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BUSINESS | 21 SPORT | 27 Qatar & Canada Loss to Al Rayyan to boost bilateral add to Al Wakra's investments woes

Sunday 5 March 2017 | 6 Jumada II 1438 Volume 21 | Number 7091 | 2 Riyals

British rider wins CHI Al Shaqab event Emir holds phone Faster renewal talks with Bahrain King of licence mir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Eheld a telephone con- versation with H M King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa of for retailers Bahrain. King Hamad expressed satisfaction with the positive ministry’s website (https://serv- outcomes of the visit by Prime Ministry initiative ices.mec.gov.qa) should upload Minister of Bahrain, Prince The initiative is one the following documents: a Khalifa bin Salman Al Khal- of numerous smart copy of the identification ifa to Qatar, which reaffirmed electronic services papers of the applicant and both countries leaderships' that the Ministry has business owner; third-party keenness on cementing fra- launched to develop approvals (for certain activities, ternal bonds and promoting if applicable); and Civil Defence cooperation for the interests the business approval (for certain sites, if of their people. The two lead- environment in applicable). After the payment ers also discussed the latest Qatar. of fees, the licence is instantly regional developments. Retailers have hailed emailed to the address regis- The Emir in turn wel- tered at the Ministry. H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee, comed the intended visit of the Ministry initiative Applicants can also visit the presenting the trophy to Scott Brash of Great Britain, winner of the CSI5* event at the CHI Bahrain's Crown Prince, Dep- hoping it would help Ministry headquarters in Lusail, Al Shaqab, at Al Shaqab Arena yesterday. Omar Karaevli of Turkey finished second followed uty Supreme Commander and avoid delays in or any of the Ministry’s by Pilar Lucrecia Cordon of Spain. Pic: Salim Matramkot/ The Peninsula → See also page 28 First Deputy Prime Minister renewal of licences. branches, and submit the fol- Prince Salman bin Hamad Al lowing documents: the renewal Khalifa to Qatar. The Peninsula application form that can be The Emir will meet with obtained from the Ministry’s the Bahraini Crown Prince at etail shops can website (the form should be the Emiri Diwan to discuss renew their com- completed electronically with- Metrash 2 starts issuing and means of promoting frater- mercial licences out omissions or amendments); nal relations between the two online in a faster a copy of the identification countries. and easier manner, papers of the applicant and busi- Rthanks to new measures being ness owner; third-party renewing Qatari passports Ooredoo contest adopted by the Ministry of approvals (for certain activities, Economy and Commerce. if applicable); and Civil Defense Sidi Mohamed simply the various procedures. These developments are for schoolchildren The Ministry said yesterday approval (for certain sites, if The Peninsula Through "Citizens" window meant to meet "Qatar e-Govern- that the new measures will ena- applicable). After the payment on Metrash 2, citizens can eas- ment 2020". The Peninsula ble investors to immediately of fees, the license will be imme- xpanding scope of e-serv- ily apply for issuance of new It reflects the desires of renew their commercial busi- diately given to the applicant. ices for citizens, the identification or travel docu- many citizens, business peo- oredoo said it would ness licences, a process that Retailers have hailed the EMinistry of Interior (MoI) ments or renewal or re-issuance ple, and government launch its first ever earlier required 48 hours. Ministry initiative hoping it has started issuance and of the same in case they have employees to embrace tech- O‘Smart Future’ contest The initiative is one of would help avoid delays in renewal of identification cards expired or lost, the Ministry said nology to access and deliver at the 2017 QITCOM event, to numerous smart electronic renewal of licences. “Currently and Qatari passports through on its website. services. be held at the Qatar National services that the Ministry has the renewal process takes Metrash 2 mobile phone Metrash 2 is now available Metrash 2 also provides a Convention Centre next week. launched to develop the busi- longer time, especially if the application. in six languages and has been better user experience, when The contest has been designed ness environment in Qatar, documents are not in order. The This service has become subscribed by more than paper forms and certificates are to encourage students of sec- streamline customer services, online renewal would help available electronically on Met- 300,000 people. Metrash 2 not required, and enhances ondary school and above to and improve the country’s reduce delays and save time rash 2 from February 22 this services further include visa, service quality, as automation visit the technology-based investment and business cli- and efforts spent in visiting the year. The service is part of the residency, traffic, community allows for faster and less error- event and learn more about mate. Investors seeking to ministry offices,” said a retailer. initiatives of the Ministry of Inte- police, CID in addition to dif- prone processing of customer future of Qatar’s technology. renew their licence through the → Continued on page 4 rior to expand its e-services and ferent inquiry services. requests. → See also page 5

Iconic structure Empower 2017 seeks global Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies at the Education City is also support for youth initiatives home to the iconic Education City Mosque. The building contains The Peninsula The declaration includes 16 calls Primary School for Girls, Al symbolic and poetic for action urging ministries Bayan Secondary School for references to Islam he ninth annual youth-led responsible for youth and tour- Girls, and Qatar Banking Studies and its civilisation. The conference Empower 2017 ism, young people, and Business Administration facility will be hosting Tconcluded yesterday with representatives of governments, Independent School for Boys, free public lecture a declaration seeking interna- United Nations Agencies, youth- were also awarded for partici- series this month tional support for youth led organisations, pating in ROTA’s youth on contemporary initiatives to solve the world’s non-governmental organisa- development programmes issues that affect pressing problems. tions and other development throughout the past two years. The event was organised by partners, to reaffirm their com- More than 450 passionate people’s daily lives. → Report on page 4 Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), a mitment to the Sustainable young people from Qatar, the core programme of the Educa- Development Goals and the region, and around the world tion Above All. urgency in engaging youth in its gathered in the conference, to Held under the theme ‘Sus- implementation, and to utilise explore ways of using sustain- tainable Tourism for their engagement in this year’s able tourism as a tool for Development: A Youth Perspec- celebration of the international development and youth tive’, this year’s conference year on sustainable tourism for empowerment and to promote Heavy rains forecast today provided a platform for youth to development. youth leadership, service learn- hone their leadership skills whilst Following the announce- ing and global citizenship. taking the initiative to develop ment, a ROTA Youth Service This year, ROTA received The Peninsula atmosphere expected to last until due a low pressure in the upper solutions to some of the world’s Clubs (RYSC) awards ceremony more than 1,000 applications tomorrow. Strong winds and high atmosphere. The condition is most pressing global issues. was held to recognise the efforts from 55 countries. Participants eavy rains are expected seas are expected today accom- expected to continue until The declaration is a true cul- of the four winning clubs on their were selected following a metic- to lash parts of the coun- panied by thunderstorms in tomorrow morning. The "partly mination of the efforts of the 450 community service projects. Four ulous screening of all Htry, with the unstable offshore areas, the Meteorology cloudy to cloudy skies" will con- youth who took part in prizes were awarded to the clubs; applications and personal inter- weather intensifying until today Department said yesterday. tinue with light to moderate rains EMPOWER this year and is a true ‘Jawla’, ‘Al Bayan Secondary views with applicants in order afternoon. The weather bureau said the over parts of the country, becom- reflection of their views, and rec- School for Girls’, ‘Before It’s Too to determine the most appro- This has been attributed to the country was still under the influ- ing heavy with thunder at times. ommendations with respect to Late’, and ‘Enough Loss’. Al priate candidates. low pressure in the upper ence of atmospheric instability, → Continued on page 2 the topic of Sustainable Tourism. Jazeera Academy, Al Bayan → Continued on page 4 02 HOME SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 Doha won architecture award for residential project

The Peninsula children, in addition to places for First prize people with special needs. he 13th edition of Arab Doha city won the The municipality didn’t ignore Towns Organisation first position in the maintenance works and ren- Awards has disclosed Architecture Award ovation to some places to maintain details about the four category for Hazm Al its identity. Chairman of the Board award-winning entries Markhiya residential of Trustees of the Award, and Tfrom Qatar. Doha, Al Wakra, Al Doha Municipality Director, Eng project. Shamal, and Al Rayyan had won Jamal Matar Al Nuaimi, com- prizes in the 13th edition of Arab mented: “I am very proud that four Towns Organisation Awards Al Rayyan met global Qatari towns had won prizes in the announced last week. standards and the 13th edition of Arab Towns Organ- The jury members said in their municipality gave isation Awards, especially Doha evaluation that Doha city won the more attention to municipality for the first position first position in "Architecture even small details. due to a significant architectural Award" category for its project value for the project of Al Hazm." Al Rayyan came third in Beautification Award category. Hazm al Markhiya residential project because the project was For Al Shamal town, which an excellent place for entertain- won the second position in the ment and shopping. "Green Award" category, the jury The project includes cultural members said the town focused and educational facilities like on planting palm trees and Qatari library, clubs and educational trees. It also provided playground centers for children, among to children and a place for people others. with special needs. Because it is Al Wakrah won the second a coastal town, it focused on position in the Architectural Her- small lakes. In addition to that itage Award for renovation of Al the project met international Wakra Fort. Unique, traditional standards in implementation. materials were used in the ren- For Al Rayyan, which came ovation of the fort. The third in "Beautification Award", surrounding areas of the fort the jury members said it was due were beautified, which made it to its big space as one of the big- a tourist attraction. gest towns in Qatar, and was The renovation works were clean. The designs of the projects done by the Ministry of Munici- met international standards and pality and Environment in the municipality gave more collaboration with Qatar Muse- attention to small details in the The Hazm Al Markhiya residential project which won first position in Architecture Award category and (right) Al Shamal town, ums Authority. parks and offered a stadium for which won the second position in the "Green Award" category. Qatar's Unesco candidate HMC delegation attends Medhealth programme meets Ghana Vice-President The Peninsula discussed the importance of hospitals and clinical centers, for Ghassan Hasbani, the Lebanese health awareness in a lecture the excellent, high-quality serv- Vice Prime Minister and Minister senior delegation repre- titled “Required Practices in the ices they provide to patients. Dr of Health, at a medical exhibition senting Hamad Medical Field of Health Promotion and Al Maslamani emphasized the held on the forum sidelines. Ali A Corporation (HMC) Primary Prevention.” The lec- importance of providing the nec- Abdulla Al Khater, Chief Commu- recently participated in the sci- ture was met with widespread essary financial compensation nications Officer at HMC and entific programme of the 18th acclaim from delegates. in order to help these healthcare Mohamad Mubarak Al Noimi, annual forum of the Arab Hos- The 18th annual forum of the providers maintain and improve HMC's Chief of Staff and Chief of pitals Federation, 'Medhealth'. Arab Hospitals Federation, 'Med- the quality of their services. the Managing Director's Office, The delegation presented a health', was held in the Egyptian Mohamad Mubarak Al awarded HMC plaques to the two number of scientific lectures and capital of Cairo from February Noimi, HMC's Chief of Staff and ministers, who, in turn, expressed interactive sessions, aimed at 28 to March 1. The two-day Chief of the Managing Director's their appreciation for HMC’s role highlighting the latest health forum, held in conjunction with Office, chaired a plenary session in the promotion of health and developments in Qatar. the 47th meeting of the Execu- entitled, “The Future of Patient clinical excellence in the region The two-day forum also saw tive Board of the Arab Health Safety and Risk Management: and thanked the delegation for active participation from the Ministers Council, was aimed at Ensuring Sustainability of their constructive participation in delegation representing the Min- discussing recent healthcare Healthcare Services.” The ses- the forum. istry of Public Health (MOPH). developments in the Arab region. sion addressed the latest Ibrahim Al Sada, Counselor Sheikh Dr Mohammed Bin Dr Yousuf Al Maslamani, international approaches within at the Embassy of Qatar in Hamad Al Thani, Director of the Medical Director of Hamad Gen- the field of risk management in Egypt, and Badr Ishaq Al Ishaq, Public Health Department at the eral Hospital (HGH), delivered a healthcare facilities. First Secretary of the Qatari Ministry of Public Health, pre- lecture on the second day of the HMC’s delegation received Dr Embassy in Egypt, also visited sented the Qatari experience in forum on the best ways to com- Ahmed Emad Al Din Rady, Egyp- the Corporation's stand at the the field of health promotion and pensate healthcare providers, i.e. tian Minister of Health, and exhibition.

H E Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kawari with Vice-President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Accra matters of international organ- QNA izations, stressing that the exchange of visits between offi- ice-President of the cials of both countries is the Republic of Ghana, Dr best way to explore prospects VMahamudu Bawumia, of cooperation. met here yesterday with H E Dr Al Kawari briefed the Gha- Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al naian official on his vision to Kawari, Cultural Adviser at the achieve a new breakthrough for Emiri Diwan and Qatar's can- the organization, stressing didate for the post of Unesco's need for international Director-General of the United solidarity to enable it to perform Nations Educational, Scientific its noble mission in education, and Cultural Organisation culture and science, pointing out (Unesco). in this regard to Africa's role in Talks during the meeting his vision for Unesco. dealt with bilateral relations The Ghanaian Vice-Presi- between the two countries. dent welcomed the Qatari Vice-President of Ghana candidate's vision, wishing him expressed his country's keen- success and said he looked for- Qatari embassy officials in Cairo with HMC delegation pose for a group photo. ness to develop relations, ward to cooperating with him especially in the areas of in the future for the advance- employment and investment ment of the Organization in and enhance cooperation in various fields. Scattered rains and thunder forecast today Continued from page 1 Doha hosts meeting of GCC hazy with cloudy skies resulting Visibility would be 4 to 8 km, is expected to have 20 degrees However, the Department in scattered rains, accompanied at times becoming less than 3 km Celsius. Nursing Technical Committee expects the unstable weather to by thunder at times. The north- at places. Temperature in Doha Meanwhile, Messaieed, Al intensify further until today westerly winds would blow at 5 would be between 23 to 19 Wakrah, Al Khor, Ruwais and QNA of the 2nd Gulf Nursing Confer- afternoon. The wind during the to 15 knots going up to 25 knots degrees Celsius today, while Abu Samrah would have a min- ence and the 12th Gulf Nursing period would be blowing at during thunderstorms, inshore. Dukhan and Abu Samrah would imum temperature of 18 degrees he GCC Nursing Techni- Forum which were recently moderate speeds in the north- Offshore, the wind speed would have a maximum temperature Celsius, while Dukhan would cal Committee met in held in Doha. The meeting also easterly to north-westerly be 10 to 20 knots, going up to 22 of 25 degrees Celsius, followed have 17 degrees Celsius. TDoha, with the participa- discussed the recommenda- direction, though it would knots during thunder, and at by Al Khor at 24 degrees Celsius. The weather bureau has tion member states' tions of the workshop which become stronger during night the speed would increase Messaieed and Al Wakrah would advised public to be cautious and representatives. The meeting was organized in Kuwait in thunderstorms. to between 18 to 24 knots in the have maximum temperatures of avoid going into the sea during reviewed the recommendations December 2016. Today, the weather would be north of the country. 22 degrees Celsius and Ruwais the period. SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 HOME 03 Land reclamation has harmed marine life: Survey

Irfan Bukhari Fish stocks deplete changes during the period from He said that when stakehold- The Peninsula '80s until present day. He said ers were asked what should be 67% of participants that 33 percent people said that done to help preserve marine recent survey con- in a survey by Staff there was a loss of fish due to life, 43 percent suggested an ducted by Staff Brig Brig Ali bin Saad land reclamation. “Twenty-five- increase in Marine Protected Ali bin Saad Al- Al-Naimi believe fish percent people say that sediment Areas (MPA) near the coast while Naimi, an academic stocks decreased in has increased and 42 percent 57 percent people advised min- associate at Cardiff coastal areas. believe that land reclamation has imising coastal projects. SchoolA of Health Sciences, Car- adverse effects on coral reefs.” “As many as 83 percent par- diff Metropolitan University and Al-Naimi said that in the ticipants believe that catching former board member of Qatar Overfishing, pollution study, 83 percent participants fish in Doha’s coastal areas has Scientific Club, indicates that 67 and land reclamation noted that pollution level had become harder in the last five percent participants believe that cited as reasons for increased in the last five years. years while 17 percent think it is fish quantity has decreased in the the fall in the quantity He said that responding to the unchanged,” he said. last five years in the coastal areas of fish. question on causes of the Al-Naimi said that his cur- of Doha. increase in marine pollution, 33 rent work had demonstrated that On reasons behind the percent people held land recla- land reclamation had a great decrease in fish quantity, 30 per- and seek the views and gather mation responsible while 17 effect upon the marine environ- cent say it is due to overfishing, insights of relevant stakehold- percent put blame on global ment in general and on marine 40 percent hold pollution ers,” Al-Naimi said while talking warming and 50 percent on life in particular. “In the pilot responsible while 30 percent put to The Peninsula. other human activities. study phase, the participants the blame on land reclamation. Another objective of the Al-Naimi said 67 percent peo- started realizing the importance Staff Brig Ali bin Saad Al-Naimi study, he said, was to recom- Staff Brig Ali bin Saad Al-Naimi speaking during an interview. ple had the opinion that land of the study and they were sup- conducted the study for his PhD mend appropriate tools for Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula reclamation had harmed marine porting the idea of increasing the thesis “Land Reclamation and mitigating the impact of land rec- life while 33 percent participants awareness of relevant stakehold- Marine Environment”. lamation and identify on Doha's Coastal Region", which active fishermen, non-active in the study said that it had ers on the subject,” he noted. “The aim of the study was to appropriate measures for avert- included interviews, question- fishermen, recreational staff, obstructed sea currents. He observed that brain- determine the impact of land ing the future hazards. naires, focus group etc. with government officials linked to "On advantages of land recla- storming of all stakeholders was reclamation on marine life in Al-Naimi said that he had experienced stakeholders. “Six the marine environment, coast mation, 67 percent participants important to evaluate the situa- Doha’s coastal regions. The other adopted a qualitative methodol- groups of stakeholders were guards and naval officers.” believe that it is for development tion. “It will not only increase the objectives of the study were to ogy for his study titled involved in the project due to He said that only those peo- and economic benefits while 33 awareness of the problem but evaluate the condition of Doha’s "Determination of the Effects of their direct connection to the ple had been included in the percent people see no benefit of will also assist to reach suitable coastal areas, raise awareness Land Reclamation on Marine Life marine environment: study who had observed the it," he said. solutions,” he added. WISH hosts webinar on diffusion of healthcare innovation

The Peninsula Leading Health Systems Network College London. benefits of innovation in Dr Harris, said, “The adop- WISH, said, “Since the inception (LHSN). LHSN is an initiative of It is well known that it takes healthcare. tion of innovations in healthcare of WISH, this body of research he World Innovation Sum- WISH that brings together over 17 years for healthcare The webinar highlighted is a process of interaction and on the diffusion of innovation mit for Health (WISH) healthcare leaders and industry innovations to be put into prac- research conducted since the persuasion, and an issue of has been at the center of the pro- Trecently hosted a webinar experts to identify and discuss tice. The popular question is, launch of the Global Diffusion of mutually beneficial relationships gram; it’s obvious why – an discussing factors that play a role areas of improvement in health- ‘why does it take so long?’ The Healthcare Innovation (GDHI) and resources. It’s a complex innovation that neither spreads in the diffusion of healthcare care systems. The webinar was WISH webinar explored the bar- program in 2012. GDHI is a process. There needs to be an nor scales is not really viable, but innovation, as well as those that led by Dr Matthew Harris, Clin- riers and enablers to the research program funded by evidence base for the innovation, often the failure to take off has may cause limitations, based on ical Senior Lecturer in Public successful diffusion of innova- Qatar Foundation (QF), which adopters have to want to adopt less to do with the merits of an evidence collected from case Health Medicine, Institute of Glo- tion, drawing on specific case explores how innovation spreads it, and it needs to be adaptable idea than organizational barri- studies. bal Health Innovation, Imperial studies as well as large-scale between countries. It also looks to local contexts. Sometimes as ers. We need to understand what The webinar, entitled ‘Diffu- College London and Hannah quantitative and qualitative at how innovations could be much, if not more, effort often those are so we can help get the sion of Healthcare Innovation’, Patel, Policy Fellow, Centre for research. It also provided advice adapted to align with the needs goes into scaling an innovation right ideas implemented where took place as part of the ‘Safer Health Policy, Institute for Glo- to policymakers and frontline of frontline healthcare workers as it does to developing it.” they can do the most good for Care Accelerator’ series by the bal Health Innovation, Imperial caregivers on how to harness the from around the world. Egbert Schillings, CEO of the benefit of patients.” QSTP aims to facilitate 20 projects every year

