Volume 24 | Number 7842 | 2 RiyalsTuesday 26 March 2019 | 19 Rajab 1440 www.thepeninsula.qa

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BUSINESS | 01 SPORT | 12

World’s best eye top honours in Doha

Nebras eyes new foreign

markets for expansion

Amir inaugurates QR11bn Umm Al Houl Power Plant

LANI ROSE R DIZON THE PENINSULA

Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday inau-gurated the QR11bn Umm Al Houl Power Plant, which is said to be one of the largest desalination and power generation plants in the region and the largest in Qatar. Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani was also present on the occasion, along with other government dignitaries and leaders from the international business community.

Located at the new economic zone which is 15km south of Doha, the Umm Al Houl Power project will have a daily pro-duction capacity of 136.5m gallons of drinking water and 2520MW of electricity. Its full production capacity will supply Qatar’s 30 percent of electricity needs and 40 percent of water requirements.

Speaking at the opening cer-emony, Minister of State for Energy Affairs and Chairman of Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QEWC) H E Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi said the water and power project, which has been

completed within the set timeline, also paid great importance to the safety of the 14,000 workers who took part in the completion of the plant, with a recorded time of 69 million hours of work without any accident or incident.

H E the Minister also said the plant, which features environ-mentally friendly technologies such as reverse osmosis and thermal energy use, was also one of the most important energy projects in Qatar that will support the country’s sustainable development.

Also speaking at the event, Umm Al Houl Power Plant Chairman and QEWC Managing Director Fahad bin Hamad Al Mohannadi, said the project being one of the most modern desalination plants in the region, has made an optimum use of natural gas. He also said the water and power plant has met international specifications including national and interna-tional legislation and standards relevant to both emissions limits and ambient air quality.

Established in 2015, Umm Al Houl Power is an independent water and power producer. It is also a joint venture company

with QEWC holding 60 percent, K1 Energy (Mitsubishi Corpo-ration and JERA J/V) holding 30 percent, and Qatar Petroleum and Qatar Foundation holding

five percent each. The project was developed

on a ‘build, own, operate, and transfer’ (BOOT) basis with a 25 year operational period and

associated power and water pur-chase agreement. Mitsubishi Corporation will operate the plant for the next 25 years, and Qatar General Electricity & Water

Corporation (Kahramaa) will purchase power and potable water capacity and output of the plant, which was designed to last 35 years. �P2

Qatar Biobank study finds high rate

of obesity, Vitamin D deficiencyFAZEENA SALEEM THE PENINSULA

High prevalence of obesity and vitamin D deficiency has been found in Qatari population, according to Qatar Biobank report 2018/19 released yesterday. About 43 percent were found overweight or obese and 88 percent have some level of vitamin D defi-ciency.

The report was released on the sidelines of the International Biobanking Conference 2019 which started yesterday. It shows that Qatar continues to have some of the highest levels of metabolic disorders such as obesity and dia-betics mellitus. It shows that 13.9 percent have diabetes and 17.7 percent fall into the prediabetes level and at the high risk of devel-oping the condition.

The report provides a wide-ranging health profile and analysis of more than 18,000 Qataris and long-term residents who have participated in Qatar Biobank’s medical health research initiative. Qatar Biobank welcomes Qataris over the age of 18 and adult expa-triates who have lived in Qatar for at least 15 years to take part in this pioneering medical research endeavour.

Among the participants in the ongoing study being conducted by Qatar Biobank, 38 percent

reported having sedentary life-style habits and reported doing no physical exercise. Only 12 percent of participants have normal Vitamin D levels, while 25 percent have mild deficiency levels. Another 50 percent have a mod-erate deficiency level of Vitamin D, while 13 percent were found to have severe deficiency.

Some 49 percent participants of the study were women and 51 percent men, with majority of them being in the age between 25 and 34.

“The report not only helps us

better understand the health of the participants, but also provides useful insights into the health of the entire population,” said Dr Nahla Afifi, Director of Qatar Biobank.

“The findings are empowering new research in Qatar, which will play an important role in early identification of health problems and taking effective preventative measures. This, in essence, is the primary goal behind Qatar Biobank’s endeavour to collect information and samples from the population.

“The report is an important learning resource for everyone in Qatar, and can provide insights for members of the community on how to live healthier lives by slightly adjusting their lifestyles,” said Dr Afifi. The annual report also includes a detailed overview of the achievements of Qatar Biobank throughout 2018.

A second major study, which Qatar Biobank successfully developed in July 2018, is the Qatar Birth Cohort Study (QbiC). It is the first mother-child cohort study of its kind in the Middle East, and aims to assess the synergetic role of environmental exposure and genetic factors in the devel-opment of chronic disease. It monitors the health of women and children and obstetric character-istics with high prevalence. �P3

Ministry of Education allocates land for three private schoolsTHE PENINSULA DOHA

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has allocated three government-owned land plots for the construction and operation of private schools, in implementation of the wise directives of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The objective is to give a greater role to the private sector in the economic developmental projects in the State of Qatar. The three land plots were awarded on a competitive basis after studying and evaluating bids submitted by investors developing private schools and following a series of interviews before announcing the winning bids.

The allocation of the land comes in line with the efforts of Ministry of Education and Higher Education to provide diverse, innovative and high-quality educational opportu-nities for students and their parents by enhancing the role of the private sector in the edu-cational process with a view to achieve the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030, especially

the human development pillar.Three private schools to be

constructed by the private sector were awarded the land plots. The first is Cardiff School, an Indian curriculum-based school, and will be located in the Al Khor area. It will offer schooling for boys and girls in all levels. The school is expected to provide 1,134 seats.

The second school will be built by the developer Mil-lennium Holding Company in Umm Al Qarn and will teach the American curriculum for boys and girls of all stages. The school is expected to provide 1,185 seats.

The third one, by the developer Hassanesco, will be based in Al Khor area and follows the American cur-riculum, for boys and girls of all stages, and is expected to host 1,053 seats. The private sector will be invited for submitting tenders for two more land plots to build two national cur-riculum-based schools.

The three schools will provide over 3,200 seats to meet the increasing needs on edu-cation in the light of the popu-lation growth in the State of Qatar. �P2

Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani inaugurating the QR11bn Umm Al Houl Power Plant, yesterday.

Umm Al Houl Energy Plant will add quality to Qatar's development infrastructure projects and will make a vital difference in several sectors, especially water and electricity security. This plant, which I was pleased to open today, uses the latest technology and takes into account the highest standards of environmental preservation. All thanks to those who completed this project.

88%

88% have some level of vitamin D deficiency

43% overweight or obese

43%

Qatar rejects US recognition of Israel's sovereignty over GolanQNA DOHA

The State of Qatar has expressed its rejection of the US recognition of Israel's sover-eignty over the Golan Heights.

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign affairs reiterated the State of Qatar’s firm position on the principle that the Golan Heights are occupied Arab land.

The statement stressed that helping the Israeli occupation to disdain UN resolutions related to the occupied Golan Heights, especially Security Council resolution 497 (1981), will not alter the fact that Golan is occupied Arab land and that Israel’s imposition of its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Golan is without any legal effect.

The statement stressed the need for Israel to comply with the resolutions of international legit-imacy to withdraw from all occupied Arab territories, including the Golan Heights, adding that any unilateral deci-sions to recognise the sovereignty of Israel over the Golan will be a major obstacle to the peace desired in the region.�P10

02 TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019HOME

Amir congratulates

Greek President

DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim

bin Hamad Al Thani and Dep-

uty Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah

bin Hamad Al Thani sent yester-

day cables of congratulations

to the President of the Hellenic

Republic, Prokopios Pavlopou-

los, on the anniversary of his

country’s Independence Day.

Prime Minister and Interior Min-

ister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin

Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani also

sent a cable of congratulations

to the Prime Minister of the Hel-

lenic Republic, Alexis Tsipras, on

the anniversary of his country’s

Independence Day. QNA

OFFICIAL NEWS

MoFA launches app

for news

DOHA: The Secretary-Gen-

eral of the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs, H E Dr Ahmed bin Has-

san Al Hammadi, inaugurated

a news follow-up application

and an updated version of ‘Akh-

barna’ app on smart devices, in

the presence of the Director of

the Information Office, Ahmed

bin Saeed Al Rumaihi, and the

Acting Director of Informa-

tion Technology, Abdulaziz bin

Mohammed Al Naemi. The new

app contains a number of fea-

tures, including the follow-up

news round-the-clock in news-

papers, websites and social

media, which contributes to the

provision of information fast

and on time, in addition to refer-

ence information. The updated

version of the Akhbarna app is

specific to the news of the Minis-

try and its senior officials. It also

includes various media reports

and accounts of the Ministry, as

well as a news and reports bul-

letin and a local newspaper

bulletin. QNA

Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani patronised the inauguration of Umm Al Houl Power plant, during a ceremony held by Qatar Electricity and Water Company in Umm Al Houl area, yesterday. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, and a number of Their Excellencies Ministers and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the State.

QFFD & UN sign grant agreement for $2m THE PENINSULA DOHA

Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the United Nations signed a grant agreement worth $2m over a period of two years, to the core budget of the reinvig-orated resident coordinator system in the context of the reform of the United Nations devel-opment system to better support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

On behalf of QFFD, the Per-manent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN, H E Sheikha Alya bint Ahmed Al Thani, signed the agreement.

The resident coordinator system serves as the cornerstone of a repositioned UN development system, that will drive coherence and integration of UN devel-opment action on the ground on a scale that responds to national needs and priorities, and work with UN specialised agencies, funds and programmes to enhance accountability, trans-parency and reporting on results at the country level.

The contribution of the Qatar Fund for Development will com-plement resources in the UN Special Purpose Trust Fund spe-cifically set up for this purpose.

“The main objective of Qatar Fund for Development is to achieve comprehensive and sus-tainable development,” said Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Kuwari, Director General of Qatar Fund for Development.

He added: “The contribution for the reinvigorated resident coordinator system is a big step toward achieving this goal. We are

proud to cooperate with this important partner to contribute and to enhance accountability, transparency and achieving results across the United Nations system and providing greater incentives for integrated action.”

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, said: “The United Nations

development system reform and the implementation of the Sus-tainable Development Goals must be carried by everyone, United Nations and Member States alike. Voluntary contributions by Member States, such as by the QFFD, are fundamental to strengthening our structures and operations for more impactful results for people.”

The Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN, H E Sheikha Alya bint Ahmed Al Thani, along with other dignitaries at the signing event.

“Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani inaugurated Umm Al Houl Power Plant, one of the most important water security and energy security projects in the country. The observer from inside and outside Qatar realizes that the work on the strategic projects of the state has become more efficient and faster and that the country is seeing a boom in achievement and production.”

Amir inaugurates QR11bn Umm Al Houl Power PlantFROM PAGE 1

Speaking at the event, Mitsubishi Corporation CEO Takehiko Kakiuchi said, Umm Al Houl Power plant was the company’s first investment project in Qatar. He added, “The project has achieved the completion and started pro-duction of electricity and water before the contractual date. The management in

Mitsubishi Corporation are aiming to operate the company to pursue sus-tainable growth by simulta-neously generating economic, societal, and environmental value. Not only this project, but we would have great pleasure to participate and join future new business opportunities to contribute to the comprehensive devel-

opment of Qatar”. In its environmental

impact assessment, the Umm Al Houl Power stated that Qatar relies heavily on desal-inated water, having one of the world’s lowest levels of rainfall and short supply of renewable water resources; exacerbated by one of the world’s highest per capita water use.

With demand for power

increasing as the population and economy grows, the Umm Al Houl Power project is expected to help meet the growing demand here espe-cially in the build-up to the FIFA World Cup 2022. It is also expected to have bene-ficial impact on Qatar’s water supply security, including the general public, businesses, and industry that need water.

Ministry of Education allocates land for three private schools

FROM PAGE 1In a press statement, Khalid

Mohammad Al Hajri, the Director of General Services Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Edu-cation and member of the tech-nical group of the Ministerial Group for the Encouragement and Participation of the Private Sector in the Economic Devel-opment Projects of Qatar, said that the private schools to be established on these lands lots cover all stages from Kinder-gartens to Grade 12 and offer diverse opportunities for stu-dents and their parents as they follow a variety of educational curricula including the national, American and Indian curricula.

He added that the land lots are located in different areas of the country to take into con-sideration the population density and to achieve balance in the distribution of state projects, stressing that the private sector is a key partner in the educational process.

It should be noted that the initiative of awarding land lots to the private sector and the initiative of vacant public schools were highly sought after by investors wishing to invest in the private education sector.

The number of lands allo-cated to the private sector in the first phase amounts to six with a capacity over 7.000 seats.

Qatar Biobank study finds high rate of obesity, vitamin D deficiency

FROM PAGE 1“By generating a compre-

hensive picture of the environ-mental, genetic, and lifestyle factors that contribute to health issues facing the local population from the start of their lives, we can begin to help researchers and healthcare providers make better diagnoses and provide better treatments for diseases affecting the health of Qatar’s population,” said Dr Afifi.

Sheikh Joaan meets Italian Ambassador

Qatar Olympic Committee President H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani met yesterday with the Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to the State of Qatar, Pasquale Salzano. During the meeting, H E Sheikh Joaan praised the relations of cooperation between the two countries. The meeting reviewed aspects of sports cooperation and ways to boost them in the coming stage. The Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, attended the meeting.

Qatar, Tunisia review

military relations

DOHA: The Commander of the

Qatar Amiri Naval Forces, H E

Major General Abdullah bin Has-

san Al Sulaiti, met yesterday with

Tunisian Navy Chief of Staff Rear

Admiral Abderraouf Atallah, dur-

ing an official visit to the Amiri

Naval Command Headquarters.

The meeting came at the invita-

tion of the Commander of Qatar

Amiri Naval Forces, during which

they discussed issues of mutual

interest and enhance means of

military cooperation between

the two countries. QNA

Shura Council to attend GCC meet in JeddahQNA DOHA

A delegation from the Shura Council will take part in the 11th meeting of the Parliamentary Coordinating Committee and the external relations of the Shura, and National Councils of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) coun-tries, scheduled for today in Jeddah.

The meeting aims to prepare for the next meeting of the speakers of the Gulf Legis-lative Councils.

03TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019 HOME

QFFD & QC in deal with World Food Programme to support Yemen

Qatar, El Salvador review relations

in cultural and sports fields

Minister of Culture and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali met yesterday with the Ambassador of the Republic of El Salvador to the State of Qatar, Alfredo Arturo Samayoa Molina. During the meeting, they discussed aspects of cooperation between the two countries in cultural and sports fields and means of developing them.

Workshop on risk management project highlights issuesQNA DOHA

The Department of Planning and Quality of the Ministry of Justice organised a workshop on the implementation of the risk management project in cooperation

with the Risk Management and Quality Department at the State Audit Bureau.

The workshop is part of the efforts to strengthen the culture of risk management and to provide a continuous methodology for identifying and classifying risks, in order to enable their departments to

identify the risks and their causes, in addition to help identify strategic risks at the level of the ministry and work to neu-tralise and confront them and know mechanisms to accelerate handling them.

Acting Director of Planning and Quality Department at the Ministry of

Justice, Hessa Ali Al Sulaiti, explained that the workshop aims to implement the risk management project in the Ministry within the framework of the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the national development strategies of the State, which gave special attention to risk management to ensure

the protection of development achievements.

Director of Risk Management and Quality Department at the State Audit Office, Sheikh Sultan bin Nayef Al Thani, stressed the importance of the risk man-agement project.

Focus now on future impact of biobankingFAZEENA SALEEM THE PENINSULA

Future impact of biobanking on Qatar’s health care takes centre stage at International Biobanking Conference 2019, which begun in the presence of Minister of Public Health H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, yesterday.

The three-day event, held under the theme ‘Quality Matters: A Global Discussion in Qatar,’ aims to highlight the role of biobanking and medical research in advancing health care and improving clinical outcomes.

Organised by Qatar Biobank, a member of Qatar Foundation (QF) and part of Qatar Foundation for Research, Development, and Innovation (QF RDI), the con-ference has brought together sci-entists and health experts from 15 countries.

“Biomedical research is accelerating the transformation of health care from generalised treatments to preventive, pre-emptive, and personalised med-icine. In this domain, QF RDI has been active through impactful initiatives spearheaded by Qatar Biobank and Qatar Genome Pro-gramme,” said Dr Richard O’Kennedy, Vice-President for Research, Development, and Innovation at QF in his opening remarks.

