BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8 Al Sadd face a daunting task against LNG ships race to get Iran giants from US to China as Esteghlal tariff s clock clicks published in QATAR since 1978

MONDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10923 August 27, 2018 Dhul-Hijja 16, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Double gold for Qatar in Asian Games McCain – US senator, war hero passes away In brief

QATAR | Phone talk Amir reviews bilateral ties with Iran president His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani held a telephone conversation yesterday with Iranian President Dr Hassan Rouhani. The Amir and the Iranian president exchanged Eid greetings. They also discussed bilateral relations and the means to enhance them, besides discussing issues of mutual interest. The Iranian president invited the Amir to attend the 3rd Asia Co-operation Dialogue (ACD), which Iran will host in October. Qatar’s Abdalelah Haroun poses with the gold medal during the podium ceremony for the men’s 400m athletics event at the AFRICA | Politics 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta yesterday. (Right) Ashraf Elseify also won a gold with a victory in the men’s hammer throw event Mnangagwa sworn in yesterday. Sprinter Tosin Ogunode added a third medal to Qatar’s haul with a silver in the men’s 100m event. Sport Pages 1, 2 as Zimbabwe president Emmerson Mnangagwa was off icially Reuters Flags fl ew at half-staff at the White sworn in as president of Zimbabwe Washington House yesterday. Trump has tweeted yesterday after winning a bitterly- his “deepest sympathies and respect” contested election which was the to McCain’s family. country’s first since the ousting S Senator John McCain, a All fi ve living former presidents – of strongman Robert Mugabe. Politics not to impact former prisoner of war in Vi- Barack Obama, George W Bush, Bill Mnangagwa, whose victory in the July Uetnam who ran for president in Clinton, George H W Bush and Jimmy 30 polls was challenged by the main 2008 as a maverick Republican, died on Carter – paid tribute to McCain’s cour- opposition, pledged to “protect and Saturday. He was 81. age and character. promote the rights of Zimbabweans” at An Arizona senator for more than McCain will lie in state in the Ari- an inauguration ceremony attended by Doha 2019 Athletics three decades, McCain had been suf- zona capitol on Wednesday and also thousands of supporters at a stadium fering from brain cancer since July 2017 in the Capitol rotunda in Washington, in Harare. Page 6 and had not been at the US Capitol this DC. year. He will receive a military funeral AMERICA | Crime He died at his ranch in Arizona with service at the Washington National Several killed in mass Championships: Coe his wife Cindy and other family mem- Cathedral, where Vice President Mike bers at his bedside. Pence was expected to attend, before shooting in Florida Condoling his death, Deputy Prime being buried at the Naval Academy in Several people were killed in a Minister and Minister for Foreign Af- Annapolis, Maryland. mass shooting at a video game O ‘I am confident that we will have a full house in Qatar’ fairs HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Ab- Cindy McCain said her husband tournament in the northern Florida dulrahman al-Thani tweeted Senator had “passed the way he lived, on his city of Jacksonville, local police said AFP erning body, the IAAF, said in an inter- otherwise of the Moscow lab... They McCain was a good friend of Qatar, a own terms, surrounded by the people yesterday, adding that one suspect was Jakarta view with news agencies. will report back to us in November. strong believer of peace in the Middle he loved, in the place he loved best.” dead. “Multiple fatalities at the scene, “I see no reason why they shouldn’t. “I’m very clear about it that the proc- East and an exceptional politician. Page 7 many transported,” the Jacksonville Political fragilities from time to time ess we started will be seen through.” Sheriff ’s Off ice tweeted, adding that orld athletics chief Sebastian emerge in all systems,” added Coe. Coe, who won gold in the 1,500m it was unclear whether there was a Coe has dismissed concerns “It is very important that interna- at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, sees second possible gunman. “Stay far Wover countries potentially tional sport maintains its primacy. the fi ght against doping as a battle for away from the area. The area is not boycotting next year’s world champi- Picking your partnerships around poli- hearts and minds. safe at this time. STAY AWAY.” The onships in Doha over simmering politi- tics can be a pretty transient process if “It’s a process that has produced Erdogan vows to bring Miami Herald newspaper reported four cal tensions in the Gulf region. you’re not careful. change,” he insisted. “The twin chal- people were dead and 11 wounded in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and “I’m confi dent that we’ll have a full lenge is not just to create a system that the shooting. Bahrain cut off diplomatic ties with house in Qatar.” gets us through the initial diffi culty. It peace to Syria, Iraq Qatar and imposed a land, sea and air One country which isn’t guaranteed is also to have a system that creates and AUSTRALIA | Accident blockade on June 5, 2017, accusing Doha to join the party is Russia, which was embeds change — and it’s cultural. Reuters President Bashar al-Assad, and Iran for of supporting terrorism. Qatar has ve- suspended by the IAAF in November “It’s not just about Russia,” added Ankara a political resolution to the crisis. Fishing boat runs hemently denied the allegations and 2015 after allegations of widespread, Coe. “We’ve got to have a genera- It has so far carried out two cross- aground, 30 missing the blockading countries have not been state-sponsored doping. tion of young coaches that wake up in border operations along its border with Around 30 people were missing in able to produce any proof to substanti- The country remains banned until the morning believing that you can do urkish President Recep Tayyip Syria and set up a dozen military ob- crocodile-infested mangrove forests ate their charges. this December at the earliest, pend- what my father did, which was to take a Erdogan vowed yesterday to servations posts in the northern Syrian yesterday after a “fishing vessel” ran Coe, speaking in Jakarta at the Asian ing a report by the World Anti-Doping kid from the playground to an Olympic Tbring peace and safety to Iraq region of Idlib. aground on the north-eastern coast Games yesterday, said he expected Agency. rostrum.” and areas in Syria not under Turkish The rebel-held Idlib enclave is a ref- of Australia, off icials and local media all the national athletics federations “The honest answer is I don’t know,” While admitting it was “unrealistic” control and said terrorist organisations uge for civilians and rebels displaced reported. The deserted boat was found to take part in the 2019 competition, said Coe when asked about Russia’s to expect athletics to become com- in those areas would be eliminated. from other areas of Syria as well as for yesterday afternoon by local fishermen which begins on September 28. participation in Doha. pletely clean, Coe believes the IAAF Turkey, which has backed some powerful jihadist forces, but has been at the mouth of the Daintree River in “I want every federation to be there,” “Clearly we are still waiting for is on the right track in its fi ght against rebel groups in Syria, has been work- hit by a wave of air strikes and shelling north Queensland. the president of track and fi eld’s gov- WADA to determine the compliance or drug cheats. ing with Russia, which supports Syrian this month. Page 3

New academic year to welcome over 307,000 students on Wednesday

QNA The ministry added a total of 5,065 another is to better link education to cation entities in Qatar which includes Undersecretary of the Ministry of Doha seats, by opening new schools in prepa- the labour market. universities, colleges, world-renowned Education and Higher Education Dr Ib- ration for the new academic year. There are also programmes to moni- institutes in terms of academic and re- rahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi had recently It also assigned a total of 2,117 buses tor and improve the skills of educators search programmes. directed the ministry’s partners in edu- ore than 307,000 students will to diff erent schools, each according to and school staff . These entities provide diff erent cation such as students, principals, return to school on Wednes- its location. The ministry is working on de- scientifi c and literary disciplines, of- parents and teachers to co-operate and Mday, after the Ministry of Edu- The ministry also co-ordinated with veloping the human and knowledge fering bachelor’s, master’s and doc- enhance students’ academic achieve- cation and Higher Education complet- the Traffi c Department to ensure the capital in the different educational torate, where international students ment. ed its preparation for the new academic safety of the buses, transportation, and stages. are enrolled in, proving that Qatar has Al-Nuaimi urged them to develop the year 2018-2019. schools in general. It is also working on increasing succeeded in localising education and culture of planning, work and achieve- The preparations involved ensur- The ministry will continue imple- the number of students enrolled in knowledge and has become an academ- ment in the educational environment ing the schools will take up the new menting its 2017-2022 strategy, which programmes that serve the knowl- ic attraction due to its international by introducing innovative administra- number of students, that transpor- aims to transform the economy to a edge economy, increase number of reputation of political, economic and tive means leading to strong profes- tation is available, and that the food world-class level to help realise Qatar enrolled students with scholarships social stability as well as wealth and sional communities. products off ered in the school cafete- National Vision 2030, while maintain- on bachelor’s, master’s and doctor- culture diversity. He also urged teachers to be rias are in line with regulations. ing the culture and traditions of the ate levels to meet the needs of the Qatar is always keen to invest in edu- role models for students besides Teaching staff will begin their work Qatari society. job market and the national devel- In addition to promoting community cation which promotes its human and teaching them effectively and today, to prepare for the fi rst day of As part of that strategy, the ministry opment priorities. partnership in education and further knowledge capital. creatively. school and the new semester in general. will continue to hold workshops and The education ministry is also fo- develop technical and vocational edu- It also invests in sustainable devel- In addition, he urged them to manage The ministry also signed a total of projects to improve the quality of edu- cusing on preserving national identity cation and training to serve the coun- opment eff orts in all its economic, so- classrooms effi ciently and profession- 711 teachers, bringing the total in public cation. through promoting values of loyalty try’s progress directive and other topics cial, environmental and cultural forms, ally and turn them into an interactive schools to 13,440, compared to 13,591 in One of those programmes focuses on and belonging and planting them in the of priority. resulting in achieving its national vi- and lively education environment. To private schools. raising the quality of early education, youth. Currently, there are 24 higher edu- sion. Page 2 Gulf Times 2 Monday, August 27, 2018 QATAR Philippines could off er Qatar QCRI to launch AI centre next month expertise in farming: forum xford University’s De- partment of Computer OScience head, profes- By Peter Alagos sor Michael Wooldridge, will Business Reporter launch the new Qatar Cen- tre for Artifi cial Intelligence (QCAI) next month. he Philippines could lend The centre – an initiative its expertise in the fi eld of Hamad Bin Khalifa Univer- Tof agriculture to support sity’s Qatar Computing Re- Qatar’s drive towards self-suffi - search Institute (QCRI) – will ciency and food security, an of- develop and promote the use fi cial of a Doha-based Filipino of cutting-edge artifi cial in- organisation specialising in en- telligence (AI) innovations for trepreneurship told Gulf Times. the betterment of human so- Joseph Rivera, the chairman ciety. Prof Michael Wooldridge of the Association of Filipino Professor Wooldridge, who Realtors & Entrepreneur Execu- is also a member of QCRI’s prestigious research fellow- tives in Qatar (Afreeq), met with Scientifi c Advisory Commit- ships in Europe, an Advanced reporters yesterday to announce tee, will present a lecture on Grant by the European Re- the annual Philippine Property “Artifi cial Intelligence: What search Council, and in 2006 & Investment Show – Qatar Little We Know” on Septem- also won an ACM (Association (PPISQ) slated on November 16 ber 9 at 4pm at the HBKU for Computing Machinery) in Doha. Research Complex’s Multi- Autonomous Agents Research Rivera said this year’s PPISQ purpose Hall. He will discuss Award. will be rebranded as the Philip- Afreeq chairman Joseph Rivera (2nd from right) announces to the media this year’s Philippine Property & Investment Show – Qatar slated this the apparent boom and bust “We are privileged to pine Agricultural Livelihood & November. Joining him are (from left) Gie Sinaon of the Isabel Granada Foundation, DV Boer International Corporation CEO Dexter Villamin, cycles in AI over its sixty-year have an expert of professor Reintegration Conference – Qa- and Sheikha Thalia al-Thani of StarNET. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed history, arguing that despite Wooldridge’s calibre not only tar (Palrec). Together with Rivera these apparent cycles, there as another eminent member were DV Boer International Cor- Philippines.” the agriculture industry in the “The recent rebranding of an- ‘Philippine Trade & Tourism has been steady progress. of QCRI’s scientifi c advisory poration CEO Dexter Villamin, “DV Boer has generated over Philippines and livestock liveli- nual PPISQ has proven to be ef- Conference – Qatar. Prof Wooldridge will also em- committee, but also here for Sheikha Thalia al-Thani of Star- P1.5bn worth of investments… hood opportunities, farm prop- fective as its adaptive themed “Afreeq will also co-ordinate phasise areas in which our AI the launch of such an impor- NET, and Gie Sinaon of the Isa- investment growth in the fi eld erty development, agri-based topics have been benefi cially with the Philippine embassy in knowledge is sparse, and will tant initiative as QCAI,” Dr bel Granada Foundation. of agriculture is tremendous microfi nance, fi nancial literacy, relevant to the current business Doha for the invitation of Phil- speculate about challenges for Elmagarmid said. According to Villamin, there because for one, there is a large and returning OFW (Overseas trends in the Philippines beyond ippine government offi cials who the fi eld going forward. “Professor Wooldridge’s is potential to invest in ‘sub- market for farm animals, such Filipino Workers) reintegration properties and conventional in- will serve as keynote speak- QCRI executive director, work in designing software farms’ in Qatar that could ca- as cattle and goat. At the mo- programmes, among others. vestments,” Rivera pointed out. ers, and for vital consultation Dr Ahmed Elmagarmid, de- programmes which can ter to the country’s agriculture ment, our group has 20,000 In co-operation with LiQha He noted that Palrec will cul- on various aspects that would scribed professor Wooldridge simulate interactive human needs using DV Boer’s business heads of goat and 6,000 heads of Creative Arts, the event will minate with a gala dinner as a warrant the success of Palrec, as a pioneer who has carried decision-making and be model in the Philippines. Since cattle. I would estimate invest- also include an exhibition that memorial for actress Isabel Gra- especially in ensuring that the out ground-breaking research practical and computation- its inception four years ago, ment growth at 400% annually,” aims to complement Philippine nada who died of an aneurysm event shall be in line with the in the area of autonomous ally efficient at the same Villamin said DV Boer has 74 Villamin said. industries and a trade fair for while in Qatar. Granada was economic agenda that the em- agents and multi-agent sys- time is likely to underpin fu- sub-farms nationwide, making Rivera said PPISQ 2018 will Qatar-based Filipino entrepre- one of the speakers of last year’s bassy wishes to promote,” Rivera tems. Professor Wooldridge is ture multi-functional AI sys- it “biggest livestock farm in the feature enhanced seminars on neurs, Rivera further said. PPISQ, which carried the theme added. a recipient of one of the most tems,” he added. Encroachments on QF, HMC to collaborate state property rising on heart disease study

ases of encroachments on pointed out that state property businessman and farm owner, atar Genome Pro- ing on genomics of national state property, especially should be well-defi ned and uti- said that if a farm owner wants gramme (QGP), has disease priorities, to improve Cat the farmhouses in the lised by the entities concerned to expand his plot, he would Qembarked on a research the quality of life for the local desert areas and the expansion to avoid any unauthorised usage approach the department con- collaboration with the Qatar society through the implemen- of some farms have increased by individuals. He said that there cerned with the relevant doc- Cardiovascular Biorepository tation of precision medicine”. over the past few months, local are various cases of encroach- uments and they are very co- (QCBio) at the Heart Hospital Dr Jassim al-Suwaidi, di- Arabic daily Arrayah reported ments on state property, in par- operative and the land would of Hamad Medical Corpora- rector of Cardiovascular Re- yesterday. ticular at the outskirts of the be granted in due course. tion (HMC), involving whole search at Hamad General Hos- Some of these encroach- country. He said that at his farm the genome sequencing of a large pital, and his team started the ments include converting va- wire fence was not installed cohort of Qatari patients. QCBio initiative, which is a cant land plots into parking “A clear example is when properly, so when the munici- The collaboration forms part biorepository of samples from lots, or their unauthorised use some farm owners fence pal inspectors measured accu- of the mission of QGP, a mem- both patients and healthy in- as private gardens, it has been their farm lands they rately 1,000sqm piece of land ber of Qatar Foundation (QF), to dividuals, and is the first of its explained. sometimes expand their was found to be state-owned. work with various local institu- kind in the region. Some Qatari legal experts plots including some state- Accordingly, the fence was re- tions on improving the future of “In the cardiovascular re- and businessmen stressed owned land. However, the installed based on the newly healthcare in Qatar. The project, search centre at HMC, we are that more actions should be municipalities concerned approved measures of the of- involving Qatar Biobank will excited about this collaboration taken by the municipalities have implemented various ficials. analyse the underlying genetic with Qatar Genome Programme concerned to strictly enforce campaigns to remove Abdulaziz al-Emadi, a Qa- determinants related to heart for individualised treatment of chairperson of the Qatar Ge- and Qatar Biobank and we hope the set penalties in the law on the violations, which tari businessman, said that problems in the Qatari popu- heart disease in Qatar. nome Programme Committee, that this project paves the way the violators. The law stipu- considerably decreased encroachments on state prop- lation, and aims to lead to the In recent years, coronary and board vice-chairperson for opportunities for personal- lates fines of up to QR6,000 such cases” erty has become clearer inside discovery of protein biomark- heart disease (CHD) has in- of Qatar Biobank commented, ised medicine therapies for the and prison terms of up to six the various residential neigh- ers, and eff ective prevention and creased dramatically in the Ara- “Our vision is to improve the most common cause of death in months. “A clear example is when bourhoods, as some people treatment measures. bian Gulf region and worldwide. quality of future health for the Qatar and worldwide, both in They stressed that maintain- some farm owners fence their use the pavement outside their Around 1,000 Qatari patients The World Health Organisation local society, and to be pioneers men and women,” he said. ing state-owned lands should be farm lands they sometimes ex- houses as private parking lots. and their families have partici- estimates that by the year 2020, in genomic research that trans- The role of QGP lies in being of utmost importance as these pand their plots including some Some even install big shades pated in the QCBio initiative to cardiovascular diseases will be lates into tangible outcomes, a national genomics research are mostly used to create the vi- state-owned land. However, the over these which constitute date. In preparation for phase the major cause of morbidity and impacts our people direct- initiative working in collabo- tal infrastructure that ease the municipalities concerned have hurdles on the public roads two, participant samples were and mortality. CHD presenta- ly. This cannot happen without ration with many local stake- lives of people in general such as implemented various campaigns as the street is owned by the sent for whole genome sequenc- tions and symptoms vary great- a strong partnership with the holders and researchers, to map roads, hospitals, parks, schools to remove the violations, which state. Accordingly, he called ing. Analysis of the resulting ly and could be anywhere from main clinical arm of healthcare the genome of the local popu- and others. considerably decreased such for stricter measures to be data will shed light on heart abnormal heartbeats to sudden in Qatar, which is HMC. This lation, and study the wealth of Qatari writer and folklore cases. taken in this respect, Arrayah disease pathways and will reveal death at a young age. collaboration with QCBio is one data collected and held by Qatar researcher Khalifa al-Sayyid Hamid al-Libdah, a Qatari added. new and targeted approaches Professor Asma al-Thani, of our various initiatives focus- Biobank.

