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WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXVI No. 9973 January 20, 2016 Rabia II 10, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief IMF cuts

QATAR | Market Shares make a strong rebound global The Qatar Stock Exchange yesterday witnessed strong rebound as its key index vaulted 470 points to inch near the 9,000 points, and capitalisation gained as much as QR21bn, mainly lifted by real estate, consumer goods and transport stocks. Increased buying support from local and non-Qatari retail investors led growth the 20-stock Qatar Index surge 5.51% to 8,986.5 points, reflecting the rally in the global markets, following a marginal increase in oil prices. Business Page 16

REGION | Diplomacy Chinese president forecast An accident that happened yesterday morning due to heavy fog. PICTURE: Ministry of Interior begins Saudi visit Concerns about Beijing’s grip on demand in China remained a risk to Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in economic policy have shot to the global growth and that weaker-than- Saudi Arabia yesterday, the first stop top of global investors’ risk list for expected Chinese imports and exports on a trip to raise the economic giant’s 2016 were weighing heavily on other emerg- political profile in a troubled Middle ing markets and commodity exporters. East. Xi, making his first presidential Reuters “We don’t see a big change in the fun- visit to the region, will also travel to Dense fog causes 113 damentals in China compared to what Washington Egypt and Iran during his five-day tour. we saw six months ago, but the mar- State television showed Xi meeting kets are certainly very spooked by small with King Salman and the off icial Saudi he International Monetary Fund events there that they fi nd hard to inter- Press Agency said the monarch held a (IMF) cut its global growth fore- pret,” IMF economic counsellor Mau- luncheon banquet in his honour. Page 9 road accidents in Qatar Tcasts for the third time in less rice Obstfeld said in a statement. than a year yesterday, as new fi gures He said global fi nancial markets PAKISTAN | Mediation By Joseph Varghese from Beijing showed that the Chinese seemed to be overreacting to falling oil Staff Reporter economy grew at its slowest rate in a prices and the risk of a sharp downturn Sharif meets quarter of a century in 2015. in China. Iranian leader To back its forecasts, the IMF cited a Obstfeld also said it was critical that Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif any areas in Qatar experi- sharp slowdown in China trade and weak China is clear about its overall economic met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani enced heavy fog yesterday commodity prices that are hammering strategy, including its currency. in Tehran yesterday in an eff ort to ease Mmorning causing a marked Brazil and other emerging markets. The IMF report said continued mar- tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran. drop in visibility and as many as 113 The Fund forecast that the world ket upheaval could also help drag growth Sharif was in Riyadh on Monday to meet road traffi c accidents. economy would grow at 3.4% in 2016 lower if it leads to major risk aversion with Saudi King Salman. Islamabad has According to the Ministry of Interior and 3.6% in 2017, both years down 0.2 and currency depreciations in emerging expressed concerns over the escalation (MoI), the traffi c accidents happened percentage point from the previous es- markets. Other risks included further of tensions between the two countries on account of intense fog and non-ad- timates made last October. It said poli- dollar appreciation and an escalation of and called on them to resolve their herence of traffi c rules to be followed in cymakers should consider ways to bol- geopolitical tensions. diff erences peacefully in the larger adverse weather conditions. ster short-term demand. US investment bank Morgan Stanley interest of Muslim unity, the foreign No one was seriously injured in The updated World Economic Out- said the probability of a global recession ministry in Islamabad said this week. these accidents which took place on look forecasts came as global fi nancial this year was as high as 20% in a worst Page 23 Al Khor Coastal Road and Al Shamal markets have been roiled by worries case scenario. Road, especially at the Umm Qarn in- over China’s slowdown - confi rmed by Soft consumer demand in the US and tersection. offi cial Chinese data yesterday - and Japan and weakness in emerging mar- The ministry stated that it had taken plummeting oil prices. kets due to worries over plunging oil and many measures to prevent more acci- Traff ic moving through fog on Al Shamal Express Highway yesterday morning. The IMF maintained its previous commodity prices and capital outfl ows dents. “Patrols were deployed on many PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam China growth forecasts of 6.3% in 2016 from China were among the main risks. roads to stop the traffi c movement and 6.0% in 2017, which represent sharp A global recession is loosely defi ned temporarily in some areas and to en- Speaking to Gulf Times, some mo- important is to allow more distance slowdowns from 2015. as growth below the roughly 2.5% need- hance safety measures in certain areas torists said that they had to stop their between vehicles than usual, avoid China reported that growth for 2015 ed for the world economy to keep up that suff ered widespread dense fog,” vehicles yesterday at several places in passing and overtaking except in ideal hit 6.9% after a year in which the world’s with an expanding population. said a ministry statement. the fog for safety. Some reached their conditions and avoid changing lanes second biggest economy endured huge The Fund said the outlook for an ac- The thick fog that enveloped various offi ces as late as 8.30am, instead of the except in extremely necessary condi- capital outfl ows, a slide in the currency celeration of US output was dimming as parts of the country lasted until 9am. usual 7am. tions. and a summer stock market crash. dollar strength weighs on manufactur- Commuters to distant areas, especially One motorist who travels daily to The ministry also cautioned motor- Shares in Europe and Asia rose and ing and lower oil prices curtail energy to Al Khor and Al Shamal, were the Al Khor said: “I was forced to stop my ists to pull the vehicle completely off the dollar gained after the China data investment. It now projects US eco- most aff ected. vehicle many times. With heavy fog, it the road and park on the right side of was released, as investors anticipated nomic growth at 2.6% for both 2016 and The Qatar Meteorology Depart- was very diffi cult to negotiate the road the road, if the fog is too dense to con- greater eff orts by Beijing to spur growth. 2017, down 0.2 percentage point in both ment yesterday forecast another foggy and I had to stop frequently and park tinue. Concerns about Beijing’s grip on eco- years from the October forecast. morning today. It can be misty to fog- the car safely, thinking that the situa- “Don’t use high-beam lights or nomic policy have shot to the top of glo- In Europe, lower oil prices will help gy over most areas of the country in the tion would improve. I reached my des- hazard lights while driving as hazard bal investors’ risk list for 2016 after falls support private consumption, so the morning, moderate temperature later tination almost 90 minutes late.” lights are meant for only emergency in its stock markets and the yuan stoked IMF said it added 0.1 percentage point and cold at night with the temperature The ministry urged motorists to stopping. Instead, use fog lights and worries that the economy may be rap- to its 2016 euro area growth forecast, ranging between 12-24C and visibility follow all safety precautions while low beam headlights,” the ministry ad- idly deteriorating. bringing it to 1.7%, where it will remain less than 1km in the morning. driving in adverse weather. Most vised. The Fund said a steeper slowing of for 2017.

Major outage Offi cial rules out hotel glut after 2022 hits Twitter By Peter Alagos there were plans to build more fi ve- for fi ve-star hotels but also three- and Business Reporter star hotels along the West Bay area, four-star hotels and more hotel apart- AFP there was robust spending for three ments in order to give customers com- San Francisco and four-star hotels as well, provid- ing to Doha the opportunity to stay at he hospitality sector in Qatar ing more investment opportunities for diff erent price points,” Kaddouri said. will remain vibrant even af- companies in the hospitality sector. “Qatar is developing reasons why witter feeds went down for Tter the country has hosted the “Other segments such as business people should be coming to the coun- hours yesterday in many part 2022 FIFA World Cup, according to an tourism provide opportunities for ma- try post 2022…We need to be thinking Tof the world in one of the worst industry offi cial, dispelling fears of a jor players in the hospitality sector and forward and I believe that Qatar is do- outages in the 10-year history of the hotel glut. this will help hotels meet their targets ing the right thing because they have messaging platform. “Qatar is prepared to develop its considering that Qatar is playing a sig- the right vision; the government is on The popular one-to-many mes- tourism sector even after the World nifi cant role in the regional tourism track in building the hospitality infra- saging service fi red off a tweet shortly Cup,” stated Sheikh Mohamed bin industry. structure and platform in order to deal after 1800 GMT saying the issue “has Faisal al-Thani, vice chairman of Al “Qatar envisions itself to become with 2022, primarily, and beyond,” he now been resolved”, and thanking peo- Rayyan Tourism Investment Company a regional tourism hub for Asian and added. ple for their patience. (Artic). European countries and many tour- City Center Rotana Doha gen- Twitter said the issue “was related Citing statistics, Sheikh Mohamed ists transit in Qatar and stay for at least eral manager Joseph Coubat also said to an internal code change” and added said Qatar needs around 90,000 ho- three days or more,” Sheikh Mohamed Doha “is taking centre stage” in terms that “we reverted the change, which tel rooms to accommodate the infl ux Sheikh Mohamed bin Faisal al-Thani: Al said. of hosting conferences in the region, fi xed the issue”. of thousands of tourists attending the Omer Kaddouri: Rotana president and Rayyan Tourism Investment Company Speaking to Gulf Times on the side- making it a conference hub for cultural The company off ered no additional 2022 FIFA World Cup. CEO. vice chairman. lines of the event, Rotana Hotel Man- activities, sports, business, and other details. “But until now we even haven’t agement Corporation (Rotana) presi- types of conferences. The online monitor DownDetector reached 50% of the fi gures,” he said “We have never felt that concern,” he We believe that companies would even dent and CEO Omer Kaddouri said that “These activities are paving the showed the number of users reporting yesterday during the offi cial opening stressed, referring to the fears of a hotel invest more in the tourism sector dur- Qatar was developing itself into a hub road for Qatar to play a key role in the outages surged between 0800 GMT of City Center Rotana Doha in West glut. “Beyond 2022, there are plans to ing that time.” for all types of business models. meetings, incentives, conferences, and and 1400 GMT, and then appeared to Bay. develop Qatar’s tourism sector further. Sheikh Mohamed said that while “I agree that there is a need not only events scene,” he added. Page 6 subside by 1600 GMT. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 QATAR CRA resolves over Bangladesh FM meets Qatari envoy In brief

Culture Minister 90% of consumer meets Chinese ambassador complaints in 2015 HE Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Dr Hamad bin Abdul Aziz al- Kuwari yesterday met the he Communications Reg- Specifi cally, 30% of the com- can approach the CRA if they Chinese ambassador to Qatar Li ulatory Authority (CRA) plaints received about Ooredoo’s fi rst complain to their service Chen. Thas resolved over 90% of mobile services are related to provider and this complaint re- They discussed the preparations the 1,135 consumer complaints it billing issues and 20% are relat- mains unresolved for 30 calen- for the opening ceremony of the received during 2015 through its ed to network coverage issues. A dar days, or if they are dissatis- Qatar-China 2016 Year of Culture, offi cial channels - hotline 103, total of 30% of Vodafone mobile fi ed with the resolution off ered. which will kick off next Sunday. mobile app Arsel, and Twitter services complaints are related The Consumer Aff airs depart- Chinese Minister of Culture channel @CRAqatar. to service disconnection issues ment within CRA is responsi- Luo Shugang is scheduled to Less than 10% are still un- and 20% are related to billing is- ble to receive and investigate arrive in Doha, leading a cultural der investigation, the CRA said sues. telecom consumer complaints delegation to participate in the in a statement yesterday. CRA’s by working with both consum- opening ceremony. Consumer Aff airs Department “CRA is mandated ers and service providers in a Minister al-Kuwari also met the is working closely with both by an Emiri decree prompt and balanced way to fi nd ambassadors of member-states service providers – Ooredoo and to manage a dispute mutually acceptable solution. of the International Organisation Vodafone-Qatar – to fi nalise the resolution system that is The Consumer Aff airs depart- of La Francophonie to Qatar unresolved complaints. In 2015, transparent, fair, speedy ment also responds to consumer yesterday. CRA had also received a total and eff ective. These inquiries about any issues they The meeting reviewed of 1,985 inquiries from telecom fi gures show that CRA is have regarding the services pro- preparations for the organisation consumers. proactively managing vided by their telecom service of the Francophonie cultural CRA’s consumer aff airs disputes, with nearly provider. days, which will be held in Doha manager Amel Salem al-Hana- 100 complaints received Consumers can contact the in March. It also discussed wi said: “CRA is mandated by on average each month CRA if they are fi rst unable to aspects of cultural co-operation an Emiri decree to manage a against both service resolve their disputes with their between Qatar and Francophonie dispute resolution system that providers” service provider within 30 days countries and means of boosting is transparent, fair, speedy and using a variety of communica- and developing them. eff ective. These fi gures show From the data collected, 53% tion channels: the 24/7 hotline that CRA is proactively man- of Ooredoo fi xed line complaints number 103, e-mail at consum- aging disputes, with nearly 100 are related to delay in installa- [email protected], using the Qatar attends complaints received on average tion and activation while 32% of CRA’s online complaint form via Bangladesh Minister for Foreign Aff airs Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali meeting the ambassador of Qatar each month against both serv- the fi xed line complaints are re- the website, by tweeting directly Ahmed bin Mohamed al-Duhaimi in Dhaka yesterday. They discussed bilateral relations and means meeting of Arab ice providers. Resolving these lated to fi xed line disconnection to the CRA @CRAqatar, or by of developing them in all fields in addition to issues of mutual concern. customs’ chiefs complaints is a vital part of our issues. visiting the CRA’s headquarters role in protecting telecom con- The fi gures correlate to each at Al Nasr Tower B. The 35th meeting for general sumers in Qatar. In the spirit of service provider’s share of The CRA regulates the com- directors of customs of Arab transparency, we will continue subscribers. Ooredoo’ share munications and informa- Real Estate transactions cross QR686mn countries started yesterday at to share these fi gures with the of mobile subscribers is 67% tion technology sector, postal the Arab League headquarters consumers in Qatar.” compared to Vodafone’s 33%. services, and access to digital The total value of trading in real estate sales department, the list of properties that were traded in Cairo. Common complaints re- Ooredoo’s share in the fi xed line media. CRA uses its regulatory contracts registered with the Real Estate by sale includes open plots of land, houses and Qatar’s delegation headed by ceived by CRA by consumers market is 98% (Source service powers mandated by the Emiri Registration Department at the Ministry of multi-purpose buildings, which are located in the General Authority of Customs include disconnections, delays providers published fi nancial re- decree to protect consumer Justice from 10 to 14 January amounted to municipalities of Doha, Umm Salal, Al Khor, Al Chairman Ahmed bin Ali al- in service provisions, refunds, sults for Q3 2015). rights, ensure competition, QR686,908,143. Dhakira, Al Rayyan, Al Daayen, Al Wakrah and Al Mohannadi. incorrect billing, slow Inter- The Telecommunications Law manage the resolution of dis- According to the weekly bulletin issued by the Shamal. Speaking to QNA, al-Mohannadi net, weak broadband serv- and the licenses issued to serv- putes, and manage the electro- said the meeting will discuss over ices, services not activated ice providers include provisions magnetic spectrum. In all its two days several issues related or mistakenly disconnected, to protect consumers by placing activities, the CRA seeks to en- Mexican president arrvies in Qatar today to the facilitation of trade and high roaming charges, double obligations on the service pro- sure the provision of advanced, modernising customs as part of debiting, replenishment fail- viders to be honest and be fair in innovative and reliable ICT and President Enrique Pena Nieto of Mexico will arrive in hold talks with the Mexican president tomorrow, on regional economic integration ures and failure to activate SIM their dealings. postal services across the state Doha today for a two-day off icial visit to Qatar. bilateral as well as regional and international issues and also review steps to combat cards. Consumers with a complaint of Qatar. HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will of common interest. commercial fraud.

Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 QATAR Qatari-Russian ties have entered new phase: FM

QNA Moscow

atari-Russian rela- tions have entered a Qnew phase follow- ing the visit of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to Moscow, HE the Foreign Minister Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah has said. Addressing a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov here on Monday, Dr al-At- tiyah said that the political will in Qatar and Russia re- fl ected the need to raise the relations to the partnership HE the Foreign Minister Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah addressing a joint press level and to promote this conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Monday. partnership in many areas. This refl ects the keenness of Dr al-Attiyah reaffi rmed from all weapons of mass intensify to “put an end to the Emir and President Putin Qatar’s commitment to destruction and nuclear fi ghting, killings and hunger for closer relations between pursue the objectives for weapons, especially in light among civilians” so that the Qatar and the Russia, he which Gas Exporting Coun- of the recent developments Syrian people “can exercise added. tries Forum (GECF) was es- in the region. their will, and this requires HE Dr Khalid bin Mo- tablished. They also reiterated the the support of Arab coun- hamed al-Attiyah said that With regard to political signifi cance of respecting tries, and also international the visit has reviewed these issues, the Foreign Minister sovereignty of countries and players.” relations in all their aspects said that regional and inter- international conventions. The Foreign Minister said and emphasised the need to national issues of common Al-Attiyah said the Pal- the delay in fi nding a real and continue to push forward interest were discussed, estinian issue remains in the serious political solution to and develop them. in the framework of the core of talks, noting that it is the crisis will contribute to Among the important as- two countries’ keenness to time to exercise pressure to the growing phenomenon pects was the promotion of achieve regional stability lift the illegal and inhumane of extremism and terrorism co-operation in the fi eld of and building global peace. blockade on the Gaza Strip, under religious, sectarian energy and the encourage- Al-Attiyah said the inter- and stop settlement activi- and ethnic pretexts. “We, ment of investments, as both national community needs ties in the West Bank and the on our part, confi rmed the parties share a real desire to more co-operation, building Judaisation of Jerusalem. inadmissibility of a split on continue the work to achieve and expanding partnerships, The Foreign Minister religious grounds,” adding stability in the market bringing points of views said the Syrian crisis took that “Qatar does not sup- through dialogue between closer, and enhancing politi- a sizable share of the talks, port any form of violence or producers and consumers, in cal dialogue to ensure peace, particularly in light of the terrorism” and believes that light of the falling oil and gas stability and security in the international developments the real eradication of ter- prices, as well as co-opera- Middle East and the world. and the deteriorating hu- rorism is through returning tion between the two coun- The foreign minister said manitarian situation in a rights to their owners on the tries in the fi eld of promotion the visit touched on regional number of Syrian regions basis of equal citizenship. for natural gas in order to in- security, stressing that the suff ering under the siege Al-Attiyah voiced his crease its share in the global Qatari and Russian sides of the Syrian regime that confi dence in the positive energy mix and the expan- are on the same page in this prevents the entry of food, role that Qatar and Russia sion of its use as an eff ective matter as they agreed on the medicine and basic needs. can play to achieve stability means in tackling climate importance of freeing the He expressed hope that and support international change, the Minister added. Middle East and Gulf region international eff orts will peace and security. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 5 QATAR

CPST technicians and trainers. HITC session off ers tips on child passenger safety

amad International Training Centre (HITC), a member of HHamad Medical Corporation (HMC) conducted a car seat check- up event for families in collaboration with the Child Development Centre recently. The event follows a training course designed to help families of children with special needs to fi nd safe and practical solutions to keep their chil- dren safe in cars. Technicians were also on hand to check that car seats were properly in- stalled. More than 70 people partici- pated in the day’s activities. “The course, which is pioneering in the region, is part of HITC’s Child Passenger Safety Training (CPST) ini- tiative launched in 2013 in partnership with Safe Kids Worldwide and under the umbrella of Kulluna health and A CPST technician explains the method to install child car seats and for positioning safety campaign, with support from children correctly in the seats. ConocoPhillips,” said Dr Mahmoud Younis, assistant director of Health who use child car seats often have them selected according to the child’s height Promotion and Community Engage- incorrectly installed. This highlights and weight. The CPST technicians can ment HITC. the importance of the CPST courses also help families with ensuring the “Kulluna has trained more than 70 which can help parents to spot and fi x safety seat is installed in the proper people to become CPST technicians the mistakes to ensure their children place in the car. HITC has dedicated who then help us reach out to families are safe. every Thursday from 8am to 2pm, to in the community.” Car safety seats are recommended provide educational sessions for par- Dr Mahmoud said 75% of people for all children and should be properly ents on child passenger safety. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 QATAR Partial closure of street City Center Rotana Doha set to raise the bar in industry

By Peter Alagos Business Reporter

he opening of City Center Rotana Doha is expected Tto set new standards in Qatar’s hospitality sector, an in- A partial closure will come into eff ect from today evening on dustry offi cial has said. Street 1 of Doha’s Industrial Area for six months. One lane in Al Rayyan Tourism Invest- each direction will be closed while another lane will remain ment Company (Artic) vice- open for a period of six months. The access roads to local and chairman Sheikh Mohamed bin residential areas will remain open. The closure is part of the Faisal al-Thani said Qatar is construction works to develop Doha’s Industrial Area, which witnessing rapid growth in the aims to increase the capacity of the roads and support the hospitality sector. He also ex- traff ic flow, in addition to providing the area with a superior pressed Artic’s commitment to infrastructure. playing a key role in supporting this growth. “Our expansion plans encom- pass the opening of a range of hotels with known brand names in the world of hospitality… the launch of City Center Rotana Court sentences expat is a unique addition to Qatar’s hospitality market,” Sheikh Mo- hamed said yesterday during the to 10-year jail term offi cial opening of City Center Rotana Doha in West Bay. Rotana Hotel Management for dealing in drugs Corporation (Rotana) chair- man Nasser al-Nowais said City Center Rotana is Rotana’s third Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company (Artic) vice chairman Sheikh Mohammed bin Faisal al-Thani and other off icials announcing the hotel’s Doha Court has sen- tion Department that the de- presence in Qatar. It is also plan- opening. PICTURE: Jayaram tenced an Egyptian ex- fendant used to sell such drugs ning to expand its footprint in Apatriate man to 10 years in Doha’s Najma area. An under- Africa and Europe. in Turkey and in Kinshasa, Con- Rotana president and CEO tory in Doha has increased to 100 in the pipeline,” Kaddouri in jail and imposed a fi ne of cover offi cer from the depart- Al-Nowais said the total go,” he explained. Omer Kaddouri said the new more than 1,000 rooms. said. QR400,000 for drug dealing and ment approached him to buy an number of hotels managed by For expansion plans in 2016, upscale hotel off ers the best In the second quarter of 2016, Joseph Coubat, general man- consumption. amount of hashish at a sum of Rotana has reached 107, with 52 al-Nowais said Rotana is ex- amenities for business and lei- Kaddouri said Rotana will open ager of City Center Rotana, said: Local Arabic daily Arrayah QR2,000. At the time and place operating hotels and another 55, pected to open 15 new hotels in sure guests in the West Bay area. the 229-room Centro Capital “Doha is considered to be the reported yesterday that the de- where the delivery was to take which are under construction. Congo, the UAE, Dubai, Saudi “Featuring 287 luxurious mod- Doha. most vibrant place in the region, fendant was convicted of pos- place, the defendant was caught He noted that Rotana currently Arabia, Turkey, and Jordan. ern rooms and suites and 94 “It will be Rotana’s first due to its position on the global sessing, selling and consuming by the police. employs 14,000 employees. The “We look forward to strength- serviced apartments, the 52-sto- property under the lifestyle conferences and exhibitions’ map. hashish and a number of trama- Then, he was escorted to his number is expected to reach ening this partnership locally, rey tower was specifi cally-de- and affordable Centro Hotels “Moreover, the city has been dol pills. The court also ordered apartment, where his accom- 29,000 once work on all under- and are constantly striving to signed for comfort and conven- by Rotana brand in Qatar. We attracting major sports leagues his deportation upon serving the plice was present and some construction hotels is complet- develop the tourism sector. This ience,” Kaddouri said. will also roll out 15 new proper- and tournaments, especially the sentence. small amounts of hashish were ed. will help increase tourist fl ows According to Kaddouri, Ro- ties across markets, including 2022 World Cup – the most await- His female accomplice was found in addition to a number of “We have successfully opened and also eff ectively contribute tana has set in place “a very Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Tur- ed event. So, our launch today en- sentenced to one year in jail and tramadol pills, prepared for sale. our fi rst hotel in a non-Arab towards local economic devel- aggressive” expansion plan key, and Iraq. This is all part of hances our brand’s existence in a fi ne of QR10,000. The case The court convicted him based country in Istanbul, Turkey re- opment, which is in line with and growth strategy. With the our plan to operate 100 hotels this country and also supports the started when a secret source on the testimony of the offi cer cently. During the course of the our vision to reach 100 hotels by opening of City Center Rotana, worldwide by 2020, by which government’s eff orts to boost the gave a tip to the Drugs Preven- and investigation reports. next year, we will launch hotels 2020,” al-Nowais said. he said the company’s inven- time we aim to have another tourism sector.”

QNB, ministry hold awareness drive for campers

atar National Bank (QNB) has partnered with the Ministry of Environment (MoE) to Qorganise an awareness campaign for campers during the current camping season. The campaign, which started on November 1, 2015 and will continue until March 31, aims to spread awareness among campers on the proper guidelines to be followed during their camping trips to ensure their own safety and to protect the environment. The initiative also aims to promote compliance with camping, environmental, and safety guide- lines, as well as instructions on how to use fi rst aid, should the need arise. In a press statement, QNB said this co-operation is part of the bank’s keenness to safeguard the safety and interests of its clients and the communities where it operates. Some of the campers who attended the awareness campaign. The campaign is also part of its robust corporate social responsibility programme which strives to give back and provide assistance to commu- nities and across its interna- tional network. QNB Group’s presence through its subsidiaries and associate companies extends to more than 27 countries across three continents, pro- viding a comprehensive range of advanced products and services. The bank has more than 15,200 employees deployed in more than 635 locations and has a network of more than 1,390 automated teller ma- chines.

Expat gets jail term for refusing to return phone

A Bangladeshi expatriate man has been sentenced to two months in jail for seizing a mobile he had found and refusing to return it to its owner. Local Arabic daily Arrayah reported yesterday that a Doha Criminal Court convicted the defendant of not reporting the issue to the police within seven days and refusing to return the phone to its owner, though he contacted him on the same number. Investigations revealed that the owner of the phone, who lost it during the last National Day celebrations at Al Aziziyah area, called the phone and the defendant answered him. The owner asked the defendant to return the phone, but he refused claiming that he found it and it should be his.

Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 QATAR Katara campaigns for responsible use Behind the scenes at the filming of Qatar Airways’ new safety video. Qatar Airways’ safety video of social media generates 40mn views atara - the Cultural Village yesterday Klaunched an ini- atar Airways’ new ty information in scenes the online viewing public,” tiative aimed at promoting safety video fea- which depicted Suarez he noted. responsible social media Qturing FC Barce- taking to the pitch in a life Total viewing time of use especially among the lona players Messi, Suarez, vest while Pique causes a the safety video as posted youths in Qatar. Neymar, Pique, Rakitic stir with waiting fans. to YouTube equates to a Dubbed as “Tweet Your and Mascherano landed as This safety video will be remarkable 39 years and Name,” the programme en- a hit across all social media shown to all passengers on 94 days since its launch. courages Facebook, Twitter channels. board every Qatar Airways Salam al-Shawa, senior and Instagram users includ- Katara off icials at the launch of “Tweet Your Name” initiative yesterday. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed The video generated fl ight, reaching tens of vice president for market- ing those in other GCC coun- nearly 40mn views since millions of people in addi- ing and corporate com- tries and wider Arab World to “We aim to develop a use of meaningful dialogue ronising reliable news sourc- national unity, solidarity its debut in December, a tion to the community of munications, said, “Feed- maintain mutual respect. number of principles and and useful interaction. es only, always mentioning and community values and record among airline safe- fans online. back from our passengers, At a press conference rules of conduct, including The Katara offi cial said information sources, avoid- seeks to promote the values ty videos. “We saw an opportunity our staff and the online yesterday, Ahmed al-Sayed, a strong emphasis on moral promoting social respon- ing racism and the tarnishing of justice, charity, freedom, In addition, Qatar Air- to bring some of our sig- community has been phe- deputy general manager for and humanitarian values and sibility is needed in deal- of others reputation, ban- equality and morals. ways’ new brand campaign nature creativity to some- nomenal. There is some- operations at Katara, said mutual respect when using ing with the growing ning the support of violence “This initiative operates ‘Going Places Together’ thing that had become thing for everyone in this that they are collaborating social media, particularly number of social media us- and terrorism, considering in line with the Univer- generated 31mn views of just another part of the video, and everyone likes with some institutions and Twitter,” he stressed. ers who spend long hours fellow users who are women sal Declaration of Human the new television com- on-board experience,” said to see their favourite foot- active social media users to Al-Sayed sees a need to interacting with others. and children, moral com- Rights which recognises mercial over the same Qatar Airways Group chief ball players having a little promote the initiative and consolidate the ethics of so- Katara wants to promote mitment towards the com- the right of participation, time period, inspiring mil- executive Akbar al-Baker. fun and showing off their its values in light of the huge cial media usage and to re- some adopted values for so- munity and the nation, and freedom of expression with lions with its message of “Safety is of course at acting skills.” number of fake accounts duce negative practices that cial media users that include the respect of intellectual responsibility and the limi- travel as a transformative the heart of our operations The new video is now and rumours occurring too violate community values abandoning of pseudonyms property rights. tation of personal abuse experience. as a global airline and I am shown on Qatar Airways’ often within a number of and traditions. Such prac- and fake accounts, banning Al-Sayed said the ini- and the exploitation of In a step-change from delighted that our suc- state-of-the-art in-fl ight social media platforms. tices, he added, aff ect the the spread of rumours, pat- tiative refl ects the spirit of information,” he noted. the airline’s traditional in- cessful partnership with entertainment system. FC fl ight safety content, Qatar FC Barcelona has been so Barcelona players also star Airways communicated warmly received in this in the airline’s new on- the airline’s essential safe- way by our passengers and board Wi-Fi video. After milestone, Ooredoo to add Winners of Arab more features on app service Mobile Challenge Widam opens 18th outlet

oredoo app has hit over 500,000 fi nals congratulated downloads, a milestone for the Ocompany after launching the service in late 2013, it was announced oredoo has con- “Gravilog” from Palestine yesterday. gratulated the win- and “Raye7” from Egypt. The app, which has seen a host of up- Oners of the regional Sheikh Saud bin Nass- grades and features added since its intro- fi nals of the third Arab Mo- er al-Thani, Group CEO, duction, was launched to enable Ooredoo bile Challenge, at a special Ooredoo, said: “Ooredoo is customers to easily manage their sub- ceremony held in Algiers, working hard to encourage scriptions and accounts. Algeria, earlier this month. the creation of more locally Originally customers could view on Launched in 2013, the relevant content and appli- their mobile device their usage and pay Arab Mobile App Challenge cations, because we believe their Ooredoo bills, top up their Hala enables teams of up to six they can have a real impact credit, manage their Shahry accounts, members under the age of 35 on the lives of people across Widam Food Company has opened a meat shop, its 18th outlet, at Muaither Area redeem Nojoom Points, reserve easy-to- to develop mobile apps de- our footprint.” at Umm Al Daum street, in its eff orts to reach out to more consumers. remember numbers and search the phone signed to make a diff erence Organised by Imtiaz directory. across their communities. Middle East, more than 20 Since its introduction the app has re- As a founder and a key teams participated in the re- vamped its services to off er a full range of partner of the Arab Mobile gional fi nal, including teams Ministry recalls Subaru Impreza, Forester models self-service options for customers from 2016, we aim to add even more to the serv- Challenge, Ooredoo was from Algeria, Qatar, Tunisia, across its portfolio, giving users more ice, and promise to invest even more in proud to participate in the Lebanon, Palestine, Kuwait, The Ministry of Economy campaign comes within the are carried out. control with features such as the abil- digital content so that our users can stay regional fi nal, which saw Jordan, Egypt, Oman and and Commerce (MEC), in framework of its ongoing The ministry has urged ity to change or upgrade plans, subscribe connected to our Supernet 24/7.” 24 teams from across the Sudan. Each team presented collaboration with Mannai eff orts to protect consumers all customers to report to services on the go like Mobile Internet The Ooredoo mobile app will work with region present their app their idea for an app that Trading Company, has and ensure that car dealers any violations to its Packs, activate the Ooredoo Passport for all smartphone devices, and Ooredoo aim designs and business plans could have a positive impact announced the recall of follow up on vehicles’ Consumer Protection and low cost roaming, and book appointments to add several new smart features to the to a jury of industry experts on their communities, in- Subaru Impreza (2012-2014) defects and repair them. Anti-Commercial Fraud at Ooredoo Shops from their device. apps toolbox in the near future. and professionals. cluding concepts to address and Forester (2013-2014) The ministry will co- Department through the Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, director com- The mobile app is available for free Two teams received the specifi c issues in education, because of a defect in the ordinate with the dealer following channels: Hotline: munity and public relations, Ooredoo Qa- download on Google Play or iTunes for prize of fi nancial support for healthcare, entrepreneur- wiring harness coating that to follow up on the 16001, e-mail: [email protected]. tar, commented: “We have listened to peo- customers who have iOS, Android or their apps, in order to bring ship, employability, and could wear off resulting in maintenance and repair qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, ple’s feedback and expanded its services BlackBerry smartphone now. More in- them to market. These were entertainment. malfunction of headlamps works and communicate Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC to make the app a truly one-stop-shop for formation about the Ooredoo mobile app the “Visiongeeks” develop- Ooredoo supports a wide and wipers. with customers to ensure mobile app for Android and all our customers daily Ooredoo needs. In could be had from www.ooredoo.qa ers from Sudan and “Bookr” range of incubation ac- The ministry said the recall that the necessary repairs IOS: MEC_Qatar from Kuwait. tivities and entrepreneur- Five other winner teams ial programmes across its advanced to compete at the footprint, including Oore- Global Mobile Challenge, to doo’s tStart and iStart pro- be held during GSMA Mo- grammes in Algeria; Start- bile World Congress in Bar- up Factory in Tunisia, celona in February. These Ooredoo Indosat’s Ideabox teams were the developers in Indonesia and the “Dig- of “Synoos” from Algeria, ital and Beyond” incubator “Doha Guide” from Qatar, in the Qatar Business Incu- “My u team” from Kuwait, bation Centre.

