DOHA 34°C—40°C TODAY PUZZLES 12 & 13 D LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 11 L P Monday, August 21, 2017 Dhul-Qa’da 29, 1438 AH Community The Asean Committee in Doha organises its Asean Bowling Tournament 2017 at the Qatar Bowling Centre. P7 P16 Community North Korea’s stockpile of chemical weapons could wreak devastation in a retaliatory strike. Telling Lessons COVER STORY The swath of brush, bisected by two security fences in San Diego and Tijuana, was once hustling and bustling with illegal immigrants. Now it is mostly barren. P4-6 Lance LeNoir, supervisory border patrol agent, inside the Galvez Tunnel along the US-Mexico border in San Diego. The tunnel, used by a drug cartel, was discovered on December 2, 2009.
Transcript
DOHA 34°C—40°C TODAY PUZZLES 12 & 13D LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 11L P
Monday, August 21, 2017Dhul-Qa’da 29, 1438 AH
CommunityThe Asean Committee in Doha
organises its Asean Bowling Tournament 2017 at the Qatar Bowling Centre.
P7 P16 CommunityNorth Korea’s stockpile of chemical
weapons could wreak devastation in a retaliatory strike.
Telling LessonsCOVERSTORY The swath of brush, bisected by two security fences in San
Diego and Tijuana, was once hustling and bustling with illegal
immigrants. Now it is mostly barren. P4-6
Lance LeNoir, supervisory border patrol agent, inside the Galvez Tunnel along the US-Mexico border in San Diego. The tunnel, used by a drug cartel, was discovered on December 2, 2009.
Emergency 999Worldwide Emergency Number 112Kahramaa – Electricity and Water 991Local Directory 180International Calls Enquires 150Hamad International Airport 40106666Labor Department 44508111, 44406537Mowasalat Taxi 44588888Qatar Airways 44496000Hamad Medical Corporation 44392222, 44393333Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation 44845555, 44845464Primary Health Care Corporation 44593333 44593363 Qatar Assistive Technology Centre 44594050Qatar News Agency 44450205 44450333Q-Post – General Postal Corporation 44464444
Humanitarian Services Offi ce (Single window facility for the repatriation of bodies)Ministry of Interior 40253371, 40253372, 40253369Ministry of Health 40253370, 40253364Hamad Medical Corporation 40253368, 40253365Qatar Airways 40253374
USEFUL NUMBERS
Quote Unquote
Monday, August 21, 20172 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY ROUND & ABOUT
The Mall Cinema (1): Lie (Telugu) 2:30pm; Snatched (2D) 5:15pm; The Man With The Iron Heart (2D) 7:15pm; Annabelle 2 (2D) 9:30pm & 11:30pm.The Mall Cinema (2): The Emoji Movie (2D) 2pm; Richard The Stork (2D) 3:30pm & 5:15pm; Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets (2D) 7pm & 9:15pm; Bareilly Ki Barfi (Hindi) 11:30pmThe Mall Cinema (3): Resident Evil: Vendetta (2D) 2pm; Pilgrimage (2D) 4pm; Bareilly Ki Barfi (Hindi) 5:45pm; Youm Min Al Ayan (Arabic) 8pm; Security (2D) 9:30pm; Varnyathil Aashanka (Malayalam) 11:15pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1):
Richard The Stork (2D) 2pm & 3:30pm; Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets (2D) 5:15pm; Annabelle 2 (2D) 7:30pm; The Man With The Iron Heart (2D) 9:30pm; Security (2D) 11:45pmRoyal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): Pilgrimage (2D) 2pm; Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets (2D) 3:45pm; Bareilly Ki Barfi (Hindi) 6pm; Youm Min Al Ayan (Arabic) 8:15pm; Annabelle 2 (2D) 9:45pm; Snatched (2D) 11:45pm.Landmark Cinema (1): Resident
Evil: Vendetta (2D) 3pm; Security (2D) 5pm; Richard The Stork (2D) 7pm; Annabelle 2 (2D) 9:15pm; Varnyathil Aashanka (Malayalam) 11:15pm.Landmark Cinema (2): The Emoji Movie (2D) 2:30pm; Richard The Stork (2D) 4pm & 5:30pm; Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets (2D) 7pm; The Man With The Iron Heart (2D) 9:15pm; Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets (2D) 11:30pm.Landmark Cinema (3): Snatched (2D) 2:30pm; Youm Min Al Ayan (Arabic) 4:30pm; Pilgrimage (2D) 6:30pm; Youm Min Al Ayan (Arabic) 8:30pm; Snatched (2D) 10pm; Security (2D) 11:30pm.
