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WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10981
October 24, 2018
Safar 15, 1440 AH

www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir meets FIFA president Amir gets Aoun’s message

In brief

QATAR | Reaction
Qatar condemns
bombing in Iraq
Qatar has expressed its strong
condemnation of the car bombing
near the town of Qayyarah in
northern Iraq, which resulted in
deaths and injuries. In a statement
issued yesterday, the Ministry of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani received a written
Foreign Affairs reiterated Qatar’s His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met at the Amiri Diwan office yesterday with FIFA President Gianni message from Lebanese President General Michel Aoun, inviting him to participate
firm stance rejecting violence Infantino, who called on him to greet him on his visit to the country. Talks during the meeting dealt with co-operation between in the Arab Economic Summit which will be held in Beirut in January 2019. The
and terrorism, regardless of their Qatar and FIFA, especially the preparations for hosting Qatar 2022 World Cup and the achievements made in this regard. A message was handed by Lebanese Minister for Foreign Affairs and Emigrants
motives and reasons. The statement number of issues related to sports were also discussed. His Highness the Personal Representative of His Highness the Amir, Gebran Bassil when the Amir met him and his accompanying delegation at the
expressed Qatar’s condolences Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, attended the meeting. Amiri Diwan office yesterday.
to the families of the victims, the
government and the people of
Iraq, wishing the injured a speedy
recovery. Page 9

ARAB WORLD | Conflict

Israel to resume
Gaza fuel flow
Russia WC best ever, Turkey, US vow to
Israel will today resume supplies of
get to bottom of
fuel to the Gaza Strip after a 12-day
halt imposed over violent border
clashes, the defence ministry said.
Israel suspended the desperately
needed deliveries of Qatari-financed
but Qatar 2022 will be Khashoggi killing
diesel on October 12, hours after
Israeli troops shot dead five
Palestinians who the army said
broke through the border fence. “In
accordance with recommendations
even better: FIFA chief O Erdogan rejects official Saudi version
O Trump: Riyadh’s handling was ‘worst cover-up ever’
O Pence says killing was ‘barbaric’

by security bodies it has been
decided to resume the supply of
‘Qatari fuel’ from tomorrow,” the
ministry statement said yesterday.
Page 9
ARAB WORLD | Dialogue
F
IFA president Gianni Infantino
yesterday said the 2018 World O US revokes visas for Saudis involved in killing
Cup (WC) in Russia has been the
best ever, but the 2022 event in Qatar Reuters “The Saudi administration has taken
will be even better. Ankara/Washington an important step by admitting to the
During a whistle-stop tour of the murder. From now on, we expect them
country yesterday, he praised Qatar’s to uncover all those responsible for this

UN Syria envoy
due in Damascus
The outgoing UN envoy for Syria,
Staffan de Mistura, will arrive in
Damascus today for a visit aimed at
convincing the government to accept
the creation of a committee to draft
a post-war constitution, the world
body said. De Mistura is expected
to stay for a “couple of days” in the
Syrian capital, deputy UN spokesman
Farhan Haq said yesterday. Haq did
not say who the envoy would meet,
and if that list would include Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad. Syrian
authorities invited De Mistura to visit,
the spokesman said. Page 9
EAST ASIA | Project
Chinese leader opens
longest sea bridge
The controversial 55-km Hong
Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge opened
yesterday with an official ceremony
attended by Chinese President
Xi Jinping. Fireworks played on a
screen behind him at the ceremony,
which was also attended by Hong
Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam
and Chinese Vice-Premier Han
Zheng, according to the South China
Morning Post. With its opening,
the project has become the world’s
longest sea bridge. Page 12
infrastructure progress and described
the 2022 FIFA World Cup as a “unique
opportunity for football fans to experi-
ence a new culture and region”, FIFA.
com reported.
Infantino visited the 40,000-ca-
pacity Al Wakrah Stadium before tak-
ing a helicopter ride to view the other
seven proposed tournament venues,
along with several training sites.
“The stadium is very impressive. When
you enter here, you can immediately feel
how imposing it is, and you can see the
progress that is being made here four
years before kick-off,” the FIFA president
told the Supreme Committee for Delivery
& Legacy (SC) website, sc.qa.
“I think this World Cup is extremely
important, not only for Qatar but (also)
for the whole region. This World Cup
is a unique opportunity – a chance to
show the world what this region can
offer; for football, but also for anybody
in the world to come and visit a beauti-
ful place, learn about a new culture and
meet new people,” he added, before
pointing out that the recent World Cup
in Russia set a high benchmark.
“There are many lessons we can
learn from Russia. The first one is how
to welcome so many people – 1.5mn
people headed to Russia to enjoy the
World Cup and they were all welcomed
in a way that was unexpected to many,”
he said. “There were many fears about
Russia, but it turned out to be a very
FIFA president Gianni Infantino during the visit to Al Wakrah Stadium yesterday.
(Picture courtesy of SC)
safe World Cup, a very welcoming
World Cup, in a country that made fans
feel good. The whole population con-
tributed to that and I’m sure the same
will happen here in Qatar.
“The Russian World Cup has been
the best ever, but the World Cup in
2022 in Qatar – I am sure – will be even
better.”
Infantino arrived in Al Wakrah af-
ter becoming one of the first people to
travel on the new Doha Metro. He trav-
elled from the DECC (Doha Exhibition
and Convention Centre) station in
West Bay to Al Wakrah, a journey south
that took approximately 20 minutes.
Qatar had launched its first tour-
nament-ready venue - the Khalifa
International Stadium - back in May
2017. The other venues, including
the 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium,
which will host the opening match and
final in 2022, are all scheduled to be
completed by 2020.
“As always, it’s a pleasure to welcome
the FIFA president back to Qatar to wit-
ness the huge progress we are making.
This has been a landmark visit, with
him experiencing the Doha Metro for
the first time and visiting Al Wakrah
Stadium, which we are looking forward
to launch in the very near future,” said
Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary-general
of the SC, who accompanied Infantino
on his tour together with HE the Min-
ister of Transport and Communications
Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti and Qatar
Rail managing director and CEO Ab-
dulla Abdulaziz al-Subaie.
Page 24 and Sports Page 1
T
urkey and the US vowed yester-
day to get to the bottom of the
killing of Jamal Khashoggi and
punish those responsible, after Saudi
Arabia admitted that the prominent
journalist died during a Saudi security
operation in Istanbul.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Er-
dogan dismissed Saudi efforts to blame
the murder on rogue operatives and
urged Riyadh to search “from top to
bottom” to uncover those behind it,
while US President Donald Trump said
Riyadh’s handling of the matter was
“the worst cover-up ever”.
Also, US Vice-President Mike Pence
described the killing as “barbaric”.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said
the US is revoking the visas of Saudis
found to be involved in the killing of
Khashoggi. “These penalties will not
be the last word,” he told reporters yes-
terday.
Khashoggi’s death in the Saudi con-
sulate on October 2 has caused global
outrage and raised questions about
the possible role of Crown Prince Mo-
hamed bin Salman. Turkish officials
suspect Khashoggi, a US resident and
critic of the crown prince, was killed
and dismembered inside the consulate
by Saudi agents.
Erdogan stopped short of mention-
ing the crown prince who some US
lawmakers suspect ordered the killing
of the Washington Post columnist.
matter from top to bottom and make
them face the necessary punishments,”
Erdogan said in a speech in parliament.
“From the person who gave the or-
der, to the person who carried it out,
they must all be brought to account,”
he said, adding that Riyadh needed to
“uncover all those responsible for this
matter from top to bottom”.
Turkish sources have said that au-
thorities have an audio recording pur-
portedly documenting the killing. Er-
dogan made no reference to any audio
recording.
Trump, however, told reporters he
wanted to get all the facts on Khashog-
gi’s death at the Saudi consulate in Is-
tanbul before agreeing with Erdogan’s
assessment. Trump, who sent his CIA
director to Turkey to discuss the issue,
said he expected to have a report soon.
Meanwhile, Pence said he wants “to
assure the American people that we’re
going to get to the bottom of it.”
“This brutal murder of a journalist,
of an innocent man, of a dissident will
not go without an American response
and, I expect, without an international
response,” he said at an event hosted by
the Washington Post.
He added that President Trump
would ultimately decide whether to
impose economic sanctions on Saudi
Arabia once all the facts were available,
and called the killing “barbaric”.
Pages 16, 22

Qatar to set up laboratory to assess air conditioner ratings

By Joseph Varghese signed with a private Qatari company “We have got the staff for the new and Qatar National Research Fund energy and water efficient,” said Dr
Staff Reporter Al Taadhod Group (Gree Qatar) in this facility and are waiting for the equip- (QNRF) aims for GSAS operations and Alhorr.
regard. ment to reach. The AC distributors or energy efficiency labelling for build- An agreement between the United
“This is an important agreement for manufactures must bring sample units ings. Nations Environment and Gord aims

Q
atar will soon have a labora-
tory to assess whether new air
conditioners conform to the
Energy Star ratings set by Kahramaa,
a top official told Gulf Times yester-
day.
Dr Yousef Alhorr, founding chair-
man of Gulf Organisation for Re-
search and Development (Gord), re-
vealed that an agreement has been
Qatar in ensuring sustainability prac-
tices,” he explained after signing the
agreement at the opening ceremony of
the Sustainable Summit 2018 organ-
ised by Gord.
“The company will provide the
equipment while Gord will run the
facility. It will work as a third party
certification agency for the AC units,”
said Dr Alhorr.
to check,” he said.
When the AC shipments come to
Qatar, they will be subjected to ran-
dom sampling and checking.
Similarly when the Gord inspectors
check for Global Sustainability As-
sessment System (GSAS) certification
of buildings, they will also check the
AC units.
Dr Yousef Alhorr Another agreement, between Gord
“We have applied the label for ap-
pliances and cars. Now we are ap-
plying the same for buildings. This
is also a unique programme in the
Middle East and the outcome of a
long-term research funded by QNRF.
We will provide energy as well as
water performance labels. Many of
the leading buildings, stadiums, new
metro stations will be labelled as
to exchange expertise. “The UN wants
to utilise the expertise of Gord and
promote sustainability practices out-
side Qatar. Similarly Gord would like
to learn from the best practices of the
UN to promote sustainability practices
in Qatar. We will announce those spe-
cific projects in the near future when
they are formally finalised,” added Dr
Alhorr. Pages 2, 3
 Gulf Times
2 Wednesday, October 24, 2018
QATAR
Minister reaffirms Qatar’s commitment
to ensure best sustainable practices
By Joseph Varghese
Staff Reporter
H
eld under the patronage
of HE the Prime Minis-
ter and Interior Minister
Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin
Khalifa al-Thani, the fifth edi-
tion of the annual Sustainability
Summit organised by the Gulf
Organisation for Research and
Development (Gord) got under-
way at Ritz-Carlton Doha yes-
terday.
The delegates at the two-
day summit discussed the best
sustainability practices and
deliberated on the different en-
vironmental challenges as well
as proposed effective solutions
and ideas to address these chal-
lenges.
At the opening session of the
summit, HE the Minister of Mu-
nicipality and Environment Mo-
hamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi
reiterated the commitment of
Qatar to ensure best sustain-
able practices in the country and
highlighted some of the major
achievements.
Gord founding chairman Dr
Yousef Alhorr noted the major
challenges that the whole region
faces in meeting the sustainabil-
ity commitments.
A panel discussion at the event.
Qatari Diar Real Estate In-
vestment Company CEO Sheikh
Khalid bin Khalifa al-Thani,
Othman Zarzour (the Supreme
Committee for Delivery and
Legacy), Dirk Forrister from the
International Emissions Trad-
ing Association (IETA), and UN
Environment’s acting deputy
regional director Abdul Majeid
Haddad also spoke at the open-
ing session.
A large number of industry
professionals, experts, regula-
tors and researchers are attend-
ing the event to discuss and
exchange ideas about sustain-
ability and climate change.
“The World, and Middle East
especially, has daunting tasks
to overcome the challenges of
consumerism and the exploita-
tion of the natural resources, as
such challenges pose severe cli-
mate change and sustainability
threats.
“Gord is committed to raising
societal awareness and build-
ing the capacity of our region on
the key issues around this topic”,
noted Dr Alhorr.
This year’s summit has at-
tracted participation from
leading local, regional and in-
ternational sustainability or-
ganisations such as the United
Nations Environment, IETA, and
the European Union.
In addition, several renowned
regional sustainability experts
from Kuwait and Oman are also
participating in the summit.
The sessions of the Sustainabil-
ity Summit 2018 focus on the im-
portance of innovation in the field
of sustainability, and celebrate the
outstanding sustainability initia-
tives around the world.
The 2018 summit also of-
fers international and regional
perspectives on climate change
challenges and solutions for a
low-carbon and climate-resil-
ient future.
It aims to drive innovation in
the design of built environment,
as well as promoting education
and collaboration in the field,
bringing to the fore the latest re-
search and developments in sus-
tainable building design.
This year’s summit highlight-
ed the importance of investing
in sustainability strategies, pro-
grammes, research and laws, and
the identified the different roles
that governments and policy-
makers can play in promoting
sustainability and supporting
sustainability initiatives.
There is an accompanying ex-
hibition of green building prod-
ucts which was visited by the
guests after the opening session.
HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi, Gord founding chairman Dr Yousef Alhorr, Qatari Diar
Real Estate Investment Company CEO Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa al-Thani and other dignitaries at the opening ceremony.
PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed
Dr Yousef Alhorr explains a green building product to the minister and guests.
Qatar takes global sustainability
initiatives responsibly: al-Rumaihi
By Joseph Varghese
Staff Reporter
Q
atar takes global
sustainability ini-
tiatives responsibly
and with full commitment,
HE the Minister of Mu-
nicipality and Environment
Mohamed bin Abdullah al-
Rumaihi has said.
Speaking yesterday at
the Sustainability Sum-
mit 2018, organised by Gulf
Organisation for Research
and Development (Gord),
he highlighted some of the
numerous efforts initiated
by the sustainability entre-
preneurs in Qatar in various
sectors.
“Our commitment to
sustainability is inspired
from Qatar National Vision
2030. We in Qatar, as an ac-
tive member of the interna-
tional community, take such
global initiatives responsi-
bly and with full commit-
ment. Our ongoing efforts
Gord signs pacts, names award winners
T
he Gulf Organisa-
tion for Research and
Development (Gord)
signed a number of col-
laboration agreements and
Memorandum of Under-
standings (MoU) with local,
regional and international
organisations to establish
and implement sustainabil-
ity in Qatar and across the
region at the opening cer-
emony of the Sustainability
Summit 2018 yesterday.
Gord also announced Sus-
tainability Awards as well as
the Eco Champions’ Awards
for this year. Gord founding
chairman Dr Yousef Alhorr
and the United Nations En-
vironment’s West Asia Of-
fice director Sami Dimassi
signed an MoU.
Another MoU was signed
between the Gord and Al
Taadhod Group. Dr Alhorr,
and Al Taadhod Group CEO
Sheikh Faisal bin Jassim al-
Thani were the signatories.
Gord also signed an
to achieve sustainability
and combat climate change
embody stressing contem-
porary challenges that go
beyond geographical board-
ers,” said al-Rumaihi.
The minister also drew
the attention of the audi-
ence to two key common-
ground accomplishments to
achieve global sustainability
aspirations.
“Firstly, the global cli-
mate agreement of De-
cember 2015, commonly
known as The Paris Agree-
ment, which brings all na-
tions, including Qatar, into
a common cause to under-
take ambitious efforts to
combat climate change and
adapt to its effects, with
enhanced support to assist
developing countries to do
so. Secondly, in September
2015, countries adopted 17
Sustainable Development
Goals, which ensure the
welfare of the people and
prioritise sustainability as
a global goal to combat cli-
Gord founding chairman Dr Yousef Alhorr and the United
Nations Environment’s West Asia Office director Sami
Dimassi sign an MoU.
agreement with Qatar
National Research Fund
(QNRF) for launching en-
ergy efficiency label. Dr Al-
horr and QNRF executive
director Dr Abdul Sattar al-
Taie signed the MoU.
The opening ceremony
of the Sustainability Sum-
mit 2018 also featured the
presenting of the Sustain-
mate change,” he explained.
“The Qatar General Or-
ganisation for Standards
and Metrology has adopted
a new chapter in the Qatar
Construction Specification
standards called the “Green
Construction Code,” which
includes measurable stand-
ards that guide energy,
water, resources and in-
frastructure. The Supreme
Committee for Delivery and
Legacy has been working on
planning and organising a
carbon-neutral 2022 FIFA
World Cup tournament in
addition to constructing
all of the tournament in-
frastructure in accordance
with the FIFA approved
GSAS sustainability assess-
ment system, which con-
serves 40% more energy
and water compared to av-
erage consumption rates,”
stated the minister.
“The Lusail City, one of
the largest modern multi-
functional cities in Qatar,
has adopted the Global
ability Awards to many local
and international compa-
nies and organisations for
their outstanding leadership
and commitment to adopt-
ing the best sustainabil-
ity practices in the design,
construction and operation
of different types of de-
velopments. This includes
new construction, existing
Sustainability Assessment
System (GSAS) as a main li-
censing requirement for all
public and private buildings
in the city, which positions
the city on the list of the
sustainable cities around
the world. The Public Works
Authority, ‘Ashghal’, contin-
ues to develop the schools,
mosques, healthcare centres
government administrative
projects in accordance with
GSAS green building certi-
fication system,” described
the minister.
According to the minister,
in the transportation sec-
tor, Qatar Rail projects are
considered among the most
sustainable infrastruc-
ture project in the country.
These projects have em-
ployed strict sustainabil-
ity standards for the design,
construction and operation
of the various stations to
lower the carbon dioxide
emissions by 30% compared
to the average carbon emis-
sion rates,” he added.
buildings, renovations and
interior design projects.
Several leading Qatari in-
stitutions were honoured
as “Eco Champions” for
their exceptional support
for Gord in crafting a green
legacy in Qatar.
This year’s Sustainability
Awards winners are: Al Bayt
Stadium – Al Khor City for
GSAS Construction Man-
agement class A*; Al Wak-
rah Stadium for GSAS Con-
struction Management class
A*; Sendian Tower for GSAS
Design & Build 5 Stars; Al-
Sayer Headquarter for GSAS
Operations Gold and Naufar
for Design & Build 3 Stars
and Construction Manage-
ment class B.
This year’s Eco Champions’
Awards were presented to:
Qatar General Organisation
for Standardisation; Ashghal
– Public Works Authority;
Barwa Real Estate Company;
Internal Security Force – Le-
khwiya and Qatar Rail.

Qatari Diar invests
$35bn in 60 projects
around the world
Q
atari Diar Real Estate
Investment Company
is investing over $35bn
in over 60 projects in more
than 24 countries, highlighted
CEO Sheikh Khalid bin Kha-
lifa al-Thani and stressed the
company’s commitment to the
development objectives and
principles of sustainability.
He was addressing the open-
ing ceremony of the Sustain-
ability Summit 2018 organised by
Gulf Organisation for Research
and Development yesterday.
“As Qatari Diar’s flagship
project, Lusail City embodies
our commitment to sustaina-
bility by offering a better living
environment for its residents.
From regulations guidelines
planning, to developing its
infrastructure and promoting
the use of technology, ending
by implementing best opera-
tion and management prac-
tices, Lusail City is sustainable
and comprehensively planned
city that caters to its residents
and visitors alike, signifying
Qatar’s progress on a grand
scale,” he explained.
“Lusail City has embraced
the Global Sustainability As-
sessment System (GSAS) as
one of the main sustainability
standards that guide the de-
sign, construction and opera-
tions of the various building
in the city both government
owned or private since estab-
lishment. Lusail City’s em-
bracement of the GSAS means
that the design of each build-
ing in the city will allow them
to conserve around 30% of
energy and carbon emission
when compared to average
buildings.” he highlighted.
“Additionally, Lusail City has
been working on implementing
an integrated public transporta-
Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa
al-Thani “As Qatari
Diar’s flagship project,
Lusail City embodies
our commitment
to sustainability by
offering a better living
environment for its
residents”
tion system that links the Doha
Metro with Lusail City tram. This
comes, in addition to offering
supplying all the necessary serv-
ices within the premises to lower
the need to use transportation
and, as a result, lower the carbon
emissions,” the Qatari Diar CEO
said.
According to him, the Lu-
sail City’s integration of latest
technology in its infrastructure
projects represents another
achievement in the mission to
sustainability. “For instance,
The city relied on building lo-
cal cooling stations to fulfil the
buildings need of air condition-
ing, which, commonly, accounts
for around two-thirds of the av-
erage consumer consumption of
energy. It also worked on equip-
ping the city towers with an in-
tegrated natural gas network,
as well as an Automatic Waste
Collection System technology
for the first time in the Middle
East,” he added.
SC holds meeting on
stadium safety
QNA
Doha
T
he third consultative
meeting on stadium safe-
ty and security licensing
and certification, organised by
Supreme Committee for Deliv-
ery & Legacy (SC) in co-opera-
tion with the Iinterpol’s Project
Stadia, began in Doha yesterday.
The three-day meeting aims
to review the best practices for
the issuance of stadium licens-
ing and certification under the
Project Stadia and to identify the
mechanisms for achieving secu-
rity and safety.
The meeting is attended by
a team of international experts
in security and safety measures
and stadium licensing and certi-
fication to ensure its readiness to
host major sporting events.
Chief of the Advisory Unit
in the Security Committee at
SC, Brigadier Ibrahim Khalil
al-Muhannadi, said that the
meeting supports efforts of
Qatar, which seeks to establish
a mechanism for licensing and
certification of stadiums that
will host the World Cup 2022 in
Qatar attends Arab transport ministers’ meeting in Morocco
M
eetings of the 31st ses-
sion of the Council of
Arab Transport Minis-
ters kicked off in Alexandria yes-
terday under the chairmanship
of Morocco.
Officials at the third consultative meeting on stadium safety and security licensing and certification,
organised by Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) in co-operation with the Iinterpol’s Project
Stadia, in Doha yesterday.
accordance with international
standards.
He stressed that the meeting
is important because it reflects
the efforts of Qatar in this re-
gard, especially that the compa-
nies that build up the stadiums
have followed the best standards
included in the Green Guide,
which is the main reference for
the construction of the sports
stadiums of the country.
Ambassador and Qatar’s Per-
manent Representative to the
Arab League Ibrahim bin Ab-
dulaziz al-Sahlawi is heading the
delegation of the country.
The agenda of the 31st session
He pointed out that the meet-
ing is being organised in co-
operation with the Iinterpol’s
Project Stadia, the strategic
partner of the SC, through which
many programmes, workshops
and conferences have been im-
plemented, which helped to
boost the experience of those
implementing security plans
and related legislation.
For his part, Project Stadia’s
of the Council of Arab Transport
Ministers contains many topics
related to the transport sector,
the most important of which is
the economic and social council
resolution 2153/2017 on support
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
QATAR
senior manager, Falah al-Dosa-
ri, said this is the third meeting
on issuing safety and security
licensing and certification for
stadiums to host the World Cup
2022, which is a guide and a
standard for the issuance of sta-
dium safety and security licens-
ing and certification that ben-
efits all countries of the world.
He added that the Project Sta-
dia seeks to issue international
for the Palestinian economy.
The meeting will discuss the
implementation of the goals of
sustainable development 2030
for the transport sector in the
Arab region and the efforts of
Gulf Times
3
standards for stadium safety and
security licensing and certifica-
tion used in major sports tourna-
ments so that all countries of the
world can benefit from it in future,
affirming the organisation’s trust
in Qatar and its achievements on
the ground regarding the estab-
lishment of sports stadiums, in
which security and safety require-
ments are met.
The three-day meeting is sched-
uled to discuss the timetable for
the construction of all facilities for
hosting the 2022 World Cup and
delivering on time, the stadiums
accreditation and certification
scheme for completed facilities, the
maintenance of stadiums, tools and
operational responsibilities in the
post-construction phase and how
to choose the action plan for the
2022 World Cup.
Project Stadia, which was es-
tablished by Interpol in 2012 and
funded by Qatar, aims to assist
Interpol member-countries in
planning and implementing po-
licing and security preparations
for major sporting events.
The ten-year programme is
contributing to policing and se-
curity arrangements for the 2022
FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
the Arab ministries of transport
in this regard. The meeting will
also consider the approval of the
establishment of an Arab frame-
work to investigate maritime ac-
cidents. – QNA
 Gulf Times
4 Wednesday, October 24, 2018
QATAR
Cagney and al-Jaber shake hands as British ambassador Ajay Sharma looks on.
PICTURE: Jayaram
ACS Doha’s Al Kheesa campus
to be ready by August 2020
A Q
CS Doha International School will
have its new state-of-art-cam-
pus in the northern Doha town of
Al Kheesa ready by August 2020, it was
announced yesterday at a ceremony.
ACS International School chief execu-
tive Tim Cagney and Al Jaber Group chair-
man Mohamed Sultan al-Jaber signed a
partnership agreement in this connec-
tion in the presence of British ambassador
Ajay Sharma.
The new campus for up to 2,470 stu-
dents is to be designed and built by inter-
nationally renowned architects Broadway
Malyan on a 60,000sq m site.
Cagney said: “ACS Doha is deeply dedi-
cated to creating a legacy in Qatar. After
more than half a century in education in
the UK and Qatar, the new campus will en-
hance our strong international reputation,
ensuring that we continue to attract the
very best teachers and educational leaders
from around the world.”
Head of School at ACS Doha, Robert
Cody said “Our fantastic new campus will
ensure that we can best prepare students
in Doha for unrivalled academic success.”
The new campus will offer Internation-
al Baccalaureate Primary, Middle Years,
Diploma and US High School Diploma
programmes.
The school authorities added the new
campus will also provide an opportu-
nity for ACS Doha to serve the educa-
tional needs of neighbourhoods including
Lusail, the Pearl and Um Salal.
HIA sees passenger
numbers scaling up
to 9.7mn in 3 months
Third quarter represents a
10.6% year-on-year increase for
Hamad International Airport,
further positioning it as a
leading hub worldwide
atar’s state-of-the-art Ha-
mad International Airport
(HIA) has seen passenger
numbers scaling up to nearly 9.7mn
in the third quarter, which represents
a 10.6% year-on-year increase.
HIA handled 57,031 aircraft
movements in the third quarter
of 2018, making this the “busiest
quarter” of the year so far.
HIA has also handled 538,551
tonnes of cargo in the third quarter
of this year.
The third quarter 2018 report
reveals that HIA served 3,401,880
passengers in July, 3,459,518 pas-
sengers in August and 2,821,928 August was the busiest month for HIA this year.
passengers in September, which in-
cludes passengers arriving, depart- third quarter, with 181,643 tonnes in to empower its travellers through the smooth arrival of visitors for
ing and transferring through HIA. July, 175,585 tonnes in August and hassle-free airport travel experi- the World Cup. To ensure seamless
The third quarter of the year has 181,322 tonnes in September. ence while also accommodating an and hassle-free airport travel for
also shown a 10.6% increase in pas- The third quarter demonstrates increasing number of passengers. the increase in passengers, HIA has
senger traffic in comparison to the continuous growth for the airport, “Our resilient operations, invest- received 62 next-generation com-
third quarter of 2017, with August further positioning it as a leading ment on cutting edge technology, mon-use check-in kiosks, with bag
being the busiest month of the year hub worldwide. HIA has contrib- and ambitious team had put HIA tag printing capability and board-
so far. uted its efforts towards investing ahead of the curve in shaping the ing pass verification e-gates. These
The airport also handled 19,064 in facilities, services, staff and the future of passenger experience”. kiosks and e-gates will have the
aircraft movements in July, 19,228 newest technologies to provide a As Qatar gears up to welcome ability to use biometrics to identify
movements in August and 18,739 world-class passenger experience thousands of visitors during the passengers.
movements in September, with Au- to its travellers. FIFA World Cup 2022, HIA is pre- HIA is currently a candidate for
gust being the busiest month for Hamad International Airport paring to boost the airport’s capac- the “Best Airport in the World”
aircraft movement in the year so far. chief operating officer Badr Mo- ity, which will eventually accom- 2019 award by Skytrax.
This denotes a 15.2% increase in the hamed al-Meer said, “HIA has modate more than 50mn passengers Earlier this year, it was ranked
total number of aircraft taking off demonstrated sustained and con- a year by 2022. ‘fifth Best Airport in the World’
and landing at HIA compared to the tinued growth, experiencing the HIA is also working hand-in- by the 2018 Skytrax World Airport
same period in 2017. In addition, HIA busiest quarter of 2018 so far. As a hand with the Supreme Committee Awards, and also classified as a
handled 538,551 tonnes of cargo in the gateway to Qatar, we are committed for Delivery and Legacy to process five-star airport.
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 5

QATAR
MoFA for close relations with ABLOS
HMC urges residents By Ayman Adly
Staff Reporter
tion and investment treaties, the ability
of the Convention to absorb challenges,
and other important topics.

to get flu vaccination
Professor Natalie Klein, UNSW

T
he two-day workshop on the
‘Challenges in the implemen-
tation of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) - A regional perspective’
HE Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi
Faculty of Law, Sydney, Australia,
talked on the settlement of disputes
and the involved mechanism and reg-
ulations. She pointed out that under
the international laws the four block-

B
oth healthcare work-
ers and members of
the community who
are yet to receive the in-
fluenza (flu) vaccination
should consider getting it, a
senior official of the Hamad
Medical Corporation (HMC)
urged yesterday.
“We strongly recommend
those most at risk of influen-
za, including young children
under the age of five, preg-
nant women, the elderly, and
people with pre-existing and
chronic medical conditions
receive the vaccination,” said
Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, dep-
uty chief medical officer and
head of Infectious Diseases.
In the lead up to the
flu season, last week the
Ministry of Public Health
(MoPH), HMC, and Primary
Health Care Corporation
(PHCC), joined forces to
launch a national vaccina-
tion campaign.
Dr Dina Imam, an ENT spe-
cialist at HMC, said the flu
season in Qatar usually begins
around the end of October. She
said the influenza vaccine is
designed to protect against the
three or four influenza viruses
that research indicates are
most likely to spread and cause
illness among people during
the upcoming flu season.
Dr Abdullatif al-Khal
“Flu viruses are constantly
changing, so the vaccine is re-
viewed each year and updated
based on which influenza
viruses are making people
sick and how well the previ-
ous season’s vaccine protects
against those viruses.
“Influenza spreads eas-
ily from person to person
through coughing, sneez-
ing, or having face-to-face
contact. The virus can
also spread when a person
touches tiny droplets from
a cough or sneeze and then
touches their eyes, mouth
or nose before washing their
hands,” said Dr Imam.
She added that the best
way to prevent the seasonal
flu is to get vaccinated but
said good health habits like
covering your mouth and
nose when you cough and
washing your hands often
Dr Dina Imam
can help stop the spread of
germs.
Dr Imam is also urging
those with flu symptoms to
not go to hospital. She said
flu is highly infectious so it
is important for those who
are unwell to stay away from
hospital to stop the spread
of the virus. She added that
those who are healthy can
usually manage the symp-
toms of flu at home without
seeing a doctor.
“If your symptoms are
mild, you can usually re-
cover at home. If possible,
stay away from work, school,
or other public places where
you can pass the flu to others.
Most people with the flu are
able to fully recover at home
by getting sufficient rest and
drinking a lot of fluids. You
can also take paracetamol or
ibuprofen to lower your tem-
perature and treat any aches started yesterday in Doha. ading countries cannot block the pas-
and pains,” said Dr Imam. Organised by the Ministry of Foreign strengthen these relations by hosting sage of Qatari ships in their territorial
She said most people with Affairs (MoFA) Standing Committee for the ABLOS workshop and convening seas. “The right of passage of vessels
flu are only contagious for the the Convention on the Law of the Sea in its annual conference in Doha. for peaceful and trade means cannot
first few days, but says even co-operation with the Advisory Board on He pointed out that the workshop be suspended in discriminatory way.”
after symptoms disappear it the Law of the Sea (ABLOS), the workshop focuses on the challenges facing the Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad al-Tha-
is important to avoid spread- has gathered world experts in the field to implementation of the United Nations ni, director of the MoFA Legal Affairs
ing the illness to others. In share their expertise on related issues. Convention on the Law of the Sea, Department, talked about the efforts to
addition to getting the annual In his opening speech, HE MoFA Sec- noting that ambassador Tommy Koh, implement the provision of the Law of
vaccination and practising retary-General Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al- president of the third UN Conference the Sea in Qatar.
good hand hygiene, Dr Imam Hammadi said the standing committee on Law of the Sea, had described it as Dr Mohamed bin Abdulaziz al-Khu-
recommends getting enough has established a close relationship with a “constitution for the sea”. laifi, dean of the College of Law at Qatar
sleep every night and eating a ABLOS and participated as an observer The workshop will discuss issues University, talked about the settlement
healthy diet as strategies for in many of its meetings and activities. including conflict resolution, overlap of maritime disputes in the Gulf Region
preventing the flu. She says The standing committee is keen to between the provisions of the Conven- in accordance with the UNCLOS.
this is especially important for
children, as their immune sys-
tems are less mature and they
are more susceptible to respi-
ratory illnesses like the flu.
“Eating a healthy diet, spe-
cifically foods rich in vitamin
C such as oranges and other
citrus fruits, kiwi, guava, and
peppers, can help boost your
immune system. If you have
small children, make sure
your child knows to use soap
and warm water when wash-
ing their hands and limit your
child’s contact with people
who have the flu. Have your
child cover his or her nose
and mouth when coughing or
sneezing,” added Dr Imam.
For more information
about influenza and where to
get the vaccine for free in Qa-
tar, visit www.stoptheflu.qa

Dodge Ram models of 2013-2016 recalled

T
he Ministry of Econ-
omy and Commerce
(MEC), in collaboration
with United Cars Almana,
has announced the recall of
Dodge Ram models of 2013-
2016 over possible defect
in the AutoPark functionality.
The MEC said the recall
campaign comes within the
framework of its ongoing ef-
forts to protect consumers
and ensure that automobile
dealers follow up on vehicles’
defects and repair them.
The MEC said that it will
co-ordinate with the dealer
to follow up on the main-
tenance and repair works
and will communicate with
customers to ensure that
the necessary repairs are
carried out.
The MEC has urged all
customers to report any
violations to its Consumer
Protection and Anti-Com-
mercial Fraud Department.
 Gulf Times
6 Wednesday, October 24, 2018

QATAR

‘Parenting, child wellbeing and development’ in focus

T
he Doha International
Family Institute (Difi), a
member of Qatar Founda-
tion (QF), yesterday kicked off its
international conference entitled
‘Parenting, Child Wellbeing and
Development’.
Held under the patronage of
Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint
Nasser, chairperson of Qatar
Foundation, in the presence of
HE the Minister of Administra-
tive Development, Labour and
Social Affairs, Dr Issa Saad al-Ja-
fali al-Nuaimi, and in partnership
with Unicef, the conference has
brought together policymakers,
practitioners, researchers, and
experts from around the world.
The agenda focuses on the im-
portance of investing in parents
and parenting strategies – in the
form of programmes, laws, and
policies at all levels – while iden-
HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social tifying the different approaches
Affairs, Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi, addressing the opening adopted by governments around
ceremony. the world to achieve these aims.
In his keynote speech, Dr al-
Nuaimi said: “Children are the
foundation of sustainable human
development, and the investment
in their care and development is an
investment in the present and fu-
ture of nations. Qatar places great
value on the child’s wellbeing,
through financial, health, and edu-
cational means, and has worked to
improve childhood projects, quali-
tatively and quantitatively, follow-
ing the directives of His Highness
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Tha-
ni, the Amir of Qatar, to protect all
the rights of children.”
Noor al-Malki al-Jehani, ex-
ecutive director, Difi, delivered
the conference’s opening speech.
“Our choice of ‘Parental Edu-
cation’ as the conference’s theme
reflects our commitment to pur-
suing efforts to address family
issues that align with national,
regional, and global interests.
International research not only
shows that parental education is
Noor al-Malki al-Jehani delivers
the opening remarks.
the most important factor influ-
encing a child’s wellbeing, care,
and protection, but also proves
that good parenting contributes
to national development by im-
proving health and education
outcomes, promoting gender
equality, and intergenerational
solidarity,” al-Jehani said.
Geert Cappelaere, regional
director, Unicef Middle East
and North Africa Regional Of-
fice, said: “Parenting capabili-
ties, and the capacity to provide
children with care, are not traits
people are born with. Such traits
are learned over time, through
exposure to one’s surroundings,
and can be instilled in parents
over time. In recent years, we
have seen a wealth of science
coming together that will help
all parents in critical parenting
moments and guide them on the
best parenting practices.”
First-day proceedings included
discussions and parallel sessions
covering a number of topics, be-
ginning with the ‘Supporting
Working Parents’ session, chaired
by Adrienne Burgess, joint chief
executive and head of research at
The Fatherhood Institute.
The session addressed the
struggle faced by parents to
maintain work/life balance, the
impact felt by their children, and
ways in which employers and
governments can provide further
support to working parents.
Participants highlighted cur-
rent practices among public and
private sector employers regard-
ing support to parents.
This was followed up with a
panel titled ‘Parenting in Hu-
manitarian Settings.’
Another session, titled
‘Parenting in the Digital Era: Op-
portunities and Challenges,’ was
chaired by Anjan Bose, specialist,
Child Online Protection, Unicef,
addressing parents’ anxieties
regarding their children’s use of
new technology, and the lack of
parental digital know-how.
The session went on to identify
the most important risks in this
area, and to debate what kind of
parenting practices can help chil-
dren manage new technology.
Additionally, ‘OSRA Grant Re-
search Outcomes: Parenting in the
Arab World,’ was held in parallel,
along with two further sessions
on ‘Parental Conflict and Absence’
and ‘Best Practices – Mena region.’

