BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1

Qatar shortlists Qatar

partners for favourites
North Field but India
expansion, keep up
but says may hope in
go it alone qualifier

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GULF TIMES

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TUESDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11302
September 10, 2019
Muharram 11, 1441 AH

www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief
QATAR | Phone talk
Saudi urged to follow Amir opens new Trauma
Amir wishes Kuwaiti
leader good health
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim
international law like and Emergency Center
bin Hamad al-Thani held a phone
conversation yesterday evening with
the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah
al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah during
Qatar, end Gulf crisis
which His Highness was reassured zDoha refutes allegations over unjust blockade
about the health of the Kuwaiti
leader following a medical check-up zRiyadh told to have the courage to submit its allegations
in the United States. His Highness the and supposed evidence to the scrutiny of independent
Amir wished the Amir of Kuwait good
health and wellness. international bodies and to co-operate with the ongoing
QATAR | Official visit Kuwaiti mediation to find an end to the crisis
Amir to meet Gambian
of Ramadan, and continuing to unlaw-
president tomorrow QNA
fully discriminate against Qatar and
Doha
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Qataris in every way possible,” the
Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will meet statement said.

Q
tomorrow with Gambian President atar has affirmed its commit- “In addition, despite KSA’s claims
Adama Barrow, who arrives today ment to the rule of internation- that it welcomes Qataris to enter the
for an official three-day visit to Qatar. al law, noting that it has chosen country, several incidents of enforced
During the meeting at the Amiri at every turn of the Gulf crisis to co- disappearance of Qatari citizens have
Diwan the Amir will discuss with operate with mechanisms of interna- been reported including the most re-
President Barrow ways to promote tional law to reach a peaceful solution. cent disappearance of a father and son
and develop bilateral relations in In a statement yesterday, the Minis- documented by the National Human
various fields. Also, they will discuss try of Foreign Affairs said: “Qatar calls Rights Committee in Qatar as per the
several issues of common interest. upon KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) committee’s statement No 6 of 2019,
to do the same: to have the courage to upon which Amnesty International on His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani listens to a briefing about the treatment and care at the new
BRITAIN | Politics submit its allegations and supposed the 3 September 2019 called upon the Trauma and Emergency Center.
Fresh blow to Johnson evidence to the scrutiny of independ- KSA authorities to reveal their wherea-

H
over Brexit documents ent international bodies and to co-op- bouts. is Highness the Amir Sheikh
erate with the ongoing Kuwaiti media- “It is also unfortunate that KSA in- Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani
British MPs voted yesterday to tion efforts to find an end to this crisis. sists on reiterating the same baseless officially inaugurated yester-
demand Prime Minister Boris A resolution to this crisis and the lift- accusations around the alleged sup- day Hamad Medical Corporation’s
Johnson release confidential ing of the illegal blockade imposed port of terrorism by Qatar, a country new Trauma and Emergency Center,
documents relating to Britain’s EU upon Qatar since 5 June 2017 will ben- that hosts the Global Coalition Against one of the largest in the region, along
exit, during a final day of defiance efit not only Qataris, but Saudis, who Daesh, and is a founding member of with Qatar’s first Hyperbaric Therapy
before he suspends their session also have been suffering because of the the Riyadh-based Terrorist Financing Unit.
until just weeks before Brexit. measures the Government of KSA has Targeting Center (TFTC) established The inauguration was attended by
MPs voted by 311 to 302 for a taken against Qataris, who are the fa- in May 2017, one month before the im- HE the Prime Minister and Interior
motion by a rebel Conservative MP thers, mothers, brothers, sisters, stu- position of the unlawful measures re- Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser
demanding the government publish dents, and friends of the Saudi people.” ferred to in KSA’s statement. bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE the Minister
all documents relating to Operation The statement said at a time when “While KSA refers to ‘international of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed
Yellowhammer, the effort to prepare all parties involved in the GCC dis- law’, it has acted in violation of inter- al-Kuwari, other dignitaries and a
for a “no deal” Brexit. Page 13 pute should be co-operating with the national law at every turn. While KSA number of senior doctors and officials
Kuwaiti mediation efforts rather than attempt to articulate justifications for at HMC.
AMERICA | Politics further escalating tensions in the re- its conduct, it has acted to avoid real His Highness the Amir toured the
Trump: peace talks gion, KSA released a sudden and un- accountability and justice before neu- facilities, and was briefed on the med-
founded press release on 7 September tral bodies of the United Nations. The ical facilities linking the new building
with Taliban are ‘dead’ 2019 that continues to regurgitate the reason for KSA’s conduct is obvious: with the relevant departments at Ha-
President Donald Trump yesterday said oft repeated false allegations against when faced with the possibility of a mad General Hospital (HGH).
that US peace talks with the Taliban Qatar. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs real neutral investigation and analysis The Hyperbaric Therapy Unit
are “dead” and that he is ramping the in Qatar finds itself obliged to respond of the facts underlying its conduct, it houses a cutting-edge hyperbaric ox-
war back up after cancelling secret to this attempt at twisting the truth, attempts to evade and to obfuscate,” ygen therapy chamber, that can hold
talks with the Afghan insurgents at his and the release of self-serving and un- the statement explained. up to 18 people and provides oxygen
weekend retreat. “They are dead. true statements,” it said. “For example, in September 2017, therapy for a range of medical condi-
As far as I am concerned, they are “KSA’s statement alleges that the Qatar invited the United Nations Of- tions as well as decompression treat-
dead,” Trump said at the White House coercive measures imposed on Qatar fice of the High Commissioner of ment for diving accidents. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is being briefed
about the long-running attempt to and Qataris merely constitute a cutting Human Rights (OHCHR) to dispatch The new centre marks a significant by HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari about the
reach an agreement with the Taliban of diplomatic and consular ties. How- a Technical Mission to Qatar and co- expansion of trauma and emergency medical facilities at the new Trauma and Emergency Center.
and extricate US troops following ever, in reality, KSA’s unlawful coercive operated with the mission to ensure services in Qatar. In addition to a new
18 years of war. The announcement measures have been directed at both that the truth would prevail. KSA took Emergency Department, it also offers centre as an important milestone in ing capacity and improving services.
followed Trump’s dramatic cancellation Qatar and its people, including clos- the opposite course: it ignored an in- trauma, urgent, and critical care serv- the provision of emergency and trau- This commitment will ensure that the
of a top-secret plan to fly Taliban ing all land, air and sea borders, expel- vitation from the Technical Mission to ices and features a dedicated ramp for ma care in Qatar. people of Qatar will continue to re-
leaders in for direct talks at the Camp ling Qataris from Saudi Arabia with no conduct a similar mission in KSA and ambulance arrivals at HGH. “The inauguration of the new Trau- ceive the best possible care delivered
David presidential facility outside basis, including the mass expulsion of refused to engage with other UN bod- HE the Minister of Public Health ma and Emergency Center underlines in leading-edge facilities, now and for
Washington. Qatari pilgrims during the holy month ies.” To Page 7 described the opening of the new our ongoing commitment to expand- many years to come. To Page 24

Hamad Port enters Guinness World Records

z Recognised for having ness World Records. It also emphasises Hamad Port’s basin is 4km long, the construction and excavation of the
the deepest artificial port Qatar’s capability of developing inno- 700m wide and 17m deep. Basin con- port basin that was built on land in a
vative projects in line with the highest struction works needed two and a rare operation of its kind in interna-
basin created on land global standards,” the minister said. half years of excavation, during which tional ports. The award also came as
“Hamad Port’s continuing achieve- over 6,900 tonnes of explosives were recognition for advanced infrastruc-
By Shafeeq Alingal ments place us before a double respon- used to challenge the drafts - with ture that supports eco-friendly port
Staff Reporter sibility towards our society so as to “full commitment to preserving wild- technologies worldwide.
continue our performance according life and marine life” - to extract more Hamad Port was also classified by the
to world standards and our ambitious than 44.5mn cubic metres of dredged Lloyd’s List Global Awards 2018 among

H
amad Port, Qatar’s gateway to goals,” he added. material, which was later used in other the top eight international ports in the
world trade, has added another HE al-Sulaiti noted that latest tech- construction works of the project, re- field of innovation and among the top
accomplishment to its list of nologies have been used - since con- sulting in huge savings, the Ministry of five ports in terms of operations. The
achievements by entering the Guinness struction began at Hamad Port - to en- Transport and Communications said port was commended for deploying
World Records for having the deepest sure high levels of work efficiency in line in a statement. constructive initiatives and ideas, as
artificial port basin created on land. HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti with the best global quality standards. This new Guinness World Records well as its efficient operational proc-
HE the Minister of Transport and receiving the certificate from Guinness World Records representative Swapnil Also, the concerted efforts of both the certificate is an addition to a collection esses and overall unique performance.
Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed Dangarikar in the presence of other officials yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil staff and partners have always been the of universal certificates and rankings In terms of operational process-
al-Sulaiti received the Guinness World key to the port’s milestones, he added. achieved by Hamad Port. es, Hamad Port managed to set new
Records certificate from the organisa- port basin created on land measures lights the significance of the port. “Ha- “The port has met all the parameters The port won high commendation records in August this year, celebrat-
tion’s representative, Swapnil Danga- 17m and was achieved by the Minis- mad Port winning such a universal cer- needed for the certification. The Guin- in the Coastal Dredging Project of the ing two key milestones; the handling
rikar, during a special event held at the try of Transport and Communications tificate signals the importance and size ness World Records title was given af- Year category at the inaugural IHS DPC of over 3mn TEUs and 7mn tonnes
ministry yesterday. (Qatar) at Um Al Houl, Qatar.” of the project. Such an achievement is ter a team of experts carried out a thor- Innovation Awards. The commenda- of general and bulk cargo since the
The Guinness certificate, dated Sep- Addressing the media, HE al-Sulaiti a new addition to a collection of world ough inspection,” Dangarikar told Gulf tion was awarded to Hamad Port for commencement of operation of the
tember 9, reads: “The deepest artificial stressed that the certification high- records the country has set at the Guin- Times on the sidelines of the function. the deployment of unique systems in facility. Page 7
 Gulf Times
2 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

QATAR
Amir congratulates
Tajikistan president President Lourenco returns to Angola
His Highness the Amir Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and
His Highness the Deputy Amir
Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad
al-Thani sent yesterday cables
Qatar a strategic
partner of Angola:
of congratulations to Tajikistan
President Emomali Rahmon on
the anniversary of his country’s
Independence Day.
HE the Prime Minister and
Minister of Interior Sheikh

foreign minister
Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa
al-Thani also sent yesterday
a cable of congratulations to
Tajikistan Prime Minister Kokhir
Rasulzoda on the anniversary of
his country’s Independence Day.

A
ngola’s Foreign Minister He explained that the strate- a new stage for the movement
Manuel Domingos Au- gic projects that the parties will of goods and trade exchange
Amir greets North gusto has said that Qatar start to implement in Angola, between the two countries.
is a strategic partner of Angola, represents an important start The Angolan foreign minister
Korean leader which seeks to take advantage for cooperation between the two pointed out that the coopera-
His Highness the Amir Sheikh of Doha’s experience in exploit- countries, and that the next two tion between the two countries
Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His ing its natural resources to build years will see other notable steps can include different sectors, Angola President Joao Manuel Lourenco left Doha yesterday after an official visit to Qatar. He was seen
Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh a development renaissance and in the field of fruitful co-opera- the most important of which are off at Hamad International Airport by HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif
Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani, and achieve the well-being of its tion between the two countries. those related to economic di- Ahmed al-Sulaiti, Qatar’s ambassador to Angola Abdullah Hussein al-Jaber, and Angola’s ambassador
HE the Prime Minister and Minister people. The Angolan foreign minister versification, adding Qatar has to Qatar Jose De Lemos.
of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin In an interview with Qatar stressed that the visit of Presi- an important experience in this
Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani sent News Agency (QNA), the Ango- dent Joao Manuel Lourenco to field through its relentless en-
yesterday cables of congratulations lan foreign minister added that Doha marked an important step deavour to reduce dependence
to the chairman of the State Affairs Angola’s ambition to achieve in the process of building distin- on its natural resources.

Qatar attends meeting of GCC

Commission of the Democratic a pioneering development en- guished relations between the He added that the two coun-
People’s Republic of Korea, Kim courages it to co-operate with two countries. tries could make a big difference
Jong-un, on the occasion of the Qatar to benefit from its unique He praised Qatar’s success at the level of those sectors, by
founding of the republic. experience in exploiting its re- history in terms of economic de- bringing in Qatari funding and

anti-corruption agencies
sources of oil and gas to create velopment, pointing out that the technology to exploit Angola’s
a diversified and sustainable two countries share commonali- natural resources, which would
Amir condoles economy. ties and similar characteristics, provide double benefits to both
“President Joao Manuel as they are important produc- sides.
with Burkina Faso
Q
Lourenco has directed his gov- ers and exporters of oil and gas. To achieve these objectives, atar is participating in At the outset of the meet- and enhance their chances of
president ernment to work to strengthen “The difference between them an agreement was reached to the fifth meeting of the ing, the ACTA president praised success and benefit.
relations with Qatar, and turn is that Qatar has used its energy organise a visit for a delegation agencies responsible for the efforts of Oman in organis- He reviewed the achievements
His Highness the Amir Sheikh the existing diplomatic rela- inputs extensively and success- of Qatari businessmen to An- promoting integrity and com- ing this meeting and enhancing of Qatar in the field of prevent-
Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His tions into concrete partnership fully, to become an important gola to explore the realities of bating corruption in the Gulf the joint GCC action in various ing and combating corruption,
Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh projects,” he said. global player in this aspect,” he investment and the opportuni- Co-operation Council (GCC), fields, especially the protec- the most recent of which was the
Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani sent Augusto said Qatar and An- added. ties offered by the investment which is being held in the Oman tion of integrity and combating adoption of the National Strat-
yesterday cables of condolences to gola have agreed to start im- He said the announcement of environment in the country, capital, Muscat. corruption. egy for Promoting Integrity and
Burkina Faso President Roch Marc plementing strategic projects, Qatar Airways that it will launch especially in the oil and gas sec- The Qatari delegation was led He also pointed to the level of Transparency.
Christian Kabore on the victims of which will benefit both sides and direct flights to the capital Lu- tor and other sectors including by HE the President of the Ad- co-operation between the bod- He also announced Qatar’s
attack on a convoy and bombing of many countries on the African anda, as of next March, will rep- tourism, industry and natural ministrative Control and Trans- ies concerned with protecting bid to host the 10th session of
a truck in the Sanmatenga province continent. resent an important impetus and resources, he added. (QNA) parency Authority (ACTA) Ha- integrity and combating corrup- the Conference of States Par-
of Burkina Faso, wishing the injured mad bin Nasser al-Misned. tion in the Gulf countries, which ties to be held in 2023, stress-
a speedy recovery. The meeting discussed the was reflected in the flow of ideas ing that it is consistent with the
HE the Prime Minister and Minister
of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin
Cables of condolences sent to Mali president achievements of the GCC in-
tegrity protection and anti-
and initiatives presented by the
concerned bodies.
legacy of Qatar in upholding the
role of the Convention against
Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani also sent corruption agencies in the past He stressed the need to de- Corruption and strengthening
yesterday a cable of condolences His Highness the Amir Sheikh Keita on the victims of a building al-Thani also sent yesterday a period, which witnessed the velop a plan of action that takes its measures in order to con-
to Burkina Faso Prime Minister Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani that collapsed in Mali’s capital cable of condolences to Mali preparation of guidelines and into account the prioritisation of tinue to support the relevant
Christophe Dabire on the victims of and His Highness the Deputy Bamako, wishing the injured a Prime Minister Boubou Cisse a number of GCC initiatives in topics and schedules, distributes international effort.
attack on a convoy and bombing of Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin speedy recovery. on the victims of a building the areas of integrity protection tasks among national actors, and He added that hosting the
a truck in the Sanmatenga province Hamad al-Thani sent yesterday HE the Prime Minister and that collapsed in Mali’s capital and anti-corruption. The meet- sets specific implementation conference is in the interest of
of Burkina Faso, wishing the injured cables of condolences to Mali Minister of Interior Sheikh Bamako, wishing the injured a ing also discussed the future mechanisms, so as to maximise the Gulf countries in general not
a speedy recovery. President Ibrahim Boubacar Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa speedy recovery. work plan. the time and resources available only Qatar. (QNA)
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 3

QATAR
‘Lens of Tourism
Competition’

Northwestern University
launched
Qatar Youth Hostels yesterday
announced the launch of “Lens
of Tourism Competition” for
undergraduate students in order
to promote tourism and highlight
tourist attractions in Qatar. The

opens media museum

competition will run till October 23.
The competition aims to
encourage talented youth to
photograph and direct tourist
and heritage sites in Qatar, and to
give youth a chance to show their
talents. It also aims to enhance

L
ocated in the heart of one impact,” said Everette E Den- Exhibitions at the Media Ma- the tourist side and highlight
of the most advanced me- nis, dean and CEO, NU-Q. “The jlis are curated so that visitors the tourist and heritage places
dia and communication museum’s programming, which can journey through media- through photography.
schools in the world, the Media will explore everything from centric themes, exploring hun- The participation standards state
Majlis at Northwestern Uni- Arab representations in film, to dreds of images and films, as that participants must express
versity in Qatar (NU-Q), which censorship and identity, under- well as scores of original inter- travelling and tourist attractions
is dedicated to the exploration scores the importance of media views developed in-house with and archaeological sites in
of journalism, communication, in society and draws on images scholars and professionals who Qatar. Guides can be hired from
and media in the Arab region and materials from local sources are experts on the museum’s Qatari museums or travellers as
has opened at Northwestern and global collections.” current exhibition topic. part of the film. Documentary
University’s campus in Doha. A group of international me- The Media Majlis’s inaugural information must be from official
The Media Majlis features a dia scholars and experts formed exhibition, Arab Identities, im- sources. The duration of the film
multi-screen facade, as well as a Content Advisory Board that ages in film, considers how over does not exceed three minutes.
space where exhibition content advised the university as it de- a century of film history has A number of places have been selected
and technology converge. The veloped this unique museum shaped and been shaped by no- to invite participants to choose one
technology elevates a visitor’s where its exhibitions and pro- tions of Arab identities. of them to be filmed, which are Umm
experience by inviting them to grams are incorporated into the The exhibition, which fea- Sawyah Village, Borouq, Al Ghariah
participate in a global conversa- school’s curriculum and all ex- tures clips from more than 200 Village, Moroub Village, Rakiat Village,
tion on a continually changing hibitions and programming is films ranging from the 1880s to Thaghab Village, Coot Village and
media landscape. open to the public. the present day, is accompanied Ayaal Al-Theeb Site.
Drawing its name from the A member of the advisory by loans posters, lobby cards Initial registration for the contest
traditional Arab majlis or gath- board, Lisa Corrin, director and drawings from regional is done via the page: http://hi-
ering place the museum seeks of the Block Museum of Art private collections in Kuwait qatar.com/ar/touristlens/
to be a vital source of interper- at Northwestern University in and Beirut, as well as interna- The Media Majlis at NU-Q is dedicated to content on media and communication. Then the movies are to be sent
sonal communication that con- Evanston noted the connec- tional, including a print from via e-mail (infohi-qatar.com) and
nects values of local culture to tion between the mission of the 1851 on loan from the Victoria Newsroom, along with an audi- experience, leaving them more Jacir; and the Syrian directors attached with the following data:
universal and global concerns. Media Majlis and the academic and Albert Museum in London. torium that seats more than 100. empowered and knowledgeable and sisters Soudade Kaadan and full name, university and college,
All exhibitions are bilingual in program at NU-Q. The exhibition will be on view This space provides the Me- to make their own opinion on Amira Kaadan. university ID number, phone
English and Arabic, adding to “The museum’s mission is through December. dia Majlis with the opportunity the subject at hand.” In addition to the screenings, number and film name.
the museum’s global essence to amplify the raison d’etre of The Media Majlis is sur- to offer programming tied to For the current exhibition, programming also includes Winners will be announced on
and eliminating language bar- Northwestern University to be rounded by academic resources each exhibition. Pamela Ersk- Arab Identities, images in film, panel discussions on topics such the same day as the screening of
riers from telling the full story. a portal through which young and learning spaces. Located in ine-Loftus, director of the Me- programming includes ex- as the art of critiquing film, the the films. Prizes from first to tenth
“The Media Majlis, a decade minds can learn to think criti- the building that houses North- dia Majlis said, “Our exhibitions clusive film screenings with challenges of becoming an Arab place will be QR7,000 for first
in the making, is a space where cally about how the vast media western’s campus in Qatar, it are complemented by a series prominent filmmakers such as filmmaker, and how the his- place, QR5,000 for second place,
our students and faculty, as landscapes shape our world and has access to a projection thea- of programs and publications the director of the Academy tory of the Arab world changes QR3,000 for third place, along with
well as the general public, can in turn how they can use these tre for screening films, a black that examine and discuss vari- Award-nominated “Paradise alongside an ever-changing en- other gifts for winner of the public
engage with content that ex- platforms to have influence in box for theatrical dramas, and ous angles to provide audiences Now,” Hany Abu-Assad; Pal- vironment of film and journal- vote on social media platforms and
amines media influences and and beyond Qatar,” she said. a world-class fully-automated with a 360-degree engagement estinian filmmaker Annemarie ism. (QNA) for the fourth to tenth place. (QNA)

Malaysia presents Order Thai PM meets Qatar’s ambassador

of Commander to A-G 415 building permits
issued in August
T
he Planning and Sta- stituted 50% (208 permits),
tistics Authority has and finally fencing permits
published the monthly with 2% (9 permits).
statistics of building per- An analysis of new resi-
mits and building comple- dential buildings permits data
tion certificates issued by all shows that villas top the list,
municipalities. accounting for 72% (118 per-
According to the data, 415 mits), followed by dwellings of
building permits were issued housing loans permits by 19%
in August. Al Rayyan Mu- (31 permits) and apartments
nicipality comes top with 115 buildings by 5% (9 permits).
building permits, 28% of the Commercial buildings were
total issued permits, while found to be in the forefront
Doha and Al Wakrah munici- of non-residential buildings Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha met yesterday with Qatar’s ambassador to Thailand
palities come in second place permits with 48% (16 per- Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on the occasion of the end of his tenure in the country.
with 85 permits each, 20%; mits), followed by govern- During the meeting, they reviewed the bilateral relations between both countries and ways to
followed by Al Da’ayen Munic- mental buildings with 21% (7 boost and develop them.
ipality with 58 permits, 14%, permits), then mosques and
then Umm Slal municipality industrial buildings (work-
with 32 permits, 8%. shops and factories) with 15%
The rest of the municipali- (5 permits) each comparing QCS organises workshop on patient’s life after treatment
Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah has awarded ties were as follows: Al Khor 17 number of permits issued in
the ‘Order of Commander’ to Qatar’s Attorney-General permits (4%), Al Sheehaniya August with those issued in The Qatar Cancer Society treatment. It included several of stories of those living with the
HE Dr Ali bin Fetais al-Marri at the Royal Palace in Kuala 14 permits (3%), and finally Al the previous month it noted a (QCS) organised a workshop awareness sessions, most notably disease were shared, in addition
Lumpur, in recognition of the efforts of Qatar in combating Shammal 9 permits (2%). general decrease of 41%. on patient’s life after treatment a discussion session on patient’s to how they were able to inspire
corruption. Malaysia is currently the vice-chairman of the In terms of type of permits The increase was noted as part of its “Your Smile is Our life after treatment presented by others through the sharing of
executive committee of the Association of Anti-Corruption issued, data indicates that the in all municipalities as fol- Life” programme to support an oncologist, who reviewed the these stories through all the
Authorities, which is led by Qatar and includes more than new building permits (resi- lows: Al Khor (56%), Al and empower cancer patients, most important side effects of available means to enhance
100 countries. The two parties co-operate in a number of dential and non-residential) Sheehaniya (55%), Umm Slal recovered patients and their the disease and how to cure and their moral support and self-
joint projects, including the academic initiative to include constitutes 48% (198 permits) (45%), Al Doha (44%), Al families as well as care providers. overcome all stages, in addition confidence, and to emphasise
anti-corruption programmes within the curricula at the of the total building permits Shammal (40%), Al Rayy- The workshop, which targeted to tips to maintain a healthy that most of the symptoms are
primary and university levels. issued, while the percentage an (39%), Al Wakrah (35%), women only, discussed the lifestyle. temporary and can be overcome.
of additions permits con- Al Da’ayen (32%). side-effects of the disease and During the workshop, a number (QNA)

Culture ministry hosts induction Ehsan Center begins

awareness campaign
days of ALECSO and ISESCO on Alzheimer’s
T
he Qatar Foundation for So- people, and identify the most

T
he Ministry of Culture cial Work’s Center of Em- important needs and social and
and Sports hosted the powerment and Elderly Care health rights.
induction days of the (Ehsan) has launched an awareness Mubarak bin Abdulaziz al-
Education, Culture and Science campaign in tandem with World Khalifa, executive director, Eh-
Organisation (ALECSO) and the Alzheimer’s Day, which is observed san, said that educating the eld-
Islamic Educational, Scientific on September 21. erly and community members
and Cultural Organisation (IS- The campaign seeks to raise is one of the centre’s most im-
ESCO) at the ministry’s head- awareness about the disease, its portant strategic goals, adding
quarters yesterday. The event causes, symptoms, stages, pre- that a range of events, activities,
was attended by the represent- vention methods and the most workshops and awareness cam-
atives of the two organisations, important guidelines for dealing paigns are held in this month to
the Qatar National Committee with Alzheimer’s patients. achieve this goal.
for Education, Culture and Sci- The awareness campaign, He also stressed the importance
ence, officials of the ministry which runs until September of community co-operation as
and a number of employees. 22, includes a series of events well as the involvement of all in-
The induction days of the and activities aimed at raising dividuals and specialists who care
two organisations will be held Officials at the ceremony. awareness, educating the com- for the elderly and Alzheimer’s
in Qatar over two days, where a munity about Alzheimer’s dis- patients, including the families
meeting for the representatives nation relations that bind the tion (Unesco). It established the with dealing with these two spirit of solidarity and inte- ease and highlighting the most of patients, to familiarise them
of the two organisations will be commission with international National Commission to act as organisations, as well as the re- gration among human beings, important guidance and coun- with all aspects associated with
held at Katara today to intro- and regional organisations, in- a liaison between that organi- gional and sub-offices of these adding that co-operation with selling awareness to deal with this disease and to train and guide
duce their efforts and strategies cluding ALECSO and ISESCO, sation and the ministries and organisations, she added. these organisations has a posi- the disease and prevent it. them on how to deal with it in
and ways to cooperate and ben- and ways to benefit from these authorities concerned with the The secretary-general tive impact on many develop- The activities and events will various stages in order to provide
efit from the programmes of- organisations in the develop- sectors of education, science, stressed that the relations be- ment projects and plans in the coincide with guidance aware- the best social and healthcare for
fered by the two organisations. ment and modernisation of culture and information in the tween of Qatar and these or- country through the imple- ness campaign on Ehsan’s so- them. There is a real partnership
In her remarks, Qatar Na- educational, cultural and media country to benefit from the ganisations continued in order mentation of the programs and cial networking platforms that between the institutions and spe-
tional Commission for Edu- policies in the country. Unesco services, programmes to take advantage of its poten- activities of these organisa- would involve all members of cialists working in them to develop
cation, Culture and Science She pointed out that Qatar and projects, she said. After the tial as a civilised framework in tions, and many agreements the community in this campaign modern methods of dealing with
Secretary-General Dr Hamda was one of the first countries to establishment of ALECSO and which people reunite to con- signed with the ministries and for greater spread and interac- the elderly in accordance with the
Hassan al-Sulaiti spoke about join the UN Educational, Sci- the ISESCO, the Qatari Nation- tribute together in building relevant institutions in the tion in order to enhance care and latest standards, experiences and
the co-operation and co-ordi- entific and Cultural Organisa- al Commission was also tasked human beings, and to foster a country. (QNA) attention to the category of older global practices, he added. (QNA)
 Gulf Times
4 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

QATAR

Contact British
Airways directly,
Qatar Airways
advises strike-hit
Waasla founder and CEO Ali al-Marri (left) and QSTP executive director Yosouf Abdulrahman Saleh shake hands after signing the
agreement.
BA passengers
By Pratap John showed. The industrial action tion but to cancel nearly 100% of
Business Editor over pay on Monday and Tuesday our flights,” British Airways said
by members of the British Airline in a statement.

Cloud-based SRM platform gets Q

Pilots Association (BALPA) trade The airline stressed that it re-
atar Airways has urged union followed around “nine mained willing to return to talks
passengers of British months of failed talks”. but the union — which is seeking
Airways to contact its British Airways, owned by a bigger share of company prof-
oneworld partner directly for as- London-listed International Air- its — accuses BA for not wanting

QSTP product development fund

sistance in view of the UK-based lines Group (IAG) and which op- to negotiate. According to AFP,
airline’s first-ever pilots’ strike, erates about 850 flights per day British Airways and its 4,300
which led to cancellation of hun- in Britain, said it had no option pilots have been locked in a dis-
dreds of flights. but to cancel nearly all scheduled pute that could disrupt the travel
Asked whether British Air- flights. On the first day of the plans of nearly 300,000 people
The platform covers all aspects of
Q
atar Science & Tech- Customer Profiling Platform’, ways passengers could opt to fly strike, 145,000 passengers faced in total over the two days. Pilots
nology Park (QSTP), by iHorizons. Al-Marri said, the airline’s oneworld partner cancelled international and do- are also threatening to strike for
part of Qatar Founda-
SRM, from initial registration to “We are excited to secure Qatar Airways, the Doha-based mestic flights mainly at London’s one more day on September 27 —
tion Research, Development, ongoing performance assessment, QSTP’s financial support. national airline’s spokesperson Gatwick and Heathrow airports. and then possibly again closer to
and Innovation, has awarded Equally important, we look told Gulf Times, “Qatar Airways British Airways chief executive the winter holidays — should the
its Product Development Fund offering businesses a complete view forward to receiving the sup- is unable to assist passengers in Alex Cruz called for talks to con- dispute drag on.
(PDF) to Waasla, a cloud- of their supplier relations port of QSTP’s team of men- receipt of a British Airways is- tinue. BALPA has rejected a pay in-
based supplier relationship tors, which will be instrumen- sued ticket on a British Airways “We urge the union to please crease of 11.5% over three years
management (SRM) platform Artificial Intelligence (AI) and business productivity in Qatar. tal in the development and document. sit down with us as quickly as that the airline proposed in
designed to enhance supplier machine learning to assist “Through such agreements, marketing of our product in “However, as a oneworld part- we can so that we can reach an July. BA says the offer would see
performance and relations. businesses in selecting and we demonstrate our unwaver- Qatar and the region.” ner, should British Airways de- agreement,” he told the BBC. flight captains receive “world-
QSTP’s PDF assists and en- collaborating with suppliers. ing commitment to the devel- To be eligible for the PDF, at cide to re-protect any of its pas- There were very few passen- class” pay and benefits of around
courages small and medium- The platform covers all as- opment of the local innovation least 20% of the private sec- sengers on Qatar Airways flights gers milling around the depar- £200,000 ($246,000 or 220,000
sized enterprises (SMEs) and pects of SRM, from initial reg- ecosystem and contribute to tor SME should be owned by a due to cancellation, this will ture area at Heathrow airport euros) a year. The airline pointed
startups in priority areas of istration to ongoing perform- the growth of tech startups Qatari individual, and the SME be agreed between both airline Terminal 5 in west London, AFP out also that two other unions
energy, environment, health- ance assessment, offering and innovative technologies.” should have up to 249 employ- partners based on availability. As said. representing 90% of the airlines’
care, and ICT to develop in- businesses a complete view of Since its launch in 2016, ees. Qatar-based SMEs that such we would advise any British Blue screens displayed a mes- workers have accepted the 11.5%
novative products or services their supplier relations. QSTP’s PDF has awarded sub- are successful in securing PDF Airways passengers affected by sage saying that BA was “deeply raise.
that are relevant to the needs QSTP director of Prod- sidy grants to 18 SMEs, eight of support may be awarded funds the industrial action to contact sorry” for the “large number” BALPA boss Brian Strutton
of the local market. uct Development and Grant which have successfully grad- of up to 50% of the cost of the British Airways directly.” of cancellations at T5, home to also apologised for the travel
The funding agreement was Management Fund Aysha al- uated from the programme product or service proposal. Yesterday, British Airways its British operations. “Unfor- chaos – but defended the historic
signed by QSTP executive di- Hamadi said, “We are happy with innovative products that Currently, five new projects cancelled almost all flights de- tunately, with no detail from industrial action and blamed the
rector Yosouf Abdulrahman to ink another funding agree- range from a smart edutain- are under evaluation by parting and arriving into the UK, BALPA on which pilots would company for failing to negoti-
Saleh and Waasla founder and ment, this time providing ment app, ‘Haya’, by Al-Doha QSTP’s team of industry man- as the airline’s first-ever pilots’ strike, we had no way of predict- ate. “We are very sorry for all the
CEO Ali al-Marri in a ceremo- support for Waasla, a promis- Link, to an autonomous de- agers, and QF’s research, de- strike began, sparking travel ing how many would come to disruption that’s been caused by
ny at QSTP yesterday. ing startup that aims to play livery vehicle, ‘Droid’, by Air- velopment, and innovation chaos for tens of thousands of work or which aircraft they are the industrial action,” he told the
Waasla’s platform employs an essential role in boosting lift QSTP, and an ‘Automated experts. passengers, an AFP dispatch qualified to fly, so we had no op- BBC.