PHCC staff trained on use of new system

The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) last year conducted 360 courses for clinical staff and 132 for non-clinical staff . About 9,127 healthcare practitioners and 1,198 non-clinical staff benefited from these programmes. Layla al-Jasmi, assistant Layla al-Jasmi, assistant executive director, at PHCC, executive director, PHCC. said that clinical staff required the highest number of courses use of its e-learning library. as a result of advanced It contains over 700 training strategies and systems being programmes covering used in the health centres. all health disciplines. The A total of 54 courses on courses help doctors and applying strategies were held nurses in decision making. for 2,024 staff in 2015. They “The PHCC launched a were trained in the newly training programme to implemented services such as improve its quality of specialised care programmes, services in August 2015. The maternity and newborn four-stage initiative aims to children home care as well as improve workers’ skills.” cancer patients and health Training is designed in four promotion programme. phases - a foundation course in She said, “The PHCC had Leadership and Management signed an agreement with a of Primary Healthcare; British medical establishment Certificate in Strategic in 2013 for this purpose. We Leadership Programme; are also providing e-learning Advanced Course in Primary through the British Medical Health Care Administration; and Journal, which provides the Strategic Work and Leadership. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 9 REGION Iran sees $32bn of unfrozen assets as sanctions end

AFP centralised and safe accounts” cannot completely fi x the econ- nomic defi ciencies,” he added. an 8% growth target and cash in and exports of 2.25mn barrels mentum of its thawing relations Tehran abroad, central bank chief Va- omy, President Hassan Rou- Iran’s economy suff ered on sanctions relief, the president per day. with the outside world to attract liollah Seif was quoted by state hani said yesterday in a televised greatly under the international said Sunday. Iran, a member of the Organ- foreign investment. television as saying, adding that speech, warning that the “diffi - sanctions that since 2006 tar- “Untapped potential in many isation of Petroleum Exporting EU foreign policy chief Feder- ran will receive $32bn of un- the money could be used to pay cult road has just begun”. geted the Islamic republic’s nu- industries indicates that do- Countries (Opec), now pro- ica Mogherini, who was actively frozen assets after sanctions for imports. “Today is just the start for an clear programme and fi nancial mestic demand alone cannot duces 2.8mn barrels of oil per involved in the negotiations that Iwere lifted under its nuclear Seif said that $28bn (25.8bn innocent human who was kept systems. drive the economy” towards that day and exports just over 1mn led to the nuclear accord, said deal, the central bank said yes- euros) would go to the central chained unjustly by the hands Under the previous hardline goal, he said, signalling a shift in barrels. on Monday that she planned to terday, in a boost to an economy bank and $4bn “will be trans- and feet for 12 years,” he said. government of Mahmoud Ah- policy. Low oil prices and years of US travel to Iran soon. sapped by years of isolation. ferred to the state treasury as the “Sanctions are gone but there madinejad, infl ation topped Iran announced a major boost and European Union sanctions “This opens the way for a The unblocking of funds, share of the government”. is a long way between sanc- 40%. of 500,000 barrels per day in oil that barred much of Iran’s for- major European Union invest- which had been held in for- Iran hopes that steps to ease tions and development,” he said, But moderate Rouhani, whose production on Monday - a move eign oil sales hammered its in- ment in our bilateral relations eign banks, comes after the UN its isolation, including the re- speaking to an economics con- election in 2013 heralded more Tehran had long planned for come from crude. that we will need to explore atomic watchdog confi rmed at admission of its banks to the ference in Tehran. than two years of nuclear negoti- once its nuclear deal with world But despite global prices fall- with the Iranian authorities to the weekend that Iran had com- SWIFT system of international “Today, our main problem is ations with world powers, man- powers took eff ect. ing below $30, Iran intends to in- make sure this covers their in- plied with measures in the July transactions, will inject new vig- unemployment and recession, aged to curb infl ation to 13%. The next budget starting in crease production to recoup lost terests, our interests and that atomic accord. our into the economy. the lack of a booming economy Iran needs annual foreign in- March is based on a projected market share. we coordinate well among Eu- The assets will be kept “in But opening up to the world and many structural and eco- vestment of $30-$50bn to reach oil price of $40 per barrel price Tehran aims to seize the mo- ropeans,” she said.

Khamenei China leader warns of US ‘deceit’ in N-deal in Saudi to Reuters Tehran

ran’s supreme leader Ayat- ollah Ali Khamenei yester- Iday welcomed the lifting of bolster ties international sanctions against Iran, but warned that Tehran should remain wary of its old enemy the US. State television reported that Khamenei wrote to President Hassan Rouhani to congratulate and profi le him on implementing the nuclear deal, which resulted in US, Euro- AFP co-operation in various fi elds to sanctions on Iran in return for a pean Union and UN sanctions be- Riyadh a new level and to elevating the scaling back of its nuclear capa- ing lifted over the weekend. collective co-operation between bilities. In his fi rst comments since the China and GCC nations.” China and fi ve other world deal took eff ect, Iran’s highest hinese President Xi Jin- He was referring to the six-na- powers helped broker that authority made clear that Wash- ping arrived in Saudi tion Gulf Co-operation Council to agreement. But Riyadh fears Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman of Saudi Arabia escorting Chinese President Xi ington should still be treated CArabia yesterday, the fi rst which Saudi Arabia belongs. it will further embolden Iran, Jinping upon his arrival in Riyadh yesterday. Xi arrived in Saudi Arabia, the first stop on a trip to raise with suspicion. He made no stop on a trip to raise the eco- Today, Xi is to join King Salman which it accuses of interference the economic giant’s political profile in the Middle East. mention of a surprise prisoner nomic giant’s political profi le in for a ceremony to inaugurate an in Yemen, Syria and elsewhere. exchange that also took place the Middle East. energy research centre in Riyadh. Last week a Chinese diplomat this weekend. Xi, making his fi rst presiden- And they will also open, re- urged “calm and restraint” be- “I reiterate the need to be vigilant tial visit to the region, will also motely from the capital, a refi n- tween Saudi Arabia and Iran, but about the deceit and treachery of travel to Egypt and Iran during ery on the kingdom’s Gulf coast. Xi’s trip was probably organised arrogant countries, especially the his fi ve-day tour. The refi nery is a joint venture before the discord, Zhu Feng, Tehran wants to build two new US, in this (nuclear) issue and other State television showed Xi between state-owned Saudi Ar- professor at Peking University’s issues,” Khamenei said. meeting with Custodian of the amco and China Petrochemical School of International Studies, “Be careful that the other side Two Holy Mosques King Sal- Corp. said. N-plants with Beijing’s help fully meets its commitments. The man and the offi cial Saudi Press Red fl ags of China are fl ying in “Clearly now there are ten- comments made by some Ameri- Agency said the monarch held a central Riyadh for the high-pro- sions between Saudi Arabia and DPA ing between Iran’s Hassan ed in co-operating with Iran can politicians in last two, three luncheon banquet in his honour fi le visit, to which the Arab News Iran, so he will be going there in Tehran Rouhani and his Chinese in nuclear energy. days are suspicious,” he added. attended by several members of daily devoted a 10-page special the role of persuader,” Zhu said counterpart Xi Jinping at According to President Republican candidates for the the royal family. supplement. before the visit. the weekend. Rouhani, China enjoys a priv- US presidency have criticised the “Since China and Saudi Arabia “The kingdom and China “China will try and do what it ran would like to construct Following the fi nalisation ileged position in Iran. “We deal, and some Iranian offi cials fear forged diplomatic ties 26 years both work towards world stabil- can, but it still won’t play a main two new nuclear power of the nuclear deal with six never forget the friends who Washington could walk away from ago, our relationship has devel- ity, peace and security. And the role.” Istations with the help of world powers in Vienna last stood by us even in the bad the deal when President Barack oped by leaps and bounds, with kingdom appreciates your ef- In the past month, Beijing China, the head of the Iranian weekend and the lifting of times,” he said. Obama leaves offi ce in early 2017. mutual political trust deepening forts towards this,” Salman told hosted high-level members from Atomic Energy Organisation sanctions on Iran, the country For this reason China has Hopes for a broader rapproche- continuously and rich results in Xi, according to SPA. both the Syrian regime and its said yesterday. is now planning nuclear ener- a strategic meaning for Iran ment between the two countries co-operation in various fi elds,” Both Saudi Arabia and China opposition. “The details will be dis- gy projects with international beyond being just a leading were dashed on Sunday when Xi said in written remarks, cited maintain tight control on civil China has consistently urged a cussed at the meeting of the partners. trading partner, he said, add- Washington slapped new sanc- by China’s offi cial Xinhua news society and have been criticised “political solution” to the Syrian two presidents in Tehran,” Salehi said that in addition ing that bilateral ties should tions on companies accused of agency. by rights activists. war, despite being seen as sym- Ali Akbar Salehi told IRNA to China, Russia, some Eu- be further expanded at the supporting Iran’s ballistic missile Xi said he foresaw a fruitful Xi arrived three days after a pathetic to President Bashar al- news agency with reference ropean countries, Japan and upcoming presidential sum- programme, drawing an angry re- visit “conducive to lifting our historic international deal lifted Assad. to the upcoming meet- South Korea are also interest- mit. sponse from Iranian offi cials. Yemeni premier says confronting militants ‘inevitable’

AFP even though Al Qaeda Abu Dhabi seized the southeastern port city of Mukalla in April. emeni Prime Min- Loyalist forces have re- ister Khaled Bahah gained control since July Ysaid yesterday that of fi ve provinces including confronting militants in the government’s tempo- government-controlled rary capital Aden. regions of the war-torn But the government country was inevitable in faces a growing militant the future. presence in the city where Al Qaeda and the Islamic there have been several at- State (IS) group are both tacks and assassinations active in Yemen, but so far targeting offi cials. the Yemeni government “The presence of these and its allies have concen- groups has hampered ef- trated on battling Iran- forts to rebuild liber- backed Shia Houthi rebels. ated” towns destroyed by Eliminating the ex- months of deadly fi ghting tremism of the militant between rebels and loyal- groups will not be resolved ists, said Bahah who him- through dialogue, Ba- self escaped a bombing hah told reporters in Abu claimed by IS in Aden last Dhabi. year. “A confrontation is in- Bahah, who is also vice evitable, whether it takes president, insisted that place today or tomorrow,” his government hoped to he said. return to Sanaa “peace- “Today we are facing fully... through political various forms of terrorism consultations.” aimed at shedding blood, He did not give a date for killing innocent people, the postponed next round destroying cities... and of UN-brokered peace endangering liberated re- talks between the govern- gions” of the country, Ba- ment and the insurgents. hah added. The Yemeni government The Saudi-led coalition sat down with the rebels supporting the govern- and their allies last month ment with air strikes and in Switzerland for six days ground troops has so far of talks that ended without not targeted the militants a breakthrough. Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 REGION/ARAB WORLD

Saudi accuses Iran of sowing ‘sedition, unrest, chaos’

AFP Press Agency (SPA) quoted an un- offi cial said, further accusing Iran ministry, “to illustrate Iran’s ag- agreement. But Riyadh fears it will Riyadh named senior foreign ministry of- of supporting “terrorism” and gressive policies” and to refute further embolden Iran, which it fi cial as saying. carrying out assassinations. “the persistent lies” from Tehran, accuses of interference in Yemen, “During the same period, the Tensions between Saudi Arabia including an article by Iran’s For- Syria and elsewhere. audi Arabia yesterday ac- kingdom has maintained a policy and Iran reached a new high this eign Minister Mohamed Javad China’s President Xi Jinping ar- cused Iran of a nearly four- of restraint in spite of having suf- month when Riyadh and a number Zarif in The New York Times last rived in Riyadh yesterday, ahead of Sdecade record of “sedition, fered - as have neighbouring coun- of its Arab allies cut diplomatic week. a visit to Iran, after a Chinese dip- unrest and chaos,” as the inter- tries - the consequences of Iran’s ties with Tehran. Over the weekend, a historic lomat last week urged “calm and national community tried to calm continued aggressive policies.” They acted after protesters international deal lifted crippling restraint” between Iran and Saudi tensions between the countries. The offi cial said Iranian policy burned Saudi diplomatic missions economic sanctions on Iran in Arabia. “Since the Iranian revolution in was based primarily on the idea of in Iran following the kingdom’s return for a scaling back of its nu- French Foreign Minister Lau- 1979, Iran has established a record exporting revolution. January 2 execution of a Shia cleric. clear capabilities. rent Fabius, also in Riyadh yester- Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman of Saudi of spreading sedition, unrest and “Iran recruits militias in Iraq, SPA published a 58-point “fact Six major world powers in- day, was another voice calling for Arabia receiving French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius chaos in the region,” the Saudi Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen”, the sheet”, prepared by the foreign cluding China helped broker that “de-escalation.” during their meeting in Riyadh yesterday.

Two killed in ‘drone strike’ in east Yemen

Two people were killed in eastern Yemen yesterday in what local residents said was probably Libyan unity govt an attack by a US drone on Al Qaeda members, and Saudi-led coalition warships appeared to be preparing to move against a port held by militants. Residents said a pilotless plane struck a car travelling on the formed amid rifts outskirts of Sayoun, the second largest city in Hadramout Two council members refuse was forced through too quickly council members who did not sign Presidential Council, would be province, yesterday evening. The to back nominations; unclear without all groups and factions the document naming the new able to establish itself in Libya. strike blew the car apart and its when government can move being evenly represented. government, Ali Faraj al-Qatrani, Tripoli is controlled by a fac- occupants were burned beyond to Libya Only a unity government, announced he was withdrawing tion called Libya Dawn, and the recognition. Mogherini said, would be able from the process, saying eastern head of the self-declared gov- The US has acknowledged using Reuters “to end political divisions, de- Libya was under-represented and ernment that it backs said last drones but declines to comment Tunis feat terrorism, and address the there was not suffi cient support week that preparations by the on specific attacks. numerous security, humanitar- for the armed forces allied to the Presidential Council to secure Al Qaeda in the Arabian ian and economic challenges the eastern government. the capital violated military law. Peninsula (AQAP) has taken ibya’s Presidential Coun- country faces”. He claimed there had been “a The eastern military forces are advantage of a conflict pitting cil announced a new gov- One council member pulled lack of seriousness and clarity in led by Gen Khalifa Haftar, a former Houthi militiamen against Lernment yesterday aimed out of the process, saying east- dealing with our basic demands” Gaddafi ally who has become one forces loyal to Saudi-backed at uniting the warring factions, ern Libya was not properly rep- during the Presidential Coun- of the most divisive fi gures among President Abd-Rabbu Mansour though two of its nine members resented while local media said cil’s negotiations. Libya’s rival groups. Hadi to grab territory and rejected it in a sign of continu- there were disagreements over Libyan media said some coun- In a statement yesterday, operate more openly. The US ing divisions over its UN-backed the size of the government. cil members had wanted to limit UN Libya envoy Martin Kobler has mounted its own campaign plan for a political transition. The council had delayed its the size of the government to just urged the eastern parliament to against the militants. Western powers hope the new announcement of the new gov- 10 ministers, but the number of “uphold the country’s national The group operates across government will deliver stability ernment by 48 hours without appointments had swelled to 32. interest above all other consid- Yemen and controls the to Libya, deeply fractured since giving a reason Since the sum- The internationally recog- erations and promptly convene Hadramout provincial capital, the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in mer of 2014 Libya has had two nised parliament in eastern Lib- to discuss and endorse the pro- Mukalla, which it seized in April 2011, and tackle a growing threat rival governments and parlia- ya now has 10 days to approve posed cabinet”. last year, soon after the Iranian- from Islamic State militants. ments, operating from the capi- the new government. Kobler visited eastern Libya on allied Houthis forced Hadi to flee Though EU foreign policy tal Tripoli and from the east. There has been no announce- Sunday to try to drum up sup- the southern port city of Aden chief Federica Mogherini called Both are supported by loose ment on how and when the new port for the new government, for Saudi Arabia. Hadi returned to the announcement by the Tu- alliances of armed brigades of government to be led by Fayez but some in the parliament there, Aden after the Saudi-led coalition nis-based council “an essential rebels who once fought Gaddafi . al-Sarraj, an eastern parliament known as the House of Repre- ejected the Houthis. Fayez al-Sarraj who will head the new Libyan unity government. step”, critics say the agreement Late on Monday, one of the lawmaker who also heads the sentatives, remain opposed. Tunisia police fi re tear gas to disperse protests over jobs

Reuters ers from storming the headquarters of was sparked when a struggling young Tunis the governorate building. Kasserine is market vendor committed suicide, un- among Tunisia’s most impoverished leashing a tide of anger among the young areas, with its highest regional unem- unemployed that eventually forced Ben unisian police fi red tear gas yes- ployment at about 30%. Ali to step down and fl ee the country. terday to disperse hundreds of Residents and local media said Ridha Workers received some good news Tangry protesters demanding jobs Yahyaoui, the jobless man who com- yesterday when the main UGTT un- in the central city of Kasserine, two mitted suicide, killed himself after local ion and largest industry association days after a young unemployed man authorities refused to accept his request struck a deal to increase wages for committed suicide, local residents said. for a post in the public sector. Authori- about 1.5mn private sector employees, Mass unrest in Tunisia fi ve years ties had no immediate comment. a decision that could avert strikes and ago was triggered by the suicide of a Tunisia’s 2011 “Arab Spring” uprising protests. disaff ected young man and sparked revolutions that transformed the Arab world. But while countries such as Libya and Syria have been torn apart by violence, Tunisia avoided the worst of the chaos and remains relatively stable. Despite democratisa- tion since the toppling of autocrat Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, many Tunisians fret over high unemploy- ment and infl ation and a continued marginalisa- tion of rural towns - fac- tors that helped fuel the 2011 uprising. “Security forces chased the protesters in the streets of the city and fi red tear gas,” Hatem Sal- hi, a witness, told Reuters by telephone. The Interior Ministry later announced a night time curfew in Kasserine as a preventative measure. Hundreds of unem- ployed protesters had gathered in front of the headquarters of the Kas- serine governorate, where some threatened to com- mit suicide, prompting tear gas salvoes by secu- rity forces to scatter them, witnesses said. Unemployment rates had risen to 15.3% by the end of 2015 compared with 12% in 2010, driven by poor economic growth and a decline in invest- ment in both public and private sectors coupled with a rise in the number of university graduates, who now comprise one third of jobless Tunisians. Another witness said soldiers and police offi c- ers prevented the protest- Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 11 ARAB WORLD Riyadh-based Syrians ‘must decide on peace team’

AFP regional powers leading the Syria counterpart Laurent Fabius. ing together about 100 repre- Kurdish fi ghters were also left then elections. Fabius said “the 2 execution of a Shia cleric. Riyadh peace process to agree on partici- The 17 countries pushing for a sentatives of the main Syrian out. A recently formed secular success of the conference in Riy- Iranian President Hassan Rou- pants for the negotiations. peace deal for war-ravaged Syria, political opposition and armed Kurdish-Arab alliance, the Syrian adh should be respected”. hani is to visit Paris next week, Talks are planned to start in including the US, Russia, Saudi factions. Democratic Council, demanded After meeting Custodian of the Fabius said, after arriving in Sau- Riyadh-based Syrian op- Geneva next Monday. Arabia and Iran, have struggled They agreed to negotiate with last week that it get its own seat Two Holy Mosques King Salman di Arabia from Abu Dhabi where position group must con- The High Committee formed to agree on the list of opposition the regime but insisted Assad at the talks. of Saudi Arabia, he also called for he attended the World Future Atrol delegates to planned after an unprecedented meet- delegates. step down at the start of any po- SDC leader Haytham Man- a “de-escalation” of tensions in Energy Summit on Monday. peace talks with the regime of ing last December in the Saudi Russia and Iran are the main litical transition. naa said he would not want to be the region, where relations be- His visit came in the context President Bashar al-Assad, Saudi capital “is the concerned body, supporters of Assad. Moscow The Islamic State militant grouped with the Riyadh body. tween Riyadh and Tehran reached of “close and continuous dia- Arabia’s foreign minister said and nobody else can impose wants participation by the mod- group, which has seized large The Riyadh gathering came af- a new low this month. logue” between Paris and Riyadh, yesterday. on them who should represent erate opposition that is closer to parts of Syria and Iraq, and the ter diplomats from the 17 coun- Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with a French statement said. The comments by Adel al- them” in negotiations with As- the president. Al Qaeda affi liated Al Nusra Front tries agreed in Vienna on a road- Tehran after protesters burned France is the third-largest in- Jubeir came after the UN on sad’s regime, Jubeir said at a joint After months of eff ort, Riyadh were excluded from the Riyadh map for Syria, with peace talks, Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran vestor in Saudi Arabia, and has Monday said it was waiting for news conference with his French in December succeeded in bring- meeting. a transitional government and following the kingdom’s January boosted ties with the kingdom. Americans Sandstorm in Gaza ‘abducted by Iran-backed

Shia militia’ Palestinians walk along Gaza City’s sea front during a sandstorm on Monday.

Reuters The Iraqi government has advance there last month, with Washington/Baghdad struggled to rein in the Shia backing from coalition air- militias, many of which fought strikes, as evidence of a resur- the US military following the gent army after it collapsed in hree US citizens who 2003 invasion and have previ- 2014. disappeared last week in ously been accused of killing The State Department said TBaghdad were kidnapped and abducting American na- on Sunday it was working with Iraqi authorities to locate Amer- Clashes between Syrian and are being held by an Ira- tionals. nian-backed Shia militia, two Baghdad-based analyst icans reported missing, without Iraqi intelligence and two US Hisham al-Hashemi, who ad- confi rming they had been kid- government sources said yes- vises the government, said the napped. terday. kidnappings were meant to em- Asked about the kidnapping at the daily US State Depart- regime and IS kill scores Unknown gunmen seized the barrass and weaken Iraqi Prime three on Friday from a private Minister Haider al-Abadi, who ment news briefi ng on Tuesday, residence in the southeastern is trying to balance his country’s spokesman John Kirby said: DPA In recent weeks, Islamic State airbase which could be used for Meanwhile, new humani- Dora district of Baghdad, Iraqi relations with rival powers Iran “The picture is becoming a little Beirut strongholds in Syria have been US planes to strike Islamic State tarian deliveries were made on offi cials say. They are the fi rst and the US. bit more clear in terms of what the target of intensifi ed air- bases across Syria. Monday to the pro-regime Shia Americans to be abducted in might have happened.” He pro- strikes separately mounted by a American technicians have villages of Fuaa and Kefraya - Iraq since the withdrawal of US “They were abducted vided no details. cores of Syrian regime US-led alliance and Russia. been working for the past few besieged by hardline Islamist troops in 2011. because they are Kirby declined to say whether forces and Islamic State Russian officers and en- weeks to expand and prepare the rebels since April - in north- The US sources said Washing- Americans, not for Secretary of State John Kerry Smilitants were killed dur- gineers arrived in Qamishli, agricultural airport at Rumeilan western Syria, and Madaya on ton had no reason to believe Te- personal or fi nancial had contacted Iranian Foreign ing clashes between the two one of only two areas in the with a runway specialised for the outskirts of Damascus. hran was involved in the kidnap- reasons” Minister Javad Zarif about the sides over the past two days mainly Kurdish-held north- warplanes. Reports of starvation in Ma- ping and did not believe the trio kidnapping. in eastern Syria, a monitoring east where government forces The area is controlled by daya, a mountain town with were being held in Iran, which “The militias are resentful of Hostility between Tehran and group said yesterday. retain a presence, to study the Kurdish forces which have been 40,000 people near the Leba- borders Iraq. the success of the army in Ram- Washington has eased in re- “At least 120 Syrian soldiers possible expansion of the air- Washington’s main ally on the nese border and besieged by “They were abducted because adi which was achieved with the cent months with the lifting of and their allies were killed; 40 port there. ground against the extremist regime forces, triggered a global they are Americans, not for per- support of the US-led coalition crippling economic sanctions of them were executed when Russia started airstrikes in militia. outcry. sonal or fi nancial reasons,” one and without their involvement,” against Iran in return for com- Islamic State militants attacked Syria in support of the govern- The airbase will also serve as a The UN says nearly 400,000 of the Iraqi sources in Baghdad he said. pliance with a deal to curb its the regime-held area of al-Ba- ment in September. Moscow headquarter for Americans who of the 4.5mn people living in said. Shia militias were kept out of nuclear ambitions and a recent ghaliyeh,” the Syrian Observa- has also supported the Kurds have entered Syrian territory, what it terms “hard-to-reach” The three men are employed the battle against Islamic State prisoner swap. tory for Human Rights reported. against rebel forces in recent the Observatory said. areas in Syria are living under by a small company that is do- in Ramadi for fear of aggravating However, the US imposed The Britain-based monitor- weeks. In October, the US announced siege. ing work for General Dynamics sectarian tensions among the sanctions on 11 companies and ing group added that 70 mili- In al-Hassakeh province in that a contingent of less than 50 More than 250,000 people are Corp, under a larger contract Sunni population in the western individuals on Sunday for sup- tants from Islamic State were the north-east, the Observa- special forces would be sent to estimated to have been killed in with the US Army, according to a city. plying Iran’s ballistic missile also killed, 28 of them suicide tory said that US forces have Syria to coordinate with local Syria’s confl ict since it started source familiar with the matter. Baghdad touted the military’s programme. attackers. almost fi nished preparing an forces against Islamic State. in 2011.

