amir reshuffles cabinet, restructures boards · 11/5/2018 · meanwhile, dr. nasser al hajri, al...

Volume 23 | Number 7701 | 2 RiyalsMonday 5 November 2018 | 27 Safar I 1440 www.thepeninsula.qa

BUSINESS | 21 SPORT | 30Rooney to make England swansong against USA

Qatar-Kazakhstan working to boost

bilateral ties

Amir reshuffles Cabinet, restructures boardsTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued yesterday Amiri order No. 7 of 2018 reshuffling the Cabinet.

Under the Amiri Order:H E Dr. Issa bin Saad Al Jafali

Al Nuaimi appointed as Minister of Justice.

H E Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie as Minister o f M u n i c i p a l i t y a n d Environment.

H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari as Minister of Commerce and Industry.

H E Yousef bin Mohammed Al Othman Fakhro as Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs.

H E Saad bin Sharida Al Kaabi as Minister of State for Energy Affairs and member of the Cabinet.

H E Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi, Minister of Justice, has also assumed the duties of the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs in addition to the duties of his post. The Amiri Order annuls any provisions contra-vening its rules. The order has come into effect from the date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette.

Their Excellencies the new Ministers took the oath before H H the Amir at the Amiri Diwan yesterday. The oath-taking cer-emony was attended by Deputy Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani. It was also attended by Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Before the reshuffle, H E Dr. Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi appointed as Minister of Justice was the Minister of Adminis-trative Development, Labour and Social Affairs from January 2016; H E Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, Minister of Municipality and Environment, was the Managing Director and CEO of Qatar Rail. H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Commerce and Industry, was the CEO of QNB Group and Chairman of the Board of Directors from December 2014, while H E Saad

bin Sharida Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs and member of the Cabinet, was Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Petroleum and Chairman of Qatargas.

H H the Amir also issued decree No. 71 of 2018 appointing H E Dr. Saleh bin Mohammed Al

Nabet as Chairman of the Planning and Statistics Authority.

H H the Amir also issued yesterday Amiri Order No. 5 of 2018 appointing H E Dr. Hassan bin Lahdan Al Muhannadi as Chief of the Court of Cassation.

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Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Deputy Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, with the new Ministers at the Amiri Diwan, yesterday.

Qatar Petroleum’s Board restructuredDOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued yesterday Decision No. 73 of 2018 on restructuring the Board of Directors of Qatar Petroleum.

The decision stipulated that the Board of Directors of Qatar Petroleum be restruc-tured with Deputy Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani as Chairman and

H E Minister of State for Energy Affairs as Vice-Chairman and Managing Director. The members of the board will include H E Min-ister of Finance, H E Minister of Commerce and Industry, Nasser Khalil Al Jaidah, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani and Saeed Mubarak Al Muhannadi.

National Tourism Council Board of Directors formedDOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued yesterday Decision No. 75 of 2018 to form the Board of Directors of the National Tourism Council.

The decision stipulates that the Board of Directors of the National Tourism Council is to be chaired by H E Prime Min-ister, with H E Minister of Finance as Vice-Chairman and the membership of: H E Minister of Culture and Sports; H E Min-ister of Transport and Communications; H E Minister of Economy and Commerce; CEO of Qatar Airways Group; Director of Government Communications Office; Chairman of Katara Hospitality Company; two representatives from the private tourism sector, selected by the chairman of the Board of Directors.

The Decision is effective as of the date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette.

H H the Amir also issued Decision No. 74 of 2018 estab-lishing the National Tourism Council. The decision is effective from the following day to its publication in the official gazette.

H H the Amir also issued Law No. 20 of 2018 on Tourism Regulation. The Law is effective and shall be published in the official gazette.

New Board named for QIADOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued yesterday Decision No. 72 of 2018 restructuring Qatar Investment Authority’s Board.

The decision stipulated that the Board of Directors of Qatar Investment Authority should be restructured as follows: H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani as President, H E Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani as Deputy Pres-ident, H E Ali Sharif Al Emadi as a member, H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari as a member, H E Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi as a member, H E Sheikh Abdulla bin Saoud Al Thani as a member, H E Dr Hussain Ali Al Abdulla as a member and H E Nasser bin Ghanim Al Khulaifi as a member.

Qatar 2022 stadiums receive major award for sustainable construction practicesTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: The sustainable construction practices at two 2022 FIFA World Cup stadiums have been recognised as outstanding by the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS).

Both Al Wakrah Stadium and Al Bayt Stadium Al Khor City were awarded a Class A* rating by GSAS, which is administered in Qatar by the Gulf Organi-zation for Research & Devel-opment (GORD).

Al Wakrah Stadium will have a capacity of 40,000 and host matches up to the quarter-finals stage during Qatar 2022, while Al Bayt Stadium will be a

semi-finals venue with 60,000 seats. Construction at both venues is due to be completed soon.

Abdulaziz Ali Al Ishaq, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy’s (SC) Al Wakrah Project Director, and Abdulaziz Al Mahmoud, Aspire Zone Foundation’s Deputy Pres-ident for Sport Projects, picked up the respective awards during the Sustainability Summit 2018, which was recently hosted in Doha by GORD.

Commenting on the mile-stone, Al Ishaq said: “Sustaina-bility has been at the heart of our project from day one right from the design phase, all the way through to completing the con-

struction of the stadium.It is an honour to receive this

award, which is testament to the hard work of everyone involved in the project.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Nasser Al Hajri, Al Bayt Stadium Project Director at Aspire Zone Foun-dation, said: “We are very proud of the work done by the Al Bayt Stadium team to achieve this cer-tification. Sustainability is at the core of our work on a daily basis.

This recognition follows the award given to us by GORD for the stadium’s design, which also received the highest possible rating, thanks to its expression of local heritage and culture.”


Ashghal partially opens three main bridges on Al Khor ExpresswayTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ yesterday announced the partial opening of three main bridges to the public on Al Khor Expressway project.

The new partially opened bridges are the first major mile-stone accomplished on Al Khor Expressway project, which is scheduled to be complete in Q4 2019, as the project progress reached 60 percent. The 33km link connects Al Khor to Doha via Lusail, Simaisma and Tinbak and Umm Garn areas.

Eng Mohammad Al Marri, the Director of Infrastructure Affairs in Ashghal; Mohammad Saleh Al Attan, Director of Al Khor and Al

Thakhira Municipality; Rashed Meshlesh Al Khaytarein, Director of Al Dha’ayen Municipality; Meshal Al Nuaimi, Member of the Municipal Council; Brigadier Mohammed Marifiya, Manager of the Traffic Safety and Engi-neering Department in MOI, and a number of Ashghal officials, were present at the event.

Two of the three lanes in each direction of the bridge at the Simaisma Intersection were open to the public providing a free flow of traffic to road users coming from Al Shamal Road via Simaisma Road and heading to Simaisma.

This opening will signifi-cantly enhance traffic movement in the area as it will remove the old diversion, considerably

reduce travel time and increase efficiency.

As for the second bridge, two lanes out of three in each direction were opened to the public pro-viding a direct link between Lusail and the Orbital Road & Truck Route. This will allow road users coming from Al Shamal Road and the Orbital through Al Mazrooah Interchange to reach Lusail.

The bridge, located at the interchange connecting Lusail city with Al Tarfa Road, also opened two of its three lanes to provide new travel options for motorists coming from Al Shamal Road via Izghawa Interchange towards Doha and Lusail.


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The newly appointed Their Excellencies the Ministers who took the oath at the Amiri Diwan yesterday. FROM LEFT: H E Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi, Minister of Justice; H E Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, Minister of Municipality and Environment; H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Commerce and Industry; H E Yousef bin Mohammed Al Othman Fakhro, Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs; and H E Saad bin Sharida Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs and member of the Cabinet.

Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with H E Dr Hassan bin Lahdan Al Muhannadi, the Chief of the Court of Cassation, at the Amiri Diwan.

Population witnesses 3.2% annual increaseTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: The demographic statistics showed that the total population of Qatar has increased from 2.63 million during September 2017 to 2.72 million at end of September 2018, an annual increase of 3.2 percent.

The figures were given by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) in the 57th edition of Qatar Monthly Statistics report, a series of statistical newsletters released on a monthly basis.

The most prominent change in this issue is the recovery in the real estate market where the number and value of properties sold increased by an annual rate of 65.4 percent and 82.7 percent respectively, QNA reported.

The report also highlighted the most important statistical changes that occurred in the country during September 2018 in addition to extracts from the results of the 2015 Census.

Qatar Exchange witnessed an annual increase in the value of shares traded by 11.5 percent, which led to a rise in the general index by 18.1 percent.

With regard to Vital Sta-tistics, a total number of 2,171 live births has been registered during September 2018, a 3.8 percent increase compared to August 2018. However, this increase was offset by a decrease in the total Qatari live births by 5.7 percent compared to last month. On the other hand, 181 deaths were recorded during the same period, a decrease of 12.6 percent compared to August 2018.

Moreover, September 2018 has experienced an increase in marriage contracts and in divorce certificates compared to August 2018. The total number of marriage contracts was 340 contracts, whereas the total number of divorces has reached 123 divorce cases; namely, one divorce for every 3 marriages.

As for Social Security state-ments, it reached QR84.435 thousand in September 2018, for 15012 beneficiaries in the same month.

The bulletin showed that the total electricity utilization during September 2018 was 4102.0 GWh attaining a monthly decrease of 1.3 percent and an annual drop of 6.4 percent. While the total water con-sumption has reached 38,338.4 thousand m3 during the same month attaining a monthly decrease of 1.3 percent and an annual drop of 11.0 percent.

As for the data of buildings permits issued, the total number of permits has reached 735 permits during September 2018, recording a monthly increase of 49.1 percent.

As for traffic accidents cases, a total of 522 traffic cases were recorded during September 2018, showing a monthly increase of 9.0 percent. Light injuries are accounted for the vast majority of traffic accidents

during the same month, with 87 percent, followed by severe injuries by 11 percent. However, 12 deaths were recorded, equiv-alent to only 2 percent of total traffic accidents.

The bulletin also highlighted that the total number of regis-tered new vehicles during Sep-tember 2018 has reached 4951 new vehicles. The figure showed a monthly increase of 29.7 percent and an annual increase of 19.6 percent.

For Banking Sector; Total Broad Money Supply (M2) recorded about QR565.6bn during September 2018, an annual increase of 0.1 percent compared with September 2017.

On the other hand, cash equivalents; including Com-mercial Bank Deposits, attained for QR817.8bn during Sep-tember 2018. The figure has recorded an annual increase of 2.5 percent compared to Sep-tember 2017, when deposits recorded approximately QR797.8bn.

Amir issues decree establishing Planning and Statistics AuthorityQNA

DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued yesterday Decree No. 70 of 2018 establishing the Planning and Statistics

Authority. The Decree is effective as of the date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette.

H H the Amir also issued decree No. 71 of 2018 appointing H E Dr Saleh bin

Mohammed Al Nabet as Chairman of the Planning and Statistics Authority.

The Decree is effective starting from its date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette.

Amir appoints Board of Directors of Qatar Financial Markets AuthorityDOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued yesterday Decision No. 76 of 2018 appointing the Board of Directors of Qatar Financial Markets Authority.

The Decision stipulates that the Board of Directors of the Qatar

Financial Markets Authority is to comprise H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Abdullah Al Thani as Chairman, Yahya Saeed Al Nuaimi as Vice-Chairman and the memberships of Sheikh Khalid bin Saud bin Fahad Al Thani,

Abdulrahman Mohammed Yousuf Jolo, Michael Rayan, Dr Khalid Nasser Al Khater and Dr Mohammed Abdulaziz Saleh Al Khulaifi.

The Decision is effective starting from its date of issue and is to be pub-lished in the official gazette.

Amir reshuffles Cabinet, restructures boardsCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

H H the Amir also issued yesterday Amiri Order No. 6 of 2018, appointing H E Masoud bin Mohammed Al Amri as Advisor at H H the Deputy Amir’s Office. The Amiri Order is effective starting from its date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette.

H H the Amir also issued Amiri Decision No. 68 of 2018, amending some provisions of Amiri Decision No. 16 of 2014 setting the competencies of the ministries.

The Decision has come into effect from the date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette.

H H the Amir also issued yesterday Amiri Order No. 5 of 2018 appointing H E Dr Hassan bin Lahdan Al Muhannadi as Chief of the Court of Cassation. The Amiri Order is effective starting from its date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette.

The Chief of the Court of Cassation took the oath before H H the Amir, thereby becoming the Chief of the Supreme

Council of the Judiciary under the provisions of the Judicial Authority Law promulgated by Law No. 10 of 2003.

The oath taking ceremony was attended by Deputy Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani.

H H the Amir also issued Decision No. 69 of 2018 amending some provisions of Amiri Decision No 35 of 2014 regulating Qatar General Elec-tricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa).

The decision stipulates that the affiliation of Qatar General Electricity and Water Corpo-ration is to be transferred to the Minister of State for Energy Affairs.

The decision also stipulates that a specialised department for new and renewable energy is to be established. The decision is effective starting from its date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette. H H the Amir also issued yesterday Law No. 21 of 2018 on organizing business events. The Law is effective and shall be published in the official gazette.

Deadline for school participation in Holy Quran memorisation announcedQNA

DOHA: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has announced that the deadline for participation in the 58 annual school competition in memorizing the Holy Quran for the 2018-2019 academic year is February 9, 2019.

The competition is held annually in coordination between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, in line with the message of the State of Qatar in caring for the Holy Quran and honouring its people, spreading its teachings among the students.

The Ministry called on the Supervisors of Islamic education to give the opportunity for all students wishing to participate without exception throughout the period of registration, and to take full care of all students and applying to the competition from all stages.

The Ministry aims to carry out these competitions to preserve the Holy Quran in the generations, and

to preserve the Arabic language because it is the language of the Holy Quran, and sharpen the moti-vation of the students to compete in the fields of science, and to educate generations created by the morals of the Holy Quran following the noble Prophet (PBUH).

The tests run on February 17 and are open to Qataris and residents enrolled in public or private schools, provided they receive a personal number from the Directorate General of Immigration, passports and nationality. And the applicant chooses to participate in one of the first levels or the second shall not be combined, and the applicant shall abide by the curriculum according to the years of study, and shall not have won an award in a similar contest in the same amount or more in the past years. Participation in the second tier is permitted only for those who memorise seven or more connected parts of the Holy Quran or hereafter, and the keeper of the whole Holy Quran is not allowed to participate again until one year later.

03MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018 HOME


Qatar, Russia discuss parliamentary relationsQNA

DOHA: Speaker of the Advisory Council, H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, met yesterday with Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs and a member of the Council of Foreign and Defence Policy (CFDP) of the Russian Federation, Yevgeny Primakov, currently visiting the country.

During the meeting, they discussed the parliamentary relations between the State of Qatar and the Russian Feder-ation and ways of supporting and developing them, as well as a number of issues of common concern.

The Speaker of the Advisory Council expressed satisfaction with the development of the Qatari-Russian relations in various fields, and said he is looking forward for further

bilateral cooperation in the coming stage.

For his part, Yevgeny Pri-makov praised the great achievements made by Qatar and the distinguished position it enjoys both regionally and internationally, stressing the desire of the Russian Federation to develop the two countries’ relations and move them forward to a new stage of bilateral cooperation in various fields for the benefit of both countries and peoples.

He also stressing the keenness of the State Duma to develop parliamentary rela-tions with the Advisory Council. The meeting was attended by the Secretary-General of the Advisory Council Fahd bin Mubarak Al Khayarin, a number of Advisory Council officials and HE Russian Federation Ambassador to Qatar Noor Mohammad Khulouf.

The Speaker of the Advisory Council, H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, and the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs and a member of the Council of Foreign and Defence Policy (CFDP) of the Russian Federation, Yevgeny Primakov, with other dignitaries.

Workshop to tackle illegal financing DOHA: The General Authority of Customs organised a regional workshop about financing terrorism in collaboration with the World Customs Organization. The workshop started yesterday and will continue till November 8.

The aim of the workshop is to contribute to enhancing the knowledge and customs challenges to curb illegal financial flows and money laun-dering, as well as to identify the Organization’s tools and best practices to build customs capacity in the face of this phenomenon. The workshop was inaugurated by Mohammed Abdullah Al Maadid, Assistant Chairman of the General Authority of Customs, and attended by Mubarak al Buainain, director of the Customs Training Center, other officials also attended the workshop.

The workshop provides an opportunity to discuss current international, regional and national initiatives to combat illegal financial flows and money laundering, as well as to share experiences among participants on enhancing practical progress in their respective countries, which will contribute to the fight against all organized crime and the preparation of appropriate reports.

The workshop was attended by 60 partici-pants, including officials who directly contribute to the development of customs policies as well as senior officials who head the investigation or smuggling structures, those responsible for customs operations at ports, a number of department heads and officials in the General Authority of Customs. The officials taking part in the workshop organised by the General Authority of Customs.

Qatar 2022 stadiums receive major award for sustainable construction practices

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In awarding the Class A* rating, Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) praised both stadiums’ pro-motion of sustainable practices, along with their monitoring and reduction of environmental impacts on construction activities.

During development, the project teams prioritised waste recycling, the reuse of materials and water, and dust suppression.

The GSAS Trust, an inde-pendent certification body, cal-culated the Class A* ratings after conducting four site audits during the construction process at both venues.

Eng. Bodour Al Meer, the SC’s Sustainability &

Environmental Manager, said: “We are proud to receive these prestigious certifications for two of our stadiums it is a major achievement for Qatar and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy’s, as we strive to meet our ambitious sustainability targets in the lead-up to 2022 and beyond.”

The SC is overseeing the development of seven stadiums in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, along with the redevelopment of Khalifa Inter-national Stadium, which reo-pened in May 2017.

Each proposed venue is mandated to achieve a four-star GSAS Design and Build Certif-icate, which assesses the level of sustainability within the design of the stadium building.

Ashghal partially opens 3 main bridges on Al Khor ExpresswayCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Bader Darwish, Highway Projects Department Assistant Manager stated that the project team are gearing up with construction works highlighting that these three bridges were opened to the public ahead of the scheduled time. He also explained that Al Khor Expressway project is a key arterial road in Qatar parallel to Al Shamal Road and con-necting to several major ring roads as well as the Orbital, noting that it will provide road users with a much easier access to 15 residential areas and key business, leisure, service and sport areas.

Meshal Al Nuaimi, member of the Central Municipal Council for constit-uency 18 commented, “I would like to thank Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmad Al Muhannadi President of the Public Works Authority and the project’s team. The opening of the interchanges is key to ease access to areas, specially the partial opening of the interchange that connects Orbital Road from Rawdat Al Hamama to Lusail, which reduces future traffic on Al Shamal Road.”

Mohammed Saleh Al Atan, Director of Al Khor and Al Thakhira Municipality, said that the opening of three bridges as part of Al Khor Expressway will reduce travel time for those coming from Al Shamal to the coastal areas such as Simaisma, Lusail and others. He added

that the project will provide a free traffic flow once completed.

In November 2016, the Public Works Authority launched the construction works to upgrade Al Khor Expressway providing it with 5 lanes in each direction in addition to 2 emergency

lanes on a 33-kilometre stretch between Al Khor Road and Qatar University Street in Doha, and improve the safety as well as the vehicle capacity. Unlike the previous two-lane layout, which only accommodates 4000 vehicles per hour, the project’s 5 lanes’ capacity will

be expanded to accom-modate 10,000 vehicles per hour.

Al Khor Expressway caters to 15 residential areas throughout its stretch from Doha to Al K h o r i n c l u d i n g Simaisma, Umm Garn, Tinbak, Wadi Al Banat, Rawdat Al Hamama in addition to Lusail, the Pearl, Legtaifiya and Al Tarfa Road.