Children explore genomics at Msheireb Museums event

M Msheireb Museums workshops catered
sheireb Museums, the school students, to raise aware- audience by being interactive,
four revived historic ness on the vitality of genetics for relevant, and fun. We are proud
Qatari heritage houses to all ages with engaging educational our future and Qatar’s advanced of the workshops we have deliv-
in the heart of Msheireb Down- content covering various aspects of efforts on this front. ered this summer. We received
town Doha, concluded its Sum- The Genome workshop wraps lots of positive feedback from our
mer Workshop Programme on science and arts up the summer programme that participants and visitors, and we
Saturday with a children-centric Msheireb Museums launched look forward to a similarly excit-
workshop on genomics. to the Heart of Life Exhibition at educational content on the role early in July to reinforce its rela- ing autumn/winter programme,”
The workshop had children, Bin Jelmood House to learn more played by precision medicine in- tionship with the local commu- Msheireb Museums director Dr
aged 10 to 18 years old, explore ge- about the genetic heritage of the stitutes to protect our nation from nity and support Qatari talent, Hafiz Ali.
netics and the basics of genomic people in the region. QGP work- disease, enhance the health of providing them with a platform Msheireb Museums is consist-
medicine in an engaging method shop hosts, Dima Darwish and future generations, and provide to share their knowledge, passion, ently transforming their practices
that involved role play as potential Tasnim Fadl, worked closely with trusted precision medicine for and enhance their skills. The pro- and offerings to remain closer to
scientists under the supervision the young explorers to teach them each patient,” Msheireb Museums gramme covered many areas such the community. As a social his-
of Qatar Genome (QGP) and Qatar the importance of genetics in education manager Aisha Ali al- as photography, novel writing, tory museum, the mission of the
Biobank (QBB), both members of precision medicine and to inspire Kuwari said. architecture and pattern design, four houses goes beyond putting
Qatar Foundation. them to consider a future career in Last year, Msheireb Muse- science, and many other fields ca- history on display to using it to
The young participants wore healthcare. ums, QBB, and QGP announced tering to all age ranges and prefer- encourage societal development,
special scientist costumes, used “This collaborative workshop an agreement to create training ences. establish dialogue between cul-
Children learn genetics and the basics of genomic medicine in an lab equipment to conduct experi- with Qatar Biobank and Qa- workshops and engaging activi- “We work continuously to cre- tures, build bridges, and define a
engaging method that involved role play as potential scientists. ments, and visited the Journey tar Genome provides scientific ties for the public, with focus on ate programmes that engage our sustainable future for Qatar.

WCM-Q to host
Removal of traffic signal on Al Tarfa Intersection assessment
workshop for
physicians
Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar
(WCM-Q) has announced that
it will conduct a two-and-a-
half-day training course on
competency-based medical
education for healthcare leaders
and educators. The course will be
held from September 19 to 21.
The course, titled ‘Assessment
in Competency Based
Medical Education: A Faculty
Development Programme’, has
space for 40 participants
and is intended for physicians
only, particularly residency
and fellowship programme
directors, associate programme
directors and faculty members
with responsibility for the
assessment of residents/fellows.
The course is being provided
through a regional Accreditation
Council for Graduate Medical
Education (ACGME) training hub
established in Qatar as part of a
memorandum of understanding
between the ACGME and WCM-Q.
Upon completion of the course,
participants will be able to discuss
the implications of competency-
based medical education, employ
tools for effective assessment and
feedback, explore key strategies
The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) yesterday announced the removal of the traffic signal on Al Tarfa in identifying and remediating
Intersection for one month. Left turns from Al Tarfa and Leawaina Streets will be closed and two of three lanes a struggling learner, and apply
will remain open at Al Tarfa Street. Intersection users can use Leabib Intersection to reach their destinations. techniques to improve direct
Ashghal will install road signs advising motorists of the changes on the road and requested all road users to observation. For more information
abide by the 50km speed limit and follow the road signs to ensure safety. and to register for the course, one
can visit https://bit.ly/2zpEgFX
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 5

QATAR
E-signatures come
QNB ‘Open Career Day’ to HMC, PHCC sick
leave certificates
to be held on Sept. 14 T
he sick leave certificates is-
sued by Hamad Medical
Corporation (HMC) and the
Primary Health Care Corporation
(PHCC) has been updated in a way
and to keep pace with the techno-
logical development at the various
departments in the country.
The source explained that the
physician concerned would fill in the

Q NB Group will organ-

ise an ‘Open Day’ on
September 14 at the
Sharq Village Resort from
that it would not require the signa-
ture of the physician or the stamp of
the health facility that issued it.
The certificate will be issued elec-
sick leave form on the computer with
the necessary information indicat-
ing the name of the patient and the
number of off days required.
9am-5pm. The event is aimed tronically with an e-signature and Then, the certificate will be ready
at attracting and recruiting barcode, a medical source told local for print to be submitted at the des-
Qatari talents. Arabic daily Arrayah yesterday. ignated entity without the need of a
Open Day is part of the The system will be implemented handwritten signature or a stamp.
group’s commitment to the initially at government health fa- In the meantime, the source re-
development of national hu- cilities only. As for the private health vealed that the denomination of
man resources and stresses its facilities, sick leave certificates will assistant physician has been intro-
role in building the capacities continue to be signed and stamped duced as part of the categories of reg-
of Qatari nationals towards in the usual way. These certificates istration and licenses for physicians.
building a sustainable knowl- could be issued to HMC and PHCC The decision is meant to support
edge-based economy in line employees, students and employees Qatari and expatriate graduates of
with Qatar National Vision of all organisations and entities. Qatar University and give them op-
2030. The Department of Health Prac- portunity to start their professional
It also aims to enhance titioners at the Ministry of Public careers in medicine without under-
QNB’s position as one of the Health has developed this system mining the safety of patients or the
best job destinations in Qatar, to save time and effort of both the quality of the health care services in
which succeeded to attract health professionals and patients the country, Arrayah added.
and retain qualified staff in
Qatar and across its interna-
tional network, to achieve its QNB offers training and continuous development programmes, including more than 300 specialised training courses during
vision of becoming a leading this year alone, with an average of 15 training hours at least per employee.
bank in the Middle East, Afri-
ca and Southeast Asia (MEA-
SEA) by 2020.
Abdulla Mubarak al-Kha-
professionals, who will be
introduced to various job op-
portunities available in the
in top management positions
has exceeded 77%, with more
than 82% in branch manage-
The bank also offers train-
ing and continuous develop-
ment programmes, including
national economic growth,
which represents a main pillar
of its overall strategy.
Met department warns
lifa, acting Group CEO, said:
“We attach a great impor-
tance to our employees as
bank’s various departments,
as well as the banking and fi-
nancial sector.
ment. Women’s participation
is above 40% in various posi-
tions across the Group’s op-
more than 300 specialised
training courses during this
year alone, with an average of
The group also participates
in many other events catering
to the development of the na-
of strong winds today
partners in our business suc- It will also include career erations. 15 training hours at least per tional Qatari workforce, such

S
cess within the Group’s ongo- discussions to help graduates At least 63 Qatari students employee. as the Qatar Career Fair and trong winds are expected in some in some places at times. Some clouds
ing efforts to foster a culture understand in the best way their have benefited from QNB’s Qatari employees also ben- other career fairs organized places by this afternoon, the Qa- are also likely. Meanwhile, slightly
of excellence and investment future development options. scholarship programme and efit from specialised train- by Qatari educational institu- tar Met department has said. dusty conditions have been forecast
in training and continuous Participants will be also more than 13 employees took ing programmes tailored to tions domestically, and em- Offshore areas, too, are expected to offshore along with some clouds.
development programmes. briefed on the specialised part in the ‘Ambassador and meet their specific job needs, bassies abroad. see strong winds and high seas today, The maximum temperature is ex-
“The bank places Qatarisa- banking courses provided by Envoy’ programme, which including the Supervisory QNB Group’s presence according to the weather report. pected to be 42C today in Wakrah and
tion as a top priority in line QNB’s dedicated Learning aims to give high-potential Development Programme, through its subsidiaries and Northwesterly-northeasterly winds Mesaieed, 41C in Doha (airport area),
with the national plan for the and Development Centre, as Qatari employees exposure the Management Develop- associate companies extends will blow at 10-20 knots, reaching a 40C in Al Khor, 38C in Abu Samra, and
development of Qatar’s work- well the various scholarships to the international banking ment Programme (MDP), the to 31 countries across three high of 25 knots in some inshore areas 37C in Dukhan and Ruwais.
force and the implementation offered by top universities in environment so that they can Leadership Development Pro- continents providing a com- by the afternoon. Yesterday, a maximum of 43C was
of the Qatarisation strategy, Qatar. develop best international gramme (LDP), and the Per- prehensive range of advanced Offshore, northwesterly-northerly recorded in Doha (airport area), Abu
towards achieving the Qatar QNB’s Qatarisation pro- practice leadership compe- sonal Effectiveness Programme products and services. winds will blow at speeds of 12-22 Hamour and Mesaieed, followed by 42C
National Vision 2030.” gramme has achieved a local tencies and skills. (PEP), along with the Induction The total number of em- knots, going up to 26 knots occasion- in the Qatar University area, Al Khor
This professional event Qatari workforce of more than All participants are sec- Programmes for new joiners. ployees is more than 30,000 ally, while the sea level may rise to 8ft. and Turayna, 41C in Wakrah, Shee-
will bring together Qatari 50%, one of the highest in the onded to QNB international QNB said it is keen to or- operating through 1,100 loca- The detailed forecast also says hot haniya, Batna and Karana, and 40C in
high school and university Qatari banking sector. branches for a period of 12-24 ganise this event as part of its tions, with an ATM network daytime conditions are expected in- the Hamad International Airport area,
graduates and experienced The percentage of Qataris months. CSR commitment to support of more than 4,400 machines. shore along with slight to blowing dust Ghuwairiyah and Jumayliyah.
 Gulf Times
6 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

QATAR
Tour Gipsy Unidos
to perform next
month in Doha
G
ipsy Kings, a Grammy winning band of flamenco, salsa,
and pop musicians from the south of France, will be per-
forming at Qatar National Convention Centre’s (QNCC) Al
Mayassa Theatre on October 24. The concert, dubbed Tour Gipsy
Unidos, will feature Mario Reyes and Chico Castillo as special
guests, according to a statement from QNCC.
It has been many years since the renowned international band
embraced the world’s imagination with their album Gipsy Kings
– a record that became a genuine sensation, certified gold and
platinum around the globe. The band’s music enthralled millions
of listeners with a unique and captivating fusion of styles.
‘World Music’ is the right term to describe the talent as this is
the authentic blend incorporating elements of Latin and Cuban
styles, Arabic music, reggae and jazz guitar as well as transmitting
history and culture in their melodies. This broad cultural mix has
enabled the Gipsy Kings to win over audiences wherever they play
— from China to Brasil, New Orleans to Russia, Australia to Africa
— creating the huge demand for their distinctive style and having
sold almost 20mn records worldwide.
The band’s music performances are passionate – an expression
of the happiness – how Gipsy Kings face up to life. The band con-
tinues to delight the public with their ‘Andalusian songs and Mu-
sic’, impressing the world with their great show Tour Gipsy Unidos
in more than 40 concerts within the last year.
“The performance featured distinguished guests like Mario
Reyes and Chico Castillo. Together, they will thrill with great hits

Lusail Smart City Development to

such as Bamboleo, Volare or Djobi Djoba, among others,” QNCC
said. Tickets costs QR125 with 20% “early bird” discount for one
week and can be purchased at www.q-tickets.com.

MoI cautions citizens, residents on

benefit from Oredoo contribution anonymous, suspicious messages

The Ministry of Interior (MoI)
has reminded people to
financial institutions that the
users deal with in order to mis-

O
oredoo yesterday an- This partnership will see Smart City services to transform Lusail City that can handle the be cautious of anonymous lead them to obtain personal
nounced the next level of Ooredoo’s advanced wired and experiences and support Qatar’s capacity, bandwidth and speed and suspicious messages banking information such as
its partnership with Qa- wireless networks as the foun- nationwide digital transforma- requirements of a connected city. received through SMS, What- user name, password, credit
tari Diar Real Estate Investment dation for a wide range of Lusail Abdulla al-Kubaisi said: “Oore- tion to 2022 and beyond.” “We are designing the smart sApp and other social media card numbers, account details
Company to provide the smart City’s secure smart city services. doo’s partnership with Qatari Lusail City will fully adopt city’s network to anticipate the channels. as other personal details, the
city network to enable Lusail Practical examples can include Diar has gone from strength to Ooredoo’s fixed and mobile net- increasing number of connected Fraudsters could send such advisory points out.
City as one of the world’s leading smart operations with integrated strength and shows our commit- works, including fibre optic and sensors and systems, and to de- messages to steal banking and People should change the
smart cities. Scada systems, smart traffic to ment to enhance the quality of 5G networks. liver unparalleled levels of ef- financial information, the MoI passwords of their email ID
As a flagship project of Qatari ease congestion, smart light- life in Qatar, and specifically Lu- These will integrate with city- ficiency for the city and its citi- said in an advisory posted on and other online accounts fre-
Diar, Lusail City is deploying ing to reduce energy usage, and sail City’s residents. wide sensors to move data at ex- zens.” its Facebook page yesterday. quently, a related post on the
smart systems and citywide sen- smart waste management to op- “We will design and provide tremely fast speeds and will al- Business customers can lev- “Never respond to messages MoI’s Twitter page advised.
sors with Ooredoo’s next-gen- timise collection and routes. the ICT infrastructure for Smart low for near real-time insights on erage the Ooredoo Advantage, that require the user to update “Make sure that it consists
eration network infrastructure Overall, these smart city serv- City services that will allow Lu- city services. making Ooredoo “Best for Busi- personal data. Never share of letters, numbers and special
serving as the ICT backbone for ices aim to enhance and optimise sail City to take its services to the Al-Kubaisi added: “Ooredoo ness”, thanks to its breadth and your personal and banking characters,” it added.
the Lusail Smart City end points. experiences within Lusail City, next level, and enhance Qatar’s is leveraging our network capa- depth of talent, best fixed and information with unknown par- One may report cybercrimes
As a result, Lusail City aims to including the support services standing as a global Smart City bilities and expertise that have mobile networks, broadest port- ties,” the ministry said. via the Metrash2 application or
become the region’s first large- for the upcoming major sporting leader. Our ultra-fast and secure already brought Qatar fixed and folio of ICT services and solu- These messages may by sending an e-mail to cccc@
scale greenfield smart city and a events. Supernet technology will serve mobile broadband speeds of up to tions, and trusted partner for 60 include links or trademarks of moi.gov.qa.
model city for smart city living. Ooredoo Qatar COO Yousuf as the foundation for innovative 10Gbps, to provide a network for years.
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 7

QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD
Hamad Port enters Guinness World Records
Top Afghan official
trashes unfounded
Saudi media reports
zSediq’s tweet exposes propaganda media platforms backed by
countries currently blockading Qatar: Lolwah Alkhater

S
ediq Seddiqi, Spokesper-
son for the Afghanistan
president, has rubbished
reports carried by Saudi-
owned media outlets Al Ara-
biya and Asharq al-Awsat as
“reckless journalism, totally
incorrect and baseless”.
Referring to the reports that
blamed Qatar for the cancel-
lation of the US-Taliban sum-
mit, Seddiqi tweeted that the
quotes attributed to his name
The Guinness World Records certificate and an infographic highlighting the measurements of the basin. The Guinness certificate, dated by Al Arabiya and Asharq al- Washington also said it
September 9, reads: “The deepest artificial port basin created on land measures 17m and was achieved by the Ministry of Transport and Awsat were totally wrong. “I would not relent in fighting the
Communications (Qatar) at Um Al Houl, Qatar.” never said these things in my militants after Trump blamed
press conference yesterday. All the scuttling of the unprec-
of them are strongly rejected,” edented meeting on a Taliban
the tweet said. attack that killed a US soldier.
In a later tweet he said: Trump said he had invited
“The government of Afghani- Taliban leaders and Afghan

Saudi urged to follow global law stan praises the earnest efforts
of its allies and is committed
to working together with the
United States and other part-
ners to ensure honourable and Qatar. Qatar remains an impar-
President Ashraf Ghani for
talks on Sunday at the Camp
David presidential retreat on
a draft deal that would see the
United States withdraw thou-

like Qatar and end Gulf crisis enduring peace in the country.”
The Spokesperson of Qatar’s
Foreign Ministry, HE Lolwah
Alkhater, said: “The Spoker-
tial mediator in the US-Taliban
talks and a friend to the Repub-
lic and People of Afghanistan.”
The United States and Af-
sands of troops and wind down
its longest-ever war.
In a series of television inter-
views, Secretary of State Mike
sperson for the President of the ghanistan’s Taliban have both Pompeo did not rule out a re-
From Page 1 body of experts charged with eration the humanitarian situa- evidence was familiar: instead Islamic Republic of Afghani- left the door open to fresh talks turn to talks but said the United
ensuring that the CERD is re- tion of ‘mixed’ families through of engaging positively with the stan exposes the propaganda after President Donald Trump States needed a “significant
“OHCHR, ultimately pub- spected by all of the Member ‘hotlines’ or other steps, this has CERD Committee and Qatar media platforms backed by on Sunday abruptly cancelled a commitment” from the Tali-
lished a report in December 2017 States, including KSA, which proven false. Both the OHCHR in an attempt to conciliate the countries currently blockading secret summit. ban.
which found that the KSA’s co- ratified the CERD on 23 Septem- and Human Rights Watch have matter and end the suffering of
ercive measures ‘consisting of ber 1997.” reported that such measures Qataris, it argued that the Com-
severe restrictions of movement, The statement said: “In that have largely been ineffective, mittee had no jurisdiction and
termination and disruption of complaint, Qatar provided and that in some cases individu- no competence to deal with the
trade, financial and investment
flows, as well as suspension of
social and cultural exchanges
imposed on Qatar, had immedi-
ately translated into actions ap-
evidence of fundamental and
deeply disturbing violations of
the CERD. Contrary to what the
KSA says in its press release,
Qatar has presented actual evi-
als have not resorted to them for
fear of retribution or harassment
by the KSA Government. KSA
also has criminalised certain ex-
pressions of “sympathy” for Qa-
matter.”
The statement explained that
but just a few days ago, on Sep-
tember 2, 2019, the CERD Com-
mittee released its decision, in
QRCS offers relief
plying to nationals and residents
of Qatar, including citizens of
KSA, UAE and Bahrain.
“Furthermore, the report
states that many of these meas-
dence demonstrating that KSA’s
measures have separated young
children from parents, husbands
from wives, and disrupted fami-
lies throughout the region. They
tar, including any criticism of or
challenges to the KSA’s coercive
measures, punishable by up to
five years in prison. The crimi-
nalisation of ‘sympathy’ for Qa-
which it resoundingly rejected
KSA’s objections. In so doing,
the CERD Committee stated that
contrary to KSA’s arguments,
the CERD requires that “State
assistance to flood
ures have a potentially durable
effect on the enjoyment of the
human rights and fundamental
freedoms of those affected,” the
have arbitrarily and indiscrimi-
nately interfered with the most
basic elements of daily life for
many within Qatar, KSA, and
tar in KSA has curtailed freedom
of expression and created a cli-
mate of fear for Qataris as well as
their non-Qatari friends, rela-
parties shall ensure that ‘non-
citizens are not subject to col-
lective expulsion, in particular in
situations where there are insuf-
victims in Sudan
T
statement pointed out. the other States, including their tives, and supporters.” ficient guarantees that the per- he Qatar Red Crescent
“KSA’s approach of denial and ability to practise their religion, The statement pointed out sonal circumstances of each of Society (QRCS) rep-
evasion has not changed, even to receive medical care, to obtain that as a reminder, KSA, UAE, the persons concerned have been resentative mission in
as the crisis enters its third year. an education, and to work and Bahrain and Egypt’s list of un- taken into account,’ and ‘that Sudan has completed the im-
KSA’s deliberate and conscious own property in order to provide reasonable and unactionable de- they shall avoid ‘expulsions of plementation of the first phase
violation of international law, for themselves and their fam- mands included the closure of a non-citizens, especially of long- of the urgent humanitarian re-
including the protections under ilies-simply because they are number of media outlets which term residents, that would result sponse after the flood disaster
the Convention on the Elimi- Qatari, married to Qataris, the is a clear violation of the inter- in disproportionate interference that hit 16 Sudanese states.
nation of Racial Discrimina- children of Qataris or otherwise national law that calls to protect with the right to family life.” QRCS said in a statement
tion (CERD) led Qatar to submit linked to Qatar. and uphold freedom of expres- The CERD Committee con- yesterday, that this phase,
a complaint before the CERD “Although KSA announced sion. cluded that KSA’s objections which was implemented in
Committee, an international that it would take into consid- “KSA’s response to Qatar’s “must be rejected”. co-operation with its Suda-
nese counterpart, included the
distribution of non-food re-
lief packages. The aid included
shelter materials, water con-

Iran’s Zarif rejects Netanyahu’s nuclear claim servation, floor mats, etc, ben-
efiting 735 families, including
3,675 people from the affected
areas, north of the capital
Reuters ing nuclear weapons at a se- Khartoum.
Dubai cret site in Abadeh in Iran but Residents of the districts ex-
had destroyed the facility after pressed their happiness with
learning it had been exposed. this assistance and expressed

I
ran yesterday rejected a claim Zarif said in a tweet: “He & their thanks and gratitude to
by Israeli Prime Minister #B_Team just want a war, no Qatar and QRCS team for the
Benjamin Netanyahu that matter innocent blood & an- continued support to the peo- QRCS relief project benefited 735 families.
Tehran had been developing nu- other $7Trillion.” ple of Sudan.
clear weapons at a secret site and The Iranian foreign minis- The Sudanese Red Crescent ginning of more emergency QRCS is one of the first in-
said he was seeking a pretext for ter has in the past said that a branch director in Khartoum interventions, as the coming ternational humanitarian or-
war. so-called “B-team” including State praised the charitable weeks will see the continua- ganisations to help the victims
“The possessor of real nukes US President Donald Trump’s and developmental role played tion of the distribution of relief of the floods in Sudan, when
cries wolf,” Foreign Minister national security adviser John by QRCS through its various materials to the affected people its disaster operations section
Mohamed Javad Zarif said in Bolton, Netanyahu and Saudi projects in the Sudanese states. in other Sudanese states, after immediately started to gather
a tweet, a reference to Israel’s Crown Prince Mohamed bin Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad Zarif has rejected a claim For his part, the head of the the completion of plans and information, co-ordinate with
own presumed nuclear arsenal. Salman could goad the US by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Tehran had been QRCS mission in Sudan said assessment of needs in the rest relevant authorities in Sudan,
Netanyahu said yesterday president into a conflict with developing nuclear weapons at a secret site and said he was seeking that this relief assistance is of the regions affected by the and directed responses through
that Tehran had been develop- Tehran. a pretext for war. only a first batch and the be- disaster. its mission in Sudan. (QNA)

Videos accusing Egypt’s Sisi, military of graft go viral

AFP interests have become a popular throwing away billions and your thing from washing machines to 5mn civilians. AFP reached out
Cairo talking point on television and men are wasting millions.” pasta, alongside building roads yesterday to Aly’s media repre-
social media. In a speech on Egypt’s econ- and operating gas stations. sentatives in Barcelona but had
In the footage, which has been omy two years ago, Sisi had said Since the arrival of Sisi, who not received a reply The head-

V
ideos posted online by released in instalments, Aly “We (Egyptians) are very poor”. toppled his predecessor Mo- quarters of Amlaak Group, a two-
an Egyptian construc- mocks Sisi — a former army chief The reality is different, accord- hamed Mursi in 2013, its eco- storey villa in an upmarket Cairo
tion contractor accusing — and lambasts the military in an ing to Aly, who says that some of nomic involvement has been suburb, was abandoned when
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi often rambling fashion. the projects the military asked more visible amid austerity AFP inspected it on Sunday.
and the military of corruption Social media users have wide- him to built included a luxurious measures and rising prices. “They cleared out the premis-
have gone viral, sparking a rare ly shared the videos — which guest house for Sisi in the Medi- It is difficult to assess the mili- es about two years ago,” said the
debate about the army’s growing range from 20-30 minutes in terranean city of Alexandria and tary’s share in the economy and landlord, adding that his deal-
economic empire. File photo shows President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi addresses engineers and length — and some say they are a palace in Cairo. details of its budget are not al- ings with Aly were limited.
Mohamed Aly, 45, a fledgling workers during an inspection tour of the construction site of a new Suez looking forward to the next one. “People must know how their lowed to be published. A neighbour added: “He used
actor alongside his construction Canal, called the Suez Canal Axis, in the port city of Ismailia, east of Cairo. “People look forward to Mo- money is being spent,” Aly says But analysts say it is growing. to come here driving a different
business, claims that authorities hamed Aly’s videos more than in one of his latest videos. In December 2016, Sisi said the car every day.” Little is known
have misappropriated millions of Spain — did not however pro- lawyer lodging a complaint with Netflix movies and series,” an Aly said he has worked for the military accounts for between 1.5 of Aly and most of that can be
Egyptian pounds in public funds. vide any evidence to back up his the attorney general accusing Egyptian user said in a post on military for around 15 years and to 2% of the national economy gleaned on his social media ac-
He also alleges the military claims and the Egyptian armed Aly of high treason. Twitter. pictures of completed projects adding that “we would love for count, where he posted pictures
owes him hundreds of millions forces declined an AFP request The military’s economic in- In the first video, posted on carried out by his firm for the it to be 50%”. Last week, army of himself posing with fancy cars.
of pounds for projects his com- to comment. terests are considered a sensitive September 2, Aly blasted Sisi, armed forces can be seen on his spokesman General Tamer al-Ri- That seemingly lavish lifestyle
pany Amlaak Group was com- The videos, posted from Spain topic. without naming him, saying: company’s website. fai said on a popular TV show that has sparked questions online
missioned to build, including and viewed by millions, have But since Aly began posting “You say the Egyptian people For decades, the military has the armed forces oversee rather with some asking what moti-
palatial residences for Sisi. triggered a swift public backlash the videos a week ago mainly are very poor and that we should played a key though opaque eco- than “manage” about 2,300 vated him to accuse Sisi and the
Aly — who says he has fled to from Sisi supporters, with one on YouTube and Facebook these tighten our belts. “(But) You are nomic role, producing every- projects nationwide employing military of graft.
8 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019

REGION/ARAB WORLD
Mourning ceremony

UN watchdog
urges Iran
to respond
to N-concerns
AFP
Vienna

T
he UN nuclear watch-
dog’s acting head urged
Iran yesterday to re-
A man walks in front of posters showing pictures of Bassam al-Sayeh, a Palestinian who reportedly died in an Israeli jail, during a mourning spond quickly to its concerns as
ceremony at his home in the West Bank city of Nablus, yesterday. Sayeh, 47, was arrested by Israeli forces in October 2015. the country abandons further
agreed limits to its nuclear ac-
tivities.
Cornel Feruta was addressing
the quarterly board meeting of
the International Atomic Energy

South Sudan rebel leader in Agency (IAEA) a day after meet-

ing high-level Iranian officials in
Tehran.
He said that in his meetings

Juba in bid to salvage peace deal he “stressed the need for Iran
to respond promptly to Agency
questions related to the com-
pleteness of Iran’s safeguards
declarations”, adding: “Time is
AFP tional Crisis Group (ICG), said of the essence.”
Juba the only solution was Kiir and Earlier yesterday, the IAEA
Machar coming to a political confirmed that Iran was install-
agreement on how to move for- ing advanced centrifuges, a

S
outh Sudan’s exiled rebel ward with the deal. move that puts further pressure
leader Riek Machar ar- “We have been waiting for this on the troubled 2015 nuclear deal
rived in Juba yesterday for moment for a long time. The only with world powers.
the first time in a year and held way to find a path forward is for The IAEA’s latest statements
rare talks with President Salva these two to meet. The path is come a day after Tehran hit out
Kiir as the rivals try to salvage a wide open for them to form a at European powers, saying they
stalled peace agreement. unity government but they will had left Iran little option but to
Machar landed in the capital need to strike new political deals scale back its commitments un-
in a Sudanese plane, preceded to do that,” he said yesterday. der the 2015 Joint Comprehen- Cornel Feruta, acting Director General of the International Atomic
by two jets carrying a large “If they fail to agree on a way sive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Energy Agency (IAEA), leaves after giving a press conference fol-
delegation of around 60 peo- forward with direct talks then In its statement, the IAEA lowing the Board of Governors meeting at the agency’s headquar-
ple and security officers from we are looking at a major crisis.” added that the centrifuges had ters in Vienna, yesterday.
Khartoum where he is living South Sudan’s exiled rebel leader Riek Machar (left) meets with Following their extraordinary been installed at Iran’s Natanz
in exile, an AFP reporter wit- president Salva Kiir at the presidential palace in Juba, yesterday. meeting in the Vatican, Kiir facility and all of them “had terday to reporters in Vienna, understood, back in Tehran”.
nessed. told parliament he had forgiven been prepared for testing with Feruta described his exchanges Iran has said that notwith-
Machar’s visit is expected to Machar, flanked by the South government, which would see Machar, and urged his rival to UF6 (uranium hexafluoride), al- with Iranian officials as “very standing its reduction of com-
last two days, and comes as No- Sudanese flag. Kiir had not been Machar return to government return home. But Machar has though none of them were being substantial” and said he “was mitments under the JCPOA, it
vember deadline looms to form seen with Machar since the pair as vice president. The last time been concerned about his per- tested with UF6 on September 7 pleased with the tone and the will continue to allow access to
a power-sharing government, a met in the Vatican in April, Machar was in Juba was Oc- sonal security should he return and 8, 2019”. input we received in those con- IAEA inspectors who monitor its
key plank in a 2018 peace agree- when Pope Francis stunned the tober 2018, for celebrations to to the capital. He fled on foot Iran has also informed the versations”. nuclear programme.
ment that has been delayed by world by kissing the feet of two mark the signing of the pact. under a hail of gunfire when a IAEA that it will take steps to He said “the relationship Iran has already broken the
disputes over its terms. men accused of responsibility The power-sharing arrange- previous peace deal collapsed accommodate “a cascade of 164 between the agency and Iran limits on uranium enrichment
“Our meeting concentrated for heinous war crimes. ments under the peace deal in July 2016. He is currently liv- IR-4 centrifuges and a cascade is very much a relationship levels and the overall stockpile of
on security arrangements, be- South Sudan descended into were supposed to take effect in ing in Khartoum, the capital of of 164 IR-2m centrifuges”. where we can discuss all is- enriched uranium laid down in
cause it is one of the funda- war in 2013, just two years af- May. But the process was de- Sudan, the country from which Under the JCPOA Iran is only sues, and sometimes of course the JCPOA.
mental provisions of this agree- ter the country gained inde- layed by six months until No- South Sudan broke away to meant to enrich uranium using we need to express the need The landmark accord has been
ment,” Machar’s deputy, Henry pendence, when Kiir accused vember. Crucial technical steps claim independence in 2011. the less advanced IR-1 centri- for more”, adding he believed under mounting pressure since
Odwar, told reporters after Kiir his former deputy and fellow contained within the agree- He was accompanied to Juba fuge model. Speaking later yes- his message was “very well the US withdrew from it in May
and Machar met at State House. former rebel leader Machar of ment, such as creating a unified by Sudanese paramilitary com- 2018 and then re-introduced
“We do have challenges and plotting a coup. army and agreeing on the inter- mander Mohamed Hamdan sanctions on Iran.
we pray that we overcome those Multiple attempts at peace nal boundaries of states, have Daglo, who is best known by his Trump says he could meet with Rouhani Earlier yesterday, China — a
challenges.” Images on social have failed but in September failed to make progress. nickname “Hemeti”, and who signatory to the JCPOA along
media showed Kiir shaking 2018 the warring parties signed Alan Boswell, a South Su- is holding separate peace talks US President Donald Trump said yesterday he could meet with Iranian with France, Germany, Britain
hands and sitting at a table with an agreement to form a unity dan expert with the Interna- with Sudanese armed groups. President Hassan Rouhani and that he had no problem with such an and Russia — called on the US
encounter. Trump made the remarks to reporters at the White House. to “give up its wrong approach
Rouhani has said Iran would not talk to the United States until Washington such as unilateral sanctions and
lifts all of the sanctions it has reimposed on Tehran after it withdrew last extreme pressure against Iran.
year from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers. “At the same time, all parties

Death toll of Morocco flood-hit bus rises to 17 Trump, who has stepped up sanctions under what he calls a policy of
“maximum pressure” on Iran, said last week a meeting with Rouhani was
possible at the UN General Assembly in New York later in September.
to the agreement should also
commit themselves to the full
and effective implementation”
“Sure, anything’s possible. They would like to be able to solve their prob- of the JCPOA, Chinese foreign
AFP east, authorities said yesterday. various injuries but in “sta- 11 in the relief operation. The lem,” Trump told White House reporters on Wednesday, referring to infla- ministry spokeswoman Hua
Rabat Rescuers have been search- ble” condition, had been bus driver, who had at first tion in Iran.”We could solve it in 24 hours.” A day earlier, Rouhani told an Chunying told reporters in Bei-
ing for bodies since the ac- transferred to a hospital in Er- had been counted among the open session of the Iranian parliament: “No decision has ever been taken jing.
cident Sunday, when the bus rachidia. missing, turned up yesterday to hold talks with the US and there has been a lot of offers for talks but our “We hope that the relevant

A
t least 17 people were flipped on a bridge in a valley Rescue workers were con- at the hospital and was be- answer will always be negative.” “If America lifts all the sanctions then, like parties can meet at halfway and
killed in Morocco when near the city of Errachidia, tinuing their search, after six ing treated under police guard before, it can join multilateral talks between Tehran and parties to the 2015 push for the easing of tensions
flood waters overturned authorities said. They said a dead passengers were initially ahead of questioning, local of- deal,” Rouhani added. around the Iranian nuclear is-
their bus in the kingdom’s south- further 29 passengers, with found at the site and another ficials said. sue,” Hua said.