Fazeena Saleem The Peninsula

s part of the plan to fos- ter local tech Aentrepreneurship, Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) aims to facilitate 20 projects each year at the Incu- bation Centre, says a senior official. QSTP Incubation Center is a technology-focused programme which supports innovations that have commercial potential. The 12-month programme helps promising tech startups with a free working space, busi- ness facilitation, and support services which include access to a network of mentors, fund- ing programmes, training, and Dr Maher Hakim, Managing Director of QSTP. prototyping facilities, said Dr Pic: Kammutty VP / The Peninsula Maher Hakim, Managing Direc- tor of QSTP. to bring it to the market,” said transformation of inspiring ideas "In the incubation pro- Dr Hakim, speaking on the side- into feasible products that gramme, we give them a 12 lines of the ‘QSTP Afterhours’ address various market month free space and we offer event. demands. them services like mentoring The event also included the In addition, QSTP is offering and coaching if they are really fourth Demo Day for its ongo- several programs for students serious about a tech based star- ing ‘Accelerator Programme’ of including the Arab Innovation tup. Then after a while if they QSTP and six innovative projects Academy a two-week boot- are truly committed we actually were showcased. It included camp for aspiring college fund them as well,” Dr Hakim MAKTAPP, Cloud Solutions-an students in pan-Arab countries told The Peninsula. app for businesses, V for Van- starting from next year. “At present we have 13 ity’ a solution for men’s hair “We have launched several projects in the incubation cen- problems and Offbeat Qatar a programs and we are trying to tre and we are thinking of website with authentic informa- understand what the demand. supporting a total of 20 projects tion about places to visit in There is interest in all industries per year,” he said. Qatar. but most are into IT elements , The selection process for the “In the Accelerator program as most who approach us are incubation programme is mostly is the first step, when somebody young people,” said Dr Hakim. focused on the team’s commit- comes with an interesting idea, Further QSTP is home for ment and capacity. we put them through a three three tenant categories includ- “The most important thing month training program , where ing high tech companies like the is to have the right mindset and we can actually monitor them Microsoft, Research and Devel- be conscious about getting in all aspects,” said Dr Hakim. opment centers of traditional expertise in the area. One should Accelerator program is industries mainly oil and gas have an idea to build an inno- aimed at bridging the gap sector and many new small and vative product and the between research and commer- medium-sized technology based eagerness and the commitment cialisation, while facilitating the businesses. 04 HOME SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 QU-CENG & Swedish varsities to share knowledge

The Peninsula impressed by the strong advancements Enhancing skills that Dr Khalifa and CENG have made in atar University College of Engi- Dr Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Dean the area of research and entrepreneur- neering (QU-CENG) Dean Dr Qatar University College of ship, with their important contributions QKhalifa Al-Khalifa had a meeting towards Qatar National Vision 2030 Engineering, said the with Swedish Ambassador to Qatar Ewa through new innovations such as the cool- collaboration with Swedish Polano, where they discussed opportu- ing helmet coming from their research universities will contribute nities for future collaboration between laboratory. I have discussed with Dr Kha- CENG and Swedish universities that to exchanging ideas and lifa the possibilities of strengthening the made an advanced progress in field of experiences in the field of relations between CENG and Swedish uni- science and engineering. education and research. versities to plan for cooperation in The meeting was attended by CENG different areas that can benefit both par- Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Prof ties, since seven Swedish universities have Abdelmagid Hammuda, CENG Assist- and capabilities towards success. This visited QU before and contributed to sup- ant Dean for Students Affairs Eng AlJazzi demonstrates CENG’s ongoing efforts to port the mutual scientific cooperation.” Fetais, and embassy officials. foster links with local and international The ambassador added: “I have also Dr Khalifa Al-Khalifa said: “Our col- institutions, and promote higher educa- discussed with Dr Al Khalifa a plan to laboration with Swedish universities will tion and research in line with the national make joint traffic safety studies, and contribute to exchanging ideas and priorities towards a knowledge-based design a master programme for Qatari experiences in the field of education and economy.” engineering students in partnership with Dr Khalifa Al-Khalifa (right) with Swedish Ambassador to Qatar Ewa Polano. research.This meeting aims to promote Ewa Polano said: “Qatar and Sweden Swedish industry to combine learning academic and research excellence, and are working closely to further deepen and with private sector training and devel- to engage students on learning and pro- strengthen bilateral relations by explor- opment focused on entrepreneurship Scania, Ericsson, Volvo, Sensys Gatso, and innovation laboratory that will be pre- fessional development, which will ing new areas of cooperation including and product development. Some major others, and once students are back to pared jointly between Qatar and Sweden enhance their skills, knowledge academic and research side. I am Swedish companies could be involved like Qatar, they will be able to support the at CENG.”

Rota set to achieve sustainable development goal During the third day of Empower 2017, youth young people in tourism, inter- educational institutes to raise the participants took part national cultural events, sports awareness among young people in a number of off-site and all other activities of special on the impact of mainstream excursions to Msheireb interest to youth. tourism on nature and the envi- Museums, Katara -Call on Non-profit organi- ronments and possible ways for zations to create opportunities protections. Cultural Village, Doha for young people to utilize their Film Institute (DFI), skills and knowledge in interna- TOURISM STRATEGY and Aspire Zone. tional development projects. - call on national tourism -call on travelers, business authorities around the world, and governments to take respon- such as the local Qatar Tourism promote local culture and sibility towards realizing Authority, to include youth as a products. sustainable tourism goals. key player in shaping their - As Empower 2017 partici- - call on all stakeholders national sustainable tourism pants, we commit ourselves to involved in tourism to create sus- strategies in order to achieve the establish a network that pro- tainable jobs for youth in the national sustainable develop- motes these calls for action local economies. ment visions and the Sustainable among governments, businesses -call on governments, NGOs Development Goals. and NGOs. and businesses to develop poli- -call on academic institutions -call on the heritage sector cies and mechanisms that protect and universities to promote the such as the museums, to engage Participatants at the Rota Empower Youth Conference. young tourists from abuse. study of sustainable tourism for with youth to promote the -We call on business to development in their curriculum importance of developing and Continued from page 1 develop tourism packages that and courses. sustaining local heritage sites, as The United Nations World Empower 2017, youth partici- promote cross-cultural under- - call on the academic com- it is an economic asset to Tourism Organisation states pants took part in a number of standing and build bridges munity to allocate resources to the country. As ROTA sets out to achieve “tourism has the potential to pro- off-site excursions to Msheireb among communities geared study of sustainable tourism, and - call all stakeholders to pro- Sustainable Development Goal mote inclusiveness, the values Museums, Katara Cultural Vil- towards building speech. to engage young researchers and mote affordable accommodation 4 that aims to “ensure inclusive of a culture of tolerance, peace lage, Doha Film Institute (DFI), -call all stakeholders to com- scientists in finding innovative such as youth hostels, as a and equitable quality education and non-violence, and all aspects and Aspire Zone. A session was mit to the conservation of nature solutions for challenges and cheaper option for youth and as and promote lifelong learning of global exchange and citizen- held afterwards for youth to and biological diversity as a opportunities related to sustaina- an educational hub for sustain- opportunities for all”, educating ship.” Over the course of three exchange views about their major resource of tourism activ- ble tourism. able tourism. and inspiring youth to actively days, youth came together to experience during the visits. ities, and to take all needed - call on businesses and -call all stakeholders to contribute to sustainable tour- explore how they can promote measures to ensure that the financial institutions to support invest in innovative solutions to ism is one of the key avenues these values through sustaina- CALL FOR ACTION: integrity of ecosystems and hab- youth-led SMEs and young provide unique accessible expe- needed to achieve this ble tourism. - Governments are invited to itats is always respected. entrepreneurs working on riences for people with special objective. During the third day of encourage the Participation of -call on NGOs and projects that create jobs and abilities. Experts to discuss several issues at HBKU lectures

The Peninsula which are delivered by speak- March 15 at CIS, conference Research Scientist at HBKU’s ers who are leaders in their room 1, from 4 pm to 6 pm. The Qatar Computing Research rom Japanese Islamic fields, are aimed at a general colloquium intends to generate Institute (QCRI). poetry to alternative cur- audience as they often address awareness and facilitate a bet- On the same day, a lecture Frencies, to an exploration contemporary issues that affect ter understanding of the actors, will tackle importance of small of diabetes in Qatar to role of people’s daily lives. HBKU’s phenomena and dynamics of and medium size industries in Islamic finance when building College of Islamic Studies (CIS) FinTech – the intersection of Qatar and explore suitability successful small businesses, the will be hosting most of the finance and technology – with of Islamic finance to their Hamad Bin Khalifa University events. a focus on the Middle East. development. To be held at CIS (HBKU) will hear experts dis- HBKU’s College of Law and Speaking at the event will be auditorium, from 7 pm to 9 pm, cussing a variety of subjects Public Policy (CLPP) will be Mohammad Zebian, Innovation the lecture will touch upon this month as part of its free holding a public colloquium Manager at Qatar Science and importance of SME’s, in their public lecture series. titled “The Regulation of Crypto- Technology Park (QSTP), and Dr role in alleviating poverty, These monthly lectures, currencies” on Wednesday Yazan Boshmaf, increasing employment rate. Ministry launches smart electronic services Continued from page 1 licenses and download copies of docu- The Ministry said that it has launched ments; searching for a commercial name; a number of smart electronic services establishing and obtaining information designed to significantly improve the qual- about companies; issuing and renewing ity of services offered to clients including commercial registrations; requesting a consumers, investors and members of the non-ownership certificate; and a number public with an interest in economic affairs. of administrative services that enable These electronic services include: the business owners to easily manage and issuance and renewal of commercial operate their businesses. Debate contest held for secondary schools

The Peninsula Boys debate was organised in Omer ibn Al Khattab Secondary School for Boys atar Debate, member of Qatar Foun- and some 86 students participated in dation organised the second round of debate contest divided into 28 teams rep- Qdebate competition for secondary resenting 16 schools. schools in Arabic Language and English. Similar competitions were organised Girls competition in Arabic was hosted for students of secondary schools in Eng- by Al Maha Academy for Girls in which as lish language in Doha Secondary School many as 85 students participated from 16 for Boys. Some 44 teams participated from schools divided into 28 teams. 27 schools with total 132 students. SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 HOME 05 Texas A&M & Ooredoo to QF give job experience to launch Smart Qatari staff Future contest The Peninsula A COLLABORATION between Texas A&M Univer- The Peninsula Technology focus sity at Qatar and Qatar Foundation (QF) is giving oredoo yesterday The contest has been young Qatari employees on- said it would designed by the the-job experience in the launch its first ever company to workplace. ‘Smart Future’ encourage students Texas A&M at Qatar and contest at the 2017 of secondary school QF solidified the partnership OQITCOM event, to be held at the recently by signing a Memo- and above to visit Qatar National Convention the technology- randum of Understanding Centre next week. (MoU) to set up a national based event and The Smart Future contest trainee programme where learn more about has been designed by the com- Qatari nationals are embed- An expert delivering lecture organised by General Authority of Customs pany to encourage students of future of Qatar’s ded in QF organisations for secondary school and above to technology. one year to get firsthand, visit the technology-based real-world experience. event and learn more about cutting-edge solutions that will GAC intensifying efforts to Commenting on the agree- future of Qatar’s technology. change people’s lives in Qatar ment, Mohammed Abdulaziz Ooredoo has also sent an in the future. Demonstrations Al Naimi, Chief Operations open invitation to students to include 5G, Smart Stadiums Officer of Qatar Foundation, visit the state-of-the-art Oore- services, Internet of Things enhance skills of inspectors said, “Young people are our doo booth, to find out how to solutions and more. greatest asset, and we are enter its Smart Future compe- “This is an amazing oppor- delighted to sign MoU with tition, which will give young tunity for students to help The Peninsula and Commerce and Qatar also given updated information Texas A&M University at Qatar. people the opportunity to have Qatar’s communities and put Chamber. about the latest means of fight- This initiative helps QF to pro- their technology ideas their name on the map. We’re he General Authority of Ahmed Eisa Al Mohannadi, ing commercial fraud and mote lifelong learning, while developed. looking forward to receive Customs (GAC) organised Assistant Chairman of the Gen- protecting intellectual property providing greater professional Talking about the contest, entries,” she added. Tan awareness lecture eral Authority of Customs rights inside the country.They opportunities to empower Fatima Sultan Al Kuwari, Com- Submitted ideas will be aimed to improve customs stressed on the need to fight were also informed about com- future generations. munity and Public Relations judged on innovation, design inspectors’ skills to detect coun- against counterfeit goods, men- mercial methods of deception Wadha Al Thani, a Texas Director, Ooredoo, said: “We’re and/or uniqueness by a panel of terfeit products. The event also tioning that the authority is which smugglers follow, in addi- A&M at Qatar graduate, has encouraging all young people to expert of Ooredoo employees. focused on enhancing inspec- making an intensified effort to tion to explanation about been working at the branch come to QITCOM, see how fast Students interested in submitting tors’ awareness on commercial enhance skills of inspectors. difference between original campus in the Office of Devel- our country is developing and their ideas should visit the Oore- fraud and protection of intellec- He also stressed on the goods and counterfeit ones .This opment, Engagement and then think about which technol- doo booth at QITCOM and then tual property rights. importance on cooperation was to make it easy for customs Outreach since summer 2016. ogy or services they want to help send their proposals to Sponsor- The lectures were held at between various authorities inspectors to know the differ- She brings her engineering shape the nation and Ooredoo [email protected]. Qatar University and General concerned, in protecting con- ence between the two types education and academic back- for the better. Students will have QITCOM is one of Qatar’s Authority of Customs headquar- sumer rights. during inspection. ground to Texas A&M at Qatar’s time until April 1 to develop their most important technology ters as part of the Arab Customs The second lecture was The participants appreciated Dhia: Engineering Leaders ideas and best entries will be events, as it brings together lead- Day that is marked on March 3 held at Qatar University to the lectures and discussions STEM (science, technology, made by Ooredoo and show- ing technology organisations and every year. promote awareness about cus- mostly about examples of vio- engineering and math) out- cased at QITCOM 2018.” top players from across Qatar The first lecture, which was toms work procedure and lation of intellectual property reach programmes where she As Integrity Sponsors of and the region, showcasing the held at the GAC, saw the partic- their role of protecting com- rights and commercial fraud serves as a positive role model QITCOM, Ooredoo will use its latest innovations and inviting ipation of a number of the GAC mercial fraud, among the that inspectors are detecting at of a successful Qatari engineer presence at the event to dem- businesses to take part in indus- officials, in addition to officials university students. customs outlets and how they for young girls participating in onstrate some of the try panels and discussions. from the Ministry of Economy Customs inspectors were deal with it legally. the educational programmes. 06 HOME SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 Qumra helps identify new talent: Film directors The Peninsula Qumra praised umra, the industry ini- Industry delegates tiative by the Doha associated with Film Institute to nur- Cannes, Venice, ture the new Rotterdam, Busan, Qgeneration of film- Edinburgh and Dublin makers, helps in promoting inter-festival collaboration by film festivals lauded providing insights into promis- Qumra's role in ing new voices from the Middle serving as a window East region, said directors of into new works from leading international film the region. festivals. At a networking session, industry delegates associated film festivals, with programmers Kim Young-woo of Busan International Film Festival (centre) leads a working breakfast session on Meet the Festivals during with Cannes, Venice, Rotterdam, having to sift through hundreds day two of Qumra, yesterday. Busan, Edinburgh and Dublin of films before they make the film festivals described the final cut. Programmer at Busan Interna- Dumont, who has defined a new insights on the direction of the engaged audiences in the MENA emphasis they place identifying Yet, most festival directors tional Film Festival. narrative idiom in world cinema digital film distribution value Region. emerging talents and lauded said they are increasingly open Grainne Humphreys, Festi- at 10.30 am at the Museum of chain and how independent At 7.30 pm, watch the Mod- Qumra's role in serving as a win- today to identify first- and sec- val Director of Dublin Islamic Art Auditorium. producers can best use emerg- ern Masters Screening of The dow into new works from the ond-time directors, the International Film Festival, said From 3 pm to 5 pm, the first ing platforms to both finance Missing Picture (Cambodia, region. cross-section of talents that the fest seeks to address the Qumra Talk on ‘International productions and recoup on their France/2013), directed by The session moderated by Qumra too nurtures. “We are absences in distribution and help Digital Distribution and Market- investment. Qumra Master Rithy Panh. The Paolo Bertolin, Correspondent looking to expand our reach and filmmakers to find new audi- ing’ will be held. Under the Milky This session will provide a film employs an astonishing at Venice Film Festival, under- have a larger geographic pres- ences for their films. Way CEO Pierre Alexandre general overview of the VOD device – painstakingly hand- lined the intensely competitive ence, especially this part of the Christophe Leparc, Manag- Labelle, Front Row Filmed industry, present specific case crafted miniature human figures nature of international world,” said Kim Young-woo, ing Director of Director’s Entertainment Managing Direc- studies and discuss the role, lim- – to describe the horrors of life Fortnight and Director of tor Gianluca Chakra, and Iflix its and future of digital for prisoners under the Khmer Cinemed, said the selection for Head of Middle East and North distribution as a long-term solu- Rouge. Director’s Fortnight at Cannes Africa Nader Sobhan will share tion to reach wider and more is “very eclectic and has no specific rules” – with the films chosen to range anything from comedy to experimental. Film production is a gamble: Branco While most festivals do not insist on having final cuts for The Peninsula wanted, “framed, shot and edited film.” Branco’s advise to new their selection process, Bero in his head,” much like Ral Ruiz, filmmakers was to bear in mind Beyer, Festival Director of the umra Master Paulo Branco, the experimental Chilean film- that “it is important to know what International Film Festival honoured as one of the maker, with whom too Branco to tell, how to tell and how to use Rotterdam, said a foremost Q‘Greatest European Pro- had made films that went on to your elements.” He said he is consideration is to pick films ducers’ with over 300 films to win top honours. keen to hear and discuss Qumra that are “ought to be seen.” his credit, shared his journey in Branco discussed making of Projects during his mentoring Humphreys added: “We hope films in an inimitable style, urg- Cosmopolis, the Robert Pattin- sessions with the talents. Branco for our films to go beyond our ing emerging filmmakers not to son-starrer, that was originally has the honour of having the larg- own festival and we are always play by rules and describing film slated for Colin Farrell. est number of films selected at looking for something production as a gamble ‘where Sharing the quirkiness of Cannes Film Festival and in com- special.” you always win even if you lose some of the directors he worked petition for the Palm d’Or. Lisbon Every year is a new year in money because something with and the ‘crazy’ moments in Story (Germany, Portugal/1994), the selection process, said the always stays back.’ his 30 plus years as a film pro- produced by Branco and directed directors, although one bottom The discussion, moderated ducer, Branco said that key to by Wim Wenders, was screened line is that the “the films make by Richard Pea, former pro- filmmaking was to have a ‘point in the Modern Masters Screen- a connection with the gramme director of Film Society of view’ in everything from script ings at Qumra 2017. audience.” of Lincoln Center and director of to shot. That was also his advice Qumra hosts leading inter- The directors said the key New York Film Festival, took par- to emerging filmmakers who national filmmakers producers challenge today is to attract ticipants through the rich and sought his counsel on aspects and industry experts for, knowl- young audiences – to festivals varied experiences of Branco, including how he chooses scripts edge-sharing and nurturing and to have their entries – and who started his production and finances his projects. sessions with talents associated rely on advisors and scouts in career, self-admittedly, “without “There is not only way to with 34 films from 25 countries. finding new talents. Qumra, knowing anything at all about make films,” said Branco, admit- Directors and producers attached they said, presents the oppor- film production.” ting he has never considered to 18 narrative feature films, 7 tunity to identity and engage Branco said his move to Paris anything beyond the present day feature documentaries and 9 with the new voices in film- from Lisbon, where he was born, he lives in. “I want to live in (such short films are participating in the making, adding that a number gave him the freedom to take a manner) … I don’t know what event being held until March 8 at of Qumra Projects have been risks. He was happy running a happens in the next hour. I live Souq Al Waqif and Museum of selected for the international cinema in Paris, when he started day by day not knowing what I Islamic Arts. film festivals. his long association with legen- do tomorrow.” New this year are Accredited The industry networking dary Portuguese director Manoel That is why he insists that in Delegates Programme, devel- sessions will continue through de Oliveira. Together they made filmmaking there are no rules, oped for professionals from the duration of Qumra in addi- an impressive body of works – adding “there are a lot of projects diverse backgrounds which will tion to one-on-one script each film’s making a different that are deserved to be made,’ allow 100 local and regional del- tutorials for selected Qumra experience. and urged young filmmakers cat- egates to access more Projects, rough cut consulta- He said the defining aspect egorically to “just do it, even if opportunities and be a part of the tions, and group tutorials. of working with Oliveira was that you lose money because some- platform for discovery, and Today, the event will host the master knew exactly what he thing stays back always – your ‘Qumra Talks’. a Master Class by Bruno Vodafone launches Red Key add-on feature The Peninsula

fter the launch of its inno- vative Bill Manager service, AVodafone yesterday launched another innovation- Red Key, a new add on exclusively on postpaid consumer Red plans which for the first time in Qatar, brings international calls and roaming data in one bundle. Red Key gives customers up to 2000 minutes to make inter- national calls around the world. Additionally, Red Key includes roaming data and incoming minutes for use when travelling to any of the 78 Vodafone Pass- port Pack countries. On Red M and Red Qatari Red Key, customers will get 500 international minutes, 500 roaming MBs and 500 minutes of incoming roaming calls. On Red L, customers will get 1000 international minutes, 1000 roaming MBs and 1000 minutes of incoming roaming calls. Red XL and Red VIP customers will get 2000 international minutes, 2000 roaming MBs and 2000 minutes of incoming roaming calls. Mohamed Al Sadah (pictured), Chief Operating Officer, Voda- fone Qatar said, “Vodafone is aware that making international calls and roaming without worrying about shocking charges is extremely important for many of our customers. We are delighted to bring them Red Key so they can stay in contact locally and while travelling abroad with family, friends and business associates with full peace of mind.” SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 MIDDLE EAST 07