“As a crucial first step in the approach to precision medicine, the value of biobanking and genomics research, and their key role in improving the health and wellbeing of Qatar’s population, cannot be overstated. It is through events like the International Biobanking Conference that our scientists and researchers have

the right platform to engage in the exchange of knowledge, conduct in-depth discussions with global experts on new developments and innovations; and forge net-works and meaningful collabo-rations that could support the development of Qatar’s precision medicine initiative,” he added.

Delegates will discuss a variety of topics and attend wide-ranging sessions and presenta-tions focused on the role of biobanks in healthcare, the importance of population biobanks and the use of big data and artificial intelligence in medical research.

“We take firm steps every day as we get closer to achieving per-sonalised medicine for the people

of Qatar, which will prove vital in the treatment and prevention of diseases. The support we are receiving for our research pro-grams from our stakeholders, sci-entists, and the residents of Qatar is one of the driving factors in our success story,” said Dr Asmaa Al Thani, Board Vice Chairperson of Qatar Biobank and Chairperson of Qatar Genome Programme Committee.

In his keynote address, Dr Jim Vaught, Chief of the Biore-positories and Biospecimen Research Branch at the US National Cancer Institute, and Editor-in-Chief of Biopreser-vation and Biobanking, the official journal of ISBER, high-lighted the importance of quality

management for international biobanking collaborations.

The conference is being hosted in partnership with the European and Middle Eastern Society for Biopreservation and Biobanking (ESBB), and sup-ported by BBMRI-ERIC, a European research infrastructure for biobanking, and the Interna-tional Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER).

Qatar Biobank is a large-scale medical research initiative in the country, which collects data and biological samples from the local population in an effort to develop customized medical solutions to the various diseases and health issues prevalent here.

Minister of Public Health H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari (4th right) and Dr Richard O’Kennedy, Vice-President for Research, Development, and Innovation at QF with other officials during the opening of International Biobanking Conference 2019, yesterday.

Shura Council Speaker H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, chairing an ordinary weekly session of the Council, yesterday.

Shura Council discusses issues in education sectorQNA DOHA

Shura Council held its ordinary weekly session under the chair-manship of Speaker of the Council H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud.

In response to the Speaker’s invitation, Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al Hammadi attended the session to present the Ministry’s view on the public discussion request sub-mitted by a number of Shura Council members to discuss the education issues in the state.

The Shura Council Speaker welcomed the Minister and thanked him for accepting the invitation, and invited him to speak to the members of the Council, listen to their views and answer their queries.

At the beginning of the session, the Shura Council Speaker on his behalf and on behalf of the Council members thanked Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for his interest and support to education in the State of Qatar, which undoubtedly greatly developed.

The Minister said to the Council that education is given great importance by H H the Amir and is a top priority for the gov-ernment and followed up by the Prime Minister. The Minister also gave a presentation on the great development witnessed by the educational process and reviewed the strategic objectives of education.

The Minister highlighted the Ministry’s efforts to attract teachers saying that standards have been put in place for their employment, evaluation and the

preparation of specialized pro-grams in coordination with the college of education at the Qatar University. The discussions focused on the development and revision of curricula and Qatari-zation of education, encouraging and training teachers, e-learning, education of people with special needs, regulating of fees for private schools, especially foreign schools, as well as education vouchers and private lessons in addition to addressing issues arising from the equivalence and certification of university degrees and applying them to all without discrimination.

The Speaker thanked, on his behalf and on behalf of the Council members, The Minister of Edu-cation and Higher Education for his important clarifications regarding the educational policy and the ministry’s efforts to

address the problems and obstacles as well as future plans for the development of education and higher education.

The Minister of Education and Higher Education praised the pro-posals and observations of the members of the Shura Council,

stressing that the ministry will take them into account.

Moreover, the council con-tinued its meeting, where H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, Speaker of the Shura Council and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the

140th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and its related meetings, briefed the council on arrangements for Doha’s hosting of the session, which will be held from April 6 to 10, confirming the completion of these arrangements.

Qatar, Turkey discuss cooperation in defence and military fieldsThe Chief of Staff of Qatari Armed Forces, H E Lieutenant General (Pilot) Ghanim bin Shaheen Al Ghanim, met yesterday in Ankara with the Turkish Chief of General Staff, Yaşar Güler. During the meeting, a number of issues of mutual interest were discussed, including means of enhancing and developing bilateral relations and cooperation in defence and military fields. Al Ghanim also met the Defence Minister Hulusi Akar in the presence of General Staff Yaşar Güler and Qatari Ambassador to Turkey, Salem bin Mubarak Al Shafi, and other officials. Al Ghanim also visited the commander of the Turkish Special Forces.

THE PENINSULA DOHA

Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and Qatar Charity (QC) signed an agreement with the World Food Programme to support WFP’s humanitarian activities in Yemen at an esti-mated total cost of $2.95m.

The pact is in line with their strategic plan, through sup-porting populations suffering from food insecurity and ensuring their minimum nutri-tional requirements in Yemen’s urban and semi-urban areas. The projects are estimated to benefit more than 2,56,000 people in various governorates in Yemen

The agreement was signed by Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Maliki, Ambassador of the State of Qatar in Rome and Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations agencies in Rome, on behalf of Qatar Fund for Development and Faisal bin Rashid Al Alfhidh, Assistant Chief Executive Officer for International Operations and

Partnerships at Qatar Charity, and David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme.

The agreement is part of the efforts of the State of Qatar, through Qatar Fund for Devel-opment and Qatar Charity to respond to the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the ongoing conflict in Yemen, by supporting the World Food Pro-gramme in delivering essential humanitarian and basic needs in line with the assessment of Yemen humanitarian response plan for 2019.

“Today, we are proud of the strong and strategic partnerships of Qatar Fund for Development and Qatar Charity with World Food Programme Qatar’s con-tinuous efforts, which consist-ently advocates for addressing humanitarian needs and answering to the needs of people around the world, including ref-ugees,” said Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Maliki, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar in Italy, on the occasion of the signing.

04 TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019HOME

‘Soil displaced for Metro tunnel works good for farming’

THE PENINSULA DOHA

Qatar Railways Company announced yesterday the completion of the research on the use of soil, which was displaced during the tunnelling works of Doha Metro project, for agricul-tural purposes.

The research was conducted in cooperation with Qatar Uni-versity (QU), represented by the Environmental Science Center (ESC) and the Center for Advanced Materials (CAM). The company had previously announced the commencement of the research on the use of the soil resulting from the tunnelling works for agricultural purposes to find solutions for developing agricultural resources and achieving food self-sufficiency

in the State of Qatar in a sustainable manner. Over the past year, the ESC had analysed different soil samples from the rubble resulting from the Doha Metro tunnelling works and conducted laboratory experi-ments that include soil enhancement in search of oppor-tunities to produce various agri-cultural crops. Several joint meetings were organised with QU to stay abreast on the project’s latest developments.

The soil testing results revealed a vast similarity in the mineral and physical compo-sition of the natural soil used in local farms in the country. The research team in charge of the project revealed that the soil can be successfully used in agri-culture after mixing it with natural soil conditioners in

various ratios. To obtain those results, the team cultivated various plants used as pasturages such as clovers and millets.

Commenting on this ambi-tious project, Chief of Strategies and Business Development at Qatar Rail, Ajlan Eid Al Enazi, said: “As a result of the tunnelling works conducted on the Doha Metro project, we now have a massive quantity of soil.

Consequently, we at Qatar Rail thought we should look into the best means to benefit from it and in cooperation with Qatar Uni-versity we decided to conduct a joint research project. The research efforts conducted came to fruition as the soil proved usable for agricultural purposes. We are currently working on expanding this study to benefit from its results in reality. Hence,

Qatar Rail’s projects have con-tributed to Qatar’s efforts to achieve sustainability, not only by developing a sustainable means of transport, by providing various other benefits from all aspects of this project.”

Commenting on the research, Vice-President of Research and Graduate Studies at Qatar Uni-versity, Prof Mariam Ali Al Maadeed, stated: “We were very

pleased to cooperate with Qatar Rail on this ambitious project that will contribute massively to finding long-term solutions for developing agricultural resources. Thanks to the dis-tinctive research capabilities of Qatar University and its accredited technologies, we were able to find use for the tunnelling soil, and we hope to see the tan-gible results of this research in reality.”

Assistant Under-Secretary of Agricultural Affairs and Fisheries at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, Sheikh Dr Faleh Bin Nasser Al Thani, said: “Achieving self-sufficiency in agricultural production in Qatar is one of the most important future goals of the Ministry of Municipality and Envi-ronment. In light of the results of the soil testing, we look forward to working closely with both Qatar Rail and Qatar University to establish a committee dedi-cated to the project and discuss the means of implementation, the allocation of lands and mass pro-duction. All of this is to contribute to building the capabilities of the local production of agricultural crops.”

Experts during a discussion on the finding of the study on the use of soil, which was displaced for tunnelling works of Doha Metro project, for agricultural purposes.

The test results on soil revealed a vast similarity in the mineral and physical composition of the natural soil used in local farms in the country. The research team in charge of the project revealed that the soil can be successfully used in agriculture after mixing it with natural soil conditioners in various ratios.

05TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019 HOME

QMED showcases

latest technologies

in medical sectorFAZEENA SALEEM THE PENINSULA

The latest technologies and equipment in the medical sector are on showcase at the Qatar Inter-national Medical Devices and Healthcare Exhibition and Conference (QMED 2019), which opened at the Qatar National Convention Centre, yesterday.

Minister of Public Health, H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, officially inaugurated the second edition of QMED, in the presence of several officials and diplomats. They included Eva Bolano, Ambas-sador of Sweden; Sheikh Dr Mohammed Al Thani, Director of Public Health Ministry of Public Health, and Dr Mariam Abdulmalik, Managing Director, Primary Health Care Corporation.

H E the Minister and other dig-nitaries also toured the exhibition and they were briefed about the equipment on showcase. QMED, the premium Medical and

Healthcare Exhibition in Qatar, is aimed at medical and healthcare professionals featuring top exhib-itors and speakers from around the world. It has brought more than 40 exhibitors from 12 countries including Qatar, Turkey, the US, Switzerland, Thailand and the UK. The exhibition is divided in to ten categories including QPhama, QLab, QHealth and QMedical tourism.

The three-day event is jointly organised by the local Doha-based Sogha Exhibitions and Conferences along with London- based ExCo Media with the support of the Min-istry of Public Health.

“This is the second edition of QMED and we are seeing more participants than the previous year. The exhibitors come from all over the world. This is a good platform for trading medical equipment. It has given companies the oppor-tunity to showcase what they have to offer and the healthcare pro-viders to see what is available in

the market,” Ali Abdullah Al Khater, Chair of the Healthcare Commu-nications Committee, told The Peninsula.

Khalifa Al Mohannadi of Sogha Exhibitions and Conferences, said, “QMED has succeeded in attracting a number of VIP’s and leading names in the international and local healthcare sector, thus quickly establishing itself as an ideal platform for knowledge-transfer

and discussions around the healthcare industry, latest technical innovations, and sharing best prac-tices in the medical field.”

QMED 2019 will host three conferences and workshops organised by Alfardan Medical and Northwestern Medicine (AMNM), Naufar Hospital, and Reviva for Medical Services. Local and inter-national speakers will lead the dis-cussions, with the participation of

more than 500 doctors covering all medical specialties.

“This is our first time to par-ticipate in QMED. We have brought our partners too from countries including Turkey, Germany, Czech Republic. It is a good opportunity to showcase the latest equipment we have and look forward to meet potential buyers,” said Wesam El Batash, CEO of Reviva Medical

Services, a Qatar based company. Today, Reviva for Medical

Services will also cover a series of topics related to various new therapy technologies, and in par-allel, Naufar Hospital will talk all about addiction as a disease and proven methods of treatment. QMED 2019 is also supported by Qatar National Tourism Council, Qatar Diabetes Association and Qatar Chamber of Commerce.

The Minister of Public Health, H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, inaugurates QMED 2019 in the presence of officials and diplomats at QNCC, yesterday. PIC: BAHER AMIN / THE PENINSULA

Ooredoo launches new business network performance reporting toolTHE PENINSULA DOHA

Ooredoo, the region’s leading enabler of digital business inno-vation, announced yesterday a new, easy-to-use digital tool to make it easier for business customers to monitor their network activity and managed services so that they can effec-tively optimise their digital busi-nesses.

Ooredoo business customers using fixed connectivity services, such as IP-VPN, Business Internet and Ethernet VPN, can now access the new Operations Bridge Reporter.

The new tool provides enhanced usability and network performance reporting, and many more options.

Business customers using Operations Bridge Reporter can find a wide range of customer-centric features, including a centralised “one-click” dash-board for real-time network activity.

Customers can also analyse network traffic trends with cus-tomised and granular reports on network features such as throughput, CPU and memory utilisation, and availability. Operations Bridge Reporter also provides complete visibility on

managed services for mobile devices.

Yousuf Abdulla Kubaisi, Chief Operating Officer, Ooredoo Qatar, said: “For our business customers across Qatar, the network is the backbone of their digital business success.

In response to feedback from our customers, our new Opera-tions Bridge Reporter tool pro-vides our customers with the easy-to-use, customer-friendly, and real-time insights that can optimise their network and managed services for digital business success.”

Operations Bridge Reporter, which is supported 24-7 by

Ooredoo’s Enterprise Service Centre, is in line with Ooredoo’s commitment to customer excel-lence with industry-leading and best-in-class Service Level Agreements. Ooredoo’s Service Level Agreements aim to improve customer focus, Service Assurance, and organisational performance.

Business customers can lev-erage the Ooredoo Advantage, making Ooredoo “Best for Business”, thanks to its breadth and depth of talent, best fixed and mobile networks, broadest portfolio of ICT services and solutions, and trusted partner for 60 years.

THE PENINSULA / DOHA

The Qatari Computer Emergency Response Team at the Ministry of Transport and Communications held yesterday a workshop for the participants in the activities of the 6th National Cybersecurity Drill Star 6’ to review the main findings and recommendations.

The 6th National Cybersecurity Drill Star 6’ was held last December and focused on securing major events from the perspective of cybersecurity in order to raise the readiness of the institutions in the State of Qatar in preparation for the major events hosted by the State of Qatar, the most important of which is the World Cup 2022.

It dealt with cybersecurity from an administrative and tech-nical perspectives. During the workshop, the team studied and ana-lysed the performance of the participating institutions and then drew the results at the national level and at the level of each sector separately and also at the level of one institution.

Transport and Communications Ministry reviews National Cybersecurity Drill Star 6' results

06 TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019HOME

Shafallah Centre to benefit from Love Ball ArabiaRAYNALD C RIVERA THE PENINSULA

Love Ball Arabia, one of the most anticipated charity events of the year, will fund the establishment of a new community centre in Shafallah Centre catered to people with intellectual disabil-ities and autism above 21 years old all over Qatar.

Organised by Russian super-model and philanthropist Natalia Vodianova, the charity gala, which will take place at the Museum of Islamic Art on Friday, will benefit Shafallah Centre and Vodianova’s Naked Heart Foundation.

“People with special needs are important part of us and the event comes to mark the collab-oration between Shafallah and Naked Heart Foundation to enable the community and society at large to support the efforts of both organisations,” H E Fahad bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Russian Feder-ation, told local media yesterday.

Speaking to reporters on the partnership between the two organisations, Laalei Abu Alfain, Acting Director of Shafallah

Centre said both entities share the same cause which is to help people with intellectual disabilities.

“Currently, we serve children up to 21 years old. The estab-lishment of the new community centre for people with intel-lectual disabilities above 21 years old will be a great help since it will cater not only to Shafallah students and graduates but all people with intellectual disabil-ities all over Qatar promoting inclusion in the society,” said Abu Alfain.

Abu Alfain and other Sha-fallah officials provided Al Attiyah and other guests a tour of Shafallah Centre’s advanced facilities provided to children with intellectual disabilities to hone their skills.

“We have seen today that there is so much talent which inspired me personally and many of my colleagues to believe in the capabilities of children with special needs; all they need is the support from us necessary to unleash the creative force in them,” said Al Attiyah, vowing support for the centre to succeed in its efforts.

He also called on the com-munity to show their support in

the Love Ball Arabia event on Friday considered one of the greatest events of the year.

Included on the A-list of expected guests at the event are renowned Belgian fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, fashion model-actress Iman, French fashion designer and Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing, singer-songwriter and supermodel Carla Bruni, Hollywood actor Leonardo DiC-aprio and model-actress Naomi Campbell.