Manikandan R Achari SYNOPSIS: Aashanka isn’t a boisterous comedy that
provides you a thorough laughter riot. But it lends you some occasions to cheer silently and heartily. As is with every fi lmmaker, Sidharth too staggers in the end and fails to give
a good conclusion to the course of events. Had the ending been a bit more substantive, the fi lm would have become a handsome treat. The lives of four Trichur-based crooks, Kowta Shivan, Paara Wilson, Chembakara Gilbert and Pratheesh, cross paths with Tips Dayanandan, a lazy, good-for-nothing man who lives off his wife’s hard-earned money, on one fateful Harthal day.
THEATRES: Landmark, The Mall
Annabelle: Creation DIRECTION: David F SandbergCAST: Stephanie Sigman, Miranda Otto, Lulu Wilson SYNOPSIS: Former toymaker Sam Mullins and his wife
Esther are happy to welcome a nun and six orphaned girls into
their California farmhouse. Years earlier, the couple lost their 7-year-old daughter Annabelle in a tragic car accident. Terror soon strikes when one of the girls fi nds a seemingly innocent doll that seems to have a life of its own.
THEATRES: Landmark, The Mall, Royal Plaza
3Monday, August 21, 2017 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITYROUND & ABOUT
Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change
EVENTS
Summer Camp at TCAWHEN: Until August 24WHERE: TCATCA has successfully completed the
two batches of summer camp and now the 3rd batch is going on. There was an overwhelming response from parents as well as students. Admission for the forth batch has already started. Grab this opportunity not to miss anything as there is only few seats left for batch 4, which starts from August 12. Come and register your kids for Abacus, Vedic Math, Rubic Cube, Robotics, Fun with Science, Connectivate (knowing your own inner skills), drawing and painting, and calligraphy. So what are you waiting for, grab your seats at the earliest. For more details, please get in touch with TCA Qatar at [email protected] or 66523871.
Made in Qatar WorkshopWHERE: Katara Art StudioWHEN: Aug 25-30TIME: 4pm“Made in Qatar” Workshop will be held in
Katara Art Studios, building 19 by a group of Qatari artists.
Football on Mega ScreensWHERE: Mall of QatarWHEN: Until August 27TIME: 1pmJoin us to watch your favourite game on the
biggest indoor screens in Qatar! Raise your voice and get behind your favourite team at the MOQ Oasis. For more information visit: www.mallofqatar.com.qa
Splash & Dash 3rd EditionWHERE: Aspire Dome DohaWHEN: Until August 30TIME: 7pmAspire Dome is opening its doors for you
in the summer to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Swimming and running sessions will be available for all community members throughout August in the Aspire Dome Swimming Pool and Indoor Athletics Track. Registration will be available online and onsite at the Dome’s main entrance.
Summer CampWHERE: Ain KhaledWHEN: Until Aug 31TIME: 8am-1pmSummertime is just memories waiting to
happen. The Stem Xplorers Summer Camp is just the place for your kids to make lifelong memories to cherish.
Our camp will be Stem-based wherein we will engage the children in Science along with Lego, some exciting Sports, Nutrition, Arts, Crafts and Outdoor Field Trips!! Each week will be a diff erent theme covering an exciting new Stem project making science come to life. Call us now on 33996665 or 33120001.
Summer Entertainment City WHERE: Doha exhibition and conference
centreWHEN: During August TIME: 5pmCome and enjoy your summer at the
festival city. Meet your favourite cartoon characters and click a selfi e with them. Enjoy and cherish each moment.
#I Am Evo Summer CampWHERE: Al Waab and Doha College West
Bay WHEN: OngoingTIME: 8am to 1pmThe #IamEvo Camps are designed to
challenge young athletes to progressively develop their skills, performance and confi dence. The courses are structured to meet the needs of all young players, to have fun, learn new skills and meet new friends in a safe and friendly environment. Members have a choice of venue, with camps held at Doha College Al Waab and Doha College West Bay. The camps are open to boys and girls aged 4-16 years and run from 8am to 1pm daily at each site. Registration Now Open.
Camera Kids: Make Your Own Short Film
WHEN:Until Aug 24A well-rounded introduction to the
diff erent elements of photography, fi lm and
fi lmmaking helps young people make their fi rst one-minute short fi lms. Applicants must be between 13 and 17 years old.