Iran okays Coalition jets destroy Houthi weapons store conditional

Aden, Geneva release of Agencies Jolt to militias Montazeri’s son Yemeni security he Arab Coalition jets sources said that the destroyed a weapons Tehran Arab Coalition store belonging to AFP Houthi and Ali Abdul- launched four air raids lah Saleh militias in on Al-Deilami airbase THE jailed son of Ayatollah Tthe Yemeni capita, Sana’a. in Sana’a airport and Montazeri, one-time heir to Yemeni security sources said destroyed the Iran’s former supreme leader that the Arab Coalition launched weapons store. Ayatollah Khomeini, has been four air raids on Al-Deilami air- granted a conditional release, base in Sana’a airport and Yemen military sources a news agency linked to the destroyed the weapons store. said, the militia attack judiciary said yesterday. On the other hand, the Yem- targeted sites where Mizanonline reported that eni army forces repelled an troops are stationed in Ahmad Montazeri, a cleric attack by Houthi and Saleh mili- serving a six-year jail term for Qarn Wadaa mountain, tias on important positions in “action against national secu- but the Yemeni forces mountainous region of Naham, rity”, had been released after north-east of Sana’a. confronted with the being pardoned by Khomei- According to a military militias and caused ni’s successor, Ayatollah Ali source, the militia attack tar- them heavy losses in Khamenei. geted sites where troops are lives and military Ahmad Montazeri had stationed in Qarn Wadaa moun- equipment. agreed not to “take action tain, but the Yemeni forces against the regime”, failing confronted with the militias and which he would return to caused them heavy losses in lives assault, the Geneva-based prison. and military equipment. agency said. Meanwhile, a field leader in Jasarevic added that previ- A boy looking on as Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following air strikes the Houthi and Saleh militias ously the UN had only been able on the outskirts in Sana'a. Egypt cops shoot were injured in clashes with to get some medical supplies to Yemeni army forces in Taiz, Taiz via smaller, side roads in the US Embassy in 2015. “I don’t want to telegraph spoke to reporters on condition dead 4 'militants' south of Sana’a. war-ravaged country. “We have a lot of gaps in our future operations but this is part of anonymity, shied away from The UN health agency yes- Yemen this month marks understanding of the organisa- of a plan to go after this very real describing the intelligence as Cairo terday said it had delivered eight two years since a Saudi-led Arab tion,” a US defence official said, threat and ensure they are “vital,” saying that was a subjec- AFP tonnes of medications to hospi- coalition intervened in support adding the pullout of US person- defeated,” Davis said at a Pen- tive term. The official said the tals in the third largest city under of government troops in the nel two years ago “certainly did tagon news briefing. intelligence was “good” and EGYPTIAN police have killed siege in Yemen’s war. conflict. not help our understanding of America’s military strategy “potentially actionable,” suggest- four suspected Islamist mili- It marked the first time since UN mediation efforts and the situation.” in Yemen has become a politi- ing that phone numbers and tants believed to have been the start of the conflict that the seven ceasefire accords have Pentagon spokesman Cap- cal lightning rod issue after the other information about AQAP’s planning a “major attack” in United Nations negotiated access failed to end the war, which has tain Jeff Davis said at a news late January raid against AQAP, network seized in January would a shootout near Cairo, the by direct route to Taiz, crossing left more than 7,500 dead and briefing that the United States authorised by President Donald require analysis or development interior ministry said. Yemen’s frontline to distribute 40,000 people wounded. had carried out more than 30 Trump, resulted in death of one before leading to new US strikes The “takfiri” cell—a word the vital medical supplies, the On Thursday, the United strikes over the past two days in of the commandos, US Navy or raids. for extremists who declare World Health Organisation said States carried out air strikes Shabwah, Abyan and Al Bayda SEAL William “Ryan” Owens. “It’s definitely helping us other Muslims disbelievers— in a statement. against Al Qaeda in Yemen. provinces. Critics questioned value of understand the network and fur- had been meeting when “The truck arrived in Taiz Since a January commando raid, The US military did not dis- the mission. That prompted a ther develop it out ... This has police raided their hideout in City on Thursday. The medicines the United States has shown a close how many Al Qaeda fierce rebuttal from Trump, who been good information,” the offi- Giza province, southwest of were distributed to hospitals desire to both strike Al Qaeda in fighters were killed although a said during a televised address cial said, adding the US nited Cairo, the ministry said. today,” WHO spokesman Tarik the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) section of media reported that to Congress that “large amounts States seized “an awful lot of tel- “When the terrorist cell sensed Jasarevic told reporters. and to recover from what US the strikes, using manned and of vital intelligence” was seized ephone numbers.” the police drawing near they More than 350,000 people officials acknowledge has been unmanned aircraft, left at least in the operation. Trump’s speech Strikes over the past two began shooting at them, which are in need of urgent medical aid an intelligence shortfall about nine militants dead. The US mil- featured a standing ovation for days have not been based on prompted the police force to in Taiz, where pro-government the group since Yemen’s civil itary did not rule out further Owens’ widow. intelligence from the January fire back,” the ministry said in forces are fighting back a rebel war forced the closure of the strikes in the days ahead. The US defence official, who raid, the Pentagon says. a statement. Bahrain says 25 arrested over jailbreak & unrest

Dubai in a statement carried by state Four suspects denied the AFP news agency BNA. One of them charges, while the rest confessed was shot dead last month along to being guilty. Police found “large ahrain said yesterday that with two men as they allegedly quantities of explosives, detona- it had arrested 25 suspects tried to flee the country by boat. tors and hand grenades,” in Baccused of involvement in The 25 detainees have been addition to four AK-47 rifles and unrest in the country, a deadly charged with “joining a terrorist seven pistols, the statement said. jailbreak. The authorities said organisation” and “training on One of the suspected mem- they were part of a “terrorist using explosives and firearms to bers of the organisation lives in organisation” that includes 54 commit terror attacks,” Hammadi Germany and has “arranged members, some of them fugitives said. They are also accused of kill- travel for members of the organ- in Iraq and Iran— accused repeat- ing two police, including one isation to Iran and Iraq to train edly by Manama of meddling in during the January 1 jailbreak, on using explosives and machine its internal affairs. and attempted murder of others, guns,” Hammadi said. The alleged members include as well as importing and possess- He said the training took 10 former inmates who escaped ing explosives and firearms. place in the bases of Iran’s Rev- in the January 1 storming of Jaw The suspects were also olutionary Guards with the aim prison, Bahrain’s general prose- accused of escaping from jail or of “preparing to carry out terror- cutor Ahmed al-Hammadi said helping others to flee and hide. ist crimes inside the country.”

French minister in Iran

French Minister of Finance Michel Sapin (left) meets with Iran’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Tayebnia (right) in Tehran, yesterday. 08 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017

Raising their voice Iran's S-300 air Jordan hangs defence system operational: 15 over terror State TV Tehran AFP and crimes ran's advanced S-300 air defence system, delivered Iby Russia following a July Amman Noose tightens 2015 nuclear deal after years AFP of delay, is now operational, All convicts were state television reported ordan hanged 15 death row Jordanians hanged in yesterday. prisoners including con- Suaga prison, south Iran had been trying to victed "terrorists" at dawn of the capital acquire the system for years yesterday, its information Amman. to ward off repeated threats Jminister said, in a further by Israel to bomb its nuclear break with a moratorium on 94 people remain on facilities, but Russia had held executions it observed between death row in Jordan, off delivery in line with UN 2006 and 2014. most of them sanctions imposed over the Ten of those put to death nuclear programme. convicted of heinous had been convicted of terror- Demonstrators shout slogans and hold banners reading '"no to illegal emergency decree' "The S-300 air defence crimes. ism offences and five of during a protest against the dismissal of academics from universities following a post- system has been tested... in "heinous" crimes including coup emergency decree in Ankara, yesterday. the presence of government rape, Mahmud Al Momani told group of captured Jordanian and military officials," the tel- the official Petra news agency. pilot Maaz Al Kassasbeh whose evision said. All were Jordanians and plane had crashed in a jihad- It said that the test at a they were hanged in Suaga ist-held region of Syria in desert base had seen several prison, south of the capital December 2014 while serving targets, including a ballistic Amman. with a US-led coalition. missile and a drone, Among the terrorism Grisly footage posted in Turkey slams Merkel for not intercepted. offences were a 2006 attack on February the following year of Air defence commander tourists at Amman's Roman him being burnt alive in a cage General Farzad Esmaili told amphitheatre which killed a outraged the public. the television that a domes- Briton and a June 2016 attack Swiftly afterwards, Jordan criticising ban on rallies tically manufactured air on an intelligence service base hanged two people convicted defence system dubbed Bavar north of the capital that left five of terrorism offences, one of Ankara the April 16 referendum. of expression in Germany". 373 which was "more agents dead. them Sajida Al Rishawi. AFP Turkish voters will be asked In the run-up to next advanced than the S-300" They also included the Sep- She had taken part in a whether to approve constitu- month's referendum, trips by would be tested very soon. tember 2016 murder of 2005 suicide attack on luxury urkey hit back at German tional changes to create an Turkish politicians to Germany "The S-300 is a system Christian writer Nahed Hattar hotels in Amman organised by Chancellor Angela Merkel executive presidency giving have come under heavy criti- that is deadly for our enemies as he stood trial for publishing IS's forebear, Al Qaeda in Iraq, Tyesterday for not criticis- more power to the head of cism as the government seeks and which makes our skies a cartoon deemed offensive to but her explosives failed to ing the decision by authorities state. a "Yes" vote from the huge more secure," he said. Islam. King Abdullah II had said detonate. in Germany to ban rallies in sup- "Mrs Merkel says they (the community of Turkish Iran's activation of the in 2005 that Jordan aimed to According to judicial port of expanding President Germans) respect freedom of expatriates. defence system comes amid become the first Middle East- sources, 94 people remain on Recep Tayyip Erdogan's expression; the foreign minis- Bozdag was due to speak at mounting tensions with the ern country to halt executions death row in Jordan, most of powers. ter says we have no impact on a rally on Thursday in Gaggenau new US administration of in line with most European them convicted of murder or Turkish Prime Minister this decision, but if you look in western Germany but it was President Donald Trump, who nations. rape, following yesterday's exe- Binali Yildirim called a phone carefully at both, they do not cancelled, while Cologne city imposed sanctions after Iran Courts continued to hand cutions. Jordan, which hosts call yesterday with German criticise the decision" of the Ger- authorities also withdrew per- tested a medium-range bal- down death sentences but they hundreds of thousands of ref- Chancellor Angela Merkel "pro- man towns, Turkish Justice mission for a hall to be used for listic missile in January. were not carried out. ugees from the conflict in Syria, ductive", following a row over Minister Bekir Bozdag said. a speech by Turkish Economy The deal to buy the However, public opinion carries out air strikes on IS in rallies cancelled in Germany "They do not say the deci- Minister Nihat Zeybekci. S-300 system was originally blamed a rise in crime on the both Syria and Iraq as a mem- ahead of Turkey's key vote on sion taken by the authorities is A third town, Frechen on the signed in 2007 but Russia policy and in December 2014 ber of the US-led coalition. presidential powers. wrong," the minister added, outskirts of Cologne, scrapped suspended it in 2010 citing Jordan hanged 11 men con- The pro-Western kingdom Ankara and Berlin have speaking to reporters in the cen- a rally that had been scheduled a United Nations ban on victed of murder, drawing fears a spillover of the jihadist been locked in acrimony over tral province of Yozgat. for today. "I ask, not allowing arms sales to Iran. criticism from human rights threat and closely monitors the last few days after German Merkel said on Friday that the Turkish justice minister to It was revived after the groups. thousands of Jordanians sus- towns blocked events where the decision was "taken by speak, does it adhere or not to nuclear deal between Iran Opinion hardened after the pected of being IS or Al Qaeda Turkish ministers sought to municipalities, and as a matter German human rights, Mrs Mer- and major powers went into murder by the Islamic State (IS) sympathisers. address Turks living there about of principle, we apply freedom kel?" Bozdag asked. effect in January last year.

Six Gambian Discordant notes Haftar forces concede coup plotters back in the loss of oil port in Libya Benghazi Libya's oil exports. military AFP Haftar's forces seized Zue- itina, Brega, Ras Lanuf and he forces of eastern Lib- Al-Sidra in a lightning offensive Banjul ya's military strongman last September that dealt a AFP TKhalifa Haftar conceded major blow to the UN-backed the loss yesterday of a key oil Government of National ambian President export terminal they seized last Accord. Adama Barrow has year as fighting for the coun- Haftar dominates a rival Gallowed six soldiers try's resource wealth administration based in the east convicted of plotting a coup intensifies. that continues to defy the GNA's against former leader Yahya The capture of Ras Lanuf authority. Jammeh back into the armed and the other three eastern oil He has backing from neigh- forces, a military source said ports in September enabled bouring Egypt, from the United yesterday. Haftar to keep up his chal- Arab Emirates and increasingly Jammeh survived several lenge to the authority of the from Russia. coup attempts in his 22-year UN-backed government in Russia has been trying to rule, with one of the most Tripoli and demand a major broker talks in Egypt between serious arising in 2014 when role in a replacement Haftar and the GNA that would Syrian musicians play their instruments at the damaged amphitheatre of the historic city mutinous soldiers attempted administration. see it reformed with a major to take control of the presi- of Palmyra, yesterday. Exports from the four ports role for the strongman but so dential palace while he was are Libya's main source of hard far they have not borne fruit. out of the country. currency income and without An array of forces, most of "The military high com- them Libya's once huge cur- them loyal to the UN-backed mand has in consultation with rency reserves are being rapidly government in Tripoli, have President Adama Barrow depleted. been involved in efforts to oust reinstated Lt Buba Sanneh, Civilians flee fighting in north Syria The spokesman for Haftar's Haftar from the oil ports. Private Modou Njie, Lt Sarjo forces, Colonel Ahmad Al Mis- But the Tripoli government Jarju, Captain Abdoulie Jobe, mari, said that they had lost on Friday evening denied any Lt Amadou Sowe and Buba Manbij mid-January. They took eight week has sparked an exodus of control of Ras Lanuf's main air- involvement in the latest offen- Bojang in the army," the high- AFP yesterday alone, a military "more than 30,000 civilians, field to forces led by Islamists sive, condemning it as a level source who requested source told state news agency most of them women and chil- of the Benghazi Defence "military escalation". anonymity said. ens of thousands of Syrian SANA, "expanding our control dren", Observatory head Rami Brigades. The Benghazi Defence Bri- All six men were con- civilians have fled fero- in northeast parts of Aleppo Abdel Rahman said yesterday. "The attackers were armed gades are an Islamist militia victed and sentenced by a Tcious fighting between province". Their aim, according Most of the displaced went with modern tanks," Mismari that controlled Libya's second military court in April 2015, Russian-backed regime forces to the Syrian Observatory for to areas around Manbij, held by said. city until Haftar's forces ousted with three given death sen- and Islamic State group jihad- Human Rights, is IS-held Khaf- the US-backed Syrian Demo- "We lost two men. But the them from nearly all of it in an tences. Their appeals were ists over the past week in the sah, the main station pumping cratic Forces (SDF), an alliance battle is ongoing. The situation offensive launched in 2014. still pending with the coun- country's ravaged north. water into Aleppo. of Kurdish and Arab fighters also in the Oil Crescent remains They are allied with east- try's Supreme Court when Supported by Russian air Residents of Syria's second fighting IS. A correspondent in under control." ern tribes opposed to Haftar Barrow granted them power and artillery, Syrian gov- city have been without mains Manbij saw dozens of families There are four ports along and members of the Petroleum amnesty last month. The six ernment forces have waged a water for 47 days after the jihad- speeding towards the relative the Oil Crescent on the eastern Facilities Guard which control- men have already begun fierce offensive against IS, seiz- ists cut the supply. safety of the town on motorcy- part of the Gulf of Sirte which led the oil ports before Haftar's work, the source added. ing around 90 villages since The fighting over the past cles and in small buses and cars. account for the lion's share of takeover. SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 ASIA 09 North Korea warns US over terror listing

Seoul AFP "The US will keenly Malaysia expels realise how dearly orth Korea warned diplomat yesterday the US it has to pay for will "pay dearly" if it its groundless Kuala Lumpur puts Pyongyang on accusations against AFP a terror list over the the dignified North if Nkilling of its leader's half-brother, alaysia said yester- as a suspect in the murder it puts it back on the day it would expel claimed he was the victim of a terror list." Mthe North Korean conspiracy. ambassador in a deepening Kim Jong-Nam, 45, was poi- diplomatic row over the soned in Malaysia last month have been seen as a potential assassination of the half- with VX, a nerve agent so deadly rival. brother of Pyongyang's that it is classed as a weapon of However, the only North leader. A member of the media writes on a wall opposite the forensics wing of the Hospital Kuala mass destruction. Korean arrested over the assas- "The ambassador has Lumpur where the body of Kim Jong-Nam is being kept yesterday. "The US will keenly realise sination yesterday denounced been declared persona non how dearly it has to pay for its Malaysia's probe into the mur- grata," Malaysia's foreign approaching the heavyset Both are believed to be in The nuclear-armed North groundless accusations against der as "a conspiracy to impair the ministry said in a statement. 45-year-old and apparently Malaysia. Four others are was first designated a state spon- the dignified North if it puts it dignity of the Republic (North "The expulsion of the smearing his face with a cloth. thought to have fled to sor of terrorism by the US in 1987 back on the terror list," the Korea)". DPRK (North Korea) Ambas- Police say he suffered a sei- Pyongyang on the day of the when its agents bombed a South regime's foreign ministry Ri Jong-Chol, who was sador is... an indication of the zure and died less than 20 assassination. Korean plane killing all 115 on spokesman told state-run news- released and deported on Friday government's concern that minutes later. Swabs of the dead North Korea, which has not board. wire KCNA. due to lack of evidence, said that Malaysia may have been man's face revealed traces of VX acknowledged the dead man's But it was taken off the list in The spokesman maintained police had offered him a com- used for illegal activities," nerve agent. identity, has vehemently pro- 2008 after Pyongyang took steps that Pyongyang opposed "all fortable life in Malaysia in return the statement added. On Friday police issued an tested the investigation, saying toward freezing its nuclear forms of terrorism" and accused for a false confession. arrest warrant for a North Malaysia is in cahoots with its facilities. the US of trying to tarnish its "But no way. No matter how Ri's release came days after Korean airline employee, Kim Uk enemies. However, since then the reputation. good a life it could be, it is still two women -- one Vietnamese Il, 37, in connection with the In response, Malaysia has North has resumed its activities, South Korea has blamed the not as good as my own mother- and one Indonesian -- were murder. cancelled a rare visa-free travel conducting four atomic tests and North for the murder, citing what land. How could I forget the charged with murdering Kim They also requested that deal with North Korea -- a key numerous missile tests despite they say was a standing order motherland that raised me and Jong-Nam. Hyon Kwang Song, second sec- conduit to the outside world -- the fact that they are banned from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill fed me to this point?" he said to Airport CCTV footage retary at the North Korean and recalled its envoy to under several UN Security Coun- his exiled half-brother who may media in Beijing. showed the women embassy, assist the probe. Pyongyang. cil resolutions.