The evening’s programme will comprise a gala dinner with an immersive theatrical per-formance combining dance, music and art produced by inter-nationally-lauded performers alongside actors with special needs, and will culminate in an exclusive fashion show by Ulyana Sergeenko featuring the full Spring-Summer 2019 col-lection that includes brand-new couture pieces inspired by and devoted to Qatar. Renowned Moscow chef, Georgy Troyan, has created a bespoke menu for the event offering a contem-porary twist on traditional Russian cuisine.

The festivities will include with a charity auction held by

Lord Mark Poltimore offering a variety of unique experiences such as ‘Meet and Greet’ with top players of Paris Saint-Germain F.C.; lunch with Tom Brady and

Gisele Bundchen; personalised fashion advice and a couture dressby Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing; afternoon tea with Valentino

Garavani at his Château de Wideville; and after hours exclusive shopping experience at iconic Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche.

The Ambassador of Qatar to Russia, Fahd bin Mohammed Al Attiyah (second right); with Laalei Abu Alfain (second left), Acting Director of Shafallah Centre; Natalia Armaganova (third left), PR Director of the Year of Culture Qatar-Russia 2018 and Mohamed Saleh Tolefat (left), Manager, Therapeutic Services Department, Shafallah Centre, at the Shafallah Center in Doha yesterday. PIC: SALIM MATRAMKOT/THE PENINSULA

UDC decorates The Pearl-Qatar with thousands of lightsTHE PENINSULA DOHA

United Development Company (UDC), a leading Qatari public shareholding company and master developer of The Pearl-Qatar and Gewan islands, has completed its latest decorative project across The Pearl-Qatar with the installation of 2,700 lamp lights and LED mesh lights covering over 2,900 meters of the island’s facade walls.

The project aims to enhance the deco-rative facade structures of The Pearl-Qatar and its boulevard walls as well as the illumi-nation of palm trees and the landscape stretching from the underpass up to Qatar Cool’s junction in addition to the Porto Arabia boardwalk.

The new lighting project will create an enchanting atmosphere across the island, bringing The Pearl-Qatar to life with colorful lights from sunset to sunrise.

A total number of 134 palm trees stretching from The Pearl-Qatar’s main entrance to Qatar Cool’s junction have been equipped with lights while 220 palm trees along the Porto Arabia boardwalk have been illuminated.

Another 2,780 LED light sticks including, 2100 spike light ups were added along The

Pearl-Qatar’s boulevard while LED mesh decorative lights were installed along 2,900 meters of The Pearl-Qatar’s underpass facade walls. This pioneering initiative is part of UDC’s efforts to enhance the customer

experience across The Pearl-Qatar, which is welcoming an increasing number of res-idents and visitors through its attractive shopping, dining, and entertainment offerings.

The Pearl-Qatar adorned with new light fixtures.

CRA participates in Governmental Advisory Committee meeting of ICANNTHE PENINSULA DOHA

The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) participated in the 64th session of the Govern-mental Advisory Committee (GAC) meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN64), which was held from March 9-14, 2019 in Kobe, Japan to discuss a variety of issues related to Internet governance.

During the meeting, experts from around the world met and discussed a range of important issues affecting the Internet com-munity including potential geo-graphical top-level domains, data protection regulations and public safety. In line with ICANN’s goal, aimed at ensuring the growth of Internet and its reach globally, GAC committee shared and exchanged relevant information with the committee members to ensure that they have the appro-priate knowledge and information to address any future issues.

“CRA ensures to attend and participate in international meetings like the ICANN64, as it ensures to be up to date with the latest developments in the field of Internet security and top-level Internet domain, and to adopt the best practices in this field. That contributes to the growth of the Internet and ensures that con-sumers in Qatar have the best services in the field of

information and communications technology,” said Eng. Abdulla Jassmi (pictured), Technical Affairs Department Manager, CRA.

The GAC was established in 1999 and the committee meetings are held three times a year. It is an advisory committee to ICANN, which distributes Internet Protocol address fields, allocates protocol identifiers, and manages the records system of top-level domain like .edu, .gov, and .qa. GAC provides advice to ICANN on issues that are within ICANN’s scope. The advice is determined on the basis of con-sensus and conveyed to the ICANN Board, usually in the form of an official statement issued at the end of each GAC meeting. Each statement and the minutes of GAC meetings are made available online. The next GAC meeting will be held in Mar-rakech, Morocco, from June 24-27, 2019.

Temporary closure of underpass at Al Gassar InterchangeTHE PENINSULA DOHA

The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’, has announced a temporary road closure of an underpass at Al Gassar Inter-change for road users coming from Al Khafji Street and heading towards the Pearl and Lusail via Lusail Expressway.

Designed in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic, this closure will be implemented

on Friday (March 29) for a duration of one week to allow for maintenance works in the underpass. During this period, road users coming from Al Khafji Street and heading towards Lusail or the Pearl, will be required to continue straight on the main bridge flyover and make a U-turn at the end of Al Khafji Street then use the first exit towards Lusail Expressway to reach their desti-nations, as shown in the attached map.

THE PENINSULA/DOHA

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in collab-oration with Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros Co W.L.L, dealer of Lexus vehicles in Qatar, has announced the recall of Lexus LS350, LS500 and LS500h models of 2018 due to damage in certain run-flat tires during the assembly process, possibly causing a crack on the sidewall reinforcement layer (tire inside).

The Ministry said the recall campaign comes within the framework of its ongoing efforts to protect consumers and ensure that car dealers follow up on vehicle defects and repairs.

MoCI recalls 2018 models of Lexus LS350, LS500 & LS500h

07TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019 HOME

PROCESS

ManufacturingYear

DEFECT

CONTACT

Lexus LS350, LS500, LS500h2018

Certain run-flat tires damaged during assembly process, possiblycausing a crack on the sidewall reinforcement layer (tire inside)

Contact the dealer for the free required repair

Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros Co W.L.LPhone: 8002929

FREE VEHICLERECALL

For any consumer protection issues please contact us on the hotline 16001

Shirly Rappai retires after 35 years of laudable serviceTHE PENINSULA DOHA

Shirly Rappai, Senior Vice-Principal at Birla Public School since 2004 and a mathematics teacher, is retiring at the end of this month after 35 years of laudable service in academics. Prior to her stint at Birla Public School, she was associated with MES Indian School for over 20 years where she taught math-ematics to students of the ninth and tenth grade.

“Shirly is a gifted teacher whose commitment to the profession and passion for teaching is remarkable,” said a parent of a student who in the past was herself a student of Shirly at MES Indian School. Having joined the school at its inception in 2004, Shirly has con-tributed immensely to make Birla Public School one of the top schools in Qatar in academic excellence.

Birla Public School started with just 240 students and today 15 years later it has grown to more than 7,000 students, making it the largest reputable Indian school in Qatar. As the school grew over

the years, so did her responsibilities and she gradually turned her focus towards academic affairs assisting the school principal in day-to-day administration.

During her tenure, the school has prepared and sent 10 batches over 1,400 students for the Central Board of Sec-ondary Education’s (CBSE) 12th year final exams. Almost every year it has achieved 100 percent results, with a majority of the students securing first

classes and distinctions. A feat when compared with other

schools is that Birla Public School has always achieved the highest percentage in school average. Today the Birla Public School is ranked among the top in the education sector in Qatar.

“As a teacher, it gives me immense satisfaction and pleasure when I see the remarkable performance of our students in the academic sphere. This is what any teacher would consider as the pinnacle of their achievement in their career. I am also happy that I was able to make my humble contribution in academics in Qatar during my teaching years,” said Shirly.

Shirly has won recognitions for her remarkable service as a teacher among which is a Best Teacher Award conferred twice by the MES Indian school man-agement. She considers the late Mohammed Kunhi, a long-time prin-cipal of MES, as one of her mentors in terms of discipline, qualities and achievements.

She believes in the popular proverb that, after a long innings it is good to

retire at one’s peak before you are out. Her colleagues have stated that she has been a teacher who is always fully immersed heart and soul into her work, sometimes even to the extent of sacri-ficing her personal life but she has been blessed with the wholehearted support of her family, her greatest strength.

Shirly said: “One of the most rewarding experiences of being a teacher is being showered with the love of your students. What is very heart-ening for a teacher is that students, some

of whose faces you cannot recollect, sur-prisingly meet, greet and introduce themselves wherever we travelled, even in the unlikeliest of places, whether it’s in the USA, Europe, Asia or in Australia. This is how students have shown their gratitude to me as a teacher by which we feel proud of our profession.”

Birla Public School, students and staff honoured her by giving an emo-tional farewell ceremony last week. The management committee is officially giving their farewell today at 6.30pm.

New study to examine knowledge and attitudes on tobacco useTHE PENINSULA DOHA

The staff at Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Tobacco Control Center have begun the fieldwork associated with a new study examining knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to tobacco use in Qatar.

The study is thought to be the most comprehensive investi-gation of its type in the country and will seek input from Qatari citizens and non-Qatari resi-dents, smokers and non-smokers, males and females. Employees of ministries, gov-ernment organisations, media

outlets, including Al Jazeera and Qatar TV, healthcare workers, and university students are

among those being targeted by researchers.

Dr Ahmad Al Mulla, Head of the HMC Tobacco Control Center, said that the study has been endorsed by HMC’s Medical Research Center.

The main goal of the study is to gather data on the prevalence of smoking and tobacco use among those aged 18 and above and information on the con-sumption rates of various tobacco products and parapher-nalia, including cigarettes, shisha, sweika (chewing tobacco), pipes, cigars, e-ciga-rette, and e-shisha.

Researchers will seek input from those who have tried to quit smoking and will investigate

which treatments they found most effective.

The study will also address the relationship between tobacco use and tobacco product advertisements, and knowledge, attitudes, and opinions about smoking. Dr Al Mulla said a number of related topics, including opinions on second-hand smoke and the impact of the recent rise in prices of tobacco products will also be examined.

The results of the study, which is expected to involve as many as 6,000 participants, will be released later this year and

will be used to inform gov-ernment policies and tobacco control public health initiatives.

HMC’s Tobacco Control Center provides education, support, and treatment for those wanting to stop smoking. In 2017, the Center was desig-nated as a WHO Collaborating Centre, the first in Qatar and the region. WHO Collaborating Centres, which also include research institutes and parts of universities and academies, are designated to carry out activ-ities in support of the WHO’s mandated international health work.

Dr Ahmad Al Mulla

Shirly Rappai, Senior Vice-Principal at Birla Public School.

During her tenure, the school has prepared and sent 10 batches over 1,400 students for the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) 12th year final exams. Almost every year it has achieved 100 percent results, with a majority of the students securing first classes and distinctions.

The study will also address the relationship between tobacco use and tobacco product advertisements, and knowledge, attitudes, and opinions about smoking. Dr Al Mulla said a number of related topics, including opinions on second-hand smoke and the impact of the recent rise in prices of tobacco products will also be examined.

Sidra celebrates graduation of first group of immediate medical translators in sign languageTHE PENINSULA DOHA

Sidra Medicine celebrated recently the graduation of the first group of immediate medical translators who received extensive training in sign language.

The celebration is in col-laboration with the Qatar Society for Rehabilitation of People with Special Needs (QSRSN), in which 15 staff members received training in sign language, along with spe-cialised medical terminology such as the names of medical departments, diseases, medi-cines, medical and adminis-trat ive procedures in hospitals.

The training session was attended by Naji Zakarneh, the Hearing Disability Counselor of QSRSN, and an expert on the sign language of Al Jazeera Channel, with the assistance of

some other experts in sign language.

Amir Al Mulla, Executive Director of the Qatar Society for the Rehabilitation of People with Special Needs, said that the training course comes within the framework of the great cooperation between the QSRSN, Sidra Medicine, Qatar Foundation and all the institutions in the country with all its specialties in order to enable all members of society to communicate with persons with disabilities in general and deaf in particular.

Al Mulla also praised the excellent cooperation between QSRSN and Sidra and wishing this cooperation to continue, which is in the interest of persons with disa-bilities and the society in general.

Al Mulla noted that the trainees after the end of the

course will be able to commu-nicate well and easily with persons with disabilities which enables them to communicate with the medical staff of the Sidra, and also with patients specially from children and women.

Dr Abdulla Al Kaabi, Head of the Medical Department of Sidra, stressed that Sidra is a pioneer in providing imme-diate medical translation services to all its visitors in order to improve the thera-peutic experience for the dif-ferent patients with their dif-ferent needs.

Al Kaabi added that Sidra is the first medical centre in Qatar to train its immediate medical interpreters on sign language, based on the Center’s interest in providing excellent medical services to patients and enhancing communication with patients with special needs.

An official handing over a certificate to a graduate.

The Ministry worked with its maximum capacity to complete the curriculum in one year, and that it was forced to speed up the completion of the amendments in view of the current challenges, adding this was a great achievement.

08 TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019VIEWS

Al Hammadi highlights wise leadership’s support to education

The achievements in the edu-cation sector is attributed to the support of the wise lead-ership to this vital sector,

which is a highest priority on the gov-ernment agenda and enjoys the largest share in the state budget.

Addressing the Shura Council on the state of education in the country, Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al Hammadi said that edu-cation in Qatar has undergone important turns over the last two decades and made many positive achievements despite the challenges faced in the period mentioned, adding that the sector made use of the expe-riences that education underwent, during which the sector managed to strengthen the educational process. He hoped that this meeting with the Shura Council would enrich this process and contribute to the reali-zation of the hopes and aspirations of the Qatari community.

During the meeting, Dr Al Hammadi reviewed the strategic objectives of the ministry in its plan, including the provision of the infra-structure of public and private schools, raising the level of its per-formance, improving the levels of students and their results in national and international tests and ensuring the enrollment of students with special needs in varied educational programs.

The Minister of Education and Higher Education said the sector’s objectives include attracting talent, improving the performance of teachers, raising the quality of the

performance of the Min-istry of Edu-cation and Higher Edu-cation, ensuring the effective par-ticipation of the private sector in meeting the needs of schools and universities, improving the services provided to the public, and deep-ening Qatari cultural values in all stages of study, and promoting under-

standing of other cultures.As for the outstanding educational

achievements of the last five years, His Excellency noted the quantitative achievements in the education sector, thanks to the support given by the wise leadership to this sector.

He added that the number of public schools has increased by about 100 schools, the number of Qatari students has increased by 9,000, and that of residents to 17,000 students, and the number of private schools has increased by 80, and the number of Qatari students enrolled in these schools has increased by 6,000 and 32,000 resident students.

H E Al Hammadi pointed out that the number of higher education insti-tutions rose to 26 civil and military and private universities from 16 insti-tutions in 2013, while the number of students on scholarship system reached 4000 studying outside Qatar and 5000 inside Qatar. In the last two years, he said, the Ministry of Edu-cation and Higher Education focused on raising the quality of early edu-cation, developing educational cur-ricula, enhancing teacher per-formance, improving the learning environment, expanding private schools, developing its system, upgrading the higher education system and increasing the number of universities, promoting scientific research and innovation, increasing participation in international compe-titions, developing services and raising the institutional performance of the ministry.

Regarding educational curricula, Dr Al Hammadi said that the Ministry has set the general framework of ref-erence for the curriculum for the first

time in Qatar, noting that this framework is based on the Qatar National Vision 2030, the identity of Qatar and its religious values.

He pointed out that the previous curricula included these issues, but did not have a reference document to ensure integration between them and the contents of the Qatar Vision 2030, especially in terms of strengthening religious and national values.

Touching on the changes in the curriculum recently, he said it is normal to introduce amendments time to time, to include political, social, cultural and scientific develop-ments worldwide, and absorb the observations of experts and practi-tioners in the field of education on the previous curricula.

Dr Al Hammadi stressed that the Ministry worked with its maximum capacity to complete the curriculum in one year, and that it was forced to speed up the completion of the amendments in view of the current challenges, adding this was a great achievement.

He said that one of the most important features of the new cur-riculum is the promotion of sense of belonging, identity and religious values, and the focus was on the com-petencies needed by students in terms of skills, values and behavior more than knowledge because it exists and available and easy to obtain.

He added that the Ministry is focusing on enhancing students’ abil-ities for criticism, analysis and inno-vation, rather than memorisation, as well as adopting new methods to measure learning gains to be more relevant to today’s world, to enable extensive technology and to achieve complementarity between school materials.

As for professional licenses, he explained that they have become more suitable for teachers and the field of education in general, and is currently dependent on the classroom observation of the teacher and his participation in training courses, while cancelling the professional achievement file.

H E the Minister of Education and Higher Education also pointed to reducing the burden on teacher, stressing that Qatar is among the lowest countries in the workloads for teaching and offers higher salaries than any other country.

