BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Carreno turns attention to INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 16 COMMENT 14, 15 REGION 3 BUSINESS 1 – 12 Uzbekistan Fitch affi rms Qatar’s ‘AA’ 18,491.96 10,989.79 44.24 ARAB WORLD 3 CLASSIFIED 7, 8 +72.66 -324.76 +1.08 INTERNATIONAL 4 – 13 SPORTS 1 – 8 rating with stable outlook match +0.39% -2.87% +2.50% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10200 September 3, 2016 Dhul-Hijja 1, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Explosion at arms depot

In brief Lithium battery shipment ban hits QATAR | Weather Rain and strong wind likely today Rain, strong wind and low horizontal visibility are expected this afternoon Qatar consumers in central and southern areas of Qatar. The maximum temperature of 44C The International Civil Aviation to the US. He noted that a similar in- is forecast at Abu Samra, followed by Organisation has banned the cident happened to his friend in Doha, 42C (Doha), 41C (Mesaieed, Wakrah, shipment of lithium-ion batteries who purchased lithium batteries worth Dukhan), 39C (Al Khor) and 38C as cargo on passenger aircraft due QR4,000 from an online store, which (Ruwais). The minimum temperature to safety concerns refunded the amount after the items of 29C is expected at Al Khor and were shipped back to the US. Ruwais, followed by 30C (Mesaieed, By Peter Alagos Some online stores have stopped Wakrah, Dukhan, Abu Samra) and 32C Business Reporter shipping lithium-powered items to (Doha). Yesterday’s peak temperature Qatar. A leading US store in an adviso- of 46C was recorded at Abu Samra, ry, said: “There are currently no ship- followed by 43C at Doha, Mesaieed nternational restrictions on the ping methods available to Qatar due to and Dukhan, 42C at Al Khor and 39C shipment of lithium-ion batter- carrier regulations regarding products at Ruwais. The minimum temperature Iies and lithium-powered gadgets containing lithium batteries. Please se- of 28C was recorded yesterday at and equipment have raised concern lect a diff erent shipping destination or Abu Samra and Al Khor, followed by among many Qatar residents, who said remove these items from your cart.” 29C at Ruwais, 30C at Dukhan, 31C at Smoke billowing from buildings in a northeastern neighbourhood of the Iraqi the situation has limited their options A Doha resident said he was for- Mesaieed and 33C in Doha. capital Baghdad where a blast at a weapons storage facility rocked the area when making online purchases of these tunate to get lithium batteries from a yesterday. The blast caused by a fire set off rockets that hit neighbouring districts, items. relative, who bought the items in the EUROPE | Diplomacy killing at least four residents and injuring 14 others, police said. Page 3 Many electronic products are pow- online purchase of assorted lithium US and hand-carried them to Doha. ered by lithium batteries, among them batteries was prohibited to enter Qa- Al-Muftah said one of his options is to Russia and Japan seek are tablets and smartphones, digital tar upon reaching Dubai. The items, transport lithium batteries from Dubai to end territorial row cameras, or laptops, as well as medical according to him, were shipped back to Qatar by road. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin equipment and power tools. and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo But due to safety concerns, the In- Abe yesterday agreed to draw up ternational Civil Aviation Organisa- Safety alert over fi re risk fears proposals this year to end a row that tion (ICAO) has banned the shipment has bedevilled their relationship for Deadly blast of lithium-ion batteries as cargo on The Federal Aviation Administration the company “can ship lithium 80 years over a group of islands passenger aircraft. The ban, which (FAA) has issued a Safety Alert for batteries but it should be with the that lie between the two countries. took eff ect last April 1, was adopted by Operators (Safo) on “carriage of equipment such as mobile phones The dispute stems from the Soviet ICAO’s 36-nation governing council spare lithium batteries in carry-on and laptop computers”. Union’s decision, in the final days of on an interim basis until new packag- and checked baggage”. “We cannot ship lithium batteries World War Two, to seize the islands strikes Duterte’s ing standards for lithium batteries are “Lithium batteries present a alone because it is included among – known in Japan as the Northern developed, said news reports quoting risk of both igniting and fuelling items considered as ‘dangerous Territories and in Russia as the ICAO president Olumuyiwa Benard fires in aircraft cargo/baggage goods’,” the CSR from DHL stressed. Southern Kuriles – that Tokyo says Aliu. compartments,” the Safo said. The check-in counter at Hamad are its sovereign territory. home city In Qatar, the price range of lithium “To reduce the risk of lithium International Airport said spare batteries and lithium-powered prod- battery fires, the US Department lithium batteries could not be stored EUROPE | Personality ucts varies, and many residents rely on of Transportation’s Hazardous in checked baggage but might be Uzbekistan’s longtime AFP Davao, close to one of the city’s top online stores that provide lower prices Materials Regulations (HMR) and included in the passenger’s carry-on Davao, the Philippines hotels and a major university. or special rates compared to those of- equivalent International Civil luggage. Power banks, laptops and President Karimov dies “The force just hurled me. I practi- fered by local stores, which again may Aviation Organisation’s Technical digital cameras may be hand-carried Islam Karimov, president of ex- cally fl ew in the air,” Adrian Abilano- not have the exact products sought af- Instructions for the Safe Transport of by passengers. Soviet Uzbekistan for more than 25 t least 10 people died and doz- sa, who said his cousin was among ter by customers. Dangerous Goods (ICAO TI) prohibit Some airlines allow passengers to years, has died, off icials confirmed ens were injured when a bomb those killed, told AFP shortly after- Qatar-based photographer and vid- spare lithium batteries from checked hand carry small and medium lithium yesterday, and in an early sign of Atore through a bustling night wards. eographer, Hamad al-Muftah, told Gulf baggage (including baggage checked batteries, under 100 Watt-hour and who might succeed him, his prime market in Philippine President Rod- Davao is part of the southern region Times that he often purchased photo- at the gate or on-board the aircraft),” 100-160Wh, respectively, provided minister was designated mourner- rigo Duterte’s home city yesterday. of Mindanao, where Islamic militants graphic equipment or accessories on- it added. they are inside the equipment, in-chief at his funeral. Karimov, who The blast occurred just before 11pm have waged a decades-long separa- line because of cheaper prices. A customer service representative terminals are taped properly, or was 78 and served as Uzbekistan’s local time, leaving bodies strewn tist insurgency that has claimed more “Sometimes the equipment I need is (CSR) from Aramex Doha told Gulf are enclosed in original packaging. president from the moment it amid the wreckage of plastic tables than 120,000 lives. either too expensive to buy in Qatar or Times that it “cannot accept or ship Large lithium batteries (160+Wh) became independent from the and chairs on a road that had been Communist rebels, who have been is not available in the local store, which lithium batteries”. The same was are banned, with the exception Soviet Union, had been in hospital closed to traffi c for the market in the waging an armed struggle since 1968, is why getting them online is a more stated by a CSR from FedEx in Qatar. of mobility aids like a lithium-ion after suff ering a stroke. He will be heart of Davao city. also maintain a presence in rural areas practical option,” he said. A call to DHL in Doha revealed that powered wheelchair. buried today in his home city of An improvised explosive device neighbouring Davao. But al-Muftah lamented that his Samarkand. Page 9 caused the explosion, presidential Duterte had been mayor of Davao spokesman Martin Andanar said, for most of the past two decades, be- LATIN AMERICA | Politics adding drug traffi ckers opposed to fore winning national elections in a Duterte’s war on crime or militants landslide this year and being sworn in Brazil has ‘turned may have been responsible. as president on June 30. a page’, says Temer “There are many elements who are Duterte became well known for Eid al-Adha begins on September 12 First group of Brazil has turned a page on years angry at our president and our gov- bringing relative peace and order to of crisis, the country’s new leader ernment,” Andanar told DZMM radio, Davao with hardline security policies, he annual Muslim feast of Eid part of their pilgrimage. Qatar pilgrims Michel Temer said yesterday as he after referring to the drug traffi ckers while also brokering local deals with al-Adha will begin on Septem- Accordingly, yesterday, September made his international presidential and the militants. Muslim and communist rebels. Tber 12 after religious authorities 2, will be the last day of the Hijri month debut in China only a day after being “We are not ruling out the possibil- However in 2003 a bomb attack in Saudi Arabia failed to sight the Moon of Dhul-Qa’da and today, September in Makkah sworn in to replace Dilma Rousseff ity that they might be responsible for blamed on Muslim rebels at Davao on September 1, Saudi media have re- 3, will mark the beginning of the lunar following a bitter impeachment this but it is too early to speculate.” airport killed more than 20 people. ported. month of Dhu al-Hijja. QNA fight. “Even though we suff ered from Ten people were confi rmed killed As president, Duterte quickly The Saudi Supreme court yesterday Meanwhile, the International Astro- Makkah political and economic upheaval, and up to 60 others injured, accord- launched peace talks with the com- confi rmed the date of the festival in a nomical Centre (IAC) has announced as well as economic downturn, ing to city police spokeswoman Cath- munists, who last week agreed to an tweet. that September 12 is the fi rst day of Eid this page has been turned,” Temer erine dela Rey. indefi nite ceasefi re. Arafat Day, the climax of the annual al-Adha in Indonesia, Malaysia, Bru- he fi rst group of Qatar pil- said in a speech in the Chinese Davao is the biggest city in the Duterte has also in recent weeks pilgrimage, will fall on Sunday, Sep- nei, Turkey and Japan, according to the grims arrived in Makkah commercial hub Shanghai. Temer, southern Philippines, with a popula- pursued peace talks with the two tember 11. news agency Barq. Tyesterday via land with the 75, is in China to attend the G20 tion of about 2mn people. It is about main Muslim rebel groups. Its leaders Eid al-Adha comes one day after The IAC, a scientifi c centre based in rest set to arrive by Monday via air summit which starts in nearby 1,500km from the capital of Manila. have said they want to broker a last- Muslim pilgrims stand on Mount Abu Dhabi, has members in diff erent transport. Hangzhou tomorrow. The blast occurred in the centre of ing peace. Arafat in the outskirts of Makkah as countries in the world. Qatar’s 12,000 pilgrims are di- vided over 10 missions, nine of which are reaching Makkah via air. The Qatari Haj delegation had ar- rived several days earlier to ensure the readiness of the residential loca- tions of pilgrims in Makkah as well New plastic clothing material could keep people cool as Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. The delegation works throughout the Haj duration to make sure that AFP than the building where they work or The latter is a characteristic of poly- engineering. “But until now there has The cotton fabric made the skin 3.6 Qatar’s pilgrims are provided with Washington live, that will save energy,” said Yi Cui, ethylene, the clear, clingy plastic al- been little or no research on designing degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) specialised services and are in the an associate professor of materials sci- ready used as kitchen wrap. the thermal radiation characteristics warmer than the new material, sug- best conditions that facilitate the ence and engineering and of photon All objects - including our bodies of textiles.” gesting that wearing the “cooling tex- rituals for them safely and easily. merican researchers have cre- science at Stanford. - discharge heat as infrared radiation To test the cooling capabilities of the tile” might make people less likely to Qatar’s pilgrims can reach the ated a low-cost textile made of Scientists blended nanotechnology, in the form of invisible light wave- experimental material, researchers put resort to turning on fans or air condi- Haj delegation by calling 132 inside Aa plastic base that could cool the photonics and chemistry to develop the lengths. swatches of the plastic material and tioners. Qatar or on the toll-free number body when woven into clothing. material, which cools the wearer in two Clothing traps those wavelengths cotton fabric on bare skin and com- The scientists said they will con- 800-3040444 in Saudi Arabia. The engineers suggested in the US ways. close to the body, but the new plastic pared skin surface temperature. tinue working to add more colours, They can also download a dedicat- journal Science that the textile could Like cotton, the textile allows sweat textile lets them through. “Wearing anything traps some heat textures and cloth-like traits to their ed mobile app which is compatible become a way to keep people living to evaporate through the material, but “Forty to 60% of our body heat and makes the skin warmer,” Fan said. product. with all smartphones and offers a in hot climates cool without using air the new development allows it to also is dissipated as infrared radiation “If dissipating thermal radiation were “If you want to make a textile, you wide variety of information about conditioning. let through heat the body gives off as when we are sitting in an offi ce,” said our only concern, then it would be best have to be able to make huge volumes Haj rituals and how to contact the “If you can cool the person rather infrared radiation. Shanhui Fan, a professor of electrical to wear nothing.” inexpensively,” Cui said. delegation. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, September 3, 2016 QATAR

Greetings sent to Vietnam president HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior WISH to host forum on global Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday sent cables of congratulations to Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on the occasion of his country’s National Day. diff usion for health innovation he World Innovation and solutions for those needs. the supply, of innovation. It will like the design and delivery of push innovations out and into vascular Disease, Autism and Summit for Health The fi rst phase of GDHI, pre- examine the ‘pull’ factors for healthcare systems.” practice while providing in- Behavioural Insights. T(WISH), a global ini- sented at WISH 2013, surveyed innovation, rather than how in- Egbert Schillings, CEO of sights into the needs and chal- Internationally-renowned Amnesty tiative of Qatar Foundation for healthcare workers and indus- novations are ‘pushed’ out into WISH, said: “Since the incep- lenges of the frontline health- experts will chair the forums. Education, Science and Com- try experts to determine what wider practice. tion of WISH, this body of re- care workers and how healthcare For the fi rst time, WISH will munity Development (QF), behaviours were present and Mathew Harris, clinical sen- search on the diff usion of in- management systems can also report on its impact locally scheme will host a forum on its Global signifi cant in diff using an in- ior lecturer in Public Health novation has been at the centre leverage the contributions and globally on issues previous- Diff usion for Health Innova- novation in each of the eight Medicine at the Institute of of the programme; it’s obvi- made by these workers. ly highlighted at the conference, tion (GDHI) project during its countries that were studied. Global Health Innovation and ous why – an innovation that The WISH 2016 Summit will such as diabetes and patient gives 2016 conference in Doha this The second phase examined the School of Public Health at neither spreads nor scales is feature seven ground-breaking safety. November. the eight case studies of in- Imperial College London, said: not really viable, but often the Research Forums that high- The summit will feature inno- GDHI is a research project novations, successfully scaled “The infl uence of the WISH failure to take off has less to do light and address some of the vation showcases from around hope to funded by QF for the WISH in a number of countries, to conference is signifi cant. This with the merits of an idea than world’s most pressing health- the world that are shaping the Summit. It explores how front- determine the factors that conference presents a remark- organisational barriers.” care challenges. The forums will design, delivery, and fi nanc- line health workers and health- enabled the success of these able opportunity for the col- The GDHI report will high- generate interdisciplinary, evi- ing of care, as well as a cohort runaway care leaders in six diff erent parts innovations. lective intellectual power of light how healthcare leaders can dence-based reports on topics of young innovators; emerging of the world source innovations This year, GDHI will present senior health policymakers tackle the problem of accelerat- including Healthy Populations, healthcare leaders under the to meet their needs. It also ex- its third phase of research at from around the world to come ing the uptake and diff usion of Precision Medicine, Economic age of 30, whose contributions workers amines the role of curator or- WISH 2016. The forum will fo- together at a common platform new innovations. It will focus Benefi ts of Investing in Health, to global health deserve wider ganisations in propagating ideas cus on the demand, rather than and attend to tricky subjects on what policymakers can do to Accountable Care, Cardio- recognition.

By Ramesh Mathew Staff Reporter ome of the expatriates who have overstayed in Qatar for Ministry achieves Slong periods are now hop- Action initiated against ing to fi nally return to their native countries by availing of amnesty scheme for illegal residents. breakthrough in The three-month grace pe- riod, which began on September cement pump truck driver 1 would continue until December 1. It was on August 24 that the pesticide residue Ministry of Interior (MoI) an- l Mazrouah Wildlife nounced the amnesty for illegal Unit of the Depart- residents to leave the country Ament of Environment without facing any legal conse- Protection, Protectorates, detection quences for overstay. and Wildlife at the Ministry Reacting to the amnesty off er, of Municipality and Envi- he Central Food Labo- method of effi ciency and ac- an Indian expatriate, who has ronment (MME) has spotted ratories at the Min- curacy through a series of not travelled home for more than a driver of a cement pump Tistry of Public Health experiments, solutions and 12 years as he did not have a valid truck evacuating his cargo at (MoPH) has achieved a sig- statistical studies. The second residence permit since he ran undesignated area at Al Maz- nifi cant breakthrough by im- experiment included a confi r- away from his employer, wanted rouah. Accordingly, legal pro- proving the effi ciency of an mation study for the effi ciency to know if it was possible for him cedures against the violator analytical method to estimate of the analytical method. to travel home now. were initiated. the residues of 120 pesticides The new method was cho- However, sources close to him The patrols of Al Khor Wild- in vegetables and fruits by us- sen from among the best fi ve said he was not sure about how life Department of Environment ing Liquid Chromatography- methods of 100 tested by the to approach the authorities as he Protection, Protectorates, and Mass Spectrometry. International Assessment In- had overstayed in the country by Wildlife at MME have also spot- The method has been inter- stitute. Additionally, this re- several years. ted some nylon fi shing nets. nationally approved by Labo- search study was presented at Enquiries found that the expa- Meanwhile, the Ministry of ratory Accreditation Bureau the International Workshop triate was employed by a clean- Municipality and Environment and published in a major sci- Validation and Regulatory Af- ing company when the MoI’s (MME) Human Resources De- entifi c research in Drug Test- fairs held in Canada. previous amnesty was in place partment, the administra- ing Analysis magazine. This achievement comes in between March and July 2004. tive development and train- A research team, headed by line with the keenness of MoPH He left their employment imme- ing section will resume its Dr Goda Ramadan and mem- on encouraging the scientifi c diately after the four-month pe- training programme to qualify bers Mona al-Jaber, Najat research through the provision riod and had been eking out a liv- MME employees starting from al-Malak and Ali Saad, has of the requirements of analyti- ing through odd jobs since then. September. prepared a comprehensive cal methods development and It is also learnt that this ex- A number of 18 specialised research plan on develop- also providing the most recent patriate is not alone and there training courses will be con- MME employees attending a training course. ing highly effi cient analytical and accurate devices. are several other cases of people vened in the fi elds of modern method to estimate the resi- The Central Food Labora- running away from their em- management, law enforce- performance based on the train- ment is currently working on ducted 30 training courses for dues of 120 pesticides in veg- tories is conducting annually ployers and doing odd jobs to ment, report writing, man- ing requirements and specifi c preparing the training plan for staff from January this year un- etables and fruits. lots of studies and researches support themselves. agement and organisation of municipalities and other MME 2017 taking into consideration til August, with 709 employees Cucumber and apple were se- in the fi eld of water and food One of the main worries for work, electronic archiving, departments. the merger of the Ministry of taking part in them. In addi- lected as samples for vegetables safety with a view to ensuring many of these expatriates is planning skills and work plan- MME human resources de- Municipality and the Ministry tion, 11 other training cours- and fruits, respectively, through its conformity with the ap- whether the MoI rules will allow ning. Besides, other training partment director Jabr Abdulla of Environment. es were conducted with 167 two main experiments. proved global specifi cations them to re-enter the country. courses to improve employers’ al-Atiyah said that the depart- The department also has con- participating. The fi rst one featured the and its validity for use. QC sets up desalination Katara offi cial attends Oman meet r Khalid bin Ibrahim al- Sulaiti, general manager Dof Katara - the Cultural plant in Bangladesh Village, has taken part in the 5th Scientifi c Conference of the GCC Geographical Society at atar Charity (QC) has Salalah, Oman. The conference established a desalina- was held under the topic “ Geo- Qtion plant in Bangla- graphical Dimensions of Tour- desh for the benefi t of more ism Development in the GCC than 20,000 people. States: Reality, Expectations and This comes as part of QC’s Future Challenges”. Dr al-Sulaiti continued eff orts to implement gave a presentation titled “Ka- projects in countries where tara: The geography of culture”, people suff er from shortages where he focused on the foun- in and scarcity of water, the or- dations of Katara, its vision and ganisation has said in a targets. He also invited the Soci- statement. ety to hold the next edition of the The Paigasa Desalination conference at Katara in Doha. Plant produces around 80,000 litres of water for drinking and home use purposes. The project cost QR200,000. Khalid al-Yaf’i, director of Abandoned vehicles removed operations management at QC’s Executive Management, said: “Through such projects, QC aims to lessen the negative impacts of drought and use of polluted water, which helps en- The project will benefit more than 20,000 people. hance public health.” Al-Yaf’i also noted that QC west of Bangladesh, it is ex- “It had two options: to bring dry areas in the northwest of owned a number of excava- tremely salty. As a result, people water from tens of kilometres Bangladesh. From October un- tors that are used for drilling living in these areas fi nd it dif- away through pipes or establish til April, these areas suff er from deep artesian wells in Sudan, fi cult to get drinking water and water desalination plants. It was drought and lack irrigation and Burkina Faso and Niger. “QC water for home use.” agreed that QC would establish drinking water. As a result, the recently signed a co-operation He said QC tried to fi x the the plants because the other op- people’s suff erings and needs agreement with the German situation and took up the drill- tion was very expensive and re- increase. company, Buhak, to improve ing of thousands of deep ar- quired a lot of time.” In order to overcome such the technologies used in ex- tesian wells as a fi rst step. The QC has drilled more than problems, QC drilled the wells, tracting water in Africa. It wells were more than 300m 7,000 artesian wells in Bang- supplied them with networks also implemented a project for deep. “That was not enough, ladesh at a cost of over and provided the necessary manufacturing and import- however, for responding to all QR20,000,000. Around equipment for water connec- ing two excavators for Soma- the demands. Some areas lacked 1,000,000 people benefi t from tion with their plots as well as Some 110 abandoned vehicles, equipment and boats were removed by Al Wakrah Municipality and lia and Mauritania at a cost of drinking water even after dig- these wells. In addition, it has for the irrigation of their farms 24 by their owners in August. This comes as part of an ongoing clean-up campaign conducted by QR3,378,612,” he added. ging thousands of metres in the implemented 12 projects for ir- and drinking purposes. the Services Aff airs and Municipal Control sections at the municipality, during which a total of 306 Dr Mohamed Amine Hafi th, ground. After a careful study, rigation and drinking water at a Thousands of water wells are abandoned vehicles, equipment and boats were detected. Meanwhile, 170kg of fish were destroyed director of QC’s offi ce in Bang- QC was able to fi nd other al- cost of around QR2,000,000. being drilled for similar pur- at the Al Wakrah fish market after being found unfit for human consumption by the Al Wakrah ladesh, said: “Although there ternatives to meet the needs of These projects have been im- poses there and expected to be Municipality. is plenty of water in the south- these areas. plemented for people living in completed sometime this year. Gulf Times Saturday, September 3, 2016 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD

