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Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met yesterday at the Emiri Diwan with Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Qatar, Park Heung Kyeong, who called on H H the Emir to greet him on the occasion of the end of his tenure in the country. H H the Emir wished the Ambassador success in his future assignments and relations between the two countries further progress and prosperity. The Ambassador expressed thanks and appreciation to H H the Emir and the State’s officials for the cooperation he received which contributed to the success of his duties in the country.

Emir wishes Korean envoy successQatar at the forefront in combating terrorism

DOHA: Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Police College, yesterday witnessed the opening ceremony of the 7th Conference of the International Association of Police Academies and Colleges (INTERPA) at Sheraton Doha. The three-day event aims at exchanging experiences and knowledge of best global practices in countering terrorism and extremism. The theme of the event is “New Trends in Combating Terrorism and Extremism”.

About 300 participants from 42 countries will discuss issues of political violence, combating ter-rorism and extremism, how to manage crowds during important events such as international sporting events besides other topics on the agenda of the conference.

Speaking at the beginning of the conference, Director General of the Police College, Brigadier Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Mohanna Al Marri said that the conference is an opportunity to exchange views and professional experiences and to know about the chal-lenges faced by the member countries of the INTERPA, paving the way for devising effective security measures and future plans that ensure containing terrorism intellec-tually and practically.

He pointed out that Qatar is one of the first countries to issue a law against terrorism with its

Law No. 3 of 2004 and its sub-sequent amendments and it is a good witness that Qatar always seeks to stand and strike with an iron fist on anyone who tries to carry out a terrorist act.

Dr Al Marri added that the issue of terrorism is the focus of the speeches of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani every year. H H the Emir always affirms that the terrorism faced by the

world remains a threat to peoples and nations and its achievements. “The State of Qatar is one of the safest countries in the world and has remained at the forefront of the Mena region in the Global Peace Index. This stability is due to the strategy, approaches and advanced training plans in security work,” Al Marri added.

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SIDI MOHAMED

THE PENINSULA

UNRWA hails Qatar’s $50m pledge as ‘unprecedented’QNA

GAZA: The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) hailed the financial support the State of Qatar has announced during the extraordinary ministerial meeting to support UNRWA, which was held in Rome on March 15.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on March 23 had expressed his thanks and gratitude to Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the State of Qatar’s pledge to donate $50m to UNRWA.

“With its unprecedented pledge of $50m to UNRWA at a recent ministerial conference in Rome, Qatar will become one of UNRWA’s top donors and will have a major impact on the Agency’s ability to continue its vital services to the vulnerable Palestinian refugee community during this period of dramatic financial crisis,” UNRWA said yesterday in a statement.

Qatar made the largest pledge during the ministerial meeting that took place under the theme “Preserving Dignity and Sharing Responsibility

Mobilising Collective Action for UNRWA.”

According to the statement, the donation will safeguard Palestinian refugee children’s access to education in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon for the remainder of the current academic year as well as other core and essential services UNRWA provides to Palestinian refugees in the Middle East.

UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl expressed gratitude to the State of Qatar, praising it for interpreting its political commitment into action and for its support to the Palestinian refugee community in the region.

“The partnership between UNRWA and Qatar has been developing for years and with this unprecedented donation will now enter a new phase, with a significant focus on e d u c a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g e m e r g e n c y e d u c a t i o n , particularly in Syria and Gaza,” the statement said.

The statement highlighted Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman

Al Thani’s speech during the meeting when he announced that in reaffirmation of its firm support to UNRWA, the State of Qatar was donating $50m to the agency to enable it to offer the necessary services to the Palestinian refugees, stressing the attention Doha pays to financing the basic services of UNRWA.

In a press conference on March 28, Krahenbuhl had called on other world countries to follow the steps of Doha in donating to the organisation to support its services for more than five million Palestinian refugees.

Krahenbuhl said the deficit in UNRWA’s budget must be secured through serious work, adding that the additional $100m that were paid to the organisation constitute a good step but are not enough. He said the agency was taking all the necessary measures to protect the mandate given to it by the United Nations.

The State of Qatar’s donation was the biggest among pledges offered by participating donor states. It amounted to 50 percent of the total pledges made to the agency.

Livestock movement records highest rise at Hamad Port

DOHA: The movement of live-stock recorded highest rise in March at Hamad Port followed by vehicles. The Port, one of the largest ports in the region, handled 73,297 heads of cattle last month compared to 50,000 heads in February, showing a rise of around 47 percent.

The Port handled 5,470

vehicles last month against 4,845 vehicle in February, reflecting an increase of around 13 percent.

The Port had handled 105,032 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) containers in March against 103,735 such containers in previous month, showing a rise of 1.3 percent.

It handled 79,710 tonnes of break bulk cargo and 11,062 tonnes of bulk cargo last month.

In total, 130 commercial

vessels called at Hamad Port last month, compared to 120 vessels in February.

Hamad Port continues to see increase in traffic. Hamad Port last week celebrated the han-dling of one million TEUs throughput. The $7.4bn port achieved this feat in less 14 months, which was well ahead of its expected schedule.

The port is also aiming to play a major role in maritime

trade by becoming a tran-shipment hub in the region.

January was remarkable month for Hamad port as it received a total of 182 vessels during this month, which was the highest number of vessels handled in a month since the start of its operations.

The port had handled 103,996 TEUs containers, 136,511 tonnes break bulk cargo, 152,671 vehicles and 90,099 heads of

cattle in January this year.Ports in Qatar have played

significant role in defeating the unjust siege imposed by block-ading countries by ensuring smooth supply of goods for res-idents of Qatar.

In 2017, the ports in Qatar handled 1.26 million tonnes of general cargo, 772,835 TEUs con-tainers, 857,429 cattle heads and 578,654 tonnes of aggregates and 3,869 vessels.

SACHIN KUMAR

THE PENINSULA

Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Police College, during the opening of the 7th Conference of the International Association of Police Academies and Colleges at Sheraton Doha, yesterday.

Training course for biological weapons inspectors launchedTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: The practical and field training course for biological weapons inspectors was launched yesterday. The course is organised by Qatar’s National Committee for the Prohibition of Weapons (NCPW) under the patronage of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs H E Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah.

It is held in cooperation with University of Nebraska of the US and will run till today. The course was inau-gurated by Chairman of NCPW Major General Staff (Pilot) Nasser Mohammed Al Ali and a speech was delivered by NCPW Secretary, Captain Abdul Aziz Al Ahmad where he welcomed the attendees and said based on the State of Qatar’s keenness to combat weapons of mass destruction and is one of the first countries to join the Bio-logical Weapons Convention (BWC).


Qatar team on US tour to boost trade, economic cooperationTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: The Qatar economic tour across US cities kicked off yesterday in Miami, Florida, with the participation of Minister of Economy and Commerce H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, who is leading the Qatari delegation.

The tour will bring Qatari officials to Miami, Washington DC, Charleston in South Carolina and Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Minister and the accompanying delegation will meet with business leaders and officials to highlight and bolster prospects for economic, trade and investment cooperation.

Commenting on the tour, the Minister said: “Over the past decade, Qatar has cemented its partnership with the US in the form of direct investments, joint ventures and trade deals.


Prime Minister and Interior Minister witnesses the opening ceremony of 7th Conference of INTERPA 300 participants from 42 countries attending the event

Qatar is one of the safest countries in the world, says Al Marri

02 TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018HOME

Prime Minister meets Tunisian Minister

Al Sulaiti meets envoys of Philippines, Republic of Korea

03TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018 HOME

Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani met yesterday with Minister of Vocational Training and Employment of the fraternal Republic of Tunisia, Faouzi Ben Abderrahmane, and his accompanying delegation. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations and means of boosting and developing them in different fields.

Expatriates enjoying all the rights recognised by Qatari legislationTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Minister of Development Planning and Statistics, H E Dr Saleh bin Mohammed Al Nabit, has said that expatriate workers in Qatar are living in a climate of cooperation and collabo-ration with Qatari citizens and enjoying all the rights recog-nised by Qatari legislation and complying with their duties.

Permanent Population Committee (PPC) organised a workshop yesterday on the basics of the management of expatriate workers and oppor-tunities and challenges in the Arab states of the Gulf, in coop-eration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNODC) of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the International Organi-zation for Migration, with the participation of experts and technicians Academics, repre-sentatives of ministries and civil society concerned with this area.

On that occasion, Minister of Development Planning and Statistics and PCC Chairman, H E Dr Saleh bin Mohammed Al Nabit, said that Qatar has been receiving over the past 10 years an increasing number that exceeds 2 million workers, coming from different countries of the world, working in dif-ferent service sectors of the State, living in a climate of coop-eration and collaboration with Qatari citizens and enjoying all the rights recognized by Qatari legislation and complying with their duties.

In a speech delivered by Assistant Under-Secretary for Statistical Affairs at the Ministry

of Development Planning and Statistics, Sultan Al Kuwari, on behalf of the minister of devel-opment planning and statistics, he noted that due to the insuf-ficient Qatari human resources to achieve the country’ ambi-tious development plans, the state has been keen to bring manpower with the levels and specialization required by these plans, with the duration of labor stay in the country linked to the duration of the projects. These workers then return home with resources and expertise to help them improve their living con-ditions and contribute to the development of their countries of origin.

The aim of the workshop is to consider the management of expatriate workers from the perspective of studying the real-ities and future of labor mobility policies in GCC countries., to familiarise participants with the international concepts of the term immigrant, and to clarify the difference between a per-manent immigrant and a migrant worker, as intended workshop to monitor interna-tional practices and experiences of the foundations of interna-tional migration management

and to familiarize those con-cerned with the areas of migration management on expatriate employment issues and to consider policies for the management and mobility of such employment in the GCC countries.

Al Kuwari pointed out that the migration of expatriate workers to the GCC countries differs from the rest of known international migrations, which led to different systems the laws adopted by GCC states. He noted that migrants to regions such as Europe, Canada, America or elsewhere are often permanent migration, which requires the development of legislation dif-ferent from those involving migrants who come under fixed-term employment con-tracts and return to their home countries upon the expiration of the working contracts.

While the State of Qatar appreciates the efforts of its expatriates, whether experts or ordinary workers, it is also keen to address the effects that large arrivals and the diversity of their nationalities and cultures can have on the demographics and cultural characteristics of the Qatari society, Al Kuwari said.

Minister of Transport and Communications H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti met separately yesterday with Ambassador of Philippines to the State of Qatar, Alan Timbayan, and Ambassador of Republic of Korea, Park Heung-kyeong. The meetings discussed relations between Qatar and Philippines and Republic of Korea in the field of transport and communications, as well as the ways to boost and develop them.Qatar combating terrorism with adequate

laws and global cooperation: Al AnsariTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Maj Gen Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Ansari, National Counter-terrorism Committee Chairman, has reaffirmed that the State of Qatar is dealing firmly with the phenomenon of terrorism by issuing legislations to tackle it and enhance the country’s international cooper-ation in this direction.

Speaking at the opening session of 7th Conference of the International Association of Police Academies and Colleges (INTERPA), Maj. Gen. Al Ansari said Qatar has always affirmed its rejection of all acts of extremism and terrorism in all forms and manifestations, and expressed its support for all legal measures aimed at eliminating extremism and terrorism.

He added that the State of Qatar has dealt with this phe-nomenon objectively and reso-lutely through the enactment of several laws and regulations, including the issuance of legis-lation on terrorism. “It has also acceded to several conventions on terrorism at the regional and international levels and con-cluded bilateral agreements with fraternal and friendly countries.”

Maj Gen. Al Ansari also referred to the State of Qatar’s cooperation with the counter-terrorism committees estab-lished in line with the UN Security Council resolutions as well as its constant efforts to exchange information, expertise and technical assistance in the fields of security work and to implement international and regional resolutions and strat-egies related to combating extremism and terrorism.

Since its inception in 2007, Maj. Gen. Al Ansari said, the National Counter-terrorism Committee has not been working independently of other relevant authorities in the country. “When the issue of

violent extremism came to light, the committee was keen to form a national working group com-prising representatives of civil society and thought leaders in society to help it carry out its mandate.”

He added that choosing extremism and terrorism as the theme of this year’s edition came after the phenomenon has become a major concern for all societies.

The National Counter-ter-rorism Committee chairman noted that the agenda of the conference is full of many topics that constitute a fundamental step towards achieving its objec-tives, especially in relation to combating terrorism in interna-tional sporting events, political violence and combating terrorism.

Meanwhile, Director-General of Public Security, Staff Major General, Saad bin Jassim Al Khulaifi has affirmed that Qatar is an active partner in confronting

all forms of extremism and terrorism and drying up their sources, calling for strength-ening international cooper-ation in this area.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the conference Al Khulaifi said that the State of Qatar rejects all forms of vio-lence and terrorism and is an active partner with the interna-tional community in combating and drying up its sources.

He stressed that combating terrorism will not be achieved without close cooperation among all world countries and the exchange of information in order to block the terrorist groups that aim to destabilize world countries.

He underlined the impor-tance of the theme and timing of the conference, noting that the event is taking place at a time when the world is wit-nessing new terrorist phe-nomena other than the familiar terrorism, such as cybersecurity threats.

National Counter-terrorism Committee Chairman Maj Gen Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Ansari (right), presented a paper “The Process of Radicalisation in the Information Society Era”, that discussed the ways of protecting society through improving the life of the individual and society, at the 7th Conference of the International Association of Police Academies and Colleges (INTERPA) at Doha Sheraton, yesterday. Also seen is Director-General of the Police College, Brig Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Mohanna Al Marri.

Minister of Development Planning and Statistics and Permanent Population Committee (PCC) Chairman, H E Dr Saleh bin Mohammed Al Nabit, said that over the past 10 years Qatar has received more than 2 million workers, coming from different countries of the world, working in different service sectors and living in a climate of cooperation and collaboration with Qatari citizens.

to their favourite live South Asian content on their mobile phones.

Customers will enjoy more than 90 live TV channels and more than 100 radio channels that cover a broad spectrum of interests including sports, movies, news and shows broadcasting 24/7. Examples include Nepali lan-guage TV- NTV, Kantipur and AP1, Bengali language TV- BTV World, ATN Bangla and RTV, Hindi language TV- BAU Movies, Star Utsav and Star Movies.

Customers have the choice of paying a flat fee for a day, week or a month’s access package at QR3, QR15 and QR45 respectively with zero data charges. To cele-brate the launch of Pocket TV, Vodafone customers can enjoy a one-week free trial from now till April 15, 2018.

Accessing South Asian entertainment content in Qatar is difficult and the current options whether they be via mobile phone, TV on demand or Online TV requires high subscription and data costs. This is limiting and a cause of frustration for many people whose need to stay connected to what they love from home is of great importance.

“At Vodafone we understand the needs of our all our customers and listen to what they want from their telecom operator. Pocket TV is a response to a large segment of our society’s need to have access to an affordable and easy way to enjoy entertainment and up to date current affairs from their home country, all in the palm of their hand,” said Diego Camberos, Chief Operating Officer, Vodafone Qatar.

To start enjoying Pocket TV from Vodafone, customers simply need to download the App from Google Play store or Apple store then sign in with their Vodafone number and choose the package they want.

Muraikhi discusses ties with Haitian minister

Labor Minister meets Tunisian Minister


Minister of State for Foreign Affairs H E Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met yesterday with Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Haiti, Antonio Rodrigue, and his accompanying delegation during their visit to the country. The meeting discussed bilateral relations and ways to support and develop them, in addition to matters of common concern.

Minister of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs, H E Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi, met yesterday with Minister of Vocational Training and Employment of the Republic of Tunisia, Faouzi Ben Abderrahmane. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations and means of boosting and developing them.

Vodafone Qatar launches Pocket TV applicationDOHA: Vodafone Qatar announced yesterday the exclusive launch of Pocket TV- an application that gives all its customers unlimited access

HBKU to host lecture on climate change and energy transitions in QatarTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Law and Public Policy (CLPP) is hosting a public lecture on Climate Change and Energy Transitions in Qatar tomorrow, at HBKU’s College of Islamic Studies Building in Education City.

The lecture will feature Abdelhadi Nasser Almarri, director of the Climate Change Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, as a speaker to discuss the State of Qatar’s prioritization of climate change mitigation and action points as outlined in its national strategic vision. Almarri will examine Qatar’s responses to the challenges posed by climate change and its current policies that will spearhead its low carbon energy transition.

Prof Clinton Francis, founding dean of CLPP, said: “Like all other nations of the world, Qatar too is confronted with challenges of energy and resource man-agement, and is actively seeking solutions for sustainable, low-carbon energy resources. Our upcoming lecture provides our students and members of our broader community a unique opportunity to hear first-hand from officials on the many steps the government is taking to mit-igate climate change, and I am thankful to Abdelhadi Nasser Almarri for sharing his expertise with us. We want to overcome conventional academic silos and provide a holistic view of the steps that need to be taken to encourage sharing of knowledge, and to build a sustainable and prosperous future for Qatar.”

Chairing the lecture will be Dr Damilola S Olawuyi, associate pro-fessor of energy and environmental law at CLPP, who, along with Almarri, will take questions and address comments from attendees throughout the session. In addition to interested members of the public, expected attendees will comprise industry and policy experts, students, and staff, who will have the opportunity to engage in networking and share profes-sional feedback after the lecture. As part of CLPP’s commitment to tackle multidisciplinary policy challenges facing Qatar and the region, the college continues to host lectures, conferences, and other events to facilitate mutual dialogue between industry and academia that elicit thought-pro-voking debate and promote inno-vative solutions.

HBKU institute to add Turkish under its translation programmeSANAULLAH ATAULLAH

THE PENINSULA

DOHA: The Translation and Interpreting Institute (TII), part of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), is contemplating to add Turkish language under its translation offerings, as the Institute is focusing on oriental languages.

TII is considering to add some oriental languages and Turkish will be the first one, said Dr Amal Mohammed Al Malki, Founding Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Talking to The Peninsula, Al Malki said that as per demand more languages will be added. She said that currently TII offers classes in seven languages including Arabic, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese, Italian and German. Providing an overview of the college under which TII operates, Al Malki said, “The College of Humanities and Social Sciences offers a ‘Master of Arts in Audiovisual Translation’ and a ‘Master of Arts in Translation Studies’ and both are validated by the University of Geneva.”

She said that last year, the College launched two new inno-vative and interdisciplinary pro-grammes. The first programme was the ‘Master of Arts in Women, Society and Devel-opment’, which is the only women’s studies master’s pro-gramme in Qatar. The second was the ‘Master of Arts in Digital Humanities and Societies’, which is a unique master’s program in

Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. CHSS has so far attracted a pretty good number of students as it currently has a total of 54 students enrolled in four programmes. Speaking on the goal of CHSS, Al-Malki said, “We take translation as an academic field and a complete profession. We provide students with the req-uisite tools to enable them to con-tinue their PhD programs if they wish to pursue a profession in the translation industry in Qatar.”

She said that translation as a profession in Qatar is still under development. “We have graduates who have been working on startups on the projects that are happening for the first time in Qatar raising awareness on the importance of translation through intercul-tural communication in Qatar and beyond,” said Al-Malki. She said that the translation pro-gramme also aims at supporting our multi-cultural society in

Qatar. Speaking on the benefit of the translation programme in cre-ating jobs, Al Malki said that it is an interdisciplinary field adding that translation could be an added value to the employees in any work sector. “So the graduates do not necessary to work as a trans-lator and interpreter,” she added.

