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QATAR

since 1978FRIDAY Vol. XXXV No. 9548

November 21, 2014Moharram 28, 1436 AH www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

BUSINESS | Page 1

QIA to invest $20bnin Greater Asia

SPORT | Page 1

Elshorbagy, Ashour set up world title clash

Iran still stalling as nuclear deadline looms : UN agency

Tehran has yet to explain away allegations it conducted atomic bomb research, the head of the UN nuclear agency said yesterday, four days before a deadline for Iran and six world powers to reach a deal on the Iranian nuclear programme. As US Secretary of State John Kerry fl ies to Vienna for what are meant to be fi nal talks to clinch a deal with Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano said he was still unable to provide credible assurance Iran had no undeclared nuclear material and activities. Page 4

Emir performs prayer for rain

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani joined worshippers in performing Istisqaa Prayer (prayer for rain) at Al Wajbah prayer ground yesterday morning. The rain prayer comes in pursuit of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), asking Allah the Almighty to send rain. Page 2

Qatar sets up newfacility to monitorseismic activity By Ramesh MathewStaff Reporter

Qatars Meteorology Depart-ment has received a substantial boost with the formal dedica-tion of its newly commissioned Seis-mic Information Network offi ce at the Civil Aviation Authoritys premises in Abu Hamour, Doha, near the Medical Commission.

Qatar Civil Aviation Author-ity chairman Abdul Azeez al-Nuaimi launched the new facility yesterday at a ceremony attended by senior offi cials of the countrys Armed Forces, Minis-try of Interior (MoI) and other govern-ment departments.

Speaking on the occasion, al-Nuai-mi expressed the hope that the Seis-mic Information Network offi ce would help the countrys meteorological ac-tivities in a considerable manner at a time when a several large-scale devel-opments, in particular construction, are progressing all over Qatar.

Meteorological expert and Seismic Network head Mohamed Jaber al-Merri later told the media that the set-ting up of the new facility is the result of extensive studies carried out by the Meteorology Department on various

seismic-related issues, especially af-ter the massive earthquake that rocked Iran in April 2013.

It was a devastating earthquake measuring close to 7.3 magnitude on Richter Scale and caused considerable damage across Iran and its bordering areas in Pakistan, he recalled while explaining the reasons for equipping the countrys Meteorology Depart-ment with the latest instruments available in the world.

Considering that the aerial distance to Iran from Qatar is less than 1,000

miles, the offi cial said Qatar is sparing no eff orts to equip its Meteorology De-partment with the most advanced fa-cilities to take care of its requirements on a war-footing without waiting for any eventualities to occur.

The round-the-clock monitoring fa-cilities, said al-Merri, would go a long way in safeguarding the interests of the region, including Qatar as any earthquake of even a magnitude of 5 on Richter scale could adversely aff ect the region.

After the studies, the Meteorology Department set up a total of six sta-

tions in Qatar, with both southern and northern regions accounting for three facilities each. In the northern region the stations are in Al Khor, Al Ghu-wairiya and Al Shehamiya, while on the southern side the stations will be in Al Tarayna, Abu Samra and Al Karaniya.

Of the six stations, three will be whol-ly dedicated to serve the requirements of the state and its Meteorology Depart-ment whereas the services of the other stations could be availed of by other sec-tors in future, explained the offi cial.

As part of the precautions being taken to ensure the countrys safety in the event of any earthquake or other unnatural seismic disorders, the Me-teorology Department will set up 20 more stations in the next one year in the West Bay and surrounding areas in view of the presence of a large number of highrises there.

At a time when a large number of construction activities are taking place in the country and more are expected in the next few years in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the new development in the meteorology sec-tor is considered a vital step, said al-Merri. This is being done in line with the countrys growing requirements as enshrined in the Qatar National Vision 2030, he added. Page 2

Al Mafras buoy restoration a beacon of dhow festival Held for the rst time this year, the restoration of a mid-sea ar-chaeological site was one of the highlights of Kataras fourth Traditional Dhow Festival yesterday.

The restoration process of Al Mafras buoy (known as Burj Al Mafras) located north of Raas Abu Aboud was carried out by a team of Qatari volunteers in the old-fashioned way, using gravel and a cohesive agent. The buoy was originally built around 1920 to prevent ships from hitting mid-sea sand.

Al Mafras buoy, built by founding father Shahin al-Asiri upon the Britishs suggestions, is still regarded as Dohas offi cial entrance by sea. Sheikh Abdul-lah bin Jassim al-Thani then approved Asiris request to build the buoy, the festivals director Ahmed al-Hitmi said.

However, around 20 years ago the 4-m-high buoy was damaged, but for-tunately we decided to follow father Majid bin Mohamed al-Kuwaris sug-gestion to restore Al Mafras and anyone passing by that area can now see it, the same way it was before, Hitmi added, noting that the restoration process took around two weeks and was done in co-ordination with the Qatar Coast Guard and the Customs and Ports General Au-thority.

According to the festivals director, restoring Al Mafras encouraged Katara to repeat the process with other buoys. Next year, we plan to restore another buoy at Halet Umm al Khayfan, known as Burj Al Asiri. The buoy was also built by father Shahin Ahmed al-Asiri, Hitmi announced yesterday, adding that the

buoys inauguration will take place at the next edition of the Dhow Festival.

Among the most notable guests of the festival yesterday was a delegation of 250 people from the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds, who also toured the rest of the Cultural Vil-lage to learn about its landmarks. Ka-taras Director-General Dr Khaled Ibra-him al-Sulaiti also received a member of the Omani Shura Council and took him on a tour of the festival.

Yesterday, the Pearl Diving Compe-tition kicked off with Al Dashah Op-eretta; a traditional celebration held in the old days when sailors entered the sea, heading to the diving vessels before launching them into the pearl banks (Al Hayrat).

Ten participating teams sailed off

Kataras beach including Qatars Al Ghariyah and Balhaneen, alongside two teams from each of Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The contest will last for three days, with the ten teams returning to Kataras seashore tomorrow. Upon arrival, Al Qafal heritage festival, which embodies the return of the divers to their home-land, will celebrate the return of the boats.

The festivals sailing competition concluded yesterday, with Raslan team winning rst place. The second and third places were secured by Al Khor and Al Maha teams, respectively. The crowning ceremony for both, the sailing and the pearl-diving competitions will be held tomorrow, with the conclusion of the Traditional Dhow Festival.

Nearly 30 artists from diff erent coun-tries participated in the Fine Arts Com-petition. The participants have been assigned to diff erent locations at the festival site according to their preference and artistic vision. The competition is organised in association with the Qatar Fine Arts Society.

The festivals eff orts to raise aware-ness of maritime heritage among schoolchildren continued, with hun-dreds of students visiting Kataras beach to learn about the countrys ancient customs and traditions.

Katara launched a booklet yesterday about Dhows in the Gulf region, in cel-ebration of the festival. Al-Hitmi said that visitors should expect a number of surprise events and activities, starting today afternoon.

The restored Al Mafras buoy located north of Raas Abu Aboud. Seen in the background is the Doha skyline.

State seeks to expand technical ties with IAEA QNA Vienna

The State of Qatar has con rmed that it is looking to expand the technical co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), particularly as it has ambi-tious programmes in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in the medical, envi-ronmental and economic elds.

Qatar also stressed that it attaches great importance to the technical co-operation programme implemented by the IAEA as a principal legal means to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, noting that it had bene ted from the programme in developing its capabilities in the eld of nuclear anal-ysis and food laboratories.

This came in Qatars statement yes-terday at the Governors of the Inter-national Atomic Energy Agency board meeting on technical co-operation programme off ered by the IAEA to the member states, delivered by Ali Khal-fan al-Mansouri, Qatars Ambassador to Austria and its Permanent Repre-sentative to the international organi-sations in Vienna.

Al-Mansouri said that this pro-gramme plays an important role in making nuclear techniques available for activities in healthcare, agricul-ture and environmental protection areas, which contribute to the social and economic progress in developing countries.

He noted that Qatar continues to co-operate with the agency and the De-partment of Technical Co-operation, particularly in the implementation of projects presented by the State of Qa-tar during the previous years in elds of nuclear analysis, medical treatment, the development of food laborato-ries, radiation doses laboratory as well as the development of the National Framework Programme for the organi-sation of radiation safety and increas-ing the capacity and preparedness to respond to emergencies.

Qatar Civil Aviation Authority chairman Abdul Azeez al-Nuaimi inaugurating the countrys new Seismic Information Network off ice in Abu Hamour yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma

ARAB WORLD | Media

Pardon for Jazeera journalists mulledEgyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi suggested yesterday he was considering pardoning journalists of the Al Jazeera television station jailed in his country for nearly a year. Human rights groups condemned the trial of the journalists as a sham. The three journalists were sentenced in June to between seven and 10 years in jail on charges including spreading lies to help a terrorist organisation, an allusion to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, in a ruling that sparked a global outcry.