Among the achievements pre-sented by H E the Minister was the improvement in the learning envi-ronment to be more motivating, unify school holidays, reduce school hours, promote purposeful activities, raise the level of behavioural disci-pline, develop exam procedures and others.

His Excellency noted the adoption of clear standards for the recruitment and evaluation of teachers, with expanding the opening of specialized programs in the college of education of Qatar University to meet the needs for more teachers. Currently the college holds 14 specialties with more than 2,000 students.

His Excellency also said that the ministry launched important initia-tives such as providing financial

incentives for Qataris and residents, born in Qatar and Qatari children to join the college of education then join the teaching profession.

His Excellency said there is an increase in the demand for the program, which aims to attract Qataris, Qatari children and those born in Qatar to join educational and scientific disciplines, to meet the needs of schools. His Excellency added that so far there are 900 stu-dents in the program.

HE Dr Al Hammadi said that the indicators confirm the high level of confidence of Qataris in public schools and this was shown in the significant increase in the number of students who moved to public schools.

Other achievements His Excel-lency mentioned is achieving higher education law (in the process of being approved), the completion of the national qualifications framework, establishing the national commission for qualifications and academic accreditation to monitor the quality of institutions of higher education, and the modernization of the system of procedures for equivalence of cer-tificates. In addition to embracing all students affected by the blockade and establishing educational attache offices in a number of countries.

Dr Al Hammadi added that despite these achievements, the min-istry has a lot to do to reach complete satisfaction. His Excellency added that a great deal has been achieved in terms of global education quality and the ministry seeks to develop outputs, by focusing on the quality of the cur-riculum, the teacher efficiency and student motivation.

His Excellency touched on the certificates equivalence and the pro-cedure followed by the ministry for the matter. The State has provided all opportunities to Qatari students, and has provided them with educa-tional opportunities in the world’s top universities, there is no excuse for any Qatari students to enroll in low-level universities, His Excel-lency added.

With regards to of residents’ cer-tificates authentication, H E Dr Al Hammadi said that the role of the ministry is to authenticate the validity of the certificate, but what is related to other technical matters and the suitability of the certificate holder to work is the responsibility of the min-istries and agencies wishing to employ them.

In response to a question about the length of the academic year, His Excellency said that the ministry has reduced the daily school hours in exchange for an increase in the number of days to meet international standards.

In response to a question about private schools, His Excellency stressed the ministry’s keenness on continuously evaluating quality control in these schools and meas-uring their commitment to basic sub-jects such as Arabic, Islamic and social sciences. H E Dr Al Hammadi said that the ministry is keen to strengthen the religious and national identity and values of students in these schools.

QNA

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The rising Islamophobia is not

only a threat for Muslims but for the

whole European society as it threatens

our diversity.

Federica Mogherini EU Foreign Policy Chief

The country never allowed the unjust siege imposed on it to stymie the progress of developmental works. Each project conceived under Qatar National Vision 2030 is witnessing a fast-paced progress and will be completed within the specified time frame pushing Qatar to the league of the most developed and progressive nations.

CHAIRMANSHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFIeditorinchief@pen.com.qa

ACTING MANAGING EDITORMOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMEDm.salim@pen.com.qa

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITORMOHAMMED OSMAN ALI osman@pen.com.qa

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

EDITORIAL

Another strategic milestone

Qatar achieved yet another strategic success yesterday as Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani inau-gurated the Umm Al Houl Power plant in Umm Al

Houl, south of Al Wakra. It is a quantum gallop towards securing uninterrupted supply of electricity and potable water in the country. The plant with a capacity of 2,520MW of electricity and 136.5 million gallons of desalinated water per day, it will secure 30 percent of the state’s electricity demands and 40 percent water needs. With the opening of the plant, Qatar is steadily moving towards the goal of completing many of the major strategic projects envisaged under Qatar National Vision 2030 in a time-bound manner.

Steady and enough supply of electricity is not only one of the most fundamental requirements of any stable economy, but also a strategic requirement for a country’s development. And it goes without saying that water is the quintessential necessity to sustain human life.

During the inauguration of the plant, Minister of State for Energy Affairs H E Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi said that the QR11bn project is one of the most important power projects in the State of Qatar and an addition to the long

list of projects that the state has implemented to provide the nec-essary infrastructure for devel-opment and to support compre-hensive development in the country. H E the Minister added that the project, despite all the challenges, has been completed on time, with highest technical and international standards and taking into account even the minimal impact on the environment.

The project’s importance lies in its production procedure which combines efficiency of performance through optimal utilisation of natural gas and the diversity of water purification mechanism, through the best use of thermal energy and reverse osmosis technology, which are considered the best with regard to the protection of environment by reducing the carbon footprint to a very minimum level.

Umm Al Houl Power project is one of the major milestones in the journey towards materi-alising the vision of all round development of the country and

making it self-sufficient in every fields, whether it is infra-structure, food, housing, education, sports or entertainment. The country never allowed the unjust siege imposed on it to stymie the progress of developmental works. Each project conceived under Qatar National Vision 2030 is witnessing a fast-paced progress and will be completed within the specified time frame pushing Qatar to the league of the most developed and progressive nations.

Under the wise leadership of Qatar, every citizen and resident are working like a well-oiled machine to achieve the targeted goals and the peace and stability prevailing in the country are acting as powerful catalyst in this process of development.

Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al Hammadi addressing the Shura Council on the state of education in the country, yesterday.

Trump’s decision, following US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017, could tempt other powers to annex land, undermine the roll-out of a US Middle East peace plan and tilt Israel back into conflict with its Arab neighbours, Middle East analysts say.

09TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019 OPINION

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A cloud lifts overTrump, but at a cost

US’ Golan move boosts Netanyahu but long-term risks for Israel

JULIE PACE/AP

SAMIA NAKHOUL REUTERS

The cloud that has hung over President Donald Trump since the day he walked into the White House has been lifted.

Yes, special counsel Robert Mueller left open the question of whether Trump tried to obstruct the investigation. Yes, separate federal probes still put Trump and his asso-

ciates in legal jeopardy. And yes, Democrats will spend the coming months pushing for more details from Mueller, all while launching new probes into Trump’s administration and businesses.

But at its core, Mueller’s investigation gave the president what he wanted: public affirmation that he and his cam-paign did not coordinate with Russia to win the 2016 election. After spending months tweeting “No collusion,” Trump had been proven right. The findings, summarized Sunday by the Justice Department, are sure to embolden Trump as he plunges into his re-election campaign, armed now with new fodder to claim the investigation was little more than a politically motivated effort to undermine his presidency.

“It’s a shame that our country had to go through this,” Trump said. “To be honest, it’s a shame that your pres-ident has had to go through this.” Mueller’s investigation stretched on for nearly two years, enveloping Trump’s presidency in a cloud of uncertainty and sending him into

frequent fits of rage. The scope of the probe was sweeping: Mueller issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, obtained nearly 500 search warrants and inter-viewed 500 witnesses, including some of the president’s closest advisers.

And Trump’s ultimate vindication on the question of collusion with Russia came at a steep cost.

The investigation took down his campaign chairman, his White House national security adviser and his longtime lawyer. It revealed the extent of Moscow’s desire to swing the 2016 contest toward Trump, as well as Trump’s pursuit of business deals in Russia deep into the campaign. And the Justice Department didn’t explain why so many Trump associates lied throughout the investigation.

But in the end, Mueller concluded that those lies were not an effort to obscure a criminal conspiracy by Trump and his advisers to work with Russia. There was smoke, and plenty of it - including an eyebrow-raising meeting between Trump’s son and a Russian lawyer - but ultimately, no fire.

“Good day for the rule of law. Great day for President Trump and his team,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. “Bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down.” Democrats quickly sought to puncture Trump and fellow Republicans’ jubilation, vowing to subpoena Mueller’s full report, which remains a secret. After spending years questioning Trump’s ties to Moscow, the Democrats’ focus is shifting to the question Mueller pointedly left unanswered: whether Trump obstructed the investigation by firing FBI Director James Comey and dictating a misleading statement about his son’s meeting with the Russian lawyer.

“The fact that special counsel Mueller’s report does not exonerate

the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay,” House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.

The fight for those documents will be lengthy and contentious, particu-larly against the backdrop of the 2020 presidential election. It will involve complex debates over the rules that govern special counsel investigations, which put a member of Trump’s Cabinet in charge of summarizing Mueller’s findings for the public, and a president’s right to keep his private discussions out of the public eye.

Previewing the case Democrats will make to get more details about Trump’s actions, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., declared: “Executive privilege cannot be used to shield or hide wrongdoing.” For Trump and his associates, the argument will be far simpler: Demo-crats already tried to go after the pres-ident once and failed.

“Just as important a victory as this is for President Trump, this is a crushing defeat for Democrats and members of the media who have pushed the collusion delusion myth for the past two years. That officially ends today,” said Jason Miller, a former Trump campaign official.

Trump’s legal troubles are far from over. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are pursuing at least two criminal inquiries involving the pres-ident or people in his orbit, one involving his inaugural committee and another focused on the hush-money scandal that led his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to plead guilty last year to campaign finance violations.

US President Donald Trump’s call for recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights was

manna from heaven for Prime Min-ister Benjamin Netanyahu two weeks before an election.

For many Arabs, it crushed any hope that there will one day be a negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians and increased doubts that Washington is an impartial arbiter.

But allies and enemies can agree on one thing: Trump’s statement last Thursday was a turning point in US policy over territory Israel captured from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed in 1981, in a move the UN Security Council declared unlawful.

“I am confident that the Lord is at work here,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was in Israel when Trump made his announcement on Twitter, told the Christian Broad-casting Network in an interview.

Netanyahu, who has thanked Trump for the announcement , is seeking re-election on April 9 but faces a tough battle and possible indictment in three corruption cases in which he denies wrongdoing.

He met Trump on yesterday on a trip highlighting what Netanyahu calls the strongest ever bond between an Israeli leader and a US president, though Trump has said his decision on

the Golan Heights was not connected with the election. But Trump’s decision, following US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017, could tempt other powers to annex land, undermine the roll-out of a US Middle East peace plan and tilt Israel back into conflict with its Arab neighbours, Middle East analysts say. “Donald Trump has made sure that Israel will be in a per-petual state of war with its Arab neighbours for many decades to come,” said Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics and author of the book Making the Arab World.

“What Trump has done is to hammer a deadly nail in the coffin of the peace process and Arab-Israeli reconciliation. This is a fundamental turning point. There is nothing left to discuss anymore.”

Trump’s move is, according to many analysts, partly intended to boost his own chances of re-election in 2020, by targeting the vast pool of US evangelical Christians. Many of them voted for his in 2016 and they are championed in his administration by Pompeo, Vice President Mike Pence and others.

The announcement on the Golan Heights was the latest in a flurry of decisions that are widely seen as intended to redraw the contours of the

Israeli-Arab conflict. Most have ticked the wish-list

of Israel’s right-wing government and met longstanding demands of its US supporters, including US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital. The Arab east of the city was occupied by Israel and then annexed after 1967 in a move that is legally repudiated internationally.

White House officials say the decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights acknowledge the reality on the ground, which they say must be the basis for legitimate peace negotiations.

Trump’s Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt, said it was incon-ceivable Israel “would allow the Golan to be controlled by the state of Syria or by any of the rogue actors operating in the areas, including Iran.”

But with Sunni Arab leaders dealing with crises in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Sudan and Qatar, and their standoff with non-Arab Shi’ite Iran, they are less focused on Israel.

Trump’s aides have indicated pri-vately that they believe his moves on Jerusalem have provoked a less severe reaction in the Arab world than experts had predicted, a person familiar with the matter said on con-dition of anonymity.

In particular, they did not appear to have blocked behind-the-scenes security contacts developed in recent years between Israel and the United States’ Gulf allies over their common enemy Iran, the person said.

Aides’ advice to Trump on recog-nition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights was that Washington could again weather the storm, the same person said.

Support for the move in the Trump administration had gained momentum over the past year as Israel increasingly expressed concern about Iranian forces and their proxies taking up positions in southwestern Syria, the official said.

John Bolton, Trump’s national security adviser and one of the administration’s leading Iran hawks, was an important proponent of the policy shift, the official said.

But sceptics say the move will also give Iran and its local ally Hezbollah what they would see as justification for new attacks on Israel and ham-string anti-Iranian Arab leaders if they are seen to accept the US move.

The Trump administration has identified Iran as its main target in the Middle East, and withdrew from the deal signed by Tehran, the United States and other world powers in 2015 on curbing Iran’s nuclear programme.

Mueller concluded that those lies were not an effort to obscure a criminal conspiracy by Trump and his advisers to work with Russia. There was smoke, and plenty of it - including an eyebrow-raising meeting between Trump’s son and a Russian lawyer - but ultimately, no fire.

But after the moves on Jeru-salem and the Golan Heights, Iran and Hezbollah may feel better able to present themselves as the only steadfast allies of the Palestinian cause.

They could also play into the hands of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad by helping him in his por-trayals of Israel and the United States as enemies.

“This will give further power to the Iran axis of resistance between Iran-Hezbollah-Assad against Israel and the US,” said Galip Dalay, visiting fellow at Oxford University and a fellow at Brookings Doha. “This axis has just been given a very strong symbolic victory and this will give them the high ground.”

He said Arab leaders could not publicly support Trump’s decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights because it would threaten their popularity, in some cases already low.

“From the Arab standpoint, this makes them more hesitant to be supportive because the political space they need to manoeuvre has been eroded,” said Dennis Ross, a veteran Middle East negotiator. “Each move by this administration has put Arab states on the defensive.”

Ross also suggested that US recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights could embolden the Israeli right-wing to step up its push for annexing settle-ments in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.

“I worry that the right in Israel can say ‘they recognized this. It will be a matter of time before we can annex all or part of the West Bank’,” he said. “That would be the end of the two-state solution.”

A general view shows the town of Majdal Shams near the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

10 TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

Cars piling up in a street in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz, yesterday. At least 17 people were killed and 74 injured in floods that swept across most Iranian provinces, the country’s emergency services said.

Flash floods in Iran kill at least 17, injure 74AP TEHRAN

Flash floods in southern Iran have killed at least 17 people and injured 74, Iranian state TV reported yesterday.

Heavy rains outside the city of Shiraz triggered the sudden flooding, according to the head of Iran’s emergency medical services, Pirhossein Koulivand. State TV earlier said most of the people killed had been trying to take videos of the flooding on their phones.

The provinces of Fars, Kurdistan, Qom and Isfahan were on alert for imminent flooding, and the water authority in the capital, Tehran, said floods were a possibility there as well.

Enayatollah Rahimi, gov-ernor of Fars province, said

the flooding is under control and aid work is in progress, but asked people “to stay in their homes,” the semi-official Isna news agency reported. The northern prov-inces of Golestan and Maz-andaran have been struggling with flooding for over a week, and five people have been killed, according to the state-run Press TV channel.

Over 56,000 people have been affected in various cities and rural areas in the two provinces as a result of heavy rainfall that hit on March 19 and 20. Iran’s metrology department had warned about the heavy rains in various areas across Iran.

Last year, at least 30 people were killed by flash floods in the Iranian province of Eastern Azerbaijan.

Israel strikes Gaza after rare rocket attack near Tel AvivAFP TEL AVIV/GAZA CITY

Israel launched strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza yesterday hours after a rocket from the Pales-tinian enclave hit a house near Tel Aviv and wounded seven people, leading to fears of a severe escalation.

The retaliatory strikes were begun around the same time as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump in Washington, with explosions rocking areas of the Gaza Strip and balls of fire rising into the sky.

In comments from the White House, Netanyahu said “Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression,” while Trump spoke of Israel’s “right to defend itself.”

Netanyahu said he would return home after meeting Trump, cancelling an address to pro-Israel lobby AIPAC’s annual conference today.

The flare-up comes at a highly sensitive time for Israel, which holds elections on April 9.

A security source in Gaza said there had been a range of strikes in various locations across the enclave.

One destroyed a building in Gaza City that Israel alleged was a secret headquarters for Hamas security and intelligence.

Residents of Gaza said the building was known to house the Hamas-linked Multasim insurance company. Hamas’s interior security office in Gaza City was also hit.

So far there have been no reports of any casualties in Gaza.

“If there is any violation of the red lines by the occupation, our people will not surrender and the resistance is able to deter it,” Hamas leader Ismail Haniyah said.

Israel’s army said the rocket was fired by Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, from the Rafah area in the south of the territory.

A Hamas official denied the group was behind the rocket, evoking the possibility it was caused by “bad weather”. The official said the same message had been passed to Egypt, which has acted as mediator between Israel and Hamas.