She said that at CHSS, stu-dents acquire tools, ability of critical thinking, communication skills which enable them to be fitted for various jobs. Regarding fee structures of the programmes offered by CHSS, Al Malki said that the fees are reasonable and many students are enjoying scholarships. “We have very good percentage of students who benefit from financial aid,” said Al Malki.

“Registration for this year’s graduate programmes ended on Sunday,” said Al Malki adding that the new academic year will start in August. Regarding basic admission criteria for master’s programmes, she said that can-didates should hold a bachelor’s degree, among other criteria for enrollment. The college welcomes applications from candidates who can clearly articulate their ideas. Dr Amal Al Malki worked as Asso-ciate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar where she taught courses in writing compo-sition, postcolonial literature, the-ories of translation, and Islamic Feminism. Al Malki holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of London-SOAS, where she also earned a master’s degree in English-Arabic Applied Lin-guistics and Translation.

Dr Amal Mohammed Al Malki, Founding Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

THE PENINSULA

DOHA: The Advisory Council held its regular weekly session that was chaired by Speaker of the Advisory Council H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud.

At the beginning of the session, the speaker briefed the council on the results of the 108th general assembly of the Inter-Parlia-mentary Union (IPU) and its related meetings, which took place in Geneva from March 24 to 28, and in which he participated as the head of a delegation of council members.

A number of members requested a general discussion session about the phenomenon of the rising shop rents. After extensive discussion, the council decided to refer the matter to the Services and Public Utilities Committee for consideration and to report thereon to the council, reported QNA.

Al Mahmoud also briefed the council on the series of intensive meetings that he and the accompanying delegation held with a number of heads of parliaments in fraternal and friendly coun-tries, heads of delegations and heads of parliamentary groups.

During these meetings, he said, he explained the beginnings and developments of the Gulf crisis and the position of Qatar towards it. He expressed his satisfaction of the understanding with Qatar’s position during these meetings and the desire to reach a quick solution to the Gulf crisis through dialogue, without preconditions and with respect for the sovereignty of states and adherence to laws and international charters.

The speaker also pointed out that the active participation of the Advisory Council delegation and the participation of women within the Qatari delegation have been commended and appre-ciated by the general assembly of IPU.

Advisory Council discusses issue of rising shop rents

After extensive discussion, the council decided to refer the matter to the Services and Public Utilities Committee for consideration and to report thereon to the council, reported QNA.


Cleanliness Department removes 90

tonnes of waste in Ras Rukn IslandTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: The Ministry of Munici-pality and Environment repre-sented by the General Cleanliness Department has removed 90 tonnes of waste from Ras Rukn Island under a four-day massive beach cleaning campaign.

Ras Rukn, located in Al Shamal, is the north-western point of an island called locally Jazirat Ras Rukn.

A total of 70 tonnes woods and 20 tonnes of beach waste were cleaned from the island, said Safar Al Shafi (pictured), Director of General Clean-liness Department at the Min-istry, in a statement. He said that the Department also removed 50 abandoned fishing tools locally called Qarqur and a number of used tyres and a heap of steel

scraps.The campaign which con-

tinued for consecutive four days was implemented under special programme of General Cleanliness Department to keep beaches and islands of the country clean, said Al Shafi.

He said that the programme is being implemented on priority basis adding that under the pro-gramme a number of islands including Ras Rakan, Al Safiliya, Sharawo, Al Aliya, Al Ashat, Umm Tais and Jenan were cleaned in recent past.

He stressed that such a pro-grammes for cleaning beaches were covering all areas of the country, adding that the pro-grammes were being imple-mented smoothly without any impact on daily routine work of the Department.

The Ministry of Municipality and Environment gives high pri-ority to maintaining hygiene at beaches and islands because they are picnic spots. The Ministry also provided all necessary supports including workers and equipment to maintain hygiene at these places throughout the year as they received a big number of vis-itors especially during the weekend and official holidays.

The Director of the General Cleanliness Department has urged visitors to cooperate with the Ministry in maintaining hygiene at beaches and islands by throwing garbage on desig-nated places and dustbins.

Workers at the General Cleanliness Department under the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, cleaning the Ras Rukn beach in Al Shamal.

A total of 70 tonnes woods and 20 tonnes of beach waste were cleaned from the island, said Safar Al Shafi, Director of General Cleanliness Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment. He said that the Department also removed 50 abandoned fishing tools locally called Qarqur and a number of used tyres and a heap of steel scraps.

Qatar at the forefront in combating terrorismCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Dr Al Marri called for joint

international cooperation to face the challenges according to sci-entific and methodological visions for carrying out in-depth research to reach the best plans to contribute to the elimination of any imminent danger on the basis of information and analysis stemming from specialists in security, legal, intellectual and cultural fields and others.

Dr Al Marri expressed his hope that this conference would come out with the appropriate conclusions and recommenda-tions that serve the police and security work to reach radical solutions to eliminate the phe-nomenon of terrorism and extremism that threatens the world at present and achieve our desired aspirations and goals.

President of the International Association of Police Academies and Colleges Dr Yilmaz Colak, said in his speech that the annual conference of the Association is an important platform for exchanging information, experi-ences and best international practices in policing and security.

“The Association is making great efforts to strengthen coop-eration among the 76 member States,” he said, welcoming the joining of other members to enrich the experiences of regional and international police colleges and academies.

Dr Colak also noted the importance of the theme of this year’s conference, “New Trends in Countering Terrorism and Extremism”, stressing that the phe-nomenon of terrorism is not limited to a particular country but

has implications for the whole world, and that all the countries of the world may become a potential target of terrorist attacks.

He pointed out that terrorism is based on extremist ideas, adding that cases of extremism of all kinds and forms must be studied and analyzed. Moreover, he said that terrorism has no religion, gender or race, but it is a phenomenon that requires treatment through close interna-tional cooperation.

The executive board of

Delegates attending the conference at the Sheraton Doha, yesterday.

International Association of Police Academies (INTERPA) also held a meeting on the side-lines of the seventh INTERPA Conference under the theme “New Trends in Combatting Ter-rorism and Extremism.”

The meeting discussed a number of topics on the agenda and related to the activities of the association. In addition, the general council of INTERPA also held a meeting with all its

members present. They discussed a number of topics and took deci-sions on issues on the agenda. During the meeting, multiple agreements were signed with regards to states joining the asso-ciation, including Cameroon, Tunisia, East Timor, Uzbekistan and Zambia. It was also agreed to hold the eighth INTERPA con-ference at Gujarat Forensic Sci-ences University in India in 2019, which will focus on cybercrimes.

They also agreed on holding the next executive board meeting in Belarus in October 2018

Meanwhile, the conference in its first session, discussed the factors contributing to the spread of fundamentalism and extremism, ways to address them in the era of networks and information society and the roles required for different insti-tutions at local, regional and international levels.

Project launched to rehabilitate desert land at Al ShehaniyaDOHA: The Ministry of Municipality and Envi-ronment in collaboration with Natural Reserves Department has launched a project to rehabilitate Rawdat Al Samriya, a desert land at Al Shehaniya, by laying wild plants.

The land is located near Al Basir flyover on Dukhan road. The project is part of the massive campaign of the Min-istry which began in 2014 to protect wild plants.

The project aims at planting about 150 wild trees include Samar, Al Sanat, Al Ghaf, Al Sulm, Al Markh, Al Sidr, Al Awsaj at Rawdat Al Samriya. The wild trees.

The land lost mos of its trees and plans due to over-grazing as there were many animal breeding farms at Al Shihaniya.

Yousef Al Khu-laifi, Director of Agricul-tural Affairs Department planted wild trees while launching the campaign in a ceremony yesterday.


Sidra Medicine marks World Autism DayTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: To mark World Autism Day yesterday and World Autism Month throughout April, Sidra Medicine experts shared a series of recommendations for parents to consider in engaging children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Autism is a complex neurode-velopmental disorder, predomi-nantly genetic in nature. Children with ASD manifest a range of symptoms associated with diffi-culties in language and commu-nication and social interaction.

Sidra Medicine’s approach to caring for children with ASD reflects its wider vision of pro-viding family-centered and evi-dence-based patient care delivered by an exceptional cadre of faculty. The healthcare organization’s clinicians shared some insights to support car-egivers, teachers and profes-sionals who work with indi-viduals with ASD.

Individuals with ASD face a

number of challenges due to dif-ficulties associated with social communication and interaction. Many also have sensory com-plications and restricted interests that may limit their social engagement, as well as the learning and development of new skills. However, it is important to keep in mind that individuals with ASD have strengths and abilities that need to be nurtured.

A key suggestion that Sidra Medicine’s experts made includes acknowledging and cultivating these interests,

strengths, and talents. Such an approach creates rich opportu-nities for social, academic and vocational growth and development.

Dr Nahed Alateeqi, Senior Attending Physician at the Department of Developmental Pediatrics at Sidra Medicine, said: “It is important to try to balance nurturing the talents of children with ASD in everyday routines and activities and not think of them as interfering with the child’s progress in other areas. For example, allow your child to draw as a solitary

Sidra Medicine officials during the World Autism Day event, yesterday.

activity if that’s what interests them. Think of it as time to relax and regulate emotionally and don’t view it as a way of hiding away from social interactions and engagements.”

Utilising a child’s interests is also an excellent way to motivate and develop new skills. It is an opportunity to introduce children with ASD to others who have similar interests to share their experiences and passions. Sidra Medicine experts suggest that one way to do this it to encourage children to participate in after school activities or clubs such as science clubs, music and theater activities, as well as art programs.

Dr Alateeqi also suggested that it’s important to incorporate

interests into learning by moti-vating the child to stay focused on school work. “For example, you can make use of a child’s interest in cars by reading a book about the topic. You can also do math problems by counting vehicles or measuring the length of different models,” she said.

At Sidra Medicine, the Devel-opmental Paediatrics and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry clinics currently provide multiple services for children and young people with ASD. This includes comprehensive diagnostic assess-ments and treatment recommen-dations. The clinics also provide evaluation services for children with comorbid emotional and psychiatric issues.

At Sidra Medicine, the Developmental Paediatrics and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry clinics currently provide multiple services for children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This includes comprehensive diagnostic assessments and treatment recommendations. The clinics also provide evaluation services for children with comorbid emotional and psychiatric issues.

Ambulatory Care Center allows parents to accompany children into operating theaterTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Hamad Medical Corpora-tion’s Ambulatory Care Center is transforming the way children undergoing surgery under general anesthetic receive care by allowing parents to accompany their child into the operating theater and to stay with them while the anesthetic is being administered.

The initiative is part of a pilot project that was launched earlier this month under the stewardship of the Director of the Ambulatory Care Center, Dr Khalid Al Jalham. The initiative links to the results of international research studies which have shown that the presence of a parent during the induction of anesthesia significantly decreases separation anxiety and stress for both the parent and their child.

“The preparation of any child for surgery is a cause of great stress for both the child and his or her parents. At the Ambulatory Care Center, we believe one of the most important ways by which we can prevent this stress is to allow one of the parents to be present at the start of anesthesia, said Dr Al Jalham.

Professor Marco Marcus, HMC’s Chairman of Anesthesiology, ICU,

and Perioperative Medicine explained that care teams meet with parents in advance to ensure they are fully prepared for their role in the theater. He said, “We prepare parents for this by providing them with a clear explanation of their role inside the theater before the surgery takes place. They are given detailed information about both their role and the overall process when they visit the Pre-assessment Anesthesia Clinic (PAAC) in the weeks or days preceding the planned surgery.”

Also after surgery, parents are invited to join their child in the post-operative recovery area so they are present, by their child’s side, to reassure them when they wake up.

Earlier this month, two-year-old Amanuel Endale was one of the first children to undergo general anes-thetic in the presence of a parent. Bereket Endale, Amanuel’s father, accompanied his son into the oper-ating theater for his tonsillectomy (tonsil removal surgery). He com-mented on how calm his son was going to the theater and called the experience very positive, particu-larly compared to that of his older son who had the same procedure one year prior. At that time he was unable to enter the theater for the administering of the general anes-thetic, so Endale appriciated the ini-tiative by the Ambulatory Care Center as a change for the better.

Dr Khalid Al Jalham, Director of Ambulatory Care Center, with two-year-old Amanuel Endale and the Anesthesia and ENT team.

4th Qatar Green Building Conference from October 28THE PENINSULA

DOHA: The 4th Annual Qatar Green Building Conference 2018 under a theme of ‘The Impact’ will be held from October 28 to 30 at the Qatar National Convention Centre, Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC).

The conference, held under the patronage of HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO, QF, is calling for pres-entation abstracts on a range of topics including Green Operation in Hospitality, Livable and Resilient Cities, Case Studies from Hot Cli-mates, Sustainability for Knowledge Economy, Green Corporate - Case Study, and Nudging for Behavior Change.

QGBC will nominate a selected number of abstracts to be developed into peer-reviewed articles for publi-cation by a third party. Abstracts should be submitted by the deadline of August 30, with a decision to be made on chosen abstracts due on Sep-tember 13.

The Qatar Green Building Conference is the flagship event of the 3rd annual Qatar Sustainability Week 2018, held under the patronage of the Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The conference will focus on the significant challenges of environmental sustaina-bility that every developed country should meet for a more sustainable quality of life, as well as promoting practices and solutions to build a better environment for Qatar, the Arabian Gulf region and beyond.

“The Qatar Green Building Conference offers a lot to professionals in the field of sustainability and we are proud to see this conference grow to become an annual focal point for all those working towards a greener and more sustainable Qatar,” said Engineer Meshal Al Shamari, QGBC Director.

“Our goal is to support the overall health and sustaina-bility of the environment, the people, and help to build a diverse and competitive economy in Qatar for gener-ations to come. Our con-ference will be our platform to spread the word to the world.”

Qatar to participate in International Science and Physics OlympiadDOHA: The Ministry of Education and Higher education launched the first phase of the junior Science Olympiad and the International Physics Olympiad competition, organised and supervised by the science division of the Ministry’s educational guidance department, in prepa-ration for Qatar’s participation in the International Physics Olympiad in Portugal in July and the Interna-tional Junior Science Olympiad in Botswana in December.

The International Junior Science Olympiad and the International Physics Olympiad include all government schools for boys and girls, with each school participating in a team of six students with high academic performance in science and physics test who also possess the basic scientific, mathematical language skills.

Qatar won in November the 11th International Olympiad for Astronomy and Physics, which was held in Thailand. It also got the bronze medal in the Nether-lands’ International Science Olympiad competitions in December, to add these international achievements to others made by Qatar’ students in the different compe-titions and regional and international participants in dif-ferent sciences, reflecting the quality of its education system and its impressive record in paying attention to education, improving its output and achieving real com-petitiveness commensurate with the potential of the state in these areas.

The International Junior Science Olympiad is the largest scientific event involving talented science stu-dents under the age of 16 from different countries of the world. It aims to motivate and encourage talented stu-dents to develop their talents in the branches of natural Sciences and promote friendship and relations among students from all over the world from an early age, and also provides an opportunity to compare curricula and educational trends in Science education in participating countries.

Course for biological weapons inspectorsCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

He added that Qatar enacted legislation to put the convention into force, referring to Qatar’s Law No. 4 of 2016 on biological weapons. On her part, Director Center for Biosecurity, Biopreparedness, and Emerging Infec-tious Diseases of the University of Nebraska Dr. Sharon Medcalf thanked the State of Qatar represented by the NCPW for hosting this course. She praised Qatar’s interest and keenness to combat weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. She highlighted the program of the course which includes activities to prepare biological weapons inspectors in a constructive cooperation with the NCPW in the field of preparation and the implementation of the provisions of the BWC. After the opening, a film was screened on the activities of the NCPW and Doha regional center for training on weapons of mass destruction con-ventions and the committees role in implementing con-ventions related to weapons of mass destructions.

The first session was chaired by head of biological weapon prohibition group-NCPW Dr. Jameela Al Ajmi and Captain Abdul-Aziz Al Ahmad spoke about the goals and achievements of the NCPW. Associate Director of the Biocontainment Unit at University of Nebraska Dr. Ted Cieslak presented a lecture on Anthrax. He spoke about the history of this disease and how it spread. He also talked about its properties, its incubation and ways of infecting humans through contact, hair, bone, wool and through eating, inhalation and breathing.

Dr Ted also spoke about plague, which caused the death of more than 200 million people in 1346, saying that the disease caused the deaths of more than 25 percent of the world’s population, as it is transmitted by some animals such as mice, cats, fleas, and rodents, pointing out that the disease is transmitted to the lymph nodes leading to the explosion and thus the spread of 3 types of plague, and explained that the treatment of this disease requires treatment with antibiotics such as gentamicin and tetracy-cline chlorine amphithenol.


One in four adult Qataris will have diabetes by 2050: WCM-Q studyTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) predict that type 2 diabetes prevalence in Qatar will soar from 17 percent in 2012 to at least 24 percent by 2050.

Qatar is already one of the countries most affected by type 2 diabetes worldwide and, according to findings published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, this epidemic is set to worsen in the next three decades, driven by the ageing of the pop-ulation and high levels of obesity.

The WCM-Q study, ‘Fore-casting the Burden of Type 2 Dia-betes Mellitus in Qatar to 2050: A Novel Modeling Approach’, was conducted with funding from the

Qatar National Research Fund, a Qatar Foundation member, through the National Priorities Research Program.

The study used sophisticated mathematical modeling tech-niques to forecast diabetes

burden in the Qatari population up to 2050. Despite already being over twice the global average, with 17 percent of Qataris cur-rently living with diabetes, it was projected that at least one in every four adult Qataris will have diabetes by 2050.

The researchers also calcu-lated the likely economic costs accompanying the rise in the prevalence of diabetes.

“Not only have we projected an alarming increase in the dia-betes epidemic, but we also fore-casted a high burden of diabetes on Qatar’s health expenditure,” said Susanne Awad, first author of the study and senior mathe-matical epidemiologist at the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group at WCM-Q. “While

diabetes is already consuming about 20 percent of Qatar’s national health expenditure, it will consume nearly one-third of the national health expend-iture by 2050, according to our model.”

One of the main findings of the study is that most cases of diabetes are due to obesity. The fraction of Qataris who are obese stands currently at 41 percent, but was projected by the study to increase to 51 percent by 2050. The study also forecasts that, by 2050, 66 percent of diabetes cases will be caused by obesity.

The study provided a framework for generating stra-tegic information to inform dia-b e t e s p u b l i c h e a l t h

policy, programming and resource allocation at the national level. The framework also offers a platform for exten-sions to assess the impact and cost-effectiveness of interven-tions against diabetes and its leading risk factors.

“It is a priority to focus on public health and lifestyle interven-tions to control, or even reverse the rising diabetes burden through

individual- and population-based prevention approaches. These approaches remain to be tested to determine their feasibility and effectiveness in Qatar,” said Pro-fessor Laith Abu-Raddad, principal investigator of the study and pro-fessor of healthcare policy and research at WCM-Q.

The research was only pos-sible thanks to support from Qatar National Research Fund.

Professor Laith Abu-Raddad and researcher Susanne Awad.

MG Motor launches the new MG RX5 compact SUV in QatarTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Auto Class Cars, the authorised distributor of MG in Qatar, has announced that the MG RX5 compact SUV will be available to purchase in the Qatari market from the end of April.