AMERICA | Weather

Fresh snowstormshit communities Fresh snowstorms struck the northeastern US yesterday, paralysing communities in a rare mid-autumn blizzard that killed eight people and dumped more than six feet of snow near Buff alo. The National Weather Service said an extra 2 to 3ft (60 to 90cm) of lake eff ect snow, created when frigid air moves over warm lake waters, could fall. It said visibility was near zero and that thunder and lightning were likely to accompany the heaviest snow as a state of emergency and travel bans remained in place in western New York state. The colossal snowfall has collapsed roofs, damaged homes and businesses, cancelled flights and stranded motorists for as many as two nights on the highway, including New York rock group Interpol. Page 6

BUSINESS | Electronics

Firm toughens GorillaGlass for smartphones US manufacturer Corning said yesterday it was introducing a new, tougher version of its Gorilla Glass used by major smartphone makers in a bid to maintain dominance in the sector. The new material, called Gorilla Glass 4, is up to two times tougher than any competitive cover glass design now in the market, and aims to prevent screen breakage from everyday drops, said the company, which specialises in glass, ceramics and related materials. Were always innovating to push the limits of what glass can do, said James Steiner, Cornings senior vice president. With Gorilla Glass 4, we have focused on significantly improving protection against sharp contact damage, which is the primary reason that mobile devices break.

QATARGulf Times Friday, November 21, 20142

HE the Assistant Foreign Minister for International Co-operation Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani yesterday met Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko, currently on a visit to Doha. During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations and means of enhancing and developing them, in addition to issues of mutual concern. Foreign Ministry off icials attended the meeting.

The Cabinets general secretariat has organised a two-day field visit for trainees of the Ministry of Justices Centre of Legal and Judicial Studies (CLJS).This is the centres 13th training course for new employees. Participants were briefed on the nature of work at the general secretariat, particularly in the legislative field. The visit also featured hands-on demonstration of the tasks and duties of the Cabinets departments concerned with legal work in order to provide trainees with knowledge and skills.

President of Comoros Ikililou Dhoinine yesterday received the credentials of Mubarak bin Abdurrahman al-Nasr, ambassador of Qatar to Comoros. The ambassador conveyed the greetings of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to President Ikililou Dhoinine.President Dhoinine reciprocated the Emirs greetings and expressed his keenness to further expand bonds of Islamic brotherhood, and ties between Qatar and Comoros.

The embassy of the State of Qatar in Myanmar held a ceremony yesterday at Sedona Hotel in Yangon on the occasion of the opening of its premises. The ribbon cutting ceremony at the embassy premises was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister of Myanmar U Thant Kyaw along with Qatars non-resident ambassador to Myanmar Jabor bin Ali al-Dousari. The Deputy Foreign Minister of Myanmar said that his government will take steps to open an embassy in Doha.

President of Gambia Yahya Jammeh left Doha yesterday, ending an off icial visit to Qatar. The Gambian president was seen off at the HIA by HE the Transport Minister Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti.

Assistant FMmeets CroatianHouse speaker

Cabinet holds field visits fortrainees

Qatars envoy toComoros presentscredentials

Qatar opensembassy in Myanmar

Gambian leaderends Doha visit

In brief

Deputy Emir joins Emir for rain prayers

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani joined worship-pers in performing Istisqaa Prayer (Prayer for rain) at Al-Wajba prayer ground yesterday morning.

HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani, several sheikhs and ministers also took part in the prayer.

In a sermon after the prayer, Dr Sheikh Thaqeel bin Sayer al-Shammari, judge at the Cassation Court, called on the worshippers to repent, return to God and make supplication to Almighty Allah for rain. Dr al-Shammari urged peo-ple to ask Allah for forgiveness and to pay zakat.

The rain prayers are performed in pursuit of the Sunnah of Proph-et Muhammad (PBUH) when there is a delay in the rainfall.

QNADoha

HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani with other dignitaries performing the Istisqaa Prayer (Prayer for rain) at Al-Wajba prayer ground yesterday.

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani holding talks with the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Josip Leko in Doha yesterday. Talks dealt with bilateral relations and means of enhancing them, in addition to a number of issues of mutual interest.

PM meets Croatian parliament speaker

Panel discussesways to tacklecyber threatsThe latest trends in cyber-security were shared and how individuals and com-panies can equip themselves with the tools they need to stay safe online discussed at a Deans Panel hosted by Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMUQ).

The event was under the pa-tronage of Staff Major General Saad bin Jassim al-Khulai , Di-rector General of Public Security at the Ministry of Interior. The panel was attended by Carnegie Mellon faculty, staff and stu-dents and the broader commu-nity.

Moderated by Farnam Jaha-nian, vice-president of research at Carnegie Mellon, panellists included leaders in the eld of cyber-security from Carnegie Mellon who have expertise in a variety of areas, such as how to best protect networking sys-tems, the causes of cyber threats, software regulation and liability.

Carnegie Mellon faculty are working on the development of tools that can be used to clean systems, and educating individ-ual users so they are more intel-ligent online.

The discussions highlighted the shortage of individuals in the eld equipped with the techni-cal skills to deal with the multi-faceted challenges involved with securing software, which impact all sectors of the economy with rami cations for national and global security.

Panellists focused on the op-portunity for computer science students to make an impact by producing tools to enable users

to better defend themselves on-line.

We rely on cyber systems for social interaction, nan-cial transactions, emergency healthcare responses and trans-portation systems. It is the in-terdependency of these various challenges, and the increasing complexity of software we use, that leaves us vulnerable to cyber threats, said Jahanian.

The challenge of cyber-security is not just a computer science problem, it is not just a problem for one industry, gov-ernment or nation, and we must work in collaboration to address these challenges. Carnegie Mel-lon is committed to continue playing a part by developing secure, trustworthy, and sus-tainable computing and com-munications systems to address this global challenge, Jahanian added.

The panellists were: Virgil Gligor, a professor in the depart-ment of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon and Co-director of the univer-sitys CyLab which establishes public-private partnerships for the research and development of technologies for security, priva-cy, and resiliency of computing

and communication systems; Paul Nielsen, director and CEO of the software engineering in-stitute (SEI), a global leader in software engineering and cyber-security; Richard Pethia, direc-tor of the CERT programme at Carnegie Mellon Universitys SEI, which conducts research and development activities to produce technology and systems management practices to help organisations recognise, resist, and recover from attacks on net-worked systems.

Computing innovations to protect Qatars cyber infrastruc-ture was also a key focus of Qatar Foundations Annual Research Conference 2014, which con-cluded on Wednesday.

By bringing experts in the eld of cyber-security to-gether, Carnegie Mellon is proud to join other leading organisations across Qatar that are working to protect Qatars critical infrastruc-ture. The discussions support the universitys commitment to develop technological and computing research solutions to protect Qatar against cyber vulnerabilities, said Ilker Bay-bars, dean of CMUQ.

In April this year, CMUQ also held an Executive Education course targeting local informa-tion technology professionals and web developers to better un-derstand challenges in securing web applications within their organisations. The courses were led by Thierry Sans, assistant teaching professor of computer science.

Staff Major General al-Khulaifi and CMUQ dean Baybars attending the event. Below: The panellists at the event.

CID arrests seven sweika dealers

The Criminal Investiga-tion Department (CID) has arrested seven Asians involved in the production of sweika in the Umm Ghuwailina area.

This is part of the ongoing campaign against sweika dealing and production. Sweika is an il-legal product made of chewable tobacco.

The CID had received infor-mation that some persons were engaged in the production and packing of sweika at a house in Umm Ghuwailina. The suspects were monitored to verify the in-formation.

Under the authorisation of the Public Prosecution, their house was raided and seven persons were arrested. A large amount of sweika was found with them. The suspects were referred to the Investigation Section at Capital Security for further legal proce-dures.

The CID has urged citizens and residents to co-operate with security agencies of the Minis-

try of Interior by reporting any person suspected of producing and dealing in sweika by con-

tacting the Operations Centre on 999 or the department on 2347444.

The arrested men along with the seized materials.

Qatar has history of mild quakes

Qatar had a history of ex-periencing earthquakes of smaller magnitude, information released by the Meteorology Department at the commissioning of the countrys Seismic Information Network offi ce at Abu Hamour yesterday revealed.

According to the information

released by the authorities, the epicentre of an earthquake expe-rienced in the region in 1929 was somewhere in southern Qatar. The meteorological authorities of Oman who measured it, found the tremor had a magnitude of 4.7, it said.

Similarly, the records avail-able with the local meteorologi-

cal offi ce said there were many mild earthquakes of the magni-tude of 3.7 or less between 1990 and 2004.

There were several other re-ports of earthquakes or mild tremors too, the epicentres of which were far from Qatar, but within the same region where the country is located.