UN aid chief deplores ‘dire’ conditions on Jordan border 300 Syrians leave rebel UN aid chief Stephen O’Brien yesterday lamented the “dire” living conditions endured by more than 70,000 Syrian war refugees trapped for months on the border with Jordan. “The living conditions of the people stranded at the berm are town under regime deal dire,” O’Brien told a press confer- ence after visiting makeshift AFP were forced to accept the deal, camps for tens of thousands Moadimayet al-Sham, Syria under which rebels and their of Syrians who have fled the families were given safe pas- fighting in their country. Jordan sage to the rebel-held north- has since June 21 blocked the ore than 300 Syrians western city of Idlib, because passage of aid to the refugees living in a rebel held the blockade and constant and their entry after a suicide Mtown near Damascus bombardment by the army had bombing claimed by the Islamic were evacuated yesterday un- made the humanitarian situa- State jihadist group killed seven der a deal with the government, tion untenable. of its soldiers in the desert area. state media reported. The opposition has criticised Since then, humanitarian organi- The agreement between the such deals and UN’s Syria envoy sations have been able to send regime and the rebels had al- Staff an de Mistura also voiced aid to the refugees just once, in ready seen thousands of civil- concern that the Daraya agree- early August, lifting the aid across ians and opposition fi ghters ment was part of a wider strat- the frontier using drones and leave the town of Daraya, south- egy by the regime to empty rebel cranes. “There is no access to west of the capital, after a four- enclaves that would soon be ex- basic resources such as food and year government siege. tended to other areas. water, with over 75 % of that pop- Civilians evacuated yesterday He said there were “indica- ulation estimated to be women from nearby Moadimayet al- tions that after Daraya we may and children,” O’Brien said. Sham had been living there for have other Darayas.” “They desperately need assist- around three years after fl eeing “There is clearly a strategy ance and our humanitarian fi ghting in Daraya. at the moment to move from support.” However, he also called Moadimayet al-Sham is also Daraya” to other besieged areas Jordan’s security concerns “very under government siege, but “in a similar pattern”, he told re- legitimate”, and said discussions after a truce deal signed in late porters in Geneva on Thursday. were under way with Amman to 2013 has been spared the heavy Negotiations are underway find a way to deliver aid without fi ghting that has ravaged other between the government and endangering the kingdom’s rebel-held areas around the rebels, as well as the local coun- security. O’Brien emphasised capital. cil in Moadimayet al-Sham, for the commitment of donor Negotiations are underway to the evacuation of fi ghters in the countries to help Jordan ease the secure a deal under which rebel town, sources involved in the burden of the refugee crisis. The fi ghters in the town will also talks said. country already hosts more than leave, though civilians will re- Akram al-Jamili, a member 600,000 Syrian refugees accord- portedly remain, parties to the Syrian civilians from the town of Daraya prepare to be evacuated from the rebel-held town of Moadamiyet al-Sham yesterday to be taken to a of the reconciliation committee ing to the United Nations, a figure talks said. shelter in the government-controlled town of Hrajela. for Moadimayet al-Sham, said the Jordanians put at 1.4mn. The evacuees walked to the the deal would diff er from the Amman regularly complains of a edge of Moadimayet al-Sham, Soldiers searched their suit- taken to Hrajeleh, a regime-held for three years and I hope that implementation of the deal in Daraya agreement. lack of international aid, believing where eight buses were wait- cases as they left, and checked district, for processing. life in the reception centre will Daraya itself, which saw the “All the civilians will stay. it has “reached its limits” and ing to take them to reception their names against a list. State television said they be better than here,” said Roue- town emptied of rebels and ci- The army will take control of the regularly urges the international centres elsewhere in Damascus State media said 303 residents consisted of 162 children, 79 ida, a mother of seven, as she vilians and retaken by govern- town. The fi ghters will sort out community to share the respon- province, an AFP photographer of Daraya were leaving Moadi- women and 62 men. left. ment forces. their statuses with the authori- sibility. reported. mayet al-Sham and would be “I’ve been taking refuge here The evacuation follows the Opposition fi ghters said they ties or go to Idlib,” he said. Lebanon indicts Syrian Storms, fl ash fl oods kill offi cers for twin blasts four in northern Iran Reuters National News Agency said. gents and groups supportive of Beirut The court ruling announcing Syrian President Bashar al-As- AFP the indictment said investigators sad’s minority Alawite sect. Tehran were still trying to uncover the But the clashes, which left ebanon indicted two Syr- names of the offi cials respon- hundreds dead and wounded, ian intelligence offi cers sible for giving the two offi cers ceased in 2014 after a deal was t least four people have been killed in Lyesterday in connection their orders. reached that allowed a promi- thunderstorms and fl ash fl ooding in with twin bombings at mosques According to NNA, the ruling nent Alawite leader to fl ee to Anorthern Iran, state media reported in Tripoli in 2013, state media said “the order was issued from a Syria. yesterday. said, the deadliest attack in the high-level security body within Lebanese Justice Minister A woman, 70, died after being struck city since the end of Lebanon’s the Syrian intelligence service”. Ashraf Rifi , a politician vocally by lightning while working outside in Go- civil war in 1990. Shortly after the bombings, critical of the Syrian government lestan province, the website of state televi- The two blasts, at the Taqwa fi ve men were charged, including and its ally Iran, said yesterday: sion channel IRIB said.Three others — two and Al-Salam mosques in the a cleric close to the Syrian gov- “The era of Syrian tutelage is parents and their child — drowned in fl ash northern Lebanese city, hap- ernment. gone and will not return, and fl oods near a burst river bank, it added. pened within minutes of each Syria, which had a military threats from the Syrian regime Storms swept across provinces in the other in August 2013 and killed presence in Lebanon for 29 years will not scare us.” north and northwest on Thursday and the more than 40 people and injured before pulling out in 2005, is now In response to the court’s inclement weather continued yesterday. hundreds. in the sixth year of its own civil fi ndings, Rifi said he would ask “Severe storms have greatly damaged A Lebanese military court ac- war. Sectarian strife has spilled the Lebanese government to ex- more than 900 houses in the city and vil- cused Syrian intelligence offi cers over from Syria and exacerbated pel Syria’s ambassador to Leba- lages and 100 workshops in Amol,” offi cial A flooded street in the Iranian northern town of Sari in Mazandaran province following heavy rain. Mohamed Ali Ali, of the “Pales- similar tensions in Lebanon. non and to cut diplomatic rela- Irna news agency quoted local governor tine Branch”, and Nasser Jubaan, For the fi rst three years of tions with Damascus. Ahmad Monfared as saying. for a quarter of the population, Mizan news Razavi province later, Mizan added. of the “Political Security Direc- Syria’s confl ict, Tripoli, about 30 The Syrian government could Amol is in Mazandaran province, on the agency reported. Roads were blocked in some Golestan ar- torate,” of planning and over- km from the Syrian border, saw not immediately be reached for shore of the Caspian Sea, where wind gusts Officials have warned that the storms eas, leaving motorists stranded, a local cri- seeing the attacks, Lebanon’s frequent clashes between insur- comment. reaching 130 kilometres per hour cut power could reach the northeastern Khorasan sis management offi cial told Mizan.

Blast at weapons storage depot Dubai debuts driverless minibus Turkey-backed rebels A blast caused by a fire at a weapons storage depot in eastern Baghdad yesterday set AFP clear Syria border off rockets that hit neighbour- Dubai ing districts, killing at least four residents and injuring villages of IS: army 14 others, police and hospital ubai has unveiled its sources said. fi rst driverless bus Video footage showed a large Dservice, launching a AFP by the opposition rebels. plume of smoke rising above month-long trial period for Elbeyli, Turkey An AFP photographer at the the depot. A huge explosion the electric vehicle with a view border said Turkish-led forces was followed by a massive to expanding it across the fu- were undertaking operations shockwave. turistic Gulf city state. yrian rebels supported by near the town of Al-Rai, about Women and children were The 10-seat vehicle made Turkish and coalition air 20km further west. On Thurs- heard screaming in the back- its fi rst trip on Thursday along Sstrikes pushed further west day, Pentagon spokesman Cap- ground. Footage of the blast a 700-metre stretch of road in into areas held by Islamic State (IS) tain Jeff Davis estimated IS only site showed a massive crater downtown Dubai, near to the in northern Syria as Ankara and its retained control of about 25km almost five metres deep and Burj Khalifa, the world’s tall- allies step up a campaign to rout of the border, east of Al-Rai. 20 metres wide. est tower. the militants from the border area. Turkey sent tanks and troops Many surrounding buildings Developed jointly by French Turkish strikes destroyed into Syria on August 24 to both and vehicles were heavily group Easy Mile and Dubai- three buildings used by IS around combat IS – which has been damaged. based Omnix, the minibus is the villages of Kunduriyah and blamed for a string of suicide at- The depot belonged to one of powered by an electric motor Arab Izzah, about 30km west of tacks inside Turkey – and halt the the Shia paramilitary groups and can hit speeds of 40 kilo- the border town of Jarabulus, the westward advance of the Kurdish of the Popular Mobilisation metres per hour. army said in a statement. People’s Protection Militia (YPG). Force (PMF), a police officer But, thanks to cutting-edge The pro-Ankara rebels took Turkey sees the YPG as a ter- said. guidance technology, its de- Jarabulus from IS last week on ror off shoot of the Kurdistan The PMF is a coalition of velopers say the bus can adapt the fi rst day of an unprecedented Workers Party (PKK) waging a mostly Iranian-backed militias its speed to the surrounding Turkish off ensive aimed both bloody three-decade insurgency that are fighting Islamic State, environment and even come to at IS and a US-backed Kurdish on its soil. Ankara has said the the group that overran swathes a complete halt if a pedestrian militia that had been leading the YPG will remain a target unless of northern and western Iraq were to cross its path. fi ght against the militants. it returns east of the Euphrates two years ago. The rockets set It can be programmed to Dubai residents board an autonomous 10-seater car, during a trial run along the Mohamed bin Rashid In the last few days the rebels river into the two cantons under off from the depot damaged navigate between Dubai’s Boulevard. have been moving quickly to clear Kurdish control. houses, shops and cars at eight main tourist attractions, in- the militants from the last stretch Yesterday, Turkish President locations, and started a fire cluding the Burj Khalifa, the (RTA) said in a statement. Dubai’s transport network,” to have a quarter of all Dubai of the border under their control, Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed at a flour factory that was still Dubai Mall, Dubai Opera Thursday’s test run was RTA offi cial Ahmed Bahrozyan transport automated by 2030. backed by Turkish artillery and US claims that the YPG-led Syr- burning two hours after it was and the Souk al-Bahar shop- “the fi rst and very important said. Dubai is a leading tourist des- Turkish and coalition air strikes. ian Democratic Forces (SDF) had hit, the police off icer said. ping centre, the emirate’s stage in our eff orts to intro- Mattar al-Tayer, the RTA’s tination in the Gulf, attracting The army said the area around retreated to the northeast, as de- Road Transport Authority duce this type of vehicle into director general, said it aimed 14.2mn visitors in 2015. Kunduriyah was now controlled manded. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, September 3, 2016 AFRICA

S Africa’s murder Tense calm in Libreville rate jumps to 51 a day

AFP after post-election riots Johannesburg Reuters Libreville outh Africa’s murder rate increased by 4.9% in the Slast year, offi cial statis- undreds of soldiers and tics showed yesterday, with the police offi cers were de- police minister admitting the Hployed in Gabon’s capi- country was struggling with “a tal Libreville yesterday to keep prevalent culture of violence”. order after two days of post- A total of 18,673 people were election riots that threatened killed in the 12 months to March the half-century grip President – 51 people every day – up from Ali Bongo’s family has held on 17,805 in the previous year. power. Police Minister Nathi Nh- Violence erupted across leko said the sharp increase was the Central African nation on Ayrault: We are Africa’s partners but we do not want in any case to largely down to domestic vio- Wednesday with the announce- intervene in countries’ internal aff airs. That would be disrespectful lence and alcohol abuse. ment of a slim victory for Bongo, of Africans. “What it says about us South who was fi rst elected in 2009 Africans is that we are violent, on the death of his father Omar, fi nd a quick solution to the cri- French defence ministry. we have a prevalent culture of Gabon’s president for 42 years. sis. The French military inter- violence,” he told journalists. Five people died in the un- Bongo’s spokesman Bilie By vened in the Ivory Coast in 2011 “It’s not about what the govern- rest, Bongo’s spokesman Alain- Nze told Paris-based France 24 under a UN mandate to help oust ment can do, it’s about what we Claude Bilie By Nze said yester- television that the building had then-president Laurent Gbagbo can (all) do. It’s a huge societal day, and up to 1,100 arrests had been surrounded because the after he refused to accept his de- issue that we have to deal with.” been made by Thursday, accord- security forces came under at- feat in a disputed election. Offi cials said that most mur- ing to the interior minister. tack from inside. More recently it has inter- ders occurred indoors, in urban Bongo’s chief rival Jean Ping “Security offi cers were shot vened in Libya, Mali and Central areas and involved people known said he won the vote, claiming People surround the body of Axel Messa, 30, wrapped in the flag of Gabon, in a street of the Libreville at from this HQ. That is a fact. African Republic. to each other. the result was rigged, and has district of Nzeng Ayong yesterday. Two men died after overnight clashes in Libreville between security There were grenades,” he said. French soldiers are also carry- The latest fi gures reveal that called upon the international forces and demonstrators protesting President Ali Bongo’s announced victory in a disputed election, Ping has denied his support- ing out an anti-terrorist opera- South Africa’s murder rate has community to intervene. witnesses and an AFP journalists said. ers were armed. tion across West Africa’s Sahel risen by nearly 20% in four years. More than two dozen of his France, the United States and region. The high crime rate is seen as supporters, including a former further protests, a government also broke out in other cities and Riot police were also in evi- the European Union have urged During more than four dec- hampering the country’s social vice-president, remained inside source said. provinces. dence. the authorities to release indi- ades in power, Omar Bongo cohesion, economic growth and his campaign headquarters sur- According to Libreville resi- The interior of the assembly A group of Ping’s supporters vidual polling station results, a cultivated close relations with a international reputation – espe- rounded by security forces. dents, text messages were also hall at the parliament, set on fi re remained inside his headquar- request Bongo’s spokesman re- succession of French presidents. cially as a tourist destination. Some shops in Libreville’s city blocked. by demonstrators on Wednes- ters yesterday, nearly two days jected on Thursday. However, Ali Bongo’s ties to Carjacking, which is one of centre were open yesterday and The French and US embassies day, was completely gutted with after the opposition leader said Interviewed yesterday on Paris have been more tenuous. the most prevalent crimes in traffi c slowly began to pick up. in Libreville advised their citi- seats and tables reduced to cin- the building came under attack France 2 television, Ayrault re- Gabon recalled its ambas- South Africa, increased by 14.3% But locals feared the violence, zens to remain at home. ders, a Reuters witness said. by soldiers, killing two people. peated the call for more trans- sador to Paris in January after last year, while house robberies which former colonial power Bongo benefi ted from a pa- “I’m sad for my country be- Authorities have acknowl- parency but ruled out interven- France’s Prime Minister Manuel were up 2.7%. France and others in the West tronage system lubricated by oil cause such things should never edged fi ve deaths in the two days ing in Gabon, home to 14,000 Valls appeared to question the Sexual off ences were down had condemned, might erupt money ahead of the vote in the happen,” National Assembly of violence without giving de- French citizens. legitimacy of Bongo’s 2009 3.2%, though experts say that again. major crude producer. President Richard Auguste tails. “We are Africa’s partners but election. incidents are under-reported. “It’s a shame,” said Paul But falling prices and produc- Onouviet said as he surveyed the Ping’s spokesman Jean Gasp- we do not want in any case to in- Judicial authorities seized Sparsely-populated Northern Ndzembi, 57, part of a small tion – dominated by Total and damage at the parliament build- ard Ntoutoume Ayisaid said the tervene in countries’ internal af- several Bongo family properties Cape was the only province that group discussing events on a Shell – have led to budget cuts in ing. group included former vice- fairs. That would be disrespect- in France in April in the context recorded a decrease in murders, street in the city centre. “We’re a country where many citizens Soldiers, deployed through- president Didjob Divungi Di Nd- ful of Africans,” he said. of a corruption investigation. while Eastern Cape province, afraid the situation will get have not enjoyed the fruits of oil out Libreville on Thursday to inge. France has maintained a per- Ping, a former diplomat and recorded the sharpest increase – worse.” wealth. reinforce the police, were posi- French Foreign Minister Jean- manent military base in Gabon African Union Commission posting a jump of 9.9%. The Internet was still down Television stations, super- tioned at crossroads yesterday Marc Ayrault demanded yester- since independence in 1960 and chairman, is a life-long insider Poverty and record levels of yesterday, a measure taken to markets, shops, and homes were and the elite Republican Guard day that the authorities release some 450 troops are stationed to Gabonese politics who fa- unemployment are often seen prevent the opposition from looted in Libreville on Wednes- ensured security near the presi- opposition members and said there to help contribute to re- thered two children with Omar as key drivers of crime in South using social media to organise day and Thursday and unrest dential palace. it was working with partners to gional stability, according to the Bongo’s daughter, Pascaline. Africa.

Congo police detain 85 opposition supporters

Congolese police arrested 85 opposition together more than 200 delegates from supporters on charges of trying to disrupt parties supporting President Joseph Kabila, Over 100 attacks on attempts by the government to launch civil society organisations and smaller a dialogue with the opposition after a opposition parties. government decision to postpone elections The detainees had meanwhile gathered to sparked widespread protests last month. march to the off ices of the AU to lodge a albinos since 2014 Those arrested had tried to “sabotage” complaint that the dialogue did not meet talks between the government and some conditions set by the opposition, such as opposition parties that were launched the release of political prisoners, opposition Thursday in Kinshasa, police commander representative Martin Fayulu said. in Mozambique: UN Celestin Kanyama said yesterday. Police dispersed them with tear gas. The main opposition parties are boycotting Elections are due in November, but the the talks, brokered by the African Union electoral commission said they would be AFP tacks against albinos in Mozam- (AU) and the United Nations, which brought postponed. Maputo bique were a new phenomenon, said Ero at the end of her 12-day mission to the country. lbinos in Mozambique have “(They) are hunted and their body suff ered more than 100 at- parts are wanted – everything from Atacks since 2014, a UN expert their heads to their toes, their hair, said yesterday, with hunters target- their nails and even their faeces Albino children pose with a woman and a child during a sunglasses and ing them for everything from their are collected,” she told reporters in sunblock distribution in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Wednesday. toes to their faeces. Maputo. Ikponwosa Ero, the UN Human Ero said that local activist groups which causes white skin because of a date, none of them have been caught Rights Council’s special expert had gathered evidence of more than hereditary condition that leads to an or prosecuted and perceived net- on albinism, said she was “deeply 100 attacks on albinos since 2014, absence of pigmentation. works are yet to be identifi ed.” struck” by the sense of fear within with the real fi gure thought to be “It is believed that the master- Canadian charity Under The the community in Mozambique. higher. minds operate in a secretive but Same Sun has documented 178 mur- While widely reported in neigh- Between 20,000 and 30,000 Mo- powerful cross-border network akin ders of albinos in Africa over ap- bouring Tanzania and Malawi, at- zambicans are living with albinism, to that of drug barons,” Ero said. “To proximately 10 years.

South Africa’s cabinet asks Zuma for inquiry on Gupta account closures Nigeria targets offi cials ‘stealing’ The South African cabinet has asked President Jacob Zuma to launch a judicial inquiry into food aid for Boko Haram victims why the country’s top banks cut ties with a company owned by the wealthy Gupta family, who have been accused of holding undue Reuters Shehu, told the Thomson Reu- “There are some politicians political sway over Zuma. Abuja ters Foundation by phone. exploiting the IDP (internally- The prominent business family is accused by Public outcry was sparked in displaced persons) situation for the opposition of being behind Zuma’s abrupt April when photos posted on political purposes, by spread- sacking of former finance minister Nhlanhla igerian President Mu- social media appeared to show ing rumours about food steal- Nene in December, a move that rattled hammadu Buhari has food aid on sale in shops. ing,” said Isa Gusau, spokesman investor confidence and triggered calls for the Nordered police to ar- The items had logos of aid for the state governor, Kashim president’s resignation. rest and make an example of agencies, leading many to be- Shettima. The Guptas have denied using their friendship government offi cials accused lieve that they had been divert- “It is radically diffi cult to di- with Zuma to influence his decisions, including of stealing food aid intended ed by state offi cials in camps for vert food,” he said, adding that cabinet appointments, or advance their for victims of Boko Haram in the displaced. the international aid agencies business interests. northeast Nigeria, the presi- Hundreds of people displaced involved in the distribution of The president has acknowledged the Guptas dent’s spokesman said on by Boko Haram militants last aid would have spoken out if are his friends but denies anything improper. Thursday. week left their camps to stage they had noticed wrongdoing. The cabinet said in a statement released late The Nigerian Senate last a protest in Maiduguri, Borno’s The UN’s World Food Pro- on Thursday that the judicial inquiry should week launched an investiga- capital, to demand more aid, gramme last month warned that consider taking legal action against the tion into allegations of food aid accusing offi cials of stealing up to 5.5mn people in Nigeria’s banks for closing the accounts of the Guptas’ being stolen and sold by state food rations. northeast might soon need food company, Oakbay Investments. offi cials in Borno state, where Protesters said that they aid, double the current number, An inter-ministerial team set up by the cabinet aid agencies have warned of wanted to receive food aid di- as soaring infl ation was pushing in April to look into the reason for the account starvation, malnutrition and rectly, rather than through up food prices. closures said it received evidence showing dwindling food supplies for the state-run feeding committees Medecins Sans Frontieres the banks were influenced by “innuendo and displaced. in the camps. said in late July that severely potentially reckless media statements”. “The president has asked the However, the government malnourished children are dy- The cabinet also urged Zuma to set up a state Inspector General of the police of Borno state dismissed the ing in large numbers in the bank, saying the sector was controlled by a to catch some of these alleged allegations of theft, and said region, where food supplies few financial institutions. thieves, to look out for them and they were politically motivated are close to running out, and It was not immediately clear when the inquiry make public examples of them,” ahead of general and presiden- warned of “pockets of what is would be launched. Buhari’s spokesman, Garba tial elections in 2019. close to a famine”. Gulf Times Saturday, September 3, 2016 5 AMERICAS