3,500 slaves held by IS in Iraq: UN

Reuters State, which seized mainly Geneva Sunni-populated areas in the north and west in 2014. n estimated 3,500 “Those being held are people, mainly predominantly women Awomen and chil- and children and come dren, are being held as primarily from the Yazi- slaves in Iraq by Islamic di community,” said the State militants, the UN joint report issued in said yesterday. Geneva, referring to a The Islamist group, non-Muslim minority in which also controls large northern Iraq viewed by parts of Syria, is respon- Islamic State as devil- sible for acts that may worshippers. “amount to war crimes, “But a number are also crimes against humanity, from other ethnic and re- and possibly genocide”, ligious minority commu- particularly against mi- nities.” norities, a report said. The militants, who Iraqi security forces and claim responsibility for allied groups including suicide bombings in Bagh- Kurdish Peshmerga fi ght- dad against Shia mosques ers have also killed and and markets, should face abducted civilians, it said. prosecution for interna- “Some of these incidents tional crimes, said Franc- may have been reprisals esco Motta, director of the against persons perceived UN human rights offi ce in to support or be associated Iraq. with ISIL (Islamic State),” “They use civilians as it added. shields. They use chil- At least 18,802 civilians dren in armed confl ict, were killed in violence in they also directly target Iraq from January 2014 to civilian infrastructure and October 2015, and 36,245 that can amount to war civilians were wounded, crimes but they can also the report said, calling the constitute crimes against fi gures “obscene”. humanity,” he told a news The UN Assistance briefi ng by telephone from Mission for Iraq and the Baghdad. UN human rights offi ce The group seeks to “ba- estimated that 3,500 peo- sically eliminate, purge or ple were “currently being destroy minority commu- held in slavery” by Islamic nities”, Motta said. Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 AFRICA SA opposition vows to tackle racism within

AFP who talk to each other... as if they “Members found to be in clear Johannesburg were still living in the 1970s.” violation of this oath will have The Democratic Alliance won their party membership imme- 22% of votes in the 2014 general diately revoked, no questions he fi rst black leader of election, and hopes to make fur- asked,” he said. South Africa’s main oppo- ther gains against the all-pow- Maimane, 35, who grew up in Tsition party vowed yester- erful African National Congress the township of Soweto, joined day to root out racist members, (ANC) in this year’s local elec- the DA in 2009 and was fast- saying the country was “being tions. tracked through the party by his torn apart” by renewed racial But DA eff orts to broaden its predecessor as leader Helen Zille. tension 22 years after apartheid. appeal among black voters have “We - as black South Afri- Mmusi Maimane last year took been bruised by social media cans - are still made to feel infe- A man on a motorcycle sits near a signboard campaigning against corruption in Nigeria’s northern city of Kano. over leadership of the Democrat- scandals, including a member of rior because of the colour of our ic Alliance (DA), which has long parliament who last year shared a skin,” he said in one of his most been seen as a “white” party, and Facebook comment that praised personal speeches to date. will face his fi rst major test at apartheid president P W Botha. “I cannot tell you how many municipal elections due between During a speech at the Apart- times I am told by black South Fraud case puts Buhari’s anti-graft drive in the dock May and August. heid Museum in Johannesburg, Africans that I have ‘done well’ A series of bitter race rows have Maimane announced that party because I happen to be married erupted in South Africa in recent members would have to sign a to a white woman. By Julia Payne, Reuters old former military ruler who won the elec- the fi ght against corruption and that has weeks, exposing deep divisions pledge vowing to fi ght racism. “Apartheid was so dehuman- Abuja tion last year largely on the back of vows to infl uenced the EFCC enormously,” commis- between blacks and whites. “The DA is not perfect,” he ising that, too often, even today, get tough on graft. sion spokesman Wilson Uwujaren said. One Facebook posting by DA said. “There is no place in the DA white people remain the bench- “Dasuki’s trial is very signifi cant because Its probe of Dasuki began after it received member Penny Sparrow sparked for people who believe that the mark that we set ourselves.” rue to his election promises, Nigerian it addresses the challenge of impunity that a presidential committee report alleging the nationwide fury after she com- colour of their skin renders them The DA prides itself on liberal- President Muhammadu Buhari has we have seen in government,” said Clement former NSA’s misuse of funds. pared black beachgoers to mon- superior to others. ism and equal opportunity - as Tgone all out on corruption, alleging Nwankwo, director of the Policy and Legal Last week, the same committee cast the keys. “If you’re a racist and you are opposed to the affi rmative action mind-boggling sums plundered from state Advocacy Centre, a think-tank in Abuja. net wider, accusing 38 former top military “I know that the vast majority thinking of voting for the DA, policies advocated by the ANC to coff ers and giving investigators licence to The People’s Democratic Party, ousted by chiefs, offi cers and companies with detailed of white people don’t think like please don’t. We are not the party overcome the legacy of the apart- pull in big hitters once thought untouchable. Buhari after dominating politics since mili- counts of fraud dating back to 2007. Penny Sparrow does,” Maimane for you. heid era white-minority rule. Now comes the hard part: making the tary rule ended in 1999, has accused its suc- They are alleged to have siphoned off said. “I will not tolerate racism in The party has its roots in the charges stick. cessor of conducting a witch-hunt. hundreds of millions of dollars via contracts “But I also know that, for the party I lead.” now defunct Progressive Party, The fi rst test comes today with the open- Nwankwo said the most important les- for antiquated equipment such as 40-year- every racist incident that makes The party’s new pledge re- co-founded by the late anti- ing of the trial of former National Security son, irrespective of the verdict, was for alle- old ammunition, helicopters without rotor the front pages and trends on quires members to acknowledge apartheid activist Helen Suzman Advisor Sambo Dasuki, accused of fraud gations to be scrutinised in open court, un- blades and jets that were paid for but never Twitter, there are hundreds that that apartheid was “evil” and in 1959. over $68mn of defence spending, part of a like the military tribunals that characterised arrived at the Air Force. don’t. that its legacy continues in South South Africa will next hold wider $2.1bn in arms deals under scrutiny. Buhari’s fi rst stint in power, as a military One outcome of corruption investigations “I know that there are people Africa’s harshly unequal society. general elections in 2019. Dasuki will be joined in court by ex-min- ruler, in the early 1980s. could be to recover missing funds, a goal ister of state for fi nance Bashir Yuguda, an The prosecution of any of the high profi le made all the more urgent because of the col- ex-director of fi nances at the NSA and a fi gures charged since Buhari took offi ce in lapse in global oil prices which has eroded Zambia and Zimbabwe concerned by water level s in key dam former head of the state oil fi rm, who also May would be the biggest corruption convic- Nigeria’s government revenue. face corruption charges. tion since the return to civilian rule in 1999. Buhari says some funds have been re- ater levels in southern and designed to operate between ready grappling with a slide in Former defence minister Bello Haliru Mo- To date, the biggest case is that of Tafa turned but has given few details. So far the Africa’s Lake Kariba levels 475.50m and 488.50m,” it global copper prices. hamed has separately been accused of fraud Balogun, a former police chief successfully EFCC has said only one cash return has been Whave dropped to 12% of said. Meanwhile, on Monday, wa- and colluding with Dasuki. They have all prosecuted for money laundering in 2005 confi rmed in relation to allegations against capacity, the authority in charge The dam was 12% full on ter fl ow measurements from pleaded not guilty. and sentenced to six months in prison. Dasuki - that of 100mn naira ($500,000) said yesterday, raising concerns Monday compared with 53% on the famed Victoria Falls, a ma- Most of the funds alleged to have been On Monday, information minister Lai paid by Lawal Jafaru Isa, a prominent mem- about severe power rationing in the same date last year, under- jor tourist site, were recorded at misused were earmarked for the fi ght Mohamed said 55 people including govern- ber in Buhari’s ruling party. Zimbabwe and Zambia. scoring the severity of a pro- 492cu m per second, close to the against Islamist militant group Boko Haram, ment ministers, state governors and bankers The president said the government of his Both countries rely heavily on longed drought that threatens historic low of 390cu m per sec- which has killed thousands in northeast Ni- stole $6.8bn of public money between 2006 predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, left the the Kariba dam for electricity. crops across the Southern Af- ond posted in the 1995/96 sea- geria in the last seven years. and 2013. nation’s coff ers “virtually empty”. The levels were 477.25m rican region where the UN has son, its authority said. The allegations have dominated televi- He did not provide evidence but the as- Think-tank director Nwankwo said there above sea level on Monday, just warned that 14mn people face Zambian power companies sion bulletins and newspapers for weeks, an sertions are another sign of the green light was also a danger that the fi ght against graft 2m above their working capac- hunger. and mining fi rms in August 2015 indication of how badly Nigerians want to shown to the Economic and Financial would overshadow other eff orts needed to ity, the Zambezi River Author- Zambia asked South Africa agreed to cut power supply to see justice for those who they believe have Crimes Commission (EFCC), an institution address the worst economic crisis in years. ity, which manages the lake for last week for up to 300 mega- the mines by 30% due to a power been stealing with impunity for years. that has seldom had the clout to pursue top “Very little is going on in terms of any other Zambia and Zimbabwe, said on watts (MW) of emergency power defi cit which rose to 985 MW Although an immediate adjournment is public offi cials or businessmen. initiatives on the economy,” Nwankwo said. its web site. to ease an electricity crunch that in September from 560 MW in likely, longer-term a successful trial and “The real diff erence is the current admin- “This fi ght against corruption seems to be aimed “The Kariba Lake was created has hit mining companies al- March. conviction is crucial for Buhari, a 73-year- istration has placed enormous emphasis on at substituting a proper economic policy.”

Ivory Coast presidency ‘surprised’ by Burkina Faso arrest warrant

vory Coast’s government has said it is “surprised” that neighbouring Burkina Faso had issued an arrest warrant Ifor the speaker of the Ivorian parliament, charging that he sought to back a coup against Burkina Faso’s transitional government. In a statement from the offi ce of the president, Ivory Coast called for the matter to be resolved through dip- lomatic channels. Burkina authorities issued the international warrant last week, based on an audio recording of a conversation alleged- ly between the speaker, Guillaume Soro, and Djibril Bassole, a political ally of Burkina Faso’s deposed long-time ruler, Blaise Compaore. On the recording, which was posted on the Internet last year, two men discuss ways to support a coup then under way against Burkina Faso’s interim government. The coup, led by Compaore’s former spy chief, Gilbert Di- endere, briefl y seized power from Michel Kafando, the inter- im president. Kafando was guiding Burkino Faso’s transition to democracy after popular protests forced out Compaore, who appeared to be manoeuvring to remain in power. The warrant against Soro, an ex-rebel leader turned poli- tician, has fuelled tensions between Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, which share a history of close, if often fraught, eco- nomic and political ties. “The presidency of ... Ivory Coast is surprised that this document, which targets the president of the second institution of the Republic of Ivory Coast, was is- sued with disregard for rules and customs,” read a statement. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 13 AMERICAS NY offi cer to Freezing in Washington stand trial for shooting The decision to prosecute has averted the saw internal disciplinary trials for NYPD members possibility of unrest for 14 years, and Robert Brown, a former captain. Brown said Liang had committed no crime. Reuters “It was just a terrible tragedy,” he said. New York Liang has opted for a jury trial, rather than a judge-only trial, and Brown said it remains possible Ice is seen at dawn in the deepest portion of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool during the annual cleaning in Washington yesterday. that Liang will testify in his defence. The reflecting pool is more than 150 feet wide and over 2,000 feet long and contains 6.7mn gallons of water which must be drained for he manslaughter trial of a New York City po- “People like to hear from the person who’s cleaning. Frigid winter temperatures arrived in Washington yesterday with the possibility of snow at week’s end. lice offi cer who fi red the bullet that killed an charged,” he said. Tunarmed black man in the darkened stairwell The case is likely to turn on whether the jurors of a housing project is due to begin tomorrow. believe Liang acted reasonably in unholstering his Offi cer Peter Liang is also charged with reck- weapon in the darkened stairwell, where broken less endangerment, offi cial misconduct and other lights had gone unrepaired for days, or whether he counts for his actions inside a Brooklyn public ignored the risk that doing so could endanger others housing complex on the night of November 20, unnecessarily. 2014. The death of the victim, 28-year-old Akai Liang’s partner, Shaun Landau, is expected to Gurley, added to the outrage that fuelled national testify for the prosecution under an immunity ‘A ffl uenza’ teenager may protests over police use of force against minorities agreement. in cities including Ferguson, Missouri; Baltimore The family of a black Ohio man killed by a Uni- and Cleveland.Liang’s lawyers have said the shoot- versity of Cincinnati police offi cer during a traffi c ing was accidental. stop will receive $4.85mn and free college tuition The shooting occurred days before a grand jury for his 12 children in a settlement, attorneys said have been forced to fl ee declined to indict a white police offi cer for killing Monday. teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson and weeks Body camera video of the traffi c stop showed Reuters a third-degree felony charge for helping her had left him so spoiled that it impaired his before a separate grand jury brought no charges Samuel DuBose, 43, was shot in the head by Offi cer Fort Worth, Texas son fl ee while Ethan remains in a Mexican im- judgement to tell right from wrong. against a white New York offi cer for the chokehold Ray Tensing in July last year after he was pulled over migration detention centre fi ghting eff orts to The affl uenza diagnosis, which is not rec- death of Eric Garner. for a missing front license plate on his vehicle. bring him back to the United States. ognised by the American Psychiatric Asso- Both Brown and Garner were unarmed black men, DuBose attempted to prevent the offi cer from n attorney for a teenager who killed Lawyers for Couch want the proceedings ciation, was widely ridiculed. and the decisions not to charge the offi cers gave mo- opening the car door before the car started slowly four people in the “affl uenza” drunk- in Fort Worth to come to a halt, arguing the Couch and his mother ended up in Mex- mentum to the “Black Lives Matter” movement. rolling forward. Tensing, who is white, pulled his Aen-driving case may have been forced case should not go forward because he is not ico in December after a social media video Liang is not accused of intentionally shooting gun and fi red once. to go to Mexico with his mother after an ap- present. They say he may have been abducted emerged showing him at an alcohol-laden Gurley, who was walking in the unlit stairwell with DuBose’s death fuelled demonstrations and in- parent violation of his probation, a defence by his mother. party. The party was likely a violation of the his girlfriend. The bullet ricocheted off the wall and tensifi ed a debate on policing and race in the United attorney said yesterday. “We are examining the facts ... to deter- probation deal that kept him out of prison af- struck Gurley in the chest. States that helped lead to the founding of the Black A hearing on whether to move Ethan mine whether he was taken voluntarily or in- ter he was convicted of four counts of intoxi- Prosecutors have said Liang acted recklessly by Lives Matter movement. Couch’s case to adult court lasted only a few voluntarily to Mexico,” attorney Scott Brown cation manslaughter. drawing his weapon in the fi rst place. They have Attorneys for the family said in a statement that the minutes without a decision yesterday when told reporters. If Couch is found to have violated his pro- also said he and his partner argued for minutes settlement, including the free tuition, is worth about a judge ruled his parents were not adequately Tarrant County prosecutors contended bation and his case is transferred to adult about whether to report the shot for fear of disci- $5.3mn. The agreement must be approved by the notifi ed about the hearing. Couch is responsible for his own absence by court, he could be held in adult detention for pline, though prosecutors have not released evi- Hamilton County Probate Court before it is fi nalised. A new hearing date was set for February 19. fl eeing to Mexico and fi ghting his deporta- about four months. Another probation viola- dence suggesting the two offi cers immediately re- The agreement includes an apology to the fam- Couch, 18, and his mother, Tonya Couch, tion. tion could bring up to 40 years in prison, legal alised someone had been wounded. ily from the school president Santa Ono. The 48, were captured in Puerto Vallarto, Mexico, Couch was 16 in 2013 when he was tried as sources said. Liang, who is Chinese-American, has hired two University will work with the family to establish last month after a manhunt of more than two a juvenile with a psychiatrist testifying the Tonya Couch faces up to 10 years in prison former NYPD offi cers as his defence lawyers: Rae a memorial on campus commemorating DuBose, weeks. She was returned to Texas and faces boy had “affl uenza” and his family’s wealth if convicted of helping her son fl ee. Koshetz, a former deputy commissioner who over- the statement said. Levinson’s family are ‘desperate for answers’

Reuters ing fi red and several more being disci- Washington plined, offi cials have said. Also speaking on CNN yesterday, Robert Levinson’s wife, Christine, said he family of former FBI agent she has tried to set up face-to-face Robert Levinson, who went meetings with high-level administration Tmissing in Iran eight years ago, offi cials - including Obama, Kerry and said yesterday it was “desperate for US national security advisor Susan Rice answers” on his whereabouts and ex- - to discuss her husband’s case since No- pressed frustration at the information vember, but has been unsuccessful. it had received from the Obama ad- “We’re desperate for answers, and ministration. we’re really going to push hard, and Levinson, who disappeared while we’re not going to go away,” Christine visiting Iran’s Kish Island in 2007, was Levinson said. not among the fi ve American prison- She said the family had received one ers released by the Iranian government FBI agent Robert Levinson. phone call from a member of the Obama on Saturday as part of a prisoner swap administration after the American pris- with Washington. but it hasn’t ... given us results,” Dan oners’ release apologising that they had His family said in a statement over Levinson said. “We’ve been hearing this not been warned ahead of time. the weekend it was “devastated,” add- for years and years now,” he said. “Unfortunately we’re still waiting ing: “We are happy for the other fami- US offi cials believe that Levinson, for any information about Bob, and lies. But once again, Bob Levinson has who suff ered from diabetes, died in we need the United States government been left behind.” captivity after meeting with an Amer- to work harder to bring him home,” In a speech on Sunday celebrating ican-born Islamic militant on Kish Is- Christine Levinson told Fox News in a the release of the Americans, Obama land. Iranian offi cials have repeatedly separate interview yesterday. said the US government would “not denied knowledge of his disappearance US deputy secretary of state Antony rest” until Levinson was located. US or whereabouts. Blinken said offi cials have been work- secretary of state John Kerry said in a Levinson’s family has said he was ing to fi nd Levinson and bring him Twitter post on Sunday that Iran had working for the Central Intelligence back “the entire time”. agreed to deeper coordination to locate Agency in what amounted to a rogue “He’s been absolutely part of every- Levinson. operation at the time he disappeared. thing we’ve tried to do,” Blinken said Levinson’s son, Dan, told CNN on The family’s lawyer has told CNN the separately on CNN, adding that the Tuesday the family “can only hope that agency paid $2.5mn to avoid a lawsuit. administration was uncertain Levin- they (US offi cials) are really doing eve- The CIA conducted an internal in- son was still being held in Iran. rything they can.” quiry into Levinson’s unauthorised re- The FBI has off ered a reward of $5mn “President Obama has promised lationship with the agency’s analytical for information leading to Levinson’s that, secretary Kerry has promised that, division, resulting in three offi cials be- location and return.

School ‘missed red fl ags’ in 2013 attack

Reuters 18-year-old shooter Karl Pierson. Claire Davis before committing sui- Denver The report said some students knew cide. Pierson had fi rearms while certain staff The parents of the slain girl, in an members knew he had made threats, arbitration agreement with Littleton dministrators and teachers at at one point saying he wanted to kill a Public Schools, took the unusual step a Colorado high school failed coach who had kicked him off the de- of agreeing not to sue the district if Ato act on warnings signs that bate team. But they failed to connect administrators co-operated with the a student was acting in a threaten- the dots or call a hotline set up to pre- report and released it. ing and violent way before he shot to vent violence at schools. In an introduction to the 141-page death a classmate in 2013, an inde- “If just one student or teacher had Arapahoe report, Desiree and Michael pendent review of the rampage said called ... this tragedy might have been Davis called their daughter’s killer on Monday. averted,” the report stated. “a student in crisis who desperately The Center for the Study and Pre- Armed with a 12-gauge pump- needed guidance”. vention of Violence at the Univer- action shotgun, a machete and three “The lesson to learn is not that our sity of Colorado faulted administra- Molotov cocktails, Pierson stormed the schools should be less tolerant and tors at Arapahoe High School in the school on December 13, 2013, in search more punitive, rather that our schools Denver suburb of Centennial for not for the debate coach. are now, as never before, in a unique having shared information among After fi ring at his intended target and position to identify and secure help for staff and law enforcement about missing, Pierson shot dead 17-year-old troubled students,” they wrote. Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 ASEAN Indonesia looks to stop militants overseas from returning home At a meeting, top political and terrorism law to focus on pre- Roughly 500 Indonesians are security off icials agreed to vention,” parliamentary speaker believed by authorities to have review anti-terrorism laws Zulkifl i Hasan told Reuters. travelled to the Middle East to “Currently there is nothing in join Islamic State. Reuters the law covering training. There About 100 are believed to have Jakarta is also nothing currently cover- returned, most of whom did not ing people going overseas (to join see frontline combat. Indonesian radical groups) and returning. Police Chief Badrodin Haiti told ndonesian President Joko This needs to be broadened.” Reuters in an interview Monday Widodo is considering a reg- Proposed revisions would also that the country was bracing Iulation that would prohibit tighten prison sentences for ter- for the return of these more ex- Indonesians from joining radi- rorism off ences, he said. perienced fi ghters, who may be cal groups overseas, in an eff ort Chief security minister Luhut capable of carrying out far more to prevent a deadlier attack than Pandjaitan told reporters the sophisticated operations than last week’s militant assault on new regulation would allow sus- last week’s attack, which was Jakarta. pects to be temporarily detained. hampered by poor training and Vietnamese activists hold banners during a gathering to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of China’s occupation of the disputed Paracels in At a meeting yesterday at the “The point is to give police the weapons. the South China Sea, in Hanoi yesterday. The banners read “people never forget” (bottom) and “commemoration of the 42nd anniversary of the palace, top political and security authority to preemptively and Thursday’s bombings and loss of Paracels to Chinese Communists.” offi cials agreed to review anti- temporarily detain (a suspect) shootings in the heart of Jakarta terrorism laws, which currently while they get information to were the fi rst attack in Indonesia allow Indonesians to freely re- prevent future incidents,” Pand- attributed to Islamic State. The turn home after fi ghting with jaitan said, adding the detention last major militant attacks in the Islamic State in Syria. could last up to two weeks. country were in 2009, when sui- Security forces fear that re- Widodo said discussions on cide bombers struck two luxury turning activists could launch the new regulation, which would hotels in the city. Vietnam warns China against a much more calculated attack be a stop-gap measure until par- Even if the new revisions are than the amateurish assault mil- liament can revise its anti-ter- imposed, Indonesia would still itants launched on Thursday us- rorism law, were still at “an early have weaker anti-terrorism laws ing two pistols and eleven low- stage”. than some of its neighbours. rig activity in disputed waters yield homemade bombs. Eight “This is very pressing. Many Malaysia last April passed people were killed in the attack, people have left for Syria or re- a law reintroducing detention including the four attackers. turned,” he said, but did not say without trial, three years after a Reuters decades when China parked it tinental shelves overlap. cent test fl ights by China on an “We’ve agreed to review the when a decision would be made. similar measure was revoked. Hanoi for 10 weeks in waters Vietnam “Vietnam requests China does artifi cial island in the disputed considers its own. not conduct drilling actions and Spratly archipelago. The two communist neigh- withdraw Hai Duong 981 from China considers most of the ietnam warned China bours share more than $60bn this area,” Binh said, referring to South China Sea to be under its Maid jailed in Singapore for quarter-million dollar jewellery theft yesterday against drill- in annual trade but anti-China the rig by the Vietnamese name. jurisdiction but Brunei, Malay- Ving in disputed waters sentiment is strong in Vietnam, “Vietnam reserves all legal sia, the Philippines, Taiwan and A domestic worker in Singapore who stole more items and lost the money gambling in casinos, the in the South China Sea, after where people remain embit- rights and interests to this area, Vietnam have competing claims. than a quarter-million dollars worth of jewellery report said. Escalona worked for the family for six Beijing steered an oil rig at the tered over what many see as a which are in accordance with in- About $5tn in ship-borne trade from her employer was sentenced to two-and-a- years, and stole items like gold diamond rings and centre of a previous stand-off history of Chinese bullying and ternational laws.” There was no passes through the waters each half years in prison, media said yesterday. earrings. The items ranged in value from $3,000- between the countries into a territorial infringements in the immediate response to requests year. Mary Jane Importante Escalona, 48, stole cash and 100,000. A gold bracelet worth $5,000 was found stretch where jurisdiction is South China Sea. for comment from China, where Separately yestereday, dem- jewellery valued at nearly 400,000 Singapore dol- in her room. unclear. Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry the $1bn deep water rig is known onstrators held a rare anti-China lars ($277,915) between 2014 and October 2015, the Under the charge of theft as a servant, the maxi- Vietnam closely tracks the spokesman Le Hai Binh said as Haiyang Shiyou 981. protest in Hanoi to mark the Straits Times reported. mum penalty is up to seven years’ imprisonment movement of the oil rig which in a statement that the rig had Vietnam’s concern over the 42nd anniversary of China taking Escalona, who is from the Philippines, pawned the and a fine for each charge. in mid-2014 caused the pair’s moved on Saturday to a loca- rig follow its complaints, echoed full control of the disputed Para- worst diplomatic breakdown in tion where both countries’ con- also by the Philippines, over re- cel islands. Cambodia appeals to Interpol Myanmar’s powerful army picks over Facebook ‘slur’ on PM’s wife lawmakers ahead of transition

AFP down, showed a holidaying a nation,” said General Khieu the kingdom’s youth, many of Reuters in politics during a meeting with US Deputy Secre- Phnom Penh Hun Sen in casual clothes pos- Sopheak, spokesman for the whom support the opposition. Yangon tary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting ing with his grandchildren and Ministry of Interior. The premier recently in the capital of Naypyitaw. wife Bun Rany. Police have identifi ed the launched a mobile app and a “Vice Senior General Soe Win explained ... the ambodian police have She is seen smiling, in sun- poster as a Cambodian “who website in addition to his Fa- yanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing plan to cooperate with the next government and the appealed for Interpol’s glasses and three-quarter lives overseas” and have issued cebook page — which has har- nominated military offi cers, who hold a leading role of the Tatmadaw in national politics,” Chelp to arrest a Facebook length trousers, but is standing an arrest warrant, he added. vested nearly two million ‘likes’ Mquarter of seats in parliament, to their the state-owned Myanmar language daily Kyem- user who allegedly posted a with her legs apart. “We are working with Inter- since September. posts, state media said yesterday, another step by on reported yesterday. Tatmadaw is the Myanmar doctored photo of Prime Min- That stance is considered pol to issue a Red Notice for the While Hun Sen has said he is the army in what has so far surprised many as a re- term for the military. ister Hun Sen’s wife to dam- deeply inappropriate in con- person,” he said. open to constructive criticism, markably peaceful transition. The 25% of seats in the national parliament age her “honour and dignity”, servative Cambodia, where That notice is the highest he has warned Facebook users Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democ- gives the military an effective veto over changes a government offi cial said yes- women are expected to pose alert to Interpol member states who insult him that they can be racy (NLD) party swept the historic Nov 8 election, to the 2008 junta-drafted constitution that bans terday. demurely with their legs to- to fi nd and arrest a suspect, easily traced. but Myanmar’s military, which ruled the country Suu Kyi from becoming the president because It is the latest attempt to con- gether. with a view to extradition, and A young man has been for 49 years before giving way to semi-civilian gov- her late husband was British and her sons are not trol social media in the king- Authorities say the holiday is normally reserved for serious charged with issuing death ernment in 2011, remains a powerful political force. Myanmar citizens. dom, despite eff orts by Hun snap was taken from Hun Sen’s criminals. threats to the premier in a Fa- A statement carried in the Global New Light of Three key security ministries - defence, border Sen to ramp up his own online Facebook page, doctored and An enraged Hun Sen blamed cebook post on Hun Sen’s page. Myanmar daily said that the election commission affairs and home affairs — also remain under the persona as he bids to extend a shared to denigrate Bun Rany opposition “extremists” for the Last year, a 25-year-old stu- had confi rmed the military lawmakers for both na- control of the commander-in-chief. 31-year hold on power. by another user “Haknuman photo. dent was also arrested over an tional and regional parliaments. The newly appointed military lawmakers will The photo, which briefl y Leung”. The incident comes as Hun alleged Facebook post calling Myanmar’s second-in-command, deputy com- attend their first session together with repre- went viral before the Facebook “The act damages the honour Sen belatedly embraces so- for a “colour revolution” in the mander-in-chief Soe Win, reiterated on Monday sentatives chosen in the November election on account was apparently taken and dignity of the First Lady of cial media to court votes from country. the army’s willingness to keep its powerful position Feb 1.

COMPLIANCE ERUPTION EU team in Thailand More than 1,200 to assess fishing Demand for women-only motorcycle taxis soars flee as Indonesia industry cleanup volcano spews ash

A European Union delegation Reuters tap into the country’s millions More than 1,200 people have that is visiting Thailand to weigh Jakarta of traditional motorcycle taxis, been evacuated from their homes its progress in battling illegal and known as ojeks. to escape a gurgling volcano in unregulated fishing will not make “The other online motor- eastern Indonesia spewing clouds a decision this week on whether akarta is seeing a growing bike taxi services are very of ash and toxic gas into the air. to ban Thai seafood products, the number of transportation convenient but there’s no Off icials said yesterday they had government said yesterday. Jservices catering exclu- service to take care of the distributed thousands of gas Thailand, the world’s third-largest sively to women, off ering bet- safety and comfort of women. masks to villagers around Mount exporter of seafood, faces the ter security and comfort when That’s why I created Ladyjek,” Egon in eastern Flores island as risk of the ban after the European compared to packed public Mulyadi said. the choking fumes from the volca- Union gave it a “yellow card” in buses and trains in the Indone- Other companies similar to no intensified. All residents within April for failing to clamp down on sian capital of 10mn people. Ladyjek include Ojesy or Ojek three kilometres of the volcano problems in its fishing industry. Ladyjek and Sister Ojek, the Syari, which offers hijab- were ordered to evacuate and An EU dialogue mission to assess most recent entrants to the wearing drivers. roads were also closed. Authorities progress is set for Thursday and female-only taxi services, have The rape of a woman in a said they were prepared to issue a Friday but a technical team has al- seen business take off less than public minivan sparked up- wide-scale evacuation order if the ready arrived, the government said. four months after starting op- roar in Jakarta last June, but situation deteriorates further. The team is monitoring Thailand’s erations in the predominately critics say the government “We are on a high alert and ready progress after it set up a centre last Muslim nation. has done little to prevent fu- to evacuate any time,” disaster year to combat illegal fishing, said “In other public transpor- ture cases. mitigation off icial Silvanus Tobi Vice Admiral Jumpol Lumpiganon, tation such as public mini- “The government hasn’t re- said yesterday. The volcano began a spokesman for the Royal Thai vans, there are too many men Female-only taxi services have seen business take off less than four months after starting operations. ally done much. Even when rumbling last month but has Navy. “Once they are satisfied they in such a tight space, which there are passengers who felt become more active in recent will go back and make a decision,” makes me feel very uncomfort- employee. Since its launch founder Brian Mulyadi. Dozens of motorcycle-shar- they were harassed and report- days, sending villagers fleeing he said, adding that there was no able. However, I feel safe if it’s in October, the Ladyjek mo- The company employs about ing companies have set up in ed it to authorities, the police from their homes. During its last timeframe for the decision. The Ladyjek because the bikers are bile app has been downloaded 2,400 drivers, mostly house- Indonesia in the past year or are often confused about how serious eruption in 2008, Mount technical team would conduct also women,” Uki Pratiwi told about 50,000 times and hun- wives or students, and hopes to so, seeking to emulate the suc- to tackle the problem,” trans- Egon blasted smoke and volcanic random checks until the rest of the Reuters before hopping on a dreds of Indonesians use its soon expand outside the capi- cess of Go-Jek, the fi rst fi rm in portation analyst Azas Tigor material nearly six kilometres into EU off icials arrived today, he said. motorcycle driven by a Ladyjek services each day, said Ladyjek tal. Jakarta to use smartphones to Nainggolan said. the atmosphere. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 15 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Missing bookseller The force marches in China: HK govt Suspicions remain on Beijing’s but the disappearance of Lee from Hong Kong mainland and how did he end up there?” involvement in the disappearances and of another man from Thailand has raised Lee accused the government of “being pas- fears of Chinese authorities operating inter- sive”, and pressed Leung to take up the issue Agencies nationally. with the central government in Beijing. Hong Kong A Hong Kong government spokesman Lee’s associate Gui Minhai, who disap- said yesterday police had received informa- peared in Thailand, appeared on Chinese tion from Chinese authorities that Lee was in state television Sunday. hina has confi rmed that a missing China. A weeping Gui claimed he had returned to Hong Kong-based bookseller, one of The spokesman said the letter was issued by China to “take legal responsibilities” for killing Cfi ve men whose disappearance fuelled the public security department of Guangdong a college student in a car accident 11 years ago. fears of an erosion of the city’s freedoms, is province, which borders Hong Kong, but it did Rights campaigners dismissed Gui’s ap- on the mainland, the city’s government said. not specify where the missing man was. parent confession, calling it a “smokescreen” The news will add to fears of pro-democ- Hong Kong police have written to the to play down concerns that he was being de- racy lawmakers, activists and some residents Guangdong security department asking to tained by mainland authorities for his work. Models of First Order’s Stormtrooper Battle Buddy from the film Star Wars - The Force Awakens who believe mainland authorities are kidnap- meet Lee. Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule are displayed in a shop in Shanghai, China, yesterday. ping critics to try to silence dissent. City offi cials have been lambasted for what in 1997 after 150 years as a British colony. Lee Bo, who works for a publishing house critics call a weak response to the disappear- Under a “One country, two systems” agree- that sells titles critical of Beijing, was last ances. ment, the semi-autonomous city is guaran- seen at a book warehouse in Hong Kong on “It doesn’t seem that the public has been teed freedoms that are not available on the Teen charged over December 30. calmed,” Hong Kong parliament’s speaker mainland. He was the fi fth employee of the Mighty Jasper Tsang told reporters late Monday. However, campaigns for greater democracy security scare Current publishing house to go missing in re- Democratic lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan have been stymied and many activists fear Tycoon back at work Australian police have charged cent months. added: “People in Hong Kong want to Beijing is imposing its authoritarian stamp on a teenage boy for allegedly Three were in China when they vanished, know the truth. Why is he (Lee Bo) in the the freewheeling city. making threats on social media after vanishing that led to Sydney’s iconic Opera House being evacuated last World’s oldest week in a security scare. The man dies at 112 AFP and board secretary Tu Ke — who 17-year-old boy made the threat Beijing went missing at the same time as last Thursday morning through Dating ban on singer ‘goes too far’ The world’s oldest man, Yasutaro Zhou — had also returned to work. an unspecified social media Koide, died yesterday at the age Chinese media reports said account, New South Wales state of 112 in central Japan. Koide, he chairman of one of Chi- that Zhou might have been taken police said, causing the harbour- AFP mand compensation if she dated a fan. born just months before the na’s most prominent cloth- in for questioning in connection front concert hall to be cleared Tokyo But Katsuya Hara, presiding judge, rejected the Wright brothers made their first Ting fi rms, Metersbonwe, with an insider trading case, but of visitors and searched in a damage claim on Monday. flight, died in hospital in the city has returned to work, the compa- gave no details. 90-minute lockdown. A Sydney “We have to admit that forbidding pop idols to of Nagoya, where he had lived ny said, a week after announcing His disappearance came weeks harbour wharf in the suburb former female pop star, who was sued by date by claiming compensation for damage goes for many years. The super- his disappearance amid specula- after Guo Guangchang — chair- of Manly was also searched by her talent agency for dating a fan, won a le- too far,” he said according to broadcaster NHK. centenarian died of heart failure tion he had been caught up in an man of one of the country’s big- off icers after reports that the Agal battle this week after a court ruled that “Dating is a right that is decided by oneself in and pneumonia. Koide, a former insider trading investigation. gest private-sector conglomerates threats may have come from the suit threatened her “freedom to pursue hap- order to further enrich one’s life,” he said. tailor who was born on March Zhou Chengjian, China’s 62nd Fosun, and who has been dubbed someone on a ferry that links the piness”. “It’s part of the freedom to pursue happiness.” 13, 1903 in Fukui prefecture, of richest person last year with a for- “China’s Warren Buff ett” — van- two locations. The lockdown was The lawsuit was fi led by her talent agency and In Japan, teenage pop idols are usually required Tokyo, received a certificate tune of $4.1bn according to one ished from public view in con- lifted after police found nothing sought 9.9mn yen ($84,300) in damages against to maintain a clean image and thus ordered to re- from Guinness World Records estimate, was back working at the nection with an investigation by of interest at either site. The boy the 23-year-old pop “idol”, who started dating her frain from dating. confirming the achievement after Shanghai-headquartered com- authorities, and then re-emerged. was arrested on Monday and male fan, the Asahi Shimbun reported yesterday. According to a group rule, members are allowed another Japanese man who was pany after colleagues lost con- Since Xi Jinping took offi ce as charged with false representation The agency reportedly took legal action against to have “one-sided romantic feelings” for a boy just a month older died in July. tact with him earlier this month, president three years ago, China resulting in a police investigation. the star in 2014 after she threatened to quit and but can never progress beyond hinting at their Asked about the key to longevity, Metersbonwe said in a statement has launched an unprecedented He is due to appear in a children’s subsequently failed to appear at a scheduled show. crush -- and must never disabuse their legions of Koide had reportedly said: over the weekend. It did not ex- anti-corruption campaign, which court in late February. Australia The singer, whose name is not disclosed, in 2012 male fans that they might one day stand a chance “The best thing to do is avoid plain his disappearance, but said has brought down government lifted its terror threat alert level to signed a contract that stated the agency would de- with their fantasy woman. overwork and live with joy.” company operations were normal offi cials and corporate executives. high in September 2014. Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 BRITAIN

