi bre ca- impoverished country. “He left his guide at high camp and his plan was to climb to the The first phase of Biswa Ijtema, summit alone. The guide waited the second largest congregation until 2am the next morning and of Muslims after the Haj, began when he didn’t return, the guide on the bank of the Turag river went to Lobuche village and raised at Tongi, north of Dhaka city, Deadly disease rages through refugee camps the alarm,” said Raju Dong Lama, yesterday. director, f Ramdung Expeditions, Thousands of Muslim devotees which organised the climb. from 16 districts of Bangladesh By Sam Jahan, AFP claimed the lives of at least moved quickly to inoculate the currently suff ering an outbreak. near the border with Myanmar. A search operation on foot and have already arrived at the venue Ukhia 30 refugees, mostly children, new arrivals against cholera But the Rohingya come from Seven specialist diphtheria with helicopters took 10 days to to take part in the religious while a handful of Bangladesh- and measles to prevent a health impoverished Rakhine state, fi eld clinics have been set up to fi nd the climber’s body, Lama said. congregation. Devotees from 135 is living near the camps have disaster. where state-imposed restric- treat the rising number of pa- The death is the fi rst since countries are also participating n a makeshift bamboo clin- also contracted the disease. But the emergence of diph- tions have ensured abysmal liv- tients since the outbreak, said Nepal introduced new rules ban- in Ijtema. ic, small children struggle Carla Pla, head nurse at the theria, which causes diffi culty ing standards for the persecuted WHO’s South East Asia emer- ning solo climbers from scaling Police have taken a five-tier Ito draw breath through sur- specialist diphtheria unit run breathing and can lead to heart Muslim community, and many gency director Roderico Ofrin. its biggest mountains late last security measure for the Biswa gical masks, victims of a for- by medical charity MSF (Doc- failure, paralysis and death children are not vaccinated. Together the wards house year. He is thought to have start- Ijtema to ensure overall security. gotten but deadly disease that tors Without Borders), said if left untreated, caught aid Pla said it was challenging 400 beds for patients, but a ed his climb before the new rules Around 50 CCTVs have been has torn through the teeming children were arriving with workers off guard. for staff treating a disease that shortage of doctors has re- were introduced. installed to monitor the Ijtema Rohingya refugee camps in “severe” symptoms. “We were taken aback when “only existed in the textbooks quired medics to be fl own in The government says the new ground and the adjoining areas. Bangladesh. “This is a very challenging sit- tests confi rmed diphtheria in for all these years”, with many from Britain and elsewhere to law aims to make mountaineer- The proceedings began with Diphtheria had been all but uation, because everyday there the camps. It was a long-lost doctors seeing live cases for the help battle the outbreak. ing safer and decrease deaths. sermons by Jordanian cleric eradicated in Bangladesh un- are coming more children, and disease in our country,” said fi rst time in their careers. Treatment involves administer- “This is fi rst death of a solo Moulana Sheikh Omar Khatib. til last year, when more than the challenge to get the vaccine is Abdus Salam, the chief medical Mohammad Hossain as- ing an antitoxin and antibiotics. climber after the government After a four-day break, the second 650,000 Rohingya poured also something that is very diffi - offi cer for Cox’s Bazar district, sumed his son, now being At the MSF ward, where banned solo climbers from phase of the event will begin on across the border fl eeing a cult,” she said at the unit. where the camps are located. treated in the MSF clinic, had Hossain’s son Mohammad mountaineering. We are plan- January 19. bloody military crackdown in Nearly 600 refugees have “Immediately, we acquired the same minor throat infec- Rashed is making a slow re- ning to take initiatives to impose Bishwa Ijtema is held on Turag’s neighbouring Myanmar. been referred there since it vaccines from abroad for an tion aff ecting other Rohingya covery, medics wearing single- this ban strictly to save lives in banks. The Muslism congregation Packed into an area meant opened in December, putting emergency response.” children in the refugee camp. use scrubs work in tented-off the Himalayas now,” said Shan- is held in two phases as an eff ort for a much smaller number of enormous pressure on doctors In December, they launched “I thought it was tonsili- wards treating patients. ta Bir Lama, chairman, Nepal to control the huge crowds. refugees and with little sanita- also struggle to treat rampant a huge vaccination push. Near- tis. But the doctors said it was Everyone coming into con- Mountaineering Association. In 1920, Indian Islamist scholar tion or healthcare, the new ar- malnutrition, water-borne ly 320,000 children aged under much more serious,” Hossain tact with the tents, set away in The new law has angered elite Illias Kandhalvi started a reformist rivals provided fertile ground disease and other diseases in 15 have now been inoculated said, wearing a protective mask an isolated clearing, must wear solo mountaineers, who enjoy movement, Tabligh Jamaat. The for the highly contagious res- the camps. and another 160,000 children as he tended to the 11-year-old. masks and wash their hands in the challenge of climbing alone, movement is aimed at propagating