Obama hits Pacifi c atoll Hurricane Hermine to highlight environment

AFP tears through Florida Midway Island

Reuters the Zika virus by dumping standing Tampa, Florida water, no matter how small,” Flori- resident Barack Obama went off da Governor Rick Scott told a news the beaten track on Thursday — conference, also warning people to Pway off — to a newly expanded urricane Hermine tore a path look out for downed power lines and marine reserve on an atoll in the middle of destruction across Florida avoid driving in pools of standing of the Pacifi c Ocean, part of an eff ort to Hyesterday, knocking out power water. polish his environmental legacy. for 253,000 customers, fl ooding low- There have been 47 cases of Zika in Obama fl ew three hours west of his na- lying areas and raising concerns about people believed to have contracted the tive Honolulu to Midway Atoll, on the far the spread of the Zika virus from pools virus through local mosquitoes, ac- northwestern tip of the Hawaiian island of standing water left behind. cording to the Florida Department of chain. The fi rst hurricane to make landfall Health. The atoll is situated at the heart of Pa- in Florida in more than a decade, Her- Active transmission is thought to pahanaumokuakea, a vast Pacifi c marine mine came ashore early yesterday near be occurring only in two small areas reserve given protected status by then- St Marks, Florida, 30km south of the around Miami. president George W Bush in 2006. capital of Tallahassee, packing winds As the sun rose yesterday morn- Obama recently quadrupled its size of 130kph and churning up a devastat- ing on Hudson Beach, just north of to make it the world’s largest marine re- ing storm surge in coastal areas. Tampa, cars sat askew in the middle of serve, home to 7,000 marine species, in- It was set to snarl US Labor Day fl ooded roads. cluding many endangered birds as well as holiday travel after battering Florida’s Palm fronds, tree branches and gar- the Hawaiian monk seal and black coral, $89bn tourism industry. bage cans were scattered about. which can live for 4,500 years. Georgia was spared the havoc it had Overnight, Pasco County crews “This is going to be a precious resource expected when it placed 56 counties rescued more than a dozen people and for generations to come,” Obama told re- under a state of emergency, but 85,000 brought them to shelters after their porters on Midway’s Turtle Beach. homes and businesses lost power from homes were fl ooded. All the atoll’s 40 inhabitants — mostly downed trees and power lines. Richard Jewett, 68, was rescued US Fish and Wildlife Service staff — “We’re having a bit of a sigh of re- from his home in New Port Richey, greeted him. lief,” said Jim Butterworth, director of just north of Tampa, around 1.30am Until recently, the area was perhaps the Georgia Emergency Management EDT (0530 GMT) yesterday as emer- best known to military history buff s. Agency. gency workers carried out a manda- Seventy-four years ago, the Battle Though sustained winds had weak- tory evacuation. of Midway was a decisive naval fi ght in ened to 80kph, the storm headed “The canal started creeping up to- World War II that turned the tide of the northeast toward the Atlantic sea- ward the house and even though it war against Japan. board on a path where tens of mil- wasn’t high tide it looked like it was Obama praised “courage and persever- lions of Americans live, causing storm coming inside,” he said. ance” of the vastly outnumbered Ameri- watches and warnings stretching to A man looks at a tree that toppled on to a car after Hurricane Hermine crossed Alligator Point, Florida, yesterday. In Cedar Key, an island commu- can soldiers who repelled Japanese forc- Rhode Island, the National Hurricane nity in northwest Florida, waters rose es. “This is hallowed ground,” he said. Center (NHC) said. “There is the possibility of life- 2012, was on high alert as emergency sources, including sandbags and gen- more than 2.9m, among the highest Now, he added, protecting the vast ec- It could strengthen again over water threatening inundation during the offi cials advised people to prepare for erators. surges ever seen, the National Weath- osystem “allows us to study and research and possibly bring up to 38cm of rain next 48 hours at most coastal loca- fl ooding, high winds and a surge of In Florida, concerns over the stand- er Service said. and understand our oceans better than to the southeastern and mid-Atlantic tions between the North Carolina/ seawater. ing water in which mosquitoes breed “This is one of the worst that we we ever have before”. states over the next 48 hours, with Virginia border and Bridgeport, Con- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo intensifi ed as the state battles an out- have seen in the city in a long time, The president was later set to go snor- heavy rainfall possibly hitting coastal necticut,” the centre said. on Friday activated his state’s emer- break of the Zika virus. and unfortunately, it is not over yet,” kelling with friends away from journal- Delaware and New Jersey starting to- New Jersey, still mindful of the dev- gency operations centre and advised “It is incredibly important that Mayor Rick Kriseman of St Peters- ists, the White House said. night, the centre said. astation caused by Hurricane Sandy in emergency offi cials to stockpile re- everyone does their part to combat burg, Florida, told reporters. Since taking offi ce in 2009, he has des- ignated more protected areas than any of his predecessors using the Antiquities Act, signed in 1906 by Theodore Roo- sevelt, who established the fi rst national monuments. Ex-Stanford 9/11 museum welcomes art on attacks’ 15th anniversary For the outgoing president, the visit is part of an eight-year eff ort to put the en- vironment and tackling climate change sex off ender By Brigitte Dusseau, AFP in his or her own way, including one In the end she painted nearly 3,000 Pressing white linen pulp on blue higher on the political agenda. New York who lost his fi refi ghter brother, whose victims, and 840 of the paintings will handmade paper rectangles, Sauce- Scientists would be able to undertake body was never found. be displayed at the exposition. do created three panels — ethereal “critically important” study of climate leaves jail Several, such as Ejay Weiss, incor- Some of the depictions, which are compositions on which the white change in the marine reserve, he said. n the 15th anniversary of the porated ash from Ground Zero into each four by nine inches (10cm by linen forms what first appears to be Although Bush created Papa- September 11 attacks, the New their works. 23cm), feature photos of the victims a cloud, but on closer examination is hanaumokuakea, he also earned inter- AFP OYork museum that honours His four acrylic paintings enhance while others are more stylised, show- in fact the World Trade Center build- national scorn by rejecting the global San Francisco that dark day in US history is turning the chaos, with a calming square of ing a man with his hair on fi re, a sil- ings. climate deal reached at Kyoto. to something lighter: art. blue sky in the center. houette or a snake. A bronze statue of a woman falling Obama, in contrast, has led the charge Visitors to the National Septem- The now-distant morning when the “There is no direct correlation for to the ground, hand extended, pays to secure the recently struck Paris cli- rock Turner, the former ber 11 Memorial Museum’s new ex- Twin Towers of the World Trade Cent- each of the victims,” Shandler said of homage to both the dead and living. mate agreement. Stanford University stu- hibit “Rendering the Unthinkable” are er were struck by hijacked airplanes, the works, which took her three years Eric Fischl’s “Tumbling Woman” is “Rising temperatures and sea levels Bdent whose light sentence not being asked to relive the violence claiming 2,753 lives, is one New York to complete. on loan from The Whitney Museum. pose an existential threat to your coun- for a campus sexual assault ig- through turbulent canvases or painful still remembers well. “It was a way to take all the pain and The art on display, born out of the tries,” he said in Honolulu earlier to rep- nited a national furore, was re- performances. As horror rained down on the city, release it. It was cathartic,” she said. tragedy, is a “counterpoint” to the resentatives of Pacifi c island nations at leased from jail yesterday after Rather they are taken on a journey additional deadly attacks were carried Sculptor Christopher Saucedo’s two museum’s historical exhibition, said the World Conservation Congress, a ma- serving three months of a six- to soothe the pain and refl ect on a out on the Pentagon and on a com- brothers, both New York City fi re- director Alice Greenwald. jor conference of thousands of delegates, month sentence. terror attack that is now part of New mercial airplane that crashed in rural fi ghters, responded to the attack, with While the museum’s mission is fac- including heads of state, scientists and TV news cameras caught the York’s DNA. Pennsylvania. one never to return. tual, meant to tell the tale of Septem- policy makers. 21-year-old former swimmer as Opening on September 12, one day A few days after the attacks, Manju Although Saucedo normally works ber 11 and the people who lived and “And while some members of the he left the Santa Clara County after the 9/11 anniversary, the exhibit Shandler began creating paintings to with steel and other metals, he died in the attacks, the art exhibit is US Congress still seem to be debating Jail in San Jose, California, and will feature works by 13 local artists — represent each of the victims. couldn’t bear to create his 9/11 piece “intimate and spare,” she said. whether climate change is real or not, quickly drove away in a car with- paintings, video and sculptures. “At the beginning, we didn’t even from metal, the only material left in the “It is a very contemplative space,” many of you are already planning for new out commenting. Each lived through the 2001 attacks know how many had died,” she said. World Trade centre after the attacks. she told AFP. places for your people to live,” he added. Turner was convicted in March of three counts of sexual assault after being caught raping an intoxicated and unconscious 22-year-old woman behind a dumpster at a fraternity house. He was released early from jail ‘Biggest demo in decades’ puts pressure on Maduro for good behaviour while incar- cerated. Judge Aaron Persky set off a AFP peaceful, fi nishing in the mid-after- storm of outrage in June when Caracas noon, but isolated clashes between he sentenced Turner to only six demonstrators and security offi cers did months in prison, followed by occur, with some violent incidents re- three years probation, setting pponents of Venezuelan Presi- ported in other cities. aside prosecutors’ call for a six- dent Nicolas Maduro claimed to After the protest, state security year prison term. Ohave mobilised 1mn demonstra- agents fi red tear gas against protestors Persky, who had also been a tors on Thursday in the biggest rally in who tried to block the main highway student at Stanford, now faces decades, vowing weekly mass protests of the city after a group of masked men a recall campaign and has re- to demand a referendum on ousting him threw stones at some offi cers. moved himself from hearing from power. Opposition leaders and human rights criminal cases. Police deployed in their hundreds to organisations also reported outbreaks of The case threw a spotlight on keep anti-government protesters angry violence in Maracay and San Cristobal. the problem of rape and sexual at food and medicine shortages apart The MUD said in a statement it would assault on US college campuses, from Maduro’s supporters, who vowed hold two further nationwide demon- amid criticism that handling of to defend his “socialist revolution.” strations: at electoral offi ces on Sep- these cases is often lax and has The rallies raised fears of violence tember 7, and a “national mobilization given rise to a climate of impu- in the oil-rich South American state, day” on September 14. nity. where anti-government protests in The referendum’s timing lies at the Turner’s victim, identifi ed as 2014 led to clashes with police that left heart of the battle. If it takes place before “Emily Doe,” made a powerful 43 people dead. January 10 and Maduro loses, new elec- statement at his sentencing that The leader of the opposition Demo- tions must be held. If he loses in a recall drew international attention. cratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), Jesus after that date, he would simply hand “You don’t know me, but Torrealba, told AFP it was the “biggest power to his hand-picked vice president. you’ve been inside me, and that’s rally in recent decades” with “between Maduro said Thursday he had pre- why we’re here today,” she told 950,000 and 1.1mn people” taking part. pared a decree to strip lawmakers in the her attacker in the statement Demonstrators dressed in white National Assembly of their immunity. read in court. “You took away marched in the east of the capital, yell- He accused the opposition speaker of my worth, my privacy, my en- ing “Venezuela is hungry” and “This the legislature, Henry Ramos Allup, of ergy, my time, my intimacy, my government is going to fall.” inciting violence. confi dence, my own voice, until “We either come out to march or we Venezuelan police in riot gear face demonstrators before an opposition march in Caracas on Thursday. The opposition “cannot be intimi- today.” will die of hunger. dated,” Ramos retorted. A letter to the court by Turn- We are no longer afraid of the gov- gins a defi nitive stage in this struggle,” d’etat,” he told the crowd. “They have 37-year-old housewife Carolina Aponte “President Maduro, look at all these er’s father, stating that the ernment,” said one demonstrator, Ana Torrealba said. failed once again. The victory is ours.” at the pro-government rally. people who have poured into the streets blond, blue-eyed athlete did not Gonzalez, 53. Thousands of Maduro supporters in The opposition blames Maduro for The authorities arrested three oppo- of Caracas,” he said. deserve to be jailed for “20 min- The rallies come at a highly volatile red T-shirts and caps meanwhile rallied the economic crisis and wants a refer- sition leaders in the days ahead of the The polling fi rm Venebarometro utes of action,” further stoked time for Venezuela, where a plunge in in the central Plaza Bolivar yelling to endum on removing him from power. march. says 64% of the electorate would vote the debate. prices for oil exports has led to short- their leader: “The people are with you.” He has branded the eff ort a right- Senior opposition fi gure Henrique against Maduro. The woman was rescued from ages, violent crime and outbreaks of Maduro estimated his supporters’ wing “coup.” Capriles said on Thursday that two A study by another pollster, Datanal- her attacker by two international looting. turnout at up to 30,000. “We are here at the call of our presi- mayors had also been arrested. isis, indicated eight out of 10 Venezue- students from Sweden. “This is a historic march. Today be- “Today we have defeated a coup dent, to defend the revolution,” said Thursday’s marches remained mostly lans want a change of government. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, September 3, 2016 ASEAN Malaysian PM outed as key scandal fi gure AFP peatedly fi ngered the offi cial as subsequent clarifying statement. 1” be identifi ed and arrested. diverted billions from the now- Kuala Lumpur someone conspiring to divert Rahman Dahlan, who also is Najib, however, has shut stricken fund. vast sums from state investment communications director for down Malaysian investigations, Najib and 1MDB deny any fund 1MDB. Najib’s ruling coalition, did not clamped down on media report- wrongdoing. Malaysian cabinet min- Najib, who launched a crack- address whether Najib commit- ing of the aff air, and purged crit- The Justice Department has ister has admitted that down last year to contain the ted wrongdoing. ics from his ruling party. moved to seize assets includ- APrime Minister Najib Ab- spiralling scandal, has so far not But he insisted Najib was not a 1MDB, or 1Malaysia Develop- ing real estate in Beverly Hills, dul Razak was the mysterious commented on the identity of the target of the US lawsuit. ment Berhad, was launched by New York and London, artworks Najib: has shut down Malaysian investigations, clamped down on unnamed offi cial who the US Jus- unnamed offi cial. His comments, however, will Najib in 2009 and closely over- by Monet and Van Gogh, and media reporting of the aff air, and purged critics from his ruling party. tice Department said took part in But in an interview with the add fuel to persistent calls for seen by him. a Bombardier jet that it alleges rampant looting of state funds. BBC that aired late on Thursday, Najib to step down and face jus- Allegations of a vast interna- were purchased with money sto- Senior opposition fi gure Lim Analysts warn that the scandal The admission confi rmed Minister of Urban Well-Being, tice. tional scheme of embezzlement len from 1MDB. Kit Siang said that Najib must could harm foreign investment in widespread suspicions that Najib Housing and Local Government Tens of thousands of peo- and money-laundering involving It was not immediately clear immediately submit to justice to Malaysia, but Najib has refused was “Malaysian Offi cial 1” men- Abdul Rahman Dahlan admitted ple paralysed the capital Kuala billions of dollars of 1MDB mon- why Rahman Dahlan, a staunch avoid further harming Malaysia’s to give way. tioned in a Justice Department that it was Najib. Lumpur in August 2015 with two ey began to emerge two years ago. defender of Najib, had outed him. image. Political experts see no sign yet lawsuit fi led in July. “It’s obvious that the so-called days of protest over the scandal. In its scathing lawsuit, the But the news dominated head- “The Prime Minister ... (must) that he will be ousted before the The lawsuit – part of US moves ‘Malaysian Offi cial 1’ referred to Last weekend, several hundred US Justice Department detailed lines in Malaysia, and was a top- purge and cleanse Malaysia’s next elections, due by mid-2018, to seize more than $1bn in al- by the US Justice Department is protesters demonstrated, de- how “Malaysian Offi cial 1”, fam- trending Twitter topic in the reputation as a global kleptoc- due to his long-ruling coalition’s legedly ill-gotten assets – re- our prime minister,” he said in a manding that “Malaysian Offi cial ily members, and close associates country yesterday. racy,” he said in a statement. fi rm control. Number of Zika cases Asean, China to adopt communications hit 189 in Singapore protocol, hotline to ease tensions at sea Reuters ters at Sea (CUES), would be avoided if our navies and coast dent Rodrigo Duterte said he Manila new for both Asean and China, guards are communicating with will raising the arbitral ruling Reuters Foreign Aff airs Assistant Secre- each other,” a senior Philippines but will champion other issues, Singapore tary Helen de la Vega told a news navy commander told Reuters. like ridding Southeast Asia of outheast Asian countries conference. He said that there had been narcotics, clamping down on and China will establish “It’s one way of de-escalat- instances in the past when Chi- human traffi cking and protec- ingapore said yesterday Shotlines and adopt com- ing tensions in the South China nese vessels had not responded tion for migrant workers. that it had found 38 more munications protocols to avoid Sea,” she said, adding that hot- to radio and signal communica- Duterte is holding nine bi- Speople who had contracted potential naval clashes in the lines between China and the tions when they had been en- lateral talks, including with US Zika, raising to 189 the number disputed waters of the South Asean governments would be countered by a Philippine Navy President Barack Obama, Rus- infected with the mosquito- China Sea, a Philippines foreign established. ship. sian leader Vladimir Putin and borne virus since authorities re- ministry offi cial said yesterday. China claims almost the en- Regardless of this agreement, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo ported the fi rst locally transmit- The protocols will be signed tire South China Sea where the United States, Japan and Abe, but as of yet no meet- ted case six days ago. in Laos next week, when heads about $5tn sea-borne trade Australia are expected to call ings had been scheduled with Some of the new cases had of the 10-member Associa- passes annually. on China to respect and comply Chinese Premier Li Keqiang or been detected in areas where in- tion of Southeast Asian Nations Brunei, Malaysia, the Philip- with the ruling of the arbitration UN Secretary General Ban Ki- fections had not previously been (Asean) meet with leaders from pines, Taiwan and Vietnam also court in The Hague in July. moon. reported, the health ministry other regional powers – China, have claims on parts of the sea, The court infuriated Beijing China’s foreign ministry said said in a statement. Japan, South Korea, Australia, which is believed to have rich by ruling that China had no his- yesterday that China was open The ministry did not specify India, Russia and the United deposits of oil and gas. torical title over the South Chi- to a meeting with Duterte dur- the locations, but the virus has States – for a three day summit. “This is very important be- na Sea and it had breached the ing the summit in Laos, and been spreading daily beyond an The mechanism, called the cause any accident that can lead Philippines’ sovereign rights. would also welcome him to visit initial cluster. Code for Unplanned Encoun- to a major confrontation will be The Philippines new Presi- China at an early date. Singapore, a regional fi nancial centre and transit hub, is the only Asian country with active trans- mission of the virus. On Thursday, it said the caseload had jumped to 151 in- ‘Korean fi rm burns rainforest in Indonesia’ fections, including two pregnant women. Zika infections in pregnant Reuters women have been shown to cause Jakarta microcephaly – a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized – as well as South Korean-owned other brain abnormalities. company is cutting down The connection between Zika Aprimary rainforests for and microcephaly fi rst came to A pest control worker checks for mosquitoes breeding in the drain at timber and then setting fi res to light last year in Brazil, which has Bedok North housing estate in Singapore. Authorities have widened clear the land to plant oil palm since confi rmed more than 1,800 the area of fumigation. in apparent violation of Indo- cases of microcephaly. nesian law, according to an in- In adults, Zika infections have the hundreds of thousands of preparations were going accord- vestigation by environmental also been linked to a rare neu- migrant workers in the island’s ing to plan. groups. rological syndrome known as construction industry. There is no vaccine or treat- The investigation points to Guillain-Barre, as well as other As the outbreak spreads, many ment for Zika, which is a close “systematic and widespread neurological disorders. of Singapore’s 5mn people are cousin of dengue and chikun- use of fi re” by the Jakarta-based The United States, Australia covering up and staying indoors gunya and causes mild fever, rash Korindo Group PT, which adds and other countries have added to avoid mosquitoes as health and red eyes. to the pall of smoky haze chok- Singapore to the growing list of experts warn that virus in the An estimated 80% of peo- ing large parts of Southeast Asia This picture taken on August 30 shows an Indonesian National Mitigation Agency helicopter places that pregnant women or tropical city-state would be dif- ple infected have no symptoms, during the annual dry season, conducting a water bombing mission as an excavator is seen on burnt ground in Kampar, Riau those trying to conceive have fi cult to contain. making it diffi cult for pregnant the environmental groups said province. been warned to avoid. The Zika outbreak comes as women to know whether they in a report published on Thurs- The fi rst locally-transmitted Singapore prepares to host the have been infected. day. mad Yunus told Reuters. donesia burned 2.5mn hectares, compensate Papuan communi- Zika infection in Singapore was fl oodlit Formula One Singapore The virus was fi rst identi- Korindo has already cleared Indonesia is home to the an area the size of Great Britain, ties for clearing the forests that reported last Saturday, with the Grand Prix motor-race on Sep- fi ed in Uganda in 1947 and was more than 50,000 hectares world’s third-largest area of causing total economic losses once provided them with food. initial tally including many for- tember 18. unknown in the Americas until (193sq miles) of tropical lowland tropical forests. of $16mn, a World Bank report “They get some compensa- eigners believed to be among Race promoters have said 2014. forest for palm oil plantations in It is also the world’s fi fth- said. tion and they fi nish their money the remote provinces of Papua largest emitter of the green- Many forest communities at markets. They want to go and Maluku, and at least 75,000 house gases widely blamed for throughout Indonesia practice hunting again but there’s no Myanmar workers sue Thai food titan for labour abuse hectares are at “immediate risk” global warming, largely due to “slash and burn” agriculture, more forest. And then because of being cleared, the report said. deforestation. using fi re to clear land. they have no more money and A group of Myanmar migrants filed a lawsuit The labourers said they were forced to work “I’ve never seen evidence so Korindo holds a total of But the World Resources In- they can’t go hunting they go yesterday against a major Thai food exporter over gruelling 20 hour days that included sleeping in strong to prove that a company 160,000 hectares (619sq miles) stitute, which runs an extensive back to complain to the com- allegations of forced labour on a chicken farm, as chicken rearing areas on the Lopburi farm that intentionally burned,” AidEnvi- of oil palm concessions in eight database on forest fi res in Indo- pany. So social confl icts keep accusations of abuse dog the kingdom’s multi-billion- supplied meat to Betagro – a Thai food conglomerate ronment Indonesia senior con- areas of Papua and Maluku, ac- nesia, says more than a third of going because the community dollar poultry industry. with clients around the globe. sultant Erik Waker told Reuters cording to the report, and an the fi res last year were on pulp no longer has a way to support Thailand’s seafood sector has gained global Their suit, filed at a labour court in Saiburi province, in a telephone interview. estimated 900,000 hectares of wood concessions, and a good themselves from day to day.” notoriety for using traff icked labour and subjecting demands compensation from Betagro, the supplier One of Korindo’s main cus- logging areas that could also be proportion of the rest were on The environmental groups boat crews to slave-like conditions. farm – Thammakaset Farm 2 – and Thai off icials, said tomers, Wilmar International converted. palm oil plantations. used satellite images that re- But the poultry industry, which exports around a Andy Hall of MWRN. Limited, told Reuters that the It is one of the largest planta- Under Indonesian law, a com- corded “hot spots” and infrared third of its broiler meat to Europe, has largely evaded In a statement yesterday Betagro stressed that it company has stopped buying tion companies in eastern Indo- pany found guilty of clearing pictures showing fi res, along scrutiny. “complied with standard labour rules” and “treats palm from Korindo for violating nesia. land by burning can be fi ned up with photos and videos taken on Fourteen migrant workers are now demanding workers of all races well and with equality”. its “no deforestation” policy, Around 90% of the world’s to 10bn rupiah ($735,000), and the ground, the report said. $1.3mn in compensation for being overworked and The food giant cut ties with the supplier farm after the company said in an e-mailed palm oil crop grows in Malaysia the management faces up to 10 During a trip to Korindo’s underpaid on a Thai chicken farm, said Migrant the workers’ allegations first surfaced in June. statement. and Indonesia. years in jail. concessions in Papua this year, Worker Rights Network (MWRN), a group that helped But Hall said the company has since refused to Korindo blamed local people Indonesia’s President Joko Companies that fail to con- Maitar said researchers found them launch the case. provide adequate assistance to the workers. living near its timber conces- Widodo in April imposed a mor- trol fi res started elsewhere but extensive stacking, a process sion area for “lighting fi res for atorium on expanding palm oil which spread into their conces- used to heap woody debris left- hunting wild animals living in plantations, with the industry sion land also face punishment. over from land clearing into long Thai talks end with separatists denying role in bomb attacks the forests”. under mounting pressure from Korindo Group employs piles that serve as a pathway for “Accusations that the Korin- global companies that use palm around 20,000 people across fi res. Peace talks between Thailand’s military government MARA Pattani, an insurgent umbrella group involved do Group were a big contributor oil in products, ranging from 30 affi liated companies mainly “Once it’s dry they set it and Muslim separatists ended yesterday with no in the negotiations, said in a news conference in to the smoke and haze in 2015 soups to soaps and chocolates, involved in plywood, paper and alight,” Maitar said. breakthrough but an agreement to meet again, and Malaysia, where the talks took place, that both sides and consequently had an impact to adhere to environmentally pulp and palm oil, according to Wakker at AidEnvironment with the insurgents denying responsibility for a had agreed to more dialogue. on the economy and damaged sustainable plantation prac- the company’s website. said the Korindo case poses a string of bombs last month. The group said it would consider the creation of the environment in Indonesia tices. It is majority-owned by South challenge for President Widodo A decades-old insurgency in the Muslim-majority “safety zones” to show good faith. are not true,” the company said Consumer giants, such as Korea’s Seung family. after his moratorium on clearing southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat General Aksara Kerdphol, the Thai government’s lead in a statement. Unilever and Kellog, are in- The sparsely populated prov- new land for plantations. has claimed more than 6,500 lives since it escalated negotiator, told Reuters that MARA Pattani denied Indonesia’s environment creasingly demanding “sus- ince of Papua is the Indonesian “The big question is whether in 2004, according to the independent monitoring playing a role in recent violence, including a string of ministry has sent a team to Pa- tainability certifi cation” from half of an island shared by Papua (the president) will have those group Deep South Watch. bombings that targeted tourist towns last month. pua “to collect material and in- watchdog groups, including no New Guinea, and home to indig- permits withdrawn or not,” said Talks between the government and the insurgents “The other party told us they were not responsible formation”, after they were pre- use of fi re to clear land, before enous communities. Wakker.”If he allows them to began in 2013 under then-prime minister Yingluck for the violence and that they would co-operate with sented with the fi ndings from buying products from palm oil Mighty Southeast Asia direc- continue clearing that land it’s Shinawatra but stalled after the military overthrew the government in building a peaceful situation,” the report, the ministry’s law producers. tor Bustar Maitar said planta- going to be the largest deforest- her government in 2014. Aksara said. enforcement director Muham- Last year’s forest fi res in In- tion companies like Korindo ation project in Indonesia.” Gulf Times Saturday, September 3, 2016 7 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