‘As long as it was proven by our

deeds’...motto of National Day 2018
QNA Today, the homeland is at the cross-
Doha roads of a decisive stage in the history
of this free country.
The first lesson is the need that the

T
he National Day Celebrations
Organising Committee an-
nounced the motto of Qatar
National Day 2018: “As long as it was
proven by our deeds”, which is one of
the poetic verses of the Founder Sheikh
Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani, and
the accompanying slogan “Qatar Will
Remain Free”. The theme combines
the poetic verse of the Founder and the
National Anthem.
The theme is consistent with Qatar’s
vision of promoting loyalty, unity, soli-
darity and pride in the national iden-
tity, and emphasises the organising
committee’s values which include par-
ticipation, inspiration, creativity and
transparency. It is also a confirmation
of the National Day’s achievements.
It is also meant to educate peo-
ple about the national symbols, the
Founder Sheikh Jassim and the princi-
ples and values of the society.
The Founder’s poetic verse, “As long
as it was proven by our deeds”, empha-
sises the importance of good deeds.
The good work that builds the na-
tion varies from era to era according to
the growth of its needs, and it is a nec-
essary condition of its renaissance.
sons of the country must work hard to
achieve self-reliance in science, indus-
try, agriculture and the development
of all the elements of the renaissance
of their country.
The love of the country must be
translated into good work and success.
The challenges — of course — are the
secret of the renaissance of nations.
All societies and nations face diffi-
cult challenges at different periods of
their history in which they test their
abilities to confront them and strive to
create what meets their needs.
The theme of last year’s National
Day celebrations was “Promise of
Prosperity and Glory” which had been
taken from a quote of His Highness the
Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-
Thani.

NMoQ acknowledges community support

Diverse Voices share
stories as part of
innovative engagement
campaign

T
he National Museum of Qatar’s
(NMoQ) innovative ‘Voices’
campaign has reached a major
milestone six months from launch,
collecting many individual stories rep-
resenting the past, present and future
of Qatar.
First launched in April, to coincide
with the unveiling of the new NMoQ
brand, the ‘Voices’ campaign invited
the people of Qatar to share personal
stories and unique connections to the
National Museum. The campaign put Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel, the interlock-
the local community at its heart, asking ing disc design was inspired by the desert rose.
them to share interesting backgrounds
and personal experiences. A mixture of serve for future generations. French architect Jean Nouvel, the in-
locals and expats, these ‘Voices’ came The NMoQ gives voice to the coun- terlocking disc design was inspired by
from all corners of the community and try’s rich heritage and history whilst the desert rose. It evokes the life of the
represented its full diversity of back- celebrating its future. It also highlights Qatari people between the desert and
grounds, histories and stories. QM’s commitment to fulfilling the cul- the sea. Seemingly growing organi-
Representatives from Qatar Mu- tural goals of the 2030 Qatar National cally out of the ground, the museum’s
seums (QM) and NMoQ thanked Vision, contributing towards creating structure surrounds the Old Palace of
members of the community for tak- a strong and sustainable cultural in- Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim al-Thani.
ing part in this initiative, highlight- frastructure for Qatar and helping to It is one of most recognisable land-
ing how these collective memories build a diversified, knowledge-based marks in the country and serves as a
are interlinked with Qatar’s history economy. monument to a historic way of life in
and growth and are crucial to pre- Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Qatar.

Mwani Qatar
main sponsor
of Milipol 2018
M
wani Qatar yesterday
signed a partnership
agreement with the
committee for the 12th Inter-
national Exhibition of Internal
Security and Civil Defence 2018
(Milipol Qatar) to be held from
October 29 to 31 at the Doha Ex-
hibition and Convention Centre.
Under the agreement, Mwani
Qatar will be the main sponsor of
Milipol Qatar, the biggest securi-
ty exhibition of its kind in the re-
gion to held under the patronage
of His Highness the Amir Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
The agreement was signed by
Mwani Qatar CEO Captain Ab-
Mwani Qatar CEO Captain Abdulla al-Khanji and Milipol Qatar
Committee president Brigadier Nasser bin Fahd al-Thani shake hands
after signing the agreement.
dulla al-Khanji and Milipol Qatar
Committee president Brigadier
Nasser bin Fahd al-Thani.
Al-Khanji said: “Our support
for Milipol Qatar 2018 stems from
our deep belief in its importance
and its role in enhancing public
safety and security and within
our social responsibility and our
commitment to work towards re-
alising the Qatar National Vision
2030 and transforming Qatar
into a regional trading hub in line
with the Ministry of Transport
and Communications’ strategic
plan.”
He said the exhibition repre-
sents an important opportunity
to showcase the best solutions
and products in the fields of
homeland security and civil de-
fence and discuss the importance
of safety and security for popula-
tions.
Brigadier Nasser bin Fahd
thanked Mwani Qatar for its
support for Milipol Qatar 2018,
pointing out that the sponsor-
ship will assure the exhibition’s
success and help achieve the
Milipol Qatar Committee’s ob-
jectives to bring the exhibition to
international levels.
“This year’s edition will pro-
vide unprecedented experiences
to exhibitors, visitors, buyers,
and industry professionals, as
well as providing a unique plat-
form for decision-makers and
defence and security profession-
als,” he said.
Milipol Qatar 2018 shines light
on the latest and extensive range
of security and safety innova-
tions and products. This year’s
edition will, for the first time, in-
clude live demonstrations, where
exhibitors, visitors, and buyers
can witness new products and
innovations in action.
The event is expected to wit-
ness a wide participation of
global companies operating in
the internal security sector. The
exhibition brings together key
global civil defence players for a
series of focused conference ses-
sions and agenda-setting panel
discussions on the latest and
emerging civil defence trends
and best practices.
QSS will be participating in the latest edition of Milipol Qatar to be held from October 29 to 31.
QSS to showcase its latest
security products, solutions
Q
atar Security Systems
Company (QSS), a sub-
sidiary company of Qa-
tari Investors Group (QIG), has
announced its participation in
the 12th edition of Milipol Qa-
tar to be held from October 29
to 31 at the Doha Exhibition and
Conference Centre (DECC).
QSS’s participation in the event
further demonstrates the compa-
ny’s commitment to securing and
building Qatar. The event is one of
the important international exhi-
Judiciary Council launches encyclopaedia of penal code
The Supreme Judiciary Council
yesterday issued the Encyclo-
pedia of the Penal Code in light
of the provisions of the Court
of Cassation and launched it on
its website. The Council also up-
dated on its website all the laws
and international conventions
and Amiri resolutions and the
decisions of the Council of Min-
bitions and the largest of its kind in
the Middle East and North Africa,
specifically in the field of homeland
security.
Milipol organisers said they
expect the highest turnout by
participants since its inception
dating back to 1996. The high-
light of this year’s exhibition
is the merger with Qatar Civil
Defence as an all-in-one event
showcasing the latest security
technology.
During this year’s edition,
isters and ministerial decisions
up to October of this year. There
are a total of 8,0267 legislations
besides 2,020 criminal and civil
judgments.
The president of the Court of
First Instance Mohamed Daalouj
al-Kubaisi said at a press confer-
ence that the launch comes
within the framework of the
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
QATAR
QSS will showcase a number
of its security products and
solutions such as X-ray and
people scanners, ELVS, elec-
tronic gates, turnstiles for the
FIFA World Cup 2022, CCTV
and storage, access control,
data transmission systems, fire
systems, and other latest inte-
grated security technology and
safety systems.
QSS is a subsidiary company
of QIG that was established on
May 4, 2006 and it is one of the
Council’s keenness to provide
the technical capabilities that
enable judges to keep pace with
modernity, overcome difficul-
ties in their work and shorten
the arduous effort required by
research in legal principles and
provisions. Al-Kubaisi added
that the purpose of issuing the
encyclopedia was to facilitate the
Gulf Times
7
prominent public shareholding
companies listed on Qatar Stock
Exchange (QSE).
QIG business is mainly fo-
cused on the investment activi-
ties such as shares, bonds, and
securities. The group also plays
a key role in the fields of indus-
try and investment, making it
one of the pioneering business
enterprises in the region which
provides high-quality business,
distinguished services, and out-
standing products.
research on judges and those
interested in the legal affairs of
the provisions of the Court of
Cassation and to spread the
benefit of those provisions and
expand the knowledge of judges,
lawyers, researchers and the
general public with the principles
of the provisions of cassation
and to save their time and effort.
 Gulf Times
8 Wednesday, October 24, 2018

QATAR
Safari Mall’s eighth anniversary celebrated

A cake-cutting ceremony to mark the eighth anniversary celebration of Safari Mall-Abu Hamour was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Indian ambassador P Kumaran,
director at the Ministry of Economy and Commerce Abdulla Khalifa al-Kuwari, Safari Group director and general manager Zainul Abideen, chief co-ordinator Shaheen Backer, assistant
general manager/finance controller Surendra Nath and other Group management, staff members.

Qatar Airways enhances frequency

to Maldives with triple daily service
Q
atar Airways is to add ad-
ditional frequency to the
Maldives, with triple daily
services starting October 28, it was
announced yesterday.
The new service to Male Ve-
lana International Airport is part
of the award-winning airline’s
continued expansion in Asia, fol-
lowing its historic move last year
to be the first airline to fly the
state-of-the-art A350 aircraft to
the Maldives.
Located in the Indian Ocean,
and just a five-hour flight from
Doha, the picturesque islands
are renowned for their immacu-
late white sandy beaches, mag-
nificent diving spots and well-
preserved natural wonders, all of
which make it one of the world’s
most exotic and tranquil leisure
destinations. “We are delighted
to announce the addition of a
third daily flight between Doha
and the Maldives, one of our
most popular holiday destina-
tions. We believe that a luxuri-
ous travel experience isn’t just
about the destination, but about
the whole journey itself,” Qatar
Airways Group chief executive
Akbar al-Baker said.
“The additional daily fre-
quency between Doha and the
Maldives showcases our com-
mitment to expanding our global
route network in order to offer
our passengers enhanced choice
and flexibility when planning a
holiday getaway,” he noted.
“We are pleased that we can
continue in our efforts to provide
our passengers with even more
opportunity to experience this
captivating destination.”
Qatar Airways currently op-
erates 14 flights per week from
Doha to the Maldives.
The additional service will be
operated by both the A330-300
and A320-200 aircraft, and will
take the number of weekly flights
to 21.
In October 2017, the airline
upgraded its double-daily A330
service to the Maldives with an The picturesque islands of Maldives are renowned for their immaculate
A350 aircraft, featuring a total of white sandy beaches, magnificent diving spots and well-preserved
283 seats, with 36 Business class natural wonders.
seats and 247 in Economy Class.
The third daily flight to the tions such as London, Berlin, Angeles, Chicago, and Nairobi
Maldives will also provide en- Paris, Milan, Rome, Frankfurt, via Qatar Airways’ five-star hub,
hanced connectivity to destina- Zurich, Moscow, New York, Los Hamad International Airport.

Bovet’s latest masterpieces Dometic’s portable

showcased at Blue Salon cooling boxes launched
D
ometic, a leading Swed- of the outside temperature.

K
urt Hefti, the regional sales director of Bovet
Watches, one of the greatest Swiss Watchmak-
ing Maisons, has presented two of its latest
masterpieces for the first time in Qatar during a pri-
vate showcase in Blue Salon.
“The scale of the artisanal and artistic craftsman-
ship of the Recital 22 Grand Recital tourbillon is reason
enough to consider each of the 60 timepieces in this
limited edition a unique piece,” according to a state-
ment.
This grand astronomical masterpiece is presented
by Bovet in a Tellerium-Orrery, with the sun repre-
sented by the flying tourbillon. The hemispherical
earth rotates on its own axis and shows the hours on
a natural 24-hour cycle. A spherical moon orbits the
earth according to the exact length of its synodic pe-
riod.
Specially designed and developed for the Grand Re-
cital, the perpetual calendar is brimming with innova-
tive features, including the original addition of a pat-
ented, double-sided date disk display. It is driven by a
retrograde mechanism with a micrometric rack, also
patented, which optimises operation while reducing
the amount of required space.
The case’s design, inspired by the shape of a writing
slope and measuring 46mm in diameter, is inseparable
from the structure of the movement.
The Edouard Bovet Tourbillon features three differ-
ent time zones, with the local time zone displayed at
the centre of the timepiece.
In addition to the hour and minute hands, a dome
indicates the day-night cycle. Each of the two addi-
tional times displayed correspond to any one of the
earth’s twenty-four-time zones; each window dis-
plays the name of the chosen city and the time in this
same zone via a hand that moves over a 24-hour dial.
The dome’s surface is engraved to represent a world
map, specially redesigned to take up the hemispheri-
cal surface of the dome. The surface of the oceans is
ish manufacturer of port-
able fridges and freezers,
has launched portable cooling
boxes, the Dometic CoolFreeze
in Qatar.
They keep liquids or solids
cool or hot while on the move.
All designs and innovations
are done at Dometics R&D fa-
cilities in Sweden and Italy and
manufacturing at its own facto-
ries around the world. They do
not rely on third party manufac-
turers, ensuring good control on
quality.
The cooling boxes with shoul-
der strap and carry handles are
available in two ranges – the CF
Series and the CDF Series. Due to
the use of a new, compact com-
pressor it is now even lighter.
Super-slim and easy to fit in the
The Edouard Bovet Tourbillon smallest of spaces, the coolers
can deep-freeze food and drinks
lowered in order to receive the Super-LumiNova, down up to –18°C with minimal
which is delicately applied by hand. power consumption regardless
The Edouard Bovet Tourbillon is housed in the em-
blematic Amadeo convertible case.
Patented in 2010, the Amadeo system transforms a
timepiece into a reversible wristwatch, a table clock,
or a pocket watch without the use of any tools.
This feature requires the time to be displayed on
both sides of the movement and in the case of the
Edouard Bovet Tourbillon, the second face presents
hand-engraving that adorns each detail of its surface.
It features a dial displaying the hours and minutes,
synchronised with the display of local time. Available
in red gold, white gold, or platinum, only 60 move-
ments of the Edouard Bovet Tourbillon are produced. Dometic portable coolers.
The Dometic CoolFreeze CF
series coolers are ready for con-
nection to 12/24 volts DC and
100 – 240 volts AC or solar en-
ergy while the CDF series works
on 12 or 24 V DC. The CDF Series
also features an electronic ther-
mostat with digital temperature
display.
“Whether you love out-
doors, camping or a boat owner
who loves to explore the sea,
a Dometic CoolFreeze cooling
box can ensure that your food
and drinks are kept cool and
preserved for longer periods of
time,” said CV Rappai, director
and CEO of Video Home & Elec-
tronic Centre, Jumbo Electron-
ics.
The Dometic CoolFreeze
Cooling Boxes come in capaci-
ties starting from 10.5 litres up
to 39 litres and are available at
Jumbo Electronics and leading
hypermarkets.

Ahlibank partners with HMC

for blood donation campaign
A
hlibank has recently
organised a blood
donation campaign,
in partnership with Ha-
mad Medical Corporation
(HMC), at its head office in
Al Sadd.
The campaign aims to con-
tribute and support the blood
bank in Qatar and to raise
awareness on the importance
of donating blood. The campaign aims to contribute and support the blood
Hassan Ahmed AlEfran- bank in Qatar and to raise awareness on blood donation.
gi, Ahlibank DCEO – Retail
Banking, said: “The campaign commitment within the com- awareness on the importance
was very successful and em- munity and in line with the of blood donation. I would
ployees were enthusiastic to bank’s corporate social re- like to thank all employees
participate and donate blood. sponsibility.” who contributed and partici-
We are extremely proud of the AlEfrangi added: “The pated in the blood donation,
great response from our staff. campaign aims to support the and also thank HMC for their
This humanitarian awareness blood bank reserve in Qatar continued support in this no-
campaign is part of the Bank’s and in promoting employee ble cause.”
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 9

TENSION
Boko Haram militants kill
two in NE Nigeria attack
Boko Haram militants have killed two people in an
attack on a village in northeast Nigeria near the
town of Chibok, residents and a militia official said
yesterday. The militants, believed to be loyal to Boko
Haram factional leader Abubakar Shekau, late Monday
raided Mifah, seven kilometres from Chibok, where
militants abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in
2014. Boko Haram’s nine-year conflict has killed an
estimated 27,000 people and displaced 2mn, creating
a humanitarian crisis and spilling into Nigeria’s northern
neighbours. “They killed two people and looted the vil-
lage before setting it on fire,” said David Bitrus, a civilian
militia member fighting alongside the army.
CAPTURE
Iran arrests extremists
planning pilgrim attacks
Iran said yesterday it had arrested 15 militants plan-
ning attacks on those making an annual pilgrimage
to Iraq. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians travel to
the Iraqi city of Kerbala each year for the ritual of Ar-
baeen, which marks the end of a 40-day mourning
period for the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH), Imam Hussein. Iran’s Intelligence Minister
Mahmoud Alavi, visiting the Iran-Iraq border area,
was quoted by state television as saying that “three
terrorist groups that wanted to target Arbaeen
mourners were arrested.” Tasnim news agency
quoted Alavi as saying the arrests took place in
southwestern Khuzestan province in recent days.
REGION/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA
TRAGEDY
Car bomb kills six, wounds
30 near Iraq’s Mosul
At least six people were killed, including two soldiers,
and 30 wounded in a car bomb blast in the northern
Iraqi town of Qayyara yesterday, police and medical
sources said. A vehicle packed with explosives was
parked near a restaurant and a crowded market area
in Qayyara, south of the city of Mosul, police said.
Health officials and police had earlier put the death toll
at four but said it could rise as some of the wounded
were in a critical in condition. No group immediately
claimed responsibility, but Islamic State militants often
carry out such attacks. Iraq’s top military commander
in Mosul Major-General Najim al-Jabouri accused IS of
carrying out the Qayyara attack.
OPINION
Tehran: Saudis targeting
Guards to distract the world
An Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander
said yesterday that Saudi Arabia and Bahrain
had added the Guards and Quds Force com-
mander Qassem Soleimani to their terrorism lists
to distract the world from killing of a prominent
Saudi journalist. “Saudi Arabia is in a quagmire it
cannot easily come out of... Saudi rulers are trying
to distract the world and the region from the
killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist,
in their consulate in Turkey,” Brigadier-General
Esmail Kowsari, the Revolutionary Guards’ deputy
security chief in Tehran was quoted as saying by
Mehr news agency.
UNREST
Over 50 die after clan
clashes in breakaway region
Fighting between clans in Somalia’s breakaway
Somaliland region has killed more than 50 people,
a witness at the scene and an official in neigh-
bouring Puntland said yesterday. “There has been
fierce clan fighting yesterday and today. Over
50 people died but they have not been buried
because the fighting is still going on,” Ahmed
Ismail told Reuters from Dhumey village. “The
injured are dying of blood loss because there are
no hospitals here,” he said, adding that some had
been taken to hospitals further away. Dhumey is
in an area controlled by Somaliland, but which
has been claimed by Puntland for years.

Palestinian
shot dead in
border clash:
ministry
AFP blockade of the impoverished
Gaza City enclave have sparked repeated
clashes with the army.
More than 200 Palestinians

I
sraeli troops shot dead a Pal-
estinian teenager in a border
clash yesterday, the health
ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza
Strip said in a statement.
It named him as 17-year-old
Muntaser Mohamed al-Baz,
saying he was shot in the head
earlier during protests near Bu-
reij in central Gaza and died of
his wounds in hospital.
An Israeli army spokeswoman
said that troops at the border
fence opened fire during a vio-
lent protest by about 200 Pales-
tinians.
“They burned tyres and threw
and one Israeli have been killed
in the violence.
Last week, a rocket from the
Palestinian territory hit a home
in southern Israel, prompting Syrian families receive aid from Russian soldiers at the Abu Duhur crossing on the eastern edge of Idlib province, yesterday.
the Jewish state to strike 20 Ha-
mas targets in Gaza.
Another rocket fell in the
Mediterranean off Tel Aviv,
without causing casualties or
damage.
Hamas disavowed the rocket
launches and said it was investi-
UN Syria envoy due in Damascus today
gating the incident. AFP ment as to the make-up of the
An Egyptian security delega- United Nations constitutional committee — Coalition strikes leave 37 IS militants dead in eastern Syria
tion that visited Gaza on Thurs- which has been in the cards for
day encouraged Hamas leader months. US-led coalition air strikes on areas controlled by State fighters have been killed since the offensive

explosive devices at soldiers,”
she said. “They also threw a pet-
rol bomb.” She said none of the
soldiers was injured.
“Troops responded with riot
dispersal means and gunfire ac-
cording to the rules of engage-
ment,” she added.
Near daily protests along the
Gaza border since March 30
against Israel’s crippling 11-year
Tsetse fly out of Zimbabwe’s hot Zambezi valley
The tsetse fly — an insect that
transmits trypanosomiasis or
sleeping sickness — could soon
die out in Zimbabwe’s Zambezi
Valley due to rising tempera-
tures, a study said yesterday.
The study based on 27 years
of data from the country’s
northern Mana Pools National
Park suggests that temperature
increases over the last three
decades have caused major
declines in local populations of
tsetse flies. “If the effect at Mana
Pools extends across the whole
of the Zambezi Valley, then
transmission of trypanosomes
is likely to have been greatly
reduced in this warm low-lying
region”, said Jennifer Lord,
lead author of the study and
post-doctoral fellow at Liverpool
School of Tropical Medicine.
“While this would be good news
Ismail Haniya to rein in the pro-
tests, according to an Egyptian
official.
Hamas has fought three wars
with Israel since 2008 and fears
of a fourth have spurred efforts
by Egypt and the United Na-
tions for a wider deal that would
see Israel ease its blockade in
exchange for a long-term truce
with the rulers.
ing sickness in humans across
sub-Saharan Africa.
The initial stage of the disease
is symptom free, but during the
second stage the parasites cross
into the central nervous system
and the brain, where they can
be lethal if untreated.
There has been a huge reduc-
tion in human African trypano-
somiasis in recent years.
In 2015, only 2,804 cases were
registered, down from 37,000
in 1999, according to the World
Health Organisation, whose
goal is to eliminate the tropical
disease by 2030.
The fly also causes trypano-
somiasis in livestock and the
most recent global estimates
indicate that disease kills ap-
proximately 1mn cattle per year,
according to the study.
The study was based on
T
he outgoing UN envoy for
Syria, Staffan de Mistura,
will arrive in Damas-
cus today for a visit aimed at
convincing the government to
accept the creation of a com-
mittee to draft a post-war con-
stitution, the world body said.
De Mistura, who announced
last week that he would step
down from his post at the end
of November, is expected to
stay for a “couple of days” in
the Syrian capital, deputy UN
spokesman Farhan Haq said
yesterday.
Haq did not say who the en-
voy would meet, and if that list
would include Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad.
Syrian authorities invited De
Mistura to visit, the spokesman
said.
Under intense pressure from
Western countries, who accuse
Damascus of stonewalling, the
UN envoy will try to ease the
concerns of the Syrian govern-
52 died in Madagascar pre-trial detention in 2017: Amnesty
AFP
Antananarivo
The West wants De Mistura Islamic State in eastern Syria have killed at least 37 began.
to get Damascus to agree to militants in the past 24 hours, a monitoring group The war monitor said that 41 civilians, among them
convene the committee as soon said late yesterday. ten children, were killed in coalition strikes earlier
as possible to revive the po- The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human this month, on October 18 and 19.
litical process aimed at ending Rights said the Islamic State militants were killed SDF said the offensive would focus on several
Syria’s devastating war, now in as coalition planes intensified their raids on the towns, including Hajin and al-Shaafa, near the
its eighth year. village of Souseh, on the eastern banks of the borders with Iraq.
The new constitution is seen Euphrates river. The SDF has played a major role in fighting Islamic
as a stepping stone to staging The monitor added that dozens of militants were State in Syria, taking over most of the extremist
elections in Syria, where more also wounded in the strikes and ground battles, in militia’s strongholds in Al-Raqqa and Deir al-Zour
than 360,000 people have been which the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces provinces.
killed since war erupted in 2011 (SDF) managed to advance into parts of Souseh. Islamic State militants continue to control pockets
with the brutal repression of In September, SDF said they had started the final in eastern and southern Syria. The extremist group
anti-government protests. stage of their campaign against Islamic State mili- has suffered military setbacks, losing most of the
The uprising has since tants in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour. territory it controlled in Syria and neighbouring
morphed into a complex con- According to the watchdog, some 456 Islamic Iraq.
flict with myriad armed groups,
some of whom are foreign-
backed. members: 50 chosen by Da- Fifteen people would be spend more time with fam-
The UN-backed political mascus, 50 chosen by the op- chosen from the three factions ily after four difficult years of
process has suffered in the face position and 50 chosen by De on the committee to draft the work. His successor has not
of parallel efforts led by Russia, Mistura. new constitution, according yet been named.
Turkey and Iran, and as the Syr- The Syria government is ob- to the UN plan. The Italian-Swedish dip-
ian military has progressively jecting to the UN-led effort to The 71-year-old De Mistu- lomat’s predecessors include
regained control of most of the include civil society represent- ra, who is the UN’s third Syria former UN secretary-general
country. atives, religious and tribal lead- envoy in six years, says he is Kofi Annan and veteran Al-
The constitutional commit- ers, experts and women on the leaving the post for “purely gerian diplomat Lakhdar Bra-
tee is expected to include 150 panel, De Mistura has said. personal reasons,” wanting to himi.
only facing allegations of minor crimes. those being held for extended periods “Pre-trial detainees, who were in vis-
“The miserably poor conditions of de- without trial were accused of petty, ibly poor health during Amnesty Inter-
tention in which pre-trial detainees are non-violent crimes.One man accused of national’s visit, complained about not
held clearly amount to cruel, inhuman stealing cattle had been in detention for receiving timely or appropriate medical

for the disease situation in Zam-
bezi Valley, rising temperatures
may have made some higher,
cooler parts of Zimbabwe, more
suitable for the flies,” she said.
Tsetse are blood-feeding insects
that transmit trypanosome
pathogens which cause sleep-
prolonged laboratory and
field measures of fly densities
from the 1990s, and nearly
continuous records of climatic
data since 1975, recorded
by researchers based at the
Rekomitjie Research Station in
the park.
F
ifty-two people died in pre-trial
detention in Madagascar last year
as the country grapples with pa-
ralysis in its judicial system, rights group
Amnesty International said yesterday.
It warned that 55% of the Indian
Ocean island nation’s prison population
— around 11,000 people — were await-
ing trial as of October 2017 despite many
or degrading treatment,” said Amnesty’s
report titled “Punished For Being Poor”.
Amnesty International’s southern Af-
rica director Deprose Muchena said that
“a catalogue of failures in Madagascar’s
criminal justice system means people are
suffering in prison for years before they
have their day in court”.
“In the prisons we visited, many of
three-and-a-half years.”
The report said that many suspects are
held on remand for years because of de-
lays to court sessions which are only held
twice yearly.
Amnesty visited nine prisons across
the country and found “appalling living
conditions” as well as inmates who were
facing serious health problems.
care. While most of the prisons visited
had an infirmary, nurses, medical sup-
plies and facilities were in short supply,”
said the report.
Shortages of food were also found to be
an issue with the International Commit-
tee of the Red Cross reporting that almost
half of prisoners in Madagascar suffer from
moderate or severe malnutrition.