Vietnam firms MH370 families raise funds to support private search pull YouTube Kuala Lumpur Grace Nathan, a Malaysian whereabouts of the plane dance performances, while fam- "It should not be us, the fam- ads amid Reuters lawyer whose mother, Anne emerges. ily members and friends of those ily members, who should have Daisy, was on the plane, said the International experts last aboard made impassioned pleas been subjected to this pain, to go govt pressure amilies of passengers on familes hope to raise $15m to year assisted Voice 370, a sup- for the search to continue. and face this cruel reality." board missing Malaysia fund an initial search north of the port group for MH370 Jiang Hui, whose mother was Malaysian Transport Minis- Hanoi FAirlines flight MH370 yes- previous search area. next-of-kin, in mounting their on the plane, recounted his expe- ter Liow Tiong Lai, who attended Anatolia terday launched a campaign to "We won't start fundraising own search along the East Afri- rience discovering a piece of the event, said authorities had privately fund a search for the until we're sure that the govern- can coast where debris had been potential MH370 debris in Mada- analysed 27 pieces of potential COMPANIES operating in aircraft. ments are not going to resume discovered. gascar last year. MH370 debris along the East Vietnam have agreed to pull Flight MH370, carrying 239 the search and until the current "They pinpointed to us accu- "I thought it was very mirac- African coastline, including two ads from YouTube in the wake people, went missing on its way data has been fully reviewed and rately where the debris would ulous and fortunate when I new pieces found in South Africa of government threats to fine from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, analysed," she said at the cam- have made landfall. They've been found the piece of debris that two weeks ago. the site over content deemed nearly three years ago, on March paign launch and MH370 very helpful both on a personal day, but I thought it was useless The government has also illegal by the authorities. 8, 2014. memorial event held at a mall in level and to the investigation," because this sort of searching signed several agreements with "State-owned airline, Australia, Malaysia, and Kuala Lumpur. Grace said. activity should have been done countries along the East African Vietnam Airlines and the par- China jointly called off a two- The three governments have The memorial event, the first by the government," said Jiang, coastline to coordinate searches tially privatised Vinamilk year underwater search for the said they will resume the search held since the search was sus- who travelled from China to for debris, Liow Tiong Lai added food producer, the country’s aircraft in January. if any credible evidence on the pended, featured musical and attend the memorial. yesterday. largest public company by market capitalisation, are among the local firms to have pulled its ads," the govern- ment’s Vietnam Investment Rights groups urge UN to Review newspaper reported. “We demanded our part- ner to work with Youtube to probe Rohingya abuse stop running our ads in illegal videos,” read a statement from Yangon situation in Rakhine. Vinamilk to government’s Anatolia On Friday, 13 regional and Ministry of Information and international rights advocacy Communications. everal international organ- groups sent a joint open letter “Furthermore, we are isations have called for the to permanent representatives suspending any advertising SUnited Nations Human of the Council’s member and on the platform until our Rights Council to launch an observer states, urging them to media partner and YouTube inquiry to investigate alleged support calls for independent manage to resolve the issue". abuses against Rohingyas in investigations into rights abuses The Vietnamese govern- Myanmar’s western Rakhine against Rohingya. ment has recently claimed State. The letter reiterates that that YouTube features “offen- The UN High Commissioner inquiries launched by the gov- sive, violent, and subversive” for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad ernment into the conduct of videos in violation of local Al Hussein, and the UN special security forces have failed to law and has threatened to rapporteur on human rights in demonstrate genuine punish local companies that Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, both independence. continue to advertise on site. recently called for the UN "Enough is enough, it's time The authorities have said Human Rights Council to estab- for action,” Phil Robertson, it will fine YouTube, although lish during its 34th session a deputy Asia director of Human it has not yet stated the Commission of Inquiry into the Rights Watch, said. demanded sum.

Pro-government demonstrators hold a rally outside the city hall in Seoul, yesterday. Thousands urge early ruling on Park Malaysia denies violating UN sanctions Kuala Lumpur the country's foreign ministry Global System and Interna- Seoul uniform and chanting in unison deliberations could technically Reuters said in a statement. tional Golden Services. AFP "Constitutional Court, impeach take up to six months, local The statement said Malay- Glocom is a front company Park immediately!" media reports predict the judge- alaysia yesterday sia has provided required run by North Korean intelli- housands of South Korean Several blocks away, ment could come as early as rejected claims it may responses to queries raised by gence agents that sells protesters held rival mass another much smaller demon- next week. Mhave violated sanc- the United Nations Security battlefield radio equipment in Trallies yesterday over the stration demanded the The impeachment motion tions imposed by the United Council Panel of Experts and violation of UN sanctions, impeachment of President Park Constitutional Court reject the needs approvals from at least Nations on North Korea, after will fully cooperate. according to a United Nations Geun-hye as judges prepare to impeachment against the "poor six judges to take effect, after a Reuters report this week said Reuters reported that report submitted to the Secu- rule on the scandal that has innocent president". which a presidential election North Korea-linked firms were North Korean intelligence ran rity Council. rocked the country. The mostly middle-aged or will be held within 60 days. running an arms network in an arms operation out of This week, Malaysian Tens of thousands of anti- elderly supporters waved signs If it is rejected, Park could the country. Malaysia called Glocom, and authorities said they were Park protesters rallied in Seoul urging the military to "rise up" return to work and stay until the "Malaysia categorically two companies linked to the aware of the two North Korea- yesterday, some waving banners and dismantle parliament. end of her term in February rejects any such insinuation," trade were International linked companies. of the president in prison While the court's 2018. 10 VIEWS SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI [email protected]

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED [email protected]

EDITORIAL

A dangerous escalation

new round of fighting has erupted in Libya for the control of its major oil ports. The eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) and allied forces retreated from Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, two A of Libya’s largest export terminals, as a faction known as the Benghazi Defence Brigades (BDB) launched Black lives don’t matter in attacks, including air strikes. The assault marks a new escalation in Libya’s civil war, putting at risk oil exports which have witnessed a sharp increase since the LNA took control of the ports in xenophobic South Africa September. The LNA is controlled by eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar, The Benghazi defence brigades are militias from Benghazi who were something else, such as “criminal acts.” Never, never and never again shall it be driven out of the city by Haftar’s forces last year. An Redi Tlhabi These are hate crimes, no different from that this beautiful land will again experi- army spokesman said the militias had overrun the The Washington Post the killing of Indian engineer Srinivas ence the oppression of one by another.” main airfield at Ras Lanuf, with the army pulling Kuchibhotla in the United States. We have failed. According to the back to avoid damage to oil facilities. It’s not clear if The suspect reportedly asked him Migration Policy Institute, South the Benghazi brigades have taken full control of the and a companion whether they had valid Africa displays one of the highest lev- ports, but even if they do, the fighting is likely to visas and shouted that they should “get els of xenophobia in the world. In the continue with the LNA trying to recapture the ports. ast week was an ugly, humiliating one out of my country.” This sounds so past decade, foreigners have been The new battle threatens to destroy the country’s oil for South Africa; a country once con- familiar. Migrants in South Africa are blamed for every malaise under the industry and has also dealt a huge blow to the sidered a jewel of democracy on the constantly told to “go back home.” We sun — “They are stealing our jobs,” peacemaking efforts. African continent has been gripped by have not experienced random shootings “committing crimes” and, of course, The oil ports in Libya have been the focus of a wave of xenophobic violence. In a by citizens, but rather a well-orches- “taking our women.” Lmatter of days, more than 30 stores belonging trated, mass uprising by multitudes. And High levels of unemployment — months of fighting because exports from the ports are the main source of revenue for a country whose to foreign nationals were shut down after intense in this way, individuals escape personal especially youth unemployment, attacks and looting by locals in several town- responsibility for hate crimes. which averaged 51 percent between economy is in ruins due ships. We are breathing a sigh of relief that there Nelson Mandela, the founding father 2013 and 2016 -—creates a fertile to the civil war that has been no loss of life. of our democracy, said: environment for foreign workers to followed the overthrow This is not the first time that foreigners “South Africans must be scapegoats, despite the fact that of dictator Muammar have faced attacks in South Africa’s town- produce an actual South foreign-born migrants make up only Libyan militias Gaddafi in 2011. have captured ships and provinces. In 2008, the country’s African reality that will 1.6 million of South Africa’s popula- Powerful militias which streets were ablaze, literally, with violence reinforce humanity’s tion of about 55 million. key oil ports, are controlling several against foreigners. Ernesto Alfabeto Nha- belief in justice. . . . South Africans must remember the threatening an areas, and who got hold muave, a national from Mozambique, was sagacity and generosity extended to us in escalation in the of the weapons after the beaten, stabbed and set on fire in broad our time of need. African countries took fall of Gaddafi, have The acts of violence are country’s civil daylight. on South Africa’s liberation movements weakened the A police officer tried in vain to douse specifically targeted when they were banned by apartheid. war. UN-backed government the flames, but it was too late. Nhamuave at African and Asian They provided a home and education for in Tripoli. died. And there has been no justice for him. migrants. White migrants their families. Efforts to bring all of Sixty-two people, including South Africans, Some of these governments pro- Libya under the control were killed at that time and more than are safe. They own vided financial help to the party that is of a single government 100,000 were displaced. Last year, more businesses and property in government in South Africa today. I based in Tripoli have failed. The government in than 20 shops were looted in one area and generally go about am hoping that the divisions that colo- Tripoli is too weak to wrest control from the alone, and foreign nationals had to flee nialism and racism tried to engineer in militias, and the militias are unwilling to lay down their homes. their lives peacefully. our psyche will not prevail. I am hop- arms and become part of a federal government. On Friday, with the government’s They are seen as ing that citizens who endeavor to The UN and the international community have been endorsement, citizens from Pretoria, the capi- providers of work and make their countries “great again” will watching from the sidelines, hoping for the best tal, marched against foreign nationals in an capital, but black ones are not do so at the expense of basic anti-immigrant protest. The government said decency and justice. without choosing to intervene. seen as encroachments The current battle is linked to a wider conflict that the march was an agitation against crime between political and armed factions based in in South Africa, which has been endemic in and threats. The writer is a radio and television journalist eastern and western Libya that has severely this society for many years. from Johannesburg. disrupted oil production for several years. It’s Yet the protesters did not march to police complicated by the support of foreign countries for headquarters; instead they went to the Home various groups. Affairs office, which is in charge of immigra- Libya faces disintegration if the civil war tion in the country. continues unchecked. The militias and foreign The xenophobic violence tends to have a powers must realise this fact and cooperate with racial element. Nigerians, Somalis, the United Nations to find a permanent solution to Malawians, Pakistanis and Zimbabweans are the crisis. The UN has been mediating a plan to often the targets of this prejudice. Perhaps it reflects the complex truth about South Afri- restructure the government in Tripoli by ca’s xenophobia — that it is never just a incorporating Haftar. This formula and other rejection of a different identity but also a options must be explored seriously to rescue this lament for the economic exclusion experi- once-prosperous country. enced by black South Africans, or all black Africans, for that matter. The acts of violence are specifically tar- geted at African and Asian migrants. White QUOTE OF THE DAY migrants are safe. They own businesses and property and generally go about their lives peacefully. They are seen as providers of work and capital, but black ones are seen as I would bet a good encroachments and threats. They are from the margins of our society, lawyer could make and even the language used to describe them a great case out — illegal immigrants, illegal aliens, outsiders - of the fact that creates an “us and them” dynamic. They are President Obama dirty, they are criminals, they are drug ped- dlers — common accusations that are was tapping my articulated boldly on radio and television. phones in October, It is surreal as we watch how here and in just prior to Election. the United States, black lives really don’t mat- ter. Even in a majority black country, the government is not decisive or unequivocal in Foreign nationals and members of various South African civil society groups Donald Trump its condemnation, choosing instead to obfus- US President cate and sanitise this xenophobia by calling it take part in an anti-xenophobia march through Cape Town. SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 OPINION 11 How Trump’s wall is affecting those at the borders

mysterious limpness in one leg. on the communities it affects, say- Massoud Hayoun His friends have prepared him a tonic — a broth ing that such questions are Al Jazeera with cinnamon. The warm smell perfumes the shack, “speculative”. the size of some walk-in closets just opposite the bor- The CBP press team also der. “We are a family. We are brothers,” Alfredo directed Al Jazeera to the Trump lfredo lives in a shelter for deportees on explains. Like many US migrant workers struggling to administration for further com- Tijuana Beach, a stone’s throw from the survive, Alfredo has no wife or children. After years of ment as well as the original border wall that bars him from the United building in the US, which he says he still “respects”, he executive order signed in January States. That wall — not to be confused says the real separation between the US and Mexico is for more information. with the bigger one US President Donald “we have love for human beings here. It doesn’t matter Trump’s press team did not TrumpA plans to build — has existed for decades. your colour or religion — Catholic or not. We help how respond to an interview request Alfredo’s is among the most physically emblem- we can, even though we aren’t a rich country. Because from Al Jazeera. The Trump admin- atic of these shelters. There are many others. In fact, we know we might be the ones suffering tomorrow.” istration has repeatedly expressed there are more shelters and migrants here than ever, Tijuana’s people are scrambling to meet new disdain for media coverage that it since Trump launched his campaign to keep Mexi- challenges posed by Trump’s plans to bolster the complains is unflattering, provok- cans and other immigrants out of the US, activists say. existing border walls with a larger wall and also to ing the ire of free press and US The shelters are struggling to cope with what peo- drastically ramp up deportations of undocumented constitutional rights advocates. ple familiar with the border-crossing industry Americans. Many come from across Mexico and Cen- Among the criticisms of the wall - people-smugglers known here as “coyotes” — tell Al tral America but also faraway Haiti and even Africa. and deportations are signs that they Jazeera is a wave of migrants and deportees coming They have rushed to Tijuana and other Mexican bor- may actually hurt the US economy. to and from the US since Trump made calls to der cities, attempting to pay the coyotes thousands of Undocumented Americans contrib- heighten deportations of undocumented people and dollars to smuggle them across. Activists also com- ute $11.64bn to the US economy in signed an executive order calling to build the newer, plain of a heightened rash of deportations since taxes annually, according to a Feb- stronger border wall. Trump’s inauguration. ruary 2016 study from US The new wall won’t do much to keep people out; Al Jazeera counted at least 30 shelters for think-tank the Institute on Taxa- many here say with confidence and often a cheeky migrants in Tijuana; some are shacks, others are tion and Economic Policy. But with sense of humour. Still, its imminent construction is spare rooms in private homes or repurposed Trump’s promises to expel them, taken as a sign that people who have acted as a driv- churches. Most house migrants free of charge — some the burden is also strongly felt ing force of the American economy — not just Mexican charge 20 Mexican pesos, about $1, a day to cover beyond the US border, in Mexico. Americans but immigrants generally — are no longer maintenance. Of those, 19 have opened in the past “Trump is creating a humani- welcome there. “America was built with Mexican seven months, according to Hugo Castro, director of tarian crisis” in Tijuana, Castro said. hands,” Alfredo says in a low, sober voice. He empha- Angeles de la Frontera (Border Angels), an organisa- “He’s a war criminal of a war sised to Al Jazeera that this is what he wanted to tell tion dedicated to helping deliver resources to and that hasn’t been declared. It’s not a English-language readers around the world. raising awareness of migrants attempting to enter or war against a country. It’s a war A photo, taken from Mexican side, shows double After six years as a construction worker in the who have been deported from the US. against international migrants from southern US state of Mississippi, immigration officials Non-migrant Tijuana residents have noticed a sig- border walls, existing between the US and Somalia, Mexico, Central America, rounded up Alfredo and several other undocumented nificant change in their city’s make-up in recent Mexico, near the International Airport of Tijuana. Iraq, from all the world. The American workers and deported them to Mexico. months. “There are many more people suffering here migrants are suffering, the risk of “Instead of at least treating us as humans, we are than even before,” said Rosario Corona, 19, at the city’s dying [in transit] has increased.” treated as animals. For them, we are animals,” he says. signature cathedral Nuestra Senora de Guadelupe (Our but by life experience and family. Her husband, child Castro visits about five shelters a In a small shack crammed with around 30 depor- Lady of Guadalupe). Corona works with a church and grandchild are ethnically Mexican, and she lives day with donations of food and cash, tees originally from Mexico and El Salvador, Alfredo, youth group that administers aid to migrants and oth- in Tijuana’s Playas or Beach neighbourhood - not far he says. A dual citizen with the US, 54, who asked to go only by his first name out of a ers in need. from Alfredo’s shelter. For her, Trump’s words about he often visits universities there to mistrust of authorities common among deportees, Corona waits in a line at the cathedral for a priest Mexicans are “slightly moderated hate speech, explain the issues faced by migrants. spoke to Al Jazeera in the dark, his face obscured in a to administer the Catholic sacrament confession, designed to turn a whole swath of humanity into cari- lampless, unheated sleeping area. Gusts of wind burst where one seeks absolution for sins. She is flanked in catures from a Clint Eastwood movie, isn’t it? All through a broken window as he spoke, holding back the pews by migrants, some of whom sit in church about the drama and soundbite, poisonous meta- a severe cough shared by his roommates. not only for prayer but for lack of anywhere else to phors - messages of mass destruction.” For Alfredo, whose struggle to earn a livelihood go. One tells Al Jazeera that he’s going to enter the In July 2015, Trump made a brief visit to a US bor- has taken him thousands of miles from his native confession booth not to ask the priest for forgiveness der town with Mexico - Laredo, Texas - where he Mexico City, he hopes his last stop will be this dilapi- but for charity. Moments later, he leaves empty- reiterated promises to crack down on migrants. dated shelter — his thin mat bedding among many on handed — with so many in this city in need, it remains In mid-2016, Castro says, migrants began to real- D-RING ROAD a cold asphalt floor under a crumbling roof. unclear whether he got what he came for. “Unity and ise that Trump might beat his Democratic opponent, POST BOX: 3488 He won’t make the dangerous, gruelling trek to respect is what makes a place strong,” says Liliana Hillary Clinton. The migrants flocked to border the US again, he says. He’s one of many migrants in Vasquez, 26, one of Corona’s fellow youth group towns, particularly Tijuana. On January 25, the freshly DOHA - QATAR Tijuana without dreams of America, but there are workers, as their group leaves the church. inaugurated president finally signed the executive [email protected] many more who do, in these shelters - packed with The sudden surge in the number of shelters and order allowing for the creation of the wall — who will new deportees and migrants hoping to make it to the the influx of new migrants that prompted it, Castro pay for the wall remains uncertain, despite Trump’s US before Trump tightens controls of what continues says, happened amid mounting fears that Trump insistence that Mexico will. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE to be a porous border. might win and make good on promises to build a wall Mexican officials have scoffed at that assertion. TEL: 4455 7741 / 767 In the next room, Ramon, one of the co-organis- and ramp up deportations. And then in early February, the Los Angeles Times FAX: +974 4455 7758 ers of the shelter, has fallen severely ill with a flu. He It began in June 2015, when Trump launched his newspaper reported, citing calculations of presiden- also suffers from what his roommates describe as a presidential election campaign with a speech that bewil- tial directives, that Trump would deport as many as MANAGING EDITOR dered many across the US-Mexico border and around eight million undocumented Americans. TEL: 4462 7505 the world: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not Trump has that said he “wasn’t kidding” about the sending their best,” he said. “They’re sending people that border, telling the press that it was “being designed”. DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR Tijuana’s people are scrambling have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those prob- But just hours earlier, across the US border in San TEL: 4455 7769 to meet new challenges posed lems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing Diego, a US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officer, crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good who spoke without offering his name or being by Trump’s plans to bolster the LOCAL NEWS SECTION existing border walls with a people.” recorded because the officer was not authorised to For many in Tijuana, these words hit a nerve. speak to the press, joked that there was already a wall TEL: 4455 7743 larger wall and also to drastically Susan Smith, 61, is a non-Latina US-born social jus- and said that the new one “will change nothing”. ramp up deportations of tice and anti-nuclear-proliferation activist, born on CBP declined to respond to a request for com- BUSINESS NEWS SECTION undocumented Americans. the US border with Mexico in the state of New Mexico. ment on the wall and deportations — specifically TEL: 4462 7535 She identifies as Mexican, not by birth or ethnicity, criticism of the project’s efficacy and potential impact SPORT NEWS SECTION TEL: 4455 7745