HEALTHCARE LEGAL MUSIC PEOPLE LAW AND ORDER Junior doctors’ 48-hour Detaining of reporter’s Sting, Peter Gabriel Scientist loses plea to Yard sued by woman for strike suspended partner ruled lawful announce joint tour stop nurse’s deportation ‘psychological torture’

A two-day strike by junior doctors planned The Court of Appeal yesterday ruled the Two of Britain’s most influential rock artistes, One of Britain’s top scientists fears “catastrophic” An undercover police off icer proposed to an for next week has been suspended, the BMA detention of the partner of a journalist who Sting and Peter Gabriel, yesterday announced consequences for his wife after a judge refused activist during a two-year relationship despite has said. The decision comes as talks continue helped bring leaks from former US spy agency a tour of North America that will include to let her nurse stay in the country. Dr Peter Jost already having a wife and child. The Met off icer between the government and the British Medical contractor Edward Snowden to world attention collaborations on each other’s songs. The 19- said 91-year-old Margaret, who has dementia, ended the relationship in 2004, telling the woman, Association (BMA) over new contracts. The was lawful. Police detained David Miranda date “Rock Paper Scissors” tour will open June 21 was dependent on her Filipina carer, Florentina known only as Andrea, that he had to visit his strike had been planned for January 26 to 28 at Heathrow Airport in August 2013 when he in Columbus, Ohio and include headlining slots Sison, who is threatened with deportation. dying father in Italy. She is now suing Scotland and would have seen only emergency care landed in London en route from Berlin to Rio at two festivals, the Festival d’Ete de Quebec Margaret has multiple health problems and needs Yard, saying she was the victim of “psychological provided. Last week, some 38,000 junior doctors De Janeiro, Brazil and seized material including in Quebec City and Summerfest in Milwaukee. around-the-clock care because her husband is too torture” and that the off icer had “abused her life”. in England held a 24-hour strike, resulting electronic media containing 58,000 documents. Gabriel and Sting, who first toured together in incapacitated to look after her. Immigration judge The off icer, who used the cover name Carlo Neri, in thousands of cancelled operations and Miranda, the partner of American journalist the 1980s to support Amnesty International, Andrew Gibb expressed sympathy for Dr Jost, but was deployed to infiltrate the Socialist Party, a procedures. Dr Johann Malawana, the chair of Glenn Greenwald, had argued that such have stayed active in recent years but have said he could not overturn a Home Off ice decision Left-wing group. Andrea, who was friends with the BMA’s junior doctor committee, said its focus detentions would have “an inevitable chilling focused on side projects as much as their own to refuse Sison permission to stay. The tribunal members at the time, said she met Neri at a rally. was on “building on early progress made in the eff ect on journalistic expression”, but the court work. On the tour, Gabriel and Sting will perform heard that Sison came to Britain in 2006 and her She said: “As far as I was concerned, I was going to current set of talks”. said his detention did not break the law. both separately and together on stage. leave to work expired in 2013. spend my life with this man, his life was my life.”

Waiters Coldest day serving Inquiry likely MPs fail to get tips left on cards to see Russia’s

London Evening Standard London hand in death aiting staff who serve MPs in Parliament’s Wrestaurants are being denied tips left for them because of “unfair” payment rules, it emerged yesterday. The problem, uncovered by an of ex-KGB spy MP, means workers who spend hours waiting on politicians’ ta- Reuters of actually carrying out the mur- “Everything which blames or is bles never see tips left for them London der. seen as an accusation against Rus- using debit or credit cards. It They agree they met Litvinenko sia is perceived in a very personal follows a series of articles in the a number of times in London in- way by Vladimir Putin,” he said. Evening Standard highlighting inquiry into the death of cluding at the Millenium Hotel “He will react in a very angry way the issue. ex-KGB spy Alexander where Kovtun recalled he gulped which will not help to improve re- Staff at the Commons’ four ALitvinen ko, poisoned in down two cups of tea without ask- lations with the UK.” serviced dining rooms say the London a decade ago with tea ing. They deny any involvement in Richard Horwell, the lawyer vast majority of tips left by din- laced with a rare radioactive iso- his death and Russia has refused to acting for London police, told the ers are paid on cards. tope, is likely to conclude Russia extradite them. inquiry the Russian state might But all of these tips are direct- was responsible when it publishes have wanted Litvinenko dead for ed to permanent front-of-house its fi ndings tomorrow. many reasons, including his de- workers. Temporary waiting An outspoken critic of Rus- fection to Britain, his accusations staff , who can make up the bulk sian President Vladimir Putin, of Kremlin corruption, his sym- of workers, do not receive any Litvinenko, 43, died in November pathy for Chechen separatists and share of this total, only keeping 2006 three weeks after drinking his claims about Putin’s lifestyle. the much smaller amount left in green tea laced with polonium-210 Ben Emmerson, the lawyer for cash. at London’s plush Millennium Litvinenko’s widow Marina, called The situation — at a time Hotel, shortly after he had ob- Putin a “tinpot despot” at the in- when ministers plan to clamp tained British citizenship. Litvinenko, 43, died in quiry and said Russia had a history down on “tipping abuse” in res- From his deathbed, Litvinenko November 2006 three of political assassinations. taurant chains — has triggered a told detectives Putin had directly weeks aft er drinking The inquiry was told the former review of the rules. ordered his killing. The Kremlin green tea laced with Russian agent was working for Labour MP Catherine West, dismissed that claim as ridiculous polonium-210 at London’s British security services and who exposed the policy on tips at the time and has always denied Millennium Hotel had produced reports for west- in Parliament’s dining rooms, involvement. ern companies linking Putin and said political leaders could not Lawyers for the police and “It is most expectable that Rus- his associates to criminal gangs force change without fi rst get- Litvinenko’s family, who have sia will be connected somehow to which had led to deals being can- ting their house in order. called his death “a nuclear attack this crime,” Igor Sutyagin from celled. The Hornsey and Wood Green on the streets of London”, say Rus- London’s Royal United Service In- Experts also said 97% of the MP said: “It’s only fair that peo- sian involvement is the only cred- stitute said. world’s production of polonium ple in frontline jobs like waiting ible explanation. The death of Litvinenko marked was made in Russia’s Avangard on tables in restaurants receive The public inquiry, much of a post-Cold War low point in nuclear facility while Emmerson tips. I was surprised to learn which was held in secret, is likely Anglo-Russian relations, and ties said Litvinenko was also planning that this is not always the case to reach a similar conclusion. Its have never recovered, marred to help Spanish intelligence expose in the House of Commons res- chairman previously said that, further by Russia’s annexation of alleged Kremlin links to the Rus- taurants.” In August Business at fi rst sight, there was a case for Crimea and its support for Syrian sian organised crime groups. Secretary Sajid Javid promised pointing the fi nger at the Russian President Bashar al-Assad. Emmerson said scientifi c evi- action following protests over state. Newspapers said Prime Minis- dence linking Kovtun and Lugovoy tipping policies at chains such as Russia has repeatedly rejected ter David Cameron would chair a to traces of polonium detected Pizza Express, Las Iguanas and accusations of involvement in meeting of security chiefs ahead around London had proved be- Turtle Bay. Litvinenko’s death and has dis- of publication of the report to con- yond doubt that they were respon- A spokeswoman from the missed the inquiry as politically sider what if any action Britain sible. They deny involvement. Commons authorities said that motivated. should take. The inquiry was told traces of “payroll administrative arrange- People ride horses through Richmond Park in London yesterday. Local media reported that Moscow has declined to take Sutyagin said he expected Brit- polonium were found across Lon- ments” made it diffi cult to allo- Britain witnessed its coldest temperature of the winter this year, falling to under -12.4C in part in proceedings as have Andrei ain would consider the report itself don where the pair had been, in- cate debit and credit card tips to Kinbrace in Sutherland yesterday morning. Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun, the as sending out a message to the cluding offi ces, hotels, planes and non-permanent staff .” two Russian men Britain accuses Kremlin. the Arsenal soccer stadium.

Plan for London Website to help parents Everyone can help migrants: ex-soldier who fear kids may join IS AFP Sudan and Eritrea. London “You can’t help everyone. But everyone can help someone”, said AFP debate about whether Muslim who fail to learn good English Lawrie, a father-of-four from London girls should be allowed to wear could face deportation from ormer soldier Robert northern England who has vis- veils at school. Britain. Lawrie, who risked jail for ited The Jungle several times to Morgan told BBC radio “When you are coming into Ftrying to smuggle a four- build shelters for the migrants. new website which that “it is very much up to the contact with an institution or year-old Afghan girl out of a “So they are my someone for aims to educate Mus- schools” to decide their own you’re in court, or if you need French migrant camp, said eve- now,” he explained as he con- A lim teenagers against policy on the veil. to be able to see someone’s face ryone should seek to help refu- tributed to a huge fresco in Paris’ groups like Islamic State was at the border, then I will always gees. Place de la Republique which launched yesterday as the gov- Education Secretary back the authority and institu- Lawrie last week escaped a graffi ti artists have created in ernment backed the right of Nicky Morgan launched tion,” he said. potential jail term of up to fi ve homage to the refugees. schools to ban girls from wear- the initiative at a school The numbers of Britons trav- years and a fi ne of up to 30,000 “I am gonna fi ght for them ing veils. in east London which saw elling to Syria to try and join euros after trying with her fa- - but I am gonna do it legally. I The Educate Against Hate several students joining militant groups such as IS is ther’s agreement to spirit Bahar have got meetings with human site will warn parents and the Islamic State group in the subject of grave concern in Ahmadi out of the squalid camp rights lawyers, to try, fi rst of all, teachers to watch out for signs Syria last year Britain and Cameron’s govern- near the northern port of Calais to get Bahar and her father to the of radicalisation amongst ment has announced a string of known as “The Jungle” and take UK legally,” Lawrie said. youngsters and keep track of But she added: “There are initiatives to bring the numbers her to relatives in England. “When they are sorted and what they are looking at online. certain things, particularly in down. But in a case which has deeply with their family, I’ll fi nd another It says the symptoms include relation to teachers who are Some 800 Britons have trav- divided public opinion, a court someone to help. “wanting to shut down debate teaching young children, par- elled to the war-torn country in nearby Boulogne-sur-Mer “People call them immigrants, or pursue the path of segrega- ticularly learning to read and since 2012, with half of them warned him he would have to pay migrants - even in law they are tion” as well as spending too to speak, where actually see- still thought to be there. A fur- 1,000 euros “for endangering known as aliens.” much time online. ing the teacher’s mouth is very, ther 600 have been stopped life” if he re-off ended. But “they are not from Mars!! Education Secretary Nicky very important”. from travelling. At the time, Lawrie, 49, said he They are human beings,” Lawrie Morgan launched the initia- Michael Wilshaw, the head of The department of educa- knew the plan was “irrational.” said. tive at a school in east London schools watchdog Ofsted, has tion yesterday also promised a But on a visit to Paris he Aurore Cyrille, behind the which saw several students backed a ban on veils in schools. “signifi cant escalation” of in- urged people to understand the fresco, said: “Rob Lawrie sym- joining the Islamic State group And Cameron said he sup- vestigations into unregistered desperation of migrants fleeing bolises the solidarity towards in Syria last year. ported the right of schools to schools. Ofsted inspectors said Conservative London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith war and misery as they languish migrants. He did something re- Ahead of the launch, Prime forbid students from wearing in December they had found 18 speaks as he unveils his action plan for Greater London, in in a camp with some 4,000 in- ally great. Few people help refu- Minister David Cameron’s gov- the veil as he announced on unregistered schools in recent Croydon, London, yesterday. habitants, mainly from Syria, gees and why is that? It’s because ernment was drawn into a fresh Monday that Muslim women months. Afghanistan and Iraq but also it’s also illegal.” Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 17 BRITAIN/IRELAND

DISPUTE LEGAL SOCIETY SURVEY CRIME Union backs three days Straight couple take civil App helps to tackle MI5 hailed as best Mystery torso found of strikes by Tube staff partnership bid to court Londoners’ loneliness gay-friendly employer in suitcase in canal

London Underground’s second largest union an- A heterosexual couple who want to enter a civil The founder of a socialising platform that helps Just over 25 years since Britain’s powerful Police in Ireland are trying to identify a dismem- nounced it is backing three days of strikes taking partnership - created for gay couples - took a members across the capital form new friendships domestic spy agency dropped a ban on hiring bered body found dumped in a canal in County place from next Tuesday in the dispute over Night legal challenge to England’s High Court yester- has told how she was inspired to create the app homosexuals, MI5 was hailed yesterday as Kildare. The torso was discovered in a suitcase in Tube and pay. The TSSA joins the RMT and Aslef un- day, claiming they were being denied equality. by seeing friends move to London and struggle to the country’s most gay-friendly employer. the Grand Canal, near the village of Ardclough, ions which have already announced their intention Charles Keidan and Rebecca Steinfeld, academ- meet new people. Sanchita Saha, 39, is the CEO of MI5 was ranked first out of more than 400 west of Dublin, on Saturday by a group of walkers. to strike and confirms that the entire Tube network ics who live in London, claim civil partnerships Citysocializer, a service that helps young profession- organisations by rights group Stonewall in a Police failed to find the man’s head or limbs and will be brought to a standstill on strike days. London only being available to same-sex couples is als and re-locators to London meet new friends and 2016 Workplace Equality Index for lesbian, have appealed to the public for help. Superintend- Underground bosses and union chiefs resumed incompatible with equality law. Civil partner- explore the city. Members can use it to organise gay, bisexual and transgender employees. ent Gerry Wall said a huge number of people talks last week at Acas, the conciliation service, to try ships, which confer essentially the same rights drinks after work, gigs, Sunday lunches and trips Just six years ago, MI5 was ranked at 134th in contacted the murder inquiry after appeals were to resolve the dispute. Staff will take part in 24-hour and responsibilities as civil marriage, came into to exhibitions, among other activities. Since 2009, the index. “People can only give the best they made for anyone who may have been on the walkouts from the evenings of January 26, February force in England in 2005. Though full same- more than 315,000 people have signed up across can give when they feel supported, valued towpath between Thursday and Saturday. “We 15 and February 17. It means there will be no trains sex civil marriage was eventually introduced in the country, with 200,000 based in London. Saha and treated with respect by their colleagues,” know that the man was killed at another location at all during the day on January 27, February 16 and 2014, civil partnerships remain available to gay said the main age group is 23 to 40-year-olds, 60% Andrew Parker, the director general of MI5, and the focus of our investigation is to find where February 18. couples. of which are women. told the charity. the man was killed.

Art fair Trump labelled a ‘buff oon’ by MPs at debate

AFP versy last month when he called London for a “complete shutdown of Muslims entering the US until our country’s representatives can fi g- fool, an idiot, a buff oon ure out what is going on”. - MPs lined up to attack That call came in the wake of an ADonald Trump for his attack in California by a Muslim comments on Muslims, during a couple that left 14 people dead. parliamentary debate yesterday Trump also labelled Mexican on whether he should be banned immigrants rapists and drug deal- from Britain. ers. The debate was triggered by a The petition sought to ban public petition which has attract- Trump from Britain under pow- ed more than 575,000 signatures ers which the interior minister from people who want the Repub- has to exclude any individual if it lican presidential hopeful kept out is “conducive to the public good”. of the country over his comments. Reasons for this can include en- Most of the dozens of lawmak- couraging “terrorist violence” or ers who spoke in the three-hour other serious crimes, or fostering debate did not agree that Trump hatred which could cause violence should be excluded. They instead between diff erent communities. argued that he should allowed to Americans previously banned visit Britain so that his ideas could from entering Britain include be debated openly and shot down. right-wing radio host Michael The debate in a small parlia- Savage and white supremacists A woman looks at an artwork entitled Portrait of Angela Merkel by Colin Davidson, during a press preview at the London Art Fair in north London yesterday. The fair is set mentary committee room was Stephen Donald Black and Erich to run until January 24. purely symbolic – the govern- Gliebe. ment has already said it will not Trump responded to the fi re- ban Trump and lawmakers did not storm in Britain by saying the even vote on the issue. country was trying to disguise a But it did at least yield up some “massive Muslim problem” and colourful language. threatening to withhold $1bn of “Donald Trump is a fool. He’s planned investments in two golf free to be a fool. He’s not free to be courses he owns in Scotland. a dangerous fool on our shores,” He has already been stripped of argued Jack Dromey, a senior MP his status as a Scottish business Three chances missed to in the main opposition Labour ambassador and his honorary de- Party, who wants him banned. gree from Scotland’s Robert Gor- Gavin Newlands of the Scottish don University. National Party called Trump an Prime Minister David Cameron “idiot” whose popularity shows has called the outspoken tycoon’s “how far the country of Lincoln remarks “divisive, stupid and and Roosevelt has fallen”. wrong” but opposes a ban. prosecute Janner: probe Alex Chalk of the governing A debate in parliament must Conservative Party argued that be held on the issues raised by Agencies claims of indecent assault and been found unfi t to stand trial portant that we understand the He had been on a leave of Trump’s behaviour was “buf- any public petition on its website London serious sexual assault in 1991, over 22 sexual off ences between steps which led to these deci- absence from the Lords since foonery” which should be met which attracts more than 100,000 and the failure of offi cers to pass the 1960s and 1980s against sions not to prosecute, and en- October 2014 as a result of his with “the classic British response signatures. on claims against Lord Janner in nine youngsters - most of whom sure that no such mistakes can illness. of ridicule”. At Monday’s debate, some MPs hree chances were 2002. had been under 16 at the time of be made again.” Solicitor Liz Dux, from Slater Meanwhile, another Conserva- condemned the fact that it was missed to prosecute Lord The police and the Crown the alleged off ences. Saunders was sharply criti- and Gordon, which represents tive, Victoria Atkins, resorted to being held at all. TGreville Janner over child Prosecution Service were also Director of public pros- cised for her decision not to eight of Janner’s alleged vic- British slang to refer to him as Conservative Edward Leigh sex abuse allegations, an inde- criticised for failing to arrest ecutions Alison Saunders said: charge Lord Janner with the of- tims, said Saunders’ show of “bonkers” (mad) and a “waz- argued that giving the prop- pendent inquiry has found. Lord Janner, search his home “The inquiry’s fi ndings that fences because of his ill health. “sincere regret” was “of little zock” (a stupid person). erty baron publicity “would There was enough evidence and interview him in 2007, mistakes were made confi rms That decision was overturned. consolation”. “Confi rmation Trump is leading the only play into Trump’s hands”. to put the Labour peer before when there was also suffi cient my view that failings in the There was due to be a trial of by the CPS that mistakes were polls for the Republican Another Conservative, the courts in 1991, 2002 and evidence for a prosecution. past by prosecutors and police facts later this year but that too made in handling of past allega- nomination for the Adam Holloway, add- 2007 but failings by police and The criminal case against meant that proceedings were was dropped after his death. tions against Lord Janner comes White House ahead ed: “I feel we should lawyers meant he was never Lord Janner, who was suff ering not brought. The peer, whose full title was as no surprise to his alleged vic- of the US Presi- almost apologise prosecuted, the report by High advanced dementia and died on “It is a matter of sincere re- Baron Janner of Braunstone, was tims,” she said. dential election in to the people of the Court judge Sir Richard Hen- December 19, was dropped on gret that on three occasions, a QC and then MP for Leicester A spokesman for the chil- November. US - it’s for them to riques found. Friday, leaving his alleged vic- opportunities to put the allega- West until his retirement from dren’s charity the NSPCC said He sparked decide on Trump’s It pointed to an “inadequate” tims “devastated”. tions against Lord Janner before the House of Commons in 1997 these mistakes should “never be fi erce contro- views, not us.” investigation by police after Earlier that month he had a jury were not taken. It is im- when he joined the Lords. allowed to happen again”.

Pollsters’ election failure TV industry needs ‘due to sampling methods’ more diversity: star AFP “I got so close I nearly banged London my forehead. I was busy, I had Reuters what a one-party Conservative man Patrick Sturgis, professor of lots of work but I realised I could London government would do. research methodology at the Uni- only play so many best friends It also bolstered Conservative versity of Southampton, said. ovie star Idris Elba or gang leaders.” warnings that Labour would need The panel also said it could not urged Britain’s televi- He added: “If I aspired to be post-mortem into why support from the pro-independ- rule out “herding”, where pollsters Msion industry to be- on the level of the Denzel Wash- opinion polls failed spec- ence Scottish National Party to considering ways to adjust their come more diverse, in a speech ingtons or the Robert de Niros of Atacularly to predict a govern, an unpopular scenario in raw data select the option that at the Houses of Parliament, the world, then I had to reinvent Conservative Party victory in England. The accuracy and im- produces the most “reasonable” saying he had to move to the myself. I didn’t go to America the 2015 parliamentary election pact of opinion polls remain live results, which they may perceive US to make it big. because I couldn’t get parts, I has blamed sample recruitment issues ahead of a referendum on to be those in line with other polls. London-born Elba, who is went to America because I was methods and, potentially, unin- whether Britain should remain in “When they’re choosing what best known for his starring role running out of parts.” tended herd behaviour by poll- the European Union that could to do, they may be infl uenced by in US series The Wire, told a Elba’s breakthrough role in sters. take place this year. Polls suggest what they think the result should meeting at the Houses of Par- the US came in gritty Baltimore For months, right up to the eve a tight race between the “in” and be. That comes from the other liament how he worked as a tyre crime series The Wire, which ran of the May election, opinion polls “out” campaigns. polls,” Sturgis said, adding herding fi tter and at a Ford motor plant from 2002-2008. were showing a dead heat between After the May election, an asso- was unintentional. before forging a career for him- The star, whose father came the ruling Conservatives and op- ciation of pollsters commissioned Ben Page, chief executive of Ip- self as an actor in Britain. from Sierra Leone and mother position Labour Party. In the an inquiry by a panel of statistics sos MORI, said the pollster would But he said he was forced to from Ghana, is now touted as event, Prime Minister David Cam- experts, who reported yesterday make changes, such as asking extra move to the US to take the next the possible fi rst black James eron’s party was ahead by well over the main problem was the make- questions to better fi lter out data step in his career because of a Bond and plays the lead in crime six percentage points. up of samples. from respondents unlikely to vote. lack of major roles for black ac- drama Luther, one of the BBC’s The polling fi asco angered many In particular, the samples had Page said it was almost impos- tors in British television. most successful shows. in politics and the media because too many young voters and too sible to prove whether the inac- It is highly unusual for a star He urged British television expectations that neither party few elderly ones. Young people are curacy of the polls had aff ected the of Elba’s profi le to come to the executives to fi sh for talent more would win an overall majority in more likely to support Labour but result. Houses of Parliament and his consistently among people of parliament meant the campaign less likely to vote, while the elderly “It may have infl uenced the me- speech drew around 100 MPs plus diverse backgrounds and called was dominated by speculation are overwhelmingly Conservative- dia and that’s why they’re so cross others involved in politics, who for targeted policies to help level about potential alliances with leaning and more likely to vote. about it,” he said. “But would more gave him a standing ovation. the playing fi eld. “I used to fi t smaller parties. “We’ll be suggesting some accurate polls have prompted the “I got to a certain point in my tyres in Forest Gate and now I This may have infl uenced the things that we think will reduce voters to conduct forensic scrutiny career where I saw the glass ceil- make movies in Hollywood - the outcome, the argument goes, be- the risk of being wrong, but there’s of Conservative policies? I think ing,” he said to a packed com- diff erence between the two is cause there was little scrutiny of no silver bullet,” inquiry chair- that’s much less likely.” Idris Elba: forced to move to US mittee room. opportunity,” Elba said. Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 EUROPE Austria Rebels up pressure on to tighten Merkel over refugees border Reuters Berlin checks

group of conservative law- AFP makers yesterday urged An- Vienna Agela Merkel to reverse her open-door refugee policy as a poll showed a slide in support for her he Austria’s army will today start carrying bloc, raising the stakes for a German out thorough identity and bag checks of every chancellor exposed by deep rifts in Tmigrant arriving at the main border crossing her right-left coalition. with Slovenia, as part of new government measures With three closely watched re- heralding a tougher stance in Europe’s refugee cri- gional elections looming in March, sis. Merkel is facing the toughest spell Some 500 newly deployed troops will assist police in of her 10-year chancellorship over processing up to 6,000 migrants on a daily basis at the her handling of the refugee crisis. Spielfeld crossing in the southern state of Styria, police Conservative allies in Bavaria, the spokesman Fritz Grundnig told AFP in Vienna yester- entry point for most migrants, are day. regularly breaking ranks and criti- In case of a spike in numbers, security forces could cism is also mounting from her So- handle as many as 11,000 people - roughly the average cial Democrat (SPD) coalition part- daily number of migrants who crossed into Austria late ners. Some media have even started last year. to speculate about Merkel’s future. “Until now we’ve only been able to carry out random An INSA poll in yesterday’s top- spot checks but this will allow us to ensure watertight selling Bild newspaper showed controls of every single migrant,” Grundnig elaborated support for Merkel’s conservative on the proposed measures. bloc down 2.5 percentage points Initially the soldiers would only process “several hun- at 32.5%, its lowest since the 2013 dred migrants” while the rest would be allowed to cross election. from Slovenia via Austria’s other border crossing in It also put the right-wing Alter- Carinthia state. native for Germany (AfD), which “But the idea is that eventually Spielfeld will be the campaigns against refugees, up 1 only crossing point for migrants,” Grundnig added. point at 12.5%. The new measure comes just days before Austria is The AfD has gained from wor- expected to complete the construction of a 3.7km mesh ries about migrants, exacerbated fence at Spielfeld. by sexual attacks on women in Co- The barrier - which could be ready by Friday, accord- logne and other cities at New Year ing to Grundnig - will be the fi rst of its kind inside the blamed largely on asylum seekers, EU’s passport-free Schengen zone. and is likely to make big gains in In a further sign of its hardening line, Austria has elections in three states in March. signalled that it would follow neighbouring Germany’s “There’s a clear trend against con- lead and begin turning back any new arrivals seeking to servatives in Germany. Time is short claim asylum in Scandinavia. to turn this sentiment round before German Chancellor Angela Merkel looks at a combat diver during her visit to Naval Base Command in Kiel yesterday. Berlin’s clampdown started after Sweden and Den- the regional votes in March,” INSA mark tightened their borders in early January. chief Hermann Binkert told Bild. urged Merkel to change course. cap on migrants and some members the criticism but she has remained that Merkel will stand in the 2017 “If Germany rejects migrants who want to travel to Merkel’s insistence that Germany “We are facing excessive de- are talking about taking the govern- fi rm in resisting a cap. federal elections. But some media Sweden, we will do the same,” Austrian Chancellor will cope with the infl ux of 1.1mn mands on our country. We believe a ment to the Constitutional Court. Last December she reassured her are starting to question the future. Werner Faymann had said on Sunday. migrants last year and more this change is urgently needed in current The Social Democrats (SPD), at CDU that the number of migrants Bild am Sonntag showed a sil- Austria, a small nation of 8.5mn people, has become year, has angered local authorities migration practice ... by a return to odds with conservatives on planned would fall. Her government is try- houette of Merkel’s head with the a key transit country for hundreds of thousands of mi- struggling to house people, many the strict use of existing law,” states new rules on migrants, are also ing to speed up asylum procedures headline ‘Is Merkel still the right grants and refugees entering the European Union. fl eeing war zones in Syria and other the letter. stepping up criticism. and make it easier to deport failed one?’ over the weekend. Although most travel onwards, some 90,000 re- Middle East countries. One of the initiators of the let- “It is not on if Mrs Merkel lets asylum seekers. In an editorial in conserva- quested asylum in Austria in 2015. Pressure is mounting on her to ter told Reuters a total of about 100 herself be cheered for inviting over Coalition offi cials said on Mon- tive daily Die Welt entitled ‘House The infl ux has sparked tensions within the ruling shut the borders fi ve months after conservative lawmakers backed it. 1mn refugees ... while her CDU day Germany wanted to limit of Cards in Berlin’, commentator centrist coalition between Faymann’s Social Democrats Germany opened its doors to asy- It comes after Germany’s trans- bows out of responsibility for long- migration from North Africa by Jacques Schuster wrote: “Every- (SPOe) and the conservative OeVP party. lum seekers from Syria, eff ectively port minister urged Merkel on Mon- term integration,” SPD Chairman declaring Morocco, Algeria and Tu- thing that the chancellor is doing to Although Faymann has noticeably sharpened his tone suspending EU rules. day to prepare to close Germany’s Sigmar Gabriel said this week in an nisia ‘safe countries’. reduce the refugee numbers... not and called for “tougher controls” in recent weeks, he has In a letter to Merkel, 44 conserva- borders to stem the infl ux, a highly unusual dig at his boss. Merkel still enjoys ratings higher only looks helpless, it is helpless.” so far resisted joining the OeVP’s demand to cap migrant tives - many from her own Christian unusual move for a cabinet member. There are signs that Merkel, tra- than most post-war German chan- If Angela Merkel does not soon numbers. Democrats (CDU) as well as Bavar- The letter is just the latest head- ditionally known for her pragmatic cellors and with no clear successor change course, she will not be able to The government will debate the situation today at a ia’s Christian Social Union (CSU) - ache for Merkel. The CSU wants a approach, is hearing at least some of in sight, it is still widely expected keep her party on board, he argued. national asylum summit.