MG Motor’s new ‘Hero SUV’ will be available from the MG showroom on Salwa Road, with prices starting at around 54,000QR.

The new MG RX5 will appeal to a range of customers in Qatar, especially younger buyers looking for value for money in a stylish, technologically-advanced package that allows them to stand out from the crowd. Equipped with a 1.5T petrol engine and 7-speed auto-matic gearbox the MG RX5 is available as entry level standard or mid-range COM models. The more powerful 2.0T power plant is mated to a 6-speed auto-matic gearbox and is offered for either COM or top-of-the-range LUX trim

levels, with the latter featuring All-Wheel Drive.

The MG RX5 boasts an attractive, futuristic design that is instantly recog-nisable, notably at the front where the stylish square LED headlamps, imposing wing-shaped grille and innovative fog lamps endow it with real on-the-road

presence. Sporty five-spoke, two-tone 18” rims are combined with a sharp waistline that rises from front to rear, enhancing the dynamic look. At the rear, a chrome plate stretches out to the dual tail lights, visually extending the vehicle width – reminiscent of the style of certain premium German models.

Commenting on the new model, Tom Lee, Managing Director of SAIC Motor Middle East, the parent company of MG Motor, said: “The MG RX5 is the latest model to join MG’s exciting range of cutting-edge vehicles, and embodies the positive, new direction this famous brand is taking. As MG strengthens its on-the-ground presence across the Middle East, we believe that this new compact SUV possesses all the attributes to push the brand to the front of mind of the region’s car buyers.”

Sheikh Faleh Bin Nawaf Al Thani, Automotive Operations Director - NBK holding added: “The MG RX5 is a val-uable addition to the wide range of MG cars that Auto Class Cars will offer in Qatar. We are looking forward to the showroom opening in April when our customers will be able to see and feel the line-up of sedans and SUV Cross-overs which have been designed to meet all their requirements.”

MG, a British born car maker, was established in 1924 and is renowned glo-bally for its historic models, awards and achievements. The brand has recently launched two new models in the Middle East, the MG RX5 and MG ZS, and is set to introduce further models to the lineup later this year. MG is benefiting from heavy investment from its parent company, SAIC Motor, which was listed in the 2017 Fortune Global 500 list for the 13th consecutive year, ranking #41 overall and 7th amongst all global auto-makers – it’s highest ever ranking.

Auto Class Cars is a subsidiary of NBK Holding and the authorized dis-tributor of MG and Maxus, both part of SAIC MOTOR. NBK Holding is one of the leading family businesses in Qatar. Established in the 1950’s, NBK widened its umbrella of businesses to include several new companies with various operations and partnered with key multi-national organizations.

Qatar is already one of the countries most affected by type 2 diabetes worldwide and, according to findings published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, this epidemic is set to worsen in the next three decades.

MG RX5 SUV


‘Beautiful Smile’ benefits over 100,000 childrenTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) aims to implement “Beautiful Smile” project in all health centres by the end of the year after the success of the project aimed at raising awareness of oral and dental health and reducing children dental caries cases in 19 health centres and benefiting more than 100,000 children since 2015.

PHCC Oral Health Division Director, Dr Asmaa Al Khatib, said that the “Beautiful Smile” project is one of the first in the region and is being implemented by the Oral Health Division to raise awareness of the impor-tance of oral and dental health for children and pregnant

women and reduce the rate of very high decay and oral dis-eases among young people based on the results of surveys of oral and dental diseases in this age group.

She pointed out in a press statement yesterday that the project targets children from birth to 12 years of age as well as pregnant women in order to

provide them with preventive and therapeutic services, adding that about 10,3641 children and 917 women benefited from the project since its launch in 2015 until February this year.

She explained that the most important services provided by the project are counseling and support for future mothers, as 61 percent of Qatari women suffer from gum diseases and infections, as well as the service of examination and treatment of teeth for pregnant women, and preliminary examination of mouth and teeth for children, stressing that the percentage of Qatari children with tooth decay is 89 percent, and the project is obliged to provide medical care for children’s teeth.

Dr Al Khatib said that the oral and dental examination was added at the vaccination clinic for all babies and that if there is caries, these cases are referred to Beautiful Smile clinic and the dentist will treat these cases and provide various other treatments.

Ahlibank names Al Rabeh Savings Scheme draw winnerTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Ahlibank yesterday announced the name of the winner of its ‘Al Rabeh Savings Scheme’ for the first quarter of this year (Q1, 2018).

Shahin Bashi Khajeh was named as the lucky winner of the QR500,000 prize draw, which was conducted in the presence of the officials from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.

Khajeh said: “I was delighted when I received a call from Ahl-ibank informing me that I had won QR500,000 prize. I have been a client with Ahlibank since 2009, and I am very pleased with the knowledgeable and expedient

service that the Bank offers. The personalised treatment you receive from Ahlibank is what makes them stand above other financial institutions.”

Ahlibank’s Deputy CEO (Retail and Private Banking), Hassan Al Efrangi, said: “I am delighted to present the Q1, 2018 winner’s cheque to Mr Shahin Bashi Khajeh for QR500,000. We are always looking at building long-term relationships with our clients by providing the right products and services. With the Al Rabeh Savings Account, cus-tomers have the chance to enter the monthly and quarterly draws and also enjoy regular interest on their savings.”

Al Efrangi added: “We have launched a new campaign for the 2018 Al Rabeh Savings Scheme with the message “Make your dreams a reality with Al Rabeh. At Ahlibank, we are always helping our customers to achieve their dreams and with Al Rabeh Savings Scheme their dreams can become a reality.”

Ahlibank’s Al Rabeh Savings Scheme reward structure offers 164 cash prizes to be won in 2018, including: two millionaires guar-anteed (June and December); cash prizes of QR500,000 each (March and September); 10 monthly cash prizes of QR25,000 each; and 10 monthly cash prizes of QR10,000 each, the bank said.

Ahlibank’s Deputy CEO (Retail and Private Banking), Hassan Al Efrangi, presenting the prize money cheque to Al Rabeh winner Shahin Bashi Khajeh.

THE PENINSULA

DOHA: Safari, the well-known hypermarket group in Doha have started 10-20-30 promotional offers with amazing prize discounts.

Safari is a shopping destination for the common people for past several years and this 10-20-30 promotion is the most popular pro-motion from safari.

In a statement, Safari Group Director and General Manger Zainul Abideen pointed that apart from the other retail groups in Qatar, Safari has always ensured the customer friendly approach. These promotional offers are also designed in such a pattern. The products with superior quality at a lesser price is the speciality of these 10-20-30 promotions.

More than thousands of products are showcased in this promotion including food products, daily usage products, health products, beauty care products, house hold, sanitary, cleaning products, electronics and electrical items, ready made, foot ware, computer accessories etc.

Nestlé’s Coffee-mate 400g for just QR10, 1,000g Perdix chicken 3 numbers for QR20, Geepas Iron Box with 7 years warranty for just QR30 etc. are the highlights of this 10 -20-30 promotion.

In Back to School Stationary

division, products like bag, book, pencil, pen, sharpener, eraser, tiffin box, crayons, etc, are arranged for the children who are going to school after a short vacation. This will be a great blessing for the parents. This 10-20-30 offers can make use of by the families who are proceeding for the summer vacation.

In Safari Bakery and Hot Food division, there are so many combo offers are arranged including western, South Indian, North Indian, Arabic & Chinese food products. For just QR10 Safari pro-viding ghee rice 400g, fish fry, dhal curry and chicken curry. For the same price, Safari Bakery provides half chicken fry, 4 chappathy’s, salad & 350ml Coco-Cola.

In frozen division, four packets of 1 litre long-life milk is available for just QR10 and in grocery division five pieces of 250g digestive biscuits for just QR10, Nutella 750g bottle for just QR20, 1kg small packet is absolutely free with 5kg Noorjahan Rice for just QR30 are available.

In household division wide verities of daily use products, in cosmetics division, wide variety collections of soap, face wash, body lotion are showcased in this mega promotion.

Also in there are a lot of collec-tions available in Toys and Sports division at the prize level

10-20-30. A few items include Remote Car, Battery Operated Dolls, Nike Shoulder Massager for just QR30 etc. In Garments division Men’s T- Shirt for just QR10, Men’s Shirt for just QR20, Girls Fancy Frock for QR20, ladies Sari, Chu-ridar etc. for QR30 available.

Tremendous offers are organised in Electronics division for the valuable customers. It includes different types of Emer-gency Lights for just QR30; Trimmers, Torches, Calculators, Headsets etc. for QR10 & 20.

As a part of 10-20-30 promo-tions, there will be a musical show on today tomorrow and Thursday. This programme will be led by the famous artists from Doha. The entry for this show will be abso-lutely free for all and the venue will be the food court of Safari Mall located in Abu Hamour.

Safari mega promotions always introduce mind-blowing offers and gifts. This time Safari introduces Safari win 10 Nissan Patrol car promotion. Through this promotion, customers can get 10 Nissan Patrol cars. In each lucky draw 2 cars will be awarded. The second lucky draw for 2 cars will be held on April 16 at Safari Mall located at Abu Hamour. Anybody can participate in this contest through the coupon which they gets while purchasing for every QR50.

Ministries mark World Autism DayMinistry of Education and Higher Education and Ministry of Municipality and Environment yesterday marked the World Autism Day by lighting their ministry buildings in bright royal blue colour. The day, falls on April 2, observed globally to raise awareness about the people with autism. Qatar joined the world to observe the World Autism Awareness Day under the theme “Empowering Women and Girls with Autism” this year.PHCC Oral Health Division aims to implement “Beautiful Smile”

project in all health centres.

‘Beautiful Smile’ project is one of the first in the region and is being implemented to raise awareness of the importance of oral and dental health for children and pregnant women and reduce the rate of very high decay and oral diseases among young people based on the results of surveys of oral and dental diseases in this age group.

Safari begins 10-20-30 promotion Qatar team on US tour to boost trade, economic ties

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

These investments have contributed to the creation of countless new opportu-nities for investors and busi-nessmen from both coun-tries ,” the minister explained.

“More than 658 American companies cur-rently operating in Qatar of which 117 fully owned US companies. The volume of US investments in Qatar amounted to QR26.3bn,” he said.

The Qatari delegation includes H E Sheikh Mishal bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s ambassador to the United States, representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Ministry of Energy And Industry, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Qatar Chamber, Qatar Airways, Qatar Foundation, Doha Film Institute, Qatar Stock Exchange, Free Zones Authority, Qatar Financial Centre, BeIN Sports, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, Qatar National Bank, Al Manteq Company, Qatari Diar,

Katara Hospitality and Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) in addition to several major bodies from Qatar.

Tomorrow Miami City will host the Qatar- US Eco-nomic Forum, which will bring together more than 200 businessmen and Qatari officials, along with around 200 businessmen and CEOs of major US companies.

Business-to- business sessions will be conducted on the sidelines of the forum, as attendees seek to bolster the strong and long- standing economic part-nership between Qatar and the US.

The tour will bring Qatari officials to a number of US cities that have seen a surge in Qatari investments. These include Miami in Florida, Washington DC in Columbia, Charleston in South Carolina and Raleigh in North Carolina.

The tour will feature economic forums, bilateral discussions, meetings between Qatari busi-nessmen and their American counterparts, and round table sector discussions in

the fields of real estate, investment, hospitality, tourism, hotel, technology, health, medicine, banking, law, public-private partner-ships and infrastructure projects.

Exhibitions will also be organised on the sidelines of the economic tour in the US cities that will be visited. The exhibitions will shed light on Qatar’s culture her-itage, major investments and the state’s economic capabilities.

US-Qatari bilateral eco-nomic relations have grown significantly since the signing of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement — or TIFA — back in 2004.

Today, the US is con-sidered as a strong trading partner with a volume of $6 billion and is the primary source for Qatari imports. In 2017, 16 percent of Qatar’s imports came from US.

I n 2 0 1 5 , Q a t a r investment Authority pledged to invest $45bn over a five-year period of which $10bn will be invested in the US infrastructure.

Qatar attends Arab Justice and Interior Ministries meetQNA

CAIRO: The Arab League hosted yesterday the third meeting of the joint committee of experts and representatives of the Justice and Interior Ministries of the Arab countries to update “the model Arab law on combating terrorism”, with the partici-pation of a delegation from the State of Qatar.

Held at the headquarters of the Arab League’s General Secretariat, the meeting is part of efforts to combat as well as keep abreast with developments in terrorist crimes. It is noteworthy that the committee had held two meetings in August 2016 and May 2017.

Fuwairit Beach closed to protect hawksbill turtlesTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: The Ministry of Municipalities and Envi-ronment, represented by the Environmental Protection Reserves and Wildlife Department, announced yesterday the closure of Fuwairit Beach from April 1 until August 1 to start working on the project of protecting the endangered hawksbill sea turtle.

According to the Minis-try’s statement, this closure comes in the framework of efforts to preserve wildlife and in accordance with Min-isterial Resolution No. 37 of 2010 on the conservation of turtles and seabirds from extinction.

The Ministry appealed to citizens and residents who visit the beaches and northern islands (Fuwairit, Al Ghariyah, Al Huwailah, Al Mafjar, Umm Tiss Island, Rukan and Shrao’s Island) not to approach the turtle nesting areas, not to direct light at them and not to make any disturbing sounds nearby.

The Ministry also called for immediate reporting of any violations by contacting environmental operations on 998.

09TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

Iran, Russia and Turkey team up to hold sway in SyriaAFP

ANKARA: Iran, Russia and Turkey have teamed up to forge a strong if brittle tripartite alliance aimed at holding ascendancy in Syria, taking advantage of the West’s reluc-tance to engage militarily in the country.

The presidents of the three countries, long seen as regional rivals rather than strategic allies, will meet tomorrow in Ankara for their second three way summit on Syria in a striking demonstration of unity.

This meeting, which follows the first tripartite summit between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin of Russia and Iran’s Hassan Rouhani in Sochi last November, comes with Turkey seeking a louder voice after launching an offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria.

US President Donald Trump has signalled that Washington will be withdrawing “very soon” from Syria, in a move that would cement the influence of

Ankara, Moscow, and Tehran who have all committed mil-itary forces to the ground.

Sinan Ulgen, chairman of the Istanbul-based Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies think tank, said the three countries had now become the true masters on the ground in Syria.

Ulgen said that the three have “been the regional powers that were willing to invest mil-itary resources to influence the outcome of the conflict.” - ‘Built up leverage’ - The three coun-tries last year launched a par-allel peace process to the UN-backed talks in Geneva. The talks, based in Astana, have convened multiple times albeit without finding any break-through. Russia has substantial air power in Syria while Iran has a strong presence on the ground, partly through militia groups which include foreign fighters. But Erdogan has increased Turkey’s influence by launching in January an offensive to capture territory from the Kurdish People’s Pro-tection Units (YPG) militia.

Anti-apartheid activist Winnie Mandela diesAP

JOHANNESBURG: Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (pictured), an anti-apartheid activist in her own right whose reputation was sullied by scandal, has died. She was 81.

The woman many South Africans have described as the “Mother of the Nation” and a champion of the black majority, died “surrounded by her family and loved ones,” according to a statement released by Madikizela-Mandela’s family.

Madikizela-Mandela was the second of Mandela’s three wives, married to him from 1958 to 1996. Mandela, who died in 2013, was imprisoned throughout most of their marriage, and Madikizela-Mandela’s own activism against white minority rule led to her being jailed for

months and placed under house arrest for years.

“She kept the memory of her imprisoned husband Nelson Mandela alive during his years on Robben Island and helped give the struggle for justice in South Africa one of its most rec-ognizable faces,” the family said.

However, Madikizela-Man-dela’s political activism was marred by her conviction in 1991 for kidnapping and assault, for which she was fined. She faced these allegations again during the 1997 hearings before the Truth and Reconciliation Com-mission, a panel that investigated apartheid-era crimes.

As a parliamentarian after South Africa’s first all-race elec-tions, she was convicted of fraud.

Still, Madikizela-Mandela remained a venerated figure in the ruling African National Con-gress, which has led South Africa

since the end of apartheid in 1994. She continued to tell the party “exactly what is wrong and what is right at any time,” said senior ANC leader Gwede Mantashe.

The ANC, which was the main movement against

apartheid, had lost popularity in recent years in part because of scandals linked to former Pres-ident Jacob Zuma, who resigned in February.

Zuma’s successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, described Madikizela-Mandela in a tele-vised tribute as a “champion of justice and equality” and a “voice for the voiceless.” Nobel laureate and former archbishop Desmond Tutu, a periodic critic of the

ruling party, noted her passing by describing Madikizela-Mandela as “a defining symbol” of the fight against apartheid.

“She refused to be bowed by the imprisonment of her husband, the perpetual har-assment of her family by security forces, detentions, bannings and banishment,” Tutu said. “Her courageous defiance was deeply inspirational to me, and to gen-erations of activists.” Madikizela-Mandela had been in and out of hospital since the start of the year, according to her family. She had back surgery a year ago.

After hearing of her death, some people gathered Monday evening outside Madikizela-Mandela’s home in the Soweto area of Johannesburg to sing tributes. She had attended Easter services in Soweto over the long weekend. The family said it will release details of her memorial

and funeral services when they are finalized. Madikizela-Man-dela’s story was told in biogra-phies and novels as well the Hol-lywood movie “Winnie,” starring Oscar-winning actress and singer Jennifer Hudson.

The young Winnie grew up in what is now Eastern Cape province and came to Johan-nesburg as the city’s first black female social worker. Her research into the high infant mortality rate in a black township, which she linked to poverty caused by racism, first sparked her interest in politics.

In her book “100 Years of Struggle: Mandela’s ANC,” Heidi Holland suggested that Madikizela-Mandela was “perhaps driven half-mad by security police harassment.” After Mandela’s death, however, she became involved in disputes over his inheritance.

The woman many South Africans have described as the “Mother of the Nation” and a champion of the black majority, died surrounded by her family and loved ones.

Syrian regime members are seen standing amid the destruction in the previously rebel-held Jobar in Eastern Ghouta, yesterday.

Fighters quit last rebel pocket of GhoutaAFP

DAMASCUS: Syria’s regime drew closer to taking full control of Eastern Ghouta yesterday as state media reported that fighters began evacuating the last rebel-held pocket of the former opposition stronghold near Damascus.

A Russian-brokered deal had been reported on Sunday for fighters with Jaish Al Islam, the largest rebel group still in

Ghouta, to leave the enclave’s main town of Douma.

But the rebels have not yet confirmed the agreement, amid reports of divisions in the group as hardline fighters refuse to abandon their posts.

The retaking of Eastern Ghouta would mark a major milestone in President Bashar Al Assad’s efforts to regain control of territory seized by rebel factions during Syria’s seven-year civil war.

State media yesterday said Jaish Al Islam fighters and members of their families had started leaving Douma in prep-aration for them heading to a rebel-held town in northern Syria. “Twelve buses carrying 629 Jaish Al Islam terrorists and their families exited Douma... in preparation of them being trans-ported to Jarabulus,” state news agency SANA said, using the government’s term for all rebel fighters.