Travelling on Al Khor Expressway will provide FIFA World Cup fans with access to two of the 2022 FIFA sta-diums, namely Lusail

Stadium and Al Bayt Stadium. The access will also be easier to Al Rayyan Stadium through the Orbital Road & Truck Route as well as several sports facilities such as Al Khor and Simaisma’s Youth Centres, Al Khor Sport Club, Lusail Sport Complex and Doha Gulf Club.

Mexican President receives credentials of Qatar’s envoyQNA

DOHA: The President of the United Mexican States, Enrique Pena Nieto, has received the credentials of Mohammed bin Jassim Al Kuwari as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipo-tentiary of the State of Qatar to the United Mexican States

The Ambassador con-veyed the greetings of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to President of Mexico and H H the Amir’s wishes of good health and happiness to him and to the Government and people of Mexico further progress and prosperity.

For his part, the President of Mexico entrusted the Ambassador to convey his greetings to H H the Amir, wishing the Qatari people more prosperity and progress.

He also wished the Ambassador success in his new duties and to work to strengthen the friendly rela-tions and cooperation between the State of Qatar and the United Mexican States.

Advisory Council Speaker appoints two officialsQNA

DOHA: Speaker of the Advisory Council H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud yesterday issued a decision appointing Nasser bin Ali bin Hassan Al Khater as Assistant Secretary General of the Advisory Council.

He also issued a decision appointing Misfer bin Hamad bin Mohamed Al Shahwani as an Assistant Director for the Speaker of the Advisory Council’s office of Public R e l a t i o n s a n d Communication.

LEFT: The officials during the opening of new section of Al Khor Expressway yesterday. RIGHT: A view of the new section of the expressway. PIC: BAHER AMIN / THE PENINSULA

Qatari Armed Forces & British Air Force review ties

The Chief of Staff of Qatari Armed Forces Lieutenant General (Pilot) H E Ghanem bin Shaheen Al Ghanem with the Air Chief Marshal, Sir Stephen John Hillier, of the British Air Force. They discussed relations between the two friendly countries and means of boosting them in various military fields, as well as joint security issues and means of enhancing them. The meeting was attended by senior officers of the Qatari Armed Forces and the British Defence Attache in Doha Colonel (Pilot) Simon Blake.


5th Katara European Jazz Festival kicks off tomorrowRAYNALD C RIVERA THE PENINSULA

DOHA: Top jazz musicians from 13 countries are set to enthrall lovers of the genre at the this year’s edition of the annual Katara European Jazz Festival, which opens tomorrow night.

In its fifth edition, the festival has grown through the years, from five participants in its inau-gural edition to 13 participating countries this year including Germany, France, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, Romania, Belgium and Italy which are members of European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) Cluster in Qatar.

To be held from tomorrow until Sunday, the five-day music fest will see two to three nightly performances starting at 6.30pm

at the Katara Esplanade.Speaking at a press con-

ference yesterday, the ambas-sadors of the participating coun-tries expressed their happiness to take part in the successful fes-tival which has grown from strength to strength every year since its inception.

“We are proud that the fes-tival has grown bigger and bigger every year, up to become a key event in the local cultural pan-orama,” said Italian Ambassador Pasquale Salzano.

Salzano underscored how music, with particular focus on jazz, has an important role to play in communicating feelings and creating bonds among peoples being a universal language.

“Jazz is indeed the best example we can offer to promote intercultural exchange. As one

of the most significant musical phenomenon of the 20th century, jazz represents a fusion of rhythm and improvisation, a melting pot of cultures that

blends Afro-american and European musical sensibilities,” he said.

The event will kick off tomorrow with jazz performers

from Austria and Italy, the latter to be represented by the “Max Ionata Trio”, which comprises three champions of Italian jazz.

Katara General Manager Dr.

Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti emphasized Katara’s keenness in organizing important interna-tional events such as the jazz fes-tival. He expressed his deep grat-itude and happiness how the fes-tival has evolved into a big event and the great success it has wit-nessed in the past editions as shown by to the increasing number of participants each year.

“Organising this festival in Katara for the fifth year in a row adds to the cultural scene in Qatar and exposes the visitors of Katara to a significant form of music and culture,” said Al Sulaiti.

The ambassadors said this year’s performers are among the most renowned in their coun-tries’ jazz scene who will be per-forming their hit songs from their rich repertoires.

Katara General Manager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti (centre) with ambassadors and representatives of member countries of EUNIC Cluster in Qatar participating at the 5th European Jazz Festival, at a press conference yesterday at Katara Building 18.

Qatar Airways and Rolls-Royce launch ‘Innovation for Leaders’THE PENINSULA

DOHA: Qatar Airways has announced that it has teamed up with Rolls-Royce to co-develop a unique specialised training programme for the airline’s national engineers, as part of its Al Darb Qatarisation programme.

The new ‘Innovation for Leaders’ programme has been designed to enable Al Darb par-ticipants to learn from Rolls-Royce’s innovation and lead-ership. Professional experts from Rolls-Royce will introduce the airline’s national engineers to a variety of topics designed to chal-lenge them.

The programme aims to enable different individuals to work together to create inno-vative solutions that will help develop their skills further by exposing them to new perspectives.

Qatar Airways Senior Vice-President Human Resources, Nabeela Fakhri, said: “Qatar Airways is proud to be collabo-rating with Rolls-Royce on this specialised Innovation Pro-gramme to provide our Nationals

with essential insights from both organisations.”

She said that this is a unique opportunity for Al Darb partici-pants to learn from some of the sharpest business minds in the aviation industry. “The ‘Inno-vation for Leaders’ programme is one of the many initiatives Al Darb Qatarisation programme is implementing to support talented young Nationals to develop their

professional skills and fulfil lead-ership roles in the aviation industry, as well as provide them with the opportunity to connect and learn from the airline’s global strategic partners,” said Fakhri.

In addition, Rolls-Royce will also hold a Business Management and Commercial Awareness Course in Derby, UK in January for Qatar Airways’ Nationals, which will provide them exposure to topics including: Airline Strategy, Commercial, Finance Essentials and Airline Simulation.

Rolls-Royce Vice-President, – Customers, David Hynes, said: “Rolls-Royce is honoured to have the opportunity to partner with Qatar Airways to jointly enhance our knowledge of how to effec-tively lead innovation in our busi-nesses. It was great to see our teams working together so enthu-siastically to solve real life problems facing our industries.”

The training is part of Qatar Airways’ Al Darb Qatarisation programme, a development ini-tiative that aims to support Nationals to become passionate global citizens and leaders in the

aviation industry. A Qatari word that means ‘The Pathway’, Al Darb highlights the different paths that individuals can take with Qatar Airways.

Through initiatives such as its summer internship programme and Graduate Developee pro-gramme, Al Darb provides stu-dents and graduates with real-life projects that add to their work experience and prepare them for

a successful career at the National Carrier of the State of Qatar.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Business Class’ by the 2018 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organization Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Business Class Seat,’ ‘Best Airline in the Middle East,’ and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.’

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of more than 200 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA) to more than 150 destina-tions worldwide. Earlier this year, Qatar Airways revealed a host of forthcoming global destinations in line with its expedited expansion plans, including Gothenburg, Sweden; Da Nang, Vietnam and Mombasa, Kenya.

The participants pose for a picture.

HIA partners with Tarsheed on energy-saving campaignTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Hamad International Airport (HIA) through its Memo-randum of Understanding (MoU) with Kahramaa in partnership with the National Programme for Conservation & Energy Efficiency “Tarsheed” launched the ‘One Degree Makes a Difference’ campaign in the spirit of Qatar’s Annual Sustainability Week.

The initiative champions Tar-sheed’s objectives on energy con-versation as part of the Qatar National Strategy 2018-2022 objectives for saving resources through conservation and energy efficiency to achieve eight percent per capita decrease of electricity consumption by 2022.

Since November 1, the airport has increased the AC temperature by one degree for a duration of two months, dem-onstrating simple tactics that conserve energy and benefit the environment. Awareness videos and visuals are on display throughout HIA’s terminal, encouraging travellers to par-ticipate in environmentally-con-scious practices.

Commenting on the cam-paign, Abdulaziz Al Mass, HIA Vice-President of Commercial and Marketing, stated: “HIA holds itself to the highest envi-ronmental standards and to responsible business practice. A key component of our contri-bution to national energy saving initiatives is cooperation with instrumental and action-ori-

ented organisations.”“The airport’s sustainable

practice, comprised of several energy management programmes and participation in Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Carbon Accreditation program, is paving the way to mitigate envi-ronmental impacts wherever we operate,” he added.

Eng. Abdul Aziz Al Hammadi, Kahramaa’s Conservation and Energy Efficiency Department Manager, commented: “This cam-paign is part and parcel of Tar-sheed’s overall goal to decrease per capita consumption of elec-tricity, encouraging efficient use of apparatus and decreasing CO2 emissions. We have just com-pleted our energy audit for the airport, including an energy assessment report which will increase energy-efficient practices in HIA’s operations.”

This new initiative follows the tracks of the existing MoU between HIA, Qatar Airways and Tarsheed, which was imple-mented last year to achieve long-term sustainability and energy conservation in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030. Through this framework, Tarsheed con-ducted staff trainings for both HIA and Qatar Airways on best prac-tices for electricity and water con-servation as well as energy effi-ciency, in addition to planned energy audits at HIA’s award-winning passenger terminal and at Qatar Airways head offices.

Earlier this year, HIA success-fully retained its Airport Carbon Accreditation at Level 3. The air-port’s renewal came after success-fully reaching Level 3 ‘Optimi-sation’ status last year in the Air-ports Council International (ACI) Airport Carbon Accreditation

programme. The airport is the first airport among the Gulf countries and only the second in the Mena region to achieve this accreditation.

HIA is currently targeting to improve carbon efficiency per passenger by 30 percent by 2030 against a 2015 baseline and has achieved significant progress. In addition to a fuel-saving pro-gramme aimed at reducing fuel consumption through operational practice and driver awareness, the airport’s Carbon Management Plan encourages the participation of the airport’s stakeholders including passengers, Qatar Airways and its subsidiaries, gov-ernment stakeholders, private operators, and retailers to engage in environmentally-conscious practices and reduce carbon emissions across the airport campus.

Mohsin Alshaikh, Manager, Environment Facilities Management, at the HIA, addressing the launch of the campaign. RIGHT: The launch of ‘One Degree Makes a Difference’ campaign at the HIA departure terminal, yesterday. PIC: SALIM MATRAMKOT / THE PENINSULA

New statute of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation adoptedQNA

DOHA: Minister of Culture and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali issued yesterday a decision to adopt the new statutes of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), based on amendments proposed by the Federation to some provisions of the statute.

This decision comes in the framework of the strategy of the Ministry of Culture and Sports to empower young people and develop their capabilities as well as enhance the level of the sport in Qatar, and within the coordi-nation and fruitful cooperation between the Ministry and QMMF. The decision also aims at enhancing QMMF’s inde-pendence in the management of its affairs, as the case in the other sports federations, in order to enhance the level of the sport in the state and maintain its leadership in the interna-tional sports community.

It also seeks to enable young people to participate effectively in the management of the fed-eration and its sports clubs, involve them in their decision-making, and encourage them to make initiatives and proposals that will improve sports work, which reflects the state’s confi-dence in the youth and their

potential and ability in this field. The QMMF General Assembly has been formed, including all sports clubs that exercise any sports activity of cars and motorcycles. Within three months, the General Assembly would prepare for the election of the new board of directors as well as the adoption of QMMF’s strategic plan and programs, in addition, to exercise the other powers provided for in the statute.

Meanwhile, motor sports officials praised the new statutes of the Qatar Motor and Motor-cycle Federation (QMMF) adopted by HE Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, which aims to empower young people and develop their ability to choose a new board of directors through a general assembly.

An executive body was also established in Qatar SC and Al Sadd, which specializes in mechanical sports. Qatar SC hosted the motorcycles activ-ities at the Batabit centre, while as Al Sadd hosted motor activ-ities at Mawater centre. The two clubs are included in the members of the General Assembly of QMMF, in addition to the other specialized clubs that practice motors sports, such as Lusail SC.

The ‘Innovation for

Leaders’ programme

has been designed

to enable Al Darb

participants to

learn from Rolls-

Royce’s innovation

and leadership.

Professional experts

from Rolls-Royce will

introduce the airline’s

national engineers

to a variety of topics

designed to challenge

them.


QC set to implement severaldevelopment projects in GazaTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Qatar Charity (QC) is all set to implement the devel-opment projects funded under “Gaza, the Right to Live” campaign.

QC said that it would begin immediately, through its office in the Gaza Strip, the imple-mentation of the projects funded under the campaign.

With generous support from philanthropists in Qatar, total donations collected for QC projects under the joint cam-paign “Gaza, the Right to Live” amounted to around QR14.5m, which constitutes 90 percent of the total donations of the campaign amounting to QR16m.

These donations will be used to support health and edu-cation sectors and to implement income generation projects and those related to the provision of water and health services

and many other social projects. QC said, such donations

from them reflect the level of trust QC enjoys in the public and at the same time increase its commitment towards donors in order to expedite the imple-mentation of the funded projects according to the best specifications through its office in Gaza,

QC extended special thanks to Eid Charity for donating over QR7.6m under the campaign to implement five projects, which include the operation of seven health centres to benefit 24,000 people and the provision of assistance to dozens of patients with kidney failure, as well as the provision of prostheses for 200 people. The projects also include providing safe lighting for 7,000 families, and main-taining and rehabilitating sewage stations benefiting 40,000 people.

Katara launches Iraqi Cultural NightsTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Performance of tradi-tional Iraqi songs and poetry highlighted the launch of “Iraqi Cultural Nights” at Katara Opera House on Saturday.

The event, held within the Iraqi Cultural week festivities, was officially opened by Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of Katara, along with Abdelsattar Al Janabi, Chargé d’Affaires at Iraq Embassy.

Hundreds of members of the Iraqi community along with other nationalities watched the show.

The concert began with poetry reading by prominent Iraqi poet Alyaa Almalki who expressed her happiness to perform in Qatar for the first time, saying that she was looking forward to meet local poets. This was followed by a traditional music performance

of Oud by Iraqi musicians and Iraqi singer Qaes Aladamy’s amazing rendition of ancient traditional songs of Baghdad preserved over centuries

among traditional singers.Another traditional Iraqi

performance “Khashaba,” a Bedouin style music using special drums, was performed

before an appreci-ative audience.

Renowned Iraqi singer Amal Khu-dayyer brought nos-ta lg ia to the audience with a m o d e r n p e r -formance of Iraqi songs that drew the attention of and interaction from the audience.

The concert was preceded with the opening of an art gallery by several Iraqi artists who are based in Qatar, including paintings that highlight the rich Iraqi heritage.

Janabi said that they are trying the cultural nights an annual event at Katara, while lauding the efforts exerted by Katara to make the concert happen.

Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti (left), General Manager of Katara, and Abdelsattar Al Janabi (centre), Chargé d’Affaires at Iraq Embassy, with other officials at the opening of Iraqi art exhibition on Saturday at Katara Building 19.

Muscat International Jewellery Exhibition to begin on December 11THE PENINSULA

DOHA: Organised once in a year as one of world’s top interna-tional jewellery exhibitions, Muscat International Jewellery Exhibition, will be organised at Oman Convention and Exhi-bition Centre between December 11 to 15, 2018 jointly structured by Oman Interna-tional Exhibition Centre and VEGA Intertrade and Exhibition.

This year 9th edition, will feature a wide range of precious and authentic gemstones, spec-tacular pearls, attractive gold ornaments and fabulous diamonds.

And the exhibition will be fuelling jewellery exports of Muscat in addition to reflecting to the whole world, the extraor-dinary dynamism and energy of

the Muscat jewellery sector. Further, jewellery machinery, materials, tools, equipment and accessories will be showcased at the premier exhibition from a wide range of manufacturers and distributors from within the region and outside.

The premier trade fair will attract companies from across the world, including Oman, Lebanon, India, Qatar, Italy, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey and UAE.

For the last eight consec-utive years, MIJEX has been highly well-received by both traders and buyers as the exhi-bition features a wide range of masterpiece jewellery from various leading brands and newcomers from many countries.

Likewise, the 9th Muscat International Jewellery Exhi-bition, which is open to both companies and public, is the perfect destination for buyers to seek the most beautiful jew-ellery and for sellers to boost business as the event serves as an ideal platform for brands and potential buyers to meet under one roof.

The organizers expect a whopping 25,000 visitors during five days of the event, which will be held in massive area of 4,000 square meters at the Convention Centre.

The exhibition will open to all companies and public on December 11, 12, 13 and 15, 2018 from 12noon to 10pm. However on December 14, the exhibition will open from 4pm to 11pm.

Oman Internat ional

Exhibition Centre is the sole state-owned organisation that is equipped to hold large-scale exhibitions and trade fairs in the Sultanate of Oman. Since the

inception in 1985 the centre has been the main venue in the Sul-tanate for various events such as exhibitions, fairs and variety show. Vega Intertrade and

Exhibition, pioneer in the Middle Eastern exhibition market and now one of the most sought-after exhibition and event organizers specialized in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

With over 15 years of expe-rience and expertise in organ-izing international exhibitions and events, Vega have a proven track record establishing stra-tegic alliances and gaining support from various gov-ernment officials in Thailand, Asean and the Middle East. And continuously, developing resources and opportunities to maximise benefits for cus-tomers, including integrated information, services, strategies and networks to help establish and expand their business in these potential markets.

The organisers of Muscat International Jewellery Exhibition pose for a picture after announcing the details of the expo.

WISH’s Doha healthcare week to promote healthy living THE PENINSULA

DOHA: The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF), has announced the activ-ities taking place during Doha Healthcare Week, which kicks off tomorrow.

The inaugural seven-day fes-tival will feature a host of work-shops, health checks, and mental and physical wellbeing activities. A wide range of free events will also promote healthy living and showcase the services offered by Qatar’s leading healthcare pro-viders, including Hamad Medical

Corporation, Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), and Al-Ahli Hospital.

During Doha Healthcare Week, members of the public who answered a call to register last month will have the oppor-tunity to visit the Flying Eye Hos-pital. A fully functioning medical facility operated by global eye health charity Orbis, the hospital is a converted cargo plane that flies all over the world to provide medical treatment to those in need. The aircraft will be based at the old airport in Doha for the duration of Doha Healthcare Week.

Additional highlights include an exhibition at the QF Recreation Center and QF Headquarters showcasing the work of interna-tionally-renowned photogra-phers, focusing on the health effects of war; a special free screening by Doha Film Institute of ‘Life: Animated’ in MIA Park on November 7 at 7pm; a Diabetes Walkathon at Education City, organized by QF member Qatar Diabetes Association on November 9 at 2pm; football on the beach at Katara each evening with ‘Sahtak Awalan – Your Health First,’ an initiative of QF partner university Weill Cornell

Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q); and healthy cooking classes for fam-ilies at The St. Regis Doha on November 10. Other activities include cancer checks by PHCC, free health check-ups by Al-Ahli Hospital, an information booth at Doha Festival City set up by the Ministry of Public Health, and workshops aimed at healthcare professionals around topics such as nursing, tobacco control, and diabetes.

Launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and QF, the new community-focused healthcare festival has benefitted from the support of

local partners including WCM-Q, College of the North Atlantic-Qatar, Al Jazeera Media Network, Qatar Cancer Society, Shangri-La Hotel Doha, The St. Regis Doha, and the World Innovation Summit for Education, an initi-ative of QF. International partners include Orbis, The Carter Center, The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, Nursing Now, and A l z h e i m e r ’ s D i s e a s e International.