piratory disease to take hold. When AFP visited this week are expected to receive the vac- The appearance of diph- chlorinated water. and who say the problem lies values of Islam and therefore It quickly spread through the most of the patients were small cine this month. theria, long forgotten in many Preventing infected patients with the huge infl ux of com- refrains from discussing politics. camps, with the World Health children, some of them clearly High rates of vaccination parts of the world, has com- from coming into contact with mercial expeditions that attract It is now the largest organisation Organisation reporting more struggling to breathe. mean diphtheria has become pounded the misery for close to the wider, largely unvaccinated inexperienced clients and create of Sunni Muslims in the Indian than 3,600 cases. Bangladesh authorities were increasingly rare in much of 1mn displaced Rohingya Mus- population of Rohingya re- potentially deadly bottlenecks subcontinent. The outbreak has already prepared for other diseases and the world, although Yemen is lims living in extreme hardship mains a priority, doctors said. on the world’s tallest peaks. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, January 13, 2018 COMMENT

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

P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES ‘Good air’ days mark a turning point for Beijing Every day for the last fi ve years, Zou Yi has photographed Beijing’s smog-cloaked skyline from his 13th-fl oor apartment, but there is something diff erent in the air this year. This winter, save a few grey days, the sky has been a brilliant blue, suggesting the city may fi nally be making progress against air pollution — a dire issue in previous years. “It feels like life has returned to the city,” Zou, a former property investor, said. The danger in today’s Last year Beijing enjoyed the best air quality on recent record, with a steady increase in “good air” days since pollution control measures were implemented in 2013, according to the capital’s environmental protection bureau. In the last quarter of 2017 alone, the density of dangerous particulate PM2.5 dropped by 53.8% year-on-year. good economic news The average level of PM2.5 particles — which penetrate deep into the lungs — in the city last year was 58 micrograms per cubic metre. By Kemal Dervis and Zia Qureshi University’s Robert Gordon, for growth. Techno-optimists claim that education, including skills upgrading The World Health Organisation recommends a maximum Washington, DC example, argued that the US economy technology will fuel the needed gains, and retraining. The development average exposure of 25 micrograms per cubic metre in a 24- was bound to slow down, because as the lag between digital capabilities of regulatory frameworks that hour period. today’s technological innovations would and their applications in the economy encourage competition would also s 2018 begins, things are not boost growth to the extent they shortens. But it is too early to say, help, as would limiting tax-base Analysts said this improvement was sparked by favourable looking up for the global had in the past. Harvard’s Lawrence H. with any evidence-backed certainty, erosion. Public research should be weather conditions and more aggressive enforcement of economy. Over the last six Summers got a lot of attention for his whether they or techno-pessimists funded in a way that gives taxpayers environmental rules. Amonths, growth projections argument that the world risked sliding like Gordon are right. There are a stake in profitable outcomes. Questions remain, however, on whether the government’s by offi cial institutions like the toward “secular stagnation,” because convincing arguments on both sides, Likewise, infrastructure investments measures are sustainable. International Monetary Fund, matched the interest rate needed to bring desired though we count ourselves as cautious should have explicit equity-related Authorities warned that heavy smog would slam the city and or even exceeded by private forecasts, investment in line with desired savings techno-optimists. objectives. The goal should be to surrounding areas this weekend. have been adjusted upward. But not all was below zero. What is not really up for debate is attack inequality on two fronts: of the news is good. Yet, while the zero lower bound no that inequality within countries is ensuring that pre-tax incomes rise From his home, Zou has an To be sure, there are plenty of positive longer seems to be a binding constraint, rising fast. While individual countries in a more inclusive fashion and “It feels like life almost 360-degree view of indicators to inspire optimism. The there are potential causes for concern, show diff erent levels of inequality, strengthening the equalising role of the Central Business District eurozone Purchasing Managers’ Index one of which relates to debt levels. With its rise has been evident almost taxes and transfers. has returned to — an urban landscape that for manufacturing hit an all-time high the advanced economies no longer everywhere, with income and wealth Given the global nature of he used to regard as “murky, last month, and even Greece’s economy needing to maintain extraordinary increasingly concentrated at the very markets, many policies will require the city” static even”. is fi nally growing. In the United States, monetary policies, nominal interest top. This trend will accelerate as new international co-operation to be He has created a massive growth now appears likely to exceed the rates are set to