Israel cancels controversial plan to deport African migrantsAFP

JERUSALEM: Israel announced yesterday it had reached a deal with the UN refugee agency to cancel a controversial plan to deport African migrants and replace it with a new one that will see thousands sent to Western countries.

A minimum of 16,250 migrants will be resettled in

unspecified Western nations under the agreement announced in a statement from Prime Min-ister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Netanyahu was to speak about the plan in an address later in the afternoon.

Netanyahu in January announced the implementation of a programme to remove migrants who entered illegally, giving them a choice between

leaving voluntarily or facing indefinite imprisonment with eventual forced expulsion.

According to interior min-istry figures, there are currently some 42,000 African migrants in Israel, half of them children, women or men with families, who were not facing immediate deportation.

They are mainly Sudanese and Eritrean. As the migrants

could face danger or impris-onment if returned to their homelands, Israel offered to relocate them to an unnamed African country, which deportees and aid workers said was Rwanda or Uganda.

They had initially been given a deadline of April 1, but Israel’s supreme court suspended the plan on March 15 while it con-tinued to examine it. The

statement said a new plan meant there was no longer a need to send migrants to unnamed third countries. The plans had drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations refugee agency as well as from some Israelis and rights activists. The migrants’ presence in Israel has become a political issue, with Netanyahu referring to them as “not refugees but illegal infiltrators”.

US will not revive verdict on Palestinian AuthorityREUTERS

WASHINGTON: The Pales-tinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organisation gained a legal victory at the US Supreme Court yesterday as the justices refused to consider reinstating a $655.5m jury award won against them by 11 American families over militant attacks in Israel.

The court declined to hear the families’ appeal of a lower court’s 2016 ruling throwing out the jury award that was secured in a lawsuit brought under the Anti-Terrorism Act, a law allowing American victims of international

terrorism to seek damages in US courts. The families had looked to hold the Palestinian Authority and PLO liable for six shootings and bombings between 2002 and 2004 in the Jerusalem area that killed 33 people, including several Americans, and wounded more than 450.

The PLO’s chief represent-ative in Washington, Husam Zomlot, said in a statement that “this decision reaffirms the vital relationship between the Palestinian and American people, which depends on mutual respect and, as impor-tantly, on respect for the rule of law.”

15 dead in Nigeria Boko Haram attackAP

NIGERIA: Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamic extremists attacked two villages on the outskirts of the northeastern city of Maiduguri late Sunday, killing at least 15 people, the military said yesterday.

The Boko Haram mili-tants tried to enter the centre of Maidugiri, the provincial capital of Borno state, but army soldiers repelled them, gunning down six armed insurgents and seven suicide bombers, said army spokesman Col. Onyema Nwachukwu. At least 83 people were injured and are receiving medical attention, he said.

Residents of Maiduguri retreated to their homes Sunday night during hours-long battle marked by thun-derous explosions and gunfire heard until the early hours of yesterday.

‘Turkey seeks to be among top 10 democracies’ANATOLIA

ANKARA: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said Turkey wants to become one of the top democracies and econ-omies in the world.

Speaking at an opening cer-emony of 80 schools and 59 school gymnasiums in Istanbul, Erdogan said: “Our dream is to make Turkey one of the top 10 countries in terms of democracy and economy.

“As Turkey grows, develops and strengthens, the nature and the size of the problems we encounter changes accordingly. Our work is not easy.” The pres-ident also said 3,872 terrorists had been “neutralized” since the launch of Operation Olive

Branch in Syria’s Afrin region.About his meeting with

Turkish soldiers on Sunday in Hatay province bordering Syria, he said they did not show the slightest hesitation in carrying out their duties and remain ready to achieve their new goals.

“You may hear new goals at

any moment. Today, Turkey finds terror organization in their dens at the border and breathes down their necks.” He said the terrorists could run but they could not hide from Turkish forces.

“They [terrorists] are hiding, we are chasing them. What hap-pened? They ran off to Syria, to Afrin, to Sinjar,” Erdogan said.

He added that the Baghdad administration had been warned that Ankara would act if it did not act against the terror groups.

“If you can deal with them, deal with them, or else we will come to Sinjar and deal with them. We do not ask for per-mission from anyone, nor do we look into anyone’s eyes for all this.” Turkey launched

Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20 to clear terrorist groups from Afrin, northwestern Syria, near Turkey’s border, amid growing threats from the region.

On March 18, Turkish-backed troops liberated the town of Afrin, which had been a major hideout for the terrorist organ-ization PYD/PKK since 2012.

The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on inter-national law, UN Security Council resolutions, its self-defence rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria’s territorial integrity, it said. The military also said only terror targets are being destroyed and the “utmost care” is being taken to not harm civilians.

14 dead in Yemen airstrikeAP

YEMEN: An airstrike near Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hodeida killed at least 14 people yesterday, according to a senior health official.

The airstrike hit a com-pound housing displaced people in the town of Al Hami, according to Walid Al Emmad, the Deputy Health Minister. He says at least eight women and five girls were among those killed. A leading human rights group yesterday called on Saudi Arabia to lift its blockade on Yemen, and for the Houthis to stop firing missiles across the border into the kingdom.

Qatar is going to be among the first few countries in the world to make all government services online. Every department is trying hard to make Qatar National Vision a reality by 2030 and their efforts really deserve kudos.

Today, like yesterday, Canada is mute and unmoved while innocents are murdered in Gaza. Canadians who are angry about Canada’s silent complicity will, no doubt, be smeared as “terrorist sympathisers” and “anti-Semites.”

THE WASHINGTON POST

10 TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018VIEWS

CHAIRMANSHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

[email protected]

ACTING MANAGING EDITORMOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED

[email protected]

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

EDITORIAL

Digital transformation

In the early 1960s, Canadian-born Marshall McLuhan coined the term global village, a met-aphorical shrinking of the world into a village

through the use of electronic media. In those days electric technology and the instantaneous movement of information from every quarter to every point at the same time inspired McLuhan to coin the term.

In today’s world communication is much faster and any information is just a click away. On the Internet, physical distance is even less of a hindrance to the real-time communicative activities of people. With the advancement in electronic technology, people can access any service from the comfort of their homes.

Qatar’s government has been taking every effort to render its different services to people in a smooth and hassle-free manner. Minister of Transport and Communications H E Jassim bin saif Al Sulaiti on Sunday said that all the government services will be made available online by 2020. The Minister was launching ‘Digital Transformation of SMEs’ pro-

gramme which is expected to benefit around 5,000 com-panies by the end of 2019. The move will make people’s life more comfortable and accessing services much easier. Today, for some services we need to visit offices personally, but by 2020, we can get these services from anywhere in the world as all the services are being made available online.

“Currently there are more than 2,400 digital services available, including more than 1,000 online services and more than 600 mobile services. By 2020 all gov-ernment services will be made available on the Internet,” said the Minister of Transport and Communication.

The Minister added that the government has clear plans for digital transformation and the enhancement of the role of technology in different state sectors in order to realise the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 of building a knowledge based society.

As Qatar is already having some of the world’s most developed IT and communication infra-structure, whether it is fibre optic communication channels, data centres, or cloud-based computing services, going fully online will not be a huge task. Hukoomi, the official government web portal and the gateway to information about the country, con-necting the public with government services, pro-grammes and initiatives, is already offering several services online and the tech-savvy people are making best use of it. Hence, the people in Qatar are already familiar with online government services and so a smooth transfer of all the services to the online arena will not take people by surprise.

Qatar is going to be among the first few coun-tries in the world to make all government services online. Every department is trying hard to make Qatar National Vision a reality by 2030 and their efforts really deserve kudos.

Gaza is Soweto revisited

I’m angry. One of the conven-tions of column writing is that you’re not supposed to write “angry”. More polite, agreeable

writers who write polite, agreeable columns, often dismiss “angry” columns as “rants”.

This column isn’t a “rant”. It’s the truth. And, like me, countless people, in countless places, aren’t going to be polite or agreeable any longer to describe — using blunt, simple lan-guage, rather than jargon-laced, dip-lomatic embroidery — the truth about how Israel has turned Gaza into Soweto — while Israel has become South Africa — circa 1976.

Countless people, in countless places, remember when South African police-men — turned willing executioners in service of a dying apartheid regime — shot and killed scores of unarmed black students who marched defiantly in defence of their freedom, dignity and land on June 16, 1976.

Countless people in countless places watched as Israeli soldiers — turned willing executioners in service of another doomed apartheid regime — shot and killed 17 unarmed Palestinians who marched defiantly in defence of their free-dom, dignity and land on March 30, 2018.

Gaza is Soweto revisited. The anger inside and outside Soweto was just and righteous. The anger inside

and outside Gaza is just and righteous, too.

Why are we, outside of Gaza, who witnessed what has happened, yet again, to besieged, imprisoned Palestinians inside of Gaza, so angry?

We’re angry because thousands of unarmed

Palestinians walking together, in peace and solidarity, on what remains of Palestinian land in Gaza were shot and maimed by thugs in uniforms.

We’re angry because Palestinians are being murdered and maimed, yet again, by the same thugs in uniforms who have murdered and maimed Palestinian children, women and men with impunity for generations in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. We’re angry at watching Palestinian children being shot in the

back by thugs in uniform — the same thugs who, with a volley of missiles, dismembered four Palestinian boys playing football on a Gaza beach not too long ago.

We’re angry that these thugs — perched on hills behind a fence and hovering in the sky — were per-mitted, encouraged and applauded, yet again, by other thugs in well-tai-lored suits to murder and maim thousands of unarmed Palestinians in Gaza like a giddy afternoon of sport.

We’re angry because, on cue, the same lazy establishment media regurgitates the same lies about how unarmed Palestinians “died” in “clashes” with thugs in uniforms trained to kill using high-powered weapons from a comfortable dis-tance. .

We’re angry because sanctimo-nious pop and rock stars like Radi-ohead and Nick Cavechoose to ignore the pleas of other artists not to play for an audience that largely defends, encourages and applauds when thugs in uniform kill and maim unarmed people and dismember four boys playing football on a beach.

We’re angry because, even in the face of unassailable evidence that unarmed Palestinians were mas-sacred by thugs in uniforms, the same European bureaucrats recycle the same, predictable lines about the need for “both sides” to forego “violence”.

We’re angry because the thugs in suits who ordered the thugs in uniform to shoot and maim thou-sands of Palestinians in Gaza know that they will never be held to account, yet again, by anyone, any-where, at any time, for their crimes against humanity.

We’re angry because Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is gloating yet again, like a preening cockatoo, over the corpses of Palestinians, knowing that no one in the “international community,” including in so-called West ern, “liberal” democracies, will do anything to stop him or the killing because they’re too busy shaking his hand on trade missions.

We’re angry because strutting liberal hypocrites like Canada’s

effervescent prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who insists the BDS movement is “unacceptable” and “has no place on Canadian campuses,” remains silent as “our friends” in the Middle East shoot unarmed Palestinians at will.

We’re angry because strutting liberal hypocrites like Canada’s equally effervescent foreign min-ister, Chrystia Freeland, issued a “blistering” statement denouncing Russia’s alleged nerve gas poisoning of an ex-spy and his daughter on English soil as a “despicable, heinous and reckless act [that] represents a clear threat to the rules-based inter-national order,” but, like her boss, remains silent as unarmed Pales-tinians were murdered on Palestini-an soil by “our friends” in the Middle East.

We’re angry because, clearly, Trudeau and Freeland have for-gotten the instructive lessons about how Canada failed, yes, failed, to respond to the murder of unarmed innocents in Soweto.

The prevailing myth is that Canada stood up to racist South Africa. For a long time, it didn’t. Indeed, throughout the 1970s, Tru-deau’s father, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, opposed the liberation struggle in southern Africa led by Cuba.

It was only after sustained pressure from an antiapartheid coa-lition made up of churches, unions and South African exiles — who were smeared by the establishment media as “terrorist sympathisers” — that Canada began, belatedly, in 1986, to take a qualified stand against South Africa’s state-sanctioned racism and “terrorism”.

Today, like yesterday, Canada is mute and unmoved while innocents are murdered in Gaza. Canadians who are angry about Canada’s silent complicity will, no doubt, be smeared as “terrorist sympathisers” and “anti-Semites.”

Not to worry. As Palestinians know, time, history and the slow, inevitable arc of justice are on our side.

The author is an award-winning investigative reporter and journalism instructor.

ANDREW MITROVICA

AL JAZEERA

QUOTE OF THE DAY

We are very much ready to work with

those political parties who hold opposing

views and we should ensure equal playing field for competition.

We should do away with ethnic-based

division and hatred.

Abiy Ahmed Ali Ethiopian Prime Minister

The risks of a premature exit

The gap between the policies pursued by President Donald Trump’s adminis-

tration and what the pres-ident says when he is outside the range of a tele-prompter continues to be disconcertingly wide. At a rally in Ohio on Thursday, Trump suddenly blurted that he might hold up the trade accord his envoys just struck with South Korea “until after a deal is made with North Korea” — an assertion that left a lot of people puzzling over how perpetuating tensions with a critical US ally could improve the prospects for negotiations with a common adversary.

That, however, wasn’t

the most striking of Trump’s departures from his own national security strategy. After bragging that “we’re knocking the hell out of ISIS,” he announced that “we’ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon. Let the other people take care of it now.” A day later it emerged that the president had suspended $200 million in stabilisation funds for Syria after reading a news report about them.

That must have come as surprise to Defence Sec-retary Jim Mattis, US com-manders in the region and senior State Department officials — all of whom have been pursuing and publicly defending precisely the opposite policy for the last few months.

“We’re not just going to

walk away [from Syria] right now,” Mattis said last November. “We’re going to make sure we set the condi-tions for a diplomatic solution . . . . Not just, you know, fight the military part of it and then say good luck with the rest of it.” Pen-tagon spokesman Dana Whitere iterated that position on Thursday, hours before Trump spoke, saying US forces will work with local allies “to secure and stabilise liberated territory, as our diplomats work to resolve the Syrian conflict.”

The State Department agreed. “It is crucial to our national defence to maintain a military and dip-lomatic presence in Syria, to help bring an end to that conflict, and assist the Syrian people . . . to achieve

a new political future,” then-Secretary Rex Till-erson said during a speech in January. He said the Trump administration was determined not to repeat the mistake the Obama administration made in Iraq, when “a premature departure . . . allowed Al Qaeda in Iraq to survive and eventually morph into ISIS.”

Though American forces have not pulled out of the large and strategically important territory they and Kurdish forces control in eastern Syria, there has been no sign of a US push to end the civil war.

For now, even by Trump’s standard, US forces must remain, as the Islamic State still controls several pockets of territory.

11TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018 OPINION

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Britain’s new warfare doctrinelooks familiar

North Korea’s Kim seen building global status

LEONID BERSHIDSKY

BLOOMBERG

CHRISTINE KIM &

BEN BLANCHARD

REUTERS

Modern warfare is, in part, about marketing. So, in its National Security Capability Review, the

British government chose a glitzy, tech-sounded new-age name: “fusion strategy.” That may have part been to avoid the term “hybrid warfare” often applied to today’s Russian warfighting. The difference is subtle but important.

“Call it non-linear war (which I

prefer), or hybrid war, or special war, Russia’s operations first in Crimea and then eastern Ukraine have demonstrated that Moscow is increasingly focusing on new forms of politically focused operations in the future,” British Russia expert Mark Galeotti wrote in the blog post that launched (to the author’s lasting regret) the inaccurate term “Gerasimov Doctrine.”

He was referring to the 2013 speech by General Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff. In it, Gerasimov dis-sected a purported Western war strategy, employing propaganda and economic warfare to soften up the adversary for military action by special forces aided by private mil-itary companies and domestic oppo-sition. He argued that Russia should preempt these efforts, rather than copy them.

The UK’s “fusion strategy” aims to “use our security, economic and influence capabilities to maximum effect to protect, promote and project our national security, eco-nomic and influence goals.” One of the goals is to counter “a

well-established pattern of Russian state aggression.” So far, so pre-dictably sweeping.

But many of the specific ideas mirror those discussed in Russia in the earlier part of this decade: Modernisation of the armed forces with a focus on rapid deployment; building a stronger cyber capa-bility and increasing recruitment of tech workers for government service; expanding the interna-tional reach of the national broad-caster and state soft power-pro-jecting organisations; improving the domestic communication of the national security agenda, strengthening counterpropaganda efforts and increasing foreign development aid to “fragile states and regions.”

Everything —economic inno-vation, public relations, defense capability, foreign aid — is part of the security agenda, just like in Rus-sia’s 2015 National Security Strategy; it’s a holistic approach, or a hybrid one if you like. That’s a matter of semantics.

Rival powers always portray their strategies as defensive, and in recent years, the UK has had a lot more right to this claim than Russia. If it took part in foreign military operations, it has been at the urging and under the direction of the US As for non-conventional ops, the UK hasn’t conducted any known cyber offensives, weaponised the BBC (whose independence is in theory guaranteed by its Royal Charter) the way Russia has done with RT or employed mercenary forces in conflicts. It has most cer-tainly not poisoned any former double agents in foreign lands with a military-grade nerve agent such as Novichok, used to attack Sergei and Yulia Skripal earlier this month.

So Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had some justification for saying on Wednesday that “all you need to know about the difference between modern Britain and the government of Vladimir Putin” is that “they make Novichok, we make lightsabers” (the latter is a reference to the latest “Star Wars” movie having been produced in the UK).

Russia’s change to an aggressive

posture from a more benign post-Cold War stance occurred after Putin’s government convinced Rus-sians that everything the country did was part of national security. He was able to unite economic, techno-logical and media initiatives under a large national security umbrella and to convince Russians they needed to keep a beady eye on external enemies. The public accepted what the state told them and so almost all spheres of Russian life became fair game for weaponisation.

The UK has a deep, historic democracy and a fiercely inde-pendent, pluralistic media that isn’t easily manipulated. But the govern-ment’s intention to “create a cross-government soft power strategy,” suggests it is looking to amplify its message in whatever ways possible.

The document promises to respect “the independence of the BBC World Service, British Council and the many British institutions and brands that con-tribute to our soft power.” It’s dif-ficult, however, to keep media and cultural organisations inde-pendent when they’re part of a “soft power strategy” proclaimed and run by the government for national security purposes. If I worked for the BBC, especially for the World Service, I might guard my independence a little more jealously after that.

Johnson is right when he says any British soft power comes from “the power of imagination and crea-tivity and innovation that comes with living in a free society.” A gov-ernment may want to contribute to boosting that power, but if its pro-jection as part of a defense strategy crosses the line into the ugly space of propaganda and disinformation that Russia inhabits today, it will only undermine British power and influence. True soft power works only as long as it’s not part of any neat circular diagram that places it in the same ecosystem as the armed forces.

The writer is a Bloomberg View col-umnist. He was the founding editor of the Russian business daily Vedomosti and founded the opinion website Slon.ru.

Accompanied by his wife, greeted by honour guards, and entertained at ban-quets, Kim Jong-Un made

his international debut as North Korea’s leader dined in the capital of the world’s most populous country.

Kim’s “unofficial” visit to China this week marks his first known trip outside the North since taking power in late 2011, and it helped burnish the image he has recently been cultivating as a leader who has to be shown respect by the world’s most powerful.

Despite recent chilly relations between the neighbours, Chinese President Xi Jinping rolled out an actual red carpet for Kim, who arrived from Pyongyang in a 21-car bulletproof train.

