US Secretary of Defence James Mattis arrived in Doha yesterday on an official visit. A number of the Qatari Armed Forces ranking officers and US Ambassador to Qatar Dana Shell Smith received the Secretary of Defence and his accompanying delegation at Al Udeid Air Base.

Evergreen Gatlin set to shine in Bolt's absence

Fossil fuels will remain key in

shaping economy

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Irfan Bukhari & Sidi Mohamed The Peninsula

Ousainou Darboe, Minis-ter of Foreign Affairs of Republic of the Gambia,

yesterday said that his coun-try was all set to reopen its closed embassy in Qatar. “Gambia’s embassy in Qatar that was closed by former President Yahya Jammeh will become operational within next five months,” Darboe said in an inter-view with The Peninsula.

He said that President of Gambia Adama Barrow had great respect for Qatar and its leadership and wanted to revive bilateral relations therefore “I am visiting Qatar to convey my government’s good wishes.”

Ousainou Darboe, a lawyer by profession, has been impris-oned many times for opposing former dictator Yahya Jammeh who quit presidency in January this year after an electoral defeat in December 2016 in which Bar-row had bagged a landslide victory. Darboe is Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, and also special envoy of the President of the Gambia.

Gambian Foreign Minister said that Qatar had an impor-tant position not only in the Gulf but in the whole Middle East. “It is my first visit to the Middle East. I am here to strengthen bilateral relations. Unfortu-nately, previous regime closed the embassy of Gambia in Qatar and now we want to reopen the

embassy and I have informed Qatar’s Foreign Minister about it. Qatar has welcomed the move,” he noted.

Darboe said that Gambia was encouraging investments in Gambia from Qatari busi-nessmen. “We have an investment-friendly environ-ment; have announced various incentives for investors like tax exemptions etc. Both countries have already a treaty to avoid double taxation which is oper-ational therefore Qataris should invest in Gambia,” he said.

He said that there was a lot of potential for investors in agriculture sector of Gambia. “Apart from conventional crops they can invest in horticulture,” he said, adding that there was also great scope in the real estate sector as houses for low income groups were badly needed in his country.

→ Continued on page 2

Gambia set to reopen embassy in Qatar

Huda N V The Peninsula

As dusty and chang-i n g w e a t h e r conditions have led to a surge in demand for allergy

and cold medicines, a specific anti-allergy remedy considered most appropriate for children is currently facing a dire short-age in market. However, unlike before, demand for antibiotic medicines have fallen, accord-ing to experts.

“More people are turning up at our pharmacies asking for cold and flu medicines. Medi-cines like the cough syrups, nasal drops, sprays and anti-allergy medicines are moving very fast. There is also enough demand for products as face masks and air-purifiers,” said S K Vyas, Pharmacy Academ-ics Manager, Wellcare Group .

“However, we are getting lesser antibiotic prescriptions as government has taken a stringent stand on such medi-cines, for public welfare. The restrictions were already in place, however, very recently doctors were again instructed against prescribing antibiotics in a routine-manner. Moreo-ver, these medicines are not dispensed without doctor’s pre-scription at pharmacies,” he added.

→ Continued on page 2

Raynald C Rivera The Peninsula

Building the capacity of local companies and promoting the country’s world-class

venues are among Qatar Tour-ism Authority’s (QTA) main strategic thrusts to further enhance exhibition and business events as an important tourism sector, said a QTA official.

“We are focusing on build-ing capacity for local companies to host and maintain events in such high standard. We are also focusing on venues like Doha Exhibition (DECC) and Conven-tion Center and Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC)

which can host events of this magnitude,” Saif Al Kuwari, Director of PR & Communica-tion at QTA told The Peninsula on the sidelines of the ongoing Qatar Motor Show (QMS) 2017.

Big events such as the QMS, Al Kuwari said, also provides an oppor-tunity to showcase on the global stage the country’s capacity to host through its world class venues. “Any visitor that comes here and see how the centres are laid out and what are the facilities like will be an ambassador for us. This is one of the things that we are focus-ing on in terms of bringing in more visitors to Doha,” he added.

Al Kuwari underlined the huge potential tourism presents

as the country looks to diversi-fying its economy. “The economic impact of tourism in Qatar is 8.8 percent of the total non-hydro-carbon GDP which is quite good for a country like Qatar that relies most of its income on hydrocar-bon,” he noted.

Asked on what car enthusi-asts can look forward to the future editions of QMS earlier announced to be a biennial event after next year, Al Kuwari said: “They can expect more attention to details. They can expect bigger participa-tion because it will be easier for car dealers to participate.”

On its seventh edition, QMS 2017 has seen the participation of 27 brands spread on a

12,000sqm exhibition space showcasing 110 vehicles, some of which have marked their local and regional reveal at the show.

The show which concludes today at the DECC, also includes a 5,000sqm exhibition space ded-icated to classic cars exhibition of some of the rarest and most iconic pieces in the world presented by the Sheikh Faisal Museum, Mawa-ter and Al Fardan. Wrapping up the show today are a pick-up classic trucks parade by Mawa-ter and a stellar performance on the Doha Corniche by Batabit, a center that aims to build a gen-eration of responsible riders, in addition to a number of competitions.

Qatar condemns Paris shootingQNA

STATE OF QATAR expressed strong condemnation and denunciation of the shoot-ing that took place on Champs-Elyses in Paris, kill-ing one policeman and injuring others. In a statement today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated Qatar's firm stance in terms of rejecting violence and terrorism regardless of motives or reasons. The statement also extended condolences of Qatar to the French Govern-ment and people along with families of victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

QTA to promote world-class expo venues

Paediatric allergy drug in short supply

There is a dire shortage of an allergy medicine, Fenistil drops (dimethindene maleate), which is widely prescribed to paediatric patients.

Ousainou DarboePic: Kammutty V P / The Peninsula

Emir receives Qatari citizens kidnapped in Iraq

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani receiving Qatari citizens who were kidnapped in the Republic of Iraq at Doha International Airport yesterday. Twenty-six Qatari citizens and people accompanying them were kidnapped after they entered Iraq legally for a hunting trip in December 2015.

US Secretary of Defence arrives

02 SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017HOME

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani receiving Qatari citizens who were kidnapped in the Republic of Iraq, at Doha International Airport, yesterday.

Toppled barricades and scattered debris on the streets due to strong winds that hit the country yesterday. The dusty winds reached 40 knots and reduced visibility to less than 2 km in some places. The strong winds are expected to continue today. Temperature in Doha will range between 36 to 26 degrees Celsius, the weather bureau has forecast.Pic: Baher Amin / The Peninsula

New York QNA

The State of Qatar reiterated its commitment to providing the humanitarian assistance to the

Syrian people, whether unilaterally, bilaterally or multilaterally through the United Nations.

This came in a speech delivered by

Qatar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, during an a session of informal consultations called by the European Union Delega-tion to the United Nations to follow up the results of the Brussels Conference "Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region."

The humanitarian aid provided so

far by the State of Qatar amounted to $ 1.6bnllion, she said. The State of Qatar pledged to provide a new contribution of US $ 100 million to address the humanitarian situation of the Syrian people in 2017, the Qatari diplomat said.

Qatar has developed and imple-mented, in partnership with international and regional organizations, an initiative on education and

professional development for children and youth launched on the sidelines of the 71st Regular Session of the UN Gen-eral Assembly (UNGA 71) of which at least 400,000 Syrians have benefited over five years, HE Al-Thani said, not-ing that the initiative is part of Qatar's pledge of $ 100 million announced by the London Donors Conference.

Qatar also hosts more than 60,000

Syrians while at least 7,000 people were reunited with their families and are living in Qatar, she went on saying.

The Ambassador urged the inter-national community to take necessary legal measures to hold the perpetra-tors accountable in Syria and provide humanitarian support to the Syrian people.

No substitute to Fenistil drops, say pharmacists

→ Continued from page 1

Meanwhile, there is a dire shortage of an allergy medicine, Fenistil drops (dimethindene maleate), which is widely pre-scribed to paediatric patients in the country. Pharmacies report having to turn down a number of people come asking for the medicine, which they say have no equally safe substitute.

“We have been seeing a hike in demand for Fenistil drops since government hospital stopped prescribing cough med-ication for paediatric patients,” Vyas said.

Cough and cold medicines that are safe for adults can cause serious side effects, including life threatening ones in children under the age of two. Hence

such medicines are not usually prescribed at hospitals.

“Doctors at the emergency departments prescribe the drops and tell patients to get this med-icine from outside as it is a safe medicine. However, currently Fenistil and few other medicines are not available here. It is not available with the main agent,” he said.

However, what makes matters worse is the fact that unlike other common medicines, there seems to be no substitute to Fenistil drops, pharmacists say. “At pharmacies, we cannot substitute it with any other medicines, though doctors call up saying to give Citrizine, which most of the parents refrain from buying, due to the side effects,” a pharmacist said.

While pharmacies in the coun-try are always ready with enough stock of allergy and flu-medicines during season change, the strategy did not work out in the case of Fenistil drops.

Meanwhile, talking to The Peninsula, another expert stressed that some agents refrain from get-ting medicines due to less profitability. “Rates of various medicines in Qatar are hugely sub-sidised and hence it is not profitable for agents or the man-ufacturers. So unless there is a bulk request, the agents refrain from bringing in these medicines,” said Abdulrahman E P, Managing Director, Care and Cure Group. Market enquiries show that the Fenistil drop costs less than QR 10.

Opportunities in energy sector→ Continued from page 1

On Qatar’s response to Gambia’s investment invita-tion, he said: “Response is very positive. All these invest-ments are protected and we offer full guarantees. After the opening of embassy, things will be on fast track.” Energy is another sector with a lot of potential for investors. “We want plenty of investment in the energy sector particularly renewable energy.”

Lauding Qatar’s role in helping resolve disputes in the region and across the world, he said that Gambia would always support Qatar’s stance on international forums.

“We are a small country but we support Qatar’s voice on various international issues.” He said that Gambia was set to host OIC Summit next year “and this too hap-pened with the help of Qatar.”

To a question about bilat-eral trade, he said that Gambia could export agricul-tural produce to Qatar.

Raynald C RiveraThe Peninsula

With a 12 percent growth in tourist arrivals from Qatar to T h a i l a n d ,

Qatar remains one of Thailand’s most important tourism markets in the GCC, said Thai officials.

Speaking to local media on the sidelines of a road show by Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in partnership with Qatar Airways held at Grand Hyatt Doha on Thursday, Thailand Ambassador Soonthorn Chaiyin-deepum said Qatar was one of the two countries in the Middle East chosen by TAT for a pre-Arabian Travel Market (ATM) roadshow because “they con-sider Qatar as one of the most important markets in the GCC. Last year, almost 30,000 Qataris visited Thailand, which is approximately 10 percent of the Qatari population.”

The total tourist arrivals from Qatar to Thailand last year could

be about 50,000 including non-Qataris living here who need visa as well as those who are not required visa to travel to Thailand, added the ambassador.

Tanes Petsuwan, TAT Deputy Governor for International Mar-keting (Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas) highlighted the 12 percent increase in tourist arriv-als from Qatar as significant growth considering the current circumstance in the region.

“Even though Qatar is not in the top three rank in terms of

tourism from the GCC, we see a potential, we see growth. I think they perform very well in this (GCC) market,” he pointed out.

Petsuwan stressed TAT and Qatar Airways have a very good relationship working closely

with each other and that they plan to sign an MoU at the ATM next week set to further benefit both parties. Currently Qatar Air-ways is the only airline which flies directly from Doha to Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi and plans to

launch direct flight to Chiang Mai would open more doors to enhance tourism in other areas such as cultural and local tourism, he told local media.

Thirty-six companies repre-senting Thailand’s hotel and hospitality sector took part in the roadshow which highlighted new value-based offer to posi-tion Thailand as a top holiday destination for Qatari locals and residents by focusing on “Unique Thai Local Experiences” offer-ing innovative experiences and cultural activities to further dis-cover their Amazing Story in Amazing Thailand.