Zimbabwe opposition calls for ‘transitional’ govt to fix crisis

AFP not be a fig leaf for Mnangagwa’s local bond notes, the government-
Harare government. run Herald daily reported.
“We will ultimately discuss and The deepening economic crisis
resolve our national issues as a comes just months after Mnan-

Z
imbabwe’s main opposi-
tion leader Nelson Chamisa
called yesterday for a tran-
sitional government to resolve the
worsening economic and political
crisis engulfing the country.
A foreign currency shortage
in recent weeks has sparked the
worst economic crisis with sup-
plies of fuel, food and pharmaceu-
ticals drying up.
“The first thing is for this nation
to go on a path of a political dia-
logue,” said Chamisa, 40, leader
of the Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) party, who claims
to have won the July 30 presiden-
tial election.
“We need a national transi-
tional authority so that we resolve
this crisis,” he told reporters in the
country,” he said, “(but) we are not
ready to be forced (to) legitimise
the illegitimate”. “Our people are
suffering. This economic decay is
common to all,” he said.
The current shortages and price
hikes have not been seen since the
2008 economic and financial cri-
sis spiralled into hyperinflation.
Prices for many staples have
more than doubled in less than a
month. The Reserve Bank of Zim-
babwe has suspended four top
Zimbabwe main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa of the Movement for managers accused of fuelling the
Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance looks on during a press conference on black market trade in US dollars,
Zimbabwe’s economic crisis, yesterday at his party headquarters in Harare. state media reported yesterday.
Their suspensions on Monday
capital Harare. Chamisa, who lost cal dialogue between the opposi- followed allegations that they
the vote to President Emmerson tion and the president. were supplying illicit currency
Mnangagwa, said he had met reli- “We are ready to discuss,” he dealers with illegal allocations of
gious leaders pushing for a politi- said, while adding that he would hard currency and dollar-pegged
gagwa won elections following a
brief military takeover that ousted
former president Robert Mugabe
last year.
“The situation in the hospitals
is so shocking,” Chamisa said.
“Our hospitals are sick. Sick
hospitals can’t attend to sick peo-
ple. Our people are dying from
preventable diseases such as chol-
era.” At least 50 people have died
of cholera since September.
“There is an absence of leader-
ship. The nation is orphaned, the
nation is parentless,” Chamisa
said. A commission of inquiry is
currently investigating the death
of six people in post-election vio-
lence after soldiers opened fire on
protesters who accused officials of
delaying poll results.
 Gulf Times
10 Wednesday, October 24, 2018

AMERICA

Trump stumps for ex-rival Cruz AFP tor from Texas fired off insults of music and food trucks. Some had the cake-walk win he and the
Houston his own, calling Trump a “patho- camped overnight, bundled up party initially predicted.
logical liar” and “utterly amoral.” against the frigid temperatures, “Beto,” as supporters of the
But sporting black cowboy according to local media. 46-year-old O’Rourke call him,

D
onald Trump on Monday
night stumped for his
former rival Ted Cruz,
a pair that had long exchanged
barbs but now share a Texas rally
stage just two weeks before the
congressional midterms.
The political equation is sim-
ple: Trump needs Cruz to main-
tain Republican control of the
US Senate, while Cruz is all too
aware that a presidential seal of
approval could help him in his
face-off with rising Democrat
star Beto O’Rourke.
During the 2016 campaign,
Trump infamously insulted
the looks of Cruz’s wife Heidi,
vaguely suggested Cruz’s fa-
ther had played a role in John
F. Kennedy’s assassination and
tagged him with the nickname
President Donald Trump greets Senator Ted Cruz during a campaign rally at the Toyota Center in Houston “Lyin’ Ted.”
on Monday night. The 47-year-old junior sena-
boots, Cruz welcomed the presi-
dent to the Lone Star State on the
tarmac as he descended from Air
Force One.
“He’s not Lyin’ Ted anymore,’”
Trump told reporters before
leaving for Texas, bestowing
Cruz with two new nicknames:
“Beautiful Ted” and “Texas Ted.”
“He defended your jobs. He
defended your borders,” Trump
said later at the rally. “He defends
your families and your faith.”
“We are defending together
with other great Republicans
your freedom,” he said, encour-
aging Texans to “get out there
and vote.”
Thousands of Trump sup-
porters arrived hours in advance
of the rally — swarming streets
around Houston’s Toyota Center
stadium in a festival-like atmos-
phere that was to include live
Trump focused particularly on
immigration, a tender point in
the border state of Texas.
The rally was timed with the
beginning of early voting in the
state.
Local media reported unex-
pectedly heavy traffic at poll-
ing stations, where some also
camped overnight in order to cast
their ballots.
With national attention on
Houston, O’Rourke campaigned
in various spots around the city
to boost supporters and encour-
age them to vote early.
“We are here for everyone,”
O’Rourke told a crowd in Pasade-
na, a Houston suburb, “Republi-
cans, Democrats, independents
alike.”
Opinion polls still have the
ultra-conservative Cruz in the
driver’s seat, but he is far from
is making life difficult for Cruz.
While positioning himself
firmly on the left, O’Rourke has
eschewed the anti-Trump rheto-
ric systematically rolled out by
most of his party — a move that
has won over voters.
Some even say O’Rourke could
be the party’s saviour in the next
presidential election in 2020.
Trump has called O’Rourke
a “total lightweight” but the
Democrat has opted not to trade
insults with the president on
Twitter.
“I don’t know that it makes
any sense to respond,” O’Rourke
told ABC News.
“The kind of bitterness and the
name-calling and partisanship
that has unfortunately defined so
much of the national conversa-
tion, you can add more to it or you
can stay focused on the future.”

Judge affirms Monsanto verdict, slashes damages

Reuters dropping the damages altogether,”
brokerage alpha said in a note to cli-
San Francisco
ents. “Now, however, the judge made
a U-turn and confirmed the jury’s
Lawyers for Johnson in a state-
ment on Monday said they were still
reviewing whether to accept the re-
duced award or retry the punitive
ment for allowing a jury to award
punitive damages.
‘Ready to bolster
nuclear arsenal’
But following that tentative rul-
ing, at least five of the jurors who

A
US judge on Monday affirmed
a verdict against Bayer AG
unit Monsanto that found its
glyphosate-based weed-killers re-
sponsible for a man’s terminal can-
cer, sending the German company’s
shares down 8%.
previous verdict.”
Monsanto, which denies the alle-
gations, had asked the judge to throw
out the entire original $289mn ver-
dict or order a new trial on the puni-
tive damages portion.
A jury on August 10 found the
damages portion.
“The evidence presented to this
jury was, quite frankly, overwhelm-
ing,” the lawyers said.
The amount of punitive damages
is limited by law, and Bolanos said
California’s constitution did not
delivered the August 10 verdict sent
letters to the judge, urging her to up-
hold their decision.
Bolanos did not directly refer to AFP treaty. In fact they said: ‘You are breaching
the jurors’ letters in her Monday rul- Washington the INF treaty,’” Bolton said in an interview
ing, but said the jury was entitled to with Kommersant, a Russian broadsheet.
its findings. “You can’t bring somebody into com-

In a ruling by San Francisco’s Su-
perior Court of California, Judge
Suzanne Bolanos said she would
slash the punitive damages award
to $39mn from $250mn if lawyers
for school groundskeeper Dewayne
Johnson agreed.
Bayer said in a statement the de-
cision to reduce the damages was
a step in the right direction, but it
would still file an appeal with the
California Court of Appeal, because
the verdict was not supported by the
evidence presented at the trial.
“According to an earlier hear-
ing, the judge toyed with the idea of
Museum says five Dead Sea Scroll fragments are fake
A US museum announced Monday that
five artefacts it had said were fragments
of the ancient manuscripts known as the
Dead Sea Scrolls are in fact fake, and will
no longer be displayed.
Washington’s Museum of the Bible —
which stirred controversy last year for its
financial backing from a billionaire evan-
gelical Christian — removed the pieces
from exhibition after a German research
institution concluded that they weren’t
company’s glyphosate-based weed-
killers, including RoundUp and
Ranger Pro, had caused Johnson’s
cancer and that the company failed
to warn consumers about the risks.
The verdict wiped 10% off the
value of the company and marked
the first such decision against Mon-
santo, which faces more than 8,000
similar lawsuits in the United States.
The German company, which
bought Monsanto this year for
$63bn, says decades of scientific
studies and real-world use have
shown glyphosate to be safe for hu-
man use.
In April last year the museum sent
five of its 16 Dead Sea Scroll pieces to
Germany’s Federal Institute for Materials
Research and Testing (BAM) for testing
after previous studies questioned their
authenticity.
One researcher, Kipp Davis of Trinity
Western University, had published work
saying “at least seven fragments in the
museum’s Dead Sea Scrolls collection are
modern forgeries.”
permit a higher award.
If Johnson accepts the reduced
damages, the final verdict would
order Monsanto to pay a total of
$78mn, split equally between com-
pensatory and punitive damages.
Bolanos’ Monday decision is a
turnaround from a previous tenta-
tive ruling she issued on October 10.
In that preliminary order, Bolanos
said she was considering ordering
a new trial on punitive damages,
saying Johnson had failed to meet
his burden of producing clear and
convincing evidence of malice or
oppression by Monsanto, a require-
Explosive device found
at Soros’ NY residence
AFP
New York
In September 2017, the US Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency con-
cluded a decades-long assessment
of glyphosate risks and found that
the chemical was not a likely car-
cinogen to humans.
However, in 2015, the cancer unit
of the World Health Organisation
classified glyphosate as “probably
carcinogenic to humans.”
Johnson’s case, filed in 2016, was
fast-tracked for trial due to the se-
verity of his non-Hodgkin’s lym-
phoma, a cancer of the lymph sys-
tem, that he alleged was caused by
years of glyphosate exposure.
P
resident Donald Trump said Monday
the United States is ready to build up
its nuclear arsenal after announcing
it is abandoning a Cold War-era nuclear
treaty, as Russia warned the withdrawal
could cripple global security.
Trump sparked concern globally at the
weekend by saying he wanted to jettison
the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range
Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) signed former
US president Ronald Reagan and Mikhail
Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader.
In explaining his decision, Trump told
reporters in Washington that Russia had
“not adhered to the spirit of that agree-
ment or to the agreement itself.”
“Until people come to their senses, we
will build it up,” he said, referring to Amer-
ica’s nuclear stockpile. “This should have
been done years ago.”
“It’s a threat to whoever you want. And
it includes China. And it includes Russia,”
the US president continued. “And it in-
cludes anybody else who wants to play that
game. You can’t do that. You can’t play
that game.”
“Until they get smart, there’s going to be
nobody that’s going to be even close to us.”
Russia however has warned that aban-
doning the agreement would be a major
blow to global security.
pliance who does not think they are in
breach,” he said, adding the treaty seems to
have run its course.
The two men also discussed a possible
extension by five years of the New START
arms control treaty, which expires in 2021,
the Security Council said.
Bolton told Kommersant that Washing-
ton wanted to “resolve the INF issue first.”
The Russian foreign ministry released a
picture of Lavrov talking to a grinning Bol-
ton, and said the two men discussed bilat-
eral co-operation, the fight against terror,
and “maintaining strategic stability.”
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov re-
jected claims that Moscow has violated
the pact, instead accusing Washington of
doing so, and called Bolton’s upcoming
meeting with Putin important.
“There are more questions than an-
swers,” he told journalists.
Trump’s announcement has raised glo-
bal concerns, with the European Commis-
sion urging the United States and Russia
to pursue talks to preserve the treaty and
China calling on Washington to “think
twice.”
“The US and the Russian Federation
need to remain in a constructive dialogue
to preserve this treaty and ensure it is fully
and verifiably implemented,” said Maja

old enough.
“Though we had hoped the testing
would render different results, this is an
opportunity to educate the public on the
importance of verifying the authenticity of
rare biblical artefacts, the elaborate testing
process undertaken and our commitment
to transparency,” the museum’s chief cura-
tor Jeffrey Kloha said in a statement.
“As an educational institution entrusted
with cultural heritage, the museum
upholds and adheres to all museum and
ethical guidelines on collection care,
research and display.”
The Dead Sea Scrolls, which include the
oldest known manuscripts of the Hebrew
Bible, date from the 3rd century BC to the
1st century AD.
Numbering around 900, they were
discovered between 1947 and 1956 in the
Qumran caves above the Dead Sea.
The five removed fragments had been
exhibited in the sprawling museum since
it opened in November 2017, but were
labelled with explanations that research
on their legitimacy was underway.
The museum has removed the five
pieces tested in Germany from display
and replaced them with three others,
which are also the focus of further
analysis.
The Museum of the Bible raised
eyebrows even before opening its giant
bronze, Latin-inscribed gates: its primary
financial backer is billionaire Steve Green,
whose arts and crafts chain Hobby Lobby
has supported conservative causes in
Washington.
Just months before the museum
opened the company was forced to pay
a $3mn settlement and give up 5,500 arte-
facts — including ancient clay cuneiform
tablets from Iraq — that the US Justice
Department said were illegally imported.
The Green family’s Christian convic-
tions and the smuggling debacle had
sceptics questioning both the museum’s
ideological aim and the provenance of its
antiquities.
At the opening Green, who chairs the
museum’s board, said the institution aims
only to “present the facts.”
T
he FBI was yesterday investigating an explosive device
found in the mailbox at the New York home of US billion-
aire and liberal donor George Soros, a target of right-wing
groups, officials confirmed.
An employee of the residence in Bedford, north of Manhat-
tan, found the suspicious package in the mailbox on Monday af-
ternoon, opened it and found what appeared to be an explosive
device, Bedford police said. “The employee placed the package
in a wooded area and called the Bedford police,” the local police
department said in a statement.
Soros was not at home at the time and bomb squad techni-
cians defused the device, said police in Bedford, a wealthy en-
clave that is home to a string of the rich and famous within easy
commute of Manhattan. An “extensive investigation” has been
opened and the case has been turned over to the Joint Terrorism
Task Force Division of the FBI, police said.
“We are conducting an investigation at and around a resi-
dence in Bedford,” the FBI’s New York field office said on twitter.
“There is no threat to public safety, and we have no further com-
ment at this time.”
Born to a Jewish family in Hungary, the 88-year-old hedge
fund tycoon has an estimated net worth of $8.3bn, making him
one of the world’s richest men, according to Forbes magazine.
He has given away billions to his Open Society Foundations,
which promote freedom of expression, justice and equality, and
which counter discrimination, focusing in part on Central and
Eastern Europe.
Moscow was ready to work with the
United States to salvage the agreement,
the Russian Security Council said after a
meeting between its chief Nikolai Patru-
shev and US National Security Advisor
John Bolton.
Bolton, who is expected to meet Rus-
sian President Vladimir Putin, was visit-
ing Moscow in the wake of Trump’s an-
nouncement Saturday that he wants to do
away with the pact that bans intermediate-
range nuclear and conventional missiles.
Signed in 1987, the INF resolved a crisis
over Soviet nuclear-tipped ballistic mis-
siles targeting Western capitals.
On Monday, Bolton discussed the fate
of the treaty with Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov and spent “nearly five hours” in
talks with Russian Security Council chief
Nikolai Patrushev, a spokesman for the
council told AFP.
Speaking after his meeting with Patru-
shev, Bolton said the Russians had insisted
that Moscow did not violate the treaty.
“The position was very firmly an-
nounced by Russia that they did not be-
lieve that they were breaching the INF
Kocijancic, the EU spokeswoman for for-
eign affairs and security policy.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman
Hua Chunying said a unilateral withdrawal
from the treaty “will have a multitude of
negative effects.”
Bolton, however, said Britain, Japan, and
a number of other countries supported the
US position.
Analysts have warned that the latest rift
between Moscow and Washington could
have lamentable consequences, dragging
Russia into a new arms race.
Putin last week raised eyebrows by say-
ing Russians would “go to heaven” in the
event of nuclear war and that Moscow
would not use nuclear weapons first.
“The aggressor will have to understand
that retaliation is inevitable, that it will be
destroyed and that we, as victims of ag-
gression, as martyrs, will go to heaven,” he
said. “They will simply croak because they
won’t even have time to repent.”
Putin and Trump will both be in Paris on
November 11 to attend commemorations
marking 100 years since the end of World
War I.

Trail-blazing retired Justice O’Connor says she has dementia

By Lawrence Hurley, Reuters state judge in her native Arizona, was established in 1789, but her “She broke down barriers for improving civics education,
Washington was appointed to the nine-mem- place in history went beyond women in the legal profession to starting a group called iCiv-
ber court by Republican former breaking gender barriers. the betterment of that profession ics that provided free online
president Ronald Reagan during Over time, she emerged as the and the country as a whole.” resources for middle and high

S
andra Day O’Connor, a pio-
neer in the legal profession
who made history in 1981
by becoming the first woman to
serve on the US Supreme Court
and remained on the bench for
a quarter century, yesterday an-
nounced that she has been diag-
nosed with dementia.
“Some time ago, doctors di-
agnosed me with the beginning
stages of dementia, probably
Alzheimer’s disease,” O’Connor,
88, said in a letter issued by the
court.
Alzheimer’s is an irreversible,
progressive brain disorder that
gradually destroys memory and
thinking skills.
O’Connor, who had served as a
his first year in office and she re-
tired in 2006.
She was considered a centrist on
the conservative-leaning court.
As a result of her diagnosis,
O’Connor said she has with-
drawn from public life.
“I will continue living in Phoe-
nix, Arizona, surrounded by
dear friends and family. While
the final chapter of my life with
dementia may be trying, noth-
ing has diminished my gratitude
and deep appreciation for the
countless blessings in my life,”
O’Connor added.
O’Connor became the Su-
preme Court’s first woman jus-
tice nearly two centuries after
the country’s top judicial body
court’s ideological centre, cast-
ing key votes in cases on the most
contentious issues of her era, in-
cluding a ruling that helped pre-
serve a woman’s right to have an
abortion and another upholding
affirmative action — the use of
racial preferences in student ad-
missions — on college campuses.
When Republican former
president George W Bush re-
placed her with conservative
Justice Samuel Alito, the al-
ready-conservative court moved
further to the right.
“Justice O’Connor is of course
a towering figure in the history of
the United States and indeed the
world,” Chief Justice John Rob-
erts said in a statement.
O’Connor grew up on a ranch
in Arizona before attending
Stanford University in Califor-
nia.
She was one of only five wom-
en in her class at Stanford Law
School.
Although she graduated near
the top of her class, she was re-
jected for most law firm jobs.
She and her husband, John,
whom she met in law school, lat-
er settled in Phoenix where she
became a prominent Republican
politician in the state.
She was elected as a state trial
judge in 1974 and in 1979 was
named to a state appeals court.
After retiring from the court,
O’Connor dedicated herself to
school students.
In 2009, Democratic former
president Barack Obama pre-
sented her at the White House
with the Presidential Medal of
Freedom, the highest civilian
honour a president can give.
O’Connor retired mainly so
she could care for her husband,
who had been diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s.
Reagan, who died in 2004, also
was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
An estimated 5.7mn Ameri-
cans have Alzheimer’s, almost
two-thirds of them women, ac-
cording to the Alzheimer’s As- An August 12, 2009 file photo of President Barack Obama present-
sociation. ing the Medal of Freedom to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day
It is the sixth leading cause of O’Connor during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in
death in the United States. Washington.
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 11

ASIA
Bangladesh
New Vietnam’s president opposition
figure held on

sworn in after 99.8% vote

AFP speaking beneath a large bust of ter Nguyen Tan Dung who was
defamation
charges
DPA
Hanoi Ho Chi Minh. sidelined in the last leadership Dhaka
“This is a very huge honour, shuffle two years ago.
while at the same time, a very Some say the campaign likely

V B
ietnam lawmakers yes-
terday elected as presi-
dent Communist Party
chief Nguyen Phu Trong, the
only candidate on the ballot,
making him the most power-
ful man in the country where
consensus leadership has tra-
ditionally kept strongman rule
in check.
Trong was ushered into his
new role as head-of-state with
99.8% of the vote from Viet-
nam’s rubber stamp parliament
members a month after the
former president died from a
prolonged illness.
Though the president’s role
is seen as largely ceremonial,
74-year-old Trong will main-
tain his position as party head
- the first person to hold both
roles since revolutionary leader
Ho Chi Minh in the late 1960s.
His new position was ce-
mented in a tightly orchestrated
swearing-in ceremony yester-
day after an overwhelming vote
from 477 lawmakers, with only
one vote against, according to
the government’s website.
“I, president of Vietnam, vow
to be completely loyal to the na-
tion, people and constitution,”
Trong said at the ceremony,
heavy responsibility for me,”
he added, acknowledging his
advanced age.
His election comes as no
surprise after the Communist
Party’s Central Committee put
his name forward as the only
contender last month following
the death of Tran Dai Quang,
a former police chief who had
been president since 2016.
Trong’s dual role in two of
the so-called “four-pillar” top
leadership positions allows him
to yield a huge amount of power
in the government whose in-
ner workings are often shielded
from the public.
The two other “pillars” are
the prime minister and National
Assembly chair.
His appointment is not likely
to shake up politics in the one-
party state, though observers
have said it will eliminate any
potential opposition to an anti-
corruption campaign that he
has spearheaded since his re-
election as party chief in 2016.
The campaign has seen doz-
ens of top officials, executives
and bankers put behind bars,
many seen as Trong’s political
foes because of their perceived
alliance to former prime minis-
allowed Trong to secure the top
job as president, an unlikely and
rare move.
“Trong did this because
he is currently in a politically
unassailable position,” Za-
chary Abuza, a professor at
the National War College in
Washington, said.
“(He) has effectively used
‘anti-corruption’ to purge ri-
vals within the party,” he added.
Trong’s time in office has
also coincided with a crack-
down on dissidents, with more
than 55 jailed this year alone,
according to an AFP tally, that
rights groups say shows no sign
of abating.
The US ambassador to Vi-
etnam congratulated Trong on
the post yesterday, celebrating
cosying ties between the former
war enemies who are both seek-
ing to counter China’s rising
military and economic might.
“We look forward to con-
tinuing to work closely with
President Trong on further
strengthening and expanding
the US-Vietnam Comprehen-
sive Partnership,” ambassador
Daniel Kritenbrink said in a
statement.
In addition to running the
Nguyen Phu Trong takes oath as the president of Vietnam at the National Assembly hall in Hanoi yesterday.
powerful Communist Party,
as president Trong will now
be in charge of welcoming for-
eign delegates and travelling
abroad as the public face of the
administration.
The white-haired longtime
party member has a carefully
guarded reputation as a com-
mitted apparatchik, and is
also a member of the powerful
politburo.
angladeshi police have
arrested an opposition
figure on defamation
charges one week after he made
unpleasant and abusive com-
ments about a female journalist
in a television show, police said
yesterday.
A judge in Dhaka said yes-
terday that Mainul Hosein,
the leader of a recently-
formed opposition alliance,
should be detained pend-
ing trial following his ar-
rest on Monday night, officer
Mahbub Alam said.
He was picked up from a home
in Dhaka’s Uttara neighbour-
hood, the officer said.
Hosein was harshly criticised
after he verbally abused a female
journalist and called her “char-
acterless” on live television on
October 16 after he was asked
whether he was representing
a right-wing party in the new
political alliance.
Earlier this month, he joined
the alliance led by jailed former
prime minister Khaleda Zia’s op-
position Bangladesh Nationalist
Party (BNP) to contest the next
general election in December
against Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina’s ruling Awami League
party.
Hosein’s arrest comes hours
after Prime Minister Hasina de-
nounced his objectionable com-

Lanka calls Australia slaps sanctions on Myanmar generals

Reuters counter-insurgency operation
launched by Myanmar’s mili-
ing for Myanmar’s army and
refrained from imposing sanc-
It said financial dealings with
them can now attract penal-
ments and alleged that he was
an agent of Pakistani forces dur-
ing Bangladesh’s liberation war
in 1971.
Hosein is a lawyer and the

for coalition
Sydney/Yangon
tary after attacks on security tions, yesterday responded to ties of A$1.7mn ($1.2mn) for publisher of the English-lan-
posts by Rohingya militants in the UN report by targeting four companies and 10 years jail for guage daily The New Nation.

A
ustralia yesterday slapped August last year. of the men named, and one individuals. He was an adviser to a mili-
travel and financial sanc- A recent UN report accused other senior commander. Myanmar government tary-backed caretaker admin-
tions on five top Myan- Myanmar’s military of gang “I have now imposed targeted spokesman Zaw Htay did not istration that oversaw Bang-

to tackle mar military officers, accused

of overseeing brutal violence
against Rohingya Muslims by
units under their command, fol-
lowing similar moves by the Eu-
rapes and mass killings with
“genocidal intent” and called
for its commander-in-chief
and five generals to be pros-
ecuted under international law.
financial sanctions and travel
bans against five Myanmar mili-
tary officers responsible for hu-
man rights violations committed
by units under their command,”
pick up a call seeking comment
yesterday.
The United States imposed
similar restrictions on top gen-
erals in August. Like the United
ladesh’s 2008 parliamentary
election.
Leaders of the opposition BNP
have condemned the arrest, say-
ing it was politically motivated.

rising dollar ropean Union and United States.

AFP “I want to build a coalition
Colombo of the willing to deal with this
problem. I don’t see the global
situation improving any time
More than 700,000 Rohingya
Muslims fled Buddhist-majori-
ty Myanmar to neighbouring
Bangladesh last year, accord-
ing to UN agencies, following a
Myanmar has denied most
of the allegations in the report,
blaming Rohingya “terrorists”
for most accounts of atrocities.
However Australia, which
has previously provided train-
Australian Foreign Minister
Marise Payne said in a statement.
A separate document named
the officers - Aung Kyaw Zaw,
Aung Aung, Maung Maung Soe,
Than Oo and Khin Maung Soe.
States, Australia omitted Myan-
mar’s military chief, Min Aung
Hlaing from the sanctions.
The European Union im-
posed similar restrictions in
“Such an arrest in a defama-
tion case is unprecedented. He
was arrested because he de-
fended democracy,” said Ruhul
Kabir Rizvi, a spokesman for
June. the BNP.

S
ri Lanka yesterday called
for a “coalition of the
willing” to help stabilise
free-falling emerging market
currencies around the globe,
as the beleaguered rupee
slumped to fresh lows.
The island’s currency bot-
tomed out at a record-low
soon.”
Washington pulled out of
a landmark 2015 nuclear deal
with Iran in May and has been
Buffaloes plough through annual Thai racing fest
reimposing punishing sanc-
tions on the Islamic repub- AFP Yesterday, some 500 buffaloes were com-
lic, targeting in particular its Chonburi peting.
financial system. “There are many youngsters attending
Iran not only supplies Sri and (a lot of) interest in this event,” mayor

Rs174.12 to the dollar, resist-
ing a slew of measures by poli-
cymakers to arrest its steady
decline.
The rupee has shed more
than 12% of its value this year
and Sri Lanka fears it could
slide further as US sanctions
squeeze Iran, the island’s chief
source of oil.
A stronger dollar has made
it difficult for emerging mar-
kets to repay debts and bat-
tered global currencies from
Turkey to India and Argentina.
Finance Minister Mangala
Samaraweera invited those
nations experiencing currency
crises to visit Colombo and
hash out a strategy.
“The rise of the dollar is
having a serious impact on our
currencies. We are not the only
one affected,” he told reporters
in the Sri Lankan capital.
Lanka with most of its oil, but
is one of its chief buyers of the
island’s celebrated tea.
Samaraweera has warned
that blockading Iran will have
ripple on effects on Sri Lanka,
which has been unable to stop
the rupee from nose diving.
Last month, Colombo
curbed its state institutions
and public servants from im-
porting cars to reduce the out-
flow of foreign capital.
Banks were also ordered to
restrict lending for purchasing
overseas and consumer goods,
but the rupee has continued
its decline.
In August, the government
substantially increased taxes
on small cars to discourage
imports, but officials said
there was still pressure on
foreign exchange reserves to
finance big-ticket imports.
S
everal hefty buffaloes thunder down a
dirt track in eastern Thailand, kicking
up dust as they are urged toward the
finish line by whip-wielding jockeys perched
on their backs.
It’s a display of strength and agility from
the riders, who risk life and limb in their
bid for glory - and a top prize of 8,000 baht
($240).
The race is the highlight of the annual week-
long buffalo festival held in the coastal town of
Chonburi which is now into its 147th year.
Buffalo trainer Pongsak Khanngern, 44, has
entered two of his animals into the contest.
“I have trained them for months and I am
confident that one of them will win,” he said.
The decades-old tradition started as a
way for farmers to blow off steam during the
slow moments of an arduous rice-planting
season, and over time many superstitions
developed around it.
If a buffalo fell sick for example, farmers
would pray to the spirits of their ancestors to
heal it; if the animal recovered, a race would
be offered in thanks.
Chutharut Parinwachirapud said of the
crowds, which numbered in the thousands at
the festival.
For centuries, these gentle giants were of
immense practical importance - ploughing
the fields, providing transport, and even de-
fending villages in times of conflict.
But as farming became mechanised, buf-
faloes have taken on a symbolic role, act-
ing as a reminder of Thailand’s farming
tradition.
Near the race track, farmers splashed wa-
ter over the buffaloes’ glossy hides to keep
them cool under the sun as they wait for
their race category.
Phaichit Payindee has been competing
for years, and prides herself in keeping last
year’s reigning champion, four-year-old
Ruang, strong and healthy.
“Today my buffalo is ready to defend his
champion title,” the 42-year-old said, add-
ing that she doesn’t care about the money at
stake.
“It’s not about the prize, but my buffalo’s Jockeys compete in the annual buffalo race festival in Chonburi province of Thai-
reputation.” land yesterday.

Himalayan caterpillar fungus under threat from climate change

By Ivan Couronne, AFP stews believe it cures everything So they interviewed around its range,” said the report. Human-Environment Systems is not permanently frozen. Tibetan plateau “did not shift
Washington from impotence to cancer. four dozen harvesters, collectors The finding “is important be- at Boise State University. “Such conditions are typically upward in response to climate
It is “one of the world’s most and traders of the prized fungus. cause it calls attention to how Researchers were unable to tell present at the margin of perma- warming from 2000 to 2014,”
valuable biological commodi- They also examined previous- highly valuable species, like cat- which factor - overharvesting or frost areas,” said the PNAS report. suggesting that the caterpillar