Doha Healthcare Week runs until November 12, in the week leading up to WISH 2018, which takes place from November 13 to 14.

‘The Color Run’ returns to Qatar next year THE PENINSULA

DOHA: One of the most eagerly anticipated events in Qatar’s sporting calendar is fast approaching as The Color Run presented by Sahtak Awalan: Your Health First returns to Qatar National Convention Centre on January 26, 2019.

The event will mark the fifth time that The Color Run — known as the ‘Happiest 5k on the Planet’ — has been brought to Qatar by Sahtak Awalan: Your Health First, the flagship public health cam-paign of Weill Cornell Med-icine-Qatar (WCM-Q).

A large turnout is expected for The Color Run, which last year attracted a record-breaking 9,000 par-ticipants. As ever, 2019’s Color Runners will be doused from head to toe in brightly coloured powders at 1k intervals as they make their way around the course, before celebrating com-pletion with friends and family at the Color Run Finish Festival.

The 2019 Color Run has a new ‘Hero Tour’ theme that will see participants don capes and other superhero garb when they collect their medals at the finish line. The 2019 edition will also feature the Foam Zone, in which par-ticipants can enjoy being covered with bubbles blown from foam machines.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.thecolorrun.qa. Since its inception in 2012, The Color Run has become a global phenomenon.

4,000 urgent and emergency surgeries performed at HGHTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: With around 4,000 urgent and emergency surgeries performed year each at Hamad General Hospital (HGH), Dr Abdulla Al Ansari, Acting Chief Medical Officer, said instilling and maintaining a safety culture is at the forefront of his team’s work.

Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Acute Care Surgery section is responsible for all urgent and emergency general surgery cases at HGH.

Dr Al Ansari said the 2014 adoption of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist, which was implemented within the Acute Care Surgery section in cooper-ation with the Hamad Healthcare Quality Institute, is an example of the continued focus on patient safety. He added that the

implementation of the checklist has resulted in improved com-munication between surgical teams and led to a 50 percent reduction in delays in the oper-ating room.

“Acute care surgery is an evolving specialty that aims to ensure timely access to high-quality emergency surgical care and improve outcomes for patients with acute surgical con-ditions. We continue to be focused on improving surgical safety and are delighted to have successfully implemented the World Health Organisation’s Sur-gical Safety Checklist. This simple checklist has been shown to sig-nificantly reduce surgical com-plications and through its imple-mentation, we have helped patients achieve faster recovery rates and improved health out-comes, including reducing the

length of hospital stay. The checklist has also contributed to reduced waiting lists for opera-tions,” said Dr Al Ansari.

Various conditions including acute appendicitis, gallstones, pancreatitis, intestinal obstruc-tions, and diabetic foot infections are among the most common conditions that require urgent surgical intervention. Dr Al Ansari says HMC’s Acute Care Surgery section, which is com-prised of more than 50 members, provides an advanced model of care for patients who require urgent and emergency general surgery.

The WHO Surgical Safety Checklist is a patient safety com-munication tool that is used by nurses, surgeons, anesthesiolo-gists, and other operating room professionals to discuss important details about each surgical case.

It involves a series of steps and checks that ensure everyone knows the information they need to know. HMC is among the first hospitals in the region to implement the checklist.

Every operation has a series of steps that must be performed correctly every time and Dr Rashad Al Fkey, Consultant, Acute Care Surgery and Chairman of the Perioperative Quality Committee, said the use of a surgical safety checklist helps prevent commu-nication failures and reduces complications. “The checklist

includes a briefing, sign in, timeout, sign out, and debriefing. During the briefing, which gen-erally happens at the beginning of the day, all team members meet. During this meeting, the team is formally introduced to each other and the various oper-ations scheduled for that day are discussed in detail. This is done to ensure the needs of each patient can be fully met. Next comes the ‘sign in’ which occurs before the induction of anesthesia and before the first incision is made,” said Dr. Al Fkey.

Members of HMC’s Acute Care Surgery section and Quality team.


WCM-Q event aims to improve ethics education THE PENINSULA

DOHA: Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) has hosted a regional teacher training course on the subject of ethics. It was held in collab-oration with the Unesco Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, Unesco Beirut and the Qatar National Commission for Unesco .

Twenty-five participants from Qatar and the wider region convened at WCM-Q for the four-day Regional Ethics Teacher Training Course, which is designed to advance pedagogical capacity for ethics teaching and improve the quality of ethics education around the world. The course forms part of a multifaceted capacity-building strategy designed to help Unesco Member States address ethical issues arising from rapid progress in medical and life sciences.

It was opened by Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, Under-Secretary of the Min-istry of Education and Higher Education; Dr Khaled Machaca, WCM-Q Associate Dean for Research, and Dr Anna Paolini, Director of the Unesco Doha office.

The course, which was jointly hosted by WCM-Q’s Division of Continuing Profes-sional Development and the Research Division, taught par-ticipants the principle methods and methodologies for the teaching of ethics, identified key learning resources, and provided assessment and feedback on the teaching skills of each participant, under the guidance of experienced teachers. The highly inter-active course featured lec-tures, group work, individual demonstrations, and group discussions, led by trainers of

the Unesco bioethics team. Among the topics addressed by the course were patient rights, privacy, confidentiality and informed consent; the UN Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights; dignity and ethics for profes-sional educators; and bioethics teaching in the Arab World.

Dr Thurayya Arayssi, WCM-Q Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education and Continuing Professional Development, said, “Ethical behaviour demonstrates our commitment as physicians, researchers and healthcare

professionals to always act in the very best interests of patients and research subjects. As such, a sound under-standing and a solemn appre-ciation of ethics is absolutely fundamental to the correct practice of medicine and bio-medical research. Dr Anna Paolini, Director for Unesco Doha office, said, ”Ensuring the equitable distribution of the benefits of science as well as ‘health wealth’ to address inequalities within and among nations, is a central challenge to achieving the 2030 Devel-opment Agenda.

Participants during the regional teacher training course on the subject of ethics hosted by Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar.

UCQ Board of Trustees discuss strategic plansTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Qatar has officially announced the University of Calgary in Qatar’s (UCQ) inau-gural Board of Trustees.

This comes after a new gov-ernance structure was estab-lished earlier this year, secured upon the signing of a five-year collaboration agreement between Qatar and UCQ. Now in its eleventh year of operation, UCQ is the only Canadian uni-versity in Qatar and the sole pro-vider of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing in the country.

For the first time all together, board members from Qatar and Canada met in Doha this week to discuss current operations and the future strategic plans for the University, including next steps in helping to meet the Qatar National Health Strategy 2018-2022. “A healthy future for Qatar depends on a workforce that includes well educated nurses,” said UCQ Board of Trustees Chair, Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Jabor Al Thani. “The University of Calgary in Qatar offers higher education nursing degrees right here in our own country. Nurses make vital contributions to the health of their patients and their

families in our community. They are catalysts who are

leading healthcare system trans-formation. Meeting the health care goals of Qatar requires edu-cating more nurses and sup-porting the development of current nurses. I believe UCQ is educating the nursing leaders that will help us get there.”

Dr Dru Marshall, Provost and Vice President (Academic) of the University of Calgary, was one of three senior university repre-sentatives who traveled from Canada for this initial meeting. “The formation of a Board of

Trustees is an important and necessary step forward for UCQ,” explained Dr. Marshall. “The University of Calgary has a proud tradition of academic excellence in Canada and around the world. We are excited to con-tribute to the advancement of nursing in Qatar by delivering the academic programs that will help make it possible.”

Board members appointed by Qatar include Board Chair, Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Jabor Al Thani, Chairman, Qatar Cancer Society; Dr Asmaa Ali J F Al Thani, Dean of the College of

Health Sciences and Professor of Virology, Qatar University; Dr Khalid Al Ali, Director of Higher Education Institutions Affairs Department, Office of the Assistant Undersecretary for Higher Education Affairs and Dr Nabila Al Meer, Deputy Chief for Continuing Care Group and Min-istry of Public Health Nursing Affairs.

Board members appointed by the University of Calgary include Dr Marshall, Provost and Dr Sandra Davidson, Dean, Faculty of Nursing and Karen Jackson, General Counsel.

The inaugural Board of Trustees of University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) during a session at UCQ.

Call to develop national material standards THE PENINSULA

DOHA: College of the North Atlantic - Qatar (CNA-Q) hosted the ninth general Forum for Materials Technology, sponsored for the first time by Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd. (Oxy Qatar).

The meeting brought together 50 experts from the local and international oil and gas com-panies, academic institutions in Qatar, Danish Institute of Tech-nology, Ministry of Municipality and Environment, and Qatar National Research Fund to discuss corrosion and failure case studies. Throughout the meeting, they examined issues related to corrosion and materials, as well as identifying possible research studies to resolve these problems.

The Forum is working dili-gently to ensure the standardi-sation of engineering and infra-structure materials selection in the region, which derives from high-quality field research and case studies.

The Forum resulted in working towards the devel-opment of local standards for materials selection in Qatar and the Middle East due to an absence of material standards in the region, as most of the current international standards were developed based on research from the North Sea.

Oxy Qatar’s Vice-President of Operations, Kirby Lindsey, stated in the opening address, “Oxy Qatar is delighted to be a proud sponsor and participant in

this event. Forums such as these provide key arenas for us all to share best practices, the latest research and newest technol-ogies. It allows the industry to continue pushing boundaries and extending the useful life of our assets, which in turn, leads to lower operating costs and more

efficient operations.” Hanan Farhat, the Forum Chairman and an instructor at CNA-Q’sa School of Engineering Technology, established the Forum for Mate-rials Technology in 2015 along with engineers from the national and international oil and gas companies, and academic

institutions in Qatar. The decision came with an under-standing that there is a lack of corrosion and materials engi-neering knowledge and expe-rience sharing in Qatar’s energy sector.

“Qatar is unique for its envi-ronmental factors such as high

temperature, humidity, sand, wind, salt water, and direct sun-light that corrodes and damages industry infrastructure. Coming together is an opportunity for the engineering industry and educa-tional professionals to build capacity and create national standards that will work for Qatar,” said Farhat. “We proudly support Qatar as the first nation in the Middle East to develop national standards based on the field experience and studies.”

Samah Gamar, CNA-Q’s VP – Academic, said, “As the state’s premier college for technical education and applied research, CNA-Q has a long history and wealth of experience in working closely with the industry partners to resolve corrosion issues ensuring better asset integrity. Actively engaging and contrib-uting to the development of such engineering standards is a natural fit for the College in supporting Qatar’s industries through edu-cation, analysis, research and problem solving.”

Experts during CNA-Q’s ninth general Forum for Materials Technology, which was sponsored for the first time by Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd.

Breast cancer awarenessmonth: Careem to donate10% of rides’ fare to QCSTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Careem, one of the region’s leading technology organisations, launched a breast cancer awareness campaign in partnership with the Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) last October.

When a Careem customer books a ride using the code “PINKPOWER”, 10% of the ride’s fare is donated to QCS during the Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), breast cancer is the most fre-quent cancer among women, impacting 2.1 million women each year and causes the greatest number of cancer-related deaths.

In 2018, it is estimated that 627,000 women passed away from breast cancer, that is approximately 15% of all cancer deaths among women. Khaled Nuseibeh, General Manager of Careem GCC, said: “The earlier we educate young women, the healthier the communities

become. One of our main goals at Careem is to give back to our communities, our region and our customers and if we help at least one woman combat the disease, it would be a great victory for all of us.”

Mariam Hamad Al Nuaimi, General Manager of Qatar Cancer society, said: “We truly value our partnership with Careem Qatar and the efforts set towards reaching out to their passengers to raise the awareness of the dangers of Breast Cancer. We have to deliver the most important message at the end of the day, the earlier a tumour is detected and treated, the better the outcomes.”

The ninth general

Forum for Materials

Technology, hosted by

CNA-Q and sponsored

for the first time by

Oxy Qatar, brought

together 50 experts

from the local and

international oil and

gas companies.

09MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

Battles rock Yemen port city as UN warns of ‘living hell’AFP

HODEIDA, YEMEN: Intensified fighting shook a key rebel-held port city on Yemen’s Red Sea coast yesterday, leaving dozens dead as the United Nations warned that children in the war-torn country face “a living hell”.

The bloodshed comes despite growing international pressure to end a years-long conflict that has killed thou-sands and pushed the impover-ished Arabian Peninsula nation to the brink of famine.

Fifty-three Houthi rebels have been killed and dozens wounded in battles and air strikes over the past 24 hours in Hodeida, according to medical sources in the port city, which is a key gateway for humani-tarian aid.

Military officials said Saudi-led coalition warplanes carried out dozens of air strikes early Sunday to support pro-gov-ernment forces in fighting that appear to be approaching the city’s main university.

Houthi media reported air strikes in Hodeida on Sunday but did not give a fighter cas-ualty toll.

Thirteen pro-government troops were killed, according to medical sources in Aden and Mokha, where their bodies were transported.

Nearly three quarters of the

country’s imports flow through Hodeida, from where they are transported by land to areas further north.

The port is controlled by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels and under blockade by Saudi Arabia and its allies in a government coalition.

The UN children’s fund (Unicef) warned an assault on Hodeida city would jeopardise the lives of Yemenis across the country who depend on its port for humanitarian aid.

“Yemen is today a living hell — not for 50 to 60 percent of the children — it is a living hell for every boy and girl in Yemen,” he told a news conference in the Jordanian capital.

The UN has called Yemen, long the poorest country in the Arab world, the largest human-itarian crisis in the world, and

warned that 14 million people across the country face imminent famine.

The Hodeida clashes erupted on Thursday just hours after the government said it was ready to restart peace talks with the Iran-backed Huthis.

The offer followed a surprise call by the United States for an end to the Yemen war, including air strikes by the coalition.

Both the coalition and rebels stand accused of acts that could amount to war crimes, and the Saudi-led coalition has been blacklisted by the UN for the maiming and killing of Yemeni children in air raids.

According to the World Health Organization, nearly 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict, though some rights groups estimate the toll could be five times higher.

SANA’A: Yemeni officials say fighting has escalated around the key port city of Hodeida, with more than 150 combatants killed over the weekend from both the rebel and government-backed side.

They said yesterday that airstrikes and naval artillery have pounded rebel positions around the Red Sea costal city, which government backed-troops launching a major ground assault seek to wrest from dug-in rebels. Fierce fighting also erupted in Bayda and Saada provinces.

Over 150 dead in weekend violence around Hodeida

Papers and belongings of the staff of Jerusalem Governor’s Office are seen scattered around the office after a raid by Israeli forces in the West Bank town of Al Ram, northeast of Jerusalem, yesterday.

Israeli forces raid Jerusalem governor’s office in West BankANATOLIA

JERUSALEM: Israeli forces yesterday raided the Jerusalem governor’s office in the occupied West Bank, according to local residents.

“An Israeli force stormed the governor’s office in the town of Al Ram, northeast of Jerusalem, and searched it,” a local resident said. He said Israeli soldiers assaulted a number of employees inside the office.

According to Palestinian medical sources, three people suffered temporary asphyxi-ation from teargas canisters fired by Israeli forces and were treated on the spot.

The Israeli raid was quickly condemned by the Ramallah-b a s e d P a l e s t i n i a n government.

In a statement, government spokesman Yousef Al Mahmoud described the raid as a “dan-gerous escalation and a flagrant

violation of all agreements and international law”.

The spokesman went on to hold the Israeli government responsible for “the repercus-sions of these assaults”.

There was no comment from the Israeli army on the report. Last month, Israeli police detained Jerusalem governor Adnan Ghaith and released him two days later.

Last week, Ghaith was again briefly detained by Israeli forces.

Iranians gather to stage a protest against United States during the 39th anniversary of the occupation of former US Embassy building in Tehran, Iran, yesterday.

Rebels slay at leastseven civilians in eastern DR CongoAFP

BENI: Rebels killed at least seven civilians and abducted 15 others, including children, in fresh overnight raids in the far eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, civilian and military sources said.

Fighters of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) staged two raids Saturday night in the North Kivu region bordering Uganda, Teddy Kataliko, leader of the civilian administration in Beni dis-trict, said.

According to his account, rebels at Mangboko burnt a lorry driver in his vehicle and killed six other civilians, while in Oicha, they killed one person and abducted 15 others — for a total death toll of eight. Beni district admin-istrator Donat Kibwana said seven people were killed and 15 people were abducted, including 10 children.

Hamas hails Tunisian court ruling against Israeli visitANATOLIA

GAZA CITY: Palestinian group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, has welcomed a Tunisian court ruling banning the entry of an Israeli dele-gation into Tunisia. The delegation was scheduled to take part in the conference of World Forum on Inter-faith Dialogue Ambassadors, due to be held on Nov. 4-8.

But on Friday, the Tunis-based Court of First Instance ruled to prevent the Israeli delegation from entering the country to attend the event. “We appreciate the great Tunisian people and all the Tunisian organizations that worked hard for allowing the issuance of this decision,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said. The issue was brought to the court by the National Commission for the Support of Arab Resistance, an NGO, the Repub-lican Party and the People’s Movement against the country’s Tunisian Scouts — the forum’s organizers.

Iranians stage anti-US march on eve of sanctionsREUTERS

TEHRAN: Thousands of Iranians chanting “Death to America” rallied yesterday to mark the anniversary of the seizure of the US Embassy during the 1979 Islamic Revo-lution and the imminent reimposition of US sanctions on Iran’s oil sector.

Students attending the government-organised rally in the capital Tehran, broadcast live by state television, burned the Stars and Stripes, an effigy of Uncle Sam and pictures of President Donald Trump outside the former embassy compound.

Hardline students stormed the embassy on November 4, 1979, soon after the fall of the U.S.-backed shah, and 52 Americans were held hostage there for 444 days. The two countries have been enemies ever since. State media said millions turned out for rallies in towns and cities, swearing allegiance to the clerical establishment and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The figure could not be independently con-firmed by Reuters.

Rallies are staged on the embassy takeover anniversary every year. But rancour is especially strong this time round following Trump’s decision in May to

withdraw from world powers’ 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reimpose sanctions on Iran. The deal brought about the lifting of most international financial and economic sanctions on Iran in return for Tehran

curbing its disputed nuclear activity under UN surveillance. Trump said the deal was weak and favoured Iran. The other signa-tories —Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — remain committed to the accord.

Syria ready to cooperate with new UN envoyAFP

DAMASCUS: Syria is ready to cooperate with new UN envoy Geir Pedersen as long as he avoids the methods of his predecessor, its deputy foreign minister said in remarks published yesterday.

Pedersen, who assumes the role at the end of November, is the fourth nego-tiator to have been appointed the UN’s special envoy to Syria since the country’s war broke out in 2011.

A seasoned Norwegian diplomat, he replaces Staffan de Mistura, who announced he is leaving the post last month after a four-year stint.

“Syria will cooperate with the new UN envoy Geir Pedersen provided he avoids the methods of his prede-cessor,” Deputy Foreign Min-ister Faisal Al Meqdad said.

Bahrain Shia opposition leader sentenced to lifeAP & REUTERS

DUBAI: A Shia cleric who was a central figure in Bahrain’s 2011 Arab Spring protests was sentenced to life in prison yesterday on spying charges.

The ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeals came after Sheikh Ali Salman was acquitted of the charges by a lower court in June. Human rights groups and activists say the charges against him are politically-motivated and related to his work as a leading opposition figure.

The verdict was issued just weeks before parliamentary elections are set to take place without the Al Wefaq political group Salman once led. Al Wefaq, which was the tiny Gulf nation’s largest Shia opposition bloc, was ordered dissolved in 2016 as part of a crackdown on dissent in the kingdom, which has a Shia majority.

The state-run Bahrain News Agency reported the appellate court’s decision yesterday without naming the defendants, saying three individuals were found guilty of the spying charges.