Chalermsak Suranant, TAT Director for Dubai and Middle East market said, “Last year, Thailand welcomed 671,202 tourists from the Middle East, generating an income of more than $1.2b, a 15% increase compared to 2015. The top five tourism spending coun-tries in the Middle East region are UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. We aim to increase Middle East Tourists Revenue to 11% or 1.4b this year.”

Thailand woos tourists from Qatar

Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum, Thailand's Ambassador to Qatar, speaking at the Amazing Thailand pre-Arabian Travel Market Roadshow 2017 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel yesterday. Pic: Baher Amin / The Peninsula

Important market

Qatar is one of the two countries in the Middle East chosen by TAT for a pre-Arabian Travel Market (ATM) roadshow.

The total tourist arrivals from Qatar to Thailand last year could be about 50,000.

Qatar committed to providing assistance to Syrian people

Emir receives Qatari citizens kidnapped in Iraq

Fiery winds lash Qatar

03SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

Johannesburg

AFP

AT LEAST 19 children were killed in a bus crash outside the South African capital Pre-toria yesterday, emergency services said, after many were trapped inside the burning vehicle.

The minibus collided with a truck on a road between the towns of Bronkhorstspruit and Verena, about 70km from Pretoria.

Russel Meiring, spokes-man for the ER24 emergency medical service, said the pre-vious toll of 20 children had been adjusted to 19, with the bus driver also among the dead.

By the time paramedics arrived "the fire services had already extinguished the burning vehicle, which was found lying on its side", he said.

Many children were trapped inside the bus and most of the fatalities were declared dead at the site of the accident.

Several other children were injured, with reports that some of them were dragged from the wreckage by people at the scene.

The children were given "advanced life support inter-ventions before they were transported to various hospi-tals in the area for further treatment," ER24 said in a statement.

Department of education spokesman Steve Mabona said some of the bodies of the children were charred beyond recognition.

The cause of the collision was not immediately known.

Rashidin, Syria AFP

Thousands of evacuees from besieged Syrian towns reached their destinations

yesterday after a delay that left some stuck for 48 hours at the site of a devastating bomb attack.

Villagers from government-held Fuaa and Kafraya arrived in Aleppo province, travelling on 45 buses, after waiting two days at a marshalling point in rebel-held Rashidin, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

They had waited under the guard of dozens of rebels seek-ing to head off another attack.

All 11 buses evacuating civil-ians and fighters from Zabadani and two other rebel-held areas

around Damascus meanwhile crossed into opposition-held Idlib province, the Britain-based Observatory said.

A total of 3,000 evacuees left their homes in Fuaa and Kafraya at dawn on Wednesday as part of a deal under which residents and fighters are also being evacuated from rebel-held areas surrounded by government forces.

But the evacuees were forced to spend two nights on buses at the marshalling area after last-minute disagreement over the release of prisoners held by President Bashar Al Assad's government.

"After all the buses have left, 750 prisoners will be freed. God willing, this question will be resolved," Abu Obeida, a rebel official overseeing the

operation, said in Rashidin.The head of the Observa-

tory said a first batch of 50 prisoners, including at least 15 women, were released from regime prisons and arrived in Rashidin.

Rami Abdel Rahman said the remainder would be freed, in groups, over the next 24 hours and given the choice to stay in regime-controlled areas or head to rebel-held territory.

The evacuations began last week but were delayed after Saturday's suicide car bombing killed 150 people, 72 of them children, at the transit point in Rashidin.

The toll in the bombing had previously been given as 126, but the Observatory on Friday said more people wounded in the attack had died.

Syria evacuations end

Kuwait City

AFP

Prominent Kuwaiti opposi-tion leader Mussallam Al Barrak was released from

prison yesterday after serving a two-year sentence for insulting the Emir in public.

Barrak, 61, walked free from Kuwait's central prison to a frenzied reception by relatives and supporters who broke through tight security fences and surrounded his vehicle.

The former lawmaker, who served six consecutive terms from 1999 to 2012, openly cri-tiqued the government upon his release. Hundreds of family members and supporters braved scorching heat and dusty winds and waited over three hours for Barrak's release outside the cen-tral jail, 25km southwest of Kuwait City.

The jubilant crowd sang and chanted slogans praising Bar-rak, hailing him as "the conscience of the people".

Barrak gave a brief speech before a long motorcade drove him to his residence, where more supporters were waiting.

In February 2015, Barrak was sentenced to two years in prison for comments he had made at a 2012 public rally

which undermined the status of Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.

Barrak had been protesting changes to the kingdom's elec-toral law which he argued would allow authorities to manipulate election results. He has denied that his speech amounted to undermining the ruler of the Gulf state.

He is the most senior, and the most popular, opposition leader to be jailed in an

unprecedented government crackdown on dissent in the kingdom.

Dozens of opposition activ-ists in Kuwait are either in jail or are facing trial for insulting the emir, including via social media. Barrak's release comes months after a majority of his partners in the opposition alliance ended a four-year boycott of general elections.The alliance won about half of the 50 parliamentary seats in snap polls in November.

Kuwaiti opposition leader freed

Tel Aviv

AP

Syria still possesses chem-ical weapons, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said in Israel yesterday, warn-ing against the banned

munitions being used again.At a news conference in Tel

Aviv, Mattis also said that in recent days the Syrian Air Force has dispersed its combat aircraft. The implication is that Syria may be concerned about additional US strikes following the cruise missile attack earlier this month in retaliation for alleged Syrian use of sarin gas.

Mattis spoke alongside Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieber-man. "There can be no doubt in the international community's mind that Syria has retained chemical weapons in violation of its agreement and its statement that it had removed them all," said Mattis. He said he didn't want to elaborate on the amounts Syria has in order to avoid revealing sources of intelligence.

"I can say authoritatively they have retained some, it's a vio-lation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions and it's going to have to be taken up diplomatically and they would be ill advised to try to use any again, we made that very clear with our strike," he said.

Israeli defence officials said this week that Syria still has up to three tons of chemical weapons in its possession. It was the first spe-cific intelligence assessment of President Bashar Assad's weapons capabilities since a deadly chem-ical attack earlier this month. Lieberman also refused to go into detail but said "We have 100 per-cent information that (the) Assad regime used chemical weapons against rebels."

Assad has strongly denied he was behind the attack in the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Syria's northern Idlib province, and has accused the opposition of trying to frame his government. Top Assad ally, Russia, has asserted a Syrian gov-ernment airstrike hit a rebel chemical weapons factory, caus-ing the disaster.

In response to the April 4 attack, the United States fired 59 missiles at a Syrian air base it said was the launching pad for the attack. Before meeting with Mattis in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Ben-jamin Netanyahu told reporters that Israel is encouraged by the change of administrations in Washington.

"We sense a great change in the direction of American policy," Netanyahu said. He referred to the US cruise missile strike in Syria as an important example of the new administration's "forth-right deeds" against the use of chemical weapons.

A few hours later sirens wailed on the Israeli held side of the Golan Heights warning of incoming rockets from Syria, the Israeli military said. It said three "projectiles" were fired and no injuries have been reported.

Syria still has chemical weapons: US

New York

Reuters

Thousands of refugees flee-ing fighting between the army and armed groups in the central Democratic Republic of Congo have sought refuge in over-crowded villages across the border in Angola, the United Nations said yesterday.

More than 11,000 refugees have fled Kasai-Central prov-ince amid clashes between local militias and Congolese forces that started last August, with some 9,000 arriving since the start of this month, the U.N. ref-ugee agency (UNHCR) said.

Refugees, about half of whom are children, are arriving i n A n g o l a i n

desperate conditions, many of them malnourished, sick and fearful for their lives amid reports of civilians being tar-geted, UNHCR said.

“Refugees are arriving in desperate conditions, without access to clean water, food or shelter,” the agency’s spokes-man, Babar Baloch, told reporters in Geneva.

Over 11,000 Congolese seek refuge in Angola

Buses carrying Syrian prisoners arrive in rebel-held Rashidin, outside the government-held second city of Aleppo, following their release from regime jails.

Violations

"There can be no doubt in the international community's mind that Syria has retained chemical weapons in violation of its agreement and its statement that it had removed them all," said US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis.

Supporters of Kuwaiti opposition leader Mussallam Al Barrak celebrate his release from jail, in Kuwait City, yesterday.

19 children dead in South Africa bus crash

04 SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017ASIA

Indian Navy test-fires supersonic missileNew Delhi

IANS

The Indian Navy yester-day successfully test-fired a BrahMos land-attack super-sonic cruise missile

from a naval ship, putting India into an exclusive global club.

So far, the Navy had fired only anti-ship version of the BrahMos.

"The Navy successfully undertook the firing of BrahMos land-attack missile from naval ship Teg, a guided missile

frigate, on a target on land today (Friday)," a naval statement said.

The variant of the long-range BrahMos was fired in the Bay of Bengal, off the eastern coast of India, sources said.

The successful maiden fir-ing of BrahMos land-attack missile significantly enhances the naval prowess.

"The land-attack variant provides Indian warships the capability to neutralise with pre-cision the selected targets situated deep inland, far from the coast, from stand-off ranges at sea," the Navy said.

BrahMos missile has been jointly developed by India and Russia, and its anti-ship variant has already been inducted into the Indian Navy.

Majority of frontline naval ships of Kolkata, Ranvir and Teg classes are capable of firing this missile.

The land-attack version of BrahMos has been operational-ised in the Indian Army since 2007.

The BrahMos missile, with a range of 290 km and a Mach 2.8 speed, is capable of launch from land, sea and sub-sea pads against

targets on both land and sea.BrahMos is considered the

only supersonic cruise missile in the world. The missile was first inducted in the India Navy in 2005.

On March 11, India success-fully test-fired the BrahMos with an extended range of 450km, with officials calling it a "text-book launch".

The Defence Research and Development Organisation is developing a second version of the missile with a range of 800 km. Its air version too is under development.

L&T and Korean firm to deliver artillery guns to Indian armyNew Delhi

IANS

INDIAN engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Hanwha Techwin (HTW) of South Korea yesterday signed a contract to provide the Indian Army with 155mm mobile artil-lery guns.

After successful comple-tion of the trials for 155mm/52 calibre Tracked Self-Pro-pelled (SP) Gun programme by the Army, L&T was declared the sole qualified bidder based on the perform-ance of its K9 VAJRA-T.

The gun is an enhanced version of HTW's K9 Thun-der with modifications for desert operations.

Generally, artillery guns are towed by trucks but self-propelled guns are either mounted on a wheeled or tracked chasis, allowing them to move on their own.

Jayant Patil, Head of Defence and Aerospace, L&T, said: "This contract marks an important milestone in L&T's Defence Business journey and in our relationship with Hanwha Techwin.

"L&T plans to begin pro-duction of this vital weapon system at its Strategic Sys-tems Complex at Talegaon near Pune and deliver the first batch of 10 guns.

"L&T also has initiated setting up of a greenfield manufacturing line at Hazira, Gujarat, integral with a state-of-the-art test track, to produce, test and qualify the K9 VAJRA-T guns," he added.

India and EU to boost security tiesNew Delhi IANS

India and the European Union agreed to strengthen security cooperation during a meet-

ing between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Federica Mogherini, EU High Represent-ative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-Presi-dent of the European Commission, yesterday.

"Prime Minister Modi and Mogherini discussed regional and global developments of mutual interest," the Prime Min-ister's Office said in statement.

"The Prime Minister and Mogherini agreed on the need to strengthen the security coop-eration between India and EU, particularly on the issue of coun-ter-terrorism," it stated.

Modi recalled his visit to

Brussels in March 2016 for the 13th India-EU Summit, and said that he was looking forward to the next India-EU Summit to be held in India in October 2017.

Earlier in the day, Mogherini, who is on an official visit to India, also met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar.

According to a statement issued by the Delegation of the EU, during the course of yester-day's meetings, the two sides discussed in depth a broad range of issues of common interest.

It said that the EU and India "are natural partners, they share fundamental values of democ-racy and diversity, economic interests and robust trade rela-tions, common security challenges, a direct interest in the stabilisation of many fragile

areas, from the Korean Penin-sula to Afghanistan".