Hezbollah claims downing of Israeli drone

AFP appropriate weapons an Israeli marked the end of the latest Neither Israel nor the US-
Beirut drone” heading towards the cycle of attacks and reprisals. led coalition, which carries out
Lebanese border village of Ram- But the Britain-based Observ- air strikes in the area against
yeh overnight. atory reported that, probably fighter sleeper cells, comment-

T
he Hezbollah movement The group said it subsequent- moments later, a strike by an ed on the incident.
said yesterday it had ly retrieved the device, but did unidentified aircraft killed 18 In June 2018, strikes near
downed and seized an Is- not provide pictures. fighters in eastern Syria. the Iraqi border killed 55 pro-
raeli drone as it flew across the An Israeli army spokeswoman The attack consisted of “five regime forces, mostly Syrians
Lebanese border, a week after a said a drone “fell” in Lebanese missiles targeting an Iranian and Iraqis. An American offi-
flash confrontation between the territory, adding that “there is compound, an ammunition cial said at the time that Israel
arch-foes. no risk of a breach of informa- depot and three other military was responsible, but the Jewish
Israel’s army said a drone it tion”. The incident was a sequel positions”, the Observatory state declined to comment.
was operating “fell” in Lebanon to an escalation between the two said, adding that Iranians were An Israeli military statement
on Sunday. foes that started on the evening among the dead. said yesterday that rockets had
18 FIGHTERS DEAD August 24 when an Israeli strike The strike took place in the been fired from Syria but all
In what appeared to be a re- killed two Hezbollah operatives region of Albu Kamal, a town failed to hit Israeli territory.
sponse, an air strike at “around in Syria. which lies along the Euphrates, “The rockets were launched
midnight” left 18 fighters dead in Israel said that strike was to on Syria’s eastern border with from the outskirts of Damascus
eastern Syria, a monitor said. prevent a drone attack on its ter- Vehicles of United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ride on a road along the border between Iraq. by militia operatives,” it said.
The Syrian Observatory for ritory. Lebanon and Israel in the southern Lebanese town of Ramyeh in the Bint Jbeil District, yesterday. Albu Kamal lies in Deir Ezzor Israel, which has vowed to
Human Rights could not confirm The operation was followed province which covers much of keep weakening Iran so long as
whether that raid was Israeli. hours later by what Hezbollah fired anti-tank missiles at an move aimed at flexing muscle Sources close to the or- Syria’s remote eastern desert, it continued to develop weap-
Later yesterday, the Israeli described as an Israeli drone at- Israeli military vehicle and bat- without igniting war. ganisation had said its fighters where the Islamic State group’s ons that threaten the Jewish
army said rockets had been fired tack on its Beirut stronghold. talion headquarters and Israel Hezbollah had warned last would down an Israeli drone so-called “caliphate” made its state, has launched attacks
from Syria but failed to reach That led to an escalation in responded with a salvo of artil- week that its actions were only a over Lebanon at the first op- last stand this year. against a variety of targets.
their targets. rhetoric and heightened fears of lery shells. response to the late August strike portunity. Control of the area is split It has carried out operations
Hezbollah had issued a state- all-out conflict between Hez- Analysts said the cross-border in Syria and not to the drone in- Hezbollah’s apparently suc- between US-backed Kurdish against Iranian forces and Te-
ment saying that some of its bollah and Israel. exchange, which caused no inju- cident in Beirut, for which sepa- cessful neutralisation of a fighters and groups aligned hran’s proxies in Lebanon,
fighters “confronted with the On September 1, Hezbollah ries, was a highly choreographed rate retaliation was to come. drone overnight could have with the Damascus regime. across Syria and in Iraq.
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 9

AFRICA
JUSTICE VIOLENCE MEDIA RIGHTS DIPLOMACY CONSERVATION
Warrant out for killers of 29 killed in separate E Guinea frees journalists Niger, Nigeria leaders meet
former Rwanda spy Burkina Faso attacks held after judge interview to tackle border violence
South African authorities have issued an arrest At least 29 people were killed in Burkina Faso’s Two journalists held by police after they Four governors of neighbouring states of Niger
warrant for two of the four alleged murderers of troubled north on Sunday after a food convoy and interviewed a suspended judge in Equatorial and Nigeria on Sunday night ended two days
an exiled Rwandan ex-spy and critic of President a transport truck were attacked, the government Guinea have been released without charge, one of of talks to address the security situation along
Paul Kagame who was killed in a Johannesburg said. A “terrorist” attack on the convoy killed 14 them said yesterday. Equatorial Guinea has one of their shared border which is plagued by armed
hotel in 2014, the family lawyer said yesterday. civilians, while the truck hit an explosive device the world’s worst records for media rights, ranking groups. “The governors looked at the security
South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority in Sanmatenga province, killing 15 people and 165th out of 180 on the 2019 World Press Freedom situation in the border region of Maradi in
(NPA) is also applying for the extradition of two wounding six, it said in separate statements. Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (southeastern) Niger and Katsina, Sokoto and
other suspects of Rwandan descent, advocate “This drama comes as important security efforts (RSF). Melanio Nkogo and Ruben Dario Bacale, Zamfara in (northwestern) Nigeria,” a statement
Gerrie Nel said in a statement. If granted, the NPA are underway in this region,” it said. “Military who work at the nation’s only privately-owned TV issued late on Sunday said. They also called
will apply to Interpol to issue “Red Notices” for the reinforcements have been deployed.” Once a pocket station Asonga, spent 12 days in detention after for an “intensification of efforts to thwart”
suspects. Former spy Patrick Karegeya, 53, was of relative calm in the Sahel, Burkina has suffered broadcasting an interview with a judge, Nazario the actions of the groups through beefed
found strangled in his hotel room on January 1, a homegrown insurgency for the past three years, Oyono. Oyono was suspended last month by the up security. The governors also recognised A male elephant wearing a tracking collar
2014. An autopsy determined he had died the day which has been amplified by a spillover of violence Supreme Court’s President, David Nguema Obiang, that there had been a “proliferation of arms, forages at the Singita Grumeti Game Reserve,
before. All four suspects are on the run. and criminality from its chaotic neighbour Mali. amid a dispute over an embezzlement trial. munitions and drugs” in the area. Tanzania.

Mugabe kin
Ramaphosa condemns depart for
Singapore

xenophobic violence
AFP
By Susan Najanji, AFP
Harare

C
lose relatives and government officials
yesterday flew out of Zimbabwe to col-
lect the body of ex-president Robert
Johannesburg Mugabe from Singapore where he died last
week, his nephew said. Mugabe died on Friday,
aged 95.

S
outh African President Cyril Mugabe’s health deteriorated after he was
Ramaphosa yesterday con- toppled by the military and former loyalists in
demned weekend violence in November 2017, ending an increasingly tyran-
Johannesburg that claimed two lives nical rule that sent the economy into ruin.
after security forces clashed with A charter flight left Harare at 9am with fam-
looters involved in fresh xenophobic ily and senior party members and was expect-
attacks. ed to return with Mugabe’s body tomorrow at
At least ten people have been killed 1300 GMT, the nephew and family spokesman
since the start of the month in a surge Leo Mugabe told AFP.
in attacks targeting foreign-owned Leo Mugabe said although he was devastated
businesses in and around South Af- at his uncle’s death, he believed he was “rest-
rica’s largest city. ed” after the coup in November 2017 when his
Riot police fired stun grenades and former trusted lieutenants turned against him.
rubber bullets on Sunday to disperse “When he was 93, 94, he was able to walk,
crowds targeting shops in Johannes- but the speed with which he deteriorated after
burg’s gritty central business district the coup is just incredible, and I can imagine
and other neighbourhoods. what was going through him and it’s why I’m
Ramaphosa “has condemned in saying he has rested,” he said.
the strongest terms a resurgence in On arrival, Mugabe’s body will be taken
public violence that claimed two straight to his rural village in Kutama, in Zvim-
lives in Johannesburg yesterday,” the ba district, about 90km west of the capital
presidency said in a statement. Harare, for an overnight wake.
One person was stabbed and an- On Thursday and Friday the body will lie in
other victim shot dead in an incident state at Rufaro Stadium in Mbare township in
involving a large group of armed at- Harare for the public to pay their final respects,
tackers, it said. Leo Mugabe said. The 35,000-seater stadium is
Many shops remained closed yes- where Mugabe took his oath of office at a colour-
terday morning in the central busi- ful ceremony when colonial Rhodesian prime
ness district, an AFP reporter said. minister Ian Smith handed over the country.
Shops were set alight and burned The official funeral will be held on Saturday
on Sunday in the neighbouring Mal- at the giant 60,000-seater National Sports
vern district. Stadium in Harare where foreign leaders are
Officials said most of the ten peo- expected to attend.
ple killed since last week were South People wait outside the D H Williams Hall in Johannesburg’s Katlehong township, where more than 500 people, mostly Mozambican nationals, are being “Then the (traditional) chiefs will bury him
Africans. hosted after being displaced due to a new wave of anti-foreigner violence that hit South Africa’s financial capital. on Sunday, where I don’t know,” said Leo Mu-
Local residents say at least one of gabe. Minister Mutsvangwa said the government
those was killed when a shop owner would give an update on Sunday’s final burial “as
defended their property.
South Africa is a major destination
for economic migrants from Lesotho,
Nigeria to repatriate 600 citizens from South Africa more information on the programme trickles in”.
The location of the burial remains unclear,
with Mugabe’s family and President Mnan-
Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. Nigeria will repatriate about 600 Johannesburg and surrounding ar- Foreign workers in South Af- South African ambassador to condemn gagwa’s government apparently at odds over
But others come from Nigeria and citizens from South Africa this week eas were rocked by a series of deadly rica — the continent’s second largest the violence while sending an envoy to whether it would be at his homestead north-
as far as South Asia looking for work following a wave of xenophobic vio- attacks on foreigners last week, includ- economy after Nigeria — are often meet President Cyril Ramaphosa. west of Harare or at a shrine for liberation he-
in the continent’s number two econ- lence which sparked sharp exchanges ing many directed against Nigerian- victims of anti-immigrant sentiment The envoy returned to Nigeria over roes in the capital. His nephew said that in line
omy. between the two countries, a Nigerian owned businesses and properties. in a nation where almost one in three the weekend, the presidency said. with native Shona customs, traditional chiefs
Immigrants are often the focus for diplomat said yesterday. At least 10 people were killed in people are unemployed. After a week of hardening rhetoric from Zvimba will have a final say on where the
anger among South Africans hit by “They are about 600 now” to be the violence and hundreds of shops The violence prompted reprisal against South Africa, Nigeria last week former leader will be buried.
chronic job shortages and the limited flown back, Godwin Adamu, Nigerian destroyed while more than 420 people attacks against South African firms in pledged to “work as brothers” with As a national president he did not exercise
progress made by the majority black Consul General in Johannesburg, told were arrested. Nigeria and the temporary closing of Pretoria. “Nigeria does not seek an the role of a traditional ruler, but Mugabe held
population since white-minority AFP. A first flight will carry 320 Nige- More than 100,000 Nigerians are South Africa’s diplomatic missions in escalation of the ongoing situation,” a the respected title of traditional chief of Zvim-
rule ended in 1994. rians, he said, adding: “We will have estimated to live in South Africa, Lagos and Abuja. senior aide to President Muhammadu ba rural district.
The recent violence has also another one immediately after that.” Adamu said. Nigeria last week summoned the Buhari, told reporters. “If a chief dies, the announcement is not
strained relations between South Af- like how we announce any other person who is
rica and Nigeria, which summoned dead. Even his burial place remains a mystery,”
Pretoria’s envoy and boycotted an Buhari will visit South Africa in Oc- Officials have said several Nigerian Xenophobic attacks are not un- In 2008, violence targeting mi- the nephew said.
economic summit in Cape Town in tober to discuss responses to “chal- businesses were attacked and burned common, especially for migrants grants left 62 people dead, while in “The chiefs and the elders are the ones that
protest. lenges affecting people and busi- down, though they said no Nigerians working in low-skilled labour or 2015, seven were killed in attacks in determine which cave they are going to put him
Nigerian President Muhammadu nesses” in both countries. were killed. shops in poor districts. Johannesburg and Durban. in and where they are going to bury him.”

Pope worried about drug abuse in idyllic Mauritius

AFP suffering the most. They suffer boards adorned with Francis’ as a global tax haven and idyllic
Port Louis from unemployment, which not image have sprung up across the tourist beach destination.
only creates uncertainty about coastal city. General unemployment is low
the future, but also prevents “I am very happy to be here compared to the rest of the con-

P
ope Francis yesterday ex- them from believing that they today. It is a great joy to see the tinent at 6.9% in 2018 according
pressed concern about play a significant part in your Pope on Mauritian soil,” said to the World Bank, but is high
growing drug use among shared history,” said the Pope. Brinda, who came from the among the youth at 22% and in-
the youth on the paradise island “Uncertainty about the future south-west of the island nation equality is seen to be rising.
of Mauritius, as he wrapped up makes them feel that they are on to attend the mass. The Pope is on the last stop of
an Africa tour with a whistle- the margins of society. It leaves Mauritius comprises four vol- his tour which has taken him to
stop visit to one of the conti- them vulnerable and helpless canic islands and lies roughly Mozambique and Madagascar,
nent’s most stable, prosperous before new forms of slavery in 1,800km off the eastern coast of two of the world’s poorest na-
nations. this 21st century. Let us not al- Africa. tions.
Throngs of cheering faith- low those who deal in death to It is a melting pot of religions Mauritian Prime Minister
ful waving palm fronds lined the rob the first fruits of this land,” and ethnic backgrounds. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth said the
streets of Port Louis as the Pope- he said. The population of 1.3mn is Pope would encounter a “true
mobile shuttled the Argentina- According to a Mauritius Drug predominantly Hindu but has model of pluralism” during his
born Pontiff to the hilltop Mary Observatory report in 2018, the sizeable Christian and Muslim visit.
Queen of Peace Monument smuggling and use of drugs such minorities. About 30% of Mauri- “Our cultural diversity has
where he delivered his mass. as heroin, cannabis, cocaine and tius is Christian, with most being never prevented us from creat-
Organisers estimate 100,000 methamphetamine, has grown in Catholic. ing an environment conducive
attended the service during the recent years. The island was uninhabited to dialogue, understanding and
first Papal visit since the one by Some waited for the Pope from when first visited by explorers in peace,” he said.
John Paul II in 1989. before dawn, and many faithful the Middle Ages, and was later “It will not be a visit of Pope
While the island is a beacon were dressed in the yellow and briefly colonised by the Dutch, Francis to the Catholics but to
of stability and relative prosper- white of the Vatican flag, coming French and the British. the Mauritian people in all its
ity, Pope Francis honed in on the from near and far. Now citizens have multi-cul- religious diversity,” said Cardi-
struggles of the youth, who face “More than 3,500 of us came tural roots, from India, China, nal Maurice Piat, Bishop of Port
growing inequality, unemploy- from Reunion” island — about Europe, Africa and elsewhere. Louis, ahead of the papal visit.
ment and the scourge of drug 175km — from Mauritius, said a Since independence in 1968, Francis’ visit coincides with
abuse. woman who identified herself as Mauritius has developed from a the 155th anniversary of the death
“It is a hard thing to say, but, Josette. poor, agriculture-based econo- of Father Jacques Desire Laval, a
despite the economic growth Giant screens were put up in my, to one of Africa’s wealthiest French priest who died in Mauri- Pope Francis receives a gift from Mauritius President Barlen Vyapoory prior to a meeting with
your country has known in recent Port Louis to allow devotees to nations. tius in 1864 and was beatified in government authorities, leaders of civil society, and the diplomatic corps at the presidential palace in
decades, it is the young who are watch the Papal mass, and bill- It is best known for its position 1979. Port Louis yesterday.
 Gulf Times
10 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

AMERICA
OUTBREAK NTSB REPORT FDA CRITICISM IN THE DOCK JUSTICE
Seven new measles cases Highway barrier not fixed Vaping market-leader’s Mar-a-Lago trespasser’s Opioid trail to ponder
last week, lowest of 2019 before fatal Tesla crash advertising was unlawful trial hits outfit glitch public nuisance claim
The United States recorded only seven new California state transportation officials failed US health authorities yesterday accused market- A jail’s failure to provide underwear delayed the The US judge overseeing nationwide litigation
measles cases last week, the lowest number to repair a highway safety device seriously leading e-cigarette maker JUUL of ignoring the start of jury selection in the trial of a Chinese concerning the opioid crisis yesterday rejected
so far this year, bringing the total of cases to damaged in a high-speed crash 11 days before law and warned it to stop advertising itself as a national charged with lying her way into President Purdue Pharma LP’s effort to dismiss claims that its
1,241 in the worst outbreak since 1992, federal a fatal collision in March 2018 involving a Tesla less harmful alternative to smoking, noting in Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Yujing Zhang activities caused a public nuisance. US District Judge
health officials said yesterday. The US Centers in autopilot mode, the National Transportation particular the company’s youth outreach efforts. arrived at a court in Fort Lauderdale yesterday Dan Polster in Cleveland said a reasonable jury could
for Disease Control and Prevention said it had Safety Board (NTSB) said yesterday. In the first The Food and Drug Administration’s move is the wearing the brown uniform worn in detention since conclude that Purdue’s alleged fraudulent marketing
recorded cases of the highly contagious and crash, the NTSB said a driver hit a crash attenuator, latest development in its ongoing investigation she was arrested in March while carrying multiple of opioids, for the purpose of increasing sales,
sometimes deadly disease in 31 states as of which is designed to absorb crash forces before a of JUUL’s practices and comes amid a mysterious electronic devices, sparking a probe as to whether caused a nuisance. Polster’s decision came six weeks
September 5. The weekly increase is the latest vehicle hits a concrete median barrier, at 120kph. outbreak of severe lung disease linked to vaping she posed an intelligence threat. The judge told before the scheduled October 21 trial on the impact
indication that the outbreak is slowing from the The driver survived. Eleven days later, the driver of that has claimed at least five lives. “The law is clear her she had the right to change into street clothes. of opioids on two Ohio counties. The outcome could
dozens of cases reported per week earlier this a 2017 Tesla Model X was going at 114kph when he ... companies must demonstrate with scientific The defendant told the judge that the jail failed to affect some 2,000 other opioid lawsuits by various
year. The disease was declared eliminated in the struck the same attenuator on US-101 in Mountain evidence that their product does in fact pose less provide her with the undergarments necessary municipalities and entities. Purdue is expected to
United States in 2000, meaning there was no View, California. The crash killed the driver of the risk or is less harmful” than smoking, said FDA to change her clothing. “I can’t change because of file for bankruptcy after settlement talks stalled,
continuous transmission of the disease for a year. Tesla, 38-year-old Apple engineer Walter Huang. acting head Ned Sharpless. “JUUL ignored the law.” feminine issues...I’m embarrassed,” Zhang said. the Associated Press reported last week.

Surf’s up!
Eyeing 2020,
Trump pushes
Republican in
North Carolina
By Susan Cornwell, Reuters “Get out the Vote” event with the
Washington candidate in the town of Wingate
before joining Trump later in
Fayetteville.

P
resident Donald Trump is The sprawling 9th district, a
going all-out to try to keep combination of suburban and
a district of North Caro- rural areas stretching south and
lina in the Republican column in east of the city of Charlotte, has
a special congressional election been represented by Republicans
today that may serve as a bell- for decades, and voted for Trump
wether for his own fortunes in by about 12 percentage points in
2020. 2016.
Trump yesterday headed A Republican loss would be a
to Fayetteville, a city in North worrisome sign for the president
Carolina’s 9th district, to rally and his party.
Republican supporters in a re- But Democrats are daring to
peat election of a 2018 contest hope for an upset by their candi- Flofy and Prince Dudeman ride a wave together as they competed on Sunday at the 14th annual Helen Woodward Animal Center ‘Surf-A-Thon’ where more than 70 dogs
that was tainted by fraud. date, Dan McCready, that would competed in five different weight classes for Top Surf Dog 2019 in Del Mar, California.
Both Republicans and Demo- build on their takeover of the
crats expect the results today House of Representatives from
to be close and to provide clues Republicans in elections last
about what is ahead in presiden- year and make further inroads in
tial and congressional elections “Trump country.”

US judge restores nationwide

next year. Bishop’s campaign ads have
“Looking forward to being in said McCready “admires so-
the North Carolina tomorrow cialism” and linked him to the
night. We’re having a BIG RAL- “Squad,” a group of progressive
LY for a great guy, Dan Bishop,” Democrats in the House that
Trump tweeted on Sunday night, Trump has repeatedly attacked.

block on Trump asylum ban

referring to the Republican nom- McCready, 36, a small busi-
inee, a 55-year-old state sena- nessman and US Marine Corps
tor who has embraced Trump’s veteran, has focused his race on
policies and some of his political healthcare, education and the
tactics. pay of North Carolina teachers.
Bishop’s campaign says the “He (Bishop) is not running
most important issues are taxes, against a socialist, he’s running Reuters trepiece of his 2016 election campaign US-Mexico border in large numbers dur- The Trump administration had also
the economy and immigration. against a capitalist, who’s built New York and a major issue as he seeks re-election ing his presidency. asked the US Supreme Court to block the
Opinion polling indicates a a business from scratch,” Mc- in November 2020. The rule would block nearly all fami- appeals court ruling that applied only to
tight race, with turnout an im- Cready told CNN. “He’s run- San Francisco-based US District Judge lies and individuals from countries like El California and Arizona.

A
portant factor. ning against a United States federal judge in California yes- Jon Tigar had previously issued a nation- Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala who A top US border official said he was
“North Carolina, vote for Dan Marine.” terday dealt a setback to a new wide injunction blocking the rule, but are seeking to escape poverty and perse- frustrated by the federal judge’s ruling
Bishop tomorrow,” Trump added The district was already get- Trump administration rule that the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals nar- cution at home from entering the United yesterday,
yesterday on Twitter. “We need ting more competitive in 2018 sought to block almost all asylum ap- rowed it to only border states within its States after crossing through Mexico as “My reaction is: I’m frustrated,” act-
him badly in Washington!” when McCready lost narrowly plications at the border, ruling that an jurisdiction — California and Arizona — asylum seekers. ing commissioner of Customs and Border
Trump has personally called before state officials ruled the injunction against the rule should apply and sent the question back to Tigar. The rule would keep asylum protec- Protection, Mark Morgan, told reporters
North Carolina’s Republican election was marred by an ab- nationwide. Yesterday, Tigar ruled it should apply tions for Mexican citizens. at the White House in Washington, DC.
party chairman several times for sentee-ballot fraud scheme that The rule, unveiled on July 15, requires across the entire border, pending a trial The rule drew legal challenges, includ- He criticised the “unprecedented ju-
updates on the campaign, a Re- benefited McCready’s then-op- most immigrants who want asylum in on the underlying legality of the Trump ing from several immigrant-rights groups dicial activism” which he said meant
publican involved in the special ponent, Republican Mark Har- the United States to first seek asylum in a administration rule. which accused the administration of pur- every time the administration came up
election said. ris. third country they had travelled through One of the Republican president’s main suing a virtual asylum ban and jeopard- with a policy to “address this crisis, we
US Vice President Mike Pence A new election was ordered, on their way to the United States. objectives has been to reduce the number ising the safety and security of migrants end up getting enjoined. It’s very very
is also campaigning for Bishop, and Harris declined to run It forms part of President Donald of asylum claims, primarily by Central fleeing persecution and seeking safety in frustrating, but we’re just going to keep
delivering remarks yesterday at a again. Trump’s anti-immigration policy, a cen- American migrants who have crossed the the United States. going.”

Bahamas hunts for bodies on Dorian-devastated island

Reuters Shelters are housing about
Marsh Harbour 1,100 people, the agency said;
more are staying with friends and
relatives.