Poor visibility forecast in Ministry launches awareness New academic year to welcome over some locations campaign on legal professions 307,000 students on Wednesday

oor visibility is expected QNA Qatari citizens with new job op- the new legal profession, which From Page 1 parents do not engage in their commitment of the country’s in parts of the country in Doha portunities within the Ministry the Ministry has already start- education. leadership to education, as it is Pthe early hours today, the of Justice strategy and plan to ed with introductory steps ac- l-Nuaimi also called Al-Nuaimi urged parents an important factor in realis- Qatar Met department has said. nationalise legal professions. cording to the directives of the on students to take to create an environment that ing Qatar National Vision 2030 The detailed forecast says he Ministry of Justice has The Ministry said in a state- Minister to inform the public Aadvantage of the op- promotes partnership with the and particularly its human misty to foggy conditions will launched an awareness ment yesterday that the cam- about them and work to attract portunities and academic school and meets the needs of capital component. prevail in some places early in the Tcampaign on the legal paign will include advertising Qatari legal experts to these options provided by the wise their children, teach them and The ministry will also in- morning, followed by a hot day professions that have been in- legal profession, indicating the professions. leadership such as the fa- help them with time manage- troduce a number of extra- with clouds and a humid night. cluded in the Ministry’s recent means and legal controls for Meanwhile, Norah Ham- cilitating academic achieve- ment and solving their home- curricular activities to help Visibility may drop to 2km or projects and initiatives, such as them, and the defi nition of means moud al-Mannai, arbitration ments in all stages and from work. students gain many skills less in some areas in the morning expertise, arbitration, real es- of communication with the ad- offi cial, stressed that this cam- the best universities around He also urged parents to that are beyond the scope of a due to the prevailing conditions. tate brokerage and notary. ministrative unit or the legal body paign confi rms the objective of the world. achieve their children’s future classroom. The weather report also states The campaign aims at in- responsible for these professions, the Ministry, which is the com- He highlighted the impor- aspirations and invest in their The integration of technolo- that off shore areas are likely to forming the public of the vari- in addition to the means to iden- prehensive awareness of legal tance of partnering with par- education as it is an investment gy and the requirements of the see misty conditions at times ous legal professions and the tify these professions. professions related to serving ents which has been proven in building the nation. digital economy is also some- along with clouds. new services it contains, which Mohamed Awaidah al-Ku- the public, especially the pro- through educational research He also urged parents to thing the ministry is very keen The maximum temperature is will constitute a qualitative wari, Director of the Ministry’s fessions created under the new that it is one of the most suc- partner with all the educa- on promoting. expected to be 44C today in Abu addition to the Qatari legal Expertise Department, said laws prepared by the Ministry cessful means to increase aca- tional parties and develop in- The ministry said that it had Samra, followed by 40C in Doha, spheres, whether through legal that the campaign is an impor- including the Qatari Arbitra- demic achievements between novative mechanisms for di- Qatarised 80% of the upper Al Khor and Dukhan, 39C in services as well as providing tant part of information about tion Law No 2 of 2017. students and improves their rect communication between and middle-income jobs, as Wakrah and Mesaieed, and 38C social and behavioural skills. them. part of its plans to develop na- in Ruwais. He added that students Preparations for the start tional cadres that can lead the Yesterday, the maximum tem- whose parents participate in of the new school year are educational process. perature was 45C in Karana, their education learn faster, not limited to the education The goals of the educational Jumayliyah, Turayna and Ghu- become more motivated to at- ministry, it has also extended process, according to the min- wairiyah, 44C in Sheehaniya, Indian embassy Open House on Thursday tend school and score higher to stationary shops, where istry, remains to build up the Abu Hamour, 43C in Doha, the grades. parents bought the needs skills of students in line with Qatar University area, and 42C he Indian ambassador gent labour and consular is- held on the Indian embassy They also establish unique for the new academic year of the requirements of the mod- in the Hamad International Air- will hold an Open House sues faced by Indian nationals premises from 3pm to 4pm social and behavioural skills 2018/2019. ern age, while helping them port area, Wakrah, Mesaieed and Ton Thursday, August in Qatar. on the above-mentioned and graduate with higher The ministry’s preparations maintain the Qatari traditions Al Khor. 30, to listen to/redress any ur- The Open House will be date. grades than their peers whose for the new season refl ects the and culture. Gulf Times Monday, August 27, 2018 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD

Erdogan says will bring safety and Two dead, 255 injured peace to Syria, Iraq

Reuters peace and safety to Syria and in Iran earthquake Ankara Iraq. “It is not for nothing that AFP the only places in Syria where Tehran urkish President Tayy- security and peace have been ip Erdogan vowed yes- established are under Tur- Tterday to bring peace key’s control. God willing, strong 6.0-magnitude and safety to Iraq and areas in we will establish the same earthquake struck west- Syria not under Turkish con- peace in other parts of Syria Aern Iran near the border trol and said terrorist organi- too. God willing, we will with Iraq early yesterday, killing sations in those areas would bring the same peace to Iraq, two people and injuring more be eliminated. where terrorist organisations than 250, offi cials said. are active,” he said. The shallow quake hit 26 kil- “It is not for nothing Erdogan also linked re- ometres southwest of the city of that the only places in gional conflicts and an on- Javanrud in Kermanshah prov- Syria where security going currency crisis in Tur- ince, the US Geological Survey and peace have been key, which he has cast as an said, near the site of a powerful established are under “economic war”, to previous quake last year that killed hun- Turkey’s control” attempts to invade Anatolia, dreds. warning that this would lead Kermanshah governor Turkey, which has backed to the collapse of surround- Houshang Bazvand told state some rebel groups in Syria, ing regions. broadcaster IRIB that two people has been working with Rus- “Those who seek tem- were killed and 255 injured. sia, which supports Syrian porary reasons behind the The head of the emergency President Bashar al-Assad, troubles we have been fac- department at Kermanshah Uni- and Iran for a political reso- ing recently are wrong, very versity of Medical Sciences, Saeb lution to the crisis. wrong. The attacks we face Sharidari, said the two dead It has so far carried out today...are rooted in history,” were a pregnant woman and a two cross-border operations he said. 70-year-old man who suff ered a along its border with Syria “Don’t forget, Anatolia is a heart attack. and set up a dozen military wall and if this wall collaps- State news agency IRNA observations posts in the es, there will no longer be a quoted local offi cials saying that northern Syrian region of Middle East, Africa, Central electricity had been cut to 70 Idlib. Asia, Balkans or Caucasus.” villages but that it was restored The rebel-held Idlib en- Turkey’s lira has tumbled to at least 50 by dawn. clave is a refuge for civilians nearly 40% this year as in- It added that there had been and rebels displaced from vestor concerns over Erdog- more than 65 aftershocks. A damaged house is seen after an earthquake struck near the Iranian city of Kermanshah, yesterday. other areas of Syria as well as an’s grip on monetary policy Bazvand said at least 500 for powerful militant forces, and a growing dispute with buildings had been destroyed management, Reza Mahmoud- Iran sits on top of two major son in the mountainous region. said those responsible would be but has been hit by a wave of the United States put pres- and would need to be completely ian, told the Mehr news agency tectonic plates and sees frequent Local offi cials said the esti- held to account. air strikes and shelling this sure on the currency. rebuilt. that “the situation was under seismic activity. mated cost of reconstruction Iran’s deadliest quake in re- month. Ankara has accused Wash- There were potential prob- control” and no request for help Kermanshah is still recover- would be measured in the bil- cent years was a 6.6-magnitude The attacks posed a pos- ington of targeting Tur- lems with drinking water due to had been sent to neighbouring ing from a devastating 7.3-mag- lions of dollars, at a time when tremor that struck the southeast sible prelude to a full-scale key over the fate of Andrew damaged infrastructure in vil- provinces. nitude quake that struck last Iran is struggling with a deepen- in 2003, decimating the ancient Syrian government offen- Brunson, an American pastor lages, but the local Red Crescent There were reports that the November, killing 620 people in ing economic downturn. mud-brick city of Bam and kill- sive, which Turkey has said being tried in Turkey on ter- chief, Mohamed Reza Amirian, quake was felt far across the bor- the province and another eight There was criticism that ing at least 31,000 people. would be disastrous. rorism charges. said it had not yet been neces- der into Iraq. people in Iraq. much of the new social housing In 1990, a 7.4-magnitude Speaking in the southeast- “Some careless people sary to distribute food and tents. Images on social media That quake left more than built as part of a scheme cham- quake in northern Iran killed ern province of Mus to com- among us think this is about A crisis centre was set up, showed people being rushed to 12,000 people injured and pioned by ex-president Mah- 40,000 people, injured 300,000 memorate the anniversary Tayyip Erdogan or the AK with hospitals and relief organi- hospitals, but suggested rela- damaged some 30,000 houses, moud Ahmadinejad had failed to and left half a million homeless, of the Battle of Manzikert of Party. No, this is about Tur- sations placed on alert. tively light damage to infra- leaving huge numbers home- withstand the tremor. reducing dozens of towns and 1071, Erdogan vowed to bring key,” Erdogan said. Page 4 But the local director of crisis structure. less at the start of the cold sea- President Hassan Rouhani nearly 2,000 villages to rubble. Gulf Times 4 Monday, August 27, 2018 REGION/ARAB WORLD

IS claims Houthis role in Defence minister says Iran fi re two Sinai missiles attack will help rebuild Syria at Saudi

AFP tions’ Economic and Social The powerful Lebanese Hez- Reuters Damascus Commission for Western Asia bollah movement, have also Reuters Cairo (ESCWA).Assad last month backed Assad’s troops. Dubai said reconstruction was his With help from them and ran’s top defence offi - “top priority” in Syria, where Russian warplanes, Assad has slamic State yesterday cial met Syria’s President more than 350,000 people have recaptured around two-thirds emen’s Houthi group claimed responsibility for an IBashar al-Assad and its been killed and millions forced of the country and is now eye- fi red two Zelzal-1 missiles Iattack on an Egyptian police defence minister yesterday in to fl ee their homes. ing the northwest province of Yin the direction of Saudi checkpoint in northern Sinai, Damascus, hailing their strong World powers who long Idlib. Arabian provinces alongside the the group’s Amaq news agency ties and pledging to contribute called for his ouster insist re- “Idlib will return to the na- joint border, the Houthis’ Masi- reported, saying 15 soldiers were to the war-torn country’s re- construction aid should only tion’s bosom, and all Syrian rah TV said in a tweet yesterday. killed or wounded in what it de- construction. come with political transition, soil will be cleansed of terror- The two missiles targeted scribed as an infi ltration opera- Tehran has provided steady but fellow regime ally Russia is ism, either through reconcili- “gatherings of Saudi soldiers,” tion. political, fi nancial, and mili- pressing them to provide sup- ation or ground operations,” one in Jizan and the other in Na- Egypt’s state news agency tary backing to Assad as he has port. Ayoub said yesterday. jran, it said. MENA said on Saturday that se- fought back a seven-year up- According to comments car- He also slammed the United The Saudi armed forces did curity forces foiled an attack on rising. ried by state media, Assad told States, which has established not confi rm the attacks. Saudi a checkpoint west of the city of Yesterday, Iranian Defence Hatami that Damascus and military bases in Syria to fi ght Arabia is leading an alliance of Al-Arish, and killed four mili- Minister Amir Hatami arrived Tehran should set “long-term the Islamic State group. states trying to restore the inter- tants while other fl ed. in Syria and met with his Syr- co-operation plans.” “The Americans are look- nationally recognised govern- MENA made no reference to ian counterpart Abdullah Ay- Minister Ayoub also cham- ing for a way to stay east of the ment of Yemeni President Abd- any casualties among security oub, then with Assad. pioned the two countries’ spe- Euphrates River to lock in their Rabbu Mansour Hadi, ousted forces in the attack, but the pri- “Syria is in a very, very im- cial relationship yesterday. presence in this region,” said from the capital Sanaa by the vately owned Al-Masri al-Youm portant juncture. It is passing “Syrian-Iranian relations Ayoub. Houthis in 2015. newspaper reported that four through the critical stage and it are a model for bilateral ties The comments came a day policemen had died. is entering the very important Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami has hailed the nation’s between independent and sov- after a senior US diplomat, Egyptian troops, backed by stage of reconstruction,” said strong ties with Syria. ereign nations,” Ayoub said. ambassador William Roebuck, police, have since February Hatami, in comments carried The two countries have had visited territory around those been conducting a major opera- by Iranian state broadcaster “presence, participation and Since it erupted in 2011, strong ties for years. Iran has bases and said the US was tion targeting militants behind a IRIB. assistance” in reconstruction Syria’s war has cost it approxi- dispatched military forces to “prepared to stay” in Syria to Pilot killed wave of attacks against security He said it was agreed with “and no third party will be in- mately $388bn (334bn euros), Syria but insists they are advis- defeat IS, but was also “fo- forces and civilians. Syria that Iran would have fl uential in this issue.” according to the United Na- ers, not fi ghters. cused” on ousting Iran. Hundreds of suspected mili- in fi ghter tants have been killed or cap- tured in the operation. Amaq said Islamic State mili- Economy minister impeached jet crash tants targeted the Kilometre 17 checkpoint west of Al-Arish, Israel to reopen Erez border Iran’s parliament impeached Economy Minister Masoud without giving any evidence or Karbasian yesterday in the latest blow to embattled President AFP details on how many were in- Hassan Rouhani as he struggles to face down a mounting Tehran volved. MENA, citing an unnamed crossing with Gaza today economic crisis. Karbasian is the second cabinet minister to source, said Egyptian police con- be sacked this month, following the impeachment of Labour fronted the militants who tried to Minister Ali Rabiei on August 8. n Iranian F-5 fi ghter jet storm the checkpoint, killing four AFP to clashes. In a statement from what Lieberman then called Critics say the government squandered the opportunities crashed in southern Iran of them while the rest fl ed. Jerusalem his offi ce yesterday, Lieber- “violent incidents”, tightening presented by the 2015 nuclear deal and have failed to tackle high Ayesterday killing its pilot, The Egyptian army military man said the decision to reopen its blockade of the landlocked rates of inflation and joblessness. With the United States aban- state media reported. campaign began after President Erez, the only crossing for peo- territory run by the Hamas. doning the nuclear deal in May and reimposing sanctions, Rou- The jet, a training aircraft, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered the srael will reopen the Erez ple in the north of the Palestin- The Erez crossing is the hani’s hopes of attracting vast sums of foreign investment appear crashed as it attempted to land army and security forces to crush border crossing with the ian enclave, was made “given only one for people between dead in the water. Major European firms, including France’s Total, in Dezful in the southwestern militants after gunmen killed IGaza Strip today, Defence the calm along the border”. Israel and Gaza, which has Peugeot and Renault, and Germany’s Siemens and Daimler, have Khuzestan province. Its pilot was hundreds of worshippers at a Minister Avigdor Lieberman Israel closed the crossing been under an Israeli block- all announced their departure since the US announcement. killed but his co-pilot survived mosque in Sinai last November. said, a week after closing it due on August 19 in response to ade for a decade. and was hospitalised.

Gulf Times 6 Monday, August 27 ,2018 AFRICA

Ethiopian PM vows ‘free and fair’ 2020 polls Mnangagwa sworn in

AFP mission “non-partisan when it scooped up all 547 Addis Ababa and credible”, adding that seats in the parliament, in the country could adopt an a ballot denounced by the as Zimbabwe president electronic voting system opposition as a “farce”. thiopian Prime for the upcoming polls. Observers say the AFP Chamisa, who scored 44.3%. Minister Abiy In his fi rst press confer- EPRDF, which has held Harare International observers EAhmed on Saturday ence since taking offi ce, he power since 1991, has been said the polls were largely pledged the 2020 election ruled out postponing the forced to change course free of the violence which would be “free and fair” polls and said the ruling due to a wave of anti-gov- mmerson Mnangagwa characterised previous and promised a demo- party wanted to “conduct ernment protests by the was offi cially sworn in votes in Zimbabwe. cratic transition if his truly democratic elec- country’s two largest eth- Eas president of Zimba- However, the European party loses, as he pushes tions”. nic groups that began in bwe yesterday after winning Union earlier expressed forward with lightning “EPRDF’s desire at this late 2015, leaving hundreds a bitterly-contested election concern that Mnangagwa reforms to transform the moment is to conduct a dead. which was the country’s fi rst had benefi ted from heavy one-party nation. truly democratic election,” A year later, with the un- since the ousting of strong- state media coverage. Abiy, who took offi ce in he said. rest ongoing, the govern- man Robert Mugabe. Similarly, US moni- April, has prioritised rec- “If EPRDF wins a truly ment of then prime minis- Mnangagwa, whose vic- tors said yesterday that onciliation between critics democratic election it ter Hailemariam Desalegn tory in the July 30 polls Zimbabwe had “not yet and the ruling Ethiopian can implement its agenda imposed a state of emer- was challenged by the main demonstrated that it has People’s Revolutionary with full confi dence, and if gency. opposition, pledged to established a tolerant, dem- Democratic Front (EPRDF), EPRDF loses, it will fulfi l its But he resigned in Feb- “protect and promote the ocratic culture”. which has held power un- long-held pledge to imple- ruary this year, paving the rights of Zimbabweans” at The country’s top court opposed for 27 years. ment democratic transi- way for Abiy to take over, an inauguration ceremony on Friday dismissed Chami- In an announcement tion.” becoming the fi rst leader to attended by thousands of sa’s bid to have the results on Saturday night, he said The EPRDF has held ever come from the Oromo supporters at a stadium in annulled on grounds they work had been done to power unopposed since people, Ethiopia’s largest Harare. were rigged. make the Electoral Com- the elections of May 2015 ethnic group. “I Emmerson Dambudzo Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa (left) takes his oath of office with the Chief But the opposition leader Mnangagwa swear that as Justice Luke Malaba (right) in Harare yesterday. has rejected that ruling and president of the republic of vowed to lead “peaceful Zimbabwe I will be faith- pointed after Mugabe was which he called “regrettable “Our country is now go- protests”. ful to Zimbabwe (and) will forced out by the military in and most unacceptable”. ing to develop with presi- “I have a legitimate claim obey uphold and defend the November last year. Supporters, many wear- dent Mnangagwa now in that I am supposed to lead constitution of Zimbabwe,” The newly-minted leader ing caps and T-shirts charge. the people of Zimbabwe,” he said to thunderous ap- yesterday hailed his victory emblazoned with Mnan- Mnangagwa is the right Chamisa, who heads the plause from a crowd that as a new “dawn” for Zimba- gagwa’s image, fi led into the man to lead Zimbabwe to Movement for Democratic also included several Afri- bwe after years of repression stadium yesterday under prosperity,” said 41-year- Change (MDC) party, said can heads of state. and economic mismanage- banners proclaiming “Cel- old Blessing Muvirimi. Saturday. “We must now focus on ment which left the country ebrating a new Zimbabwe” “We want Zimbabweans “The court’s decision is addressing the economic burdened by shattered pub- and “Unity takes us for- to work together.” not the people’s decision. challenges facing our na- lic services, mass poverty ward, peace keeps us going.” Mugabe did not attend The people who voted do tion,” he said. “We are all and unemployment. “We were stressed with the swearing-in but was not believe in (Mnangagwa). Zimbabweans, what unites But his promises of re- what was happening with represented by his daughter We have got a clear major- us is greater than what form and pledges to entice the court procedures but we Bonu, who had previously ity.” could ever divide us.” back investors were marred are happy now because eve- called Mnangagwa a “trai- Mnangagwa has sought Since independence from by the army opening fi re on rything has been fi nalised tor” after her father’s oust- to turn the page on the is- Britain in 1980, Zimbabwe protesters, killing six short- and we want people to unite ing. sue, calling for “peace and has known only two presi- ly after the poll, as well as and work together,” said Mnangagwa of the rul- unity” in a televised address dents — Mugabe, who ruled allegations of vote-rigging supporter Malvern Makoni ing ZANU-PF party won the after the court decision. with an iron fi st for 37 years, and a violent crackdown on of the opposition’s legal ap- election with 50.8% of the “Let us put whatever dif- and his erstwhile right- opposition activists. peals over the vote. vote — just enough to meet ferences we might have be- hand man Mnangagwa. At the inauguration, Other supporters also the 50% threshold to avoid a hind us. It is time to build Nicknamed “The Croco- Mnangagwa vowed to open expressed an appetite for run-off against his main op- our nation and move for- dile”, Mnangagwa was ap- a probe into the violence, reform. position challenger Nelson ward together.”