"The EU and India expressed their common interest and com-mitment to strengthen their cooperation on the world stage, both bi lateral ly and

in multilateral fora, on common priorities such as multilateralism, climate change, sustainable devel-opment, free and fair trade, security and defence - notably on maritime security - and counter-terrorism," the EU statement said.

13 dead in massive fireNew Delhi

AFP

THIRTEEN people were killed yesterday in a massive blaze at a government-run distribu-tion centre for fuel and grains in central India, police said.

Villagers had gathered at the centre in Chhindwara dis-trict to collect their monthly rations of subsidised wheat and kerosene oil when the fire engulfed the warehouse.

"It appears that the kero-sene tanker which was parked outside first caught fire which quickly spread inside the building," official said.

SC to check law linking Aadhaar with Pan cardNew Delhi

IANS

The Supreme Court yes-terday decided to examine the constitu-

tional validity of Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act that mandates linking of Aad-haar number with Pan card.

A bench of Justice A K Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan said that they would hear the matter on Tuesday even as Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi stoutly defended the government decision to link Pan (Perma-nent Account Number) card with Aadhaar number.

Section 139AA, inserted by the Finance Act, 2017, mandates Aadhaar number for getting a Pan card, for continued validity of existing Pan card and also for filing Income Tax returns.

Rohatgi told the court that making Aadhaar mandatory for filing Income Tax returns was a legislative mandate. He also referred to the govern-ment decision making Aadhaar number compulsory for obtaining SIM cards.

The court was told that Aadhaar number has been linked with Pan card as there were instances of people holding multiple or fake per-manent account numbers.

Noting that there was widespread misuse of such Pan cards, the AG cited instances of same person holding more than one PAN card - one with full name and other with initials.

At this, the court asked Rohatgi if forcibly asking peo-ple to get Aadhaar card and linking it with the Pan a rem-edy to curb fake Pan cards.

Senior counsel Shyam Divan, appearing for Vom-batkere and Wilson, said that it was extremely difficult to follow the rule as many peo-ple did not have an Aadhaar card. There was also constant mismatch of individual details in the two cards.

Meanwhile, senior coun-sel Arvind Datar, appearing for the Communist Party of India leader, said the conse-quence of the linkage was those the Pan card of those who didn't have an Aadhaar number becomes invalid.

Nawanshahr to open new passport officeNew Delhi

IANS

The Centre has acceded to the Punjab gov-ernment's request to open a passport office in Nawanshahr town and also look into

the issue of blacklisted Sikh youths settled abroad, official sources said.

The issues came up for discussion when Chief Minister Amarinder Singh paid a courtesy call on External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj

in Delhi yesterday to inquire after her health in view of her recent kidney transplant.

Swaraj also promised all possible efforts by the Centre to ensure safety and security of Pun-jabis and Sikhs living abroad, a state government spokesman said.

"The passport office in Nawanshahr to facil-itate Non-Resident Indians as well as others from the region will be in addition to the one in Patiala, which is set to be inaugurated soon," he said.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini (left), with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of a meeting in New Delhi, yesterday.

Call to unite against BJP

BrahMos

The successful maiden firing of BrahMos land-attack missile significantly enhances the naval prowess.

BrahMos is considered the only supersonic cruise missile in the world. The missile was first inducted in the India Navy in the year 2005.

Kolkata

IANS

Terming the country's polit-ical situation "terrible", West Bengal Chief Minis-

ter Mamata Banerjee yesterday reinforced her message to all the regional parties to come together to corner the BJP.

"I am giving the message to all the regional parties, be together, be united. My party

will stand by all of you. Because this is the right time that the par-ties unite for the people," Banerjee said.

"A terrible thing is going on in the country in the name of politics. The situation in the country is such now that this is an opportunity for all the regional parties to get together and fight united," she said while addressing the party workers after the organisational election

of the party for the national council members.

Banerjee was re-elected Tri-namool's Chairperson for six years.

Taking a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Cen-tral government, the Trinamool supremo said she would travel all over the country to convince people for building an allied front if the BJP tries to capture Bengal.

13 dead as truck crashes in AndhraNew Delhi

AFP

A truck ploughed into a crowd of farmers staging a protest in southern

India yesterday, killing at least 13 people and injuring several others, police said.

The accident occurred when the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck an

electricity pole, before crashing into the group demonstrating outside a police station in And-hra Pradesh state.

"The driver was driving rashly and negligently. We have launched an investigation to find out if he was under the influ-ence of alcohol," a local police officer said.

"Some 20 people are injured and they are undergoing treat-

ment in various hospitals."The Press Trust of India

reported that the driver fled the scene after mowing down the protesters -- who were demon-strating against illegal sand mining -- and crashing into some shops.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish at the loss of life, and offered condo-lences to the families of victims.

Bystanders gather at the scene of a traffic accident, in Yerpedu near Tirupati, yesterday.

Govt rejects bid to shut fuel pumps on SundaysNew Delhi

IANS

THE Centre yesterday disap-proved the decision of some petroleum dealers' associa-tions to keep fuel outlets shut on Sundays from May 14.

"The Petroleum Ministry does not approve or endorse the move by a section of pet-rol pump dealers to close down fuel stations on Sun-days," Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told the Parliamentary Consultative Committee at a meeting in Srinagar, according to an offi-cial statement.

Ministry sources have said that the threat to shut down pumps on Sundays will be dealt with according to measures necessary to main-tain supplies of essential commodities as petroleum products come under this category.

The Ministry tweeted on Friday that customers will soon get petrol and diesel delivered at their home on pre-booking.

"Options being explored where petro products may be door delivered to consumers on pre booking," the Ministry said.

"This would help con-sumers avoid spending excessive time and long queues at fuel stations," it added.

05SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017 ASIA

Thai King's coronation likely by end of 2017 Bangkok

Reuters

THE coronation of Thailand's new King Maha Vajiralong-korn is likely to take place at the end of the year, a deputy prime minister said yesterday.

"Around the end of the year there might be a coro-nation," Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said, without specifying a month.

The king's coronation will take place after his father's cremation, set for October 26.

487 Baloch rebels surrender Quetta

AFP

Around 500 Baloch rebel militants yes-terday surrendered to Pakistan's gov-e r n m e n t a s

Islamabad pursues its develop-ment agenda linked to the ambitious China Pakistan Eco-nomic Corridor (CPEC) in the southwest province.

Some 487 militants from four Baloch rebel organisations, including at least eight senior commanders, laid down their arms at an official ceremony in Quetta City.

The militants pledged their allegiance to the state of Pakistan at the ceremony, which was also attended by the provincial chief minister.

Pakistan has been battling insurgency in mineral-rich Balo-chistan since 2004, with hundreds of soldiers and militants killed in the fighting.

A greater push towards peace and development by Pakistani authorities, including starting work on roads and infrastructure under the Chinese-assisted CPEC project -- which connects Balo-chistan's deep sea port Gwadar to China -- has reduced the vio-lence considerably.

"These (Baloch) militants had

killed my own son and brother but I have forgiven them. The state of Pakistan also forgives them and I welcome them to be part of Balochistan's CPEC project," Balochistan Chief Min-ister Sanaullah Zehri (pictured) said yesterday.

"We will arrange employ-ment for you. Nobody will be allowed to destroy peace in the province," he said.

Those who surrendered were members of Baloch Liber-ation Army (BLA), Balochistan Republican Army (BRA), United B a l o c h A r m y a n d Lashkar-e-Balochistan.

"We were misled by Bra-humdagh Bugti. We have now come to know that he works for India. Why should we fight in our own country for another coun-try," said Sarbaz Baloch, former spokesman of BRA, who has been fighting for 15 years.

Bugti is an exiled Baloch leader based in Europe who has applied for asylum in India, Paki-stan's arch rival.

Balochistan is the largest of Pakistan's four provinces, but its roughly seven million inhabitants have long complained they do not receive a fair share of its gas and mineral wealth.

Baloch rebels demand greater control of the province's natural resources and political autonomy.

NEWS BYTES

MAZAR-I-SHARIF: At least three Afghan army soldiers were killed and several wounded when Taliban gunmen attacked a military headquarters in northern Afghanistan, officials said.

The attack occurred near a mosque on the base in Mazar-i-Sharif as soldiers were leaving Friday prayers, according to an army officer.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the fighters set off an explosion, allowing suicide bombers with small arms to breach the base.

3 soldiers dead in Taliban attack

PYONGYANG: Car users in Pyongyang are scrambling to fill up their tanks as gas stations began limiting services or even closing amid concerns of a spreading shortage.

A sign outside one station says sales are being restricted to diplomats or vehicles used by international organisations, while others were closed or turning away local residents.

North Korea relies heavily on China for its fuel supply and Beijing has reportedly been tightening its enforcement of international sanctions aimed at getting Pyongyang to aban-don its development of nuclear weapons and missiles.

Gas shortage spreads in Pyongyang

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has outlawed protests over Colombo's garbage crisis following rallies over the city's waste disposal after a landslide at a giant rubbish tip killed 32 people.

"President Maithripala Sirisena announced that anyone preventing city authorities from disposing of garbage could be prosecuted and face an indefinite period in jail," his office said.

"Any person who by word or deed causes a disruption of garbage disposal will be guilty of an offence," the presiden-tial order stated.

Sri Lanka bans anti-garbage rallies

US worried over Duterte's bloody war on drugsWashington

Reuters

The United States said it was troubled by the growing number of extrajudicial

killings in Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs and called on Manila to stick to its commitment to investigate them.

Close to 9,000 people, mostly drug users and small-time dealers, have been killed since Duterte took office almost 10 months ago and promised an unrelenting campaign to rid the

Philippines of illicit narcotics.Police say about a third of

the victims were shot by offic-ers in self-defence. Human rights groups believe many of the remaining two thirds were killed by paid assassins cooper-ating with the police or by police themselves, disguised as vigilan-tes. The government and police reject that.

Patrick Murphy, the US dep-uty assistant secretary of state for Southeast Asia, said the United States shared Manila's objective of eliminating the scourge of illicit drugs and

wanted to help."We however do have a very

sustained and deep concern when elements of the drug war are operating outside the rule of law," Murphy said.

"The growing number of extrajudicial killings is troubling."

Rights advocates were con-cerned when US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sidestepped questions about extrajudicial killings in the Philippines dur-ing his January confirmation hearing, raising the possibility that President Donald Trump

might take a softer line on the issue than his predecessor, Pres-ident Barack Obama.

Murphy said there was a dis-tinction between being a nominee and the secretary of state and Tillerson was now the leader of the policy of express-ing concern about the way the drug war was being waged.

"We are urging the Philip-pines to follow up on its commitment to investigate extrajudicial killings whether they are committed by law enforcement, or of a vigilante nature," he said.

Russia denies building up forces near North Korea Moscow

Reuters

THE Russian military said yesterday it was not building up its forces near the border with North Korea, denying earlier media reports which said it was, the Interfax news agency reported, citing an army spokesman.

Some media in Russia's Ear East have cited local res-idents as saying they had seen military hardware being moved towards North Korea as tensions with the United States over its nuclear pro-gramme escalated.

"These are totally pre-planned military exercises, which are in no way related to political issues," Alexander Gordeyev, a spokesman for Russia's Eastern military dis-trict was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, South Korea said yesterday it was on heightened alert ahead of another important anniver-sary in North Korea, with a large concentration of mili-tary hardware amassed on both sides of the border amid concerns about a new nuclear test by Pyongyang.

Govt panel okays Akihito's abdicationTokyo

AP

A Japanese government panel has endorsed Emperor Akihito's (pic-

tured) apparent desire to abdicate but avoided a key ques-tion of succession amid a declining royal population.

The six-member advisory panel in its final report proposed Akihito abdicate under legisla-tion that would be specially drafted for such an event.

The report detailed proce-dures such as the title, status and roles for an abdicated emperor and his heir, but avoided divi-sive issues such as whether to allow a female emperor.

The government will now write legislation for a parlia-mentary approval.

Akihito expressed last August his apparent wish to abdicate, citing his age and health. The elder of the two sons, Crown Prince Naruhito, is first in line to Chrysanthemum throne.

Philippines to develop Pag-asa islePag-asa

AFP

Philippine Defence Secre-tary Delfin Lorenzana flew to a disputed South China

Sea island yesterday, brushing off a challenge by the Chinese military while asserting Manila's territorial claim to the strategic region.