Some of the new seismic information equipment installed at the new off ice in Abu Hamour. PICTURE: Jayan Orma

The challenge of cyber-security is not just a computer science problem, it is not just a problem for one industry, government or nation, and we must work in collaboration to address these challenges

QATAR

Gulf Times Friday, November 21, 2014 3

The pearl diving competition of Kataras Fourth Traditional Dhow Festival kicked off yesterday with the Al Dashah operetta, a traditional celebration held in the old days when sailors entered the sea, heading to the diving vessels before launching them into the pearl banks (Al Hayrat). Ten participating teams sailed off Kataras beach, including Qatars Al Ghariyah and Balhaneen, alongside two teams each from Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The contest will last for three days, with the teams returning to Kataras seashore tomorrow. Upon arrival, the Al Qafal heritage festival, which embodies the return of divers to their homeland, will celebrate the return of the boats. PICTURES: Nasar T K

Ten teams participate in pearl diving competition of Katara Traditional Dhow Festival

Doha international owers expo starts at MIA park By Joseph VargheseStaff Reporter

The inaugural edition of the Doha International Flow-ers and Garden Exhibition got under way at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) park yesterday.

Held under the patronage of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums, the exhibition will conclude tomorrow.

HE the Minister of Environ-ment Ahmad Amer Mohamed al-Humaidi opened the three-day show by cutting a beautifully dec-orated ribbon and toured all the pavilions at the park. Around 50 exhibitors from Qatar and outside are taking part in the exhibition.

Speaking to Gulf Times, HE al-Humaidi said the exhibition would send the right message to the people of the country about the types of trees and owers that are suitable for Qatar.

We would also like to introduce to the public and local business-men the types of trees and owers that are in demand and suitable for the country, he explained.

The minister was of the view that the rst edition of the exhibi-tion would provide greater moti-vation for the organisers to come up with more ideas and involve greater participation next time.

This is a good show and we would like to make it bigger in the coming years. The whole world is becoming a small village and ow-ers and trees from all corners of the world are here to make it feel so.

He also said the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Municipality & Urban Plan-ning are deeply involved in the project. We try to introduce new types of techniques and trees to the public for greater awareness.

We hope that the show will help Qatar become greener, he added.

Dr Saif al-Hajiri, chairman of the Friends of the Environment Centre (FEC) said the exhibition would help create greater aware-ness among the public about dif-

ferent owers in the country as well as from abroad.

FEC has already kick-started the 17th edition of the A Flower Each Spring programme with a Qatari plant, under the name Thanoun (Cistanche phelypaea),

which is a coastline ower. This exhibition is the beginning of or-ganising all people involved in this eld and hopefully it will be a larg-er international show from next year. We are part of the programme and plan to support the initiative.

HE al-Humaidi opening the exhibition. PICTURES: Thajudheen

Diff erent pavillions at the exhibition.

Conference on academic advising draws wide international participationClose to 200 academic advisers, academic and student aff airs profes-sionals and educators in Doha, the region and beyond attended the 2014 NACADA Middle East conference, the rst ever con-ference on academic advising in the region.

Co-hosted by Qatar Univer-sity (QU) Centre for Academic Advising and Retention and the National Academic Advis-ing Association (NACADA), the two-day forum - a rst in the Middle East - drew presenters from more than 20 institutions across the region.

They represented institu-tions such as QU, Zayed Uni-versity, Abu Dhabi University, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa Uni-versity, American University of Sharjah, University of Leicester, Isik University and Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences.

The opening ceremony was attended by offi cials from both parties, including QU presi-dent Prof Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad, NACADA executive director Dr Charlie Nutt (both keynote speakers), QU vice-president for student aff airs Dr Omar al-Ansari, deans, faculty and students.

The ceremony also included presentation of the NACADA 2014 Outstanding Academic Advising Programme Certi -cate of Merit Award to Prof al-Misnad by Dr Nutt.

The award is in recognition of the centres distinctive aca-demic advising programmes, making QU the only university in the Gulf and the Middle East to receive this prestigious hon-our. Plans are under way to sub-

mit application for NACADA accreditation of the centres programmes.

In her opening remarks, Prof al-Misnad observed that in re-cent years, student services, including academic advising, have seen tremendous growth and development at QU.

Their growth has been in-tegral to the universitys stra-tegic vision for providing high-quality education that extends beyond academic achievement.

Prof al-Misnad stressed that QUs commitment to giv-ing students a comprehensive experience of academic devel-opment and personal growth begins with a deep and cultur-ally-rooted understanding of what the transition to university life entails, and noted that the transition comes with a distinct set of challenges.

For many students, univer-sity is the start of a phase of ex-panded opportunities, making choices, taking decision more independently, prioritising tasks

and learning to manage time, she said, continuing, we under-stand that these are crucial skills that when properly supported, set up students for success at university as well as beyond. This understanding is the basis for striving to make our student services eff ective, appropriate, responsive and supportive.

We deeply appreciate our partnership with NACADA and its excellent global outlook, which will help us work togeth-er and bene t from experiences and best practices in academic advising, a truly crucial piece of the student success puzzle.

Dr Nutt detailed academic advisers role, which he said is to teach students what higher ed-ucation is. Academic advisers are not assistants, schedulers or registrars - we teach them the importance of the curriculum. We teach students the skills they require to succeed, how to be successful and how to move forward in life.

He went on to say, College is not about acquiring a job. It is about becoming an educated citi-zen of a global community. What we want from this Middle East conference is to leave participants passionate passionate about students, about education and about advising. We are advisers and we are proud of what we do.

The conference programme included workshops, discus-sion panels, poster sessions and paper presentations that ad-dress the most current trends in academic advising and practices towards students motivation, retention and success such as the First-Year Experience, stu-dent welfare, peer mentoring and career planning.

Prof al-Misnad addressing the conference.

REGION/ARAB WORLD

Gulf Times Friday, November 21, 20144

Iran nuclear talks stuck, deadline may be extended ReutersVienna

A deadline for resolving a 12-year-old dispute over Irans nuclear programme may be extended from Monday until March, because of sharp disagreements between Tehran and Western powers, offi cials close to the talks said yesterday.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is arriving in Vienna for what Washington and its allies had hoped would be the culmi-nation of months of diffi cult di-plomacy between Iran and the US, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.

The aim is to remove sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its atomic programme, but the talks have long been deadlocked: the timing for lifting sanctions and future scope of Irans ura-nium enrichment are key stum-bling blocks.

The UN nuclear chief Yukiya Amano yesterday highlighted another hurdle: Iran has yet to explain suspected atomic bomb research to the UN nuclear agen-cy, one of the conditions of the six powers for lifting sanctions.

Important points of diff er-ence remain, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told a joint news conference with Ker-ry, who met him in Paris on his way to Vienna.

The latest round of talks be-tween the six began on Tuesday and are likely to last right up to the self-imposed November 24 deadline for a nal agreement.

Some kind of interim agree-ment at this point is likely, or perhaps at best a framework agreement by Monday that needs to be worked out in the coming weeks and months, a Western diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

US Deputy National Secu-rity Adviser Tony Blinken said this week a comprehensive deal would be diffi cult, but not im-possible to achieve by Monday.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he was not optimistic but that there may be a way of extending the deadline.

A senior Iranian offi cial had similar expectations. We need more time to resolve techni-cal issues and dont forget that the time frame for lifting sanc-tions is still a huge dispute, the Iranian offi cial said, adding that an extension until March was a possibility. Western offi cials also suggested March was an option, with a resumption of talks in January.

The offi cials said, however, that Iran and the six were not ac-tively discussing an extension yet

and would push for a deal by the deadline, which has already been extended from July.

Offi cials close to the negotia-tions, which began in February, say that Iran wants all key sanc-tions on oil exports and banking terminated almost immediately, not merely suspended as the US and European offi cials have said.

Tehran rejects Western allega-tions it is amassing the capability to produce atomic weapons and has refused to halt its enrich-ment programme.

It has been under international sanctions for eight years and the US, European Union and UN measures have crippled its econ-omy by slashing its oil exports and causing in ation to soar and the value of its currency to plum-met.

Western powers say the sanc-tions can be suspended gradually and in line with moves by Iran to restrain its nuclear activities and terminated only after Tehran has demonstrated full compliance with the terms of any deal.

There is also a dispute over the duration of any deal, with Western powers wanting Iranian restrictions to last for 20 years and Iranians pushing for either months or a small number of years, diplomats say.

There is also a blame game developing about who is respon-sible for the deadlock in the nu-clear talks.

Western offi cials say Iran also refused to budge on enrichment, despite repeated off ers of poten-tial compromises by the six pow-ers, including the US.

Tehran is willing to consider keeping fewer enrichment cen-trifuges as long as they are ad-vanced, to keep the volume un-changed, Western offi cials say, adding that this represents no compromise at all.

Western offi cials say the West is willing to compromise but Iran is not largely because Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not given the negotiators the freedom to make real compro-mises in the talks.