Egypt was working to head off severe Israeli retaliation, the official said. Israeli roads near the Gaza Strip were closed and farming activities in the area were halted.

Israel also closed its people and goods crossings with the blockaded Gaza Strip and reduced the zone in the Mediter-ranean it allows for Palestinian fishermen off the enclave, a statement said.

The house hit was located in the community of Mishmeret, around 20km north of Tel Aviv, police said. The rocket would have had to travel some 120km from Rafah to hit there. Rocket fire from Gaza at that distance is rare. The hospital treating the wounded said seven Israelis were injured lightly by burns and shrapnel, including three children.

The house was destroyed in the wake of the rocket and sub-sequent fire, with burnt wood, a children’s toy and other debris piled at the site.

Police spokesman Ami Ben David said air raid sirens wailed at around 5:15 am and the home’s residents made their way to a safe room, possibly saving their lives. The rocket crashed through the roof and then exploded when it hit the floor, he said.

Hamas’s ally in Gaza, Islamic Jihad, said it would respond to any “aggression,” without com-menting on who may have been responsible for the rocket.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008, and Netanyahu is believed to want to avoid another one with unpredictable results ahead of

the elections. But he faces a tough challenge from a centrist political alliance led by former military chief Benny Gantz and came under pressure to react firmly.

Gantz asked on Twitter, referring to corruption allega-tions against Netanyahu, whether the prime minister would “finally focus on the security of the citizens of Israel instead of dealing only with his legal concerns.”

In a speech to AIPAC yes-terday, Gantz commended Netanyahu’s decision to return to Israel and said he would do

the same later in the day.Yesterday’s incident follows

another rare one on March 14 in which two rockets were fired from Gaza towards Tel Aviv. No damage or injuries were caused, but Israel responded to that and further rocket fire by hitting what it said were around 100 Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip. Four Pales-tinians were reported wounded in those strikes.

Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad denied they were behind the March 14 rocket fire towards Tel Aviv, raising the possibility they were launched by fringe groups.

Jordan King cancels Romanian trip over JerusalemAFP/AMMAN

Jordan’s King Abdullah II cancelled a visit yesterday to Romania after its prime minister vowed to move her country’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, his office said.

The king “decided to cancel his visit to Romania, which was due to begin yesterday, in sol-idarity with Jerusalem” fol-lowing the announcement by Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, a royal court statement said.

Dancila’s promise, made on Sunday at the annual con-ference of the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC in Washington, broke with the position of both the European Union and her own president.

“I, as prime minister of Romania, and the government that I run, will move our embassy to Jerusalem,” said Dancila, whose country holds t h e E U ’ s r o t a t i n g chairmanship.

Romania’s centrist Pres-ident Klaus Iohannis, who has opposed the embassy transfer as a breach of international law, criticized Dancila.

“Because of the amateurism of the prime minister our relation with this region is damaged”, Iohannis said Monday during a meeting with mayors from across Romania.

“Romania built a relation based on trust with the Arab world... Now the prime minister has managed to cripple it. And for what? For nothing”, Iohannis said, adding that King Abdullah took Dancila’s decision as a “personal affront”.

The move would align Romania with the United States which moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem last year, sparking international criticism and Palestinian and Arab anger.

AFP/DAMASCUS

The Syrian government said that Washington’s recognition of Israeli claims over the Golan Heights were a blatant attack on its sovereignty. US President Donald Trump yesterday signed a proclamation recognising Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, a border area seized from Syria in 1967.

“In a blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, the president of the US has recognised the annexation of the Syrian Golan,” a foreign ministry source said, according to state news agency Sana. “Trump does not have the right and the legal authority to legitimise the occupation,” he said.

UN Chief: Golan status has not changedREUTERS/UNITED NATIONS

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “clear that the status of Golan has not changed,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said yesterday after US President Donald Trump recog-nised the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.

“The UN’s policy on Golan is reflected in the relevant reso-lutions of the Security Council and that policy has not changed,” Dujarric said. Israel seized the strategic land from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war. A UN Security Council resolution adopted unanimously by the 15-member body in 1981 declared that Israel’s “decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without inter-national legal effect.” It also demanded Israel rescind its decision.

Trump recognises Israeli control of Golan Heights

AGENCIES WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation yesterday recog-nising Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, reversing more than a half-century of U.S. policy.

Standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump made formal a move he announced in a tweet last week. The president said it was time for the US to take the step after 52 years of Israeli control of the stra-tegic highlands on the border with Syria.

Netanyahu had pressed for such recognition for months. Trump’s action gives him a political boost weeks before what’s expected to be a close Israeli election.

Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war but its sovereignty over the territory is not recognised by the international community.

“Today, aggressive action by Iran and terrorist groups in southern Syria, including Hez-bollah, continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel— very violent attacks,” Trump said. “This should have been done numerous pres-idents ago,” Trump said.

Meanwhile, Moscow said it feared “a new wave of tensions” in the Middle East following the decision by Washington to rec-ognise Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, which are claimed by Russian ally Syria.

“Unfortunately, this could drive a new wave of tensions in the Middle East region,” Russia’s

foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a radio broadcast, according to Russian news agencies.

Turkey said yesterday the US is ignoring international laws by recognizing Israeli sovereignty over occupied Golan Heights.

“The US once again ignored international laws, however, this decision will never legitimise Israel’s annexation,” Foreign Min-ister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in a tweet. Condemning the move, Cavusoglu said: “The decision will hinder the peace efforts in the Middle East and escalate tensions in the region.”

Israel has long lobbied the US to recognise its claim over the Golan Heights, but all past admin-istration refused to heed the calls.

Israel occupies roughly two-thirds of the wider Golan Heights as a de facto result of the conflict.

Syria says US Golan move blatant attack on its sovereignty

→ Turkey: US ignoring international law on Golan Heights→ Russia warns of ‘new wave’ of Mideast tensions

Fire and smoke billow above buildings in Gaza City during Israeli strikes, yesterday.

UN appeals for $282m to help Mozambique for three monthsAP UNITED NATIONS

The United Nations is making an emergency appeal for $282m for the next three months to help Mozambique start recovering from the devastation of Cyclone Idai.

UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said Monday the funding will be used for water, sanitation, education and restoring the livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

He said separate appeals will be made shortly for Zimbabwe and Malawi, also hard-hit by the cyclone.

Lowcock said funds for cyclone victims are starting to come through, including 22 million pounds from the United Kingdom, but are far outstripped by the needs.

UNICEF head Henrietta Fore just visited Mozambique’s ravaged port city of Beira and said “it’s a race against time” to help the dis-placed and prevent disease.

Over 9,000 foreign IS relatives in Syria camp: Kurdish officialAFP/AIN ISSA, SYRIA

More than 9,000 foreigners, mostly children, linked to the Islamic State group are present in a camp for the displaced in northeast Syria, a Kurdish spokesman said yesterday.

The total number of for-eigners in Al-Hol camp includes more than 6,500 children, Luqman Ahmi, official spokesman for the Kurdish authorities said. The figure was from a week ago, he said, before the US-led Kurdish-backed Syrian Democratic Forces announced the end of the IS “caliphate” in the eastern village of Baghouz. Tens of thousands of people fled the shrinking jihadist bastion over the past months. Suspected mii-tants have been weeded out and detained.

It moved to formally annex the territory in 1981 — an action unan-imously rejected at the time by the UN Security Council.

AFP KOCHI

The body of an Indian student killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks was returned yesterday to her grieving family in Kochi, where relatives remembered a bright young woman dedicated to her studies.

Masters student Ansi Alibava, 25, was among at least five Indians shot dead by a white supremacist in New Zealand on March 15 and her body was the first of two to be repatriated.

Her body arrived at an airport in Kochi in the southern Indian state of Kerala early yes-terday where it was received by relatives and government offi-cials. It was then taken to her

nearby hometown of Kodun-gallur and put on display — her mother Razia and brother Asif Ali weeping over the coffin.

“She hails from a poor family and her whole family counted on her. She was a girl who took up the challenge to succeed in life in all adverse circumstances,” said K I Noushad, Alibava’s uncle.

She was praying at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch with her husband, Abdul Nazer, when the Australian gunman opened fire on worshippers, killing 43. Another seven were murdered at a separate mosque when the shooter later turned his weapon on Muslims there in the worst violence of its kind ever seen in New Zealand. Some fam-ilies have opted for burials in

Christchurch itself, where a national remembrance service for the victims will be held on Friday, two weeks after the tragedy that shocked the world.

Alibava started supporting her family after her father died five years ago in Saudi Arabia where he had been working.

She took out thousands of dollars in loans to fund her studies in business agriculture at Christchurch’s Lincoln Uni-versity. Alibava’s cousin, P H Niyas, said the dedicated student was soon to finish her studies.

“She had gone there last year, the course was due to finish by April. There was to be a six-month training (course) after which she was to return home by December,” said Niyas.

11TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019 ASIA

Rahul vows `72K minimum income to poorIANS NEW DELHI

Congress President Rahul Gandhi said yesterday that nearly 25 crore poor people in the country will get financial assistance of `72,000 per annum if the party is voted to power under the ambitious minimum income guarantee scheme which the party has named “Nyay”.

Announcing the details of the party’s promised scheme at a media briefing here, Gandhi said the Congress will provide `72,000 per annum to 20

percent of the poorest families in the country. The scheme will benefit 5 crore families and 25 crore individuals directly, according to Gandhi.

He said the scheme was “unprecedented in the world”. “Nyay” (the minimum income

scheme) will be the Congress’ major poll promise ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and Gandhi termed it as “a final assault on poverty”.

He said the “minimum income line” is `12,000 per annum and the scheme will benefit individuals earning less than that.

“Congress guarantees that 20 percent of the most poor families will be given `72,000 crore every year. The amount will be transferred directly to the accounts of 20 percent of the poorest families,” Gandhi said at the beginning of his press conference.

However, he subsequently clarified that the scheme will supplement the income of the poor if it is less than `12,000 per month.

“The minimum income line is `12,000 per month. Whatever the difference — say the income is `6,000 — we will top it up. Those who earn less than `12,000, we will take their earnings to `12,000,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi said the scheme will be implemented in phases and there will be a pilot project. He said the scheme was “fiscally perfectly possible” and

the entire calculations have been already done. The Con-gress also held detailed analysis with leading economists on the matter. “It is doable and we are going to do it,” the Congress President said. Gandhi also tar-geted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the PM-KISAN scheme launched last month, saying that it hardly provides any assistance to the farmers.

“You are being misled. If Modi can provide money to the rich, the Congress can give it to the most poor. Our pockets are being cut daily,” he said.

“We have kept our promise of farm loan waiver in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhat-tisgarh,” he added.

Gandhi also referred to the Mgnrega, the rural employment guarantee scheme introduced by the UPA government, and said that it had taken 14 crore people out of poverty in its first phase.

“This is the second and final operation. We will bring 25 crore people out of poverty. This ground-breaking idea is the final assault on poverty,” he said. Gandhi, who addressed the media after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), refused to take questions on other political issues.

Sources in the Congress said that party General-Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was among the leaders who had suggested giving a Hindi name to the ambitious scheme to have better connect with the voters.

Announcing the details of the party’s promised scheme at a media briefing here, Gandhi said the Congress will provide `72,000 per annum to 20 percent of the poorest families in the country. The scheme will benefit 5 crore families and 25 crore individuals directly, according to Gandhi.

The supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party, Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (Bimal Gurung faction) and Gorkha National Liberation Front jointly welcome candidate for Darjeeling constituency, Raju Bista (centre), as he waves at Bagdogra Airport, some 20km from Siliguri, yesterday.

Dozens of Bangladesh migrants trafficked to Vanuatu stuck in limboREUTERS DHAKA

Dozens of Bangladeshis who say they were trafficked to Vanuatu with the promise of jobs are stuck in limbo and struggling to survive while awaiting justice and the option of returning home.

About 101 migrants who arrived in the Pacific island nation over the course of the last two years say they were promised decent work, but ended up being exploited by their supposed bosses — who were arrested in November on trafficking charges.

Four Bangladeshis charged with trafficking are due in court in Vanuatu next month, said the Vanuatu Human Rights Coa-lition, a charity that is supporting the alleged victims along with the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Bangladesh officials say they have asked Vanuatu and the IOM — which is facilitating dia-logue between the two govern-ments — to provide details about their citizens in order to start the

repatriation process, but have received no information to date.

Vanuatu’s Interior Minister, Andrew Soloman Napuat, said that the government would wait for a court decision before taking any steps to repatriate the group. In the meantime, the migrants, all men and two children, are surviving on rations and handouts — and fearful for the future.

“If we stay here, there’s nothing; if we go home, we don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Harun Or Rashid, who was promised a job in Australia, adding that the men were worried about how they will repay loans to relatives and banks at home.

Lured by the promise of jobs as salesmen in Vanuatu and nearby Australia, the Bangla-deshis said they had sold property and taken out loans worth up to $20,000 to pay for the move. Once the migrants landed in Vanuatu, they were forced to work at a construction site building a market, subjected to beatings, and denied the money they were promised, Rashid said.

An Indian Air Force personnel walks past CH-47F(I) Chinook helicopters during their induction ceremony at an Air Force Station in Chandigarh, India, yesterday.

Bangladesh says no hurry to relocate RohingyaREUTERS DHAKA

Bangladesh is not in a hurry to relocate Rohingya refugees to a Bay of Bengal island, a minister said yesterday, after the United Nations sought more details on the government’s plan, criticised by some human rights groups.

Bangladesh wants to move

100,000 of the nearly 1 million Rohingya Muslims sheltered in cramped camps in its south-eastern district of Cox’s Bazar to the remote island, known as Bhasan Char, which it has been developing for the past two years. The United Nations is making plans to help Bang-ladesh with the move.

But in a statement, the world body called for a thorough

assessment to ensure the via-bility of the move, saying it was discussing “critical protection and operational issues” ahead of any relocation.

“We’re also examining the potential operational implica-tions of setting up a humani-tarian response on Bhasan Char, including the requirements, time frames and costs involved,” it said. Bangladesh is in talks

with UN humanitarian bodies, and working on their observa-tions, said Enamur Rahman, the junior minister for disaster management and relief.

“So we are going a little slow. There’s no exact date to relocate,” he added.

“We are not in a hurry and it will start only when all these UN bodies and Rohingya people feel the area is ready.”

Sri Lanka imposes daily 4-hour power cutsAP COLOMBO

Sri Lanka’s state-run power agency announced yesterday that it will cut electricity for four hours on weekdays as dry weather lowers the output of hydropower plants.

The Ceylon Electricity Board said power will be shut off for three hours in the daytime and one hour at night on weekdays.

On Saturdays, it will be cut for three hours and there will be no cuts on Sundays and public holidays.

The board said dry, hot weather has caused energy demand to rise while water levels in reservoirs have fallen, forcing it to “restrict electricity generation from hydropower plants to save the water for drinking and irrigation require-ments.” Sri Lanka depends largely on hydropower for elec-tricity. During the dry season, it faces cuts when water levels go down, making it difficult to generate power.

The announcement came three days after the gov-ernment tested artificial rain-making in the tea-growing mountain region where most of the hydroelectric power is generated in a bid to reduce power outages.

About 45 minutes of arti-ficial rain fell Friday in the area of the Maussakelle reservoir, about 135 kilometers east of the capital, Colombo. The Power and Energy Ministry said it will continue to create artificial rain over the next two weeks in the hill country.

Body of Kerala student in NZ attack returns home

PANAJI: Goa is on alert following a tip off from central intelligence agencies about a possible attack on Israeli tourists in the state in what they called “possible revenge” for the terror attack at the Christchurch mosques last week which killed 50 worshippers, police said yesterday. Police sources said that the alert had been issued to several states and union terri-tories which have Jewish syna-gogues, sizeable Jewish residents or attract Israeli tourists. “We have to keep a look out and

secure areas frequented by Israeli tourists as well as a prayer house they have in North Goa. The threat, according to the inputs, comes from a possible attack by Islamic State or the Al Qaeda to avenge for the New Zealand mosque killings,” a senior police official said on condition of anonymity.

According to statistics, several dozen Israelis were on long-duration visas in Goa and often congregate to pray at a Chabad house (a Jewish outreach centre) in North Goa.

Alert in Goa over Christchurch attacks retaliation: Report

Hema Malini files nominationMATHURA: Actor-turned-politician and sitting MP Hema Malini yesterday filed her nomination papers from Mathura for the coming polls. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is accompanying the film star-turned-Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Mathura. This is the second time she has secured a ticket for Mathura, her parliamentary constituency. The Congress has fielded Mahesh Pathak and the SP-BSP-RLD alliance’s candidate is Kunwar Narendra Singh.