R
escue workers wearing The agency was asking resi-
white hazard suits yes- dents whose homes were intact
terday carried out a grim to open them up to people dis-
search for bodies and survivors placed by the storm.
in the hurricane-ravaged Baha- Some 90% of the homes,
mas as relief agencies worked to buildings and infrastructure in
deliver food and supplies over Marsh Harbour were damaged,
flooded roads and piles of debris. the World Food Programme said.
The Royal Bahamas Police Thousands of people were liv-
Force said at least 45 people died ing in a government building, a
after Hurricane Dorian hit the medical centre and an Anglican
Bahamas on September 1, tossing church that survived the storms,
cars and planes around like toys. it said, but had little or no ac-
The death toll is likely climb. cess to water, power and sanitary
Dorian was one of the most facilities. Some 70,000 people
powerful Caribbean storms on were in need of food and shelter,
record, a Category 5 hurricane the WFP estimated.
with winds of 320kph. Private forecasters estimated
It rampaged over the Bahamas that some $3bn in insured prop-
for nearly two days, becoming erty was destroyed or damaged in
the worst disaster in the nation’s the Caribbean.
history. UN High Commissioner for
Large swaths of Greater Abaco Human Rights Michelle Bache-
Island were destroyed. let yesterday opened a Human
Reuters journalists saw search Rights Council session in Geneva
crews using geotagging technol- with a minute of silence for hur-
ogy to mark the locations of bod- ricane victims. “Small island na-
ies in the hard-hit Mudd section tions are among those suffering
of Marsh Harbour on that island. the most catastrophic effects of
One Bahamian rescue worker Residents line-up for evacuation from the Great Abaco island at the airport in Marsh Harbour. climate change, although they
said it is becoming hard to keep contribute very little to fuel-
composed when surrounded by and when people who lost loves need this, they need someone to Free flights will continue to ryone out,” said Carl Smith, a a week after the storm shelters ling the problem,” Bachelet said.
death. ones are crying on your shoulder talk to.” evacuate people who choose to spokesman National Emergency were straining to house evacuees “Just this past week, yet another
“If you’re not in touch with you can’t break down on them,” Bahamian officials said 4,800 leave the Bahamas, but there are Management Agency, during a from worse-hit areas. devastating hurricane hit the
yourself then you lose it. You have said one hazmat-suited Baha- people had been evacuated from no mandatory evacuations, of- news conference yesterday. Hundreds more have fled to the Bahamas, taking a terrible toll in
to be mentally stable because mian police office who could not the archipelago’s several islands, ficials said. Thousands of people poured United States in search of safety human life and destroying pre-
when you’re seeing these things, give his name. “These families most from Abaco. “The plan is not to move eve- into the capital, Nassau, where and resources. cious development gains.”
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 11

ASIA
Two die, 13 critical
after Lanka faith

Bangladesh stops new SIM healing

Two people have died from heat
exhaustion after attending a mass
open air faith healing session in
northeast Sri Lanka which left

card sale in Rohingya camps

13 others fighting for their lives,
police said.
Around 10,000 people, some
of whom were seriously ill, had
gathered at a school to listen to
a man who claimed he could use
“powers” to cure the sick.
AFP In late August a repatriation hingya over the past two years, been stopped in the camp ar- Mohamed Abul Monsur, The latest ban has stunned Police in the town of
Dhaka initiative fell flat with the long- mostly for alleged metham- eas,” S M Farhad, secretary police chief at Ukhia town the refugees, with leaders say- Horowupotana, 260km (162
oppressed minority refugees phetamines trafficking. general of the Association of where the world’s largest ing it would hugely affect their miles) northeast of Colombo said
refusing to return to Myanmar Bangladesh’s telecom- Mobile Telecom Operators of refugee camp, Kutupalong, life and security, disrupting 18 people were taken to hospital,

B
angladesh mobile opera- without guarantees for their munications regulator on Bangladesh (AMTOB), which is located, confirmed the de- communications between dif- with 13 in a critical condition.
tors have on government safety and for citizenship. September 3 ordered phone represents all mobile phone velopment, saying mobile ferent camps and with Rohingya Officials at the local hospital
orders stopped selling Adding to frustration in Dha- companies to cut off mobile operators, said. phone retailers have been still in Myanmar. said the two who died suffered
new SIM cards to Rohingya ref- ka, this was followed by a pro- access in the three dozen ref- He said high speed third- and told not to sell any new SIM Rights group Human heat exhaustion while others
ugees, officials said yesterday, in test by some 200,000 Rohingya ugee camps, citing security fourth-generation (3G and 4G) cards in the region. Rights Watch on Saturday were treated for dehydration.
a further sign of Dhaka’s impa- to mark two years since their grounds. mobile Internet connections in “No new SIM cards are being urged the government to Temperatures have soared to
tience following the latest failed arrival. The four mobile phone op- the region have also been sus- sold in Ukhia,” he said, adding end the communications about 37 degrees Celsius (98.6
repatriation move. There has also been a spike in erators were given seven days to pended between 5pm and 6 am police have monitored the town clampdown, saying it “made degrees Fahrenheit) in the area
Bangladesh has been hosting violence and a rise in tensions submit reports on actions they every day. the last two days. matters worse.” this weekend.
around a million Rohingya refu- with locals, and authorities fear have taken to shut down data The operators also restricted Bangladesh has in the past “The authorities should take The faith healer, Deegoda Kumara,
gees in vast camps in the south- Internet and telephone access connectivity and were ordered coverage to within Bangladesh tried to restrict mobile access a level-headed approach in- used his YouTube channel to deny
east since a military crackdown could contribute to further un- to stop selling SIM (subscriber following allegations that Ro- but it was not enforced serious- stead of overreacting to ten- he had caused the deaths and
in neighbouring Myanmar rest. identity module) cards in the hingya over the border in My- ly, spawning booming markets sions and protests by isolating accused local media of causing
prompted a huge exodus in Au- Bangladeshi security forces camp areas. anmar were using the networks, of mobile phones and SIM cards Rohingya refugees in camps,” unrest by spreading mistrust about
gust 2017. have shot dead at least 34 Ro- “Already, SIM card sale has he said. in the camps. HRW said. his work. (AFP)

Army chiefs conference opening ceremony

China offers aid to
Nepal during foreign
minister’s visit
DPA/IANS “Our talks will Initially, Nepal had identi-
Kathmandu focus on bilateral fied 36 projects under the BRI
economic co- framework, but that number
operation and was later trimmed down to

C
hina offered an aid how we can nine as per Chinese sugges-
package to Nepal dur- expedite pacts and tions.
ing the meeting of the agreements signed Among the nine projects, the
visiting Chinese foreign minis- in the past” establishment of the Madan
ter and his Nepali counterpart Bhandari University in Chit-
yesterday. natural disasters, according to lang, Makawanpur, will be
Chinese Foreign Minister a statement released by Nepal’s given priority, according to Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, centre, stands with military representatives from various countries during the opening
Wang Yi held delegation-level Foreign Ministry. sources at the Foreign Ministry. ceremony of the Indo-Pacific Army Chiefs Conference (IPACC) meeting in Bangkok yesterday.
talks with Nepalese Foreign Af- The three-day visit is ex- Discussions will also be held
fairs Minister Pradeep Gyawali pected to lay the groundwork on a proposal forwarded by the
in the capital Kathmandu. for the possible visit of Chinese Education Ministry for Chi-
“Our talks will focus on bi- President Xi Jinping in mid- nese volunteers to teach the
lateral economic co-operation October, The Kathmandu Post Chinese language in Nepali
and how we can expedite pacts newspaper reported yesterday. schools.
and agreements signed in the
past,” Gyawali said.
“We will also discuss how
According to the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Wang had
a hectic schedule of meet-
Wang’s meeting with oth-
er government officials and
political leaders were likely
Smog from Indonesia covers southern Thailand
we can implement projects un- ings lined up for yesterday and to revolve around creating a
der the Belt and Road Initiative today. He will call on Presi- positive environment for the IANS province covered with smog, It also said authorities pre- outdoor exposure and health
(BRI) in a time-bound manner.” dent Bidya Devi Bhandari, Chinese President’s visit to Bangkok quoting that the thick smoke dicted the situation would wors- problems such as coughing,
It followed an agreement Prime Minister K P Sharma Nepal. was caused by burning of farm- en as burning was uncontrolled breathing difficulties and eye ir-
to build a hospital in Ne- Oli, Nepali Congress presi- However, China is yet to lands and forests in Indonesia during this southwest monsoon ritation.

S
pal’s remote mountain region dent Sher Bahadur Deuba and confirm the visit. There has mog from neighbouring as southwest monsoon wind period. The transboundary haze
along the Chinese border, and former prime minister Pushpa been no official word on it. Indonesia blankets south- continued. With its location in a basin, also hit other provinces in-
$138,821 in aid for the survi- Kamal Dahal, The Kathmandu After Kathmandu, Wang, ern provinces of Thailand, Residents in Hat Yai were Hat Yai’s smog situation is worse cluding Trang and Satun
vors of the floods that occurred Post reported. who is leading a 15-member causing health hazard to the res- warned of higher level of (Par- than other areas due to low air with smog blanketing urban
during the monsoon season in In March 2017, Nepal and delegation, will be flying to idents, the Thai media reported ticulate Matter) PM2.5 exceed- circulation. areas as weather officials
the country’s south. China had signed a bilateral Pokhara and on to Muktinath yesterday. ing safety level of 50mg per cubic Children, the elderly people, reported more hot spots on
The Chinese also offered pact under the BRI in Kath- for a scenic tour. He will return Thai TV images showed the metre for two days, local media pregnant women and those with Sumatra Island, local media
5,000 tents to be used during mandu. to Beijing today. city of Hat Yai in Songkhla said. respiratory were advised to avoid reported.

Indonesian police probe as bags of Climbers to make

autumn Everest
snakes thrown into student dorm ascent after 9 yrs
IANS The temperature on the
By Helen Davidson and Kate and confirmed the dormitory At least six people are believed Kathmandu summit is around minus 36
Lamb was being guarded by police. to have been killed and doz- degrees Celsius.
Jakarta It was not clear if police were ens arrested in clashes between Japanese climber Nobukazu

A
guarding the building when the protesters and police in Papuan t least 10 mountaineers Kuriki, who died on his eighth
motorcyclists came by. towns in recent weeks. are preparing to make attempt to summit Everest last

I
ndonesian police are investi- It is not the first time snakes Indonesian authorities de- a bid to scale Mount year, had made six unsuccess-
gating allegations of masked have been used to intimidate ployed extra police and military Everest, breaking a nine-year ful autumn climbing attempts.
motorcycle riders throwing West Papuans. personnel into the region, and hiatus in climbing the world’s The climb in autumn is
bags of snakes into a West Pa- In February, a UN panel of shut down Internet, as demon- highest peak during autumn. again seeing a revival with a
puan student dormitory in Sura- experts called for investigations strations turned violent. Four American, four Polish, team of dedicated climbers to
baya and “deliberately spreading into violence, unlawful arrest A number of students were re- one British and one Span- make the bid.
terror”. and mistreatment, after video portedly shot by militia groups, ish climber have been granted “Our team of Polish climb-
The hostel was the site of emerged of police using a large and footage of soldiers firing on permission to climb Everest ers has reached Everest base
anti-Papua protests last month, snake to terrorise a handcuffed protesters emerged last month. this autumn, according to Ne- camp,” said Mingma Sherpa,
which then sparked rolling and Papuan teenage boy. Much of the information from pal’s Department of Tourism chairman of Seven Summit
often violent protests across In- News of the dawn intimida- the Papua protests has come that issues climbing permits, Treks. “They plan to climb
donesia, including in the Papuan tion comes days after reports through the Indonesian human the Kathmandu Post reported. Everest by September-end.”
province. emerged that an Indonesian stu- rights lawyer Veronica Koman, The world’s highest peak Sherpa said that success
Students at the East Java ac- dent activist, Surya Anta, was who Indonesian authorities have normally sees the highest would depend on the weather.
commodation, which was the being detained in an isolated cell since named as a “suspect” in number of climbers during the Spanish ultra-marathoner
target of racist taunts and pro- at the Mako Brimob detention the spreading of “fake news”. spring season. Very few have Kilian Jornet, who reached the
tests last month, said shortly af- centre where nationalist songs, On Saturday East Java police climbed it during the autumn. Everest summit twice within a
ter 4am yesterday four people on including the national anthem, said they had issued a warrant According to the Department week, first on May 22 and again
two motorcycles pulled up out- were played throughout the day. for Koman. of Tourism, the last time Ev- on May 27 in 2017 from the Chi-
side the building. They threw an The pro-Papuan activist was The chief of the East Java re- erest was climbed in the au- nese side without the use of
open sack containing a 15-20kg arrested with seven Papuan stu- gional police, Inspector Gen- tumn season was in 2010, supplemental oxygen and fixed
python, and another containing dents for allegedly raising the eral Luki Hermawan, told Antara when American Eric Larsen ropes, is also looking to make a
three “aggressive” snakes which Morning Star flag, a symbol of news that police had visited her achieved the feat. bid this autumn, his agency Ev-
escaped into the compound, Papuan independence, at a pro- family’s house, and were work- “It’s difficult to climb Everest erest Parivar Expedition said.
student Yohanes Giyai said. test in front of the state palace in ing with state intelligence, gov- during the autumn because of The first ascent of Everest
“We could not catch three Jakarta. ernment ministries and the im- post-monsoon and fresh snow,” during the autumn was re-
aggressive snakes because they Police say they are now facing migration department. said Rameshwor Niroula, an of- corded in 1973 when two Japa-
were moving towards the gutter A python sits in a cage after it was allegedly thrown into a West Papuan charges of treason. Police have cited Koman’s ficial of the department. nese Yasuo Kato and Michio
in the dormitory, while the snake student dormitory in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia yesterday morning In recent days, activists have posts about an August incident “The autumn season, when Yuasa achieved the feat on
in the plastic bag [we] managed in this image obtained from social media. also claimed that security forces in Surabaya when military and the monsoon ends, is regarded October 26, 1973.
to catch it because the snake had in the Papuan capital of Jayapura nationalist militia were captured as more dangerous because Nepal has been receiving
not come out of the bag,” Giyai puan Student Alliance Central binoculars, and were “running have conducted nightly raids on video calling Papuan students there is typically a lot of new flak for the large number of
said. Committee, said the motorcy- around”. on student dormitories, leaving “monkeys” and “dogs”. She faces snow which can be unstable. permits it is issuing to people
Videos sent to the Guardian, clists fled as students hurried An East Java police spokesper- students frightened and trau- up to six years jail if found guilty The autumn also brings high wanting to scale the highest
purporting to be of the incident, out of their rooms. son, Frans Barung Mangera, said matised, while other Papuan on charges under the country’s winds and shorter days, mak- peak in the world. In 2019, 11
show a large python curled in- He said a group of people they the police were investigating the students have complained of be- controversial electronic infor- ing climbing difficult. Mostly, people died on Everest dur-
side an open sack. suspected to be authorities were incident to determine who was ing subject to heavy surveillance mation and transactions law. there are crevasses of fresh ing a record season with huge
Giyai, an organiser for the Pa- watching the building through “deliberately spreading terror” and intimidation by authorities. (Guardian News and Media) snow,” said Niroula. number of climbers.
 Gulf Times
12 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

ASIA/AUSTRALASIA
South Korean president appoints justice minister despite scandals
AFP the presidential Blue House said, prosecution office that Cho is to decision. But he said he stuck important duty at a personally an institution and that she had dential term and Moon’s presi-
Seoul with a mandate to reform the lead have carried out multiple raids to his choice because it would difficult time,” Cho said. “My appeared to benefit from family dency ends in 2022. A recent poll
prosecutors’ office. over the past two weeks linked to leave a “bad precedent” if he shoulders are heavy as I am well connections. showed that Cho is the fourth-
Liberal darling Cho was named the scandals. had dropped Cho’s nomination aware that an arduous and rough Cho was grilled by lawmakers favourite presidential hopeful.

A
n embattled law professor last month by the president —him- And last week his wife, profes- when it was not confirmed that path lies ahead of us.” in a marathon 14-hour hearing Opposition Liberty Korea Par-
began his duty as South self a former human-rights lawyer sor Chung Kyung-sim, was in- Cho had broken laws himself. “I South Korea is an intensely on Friday, where he said he had ty condemned the appointment,
Korea’s justice minister — as a nominee to lead the minis- dicted for allegedly forging a col- thought it was more important competitive society where elite “caused deep disappointment” contending that the country’s
after receiving presidential ap- try. But the confirmation process lege award for their daughter. to follow principles and consist- high schools have often been and that his “words and actions “rule of law is dead”.
proval yesterday, despite an on- became a partisan battleground President Moon admitted in ency,” he said. criticised — including by Cho, were not consistent”. Score-settling is ingrained in
going probe by state prosecutors when questions were raised over a televised statement yester- At his inauguration ceremony, who has said they create a “more Analysts say the scandal has the South’s winner-takes-all po-
into alleged misconduct by his Cho’s daughter’s schooling and his day that there was now a “sharp Cho apologised for causing con- unfair society”. laid bare worsening class divi- litical system, with every one of
wife. relatives’ investment in a private division” between critics and cern as he reaffirmed his com- So he was slammed for hy- sions in South Korea, the world’s the country’s living former presi-
Cho Kuk was appointed to the equity fund suspected of dubi- supporters of Cho, adding he mitment to implement reform. pocrisy when it emerged he had 11th largest economy. South Ko- dents either in prison or convict-
role by President Moon Jae-in, ous operations. Officials from the had been “agonised” over the “I have been tasked with a very sent his own daughter to such rea has a single five-year presi- ed of crimes after leaving office.

Powerful typhoon Faxai

batters Tokyo, two dead Monday morning, the storm had
AFP
Tokyo moved back offshore and was
headed northeast away from Ja-
pan, back into the Pacific. The

A
powerful typhoon that weather agency warned that
battered Tokyo overnight landslides were still possible in
with record winds killed Chiba as well as the northern
two people, police said yester- Fukushima region as the storm
day, as cancelled trains caused headed away from land.
commuter chaos and more than Japan is used to severe tropi-
100 flights were scrapped, leav- cal storms and typhoons during
ing thousands stranded at the late summer and autumn. Strong
airport. Typhoon Faxai, packing typhoon Krosa lashed western
winds of up to 207km per hour, Japan in mid-August, bringing
made landfall in Chiba just east strong winds and torrential rain
of the capital before dawn, after that claimed one life.
barrelling through Tokyo Bay. And in late August, heavy rains
The transport disruptions un- left three people dead when mas-
leashed by the storm came less sive floods also hit western Japan.
than two weeks before the start But this year, the typhoon season
of the Rugby World Cup, and de- coincides with the Rugby World
layed the arrival of the Australian Cup, presenting a possible head-
team — a reminder that Japan’s ache for teams and organisers.
typhoon season could present Tournament rules say that if
challenges for organisers. Po- A police officer inspects damage caused by Typhoon Faxai in Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture, yesterday. a pool match has to be scrapped
lice confirmed two people were due to extreme weather, it is
killed in the storm — a woman in of thousands and authorities The overland East Japan Railway tional Airport were halted, with classed as a draw, which could
her fifties who was found dead in said more than 2,000 people had train system was largely halted in buses and taxis the only options have a major impact on what is
Tokyo and an elderly man in the taken refuge in shelters at one the early hours of operation while left to those arriving or hoping to set to be a very close competi-
neighbouring Chiba prefecture. point. The strong winds downed tracks were checked for fallen fly out. tion.
Security camera footage trees and power lines. Nearly trees and other debris. The storm Thousands of people were Nicholas van Santen, a
showed that high winds pushed 760,000 households were still also caused delays and stoppages stranded at the airport yesterday spokesman for Rugby World Cup
her across a street and into a wall, without electricity in the Tokyo on subway lines, leading to mas- evening, with officials preparing organisers, said they were work-
while the 87-year-old man was area yesterday evening. Scaffold- sive crowds at some stations in to distribute blankets and food. ing closely with the teams to
found dead in the woods under a ing was ripped from buildings the busy metropolitan area that At least 138 domestic flights were minimise any disruption to their
fallen tree. and protective sheeting hung to is home to 36 million people. cancelled, with the weather even training schedules.
The storm injured more than keep construction debris off the Bullet train services that were delaying the arrival of the Wal- “In the days and hours leading
30 people, including a woman streets was crumpled and torn by suspended during the storm had labies in Tokyo on Monday ahead up to the typhoon making land-
who sustained serious injuries the storm. largely resumed, though some of the World Cup that kicks off on fall, the organising committee
after gusts toppled a protective While the damage was rela- were operating on a reduced September 20. monitored the situation closely
netting structure at a golf driving tively light given the wind schedule. The French team managed with the tournament’s weather
range onto nearby houses. speeds, it was enough to cause Some roads were blocked by to sneak in just ahead of the ty- information provider and the
Non-compulsory evacuation chaos in the capital’s notori- downed trees. And trains run- phoon and reach their training relevant authorities,” said Van A fallen utility pole brought down by winds from Typhoon Faxai in
orders were issued to hundreds ously busy morning commute. ning to and from Narita Interna- camp near Mount Fuji. By mid- Santen. Kimitsu, Chiba prefecture, yesterday.

Taiwan urges Solomon Islands Australia Drying sections of

blocks water system prompt
not to switch allegiance to China websites Australian fish rescue
AFP
Taipei hosting AFP
Sydney
water starts flowing again.
Some environmentalists have

attack cast down on the efficacy of

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aiwan’s president urged the A$10mn ($6.85mn) plan,

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the Solomon Islands not ustralia began rescuing which the state government
to switch diplomatic al-
legiance to China, as the Pacific
nation deliberates whether to
videos wild fish from drying
sections of its biggest
water system yesterday, hop-
has dubbed a “modern-day
Noah’s Ark”.
But Marshall defended it as
recognise the far more eco- ing to avoid a repeat of mass “providing the best possible
nomically powerful Beijing in- AFP fish deaths that prompted out- chance of survival” for the fish
stead. Sydney rage last summer. — while also admitting there
The Solomons are among Fish have become stranded will almost certainly be fur-
only 17 countries that main- in isolated pools in the Dar- ther severe fish kill events this

A
tain official ties with Taiwan, ustralia ordered Inter- ling River amid a prolonged summer.
but Prime Minister Manasseh net providers yesterday to drought that has ravaged much
Sogavare has vowed to review block eight websites that of the sunburnt country’s Up to 20 pools of fish will
the relationship. published content linked to the eastern interior. be moved downstream
Beijing has poached five dip- Christchurch mosque massacre — New South Wales state in the first stage of the
lomatic allies from Taipei since a first under new censorship rules. Agriculture Minister Adam relocation effort
the 2016 election of Taiwanese After the alleged gunman, an Aus- Marshall warned of a “fish
President Tsai Ing-wen – part tralian national, live-streamed the armageddon” this southern “With record low rain-
of a wider campaign to isolate killing of 51 worshippers at two hemisphere summer, with- fall and high temperatures
the island because her party New Zealand mosques in March, out drastic action to save the predicted over the coming
refuses to accept that Taiwan is Canberra has looked to expand its river’s critically endangered months, this action will help
part of “one China”. censorship powers. Murray Cod and other native protect our iconic species in
Taiwan is desperate to stave The overseas websites were fish species. Last summer up the midst of the worst drought
off losing another diplomatic blacklisted because they “contin- to a million fish died in the on record,” he said.
ally. Last week the government Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (right) shakes hands with Solomon Islands’ Foreign Minister ue to provide access to the video of same area of the river — part of The health of the Murray-
warned that Chinese “flashy Jeremiah Manele during a press conference at the Taipei Guest House in Taipei yesterday. the Christchurch terrorist attacks the vast Murray-Darling Basin Darling Basin — a river net-
and false promises” of build- or the manifesto of the alleged per- that serves as the lifeblood of work stretching across 1mn
ing infrastructure had pushed of its “global posture”. “Like as lawmakers and others in the nalised until the cabinet had petrator”, said Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s food bowl. sq km, about twice the size of
other Pacific nations into “debt in any democracy there is no Solomons push for a switch to reviewed a task force report. Australia’s eSafety commissioner. Scientists said the deaths Spain —has been the subject
traps”. single opinion on this ... for China, the world’s second big- Nations such as Australia Authorities refused to name the were caused by low water and of intense debate in Australia
Yesterday, Tsai told the vis- us it’s basically trying to look gest economy. Taiwan has been and the United States fear Bei- websites —which will be blocked oxygen levels as well as po- for years. Experts and locals
iting Solomons Foreign Minis- at what’s in the best inter- run as a de facto independent jing’s interest is fuelled by a for at least six months — saying it tentially toxic algae. Now the say the systemic depletion
ter Jeremiah Manele that Tai- est of our foreign policy going nation for the last seven dec- long-term goal to establish a could bring them more traffic. government has begun an ef- and pollution of the river is to
wan is a responsible partner in forward,” added Collin Beck, ades but Beijing sees as part of military base in the islands, of- Several other websites were fort to relocate thousands of blame for its poor condition.
the international community. permanent secretary at the its territory awaiting reunifica- fering control of vast swathes asked to take down content and fish to healthier sections of the In January, a Royal Com-
She called for the Solomons’ Solomons’ foreign and external tion, by force if necessary. of ocean. had complied, Inman Grant add- river or into hatcheries. mission report accused the
“continuous support” and said trade ministry. The Solomons’ parliamen- US Defence Secretary Mark ed. “The remaining rogue web- Up to 20 pools of fish will be authority responsible for over-
Taiwan would work with the “A the moment it’s business tary foreign relations commit- Esper last month accused sites need only to remove the il- moved downstream in the first sight of the basin of failing to
country to “further enhance as usual for us,” he said. Less tee is accepting submissions China of destabilising the re- legal content to have the block stage of the relocation effort, be guided by environmental
bilateral relations”. than half the Solomons popu- on the Taiwan-China issue gion using such tactics, cit- against them lifted,” she said. which is expected to be rolled priorities and ignoring climate
Manele later told a press lation has access to electricity until the end of this month and ing “predatory economics and One of the eight websites was out across the drought-strick- change projections.
conference that Solomons “ap- and it is heavily reliant on for- has an October 31 deadline to debt-for-sovereignty deals”. a blog focusing on the so-called en state in the coming months. The body was accused of al-
preciates the friendly, rich and eign aid. report to the legislature. Its However, China’s ambassa- “Threat of Islam”, according to Other fish will be removed lowing politics to determine
progressive relations” with The debate offers a chance foreign affairs department has dor to Samoa Chao Xiaoliang an explanatory statement lodged from the river altogether, and how much water could be re-
Taiwan, saying the review is to weigh up promises of sup- said no decision had been made has labelled critics “ignorant” with the Federal Register of placed into private and state- moved from the river to irri-
part of a broader assessment port from Taipei and Beijing, and the issue would not be fi- and “prejudiced”. Legislation. owned hatcheries until the gate farmland.
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 13

BRITAIN/IRELAND

Green belt to be destroyed for homes ‘which won’t be needed’

Guardian News and Media a dozen sites, around Coventry, fice of National Statistics (ONS), open fields were being planned “They don’t go to school, don’t 2031, on fields near Sutton Cold- sider it quicker, cheaper and
London which have been released from which predict the population will for “ghosts”, because there is no attend A&E, don’t have babies, field, was halved in size. In Janu- easier than previously-used
anti-sprawl protections. They surge by almost a third between wider evidence of the sharp pre- don’t own cars, don’t claim state ary, Andy Burnham, the mayor brownfield sites. The govern-
will be ploughed up to build more the last census, in 2011, and 2031. dicted population growth. Just pensions, don’t use gas or elec- of Greater Manchester, accused ment wants 300,000 new homes

S
wathes of green belt in the than 11,000 new homes based on Green belt in neighbouring areas, 15,000 new homes were need- tricity, and don’t put waste into the government of making it im- to be built annually by the mid-
heart of England have been population growth predictions including Warwickshire, Nunea- ed, requiring the loss of far less their bins … The net result? The possible to reduce the amount dle of the next decade – more
earmarked for new homes which demographers warn are ton and Rugby, has also been ear- green space. death of the green belt.” of protected green belt allocated than double the output over the
for people who may never exist, likely to be over-inflated. marked for housing to help Cov- “If there has been hyper pop- Similar fears have been raised to housing through the use of last 10 years. Campaigners fear
in a trend fuelled by the drive The city council believes it entry meet its target. ulation growth in Coventry, they elsewhere. Last week campaign- old population growth figures, planning inspectors are facing
to double housebuilding, cam- needs land to accommodate Analysis presented at the are ghosts,” said Merle Gering, ers in Birmingham claimed which are higher than the most political pressure not to query
paigners have warned. 42,400 new homes in the next 12 British Society of Population a Coventry-based campaigner housing need had been delib- recent projections. ambitious targets set by coun-
Fields bordering ancient years, based on population pre- Studies, in Cardiff, yesterday whose analysis has been en- erately over-estimated after Housebuilders prefer to build cils, even when they involve the
woodlands are among more than dictions by the government’s Of- suggested homes earmarked for dorsed by leading demographers. a scheme for 5,000 homes by on open land because they con- destruction of green belt.

EU vents
frustration
with Brexit
No-backstop
shambles equals no-deal,
Ireland warns
Reuters
Brussels

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s frustration with Brit-
ain’s Brexit crisis boils
over across Europe,
France and the Netherlands have
raised the prospect that the Eu-
ropean Union might reject a re-
quest by Prime Minister Boris
Johnson to extend the divorce
deadline from October 31.
But while patience is wear-
PM Johnson with a promise,” Varadkar said, UK’s $2.8tn economy, Dublin is
Reuters
ing thin in capitals of the EU’s Dublin/London adding there was no such thing backed by the rest of the Euro-
27 other members, few believe as a clean break as talks would pean Union whose economy —
it is likely that their leaders will stretch on for years. minus the UK — is worth $15.9tn.

I
force Britain into a chaotic exit reland told Prime Minister The 500km land border be- With no majority in parlia-
that would deliver a body blow Boris Johnson yesterday that tween Ireland and the British ment, which is determined to
to their own economies as well he must make specific pro- province of Northern Ireland has prevent what many business-
as its. posals on the future of the Irish always been the biggest stum- es fear would be a calamitous
A senior EU diplomat said border if there is to be any hope bling block for an orderly Brexit. no-deal Brexit, Johnson wants
the French and Dutch ministers’ of averting a no-deal Brexit, say- The Withdrawal Agreement to hold an election to keep his
comments may have been aimed ing Dublin cannot rely on simple that former prime minister promise of leaving by October 31.
at domestic audiences as dismay promises. Theresa May struck in Novem- In the past week alone, John-
mounts across Europe over the The blunt remarks by Irish ber with the EU includes an son lost his majority in parlia-
Brexit drama. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in- “Irish backstop” and says the ment, expelled 21 rebels from
They may also have been a dicate the difficulty of Johnson’s United Kingdom will remain in a his Conservative Party and saw
warning to Britain that it needs gamble of using the threat of a customs union “unless and un- his own brother quit the govern-
to speed up efforts to reach a deal no-deal exit to convince Ger- til” alternative arrangements are ment, torn between family loy-
in time for October 31. many and France that they must found to avoid a hard border. alty and “the national interest”.
Officials and diplomats said rewrite an exit agreement struck But the agreement was re- On Saturday, his work and
the 27 will want evidence that a last November. jected three times by parliament, pensions minister suddenly re-
delay would not simply bring a Johnson promised when he as many lawmakers oppose the signed, saying the government
further three months of wran- took office in July that he would prospect of being bound to EU was focusing 80% to 90% of its
gling in London and a continued finally achieve the Brexit that rules and customs duties that work on no-deal preparations
impasse that leads to a no-deal Britain voted for in a 2016 refer- would prevent Britain doing rather than seeking a withdrawal
Brexit. endum, taking the country out its own trade deals and leave it agreement.
An election in Britain, which of the bloc by October 31 with or overseen by EU judges. Meanwhile two ministers said
seems likely, would be enough to without a withdrawal agreement Varadkar warned that even if a on Sunday that Johnson would
convince them that the dynam- to smooth the transition. deal was struck, agreeing a future not seek a delay at a summit next
ics could change. On arrival in Dublin for talks, free trade agreement would be a month — but notably declined
“Nobody in the EU 27 wants Johnson said he did not want a “Herculean” task for Johnson. to spell out how he would nev-
to drive the Brits over a cliff, no-deal exit: he said he wanted Though Ireland is only about ertheless obey the new law if no
but the request has to be done a deal at the October 17-18 EU an eighth of the size of the deal was agreed with the EU.
in good faith,” a senior EU dip- summit and had border ideas to
lomat said. “There has always present to Dublin but that the
been a view in the Brussels UK would leave the bloc by Oc-
Brexit will happen on October 31, ‘no ifs or buts’
bubble that something like an tober 31. A bill demanding that Prime office said after the bill became
election would warrant an ex- “In the absence of agreed Minister Boris Johnson delay law. The departure from the
tension.” alternative arrangements, no Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, the United Kingdom’s most
The British parliament has backstop is no-deal for us,” Var- EU on October 31 if he cannot significant geopolitical move in
passed legislation to force John- adkar, standing beside Johnson get a divorce deal became a decades, remains in question
son to secure a delay in Britain’s outside the Irish government, law yesterday but his office more than three years since the
departure from the EU at a sum- told reporters. “We are open to insisted that Brexit would 2016 referendum, with possible
mit next month if he has not alternatives, but they must re- happen by that date, “no ifs outcomes ranging from a
reached an exit deal. alistic ones, legally binding and and buts”. “The prime minister no-deal exit to abandoning the
Although the prime minis- workable and we haven’t re- is very clear that he will take whole endeavour. BlackRock,
ter has said he would rather be ceived such proposals to date.” this country out of the EU on a US investment firm that
“dead in a ditch” than make such “What we cannot do and will October 31 no ifs or buts, he manages $6.8tn of assets, said a
a request, the few options he has not do, and I know you under- will not sanction any more no-deal Brexit or a referendum
to avoid it include resigning or Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar poses with Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the steps of the stand this, is agree to the re- pointless delays,” Johnson’s had become more plausible.
breaking the law. government building in Dublin yesterday prior to their meeting. placement of a legal guarantee

Building ablaze
77-year-old woman Playwright Nichols
dies aged 92
sets sailing record Guardian News and Media
London
this month in a new production
at the Trafalgar Studios in Lon-
don, directed by Simon Evans
Guardian News and Media Socrates was already the old- know the various systems and starring Toby Stephens,

T
London est woman to make the trip, onboard Nereida and dealing he playwright Peter Ni- Claire Skinner and Patricia
completing it in 2013. The with a variety of problems,” chols, who was best Hodge.
Royal Victoria Yacht Club said on her blog. known for his anarchic, Nichols was born on July