Long walk Helsinki probes 15 cases of sexual harassment on New Year’s Eve

AFP The Helsinki police report said the activities that fulfi l the char- Helsinki they had received reports of one acteristics of a crime,” it said. rape, two attempted rapes and “In three of the cases, we have 12 cases of sexual harassment identifi ed suspects who are all innish police are investi- by several groups of 10-20 men asylum seekers. The suspects in gating 15 reported cases of with foreign backgrounds who the other cases also have foreign Fsexual assault of women roamed around the city centre characteristics”, Detective Su- near Helsinki city centre on New during New Year celebrations. perintendent Jonna Turunen told Year’s Eve carried out by men Those suspected of the of- Reuters separately. of foreign appearance some of fences were asylum seekers or Last year, about 32,000 asylum whom were likely to be asylum men with foreign characteristics, seekers came to Finland, most of seekers, a police report said yes- it said. them from Iraq and Somalia, well terday. “The sexual harassment con- up from the 3,600 in 2014 and The report, commissioned sisted of groping and squeezing putting a strain on the recession- by the Finnish government, re- of the victims’ bodies and lick- bound Nordic country. fl ects similar events in Germany ing of their faces, committed by Unlike neighbouring Swe- where more than 600 women the suspects of the crimes,” the den, Finland has little history in Cologne and other cities fi led report said. of welcoming large numbers of complaints of sexual molesta- “The individuals in these refugees and the sudden influx tion on the New Year’s weekend, groups possibly had a premedi- of migrants has caused authori- deepening public doubts about tated tactic in which some of ties to be wary of anti-immi- A migrant walks across a frozen field after crossing the border from Macedonia, near the village of Miratovac in Serbia. Germany’s ‘open door’ policy on the suspects had surrounded the grant feeling turning into vigi- refugees and migrants. victim and some had carried out lantism.

Eiff el hosts fewer visitors after attacks Italian council to oversee ties with Muslims he Eiff el Tower, one of the world’s top tourist draws, saw Italy’s Interior Minister Christian and humanistic visitor numbers drop after the devastating terror attack More migrants reaching Greece: IOM Angelino Alfano yesterday tradition.” The body will keep Ton the French capital in November, fi gures showed yes- established a council for the government in the loop terday. The Iron Lady of Paris received 6.91mn visitors in 2015 relations with the country’s on Islamic issues in Italy and compared with 7.1mn in 2014, according to the company that AFP ing at another record number,” he ber agreed a plan to stem the fl ow Muslims, an advisory body help shape “Italian Islam,” the runs the 126-year-old monument. Geneva cautioned. by providing Turkey with 3bn eu- the government hopes will statement added. “Before the tragic events hit the capital in November, visits In 2015, more than 1mn mi- ros ($3.2bn) of EU cash as well as help the minority to better Experts put the number of were up one%,” the company SETE said in a statement. grants and refugees made the political concessions for Turkish integrate. Muslims in Italy at over 1mn, Gunmen and suicide bombers acting in the name of the Is- reece has seen 21 times perilous Mediterranean crossing cooperation in tackling Europe’s The council, made up of most of whom are immi- lamic State group attacked cafes, restaurants, a concert hall and more migrants arrive on to Europe - nearly half of them worst refugee crisis since World academics and experts in grants, plus a small number of the national stadium on November 13, leaving 130 dead. Gits shores so far this month Syrians fl eeing a civil war that War II. Islamic culture and religion, converts. Management said visitors “hesitated” for about two weeks than in all of January 2015, the In- has been raging for nearly fi ve IOM said yesterday that nearly will be tasked with coming up Alfano, head of the New after the attack, a period during which the tower closed for two ternational Organization for Mi- years. 90% of those who have arrived in with proposals and recom- Centre Right (NCD) party, days and then partially opened for two days. gration said yesterday. Although the number of ar- Greece so far this year are Syrians, mendations on integration sparked controversy following The Eiff el Tower, built in 1889 for the Exposition Universelle, Since the beginning of 2016, rivals in Greece last year was ini- Afghans and Iraqis. issues based on “respect and the deadly attacks in Paris was lit up in the blue, white and red of the French fl ag after the IOM said 31,244 migrants and tially small, by the end of the year Most of them are not staying in cooperation”, the ministry said last November by saying the November attack. refugees had arrived in Greece the country alone saw well over Greece. IOM cited numbers from in a statement. government would crack The wrought iron tower, whose 20,000 special lightbulbs by sea, compared with just 1,472 850,000 arrivals. Greek police showing that nearly Alfano said he wanted “a down on illegal Muslim places sparkle at night, attracts around 7mn visitors a year. According recorded arrivals on the Greek is- The continued infl ux will likely 31,000 migrants had crossed the community with all those of worship in the fight against to SETE some 80% of visitors are foreigners, mainly from the lands in January last year. add to the EU’s dissatisfaction border to Macedonia since the who - while from diff erent terrorism. US and Canada, followed by those from Britain, Spain and Italy. “This is a huge jump,” with Turkey, a hub for migrants beginning of the month. countries, cultures, religions Such places are often set up Another business casualty of the November attacks is the fa- spokesman Itayi Viriri told re- seeking to reach Europe which Italy, which counted nearly and traditions - intend to because Muslim communities mous Paris restaurant Au Pied de Cochon, which has decided to porters in Geneva, warning that has on occasion been criticised by 154,000 arrivals in 2015, has contribute to the peaceful find it exceptionally diff icult to close four nights a week after seeing receipts plunge 20%. it does not bode well for the rest its Western partners for not do- meanwhile seen 607 migrants, development and prosperity establish authorised places of The restaurant by Les Halles - site of the former legendary of the year. ing enough to limit the numbers mainly from sub-Saharan Africa, of our country, in full compli- worship in Italy, a country with food market nicknamed the “stomach of Paris” - had been open “If the trend as it is now con- crossing the Aegean Sea. rescued in the Channel of Sicily ance with our laws and our only four off icial mosques. around the clock since 1947. tinues then certainly we’re look- Ankara and Brussels in Novem- since January 1, IOM said. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 19 EUROPE

COLD SNAP SEEKING SUPPORT SHUT FOR RENOVATION SHOW OF FAITH Winter freeze leaves 300 Cyprus leaders to make Fire ravages iconic Ritz in Russians mark Epiphany Ukraine towns powerless joint appeal at Davos Paris, no casualties with a dip in icy waters

Almost 300 Ukrainian towns were left without The leaders of the divided island of Cyprus will make A major fire yesterday ravaged a section An estimated 2mn Russians plunged into icy power yesterday while snowdrifts and blizzards an unprecedented joint appeal tomorrow to the of the landmark Paris Ritz hotel, which waters on Monday night and yesterday to mark the trapped hundreds of vehicles and dozens of world’s political and business elite in Davos to support has been closed for over three years Christian holiday of the Epiphany, when Orthodox ambulances across the former Soviet state. their eff orts to reach a settlement to their decades- for renovations and had been set to believers take part in an outdoor purification ritual. Ukraine’s emergency service said most of the old dispute. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades reopen in March, the fire service said. The People stripped down to their swimsuits and took outages were recorded on Monday evening and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, who fire broke out at around 7am (0600 GMT) dips in cross-shaped holes cut into frozen rivers, and urgent repair works were underway. The have been negotiating on a possible deal since last on the top floor of the luxury hotel, lakes and ponds, a ritual that commemorates the service said its teams had rescued 322 people year, will share the platform at a special session at remembered as the place where Princess baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. Some 90,000 from 148 vehicles on Monday in the Black Sea the World Economic Forum annual meeting entitled Diana and Dodi Fayed dined before their fatal people took part in the celebrations yesterday in region of Odessa alone. They also pulled out “Reuniting Cyprus”. UN and European off icials say the car crash in 1997. Firefighters were battling to Moscow, undeterred by temperatures that dropped 42 ambulances and two passenger buses from prospects of finally reaching a peace deal to resolve extinguish flames in the attic, said fire services to around minus 8 degrees centigrade, authorities snowdrifts. Night temperatures in the capital one of the oldest frozen conflicts on the planet are spokesman Yvon Bot. “We are having to go said. Mobile pools filled with icy water were set up A Russian Orthodox priest blesses the waters of Kiev is expected to plunge to minus 15 degrees better than at any time since Greek Cypriots rejected metre by metre from the roof. It is too small to on the central Revolution Square near the Kremlin a lake in the village of Orlino, some 80km from Celsius over the next few days. a UN peace plan in 2004. access from the interior,” he said. to accommodate city dwellers. St Petersburg.

France probes risks taken by soldiers in deadly Alpine avalanche

AFP Valfrejus

rance’s defence minister yesterday promised to investigate whether fi ve Foreign Legion Ftroops killed in an avalanche took unnec- essary risks, as an expert warned that an unusu- ally mild autumn was causing a spate of deadly snowslides. A Frenchman, an Italian, a Nepalese, a Moldo- vian and an Albanian were killed in the French Alps avalanche, their diverse origins typical of the sto- ried military branch - historically seen as off ering misfi ts and troublemakers a second chance in life. Another eight soldiers were injured as the group was swept away during a training exercise near the resort of Valfrejus, some 60km south of Albertville, the host city of the 1992 Winter Ol- ympics. Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian visited the morgue to pay his respects to those killed before visiting the injured in hospital. The men were aged between 21 and 33, and the eldest was a Madagascan who, like many in the Foreign Legion, was given French citizenship after fi ve years of service. Le Drian said the group in training, members of the mountain infantry, was to be deployed to Mali, Chad and the Central African Republic. “The investigation will show if appropriate pre- cautions were taken in view of the risks,” said the Rakel Dink (second left) attends a memorial yesterday at the spot in Istanbul where her husband Hrant Dink as gunned down on January 19, 2007. minister. “Military training involves risk, especially in a hostile environment like a mountain. It prepares our soldiers to take part in diffi cult operations, with the aim to better protect us.” It was the second mountain tragedy in France in the space of a week after two French high school pupils and a Ukrainian tourist died in an avalanche nearby last Wednesday. Hrant Dink remembered “Snow fell at the end of November onto warm ground then began to change,” said Dominique Letang, director of the National Agency for the Study of Snow and Avalanches (ANENA). “The base level of the snow is not sticking to- gether. It’s something that is neither sticking to the ground nor the snow that is falling on top of nine years after murder it,” added Letang. Dozens die each year in avalanches in France’s AFP tor-in-chief. With Turkish riot po- daylight on a busy street outside charges of “forming a criminal or- modern Turkey, as a genocide, a popular ski resorts. At least 45 people died in Istanbul lice out in force, the crowd chanted Agos, but questions still linger about ganisation,” as well as voluntary term Ankara has always rejected. snowslides during the 2014-15 winter season in anti-government slogans: “Murderer the circumstances of his death. manslaughter and negligence. Almost a decade after Dink’s France, according to ANENA, more than double state will account for this,” “Shoulder Ogun Samast, then a 17-year-old The accused, including former death, activists express growing the previous year. undreds of people gathered to shoulder against fascism.” jobless high-school dropout, con- Istanbul police chief Celalettin Cer- alarm over the limits on freedom of The deadliest avalanche in France’s history oc- yesterday at the site in Is- “We are all Hrant Dink,” “We are fessed to the murder and was sen- rah, may face a trial. expression under President Recep curred in 1970 when 39 people were killed after an Htanbul where Turkish-Ar- all Armenians” read black-and- tenced to nearly 23 years in jail in Every year since Dink’s murder Tayyip Erdogan. avalanche buried their chalet at the Val d’Isere ski menian journalist Hrant Dink was white placards written in Armenian 2011. thousands have rallied to remember Prosecutors last week began a resort. gunned down nine years ago, re- on one side and Turkish on the other. Dink’s assassination sent shock- the journalist, whose life-long cam- vast investigation into over 1,200 The victims of Monday’s accident were among calling a notorious killing that only “We won’t forget, we won’t for- waves through Turkey and grew into paign for reconciliation between academics for engaging in “terrorist a group of about 50 soldiers taking part in the ski- recently led to charges against Tur- give” read another at the memo- a wider scandal after it emerged that Turks and Armenians won him as propaganda” by signing a petition ing exercise. key’s security forces. rial rally that has become an annual the security forces had known of the many enemies as admirers. condemning the military crackdown The snowslide, which took place in the early af- The crowd - estimated at around event since the murder of Dink on murder plot, but failed to act. Turkish nationalists especially in the Kurdish-dominated southeast. ternoon in an area that was not part of a ski resort, 2,000 people according to an AFP January 19, 2007. An Istanbul court last month fi - resented that he qualifi ed the mas- Memorial rallies were also held engulfed a total of 13 skiers in the group, who were journalist - marched to the offi ces of Dink, 52, was shot dead with two nally accepted an indictment against sacre of hundreds of thousands of yesterday in Ankara as well as Ar- equipped with avalanche victim detectors. the bilingual Agos weekly in down- bullets in the back of the head in by 25 public offi cials, including former Armenians in the fi nal years of the menian capital of Yerevan and a few Three helicopters were deployed for the search, town Istanbul where Dink was edi- a teenage ultranationalist in broad police and intelligence chiefs, on Ottoman empire, the precursor of European cities. as well as fi ve police dogs and three doctors.

17 swine flu deaths reported in Russia Pension protest Ukraine ramps up peace talks t least 17 people have died of swine fl u in Russia Asince last month, accord- with French, German envoys ing to AFP calculations based on statements from regional health authorities, as the virus appears AFP “Right now, all our partners are trying to to gain ground in the country. Kiev understand how to end this stalemate be- “Five people have died from cause in reality, there has been no improve- the H1N1 virus in Saint Peters- ment,” a high-ranking Ukrainian diplomat burg,” the spokeswoman for lo- krainian President Petro Poroshenko told AFP on condition of anonymity. cal health authorities, Maria has held talks with top German and “This does not mean that they brought Khitarishvili, told AFP yester- UFrench diplomats in a push to end the some sort of document for us to discuss,” the day. “Identifi cation procedures uneasy stalemate in the former Soviet nation’s diplomat added. for three other fl u-related deaths 21-month pro-Russian separatist confl ict. The Europeans separately met Ukrainian have yet to be completed.” French presidential envoy Jacques Audib- peace negotiators to gauge their commit- Local authorities in Russia’s ert and his German counterpart Christoph ment to an all-but-abandoned peace and second-largest city said that 313 Heusgen arrived in Kiev on Monday as part political reconciliation agreement that Berlin people had been hospitalised of a sudden upsurge in eff orts to resolve one and Paris helped Moscow and Kiev strike in with the virus in the last 10 days. of Europe’s deadliest crises since the 1990s February 2015. Four swine fl u-related deaths Balkans wars. The Ukrainian diplomat said the two en- were also recorded in the south- US President Barack Obama and Russia’s voys also visited “practically all” lawmakers ern region of Rostov among the Vladimir Putin - their relations nearing chills to see whether they intended to pass a stalled 120 reported cases of the virus not witnessed since the end of the Cold War - Western-backed constitutional amendment in the area, authorities said yes- discussed the confl ict during a rare but wide- granting special status to rebel-run parts of terday. ranging phone conversation on January 13. the eastern regions of Lugansk and Donetsk. These latest cases follow the Their senior aides met two days later in Kiev and the insurgents last week signed deaths of four adults and one Russia’s westernmost exclave to thrash out on to a new truce meant to quell violence child from the virus in the near- new pathways to end bloodshed that Kiev that has claimed the lives of more than 9,000 by region of Dagestan, and the and its Western allies insist was provoked people - most of them civilians - since April deaths of two infected patients and backed by Moscow - a charge the Krem- 2014. in Yekaterinburg and the south- lin denies. Putin has repeatedly denied playing any ern region of Adygea. Two diff erent Ukrainian sources said Au- direct role in a uprising that begun less than State media reported another dibert and Heusgen met Poroshenko for the two months after the ouster of Ukraine’s deadly case of the virus in the Greek pensioners shout slogans during a demonstration yesterday against planned pension reforms second time in two days yesterday after fi rst Kremlin-backed president over his refusal to northern city of Novy Urengoy in Athens. fl ying to Moscow for a visit whose details establish closer ties with the European Un- in mid-December. have not been disclosed. ion. Gulf Times 20 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 INDIA

MURDER INVESTIGATION MYSTERY CONTROVERSY EVENT CPM leader denied Third man held in Congress wants probe Clashes continue in Imphal 12,000 students take part anticipatory bail hit-and-run case into American’s death over temporary market in Kerala school arts fest

A Kerala court yesterday rejected the A young man was arrested early yesterday The Congress yesterday demanded a probe into Violent clashes continued in Imphal for the second A staggering 12,000 school students will anticipatory bail plea of senior Communist in the hit-and-run case in which an Indian Air an alleged scuff le a US national had with a gang day yesterday between the supporters and opponents compete for prizes in 232 events at the 56th Party of India (Marxist) leader P Jayarajan in Force corporal was mowed down in Kolkata of Nigerian drug peddlers shortly before his of a government project to construct a temporary State School Arts Festival that began yesterday. the murder of Kathirur Manoj. Manoj, one of on January 13, police said. However, he death in Goa. “The police appear to be covering market in the Thangal area for women vendors whose The event, said to be the biggest of its kind in those accused of making an unsuccessful bid claimed in a video clip that he surrendered up the fact that Caitanya Lila Holt had a fight with shops were destroyed in the January 4 earthquake. Asia in terms of participation, is being held in on Jayarajan’s life in 1999, was attacked by a before the police. Johnny is the third person a Nigerian gang dealing in drugs. This aspect Several people were injured in sporadic clashes Thiruvananthapuram for students from state-run seven-member gang on September 1, 2014, to be arrested in. Shanu alias Sahanawaz should be probed,” Congress spokesperson between policem and supporters of the 12-hour schools and competition takes place between in Kathirur near Kannur. The assailants first was held from New Delhi on Sunday night, a Agnelo Fernandes said. Ohio-born Holt, 30, died general strike called yesterday by Thangmeiband the 14 districts of the state. Over the years, the threw a bomb on the RSS activist’s vehicle day after prime accused Sambia Sohrab was mysteriously in a north Goa village on January Kendra Development Organisation (TAKDO) in Imphal festival has been seen as the launch pad for and later hacked him to death. Jayarajan, 63, a arrested from Kolkata. “Johnny was arrested 12, reportedly choking on mud in Korgao village town and Thangmeiband constituency. Three of them budding school students who look for a career former legislator, was asked to appear before in the early hours of the day. Both Johnny after he was chased by villagers and policemen sustained serious injuries and were taken to hospitals. in the cultural arena. Some leading artistes the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) early and Shanu are being presented before a who mistook him for a thief. A postmortem One of them was a policewoman and two were young who won prizes as students include singers K this month. He had moved an anticipatory bail court where we are seeking their custody,” revealed that Holt died of asphyxia after inhaling supporters of the strike, the police said. Eight people J Yesudas and P Jayachandran, actors Manju plea in the court. Jayarajan is currently on bail Joint Commissioner of Police Debasish Boral muddy water. The postmortem also revealed were killed and over 100 injured in the quake that also Warrier, Navya Nair, Vineeth, as well as state in another murder case. said. injuries of non-fatal nature on the body. destroyed hundreds of homes. Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson. India plans laser fences along border with Pakistan The move comes after deadly der in Jammu and Kashmir, an sentences, the convict will have Prime Minister Narendra Modi being felicitated during a function in Guwahati yesterday. attack on Pathankot airbase unnamed security offi cial said. a right that his petition seeking India and Pakistan last week a review of this verdict would be Agencies postponed talks after the fatal heard by a three-judge bench in New Delhi January 2 attack on the Pathankot open court. airbase. In the case of pending death row The assault came just days after convicts, the court had said where ndia plans to put up laser Prime Minister Narendra Modi the review pleas have been already Modi launches Assam poll fences along “vulnerable” became the fi rst Indian leader to rejected but a curative petition has Istretches of its border with visit Pakistan in 11 years, raising not been moved or decided, the Pakistan after a deadly attack on hopes of a softening in relations death row convicts can, within one one of its air force bases, a home between the neighbours. month, move afresh for an open ministry offi cial said yesterday. The Jaish-e-Mohamed blamed court hearing of their review plea. campaign, slams Congress New Delhi blames gunmen for the base assault staged a 2001 The court had said that the belonging to the Pakistan-based assault on the Indian parliament window of an open court hearing IANS (BPF) and then a Yuva Shakti Bodoland Territorial Areas Dis- Congress-led federal govern- Jaish-e-Mohamed militant group which brought the two countries of the review plea would not be Kokrajhar/Guwahati Sanmilan at Khanapara area in tricts (BTAD), several other Bodo ment and the ruling Congress for the audacious attack on the to the brink of war. available to those death row con- Guwahati. organisations have demanded government in Assam. airbase in Pathankot in Punjab Meanwhile, the Supreme Court victs whose review plea and cura- He also addressed a large that the prime minister make the “I was under the impression close to the Pakistan border ear- yesterday allowed Pakistani tive petition have been declined. rime Minister Narendra gathering of students from dif- central government’s stand clear there is no problem in Assam. lier this month that left seven sol- Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Mo- Seeking the recall of the Sep- Modi yesterday kicked ferent education institutions of on the issue of statehood to the Assam is the state from where diers dead. hamed Arif alias Ashfaq’s appeal tember 2, 2014 order, Arif had Poff the Bharatiya Janata the northeast at the Indian In- Bodo lands. the prime minister was elected “We will soon use laser wall for an open court hearing after he contended that he was the only Party’s campaign for assem- stitute of technology Guwahati Modi also announced that the for 10 years. The Congress has technology developed by India’s sought a review of its August 10, death row convict who was de- bly elections in Assam, saying campus before leaving for New Central Institute of Technology ruled the state for the last 15 Border Security Force to plug all 2011 verdict upholding his death nied the opportunity of an open the northeastern state did not Delhi. (CIT), Kokrajhar, will be upgrad- years. But I am shocked to see riverine and other unfenced vul- sentence in the December 22, court hearing as he came in the develop much despite a prime In Kokrajhar, Modi said the ed to a Deemed University within the problems and issues here,” nerable stretches along the Pa- 2000 Red Fort attack case. category where even the curative minister getting elected from Karbis of the plains will be a year and more academic and he said. kistan border in Punjab,” a senior Making exception to its Sep- petition had been rejected. there for 10 years. granted the Scheduled Tribes administrative autonomy will be “So what has the prime min- offi cial, who spoke on condition tember 2, 2014 verdict limited to Taking on record the contention He was alluding to former (ST) status while the the Bodo granted to the institute. ister, who was elected from the of anonymity, said. the case of Arif, the constitution by Arif’s counsel and Additional prime minister Manmohan Kachari community of the hill He assured the people that state for 10 years, done? They Offi cials have said the move is bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta Singh who represented Assam in areas like Karbi Anglong and the defunct Rupsi airport will be (the Congress) have not been being given “top priority” by the Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, appearing for the Central Bureau parliament. Dima Hasao district will also be made operational for the Indian able to do anything in last 15 government. Justice J Chelameswar, Justice of Investigation, the court made Modi said Assam has not de- granted the ST status soon. Air Force and common people years and they (the Congress) All the vulnerable areas fall un- A K Sikri and Justice Rohinton an exception to Arif’s case noting veloped much despite the 10 The prime minister, however, as soon as the land clearance is want me to do everything in 15 der Punjab. The home ministry Fali Nariman gave him a month’s that his was the solitary case where years of Congress-led United cautiously avoided talking about received from the state govern- months time. You tell me if it is said the laser walls would be in- time to fi le a fresh review plea that on account of September 2, 2014 Progressive Alliance rule and the issue of statehood to Bod- ment. justifi ed?” said Modi. stalled where a fence cannot pos- would be heard in the open court. verdict, he could not get an open that the Congress has been in oland and the Bodoland Peoples’ He said the central govern- “You have seen their 15 years sibly be set up. The court also permitted Arif to court hearing of his plea. power in the state for the last 15 Front’s demand for a Rs10bn ment was also working on ex- of rule and the 15 months of BJP A laser beam over a river sets off raise additional grounds support- Around 9pm on December 22, years. The state assembly elec- package for development of the tending the Kanchanjunga Ex- government in power. We have a loud siren when someone passes ing his plea for the review of the some armed intruders entered the tions are due in April this year. Bodo region. press to Assam’s Barak Valley been working each minute of through it, the Press Trust of In- 2011 verdict. Red Fort and started indiscrimi- The prime minister fi rst ad- While the BPF has been de- to boost connectivity of the re- these 15 months for the better- dia reported this week. The court by its September 2, nate fi ring, killing three soldiers dressed a public rally organised manding a special package of gion. ment of the country,” the prime Laser fences have already been 2014 verdict had said that in cas- of the Rajputana Rifl es, deployed by the Bodoland Peoples’ Front Rs10bn for the four districts of Modi targeted the erstwhile minister said. tested along stretches of the bor- es where it has upheld the death in the Red Fort for its protection. Politics witnessing a churn ahead of key elections

ommen Chandy has the is Assam where the BJP sees its tilt the scale in favour of an alli- to fi ght a common enemy? And The fi nancial wizkids in the experience of being chief chance getting brighter by the day ance. The Gandhis, in turn, re- who would have expected Bud- government took out their calcu- Ominister of Kerala, so he both in terms of defections and quire the support of Yechuri and dhadeb Bhattacharjee to make lators. They told Kumar that the can be the chief minister once desertions from the ruling Con- Delhi Diary other Left-wingers in the Rajya common cause with the Con- state’s economy will be set back again. A new post - that of deputy gress as well as the anti-incum- Sabha to oppose Prime Minister gress, a party which for decades by at least $615mn a year from chief minister - can be created bency weighing heavily on Tarun By A K B Krishnan Narendra Modi on key legislative had been anathema to Marxist the loss of excise revenue. Already and Pinarayi Vijayan, who has Gogoi who is completing 15 years proposals like the GST and the ideals? one of the poorest states in the been the “disputed” leader of the at the helm of aff airs. Gulf Times Correspondent land acquisition bill. A win-win Talk of politics making strange country, that kind of money is a Communists of the state, can fi t That leaves us with West Ben- situation of sorts, you could say. bedfellows, there is an almighty mountain for Bihar. into that position. Other portfo- gal and Kerala. Here, too, the BJP But the picture gets complicat- churning taking place in Indian Kumar and his wizkids lios can be suitably divided among is nowhere in the reckoning. Nev- says so you know things are not have a long way to go before they ed when the focus shifts to Kerala. politics thanks to the emergence thought long and hard on how the Congress Party, the CPM, ertheless things are getting com- looking good for it. What it really can confront her on their own. It’s a direct fi ght between the Left, of Narendra Modi at the national to off set the loss. Some sug- the CPI, the Kerala Congress, the plicated for the Congress and the means is it is open to alliances. But with the help of the Congress of which the CPM is the chief con- level and you can never tell who gested new tax on cars. But there Janata Dal, etc. Better still, the Communists in these two states. A series of fi nancial scams - the Party they think they can make a stituent, and the Congress. The will end up with whom eventu- are not many cars sold in Bihar. Congress and the CPM can split Mamata Bannerjee’s Trinamool Sarada chit fund case being the fi ght of it. No less a person than BJP at best can hope to open its ally. Ideologically entrenched Others said levy further tax on the chief minister’s post into two Congress (TMC) won a stupen- prime example - and law and or- former chief minister Buddhadeb account in these upcoming elec- parties are getting ready to forget cigarettes. But Bihar is mainly a separate halves, Chandy for the dous victory in May 2011 ending der problems that reminded many Bhattacherjee has called on the tions. However, since it has been their diff erences to come together beedi-smoking state and beedis fi rst two-and-a-half years and 34 years of Communist rule. The of the bad old days of the Marxist Congress Party to join hands with a neck-and-neck race between and fi ght a bigger common en- are mostly made in the unor- Vijayan for the next two-and-a- TMC-Congress alliance won 227 rule have put the TMC on the back the Left to defeat the TMC. the Left Democratic Front (LDF) emy. The BJP has quite a distance ganised sector. Not much to gain half. of the 294 assembly seats. But foot. “What is the Congress leader- and the United Democratic Front to cover before it can threaten ei- from that either. Before you begin to think this that was fi ve years ago and much The state’s economy is no- ship thinking today? We are not (UDF), any victory for the BJP ther the UDF or the LDF in Kerala. It was then that someone in column is going out its depth, al- water has fl owed down under the where near the robust and rosy alone. Come and join us. Every could have an impact on the even- But as has been demonstrated the crowd came up with the idea low me to put things in perspec- Howrah bridge since then. The picture that Bannerjee had prom- opposition party should come tual overall winner in the state. At more than once, fi ve years is a to tax samosas - that all-time fa- tive. Congress and the TMC have fallen ised during her ‘paribartan’ (total and join hands to dislodge this the same time both the LDF and long time in politics and if not for vourite of the North Indian palate. Five states are going to polls in apart on many issues both in the change) rallies in the run-up to undemocratic government,” the UDF see the BJP as common this year’s elections it could well Kumar found merit in it and gave the next three months. Of this, state and at the Centre and try as the elections fi ve years ago. In Bhattacharjee, who was the last enemy with which either of them spring a challenge for 2021. Oom- the go-ahead. Although latter- Puducherry is a Union Territory they might there is little meeting fact state Finance Minister Amit Communist chief minister to rule will have no truck. men Chandy, or someone from his day entrepreneurs have intro- and does not attract much at- ground for the two to come to- Mitra is on record saying the West Bengal, told a rally in Sin- The BJP will gain added fodder party, could possibly be sharing duced many fl avours of the snack, tention. Of the other four, Tamil gether again. $2.8bn debt repayment that the gur last week. Prakash Karat, the in Kerala if the Congress and the power with Pinarayi Vijayan or his the one that has stood the test of Nadu is an open and shut case Congress vice-president Rahul state would have to make to the erstwhile general secretary of the Left were to join hands in West ilk then! time is stuff ed with potato. - the two Dravidian parties are Gandhi is reportedly keen to tie up federal government in 2017-18 CPM, is said to be opposed to any Bengal. Modi’s fl edgling party in Now, “aaloo” is the Hindi word the ones that matter and nobody with the TMC once again, but the would most certainly be unman- such alliance with the Congress. the state is bound to highlight the for potato and Lalu Prasad, Nit- else, with Chief Minister Jayala- local unit of the party is threaten- ageable. Five years of Trinamool Sitaram Yechuri, who succeeded political opportunism of the pro- ‘Aaloo’ vs Lalu ish Kumar’s senior partner in the lithaa’s AIADMK tipped to retain ing revolt if events come to such a rule has not seen any signifi cant him to the top post, has also said tagonists. Unless, of course, the in Bihar government, had once famously its hold. Both the Congress and pass. change in the levels of poverty or a tie-up with the Congress is be- Congress and the Left decide to said: “As long as ‘aaloo’ will re- the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) The TMC, for its part, is keep- unemployment. ing considered. All that the CPM come to terms in Kerala too. In his election manifesto Nitish main in samosa, Lalu will re- are nowhere in the picture. In fact, ing its cards close to its chest. The Communists thought they headquarters will offi cially say for Unthinkable, you might say. Kumar had promised to ban liquor main in Bihar!” But with the new the Congress is hitching a ride on Party spokespersons in Kolkata were dead and buried fi ve years now is a decision would be taken But who would have thought that from Bihar. True to his word the “luxury tax”, even the existence the back of the DMK while the BJP or in Delhi would only maintain ago. But the disillusionment with “at the appropriate time.” Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, government had announced that of samosas is threatened. But no is seeking a similar arrangement that the TMC is capable of win- the Bannerjee regime has sud- It is still a 50-50 proposition sworn enemies for close to 20 prohibition - if not total at least truth in the rumour that Nitish is with Jayalalithaa. ning, that too handsomely, on its denly given them hope. But the but a positive signal from Rahul years, could bury their diff erenc- partial - will come into force from trying to send a veiled message to The third state in the equation own. But when any political party Marxists also realise that they still Gandhi or his mother Sonia could es, personal as well as ideological, April 1. Lalu. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 21 INDIA