Algerian government holds emergency meeting on cholera ICC set for fi nal hearing in The Algerian government yesterday was holding an urgent meeting to discuss measures to contain cholera, which has hit six provinces in the North African country.The meeting comes a Congolese ‘Terminator’ case day after the Algerian Health Ministry announced that 46 cases of cholera and two deaths — a man and a woman — have been confirmed in the country since August 7. The confirmed cases AFP national Criminal Court. said during the hearings. include three in Bouira province, 25 in Blida, 12 in Tipaza, five in The Hague Prosecutors at the The charismatic war- Algiers and one in Medea. There has also been a suspected case Hague-based tribunal said lord, a feared ex-general in Ain Defla. Health Minister Mokhtar Hazblawi was expected Ntaganda’s rebel army in with a penchant for cow- to present a detailed report on the situation. Cholera is most nternational judges will 2002 and 2003 conducted boy hats and fi ne dining, often transmitted by contaminated water. It can cause severe next week listen to fi nal a reign of terror in the vast planned operations for diarrhoea and vomiting and can be fatal for children, the elderly Iarguments in the case northeast Congolese prov- his Patriotic Forces for and the sick. against former Congolese ince of Ituri, where they the Liberation of Congo warlord Bosco Ntaganda, unleashed horrifi c abuses (FPLC). He gave the or- Two cops killed in Cameroon three years after the open- on local inhabitants. ders and provided logistics ing of his war crimes trial. Ntaganda played a “key and weapons to his troops, At least two police off icers have died in fresh violence in The man once known as role” in these attacks, us- prosecutors said. western Cameroon where English-speaking separatists have “The Terminator”, in Sep- ing child soldiers and cap- At least 800 people were declared an independent state, the military said yesterday. tember 2015 pleaded not turing sex slaves, while at- killed by the FPLC as they The men were killed by armed pro-independence fighters near guilty to 18 counts of war tacking civilians on ethnic battled rival militias for the town of Wum in Northwest Region, an army spokesman crimes and crimes against grounds, the ICC’s chief control of the mineral-rich said. The separatist camp spoke of nine police dead. Army humanity before the Inter- prosecutor Fatou Bensouda area. spokesman Colonel Didier Badjeck said, on Facebook, that 21 of the attackers had been “neutralised”, without saying how many had been involved in the assault. Separatist unrest in Cameroon’s two minority English-speaking regions — North- West and South-West — has left scores dead and displaced around 200,000 people since late 2016. Gulf Times Monday, August 27, 2018 7 AMERICA John McCain passes away at 81 Reuters views, shared a belief in Ameri- per and rarely shied away from Iraq, and stuck in a fi nancial cri- Washington can ideals. a fi ght, including several with sis. “We saw our political battles, Trump. It was a stark contrast between even, as a privilege, something He was the central fi gure in McCain, then a 72-year-old S Senator John McCain, a noble, an opportunity to serve one of the most dramatic con- veteran of Washington, and the former prisoner of war in as stewards of those high ideals gressional moments in Trump’s 47-year-old Obama, who was of- UVietnam who ran for presi- at home, and to advance them presidency when he returned fering a “Yes, we can” message of dent in 2008 as a maverick Re- around the world,” Obama wrote. to Washington shortly after change. publican and became a prominent McCain, chairman of the Sen- his brain cancer diagnosis for a McCain fl ew attack planes off critic of President Donald Trump, ate Armed Services Committee, middle-of-the-night vote in July aircraft carriers during the Viet- died on Saturday. He was 81. was a frequent critic and target 2017. nam War. An Arizona senator for more of his fellow Republican Trump, Still bearing a black eye and In October 1967, his A-4 Sky- than three decades, McCain had who was elected president in No- scar from surgery, McCain gave hawk was shot down on a bomb- been suff ering from glioblas- vember 2016. a thumbs-down signal in a vote ing mission over North Viet- toma, a brain cancer, since July Defense Secretary James Mat- to scuttle a Trump-backed bill nam’s capital and he suff ered two 2017 and had not been at the US tis saluted McCain as a fi gure that would have repealed the broken arms and a broken leg. Capitol this year. who “always put service to the Obamacare healthcare law and A mob dragged him from a He died on Saturday after- nation before self.” increased the number of Ameri- lake, broke his shoulder and noon at his ranch in Arizona with In Germany, whose govern- cans without health insurance by stabbed him. his wife Cindy and other family ment has clashed with Trump millions. Held at the notorious “Hanoi members at his bedside. over a range of issues including After Trump became presi- Hilton” prison and other sites, McCain frequently battled trade and defence, Chancel- dent, McCain blasted what he McCain was beaten and tortured, with Trump and his family has lor Angela Merkel said, “John called the president’s attempts to suff ering broken bones and dys- said he did not want the presi- McCain was guided by the fi rm undermine the free press and rule entery. dent to attend his funeral. conviction that the value of all of law and lamented the “half- He was released on March 14, Flags fl ew at half-staff yester- McCain ... mourned political work could be found in baked, spurious nationalism” of 1973, but left with permanent in- day at the White House. serving freedom, democracy and the Trump era. fi rmities. Trump has tweeted his “deep- neral service at the Washington ling 49. Republican Arizona Gov- War and tortured by his North the rule of law.” McCain, the son and grandson In Congress, McCain prided est sympathies and respect” to National Cathedral, where Vice ernor Doug Ducey will appoint a Vietnamese Communist captors. French President Emmanuel of US Navy admirals, was elected himself on his history of working McCain’s family, although he President Mike Pence was ex- member of his own party to suc- He was edged out by George W Macron called McCain “a true to the House of Representatives across party lines on immigra- added no words of praise for Mc- pected to attend, before being ceed McCain after the funeral. Bush for the Republican presi- American hero (whose)..voice in 1982 after more than two dec- tion, climate change and cam- Cain himself. buried at the Naval Academy in That could also give Repub- dential nomination in 2000 but will be missed” and British Prime ades of Navy service. paign fi nance reform. All fi ve living former presi- Annapolis, Maryland. licans a slight edge in the bat- became his party’s White House Minister Theresa May said he Arizona next elected him to the On July 25, 2017, McCain de- dents — Barack Obama, George Cindy McCain said her hus- tle to confirm Brett Kavanaugh candidate eight years later. “embodied the idea of service Senate in 1986 to replace Barry livered a Senate fl oor speech not W Bush, Bill Clinton, George H band had “passed the way he to the Supreme Court because After gambling on political ne- over self.” Goldwater, the 1964 Republican long after his cancer diagnosis W Bush and Jimmy Carter — paid lived, on his own terms, sur- McCain had been too ill to vote ophyte Sarah Palin as his running McCain, a traditionally Re- presidential nominee revered by that was widely seen as his fare- tribute to McCain’s courage and rounded by the people he loved, this year. mate, McCain lost to Obama, publican foreign policy hawk, conservatives. well address. It called on fel- character. in the place he loved best.” Alternatively aff able and can- who became the fi rst African was admired in both parties for In running for president in low Republicans to stand up to McCain will lie in state in both McCain’s death brings to 50 tankerous, McCain had been in American US president. championing civility and com- 2008, McCain tried to succeed Trump and for all lawmakers to Phoenix, Arizona, and in the Cap- the number of Republican-held the public eye since the 1960s Obama said in a statement that promise during an era of acrid fellow Republican Bush at time work together to keep America itol rotunda in Washington, DC. seats in the 100-member US when, as a naval aviator, he was he and McCain, despite their dif- partisanship in US politics. when the United States was as a “beacon of liberty” in the He will receive a military fu- Senate, with Democrats control- shot down during the Vietnam ferent backgrounds and political But he also had a famous tem- mired in wars in Afghanistan and world.

8 killed in Chicago fi re, including 6 children A fire on Chicago’s West Side More fl oods threaten Hawaii as Tropical Storm Lane drifts away yesterday morning killed eight people, including six children, and critically injured two others, a fire Reuters The island chain was spared the off icial said. Honolulu calamity of a direct hit from a ma- A passerby saw smoke at the jor hurricane as the storm steadily rear of the building around 4am weakened on Friday. local time, Chicago Fire Depart- ropical Storm Lane, greatly However, by then torrential ment spokesman Larry Langford diminished from the major showers had drenched the wind- said. Thurricane it once was, has ward side of Hawaii’s Big Island A teenager and a young adult drifted away from the Hawaiian for more than two days, unleashing are in critical condition with burns coast, but lingering showers threat- severe fl ooding and mudslides that and smoke inhalation, Langford ened to trigger more fl ooding and forced multiple road closures and said, adding their prognosis was landslides. damaged or destroyed a number of poor. The National Weather Service homes and other structures, au- The victims’ names, ages and (NWS) lifted all remaining tropi- thorities said. relationships to each other were cal storm warnings and watch ad- At least two neighbourhoods not known, Langford said. visories for Hawaii as trade winds around Hilo, the largest city on the The youngest killed was an fi nally began to nudge Lane off to Big Island, were evacuated on Fri- infant. the west. day, and emergency teams have res- All victims were on the second But a fl ash fl ood watch remained cued more than 50 people trapped floor of the two-story brick build- in eff ect for Oahu, home to the by high water since Thursday, Ha- ing with an attic, Langford said. state capital Honolulu and 70% of waii County Civil Defense spokes- The first floor was empty and Hawaii’s 1.4mn residents, through woman Kelly Wooten told Reuters boarded up while the attic was a yesterday morning, emergency by phone. storage area. management offi cials said. Hilo received more than 79cm of Investigators are probing the Civil defence offi cials on the Big rain from Wednesday through Fri- fire’s origin and cause, Langford Island said more rain and fl ood- day, its largest three-day total since said. ing were also possible there, and records began in 1949. Off icials’ preliminary observa- a high-surf advisory was posted By Saturday morning the wa- tion showed the fire started on through the day for south- and ter had receded enough that many second floor, he said. east-facing shores of all the islands. residents of Hilo were mopping up The fire was extinguished Lane’s maximum sustained several inches of mud. within 45 minutes, Langford said. winds dropped to 80kph, but re- Jillane Bosscher, a 45-year-old Fifteen ambulances were on sidual moisture would produce chef, and her family spent Thursday scene. excessive rainfall that could lead night and Friday in a local shelter. The structure was totalled and to “additional fl ash fl ooding and In another sign of improving the fire’s heat was so intense that landslides,” a weather service bul- conditions, most harbours around siding on buildings up to 200ft letin said. the state were reopened or placed away melted. Hurricane Harvey made land- on “hurricane preparedness” status No smoke detectors were fall in Texas one year ago Saturday, allowing shippers to resume opera- heard and none have been found, then stalled over the Gulf Coast as tions with caution, a according to Langford said. it drenched the region in rain for the state Transportation Depart- “Our death count would several days, causing devastating ment. have definitely been lower or fl oods. On the islands of Maui, Molokai non-existent if working smoke Ahead of Lane, Hawaii residents and Lanai, evacuees have returned detectors were in this structure,” had spent days stocking up on food, home from emergency shelters, and Langford said. water, gasoline and batteries and those facilities were being closed, boarding up their windows. local offi cials reported. A woman pushes her bicycle through flooding caused by Hurricane Lane in Hilo, Hawaii. 7 arrested in North Carolina Confederate statue protest

Reuters by opponents who say they glorify the statue had been “torn down by a New York the South’s legacy of slavery and rac- violent mob.” ism. UNC Chancellor Carol Folt said Supporters view the memorials as during a conference call with report- olice in North Carolina arrested emblems of American history. ers on Saturday that officials were seven people on Saturday during Three people suspected of pulling assessing what the law required in Pscuffl es at a university campus down the Silent Sam statue face mis- terms of the reinstallation of the where demonstrators earlier this week demeanour charges of riot and defac- statue. had toppled a statue of a Confederate ing a public monument, a university “I’ve said from the start that I think, soldier, a school offi cial said. police spokesman said on Friday. in the interest of public safety, I would Most of those taken into custody Video from Saturday that was fi nd a better location — a safe, secure face assault charges, Carly Miller, a shared on social media showed com- location — for the monument,” Folt spokeswoman for the University of peting rallies, with some waving signs said, adding that the ideal place would North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, with slogans such as “Destroy White be one where people could discuss the said in an e-mail. Supremacy,” and others holding Con- statue. Saturday’s protest followed a larg- federate fl ags. “If I could do that, that is what I still er one last Monday when about 300 At one point, a man in a wide- believe is necessary.” demonstrators surrounded the Si- brimmed hat punched another man More than 100 people attended Sat- lent Sam memorial, erected in 1913 in the face and was led away by po- urday’s protest, she said. to honour soldiers of the pro-slavery lice. “We all have to recognise that the Confederacy killed during the US North Carolina law requires that Confederate monument is a fl ash- Civil War, and used ropes to pull it the memorial be placed back on the point for demonstrations and inter- down. campus within 90 days, UNC board ruptions on campus and we believe it This was the latest incident in a member Thom Goolsby said in a video will continue to be a lightning rod,” campaign against Civil War symbols statement on Thursday. He also said Folt said. Gulf Times 8 Monday, August 27, 2018 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Nepal restaurant uses robots as waiters

IANS company established by six young The restaurant has a menu Japan to learn about the design, fi rst humanoid robot named Pari Kathmandu engineers, specialising in robot- implanted in digital screens on framework and operation of ro- stationed in a branch of Nepal SBI ics and artifi cial intelligence (AI) tables from where orders can be bots before launching it in Nepal. Bank. technology, Xinhua news agency placed directly to the kitchen. Now, our target is to introduce this Pari has been deployed in the newly-launched restaurant reported on Saturday. After the dishes are ready, the Nepali innovation in the interna- digital branch of the bank known in the Nepalese capital is “Naulo is the fi rst digitalised robots collect them from the tional market.” as inTouch branch, which func- Ausing robots as waiters un- robotic restaurant not just in Ne- kitchen counter and serve the Robot Ginger is powered with tions as a source of information der the slogan, “where food meets pal, but also in South Asia. We customers. This is the fi rst time swarm intelligence, speech recog- and guides customers. The robot technology”. believe that our robot is one of the in the Himalayan country that a nition, natural language process- started work by greeting custom- The Naulo Restaurant (“naulo” most advanced service robots in restaurant has used “Made in Ne- ing, auto-dock ability, among ers with “Good afternoon. Wel- means new in Nepali) operates the world which is user friendly pal” robots as servers. others. The robot also cracks jokes come to Nepal SBI InTouch”. with the help of fi ve robots, three and very easy to operate,” Binay Raut, 27, who completed engi- and answers basic IQ questions in Paaila Technology has spent named Ginger and two named Raut, CEO of Paaila Technology neering studies in India and the both English and Nepali. Paaila around 15mn Nepali rupees Ferry, designed and manufactured and Naulo Restaurant, told Xin- UK, said: “We travelled to diff er- Technology entered the hospital- ($134,568) on research and devel- by Paaila Technology, a Nepali hua. ent countries including China and ity sector after the operation of its opment in the last few years. Australia PM rewards allies in new cabinet

AFP oritise older electricity generation Sydney Bishop resigns from cabinet sources such as coal over renewa- Australian PM Scott Morrison. bles and emissions mitigation. Australian Foreign Minister Julie majority of only one seat. Wind-farm critic and Dut- Renowned for her steely gaze ew Australian Prime Min- Bishop said she has resigned Morrison emerged as the ton supporter Angus Taylor was dubbed the “death stare”, Bishop’s ister Scott Morrison re- from new Prime Minister Scott surprise winner of Friday’s party- chosen as energy minister, tasked highlights as foreign minister in- Nwarded supporters and Morrison’s cabinet, two days room vote to replace Turnbull with the job of lowering soaring clude her strong condemnation of extended an olive branch to rebel after a bruising leadership after a week of political chaos electricity prices. Russia’s role in the shooting down right-wingers as he unveiled his battle that toppled former prime in Canberra that marked the MP Melissa Price, who repre- of Malaysia Airlines MH17 in 2014. “new generation” cabinet yester- minister Malcolm Turnbull. emergence of Australia’s sixth sents major mining and agricul- Moderate Christopher Pyne day after taking power in a party- Bishop announced she would prime minister in less than 10 ture centres in Western Australia was promoted to defence minis- room coup. Morrison, the former move to the backbench and years. state, picked up the environment ter, while Dutton allies Matthias treasurer (fi nance minister), was had not yet decided whether to He took over as leader of the ministry. Cormann (fi nance), Mitch Fifi eld sworn in as prime minister Friday contest the next election, which Liberal Party, the senior partner Marise Payne, the former de- (communications) and Greg Hunt after winning a Liberal Party lead- is due by May 2019. That decision in a Liberal-National coalition fence minister, was given the foreign (health) remained in their cabi- ership challenge against incum- could have serious implications that has consistently trailed aff airs portfolio after incumbent Ju- net roles. Former deputy PM and bent moderate Malcolm Turnbull. for Morrison’s government, the opposition Labour party in lie Bishop resigned yesterday. Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, The challenge had been insti- which has a parliamentary opinion polls in recent months. Bishop, a rare female voice in who was forced to quit in Febru- gated by Home Aff airs Minister the Australian government, had ary and move to the backbench Peter Dutton, whom Morrison — put her hand up to be one of three over his aff air with his younger also to the right of the party — de- pulling this team together is pro- energy portfolio, which was held candidates to replace Turnbull. former media adviser, returned in feated in a secret ballot. He sought vide for stability ... it does begin by the man who is now Treasurer But she received minimal support a drought advisory role. to heal the wounds exposed by the the process of healing.” Josh Frydenberg, was also broken from colleagues, even as opinion But there was no room for ex- infi ghting. “This new Liberal-Na- Dutton kept Home Aff airs but up in an acknowledgement of the polls pointed to her popularity PM Tony Abbott — a vocal critic tional team is a next-generation his super-sized portfolio was tensions the two issues caused among voters. of Turnbull after Turnbull ousted team,” Morrison told reporters in split to separate immigration and within the party. Her departure has raised ques- him as leader in 2015. Canberra of the governing coali- national security, with migration Environment and energy poli- tions about whether she fell vic- Morrison said he was open to tion between the Liberals and the issues to be handled by former cies were key bones of contention tim to party politics and to a per- Abbott, who had supported Dut- rural-based Nationals party. assistant fi nance minister David between Turnbull and the right- ceived glass ceiling for women in ton, being involved in government “What we have done today in Coleman. The environment and wingers, who wanted him to pri- Canberra. decisions in an advisory capacity.