climb from their current technologies, regardless of how much effective. With issues concerning IMF’s October prediction of 2.3% for historic lows. As that happens, high productivity growth they generate, international trade, investment, composite of nearly 2,000 photographs showing the Beijing 2018. debt levels could become problematic, continue to increase the skill premium, competition, and intellectual property Television tower enveloped in diff ering shades of grey and blue. In the emerging world, China impeding growth by triggering shift income to frontier fi rms, and allow rights increasingly linked, global “Now that the air is good, I’m discovering that ours is a city of seems to have staved off the risk of a disorderly deleveraging. That said, new types of near-monopoly, “winner- approaches that can address them in a colour, full of emotion and rhythm,” the 50-year-old said. sharp slowdown: while its economy given low infl ation, there is little take-all” positions to develop on a holistic way have become vital. Even French President Emmanuel Macron marvelled at the is no longer achieving double-digit reason to expect interest rates to rise global scale. Failure to achieve greater sky during his state visit this week, saying: “I have never seen growth, its increased size implies that, sharply, and gradual monetary-policy Herein lies the biggest danger in inclusiveness – a diffi cult but attainable Beijing like this.” in absolute terms, today’s 7% annual normalisation would not necessarily today’s exuberant headlines about goal – would stoke social tensions and rate exceeds the 10% rates of the past. have negative eff ects on growth or growth. Many believe that rapid fuel already-resurgent nationalism, In recent years, authorities have ordered polluting factories Turkey, for its part, posted 11% growth infl ation. growth can act as a virtual panacea producing disruptions that would to leave Beijing and its surroundings, and designated “no-coal in the third quarter of 2017. Even Brazil, But there is another potential for countries’ political and social ultimately lead to losses for everyone. zones” where more than 3mn homes have abruptly switched to which experienced negative growth obstacle in the path of sustained woes, including the rise of populism Yet today’s good growth news risks gas or electric heating. in 2016, is likely to exceed the IMF’s recovery: the long-term decline and nationalism. But if the benefi ts of obscuring that risk, as it threatens to Smaller businesses in the wider region are also being forecast of 1.5% growth in 2018. in productivity growth has not yet rapid growth accrue to the top 5% or weaken the will to make the needed investigated for illegal smog-worsening practices. As the real economy strengthens, been reversed. Instead, the current 1%, social tensions are bound to rise. changes, leaving economies to rely Enforcement of environmental regulations was previously equity values – which, for a boom seems to be demand-led, with And the fact is that it will be diffi cult on trickle-down eff ects. – Project time, seemed disconnected from private consumption being the biggest to develop policies that can reverse Syndicate applied primarily to larger, state-owned enterprises, said fundamentals – are increasingly driver, though private investment, damaging political trends and promote Greenpeace East Asia climate and energy campaigner Huang Wei. being validated. The Financial Times too, is finally starting to rise. These more widely shared growth. z Kemal Dervis, former Minister of “Now the focus is on these local — and often more diffi cult to Stock Exchange All-World Index trends have been accompanied by This is not to say that nothing can Economic Aff airs of Turkey and former manage — corporations as well,” she said. rose by nearly 22% in 2017 – its best solid employment growth, which be done. On the contrary, devising Administrator for the United Nations As China nears the end of its fi ve-year plan for combatting performance since the post-crisis is welcome news, but cannot last solutions should be a high priority, with Development Program (UNDP), is Senior smog, experts and activists called for a new strategy for long- rebound of 2009. forever. the policy debate centring on measures Fellow at the Brookings Institution. term success. As the growth pessimism of recent In the longer run, economic that would help to create truly inclusive Zia Qureshi, a former director of years fades, some of the warnings that performance and potential growth economies. development economics at the World Xu Yuan, an air pollution policy expert at the Chinese have been made in recent years seem to will depend on the supply side and, in One such measure would be broad- Bank, is a non-resident senior fellow at University of Hong Kong, said the recent air quality marks a have become outdated. Northwestern particular, on a revival of productivity based access to affordable and quality the Brookings Institution. “turning point”. “We hope that people won’t be satisfi ed yet,” Xu said, adding that he believes pollution will “rebound”, although the long- term outlook is positive. As for Zou, the photographer hopes to soon pass on his daily duties to other observers who will upload sky photos onto an app he is developing. He began his project in 2013, tired of the choking smog that prevented him from leaving the house and sent his child to hospital several times, and has left his job to work on environmental issues full-time. “I just have one dream,” he said, “that our country’s skies can always look like this.”