The ball is in the Iranian camp and to be honest we have a feeling that were treading water at the moment, a senior Western diplomat said. The main obsta-cle is that the decisions have to be made by the Iranian leader-ship.

The Iranians, however, pin the blame on Western powers, which they accuse of expecting too much from Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mo-hamed Javad Zarif said on Tues-day that Iran would resist West-ern pressure to make what it considered to be excessive con-cessions in the Vienna talks.

Boycott mars Bahrain electionsAFPManama

Gulf monarchy Bahrain holds elec-tions tomorrow but with the op-position boycotting there seems little hope of an end to political deadlock in the key US ally.

Bahrain remains divided nearly four years after security forces in the Sunni-ruled kingdom clamped down on protests led by majority Shias taking their cue from the Arab Spring uprisings.

The opposition is demanding a real constitutional monarchy with an elected prime minister who is independent from the ruling royal family.

But the Saudi-backed al-Khalifah dy-nasty has refused to yield.

Bahrain is home to the US Fifth Fleet - in a crucial position off the coast of adversary Iran - and is one of several Arab states supporting US-led airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, making it a vital Western ally.

Turnout tomorrow is likely to be low as the main opposition party has already called for a boycott.

Campaigning has been subdued, even if the streets of the capital are festooned with election posters.

A rally organised by Adel al-Dhawadi, a candidate for the Islamic Forum party, outside Manama on Wednesday attracted just a few dozen supporters.

Everyone is free to participate in elec-tions or to boycott them. But it is better to participate and get involved in change, said Salah Massameha, a retired academ-ic who attended the gathering.

Candidates from Sunni-led move-ments will compete with independent hopefuls after the Shia Al Wefaq Asso-ciation and other opposition groups an-nounced a boycott.

In addition to the Islamic Forum, which is close to Egypts banned Muslim Broth-erhood, the Sala st Al-Asalah and the National Unity Assembly will eld some of the 266 contenders for the 40-mem-ber parliament.

The general election will be the rst since the 2011 protests, which saw Al

Wefaq withdraw its 18 lawmakers after a violent crackdown on demonstrators by security forces. They were later replaced in restricted polls in which the opposition refused to participate.

Analyst Ali Fakhro said the opposition boycott meant Bahrains next parliament would not off er a fair re ection of public opinion.

Candidates are mainly businessmen and professionals who lack experience in politics and will be unable to bridge so-cial divides, he added.

Not long after the crackdown, dem-onstrators returned to the streets of Shia villages in spite of violent clashes with security forces.

Al Wefaq always distanced itself from

the violence, marketing its struggle as essentially peaceful.

Authorities ignored pleas by human rights groups last year to release political prisoners, instead increasing the punish-ment for violent crimes.

Attacks that cause death or injuries can now be met with capital punishment or life imprisonment.

Abdullah al-Hawihy, head of the cen-tral committee of the National Unity As-sembly, a Sunni body created in the wake of demonstrations, said Bahrains protest movement showed the Iranian agenda in the Arab region.

Some want to push us towards a sec-tarian con ict, he added.

Hawihy also criticised the opposition election boycott. Those who do not take part will lose, he said. It is under the dome of the parliament that we can dis-cuss divisive issues.

Al Wefaq member Abdulmajeed al-Saba accused authorities of trying to terrorise people into voting.

A government offi cial dismissed the claim. The Bahraini people are more de-termined than ever to exercise their con-stitutional right to vote and reinforce the democratic experience despite certain calls for boycott, he said.

But few ordinary Bahrainis appear to share this enthusiasm. The candi-dates seek prestige only, said Haydar, a 32-year-old taxi driver who has no plan to vote.

Bahrain Minister of State for Information Affairs and government spokesperson Samira bin Rajab and election executive committee director Abdulla bin Hassan al-Bouainain speak to reporters during the opening of the elections media centre in Manama yesterday.

Israel to co-operate with UN Gaza war inquiry ReutersJerusalem

Israel said yesterday it would co-operate with a UN inves-tigation into Israeli attacks on UN facilities during last sum-mers Gaza war and the use of UN sites by Palestinian militants to store weapons.

Last week, Israel announced it would not co-operate with a sep-arate UN Human Rights Council investigation into alleged war crimes committed during the July-August con ict, saying its ndings were predetermined and accusing its chairman, Canadian academic William Schabas, of anti-Israeli bias.

Foreign ministry spokesman Paul Hirschson said that unlike that probe, the inquiry estab-lished by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was an authentic investigation with potential for us to improve our performance in the course of con ict and learn from our mistakes.

During the war at least six UN-run facilities were hit by Israeli re, killing at least two dozen people. Ban, in a state-

ment on July 23, condemned the discovery of rockets at a UN-ad-ministered school.

Israel has cited militants use of UN facilities to store rockets as a reason for targeting them. It says that in some cases UN insti-tutions were hit by mistake or by Hamas projectiles.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the group welcomed the dispatch of any UN committee to Gaza. But he did not say wheth-er Hamas would co-operate with an investigation into the storage of weapons at UN sites.

No contact had been made with us regarding such a request. We will look into a request when it is made, he said.

More than 2,100 Palestin-ians, most of them civilians, were killed during the Gaza war. Sixty-seven Israeli soldiers and six civilians in Israel were killed by rockets and attacks by Hamas and other militant groups.

Ban this month named Patrick Cammaert, a retired Dutch general and former force com-mander of the UN peacekeeping mission in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, to head the investigation.

Groups can appeal UAE terror listing ReutersDubai

Groups placed on a terrorism list by the United Arab Emirates can appeal against the designation if their approach has changed, a senior UAE offi cial said yesterday, after several organisations criticised their inclusion.

The Gulf Arab state last week desig-nated the Muslim Brotherhood and its lo-cal affi liates, as well as Syria-based Nusra

Front and the Islamic State, and Shia militant groups such as the Houthi move-ment in Yemen as terrorist organisations.

The list includes the Council on Amer-ican-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Mus-lim American Society and the Cordoba Foundation, along with a number of other Islamic research, advocacy and social or-ganisations based in Western countries.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Af-fairs Anwar Gargash said on his Twitter account the law included clauses giving organisations the availability to appeal

through evidence and via the courts to have their names eliminated from the list.

This is available to the organisa-tions whose approach has changed, he tweeted. The noise (by) some Western organisations over the UAEs terrorism list originates in groups that are linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and many of them work on incitement and creating an environment of extremism.

The US State Department said this week it did not consider either CAIR or

the Muslim American Society as terror-ist organisations and said it was seeking more information from the Emirati gov-ernment on why it had designated them as such.

CAIR said it was seeking clari cation from the UAE government on what it termed a shocking and bizarre report.

The Cordoba Foundation, which de-scribes itself as an independent think tank, said it rejected the designation, calling it an unprecedented and irre-sponsible move.

5 policemen injured in Cairo terror blast

Egypts Minister of Transport and Communications Hani Dahi (second left) checks a damaged train carriage after a bomb exploded at the Rameses railway station in downtown Cairo yesterday.

AFPCairo

A bomb wounded ve policemen near a Cairo university yester-day, and four people were hurt in a panicked crush after an explosion at a train station in the Egyptian capital, se-curity offi cials said.

Egypt has been hit by a wave of bomb-ings and shootings since the military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in July 2013.

The ve policemen, including two of- cers, were hurt when a bomb exploded

at a small post near Helwan University in southern Cairo, security offi cials said.

But the interior ministry said assail-ants in a speeding car threw a bomb at the policemen near the university, wounding four offi cers and a conscript.

Egypt is ghting an Islamist insurgen-cy that has killed scores of policemen and soldiers, mostly in the Sinai Peninsula.

But militant groups have also staged attacks in other parts of the country, in-cluding Cairo.

They say they are acting in retaliation to a brutal government crackdown tar-geting Mursis supporters that has left at least 1,400 people dead since his ouster.

A militant group called Ajnad Misr (Sol-diers of Egypt) has claimed several attacks in Cairo that targeted security forces, in-cluding one near Cairo University last month that wounded nine people.

Police have tightened security in and around universities across Egypt, where students supporting Mursi still stage reg-ular protests.

During the past academic year, at least 14 students were killed in clashes with security forces on university campuses - the last bastions of pro-Mursi protesters.

Separately yesterday, four people were injured in a stampede at the capitals Ramses station after a blast inside a com-

partment of a train that pulled in from the Nile Delta, security offi cials said, adding that the blast was caused by a sound bomb.

Amid a growing number of attacks on public transport, 16 people were injured in panic sparked by an explosion at a Cai-ro metro train station on November 13.

A week earlier, a bomb on a train north of the capital killed two policemen and two passengers.

In other developments, in the delta province of Sharqiya, three empty state transport buses were set on re in sepa-rate incidents by unknown people, the offi cials said.