Govt lifts ban on lentil linked to paralysis as PM seeks self-suffi ciency

Reuters ficient in the edible seeds. hardship, said the government Indian Institute of Pulses Re- a cheap source of protein form there are no adverse long-term which grow the legumes mainly New Delhi Hit by back-to-back droughts was playing with the health of search (IIPR). millions of poor people. eff ects if consumption is in rea- to sell to India. for the fi rst time in over three unsuspecting Indians by allow- “The government thought if “This is how the Modi govern- sonable quantity,” IIPR’s Singh Modi wants India to be self- decades, India’s lentil output ing the cultivation of khesari. in a reasonable quantity it can be ment is tackling price rise - by said. suffi cient in lentils and last ndia is lifting a five-dec- has fallen and prices have nearly The varieties developed by In- consumed then why not allow it, lifting (the) ban on a pulse that’s Every year Indians consume month approved a scheme to ade-old ban on a type of doubled. Now the government dian scientists, however, contain particularly when there’s a cri- medically proven to cause paral- about 22mn tonnes of lentils encourage greater cultivation of I lentil that has been linked has cleared three varieties of the a lesser amount of a neurotoxin sis and we’re importing pulses,” ysis,” Congress Party spokesman used to make a thick stew called the legumes. Higher incentives to nerve damage and paraly- khesari lentil, which can grow in that can damage nerve tissues said Singh. R P N Singh said on Twitter. dal, commonly taken with rice for water-intensive crops like sis, in a desperate attempt dry or wet conditions. and weaken the legs of both hu- Despite the ban placed on The three varieties now al- or fl at bread across South Asia. wheat and rice have made India by Prime Minister Narendra But the opposition Congress mans and animals than previous the lentil in 1961, khesari is still lowed have been ready for the About a fi fth of the volume is a big grains producer at the cost Modi to cut legume imports Party, which is trying to pres- varieties, said Narendra Pratap eaten in eastern India and neigh- last 10 years and “various exper- imported from countries like of other key crops like lentils and and make the nation self-suf- sure Modi over continuing rural Singh, director of the state-run bouring Bangladesh, mainly as iments on animals have shown Canada, Australia and Myanmar, oilseeds. Green court slams govt over corpses in Ganges

Reuters Bengal, is a means of livelihood New Delhi for over 400mn people, as well as being Hinduism’s holiest river. Millions visit the numerous ndia’s special environmen- spots along its banks, such as the tal court has criticised the sacred city of Varanasi, to cre- Igovernment for its failure to mate their dead and scatter their curb river pollution after scores ashes in the river. of dead bodies surfaced in the Others bathe in the Ganges in Ganges river, a lawyer petition- an act of ritual purifi cation, be- ing the court said yesterday. lieving the river cleanses them Last week, more than 80 dead of sin. bodies - mostly decomposed Authorities say the corpses in skeletons and half burnt corps- the Ganges are deceased from es, surfaced in the river in the poor families who cannot af- northern state of Uttar Pradesh ford to buy enough fi rewood for after a drop in water levels. cremation and are forced to im- Congress Party vice president Rahul Gandhi speaks to students protesting against the death of Rohit Vemula, in Hyderabad yesterday. Their emergence has re-ig- merse the half burnt bodies of nited concerns by environmen- their loved ones into the river. talists over the uncontrolled Unmarried women and chil- practice of body disposal in the dren are often buried in shallow Ganges by Hindus, who consider graves along the river bank, but the river to be sacred. their remains can be washed into The National Green Tribunal the river when water levels in- (NGT), a court set up to look at crease. environmental grievances, on Bansal said at least 3,000 bod- Protests escalate over Monday ordered both the wa- ies are recovered annually from ter resources and environment the Ganges, with unregulated ministries to explain who should disposal posing a serious health be held responsible for the pol- risk. Yet the government had lution in the Ganges. remained a “mute spectator” to “The court said that it was the health risks of cremations really very unfortunate that the and burials along its banks. Dalit student’s death pollution levels are increasing The Ganges is considered to be and told the central government the country’s most polluted river Rahul demands action The banned students were visited the campus to show soling Vemula’s mother. hundreds of students marched to do something about it,” said - tainted by industrial effl uents, against minister Dattatreya, all members of the Dalit com- solidarity with the protesting He demanded compensation to the building where the central Gaurav Bansal, a lawyer repre- sewage and waste from human vice chancellor munity. students and demanded action to the family. He also paid re- committee began its hearing. senting a group of environmen- settlements built on its shores. The 1950 Constitution barred against Dattatreya and the vice spects to Vemula at a memorial Leaders of the JAC, teachers’ talists petitioning the NGT. Prime Minister Narendra Agencies discrimination against Dalits, chancellor. constructed by students. association and suspended stu- “The government has to reply Modi, whose constituency is Var- Hyderabad but it persists in some parts, es- Gandhi sought action against Gandhi said the idea of a dents separately met the com- by January 27,” he said. anasi, has pledged to clean up the pecially remote areas. the minister, the vice chancellor university is that young peo- mittee, seeking justice. The 2,500km Ganges river, river, as part of a broader push to The Hyderabad students were and others allegedly responsible ple from various parts of the The BJP meanwhile rejected which originates in the Himala- harness scarce water resources rotests escalated yester- banned from the residence amid for Vemula’s suicide. country come here and express the Congress’s demand for the yas and spills out into the Bay of and improve public health. day over the death of a charges they attacked members “Whoever is responsible for whatever is there in their heart. minister’s resignation and ap- Pstudent in Hyderabad, as of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi this outcome has to be punished “The idea of a university is pealed to Gandhi not to do vote- police investigated allegations Parishad, the student’s wing of in the strictest manner possi- knowledge. When somebody bank politics over the student’s Two states halt sales of Avastin drug that his suicide was linked to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Par- ble,” Gandhi said while address- tries to impose on youngsters death. discriminatory treatment by ty (BJP) during a campus protest ing students at the place where one idea and tell them only this “Rahul Gandhi is a non-seri- Two states have put sales of not promote the use of Avastin the university and a politician’s in August. the suspended student mem- idea is acceptable, they cause ous part-time politician. He has Swiss drugmaker Roche’s for treatments for which it is not possible involvement. Dalit activists say Vemula bers of the Joint Action Com- tremendous pain to their pas- gone to Hyderabad for a photo blockbuster drug Avastin on approved, but has initiated an “We have had a complaint that killed himself after federal Min- mittee (JAC) for Social Justice, sion,” he added. opportunity. We appeal to him hold, off icials said yesterday, internal investigation. H G Koshia, the student was pushed to suicide ister of State for Labour and an umbrella of 14 student un- Earlier, ABVP activists tried not to do vote-bank politics after it hampered the vision of the top drug controller in Gujarat, by acts of a minister and some of- local parliamentarian Bandaru ions, are on an indefi nite strike. to stop Gandhi’s convoy when over a death,” BJP’s national 15 patients who used it for a said he had directed distributors fi cials of the university, and an Dattatreya urged the human re- “Certainly he has committed he reached Begumpet airport. secretary and media convener condition it is not off icially meant to recall one batch of the investigation is on,” local police source development ministry to suicide but the conditions for Police arrested the protesters. Srikant Sharma said. to treat. Avastin is a cancer drug medicine given to the patients offi cial J Ramesh Kumar said. act against the Dalit students. his suicide have been created by Students from Osmania Uni- “Demanding the resignation but is often used by doctors to last week. Its samples were being Rohith Vemula, a 26-year- Dattatreya confi rmed he con- the vice chancellor, the minis- versity and other institutions, of Bandaru ji is baseless. There treat vision loss even though it tested following the incident old doctoral student, hanged tacted the ministry, but said ter and the institution,” said the leaders of various Dalit and left is no truth over the charges lev- has not been approved by the US at a hospital in Ahmedabad. himself on the campus of Hy- it was to address reports that Congress leader while seeking groups also reached University elled against him,” he said. Food and Drug Administration Following an alert from Gujarat, derabad Central University on anti-social elements were dis- the immediate resignation of of Hyderabad to show solidarity Sharma said Dattatreya only for that purpose. Studies have Telangana has ordered a freeze Sunday, a couple of weeks after rupting the campus. Vice Chancellor Appa Rao. with students staging the protest. forwarded the letter of a stu- shown that eye injections of on all batches of Avastin being he was banned from university The university continued to Gandhi spent nearly two Raising slogans against HRD dent member of the ABVP to the Avastin curb vision loss. Roche’s sold in the state, drug control hostel facilities along with four simmer yesterday as Congress hours meeting four other sus- Minister Smriti Irani, Dattatreya, human resource development India unit said the company does off icial Surendranath Sai said. other students. vice president Rahul Gandhi pended Dalit students and con- the vice chancellor and ABVP, ministry. Acid attack survivor now Ghaziabad schools the face of fashion brand closed over cold wave IANS Meanwhile New Delhi re- Ghaziabad mained chilly yesterday as cold Reuters of other acid-attack survi- cotton and rubber, even after winds brought the maximum Mumbai vors, and we thought, if we a 2013 Supreme Court order to temperature down to 15.7 de- can create an opportunity for curb sales. ll government, pri- grees Celsius. even one of them, it would Last year, the court ruled that vate and public schools Northern Railway said 51 n acid-attack survivor be worthwhile,” said Manan victims should receive free med- Ain Ghaziabad in Uttar trains were cancelled in the in India has been made a Shah, managing director at ical treatment and a minimum Pradesh will remain closed until morning due to dense fog. Amodel for a fashion brand, Viva N Diva in Surat, in Gu- compensation of Rs300,000 January 22 due to a severe cold “Five trains were rescheduled drawing attention to the crime jarat. “We have received a very ($4,500). wave, an offi cial announcement and 17 delayed as the visibil- in the country with one of the good response and we hope Laxmi, who was 15 when she said yesterday. ity at 8.30pm was no more than highest rates of acid violence in other companies will follow was attacked by a 32-year-old Students face a tough time 300m,” a railway offi cial said. the world. the example.” man whose advances she had in the morning chill. This may Air traffi c, however, was not af- Laxmi, who goes by one name, Globally, there are as many spurned, has petitioned the pose a health hazard, Ghaziabad fected. Commuters, particularly features in an advertising cam- as 1,500 recorded acid attacks court for a complete ban on the district magistrate Vimal Kumar those riding two-wheelers, forti- paign for a new range of apparel every year, with more than 1,000 sale of acid. She received an In- Sharma said. fi ed themselves with sweaters and from Viva N Diva in an initiative cases estimated to occur in India ternational Women of Cour- Most parts of the state con- jackets to combat the chill. the company said is aimed at alone. However, many attacks go age Award from US First Lady tinued to shiver with icy winds Also the Kashmir Valley con- raising awareness of those who unreported because victims are Michelle Obama in 2014. blowing. tinued to be several degrees have lost their physical beauty to too afraid of reprisals to come “We want to bring acid-attack Mercury in the past 24-hours below the freezing point, the acid attacks. forward. survivors into the mainstream recorded a major fall in Lucknow weather offi ce said. A video clip titled ‘Face of Attackers frequently target world, and this campaign shows with the night temperature hov- However, the minimum Courage’ shows Laxmi being the head and face to maim, dis- it is possible,” said Alok Dixit ering around 2.4 degrees Cel- temperatures improved in the made up and then striding down fi gure and blind the victims. De- with the Chhanv Foundation in sius, a drop of over six degrees. Jammu region. “The minimum the catwalk while smiling at the spite the severity of the crime, New Delhi, which has led a cam- After Lucknow, the coldest temperature in Jammu was 6.2 cameras, her scarred face in fo- acid remains easily available paign to stop acid attacks. “It place in the state was Meerut degrees and the maximum is cus. in India, where it is used in the shows even survivors can be seen A vegetable vendor, wrapped in warm clothes, rides a tricycle on where the night temperature was likely to hover around 18 to 19 “We had seen some pictures manufacture and processing of as normal.” a cold foggy morning in New Delhi yesterday. 2.8 degrees. degrees,” the weather offi ce said. Gulf Times 22 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 LATIN AMERICA

LEGAL FALLOUT OFFBEAT WILDLIFE INFRASTRUCTURE Guatemala tries ex-soldiers Rio trims Olympic plans Sao Paulo bans taxi drivers Snake invasion forces Chile upholds approval over wartime massacres as economic crisis bites from wearing shorts Argentina beach closures of hydroelectric project

A Guatemalan judge has opened a trial of The grandstands for watching rowing and beach Taxi drivers in Brazil’s biggest city have been An invasion of poisonous snakes washed A Chilean ministerial committee upheld the 11 retired soldiers accused of taking part in volleyball at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics are to banned from wearing shorts - or trying to downriver in recent floods forced authorities environmental permit for Energia Austral’s massacres of indigenous civilians during the be reduced in size to cut spending as Brazil’s engage their fares in banter about football. to close beaches to summer holidaymakers in Cuervo hydroelectric dams, dismissing nearly a country’s bloody 1960-96 civil war, justice economic crisis hits home, Olympic off icials said. The rules that took eff ect in Sao Paulo aim to northern Argentina, off icials said. Floodwaters dozen complaints filed against the controversial off icials said. The decision followed days of The number of volunteers has also been cut from whip the city’s cabbies into shape. In addition in the Rio Plata and Rio Parana carried a species project by environmental and citizens’ groups. the judge, Claudette Dominguez, hearing around 70,000 to 50,000 and the total of cars to outlawing shorts and flipflops, the rules of water lily and with it countless crawling, Energia Austral received the initial go-ahead for arguments and weighing evidence for a trial. slashed by 20% to 4,000 from an original estimate slap fines of about $9 for drivers who show up slithering creatures, south to beaches at the the $733mn project from local environmental That included DNA evidence from 558 human of 5,000, Rio 2016 spokesperson Mario Andrada unshaved or with untidy hair. From now on, mouths of those rivers near Buenos Aires. “We authorities in September 2013. The 11 complaints remains found on the grounds of a former army told reporters. The moves come after four months cabbies are required to appear in proper shirts, are raising awareness of the risk and danger against Cuervo’s two dams, which are slated to base in the north. The indicted were among 18 of negotiations between Brazilian organisers, the with dark jeans or dress trousers, as well as a present. There are otters and species of snakes be built in Chile’s pristine Aysen region some former Guatemalan soldiers arrested January International Olympic Committee and federations belt. The push for higher standards is part of the that are poisonous,” said Matias Leyes, an 1,350kms south of capital city Santiago and have 6. The judge exonerated three of the 18 from from around the world over how best to trim authorities’ attempt to reform traditional taxis off icial in the coastal town of Quilmes, south an installed capacity of 640 megawatts, claim the trial, saying evidence against them “lacked spending and ensure that South America’s first at a time when they face stiff , but unregulated of the capital. Inland river beaches were also the project would hurt local flora and fauna and merit” and ordering them released. Olympic Games do not go over budget. competition from global ridesharing giant Uber. closed over in the northern city of Rosario. be a drag on the area’s tourism industry. Will not take Anniversary vigil part in Haiti presidential polls: Celestin

AFP Moise’s 32.8%, an outcome he Port-au-Prince called a “ridiculous farce.” An independent electoral commission concluded in a re- aiti’s opposition presi- port that the voting was marred dential candidate Jude by fraud and irregularities. It HCelestin has reiter- said 60% of poll workers could ated he will not participate in a not do their jobs properly. planned run-off , calling it a farce Despite this, Haiti’s CEP de- with only one candidate. cided to go ahead with the elec- The January 24 election is the tions - which include both the latest attempt to restore stability second-round presidential and in one of the poorest and most un- partial legislative polling. stable countries in the Americas. They did, however, postpone Since the end of the Duva- them from December 27 to Sun- lier dictatorship in 1986, Haiti day, to give the independent People take part in a vigil on the first anniversary of Argentinian prosecutor Alberto Nisman’s mysterious death in Buenos Aires, on January 18, 2016. The prosecutor has been jolted by coups and commission more time to evalu- died in mysterious circumstances in January 18, 2015, after accusing Argentina’s then president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, of obstructing his investigation of a contested elections that have ate the process. 1994 bombing at a Buenos Aires Jewish centre. further undermined the fragile In protest, Celestin has re- economy. fused to participate in the cam- After being mired for years in paigning process. a political crisis that kept any On Monday, radical opposi- elections from being held, Haiti tion protesters blocked streets went on an electoral marathon in using barricades made of burn- 2015, holding legislative, munic- ing tires and set two vehicles on ipal and presidential polls. fi re, demanding a transitional The second round vote on government be put in place to Sunday pits Celestin against organise new elections. government-backed rival Jov- “On January 24, there will not Colombia passes tougher enel Moise who came out ahead be elections. We will have our in fi rst-round polling in October. machetes and stones in hand. We Sunday’s polling “is a no-go” say to everyone: Close your doors Celestin said during the inter- and stay inside because we will view. not be participating in elections,” “I will not go to this farce. It cautioned protester Betty Milou. will not be an election. It will be But Celestin is advocating law to tackle acid attacks a selection because there is only peace and he rejects the idea of a one candidate,” he said, referring transitional government. Thomson Reuters Foundation increases the maximum sen- tional Institute of Legal Medi- ties provide the medical care ten poor women with little edu- to Moise, who is supported by “In any democracy, there’s an Bogota tence to 50 years in jail for con- cine and Forensic Sciences. acid attack victims are now cation and a long history of do- President Michel Martelly. elected president who replaces victed off enders. It also aims to The new law was spearhead- entitled to under the new law. mestic violence, women’s rights Yet Celestin has not offi cially an elected president. We are ensure acid victims receive bet- ed by and named after Ponce, Victims often undergo months groups say. withdrawn his candidacy with clear on that point,” he said. cid attack survivors in ter state medical care. who was severely disfi gured of reconstructive surgery and About 1,500 acid attacks are the Provisional Electoral Coun- He also denounced what he Colombia hope a new “With this law, people will when a stalker hurled acid at her psychological therapy. reported globally each year, cil (CEP), the body in charge of called “interference by the in- Alaw that punishes per- think twice before committing in 2014. “We don’t want to see more with women being the victims Haiti’s elections. ternational community,” which petrators of the crime with up this act,” Colombian acid attack The sulphuric acid melted the people destroyed,” Colombian in 80% of cases, according to “I still have time before the largely fi nanced the vote. to 50 years in prison will act as a survivor Natalia Ponce de Leon skin on her face, neck, abdo- President Juan Manuel Santos London-based charity Acid elections to withdraw if I have “These are election for a cer- deterrent in a country with high told local media after the law men and legs, and left a quarter said at the presidential palace Survivors Trust International, to,” Celestin said. “But I am sure tain part of the international rates of acid attacks. came into force. of her body burnt. The attack when signing the law on Mon- which says the actual number that, whether I withdraw or not, community, elections for the Until now most Colombians Although acid attacks are shocked the South American day. is probably much higher since the elections cannot take place government to assure the dicta- convicted of acid attacks have most common in South Asia, country. Doctors and activists say most victims are too scared to with one sole candidate.” torial succession,” he said. received prison sentences of up Colombia reported one of the The 34-year-old has un- many acid attacks are commit- speak out. “It takes two to tango and this The opposition candidate said to six years, and some criminals highest rates per capita in the dergone about 15 operations ted by jealous, vindictive hus- While common in South Asia, election is a one-way aff air,” he he had been approached by for- have been allowed to serve their world in 2012. to reconstruct her face using bands and boyfriends. They say acid attacks also occur in the said. eign diplomats but was “under sentences under house arrest. Since 2004, 526 women and artificial skin from the Neth- Colombia’s macho culture con- Middle East and Latin America, Celestin has contested the the impression that they had The law, which came into 361 men have been attacked erlands. dones violence against women where the Dominican Republic fi rst-round polling in which he nothing to do with what the force on Monday, defi nes acid with acid across Colombia, ac- Ponce said a key challenge is and blames them for it. and Jamaica are hotspots for the drew 25.3% of the vote against population actually thought.” attacks as a specifi c crime and cording to the country’s Na- ensuring state health authori- Acid attacks survivors are of- crime. Mexico calls actress to Future is here Medical cannabis farm opens in Chile testify in Guzman case Reuters and what its uses are,” Gaz- Santiago muri, a 1980s TV soap opera star and advocate of “holistic” Reuters or fellow actor Penn for meeting many have chosen to make up medicine, said. Mexico City with Guzman, but it would look items they think will make good atin America’s largest Project organisers hope to into the circumstances of their stories and that aren’t truthful.” medicinal marijuana farm harvest 1.5mn tonnes of mari- meeting. Del Castillo’s publicist She pledged to give her story in Lwas formally inaugurated juana between March and exican actress Kate del did not immediately respond to a due course. yesterday, marking another May, under the supervision of Castillo, who helped request for comment. Attorney General Arely Gomez step in the region’s growing ac- the government’s agricultural MHollywood star Sean has said that the meeting be- ceptance of therapeutic uses for service. Penn conduct an interview with tween Penn and Guzman, which the formerly illegal plant. Organisers told La Tercera drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” del Castillo also attended, was The 6,900-stalk plantation, newspaper they will be work- Guzman, has been called to give “essential” to fi nding Guzman. located in the small town of ing with a variety of laborato- testimony about the kingpin, an Penn last week rejected the no- Colbun, some 275kms south of ries and universities to develop offi cial said. tion that his meeting with Guz- Santiago, will help treat some cannabis-based therapies that Del Castillo will be questioned man was crucial to his capture. 4,000 patients from across can help patients with chronic by authorities next week, ac- Earlier Oscar-winning Mexi- Chile, organisers said. pain, complications from can- cording to the offi cial at the at- can fi lm director Alejandro This project follows on the cer and epilepsy, among other torney general’s offi ce. Gonzalez Inarritu defended work of a smaller, experimental conditions. In 2013, Uruguay The longtime head of the Si- Details of fl irtatious phone Penn for his interview with Guz- plantation at a secret location moved to fully legalise mari- naloa cartel, Guzman was caught messaging chats between man saying in an article that in the capital, Santiago, and juana, a pioneering step that on January 8 in the northwestern Guzman and del Castillo Penn wrote a “fantastic” story. comes as Chile’s Congress de- has been watched closely city of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, six have gripped Mexico Speaking with Spanish news- bates the decriminalisation of across the globe. months after his brazen escape paper El Pais, Gonzalez Inar- small amounts of marijuana for A Mexican court ruling in from prison through a mile-long Details of fl irtatious phone ritu said that the news value of personal use and cultivation. November opened the door to tunnel. messaging chats between Guz- Penn’s interview with Guzman The head of the foundation limited amounts of legal can- Rolling Stone magazine pub- man and del Castillo have was limited, but said the star behind the project, Ana Maria nabis cultivation. Colombia’s lished an article the following gripped Mexico, and an offi cial had every right to go looking for Gazmuri, said opinions about President Juan Manuel Santos day by Penn, based on a secret said last week the druglord’s the kingpin, delivering a great Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet listens to a Geminoid the use of cannabis were shift- in December signed a decree meeting with Guzman while the “obsession” with her led him to story on his quest to fi nd him. HI-2 robot, which is made in likeness of its creator, Japanese ing in traditionally conserva- that legalised medical mari- Mexican was on the run. lower his guard and be caught. “I understand Sean Penn,” the professor Hiroshi Ishiguro (not pictured), during the opening tive Chile. juana, which he said does not Last week, a government Last week, del Castillo took to director was quoted as saying. ceremony of the Congress of the Future event in Santiago, “This farm will further per- weaken the government’s fi ght spokesman said Mexico is not di- Twitter to thank her support- “He has every right to look for El Chile, yesterday. mit people to see for them- against illicit crops and drug rectly investigating del Castillo ers and wrote: “Not surprisingly Chapo.” selves the reality of the plant, traffi cking. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 23 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

UNSC urged to hold plebiscite ‘Pakistan, India need to keep windows ajar’ in Kashmir Pakistan has expressed con- fidence that the UN Security AFP go to any length to prevent peace tries had appeared to ease after “These measures may, to some rected across the border by In- patched to it.” Council will deliver on its pledge Kabul between the two countries”. the separate visits by Indian degree, have salvaged matters. dia’s Defence Minister Manohar It also said that India has de- to hold a plebiscite in Kashmir. “It is essential these elements External Aff airs Minister Su- But they have not completely Parrikar is unsettling. nied travel documents to Hurriyat In a letter to UNSC President not be permitted to succeed, and shma Swaraj and then the brief blocked a new wave of hostility,” “Parrikar, responsible last leaders and social activists who Elbio Rosselli, Pakistan’s akistan and India must this can happen only if the lead- stop-over by Prime Minister it added. year too for some highly off en- had hoped to visit Pakistan this Permanent Representative to keep the windows ajar ers of the South Asian neigh- Narendra Modi over the past sive comments, has warned the week for a Kashmir Conference - the UN Maleeha Lodhi said it is Pwith the foreign secretar- bours refuse to allow their tac- few weeks. “It is unfortunate then to ‘consequences will be seen’ in a which has now been cancelled. a matter of the determination ies meeting this month as per a tics to work,” it said. “But it appears now that the see that the Pathankot year if Pakistan does not show “New laser fences, which act of the Kashmiris’ future, Radio new schedule so that “peace can “It is unfortunate then to see bridges built are creaking again. attack has once more led action.” like radars, are also to be in- Pakistan reported. win over terrorism”, a Pakistani that the Pathankot attack has While Pakistan had appeared to to a crisis of trust, with New “Permission has also been stalled by the Indian BSF. She urged the Security Council daily said yesterday. once more led to a crisis of trust, act on evidence from India by Delhi reverting quickly to denied to the Pakistan SIT “But for now windows re- to retain its agenda of the An editorial in The News In- with New Delhi reverting quickly arresting the leader of the Jaish- some of the hostility and team to visit Pathankot, leav- main open. They must be kept Pakistan-India question under ternational said that it was a to some of the hostility and acri- e-Mohamed, blamed by New acrimony we have seen in ing it to ponder the option of ajar, with the foreign secretaries which resolutions were adopted “well-established reality that mony we have seen in the past.” Delhi for the attacks, along with the past” visiting New Delhi, the line meeting this month as per a new for the settlement of the Kash- there are elements on both sides The daily said the historic 20 other activists, it seems more favoured by India, or else schedule so that peace can win mir issue. of the Indo-Pak border that will mistrust between the two coun- is required.” It said that the acrimony di- seek more evidence to be dis- over terrorism,” it added.