Pompeo decries ‘abhorrent ethnic cleansing’ China’s transport ministry in Myanmar

The United States will continue to hold accountable those censures Didi after murder responsible for what he described as the “abhorrent ethnic cleansing” of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, AFP ministry called on the Chinese the cumbersome and rigid process the offi cial Xinhua news agency US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Beijing fi rm, which calls itself the world’s of information-sharing with the pointed out that Didi has been said. Pompeo’s statement came leading mobile transportation police,” Didi said in a statement. It slapped with over 1mn yuan on the one year anniversary of platform, to improve its driver would also launch a review of the ($148,000) in fi nes over the past the conflict in western Myanmar’s hina’s transport ministry vetting and driver education proc- Hitch service and look again at its 10 months in Wenzhou alone. Rakhine state that drove more yesterday slammed Didi ess. The statement was released emergency response button. “Despite repeated punish- than 700,000 Rohingya from CChuxing’s safety lapses after a meeting yesterday between The head of Didi Hitch and the ment, there has been recalci- their homes into neighbouring as the ride-hailing giant said it the company, the public security vice president of customer serv- trant behaviour and no change, Bangladesh. Pompeo said on would suspend its Hitch service ministry and the transport de- ice have been removed from their a refl ection of the company’s Twitter: “The US will continue after the rape and murder of a partments of Beijing and Tianjin. positions. Wenzhou police said indiff erence to safety and social to hold those responsible passenger, the second such killing Didi said earlier yesterday that it the driver, identifi ed by the sur- responsibility,” the commentary accountable. The military this year. A 20-year-old female would suspend the Hitch service name Chung, picked up the vic- said, calling on Didi to be pun- must respect human rights for passenger was raped and killed by — which links up commuters trav- tim on Friday afternoon but she ished if it fails to put customer #Burma’s democracy to succeed.” her driver on Friday in the east- elling in the same direction — be- went missing soon after sending safety fi rst. In May a 21-year-old The military ruled Myanmar for ern city of Wenzhou, barely three ginning midnight today. a friend a text message asking for air stewardess using the same nearly 50 years after seizing months after a similar incident in The announcement came a day help. This prompted a manhunt Hitch service was killed by a Didi power in a 1962 coup and retains May. after the company admitted it which saw the driver arrested in Chuxing driver, prompting criti- considerable powers under a “These two vicious incidents bore responsibility for the crime, the early hours of Saturday, po- cism of the company’s security 2008 constitution. that have violated the life and failing to act on a complaint lice said. measures and a tightening up of Myanmar government safety of passengers has exposed about the same driver from an- The killing has sparked fresh its rules of use. This included spokesmen Zaw Htay was the gaping operational loopholes other passenger. She claimed he criticism of Didi — which mus- restricting Hitch drivers to only unavailable for comment of the Didi Chuxing platform,” drove her to an isolated area and cled Uber out of the market fol- picking up members of the same yesterday. The government, led the Ministry of Transport said in followed her in his vehicle after lowing a bruising battle — as an- sex late at night and in the early by Nobel Peace laureate Aung a statement. she left the car. gry users voiced concern about morning, and enabling passen- San Suu Kyi, has denied refugees’ “The Ministry demands that “The incident shows the many its safety. “Since the company gers to share their route with an allegations of atrocities. Didi ... stops making empty defi ciencies with our customer can’t regulate itself, get out of the emergency contact. Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh promises and takes concrete steps service processes, especially the market,” wrote one user on the Didi Chuxing says it has 30mn held demonstrations and to ensuring passengers’ safety.” failure to act swiftly on the pre- Twitter-like Weibo. drivers and more than 550mn us- prayers on Saturday to mark the Among a list of demands, the vious passenger’s complaint and In a scathing commentary, ers across its various services. anniversary of the outbreak of the conflict. Thousands of refugees marched prayed and chanted slogans in events across the sprawling John McCain’s Hanoi Hilton jailor recalls ‘stubborn’ POW camps in southern Bangladesh. Many wore black ribbons to AFP McCain’s father was a navy was broken again and my ribs commemorate what they said Haiphong, Vietnam admiral, and the young prisoner were cracked.” was the start of the “Rohingya soon developed the nickname Duyet denies McCain or others genocide”. “Crown Prince”. were mistreated and says he Across the border in Myanmar, As a prisoner of war in the “Hanoi The early years were grim. punished any fellow guards who the government said security Hilton”, navy pilot John McCain McCain was held in solitary stepped out of line. patrols had been increased in was known as uncompromising, confinement and suff ered from “There was no torture, the conflict area ahead of the frank and an avid reader who dysentery. For months on end, he Vietnamese people saved him,” anniversary for fear of further fiercely debated the war with Tran Trong Duyet, the former was fed only bread and pumpkin Duyet said in an interview earlier violence. his Vietnamese jailors. One of director at the Hoa Lo prison in soup. He communicated with this year at his home in the them, the former director of the Hanoi, showing a photo at his fellow inmates by tapping codes port city of Haiphong, where infamous Hoa Lo prison, recalls home in Haiphong of US on the thick concrete walls. he displays both photos of 13 killed in verbally sparring with the famous Senator John McCain. In his memoirs, McCain wrote that American POWs and more recent inmate and says McCain’s refusal solitary “put me in a pretty surly images of himself in military Bangladesh to budge on his views eventually today enjoy strong ties. His five mood” and that he would ward off uniform posing with US off icials. bus crash earned his admiration. and a half years in prison began in depression by hollering insults at By the end of his long years in “It was his stubbornness, his October 1967 when McCain was guards. And then there were the prison, Duyet said his relationship At least 13 people were killed in strong stance that I loved when thrown into the French-built jail interrogations and beatings. McCain started to warm. a head-on collision between a arguing with him,” retired colonel after his Skyhawk divebomber “Ropes were put on me and I sat “Out of working hours, we passenger bus and a hauler in Tran Trong Duyet told AFP. was shot down over Hanoi’s that night bound with ropes,” considered each other friends,” Bangladesh’s Natore district on In the decades following the Truc Bach lake. Fished out with McCain wrote after his 1973 he said. “He taught me English ... Saturday. A police off icial told Vietnam War, McCain — who a broken leg and two broken release, recalling one brutal he had good teaching skills.” Xinhua news agency that the died Saturday at the age of 81 — arms he was shipped to the cold, session. In his post-prison writings, road accident, which occurred at forgave the enemies who once crowded facility where some 500 “For the next four days, I was McCain said things got easier for 4.20pm, also left two passengers held him captive, and helped prisoners of war were held. beaten every two to three hours him in the early 1970s, which he critically injured. The wounded reconcile the two countries that His captors quickly learned by diff erent guards. My left arm called the “coasting period”. were rushed to a hospital and the incident was under investigation. Gulf Times Monday, August 27, 2018 9 BRITAIN/IRELAND Police activate stop-and-search powers for Notting Hill carnival

Met says intelligence and section 60 order, based on intel- intelligence picture and incidents The relevant power is con- “If in the course of a search un- recent violence in London ligence received in recent days. of violence I have seen across the tained in the Criminal Justice and der this section a constable dis- prompted section 60 order Section 60 is a controversial city over the last week, I have Public Order Act 1994 and means covers a dangerous instrument or power that critics say gives police made the decision to authorise an offi cer does not need reason- an article which [s/]he has rea- By Vikram Dodd draconian powers and can lead to this order as an additional pre- able suspicion to use the stop and sonable grounds for suspecting Guardian News & Media the disproportionate targeting of ventative measure. search tactic. to be an off ensive weapon, [s/]he African-Caribbean people. “The use of this authority will It is supposed to be a tem- may seize it.” An early morning start involving coloured flour, oil and paints at the The order lasted for the whole reassure our communities that porary measure that an offi cer Police are using knife arches Notting Hill Carnival yesterday. housands of offi cers at of Sunday, the fi rst day of the we are constantly working to above the rank of inspector can at the carnival for the fi rst time, Notting Hill carnival have carnival, which is also children’s protect them. It will also send a impose if it is believed “that inci- and declaring the carnival a sec- “I will personally keep this or- tics at the carnival, with about Tbeen given the power to day, and it is also highly likely to message to those intent on com- dents involving serious violence tion 60 area, makes it easier for der under constant review, and 13,000 offi cer deployments stop and search people without be imposed today, the busiest day mitting acts of violence that we may take place”. someone who refuses to use an when I believe this no longer across the two days, with 6,162 the need for reasonable suspicion of the two-day event. will robustly target them. It adds: “A constable may … arch citing civil liberties, to be forms part of a proportionate po- offi cers and staff on duty yester- in response to police chiefs’ fears Commander Dave Musker, “Section 60s have been used stop any person or vehicle and stopped and searched. licing plan, it will cease.” day and 6,858 on duty today. of serious violence. who is in charge of the policing tactically to prevent violence make any search [s/]he thinks Musker said: “I have not made Violent crime including knife Some in the British African- The Metropolitan Police Serv- operation, said: “The MPS has across London over the past few fi t whether or not [s/]he has this decision lightly, but with the attacks has risen in London this Caribbean community feel the ice (MPS) said yesterday that the worked tirelessly to develop an weeks and I can assure you they any grounds for suspecting that safety and security of all those year and the number of homi- carnival is viewed diff erently to whole of the carnival area in west appropriate and proportionate are not used without detailed the person or vehicle is carrying planning to attend this event in cides has reached 100. other large festivals because it is London would be covered by a policing plan; however, given the analysis of intelligence.” weapons or articles of that kind. the forefront of my mind. Police are using a range of tac- a black event.

Stalemate for Logan Paul, KSI Pope begs forgiveness for match

By Elena Cresci Guardian News & Media abuses infl icted on Ireland

AFP/Reuters he boxing match between Dublin YouTubers KSI and Logan TPaul was set to be, at least according to the hype, “the big- ope Francis “begged for gest event in Internet history”. God’s forgiveness” yes- However, in the end, it may Pterday for multiple abuse have all been the prequel to an- scandals within the Irish church other event, as the main fi ght but faced accusations by a ended in a draw in front of former Vatican offi cial that he 20,000 people at the Manches- had personally ignored allega- ter Arena. tions against senior clergy. Online, the fi ght was watched In front of 45,000 support- by millions, both on the offi cial ers at the rain-soaked Knock pay-per-view YouTube channel, shrine in the west of Ireland, and on bootleg livestreams on the Pope sought forgiveness other platforms. over the “open wound” of the Neither of the men are pro- church’s sexual abuse scandal fessional boxers, having earned and demanded “fi rm and de- their fame for the videos they cisive” measures to fi nd “truth post on YouTube. and justice”. KSI, real name Olajide Wil- At a later Mass to tens of liam “JJ” Olatunji, has more than thousands of fl ag-waving wor- 19mn subscribers. shippers at Dublin’s Phoenix Pope Francis leading the World Meeting of Families closing mass in Phoenix Park, Dublin. He initially shot to Internet Park, the showpiece event of fame with videos of him playing the two-day visit to the former “stain” on the church and state. now after this visit to see what unwed pregnant women. Fifa videogames. Catholic stronghold, he also Francis wrote an unprece- actions follow”. “Signifi cant quantities” of Logan Paul was one of the confessed to other abuses by dented letter to all Catholics last However, at a news confer- baby remains found in makeshift breakout stars from Vine, a now- the Irish church, including at week, asking each one of them ence in Dublin on Saturday by graves at the site of one such defunct social media app on its so-called “mother and baby” to help root out “this culture of the group Ending Clergy Abuse home in Tuam last year shocked which users posted humorous homes. death” and vowing there would (ECA), victim Mark Vincent the country. six-second videos. However, in the city centre be no more cover-ups. Healey said that the Pope’s “My mother’s baby died in Each comes with his share of around 5,000 abuse victims Some who turned out on the speech in Dublin was a “total there at six-years-old, it’s an controversies. and their supporters braved the misty morning in Knock, where missed opportunity”. obscenity. We’re standing on a In January, 23-year-old Paul weather to attend the “Stand for a group of locals in 1879 said “We’re still waiting. We’re left place where unburied babies, posted a video showing the body Truth” rally. they saw an apparition of the with uncertain silence. When is 796 of them, are in a septic of an apparent suicide victim, “It (the visit) has been very, A protester dressed in a nun’s habit with a doll and a handmade sign Virgin Mary, said that Fran- he going to act? What is he going tank,” said Annette McKay, 64, while KSI, 25, was accused of very painful,” said Graham Mills, referencing research that suggests that the bodies of hundreds of cis should be given time to deal to do?” who travelled from Britain for making sexist comments in his 52, who was sexually abused as a children were buried in a mass grave at a home for mothers and with the abuse issues that have The Pontiff is in Ireland to the vigil in Tuam. “Your (Fran- earlier videos. child by a member of the Chris- children run by nuns in Tuam, takes part in a rally in Dublin. rocked the church for decades. close the 2018 World Meeting cis’) church did this to 796 in- Both apologised in the after- tian brothers religious order and “People have to give this man of Families (WMOF) – a glo- nocent children and their moth- math of each case. travelled from Northern Ireland “I think it’s obviously caus- had responded by lifting sanc- a chance, he’s trying his best,” bal Catholic gathering that ad- ers. Tell me how you are going to The match had all the trap- to join the protest. “I think Pope ing quite a lot of distress,” abuse tions imposed on McCarrick by said Carmel Lane, who travelled dressed issues, including the change this.” pings of a professional boxing Francis is probably a very decent victim and campaigner William predecessor pope Benedict. from County Longford in the treatment of gay people in the Multiple probes in Ireland event, from the dramatic walk- human being. But yesterday I Gorry said of the visit. “He (Pope Francis) knew from midlands. church. have found that church leaders outs to the trash talk. was very disturbed by the big “Healing is something that’s at least June 23, 2013 that Mc- The Pope met eight abuse It is the fi rst papal visit to Ire- protected hundreds of predatory Renowned ring announc- celebration for him knowing the going to take a long, long time Carrick was a serial predator,” victims on Saturday, including land since John Paul II spoke in priests, and former Irish presi- er Michael Buff er even an- lives that have been destroyed.” if it’s going to happen at all,” he wrote Vigano, adding: “He knew a woman assaulted by a priest front of 1.5mn people during a dent Mary McAleese revealed nounced the main card with his Grammy Award-nominated told AFP. that he was a corrupt man, he when she was in hospital aged 13. visit in 1979. this month that the Vatican had trademark: “Let’s get ready to Irish singer Hozier performed The scandal has dogged the covered for him to the bitter Paul Jude Redmond, who was The church’s role and stand- sought to keep church docu- rrrrrumble!” his hit Take Me To Church as visit, and intensifi ed overnight end.” illegally adopted from a church- ing has been badly dented by ments inaccessible to govern- But after six evenly fought abuse survivors addressed the when a former Vatican envoy to The Vatican said it had no run “mother and baby home” the abuse scandals and the Irish ment investigators. rounds, the judges scored a draw crowd who were then asked the US accused Francis of per- comment to make on the claims. because his mother was unmar- have shed traditional Catholic The abuse scandals in Ireland – meaning the drama will be to walk in silence to the last sonally ignoring sexual abuse Irish Prime Minister Leo Var- ried, also met the Pope. mores, voting earlier this year to are part of a worldwide crisis for extended to a rematch already of Ireland’s former notorious claims against prominent US adkar on Saturday directly urged He said the Pontiff appeared legalise abortion after approving the Vatican. scheduled for February. Magdalene laundries that re- cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the Pope to take action against “genuinely shocked” by the sto- same-sex marriage in 2015. A devastating report earlier Interviewed after the fi ght, mains standing. who was forced to resign last abuses and ensure justice for ries of abuse. In Tuam, a town in western this month accused more than KSI said: “Let’s do that again, A woman dressed as a nun, month. victims worldwide. Ireland’s Deputy Prime Min- Ireland not far from Knock, hun- 300 priests in the US state of that was fun.” with fake blood on her hands, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viga- “Holy Father, I ask that you ister, Simon Coveney, also said dreds joined in a silent vigil yes- Pennsylvania of abusing more Paul, too, seemed to have en- and a man handing out home- no wrote in a letter published in use your offi ce and infl uence to Francis’ promise of decisive ac- terday in solidarity with victims than 1,000 children since the joyed the experience: “I think it’s made placards reading “the the National Catholic Register ensure that this is done here in tion on abuse was very welcome, of the “mother and baby” homes 1950s. what the people want. Let’s give church protects pederasts” were that he had told Francis of the Ireland and across the world,” but told broadcaster RTE that – institutions that are accused The Pope was due to head them a (expletive) rematch!” among those protesting. allegations in 2013, but that he he said, calling the scandals a “people will clearly be watching of being punishment hostels for back to Rome later in the day. Immigration minister blocks Britons who sought help on Twitter

By Amelia Hill in power to listen,” Buck said. take up to 18 months, during it felt all hope was lost.” and the director of the Online Guardian News & Media “The fact that the only re- which I would have to readopt Syed Naqvi, the head of the Civic Culture Centre, described sponse to these pleas to one of children who are already mine immigration department at ITN Nokes’ decision to block Bucks the few people who could make and are already British. Solicitors, said: “It is concerning and Holden as “questionable”. he immigration minister a diff erence in our case was to “The Home Offi ce has been that an applicant has been barred “There is a strong culture of blocked at least two Brit- block me, was truly upsetting, completely deaf to my appeals from contacting Ms Nokes on transparency and publicness on Tish citizens on Twitter frustrating and insulting.” and complaints, even though Twitter for simply requesting in- Twitter,” he said. “Eff ectively, when they asked for her assist- John Holden, a British citizen they’re acting against their own formation pertaining to his case. when a politician blocks a mem- ance after the Home Offi ce failed who lives in the UK with his Fili- guidelines. “Ms Nokes’ actions are over- ber of the public ... they’re say- to respond to their complaints or pino wife, son and three adopted “The minister’s Twitter page is zealous and certainly not accept- ing they simply don’t want to appeals from their MPs. children, was blocked by Nokes a platform that enables two-way able in a democratic society. hear what the person has to say, Caroline Nokes’ action, which after also asking for help. communication, and I did noth- “Her actions also smack of and they’re not interested in that means the people concerned are Nokes: blocked two Twitter users who tweeted her as a last resort. “The Home Offi ce has refused ing more than politely – and al- a complete indiff erence to the person’s problems, under any unable to read her tweets or con- to issue my British children with ways respectfully – request her problems faced by the applicants circumstances. tact her, were described by an Rusty Goodall, from being de- all other avenues available to us British passports: they say we to meet with my MP. and their families. “That seems to me to be ques- immigration lawyer as suggest- ported to Australia. (i.e. contacting the Home Offi ce need to change the children’s “My appealing directly to the “How can she claim to be able tionable behaviour for a politi- ing “complete indiff erence”. It took the Home Offi ce 13 directly, asking our MP for help) Philippine passports to their new minister was nothing more than to address the problems with our cian. Surely they can do better.” Stephen Buck was blocked months to refuse Goodall’s ap- and still feeling as though we adopted surnames fi rst,” he said. a desperate plea when the feel- immigration system when she is The Home Offi ce said: “Twit- from following Nokes or see- plication to extend his visa, dur- were in a position where nobody “The problem is that the Phil- ing of helplessness became over- not even prepared to listen to its ter is not an appropriate me- ing her tweets on August 11 af- ing which time the couple re- was doing anything and nobody ippine authorities won’t do that bearing. service users?” dium to discuss individual cases. ter he sent her three tweets in ceived no update on his case. cared about us, contacting Nokes unless we take the children out “To be blocked for no apparent Andrew Chadwick, a profes- Caroline Nokes passed on cor- four months, asking for help to “I was nothing but polite in on Twitter felt like the only op- of school and return to the Phil- reason merely compounded the sor of political communication respondence through the correct prevent his long-term partner, my approaches, but having tried tion left to try and get somebody ippines for a process that could feeling of despair at a time when at Loughborough University channels.” Gulf Times 10 Monday, August 27, 2018 EUROPE Macron to target social welfare spending in 2019