AFRICA5Gulf Times Friday, November 21, 2014

Nigerian police red tear-gas in the lobby of parlia-ment yesterday to stop the speaker of the lower house entering with a crowd of law-makers and supporters, prompt-ing the chairman to shut the na-tional assembly.

Parliament was convening for the rst time since Aminu Tam-buwal, whose post is the fourth most powerful in the country, switched sides before presi-dential elections in February to join the opposition to President Goodluck Jonathan.

The confrontation started when Tambuwal appeared at the gates of parliament accompanied by a crowd including members of the opposition All Progressive

Congress (APC) to preside over debate on a bill to extend a state of emergency in three states hit by insurgency.

After an argument, police locked the gates and the crowd scaled the walls and gate to force their way in, witnesses said.

Many ed after the police red the tear gas. There were no ar-rests.

Senate President David Mark shut down the assembly after the disruption.

He described the chaos as a very unfortunate incident.

After due consultation with my colleagues in both chambers of the National Assembly on this ugly development we have there-fore agreed that todays session be suspended forthwith, Mark said, adding that the assembly will reconvene on Tuesday.

Nigerias police said in a state-

ment it deployed security only after it received a tip that parlia-ment was about to be invaded by hoodlums and thugs.

In the course of this lawful exercise, Aminu Tambuwal, ar-rived the venue with a motley crowd, who broke the cordon, assaulted the police and evaded due process, it said, adding that police had a duty to restore order.

Nigeria, Africas top oil pro-ducer, is battling a currency cri-sis exacerbated by falling global oil prices, as well as an Islamist insurgency in three northeastern states.

House of Representatives spokesman Zakaria Mohammed said later that the chamber held a brief session before the parlia-ment was ordered shut and de-cided to reject the state of emer-gency extension.

Emergency rule is over as

far as we are concerned, he told AFP.

A vote was not taken and the decision came in a closed-door session.

Mohammed explained that the president was still free to deploy troops to trouble spots in the country.

Jonathan has said the exten-sion is needed to sustain the military off ensive against Boko Haram.

But the main opposition APC has described the strategy as a complete failure, noting the huge Islamist gains since emergency rule was rst imposed in May 2013.

The president needs approval from both houses of parliament to secure an extension but losing the emergency powers have lit-tle practical impact on the ght against Boko Haram as their pur-

pose was never spelt out.The PDP, which has controlled

the government since democracy was restored in 1999, has found itself in uncharted waters in re-cent months following a wave of lawmaker defections to the APC.

While the PDP currently holds fragile majorities in both cham-bers, the situation has been in ux throughout the year.

The defection of Tambuwal was seen as blow to Jonathan, who had previously relied on a compliant lower house.

Human rights lawyer Jiti Ogunye said yesterdays fracas recalled the years after Nigerias independence from Britain in 1960, when a divided civilian government was ultimately over-thrown by the military.

We are in a state of anarchy, he said. This is how sad our de-mocracy has turned.

Police use teargas in Nigeria parliament Reuters/AFPAbuja

Lawyers for Nigerian preacher TB Joshua said yesterday that they had mounted a legal challenge against a coroner who has or-dered him to testify about a fatal building collapse at his Lagos megachurch.

Joshua has been summonsed twice to give evidence at an inquest examining the cir-cumstances of the September 12 tragedy in which 116 people were killed, but failed to appear on both occasions.

The latest no-show by the popular televangelist angered coroner Oyetade Komolafe, who said he would order his ar-rest.

However, the pastors law-yer, Olalekan Ojo, told report-ers after the hearing: We have gone to the high court to chal-lenge the jurisdiction of the coroner to issue a witness sum-mons.

The coroner has uncon-sciously exceeded his juris-diction in that he has started inquiring into matters that are not causative of deaths.

Komolafe was furious that Joshua, known to his followers as The Prophet or The Man of God, was not present for the start of proceedings yesterday after failing to appear on No-vember 5.

On that occasion, Ojo said Joshua had been unavoidably absent and failed to receive the summons.

We dont want the impres-sion to be created that The Prophet is avoiding the court, he said.

Yesterday, Komolafe said: Any of the witnesses who is not in court today will be ar-rested. I think the court has been lenient enough.

Joshua, who counts presi-dents and powerful politicians from across Africa among his ock, has claimed the collapse

was caused by a mysterious aircraft seen hovering over the building at the time.

The self-styled miracle worker and seer has also sug-gested that it was a deliberate attack.

However, expert witnesses have already ruled out the theory of aerial sabotage or an explosion.

The hearing has been told instead that the stricken guest-house did not have planning permission and that a number of other buildings at Joshuas Synagogue Church of All Na-tions complex were structur-ally unsound.

A total of 81 South Africans were among the dead.

Seventy-four bodies were repatriated from Lagos last weekend.

Ojo con rmed that his client had received the latest sum-mons and added that his ap-pearance was conditional on the outcome of the high court challenge.

The Prophet has respect for the law of the land and will not do anything that will hurt the law, he said. If at the end of the day, it is appropriate for The Prophet to appear he will be in court. We do not intend to abuse the legal process.

Besides, The Prophet has a milk of human kindness. He is still grieving over the hor-rendous loss of lives. Coming to court is not proper. It is not a good way of showing respect for the dead.

There have been calls for Joshua to be prosecuted over the building collapse after the Lagos State authorities sug-gested it was caused by the il-legal addition of extra oors.

But Komolafe has said that the inquest was not a criminal court.

We are here to nd facts, nd out what has happened, why, where, when and how so as to prevent a recurrence, he said on the opening day of the hearing on October 13.

Preacher ignores summons for building collapse inquest, againAFPLagos

All about perception

A couple stand near Perceiving Freedom, a giant sculpture of a pair of sunglasses created by artist Michael Elion as part of World Design Capital 2014 to honour late South African president and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela, in Cape Town. The sculpture, which is sponsored by Ray-Ban and has stirred controversy after the artist was accused of seeking to benefit from Mandelas legacy, was defaced by vandals this week. Local activist group Tokolos is suspected of being behind the vandalism.

Satas widow joins run to replace presidentReutersLusaka

The widow of Zambias last president has joined nine other candidates seeking to replace him by running for the ruling Patriotic Fronts (PF) presidential ticket ahead of a January election.

Christine Kaseba said she wanted to unite the party and build on the achievements of her late husband Michael Sata, by standing in what analysts have warned could be a divisive con-test.

The grief I feel is nothing compared to the pain that would result from the destruction of his party and abandonment of his ideals, Kaseba, a paediatrician, said in a story published in The Post newspaper yesterday.

I have come to the conclusion that part of the mourning of this great Zambian leader will be in completing the work he began, she added.

Sata, who was nicknamed King Cobra because of his sharp tongue, died in a London hospital from an undisclosed ill-ness last month at the age of 77.

He had been president of Zambia, Africas second-largest copper producer, since 2011.

The PF is divided over the contest to replace him with sup-porters of front-runner Edgar Lungu saying that a 53-member central committee should pick the candidate for the presiden-tial vote, scheduled for January 20.

Other aspirants, and Zambias interim leader Guy Scott, want a vote by a general conference, made up of thousands of del-egates.

Scott has called for calm and says he plans to hold a meeting with the members of the central committee and all the presiden-tial aspirants this week to agree on the selection process.

Scott cannot stand himself as his parents were born outside Zambia, in Scotland.

Questions about Zambias stability arose when Scott red Lungu as PF secretary general on November 3, without explaining why.

He reinstated him a day later after Lungus dismissal triggered street protests.

Satas son Mulenga Sata, the mayor of Lusaka, has also ap-plied to stand, along with former commerce deputy minister Miles Sampa, prominent businessman Geoff rey Mwamba and former diplomat Selemani Banda.

Commerce minister Rob-ert Sichinga, sports minister Chishimba Kabwili, former foreign aff airs minister Given Lubinda and agriculture minis-ter Wylbur Simuusa are also in the running.

A Cuban doctor infected with Ebola in Sierra Leone became the latest of nearly 600 health workers to have contracted the virus, amid fresh warnings that the ght against the disease is far from over.

The deadliest outbreak of Ebola ever has now killed 5,420 people and infected 15,145, ac-cording to new World Health Organisation (WHO) gures on Wednesday, with Sierra Leone seeing the steepest increase in new cases.

Cuba has played a large role in intensifying global eff orts to ght the outbreak in the three worst-hit countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, send-ing around 250 nurses and doc-tors to the region with another 450 to come.

Felix Baez Sarria, one of about

165 Cuban medics in Sierra Leo-ne, left the country on Thursday afternoon in an aircraft bound for Switzerland, a Reuters wit-ness said.

Baez, a father of two children, was due to arrive in Geneva for medical treatment later.

It was not immediately clear how he came to catch the haem-orrhagic fever which is spread via bodily uids such as blood, sweat and vomit.

In a message to his father, Sarrias son Alejandro Baez said: Be strong Dad, everythings go-ing to be ne. All Cubas pulling for you, according to the pro-government news website Cu-basi.