"This is just a normal visit within our territory, which we believe and we know is (our) territory," the minister said yesterday.

China claims most of the

South China Sea, including Thitu island which Lorenzana visited and the Philippines calls Pag-asa island.

In recent years, Beijing has been building up disputed reefs into artificial islands, including on Subi Reef about 26km from Thitu, which can house military facilities.

Lorenzana said construction would start "within the next few weeks" for a quay on Thitu where construction materials will be landed for repairs on an existing airstrip on the largest of nine Philippine-garrisoned out-

crops in Spratly archipelago.As the military transport

plane bearing Lorenzana and local officials of Palawan island, the largest land mass close to the Spratlys, prepared to land, the minister said the pilots received a warning from Chinese forces on Subi.

He said the pilots were warned the aircraft was illegally entering Chinese territory, a routine for all Philippine aircraft landing on the Thitu airstrip since China reclaimed Subi.

He said his pilots disre-garded the warning.

US vice-president to meet Turnbull today

Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana delivers his speech during a visit to Thitu island in Spratlys, yesterday.

Sydney

Reuters

US Vice President Mike Pence is expected to dis-cuss trade and regional

security when he meets Austral-ian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today, Australian and US officials said.

Pence landed in Australia late yesterday, his fourth stop on a 10-day tour of US allies in the Asia-Pacific region that has included a series of roundtables with business executives in South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia.

His trip to Australia is the first by a senior official in President Donald Trump's administration

as the United States looks to strengthen economic ties and security cooperation amid dis-putes in the South China Sea and tension on the Korean peninsula.

Pence will emphasise the long-term partnership between the two countries on defence and the economy, even as Australia eyes the merits of developing a closer relationship with China, a White House foreign policy adviser said.

"We're the number two in the economy in this sense," the adviser said.

"Obviously they lead with China. They are in the region, proximity matters to them."

People protest against the visit of US Vice-President Mike Pence in Sydney, yesterday.

White flag up

Some 487 militants from four Baloch rebel organisations, including at least eight senior commanders, laid down their arms at an official ceremony in Quetta City.

A greater push towards peace and development by Pakistani authorities has reduced the violence considerably.

06 SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017EUROPE

The Honourable Artillery Company fires a 62 gun salute against a backdrop of London's Tower Bridge, yesterday, as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 91st birthday.

Queen Elizabeth turns 91

Maidenhead

Reuters

British Prime Minister Theresa May said yesterday that she was not taking any-thing for granted as

she gears up for a snap election in June in which polls suggest her Conservative party is head-ing for a landslide victory.

May called the national election in a surprise move on Tuesday, saying it was neces-sary to boost her majority and provide stability as Britain gears up for two years of negotiations with the European Union about

its departure from the bloc.Polls give May’s governing

Conservative party a lead of around 20 percentage points, enough to command a major-ity that could be over 100 seats, but May said she was not com-placent. “The election campaign has only just begun. I’m not tak-ing anything for granted. The result is not certain,” she said in a speech at a GlaxoSmithK-line factory in her constituency of Maidenhead.

The Labour party has been riven by divisions over its leader Jeremy Corbyn and Brexit, while May’s commit-ment to a clean break with the EU has undermined support for the eurosceptic UK Independ-ence Party.

May did reaffirm a commit-ment on foreign aid spending - a pillar of predecessor David Cameron’s attempts to soften the image of the Conservative party. May said that the pledge to spend 0.7 percent of national income on foreign aid would remain, following speculation that it would be scrapped in the Conservatives’ election mani-festo amid opposition from some lawmakers and newspa-pers who said it should be spent at home instead.

June election result 'not certain': May

Pre-poll talks

May said that the pledge to spend 0.7 percent of national income on foreign aid would remain.

Polls give May’s governing Conservative party a lead of around 20 percentage points, enough to command a majority that could be over 100 seats.

London

Reuters

The British government yes-terday said it was willing to extend the deadline on

talks to form a power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland between Irish nationalists and pro-British unionists to late June in light of a snap UK-wide election.

The semi-autonomous Bel-fast government collapsed in January and despite fresh regional elections in March, no replacement executive has been agreed. That has left Northern

Ireland without political lead-ership as Britain begins negotiating its exit from the European Union. The British government’s Northern Ireland minister James Brokenshire said new legislation would give polit-ical parties until June 29 to reach a deal. “If an agreement is not possible before the general elec-tion, it is right that we provide flexibility for an incoming gov-ernment to act in the best interests of Northern Ireland and the space for the parties to conclude a deal,” Brokenshire said in a statement.

The talks had been rendered unsustainable by Prime

Minister Theresa May’s decision on Tuesday to call a general election for June 8, which pits the parties involved in the talks against each other.

The extension allows the British government to avoid deciding whether to call a fresh election in Northern Ireland - the third in a year - or to revert to direct rule from London for the first time in a decade.

The 1998 peace agreement which ended decades of sectar-ian violence between Catholic nationalists and Protestant unionists, requires a power-sharing arrangement between the two sides.

UK extends N Ireland talks to June

Rome

AFP

Around 100 migrants have drowned in the Mediter-ranean according to

shipwreck survivors, raising the death toll for the perilous cross-ing to Italy to over 1,000 victims in 2017, the UN's refugee agency said yesterday.

"This latest tragedy pushes the number of people dead or missing in the central Mediter-ranean to 1,073 so far this year," the UNHCR said.

Among the 8,000 or so migrants plucked from flimsy dinghies over Easter weekend were survivors who told the agency about 100 of their fellow passengers had been claimed by the waves.

At this point last year, 853 people had lost their lives or were feared drowned.

Overstretched migrant aid groups describing "unprece-dented mass rescues" of people fleeing horrors in conflict-torn Libya over Easter had warned more people risked drowning

without EU action.Italian tugboat Asso 29 dis-

embarked 1,170 of those rescued in Vibo Valentia in Calabria on Tuesday, including families from Syria, Tunisia, Bangladesh and Sub-Saharan Africa.

"Some of those who arrived in Vibo Valentia told us there were around 100 people who died during the crossing," UNH-CR's Federico Fossi told AFP, stressing that as always in these situations it was "difficult to get precise details on what had happened".

More than 36,700 people have been pulled to safety and brought to Italy so far this year according to the International Organization for Migration, an increase of nearly 45 percent compared with the same period last year.

At least 150 of those lost were children, though the figure is likely to be higher as many underage migrants travel unac-companied so their deaths often go unreported, UNICEF said.

"It is deeply concerning that vulnerable people, including

thousands of children, are risk-ing their lives to reach Europe's shores using this incredibly dan-gerous route," said Afshan Khan, UNICEF special coordinator for Europe's refugee and migrant crisis. Several days of calm weather off the coast of Libya saw traffickers set dozens of din-ghies or boats out to sea together.

Italy has hopes of shutting down the route, though a deal signed with Libya in February -- fiercely criticised by rescue groups and human rights cam-paigners -- is in doubt after it

was suspended in March by Tripoli's Court of Appeal. Inte-rior Minister Marco Minniti said Friday Rome would supply Libya with 10 coastguard boats by the end of June in its bid to make the Libyan coastguard "the most powerful unit in northern Africa". But critics have scoffed at the idea of making any deal with Libya and questioned the legal-ity of returning those picked up at sea to a country where migrants are kept in detention centres and report cases of tor-ture, abuse and slavery.

Mediterranean migrant death toll rises to 1,073

Swans swim at a pond in the garden of castle Nymphenburg in Munich, southern Germany, yesterday.

Catch me if you can...

The Hague AFP

The leaders of the Nether-lands, Ireland and Denmark stressed the

need for "unity" yesterday as the three northern European countries seek to minimise the impact of Britain's divorce from the EU.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the EU needed to "act in concert" during the Brexit negotiations, saying "unity" was in everyone's best interests.

"We will need to have as 27 countries a unified position with one negotiator working on behalf of all of us," he said, after talks in The Hague with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny and his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

The remaining 27 EU coun-tries are set to rubber-stamp negotiating guidelines from the EU President Donald Tusk at a European Council summit on April 29.

"Our countries are poten-tially among the countries which will be most affected by the Brexit," Rasmussen told a joint press conference.

"We need to reduce the damages of Brexit as much as possible and build a new work-ing relationship." Denmark, Ireland and The Netherlands are all heavily dependent on trade with Britain.

A Dutch government think-tank warned last year before Britain's referendum that Brexit could cost The Netherlands a 1.2-percent fall in GDP by 2030 and a ¤10bn trade loss.

"Given the extent of trade between our three countries and the United Kingdom, it's very important that there will be clarity and movement to those issues as soon as it's appropriate," said Kenny.

"We want to minimise any major impact to our economy as with the Netherlands and Denmark." Rutte stressed that some of the burning issues were the status of EU citizens living in Britain, as well as European business located there, Britain's potential Brexit "bill" and the issue of borders.

Kenny, who recently met the Spanish, Polish, Belgian and German leaders, said: "We want to protect jobs, we want to grow jobs and increase prosperity.

Dutch PM stresses EU unity over Brexit

The Hague AFP

A Dutch court yesterday sentenced a business-man to 19 years in

prison for arms trafficking and aiding war crimes in Liberia and Guinea by armed forces of ex-Liberian leader Charles Taylor.

Guus Kouwenhoven, 74, was found guilty of deliver-ing weapons to Taylor's regime between 2000 and 2003 in return for preferen-tial treatment and lucrative contracts for his logging busi-ness, in violation of a UN arms embargo.

"It has been proven that he is an accessory to war crimes, committed by the armed forces of Charles Tay-lor in Liberia and the Republic of Guinea," the court said.

The judges said in their verdict the arms were fun-nelled to Taylor's forces locked in "an armed conflict in northern Liberia and just across the border in Gueckedou, Guinea."

Kouwenhoven's "business interests were entangled with the political, financial and private interests of Charles Taylor.

He used his logging com-panies to import, store and distribute shipments of weap-ons in Liberia," the court said yesterday.

Stockholm

AFP

A court yesterday acquit-ted a Syrian refugee accused of attacking a

Shia cultural centre in south-ern Sweden, saying there was no evidence against him to prove a "terror crime" or arson.

The 30-year-old Syrian citizen, a Sunni Muslim, had been charged with a "terror crime, alternatively arson" after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the cen-tre on October 11, triggering a fire while several people were having a Shiite celebra-tion in Sweden's third largest city of Malmo.

Lennart Strinas, a judge at the Malmo district court, said "one of the prerequisites for the fire to be judged a ter-rorist crime" is that the attack could have "seriously dam-aged" the Swedish state.

"This was not the case according to the district court," Strinas said in a state-ment, adding the incident ought to be considered as arson instead.

But there was no techni-cal evidence or witnesses pointing to the Syrian either, the court ruled.

Kiev

Reuters

Ukrainian authorities detained a former law-maker and the deputy

chief of state energy firm Naf-togaz in a case related to the embezzlement of $17.3m

through selling uranium con-centrate at inflated prices, mprosecutors and the anti-cor-ruption bureau said yesterday.

The anti-corruption bureau NABU suspects former law-maker Mykola Martynenko of benefiting through an Austria-registered company from the

uranium sales to a state-owned enrichment plant in 2014, at a time when he was the head of the energy committee in parlia-ment. He says the case is politically motivated. Sergiy Pereloma, first deputy chairman of state-run Naftogaz, was also detained.

Dutch court jails arms-supplier for 19 years

Sweden acquits Syrian of 'terror crime'

Ukraine detains two over corruption

07SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017 EUROPE

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon holds up a baby at the launch of the SNP Council manifesto at the Whale Arts centre in Edinburgh, Scotland, yesterday.

Hands-on experience

Paris

AFP

The killing of a police-man on Paris's Champs Elysees claimed by the Islamic State group rocked

France's presidential race yes-terday with just two days to go before one of the closest races in recent memory.

Bloodshed had long been feared ahead of tomorrow's first round of voting after a string of jihadist atrocities since 2015, and shooting on the world-renowned boulevard forced security to the top of the agenda in the campaign.