Reuters on with its reforms in the face of Philippe told Le Journal du The slower growth outlook scribed as ineff ective policies like Criticisms of Macron’s aloof tember 2019 on top plans do Paris record unpopularity after little Dimanche that the 2019 budget raises the chances that when the housing or subsidised jobs. leadership style and a summer away with worker contributions more than a year in offi ce. would be based on a growth fore- government produces its 2019 He said that housing allow- scandal over his top bodyguard jobless and health benefi ts and Macron has so far largely cast of 1.7%, instead of the 1.9% budget at the end of September it ances, family welfare benefi ts and beating May Day protesters housing tax. rench President Emmanuel turned a deaf ear to criticism of forecast in April. may need to change its target for pension payouts would increase helped push his approval ratings Meanwhile, he said that ef- Macron’s government will his reforms, with detractors dub- The premier acknowledged a public defi cit of 2.3% of eco- only 0.3% in 2019 and 2020. to a record low of only 34% in forts to shrink France’s vast pub- Ftackle social spending in bing him the president of the rich that that was likely to weigh on nomic output. That is less than the 1.5% av- August, according to an Ifop poll lic sector would be maintained the next wave of its reforms, the after cuts in capital income dur- the public budget defi cit, which The government has been un- erage infl ation rate economists for Le Journal du Dimanche. with plans to cut 4,500 state jobs prime minister said in an inter- ing his fi rst year in offi ce which he was already under pressure due der pressure from Brussels and polled by Reuters expect next Philippe responded to criti- in 2019 and more than 10,000 in view, even though France will said encouraged investment. to plans to make a payroll tax the International Monetary Fund year and the 1.8% expected in cism saying that the govern- 2020. face a weaker growth outlook in His government has sold its credit scheme permanent. (IMF) to detail plans to rein in 2020. ment’s policies were designed to “This is going to be a real next year. pro-business reforms on prom- “But that does not prevent us public spending, which is among The government would con- reward workers and discourage bloodbath for the state and the Prime Minister Edouard ises they will boost growth and from sticking to our commit- the highest in the world. sider reducing the unemployed’s unmeasured increases in welfare public services,” far-left leader Philippe said in an interview in Le jobs, but Philippe said growth ments on reducing taxes while Philippe said that the govern- jobless benefi ts over time as part handouts. Jean-Luc Melenchon told re- Journal du Dimanche yesterday would be weaker than expected reining in public spending and ment wanted to reduce spend- of a reform of unemployment in- He said that tax on overtime porters, responding to Philippe’s that the government would press next year. debt,” he added. ing in particular on what he de- surance, Philippe said. pay would be axed as of Sep- comments.

Senior medical Italy allows migrants to offi cer quits over leave ship following deal Italian AFP “Politicians in your country dle of the sea, waiting for Europe stance Rome need to understand that you are to wake up,” he said. “Yesterday, not alone, that Europe is try- Italy saved us, today we are ready ing to help you. On the contrary, to give a hand.” DPA early 140 migrants who anyone who attacks the EU is And Ireland’s Foreign Minis- Rome had been stranded on shooting himself in the foot,” he ter Simon Coveney tweeted that Na boat at a port in Sic- told yesterday’s edition of La Re- Ireland would “accept 20-25 mi- ily were allowed to disembark pubblica newspaper. “We cannot grants from the Diciotti”. “Eu- he head of Italy’s Medi- early yesterday after Ireland and move ahead with ad hoc solu- ropean solidarity is important + cal Agency (AIFA) has re- Albania agreed to take some of tions for each boat. The migra- this is the right thing to do. Work Tsigned in protest against them in. tion phenomenon is not going continues (with) EU partners on the government’s hardline policy The boat docked at Catania to stop overnight so we need to more sustainable solutions.” on the treatment of migrants, port last Monday but Italy had manage it together as one Euro- Migration is a hot-button is- according to Italian media re- refused to let those on board dis- pean family.” sue in Italy, where hundreds of ports. embark in the absence of any EU Italy’s economy minister Luigi thousands of people have ar- Stefano Vella’s move came in commitment to relocate them, Di Maio, however, remained de- rived since 2013. reaction to the protracted con- prompting a new bitter row with fi ant, saying that Rome would be Under EU rules people must fi nement of more than 150 mi- Brussels. within its rights to hold back its seek asylum in their country of grants on the Diciotti, an Italian However, following a deal annual EU budgetary contribu- arrival, but Rome has recent- coastguard ship, which ended brokered by the Catholic Church tions. ly moved to block boats from overnight. late on Saturday, Italy’s far-right “If their system of solidarity docking at its ports. “As a doctor, I cannot tolerate Interior Minister Matteo Salvini This picture taken on Saturday shows migrants disembarking from the Italian coast guard vessel works like that, we will not give UN High Commissioner for to lead a public health body at a agreed to allow them to leave the ‘Diciotti’ at the port of Catania. another euro to the EU,” he said Refugees Filippo Grandi had on time when people are treated in Diciotti, the Italian coastguard in a televised interview. Friday rebuked European na- this way on our territory,” Vella ship which rescued them some land saying it would take up to arrest and abuse of power” over latest in a string of incidents in- Writing on Twitter late on tions over the standoff . said in an overnight resigna- 10 days ago. 25. his refusal to authorise their dis- volving Italy’s recently-installed Saturday, Albania’s Foreign “The time has come to end the tion statement to the Ansa news There were initially around It was not immediately clear embarkation, reports said. populist government, which has Minister Ditmir Bushati said Ti- back-and-forth that has seen agency. 180 migrants on board when it what would happen to the oth- EU migration commissioner vowed to stop taking in migrants rana is “ready to help”, recalling countries competing in a race to Vella said that anyone who arrived at Catania, but Rome al- ers, although Italian media re- Dimitris Avramopoulos wel- rescued off Libya. how Italy accepted thousands the bottom on who can take the opposes the policies of hardline lowed 27 unaccompanied minors ports suggested Rome was in comed the deal, saying that it is On Friday, Rome threatened to who fl ed Albania by sea after the least responsibility for people Interior Minister Matteo Salvini to disembark on Wednesday and talks with Serbia and Montene- the result of “solidarity across pull its EU funding unless other fall of communism in the early rescued at sea,” he said. “should do it in the manner I am another 12 people left on Satur- gro. borders and communities”. states agreed to take some of the 1990s. “It is dangerous and immoral doing right now”. day following a health authority The migrants disembarked “But we cannot always wait Diciotti migrants. “We cannot replace Europe to put the lives of refugees and In a separate interview with request. several hours after Sicilian for this type of goodwill solidar- However, Avramopoulos but we are always here, on the asylum-seekers at risk while yesterday’s Corriere della Sera Albania, which is not a mem- prosecutors said that they had ity. We need to have structural warned Italy would end up other side of a sea where once states engage in a political tug- daily, ber of the EU, off ered safe haven opened an inquiry into Salvini measures,” he said. “shooting itself in the foot” by we were the Eritreans suff ering of-war on long-term solutions,” Vella said that his resignation to 20 of the migrants, with Ire- for “illegal confi nement, illegal The Diciotti stand-off is the its ongoing attacks on the EU. for days and nights in the mid- Grandi added. was inevitable because he could not express his disagreement “with a tweet”. The AIFA’s press offi ce was not available for comment. “It was an intolerable situa- ‘Knights’ battle at mediaeval tion, also from a humanitarian point of view,” Father Ivan Mat- teis, spokesman of the Italian Catholic Church, told Catholic festival near old monastery broadcaster TV2000. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said late on Sat- Reuters Croatian Neda, who did not “All of the food is prepared urday that Italian bishops had Despotovac, Serbia give her family name, was the with ingredients that were avail- agreed to take in 100 migrants, only woman allowed to take part able in mediaeval times, in the and Ireland and Albania 20 mi- in the battle. 14th century in Serbia,” Sla- grants each. en from across Eu- “It’s great for me. It’s anti- voljub Ljubisavljevic from Serbia The church off ered an “emer- rope – and one woman stress therapy,” she told Reuters, said. gency solution” to the Diciotti M– donned armour and wearing the red and white col- The festival lasted four days stand-off after “the ‘no’ from battled with swords outside a ours of her country. instead of the usual two this year Europe and the strong-arm Serbian mediaeval monastery The “Just Out” festival takes to commemorate the 600th an- tactics of the minister,” Matteis as part of a festival sampling life place every year outside the niversary since the monastery said. from hundreds of years ago. walls of the Manasija monastery, was built. Salvini, who leads the far- The combatants were grouped which was built in the early 15th “We’re motivated (to come right League, refused to let the depending on their skill and fi t- century and listed by Unesco here) to learn how to return to migrants disembark because he ness, with those in the strongest since 2010. our roots and live simply, like said Italy had already taken in category often knocking rivals Visitors also tried out archery, they did before electricity,” too many and called on other to the ground, their helmets wood carving and cooking the said Veronique Gianerrini from Men dressed as armoured knights battle during the annual ‘Just Out’ mediaeval festival next to Manasija European Union nations to wel- dented. food of the time. France who came for the festival. Monastery, near the town of Despotovac, in Serbia. come them.

WWII bomb defused after mass evacuation Police offi cer shot dead near

AFP city had ordered all those liv- Frankfurt am Main ing within a 1,000m (0.6-mile) Belgian Formula One town radius of the bomb site to leave their homes from 8am (0600 German bomb disposal GMT) as a precaution ahead of DPA unit tried to take control of the the police offi cer, the prosecu- team successfully de- the defusing operation. Brussels car that the group had climbed tion said. Afused yesterday an un- It took the bomb squad just into, according to Belga. “Drama in Spa. All my exploded World War II bomb over an hour to complete the The police offi cer was shot by thoughts go to the relatives of the that had forced the evacuation delicate task, and the all-clear ne suspect was detained one of the passengers of the car, police offi cer. All his colleagues of 18,500 people in the city of was given shortly after 2pm. yesterday after a police according to the Liege prosecu- from the local police can count Ludwigshafen. More than 70 years after the Ooffi cer was killed over- tor’s offi ce. on my support,” Belgian Interior The 500kg (1,100-pound) end of World War II, Germany night in the Belgian town of Spa, The driver was questioned Minister Jan Jambon wrote on aerial bomb, thought to have remains littered with unexplod- near where the Formula One but he was under shock and gave Twitter. been dropped by American ed ordnance, a legacy of the in- Belgian Grand Prix motor race is no details on the identity of the “Light must be shed on the forces, was discovered during tense Allied bombing campaign taking place this weekend, Bel- shooter, who sat behind him, circumstances of this drama. To construction work earlier in the against Nazi Germany. gian media reported. Belga reported. attack a police offi cer who is car- week. In the biggest post-war evac- The offi cer was shot during a The detained suspect is a man rying out his duties is to attack “Good news: the bomb has uation to date, some 60,000 vehicle check around 2am (0000 of Dutch origin, around 30 years our democratic society,” tweeted been defused! Citizens may re- Frankfurt residents were evacu- GMT), the Belga news agency re- old, the RTBF broadcaster re- Prime Minister Charles Michel. turn to their homes,” the city of ated last year so that an unex- ported. ported. The 38-year-old police offi cer Ludwigshafen said on its offi cial ploded 1.8-tonne British bomb He was accompanied by an- He had taken refuge in a forest is the fi rst to die on duty in Bel- Twitter feed. dubbed the “blockbuster” could A member of the bomb disposal team working on the World War II other offi cer. and had sustained a bullet injury gium since May, when a radical- It also posted a picture of the be defused. aerial bomb in Ludwigshafen. According to initial investiga- to the abdomen, likely fi red by ised man shot dead two police freshly unearthed, corroded In April, thousands had to tions, a group of Dutch people the second police offi cer, RTBF offi cers in the city of Liege, Belga bomb, strapped to a pallet be- clear an area around Berlin’s Unexploded munitions have of hot, dry weather setting off was refused entry into a cafe in wrote. wrote. fore being removed from the central railway station after an- also complicated the work of long-buried ordnance, causing Spa. It was too early to say whether The Belgian Formula One race area. other British bomb was discov- fi refi ghters this summer, with small explosions on several oc- The police were called follow- the detained suspect was the is being held in Francorchamps, Authorities in the western ered on a building site. forest fi res sparked by a spell casions. ing the altercation and a patrol person who had gunned down 10km southeast of Spa. Gulf Times Monday, August 27, 2018 11 INDIA

HOMAGE LANDSLIDE POLITICS JUSTICE WEATHER Mother Teresa remembered Jammu-Srinagar highway DNA bill full of loopholes, Dabholkar, Gauri Lankesh IMD predicts heavy rains in on 108th birth anniversary closed for second day violates privacy: Congress murders are linked: CBI Odisha for next 2 days

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee The strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway The Congress yesterday said the DNA profiling The Central Bureau of Investigation said yesterday Several parts of Odisha are likely to experience yesterday remembered Mother Teresa on the remained closed for the second day yesterday bill prepared by the Narendra Modi government it has established links between the murders of heavy rainfall for the next two days, under the occasion of her 108th birth anniversary. “Spread due to landslides in Ramban district. Traff ic was full of loopholes and would violate the Pune-based rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and impact of a low pressure formed over the Bay love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to off icials said torrential rains have a clearance right to privacy in its current form. It termed the Bengaluru-based journalist Gauri Lankesh. The CBI of Bengal, the Met off ice said yesterday. Heavy you without leaving happier. Fondly remembering operation in Magarkote sector of the highway proposed legislation as “ill-conceived” and an said it had established the crucial connection before to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at a few Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta) on her which was hit by the landslides on Saturday. attempt by the government to “strengthen the the court in Pune to extend the police custody places over Balangir, Kalahandi, Sambalpur, birth anniversary,” she wrote on Twitter. The “Landslide clearance operation will resume once conformity that surveillance breeds”. Congress prime suspect Sachin Andhure. Accordingly, the Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Nawarangpur, Vatican had declared Mother Teresa Patron Saint of the rains stop. Travellers are advised to contact spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that custody of Andhure — arrested from Aurangabad Keonjhar, Nuapada and Sonepur with extremely the ‘Archdiocese of Calcutta’ on September 6 last control rooms in Jammu and Srinagar before the DNA profiling Bill was the latest in a series of last week — has been extended till August 30. heavy rainfall at one or two places over Balangir, year in recognition of her selfless service towards undertaking a journey,” the off icials said. Scores attempts by the Modi government to “snoop and Though the two high-profile murders were Kalahandi, Bargarh and Sonepur districts, the helping the poor and the underprivileged in the of vehicles were also stranded on the highway. spy on ordinary citizens”. “Surveillance breeds committed four years apart, in both these cases, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said. city. At central Kolkata’s Mother House, a large Authorities have made arrangements for lodging conformity. And this government is an absolute long suspected alleged role of certain right-wing Heavy rainfall is also likely to occur at one or two number of followers from the city and abroad of the stranded passengers in some government conformist government. The DNA bill is an activists, including those associated with Sanatan places over the rest of the districts of interior gathered to pay homeage to their ‘mother’. schools and other shelters in Ramsoo area. attempt to strengthen this conformity,” he added. Sanstha and others, has now emerged. Odisha and Puri, Khordha, Balasore districts.

Oath of office Kapoor family to sell gutted remains of iconic R K Studio

IANS with the idea of renovating the place Mumbai with state-of-the-art technology, but the investment in rebuilding the studio would just not have yielded ollywood’s iconic Kapoor fam- suffi cient revenue to keep it going. ily has collectively decided to He called it a “level headed decision”. Bsell the sprawling landmark RK In September last year, a major fi re Studio. broke out on the sets of a dance real- Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan says ity show, leaving a section of the stu- she has fond memories of the studio, dio gutted. built by her late legendary grandfa- R K Studio, the headquarters of the ther Raj Kapoor. fi lm production company R K Films, Kareena, who has been under the was founded and named after the weather for a few days, told IANS great showman, Raj Kapoor, in 1948. here: “I don’t know how far what is Its inaugural banner fi lm Aag that actually happening. In fact, I have year crashed at the box offi ce, but the been quite under the weather and I next year proved to be a good omen haven’t even met my father in the when its production Barsaat (1949), last four or fi ve days...But of course, starring Raj Kapoor-Nargis was a su- we have all grown up walking around perhit. in those corridors.” In fact, the company’s logo was “I think it’s probably something designed to refl ect the poster of a that the family has decided, so it’s scene from Barsaat and after that, upto my father, his brothers and up the studio never looked back. to them...If that’s what they have It had a string of successful black- decided, so be it,” added the actress and-white releases like Awaara on the sidelines of the Lakme Fashion (1951), Boot Polish (1954), Shri 420 Week, where she was the showstop- (1955) and Jaagte Raho (1956). per for the fi nale show. Later, the studio was the venue The Kapoor family has taken the for several other big ticket fi lms like tough decision of selling the two acre Jis Desh Me Ganga Behti Hai (1960), RK Studio 70 years after it was es- Mera Naam Joker (1970), Bobby Baby Rani Maurya is greeted after taking oath as the Governor of Uttarakhand in Dehradun yesterday. tablished as it was not economically (1973), the debut fi lm for Rishi Ka- viable to rebuild it after it was gutted poor and Dimple Kapadia, Satyam down in a fi re last year. Shivam Sundaram (1978), Prem Rog Rishi Kapoor, in an interview to (1982), Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985), Mumbai Mirror on behalf of the fam- which was the founder-actor’s last ily, said they were initially juggling fi lm before his death in June 1988. PM: Discussion on simultaneous Kumaraswamy regrets elections is good for democracy tiff over Nirmala visit IANS ernment and the opposition — both are The BJP’s stand is “One Nation, One On the triple talaq bill passed by the New Delhi putting forth their view points. This is Election”. Lok Sabha, he said: “Although it could IANS inconveniences which we regret,” a healthy sign for our democracy,” he Crediting Vajpayee with bringing not be passed in the Rajya Sabha, I as- Bengaluru said Kumaraswamy in a post on the said. good governance to the mainstream sure the Muslim women that the whole social media platforms Facebook rime Minister Narendra Modi Describing Atal Bihari Vajpayee as and for injecting positive political cul- country stands by them to provide and Twitter. said yesterday that discussions a “true patriot”, he said the late prime ture in India, Modi recalled how he them social justice.” erming the controversy over Admitting that he was pained at Pon simultaneous polls to the minister brought fundamental reforms changed the time of budget presenta- Modi expressed his gratitude to MPs Defence Minister Niramala the turn of events, the chief minister Lok Sabha and state Assemblies are a in the electoral process. tion from 5pm to 11am and framed the for the productive Monsoon session of TSitharaman’s visit to Karna- said he spoke to her on the reported “healthy sign” for democracy. “I must say that developing healthy rules that made it possible to unfurl the Parliament. taka’s fl ood-hit Kodagu district on tiff over protocol with state Tourism Addressing the 47th edition of his traditions for a sound democracy, mak- tricolour in public places. He congratulated Indian players Friday as unfortunate, Chief Min- and district in-charge Minister Sa Ra monthly radio programme Mann Ki ing constant eff orts to strengthen de- “Atalji took bold steps to bring about on their success at the ongoing Asian ister H D Kumaraswamy yesterday Mahesh. Baat, the prime minister expressed mocracy, encouraging open-minded fundamental reforms, whether in our Games and said they have won medals regretted the inconveniences caused “I believe this is the time to forget solidarity with Kerala, where over 400 debates would also be an appropriate election process or about the short- even in those sports in which the coun- to her. the diff erences and forgive each other people have died in devastating fl oods. tribute to Atalji.” comings concerning the people’s rep- try’s performance was not “so good “Though the state government and join hands in the rehabilitation of Modi also assured the Muslim wom- Modi’s remarks on simultaneous resentatives.” earlier”. and the district administration have the fl ood-aff ected people. The grave en the country’s support on the issue of polls comes almost a month after the He hailed Vajpayee for bringing the 91st “This too is a very positive indica- ensured and followed protocol de- situation in the district warrants it. social justice. Law Commission held discussions with Amendment Act, 2003 which restricted tion that most medal winners hail from spite the tough situation in the re- I look forward to the support of the “Presently eff orts are afoot and dis- most political parties opposing the the size of the cabinet in states to 15% of small towns and villages and these gion during her (Nirmala) visit, it central government, especially of cussions are being held about simul- proposal saying that it was against the the total seats in the Assembly and also in- players have achieved their success by was unfortunate that the defence the defence minister,” said Kumar- taneously holding elections to the Lok Constitution and would dilute regional creased the limit under the anti-defection putting in sheer hard work,” the prime minister had to go through certain aswamy. Sabha and state Assemblies. The gov- interests. law from one-third to two-third. minister said. Modi pledges more assistance to rebuild fl ood-ravaged Kerala

