THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019 07

Brunei sultan calls for ‘stronger’ Islamic teachings Chinese woman arrested at Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

runei’s sultan called for B“stronger” Islamic teach- Trump resort with malware ings in the country yesterday as tough new sharia laws, in- Washington, United States cluding death by stoning for as being from the “Republic While Zhang’s story of at - gay sex and adultery, were due of China,” the official name of tending an event that was not to come into force. Chinese woman carry- Taiwan. on the club schedule raised “I want to see Islamic teach- ing multiple cellphones Secret Service agents at the suspicions, the Miami Herald ings in this country grow Aand a thumb drive con- scene found four cellphones, a reported that there might have stronger,” Sultan Hassanal taining malware was arrested laptop computer, an external been substance to it. Bolkiah said in a public ad - on Saturday at US President hard drive and a thumb drive Two events had been recent- dress near the capital Bandar Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago that “contained malicious soft- ly advertised at Mar-a-Lago Seri Begawan. resort in Florida while he was ware”, according to the docu- for March 30 by a local Chi - The government previous- staying there, court documents ment. nese-American businesswom- ly announced the new code revealed Tuesday. Zhang was arrested and an, Cindy Yang, on Chinese lan- would fully come into force An arrest document in the charged with making false state- guage social media, the Herald Wednesday. federal district court of Palm ments to federal officers and said. The sultan, who has been Beach, Florida said Zhang Yu- knowingly entering a restricted Yang is a Mar-a-Lago member on the throne of the oil-rich jing tried to gain entry into building -- which Mar-a-La- who built and later sold a chain nation on Borneo island for 51 Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, first go becomes while Trump is in of massage parlors in Florida, years, also said that Brunei was Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (C) presenting herself as a member residence. which were recently raided by “fair and happy”, in the face of leaves after speaking at an event in and saying she was headed to US President Donald Trump speaks at Trump owns the luxurious police over prostitution. In re- growing global criticism about Bandar Seri Begawan the pool -- despite not having a press conference beachside club in the cent years she has promoted the new punishments. a swimsuit. Then, she claimed wealthy Atlantic coast city herself as a path of access to “Anyone who comes to visit ment,” the sultan told an au- to be attending a non-existent member of the president’s fam- of Palm Beach, and travels there the US president, his family, and this country will have a sweet dience in a convention centre, Chinese-American friendship ily about US-China economic frequently on weekends to play other decision-makers. experience, and enjoy the safe in an address to mark a special event. relations, the document said. golf and meet friends. Yang’s website featured pic- and harmonious environ- date in the Islamic calendar. After she was detained, she The woman carried two pass- He keeps a residence in a pri- tures of her with Trump and offered an additional story: ports from the People’s Republic vate area of the club, but was other members of his family and EU condemns new Brunei laws that she was asked by a Chi - of China, according to the US reportedly golfing at a nearby senior administration officials. nese friend named Charles Secret Service which course around the time Zhang The Herald also said that Brussels, Belgium feet for thieves, has triggered to travel from Shanghai to at- arrested her. The w a s there. an event promoter who Yang a storm of global criticism tend the event and attempt charge documents worked with was named he European Union con- from politicians, celebrities to speak to a mistakenly iden- Charles Tdemned Brunei’s new and rights groups. tified them Lee. laws Wednesday, saying some “Some of the punishments of the “cruel” punishments foreseen in the criminal code now permitted under a sharia amount to torture, acts of penal code amount to torture cruel, inhuman or degrading and breach international hu- treatment,” an EU spokesper- man rights agreements. son said in a statement. The legislation introduced The statement said the pun- in the sultanate, which in - ishments breached the UN cludes death by stoning for convention against torture, adultery and gay sex, as well which Brunei signed up to as amputation of hands and in 2015.

US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. (Courtesy of Gizmodo) ’s mysterious ‘Yellow man’ Aleppo, “I have worn yellow since many people stop me for pic- “I struggled a lot to collect this tablishment. Customers crowd around Abu ressed in yellow from head- 1983,” says Abu Zakkour. tures,” he says. fortune, and I don’t think anyone “The Trump of Aleppo”, he Zakkour as soon as he enters the Dto-toe, Abu Zakkour is “All my things are yellow: my The widower and father of could have done what I did,” wrote in above the stat- restaurant. hailed as part of the “heritage” clothes, my mobile phone, my three lives alone in a small apart- says the retiree who declines to ue, referring in particular to He stands in front of his stat- of the northern Syrian city of pillow, my watches,” he adds. ment in the city. give his full name. the American president’s hair ue, smiling proudly, as people Aleppo, along with its mediaeval “I really love its flair.” Here too, the eye-catching colour. ask for photos. citadel and its ancient covered A crowd gathers around him splash of yellow is everywhere: ‘The Trump of Aleppo’ A large portrait of the famous His popularity, however, has markets. in Aleppo’s central Saadallah Yellow underwear hangs from At once eccentric and discreet, Syrian singer Sabah Fakhri not always worked in his favour. For nearly 36 years, the al-Jabiri square, where young his balcony. Inside his house, he refuses to reveal the reasons hangs nearby. When eastern Aleppo was 70-year-old has strictly abid- men and women pester him for bright shoes, chairs and tables behind his fascination with the As does a photo of the mediae- under rebel control between ed by a full monochrome look, pictures. make for a sunny interior. colour. val , a UNESCO 2012 and 2016, Abu Zakkour was sporting only yellow apparel and Abu Zakkour says he has His wardrobe is also crammed His “secret”, he says, will be world heritage site. detained by fighters on charges accessories. grown accustomed to the fan- with variations of yellow. divulged in his dying will. “Abu Zakkour is part of Alep- of having conspired with gov- Now, Aleppo’s so-called “Yel- fare. “I have a hundred items of His reputation has become po’s heritage, so we placed (his ernment forces, he says. low man”, says he is eying entry “It takes me more than four clothing in yellow: pants, hats, such that a restaurant owner in statue) near the symbols of the At the time, a video circulat- into the Guinness Book of World hours to cross a nearly one- shirts, glasses and ties,” he says, the city erected a small statue city,” says restaurant owner Ma- ed on social media networks Records. kilometre-long road because so opening the doors of his closet. of Abu Zakkour inside his es- jid Sharshakji. purporting to show him being interrogated and harassed by rebels inside a car. Despite the ordeal, he never took off his yellow clothes, he says. “I will continue to wear these clothes until I die.”

Abu Zakkour, Aleppo’s so-called ‘yellow man’ walks along with pedestrians in the central Saadallah al-Jabiri square in the northern Syrian city