Human Rights First, an activist group, confirmed the ruling refers to Salman. His co-defendants in the case— Sheikh Hassan Ali Juma Sultan and Ali Mahdi Ali

Al Aswad — are also former Al Wefaq officials.

The three faced charges of ‘disclosing sensitive information to Qatar’ that could harm Bahrain’s security in exchange for financial compensation. The state-run news agency said prosecutors presented recorded phone conversations as evidence.

Last year, Bahrain state television aired the recorded calls between Salman and Qatar’s then-Prime Minister during the 2011 protests.

A government-sponsored report on the 2011 protests and unrest noted Bah-rain’s opposition had accepted an idea for mediation by Qatar during the uprising, but Bahrain’s government had rejected it. Salman’s supporters say calls to Qatar were related to those efforts and that recordings were edited to suggest otherwise.

Alaswad, who has lived in London since 2011, has said that the public pros-ecutor used secret witnesses and a video from a Bahraini television channel which experts described as edited and incomplete.

Salman, in his early 50s, has long been targeted by Bahrain’s government. In 1994, he was arrested, allegedly tortured and detained for months without trial before being deported and forced to live in exile for over 15 years, according to the United Nations.

He is currently serving out a four-year sentence in another trial on charges he insulted the Interior Ministry, which oversees police, incited others to break

the law and incited hatred against natu-ralised Sunni citizens, many of whom serve in Bahrain’s security forces.

Brian Dooley, a senior adviser at Human Rights First, said yesterday’s ruling “confirms there is now no tolerance for any dissent in Bahrain.”

Amnesty International described the verdict as a “travesty of justice” and said Salman is being held “solely for peace-fully exercising his right to freedom of expression.”

Wefaq, which has strong links to the country’s Shia majority, has campaigned for social and political reforms in the country.

Iran criticised the verdicts, its state news agency Irna said.

“These verdicts leave no doubt for public opinion and the international com-munity that Bahrain is not looking for reform but has decided to intensify the repression,” Irna quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying.

Bahrain has frequently accused Iran of interference in its internal affairs. Tehran denies the accusation.

Bahrain is home to the US Navy 5th Fleet. The 2011 uprising there was quelled with help from Saudi and Emirati forces.

Sheikh Ali Salman

Facebook, Twitter

and Google have

thrown millions

of dollars, tens

of thousands

of people and

what they say

are their best

technical efforts

into fighting fake

news, propaganda

and hate that

has proliferated

on their digital

platforms.

10 MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018VIEWS

Social media’s misinformation battle: No winners, so far

Facebook and other social plat-forms have been fighting online misinformation and hate speech for two years.

With the US midterm elections just a few days away, there are signs that they’re making some headway, although they’re still a very long way from winning the war.

That’s because the effort risks running into political headwinds that Facebook, Twitter and Google find bad for business. Some even argue that the social networks are easy to flood with disinformation by design - an unin-tended consequence of their eagerness to cater to advertisers by categorizing the interests of their users.

Caught embarrassingly off-guard after they were played by Russian agents meddling with the 2016 US elections, the technology giants have thrown millions of dollars, tens of thousands of people and what they say are their best technical efforts into fighting fake news, propaganda and hate that has proliferated on their digital platforms.

Facebook, in particular, has pulled a major reversal since late 2016, when CEO Mark Zuckerberg infamously dis-missed the idea that fake news on his service could have swayed the election

as “pretty crazy.” In July, for instance, the company announced that heavy spending on security and content mod-eration, coupled with other business shifts, would hold down growth and profitability. Investors immediately panicked and knocked $119 billion off the company’s market value.

The social network has started to see

some payoff for its efforts. A research collaboration between New York Uni-versity and Stanford recently found that user “interactions” with fake news stories on Facebook, which rose sub-stantially in 2016 during the presi-dential campaign, fell significantly between the end of 2016 and July 2018. On Twitter, however, the sharing of such stories continued to rise over

the past two years. A similar measure from the University of Michigan’s Center for Social Media Responsibility dubbed the “Iffy Quotient “ - which gauges the prevalence of “iffy” material on social networks - also shows that Facebook’s “iffiness” has fallen from a high of 8.1 percent on March 6, 2017, to 3.2 percent yes-terday. Twitter iffiness has also fallen slightly, from 5.6% on November 6, 2016, to 4.2 percent yesterday.

Even at these levels, fake news remains huge and may be spreading to new audiences. A team led by Philip Howard, the lead researcher on Oxford’s Computational Propaganda effort, looked at stories shared on Twitter during the last 10 days of Sep-tember 2018 and found that what it called “junk news” accounted for a full quarter of all links shared during that time - greater than the number of pro-fessional news stories shared during that time.

The team defined junk news as sources that published deceptive or incorrect information, often in an ide-ological or conspiratorial way, while failing to meet criteria such as profes-sionalism, bias, credibility and style.

While the Oxford analysis didn’t produce similar figures for Facebook, the researchers did map out how junk news circulates on the social network and found that conspiracy theories and other misinformation once con-fined to a “hard right” audience are now shared more freely among main-stream conservatives as well.

Such studies offer imperfect pic-tures of what’s actually happening on social networks, since the services typi-cally don’t offer researchers untram-meled access to their data. Twitter, for instance, takes issue with the Oxford study, noting that it used a public feed of tweets that doesn’t reflect the fil-tering Twitter does to remove mali-cious or spammy material.

Tamping down misinformation, of course, is anything but easy. Adver-saries are always finding new ways around restrictions. It can also be hard

to distinguish misinformation and propaganda from legitimate news, especially when world leaders such as President Donald Trump are regularly disseminating falsehoods on social media.

Politics also complicates matters, since the social-media companies are anxious to avoid charges of political bias. When Facebook, Google’s YouTube and, eventually, Twitter all banned the conspiracymonger Alex Jones for various violations of their terms of service, Jones and his allies immediately claimed he was being cen-sored. President Trump chimed in a few weeks later with a parallel charge, claiming without evidence that Google and other companies were “suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good.”

Twitter, in fact, charges that researchers such as the Oxford team define “junk news” too broadly. The group, for instance, classes conserv-ative sites such as Breitbart News and the Daily Caller as “junk” by its cri-teria. Twitter argues that banning “media outlets that reflect views within American society” would “severely hinder public debate.”

Some critics charge that the very advertising-based business model that made Zuckerberg rich is also perfectly suited for propagandists. Services like Facebook and Twitter “sustain them-selves by finding like-minded groups and selling information about their behavior,” Dipayan Ghosh, a former privacy policy expert at Facebook and Ben Scott, senior adviser at New America, wrote in a Time Magazine op-ed earlier this year. “Disinfor-mation propagators sustain them-selves by manipulating the behavior of like-minded groups.”

“They don’t self-regulate,” said Dora Kingsley Vertenten, a professor of public policy at the University of Southern California and CEO of research consulting firm Trenton West. “They just want to make a profit, and what they have done to date is not nearly enough.”

BARBARA ORTUTAY AP

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Yemen is today a living hell — not for 50 to 60 percent of the children — it is a living hell for every

boy and girl in Yemen.

Geert Cappelaere

Unicef MENA Regional Director

Time to end impunity for crimes against journalists

The murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is extraor-dinary, not because of the brutal

way he was killed, nor because those who did it are unlikely to be held to account. It is extraordinary because it has become international news in a world where violence against jour-nalists is increasingly the norm.

In 2017 alone, 78 journalists were murdered, and thousands more assaulted or imprisoned for their work. On average, only one in 10 of those who commit violence against journalists are convicted of their crimes. In countries like Mexico, where 12 journalists were murdered in 2017, virtually no perpetrators are convicted.

Even in Europe, a supposedly safe place for journalists to work, there are worrying cases of murders of jour-nalists. The family of Maltese investi-gative journalist Daphne Caruana

Galizia are still waiting for justice, one year after she was killed by a car bomb. Today is the Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists when civil society calls on governments to take action and bring to justice those who are guilty of killing journalists such as Khashoggi and Galizia.

But these violent acts do not occur in isolation, nor are they the only threat facing journalists today. Among the international leaders who have condemned Khashoggi’s murder is Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who without apparent irony said: “From the person who gave the order, to the person who carried it out, they must all be brought to account.”

Since the attempted coup in 2016, Erdogan’s government has systemati-cally destroyed the independent media in Turkey. Currently, 174 journalists are in prison, including Ahmet Altan and five other media workers whose life sentences were upheld by a Turkish court a few weeks ago, calling into question the fairness of these trials.

US President Donald Trump also

commented on the killing of Khashoggi, showing perhaps unchar-acteristic self-awareness, when he acknowledged his own criticism of the media. When asked to comment on the implications of the Saudi involvement in Khashoggi’s murder, Trump said: “There’s a lot of stake, maybe especially so because this man was a reporter, there’s something, you’ll be surprised to hear me say that, there’s something really terrible and disgusting about that.”

Just days later, the US president chose to celebrate violence towards journalists, when he expressed support for Republican Congressman Greg Gianforte, who was found guilty of assaulting a Guardian journalist in 2017. He told a rally in Montana: “Any guy that can do a body slam, he’s my kind of… he’s my guy.”

Since announcing his campaign for presidency, Trump’s vilification of the press has been relentless whether at rallies, White House press confer-ences or through more than 1,000 critical tweets.

Qatar is adding

many feathers

into its cap by

hosting several

sport events in

the run-up to

2022 Cup and

beyond.

CHAIRMANSHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK [email protected]

ACTING MANAGING EDITORMOHAMMED SALIM [email protected]

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITORMOHAMMED OSMAN ALI [email protected]

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

EDITORIAL

Qatar winning praises

Qatar’s great preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup is winning praise on all fronts. Sport has a unique power to bring people together and Qatar

is adding many feathers into its cap by hosting several sport events in the run-up to 2022 Cup and beyond.

In yet another milestone, corporations around the world can now sign up for the World Corporate Games 2019, which will be held for the first time in the Middle East in Doha, Qatar. Taking place between November 6 and 9, 2019, the Games is expected to attract around 8,000 international and local participants and will include 24 different sports ranging from dragon boat racing and ten-pin bowling to football and basketball to golf, tennis and running in addition to eSports and mindsports.

Rashed Al Qurese, Chief Marketing & Promotion Officer at Qatar Tourism Authority said: “The hosting of mass participation events such as this supports our goals for developing a vibrant sports and recreation tourism sub-sector in Qatar.” Dr. Maureen Johnston, Founder of the World Corporate Games, said: “Doha and Qatar together make an outstanding venue for the Games. The facilities

are among the best in the world, the ambience of the city and the magnificence of the infrastructure together with legendary hospitality of the Qataris will create an excep-tional experience for every participant and visitor.”

Qatar hosts close to 80 sporting events and world-class competitions across a multitude of sporting disci-plines annually. It is the first Middle Eastern country to earn the rights to host the World Championships in Athletics (2019) and the FINA World Swimming Championships

(2023). Qatar also hosted the 48th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships for the first time in the Middle East with the participation of 700 players representing 78 coun-tries around the world, at the Aspire Dome.

Members of the Executive Committee of the Interna-tional Sports Press Association (AIPS), who were in Doha, paid an inspection tour to a number of World Cup facil-ities. They expressed admiration for what they saw and for Qatar’s ability that made the State a venue for football and various sports.

Mitchell Obi, President of AIPS Africa and Vice-Pres-ident of AIPS, said the whole world is taking about Qatar’s preparations for the 2022 World Cup, and stressed Qatar’s readiness to contribute to delivering an extraordinary event through highlighting Qatar’s remarkable progress and achievements to the world. Hungarian Zsuzsa Csisztu was very impressed and said the World Cup stadiums in Qatar reflect the spirit and originality of the country, as well as showcase the latest football technology, and added people can learn from these experiences to build their sporting facilities. She stressed that the World Cup 2022 will be the greatest in the history of the game.

The hosting of sport events and the admiration and praises further strengthen Qatar’s position globally and reflects the international community’s confidence in the Qatari talent of organising international events.

THOMAS HUGHES AL JAZEERA

11MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018 OPINION

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Mandatory charges for plastic bags important steptoward reducing waste

What happens if the Democrats take the House?

YOMIURI SHIMBUN

LARRY BEINHART AL JAZEERA

Environmental pollution from plastic waste is an increasingly visible problem. Even if it is dif-

ficult to halt the use of plastic products overnight, efforts must be made to steadily reduce the volume of plastic waste produced in our daily lives.

The Environment Ministry has compiled a draft of the plastic resources recycling strategy. The draft sets a numerical target for reducing the use of disposable plastic con-tainers, among other goals.

Plastics are synthetic resins made mainly from oil. They are light and have superior durability, but they do not easily decompose in the natural world, thus posing a problem in terms of environmental conservation. Plastic waste is accumulating in the sea, and by one estimate, its weight will exceed that of fish by 2050.

Japan ranks second globally after

the United States in terms of the volume of single-use plastic con-tainers discarded per capita, including plastic bags and delicatessen con-tainers at supermarkets. In the current circumstances, in which there are no available materials to replace plastic, it is essential to refrain from its use as much as possible.

The pillar of the draft strategy is to make it mandatory to charge for plastic bags at supermarkets and convenience stores. Restrictive measures, including charging for or banning the use of plastic bags at such places, have already been introduced by more than 60 countries. Plastic bags account for a meager 1 percent or so of the total domestic use of plastics. Even so, it can be said that a shift to charging for them is symbolic as a countermeasure against plastic waste, because these bags are a product familiar to each household.

By taking advantage of the adoption of this system, it is imper-ative to enhance awareness of reducing plastic waste.

According to the ministry, the charging system has already been introduced at many supermarkets across cities, wards, towns and vil-lages eager to take measures to deal with plastic bags. In contrast, however, almost no progress has been made in having convenience stores adopt the system.

Behind this is the fact that there are fewer customers at convenience stores who bring shopping bags along

with them, compared with those going to supermarkets. Many conven-ience store customers bring home cold drinks and hot bento box meals in different bags, thus enhancing the demand for plastic bags. There is concern that if such bags are charged, customers will switch to other stores where free bags are available.

To make the charging of plastic bags take root at convenience stores, across-the-board mandatory imple-mentation of the system could be a realistic option.

Reducing the consumption of plastic bottles is also important. China and some Southeast Asian countries have begun to restrict imports of waste plastics for environmental reasons. Among Japanese waste plastic dealers who have lost their foreign outlets for exports, there has been an increasing number of cases in which the disposal of waste plastics has fallen behind due to a sharp increase in inventory.

It is necessary to further ramp up the domestic recycling rate for waste plastics. Switching from plastic con-tainers to paper boxes is another effective measure. If more people carry a water flask around, too, it will lead to curbing the use of plastic bottles.

To halt environmental destruction, it is indispensable to move toward lowering the prices of biodegradable plastics that decompose in the natural environment.

To begin with, no one knows or can predict what will happen in the US midterms on November 6. Polls used to be

very accurate. We, as the public, viewed them as predictors of voting. As a commercial product employed both by political campaigns and busi-nesses, they were disciplined by the demands of the market and had been one of the few true successes of the social sciences.

Yet something went wrong. Almost all the major political events of the past dozen years - the election of a black president, the collapse of the Democratic majority in his first mid-terms, his re-election, the nomination of Donald Trump, the election of Donald Trump, plus a Republican sweep of the house and senate - have

been shocks and surprises.At this point, we can’t consider the

polls to be much more than guesses. Informed, calculated, well-considered guesses, but still guesses. The con-sensus of those guesses is that Demo-crats will take the House of Repre-sentatives and the Republicans will hold the Senate. Let’s start with that scenario.

It would make for fabulous drama. More outrageous than House of Cards, not quite as murderous as Game of Thrones. The Democrats will control the house committees, meaning they’ll control investigations and they will have subpoena power.

Donald Trump, his family, and a multitude of his appointees have been accused of committing a wide-ranging and colourful assortment of

crimes. So far, the Republican majority has been able to block any real investigations. With a Democratic majority, they will go forward with broad and endless publicity.

One possibility is a constitutional crisis. If recent history is a guide, the Trumpettes will claim extreme and unprecedented versions of executive privilege plus newly invented theories of why they don’t have to answer questions. Congress and congres-sional committees have the authority to declare witnesses - or those who refuse to be witnesses - in contempt and detain them. However, the pro-cedure, by agreement and by custom, is that Congress does not carry out contempt proceedings by itself. It refers them. To whom? To the Department of Justice.

In recent decades, the Department of Justice has dishonoured that obli-gation when it suited their politics. In 1982, Anne Gorsuch was Ronald Rea-gan’s head of the Environmental Pro-tection Agency (EPA). Like many EPA administrators appointed by Repub-lican presidents, she thought it was her mission to diminish and destroy the agency she was in charge of.

Congress disagreed. They asked her to turn over documents. She didn’t do so. The House voted to cite her for contempt. It was referred to the Department of Justice, where it died. The same happened with “EPA Assistant Administrator Rita Lavelle in 1983, White House Counsel Harriet Miers in 2008, White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten in 2008, Attorney General Holder in 2012 and IRS Director Lois Lerner in 2014”. At that point, Congress can attempt to assert its authority by going to court for a writ of mandamus, compelling gov-ernment officials to carry out their duties, or by changing the process and reclaiming the right of enforcement.

Best guess is that if they do either, it goes to the Supreme Court.

Then there are two best guesses. The five Republican, conservative judges - including Anne Gorsuch’s son, Justice Neil Gorsuch - vote to protect their guys whatever the cir-cumstances. The other possibility is that Chief Justice John Roberts would not want the Supreme Court under his watch to lose the rest of its respect and moral authority in the eye of the US public.

If so, he may swing from the rhe-torical law and order side to the actual law. (It’s a shame that the judicial and political systems are so degraded that any hope boils down to the possibility that just one person has a moment of honour, putting principle above partisanship).

Even if key members of the administration manage not to testify, House committees should be able to get enough information to make it clear that crimes have been com-mitted. If so, who actually prosecutes? On the federal level, it is, once again,

To halt

environmental

destruction, it

is indispensable

to move toward

lowering the prices

of biodegradable

plastics that

decompose

in the natural

environment.

the Department of Justice, which is part of the executive branch, answering to the president.

The states, however, are sep-arate entities with their own attorney generals. Certain federal violations are also state violations. For example, if Trump and the Trump family cheated, failed to report, or committed some sort of fraud in their federal taxes, they would almost certainly have done exactly the same with their state and even city taxes. The attraction of high-publicity prosecutions is great.

The Office of the New York State Attorney General has given us a president (Martin Van Buren), a vice president (Aaron Burr), a senator, and two governors. One Manhattan district attorney became governor, another, Thomas Dewey, very nearly became president.

If a House majority votes to impeach, it would be the equivalent of an indictment. Then it goes to the Senate for a “trial.” In the very unlikely event that Democrats get a one or two seat majority there, it still requires a two-thirds vote to “convict”, to remove the person from office.

If you’re a pollster, it looks like a 1 out of 6 shot that Republicans keep the House. If you’re betting, you can get much better odds, about 1:2. Should that happen, expect that whatever you don’t like about Donald Trump, from his hair to his rump, from his anti-immi-grant policies to the destruction of the commitment to liberal democracy, the demonisation of the press and the end of truth, to double, double-bubble, quadruple.

So hunker down, find the psychic fallout shelters, and watch old Marx Brothers movies to have something to laugh about.

12 MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018ASIA

Delhi’s iconic Signature Bridge opens amid fracasIANS

NEW DELHI: After missing many deadlines, the iconic and much-awaited Signature Bridge on the Yamuna was inaugurated yesterday by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and will open for the public from today.

The opening came after a clash between BJP and AAP workers at the site, with BJP Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari, also an MP, punching a policeman during the fracas before order was restored.