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77-year-old British the previous record was held She attempted to complete acerbic and semi-autobiograph- 31, 1927, and grew up in Bristol
woman has become the by Minoru Saito, who was 71 her first non-stop sail around ical black comedies, has died at where he studied acting at the
oldest person to sail when he completed the journey the world in 2009, but rigging the age of 92. His agent, Alan Bristol Old Vic theatre school.
around the world alone, non- in 2005. problems forced her to aban- Brodie, confirmed that Nichols He would later play roles includ-
stop, and unassisted. Socrates told the local press, don the attempt. Another at- died on Saturday in Oxford. ing Dracula, and have a stint as
Jeanne Socrates, from Lym- Chek News: “The winds were tempt in 2012 had also failed, Nichols had a hit in 1967 a teacher, before focusing on
ington, Hampshire, completed not with me, two cyclones off but Socrates persevered and with A Day in the Death of Joe writing. Nichols did his national
her 320-day voyage in Victoria, Hawaii to avoid, and a cyclone was awarded the Guinness Egg, about a married couple service with the RAF and was
Canada. She was accompanied off the Indian ocean to avoid, World Record in 2013 for be- raising their daughter who is a wartime entertainer along-
by a flotilla of boats during I wasted a week with that.” ing the oldest woman to sail severely disabled. The play de- side Kenneth Williams with the
the final moments of the jour- She also thanked the public alone non-stop and unas- buted at the Citizens theatre Combined Services Entertain-
ney, while hundreds of people for their support, “They’ve sisted. in Glasgow then transferred to ment unit in Singapore, putting
cheered her on from the har- sent me such great messages, Socrates has been able to the West End in London and to on revues and sketches. That
bour. I think they like the fact that overcome a number of setbacks Broadway, where it was nomi- experience inspired his 1977 tra-
The Royal Victoria Yacht I’ve persevered and overcome in her career. In 2017, she fell off nated for four Tony awards. For gi-farcical musical Privates on
Club congratulated Socrates so many problems on the way her boat, breaking her neck and this ground-breaking drama Parade, which was first staged by
on Saturday for completing her around, and that I show it can ribs as she prepared for a previ- about disability, Nichols drew the Royal Shakespeare Company
solo circumnavigation unas- be done.” ous record attempt. upon the early years of his mar- and later became a film starring
sisted and setting the record Socrates took up sailing During her journey, Socrates riage and the life of his eldest John Cleese. The traditions of
for being the oldest person to with her husband shortly af- raised more than £2,000 for daughter, Abigail. “She went music hall and vaudeville re-
do so. ter retiring in 1997. The pair the lifeboat charity RNLI. In a into hospital at four and stayed mained an influence throughout
During the journey, Socra- travelled across Europe, the recent blogpost, she wrote that there till she died,” Nichols his career.
tes’s 38ft (11.5-metre) boat, Caribbean, and the US. Af- she supported “the superb life- said, describing her life as “a The RSC also put on his Pas-
Nereida, sustained damage to ter her husband died in 2003, saving work done by the RNLI sort of living death”. The play sion Play, about infidelity, in
its mainsail and backup sail, Socrates continued to sail … each and every day of the Firefighters battle flames engulfing a block of flats in London, was adapted for a 1972 film, has 1980 and the musical Poppy,
while its solar panels were lost alone, describing it as “quite year, regardless how bad the Britain, yesterday. had several high-profile reviv- about the 19th-century opium
overboard. a daunting task, getting to weather.” als and returns to the West End wars, in 1982.
 Gulf Times
14 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

BRITAIN

Stop return of measles by making MMR jab compulsory: doctors

Guardian News and Media a letter to ministers seen by the Secretary, Gavin Williamson, to exemptions for either conscien- missioning groups (CCGs), which proportion of five-year-olds rule out a switch to mandatory
London Guardian. embrace the proposed change in tious objection or medical con- allocate health service cash in in England receiving both dos- MMR for primary schoolchil-
They want school entry pro- policy. Doing so would save lives traindication.” History shows their areas. He helped advise es has fallen in recent years dren and said anti-vaxxers had
cedures toughened so that the and tackle dangerous “compla- that mandatory vaccination can the then health secretary Jeremy to 87.2%, below the 95% the “blood on their hands”. “I do

T
he MMR jab should be only exceptions made to the new cency” among parents who do be necessary, they add. “There is Hunt and was acting chair of the World Health Organisation says think we need to consider all
compulsory for children rule would be for children whose not ensure that their child is fully a precedent in the UK. Vaccina- British Medical Association. is necessary to provide herd im- options. I don’t want to reach
before they are allowed parents have registered a consci- immunised, they say. tion against smallpox was made He is also the clinical (medi- munity and in effect eradicate the point of compulsory vac-
to start primary school to stop entious objection to the measles, “Schools need to check that compulsory for all children born cal) chair of CCGs in north-east measles, mumps and rubella. cination, but I will rule nothing
the resurgence of measles and mumps and rubella vaccine or all their pupils have been vacci- after 1853 and today doctors need London while his co-signatories Public Health England figures out,” he said.
mumps, leading GPs are de- those whose health means they nated. In other countries, certifi- to show evidence of vaccination – Dr Mohini Parmar, Dr Andrew show that cases of measles and However, the GPs’ move trig-
manding. cannot have it. cates of vaccination are required or immunity from various ill- Parson and Dr Josephine Sauvage mumps are rising sharply, a gered an immediate backlash.
Schools should ask all parents The four London GPs, who prior to school entry,” they say nesses so we do not put patients – occupy the same senior roles trend that doctors fear is linked Medical and public health or-
to prove their four- or five-year- include a former government in the letter. “Here in the UK at risk,” they say. in the NHS in the north-west, to parents heeding misinforma- ganisations voiced their unease
old has had their two recom- adviser on health policy, have we could mandate that all chil- The four GPs include Sir Sam south-east and north central re- tion spread by anti-vaccination and warned that making the
mended doses of the vaccine be- urged the Health Secretary, Matt dren need to be vaccinated by a Everington, the chair of all the gions of the city. campaigners. switch would lead to “potential
fore they can attend, they say in Hancock, and the Education health professional, allowing for capital’s 32 NHS clinical com- Their move comes as the Hancock recently refused to harms”.

Wallace flayed
for appearing to
condone torture
Guardian News and Media are required to “act humanely”
London when somebody has been seized.
The 2015 document adds:
“There are no circumstances in

D
efence Secretary Ben which torture, cruel, inhuman or
Wallace was accused of degrading treatment can ever be
appearing to condone justified,” and that “cruel treat-
the use of mock executions af- ment and torture” is absolutely
ter comments he once made that prohibited at all times.
soldiers “might pretend to pour Torture is also expressly pro-
petrol” over prisoners taken on hibited in the 2010 consolidated
the battlefield resurfaced. guidance for UK armed forces
The former Scots Guard cap- and intelligence personnel. But
tain and future Cabinet minister in May, Wallace’s predecessor
had declared that “battlefield Penny Mordaunt ordered a re-
short sharp interrogation where view of the MoD torture guid-
the prisoner is manhandled ance after it emerged that it had
fairly roughly … is absolutely the been discreetly rewritten.
norm” to a newspaper in 2003. The new version allowed min-
Trying to obtain information isters to override the rules where
at the point of capture was criti- there was a risk that intelligence
cal, Wallace told the Scotsman in obtained from allies may have
the immediate aftermath of the been obtained via torture - if
Iraq war. “It’s taught to soldiers “the potential benefits justify
that’s how it’s done. You might accepting the risk”.
pretend to pour petrol over them, Wallace served in the British A few passengers walk around the near-deserted departure area at Heathrow airport Terminal 5 in west London yesterday, as the airline’s first-ever pilots’ strike began.
when it’s actually water.” army in the 1990s, after com-
The remarks, made at a time pleting his training at the Sand-
when Wallace’s political career hurst officers academy. He served
was in its early stages, were un- in Northern Ireland – where he
earthed by human rights group
Reprieve, which accused the de-
fence secretary of appearing to
condone “illegal, immoral” tech-
niques.
Maya Foa, director of Reprieve,
was mentioned in dispatches in
1992 – and in Germany, Cyprus
and central America.
At the time of the interview in
May 2003, Wallace had already
embarked on his political career.
BA cancels ‘nearly 100%
of flights’ after pilot strike
said: “It’s hard to see why Wal- He had just completed a four-
lace would pretend he was pour- year term as a member of the
ing petrol on a detainee other Scottish parliament.
than to make them think they He first became an MP in 2005
were about to be burned alive, and was promoted by Boris John-
which quite obviously amounts son into the Cabinet as defence
to a mock execution.” She added: secretary in July. One of his first Guardian News and Media “We understand the frus- flights a day, with most expected reasonable and affordable claim for BA cabin crew, ground staff
“The behaviour Wallace is en- acts in the job was to say that London tration and disruption Balpa’s to be cancelled, affecting up to for pay and benefits. and engineers – whose unions,
dorsing is not simply ineffective, veterans who served in Northern strike action has caused you. 145,000 passengers a day. “The company’s leaders, who Unite and the GMB, have both
it is illegal, immoral, and under- Ireland should not face prosecu- After many months of trying to Customers have been offered themselves are paid huge salaries accepted it – it should be good

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mines principles which genera- tion unless new facts emerged. he first-ever strike by resolve the pay dispute, we are refunds or the option to re-book and have generous benefits pack- enough for pilots.
tions of British service personnel In the original newspaper in- British Airways pilots extremely sorry that it has come to another date of travel or alter- ages, won’t listen, are refusing to A Balpa statement said: “Fun-
risked their lives to protect.” terview, Wallace sought to justify started at midnight yes- to this,” the company’s website native airline. It is expected that negotiate and are putting profits damentally, BA pilots have lost
Mock executions were why he believed such practices terday, leading to the cancella- said. the problems will continue after before the needs of passengers trust and confidence in their
amongst the torture techniques were necessary. “I would defend tion of hundreds of flights and Both BA and Balpa have indi- the strike, because planes and and staff. It is time to get back to management through relentless
used by the CIA during the post the right of soldiers to interrogate travel disruption for thousands cated that they are willing to start pilots will need to be in position the negotiating table and put to- cost and corner-cutting.” One
9/11 “war on terror”. They were at the point of capture, swiftly of passengers. new talks. Despite the slight thaw for subsequent journeys. gether a serious offer that will end pilot told the Guardian on Friday:
exposed and criticised by a land- and sharply because that’s when Members of the British Airline in previously tetchy relations, the Balpa’s general secretary, Bri- this dispute,” he said. “It’s not really about money, it’s
mark US Senate report in 2014 you get the most information. Pilots’ Association (Balpa) have vast majority of BA’s flights tak- an Strutton, said: “British Air- BA has offered an 11.5% pay about respect. We’ve effectively
for being brutal and ineffective. “That is not a war crime. said they will also walk out on ing off from the UK today have ways needs to wake up and real- rise over three years, which it been lied to. We’ve given up a
The current ministry of de- Where there’s still a threat to our September 27 if the row remains already been cancelled. ise its pilots are determined to be said would take the pay of some serious pension scheme, pay and
fence guidance on captured per- forces, you need to know infor- unresolved. BA has told passengers that if heard. They’ve previously taken captains to more than £200,000 pay rises when the company was
sons does not specifically men- mation quickly. If that man had Yesterday morning BA said on they have a flight booked today, big pay cuts to help the compa- a year. weak – all on the promise that
tion mock executions in the list been given a cup of tea, would he its website that it had “no option it is likely they will not be able to ny through hard times. Now BA The airline said it believed the when the company was strong
of practises that it rules out. But it really have told about his weap- but to cancel nearly 100% (of) travel as planned. is making billions of pounds of pay offer was “fair and generous”, and giving up proper returns to
makes clear that UK armed forces ons under the floor?” our flights”. BA operates more than 800 profit, its pilots have made a fair, and that it if it was good enough its investors, we would benefit.”

Film premiere
Wedding planner held for Bedsore payouts cost
NHS £200,000 a week
conning dozens of couples Daily Mail oxygen and nutrients and begins
London to break down, leading to an ulcer
Daily Mail have now refused to comment by the allegations. “She has af- that can eat through flesh and or-
London ‘because of data protection’ and fected dozens of people, stealing gans – right through to the bone.

T
it was not clear if she was being tens of thousands.” he added. he NHS is paying out These are often found on the heel,
held in the UK or Spain, where “My life has been a lie.” £200,000 every week to back and elbows.

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wedding planner who dis- she was spotted three weeks ago. The couple wed in 2014 and settle claims brought by Solicitors firm Curtis Legal
appeared amid claims that She was photographed by a parted two years ago. She then patients left to suffer from ex- said it recently won a £42,000
she had conned dozens holidaymaker sunbathing and started a one-woman wedding cruciating bedsores. compensation for a woman who
of couples out of thousands of swimming with one of her chil- planner business with clients all Last year saw payouts reach developed a pressure sore on her
pounds is said to have been ar- dren at a holiday complex in Be- over the country. Couples claim a record £10.3mn. But an extra lower back after she was given
rested. nidorm. she was paid large sums but did £10.5mn was also racked up in an epidural during childbirth
Police and the reporting Carl, a barber from Hull, nothing. legal fees – bringing the total to and left unable to move for a few
agency Action Fraud began to had been trying to track her Nicky Thorpe, 32, who got around £400,000 a week. hours. It also won £5,000 for an
investigate Dana Twidale, 42, down since she vanished from married in Harrogate, North More than 150 years ago, Flor- elderly woman who developed
after complaints from engaged her rented home in the city six Yorkshire, last week, says she ence Nightingale said that a pa- a sore on her leg and £9,000 for
couples, catering and event hire weeks ago. paid Twidale “well over £2,000” tient with bedsores represented a man who got a sore on his heel
firms and DJs. A Facebook page called ‘Peo- before realising she had been a failure in nursing care, as pa- while recovering from heart by-
A number of lovestruck men ple Affected by Dana Twidale the “duped”. tients should be moved regularly pass surgery.
also say the mother-of-four de- Wedding Planner Help and Sup- She says her ceremony only to prevent the illness developing. Peter Walsh, of charity Ac-
frauded them out of large sums. port’ is full of posts from people went ahead after an appeal for Now figures from NHS Reso- tion Against Medical Accidents
Her estranged husband Carl claiming to have lost money. help on local radio. Jade Savage lution show there were a record said: “Avoidable bedsores are the
Twidale, 45, says he lost £4,000 Nigel Wainwright wrote: “I said she was let down by Twidale number of cases settled last cause of misery for thousands
and a suitor who met her via the met her via Tinder and we went 10 days before her August wed- year, including 10 where the pa- of patients and sometimes even
Tinder dating app claims he gave out a few times. She told me her ding. tient had to have a limb ampu- death, as well as costing the NHS
her £10,000 for her mother’s fu- mum passed away in December She wrote on Facebook: “With tated. The average compensation millions of pounds.
neral – only to find out that her and was rotting away in a coffin. I the generosity of total strangers cheque is around £37,000. “Serious bedsores should al-
mother was still alive. paid for that funeral. All lies – her and love and support from fam- Bedsores occur when a patient most never be allowed to be ac-
Carl says he was called by mother is alive and well. I only ily and friends our wedding day lies immobile for a period of time, quired in hospitals which is pre-
Humberside Police on Saturday found out last week what a lying happened on Saturday. It turned unable to get up, move around or cisely why in the US they have
and told his wife had “been ar- evil person she was. She skinned out better than what it would shift their weight. The pressure been designated a ‘never event’
rested and was in custody”. me for every penny I had.” have if that evil woman had done Actor Kate Phillips attends the world premiere of Downton disrupts the flow of blood through – something we have been call-
However, the same police force Carl said he had been shocked it anyway.” Abbey in London, Britain, yesterday. the skin, so it becomes starved of ing for in England.”
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 15

EUROPE
Exploding
frying pan
at baking
Kremlin suffers losses
fest leaves
one dead
DPA
in Moscow city election
AFP/Reuters lin candidate, whatever their af- that greater diversity would be The region already has an
Dortmund, Germany Moscow filiation. “useful” for the city’s parlia- LDPR governor.
The beneficiaries were the ment. Tens of thousands of people
Communist Party – which took The head of the ruling United have taken to the streets of Mos-

A P
67-year-old woman has ro-Kremlin candidates 13 seats, up from five – as well as Russia party’s Moscow branch, cow over the last few months,
died from her injuries af- suffered major losses in a the liberal Yabloko party and the Andrei Metelsky, lost his re- demanding free and fair elec-
ter an explosion occurred Moscow city election, re- left-leaning Just Russia, which election bid to a Communist tions.
during a traditional baking fes- sults showed yesterday, follow- each won three. Party candidate. Police detained several thou-
tival in western Germany at the ing a police crackdown on a wave The shake-up in the city par- “People vote with their hearts, sand and while most were re-
weekend. of anti-government protests liament comes amid a stagnat- not their heads,” he told Russian leased quickly, some faced seri-
The woman died yesterday over the summer. ing economy, declining living media as he conceded. ous charges.
morning, a police spokesman However, President Vladimir standards and a fall in President United Russia, formed in 2001 In the week before the elec-
said. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Putin’s approval ratings. to support Putin, has seen its tion, five were sentenced to two
One other woman was still in Peskov played down the losses, His own popularity rating, at popularity collapse in recent to four years in jail.
critical condition in hospital. pointing to other local and re- more than 60%, is much high- years. On election day, police de-
Four others, who had also gional elections across Russia on er than most Western leaders, In Moscow, none of the pro- tained several protest figures
been in life-threatening condi- Sunday in which the ruling party though lower than it has been Kremlin candidates ran under including Maria Alyokhina of
tions early yesterday, were now was “very successful”. previously. its banner, instead presenting political punk group Pussy Riot
stabilised, the spokesman said. Demonstrations broke out in The former KGB officer won themselves as “independents”. and Ilya Azar, a journalist and
According to the spokesman, the capital after top opposition a landslide election victory last Kremlin-backed candidates city councillor.
those in hospital were suffering figures were barred from stand- year that will keep him in office meanwhile won in all 16 regions The Moscow mayor’s office
from serious burns and one per- ing in the city vote. until 2024. where there were elections for had already received applica-
son had suffered a heart attack. The protests widened in scope “We fought for this together. governor. tions for further protests against
The explosion happened on after a harsh response from au- Thanks to everyone for their Alexander Beglov, the gaffe- This picture taken on Sunday shows Putin casting his ballot at a the crackdown for the weekend
Sunday at a festival in the west- thorities. contribution,” Navalny tweeted prone acting governor of Saint polling station in Moscow. of 21 and 22 September, Russian
ern town Freudenberg-Alchen Kremlin-backed candidates following the Moscow results. Petersburg, was elected to lead media reported.
with a huge jet of fire shooting previously held 38 of the Mos- Lyubov Sobol, who emerged Russia’s second city after his evidence that they had cast their bosses,” said one soldier wearing The election results came as
from the frying pan. cow assembly’s 45 seats, but as a protest leader after she was main rival controversially with- ballot to their superiors. civilian clothes who declined to the United Nations rights chief
In total, 14 people were in- after voting that figure is down blocked from running in the drew a week before the vote. Press-ganging soldiers into be named. “We are not told who urged an investigation into ex-
jured. to 25. election, said the vote would go Activists alleged irregulari- voting is a tactic used to boost to vote for but we are told to fulfil cessive use of force by Russian
As the pan was standing under Opposition leader Alexei Na- “down in history thanks to the ties at polling stations across the low turnout in Moscow and is our civic duty.” police in response to the pro-
a roof, the flame hadn’t been able valny, who called the first sum- courage and perseverance of country, while videos emerged also meant to skew results in fa- The defence ministry did not tests.
to escape upwards and instead mer protests after his allies were Muscovites, and the cowardice on social media of ballot stuff- vour of pro-Kremlin candidates, respond to a request for com- Analysts described the local
pushed out to the sides, where kept off the ballot paper, put the and meanness” of the city ad- ing in Saint Petersburg and else- critics say. ment. vote as a test ahead of national
the people standing closest were pro-Kremlin losses down to his ministration. where. Turnout in Moscow on Sun- The Kremlin also saw an up- parliamentary elections due in
hurt. “Smart Voting” plan. Moscow Mayor Sergei So- At least six Russian soldiers in day was just under 22%, data set in the far-eastern city of 2021 – both of the opposition’s
It is still unclear what caused The campaign called on Mus- byanin, a close ally of Putin, said Moscow told Reuters that they showed. Khabarovsk, where the nation- ability to mobilise support and
the flame and the explosion. covites to back the politician the polls were “emotional and had been coerced into voting “We are being forced to vote alist LDPR party took a majority the authorities’ willingness to
According to analysis yester- most likely to beat a pro-Krem- genuinely competitive”, adding and told to provide photographic and we have to report to the in the city council. tolerate dissent.
day, police were able to elimi-
nate the possibility that fat had
caught fire suddenly.
Instead, investigators were
now looking into whether the
pan in question had a technical
fault, or whether someone had
‘Time has come’ to ease tensions with Russia: France
used it incorrectly.
“These were normal potatoes, AFP Volodymyr Zelenskiy as “very, Russia and Ukraine in his talks
in a small amount of fat, nothing Moscow very positive” and described the with Putin, but a date has not yet
was being deep-fried,” the police prisoner exchange as “a good been set.
spokesman said. sign” for future progress. The focus of the summit will

F
The pan has been confiscated rance said yesterday that Ties between Russia and Eu- be reviving the Minsk accords,
and will be looked at by special- the time had come to start rope have been deeply strained which Germany and France
ists over the next few days. easing tensions with Rus- since 2014, when the European helped to negotiate but failed
Around 100 people were at the sia as senior ministers held four- Union and United States im- to stop the fighting in east-
festival when the explosion oc- way talks in Moscow not seen posed sanctions over the an- ern Ukraine, where more than
curred. since the crisis over Ukraine nexation of Crimea and Russia’s 13,000 have been killed.
broke out. support for separatists in east- Analysts said Macron is look-
French Foreign Minister Jean- ern Ukraine. ing to take the lead on Russia in
Yves Le Drian said there was a Macron embarked on his bid Europe.
“window of opportunity” for re- to bring Russia in from the cold As head of the G7 and Coun-

Online solving the Ukraine conflict after

a landmark prisoner exchange
on Saturday, but that it was too
this summer, hosting Presi-
dent Vladimir Putin in southern
France last month and renewing
cil of Europe, and with Germany
and Britain focused on internal
politics, the French president

fake cash soon to talk of lifting sanctions

on Russia.
Le Drian and French Defence
high-level diplomatic contacts.
The two men spoke by phone
on Sunday, hailing the prisoner
sees an opportunity.
“Emmanuel Macron is telling
himself that if there’s a chance

network Minister Florence Parly were

in Moscow for talks under the
so-called “2+2” format that
Lavrov (left), Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Parly, and Le Drian are seen after their press
conference in Moscow.
exchange as a step forward in
peace efforts.
Attempts to resolve the
of doing something on Ukraine,
it’s now,” said Florent Parmen-
tier, a researcher at Sciences Po

busted been suspended since Russia’s

2014 annexation of Crimea from
Ukraine.
is right, to work towards re-
ducing distrust,” Le Drian told
– which saw 35 detainees hand-
ed over on each side – had cre-
for several years,” Le Drian said.
Russia Foreign Minister Sergei
Ukraine crisis have revived since
the election in April of comedi-
an-turned-president Zelenskiy,
university in Paris.
“It won’t be easy but it’s not
a rash move,” he added, point-
French President Emmanuel a press conference of the four ated goodwill that needed to be Lavrov said progress on rebuild- who has made ending the con- ing to France’s “real diplomatic
Reuters Macron has launched a diplo- ministers after the talks. “We reinforced. ing ties with Europe was “possi- flict his main priority. advance” by promoting Russia’s
Lisbon matic push for a detente in Eu- have come to suggest ... a new “It is not yet the deadline for ble and necessary”. Macron announced a summit return to the Council of Europe,
rope’s relations with Russia. agenda of trust and security.” lifting sanctions. It’s a new state He welcomed recent state- under the so-called “Normandy the continent’s foremost human
“The time has come, the time He said the prisoner exchange of mind, which we have not seen ments by Ukrainian President format” of France, Germany, rights body, last June.

P
ortugal has broken up a
counterfeit money ring
that used dark websites to
sell fake banknotes in exchange
Harvest time
for virtual currency, arresting
five people including the sus-
pected kingpin who was extra-
Germany prepares for year of
dited from Colombia, police said
yesterday.
In its two years of operation,
events to mark 30 years of unity
the Portugal-based network
produced over 26,000 fake ban- DPA be proud, be happy, and eve- to conduct 16 discussion pan-
knotes nominally worth more Berlin rything is great”; instead, he els with citizens that would be
than €1mn and found circulat- acknowledged that the current moderated by experts.
ing in France, Germany, Spain as atmosphere in German society Based on the results of these

A
well as Portugal. government commission was “difficult”. panels, the commission will
The ring was the second larg- charged with preparing Considering the recent elec- present suggestions on how to
est of its kind discovered in for the upcoming 30th tion gains made by the far-right deal with the issues raised there
Europe, according to Europol, anniversary of German reunifi- Alternative for Germany (AfD) in a year’s time.
which assisted Portuguese po- cation and the peaceful revolu- in the country’s east, Platzeck Germany is celebrating 30
lice in the operation, code- tion that led to it, presented its said it was important to under- years since the fall of the Berlin
named Deep Money. plans for the next year of events stand that there was a growing Wall this year.
In a statement, Portuguese and commemorations yester- divide between east and west. The Wall came down on the
criminal investigation police day. He said east Germans’ dislike night of November 9-10, 1989.
said the five people taken into The head of the 22-per- of west Germans was increas- The fall of the Wall was pre-
custody were suspected of coun- son commission, Matthias ing, and the west was showing ceded by a series of protests and
terfeiting and organised crime. Platzeck, said the German gov- more signs of disinterest in the demonstrations in East Ger-
“Counterfeit notes were ad- ernment would remember the east. many referred to today as the
vertised in one of the darknet’s path towards German reunifi- The planned events for the peaceful revolution.
main markets, and orders were cation with citizen dialogues coming year should therefore The fall of the Wall marked
received either through private and symbolic events over the focus on highlighting the his- the impetus for a process that
messaging on that market or course of the next year. torical importance of German eventually led to the reunifica-
through encrypted chat plat- Platzeck said the theme of unity. tion of Germany on October 3,
forms,” the statement said. the events would not be “Now The commission has planned 1990.
The term “darknet” refers to
networks and sites hidden from
most Internet users and accessi- Three dead, one injured in shooting in Dutch home
ble only to those shrouded in an-
onymity who seek to buy and sell Three people were killed and a fourth seriously “We are at the scene with numerous people to
illegal goods ranging from drugs injured in a shooting at a home in the Dutch city of investigate the cause of the incident,” police said,
to stolen data and fake identifi- Dordrecht yesterday evening, police said. adding that more details would be given later.
cation information. Dutch newspaper de Telegraaf, citing sources Emergency response teams were at the scene and
Police also seized 1,833 coun- involved in the investigation, said a police officer a home in the neighbourhood had been cordoned
terfeit banknotes worth nearly had shot family members and then himself. off.
€70,000 during searches around A fourth family member was seriously hurt, the Dordrecht Mayor Wouter Kolff said on Twitter that
Portugal, as well as objects used newspaper said. there had been “a very serious shooting incident”
in counterfeiting including com- Combine vehicles harvest wheat in a field owned by the ‘Siberia’ farming company, outside the “Three people were killed in the shooting incident and that he was heading to the scene.
puters, printers, holographic village of Ogur in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Region. in Dordrecht’s Heimerstein (neighbourhood). One Dordrecht lies around 25km (15 miles) southwest
stickers and ultraviolet inks. person was seriously injured,” police said. of the port city of Rotterdam.
 Gulf Times
16 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

EUROPE
Sweden’s
Conte calls for Brussels highest
peak melts

reform, co-operation
DPA/AFP softening of EU rules “as Italy is among the people, from north to although he did say integration
to second
place
Reuters
Rome demanding”. south, one town after another,” measures would be boosted. Stockholm
“Italy must not become a League leader Matteo Salvini He said promises of solidarity
second Greece. In any case, we said, slamming the new alliance between EU member states were

I T
talian Prime Minister are not prepared to pay Italy’s between the former party en- not enough, and insisted that he south peak of Keb-
Giuseppe Conte has called debts!” Kurtz tweeted yesterday. emies. both Italy and the bloc must stop nekaise, Sweden’s highest
for the reform of European Conte said the government The former strongman kissed treating the migration phenom- peak for well over a cen-
Union budget rules and co-op- would step up efforts to improve and held aloft his rosary – a po- enon in crisis mode, but imple- tury, has been demoted to sec-
eration on immigration, ahead of the lives of the poor and disad- litical use of a religious object ment concrete measures such as ond place after decades of rising
a parliamentary confidence vote vantaged, from income support which has irked many Catholics. humanitarian corridors. temperatures melted more than
in his new government. for the lowest earners to help for Conte said the country was “I fear this ‘new humanism’ is one-third of the mountain’s gla-
In a late evening vote, depu- the disabled, earthquake victims on the threshold of a “season of the same as the old one,” Repub- cier.
ties backed the M5S-PD coa- and working mothers, as well as reforms”, which would work to blica journalist Marco Mensu- Since 1880, when measure-
lition with 343 in favour, 263 tackling gender inequality. ease Italy’s colossal public debt, rati tweeted in reference to two ments started, Swedish children
against and two abstentions – a He promised Italians that, currently more than €2.3tn or charity rescue vessels still stuck have been taught that the south-
positive outcome that was wide- after a season of bitter fighting 132% of GDP – the highest rate in limbo in the Mediterranean ern peak is the highest peak in
ly expected. and hate propaganda, the new in the eurozone after Greece’s. after pulling people to safety at Sweden but this year the melting
The government faces an- watchword would be respect. Brussels is constantly calling sea. of the glacier covering it means
other vote of confidence today “We cannot in the coming on the eurozone’s third largest “Let them disembark,” he said the ice-free northern peak is
in the Senate, the upper house months waste our time with economy to reduce the deficit of the 50 migrants – including 12 higher for the first time.
of parliament, where the ruling Conte: We cannot in the coming months waste our time with disputes and clashes,” he said, and the accumulated debt. minors – on board the Ocean Vi- “It’s a powerful symbol of
coalition has a slim majority. disputes and clashes. adding that the government It frequently clashed with the king, which is run by SOS Medi- change. This little peak is an icon
The most pressing dossier must act with “new humanism” outgoing populist government terranee and Doctors Without in Sweden,” said Ninis Rosqvist,
for the incoming coalition of ising the new government would populist government in heavily rather than arrogance. over its big-spending plans. Borders, and eight people on a geography professor at Stock-
the anti-establishment 5-Star be better behaved. indebted Italy, which must sub- Demonstrators from the far- The previous coalition even- board German charity Sea-Eye’s holm University.
Movement (M5S) and centre- Conte called for the EU’s Sta- mit a balanced budget to Brus- right League and smaller Broth- tually agreed to reduce the an- Alan Kurdi. “But it’s not a surprise. When
left Democratic Party (PD) is the bility and Growth Pact, which sels in the coming weeks. ers of Italy party descended on nual deficit to 2.04% of GDP in As Conte spoke, another the temperature rises, ice melts,
upcoming 2020 budget, a key limits budget deficits to three Should it fail, Italy could face the square outside parliament, 2019, instead of 2.4%. charity, Sea-Watch, tweeted but this is something that really
test for relations with Brussels. percent of gross domestic prod- an automatic rise in value-added some chanting “Duce! Duce!”, On the hot-button topic of that their reconnaissance plane hits home for a lot of people,” she
Much of the start of Conte’s uct in member states, to be “im- tax on January 1 to collect more the title fascists used to address migration, Conte disappointed had spotted a dinghy “in distress said.
first speech to parliament how- proved” and simplified. funds – punishing the poorest wartime dictator Benito Mus- human rights activists who had with around 30 people on board” In the last 50 years, the south-
ever was dedicated to chiding The pact was the main prob- the hardest. solini. hoped he would announce a off Libya “with nearly no search ern peak has lost 24m of its
the previous populist coalition lem between the European Austrian Chancellor Sebas- “We will be a serious oppo- sharp about-turn on Salvini’s and rescue capacities at sea to roughly 60m of ice cap.
for endless bickering, and prom- Commission and the previous tian Kurtz however rejected any sition, in parliament but also controversial immigration law, rescue them”. It now stands at 2,095.6m
compared with the 2,096.8m of
the northern peak.
Sweden has experienced unu-
sually hot summers in the last 10

Deadly olive tree years and 2018 was the warmest

ever on record.
Last month Iceland unveiled a
plaque to its Okjokull ice sheet,

disease spreads the first of the country’s hun-

dreds of glaciers to melt away
due to climate change.

to France: govt Man gored to

death by bull in
By Kim Willsher the disease has hit French olive Spanish festival
Guardian News & Media trees that, like those in Italy,
have been hit by a subspecies A man died after being gored
of the bacterium called Pauca. by a rampant bull yesterday