Skate Girls of Kabul ExhibitionWHERE: KataraWHEN: Until Oct 20Award winning photographer Jessica
Fulford-Dobson will present her critically-acclaimed series of portraits, Skate Girls of Kabul in her fi rst show in the Middle East. Presented by Qatar Museums, the exhibition will be at the QM Gallery Katara. The portraits tell the extraordinary story of Afghan girls who took up skateboarding, thanks to Skateistan, an Afghan charity that provides skate parks as a hook to get children from disadvantaged families back into the educational system. The striking images bring to life the hopeful spirit of these young girls that show a new perspective and dimension to skateboarding culture – one that shows strength in the face of adversity.
Qatar Summer FestivalWHEN: Until Sept 5WHERE: Across DohaSummer Festival has just been announced
and it will run twice as long this year. That means more family fun, entertainment, activities and promotions across Qatar this summer. The extended Qatar Summer Festival will run from Eid al-Fitr to Eid al-Adha. Prepare for more than 100 activities this time round. Best of all there will be malls full of shopping discounts across Doha. Discounts of up to 50% are off ered and anybody spending more than QR200 at participating outlets will be entered into a draw to win a stack of cash or even a luxury car.
Summer Workshop 2017 for kidsWHERE: IAIDWHEN: July-AugSummer break is a long-awaited respite for
your kids after months of hitting the books. This is an opportunity for them to hone their current skills, pick up a new hobby, or simply stay active, whether their interest lies in dance, music or arts. This summer, get your kids up and going by enrolling them at IAID! Starting three years and above, we have courses to off er this summer such as Ballet Kids, Strum-A-Long, Bolly Thumka, Music Fun, ARTmazing & more.
Evolution Sports QatarWHERE: Evolution SportsWHEN: OngoingEvolution Sports will mark its anniversary by
hosting a number of exciting events throughout 2017 as well as some amazing promotions, ten years on from when the club was formed on September 1, 2007. The club has been working with a panel of coaches and directors to plan the events which will be announced over the coming months. Members should look forward to a variety of diff erent occasions, suitable for all ages so the whole family can get involved in the birthday celebrations. To kick-off things off , Evolution Sports recently launched their 10-year anniversary logo. The emblem has been designed by Toyan Greaves, the man behind the original Evolution Sports logo and will be used on all documentation, both online and offl ine for the next 12 months.
Imperial Threads: Motifs and ArtisansWHERE: Museum of Islamic ArtWHEN: Until November 4This exhibition focuses on the exchange
of artistic and material cultures between the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires. Highlighting MIA’s masterpiece carpets, among other artworks, from Turkey, Iran and India, these objects will be contextualised within the historical circumstances of politics and artistic production of their time, primarily from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
Salsa Beginners Dance ClassWHERE: B Attitude Spa, West BayWHEN: Every FridaySalsa n Candela off ers a variety of dance
classes for adults at Beverly Hills Tower West Bay B Attitude Spa, such as Salsa every Friday and other Latin dance during other days of the week.
Festive timeWHEN: OngoingWHERE: Doha Festival CityThe entertainment off ering has been
designed to ensure there are numerous opportunities for physical activities, from the running track which features exercise stations, the bike trail, through to our ‘fi rst-of-its-kind’ in Qatar, Snow Dunes theme park. DFC is excited to welcome fi rst visitors in April and to celebrate the best leisure facilities, retail mix and dining options, all with exceptional service.
By Patrick J McDonnell
From here, where Southern California greets Mexico along steep canyons, images of a border gone awry once infl amed the nation’s immigration debate.
“The place was completely out of control back then,” recalled Oscar Pena, a veteran Border Patrol agent who recently stood atop a mesa looking down on an iconic site – the "soccer fi eld,” where US authorities long struggled to hold back the assembled migrants poised to head north.
The soccer fi eld – so called because border crossers occasionally kicked around a ball – epitomised immigration police chaos, but has since reverted to a desolate and relatively serene swath of brush, bisected by two
security fences, where few migrants venture.“If you look behind me now ... the soccer
fi eld is barren,” said Pena, gesturing to the arid tableau below. “There's nobody on it.”
In many ways, the story of the soccer fi eld's transformation from a kind of lawless, latter-day Ellis Island into a forsaken backwater refl ects the nation's incendiary debate about illegal immigration – its high emotion, challenges and cost, both in resources and lives, and the inherent contradictions and misperceptions.
The images of unchecked immigration persist – evident in President Donald Trump's determination to build a border wall – even as the reality on the ground has shifted dramatically.