A
prized caterpillar fungus
that is more valuable than
gold in Asia, where it is
seen as a wonder drug, is becom-
ing harder to find due to climate
change, researchers have said.
People in China and Nepal
have been killed in clashes over
the years over the elusive fungus
“yarchagumba,” known formally
as Ophiocordyceps sinensis.
Although it has no scien-
tifically proven benefits, people
who boil yarchagumba in water
to make tea or add it to soups and
ties, providing a crucial source
of income for hundreds of thou-
sands of collectors,” said the re-
port in the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, a
peer-reviewed US journal.
In recent decades, the fungus
has skyrocketed in popularity
and prices have soared - it can
fetch up to three times the price
of gold in Beijing, researchers say.
While many have suspected
overharvesting was the rea-
son for its scarcity, researchers
wanted to find out more.
ly published scientific literature,
including interviews with more
than 800 people in Nepal, Bhu-
tan, India and China, in order to
understand its apparent decline.
Weather patterns, geographic
factors and environmental con-
ditions were also analysed to
create a map of yarchagumba
production in the region.
“Using data spanning nearly
two decades and four coun-
tries, (we) revealed that cat-
erpillar fungus production is
declining throughout much of
erpillar fungus, are susceptible
not only to overharvesting, as is
often the focus, but also to cli-
mate change,” lead study author
Kelly Hopping said.
“This means that even if peo-
ple start reducing the amount
that they harvest, production
will likely continue to dwin-
dle as a result of ongoing cli-
mate change,” said Hopping,
who conducted the work while
a postdoctoral research fellow
at Stanford University and is
currently assistant professor in
climate change - had a larger im-
pact on the fungus.
“To do so would require access
to better harvest records, but
monitoring of it is very limited
throughout most of the areas
where it grows,” Hopping said.
The cone-shaped fungus is
only found above an elevation of
9,800ft (3,000m), and forms when
the parasitic fungus lodges itself in
a caterpillar, slowly killing it.
To grow, it needs a specific cli-
mate with winter temperatures
below freezing but where the soil
“Given that winter tempera-
tures have warmed significantly
from 1979 to 2013 across much of
its range, and especially in Bhu-
tan, its populations are likely to
have been negatively affected.”
The warming trend has par-
ticularly affected Bhutan, with
average winter temperatures “in-
creasing by 3.5-4 degrees Celsius
across most of its predicted habi-
tat (+1.1 Celsius per decade, on
average),” added the study.
Researchers have previously
found that vegetation on the
fungus will be unable to simply
move up the mountain to colder
habitats as the climate warms.
This spells trouble for har-
vesters who sell the fungus in
order to survive, according to
Hopping.
“Communities throughout
the Himalayan region have be-
come very financially dependent
on collecting and selling cater-
pillar fungus, and so this study
could serve as a warming of what
many harvesters already realise,”
she said.
 Gulf Times
12 Wednesday, October 24, 2018
ASIA/AUSTRALASIA
Chinese president opens
HK-mainland mega bridge
AFP
Zhuhai
C
hina’s President Xi Jin-
ping officially opened
the world’s longest sea
bridge connecting Hong Kong,
Macau and mainland China
yesterday, at a time when Bei-
jing is tightening its grip on its
semi-autonomous territories.
The 55km (34-mile) crossing,
which includes a snaking road
bridge and underwater tun-
nel, links Hong Kong with the
southern mainland city of Zhu-
hai and the gambling enclave of
Macau, across the waters of the
Pearl River Estuary.
Xi presided over an inaugu-
ration ceremony attended by
Hong Kong’s and Macau’s city
leaders at a new port terminal
in Zhuhai.
“I declare the Hong Kong-
Zhuhai-Macau bridge officially
open,” Xi said in a one-line ad-
dress, as digital fireworks ex-
ploded on a screen behind him
at the indoor ceremony, before
leaving the stage immediately.
Supporters of the multi-
billion-dollar bridge pro-
mote it as an engineering
marvel that will boost busi-
ness and cut travel time, but
critics say it is one more way
to integrate Hong Kong into
China as fears grow that the
city’s cherished freedoms are
being eroded.
China’s Vice Premier Han
Zheng characterised the bridge
as part of the development of
the Greater Bay Area – a Be-
ijing-driven project to create
an economic hub linking nine
southern mainland cities to
Hong Kong and Macau.
At the ceremony he described
China voices ‘concern’
over US warships
AFP
Beijing
C
hina said yesterday it
has expressed concern
to the United States
over what it considered an
affront to its sovereignty af-
ter two US warships sailed
through the Taiwan Strait.
The move adds to increas-
ingly fraught relations between
the two countries, which have
clashed over a number of is-
sues, including trade, Beijing’s
territorial claims in the South
China Sea and human rights
abuses in Xinjiang.
Monday was the second time
in the space of three months
that American warships had
conducted so-called “freedom
of navigation” exercises in the
Taiwan Strait, a 180-kilometre
wide stretch of water separating
the Chinese mainland and the
self-ruled democratic island.
Beijing “expressed its con-
cern to the US side” as “the
Taiwan issue concerns China’s
sovereignty and territorial in-
tegrity”, Chinese foreign minis-
try spokeswoman Hua Chuny-
ing told a regular news briefing.
Remand of British
woman extended
AFP
Kuala Lumpur
A
British woman sus-
pected of murdering her
husband on a Malaysian
resort island was remanded in
custody for another week yes-
terday to give police time to
complete their investigation.
Samantha Jones, 51, was de-
tained on Thursday after her
husband John William Jones,
62, was found with a stab
wound to his chest on the floor
of his house on Langkawi.
The couple had lived for the
past 11 years on the jungle-clad
island in northwest Malaysia,
which attracts millions of tour-
the strategy as “deployed and
driven by Xi Jinping personally”.
Hong Kong leader Carrie
Lam said the bridge would help
transform Hong Kong from a
“connector to a more active
participant”.
Some Hong Kong social me-
dia comments accused Lam
of “selling out” to Xi and por-
trayed her as Piglet to his Win-
nie the Pooh, as she was wear-
ing an all-pink outfit.
It is the second major infra-
structure project tying Hong
Kong to mainland China to
launch in a matter of weeks, af-
ter the opening of a high-speed
rail link last month that sparked
criticism Hong Kong was giv-
ing away territory – with part
of the terminus coming under
mainland jurisdiction.
The main section of the new
bridge is also considered main-
land territory, even though
Hong Kong was slated to pay
at least half the cost of the
project, according to the origi-
nal blueprint from the city’s
government.
Hong Kong cars and drivers
travelling over it “must comply
with the laws and regulations of
the mainland”, the city’s trans-
port department said.
Building began in 2009 and
has been dogged by delays,
budget overruns, corruption
prosecutions and the deaths of
construction workers.
The total price tag is unclear
but some estimates run to over
100bn yuan ($14.4bn).
Hong Kong residents will only
be granted a licence to cross into
Zhuhai by car if they meet high-
ly selective criteria, including
holding certain mainland gov-
ernment positions or making
major contributions to chari-
Hua said Beijing urged
Washington to “scrupulously
abide by the one-China prin-
ciple” and “carefully handle
the Taiwan-related issues in
an appropriate manner”.
Colonel Rob Manning from
the US Department of De-
fense told reporters that the
USS Curtis Wilbur and USS
Antietam conducted a rou-
tine transit to demonstrate
US commitment “to a free and
open Indo-Pacific.”
Washington remains Tai-
pei’s most powerful unofficial
ally and its main arms supplier
despite switching diplomatic
recognition to Beijing in 1979.
The Trump administra-
tion has sought closer ties to
the island, announcing plans
last month to sell it $330mn
spare parts for several aircraft
including the F-16 fighter and
the C-130 cargo plane.
Taiwan’s premier William
Lai said during a parliamen-
tary session yesterday that
Taiwan respected the US right
of passage in international
waters and recognised “the
various efforts of the US in
maintaining peace in the Asia-
Pacific Region”.
ists to its beaches every year.
At a court appearance yester-
day, a magistrate ordered that
her remand be extended until
October 30, local police chief
Mohamed Iqbal Ibrahim said.
He added that the police
investigation was nearly com-
plete and he expected Jones to
be charged soon.
Jones is suspected of having
killed her husband after an ar-
gument, according to police. A
bloodstained, 30cm (12-inch) knife
was found on the floor of their
bedroom following her arrest.
Under current laws, she
would be sentenced to death by
hanging if found guilty of mur-
der – which carries a mandato-
ry death sentence in Malaysia.
Guests and politicians watch a trailer on a giant screen during the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge at the Zhuhai
Port terminal yesterday.
ties in the southern Chinese
province of Guangdong.
Most people will need to trav-
el on coaches and buses.
Some Hong Kong media re-
ported that the physical con-
dition of bus drivers would
be monitored by cameras, in-
cluding an alert sent if a driver
yawns more than three times in
20 seconds.
Online commenters in Hong
Kong complained about the
Refugee offer could strengthen
Australian PM’s grip on power
Reuters
Sydney
A
ustralian opposition law-
makers have offered a deal
to resettle 150 refugees
from a Pacific detention camp,
which if accepted by embattled
Prime Minister Scott Morrison
could strengthen his tenuous
grip on power.
Morrison’s government is on
the verge of losing its majority,
after a devastating by-election
on Saturday, and key independ-
ents have warned their support
hinges on him freeing children
from the Australian-run deten-
tion camp on Nauru island.
The Australian government
has steadfastly refused to allow
Indonesians
swap bottles
for bus tickets
Reuters
Surabaya
I
ndonesia’s second-largest
city has come up with a novel
way to encourage its resi-
dents to recycle waste: giving
free bus rides in exchange for
used plastic bottles.
Under the scheme launched
by Surabaya in April, commuters
can ride red city buses by drop-
ping off plastic bottles at termi-
nals or directly ‘paying’ a fare
with bottles.
A two-hour bus ticket costs 10
plastic cups or up to five plastic bot-
tles, depending on their size, which
the city hopes will help it meet an
ambitious target of becoming free of
plastic waste by 2020.
bridge’s restricted access ahead
of the launch.
“Such a huge investment us-
ing the Hong Kong taxpayer’s
money... yet basically it is not
open to us at all,” said one com-
ment on the South China Morn-
ing Post website.
But residents in Zhuhai
welcomed it.
“I think this bridge will bring
great convenience to the whole
area of Zhuhai, Hong Kong
any refugees arriving by boat to
enter the country, instead de-
taining them in remote Pacific
detention centres.
Nearly 1,300 asylum seek-
ers have been detained in Papua
New Guinea and Nauru for more
than five years after being inter-
cepted while trying to travel to
Australia by boat.
New Zealand has offered to
resettle 150 refugees, a proposal
Canberra has previously said it
would only accept if opposition
lawmakers agreed to change the
law to prevent any refugee from
ever travelling to Australia in
future.
Amid warnings by aid agen-
cies of a health crisis on Nauru,
the opposition Australian Labor
Party said it would agree to a
Surabaya is the first city in
Indonesia to implement this
scheme.
“Garbage, like plastic bottles,
piles up in my neighbourhood,
so I brought it here so the envi-
ronment is not only cleaner but
also to help ease the workload of
garbage collectors,” said Sura-
baya resident Linda Rahmawati.
City data shows that 15%, or
nearly 400 tonnes, of Surabaya’s
daily waste is plastic.
A bus can collect up to 250kg
(550 lb) of plastic bottles a day,
or roughly 7.5 tonnes in a month,
the data shows.
After collection, labels and
bottle caps are removed from
the waste and it is auctioned off
to recycling companies.
Money earned from the auction
and Macao, and promote the
economic development of the
whole area of the Pearl River
Delta,” resident Dang Zheiliang
said.
China already lays claim to
the record for the world’s long-
est bridge of any kind – the Dan-
yang-Kunshan Grand Bridge, a
viaduct which is part of a high-
speed rail line.
Political analyst Willy Lam
said the launch by Xi showed his
compromise amendment which
would only ban refugees sent to
New Zealand.
“Labor is prepared to compro-
mise with the government,” dep-
uty Labor leader Tanya Plibersek
told reporters in Canberra.
“We understand that it is be-
yond time that these people who
have been reported by their doc-
tors and other support workers
to be in the most desperate cir-
cumstances, find a new home.”
Morrison said he would con-
sider the compromise.
Eleven child migrants were
transferred from Nauru to Aus-
tralia for medical treatment on
Monday, only hours after two
independents said they would
only support the government if
it stopped detaining children.
Residents bring plastic bottles to exchange for Suroboyo bus tickets at Purbaya station in Surabaya of
Indonesia yesterday.
goes towards running the bus op-
erations and to fund green spaces in
the city, located on the eastern tip of
Java, Indonesia’s main island.
The world’s fourth-most popu-
lous country is home to the larg-
est expanse of tropical rainforest in
Asia, but also struggles with grid-
locked traffic in its congested cities.
“Indonesia is one of the big-
gest contributors in the world for
support for Hong Kong’s eco-
nomic and political integration
into the region, adding that the
Pearl River Delta had long been
the “new growth pole of China”.
It was also timed with a wider
push to mark the 40th anniver-
sary of China’s economic re-
forms, against the backdrop of
major challenges to the econ-
omy, including the escalating
US-China trade conflict, Lam
said.
Morrison is poised to lose his
one-seat parliamentary major-
ity after voters, angry about the
party’s ousting of former prime
minister Malcolm Turnbull, de-
serted the ruling Liberal Party in
a Sydney by-election.
Turnbull was the sitting
member for the Sydney seat and
quit politics after being dumped.
Although counting con-
tinues, Morrison is likely to
have to rely on the support of
five independents to prevent
a no confidence motion that
could trigger an election. The
next general election is due by
May 2019.
Two independents have said
their support is conditional on
the immediate resettlement of 52
children detained on Nauru.
plastic waste, and through this
initiative, we hope to raise public
awareness on the environment,
especially issues that relate to
plastic trash,” said Irvan Wahyu
Drajad, the head of Surabaya’s
transportation department.
Indonesia, an archipelago of
thousands of islands, is esti-
mated to be the world’s second-
largest contributor of plastic
Japanese
captured in
Syria freed
Reuters
Tokyo
A
man believed to be a Japa-
nese freelance journalist
who was captured three
years ago in Syria has been freed,
a Japanese government spokes-
man said yesterday.
“We received information
from Qatar that Jumpei Yasuda
had been released,” Chief Cabi-
net Secretary Yoshihide Suga told
reporters. “We were informed
that he is in an immigration fa-
cility in Antakya (in Turkey).”
Suga said the government was
making checks to confirm that
the man was in fact Yasuda. But
he said that in light of the avail-
able information that was highly
likely, adding that Yasuda’s wife
had been notified.
Japanese media reported that
Yasuda, 44, had been captured
by an Al Qaeda affiliate after en-
tering Syria from Turkey in 2015.
Since then, he has appeared
occasionally in online videos
looking increasingly unkempt
with greying hair.
Quake shakes
Japan islands
A magnitude-6.1 earthquake
rattled Japan’s southern islands
yesterday, but no tsunami
warning was issued, the Japan
Meteorological Agency said.
There were no immediate reports
of casualties or damage to
property from the quake.
The seismic centre of the quake
at 1:35pm (0435 GMT) was off
Yonaguni island near Taiwan
about 1,900km southwest of
Tokyo, according to the agency.
The quake struck at a depth of
about 30km.
In early September, a
magnitude-6.7 quake rocked
the northern island of Hokkaido,
leaving 41 people dead and about
740 injured. (DPA)
Human rights groups warn all
refugees on PNG and Nauru are
in need of resettlement as a con-
troversial resettlement deal with
the United States stalls.
In 2016 Australia and the
United States agreed to a refu-
gee swap which would see Aus-
tralia take people from Latin
America and in return the United
States would take up to 1,250
refugees held in the Austral-
ian camps. Two years on, only
422 refugees have been given US
resettlement.
“Lives are at risk,” said Cathe-
rine Stubberfield, a spokeswom-
an for the UN refugee agency,
UNHCR.
“They need to step in now and
make sure that further harm and
even deaths are not occurring.”
pollutant in the oceans after
China, according to a 2015 study
published in “Science” journal.
Another Surabaya resident
also welcomed the scheme.
“We can reduce trash so it
doesn’t pile up at home because
we can just bring them in and make
good use of it. It is a win-win situa-
tion,” said Sulastri, who, like many
Indonesians, uses one name.

Surge in crimes against MPs sparks fears over intimidation
Guardian News and Media
London
T
he number of crimes
against MPs has more than
doubled in a year, prompt-
ing concern about the level of in-
timidation and abuse politicians
are facing.
A specialist police team set up
to investigate crimes against MPs
dealt with 242 complaints last year,
compared with 102 in its first year
of operation. The unit launched in
August 2016 after the murder of
the Labour MP Jo Cox.
Russian
banker
loses £9mn
home in
legal fight
Guardian News and Media
London
A
Russian banker who
claims Vladimir Putin
is trying to kill him has
been forced to sell his house in
London after a judge ruled that
the multi-million pound prop-
erty belongs to state creditors in
Moscow.
Sergei Pugachev, who was
once close to Putin but is now
his bitter adversary, had opposed
the sale of his one-time home in
Chelsea. His former partner Al-
exandra Tolstoy and their three
young children still live in the
property and will now have to
move out by January.
Pugachev has been embroiled
in a four-year battle with the
Russian government, where he
was once a privileged insider.
He co-ran Putin’s first election
campaign but by 2011 relations
with the president had soured
and Pugachev moved to London.
Russia’s state deposit agency,
the DIA, accuses Pugachev of
siphoning off hundreds of mil-
lions of dollars from a bailout of
Mezhprombank, a bank he co-
founded in the 1990s. It has been
pursuing him vigorously in the
high court in England.
Pugachev has said the accu-
sations against him are absurd.
He says he is the victim of a
brazen attempt by the Russian
state to steal his £11.5bn of as-
sets: two major shipyards, the
world’s biggest mine, and ex-
tensive property in Moscow
and St Petersburg.
In 2014, the DIA won a
freezing order against Pu-
gachev’s global business em-
pire and a court ordered him
to give up his passports. Nev-
ertheless Pugachev managed
to escape from England to
France, where he is a citizen,
and has been living in Nice
since the summer of 2015.
Railway staff accused of
‘mocking’ autistic boy
Guardian News and Media
London
T
he mother of an autistic
boy has accused rail staff
of mocking her son at
Paddington station.
Sarah Hilary said she was left
humiliated when two employ-
ees of Great Western Railway
allegedly jeered at her and her
17-year-old son after she asked
whether they could take an ear-
lier train than the one they had
booked on Sunday evening.
She said staff accused her of
“trying it on” and she was made
to feel like a criminal. GWR has
apologised, saying an investiga-
tion had been launched.
Hilary, a crime writer who
lives in Bath, made a formal
complaint. She said she and her
son arrived two hours early for
their train and asked staff at the
help desk whether they could
be transferred to an earlier one
because her son was “so over-
whelmed” by the station envi-
ronment.
“I tried to explain how difficult
The data, obtained through
freedom of information from
the Metropolitan police’s parlia-
mentary liaison and investiga-
tions team (Plait), was not broken
down by the nature of the crimes.
The Met attributed the rise to
better engagement with the unit
and more MPs reporting prob-
lems. Detective inspector Philip
Grindell, who leads Plait, said:
“Since we formed … we’ve en-
gaged with all MPs about the
work we do and encouraged them
to report incidents of concern to
us.”
But experts also expressed
Harry and Meghan in Fiji
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, arrive to meet the President of Fiji
Jioji Konrote and his wife Sarote in Suva, Fiji yesterday. The royal couple arrived in Fiji for a
three-day official visit, part of their tour of Australia and the South Pacific.
it was for my son but they spoke to
us both rudely, accused me of try-
ing it on and humiliated us in front
of other passengers,” she said.
In a tweet, Hilary continued:
“When I tried, again, to explain
my son was autistic, one of the
men said: ‘Yeah, so’s mine,’ in a
voice that made it clear he was
really saying ‘pull the other one’.
I have never been spoken to so
cruelly and horribly in any pub-
lic place, least of all by customer
service staff.”
She added: “It takes a lot of
courage for my kid to travel by
public transport, and he still feels
the stigma of his diagnosis, so to
be humiliated and jeered at – and
accused of lying and fraud – was a
huge setback and so unnecessary.”
A GWR spokesman said: “We
are sorry to learn of Sarah’s expe-
rience … All of our staff are given
autism awareness training with
a leading autism charity as part
of our customer service training
programme. We are investigating
the issues raised and are grateful
to Sarah for bringing this to our
attention.” Hilary said she was
grateful for the apology and she
concern about this being a grow-
ing problem, and MPs spoke of
their staff reporting a handful of
threatening letters a week to the
police.
The shadow home secretary,
Diane Abbott, said: “These are
batched at the end of the week,
otherwise contact with the police
would be too frequent. There are
many more than this, but these
are the ones where police action
may result.”
The Labour MP said her staff
spent considerable time removing
and blocking abusive or threaten-
ing posts or comments from so-
understood that staff at senior
level were appalled by what had
happened.
Hilary said she was surprised
by the response she had received
to her tweets and the number of
people who said they had similar
experiences.
“This is not just about GWR
but using transport generally.
It’s about the number of inci-
dents where people are spoken
to rudely, where parents or foster
parents with an autistic child get
someone saying ‘he does not look
disabled’ thrown out there.”
Hilary said she was concerned
that it was hard for autistic peo-
ple to fight their own corner in
this regard and that was why she
had spoken out.
In July a comedian criticised
Great Western Railway after she
was left feeling “harassed and
humiliated” for using a disabled
space for her mobility scooter.
Tanyalee Davis, who has a
form of dwarfism, said a guard
on a GWR train threatened to call
the police if she did not leave the
space to make way for a woman
with a pram.
cial media. “Facebook and Twitter
have proven not to be at all helpful
in doing this themselves. Over-
whelmingly the abuse is of a highly
offensive racist and misogynist
character,” she said.
Abbott noted that the constant
flow of abuse increased sharply
when there was a major crime
involving a black or Asian sus-
pect or perpetrator. She added
that negative press coverage had
an impact, saying it was hard to
escape the conclusion that some
parts of the press played a role in
“encouraging abuse, unwittingly
or otherwise”.
Court hearing
Far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who goes by
the name Tommy Robinson, leaves the Old Bailey after
his contempt of court charge was referred to the attorney
general, in London, yesterday.
Sofia Collignon an assist-
ant professor at the University
of London who studied abuse
against politicians during elec-
tions, found that 32% of the can-
didates experienced harassment
and intimidation in 2017.
“We did not ask this question
in 2015 but we have reasons to
suspect the issue has worsened
… because 45% of the candidates
that answered a follow-up survey
consider that the issue got worse
in 2017 compared with previous
elections. Additionally, there is
a decrease in the number of can-
didates that support the publica-
No 10 denies
Cabinet row
over Brexit
backstop
Agencies
London
C
abinet members held “an
impassioned” discussion
about the importance of
time-limiting any Brexit back-
stop arrangements agreed with
the European Union as part of the
divorce negotiations.
No 10 denied any row had tak-
en place at the meeting, although
ministers told Theresa May she
had to ensure that any backstop
arrangements designed to avoid
a hard border between Northern
Ireland and the Republic of Ire-
land were not indefinite.
Ministers also exchanged
views about how any mechanism
to ensure the UK can quit the
backstop could be constructed,
in a discussion in which several
ministers weighed in on the issue
at the heart of British concerns
about the Brexit talks.
A string of ministers have
voiced concern about the im-
portance of time-limiting the
backstop in behind-the-scenes
meetings, including the Work
and Pensions Secretary, Esther
McVey, and the leader of the
Commons, Andrea Leadsom.
Officials are putting together a
proposal on how the exit mecha-
nism could work for Brussels to
consider, although concerns have
been repeatedly raised in Brus-
sels and Dublin that a backstop
that was not indefinite would not
amount to an adequate border
insurance policy.
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
BRITAIN
tion of their home address,” Col-
lignon said.
She said the rise was a result of
more awareness of the issue and
an increase in MPs’ use of social
media as a means of communi-
cating with the public.
“More than 74% of the candi-
dates who suffered abuse (based
on the survey results) did so on
social media, with limited ac-
tions taken to foster an environ-
ment of respect and tolerance
in the platform. My results also
suggest there is less tolerance to
ideological differences,” she said.
MPs from all parties have
The state of the Brexit negoti-
ations was discussed at a longer-
than-normal Cabinet yesterday
morning, at which ministers
were also promised weekly up-
dates on Brexit planning.
A backstop is deemed neces-
sary to prevent a hard border re-
emerging in case the UK and EU
are not able to conclude a free
trade deal. The UK is proposing
that the whole country would
remain in a “temporary customs
arrangement” after the transi-
tion period ends in 2021.
The EU is evaluating whether it
could be an acceptable alternative
to the Northern Ireland-only back-
stop that it has proposed, under
which the region would remain in
the customs union and single mar-
ket, but which May has repeatedly
denounced as unacceptable.
May also told colleagues that
Donald Tusk, the president of the
EU council, had advised her, that
the other members of the union
stood ready to hold an emergency
summit to finalise a Brexit deal
if officials were able to reach an
agreement in principle.
Meanwhile, the premier’s
spokesman said May will face her
Conservative Party lawmakers in
a private meeting in parliament
today as she seeks to calm growing
tensions over her Brexit strategy.
May will make a rare appear-
ance at a meeting of the party’s
so-called “1922 Committee”
of backbenchers in parliament,
where she can expect a rowdy
crowd and difficult questions.
How she goes down with restive
Ryanair rakes in £6mn
a day in flight extras
Daily Mail
London
R
yanair is squeezing more
than £6mn a day in extra
charges from passengers,
it emerged yesterday.
A surge in the number of peo-
ple paying extra just to reserve
a seat or bring a second bag on
board has enabled the budget
airline to generate £1.15bn from
add-ons in just six months.
In results posted yesterday,
the Irish-based carrier revealed
the amount it generated from
‘ancillary sales’ soared by 27%.
It includes everything apart
from the fare and baggage fee –
ranging from priority boarding to
seats with extra legroom, snacks
and sandwiches and car hire.
This has pushed up the aver-
age amount paid in extras per
passenger to around £15.
Ryanair blamed strikes by
cabin crew, pilots and air traf-
fic controllers, as well as higher
fuel costs, for dragging down its
profit by 7% to £1.06bn. A con-
troversial crackdown in Janu-
ary meant passengers had to pay
between £6 and £8 for priority
Gulf Times
13
talked about receiving death
threats and abuse on social me-
dia. Theresa May has promised to
tackle threatening behaviour.
A report published this month
by the thinktank WebRoots De-
mocracy looked at ways to turn
the tide against the “sewer of
hate speech and abusive content”
found online.
One of the suggestions was
for online antisocial behaviour
orders, whereby people who per-
sistently abuse politicians would
be banned from Twitter or Face-
book for a short period and added
to an online abuser register.
Conservative lawmakers, some
of whom would like to topple her,
will be closely watched.
The Sunday newspapers were
full of anonymous attacks on
her, the violent nature of which
have since been condemned by
even her harshest critics. One
said May was entering “the kill-
ing zone”, while another said May
should “bring her own noose” to
the 1922 committee meeting.
A vote of no-confidence in
May would be triggered if 48
Conservative lawmakers submit
letters to the chairman of the
1922 committee to demand such
a vote. The Sunday Times said 46
had now been sent, but Reuters
could not verify that number.
Earlier May has hit out at Tory
MPs who anonymously referred to
her being knifed to death or hanged.
The prime minister said every-
one in public life needed to set an
example with the language they
used, as figures from across the
party called for those responsible
to be expelled.
At the weekend, a former min-
ister was quoted in The Sunday
Times as saying: “The moment
is coming when the knife gets
heated, stuck in her front and
twisted. She’ll be dead soon.”
In the Commons yesterday,
May said: “I think it is incumbent
on all of us in public life to be care-
ful about the language we use.
There are passionate beliefs and
passionate views that are held on
this subject and other subjects but
whatever the subject is we should
all be careful about our language.”
boarding if they wanted to take
a second, larger bag – such as a
wheelie suitcase – on board the
plane.
Ryanair insisted it was purely
to cut down on delays caused
by passengers bringing on more
luggage than could fit in the
overhead lockers. The airline also
doubled the cost of seat reser-
vation charges earlier this year
while hiking the cost of extra
legroom seats.
Seat reservation fees increased
from £2 to £4 per passenger for
one journey – or £8 for a return
trip. Reserving a seat with extra
legroom rose from £11 to £15 per
journey. Parents with children
under 12 have to pay £6 to guar-
antee they can sit with them.
The Civil Aviation Authority
has been investigating the price
of tickets and ‘add-on charges’
including booking and baggage
fees.
One of the main focuses of the
probe will be allegations some
airlines are deliberately split-
ting families up unless they pay
to reserve seats. The watchdog
estimates this tactic is costing
passengers up to £400mn a year
in fees.
 Gulf Times
14 Wednesday, October 24, 2018
BRITAIN
Secret affair led to woman’s murder, court hears
Daily Mail
London
A
midwife who was found
dead in a shallow grave
with tape wrapped around
her face and eyes had been having
a ‘long-standing’ affair with her
killer, a court was told.
Samantha Eastwood was killed
by her former fiance’s brother-in-
law within hours of being seen for
the last time as she left a hospital
night shift.
Michael Stirling, 32, sat ex-
Uber drivers
to charge clean
air fee for all
London rides
Guardian News and Media
London
U
ber will charge its custom-
ers in London an extra 15p
per mile on every trip to
help its drivers buy electric cars.
The ride-hailing app hopes to
create a £200mn fund from the
levy to encourage almost half
of its 45,000 drivers to use fully
electric vehicles by 2021. The firm
hopes its London fleet will be fully
electric by 2025.
Uber said the clean air fee
would mean an extra 45p on the
average three-mile trip in the
capital, on top of normal fares,
but every penny would go towards
helping drivers upgrade their ve-
hicles or other green initiatives
should that money not be used.
The fund was announced as
part of a clean air plan, as Uber
continues its efforts to prove itself
to Transport for London after it
initially decided not to renew its
licence to operate last year.
Uber’s chief executive, Dara
Khosrowshahi, said the initiative,
a world first for the company,
showed it was committed to be-
ing a strong partner in the capital.
“It represents our wanting our
partnership in London not only
to be a strong partnership but
trailblazing in solving air pollu-
tion, which every great city in the
world is struggling with, and our
mayor here in London is looking
to improve,” he said.
However, Khosrowshahi said
Uber would continue to resist
proposals to make its drivers li-
able for London’s congestion
charge, unless black cabs were
also forced to pay.
Under Uber’s new scheme,
each driver will in effect have
their own savings account to-
wards the purchase of an electri-
cal vehicle, based on the number
of miles driven. A driver using
Uber’s app for an average of 40
hours per week could expect to
Spanish police handed
racial abuse case details
Guardian News and Media
London
P
olice say they have identi-
fied a man who was filmed
racially abusing an elderly
woman on a Ryanair flight.
The woman, Delsie Gayle, 77,
said she was left stunned and de-
pressed after a man shouted at her
to move seats as they boarded a
plane last Friday
In footage shared on social me-
dia, Gayle’s daughter tries to stand
up to the man and tells him her
mother is disabled, and the man
says he does not care “whether
she’s disabled or not – if I tell her
to get out, she gets out.”
Essex police said they had iden-
tified both parties in the incident
and passed the information to the
Spanish authorities, who are lead-
ing an investigation.
In the footage, the man appears
to tell Gayle: “Don’t speak to me in
a foreign language, you stupid ugly
cow.” The incident is believed to
have taken place on Ryanair flight
FR015 at Barcelona airport before
pressionless behind a desk in his
remand prison to admit the mur-
der of 28-year-old Eastwood in a
short hearing conducted via vid-
eolink to Northampton Crown
Court.
Stirling’s wife Katie is the sis-
ter of the man Eastwood had been
due to marry this summer, John
Peake.
The two couples regularly so-
cialised together and were pic-
tured together at the wedding
of one of Peake’s relatives. But
Eastwood suddenly called off
the engagement in January, leav-
save about £3,000 towards a new
electric vehicle in two years.
Uber said it was in talks with
manufacturers to negotiate prices
and ensure supply, as well as to
home vehicle charging suppliers.
Khosrowshahi said: “You’re
going to see many initiatives but
what it adds up to is us moving
from being a simple ride-sharing
service to transforming to an on-
demand mobility service. We
ultimately want to be that go-
to mobility platform – whether
you’re going to move with the car
or a bike or ultimately a bus or the
tube service. All this is aimed at
eventually replacing car owner-
ship itself.
“Cars are unused 95% of the
time and take up enormous
amounts of space, in parking etc
– we want to give that space back
to the city.”
Uber is also offering a diesel
scrappage bonus of £1,500 in
credit for its app to the first 1,000
people in London to scrap a pre-
Euro 4 diesel vehicle.
Khosrowshahi said: “It’s our
goal to help people replace their
car with their phone by offer-
ing a range of mobility options –
whether cars, bikes, scooters or
public transport – all in the Uber
app.”
The chief executive said he was
confident most drivers would take
up the chance to spend their clean
air fee savings on a new electric
vehicle, but the fund would oth-
erwise be used for other green
schemes. “We won’t bank it.”
The IWGB union, which rep-
resents private hire drivers, said:
“We are very concerned that this
latest PR move from Uber will
lure drivers deeper into debt, as
they struggle to finance expensive
vehicles on below minimum wage
income. The answer to London’s
growing congestion and pollution
problem is for the government
and the mayor to resolutely com-
mit to capping minicab numbers
in London.”
it left for London Stansted.
In an interview with ITV News,
Gayle, from east London, said the
incident had left her feeling very
low. “He pays his fare, I pay mine.
So why did he abuse me for that?
Because of the colour of my skin …
If I had done that to him, I’m sure
they would have called the police,”
she said.
Ryanair apparently did not re-
move the man from the flight, in-
stead moving Gayle from her seat.
Gayle said it had put her off flying
with the low-cost airline in the fu-
ture. “I feel really depressed about
it. I go to bed and say ‘what have I
done?’,” she said.
Her daughter, Carol, 53, criti-
cised Ryanair’s response and
claimed they had not yet received
an apology from the airline. “He
should have been moved or taken
off the plane and nothing was done
… Nobody has apologised. We’ve
not had nothing. We just want an
open apology from Ryanair,” she
said.
The argument is believed to
have started because Gayle, who
was returning from a holiday
ing friends baffled as to what had
gone wrong between the pair.
Stirling’s barrister, Charles
Miskin, QC, told the court how
his client, a fencer and landscape
gardener, had been in a ‘long-
standing but not particularly in-
tense’ affair with Eastwood.
Eastwood’s mother Carole, 59,
sobbed in the public gallery as
Miskin said the guilty plea had
been entered on the basis that the
murder was not a “premeditated
act”.
He added: “The context of
the killing was a background of
Dutch king and queen begin state visit
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands pose with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, as they arrive at Buckingham Palace after a
ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade in London yesterday, on the first day of the Dutch king and queen’s two-day state visit.
Govt ‘may ease converting
empty shops into homes’
Daily Mail
London
T
he chancellor is consid-
ering making it easier to
convert empty shops into
homes to tackle Britain’s hous-
ing crisis, it was reported yes-
terday.
Philip Hammond is said to be
exploring ways to reshape town
centres by relaxing rules around
classifying buildings.
The government is seeking
ways to deliver on its promise to
fix the ‘broken’ housing mar-
ket. An announcement on plan-
ning reform could be made in the
Budget on Monday, The Financial
Times reported.
Advocates say it could serve
designed to cheer her up on the
first anniversary of her husband’s
death, has arthritis and took some
time to move out of the way so the
man could be seated.
The incident was described by
the Transport Secretary, Chris
Grayling, as “totally unaccept-
able”. He told BBC Radio 4’s To-
day programme he hoped “police
would want to take action in such
an extraordinarily unacceptable
case”.
The shadow transport minister,
Karl Turner, said Ryanair’s failure
to immediately remove the man
from the flight and hand him over
to the Spanish authorities could
result in no charges being brought.
He told Radio 4’s World at One
that because Ryanair was reg-
istered in Dublin and the plane
was on the ground in Spain, UK
law did not apply. There was no
extradition arrangement for an
offence of this nature, he said, so
there could be no charges unless
the man handed himself over to
the Spanish authorities. “I doubt
whether he’s going to do that,”
Turner said.
growing tension arising from a
long-standing, but not particu-
larly intense affair. On the after-
noon of the killing, various things
were said between the defendant
and Eastwood which led to him
becoming very angry. There was
an argument... After a struggle,
and while she was on the floor,
he put his hands over her throat,
her mouth and nose. As a result of
that she died.”
As Miskin continued, Stirling
began sobbing into his hands. The
barrister added: “During his in-
tense rage, he originally intended
as a solution to keeping high
streets intact despite the decline
in bricks-and-mortar shops. The
prime minister suggested in a
speech in March that more dis-
used buildings should be reused
as homes.
At the same time, there have
been a string of profit warnings
and collapses on the high street
this year as consumers increas-
ingly move their shopping online.
More than 50,000 retail jobs have
been lost this year alone. Another
option would be to reform busi-
ness rates to provide much-need-
ed relief for shops, but this would
come at cost to the Treasury – the
levy generated £27.3bn in 2016-17.
Hammond is resisting calls
to embark on a major overhaul
of business rates because of the
Film premiere
Actor Gwilym Lee poses on the red carpet on arrival for the
world premiere of the film Bohemian Rhapsody at Wembley
Arena in north London yesterday.
to cause her really serious bodily
harm, but matters escalated and
he carried out the intention to kill
her.
“He panicked afterwards and
buried her in an area of which he
had some knowledge.”
Eastwood’s body was found in
a disused quarry at Caverswall
on the edge of the Staffordshire
Moorlands, eight days after she
was last seen driving out of the
Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Her face and eyes had been bound
with masking tape and her body
wrapped in a duvet in the shal-
revenue they bring in.
Business rates are charged as a
set percentage of a property’s es-
timated value on the rental mar-
ket – its so-called rateable value.
Every company is automati-
cally being hit with a 2.4% rise in
their rates next year, in line with
last month’s inflation figure – an
increase which will rake in an-
other £728mn for the taxman.
But 261,700 firms face even
larger rises because their proper-
ty’s rental value is judged to have
gone up, according to consultant
Altus Group.
Around 241,800 of them are
small premises such as corner
shops, which are likely to have
ultra-tight margins and could be
tipped over the edge by the tax
hike.
low grave eight miles from her
home in Baddeley Green, Stoke-
on-Trent. The day after Eastwood
vanished, Stirling was seen in her
road knocking on doors asking
neighbours if they had seen the
missing midwife.
He was later arrested and bailed
– and was observed casually cy-
cling to his parents’ home as police
continued to hunt for Eastwood
– before being re-arrested and
charged with her murder when
the grave was discovered.
Stirling’s barrister said he “en-
tirely accepts that he tried, wholly
Mike Cherry, chairman of the
Federation of Small Businesses,
said: “These figures show that
despite welcome efforts from the
government to reduce the busi-
ness rates burden for small firms,
far too many still have uncertain
futures because of this ridiculous
levy.
“Business rates is a regressive
tax that makes life a misery for
thousands of small businesses
simply because they occupy a
property. The chancellor claims
to be pro-business - this budget
is his chance to prove it.
“We’ve seen our high streets
struggling with many businesses
forced to close. They urgently
need support.”
At present, a small business
occupying a premises with a rate-
Children’s services at
breaking point: experts
Guardian News and Media
London
C
hildren’s services from
Sure Start to schools and
NHS mental health are
at breaking point, according to
a coalition of 120 organisations
that have called on the Chancel-
lor to invest in young people in
the budget next week.
An open letter to Philip Ham-
mond and Theresa May from
a group of charities, teaching
unions and medical colleges ac-
cuses the government of ignor-
ing children and young people in
its spending plans.
Local authorities backed the
call, saying council-run chil-
dren’s services were fast ap-
proaching a tipping point as
they struggled to maintain
services in the face of a funding
gap estimated to reach £3bn by
2025.
“If austerity is really coming to
an end, its high time the govern-
ment puts its money where its
mouth is, and makes a concrete
financial commitment to the
welfare of children,” said Anna
dishonestly, to mislead others in
the afternoon after the killing”.
Jonas Hankin, QC, prosecut-
ing, told Justice Carr that Stir-
ling, who had never been in trou-
ble with the law previously, had
a history of depression and had
searched ‘methods by which one
might kill oneself’ online 48 hours
before the murder. A few weeks
before her death, Eastwood had
advertised her wedding dress for
sale on Facebook Marketplace for
£400, describing the Alfred An-
gelo garment as “not worn apart
from being tried on in the shop”.
able value of less than £51,000
pay rates at 48p in the pound.
So a shop worth an estimated
£20,000 would pay £9,600 year.
After the inflation-linked in-
crease, the small business rate
will rise to 49.2p – meaning the
same shop would be charged
£9,840 or £240 more.
Robert Hayton, of Altus
Group, said: “It is time for the
chancellor to take a step back
and support business through
an unprecedented stimulus by
freezing rate rises at the upcom-
ing Budget.”
The Mail is campaigning for a
sweeping reform of rates to level
the playing field, and Chancellor
Philip Hammond is under grow-
ing pressure to act in this month’s
Budget.
Feuchtwang, the chair of the End
Child Poverty alliance.
The call comes at a time of
increasing concern about ris-
ing child poverty, long waits for
youth mental health services,
school budget cuts and growing
demand for services for young-
sters with special educational
needs and disabilities.
Councils have said finan-
cial pressures caused by rising
demand for children’s serv-
ices threaten to tip town halls
into bankruptcy. More than 90
children a day are taken into
care in England, while family
support services undergo mas-
sive cuts.
The letter cites a survey by the
National Association of Head
Teachers that found almost
three-quarters of school leaders
expected they would be unable to
balance their budgets in the next
financial year.
Earlier this month the Nation-
al Audit Office said mental health
services for children would fall
well short of meeting growing
need, despite promises of extra
funding, in part because of staff
shortages.
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 15