Claimed by the government to be the country’s first asym-metrical cable-stayed bridge, with the gesture ‘namaste’, the bridge will help people to enjoy a panoramic view of the city from 154-metre high observation deck — to be opened in around two months.

“Some final work is left in the high observation deck and it will be opened earlier next year, while the roads will open from Monday,” an official said.

The 575-metre-long sus-pension bridge, proposed in

2004 and approved by the Delhi cabinet in 2007, will reduce the travel time between North and North-East Delhi.

The bridge, connecting Wazirabad across the river Yamuna, will take vehicular pressure off the existing Wazirabad bridge.

It will also connect the Outer Ring Road on the western bank of the river with Wazirabad road on the eastern side.

Dedicating the bridge to the

people of Delhi, Kejriwal said people should ask political parties about the works done by them before voting.

“Don’t get into the politics of those building temples, else your son will become a priest and not an engineer. Before voting ask the parties how many schools, hospitals or bridges they built. If they fail to count, tell them they can’t get your vote.

“For the development of the country, the governments should build schools, hospitals and bridges and not temples or statues,” Kejriwal said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader added that “it is the time for the people to think if they want bridges or statues.” The bridge was inaugurated in the presence of Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Cabinet Ministers Imran Hussain, Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai among others.

Sisodia, in his address, said the bridge will be a landmark and a tourist destination.

“Delhi was famous for India

Gate and Qutub Minar but will now be known for this bridge. The bridge got its first pylon after we came to power. The work done before that was only 10-15 per cent,” he said.

The inauguration was fol-lowed by a laser show. The Twitter page of the bridge was also started.

Ahead of the inauguration, BJP and AAP activists clashed,

with BJP leader Manoj Tiwari attacking AAP workers and punching a policeman who intervened.

Tiwari got into a scuffle with AAP workers before the function started at the site, leading to the violence. The BJP leader later blamed the AAP for the trouble.

Tiwari yesterday accused AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan

and his party workers of man-handling him and described it as “unfortunate”.

Tiwari said he had gone to the event on the invitation of the Delhi government.

“I was listening to (Delhi Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal speech. I was standing near the inauguration venue and then I was pushed by Khan,” Tiwari told the media.

A view of the cable-stayed ‘Signature Bridge’ after its inauguration in New Delhi, yesterday.

Kashmir power supply restored after heavy snowfallIANS

SRINAGAR: Power supply was restored yesterday to 90 percent of Srinagar city and most rural areas of the Kashmir Valley after over-night heavy snowfall damaged transmission towers and snapped surface and air links with the rest of India.

After an unprecedented Valley-wide breakdown, electricity supply was restored in 90 percent areas of Srinagar and in nearly 70 percent rural areas, officials said.

Hashmat Qazi, the Chief Engineer (Electric Mainte-nance) of Kashmir, said elec-tricity supply would be restored everywhere within hours.

“Due to transmission failures, our supply was on Saturday cut down to just 80MW. On Sunday we are supplying around 1,000MW. We are facing problems in south Kashmir areas where some of our transmission towers have been damaged. This will take a day or two for complete restoration.” After Saturday’s snowfall, the Valley was plunged into darkness, affecting even Sri-nagar’s major hospitals.

It was the first time the Valley got snow in November since 2009.

Qazi said falling trees also disrupted power supply lines.

Air and surface links between the Valley and the rest of the country remained suspended.

Poor visibility forced sus-pension of all flights from the Srinagar airport since Sat-urday afternoon while heavy snowfall in the Jawahar Tunnel area closed the Sri-nagar-Jammu highway.

Snowfall also hit the Sri-nagar-Leh highway and the Mughal Road that connect the Valley with the Ladakh region and Jammu region’s Rajouri district. Traffic within the Kashmir Valley too was affected as snow piled up on the roads, making them slippery.

Authorities said nearly 500 people caught in heavy snowfall in Peer Ki Gali on the Mughal Road and the Jawahar Tunnel area of Srinagar-Jammu highway had been rescued.

Maneka turns on own party after tiger shot deadAFP

NEW DELHI: A cabinet minister accused a party colleague yesterday of ordering the “ghastly murder” of a tiger and vowed legal action after the man-eating animal was shot in the country’s west.

The big cat blamed for killing more than a dozen people was shot dead on Friday night after a months-long search, capping one of India’s most high-profile tiger hunts in decades.

But the shooting in the

forests of Maharashtra state sparked immediate controversy and allegations the kill was unethical and illegal.

Maneka Gandhi, a staunch animal activist and part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, accused the state forest minister of hiring a “trigger-happy shooter” to slay the tiger.

“It is nothing but a straight case of crime”, said Gandhi, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), describing the shooting as a “ghastly murder”.

“I am definitely going to take

up this case of utter lack of empathy for animals as a test case. Legally, criminally as well as politically,” she posted on Twitter.

She accused the state’s forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar —also from the BJP — of ignoring appeals to call off the hunt for the tiger known officially as T1 and popularly as Avni.

The Supreme Court had issued a hunting order for T1 in September, ruling that she could be killed if tranquilisers failed.

Several appeals were made

against the death sentence.Forestry officials acknowl-

edged to Indian media that no vet was present during the hunt, as required by the Supreme Court order.

The Indian branch of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said the tiger slaughter was about “satisfying a hunter’s lust for blood”.

The big cat was blamed for 13 deaths since June 2016 but animal activists said she was trying to protect her young.

A team of more than 150

people had spent months searching for T1, using a paraglider and dozens of infrared cameras while sharpshooters had ridden on the backs of elephants.

T1 was shot by Asghar Ali Khan, son of India’s most famous hunter Nawab Shafath Ali Khan, who was meant to be leading the hunt but was not present Friday night.

The senior Khan defended his son’s actions as “a reflex action of self-defence” as the tiger turned on the hunting party after being struck by a tranqui-lizer dart.

Cutomers buy fireworks and crackers ahead of Diwali festival in Amritsar, yesterday. Firecrackers are used during celebrations for Diwali, the ‘Festival of Lights’, marking the victory of good over evil.

BJP ministers back seers’ demand for law on Ram templeIANS

NEW DELHI: A number of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ministers including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath yesterday seconded a demand by Hindu seers for an ordinance or law for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Speaking at an event at Bikaner in Rajasthan, Yogi Adi-tyanath said: “Light an extra lamp for Ram this Diwali as you see your sentiments taking shape, because the work will soon begin there (Ayodhya). The time has come to fulfil that resolve. After Deepawali, we will move forward.” Union Min-ister Uma Bharti said no one could stop a Ram temple at Ayodhya.

“A grand temple will be built, nobody can stop it. Rama Lalla will keep presiding where he is now,” she said.

Giriraj Singh, another Union Minister, said in Bihar’s Nawada that “no power in the world” could come in the way of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

“The (Supreme) Court has taken several matters in the middle of the night. So if they have time for terrorists, why not for Ram who is the object of faith for 125 crore Indians? People had high hopes, their hopes were dashed and that is why they are filled with anger. No power in the world can come in the way of Ram Mandir,” Singh said.

Minister of State for Law and Justice P P Chaudhary said

he “personally” felt that a law should be brought for con-struction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya.

“Ram Mandir should cer-tainly be built. We want a judgment on this at the earliest. It is the desire of 85 percent of the population that a judgment on it should come fast,” Chaudhary said.

“I cannot speak on behalf of the government, but my per-sonal opinion is that since the court is taking very long in this matter, a legislation can be brought,” he added.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said it was the government’s right to decide where to install Ram’s idol.

“Whether Ram’s idol will be installed or not, nobody has a right to discuss this mater but the government. Government has the right to decide whose idol it installs and where. If there is a need to install Ram’s idol, then it is our duty to do it. And people should not worry about it. The opposition at this moment is worried,” Sharma said.

The Congress, however, dismissed the BJP’s pitch as plain politics ahead of elections.

“After a gap of five years, and as the election approaches, they (BJP) remember the Ram Mandir. What were they doing till now? There was a BJP gov-ernment before and even now... one should not politicise the issue,” former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said.

Central govt not spending enough on health and education: TharoorIANS

KOLKATA: Emphasising on the need for a social security buffer, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor yesterday said the successive governments at the Centre have been underspending in the health and education sectors.

“We are grossly under-spending both on health and education as a percentage of GDP and government’s budget,” he said.

There is a “prime need of social security buffer”, not nec-essarily in the form the

government is now giving, he said.

According to him, insurance companies are the “gainers” with the government backed insurance scheme.

“For example, we discovered 90 per cent of government expenditure in the crop insurance scheme — Fasal Bima Yojana — has gone to insurance companies and only 10 per cent has been paid out to farmers. That is a bad idea,” he said at an interactive session organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce.

He underlined the need for

massive government investment in the public sector hospitals, primary and community healthcare sector where treatment will be free.

“If we have a decent infra-structure available at the public sector hospitals, the question of needing a subsidised insurance scheme should not exist,” he said.

Tharoor said people’s expenditure on their own health is increasing and the rising cost of treatment is problematic for daily wage earners and poor families.

Claimed by the

government to be

the country’s first

asymmetrical cable-

stayed bridge, with

the gesture ‘namaste’,

the bridge will help

people to enjoy a

panoramic view of the

city from 154-metre

high observation deck

— to be opened in

around two months.

Gearing up for Festival of Lights

13MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018 ASIA

Criminal proceedings begin

against rioters in PakistanAGENCIES

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has started criminal proceedings against rioters involved in destroying property during the three-day countrywide protests against a Supreme Court verdict.

The ministry yesterday released initial pictures of the miscreants involved in vandal-ising property and harming common citizens during the demonstrations, which ended on Friday after the government reached an agreement with the protesters.

The ministry also appealed to citizens to cooperate with the police and the Federal Investigation Agency in identifying the rioters.

“We will release more pic-tures of those involved in rioting and destroying public property in the coming days,” a statement from the interior ministry read.

“The interior ministry received pictures from the special branch and other sources. We have asked the police and the FIA for their cooperation in iden-tifying the perpetrators,” the statement said.

It further requested citizens to inform the police and FIA after identifying the agitators.

The Interior Ministry also directed the police and FIA to take action after identifying the perpetrators.

On Saturday, the Interior Ministry assured of action against elements involved in destroying properties and harming common citizens. The ministry said it was in the process of identifying such ele-ments and that action will be

taken against them.Khadim Rizvi, Afzal Qadri

were among 500 booked for rioting In Karachi and a total of 12 cases have been registered against the rioters, police said. The cases have been registered initially against ‘unknown sus-pects’ but the miscreants would soon be identified with the help of CCTV footages and social media videos, police added.

FIR registered against more than 100 protesters who were involved in vandalism in Islamabad. Almost 12 arrested. Warrants for 19 persons under Section 3 of MPO are issued by the District Administration who were involved in violence and incitement.

Meanwhile, the husband of a Christian woman at the centre of a blasphemy case has pleaded for international help to leave the country, saying he feared for his family’s safety.

The request by Asia Bibi’s husband Ashiq Masih came a day after he criticised a gov-ernment deal with hardline Islamists that left her in legal limbo, and called on authorities to protect her.

Bibi — who had been on death row since 2010 on blas-phemy charges — was acquitted by the Supreme Court on Wednesday, triggering large street protests by ultra-conserv-ative Islamists who paralysed Pakistan for three days, blocking roads and disrupting traffic.

The government reached a deal on Friday to end the pro-tests by agreeing to a travel ban preventing Bibi from leaving the country, and saying it would not object to hardline movements appealing the verdict.

An appeal has now been filed with the court against Bibi’s release.

Masih criticised the gov-ernment deal, saying it was “wrong”.

“I request President Donald Trump to help us to leave (the country), and I request the prime minister of the UK to do their level best to help us, to grant us freedom,” said Masih, in a video message also requesting help from the Canadian prime minister.

Wilson Chowdhry, of the British Pakistani Christian Asso-ciation, said that the family was resting its hopes on the US, Britain or Canada to grant them asylum and help them reach a place of safety.

“These nations have the largest Pakistani Christian com-munities,” Chowdhry said.

Afghan security forces destroy 13 tonnes of drugs in Herat, Afghanistan, yesterday.

Destroying drugs

6 Pakistan banks suspend debit card use abroadINTERNEWS

KARACHI: At least six Pakistani banks have suspended usage of their debit cards outside the country after a bank suffered a cyber-attack last week that siphoned off Rs2.6m to the dismay of its unsuspecting consumers, people in the know have said.

They said six banks have so far stopped the facility of debit cards in overseas markets.

Abid Qamar, chief spokesman of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), said that banks took various measures to protect their infor-mation technology systems from cyber-attack following the central

bank’s instructions.“It has come to our notice that

few banks have even withdrawn the facility of cards being used outside Pakistan,” Qamar said. “Some are (however) allowing this facility upon instructions of their customers only.”

Yesterday, the central bank asked commercial banks to ensure safety of their payment cards from security breach after fraudulent overseas transac-tions, using Bank Islami’s debit cards, were unearthed over the weekend.

While Bank Islami claimed that all monies — Rs2.6m (approximately $19,500) — withdrawn from the bank

accounts, using its cards, have been credited to the accounts of customers, an international payment scheme put the trans-actions at around $6m.

The SBP said the banks that halted their foreign plastic cards’ operation are likely to come back online soon. “We expect such facilities will be restored as banks upgrade their systems to meet any cyber-attack chal-lenge in future,” Qamar said.

“Banks are required to inform SBP and peer banks of any imminent threat that comes to their knowledge and SBP will take all possible actions to safe-guard the banking system,” he added.

Rohingya teen injured in firing at Bangladesh-Myanmar borderAFP

COX’S BAZAR: A Rohingya refugee boy was shot and injured on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border as multiple rounds were fired from a Myanmar border security post, an official said yesterday.

Nurul Islam, 15, was grazing cows when 17 rounds were fired

from Myanmar’s Rymongkhali security post, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) spokesman Major Iqbal Ahmed said.

“Islam was lucky as a bullet scratched his elbow,” he said, adding the boy lives in Balukhali refugee camp in Bangladesh’s southeastern Cox’s Bazar district.

The BGB would send a protest letter to their Myanmar

counterparts, the Border Guard Police, over the shooting, he said.

A local Bangladeshi official, speaking on condition on ano-nymity, said the incident might be aimed at delaying the repa-triation of Rohingya refugees, set to begin in next week.

“Otherwise, why would they fire at the Bangladeshi ground? It is to create pressure on the ref-

ugees and the UN,” he said.Bangladesh and Myanmar

officials last week said some 2,000 Rohingya refugees would return to their homeland in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state as part of a repatriation deal.

More than 720,000 of Myan-mar’s stateless Rohingya fled a brutal military crackdown in August last year, taking shelter

in crowded camps in Bangladesh and bringing with them har-rowing tales of rape, murder and arson in a military crackdown.

Investigators have said senior Myanmar military officials should be prosecuted for gen-ocide in Rakhine, but the country has rejected these calls, insisting it was defending itself against militants.

Sri Lanka’s ousted PM says US, Japan freeze aid over crisisREUTERS

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s deposed Prime Minister Ranil Wick-remesinghe said the United States and Japan had frozen more than a billion dollars of development aid after his abrupt dismissal raised doubts about the future of democracy in the island.

The move to hold back project financing, along with the EU’s warning it could withdraw duty-free concessions for Sri Lankan exports if it didn’t stick to commitments on national

reconciliation, will further strain the economy, Wickremesinghe said in an interview.

President Maithripala Sirisena fired him last month after months of tensions within the government and appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as premier in a shock move that has plunged the nation into a political crisis.

Rajapaksa is a former pres-ident who led the country to a military defeat of Tamil sepa-ratist guerrillas in 2009 but who has since faced widespread alle-gations of human rights abuse and targeting of Tamil civilians.

Wickremesinghe, who has challenged his dismissal and vowed to remain prime minister until parliament voted him out, said there were international concerns about a government led by Rajapaksa.

“Countries are sensitive, they have concerns (about a gov-ernment led by Rajapaksa) dem-ocratic countries have concerns,” he said in the interview con-ducted in the prime minister’s official residence in a colonial-era bungalow where Wick-remesinghe is camping along with his supporters.

The United States has held off on a nearly $500m aid pro-gramme for building of highways and improving land adminis-tration by the government-funded Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Wickremes-inghe said.

Japan had also put on hold plans to extend a soft loan of $1.4bn for a light railway project, he said. “A lot of projects are held up, the Millennium Challenge, the Japanese loan,” he said.

The Sri Lankan embassy in Washington has been informally told by the MCC that around

$480m will be on hold because of the latest situation in the country, a Sri Lankan foreign ministry official separately confirmed.

An official at the Sri Lankan Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development also con-firmed the freeze on the Jap-anese loan, imperilling the project.

An official at the Japan Inter-national Cooperation Agency said the agency was closely monitoring political develop-ments and the railway project loan had been withheld.

Sri Lankan activists during a demonstration in Colombo yesterday. Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party urged the President to reconvene parliament and end a worsening political crisis.

Tamils push parliament to end political impasseAFP

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party yesterday urged the president to reconvene parliament and end a worsening political crisis, as the minority ethnic community emerge as kingmakers in the power struggle.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) could tip the balance should parliament be recalled this week to decide between two rivals both claiming the lawful right to head the government. The TNA has already said it would vote against Rajapaksa in a no-confidence motion when parliament reconvenes.

Both rivals have been

marshalling numbers behind the scenes, worrying civil society groups who protested Sunday in the capital Colombo against the horse-trading.

TNA legislator Dharmalingam Sithadthan said the president had called the Tamil legislators to a meeting Wednesday -- the same day parliament was expected to reconvene. “We have asked the pres-ident to immediately call parliament and end this crisis,” TNA legislator Dharmalingam Sithadthan said.

The Sunday Times of Colombo newspaper described the sacking of the prime minister as “sheer political expediency” and outside the law.

15 dead as truck hits 31-car line-up in ChinaAFP

BEIJING: An out-of-control truck ploughed into a 31-car line-up in northwest China killing 15 people and injuring 44, authorities in the city of Lanzhou said yesterday.

The accident occurred Saturday night as the driver of the heavy duty articulated truck lost control on a downhill stretch of expressway and collided with cars lining up at a toll booth, Lanzhou’s propaganda department said.

Ten of the 44 hurt sus-tained serious injuries, authorities said. The big rig driver Li Feng was put under investigation and police watch, according to the official news agency Xinhua.

The semi-trailer was reg-istered to Li’s home north-eastern Liaoning province, more than 2,000 kilometres from the scene of the accident. It was Li’s first time driving the stretch of road, the China Daily said.

State broadcaster CCTV aired video from the scene showing heavy snow and many crippled and twisted vehicles.

Deadly road accidents are common in China, where traffic regulations are often flouted or go unenforced.

Last week a scuffle between a bus driver and a passenger caused a bus to plunge from a bridge into a river in southwest China, killing all 15 people on board.

According to authorities 58,000 people were killed in accidents across the country in 2015 alone. Violations of traffic laws were blamed for nearly 90 percent of acci-dents that caused deaths or injuries that year.

Nearly 500 people

have been booked

for rioting in Karachi.

A total of 12 cases

have been registered

initially against

‘unknown suspects’

but the miscreants

would soon be

identified with the

help of CCTV footage

and social media

videos, the police

said.

14 MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018ASIA

US, South Korea to begin

delayed military drills REUTERS

SEOUL: The United States and South Korea will begin small-scale military drills today that were delayed during talks with North Korea, days after Pyongyang threatened to restart work on its nuclear programme if international pressure does not ease.

The Korean Marine Exchange Program was among the training drills that were indefinitely suspended in June after US President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore and promised to end joint, US-South Korea military exercises often criticised by the North.