Three of the four frontrun-ners — far-right leader Marine Le Pen, centrist Emmanuel Macron and conservative Fran-cois Fillon — called off campaign events planned for yesterday in the wake of the attack.

Le Pen, widely seen as tak-ing the hardest line on security, called for France to "immedi-ately" take back control of its own borders from the European Union and deport all foreigners on a terror watchlist.

"This war against us is cease-less and merciless," she said in a sternly worded address, blasting the "monstrous totalitarian ide-ology" behind Thursday night's attack by a 39-year-old

Frenchman known for his links to jihadists.

Macron, a 39-year-old mod-erate whom other candidates have portrayed as too inexperi-enced to protect France against the terror threat, warned against any attempts to use the attack for political gain.

"I think we must one and all have a spirit of responsibility at this extreme time and not give in to panic and not allow it to be exploited, which some might try

to do," he told French radio.The gunman opened fire

with an automatic weapon on a police van at around 9pm on Thursday, sending tourists and visitors running for their lives.

After killing the officer and injuring two of his colleagues just a few hundred metres from the Arc de Triomphe, the gunman was shot dead in return fire while trying to flee on foot.

A statement by IS's propa-ganda agency Amaq said the attacker was one of its "fighters", identifying him as "Abu Yussef the Belgian".

But French authorities said the perpetrator was a 39-year-old Frenchman living in the Paris suburbs, whose name they did not release. The IS claim raised initial concerns that a possible second attacker could be on the loose. Yesterday, French author-ities said a suspect sought by Belgium police, who was sus-pected of having planned to travel to France on Thursday, had handed himself in at a police station in the Belgian city of Ant-werp. French interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Bran-det said it was "too early to say" if the man was linked to Thurs-day night's shooting.

During a search of his home, Belgian police found weapons, balaclavas and a train ticket for France leaving Thursday morn-ing. The killer identified by

French authorities was known to anti-terror police, sources said. He had been arrested in February on suspicion of plot-ting to kill police officers but released because of lack of evidence.

Surveys showed voters more concerned about unemployment and the economy than terrorism or security, though analysts warned this could change in the event of violence.

Fears engulf French election after attack

Berlin

AFP

Police commandos yester-d a y a r r e s t e d a German-Russian man

suspected of carrying out a bomb attack on Borussia Dort-mund's team bus, prosecutors said, charging that the motive was financial and not terror-related.

They said the man, identi-fied only as 28-year-old Sergej W, was hoping to profit from a drop in the football team's share price as a result of last week's attack. Three explosive devices hidden in a hedge went off next to the team bus on April 11, just as it left the squad's hotel head-ing for a Champions League quarter-final match at home against Monaco.

The blasts shattered bus windows and Spanish interna-tional Marc Bartra, 26, broke his wrist, while a motorcycle police officer suffered inner ear dam-age from the blast.

"The accused is suspected of having carried out the attack on the team bus," prosecutors said after the elite GSG 9 police unit arrested the suspect at dawn in Tuebingen, near the southwestern city of Stuttgart.

"He is charged with attempted murder, setting off explosions and causing serious physical injury." The suspect was staying in the same Dort-mund hotel as the team, the Hotel L'Arrivee, with a view of the scene where the bombs went off, and had bought so-called put options on the team's shares on the day of the

incident, prosecutors said.These 15,000 options could have been sold at a pre-determined price by June 17, with a sharp fall in the share price promising a high profit. "A significant drop in the price could have been expected if, as a result of the attack, play-ers had been seriously injured or even killed," prosecutors said. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said that, if it was confirmed the suspect planned to murder footballers to manip-ulate the stock market, then "this would be a particularly repugnant motive".

The fact that fake claims of responsibility, purportedly from Islamic radicals.

Sergej. W had allegedly taken out a loan of tens of thou-sands of euros to pay for the put options, most of which he pur-chased online from the IP address of the hotel, prosecu-tors said. Prosecution spokeswoman Frauke Koehler said police financial experts were still calculating how much he could have hoped to gain, while Bild newspaper put the potential gains in the millions.

"The suspect's profit would have grown the more the share of Borussia Dortmund fell," she said. Koehler said there was "no indication so far" of accom-plices, but said investigators did not rule out that others were involved. The man had drawn attention at the hotel, reported Bild — first by insisting on a top-level room at the front side and then, in the pandemonium after the blasts, by calmly walk-ing to its restaurant to order a steak.

High alert

After killing the officer and injuring two of his colleagues just a few hundred metres from the Arc de Triomphe, the gunman was shot dead in return fire while trying to flee on foot.

Three of the four frontrunners — far-right leader Marine Le Pen, centrist Emmanuel Macron and conservative Francois Fillon — called off campaign events planned for yesterday in the wake of the attack.

French presidential candidate for the right-wing Les Republicains (LR) party Francois Fillon (right) talks with his campaign spokesperson, Isabelle Le Callennec, during a press conference at his campaign headquarters in Paris, yesterday.

Paris

Reuters

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen gained some support in the first opinion

poll to be held entirely after the Paris attack, but centrist

Emmanuel Macron was still seen beating her and defeating her in a runoff two weeks later.

In an Odoxa poll for Le Point published yesterday, Macron was seen winning the first round with 24.5 percent of the votes, down 0.5 percentage points

compared to the previous poll. Le Pen took the second place in the poll with 23 percent, up 1 point. Conservative Francois Fil-lon and Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon were both down 0.5 points to 19 percent, hence failing to qualify for the

May 7 runoff. Macron “now has good chances to come first in the first round and is therefore unlikely to be eliminated,” Odoxa’s Gael Sliman said. Macron was seen defeating Le Pen comfortably in the second round runoff of the election.

Le Pen gains support after attack; Macron still winning

Moscow

AFP

A gunman with alleged links to a neo-Nazi group yesterday shot

dead an employee of Russia's FSB security service and a civilian at the agency's office in a far eastern city, officials said.

The FSB said the attacker — named as local resident AV Konev, born in 1999 — opened fire immediately after entering the reception of an FSB building in the city of Khabarovsk before he was himself shot dead. "There is information about his belong-ing to a neo-Nazi group," the FSB said in a statement, with-out giving any more details.

Earlier, Russia's main domestic intelligence agency said an assailant killed an "FSB employee" and a "visi-tor" after bursting into the reception area at 0702 GMT yesterday.

Deadly attacks on Russian law enforcement officials are rare outside the country's vol-atile North Caucasus region.

The country has seen sig-nificant support for far-right groups that have sparked brutal confrontations with immigrants from the former Soviet region. Despite stok-ing nationalist sentiment since the seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, the authorities under President Vladimir Putin have also cracked down on neo-Nazi extremists. The country has been on heightened alert since an attack on the metro in the second city of Saint Petersburg on April 3 left 15 people dead.

Motive of Dortmund attack suspect was money not terror

Helsinki

Reuters

Finland’s exit from the euro zone is possible and even likely in the future, euro-

sceptic lawmaker Sampo Terho, the frontrunner in a race to lead the co-ruling Finns party, said yesterday.

With his comments, Terho moved closer to his nearest rival, the hard-liner Jussi Halla-aho - a sign of challenges ahead for the country’s unpopular three-party government.

Terho kicked off his party leadership campaign on Friday, telling a press conference that it was hard for Finland to keep

its exports competitive because of its euro membership.

“The only way to sustain our competitiveness is internal devaluation, which we carried out,” he said, referring to a hard-fought labour reform that sparked anti-government dem-onstrations and strikes in 2015.

“The other option, if looking forward to the 2020s, 2030s and 2040s, is to return to our own currency ... When we take this long look, that option seems possible, even likely,” Terho said. Terho is considered the most popular candidate for the party leadership, trailed by Halla-aho. A poll for Finnish broadcaster MTV released this

Wednesday showed support for Terho among party activists at 60 percent, compared with 22 percent for Halla-aho.

He has generally taken more moderate positions than Halla-aho, a member of European Parliament who has said bluntly he would take Finland out of the euro zone and the European Union. The Finns party, previ-ously known as True Finns, rose from\ obscurity during the euro zone debt crisis. It has since sof-tened its anti-EU rhetoric, a move that helped the party enter government in 2015 but also angered voters: its support tum-bled in municipal elections earlier this month to 8.8%.

Gunman kills 2 at FSB office in eastern Russia

Finland likely to quit euro in coming decades: Lawmaker

08 SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017VIEWS

E S T A B L I S H E D I N 1 9 9 6

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The election campaign has only just begun. I’m not taking anything for granted. The result is not certain.

Theresa MayBritish Prime Minister

IIslam in France has been persistently in the spotlight of public attention during the past few years. Yet, during the 2017 electoral season, little attention has been paid to what Muslim voters are thinking

in the run-up to the presidential elections.With only a few days left before the first

round of voting, questions about a potential “Muslim vote” that could be a decisive factor in the elections are worth exploring.

Islam is the second biggest religion in France and Muslims make up about 5 percent of the French electorate, and approximately 8t percent of the overall population.

Surveys or studies based on citizens’ reli-gion, race, or skin colour are prohibited by French law. Pollsters therefore often have to look at the patronymic surnames and geo-ethnic origins to identify the respondent’s religious affiliation. This has especially been the case when analysing French Muslim vot-ers’ attitudes, particularly in the suburbs of cities such as Paris, Marseilles or Lyons, where there are a large concentrations of French citizens of North African origin.

In 2012, a study by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) showed that 86 percent of Muslim voters had voted for Francois Hol-lande, who won the elections with around 51 percent of the national vote. Estimated at 5 percent of the national electorate, Muslim voters thus constituted the needed vote that tilted the balance in favour of the socialist candidate.

This was the result of massive mobilisa-tion in the suburbs of major French cities against Hollande’s opponent Nicolas Sarkozy, who had adopted tough rhetoric on Islam and who did not show any interest in countering the Islamophobia wave that had swept across France during his presidential mandate.

Although Islam and Islamophobia has temporarily taken a back seat in the run-up to the first round of the elections, giving way to various scandals and political bickering, it is unlikely that this will be the case in the sec-ond round.

The question of Islam will occupy centre stage again and will probably trigger some fierce debates between the two runoff candi-dates, especially if the National Front’s Marine Le Pen makes it to the second round.

The presidential candidate facing Le Pen is likely to play the cards of multiculturalism and national unity, promising of socioeco-nomic development and implementing anti-discrimination laws, as well as other issues that can engage French Muslim voters.

For decades, French Muslims have tradi-tionally voted for the left (Socialist and Communist Parties), motivated by the humanistic values that the left was supposed to uphold. But in recent decades Muslim vot-ers (now second and third generation) have matured and their political leanings have become more diverse.

In the absence of a real mass political commitment to one political party or

Can the Muslim vote sway the French elections?

French presidential election candidate for the French Socialist party Benoit Hamon delivers a speech during a campaign meeting in Carmaux, yesterday.

Ali Saad Al Jazeera

movement, French Muslims tend to be more interested in socioeconomic issues such as access to employment, benefits and discrimination, issues shared with the rest of the French population.

So, in theory, any candidate - with the exception of Marine Le Pen - who proposes realistic and attainable solu-tions and alternatives on these issues will be favoured by French Muslim vot-ers, as well as other segments of society enduring similar socioeconomic condi-tions. In other words, the French Muslim

voters’ electoral choice is not motivated by their religious affiliation but by the issues and con-cerns that affect their everyday life.

If there is one issue

that unites the Muslim vote it would be the question of Islamophobia. It is there-fore the positions that each of the candidates takes on this that can tip the balance in their favour.

That was exactly the case during the 2012 elections, when French Muslims voted massively in favour of Hollande simply because he promised to fight discrimination, racism and Islamophobia.

Today, practically all candidates promise to combat the social problems affecting minorities in the country, but their positions differ widely when it comes to Islam and Islamophobia.

For example, during the campaign for the primaries in 2016, Francois Fillon declared that “France had a problem with Islam” and that this religion threat-ened national unity.

This kind of rhetoric worries French Muslim voters because it stigmatises the Muslim population and makes it vulner-able and subject to even more criticism over its faith. So while in the first round, the Muslim vote might get dispersed to different candidates, in the event of Le Pen making it to the runoff, the Muslim population will probably rally behind her opponent.