EUROPE
Turkish nationalist
leader ends election
alliance with AKP
In eurozone first, EU
AFP
Ankara

T
he leader of Turkey’s
main nationalist fac-
tion has announced that
there would be no alliance with
the ruling party of President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan in local
alliance in the local elections,”
he added.
The announcement stunned
Turkey politics watchers.
Bahceli later clarified to
journalists in parliament that
the so-called People’s Alliance
rejects Italy’s budget
AFP Italy stood by its budget.
between the parties remained Strasbourg Brussels was only angering
in place, “but there is no al- Italians even more and eroding
liance for the local elections”, faith in the bloc, he warned.

elections next year after a dis-
pute over a proposed amnesty
law.
The Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP) of Devlet Bah-
celi teamed up with Erdogan’s
Justice and Development Party
(AKP) for an alliance in June’s
parliamentary and presidential
elections, a move widely seen
as aiding the president’s vic-
tory.
But speaking to MHP mem-
bers and lawmakers in parlia-
ment, Bahceli announced there
will be no such alliance for the
March 31 local elections which
will determine city mayors
across the country, notably in
Ankara and Istanbul.
The rupture comes after
the MHP encouraged the AKP
to agree to a mass amnesty –
mostly for common criminals
but also some mobsters – an
idea received with little enthu-
siasm in the ruling party.
“No alliance can survive if
one party is rejected and forced
to step back,” Bahceli said.
“There is no meaning in ex-
tending this process.”
“We no longer have any ex-
pectation or intention for an
Eager beaver fells tree on yacht
meaning the MHP will not vote
against the AKP in parliament
but will field competing candi-
dates in the local elections.
During his speech, Erdogan
appeared to seek to reassure
AKP members and lawmakers.
“We only have one thing to
say, since they say ‘let’s go our
way’ in local elections, we say
‘everyone go their own way!’”
Erdogan downplayed any
fears of a spat after a journal-
ist asked him after his speech
if the alliance was broken, he
said: “We want the alliance ...
to continue.”
While the two parties
teamed up for the formal alli-
ance in the elections, the MHP
has no ministers in the cabinet
and is not part of a formal al-
liance in parliament with the
AKP, which is just short of an
overall majority.
Nevertheless Bahceli’s move
could upset the strategy of the
ruling party to hoover up na-
tionalist votes in order to pre-
vent them going to the other
nationalist party – the Good
Party – of former cabinet min-
ister Meral Aksener, who open-
ly opposes Erdogan.
T
he European Commission
has rejected Italy’s draft
2019 budget, the first time
the EU executive has ever sent a
member state back to the draw-
ing board over spending plans.
Charging Rome with “openly
and consciously” flouting pledg-
es made, the Commission gave
Italy’s populist government three
weeks to present a new plan to
curb spending in line with the
rules.
“Today for the first time the
commission is required to ask
a euro area country to revise its
draft budgetary plan,” Commis-
sion Vice-President Valdis Dom-
brovskis told reporters.
Despite its “regret”, he said,
the executive arm of the 28-na-
tion European Union saw “no
alternative” than to ask Rome for
a new draft, as clarifications sent
on Monday had failed to dissi-
pate concerns raised by member
countries in July.
“The Italian government is
openly and consciously going
against commitments made,”
Dombrovskis said.
“Europe is built on co-opera-
tion,” he said. “If trust is eroded
all member states take damage.
Our union takes damage.”
Italy’s far-right Deputy Prime
Minister Matteo Salvini insisted
Sitting next to Dombrovskis,
European Economics Commis-
sioner Pierre Moscovici said that
the “ball is not touching the line,
it is far from the line”.
If Italy fails to comply with
the Commission’s request, he
warned, it could face disciplinary
action.
This could lead to fines of 0.2%
of its GDP, or €3.4bn, based on
2017 figures.
Italy’s government says it
will stick to a deficit of 2.4% of
annual economic output next
year, which would be triple the
amount forecast by the previous
government and approach the EU
limit of 3.0%.
In turn, it would aggravate
Italy’s already huge debt moun-
tain, at some 130% of gross do-
mestic product (GDP), way above
the EU’s 60% ceiling and second
only to Greece’s in Europe.
Dombrovskis said last year
that Italy’s debt represented an
average burden of €37,000 per
inhabitant and the country spent
about the same amount to serv-
ice its debt as it did on education.
“Experience has shown ... that
higher fiscal deficits and debt
do not bring lasting growth,” he
said. “Excessive debt makes your
economy more vulnerable to fu-
ture crisis.”
Moscovici: the ball is not
touching the line, it is far from
the line.
However, the coalition gov-
ernment of the anti-establish-
ment 5-Star Movement (M5S)
and anti-immigrant League has
said it will reduce total debt to
126.5% in 2021.
Italian Prime Minister
Giuseppe Conte, speaking to re-
porters as he arrived in Moscow
for talks with President Vladimir
Putin, said they are ready to ar-
gue their case before the Com-
mission.
“It’s not an improvised budg-
et, it’s a budget that we have
considered, elaborated, we have
thought about it a long time,” he
said. “So saying today or tomor-
row morning that we are looking
at it again would make no sense.”
In its four-page letter to the
Commission, Italy’s government
acknowledged that its budget
was “not in line with the norms
Salvini: Brussels was only angering Italians even more and eroding
faith in the bloc.
of the stability and growth pact”
governing EU member state pub-
lic finances.
“It was a difficult decision
but necessary given the delay in
achieving pre-crisis GDP levels
and the dramatic economic situ-
ation of the most disadvantaged
in Italian society,” the letter said.
The eurozone’s bailout fund
director, Klaus Regling, said
shortly before the announcement
that there is no need to panic over
Italy’s high-spending plans.
Their proposals do not comply
with the legal framework, “but
Italy is not the next Greece”, said
the German head of the European
Stability Mechanism.
“One should not get into a
panic,” Regling said.
Italy had not lost its ability to
compete, and a large part of its
debt is financed internally.
There is “very, very limited
risk” of contagion to other coun-
tries, he argued.
When the euro area was
formed in 1999 and the euro cur-
rency introduced in 2002, Italy
was among the 11 original mem-
bers – of the 15 EU member states
at the time.
In the years following the
2007-2008 financial crisis, the
EU Commission has set stricter
limits on spending and gained
more power to enforce them.

A couple in Germany had a bizarre near-death experience when a

huge tree felled by a beaver crashed down onto their yacht, causing
damage worth thousands of euros.
The tenacious animal managed to nibble its way through a 20m tall
poplar on the banks of the Mueritz-Elde waterway in the town of
Luebz, local water police said yesterday.
France clears 1,800 migrants from northern camp
The tree, whose trunk was about 50cm wide, then fell directly on
top of the 10m yacht. AFP Salam, an aid group working with
The two holidaymakers were inside at the time, but below deck, so Grande-Synthe, France migrants.
escaped uninjured. “They need to be given tem-
The accident happened on October 18. porary housing, but we know

F
“They were very lucky,” a police spokeswoman remarked. “Luckily rench police cleared 1,800
the yacht was made of metal, so it was able to continue on its migrants from a makeshift
journey.” camp near Dunkirk yester-
day, hoping to deter people-traf-
fickers seeking to smuggle them
Albania arrests 27 in drugs crackdown across the Channel to Britain.
Hundreds of police flooded the
Albanian police arrested 27 people and seized narcotics and Grande-Synthe camp at dawn to
weapons on Sunday during a crackdown on gangs smuggling expel the migrants, most of them
heroin into Germany, authorities said. Iraqi Kurds, who were loaded
More than 1,500 officers raided properties across the country, which onto dozens of buses bound for
has promised to boost its crime-fighting efforts as part of its bid to shelters.
join the European Union. While the infamous “Jungle”
Days earlier, police raided a heroin lab in the mountainous Has camp in nearby Calais was razed
region and found morphine and drug ingredients that had come in 2016, migrants continue to
from Turkey via Macedonia and Kosovo, national police chief Ardi head to the coast hoping to stow
Veliu told reporters on Monday. away on trucks travelling to Brit-
ain.
Refugees and others seek-
Shopkeeper lays trap for robbers ing a better life have long used
the wooded, lakeside area near
A Belgian store owner foiled an armed robbery on Saturday by Dunkirk as a jumping-off point
telling the would-be thieves to return later when there would be for attempted crossings, and this
more money in the till. was the sixth such operation in
The gang duly complied – only to be arrested by waiting police five months.
officers, broadcaster RTL reported yesterday. The migrants, including many
“I told them they’d be better off robbing me at half past six,” families, “will be cared for and
Charleroi e-cigarette seller Didier told the channel. “I could see I given shelter in emergency ac-
wasn’t dealing with geniuses.” commodation throughout the
Migrants are seen with their belongings during a police operation to clear a migrant camp in Grande
Synthe, northwestern France.
Hauts-de-Seine region and oth-
er regions nearby”, local authori-
ties said in a statement.
The operation was intended
“to stop human trafficking in
these camps where smuggling
rings are active”, they added.
Some migrants were aware of
the impending swoop and left
the camp ahead of the operation
– “but tomorrow, many will be
back”, predicted Claude Lenoir of
full well that some migrants will
return, as is always the case,”
said Akim Toualbia, deputy head
of Drop, another migrants’ aid
group.
The migrants were living in the
camp with no access to showers
or toilets as the winter chill be-
gins to set in, he added.
Newly-appointed Interior
Minister Christophe Castaner,
who was due to visit later, has
vowed to take a tough stance on
illegal immigration.
France received a record
100,000 asylum requests in 2017,
up 17% from the year before.
Police had clashed overnight
with migrants who set up road-
blocks near the port of Calais,
some 40km (25 miles) west,
though officials said there were
no casualties.
Migrants have repeatedly set
up roadblocks at night in an at-
tempt to slow trucks heading
onto ferries bound for Britain,
hoping to make it easier to slip
aboard.

Ban on niqab violates human rights: UN Militant recruiter loses citizenship

Reuters In its findings, the panel said AFP meet his obligations as a Belgian of her Belgian citizenship.
Geneva the ban had violated the two Brussels citizen and posed a permanent The Moroccan-Belgian wom-
women’s human rights and threat to public security”, Belgian an is the widow of a Tunisian
called on France to pay them media reported. religious extremist who died in

T A
he UN Human Rights
Committee said yester-
day that France’s ban on
the niqab, the full-body Islamic
veil, is a violation of human
rights and called on it to review
the legislation.
France had failed to make the
case for its ban, the committee
said, giving Paris 180 days to re-
port back to say what actions it
had taken.
The panel’s findings are not
legally binding but could influ-
ence French courts.
“In particular, the Committee
was not persuaded by France’s
claim that a ban on face covering
was necessary and proportion-
ate from a security standpoint
or for attaining the goal of ‘liv-
ing together’ in society,” it said.
The panel of 18 independent
experts oversees compliance
with the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (IC-
CPR).
Implementation of its deci-
sions is not mandatory, but un-
der an optional protocol of the
treaty, France has an interna-
tional legal obligation to comply
“in good faith”.
This 2011 file picture shows a woman, wearing a niqab despite a
nationwide ban, making a phone call outside the courts in Meaux,
east of Paris.
There was no immediate re-
action from French authorities.
The same committee came to
similar conclusions on the 2008
case of a woman sacked by a
crèche for wearing a veil.
In September, a top French
judge was quoted by newspa-
per Le Monde as saying that
while not binding, the panel’s
decisions might still influence
French case law.
In 2014, the European Court
of Human Rights, whose rulings
are binding, upheld France’s ban
on full-face veils in public, say-
ing that it was not in violation of
the right to religious freedom.
But the UN Human Rights
Committee disagreed with this
in its statement yesterday, say-
ing that the ban disproportion-
ately harmed the right of wom-
en to manifest their religious
beliefs and could lead to them
being confined at home and
marginalised.
The committee’s findings
come after complaints by two
Frenchwomen convicted in 2012
under a 2010 law stipulating
that “No one may, in a public
space, wear any article of cloth-
ing intended to conceal the face”.
compensation.
Under the ban, anyone wear-
ing the full-face veil in public is
liable to a fine of €150 or lessons
in French citizenship.
The committee’s chair Yuval
Shany said that he and several
others on the 18-member panel
considered it a form of oppres-
sion.
Several countries in Europe
have introduced legislation on
Islamic dress.
Denmark’s parliament enact-
ed a ban on wearing of face veils
in public in May.
Belgium, the Netherlands,
Bulgaria and the German state
of Bavaria have also imposed
some restrictions on full-face
veils in public places.
France has the largest Muslim
minority in Europe, estimated at
5mn or more out of a population
of 67mn.
The place of religion and re-
ligious symbols worn in public
can be a matter of controversy in
the staunchly secular country.
According to French media
Metronews, some 223 fines were
handed out in 2015 for wearing a
full veil in public.
man found guilty in Bel- Belkacem’s lawyer Liliane Afghanistan after having assas-
gium of recruiting re- Verjauw denounced the deci- sinated the Afghan commander
ligious extremists was sion by the court in the northern Ahmad Shah Massoud, who led
stripped yesterday of his Belgian Dutch-speaking city, saying that the resistance to the Taliban.
citizenship, a rare move which she would take further action to Belgium’s immigration minis-
the country’s Flemish national- restore his nationality. ter Theo Francken, who belongs
ists want applied more broadly in “Usually the second step is to the Flemish nationalist N-VA
terrorism cases. to try to expel him to Morocco,” party, welcomed the court’s “ex-
Fouad Belkacem, a 36-year- Verjauw told AFP. “Yet his whole cellent” decision.
old born in Belgium to Moroccan family is in Belgium, his wife and “This should happen auto-
parents, was sentenced in 2015 his four children are Belgian. He matically for terrorism convic-
to 12 years in prison for heading does not have a Moroccan pass- tions,” he said.
“a terrorist group”, Sharia4Bel- port.” He recalled a draft law spon-
gium, which sent militants to In December last year, Malika sored by a fellow N-VA politician
Syria. el-Aroud, who served an eight- supported automatically strip-
An appeals court in Antwerp year prison term in Belgium for ping citizenship for any Belgian
withdrew his citizenship on leading an Al Qaeda-linked ter- who holds another nationality
grounds “he seriously failed to rorist organisation, was stripped and is convicted of terrorism.
French media urge Macron to keep press room inside Elysee
French journalists have urged President Emmanuel Journalists said moving the office out of the Elysee
Macron to scrap plans to move the presidential press would undermine a symbol of transparency,
room outside the Elysee palace, saying that the highlighting Macron’s preferred communications
measure would make it more difficult for reporters to strategy of using Twitter and Facebook to bypass the
cover government business. media.
The press room currently overlooks the palace’s The press room closure would be “nothing less
central courtyard, letting journalists see visitors than a lock-down of the Elysee and the decision
coming and going. would impinge on reporters’ freedom to inform”, the
But soon after Macron took office last year, aides said presidential press association, headed by Reuters
he would relocate it from within the palace walls to a reporter Elizabeth Pineau, said in a statement
street nearby. yesterday.
 Gulf Times
16 Wednesday, October 24, 2018

EUROPE

Erdogan demands
US to revoke visas of 21 punishment for all
behind ‘planned
Saudis over Khashoggi Khashoggi murder’
z These penalties will not be the last word from us: Pompeo Agencies & Al Jazeera

z Whoever thought of the idea is in big trouble: Trump Ankara/Istanbul

z CIA chief wants to hear Turkey’s audio of Khashoggi killing: sources

T
urkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan yesterday
said the “savage murder”
of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at
Agencies “These penalties will not be the Khashoggi killing could have up to Congress. And that means the Saudi consulate in Istanbul
Washington the last word on this matter from happened, Trump said: “They Congress, both Republicans and was meticulously planned, and
the United States. We will con- had a very bad original concept. Democrats,” Trump said, adding demanded that all those linked to
tinue to explore additional meas- It was carried out poorly, and the that he would like a bipartisan the killing face punishment.

T
wenty-one Saudis will
have their US visas revoked
or be made ineligible for
American visas over the killing of
journalist Jamal Khashoggi, US
State Department spokeswoman
Heather Nauert said yesterday.
The vast majority of the 21
have American visas, a State De-
partment official said.
This is the toughest action by
the US to date against its long-
time ally Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo said the US has “identi-
fied at least some of the individu-
als” behind the death of the Wash-
ington Post opinion writer in Saudi
Arabia’s Istanbul consulate.
“We are taking appropriate ac-
tion, which includes revoking visas,
entering visa lookouts and other
measures,” Pompeo told reporters.
Visa ‘lookouts’ mean that suspects
would be marked as inadmissible
when trying to enter the US.
ures to hold those accountable,”
Pompeo said. “We are making (it)
very clear that the United States
does not tolerate this kind of ac-
tion to silence Mr. Khashoggi, a
journalist, through violence.”
The top US diplomat said the
affected Saudis came from “the
intelligence services, the royal
court, the foreign ministry and
other Saudi ministries”.
Pompeo said the US was also
looking into whether to take ac-
tion under a law named after Ser-
gei Magnitsky, the anti-corruption
accountant who died in Russian
custody, that would impose finan-
cial sanctions on individuals be-
hind Khashoggi’s death.
US lawmakers have been
pressing President Donald
Trump’s administration to take
tough action, with several men-
tioning the Magnitsky Act.
The statements came on a day
Trump said the Saudi authorities
Mike Pompeo
staged the “worst cover-up ever”
in the killing of Khashoggi this
month.
Asked by a reporter in the
White House Oval Office how
cover-up was one of the worst in
the history of cover-ups.”
Khashoggi’s death in the Saudi
consulate in Istanbul on Octo-
ber 2 has caused global outrage.
Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi
Crown Prince Mohamed bin Sal-
man, was a US resident and col-
umnist for the Washington Post.
Yesterday, Trump said the
Khashoggi matter was handled
badly by Saudi officials. “Bad deal,
should have never been thought
of. Somebody really messed up.
And they had the worst cover-up
ever,” he said. “Because whoever
thought of that idea, I think is in
big trouble. And they should be in
big trouble. Okay?”
Trump also said he would work
with the US Congress to deter-
mine the American response to
the Khashoggi matter.
“In terms of what we ultimate-
ly do, I’m going to leave it very
much - in conjunction with me -
recommendation.
Meanwhile, CIA director Gina
Haspel, in Turkey to investigate
the death of Khashoggi, has sought
to hear a purported audio record-
ing of his torture and murder, four
sources familiar with her mission
told Reuters yesterday.
Haspel flew to Turkey on Mon-
day for what one source called a
brief visit, three weeks after
Khashoggi disappeared and days
after Trump asked Turkey to
share evidence it had collected.
Despite extensive news leaks
alleging that Turkey has au-
dio recordings documenting
Khashoggi’s demise, neither the
US nor allied government agen-
cies had been granted access as
of late Monday to such evidence,
Western security officials said.
There are no plans for Haspel
to travel to Saudi Arabia during
her trip, sources familiar with the
mission said.
Erdogan, who had promised
that his speech to lawmakers in
Ankara would reveal the “naked
truth” about the killing, did pro-
vide a host of new details.
But the president acknowl-
edged that Turkey was still
searching for answers to key
questions, including who gave
the order.
Saudi Arabia on Saturday ad-
mitted that Khashoggi, 59, was
killed in its Istanbul consulate.
A former royal family insider
turned critic of the Saudi crown
prince, Khashoggi disappeared
after he entered the consulate on
October 2 to collect a document
for his upcoming marriage.
Erdogan’s revelations of care-
ful planning contradicted the
Saudi version of an operation
gone wrong.
Erdogan outlined the steps
taken by what he said was a
15-person team that came from
Riyadh planning to kill Khashog-
gi, including carrying out recon-
naissance outside Istanbul and
Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking
in Ankara yesterday.
Police have searched both areas
for evidence of Khashoggi’s re-
mains, Reuters has reported.
On the day Khashoggi arrived
for his appointment and was
later killed, the hard disk in the
consulate’s camera system was
removed, Erdogan said.
“Covering up a savage murder
like this will only hurt the human
conscience. We expect the same
sensitivity from all parties, pri-
marily the Saudi Arabian leader-
ship,” he noted. “We have strong
signs that the murder was the re-
sult of a planned operation, not a
spontaneous development.”
On the day of the killing, 15

G7 says ‘many questions unanswered’ deactivating security cameras at

the consulate.
He said 18 suspects detained
by Saudi Arabia should be extra-
dited to Istanbul to face trial over
people went to the consulate, in-
cluding security, intelligence and
forensic experts, Erdogan said.
Consulate personnel were given
the day off. “Why did these 15

z Body parts ‘found’ in search for Khashoggi, says Sky News report
Agencies & Al Jazeera A former royal family insider
London/Ankara/Istanbul turned critic of the Saudi crown
prince, Khashoggi disappeared
after he entered the consulate on
The broadcaster said “well-
placed sources within the in-
vestigation and within po-
litical circles” revealed that the
“The location of Mr Khashog-
gi’s body is just one of the ques-
tions we need answers to and as
such we await the full results of
condolences, pledging Turkey
would do all it can to solve his
murder, presidential sources
said.
the killing and called for an in-
vestigation into those with “even
the slightest link” to the case.
But the Turkish leader did not
mention some of the most strik-
ing claims that appeared in the
Turkish press in recent days, no-
tably that Khashoggi’s body was
people meet in Istanbul on the
day of the murder? We are seek-
ing answers to this. Who are these
people receiving orders from?”
Erdogan said. He added that he
wanted Saudi Arabia to send the
suspects to Turkey for trial.
Turkish investigators, mean-

S
audi Arabia’s explanations
so far about the killing of
journalist Jamal Khashoggi
leave “many questions unan-
swered”, G7 foreign ministers
said yesterday in a joint state-
ment.
“Those responsible for the
killing must be held to account.
Saudi Arabia must put in place
measures to ensure something
like this can never happen again,”
the statement said.
The statement was agreed by the
foreign ministers of Britain, Canada,
France, Germany, Italy, Japan and
the US, plus the high representative
of the European Union.
In it, they “condemn in the
strongest possible terms” the
killing of Khashoggi.
After more than two weeks
of near silence, Saudi Arabia on
Saturday finally admitted that
Khashoggi, 59, was killed in their
Istanbul consulate.
October 2 to collect a document
for his upcoming marriage.
“The confirmation of Mr Jamal
Khashoggi’s death is a first step
toward full transparency and ac-
countability. However, the ex-
planations offered leave many
questions unanswered,” the G7
ministers said.
“We reiterate our expectation
for a thorough, credible, trans-
parent and prompt investigation
by Saudi Arabia, in full collabora-
tion with the Turkish authorities,
and a full and rigorous account-
ing of the circumstances sur-
rounding Mr. Khashoggi’s death.
“Those responsible for the
killing must be held to account.
Saudi Arabia must put in place
measures to ensure something
like this can never happen again.”
Meanwhile, body parts be-
longing to Khashoggi have been
found, Al Jazeera said citing a re-
port by Sky News.
59-year-old was “cut up” and
“disfigured” after being killed on
October 2.
One source suggested that
remains were discovered in the
garden of the Saudi consul-gen-
eral’s house.
Sky’s report came just hours
after Turkey’s President Re-
cep Tayyip Erdogan called for
more answers from Riyadh over
Khashoggi’s killing during an ad-
dress to the Turkish parliament
in Ankara.
British Prime Minister Theresa
May’s spokesman described as
“deeply disturbing” reports that
parts of Khashoggi’s body have
been found in Istanbul.
“We are aware of the reports.
They are deeply disturbing,” the
spokesman said.
“Our thoughts are with the
family of Jamal Khashoggi, for
whom they must have been par-
ticularly distressing.
the Turkish investigation.”
Turkey’s Foreign Minis-
ter Mevlut Cavusoglu has af-
firmed that Turkey is ready to
co-operate in any international
investigation into the killing of
Khashoggi.
Cavusoglu said in a press
statement yesterday that Turkey
was ready to co-operate in a pos-
sible probe into the Khashoggi
case at the United Nations, inter-
national courts or institutions.
The minister said that it was
“important” that Saudi Ara-
bia acknowledged the killing of
Khashoggi, even though it was a
late statement.
He added that his country had
not yet shared any information
with any country on the case, but
there may be meetings between
intelligence services.
Erdogan spoke by phone with
family members of the slain jour-
nalist yesterday and sent them
They said Erdogan had ex-
pressed his deep sadness at
Khashoggi’s killing in his call
with the family members, in-
cluding Khashoggi’s son Abdul-
lah.
In a related development,
Saudi state media reported that
King Salman and Crown Prince
Mohamed bin Salman met with
members of Khashoggi’s fam-
ily in Riyadh, according to Al
Jazeera.
The Saudi rulers met with the
journalist’s son, Salah, and his
brother, Sahel, at the Yamama
Palace, where the royals ex-
pressed their condolences, state-
run news agency SPA reported.
A friend of the Khashoggi fam-
ily told The Associated Press
news agency that Salah has been
under a travel ban since last year.
The individual spoke on condi-
tion of anonymity, fearing re-
prisal.
cut up into multiple pieces, and
that there was an audio record-
ing of the murder.
Erdogan did confirm that a
Saudi official played the role
of body double for Khashoggi,
wearing the journalists clothes
upon leaving the consulate, pre-
tending to be him.
Erdogan did not mention Sau-
di Crown Prince Mohamed bin
Salman by name. But he said he
was confident of the full co-op-
eration of his father, Saudi King
Salman, in the probe and vowed
full retribution for all those
guilty of the “savage murder”.
Erdogan said the killing was
planned from when Khashoggi
first went to the Saudi consu-
late in Istanbul on September 28
to obtain documents necessary
for his marriage. He was told he
would need to return later to col-
lect the documents.
A day before Khashoggi’s
death, agents arrived from over-
seas and began to scout loca-
tions, including the Belgrad For-
est near Istanbul and the city of
while, found two suitcases and
other items in a Saudi consulate
car in Istanbul, as part of the in-
vestigation into the disappear-
ance of Khashoggi, Reuters said,
citing a report by broadcaster
CNN Turk yesterday.
It was not immediately clear
whether any of the items be-
longed to Khashoggi.
A Reuters witness said a Saudi
team accompanied the Turkish
investigators as they carried out
the search in a car park where the
vehicle was found in Istanbul’s
Sultangazi district on Monday.
“We understand that a a
number of things have been
found in the car, including a
personal computer, some cloth-
ing and paperwork,” Al Jazeera’s
Charles Stratford, reporting
from the Turkish city, said yes-
terday. “We understand that
there is no confirmation as to
whether any of these items be-
longs to Khashoggi,” he added.
“They (investigators) are saying
that forensic analysis is needed
before anything like that can be

UN climate chief calls for action plan at COP24 summit Yalova to its south, Erdogan said. confirmed.”

AFP “Success at COP24 means fi- ury of time, nor do we have the energy sector carbon emissions Despite a stream of announce-
Krakow nalising the Paris Agreement luxury of endless negotiations,” will rise again in 2018, after hit- ments and summits, little real
Work Programme – period,” said Espinosa warned ahead of a UN ting record levels in 2017,” she progress has been made however.
Patricia Espinosa, executive sec- climate summit next month in added. In June 2017, President Donald

T
he UN’s climate chief has
said that the COP24 sum-
mit in Poland must pro-
duce a detailed programme to
move the Paris climate accord
forward.
World leaders have been try-
ing to breathe new life into the
Paris Agreement amid backslid-
ing from several nations over
commitments made when it was
signed in December 2015.
retary of UN Climate Change.
The Work Programme is an
operating manual for the 195-na-
tion agreement, which is to take
effect in 2020 and calls for limit-
ing global warming to less than
2° Celsius above pre-industrial
levels.
Experts warn that the global
measure is on track to surpass
3°C by 2100.
“We no longer have the lux-
the Polish city of Katowice.
She spoke at a pre-summit
meeting attended by representa-
tives of 35 countries in the south-
ern Polish city of Krakow.
Espinosa termed limiting cli-
mate change “one of the biggest
challenges humanity has ever
faced.
“But, we’re moving in the
wrong direction. The Interna-
tional Energy Agency tells us that
The energy sector accounts for
80% of global CO2 emissions,
with most of the rest caused by
deforestation and agriculture,
so its efficiency is key to curbing
rising temperatures.
With a rise of just 1°C so far,
the Earth has witnessed a surge
of extreme weather, including
heatwaves, droughts, floods and
deadly storm surges made worse
by rising seas.
Trump said the US would pull out
of the agreement in November
2020, and support from several
other countries has faded.
Espinosa warned that “by
2030, the loss of productivity
caused by a hotter world could
cost the global economy $2tn”
(€1.7tn).
Climate change could also dis- A diplomatic car of the Saudi consulate, which was being searched
place 50mn to 200mn people by by forensic police officers, leaves during ongoing investigations in
2050, she added. the killing of Khashoggi in Istanbul, yesterday.