A spokesman for South Korea’s Ministry of Defence confirmed a round of training would begin near the southern city of Pohang, with no media access expected.

About 500 American and South Korean marines will par-ticipate in the manoeuvres, the Yonhap news agency reported.

In Washington last week, South Korea’s defence minister said Washington and Seoul would make a decision by December on major joint military exercises for 2019. Vigilant Ace, sus-pended earlier this month, is one of several such exercises that have been halted to encourage

dialogue with Pyongyang. The biggest combat-readiness war game ever staged in and around Japan has gone ahead, however, with nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan joining Japanese destroyers and a Canadian warship in the ocean off Japan — another key player in the effort to pressure North Korea.

North Korea warned on Friday that it could restart development of its nuclear pro-gramme if the United States does not drop its campaign of “maximum pressure” and sanctions.

“The improvement of rela-tions and sanctions are incom-patible,” a foreign ministry official said in a statement released through state-run KCNA news agency. “The US thinks that its oft-repeated ‘sanctions and pressure’ lead to ‘denuclearisation.’ We cannot help laughing at such a foolish idea.” North Korea has not tested a ballistic missile or nuclear weapon for nearly a

year, and has said it has shut-tered its main nuclear test site with plans to dismantle several more facilities.

In recent weeks, North Korea has pressed more sharply for what it sees as reciprocal concessions by the United States and other countries. “As shown, the US is totally to blame for all the problems on the Korean

peninsula including the nuclear issue and therefore, the very one that caused all those must untie the knot it made,” Friday’s statement said.

American officials have remained sceptical of Kim’s commitment to give up the nuclear arsenal he has already amassed, however, and Wash-ington says it won’t support

easing international sanctions until more verified progress is made.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, meanwhile, has forged ahead with efforts to engage with North Korea in recent months, raising US con-cerns that Seoul could weaken pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and China’s Culture Minister Luo Shugang (centre right) pose for a picture alongside the DPRK and Chinese artistes at the Mansudae Art Theatre in Pyongyang, North Korea.

The Korean Marine

Exchange Program

was among the

training drills that

were indefinitely

suspended in June

after US President

Donald Trump

met North Korean

leader Kim Jong Un

in Singapore and

promised to end

joint, US-South Korea

military exercises

often criticised by the

North.

Pyongyang slams HRW report on abuseAFP

SEOUL: North Korea yesterday slammed a report by Human Rights Watch which said physical abuse of women was rampant in the isolated nation.

In its report released on Thursday, the US-based rights group said North Korean police and other officials prey on women with near-total

impunity. HRW drew on inter-views with more than 50 North Korean escapees to chronicle gruesome details of abuses per-petrated by security officers such as border guards, but also civilian officials.

In its response yesterday, the North’s Korean Association for Human Rights Studies said the “preposterous” report was “a part of political scheme

fabricated by the hostile forces... to tarnish the image of the DPRK”, the state Korean Central News Agency reported, using the country’s official acronym.

“It is also an extremely dan-gerous provocation aimed at reversing the tide of peace and prosperity on the Korean peninsula,” the statement said, branding the women inter-viewed as “human scum”. In the

HRW report, one anonymous former textile trader in her 40s recounted being treated like a toy “at the mercy of men”.

“On the days they felt like it, market guards or police officials could ask me to follow them,” where they forced physical encounters, she said.

“It happens so often nobody thinks it is a big deal. We don’t even realise when we are upset,”

she added. Pyongyang maintains that it protects and promotes “genuine human rights”, and says there is no justification for the West to try to set human rights standards for the rest of the world.

“Physical violence in North Korea is an open, unaddressed, and widely tolerated secret,” said HRW Executive Director Kenneth Roth.

French PM dodges rights questions in VietnamAFP

HO CHI MINH CITY: France does not “sweep anything under a rug” when it comes to the issue of human rights in Vietnam, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe insisted yesterday, after sidestepping questions over the Asian country’s dismal record on dissent.

His comments came on the final day of a state visit to Vietnam, that was largely aimed at drumming up business deals with one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies as both sides signed contracts worth a total of nearly $12bn.

But the French premier would not be drawn on the Communist government’s han-dling of dissent, which includes

jailing people for posting their opinions about hot-button issues on Facebook.

More than 50 activists, rights campaigners and bloggers have been put behind bars in 2018, one of the harshest crackdowns in recent years.

When questioned by reporters in Ho Chi Minh City, Philippe insisted, “We do not sweep anything under the rug, but we have discussions with the Vietnamese authorities that do not go through the press”.

“We do it in forums that are going well, the way we have always done,” Philippe said after inaugurating a French medical centre in the city.

A source familiar with the meetings between the two gov-ernments said human rights was

brought up during talks on Friday, the day of Philippe’s arrival. “The human rights issue was addressed in the talks. The Vietnamese authorities’ attention has been drawn to a list of individual cases,” said the source. The French premier’s visit coincides with the recent release of a draft cybersecurity decree, which outlines how the draconian bill would be implemented.

It is expected to come into effect in January, and observers say that it mimics China’s repressive web control tools.

It would require tech com-panies to store data in the country, remove “toxic content” from websites, and hand over user information if requested by the government.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe (centre) speaks as Vietnam’s Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien (right) looks on after the inauguration of a medical centre in Ho Chi Minh City, yesterday.

‘2019 to be Year of Turkish Culture in Japan’ANATOLIA

NAGOYA, JAPAN: Turkey’s foreign minister yesterday said that the year 2019 will be cele-brated as Year of Turkish Culture in Japan.

Mevlut Cavusoglu’s remarks came during his visit to a Turkish-Japanese Cultural and Trade Association in Nagoya city of Japan, where he met Turkish citizens living in the country.

Cavusoglu said that Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy will also visit Japan as part of Year of Turkish Culture events.

On Turkey-Japan relations, the Turkish foreign minister said

that his country wants to boost ties with Japan.

“Our aim is to increase trade and investment mutually as well as remove barriers for any [future] investment,” Cavusoglu said. “Now we are making effort on how we can improve our relations,” Cavusoglu said. “The actualising of investments in Turkey and our close cooper-ation on regional issues rein-force even more our relations with Japan in all areas,” he added.

During his visit, Cavusoglu said, he will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as well as other ministers and media representatives. Earlier,

the foreign minister wrote on Twitter: “We are in Japan upon the invitation of my Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, to discuss the momentum gained in #Turkey-#Japan cooperation, and to exchange views on regional and international issues.” “We started our visit to Japan with a meeting in Nagoya with our esteemed citizens who constitute an important tie between #Turkey and #Japan thousands of kilometers away from home,” he added.

“FETO is also a threat to the countries where they are cur-rently present.” “They [FETO] continue its activities in Japan,” he added.

Nun who lost Manila deportation battle returns to Australia AFP

MELBOURNE: An elderly Australian nun who lost a long legal battle with Manila to stop her deportation attacked Phil-ippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s “reign of tyranny” as she returned home yesterday.

Sister Patricia Fox, who spent almost three decades working with Philippine labourers, farmers and urban poor, was accused of illegally engaging in political activism as Duterte’s government cracked down on foreign critics on its soil.

The 71-year-old apparently angered the fiery president by joining a fact-finding mission in April to investigate alleged abuses against farmers, including killings and evictions by soldiers fighting guerrillas in the southern Philippines.

Welcomed by supporters at Melbourne airport, Fox told reporters she was happy to be

home but had found it hard to leave.

“At present, the Philippines, the human rights abuses are just increasing and it is a reign of tyranny at present,” Fox said.

“There has been a culture of impunity for a long time and it is getting worse.” Fox had been arrested briefly on charges of violating her visa’s terms against activism in the Philip-pines and the slow turning wheels of the country’s bureaucracy began moving to strip her of her papers.

Immigration authorities last week refused to extend her tourist visa and ordered the 71-year-old out by Saturday.

She decided to return to Australia rather than risk being forcibly removed.

Church figures have previ-ously criticised Duterte’s pol-icies, particularly his signature war on drugs that has left almost 5,000 people dead since he took office in 2016.

Japanese author reveals plan for library of worksAP

TOKYO: Japanese author Haruki Murakami announced yesterday that he is working to set up a library that will showcase his works and also serve as a meeting place for research and international exchanges.

The library would archive his books, various stages of drafts of his novels, materials he used to write his books, and his translation work, as well as his massive collection of music, which plays a key role in his stories, he said.

The library is planned at Waseda University, his alma mater in Tokyo.

“I’m more than happy if those materials can con-tribute any way for those who want to study my works,”

Murakami said at a joint news conference. “I hope it would create an opportunity for cultural exchanges.” Media-shy Murakami said it was his first formal news con-ference in 37 years. Though he interacted with fans on several occasions this year, including hosting his radio programs twice and appearing before fans at a book event in New York, Murakami yesterday agreed to pose only for still cameras.

Murakami began writing in Tokyo before graduating from Waseda in 1975. His debut novel, “Hear the Wind Sing,” came out in 1979, and the 1987 romantic novel “Norwegian Wood” was his first best-seller.

New Caledonians vote

to keep ties with FranceREUTERS

PARIS: The South Pacific archi-pelago of New Caledonia voted against independence from France yesterday in a long-awaited referendum that capped a 30-year long decolonisation process.

A “yes” vote would have deprived Paris of a foothold in the Indo-Pacific region where China is expanding its presence, and dented the pride of a former colonial power whose reach once spanned the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific Ocean.

Based on provisional results and with a participation rate of nearly 80 percent, the “No” vote stood at 56.9 percent around 1300 GMT, local TV station NC La 1ere reported on its website.

“The New Caledonians have chosen to remain French...It is a vote of confidence in the French republic, its future and its values,” President Emmanuel Macron said in a speech on French television.

The referendum was the first

auto-determination vote to be held in a French territory since Djibouti in the Horn of Africa voted for independence in 1977.

Voters in the largely self-gov-erning territory had been asked the question, “Do you want New Caledonia to gain full sovereignty and become independent?”

Macron said he understood the disappointment of those who wanted independence, but added that the French state would

ensure liberty, equality and fra-ternity for everyone.

“The only loser is the temp-tation of contempt, division, vio-lence and fear; the only winner is the process of peace and the spirit of dialogue,” Macron said.

Tensions have long run deep between pro-independence indigenous Kanaks and descendants of colonial settlers who remain loyal to Paris.

Over the past decade, rela-tions between the two groups have improved markedly, but the “no” vote outcome was well below some early polls, which could encourage nationalists to try for a new referendum in coming years.

Some 175,000 out of the 280,000 people living on the archipelago were eligible to vote.

Posters calling for a “no” vote said that “France is the only chance” while proponents of inde-pendence called in their posters to vote for “a multicultural, in sol-idarity, peaceful nation”.

During a visit to the archi-pelago in May, Macron acknowl-edged the “pains of colonisation”

and saluted the “dignified” cam-paign for autonomy led by the Kanaks. He and his adminis-tration sought to strike a neutral tone on the vote.

First discovered by the British explorer James Cook, the New Caledonia archipelago lies more than 16,700km from France. It became a French colony in 1853.

Under colonial rule the Kanaks were confined to

reserves and excluded from much of the island’s economy. The first revolt erupted in 1878, not long after the discovery of large nickel deposits that are today exploited by French miner Eramet’s subsidiary SLN.

More than a century later, in the mid-1980s, fighting broke out between supporters of inde-pendence and those who wanted to remain French, amid festering anger over poverty and poor job

opportunities.A 1988 massacre in a cave on

the island of Ouvea left 19 indig-enous separatists and two French soldiers dead and intensified talks on the island’s future. A 1998 deal provided for a refer-endum on independence to be held by the end of 2018.

Under the terms of that deal, in the event of a no vote two further referenda can be held before 2022.

Activists display flags in front of the headquarters of the pro-independence Union Caledonienne (UC) following the referendum on New Caledonia’s independence from France in Noumea, yesterday.

Man completes swim around Great BritainREUTERS

MARGATE BEACH: Adventurer Ross Edgley (pictured) became the first man to swim around the coast of mainland Britain as he completed a 1,780 mile-trip to make a triumphant return to dry land in Margate yesterday.

The 33-year-old, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, had left the Kent town on June 1, swimming in a clockwise direction. He had not set foot on

land once and slept in a support boat.

Edgley, who swam up to 12 hours a day, battled through strong tides, hundreds of jellyfish stings and had to cope with a disintegrating tongue caused by salt water during his Great British Swim.

He expended an estimated 500,000 calories during the journey, and ate more than 500 bananas to provide him with a constant source of energy.

In mid-August, he broke the world record for the longest stage sea swim of 73 days set by Benoit Lecomte, who swam across the Atlantic Ocean in 1998.

This was Edgley’s latest record-breaking feat. In April 2016, he completed the world’s longest rope climb, equivalent to the height of Mount Everest. That was two months after he completed a marathon while pulling a car.

UK dismisses reports of Brexit deal with EUAP

LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May’s office yesterday dismissed as speculation reports that Britain and the European Union were close to striking a divorce deal after reaching a compromise on the intractable issue of the Irish border.

Downing Street said “nego-tiations are ongoing” and that a Sunday Times report claiming a proposed agreement had been reached on future customs arrangements at the Ireland-Northern Ireland border was “speculation.”

However, UK and EU offi-cials have said in recent days that a deal is getting closer and could be sealed this month.

May’s deputy, David Lid-ington, said on Friday that nego-tiators were “very close” to an agreement. Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney said “I think it is possible to get a deal in November.”

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but London and Brussels have not reached an agreement on their divorce terms and a smooth transition to a new relationship. The stalemate has heightened fears

that the U.K. might leave without a deal in place, leading to chaos at ports and economic turmoil.

An October EU summit that had been billed as the deadline for a breakthrough ended with the talks still deadlocked.

The key obstacle is the Irish border, which will be the UK’s only land frontier with the EU after Brexit. Britain and the EU agree there must be no customs posts or other barriers that could disrupt businesses and residents on either side or undermine Northern Ireland’s hard-won peace process.

But the two sides have not

agreed on how to do that. Britain rejected the EU’s proposal — to keep Northern Ireland in a customs union with the bloc — because it would impose new customs and regulatory checks between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

According to the Sunday Times, a proposed solution would keep all the UK in a customs union — but with an exit clause to mollify pro-Brexit British law-makers who worry the UK will be bound to the EU forever.

May faces a battle to get a deal approved by her Cabinet — which is split between

supporters of a clean break with the EU and those who want to keep close economic ties to the bloc — and past an equally divided Parliament.

May has already lost two top ministers, Boris Johnson and David Davis, over her Brexit blueprint. Others could follow in a bid to make her change course. And pro-Brexit Conservative lawmakers have openly mulled attempting to oust May with a no-confidence vote and a party leadership contest.

So far, the prime minister has stood her ground and her oppo-nents have blinked.

French far-right leads in EU election pollREUTERS

PARIS: France’s far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party jumped ahead of Pres-ident Emmanuel Macron’s LREM for the first time in a poll of voting intentions for May 2019 European Parliament elections.

An Ifop poll published yes-terday showed the centrist Republic on the Move (LREM) with 19% of voting intentions compared to 20% at the end of August, while far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s RN — formerly the National Front — rose to 21% from 17% previously.

Together with the seven percent score of sovereignist Nicolas Dupont-Aignan and one percent each for “Frexit” parties led by former Le Pen associate Florian Philippot and Francois Asselineau, far-right parties won a combined 30% of voting inten-

tions, up from 25% end August.The poll asked nearly 1,000

French people on October 30 and 31 who they would vote for if the European Parliament elections were to be held the next Sunday.

The conservative Les Republicains party led by Laurent Wauquiez slipped two percentage points to 13%, while the far-left France Insoumise led by Jean-Luc Melenchon fell from 14 to 11%.

Melenchon was widely crit-icised and mocked after yelling at police officers during a raid of his party offices as part of an anti-corruption inquiry.

In an Odoxa-Dentsu poll released mid-September, Macron and Le Pen’s parties were neck-and-neck at around 21%, while the conservative Les Republicains came third with 14% and Melenchon’s France Insoumise fourth with 12.5%.

Theresa May’s former senior adviser deadREUTERS

LONDON: Jeremy Heywood, the former head of Britain’s civil service and a senior adviser to Prime Minister Theresa May on implementing Brexit, died aged 56 yesterday following illness, May’s office said in a statement.

As Cabinet Secretary from 2012 to late 2018, Heywood helped oversee the prepara-tions for Brexit — Britain’s biggest political and eco-nomic shift — and provided politically impartial advice to ministers, including May.

Some eurosceptics have accused the civil service, the non-political administration responsible for the smooth functioning of government, of being biased against Brexit and of trying to soften the terms of Britain’s departure from the European Union.

May said in a statement that Heywood had “worked tirelessly to serve our country in the finest traditions of the Civil Service and ... is a huge loss to British public life”.

Heywood was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, took a leave of absence in June, and announced he was stepping down permanently in late October.

In the statement announcing his retirement in October, he said on Brexit he was “particularly proud of the work Whitehall has done in seeking to bring clarity, shape and practical options to the table for Ministers to discuss.”

Eight kids hurt in slide collapse at UK funfairAP

LONDON: British emergency services said eight children have been hurt when an inflatable slide collapsed at a fireworks display in southern England.

The accident happened as thousands gathered on Sat-urday to watch Bonfire Night fireworks in Woking, 40km southwest of London.

Journalist Andy Datson said he saw up to 40 children playing on the slide, which he estimated was about 30 feet tall and “looked pretty flimsy.”

Witnesses said an air ambulance arrived and fam-ilies were evacuated from the site after the incident.

Surrey Police said “a number” of children had fallen from the slide. The force said eight children had been taken to hospitals with “ p o t e n t i a l l y s e r i o u s injuries.”

Communities across Britain hold fireworks dis-plays to mark the anniversary of Guy Fawkes’ failed 1605 plot to blow up Parliament.

President Emmanuel

Macron said he

understood the

disappointment of

those who wanted

independence, but

added that the French

state would ensure

liberty, equality

and fraternity for

everyone.

Russian MarchPeople holding a banner that reads, “Russian power, royal power” as they take part in the Russian March, organised by nationalists and activists of far-right political groups, to mark the National Unity Day, in Moscow, yesterday.

15MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018 EUROPE

16 MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018EUROPE

Six Italian regions on alert; storm toll 30AFP

ROME: Floods have killed 12 people on the southern island of Sicily, nine of them from the same family, rescue services said yesterday, taking the week’s toll across Italy past 30.

Six Italian regions remain on high alert for storms.

The bodies of nine people were found in their house in Casteldaccia in the Palermo region, next to a small river which had burst its banks, rescue services said.

The victims included children aged one, three, and 15.

Three other members of the family managed to escape, one by climbing a tree, the Agi news agency reported.

After flying over Castel-daccia yesterday, Sicilian pros-ecutor Ambrogio Cartosio described a “total disaster”.

Officials have opened an investigation to determine whether houses built near the river met legal safety norms.

In a separate incident, a 44-year-old man was found

dead in his car near Vicari, also in the Palermo region.

He had been trying to reach a service station to help a col-league trapped there. A pas-senger in the car is still missing.

Rescue workers are also searching for a doctor forced by the storms to abandon his car near the town of Corleone after trying to drive to work at the hospital there.

Two other people, a man and a woman, died after their car was caught in the floods in the region of Agrigente.

Survivor Giuseppe Giordano (centre) reacts outside the morgue in Casteldaccia near Palermo on the southern Italian island of Sicily, yesterday.

Spain finds Brazilian man guilty of murder spreeAP

MADRID: A jury in Spain found a Brazilian man guilty of killing his aunt, uncle and two young cousins and ruled unanimously that the slayings were premed-itated, a Spanish news agency reported.