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© 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Gulf Times Saturday, January 13, 2018 15 COMMENT Europe between Trump and Xi

A Sino-European partnership converge on a positive overall view managing foreign investment. could be a powerful force of globalisation and multilateralism. The emergence of “illiberal” But whereas Europe supports a kind governments in Central and Eastern off setting America’s negative of “off ensive multilateralism” that Europe complicates matters further impact on international trade seeks to beef up existing institutions’ for the EU. These governments have no rules and enforcement mechanisms, interest in any form of multilateralism, and co-operation China resists changes to existing as they have embraced a narrow view standards, especially if they strengthen of their interests. They often seem By Zaki Laidi enforcement of rules that might fascinated by the logic of realpolitik Paris constrain its ability to maximise its espoused by Trump, Chinese President own advantages. Xi Jinping, and Russian President Europe’s desire to force China to Vladimir Putin. he most recent World Trade adhere to common rules aligns its Moreover, these countries’ pursuit of Organisation ministerial interests more closely with the US, their commercial interests could come conference, held in December with which it shares many of the same at the expense of EU procurement Tin Buenos Aires, Argentina, grievances, from China’s continued rules. And they are not alone within was a fi asco. Despite a limited agenda, subsidisation of private enterprises to the EU. Greece, for example, has the participants were unable to produce the persistence of barriers to market accepted large amounts of Chinese a joint statement. But not everyone was access. According to one recent study, investment. The EU then refused disappointed by that outcome: China market access barriers erected by to mention China explicitly in a maintained a diplomatic silence, while China have taken a high toll on the resolution on the confl ict in the South the United States seemed to celebrate growth of EU exports. China Sea. the meeting’s failure. This is bad news But the US and the EU do not have the To be sure, European countries for Europe, which was virtually alone in same vision for how to address these are not wrong to welcome Chinese expressing its discontent. grievances. In order to limit abuse investment. But China should be It is often pointed out that, in the of WTO rules by China, Europe’s reciprocating, off ering European face of US President Donald Trump’s leaders want to be able to negotiate investment in China a warmer blinkered protectionism, the European new, clearer rules, either through the welcome. That is why the EU and Union has an opportunity to assume framework of a bilateral investment China should work to complete the a larger international leadership role, agreement or through a plurilateral bilateral investment treaty that they while strengthening its own position in agreement on public procurement. have been negotiating for years, with global trade. The free-trade agreement Trump does not want to reform the Europe hopes Chinese investment will ignite economic growth on the Continent. limited progress. Such a treaty should recently signed with Japan will give system; he wants to sink it. In fact, rely on reciprocal rules, including the the EU a clear advantage over the US with Trump seeking to use bilateral new global economy, forcing China regulatory convergence, particularly Chinese, who speak the language dismantling of barriers to China’s in agriculture, and strengthening deals to secure reductions in America’s either to accept those standards or be to strengthen their position vis- of realpolitik fl uently, would prefer market. trade ties with Mexico could have a trade defi cit, the possibility that the left behind. a-vis China, the US, and the EU to meet the ad hoc demands of the French President Emmanuel Macron similar impact, as the US renegotiates US will leave the WTO altogether – a But this project has now been fatally will eventually have to resume Americans over the multilateral is trying to advance off ensive the North American Free Trade nightmare scenario for the EU, which undermined. Obama’s eff ort to finalise co-operation toward that end. conditions of the Europeans. multilateralism. But unless the EU as Agreement. advocates shared norms over force – both agreements before the end of his But, as long as Trump is in power, In this context, the EU’s top priority a whole embraces the cause, Europe Some suggest that, to strengthen cannot be excluded. presidency, though understandable, advocating bilateral reciprocity over should be to unify the positions of – caught between China, which has its position further, Europe should Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, bred serious concerns about