“Just look at Kim’s big smile on his face while he’s shaking hands with Xi,” said Kim Yong-hyun, pro-fessor of North Korean studies at South Korea’s Dongguk University. “Although it was Kim’s first trip outside North Korea since he took power, he looked quite confident,

posing himself as a world player equal to China’s Xi.”

The surprise visit to Beijing comes as Kim has launched a diplo-matic offensive, proposing upcoming summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump.

In line with the previous three visits by Kim’s father to China, the Chinese government described the trip as unofficial, with no North Korean flags hung around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square as happens with state visits.

But Chinese state television gave similar coverage to Kim’s meetings with Xi as they did to Xi’s meetings with Trump last year, with an unu-sually long 14-minute report of what Xi and Kim discussed and where and how they met, though the initial secrecy of the trip meant no live coverage of the welcome ceremony.

The images showed the two men chatting in a friendly way, and Xi’s wife Peng Liyuan also greeting Kim’s wife, Ri Sol Ju. Kim and Ri were shown waving out of a window as their car drew away.

In making the trip to Beijing in the customised train, Kim sought to highlight his place as the heir to his father Kim Jong Il, said Aidan Foster-Carter, an honorary senior research fellow at Britain’s Leeds University. His father had also gone to China by train on his visits.

“Ordinary mortals just take the plane,” he said. “The train sets the precedent of following in daddy’s footsteps.”

But by making his wife a key figure in the Beijing trip, Kim parted from his father’s behaviour and mir-rored the ways of today’s modern country leaders.

Kim Jong Il had never been seen abroad with any of his wives, though he was believed to have been accompanied by the woman sus-pected of being his fourth wife on

visits to China and Russia, yet it was never announced officially.

“Unlike his father, Kim Jong-Un presented Ri Sol Ju as first lady of North Korea, emphasising her status and portraying his image as a normal leader,” said Dongkuk Uni-versity’s Kim. “It appears to be a well-calculated tactic that would help turn Kim’s hostile and unfa-vourable image to a gentle and sane one.”

As the leader of a country often called reclusive and strange, Kim is also much younger than many world leaders, a difference that gets addi-tional resonance in Asia, where respectful deference to elders is widely upheld.

Estimated to be 34, Kim is decades younger than 64-year-old Xi, 65-year-old Moon, and Trump, who is 71.

Frosty relations between Beijing and Pyongyang since Kim took office had seen state-to-state relations deteriorate, but the two sides have always maintained party-to-party ceremonies and traditions, such as sending envoys to share the outcomes of key party meetings, according to diplomats.

Kim officially cast his visit in the same light, saying he felt obligated to come congratulate Xi in person on his recent re-appointment as pres-ident, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s account of the trip.

China’s most senior party dip-lomat, Politburo member Yang Jiechi, attended the main meeting between Xi and Kim, along with Wang Huning, the party’s top theo-retician. The government’s top dip-lomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, was also there, though at the far end of the table.

From the North, Kim Jong Un brought with him the country’s most high-profile officials, including vice chairman of the Workers’ Party Central Committee Choe Ryong Hae,

The UK has a deep, historic democracy and a fiercely independent, pluralistic media that isn’t easily manipulated. But the government’s intention to “create a cross-government soft power strategy,” suggests it is looking to amplify its message in whatever ways possible.

Politburo member Ri Su Yong, Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, and Kim Yong Chol, a former intelli-gence chief who now handles inter-Korean affairs.

Taking nearly all of his closest aides highlights the con-fidence he may be feeling now that he has secured his position, showing that he doesn’t fear there could be a coup against him during his time away, said Yang Moo-jin, professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

“We saw many high-ranking officials with Kim, but almost none from the military. One could worry about a military coup, but the fact that he made this trip as he did shows he’s completely in charge of the military as well as all of North Korea’s internal net-works,” Yang said.

Frosty relations between Beijing and Pyongyang since Kim took office had seen state-to-state relations deteriorate, but the two sides have always maintained party-to-party ceremonies and traditions, such as sending envoys to share the outcomes of key party meetings, according to diplomats.

12 TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018ASIA

Seven dead in caste protests across India REUTERS

NEW DELHI: At least seven people were killed yesterday as protesters led by India’s Dalits set fire to police posts and blocked railway tracks after the Supreme Court barred the imme-diate arrest of people accused of discriminating against them, local media said.

Four people were killed in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, where police also imposed a curfew, Indian tele-vision channels reported. Three others were killed in other states, local media said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government submitted a review petition to the Supreme Court yesterday, asking it to amend the March 20 judgment that sparked the protests, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in a televised interview.

Dalits are at the bottom of India’s ancient caste hierarchy and together with the scheduled tribes - indigenous peoples who

are often isolated or disadvan-taged - form about a quarter of the population. Protesters carried banners demanding a nationwide shutdown, saying the judgment was diluting the law.

Television showed police beating protesters and an uni-dentified person firing shots, with demonstrators in the northern state of Haryana also setting police posts ablaze and attacking shops.

Violence was reported from other states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar, while exams have been postponed and Internet services

have been shut down due to clashes in Punjab.

Dalit organisations called for protests after the Supreme Court ruled last month that arrests under a law meant to speed action on complaints of violence against Dalits required prior approval from officials, and barred the immediate arrest of those accused in such complaints.

“Get out in strong numbers, block the roads if needed, but do not touch public property,” Jignesh Mevani, an independent Dalit lawmaker from the western state of Gujarat, told the India Today news channel.

Although he backed the pro-tests, Mevani said, he was opposed to any damage to public property. Mayawati Das, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and a prominent Dalit politician, also supported the protests while condemning violence.

Shops were shut as pro-testers blocked key roads in many areas, including the

capital, New Delhi, and the industrial city of Ahmedabad in Modi’s home state of Gujarat, the Times of India newspaper reported. By the end of 2016, about 90 percent of roughly 145,000 cases involving Dalits were still awaiting trial, gov-ernment data from last year showed. Investigation showed

that fewer than a tenth of the cases brought by Dalits in 2016 were proved false, according to government data.

Hindus, who account for about four-fifths of India’s pop-ulation of 1.3 billion, were tradi-tionally grouped into thousands of castes, whose membership was determined by birth.

Dalits have historically faced various forms of discrimination including segregation and social boycott, in addition to violence.

They have been barred from physical or social contact, and in some cases, even having their shadows touch those belonging to people from castes higher in the hierarchy.

Members of the Scheduled Castes shout slogans during a protest against a Supreme Court order that allegedly diluted the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, in Mumbai, yesterday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government submitted a review petition to the Supreme Court yesterday, asking it to amend the March 20 judgment that sparked the protests.

Many injured in J&K protestsS R I N A G A R : S e v e r a l protesters were injured in clashes with police south Kashmir yesterday as the Valley observed a complete shutdown in protest against the killings of four civilians in Shopian district during oper-ations against militants on Sunday.

According to witnesses, at least 20 protesters were injured as mobs threw rocks at security forces in Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag dis-tricts of south Kashmir. Police and paramilitary troopers fired pellets and tear gas to disperse the protesters.

ISRO trying to reconnect with lost satellite NEW DELHI: India’s space agency said yesterday it was trying to re-establish a link with its most powerful communication satellite that went missing over the weekend, in a setback for its space ambitions.

“Efforts are underway to establish the link with the sat-ellite,” ISRO said on its website. The GSAT-6A is an advanced mobile communi-cations satellite with a six-metre wide antenna, the biggest used by an ISRO com-munication satellite.

Baby snatched by monkey found dead

NEW DELHI: Indian police say a 16-day-old baby boy believed to have been snatched by a monkey has been found drowned in a well.

The infant was sleeping under a mosquito net at his home in the eastern state of Odisha on Friday when he was taken by a rhesus macaque, a species with a reddish-pink face common across India. “The mother is saying that she saw a monkey take away her child. She raised an alarm but the monkey quickly leaped over the roof and vanished out of sight,” police sub-inspector S.M. Baral said.

Bodies of Indians from Iraq arrive in AmritsarAP

NEW DELHI: A special plane carrying the bodies of 38 Indian construction workers killed by the Islamic State group in Iraq arrived in the northern Indian city of Amritsar yesterday.

Indian Junior Defence Min-ister VK Singh flew back with the bodies. The Islamic State group abducted and killed the

workers shortly after seizing the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in the summer of 2014. Iraqi authorities discovered the remains in a mass grave last year after retaking Mosul, and identified the bodies last month.

Forty workers were initially abducted. One escaped and the presumed remains of another have yet to be positively iden-tified. Authorities are awaiting

DNA samples from a close relative.

The workers were mostly from northern India’s Punjab state and had been employed by a construction company oper-ating near Mosul. Around 10,000 Indians lived and worked in Iraq at the time. The victims may have been killed because of their Hindu or Sikh faith.

A relative cries near the coffin of Manjinder Singh, who was killed in Iraq, at the International Airport in Amritsar, yesterday.

IANS

NEW DELHI: Revenue collection under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) increased by `12.17bn in February to `900bn as per the month-end figures, Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said yesterday.

Last week, the Finance Min-istry released initial figures of the GST collection for February which showed a decline in revenue by `11.44bn compared to January. The data then showed that February col-lection was `851.74bn.

Adhia said the figures are usually released between the 24th and 26th of every month, but the end-month figures end up a few thousand crore rupees higher than the initial figures.

“GST collection for Feb-ruary (collected in March) stand at `892.64bn showing an upswing in revenue collection trends. Now we are approaching the `900bn mark,” he said. As per the figures released by the gov-ernment, the GST collection for

January stood at `880.47bn. In December, it was `889.29bn.

Noting that February was a 28-day month, Adhia attributed the upswing in collections to increased compliance and the end of the financial year when people like to clear their dues.

“GST collections will pick up further as compliance requirements are enforced like the rollout of the e-way bill from this month.”

He added that even though “it was a year of uncertainty in terms of revenue, the gov-ernment broadly managed to achieve both direct and indirect tax targets” for the fiscal.

“We are also confident about meeting the fiscal deficit target,” Adhia said. Calling the rollout of e-way bill “very suc-cessful and with no glitches”, the Finance Secretary said at this rate, the government will soon launch the same for intra-state movement of goods as well. GSTN Chairman A B Pandey said as many as 2.59 lakh e-way bills were generated on Sunday.

GST revenue reaches `900bn, says official

Bangladesh denies Rohingya boat set sail from its shoresAFP

DHAKA: Bangladesh officials said yesterday a fishing boat carrying Rohingya Muslims to Southeast Asia did not set sail from its shores, where close to one million refugees live in congested camps.

Police in Bangladesh’s southeast said they were inves-tigating after a boat moored at a Thai island with dozens of Rohingya aboard, but were adamant their coast guard would have spotted the vessel.

“The boat didn’t leave from Bangladesh,” said Afrujul Haq Tutul, Deputy Police Chief in Cox’s Bazar District where the Rohingya camps are located.

“But, in light of the news, we are investigating this matter.” The boat, en route to Malaysia where there is a sizeable Rohingya community, stopped at an island off the west coast of Thailand early Sunday due to bad weather.

Thai officials said there were about 56 women, men and children on board and that the Rohingya would continue towards their destination. Rohingya migrants attempting

the boat routes south have been a rare sighting since Thai authorities clamped down on regional trafficking networks in 2015, leaving thousands of migrants abandoned in open waters or jungle camps.

Since then successive waves of violence in Myanmar have driven close to 800,000 Rohingya into southern Bang-ladesh, where they have joined hundreds of thousands who fled previous bouts of persecution.

Those who fled an army crackdown described by UN and US officials as ethnic cleansing arrived to find squalid camps and army blockades pre-venting them from leaving the immediate area in Cox’s Bazar.

Bangladesh’s refugee com-missioner, Mohammad Abul Kalam, said local authorities had “no such information” about Rohingya trying their luck once again on the open ocean. “We don’t have any such intelligence about anyone leaving Bangladeshi shores for Malaysia by boat,” he said.

A senior coast guard official said it was “impossible” that a captain would be able to evade patrols.

Turkey opens orphanage in BangladeshANATOLIA

DHAKA: Turkey’s Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) inau-gurated an orphanage to shelter 170 orphans in Bangladesh, said an aid agency’s official yesterday.

Said Demir, a member of the agency’s executive board, said that Bangladesh with five million orphans has the highest number of orphans compared to the country’s population in Muslim-majority countries. The orphanage, named as Iyilikhane,

has been built by IHH with the support of Iyilikhane Associ-ation in the southwestern Bang-ladesh’s Khulna region. Demir said that the establishment can accommodate 100 orphans and the capacity will be increased to accommodate 170 children.

Korean Coast Guard ship BADARO arrives at a port in Chennai yesterday. The ship is on a three-day visit to Chennai to take part in joint exercise with the Indian Coast Guard.

India-South Korea coast guards hold joint drill

13TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018 ASIA

INTERNEWS

PESHAWAR: The government in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province is seeking a tripartite alliance among Islamabad, Tehran and Kabul to ensure that Afghan refugees get free treatment for tuberculosis and the local people stay safe from contracting the ailment.

“We have held a meeting with officials of UNHCR a few months ago wherein we have expressed concerns over the free movement of Afghan TB patients

and have suggested a joint bloc to ensure complete treatment of refugees,” Dr Maqsood Ali Khan, the project director of TB Control Programme KP, here says.

He said that they had been providing free treatment to Afghans since long but wanted to streamline the process and cope with those, who defaulted on treatment due to which the local people risked getting the ailment. “We are waiting response from UNHCR in this regard. Tuberculosis is a big problem in Afghanistan because of lack of infrastructure due to

which the people are vulnerable to the disease,” he said.

Dr Maqsood said that the proposed strategy was meant to provide treatment to all Afghan TB patients and put in place a monitoring system through UNHCR to ensure that the got complete treatment regime.

He said that those three countries had great role in pre-vention and control of TB among Afghans. He added that the number of Afghan patients could be in thousands if the WHO’s guidelines were applied according to which every

100,000-population had 300 TB patients.

“We need a mechanism and hope that Afghanistan and Iran would also give positive response to our proposal. We cannot afford giving free therapy to Afghan nationals for multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB because its cost ranges from Rs1 million to Rs1.5 million,” he said.

Dr Maqsood said that local people received free man-agement for MDR along with free food baskets as incentive to enable them to continue their treatment. He said that MDR, a

dangerous form of the disease, was a major concern and they must treat them for two years as opposed to general patients, who required medication for six months.

“At present we have 350 reg-istered patients with MDR TB, but the estimated number is about 1200. The rest go to private doctors and hospitals,” said Dr Maqsood. He said that MDR could be more prevalent among Afghans because they did not continue cure and risked that type of ailments that occurred in the people.

Tripartite alliance proposed to treat refugees

At least 10 gunned down in Balochistan ANATOLIA

KARACHI: At least 10 people, including four members of a Christian community, were killed in three back-to-back shooting incidents in south-western Balochistan province yesterday, police and local media reported.

All incidents were reported in Quetta, the capital of the mineral-rich Balochistan province, on a key route of $62bn Pakistan-China Eco-nomic Corridor (PCEC) project which aims to connect China’s strategically important north-western Xinxiang province to Gawadar port through a network of roads, railways and pipelines to transport cargo, oil and gas.

Gunmen opened fire at an auto rickshaw on a busy city street moments before dusk, killing four members of a Christian community, local broadcaster Samaa TV reported quoting police officials.

The police were considering different motives, including ter-rorism, behind the incident as no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

“It could be a terrorist attack or result of some per-sonal enmity. We are consid-ering all possibilities”, a senior police official told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity.

Another five people were gunned down in a similar

incident, which appeared to be the sequel of a tribal feud, Samaa TV reported.

Another civilian lost his life in a hit-and-run incident in northern part of Quetta earlier in the day, police said.

The large Balochistan province, which is also con-sidered to cover parts of neigh-boring Iran and Afghanistan is strategically important due to its rich copper, zinc and natural gas reserves.

The region has been plagued by violence for over six decades, however, with sepa-ratists claiming it was forcibly incorporated into Pakistan — against the will of its inhab-itants — at the end of British rule in 1947.

Over the course of the last decade, the province — espe-cially capital Quetta — has been beset with a deadly wave of sectarian violence in which over 2,200 people have been killed.

Gunmen opened fire at an auto rickshaw on a busy city street moments before dusk, killing four members of a Christian community, local broadcaster Samaa TV reported quoting police officials.

Scores dead in Afghan airstrikeAFP

KUNDUZ: An Afghan airstrike on a religious school in a Taliban stronghold yesterday caused multiple casualties, including civilians, Afghan officials and witnesses said.

Top Taliban commanders were gathered inside the madrassa where a graduation ceremony was under way for students at the time of the attack in the northeastern province of Kunduz, a security source said.

He said an unknown number of civilians were among the cas-ualties that also included senior Taliban commanders who were “planning for the next spring operations”. “Several dead and at least 15 wounded”, including children, were taken to the regional hospital in the pro-vincial capital Kunduz, Naim Mangal, a doctor, said.

Relatives of the wounded said photographer at the hospital that the attack happened during a graduation ceremony at the madrassa in Dashte Archi dis-trict, which is controlled by the Taliban.

“When the planes came at around 12:00 pm some kids screamed ‘they will drop a bomb’ but the elders said ‘calm down, nothing is going to happen’, but then in an instant bombs hit the

mosque,” Mohammad Ishaq said. It was not clear if the madrassa was inside the mosque or was a separate building.

Ishaq said civilians, students and some Taliban, who had been invited to attend the ceremony, were inside the mosque at the time of the attack. There were three airstrikes which “destroyed” the building, he added. “I escaped unhurt but many people were killed and

injured and I saw their bodies laying on the ground,” he said.

The Taliban issued a statement confirming the attack on the madrassa but denied mil-itants had been meeting at the school. Around 150 religious scholars and civilians -- most of them children -- were among the dead and wounded, the group added.

Several boys with their arms and legs bandaged were seen

laying in beds and along the cor-ridors of the hospital. The security source said the Taliban had started meeting at madrassas in the hope of avoiding airstrikes.

A defence ministry spokesman confirmed an air-strike in Dashte Archi, but described the location as a kind of Taliban “training centre” and denied civilians were among the casualties.

An Afghan resident is treated at a hospital following an airstrike in Kunduz yesterday.

10 sentenced to death in Islamabad AP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Army Chief has confirmed death sentences for 10 convicted mili-tants, including the killer of a well-known Sufi singer.

The military said yesterday that military courts found the “terrorists” guilty of taking part in separate attacks that killed 62 people. The trials are closed to the public, but defendants are allowed to hire lawyers. One of

those whose sentence was con-firmed was found guilty of a 2016 attack in Karachi that killed Amjad Sabri. Sabri and his late father, Ghulam Farid Sabri, were renowned qawwali singers.

Four dead in Fiji cycloneREUTERS

SYDNEY: Floods caused by a tropical cyclone that brought torrential weekend rains to the Pacific island nation of Fiji have killed four people, with another presumed drowned, a disaster management official said yesterday.

Tropical Cyclone Josie, a category-one storm, caused

severe flooding, with the north-western town of Ba on Fiji’s largest island, Viti Levu, said to be the worst hit.

Four bodies had been retrieved and authorities do not expect that the missing person survived, said Anare Leweniqila, the director of the Fiji National Disaster Management Office. “The death toll will go to five when we find their body,” he

said. He said 1,873 people shel-tering in 35 evacuation centres would not be able to return home until mosquito spraying was completed.