The jury at the trial in Guadalajara, near Madrid, was not convinced on Saturday by Patrick Nogueira’s defence that he had stabbed his relatives because he was mentally dis-turbed and suffers from alco-holism, the private news agency Europa Press reported.

Nogueira’s aunt and uncle were in their early forties and his cousins were 1 and 4 years old at the time of the 2016 slayings. He was 19. A witness testified that Nogueira took a selfie with the

dismembered bodies, which he had chopped up and put into plastic garbage bags.

Prosecutors said Nogueira was a psychopath who planned the slayings, even taking garbage bags with him. They said the defendant, who arrived in Spain in early 2016, sent a different friend in Brazil a series of WhatsApp messages about the murders and photos of the bodies during and after the killings.

To conceal the crime, pros-ecutors said Nogueira chopped up his aunt and uncle with tree-pruning shears. About a month after the slayings, neighbours complained of a bad smell coming from the house and authorities found the bags with the bodies inside. Nogueira faces decades behind bars.

Merkel’s CDU

faces split on

party’s courseREUTERS

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Demo-crats (CDU) argued yesterday over whether they should return to a more conservative agenda once she steps down as party chair as contenders to succeed her gear up for the leadership race.

Support for their Social Democrats (SPD) coalition partner meanwhile hit a record low, according to a poll pub-lished hours before senior members of both the CDU and the SPD were due to discuss the parties’ future courses in closed-door meetings.

Merkel announced last week that she would step down as CDU party leader in December, ending an era of nearly two decades in which she shifted the party gradually from the right to the centre.

Her decision followed two regional votes in which Merkel’s centre-right bloc and the left-leaning SPD suffered their worst election results in decades while the ecologist Greens and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) gained support.

Health Minister Jens Spahn, one of the three contenders to replace Merkel as party leader, said the CDU had watered down its profile by becoming too cen-trist in the past years.

“Parties must differ from another again more strongly,” Spahn told Welt am Sonntag newspaper. “The way we view people and society is fundamen-tally different from the one of the Social Democrats,” he added.

Spahn is one of the fiercest critics of Merkel’s decision in 2015 to welcome more than a million refugees from Middle East.

Spahn ruled out a coalition with the anti-immigration AfD. He also accused the AfD of

wanting to roll back European integration and tolerating anti-Semitism within its ranks.

CDU deputy chair Armin Laschet warned against moving the CDU more to the right. “I’m convinced that such a policy shift would be wrong,” Laschet said. The CDU should stick to its cen-trist course, he added.

The candidate most likely to stand for a continuation of Mer-kel’s course is CDU party sec-retary general Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer who is expected to comment on her candidacy in the coming days.

The third candidate is Frie-drich Merz who would stand for a shift towards the low-tax, business-friendly right-wing

conservatism that Merkel has pushed into the background.

The CDU seems to be split over its leadership question. An Emnid poll for Bild am Sonntag showed that 44% of party members backed Merz and 39% favoured Kramp-Karrenbauer. Support for Spahn was at 9%.

Ahead of the separate meetings of senior SPD and CDU members in Berlin yesterday, SPD deputy chair Ralf Stegner said his party would not remain in the coalition “at any price”.

“If the coalition does not drastically and rapidly change its work mode and image, it cannot and will not last,” he said.

The SPD was Merkel’s coa-lition partner in her first term

from 2005 to 2009, in her third from 2013 to 2017 and now again in her fourth and final ruling coalition. The SPD has been weakened by Merkel’s centrist course and a more right-wing CDU could make the centre-left party more attractive to mod-erate voters.

A Forsa poll for RTL/n-tv broadcasters showed yesterday that support for the SPD plunged to a record low of 13% while Mer-kel’s CDU/CSU bloc rose to 27%.

The pro-immigration Greens jumped to 24% to become the second-strongest party, the poll showed. The AfD fell to 13% while the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the party The Left both stood at 9%.

The headquarters of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party is pictured during a CDU party leadership meeting in Berlin, yesterday.

Polish health officials issue measles warningAP

WARSAW: Polish health offi-cials are calling on people to vaccinate themselves and their children after measles cases were reported in the region around Warsaw.

Health Minister Lukasz Szumowski said 17 recent measles cases in the Mazovia Province all resulted from parents failing to get their children vaccinated.

The Polish cases come as the World Health Organi-zation has reported tens of thousands of measles cases across Europe.

At a news conference yes-terday, Szumowski and other health officials stressed that measles vaccinations are safe.

Measles is a highly conta-gious disease and WHO says it is one of the leading causes of death worldwide in young children. It’s easily prevented with a vaccine.

Ukrainian activist dies 3 months after acid attackAFP

KIEV: Ukrainian anti-corruption campaigner Kateryna Gandzyuk, seriously injured in an acid attack in July, has died in hospital, supporters and the government said yesterday.

“Katya (Kateryna) is dead. Details will be available in a while,” posted a Facebook group that publishes updates about Gandzyuk’s health and news on the investigation into the shock

attack in the ex-Soviet country. Ukrainian President Petro

Poroshenko confirmed the news and offered condolences to Gan-dzyuk’s relatives at a meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian community in Turkey’s Antalya, where he is on an official visit.

“I appeal to law enforcement officers to do everything possible so that the murderers of Kat-eryna Gandzyuk are found, put on trial and punished,” Poro-shenko tweeted.

Johannes Hahn, the EU com-missioner responsible for bloc enlargement negotiations and neighbourhood policy, said he was saddened by the news from Ukraine.

“Attacks against civil society activists are unacceptable,” Hahn tweeted.

Gandzyuk, 33, who worked as an adviser to the mayor of Ukraine’s southern city Kherson, was leaving home early on the morning of July 31 when a man

poured about a litre of acid over her and ran away.

Gandzyuk was immediately hospitalised in a serious con-dition, with burns on 30 percent of her body, including her upper torso, arms, and face.

Gandzyuk was an outspoken critic of corrupt practices in law enforcement agencies, particu-larly the police. The country has seen an increase in attacks on anti-corruption activists and campaigners.

CDU Deputy Chair

Armin Laschet warned

against moving the

CDU more to the right,

adding that, the CDU

should stick to its

centrist course.

Shooting in Sweden leaves seven injuredAP

HELSINKI: Swedish police said seven people have been wounded and 12 arrested in a shooting allegedly linked to biker gang members near the country’s second city of Goteborg.

Police said yesterday that patrols rushed on Saturday evening to the small indus-trial town of Molnlycke, southeast of Goteborg, where they found “several injured people” following a shooting outside an entertainment venue that was hosting a party.

Police said events leading to the shooting were unclear. It is being investigated as an attempted murder.

According to the Gote-borgs-Posten newspaper, several of the wounded have links to the biker gang.

Poland votes in local runoff electionAP

WARSAW: Poles voted yesterday in local runoff elec-tions to choose the mayors of several key cities, including Krakow and Gdansk, and more than 640 other towns and smaller localities.

The first round on October 21 saw the populist Law and Justice party now ruling Poland strengthen its showing in regional assemblies but lose

mayoral races outright in Warsaw, Poznan and Lodz to a centrist pro-European Union coalition led by the Civic Platform party.

The results highlighted deep divisions between Poland’s cities, which have many liberal voters, and the country’s rural heartland, which remains largely supportive of Law and Justice despite accusations it has taken an authoritarian direction and its conflicts with the

European Union.Runoff voting is taking place

in 649 municipalities. Results from exit polls conducted during the runoff races are expected to be released when polling sta-tions close on Sunday night. Official returns are not expected until today at the earliest.

The centrist opposition is favoured to win in Krakow and Gdansk The local elections kick off a string of votes setting Poland’s course.

Italian leader calls WWI a warning to Europe to co-existAP

ROME: Italy’s president has recalled World War I’s roots in “aggressive nationalism” and urged young people to remember the conflict’s lessons while striving for peaceful co-existence.

Italian head of state Sergio Mattarella (pictured) attended several ceremonies in Italy yesterday as part of a week of observances marking the 100th anniversary of the war’s end.

Mattarella said the war demonstrated the “incapacity of the European ruling class” to pursue “national aspira-tions and interests in a peaceful” way and surrender to “aggressive nationalism” and quests for power.

Mattarella said an “active” memory for the victims of wars can shore up freedom and peaceful co-existence as “irreversible” choices for Europeans.

17MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018 AMERICAS

US President Donald Trump attends a campaign rally in Pensacola, Florida, yesterday. RIGHT: Former US President Barack Obama during a campaign rally at Morehouse College, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Three Girl Scouts among four dead in Wisconsin hit-and-run crashAP

LAKE HALLIE: A western Wisconsin community yesterday was grieving the deaths of three Girl Scouts and an adult who were while collecting trash along a rural highway when police say a pickup truck veered off the road and hit them before speeding away.

Authorities have not released the names of the girls or the woman who were struck by the

truck on Saturday in Lake Hallie, including the name of a fourth girl who survived but was in critical condition at a hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. The girls were members of Troop 3055 and were fourth-grade students at Halmstad Elementary School in adjoining Chippewa Falls, which is about 145km east of Minneapolis.

“Our hearts are broken for the girls and families of the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great

Lakes,” CEO Sylvia Acevedo of Girl Scouts of the USA said in a statement yesterday. “The Girl Scout Movement everywhere stands with our sister Girl Scouts in Wisconsin to grieve and comfort one another in the wake of this terrible tragedy.”

Lake Hallie police Sgt Daniel Sokup said the pickup, a black Ford F-150, crossed a lane and veered into a roadside ditch, striking the victims. Other members of the troop were

pickup up trash from the opposite shoulder.

The 21-year-old driver, Colton Treu of Chippewa Falls, sped off but later surrendered and will be charged with four counts of homicide, Sokup said. It was unclear if Treu had an attorney who could speak for him.

Sokup said it was not imme-diately known if there were other factors that might have led the driver to leave the road.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the crash happened before a hill and there were no blind spots, Sokup said it was “not an unsafe area.”

But Cecily Spallees, a per-sonal care attendant at a group home near the crash site, said that drivers regularly speed on that stretch of road.

“I’m always telling one of my residents that he shouldn’t walk this strip at night,” Spallees said. “It’s not safe.”

New dinosaur species found in ArgentinaAFP

BUENOS AIRES: A team of Spanish and Argentine paleon-tologists have discovered the remains of a dinosaur that lived 110 million years ago in the center of the country, the National University of La Matanza revealed.

The remains came from three separate dinosaurs from the herbivorous group of sau-ropods, the best known of which are the Diplodocus and Brontosaurus. This new species has been named Lavocatisaurus agrioensis.

“We found most of the cranial bones: the snout, the jaws, a lot of teeth, also the bones that define the eye sockets for example and, in that way, we were able to create an almost complete recon-struction,” said Jose Luis Car-ballido, a researcher at the Egidio Feruglio museum and the national council of scien-tific investigations.

Parts of the neck, tail and back were also found.

“Not only is this the dis-covery of a new species in an area where you wouldn’t expect to find fossils, but the skull is almost complete,” added Carballido.

The remains belonged to an adult of around 12 metres in length, and two minors of

around six to seven meters.The paleontologists said the

dinosaurs moved around in a group and died together.

“This discovery of an adult and two juveniles also signifies the first record of a group dis-placement among the rebba-chisaurus dinosaurs,” said study lead author Jose Ignacio Canudo of Zaragoza University.

The area in which the fossils were found is unusual for dino-saurs as it would have been a desert with sporadic lakes in that era.

Sauropods were the biggest creatures ever to walk the planet. It is believed that Super-saurus could reach up 33 to 34 metres in length and Argentino-saurus might have weighed up to 120 tons.

They were herbivorous quadrupeds with long necks and tails, massive bodies and small heads.

But the discovery in Neuquen, published in the sci-entific journal Acta Palaeonto-logica Polonica, remains a huge surprise.

“While one can imagine that this group of sauropods could have adapted to move in more arid environments, with little vegetation, little humidity and little water, it’s an area in which you wouldn’t be looking for fossils,” said Carballido.

Trump, Obama clash in final pitches to votersAP

WASHINGTON: No longer reluctant to speak out, former president Barack Obama delivered a closing argument for Democrats that seeks a firm check on President Donald Trump’s policies in tomorrow’s midterm elections.

Obama and Trump were offering competing visions for the country in a split screen of campaigning yesterday, seeking to galvanize voter turnout in the fight to control Congress and governors’ mansions.

Obama was traveling to Gary, Indiana, on behalf of

Senator Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., who faces a stiff challenge from Republican businessman Mike Braun. Later in the day, the former president was cam-paigning in his hometown of Chicago for businessman J.B.

Pritzker, Democrats’ nominee for Illinois governor.

Obama has taken on a more public role this fall after refraining from offering a full-blown counterpoint to Trump’s policies, which have sought to

dismantle Obama’s legacy. Without invoking his name, Obama has accused Trump of lying and “fear-mongering” and warned Democrats not to be distracted.

Trump has punched back, accusing Obama of leaving behind a trail of broken promises on trade, the economic recovery and a promise during his presi-dency that patients could keep their doctors under his health care law.

Trump was holding Sunday afternoon rallies in Macon, Georgia, and Chattanooga, Ten-nessee, in support of Republican Brian Kemp, who is running for

Georgia governor, and Rep. Marsha Blackburn, who is seeking an open Senate seat in Tennessee.

The White House pushed back against claims that Trump’s recent steps to secure the US southern border were motivated by the upcoming election.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the president’s moves had nothing to do with electoral politics.

“I’ve been involved in scores of conversations about stopping illegal immigration from Mexico

and never once has there been a discussion of the political impact in US domestic politics,” Pompeo said.

“It has always been about securing the safety of the American people and securing our southern border.”

Trump is sending up to 15,000 US troops to the border to stave off a caravan of migrants slowly making its way through southern Mexico, hun-dreds of miles from the border.

Trump has also announced plans to try to end the constitu-tionally protected right of birth-right citizenship for all children born in the US.

Obama and Trump were offering competing

visions for the country in a split screen of

campaigning yesterday, seeking to galvanize

voter turnout in the fight to control Congress

and governors’ mansions.

Neil Armstrong’s memorabilia fetches $7.4m at Dallas auctionAP

DALLAS: Memorabilia that belonged to the first man to set foot on the moon, Neil Armstrong, has fetched more than $7.4m at auction.

Dallas-based Heritage Auctions said the item that sold for the highest price, $468,500, at Saturday’s auction was Armstrong’s spacecraft ID plate from Apollo 11’s lunar module Eagle. Also sold were a fragment from the propeller and a section of the wing from the Wright brothers’ Flyer, the first heavier-than-air self-powered aircraft, which each sold for $275,000.

The flight suit Armstrong wore aboard Gemini 8, the 1966 mission that performed the first docking of two spacecraft in flight, brought the astronaut’s family $109,375.

Two dead after Amazon building in Baltimore collapsesAP

BALTIMORE: Two people were killed when part of an Amazon distribution ware-house collapsed amid severe weather, a spokeswoman for the retail giant said.

The men worked for an outside company and not Amazon, spokeswoman Rachael Lighty said. No one else was injured when severe storms with strong winds tore through Maryland on Sat-urday, she said.

“First responders remain onsite assessing the damage. The safety of our employees and contractors is our top pri-ority and at this time the building remains closed,” Lighty said in an email.

Caravan pushes through MexicoAP

ISLA: Thousands of wary Central American migrants resumed their push through Mexico yesterday, a day after arguments over the path ahead saw some travelers splinter away from the main caravan, which is entering a treacherous part of its journey.

The majority of the roughly 4,000 migrants are now headed toward the town of Cordoba, Veracruz, which is about 200km up the road.

The daily trek will be one of the longest yet, as the exhausted group of travelers tries to make

progress any way it can.The arduous trip has already

taken its toll.A day prior, the group was

beset by divisions as migrants argued with caravan organizers and criticized Mexican officials before setting out on their own for Puebla and Mexico City.

Some were disappointed after caravan organizers unsuc-cessfully pleaded for buses after three weeks on the road. Others were angry for being directed northward through the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, calling it the “route of death.”

A trek via the sugar fields and fruit groves of Veracruz

takes them through a state where hundreds of migrants have disappeared in recent years, falling prey to kidnappers looking for ransom payments.

Authorities in Veracruz said in September they had dis-covered remains from at least 174 people buried in clandestine graves, raising questions about whether the bodies belonged to migrants.

But even with the group somewhat more scattered, the majority of migrants trekking through Veracruz yesterday were convinced that traveling as a large mass was their best hope for reaching the US.

Migrants, part of a caravan traveling from Central America en route to the United States, walk by the road that links Metapa with Tapachula, Mexico, yesterday.

Fishing time

18 MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018AMERICAS

Joaquin Guzman in dock for biggest US drugs trialAFP

NEW YORK: Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman (pictured), goes on trial in New York today, accused of running the world’s biggest drug cartel and spending a quarter of a century smuggling more than 155 tonnes of cocaine into the United States.

The mammoth trial in a Brooklyn federal court, which will cost millions of dollars and is expected to last more than four months, will see one of the world’s most notorious crim-inals face the US justice system.

Prosecutors spent years piecing together a sweeping case against Guzman, who was extradited in 2017 after twice escaping prison in Mexico — first hidden in a laundry cart, then slipping down a tunnel that reached his prison shower.

Guzman has been branded the world’s biggest drug lord since Colombia’s Pablo Escobar, who was dubbed “The King of Cocaine” and was one of the wealthiest men in the world until police shot him dead in 1993.

Experts say the government has a near water-tight case likely to send Guzman, 61, to a maximum security US prison for the rest of his life. But at what price?

“Is it going to stop even one additional pound of cocaine from coming into the United States? Probably not. The machine keeps rolling,” says Rob Heroy, a North Carolina lawyer who has defended other Mexican drug barons.

The Sinaloa cartel that Guzman founded in 1989 is still hugely powerful. His co-defendant Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada remains at large, and

violent drug trafficking con-tinues unabated in Mexico.

Last year, there was a record 29,000 murders in Mexico. In the United States, opioid addiction has spiraled into an epidemic. In 2016, an average of 174 Americans died every day from drug overdoses.

Jury selection will be con-ducted in security conditions reserved only for the most dan-gerous defendants. US District Court Judge Brian Cogan will preside over the process behind closed doors.

The 12 jurors, with six alter-nates, will remain anonymous. US Marshals will escort them to and from court every day.

These ordinary men and women will determine whether Guzman -- the diminutive father of two whose nickname means “shorty” -- is guilty or not of 11 trafficking, firearms and money laundering charges.

According to the indictment, the Sinaloa cartel, which Guzman is accused of leading

from 1989 to 2014, became “the largest drug trafficking organi-zation in the world... with thou-sands of members.”

US prosecutors contend that from 1989 to 2014, the cartel smuggled at least 340,892 pounds (154,626 kg) of cocaine into the United States, as well as heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana, raking in $14 billion.

Guzman pleads not guilty, but the government has pre-sented so much evidence -- more than 300,000 pages and at least 117,000 audio recordings — that the defense complains they haven’t had enough time to review it all.

Heroy estimates the trial will cost US taxpayer “more than $50m,” a price tag that includes protection programs for at least some of the several hundred witnesses expected to testify.

“It’s probably set up to be the most expensive trial in the history of the US,” he said.

Even Guzman’s lawyers are in the dark as to all the former associates, hired hands or rivals who have turned informants.

Some of the informants have already been absorbed into the US witness protection program, given new identities and homes around the country. Others are already in jail, housed in special wings to protect them from reprisals.

If cooperating with the gov-ernment can endanger their lives, and those of their families, it can also help reduce their own sentences.

“No one is going to have pictures of him (Guzman) car-rying cocaine, taking the suitcase with money,” said Heroy. “The case is going to be based on these informants.”