While the Muslim electorate in France is not a homogeneous and disci-plined voting bloc given that it is driven by various socioeconomic considera-tions, there is a possibility that the Muslim vote will be a vote against the consolidation of the far right in French politics and the normalisation of Islamo-phobia, discrimination and ultranationalism in the French society.

In 2012, a study by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) showed that 86 percent of Muslim voters had voted for Francois Hollande, who won the elections with around 51 percent of the national vote. Estimated at 5 percent of the national electorate, Muslim voters thus constituted the needed vote that tilted the balance in favour of the socialist candidate.

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US President Donald Trump’s declaration that his administration sees no role in Libya has raised serious concerns about the future of embattled Libya which has

descended into chaos after the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Trump’s statement came during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni who had urged Washington to maintain its ‘very critical role’ in Libya to help forge a political consensus to create a government that would bring peace and stability. “I do not see a role in Libya. I think the United States has right now enough roles. We are in a role everywhere,” Trump said, adding that the Washington’s priority in Libya and Iraq was counter-terrorism efforts, mainly the extermination of Isis.

Trump’s stance on Libya is certain to complicate efforts to find a solution to the Libyan crisis, where America’s role is crucial. A struggling UN-backed government in Tripoli led by Fayez al-Sarraj repre-sents the best long-term hope for stability in the country where rival militias and tribes are locked in a fierce war for supremacy. Al Sarraj’s government is backed by the West and the UN, but despite this support, it has been unable to rule over the entire country due to its own weakness and the strength of the rivals. The pullout of US from an active role would further weaken the Tripoli government, thus

sabotaging the gains which the country has made after the over-throw of Gaddafi.

Trump’s stance on Libya will be another addition to the array of foreign policy somer-saults of his administration which has both stunned and confused the world. It’s not yet clear whether the President’s state-ment signalled a complete break from

America’s strong support of the Tripoli government or whether he was ruling out an active military role in Libya in future. But there is no doubt his declara-tion creates confusion and will be counter-productive, and it’s born of an ignorance of the strategic importance of this north African state. Libya is the main departure point for hundreds of thousands of migrants heading to Europe from Africa and the Middle East and the collapse the gov-ernment in the country, even though it’s weak, will create a crisis of unmanageable proportions for Europe. The US disinterest or pullout will also weaken the position of Europe and the UN, thus paving the way for the increased role of Russia. A rival government in eastern Libya, led by Khalifa-Haftar, an anti-Islamist military strongman, already has support from some foreign governments.

The US and Europe should not abandon Libya at this time of crisis. Trump must frame his policy after a thorough study of the consequences of his decision.

Saving Libya

Trump’s statement that he sees no role in Libya has created both confusion and fear. The US and Europe should not abandon Libya at this time of crisis.

ED ITOR IAL

09SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017 OPINION

approval ratings. Clerics took the anti-Purnama message to the

mosques throughout the campaign, said Eva Kusuma Sundari a senior official in Widodo’s party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.

“This is a major defeat for us. The landscape is changing and it’s not favourable to us,” she said.

“We have to figure out our own understanding of this political religion without giving up our con-stitutional and nationalistic approach.”

Tim Lindsey, an Indonesia analyst from the University of Melbourne, said Islamist groups had “emerged from the fringe to become a force”.

“This is a rehearsal for the 2019 presidential election,” he said.

“If groups like these can get hundreds of thou-sands on the streets, you are going to want to use that power.”

Slamet Maarif, a spokesman for the Islamic Defenders Front, one of the main forces behind the push to prevent a Christian from leading Indone-sia’s Muslim majority capital, said the group was already eyeing the 2019 poll.

“We will maintain the existing unity of Mus-lims. And we will prepare Muslim unity for 2019,” he said.

Merkel’s populist foes in disarray

Back in January, Frauke Petry of the Alterna-tive for Germany party shared a stage with her fellow populist leaders from across Europe to mark what was billed as “the Year of Patriots.”

Buoyed by the election of Donald Trump, Petry joined Marine Le Pen of France and Dutchman Geert Wilders in the German city of Koblenz to predict that Europe’s establishment was about to be swept away.

Three months later, the meeting at the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel rivers looks like it may have been the high-water mark for Petry and her party. The AfD has since lost a third of its support as it descended into infighting, and this week Petry relin-quished her bid to lead the party’s campaign for this year’s German elections.

It’s a dramatic reversal for a party that until recently posed the most serious threat in years to Angela Merkel and her Christian Democratic-led bloc. While several factors have contributed to the AfD’s slide, not least the easing of the refugee crisis that helped it to reach record highs in the polls last year, many voters in Germany have been turned off the populist message by the performance of the Trump administration, according to Werner Patzelt, a political science professor at the Technical University of Dresden.

Trump’s early days in office show that “it’s not enough to come to power with populist positions,” Patzelt said in an interview. “Reality gets in the way.” In addition, he said that Merkel’s party and its affili-ates “have changed their refugee policy by nearly 180

degrees, without, of course, declaring that they have done so.”

AfD delegates will attempt to turn around the par-ty’s fortunes this weekend when they gather in Cologne for a national convention that is due to decide on their main candidates and platform for the Sept. 24 election. Thousands of demonstrators are expected to protest the conference.

The party meets three days after Petry, the 41-year-old public face of the party, responded to sustained political attacks from right-wing rivals by announcing that she won’t be a top contender for the vote, which supporters hope -- and polls have long suggested -- will propel the AfD into the federal par-liament for the first time.

“It’s a pity for the party,” Georg Pazderski, the AfD’s leader in Berlin’s state parliament, said in an interview. “I can relate to that from a human per-spective because I noted in recent weeks that the attacks on her were very, very abusive in some cases.”

As National Front leader Le Pen moves within reach of the French presidency and Wilders builds on his Freedom Party’s seats in parliament, the AfD has been riven by internal battles over the party’s direc-tion. Formed to protest euro-area bailouts before the focus was shifted to immigration, Petry’s camp now says it wants to plot a course toward the political

mainstream. Her rivals, particularly among right-wing nationalists, accuse Petry of concentrating too much power in her hands.

The current rift broke open in January when Bjo-ern Hoecke, the AfD’s leader in the eastern state of Thuringia, gave a speech in which he assailed Ger-many’s atonement for the Nazi era. Referencing the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin’s center, Hoecke said that Germans were the only people who “planted a monument of shame in the heart of their capital.” The comments drew a firestorm of criticism from across the political spectrum, including from Petry, who is pushing for Hoecke’s expulsion from the AfD.

The party convention was shaping up to be a showdown between Petry and her political foes. In a video statement, Petry said it would decide “what kind of future strategy” the party would adopt. “So far, different parts of the AfD have pursued different strategies -- although one must understand that the AfD’s image has recently been dominated by the strategy of fundamental opposition.”

The infighting has translated into dwindling poll numbers, abetted by the easing of anxiety over the influx of a million refugees, which dominated public debate throughout 2016, and by the revival of support for the Social Democrats under Martin Schulz.

By channeling German fears and anxieties over the worst refugee crisis since World War II, the AfD

The thumping win by Anies Bas-wedan in the bitterly fought election for Jakarta governor signals twin challenges to Indo-nesia’s President Joko Widodo

- from rising Islamism and the renewed clout of Indonesia’s old political and busi-ness elites. Baswedan thanked supporters after taking a decisive lead in the unoffi-cial count on Tuesday afternoon, but not before his political patron, Prabowo Subianto, claimed victory first - thanking the scions of Indonesia’s establishment by his side.

“Our focus is social justice, ending inequality and our commitment is to safe-guard diversity and unity,” Baswedan said. The conciliatory tone contrasted with the fractious nature of a campaign that challenged Indonesia’s religious and ethnically tolerant traditions, and com-ments made by Baswedan on the eve of the election.

Baswedan compared the poll to the Battle of Badr, a pivotal fight that consoli-dated Islam’s power in Arabia, a win ascribed to divine intervention.

The Jakarta election was marked by the blasphemy trial of Baswedan’s rival, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who allegedly mocked a verse in the Holy Quran.

Purnama is a Christian and ethnic Chinese in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.

Huge anti-Purnama protests in November and December sunk his high

Indonesian president faces twin threats from Jakarta poll

Anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany (AfD) chairwoman, Frauke Petry delivers keynote speech at the AfD’s election campaign in Essen.

Widodo, who grew up in a shack by a river in rural Java and became a successful furniture seller before entering politics, was the insurgent candidate who defeated Prabowo in the 2014 presidential election.

Popularly known as Jokowi, he became the first Indone-sian from outside the elites to assume the country’s highest office.

He was catapulted to national prominence after becom-ing governor of Jakarta, with Purnama serving as his deputy.

His fit-and-start reform agenda has antagonised some in the business establishment who chafe against his calls for more foreign investment and increased competition in some sectors of the economy.

Among those standing alongside Baswedan and Prabowo as they claimed victory were moguls Aburizal Bakrie, Hashim Djojohadikusumo and Hary Tanoesoedibjo. All were prominent businessmen with links to the three-decade authoritarian regime of Suharto before he was ousted from power in 1998 during the Asian financial crisis.

Tanoesoedibjo, who is President Donald Trump’s busi-ness partner in two resort developments in Indonesia, once worked for Suharto’s son, Bambang Trihatmodjo.

Bakrie is a former chairman of the Golkar Party, which Suharto created as the parliamentary rubber stamp for his 32-year hardline rule. His family conglomerate, Bakrie Group, is prominent in the mining industry, oil and gas, and property development.

Prabowo, a former general and son-in-law of Suharto, was banned from entering the United States over his alleged human rights abuses as a military commander tasked with disrupting the student protests that eventually toppled Suharto and ushered in Indonesia’s democratic era. Djojo-hadikusumo is Prabowo’s younger brother. Their father, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo, was the architect of Suharto’s economic plans.

Considered a spent force after his defeat in 2014, Prabowo now has a platform to raise money and increase his profile ahead of another tilt at the presidency in 2019, said Wimar Witoelar, a political analyst and former presi-dential spokesman. “ will be indebted,” he said. “The Jakarta government will be a pawn in the political play for 2019.”

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had threatened to revive the specter of far-right nationalism in a country that has spent the entire postwar period trying to ensure such senti-ment never returns. Now Merkel has a window of opportunity to focus on the more potent threat ahead of the election: Schulz’s Social Democrats.

Polls show Merkel’s faction gaining ground after the SPD ini-tially surged on the back of Schulz’s surprise emergence in January as her challenger. Her CDU-led bloc is polling at 34-36 percent support compared to the SPD’s 30-32 per-cent. The AfD has 8-10 percent, down from a high of about 15 per-cent in December.

It’s still too early to write the party off, both amid signs that the SPD’s “Schulz effect” may have peaked and Merkel’s continued vul-nerability on the refugees issue and on terrorism. In her video message, Petry didn’t call into question her candidacy for a seat in the Bun-destag, Germany’s lower house. She remains the party’s co-leader alongside Joerg Meuthen, an eco-nomics professor. And unless she resigns the post, she’ll still be in charge and able to help the AfD regroup however the party navi-gates the turbulence through the weekend.

“Certainly some mistakes have been made in the past,” said the AfD’s Pazderski. But as far as he is concerned, Petry “will continue to play a very important role.”

Patrick Donahue & Rainer BuerginBloomberg

It’s a dramatic reversal for a party that until recently posed the most serious threat in years to Angela Merkel and her Christian Democratic-led bloc. While several factors have contributed to the AfD’s slide, not least the easing of the refugee crisis that helped it to reach record highs in the polls last year, many voters in Germany have been turned off the populist message by the performance of the Trump administration.

The conciliatory tone contrasted with the fractious nature of a campaign that challenged Indonesia’s religious and ethnically tolerant traditions, and comments made by Baswedan on the eve of the election.

Tom AllardReuters

10 SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017AMERICAS

A child poses for Cuban artist, Maisel Lopez, as he paints the wall of a state art gallery in Havana, yesterday.

Live painting

Washington

AP

The Trump administration embarked yesterday on new efforts to study and

possibly dismantle some of the tax and financial regulations established by former President Barack Obama.