“It's nothing now like it used to be,” said Miguel Fernandez, 35, who was staying at a Tijuana Salvation Army shelter after being deported last year.
He initially crossed as a youth in the early 1990s, when “it was all so easy – you just followed everyone else.”
Between the 1980s and early 2000s, migrants would gather en masse at the soccer fi eld, which sits entirely on US soil in San Diego’s San Ysidro district, after descending through the adjacent Tijuana neighbourhood of Colonia Libertad. They would loiter until dusk as vendors hawked tacos, roasted corn and drinks. The site was known in Tijuana as Las Canelas, after a homemade, cinnamon-fl avoured beverage, sold at makeshift stands.
The mood among the northbound legions was often festive, something akin to the
Monday, August 21, 20174 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY COVER STORY
Taming the ‘soccer field’What does it take to secure a border? Lessons from
the wall dividing San Diego and Tijuana
A US Border Patrol agent, San Diego Sector, patrols along the secondary fence along the U.S.-Mexico border with Tijuana. Video surveillance camera, left, and stadium lighting can be seen in the background.
Between the 1980s and early 2000s, migrants would gather en masse at the soccer field, which sits entirely on US soil in San Diego’s San Ysidro district. As nightfall came, the smugglers would signal and groups large and small would begin fragmenting and venturing to the north.
atmosphere at a Mexican market, though many, especially women and children, betrayed apprehension about the journey to come. They spoke in hushed tones of planned reunions with loved ones in the north.
As nightfall came, the smugglers, or coyotes, would signal that it was time and groups large and small would begin fragmenting and venturing to the north, along dirt trails through the dark canyons. The odds were stacked against the heavily outnumbered US agents.
From time to time, frustrated US authorities would mount large-scale, empire-strikes-back operations that included aid from Tijuana police, who would move in from the south as Border Patrol agents converged on the soccer fi eld from the north, east and west, helicopter spotlights illuminating the pincer assault. On one such operation, Pena recalls agents arresting some 1,200 immigrants.
“That was about the entire population of my hometown,” noted Pena, a native of rural Texas, who was still in training when agents on foot, on horses and in vehicles swooped in. “I remember thinking: ‘What in the world am I getting myself into?’”
The soccer fi eld also became a go-to spot for politicians, who called for tougher security against the backdrop of the migrant-packed canyon. Other favoured TV images included cinematic “banzai” runs, in which scores of migrants bull-rushed the international boundary through lanes of traffi c.
“They keep coming,” intoned an infl ammatory 1994 campaign ad for Republican Gov. Pete Wilson, over footage of migrant families darting up Interstate 5 at
the San Ysidro port of entry. At the end of the spot, Wilson declared: “Enough is enough.”
Among the unintended consequences of Wilson's rhetoric was a surge in California's Latino electorate – citizenship enrolments spiked dramatically – contributing to the state's steep left turn into the Democratic camp.
President Trump, too, has evoked the border chaos with his signature vow to build “a big, beautiful wall” along the border, while labelling Mexican immigrants as criminals and “rapists.”
But Trump's provocative campaign oratory harked back to soccer-fi eld-style chaos of decades past and ignored a pivotal development – a dramatic plunge in illegal entries into the US.
Border Patrol apprehensions tumbled from a near-historic high of more than 1.6 million in fi scal year 2000 to 415,816 in 2016.
Borderwide, from San Diego to Brownsville, Texas, more and more agents have been arresting fewer and fewer border-crossers.
The 1,200 immigrants whom Pena helped arrest that evening in 1985 would today represent more than a two-week haul in the Border Patrol's entire San Diego sector, which stretches 60 miles east from the Pacifi c.
Since 1992, the Border Patrol has seen an almost fi vefold increase in its ranks, to nearly 20,000 agents nationwide. The Trump administration wants to hire another 5,000.
In 1992, the Border Patrol recorded about
300 arrests for each agent. That number plummeted to about 21 arrests for each Border Patrol agent in 2016.
Prototypes of Trump's wall – which may end up being a combination of fences and other structures – are expected to be unveiled along the San Diego border later this year. In announcing the prototype plan in June, a top administration offi cial invoked the makeover of the San Diego border, especially the build-up of agents, barriers and technology, such as lights, cameras and sensors, following the launch in 1994 of Operation Gatekeeper.
“Where there was once lawless and undeveloped land ... neighbourhoods were built and commerce grew,” Ronald Vitello, acting deputy commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, told reporters in Washington.