In its latest update, the WHO said Ebola transmission re-mains intense and widespread in Sierra Leone, with 533 new con rmed cases reported in the week to November 16.

The outbreaks in Guinea and Liberia now appear driven by in-tense transmission only in sev-

eral key districts and no longer nationwide, the body said.

Medical professionals have been particularly aff ected by the worst Ebola outbreak on record. Out of the 584 healthcare work-ers known to have contracted the virus, 329 have died.

U2 frontman Bono and Oscar-winning actors Ben Affl eck, Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman led an appeal on Wednesday for the world to step up its ght against Ebola, releasing a video in delib-erate silence to decry early inac-tion.

The three countries at the epicentre of the outbreak are among the worlds poorest, with sketchy healthcare and infra-structure facilities that were ravaged by years of inter-linked civil con icts.

The lack of toilets in the region was highlighted by the United Nations as a possible cause of the spread of the highly conta-gious haemorrhagic disease.

Half the population of Libe-ria, the country worst hit by the epidemic, have no access to toi-lets, while in Sierra Leone nearly one-third of people live without latrines, a new United Nations report said.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said the ght against Ebola was going well, citing a big drop in the number of new infections during a tour of an Ebola Treatment Unit or ETU.

I feel very good. The peo-ple are working well doctors, nurses, and other healthcare

workers they are all very vigi-lant and very effi cient; more importantly, most of the ETUs dont have patients, she added.

Her offi ce said the objective was to have zero new cases by Christmas.

The World Bank meanwhile said nearly half the workforce in Liberia was no longer working since the onset of the epidemic, with the self-employed working in markets particularly badly hit.

In Mali, which has recorded ve Ebola deaths, 413 people were being tracked for signs of the disease and only one a doctor at a hospital where a Gui-nean imam had died of the dis-ease has tested positive, the government said.

The ght against Ebola is far from being won despite the en-couraging news from Liberia, world leaders have warned.

We are nowhere near out of the woods yet in West Africa, US President Barack Obama said.

Cuban doctor contracts Ebola in Sierra Leone AFP/ReutersFreetown

General view of the Geneva University Hospital in Geneva. Cuban doctor Felix Baez Sarriawas flown to Switzerland for treatment in a Geneva hospital, Swiss health authorities said on Wednesday.

A record 1,020 rhinos have been poached in South Africa this year, the gov-ernment said yesterday, scup-pering multiple eff orts by au-thorities to curb the slaughter of the endangered species.

The vast Kruger National Park has been hit the hardest by poachers, with 672 killed inside the park, which is roughly the size of Wales.

To date, a total of 1,020 rhino have been killed for their horn since 1 January 2014, the de-partment of environmental af-fairs said in a statement.

The poaching crisis has forced the authorities to move a number of rhinos to safety zones, some in neighbouring countries.

Last year, 1,004 beasts were poached in parks across the country.

Demand for rhinoceros horn which is made of keratin, which is also found in hair and nails has skyrocketed in recent years, largely driven by the market in Asia, where the powdered horn is valued for its supposed me-dicinal properties.

Rhino horn can fetch nearly $100,000 per kilogramme in Asia.

South Africa has launched a number of initiatives to ght the scourge, including the deploy-

ment of the army along the bor-der with Mozambique, a poach-ing hotspot.

Helicopters are also used to intercept poachers as well as armed ground patrols with sniff er dogs.

Unfortunately the threat of poaching has continued to escalate while various multi-faceted interventions are being implemented by South Africa, the Minister of Environmental Aff airs Edna Molewa said. We are concerned that poaching is part of a multi-billion dollar worldwide illicit wildlife trade. Addressing the scourge is not simple.

South African National Parks (SANParks), which manages the

countrys parks, described the poaching statistics as horri c but maintained that they were not ghting a losing battle.

The gures are horri c, said SANParks spokesman Isaac Phaahla.

We believe that they could have been worse if it wasnt for our current anti-poaching in-terventions.

Phaahla pointed at the 344 arrests of suspected poachers since the beginning of the year and occasional convictions as signs of work in progress in the ght against the scourge.

However, a large number of heavily armed poachers still manage to sidestep rangers on a daily basis, shooting the animals

with high-calibre hunting ri es, before hacking off the prized horn.

Phaahla said the current relo-cation of rhinos was one of the key population management eff orts in a ve-year plan by au-thorities to curb poaching.

In July, a court sentenced a rhino poacher to a record 77 years in prison, and dozens of people are currently being tried for poaching.

In September, police claimed to have arrested a suspected ringleader of a poaching gang believed to be behind at least 24 rhino killings between 2008 and 2012.

The arrests were followed in November by a haul of 18 rhino

horn seized at Johannesburg airport on a ight from Mozam-bique to Vietnam.

South Africa is also looking into the thorny subject of legal-ising the trade in rhino, hoping it would help minimise the de-mand and save the species.

In addition, the government wants to explore the possibil-ity of combating poaching by reducing poverty and provid-ing job training for potential poachers, Rose Masela from the Department of Environmental Aff airs said.

Poachers are driven by greed or by poverty, she said.

But the issue has been met with mixed reaction from offi -cials and conservationists.

Horri c record of 1,020 rhinoceros killed in South Africa AFP/DPAJohannesburg

AMERICASGulf Times Friday, November 21, 20146

A lone gunman opened re at a major university in Florida early yesterday, wounding three students before he was shot and killed by police, offi cials said.

The latest episode of Americas epidemic of gun violence hap-pened just after midnight (0500 GMT) at Florida State University in the capital city Tallahassee.

More than 300 students were in the universitys Strozier Li-brary when several shots rang out.

Offi cers responding to reports of gun re confronted the gun-man outside the library and shot him after he refused an order to put down his pistol, Tallahas-

see city police spokesman David Northway said.

Some witnesses said that the gunman was shot 30 to 40 times.

Of the three students who were shot, two were in hospital, one in critical condition, healthcare of- cials said.

A third was treated at the scene.

Northway said an investiga-tion into the motive of the shoot-ing was underway. The gunmans identity was not immediately disclosed.

The Tallahassee Democrat newspaper, which said scores of students gathered yesterday for an impromptu vigil in front of the library, reported that Florida Governor Rick Scott was expect-ed to make a statement about the shooting later in the day.

Florida State University presi-

dent John Thrasher, in a state-ment, said that investigators as-sured him that the shooting was an isolated incident.

Security is not lacking on campus, added Florida State University police chief David Perry. This person for whatever reason produced a handgun and started shooting.

But it was the 23rd shooting at a US college this year in which at least one person was wounded or killed, according to a running tally by the Everytown for Gun Safety lobby.

Classes were cancelled yes-terday, but the university with more than 40,000 students re-mained otherwise open.

With midterms scheduled be-fore next Thursdays Thanksgiv-ing holiday, the Strozier Library was open round-the-clock to

accommodate students trying to cram for the exams.

Students told US media that as many as four shots had been red within the library.

One student, Blair Stokes, said she was on the rst oor of the library when this guy comes up and says someone has a gun, she told CNN.

Stokes said police quickly swarmed the building, as the university quickly put out an alert about a dangerous situa-tion on campus.

Another student, Sean Young, told local television channel WCTV that he was on the third oor when students started run-ning frantically past him, and someone said a gunman was downstairs.

With a fellow member of his fraternity, Young crammed as

many people as possible into a study break room, hoping they would all be safe inside.

I just tried to remain calm, especially for those that were around me. I didnt want to panic anybody else. For me personally, its still kind of registering, he said.

Second-year undergraduate John Ehab, also on the third oor, told WTXL television that stu-dents took cover in book aisles, fearing the gunman might come upstairs.

It was a consecutive bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, freshman Nikolai Hernandez, who was in his dorm room across from the library, told WTXL. It makes me de nitely a little bit nervous. I was supposed to be in the library. I had a paper to do and I got a little bit lazy and decided not to do it.

Three wounded, one dead in US campus shooting AFPMiami

Josh Nieves, 20, a music student from Fort Myers and Tim Kehl, 19, a junior finance student from Tallahassee, kneel yesterday at the fountain in front of the library and pray at Florida State University, in Tallahassee. Three students were shot and wounded when a gunman opened fire inside the main Florida State University library early yesterday. Campus police shot the suspect dead, off icials said.

The northeastern United States braced for another bout of potentially deadly weather yesterday after a rare, mid-autumn blizzard killed at least eight people.

The pre-winter storm this week dumped more than six feet (1.8m) of snow in some areas, in-cluding the hard hit city of Buf-falo in the western part of New York state.

Forecasters have predicted that the wintry deluge could set a record for the heaviest snowfall ever in the US in a 24-hour time span.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said in its latest bulletin

that an extra two to three feet (60-90cm) of lake eff ect snow, created when frigid air moves over warm lake waters, could fall.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who travelled to Buff alo yesterday for a rsthand look, said at a press conference that it may even be necessary to cancel an NFL football game on Sunday between the local Buff alo Bills and the New York Jets sacrilege in a sport that many fans insist is most enjoyable when the weather is at its worst.