ONLINE SECTION Can’t stream Netflix? The cloud may be to blame TEL: 4462 7501 [email protected] buy my own computer, keep it online at all times the U.S. military wanted a communications system that PUBLIC RELATIONS and upgrade it if my business grew. If sales didn’t could survive a nuclear strike. Elaine Ou TEL: 4455 7613 Bloomberg take off, I’d be stuck with hardware I no longer Pre-cellular telephone networks consisted of cen- needed. Today, aspiring e-tailers don’t need to tralized switchboards, with physical lines running into [email protected] make that capital investment — they can just rent every house. Communication required a continuous computing capacity from a cloud provider. The connection. If a switchboard or phone line went down, ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT infrastructure automatically scales to meet their the call was over. TEL: 4455 7837 / 780 hen a cloud-storage demands. To address the problem, a researcher at RAND Corp. FAX: 4455 7870 malfunction at Amazon Yelp, Netflix, Lyft, and Airbnb all use Amazon’s designed a distributed communications system, with nodes [email protected] temporarily knocked cloud infrastructure. Until last year, Dropbox pro- connected through multiple paths. If one pathway broke, out services including vided its seamless storage service entirely on the information would take an alternate route. In 1969, the CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT Netflix, Slack, the Secu- Amazon. Even when a company is big enough to technology developed into ARPANET, which linked nodes TEL: 4455 7857 Writies and Exchange Commission’s buy its own data centers, it’s almost always cheaper through a network of long-distance telephone calls that [email protected] website, “smart” thermostats and my to rent. Cloud computing has become a commodity, never hung up. This eventually evolved into what we know email server this week, it demonstrated and it’s difficult to compete with a company that as the internet. SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION how much we’ve all come to depend on prioritizes volume over profit margins. Today’s internet is still distributed, but the data that live TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 one company’s infrastructure. It also Apple still runs parts of iCloud on Amazon’s on the network are more centralised. Thanks to the eco- FAX: 44557819 shows how the centralisation of data has servers, and only recently moved a large portion to nomic advantages of cloud computing, a few providers made the internet — at least the part that Google’s cloud. control a large amount of capacity. As a result, a network [email protected] most of us use — more vulnerable than it Unfortunately, when cloud providers fail, they that was designed to survive a nuclear attack is now suscep- was designed to be. drag their customers down with them. An Amazon tible to outages at a single company. Although Amazon may be known glitch in 2011 took popular websites offline for sev- Fortunately, the technology itself still works as originally All thoughts and views mainly for two-day shipping, cloud com- eral days. Last year, Alphabet Inc.’s Google and its intended — the Department of Defense has its own distrib- expressed in these columns puting is where it actually makes money. customers experienced a 20-minute global outage. uted communications networks separate from the civilian The company owns big data centers Even if cloud software somehow becomes error- internet, so military operations can continue after an attack. are those of the writers, not around the world and rents out computing free, nature won’t — a Google data center in Europe The rest of us, by contrast, will have to live with the fact that of the newspaper. power and storage on demand. This global failed after lightning struck the local utility grid. our favorite services may occasionally cease to function all cloud infrastructure service is dominated Outages have always happened. The difference is at once. All correspondence by just four players, and Amazon’s market that now they can affect thousands of internet serv- regarding Views and The writer is a blockchain engineer at Global Financial Access, a share is greater than that of the next three ices at once. Opinion pages should be combined. This isn’t how the internet was supposed to financial technology company in San Francisco. Previously she During the dot-com days, if I wanted work. It was specifically designed not to rely on any was a lecturer in the electrical and information engineering mailed to the to sell pet products on the web, I had to single piece of infrastructure. During the Cold War, department at the University of Sydney. [email protected] 12 ASIA SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 Philippine envoy visits US carrier in disputed sea

'Strong ties' Manila of navigation in the strategic alliance with the US into with America's naval patrols AFP waterway claimed by Beijing, question, threatening a "sep- through Chinese-claimed The Philippine Manila and a host of other aration" from Washington waters but said he was Defence Secretary he Philippines' Southeast Asian nations. last year and calling for the "impressed" by the aircraft Delfin Lorenzana said defence secretary Defence Secretary Delfin withdrawal of American carrier and its some 70 he and other yesterday visited a Lorenzana (pictured) said he troops from his country. aircraft. government top US aircraft carrier and other top officials in After angrily rejecting US "They have more combat officials had a "very patrolling the Duterte's administration had criticism of his deadly war on planes than the (Philippine interesting and TSouth China Sea, hailing the a "very interesting and drugs, the firebrand president Air Force)," he added. informative" visit to "strong relationship" with informative" visit to the air- has shifted his nation's for- Under previous govern- the aircraft carrier. Washington despite Presi- craft carrier. eign policy more towards ments, Manila tried to dent Rodrigo Duterte's pivot "We have a strong rela- China and Russia. improve defence ties with its away from Manila's tradi- tionship with the US on Duterte has made over- former colonial ruler Wash- "We have a strong tional ally. account of our mutual tures to Beijing despite a ington to boost one of Asia's relationship with the The US Navy said the USS defence treaty," he added, long-running territorial dis- weakest armed forces. US on account of our Carl Vinson had been engag- referring to the cornerstone pute over the South China President Duterte has mutual defence ing in "routine operations in 1951 agreement. Sea. said he plans to source weap- treaty." the South China Sea" since Duterte has thrown the Lorenzana said the Phil- ons from Beijing and Moscow last month to assert freedom Philippines' 70-year-old ippines had "nothing to do" instead.

10 Abu Sayyaf Royal visit Uzbekistan arrests labour activist members dead London was arrested on Wednesday, me from going to a meeting Reuters beaten by police and taken to a scheduled to take place in in Sulu clash psychiatric clinic in the capital, Tashkent to discuss the situa- campaigner against Tashkent. tion of the victims of forced Zamboanga City forced labour in Urlaeva was due to attend a labour in the cotton industry," Anatolia A Uzbekistan's cotton fields meeting on Thursday with the Urlaeva said in the video. was arrested ahead of an inter- World Bank, the International A World Bank spokes- AT LEAST ten IS-linked ter- national meeting where she was Labour Organization (ILO) and woman could not confirm any rorists have been killed and scheduled to give evidence on the International Organization information regarding Urlaeva's several soldiers wounded as human rights violations, a of Trade Unions to discuss arrest but a spokesman for the sporadic skirmishes contin- human rights group said. forced labour in the cotton campaign group Human Rights ued in southern province of In a video recording pub- industry. Watch (HRW) said they had spo- Sulu until yesterday morning. lished online, the veteran "The policemen beat me, ken to Urlaeva's son to confirm Colonel Cirilo Sobejana, activist Elena Urlaeva said she tearing my clothes, to prevent the arrest. commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, said there have been ten enemy (Abu Sayyaf) deaths recorded so far as gov- China urges ernment troops continue 6.3 magnitude earthquake offensives in areas of Patikul cooepration and Indanan towns. He said a two-hour clash hits Papua New Guinea between troops of the 2nd from Taiwan Scout Ranger Battalion and Sydney south of Bougainville island. some 120 Abu Sayyaf in Reuters Earthquakes are common lawmakers Barangay Tubig Dakula, in PNG, which sits on the Indanan last Wednesday left n earthquake of 6.3 Pacific's 'Ring of Fire', a Beijing five bandits dead and 11 sol- magnitude struck off hotspot for seismic activity AP diers injured. APapua New Guinea due to friction between tec- This was followed by yesterday, the US Geological tonic plates. A TOP Chinese official is call- another heavy skirmish Survey (USGS) said, but there Bougainville Island is one ing for more contacts between between elements of the 32nd were no immediate reports of the islands that make up politicians in mainland China Infantry Battalion and the Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko walk of casualties or damage. the Autonomous Region of and Taiwan amid ongoing ten- local terrorists which took into the compound of the memorial house of Vietnam's There was also no tsu- Bougainville within PNG sions between the sides. place at Sitio Kan Undong, nationalist Phan Boi Chau, in the central city of Hue, nami warning from the quake which is home to around The head of China's leg- Barangay Igasan in Patikul yesterday. that struck about 120 km 300,000 people. islative advisory body, Yu town. Zhengsheng, said on Friday "We have received that China continues its firm reports of another five dead opposition to Taiwan's formal body count on the side of Abu independence and insistence Sayyaf over the last twenty that its leaders accept that the four hours," Sobejana said. China govt adviser criticises web censorship self-governing island is part As of this report, Sobejana of China. said all-out offensives against Yu said members of his the Abu Sayyaf group con- Beijing "Slow access to overseas work as "not normal." to load while "a famous foreign body should increase contacts tinue in Sulu in an effort to AP academic websites have forced Many Chinese employ vir- search engine" — an apparent with elected officials in Tai- contain the bandits and res- domestic researchers to buy tual private networks to scale the reference to Google — was also wan and with ordinary cue the remaining hostages. senior Chinese govern- software to circumvent China's censors' blocks, known some- blocked. people. "Government forces are ment adviser has warned site-blocking firewall, or even times as "the Great Firewall of He recommended that the Yu made the remarks in supported by air and artillery A that the country's Inter- travel overseas to conduct China." government determine which an address at the opening of strikes as well as armour". net censorship is hampering research," Luo Fuhe, vice-chair- Luo, who studied and websites are off-limits with the annual session of the Chi- According to him, series scientific research and economic man of the Chinese People's researched agriculture before greater "precision" and allow full nese People's Political of skirmishes came amid development, in a rare public Political Consultative Confer- taking up his official posts, also open access to sites frequented Consultative Conference, intensified military opera- criticism of a sensitive policy ence, said. He described the noted that the United Nations by researchers, particularly if which advises the rubber- tions following the beheading that the government has vigor- lengths that Chinese research- Food and Agriculture Program's they do not contain political stamp parliament, whose of the German hostage. ously defended. ers go to simply carry out their webpages took up to 20 seconds content. annual session begins today.

Duterte govt committed to human rights Cherry blossom season

Manila there was no tolerance for Reuters "Vigilante or extrajudicial killings, authori- ties made promises of immunity he Philippines yesterday extrajudicial killings from investigation and prose- said it was committed to are unlawful and cution for officers involved in Thuman rights and con- are therefore drug killings," the report said. demned extrajudicial killings but not sanctioned. Duterte's spokesman said those were "not to be con- Ernesto Abella responded by fused" with incidents in its war The government saying human rights were a pri- on drugs, after a US State condemns such ority for the government - as Department report voiced con- practice". was the "noble crusade" against cern about such deaths. drugs. About 8,000 people have "Vigilante or extrajudicial died since President Rodrigo Human Rights Practices, killings are unlawful and are Duterte unleashed a crackdown released on Friday, said the most therefore not sanctioned. The on drugs eight months ago that significant problems for the government condemns such has caused international alarm. Philippines were killings alleg- practice," Abella said in a Some 2,555 deaths were in edly undertaken by vigilantes, statement. operations where police said security forces, and "These are not to be con- they had encountered violent insurgents. fused with the government's war resistance. It noted public statements on illegal drugs, which is an Rights groups believe many by Duterte "suggesting that kill- urgent and critical domestic of the others were assassina- ing suspected drug traffickers matter. We hope the interna- tions of drugs users, with police and users was necessary to meet tional community will support complicity. The authorities his goal," and it voiced concern us in this effort." A girl dressed up in a traditional dress poses for photography enthusiasts next to reject that and blame vigilantes about police impunity. Duterte has repeatedly a cherry blossom tree in the Gucun Park in Shanghai, yesterday. The official Cherry or drugs gangs. "Although the president and threatened to sever military ties The USState Department's senior officials stated that police between the historic allies but Blossom Festival in the Gucun park starts at the end of March. annual country report on should follow the law, and that has not followed through. SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 ASIA 13

Plea for life Suu Kyi invites South Asia's rebel group leader to peace process 'N-dynamics Yangon Anatolia

MYANMAR’S State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has invited complicated' the leader of a most power- ful ethnic rebel group in the Islamabad country for a discussion on Internews the group’s participation in the The study notes how peace process, an official said akistan’s security India and the US have yesterday. threat comes from expressed concern The Myanmar Peace India, which has about longstanding Commission sent a letter to moved to a new Bao Youxiang -- chairman of strategy of conduct- Pakistan-China the United Wa State Army Ping surgical strikes inside cooperation, and (UWSA) based in southeast- Pakistan, says a new study Pakistan has ern Shan state -- for a which also warns that despite expressed concern meeting with State Counselor nuclearisation, the possibility Myanmar nationalists rally to condemn a Thai appeal court's decision to uphold the Aung San Suu Kyi, according of another war in the region about India-US death sentences for two Myanmar men convicted of killing British tourists in Thailand, to Myanmar’s Presidential cannot be ruled out. cooperation. outside Yangon's city hall, yesterday. Spokesperson, Zaw Htay, The 15-month study project yesterday. by a Washington think-tank, “State Counselor invited the Brookings Institution, the study, the report also chairman of UWSA through focuses on the “strategic chain” explores the influence of other the Peace Commission for a linking Pakistan, India, China major powers on South Asia’s talk over peace process"> and the US. strategic dynamics, arguing that Robot serves food at Multan pizzeria Dismissed for years by the It argues that the strategic Russia too is an additional link Western countries and dynamics among these four in the chain. Islmabad outside the shop who want to the number of human waiters observers as a drug-traffick- nuclear powers cannot be The report warns that as the Internews dine here,” said Syed Aziz as he did not want to make any- ing cartel, UWSA with an understood or effectively nuclear gap between China and Ahmed Jafari, the owner of body jobless. estimated 25,000 heavily addressed on a strictly bilateral India narrows, China may pizzeria in Pakistan’s his- Pizza.com. He also urged the govern- armed troops and strong ties basis. increase its interest in the torical city of Multan, He said his son, Syed Osama ment to come forward and help to China has now emerged as “While Pakistan responds India-Pakistan nuclear A located in southern part Aziz, gave the unique idea of his son improve this the new collective leader of strategically to India, India competition. of the Punjab province, has sud- making a robotic waitress to technology. the country’s ethnic responds both to Pakistan and It argues that “Pakistan’s denly become the focus of give a boost to the business. "The robot is able to navi- resistance. China, which in turn responds security threat comes from consumers’ attention, and not “My son was interested in gate to the customer’s table, The group recently hosted both to India and the United India” and the longstanding particularly because of aromas going to the United States for greet the customer, serve the a meeting in their headquar- States,” says a report. unresolved Kashmir dispute lies and tastes. further studies, but I asked him meal and come back to the ters in a small town of The 76-page document is at the heart of tensions between The reason: a robotic wait- to do something for our coun- counter," said Aziz, the Pangkham near Myanmar’s the first Brookings publication the two neighbours. ress is wandering about the try, particularly this city developer. border with China in which articulating the Pakistani per- The author notes that restaurant and serving food to (Multan),” he said. Weighing 25 kilogrammes seven rebel groups have spective on nuclear doctrine. India’s political elite, with its the diners. “I am also feeling proud as and capable of carrying up to decided not to sign the gov- “Without Indian restraint, growing economy, is pursuing More importantly, the robot a Multani; we have left Karachi, 5kg of food, the robot also ernment’s Nationwide Pakistan is unlikely to constrain an ambitious and destabilising has been developed by pizzeria Lahore and Islamabad behind,” detects and requests the obsta- Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). its programmes unilaterally. military build-up, to become a owner’s son, an electrical engi- he smiled. cle in its way to give way. “Due to the lacks of all- Without Chinese restraint, India global power and regional neering graduate from NUST He said that people were “Much is needed to improve inclusiveness, we believe will be very reluctant to limit hegemon. Islamabad. coming to his pizzeria not only it. I took the basic idea from signing the NCA can’t bring its programmes unilaterally or “The absence of a meaning- “Soon after the news of the from Multan but even from the China where robots are work- the peace." engage in bilateral controls with ful, sustainable and robotic waitress spread, there is adjoining districts. ing and serving in restaurants "Instead we must forge a Pakistan that, according to result-driven dialogue and the a long queue of customers He said he would not reduce already,” he said. new path to peace". India, would limit its options growing strategic partnership vis-a-vis China. And without between India and the United US constraints on capabilities States are matters of grave con- of concern to China, Beijing cern for Pakistan,” the author may continue to resist curbing warns. PakTurk school alumni to protest takeover of network its strategic modernisation He notes that 42 years after efforts,” it argues. its first nuclear test, New Delhi Karachi foundation are alarmed at the PakTurk Schools request the regarding the fate of Turkish The study notes how India spends almost seven times Internews government’s decision to hand government to allow the Turk- teachers and these schools,” and the US have expressed con- more on its military than Islam- over the running of PakTurk ish teachers to stay in Pakistan stated the press release. cern about longstanding abad. Rejecting India’s raduates of the PakTurk schools to MAARIF Foundation, and stop MAARIF from taking The press release also stated Pakistan-China cooperation in argument that its missiles are school foundation in which the graduates have over our school. Otherwise, no that media was rife with reports important areas, and Pakistan meant to tackle a perceived GPakistan will hold a dem- accused of being ‘involved in NGO would ever take interest in of the Inspector General of Pun- has expressed concern about threat from China, the author onstration against the ‘takeover’ physical abuse cases against stu- working inside Pakistan over the jab Police and Counter Terrorism India-US cooperation in impor- argues: “The most advanced of their network by a Turkey- dents in Albania’ as well as fear of its staff being deported Department (CTD) threatening tant areas, especially in the and operationally-ready Indian based group named MAARIF possessing ‘lack of English pro- or the system being taken over the Chairman PakTurk Educa- wake of the US-India civil missiles can be employed Foundation. ficiency and incompetent by some other controversial tion Foundation and its Board of nuclear deal. against Pakistan more effec- According to a press release, degrees’. group. It’s the hour of need that Directors to resign from their Although not included in tively than against China.” graduates of the PakTurk school “We, the graduates of a revised decision be taken posts.

Lawyer dead as Daily life 4 kids among 8 dead in Afghan attack gunmen open Kabul General Dawlat Waziri, a has been the site of several fire in tribal belt AP Defense Ministry spokesman, recent clashes between Afghan said yesterday that an investi- security forces and armed Peshawar t least eight Afghan civil- gation of the incident is insurgents. AP ians, including four underway. One resident, a 30-year- Achildren, were killed in an "We are aware of the alle- old mother of four named PAKISTANI police say uni- attack in western Farah prov- gations made by the local Salima, said two of her chil- dentified gunmen have killed ince, according to Afghan people, right now an investiga- dren were killed and a third a prominent attorney in an officials. tion is going on into the incident wounded. apparent targeted shoot- However there is disagree- in Farah," Waziri said. Salima, who like many ing in a northwestern town ment over what exactly caused Dr Abdul Hakim Rasouli, Afghans goes by only one name, near a tribal region border- the deaths. director of Farah Hospital, said said her family was hit by an ing Afghanistan. Mohammad Naser Mehri, that 22 others are wounded in airstrike. Khalid Khan, a police spokesman for the provincial the attack. "I don't want to be alive any- officer in Shabqadar, says two governor, said yesterday that the "Three of the wounded are more while I don't have my gunmen on a motorcycle incident was a roadside bomb in critical condition and will be children with me," she said, opened fired on Mohammed explosion which took place in transferred to another hospital crying. Jan Gigyani when he was the Bala Buluk district. But fam- in neighboring Herat province The Afghan security forces A Pakistani man is seen on a colourful bus at Raja driving his car yesterday. ily members of the victims are for their further treatment," he operate helicopter gunships, as Khan said Gigyani was criti- marketplace, in Rawalpindi. claiming they were hit by an air said. does the US-led military coali- cally wounded and died en strike. Farah's Bala Buluk district tion in Afghanistan. route to a hospital. Khan says Gigyani was a prominent lawyer affiliated with the secular Qaumi Watan political party. One Belt, One Road initiative to benefit Pakistan: Envoy Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction of Paki- Islamabad countries and regions involved. The ambassador said that the promote investment, expand A spokesperson for the fifth stani Taliban militants Internews “China-Pakistan Economic Silk Road economic belt and domestic demand, increase job session of the 12th Chinese Peo- claimed responsibility for the Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship maritime Silk Road, like the tra- opportunities and eradicate ple’s Political Consultative killing. Spokesman Asad akistan’s Ambassador to project, and it will bring the ditional route, would connect poverty. Conference National Committee Mansoor said the group will China, Masood Khalid, said already consolidated China- various areas and civilisations. According to Chinese For- said the Silk Road Economic Belt continue such attacks. Pyesterday that the One Pakistan all-weather strategic The newspaper reported that eign Ministry spokesperson Geng and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Shabqadar is near Moh- Belt, One Road initiative by partnership to a new dimension Beijing would hold the One Belt, Shuang, participants at the forum Road Initiative, also known as mand tribal region where China would usher in incompa- of social and economic develop- One Road international cooper- will focus on international con- the Belt and Road Initiative, was suicide bombers killed eight rable benefits to economy, trade ment,” he said while talking to ation summit in May. nectivity cooperation, regional not a scheme by China govern- people near a court complex and infrastructure along with the Chinese edition of Ta Kung Analysts said recently that economic growth and common ment to exert its influence last week. energy development for the Pao newspaper. the initiative would help development. globally. 14 ASIA SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017

Over 84% cast vote in Manipur first phase Prohibition on exit polls Imphal India polls IANS till March 9 Chief election officer ver 84 percent poll- Vivek Kumar Srinagar ing was recorded in Dewangan said that IANS the first phase of as per information so elections to the far available, there he Election Commis- Manipur Assembly was 84 percent sion yesterday Oyesterday, officials said but extended the ban on polling in the 38 T added that the figure could exit polls for the assembly constituencies across increase when all the informa- elections in Goa, Manipur, six districts. tion had been collected. Chief Punjab, Uttarakhand and election officer Vivek Kumar Uttar Pradesh by a day to Dewangan said that as per infor- March 9, following the mation so far available, there franchise," he said, noting that death of two candidates. was 84 percent polling in the 38 in a polling station in Thongju "Conducting of exit poll constituencies across six constituency in Imphal east dis- and disseminating result of districts. trict, 98 percent voting was any exit poll now stands However, officials said that recorded. prohibited till 5.30pm of it may exceed 86 percent by the Meanwhile, several youth March 9, 2017," the poll time all information is collected. had organised a campaign to use Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a roadshow in support of BJP candidates in Varanasi, panel said, as it adjourned, Dewangan also said that the NOTA. One youth said: "The yesterday. to March 9, the poll in UP's exact turnout will only be known elected members have not done Alapur and Uttarakhand's after the arrival of the polling anything significant for us. polling was peaceful. "Though Erenedo of Irom Sharmila's Peo- Police heaved a sigh of relief Karna Prayag. The officials from the remote and Besides the role of the black the poll time was over by 3 p.m., ple's Resurgence and Justice as voting ended, with no major adjournment came after interior hill areas, adding that money is disgusting. There are many voters were allowed to Alliance, was allegedly assaulted law and order problem being the deaths of Chand Shek- they will be airlifted only on Sun- some parties and candidates cast votes for a long time as the by some persons. reported from anywhere. It was har, the SP candidate from day evening. who are out to come to power voting started late at some places "My ear is damaged and I widely feared that there could Alapur and Kanwasi, the "The heavy turnout of the with money power." due to technical snags in the have pain in the chest...will lodge be violence, since there were Bahujan Samaj Party can- voters is very encouraging. Many Dewangan said that except EVMs," he added. a complaint against the miscre- minor clashes, bomb blasts, gun didate in Karna Prayag. first timers also exercised their for some stray minor incidents, In one incident a candidate, ants," Erenedo said. attacks and torching vehicles.