HK health warning Pressure on China over on festive ‘mooncakes’

AFP aviation emissions pact Honk Kong Reuters Montreal/Shanghai t is a time of year when sugar and fat- laden “mooncakes” fi ll shelves and Ishop windows in Hong Kong — but ajor countries are urging city authorities have sent a warning to China to join the start of a residents not to overindulge. MUN-brokered deal to limit The pastries are consumed in vast carbon emissions from international numbers during the mid-autumn fes- fl ights because its participation is tival, which is celebrated by Chinese seen as essential to hitting targets, communities around the world later this according to an Asian source familiar month. with the talks. However, the dense cakes pack a calo- The talks are being led by the Inter- rifi c punch with heavy fi llings of sweet national Civil Aviation Organization lotus seed paste and egg yolks. (ICAO). The Montreal-based United The city’s Centre of Food Safety has Nations agency meets September 27 reminded people to “maintain a balanced to October 7 to try and fi nalise the diet and avoid excessive eating of moon- deal, which has been approved as a cakes”. draft but has not yet been made pub- “People should consider their health lic. condition and consume mooncakes in an Europe and the United States want appropriate amount during mid-autumn the deal to cover 80% of the rise in festival,” it said in a statement this week emissions from international fl ights which advised people to share them. after 2020, two other sources familiar Government tests showed 100 grams of with the regions’ thinking said. the classic lotus paste mooncake with two China has said it wants “developed egg-yolks were almost a third sugar, with countries” to take the lead and it may 22.3gm of fat, the statement said. not yet commit to joining in order to One popular brand’s double-yolk retain negotiating power for ICAO’s mooncake, weighing 184gm, contains a autumn assembly, the fi rst source whopping 776 calories, according to nu- said. tritional information on its packaging. The three sources spoke on condi- That is almost half the recommended tion of anonymity because the emis- daily calorie intake for women in Hong sions talks are confi dential. Kong, and around one third for men. Environmental groups said they are But despite the warning, shopper hoping to see China participate, pos- Elaine Cheuk, 32, said Hong Kongers sibly even agreeing to back the deal would be unlikely to cut back their moon- at this weekend’s G20 gathering in cake habit. “It’s still a food that marks the Hangzhou. mid-autumn festival,” said Elaine Cheuk. China is hosting the G20 summit “They will keep eating it if they like it.” for the fi rst time. One young fan said he would do his “China has showed that it wants A woman rides her tricycle on an empty street in Hangzhou yesterday. best to hold back. “I usually eat four to to be a leader on climate change so fi ve mooncakes each year — I may cut that it will be critical that they continue 2mn head ‘on vacation’ from Hangzhou in China’s G20 makeover down to 1-2 this year,” said the 11-year- their positive moves by joining in ef- old, who gave his name as Edgar. forts to reduce aviation’s growing Ahead of the G20 summit set to begin city’s population has left ahead of the government banning about half of car Altogether about 1.5mn assistants The festival is the second largest in climate pollution problem,” said Jake this weekend in Hangzhou, more than meeting of world leaders, which is set transportation. have been recruited to help organise Hong Kong behind lunar new year and Schmidt, international director for 2mn residents of the eastern Chinese to take place tomorrow and on Monday, Production at factories in a 300-kilo- the summit, with volunteers patrol- is based on the legend of Chang E, the the Natural Resources Defense Coun- city have went on vacation — subsidised Chinese travel agency Ctrip estimated. metre radius around the city was also ling residential areas to maintain mythical moon fairy who lived in a crystal cil in Washington. by the government. It’s the first time China will host the shut down, allowing the smog to clear. order. palace and came out only to dance on the Aviation was excluded from last The city government ordered one annual summit, and Beijing is keen that The local government has also ramped The meeting in Hangzhou is the first moon’s shadowed surface. December’s climate accord signed in week of vacation and distributed travel it goes off without a hitch. up security ahead of the summit, setting for the leaders of the world’s key econo- The most famous story linked to moon- Paris. coupons worth more than $1.1bn. City streets won’t only be devoid of up 172 checkpoints for traff ic, which leave mies since Britain voted in June to leave cakes is that they were used to conceal se- A joint statement from the United As a result, about one-third of the people, but also automobiles, with the “no blind spot” in the city streets. the European Union. cret messages sent among Chinese revo- States and China from the G20 gath- lutionaries who plotted the overthrow of ering is expected on Saturday to send the Mongol invaders in the 14th century. a strong signal favouring an aviation China will join the deal’s voluntary deal mandatory for aviation power- off talks and imposing its own emis- riers in participating countries to limit In modern times, families gather for emissions deal, said Li Shuo, climate phases from 2021 to 2026. houses like the US and China in 2027. sions trading system on international their emissions or off set them by buy- large meals on the eve of the new moon adviser with environmental group The Civil Aviation Administration The market-based plan must win airlines in 2017. ing carbon credits from designated which falls on September 16, followed by Greenpeace in Beijing. of China would not comment on the the support of ICAO member states, The global deal, which the airline environmental projects around the an evening walk usually with a decorative It’s not yet clear, however, whether ICAO draft, which would make the or risk the European Union breaking industry supports, would require car- world. lantern in hand. Taiwan convicts students over violent 2015 protest

AFP the mainland in 1949 after a civil war — but youth. “They did not think things through Taipei it has never formally declared independence enough,” it said, adding that the victims and China still sees it as part of its territory. were willing to forgive them. Five students were indicted on obstruc- Taiwan’s new Beijing-sceptic Democratic aiwan has convicted fi ve students tion of justice and coercion charges after Progressive Party (DPP) government re- who stormed the education ministry they allegedly scuffl ed with security guards. pealed the curriculum changes less than two Tlast year to protest a school curricu- Four were given suspended sentences, in weeks after it took offi ce in May. lum seen as skewed towards Beijing. addition to 120 hours of community service. It also dropped a lawsuit against activists The students were among a group of dem- The 30-40 day sentences were suspended of the “Sunfl ower Movement”, who stormed onstrators angry over controversial cur- for two years. the cabinet headquarters to protest a China riculum changes which they said favoured The fi fth student was also found guilty trade pact in 2014. China’s view of the island’s history. but received no sentence as he was less in- The education ministry dropped tres- The new curriculum — introduced by the volved and had shown remorse, the court passing charges against the fi ve convicted An April 30, 2016, file photo of a candle light vigil in Sydney for an Iranian refugee who died after setting previous Beijing-friendly Kuomintang gov- added. students as well as other protesters but le- himself on fire on Nauru. ernment which was then in power — sparked One student said he would appeal. gally had to proceed with the more serious a string of protests and the suicide of a stu- “I didn’t push the security guards,” stu- obstruction of justice and coercion charges. dent activist, refl ecting growing concerns dent Tsai Ming-ying told reporters, saying Ties with China have rapidly cooled since over increased Chinese infl uence on Taiwan he would contest the “unacceptable” ruling. the DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen won the presidency particularly among the young. A court statement said the students were in January as Beijing deeply mistrusts her Security fi rm to exit contentious Taiwan is self-ruling since splitting from given the suspended sentences due to their traditionally pro-independence party. Australian refugee camps Pokemon Go hunters snare real-life thief Giant cattle-eating crocodile captured

Some New Zealand fans of the smartphone game Pokemon n “angry” giant saltwater a Darwin farm, with police quip- AFP pany’s) long-term strategic pri- activity in Ferrovial’s portfolio”. Go caught more than they bargained for when they grabbed a crocodile hunting cows at ping on the social media site that Sydney orities”, it said in a statement. Wilson’s announcement thief who broke into a car and held him until police arrived. Aa northern Australia cat- it was “just another day in the The size of the contracts is be- comes two weeks after Canberra The young people were out hunting virtual cartoon charac- tle station has been captured and outback”. lieved to be large, with Canberra agreed to close the Manus camp ters in the North Island town of Napier on Wednesday night, relocated to a breeding farm, au- “It was a bit of an unorthodox leading Australian se- awarding a 20-month A$1.22bn following a PNG Supreme Court when they heard a car alarm and saw a masked man run past, thorities and reports said yester- extraction from the cage due to curity provider has be- (US$920mn) contract to Trans- ruling in April declaring that New Zealand Police said. day. the situation where it was in a Acome the latest company fi eld, now Ferrovial’s Broadspec- holding people there was uncon- “They didn’t use Pokeballs to catch him, they just held him Wildlife offi cers had laid a waterhole with limited access,” to walk away from the govern- trum, in 2014. stitutional and illegal. till police arrived,” police said in a statement, referring to trap in a waterway near where Remote Sergeant Mark Berry ment’s asylum-seeker detention But service providers have The Nauru facility has also an online tool used to capture the Pokemons that appear in the “saltie” was reported to have said. camps on Pacifi c islands, follow- been subjected to campaigns been under scrutiny after thou- places such as temples and landmarks where people gather. been taking cattle at the station “He got a little bit away from ing in the footsteps of Spanish such as No Business in Abuse sands of incident reports leaked A 28-year-old man was arrested and will face theft charges in the island continent’s tropical us but we ended up getting hold construction giant Ferrovial. amid claims that some asylum- to the Guardian Australia in in court on September 7, police said. north. of him. The centres in tiny Nauru and seekers held in the camps have August detailed allegations of Nintendo’s Pokemon Go has become an unexpected smash But they had to wait several “He’s now been secured and Papua New Guinea’s Manus Is- suff ered sexual assault. widespread abuse and self-harm, hit, using augmented reality and Google mapping to make days before it could be wrangled will be taken into a breeding pro- land — where asylum-seekers One of Australia’s biggest pen- including children wanting to kill animated characters appear in the real world, overlaid on out of the enclosure earlier this gramme in Darwin.” who try to reach Australia by boat sion funds, HESTA, last year di- themselves. the nearby landscape viewed through players’ mobile phone week as it was too “angry”, the NT Crocodiles are common in are sent — have been slammed by vested from its Aus$23mn stake Advocacy group GetUp, which cameras. News reported. Australia’s north where num- Australian and international ref- in Transfi eld saying that claims backs No Business in Abuse, The game has also been blamed for injuries and robberies “Got a big one,” an offi cial ex- bers have increased since the in- ugee and human rights advocates of rights breaches at the centres welcomed Wilson’s decision and of distracted users in some countries, prompting authorities claimed in a video posted on Fa- troduction of protection laws in for their conditions. were contrary to international said it refl ected a failure of the to warn gamers to play responsibly. cebook by the Northern Territory 1971, with government estimates Wilson Security, which has law and therefore its policies. government’s asylum-seeker In Napier, police reminded players their own safety was Police as he peered into a cage putting the national population provided security at the centres Ferrovial, which owns Lon- policies. paramount. fl oating in the water where the at approximately 100,000. since 2012, said it would not ten- don’s Heathrow airport, said Despite criticism of its off - “Capturing little Pokemon monsters isn’t just good for the croc was trapped. They kill an average of two der for further services after the in May when it was fi nalis- shore policy, Australia’s conserv- players because in this case it’s good for the police too, but It took several rangers and of- people each year in Australia. current contract ends in October ing a takeover of Sydney-based ative government has strongly we don’t want any Good Samaritans to get hurt,” said Senior fi cers to haul the 4.33-metre A saltwater crocodile can grow 2017. Broadspectrum that the deten- defended it, saying it has halted Sergeant David Sutherland. (14.2-foot) predator onto land up to 7m long and weigh more The provision of such services tion services were not core to the the spate of boat arrivals, and before it was tied up and taken to than a tonne. were “not in line with (the com- acquisition and “not a strategic drownings, of earlier years. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, September 3, 2016 BRITAIN/IRELAND

LAW AND ORDER CRIME ACCIDENT DATA PEOPLE Marine charged with 12-year-old girl raped Driver fleeing patrol car Oliver and Amelia Bake Off contestant speaks terrorism off ences in Manchester park runs down pedestrian top baby names out over racist abuse

A soldier has been charged with a range of A 12-year-old girl has been raped in a park in A pedestrian was taken to hospital yesterday after Oliver and Amelia remained the most popular A contestant on the current series of The Great terrorism off ences linked to Northern Ireland, south Manchester, police have reported. Greater being run down by a motorist fleeing a police baby names in 2015 in England and Wales for the British Bake Off has revealed on Twitter that including bomb-making and keeping an Manchester police were called to Crowcroft park pursuit. Off icers in a patrol car were chasing the third year running, according to off icial figures. he has been subjected to racist abuse due arsenal of explosives and weapons, police said in the Levenshulme area in the south-east of dark-coloured vehicle after spotting it being driven Ella and Mia rose into the top 10 names for girls, to his taking part in the show. The 28-year- yesterday. Ciaran Maxwell, 30, a Royal Marine, the city, shortly before 11.30pm on Thursday. On “erratically” in Philip Lane, Tottenham. The car replacing Lily and Sophie from 2014, while Noah old Sikh baker, Rav Bansal, who has made it allegedly obtained chemicals and components arrival, off icers discovered a young girl who had sped away towards Tottenham High Road where it replaced James in the top 10 boys’ names, the to the third week on the popular BBC show, for bombs between 2011 and 2016, as well as been subjected to a serious sex attack. The area hit a man in his sixties, understood to be a driver at Off ice for National Statistics said. Amelia has did not reveal any further details. His co-star an image of a Northern Ireland police pass and has been cordoned off and detectives remained the nearby bus garage who was crossing the road been the top girls’ name in England and Wales Benjamina Ebuehi soon responded, writing: items of police uniform. He was also charged at the scene yesterday morning. Forensic on foot. Paramedics treated the man at the scene since 2011 while Oliver has been top since 2013. “So horrible.” She added that their fellow Bake with “creating and maintaining hides in England tents were placed in the park and off icers were before he was taken to hospital. His injuries are not Jaxon, Roman, Reggie and Carter broke into the Off contestant Selasi Gbormittah should “sort and Northern Ireland to store explosive searching the area for evidence. The park, off thought to be life threatening. The car carried on boys’ top 100. There were six new entries in the them out”. After his initial tweet, Bansal, from substances, explosive devices, components Stockport Road, borders a primary school and and detectives are still trying to trace the driver. A girls’ top 100 — Penelope, Mila, Clara, Arabella, Erith, shared his appreciation for the support for explosive devices, ammunition, weapons,” a cricket ground. Off icers were speaking to the Met spokesman confirmed that the off icers had Maddison and Aria — replacing Lydia, Faith, from his followers. He wrote: “Thank you for all London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement. victim yesterday afternoon. followed the vehicle in an attempt to stop it. Mollie, Brooke, Isabel and Amy from 2014. the kind messages, I am fine, honestly.” Patient sleeps Royal couple tours Isles of Scilly in police car due to lack of hospital bed