Deve Gowda files nomination BENGALURU: Karnataka’s ruling coalition partner Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and his grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy yesterday filed their nominations from Tumkur and Mandya Lok Sabha constituencies respectively.

Kamal Haasan to campaign for TrinamoolKOLKATA: Popular actor and Tamil Nadu-based Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan, who met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here yesterday, will campaign for her Trinamool Congress in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The Trinamool has fielded eight-time Congress MP Manoranjan Bhakta’s grandson Ayan Mondal as its candidate in the Andaman and Nicobar constituency.

Induction ceremony

12 TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019ASIA

Imran hopeful of finding large oil, gas reserves at sea INTERNEWS ISLAMABAD

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday said his government was hopeful of finding large oil and gas reserves which could make the country self-sufficient in energy.

Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, the Premier said, “We are hopeful of finding large reserves of gas and oil in the sea near Karachi. The nation should pray for this and I will soon share good news regarding this. God willing the reserves will be so large that we will not need to import any oil,” he shared.

Taking a hit at the opposition parties, the PM said, “If the opposition wants to create a hue and cry, we are ready to provide them with containers to protest at D-Chowk. The opposition is joining hands to hide personal theft. No blackmailing will work and nor will anyone be given the National Reconciliation Ordi-nance (NRO).

“I presented a 40-year-old money trail in court,” he said while adding that opposition leaders make faces when he enters the Parliament.

“A minute in Parliament costs the country Rs80,000 and all the opposition does on the floor is cry,” he stated. “The opposition is not thinking about

the nation at all. Other than talking about hiding corruption, opposition leaders do not raise any other issues on the floor of the House. In the past, Pakistan People’s Party laundered billions of dollars through fake bank accounts. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is crying foul because he fears the National Accountability Bureau (NAB),” Imran added. Imran said the accountability watchdog worked independently of the government.

Imran said the last PML-N government left a debt of Rs30,000bn. He said the gov-ernment was providing Nawaz Sharif with all medical facilities and Sharif could seek treatment wherever he wished within the country.

Speaking about relations with Afghanistan, the Premier said, “The Afghan Taliban wanted to meet me but the government in Kabul protested so I did not meet them. We want friendly relations with Afghanistan. If there is peace in Afghanistan then there will be peace in Pakistan.

Family members, relatives and members of the public attend the funeral prayers for Syed Areeb Ahmad in Karachi, yesterday. Ahmad was among nine Pakistanis who died in Christchurch mosque attacks.

Pakistani victim of NZ attacks laid to rest in KarachiAFP KARACHI

Hundreds gathered to pay their final respects as one of the Paki-stani victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks was laid to rest in Karachi yesterday.

Syed Areeb Ahmad was one of nine Pakistani nationals mur-dered in the New Zealand city earlier the month, when an accused white supremacist gunman killed 50 Muslim wor-shippers in two mosques.

Ahmad’s body was flown to Karachi and transported to a rel-ative’s house where family and friends gathered before heading

to the cemetery for the burial. “It was very painful for the

parents and all of us to wait. His funeral is taking place now that is a bit of relief for us,” said Ahmad’s uncle Aleemullah Khan.

“But his father is in so much agony as Areeb was his only son and the provider for the family,” he added.

The other eight Pakistani victims were buried in New Zealand, according to the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad.

Ahmad’s burial comes days after Pakistani officials posthu-mously awarded Naeem Rashid - a Pakistani who tried to tackle the gunman before being shot

dead - with the order of bravery during Pakistan Day celebrations over the weekend.

During a visit to Islamabad yesterday, the EU’s Diplomatic Chief Federica Mogherini offered her condolences to the victim’s families, while warning against the growing threat of Islamophobia.

“It’s a threat not only for Muslims but also for our soci-eties because the strength of our societies lies in their diversity and whoever attacks the diversity of our societies, attacks the entire society, not just one segment of it,” Mogherini told a press conference.

Pakistan rules out possibility of use of nuclear weaponsINTERNEWS ISLAMABAD

Pakistan is ruling out the possi-bility of using its nuclear weapons and sees them as more of a deterrence tool to prevent actual wars, the spokesman for the Pakistan Army Major General Asif Ghafoor said in an interview published here yesterday.

“Since we have gone overtly nuclear, as India also, in 1998, our stance is that this capability eliminates the possibility of a conventional war between the two states. So that is to say, this is a weapon of deterrence and a political choice. No sane country

having this capability would talk about using it,” Ghafoor said in the interview published by The News daily newspaper.

The official noted that even though the country’s protection was of utmost importance, it would be “insane” to discuss the use of nuclear weapons.

He also pointed out Paki-stan’s willingness to take steps towards non-proliferation of nuclear arms - but only if India does the same.

“Pakistan will undertake anything which is based on equality. You cannot tie the hands of Pakistan and keep India open. Anything that happens

should happen for both coun-tries,” Ghafoor said.

He said Pakistan was nego-tiating defence industry cooper-ation with Russia in the areas of aviation, air defence systems and anti-tank missiles.

The spokesman declined to clarify which items were on the agenda of talks, but noted that Pakistan was open to various offers. “Nothing is out. Anything and everything, which is possible to be purchased by Pakistan, will be done,” Ghafoor said.

He further noted that Pakistan would welcome Rus-sia’s role in mediating the recently inflamed tensions

between Pakistan and India. “We would welcome any third-party mediation, which can bring peace in the region. And Russia is more than welcome,” Ghafoor said.

According to the spokesman, Pakistan valued Russia’s role in the Afghan settlement process and recognised its importance in regional processes.

“We greatly value the rele-vance and importance of Russia in the region, especially what role Russia has lately played toward the Afghan reconcili-ation. Russia looks toward balance of power and multi-polarity in the world.

General Ghafoor rejected India’s claims that Pakistan used US-made F-16 to down Indian aircraft in late February, stating that PAC JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft developed jointly with China were used instead.

“The aircraft which engaged those targets and fought them were JF-17. As regard to how to use F-16, in what context [they] were used or not - because at that point of time our entire Air Force was airborne now it remains between Pakistan and the US to see how the MoUs regarding the use of F-16 have been adhered to or otherwise,” Ghafoor said.

Former Thai PM alleges poll riggingAFP HONG KONG

Thailand’s election was “rigged” to ensure the military retain their grip on power, former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra, a towering behind-the-scenes figure in the politically turbulent kingdom, said yesterday.

Junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha, an arch foe of ousted bil-lionaire tycoon Thaksin, appears poised for victory after his army-linked party made a strong showing in Sunday’s poll, aided by a new constitution that gives him a head start.

Election officials delayed without explanation a full announcement of preliminary results as a blizzard of com-plaints mount over apparent mistakes in the count and pos-sible irregularities.

Now Thaksin has broken a months-long silence to add his voice to the mix, accusing the military of stacking the deck ahead of the vote and using dirty tricks at the ballot box.

“Everyone knows in Thailand, everyone international that observed the election in Thailand, knows that (there) is irregularities,” he said. “What we call, we should call, rigged elec-tions is there. It’s not good for Thailand.”

Thaksin was speaking to AFP yesterday afternoon from a luxury hotel in Hong Kong where he watched as results came in

from a homeland he has not set foot in for more than a decade.

The 69-year-old tycoon was ousted in a 2006 coup and has since chosen self-exile in Dubai.

But he has remained a crucial component of Thailand’s decade-long treadmill of pro-tests and coups - a populist loved by his largely rural poor base and loathed by a royalist military elite and their wealthy Bangkok allies.

Parties linked to his family have won every election since 2001, only to find themselves toppled by coups, street protests and court rulings.

Thaksin’s sister Yingluck was herself ousted in a 2014 putsch, and is also living in self-exile.

The next Prime Minister

needs to win a simple majority in the 500-seat lower house and a 250-seat senate. But the latter will be entirely appointed by the junta, giving Prayut, who is standing, a huge leg-up.

Partial figures released late yesterday showed the Thaksin-linked Pheu Thai party had earned 137 of the 350 available constituency seats so far, not enough to take on Prayut’s Palang Pracharat party which so far has 97 seats but can rely on the Senate.

Prayut’s party also racked up 7.6 million votes with more than 90 percent of votes tallied, nearly half a million more than Pheu Thai. Full results and seat numbers might take weeks to be released.

Thailand’s Election Commission Secretary-General Jarungvith Phumma speaks during a press conference in Bangkok, yesterday.

PM Imran Khan says the country may no longer need to import oil and gas once the discovery is complete.

Islamabad, EU agree to strategic partnership in diverse fieldsINTERNEWS ISLAMABAD

Pakistan and the European Union have agreed to a new Strategic Engagement Plan to build a strong partnership in diverse fields.

The understanding came at the fourth round of Strategic Dialogue between Pakistan and the European Union in Islamabad yesterday.

Pakistani side at the dia-logue was led by Foreign Min-ister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while the EU by its Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini.

Later addressing a joint news conference along with Federica Mogherini, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was confident that the engagement plan, which will be formally signed in Brussels, will lay the foundation for a bright future between Pakistan and the European Union.

He said trade between Pakistan and the European Union had doubled after grant of GSP Plus status to Pakistan in 2013.

He said the present gov-ernment was keen to enhance exports to Europe and fix the trade deficit issue, besides cre-ating more jobs for Pakistanis through trade with Europe.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he also apprised the EU delegation about the steps taken by Pakistan to fulfil FATF commitments as well as the steps taken to cleanse the tribal belt.

The Foreign Minister said the two sides also held discus-sions on the INGOs. He pointed out that seventy five INGOs were registered and working in Pakistan.

Mogherini said the new Strategic Partnership Plan will lay a strong foundation for part-nership between Pakistan and the EU and further boost their future cooperation.

She said there was a con-vergence of beliefs between the two sides on many issues, including Afghanistan. She said both sides agreed to work together in many fields.

Mogherini appreciated Pakistan’s stance on de-esca-lating tension with India and crack down of the Pakistani security forces against the terrorists.

She said the European Union fully supports Pakistan in its drive against the terrorists.

New Zealand orders top-level inquiry into mosque attacksAFP WELLINGTON

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday ordered an independent judicial inquiry into whether police and intelligence services could have prevented the Christchurch mosque attacks on March 15.

Ardern said a royal com-mission - the most powerful judicial probe available under New Zealand law - was needed to find out how a single gunman was able to kill 50 people in an attack that shocked the world.

“It is important that no stone is left unturned to get to how this act of terrorism occurred and how we could have stopped it,” she told reporters.

New Zealand’s spy agencies have faced criticism in the wake of the attack for concentrating on the threat from Islamic extremism.

Instead, the victims were all Muslims and the massacre was allegedly carried out by a white supremacist fixated on the belief that there was an Islamist plot to “invade” Western countries.

“One question we need to answer is whether or not we could or should have known more,” Ardern said.

“New Zealand is not a sur-veillance state ... but questions

need to be answered.”Ardern ruled out New

Zealand re-introducing the death penalty for accused gunman Brenton Tarrant, 28, who was arrested minutes after the attack on the mosques and has been charged with murder.

She said details of the royal commission were being finalised, but it would be com-prehensive and would report in a timely manner.

It will cover the activities of intelligence services, police, customs, immigration and any other relevant government agencies in the lead-up to the attack.

The gunman livestreamed the attack online, although New Zealand has outlawed the footage as “objectionable content”.

Ardern reiterated her believe it should not be aired. “That video should not be shared. That is harmful content,” she said.

New Zealand Foreign Min-ister Winston Peters travelled to Istanbul to meet Erdogan and address an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Peters said OIC members were full of praise for the support New Zealand had offered its small, tight-knit Muslim community in the wake of the attacks.

UN: 10 children among 13 dead in Afghan air strikeAFP KABUL

At least 13 civilians, mostly children, died in an air strike by “international forces” in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz late last week, the United Nations said yesterday.

The strike happened between late Friday and early Saturday in support of ground operations conducted by pro-government forces fighting Taliban militants in the area.

“Initial fact-finding indi-cates that 10 of those killed were children, part of the same extended family whom were displaced by fighting elsewhere in the country,” the UN mission in Afghanistan said in a statement. The US is the only member of the international coalition in Afghanistan that provides air support in the con-flict. A Nato spokesperson said the coalition was investigating the claims. According to a UN report, more civilians were killed in the Afghan war in 2018 than during any other year on record.

13TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019 EUROPE

EU completes no-deal Brexit preparationsAFP BRUSSELS

The EU announced yesterday that it has completed its prepa-rations for Britain crashing out of the bloc without a divorce accord, as fears of a chaotic “no-deal” Brexit grow.

“As it is increasingly likely that the United Kingdom will leave the European Union without a deal on 12 April, the European Commission has today completed its ‘no-deal’ prepara-tions,” the commission, the bloc’s executive arm, said.

The gloomily worded statement, just days after Brussels agreed to postpone Brexit from its previous March 29 deadline, piled fresh pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May as she gathered her cabinet to discuss the way forward.

Unless British lawmakers approve a withdrawal agreement to ease the country out of the bloc, EU rules and agreements built up over 46 years of mem-bership will cease to apply over-night, threatening havoc in almost every domain of life.

May has been seeking to rally support for her twice-rejected

deal, but there is speculation that if she fails, she could allow MPs to vote on what happens next.

The commission outlined measures in 13 key areas, from rules on flying and road transport to travel regulations, fishing rights and banking — while stressing that they would only reduce the disruption, not prevent it altogether.

“The EU’s contingency measures will not — and cannot — mitigate the overall impact of a ‘no-deal’ scenario, nor do they in any way compensate for the lack of preparedness or replicate the full benefits of EU mem-bership,” the commission state-ments said.

“These proposals are tem-porary in nature, limited in scope and will be adopted unilaterally by the EU. They are not ‘mini-deals’ and have not been nego-

tiated with the UK.”This last sentence is aimed

at the numerous Brexit sup-porters in the British parliament who have sought to argue that the contingency measures would mean a no-deal exit would not be as bad as many fear.

Under no deal, the EU will immediately apply its rules at the border with the UK — including customs checks, food safety inspections and verification of EU standards — leading to long delays at busy crossing points such as Channel ports and the Channel Tunnel.

An EU official confirmed that Brussels would insist on checks being performed on goods moving across the land border between British-ruled Northern

Ireland and EU member Ireland.“We are working very closely

with Irish authorities to try and perform controls away from the border if at all possible,” the official said.

The Irish border has been a m The EU official said that under no-deal “there would of course be disruption on cross border trade and supply chains”, but that they were trying to find a way to make the checks the least intrusive they can.

EU citizens worried or con-fused by the prospect of no deal Brexit can call a free hotline from anywhere in the bloc, with infor-mation available in any official EU language.

No-deal Brexit will bring huge disruption for travellers, the

commission warned.British citizens travelling to

the EU will be limited to 90-day stays and would immediately be subject to tighter passport checks — including possibly being asked to prove the purpose of their visit and that they have enough money to support themselves.

The European health insurance card, which allows EU citizens to access medical treatment across the bloc, will no longer be available to Britons, who are advised to take out insurance if they travel.

British driving licences will no longer be automatically rec-ognised across the EU, with indi-vidual countries applying their own rules for “third country” permits.

Members of the anti-Brexit campaign group “Border communities against Brexit” pose for a photograph with a poster in Jonesborough, Northern Ireland, yesterday.

French Muslim group sues Internet giants over NZ attack videoAFP PARIS

The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) said it was suing Internet giants Facebook and YouTube for allowing the public broadcast of a live video by the man who carried out the New Zealand mosque massacre this month.

The council said it was suing the French branches of the two tech giants for “broad-casting a message with violent content abetting terrorism, or of a nature likely to seriously violate human dignity and liable to be seen by a minor,” according to the complaint.

Facebook said it “quickly” removed the live video showing the killing of 50 people by a white supremacist in twin mosque attacks in Christchurch on March 15.

But the livestream lasting 17 minutes was shared exten-sively on YouTube and Twitter, and Internet platforms had to scramble to remove videos being reposted of the scene.

The CFCM, which repre-sents several million Muslims in France, said it took Facebook 29 minutes after the beginning of the broadcast to take it down.

Major Internet platforms have pledged to crack down on the sharing of violent images and other inappropriate content through automated systems and human monitoring, but critics say this is not working.

Macron under fire for lecturing injured protesterAFP NICE

France’s Emmanuel Macron was accused yesterday of lacking empathy after criticising an elderly “yellow vest” protester who was badly injured during a demonstration in Nice at the weekend.