President Donald Trump will sign an executive order to review tax regulations set last year by his predecessor, as well as two memos to potentially reconsider major elements of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reforms passed in the wake of the Great Recession.

The review of tax regula-tions could give greater leeway to companies looking to shel-ter income overseas, or simply seeking to reduce paperwork related to the enforcement of such regulations. Treasury Sec-retary Steven Mnuchin said a "significant" issue to be exam-ined will be the crackdown by Obama on inversions, which are mergers that enable US firms to relocate their head-quarters overseas where tax rates are lower.

The review could also touch on overlapping rules designed to stop foreign-based compa-nies from shifting their US profits abroad. Mnuchin said the goal of the executive order is to reduce the burden of time and money from complying with tax regulations. "The tax

system is way too complicated and burdensome," he said.

The administration is also trying to pass tax reform that would reduce corporate rates and encourage businesses that have trillions of dollars stowed overseas to bring their profits back to the US.

"We're not going to do any-thing that makes US businesses less competitive," Mnuchin said. The two memos would focus on possible adjustments to the Dodd-Frank law, which was designed to stop banks from growing "too big to fail" and requiring public bailouts.

One memo will order Mnuchin to review a compo-nent of the law that allows federal regulators to liquidate failing financial firms during an economic crisis if those com-panies are large enough that their collapse would pose a threat to the entire US econ-omy. The other memo will order the Treasury to review a process that designates which non-bank firms could threaten the financial system if they fail. Critics argue this process is costly and arbitrary.

Both measures will be sus-pended while they're under review."Let me make it abso-lutely clear: President Trump is absolutely committed to make sure that taxpayers are not at risk for government bailouts of entities that are too big to fail," he said.

Trump eyes changes to Obama's tax rules

Venezuela

AP

At least 12 people were killed overnight following looting and violence in

Venezuela's capital amid a spi-ralling political crisis in the South American country, authorities said yesterday.

The Public Ministry con-firmed the deaths yesterday and

said another six were hurt.Most of the deaths took place

in El Valle, where opposition leaders say 13 people were hit with an electrical current while trying to loot a bakery protected by an electric fence.

Earlier yesterday, officials reported that a young Venezue-lan man returning home late from work on Thursday had been fatally shot when he got caught in the middle of late-night street clashes that engulfed several working-class neighborhoods in Caracas.

Melvin Guitan died in a poor neighborhood in eastern Cara-cas amid the almost-daily, increasingly violent protests against President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuelan social media was ablaze late into the night with grainy cellphone videos of light-armored vehicles plowing down dark streets to control pockets of protesters who set up burning barricades in several neighbor-hoods. At least five people were injured in one disturbance a short distance from Caracas' main military base.

Amid the confusion, moth-ers and newborn children had to be evacuated from a maternity hospital when it was swamped with tear gas. But while anti-gov-ernment protesters accused riot police of being behind the attack, Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said armed groups hired by Maduro's opponents were to blame.

Vicente Paez, a local coun-cilman, said Guitan was an employee of a Caracas-area city governed by an opposition mayor and didn't join the pro-tests. It wasn't clear who shot him and there was no immedi-ate comment from authorities.

The outburst of violence fol-lowed a second straight day of major demonstrations Thursday that saw tens of thousands of Venezuelans flood into the streets to demand elections and denounce what they consider a dictatorial government.

The opposition said they have no intention of pulling back on protests that were triggered when the government-stacked Supreme Court three weeks ago gutted congress of its last

vestiges of power, a move that was later reversed amid a storm of international criticism.

"Twenty days of resist-ance and we feel newly born," said opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara during an

evening, outdoor press confer-ence. Residents looking out from balconies in the eastern Caracas neighborhood that is at the heart of the protest movement cheered loudly in support.

The next planned protest is

today, when opponents are being asked to dress in white and march silently to commemorate the victims of the demonstration. There's also a sit-in to block major highways planned for on Monday.

12 dead in Venezuela violence and looting

View of damages caused by looters at a supermarket in Caracas, yesterday.

Political crisis

Most of the deaths took place in El Valle, where opposition leaders say 13 people were hit with an electrical current while trying to loot a bakery protected by an electric fence.

The next planned protest is today and there's also a sit-in to block major highways planned for Monday.

United Nations AFP

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres yesterday held

a brief first meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, ahead of a visit of Security Council ambassa-dors to Washington next week.

Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon in January, also met with the US national security advisor, General HR McMaster. The UN chief had an "interesting and constructive discussion on cooperation between the United States and the United Nations," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric

said. Guterres and Trump "agreed to meet again in the near future," he added. UN Security Council ambassadors will hold a luncheon meeting with Trump on Monday and meet with US lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Those meetings are likely to focus on North Korea, Syria, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and proposed US cuts to UN funding that have raised concerns about the US admin-istration's support for the world body. US Ambassador Nikki Haley tweeted Friday that she was looking forward to "taking the members of the Security Council to the White House Monday to have first hand dia-logue with the president."

Ottawa

AFP

Canada announced new sanctions against Syria yesterday targeting offi-

cials and entities linked to the use of chemical weapons.

The measure follows an ini-tial round of sanctions announced last week, Canada's first against Syria and its presi-dent, Bashar al-Assad, since 2014, when a conservative gov-ernment was in office in Ottawa.

The United States — which fired 59 cruise missiles at a Syr-ian airfield on April 7 after Syria allegedly used chemical weap-ons against a civilian neighbourhood — has also sanctioned some Syrian entities and individuals.

The latest Canadian sanc-tions "affect 17 high-ranking individuals in the Assad regime and five entities linked to the use of chemical weapons in Syria," the Foreign Ministry said.

It said the new measures were meant to help pressure Syria to "immediately stop the repeated and heinous attacks against its own people."

On Wednesday, the Organ-ization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said that "incontrovertible" test results had shown sarin gas or a similar substance was used in an April 4 attack that killed 87 people in Khan Sheikhun.

The sanctions target five research centers and chemicals manufacturers, as well as 17 people, the ministry said.

"Today's announcement of additional sanctions against key officials in the Syrian regime sends a strong, unified message to the Assad regime that their war crimes will not be tolerated and that they will be held accountable," Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement.

She said Canada was help-ing with an international investigation of the use of chem-ical weapons in Syria.

The Canadian government has allocated Can$1.6bn ($1.2bn) over three years to finance secu-rity, stabilization, humanitarian and development assistance in Syria and Iraq.

Canada has also welcomed more than 40,000 Syrian refu-gees since November 2015.

Rio De Janeiro Reuters

Hooded gunmen killed an estimated 10 people, including children, in a

conflict over territory deep in western Brazil’s agricultural heartland, government security officials said.

The exact number of dead in Thursday’s attack in remote Taquaruçu do Norte in Mato Grosso state on Brazil’s border with Bolivia has not yet been confirmed, security forces said.

Local security officials did not provide more information about the killings on Friday, a national holiday in Brazil.

Teams of military police mobilized to fly by helicopter to the region to investigate the attacks had been grounded by bad weather, Rogers Jarbas, the state secretary for public secu-rity said in a statement late on Thursday. The killings are the latest round of deadly farm vio-lence in Brazil where landless workers occupying territory are frequently attacked by armed

men linked to plantation own-ers and illegal logging operations, campaigners say.

Violence in the area has been simmering for more than a decade, the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), a Brazil-based campaign group linked to the Catholic Church said in a statement.

Indigenous and Afro-Brazil-ian farmers had been living on an estimated 40,000 hectares of disputed territory in Taquaruçu do Norte, before they came under attack, the CPT said.

Washington

AFP

The US state of Arkansas has carried out its first execution in more than

a decade despite criticism that its plan to put to death several prisoners this month is rushed.

Ledell Lee, 51, was exe-cuted Thursday after the US Supreme Court rejected elev-enth-hour requests to stay the move. He received a legal injection cocktail of three drugs, including one that has sparked sharp debate.

Another day of intense legal wrangling kept Lee, who was sentenced to death more than two decades ago, alive until just before his death warrant expired at midnight. The nation's top court as well as a US circuit court issued temporary execution stays as they analysed the case -- but ultimately all were lifted.

Gunmen kill 10 civilians in rural Brazil

UN chief holds first meeting with Trump

Canada sets new Syria sanctions

Arkansas carries out first execution

Washington

AFP

President Donald Trump yesterday hosted a US-Egyptian charity worker

in the White House who was freed after nearly three years in detention in Egypt on charges human rights groups denounced as "arbitrary."

A Cairo court acquitted Aya Hijazi last weekend along with her Egyptian husband and six others of accusations they were complicit in alleged sexual abuse of children at the foundation the couple ran.

Her release came days after a meeting between Trump and Egyptian Presi-dent Abdel Fattah Al Sisi in Washington in which the two men exuded warmth and expressed strong mutual sup-port. "We are very happy to have Aya back home and it's a great honor to have her in the Oval Office," Trump said.

His administration is keen to forge closer ties with Egypt after Washington had kept the country at arm's length for years.

White House hosts freed US-Egyptian

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For advertisements, call: 44557857

WATER TANK CLEANING

AL MUTWASSIT CLEANING & PEST CONTROL

443679 99 55875920/55860432

CAPITAL CLEANING COMPANY

55565328/ 33189899 44582257 E-mail: capitalcleaningwll@gmail.com

FOR RENT

UNIFORMS

TRANSLATION SERVICES

HELPLINE44919213

77711129 - www.helplinegroups.com

RECRUITMENT SERVICES

SECURITY SYSTEM & SOLUTION

SCAFFOLDING

APOLLO ENTERPRISES SCAFFOLDING DIVISION44693334

44416274 55521089/55560246/55536285

MALZAMAT QATAR W.L.L.

44504266 44502489 66715063www.malzamatqatar.com info@malzamatqatar.com, malzamat@gmail.com

QATAR AL ATTIYAH INTERNATIONAL GROUP (QAIG)

AL MUFTAH SERVICES 44634444/44010700 55542067/55823100

APOLLO REAL ESTATE55864352/55506803/ 55872145

44689522

ADAM REAL ESTATE COMPANY

44366932 44366931 55500789 / 55803731

REAL ESTATE APOLLO REAL ESTATE

Qatar’s first Real Estate Company under British Management

Call: Office: 44689522, Maureen 55864352Abubakar 55850815, Peter 55506803, Dexter 55872145

www.apollopropertiesonline.com

MANPOWER SERVICES

PARTY KINGDOM

44353501/ 44366431 E-mail: partykingdom10doha@yahoo.com

PARTY ITEMS & BALLOON DECORATION

NEW STATE CLEANING & PEST CONTROL

466517556/55404339

PEST CONTROL

APOLLO ENTERPRISES44426664

55871914/ 55524897

METAL REPAIRS

AL DAR CAR RENTAL

44877789 44866637

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Airport: 40108888 66967787/ 55849587

AVIS RENT A CAR

44667744 / 40108887 44657626

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44154467/44687507 55048720/ 5544042/66995238

REGENCY FLEETS

44433822/44554046/44554048 44554047 Airport Branch (24hrs): 70482655

E2E FLEETS - The Complete Transportation Solution

4460 5291/44515568 4460 2176 33199183

AL MUFTAH RENT A CAR WLL

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+974 44325500 44375753 33697075/ 66971703/55241629

RENT A CAR

BUDGET RENT A CAR

44310411 40108880 -55808638 (24 Hrs)

NATIONAL CAR RENTAL

5547 8150/5547 8151

LABOUR CAMPon Salwa Road

at a very competitive price.

For information, call: 33505567

FOR RENT

QR.9,000 (Family & Executive Bachelor)Room only (Including Electricity & Water)

3 Large Bedrooms with Toilets. Large Living Area with Balcony. Large Kitchen, Storage

Room & Car Parking.Nice area and located few minutes from Express Highways

to North, West & all Doha, nearby Gharafa, Landmark, Qatar Foundation, TV, Blossom Flower Shop, etc..