A
deadly disease estimat- In July 2016, there was an during a festival in central Spain,
ed to have killed 1mn isolated infestation in an ole- authorities said, the second
olive trees in Italy has ander plant in a commercial person killed at a bull festival in
spread to France. nursery in Saxony, but the the country in two weeks.
The French agriculture min- disease was declared eradi- The incident occurred during a
istry announced the discovery cated after the plant and those bull run held in a field in the town
of the bacterium Xylella fas- around it were destroyed. of Horche, some 60km (35 miles)
tidiosa, known as olive tree The disease is spread by in- northeast of Madrid.
leprosy, on two trees in the sects feeding on the sap of the A bull gored the 82-year-old man
south of the country and said plants. It can also affect fruit in the stomach and thigh, local
the infected trees would be de- trees including peaches, pear emergency services officials said.
stroyed to stop it spreading. and plums and nuts. He was taken by ambulance to a
Ministry officials said the The European Plant Protec- nearby hospital and pronounced
two decorative olives were tion Organisation has declared dead several hours later.
found to have the same sub- Xylella fastidiosa a “very seri- Local media reported the victim
species of the disease that ous threat to the European re- was watching the bull run from a
killed an estimated 1mn valu- gion”. distance.
able ancient olive trees in Italy. Its effects worsen during “I only saw the man when he
All trees and plants vulner- hot, dry periods in summer was already on the ground but it
able to the bacterium within a
three-mile radius are to be de-
when there is already a lack of
water.
All things Ferrari was awful,” Horche mayor Jose
Manuel Moral told local media.
stroyed and burned. Scientists believe the cooler Cars are displayed during the ‘Universo Ferrari’ exhibition, in The town will go ahead with
There is no known cure or climate in northern Europe de- Maranello, Italy. bull runs scheduled for today
prevention for the disease, ters the disease. and tomorrow as part of the its
which blocks the plant or trees’ The EU has provided fund- Left: A Ferrari 250 GTO at the ‘Universo Ferrari’ exhibition. annual festival.
ability to take up water. ing for two big research Spain is renowned for its bull runs
Michel Dessus, the president projects into how to combat Below: A visitor takes photos during the exhibition. which are held across the country
of the chamber of agriculture the disease, which the Euro- in the summer months when
in the Alpes-Maritimes, where pean commission describes as towns hold festivals in honour of
the two infected trees were “one of the most dangerous patron saints.
discovered, said more tests plant bacteria” in the world A 62-year-old man died on
were needed before swathes of “causing a variety of diseases, August 29 after being gored in
vegetation were destroyed. with huge economic impact for the chest and neck by a bull at a
“Cutting down trees more agriculture, public gardens and festival in the town of Cuellar in
than a hundred years old needs the environment”. central Spain.
to be thought about,” he told It wrote: “Transmission of The most famous bull runs take
French television. the disease in the EU takes place during the San Fermin
The disease, also called olive place through cicada vector in- festival in the northern city of
quick decline syndrome, which sects that are widespread in the Pamplona, where hundreds of
scientists believe affects more entire union territory. people come from across the
than 350 plant species, has “As a consequence, the risk globe to run at their own risk in
also hit vineyards in north and that this pest is spreading fur- front of bulls through the city’s
south America. ther to other parts of the EU is streets.
It was first detected in Eu- very high unless strict control
rope in October 2013 when an- measures are taken immedi-
cient olive trees in Puglia, Italy, ately after any new outbreak is
began to die. detected.”
Entire olive groves of more
than 230,000 hectares have
been cut down.
It advised members of the
public not to bring any plants
back from certain infected ar-
Malta evacuates three more
Although it has been found eas of the EU and elsewhere
in other plants in France and
the French Mediterranean is-
land, Corsica, it is the first time
“unless accompanied by a
phytosanitary or plant pass-
port”.
from Alan Kurdi rescue ship
DPA Just five of the 13 people res- bring migrants back to North Af-
Norway mosque shooting suspect Valletta cued by the Alan Kurdi now re- rican shores instead.
main on board. In the case of the Alan Kurdi,
cites ‘self-defence’ Yesterday’s operation came Malta has suggested that mi-

M
alta evacuated three hours after the German charity grants should instead be returned
The Norwegian man accused of carrying out a shooting at a more people early yes- Sea-Eye, which operates the ves- to Tunisia.
mosque near Oslo a month ago will be held in pre-trial detention terday morning from sel, made a public plea for help The vessel has requested EU
for a further four weeks, a court said yesterday, ruling in the the migrant rescue ship Alan to Maltese authorities and said a assistance to find member states A Tunisian migrant is assisted by Armed Forces of Malta sailors
prosecutors’ favour. Kurdi in the Mediterranean. 17-year-old Tunisian had tried to prepared to take in the remain- during his evacuation to Malta from the German NGO Sea-Eye
“He explained that in his view, it was something he had to do,” Philip The three people were brought jump overboard twice. ing migrants on board, Euro- migrant rescue ship ‘Alan Kurdi’.
Manshaus’s lawyer Unni Fries told reporters. “He considered it as a to Malta around 4.30am (0230 A spokesman described it as a pean Commission spokeswoman
form of self-defence.” GMT), an Armed Forces of Malta “suicide attempt”. Natasha Bertraud confirmed acted as an interlocutor sounding terranean take responsibility for
Manshaus, 22, has been in pre-trial detention since August 12. spokeswoman said. Italy and Malta have clamped yesterday, saying that some had out member states willing to take a greater share of people arriving
No one was hit or seriously injured at the Al-Noor Islamic Centre It was the third time in a week down on rescues of migrants in “shown willingness”. in migrants arriving by boat on an on Europe’s southern coasts.
mosque in Baerum on August 10 as Manshaus was overpowered that Malta has evacuated people the Mediterranean in the past Since the previous populist ad hoc basis. So far, attempts at a more fun-
after a struggle with two mosque members. from the ship, which has been few months, repeatedly refus- government assumed the helm Italy, along with Spain and damental overhaul of Europe’s
He is also charged with murder after the body of his 17-year-old stuck about 35km south of Malta ing charity vessels entry to ports in Italy and sealed the country’s Malta, wants to see EU member strained migration system have
stepsister was found late August 10 his home in Baerum. with no permission to enter port. in an effort to force the ships to ports, the European Union has states not located on the Medi- failed.
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 17

INDIA

Reporter under fire for selling photos of ISRO officials

IANS Yesterday, he faced flak on ISRO officials and others. Bagla said he had been with cannot be ‘sold’ for any purposes On taking the images in sci- Bagla was recently criticised
New Delhi Twitter for allegedly selling the But Bagla denied the allega- Getty’s predecessor Corbis Im- other than news outlets. Getty ence and technology facilities, for shouting at an ISRO official
photos to global visual media tions. ages and its predecessors for at Images is the world’s largest and he said they were done with the and demanding the presence
company Getty Images. “Yes I am a “contributor’’ to least 25 years. most trusted source of quality presence of public relations of- of the space agency’s chairman

S
cience and technology A search on Getty Images “Getty News Images’’, my im- “Most of my images come imagery in the world,” he added. ficials and his entry and exits are K Sivan at the media centre in
journalist with NDTV tel- site showed Bagla had uploaded ages are for “editorial use only’’ with ‘‘standard editorial rights’ “Very few people get to be rep- recorded and security checked. Bengaluru to explain to the as-
evision channel Pallava 3,853 photographs. and all were shot at news as- and not ‘‘commercial agree- resented by Getty Images and I am “So, there is no question of sembled reporters from different
Bagla has come under fire on The questions that were raised signments where I am a declared ments’’. I have followed accepted possibly one their longest stand- any unauthorised entry, let alone parts of the country the reason
social media for allegedly sell- on social media were whether he photo-journalist with Getty Im- global practices of photo-jour- ing contributors from India. I have photography. Most faces are for the failure of the moon land-
ing photographs of Indian Space can sell pictures taken at vari- ages,” Bagla said in a statement. nalism to the best of my ability,” not sold these images as they come public figures and role models in ing mission.
Research Organisation (ISRO) ous facilities after gaining entry “Like any contributor, I get he added. According to Bagla, he with editorial use limitations. As a their specific domains who need Later Bagla, in a tweet, apolo-
officials taken during his official as a representative of an Indian paid. I have nothing to hide. The is an accredited “cameraman- prevailing global standard, news to be emulated if interest in S&T gised for his behaviour at the
trips to the space agency’s office news channel and whether he roles played by me are openly cum-correspondent’’. photos do not need model or prop- (science and technology) has to ISRO’s telemetry and tracking
and other facilities. has compromised the identify of declared,” he said. “These ‘‘editorial images’’ erty release,” he said. be nurtured,” he added. centre.

Will expel illegal

immigrants from
entire country:
home minister
Agencies 120 days to appeal at Foreigners
Guwahati Tribunals, and if they fail, they
can appeal that decision through
the courts.

H
ome Minister Amit Shah The government has stressed
said yesterday that the that those omitted will not be-
National Register of come stateless.
Citizens (NRC) will be extended Shah asked the indigenous
to the whole country and not people of northeast not to worry
just Assam, amid concerns that over the citizenship amendment
those excluded may spill over to bill as it won’t affect their rights.
the other states. He said three chief ministers
“The illegal infiltrators in As- of the northeast had raised the
sam will neither be allowed to citizenship amendment bill is-
live in Assam nor will they be sue, expressing apprehensions
allowed to enter other states,” that the proposed legislation
Shah said in Guwahati. may curtail the rights of the in-
The controversial citizenship digenous people.
register has sparked uproar from “There is no need to worry
the almost 2mn people excluded. about the Citizenship Amend- A paramilitary trooper patrols along an empty street during a strict curfew in Lal Chowk area of Srinagar.
The NRC feared to be a cover ment Bill. It won’t affect their
for the ruling Bharatiya Janata rights. The bill has the provision
Party to expel Muslims, has en- of giving citizenship to minori-

UN ‘deeply concerned’
snared many Muslims as well as ties from neighbouring coun-
Hindus who are a vote bank for tries, including Bangladesh,”
the party. Shah said.
Senior figures in the party had The minister also reiterated
shied away from commenting that the federal government
on the list, published on August would not tinker with the con-
30 and which sparked an outcry stitution’s Article 371 that en-

over Kashmir situation

from local BJP leaders over Hin- sures certain special provisions
dus who were omitted. for the northeastern states and
The home ministry, para- promised that “no infiltrator
phrasing a speech by Shah in the would be allowed” in Assam or
northeastern state, said he was any other part of the country.
satisfied with the “timely com- “Article 371 is permanent and
pletion of the process”. the right of the states of north-
Prime Minister Narendra east. In order to preserve the Agencies India imposed a military impact on their future,” she process, which is an internal The ruling part has already hit
Modi’s government had backed cultural identity of the region, Geneva clampdown on Kashmir from said. matter of the country. the ground explaining the gov-
the NRC, saying it was aimed at this article will be kept as is.” August 5 to prevent unrest Her comments came as In- “Parliament passed a resolu- ernment’s decision to the elec-
weeding out “foreign infiltrators”. Meghalaya Chief Minister as New Delhi revoked the re- dian authorities tightened the tion with near unanimity that torate and making a strong case

T
Shah previously said India Conrad Sangma appealed to he UN rights chief yes- gion’s autonomy, with mobile security lockdown in Kashmir backed India’s decision (to ab- of India’s stated position that it’s
must act against “infiltrators Shah to take the northeastern terday voiced alarm over phone networks and the In- on Sunday after breaking up rogate Article 370). The mood an ‘internal matter’ of India and if
who were eating the country like states and its people into confi- the situation in Jammu ternet still cut off in all but a religious processions by Shias of the nation is with the govern- any thing has to be sorted it must
termites”. dence if a decision was taken on and Kashmir, following India’s few pockets. who defied a ban. ment. So when the matter will be done bilaterally.
While there are no clear an- the controversial legislation. decision to revoke the autono- Bachelet said she had urged Pakistani Foreign Minis- be taken up at UNHRC, India’s Since August 5 when Article
swers as to how or why indi- “The northeastern states are mous status of the Muslim-ma- both India and Pakistan to en- ter Shah Mehmood Qureshi is unanimous voice will be duly 370 was scrapped, Foreign Min-
viduals have been included or apprehensive of the Bill. The re- jority region last month. sure that rights in the region are scheduled to address the UN taken cognizance of and India’s ister S Jaishankar has been on a
excluded, bureaucratic bungling cent updation of National Reg- “I am deeply concerned about respected and protected. Human Rights Council today, position of Kashmir will be ap- massive outreach programme.
amid the mountains of paper- ister of Citizens in Assam which the impact of recent actions by But she said she had “ap- with a speech expected to fo- preciated by the global com- He travelled to China, Bel-
work appears to be one factor. have left out over 19 lakh people the government of India on the pealed particularly to India to cus heavily on the situation in munity,” Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, gium, Poland, Russia, Hungary,
Assam, a state of 33mn, is have compounded our fear. Will human rights of Kashmiris,” ease the current lockdowns or Kashmir. BJP MP and head of think-tank Indonesia and the Maldives,
largely surrounded by Bangla- these excluded people come to Michelle Bachelet said in her curfews, to ensure people’s ac- In New Delhi, the ruling Public Policy Research Centre, to explain the Indian govern-
desh and has long seen influxes my state because I am in the bor- opening statement to the UN Hu- cess to basic services, and that Bharatiya Janata Party said it said. ment’s stated position on Jam-
of migrants. der?” asked Sangma. man Rights Council in Geneva. all due process of rights are re- was is confident that the global “Our position won’t change mu and Kashmir.
But under the NRC, only those But Shah reiterated there was She pointed among other spected for those who have been body will appreciate India’s po- at the UNHRC. Kashmir is in- Sahasrabuddhe said Prime
who can demonstrate they or no such plan. things to “restrictions on In- detained.” sition. alienable part of India and the Minister Narendra Modi has
their forebears were in India be- “I have clarified in parliament ternet communications and “It is important that the peo- The BJP maintains that the decision to abrogate Article 370 given Jaishankar the task to
fore 1971 can be included in the that this is not going to happen peaceful assembly, and the de- ple of Kashmir are consulted abolition of special status of is an internal matter and will re- convince UNHRC members
list. and I am saying it again today in tention of local political leaders and engaged in any decision- the state and its bifurcation was main the same at UNHRC,” the that Kashmir is an internal mat-
Those left off the register have Assam,” he said. and activists.” making processes that have an done through a parliamentary BJP leader said. ter of India.

PM calls for global action Security tightened

over terror threat
on climate change, water IANS ered in the area of Sir Creek.
We have undertaken capacity
New Delhi
IANS radation, the issue of water con- resource and technology and building and capability devel-
Greater Noida sumption and scarcity should training manpower to prevent opment in the area of Sir Creek

T
also be addressed, he added. land degradation. he army said yesterday keeping in mind the enhanced
“Enhancing water recharge India has been able to increase that security measures threat perception. We are tak-

P
rime Minister Narendra and retaining moisture of the its forest cover, the prime minis- have been tightened ing precautions to ensure that
Modi yesterday called for soil are part of the holistic land ter said. in light of perceived terrorist any of the designs of the inimi-
greater South-South co- and water management. I call It is widely accepted that the infiltration into the country cal elements or terrorists are
operation to address the issues upon the leadership of UNCCD world is facing the negative im- through the Sir Creek estuary stalled,” said Saini.
of climate change, desertifica- to conceive a global water ac- pacts of climate change. in Gujarat for possible attacks The navy, too, had issued a
tion and land degradation. tion agenda which is central to “Climate change is also lead- in southern India. security alert along the west-
Addressing the 14th edition of the Land Degradation Neutrality ing to land degradation of vari- According to the army, a ern coast in August following
the Conference of Parties (COP) strategy,” Modi said. ous kinds, be it due to rise in sea number of abandoned boats intelligence inputs about the
to the United Nations Conven- The prime minister also set an levels and wave action, erratic had been discovered in the Sir possibility of militants enter-
tion to Combat Desertification ambitious target for the coun- rainfall and storms, and sand Creek area, raising suspicion ing the country using the Sir
(UNCCD), Modi pitched for the try to restore the degraded land storms caused by hot tempera- about the possibility of armed Creek route. Chief of Naval
conception of a global water ac- from 21mn hectares to 26mn tures,” Modi said. militants having used them to Staff Admiral Karambir Singh
tion agenda, which, he said, is at hectares by 2030. India is focusing on zero- enter Indian territory. had said in Pune, citing intel-
the heart of achieving Land Deg- The UNCCD was adopted in budget natural farming, he said. Lieutenant General Satin- ligence sources, that the Jaish-
radation Neutrality (LDN). Paris on June 17, 1994, and was “We have also introduced a der Kumar Saini of the army’s e-Mohamed group is training
“Going forward, India would ratified by 196 countries and the scheme to determine the soil Southern Command, said in militants to carry out under-
be happy to propose initiatives European Union. India ratified the quality of the farms. We have Pune yesterday that adequate water attacks on India.
for a greater south-south co-op- UNCCD Convention on Decem- introduced health cards to measures were being taken “We have received intel-
eration to address the issues of ber 17, 1996. farmers which enable them to in Sir Creek to face security ligence that the underwater
climate change, biodiversity and Modi said that a centre of ex- grow the right type of crops, threats. wing of Jaish-e-Mohamed is
land degradation,” Modi said. cellence would be developed at fertilisers and the use the right “We have got many inputs being trained for attacks. We
He stressed that the issue of the Indian Council of Forestry quantity of water. We are in- Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Prime Minister of that there might be a terror- are keeping track of it and can
land degradation is affecting Research and Education which creasing the use of bio-ferti- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves during the United ist attack in the southern part give an assurance that we are
two-thirds of the world. While will promote South-South co- lisers and decreasing the use of Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Greater of India and peninsular India. fully alert to foil any such de-
addressing the issue of land deg- operation by sharing knowledge, pesticides,” he added. Noida yesterday. Some boats have been recov- sign,” Singh had said.
 Gulf Times
18 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

INDIA
POLITICS INVESTIGATION CRIME FINANCE CRIME
Kalyan Singh rejoins BJP Coal mafia plotted to ‘kill’ Four held for burglary bid SBI reduces lending, Father kills daughter for
after retiring as governor SAIL chief, say police at Manappuram Gold office fixed deposit rates wanting to marry boyfriend
Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan A conspiracy was hatched by a leading coal Police have arrested four men for allegedly The State Bank of India (SBI) yesterday In a suspected case of honour killing, a
Singh yesterday rejoined the Bharatiya contractor to eliminate Steel Authority of India hatching a conspiracy to commit a major burglary announced a reduction in the marginal cost of 50-year-old man was arrested on Sunday
Janata Party. Kalyan Singh, who recently (SAIL) chairman Anil Kumar Chaudhary in the at the Manappuram Gold Finance Ltd office in lending rate (MCLR) for loans. The country’s for allegedly killing his teenaged girl in the
retired as Rajasthan governor, was granted garb of a “road rage” attack last month, the North West Delhi, officials said yesterday. The largest bank will reduce interest rates by Adarsh Nagar area of northwest Delhi in July,
membership of the party by Uttar Pradesh ongoing investigation of Delhi Police’s Crime suspects, who had rented a warehouse situated 10 basis points (bps) from today. Now the police said yesterday. The police also arrested
BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh, marking his Branch revealed. Six suspects – coal contractor behind the Manappuram office, were caught red- one-year MCLR will come down to 8.15% from the man’s 30-year-old friend. Police said they
re-entry into active politics at the age of 87. A K Singh, property dealer Sunil Barala and four handed drilling a hole in the wall connecting the 8.25%. The SBI has also cut fixed deposit (FD) received a call on July 24 that an 18-year-old
On his return to Lucknow, Kalyan Singh was professional criminals – have been arrested for warehouse and the Manappuram office bathroom. rates, third in the last two months, by 20-25 girl had allegedly committed suicide. “When
given a rousing welcome by his supporters as attempting to murder the SAIL chief in the posh The accused have been identified as Panchu Ram bps across tenors. For bulk depositors, the FD the police reached the residence of the victim
he went straight to the party headquarters. South Extension area as he was returning home Mandal, Pheku Basak, Mohijur, from Jharkhand, rates have been cut by 10-20 bps. However, Sheetal, they found that the family had had
Another BJP veteran Kalraj Mishra has from office on August 7. Deputy Commissioner and Nirjan Joshi, a resident of Kanchanpur district the reduction in the fixed deposit rates may taken the body for cremation. They rushed
replaced Kalyan Singh as Rajasthan governor. of Police Ram Gopal Naik told IANS that the coal in Nepal. During interrogation, the accused not be welcome news for those who look at to the cremation ground, seized the body
A chief strategist of the BJP for a long time, contractor had hired professional criminals to “fix” revealed that they hatched a conspiracy with a FDs as a route for fixed income, particularly and sent it for a postmortem. According
Kalyan Singh has started mapping his future the SAIL chairman for rejecting a supply order of man who had full details about the Manappuram pensioners who invest in risk-free long-term to the autopsy report, the cause of death
political role after being out of politics for coal worth over Rs100 crore. Singh admitted he Gold office layout. “They had rented a godown FDs. Yesterday, the SBI joined Central Bank of was asphyxia due to manual strangulation,
the past five years. He could play a key role hired the assailants but denied he intended to kill which was situated behind the Manappuram office India, Axis Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, the police said. On interrogation, the father
with the Ayodhya issue back in the news and Chaudhary. On the other hand, the SAIL chief said and were residing at Singalpur village on rent for IDBI Bank and IDFC First Bank in lowering the confessed to the crime, adding the girl wanted
assembly polls in 2022. the attack was aimed to kill him. the last 10 days,” the police said. interest rates on loans. to marry her boyfriend against their wishes.

Protest against Shivakumar’s arrest

Govt to reopen
anti-Sikh riot
cases against
Kamal Nath Briefing the media, Sirsa urged ue till his replacement is found.
IANS
New Delhi interim Congress president So- While one faction would want
nia Gandhi to seek Kamal Nath’s former federal minister Jyotira-
resignation so that the Sikhs get ditya Scindia to be made the par-

T
Congress workers stage a demonstration against the central government and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the arrest of party he federal Home Minis- justice for the 1984 riots near ty’s state chief, both Kamal Nath
leader D K Shivakumar, in Bengaluru yesterday. try has cleared a proposal Gurdwara Rakab Ganj here. and Digvijaya Singh are resisting
to reopen the 1984 anti- The SIT was formed after the move. Kamal Nath’s other
Sikh riot cases against Madhya Akali leaders, including federal headache is Digvijaya Singh
Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, growing hunger for limelight.
Nath, Delhi’s Shiromani Akali alleged that Kamal Nath had in- He has been selectively leaking
Dal legislator Manjinder Singh cited violence against Sikhs in his observations about the min-

Sonia summons Kamal Nath, Sirsa said yesterday.

“A big victory for Akali Dal.
SIT Opens case against @Of-
ficeOfKNath for his alleged in-
1984 following the assassination
of then prime minister Indira
Gandhi.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya
istries in public and trying to in-
timidate them.
“Under the one-day dem-
onstration – Ghanta Naad, we

Scindia to Delhi over infighting

volvement in 1984 Sikh geno- Janata Party said will it hold will ring “bells” on the roads
cide. Notification issued by a ‘Congress Bhagao, Pradesh to wake up the Congress gov-
MHA upon my submission last Bachao’ (oust Congress, save ernment in MP which was in
year, Case number 601/84 to state) campaign across Madhya a slumber,” BJP leader Deepak
reopen and consider fresh Evi- Pradesh today. Vijayvargiya said.
IANS Pro-Scindia factions are in- scuttles Scindia’s chances. Delhi, party sources said. dence against Kamal Nath,” Sirsa As part of the agitation the “We are going to take out ral-
New Delhi creasingly coming out in the This is not the first time The meeting that lasted for said in a tweet. party will hold a ‘Ghanta Naad lies at all district headquarters
open. First it was Datia district Kamal Nath will be meeting over half-an-hour on Sunday Sirsa, who is the president of Andolan’ (tolling of the bells) and submit memorandums to
Congress chief Ashok Dangi, Gandhi after she was made the night saw the presence of newly- the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Man- drive against the state gov- collectors addressed to the state

C
ongress president Sonia who warned that he would re- interim Congress chief. appointed Haryana Congress agement Committee (DSGMC), ernment for public awareness government seeking to wake it
Gandhi has summoned sign if Scindia was not made After Scindia threatened to president Kumari Selja too. said a Special Investigation against its failures through the up from slumber,” he added.
Madhya Pradesh Chief the state Congress chief. Then quit the party recently, Kamal Both parties may have an un- Team (SIT) is probing the allega- past eight months since the BJPs He said that Kamal Nath’s
Minister Kamal Nath and party it was Morena district chief Nath was summoned to Delhi, derstanding to jointly contest tions against Kamal Nath. defeat in assembly elections. government has turned a blind
leader Jyotiraditya Scindia to Rakesh Mavai. where Gandhi raised discipli- the elections for the 90 assem- “I thank the SIT for reopen- The BJP obviously wants to eye to corruption, which has
Delhi for talks as infighting in “Some state Congress leaders nary issues within the state bly seats in the Bharatiya Janata ing the case. I request the peo- cash in on the factional skir- flourished.
the state unit of the party burst are finding it hard to digest Scin- Congress. Party-ruled state. The polls are ple who were an eyewitness to mishes among Congress lead- Welfare schemes, especially
out in the open. dia’s popularity and conspir- “We have discussed the politi- slated for October. Kamal Nath killing Sikhs to come ers that have distracted Kamal for the poor and farmers have
Supporters of both leaders are ing to keep him out of Madhya cal situation in Madhya Pradesh. The meeting was in the back- forward and become a witness, Nath’s administration. Kamal been shelved, he said.
clamouring for their respective Pradesh,” said Dangi. Scindia She has expressed concerns over drop of Mayawati withdrawing there is no need to be scared,” he Nath who heads the party and “The Congress state satraps
leaders to have a say in the new himself is in the race. Though he issues of indiscipline in the state. a pre-poll alliance last week said in another tweet. the government has been shut- are fighting to ensure that their
state party chief’s selection. didn’t say this in as many words, The matter has been handed over with the Indian National Lok “Very soon he will be arrested tling between Delhi and Bhopal camps grab the state party head’s
However, to avoid a dirty his supporters have put up post- to the party disciplinary com- Dal’s (INLD) breakaway faction and face the same fate as Sajjan after verbal clashes between post,” he added. “As a result
fight, Gandhi has called them ers making the demand. mittee chief A K Antony,” Kamal Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), Kumar,” the Akali leader said. former chief minister Digvi- there is no worthwhile develop-
separately. While Scindia has However, another promi- Nath said recently. led by Dushyant Chautala, the Sajjan Kumar, a three-time jaya Singh and some ministers. ment taking place in the state,”
been called today, Kamal Nath nent power centre in the state Meanwhile, in other devel- grandson of O P Chautala. Congress MP, is serving a life Though the matter has been re- Vijayvargiya added.
will meet Gandhi a day later. politics – Digvijay Singh – is opments, speculations are rife The JJP had offered 40 seats sentence for his role in the 1984 ferred to the disciplinary com- The infighting in the Congress
It has been reliably learnt that against Scindia becoming the over a pre-poll alliance between to the BSP, which it refused. anti-Sikh riots. mittee, there is an uneasy calm has cheered the BJP which was
Gandhi wants a party chief who Congress chief in Madhya the Congress and the Bahujan Announcing the decision to Sirsa also lashed out at the as diverse factions are exerting humiliated during the monsoon
has the backing of both Scindia Pradesh, making Kamal Nath’s Samaj Party in Haryana after a end the alliance, Mayawati said Congress for continuing with pressure on the leadership. session of the assembly after two
and Kamal Nath; but at the mo- work easier. closed-door meeting between the agreement reached with Kamal Nath as the chief minister The issue is the replacement of its legislators crossed the floor
ment that seems impossible. Sources said the chief minis- two-time former chief min- Chautala was “inappropriate” of Madhya Pradesh despite his of Kamal Nath as state party and voted a Congress sponsored
The faction-ridden MP Con- ter is keen to have a tribal party ister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in terms of the proposed seat- alleged involvement in the riots chief. He has resigned from the bill in the budget session of state
gress erupted some time back. chief, which automatically and BSP chief Mayawati in New sharing formula. targeting the Sikh community. post but has been told to contin- assembly on July 24.