Leweniqila said the author-ities did not envisage any more flooding as the water level was receding even after heavy rain, but that road damage had been extensive. Up to 74 roads were closed due to flooding.

A view of floodwaters from Tropical Cyclone Josie in Nailaga Village, Ba, Fiji, yesterday.

INTERNEWS

ISLAMABAD: Political parties in Pakistan having represen-tation in the upper house of parliament are eyeing the chairmanship of key committees after the election of chairman and deputy chairman of the Senate, though there seems to be an under-standing between the ruling and opposition parties over the share of each side.

Background interviews with leaders of the house and opposition parties reveal that there was an understanding between them over the number of standing and functional committees and the distri-bution of chairmanship responsibilities among them but the allocation of com-mittees was yet to be sorted out.

Sources said it had been decided at a recent meeting between Leader of House Zafarul Haq and Leader of Opposition Sherry Rehman that of the total 39 standing and functional committees, the opposition parties would have

chairmanship of 20 com-mittees whereas the ruling alliance would get chair-manship of 16 committees.

Of the remaining three committees, the sources said, the chairmanship of two would be given to the recently formed eight-member group com-prising senators of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and a few independent senators from Balochistan, while the Pakistan Muslim League-F, Awami National Party and Balochistan National Party-M - each having one member - will contest for the chairmanship of one committee.

Chairmanship of 16 bodies will go to ruling alliance When contacted, Haq said they would have no problem as far as the distribution of standing com-mittees between the gov-ernment and the opposition was concerned.

The leader of the house contended that the Senate chairman absolutely had no role in the formation of the committees and in the elec-tions of their chairpersons.

Oppn parties to head 20 Senate committees Pakistan

honours Turkish naval chiefANATOLIA

K A R A C H I : P a k i s t a n y e s t e r d a y a w a r d e d Commander of Turkish Naval Forces Vice-Admiral Adnan Ozbal with one of the coun-try’s highest military medals, an official statement said.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain conferred Nishan-e-Imtiaz (military) to Ozbal at a special ceremony held at the President House in the capital Islamabad, said the statement.

“It is hard for me to describe the depth of rela-tions between Pakistan and Turkey. The two countries have always cooperated with each other on all international forums with respect to several issues,” the president said while talking to Ozbal after the ceremony.

Pakistan’s Naval Chief Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, and Turkish ambas-sador to Pakistan Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul also attended the ceremony.

Abbasi to attend Boao Forum in China INTERNEWS

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is likely to lead a dele-gation of Islamabad at the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference being held in South China’s island province of Hainan from April 8 to 11.

The theme of this year’s conference is “An open and innovative Asia for a world of greater prosperity”.

Participants will be expected to discuss key issues related to globalisation, the Belt and Road Initiative and innovation, sources here say.

According to experts, the upcoming forum will be a platform for global political and business leaders to share insights on China’s economic opening-up, the One Belt and Road Initiative and fostering innovation, which will be the fundamental drivers for the creation of new growth engines for the world economy.

14 TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018ASIA

Manila begins vote recount for VPREUTERS

MANILA: The Philippines yesterday began a manual recount of votes in a vice-pres-idential election after the son and namesake of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos contested the outcome, while the incumbent assured supporters her win was not in doubt.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr, a former senator popularly known as Bongbong, is furious about having lost to Leni Robredo by about 260,000 votes in a May 2016 election he says was marred by massive cheating.

Many political commen-tators believe Marcos has ambi-tions to become president one day, and wanted to use the vice

presidency as a stepping stone. Opinion polls had shown him the clear leader ahead of the vote, which is separate from that for the presidency.

The recount, ordered by the Supreme Court, began with Marcos questioning the con-dition of some ballots from the town of Bato in Robredo’s home province of Camarines Sur.

“In four precincts in the town of Bato, all ballots are wet and thus useless,” he said. Alluding to foul play, he added that the ballots seemed to be “only recently wet”.

Audit logs for most of the precincts were missing, he added, and he had seen a ballot box with a hole sealed with a masking tape.

“We have nothing to fear

because the truth is what we are fighting for,” Robredo, a one-term congresswoman before the 2016 election, said in a speech after a mass service organised by her supporters.

Robredo, who hails from a decades-old political clique that opposes Duterte and helped oust Marcos in 1986, had lodged a counter protest, questioning results in about 8,000 voting precincts.

Although he was not his running mate, Marcos is on good terms with President Rodrigo Duterte, who has made numerous concessions to the Marcos family.

He has constantly praised the leadership of the late dic-tator, fuelling concern among some Filipinos that he might cling on to power.

Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, waves to his supporters after attending the recount of votes in the 2016 vice-presidential race at the Supreme Court, in Manila, yesterday.

Vietnam and China urge restraint in sea disputesAP

HANOI: Vietnam and China called for restraint in resolving disputes in the South China Sea.

Speaking to reporters at a joint press briefing with his Chinese counterpart, Viet-namese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said the two coun-tries should manage the dis-putes and not expand them.

“We propose that the two sides in the coming time should seriously implement the mutual understandings of leaders (of two countries) ... well manage disputes, do not have activities that complicate and expand disputes, respect the legitimate rights and interests of each other in accordance with inter-national laws,” Minh said.

For his part, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said “settling maritime disputes is

very important for the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.”

Wang said the two sides “should not carry out unilateral activities that would complicate the situation and should strengthen maritime cooper-ation to build a healthy envi-ronment in order to reach an ultimate agreement on resolving the sea dispute, which will effec-tively boost the bilateral prac-tical cooperation.”

China’s top diplomat said the two countries’ current relations are on “very positive trend,” and he described the two neigh-bouring countries as “good neighbours, good comrades, good friends and good partners.”

Wang’s visit comes a week after Vietnam reportedly halted a major oil drilling project in the South China Sea for the second time in a year.

Abe, Trump to hold N Korean talksAP

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said yesterday he plans to visit the US this month to discuss North Korea with President Donald Trump ahead of expected summits between the North and the US and South Korea.

Abe said he will travel to the US from April 17 to 20 and hold two days of talks with Trump at the president’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida to discuss North Korea and bilateral issues. Trump has said he will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un by the end of May.

“I hope to thoroughly discuss North Korea and other

issues of mutual interest between Japan and the US,” Abe said at a meeting of represent-atives of his ruling coalition and the government.

In Washington, the White House said the meeting between the two leaders will “reaffirm the United States-Japan alliance as a cornerstone of peace, sta-bility, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.” Besides North Korea, they will “explore ways to expand fair and recip-rocal trade and investment ties,” it said.

Abe has said he wants to remind Trump of shorter-range missiles and other North Korean security threats for Japan, and seek US help on the issue of

Japanese abducted by North Korea decades ago.

Abe is also expected to discuss stiff US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and urge Trump to exclude Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.

The abductees’ families last Friday urged Abe to seek Trump’s help, saying this could be their last chance to win their aging loved ones’ release.

Japan has said North Korea abducted at least 17 Japanese cit-izens in the 1970s and 1980s to train agents in Japanese language and culture to spy on South Korea. North Korea, after years of denials, acknowledged in 2002 abducting 13 Japanese.

Kazakh police raid news offices in libel probeREUTERS

ALMATY: Kazakh police raided the local offices of Forbes magazine and another news outlet yesterday and questioned three senior jour-nalists as part of a libel probe begun at the request of a Kazakh businessman, the two outlets said.

Libel is a felony in the former Soviet republic, pun-ishable by up to seven years in prison, a policy criticised by international media rights groups as stifling press freedom.

Askar Aukenov, editor-in-chief of the Kazakh edition of Forbes magazine, said yes-terday that police had raided its editorial office and taken

Alexander Vorotilov, the mag-azine’s Russian deputy editor-in-chief, in for questioning.

Separately, news website Ratel.kz, known for its muck-raking style, said police had raided its office and taken editor-in-chief Marat Asipov and his deputy Sapa Meke-bayev to a police office for questioning.

In a brief statement, Almaty police confirmed it was investigating a libel com-plaint against two news web-sites but said it could not dis-close any other information.

Vorotilov later said that none of the three journalists had been charged but police had taken his computer, phone, voice recorder and work documents.

Malaysia approves anti-fake news billAFP

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s government yesterday pushed a law through parliament that makes “fake news” punishable by a maximum six-year jail term despite an outcry from critics worried it will be used to stifle dissent before elections.

The law targets foreign as well as local media, and is seen in part as an effort to silence crit-icism of the scandal surrounding sovereign wealth fund 1MDB that has rocked the administration of Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The election is expected within weeks and Najib is bat-tling to win a third term at the head of the coalition that has led Malaysia for over six decades.

The current parliament is dominated by the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

The law originally proposed a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of $130,000 for publishing what authorities deem to be fake news, but the government lowered the jail term to six years following a storm of criticism.

“This law is not intended to restrict the freedom of speech but to restrict the dissemination of fake news,” said minister Azalina Othman Said.

But opposition legislators were not convinced, criticising

the law’s heavy penalties and its potential to limit free speech.

“This bill... is a weapon to close the truth so that what is false can be upheld as true, and what is true can be reversed as false,” said Lim Guan Eng of the Democratic Action Party.

“This is something very dan-gerous for our country.”

The law must still be debated in the senate but is expected to be passed. More than half of the senate is filled with Barisan Nasional members.

After this it needs royal assent before taking effect.

The new law has sparked widespread anger from activists, press freedom groups and the opposition, who believe it is aimed at cracking down on dis-senting voices rather than safe-guarding the public from false information.

Before it was passed, Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, condemned it as a “blatant attempt by the gov-ernment to prevent any and all news that it doesn’t like, whether about corruption or elections”.

He said it “uses draconian penalties and broad language in an audacious and unprecedented effort to control discussion of Malaysia worldwide”.

The law covers any infor-mation that is deemed to be “wholly or partly fake”.

It includes several examples, such as a blogger publishing a report known to be false; someone sharing information on social media they know to be false; and someone giving a speech containing information they know to be untrue.

Malaysia is one of several countries in Asia turning to such

legislation, emboldened by US President Donald Trump’s ful-minations against “fake news”, but activists warn authoritarian regimes will use the laws to target opponents.

A parliamentary committee in neighbouring Singapore, which is examining possible leg-islation to combat “fake news”, came under fire yesterday from activists who alleged it misrep-resented them.

Institute of Journalists Malaysia board member Ram Anand said the law, like existing legislation, would hang over journalists in the country and do “very little” to improve press freedom.

“We should be removing criminal laws that affect the media, not add more of them,” he said.

Malaysia ranks 144th out of

180 countries in the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, with number one being the freest.

The law comes less than a week after parliament voted in favour of a move to redraw elec-toral borders.

Opposition politicians said this would tilt the election in Najib’s favour.

Najib is fighting to keep his coalition — which has never lost a national poll — in power while battling allegations that billions of dollars were looted from 1MDB, a sovereign wealth fund he founded.

Both Najib and the fund deny any wrongdoing.

He faces a tough challenge from an opposition led by his former boss and ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad, 92, who is looking to unseat him at the polls.

Soldier dies in Papua clashAP

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s military said yesterday that one solider has been killed in an ongoing clash between security forces and Papuan independence fighters near the US-owned Grasberg copper mine in the country’s east.

Military spokesman Col. Muhammad Aidi said the soldier was shot in the head and died Sunday afternoon.

He said that a joint mil-itary and police force was hunting an “armed separatist criminal group.”

Aidi denied a purported statement from the National Liberation Army of West Papua that numerous Indo-nesian soldiers were killed in the clashes and a 10-year-old boy had died in a fire caused by the Indonesian attack.

This law is not intended to restrict the freedom of speech but to restrict the dissemination of fake news: Minister Azalina Othman Said.

Handover ceremonyIndonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (centre) with recently released hostages from Libya and their families at a government handover ceremony reuniting the two upon their return, at the Foreign Ministry, in Jakarta, yesterday.

Thai magazine editor apologises over anti-pollution post AP

BANGKOK: A magazine editor in northern Thailand has apologised to the governor of Chiang Mai after he threatened her with criminal charges for posting on Facebook a painting by a high school student of ancient kings wearing pollution masks.

Editor Pim Kemasingki could be liable to up to five years’ imprisonment under the Computer Crime Act, which has several broad pro-visions, including criminal penalties for undermining national security and entering false information into com-puter systems.

Pim said she had sought only to raise awareness of the health issue, and had called the governor to apologise.

15TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018 EUROPE

Russian postal drone crashes after take offREUTERS

MOSCOW: A Russian-made drone on its way to making a first parcel delivery crashed into a wall and crumbled to pieces in the Siberian city of Ulan-Ude yesterday, shocking local resi-dents and regional officials at the scene.

The unmanned aerial vehicle was sent to deliver a small package to a neighbouring village in a ceremony meant to showcase a new way to deliver mail in the sparsely populated Buryatia region located more than 4,400km east of Moscow.

Video footage from the scene showed the drone lifting off from a miniature launch pad

bearing Russian Post’s blue and white logo, buzzing through the air for several seconds before losing height and crashing into a three-storey residential building in front of a small crowd of spectators who were heard uttering expletives.

No one was harmed in the incident, which left debris from the drone in pieces on the ground.

Russian Post was quick to distance itself from the drone crash, saying it was present at the launch merely as a guest. It said the drone was made by a company called Rudron/Expe-ditor 3M, which had organised the testing. The company could not immediately be reached for

comment.Russia’s postal service had

announced plans in 2016 to start using drones for parcel deliv-eries across the vast country.

Alexei Tsydenov, the head of the Buryatia region present at the crash site, said that the more than 100 Wi-Fi connec-tions in the area could have dis-rupted the drone’s flight.

“We won’t stop with this, we will keep trying,” he said, adding that the device cost some $20,000. “Those who don’t risk don’t get a result.”

Logistics companies and retailers worldwide are starting to try out drones to reach remote customers or those paying a premium for speed.

A view shows a mail delivery drone during a test launch, in Ulan-Ude, the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, yesterday.

Russian FM links spy poisoning to BrexitAFP

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (pictured) yesterday suggested the British government could be behind the poisoning of a former double agent that has triggered an unprecedented wave of tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats.

More than 150 Russian dip-lomats have been ordered out of the US, EU members, Nato countries and other nations as punishment for the March attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury which Britain has blamed on Moscow.

The counterclaims from Moscow came as the last Russian diplomats were set to leave the countries where they were posted.

A Russian diplomat left Mac-edonia along with family members earlier yesterday and was seen off at the airport by the Russian ambassador, TASS state news agency reported.

The Kremlin has vehe-mently denied the accusations that it was behind the nerve agent attack and ordered Britain and its allies to recall some of their envoys from Russia.

Yesterday, Moscow’s top diplomat Lavrov told a news conference that the Skripal attack “could be in the interests of the British government which found itself in an uncomfortable situation having failed to fulfil promises to its electorate about the conditions for Brexit.”

He argued that Moscow had no reason to poison Skripal

— whom it convicted of treason and handed over in a 2010 spy swap — on the eve of a presi-dential election in March and months before Russia hosts the World Cup.

Lavrov suggested that the poisoning of the Skripals “could also be in the interests of the British special forces who are known for their abilities to act with a licence to kill”.

At the same time, he denied the attack’s “sophistication” meant it was likely to have been

approved by the Russian lead-ership, as CNN cited a source briefed on the investigation as saying.

“If I understand correctly, sophisticated attacks usually lead to instant death.”

Britain has called it “highly likely” that Russia was respon-sible for the attack using a nerve agent developed in the USSR.

Lavrov also accused Britain and the US and its allies of “casting off all decency” and “resorting to lies and disinformation.”

He insisted that “serious experts and “leaders of a whole number of countries” were questioning Britain’s account of the crime.

Britain has dismissed the various, often contradictory, theories, that Russia has put forward, with even the Foreign Office publicly mocking them on social media.

Lavrov complained that the British authorities have still not given consular access to “our citizens,” and that the situation had not changed despite Yulia Skripal’s improved condition.

He said he hoped Sergei Skripal would also get better.

Separately, a top Kremlin aide said Monday that US Pres-ident Donald Trump proposed a White House summit when he called President Vladimir Putin last month, prior to the expulsion of Russian diplomats from the US.

In Washington, officials dis-missed the statement from Putin’s top foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov

Italian President holds formal coalition talksAFP

ROME: Italian President Sergio Mattarella yesterday begins key talks with parties on forming a government after last month’s election left a hung parliament.

The stalemate puts the spotlight on Mattarella, who has the power to name a prime minister, but it is still unclear whether rivals can find common ground for a coalition government or whether another vote will be needed.

Luigi Di Maio’s anti-estab-lishment Five Star Movement (M5S) garnered more than 32 percent of the vote in the March 4 poll but the anti-immigration League of Matteo Salvini leads a coalition that got 37 percent of the ballot.

The parliament is divided between the right-wing coa-lition, the M5S and the centre-left Democratic Party.

Late last month, the right-wing coalition and the M5S cobbled a deal on the respective positions of speaker for both the lower and upper houses of

parliament but they have not come to any pact on forming a government.

Far-right leader Salvini said on Thursday that his aim was for his party to take power.

“We are open to dialogue with everybody but we are not subordinate to anyone given that the centre-right coalition got the most votes,” he said on Facebook.

Di Maio meanwhile stressed that his M5S was the party with the most seats.

“The biggest challenge facing us however is forming a government while respecting the popular will,” he said.

Mattarella will hold prelim-inary talks tomorrow with the speakers from the two houses of parliament as well as with his predecessor Giorgio Napolitano before launching further discussions with the parties. The consultations could last weeks.

The left has so far refused to enter into coalition talks with either the M5S or the right-wing coalition.

Moscow’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov said that the Skripal attack “could be in the interests of the British government which found itself in an uncomfortable situation having failed to fulfil promises to its electorate about the conditions for Brexit.”

‘British minister failing to help charity worker jailed in Iran’AFP

LONDON: The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman jailed in Tehran, yesterday accused Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson of “not doing enough” to secure her release and urged Prime Minister Theresa May to act.

Speaking ahead of the second anniversary of her arrest yesterday, Richard Ratcliffe said: “Nazanin is still in prison, so in simple terms, the foreign sec-retary has not done enough.”

“The prime minister is more important, and just as we were pushing to meet the foreign sec-retary, at some point, if that is

not enough, we have to push up another level and that’s the prime minister,” he added.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who works for the Thomson Reuters Foun-dation — the media organisa-tion’s philanthropic arm -- was arrested at Tehran airport on April 3, 2016.

She is serving a five-year jail

sentence for alleged sedition— charges she has always denied.

The couple’s young daughter, Gabriella, was in Iran with her mother at the time of her detention and has remained there in the care of relatives.

Ratcliffe insisted that “the ball is absolutely in the (British) government’s court”.

He added that the head of the prison where his wife is being held had told her “I approved your release many months ago”.

Ratcliffe believes her release is being held up by a battle over interest that Britain owes over a historic arms deal that went sour following the Iranian revolution of 1979.

A file photo of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (right) with her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella.