Everybody would love to see a Bills game go forward, but I think even more, everybody wants to make sure public safety comes rst, Cuomo said. At this point in time, doing what we have to do with the driving ban and every-thing we just said staying off

the roads would make a Bills game impractical.

The snow advisory will remain in eff ect through today, said the NWS, which warned of treacher-ous conditions, including near-zero visibility, and even the pos-sibility of thundersnow snow with thunder and lightning.

The snowfall is equivalent to around a years supply of snow in just two days and could yet prompt a federal disaster decla-ration, local offi cials said.

The colossal snowfall col-lapsed roofs, damaged homes and shuttered businesses. It also led to hundreds of delayed and canceled ights at Buff alo-Nia-gra International Airport.

Meanwhile, motorists were left stranded on some highways, some immobilised for two full

days while waiting for help to ar-rive and roads to be cleared.

Many of those who died lost their lives while working clear away mounds of heavy snow from their cars and homes.

A man in his 60s died of a heart attack while trying to operate his snow blower, bringing to eight the number of deaths blamed on the blizzard said deputy Erie County executive Ricard Tobe.

Very dangerous storm. One more day. Lets get through this snow. People continue to be smart. Stay at home. Observe the

driving bans, he told a news con-ference.

Cuomo, meanwhile, called up the National Guard, mobilis-ing some 1,200 troops and de-ploying hundreds of pieces of heavy equipment including 463 plows to remove snow from around Lake Erie on the Cana-dian border.

The rock band Interpol said that they were stranded more than 50 hours on their tour bus by the storm just outside Buf-falo, forcing them to cancel two consecutive nights of concerts in

Montreal and Toronto.Finally just started making

a move. 50+ hours later. Hoping for some luck today, the band tweeted yesterday morning.

Settling in for another night. Havent moved all day. Hoping the expected storm tonight aint as bad as predicted, they up-dated fans late on Wednesday in a series of upbeat posts and pic-tures.

Dave Zaff , a meteorologist from the NWS, told AFP that some areas south of Buff alo city received at least 70-80 inches

(1.8m to 2m) of snow since the storm began.

This is de nitely historic, he said. This one will be etched in peoples memories.

The snow is expected to pum-mel hard-hit areas again late overnight before moving south, turning to rain tomorrow which brings its own risks, Zaff said.

The main concern would be ooding, he told AFP. We have a number of creeks and small rivers that run through the area, those could be a good risk and other drainage issues.

Northeast US braces for more snow chaosAFPNew York

The Skyline of Buff alo, New York, is barely visible from a snow-covered and unploughed road with a stop sign, a day after a winter storm that dumped a reported 1.5m of lake-eff ect snow on the area. Forecasters are predicting more snow in the area which might bring the total snowfall to more than 1.83m.

US President Barack Obama was due to unveil measures yesterday that are expected to shield millions of undocumented migrants from deportation, as he bypasses a Congress that has failed to pass broader immigration reform.

The executive action could af-fect up to 5mn of the estimated 11mn people most of them from Mexico and Central America living and working illegally in the United States.

Since 1986, when then Repub-lican president Ronald Reagan granted a sweeping amnesty, all attempts at major reform of the countrys immigration system have failed.

In the face of congressional stalemate, Obama who made the issue one of his priorities upon taking offi ce in 2009 has decided now, with two years left in the White House, to take the matter into his own hands.

The Democratic president will explain his proposals to the na-tion in a prime-time speech at 8pm (0100 GMT today).

Today he will elaborate on the plan in a speech at a Las Vegas high school.

Everyone agrees that our immigration system is broken, he said in a video message on Wednesday. Unfortunately, Washington has allowed the problem to fester for too long.

Obama is expected to allow some migrants who have lived in the United States for more than ve years, with no prior run-ins with the law, to apply for a tem-porary work permit.

The current programme al-lowing temporary residency cards to minors who arrive in the United States before the age of 16 could be expanded.

All in all, the move would protect 3-5mn people from the threat of arrest and deportation by US federal authorities.

It may not, however, provide a clear path to eventual citizenship or permanent residency for mi-grants, an idea that may have to wait for another president or an-other generation of lawmakers.

The White House has long wanted to pass a broad immigra-tion reform package that would off er a path to citizenship for young migrants that grew up in the United States.

A new immigration law did pass the then-Democratically controlled Senate last year, but the Republican House of Repre-sentatives blocked it and failed to agree on its own alternative proposal.

White House lawyers and many outside experts believe Obama has the constitutional authority to act.

While other presidents have used executive powers to grant amnesty to undocumented mi-grants, none has ever taken such sweeping action.

Republicans, who will control

both the House of Representa-tives and the Senate in January after a huge win in this months midterm elections, says Obama is going way too far.

If he acts by executive dik-tat, President Obama will not be acting as a president he will be acting as a monarch, Repub-lican Senator Ted Cruz, one of Obamas harshest critics in Con-gress, wrote in an opinion piece.

Some have questioned the constitutionality of his actions. Other say Congress just needs more time.

The action hes proposed would ignore the law, would re-ject the voice of the voters and

impose new unfairness on law-abiding immigrants, all without solving the problem, incom-ing Republican Senate Major-ity Leader Mitch McConnell said yesterday. It may serve him po-litically in the short-term, but he knows it will make an already broken system even more bro-ken.

But Democrats counter that those same Republicans blocked other attempts at reform.

According to an opinion poll conducted by NBC and the Wall Street Journal, 48% of Americans disapprove of Obamas immigra-tion plans, against 38% who back them.

The political restorm un-leashed by Obama does not bode well for relations between Con-gress and the White House in the coming months.

Republicans cannot block a presidential decree, but they can make Obamas last two years ex-tremely diffi cult by blocking his choices to ll ambassadorial and administration posts, as well as judgeships.

However, with the 2016 presi-dential election on the horizon, the debate within the party on immigration will be lively, as Re-publicans can ill-aff ord to ignore Hispanic voters, 70% of whom voted for Obama in 2012.

Obama set to unveil immigration plan AFPWashington

Obama chats during lunch with Standing Rock Sioux tribal youths at We The Pizza/Good Stuff Eatery following an Oval Off ice greeting, in Washington, DC yesterday. This visit was a follow up to a youth roundtable hosted by the president in June during a trip to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in Cannonball, North Dakota. During that discussion, the Obamas invited the youths to visit the White House.

Ebola becomes latest stock scam: SECUS regulators have suspended trading in four small over-the-counter stocks of companies that they said have been touting the development of products to prevent or treat the Ebola virus, and warned investors to beware of similar scams.The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said that it had suspended trading in the shares of New York-based Bravo Enterprises Limited, California-based Immunotech Laboratories Incorporated, Canada-based Myriad Interactive Media Incorporated and Wholehealth Products Incorporated, which is also located in California.The SEC also issued a warning that con artists may be soliciting investors and claiming to be developing treatments or medicine to prevent the deadly virus.Company off icials at Bravo Enterprises, Immunotech Laboratories and Myriad Interactive Media could not be immediately reached for comment.A woman who answered the phone at Wholehealth Products hung up after saying the company was private.

Jim Webb announces presidential bid The dust has barely settled on mid-term elections, but former senator Jim Webb, 68, has become the first candidate in Americas upcoming presidential race and an early potential challenger to fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton.I have decided to launch an exploratory committee to examine whether I should run for president in 2016, Webb said in a YouTube video posted late on Wednesday.Creating such a panel permits a person to start legally raising funds, and traditionally signals the first off icial step in a presidential campaign process.

First to be jailed for election fraud A Conservative campaign worker has became the first person in Canada to be jailed for vote fraud, landing a blow to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his ruling party ahead of elections next year.Michael Sona, 26, who was convicted in August, was sentenced on Wednesday to nine months in prison over a scheme that misdirected voters to fake polling stations during the last election.Harper is already reeling from last months conviction of his former parliamentary secretary for overspending in the 2011 election and falsifying records to try to cover it up.Prosecutors and the judge in the Sona case said they believed others were involved, but nobody else has been charged.Sona had claimed he was a scapegoat.Public Prosecution Service of Canada spokeswoman Ruth McGuirl said she hoped the sentence would discourage others from engaging in election fraud.

ASEAN7Gulf TimesFriday, November 21, 2014

An Indonesian student stands near burning tires as he gives a speech during an anti-fuel price hike protest in Padang, West Sumatera, yesterday. Indonesia raised the price of subsidised fuel by up to 35 per cent on Tuesday. The increases are likely to drive up prices for basic commodities and the inflation rate.

Price hike protest

Student Natchacha Kongudom flashes a three-finger salute inspired by the movie The Hunger Games in front of a billboard of the film outside the Siam Paragon cinema in Bangkok yesterday.