Yoga studio shooter posted racist, misogynistic videosAP

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA: A brooding military veteran and former teacher who appeared to rail at women and blacks in a series of poorly lit videos shot two women to death and wounded five other people at a Florida yoga studio before killing himself.

The Friday evening shooting at a busy upscale shopping plaza jolted the state capital and police said they were still searching for a motive that led to the deaths of a Florida State University student and a well-known local doctor who was a member of the school faculty.

But details about 40-year-old Scott Paul Beierle (pictured), began to emerge in the hours

after, including that he had once been banned from FSU’s campus and had been arrested twice for grabbing women even though the charges were ultimately dropped.

Beierle, who had moved to the central Florida town of Deltona after getting a graduate degree from FSU, appeared to post a series of videos on YouTube in 2014 where he insulted women if they dated black men, said many black women were “disgusting” and described himself as a misogynist.

A Tallahassee police spokesman would not confirm or deny the videos were Beierle’s. However, the man speaking in the videos looks like Beierle and biographical details mentioned

in the videos match known facts about Beierle, including details about his military service. Also, the poster’s YouTube username included the word “Scott,” Bei-erle’s first name. The existence of the videos was first reported by BuzzFeed.

In one video, the man said promiscuous women deserved to be crucified and he suggested putting up land mines to keep people from crossing into the US from Mexico.

In another video, the man who appeared to be Beierle likened his adolescent self to Elliot Rodger, a 22-year-old who killed six students and wounded more than a dozen others near the University of California, Santa Barbara, before killing

himself in 2014. Rodger was a self-identified “incel,” short for “involuntary celibate.”

Tallahassee police say Beierle shot six people and pistol-whipped another after walking into the yoga studio that sits on the second floor of a shopping center located near the city’s fashionable midtown neighborhoods. Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo said some in the studio showed courage by trying to stop him. Witnesses at the shopping center described how people who had been in the studio ran away, seeking shelter in nearby bars and restaurants as shots rang out.

Police responded within a few minutes, but by then Beirele had fatally shot himself, leaving

police to search for a motive and a community to wonder what prompted the violence.

“It’s a place that brings me joy and peace, and I think it’s ruined,” said Katie Bohnett, an instructor at the yoga studio who skipped her normal Friday practice to meet a friend for dinner. “This monster ruined it.”

Police said Beierle acted alone but they were still looking into what prompted the shooting. He was originally from New York, had served in the military and once was a teacher in Mar-yland. After his military service, he wound up attending FSU.

Kristi Malone, who had a graduate class with Beierle, said in a Facebook message that she did not interact with him outside

Pompeo defends temporary waivers for Iran oilBLOOMBERG

NEW YORK: Secretary of State Michael Pompeo (pictured), defended the temporary waivers granted to eight coun-tries to continue buying Iranian crude oil for now against Congressional critics and others who say the US is being too lenient on the Islamic Republic.

The comments on “Fox News Sunday” come a day before US sanc-tions on Iran’s energy and shipping are due to snap back following President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement.

“The president’s policy of maximum pressure will be fully in place come tomorrow,” Pompeo said during the interview. “Watch the Iranians. That’s who really understand the importance and the impact of the effort that we’re undertaking.”

Pompeo said the US moves have “had an enormous impact already.” Iranian crude oil exports have already been reduced by over 1 million barrels

a day and will continue to fall, he added. Pompeo wouldn’t say if India and

China are receiving waivers, or if they’d delivered commitments to stop their buying. India, Japan and South Korea are among those approved, and that China is in discussions on terms but is among the eight, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

The waivers are aimed at countries that “need a little bit more time” to get

their purchases down to zero, Pompeo said, a comment consistent one made on Friday, when he said waivers were being given to importers who’ve made “important moves” toward shunning Iranian oil.

The pressure group United Against Nuclear Iran, led in part by former Senator Joe Lieberman, lashed about the waivers, tweeting on Friday that the administration had “caved.”

Republican Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida also took issue with the waivers.

“Sanctions waivers being given to key purchasers of Iranian oil, most alarmingly China, give Iran a financial reprieve, and should be eliminated as soon as possible,” Rubio said in a press release on Friday. Cruz said it was important that “final policy imposes maximum pressure” on Tehran.

“No one’s going to argue that Sec-retary Pompeo is not tough on Iran,” Pompeo said on Fox, pushing back against those who want further sanc-tions on Iranian banking by saying that “the Iranian banks that engage in sanction able behavior will be sanctioned by the Department of Treasury.”

In a separate interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Pompeo said hun-dreds of businesses have left Iran since Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal, and any European companies doing business there won’t do business with the US.

“The whole world understands that these sanctions are real,” Pompeo said.

On Friday, Trump said in a statement that the US remains open to reaching a “new, more comprehensive deal” with Iran that blocks its nuclear-weapons program, saying Tehran faces a choice between “its destructive behaviour” or “economic disaster.”

The administration’s strategy is to punish Iran so severely that it’s com-pelled to negotiate a permanent end to its nuclear ambitions, as well as what the US calls its “malign behaviour” in the Middle East.

In granting waivers, Washington is trying to ensure that global oil prices don’t spike, especially in the middle of the US election season.

Asked on CBS whether Iran could restart its nuclear program, Pompeo said, “We’re confident that the Iranians will not make that decision.”

Pompeo also said economic sanc-tions on North Korea won’t be lifted until the country completely ends its nuclear program in a verifiable fashion.

Mayor of Utah city dead in ‘insider attack’ in AfghanistanAP

NORTH OGDEN, UTAH: The mayor of a Utah city was killed during an attack in Afghanistan while he was serving with the state’s National Guard, author-ities said.

North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor died on Saturday in an apparent “insider attack” in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Another US service member whose name was not immedi-ately released was being treated for wounds sustained in the attack, US military officials said.

In a statement, Utah Gov. Herbert said he was “heart-broken at the news” of Taylor’s

death and felt “completely humbled by the service and the ultimate sacrifice offered by this brave and selfless soldier.”

“Devastating news,” Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer J. Cox wrote on his Facebook page. “”I hate this. I’m struggling for words. I love Mayor Taylor, his amazing wife Jennie and his seven sweet kids. Utah weeps for them today. This war has once again cost us the best blood of a generation. We must rally around his family.”

Taylor, 39, was deployed to Afghanistan in January with the Utah National Guard for what was expected to be a 12-month tour of duty. Taylor, an officer in the National Guard, previ-ously served two tours in Iraq

and one tour in Afghanistan.“Brent was a hero, a patriot,

a wonderful father, and a dear friend,” US Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah said on Twitter. “News of his death in Afghanistan is dev-astating. My prayers and love are with Jennie and his 7 young children. His service will always be remembered.”

At the time of his deployment in January, Taylor told local media that, as an intel-ligence officer, he will be assigned to serve on an advisory team training the staff of an Afghan commando battalion. “Right now there is a need for my experience and skills to serve in our nation’s long-lasting war in Afghanistan,” he said.

A woman casts a net to catch fish on a dock at a fishermen’s market in Valparaiso, Chile, yesterday.

of the classroom because of “his odd leering, inappropriate com-ments and general demeanor.”

“I know that myself and several of my female colleagues made a point to never be alone with him even at school because of his odd behavior,” Malone said.

Secretary of State

Mike Pompeo said the

US moves have “had

an enormous impact

already”. Iranian crude

oil exports have already

been reduced by over

one million barrels a

day and will continue to

fall, he added.


SPAIN

FAZEENA SALEEM THE PENINSULA

Bringing tapas and paella closer to Doha

They come from the land of Pablo Ruiz Picasso and obviously their interest in art and culture is

eminent. Having the influence of Barcelona, football is part of their culture. Spaniards are also friendly people, known for their relaxed lifestyle, cuisine, football and world-famous folklore and festivities.

At least 3,000 Spaniards reside in Qatar and work for dif-ferent sectors. They tend to enjoy Qatar as their second home without missing home in Spain.

Football matches, social media, LaLiga at Sheraton Grand and networking events are some venues that Spaniards in Doha meet often.

Performances of Qatar Phil-harmonic Orchestra at Qatar National Library (QNL) is also a popular entertainment attraction for Spaniards.

Feeding their huger for football, there are at least two official football associations -- ‘Peña del Betis’ (from Sevilla) and ‘Peña del Atlético de Madrid’ (from Madrid). In Spain, football associations are called ‘Peña’.

Bringing the taste of Spanish cuisine more closer to Qatar, a four-day Spanish Extravaganza Festival was organized by the Spanish embassy in Doha. It cel-ebrated the best of Spanish gas-tronomy and culture.

A grand dinner marked the

official opening of the Spanish Extravaganza Festival. A Spanish Michelin two-star dinner was hosted at W Doha Hotel in the presence of Ambassador of Spain to Qatar, Belén Alfaro; Com-mercial Attaché, Miguel Ángel Fajardo, and several other guests.

“Spanish food is often recog-nized as one of the top cuisines in the world, and some tradi-tional Spanish dishes and recipes date hundreds of years. Spanish Extravaganza Festival is aimed at promoting Spanish cuisine and culture in Qatar,” said Alfaro, the

new Spanish Ambassador. “Spain exports agro exports

to Qatar. The festival also show-cases the quality of Spanish food products,” she added.

Food has become as integral to Spain as its rich and tumul-tuous history, with each region of Spain – once a collection of numerous, distinct kingdoms – boasting their own unique cui-sines and flavours.

Each regional speciality in Spain is worth trying, and many of the top Spanish restaurants are known by the different regions they come from. In the main Spanish cities you can find Basque, Galician, Asturian and Valencian (paella) restaurants, to name but a few of the renowned regions for local food specialities.

Four chefs were exclusively

flown in to Doha for the Spanish Extravaganza Festival. Fernando Perez Arellano, a celebrity chef was one among the three pre-sented at the Festival. He pre-pared and served the signature and traditional dishes during the event including delicious tapas. ‘All i pebre’ made with paprika spiced octopus and potato veloute, ‘The blackegg’ made with white onion and cuttlefish caviar’ and ‘The almond through the season’ were a treat for the guests taste buds.

Alvaro Fuentes, Daniel Lopez and Javier De Dios also

showcased their exceptional culinary skills to treat the guests.

De Dios offered Spain’s most emblematic dish. There is nothing better than Valencian paella in the Spanish cruise, which De Dios offered at the Fes-tival. The delicious ‘paella mixta de carney pescado’ was prepared with a mix of chicken, duck, beef, langoustines and clams paella.

Music is an integral part of Spanish life, it also took centre at the Spanish Extravaganza Festival. Music and dance per-formances soothed the guests throughout the festival.

At least 3,000 Spaniards reside in Qatar

and work for different sectors. They tend

to enjoy Qatar as their second home

without missing home in Spain.

Meet the master chef

CHEF Juan Ramon Sobero (pictured) has dedicated his life to the kitchen for more

than 14 years. He has practiced his art and expertise in prestigious restaurants all over the world, before coming to Doha in October 2017.

The young and dashing Chef Juan is the Chef de cuisine at Doha’s first sports themed ‘LaLiga Lounge’ dedicated for football enthusiasts at Sheraton Grand.

He has brought fine culinary experience from places including Valencia, Mexico and Florence to Doha. “Gastronomy is a very inter-esting field. It’s my passion. With all my experience, I make guests remember the cuisine. Majority of guests we receive are Spaniards. But we do get considerable number of Qatari and other guests too,” said Chef Juan.

“The traditional paella is one of the famous dishes we serve. It is commonly made with seafood, but Arab guests prefer it with chicken,” he added.

Originating in Valencia, paella is a rice dish prepared with seafood. Of all the foods in Spain, this is the most popular. In this dish, savory yellow rice is combined with tomatoes, onions, peas, shellfish, squid, clams and chicken drumsticks.

Speaking about his experience in Doha and guests, Chef Juan said, “LaLiga Lounge is very unique in its concept. The guests, especially Qataris, are very warm and respectful people. They make it a point to make a conversation with me, when they come for dining,” said Chef Juan.

“Doha is cosmopolitan, I like the fusion here. Hopefully, I will be reflecting it on my dishes soon by introducing an Arabic and Spanish

fusion cuisine,” he added. LaLiga Lounge’s striker Chef

Juan also run classes helping the community to learn and enhance their cooking skills to the next level. Participants can get the chance to enjoy hands-on cooking classes with him, and learn the secrets of authentic Spanish cuisine and beyond every first Saturday of the month.

In September, Chef Juan carried out an interesting live cooking demonstration at Qatar National Library by preparing different recipes of the traditional Andalusi cuisine, such as the ‘isfriya’, a dish of cut chicken breast sweetened with honey. The demonstration offered the partic-ipants the opportunity of learning some of the dishes that were usually cooked in ancient days. Andalusi culinary legacy can still be found in today’s Spanish cuisine.

FAZEENA SALEEM THE PENINSULA Doha is

cosmopolitan,

I like the

fusion here.

Hopefully, I will

be reflecting

it on my

dishes soon

by introducing

an Arabic and

Spanish fusion

cuisine.

Music and dance performances entertained guests at the Spanish Extravaganza Festival.

Belén Alfaro (Third right), the new Spanish Ambassador with embassy officials and visiting chefs.

Perez Arellano, a celebrity chef, and others during the festival PICS: BAHER AMIN/THE PENINSULA

A grand dinner marked the official opening of the Spanish Extravaganza Festival.

20 MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2018MORNING BREAK

FAJRSHOROOK

04. 26 AM

05. 44 AM

11. 17 AM

02. 28 PM

04. 53 PM

06. 23 PM

ZUHRASR

MAGHRIBISHA

PRAYER TIMINGS

HIGH TIDE 03:30 – 15:00 LOW TIDE 09:00 – 21:45

Moderate temperature daytime and scat-

tered clouds to partly cloudy at places,

mild by night.

WEATHER TODAY

Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department

Minimum Maximum 26oC 32oC

National Museum of Qatar opens to public in MarchTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: The National Museum of Qatar is all set open its doors to the public on March 28, 2019, says H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The Qatar Museums Chairperson announced on Twitter:

We look forward to open the @NMOQatar to the public on 28 March 2019 with its magnificent new building by @ateliersjnouvel. #NMoQ

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel, the new NMoQ building on the Doha Corniche is designed using an inter-locking disc architecture inspired by the desert rose.

A July report in The Peninsula said:

“NMoQ’s collections and conser-vation teams worked hand-in-hand to transport the objects into the new, state-of-the-art storage facilities, where the collection will be kept until

curatorial fit out begins later this year.”The new NMoQ building boasts

modern facilities with adaptable func-tionalities to properly store the collection.

The transportation of a museum collection is a long-term, thorough process which began early.

During the preliminary prepa-ration phase, the NMoQ team iden-tified and sorted all collection items into three categories comprising artefacts containing organic

materials (e.g leather, textile, wood) that need to be frozen prior to entering the new facility, artefacts with inorganic materials (e.g. metals, stone, ceramics) that do not require freezing and disinfection and fragile items that require special packing.

This process helped guide the careful transportation of each artefact to ensure it was preserved and cared for properly on the way to its new home.

An aerial view of National Museum of Qatar.

Artistes from Qatar to compete in China Line Dance competition

ANISHA BIJUKUMAR THE PENINSULA

DOHA: Three ‘country line dancers’ from Doha will be representing Qatar at the China Cup International Line Dance Open Competition.

Siobhan Dunn, Zara Dunn and Linus Backstrom, all students of Dance Doha studio, will be heading to China on Wednesday to take part in the compe-tition that will be held from November 8 to 13.

A student at Doha College, Zara is a winner of the Rising Star Female World Champ 2018, while Siobhan, an architect, and Linus, a forensic planning consultant, are the Superstar Female and Male World Champ 2018 respectively.

Yvonne Dunn, co-owner of Dance Doha, and parent to Siobhan and Zara, said: “We are pretty excited about representing Qatar at the competition. The kids have been representing UK till now but since

Siobhan Dunn at the World Championship.

Linus Backstrom

they moved to Doha we thought of representing Qatar this time.”

Yvonne and her husband Steven Dunn, professional dancers and former world champions, are also invited to

co-judge the competition in China.

The Qatar team will be com-peting against teams from USA, China, Korea, Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Italy and Mexico.

Increasing protein intake can reduce disability risk in elderlyIANS

LONDON: Increasing the daily amount of protein intake — known to slow the loss of muscle mass — can help older adults preserve the ability to perform daily activ-ities as well as prevent their risks of disability, showed a research.

The study found that eating more protein can delay the risk of disability that can obstruct them in performing basic daily and housekeeping activities independently including self feeding, bathing, dressing and participating in social activities. “Our findings support current thinking about increasing the recommended daily intake of protein to maintain active and healthy ageing,” said Nuno Mendonca, lead researcher from Newcastle University in the UK.

For the study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers examined 722 partici-pants in North-East England, of whom 60 per cent were women. They provided researchers with information about their daily diet, body weight, height measurements, overall health assessment (including any level of disa-bility), and medical records.

Older adults tend to have a lower protein intake than younger adults due to poorer health, reduced physical activity, and changes in the mouth and teeth.

First 5G iPhone to hit the stores in 2020: ReportIANS

SAN FRANCISCO: The first 5G iPhone is likely to use an Intel modem, the 8161, and it could hit the stores in 2020, according to a report in the Fast Company.

If everything goes as planned, Intel will be the sole provider of iPhone modems, said the report.

For prototyping and testing the 5G iPhone, Intel is reportedly working on a precursor to the 8161 called the 8060.

To increase transistor density for more speed and efficiency, Intel is likely to fab-ricate the 8161 using its 10-nanometre process.

The performance of 8060 appears to have triggered a little tension between Apple and Intel due to “heat dissipation issues” that would both raise the temper-ature and hurt battery life.

However, Apple’s current issues with Intel are not serious enough to cause Apple to turn to Qualcomm for the supply of 5G modems, said the Fast Company report, based on its source. Apple declined to comment on the report. The first 5G smart-phone is expected next year.

Android phones from such manufac-turers as Xiaomi, Oppo and Huawei will contain 5G modem chips made by Qualcomm which has claimed that its modems have managed the heat dissi-pation issues, the report said.

With $50m debut, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is no poor boyAP

NEW YORK: The Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” and 20th Century Fox are — for now, at least - champions of the world.

“Bohemian Rhapsody,” starring Rami Malek as the late Queen frontman, shrugged off production troubles and mediocre reviews to debut with $50m in weekend ticket sales in US and Canada, and another $72.5m internationally, according to studio estimates yesterday. That was well beyond expectations, which had pegged the film closer to $35-40m in its opening weekend.

But audiences rushed to theaters to see the widely praised performance by Malek,

the “Mr. Robot” star, and to hear Queen’s foot-stomping anthems like “We are the Champions,” ‘’Another One Bites the Dust” and the operatic title song. The movie, which Bryan Singer directed before being replaced by Dexter Fletcher, at times has an almost concert-like feel, including a lengthy re-creation of the band’s 1985 Live Aid performance.

“It really is a celebration of Queen and their music, and I think we did a really good job of letting people know that that’s what this is,” said Chris Aronson, distribution chief for Fox. In soaring to No. 1, the Fox release trounced one from Disney, which will soon own the studio. The Walt Disney Co.’s lavish, big-budget

“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms,” despite a production budget of $125m, opened with just $20m. “We were hoping for a stronger start, but we do think it’s a film that people will find as we head into the holidays,” said Cathleen Taff, head of theatrical distribution for Disney.

Though Disney’s record of success is the envy of Hol-lywood, “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” marks the studio’s third misfire this year following the underperforming “A Wrinkle in Time” and “Solo.” The studio’s CGI-stuffed res-urrection of E.T.A. Hoffmann story was positioned as an early holiday season release, but flopped with critics and sparked only modest interest from audiences.

amir reshuffles cabinet, restructures boards · 11/5/2018 · meanwhile, dr. nasser al hajri, al...

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