Guardian News and Media and his wife our full support.” London Police had detained Katie Simpkins under Section 136 ear- ly last Saturday. mental health trust has Her husband said police rang apologised after a patient round but could not fi nd a place Ahad to sleep in the back of for her in a mental health unit. a police car in a hospital car park They took her into the custody because there was no bed avail- suite at Melksham police station able for her. until later on Saturday after- Katie Simpkins, 23, from Cor- noon, when offi cers were told a sham in Wiltshire, was detained bed was available at Green Lane under the Mental Health Act for hospital in Devizes. However, her own safety but there was when they got there at 5pm they no hospital bed available in the were were told it was not ready. whole of the county. Tristan Simpkins said: “The Offi cers allowed Simpkins to hospital suggested she go back sleep under a blanket in the back to custody and they would call of their patrol car and watched when it was ready, but the po- Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visit the Tresco Abbey Garden in Tresco, Isles of Scilly, yesterday. over her until a bed became lice offi cer said: ‘Custody is not available. the right place for her.’ He didn’t want to risk her missing the bed “The hospital suggested so he said they’d wait, and he’d she go back to custody and wait with us. they would call when it was “Katie had her medication, ready, but the police offi cer became drowsy and he let her said: ‘Custody is not the sleep in the back of the police right place for her’” car with her blanket. When I saw her lying in the back of the police She and her husband, Tristan car I felt frustrated – but I’ve be- Doctors strike ‘to hit Simpkins, 25, released a photo- come used to it. I feel hopeless.” graph of her in the back of the He praised the way the police police car to try to raise aware- had tried to help. “It wasn’t their ness of the lack of beds available fault they couldn’t get a bed but in such situations. these offi cers were all really Avon and Wiltshire Mental lovely with her,” he said. She was Health Partnership NHS Trust fi nally admitted at 9pm. half a million surgeries’ confi rmed there were only two Sergeant Mike Hughes, who beds available for people de- oversees mental health issues for London Evening Standard then on October 5, 6, 7, 10 and said: “I think it’s very concern- hension” among the public. Trust health charity, told BBC tained under Section 136 of the Wiltshire police, said: “When London 11, November 14 to 18, and De- ing — we’re talking about fi ve Chief executive Katherine Radio 4’s Today programme that Mental Health Act, which gives a person is in crisis and has cember 5 to 9 in their ongoing days in September, which is just Murphy said: “This is a devas- the planned strikes would rep- police the power to take a person been detained under the Mental dispute over a controversial new 12 days’ notice to prepare, which tating blow to patients, and a resent a “quite signifi cant step from a public space to a place of Health Act we always endeavour staggering half a mil- contract. is the shortest time we’ve ever destructive next step as far as up” in terms of what is likely safety. to avoid detaining them in cus- lion operations could be The government is hoping had to prepare, and then we’re any kind of negotiations go.” to be asked of senior doctors A trust spokesperson said: tody, which is only ever used as a Acancelled in the wave that pressure from other doctors talking about sets of fi ve days But the BMA said it was “ab- tasked with ensuring that care “We work closely with the po- last resort. However, sometimes of strikes planned by doctors, and public anger will force the of strikes. That’s equivalent to solutely behind” the decision continues during industrial ac- lice to ensure they know the no health-based place of safety health service chiefs warned BMA to reconsider. half a million cancelled opera- for further action. tion. availability of places of safety. is available and our main priority yesterday. Reports suggest that the latest tions and 4mn lost outpatient BMA chairman Dr Mark Por- He added there had been a In this instance we were unable has to be keeping the person safe They piled pressure on the disruption was not fully backed appointments. ter said: “I have to say it beggars “quite obvious shift in the opin- to provide a bed straight away from harm.” divided British Medical Asso- by BMA members, with the “So what we’re talking about belief that we can be accused of ion” of medical leaders in rela- and there clearly could have He added: “There is always ciation to rein in the strikers by Daily Mail saying a leaked ballot is a completely unprecedented playing politics in this when the tion to the strikes. been better communication. We room for improvement, and we saying another 4mn outpatients showed just 31.5% of members scale of disruption and nega- stated reason of the government In the wake of the industrial apologise and will be mindful of continue to work closely with would lose appointments in “a supported a full walkout which tive impact on patients... it’s ex- proceeding is that it was in their action, Prime Minister Theresa this in the future. our partner agencies to make completely unprecedented scale was time-limited. tremely worrying.” party manifesto. That, to me, is May has accused the BMA of “Once the matter came to sure all the people we have con- of disruption”. Chris Hopson, chief executive The Patients Association playing politics.” failing to put patients fi rst and our attention, we made con- tact with receive the best possi- Junior doctors will stage full of NHS Providers, which rep- warned that the decision to Meanwhile Nigel Edwards, “playing politics” — but this is tact with Simpkins to give him ble support and care.” strikes from September 12 to 16, resents health service leaders, strike had triggered “appre- chief executive of the Nuffi eld something doctors have denied. Two passenger jets in Sturgeon begins new independence drive near-miss over Gatwick tion by November 30, Scotland’s Reuters Stirling, Scotland national day via a survey and London Evening Standard seconds — was given as a con- Boeing 777 ignored three warn- doorstep interviews. London tributory factor. ing messages and the private Armed with that informa- The report added that “poor co- plane, a Citation 525 leaving City he Scottish National Party tion and a better idea of what ordination” in general by air traffi c Airport with two crew and one is to send out thousands of Brexit means, it can better de- passenger jet leaving Gat- control staff also had an impact. passenger aboard, had insuffi - Tits faithful to measure the cide whether and how to call an- wick narrowly avoided a The aircraft were just 700ft cient alert systems. appetite for independence, lead- other referendum – raising the Amid-air collision with an apart vertically and around two The Air Accidents Investiga- er Nicola Sturgeon announced stakes further for Prime Minis- aircraft that had taken off just miles horizontally. tion Branch said tower control- yesterday, raising the political ter Theresa May as she grapples before, it emerged yesterday. The incident was assessed as lers at City Airport also failed to stakes further as Britain decides with the thorny EU exit. The second plane was cleared having the third most serious de- notice a mistake by the small jet’s how it will leave the European Scotland voted 62% to 38% to climb, bringing it “into con- gree of risk by the UKAB, which pilot that caused him to climb Union. to remain in the EU in the June fl ict” with the fi rst, an offi cial in- said that “safety had been de- quicker than expected. The fi rst minister of the de- 23 Brexit referendum, putting it vestigation found. graded” . It came just weeks after The planes were half a mile volved Scottish government said at odds with Britain as a whole When the air traffi c controller a near-miss involving two pas- apart horizontally but came Britain’s June vote to leave the which voted to leave. The SNP responsible for the second fl ight re- senger planes off the Essex coast within 100ft of each other ver- EU, dragging Scotland with it, says EU membership was a key alised what was happening he “is- after instructions were given tically at the time of the near- had shifted the debate dramati- factor in Scottish voters’ deci- sued avoiding action to the pilot”, to the wrong aircraft. A Boeing miss, above Hackney. cally just two years after Scots sion in 2014 to remain part of the report by the UK Airprox Board 737 leaving Stansted and a Boe- Meanwhile, an investigation voted by 10 percentage points to Britain. (UKAB) said. The near-miss, on ing 777 heading into the airport has found that a light aircraft reject independence. Business leaders, in a letter to April 25, involved two Airbus 319s. came within 700ft of each other narrowly avoided a mid-air col- “Do we control our own des- The Scotsman newspaper, called The UKAB found that the inci- over Southend before the mis- lision with parachutists. tiny as a country or will we on Sturgeon to “think again”, dent was caused by the air traffi c take was corrected on April 1. The Cessna 152 fl ew between always be at the mercy of de- saying a new independence controller not scanning his radar A UK Airprox report said the the eight parachutists’ cano- cisions taken elsewhere?” Stur- campaign would bring further display before clearing the sec- controller in this incident in- pies over Chatteris aerodrome geon asked her Scottish Na- uncertainty “to Scotland’s fu- ond pilot to climb. “He should structed the “wrong aircraft”, in north Cambridgeshire on May tional Party (SNP) lawmakers ture at a time when small and have seen (the fi rst aircraft) leading it to “climb into confl ic- 15, the UK Airprox Board said. in Stirling, the site of a historic large businesses are looking for ahead,” the report said. tion” with the 777. The pilot was “already among Scots battle over the English in stability from all layers of gov- A “standard procedure” of re- In July 2010 a jet bound for Hea- the parachutists” by the time 1297. ernment”. ducing the usual separation time throw carrying 232 passengers and he spotted them and turned the The SNP, funding the entire Scottish Conservative leader between departing aircraft to 16 crew narrowly escaped a mid- plane to avoid contact, the report project itself, aims to have at Ruth Davidson accused Sturgeon increase the frequency of fl ights air collision with a private plane. said. The aircraft had come with- Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks at a press least 2mn nuanced responses of using the EU referendum to — down from two minutes to 45 Pilots on the Turkish Airlines in 300ft of the canopies. conference in Stirling yesterday. from Scotland’s 5.3mn popula- create yet more division. Gulf Times Saturday, September 3, 2016 9 EUROPE Uzbek leader Karimov dead Reuters in Russian, adding “God bless Prime Minister Binali Yildirim exporter and is also rich in gold take over on Karimov’s death and Almaty him” in Uzbek. off ered his condolences. and natural gas. elections must take place within Russian President Vladimir The two countries have close In Samarkand, where Ka- three months. Putin expressed condolences to ethnic, cultural and linguistic rimov’s mother and two brothers However, analysts do not con- zbek President Islam acting President Nigmatilla Yul- ties. are also buried, public workers sider Yuldoshev a serious player. Karimov, authoritar- doshev. Georgy Margvelashvili, presi- were already out on Thursday His erstwhile counterpart in Uian leader of his Cen- The Kremlin quoted Putin dent of the former Soviet repub- cleaning the streets so his death Turkmenistan, who was also tral Asian state for more than 25 as saying that his death was a lic of Georgia, also expressed his had clearly been expected, pos- supposed to become interim years, died yesterday, the gov- “heavy loss for Uzbekistan”. sympathy, saying that Karimov sibly for some days. leader after the death of authori- ernment and parliament said in Karimov, who had been in had led Uzbekistan during the Samarkand airport was re- tarian president Saparmurat Ni- a statement which hailed him as hospital since last Saturday after most diffi cult period of its his- ported to be closed for arriving yazov in 2006, was quickly de- “truly great”. suff ering what his daughter de- tory. and departing aircraft last Sat- tained and thus eliminated from The statement said that Ka- scribed as a brain haemorrhage, Karimov did not designate a urday, possibly indicating even the line of succession. rimov, who was 78 and was said left no obvious successor to take political heir, and analysts say then that the government was Whoever succeeds Karimov by diplomats to have suff ered a over the Central Asian nation. the transition of power is likely to making way for offi cial foreign will need to balance carefully be- stroke, would be buried in his Long criticised by the West be decided behind closed doors delegations to arrive. tween the West, Russia and Chi- hometown of Samarkand today and human rights groups for his by a small group of senior offi - Apart from Prime Minister na, which all vie for infl uence in according to Muslim traditions. authoritarian style of leadership, cials and family members. Mirziyoyev, his deputy Rustam the resource-rich Central Asian Prime Minister Shavkat Mirzi- Karimov ruled Uzbekistan from If they fail to agree on a com- Azimov has also been seen as a region. yoyev was appointed head of the 1989, fi rst as the head of the lo- promise, however, open con- possible successor. Another task for the new commission organising his bur- cal Communist Party and then as frontation could destabilise Uz- Security service chief Rustam leader will be resolving ten- ial, a sign that he might succeed president of the newly independ- bekistan, which shares a border Inoyatov and Karimova-Tillyae- sions with ex-Soviet neighbours Karimov, at least in the interim. ent republic from 1991 when the with Afghanistan and has be- va, the younger of his two daugh- Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan over “He has left us,” Karimov’s Soviet Union collapsed. come a target for Islamist mili- ters, could become kingmakers. disputed borders and the use of younger daughter Lola Karimo- Earlier, even before his death tants. According to the constitu- common resources such as wa- va-Tillyaeva wrote on Instagram was offi cially confi rmed, Turkish The country is a major cotton tion, Yuldoshev is supposed to ter. Karimov: would be buried in his hometown of Samarkand today.

Record meth haul ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais to be closed ‘in stages’ 10,000 sacked in food cargo French customs have seized a record haul of the drug AFP methamphetamine disguised as Calais in latest Turkey cereals from Cameroon at Roissy airport in Paris with a street value of about €3.8mn ($4.26mn), they rance will gradually dis- said yesterday. mantle the sprawling post-coup purge The drug weighed about 51kg F“Jungle” migrant camp in (112.44lb), making it the biggest the northern port of Calais, the single seizure of the drug on interior minister said ahead of a AFP President Recep Tayyip Er- French territory. visit to the site yesterday. Ankara dogan accuses Gulen of run- In a statement, the customs Bernard Cazeneuve told re- ning a “parallel state” in Tur- department said customs off icers gional paper Nord-Littoral that key and has vowed to rid the checked two boxes that had been he would press ahead with the urkey has sacked anoth- country of the “virus” of the declared to contain food coming closure “with the greatest de- er 10,000 police offi c- preacher’s infl uence. from the Cameroon capital of termination” and that the site Ters, judges, prosecutors Gulen, who has lived in self- Yaounde en route to Malaysia. would be dismantled “in stages”. and academics, according to imposed exile in the United “In the boxes, they found sachets Accommodation for thou- a decree published yesterday States since 1999, strongly de- of cereals including several which sands of migrants will be cre- as the state continued a purge nies any involvement with the were unusually heavy. Opening ated elsewhere in France in an within public services follow- bid to overthrow Erdogan. them, methamphetamine crystals attempt “to unblock Calais”, ing July’s failed coup. The EU and UN have criti- were discovered wrapped in Cazeneuve said. A total of 7,669 police offi c- cised the Turkish crackdown, aluminium foil,” it said. France has made repeated ef- ers were dismissed in the lat- as well as the main opposi- It did not say if any arrests had forts to shut down the camp of est swoop on suspected coup tion Republican People’s Party been made. tents and temporary shelters, plotters or supporters, along (CHP) which has accused the Drug networks are increasingly which authorities say is cur- with 323 personnel in the gen- government of “going too far”. using West and Central Africa as a rently home to nearly 7,000 mi- darmerie, which looks after To fi ll the gaping holes left transit point for drugs from Latin grants following a surge of new domestic security. in the judiciary, the state has America to Europe, the United arrivals in recent months. A further 543 prosecu- invited judges and prosecutors States and Asia. Charities helping the mi- This file photo taken on August 16 shows an aerial view of tents in the ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais. tors and judges were also dis- who took early retirement to They also use the region as grants in the camp say the real missed, bringing the total of apply to return. production zone for meth fi gure is as high as 10,000. will be not 9,000 migrants but modation centres set up around to reach – to take responsibility those removed from the judi- The latest sweep also in- because of weak controls on The migrants gather in Cal- 15,000.” France. for the migrants over the Chan- ciary to 3,390, NTV channel volved the dismissal of more imports of meth ingredients. ais hoping to smuggle them- Calais residents will stage a Franck Esnee, head of the Me- nel. reported. than 800 military personnel, selves aboard lorries crossing protest on Monday over the ef- decins Sans Frontieres (Doctors “The English should exam- The state’s post-coup most of whom were already the Channel to Britain either fect that the presence of thou- Without Borders) branch work- ine the requests of all those who crackdown on higher edu- under arrest. through the Channel Tunnel or sands of migrants has had on ing at the camp, agreed that the want to go to England and they cation also continued, with A total of 4,451 military per- Man sets his wife on ferries. their livelihoods. Jungle should be dismantled but should do it in England,” he told 2,346 academics getting the sonnel have been sacked since on fire, kills self Earlier this year, authorities And crowding at the camp is said the proposed alternatives a rally last Saturday in the near- sack, along with 28,000 others July, including scores of gener- cleared shelters in parts of the causing fresh tensions. were “insuffi cient”. by coastal resort of Le Touquet. in education, including thou- als. A Syrian asylum-seeker died site in a bid to persuade migrants Two migrants were seriously Additional permanent ac- Meanwhile the British gov- sands of teachers. Announcing the prisoner while lighting his wife on fire to move into more permanent hurt on Tuesday in what appears commodation is needed, he ernment has dismissed as a Turkey accuses US-based release, Justice Minister Bekir at a refugee shelter in western accommodation or camps else- to have been a fi ght between Su- said, adding: “The government “complete non-starter” a pro- Turkish cleric Fethullah Gu- Bozdag said it involved people Germany, police said on where on the northern coast. danese and Afghan residents. needs to encourage initiatives posal by Xavier Bertrand, the len and his Hizmet movement jailed for minor off ences. Thursday. Calais mayor Natacha Bou- The Jungle’s population also by local mayors who are propos- president of the region includ- of ordering and implementing “As of yesterday evening, The 31-year-old woman was being chart claimed that the camp includes large numbers of So- ing to take in migrants in their ing Calais, to allow migrants to the failed putsch which left 33,838 prisoners and detainees treated for serious injuries. could soon contain as many as malis, Kurds and Syrians. towns.” lodge British asylum claims on nearly 270 dead, including 24 have been released,” Bozdag Police said it was unclear if the 15,000 migrants if authorities Cazeneuve also announced The government should also French soil. coup-plotters. said during a ministerial meet- couple’s three children witnessed took several months to disman- that 200 more armed police encourage the requisitioning of After Cazeneuve met Brit- Since then, tens of thou- ing in Ankara led by Prime the act. tle it. would be deployed to the site public buildings to house mi- ish counterpart Amber Rudd in sands of people within the Minister Binali Yildirim that The 45-year-old man died from “We want to call for this dis- to prevent near-daily attempts grants, he said. Paris on Tuesday, the ministers judiciary, military, education was broadcast live. burns suff ered after he doused mantling but not in the way that to stow away on lorries heading The fate of the Jungle is al- presented a united front. system and police force have The government said it his wife in flammable liquid and it has been announced,” said for the ferry port, bringing the ready featuring prominently in “We are committed to work- been removed, detained or ar- was not an amnesty and that lit her on fire, investigators said. Bouchart, who has often clashed total number of police in Calais campaigns for next year’s presi- ing together to strengthen the rested after being accused of it would not apply to those The wife and children were with the government over the to 2,100. dential election. security of our shared border links to Gulen’s movement or jailed for murder, terrorism staying at a barn that had been “Jungle”. “If we accept this situ- Since last October, more than Former president Nicolas (and) to strongly diminish the the coup itself. or crimes against state secu- converted into a refugee shelter ation (of a gradual dismantling), 5,500 asylum-seekers have left Sarkozy has called for Britain – migratory pressure in Calais,” Scores of journalists have rity, nor would it involve any of in the town Ruedesheim, in then in six months’ time there Calais for 161 special accom- the country the migrants want they said in a joint statement. also been arrested. those held in connection with Germany’s Rhine Valley region. Also yesterday, the justice the coup. The husband had moved out of minister said tens of thou- According to state-run Ana- the shelter and was staying a sands of convicts who were dolu news agency, the total ca- nearby residence. jailed before the putsch had pacity of Turkey’s prisons is He returned to his family early been freed, under an initiative 187,351 people. yesterday, police said. Tom Ford hypnotises apparently aimed at relieving Since July 15, the number of The shelter, in which 14 people pressure on prisons which are those in custody has swelled to were living, was completely Venice with thriller bursting with coup suspects. more than 200,000. destroyed. Nocturnal Animals Anger over cartoon of quake victims AFP life when you let them go,” Ford Venice told journalists on Venice’s Lido. Adams, 42, plays Susan, who Reuters The town’s mayor, Sergio ful” on Twitter, Facebook and lives a privileged but lonely life Rome Pirozzi, who dramatically de- elsewhere. ormer fashion designer in Los Angeles with her oft-ab- clared “the town is gone” on Many just wrote, “I’m no Tom Ford enthralled the sent husband. the morning after the August 24 longer Charlie Hebdo”. FVenice Film Festival yes- One day she receives a novel, Gyllenhaal poses with fans before a photocall for Nocturnal rench satirical magazine earthquake, was baffl ed by the Twelve people were killed in terday with a gripping tale of Nocturnal Animals, written by Animals, presented in competition at the 73rd Venice Film Festival Charlie Hebdo, victim of a cartoon. the January 2015 attack by gun- betrayal and revenge, unveiling her ex-husband Edward, played yesterday. Fdeadly attack by Islamist “How the f**k do you draw a men accusing the journal of two fi lms in one with his hotly- by Gyllenhaal. militants in 2015 for its irrever- cartoon about the dead?” he said, blasphemy in printing cartoons anticipated Nocturnal Animals. Edward’s note, which asks her reads, and she discovers the sto- it doesn’t stay with you, haunt ent humour, was criticised by according to state news agency of the Prophet Muhammad. The romantic thriller, Ford’s to read the novel and contact ry is a channel for Edward to ex- you, challenge you, it’s not a Italians yesterday for portraying Ansa. “I’m sure this unpleasant Prime Minister Matteo Renzi second feature fi lm after A Sin- him, comes out of the blue, 19 press the heartbreak she caused. successful fi lm for me” – not a victims of an earthquake that and embarrassing satire does not has not commented, but other gle Man (2009), spooked and years after she left him. In the novel, Tony Hastings concern he should have here. killed almost 300 people as dif- refl ect French sentiment.” politicians pulled no punches. stirred in equal part, with ar- It sparks a bout of soul-seek- – also played by Gyllenhaal – is Adams manages to make ferent types of pasta. The French embassy in Rome Giorgia Meloni, leader of the resting performances from US ing from Susan, with fl ash- stopped by a trio of joy-riders troubled Susan sympathetic, The cartoon was titled Earth- published a statement on its right-wing Brothers of Italy stars Amy Adams and Jake Gyl- backs of her life with Edward, while driving across Texas at something she found diffi cult: quake Italian style. website and Twitter, saying that party, said: “This isn’t satire; it’s lenhaal as lovers gone awry. and unveils a dark secret. night, and his red-headed wife “It was a tricky one to prepare It depicted a balding man the cartoon “absolutely does not garbage.” From the fi rst scene – wildly “There was a rumble beneath and daughter (resembling Susan because when I fi rst started ex- standing and covered in blood represent” France’s position, and Charlie Hebdo responded by obese women dancing naked the screenplay. Tom told me he and daughter) are abducted. ploring Susan, I didn’t like her, with the moniker “Penne in to- is a “caricature by the press (and) publishing yet another earth- – to the bittersweet close, the absolutely had to tell this story Hastings is left to try and track and I can’t play a character I mato sauce”, a badly-scratched the freely expressed opinions are quake cartoon on its Facebook former Gucci designer produced and I couldn’t say no,” said Gyl- down the gang’s ringleader, psy- don’t like.” up woman next to him labelled those of the journalists”. page that refers to the fact that a visually stunning and richly lenhaal, 35, who described play- chopathic Ray (played brilliantly For his part, family-man Tay- “Penne au gratin”, and fi nally feet While many Italians showed in the past organised crime has complex evocation of human ing a man impotent in the face of by Britain’s Aaron Taylor-John- lor-Johnson, 26, said he did a lot sticking out between the fl oors of solidarity with the magazine af- been found to control various frailty and retribution. horror “wonderfully frustrat- son), with the help of detective of research for his role, includ- a collapsed building titled “Lasa- ter the 2015 attack, writing “Je Italian construction companies. “Loyalty is important to me. ing”. Bobby Andes (Academy Award ing extensive reading on Ameri- gne”. suis Charlie Hebdo” (I am Char- The follow-up vignette por- The story is about when you fi nd The narrative takes on a sec- nominee Michael Shannon). can serial killer, kidnapper, rap- Amatrice, a town fl attened by lie Hebdo) on social media, the trays someone half-buried in the people in your life, you hang on ond strand as the violent events Ford, who adapted the screen- ist, and necrophile Ted Bundy. last week’s quake, is famous for cartoon in the magazine’s cur- rubble and reads: “Italians, it’s to them. This is a cautionary tale in the novel are played out as play from Austin Wright’s 1993 The result, Ford admits, is the pasta sauce – amatriciana – rent edition was called “terrible”, not Charlie Hebdo who has built about what can happen in your pictured in Susan’s head as she book Tony and Susan, said “if “scary, very scary indeed”. that carries its name. “in bad taste”, and “disrespect- your homes, it’s the mafi a!” Gulf Times 10 Saturday, September 3, 2016 INDIA

CONTROVERSY STANCE CRIME PEOPLE CINEMA Parents forced out of Kerala plan for Siruvani Student hacked to death ‘Indecent’ Malayalam Star demands probe ambulance after child dies river dam opposed at Pune college campus actor granted bail against filmmaker Johar

An Odisha ambulance driver allegedly ordered the The Tamil Nadu assembly yesterday urged Unidentified persons barged into a college campus Malayalam film actor Sreejith Actor-filmmaker Ajay Devgn, has demanded an parents of a seven-year-old girl to get off midway the central government not to accept and stabbed a student on the outskirts of Pune Ravi, who was yesterday investigation against filmmaker Karan Johar, after the child died yesterday. The deceased, recommendations for conducting an yesterday. According to a Talegaon Police Station arrested for ‘indecent who allegedly paid Kamaal R Khan Rs 2.5mn to identified as Barsha Khemudu of Ghusapalli in environmental impact assessment (EIA) for a off icial, the attack occurred around 11.30am in behaviour’ after complaints tweet positive about Johar’s next film Ae Dil Hai Malkangiri district, was being taken along with her dam across Siruvani river in Kerala. The state front of hundreds of students at the Indrayani by a group of schoolgirls, has Mushkil and give negative reviews for Devgn’s parents from the Mithali hospital to the Malkangiri also urged the central government not to allow Mahavidyalaya for Arts, Commerce and Science secured conditional bail. film Shivaay. Kamaal R Khan has been criticising district hospital after her health deteriorated. any projects by Kerala and Karnataka till the campus. Describing the attack on Chetan Dattatray A court in Palakkad gave Shivaay on Twitter. When confronted by Devgn’s However, the ambulance driver allegedly asked the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Pinjan, a class XII student, the off icial said: “At least Ravi conditional bail and business associate, Khan claimed to have parents of the child to get down at Nayakguda after Water Regulation Committee come into force and two-three assailants came on a motorcycle and asked him to surrender his received Rs2.5mn from Johar for badmouthing the girl died. “We were forcibly removed from the judicial references are finally settled. A committee stabbed the boy. He fell down even as horrified passport. The actor was first taken into custody the Shivaay. Devgn later released a recording of ambulance after our daughter died,” said the father of the ministry of environment, forest and climate students, teachers and other staff ers looked on on Thursday following the complaints. The Khan’s conversation to the media. Devgn, who is of the deceased. The district administration has change on August 11 and 12, recommended grant helplessly.” The assailants fled the campus after incident that occurred last month has been extremely upset with the whole episode sent out lodged charges against three persons, including for conducting EIA to Kerala so it could build a the attack. Pinjan was later rushed to a nearby denied by the actor. Sreejith, an engineer by a statement to the media where he demanded the driver and a pharmacist, for dereliction of duty. dam across Siruvani river at Attappady. hospital but died from his injuries. profession, is the son of popular actor T G Ravi. an investigation to expose the truth.