India finalises DU students slam fascist politics bills to launch 2 child protection New Delhi GST in July IANS officers arrested oining a protest march of stu- New Delhi dents and teachers here Reuters Kolkata scandal, Chandana Jagainst what they called "bid AFP Chakraborty, told investigators to curb freedom of speech and ndia moved a step closer that Choudhury had been expression in academic institu- yesterday towards launch- wo child protection offic- involved in child trafficking for tions", the opposition parties Iing a new national sales tax ers have been arrested several years. Police arrested yesterday attacked the govern- from July after a panel of fed- Tfor alleged links with a Chakraborty, a retired school ment accusing it of "fascist eral and state finance officials trafficking gang that ran ille- principal, and her deputy Son- politics". finalised two key bills to be put gal adoption centres in eastern ali Mondal last month after a They also assured the stu- before parliament. The Goods India selling children to foreign tip-off from the federal adop- dents of raising the issue in Indian students from Delhi University shouting slogans as and Services Tax (GST) has couples, police said tion agency. Parliament with increased they march in a rally in New Delhi, yesterday. missed several launch dates. yesterday. The pair ran the Bimala intensity. Hundreds of students Yesterday, Finance Minister Investigators said children Sishu Griha centre where chil- and teachers walked from They were stopped by police Tyagi, Yogendra Yadav of Arun Jaitley said the measure aged between six months and dren were sold abroad through Mandi House towards Parlia- near Parliament Street Police Swaraj India Party and profes- is on track for a rollout from 14 years were sold in illegal forged documents to couples for ment in the national capital, Station. sors of Delhi University (DU) and July 1 with the bills set to be adoptions to couples from as much as Rs1.5m ($23,000). raising slogans against alleged The students were joined by Jawaharlal Nehru University discussed in parliament after Europe, America and Asia for Investigators said the scam had violence by the Rashtriya CPI-M General Secretary Sita- (JNU). it reconvenes next week. To between $12,000 and $23,000 lasted for several years before Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and ram Yechury, CPI National Mother of JNU student meet the deadline, parliament and taken out of the country. they started monitoring the its student body Akhil Bharatiya Secretary D. Raja, Janata Dal Najeeb Ahmed, missing since must pass the bills, which While India has an esti- charity in June when federal Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Chief General Secretary and October last year, also joined the spell out the operational mated 30 million orphans, legal authorities found discrepancies the campus. National Spokesperson K.C. protest from Jantar Mantar. details of the new tax. adoption is rare because of in their records and relocated strict rules governing the prac- all the children from the tice and there is a thriving illicit centre. market. Chakraborty allegedly ran Fresh autopsy Police arrested two Darjeel- health camps to identify poor Bangladesh temporarily bans its ing child protection officials, and unmarried pregnant Mrinal Ghosh and Debasish women and persuaded them to ordered on Chanda, on Friday "for their give up their babies for adop- nationals from working in Bahrain links with the adoption scan- tion after paying them. Kerala soldier dal", Nishat Parvej of the state's Experts say lengthy bureau- Dhaka the ban will be lifted after reach- Bahrain, in which around 50,000 Criminal Investigation Depart- cratic delays and complex rules IANS ing an agreement with are illegal workers. ment said. in the adoption process push Thiruvananthapuram Bahrainian authorities that The officials confirmed that He said three more govern- desperate couples toward the IANS he Bangladeshi embassy could safeguards the best inter- there was a huge number of ment officials had "absconded", illegal adoption market. Only in Bahrain has announced ests of workers, Xinhua news workers who are homeless and as the widening inquiry into the 3,678 children were legally fresh autopsy was Ta temporary ban of issu- agency reported. sleep on the roads and public adoption racket embroils polit- adopted by couples in India ordered yesterday on ing permission for its nationals An official from the embassy utilities. The ban was not the ical and administrative figures. between April 2015 and March Athe body of a 33-year- to work in the Gulf nation until told the local Al Wasat daily that first, as the embassy suspended So far six people have been 2016, according to official data. old soldier from Kerala who the problems faced by them in the embassy received no less the permissions in 2015 for the nabbed over the scandal, The latest scandal comes was reported missing after a the country are solved, local than 50 complaints from Bang- same reasons, while in 2008 the including Juhi Choudhury, a roughly four months after sting video on the "abuse" of officials said yesterday. ladeshis on a daily basis, majority government of Bahrain sus- senior member of Prime Min- police arrested 18 people in the buddy system in the army and The decision was enforced of those related to not receiving pended issuing work permits for ister Narendra Modi's party in same state over a racket that whose body was later found from March 1 because of viola- salaries on time. According to Bangladeshis after one of them West Bengal. saw gangs steal newborn babies in an abandoned barrack, tions of the rights of the embassy, there are 180,000 killed a Bahraini over work The head of the adoption from nursing homes with the after his family demanded Bangladeshis in Bahrain, while Bangladeshis working in dispute. centre at the heart of the intention of selling them. justice. Lance Naik Roy Mathew, 33, had been reported miss- ing since February 25 and his Mumbai to have Shiv Sena decomposed body was found Buddhist ritual hanging from the ceiling of an abandoned barrack in Deo- Mayor after BJP withdraws lali Cantonment, Nashik. "I want justice and I want Mumbai and will always vote in favour to know what happened to IANS of progress and development," my husband," Finy, Mathew's he told media persons here. The wife, said yesterday at the n a major climb down, the BJP decision would pave the Thiruvananthapuram airport BJP has withdrawn from the way for a Shiv Sena mayor to where his body arrived ear- Irace for post of Mayor of Bri- sail through easily at the elec- lier in the morning. hanMumbai Municipal tions scheduled on March 8. A relative said: "He was a Corporation, Chief Minister The Shiv Sena immediately jawan and served the coun- Devendra Fadnavis announced welcomed the BJP decision with try for 14 years. The entire here yesterday. Fadnavis said Transport Minister and party episode seems to be mysteri- his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Diwakar Raote saying ous and no one knows what is ready to offer support to the the BJP has recognised the has happened to him. And Shiv Sena but would not take mandate of the people of Mum- even after the body arrived, any post, including of Deputy bai. On the other side, Congress the convention is to immedi- Mayor, Leader of Opposition, spokesperson Raju Waghmare ately drape the coffin in the or chairmanship of any com- said this was expected since the Indian Tri-colour and that too mittees in the country's richest match between the BJP and the did not take place." The rela- and biggest civic body. Shiv Sena was "fixed", while Sri Lankan Buddhist monks walking in line as they seek offerings of food in Colombo tive approached the District "However, if they require Nationalist Congress Party state yesterday. The Buddhist majority nation later in the month will commemorate the Collector seeking permission any votes, the BJP is ready to President Sunil Tatkare said the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. for a re-post mortem. offer support to the Shiv Sena BJP move was not surprising. SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 EUROPE 15 Northern Ireland talks to begin after election

Dublin countries, England and Wales, Reuters Close fight chose to leave. Sinn Fein's O'Muilleoir described Brexit as The pro-British orthern Ireland lead- "the gift that keeps on giving" for Democratic Unionist ers prepared those that want a united Ireland. yesterday for three Party narrowly "The massive shift towards weeks of challeng- remained the largest nationalism in this election com- ing talks to save party following the pletely changes the landscape Ntheir devolved government after closest-ever election and most certainly brings the a snap election that could have for the provincial constitutional question to the dramatic implications for the assembly. foreground," said Peter Shirlow, politics and constitutional status Director of Irish Studies at the of the British province. But surging Irish University of Liverpool. The pro-British Democratic nationalists Sinn Fein Taking over the administra- Unionist Party narrowly came within one seat tion of Northern Ireland is not a remained the largest party fol- of their rivals to deny prospect likely to please British lowing the closest-ever election unionist politicians a prime minister Theresa May, for the provincial assembly. But majority for the first already fighting a renewed inde- surging Irish nationalists Sinn time since Ireland was pendence push from Scotland as Fein came within one seat of she readies her Brexit launch at partitioned in 1921. their rivals to deny unionist pol- the end of the month. iticians a majority for the first Her Northern Ireland Minis- time since Ireland was parti- to London for the first time since ter James Brokenshire urged the tioned in 1921. 2007. With relations at their low- parties to engage intensively in Major policy differences est point in a decade and Sinn the short time available. between the sides risk paralysing Fein insisting among its condi- Former Northern Ireland first Sinn Fein party President Gerry Adams (left) takes a selfie with Sinn Fein's Northern leader government and dividing com- tions that DUP leader Arlene minister David Trimble, who was munities just as Britain prepares Foster step aside before it will Michelle O'Neill and Sinn Fein Deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald on the Falls road in front of instrumental to the 1998 Good to leave the European Union. re-enter government, few ana- a mural of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands in Belfast, yesterday. Friday peace agreement that Northern Ireland, the poorest lysts think an agreement can be ended three decades of sectar- region of the United Kingdom, reached in that time. Republican Army, benefited most rivals' vote. "This is terrible," he 12 percent of the vote. ian bloodshed, said the British which has its only land border An acrimonious campaign from the highest turnout in two said. "There will be no living with Northern Ireland is still mar- government should find a way with the EU, is considered the also added to the friction. Fos- decades. "Foster angered nation- them (Sinn Fein) now. All my life ginally a mainly Protestant to give the parties more time. most economically exposed to ter's outright rejection of some alists and made sure they went there has been a Unionist polit- province but demographics sug- "If we can't do it in three Brexit. "Everything has changed Sinn Fein's demands by saying out to vote but Michelle O'Neill is ical majority. I feel a bit exposed gest Catholics could become the weeks it could be a prolonged and we enter into a new political that "if you feed a crocodile, it also a much more acceptable now and wonder what the future majority within a generation. The period of direct rule," Jeffrey landscape from Monday," outgo- will keep coming back looking nationalist face than previously," holds." shift in the election will Donaldson, a senior member of ing finance minister Mairtin for more" antagonised and ral- said Gary Thompson, a 57-year- Nationalist candidates, tra- embolden Sinn Fein in its ulti- the DUP told BBC Radio. O'Muilleoir of Sinn Fein told lied nationalists. old voter, as he went for a jog near ditionally backed by Catholics, mate goal of uniting Ireland. "In those circumstances, with national Irish broadcaster RTE. Michelle O'Neill, the 40-year- parliament buildings. also narrowed the gap overall The party has increased calls Brexit coming down the road, we The two largest parties have old new leader of Sinn Fein Pensioner Tom Smyth, a DUP with unionists, who tend to be for a border poll since Northern won't have our own administra- three weeks to form a new whose elevation represented a supporter, said Foster had to favoured by Protestants, to just Ireland, like Scotland, voted to tion to speak for us and offer the power-sharing government to generational shift within the stand up to Sinn Fein but in doing one seat. Smaller, non-sectarian remain in the EU while the best prospect of delivering the avoid devolved power returning former political wing of the Irish so probably helped mobilise their parties captured the remaining United Kingdom's two other kind of outcome we need." EU military Foreign policy chief headquarters British Foreign Secretary to open soon to visit Moscow for talks presses integration BRUSSELS: A controversial European Union military head- London The spokeswoman said a visit of EU in Albania quarters to coordinate the bloc's AFP had been in the pipeline since overseas security operations British Prime Minister Theresa will open in the coming months, ritish Foreign Secretary May met Russian President Tirana EU diplomatic sources said. Boris Johnson (pictured) is Vladimir Putin at the G20 Sum- AP Brexit and doubts about Bto travel to Russia in the mit in Hangzhou, China in US President Donald Trump's coming weeks for high-level September 2016. Johnson and he European Union's for- commitment to European political talks, his office said yes- Lavrov held their first telephone eign policy chief told security have given fresh terday. It will be the first time a talks in August the same year. TAlbania's opposition that impetus to EU ambitions to British minister has been to Mos- Johnson has described Putin its boycott of Parliament was step up military cooperation, cow for an official visit in more as a "ruthless and manipulative hampering the country's abil- with France and Germany tak- than five years and could signal tyrant", and compared his looks ity to integrate with the bloc ing the lead. "This is a big leap a potential thaw in Anglo-Rus- to the Harry Potter character and therefore join the EU. forward. It is supposed to start sian relations after years of Johnson was invited by his Rus- Dobby the House Elf. Yet he has Federica Mogherini (pic- working initially in March and antagonism. sian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, called for greater cooperation tured) met with senior Albanian fully in June," one of the A Foreign Office spokes- and more detailed timings will be with the Russian leader in the bat- officials and political leaders to sources said. woman stressed that the visit was announced later. "Our policy tle against the Islamic State remind them that reforming the Montenegro and will end in EU foreign and defence not a return to "business as usual", towards Russia is to 'engage but jihadist group in Syria. justice system and holding free Kosovo, trying to reassure the ministers meeting tomorrow saying Britain's approach to Rus- beware' and the visit is entirely Johnson has recently hinted elections were two steps region that the EU remains in Brussels will approve what sia was "engage, but beware". consistent with this approach," at a shift in Syria policy, saying needed to convince EU mem- open for enlargement despite is known as a Military Plan- Relations with Russia soured the spokeswoman said. "Discus- President Bashar Al Assad could bers to launch full membership crisis in the 28-nation bloc. ning and Conduct Capability after Britain sought to prosecute sions will focus on the UK-Russia be allowed to run for re-election negotiations with the country. Earlier on Friday in Bel- (MPCC) unit, the sources said. suspects in the killing of Kremlin relationship and current interna- and mentioning a possible For two weeks, hundreds grade, Mogherini faced It will oversee the Euro- critic and former spy Alexander tional issues including Syria and "arrangement" with regime ally from Albania's main opposition pro-Russian chants and boos pean Union's "non-executive" Litvinenko, murdered by radia- Ukraine, where we continue to Russia. Britain has been one of the Democratic Party have blocked in the Serbian parliament as she operations — those that do not tion poisoning in London in 2006. have significant differences. "This harshest critics of Russia's Syria the main boulevard in the cap- called for the integration of the use force — such as civil-mil- Britain has also been one a is not a return to business as usual policy and the Assad regime, say- ital, Tirana, saying they don't Western Balkans into the itary training missions in Mali, fervent supporter of Western and the foreign secretary will ing the president's departure is a trust the left-wing government 28-nation bloc. the Central African Republic sanctions against Moscow over continue to be robust on those precondition for any resolution to hold the June 18 parliamen- Far-right Serbian lawmak- and Somalia. Russia's role in the Ukraine crisis. issues where we differ." to the conflict. tary election in a fair manner. ers, who favour closer ties with They want a caretaker cabinet Russia over Serbia's EU integra- instead. tion, banged on benches with Democratic lawmakers also their hands and chanted "Ser- Spanish NGO have boycotted Parliament, bia, Russia, we don't need the Demanding more funding for NHS thus blocking the creation of Union!" during Mogherini's vetting bodies to assess how the 25-minute address. boat rescues country evaluates the personal "It's the matter of politics," and professional backgrounds she later said of the incident. 250 migrants of some 800 judges and "It's about a difficult political prosecutors. environment here and in the MADRID: A Spanish organi- "We are ready to launch region, and it is also about dif- sation says its rescue ship has negotiations at the moment that ferent ways of interpreting the saved 250 migrants in danger the justice reform starts its path that Serbia has taken." of capsizing near the Libyan application," Mogherini said at Serbia, which is formally coast. Proactiva Open Arms a news conference with host seeking EU membership, is spokesperson Laura Lanuza Albanian Prime Minister Edi deeply split between those says that the NGO's boat res- Rama. She also met with oppo- seeking pro-Western integra- cued the African migrants sition leader Lulzim Basha. tion and those wanting a close from two small rubber ves- Albania was granted EU alliance with traditional Slavic sels that were at risk of being candidate status in 2014. partner Russia. overwhelmed by the sea. A reform package approved Tensions recently have The migrants were soon last year calls for a legal over- mounted in relations between transferred to an Italian coast haul meant to restructure the Serbia and its former war foes guard ship, which had alerted Albanian justice system to Bosnia and EU member Croatia. the NGO to the whereabouts ensure that judges and prose- Serbia also has refused to rec- of the migrants. cutors are independent from ognize the Western-backed Proactiva Open Arms was politics, and to root out independence of its former People taking part in a demonstration to demand more funding for Britain's National founded in 2015 to respond bribery. province of Kosovo, while polit- Health Service (NHS) hold a banner, in London, yesterday. to the migration crisis in Mogherini is on a tour of the ical instability threatens Mediterranean. Balkans that started in Macedonia to the south. 16 EUROPE SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 Italy migrant rescues up as Libya exit rises

Rome migrants have reached Italy from AFP Aid groups believe Libya since the current migrant crisis began to spiral out of con- he number of migrants the exodus is being trol at the end of 2013. rescued at sea this driven by worsening The vast majority of them year in operations run living conditions for have been Africans but the lat- by Italy's coastguard migrants in the north est batches have included scores topped 15,000 on Fri- of Syrians and Bangladeshis. Tday after another 900 people African state and by Crew on the Aquarius said were saved, including eight- fears the sea route to that the people it had picked up month-old Syrian twins and five Europe could soon be included 16 nationalities, includ- other babies. ing a Syrian family of six with the The latest operations confirm closed to traffickers. two twin babies. the pattern of a sharp upward They were among seven less spike in winter departures from than one-year-old infants res- troubled Libya. aboard four large rubber din- cued by the Aquarius, which also Migrants walk next to burning shacks in a makeshift camp housing hundreds of migrants in Aid groups believe the exo- ghies and six smaller wooden saved 12 toddlers aged one to the fields in the countryside near the village of Rignano Garganico, southern Italy, on Friday. dus is being driven by worsening vessels. Norway's Siem Pilot, part four. Tom Kington, a reporter for living conditions for migrants in of the European border agency British newspaper The Times, the north African state and by Frontex's mission, and the was onboard the NGO-operated try and get to Europe, where he other choice." "The Libyans sell people. You fears the sea route to Europe Aquarius, operated by French boat and recounted a lighter has a brother living in Germany. A Bangladeshi, J., said con- don't even realise at first that it could soon be closed to NGO SOS Mediterranee and Doc- moment in the day's dramatic "My family is still in the region of ditions in Libya were worse than is a kidnapping, someone tells traffickers. tors without Borders (MSF), events. "Syrian man with sense Aleppo. I called them yesterday those he and his compatriots had you to go there for work but then Migrant arrivals in Italy from carried out the rescue of humour picked up today on before leaving," the 35-year-old fled. "We all have left Bangladesh if you ask to be paid for your its former colony are up by operations. #Aquarius when told he couldn't English teacher said. "In Libya, because of violence and poverty, work they threaten to kill you. between 57 and 81 percent this Amid relatively calm seas, smoke: 'I want to go back to it is a catastrophic situation, the the situation is very bad there," "The situation is very bad. When year in comparison to the open- there were no reports of fresh Libya'" Kington posted on militias, no money, no govern- said the former Dhaka resident. they see a black, they will take ing two months of 2015 and 2016, casualties. The United Nations Twitter. ment, wars between two cities... "But Libya is definitely worse. him, call his family to send according to Italian interior min- refugee agency estimates 440 One of the Syrian survivors, I think that by the end of this You can't go to the market with- money. Only the blacks, not the istry figures. people have lost their lives try- who only wanted to be identi- year, there will not be any Syri- out fear of being shot." other people. The only way out The coastguard said 10 res- ing to make the crossing from fied as M, told the crew that he ans left in Libya," he said. A survivor from Cameroon of it is to escape. You always cue operations had taken place Libya to Italy since the start of had been living in Libya for three "Myself, I was hoping to return said black Africans were even have to hide when you're black on Friday to help migrants 2017. More than half a million years before deciding he had to to Syria, but I couldn't. I had no more vulnerable. in Libya." Kosovo protesters want former leader freed UK not bound to