HEALTH PAYOUT APPEAL CRIME ACCIDENT

12 get hepatitis C after
operations in Germany
Twelve patients at a German hospital have so far
been found to have hepatitis C after undergoing
surgery involving an anaesthetist who is himself
infected with the disease.
The practitioner who no longer works at the
Donau-Ries Clinic in the southern German town
of Donauwoerth, infected the individuals during
surgery, a local health authority said on Monday.
Prosecutors have opened investigations against
the anaesthetist.
He was addicted to medication, according to the
health body.
Given that hepatitis C is normally transmitted
through blood contact, it is unclear how patients
became infected.
Several hundred of the clinic’s former patients
have been called to get tested for the disease.
Gambling addict wins
€2.5mn compensation
An Austrian court has ordered a gambling
company to pay €2.5mn ($2.87mn) to a gambler
that the court found was under the influence
of addiction, in a judgment made public on
Monday.
The complainant said that over a period of 10
years starting in 2002, he spent around €2mn
$2.3mn) in slot machines run by the Novomatic
company in the capital Vienna.
According to an expert opinion heard by the
court in the town of Wiener Neustadt, the
man was “partially incapacitated” through his
addiction, which rendered his bets invalid.
Novomatic, which is based near Wiener
Neustadt, is one of the world’s biggest gambling
technology companies with operations in
dozens of countries worldwide.
Professor appeals €2,250
late fee for library books
Court proceedings have begun in the case of
a German professor who appealed a €2,250
($2,580) fine for not returning books to her
university’s library on time.
After she returned 50 books late to the
Hochschule Niederrhein library, the psychology
professor was told to pay a €1,000 fine and a
further €1,250 in administrative fees.
The plaintiff’s lawyer said she was appealing the
fine because it is disproportionately high.
A representative of the university admitted
at the court hearing that the fine was not an
accurate calculation of the library’s expenses for
the late returns, but the presiding judge said that
fines of this kind were allowed to be issued as a
deterrence, to ensure others return the books
on time.
Bulgaria raids print shop,
seizes $14.3mn in fake bills
Bulgarian authorities have raided a print shop
that was making counterfeit cash, and seized
fake euro and dollar bills worth more than
$14.3mn, the interior ministry said.
Special forces personnel stormed a basement in
hotel in the Black Sea resort of Sunny Beach and
seized some €100 and €500 notes and $50 bills,
the ministry said on Monday.
“From the print shop and from different
hideouts, over 11mn fake euros and over $1.7mn
were seized, some stockpiled ready and some
unfinished,” the statement said.
The raid at the print shop, the biggest to be
discovered for 11 years, as well as some other 30
sites in the Balkan country, followed a 10-month
investigation supported by Europol and US
intelligence.
Several hurt in Rome
escalator accident
Several people have been hurt in an accident
involving an escalator in a underground station
in central Rome, firefighters said yesterday.
The fire department wrote on Twitter that they
intervened at the Repubblica stop, near Termini
train station.
About 20 people were injured, one of whom was
in critical condition, a spokesman for Italy’s civil
protection agency said.
He added that all those injured were Russians.
According to the Ansa news agency, about
a dozen football fans of Russian team CSKA
Moscow were trapped in a collapsed escalator
that they had been jumping on, “probably” while
drunk.
CSKA Moscow had been due yesterday to play
an away Champions League game against Roma.

Trafficking survivors pin hopes on #MeToo movement
Reuters
Mumbai
A
s India’s #MeToo move-
ment gains ground, cam-
paigners hope sex traf-
ficking survivors will feel more
empowered to speak out about
their experiences, which could
raise awareness of the crime and
help convict perpetrators.
Three arrested
over bid to
blackmail
Paytm founder
Agencies
Lucknow
A
court yesterday remanded
three people, including
the spokeswoman of the
country’s biggest digital pay-
ments company Paytm, to a
week’s custody over an alleged
bid to blackmail its founder and
extort $2.7mn by threatening to
leak stolen personal data.
The incident threatens to em-
barrass the company, synony-
mous with taking digital pay-
ments mainstream in India after
the government’s controversial
currency note ban of late 2016, as
well as its billionaire founder.
Paytm, whose investors include
China’s Alibaba Group and Japan’s
SoftBank Group Corp, has de-
clined to say how the stolen mate-
rial would have allowed the black-
mail of its founder, but added that
only his personal data was taken.
“Paytm would like to reiterate
that all our consumer data is pro-
tected with the highest and most
impenetrable levels of security,”
it said in a statement, declining
further comment until the re-
sults of the police investigation
are known.
Police said Sonia Dhawan, her
husband Rupak Jain and another
Paytm employee, Devendra Ku-
mar, were arrested on Monday
following a complaint on be-
half of Vijay Shekhar Sharma,
the founder of Paytm’s parent,
One97 Communication.
“Police are investigating the
nature of the stolen data and the
modus operandi of the accused
people,” police official Ajay Pal
Sharma said on social network
Twitter.
A police spokesman said a
court in the northern state of Ut-
tar Pradesh remanded the three
accused to a week’s custody.
“They will be in jail until then,”
the spokesman said.
Dhawan could not be reached
for comment on her mobile tel-
ephone. She did not respond to
an e-mail sent to her official ad-
dress. A call to Jain went unan-
swered.
Congress blames Modi,
BJP chief for CBI mess
IANS
New Delhi
T
he Congress yesterday held
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi solely responsible for
“dismantling, denigrating and
destroying” the Central Bureau of
Investigation and accused him and
Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit
Shah of “perpetually misusing”
the central probe agency.
In the wake of the CBI regis-
tering a corruption case against
its Special Director Rakesh
Asthana and raiding its own
headquarters, the Congress said
Modi’s role in the entire matter
was under a cloud.
The opposition party also
raised questions over “Modi
summoning” CBI Director Alok
Kumar Verma and Research and
Analysis Wing chief Anil Dhas-
mana to his residence on Monday
hours after the CBI arrested its
Deputy Superintendent Deven-
dra Kumar in connection with
the case against Asthana.
“Was it to influence the on-
The movement has spread
across India over the past couple
of weeks, as women flood social
media with stories of their expe-
riences of harassment and sexual
violence.
Yet, the voices of those who
have experienced some of the
worst abuse – trafficking vic-
tims – have not been heard, said
Sunitha Krishnan, founder of the
anti-trafficking charity Prajwala.
Reuters could not contact Ku-
mar. Sharma did not immediate-
ly respond to a request seeking
comment.
Other top company officials
declined to comment.
The complaint said Sharma’s
brother and son received two
WhatsApp calls in September
from one of the accused indi-
viduals demanding Rs200mn
($2.7mn) to stop him from mak-
ing the data public.
Ajay told Reuters that before
calling him, the accused ap-
proached Sharma on September
20 from a Thailand number when
he was in Japan for work, threat-
ening to “destroy our lives” if the
money was not paid.
“I told him ‘give us some sam-
ple, only then I will believe what
you are saying’,” Ajay said, recall-
ing the conversation.
“Then he gave me the pass-
words of two Gmail accounts
of my brother. Then we realised
that this guy really had some-
thing.”
Ajay transferred about
Rs200,000 this month to two
bank accounts provided by the
caller, he added.
But the extortion demands did
not end, forcing the family to go
to the police, according to the
complaint, seen by Reuters.
Police also said they were
looking for a fourth suspect.
Rohit Chomal, a Kolkata resi-
dent, is on the run.
Earlier, police said a case was
registered under the relevant
sections of the Indian Penal Code
and Information and Technology
Act against the four.
They added all the phone
numbers concerned were under
observation.
“We are minutely watch-
ing the activities on the same
IP address through which the
phone calls were made,” a po-
lice officer said.
Paytm competes with Alpha-
bet Inc’s Google Pay, and with
95mn monthly active users, it
has been growing by 5% to 6%
every month.
It aims to reach 500mn users
by 2022.
going corruption investigation
against CBI and RAW officers,”
asked Congress spokesman Ran-
deep Singh Surjewala.
Apart from Asthana, the CBI
has also named Samant Kumar
Goel, special director of India’s
external intelligence agency RAW.
Surjewala said “habitual and
perpetual misuse” of CBI by
Modi and Shah in fixing political
opponents and illegal interven-
tion to tamper with fair investi-
gation of serious criminal cases
has landed the agency in an un-
fathomable mess, eroding its in-
dependence and credibility.
“The entire nation is look-
ing for a fair, impartial and in-
dependent investigation of the
serious charges of corruption
involving senior most officers of
CBI and RAW,” he said.
Surjewala said it was also re-
quired to investigate as to who in
the current political dispensation
was involved in the entire saga and
is attempting to shield the accused
involved in the matter.
Citing Madhya Pradesh Chief
Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan
“They fear losing respect if
they speak about their past. They
fear stigma,” said Mona Almeida,
a trustee with Kshamata, a non-
profit that helps rehabilitate sur-
vivors.
India has seen high-profile
women, including Bollywood
actresses, speak out, which cam-
paigners say has helped popular-
ise the movement.
Almeida said she hopes traf-
Shopkeepers wait for customers on their firecracker shop in New Delhi yesterday.
SC allows use of ‘green’
firecrackers for Diwali
Agencies
New Delhi
T
he Supreme Court yes-
terday allowed the use of
“green” firecrackers for
Diwali next month to try to curb
pollution, but it was unclear
how the rules will be enforced or
whether there was such a thing
as an environmentally safe fire-
work.
The court banned the sale
of firecrackers outright during
the festival of lights last year
but revellers bought them from
neighbouring states and air pol-
lution in New Delhi hit 18 times
the healthy limit.
Each year, smoke from fire-
crackers covers Delhi and its
satellite cities in a haze that can
linger for days as wind speeds
drop in the cooler weather,
adding to pollution caused by
getting a clean chit in the Vyapam
Scam as well as the escape of fraud-
sters Nirav Modi Mehul Choksi and
Vijay Mallya out of the country, the
Congress alleged the Modi govern-
ment was influencing the CBI.
The Congress accused Modi of
“systematically demolishing” the
independent architecture of all pre-
mier agencies including the CBI, the
Enforcement Directorate (ED), the
Serious Fraud Investigation Office
(SFIO), the Central Board of Direct
Taxes (CBDT) and the National In-
vestigation Agency (NIA).
“These agencies are being used
as captive puppets in converting
them to dirty tricks department
of the BJP,” added Surjewala.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High
Court yesterday asked the CBI to
maintain status quo in the ongo-
ing probe involving Asthana and
granted him interim protection
from arrest till October 29.
The ‘status quo’ is generally re-
ferred to the existing state of af-
fairs or circumstances, and now,
both sides involved in the dispute
are prevented from taking any ac-
tion until the next date of hearing.
ficking victims will eventually
feel empowered enough to share
their stories too.
“It may take some time before the
movement reaches them,” Almeida
said. “But when it does, they may
think, ‘Why should I feel ashamed of
what happened if these women are
able to talk about it?’”
That could help put more per-
petrators behind bars, according
to Wesley Menezes, a lawyer who
the burning of crop residue,
vehicle exhausts and industrial
gases.
Activists in India, home to the
world’s 14 most polluted cit-
ies, had petitioned the court for
another ban on fireworks ahead
of Diwali, when millions of fire-
crackers are lit.
Environmentalist Vimlendu
Jha said there was no such thing
as an environmentally safe fire-
work and blasted the court de-
cision as others raised concerns
about how the order can be en-
forced.
“Your one decision to allow
sale and use of firecrackers in
current times, while half of our
country turns into a gas cham-
ber, will kill toddlers, children
and elderly,” Jha said in a Tweet.
But authorities have been re-
luctant to enforce an outright
ban to avoid offending millions
of Hindus across the country,
Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) Deputy Superintendent
Devendra Kumar is escorted out of a New Delhi court after he was
remanded in seven days’ custody yesterday.
said many cases are weakened by
the reluctance of victims to speak
out right away.
“They reveal much later what
happened with them and that
throws up legal complications to
revisit the case,” he said.
Less than half of the more than
8,000 human trafficking cases
reported in 2016 were filed in
court by the police, and the con-
viction rate in those that did go to
for whom Diwali is one of the
biggest festivals.
A two-judge bench said fire-
crackers would be permitted
during Diwali, Christmas and
New Year, with conditions.
Only “safe and green fire-
crackers” would be allowed, for
a maximum two hours on Diwa-
li, and only in designated areas
such as parks.
Online sales were banned.
“This decision should have
come earlier because manufac-
turers are ready with all kinds
of firecrackers and it will be very
hard to stop them,” said Green-
peace campaigner Sunil Dahiya.
New Delhi accounts for nearly
half of India’s demand for fire-
crackers although Diwali is cel-
ebrated across the country.
“These celebrations should
not be spoiled. Such petitions
for a ban are deliberately tar-
geted against Hindu festivals,”
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
INDIA
trial was 28%, according to gov-
ernment data.
Campaigners say negative so-
cial attitudes mean that many
survivors do not often report
their ordeals to authorities.
It takes survivors months or
years before they are able to share
what they went through, accord-
ing to Triveni Acharya, founder
of the anti-trafficking charity
Rescue Foundation.
said Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga,
a spokesman for the Delhi unit
of ruling Bharatiya Janata Par-
ty.
But Judge Arjan Kumar Sikri
said a balance had to be drawn
between religious practices and
safeguarding public health.
“If a particular religious prac-
tice is threatening the health and
lives of people, such practice is
not entitled to protection,” Sikri
said.
Yesterday, Delhi’s air qual-
ity index, which measures the
concentration of poisonous
particulate matter, stood at over
300 in some parts of the sprawl-
ing city, far above the safe limit
of 100.
“It needs to be enforced
strictly,” Gopal Sankarnarayan,
a lawyer for the petitioners, told
NDTV television.
Every winter, air pollution in
Delhi soars as cooler air traps
Two dead, 12 hurt in
stampede on bridge
IANS
Kolkata
T
wo people were killed and
a dozen including two
children in a stampede at
a railway foot bridge at Santra-
gachhi station in Howrah yester-
day, police said.
“Two people have been killed
and 12 others injured in the un-
fortunate incident. Two persons
are critical, and one of them is
in the ICU. We are shifting the
other one to the SSKM hospi-
tal,” West Bengal Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee said.
She said that the other injured
people were stable.
The stampede occurred
around 6pm when people hur-
riedly tried to cross the bridge
between two platforms following
an announcement of two trains
coming simultaneously on two
adjacent tracks.
Banerjee said the arrival of
an express train was also an-
nounced.
She announced that there
would be an administrative probe
into the incident.
Gulf Times
17
“We counsel them but they are
still unable to speak up in court,”
said Acharya.
Krishnan of Prajwala said
that sex-trafficking survivors
who have spoken out have never
had the same level of support
as women who have joined the
#MeToo movement.
“The world does not care for
the violations these girls are sub-
jected to,” she said.
harmful particles from the vari-
ous emissions.
The city administration last
week closed its biggest coal-
fired power plant in a bid to im-
prove air quality.
But another coal plant is pro-
posed for Khurja, just outside
Delhi, posing similar health risks
for millions in the Indian capital,
critics say.
In a report published yes-
terday, the Institute for Energy
Economics and Financial Anal-
ysis recommended the Khurja
proposal be scrapped.
“Delhi already has the dubi-
ous reputation of having the
worst air pollution of any city in
the world,” the institute’s Tim
Buckley said in a statement.
“If the Khurja coal plant is
built as planned near Delhi, this
will increase the impact on local
residents, emergency workers
and the local government.”
The chief minister also an-
nounced a compensation of
Rs500,000 each to the families
of the dead and Rs100,000 each
to the injured.
The accident occurred just
four days after 59 people were
killed when a train crushed peo-
ple as they stood on rail tracks
watching Ravana effigies go up in
flames during Dussehra celebra-
tions in Amritsar.
Banerjee alleged that the an-
nouncement of the change of
platforms was made minutes be-
fore the trains arrived.
“The incident happened in
the premises of Indian Railways.
They will be able to say why they
made public announcements of
so many trains simultaneously.”
Banerjee alleged that there
was a lack of co-ordination on
the part of the railways, compro-
mising the security of innocent
people.
“Security of people should not
be compromised, and railways
should take proper care of the
people. The railways is the life-
line of the country, it should not
be derailed,” said the chief min-
ister.
 Gulf Times
18 Wednesday, October 24, 2018

INDIA
TRAGEDY
Judge’s son shot by guard
dies, family donates organs
Gurugram’s Additional District and
Sessions Judge Krishan Kant’s son, who
was ‘brain dead’ after he was shot at by
the judge’s security guard on October 13,
was declared dead by doctors yesterday.
“A very critical Dhruv was on life support
since he was admitted to the hospital on
October 13. He died around 3am today. The
family donated his organs,” A K Dubey of
Medicity said. The guard shot and injured
the judge’s wife Ritu, 38, and Dhruv, 18, on
October 13. Ritu died late that night. Police
said that the guard attacked them in a fit
of rage. The guard, a policemen, whose
services were terminated, is currently in
Gurugram’s Bhondsi jail.
JUDICIARY
Conduct village polls in
3 months, court tells AP
The Hyderabad High Court yesterday asked the
Andhra Pradesh government to conduct local
panchayat elections within three months. The
court struck down a recent government order
appointing special officers for the panchayats.
The court was dealing with a petition filed by
a group of former sarpanches (village heads)
challenging the government’s decision to run
the administration in the villages with special
officers after the term of the elected bodies
ended in July. The petitioners argued that the
government was running the administration
of local bodies in an undemocratic manner
without conducting the elections. They told
the court that running the local bodies with
special officers would hamper development in
the villages.
AGRICULTURE
4.6mn tonnes of paddy
procured in Punjab
Nearly 4.6mn tonnes of paddy have been
procured in Punjab this season, food and
supplies officials said yesterday. Government
agencies and private millers have procured
459,8716 tonnes of paddy in Punjab till Monday,
the officials said. Payment of Rs4,998.47 crore
has been transferred to the accounts of farmers
and commission agents by the government,
the officials added. Paddy procurement started
in the agrarian state on October 1 but the bulk
of stocks started coming after October 10. The
central government had recently sanctioned a
Cash Credit Limit (CCL) amount of Rs29,695.40
crore for procurement of paddy in the kharif
marketing season 2018-19. The Punjab
government had raised a demand of Rs40,300
crore for paddy procurement this season.
ART
Exhibition on homelands,
displacements opens
Drawings and oil paintings depicting human
and animal figures in familiar and alien
environs, dealing with concepts of homelands
and displacements are exhibited at the Triveni
Kala Sangam in New Delhi which started
yesterday. Titled “This Side of the Forest”, the
exhibition houses works by artist Vasudevan
Akkitham. “Though I have always maintained
sketchbooks and drawn whatever I saw and
felt, it had never even once crossed my mind
that they could be displayed,” Akkitham
said in his note on the exhibition, adding
that many of them come from his “assorted
sketchbooks of the last 15 years or so”. He
was egged on to exhibit his work by his friend
and prominent artist Rekha Rodwittiya, who
curated the first show of his sketches in 2014.
REVENUE
Karnataka’s tax collection
up 11% in 6 months: CM
Karnataka’s tax collection went up 11% in the six
months from April to September to Rs75,634-
crore, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said
yesterday. “Taxes to the tune of Rs75,634-crore
were collected till the end of September, which is
11% more than the same period of the previous
fiscal,” Kumaraswamy told reporters on the
occasion of the Janata-Dal-Secular (JD-S)-
Congress coalition government completing 150
days in office. After forming a post-poll alliance
with Congress, JD-S leader Kumaraswamy
took over as the chief minister on May 23, and
presented his maiden budget on July 5. The chief
minister claimed that the coalition government,
which had committed to waiving farm loans
to the tune of Rs43,448 crore from state-run
nationalised banks and state co-operative banks

AGP stages
protest rally
against
Vijayan blames
citizenship
bill in Assam Hindu groups
IANS
Guwahati
for Sabarimala
T
he Asom Gana Parishad
(AGP) yesterday staged
a massive protest rally in
Guwahati against the Citizen-
ship Amendment Bill, asking
the Bharatiya Janata Party-led
federal government to throw the
legislation into the dustbin if
they respected the historic As-
temple fiasco
Agencies It will not reopen until No- claims on things which they can-
sam Accord and the people of Thiruvananthapuram vember. not.
the state. “Even before the temple “The Sabarimala temple is the
AGP president Atul Bora also opened, the sangh parivar forces property of the TDB and none else

termed the Assam Accord must
be implemented for the sake of
securing the rights of the indig-
enous people.
The rally that started from
Latasil playground to the city’s
Chandmari area, was against
the bill that seeks to make the
minority communities such as
Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains,
Parsis and Christians from Af-
ghanistan, Bangladesh and Pa-
kistan eligible for applying for
Indian citizenship.
The bill is under consideration
of a joint parliamentary com-
mittee of both houses of parlia-
ment.
“I want to ask the BJP leader-
ship whether they respect the As-
sam Accord or not or the blood of
martyrs of the Assam movement
who laid down their lives for the
state,” Bora said at the rally.
The AGP is a partner of the
BJP-led alliance government in
Assam and the party has three
legislators in Chief Minister Sar-
bananda Sonowal’s cabinet.
While over 60 organisations
in Assam called for a 12-hour
Assam shutdown yesterday to
protest against the bill, the AGP
decided to hold the protest rally.
“We contested the 2016 elec-
tions with the BJP following
discussion with our grassroots
workers and the people of As-
sam. However, we are ready to
come out of the alliance if the
BJP government goes ahead with
the Citizenship (Amendment)
Bill 2016,” said AGP leader and
state Water Resources Minister
Keshav Mahanta.
The shutdown drew a near
total response across the state
although the government had is-
sued instructions to the admin-
istration to ensure normalcy.
K
erala Chief Minister Pi-
narayi Vijayan yesterday
accused Hindu right-wing
groups linked to the Bharatiya Ja-
nata Party of turning the Sabar-
imala temple into a conflict zone
and vowed to implement the
Supreme Court order in the next
long-season pilgrimage starting
in November.
He also slammed the temple
priest and the Pandalam royal
family for claiming rights and
powers over the shrine that they
do not possess.
The chief minister, who was
abroad when the temple opened
for the five-day monthly rituals
on October 17, broke his silence
over the unrest while speaking to
reporters here.
Mobs of Hindu hardliners pre-
vented women aged 10 to 50 from
getting in to the temple complex
when it opened last Wednesday
for the first time since the Su-
preme Court reversed a ban on
women of menstruating age from
worshipping at the temple.
The shrine is only open on a
handful of auspicious days eve-
ry year, and a number of Hindu
women between these ages had
flocked there in the wake of the
court order.
But the ruling had enraged tra-
ditionalists, including support-
ers of the BJP.
Protesters, including women
and children, massed at the base
of the shrine when it opened last
week, threatening women trying
to reach it.
Some smashed car windows
and clashed with police.
Armed police escorted some
devotees but none managed to
Activists of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) party take part in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) make it to the hilltop temple over
Bill 2016 proposal to provide citizenship or stay rights to minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and the five-day worship period be-
Afghanistan in India, in Guwahati yesterday. fore it closed late Monday.
had their plans laid out,” Vijayan
said, referring to Hindu hardline
groups.
“The government never
stopped any devotee. Instead, it
provided all support as it is its
constitutional responsibility to
see that the court verdict is ad-
hered to,” Vijayan said.
He said Sabarimala is a reli-
gious institution and peace and
tranquillity has to be preserved
but the “sangh parivar forces
took over”.
“Their agenda was to convert
Sabarimala into a conflict zone
and we will ensure that at the up-
coming festival season (the two-
month-long season that begins
on November 17), the govern-
ment would do everything pos-
sible to abide by the top court’s
order.
He said it would be ensured
that during that period no devo-
tee would be allowed to stay there
beyond a particular time.
A Tirupati model system of
managing the devotees would be
put into force, Vijayan added.
He also slammed the tantri
(chief priest), who at the height
of the conflict threatened to close
the temple even as the police tried
to escort women for the prayers.
“It was a needless statement
from the tantri because the right
to open and close the temple vests
with the Travancore Devaswom
Board (TDB),” the chief minister
said.
“The protest by the temple em-
ployees was also wrong as both
the tantri and the employees all
come under the TDB and they
should not forget it,” said Vijayan.
Taking on the Pandalam royal
family and its claims that they
have the rights to the temple,
Vijayan said they were staking
have any rights over it. Accord-
ing to the 1949 Covenant things
are written very clearly and it
says that the Sabarimala temple
ownership was handed over to the
TDB after the royal family had se-
rious financial problems.
“Today they just conduct ritu-
alistic activities of the temple and
that they can continue to do,” said
Vijayan.
But state BJP president P S
Sreedharan Pillai said he felt sorry
for Vijayan.
“Do not know what has hap-
pened to Vijayan as he appears
to have lost his balance when he
said that the tantri is an employee
of the TDB. It’s for a government
employee that there is a code
of conduct and the tantri does
not take a single rupee as salary.
The tantri does not fall under the
employee category. It was just
because of the adamant stand of
Vijayan, that things reached so
low. He has proved to be an abject
failure,” said Pillai.
Sreekumar Varma of the Pan-
dalam royal family said he was
extremely delighted that the will
of the deity has prevailed even
when several attempts to send
women to the temple failed.
“I take this opportunity to
thank all the devotees who stood
their ground to protect the tem-
ple and its traditions despite
several attempts to defame the
temple.
“I do not recall any amend-
ments being made with regards
to the tantri and their rights and
responsibilities. To the best of
my knowledge it remains the
same as it was before. About the
statements against our family, I
will study in detail what was said
by him (Vijayan) and will react
tomorrow,” said Varma.

2019 polls may throw up Punjab’s AAP legislators

can visit Canada: officials
hung parliament: Pawar IANS
Chandigarh
they choose to do so, at any fu-
ture time,” Minister for External
Affairs Sushma Swaraj said in a
IANS an event organised by India To- Rejecting the argument of communication to Punjab As-

M
Mumbai day group in Mumbai yesterday. a ‘vacuum in politics,’, Pawar onths after turning sembly Speaker Rana K P Singh,
He said the Bharatiya Janata sought to underplay the ‘Modi back two Punjab legis- according to a spokesman for
Party government headed by vs Who’ debate and said every lators belonging to the the speaker.

N
ationalist Congress
Party president Sharad
Pawar yesterday pre-
dicted that no single party
would get a majority in the 2019
elections and that there would
be a change in government both
at the national level and in Ma-
harashtra.
Comparing the current politi-
cal scenario to the one in 2004,
the senior politician said it did
not seem possible for a single
party to come to power in 2019.
“I don’t think power equa-
tions will remain same in the
state (Maharashtra) and Centre.
It would be like 2004 when no
party secured a majority but a
government under (prime min-
ister) Manmohan Singh contin-
ued for 10 years,” Pawar said at
(prime minister) Atal Behari
Vajpayee had gone to elections
with an impressive ‘Shining In-
dia’ campaign, but failed to win
the polls.
It paved the way for a new
Congress-led coalition at the
Centre coming to power with
Manmohan Singh as PM and he
led it for two consecutive terms
till 2014.
Pawar said in 2004, the BJP
was led by Vajpayee and at that
time they said “there was no al-
ternative” to him.
“Compare Vajpayee’s stature
and leadership with the present
PM’s stature and leadership.
I feel Vajpayee was one of the
tallest leaders of the BJP. I don’t
think that is the situation in that
party today,” Pawar said.
political situation throws up a
leader.
He asked: “Who would have
thought in 2004 that Manmo-
han Singh would be the PM?”
In this context, he referred
to senior Congress leader P
Chidambaram’s statement on
Monday that the party has not
projected its president Rahul
Gandhi as the prime ministerial
candidate in 2019.
“Chidambaram has stated the
fact and placed on record the
Congress Party’s position. In
my discussions with the Con-
gress leaders, though it is clear
it wants a change, it never oc-
curred that they want to put
someone as the PM candidate
and force it on other parties,”
Pawar said.
Aam Aadmi Party from the Ot-
tawa airport, Canada has writ-
ten to India saying that the law-
makers can visit the country, an
official said yesterday.
Canadian authorities, in a
communication to India’s Min-
istry of External Affairs through
the Indian High Commission in
Ottawa, have said that both leg-
islators could travel to Canada
whenever they chose to.
“I have been informed that
the Canadian Border Services
Agency has conveyed to our
mission in Ottawa that due to
privacy legislation, they are un-
able to provide further details in
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar speaks the matter. However, they have
with Janata Dal (Secular) chief H D Deve Gowda during the also conveyed that Mr Kultar
birthday celebrations of former Bihar governor and Congress Singh and Mr Amarjit Singh are
leader D Y Patil in Mumbai on Monday. eligible to return to Canada, if
Amarjit Singh and Kultar
Singh, members of Punjab As-
sembly, were sent back from the
Ottawa international airport
by the Canadian immigration
authorities on July 21 although
they had travel documents.
Swaraj informed the speaker
that the Indian High Commission
in Ottawa strongly raised this mat-
ter with the Canadian government.
“We will continue to pursue
the matter with the Canadian
side to ensure that such incidents
do not recur in future. I also urge
you to kindly ensure that the
government of India’s guidelines
on foreign travels are followed by
legislators in future and our mis-
sion and post in Canada are kept
informed about such travels,”
Swaraj said in her letter.
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 19

CLAIM
Over 500 Nicaraguans
dead in protests since April
At least 528 people have died in anti-
government protests in Nicaragua since April,
human rights activists said. At least 4,100
people have been injured, with 105 people likely
to suffer from their injuries for the rest of their
lives, the independent rights group Nicaraguan
Association for Human Rights (ANPDH) said.
Additionally, more than 1,600 people have
been kidnapped by armed gangs with ties
to the government, of which only 123 have
been released. Nicaragua has been wracked
by protests since April, after President Daniel
Ortega tried to push through a pension reform
which would have cut benefits.
ARCHAEOLOGY
Pre-Columbian statues
discovered in Peru
Archaeologists in Peru have found 20 800-year-old
wooden statues in the largest pre-Columbian site
in the Americas, Culture Minister, Patricia Balbuena
and researchers revealed. The statues, all but one
of which were in a good condition, were found
in the Chan Chan archaeological site: a city that
was once the capital of the Chimu Kingdom and
pre-dated the Inca Empire. Located close to the
north Peruvian modern city of Trujillo, Can Chan
was comprised of 10 citadels, or walled palaces,
in its six kilometre squared centre of a wider
city that measured 20 square kilometres. “It’s an
important discovery for its age and the quality of
its decoration,” said Balbuena while visiting the site.
PLAN
Mexico vows to entice
migrants to stay home
Mexico’s future foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard
has vowed to try to stem central America’s huge
outflow of migrants by boosting investment in
their home countries. The comments followed
US President Donald Trump’s Twitter attacks
on a caravan of thousands of mostly Honduran
migrants rolling toward the US border. “The tweets
we’ve been seeing lately do not surprise me, they
do not surprise the government. It’s very close to
the elections in the US,” Ebrard said. He promised
“substantial changes” to Mexico’s migrant policy
when president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez
Obrador is sworn in on December 1. “There are
going to be many more work visas,” Ebrard said.
LATIN AMERICA
CRACKDOWN
Moise sacks officials linked
to corruption scandal
Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise removed two
top government officials as part of a purge of
people linked to a corruption scandal that has
ignited mass protests. The Cabinet chief and the
secretary general of the presidency were removed
from office along with 15 government advisers,
an official said. “To have a healthy process, the
president has decided to rid the environment of
people linked to Petrocaribe without admitting
they are guilty of anything,” Prime Minister Jean-
Henry Ceant said. Investigations by the Haitian
Senate in 2016 and 2017 concluded that nearly
$2bn from a Venezuelan aid programme called
Petrocaribe were misused.
CORPORATE
Cuba fund first to be listed
on London exchange
CEIBA Investments, a fund that owns stakes in
hotels and commercial property across Cuba, said
it raised $39mn on its first day of trading on the
London Stock Exchange and will use the money to
expand its business on the island. CEIBA, launched
in 2001, has investments in office buildings and
four hotels across Havana and the beach resort of
Varadero. Proceeds from the IPO are earmarked to
upgrade and expand existing properties as well as
build a new 400-room hotel in the central town of
Trinidad. “The company has raised $39mn through
the Initial Issue of 30,000,000 new shares at a
price of 100 pence per share, capitalising CEIBA at
approximately £137mn,” it said.

Amazon at risk
if right-wing
candidate wins
polls: ecologists
AFP not give up “one centimetre more”
Rio de Janeiro of land to indigenous communities
claiming traditional land.
His aim is to end what he sees as

P
romises by Brazil’s far-right
presidential candidate Jair
Bolsonaro and his entourage
bode badly for the future of the
Amazon — called the “lungs of the
planet” — if he wins, environmen-
talists warn.
The candidate is seen as pliant
to the powerful agrobusiness lobby
in his country known for putting
profit ahead of preservation.
One of his most controversial
campaign pledges is to merge the
agriculture and environment min-
istries into one.
“Let us be clear: the future min-
istry will come from the productive
sector. We won’t have any more
fights over this,” Bolsonaro, who
vows to boost Brazil’s fragile econ-
omy, told a media conference four
days after winning the October 7
first-round in the presidential race.
“If he’s elected, that will be the
beginning of the end for the Ama-
zon,” his leftist rival in Sunday´s
run-off, Fernando Haddad, said
last week.
Geraldo Monteiro, a political
science professor at Rio de Janeiro
“ecologist activism.”
In August, while visiting Rorai-
ma state within the vast Amazon,
the long-term congressman railed
against the environmental activ-
ists’ control over the public envi-
ronmental agencies ICMbio and
IBAMA, saying they “hurt those Brazilian congressmen and pro-gun campaigners Alberto Fraga (left) and Laudivio Carvalho (centre) joke after visiting far-right Brazilian presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro
who want to produce.” at his house in Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday.
Oswaldo Ferreira, the retired
general Bolsonaro wants to install
as his transport minister, recent-
ly told the Estadao de Sao Paulo
newspaper that those agencies only
worked to anger people.
IBAMA’s chief, Suely Araujo, re-
sponded with a statement warning
that establishing projects “with
high environmental impact, with-
out the necessary study, signified
Bolsonaro scolds son for
turning the clock back four dec-
ades.”
Emilio La Rovere, director of an
environmental studies lab at the
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro,
said Bolsonaro’s discourse “recalled
the doctrine in place at the time of
threat to shut top court ities to respect the constitution. “The judiciary is obviously danger, including physical, if we a fellow lawmaker she was not
Reuters
the military dictatorship,” between Brasilia Bolsonaro’s leftist rival, Fern- important. I was even hard on do not alert the country that the pretty enough to rape. He has
1964 and 1985 — which Bolsonaro ando Haddad, who is trailing in the boy. Anyone who says such political opposition, judges and called the cases political perse-
served as an army captain. opinion polls, said if the former a thing needs to see a psychia- journalists are being threatened cution.