Millions strike over Modi pledges wages and economic reforms commitment

AFP New Delhi to welfare illions of public sector workers went on strike Macross the country yes- terday protesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plans for greater privatisation and a pro- posed minimum wage hike they of the Dalits say is inadequate. Up to 150mn workers from sec- IANS sembly elections in Uttar Pradesh We have not advised opening any tors including nursing, banking, New Delhi that has a sizeable Dalit popula- fi le from a political point of view. manufacturing and coal mining tion and where the Bharatiya Ja- “This interpretation that we as well as hawkers and daily wage nata Party (BJP) has not been in are not sparing any dynasty is labourers took part in the 24-hour rime Minister Narendra power since 2002. Elections are wrong,” he said, in an oblique nationwide strike, organisers said. Modi has decried attempts to due next year also in Punjab, Ut- reference to Congress President Ten major unions called the Ppoliticise atrocities against tarakhand, Goa, and Manipur. Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Rob- strike after talks with Finance Dalits and said he was dedicated to Modi said the BJP will fi ght ert Vadra’s questionable land Minister Arun Jaitley broke down, the welfare of the deprived in India these polls on the issues of devel- deals in Haryana. with leaders rejecting his off er to and that caste-based discrimi- opment, and its focus will be jobs, On the economic front, Modi raise the minimum wage for un- nation was a social problem that peace, unity and social justice. said when he assumed the offi ce skilled workers from Rs6,396 ($95) needed to be defeated. “As far as the BJP is con- in 2014 he wanted to bring a White per month to Rs9,100 ($136). In a previously recorded inter- cerned, we will fi ght on develop- Paper on the condition of the Workers are also demanding the view to CNN News18 aired yester- ment issues only. Our focus will country’s economy but refrained government dump plans to shut- day, Modi spoke on wide ranging be the welfare of farmers, vil- from it in the national interest. ter unproductive factories, raise issues, including the economy, lages, jobs for the youth and we “Many people ask me what has foreign investment caps in some politics, and tax evasion. will stay committed to the cause been the biggest mistake we made industries and sell off stakes in He was more vocal about the of social justice. in two years. When I think about it state-run companies — over fears Dalit issue and condemned some The prime minister also re- now, I feel, before presenting the that creeping privatisation will recent attacks on the Dalit com- jected any notions that he was fi rst budget I should have tabled jeopardise jobs. munity that have shocked the na- following the politics of ven- a White Paper on the economic The Centre of Indian Trade tion after self-styled cow vigilantes detta. condition of the country... We had Unions said workers were “de- beat up four youths for skinning a Asked if he will not be spar- this thought,” he said. manding an end to the all-round dead cow in Gujarat’s Una. ing any “dynasty” when target- “Politics said you must reveal attack launched by the govern- “As far as some incidents are ing black money, Modi said he the situation, but national interest ment against their lives, live- concerned they need to be con- has never tried to settle political said if the situation was revealed, lihood and dignity” and that demned. There is no place for scores. the economy will suff er, and face a 150mn people were expected to (such incidents) in a civilised “I do not think from a politi- setback. So despite facing political lay down tools. society,” Modi said, but put the cal perspective... I have been a damage, I stayed quiet.” It accused the government of a onus on the state governments to chief minister for 14 years. I never He said that the economy has “vile conspiracy...to privatise the curb such violence because “law opened a fi le for political reasons. seen off the worst now. public sector and invite foreign and order is a state subject”. capital in some parts of industry”. He ridiculed attempts to turn Kejriwal dubs premier ‘Mr Reliance’ Unions are seeking the intro- this “social problem deeply duction of universal social security rooted” in Indian society into a Delhi Chief Minister Arvind said: “Modi keep modelling as well as an increase in the mini- political issue and said he was Kejriwal yesterday dubbed in ads of Reliance. Labourers mum wage to Rs18,000 a month not to be blamed for any anti- Prime Minister Narendra Modi across the country will teach because of rising prices. Dalit violence. as ‘Mr. Reliance’ after a full page you a lesson in 2019.” However, Banks, shops and schools shut “Some (people) are selective- advertisement of the company’s the advertisement clarified down in several parts of the coun- ly picking issues and blaming ‘Jio Digital Life’ appeared in that the launch is “dedicated to try including southern Karnataka Modi. Politics over social imbal- newspapers featuring the realising our prime minister’s and Kerala where public transport ances is a disservice to society, to prime minister’s photograph. Digital India vision for 1.2bn stopped running, stranding com- all those who have faced injus- Kejriwal also took a jibe at Indians”. It also said: “In the muters and travellers. tice for generations.” Modi for endorsing the brand journey of time, there comes a Television footage showed fl ag- He said some people had a and advised him to continue few life-changing movements. waving protesters squatting on problem with the fact that “Modi “modelling” for the company. The prime minister’s inspiring railway tracks in Orissa and West is a devotee” of Dalit icon B R “PM as Mr Reliance” Kejriwal vision of a Digital India is one Bengal, which has a long history of Nurses shouting anti-government slogans during a protest, as part of a nationwide strike, in Ambedkar. The caste issue is go- tweeted. In another tweet he such movement.” left-wing union activism. Chandigarh yesterday. ing to be critical for the 2017 as- Navjot Sidhu fl oats Sisi arrives in Delhi Kashmir cop marries woman from Pakistan new party in Punjab IANS in north Kashmir’s Kupwara dis- Srinagar trict and many members of the extended family had crossed over IANS placed under suspension along have time and again reposed faith to Muzaff arabad in 1947. Chandigarh with another Akali legislator In- in pro-people and development- s his colleagues battle Since traditional feasting and derbir Singh Bolaria for “anti- oriented policies of the ruling violence in the Kashmir celebrations during marriages in party activities” on July 19. Akali Dal-BJP alliance. AValley, a junior level police the valley stand suspended be- ormer BJP (Bharatiya Ja- “Pargat Singh, the Bains broth- The ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’ front offi cer has found time to marry a cause of the nearly two months nata Party) parliamentar- ers and we have formed a fourth was the brainchild of ‘fugitive’ woman from in Muzaff arabad - of unrest, a small function was Fian Navjot Singh Sidhu alternative,” Navjot Kaur Sidhu, leaders who want to satiate their the capital of Pakistan-adminis- held in a local hotel on Tues- yesterday fl oated a new political wife of the cricketer-turned-poli- lust for power, he claimed. tered Kashmir. day where close relatives of the front, Awaaz-e-Punjab, online - tician Navjot Singh Sidhu, said. Badal predicted “many more Owais Geelani, a sub-inspec- groom were invited to meet the putting an end to all speculation Sidhu had resigned from the such mushrooms” would crop tor, married Faiza Geelani early couple and bless them. of his joining the Aam Aadmi Rajya Sabha on July 18, sparking up in the state in the coming poll this week amid raging tension in The marriage of the young po- Party (AAP). speculation that he may join the season but people would extend the valley. lice offi cer is not the rst fi such Hockey Olympian and Pun- AAP. their support only to the ruling Family sources said the groom’s cross-border marriage. How- jab’s ruling Shiromani Akali Dal The Aam Aadmi Party’s state alliance. father Shabir Geelani, a retired po- ever, this marriage has received (SAD) legislator Pargat Singh unit’s recently sacked chief Reiterating that the AAP was lice offi cer, had travelled to Muzaf- signifi cant attention because po- and two Independent legisla- Sucha Singh Chottepur, and its like an empty vessel which makes farabad in 2014 to meet members lice are presently battling stone- tors, Balwinder Singh Bains and suspended member of parlia- a loud noise, Badal dared Arvind of his divided family across the pelting mobs and are in the thick Simarjit Singh Bains, have also ment, Dharamvir Gandhi, are Kejriwal and company to list even Line of Control (LoC). of law and order management in joined hands with Sidhu. likely to join the front along with a single pro-people initiative taken There is a regular bus service the valley. Senior separatist lead- The ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’ will be other AAP and Akali Dal rebels. by its government in Delhi. called the “Karvan-e-Aman” er and chairman of pro-freedom formally launched next week in Simranjit Bains said the front He said it was on record that (Caravan of Peace) from Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Chandigarh. The four were fea- would contest all 117 seats in the AAP government in Delhi has to Muzaff arbad. Front Yasin Malik is married to tured in a poster, also posted on Punjab. not fulfi lled even a single prom- To rekindle family bond, the Mashaal Malik, a Pakistan na- Pargat Singh’s Facebook page. Meanwhile, terming Sidhu’s ise made to the people during the elder Geelani performed the tional. The couple have a daugh- The political front will contest new political front as comprising polls. ‘nikkah’ ceremony of his son in ter named Razia Sultana. the Punjab assembly elections, ‘disgruntled’ leaders, Punjab Chief Badal said the AAP was just Muzaff arabad after obtaining his Cabinet minister Sajad Lone, a slated for early next year, it was Minister Parkash Singh Badal yes- a party of “hollow slogans” and son’s consent as is mandatory if former separatist leader, is mar- announced. terday said it would hardly have an “false promises”, adding that President Pranab Mukherjee receiving Egyptian the ritual is performed in absence ried to Asma Khan, daughter of Singh, the sitting Akali Dal impact on the state’s politics. nothing good for the state and its President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the Rashtrapati of either the groom or the bride. the late Amanullah Khan who legislator from the Jalandhar Addressing public gatherings in people could be expected from Bhavan in New Delhi yesterday. The police offi cer’s family be- hailed from Gilgit – also in Paki- Cantonment assembly seat, was Lambi area, Badal said the public these people. longs to the Karnah border town stan-administered Kashmir. Gulf Times Saturday, September 3, 2016 11 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

Pak expats with old passports to face Bombs kill at least 12 mobility restrictions

Internews remaining 25 missions with Islamabad the latest gear to avoid causing problems to hundreds of thou- sands of Pakistanis abroad. at Pakistan court s the world phases out However, Additional Secre- handwritten docu- tary Ministry of Interior Au- Reuters Aments after Septem- rangzeb Haq told the meeting Peshawar ber 30, Pakistanis still living that out of the 93 states Pa- abroad without the machine- kistani embassies in 83 coun- readable passports (MRPs) tries had been upgraded with wo bombs killed at least will not be able to move any- the machine-readable equip- 12 people and wounded where in the world. ment. The embassies in the Tdozens outside a court This was stated by an offi - remaining 10 countries will be complex in northwest Pakistan cial of the Foreign Offi ce at the upgraded soon. yesterday, a rescue offi cial said, meeting of the Senate Com- “While Yangoon, Burma, hours after militants killed two mittee on Overseas Pakistanis has been upgraded, in Madina, people in a Christian neighbour- and Human Resource Devel- we are waiting for the embassy hood in the same region. opment yesterday. to provide space for the equip- Both attacks were claimed by The committee was in- ment. We have deployed the Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a breakaway formed that the International equipment in Zahedan, Iran, Pakistani Taliban faction be- Civil Aviation Organisation and are trying to establish the lieved to be behind some of the (ICAO) had set September 30 system connectivity there. past year’s deadliest attacks, in- as the deadline after which Security concerns in Baghdad cluding last month’s bombing of computerised passports are causing some delays.” lawyers in the city of Quetta that would become the universal He said the Foreign Offi ce killed 74 people. requirement. The new rules had withdrawn its proposal to The bodies of policemen, have been set by the ICAO, install the machine-readable lawyers and other civilians were Canada, to speed up travel technology in Afghanistan recovered, said Haris Habib, time and strengthen security. and Yemen, citing security chief rescue offi cer in the city of “ICAO’s instructions to all concerns. Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa countries are clear - to not ac- However, another offi cial province. cept handwritten documents. from the interior ministry said “First there was a small blast This is a crisis situation. that 15 states had been identi- followed by a big blast,” Habib Pakistanis abroad with non- fi ed by the Foreign Offi ce for said. machine readable documents the technology in August. The twin attacks in the north- will not be able to return to “A new PC-1 will have to be west came one day after Pa- their country let alone be al- drawn and approved by the kistan’s army touted the suc- lowed to travel to other states Executive Committee of the cesses of its fi ght against myriad after the September 30 dead- National Economic Council armed jihadist groups, though a line,” FO additional secretary (Ecnec) before the embas- spokesman acknowledged there Irfan Shami told the meeting. sies in the 15 countries are was still a long way to go. He said Pakistani missions equipped with the passport Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 83 countries were equipped printing paraphernalia,” the said Friday’s latest bombing A police officer inspects the site of a suicide bomb attack at a district court in Mardan yesterday. with the paraphernalia to is- offi cial said, adding: “All ma- would “not shatter our unfl inch- sue the MRPs. However, em- jor countries are covered and ing resolve in our war against men wearing suicide-bomb vests The area is near Warsak Dam, leased fi gures showing that ter- zero tolerance for any terrorist bassies in 25 countries such as the remaining states have a terrorism”. attacked a Christian neighbour- 20 km (12 miles) northwest of rorist attacks had fallen from a incidents,” he said. “We want to Brazil, Argentina, Abuja, Ni- little presence of Pakistani na- “These receding elements are hood in the Khyber tribal region, Peshawar. total of 128 in 2013, with 46 of get there.” geria, Dakar, Senegal, Dublin tionals.” showing frustration by attacking killing at least one security guard The offi cial said the attackers those suicide attacks, to 74 last Militants operating in Pakistan and Ireland still do not off er PPP Senator Rehman Malik, our soft targets. They shall not and a civilian resident, military might have been attempting to year, including 17 suicide at- - including the Afghan and Pa- the latest service. however, urged the chairman get space to hide in Pakistan,” offi cials said. enter an adjacent security instal- tacks. kistani Taliban groups, al Qaeda He said Pakistani embassies of the committee, Baz Mo- Sharif said in a statement. Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, which has lation by exploiting weaker secu- He also said authorities had and the Haqqani network - seek in important cities without the hammad Khan, to ask Inte- Jamaat-ur-Ahrar’s spokes- targeted Christians in the past, rity arrangements in the residen- arrested more than 300 people to establish strict Islamic rule. machine-readable technol- rior Minister Chaudhry Nisar man, Ehsanullah Ehsan, vowed claimed responsibility within tial area. attempting to set up an Islamic Some target the government in ogy included Prague, Vienna, Ali Khan to urgently equip to stage more attacks in a state- hours of the attack. Christians, who number State operation in Pakistan. He Afghanistan and remaining U.S. Algiers, Budapest, Guangzhou the embassies with the MRP ment sent to Reuters. The Islamist group, which around 2 million in a nation of added that the armed forces troops supporting it there, while and Hanoi. printing machines. “We appeal to civilians to re- briefl y declared allegiance to 190 million people, have been the had killed 3,500 militants since others are bent on overthrowing The Ministry of Interior is Taking up another item, all main away from law enforce- Middle East-based Islamic State target of a series of attacks in re- 2014. Pakistan’s civilian government. to provide the latest technol- members of the committee ment installations and these un- in 2014 but recently said it was cent years. “There used to be multiple at- Still others target Pakistan’s re- ogy to all embassies abroad to suggested that Nadra should Islamic courts. We will target no longer affi liated with them, Just a day before yesterday’s tacks in a day across the coun- gional rival India to the east. capture data of the applicants discontinue the National them more,” he said. also staged the Easter Day attack attacks, the chief army spokes- try. And we came into (attacks The US and others have ac- and send it back to Pakistan Identity Card for Overseas More than 20 people were on Christians in a park in Lahore man briefed the media on the every few) days. And we came cused Pakistan of selectively instantly for background Pakistanis (NICOP). They de- killed in an attack in Decem- that killed 72 people including at progress of the military’s two- into months (between major at- cracking down on militants that checks. The MRPs can then be scribed NICOP as unaff ord- ber on a government offi ce in least 29 children. year-old off ensive against jihad- tacks),” Bajwa said. attack its own government, while printed after clearance. able and useless. Mardan, which was also claimed The attackers exchanged fi re ists in the rugged areas bordering However, he acknowledged sparing groups that attack in Af- The offi cial urged the Sen- However, a Nadra offi cial by Jamaat-ur-Ahrar. with security forces and were Afghanistan. Pakistan still faced a tough fi ght. ghanistan. Pakistan has denied ate committee to direct the explained that NICOP was is- Earlier in the day, four gun- killed, the military said. Lt General Asim Bajwa re- “I have said our objective is that charge. interior ministry to equip the sued under its ordinance.

Most of loans Flooded street written off Funding squeeze hits during rule of UN food programme Musharraf Many disclosures have been made in documents related to in Afghanistan written-off loans, which were presented in the Pakistani parliament. Reuters gees returning from Pakistan had The national banks wrote off Kabul added to the strains, she said. about Rs1.39tn loans in the Angeline Rudakubana, the last 25 years. The beneficiaries WFP’s deputy country director included industrialists, traders, squeeze on funding caused for Afghanistan, said the organi- parliamentarians, retired generals by the spread of crises sation had been forced to reduce and former army off icers. Aacross the Middle East rations in its school meals pro- Over Rs91.71bn loans, the most and Africa has left the World gramme and cut other support. in the history of the country, Food Programme (WFP) unsure Chronic insecurity in many were written off during the about whether it can continue its parts of the country had occa- term of former president planned operations in Afghani- sionally forced the WFP to sus- Pervez Musharraf from 2002 stan, the UN food organisation said pend some activities, but the to 2007. yesterday. main problem remained funding. About Rs24.45bn loans were “We met donors and implored The comments underline the written off during three tenures them to continue their support extent to which aid to Afghanistan, of the PML-N and Rs23.35bn in to this country to ensure we where the WFP estimates that three terms of the PPP. Some don’t lose momentum,” Ertharin 40% of people face “food insecu- people received loans through Cousin, executive director of rity”, is under strain 15 years after diff erent companies and had the WFP, told reporters during a the hardline Taliban regime was them written off many times. four-day visit to Kabul. toppled. In the first tenure of the PML-N, She said the organisation, “It is not donor fatigue. Glo- from 1991 to 1993, Rs374mn which has been active in Afghan- bally, the donors have never been loans were waived; in the istan since 1963, faced a $50mn more generous,” Cousin said. second term from 1997 to 1999, funding shortfall to support its “But we are seeing increased Pakistani residents with bicycles and motorbike wading through a flooded street following heavy rains in Lahore yesterday. Rs12.42bn loans were written off . programmes this year and ensure demands for donor support, In the three current three years they were not interrupted during whether it’s Syria, Iraq, Yemen, of the PML-N term, Rs11.65bn the coming winter. South Sudan, now northeast Ni- loans were written off from 2013 A surge in the number of refu- geria.” to 2016. No loan was written off by banks in the first tenure of the PPP. 100 lawmakers yet to fi le tax returns In its second term, from 1994 to 1996, Rs2.85bn loans were written off while Rs20.45bn were Online sale reshaping Internews that how much politicians as week period after which the The criticism had started waived in its third term from Islamabad well as other business infl u- FBR will publish the Tax Di- surfacing when the govern- 2008 to 2012. ential owning foreign assets rectory for 2015,” one top offi - ment had missed the deadline The banks included National sacrifi cial animals market abroad would be declaring cial of the government said on for publishing Tax Directory Bank of Pakistan, Habib Bank round 100 parliamen- them inside Pakistan into their Wednesday. for 2015. It was expected to be Limited, United Bank Limited, Internews oat weighing 22 kilo is Rs25,000; tarians, out of total fi led tax returns or preferred to When contacted to FBR’s released in April or June this Allied Bank Limited, Muslim Islamabad 28 kilo Rs34,000; and 40 kilo A1,170, have not yet fi led keep mum over it again in tax spokesman Iqbal for seeking year, but it could not be done Commercial Bank Limited, Rs45,000. income tax returns for last year 2015. his comments, he said that the mainly after on excuse of en- SME Bank, The Bank of Punjab, The rate of camel ranges tax year, and now the Federal Despite several reminders FBR was making preparation gagements of the FBR high- The Bank of Khyber, Industrial he growing use of online from Rs125,000 to Rs175,000 Board of Revenue (FBR) in- to around 100 parliamentar- to publish the Tax Directory ups in budget making process Development Bank and Zarai marketing is reshaping and its single share would cost tends to publish Tax Directory ians belonging to the National as it required some time for for 2016-17. Taraqiati Bank. Tthe market to the extent Rs24,000. 2015 very soon after getting Assembly, Senate and four receiving cabinet’s approval in When another top official The Muslim Commercial Bank where buyers are now able to A cow weighing almost 100 approval from the federal cabi- provincial assemblies by the writing after which they would was contacted for ascer- was privatised in 2002 while choose the sacrifi cial animal of kilo is available at Rs100,000. net on Wednesday. country’s tax authorities, they move ahead. taining reasons behind this 51% shares of United Bank and their choice, place order on the A report said an online web- In the aftermath of Pan- had not yet bothered to fi le “We are fully committed lapse, he said that the FBR Allied Bank have been sold. internet website and receive it at site Qurbanionline.com sold amaLeaks, the importance of their tax returns for the last tax that the Tax Directory will be high-ups were engaged in Habib Bank’s 51% shares were the doorstep. 100,000 animals in 2015, up publication of Tax Directory year. published soon after receiving other fronts, so they could sold in February 2004 while According to an online web- from 75,000 in 2014 and 67,000 increased manifold as it would “We intend to give them last formal approval of the cabi- not spare time to accomplish the rest were sold in February site bakraonline.pk, the rate of a in 2013. become an offi cial document chance as they will have one net,” he added. this task. 2004. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, September 3, 2016 PHILIPPINES Crackdown on illegal drugs More residents fl ee Sulu as clashes abate

By Al Jacinto confusion and chaos. Our pri- Manila Times/ Zamboanga City ority is to provide assistance and relief to our displaced citi- zens,” he said. hile fi ghting be- Some 8,000 soldiers were tween the military already sent to Sulu to help lo- Wand the Abu Sayyaf cal troops and policemen de- Group (ASG) in Sulu province stroy the Abu Sayyaf blamed subsided early yesterday, the for a spate of terrorism and number of villagers who had ransom kidnappings. abandoned their houses con- Dozens of soldiers and ASG tinued to rise as more families bandits had been killed and fl ed for their safety. wounded in fi erce clashes in Offi cials said at least 5,000 the past weeks in Sulu. people – mostly from Patikul The Abu Sayyaf is also be- town – have left their villages lieved to be coddling Indone- and sought refuge in other ar- sian and Malaysian hardliners eas far away from the violence. in the province. Majority of those aff ected President Rodrigo Duterte by the fi ghting came from the has ordered the military to de- villages of Latih, Bungkahung, stroy the Abu Sayyaf terrorists Tugas and Maligay. in wake of the beheadings of Sulu Governor Totoh Tan, some of their Filipino and for- who heads the Crisis Man- eign hostages. agement Committee, ordered At the same time, he con- social workers to look into the vinced Nur Misuari, head of welfare of the civilians and en- the former rebel group Moro sure that they get food aid from National Liberation Front the provincial government. (MNLF), to support the cam- Tan already dispatched paign and not provide refuge truckloads of rice and other to the bandit group, whose provisions, including medi- members were mostly its ex- cines, to the refugees. fi ghters. The governor, also chairman Misuari is also wanted on Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) off icers torch stacks of marijuana seized in a police operation against illegal drugs in Camp Dangwa in La Trinidad, Benguet of the Provincial Disaster Risk rebellion charges in connec- province yesterday. Reduction and Management tion with the Zamboanga City Offi ce, has called on town siege in 2013. mayors to look into the plight Duterte has assured Misuari of the civilians, especially that he will not be arrested if women, children and the eld- he comes out for peace. erly, and co-ordinate with the He also invited the MNLF Social Welfare offi ce and other leader to a dialogue in an ef- aid agencies to ensure their fort to boost the peace process welfare and safety. in the restive southern region “The active participation where Muslims are demanding of all local government units the establishment of their own Duterte concerned over is a must. Our task must be homeland and a wider autono- properly co-ordinated to avoid my over Mindanao.