By Ashraf Padanna essentials like beds giving them He also announced compen- speedy mitigation of the suf- Thiruvananthapuram much relief for now. sation from Prime Minister’s ferings people in Kerala is going In a statement here yesterday, Relief Fund for victims, rebuild- through, in fact sharing their the governor’s offi ce said the ing damaged houses, additional pain,” he said. rime Minister Narendra Modi was monitoring the situa- 55mn person-days under the “We know that jawans (sol- Modi has promised all sup- tion on a daily basis since his Aug employment guarantee Act and diers) of our armed forces are Pport to Kerala struggling to 1-18 visit, and he would ensure repairing national highways and the vanguards of rescue and re- cope with the trail of deaths and enough funds. restoration of power. lief operations in Kerala. They destruction left by the century’s The National Crisis Manage- Also in his weekly address to have left no stone unturned as worst fl ood last week. ment Committee (NCMC) co- the nation, Modi lauded the re- saviours of those trapped in the He assured Governor P ordinated rescue and relief oper- silience of Keralites saying the fl oods.” Sathasivam who met him in New ations deploying 40 helicopters, sheer grit and courage of the peo- Maharashtra said yesterday Delhi on Saturday that he would 31 aircraft, ships with 500 boats ple of the state will see Kerala rise it would send 50 heavy-duty authorise more funds as soon as and close to 300 teams of forces again. pumps to drain out water from he got a detailed report. with medical supplies and assist- “In today’s pressing hard the Kuttanad region lying be- The federal government had ance. times, the entire nation is with low sea level as it remains sub- released Rs6bn in advance, be- Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks to Kerala Governor P Sarthasivam during their meeting in New Delhi He clarifi ed that 75% of the Kerala. Our sympathies are with merged. sides Rs5.62bn already made on Saturday. SDRF comes from the federal those families who lost their Meanwhile, the SDRF asked available to the State Disaster government which is expecting loved ones,” he said. organisations and individuals Response Fund (SDRF). and many with their relatives. at least Rs20bn. The authorities On their part, the opposition an additional memorandum on “Loss of lives cannot be com- surrender foreign-aid-in- kind The state is on a mission to It needs to repair and recon- have allotted Rs10,000 to each Congress party pledged 1,000 the damages caused by the sec- pensated, but I assure the grief- as only district collectors can re- rehabilitate more than a million struct 10,000km of roads and family whose home has become homes, ahead of the visit of its ond spell of fl oods once the res- stricken families that in this mo- ceive and distribute them. displaced people in 452 devastat- 221 bridges besides hundreds of unlivable. Each household swept president Rahul Gandhi tomor- cue eff orts are over. ment of suff ering, 1.25bn Indians The district collector would ed villages during incessant rains homes destroyed after a series of away will get Rs400,000 to re- row, each costing half a million Besides this, the Centre pro- stand by them shoulder to shoul- only get the items cleared from since May 29. 537 landslides in 12 of its 14 dis- construct them and Rs600,000 rupees. vided large quantities of emer- der.” customs. The rains and fl oods have taken tricts in two weeks. to buy land if needed. Gandhi will extensively tour gency food, water, medicines and He earnestly prayed for the Once cleared from customs, the close to 400 lives and destructed Since the state launched a But the victims say it’s too the fl ood-hit areas over the next other essential supplies includ- injured to get well soon and said district collector will determine 54,000 acres of crops aff ecting massive rescue and relief opera- small an amount as they need to two days. ing food grains. everyone from Kutch to Kamrup, the areas to distribute the aid. 300,000 farmers who also lost tions, the state chief minister’s build their lives anew. Thousands of volunteers from He highlighted that standard from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, is If organisations mobilising their cattle and poultry. distress relief fund (CMDRF) re- Several individuals and groups the diff erent parts of the state rules and procedure had been set contributing irrespective of age them was targeting a particular More than half a million peo- ceived Rs6bn from individuals are also coming forward to make are helping them to clean their aside given the emergency nature group or area of work. area in which they wish to dis- ple are still living in relief camps and groups, but the state requires homes for the displaced. houses and buying utensils and of requirement in Kerala. “Everyone is trying to ensure tribute, they can suggest. Gulf Times 12 Monday, August 27, 2018 PAKISTAN

Agriculturists and businessmen ECP extends I-voting dominate assembly

Internews from its 81 legislators, fol- Islamabad lowed by the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) with 54 contributors, the Pakistan to Pakistanis abroad griculturists, business- Peoples Party (PPP) with 32, men, landlords, medical the Baluchistan Awami Party Internews perts and constituted by the ECP tration Authority (NADRA) said readable passport (MRP), and a delist the overseas voter from the Aand law practitioners and Baluchistan National Party Islamabad to examine the possibility of in- that it is providing technical sup- valid e-mail address. local voter list. dominate the National Assem- with two each, and one be- troducing I-voting facility for port to the ECP on the orders of Overseas Pakistanis must reg- Registered voters will be sent a bly (NA). longing to the Awami National overseas Pakistanis has recently the apex court, and had provided ister with the online voting sys- voter password before the elec- The lower house of parlia- Party. he Election Commission warned that the system is likely a solution. tem to cast their votes. tions. ment has 79 agriculturists, 69 Hence, a total of 172 legisla- of Pakistan (ECP) has said to be attacked by foreign govern- He ruled out the possibility They will have to visit a web- On election day, the voters will businessmen, 19 agricultur- tors contributed to party fund- Tthat the Internet voting (I- ments and intelligence agencies. of misuse of the system, saying site (www.overseasvoting.gov. log into the website using their ists-businessmen, 32 full-time ing. voting) facility will be extended A report by the task force, that by-elections are to be held in pk) to register and create an ac- account, go to their constituency politicians, social workers and There are as many as 35 law- to overseas Pakistanis in coming made public by the ECP, says that only 37 constituencies of the na- count using their e-mail address using the voter password, select activists, 24 landlords, four makers having criminal cases by-elections, in compliance of foreign agencies pose an entirely tional and provincial assemblies, and mobile phone number. the option of “vote now”, and cast teachers, 27 law and medical pending against them in vari- Supreme Court orders. diff erent class of threat com- and that the number of registered Using the account, they will their vote. practitioners. ous courts. Commenting on statements of pared with ordinary hackers. overseas Pakistani voters would then log in to the website and se- Upon conclusion of the poll- Thirty-seven members of Of these, 18 of them belong some political leaders criticising These organisations typically not be more than a few hundred lect the menu of registration. ing, the ECP will enable the re- the National Assembly (MNAs) to the PTI, nine to the PML-N, the ECP for “acting in haste” over have vast resources and capabili- in any of these constituencies. The system will fi rst determine porting portal so that returning have not shared the informa- fi ve to the PPP, and one each to the introduction of I-voting, a ties at their disposal. The ECP, in collaboration with the eligibility of the voter, and offi cers may view and print re- tion in their Form B and affi - the Muttahida Qaumi Move- spokesman for the commission Their attacks can be extremely the NADRA, has developed an request him or her to enter the sults of online voting. davits. ment (MQM) and the Balu- said that the ECP had planned a stealthy and of a magnitude that online voting system for expatri- 13-digit unique identity number In a related development, Pa- There are 101 bachelor’s de- chistan Awami Party, and one pilot project that would not im- is sometimes diffi cult for a lay- ate Pakistanis. printed on the NICOP, the issu- kistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gree graduates and 49 with independent MNA. pact the actual poll results. man to even comprehend. Using this system, they will be ance date of the card, the MRP Senator Azam Swati has called master’s degrees in various Of the wealthy MNAs, four As per the plan, I-voting is to The report notes that the sys- able to cast their votes for their number, and the tracking iden- on Prime Minister Imran Khan disciplines. billionaires belong to the PTI, be introduced on an experimen- tem does not ensure ballot se- home constituencies from the tity number printed on the MRP. and presented him a report on Thirty-fi ve are law gradu- two to the PML-N, and one tal basis, and the commission has crecy as required under Clause comfort of their homes, using If the voter is eligible, the the much-talked about “RTS (re- ates, 20 are matriculate, and each to the PPP and the Awami opposed the inclusion of I-vote 94 of the Elections Act 2017, and any Internet-connected device system will ask two verifi cation sult transmission system) fi asco” one each is under matric and National Party (ANP). count in the actual results. Article 226 of the Constitution. like personal computer, mobile questions to confi rm his/her prepared by a committee headed illiterate in the legislature. PTI MNA from Peshawar The spokesman said that the The shortcoming is inherent to phone, laptop, or tablet. identity. by him. Interestingly, fi ve female Noor Alam Khan tops the list apex court had ordered the ECP the proposed model of Internet- An overseas voter who wishes Upon successful verifi cation, The prime minister has asked legislators hold M Phil and PhD with cash and assets worth to go for I-voting in the coming voting system. to use the system must have a na- the voter will be sent a notifi ca- Swati to seek the opinion of fo- degrees, compared with only over Rs3.2bn, followed by the by-elections. When contacted, an offi cial of tional identity card for overseas tion of successful registration, rensic experts before making the one male lawmaker. PML-N’s Ehsanul Haq Bajwa A task force comprising IT ex- the National Database and Regis- Pakistanis (NICOP), a machine- following which the system will report public. The legislature has eight bil- from Bahawalnagar, who has lionaires, including a Pakistan the net worth estimated at Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) law- Rs2.30bn. maker from Peshawar, who is PPP chairman Bilawal the wealthiest lawmaker with Bhutto-Zardari, who has been Waiting for a ride assets over Rs3.2bn, says a re- elected from NA-200 Larkana, Son of late port issued by the Free and Fair also has assets and cash worth Election Network (Fafen). Rs1.54bn. The report is based on the Likewise, PTI MNA from poet Faraz information contained in Karachi Najeeb Haroon has Form-B and affi davits as an- net worth of Rs1.32bn, while nexed to the nomination pa- another PML-N MNA from appointed pers submitted to the Election Bahawalnagar, Noorul Has- Commission of Pakistan (ECP) san Tanvir, has assets valued at by the contesting candidates of Rs1.25bn. leader of the recent general election. The PTI’s Sher Akbar Khan Fafen has converted the val- (the MNA from Buner) and ues in foreign currency in Paki- Yaqoob Shaikh from Dera Is- house in stani rupees at the rate appli- mail Khan, and the ANP’s Amir cable on August 13. Haider Azam Khan have cash The ruling PTI is in the lead and other valuables worth over Senate in terms of receiving funds Rs1bn.

The appointment coincided Election Commission announces with the 10th anniversary of the acclaimed poet’s death schedule for presidential election

Internews The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the Islamabad schedule for the presidential election, which will be held on September 4. According to the announcement, the last date for candidates to file rime Minister Imran Khan their papers is August 27 (today). has appointed party Sena- Candidates will have time till 12 noon to submit their nomination Ptor Syed Shibli Faraz as the papers with presiding off icers in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, leader of the house in the Senate. Peshawar, and Quetta. Elected to the Senate in March The papers will be scrutinised on Wednesday with the candidates 2015 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, having time until Thursday to withdraw their nomination papers, Faraz is the son of acclaimed after which the final list will be made public. poet Ahmad Faraz. A parliamentary session has been called for 10am on September 4, The announcement of his ap- ahead of the presidential elections. pointment coincided with the Pakistanis wait in line for a ride on a merry-go-round in Islamabad, on the second day of the Eid al-Adha. Members of the National Assembly and Senate, as well as members 10th death anniversary of his of all the four provincial assemblies will cast their votes. father. The offi ce of leader of the house was previously occupied by Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) senator Raja Mohammad Zafarul Haq, who PTI MPs vacating seats want family members nominated represented Shahid Khaqan Ab- basi and Nawaz Sharif in the up- per house of parliament. Internews when some of his party leaders the provincial assembly seats. for his brother Aqibullah Khan, of his nominees to contest the He ceased to hold offi ce af- Peshawar got PTI tickets for their sons, As Liaqat Khattak is the Now- who won the by-election and by-election. ter the formation of the PTI-led brothers, sons-in-law, or other shera District nazim (adminis- became an member of the Na- There are reports that he coalition government. close relations in the general trator), Pervez Khattak may seek tional Assembly (MNA). wants one of his brothers to get Rule 2(1) of the Rules of Pro- rime Minister Imran Khan election or by-elections. the PTI ticket for another broth- Ali Amin Gandapur also won the PTI ticket for the by-polls. cedure and Conduct of Business faces another test when In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), er or a nephew, who is a tehsil two seats. Dr Haider Ali, who won a NA in the Senate, 2012, reads: “The Pawarding Pakistan Te- the prime minister would have to (district sub-division) nazim in On Imran Khan’s instructions, and a KP Assembly seat from leader of the House shall be the hreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tickets for decide whether the PTI tickets Nowshera. he kept his NA seat from Dera Is- Peshawar, has already vacated prime minister or a member ap- the by-elections to be held on for the two Provincial Assem- Asad Qaiser has also vacated mail Khan and vacated the one in the latter for which by-election pointed by him to represent [the] October 14, as those who have bly (PA) seats vacated by former his PA seat in Swabi district. the KP Assembly. would be held on October 14. government and to regulate gov- vacated these assembly seats chief minister Pervez Khattak in He retained his NA seat that There are reports that he It is unclear who will get the ernment business in the Senate want their family members to be Nowshera district would go to he also won from his native wants the PTI ticket for one of PTI ticket. when the prime minister is not nominated. the latter’s nominees – his son Imran Khan: has always spoken Swabi. his brothers. Also in Swat, Dr Amjad Ali sitting in the House.” Khan has always spoken or brother – or someone else. against dynastic politics. It is said that he wants the PTI Former provincial minister Khan won two PA seats. Faraz, a former banker, is against dynastic politics, par- Khattak kept his National ticket for his brother Aqibullah Shah Farman, who lost one PA The by-election on one of the chairman of the Senate’s stand- ticularly in the case of the two Assembly (NA) seat after Khan infl uence in KP politics through Khan for contesting the PA seat. seat and won another from rural seats vacated by him would also ing committee on commerce and former ruling parties, the Pa- persuaded him not to insist on his family members and sup- In 2013 after the general elec- Peshawar in the July 25 general be held on October 14. special committee on circular kistan Muslim League – Nawaz becoming the chief minister porters. tion, Asad Qaiser kept his PA election, has been named by the The decision on the PTI tick- debt. (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peo- again. There are reports that Khattak seat and became the Speaker of prime minister as KP Governor. ets would have to be taken in the He is also a member of the ples Party (PPP). He was appointed defence may seek the PTI tickets for his the KP Assembly. As the by-election would be next few days because the nomi- committee on planning and de- However, he had to make minister in the federal cabinet, son, Ishaq Khattak, and brother, He vacated his NA seat on that held on the PA seat that he is go- nation papers must be deposited velopment and reforms, water compromises in the recent past but still seems keen to retain Liaqat Khattak, to contest for occasion and got the PTI ticket ing to vacate, he would like one between August 28 and 30. resources, statistics, and climate change, and a member of the parliamentary committee on the China-Pakistan Economic Cor- ridor (CPEC). He did a Master’s in Interna- National Assembly has only four members aged under 30 tional Relations from Colom- bia’s University de Los Andes in 1994. Internews programmes and interest-free loans to to Zardari of the Pakistan Peoples Party sister have also won in the past. Earlier, the PML-N had sent a Islamabad help them set up their own businesses. (PPP) is the son of the late former prime The Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid- request to the Senate chairman Even then, when the new assem- minister Benazir Bhutto, and is now e-Azam (PML-Q)’s Chaudhry Hussain for replacing Raja Mohammad bly members took their oaths of offi ce, chairman of the party. Elahi, 26, much like the other two, was Zafarul Haq as leader of the op- n 2012, in the lead-up to the last elec- young lawmakers were largely absent He entered parliament for the fi rst also in the political arena for the fi rst position in the Senate. tion, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from Pakistan’s 342-member parlia- time on August 13. time this general polls. The request, signed by sena- Ichairman Imran Khan promised to ment. In last month’s general election, Bhut- He is the son of former federal minis- tors from the PML-N, the Na- award 25% of his party’s tickets to young Currently, there are only four mem- to Zardari won from NA-200 in Larkana, ter Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and the tional Party, the Pakhtunkhwa members. bers of the National Assembly (MNAs) Sindh. nephew of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Milli Awami Party, and the Ja- Since then, the PTI’s vibrant social under the age of 30. His party is currently the third largest the PML-Q chief. miat Ulema-e-Islam – Fazlur media campaign, the slogan of creating a According to an independent study by in the National Assembly. The PTI’s Shahid Ahmad, 28, out- (JUI-F), was sent following the “Naya Pakistan” (“New Pakistan”), and the Daily Jang, these legislators make up The PPP’s Raza Rabani Khar, 25, se- paced several notable families of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s rooting out corruption, has resonated 1% of the total house. cured NA-183 Muzaff argarh and entered Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province to refusal to vote for PML-N presi- with the 64% of the country’s popula- The majority of the lawmakers are parliament with his sister, Hina Rabani secure a ticket of the PTI for the July 25 dent Shehbaz Sharif as the rival tion, who are aged under 30. aged above 40. Khar, the former foreign minister of Pa- election. candidate to the PTI’s Imran Last week, in his fi rst address as prime So who are the four youngest MNAs to kistan. The former member of the PTI’s youth Khan for the offi ce of the prime minister, Khan again spoke of the youth, be elected? The young Khar contested from his wing picked NA-34 in Karak, KP, and is Bhutto Zardari: one of four NA minister. vowing to introduce skill development Twenty-nine-year-old Bilawal Bhut- home constituency, where his father and now a member of the National Assembly. members aged under 30. Gulf Times Monday, August 27, 2018 13 PHILIPPINES Building frenzy Avancena wants more care centres set up for kids across nation