State University, said: “As he’s
backed by the agrobusiness lobby
in congress, which is really strong,
Bolsonaro virtually wants to make
the environment serve the interests
of agrobusiness.”
Bolsonaro has also several times
evoked studies to build hydroelec-
tric power stations in the Amazon,
which implies the construction of
massive dams that would greatly
impact water courses and require
communities to be moved.
That issue has long been a con-
tentious one between Brazilian
authorities and indigenous tribes
— particularly over one project
already under construction, Belo
Monte, which when finished will
be the third-biggest dam in the
world.
In February, the hard-right can-
didate said that, if elected, he would
That doctrine was “development
at any price,” to the detriment of
the environment, which was seen
as an “obstacle” to building roads
or mining.
For La Rovere, Bolsonaro’s cam-
paign promises could have “serious
consequences at a global level” and
also undermine efforts made over
the past 15 years to preserve the
country’s exceptional biodiversity.
Greenhouse gas emissions have
been cut almost in half under strict
laws against deforestation.
Lifting restrictions could block
“the transition towards an econo-
my based on low carbon emissions,”
he said.
Bolsonaro has even threatened
to follow US President Donald
Trump’s example of taking his
country out of the Paris climate ac-
cord.
B
razil’s leading presiden-
tial hopeful, Jair Bol-
sonaro, publicly upbraid-
ed his son for threatening to
shut down the Supreme Court
in comments that set off a
storm of criticism and prompt-
ed his main opponent to call the
far-right candidate a threat to
democracy.
Over the weekend, social
media exploded over a video
of comments made in July by
Eduardo Bolsonaro saying
the top court could be forci-
bly disbanded by the army if it
stripped his father of an elec-
toral victory.
Chief justice Jose Antonio
Dias Toffoli issued a statement
saying that any attack on the ju-
diciary amounted to an attack on
democracy and urged all author-
army captain wins Sunday’s
run-off vote, military hardlin-
ers will threaten democratic
institutions and undermine the
country’s young democracy.
Brazil emerged in 1985 from a
repressive 21-year military dic-
tatorship.
Following the firestorm, Bol-
sonaro, a federal lawmaker,
expressed his respect for the
separation of powers and dis-
owned the comments by his son,
a 34-year-old member of Con-
gress.
“I’ve already warned my boy.
It was his responsibility. He has
already apologised. It happened
four months ago. He was asked
a senseless question and gave an
absurd answer,” said Bolsonaro,
63, in a interview with the SBT
television network.
trist,” he said. “As far as we are
concerned, this is a closed chap-
ter.”
Yet Haddad seized on the
controversy to tell Brazilians
that democracy was in peril.
The Workers Party (PT) can-
didate has issued increasingly
dire warnings as the latest opin-
ion polls show the race seeming-
ly out of reach, with nearly three
in five voters backing Bolsonaro.
“If he has the courage to
threaten democracy before the
election, what do you think he
will do if he wins?” Haddad said
in Sao Paulo, a day after Bol-
sonaro renewed a vow to jail him
for alleged graft and wipe the PT
from Brazil’s political map.
“Either we toss aside this au-
thoritarian tradition that Brazil
has always had...or we are in
before the election has been de-
cided,” he said at a press confer-
ence.
Bolsonaro is a seven-term
member of Congress who has
found wide appeal with an elec-
torate seeking order after five
years of economic and political
crises. Haddad has faced strong
headwinds as his party, a domi-
nant force in politics in recent
years, is one of many ravaged by
corruption scandals.
Until his presidential run,
Bolsonaro was best known for
his defence of the 1964-1985
military government and being
charged with hate crimes for mi-
sogynist, racist and homophobic
rants.
The Supreme Court rejected
the racism charge, but has not
ruled on a case in which he told
In a video taken in July of
him speaking in a classroom,
Eduardo Bolsonaro said the
Supreme Court could be shut
down if it countered his father.
“One wouldn’t even need a Jeep.
Sending a soldier and corporal
would be enough to close the
STF,” he said, using the acronym
for the court.
The younger Bolsonaro post-
ed another video on Monday on
his Twitter account criticising
the top court and backing his
father’s proposal to increase its
size from 11 to 21 members —
something that Haddad said was
a clear attempt to neutralise the
court’s current justices.
Justice Celso de Mello, the
court’s oldest judge, called Edu-
ardo Bolsonaro a “coup-mon-
ger” in a written statement.

Three dead as migrant Thousands evacuated

as storm hits Mexico
caravan nears US border Reuters gradually weaken further before
striking a few miles south of Ma-
Mazatlan
Agencies The UN says the caravan in- into his country and threatened to zatlan.
Huixtla, Mexico cludes about 7,300 people. cut aid to Guatemala, Honduras Yesterday morning the storm

T
Most of the migrants crossed and El Salvador for failing to stop housands of people were was about 209km south-south-
illegally from Guatemala into the caravan early on. evacuated, buildings were west of Mazatlan, the hurricane

A
migrant has been found
dead on the road from
Tapachula to Huixtla in
southern Mexico, state prosecu-
tors said yesterday, as a caravan
of thousands continued to head
through Mexico for the US.
The discovery means at least
three people have died since the
caravan of central American mi-
grants began heading north from
Honduras on October 13.
The body of the migrant, who
appears to have died of respirato-
ry problems and dehydration, was
found on the road that the caravan
travelled on Monday.
The person has not yet been
identified.
A 25-year-old migrant was
killed on Monday after falling
from a moving vehicle, prosecu-
tors said earlier.
The Guatemalan authorities
also reported the death of a Hon-
duran migrant in similar circum-
stances in the country on Satur-
day.
Mexico and continued their
journey despite warnings by the
Mexican authorities that un-
documented migrants would be
deported.
They spent Monday night in
Huixtla, sleeping outdoors or in
makeshift tents.
It was possible they might rest
in the town for a day to gather
strength for the nearly 4,000km
journey to the US border, organis-
ers said.
“Amid the chaos, we need to try
to create a bit of order...We need
to avoid anyone getting hurt or
dying,” said Irineo Mujica from
the migrant rights group Pueblo
Sin Fronteras.
Migrant Alexander Fernandez
said the column planned to move
again early today.
Huixtla mayor Jose Luis La-
parra said the city was providing
medical attention to the migrants
who “only want to work.”
US President Donald Trump
has vowed not the let the migrants
The president is seen as mak-
ing the migrants a campaign is-
sue, just weeks before mid-term
elections.
The migrants include many
who could qualify for asylum, the
UN refugee agency UNHCR said.
“UNHCR would like to remind
countries along this route that
this caravan is likely to include
people in real danger,” UNHCR
said in a statement.
“In any situation like this it
is essential that people have the
chance to request asylum and
have their international protec-
tion needs properly assessed,
before any decision on return/de-
portation is made,” it added.
Mexico has encouraged the
migrants to legalise their situa-
tion by seeking refugee status in
the country, but only about 1,000
have done so.
Many of the migrants shun the
procedure, because it would take
months and because most of them
do not want to stay in Mexico.
boarded up and schools
closed on Mexico’s Pacific coast
yesterday as Hurricane Willa
battered tourist resorts with high
winds and heavy rains.
Residents had sealed off win-
dows and doors with large wood-
en planks on hotels facing the
historic downtown boardwalk of
Mazatlan, a popular coastal city
in the northwestern state of Si-
naloa.
Willa, which weakened to
a category 3 on the five-step
Saffir-Simpson scale yesterday
morning, was blowing maxi-
mum sustained winds of around
201kph with higher gusts, the
Miami-based National Hurri-
cane Center said.
It had been a Category 4 storm
earlier yesterday and had reached
rare Category 5 status on Monday
with winds near 260kph.
Forecast to be one of the most
powerful hurricanes to enter
Mexico from the Pacific in re-
Children look at the sea along the Mazatlan boardwalk yesterday. cent years, Willa was expected to
centre said.
In Mazatlan, a steady rain fell
with a slight breeze, while run-
ners and tourists were out on the
boardwalk.
Some young men were surfing
the higher-than-usual waves.
Several other tourist getaways
in the state of Nayarit, as well as
the beach resort of Puerto Val-
larta in Jalisco state, also lie near
the path of the storm, which is
forecast to bring a life-threaten-
ing storm surge of ocean water,
wind and rainfall, the hurricane
centre said.
Nayarit Governor Anto-
nio Echevarria said more than
10,000 people were being evac-
uated and schools would be
closed.
He warned locals not to defy
the storm.
“Let’s not play the macho,” he
said. “Let’s not act like superhe-
roes. It’s a very strong hurricane,
very potent, and we don’t want
any tragedies.”
 Gulf Times
20 Wednesday, October 24, 2018

PAKISTAN

PM okays incentives for

non-resident Pakistanis Internews Also, pensioners can now re- financial year will also have an
Imran meets Saudi king Islamabad ceive up to Rs250,000 per indi-
vidual per month.
incentive of Rs1 against each
dollar of incremental remittance
Umar: also directed FBR officials
to give the Urdu version of the
Under C2B, direct payments transaction. return forms.

P
rime Minister Imran Khan
has approved incentives
to create favourable con-
ditions for non-resident Pa-
kistanis to send in remittances
through legal banking channels.
According to officials of the
Media Cell of the Prime Min-
ister’s Office, the State Bank of
Pakistan (SBP) and authorised
banks have been allowed to im-
plement Business to Customer
(B2C) and Customer to Busi-
ness (C2B) transactions through
foreign correspondent entities
under existing home remittance
agency arrangements.
Under B2C, freelance and
information systems services
are allowed transaction of up to
from overseas Pakistanis abroad
can be received to pay for utility
bills, education fees of institu-
tions (accredited by the Higher
Education Commission), su-
perstores, insurance companies,
credit card payments, etc.
Remittances received by
reputable real estate builders/
developers and housing socie-
ties from overseas Pakistanis on
account of purchase of property
such as residential and com-
mercial houses, plots, flats, and
building, are also allowed, ex-
cept remittances for equity/par-
ticipation in an enterprise.
The prime minister also ap-
proved an incentive payment by
the government on mobile wal-
These incentives will have a
significant impact on increased
remittances.
The prime minister hopes that
by taking these measures, the
government would be able to
Minister
increase remittance flows from
$20bn to at least $30bn per an-
num, and perhaps even $40bn,
orders
through proper banking chan-
nels.
A survey will also be conduct-
simplified
ed to get feedback from overseas
Pakistanis – particularly work-
ers in the Middle East – about
tax form
how to further facilitate them
in the process of sending remit- Internews
tances to the country. Islamabad
Khan said he believes over-
seas Pakistanis are the country’s

$1,500 per individual per month.
Transaction services other
than computer and informa-
This handout photograph released by Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) yesterday tion services are also allowed to
shows Prime Minister Imran Khan with Saudi King Salman in Riyadh. transact up to $1,500 per indi-
vidual per month.
let use to the tune of Rs2 on each
transaction of $1 remittance.
Currency exchange compa-
nies and authorised dealers,
such as banks, that bring in 15%
more remittances than the prior
greatest assets, and that the gov-
ernment would facilitate them in
every respect.
He has directed the ministries
and departments concerned to
work out further incentives.
F
ederal Finance Minister
Asad Umar has expressed
his displeasure with the
Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR)
top officials for delaying the in-
troduction of a simplified sin-
gle-page return form for salaried
and small taxpayers.
In a recent meeting, Umar di-

Imran vows peace talks with India after 2019 elections
AFP Khan launched a charm offen-
Riyadh sive targeting potential investors
as Pakistan seeks to secure funds
amid a yawning balance of pay-
“Now, what we are hoping is
that we wait until the elections,
then again we will resume our
peace talks with India,” he add-
unleashed a barrage of insults
from both sides.
India has long accused Pa-
kistan of backing militants in
Khan’s call for peace talks
comes as his administration is
desperately seeking funds from
“friendly” countries, including
Khan confirmed that Pakistan
was also in talks with the Inter-
national Monetary Fund (IMF)
over a new bailout.
rected the officials to come up
with the return form immedi-
ately, an official source privy to
the meeting here says.
The government has already
extended the filing of tax returns
until November 30.
“The minister also directed

P
rime Minister Imran Khan
has vowed to hold peace
talks with India follow-
ing next year’s elections in the
neighbouring country, after a
similar offer from the former
cricketer was “rebuffed”.
He made the announcement
during a speech at a Saudi Arabi-
an investment conference where
ment crisis.
“When I won the elections
and came to power, the first
thing I tried to do was extend
a hand of peace to India,” the
prime minister told the crowd at
the Future Investment Initiative
(FII) in Riyadh, adding that the
overture was later “rebuffed” by
Delhi.
ed, referring to upcoming na-
tionwide polls scheduled to take
place by mid-May.
In September India pulled the
plug on a rare meeting – between
Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj
and Pakistan’s Shah Mehmood
Qureshi – on the sidelines of a
UN summit, a move that was
termed “arrogant” by Khan and
All in a day’s work
Kashmir, a Himalayan territory
divided between the two coun-
tries but claimed in full by both
since independence in 1947.
Delhi has stationed about
500,000 soldiers in the por-
tion of Kashmir that it controls,
where separatist groups demand
independence or a merger with
Pakistan.
Saudi Arabia, to shore up Paki-
stan’s deteriorating finances.
The prime minister’s attend-
ance at the FII comes as leading
policy-makers and corporate
chiefs shunned the conference
in response to the death of jour-
nalist Jamal Khashoggi at the
Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
During his address at the FII,
Since taking power in August,
Khan has also sought loans from
allies such as China and Saudi
Arabia, promised to recover
funds allegedly stolen by offi-
cials, and embarked on a series
of high-profile populist auster-
ity measures.
See Business Page 13
FBR officials to give the Urdu
version of the return forms as
well,” the official said.
Asked about the deadline for
the proposed form, the official
said the minister only directed
that it be done “immediately”.
Plenty of complaints have
been voiced at various forums
regarding the complexity of e-
filing platform IRIS, which con-
sists of almost seven pages.
FBR spokesperson Dr Mo-
hamed Iqbal says that the bureau

Gwadar to play host has already introduced the sim-

plified return form.
Regarding the Urdu version of

to lawmakers from forms, he said he was not aware

of whether they will be intro-
duced from this fiscal year.

26 Asian countries However, Umar said that the

form should not be more than
one page for salaried and small
taxpayers, and be made available
Internews The inaugural ceremony in Urdu.
Islamabad will be held on October 29, to Former prime minister Shahid
be followed by meetings of the Khaqan Abbasi had previously
Special Committee on Creation announced the introduction of

M
embers of parliament
from 26 Asian coun-
tries will be gathering
next week in Gwadar, Balu-
chistan.
Official sources confirmed
yesterday that the legislators
will gather for a three-day
meeting of the Committee on
Political Affairs of the Asian
Parliamentary Assembly (APA)
to deliberate on matters of
mutual interests to the Asian
region in terms of political af-
fairs, economic trade, and oth-
er issues.
They said that the interna-
tional legislators will also be
passing declarations and reso-
lutions at the conference start-
ing on October 29.
The sources said that Gwa-
dar is the future economic hub
of Pakistan, and that the pur-
pose of holding of this inter-
national conference is to high-
light its economic importance
as well as to present a message
to the world that Pakistan is a
peaceful country with enor-
mous investment opportuni-
ties.
The APA member countries
would deliberate on future
prospects for economic co-
operation.
of Asian Parliament in Gwadar.
The meetings will lead to
discussion on resolutions
which will consequently be
brought before the Assembly.
The resolutions to be dis-
cussed by the APA Commit-
tee on Political Affairs relate
to the rule of law and judicial
empowerment in the Asian
region, building prosperity in
Asia through friendship and
co-operation, bringing Asian
parliaments and governments
together for prosperity in Asia,
and promoting good parlia-
mentary practices.
The Pakistan Senate will put
before the Assembly the pro-
posal of “development through
democracy”, suggesting that
this system of governance is the
most important tool for peace,
prosperity and development.
The APA traces its history to
the establishment of the As-
sociation of Asian Parliaments
for Peace (AAPP) in September
1999 in Dhaka, when a group
of Asian parliamentarians de-
cided to join forces towards
promoting peace and human
rights in Asia.
In 2006, at a meeting in Te-
hran, the AAPP became the
Asian Parliamentary Assembly.
a single page return form to be
available from July 1.
That came as part of the tax
reform package in which maxi-
mum relief was given to salaried
and non-salaried business indi-
viduals.
According to a World Bank-
PwC report Paying Taxes 2015, it
takes 594 hours to comply with
tax law provisions in Pakistan,
which does not include time
spent by the taxpayer on filing
withholding statements.
This time needs to be reduced
by at least 33% by simplifying
returns and increasing the user-
friendliness of software.
The tax reform commission
constituted by the previous gov-
ernment has also suggested that
the FBR introduce a single-page
A man prepares a fishing boat in Karachi. return form to facilitate taxpay-
ers.
Pakistan, Russian troops conduct military drills
Internews The purpose of the war games is
Islamabad to strengthen co-operation between
militaries of the two countries and ex-
change professional experience, partic-

P
akistani and Russian troops have
been conducting the third edition
1,800 Peshawar houses ‘protected’ of their annual joint drills this
week in Pakistan codenamed “Druzh-
The Archaeological Directorate of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has ba-III”.
deemed 1,800 houses in Peshawar as “protected sites” under the A 70-member contingent of Russian
antiquity law. troops is participating in the drills being
Owners of these houses have been sent notices informing them held at the National Counter-Terrorist
that the structures are of historical value and that the directorate Centre in Pabbi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
will be responsible for their preservation, official sources revealed The exercises will continue till No-
yesterday. vember 4.
All of the identified 1,800 houses are located inside the “walled city”, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Re-
the older sections of Peshawar. lations announced the arrival of the
The notices were issued by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Russian contingent, saying that it is
Archaeology and Museums Directorate under the KP Antiquity Act here to participate in the Pak-Russia
2016. Joint Training Exercise “Druzhba-III”.
The law provides that every structure that is at least 100 years old Druzhba is a Slavic word that means
will be considered as having historical value and a piece of national “friendship”.
heritage. The drills have been held since 2016,
While its legal owner can retain possession of the property, they will when Pakistan hosted the first edition.
no longer be allowed to make any changes to the structure without The second edition was held in Rus-
first seeking permission from the directorate. sia.
ularly in the area of counter-terrorism
operations.
Defence relations between Pakistan
and Russia have steadily grown since
the countries signed their defence co-
operation agreement in 2014.
The agreement, besides providing for
co-operation in different areas of mili-
tary activities, also covers collaboration
between the two sides for promoting
international security and intensifica-
tion of counter-terrorism activities.
Earlier this year, Islamabad and Mos-
cow set up a commission to promote
military co-operation.
At the first meeting of the Russia-
Pakistan Joint Military Consultative
Committee, which is said to be the
highest forum of defence collaboration This photograph released by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday
between the two sides, it was agreed shows Russian troops in a military plane upon their arrival at a military base at an undisclosed
that Pakistan army personnel would location in Pakistan. A Russian army contingent is in Pakistan to participate in the Pak-Russia
train at Russian military institutes. Joint Training Excercise ‘Druzhba-III’.
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 21

PHILIPPINES
Indian naval ship docks in Manila
Senators
oppose
withdrawal
from IPU
Manila Times Trillanes is still in the recom-
Manila mendation stage “and is thus
not binding for now.”
Asked to comment on Ar-

S
enators Franklin Drilon,
Panfilo Lacson, and Risa
Hontiveros yesterday re-
jected the proposal of House
Speaker Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo that the Philippines
withdraw from the Inter-Par-
liamentary Union (IPU).
Drilon, Lacson and Senate
President Pro Tempore Ralph
Recto were part of the Philip-
pine delegation this month to
the 139th IPU conference in
Geneva, Switzerland.
Aside from Arroyo, House
members present in the same
IPU meeting were representa-
tives Gustavo Tambunting,
Ron Salo, Rodante Marcoleta,
and Eric Martinez.
With 178 members and 12
associate members, the IPU
is an organisation of national
parliamentarians worldwide.
Formed in 1889, the IPU aims
royo’s proposal to withdraw
from IPU, Senate President
Vicente Sotto said, “I am in-
clined to concur but after due
consultation with my col-
leagues.”
“Perhaps the IPU’s hu-
man rights committee should
be reminded that the Philip-
pines is a sovereign state with
a working judicial process, and
a Constitution that decrees
the separation of powers for
the executive, legislative and
judicial branches,” Sotto said
in a text message.
Lacson said Arroyo’s rec-
ommendation is based on the
wrong premise. Members of the Philippine navy band play music during the arrival ceremony of Indian naval ship sailor INS Rana at the international port in Manila, yesterday. The multi-role
“The IPU has yet to act on guided missile destroyer INS Rana is on a four-day goodwill visit.
its Human Rights Commit-
tee’s recommendation to the
IPU Governing Council. Hav-
ing said that, it is premature,
if at all, to denounce the IPU as

Govt to appeal court

to “protect and build global
democracy through political
dialogue and concrete action.”
“House speaker Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo should
mind her own and we will mind
our own. I oppose the proposal
a whole, much less withdraw
membership from the body.”
“Second, by withdrawing,
it would imply that the Phil-
ippine Senate acknowledges
the political persecution of
opposition senators. Third, it

ruling in Trillanes case

of Arroyo that we withdraw
from the IPU just because this
global body of parliamentar-
ians expressed its concern over
the political persecution of our
fellow Senators Leila de Lima
and (Antonio) Sonny Tril-
lanes,” Drilon said.
“Arroyo’s proposal is de-
spairing, defeatest and will
be seen by the world as a tacit
is the Senate, not the House
of Representatives, that is a
member of the IPU, so I’m not
sure where Speaker GMA is
coming from,” he said in a text
message.
Hontiveros said the plan to
withdraw membership in the By Catherine S Valente evidence. So there are questions “It’s more of a pyrrhic victory filed by the court and say that it still up to the military whether or
IPU is a “virtual admission of Manila Times that can be properly raised in because if you will notice, the has no jurisdiction,” he added. not to pursue such action.
guilt on the part of the Duterte the Court of Appeals and subse- court decided that the procla- Asked if they were confident in “The president will allow all
government.” quently, in the Supreme Court,” mation issued by the president is seeing Trillanes detained, Panelo offices and branches to do their

admission that indeed critical
lawmakers are being perse-
cuted under the Duterte ad-
ministration,” said Drilon, also
Senate minority leader.
The Senate majority bloc
said that the supposed inquiry
by the IPU Committee on the
Human Rights of Parliamen-
tarians into the alleged politi-
cal persecution of de Lima and
Customs chief hits back at accusers
Drug syndicates have pen-
etrated the highest echelons
of government, including the
Bureau of Customs and the
Philippine Drugs Enforcement
Agency (PDEA), according
to Customs Commissioner
Isidro Lapena, Manila Times
reported.
“It is a fact that the drug
syndicates have penetrated
the government. They exist in
the Bureau of Customs, they
exist in PDEA, and they exist
in other branches of govern-
ment,” Lapena said yesterday.
Proof of it, he pointed out, was
the drug matrix that had been
“It only confirms the IPU’s
serious concerns about our
country’s worsening human
rights record. If this goes on,
the way it’s going, the Phil-
ippines will soon run out of
intergovernmental bodies that
it can be part of. President
Rodrigo Duterte cannot with-
draw our country from the
world,” Hontiveros said.
Customs, funded by drug
syndicates to divert the atten-
tion from them.
“The issue on X-rays, and all
these noise are smokes and
mirrors — technicalities being
used to divert the public
away from the main issue.
We should refocus,” Lapena
stressed.
Among the suspected
cohorts of drug syndicates at
Customs, Lapena specifically
identified Jimmy Guban, the
former head of the Customs
Intelligence and Investigation
Service (CIIS) at the Manila
International Container Port
T
he fight isn’t over, Mala-
canang said yesterday as
it would ask the Court of
Appeals (CA) to reverse a Makati
court ruling denying a motion to
have Senator Antonio Trillanes
arrested for his coup d’etat case.
In press conference, Palace
spokesman Salvador Panelo said
Solicitor General Jose Calida
would not file a motion for re-
consideration “but would go
immediately to appeal the ruling
of the court, with respect to the
non-issuance of the warrant of
arrest.”
“There are procedural mat-
ters decided by the court, which
to my mind are erroneous, how
it accepted evidence despite the
fact that they were all secondary
Police get ready for reopening of Boracay island
Manila Times
Manila
Panelo said. Makati Regional valid. They are claiming the time said the administration would al- thing,” Panelo added.
Trial Court Branch 148 rejected that the president does not have ways observe the rule of law and Trillanes was arrested nearly a
the Department of Justice’s pe- the power to void any amnesty. would prosecute those who vio- month ago for rebellion, on orders
tition for an alias arrest warrant And the court said he has,” he lated it. of the Makati RTC Branch 150 over
and travel ban against Trillanes said. “This administration will al- the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.
but upheld Duterte’s Proclama- The Palace official also ques- ways observe the rule of law. Any He posted bail on the same day.
tion 572 that revoked the am- tioned the court’s refusal to issue violation of any law, it is mandat- The Justice department previ-
nesty granted to the senator by an arrest warrant due to the sup- ed to prosecute. We saw that there ously asked the two Makati courts
former president Benigno Aqui- posed “principle of immutability has been a violation in the grant of to order Trillanes’ arrest and bar
no over two failed coup attempts of judgment.” amnesty and that is precisely why his departure from the country,
in 2003 and 2007. “I am wondering why because the proclamation was issued to arguing that the nullification of
Trillanes welcomed the latest effectively, that would mean it declare its nullity. So until its time his amnesty meant that all cases
court decision, citing Judge An- has no jurisdiction over the case. when the Supreme Court said we against the senator must be pur-
dres Soriano for upholding the But then again, the court took are wrong, we will consistently sued.
rule of law. jurisdiction and in fact, the par- make our stand that we are right,” The senator insisted that his
Panelo, however, said Tril- ties submitted their respective he said. amnesty was valid and that he fol-
lanes should not celebrate as the positions and evidence,” Panelo In a radio interview, Panelo also lowed procedure.
court’s decision declaring Du- said. floated the possibility of a court A former Navy lieutenant, Tril-
terte’s proclamation nullifying “Because if it has no jurisdic- martial being reconvened against lanes won a seat in the Senate in
the amnesty as valid was more tion, then the court should have Trillanes, saying this is the “logi- 2007, campaigning from deten-
important. dismissed outright the motion cal consequence” but also said it’s tion, and was re-elected in 2013.
units were well-prepared after they con- cause we have substations that are cur- enforced, after its soft opening last Octo-
ducted a series of activities. rently being constructed there,” he added. ber 16 showed guests leaving their trash.
“All systems go. In fact, on October 25, PNP chief director general Oscar Albay- “The PNP will enforce all municipal
we are conducting the capability demon- alde will visit the capability demonstra- ordinances especially with those punitive

shown by President Rodrigo
Duterte himself in public.
Lapena deplored what he
described as a well-orches-
trated media attack against
where the controversial four
magnetic lifters that allegedly
contained more than a tonne
of shabu or methampheta-
mine were released.
T
he Philippine National Police (PNP)
is ready to assist tourists and locals
when Boracay reopens on October
26, according to officials.
Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, regional
director of Western Visayas, said police
stration…and we have a series of activities
that will be done in Boracay,” Bulalacao
said.
“We are well-prepared insofar as equip-
ment, the number of personnel needed,
the facilities, especially the building be-
tion.The Malay Police Station headquar-
ters was also transferred to another area in
Boracay, to further assist the people there
in the reopening.
Bulalacao also said the ordinance
against littering on the island would be
provisions,” Bulalacao said.
Boracay Island was closed to the pub-
lic in April to undergo rehabilitation af-
ter President Rodrigo Duterte called the
world-renowned tourist destination a
“cesspool”.