hastiness. multilateralism, such an eff ort will its member states, with the goal of a very conservative but outdated team up with China, which, despite had his own solution. New multilateral Europeans recognised that full probably be impossible. overcoming the barriers erected by the interpretation of multilateralism, and its reticence at the WTO conference, frameworks – the Trans-Pacifi c regulatory convergence between the Instead, Trump’s America will most US and creating shared systems for Trump, who wants to get rid of it – has lately attempted to position itself Partnership (TPP) with Asia and the US and the EU would, in reality, take likely continue to take advantage of its constraining China. But that is easier risks becoming a casualty. – Project as a champion of multilateralism. A Transatlantic Trade and Investment at least a decade. So, under pressure far-reaching commercial infl uence to said than done. As it stands, many EU Syndicate Sino-European partnership could be Partnership (TTIP) with the EU – from their citizens, European leaders secure strategic or political gains. On countries resist the introduction of a powerful force off setting America’s would circumscribe China’s room began to express concern about this front, Europe is at a signifi cant any trade restrictions, whether owing Zaki Laidi, Professor of International negative impact on international trade for manoeuvre. As such frameworks what the TTIP was lacking in terms disadvantage. The EU is, after all, to an excessive commitment to liberal Relations at L’Institut d’études and co-operation. brought about regulatory convergence, of, say, environmental and sanitary not a state, and it does not speak on economic ideals or fear of jeopardising politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), was an Yet such a partnership is far from the US and the EU would be able to regulations and transparency. international matters with one voice. their own interests in China by, say, adviser to former French prime minister certain. Yes, Europe and China defi ne the standards of the emerging Given their shared interest in It is not out of the question that the establishing an EU mechanism for Manuel Valls.

LEGAL HELPLINE Three-day forecast TODAY Maximum Temperature : 250c Minimum Temperature : 150c How to get relief from contractual obligation SUNDAY Maximum Temperature : 260c Minimum Temperature : 130c By Dr Nizar Kochery that it shall be at least three weeks’ fi ne not less than QR5,000 and not the 12th week of the sick leave if it has MONDAY Doha wages for each year spent in service. exceeding QR50,000. been proved by a report issued by the Maximum Temperature : 260c A domestic worker shall be entitled to competent physician that the worker is Minimum Temperature : 160c fractions of the year multiplied by the unable to resume his work at that time. Fisherman's forecast Question: In our subcontract, period spent in service. Wages during a clause stipulates that the risk WARNING sick leave Case of alcoholic Inshore : Nil of force majeure is with the Designated areas subcontractor. Is there a way to Q: I am working in a LLC drinks in the car Offshore : Nil get relief? Now we are in huge contracting company as site for clearing waste Inshore : Hazy to misty at places debt and there is no way to supervisor. Two weeks ago, I Q: What action will be taken at first becomes moder- overcome it. Can we approach Q: I am working in a waste obtained leave from the company against a person who was ate temperature, clod the court? management company. The for undergoing medical treatment. arrested with alcoholic drinks by night. WIND DT, Doha company is forcing me to collect Under the employment law, am I in the car in a public place? He Inshore : Southwesterly-North- Answer: The Qatar Civil Law – Law waste and dispose of in a suitable eligible for wages during my leave was not drunk and the case was westerly 03-12 KT No. 22 of 2004 governs contracts and place. No designated place for period? What is the procedure to charged for selling alcohol. Offshrore : Northwesterly 08-18 KT relationship between parties and force clearing it is given to me. I am new be followed for extension of leave? Please advise. reaches 20 KT at place at times. majeure provisions in contracts are to Qatar. Please advise. KD, Doha SI, Doha enforceable. As per the said law, under JX, Doha A: Article 82 of the Labour Law provides A: According to Article 273 of penal VISIBILITY : 4-8 KM/3 KM or less the principle ‘freedom of contract’ A: Law No. 30 of 2002, the the worker sick leave with pay on law, anyone who sells or buys, at places at first SEA STATE parties are free to agree whatever Environmental Protection Law, completion of three months in service delivers or receives, transports contract terms they choose. The was implemented for protection subject to production of sickness or possesses alcohol or alcoholic Offshore : 3-5 FT, rise to 6 FT at contract makes the law of the parties and preservation of the quality and certifi cate to prove his sickness from a beverages, or deals with alcohol in places at times. and can be revoked or altered only by natural balance of the environment. physician approved by the employer. any way for the purpose of trade or mutual consent of the parties or for According to Article 32 of the law, The worker is entitled for full wage for promotion shall be punished with Around the region reasons provided for by the law. The dumping and burning garbage or the fi rst two weeks and half of his wage imprisonment of either description Weather Weather debtor may, by agreement, accept treatment of solid and liquid waste for other four weeks. 