Macron has repeatedly been accused of harbouring an arrogant, dismissive attitude towards ordinary people who complain about having diffi-culties making ends meet.

Last year, he famously told

an unemployed gardener, who complained about not finding work after sending out hundreds of job applications, that he only had to “cross the road” to find work.

He also told elderly citizens protesting over pension cuts that the French should moan less.

The target of his latest swipe was Genevieve Legay, a 73-year-old anti-globalisation activist, who suffered a fractured skull on Saturday after riot police charged anti-government dem-onstrators in the Riviera city of Nice.

Nice prosecutor Jean-Michel Prêtre said she appeared to have hit her head on a bollard as the police were trying to prevent protesters from entering an area declared off-limits to demonstrators.

Macron, who travelled to the area yesterday to meet visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping, told the Nice Matin newspaper that he wished Legay a “speedy recovery” but also “a form of wisdom”. “When one is fragile and risks being shoved, one does not go to places that are declared off-limits and one does not put

oneself in a situation like that.”The remarks were immedi-

ately criticised by Legay’s family, which has accused police of using disproportionate force to clear protesters.

“You don’t criticise someone who is on a hospital bed,” said the family’s lawyer Arie Alimi, calling Macron’s remarks “crass and insensitive”.

The left-wing opposition also seized on the remarks as further proof of what they presented as the centrist president’s lack of sensitivity.

“Mr Macron, our Genevieve

of Nice does not need your lessons in wisdom. You could learn a lot from her. She stands up for the common good. And you, in the name of what are you hitting her?” the leader of the hard-left France Unbowed party, Jean-Luc Melenchon, tweeted.

Communist Party spokesman Ian Brossat also expressed indig-nation over Macron’s reaction.

“A 73-year-old lady ends up injured after a demonstration and the president of the republic is almost saying she went looking for it. How dare he?”, Brossat tweeted.

The commission outlined measures in 13 key areas while stressing that they would only reduce the disruption, not prevent it altogether.

‘Former Italian militant admits 1970s murders’AFP ROME

Former communist militant Cesare Battisti, jailed for life in Italy over four murders carried out in the 1970s, has confessed to the killings after decades of denying involvement, media reported yesterday.

Battisti, 64, has admitted all the charges brought against him “in four murder cases”, Milan’s prosecutor Alberto Nobili was quoted as saying by Italian media.

Jailed in 1979 for belonging to an armed revolutionary group outlawed in Italy, Battisti escaped from prison two years later, and had spent nearly four decades on the run.

An international police operation eventually tracked him down and arrested him in Bolivia in January.

Battisti was sentenced to life for having killed a policeman and a prison guard, for taking part in the murder of a butcher and for helping plan the slaying of a jeweller who died in a shootout that left his teenage son in a wheelchair.

He is serving his sentence in a Sardinian prison housing more than 250 convicts.

Battisti confessed to the killings during questioning in prison over the weekend, Nobili said.

British Airways flight ends up in wrong cityAFP LONDON

A British Airways plane flew by mistake from London to Edin-burgh instead of Dusseldorf in Germany yesterday.

Passengers only found out about the mishap when the pilot said the plane was coming in to land in Edinburgh, which is around 800km from Dusseldorf.

After the crew realised the mistake, the plane was refuelled and flown to Dusseldorf, landing in Germany with a delay of more than three and a half hours.

“We are working with WDL

Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed,” a spokesman said.

Twitter user Son Tran, who said he was on the plane, said: “While an interesting concept, I don’t think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery”.

Another passenger, Sophie Cooke, told the BBC that the wait in Edinburgh “became very frustrating”.

“The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks. It was also really stuffy,” Cooke said.

Georgia ‘will join Nato’: StoltenbergAFP TBILISI

Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg yesterday reiterated the bloc’s commitment to grant former Soviet republic Georgia eventual membership despite Moscow’s fierce opposition.

Stoltenberg was in the Georgian capital Tbilisi to attend 12-day joint Nato-Georgia mil-itary exercises that kicked off last week.

“The 29 allies have clearly stated that Georgia will become a member of Nato,” Stoltenberg

told a news conference alongside the country’s Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze.

“We will continue working together to prepare for Georgia’s Nato membership.”

In an apparent reference to Russia, he said that no country had the right to influence Nato’s open-door policy.

“We are not accepting that Russia — or any other power —can decide what (Nato) members can do,” he said.

At a 2008 summit in Romania, Nato leaders said Georgia would join the bloc at

an unspecified future date but have so far refused to put the country on a formal path to membership.

The prospect of Georgia joining Nato is seen by the Kremlin as a Western incursion into its traditional sphere of influence.

Bakhtadze said for his part that Moscow had no right to prevent a sovereign country from choosing “its security arrangements”. “Nato mem-bership is the choice of the Georgian people and is enshrined in our constitution.”

Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg greets Georgian soldiers during a joint Georgia-Nato military exercise, in Krtsanisi National Training Centre outside Tbilisi, in Georgia, yesterday.Norway opens probe into cruise ship incident

AP COPENHAGEN

Norwegian officials have opened an investigation into why a cruise ship carrying more than 1,370 people set sail along the country’s often wild western coast despite storm warnings, forcing a major rescue evacu-ation by helicopter.

Hospital officials have said one person is in critical condition and eight others are still hospi-talised after the Viking Sky had engine problems off the Nor-wegian coast and issued a mayday warning on Saturday afternoon.

The Viking Sky had left the

northern city of Tromso and was headed for Stavanger in southern Norway when it ran into trouble.

The ship anchored in heavy seas to avoid being dashed on the rocks in an area known for shipwrecks over the years. Nor-wegian authorities then launched a daring rescue oper-ation despite the high winds, eventually winching 479 pas-sengers off the ship by helicopter.

Dag S. Liseth of Norway’s Accident Investigations Board said “the high risk which the ship, its passengers and crew were exposed to made us decide to investigate the incident.”

Liseth said investigators were headed to Molde and declined to speculate as to why the Viking Sky captain had decided to sail to Stavanger in the first place despite the intense weather warning. He couldn’t immediately say how long the cruise ship would remain in Molde.

Yngve Skovly, of the police force in Moere and Romsdal dis-trict where Molde sits, said there is no suspicion of a criminal offense but police have opened an investigation to find out why the ship had engine problems. That probe would be part of the one by the Accident Investiga-tions Board.

14 TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019AMERICAS

State was main human rights violator: Mexico leaderREUTERS MEXICO CITY

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the state had in the past been the main violator of human rights in the country, as he blamed violence and disap-pearances on his predecessors’ “neo-liberal” economic policies.

“There was a time in which the main violator of human rights was the state. It was the violator par excellence of human rights. That’s over,” Lopez Obrador said at an event in which his government set out plans to end disappearances in Mexico.

“I, as president, and at the same time as commander of the country’s armed forces, will never give the order to massacre, to

repress the people of Mexico.”Tens of thousands of people

are registered as disappeared in Mexico, where fighting between drug cartels and their clashes with security forces have been blamed for more than 200,000 deaths since late 2006.

The violence has been punc-tuated by mass killings, some of which have drawn international condemnation of the Mexican authorities. Most notorious was the 2014 disappearance of 43 student teachers in the southwestern city of Iguala.

Lopez Obrador, who took office in December, has sought to present his presidency as a com-plete break with previous admin-istrations, and said he would not back a policy of “an eye for an eye”

that tried to tackle “violence with violence.”

The event set out plans to increase coordination between authorities, relatives and emer-gency services under a “national search system” designed to track down the disappeared.

Lopez Obrador said the gov-ernment would spare no expense in its efforts to find the missing, and to put names on some 26,000 unidentified bodies currently in storage.

During his address, which was attended by relatives of some of the many disappeared, the pres-ident again attacked the economic policies of previous governments, saying they were corrupt, had impoverished Mexico and encouraged violence.

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador arrives to give his address at the National Palace, in Mexico City, yesterday.

Trump slams opponents after Mueller’s probe reportREUTERS WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump lashed out at his enemies yesterday, accusing unnamed people of treason, a day after his attorney-general released a summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s findings clearing the president’s campaign of conspiring with Russia in the 2016 US election.

“We’re glad it’s over. It’s 100 percent the way it should have been,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I wish it could have gone a lot sooner, a lot quicker.

“There are a lot of people out there that have done some very bad things, I would say trea-sonous things against our country,” Trump added without mentioning anyone by name or citing specific actions.

Attorney-General William

Barr, the top US law enforcement official, on Sunday released a four-page summary of the findings of Mueller’s 22-month investigation that detailed Russian interference in the 2016 US election, but said the special counsel had concluded that Trump’s campaign did not con-spire with Moscow.

Trump indicated that he wants new investigations, although he did not specify who

would conduct the probes or who should be the target.

“Those people will certainly be looked at. I’ve been looking at them for a long time,” he said. “And I’m saying, why haven’t they been looked at? They lied to Congress. Many of them. And you know who they are.

“We can never let this happen to another president again.”

Trump had repeatedly accused Mueller, a former director of the FBI, of running a “witch hunt” with a team of “thugs” and having conflicts of interest but when asked yes-terday if Mueller had acted hon-ourably, Trump said “yes.”

Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a Trump ally, said he would ask Barr to appoint a special counsel to look into the origins of the

Mueller probe.Mueller, who submitted his

confidential report on his findings to Barr on Friday, neither accused Trump of obstruction of justice in trying to impede the investigation nor exonerated him of obstruction, according to the summary.

Barr said he and Deputy Attorney-General Rod Rosen-stein, who appointed Mueller, concluded the investigation’s evidence “is not sufficient to establish that the president com-mitted an obstruction-of-justice offense.”

A fierce fight was brewing yesterday over how much of Mueller’s Russia investigation

findings should be made public. Democrats are demanding a full release but a lawyer for the pres-ident said key information — such as Trump’s written responses in the inquiry — must be withheld.

The end of the Mueller inquiry and Barr’s summary handed Trump a political victory ahead of his 2020 re-election effort, but did not end the inves-tigative pressure on the pres-ident. Democrats gave no indi-cation of easing up on their mul-tiple congressional investigations into Trump’s business and per-sonal dealings.

US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters declaring he had been completely exonerated after his 2016 election campaign was cleared of colluding with Russia at Palm Beach International Airport, in Florida, yesterday.

Kremlin says it’s open to better US relationsREUTERS MOSCOW

Russia is ready to improve ties with the US but it is up to Wash-ington to make the first move, the Kremlin said yesterday after the conclusion of a US investi-gation into alleged collusion between Donald Trump and Moscow in the 2016 election.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the report on a conference call and said Russia had never interfered and did not plan to interfere in the United States or other countries’ internal affairs and elections.

“...It’s hard to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.”

US intelligence agencies said

shortly before Trump took office in January 2017 that Moscow meddled in the presidential election with a campaign of email hacking and online prop-aganda aimed at sowing discord in the United States.

Commenting on the possi-bility of an improvement in ties with the United States after the conclusion of the Mueller report,

Peskov said President Vladimir Putin had repeatedly stated he was open to shoring up relations.

“In this case, the ball is absolutely in their court. It was given to Trump in Helsinki,” Peskov said, referring to a summit between Putin and Trump in the Finnish capital in July 2018.

US President Donald Trump indicated that he wants new investigations, although he did not specify who would conduct the probes or who should be the target.

Migrant caravan in Mexico heads towards USREUETRS MEXICO CITY

A caravan of some 1,200 migrants from Central America and Cuba began moving towards the US border from southern Mexico this weekend, migration authorities said.

The National Migration Institute said the migrants were already inside Mexico when they opted to form a caravan in the southern city of Tapachula on border with Guatemala.

On Saturday, the large group of people set off towards the town of Huixtla in southern state of Chiapas, a route fol-lowed by previous groups heading north, the institute said.

Caravans of migrants bound for the United States have sparked friction with US President Donald Trump, who has accused Mexico of failing to contain illegal immigration and wants a border wall built to stop people crossing.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has pledged to curb the migrant flows by better regulating the movement of people, and by offering job opportunities and better pay for those willing to stay.

Ex-coaches face charges in college admission schemeREUTERS BOSTON

Former coaches from the University of Southern Cali-fornia and Georgetown University are among a dozen people due in court to face charges that they participated in the largest college admissions fraud scheme uncovered in US history.

The 12 people are expected to plead not guilty to charges that they took part in a $25m racketeering conspiracy in which wealthy parents paid for help cheating on admissions exams and to bribe coaches who secured spots for their children in elite universities as fake ath-letic prospects.

Federal prosecutors in Boston this month charged some 50 people, including actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman and top cor-porate executives, with paying into a scheme that ran for eight years and bought admission to difficult to get into universities such as Yale, USC and Georgetown.

The defendants due in Boston federal court today include Gordon Ernst, George-town’s former head tennis coach; Jorge Salcedo, the former

men’s soccer head coach at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and Donna Heinel, who was fired from her post as associate athletic director at the University of Southern California once the fraud was disclosed.

Their lawyers either did not respond to requests for comment or declined to comment.

The investigation, dubbed Operation Varsity Blues, led to the scheme’s accused mas-termind, William “Rick” Singer, pleading guilty to running the fraud through his California-based college admissions coun-seling service The Key.

He called the scam a “side door” way of gaining admission and used it on behalf of clients including Douglas Hodge, the former chief executive of asset manager Pimco, and “Full House” actress Loughlin, who prosecutors say paid bribes to have their children admitted to USC.

Prosecutors said Singer paid Ernst $2.7m in bribes, which Ernst used to buy a house on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, in exchange for helping students get preferential admission to Georgetown as “bought-and-paid-for” tennis recruits.

New power outage hits Venezuela regions, CaracasAFP CARACAS

A new blackout hit several regions in Venezuela including much of Caracas, a report said, sowing alarm two weeks after a nationwide outage paralysed the country.

The power cut in the capital occurred at 1720 GMT and knocked out electricity in the city centre. Cellphone signals were also disrupted and television was blanked out.

Shops hastily lowered shutters, fearing looters.

Anxious Twitter users said power was also out across much of the rest of the city, and in several big cities in the west of the country including Barquisimeto, Maracaibo and Barinas.

Some said power came and

went in their areas but remained unstable.

In the last blackout, which started March 7 and lasted a week, more than a dozen patients in hospitals died, public transport came to a halt, production slowed in the vital oil sector and water supplies were interrupted, forcing citizens to turn to sewage out-flows and polluted water sources.

President Nicolas Maduro blamed the previous outage on a cyberattack by the United States and alleged that the opposition, led by congress chief Juan Guaido whom the US and 50 other coun-tries recognise as interim pres-ident, were intent on “sabotaging” infrastructure.

He ordered the creation of a new military unit to protect basic installations.

Observers said that while a US attack was possible it was

unlikely. They said years of underinvestment, poor man-agement and corruption was the

more likely culprit and they pre-dicted more power cuts would follow.

People evacuate the Venezuelan National Assembly building during a partial power outage, in Caracas, yesterday.

Brazil judge orders release of TemerAP RIO DE JANEIRO

A Rio de Janeiro federal judge has ordered the release of former president Michel Temer from jail.

Judge Antonio Ivan Athie said in yesterday’s ruling that there’s no need to jail Temer because he doesn’t pose a risk

to the investigation into cor-ruption charges against him.

The 78-year-old former president and seven other people were jailed on Thursday on corruption charges in the sprawling Car Wash probe.

Judge Marcelo Bretas argued then that they should be held so they could not

destroy evidence.Brazil’s federal police

haven’t yet said when Temer will be released.

The backroom dealmaker became Brazil’s president in 2016 after his predecessor Dilma Rousseff was impeached and removed from office.

He left office at the end of 2018.

15TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019 HOME

UCQ hosts event on mental health issuesTHE PENINSULA DOHA

The University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ), in collaboration with Qatar University, recently hosted an Inter-professional Education (IPE) event to examine the topic of mental health. Forty-four students from UCQ welcomed 22 of their peers from the Qatar University Pharmacy Department to participate in this unique learning oppor-tunity.

This was the third IPE event to examine mental health challenges and it enabled students to learn from and assess clients with mental health issues. IPE is a collab-orative learning exercise among students from different academic fields.

“Working with mental health patients over the years, I cannot overstate the importance of a collaborative approach to treatment,” Justin Burkett, one of the UCQ organisers, explained.

“Pharmacy and nursing each bring a wealth of knowledge to patient care and improving outcomes for individuals and families. The IPE at UCQ with QU pharmacy students was an excellent opportunity to begin fostering trust in each other’s pro-fession that will remain throughout their careers.”