Pristina prominent university professor, on April 6. an agreement reached with AFP told the crowd in Pristina. Haradinaj, an ex-com- Montenegro on new border lines. pay into EU budget The rally's organisers also mander in the Kosovo Liberation Montenegro is seeking offi- housands of protesters played a video message from Army, has already been tried and cial ownership of thousands of gathered in the Kosovo Haradinaj, who thanked the acquitted by the International hectares in the Rugova moun- Tcapital Pristina yesterday crowd "with all his heart" while Criminal Tribunal for the former tains that have traditionally been if no Brexit deal calling for France's release of standing in front of an Albanian Yugoslavia (ICTY) after allega- used as pastureland by Kosovar Ramush Haradinaj, a former flag. tions of crimes stemming from shepherds. rebel leader accused of war The 48-year-old, detained 1998. But Serbia is pursuing sep- The mayor was responding London crimes by Serbia. on the basis of a Serbian arrest arate charges of violence against to comments earlier by Feder- Reuters Haradinaj, an ex-prime min- warrant, was released on bail by Serbian civilians in Kosovo in ica Mogherini, the EU's foreign ister of Kosovo, has slammed his a French court but must remain June 1999. policy chief, who told Kosovo "it f Britain leaves the European January arrest in France over in France pending a ruling on an Haradinaj, a lawmaker and is time to ratify" the border Union without agreeing an alleged atrocities committed extradition request from opponent of Kosovo President accord, the final condition for Iexit deal it will not be legally during Kosovo's 1998-99 war for Belgrade. Hashim Thaci, is considered a obtaining visa-free travel in the obliged to contribute to the independence as an "abuse of On Thursday, the French war hero by many Kosovars. European Union. bloc's budget post-Brexit, a the law". authorities asked Serbia for Also at the demonstration "We are ready, but it's up to committee of members of Brit- "We call on France's justice additional information to sup- yesterday, Pristina's mayor, this country's Parliament to take ain's upper house of parliament system to disregard Serbia's false port its extradition request, and Shpend Ahmeti, called on the the necessary steps," Mogherini said yesterday. accusations," Muje Rugova, a they will review his case again national government to spurn said. Money is likely to be one of the most contentious elements of the upcoming divorce talks. Other EU nations want Britain to pay its share of budget com- be in a position legally to claim UK cinemagoers Protest in Berlin mitments — estimated a share of the EU's assets on exit asked to become informally by EU officials at unless they are included in a roughly €60bn. withdrawal agreement. real-life 007s British Prime Minister Negotiating what Britain Theresa May (pictured) has said owes is one of the EU's priori- LONDON: British film only that the government would ties for this year, with EU icon James Bond has consider paying into the EU to officials saying the bloc wants entertained audiences for participate in "some specific to agree with Britain a formula over five decades, but now European programmes". for calculating the amount the country's foreign intel- Under Article 50 of the EU's rather than defining a concrete ligence agency is asking Lisbon Treaty, Britain has two sum in advance. cinema-goers to become years to agree a deal with the Britain will have to weigh spies themselves. EU after which time it will leave up the financial and political MI6 unveiled a without one unless all member costs of making payments to the 58-second advertisement states agree to extend EU in return for agreement on — entitled "But She Can" negotiations. things such as EU market — that will be shown in "If agreement is not access, the committee said. cinemas from Monday as reached, all EU law — includ- "If the government wishes part of a recruitment drive ing provisions concerning to include future market access to attract budding spies ongoing financial contributions on favourable terms as part of from diverse back- and machinery for adjudication the discussions on the with- grounds. "I want everyone - will cease to apply and the UK drawal agreement, it is likely to to know that, regardless would be subject to no enforce- prove impossible to do so with- of background, if you able obligation to make any out also reaching agreement on have the skills we need financial contribution at all," the issue of the budget," it said. and share our values, the House of Lords EU Finan- "The political and economic there is a future for you in cial Affairs committee said in a consequences of the UK leav- MI6," said agency chief report. ing the EU without responding Alex Younger as he People protest against right wing demonstration in Berlin, Germany, yesterday. The report also concludes to claims under the EU budget unveiled the advertise- that, in return, Britain will not are likely to be profound." ment. "I want people to see our advert and know there is a place for them in our team." Younger has previ- Toilet show is light relief at Paris fashion week ously blamed Bond for creating a stereotyped image of a British spy, Paris presenting its debut collection free". They said it was time to Saint Laurent held its catwalk show, "Long live the queens!" and is keen to employ AFP this weekend in one of the French bring the smallest room out of the show on a building site on Tues- Usami, who has worked for more female agents. capital's most well appointed closet, as models revealed the day night, while French designer Louis Vuitton and Dries Van The fictional spy gave aris fashion week shows public toilets. designers' autumn-winter collec- Delphine Delafon staged hers Noten, told AFP that toilets were a "misleading portrayal" tend to be held at the city's Designers Mao Usami and tion by opening the mahogany Saturday as a Sicilian wake-cum- the world's great refuges. of MI6, and that Bond Pmost opulent addresses, Alve Lagercrantz said their odd cubicle doors of the historic funeral with 15 models in widow's They are the place where you would "have to change grand chandeliered salons drip- choice of venue was meant to Madeleine public toilets in cen- reeds silently mourning over a go to hide "when you are pre- his ways" to survive in the ping with marble and gilt. play tribute to "a place that allows tral Paris. man's body. tending you are working, but you modern agency. But new brand Sirloin gave the trivial, silly yet brilliant ques- The pair are not the only ones "The king is dead," the are just escaping and having a tradition the bum's rush by tions and ideas in life to flow to have toyed with convention. designer said in her notes to the break," she said. SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 EUROPE 17 Fillon alleges intimidation as fight toughens

Paris Political fight Juppe, his possible replace- AFP ment, is a former premier who Fillon has denied was given a suspended jail sen- rench conservative can- wrongdoing and has tence in 2004 over a party didate Francois Fillon claimed that the fake funding scandal. told supporters yester- jobs charges are He is more centrist than Fil- day their opponents politically motivated, lon and believes France needs to were trying to "intimi- even hinting he regain its "happiness". Fdate" them as he battles to keep Juppe has said he would only believes the ruling his presidential bid afloat. replace Fillon if the candidate Socialist government Marking his 63rd birthday, makes the decision to pull out is behind the Fillon was trying to turn the page himself, "and the rightwing and on a nightmare week that saw investigation. centre camps... have to be united scores of defections from his behind him", a source in Juppe's camp after he admitted he is to His Republicans party camp said. One poll on Friday face criminal charges over alle- announced in a showed Juppe would vault into gations he gave his wife and statement that its the lead if he stood. children fake parliamentary jobs. political decision- Juppe would have 26.5 per- With some members of his making body would cent of votes, giving him a own rightwing Republicans party meet tomorrow — a narrow lead over Macron on 25 urging him to drop out of the day earlier than percent, while Le Pen would slip campaign, Fillon told 1,500 sup- planned — "to to third place on 24 percent, porters he had had "better" according to the Odoxa-Dentsu evaluate the birthdays. Consulting survey of 943 situation". Without referring directly to people. his legal woes, he said at a cam- Le Pen, 48, campaigning on French far-right Front National (FN) party candidate for the presidential election Marine Le paign event north of Paris: "They the initiative by holding a major an anti-immigration and anti- are trying to intimidate you. They rally today near the Eiffel Tower. Pen visits a farm in Cambes, southern France, yesterday. EU platform, has sought to are attacking me. But through The danger for the right is capitalise on the same anti- me, what they are trying to kill that he could be eliminated in the members, but investigators are ing the rat." any doubt about the strength of establishment sentiment that is a desire for change." first round of the two-stage con- searching for evidence of what With just seven weeks to go his character and the depth of his propelled US President Donald Fillon has denied wrongdo- test on April 23. Opinion polls work Fillon's wife did. before voting begins, the entou- determination," he told Le Paris- Trump to power and led to the ing and has claimed that the fake currently show that far-right He revealed on Wednesday rage of 71-year-old former ien newspaper. British vote to leave the Euro- jobs charges are politically moti- leader Marine Le Pen and he is to meet investigating mag- premier Alain Juppe has said he Despite a forecast of heavy pean Union. vated, even hinting he believes 39-year-old centrist Emmanuel istrates to be charged on March is prepared to take over, provid- rain, Fillon's campaign is hoping Polls currently show how- the ruling Socialist government Macron would progress to con- 15, sparking a series of defections ing Fillon agrees to stand down. for a massive turnout on Sunday, ever that the leader of the is behind the investigation. test the runoff on May 7. from his team. His foreign affairs But high-profile Fillon sup- helped by the organising prow- National Front (FN) will be As he was giving his speech, Fillon was the frontrunner point man Bruno Le Maire and porters from the business world ess of groups such as Manif Pour beaten in the second round by his Republicans party announced until mid-January when the his campaign spokesman have rallied round him. Tous, which staged a huge pro- either the fast-rising Macron or in a statement that its political Canard Enchaine newspaper deserted him and the leader of a Henri de Castries, a former test against gay marriage in the conservative candidate. decision-making body would alleged he paid his British-born small centrist party, the UDI, said CEO of the Axa insurance giant, October. Other candidates, such as meet tomorrow — a day earlier wife Penelope and their children it was withdrawing its backing. said Fillon should remain in the Fillon is a devout Catholic leftist Socialist Benoit Hamon, than planned — "to evaluate the nearly $950,000 as parliamen- The left-leaning Liberation race because his clear victory and his surprise win in the are angry that Fillon's scandal is situation". tary assistants or advisors. newspaper wrote Saturday: "It over Juppe in November's nom- Republicans' primary was widely overshadowing the campaign. French lawmakers are is no longer the rats leaving a inating contest gave him attributed to his conservative "We can't debate the issues," Fillon will attempt to regain allowed to employ family sinking ship, but the ship leav- "legitimacy". "I have never had social views. he complained.

Anniversary of Paris fire brigade Florence mayor says too many Poland puts forward rival foreigners in public housing candidate to replace Tusk

ROME: The leftist mayor of Warsaw party to the ruling Law and Jus- process, everything will be Florence, Dario Nardella, yes- Reuters tice (PiS). decided in a democratic way." tereday called for measures to Tusk, a former PO leader, Malta currently holds the EU's limit the number of foreign- oland named a centre- has wide backing among EU rotating six-month ers in Italy's public housing, right MEP as its candidate leaders for a second term, even presidency. warning against becoming Pfor European Council though he faces strong opposi- Earlier this week PiS leader like the heavily immigrant President yesterday after it said tion in Poland. and Tusk's Polish arch rival suburbs in France. it would oppose the re-appoint- When PiS officials floated Jaroslaw Kaczynski said that "The criteria used to ment of former prime minister the possible candidacy of Sary- Tusk "breaks the elementary assign social housing needs Donald Tusk as the chairman usz-Wolski as an alternative to rules of the European Union." to be reviewed because in of EU leaders. Tusk earlier this week, EU dip- And yesterday, the political certain suburban neighbour- "I have just submitted Jacek lomats in Brussels largely committee of PiS called Prime hoods, we risk creating Saryusz-Wolski's candidature dismissed the idea, saying Tusk Minister Beata Szydlo to voice ghettos with one third Ital- for the post by means of a dip- will be re-appointed. a "strong objection" against ians and one third lomatic note," Polish state-run EU officials had said dis- Tusk's re-election. non-European Union for- news agency PAP quoted cussing an alternative Tusk's term at the head of eigners," Nardella said in an Poland's Foreign Minister candidate to Tusk would only the European Council ends in interview with the daily Cor- Witold Waszczykowski as add to the many feuds inside May. The Council chair will play riere della Sera. saying. the bloc as it wrestles with a a crucial role in Britain's nego- "The French model is a Saryusz-Wolski is a Polish range of challenges from a tiations to exit the EU, among failure," he said, referring to member of the European Par- more assertive Russia to mili- other things. some areas outside French liament and until yesterday a tant Islam. PO dismissed Saryusz-Wol- cities that have been rocked member of the Civic Platform A Maltese official said yes- ski just after his candidature by violent protests by the (PO), the biggest opposition terday: "It is a normal election was announced yesterday. mainly immigrant population that feels marginalised. Nardella said he was not French President Francois Hollande and Paris' Mayor Anne calling for an "Italians first" Hidalgo attend the 50th anniversary celebrations of the housing policy like the anti- Traditional festival establishment of the Paris fire brigade (corps des Sapeurs- immigrant Northern League pompiers) in Paris, yesterday. would — a move he said would foment hatred. Scandal threatens Renzi comeback Rome 5-Star Movement presented a internal critics who accuse him Reuters motion of no-confidence against of moving the party too far to Sports Minister Luca Lotti, Ren- the right. criminal investigation zi's closest political aide, who is Renzi hopes to regain con- involving several people suspected by prosecutors of trol of the PD in a primary Aclose to Matteo Renzi, revealing legal secrets in a election on April 30 as a first including his father and his strand of the same investigation. step to returning to power at a right-hand man, is muddying Lotti, who served as cabinet general election scheduled for the image of the former Italian undersecretary in Renzi's gov- early 2018. prime minister and threatening ernment, also denies all The corruption investigation his prospects of a return to wrongdoing. is complicating his ambitions power. Renzi resigned as prime even though it does not involve Renzi's father Tiziano was minister in December after los- him directly. "This affair makes questioned on Friday by prose- ing a referendum on it harder for Renzi to win the PD cutors who suspect him of constitutional reform and was primary, it is already embarrass- influence peddling to ensure a replaced by his former foreign ing to him and it could become public contract was awarded to minister, Paolo Gentiloni. crippling if it escalates," said a businessman friend. Tiziano Last month he also quit as Francesco Galietti, head of Men ride their horses during the traditional Todorov Den festival also called Horse Easter Renzi denies all wrongdoing. head of the ruling Democratic Rome-based political risk con- near the village of Aprilovo in north-eastern Bulgaria, yesterday. The anti-establishment Party (PD) under pressure from sultancy Policy Sonar. 18 AMERICAS SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017

US suspends Republican health care push coming fast processing of high-tech Washington Health care bill Obama’s 2010 health care over- legislation over unified Demo- anti-establishment temperament AP haul has long been the GOP holy cratic opposition. to do just that. Unresolved disputes grail. It helped elect President Rockier problems loom in Many in the hard-right visa papers epublicans seem set over taxes and Donald Trump and has driven the full House and Senate. If 22 House Freedom Caucus, which to start muscling leg- Medicaid rage and the Republican agenda in Con- House Republicans or three Sen- claims around 40 members, Washington islation through conservatives gress, given GOP office-seekers ate Republicans join united oppose the GOP bill’s proposal Reuters Congress reshaping complaining that a rationale for their candidacies Democrats and oppose health for tax credits to help pay med- the country’s health Republican proposals and fueled countless fundrais- legislation, it would fail. ical expenses for people not oreigners aiming for Rcare system after seven years of ing appeals. Highlighting an unabated covered at work or through the temporary jobs at high- don’t go far enough saber-rattling. Yet Republicans have never push to influence the legislation, government. They object that the tech US companies will could undermine the F Don’t confuse that with GOP rallied behind an alternative and some GOP governors asked law- credit, geared to age not income, undergo a longer visa unity or assume that success is effort. spent years settling for dozens makers last weekend to let states would even go to people who approval process after the guaranteed. Unresolved disputes of bills scuttling the law that choose to continue receiving owe no taxes. Trump administration over taxes and Medicaid rage Two House went nowhere. Now, with a GOP unlimited federal money to treat They also oppose a proposal announced it will temporar- and conservatives complaining committees — Energy president and party control of all who qualify for Medicaid, by House Speaker Paul Ryan, ily suspend expedited that Republican proposals don’t and Commerce, and the House and Senate, voters according to documents R-Wis., to tax part of the value applications for H-1B visas. go far enough could undermine Ways and Means — expect Republicans to deliver obtained by The Associated of expensive employer-provided The US Citizenship and the effort, or at least make GOP plan to begin voting and party leaders are banking Press. Currently, the GOP bill coverage. That’s an abomination Immigration Services (USCIS) leaders’ lives difficult. on Wednesday on on it. would instead give states set for many Republicans, aware said on Friday that starting Two House committees — their portions of the “If you’re a Republican who amounts for each Medicaid that about half of Americans get April 3 it will suspend “pre- Energy and Commerce, and legislation, barring votes against ‘Obamacare’ recipient — a pathway to grad- health insurance at work. mium processing” for up to Ways and Means — plan to begin late problems. repeal, you’re going to have a lot ually cutting the federal-state “A new plan that actually six months. Under this expe- voting on Wednesday on their of explaining to do to your con- health program for the poor. taxes the very workers that voted dited procedure, applicants portions of the legislation, bar- stituents,” said Doug Badger, a It seems counterintuitive that for Donald Trump and voted for can be eligible for visa ring late problems. Leaders want It’s an ambitious calendar for GOP health care adviser. Congress’ conservatives would many of our members is not approvals within 15 days, to push the package through the what could be the year’s most There are few hard-line con- derail such a major, early prior- moving in the right direction,” instead of a regular review House this month and hope the momentous congressional servatives on the two committees ity for Trump and GOP said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., period that can last for up to Senate can consider it by Con- battle. poised to vote this week, so the congressional leaders. But they who chairs the caucus and says a few months. gress’ early April recess. Repealing President Barack panels will likely approve the have the numbers and the bill lacks the votes to pass. The H-1B non-immigrant visa allows US companies to employ graduate-level work- ers in several specialized fields, including information Mexican sewage In lighter vein technology, medicine, engi- neering and mathematics. USCIS said that during the spill flares tempers suspension period, individu- als still can request expedited consideration, but must meet Imperial Beach promised a report within 30 certain criteria, such as AP days. The IBWC said its review humanitarian reasons, an will determine how much sew- emergency situation or the or more than two weeks, age spilled for how long and prospect of severe financial a stench of feces, ammo- identify errors in communica- loss to a company or individ- Fnium and laundry tion. Steve Smullen, the IBWC ual. The United States detergent wafted through the area field operations manager currently caps H-1B visas at air in the southwestern corner in San Diego who came up with 65,000 a year, with an addi- of the continental United States. the preliminary spill estimate, tional 20,000 allowed for Residents who contacted gov- said a US Border Patrol official those who have earned ernment offices got no answers. alerted him to the stench Feb. advanced college degrees in Finally, a US official 6 and he quickly notified a Mex- the United States. released a report that sparked ican counterpart. US officials The visa is valid for three a furious reaction: sewer repair say they didn’t get answers until years but can be extended for work in Tijuana, Mexico, caused February 23, a day before the an additional three years. The an estimated 143 million gal- public announcement. agency said that suspending lons to spill into the United Roberto Espinoza, repre- premium processing will States and the Pacific Ocean for sentative of the IBWC’s Mexican allow it to reduce a backlog 18 days. A Mexican official chal- section in Tijuana, said at the Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro smiles during the opening ceremony of a hospital of long-pending visa petitions lenged those findings on Friday community forum in Imperial in Maturin, Venezuela, yesterday. and thus reduce overall H-1B after a week of public uproar. Beach that he immediately processing times. The city of Imperial Beach began asking questions but the was most affected by what Mexican agency responsible for Mayor Serge Dedina called “the fixing the problem left him in tsunami of sewage spills.” the dark. At a raucous public hearing “There was a failure in the Former Haiti president Preval dies Thursday night, angry residents flow of information between shouted at government officials the agency and us,” Espinoza and demanded answers. They said in Spanish. “It is very Port-au-Prince former president, also took to and efficient administrator, for five years in New York in the said they were kept in the dark regrettable and painful to us.” AFP social media to express his sor- Preval served as president of 1970s. After he returned to Haiti too long and are fed up with The Commission for row. “President Preval, Little Haiti, the poorest country in the in 1975, he was employed by the continued problems with sew- Tijuana Public Services, an aiti’s former president Rene, my brother, my friend and western hemisphere, with a long National Institute for Mineral age from Mexico that fouls agency of Mexico’s Baja Cali- Rene Preval, an agrono- adviser, your passing leaves us history of political violence, in Resources. beaches and endangers their fornia state that did the repairs, Hmist and champion of the in shock,” tweeted Martelly, who 1996-2001 and 2006-2011. He later became active in health. Who knew what and says the sewage spill lasted only poor who served two terms as served as president from 2011 to Since the end of the Duva- humanitarian work, including when is unclear. So, too, is from Feb. 1 to Feb. 4 and that the country’s leader, died on Fri- 2016. lier dictatorship in 1986, Preval at an orphanage in Port-au- whether the right communica- cross-border flows after that day, officials said. He was 74. Martelly used the Creole “Ti was the only Haitian leader to Prince run by Jean-Bertrand tion channels were used to alert were stormwater. Miguel “I have sadly learned of the Rene” in the tweet, Haitians’ have completed two terms as Aristide, who was then a Roman the public. Lemus, the agency’s director, death of former president Rene term of endearment for the president, the constitutional Catholic priest. Preval, a mod- The International Bound- said the US official’s prelimi- Preval,” President Jovenel Moise diminutive Preval. According to limit, without suffering a coup erate leftist, first served as prime ary and Water Commission, a nary estimate was far too high wrote in a post on Twitter. “I local media reports, citing or having to flee in exile. minister to president Aristide binational office that addresses and that foul waters likely got bow before the remains of this Preval’s sister, the former pres- Born on January 17, 1943 in from February 1991 until the border disputes over water and trapped in the United States. dignified son of Haiti.” ident died after a cardiac arrest. Port-au-Prince, Preval studied government was toppled in Sep- other issues, on Thursday Michel Martelly, another With a reputation as an honest agronomy in Belgium. He lived tember that year. Colombia’s ‘drug triangle’ puts hope in chocolate