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The joinder application applications from the plaintiff or the interlocutory application. Tokyo Clear 07/-1 Clear 08/01 agreement between parties provided Gulf Times 16 Saturday, January 13, 2018 QATAR QatArt to hold series of handicraft workshops at Katara Winter Festival

By Peter Alagos Business Reporter

rts and crafts enthusi- asts in Qatar are in for a Atreat as QatArt Hand- made Community has prepared a series of workshops during the fi fth edition of Katara’s ‘Winter Festival 2018’ slated from Janu- ary 18 to 22. Speaking to Gulf Times yes- terday, QatArt board mem- ber Swapna Namboodiri said there will be three workshops per day for the entire duration of the festival, which will run from 4pm to 9pm at Katara – QatArt external events co-ordinator Janiththri Perera, who The Cultural Village’s Beach conducted the workshop, assists one of the participants. 15. PICTURE: Peter Alagos She said the workshops will feature several themes related ordinator Janiththri Perera said and educational workshops for Cycling enthusiasts enjoying their ride along the 13-km track yesterday. PICTURES: Joey Aguilar to the winter season. Activities the group prepared a workshop young falconers and the Al- will involve paper crafts, paint- yesterday on fresco painting. Da’oo and Hudad Al-Suloqi at ings, salt dough (moulds that “The workshop taught chil- Katara’s Corniche, organised children can paint); paper doi- dren the ancient method of cre- by the Al-Gannas Society; the lies, and customised printing ating frescos, similar to those Katara Traditional Souq, which (palm prints), among others. that people see at the Sistine showcases traditional antiques “There is no registration and Chapel in Rome. The partici- and a ‘diversifi ed cultural mar- we have prepared many activi- pants enjoyed the activity be- ket’; wireless car display by ties where children can learn to cause it was simple and fun. the R/C Sport Centre; and ac- Bike enthusiasts create unique handmade prod- “We have already prepared tivities that support startups ucts, which they can easily take most of the main materials to be by the Bedaya Centre for Entre- home. used during the activity for easy preneurship and Career Devel- All materials for the work- handling and so that kids can opment. shops will be provided by focus on creating their designs. Katara will also be hosting a QatArt,” said Namboodiri, It’s important that the partici- wide array of traditional shows, who added that each workshop pants are exposed to these types including a European show and push the pedal at would run for 30 minutes. of crafts at an early age so we other entertainment, while the Workshops and children’s can help develop their artistic Ministry of Municipality and learning activities are a staple at abilities,” Perera pointed out. Environment will stage a ‘Win- the weekend ‘Handmade Mar- Aside from arts and crafts ter Plant Workshop’ for kids ket’ that QatArt holds regularly workshops, Katara has prepared along Katara’s Corniche. at Katara’s Building 19. The a variety of events including For more information, visit markets are held every alternate fun activities, games, enter- http://www.katara.net/Docu- Ras Abboud track Fridays each month. tainment, and folkloric shows. ments/Katara_Winter%20Fes- QatArt external events co- They include an exhibition tival%202018_Schedule_E.PDF By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter Musicians perform at ‘Melodies at Katara’s Premises’