LUXURIOUS VILLA FOR RENT

For inquiries, viewing & details please contact: 30335016

NOTICE

NOTICE

MR. AHAMED RIYAS ABDUL CADARSRI LANKAN NATIONAL, PASSPORT NO. N5958684

QATAR ID NO. 28214404905

Tel: 40157001 Mob: 55226947

MR. HANSA RAJBANSHINEPALESE NATIONAL, PASSPORT NO. 08013647

QATAR ID NO. 28952422776

Tel: 40157001 Mob: 55226947

MR. ABDUL WAJITH ABDUL WADOODSRI LANKAN NATIONAL, PASSPORT NO. N0758967

QATAR ID NO. 28714404727

Tel: 44366001 Fax: 44366004

Yesterday’s answer

15SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017 BREAK TIME

Yesterday’s answer

SHOWING ATVILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER

HAGA

R TH

E HO

RRIB

LE

ALL IN THE MINDACTION, ACTOR, AUDIENCE, AUDITION, BACKSTAGE, BOX OFFICE, CABARET, CAMERA, CAST, COMEDY, COSTUME, CURTAIN CALL, DIRECTOR, DRAMA, ENCORE, ENTERTAINMENT, EXTRA, FILM, FOOTLIGHTS, GREASEPAINT, HOLLYWOOD, LIGHTING, LINES, LOCATION, MOVIE, MUSICAL, PERFORMANCE, PLAY, PRODUCER, PROMOTER, PROP, RADIO, REVIEW, ROLE, SCENE, SCORE, SCRIPT, SPOTLIGHT, STAGE, STAND IN, STAR, STUNT.

7:30 Talk To Al Jazeera

8:00 News

8:30 Rewind

9:00 Witness

10:00 News

10:30 Inside Story

11:00 News

11:30 The Listening Post

12:30 Counting the Cost

13:00 NEWSHOUR

14:00 News

14:30 Inside Story

15:00 The Day Israel

Attacked America

16:00 NEWSHOUR

17:00 News

17:30 UpFront

18:00 newsgrid

19:00 News

19:30 Fault Lines

20:00 News

20:30 Inside Story

21:00 NEWSHOUR

22:00 News

22:30 The Listening Post

23:00 Al Jazeera World

08:30 Pawn Stars

09:20 Ultimate

Wheels

11:00 Shipping Wars

13:30 Lost Worlds

14:20 Hunting Hitler

15:10 The Curse Of Oak

Island

16:00 Gold Hunters:

Legend Of The

Superstition...

17:15 Big Easy

Motors

17:40 American

Restoration

19:20 American

Pickers

20:10 Forged In Fire

21:00 The Curse Of Oak

Island

21:50 Mummies

Alive

22:40 Search For The

Lost Giants

23:30 American

Restoration

06:36 Swamp

Brothers

08:15 Rugged

Justice

09:10 Wild Animal

Rescue

10:05 Treetop Cat

Rescue

10:30 Treetop Cat

Rescue

11:00 Life At Vet

University

11:55 Bondi Vet

12:50 Swamp

Brothers

18:20 Rugged

Justice

19:15 Wildest India

20:10 Wild Animal

Rescue

21:05 Pit Bulls &

Parolees

22:00 Rugged

Justice

22:55 Gator Boys

23:50 Gator Boys

15:25 Jessie

16:15 Austin & Ally

17:05 Eco Club

17:35 Liv And

Maddie

18:25 The Little

Mermaid:

Ariel's New

Beginning

19:50 Welcome To The

Ronks

20:00 Eco Club

20:30 Bizaardvark

21:20 Best Friends

Whenever

21:45 Disney The

Lodge

22:10 Girl Meets

World

22:35 That's So

Raven

23:00 Good Luck

Charlie

23:25 Sabrina Secrets

Of A Teenage

Witch

Conceptis Sudoku: Conceptis Sudoku is a number-

placing puzzle based on a 9×9 grid. The object is to

place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so

that each row, each column and each 3×3 box

contains the same number only once.

CROSSWORD

CONCEPTIS SUDOKU

Yesterday's answer

MALL

LANDMARK

ROYAL PLAZA

ASIAN TOWN

NOVO — Pearl

ROXY

Ghost In The Shell (2D/Action) 10:30, 12:45, 1:30, 3:00, 5:15, 6:30, 6:40, 7:30, 8:45, 9:45, 11:00 11:45pm & 12:00midnightFast & Furious 8 (2D/Action) 10:30, 11:30am, 12:00noo, 2:30, 3:00, 4:00, 5:30, 6:00, 8:30, 9:00, 9:05, 11:30 & 11:55pm The Boss Baby(Animation) 3D 10:00am, 1:40, 5:20 & 9:00pm 2D 11:50am, 3:30, 7:10 & 11:00pm Unforgettable (2D/Thriller) 10:00am, 12:00noon, 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00, 10:00pm & 12:00midnight The Void (2D/Horror) 11:00am, 3:10, 7:20 & 11:30pm Yejaalo Amer (2D/Arabic) 11:00am, 3:00, 7:00 & 11:00pmWhen A Man Falls (2D/Arabic) 1:00, 5:00 & 9:00pmFast & Furious 8 (2D IMAX/Action) 12:00noon, 3:00, 6:00, 9:00 & 11:55pm

Baahubali: The Beginning (2D/Malayalam) 2:00pm1971: Beyond Borders (2D/Malayalam) 2:30 & 11:15pm Smurfs: The Lost Village (2D/Animation) 2:00pm The Baby Boss (2D/Animation) 3:45 & 5:30pm The Fate of The Furiours (2D/Action) 5:00, 7:15 & 9:15pm Noor (2D/Hindi) 5:00pm Can’t Help Falling In Love (2D/Tagalog) 7:15pmGhost In The Shell (2D/Action) 7:30 & 9:30pm Yejaalo Amer (2D/Arabic) 9:30pm The Void (2D/Horror) 11:30pm Unforgettable (2D/Thriller) 11:45pm

Mine (2D/Thriller) 2:15pm The Baby Boss (2D/Animation) 2:30 & 4:30pm Smurfs: The Lost Village (2D/Animation) 2:30pm The Fate of The Furiours (2D/Action) 4:30 & 11:15pm Baahubali: The Beginning (2D/Malayalam) 10:30pmOru Mexican Aparatha (2D/Malayalam) 4:30pm Ghost In The Shell (2D/Action) 6:30 & 8:30pm Yejaalo Amer (2D/Arabic) 7:00 & 9:00pm Can’t Help Falling In Love (2D/Tagalog) 7:00pm The Void (2D/Horror) 9:15pm Unforgettable (2D/Thriller) 11:30pm

The Baby Boss (2D/Animation) 2:15 & 4:30pm Mine (2D/Thriller) 2:30pmOru Mexican Aparatha (2D/Malayalam) 4:30pm Mine (2D/Thriller) 2:30pm Smurfs: The Lost Village (2D/Animation) 3:00pm Ghost In The Shell (2D/Action) 5:00 & 11:30pm Yejaalo Amer (2D/Arabic) 7:00pm Can’t Help Falling In Love (2D/Tagalog) 7:00pm The Fate of The Furiours (2D/Action) 9:00 & 11:00pm 1971: Beyond Borders (2D/Malayalam) 6:30pm Noor (2D/Hindi) 9:15pmThe Void (2D/Horror) 9:00pm Unforgettable (2D/Thriller) 11:30pm

The Great Father (Malayalam) 4:30 & 7:30pmTake Off 1:30pm 1971: Beyond Borders (Malayalam) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 10:00pm Oru Mexican Aparatha (Malayalam) 1:30, 3:30, 6:30, 7:30, 9:30, 10:30pm Baahubali 12:30 & 10:30pm

The Baby Boss 2:00, 4:00 & 6:00pm 1971: Beyond Borders 2:00, 4:45, 7:30 & 11:15pm The Ghost In Shell 2:00, 8:00 & 10:15pm The Fate of The Furious 4:15, 7:00 & 9:45pm Oru Mexican Aparatha 2:00, 5:00, 8:00 & 11:00pm

AL KHOR1971: Beyond Borders 11:15am & 5:15pm

Oru Mexican Aparatha 2:15, 8:15 & 11:15pm

The Fate of The Furious 12:30, 3:15, 6:00, 8:45 & 11:30pm

The Baby Boss 11:00am, 1:15, 3:30 & 5:45pm The Great Father 8:00 & 11:00pm

20 SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017MORNING BREAK

FAJRSHOROOK

03.46 am

05.06 am

ZUHRASR

11.32 am

03.02 pm

MAGHRIBISHA

06.02 pm

07.32 pm

PRAYER TIMINGS

HIGH TIDE 01:15 - 14:30 LOW TIDE 09:00 - 19:00

Strong wind over most areas and

expected poor visibility. Relative-

ly hot daytime and slight dust to

blowing dust at places.

WEATHER TODAY

Minimum Maximum

Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department

26oC 36oC

La La Land dance coach on Gosling's Oscars gigglesLos Angeles

AFP

It earned six Oscars on its way to stealing hearts worldwide and grossing $440 million but "La La

Land" is perhaps doomed to be remembered for the prize it didn't win.

Director Damien Chazelle and his

team hugged as they picked up best picture at February's Academy Awards, but it quickly became clear that the wrong movie had been announced.

As one of the worst mix-ups in Oscars history played out live to the world, the media noted one unusual reaction among a sea of perplexed faces: Ryan Gosling was struggling to

control his laughter. The star's giggles quickly went viral and he has since put it down to delight for the cast and crew of real winner "Moonlight," and relief that the sudden panic wasn't caused by something more serious.

But celebrated choreographer Mandy Moore, who taught Gosling and co-star Emma Stone to dance for the

movie, thinks he was just embarrassed. "Ryan's very like that -- he giggles at awkward moments -- so I think you see him giggling but that's just kind of how he deals with awkward things," she said.

Moore, 41, has four Emmy nomi-nations for reality show "So You Think You Can Dance" but had never attended the Oscars.

Qatar Motor Show 2017 impresses crowdsThe Peninsula

Qatar Motor Show 2017 continues to impress crowds with excite-ment-packed activities including

simulators, competitions and interac-tive games, helping the show move away from its traditional format to a truly experiential show that engages visitors and brings automotive enthu-siasts closer to their favourite brands.

In addition to the exclusive regional and local reveals, exhibitors are offering interactive and educa-tional activities that showcase the latest innovations from the automo-tive industry. Touch screen tablets allow visitors to explore the Genesis’ models, VR activities bring Hyundai’s Ioniq to life, while Maserati offers its fans the chance to explore a configu-ration room and lounge. Toyota invites car enthusiast to embrace the quiet-ness of its Prius model through VR and an interactive quiz. Additionally, the car maker partnered with comedian Khalifa Haroon, to run live competi-tions. Lexus is bringing humor to the 7th edition of the Qatar Motor Show, at its stand comedian Hamad Al Ameri presents a tailormade educational sto-ries about the car-maker and its

history. Chevrolet showcased a giant Rubik’s cube where an artist created the brand’s logo. The activity was done in addition to the daily parades that the brand conducted. Mercedes Benz showcased an impressive line-up of cars in addition to an interactive 3-D scanner and other activities that used mind-control.

Innovation continued to thrive with Tazweed, a local app, showcased their solutions that are offered in the region for the first time. The app acts as the middle-man between car users and suppliers that offer part and car services all over the GCC.

Q3 Smart is offering visitors advanced solutions that allow users

to start their cars engine from their smartphone, lock their doors and check their vehicle's status even when they are away. The app also allows users to track their vehicles. NESU showcased their technologi-cally-advanced card that is a unique, patented, tested and internationally recognized and awarded practical solution against the harmful effects of mobile or radio frequency radiation.

Harley-Davidson is taking part of this year Qatar Motor Show, display-ing new motorcycles model for the year 2017, and the touring models with the new Milwaukee-Eight engine. This year they are offering to riders and non-riders to experience riding a Har-ley motorcycle where no knowledge is required or previous motorcycle experience.

The jumpstart riders experience combines a Harley-Davidson motor-cycle that is safely and securely attached to a specially-designed sta-tionary support stand, all what is required is to mount the bike, set the foot and fire up the engine under the watchful eye of trained personnel, give a throttle a twist and hear that unfor-gettable Harley sound.

Bikes on display at the motor show. Pic: Baher Amin / The Peninsula

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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