Duterte faces first serious dip in popularity ratings

By Hannah Ellis-Petersen his two years in power. The move consistently remained at about was declared after a shortage of help matters, but critics have
Guardian News & Media was described as a “huge politi- 80% due to his appeal to the big- rice, and prices rose by a report- accused the government of not
cal slap” to the president. gest sections of voters — poor ed 75%. The national shortage adequately stockpiling.
Inflation in the Philippines, people in urban areas and the got so bad that the government However Atienza said that the

H
is domestic reputation
has survived a brutal
drug war that took thou-
sands of lives, a personal attack
on religion, jokes about rape and
a barrage of misogynistic com-
ments about women.
But now the Filipino presi-
dent, Rodrigo Duterte, is facing
the first serious dip in his popu-
larity ratings at a time of soar-
ing inflation, which has seen the
price of everyday basics such as
rice, bread and fuel as much as
double.
Duterte’s targeted attacks on
his vocal critics also received
their first pushback from the
courts this week, after a judge
rejected the petition for the ar-
rest of Sen Antonio Trillanes IV,
Rodrigo Duterte’s popularity has fallen from about 80% to between who has been one of the presi-
50-60%. dent’s fiercest opponents during
which was one of the fastest
growing economies in south-
east Asia, is now at almost 7%, a
nine-year record for the country
and the highest in the region.
“Duterte has had dents in his
popularity in the past, but in the
past few months this has been
the most sustained decline in
his popularity,” said Maria Ela L
Atienza, editor of the Philippine
Political Science Journal.
“The price of groceries is in-
creasing, transportation is get-
ting more expensive and in dis-
array, and the price of even basic
foods like bread is increasing.
A lot of people are angry and
they are complaining because
they are really feeling the effect
of the rising cost of living.”
Since he was elected in 2016,
Duterte’s popularity rating has
middle classes — many of whom
praise his brash, often offensive
style, which was seen as an an-
tidote to “corrupt, imperial Ma-
nila”.
But his popularity has taken
a hit and is now by some esti-
mates between 50% and 60%,
mainly because of a new tax
policy, which was aimed at
lowering national poverty to
14% but increased the price of
everyday goods with a value-
added tax.
It meant the overall cost of
food had risen by 10% in Sep-
tember, with the price of fish
rising by 12% and vegetables by
20%. People in the Philippines
even reported loaves of bread
being smaller.
In the southern region of
Zamboanga, a state of calamity
lifted restrictions on rice im-
ports to try to relieve demand
and bring prices down, but many
say it has come too late and does
not solve the long-term prob-
lem. The rising price of fuel has
also hit poor people in urban ar-
eas hard, and things will worsen
when public transport prices go
up a planned two pesos (3p) in
November.
In the main, Duterte has re-
fused to acknowledge his ad-
ministration’s role in the crisis,
blaming “corrupt” rice hoard-
ers, the US-China trade war and
then rising global oil prices for
the increase in the cost of living.
Certainly Typhoon Mang-
khut, which hit one of the most
agricultural areas of the Philip-
pines and destroyed more than
250,000 tonnes of rice, did not
decline in Duterte’s popularity
was also linked to the fact that he
had now been in power for more
than two years, and major prom-
ises had not been fulfilled.” Du-
terte made the promise he would
eliminate drugs in six months or
one year but still no major drug
dealers have been caught and a
lot of people, including children,
have died,” she said.
“Most of the promised infra-
structure projects programme
have not been fulfilled.
A lot of people in the metro
Manila area have a lot of prob-
lems with the mass transport
system, and the conditions of
the trains are very bad — and
he has not eliminated the secu-
rity problems with militants and
communist insurgents in the
south.”
 Gulf Times
22 Wednesday, October 24, 2018
COMMENT
CHAIRMAN
Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka
Deputy Managing Editor
K T Chacko
P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar
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GULF TIMES
Tearing up N-arms
treaty with Russia
would be catastrophic
President Trump has made a habit of repudiating
international agreements negotiated by Barack Obama,
his Democratic predecessor. Now he seems to be on the
verge of withdrawing the United States from a landmark
arms control agreement signed more than 30 years ago by
a Republican president, Ronald Reagan.
Trump’s stated reason for abrogating the 1987
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty – that Russia
is violating its terms – seems superficially plausible. But
withdrawal would still be a catastrophic mistake.
The treaty, concluded between the US and the former
Soviet Union, ended an arms race in Europe that began in
the late 1970s when Moscow deployed a new generation
of intermediate-range missiles capable of delivering
multiple nuclear warheads, and Nato responded with a
plan to deploy US ground-launched cruise missiles and
intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Eventually the two
superpowers agreed to a treaty banning all land-based
missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500km.
The INF treaty was part of a larger disarmament
dialogue between the US and the Soviet Union (and later
the Russian Federation) that also included talks to limit
long-range nuclear
weapons. Current
“Russia has strategic stockpiles and
violated the delivery systems are
limited by the 2010 New
agreement” START treaty, which
expires in February 2021
unless the two nations agree to extend it for up to five
years.
Trump has been telegraphing in recent days that the
US would be abandoning the INF treaty. On Saturday
he said: “Russia has violated the agreement. They have
been violating it for many years. And we’re not going to
let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do
weapons and we’re not allowed to.”
The president apparently was referring to allegations
that the Russians have developed a land-based cruise
missile that exceeds the range specified in the treaty, an
allegation the Russians deny. The Obama administration
also alleged that Russia breached the treaty’s terms, and
in 2016 convened a meeting of the Special Verification
Commission, a body established by the treaty to address
compliance concerns. But rather than withdraw from
the treaty, the Obama administration adopted a policy of
trying to press Russia back into compliance.
Arms-control experts point out that abrogating the
treaty over one alleged violation by Russia would free
Moscow to disregard all constraints imposed by the
agreement. And that wouldn’t be the only adverse
consequence.
US renunciation of the INF treaty also would undermine
prospects for extending the New START treaty.
In addition to complaining about Russian violations,
Trump has pointed out that China is not bound by
the INF treaty. “If Russia’s doing it and if China’s
doing it, and we’re adhering to the agreement, that’s
unacceptable,” he said. Some arms-control experts have
spoken about “globalising” the INF treaty to add China
and other Asian nations. But the idea that the US needs
to be freed from the treaty’s restrictions to deter China
isn’t serious given this country’s other military assets not
constrained by the agreement.
On too many occasions this administration has acted
impulsively on the world stage and scrambled to contain
the damage later. Trashing the INF treaty would be
another such blunder. The president should pull back
from the precipice. – Tribune News Service
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How the man behind Khashoggi
murder ran the killing via Skype
Reuters
London
H
e ran social media for Saudi
Arabia’s crown prince.
He masterminded the arrest
of hundreds of his country’s
elite.
He detained a Lebanese prime minister.
And, according to two intelligence
sources, he ran journalist Jamal
Khashoggi’s brutal killing at the Saudi
consulate in Istanbul by giving orders
over Skype.
Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide for Saudi
Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman,
is one of the fall guys as Riyadh tries to
stem international outrage at Khashoggi’s
death.
On Saturday, Saudi state media said
King Salman had sacked Qahtani and four
other officials over the killing carried out
by a 15-man hit team.
But Qahtani’s influence in the crown
prince’s entourage has been so vast
over the past three years — his own
rise tracking that of his boss — that it
will be hard for Saudi officials to paint
Qahtani as the mastermind of the murder
without also raising questions about
the involvement of Prince Mohamed,
according to several sources with links to
the royal court.
“This episode won’t topple MbS, but
it has hit his image which will take a long
time to be repaired if it ever does. The
king is protecting him,” one of the sources
with ties to the royal court said.
Qahtani himself once said he would
never do anything without his boss’
approval.
“Do you think I make decisions
without guidance? I am an employee and
a faithful executor of the orders of my lord
the king and my lord the faithful crown
prince,” Qahtani tweeted last summer.
Qahtani did not respond to questions
from Reuters.
His biography on Twitter changed
in recent days from royal adviser to
chairman of the Saudi Federation for
Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones,
a role he had held before.
Prince Mohamed had no knowledge
of the operation that led to Khashoggi’s
death and “certainly did not order a
kidnapping or murder of anybody”, a
Saudi official said on Saturday.
Officials in Riyadh could not be reached
for further comment.
As the crisis has grown over the past
three weeks, Saudi Arabia has changed its
tune on Khashoggi’s fate, first denying his
death, then saying he died during a brawl
at the consulate, and now attributing the
death to a chokehold.
A senior Saudi official told Reuters
that the killers had tried to cover up what
happened, contending that the truth was
only now emerging.
The Turks reject that version of the
story, saying they have audio recordings
of what happened.
The kingdom has survived other
crises in the past year, including the
fallout of the crown prince’s short-lived
kidnapping of Lebanese prime minister
Saad al-Hariri in 2017.
Hariri, too, was verbally humiliated
and beaten, according to eight Saudi,
Arab and Western diplomatic sources.
The man leading that interrogation:
Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide for Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman.
Saud al-Qahtani.
France intervened to free Hariri, but
Western capitals did not take Riyadh to
task for detaining a head of government
— and Prince Mohamed emerged
emboldened, according to these Saudi
sources.
This time is different, with some
Western capitals increasingly critical of
the murder and the Saudi explanation.
Germany has announced it will stop
arms sales, while Britain, France and
Germany issued a joint statement asking
for an “urgent … clarification of exactly
what happened Oct 2.”
President Donald Trump has swung
between saying he is unhappy with the
Saudi investigation but also that he does
not want to jeopardise US arms sales to
the country.
To stem the fallout of the Khashoggi
killing, the crown prince, commonly
known by his initials MbS, allowed
Qahtani to take the fall, according to one
source close to the Saudi royal court.
A second senior Saudi official said
Qahtani had been detained following his
sacking by royal decree, but he continued
to tweet afterwards.
The sources with links to the royal
court said he was not believed to be under
arrest.
In the Khashoggi killing, Qahtani
was present as he has been in other key
moments of MbS’s administration.
This time, though, his presence was
virtual.
Khashoggi, a US-based Saudi
journalist often critical of Saudi Arabia
and its leadership, walked into the
Istanbul consulate at around 1 pm on Oct
2, to pick up some documents that would
allow him to marry.
Turkish security sources say he was
immediately seized inside the consulate
by 15 Saudi intelligence operatives who
had flown in on two jets just hours before.
According to one high-ranking Arab
source with access to intelligence and
links to members of Saudi Arabia’s royal
court, Qahtani was beamed into a room of
the Saudi consulate via Skype.
He began to hurl insults at Khashoggi
over the phone.
According to the Arab and Turkish
sources, Khashoggi answered Qahtani’s
insults with his own.
But he was no match for the squad,
which included top security and
intelligence operatives, some with direct
links to the royal court.
A Turkish intelligence source relayed
that at one point Qahtani told his men
to dispose of Khashoggi. “Bring me the
head of the dog”, the Turkish intelligence
source says Qahtani instructed.
It is not clear if Qahtani watched the
entire proceedings, which the high-
ranking Arab source described as a
“bungled and botched operation”. The
Arab source and the Turkish intelligence
source said the audio of the Skype call
is now in the possession of Turkish
President Tayyip Erdogan.
The sources say he is refusing to release
it to the Americans.
Three Turkish officials reached by
Reuters declined to comment.
The senior Saudi official who laid
out the official version of events —
that Khashoggi had got into a fight
— said he had not heard about Qahtani
appearing via Skype, but that the Saudi
investigation was ongoing.
Qahtani, 40, has earned a reputation
at home as both a violent enforcer
of princely whims and as a strident
nationalist.
In blogs and on social media, some
liberal Saudi journalists and activists
dubbed him the Saudi Steve Bannon
for his aggressive manipulation of the
news media and behind-the-scenes
strategising.
Qahtani wrote odes on Twitter to the
royal family under the pen name Dari,
which means predator in Arabic.
Some of his opponents on social media
call him Dalim, a figure in Arabic folklore
who rose from being a lowly servant to
much greater heights.
According to his biography on his
Twitter account, Qahtani studied law and
made the rank of captain in the Saudi air
force.
After launching a blog, he caught the
eye of Khaled al-Tuwaijri, the former
head of the royal court, who hired him
in the early 2000s to run an electronic
media army tasked with protecting Saudi
Arabia’s image, according to a source with
ties to the royal court.
Tuwaijri is under house arrest and
could not be reached for comment.
Qahtani rose to further prominence
after latching onto Prince Mohamed,
who was part of his father Salman’s court
as Riyadh governor, then crown prince
and finally king in 2015. Tasked with
countering alleged Qatari influence on
social media, Qahtani used Twitter to
attack criticism of the kingdom in general
and Prince Mohamed in particular.
He also ran a WhatsApp group with
local newspaper editors and prominent
journalists, dictating the royal court’s
line.
When Riyadh led an economic boycott
against Qatar in June 2017, Qahtani
ramped up his attacks on the small Gulf
state.
Online, he urged Saudis to tweet the
names of anyone showing sympathy with
Qatar under the Arabic hashtag “The
Black List”. The high-ranking Arab official
and Saudi sources with ties to the royal
court said Qahtani was MbS’s “bad cop”
late last year when 200 people, including
Saudi princes, ministers and business
tycoons, were detained and put under
house arrest at the Ritz-Carlton in an
anti-corruption sweep.
Qahtani oversaw some of the
interrogations, the Arab official said.
The extent of Qahtani’s power is
perhaps best illustrated by the kidnapping
of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-
Hariri last year, several of the Saudi and
Arab diplomatic sources said.
The Saudis were incensed at the
inability of Hariri, a Sunni Muslim and a
Saudi client, to stand up to their regional
rival Iran and Hezbollah, the Shi’ite
paramilitary movement that acts as
Tehran’s spearhead in the region.
Hariri belonged to the same multi-
party coalition government as Hezbollah.
The Saudis were particularly dismayed
that Hariri had failed to deliver a message
to a top adviser to Iranian Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to stop
interfering in Lebanon and Yemen.
Hariri claimed he had delivered the
Saudi message, but an informer, planted
by Qahtani in Hariri’s circle, gave the
Saudis the minutes of the meeting which
showed that he had not done so.
The Saudis lured Hariri to Riyadh for a
meeting with MbS.
Upon his arrival on November 3, 2017,
there was no line-up of Saudi princes or
officials, as would typically greet a prime
minister on an official visit.
Hariri later received a call that the
meeting with the crown prince would
take place the next day at a royal
compound.
When Hariri arrived, he was ushered
into a room where Qahtani was waiting
for him with a security team, according
to three Arab sources familiar with the
incident.
To Page 23

Indian women no longer prepared to stay silent
Rana Ayyub
London
L
ast year, just as the world was
reading with disgust stories
emerging as a result of the
#MeToo movement in the US,
a journalist from Bengaluru decided
to tell her story in Vogue India. She
wrote a detailed, graphic account of
harassment by a senior editor and
founder of two national newspapers
who had invited her for an interview.
But Priya Ramani stopped short of
naming her alleged tormentor.
For Indian women, the courage
to identify a man in power does
not come easily. In a culture where
sexual harassment is normalised and
trivialised, where the line of consent
is blurred by the patriarchy and flawed
ideas of machismo, where a women’s
testimony is too often disregarded, it
took an external force, in the form of
#MeToo, for Ramani and other women
to feel as though they could call out
their alleged tormentors. But they were
still fearful.
Now, a year on, it feels as though the
momentum has returned. This month,
Ramani finally named the unknown
editor. It was Mobashar Jawed Akbar.
He had left journalism to join the ruling
Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), and had
been inducted in the country’s cabinet
as the minister of state for external
affairs in 2016.
Within days of Ramani’s allegation,
more than 20 female journalists
accused Akbar of molestation, with
complaints including forcible kissing
and groping. Every day a harrowing
account of harassment by Akbar found
its way on to social media under the
#MeToo hashtag.
The government, led by the Prime
Minister Narendra Modi – who
assumed power in 2014 on the
promise of providing a safe and just
environment for women – remained
silent. So did an entire cabinet of
The man behind Khashoggi murder
From Page 22
The security team beat Hariri; Qahtani
cursed at him and then forced him to
resign as prime minister in a statement
that was broadcast by a Saudi-owned
TV channel.
“He (Qahtani) told him you have
no choice but to resign and read this
statement,” said one of the sources.
“Qahtani oversaw the interrogation and
ill-treatment of Hariri.”
Another source said it was the
intervention of French President
Emmanuel Macron that secured his
release following an international outcry.
Macron claimed credit in May for
ending the crisis, saying an unscheduled
stopover in Riyadh to convince MbS,
followed by an invitation to Hariri to
come to France, had been the catalyst to
resolving it.
Lebanese officials confirmed to
Reuters that Macron’s quick intervention
secured Hariri’s return.
Saudi officials could not be reached for
comment about the sequence of events
or Qahtani’s involvement.
French officials declined to comment
when asked about Qahtani’s role.
At least three friends of Khashoggi
Live issues
The proof we all eat plastic
By Colin Fernandez
Daily Mail
H
uman bodies are becoming
polluted with plastic,
scientists have confirmed for
the first time.
Tiny pieces were found in samples
from every participant in an experiment
which tried to estimate how much
plastic we eat and drink every day.
Until now most research has focused
on the natural world, but the new study
shows that humans are also consuming
plastic, with some pieces potentially
lodging in our bodies.
Researchers spoke last night of their
surprise at finding so many particles
in the human samples. They suggested
sources could include the eating of fish
or drinking of water from plastic bottles.
Campaigners said the scale of the
plastic crisis meant it was ‘impossible’
for people to avoid eating, drinking and
breathing in plastic – with potentially
harmful effects. These include the risk
of bacterial infections, introducing
harmful chemicals to the body, irritating
the gut lining, and affecting immune
responses.
Lead researcher Dr Philipp Schwabl
said: ‘This is the first study of its
kind and confirms what we have long
suspected – that plastics ultimately
‘Women are saying they won’t be told to shut up like their predecessors.’ Tanushree Dutta in 2008, before she left India.
ministers.
Emboldened, Akbar filed a
defamation case against Ramani,
hiring a battery of the best lawyers
in the country. But, by that time,
Ramani had the support of thousands
of women who had found their voices,
shaming the Indian government over
its lack of a response. On 16 October,
Akbar, who continues to deny the
allegations, stepped down from his
post. Indian women celebrated the first
concrete victory of their own #MeToo
movement.
Journalism and politics aren’t the
only worlds to have been rocked.
told Reuters that in the months after the
journalist moved to Washington a year
ago he received multiple phone calls
from MbS’s right-hand man urging him
to return to Saudi Arabia.
Khashoggi had balked, they said,
fearing reprisals for his Washington Post
columns and outspoken views.
Qahtani had tried to reassure the
former newspaper editor that he was
still well respected and had offered the
journalist a job as a consultant at the
royal court, the friends said.
Khashoggi said that while he found
Qahtani gentle and polite during those
conversations, he did not trust him,
one close friend told Reuters. “Jamal
told me afterwards, ‘he thinks that I
will go back so that he can throw me
in jail?”
The second senior Saudi official
confirmed that Qahtani had spoken to
Khashoggi about returning home.
The ambush in Istanbul seems to have
been another way to get him home.
How much did the crown prince know
about his trusted aide’s plan to abduct
Khashoggi?
Most of the 15 hit-man team identified
by Turkish and Saudi authorities
reach the human gut. Of particular
concern is what this means to us, and
especially patients with gastrointestinal
diseases. The smallest microplastic
particles are capable of entering the
bloodstream and lymphatic system and
may even reach the liver.
‘Now that we have first evidence for
microplastics inside humans, we need
further research to understand what this
means for human health.’ Hundreds of
pieces of microplastics were found in
every stool sample taken from people
who took part in the study by the
Medical University of Vienna.
Researchers from the university
and the Environment Agency Austria
monitored participants from the UK,
Finland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands,
Poland, Russia, and Austria. The results
showed every sample tested positive for
the presence of microplastics – with
up to nine different types identified.
The most common plastics were
polypropylene and polyethylene-
terephthalate (PET). Both are commonly
found in food and drink packaging.
The research was a pilot study
involving eight participants. Each one
kept a food diary for a week before their
samples were analysed in the laboratory.
The diaries showed all the
participants had eaten food wrapped
in plastic or drunk from plastic
bottles. None of the participants was a
Gulf Times
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 23
COMMENT
comedy collective, #MeToo India has
been unsparing. But a movement as
apparently transformational as this
will not be sustained if those in power
continue to see sexual harassment as
an issue to be tackled only in urban
elites, dismissing it as another western
phenomenon.
Nothing could be further from the
truth. This is not just the concern of
prominent journalists and famous
actors. In a country that worships
women as goddesses, there is also one
of the highest rates of sexual abuse
in the world, with many cases going
unreported due to the stigma attached
to these crimes. During communal
riots rape is used as a weapon of
intimidation.
In January this year in Kashmir,
Asifa, an eight-year-old girl, was
allegedly held hostage by a group of
men who are reported to have drugged,
starved and then raped her for days
before her death.
When the case became public,
members of the BJP marched in protest
against the arrest of the accused,
calling it an attack on Hindus (the
girl belonged to a Muslim family). BJP
legislators and the prime minister
remained silent then just as they
remain silent now over accusations
against Akbar and the #MeToo
revelations at large.
We will no longer stand for this
In the weeks leading up to the first “boys’ club” of the film industry, and share evidence and testimony. Those kind of silence. Women have decided
anniversary of the Harvey Weinstein the fact that “everyone knew” about who were dissuaded from speaking to rebel against the norms they have
revelations, a young Indian actor her harassment, but “did nothing”. out by their families to “protect long been asked to conform to. What
returned from the US. Tanushree And, crucially, having witnessed the their honour”, who refrained from started as a foreign import has become
Dutta, 34, alleged in an interview new mood in the US and other parts complaining at workplaces so they a moment of reckoning at home. My
that she had been sexually harassed of the world, India was now willing to were not labelled the “problematic country’s women are saying loud and
by veteran actor Nana Patekar on hear her story and stand by her. Shortly employee”, were now using #MeToo to clear that they won’t be told to shut
an Indian film set 10 years ago. The afterwards, Patekar stepped down shake skeletons out of their closets. up like their predecessors, and won’t
trauma had made her pack her bags from his latest film, though he strongly It has felt like India is being cleansed accept the indifference of those in
and leave the country, abruptly ending denies the allegations. of the toxic male entitlement that authority. We must hope, for the sake
her acting career. Over the past few weeks, India has has long been glamorised in our of all India’s women and girls, that they
Now a US citizen, and inspired by witnessed a change that feels like arts and popular culture. From the are finally heard. – Guardian News and
what she had seen in her adopted nothing short of a revolution in our resignation of the political editor of Media
country, she returned home to slay culture. The social media spaces that a newspaper to the disbanding of a
the demons of her past. It was an have often been the bane of outspoken film production house and the falling O Rana Ayyub is an Indian journalist
opportunity to speak out about the women now provide a platform to apart of the country’s most popular and writer.
Three-day forecast
TODAY
Maximum Temperature : 340c
worked for the kingdom’s security bone-saw Turkish sources say was used
Minimum Temperature : 290c
and intelligence services, military, to dismember the journalist — is hard
government ministries, royal court to explain in an operation Saudi officials THURSDAY
security and air force. now say was aimed at persuading Maximum Temperature : 340c
One of them, General Maher Mutreb, Khashoggi to return home. Minimum Temperature : 280c
a senior intelligence officer, who is part It is hard to imagine that the crown FRIDAY
of the security team of Prince Mohamed, prince could have not known about such Maximum Temperature : 330c
appeared in photographs with him on a delicate operation, the Saudi sources Minimum Temperature : 280c
official visits earlier this year to the with ties to the royal court say. Fisherman's forecast
United States and Europe. The Saudi official who spoke on
The high-ranking Arab official and Saturday said an existing standing order
provided authorisation to “negotiate” WARNING
the Turkish intelligence source said it
was Mutreb’s phone that was used to dial with dissidents to return home without Inshore : Nil
in Qahtani while Khashoggi was being requiring approval, but that the team Offshore : Expected strong wind
interrogated. involved with Khashoggi exceeded that & high seas to the
north
Reuters tried to contact members authorisation. WEATHER
of 15-man team but their phones were Another Saudi official close to the Inshore : Relatively hot daytime
either switched off, on voicemail or no investigation said that Qahtani decided & sctd clouds with c of
light rain at places by
longer in service. on his own to organise Khashoggi’s afternoon. Mild by night
The Saudi official said Deputy kidnapping and that he asked Asiri to get Offshore : Partly cloudy with c of
Intelligence Chief General Ahmed a team together, but that their plans had sctd rain at times
al-Asiri put together the 15-man squad gone wrong. WIND
from the intelligence and security forces. Qahtani’s final act may be to serve his Inshore : Northwesterly-North
Asiri was one of the five officials boss by assuming the responsibility for 05-15/18 KT
Offshrore : Northwesterly-North
dismissed on Saturday. the crisis that has hit Saudi Arabia since 08-18/22 KT
Another key figure was Dr Salah al- Khashoggi’s murder.
Tubaigy, a forensic expert specialised in The Saudi king has sacked Qahtani Visibility : 4-8 KM
Offshore : 3-5/7 FT
autopsies attached to the Saudi Ministry and ordered a restructuring of the
of Interior. general intelligence agency. Around the region
His presence — equipped with a To head it, he named MbS. Weather
Weather
today Max/min tomorrow Max/min
Baghdad P Cloudy 32/21 P Cloudy 34/22
Kuwait City M Sunny 33/22 M Sunny 35/26
Manama
Muscat
Tehran
Sunny
Sunny
Sunny
33/28
34/27
24/14
M Sunny
Sunny
Sunny
33/27
32/26
26/16
vegetarian and six of them ate sea fish. fabrics are also a significant source of
The microplastics found were microplastics in the environment as
between 50 and 500 micrometres in size. fibres from our clothes end up in the sea
A human hair has a thickness of between from treated and untreated sewage being
17 and 181 micrometres. released into rivers.
The Daily Mail is leading the calls to Dr Schwabl said: “Plastics are
tackle the plastic pollution crisis, with pervasive in everyday life and humans
campaigns that have stopped the use of are exposed to plastics in numerous
tiny microplastic beads in cosmetics and ways. I did not expect that each sample Around the world
resulted in the introduction of a plastic would test positive. We do, however, Weather Weather
bag levy. need to be aware of the small sample today Max/min tomorrow Max/min
It is estimated that about 2 to 5% of size of our study.” He added: “On a Athens M Sunny 22/14 Sunny 18/11
all plastic produced ends up in the sea, global level plastic production and Beirut M Sunny 29/23 T Storms 26/20
where it is consumed by fish and other plastic pollution correlate very strongly. Bangkok S T Storms 32/26 T Storms 32/26
marine creatures. Significant amounts Therefore, it is likely that the amount of Berlin P Cloudy 11/07 Showers 13/08
of microplastics have been detected in plastic contamination may rise further Cairo P Cloudy 33/23 Sunny 28/20
tuna, lobster, shrimp and mussels. if mankind does not change the current Cape Town M Sunny 28/18 Sunny 28/17
A Mail investigation this year found situation.” Colombo T Storm 29/24 T Storm 29/23
that tiny plastic particles have become Friends of the Earth’s head of policy Dhaka Sunny 33/21 Sunny 33/20
‘part of the air we breathe’. Mike Childs said: “This is further Hong Kong P Cloudy 28/26 M Sunny 28/25
A laboratory study found airborne disturbing evidence of how pervasive Istanbul P Cloudy 19/10 M Sunny 13/09
particles on every sample of fish from plastics are in our environment. Jakarta T Storm 33/26 S T Storms 33/26
eight major supermarkets in the UK “It now appears to be impossible for Karachi Sunny 32/23 P Cloudy 32/23
after they had been left on open-air people to avoid ingesting or breathing London M Sunny 17/06 P Cloudy 13/08
counters. in plastic pollution. While programmes Manila S Showers 33/24 S Showers 33/25
It had been thought the risk to health like Blue Planet have vividly shown the Moscow Showers 07/04 Showers 06/00
was largely limited to eating fish from devastating impact of plastic on wildlife, New Delhi Sunny 32/17 Sunny 32/18
oceans polluted with plastic, but the we don’t yet know what effect it has on New York P Cloudy 14/06 P Cloudy 12/04
study proved that microplastics are also human health.” Paris P Cloudy 17/09 P Cloudy 16/07
in the air. Louise Edge, Greenpeace UK’s Sao Paulo Rain 20/16 S Showers 21/17
The researchers behind the new study senior oceans campaigner, added: Seoul Sunny 19/06 M Sunny 21/10
note: “It is highly likely that during “This is yet another shocking Singapore T Storm 31/26 T Storm 31/26
various steps of food processing or development that shows just how Sydney Cloudy 17/14 Cloudy 19/14
as a result of packaging, food is being dramatically plastic is contaminating Tokyo Cloudy 23/15 Clear 23/15
contaminated with plastics.” Synthetic every aspect of our lives.
 Gulf Times
24 Wednesday, October 24, 2018

QATAR

Qatar Airways to host Orbis Flying Eye Hospital

The hospital is a fully which is funded by Qatar Fund
operational aircraft for Development and led by Or-
bis.
equipped with Together, they are on track
medical supplies, to deliver an impressive 5.6mn
an operating room, eye care treatments to children
across India and Bangladesh by
a classroom and a mid-2020.
recovery room “Qatar Airways is proud to be
a supporter of Orbis, as we be-
lieve in supporting communities

Q
atar Airways will host the
Orbis Flying Eye Hospi-
tal at Doha International
Airport from late October to
November 12, ahead of the Doha
Healthcare Week launch.
The Flying Eye Hospital, oper-
ated by global eye health charity
Orbis, is a fully-equipped cargo
plane with state-of-the-art
medical equipment, an operating
theatre and a classroom, making
it a unique teaching facility.
Every year, the aircraft visits
countries across Africa, Asia and
Latin America, partnering with
local hospitals to deliver special-
ist training through its team of
world-class medical volunteers,
carry out treatments, and raise
The Orbis team is on track to deliver an impressive 5.6mn eye care
treatment to children across India and Bangladesh by mid-2020.
awareness about the importance
of eye health.
The Orbis team will support
Doha Healthcare Week by or-
ganising public and private tours
inside the aircraft, as well as
hosting on board workshops, in-
cluding a Nursing and Ophthal-
mology session.
The global eye health char-
ity will also have a booth at the
award-winning Hamad Interna-
tional Airport, to raise awareness
about the importance of provid-
ing care to those with avoidable
eye conditions, as part of Doha
Healthcare Week.
The aircraft will also be stop-
ping in Doha to celebrate the
Qatar Creating Vision initiative,
in need and creating a tangible
difference in the world,” Qatar
Airways Group chief executive
Akbar al-Baker said.
“We are especially pleased to
host the Orbis Flying Eye Hos-
pital during Doha Healthcare
Week, as it is a wonderful way
to raise awareness of the criti-
cal need for medical eye treat-
ment around the world. We look
forward to welcoming the Orbis
Flying Eye Hospital to Doha,” he
added.
Orbis UK chief executive Re-
becca Cronin said: “We’re ex-
tremely grateful to Qatar Airways
for once again hosting us and for
their ongoing hospitality and un-
stinting support.”
The Flying Eye Hospital, operated by global eye health charity Orbis, is a fully-equipped cargo plane with
state-of-the-art medical equipment, an operating theatre and a classroom, making it a unique teaching
facility.
“We are proud to work with airline officially renewed its ing ophthalmic medical experts,
Qatar Airways to bring the Orbis sponsorship with the global eye each year Orbis delivers be-
Flying Eye Hospital to Doha and health charity in 2017 as the Of- tween four to eight training pro-
look forward to welcoming peo- ficial Airline Partner for three grammes on board the Flying Eye
ple on board in the weeks ahead,” years. Hospital.
she added. Since 1982 Orbis has been It also runs long-term pro-
Qatar Airways has been a working to prevent avoid- grammes in 18 countries, in-
proud supporter of Orbis since able blindness in areas of need. cluding Bangladesh, Ethiopia,
2012. Working with a global team of India and Zambia, among oth-
The multiple award-winning volunteers and the world’s lead- ers.

On track for 2022

Ashghal starts Wakrah
road upgrade project
A
shghal has announced
the commencement of
the 9.2km long Al Wak-
rah Main Road upgrade works.
The total cost is approximately
QR600mn.
The project is part of Ashghal’s
plan to complete works on the
road networks in the southern
area, following the recent open-
ings of G-Ring Road, southern
part of Doha Express Highway,
Hamad Port Road and the Orbital
Qatar Rail said it yesterday hosted FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his delegation on a tour of the DECC station in West Bay before Road, which is nearing comple-
boarding a Doha Metro train for Wakrah station. Present during Infantino’s visit were a number of Qatari dignitaries, including HE the tion.
Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) secretary-general The road works stretch from
Hassan al-Thawadi and Qatar Rail managing director and CEO Abdulla Abdulaziz al-Subaie. The SC also said in a tweet that “Infantino used the Airport Interchange on G-
the brand-new Doha Metro to travel from West Bay to Al Wakrah in just 20 minutes”, while thanking Qatar Rail for supporting the visit. Ring Road to Mesaieed Road and
(Images courtesy: Qatar Rail Twitter page) Waab Behair Intersection in the
southern part of Doha Express
Highway.
Works will include widening
the road to three lanes to accom-
modate 6,000 vehicles per hour

Mopping-up operations in full swing in each direction, providing free

traffic flow and reducing travel
time for vehicles coming from
Doha to Wakrah and the south-

R
ain emergency teams are
continuing to work round
the clock in order to re-
move water from all areas and
clean roads and tunnels around
the country, the Ministry of
Municipality and Environment
(MME) has said. “We appreciate
your patience and co-operation.
Thank you,” it tweeted yester-
day.
In a separate tweet, the MME
said teams concerned with public
hygiene continued with their in-
tensive efforts to lift and remove
solid waste from residential ar-
eas, clean streets and squares and
wash sidewalks, in conjunction
with the efforts of the emergency
teams to drain out water left be-
hind by the recent rains in differ-
ent parts of the country.
Meanwhile, today’s weather
forecast says strong winds and
high seas are expected in off-
shore areas towards the north.
The wind speed in these areas
may go up to 22 knots, with the
sea level rising to 7ft.
Inshore, it will be relatively
hot during the day and there is
a chance of scattered clouds and
light rain in some places by the
afternoon. Mild conditions are
likely by night.
Partly cloudy conditions are
also forecast offshore and there
is a chance of scattered rain at
times, the Qatar Met department
has said.
The minimum and maximum
temperatures are expected to be
25C in Abu Samra and Al Khor
and 34C in Doha, Wakrah and
Mesaieed today.
Yesterday, a minimum of 23C
was recorded in Ghuwairiyah,
while the maximum was 35C in
Abu Hamour and other places.
The Doha temperatures ranged
from 28C to 33C yesterday.
Meanwhile, Qatar Foundation
yesterday said Education City
reopened yesterday following
the temporary closure neces-
sitated by the extreme weather
experienced in Doha recently.
“However, the Education City
Student Center, the Liberal Arts
and Sciences Building and Al
Shaqab remain closed for the
time being,” QF tweeted.
Consular services will
resume normal operations to-
day, the US embassy has said.
ACS appointments may be
scheduled on the embassy’s
website and visa applicants may
log into their online visa ap-
pointment accounts to see their
new appointment date or re-
schedule at their convenience,
the mission tweeted yesterday.
Services at the mission were
affected following Saturday’s
heavy downpour in Doha.
ern areas.
The project includes con-
structing four new intersec-
tions and upgrading the existing
roundabouts to signal-control-
led intersections. There will be a
tunnel for free traffic flow in both
directions.
The project also includes the
construction of 6.1km bicycle
and pedestrian paths from the
airport interchange to the Ras
Bufuntas train station.
The Wakrah road will also be
integrated with the Qatar Rail
Metro Station in line with devel-
oping an efficient transportation
network that can improve traffic
flow.

CNA-Q hosts Canadian university fair

C
ollege of the North Atlantic – Qatar (CNA-
Q) was packed with prospective Canadian
students earlier this week, as the EduCanada
Tour launched on campus.
The tour, organised by the Canadian embassy in
Qatar, serves as a platform for student exchanges
between Qatar and Canada.
The fair attracted hundreds of students and par-
ents, who were able to get a first-hand look at what
a Canadian education has to offer, CNA-Q said in a
statement.
“This is an excellent opportunity to promote
Canada as an education destination,” said Canadian
ambassador Stefanie McCollum.
“Canada’s educational institutions are interna-
tionally respected for their diplomas, degrees and
certifications. We are pleased to be here at CNA-
Q – a world-class campus – to be able to showcase
these schools.”
The tour is organised with the support of Qatar’s
Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
Undersecretary Dr Ibrahim al-Nuaimi spoke about
the importance of the event at the opening ceremony.
“We are keen to diversify the education oppor-
tunities for students and Canada is well-known for Dr Ibrahim al-Nuaimi
the quality of education and some of their institu-
tions ranked among the best 100 universities in the president (Academic) Samah Gamar.
world,” said Dr al-Nuaimi. “I want to thank the universities and colleges in
Since 2002, CNA-Q has been offering technical, attendance, as well as ambassador McCollum and
career-focused Canadian curriculum to graduate the Canadian government representatives who are
thousands of students who have gone on to pursue here to speak about the visa application process.”
higher education or are making an impact in Qatar’s Last year, almost 500,000 foreign students were
knowledge-based economy. registered in Canadian universities and colleges.
The college was the first Canadian post-second- “I’m so pleased with the turnout,” said the am-
ary institution to offer education in Qatar. bassador. “This large crowd is proof that there is a
“For several years we have welcomed the Edu- great deal of interest in a quality Canadian educa-
Canada tour of the GCC region,” said CNA-Q vice- tion.” Students and parents were able to get a first-hand look at what a Canadian education has to offer.