Forced to stand up at airport: Even I was fined for

wheelchair-bound woman speeding: Gadkari
IANS The new provisions of the
IANS the last 13 years. I am unable She said that she could Mumbai MVA which came into effect in
New Delhi to walk and stand. I was trav- not get the name of the CISF most states on September 1, have
elling today from IGI Airport, staffer as she was standing in raised apprehensions among

T
Terminal 3 on SpiceJet Flight such a way where her name ransport Minister Nitin people as they have stipulated

A
wheelchair-bound US (SG8723) to Mumbai.” tag was not clearly visible. Gadkari yesterday defended heavy fines and stringent penal-
citizen, who holds an She said, she had surren- “Finally a senior staff member the newly-amended Motor ties for traffic violations.
Overseas Citizen of In- dered her personal wheelchair came, did a manual check and Vehicles Act (MVA), and admitted On the growing incidents of
dia (OCI) card, yesterday al- to the check-in counter as let me go.” he too was fined for speeding on road accidents, Gadkari said it
leged that she was “harassed” cargo. Expressing disappointment the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. was due to poor road and au-
by a woman constable at the “I had appointed a porter to at the woman‘s behaviour, “People keep complaining tomobile engineering and that
Indira Gandhi International help me to my seat on the flight. Modi asked: “Is this how the about the higher penalties... the government would spend
Airport here as she was unable Upon reaching the security CISF is trained to handle peo- Even I have been fined for over- Rs14,000 crore to correct 786
to stand up for checking. check, I had the worst experi- ple with disabilities? If so then speeding on the BWSL since the ‘black spots’ or dangerous spots
Virali Modi, a motivational ence with one of your female it’s a shame on our government. car was registered in my name,” on national highways.
speaker and disability rights CISF (personnel). She started I should be treated with respect Gadkari said. He also listed out the high-
activist, said she was travelling forcing me to stand up, even and sensitivity. This behaviour The minister reiterated his view lights of the first 100 days of the
to Mumbai from Delhi when though the porter and I told is absurd and I request you to that the stiff fines were levied “to second term of Prime Minister
she was subjected to harass- her multiple times that I could please look into this matter keep people safe” on the roads by Narendra Modi.
ment. not stand. She refused to do my and take the necessary action reducing accidents, besides re- These included the revocation
Paralysed after a spinal cord check.” so that this doesn’t happen to sulting in transparency, discipline of Article 370 for the erstwhile
injury in 2006, she said she Modi said that despite show- anyone with a disability.” and reducing corruption. state of Jammu and Kashmir and
never had to face such discrim- ing her passport which proves She also said that a few years “Now, even the road contrac- the criminalisation of triple talaq,
ination or harassment at inter- that she travels internationally ago, she faced a similar inci- tors and the vehicle manufactur- giving justice to Muslim women.
national airports. even after being a wheelchair- dent at the Mumbai airport ers would be fined under the new “We started working immedi-
In a complaint to the Cen- user, the CISF staffer went on where the CISF staff insisted MVA, to restore the fear of the ately after taking over and have
tral Industrial Security Force to accuse her of “acting and she stand up. When she said law...There around 5 lakh road got good support from the peo-
(CISF), the paramilitary force doing drama”. she couldn’t, one of the women accidents every year which kill ple around the country...This is
that provides security at al- “When I confronted her she troopers pulled so hard at her 1.5 lakh people and maim anoth- just the trailer...the entire film
most 60 airports across India, started yelling at me,” Modi leg that she had to be hospital- Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari addresses a er 250,000-300,000 people,” will unroll in the next five years,”
Modi said: “I am disabled from said. ised. press conference in Mumbai yesterday. Gadkari said. Gadkari said.
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 19

LATIN AMERICA
Paraguay minister in Brazil
Unsolved killing
of Mexican
activist exposes
fraught outlook
Reuters Mexico City attorney general
Mexico City Ernestina Godoy said in July that
Vazquez’s complaints about the
building was one of the first lines

H
uman rights activists of inquiry opened into her death.
in Mexico had already But her office has since given no
suffered a bad year by further details on the investiga-
the time 58-year-old Cristina tions.
Vazquez was murdered in her Human rights activists, like
apartment in an affluent Mexico journalists, have faced increas-
City neighbourhood at the end of ing exposure to risk during a
June. broader deterioration in security
Vazquez was the 13th human since the government sent in the
rights defender in Mexico likely armed forces to battle organised
killed for her activism in 2019, crime at the end of 2006.
according to the United Nations Lopez Obrador says his ad-
Office of the High Commissioner ministration must do more to
for Human Rights (OHCHR), a quell the violence, which he has
tally almost surpassing its total cast as the “rotten fruit” of cor-
for all 2018. ruption, state-sanctioned rights
Over two months later, no sus- abuses and failed economic poli-
pects have been arrested. cies of previous governments.
Vazquez’s murder adds to the According to the OHCHR, 14
heavy toll on Mexico’s record rights activists were killed in
under President Andres Manuel 2018.
Lopez Obrador, who took office Tallies vary, and Mexico’s
in December pledging to contain National Human Rights Com-
mounting lawlessness. mission (CNDH) categorised Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Antonio Rivas (left) and his Brazilian counterpart Ernesto Araujo shake hands during meeting at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia yesterday.
“We have to see this as just the Vazquez as the seventh such vic-
tip of the iceberg, because there tim in 2019 after registering six
are many more other forms of last year. The CNDH estimates
aggression that affect human more than 90% of activist mur-
rights defenders,” Jan Jarab, the ders go unsolved, making it hard
OHCHR representative in Mexi- to classify cases.
co, said. “All serious crimes need
to be investigated far better in
Mexico than they are.”
More than 29,000 murders
were registered in Mexico last
year, and the total for 2019 is on
track to go higher.
Rural rights advocates are of-
ten among those most exposed if
they clash with economic inter-
ests competing for land or natu-
ral resources, experts say.
In February, indigenous ac-
tivist Samir Flores was gunned
Mexico cautiously boosts
Activists make up just a tiny
fraction of the total, but their
plight has heightened alarm over
the surging violence.
Police found Vazquez’s body at
her apartment in the city’s west-
ern neighbourhood of Condesa
down on his doorstep in the state
of Morelos, after protesting a gas
pipeline set to cut through his
area. Prosecutors in Morelos de-
nied the killing was linked to his
activism, a move that Jarab of the
OHCHR said “seriously called
spending in 2020 budget is the primary fiscal surplus of of the lower house in front of two August, according to Mexican day (bpd), but it was unclear if
Reuters
on July 1, when neighbours re- into question the investigation.” 0.7% of gross domestic product massive, draped Mexican flags, government figures on Friday. this includes just crude or total
Mexico City
ported a foul smell. The case is still unresolved. targeted in the budget for next Finance Minister Arturo Herrera Security Minister Alfonso liquids production.
Days earlier, passers-by had Violence against activists has a year — below earlier targets. said around 60% of the budget Durazo has previously said he Pemex crude production has
alerted police to screams in the chilling effect, dissuading others

M
exico’s government A preliminary budget fore- is destined for fixed spending, expects the budget to set aside fallen for 14 consecutive years,
vicinity. A member of a local from doing their work. cautiously freed up cast sent to lawmakers in April including payments to local gov- 56bn pesos ($2.87bn) for the which has also meant less tax
neighbourhood watch com- After Vazquez’s killing, Castro funds for spending forecast a primary surplus of ernments and pensions. National Guard, but that fig- revenue for the government.
mittee, Vazquez took an active of the Condesa neighbourhood in its 2020 budget proposal, 1.3% of GDP for 2020. “The remaining 40% will go ure was not highlighted in the Falling oil production and prices,
role in protesting to authorities watch group joined a government slightly loosening a primary “We applaud the fiscal dis- to three main destinations: wel- budget documents. as well declining resources from
against breaches in rules and protection scheme for activists. surplus target as it aimed to cipline and responsibility in fare, security and the third spot The budget blueprint calls for income and value-added taxes
regulations, friends and neigh- Some members of her committee balance big welfare promises spending,” said Alfonso Rami- is fiscal support for Pemex,” said 59.2bn pesos for “security and as Mexico’s economy barely es-
bours said. stopped going to meetings, afraid
with the reality of a stagnant rez Cuellar, chair of the budget Herrera, who noted the budget citizen safety” spending next caped entering a recession, have
Complaints she made about that “someone could be watch-
economy. committee in the lower house of sets aside some $4.4bn in extra year, around 6.5% higher than meant lower tax revenue.
a building under construction ing their every move,” she said.
President Andres Manuel Congress, which will evaluate funds for the ailing oil firm. the 2019 budget. The budget blueprint fore-
next to her home, improper use Vazquez’s elderly mother,
Cristina Chavarria, sobbed as Lopez Obrador’s second budget the blueprint. Part of the funds for security The budget also calls for casts 2020 economic growth of
of a local park and the activities
of street vendors made her en- she vented her frustration over since winning a landslide elec- Alberto Ramos, head of Latin will go towards the new Nation- 523.4bn pesos ($26.8bn) for between 1.5% and 2.5%, and to-
emies, and she received threats, the lack of progress on the mur- tion victory last year aims to American research at Gold- al Guard, a security force creat- state-owned oil company tal government income of 6.1tn
said Quetzal Castro, the com- der. “We want to know if they’re boost spending on social wel- man Sachs in New York, had ed by Lopez Obrador to combat Pemex, up about 9% compared pesos ($312 bn).While Rami-
mittee’s leader. really working on it, or if they’ve fare programmes, security and warned that the primary fis- spiralling violence and record to this year’s level, while Herrera rez Cuellar expressed a mostly
No suspect has been named just abandoned it,” she said. state-run oil company Pemex, cal surplus needed to be above homicide rates. stressed the 86bn pesos in extra positive view on the budget
over the killing and nobody has “I don’t know where you are,” while at the same time eschew- 0.5% of GDP, since going below The National Guard has pla- support for the firm, including a proposal, he said the commit-
been charged so far. she said, clutching two photo- ing new taxes or fuel price hikes. that “would signal a weaken- cated President Donald Trump capital injection of 46bn pesos. tee he leads would not be a rub-
Local police did not respond to graphs to her chest of the daugh- One of the most salient meas- ing commitment to fiscal disci- by patrolling the border to stem The budget blueprint esti- ber stamp. “I think there needs
repeated requests for comment ter who had cared for her in old ures of Lopez Obrador’s com- pline.” the flow of US-bound migrants, mates Pemex’s year-end 2020 to be a greater effort in income
on the case. age. “I’m alone without you.” mitment to fiscal responsibility Speaking from the main dais down 56% between May and oil output at 1.95mn barrels per generation,” he said.

Argentine peso stabilised

by capital controls
Mass protest held over
Argentina’s peso was step with the peso’s collapse.
Pinochet era abuses
unchanged yesterday as The economy is now expected
capital controls brought to shrink 2.5% this year. AFP The memorial honours the
stability to a market thrown Country risk fell below 2,000 Santiago estimated 3,000 victims — the
into tumult last month when a basis points yesterday for dead and the disappeared — of
populist-leaning presidential the first time since August the 17-year Pinochet dictator-

T
candidate won the primary 27, according to JP Morgan’s housands of demon- ship (1973-1990).
and appeared firmly on track Emerging Markets Bond Index strators poured into the Under the slogan ‘For Truth
to win the October 27 general Plus. streets of Santiago to and Justice,’ the Communist
election. But questions remain about honour the victims of General Party and several other left-
The currency was flat at 55.8 Argentine creditworthiness Augusto Pinochet’s dictator- ist organisations demanded
per US dollar, having risen last since the administration said ship, in a march that started progress in investigations of
week after the government last month it would extend peacefully but ended in vio- hundreds of unresolved human
clamped down on access maturities on about $100bn lence. rights cases.
to and overseas transfer of of debt. Although it has been 46 Of the nearly 1,200 people
greenbacks. The debt “reprofiling” and years since the military coup listed as missing since the Pino-
The measures, aimed at capital controls were major that brought Pinochet to pow- chet era, barely more than 100
ending a run on the peso, were setbacks for Macri’s free- er, his memory still divides cases have been located.
taken on September 1 after the markets reform effort. Chileans. Many people were thrown
currency lost about a quarter He took office in late 2015 The protest began in central into the sea or had their bodies
of its value in August. promising to use orthodox Santiago, with many demon- dynamited as the Pinochet re-
“In the short term, the capital economics to end the cyclical strators carrying red carnations gime worked to erase evidence
controls are working, and crises that have hobbled and holding photos of loved ones of its crimes.
should continue to work for Argentina over recent decades. who were killed or disappeared “We march with the convic-
some months,” Gabriel Zelpo, His popularity was high during during the Pinochet years. tion that in Chile there is still no
an analyst with Buenos Aires the first half of his term. Police at first protectively truth or full justice,” said Marco
consultancy Seido, said in a But voters ended up lined the route as marchers pro- Barraza, a member of the Com-
telephone interview. rebelling against his fiscal ceeded to a memorial to Pinoc- munist Party.
Over the longer term, the belt-tightening programme het’s victims at the city’s Gen- On Saturday, Communist
inflation-and recession- under a $57bn International eral Cemetery. deputy and human rights ac-
stricken economy faces a host Monetary Fund loan deal But pitched battles broke out tivist Carmen Hertz announced
of uncertainties as presidential which included subsidy cuts at the cemetery’s entrance, with that years after her husband
challenger Alberto Fernandez that triggered big increases in protesters hurling stones and Carlos Berger disappeared, she
marches toward an expected household power and heating police responding with tear gas had recovered some of his re-
October win over business- gas bills. and water cannon. mains.
friendly incumbent Mauricio Macri negotiated the IMF There were several arrests, Berger was detained and shot
Macri, whose re-election pact last year, when a but no immediate reports of in- during the Pinochet era.
campaign has faltered along previous run on the peso juries. “The desert returned to us
with the economy. brought up questions about Police confirmed that 4,000 pieces of his back and his jaw,”
Analysts have increased their the government’s ability to people attended the march, and Hertz wrote in a grim post on
2019 inflation forecasts to 55%, honour its dollar-denominated 23 were detained, while organ- Twitter, adding that “his mur-
with consumer prices rising in bonds. A demonstrator throws a stone towards riot police during a march marking the 46th anniversary of the isers estimated that there were derers have enjoyed decades of
1973 Chile military coup, in Santiago. 20,000 attendees. impunity.”
 Gulf Times
20 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

PAKISTAN

National human rights Google

commission in a limbo
Internews Act in accordance with the Paris relation to human rights princi- “The process was completed missions would be considered of the government, the posts of
honours
Dr Pfau
Islamabad Principles. ples, carry out research and ad- and names were shortlisted. illegal. chairman and seven members
The National Commission for vise on policy matters pertain- However, while discussing the “We were expecting that the are to be re-advertised.
Human Rights Act 2012 stipu- ing to the situation of human matter in the federal cabinet, new chairman and members When asked about the proc- Internews

T
he National Commission lates a broad and overarching rights, contribute to national an objection was raised that would be finalised by July, but ess, he said that after verifying Islamabad
for Human Rights (NCHR) mandate for the promotion, human rights awareness-raising the federal government had the process could not be started the applicants, the prime minis-
of Pakistan has been non- protection and fulfilment of hu- and advocacy initiatives in the to give permission for the ad- so far,” he said. ter and leader of the opposition

G
functional as the process to ap- man rights as provided for in Pa- country, review and report on vertisement, and as per order When contacted, Chowhan in the National Assembly would oogle paid homage to Dr
point its chairman and members kistan’s Constitution and inter- the government’s implementa- of Supreme Court, the federal said that the NCHR was also one have to reach a consensus and Ruth Pfau, the late phy-
could not be started even after national treaties. tion and monitoring of the state government meant the federal of the requirements of the Gen- finalise three names for the post sician and nun who de-
more than three months. As an impartial state body, the of human rights, make techni- cabinet. eral System of Preferences (GSP) of chairman and three for each voted her life to fighting leprosy
The four-year tenure of the NCHR works independently of cal recommendations and fol- “So again permission was Plus. post of members. in Pakistan, with a doodle on her
chairman and six of the seven the government and is directly low up on the implementation sought from the federal cabi- Moreover, a functional NCHR The names would be forward- 90th birth anniversary.
members of the NCHR expired accountable to parliament. of treaty obligations and develop net for the re-advertisement of would be helpful for Pakistan to ed to a parliamentary committee The doodle depicts the Ger-
on May 30. The NCHR’s financial and a national plan of action for the the posts. But so far the process take up the issue of Kashmir at for finalisation. man-Pakistani doctor, who died
On the other hand, the em- performance reports are also promotion, and the protection could not be completed,” he said. the international level, he said. “If they fail to develop con- at the age of 87 in Karachi in Au-
ployees of the commission fear directly presented to the parlia- and fulfilment of human rights Shafique said that at the time GSP Plus is a mechanism in- sensus, both the prime minister gust 2017, tending to a patient.
that the organisation may not be ment for approval on an annual in Pakistan. when he left the NCHR, there troduced by the European Un- and the opposition leader would Describing the doodle, Google
made functional due to sour re- basis. Former NCHR member from were 61 employees but some of ion (EU) to grant non-reciprocal send three names, on their own, said she was being honoured
lations between the prime min- The primary functions and Islamabad Chaudhry Shafique them have left as their contracts preferential treatment to im- for each post, and the names because she “devoted herself to
ister and leader of the opposi- powers of the NCHR include said that as everyone knew that were not extended. ports from developing coun- would be discussed by the par- eradicating leprosy from Paki-
tion in National Assembly, who conducting investigations into the NCHR would become non- “I believe that after expiry of tries. liamentary committee. stan, saving countless lives”.
have to pick the names through allegations of human rights functional on May 30, the posts the tenure of the NCHR chair- Ministry of human rights di- “The committee would final- “Also known as Hansen’s
consensus. abuse(s), either on petitions filed of the chair and members were man Justice (retired) Ali Nawaz rector-general Mohamed Arshad ise the names for the chair and disease, leprosy is caused by a
Complying with its interna- by individuals or institutions or advertised at the end of March, Chowhan and the members, all confirmed that the four-year members, but past experience bacterial infection that can now
tional obligations, Pakistan es- through suo motu, review exist- and April 14 was the last date for decisions having financial and tenure of the commission ex- shows that it may take six to sev- be prevented and cured, but the
tablished the NCHR under an ing and proposed legislation in filing applications for the posts. other implications for the com- pired, and that as per directions en months,” Arshad said. disease has historically caused
sufferers to be ostracised and
stigmatised for disfiguration,” it
said.
Procession The tech giant noted that it

University was due to Pfau’s persistent and

selfless efforts that the World
Health Organisation declared

orders leprosy under control in Paki-

stan by 1996 – earlier than most
other Asian countries.

separate The Mountain View, Califor-

nia-based Google frequently
changes the colourful logo on its

seating at famously spartan homepage to

mark anniversaries or significant
events or pay tribute to artists,

cafeteria scientists, statesmen and others.

Dr Pfau, who was German by
birth, had been sent to Pakistan
in 1960 by the Daughters of the
Internews Heart of Mary – a congregation
Lahore of nuns that she was a member
of – for a medical service for
students.

A
notification issued by the After witnessing the plight of
University of Engineering leprosy patients, she decided to
and Technology (UET) settle here.
in Lahore ordering the estab- She was granted Pakistani cit-
lishment of separate sitting ar- izenship in 1988.
rangements for male and female One of the founders of the
students has caused uproar on Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre
social media. (MALC) in Karachi, Pfau man-
According to a notification aged to set up a network of 157
signed by the Deputy Registrar medical centres that treated
at UET Lahore and shared wide- thousands of people.
ly on social networking website In 1979, she was awarded the
Twitter, the university has di- Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the second-
rected the university adminis- highest civilian award of the
tration to make separate sitting country.
arrangements for male and fe- In 1989, Dr Pfau was present-
male students. ed the Hilal-e-Pakistan for her
“Vice-Chancellor has ordered services.
that separate sitting arrange- People march during a procession in Karachi yesterday.
ments with suitable partition
be made for male and female Punjab set to hold
students with immediate ef-
fect,” the notification reads. “In local body polls
this regard, necessary measures
should be taken forthwith. The The government of Punjab
Vice-Chancellor will make sur- has finalised measures to hold
prise visits to check these ar- local body’s elections after
rangements.” demarcation of constituencies
According to the document, and gazette notification has been
the cafeteria would be sealed if issued in this regard for rural
separate seating arrangements and urban constituencies across
were not made. Punjab.
The news has been greeted A timeframe has also been given
with much outrage on social to complete the work.
media, with people from across The Punjab government got the
Pakistan criticising the decision bill passed from the assembly
of the university authorities to to bring new Local Government
focus on gender segregation in- Act 2019, abolishing the old
stead of fixing academic issues. Local Government Act 2013, in
In April, a private university which the formula of distribution
in Lahore had announced in- of powers at the level of tehsil
vestigation of a social media instead of the district level has
group run by male students that been proposed.
was used to harass and objectify A timeframe was given for
women and make inappropriate People reach out for free food at an event in Lahore. Pakistani rangers keep watch during the procession in Karachi. conducting local body elections
comments about them. within one year.

Afghan peace talks collapse a ‘test’ for Pakistan

Internews a shared responsibility, and has unprecedented meeting would if the killing of a solider was the a deal with the Taliban on its may pave the way for some sem- ban leadership could deliver on
Islamabad encouraged all sides to remain pave the for the much-needed actual reason. terms,” cautioned defence ana- blance of peace in Afghanistan. their promises.
engaged with sincerity and pa- peace in Afghanistan. They say if that was the case, lyst Lieutenant-General (retired) The orderly US troop draw- There is a feeling that there
tience.” Islamabad is now worried over the US should not have entered Amjad Shoaib. down would also open up oppor- may be disconnect between the

T
he move by US President Interaction with officials, who the sudden breakdown in talks into talks with the Taliban in first He is of the view that Pakistan tunities for Pakistan to improve Taliban leaders negotiating a
Donald Trump to pull out deal with the foreign policy mat- because it fears that the new sit- place since this year alone 16 US had indeed pushed the Taliban to its ties with Washington, at a peace deal and field commanders
of the talks with the Tali- ters, reveal that Pakistan knew uation may put more pressure on servicemen were killed by the in- the negotiating table but he was time when Islamabad desper- operating inside Afghanistan.
ban will not only jeopardise the that the road to peace would be Pakistan to do more to convince surgents. unsure if Islamabad had enough ately needs its support against Given the tricky situation,
prospects of peace in Afghani- bumpy but never expected talks the Taliban for a ceasefire. One possible reason behind leverage to convince the insur- the backdrop of brewing tensions Shoaib thinks Pakistan must
stan, but throw a new challenge to breakdown when peace accord While Trump said he cancelled the Trump’s last minute decision gents to agree to a ceasefire. with India over Kashmir. involve other regional players –
for Pakistan at a time when its was about to be signed by the US the peace talks and a would-be may be to persuade the Taliban to “At best, Pakistan may per- Officials, however, hope that such as Russia and China.
hands are already full dealing and the Taliban. secret meeting with the Taliban agree to a permanent ceasefire, suade the Taliban to reduce the Trump’s announcement was He believes China and Rus-
with other foreign policy issues. All the officials spoke on con- at Camp David over the killing something the group has long level of violence,” Shoaib, who meant to enhance Washington’s sia also maintain ties with the
In its official reaction to the dition of anonymity since they of an American soldier in Thurs- resisted. is still closely connected with bargaining position and not nec- Taliban, and Pakistan, instead of
sudden US move, the Foreign were not authorised to speak to day’s attack in Kabul, there is If that was the actual reason, the military establishment, re- essarily a permanent policy. taking solo responsibility, must
Office called on all sides for re- the media on the subject. a feeling in Pakistan that there this may bring Pakistan’s role in marked. US Secretary of State Mike strive for a regional approach.
straint and reminded them of the One official disclosed that Pa- might be other reasons that com- the spotlight once again as the He doubts the Taliban would Pompeo indicated that peace Nevertheless, the sudden
commitment to pursue peace. kistan knew that Trump would pelled the US to take the drastic Trump administration is likely to agree on a ceasefire. talks may restart, provided the deadlock in talks after months of
“Pakistan has been facilitat- be having a secret meeting with step. ask Islamabad to play its role. Pakistan has invested so much Taliban met certain conditions. painstaking negotiations will test
ing the peace and reconcilia- senior Taliban leaders at Camp Even analysts and commen- “The US is likely to make Paki- in the ongoing reconciliation One of the concerns expressed Pakistan’s diplomatic skills to
tion process in good faith and as David and was hopeful that the tators in the US are questioning stan a scapegoat if it fails to strike process with the hope that this by Pompeo was whether the Tali- ward off any eventuality.
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 21

PHILIPPINES

Witness confirms
prisoner release
‘sale’ scheme
By Bernadette E Tamayo pedite the release of her partner. go back [to NBP, I’ll be dead. I
Manila Times Bansil claimed that she gave know what will happen to me.”
the money to Ramoncito Roque, It was here that the Senate
BuCor’s documents record chief. opted to take custody of Gam-

A
n inmate at the New Bili- The BuCor officials denied boa.
bid Prison (NBP) yester- Camilon’s allegations of a cash The blue ribbon and justice
day surfaced at the Senate transaction. committees, both headed by
to corroborate the “GCTA for “My wife told me that some- Sen. Richard Gordon, invited
sale” at the national peniten- one will process the paper (to fa- former BuCor chief Nicanor
tiary. cilitate my release). I said, ‘Well, Faeldon again to explain his al-
Godfrey Gamboa, testified at that’s good.’ I asked how much. leged violation of the GCTA law
the fourth public hearing of the She said, ‘That’s the supposed in releasing heinous crime con-
Senate blue ribbon committee agreement inside (NBP). Ap- victs, such as Antonio Sanchez,
on the alleged misapplication parently, it’s P50,000.’ (I asked the rapist-killer and former Singapore’s President Halimah Yacob shakes hands with President Rodrigo Duterte after signing the guest book at Malacanang palace
of the Good Conduct Time Al- her) Can we afford it? (She said) mayor of Calauan, Laguna. in Manila, yesterday.
lowance (GCTA) law in releasing let’s see. There was a delay in the Sanchez was sentenced in
prisoners. payment because we don’t have 1995 to seven life terms for the
It was Senate President Vice- money that time,” Gamboa said. rape-slay of University of the
nte Sotto 3rd who subpoenaed
Gamboa to testify on what he
knew about the GCTA scam. He
was sentenced to four years im-
prisonment in 2017 for falsifica-
Gamboa deplored that con-
victs in the NBP’s maximum
security area were prioritised
for release under GCTA rather
than ageing and sick prisoners
Philippines Los Banos student
Eileen Sarmenta and the mur-
der of her friend and fellow
UPLB student Allan Gomez in
1993.
Philippines, Singapore sign
tion of public records and was
due for release in October.
Gamboa corroborated the tes-
timony of his partner, Yolanda
Camilon, regarding the alleged
housed in the minimum secu-
rity compound.
“There are many old inmates
who never had the chance to be
free. They never had the chance
Sanchez was also meted two
life terms in 1996 for the mur-
der of Nelson Penalosa and his
son Rickson in 1991 who were
reportedly supporters of his
deals to enhance co-operation
“GCTA for sale” scheme at the to be with their families. Only political opponent. Agencies Before the signing of these Philippines relations will be to the regional bloc. Duterte,
Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to those in the maximum security “We are going to wait for Manila agreements, the two presidents marked by deeper friendship meanwhile, proudly updated
cut short prisoners’ jail terms for compound get released. Those others to come forward. But and ministers or agency heads and closer collaboration be- Halimah about the newly cre-
good behaviour. in the minimum security com- you can see what we are trying held a bilateral meeting. tween our peoples and our two ated Bangsamoro Autonomous

P
Camilon last week testified pound die,” Gamboa said. to build in the case is that there hilippine President Ro- Afterwards, they gave their countries,” she said. Singa- Region in Muslim Mindanao.
that BuCor officer, Capt. Ma. Gamboa expressed fear for is a build up of an atmosphere drigo Duterte and Sin- joint statements before mem- pore is a big contributor to the The formation of its govern-
Belinda Bansil, in February told his life for exposing alleged where it is ripe for corruption,” gapore’s first female bers of the media. Philippine economy. It was ment and the passage of the
her to shell out P50,000 to ex- corruption at the BuCor. “If I Gordon said. president Halimah Yacob held Halimah thanked the Philip- the second biggest source of law that created it is seen as a
a meeting in Malacanang yes- pine government for the hos- foreign investments in 2018, major accomplishment by his
terday, in which they discussed pitality and “lovely arrange- committing P21.18bn or 11.8% administration.
mostly economic co-operation. ments” she received while in of total foreign pledges. It is “We discussed ways by
Their meeting took place on Manila. the Philippines’ fifth biggest which our co-operation can

Tabloid printing the first day of Halimah’s five-

day state visit to the Philip-
pines, in which she visits both
the capital city of Manila and
Duterte bailiwick Davao City
“I told President Duterte
that we deeply appreciate the
contributions of the Philippine
community to Singapore’s so-
ciety and economy,” Halimah
export market, seventh top
import supplier, and also the
ninth top source of tourists.
Aside from speaking about
boosting economic exchanges
help contribute in bringing
just and lasting peace and
meaningful progress and de-
velopment in Mindanao, one
of the greatest and most cru-

facility set on fire in the south, Rappler.com re-

ported.
The visit marks the golden
jubilee or 50th anniversary of
diplomatic ties between the
said of the 200,000 Filipinos
living, working, and studying in
her country.
She said the two countries
can still do a lot to further co-
and co-operation in agri-
culture, education, tourism,
and other sectors, Halimah
expressed Singapore’s com-
mitment to working with the
cial undertakings that our na-
tion has embarked,” said Du-
terte. He said he also discussed
“deepening” defence and se-
curity co-operation between
DPA Philippines and Singapore. operation in the “next chap- Philippines in bringing about Singapore and the Philippines
Manila The two leaders witnessed ter” of their diplomatic rela- a “strong, united, and inte- through “strengthening de-
the signing of eight agreements tions. grated” Association of South- fence dialogues and training
between agencies and ministers “I am confident that the east Asian Nations. The Phil- exchanges between the mili-

A
rmed men set a printing in their governments. next chapter of Singapore- ippines and Singapore belong tary and special forces.”
facility for a daily tabloid
on fire in the Philippines
yesterday, injuring two workers,
police and the company said. First case of swine
The fire at the printing plant
of the Abante News Group in
the Manila suburban city of
Canada seeks more skilled workers fever confirmed
The Philippines yesterday
Paranaque was immediately reported its first cases of African
put out, causing minimal dam- By William Depasupil with Yukon, Canada contains Canada. We had a first-hand swine fever, becoming the latest
age, police said. The suspects, Manila Times a request for 2,000 skilled encounter with the Filipinos country hit by the disease that
four men wearing helmets and workers every year,” Bello in Yukon and we are assured has killed pigs from Slovakia to
masks, barged into the facility said. “Filipinos there look that they are well-protected, China, pushing up pork prices

T
and told workers to lay down on he Philippines will de- very prosperous, very happy. and respected without any worldwide.
the floor, a police report said. ploy more workers to I talked to every single one of class distinction. We heard The virus is not harmful to hu-
They poured gasoline over Canada following the them and they were all happy not a single complaint,” the mans but causes haemorrhagic
the area and set it on fire with a signing of a joint communique and well taken care of.” labour chief, who visited Can- fever in pigs that almost always
lighter, the report added. between Labour Secretary Sil- Following the agreement, ada last month, said. ends in death.
The attack was the first vio- vestre Bello and his Canadian Bello directed Administrator The salaries offered range There is no antidote or vaccine
lent act against Abante, a local This photo shared by Abante on Facebook shows piles of counterpart. Bernard Olalia of the Philip- from P80,000 to P300,000. and the only known method to
language tabloid, and its facili- newspapers that four armed men burned. The joint communique, ac- pine Overseas Employment Most of the available posi- prevent the disease from spread-
ties since 1987, said managing cording to Bello, called for Administration to fast-track tions, which will be opened ing is a mass cull of affected
editor Fernando Jadulco. “That a newspaper facility in nalists by press freedom groups, the deployment in Yukon, a the deployment of workers to to Filipino skilled workers, are livestock.
“We will not be cowed by this the (capital) can be attacked in including the New York-based province of Canada, of skilled Yukon, as well as the process- heavy equipment operators, Infected pigs were found in two
attempt to strike fear into our such a brazen manner under- Committee to Protect Journal- overseas Filipino Workers ing of the Overseas Employ- nurses, cook, chefs, engineers, towns near the Philippine capital
reporters, editors and staff,” he scores how deeply mired in the ists. In 2009, 32 media workers (OFWs) who will have the op- ment Certificate of those who caregivers and call centre Manila and authorities have
added. culture of impunity our country were among more than 50 peo- portunity to bring their fami- will be working in Vancouver agents. culled more than 7,000 pigs
The National Union of Jour- and people have become,” the ple killed in a local politician’s lies there. and Toronto. Interested applicants within a one-kilometre radius,
nalists of the Philippines con- group said in a statement. convoy heading to a rally in the Yukon would open 2,000 “After we met with our should be fluent in English, said Agriculture Secretary William
demned the attempted arson The Philippines has been southern region of Mindanao. jobs per year in various indus- counterparts, I advised [Ad- possess the related job degree, Dar. He said the nation was not
and called on authorities to find ranked as one of the world’s The alleged masterminds are tries. ministrator] Olalia to liberal- with appropriate training, and facing an epidemic.
the perpetrators. most dangerous places for jour- currently on trial. “The joint communique ise the deployment of OFWs in are physically and mentally fit.