Students also found the IPE event very helpful to their academic pursuits. One UCQ

student described the importance of col-laboration between nursing and pharmacy by saying, “This year’s IPE event gave me a new experience of how nurses and phar-macies can work together to improve the patient’s status.

The experience was different because I understand how pharmacists work with patients who have mental health challenges.”

“I was able to apply the clinical skills and knowledge I have practically with a standardised patient, and I was able

to collaborate with other health care pro-fessionals,” according to one Qatar Uni-versity student.

“This opportunity gave me a better understanding of mental health issues and I learned the importance of communication and establishing trust with patients.”

The University of Calgary in Qatar is the only Canadian university in Qatar and the country’s exclusive provider of Bachelor and Master Degrees in Nursing. The deadline for applications to the Fall 2019 term is April 1.

The participants at the IPE event on mental health issues.

Mall of Qatar showcases collections of new seasonTHE PENINSULA DOHA

From March 28 to April 27, Mall of Qatar is inviting everyone to shed the winter season and ‘Summer Up’. In collaboration with the mall’s retailers, the best trends from around the mall will hit the catwalk during 38 fashion shows. The fashion shows, taking place across two weekends (March 28-30 and April 4-6), will feature Women’s, Men’s and Chil-dren’s Spring/Summer collections from 47 of shoppers’ favourite brands including Pronovias, Per Lei Couture and Sacoor Brothers, among many more.

As if the catwalk shows weren’t inspiration enough to update your wardrobe, popular stylist Marta Bevin will also give shoppers the opportunity to learn more about their body shape, understand which colours are

best for them and get trend advice at the Styling Booth at the Oasis. “Mall of Qatar is home of the most popular local and international brands here in Qatar and we can’t wait to provide our customers with a fantastic, interactive expe-rience and help them ‘Summer Up’ their looks as we head in to the new season” said Stuart Elder, Mall of Qatar CEO.

As part of the Fashion Fes-tival, Mall of Qatar will also run a Shop & Win promotion to reward its shoppers with 10 Gift Cards of QR5,000. From March 24 to April 27, coupons can be claimed at Mall of Qatar customer service desks for every QR250 spent at any of the mall’s shops or eateries. Purchases at multiple retailers may be combined to reach QR250 in total. The draw will take place on April 28 at 12 noon and the 10 winners will be announced on the mall’s social media pages.

Spring Summer Fashion Festival 2019

AAB Treasure Hunt 2019 raises awareness on environment, parksTHE PENINSULA DOHA

Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros. Co. (AAB), the exclusive distributor of Toyota and Lexus, concluded its third AAB Treasure Hunt in collaboration with the Public Parks Department of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment with the theme ‘Space Challenge: Win Back Mother Earth!’

The AAB Treasure Hunt 2019 is a corporate social responsi-bility (CSR) initiative to create awareness on environmental care, to promote the public parks in Qatar and to highlight road safety. AAB Treasure Hunt is not a road race as the winners were chosen based on the quickest amount of time spent in com-pleting the challenges in the parks.

The event was met with great success with an increased number of participating teams with around 150 people partic-ipating in total.

The AAB Treasure Hunt Space Challenge gave everyone the opportunity to have fun while exploring five out of the 94 public parks in Qatar which was Al Wakrah Public Garden, Al Nuaija, Al Mamoura Family Park, Al Huwaila and Al Hitmi.

Aside from the challenging activities, the Space Challenge

was an educational session as the teams solved brain teasers with quizzes and board activities related to the planets, geography and the environment. This initi-ative not only raises awareness about Qatar’s public parks and the environment as it also aims to encourage an active and healthy lifestyle for the residents of the country.

AAB as distributors of Toyota is committed to working towards clean energy in transportation which will lead to a cleaner envi-ronment and reduced harmful carbon emissions through its

hybrid vehicles. The Ministry of Municipality

and Environment has made a lot of effort and processes to revive and renovate existing parks and add new locations across Qatar that serve as a family hub with ample space for families to enjoy nature and for children to have safe play areas.

Participating teams were delighted to discover the well- equipped parks with sports facil-ities, children’s area and other amenities.

Yazan Mustafa, Chief Oper-ating Officer, Commercial &

Industrial Division, sent off the first batch of participants at the start of the treasure hunt. Prior to the announcement of the winners, results were verified by an independent committee.

Winners received valuable cash prizes for their effort with special prizes from Moteri Auto Care Centre for the successful winners of the Best Selfie and Best Video. The participants are looking forward to the next AAB Treasure Hunt and the new kind of challenges and fun that it will bring while discovering the public parks around Qatar.

The winners of the AAB Treasure Hunt pose for a group photo.

HBKU students hone up skills during ‘Three-Minute Thesis’ contestTHE PENINSULA DOHA

Masters and doctoral students at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) recently participated in Three Minute Thesis (3MT), a contest launched by the University of Queensland, Australia, and brought to Qatar for the first time by HBKU Student Affairs.

The 3MT competition requires competitors to deliver a succinct overview of their thesis to a non-specialist audience, in three minutes or less, giving them an opportunity to hone their aca-demic, presentation, and research communication skills. Compet-itors were required to present their research using a single static slide, which had to be displayed at the start of the discussion. Elec-tronic media and other props were not permitted. A panel com-prising three judges assessed competitors based on compre-hension, content, engagement, and communication.

The 3MT initiative nurtures a supportive environment in which schools, institutes, and

universities can provide valuable presentation skills training. The event is also an opportunity for competitors to get to know other students on campus and learn about their respective research projects. 3MT competitors por-trayed high levels of presentation skills and innovative ideas in their research topics.

Owing to its inaugural success, HBKU will next year host the event on a larger scale, extending participation to masters and PhD students from univer-sities across Qatar.

A participant during the contest.

QF hosts sport day for HOPE Qatar THE PENINSULA DOHA

Qatar Foundation (QF) recently hosted HOPE Qatar Centre for Special Needs’ annual sports day.

The event, which was opened by Machaille Al Naimi, President of Community, QF, brought together students, fam-ilies, visitors, and volunteers, and was held at Awsaj Academy’s

Recreation Center in Education City. Children with a range of special needs competed across a variety of games and competitions.

HOPE Qatar has been pro-viding educational and thera-peutic services since 2005. The center offers sports activities alongside its academic program, and activities such as football, karate, and yoga are integrated

into its curriculum to provide varied experiences to its students.

By supporting HOPE Qatar’s event, QF showcased its dedi-cation to promoting inclusivity in sport. Other initiatives include providing access to world-class facilities and training opportu-nities for people with autism through football and swimming classes.

HOPE Qatar students at the annual sports day.

WISH unveils cohort for new global fellowship programTHE PENINSULA DOHA

Seventeen young men and women from 13 countries have been selected to join the World Innovation Summit for Educa-tion’s (WISE) new global fellowship program: the WISE Emerging Leaders (WEL).

The Qatar Foundation initi-ative’s WEL program is a new global fellowship that aims to equip the next generation of systems leaders in education with the tools, skills, networks, and mindset they need to make a positive impact on their com-munities and engage in global dialogue on pressing issues in education.

Selected fellows aged 24-32 will participate in a series of col-laborative and interactive modules. The topics range from ethical leadership to social inno-vation, delivered by WISE and Ashoka, a global organization that identifies and invests in social entrepreneurs, to increase the impact of the fellows’ work and enable them to collaborate on key challenges.

Through the fellowship,

WISE aims to support and elevate the work of promising education initiatives by devel-oping young talent within these organisations. The fellows include young professionals from organizations that are part of the global WISE community, and social innovators actively engaged in delivering or

designing education initiatives within their organisation or networks.

“WEL is a new program that aims to enable innovation in education,” said Stavros N. Yian-nouka, CEO of WISE. “Working directly with 17 young profes-sionals nominated by their organisations, WISE will provide training and mentoring to these leaders as they develop and implement important education initiatives.

“The first cohort of WEL will welcome amongst others, young professionals from Camfed, Minerva Project, HundrED, and Generation. Their organisations and WISE expect great things from them.”

The cohort will convene for an in-person residential session in Berlin, Germany, from April 21-30, where they will partic-ipate in an action-based lead-ership and educational devel-opment module. In addition to completing residential training and online modules, fellows will also contribute to their organi-sations by applying their new skills to projects identified by their organizations.

The Qatar Foundation initiative’s WEL program is a new global fellowship that aims to equip the next generation of systems leaders in education with the tools, skills, networks, and mindset they need to make a positive impact on their communities and engage in global dialogue on pressing issues in education.

Qatar museums (QM) is working towards localising the global and globalising the local bringing international artists and curators to Qatar to interact with local artists, QM’s Head of Public Art, Abdulrahman Al Ishaq has stressed.

“Basically what we are trying to do is to globalise the local and localise the global. When we bring international artists and amazing public art to Doha, it is a chance for Qatar to learn from them and for the local art scene to develop,” said Al Ishaq while speaking to reporters yes-terday on the sidelines of the “Public Art & Cultural Her-itage” panel discussion at the

Fire Station.The panel discussion was

one in a series held to kick off the week-long “Qatar Creates” held in the run-up to the much awaited opening of the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) and which features luminaries in the field of culture and the arts. “Through these various forms of arts, and public space we aim to inspire local talents and establish organic growth on the art scene in the local community,” he said.

He added: “We are proud of our past and we are looking forward to the future. Having prominent artists and curators is way to bring home an inter-national language. So having local artists, curators and art specialists, interact and work with international artists and

curators allow local artists and the public to learn that lan-guage and the local art scene to rapidly develop.”

T h r o u g h c u l t u r a l exchange programmes such as the Year of Culture, he said that Qatar exports its cultural heritage to the world through this international language which serves as a medium.

“Public art is also con-sidered one of the faces of a nation. It reflects the nation’s ideals. We can preserve these ideals for future generation and communicate it with interna-tional audience,” he stressed.

“Public art can be can bring concepts, contexts and ideas to our awareness without permission. If we consider art as an invitation and medium, then public art is one of the best and most

effective language. Public art is different from other gath-ering of museum art because it doesn’t wait for us to visit the gallery. We encounter it in public domain; we see it on our way to work or school,” he explained.

Moderated by Tom Eccles, Executive Director for the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College, “Public Art & Cultural Heritage,” also fea-tured British artist Liam Gillick, French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel and Raqs Media Collective member Shuddhabrata Sengupta.

Othoniel discussed in detail the inspiration behind and the process of making his new installation Alfa which is located at the NMoQ which opens to the public this Thursday. Gillick presented

16 TUESDAY 26 MARCH 2019MORNING BREAK

QM kicks off ‘QatarCreates’ to celebrate NMoQ openingRAYNALD C RIVERA THE PENINSULA

Qatar Museum’s Head of Public Art, Abdulrahman Al Ishaq (right), speaking at the Public Art & Cultural Heritage panel discussion at the Fire Station yesterday which also featured British artist Liam Gillick (second right) and French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel (second left) and moderated by Tom Eccles (left), Executive Director for the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College. PIC: QASSIM RAHMATULLAH/THE PENINSULA

The State of Qatar participated in the celebration of the International

Francophonie Day, which falls on March 20 each year, in Paris. Ambassador of Qatar to the French Republic, Sheikh Ali bin Jassem Al Thani, represented the country in the ceremony held at

Francophonie organisation headquarters in Paris. President of the French Republic,

Emmanuel Macron, Secretary-General of the International Organisation of the

Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and a number of French ministers and

senior officials, as well as ambassadors accredited to the International

Organization of the Francophonie, attended the ceremony.

Katara Hospitality’s Raffles to boost hospitality sector of SingaporeThe reopening of Katara Hospitality owned iconic Raffles Hotel Singapore will boost the local economy and the hospitality sector. Raffles Singapore has commenced accepting reservations for stays commencing August 1, 2019 onwards. The hotel had closed its doors on December 2017 for its first renovation in almost 30 years.

“The aim of this reno-vation is to reposition this hotel as a leading property in the world and to restore its ancient glory,” a spokesperson of Katara Hospitality told The Peninsula.

“When Katara Hospitality invests in a property outside of Qatar, it aims to grow the economy of that country. Also, the opening of this historic property will help in the diversification of local economy,” added the spokesperson.

The hotel carries more than a century of glorious history having been host to world renowned artists, celebrities and royalties who visited this multicultural

melting pot.Opened in 1887, the hotel

was declared a National Mon-ument on the occasion of its 100th anniversary and today it stands as a jewel in the crown of Singapore’s hospi-tality industry, renowned and loved for its inimitable style and unsurpassed excellence of service and facilities.

“After reopening, the hotel will be the perfect blend of traditional and modern archi-tecture. It will offer the best possible guest experience to the visitors,” said the spokesperson.

“Our careful and sensitive restoration was designed to ensure we retain everything

that makes Raffles Singapore so special – the striking archi-tecture, heritage and graceful service of the hotel. The newly restored property will offer a reinvigorated charming Raffles ambience, its leg-endary service as well as new and reimagined bars, restau-rants, courtyards, and social areas; spaces designed to make Raffles the place to meet, spend time, dine, shop and celebrate. After more than a century of providing unsur-passed service excellence, we look forward to presenting a newly restored hotel with enhanced comfort and splendour for discerning trav-ellers.” says Christian

Westbeld, General Manager, Raffles Singapore.

The reopening of Raffles Singapore will continue to offer luxurious all-suite accommodations with an expanded suite count of 115. This includes the introduction of exquisite new suite cate-gories, updating existing dis-tinctive accommodation with new amenities and technology while maintaining the sense of space and ambience.

Complementing a suite stay at Raffles will be a variety of social spaces and lifestyle experiences. This includes a refreshed Raffles Boutique, previously our gift shop, that will house a History Gallery

to illustrate the heritage of Raffles Singapore. The Arcade will also be home to new retail concepts and a brand-new Raffles Spa, a holistic sanc-tuary for hotel residents and the community to escape the bustle of the city.

The dining experiences will combine the hotel’s much-loved culinary tradi-tions with contemporary dining concepts by renowned celebrity chefs. Each dining concept promises to tantalise the senses and has been care-fully developed to enhance the famed ‘Raffles Experience’ for you. These include Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse’s first Mediterranean sharing and grill concept, titled BBR by Alain Ducasse. Anne-Sophie Pic, one of the world’s top female chefs with three Michelin stars, makes her debut in Asia with her La Dame de Pic at Raffles Sin-gapore concept.

Signature dining experi-ences that over the years have come to be synonymous with the hotel will make their return to delight. These include North Indian cuisine at Tiffin Room and the classic Raffles Afternoon Tea.

Christian Westbeld (right), General Manager of Raffles Hotel Singapore (Raffles Singapore), and Chadi Chemaly, Executive Assistant Manager, Rooms, during the introduction of Raffles Singapore, organised by Katara Hospitality at the Idam Restaurant, MIA, Doha, yesterday. PICTURE: SALIM MATRAMKOT/THE PENINSULA

SACHIN KUMAR THE PENINSULA

some of his works including the newly installed Folded Extracted Personified at the Museum of Islamic Art Park while he delved into how public art significantly impacts society. Another panel discussion was held yesterday

at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts Qatar titled “From the Art School to the Art World: Pre-paring a New Generation of Artists, Designers and Art Professionals for the Future.”

Qatar participates in International Francophonie Day in Paris

Raffles Singapore has commenced accepting reservations for stays commencing August 1, 2019 onwards. The hotel had closed its doors on December 2017 for its first renovation in almost 30 years.

Opened in 1887, the hotel was declared a National Monument on the occasion of its 100th anniversary and today it stands as a jewel in the crown of Singapore’s hospitality industry, renowned and loved for its inimitable style and unsurpassed excellence of service and facilities.

Qatar participates in fifth meeting of GCC Tax AuthoritiesQNA/MUSCAT

The State of Qatar has participated in the fifth meeting of the Committee of Heads of Tax Authorities and Directors of Tax Authorities in the GCC countries, which was held in the Sultanate of Oman.

The Qatari delegation was headed by the Chairman of General Tax Authority (GTA) Ahmed bin Issa Al Mohannadi.

FAJRSHOROOK

04. 15 AM

05. 31 AM

11. 39 AM

03. 07 PM

05. 50 PM

07. 20 PM

ZUHRASR

MAGHRIBISHA

PRAYER TIMINGS

WEATHER TODAY

Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department

Minimum Maximum21oC 28oC

HIGH TIDE 07:25 – 21:32 LOW TIDE 03:16 – 15:10

Partly cloudy to cloudy with a chance of scat-

tered rain may be thundery at times and

slight dust at places. Cold by night.