By Catherine S Valente activities.” “Facilities like this Manila Times also address the problem of ab- senteeism and tardiness preva- lent among working mothers,” resident Rodrigo Duterte’s Frias said. partner Cielito “Honeylet” Child-minding centres have Phas batted for the crea- been existing in Davao for two tion of child-minding centres decades – one of the reasons throughout the country. why the city has received awards Avancena, together with the for being the most child-friendly members of the Du30 Cabinet city. Spouses Association, made the Duterte, who served as mayor call during a visit to the new of Davao City for several years, child-minding centre in Davao planned to put up a child-mind- City. She encouraged other local ing centre in every district. government units to “emulate” “Due to diffi culties, the par- Davao City’s new child-minding ents work and leave their chil- centre, where busy working par- dren in their houses. Most of the ents can entrust and leave their time, it is the eldest, sometimes children for care. only a four-year-old kid, that Workers of MRT-7 are seen building the subway where trains will pass from North Avenue to the University Station in Quezon City. will look after his younger sib- “Due to diffi culties, the lings,” he had said. parents work and leave “It is heartbreaking that their children in their there are child fire victims be- houses. Most of the time, cause their working parents it is the eldest, sometimes locked them in their house,” he only a four-year-old kid, added. that will look aft er his Apart from Avancena, the younger siblings” members of the Du30 Cabinet Spouses Association are Baby During their visit at the cen- Alonto, Alelee Andanar, Jean tre, Avancena and the other Ano, Gina Bello, Jo-Ann Ca- Groups seek laws spouses of Duterte’s Cabinet of- macho, Marifel Castricciones, fi cials brought rubber mats, toys, Lani Cayetano, FerryLou Cui, books and groceries. Ball Dominguez, Kristine Dino, The wives of Executive Sec- Emmylou Go, Aloy Lim, Malou retary Salvador Medialdea Lopez, Edith Lorenzana, Ruby and Finance Secretary Car- Mamondiong, Betty Medi- los Dominguez said enabling aldea, Neny Pernia, Mylah women to work even as they take Roque, Mons Romulo, Marisol to curb child abuse care of their family was a “core Tugade and Che Uy. advocacy” of the Du30 Cabinet The Du30 Cabinet Spouses is By Neil Jayson Servallos to commercial exploitation,” de main culprits of child abuse is wrong,” she revealed. “Because render themselves to diff erent Spouses Association. the association of the spouse of Manila Times Castro said. unsupervised computer and In- they think they are just actually markets online because of poor Grace Frias said the centre Cabinet secretaries. They engage The groups want the age of ternet access among children, performing on the computer, family values and sexual educa- “does not just give substitute in socio-civic activities that consent raised to 16. such as the “Pisonet” scheme and there’s no contact, there is tion,” Pangilinan said. parental care but also provide support and complement the dvocacy groups vowed to De Castro cited a recent of renting net connection and no touch, it’s fi ne.” He added that sex education age-appropriate developmental government’s programmes. push for more eff ective Unicef study that tagged the early use of gadgets. She said an increasing should start at a young age. Alaws to raise the age of Philippines as the global epi- She said an estimated number of children are now be- “Most parents, even those in consent in order to deter child centre for child abuse, with 100,000 Filipino children are ing fi lmed and coaxed to be un- the middle class, do not know abuse and help better determine eight out of 10 Filipino chil- traffi cked through prostitution wittingly abused online, some- how to talk to their children. the grounds for statutory rape. dren reportedly at risk of cyber rings and cyber sex hubs each times by their peers. With that, they tend to lock The groups asked Senator abuse. year. According to Pangilinan, themselves in their rooms, and Risa Hontiveros to sponsor a bill Another study of interna- “This is a business of men. some individuals are “cashing their parents do not know that that will amend the anti-child tional humanitarian organisa- The best place to traffi c due to in on Facebook to put perverts they are in contact with preda- rape and anti-traffi cking laws tion Plan International com- poverty and geography, corrup- in direct contact with their vic- tors online, sending videos and that provide that children aged pleted in 2016 said children tion and Internet and mobile tims. Once the transaction ends photos,” he explained. 12 and above are legally able to from slum areas are abused in access, migration mentality, and photos and videos are sold, Meanwhile, Ernesto Al- consent to have intercourse. online shows, asked to carry out this makes us a perfect place for the connection through a secret mocera Jr of Plan International Dr Elizabeth de Castro of the degrading acts on fi lm and serv- traffi cking,“ Anthony Pangil- page will be deleted.” Philippines said educating chil- Psychosocial Support and Chil- ice a global audience of paedo- inan of Called to Rescue said. Plan Philippines said it is dren is mandatory. dren’s Rights Resource Center philes. In some instances, parents working with the Facebook “The culture of silence un- said 12-year-olds are still not “The Philippines has the low- abet the traffi cking of their chil- Philippines team based in Boni- wittingly emboldens our chil- able to comprehend the mean- est age of consent stated in its dren, Trish Ayson of child abuse facio Global City to control the dren to engage with others. Our ing of consent. laws, as compared to its neigh- rehabilitation through sports conduct of cyber sex using their country is generally a conserva- “Laws should not keep the bouring countries in Asia where group Girls Got Game said. social network. tive country and sexual matters age of sexual consent as low as the minimum is 16 or 18 years “Impoverished parents liv- “These incidents are not lim- like these are not discussed at 12 years, because even more Fil- old,” the study titled said. ing in Philippine shanties don’t ited to the marginalised, as even home and at school,” Almocera ipino children would fall victim De Castro said one of the believe they are doing anything more children unwittingly sur- said.

Firms urged to hire kin of slain police and soldiers

By Roy Narra source of income after the death of their them such as the Comprehensive So- roes, will live a life far from poverty by Manila Times loved ones in the military and police. cial Benefi ts Programme (CSBP), but he presenting them with job opportunities,” “It’s the least that we can do in honour said private employers could ensure that Año said. Three-hundred-forty-three of our fallen heroes who sacrifi ced their these dependents would have a stable dependents are employed at present, he private sector should employ own lives for our cause,” he added in a source of income. The CSBP aims to as- have been processed or were given liveli- dependents of military and police statement. Under Memorandum Circu- sist survivors of military and police per- hood opportunities under the CSBP. Tpersonnel killed in action and in lar 2018-116, Ano urged local chief ex- sonnel killed in action and in operations. Two-hundred-twenty-seven of them operations, the Department of the Inte- ecutives to recommend dependents for “We hope to forge a long-term part- were hired in various government agen- rior and Local Government (DILG) said. employment in private fi rms within their nership with the private sector in mak- cies while others are training with the Cielito ‘Honeylet’ Avancena, the president’s partner, and the spouses DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano said areas. ing certain that the families left by our Technical Education and Skills Develop- of Cabinet off icials distribute goods to children at the child-minding these dependents should have a new There are programmes that can help (military and police personnel), our he- ment Authority. centre in Davao City. Impeachment hearing against new chief justice on Sept 4

Manila Times Ifugao, Gary Alejano of Magdalo required to refer to the appropri- also over 200 administration Manila party-list and Tomasito Villarin ate House committee— in this lawmakers who allied with of Akbayan party-list on the case the House Justice panel— President Rodrigo Duterte who grounds that the unprecedented within the next three session paved the way for Sereno’s he Justice panel of the removal of Chief Justice Maria days. ouster as chief justice. House of Representatives Lourdes Sereno last May was The House Justice panel Lagman concedes that it is Twill tackle the impeach- unconstitutional since the Con- will then have 60 session days an uphill climb but maintains ment complaint lodged against stitution only provides that offi - to decide if the impeachment that such hurdles should not the newly-appointed Chief Jus- cials such as the chief justice can complaints are sufficient in deter him and his colleagues tice Teresita Leonardo de Castro only be removed via impeach- form and substance and will from fighting for their cause. and six Supreme Court justices ment and that the House and send its Committee Report to “It’s possible that Congress on September 4, the chairman of the Senate has the sole authority the plenary, which will then won’t be able to finish it (dis- the committee said yesterday. to initiate and resolve impeach- have to act on the report within cuss the impeachment com- “I was already informed that ment cases, respectively. 10 session days from its receipt. plaints in time) but we need the complaints will be includ- The complaint was fi led “Considering that the com- to do this to make a point that ed in the Order of Business on against de Castro, Diosdado plaints actually deal with the these justices should be dis- Tuesday (during plenary ses- Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis same subject matter, same is- qualified from seeking the sion). Under the (House) rules, Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, Andres sues, similar concerns will be highest position in the judici- we have a three-day notice rule. Reyes Jr and Alexander Ges- jointly heard by the committee ary,” Lagman said. Of course, we have to notify the mundo. on justice. There are seven, so President Duterte appointed respondents and secondly, pro- The opposition lawmakers it will be a joint hearing to make de Castro as chief justice on Sat- duce copies for the 55 members. fi led the impeachment com- it easier and simple,” Leachon urday, but the pendency of the So our target date for discuss- plaint last Thursday. House rules said. impeachment complaint could ing it will be September 4, at the require the House to include the It will be tough for Lag- still make a dent since de Cas- earliest,” Leachon said in a radio verifi ed impeachment raps of man and company from her- tro would be vacating the post in interview. the opposition lawmakers in the eon since time and numbers are October when she retires. At this Leachon was referring to the Order of Business for plenary not on their side, considering point, other justices who voted impeachment complaint lodged consideration within 10 session that the House only holds ses- in favour of Sereno’s removal via by opposition lawmakers Ed- days. Once it is calendared in the sions on Mondays, Tuesdays quo warranto can again apply for Teresita de Castro: facing challenge cel Lagman, Teddy Baguilat of Order of Business, the plenary is and Wednesdays. There are the chief justice post. Gulf Times 14 Monday, August 27, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES New satellite set for a mission to ‘curb emissions’ It is an interesting time for space exploration enthusiasts. Nasa, which launched the Parker Solar Probe earlier this month on a seven-year mission to unravel hitherto unknown facts about the Sun, is preparing to launch next month a cutting-edge, laser- armed satellite that will spend three years studying Earth’s changing ice sheets from above. The Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) will be How emerging industries able to measure the changing thickness of individual patches of ice from season to season, registering increases and decreases as small as half a centimetre. That is something incredible. Once the spacecraft begins its observations, scientists will have access to a wealth of new data. can secure state support? While the mission is optimised for studying ice at the poles, its data should also aid scientists studying Whatever the new sector, mobilisation around environmental showing signs of being accepted as market that it had little to fear from the issues. Regulators attempted to reduce a meaningful and viable sphere of emerging industry. In 2000, the total forests around the planet. ICESat-2, which cost a its chances of success dependency on foreign fossil fuels, and economic activity. But to really gain installed capacity of solar PV in Europe little over $1bn and is about the size of a smart car, will in obtaining regulatory the most commonly cited motivation legitimacy, a novel industry must was less than 1/1000th of that of the follow two previous major Nasa projects to monitor for FIT policies was to develop a also be coherent in its identity. For non-renewable energy. ice thickness. In 2003, the original ICESat began seven support increase with domestic industry. The move was instance, when oil companies such Hardly surprising then, that the coherence important for future competitiveness, as Shell or BP entered the solar PV technology was just not taken seriously, years of laser-aided measurements of ice height, but also came at a cost – both in terms industry, their moves (soon labeled as one environmental activist told the bouncing a single laser off the surface of the ice. The of spending and of potential threat to “greenwashing”) were perceived as researchers: “they think it’s so small satellite revealed the disturbing news that we have By Rodolphe Durand the established industries and current inconsistent with their core businesses and just to power a few lightbulbs”. A probably lost over two-thirds of the ice that used to be and Panikos Georgallis economic stability. and dampened the recognition of the strong incumbent can also strengthen New York Durand et al theorise that two main new sector by the state. Indeed, Durand a new industry’s sense of purpose, as it there back in the ’80s. features determined state support: the et al found a signifi cant eff ect of both portrays itself as a clear and convincing The cutting-edge Since ICESat-2 was not nascent industry’s identity and the category density and coherence in alternative. One PV professional ready to launch when ailroads, responsible structure of rival interests. Regulatory the cross-country data they collected interviewed in the study fi gured that satellite will investment and solar panels aid is unlikely to occur in a vacuum; and analysed. But, again, the wider the nuclear power industry, France’s the original mission would never have grown into there must fi rst be an existing, distinct competitive context also infl uences the dominant player,“ served as an enemy... study Earth’s ended, Nasa designed Rfull-blown industries without category to nurture and protect the likelihood of regulatory support. and you need an enemy to push an idea a stopgap airplane- initial backing from governments. But novel industry. Alternative industries *Fighting for turf forward”. And again, this positive eff ect changing ice based mission called how can nascent industries obtain state are in competition with incumbent The researchers examined the of rival interests was stronger when the support? A broad study of the European industries for state attention, meaning concentration of established industries emerging industry appeared coherent. sheets Operation IceBridge photovoltaic sector sheds light on the that the power of rival interests – here, the dominant, century-old to track particularly best conditions for a viable sector to probably plays a part. traditional energy sector – and found zBased on an interview with Rodolphe crucial areas of ice, recalled www.space.com emerge alongside strong established *How a new industry proves itself that a higher concentration of rival Durand and on his paper “Shine on Me: rivals. As a new industry category emerges, interests actually created a more Industry Coherence and Policy Support The new spacecraft will produce much more detailed A popular story in universities and it initially comprises few members favorable context for nascent industries for Emerging Industries”, co-written data than the original mission and more constant data media is that new industries are born and is not immediately seen as a valid (whereas one could have expected with Panayiotis (Panikos) Georgallis than IceBridge. ICESat-2 will orbit about 500km above and blossom like fl owers, purely on fi eld of activity, but as more fi rms entrenched companies to capture and Glen Dowell (Administrative Science Earth’s surface carrying the Advanced Topographic the strength of the energy and vision participate and start carving out a resources, or even to use their muscle Quarterly, 2018). of entrepreneurs. “But the truth is, market, acceptance grows. In addition, to quash emerging rivals). The main zRodolphe Durand, Professor of Laser Altimeter System (Atlas). The instrument will they need a gardener equipped with as the number of companies grows, explanation is that neither the state nor Strategy and Business Policy – HEC constantly emit a laser beam of green light, which will tools and water!” quips HEC pofessor they are more likely to create supportive the traditional sector perceives the new Paris. be split into six separate beams as it leaves the satellite. Rodolphe Durand, who has long worked networks and cultivate social ties, industry as a threat. For instance, when zPanikos Georgallis, Assistant Professor on how interactions between states which also increases recognition. the German government pioneered of Strategy at the Amsterdam Business The beams will then bounce off the surface of the ice in and companies shape industries. In Accordingly, policymakers are more feed-in tariff s for solar PV, the coal School, University of Amsterdam (UvA), a grid pattern. Most of the photons in the laser beams the case of emerging new industries, likely to endorse what is already industry had such a high share of the Ph.D. from HEC Paris. will be lost, but a handful will make their way back to “the gardener” is the state. As Durand the satellite, which can time how long that round-trip points out, the notorious so-called GAFAs emerged “at the intersection of took down to the nearest billionth of a second. universities and start-ups, with support While much of ICESat-2’s scientifi c value lies in its from both the federal state and the state laser, its orbit over Earth is also crucially important. of California.” Thanks to massive government The spacecraft will essentially circle from pole to pole, sponsorship, China was able to foster but carefully aligned to retrace its tracks. ICESat- the growth of its own version of the 2’s launch will be the last voyage of United Launch GAFAs. With only fragmentary state Alliance’s Delta II rocket, which has seen more than support, Europe has so far failed to do so. It turns out that new industries 150 launches over its nearly 30-year career. After might not be able to emerge on their the launch, the team behind ICESat-2 will spend own, like wild fl owers, after all. two months commissioning the spacecraft to make “Incumbents enjoy economies of scale, and they have got the networks sure everything is working properly before it begins to distribute their products” – gathering science data. The mission is scheduled to competitive advantages that simply last for three years, although the spacecraft will carry cannot be matched by newcomers enough fuel to potentially stay at work for more than without supportive public policy. So how do emerging industries attract 10 years, should Nasa choose to extend its duties. The state backing? new satellite promises to be a great way to measure the *Light from the photovoltaic industry status of the eff orts to curb emissions that continue to Rodolphe Durand et al were able to shed light on the conditions in which aggravate global warming. But it will not be of any use emerging industries come to receive unless all the data is used to redress a grave concern. state support by studying the European solar photovoltaic (PV) sector. Solar PV production grew rapidly in the 1990s and 2000s, but it was highly dependent To Advertise on public incentives. “It would never have taken up unaided, because of the [email protected] high cost of panels and the need for Display distribution infrastructures,” Durand explains. Incentives primarily took the 44466621 44418811 form of feed-in tariff (FIT) policies, whereby governments guarantee the Classified purchase of renewable electricity 44466609 44418811 fed into the grid at a particular price, typically for a guaranteed number of Subscription years. Why did the government decide to [email protected] invest in FIT policies for these novel technologies? Back then, concerns A file photo dated 31 May 2011 showing two fitters working on a solar system on the roof of the Technical University’s Gerber house in about global warming and the 1986 Dresden, Germany. Germany, Europe’s largest economy is a global leader in solar energy, with the number of photovoltaic systems © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Chernobyl accident encouraged in use countrywide increasing significantly despite its lack of sunshine compared to countries in the south. Gulf Times Monday, August 27, 2018 15 COMMENT Vulnerabilities in emerging economies