he cycling track at Ras Some 12 musicians playing Abu Abboud has been musical instruments such as Tattracting an increas- piano, violin, flute, drum, guitar ing number of enthusiasts who and the oud performed at the come in groups during weekends ‘Melodies at Katara’s Premises’ to engage in a healthy activity. on Thursday at various locations Various types of bicycles – across the Cultural Village. from mountain bikes (MTB) “By hosting such events, Katara and racers to folding bikes and seeks to gather musical talents BMX – roll on the white and from diff erent nationalities green-painted path from an and age groups to present area at Ras Abu Abboud bridge their talents, stressing on the towards the Hamad Interna- fact that Katara is the hub of tional Airport. all branches of creativity and “A lot of people are fascinated arts,” said general manager Dr Diff erent age-groups presented their talents at the event. with this track because it is safe Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, who and well-constructed, which inaugurated the event. specialise in oriental melodies.” Orchestra,” she added. makes it really appealing to a “Melodies at Katara’s Premises “Moreover, I am thrilled to Omar al-Yafei, a music teacher, cyclist like me,” said Raymond, was an opportunity for be one of the participants at also plays the guitar, said: “I play a Filipino expatriate who usually participating musicians to Melodies at Katara’s Premises as many musical instruments but spends his weekend cycling. exchange experiences, conduct it thrives me with live-audience the guitar has a special place He fi nds the scenery along the and evaluate live interactions interaction and allows me to in my heart, and I create my more than 13-km stretch attrac- with the audiences,” he noted. experience performing out own music-pieces that tend to tive not only to cyclists but also Dr al-Sulaiti added that the of the theatre,” she added. “In combine the pattern rhythms to walkers and joggers, as well as A section of the short off road portion of the path. unique event was also a chance addition, I’m also present to of samba, salsa and other Latin skateboarders, due to its well- for Katara visitors to examine shed the light on the Qatari rhythms.” paved and lit track. ed areas especially for those who healthier lifestyles amongst the Qatar aims to have some 540km new musical talents as “they will musical talents.” The event also saw a number It also features a dedicated cycle late in the morning. “The community. A number of enthu- of cycle path by 2022. The cycle intend to find a pleasant and a Hala al-Emadi, who plays the of children performed a joint walking and jogging path, and good thing is that cyclists here siasts who took at least a round lanes on the northern side of delightful musical ambience.” piano for 10 years, said: “My drum show that grabbed the areas for skateboarding. have the chance to say hi and at the Ras Abu Abboud cycling the G-Ring Road are connected The event has been a big hit ever passion for the piano started audience’s admiration. Apart from the beautiful hello with others because of the track yesterday hope that races, to the 13-km cycle lanes in Ras since its announcement as a when I received one from The event welcomes any landscape and colourful fl ow- two-way lane, so you also meet recreational activities and com- Abu Abboud road and Al Matar vast array of music enthusiasts, my parents, as I was closely- musical talents from all age ers, the stretch also has a short new friends and buddies,” Ray- petitions will be organised in the Street, forming a connected lane talents, professionals rushed to attached to music and eagerly groups and nationalities until off road portions for MTBs. Por- mond said. area. with a length of around 34km. register to mark their presence played music-pieces as soon as I the end of April. Katara visitors talets (portable toilets) are also The cycling track is one of the Gulf Times earlier reported Ashghal is also construct- in the music world. A participant, heard the tones.” will also be on a date every located in some areas along the many tracks which opened last that this track forms part of ing more cycle and pedestrian Fatima al-Mansouri, who is also “After that I was trained by weekend to witness such entire stretch. year, including the 3-km Out- the 258km cycle and pedestrian lanes in local areas based on the a student from Qatar Music teachers at home and then enthusiastic talents that are Families and children can also door Leisure Trail at the Doha ways along highways and main highest specifi cations and safety Academy, said: “Six years ago, began to practice and play scheduled to perform all around spend some time to rest in shad- Festival City, built to promote roads, which opened recently. standards. I chose to learn the violin and with the Qatar Philharmonic Katara’s Amphitheatre.

Aladdin and the Genie show

The Aladdin and the Genie show enthralled the audience with its colourful and captivating presentation at Hyatt Plaza and Shopping Mall yesterday. It forms part of the series of mall shows around the country as part of the Shop Qatar, organised by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA). The second edition of Shop Qatar, which began on January 7 and concludes on February 7, celebrates the country’s diverse retail off erings against a backdrop of colourful cultural activities. QTA and its partners have ensured that Shop Qatar 2018 will off er a rich array of live performances and unlimited family-friendly entertainment in a festive, safe environment that reflects local culture and heritage. PICTURES: Jayaram