China land reclamation Mandatory drug tests

AFP President to meet nine heads of state in Laos Manila planned for college

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will hold one-on-one meetings with eijing is expanding its nine heads of state when he attends a regional summit in Laos next admissions next year large-scale land reclama- week, off icials said yesterday. The leaders’ summit of the Association of Btion in the disputed South South-East Asian Nations (Asean) in Vientiane on September 6-8 will be China Sea, Philippine President the first international conference that Duterte will attend since he took Reuters “What’s important is for Rodrigo Duterte said yesterday, off ice on June 30. On the sidelines of the summit, Manila students not to use drugs. despite an international court Duterte will be meeting with his counterparts from the US, Russia, It will be a deterrent if they ruling rejecting most of China’s Australia, Japan, India,New Zealand, Singapore, Laos and Vietnam, said want to continue their stud- claims in the resource-rich area. foreign department spokesman Charles Jose. Duterte, however, was he Philippines is step- ies,” Vitriolo said, adding that A UN-backed tribunal ruled not expected to have time to hold a one-on-one meeting with United ping up President Rod- those testing positive could in July that China’s claims to al- Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon due to lack of time, Jose Trigo Duterte’s battle on go through rehabilitation be- most all of the strategic sea had added.“The president’s schedule is quite full,” he said.Foreign Assistant drugs with incoming college fore being admitted to college. no legal basis and its construc- Secretary Maria Hellen De La Vega added that while authorities were freshmen set to face tests for Drug testing for university ad- tion of artifi cial islands in dis- looking for a possible time for a bilateral meeting with Ban, the likeli- illegal drug use from next year, mission is now done on a vol- puted waters was illegal. hood was “very slim.”Duterte earlier lashed out at the UN for failing to an education offi cial said yes- untary basis. But Duterte said he received address hunger, terrorism and violence in Syria and Iraq. terday. “It is something that we an “unsettling” intelligence re- He threatened to take the Philippines out of the organisation after it criti- A wave of 2,400 killings should be doing because the port showing China had sent cised his government’s deadly campaign against illegal drugs, unleashed in a war on drugs drug menace is real,” Monico barges to the contested Scarbor- but later said the threat was a joke.According to police data, 900 drug since Duterte came to power Jacob, president of STI Edu- ough Shoal and had appeared to suspects were killed in police operations between July 1 and August 31. two months ago has gained cation Systems Holdings Inc, begin construction in the area Rodrigo Duterte: expressing concern popular support in the South- told Reuters, referring to com- for the fi rst time. east Asian nation, but has pulsory tests. China previously constructed es coming in and they suspect the sea, through which over $5tn He said he would consider Beijing by fi ling the arbitra- alarmed the United Nations STI, which has more than artifi cial islands in the Spratly that’s going to be another con- in annual trade passes. bringing up the construction tion case in 2013. He has said he and the United States, Ma- 103,000 students this aca- chain in the South China Sea. struction.” The Scarborough Shoal, a work during bilateral talks with would not raise the matter of the nila’s close ally. demic year, has performed The United States warned in China has sought to assert its rich fi shing ground within the Beijing, adding it would aff ect ruling in Laos to avoid escalating The government seeks to mandatory drug testing for the June of “actions” if Beijing ex- claims in the South China Sea by Philippines’ exclusive economic global commerce. tensions. make drug testing a require- past fi ve years. tended its military expansion to building a network of artifi cial zone and far away from the near- “If (China) continues build- But yesterday, Duterte said he ment for all incoming college Duterte won the May elec- the Scarborough Shoal. islands capable of supporting est major Chinese landmass, is a ing military installations there... would insist on China’s compli- students, said Julito Vitriolo, tion by a landslide on a prom- “I think they are starting in military operations. particular fl ashpoint. insurance would go up for the ance with the verdict during di- the executive director of the ise to wipe out drugs and deal- (Bajo de) Masinloc and this will Its massive land reclamation China took control of Scar- ships and the goods they trans- rect talks with Beijing. Commission on Higher Edu- ers. He has named politicians, be another ruckus there,” Du- has prompted criticism from the borough Shoal in 2012 after a port.Because then it would be a He criticised the Asian giant’s cation. police generals and judges terte said, referring to the shoal US and claimant countries, with stand-off with the country’s source of confl ict and thereby statements saying it would ig- “This was born out of the linked to the drug trade. by its local name. Washington warning it endan- navy. Duterte’s comments come the threat is always there.” nore the ruling. president’s call to make cam- Police data show 2,400 He said the Philippine Coast gers freedom of navigation in a week before a regional sum- Duterte, who took offi ce two “We can only take so much but puses drug-free, because we deaths in the drug war after Guard found “a lot of barges” international waters. mit in Laos where the South months ago, has vowed to mend you cannot be slapped every day see the pervasive eff ects of Duterte took over, a toll police near the area. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei China Sea dispute will be on the ties with China after his pred- with (those) kinds drug use,” he said in a televi- say is a result of drug dealers “There seem to be new barg- and Taiwan also have claims to agenda. ecessor Benigno Aquino angered of words.” sion interview. resisting arrest or gang feuds. Business group backs nuclear energy for low-cost power

By William Depasupil Times. Yulo said there was no way clear plant and talked to the people than the other countries building the Manila Times for the Philippines to compete with who are running it to fi nd what it is all 65 new plants,” Yulo said. its neighbouring countries with high about,” he said.Yulo noted that Slov- Yulo said the Slovenian govern- electricity rates. enia, where he once served as honor- ment has off ered to rehabilitate the mid opposition to the pro- “How can you industrialise if your ary consul, is the one of the “greenest BNPP at 15% of the cost of building a posed reopening of the moth- electricity is very high? How can you and new plant. Aballed Bataan Nuclear Power compete?” he asked. pro-environment” countries in the Slovenia is building a plant in Po- Plant (BNPP), the country’s oldest “The Chamber is supporting the world and gets 90% of its electricity land together with BNPP contractor business group has called on the Rod- use of nuclear energy for industriali- from nuclear energy. Westinghouse, because of the Cen- rigo Duterte government to consider sation and for a better quality of life,” “Their plant is a sister clone of tral European country’s operational the use of nuclear energy to ensure he added. the BNPP, exactly the same. They’ve expertise in nuclear energy, Yulo said. stable and low-cost power supply. He noted that countries like China, been operating it for 35 years and He admitted however that there Jose Luis Yulo Jr, president of the South Korea, North Korea and Japan it was built at the same time as our would be no 100% assurance of safe- Chamber of Commerce of the Phil- have nuclear plants, while Malaysia plant,” he said. ty in using nuclear power. ippine Islands, warned on Thurs- and Vietnam are leaning toward the Aside from Slovenia, other coun- “It is the same with fl ying a plane, day that unless the government did use of nuclear energy. tries with nuclear plants similar to riding a car. There are safety issues something drastic, it would soon be “Now they (Malaysia and Viet- the BNPP are Brazil, North Korea and always but it does not mean that we at the bottom of the economic lad- nam) can have their own. If they have South Korea, he said. cover ourselves in a cubicle and don’t der of the 10-member Association of cheap electricity, how can we com- Yulo also said 65 new nuclear move,” he said. South East Asian Nations (Asean) and pete?” he said. power plants were being built across Yulo clarifi ed that he was not even the rest of Asia. Yulo said the arguments against the globe, which proves that nuclear pushing for the use of nuclear energy “Vietnam is moving very quickly. the proposed reopening of the BNPP energy is a safe and a cheap source of alone. Rather, nuclear energy should If we don’t do anything drastic, Viet- in Bataan were without scientifi c or electricity. be included in a good energy mix as nam will overtake us. Then Myanmar technical basis. “My challenge to the opposition is done by industrialised countries, will overtake us,” Yulo told Manila “No one has really gone to a nu- to prove to me that they are smarter he said. Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands President Jose Luis Yulo Jr. Gulf Times Saturday, September 3, 2016 13 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL UN chief calls on Lanka to reduce army’s presence AFP tion asking him (Ban) to help us of civilians” who perished in the steps to strengthen our focus Jaff na get back our property,” Tamil fi nal months of the war in 2009, on human rights, particularly fi sherman, Joseph Rasanay- a fi gure disputed by the former during times of political and Ban Ki-moon, left, chats with Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Aff airs Mangala Samaraweera after delivering agam, 59, said before the UN government. humanitarian crisis.” a lecture on “sustainable peace” in Colombo yesterday, the second and final day of his visit to Sri Lanka. N chief Ban Ki-moon diplomat’s visit. “There is still much work to yesterday toured Sri Over 100,000 Tamils can- be done in order to redress the ULanka’s former kill- not access their homes in the wrongs of the past and to restore ing fi elds and met with war- region, either because they the legitimacy and accountabil- battered minority Tamils after were destroyed in the fi ghting ity of key institutions, particu- urging Colombo to reduce the that ended in 2009, or because larly the judiciary and the secu- army’s presence to ease ten- the land is still occupied by the rity services,” Ban said. sions following decades of military. Tamil politicians have asked ethnic bloodshed. Tamil groups maintain 32 the UN to intervene and ensure The UN Secretary-General camps for internally displaced an investigative mechanism. held talks with the main oppo- persons in the Jaffna penin- Colombo has said it is willing to sition politicians in the north- sula. accept foreign technical and fo- ern town of Jaffna, 400km Giving a public lecture in Co- rensic expertise. (250 miles) north of Colombo lombo earlier, Ban welcomed On the fi rst full day of his on the final leg of the two day what he called symbolic steps visit Thursday, dozens of ma- visit. taken by the new government to jority Sinhalese nationalists ral- The region saw some of the ensure ethnic reconciliation but lied outside the UN compound bloodiest battles during the 37- called for more momentum to in Colombo, protesting against year war with the entire Jaff na ensure lasting peace. the UN’s actions during the pro- population of 800,000 displaced “I also urge you to speed up longed ethnic war. at various stages of the fi ghting, the return of (Tamil) land so Ban said yesterday that the with many still refugees in their that the remaining communities UN too learnt lessons from Sri own country. of displaced people can return Lanka’s confl ict. Dozens of Tamil civilians home,” Ban said in the presence Tamils had accused the UN of held pictures of their loved of Foreign Minister Mangala Sa- failing to protect civilians dur- ones still unaccounted for seven maraweera. ing the fi ghting while the then years after the war ended and “In parallel, the size of the government in Colombo ac- staged a silent demonstration military force in the (former war cused the world body of inter- outside the Jaff na public li- zones of) North and East could ference. brary where Ban met with local be reduced, helping to build “Sri Lanka has taught us many politicians. trust and reduce tensions.” important lessons,” he said. “About 100 people from He also pressed for account- “Building on these, the United Sri Lankan mothers from the “Missing Person’s Parents” join others as they hold photographs during a protest outside the Jaff na Library in my village signed the peti- ability for the “tens of thousands Nations has taken wide-ranging Jaff na, some 400kms north of Colombo, yesterday.

Alert Editor held for sounded defaming former in Nepal amid fears chief of schools of clashes

AFP of a controversial law which The wording of the con- Dhaka critics say gives the govern- troversial law, which has been over king’s ment a free rein to crack down criticised by a UN expert on on dissent. human rights, authorises n award-winning “Offi cers from the cyber- judges to jail anyone who de- statue Bangladeshi journalist crime unit arrested Khan on liberately publishes material Awho edits a specialist Thursday after Professor Fa- deemed to hurt religious be- Mir Quasem Ali education website has been hima Khatun fi led the case liefs, off end the state or damage IANS arrested for allegedly defam- under section 57 of the infor- law and order for up to 14 years. Kathmandu ing a powerful former offi cial, mation communication tech- Several high-profi le pro- police said yesterday. nology act,” said Rahman. opposition journalists and Police detained Siddiqur Local newspapers said social media users, who alleg- day after late king Bi- Rahman Khan for publishing Khatun, a former head of a edly defamed Prime Minister rendra Shah’s statue was Death-row Islamist what it described as multiple government department that Sheikh Hasina and her family Aremoved and attempts “fi ctitious, false and shame- regulates tens of thousands members, have also been ar- were made to reinstall it in Nepa- ful” news on the DainikShik- of schools and intermediate rested in the past under the lgunj city, the police yesterday sha.com portal, Dhaka police colleges, is married to a ruling provisions of the law. sounded a high alert across the spokesman Masudur Rahman party lawmaker and is a sister The arrests came amid country to avoid clashes between tycoon refuses to said. of a cabinet minister. widening fears for freedom supporters and opponents of the Khan is the latest in a string She said in her complaint of speech in the Muslim-ma- king. of journalists to have been that an article on the website jority nation, which has seen The bust of Shah installed detained by Bangladeshi au- had “defamed and tarnished” a spate of Islamist extremist at Dhambojhi Chowk in Nepa- thorities under the provisions her image and that of the state. killings in recent months. lgunj was pulled down by se- seek clemency curity personnel on Thursday night as it led to an altercation between the police and the AFP the 63-year-old Ali had helped Ali, who after the war became erstwhile monarch’s support- Dhaka to revive in recent decades. a shipping and real estate ty- ers, the Kathmandu Post re- Security has been stepped coon, was convicted in Novem- ported. up at the prison, located some ber 2014 of a series of crimes Bangladeshi woman Earlier on Thursday, a group wealthy tycoon who was a 40kms (25 miles) north of Dha- during Bangladesh’s war of sep- of youths reinstalled the statue chief fi nancier for Bang- ka, after Ali announced his deci- aration from Pakistan, including which was pulled down dur- Aladesh’s largest Islamist sion, local police chief Harun- the abduction and murder of a ing the People’s Movement-II in party refused yesterday to seek or-Rashid said. young independence fi ghter. 2006. presidential clemency against His son Mir Ahmed Bin Some demonstrators, in- Quasem, who was part of his le- wearing headscarf his death sentence, an offi cial Ali, who aft er the war cluding cadres of the Rastriya said, paving the way for his im- became a shipping and gal defence team, was allegedly Prajatantra Party-Nepal, gath- minent execution by hanging. real estate tycoon, was abducted by security forces ear- ered again yesterday morning Mir Quasem Ali, a key leader convicted in November lier in August, which critics say to reinstall the king’s bust. But of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, 2014 of a series of crimes was an attempt to sow fear and this could not be done as the prevent protests against the im- stabbed in New York was sentenced to death by a con- during Bangladesh’s police force was deployed at troversial war crimes tribunal war of separation from minent execution. the site, The Himalayan Times for off ences committed during Pakistan The executions and convic- IANS lone gunman attacked them her and they “feel this is a hate reported. the 1971 independence confl ict tions of Jamaat offi cials plunged New York from close range, 5 miles from crime”. Many areas in the city were with Pakistan. Five opposition leaders in- Bangladesh into one of its worst where Khanam was killed. The New York chapter of cordoned off by the police to After the Supreme Court re- cluding four leading Islam- crises in 2013 when tens of 60-year-old Bang- Khanam was stabbed in the Council on American- avert any possible clashes be- jected his fi nal appeal on Tues- ists have been executed for war thousands of Islamist activists ladeshi woman was the chest as she was walk- Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) tween the supporters and oppo- day against the penalty, Ali crimes since 2013, all of them clashed with police in protests Astabbed to death about ing home with her husband on Thursday called on police nents of the monarchy and the declined to seek a presidential hanged just days after their ap- that left some 500 people dead. a block and a half away from from the store they owned in to investigate a possible bias police forces. pardon, which requires an ad- peals were rejected by the Su- The Islamist party, which is her home in Queens, New Queens on Wednesday. motive in the stabbing, reports “No one should carry out mission of guilt. preme Court. banned from contesting elec- York, in a suspected hate “I had to break the news to ABC7-Eyewitness News. activities that give rise to con- “Today (Friday) he announced Their families said they had tions, called a nationwide strike crime, media reports have my uncle that my aunt ex- “Because of the recent kill- flict and hampers the peace his decision he won’t seek mercy refused to seek a presidential on Wednesday, labelling the said. pired. He’s screaming and ings of Muslims in Queens, and security,” said a senior from the president,” Prasanta pardon as they did not want to charges against Ali “false” and Nazma Khanam, a retired crying, ‘My wife just came to and because of the growing police offi cial. Kumar Bonik, a senior offi cial at legitimise the whole trials proc- “baseless” and accusing the teacher from Bangladesh, was this country to just get killed! number of anti-Muslim in- A statue of Birendra Shah the Kashimpur high security jail ess. government of exacting “politi- wearing a headscarf at the We had a better life in Bangla- cidents nationwide resulting installed at Dhambojhi Chowk where Ali is imprisoned, said. The war crimes tribunal set up cal vengeance”. time of the killing, reported desh!’,” her transit cop neph- from the increasing Islamo- in Nepalgunj was pulled “The authorities will now de- by the government has divided A group of United Nations The Independent. ew Humayun Kabir, 35, said phobia in American society, down by protesters dur- cide when and where he will be the country, with supporters of human rights experts last week The murder comes more Thursday, New York Daily we urge the NYPD to inves- ing People’s Movement-II in executed,” he said. Jamaat and the main opposition urged Bangladesh to annul Ali’s than two weeks after a Bang- News reported. tigate a possible bias motive 2006. The political parties The Supreme Court’s deci- Bangladesh Nationalist Party death sentence and to retry him ladesh-origin imam of a Another nephew, Moham- for this murder,” said CAIR- could not reach a consensus sion was a major blow for the (BNP) branding it a sham aimed in compliance with international Queens mosque and his as- amd Rahman said the perpe- NY Executive Director Afaf over whose statue should be Jamaat-e-Islami party, which at eliminating their leaders. standards. sistant were killed when a trator didn’t take anything off Nasher in a statement. erected there. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, September 3, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Production Editor: C P Ravindran The Japanese govt versus

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar currency speculators [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), Like Aesop’s boy who But there is concern that it will not The Japanese authorities seem to of manipulating currency markets, 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) be enough, if the yen continues to recognise this, in theory. On August 18, the US Congress will not approve the Fax 44350474 cried wolf, the Japanese appreciate. offi cials from the ministry of fi nance Trans-Pacifi c Partnership (TPP). fi nance ministry has lost To be sure, expansionary policies, (MOF), the Financial Services Agency, It is possible that the MOF will particularly monetary policies – a and the BOJ gathered to discuss choose to keep the US on its side, and credibility, at least when pillar of Abenomics – could contribute what can be done to stem the yen’s continue to off er only empty threats to it comes to the threat of to currency depreciation. But the US appreciation. speculators. Federal Reserve’s dovish approach After the meeting, Masatsugu Or it may simply vacillate until it intervention in currency to exiting its own quantitative- Asakawa, the deputy minister of is too late to take real action. Either GULF TIMES markets easing programme, together with finance for international affairs, approach may well produce the same expansionary policies in other major declared that the MOF would disastrous result: allowing the yen economies, has weakened their impact act swiftly against exchange- to appreciate to damaging levels and By Koichi Hamada on the exchange rate. rate movements deemed to be causing Abenomics to fail. Tokyo More recently, the United Kingdom’s speculative. What the MOF should do is Old problems pose vote to “Brexit” the European Union, The announcement was supposed intervene courageously in currency together with the introduction of to cause speculators to shake in their markets to stem the yen’s appreciation. ith Japan’s economy negative rates by multiple central boots. Yet markets moved only slightly, Speculators will learn a tough lesson, challenges for Temer struggling to escape its banks, including the Bank of Japan within a range of a couple of yen to a and Japan’s economy could get back defl ationary torpor, the (BOJ), shook markets. dollar. After all, the MOF has made on track. Weconomic-revitalisation such threats before – for example, Though Japan may become a plan that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe just after the introduction of the BOJ’s scapegoat for the failure of the TPP, it in ‘new Brazil’ launched in 2012 has come under At this point, the negative interest-rate policy, and again seems unlikely that the deal would be growing scrutiny. after the Brexit decision – but never ratifi ed in any case, given the current But Japan’s current travails, which MOF’s words will not followed through. political climate in the United States. Michel Temer, 75, who on Wednesday offi cially took have brought a concomitant decline Like Aesop’s boy who cried wolf, the An alternative would be for the BOJ to over Brazil’s presidency from his former ally, the leftist in Japan’s stock market, stem from be enough to deter MOF has lost credibility, at least when purchase foreign securities. the yen’s appreciation – 24% over the it comes to the threat of intervention Many hedge-fund managers, along Dilma Rousseff , does not have a easy job ahead. The new last year – against major currencies. speculation in currency markets. So speculators with some economists, claim that the government faces old problems and a crisis of legitimacy “Abenomics” – which included remain convinced that they are making key to saving Japan’s economy from that have been brewing for months. substantial monetary and fi scal Taking advantage of this a one-way bet – win big or break even defl ation is a more direct helicopter expansion – has nothing to do with it. nervousness, hedge-fund managers – and continue to push the yen higher. drop, with newly-printed cash The country remains divided after the power struggle in Since Abenomics was introduced, and other speculators have increasingly At this point, the MOF’s words will delivered directly to consumers. Brasilia. Immediately after her removal, Rousseff promised Japan’s labour market has improved been betting on the yen’s appreciation; not be enough to deter speculation. Yet these same people are impeding “tireless opposition” to Temer, her former vice president, considerably: 1.5mn new jobs have indeed, the Chicago Mercantile But the MOF remains hesitant to back eff ective macroeconomic policy, by and to the “new Brazil” touted on Thursday in the country’s been created and the unemployment Exchange shows substantial interest in its tough talk with action, not least betting on the yen’s appreciation. rate has fallen to just over 3%. the yen futures market. because of American disapproval of Only when the speculators are Senate by right-wing legislator Ana Amelia Lemos. Moreover, corporate profi ts have In a fl exible exchange-rate system, supposed “currency manipulation”. brought to heel should such a bold – Rousseff and her Workers Party (PT) describe her soared, and tax revenues have each country conducts monetary High-level offi cials at the US and highly risky – monetary policy controversial impeachment as a “parliamentary coup”. But increased by more than ¥20tn policy independently, based on Treasury and Federal Reserve actively even be up for discussion. - Project ($188bn). domestic objectives, and accepts try to dissuade advocacy of direct Syndicate even more virulent attacks came from the other side: the To build on these gains, Japan has the resulting exchange rate. But intervention, including by me. An far-right deputy Jair Bolsonaro, for example, gave a tip of promised a large fi scal expansion this when exchange-rate movements American scholar reacted angrily when zKoichi Hamada, special economic the hat to the country’s 1964-1985 military dictatorship as month, which some describe as a become sharp or erratic, monetary I merely mentioned the word, as if it adviser to Japanese Prime Minister piecemeal, temporary version of so- authorities have the authority – even were an obscenity. Shinzo Abe, is professor emeritus of he celebrated Rousseff ’s fall. called “helicopter drops” (permanent the obligation – to intervene to smooth American offi cials, for their part, economics at Yale University and at the Tensions reached the streets as well, in particular in Sao monetisation of government debt). them out. emphasise that if Japan can be accused University of Tokyo. Paulo, where violent demonstrations in favour of Rousseff broke out alongside the toasts to Temer. Temer’s government will have to face questions about its legitimacy, a heavy ballast for an unelected president. Many believe Brazil needs new elections, as Rousseff proposed several days ago in a last-ditch eff ort to avoid removal from offi ce. But Brazil’s presidential system does not allow for early elections solely due to a shifting of alliances in the legislature, as Rousseff and her happened after Temer’s Democratic Workers Party Movement Party describe her (PMDB) abandoned Rousseff in March. controversial Were elections to impeachment as be called, the new president would a “parliamentary have little chance, coup” according to polls: his popularity rating hasn’t reached double digits for months. Temer’s mandate ends in December 2018. Economically, things are not looking great. Brazil is in the second year of a deep recession, with its economy expected to contract 3.3% in 2016. Latin America’s largest economy has in recent years Simon Bolivar of Venezuela: Spanish America’s most celebrated revolutionary. collapsed as its economic model, which in 2010 generated 7.5% growth, has eroded. Energy revenue has vanished, in part due to a corruption scandal in the state-controlled oil company Petrobras. The baby Bolivar boom “We inherit a country submerged in a grave economic crisis. There are nearly 12mn unemployed,” Temer said on By Caitlin Fitz full of revolutionary disciples. They ambassador griped) and sold the inter-American trade and diplomacy. Wednesday. Los Angeles Times/TNS concluded that their founding goods to South American rebels. With Immigration wasn’t a central issue, and republican ideals really were universal similarly mixed motives, some 3,000 when it did begin to surge later in the His government plans to slash public spending, and is – that US light was spreading to places privateers attacked Spanish ships on the 1820s and 1830s, people usually were expected to cut back on the social programmes promoted lmost 200 years ago, as the thought mired in Iberian colonial high seas until Congress outlawed the moving to Mexico, not away from it. by the PT over the last 13 years. United States approached darkness. practice beginning in 1817. Still, the hemispheric enthusiasm Temer has announced among other measures a reform of its 50th birthday, a new baby Victories across Latin America thus The inter-American idealism was so stands in striking contrast to the name swept the nation. It infl amed US patriotism; as a Boston strong that it often transcended racial current political discourse in the US the pension system. A was Bolivar. Hundreds of mothers newspaper trumpeted, these newfound and religious diff erences. Everyone about Latin America. Our early 19th The accusations of a coup d’etat have resonated and fathers, living in Kentucky log sister republics were “fl attering to our knew that Latin Americans were century predecessors saw themselves throughout the region since Rousseff ’s removal. cabins or Illinois farmhouses, named national pride”. Catholics, and newspapers widely as political kin of people with clear their crying, crinkly newborns after The excitement was pervasive. reported that Spanish Americans cultural, linguistic and sometimes A Latin American leader in recent years, Brazil has now Spanish America’s most celebrated Mothers dressed their daughters in in particular were passing gradual racial diff erences. Turning south of lost support from neighbouring countries. revolutionary: Simon Bolivar of broad-brimmed “Bolivar hats”. Poets antislavery laws. the border, early US patriots adopted Leftist governments, particularly those in the orbit Venezuela. wrote odes to Brazil and Peru. West Black US audiences were thrilled, internationalism as a credo. The baby Bolivar boom wasn’t an Point cadets looked exuberantly south while white observers were so excited Two centuries later, Donald Trump of socialist Venezuela, reacted harshly to the change of isolated oddity, either. Other Americans and fi red ceremonial cannons. about the anti-colonial battles that they off ers a new credo: “Make America leadership in Brasilia. named their new towns, their boats and accepted the antislavery ones. great again.” The power and the peril of Caracas withdrew its ambassador, a measure also even their livestock Bolivar, adopting To be sure, Americans’ universalist this slogan stem from its imprecision. the Spanish-speaking revolutionary as Our history is large; it optimism about human potential was To which past? What elements of our announced by Ecuador and Bolivia, while Cuba and one of their own. endlessly contested, and their abstract history does he propose to resuscitate? Nicaragua directly attacked the new government. Given how much of our current contains multitudes talk of brotherhood wilted as slavery To paraphrase Walt Whitman, our Since Temer’s swearing-in, other countries have opted election cycle has been marked by spread into the South and West. Inter- history is large; it contains multitudes. talk of border walls and racial slurs, The US government remained American ardour eventually yielded to It teems with triumph and treachery, instead for an eloquent silence. it may seem surprising that ordinary offi cially neutral in these revolutions, manifest destiny, racialised chauvinism freedom and slavery, equality and Americans held such early aff ection for declining to do for Latin Americans and war with Mexico. oppression. Latin America. A generation before the what France had done for it. But people But the sanguine inclusiveness of But here’s one thing we might To Advertise US swallowed half of Mexico (including found smaller ways to chip in. the 1810s and early 1820s mattered resuscitate. We could improve upon our what turned out to be a gold-encrusted In 1812, Congress voted to send nonetheless. early 19th century predecessors’ global [email protected] California), visions of a harmonious $50,000 worth of provisions to help In celebrating the decline of colonial awareness and interest, their conviction Display republican hemisphere prevailed. erstwhile revolutionaries in Caracas dig rule to their south, Americans were that our welfare was intertwined with In the 1810s and early 1820s – just a out after a devastating earthquake; it defi ning the United States as an that of foreigners. Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 generation or two after our Revolution was a pioneering instance of US foreign advocate for worldwide republican We could reject Trump’s belligerent Classified of 1776 – most of Latin America fought aid. liberty – even when that liberty isolationism in favour of international (and won) independence wars against In another groundbreaking included Spanish-speaking antislavery goodwill. And we might consider that Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 Spain and Portugal, from Mexico and congressional vote 10 years later, the Catholics. such hemispheric hopefulness and Subscription Colombia to Chile and Brazil. US became the fi rst country to formally This short-lived and self- inclusive cosmopolitanism are an [email protected] Those developments owed more to recognise Spanish America’s new congratulatory excitement for Latin American tradition too. the chaos of the Napoleonic Wars than nations as independent powers. American independence off ers few easy to the shot heard round the world, but Hoping to do well by doing good, answers for our own times. zCaitlin Fitz is an assistant professor 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved US patriots happily gave themselves merchants loaded their ships “with Hemispheric enthusiasts themselves of history at Northwestern University in credit for having inspired a hemisphere weapons as ballast” (as Portugal’s disagreed about the particulars of Evanston, Illinois. Gulf Times Saturday, September 3, 2016 15 COMMENT The making of China’s consumer society