Filipino heavyweights hanker for death penalty return

Reuters deterrent for big drug syndi- jections, then scrapped again in Less than a third of drug cas- bill put to Congress on the first
Manila cates. 2006, with 1,230 convicts taken es in 2016 and 2017 led to suc- day of his presidency.
“We need it. In Asia, we are off death row in what Amnesty cessful convictions, according The lower house overwhelm-
one of the few countries with- International called the biggest to the National Prosecution ingly approved it, but it never

I
f he gets his way, Filipino out a death penalty, so a lot of commutation of its kind. Service. reached the Senate, where re-
senator and boxing cham- drug lords, pushers came in. It If Duterte’s drugs crackdown Duterte’s opponents say the sistance was anticipated, in-
pion Manny Pacquiao would is alarming,” said Pacquiao, who continues on the same scale and chance of miscarriages of justice cluding from the influential
have drug criminals executed by enjoys rock-star appeal among the death penalty is reinstated are greater now than when capi- Catholic Church, the country’s
firing squad. Filipinos, and is being touted as covering “heinous crimes” — tal punishment was last used. dominant faith.
That’s getting closer to be- a future president. including piracy, kidnapping, From 1993 to 2004, 72% of death The church vehemently op-
coming a reality in the Philip- “If you ask me, firing squad,” he murder, treason and violent penalty verdicts reviewed by poses it, citing the Vatican’s
pines, where in the past seven told Reuters, when asked how they robbery — death row could po- the Supreme Court were over- decision last year to formally
weeks, 21 bills have been filed should be dealt with.”But it de- tentially consist of tens of thou- turned, sparing 677 people. change its teachings to declare
before the lower house and Sen- pends on what the people want, as sands of people, going by current Centrist Senator Grace Poe the death penalty inadmissible
ate to reinstate the death pen- long as death penalty is imposed.” numbers. opposes the death penalty and in all circumstances.
alty, collectively covering crimes But it isn’t clear if Filipinos actu- In the country’s largest prison, says reforming the criminal But politics could prevail,
ranging from drug trafficking ally want capital punishment. two-thirds of the 27,756 popula- justice system is vital, like ad- with Duterte’s influence over
and plunder to kidnapping, rape Though opinion polls put tion are serving sentences for dressing manpower shortfalls, both houses strengthened to a
and murder. Duterte’s approval rating con- heinous crimes, according to the improving investigation stand- super-majority after mid-term
It comes at the behest of sistently above 80%, the same corrections department. ards, preventing graft and giving elections in May.
President Rodrigo Duterte, the surveys reflect mixed views on File photo shows Filipino boxer and Senator Manny Pacquiao But the biggest problem, ac- poor people better access to legal Pacquiao, a devout Christian,
popular, self-styled “punisher”, his policies, including a poll 11 speaking at the Senate in Pasay, Metro Manila. tivists say, is the strain Duterte’s help. said he may propose doubling
notorious for his crackdowns on months ago that showed less drugs war is putting on an over- “Debating on the effective- the justice department’s budget
crime, and a war on drugs that than a third of Filipinos agreed United Nations covenant against Most of the 21 bills have not stretched criminal justice sys- ness and correctness of re-im- to ensure innocent people aren’t
has killed thousands of mostly with reviving the death penalty. the death penalty that the Phil- prescribed a method of execu- tem now being pushed to break- posing the death penalty is not a executed. “If we want good re-
poor, urban Filipinos. Human rights groups say ippines signed. tion. From 1950 to when capital ing point. waste of time. However, we need sults, we need to help the justice
Pacquiao, a staunch Duterte reinstating it counters a clear That matters not to Duterte, punishment was abolished in Under Duterte, police made to give time to our other priori- system,” he said. “They play a big
loyalist and the only boxer to win global trend of moratoria on ex- who has repeatedly said he fa- 1987, the electric chair was used. 193,000 drug-related arrests, ties,” Poe told Reuters. part to eradicate illegal drugs.
world titles in eight divisions, ecutions or abolition of capital vours hanging criminals, as The death penalty was re- but many cases were thrown out For Duterte, executing crimi- We can prevent mistakes in court
believes executions are the best punishment, and goes against a many as 20 per day. stored in 1993, using lethal in- or resulted in acquittals. nals was his top priority, with a decisions.”
 Gulf Times
22 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

COMMENT
CHAIRMAN
Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka
Deputy Managing Editor
K T Chacko

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GULF TIMES
Italy’s dapper Conte
grows in stature
after hesitant start
US President Donald Trump and European Council
President Donald Tusk have sharply different political views,
but agree on one thing: admiration for Italian Prime Minister
Giuseppe Conte.
“A very talented man,” Trump waxed on Twitter, rooting
for Conte as a political crisis threatened his future. “He is one
of the best examples of loyalty, responsibility, and also has a
sense of humour,” enthused Tusk.
The fact such disparate characters see eye-to-eye on Conte
highlights one of the premier’s strongest attributes - his
ability to build bridges between discordant political worlds
2020 Democratic hopefuls
tread cautiously on China
and win over both populist and establishment spirits.
On Thursday he took the helm of a new government
giving him an opportunity to heal rifts with the European
Union that soured his last coalition, strengthen the stagnant
economy, and cement his own role as a decisive political
leader.
It is a tall order for a man with no background in politics By James Oliphant year now, Trump’s China gambit looks long held by progressives such as question with Reuters.
before being plucked from the obscurity of academia last year Washington increasingly risky going into 2020. Sanders and Warren that globalisation A spokesman for his campaign said
For their part, Democrats in Congress had benefited multinational only that Biden would “start getting
to head up an administration comprising the anti-system have long been critical of China and the corporations at the expense of US tough and smart on China without
5-Star Movement and far-right League.

T
he growing economic fallout economic and national security threat workers. throwing backbone American industries
That coalition collapsed last month when the League from President Donald posed by the world’s second largest “Trump stole everybody’s thunder on like agriculture and manufacturing
walked out, hoping to trigger early elections. Trump’s drawn-out trade economy. the issue,” Bernstein said. under the bus.”
But rather than cave war with China would appear That has left Democratic presidential Warren’s recently released trade plan The Trump campaign has long
to be a ready-made opportunity for candidates struggling to articulate is not centred on tariffs. believed Biden is vulnerable on trade
in to demands he resign,
Conte, who is not Conte unexpectedly
Democratic presidential contenders
seeking to blunt his central 2020 re-
their own get-tough positions without
looking like they are adopting Trump’s
But as president, she would
not support any trade deal with a
because of his vote in favour of the 1994
North American Free Trade Agreement
affiliated to any held his ground, giving
5-Star time to work out
election pitch: That he has made the
economy great again.
bulldozing ways.
The conflict with China has also
nation that did not meet a host of
environmental, labour and human
and his support of normalised trade
relations with China as a US senator.
party, was seen an unlikely new pact with So far, it has not quite worked out
that way.
exposed the same divisions within
the party between moderates and
rights criteria, a set of standards the
United States itself does not yet meet
As vice president, he also championed
the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multi-
former fierce rivals the
by the League centre-left Democratic
While most of the 20 Democratic
presidential hopefuls vying to take on
progressives. Moderates Pete Buttigieg,
the mayor of South Bend, Indiana,
and would likely exclude developing
nations.
nation Pacific Rim trade deal that was
designed to rein in China by bolstering
and 5-Star as the Party (PD).
His stout resistance in
Trump in the November 2020 election
have condemned his tit-for-tat exchange
and former US Representative Beto
O’Rourke, for example, would lift
“There is no doubt the public is ready
for an anti-China message. But it has
other trading partners in the region but
was opposed by progressives and labour
ideal frontman the face of heavy pressure of tariffs with China for hurting farmers,
consumers and businesses, they have
Trump’s tariffs altogether.
Progressive US Senator Bernie Sanders
to be a smart, strategic message,” said
Scott Lincicome, a trade policy expert
unions at home.
Trump pulled the United States out of
from League leader Matteo
for their coalition Salvini won him the
not been of one voice on how they would
handle things differently.
views tariffs as a valuable weapon to
bring China to heel, and fellow liberal
at the CATO Institute, which supports
free trade.
the TPP after taking office in 2017.
Biden has said he would support a
admiration of a previously That has led to a scrambled and US Senator Elizabeth Warren has a Otherwise, he said: “They are ceding renegotiated TPP, but would not rejoin
hostile PD, enabling him to stay in his job. sometimes incoherent message from trade agenda that appears to be just as the turf to Trump.” In that regard, it has it as it stands.
Conte, 55, a law professor from Florence who is not Trump’s rivals even as global markets protectionist as that of Trump. not been easy for Democrats to establish He has also said he would not support
gyrate, US consumer prices of Chinese The issue may arise again later this their separate identities. Trump’s US-Mexico-Canada trade
affiliated to any party, was seen by the League and 5-Star as imports rise and farmers lose their week when 10 Democrats will be on “The Sanders-Warren message pact that would replace Nafta, unless
the ideal frontman for their coalition. They wanted someone biggest export market as a result. stage for the third presidential debate in on trade at the Joe Voter level is changes are made to its labour and
who they could oversee and who would not steal their “It’s a little tricky,” said Jared Houston. indistinguishable from Trump’s,” environmental provisions, among
limelight. Bernstein, who served as the top Regardless of ideology, most Lincicome said. others.
That is who they got - at least initially. economic adviser to Joe Biden, the Democrats seeking their party’s Biden is one candidate who has Tony Fratto, a top official at the US
Democratic front-runner, when Biden presidential nomination have been attempted to navigate a fine line, and he Treasury Department under Republican
In his first parliamentary appearance, Conte asked was Barack Obama’s vice president. treading cautiously on China. is viewed by US business concerns as President George W Bush, said Biden
permission from 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio to say “The challenge is to distance yourself An August poll released by the perhaps the best hope for a “reset” to should take advantage of polling that
something to the house. from what has been a pretty disastrous Pew Research Centre showed 60% the pre-Trump status quo. shows most Americans favour free trade
“No,” came the curt response, caught on camera. But his set of policies from the Trump of Americans had a negative view of But the former vice president has agreements.
confidence has grown, especially abroad where he travelled administration, while signalling you are China, up from 47% in 2018, a sign that been on the defensive on the subject A July poll from Pew found 65% of
not going to be soft on China.” Trump’s China-bashing is having an since early in the year, when his Americans now favoured free trade
alone, giving him a greater degree of autonomy. effect. dismissal of China’s economic threat pacts with other nations.
The Republican president has pledged
He twice managed to head off the threat of EU disciplinary to overhaul America’s trade relationship Indeed, Trump’s insurgent 2016 triggered criticism from Trump and Biden could chart a course different
action against Italy and established good relations with with the world, reduce trade deficits and campaign was powered in part by Sanders, among others. from both Trump and Democratic
senior European leaders, who were highly suspicious of open up more markets to US exports. animus towards China and pledges to Biden has since vowed to marshal liberals and appeal in the process to
Salvini. This helped him build his stature at home. Extremely His advisers insist his projection of confront the Asian power. US allies to put pressure on China to suburban voters who are more likely
toughness against China will energise, Trump exposed raw feelings about curb its anti-competitive practices, and to support global trade and yearn for
dapper, with a handkerchief permanently poking out of expressed sympathy for US farmers who
not alienate, his base. globalisation and free trade held by international stability, Fratto said.
his breast pocket, Conte’s popularity has grown as voters But as China’s retaliatory actions many voters who witnessed US factory have lost China as a customer. “There are more suburban voters than
warmed to his measured tones, which stood in stark contrast hit farming and manufacturing in jobs vanish and local economies But he has not said whether he union voters,” he said.
to the fire and fury of his ever-bickering deputies. battleground states from Wisconsin and stagnate. would lift all of Trump’s tariffs, and “Biden has a natural opportunity.” -
A poll published last week said he had an approval rating of Pennsylvania to Michigan for a second In doing so, he co-opted a position his campaign would not address the Reuters
51%, second only in Italy to that of the president. By contrast,
Salvini had a rating of 36% and Di Maio 26%.
His support had climbed six points in a month, boosted
by a powerful speech in parliament on August 20 when he
mauled Salvini, accusing him of looking to “tip the country
into a spiral of political uncertainty and financial instability”.
A religious man, Conte also attacked Salvini’s habit of
brandishing the rosary in public - a criticism that stung.
Conte must have won the backing of Italy’s powerful, hidden
establishment to take on Salvini.
But he cannot govern with that establishment. He needs to
be his own leader.

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Democratic 2020 US presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks at a campaign rally in New Hampshire. Democratic presidential candidates are struggling to articulate their
© 2019 Gulf Times. All rights reserved own get-tough positions.
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 23

COMMENT

Fear grips ‘illegals’ in Indian state tense because of the situation. behind it. The camp will have separate
By Zeba Siddiqui
Goalpara, India “But I need to fill my stomach,” she living facilities for men and women,
said in the local Assamese dialect as according to workers and contractors.
she used a hoe to feed stones into a A K Rashid, another contractor,

A
cross a river in a remote concrete mixer. said he is building six of what would
part of India’s northeast, She and other workers make be around 17 buildings with detention
labourers have cleared about $4 a day, which is considered rooms of around 350sq ft each.
dense forest in an area a decent wage in the impoverished Each of the buildings he is making
equivalent to about seven soccer area. will have 24 rooms, he said, adding
fields and are building the first She said she didn’t know her exact drains for sewage were being built
mass detention centre for illegal age and believed it was about 26, along the boundary walls of the centre.
immigrants. adding that she did not know why she G Kishan Reddy, a federal
The camp in the lush, tea-growing wasn’t on the citizenship list. government official, told parliament
state of Assam is intended for at least “We don’t have birth certificates,” in July that the government had
3,000 detainees. said her mother, Malati Hajong, also published guidelines for detention
It will also have a school, a working at the site. centres which stipulate the
hospital, a recreation area and The camp, near the town of construction of basic amenities
quarters for security forces – as Goalpara, is the first of at least like electricity, drinking water,
well as a high boundary wall and ten detention centres Assam has hygiene, accommodation with beds,
watchtowers, according to Reuters planned, according to local media sufficient toilets with running water,
interviews with workers and reports. communication facilities and kitchens.
contractors at the site and a review of “People have been coming here “Special attention is to be given to
copies of its layout plans. every other day from nearby villages women/nursing mothers, children,”
Some of the workers building asking for work,” said Shafikul Haq, he said.
the camp said they were not on a a contractor in charge of building a “Children lodged in detention
citizenship list Assam released last large cooking area in the camp. centres are to be provided educational
week as part of a drive to detect The mammoth Supreme Court- facilities in nearby local schools.”
illegal immigrants. ordered exercise to document A senior police officer who
That means the workers could Assam’s citizens has been strongly declined to be named said the camp
themselves end up in detention. backed by Prime Minister Narendra would initially be used to house the
Shefali Hajong, a gaunt tribal Modi’s nationalist government that roughly 900 illegal immigrants who
woman from a nearby village, said came to power in New Delhi five are held at detention facilities in
she was not on the list and will join years ago. Assam jails.
nearly 2mn people who need to prove Critics say the campaign is aimed A group from India’s National
they are Indian citizens by producing at Muslims, even those who have Human Rights Commission that
documents such as birth and land lived legally in India for decades. visited two of those facilities last year
ownership certificates dating back Many Hindus, mostly poor and said the immigrant detainees there
decades. ill-educated, are also not on the were in some ways “deprived even of
If they fail to do so, they risk being citizenship list released last week. the rights of convicted prisoners”.
taken to detention camps like the one “Assam is on the brink of a crisis An outer wall of an under-construction detention centre for illegal immigrants is pictured at a village in Goalpara district in India’s top court is hearing a petition
being built. which would not only lead to a loss the northeastern state of Assam. for their release.
The government says there of nationality and liberty of a large At the camp site, another woman
are hundreds of thousands of group of people but also erosion of spokesman said those not in Assam’s From Goalpara town, the camp being year include building a boundary wall labourer, 35-year-old Sarojini Hajong,
illegal immigrants in Assam from their basic rights – severely affecting citizenship roster “will not be detained built is reached by a leafy, narrow road at least 10fr high and ringed with said she wasn’t on the citizenship
neighbouring Bangladesh, but the lives of generations to come,” and will continue to enjoy all the rights dotted with coconut trees. barbed wire, local media reports said. list either and didn’t have a birth
Dhaka has refused to accept anyone Amnesty said in a statement. as before till they have exhausted all A shaky wooden bridge takes A red-painted boundary wall certificate.
declared an illegal immigrant in India’s foreign minister has called the remedies available under the law.” vehicles across a small river to the site, encircles the new camp at Goalpara, “Of course we are scared about what
India. the citizenship verification exercise an The federal government and the overlooked by a cluster of rubber trees. and green fields and mountains are will happen,” she said.
Shefali, who belongs to the “internal matter”. local Assam government did not Government guidelines for visible beyond two watchtowers and “But what can we do? I need the
indigenous Hajong tribe, said she was An Indian foreign ministry respond to questions about the camps. detention camps released earlier this quarters for security forces built money.” – Reuters

The true toll of the trade war Three-day forecast

TODAY
Maximum Temperature
Minimum Temperature
:
:
410c
320c
By Raghuram G Rajan And the US had little reason to roots, disaffection among a growing their own development now put them
Chicago betray that trust. cohort of these countries’ workers at a competitive disadvantage vis-à WEDNESDAY
No country approached its could not be ignored. a-vis differently regulated, relatively Maximum Temperature : 390c
economic productivity, while its only Policymakers in advanced poor, but efficient emerging-market Minimum Temperature : 310c

A
nother day, another attack military rival, the USSR, was largely economies thus reacted to the countries. THURSDAY
on trade. outside the global trading system. backlash against trade in two ways. And these countries resent external Maximum Temperature : 390c
Why is it that every The expansion of rules-based trade First, they tried to impose their attempts to impose standards they did Minimum Temperature : 310c
dispute – whether and investment opened up lucrative labour and environmental standards not choose democratically, such as Fisherman's forecast
over intellectual property (IP), new markets for US firms. on other countries through trade and a high minimum wage or ending the
immigration, environmental damage, And because it could afford to be financing agreements. use of coal, especially as today’s rich
WARNING
or war reparations – now produces magnanimous, America granted Second, they pushed for far stricter countries did not have these standards Inshore : Strong wind expected
new threats to trade? some countries access to its markets enforcement of intellectual property when they were developing. at some places by
For much of the last century, the without demanding the same level of (IP), much of which is owned by Equally problematic, emerging afternoon
United States managed and protected access to theirs. Western corporations. economies, including China, have Offshore : Expected strong wind
with high sea
the rules-based trading system it If policymakers from an emerging- Neither approach was particularly delayed opening their domestic WEATHER
created at the end of World War II. market economy expressed concerns effective at slowing job losses, but it markets to the industrial world. Inshore : Hot daytime with slight
That system required a fundamental about the potential effects of more would take something much bigger to Developed country firms are dust to blowing dust at
places at times & some
break from the pre-war environment open trade on some of their workers, upset the old order: the rise of China. especially eager for unfettered access clouds
of mutual suspicion between economists were quick to reassure Like Japan and the East Asian to the attractive Chinese market, and Offshore : Slight dust with some
competing powers. them that any local pain would be tigers, China grew on the back of have been pushing their governments clouds
WIND
The US urged everyone to see that outweighed by the long-term gains. manufacturing exports. to secure it for them. Inshore : Northwesterly-North-
growth and development for one All they needed to do was But, unlike those countries, it is now Most problematic, though, with easterly 10-20/25 KT
country could benefit all countries redistribute the gains from trade to the threatening to compete directly with China challenging the United States Offshore : Northwesterly-Norther-
ly 12-22/26 KT
through increased trade and groups left behind. the West in both services and frontier both economically and militarily, the Visibility : 4-8/3 KM
investment. This would turn out to be easier said technologies. old hegemon no longer views China’s Offshore : 5-7/8 FT
Under the new dispensation, rules than done. Resisting outside pressure, China growth as an unmitigated blessing.
were enacted to constrain selfish Still, in these nascent democracies, has adopted labour and environmental It has little incentive to benevolently
behaviour and coercive threats by the protests by those left behind were standards and expropriated IP guide the system that enables the Around the region
economically powerful. regarded as an acceptable cost, given according to its own needs. emergence of a strategic rival. Weather
Weather
The US served as a benevolent the overall benefits, and were easily It is now close enough to the No wonder the system is collapsing. tomorrow
today Max/min Max/min
hegemon, administering the contained. technological frontier in areas like Where do we go from here? China Sunny
Baghdad Sunny 40/23 40/23
occasional rap on the knuckles to those In fact, emerging-market economies robotics and artificial intelligence that can be slowed but cannot be stopped. Cloudy
Kuwait City Sunny 43/29 43/28
acting in bad faith. became so good at capitalising on its own scientists can probably close Instead, a powerful China must see Cloudy
Manama Cloudy 39/32 39/32
Meanwhile, the system’s new technologies and lower-cost the gap in the event that it is denied value in new rules, even becoming a P Cloudy
Muscat Sunny 33/28 34/28
multilateral institutions, especially transportation and communication access to inputs it now imports. guardian of these rules. Sunny
Tehran Sunny 28/19 29/18
the International Monetary Fund, that they managed to take over large Most alarming to the developed For that to happen, it must have a
helped countries in dire need of funds, swaths of manufacturing from the world, China’s burgeoning tech sector role in setting them.
provided they followed the rules. industrialised countries. is enhancing its military prowess. Otherwise, the world could break up
America’s power stemmed from Again, trade affected domestic And, unlike the Soviet Union, China into two or more mutually suspicious,
its control over votes in multilateral workers unequally, but now is fully integrated into the world disconnected blocs, stopping the flows
institutions, both directly and through moderately educated workers in trading system. of people, production, and finance
its influence over countries in the G7. developed countries – particularly The central premise of the rules- that link them today.
It also had tremendous economic small towns – bore the brunt of the based trading order – that each Not only would that be
muscle of its own. pain, while higher-skilled workers country’s growth benefits others – is economically calamitous; it would
Importantly, though, most in urban service-sector industries now breaking down. increase misunderstanding and the
countries trusted the US would not flourished. Advanced economies find that possibility of military conflict.
misuse its power to further its national Unlike in emerging markets, where the higher regulatory structures and Unfortunately, there can be no going
interests, at least not excessively. democracy had not yet sunk deep standards that they adopted during back in time. – Project Syndicate

Around the world

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Finally! Mathematicians find solution to 42 Bangkok

Berlin
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By Colin Fernandez mathematicians was this: Can you Technology (MIT) have cracked it. a few months of searching, or it might Colombo S T Storms 31/26 T Storm 29/26
London make all the numbers up to 100 Professor Andrew Booker enlisted be that the solution isn’t found for Dhaka T Storm 32/27 T Storm 31/26
from the sum of three cubes? This is the help of MIT maths professor another century.” Hong Kong P Cloudy 29/26 P Cloudy 29/26
expressed, in mathematical notation, Andrew Sutherland, and they used In the Hitchhikers Guide To The Istanbul P Cloudy 28/21 P Cloudy 28/21

T
he number 42 is, famously, as k = x(cubed) + y(cubed) + z(cubed). Charity Engine – which uses power Galaxy saga, a group of hyper- Jakarta Sunny 35/23 Sunny 34/23
the answer to the question Named after Diophantes, the from more than 500,000 home intelligent beings demand to know Karachi P Cloudy 33/28 P Cloudy 33/28
of life, the universe Greek father of algebra, the original computers while they are lying idle. the ‘Answer to the Ultimate Question London M Cloudy 20/12 Cloudy 21/12
and everything in the problem was set in 1954 at Cambridge The answer, which took over a of Life, The Universe and Everything’ Manila T Storm 28/25 T Storm 30/26
Hitchhikers’ Guide To The Galaxy. University. Some numbers are easy million hours of calculating to prove, is from a super computer, Deep Thought. Moscow P Cloudy 25/13 P Cloudy 26/12
But while the late author Douglas – for example, the number 29 can be as follows: X = -80538738812075974, After 7.5mn years, it reveals the New Delhi M Sunny 36/28 P Cloudy 36/28
Adams always insisted he chose the written as 3³ + 1³ + 1³ (27 + 1 + 1). Y = 80435758145817515 and Z = answer is 42. New York P Cloudy 24/20 P Cloudy 32/22
number at random for his science Others, for instance 4, 5, 13 and 14, 12602123297335631. While many fans have theorised Paris P Cloudy 22/09 P Cloudy 23/15
fiction novel series, 42 has actually been have been proven to have no solution. Professor Booker of the University about the significance of the number Sao Paulo M Sunny 33/19 M Sunny 34/20
perplexing mathematicians for decades. But 42 had remained elusive, with of Bristol said: “I feel relieved. In this 42, the author himself said ‘it was a Seoul Rain 27/22 Rain 24/19
Until now, it remained the last neither a solution nor proof that it has game it’s impossible to be sure that joke’. Adams, who died in 2001 at the Singapore S T Storms 32/27 P Cloudy 32/26
elusive link in a maths problem known no solution. you’ll find something. It’s a bit like age of 49, said: “It had to be a number, Sydney Cloudy 16/08 Sunny 18/08
as the Diophantian equation. Now a team led by the University of trying to predict earthquakes. So, we an ordinary, smallish number, and I Tokyo Clear 36/27 Cloudy 33/25
The question perplexing Bristol and Massachusetts Institute of might find what we’re looking for with chose that one.”
 Gulf Times
24 Tuesday, September 10, 2019

QATAR
Amir tours HMC’s new Trauma and Emergency Center

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani inaugurated yesterday morning Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) new Trauma and Emergency Center, which is one of the largest centres in the region. His Highness the Amir toured the
centre’s facilities, which has the latest medical equipment and technologies in care and diagnostics fields and oxygen therapy room. He was also briefed on the medical facilities linking the new building with the relevant departments at Hamad
General Hospital. The inauguration was attended by HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari and a number of senior doctors and
officials at Hamad Medical Corporation.

Amir opens new Trauma Contemporary Arabesque

and Emergency Center exhibition opens at Katara
T
he ‘Contemporary Ara- haunted by the spirit of the tion of Katara’s activities and
besque’ exhibition by Ali East, moving his feathers with exhibitions to build bridges of
From Page 1 particular attention to the key agnostic equipment, including an surgical service facility, are now Ghaddaf opened yester- strong nostalgia to recover the communication between cul-
role of clinical teams at the new MRI, ultrasound, and three CT able to speedily access trauma day, showcasing 16 large-scale warmth of sand and shine of tures and peoples,” he added.
“As well as offering the best Trauma and Emergency Center in scanners. Our patients will also services for immediate care, re- paintings ranging between the Arabic crafts. For his part, Ozan Ghaddaf,
possible treatment and care, the meeting Qatar’s emergency and benefit from a threefold increase suscitation, and stabilisation. Arab heritage and contempo- “The exhibition offers a rich the manager of the artist, said:
new Trauma and Emergency trauma care needs. in X-ray capacity, compared to The facility also benefits from rary art, at the Katara Art Cen- artistic experience of the art- “Ali Ghaddaf presents through
Center - at four times the size of “Not only does the new centre the former Emergency Depart- five trauma and emergency rooms tre. ist Ali Ghaddaf not only in its this exhibition contemporary
the former Emergency Depart- offer a spacious healing environ- ment.” Dr al-Ansari said walk-in which are fully equipped to be The artworks feature a great visual dimension but also in abstract works inspired by the
ment - also offers a greatly im- ment equipped with the latest patients arriving at the new cen- converted into mini operating combination between East and its human aspect,” said Katara mix between the Arab architec-
proved patient experience. This technology, but it also benefits tre’s Emergency Department will theatres in the event of a mass West, where the artist high- – the Cultural Village general tural heritage and contempo-
new facility will serve as a beacon from the delivery of care by the be triaged and after initial assess- casualty incident or an accident lighted his “ceaseless connec- manager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim rary art.
of excellence in our network of very best doctors, nurses, and ment and treatment will either be requiring immediate surgical in- tion with identity and land, and al-Sulaiti, who inaugurated the He expressed this through
emergency services,” HE Dr al- other clinical staff. These highly admitted to the hospital or dis- tervention. its great influence on the work exhibition. the overlap between colour and
Kuwari explained. trained professionals have been charged. To further boost capac- Patients can then be rapidly he presents.” “Katara Art Centre always ancient architecture using a va-
Hamad al-Khalifa, chief of recruited from across the globe ity, the See and Treat area of the and seamlessly transferred from Despite 40 years spent presents distinctive, rich and riety of materials”.
Healthcare Facilities, also high- and have spent many months former Emergency Department there to the Trauma or Surgi- outside the borders of the human artistic experiences, The exhibition will run until
lighted HMC’s commitment to preparing for the opening through will also remain open. cal Intensive Care Units as well Arab world, Ghaddaf is still which reinforces the orienta- September 30 at Building 5.
delivering high-quality trauma a number of simulation exercises. The new centre will also ex- as the operating theatres at Ha-
and emergency care in Qatar and Their experience and exper- pand and improve upon HMC’s mad General Hospital via the link
highlighted the improved patient tise, coupled with our state-of- capacity to care for patients in bridge on the first floor.
environment within the new the-art facility and ultra-modern need of trauma care with the first While the ground floor of the
Trauma and Emergency Center. equipment, will ensure the best floor housing the Hamad Trauma new Trauma and Emergency
He said: “Patients have an un- possible care experience. Center, Qatar’s major trauma fa- Center is dedicated to walk-in
paralleled level of comfort. They “Those in need of urgent medi- cility. Receiving around 2,000 emergencies and the first floor to
can recover in a state-of-the-art cal care can be received and treat- cases annually, it provides care to critical and trauma care patients,
healing environment, improving ed through the Emergency De- people with serious injuries from the second floor is dedicated to
their recovery journey and the partment on the ground floor and across Qatar. Its location within urgent care patients, whilst the
healthcare experience for both we also have trauma, urgent, and the new Trauma and Emergency third floor has been designed to
themselves and their family.” critical care facilities available Center means that patients arriv- care for patients requiring isola-
Dr Abdulla al-Ansari, acting across the remaining three floors, ing by ambulance, or helicopter, tion or monitoring before being
chief medical officer at HMC drew which house state-of-the-art di- via the helipad on the adjacent discharged.

Trauma center a significant milestone: minister

QNA Facilities Hamad al-Khalifa also ficer at HMC Dr Abdulla al-Ansari facilities house state-of-the-art
Doha highlighted HMC’s commitment drew particular attention to the key diagnostic equipment, including
to delivering high-quality trauma role of clinical teams at the Trauma an MRI, ultrasound, and three CT
and emergency care in Qatar. He and Emergency Center in meeting scanners. Our patients will also Artist Ali Ghaddaf briefs Katara – the Cultural Village general manager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti

H
E the Minister of Public said: “HMC continues to expand Qatar’s emergency and trauma care benefit from a threefold increase on his works.
Health Dr Hanan Mo- and improve the care we offer needs. in X-ray capacity, compared to
hamed al-Kuwari said the our patients. Today’s opening of He explained: “Not only does the former Emergency Depart-
inauguration of the new Trauma the new Trauma and Emergency the centre offer a spacious healing ment.” Dr al-Ansari moved on to
and Emergency Center repre- Center highlights that HMC is not environment equipped with the expand on the various services
sents an important milestone in only committed to expansion but latest technology, but it also ben- that will be provided to patients
the provision of emergency and is also delivering on this commit- efits from the delivery of care by from the ground floor Emergency
trauma care in Qatar. ment.” the very best doctors, nurses, and Department of the new Trauma
“The inauguration of the new Al-Khalifa also highlighted other clinical staff. These highly and Emergency Center.
Trauma and Emergency Center the improved patient environ- trained professionals have been He said: “Walk-in patients ar-
underlines our ongoing commit- ment within the new Trauma and recruited from across the globe riving at the new Trauma and
ment to expanding capacity and Emergency Center. He said: “Pa- and have spent many months Emergency Center’s Emergency
improving services. This com- tients have an unparalleled level preparing for the opening through Department will be triaged upon
mitment will ensure that the of comfort. They can recover in a a number of simulation exercises. arrival and after initial assess-
people of Qatar will continue to state-of-the-art healing environ- Their experience and expertise, ment and treatment will either be
receive the best possible care de- ment, improving their recovery coupled with our state-of-the- admitted to the hospital or dis-
livered in leading-edge facilities, journey and the healthcare expe- art facility and ultra-modern charged. To further boost capac-
now and for many years to come,” rience for both themselves and equipment, will ensure the best ity, the See and Treat area of the
she added their family.” possible care experience.” former Emergency Department
“As well as offering the best The new centre is one of the larg- Speaking about the emergency will also remain open.”
possible treatment and care, the est of its kind in the region and will services and technology available The new Trauma and Emer-
Trauma and Emergency Center – significantly expand Qatar’s emer- at the Trauma and Emergency gency Center will also expand and
at four times the size of the former gency and accident services. In Center, Dr al-Ansari said: “Those improve upon HMCs capacity to
Emergency Department, also of- addition to the new emergency de- in need of urgent medical care can care for patients in need of trauma
fers a greatly improved patient partment, the centre provides ac- be received and treated through care with the first floor housing
experience. This facility will serve cident and critical care and urgent the Emergency Department on the Hamad Trauma Center, Qa-
as a beacon of excellence in our care services, as well as a dedicated the ground floor and we also have tar’s major trauma centre. Receiv-
network of emergency services,” platform for patients transported trauma, urgent, and critical care ing around 2,000 cases annually,
said HE al-Kuwari. in ambulances to Hamad General facilities available across the re- it provides care to people with
For his part, chief of Healthcare Hospital. Acting Chief Medical Of- maining three floors. All these serious injuries from across Qatar. The artist’s large-scale paintings on display at the exhibition.