Afghan forces Sharif holds talks fi ghting to hold off Taliban rebels

Reuters of Herat, he said. with Iranian leader Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan “The Taliban are putting all their eff orts in,” Sarjang said. Agencies “We have received some re- Tehran he Taliban were inforcements and we will get threatening yesterday more soon.” Tto capture three key The biggest problem for akistan’s Prime Minister strategic districts in Afghan- security forces is hit-and- Nawaz Sharif yesterday istan’s province of Helmand run attacks by the Taliban, as Pmet Iran’s President Has- as fi erce fi ghting with gov- when reinforcements move san Rouhani for talks aimed at ernment forces stoked fears to one district they attack easing tensions between re- over the Islamist insurgents’ another, said Omar Zwak, a gional powers Iran and Saudi gains in their traditional spokesman for the provincial Arabia. heartland. governor. Sharif fl ew into Iran from The arid, semi-desert “They usually attack the Saudi Arabia, where on Monday southern region is a ma- weak places and exploit the he expressed “deep concern” to jor centre of opium culti- gaps in our security,” he King Salman bin Abdul Aziz over vation where the Taliban said. the diplomatic crisis. have stepped up pressure In a sign of the grow- “We wish to develop our re- on security forces since the ing violence engulfi ng Af- lations and are opposed to any withdrawal of international ghanistan, the Taliban are tension, as long as the rights of troops from combat last unleashing major attacks Muslims and the people of the year. during the winter, a break region are respected and that the The government has sent from the past, when the cold rules of diplomacy and polite- reinforcements from Ka- weather typically prompted ness are respected,” Rouhani told bul to protect the districts of them to hold off from ght-fi him, according to Iran’s offi cial Gereshk, Sangin, and Marjah ing. IRNA news agency. around the provincial capital The Taliban fi ght to take Sharif, according to a state- Lashkar Gah, Helmand’s po- Helmand has echoes of the ment from the Iranian presiden- lice chief, Abdul Rahman Sar- build-up to September’s at- cy, said that Pakistan “always jang, said. tack on the northern city of strives to... diminish tensions Some of the fi ghting is Kunduz, their biggest success between Muslim nations”. hundreds of metres from the in the 15-year war, with Tali- He added that those behind main highway linking the ban forces picking off a series “terrorism and extremism” take major southern city of Kan- of districts around the provin- advantage of tensions between dahar with the western city cial capital. Muslim countries. Saudi Arabia and a number of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrive for a meeting in Tehran yesterday. its Arab allies cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early January. bia, Nawaz Sharif met King Sal- tiative of forming a coalition of Riyadh has assured that if Te- peaceful means in the larger in- Riyadh reacted after protesters man.General Raheel also held a Islamic countries against terror- hran shows positive signs, diplo- terest of the Muslim world. burned Saudi diplomatic mis- meeting with the Saudi defence ism,” said a statement released matic ties may be restored. Analysts regard Nawaz Shar- Pakistan successfully sions in Iran after the kingdom on minister soon after arriving in by the foreign offi ce of Pakistan. A list of points has been given if’s diplomatic initiative a wise January 2 executed 47 terrorists. Saudi Arabia. Nawaz Sharif also assured the to the Pakistani leadership for step to help Riyadh and Tehran Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif “Saudi and Pakistani leader- Saudi leadership of Pakistan’s discussion with Iran’s leader- prevent the current tensions test-fi res cruise missile was accompanied by Pakistan’s ship exchanged views on various support, and expressed concern ship, said diplomatic sources. from taking a turn which could army chief General Raheel Sharif. facets of enduring co-operation at the recent escalation of ten- Nawaz Shafi f called for resolu- endanger peace of the entire re- During the visit to Saudi Ara- with regards to the Saudi ini- sions between Riyadh and Tehran. tion of the current crisis through gion. Internews capability in 1998. AFP Relations between Pakistan and India — which have fought three wars since independence akistan conducted a from Britain in 1947 – have al- successful fl ight test ways been fraught, but soured Suicide bomber kills at least 10 in northwest Pakistan Pyesterday of a local- further last August amid a rise ly developed cruise missile in clashes along their borders named “Ra’ad” with a range of and a row over a Pakistani dip- Reuters tered Tribal Areas, local govern- The Pakistani Taliban sen- groups along the border with pockets of territory, but militant 350km, the military said. lomat meeting Kashmiri sepa- Peshawar ment offi cial Munir Khan said. ior commander Maqbool Dawar Afghanistan, following the mas- groups remain able to launch “The state of the art Ra’ad ratists. “He was riding an explosives- claimed responsibility for the sacre of more than 150 people, hit-and-run and suicide attacks ALCM (air-launched cruise Pakistan test-fi red a ballis- laden motorcycle and hit the attack. He told Reuters it was mostly children, at an army-run on security forces. missile) is equipped with tic missile capable of carrying suicide bomber blew him- checkpoint and the vehicle of the revenge for what he alleged were school in December 2014. A spokesperson for the Hay- highly advanced guidance a nuclear warhead on Decem- self up close to a police line offi cer,” Khan said. the recent deaths of arrested atabad Medical Complex in and navigation system that ber 15 last year. Acheckpoint in northwest- Among the dead were at least Taliban men while in govern- “He was riding an nearby Peshawar, to where the ensures engagement of tar- Last week, India’s Foreign ern Pakistan yesterday, killing fi ve police offi cers including the ment custody, and said that the explosives-laden wounded were evacuated, said gets with pin point accuracy,” Minister held talks with her at least 10 people and wounding line offi cer whose vehicle was journalist was not the target. motorcycle and hit the earlier that the hospital had re- the military said in a state- Pakistani counterpart Sar- more than 20, offi cials said. targeted by the bomber, as well A Taliban splinter group also checkpoint and the vehicle ceived six bodies, including that ment. taj Aziz in Islamabad on the The bomber rammed his mo- as a child and a local journalist, claimed it was behind the bomb. of the line offi cer” of a child. Yesterday’s test is the lat- sidelines of a regional sum- torcycle into a police vehicle next offi cials said. TV footage showed The attack took place in an Last month, a suicide bomber est in a series carried out by mit on Afghanistan, where to the roadside checkpoint in the the burnt-out remains of cars as area where security forces have Attacks have fallen since the attacked a government offi ce in Pakistan and its arch-rival they jointly announced they Jamrud area on the edge of Paki- rescue workers rushed to evacu- stepped up their fi ght against government crackdown and northwestern Pakistan, killing at India since both demon- would resume high-level stan’s volatile Federally Adminis- ate the wounded. the Taliban and other militant the Taliban squeezed into small least 23 people. strated nuclear weapons peace talks. Afghans revolted after husband cuts off wife’s nose

AFP forms since the hardline Taliban off fi ve years ago as a teenager. that women are their property Kabul Islamist regime was ousted in a Bedar said Khan, an unem- and violence is their right.” 2001 US-led invasion. ployed man, had recently re- In November a young woman “Such a brutal and barbaric turned from neighbouring Iran was stoned to death after being photograph of an Afghan act should be strongly con- and may have joined the Taliban accused of adultery in the central woman whose nose was demned,” Kabul-based women’s after fl eeing home following the province of Ghor. Asliced off by her husband rights activist Alema said. attack. And last March a woman in a fi t of rage has sparked wide- “Such incidents would not named Farkhunda was savagely spread revulsion, with activists happen if the government judi- “Such incidents would not beaten and set ablaze in central demanding punishment for the cial system severely punished happen if the government Kabul after being falsely accused “barbaric act”. attacks on women,” added Ale- judicial system severely of burning a Qur’an. Reza Gul, 20, was rushed to ma, who goes by one name. punished attacks on The mob killing triggered hospital after the attack in Ghor- The disfi gured woman’s pho- women” angry nationwide protests and mach district in the northwest- tograph was widely shared on drew global attention to the ern province of Faryab yesterday. social media, prompting calls The government has vowed to treatment of Afghan women. Her husband is said to have fl ed for tough action against the hus- protect women’s rights but that In 2010, Time magazine put to a Taliban-controlled area. band. has not prevented violent at- the photograph of a mutilated “Mohamed Khan (the hus- Bedar said Gul would need re- tacks. 18-year-old, Bibi Aisha, on its band) cut off Reza Gul’s nose constructive surgery, which was “Horrifying cases like this one cover. Her nose was cut off by an with a pocket knife,” Faryab gov- not possible in the local govern- happen all too often in Afghani- abusive husband. ernor’s spokesman Ahmad Javed ment hospital. stan,” Heather Barr, a researcher The cover provoked a world- Bedar said. It was not immediately clear with Human Rights Watch, said. wide outpouring of sympathy The incident highlights the what prompted the husband to “The level of impunity for vio- for Aisha, who was taken to the endemic violence against wom- attack Gul, the mother of a one- lence against women encourages United States where she was giv- Afghan woman Reza Gul, 20, whose nose was sliced off by her husband in an attack, lies on a bed with her en in Afghan society, despite re- year-old child who was married some men to continue to feel en a prosthetic nose. baby as she receives treatment at a hospital in the northern province of Faryab yesterday. Gulf Times 24 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 PHILIPPINES Beijing says Manila playing up tensions with aircraft claim

Reuters mercial fl ights over the South Beijing China Sea, after China landed its fi rst test fl ights this month on a reef it built in the Spratly hina accused the Phil- islands. ippines yesterday of Hong said that any activi- Cdeliberately trying to ties by the Philippines on the scare people by saying China islands it occupies were illegal. had warned a small civilian China’s increasing military plane carrying Philippine offi - presence in the Spratlys has cials it was trespassing as they stirred fears it could lead to an inspected an island in the dis- air defence zone, which would puted South China Sea. escalate tension with other The Philippines said the claimants, and the US, in one incident happened on Jan 7 to of the world’s most volatile an aircraft inspecting Thitu areas. Island in the Spratlys, where China claims almost the en- Manila plans to set up surveil- tire South China Sea, believed lance equipment this year, as to have huge oil and gas de- their aircraft fl ew near a Chi- posits, but Brunei, Malaysia, nese man-made island. the Philippines, Taiwan and Anti-riot policemen stand guard in front of the supporters of Senator and presidential candidate Grace Poe, outside the Supreme Court during the start of the oral arguments over Chinese Foreign Ministry Vietnam also have claims in disqualification cases in Manila yesterday. spokesman Hong Lei repeated the sea, through which about that China has sovereignty $5tn in trade passes every year. over the Spratlys and that the The Philippines and Viet- Philippines had illegally oc- nam protested against China’s cupied eight islands there test fl ights on the Fiery Cross since the 1970s, including Reef this month. Thitu, and had been building “The concerns about the re- on them. cent activities of China along “The Philippines’ com- with the reclamation activi- Presidential hopeful ments are just frightening ties and construction of air- words to scare people, delib- strips in the disputed territory erately exaggerating regional is shared by other countries as tensions with treacherous in- it adds to the tension in the re- tent, and its plots will not suc- gion,” said Herminio Coloma, ceed,” Hong said, when asked Philippine presidential com- about the warning to the Phil- munications secretary. battles disqualifi cation ippine aircraft. It “causes concern about The Philippines plans to the freedom of freedom of Agencies vincial governors, city and town dropping the senator from the install a $1mn satellite-based navigation and overfl ight in Manila mayors and vice mayors. list of presidential candidates. system on Thitu to track com- the area”, Coloma added. Earlier, Poe personally wit- Associate Justice Mariano nessed oral arguments on her del Castillo asked Poe’s counsel undreds of supporters disqualifi cation case at the Su- Alex Poblador if Poe used her US of a senator aiming to preme Court (SC). passport in 2011. US troops can be deployed under pact : Biazon Hbe the Philippines’ next She was accompanied by her Poblador told the court that president rallied outside the mother, actress Susan Roces. Poe’s dual citizenship allows her American soldiers may be of personnel deployment . . . Supreme Court yesterday, as it Only 13 justices were on hand to continue using her Ameri- deployed to disputed islands because we have no military heard arguments against her because Justice Arturo Brion is can passport. Poe’s camp had in the West Philippine Sea facilities there except some disqualifi cation from the race. on leave and Justice Martin Vil- admitted that the last time the (South China Sea) alongside barracks and some civilians The supporters carried plac- larama Jr retired last Friday. senator used her US passport their Filipino counterparts on Pagasa Island in the West ards and banners declaring their The senator, however, slipped was on March 9, 2010. Del Cas- under the Enhanced Defence Philippine Sea. It is rotational support for Senator Grace Poe out in the middle of the oral ar- tillo also asked Poblador about Co-operation Agreement presence of American troops and chanted her name as she ar- guments. the error Poe made in her cer- (Edca), according to Rodolfo in the country that is hap- rived to attend the hearing at the Before the en banc session tifi cate of candidacy wherein Biazon, a former chief of the pening now under the VFA,” high tribunal. started, Poe expressed confi - she stated that she resided in the Armed Forces and a lawmak- Biazon told reporters. The Commission on Elections dence that the law will side with Philippines for six years and six er, Manila Times reported. The Edca, which was declared (Comelec) had disqualifi ed Poe Senator and presidential candidate Grace Poe waves to supporters as her and all abandoned Filipino months. The lawmaker, a member constitutional by the Supreme because she failed to meet a 10- she walks towards the Supreme Court to attend the oral arguments children who could be stripped Poblador said it was an honest of the ruling Liberal Party, Court last week, allows US year residency requirement for on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualification cases filed of their right to a nationality. mistake and there was no intent yesterday noted that the forces to conduct activities in- presidential candidates and was against her for the forthcoming May elections, in Manila. “If someone can prove that to deceive the public. deployment of US troops is side Philippine military bases. not considered a natural-born this child has foreign blood, then Poe went out of the session hall similar to the provision under These activities include train- Filipino. Poe was abandoned as a baby presidency are current Vice the responsibility to prove this before Associate Justice Antonio the 1999 Visiting Forces ing, transit, support and other In a statement, the 47-year- on the steps of a church in the President Jejomar Binay, former lies with the other camp. The Carpio started grilling Poblador. Agreement (VFA) that allows related activities; refueling of old fi rst-time senator said she central city of Iloilo and was interior secretary Mar Roxas, burden of proof does not belong Carpio took Poblador to task for American soldiers to engage aircraft, bunkering of vessels, was confi dent that the law would adopted by a late Filipino action Rodrigo Duterte, a tough-talk- to foundlings,” she pointed out. citing the proceedings of the 1934 in anti-terrorism and disaster- temporary maintenance of be on her side. movie star, but the identities of ing mayor of a southern city, and Late in December, Poe was Constitution. The magistrate said preparedness training with vehicles, vessels and aircraft; “I don’t believe in the view of her biological parents are not veteran Senator Miriam Defen- disqualifi ed from the presiden- Poe’s camp failed to quote com- their Philippine counterparts. temporary accommodation some who think that a foundling known. sor Santiago. tial race by the Commission on pletely deliberations between American soldiers, however, of personnel and communica- is a stateless person or one with- She renounced her citizenship More than 18,000 positions Elections (Comelec) on grounds Constitutional Convention del- are banned from participating tions, prepositioning of equip- out nationality when they were in 2001 to reside in the US with are up for grabs in the Philip- that she is not a natural-born egates Nicolas Rafols, Ruperto in combat operations. ment, supplies and material born,” she said. “It is the law’s her husband, but later returned pines’ general elections on May Filipino and she failed to meet Montinola and Manuel Roxas per- “Maybe we can have it on a as well as deploying forces responsibility to protect the and became a dual Philippine- 9, 2016, including president, the residency requirement. taining to inclusion of foundlings rotational basis on the issue and materials. right of the weak and the power- US citizen. vice president, senators, con- The High Court, however, as a class of persons considered as less.” Other contenders for the gressional representatives, pro- stopped the poll body from Philippine citizens. Religious group calls for Tax exemption limit may be joint action to end poverty raised for overseas workers By Jeff erson Antiporda Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto Manila Times Recto also fi led Senate Bill 2913 that seeks to raise Manila Times tax-exempt value of contents of a balikbayan box to Manila $2,000 or more than P90,000. verseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and Filipi- Marcos said while the proposed CMTA did not nos residing abroad may soon be allowed to incorporate his proposed measure, it gave benefi ts he Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Obring or send more goods to their loved ones to OFWs similar to what his bill sought to grant. referring to the fact that in the Philippines tax-free following the Senate’s “Finally, we have given back our OFWs a concrete Tabout half of the total passage of a bill raising to P150,000 the tax-exempt manifestation that we recognise them as modern- population of the Filipino fami- value of balikbayan (returnee) boxes. day heroes for their sacrifi ces and signifi cant con- lies are poor, on Monday urged The present tax-exempt ceiling is P10,000. tributions to our economy, instead of merely pay- the public to work together to The bill was approved by 19 senators who voted ing them lip service,” the senator noted. combat poverty as the church for the passage of the proposed Customs Mod- Section 800 of the proposed CMTA states, “Res- continued its national anti- ernisation and Tariff Act (CMTA) on third and final idents of the Philippines, overseas Filipino workers, poverty outreach programme. reading on Monday. other Filipinos while residing abroad or in their re- The programmed is being Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, sponsor of Senate turn to the Philippines shall be allowed to bring in held with the purpose of pro- Bill 2968, said the measure will also increase trans- or send to their families or relatives in the Philip- viding “real, doable and con- parency and simplify procedures in the Bureau of pines balikbayan boxes, which shall be exempt from crete assistance” to members of Customs (BOC), increase the de minimis value and duties and taxes.” local communities throughout provide harsher penalties for smuggling. The privilege, however, can only be enjoyed up to the country. De minimis are small items that are usually mi- three times in a calendar year. INC general auditor Glicerio nor or lacking importance. “This means that an OFW can send two boxes at B Santos Jr, said the church’s The move to raise balikbayan box tax-exemption the same time provided that their total worth is not Lingap Pamamahayag pro- limit was introduced last year after the BOC came more than P150,000. That will be counted as one gramme distributed more than up with a new policy that allows Customs person- shipment,” Recto explained. 20,000 goodie packs and 15,000 nel to physically check balikbayan boxes. The boxes, however, must contain “personal and pieces of clothing to residents The new policy, according to the BOC, aims to household eff ects only and shall neither be in com- of Brgy. Zulueta, Nueva Ecija, catch “erring freight forwarding companies” that mercial quantities, nor intended for barter, sale or and some 1,200 goodie packs have allowed or are complicit in inserting illegal for hire.” in Antipolo City Jail, consistent Mia Santos, 29, sits on a wooden bed with her baby girl Eunice, two, at a shack along a street in Manila. Her husband contraband like drugs and fi rearms into consoli- With the counterpart measure approved by the with the directives of Executive Elmer earns two dollars a day by picking recyclable materials among garbage that he can sell to junkshops. dated shipments. House of Representatives earlier, Marcos said, he Minister Bro. Eduardo V Mana- The BOC’s policy, however, triggered public out- fi nds no reason that will hamper the bill’s enact- lo to step up the INC’s eff orts to done,” said Santos.The SWS The survey, which was con- In light of these statistics, rage, forcing President Benigno Aquino to stop ran- ment into law. assist the poor. survey in the fourth quarter ducted from December 5 to 8, Santos said the INC believes dom inspection of balikbayan boxes. “If the bicameral conference committee can “While we recognise that of 2015 on self-rated poverty, 2015 among 1,200 adult re- that “this is the challenge of Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr, one of those who work fast to harmonise the House and the Senate self-rated poverty may have indicated that 50% of Filipino spondents nationwide, also the times: to set aside our dif- opposed the opening of balikbayan boxes, fi led versions, our OFWs will enjoy the benefi ts of this gone down through the eff orts families consider themselves revealed that 33% of families ferences, our agendas and to Senate Bill 3033, or the “Duty Free/Pasalubong Act law very soon. I just hope the president won’t veto of the government, when half poor, bringing the yearly aver- consider themselves food-poor do what has to be done to help of 2015,” which aims to allow OFWs to send pasa- the tax exemption for balikbayan boxes as he did of families nationwide say they age to 50%. This is four points – a two-point drop compared our countrymen, instead of just lubong (homecoming presents) or padala (money with the increase in Social Security System (SSS) are poor, something must be below the 2014 average of 54%. to last September’s 35%. talking about it.” or goods sent home) to their families tax free. pension,” the senator added. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 25 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL/MALDIVES

China concerned Nepal charter talks over PM’s maiden India trip: minister

IANS have started their foreign trips Kathmandu from India and later visited fail to end protests other countries. Diplomatic sources said Reuters head of Nepalese Prime Chinese side will also raise Kathmandu Minister K P Sharma the same kind of concern over AOli’s maiden India vis- Prime Minister Oli’s maiden it, China has apparently ex- visit to India with Nepal’s Fi- alks between the Nepali pressed concern over it, diplo- nance Minister Bishnu Poudel government and minor- matic sources have said. who is currently in Beijing. Tity groups to resolve a Earlier, there was expecta- Though the dates of Oli’s dispute over a new constitution tion that Oli would embark on visit to India are yet to be an- have fallen apart, opposition a maiden visit to China before nounced, offi cials said he would leaders said yesterday, dashing India due to unrest in south- visit China only after India. hopes that protests that have led ern Nepal’s Tarai region and Chinese offi cials were al- to crippling fuel shortages will blockage of essential com- most sure that breaking the end soon. modities’ supply from India. age-old tradition, Prime Min- More than 50 people have In a meeting between Chi- ister Oli, a Leftist leader who been killed since August in anti- nese vice minister for in- became the prime minister government protests in the Tarai ternational relations, Chen with the support of Unifi ed region, a narrow strip of plains Fengxian, and Nepalese min- Communist Party of Nepal that runs along Nepal’s south- ister Agni Sapkota in Beijing (Maoist), would visit China ern border with India. on Sunday, Chen inquired fi rst and not India. A resulting slowdown in about Oli’s upcoming India But in a turn of events, Oli cross-border truck traffi c has visit and how it was going. favoured a visit to India fi rst to plunged the landlocked na- Mentioning about his meet- ease the protest in Tarai and a tion into a fuel crisis that has ing with Chen, Sapkota said: political deal between ruling hampered aid to survivors of “During my meeting with Chi- parties and agitating Madhesi last year’s deadly earthquakes nese vice minister, he asked me Morcha. This has paved the and spawned a lucrative black about the upcoming visit of way for his India visit fi rst. market. Prime Minister K P Oli to India.” The Chinese side was doing The ethnic Madhesi groups Chen also asked when the necessary preparation to sign who live in the Tarai say Ne- visit was taking place, he added. several understandings and pal’s new constitution, its fi rst “In response, I told the Chi- agreements like bilateral in- since the nation abolished its nese vice minister that we are vestment promotion and pro- centuries-old monarchy, al- Protesters stand near burning tyres as they gather to block the highway connecting Nepal and India, during a general strike called by Madhesi holding talks with the Indian tection act, trade and transit ienates their members, grant- protesters demonstrating against the new constitution in Birgunj, near Kathmandu. side in respect to the visit,” treaty, free trade agreement, ing them low representation Sapkota said on Monday in agreement on super voltage in parliament and government states dominated by mountain In the eastern border town of Raniganj to sell petrol to Nepa- said the boundary issue would Kathmandu upon his return cross-border transmission bodies. communities. Kakarvitta, a long row of motor- lese in plastic tubs and bottles. be settled by a political com- from China. line, and promotion of tourism After talks fell apart on Mon- Nepal blames India, its larg- cycles and scooters stood in the The United Madhesi Front, mittee in three months, but This concern was especially and many others. day night, dozens of Madhesi est trading partner, for sid- middle of a bridge marking the which wants state boundaries Madhesi party leaders were not raised from Chinese side after The Chinese side also hint- activists burned tyres on the ing with the protesters near its border with India, as their own- to be redrawn to give their com- convinced. speculation was rife in Kath- ed there could be high-level road in the southern busi- border and invoking an unof- ers poured smuggled fuel into munities more power, said talks “We can’t trust the govern- mandu that Oli may break the visit from China in 2016 at the ness town of Birgunj, police fi cial blockade on trucks cross- their tanks. with government negotiators ment,” Laxman Lal Karna, an- tradition of visiting India fi rst level of the president and pre- said, in continuing protest ing from India into Nepal, a “It’s been good business,” said that started two weeks ago had other Madhesi leader, said. “We than China. mier and inquired about the against the charter’s carving charge that India has repeatedly a woman named Devi, who came become “meaningless”. have been betrayed in the past on Nepalese prime ministers condition of roads in Nepal the lowland region into federal denied. from the Indian border town of Defence Minister Bhim Rawal similar assurances.” upon assuming offi ce usually and availability of hotels.

Ershad Nasheed ‘hopeful fi res party of political revival’ secretary

Reuters, AFP visits to Colombo and London, tors in Colombo before fl ying general Colombo he is likely to meet a number of directly to London. exiled party members who have The United States lauded left the country amid pressure the temporary release of Nash- By Mizan Rahman ailed former Maldives Presi- by the government.” eed and Secretary of State John Dhaka dent Mohamed Nasheed, Nasheed thanked the world Kerry tweeted: “Release of Mo- Jin Sri Lanka for a two-day leaders who helped secure hamed Nasheed is step in the stopover before heading to his release for urgent surgery right direction; urge more en- atiya Party (JP) chairman and Britain for surgery, is hopeful in Britain, after being grant- gagement from government of former Bangladesh ruler H of a political revival once he re- ed temporary leave from his Maldives on democracy, shared JM Ershad yesterday removed turns to the country, his party prison cell. challenges.” Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu as the spokesman said yesterday. International human rights party’s secretary general and Nasheed, the Maldives’ fi rst “He is making calls to lawyer Amal Clooney last week replaced him with Ruhul Amin democratically elected presi- world leaders to thank condemned President Abdul- Howlader. dent, is serving a 13-year sen- them for their support in lah Yameen’s administration Ershad said he has the mandate tence on terrorism charges for getting him released” and said Nasheed’s case showed in the party constitution to take the alleged abduction of a judge that democracy is “dead in the such measures. He said he took after a rapid trial last March “He is making calls to world Maldives”. the decision regarding Bablu for which drew international leaders to thank them for their Foreign Minister Dunya “breaking party discipline” and criticism. support in getting him re- Maumoon on Monday rejected “for the sake of party interest”. He landed in Sri Lanka on leased,” his aide, Ahmed Na- Clooney’s criticism. Defend- Sunil Shuvo Roy, Ershad’s po- Monday along with his legal seem, said. ing the Maldives, popular for its litical and press secretary, said team and some family members “The Sri Lankan govern- pristine beaches, scuba diving the JP chief returned to Dhaka and will leave for Britain today, ment has been extremely kind,” and high-end tourism, Mau- from his ancestral home Rangpur Hamid Abdul Ghaff or, Nash- Naseem said, referring to an moon said Clooney had “spun for the news conference amid eed’s Maldivian Democratic internationally brokered deal a compelling tale” but it was deepening crisis in the party. Party (MDP) spokesman, said. to secure Nasheed’s 30-day not true. “Under the emerging situa- “He is physically a bit weak freedom. Nasheed was ousted in dis- tion, sir (Ershad) rushed back to because he was in jail, but psy- Aides said Nasheed had de- puted circumstances in 2012 for Dhaka cutting his fi ve-day Rang- chologically he is in good condi- cided against speaking to re- ordering the arrest of a judge. pur tour short,” he said. tion,” Ghaff or said. porters in Colombo yesterday, His conviction was condemned In another development, “He said he is hopeful of po- given the intense diplomacy by United Nations, the United Ershad’s wife and the leader litical revival once he returns involved in brokering the deal, States and human rights groups In this handout photograph released by the Maldivian Democratic Party yesterday, Mohamed Nasheed, of the opposition in parlia- from the surgery. During his and would only meet his doc- as politically motivated. centre, poses for a photograph on a plane as he prepares to leave the Maldives. ment, Raushan Ershad, con- vened a meeting of the party’s parliamentary body yesterday. On Monday night, Bablu an- nounced Raushan Ershad as the party’s acting chairman, a day after Ershad made his brother G Warmer Indian Ocean could be ‘ecological desert’ M Quader party’s co-chairman, demonstrating an imminent spilt in the party. Thomson Reuters Foundation the fi sh themselves, driven by that such a change would curb ter) is a critical process for in- The western Indian Ocean The impact will be felt in Bablu claimed that the deci- Negombo, Sri Lanka global warming. food security not only in In- troducing nutrients into the up- is responsible for 20% of the countries around the Indian sion was taken at a joint meet- “Rapid warming in the Indian dian Ocean rim countries but per zones where suffi cient light global tuna catch, the research Ocean, including India, Sri Lan- ing of the party’s presidium and Ocean is playing an important also global fi sh markets that buy is available for photosynthesis,” said. While tuna overfi shing ka and Bangladesh. But import- parliamentary party members at nslem Silva has fi shed role in reducing phytoplankton from the region. said Raghu Murtugudde, a sci- was a contributing factor to ers such as the US, Europe and Raushan’s residence. for four decades from up to 20%,” said Roxy Mathew entist from the University of lower stocks of the fi sh, declines Japan also could feel the impact, He said the meeting decided to Athis popular harbour Koll, a scientist at the Centre “The vertical Maryland. in food sources - such as phyto- the scientists said. uphold the party’s constitution on Sri Lanka’s west coast, but for Climate Change Research at mixing (of water) is The researcher said that re- plankton - were also a signifi cant Fishermen in Sri Lanka say under any circumstances. for fi ve years now fi lling his the Indian Institute of Tropical a critical process for cent data showed phytoplank- problem, it said. they already see the number “There is no co-chairman’s boat has become increasingly Meteorology in Pune. introducing nutrients ton levels falling dramatically in Koll predicted fi sh stocks of fi shing boats in some of the post in the party charter. The diffi cult. Over six decades, rising into the upper zones some regions that are tradition- could decline signifi cantly fur- country’s ports declining as a party chairman on Sunday made “We seem to be spending water temperatures appear where suffi cient ally home to large shoals of fi sh, ther in the face of continued result of the changes. his younger brother G M Quad- more and more time out at sea to have been reducing the light is available for such as near the Kenyan and overfi shing and ocean warm- “It is very diffi cult to oper- er as its co-chairman without looking for catch. Where there amount of phytoplankton - photosynthesis” Somali coasts. ing. ate a new boat so few people any discussion of the matter were fi sh for decades, now there microscopic plants at the base “Recent satellite data show “All of the state-of-the-art now want to get into fi shing at at any party forum, including is very little. It is strange, but all of the ocean food chain - avail- As waters in parts of the In- that the decline is up to 30% in climate models unanimously a large scale,” said Mohamed Ri- presidium. His (Ershad’s) deci- of us have been noticing that,” able as food for fish, according dian Ocean have warmed by 1.2 the western Indian Ocean dur- project that the Indian Ocean yazudeen, who works as a boat sions are contrary to the party said the 54-year-old fi sherman, to research released in Decem- degrees Celsius over the last ing the last 16 years, which is will continue to warm under captain from Valechchennei, constitution.” who operates his own trawler on ber by Koll and other scientists century, the mixing of surface one of the most biological pro- increasing greenhouse gases. an important fi shing port on Sri Ershad, also special envoy to multi-day trips reaching 100 to from the US, South Africa and water and nutrient-rich deeper ductive regions in the tropics This will result in a further Lanka’s east coast. the prime minister, said Quader, 150km (60 to 90 miles) off the France. waters have slowed, the scien- and host to some of the most decline of the phytoplankton He called the research on a former minister, would also coast. That “may cascade through tists said. That has prevented economically viable tuna spe- in the Indian Ocean, exag- ocean warming very bad news. act as the JP chairman in his Overfi shing is responsible for the food chain, potentially nutrients from reaching the cies,” said Marcello Vichi, an- gerating the stress on the ma- “What are we to do? We don’t absence. some of the lowered catch, but turning this biologically pro- plankton, which are mostly ac- other of the study’s coauthors, rine ecosystem and the fi sh, know any other trade and if The JP chief announced to another problem may also be ductive region into an ecologi- tive in surface waters. from the University of Cape which are already aff ected by there is no fi sh, what are we to hold his party’s national council contributing: lack of food for cal desert,” Koll said, adding “The vertical mixing (of wa- Town. overfi shing,” he said. catch?” he asked. in April. Gulf Times 26 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Production Editor: Why plans for redrawing C P Ravindran