World Coal Carrying ChampionshipsCompetitors prepare to take part in the Women’s Race at the annual World Coal Carrying Championships in the village of Gawthorpe, near Wakefield, northern England, yesterday. The championships, which began in 1963, takes place on Easter Monday and challenges participants to race with a sack of coal for just over one kilometre to secure the best time. The event features Men’s, Women’s races with men carrying 50kg of coal and women 20kg. To finish the sack of coal must be dropped on the Village Green where the traditional Maypole is situated in the heart of Gawthorpe.

The husband of jailed charity worker said: Nazanin is still in prison, so in simple terms, the foreign secretary has not done enough.

Former Catalan leader appeals prosecution for secession bidAFP

MADRID: Catalonia’s ousted president Carles Puigdemont, who is in custody in Germany and faces extradition to Spain, has appealed a decision to prosecute him, arguing the rebellion charge against him is not justified.

The 85-page appeal asks that the Supreme Court’s “actions” be declared “null” 10 days after Judge Pablo Llarena said 25 Catalan sep-aratist leaders — including Puigdemont — would be prosecuted over the region’s secession bid last October.

In the appeal, Puigde-mont’s lawyer Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas demands that the court drop the charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds against Puigdemont and another of his clients -- former regional minister Clara Ponsati.

Both fled Spain for Belgium after the failed independence push. Ponsati then left for Scotland where she was detained after Spain issued European arrest warrants against fugitive separatist leaders, and freed on bail.

Alonso-Cuevillas also wants the court to drop charges of misuse of public funds and disobedience against another client, former regional minister Lluis Puig.

The appeal states that under Spanish law, the rebellion offence, which can fetch up to 30 years in prison, implies there was a violent uprising.

But it maintains that if there was any violence before or on October 1, the day when an independence referendum was held in Catalonia despite a court ban, it was “isolated” and did not justify the rebellion offence.

16 TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018EUROPE

France braces for mass rail strikesAFP

PARIS: France braced yesterday for the start of three months of rolling rail strikes, the first in a series of walkouts affecting everything from energy to garbage collection as President Emmanuel Macron’s reform agenda comes up against resistance.

Staff at state rail operator SNCF will walk off the job from 7.00pm (1700 GMT), kicking off stoppages on two out of every five days which unions warn will cause major disruption for France’s 4.5 million train passengers.

The real action begins on what the press has dubbed “black Tuesday”, with only one high-speed TGV train out of eight set to operate and one regional train out of five in the strike against a major overhaul of the debt-ridden SNCF.

Three out of four Eurostar trains to London and Brussels will run and the Thalys train towards Belgium and the Neth-erlands will operate almost as normal, but there will be none at all towards Spain, Italy and Switzerland.

Rubbish collectors, some staff in the energy sector and Air France employees will also strike

today in the biggest wave of industrial unrest since Macron’s election last May.

The rail strikes, set to last until June 28, are being seen as the biggest challenge yet to 40-year-old Macron’s sweeping plans to shake up France and make it more competitive, earning comparisons with Mar-garet Thatcher’s showdown with British coal unions in 1984.

Unions said the centrist ex-investment banker intends to “destroy the public railways through pure ideological dogmatism”.

His changes “will fix neither the debt issue or that of dys-function” in the railway system”, they said in their strike announcement.

Air France, meanwhile, is set

to operate 75 percent of flights today as staff stage their fourth strike in a month seeking a six-percent pay rise.

While not linked to Macron’s reforms, the Air France walkouts — also planned for April 7, 10, 11 — add to a febrile mood among France’s unions.

Macron’s government said the SNCF needs deep reforms as EU countries prepare to open passenger rail to competition by 2020, arguing it is 30 percent more expensive to run a train in France than elsewhere.

Unions fear the changes are a first step towards privatising the SNCF — a claim the gov-ernment denies — and object to plans to strip new hires of a special rail workers’ status guar-anteeing jobs for life and early retirement.

As with his reforms loosening France’s rigid labour code, Macron plans to push through the SNCF overhaul by executive order to avoid lengthy parlia-mentary debate, a move his critics have blasted as undemocratic.

Unions have so far failed to block any of his changes despite several mass protests against reforms that include plans to scrap 120,000 public sector jobs.

Philippe Martinez, head of

the CGT union, has called for dif-ferent forces opposed to Macron’s agenda — including pensioners and student groups — to “bring their fights together”.

But analysts said the coming walkouts will be a major test of how much weight France’s once fearsome trade unions still carry.

Macron’s victory virtually swept away the Socialist Party, long the political champion of the labour movement, and union membership now stands at just over 11 percent in France — one of the lowest levels in the EU.

Political expert Philippe Braud said Macron could succeed in reforming France where pre-vious presidents have failed by methodically taking on one reform after another.

With opinion divided between “resignation” and “deep conviction that things must move forward,” Braud said, “the planets were aligned: So many reforms have been aborted over the past 20 years”.

The government has so far had public opinion on its side over the rail reforms.

“No one can understand why

the rail unions are unleashing a long and punishing strike when the government is engaging in a dialogue,” said Transport Min-ister Elisabeth Borne.

But an Ifop survey on Sunday showed sympathy growing for SNCF staff, with 46 percent backing the strike, up four points from two weeks ago.

“France is tired,” said an edi-torial in the regional Sud-Ouest newspaper. “Who will get tired the quickest? The trade unions clinging to their last bastion? Or the ambitious young president determined to turn a page?”

Cars drive past a sign reading “strike: think carpool” on a highway in Toulouse, southwestern France, yesterday.

Unions said President Emmanuel Macron intends to “destroy the public railways through pure ideological dogmatism”. His changes “will fix neither the debt issue or that of dysfunction” in the railway system”.

Mountaineer doctor dead in French avalancheAFP

LYON: A French emergency doctor and mountain guide whose high-altitude work earned him the nickname “Doctor Vertical” was killed yesterday in an avalanche in the Alps, rescuers said.

Emmanuel Cauchy, 58, was among a group of off-piste skiers caught up in the ava-lanche in the Aiguilles Rouges area around the resort of Chamonix.

A well-known figure in French mountaineering, Cauchy had written several books on mountain rescue and penned newspaper articles under the name “Doctor Vertical”.

The frostbite expert founded a rescue training institute, IFREMMONT, and gave help via videolink to the team treating Elisabeth Revol, the French climber rescued from Pakistan’s “killer mountain” Nanga Parbat in January.

Ludovic Giambiasi, the climber who planned Revol’s route, expressed “immense sadness” at the news.

“Another great man that the mountain has taken from us,” he said from Nepal.

Forecaster Meteo-France had on Saturday warned of a high avalanche risk in the Alps due to unusually thick snow for this time of year, liable to col-lapse due to strong winds.

At least three other people were hurt in the avalanche but their injuries were not life-threatening, local mountain police said.

The survivors were pulled out with the help of rescue dogs and a helicopter.

“The injured have been evacuated to the hospital in Sal-lanches,” 30km away, the police said.

Three Spaniards, including a mountain guide, were killed by an avalanche while skiing off-piste in the Obers Taelli area of the Swiss Alps on Saturday.

Dozens of migrants rescued off Greek islandAP

ATHENS: Dozens of migrants who sent out a distress call while off the coast of the eastern Aegean island of Samos were rescued yesterday after their boat was towed to land, Greek authorities said.

The boat, carrying 58 people, was located north of Samos in rough seas and was towed to the

island by the European border agency Frontex, the Greek coast guard said.

A EU-Turkey deal two years ago to halt the arrival of migrants into Europe has significantly reduced the number of people arriving on Greek islands from Turkey. But hundreds of people continue to make the crossing.

Greek authorities said more

than 350 people had arrived on three Greek islands between Friday and yesterday morning.

More than 14,300 migrants are stuck in overcrowded refugee camps on Greek islands, as the EU-Turkey deal stipulates that those arriving after March 2016 have to remain on the islands pending deportation back to Turkey unless they can successfully apply for

asylum in Greece.The European Commission

yesterday announced $220m in new funding for programmes to aid refugees living in Greece. The programmes include helping ref-ugees in finding accommodation outside refugee camps.

The Commission said, in total, it has provided more than $1.85bn in humanitarian aid in Greece.

A file photo of Doctor Emmanuel Cauchy (centre) making medical tests on a man in Chamonix.

The European Commission announced yesteray $220m in new funding for programmes to aid refugees living in Greece.

Former Romanian leaders may face trial over 1989 bloodshedAFP

BUCHAREST: Romanian pros-ecutors yesterday requested to prosecute former president Ion Iliescu and ex-prime minister Petre Roman for “crimes against humanity” during the deadly aftermath of the country’s 1989 revolution.

Attorney-General Augustin Lazar asked President Klaus Iohannis to give the green light to open criminal proceedings against the former leaders, according to a statement by the public prosecutor.

Former deputy prime min-ister Gelu Voican Voiculescu will also be targeted.

The announcement opens a new stage in long-running investigations into those respon-sible during the bloody days before and after the death of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena.

In all, 1,104 people died during the events of December 1989 in Romania, including 162 before the fall of Ceausescu, who ordered a clampdown on pro-tests, and 942 in the days fol-lowing, according to historical accounts which, 28 years later, remain unclear.

Prosecutors have said they are probing the responsibility of “the new political and military leadership” which took over

after Ceausescu fled.The National Salvation Front

headed by Iliescu, a former Ceausescu minister, led Romania in the first weeks after the revolution.

The group’s members Roman and Voiculescu became prime minister and deputy prime min-ister during this period. Iliescu, now 88, was president from 1989 to 1996, and served another term from 2000 to 2004.

Prosecutors have said that “in order to maintain power” the new leaders implemented a “plan” and provoked murder and injuries by gunfire, “as well as the detention of a large number of people”.

The investigation into the events was shelved in 2015, notably due to lack of evidence, but was reopened in June 2016 by the country’s highest court.

According to prosecutors, 275 people have already faced legal action over their role in putting down the uprising, of whom only a few dozen have been convicted, according to victims’ support groups.

Ceausescu’s demise came at the end of a momentous year in which communist regimes fell across central and eastern Europe — with the Berlin Wall coming down in November —presaging the demise of the Soviet Union by the end of 1991.

Street artA woman walks past a mural, by British-born Australian artist James Cochran, painted to commemorate the victims of the London Bridge attack, in London, Britain, yesterday.

London murder rate beats NY as stabbings surgeAFP

LONDON: A surge of stab-bings in London was blamed for the city overtaking New York’s monthly murder tally for the first time in modern history.

Fifteen people were mur-dered in London during Feb-ruary, compared to 14 in New York, according to police figures.

The British capital also suffered 22 fatal stabbings and shootings in March, higher than the 21 in New York.

There have been 10 fatal stabbings in London in the last 19 days, following on from the 80 fatal stabbings recorded in the city last year.

London’s murder rate has grown by nearly 40 percent in three years, while police figures show that New York’s has fallen by 87 percent since 1990, raising pressure on mayor Sadiq Khan and Met-ropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick.

Despite the recent surge, New York, which has a slightly smaller population than London, has still suffered more murders since the start of the year.

Police chief Dick mean-while blamed social media for the soaring rate, with 31 fatal stabbings so far this year.

17TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018 AMERICAS

Trump outraged over migrant ‘caravan’AFP

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump lashed out yesterday at Mexico, Democrats and the US Congress in a furious tirade trig-gered by images of a “caravan” of hundreds of migrants headed for the US border. For the second straight day, Trump took to Twitter to attack Mexico for allowing the group of Central Americans to march unimpeded toward the United States, their daily progress mapped out by Buzzfeed and other US media.

He threatened to abrogate Nafta, the US-Mexico-Canada free trade pact, and demanded Con-gress pass tougher immigration legislation and support his plan for a massive wall along the Mexican frontier.

He also declared he no longer supported a replacement for DACA, the programme that had offered protection against depor-tation to some 700,000 undocu-mented immigrants, most of them Mexicans, who came to the US as children.

“Mexico has the absolute power not to let these large ‘Car-avans’ of people enter their country,” the president wrote.

“Mexico is making a fortune on NAFTA...They have very strong border laws — ours are pathetic,” he added.

“With all of the money they make from the US, hopefully they will stop people from coming through their country and into ours, at least until Congress

changes our immigration laws!” — 1,500 headed to border — Fourteen months into his presi-dency, Trump remains angry that he has made only partial progress on promises to construct a border wall, deport illegal immigrants and sharply curtail legal immigration, which he links to drug trafficking, gang crimes and terrorism.

Earlier this year, Congress failed to pass legislation that would meet Trump’s goals, and at the same time offer a path to cit-izenship for the 690,000 DACA registrants and another 1.1 million who would have qualified for the now-cancelled programme.

Trump renewed his attacks on the Democratic opposition, holding them responsible for the demise of the programme which he rescinded last year. “DACA is dead because the Democrats didn’t care or act, and now eve-ryone wants to get onto the DACA bandwagon... No longer works,” he tweeted. “Must build Wall and secure our borders with proper Border legislation. Democrats

want No Borders, hence drugs and crime!” On March 23 a budget bill allocated just $1.6bn toward Trump’s wall, far short of the $25bn he has demanded. That left the frustrated President turning to the newly expanded military budget to see if it could provide funds. The migrant caravan has only added fuel to the President’s fire. First reported by Buzzfeed, the 1,500-strong group of Hon-durans, Guatemalans and Salva-dorans was featured over the weekend on Fox News, which Trump regularly watches.

Organised each of the past five

years by activists of Pueblo Sin Fronteras, or People Without Borders, the migrants have left their countries “because of poverty and violence from criminal organisations,” Irineo Mujica, an organiser, said.

They set off on March 25 from the southern Mexican state of Chiapas for the US border, where many hope to apply for asylum, Mujica said. Yesterday, they were passing through the mountainous southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. The US, Mexico and Canada are currently re-negotiating the terms of the 1994 North American Free

Trade Agreement, with the next round of formal talks expected this month in Washington.

Trump has blown hot and cold over the prospects of a new deal, and on Sunday warned Mexico that he would cancel the accord without action on immigration.

“Mexico is doing very little, if not NOTHING, at stopping people from flowing into Mexico through their Southern Border, and then into the US,” he said.

“They laugh at our dumb immigration laws. They must stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA.”

Central American migrants board a bus before they continuing their journey to the US despite US President Donald Trump’s vow to stamp out illegal immigration, in Ixtepec, Oaxaca.

Trump calls for legislation using ‘nuclear option’AP

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump demanded that Congress pass new border legislation using the “Nuclear Option if necessary” to muscle it through the Senate — a drastic change in rules the Republican leader has previously dismissed.

Trump has previously called for the “nuclear option” — changing Senate rules to end the filibuster. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has dis-missed that option in the past, saying Republicans will welcome the filibuster if they return to being the Senate minority.

The White House did not immediately answer ques-tions about Trump’s tweets. The $1.3 trillion funding package Congress passed last month included $1.6bn in border wall spending. But much of that money can only be used to repair existing segments, not build new sections. Congress also put restrictions on the types of barriers that can be built.

Trump took to Twitter to attack Mexico for allowing the group of Central Americans to march unimpeded toward the United States, their daily progress mapped out by Buzzfeed and other US media.

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, with son Barron (left), blow whistles at the start of an Easter Egg Roll during celebrations at the White House in Washington, DC, yesterday.

With the blow of a whistle, Trump kicks off Easter Egg RollAP

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump helped kick off the White House Easter Egg Roll yesterday with a “ready,” ‘’set” and the blow of a whistle.

“You ready kids?” the Pres-ident said before he and first lady Melania Trump blew whistles to launch a group of kids and their wooden spoons to guide dyed, hard-boiled eggs across a portion of the sloping South Lawn. They blew the whistles several times before moving on to another station.

The annual event got off to a damp start, but the skies had largely cleared, though it remained chilly, by the time Trump and the first lady walked down the stairs of the Blue Room balcony to join thousands of guests on the lawn.

“You know, it was supposed to be pouring, the weather. It was supposed to be very rainy and nasty and cold and windy,” said Trump, bundled up in an overcoat. “And look what we have: perfect weather. Perfect weather.

Beautiful weather.” He thanked his wife for doing an “incredible job” on the event. He also praised the economy and a recent increase in funding for the military. “This is a special year. Our country is doing great. You look at the economy; you look at what’s hap-pening,” Trump said. “Nothing is ever easy, but we have never had an economy like we have right now. And we’re going to make it bigger and better and stronger.” Trump and the first lady also joined kids at a station where they made greeting cards for US troops.

The Easter Egg Roll was also a Trump family affair with most of the President’s five children and nine grandchildren in attendance.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Legislative Affairs Director Marc Short were among the administration officials seen hand-in-hand with their children or grandchildren.

In all, the White House said it expected nearly 30,000 adults and children to stream through the gates for the all-day event.

“We have a beautiful day, a

little bit cold,” Melania Trump said later as she prepared to read a copy of the children’s book,

“YOU!,” by Sandra Magsamen. The book encourages youngsters to believe in themselves and to not

be afraid to make a mistake.The White House Easter Egg

Roll dates to 1878.

Fired FBI official raises $500,000 for legal costsAFP

WASHINGTON: Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, who was fired last month after heavy criticism from President Donald Trump, has raised more than half a million dollars in online donations to cover his legal costs. McCabe spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz said that his GoFundMe campaign would stop accepting donations after more than tripling the original goal of $150,000.

“The outpouring of support on GoFundMe has been simply overwhelming and has led to contributions that have left us stunned and extraordinarily grateful,” McCabe said in a statement.

“The fact is that if I am going to continue taking a stand against the unfair way I have been treated, I will need the help of a talented and courageous team behind me,” he said.

Man who invoked affluenza defence released from jailAP

FORT WORTH: A 20-year-old Texas man who as a teenager invoked “affluenza” in his defence after killing four people in a drunken wreck has been released from jail.

Tarrant County sheriff’s spokesman David McClelland says Ethan Couch was released yesterday from the county jail near Dallas after serving nearly two years for a revoked pro-bation. Couch was 16 in June 2013 when he struck and killed four pedestrians. A psychol-ogist at his manslaughter trial blamed his irresponsibility on family wealth, dubbing it “affluenza.” A juvenile court sentenced him to 10 years of probation. Couch’s probation was revoked in 2016 after he attended a party where alcohol was served.

Molinaro begins NY governor campaignAP

ALBANY: Republican Marc Molinaro vowed yesterday to change what he called Albany’s climate of corruption and behind-closed-doors deals as he formally kicked off his campaign for New York governor. Taking aim at two-term Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Molinaro criticised “leaders who squander the public’s trust by putting the personal politics of ambition and greed above government’s true purpose” of serving the people.

If he gets his party’s nomi-nation, Molinaro faces a daunting task in trying to beat Cuomo, son of the late former Gov. Mario Cuomo. The younger Cuomo has about $30m in his campaign war chest, and registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 2-1 margin in New York state.

Molinaro, a 42-year-old

married father of three, was elected county executive of Dutchess County in November 2011. He’s the top elected leader in one of New York’s more affluent counties, where a mix of high-tech industries, rural charm and proximity to New York City generally have shielded it from the economic stagnation still plaguing many upstate counties.

A graduate of a local two-year community college, Molinaro lacks a four-year degree but has plenty of on-the-job experience for public office. He was elected a village trustee at age 18 in 1995, then was elected Tivoli’s mayor the next year, making him the youngest mayor in the US at the time. After 12 years as mayor, he served in the Dutchess County Legislature and followed that up by serving in the state Assembly from 2007 to 2011.