Indeed, a pair of outlet malls and a stucco housing development now stand in a stretch west of the San Ysidro port of entry that agents once referred to as the “jungle,” a tangle of brush and swamp that provided cover for clandestine crossers.
Still, many question whether the enforcement and barrier-heavy approach used successfully in San Diego and along other urban border strips – notably in Nogales, Ariz., and El Paso, Texas – is applicable to more rural crossing areas, such as in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, where the river forms a natural impediment.
Some experts have argued that resources
would be better directed at bolstering enforcement at ports of entry, which are major conduits for illicit drugs and many unauthorized immigrants who enter using false or stolen IDs or are concealed in vehicles.
Throughout the San Diego-Tijuana area, illegal crossings have plummeted. Like the now-empty soccer fi eld, the Tijuana River levee zone – where border-jumpers once slipped plastic bags over their shoes and pants to protect against muck in the sewage-clogged channel – seems mostly abandoned. And migrants no longer gather atop Smuggler's Gulch, a historical haven for illicit traffi cking of cargo and people dating back to Prohibition days.
“They say it's quiet, but I still like to catch as many as I can,” said Border Patrol Agent Chad Nelson, who was manning the fence at the spot where it descends to the beach and juts into the Pacifi c Ocean. “That's what we're here for.”
The Border Patrol in San Diego is on track to record one of its lowest arrest totals since the late 1960s, well before the soccer fi eld achieved its notoriety.
“I’ve got a single,” Agent Eduardo Olmos called on his radio one night as he drove in the 50-yard-wide buff er zone, or security corridor, between the two fences that now mark the border.
The immigrant, wearing a straw hat and sunglasses, was almost at the top of the 16 foot, mesh-steel secondary fence. He compliantly descended and submitted to being handcuff ed, searched and arrested. He turned out to be a 55-year-old one-eyed man from Mexico's western Guerrero state.
Continues on Page 6
5Monday, August 21, 2017 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITYCOVER STORY
A US Border Patrol agent escorts a family through the secondary fence back to Border Field State Park, San Diego, after visiting people in Friendship Park, Tijuana, along the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana.
Border Patrol apprehensions tumbled from a near-historic high of more than 1.6 million in fiscal year 2000 to 415,816 in 2016.
Continuation from Page 5
His belongings: a cellphone, a $100 bill and 500 pesos, the latter worth $28.
“He’s a pretty good climber,” noted the agent.
During the border’s hectic years, offi cials estimated that three to four people made it through compared to every person caught.
Today, double fencing follows more than 13 miles of border line from the surf to a deep desert draw at eastern Otay Mesa.
The so-called “primary fence,” between 8 and 10 feet high and just north of the actual international boundary, is composed of surplus military steel airplane-landing mat, much of it from the Vietnam era. The California National Guard began installing the barricade in the early 1990s, fortifying areas that formerly had no fence or featured only porous strands of barbed wire and cable vulnerable to pedestrians and vehicular “drive-throughs.”
Stadium-style lighting illuminates once-dark stretches; all-weather roads allow authorities relatively easy access, even in the rainy season. Agents peer from state-of-the-art night-vision scopes, while sensors mark favoured smuggling trails. Video cameras mounted on poles provide additional eyes.
Key to the border infrastructure build-up was the construction of the so-called secondary fence, mostly a mesh steel aff air often with rolls of concertina wire at the top, and sometimes along the bottom. At 14 to 18 feet high, the fence is an imposing obstacle. Welding crews endeavour to keep pace with smugglers who regularly employ torches to cut holes in both fences.
The border reinforcement served to make
crossings more problematic on several levels.With heightened diffi culty came
skyrocketing smuggling fees. Border crossers once paid coyotes several hundred dollars tops to guide them across the border into San Diego’s San Ysidro district, from where they were ferried north. These days, the price for such a service can reach $5,000 or more.
“Smuggling has become a very, very lucrative business,” noted Supervisory Border Patrol Agent David Reid, who spoke at a patrol station where about 15 dejected migrants sat in a lockup awaiting deportation, silver “space blankets” providing some warmth amid a frigid air conditioning.
Before the mid-1990s crackdown, the vast majority of border detainees were quickly returned to Mexico. Many were back at the soccer fi eld or other crossing points within hours. There was no place to hold so many detainees.
These days, however, US offi cials say, every single detainee is subjected to fi ngerprint checks to determine if he or she may face criminal charges or deportation.