Thai shermen cash in on human traffi ckThe traff icking of illegals has become profitable enough to draw in fishermen

ReutersRanong, Thailand

The smuggling of Rohingya Muslims eeing persecution in Myanmar is so lucrative that Thai shermen are converting their boats to carry humans, police, locals and offi cials in southern Thailand said.

In recent weeks, thousands of Rohingya, a mostly stateless people, have sailed across the Bay of Bengal to the west coast of Thailand, from where human-smug-glers deliver them to neighbouring Ma-laysia, a Muslim-majority country where they can nd jobs.

Some boat operators in Ranong province, on the Thai-Myanmar border and with a thriving shing industry, were adapting to pro t from the exodus, said Sanya Prakob-phol, chief of police in Kapoe district.

The shing business isnt so good so

the shermen make their boats people-carrying boats, Sanya told Reuters. Some converted Ranong boats can carry up to 1,000 people.

Boat operators can earn between 5,000 and 10,000 baht ($150-300) per person by ferrying illegal migrants from Myanmar to Thailand, he added.

The Royal Thai Navy told Reuters last month that most smuggling and traffi ck-ing ships plying the Bay of Bengal were from Thailand. The navy also said it had increased patrols.

According to the Arakan Project, which plots migration across the Bay of Bengal, about 100,000 Rohingya have left Rakhine State since 2012. Violent clashes with ethnic Rakhine Buddhists that year killed hundreds and left 140,000 homeless, most of them Rohingya.

Some Rohingya, as Reuters reported last year, are held for ransom by traf-ficking gangs at jungle camps in Thai-land until relatives pay to secure their release.

Ranongs provincial capital, which goes by the same name, is a port city just 40

minutes by boat from Myanmar. Migrants have historically formed the backbone of its seafood industry.

Hanif, who uses only one name, said he had helped a fellow Ranong fisher-man strip the interior of a boat to hold people.

He is getting very rich, said Hanif, as he sorted shimmering piles of ribbon sh and mackerel. He wanted to make as much room as possible to carry more in one trip.

Abdul Nazir, who earns about 6,000 baht a month repairing old shing nets, added: Fishermen around here are buy-ing bigger boats. A few have been con-verted below deck to transport illegal mi-grants where sh and ice would normally be stored.

Many locals saw nothing wrong with transporting boat people, according to Manit Pianthong, chief of Takua Pa dis-trict in neighbouring Phang Nga prov-ince.

Villagers and fisherman have been living with migrants coming in and out of Thailand for more than 30 years be-

cause of our proximity to Myanmar, he said.

They dont see anything wrong at all with supplementing their income by transporting illegal migrants. Thats why we need to educate them slowly and show them that this is wrong and that some of those coming over now are traffi cking vic-tims.

He said he was waging an anti-traf-ficking campaign with roadside check-points and groups patrolling coastal ar-eas.

Some boats were heading all the way to Myanmar to pick passengers up for the crossing, said Surachet Abdullah, a Ro-hingya rights activist and member of the Muslims For Peace group, a Thai charity.

Its a service that comes right to the door. Its a really big business.

Thailand is the worlds third-largest ex-porter of seafood. It is also one of the worst centres for human-traffi cking, according to the US State Department, which in June downgraded Thailand to its lowest rank-ing for not making signi cant eff orts to tackle the crime.

Great apes threatened by palm oilAFPKuala Lumpur

The destruction of rain-forests in Southeast Asia and increasingly in Africa to make way for palm oil cultivation is a direct threat to the survival of great apes such as the orangutan, envi-ronmentalists warned yester-day.

They said tropical forests were tumbling at a rapid rate, with palm plantations a key driver, despite eff orts by the industrys Roundtable on Sus-tainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to encourage sustainable cultiva-tion.

The concerns were voiced at the sidelines of the annual RSPO meeting, held this year in Malaysia and which con-cluded yesterday.

Orangutan and ape habi-tats are being destroyed, said Doug Cress, from the UN En-vironment Programmes great ape protection campaign.

The destruction of rain-forest in Southeast Asia and increasingly now in Africa is a direct threat to the great apes.

In Southeast Asia alone, up to 1mn hectares of forestnearly the size of Jamaicais lost an-nually to agricultural expansion like palm oil, said Adam Harri-son, agriculture policy special-ist with the WWF.

(Land clearing for planta-tions) has been high. Some of them are in high-quality for-ests which will have an impact

on climate change, he said. The orangutans will be-

come extinct within a few dec-ades. In Borneo island we are already seeing that there are only a handful of rhinos left. It is not a viable population and it will go extinct, Harrison added.

Borneo is shared by Malay-sia, Indonesia and Brunei.

The problem is most acute in leading palm oil producers Malaysia and Indonesia, which account for 85 percent of world production, conference par-ticipants said.

In Southeast Asia, palm oil is a versatile and cheaply farmed cash crop promoted to eradi-cate poverty. In return, the growers who live on allocated land become a strong vote bank for the ruling government.

Derived from the fruit of the oil palm, its use has skyrocket-ed in recent years and it is now a key ingredient in a vast range of every-day products, from lipstick to instant noodles, shampoo and ice cream.

The RSPO, bringing togeth-er stakeholders including pro-ducers, end-user manufactur-ers, and environmental groups, was formed in 2004 as concern over the ecological impact of mushrooming palm cultiva-tion took off .

It seeks to promote produc-tion that is environmentally sustainable and respects native land rights, but the organisa-tions effi cacy has increasingly been questioned as forest de-struction has continued.

Indonesian police defend virginity tests DPA Jakarta

Indonesian police have defended virginity tests conducted on female ap-plicants after Human Rights Watch criticised the practice, reports said yesterday.

If there are good virgins, why dont we choose good virgins? Brigadier general Moechgiyarto, the head of the national police legal af-fairs division, was quoted as saying by the Tempo.co news website during a discussion on law enforcement in Jakarta on Wednesday.

In a video of the discussion posted on YouTube, Moechgi-yarto, who like many Indone-sians goes by one name, said: We dont want to recruit people

who dont have good morals.He said that a lack of virgin-

ity did not automatically dis-qualify an applicant.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a report released Tuesday that virginity tests on female police appli-cants were still being applied widely despite a promise to end the practice.

The Indonesian National Polices use of virginity tests is a discriminatory practice that harms and humiliates women, said Nisha Varia, associate womens rights director at Hu-man Rights Watch.

Police authorities in Ja-karta need to immediately and unequivocally abolish the test, and then make certain that all police recruiting stations na-tionwide stop administering it, she said.

Thais held for handing out tickets to Hunger Games ReutersBangkok

Three Thai university students were taken into police custody yesterday for handing out free tickets to the latest lm in the Hun-ger Games series, from which Thai protesters have borrowed a gesture of resistance to a totalitarian govern-ment.

Prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha led a military coup on May 22. The military has quashed any public demonstration of resistance to the coup and a ban on political gather-ings remains in place.

In the immediate aftermath of the coup, some protesters ashed a three- ngered salute inspired by the Hunger Games series. The salute has become emblematic with Thai pro-democracy protesters, and the Thai government has warned the public against using it.

The three- nger sign is a sign to show that I am calling for my ba-sic right to live my life, Bangkok University student Natchacha Kon-gudom told reporters before being taken into custody after making the gesture outside a cinema.

Police colonel Visoot Chatchaidet told reporters that the students had not been arrested. We are just invit-ing them to talk, he said.

Natchacha is a supporter of the Thai Student Centre for Democracy (TSCD) which distributed over 100 tickets to watch the lm at one Bang-kok cinema. The cinema chain APEX that owns that venue cancelled the screening. APEX declined to com-ment on the reasons for the cancel-lation yesterday.

TSCD organisers said they were not staging a demonstration.

There may be some hidden mes-sages in the movie, but we are also a group that enjoys lms, TSCD or-ganiser Ratthapol Supasopon told reporters before being taken into custody.

The third detained student carried a copy of George Orwells novel 1984, which has also been deployed as a symbol of protest by those opposing Thailands military rule.

The detentions in Bangkok came the day after ve members of a crowd were detained for making the salute and revealing an anti-coup slogan on their T-shirts as Prayuth began a speech in the northern city of Khon Khaen. The city is a stronghold for supporters of the government Pray-uth ousted.

Each of the ve had one word on their shirts to make the message: We dont support the coup.

It is all right, they do not un-derstand the truth, Prayuth said on stage as he saw the demonstrators.

AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

Gulf Times Friday, November 21, 20148

Maori warriors perform the haka, part of a traditional Maori welcome, for Chinas President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan on Government House grounds in Wellington.

A Taiwanese man faces the death penalty after he was indicted yesterday, accused of fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend and sexually assaulting her corpse in a brutal and inhumane public attack. Chang Yen-wen, 29, who was charged with murder, is alleged to have knifed the woman at least 47 times in a frenzied att