The task for China’s leaders next largest online retailer, JD.com, driver behind the transformation of is to respond more eff ectively capturing just 5.7%. In the business- the housing market, supply chains, to-consumer market, Alibaba’s Tmall fi nance, and even monetary policy. to their citizens’ needs claimed a 58% market share in the The task for China’s leaders is to and desires, including by third quarter of 2015, with JD.com respond more eff ectively to their taking just 22.9%. citizens’ needs and desires, including accelerating progress on In third-party online payment by accelerating progress on economic economic reform services, Alipay held 47.5% of the reform. market, while Tenpay captured Specifi cally, they must phase out 20%, and UnionPay, the only service obsolete supply chains saddled with By Andrew Sheng and Xiao Geng developed by the banking community, overcapacity, bad debts, and falling Hong Kong had 10.9%. employment, while taxing the winners As a result, SOEs, which have in the e-commerce game. These long specialised in single markets or imperatives are challenging traditional hina’s transformation from products, have now begun to recognise approaches to monetary, fi scal, a manufacturing-driven and that they need to re-tool to compete industrial, environmental, and social export-led economy to one both in China and in global markets. policy, while testing the capacity of the Cunderpinned by services Given that SOE reform has long been bureaucracy and political system. and domestic consumption is fi rmly on China’s agenda, this extra impetus China’s transformation into a underway. And that’s good news not may prove benefi cial. But the challenge consumer society will have profound just for China, but also for the future of of determining how to create a level implications for domestic and global the global economy. playing fi eld for healthy competition suppliers and distributors of goods and The 2016-17 edition of the Blue Book and improve capital allocation in the services. of China’s Commercial Sector by Fung Internet age remains. At fi rst, it might hurt some of Business Intelligence and the Chinese It is not just China’s large companies China’s trading partners, particularly Academy of Social Sciences maps the that need to rethink their business the emerging economies that have long change. China’s retail markets reached models. As China’s e-commerce depended on Chinese demand for their CN¥30tn ($4.6tn) in 2015, after more platforms become increasingly global, commodity exports. than a decade of double-digit growth. they may erode the dominance of giant The decline in Chinese imports has Household consumption has multinationals in international trade. already contributed to a decline in begun to climb, even as the pace Already in 2015, China’s cross- commodity prices. Moreover, foreign of investment has fallen, and now Chinese workers making shirts at a spinnery in Nantong, east China’s Jiangsu province. China has overtaken the United border e-commerce amounted to importers may fi nd that Chinese- exceeds 60% of GDP. Though the States to build the world’s largest online retail market. With a growth rate of some 33%, it is also the fastest-growing such an estimated ¥5.2tn, or 17.6% of the manufactured consumer goods consumption growth rate has slowed market. country’s total trade; it may reach now cater more to local tastes and to 10.7%, the Blue Book projects that ¥8tn, or 23% of total trade, by next preferences. China’s domestic market may reach transactions in China may be without the construction and increased by 49% year on year; another year. Whatever challenges emerge, CN¥50tn by 2020. conducted online. Online sales via maintenance of expensive brick-and- online platform, Tencent, reported a All of this growth is great news for the fact is that a prosperous China, A key driver of this transformation mobile phones have jumped from only mortar outlets. 52% increase. China; indeed, at a time of slowing underpinned by local consumers, has been Internet technology. 1.5% in 2011 to 55.5% in 2015, and may In fact, growth in mobile sales By connecting small and medium- performance in many traditional will contribute to – and shape – a Building on heavy investments reach 73.8% by 2018. has been driven by lower-income size enterprises (which account for sectors, online retailing could be prosperous global economy. We can in public infrastructure, such as China has now overtaken the United consumers, particularly in rural areas, 80% of employment in China) with the an economic lifesaver. But it also thank e-commerce for that. - Project ports, airports, roads, rail, and States to build the world’s largest where more than 81% of Internet use consumer base, such platforms erode represents a major challenge for a Syndicate telecommunications, the Internet online retail market. With a growth occurs via mobile devices. some of the competitive advantage of government that has long relied on is now expanding rapidly the range rate of some 33%, it is also the fastest- One key innovation has been multi- large state-owned enterprises (SOEs). top-down decision-making. zAndrew Sheng is distinguished of choices available to Chinese growing such market. And despite sided platforms like Alibaba, which, Indeed, while the returns from China’s e-commerce revolution fellow of the Asia Global Institute consumers, while lowering costs and growth in Internet use – the number by providing access to production, China’s Internet retailing revolution enables the country’s consumers at the University of Hong Kong and accelerating delivery. of connected Chinese has risen from logistics, distribution and payments, have been highly concentrated, for to decide where to put their money. a member of the UNEP Advisory As a result, China’s online retail 253mn in 2008 to 688mn last year challenge traditional business models once this concentration has not been in They can choose not only what kinds Council on Sustainable Finance. Xiao sales have surged in recent years, from – there is plenty of room for further – and with considerable success. the state sector. of goods and services they deem Geng, director of the IFF Institute, is 6.3% of total retail sales in 2012 to expansion. In the second quarter of 2016, In online retailing via mobile worthwhile, but also where to live and a professor at the University of Hong 12.9% by 2015. This progress refl ects innovations Alibaba announced that its revenue devices, Alibaba held an 84.2% share receive an education. Kong and a fellow at its Asia Global By 2020, 40% of all retail that enable broad-based consumption from China’s retail market had of the market last year, with the As a result, they have become a key Institute. LEGAL HELPLINE Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY High: 42 C Low : 32 C Hazy to misty at places at first be- comes hot daytime with local clouds Penalties for document fraud and chance of local rain at central and southern areas by afternoon.

Forgery may be claimed Suspension the suspension of the execution, the stipulates that a worker who has SUNDAY judgement bearing the penalty shall be completed a period of minimum High: 39 C at any stage of a case by of punishment considered as nonexistent. one year of continuous service shall Low: 32 C submitting a report to If a judgement annulling the be entitled to gratuity pay on the Sunny Q: My friend was arrested for suspension of the execution of the termination of employment. The end- the offi ce of the Court an off ence and the case is before penalty issued, the execution court of-service gratuity shall be calculated Registry the court. He had admitted shall proceed to execute the earlier based on the basic wage on the date MONDAY certain things before the public judgement. of entitlement. Accordingly, the basic High: 42 C prosecution. The judgment As per Article 81, the suspension of salary on the date of termination will Low: 34 C Sunny By Nizar Kochery will be issued soon. The lawyer execution may be annulled if during be the basis for calculation of the Doha opined that there are chances the period of suspension, a judgement same. The employee will be entitled for punishment and suspension. bearing imprisonment for more than for end of service gratuity minimum Could you please elaborate on three months is rendered against the of three weeks basic salary per year of Fishermen’s forecast QUESTION: I fi led a civil case suspension of punishment as per convicted for an intentional off ence service. OFFSHORE DOHA on a dispute that arose during Qatar law? What are the situations perpetrated during or prior to the said However, Article 61 of the law Wind: SE-NE 03-12KT the execution of a contract. We in which such suspension will be period of which the court was not provides rights of the employer Waves: 1-3 Feet submitted our claim and, in cancelled? aware when ordering the suspension to terminate the contract of an INSHORE DOHA Wind: NE-SE 05-15/30 KT response, the defendant submitted CD, Doha of execution; and also if it appears employee without any notice period Waves: 1-2 Feet some documents which could that a judgement of imprisonment for or end-of-service benefi ts for reasons aff ect the case’s end result. I A: According to Article 79 of the a period of more than three months of gross misconduct such as false Around the region strongly believe that some of these Qatar Penal Laws, the court when in an intentional crime was rendered identity or nationality or submitted Weather Weather documents are forged. How can rendering a judgement for an off ence before ordering the suspension of false certifi cates or documents, any today Max/min tomorrow Max/min I challenge it? If I challenge the bearing imprisonment not exceeding execution of which the court was act which causes gross fi nancial loss Abu Dhabi Sunny 46/32 Sunny 46/32 documents’ veracity, what will be one year or a fi ne, may order the unaware. to the employer, an assault on the Baghdad Sunny 47/27 Sunny 44/26 Dubai Sunny the action initiated by court? suspension of the execution of the person of the employer, disclosed Sunny 43/32 43/32 Kuwait City Sunny 43/31 Sunny 46/33 IU, Doha penalty, if the court believes that confi dential information, convicted Manama Sunny 42/32 Sunny 42/32 he shall not perpetrate any off ence Gratuity for a crime involving immorality Muscat Sunny 34/27 Sunny 33/28 ANSWER: The party who denies after considering the morals of entitlement or dishonesty, drunk or under the Riyadh M Sunny 44/30 M Sunny 45/28 the document have a right to claim the convicted, his past, age or the infl uence of drugs during working Tehran Sunny 33/23 Sunny 34/23 that it is a forged one. According to circumstances in which the off ence Q: Will it aff ect the employees’ hours or absent from work without Article 236 of Civil and Commercial was perpetrated. right to receive end-of-service legitimate cause for more than seven Procedural law, the forgery may be The suspension of the execution gratuity in case of termination consecutive days or 15 days in one claimed at any stage of a case by of the penalty shall last three years of employment contract at the year, etc. submitting a report to the offi ce of the as from the date when the judgement discretion of employer? Court Registry that specifi es all parts becomes defi nitive. AT, Doha zPlease send your questions by of the exhibit in which the alleged If the period elapses without any e-mail to: [email protected] forgery took place and all claimed acts judgement bearing annulment of A: Article 54 of the Labour Law (Mobile:55813105) of forgery. Otherwise the claim shall be void. The claimant shall notify the other LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR party within 10 days after preparing the report by a memorandum, According to Article 123, the general the request of the shareholders call absolving the members of the board of explaining the evidence of forgery as assembly shall be convened upon an for the meeting at the expense of the directors from their responsibilities; well as investigation procedures that invitation by the board of directors company. In both cases, the agenda and (7) Consideration and approval he requires for evidence, otherwise the at least once every year, at the date of the meeting shall be limited to the of the recommendations made by claim may be extinguished. and venue determined by the board subject of the request. the board of directors regarding the The court may refer the document of directors after the approval of the According to Article 126, the dividend distribution. for forensic verifi cation by appropriate department. The meeting shall be chairman of the board of directors As per Article 128, every shareholder authorities and if forgery is proved, held within four months following shall, at least 15 days before the general shall have the right of attend the penal action will follow. the end of the company fi nancial year. assembly meeting, publish the balance general assembly meetings and have The board of directors may call for the sheet, the profi t and loss account, a a number of votes equivalent to his Around the world assembly whenever necessary. summary of board of directors report number of shares. The resolutions Weather Weather No amnesty for As per Article 124, the board of and the complete text of the auditor’s are made by the absolute majority of today Max/min tomorrow Max/min cheque issues directors shall convene the general report in two local daily newspapers, of shares represented in the meeting. The Athens Sunny 30/21 Sunny 31/20 assembly meeting upon the request which one shall be in Arabic language, minor shall be represented by their Beirut M Sunny 29/24 M Sunny 28/23 S Showers Cloudy 33/26 legal representatives. Bangkok 32/26 Q: My visa expired three years ago from the auditor. If the board fails to and on the website of the company, if Berlin P Cloudy 26/16 Rain 22/13 and around that time a case was call for a meeting within 15 days from any. Proxies may attend the general Cairo Sunny 34/24 Sunny 34/24 fi led against me for dishonour of the date of such request, the auditor The agenda of the annual general assembly provided that the proxy is a Cape Town M Sunny 20/10 Sunny 24/13 cheque. Can I take advantage of has the right to call for such meeting assembly shall contain the following shareholder and the appointment as Colombo T Storms 28/25 T Storms 29/25 T Storms 31/27 the new amnesty scheme to leave directly after the approval of the matters: (1) Hearing and approving the proxy should be made in writing. No Dhaka 31/26 T Storms Hong Kong S T Storms 29/26 S T Storms 29/26 the country? department. The department shall report of the board of directors about shareholder shall delegate any of the Istanbul S Showers 26/21 S Showers 28/19 DW, Doha take fi nal decision in request during the activities of the company and its board members to attend the general Jakarta S T Storms 32/25 I T Storms 31/24 fi fteen days from the date of receiving fi nancial status during the year, and assembly meeting on his behalf. Karachi P Cloudy 31/27 P Cloudy 31/27 A: The amnesty scheme is only it. the auditor’s report; (2) Discussion In all cases, the number of shares London Showers 21/14 M Cloudy 22/13 Manila S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 31/26 for illegal residents in the country The board of directors shall call and approval of the company held by the proxy in this capacity, Moscow P Cloudy 21/11 Showers 21/12 in violation of the provisions of for the general assembly meeting for balance sheet and profi t-and-loss shall not exceed 5% of the company’s New Delhi M Sunny 34/26 Sunny 34/26 Sponsorship Law (No. 4 of 2009). serious reasons upon the request of accounts; (3) Electing members of the capital. Except for legal persons, no New York Cloudy 25/19 M Cloudy 26/20 They can leave the country without shareholder or shareholders holding board of directors when necessary; shareholders in person or as proxy Paris M Sunny 29/18 Rain 22/14 S T Storms S Showers 25/16 legal consequences of overstay. The not less than 10% of the capital. If the (4) Appointment of auditors and shall be permitted to represent a Sao Paulo 25/16 Seoul Showers 28/19 P Cloudy 31/21 amnesty shall not be applicable for board fails to call for a meeting within determining their remuneration; number of shares that exceeds (25%) Singapore P Cloudy 32/25 T Storms 32/25 cheque dishonour issues or any other fi fteen days from the date of such (5) Discussion and approval of the of the shares represented in the Sydney Cloudy 18/09 Sunny 19/08 off ences other than illegal overstaying request, the department shall upon governance report; (6) Consider meeting. Tokyo Cloudy 30/24 Cloudy 30/24 after his/her visa period in Qatar. Gulf Times 16 Saturday, September 3, 2016 QATAR Rota outreach empowers women through education in Pakistan each Out To Asia’s (Rota) fi nancial constraints to further work with CARE Interna- their studies. Launched in Janu- Rtional Pakistan is helping ary 2015, the Accelerated Learn- children and young women gain ing Programme (ALP) is helping better access to quality primary young women, like Seema, to and secondary school education complete higher education and as a large gender gap in literacy pursue a career. persists in Pakistan, while liter- Before Seema was presented acy rates among girls in Pakistan with the opportunity to further are improving. her studies, she was a volunteer According to the Gender teacher tutoring young girls in Equality Report on Pakistan, Pakistan’s Swat Valley who were even though there have been severely limited by a lack of edu- substantial improvements in cational means. When Seema both boys’ and girls’ primary began her volunteer teacher role, school net enrolment since a primary school was all that ex- 2003, the net enrolment of girls isted. at primary level remains low at Seema had always aspired to 67% compared to 81% for boys, receive an education which she Rota said in a statement. knew would enable her to secure “Girls in Pakistan are often a better future for herself and not permitted to attend school her family. With her father be- unless they have a female teach- ing a low-income worker, and er, but there are fewer female her brother suff ering a disability, teachers than male teachers, Seema was determined to fi ght particularly in rural areas. In against the odds to ease the bur- addition, absenteeism among dens on her family. female teachers is higher than ALP launched in Government among male teachers. Girls Primary Schools began hir- “As a result, in a government ing teachers for the project. It school system where schools for was at this time that Seema ap- boys and girls are segregated, plied for the ALP head teacher and where only women teach position; a role she successfully girls and men teach boys, higher secured. Seema subsequently absentee rates among female underwent 18 days of training to teachers can lead to limited ac- build her capacity as a teacher. cess to schooling for girls.” “I am very grateful to Rota, According to USAID, the CARE Pakistan and IDEA for percentage of female primary helping me realise my dreams teachers who are trained to teach and seeing the potential in me. in Pakistan is 76% compared to Although I faced many barriers 91% of male primary teachers; Rota is helping children and young women in Pakistan gain better access to quality primary and secondary school education. which prevented me from fur- while female teachers in private thering my education for a long schools are paid 30% less than ma, who comes from an im- dreams of pursuing a higher ed- but also by a lack of fi nancial CARE’s local partner, the Ini- helped to establish an education time, I remained hopeful that I their male counterparts. poverished family in the Swat ucation were all but stifl ed, not means. tiative for Development & Em- project to enable young women would one day be able to realise Twenty-eight year-old See- district, is one woman whose only by traditional expectations, Rota, in collaboration with powerment Axis ( IDEA), has faced with cultural barriers and my goals,” said Seema.

The giant inflatable play area was very popular among children. PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam Qatar Summer Festival proves a crowd-puller New thrill rides this year attracted many young visitors.

he month-long Qatar tainment City set up at Doha Ex- 11 zones at the fully air-condi- games, and a section dedicated Summer Festival (QSF) hibition and Convention Centre. tioned 29,000sqm venue. to promote Qatar Foundation’s T2016, which concluded The festival, organised by Qatar QSF also brought in new en- National Reading Programme. last Wednesday, proved to be a Tourism Authority (QTA), treated tertainment off erings in this In a press statement, QTA’s crowd-puller tourism event in visitors to hundreds of entertain- third edition of the QSF such chief marketing and promo- the country, receiving more than ment activities, amusement rides as water rides, karaoke, virtual tion offi cer Rashed al-Qurese 140,000 visitors at the Enter- and unique games spread across reality/tech games, giant board said they received “encouraging feedback” about the festival this year, a reason to continue hold- ing the event next summer. Besides the activities at the Entertainment City, QSF also featured shopping promotions and special hotel packages as part of the festival. These tourism off erings helped boost the hospitality and retail sectors during a typically off -peak period due to the infl ux of visitors from neighbouring GCC countries, it is learnt. Qatar is now becoming a pop- ular family destination, which hosts festivals, wholesome shows and indoor entertainment activities. QTA is set to hold another range of entertainment off er- ings at various locations starting September 12, the fi rst day of Eid Fun-filled rides for young children. al-Adha holidays. Visitors enjoyed playing ‘Real Life’ games.