Thousands of public schoolteachers and their supporters protest against a pension reform bill at the Kentucky State Capitol yesterday in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Teachers protest in two US states for more fundsAFP

CHICAGO: Teachers took to the streets of Kentucky and Oklahoma yesterday, with thousands rallying in the latest shows of force by angry educators demanding better pay and more funding for public schools.

Classrooms were shuttered as demonstrations commenced. In some cases, school districts were on a scheduled holiday, while in others administrators were unable to find enough substitutes to keep doors open.

Some school districts that were scheduled to be in session reportedly expected to be closed for much of the week. The protests were the latest instance of public school teachers flexing their political muscle, inspired by a nine-day strike in March that won West Virginia’s teachers their first pay raise in four years.

18 TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018AMERICAS

VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTERCROSSWORD NOVO Pearl Qatar

MALL

Note: Programme is subject to change without prior notice.

LANDMARK

ROXY

AL KHOR

ASIAN TOWN

Tomb Raider (2D/Action) 11:30am, 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30pm & 12:00midnight Real Player One 10:00am, 12:00noon, 12:45, 3:30, 5:15, 6:15, 9:00, 11:10 & 11:45pm Hurricane Heist (2D) 10:00am, 12:00noon, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00, 8:15, 10:00, 11:00pm & 12:00midnight Acrimony (2D) 10:15am, 2:45, 7:15 & 11:45pm Etlouly Barra (2D/Arabic) 12:45, 5:15 & 9:45pm Baaghi 2 (2D/Hindi) 10:00am, 3:00 & 8:00pm 7 Days In Entebbe (2D) 12:50, 5:50 & 11:00pm Talq Sena3y (2D/Arabic) 10:00am, 2:30 & 11:00pm Pacific Rim: Uprising (2D/Action) 12:00noon, 4:30 & 9:00pm Black Panther (2D/Action) 10:00am & 12:45pm Red Sparrow (2D/Action) 3:30, 6:15, 9:00 & 11:45pm Ready Player One (3D/IMAX) 11:00AM, 2:00, 5:00, 8:00 & 11:00PM

Baaghi 2 (Hindi) 11:30am, 2:15, 7:15, 9:30 & 11:45pm Peter Rabbit (2D/Animation) 12:15, 2:30, 4:15 & 5:45pm Poomaram (Malayalam) 2:00pm Cake 11:30am & 2:00pm Rangastalam(Telugu) 4:30pmMaan Jao Naa 4:45 & 11:30pm My Perfect You (Tagalog) 7:30pm Ready Player One (2D/Action) 4:45 & 7:00pmHurricane Heist (2D/Action) 7:45 & 9:45pm 7 Days In Entebbe (2D/Thriller) 12:00midnight

ROYAL PLAZA

Rangastalam(Telugu) 2:00pmPoomaram (Malayalam) 2:00pm Baaghi 2(Hindi)5:00,9:00& 11:15pm Peter Rabbit (2D/Animation) 2:15, 4:00 & 5:45pmReady Player One (2D/Action) 11:30pm Maan Jao Naa 4:30 & 9:15pm 7 Days In Entebbe (Thriller) 7:30pm My Perfect You (Tagalog) 7:00 & 11:30pm Etlouly Barra 7:30pm Hurricane Heist (2D/Action) 9:30pm

Baaghi 2 (Hindi) 2:15, 4:45, 9:00 & 11:30pmReady Player One (2D/Action) 2:30 & 9:00pmPeter Rabbit (2D/Animation) 3:00, 5:00 & 7:15pm7 Days In Entebbe (2D/Thriller) 5:00pm My Perfect You (Tagalog) 6:45pm Etlouly Barra 7:00pm Maan Jao Naa 9:15pmHurricane Heist (2D/Action) 11:30pmPoomaram (Malayalam) 11:30pm

Baghi 2 (Hindi) 6:30 & 9:15pm Poomaram (Malayalam) 6:00, 8:45 & 11:30pm Rangastalam(Telugu) 6:45, 10:00pm & 01:00am

Peter Rabbit (Animation) 10:30am, 1:15 & 3:15pm Ready Player One (Action) 10:30am, 6:00 & 11:30pm Pacific Rim (Action) 10:30am My Perfect You (Tagalog) 5:15 & 10:00pmBaaghi 2 (Hindi) 12:30, 3:30, 6:15, 9:15pm & 12:00midnight The Hurricane Heist 1:00, 7:45pm & 12:30am Poomaram (Malayalam) 3:15 & 8:45pm

Peter Rabbit (Animation) 10:30am, 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30pm Baaghi 2 (Hindi) 10:30am, 1:20, 4:10, 7:00 & 9:50pm Ready Player One (Action) 10:30am, 1:20, 4:10, 7:00 & 9:50pm The Hurricane Heist (Action) 12:30 & 4:30pm Rangastalam(Telugu) 10:30am, 1:30, 6:45 & 9:45pm Pacific Rim (Action) 6:30, 8:50 & 11:10pm

A story about young people against the institution of marriage in society. The story evolves into a greater story which revolutionises the culture in the country.

FLIK Mirqab7 Days In Entebbe 12:25 & 8:40pmBaaghi 2 12:20, 6:20pm & 12:20amBlack Panther 4:00pm Etlouly Heist 2:20 & 6:40pm Hurricane Heist 5:30, 9:10 & 11:15pm Pacific Rim: Uprising 10:50am, 1:10, 4:20, 9:25 & 11:50pm My Perfect You 11:20am, 7:35 & 10:50pm Peter Rabbit 10:30am, 12:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 6:30 & 7:05pm Poomaram 3:15 & 9:15pm Ready One Player 10:25am, 12:20, 1:30, 4:35, 7:40 & 10:45pm 3D 3:25, 6:30, 9:35pm & 12:35amRed Sparrow 6:40 & 10:00pm Sherlock Gnomes 1:50 & 5:00pm Tomb Raider 12:00noon, 2:40, 8:30 & 11:00pm

MAAN JAO NAA

Magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes BoliviaAP

LA PAZ: A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Bolivia yesterday, but it was so deep that there were no reports of injuries or damage. The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at 10:40am local time (1340 GMT) and it was centred 127km southeast of Tarija, Bolivia. The epicentre was 557km below the surface.

The San Calixto Observatory in La Paz said that it is one of the most powerful quakes on record in Bolivia, but that there was no damage because it was so deep.

Only light tremors were felt in Bolivia’s capital and other cities. But the quake caused people to evacuate office buildings that swayed as far away as Sao Paulo, Brazil, some 3,000km from Tarija.

Lula faces SC’s prison verdictAFP

BRASÍLIA: A mild earthquake rippled through Brasilia yesterday but the real upheaval will come when the Supreme Court decides this week whether former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva should be imprisoned.

The slight tremor, linked to a distant quake in neighbouring Bolivia, was nothing compared to the shake-up engulfing Brazil’s top political ech-elons six months from the most unpredictable pres-idential election in generations.

Lula, 72, leads in the polls but the leftist former two-term president is fighting desperately to avoid having to start serving a 12-year sentence for accepting a luxury apartment as a kickback from a big construction company.

Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will rule on his petition that he be allowed to remain free while he exhausts all available appeals — a strategy that would likely keep him out of jail for the near future and maybe even let him get on the presidential ballot. Under current law, Brazilians must start

serving their sentence as soon as a first appeal has failed, which is Lula’s case. However, the Supreme Court is almost evenly split on the issue, meaning there is still a chance of the rule being changed for Lula. Pressure on the Supreme Court was intense in the run-up to Wednesday’s session, with more than 5,000 judges and prosecutors reported to be preparing to hand in a petition demanding that Lula not be given a get-out-of-jail card.

Lula is not the only one causing waves this week. Current centre-right President Michel Temer, who already faces two corruption charges, is embroiled in new controversy following the arrests of several close associates on graft charges.

They were charged Thursday in connection with a probe into whether port logistics company Rodrimar was given contracts at Sao Paulo’s huge Santos port after bribing Temer. For now, Temer is at little risk of facing prosecution. When two cor-ruption charges were filed against him last year, Congress — in which many members are them-selves embroiled in corruption investigations — voted to bar the cases from going to trial.

Mexican leftist has 18-point lead as campaign kicks off REUTERS

MONTERREY: Mexican left-wing presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has an 18-point lead ahead of the July 1 election, according to a poll published yesterday that showed him with a growing advantage at the start of formal campaigning.

Lopez Obrador, who launched his campaign on Sunday, holds 38 percent of the vote, according to the poll by Parametria, published by ahead of wider distribution. That com-pared to 35 percent in its pre-vious poll. A Lopez Obrador victory could usher in a Mexican government less accommo-dating toward the United States, where President Donald Trump has stoked trade tensions with Mexico and aggressively moved to curb immigration.

Lopez Obrador has backed the North American Free Trade Agreement, but his plan to review newly issued oil con-tracts sparked worries he will deter foreign investment.

One of the factors that appeared to extend his lead was the expulsion of two inde-pendent hopefuls from the ballot for not reaching the required number of signatures.

Neither second-place Ricardo Anaya nor third-place Jose Antonio Meade showed any sign of catching up with former Mexico City mayor Lopez Obrador. “Lopez Obrador is breaking his ceiling... he’s growing in a way that wasn’t expected,” Parametria founder Francisco Abundis said.

A combination of file photos shows candidates (FROM LEFT) Leftist front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Institutional Revolutionary Party candidate Jose Antonio Meade, candidate for the National Action Party, leading a left-right coalition Ricardo Anaya, and Independent candidate Margarita Zavala.

Nine out of 10 Rio residents afraid of shootingsAFP

RIO DE JANEIRO: Nine out of 10 residents in Rio de Janeiro fear being caught in crossfire between police and criminals, a new poll said.

The poll said 92 percent are afraid of crossfire, of them or a relative being hit by a stray bullet, or of being injured or killed in an assault.

Some 89 percent said they feared losing valuables in an assault, the poll published by Folha de S.Paulo newspaper, and conducted by Datafolha and the Brazilian Forum on Public Security, said. Only a fraction less, 84 percent, feared having their home robbed.

People gather in front of an evacuated building, after an earthquake that hit Bolivia, at Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo, Brazil, yesterday.

A Lopez Obrador victory could usher in a Mexican government less accommodating toward the US, where President Trump has stoked trade tensions with Mexico and aggressively moved to curb immigration.


The Torch Doha & Al Aziziyah Boutique Hotel offer family Staycation packagesTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: The Torch Doha, the most iconic hotel in Doha, and Al Aziziyah Boutique Hotel, Doha’s green haven, both members of The Torch Hospitality Group, have prepared two new refreshing packages, which will entertain the whole family and combine luxurious stay with a relaxing twist.

Take advantage of the school holidays and spend quality time with your family, with our School Holidays Staycation Package. The package includes stay for mum and dad in a Double Deluxe Room and a second room for children at a special rate, topped up with a hearty breakfast buffet at the Award-winning Flying Carpet restaurant and Flavours res-taurant. The offer becomes more tempting with a 20% discount to all the hotels’ restaurants, except Kufic café and Victoria Tea Lounge and free access to all wet facilities; swimming pool, sauna and steam room. A special 20% discount is offered on any spa treatment. Special luxury room amenities and five-star quality services, will leave you spoiled, longing for more. Late check out (subject to availability) and an

extra treat for our little friends with two free desserts during the stay period (voucher), are also added to create the ultimate family fun staycation plan, valid until April 7. A second surprise, designed to bring great value to your April vacation plans, invites families to a Special Family Getaway Package. Stay 3 nights in a Double Deluxe Room and pay for 2, including breakfast buffet at the Award-winning Flying Carpet restaurant and Flavours restaurant. A special 20% dis-count is offered to all the hotel’s restaurants, except Kufic café and Victoria Tea Lounge and free access to all wet facilities; swimming pool, sauna and steam room. An extra 20% discount is applied on any spa treatment. Late check out (subject to avail-ability) and an extra treat for our little friends with two free des-serts during the stay period (voucher), make this package valid until April 30, even more special.

All bookers of the above pro-motions are entitled for special rate at Sarab Camp Deluxe Tent including breakfast and compli-mentary transportation to and from the camp. Sarab Camp is a desert camp, located in Sealine,

where traditional camping is facilitated with fine services. Only an hour away from Doha, Sarab Camp is the ideal venue for family leisure since a playground for kids, a spacious playroom for adults with billiards, table tennis and foosball and outdoor sports facilities with volleyball and mini football fields are all you need for some quality time away from the city’s buzz.

Sherif Sabry, General Manager of The Torch Doha stated, “Our new staycation packages are designed around a family concept, aiming to provide entertainment for the whole family through value for money staycations. Our unique family offerings should not be missed, and we are inviting Doha’s resi-dents to experience our facilities and spend family holidays in D o h a ’ s m o s t i c o n i c destination”.

All guests enjoy additional services, valet parking, free high speed WiFi inside the hotels’ premises, interactive 40 inches LED TV and at The Torch Doha the star-of-the-show IPad based in room solution and compli-mentary first time use mini Fridge amenities. These family stay-cation packages, create April’s

most perfect family getaway in the city! For inquiries, additional details and reservations you are kindly requested to contact The Torch Doha at +974 4446 5600

or [email protected] and Al Aziziyah Boutique Hotel at +974 4445 5555 or [email protected].

A family at Aziziyah Boutique Hotel.

Torch Family Staycation.

DPS-MIS juniors top QSDL-II with flying coloursTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: DPS-MIS excelled with flying colours at the much awaited Qatar Preparatory Junior Schools Debate League-II which took place on March 24 at Al Ahnaf Bin Qais Preparatory School for Boys.

There were almost 30 teams comprising 90 debaters from 17 different schools of Qatar. They debated on various interesting

and challenging topics on how politicians should be using public services instead of private ones, how monitoring apps can help children and parents, about how and why state should fund only medical research to combat deadly or debilitating diseases, how and why fast food com-panies need to display health warning labels. The impromptu rounds helped the debaters work as a team and develop their

critical thinking skills. The pre-pared rounds helped the debaters learn how to research and form arguments.

Team Paul, Sparsh and Jaefer topped the tournament by winning all four rounds whereas team Akshal, Atharva and Rudra came second losing against the top team, their school mates only. Team Vidit, Harsh and Tamim won three rounds and came fourth in a row.

In the individual category, Akshal topped, followed by Rudra and Atharva, Sparsh, Jaefer and Paul in sixth position, Tamim in eighth position, Harsh in ninth position and Vidit in 14th position. The DPS-MIS dele-gation was led by Jaya Majumder along with Somasundaram, Nadia Khan and Malathi Mahal-ingam who took part in the tour-nament as adjudicators, mostly as chairs.

Team India runners-up in ACFTTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: India became runners-up in the 6th Asian Communities Football Tournament (ACFT) organised by the Qatar Football Associ-ation.

The Asian Com-munit ies Footbal l T o u r n a m e n t f i n a l match was played between Lebanon and India in Al Arabi Stadium last Friday which ended with 1- 1 followed by penalty shootout of 4 -3 .

Total 12 Asian coun-tries participated in this year at the Asian Com-munities Football Tour-nament, which started on January 11. Team I n d i a r e c e i v e d QR10,000 as prize money against their runners-up position at the Asian Communities Football Tournament during the prize distri-bution ceremony held in Al Arabi stadium.

20 TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018MORNING BREAK

FAJRSHOROOK

04. 07 AM

05. 24 AM

11. 37 AM

03. 06 PM

05. 53 PM

07. 23 PM

ZUHRASR

MAGHRIBISHA

PRAYER TIMINGS

HIGH TIDE 06:15 – 19:15 LOW TIDE 00:45 – 12:30

Relatively hot daytime and slight dust with scattered clouds.

WEATHER TODAY

Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department

Minimum Maximum 23oC 33oC

Martin Luther King Jr’s works resonate across Africa till nowAP

UGANDA: Streets. Schools. A bridge in Burkina Faso. The name of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. can be found across Africa, a measure of the global influence of the American civil rights leader who was shot dead 50 years ago after speaking out against injustices at home and abroad.

A school for poor children that is named after King in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, took as its motto, “Have a Dream,” borrowing a line from one of King’s most famous speeches.

“Martin Luther King stood for human rights and equality, so we wanted a way of inspiring and motivating our students,” said Robert Mpala, the school’s founder.

In rural Liberia, a West African nation founded by freed American slaves, one official spoke proudly of a pri-vately owned Martin Luther

King School. “Martin Luther King was a great man. We still follow his dream,” said J Maxime Bleetahn, Director of Communications at the Min-istry of Education.

Africa’s push for inde-pendence from colonialism, which mirrored King’s own movement for racial equality in America, attracted the civil rights leader’s attention and support.

King first set foot on the continent in March 1957 to attend celebrations marking the West African nation of Ghana’s independence from Britain.

After he returned to Africa in November 1960 to attend the inauguration of Nigeria’s first president, King said African leaders had told him “in no uncertain terms that racism and colonialism must go, for they see the two as based on the same principle.” The parallels between King’s efforts and Africans’ quest for independence were perhaps

strongest in apartheid-era South Africa, where racist laws oppressed the majority black community for decades.

In December 1965 King delivered a speech in New York denouncing South Africa’s white rulers as “spec-tacular savages and brutes” and called on the U.S. and Europe to boycott the nation, a strategy the West eventually embraced and that helped end white rule.

King was unable to visit South Africa after being denied a visa. But years later

a bust of King was slipped secretly - by diplomatic pouch - into a South Africa still in the grip of apartheid.

American sculptor Zenos Frudakis said the US gov-ernment approached him about creating a bust of King that would be installed in South Africa for “political impact.” As it was barred by South Africa’s government from being displayed in a public space, the sculpture was dedicated in 1989 at the US Embassy, visible to people outside the embassy fence.

People who were part of the struggle against apartheid spoke at the sculpture’s ded-ication, and Frudakis said he was impressed “as they were risking their lives to bring equality and freedom to eve-ryone in South Africa.”

Today, the bust of King remains on display in a vastly different South Africa, which was transformed after anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was freed from prison in 1990 and elected the country’s first black president four years later.

China space lab mostly burns up on re-entryAP BEIJING: China’s defunct Tiangong 1 space station mostly burned up on re-entry into the atmosphere over the central South Pacific yesterday, Chinese space authorities said.

The experimental space laboratory re-entered around 8:15am. Beijing time, the China Manned Space Engineering Office said. Scientists moni-toring the craft’s disintegrating orbit had forecast the craft would mostly burn up and would pose only the slightest

of risks to people. Analysis from the Beijing Aerospace Control Center showed it had mostly burned up.

Brad Tucker, an astrophys-icist at Australian National University, said that Tiangong 1’s re-entry was “mostly suc-cessful” and that it would have been better if the space station had not been spinning toward Earth. “It could have been better, obviously, if it wasn’t tumbling, but it landed in the Southern Pacific Ocean, and that’s kind of where you hope

it would land,” Tucker said. “It’s been tumbling and spinning for a while, which means that when it really starts to come down it’s less pre-dictable about what happens to it,” Tucker said. He likened it to an airplane landing, saying it’s more difficult to predict where a plane that is “shaking around and moving” will land than one that is smoothly descending.

Launched in 2011, Tiangong 1 was China’s first space station.

The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft preparing to link with the Tiangong-1 module just over a week into a manned space mission which includes China’s first female astronaut, following an automatic docking, on June 24.

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