By Michael Spence As a result, credit is tightened, While this is rational for investors, Milan balance sheets deteriorate (especially it does not support policymakers’ if companies or banks have borrowed interest in sustained growth. in a foreign currency), investment That is why successful capital- ust before the collapse of the contracts, and growth takes another account management must focus on US investment bank Lehman hit. promoting stability, controlling risks, Brothers triggered a fi nancial These imbalances develop as a and aligning capital-market fl ows with Jcrisis that would engulf the result of a hands-off approach to economic-growth and employment world economy, the Commission on capital-account management, based objectives. Growth and Development published on the assumption that capital-market In the post crisis period, ultra-low an assessment of emerging-economy incentives and growth strategies are interest rates in developed economies growth strategies, aimed at drawing always aligned. spurred capital fl ows into higher- lessons from previous research and In fact, it is hard to fi nd any example yielding emerging-market assets experience. of a country that has achieved denominated in the local currency. Over a decade later, many – if sustained growth with such an At the same time, many emerging- not most – of those lessons remain approach. market corporations borrowed in US unheeded. To be sure, capital markets are not dollars or euros, in some cases with In emerging economies, sustained the enemy. little or no dollar revenues to match the medium or high GDP growth is the key But the alignment of interests dollar-denominated debt service. to advancing development and raising between external investors and As experience shows, this is a risky incomes. domestic policymakers is imperfect, approach. Of course, crises inevitably produce at best. As long as interest rates remain very major setbacks with long recovery Sophisticated investors routinely low, the risk premia they (and asset periods, drastically reducing growth in maintain that economic growth is not prices generally) imply remain below income and wealth. determinative of investment returns. reasonable assessments of the actual But ten years is a long time, and the It is valid point. evolving risks embedded in the system. gap between what experience dictates Returns on an investment depend For investors looking at the short emerging economies should do and what on the valuation of fi nancial assets, term, that is a party worth enjoying – they have been doing remains large. among other factors. from a position near the exit. While some countries have achieved Only in a simplifi ed theoretical For many emerging economies, it sustained medium or high growth, they model would these valuations be is imperative to pursue a rebalancing have relied on high levels of public and determined solely by growth in the of growth patterns, with a greater private investment, fi nanced mainly by expected underlying cash fl ows. focus on resilience, and a more active domestic savings. One might argue that while approach to managing debt and capital By contrast, running persistently File picture dated on September 24, 2010 shows two employees of Christie’s auction house manoeuvring the Lehman valuations and the underlying growth fl ows and their eff ects on asset prices, large current-account defi cits creates Brothers corporate logo, which was featured in the sale of art owned by the collapsed investment bank Lehman Brothers, in dynamics can diverge in the short and exchange rates, and growth. vulnerabilities and often leads to London, England. medium run, they eventually converge. Otherwise, the dangers of disruptions, as external fi nancial Whether or not that is true – and it unsustainable growth patterns will conditions change. Persistent undervaluation, achieved sustained for an extended period. If external fi nancial conditions may well be – most fi nancial investors bring the party to an abrupt halt, Borrowing in foreign hard currencies through the accumulation of foreign- The risks associated with an are favourable, this pattern can be don’t care about the long run, and their potentially triggering fi nancial is particularly risky, as depreciation of exchange reserves, reduces the overvalued currency are more severe. sustained for some time. agents usually do not get rewarded for contagion. the local currency can cause liabilities incentive to pursue structural reform For starters, growth and But, as recent experience has long-run performance. Already, as escalating trade tensions to surge. and achieve productivity growth. employment in the tradable sector is shown, a change in such conditions Financial investors understand that generate added uncertainty, nervous Emerging economies thus should This is one element of the well- adversely aff ected, essentially because can force countries either to allow adequate returns may persist for a investors are edging toward the door. – be working to constrain debt levels, known middle-income trap. the terms of trade are mismatched with currency depreciation or to delay it while, but that imbalances and risks Project Syndicate though the extent to which this is Moreover, the return on foreign- the economy’s productivity levels. by purchasing large amounts of local may necessitate a hasty exit at any needed depends on growth, as strong reserve assets is usually quite Furthermore, an overvalued currency using the central bank’s moment. zMichael Spence, a Nobel laureate in and resilient increases in GDP reduce low, because the local currency currency will usually be accompanied foreign-currency reserves. As the emerging-market economist economics, is professor of economics leverage ratios. will appreciate (even if it remains by a current-account defi cit and In any case, markets eventually force Robert Subbaraman puts it in the title at New York University’s Stern School The value of the currency is also undervalued) if the economy is excessive reliance on foreign capital to an often-sharp depreciation of the of a recent report: “Enjoy the Party, of Business and Senior Fellow at the relevant. growing – a pattern that can be fi nance investment. currency. but Stay Close to the Door.” Hoover Institution. Benin community turns waste into biogas Three-day forecast Every 10kilos of waste fetches 250 operations late last year. his project in Benin’s West African TODAY AFP Maximum Temperature : 400c Houegbo, Bénin CFA francs (around 50 euro cents, 57 In addition to the customers’ neighbours Ghana and Togo. US cents), paid either in cash or credit household waste, there is also rubbish But it was the enthusiasm with Minimum Temperature : 330c – to buy biogas. collected by a local non-government which the locals embraced his idea TUESDAY arbage has never smelled The fuel is a precious commodity organisation, Astome. that finally convinced him to set up Maximum Temperature : 390c so sweet for a small village in a rural region where electricity The NGO’s chief, Florent Gbegnon, the waste treatment centre here, he Minimum Temperature : 320c in southern Benin since remains scarce. says he used to collect it on a push said. WEDNESDAY it opened a pilot waste Agnes Avoce, a shopkeeper and cart, but he now uses a tricycle The goal is to establish “a real Maximum Temperature : 390c G Minimum Temperature : 310c treatment centre to turn household mother of five, proudly straps a provided by the centre. economy that serves the population large plastic bag of the gas onto her “It’s a huge relief,” he says as he and protects the environment,” he rubbish into gas – and cash. Fisherman's forecast “Our trash has become gold. We no back. dumps a load of pineapple skins. says. “We have to take the problems longer throw it into the bush. We use Biogas, she says, is much cleaner “Pushing the cart was a real burden.” locally and adapt them to local WARNING It was the massive amounts of waste solutions.” Inshore : Poor visibility expected it to make money,” beams Alphonse and more effi cient for cooking than at places by early Ago, who lives next to the centre in charcoal – which “darkens the pots such as pineapple skins that originally Once the necessary expertise has morning Houegbo village. and makes me sick” – and she is more caught the attention of ReBin’s become more fi rmly established in Offshore : Nil ReBin, a Swiss foundation for than happy to make the switch. founder, Mark Giannelli, and inspired Houegbo, Giannelli hopes to extend WEATHER Inshore : Misty to foggy at sustainable development, built the Avoce is not alone; fi ve other women him to set up the treatment centre in the project to larger municipalities and places by early 1.3-hectare (3.2-acre) facility, which are waiting to pick up gas. Houegbo. let local entrepreneurs run it. morning,becomes hot every week turns around six tonnes of “There are queues here since we “I saw this not as a problem, but as The centre’s director, Sewai daytime with some clouds, humid by night organic waste into 200 cubic metres opted for biogas,” another customer an opportunity, and I thought it was a Mardochee, suggests duplicating it in Offshore : Misty at times with of biogas – saving some 164 tonnes says. goldmine,” Giannelli said. all of Benin’s 77 municipalities. some clouds. of wood from being used to make Symphorien Adonon, 35, drops Benin is Africa’s fourth-biggest “We can then create jobs and clean WIND Inshore : Southeasterly-North- charcoal. off a week’s worth of carefully sorted exporter of pineapples. And in up our living environment by reducing easterly 05-15 KT The centre, which opened late last waste, smiling as he pockets his cash Houegbo, which has one of the busiest the use of fi rewood and coal,” he said. Offshrore : Northeasterly-South- year, also plans to produce around 400 payment. markets in the region, local sources Nicolas Hounje, a retired offi cial, easterly 05-15 KT tonnes of organic fertiliser per year. “Now I have enough to do the estimate that more than a tonne of has put himself forward to take over Visibility : 4-8/2 KM So far, around 100 households in the shopping for dinner,” says Adonon, waste is generated every day from that the company. area have signed up to the scheme to who drives a motorcycle taxi. fruit alone. “We did not know here that garbage Offshore : 2-4 FT deposit their waste at the centre on a The centre has treated more than Giannelli said that he had been can become a source of happiness,” he says. daily basis. 20 tonnes of waste since it began searching for a potential site for Around the region Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Baghdad Sunny 43/27 Sunny 43/27 Kuwait City Sunny 43/31 Sunny 45/32 Live issues Manama Sunny 41/31 Sunny 40/31 Muscat Sunny 32/27 M Sunny 32/26 Tehran Sunny 35/24 Sunny 36/23 Eye exam shows promise in predicting Alzheimer’s

were experiencing symptoms of By Michele Munz Alzheimer’s. St. Louis Post-Dispatch Out of the study group, 17 had PET scans or lumbar punctures that showed evidence of accumulating sing an easy eye exam, plaques. The eye exams of all 17 also researchers at Washington detected retinal thinning and large University of Medicine in areas without blood vessels in the USt. Louis were able to detect centre of their retinas. evidence of Alzheimer’s disease in The retinas appeared normal in patients before they had symptoms of patients whose PET scans and lumbar Around the world the disease. punctures were also normal. Weather Weather The fi ndings, involving 30 patients, In previous studies, researchers today Max/min tomorrow Max/min were published recently in the journal examining the eyes of people who had Athens S T Storms 31/22 P Cloudy 29/24 JAMA Ophthalmology. died from Alzheimer’s reported the Beirut P Cloudy 29/26 M Sunny 29/26 Scientists estimate that eyes of he patients showed signs of Bangkok Rain 30/26 S T Storms 32/26 Alzheimer’s-related plaques begin thinning in the retina and degradation Berlin Cloudy 24/13 P Cloudy 23/12 accumulating in the brain two decades of the optic nerve. Cairo P Cloudy 35/24 Sunny 35/24 before the onset of symptoms. In the new study, researchers used a Cape Town Showers 13/11 P Cloudy 16/10 Physicians can use PET scans and technology similar to what is found in Colombo T Storm 28/25 P Cloudy 28/25 lumbar punctures to detect the many eye doctors’ offi ces to measure Dhaka S T Storms 32/27 T Storm 31/26 plaques, but the tests are expensive thickness of the retina and optic nerve Hong Kong S T Storms 29/25 T Storm 29/26 and invasive. fi bres. They added one component Istanbul P Cloudy 30/23 P Cloudy 29/23 Researchers have been looking for to the common test –angiography – Jakarta M Sunny 34/26 S T Storms 34/25 ways to detect the disease sooner and which also allowed them to look at Karachi Cloudy 30/26 P Cloudy 30/26 test drugs to intervene. blood-fl ow patterns. London P Cloudy 21/11 M Cloudy 22/13 “We know the pathology of “In patients whose PET scans Manila S T Storms 31/25 M Cloudy 31/26 Alzheimer’s disease starts to and cerebrospinal fluid showed Moscow Sunny 29/14 P Cloudy 28/16 develop years before symptoms preclinical Alzheimer’s,” Van Stavern New Delhi T Storm 30/27 T Storm 32/27 appear,” said co-principal Dr Gregory Van Stavern (seated) and Dr Rajendra Apte examine the eyes of a said, “the area at the centre of the New York P Cloudy 33/25 Sunny 36/26 investigator Dr Gregory Van woman using technology that one day may make it possible to screen patients retina without blood vessels was Paris S Showers 23/11 M Sunny 28/17 Stavern, “but if we could use for Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms begin. significantly larger, suggesting less Sao Paulo Cloudy 16/13 P Cloudy 23/13 this eye test to notice when the blood flow.” Seoul T Storm 26/23 T Storm 26/22 pathology is beginning, it may be people are needed, but if changes people in their 40s or 50s, Van The Post-Dispatch is midway Singapore S T Storms 31/26 T Storm 31/26 possible one day to start treatments detected with the eye test can be Stavern said. through a series on a woman, 63, and Sydney M Sunny 13/06 Sunny 15/05 sooner to delay further damage.” used as markers for Alzheimer’s The 30 study participants had an her struggle with dementia and getting Tokyo Clear 36/27 Cloudy 32/25 Longer studies involving more risk, it may be possible to screen average age in the mid 70s. None a diagnosis. – Tribune News Service Gulf Times 16 Monday, August 27, 2018 QATAR

More than 1,000 staff and faculty attended the PUE Forum 2018. QF pre-university education hosts third annual PUE meet atar Foundation’s (QF) and innovation in teaching and tioner – Non Academic’ in recog- pre-university education learning characterises our QF nition of our hard work. Courtney Q(PUE) has kicked off the schools,” said al-Nuaimi. Piper, teacher at Awsaj Academy, 2018-2019 academic year with its “I am proud to be a part of this which operates under PUE, said, “I third annual PUE Forum. organisation and to have the op- am beyond humbled and honoured The PUE Forum 2018 – which portunity to celebrate everyone’s to receive the award for ‘Best Edu- took place at Qatar National success together as a community. cation Initiative’. Convention Centre and was at- With the eff orts, hard work, and “The incredible results of lan- tended by more than 1,000 staff dedication of each and every one guage acquisition amongst the and faculty – gave employees of our employees, we are able to students at Awsaj Academy have the opportunity to network, cel- fulfi l our vision of ‘Leading Learn- been made possible by the out- ebrate achievements through the ing’.” standing team I have had the priv- announcement of the winners The forum featured an awards ilege to work with over the years. of the annual PUE Awards, share ceremony — an initiative launched I am looking forward to watching ideas, and build long-lasting re- during the PUE Forum 2016 — de- our students develop further.” lationships between teachers and signed to recognise exceptional During his speech, Stuart staff members across all of PUE’s eff orts, as well as to build morale, Leeming, executive director of schools and centres. motivation, and mutual respect QF Schools, congratulated all the Buthaina Ali al-Nuaimi, presi- among all PUE employees. award winners on their achieve- dent of Pre-University Education, Award categories included ‘Ex- ments, highlighted a number of QF, welcomed the PUE commu- ceptional Contribution to Col- recent successes, and encouraged nity with an inspiring speech cele- laboration across Schools’, ‘Ex- the PUE community to continue brating recent successes and wel- ceptional Contribution to Student striving for excellence. coming the new academic year, set Welfare’, ‘Best Education Initia- The forum also featured student to begin with over 5,000 students tive’, ‘Outstanding Teacher’, ‘Out- performance segments that show- enrolled across 10 PUE schools. standing Practitioner – Academic’, cased the abilities of four students Al-Nuaimi also highlighted that and ‘Outstanding Practitioner – from PUE schools. Junayd Koch, the 2018/19 academic year will see Non Academic’. Grade 11, Qatar Academy Doha; the opening of a new high school Salem al-Marri, head of Com- Fatma al-Muhannadi, Grade 5, specialising in Science, Technolo- munity and Outreach at PUE, who Qatar Academy Al Khor; Moham- gy, Engineering, and Math (STEM) was among the award recipients, med al-Naimi, Grade 11, Qatar subjects, Qatar Academy for Sci- said, “My team and I worked very Leadership Academy; and Jade ence and Technology, which will hard on this project and it’s an D’Mello, Grade 12, Qatar Academy operate under the umbrella of PUE. incredible honour to be given the Sidra, gave inspiring speeches and “Commitment to excellence award for ‘Outstanding Practi- performances. The winners of this year’s PUE Awards receive their accolades. Doha Festival City celebrates KidZania Doha signs deal for kid-sized hotel

idZania Doha and Al Azizi- Eid with Ben 10 live shows yah Boutique Hotel have Kpartnered to create a kid- sized hotel inside the 5,500sqm oha Festival City (DHFC) Ben 10 made its debut in Qa- also presented the famous Al educational and entertainment marked its second Eid tar, entertaining visitors with Rayyan TV’s show Ya’Alaydo facility, it was announced. KidZa- Dal-Adha with family- dedicated activity zones and for the fi rst time in the country, nia is an award-winning educa- friendly activities and much- an augmented reality platform giving visitors a chance to inter- tional and learning concept while adored Ben 10 live stage shows, called the Ben 10 Hero Experi- act with loved TV personalities Al Aziziyah is a fi ve-star property enjoyed by hundreds of visitors. ence AR Pod. through their entertaining live currently acquired by Aspire Zone The celebration will continue Such one-of-its-kind off er- performances. DHFC will also Foundation and managed by The until August 30 with three live ing “allowed families and chil- host the third and fi nal draw of Torch Hospitality. shows daily in addition to an ex- dren to transform into one of the Qatar Summer Festival on Au- The co-operation between the periential activity zone. four signature aliens.” DHFC gust 31. two companies will help children pay close attention to details, boost their organisational skills, the ability to communicate well with guests and their colleagues, and the discipline of upholding fi ve stars service excellence. Inside the hotel, children can KidZania governor Ric Fearnett and The Torch Hospitality Group’s area general manager Sherif Sabry role-play as housekeepers, wait- during the agreement signing. ers/waitresses or receptionists and engage in tasks like arranging international and local brands a unique experience in immersing pretend roles, learning a variety the bed with linens, pillowcases, and companies. Our partnership them in a real-life setting and will of values, including self-reliance, duvet cover and bedspread, en- with Al Aziziyah Boutique Hotel help them to think and react like team work, honesty, integrity and suring the room is cared for and will provide a strong platform for a professional of the hospitality giving back to society. inspected according to standards. communicating with future gen- industry”. KidZania is the world’s fastest As waiters they will learn how erations and upholding service KidZania Doha, which is ex- growing family entertainment to arrange tables to fi ve-star excellence,” KidZania governor pected to open its doors by the brand, with KidZania Doha ex- standards and appropriately Ric Fearnett said. end of 2018, will provide a unique pecting to welcome more than communicate with the guest to The Torch Hospitality Group’s educational and entertainment 300,000 visitors year-on-year. ensure satisfaction. Also, as re- area general manager Sherif experience with 42 establish- The establishment will be able to ceptionists they will learn how to Sabry said: “We are confi dent Al ments. Children aged between accommodate up to 1,000 chil- greet and register guests. “Kid- Aziziyah Boutique Hotel activities four and 14 years old will be able dren with approximately 250 em- Zania strives to co-operate with within the city will off er children to role play ‘adult jobs’ in up to 60 ployees at a time.

A large number of children enjoying the Ben10 live show at DHFC. Doha Festival City is one-stop shop for back-to-school needs

Various stores and boutiques Participating with the back-to- featuring the iconic sisters, Anna comfortable items of clothing for at Doha Festival City (DHFC) school campaign, launched on and Elsa from Frozen. With children to use on a daily basis. are off ering discounts on an August 1, and runs until September elegant backpacks, Mosafer Angry Birds World will be off ering array of school accessories, 13, ACE off ers numerous back- off ers a selected choice of school customers a bundle of reasons to including numerous stationery to-school essentials such as accessories, with the added sprint to DHFC to get the much- and backpack options to choose organisational furniture and other benefit of a gift voucher, old awaited Angry Birds backpacks. from. “There is nothing better storage items, important for any backpacks from any brand, can With a devoted surprise to all than starting the new academic little one to organise their needs. be exchanged for a gift voucher shoppers during the back-to- year with brand new school gear, Samsonite features colourful which can discount up to 25% school season, Purificacion Garcia including pencil cases, lunch boxes designs for their children’s off on the purchase of any item. will be off ering customers an and backpacks embellished with backpacks. Personalised Muji, the minimalist Japanese exclusive notebook with any much-adored cartoon characters backpacks and accessories are brand, welcomes parents and purchase on their selected back to and glittering motifs,” DHFC said available at Pottery Barn Kids. children to come visit their store school off erings. Virgin Megastore in a statement. Children celebrate The popular Japanese brand, to find a range of diff erent gear is off ering an exclusive education the end of the summer season by Daiso, features backpacks with for this annual occasion. Marks off er on their MacBook Pro preparing their essential back- all-time favourite Disney film & Spencer’s off ers a multitude laptops, saving up to QR1,250 and to-school accessories, marking characters, as well as pencil of accessories and uniforms to receiving six-month instalment their school debut alongside their cases and lunch bags inspired choose from, helping to create a plan with 0% interest from Ben 10 characters entertains young visitors. peers, in a new academic year. by the much-loved Disney film memorable school year, off ering Commercial Bank.