Guerima lord Carlos Lehder was build- That left a power vacuum in AFP ing clandestine airstrips across the triangle that was soon filled this territory, which is roughly by the Revolutionary Armed sidro Montiel arrived in the size of Iceland, to fly cocaine Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a Colombia’s lawless “drug tri- to the United States. Demand in Marxist guerrilla group at war Iangle” in 1982 hoping to get the US was booming, and “a with the government since 1964. rich farming coca, the raw huge amount of cocaine was The FARC imposed a “tax” on ingredient for cocaine. Today, being shipped by air,” said coca paste, the substance pro- with the country perched at the Colombian air force commander duced by farmers like Montiel. edge of a new era, he is betting Jean Paul Strong, who heads a Taking a cut of the lucrative instead on cacao, the little special task force in the region. drug trade quickly became one brown seeds used to make Word quickly spread around of the rebels’ main funding chocolate. Colombia that Lehder — the co- sources, along with ransom “I had heard that planting founder of the Medellin Cartel, kidnappings. coca was a good living,” Mon- along with Pablo Escobar — In Colombia, the world’s top tiel, a stout 57-year-old farmer, needed workers to build this cocaine producer, that nexus said of his decision 35 years ago cocaine empire. But soon after between leftist rebels and drug to move to the remote triangle Montiel arrived, the situation traffickers has fueled a half-cen- of jungle between the villages took a dramatic twist. Escobar tury conflict that has killed more of Guerima, Chupave and Puerto tipped off authorities to Lehder’s than 260,000 people and left Principe, in the eastern depart- whereabouts, leading to his 60,000 missing. It also trans- An aerial view of Guerima village and the local airstrip, in the municipality of Cumaribo, Vichada ment of Vichada. arrest and extradition to the lated into a bleak reality for department, eastern Colombia. Back then, notorious drug United States in 1987. farmers like Montiel. SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017 AMERICAS 19 Detention of unauthorised migrants on rise New York Woes of 'Dreamers' passenger’s identification AFP documents. US agents are “There is certainly a more S immigration agents detaining aggressive attitude by immigra- increasingly are unauthorised migrants tion agents as they feel they will detaining unauthor- in or near places once no longer be held accountable if ised migrants in or considered “safe” like they target ‘sensitive areas’ as near places once churches, schools, etc were often courthouses and Uconsidered “safe” like court- called,” said Cesar Vargas, the churches, spreading houses and churches, spreading first openly undocumented New panic among migrants and out- panic among migrants York attorney. rage among activists. and outrage among “Trump has given the agents Since taking office on an activists. a blank check to do as they see “America First” agenda, Presi- fit with almost unfettered discre- dent Donald Trump has made tion granted to the agents. Looks The biggest fear of immigration a policy corner- like Trump is fine with targeting stone, granting Immigration and the 11 million violent criminals and mothers,” Customs Enforcement (ICE) undocumented said Vargas, founder of the agents broad authority to detain migrants in the United DREAM Action Coalition which and deport unauthorised States is to have their supports immigration reform. migrants. families broken up. The biggest fear of the 11 mil- The massive deportations lion undocumented migrants in feared under Trump have not the United States is to have their materialised — in fact, deporta- state of Mississippi. families broken up. tion numbers are similar to those “Disturbing that ICE may Jeanette Vizguerra, another Sisters Jocelyn Avelica (centre), Fatima (right) and Yuleni take a call from their father on campus under former president Barack have followed her from an immi- woman fleeing from ICE agents Obama. However, ICE agents are gration news conference,” wrote after school in Los Angeles, California. Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez, a 48-year-old Mexican, is attempting to deport her, has now targeting places that used Democratic Senator Ricard being held at an Adelanto, California holding facility after being apprehended by ICE agents taken refuge in a Denver, Colo- to be respected as sanctuaries of Durbin on Twitter, commenting while sending his daughter to school recently. rado church with her three sorts, and have dropped guide- on Vargas’ quick arrest. young children. “I’m ready to lines urging a focus only on Vargas had been living in the immigration judge. “ICE has no in dealing with ‘Dreamers.’ Emboldened by Trump’s sacrifice whatever is necessary serious criminals. The result: All United States protected by a 2012 shame,” said Yatziri Tovar, “Donald Trump can try to decree — which authorises to be with my children,” undocumented migrants can be decree signed by Obama known another ‘Dreamer’ who works for confuse people as much as he immigration agents to deport Vizguerra, 47, said. equally targeted. as DACA. The decree authorises the pro-immigrant NGO Make the likes by saying nice things about even undocumented people Also arrested in recent weeks One recent high-profile people who were brought into Road New York. “This rogue Dreamers,” said Tovar, “but the suspected of crimes they have was Mexico-born Daniel Rami- detention was of ‘Dreamer’ Dan- the country as children, and grew agency has now detained another fact is that the agency he over- not been charged with — rez Medina, a 23 year-old iela Vargas, 22, who was born in up as Americans, to remain and Dreamer ... apparently, for exer- sees is now targeting immigrant authorities recently detained ‘Dreamer’ living in Seattle, in the Argentina and came to the work in the United States. Some cising her First Amendment youth and tearing them from people seeking shelter on a cold northwestern state of Washing- United States as a child. When 750,000 young people, known rights,” she said, a reference to the their families.” winter day at a church in Alex- ton. ICE agents detained ICE agents came to her home to as ‘Dreamers,’ signed up for the right under the US Constitution to Her group demands Vargas’ andria, Virginia, just outside the Ramirez, who came to the United arrest her father and brother, programme. freedom of expression. “immediate release”. The govern- US capital. States at the age of seven, even both undocumented migrants, Vargas, however, let her Trump has said contradictory ment says that Vargas is not Also taken into custody for though his DACA authorisation Vargas escaped by hiding in a ‘Dreamer’ status expire, and was things about the DACA program entitled to a hearing because “she’s deportation: A woman who went was still valid. Immigration closet. working to save money to pay since taking office on January 20. a visa waiver program overstay,” to court in El Paso, Texas to file agents swept into his home to The agents however got a the renewal fee when ICE agents During the presidential cam- attorney Patricia Ice, who heads a complaint about domestic pick up his father, and claimed second chance on Wednesday swooped in and detained her. paign he insisted that he was not a local immigration rights group, abuse. In another recent case that Ramirez confessed to after Vargas spoke out against According to Vargas’s attorneys, ready to give them an “illegal said. US immigration authorities agents boarded an domestic belonging to a gang. Ramirez, deportations at a press confer- ICE agents plan to deport her amnesty,” but in mid-February did not respond to AFP’s request flight that landed at New York’s who has no criminal background, ence in Jackson, in the southern without a hearing with an he said he will “show great heart” to comment on the case. JFK airport and checked every denies the charges.

Unique protest Travel ban suit: NEWS BYTES Judge gives US and Canadian scientists to extension to study cross-border flooding Trump lawyers MONTPELIER: US and Canadian scientists are planning to Seattle spend the next five years studying flooding on Lake Cham- AP plain and the Richelieu River, which drains the lake north into Quebec, and whether methods can be developed to con- federal judge in Seat- trol future flooding. Besides studying the causes of past floods, tle on Friday granted a particularly the historic floods in 2011, the scientists will look A two-week extension to for ways to better forecast flooding and measures to reduce the Justice Department in a the effects of future floods, considered likely with weather lawsuit alleging that President extremes in an era of climate change. The scientists conduct- Donald Trump’s immigration ing the $11.3m study will look at issues such as what effect order is blocking efforts by the Chambly Canal, which takes vessels around a series of legal residents to reunite with rapids near the Quebec city of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, could their children who are trapped have on flooding, said Jean-Francois Cantin, chief of east in war-torn countries. hydrological operations for Canada’s National Hydrological US District Judge James Service. They could also focus on how V-shaped, man-made Robart, who halted enforce- stone eel-traps, visible in aerial photos of the river shoals, ment of Trump’s immigration could affect the flow of the river, said Cantin, who is also the order nationwide in February Canadian co-chair of the International Lake Champlain Rich- in a separate case brought by elieu Study Board. The board is conducting the study for the People holding placards take part in a protest called 'No Ban! No Wall! Get Loud' hosted the states of Washington and International Joint Commission, an organization formed in by Amnesty International USA inside Grand Central Station in New York City. Minnesota, said in his order 1909 to manage boundary water issues between Canada and that the federal government the United States. could have more time before responding to plaintiff’s efforts Police departments across US to have the case certified as a class-action lawsuit. amass their own DNA databases Trump accuses Obama of ‘tapping’ The Justice Department argued that Trump intends to LOS ANGELES: Police departments across the US are amass- rescind the order and replace ing DNA databases that critics say skirt stringent laws and his phone during campaign it with a new, substantially regulations that govern the nationwide DNA database and state revised executive order that crime labs. The so-called “local DNA databases” give police wider may “influence the shape of leeway on who they can take samples from, including some Washington in a flurry of tweets shortly after senator to recuse himself from the legal issues ... in ways rel- taken from children. It also allows law enforcement to hold onto AFP dawn, amid an avalanche of any investigations into the evant to the class certification samples longer than they would be kept in state or federal data- recent revelations about com- Trump campaign’s possible Rus- question.” After being repeat- bases. Police chiefs argue the databases are an invaluable resident Donald Trump munications between Russian sia ties. edly postponed, a White crime-fighting tool that helps them solve cases much faster yesterday accused his officials and some of his senior Sessions had told a Senate House official said a replace- because of backlogs at state crime labs. The American Civil Lib- Ppredecessor Barack aides, including Attorney Gen- committee under oath that he ment order now won’t be erties Union is suing the San Diego Police Department over its Obama of “tapping” his phone eral Jeff Sessions. “did not have communications unveiled until next week at policy allowing officers to take DNA samples from children who during last year’s White House Trump repeatedly has with the Russians,” but report- the earliest. aren’t arrested or convicted of crimes. campaign, without providing denied having any personal ties ers found that he had actually Robart also said he evidence of the explosive to the Kremlin, and his aides met the Russian ambassador understood the frustrations Fire in four-storey Dallas complex charge. have denied or played down twice in the months before tak- of the parents and Northwest “I’d bet a good lawyer could contacts with Russian officials. ing up his post as attorney Immigrant Rights Project, DALLAS: Authorities say more than 100 firefighters bat- make a great case out of the fact But the accusations have general, America’s top law who filed the lawsuit, over tled a late-night fire in a four-storeyed condominium that President Obama was tap- continued amid almost daily enforcement officer. Trump administration state- building in Dallas. Officials say one person suffered minor ping my phones in October, just leaks to the press that have Trump has expressed his ments that seemingly injuries in the fire at the 60-unit complex. The blaze was prior to Election!” Trump wrote revealed new details about links displeasure over the charges. contradict those made by fed- under control and mostly extinguished yesterday morn- on Twitter. between Moscow and senior Since US intelligence took the eral government lawyers. ing. Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans says crews “How low has President Trump officials. unprecedented step of publicly The lawsuit filed in Seat- remained at the scene to monitor hot spots. Evans says Obama gone to tapp (sic) my One such revelation earlier accusing Russia of trying to tle’s US District Court in late residents calmly exited just before 11:30pm on Friday phones during the very sacred this week in the Washington swing the November election in January claims Trump’s order because of smoke, shortly before flames erupted. Evans election process. This is Nixon/ Post about a meeting between Trump’s favor, questions have barring people from seven says one person was taken to a hospital because of med- Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!” Sessions and Russian Ambassa- swirled about whether some in predominantly Muslim coun- ical issues exacerbated by fire and smoke but was expected he wrote in another tweet. dor Sergey Kislyak prompted Trump’s campaign colluded tries from entering the US is to be OK. Evans had no immediate cause of the fire. Trump leveled the charges the Republican former US with Moscow. unconstitutional. 20 MORNING BREAK SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2017

PRAYER TIMINGS Tall order FAJR 04.38 am Ancient skulls SHOROOK 05.54 am give clues to ZUHR 11.45 am MAGHRIB 05.40 pm ASR 03.07 pm ISHA 07.10pm China human history WEATHER TODAY LONDON: Two skulls o o found in China shed light on the ancient humans 19 C 23 C who inhabited the region Minimum Maximum before our own species arrived. "We know that Europe and western Asia was dominated by the Neanderthals before Homo sapiens displaced them. But remains belonging to equivalent populations in East and Central Asia have been scarce. It's unclear if the finds are linked to the Denisovans, a mysteri- ous human group known only from DNA analysis of a tooth and finger bone from Siberia," said Prof Erik Trinkaus, one of the authors of a study A sculpture of giraffe seen on the street Canebiere, Marseille, southern France. The street Canebiere celebrates on the remains in Sci- its 90th anniversary with parades and concerts one Sunday a month. ence Journal. Prof Trinkaus told the BBC that it was not Expected thundery rain at plac- possible to say at this es at times. Hazy and partly cloudy stage whether the to cloudy with scattered rain maybe thundery at times at places. ancient people from Xuchang were connected HIGH TIDE 09:00 - 23:30 LOW TIDE 04:00 - 15:45 Britain's soccer associations to the Denisovans. Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department "The issue here is the patterns of variation and the population dynam- ics of 'archaic' to fund dementia research populations during the later part of the Pleis- London further as to the estimated amount. players 10 and under in a bid to address tocene," Prof Trinkaus, AP "We're obviously taking it seriously, concerns about the impact of head inju- from Washington Uni- but one has to be proportionate," said ries. The United States has also seen a versity in St Louis, said. large study is being funded by Glenn, who was alongside his counter- $1bn settlement between the NFL and Modern humans Britain's soccer associations to try parts from the Scottish, Welsh and thousands of its former American foot- (Homo sapiens) origi- Ato determine whether players are Northern Irish federations. "The research ball players who have been diagnosed nated in Africa some more prone to developing dementia. that we're scoping out ... is really to look with brain injuries linked to repeated 200,000 years ago The announcement was made by the at one simple thing: Is the incidence of concussions. before expanding out associations after they used a meeting dementia greater in professional foot- "It's a massively different game," across Asia, Europe, Oce- of soccer's lawmaking body to back the ballers, or former professional Glenn said. "We have to be proportion- ania and the Americas introduction of electronic devices on the footballers, than it is in the population ate but also curious. It is so different you after 60,000 years ago. sidelines to enhance player welfare, as a whole? You need lots and lots of have to expect our response will be dif- As they spread across including assessing potential concus- data on that." ferent to the NFL's." the world, they displaced sions by watching video replays. The research published last month Glenn was speaking at a news con- the existing populations The renewed focus on degenerative by University College London and Brit- ference at Wembley Stadium after a they encountered, such damage to footballers' brains follows ain's National Hospital for Neurology meeting of The International Board as the Neanderthals and research published last month that high- and Neurosurgery showed that four Association Board, including FIFA Pres- Denisovans, but some lighted potential dangers of repeated brains were found to have chronic trau- ident Gianni Infantino. The global limited interbreeding blows to the head in soccer. Six of 14 matic encephalopathy (CTE) pathology. governing body said last month that "to occurred. former players were found to have signs That was a possible consequence of our very best knowledge, there is cur- The partial skulls of Alzheimer's disease after their brains repeated impacts to the brain, includ- rently no true evidence of the negative from China are between underwent post-mortem ing heading the ball and concussion effect of heading or other sub-concus- 105,000 and 125,000 examinations. injuries from head-to-head collisions. sive blows." years old and lack faces. A greater sample size is required for "The ball today weighs 450 grams "If you want zero risk in life you But they show clear sim- fresh research and English Football — it's a different ball," Glenn said. "What shouldn't drive a car anymore, you ilarities to and Association Chief Executive Martin Glenn might the impact be of heading the ball shouldn't go skiing anymore, you differences from their said that a "massive" study led by uni- today?" shouldn't practice any sport," Infantino Neanderthal contempo- versity researchers will receive "six In 2015, the US Soccer Federation said. "When these studies are done, let's raries in the west. figures" in funding without specifying recommended a ban on headers for wait for the results." Street art battles community rifts in Belfast

Belfast oppressed," said Molloy, who is also well shooting" — a quote attributed to guer- AFP known for painting portraits of the city's rilla icon Che Guevara — can be read on homeless population. a wall next to two bloody clenched fists. rom the art of war to the art of peace: Painted in black and white — with the Across the city, in both Catholic and for decades Belfast adorned its walls contours of their faces defined in red — Protestant neighbourhoods, the colour- Fwith huge community murals mark- his portraits have earned Molloy the ful murals helped to demarcate territories. ing the bloody history of the Northern Irish nickname of "Belfast Banksy," in refer- But in the city centre a motley array of conflict. ence to the famous British street artist. colourful and non-political murals has for But the murals springing up across the In the Protestant unionist stronghold the past few years given Belfast a new face. city centre have another aim — helping of east Belfast, some buildings' facades One shows a car driving through the to erase the Catholic-Protestant divide. hark back to the violence that reigned in night, another enormous work depicts a "I grew up in front of these political the British-ruled province from 1969 to bearded cook with a lobster. Further murals and I thought that my goal was to 1998. "We seek nothing but the elemen- down, a young melancholic girl is painted take the city and make it look completely tary right implanted in every man: the in blue. Overall, more than 100 pieces of different," street artist Glenn Molloy, a right, if you are attacked, to defend your- street art have been created by artists from former DJ, said. self," is written on the facade of a local Britain, Ireland and the rest of Europe. Instead of guns, paramilitaries and restaurant. Adam Turkington kickstarted the clenched fists, his murals in the city cen- A 10-metre (33-foot) high painting movement with a street art festival he cre- tre feature portraits of celebrities like Jack depicting two paramilitaries wearing bala- ated five years ago called "Hit the North". Nicholson, Bruce Lee and David Bowie. clavas and armed with a machine gun is "Being non-political in Northern Ireland With little hope in sight that this week's right next to the quote. is being political. Defending aesthetics, A pedestrian walks past street art in Belfast, Northern Ireland. elections in Northern Ireland will end a The intimidating theme can be found beauty, having fun, making the city look bitter political stalemate, Molloy said his on other murals several kilometres away better is a pretty powerful message," he work is aimed at celebrating the positive. in the former north Belfast bastions of the said. "In Belfast, art and especially street obsessed by divisions and religion, he said. the most political pieces on display. "The "I wanted to give something positive, Irish Republican Army. art echoes the silent majority, those who Although the majority of these murals Son of Protagoras" shows a squatting child bright, cheerful, something that the peo- "I don't care if I fall as long as some- are not voting because they are fed up," have no particular message, mysterious holding a dove killed by two arrows. One ple could relate to, rather than to be one else picks up my gun and keeps on and "the tyranny of a tiny minority" French artist MTO, in 2014 painted one of is Catholic, the other Protestant.