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar the Middle East will fail [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), Many Western circles believe lands after the First World War. an Ottoman-style union and alliance Affairs, also laid the philosophical 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) that they are getting closer to It also corroborated the accuracy of between the regional countries and foundations of the ongoing Greater Fax 44350474 certain theories, which up until then peoples, thus ultimately preventing a Middle East Project. This piece, achieving the map that has seemed like just conspiracy theories. Union of Islam. published in 1993, was later turned been their dreams for Apparently, in the fi nal stage of the Surely, the hopes of obtaining into a comprehensive book shaped project, the respective parties didn’t control over the natural resources around the same ideas. centuries now care as much about hiding their true and natural wealth of the region came “The Project for the New American intentions. as an added bonus. Furthermore, Century” (PNAC), a Washington By Harun Yahya The borders predicted by the 2006 the prospect of getting astronomical DC based think-tank that operated GULF TIMES map seem eerily close to the truth deals for certain arms dealers, due to between 1997-2006 and known Istanbul today; in fact, so much so the journal relentless wars and confl icts, wouldn’t for their advisory roles in military The Atlantic, decided to feature the hurt either. policies, the Iraq war and national ondoleezza map again on June 19, 2014 with an By the end of the 1800s, after the security, and known for their lobbying Rice, the ominous title The New Map of the Ottoman administration made a deal eff orts among high-ranking US former US Middle East, only years after covering with the German Deutsche Bank to offi cials, was also amongst the top Qatar delivers on it in a 2008 issue. The journal even extract oil in Mosul and Kirkuk, the theoreticians behind the “new world Csecretary of state, was the fi rst claims that the separations predicted British immediately built an indirect order” and the Greater Middle East person to ever use by the map are inevitable. partnership with the same Germany Project. the term “the New establishment in order to be a part of Gary Schmitt, the former director of aid promises Middle East” during a public address Dreams and covert the Middle East oil scene. PNAC, said that they no longer needed in Tel Aviv back in June of 2006. She The fastest developing country to carry on and they had already done had opted to use this new concept, plans do not always of the era, the USA, was soon to their job and made the government instead of the more popular “Greater follow. In other words, the eyes of the accept their views. to rebuild Gaza Middle East”. go as planned West suddenly turned to the rich oil Indeed, that year, the said “New Interestingly enough, soon after sources in the Middle East, just as the Middle East” concept and the detailed that speech a retired US Army The name Greater Middle Ottoman Empire was struggling to map of this new Middle East surfaced. In a single most shining example of how best to Lieutenant Colonel, Ralph Peters East Project was fi rst used by the stay alive. It was followed by the Arab Spring that deliver on promises, construction projects funded showed what this new term meant administration of George W Bush, the Before late, Britain and France pushed many Arab countries into an by Qatar have now provided 1,000 new houses for with a map in his book entitled Never 43rd US president, and was discussed parcelled out the former Ottoman era of relentless turmoil. Undoubtedly, Quit the Fight that was released on during the G-8 summit in 2004. lands in the Middle East, marking the Arab Spring marked another Palestinians left homeless by the 2014 Gaza war with July 20, 2006. However, it wasn’t a new concept; on the fi rst offi cial and wide-scale serious step towards the realisation of Israel. Qatar’s generous funding also provided another Lt Col Peters is a former high- the contrary, it was just a new name step towards the Great Middle East the map. 1,060 new homes in the Gaza town of Khan Younis for ranking Defence Department offi cer, for an old, long-term project that fi rst Project. Following that, the project Many Western “deep states” low-income families. whose ideas are widely sought after by began in the late 19th Century. was implemented gradually until believe that they are getting closer to military circles. He worked as a deputy The project extended to Morocco today, despite countless revisions, achieving the map that has been their The 50-day war in July-August 2014 left 100,000 chief of staff for intelligence of the US in the west, Pakistan in the east, modifi cations, improvements and dreams for centuries now. However, Gazans without homes, while 18,000 houses were Army and he’s written various books the Black Sea coasts of Turkey in changes. one thing is certain: dreams and covert totally destroyed. The World Bank reported in May and articles on foreign policy and the north, and Yemen in the south: The decision passed by the US plans do not always go as planned. 2015 Gaza’s real per capita income was 31% lower than strategy. In other words, the most volatile, Congress in 1957, widely known as the The history is full of sinister plans that Although the US Defence or “the most tampered, the most “Eisenhower Doctrine”, but originally took a lot of eff ort to build, but went it was 20 years ago, but the population jumped by Department never offi cially accepted provoked and most easily-ignited called “Preserving the Peace and awry nevertheless. 230% over the same period. Overall unemployment Lt Col Peters’ map, it is a known fact region of the world”, scene to Stability in the Middle East” had the It is entirely possible that more now stands at 43% with 68% among those aged 20- that the map is currently being used countless wars, conflicts, military same approach to the Middle East challenges are ahead for the Middle 24: the highest rate in the world. in a training programme in Nato’s coups, separatist moves, terror and as today’s the Greater Middle East East. Yet, the complete sundering of Military College. instability. Project. the Islamic world and a subsequent Israel had quite evidently been looking to bring This map, which could be Another important thing about the In fact, the phrase “new world prevention of the Islamic Union is not Gaza’s economy down to the knees by bombing the considered the latest one in a series region is that it houses the largest, order” used by former US president to be found in destiny. There might strip’s rudimentary infrastructure to rubble during of maps that sought to redesign the most central and most strategic part of George H W Bush in a press conference be diffi culties and problems, but the the 2014 confl ict. The destruction was the worst Middle East over the past century, the Islamic world. in August 1990, was nothing other map that will come out of it is likely shows the fi nal state of the region that Although the implementation than a fresh attempt to familiarise the not going to be one the certain “deep in nearly 20 years, said relief agency Oxfam. The certain Western circles desire to see. and publicisation methods have public with the Greater Middle East states” have been hoping for. cost of rebuilding after massive shelling and aerial The New Middle East Map, in other varied from time to time, neither Project. bombardment would cost as high as $10bn, according words, the fi nal stage in the Greater the essence nor the true goal of the The Clash of Civilisations, the zHarun Yahya has authored more than to earlier UN estimates. Middle East Project (GMEP), is almost project has ever really changed. Since famous work of Samuel Huntington, 300 books on politics, religion and like a 21st century version of Sykes- the beginning, its main purpose, a political analyst and a former science, translated in 73 languages. He Israel’s prolonged restrictions stifl e much of Picot, a secret treaty signed with the determined by certain “deep states” of adviser to US Department of may be followed at @Harun_Yahya and daily Palestinian economic life. It controls every intent on sharing the former Ottoman Western countries, has been to prevent Defence, in the journal Foreign www.harunyahya.com access point, which enables it to oversee all imports and exports, creating bureaucratic hurdles that Palestinians say kill Israel’s entrepreneurship. Gaza economist Maher prolonged al-Tabbaa said Qatar’s restrictions stifl e latest reconstruction eff orts were being much of daily hampered by Israeli restrictions on bringing Palestinian raw materials to Gaza. economic life Qatar’s generous aid to support the Palestinian cause is sharply contrasted with the “pledge-based” global sympathy for Palestinian rebuilding. At an October 2014 donors’ conference in Cairo, Qatar pledged $1bn toward the reconstruction of the war-torn strip. International contribution totalled $5.4bn, but much of that sum has not yet arrived. As early as 2013, Qatar started executing what it promised with construction projects in Gaza at a cost of more than $400mn. US Secretary of State John Kerry then welcomed the move and urged other Arab countries to follow Qatar’s lead. In 2009, only a fraction of the nearly $5bn in funds promised at an international conference after a three- week war between Israel and Hamas actually arrived in the enclave. The congress centre at the opening of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. More than 40 heads of states and governments will attend the WEF To be sure, there is no violent military solution to the which opens today. decades-long confl ict and the prolonged crisis is not in anyone’s interest. Qatar last week renewed its fi rm stand of rejecting Emerging economies going downhill fast violence and extremism in all its forms in a statement before the annual meeting of the UN Alliance of drivers for emerging markets are very American exporters of soy and steel to world; according to the Washington Civilisations (UNAOC) in New York. Qatar’s long- By Sujata Rao Reuters/Davos, Switzerland diff erent from 2001,” David Spegel, the Asian workshops which became DC-based Institute of International established advocacy for peaceful solutions to regional head of emerging markets at ICBC part of its gigantic factory supply Finance net infl ows in 2001-2011 confl icts was brought to the fore again on Monday Standard Bank said, referring to the chain. But its slowdown is whacking totalled nearly $3tn. in Moscow where HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin ore than a trillion dollars time Asia, Russia and Brazil were these countries equally hard. Some of this is starting to reverse of investment fl ows has recovering from the crisis waves of the Exports from emerging markets — as last year saw the fi rst net capital Hamad al-Thani and Russian President Vladimir Putin fl ed emerging markets late-1990s. from Korean cars to Chilean copper outfl ow since 1988, a $540bn loss, says stressed the need for a settlement based on the two- Mover the past 18 months — are declining year-on-year at the the IIF which predicts more fl ight in state solution for the prolonged Palestinian-Israeli but the exodus may not even be “The global backdrop sharpest rate since the 2008-09 crisis, 2016. confl ict by complying with UN resolutions as well as halfway done, as once-booming according to UBS. Other forecasters such as JPMorgan economies appear trapped in a slow- and the drivers for Global trade in fact likely grew reckon nearly a trillion dollars have agreements signed between Palestine and Israel. bleeding cycle of weak growth and slower than the world economy for the fl ed China alone since mid-2014; its To be sure, Qatar not only makes promises, but investment. emerging markets fourth straight year in 2015, according central bank reserves alone declined always delivers on them. While developing economies are to the WTO, a UN body. That more than $500bn last year. no stranger to fi nancial crises, with are very diff erent contrasts with previous decades when IIF executive director Hung Tran several currency and debt cataclysms commerce expanded at least twice as says emerging markets’ problems are infecting all emerging markets in from 2001” fast as world growth. not just external. They must overcome To Advertise waves over recent decades, leaders The gloomy conclusion some are a key homegrown issue — falling gathering for this year’s World “Back then all the stars were reaching is that the China eff ect was productivity. [email protected] Economic Forum in Davos in the Swiss aligned for globalisation and emerging possibly a once-in-a-lifetime shift, Tran estimates productivity, which Display Alps are fearful that this episode is markets benefi ted the most. This whose eff ects are now dissipating provides clues on future economic Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 much harder to shake off . time around, we just don’t have those forever. growth, is growing at just 0.9% a year Seeded by fears of tighter US credit multiple catalysts.” “Rather than expecting emerging across much of the developing world, Classified and a rising US dollar, and coming The chief catalyst in 2001 was of markets to mean-revert towards the a quarter the rate seen before 2007 and Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 alongside a secular slowdown of course China. Its entry to the World golden years of 2002-2007, there is not far from richer countries’ 0.4%. China’s economy and an implosion of Trade Organisation unleashed a a risk that in terms of trade, what we There are some bright spots such Subscription the related commodity “supercycle”, decade-long export and investment are reverting to is the environment of as India and Mexico But with China [email protected] there’s growing anxiety that there will miracle that propelled its economy 1980s,” UBS strategist Manik Narain fears on the rise and Brazil and Russia be no sharp rebound at the end of this from sixth place globally, to the said. in recession for the second straight downturn to reward investors who world’s second biggest. One feature of the “golden years” year, investment returns across the 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved braved out the worst moments. Its ascent hauled up much of was the extraordinary amount of sector are unlikely to recover soon, “The global backdrop and the the developing world, from Latin capital that poured into the developing many fear. Gulf Times Wednesday, January 20, 2016 27 COMMENT The creative use of hardship

Necessity’s less vaunted California. The reality is that a degree cousin, tension, is the of impoverishment can motivate, or as the physicist Ernest Rutherford once mother of invention exclaimed: “We have no money so we will have to think!” By Eric Weiner The problem with the bean bag Los Angeles Times/TNS chair - and all it represents - is that it is too soft and mushy. It provides us nothing to push against, and that is t’s a new year and that means when we are at our most creative. new bean bag chairs. Chances are Similarly, the problem with the high that someone in your offi ce “creative class” theory is that it I- the chief innovation offi cer, confuses cause and eff ect. Sushi perhaps, or the senior motivational restaurants, experimental theatre and poohbah - will decide that your fi rm the like are the products of a creative is not innovative enough, not creative environment, not the generators of enough, for the year 2016. one. Action will be taken. Free meals Necessity’s less vaunted cousin, and, of course, free coff ee will be tension, is the mother of invention. requisitioned. Consultants will be Research conducted by Dean summoned. And bean bag chairs, the Simonton, a psychologist at the lovable symbol of the freewheeling University of California, Davis, bears workplace, will be ordered. this out. He reviewed history’s golden We are living in the Decade of ages and found that places riddled Perks. Companies are falling over one with political intrigue, turmoil and another off ering workers such goodies uncertainty thrived creatively. as squash courts, hoverboards, lap There’s nothing uncertain or pools, nap zones, pet care and more. intriguing about a bean bag chair. If any What began as a Silicon Valley fad perk boosts creativity, it’s not a sexy has spread to corporate world writ one: the mobile meeting. A recent study large. Even pest-control fi rms are by two Stanford researchers found that getting in on the act. One such fi rm, in Employees playing a game of foosball in an off ice. We are living in the Decade of Perks. Companies are falling over one another off ering workers such goodies as after even a short walk, as brief as fi ve Provo, Utah, provides its employees a squash courts, hoverboards, lap pools, nap zones, pet care and more. minutes, people produced more creative golf simulator. ideas than did those who sat still. Urban planners, meanwhile, are is considerably less convenient. kill you may not make you stronger, free-verse poetry to playing tennis a 300-page novel without using the So what am I suggesting - that doing much the same, only on a larger Discomfort, and even a degree of but it will make you more creative. without a net. Without boundaries, we letter “e”. You might consider that companies provide employees with scale, desperately trying to lure the hardship, are what drive creativity, not Although well-intentioned are lost. That’s why the truly creative gimmicky but followers of this odd uncomfortable chairs, feed them so-called “creative class” with hip bean bag chairs and ping pong tables. CEOs assume the best way to foster crave them and, if they don’t exist, movement were onto something. cardboard sandwiches? Of course not. restaurants, theatre districts and other As John Adams put it, “genius is creativity is to remove all obstacles, construct them. Genius doesn’t require paradise. (Nor am I suggesting that, as Jean- cultural bonbons. sorrow’s child”. A disproportionately considerable evidence suggests the In the 1960s, a French novelist In fact, such a nirvana - a state that Paul Sartre said, only half-jokingly, Companies, and cities, off er these large percentage of geniuses lost a opposite is true. and a mathematician founded an presumably requires no improvement the best gift a father can give a son is enticements in order to attract, and parent, usually a father, when they In one classic study, Ronald Finke, a experimental literary movement - would surely kill the creative spirit. to die young.) But if companies want keep, top-notch employees but also were young. Many suff ered illnesses professor of psychology at Texas A&M called Oulipo that took this “power Throughout the ages, many a genius to nurture creative employees, not with the implicit (and sometimes throughout their lives. University, asked participants to create of constraints” to an extreme, by has done his best work in shabby only content ones, they must include explicit) understanding that these Thomas Edison was partially an art project. Some people were given constructing all sorts of self-imposed settings. Albert Einstein wrote his challenges and even a dash of hardship perks will make them more creative. deaf, Aldous Huxley partially blind. a wide range of materials, others little. obstacles. (Raymond Queneau, general theory of relativity at the in their bag of perks. At fi rst blush, it seems to make Alexander Graham Bell and Picasso Finke and his colleagues found that the group’s cofounder, described kitchen table in his dingy Berne, sense: Give employees all the tools were dyslexic. Michelangelo, Titian, the most creative work was done by Oulipians as “rats who build the Switzerland, apartment. zEric Weiner is the author of The they need to innovate, make space for Goya and Monet all suff ered from those with the fewest choices - that labyrinth from which they will try to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak Geography of Genius: A Search for the a little fun, then watch the sparks fl y. various illnesses that actually is, with the most constraints. escape.”) did their tinkering in a completely World’s Most Creative Places From The truth about creativity, however, improved their artwork. What doesn’t Robert Frost once likened writing One member, Georges Perec, wrote ordinary neighbourhood in Sunnyvale, Ancient Athens to Silicon Valley. Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY Wastage of message will be as comprehensible as Prejudice becomes dangerous upward and outward until they fi ll our High: 24 C on the high-quality paper. Moreover when people try to get others to minds. Low : 16 C quality paper they will get a better reputation if they share it. Prejudice is the conjour of Prejudice like fear is acquired. It is Some Clouds and hazy decide to put a small message that imaginary wrongs, strangling truth, a seeping, dark stain, more diffi cult to Dear Sir, they are using recycled paper. over-powering reason, making fi ght than hatred. Let sanity prevail. Authorities should understand strong people weak, and weak people We must desist from mocking any THURSDAY Many fl yers and booklets promoting that tonnes of high-quality paper weaker. person’s religion or belief. High: 26 C a product or publicising an outlet are get wasted as fl yers and brochures Too many of our prejudices are Low :16 C left outside my door almost every each year. Restrictions have to be put pyramids upside down. They rest on Farouk Araie P Cloudy day. Flyers are good as they inform us in place to limit publications from malignant incidents, but they spread [email protected] about new off ers or services of shops printing on high quality paper. or companies. The thing that bothers FRIDAY me is that most of them available in Stanislaus Desa Please send us High: 24 C Qatar are printed on very high quality Street 922, building 74 Low : 16 C paper. The Old Airport Area your letters Sunny I am taught in schools to save paper Doha and recycle it as paper comes from By e-mail trees and trees are very precious to our [email protected] Fishermen’s forecast environment. A clear-cut case Fax 44350474 Or Post OFFSHORE DOHA While recycled paper may cost more of prejudice Wind: NW-NE 05-12 KT money-wise, its value is great in terms Letters to the Editor Waves: 1-3 Feet of environmental impact. Gulf Times INSHORE DOHA P O Box 2888 Wind: NW-NE 03-10 KT Recycled paper production uses Dear Sir, Waves: 1-2 Feet less energy and less water. One tonne Doha, Qatar of paper using recycled fi bres saves 17 The sickening cartoon published by Around the region trees, 360 gallons of petrol, 30 kilos of Charlie Hebdo of Syrian infant Aylan All letters, which are subject to editing, should have the name of the Weather Weather air pollutants and much more. Kurdi, has nothing to do with freedom writer, address and phone number. The writer’s name and address today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Also, if companies decide to print of speech or expression. It is a clear- may be withheld by request. Abu Dhabi P Cloudy 26/14 P Cloudy 26/15 their fl yers on recycled paper, their cut case of prejudice against Islam. Baghdad Sunny 19/06 M Sunny 18/06 Dubai Sunny 26/16 P Cloudy 25/17 Kuwait City Sunny 22/11 M Sunny 21/11 Manama Sunny 22/17 Sunny 21/16 Muscat Sunny 26/16 Sunny 25/17 Riyadh Sunny 24/09 Sunny 24/10 Live issues Tehran Sunny 15/05 Sunny 14/04 Is less news good news?

By Olver Burkeman world, like a walking embodiment number of e-mails we can get, the New York of that bumper-sticker: “Where demands that can be made of us, or are we going, and why are we in this the hours of the day we can be in touch handbasket?” with the offi ce. few days before the festive One problem is that merely Work feels infinite, but our season in December last knowing that the news focuses capacities are finite, therefore year, feeling rather furtive disproportionately on negative and overwhelm is inevitable. Similarly, Aabout it, I went on a media scary stories doesn’t mean you’ll technology connects us to more and diet: I quietly unsubscribed from, adjust your emotions accordingly. more of the world’s suffering, of unfollowed or otherwise disconnected People like me scorn Trump and the which there’s an essentially infinite from several people and news sources Daily Mail for sowing unwarranted amount, until feeling steamrollered whose output, I’d noticed, did nothing fears. by it becomes structurally inevitable but bring me down. This felt like We know that the risk of dying – not a sign that life’s getting Around the world defeat. in traffi c is vastly greater than from worse. And the consequences go Weather Weather I’ve railed against the popular terrorism. We may even know that beyond glumness. They include today Max/min tomorrow Max/min self-help advice that you should US gun crime is in dramatic decline, “compassion fade”, the well-studied Athens Rain 10/06 P Cloudy 13/06 “give up reading the news” on the that global economic inequality is effect whereby our urge to help Beirut P Cloudy 15/10 P Cloudy 17/11 S T Storms 32/26 grounds that it’s depressing and decreasing, or that there’s not much the unfortunate declines as their Bangkok 32/26 P Cloudy Berlin S Showers 0/-5 P Cloudy -2/-8 distracting: if bad stuff’s happening evidence that police brutality is on the numbers increase. Cairo Sunny 18/08 M Sunny 20/08 out there, my reasoning goes, I don’t rise. (We just see more of it, thanks to This isn’t an argument for avoiding Cape Town Cloudy 33/22 Cloudy 31/22 want to live in an artificial bubble smartphones.) news entirely: I certainly don’t, and Colombo M Sunny 33/23 P Cloudy 33/23 of privilege and positivity; I want to But, apparently, the part of our neither should you. (Take it from Dhaka Rain 25/17 P Cloudy 23/14 Hong Kong Showers 19/17 S Showers 20/16 face reality. minds that knows these facts isn’t an unbiased journalist.) It’s just Istanbul P Cloudy 06/02 P Cloudy 06/02 But at some point during 2015’s the same part that decides whether an argument for carefully pruning Jakarta T Storms 33/26 T Storms 32/25 relentless awfulness, it became to feel upbeat or despairing. It’s your incoming information streams, Karachi Sunny 26/14 Sunny 27/14 unignorable: the days when I read entirely possible to know things are balancing the importance of staying London P Cloudy 04/0 P Cloudy 07/02 P Cloudy P Cloudy 31/23 about another mass shooting, pretty good, yet feel as if they’re informed against a pointless gloom Manila 31/23 Moscow Snow -8/-11 Cloudy -9/-17 another tale of desperate refugees terrible. that helps no one. New Delhi Sunny 19/07 Sunny 21/06 or anything involving the words This phenomenon has curious You don’t want to shut out reality. New York P Cloudy 03/-3 Sunny 02/-5 “Donald Trump” were the days I’d parallels with the “busyness But 24/7 exposure to everything Paris Sunny 04/-2 Sunny 06/-2 end up gloomier, tetchier, more epidemic”. Data on leisure time purporting to be news these days Sao Paulo Showers 24/17 P Cloudy 24/17 Seoul M Sunny -3/-11 P Cloudy -1/-12 attention-scattered. suggests we’re not much busier than isn’t “reality”. It paints a picture Singapore T Storms 32/26 P Cloudy 32/26 Needless to say, I channelled none we were, yet we feel busier, partly that’s equally fake – and way, way Sydney M Sunny 34/21 M Sunny 33/22 of this malaise into making the planet because – for “knowledge workers”, more stressful. - Guardian News and Tokyo Clear 1 0/0 0 Cloudy 09/00 better. I just got grumbly about the anyway – there’s no limit to the Media Gulf Times 28 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 QATAR

BMW’s most expensive model to be unveiled at motor show

lfardan Automobiles, the overboost. All of which enables offi cial BMW Group im- the new BMW M2 Coupe with an Aporter in Qatar, will un- optional seven-speed M Double veil the all-new BMW M2 Coupé Clutch Transmission (M DCT) and and the 7 Series Solitaire edition Launch Control to accelerate from at the sixth edition of the Qatar 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.5 Motor Show, taking place from seconds. Top speed is electroni- January 27 to February 1. cally limited to 250 km/h. The 7 Series Solitaire edition, The BMW 7 Series Solitaire exclusive for the region with only is part of the BMW Individual six made, is the most expensive programme that enables cus- model-ever made by BMW. tomers to tailor their vehicle to “The M2 Coupé and 7 Series a bespoke design that suits their Solitaire model will be one of the individual style using a range of main attractions at this year’s premium materials, paints and motor show,” said Alfardan Au- interior trims. The debut of the tomobiles general manager Ihab model highlights the importance Professor Michael Graetzel speaks to the participants. Allam. of the region as the third largest Qafco CEO Khalifa al-Sowaidi and Tamuq interim dean Dr Ann Kenimer at the conference. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed “The regional debut of the in the world for the 7 Series. BMW M2 Coupé highlights the Stand-out features of the importance of the Qatari market, luxurious Solitaire includes a especially for the M models as sparkling exterior colour with the biggest market in the Mid- glass fl akes. The model comes dle East for the performance cars with full leather interior in BMW from BMW,” he explained. Individual Tartufo Brown with The all-new BMW M2 Coupé white woven piping and includes brings with it a high-perform- fl oor trim panel and fl oor mats Conference focuses ance six-cylinder in-line engine, made from lamb’s wool, adding rear-wheel-drive agility, light- a delicate accent to the design. weight aluminium M Sport sus- These softer details perfectly pension and extrovert styling. contrast the luxury and elegance The newly developed, three- of the dashboard’s black piano litre six-cylinder in-line engine lack trim and Arabic inspired in the new BMW M2 Coupé de- Pearl inlays. on renewable energy ploys cutting edge M TwinPower Five carats of diamonds are Turbo technology to develop 272 present in each car on the wood he annual Qatar Ferti- exchange of ideas and oppor- sions friendlier to the environ- rector of the Laboratory of Pho- Besides discussing the ad- kW/370hp at 6,500 rpm. Peak trim, dashboard, side panels and liser Company (Qafco) tunities for future collabora- ment. tonics and Interfaces in the In- verse eff ects of using fossil fuels torque of 465 Nm (343 lb-ft) can key, further accentuating the ex- T- Texas A&M Univer- tions. However, conference co-chair stitute of Chemical Science and which highly emit greenhouse be increased to as much as 500 Nm clusivity of the limited edition sity at Qatar (Tamuq) confer- “This important conference and Tamuq chemical engineer- Engineering at the Ecole Poly- gases, the speakers also spoke (369 lb-ft) in short bursts under model. ence this year highlighted the highlights the pressing need for ing professor Dr Konstantinos techique Féderale de Lausanne about the benefi ts as well as lim- importance of using renew- industry and academia to work Kakosimos said that developing (Switzerland), as keynote speak- its of renewable energy. able energy and managing CO2 together to develop new knowl- technology, industry and com- er this year,” Dr Kakosimos said. Qafco CEO Khalifa al-Sowaidi emissions to protect the envi- edge and create scientifi c solu- mercial applications led to an “This annual conference re- believes that these kinds of con- ronment. tions that have direct impact on increase in overall energy con- affi rms our pursuits of cutting- ferences can help provide better The conference featured the world around us,” Tamuq in- sumption. edge chemistry and chemical insights to address such dilem- an impressive technical pro- terim dean Dr Ann Kenimer said This in turn, he noted, led to engineering research in Qatar mas. gramme and sessions, opinions in a press statement. two important problems: energy and the region,” he added. “I hope the conference be- and research from some of the Kenimer’s statement was resources and environmental The conference also wel- comes the platform for sharing world’s most respected names echoed by organisers saying it pollution. comed 14 distinguished speak- ideas to find solutions for short in managing CO2 and energy. is imperative to fi nd new ways “We are proud to have had ers from the United States, Eu- and long-term issues facing It also provided a forum for the of managing CO2 to make emis- Professor Michael Graetzel, di- rope, Asia and the Middle East. us.” The BMW 7 series Solitaire edition. New Mini models to make Mideast debut at Doha event

lfardan Automobiles, the The new model will come in made palpable through a gen- official Mini importer two engine variants with Mini erous sweep, clear surfaces and Ain Qatar, will reveal the TwinPower Turbo Technology; a more “grown-up” sense of all-new Mini Convertible for 3-cylinder petrol engine with space. The defining element of the first time in the Middle 100 kW/136 hp in the MINI the Mini Clubman interior is its East alongside the all-new Mini Cooper Convertible, 4-cyl- broad instrument panel, which Clubman at the sixth edition inder petrol engine with 141 adopts the generous surface of the Qatar Motor Show to be kW/192hp in the Mini Cooper S areas of the exterior and brings held from January 27 to Febru- Convertible. The 6-speed Step- them inside the car. ary 1 at Doha Exhibition and tronic sports transmission with The Mini Clubman’s 3- and Convention Centre. shift paddles at the steering 4-cylinder petrol engines range “The Qatar Motor Show is the wheel is also available for Mini from 100 kW/ 136hp through to ideal platform for us to display Cooper S Convertible. 141kW/192hp and for the first the latest models from Mini and As the Mini Cabrio makes time in a Mini, the Clubman we are confident that they will its regional debut, the all-new is available with an optional be a hit,” said Alfardan Auto- Mini Clubman will be mak- 8-speed Steptronic transmis- mobiles general manager Ihab ing its Qatari debut. With a sion. The driver will also enjoy Allam. wide selection of innovative the highest level of ride comfort The latest addition to the driver assistance systems, an and brand-based go-kart feel- Mini family, the Mini Convert- extensive range of options for ing ever seen in a Mini thanks to ible is the first and only premi- exterior and interior individu- the Mini Clubman’s high-qual- um convertible in the small car alisation, a stretched silhou- ity suspension technology that segment, bringing with it new ette and accentuated width, is unique within the competi- open-top driving fun, as well The Mini Cabrio The Mini Clubman the Mini Clubman reveals new, tive field. as optimised sportiness, effi- bold dimensions, which have Mini continued its impres- ciency, comfort, functionality, fully sculpted surfaces with a peripheral body surround, side has taken the hallmark charac- nations; display and operating increased by just over 32cm sive growth in Qatar with the safety and connectivity. dynamically elongated silhou- turn indicator elements; large teristics of Mini with a horizon- concept including instrument in length and around 12cm in end-of-year results showing an The Mini Convertible’s ex- ette, up-to-date interpretation selection of body finishes in- tally structured cockpit, circu- panel on the steering column, width. increase of 34% in comparison terior design is described as a of classic Mini design features: cluding the variant Caribbean lar or elliptical contours for central instrument with new The interior of the new Mini to 2014, with the biggest share precise balance between top- circular headlamps and rear Aqua metallic presented here displays, air vents and door trim functions, optional LED light- Clubman has also expanded of sales going to the Mini Coun- class elegance and sporty flair. lights with chrome surrounds, for the first time. elements as well as high-qual- ing display and red start/stop along with the exterior. The tryman, Mini 3 door hatch and The highlights include power- hexagonal radiator grille, black The interior of the new model ity colour and material combi- button. cabin’s new dimensions are the Mini John Cooper Works. Dawn of a new age in super luxury motoring

olls-Royce Motor Cars Doha, Rolls-Royce to date, and begins two-tone Cornish White and Ar- the sole authorised dealership a new age of open-top, super izona Sun exterior, complement- Rfor Rolls-Royce cars in Qatar, luxury motoring. ed by a striking Gold coachline. has revealed details of two luxury This beautiful new motor car The interior houses intricate models: the all-new Rolls-Royce off ers the most uncompromised features including Canadel Pan- Dawn and a Bespoke Rolls-Royce open-top motoring experience elling and an awe-inspiring star- Wraith that will be showcased at in the world, and is the most so- light headliner that showcases this year’s Qatar Motor Show, tak- cial of super-luxury drophead the craftsmanship provided by ing place at the Doha Exhibition and motor cars. It stands apart from the ultra-luxury marque. Convention Centre from January 27 its stable mates, featuring 80% Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Doha to February 1. unique body panels. general manager Ihab Allam said: One of the most anticipated Visitors to the show will also “We are very much looking for- moments at the exhibition is have the chance to view an ex- ward to participating in the Qatar likely to be the fi rst public reveal clusive Bespoke creation with Motor Show this year for the sixth in Doha of the new Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce Wraith - the most time. The event is a great platform Dawn. Having been viewed by a powerful and dynamic Rolls- to showcase the very best of the select number of VIP custom- Royce in history. world’s automotive brands and ers ahead of the show, the lat- Conceptualised by Rolls- we anticipate it to provide a strong est creation by the ultra-luxury Royce Motor Cars Doha exclu- opportunity for us to engage with manqué promises a striking, se- sively for its clientele, the Be- our existing clientele, as well as ductive encounter like no other spoke Wraith boasts an elegant potential new customers.” A Bespoke Rolls-Royce Wraith. An interior view of the Rolls-Royce Dawn.