Shelters in Tijuana that once were overwhelmed with families headed north to reunite with kin in the United States now provide refuge to the rising tide of deportees like Fernandez, the migrant who recalled
crossing “was all so easy” decades ago.Like Fernandez, many deportees vow to
return to families in the north, but can’t fi gure out how.
“I have to go back, no matter what it takes,” said Fernandez, who added that he has several siblings and an 8-year-old daughter, Briana, living in the Chino area.
Besides the physical and fi nancial challenges of trying to slip through the heavily fortifi ed border, experts say that other broad factors – including reduced family size in Mexico and expanded economic opportunities south of the border – have also helped reduce illegal immigration.
“There are fewer potential migrants left in sending communities,” noted Wayne Cornelius, director emeritus of the Mexican Migration Field Research Program at the University of California, San Diego.
But people still try to cross, and many perish in the attempt.
The build-up here also served to push much of the undocumented traffi c further to the east, especially to backcountry stretches of Arizona and Texas. Hundreds have died of dehydration and exposure in such journeys, fuelling criticism that the crackdown channelled border crossers to their deaths.
However, the San Diego-Tijuana corridor
presented its own risks, from bandits who preyed on migrants to traffi c accidents.
Pena, the veteran border agent, recalls how vigilantes pummelled a pair of men who had been accused of raping two sisters crossing the border. The battered and bloodied body of one man was thrown onto his vehicle.
On another occasion, he recalled, a pregnant woman lost her footing and rolled down a hillside on a nighttime trek. He helped deliver her baby, who didn’t survive.
The ill-fated expectant mother had alighted from a staging point like the soccer fi eld, which for so long stood as a symbol of unbridled immigration. Not anymore.
“It’s nothing like it used to be,” said Martin Perez, whose home overlooks the double fencing.
He, like others in the neighbourhood, previously made some extra cash peddling food to the throngs at the soccer fi eld. A certain nostalgia overcomes Perez as he remembers those frenetic days, the sense of history witnessed.
Sometimes a priest would hold a service for the migrants, off ering his blessing before they took off for the north.
“At least then there was work for everyone here, you could make a good living selling to the people,” recalled Perez as a number of relatives played cards in the pre-dusk calm. “It was a completely diff erent place. There was a lot of action. You can’t imagine it.”
As he spoke, a Border Patrol cruiser perched on the security road some 50 yards away. The agent inside appeared to be peering through binoculars at the Tijuana side. But all was quiet in Colonia Libertad. No one was headed his way. The soccer fi eld has been tamed. -TNS
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COMMUNITY COVER STORY
With heightened difficulty came skyrocketing smuggling fees. Border crossers once paid smugglers several hundred dollars tops. These days, the price for such a service can reach $5,000 or more.
Eduardo Olmos, 38, US Border Patrol agent, apprehends a Mexican male, 54, of Guerrero, Mexico, trying to climb the secondary fence into Border Field State Park, San Diego, from Playas de Tijuana, along the US-Mexico border in San Diego, Border Patrol San Diego Sector patrols this area.
7Monday, August 21, 2017 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY
ACD holds Asean Bowling Tournament 2017T
he Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Committee in Doha organised the Asean Bowling Tournament 2017 at the Qatar Bowling Centre recently.
The tournament was also part of an annual activity that commemorates the 50th Asean Anniversary. The event began with opening remarks by the Thai ambassador, who is also the chairman of Asean Committee in Doha (ACD).
Ambassador Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum appreciated the participants of the tournament and congratulated the organising committee as well as the hosts from the Philippine embassy and Indonesian embassy on the success of the event. He hoped the championship would enhance co-operation between families, staff and community of Asean countries in Qatar. He added that the championship is not about victory, but about strengthening friendship and fraternity. The tournament, co-hosted by the Philippine and Indonesia. is an annual sports activity aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Indonesian ambassador Muhammad Basri Sidehabi conveyed his congratulations to the winners of the tournament. He said the tournament would not only strengthen co-operation between Asean representatives in Qatar but is also a part of Asean's multi-track diplomacy that enhance the relationship and co-operation among the communities of Asean countries in the country.
According to ACD working group member Boy Dharmawan, the event, which attracted 200 attendees, also served as a gathering of staff from Asean member embassies in Qatar, together with their families.
The bowling tournament ended with a photo session of Asean ambassadors to Qatar and their spouses: Brunei Darussalam ambassador Nordin Ahmad, Thai ambassador Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum, Vietnamese ambassador Hoang Nguyen, Indonesian ambassador Muhammad Basri Sidehabi, Malaysian embassy’s Charge d’aff aires Shahir Sabarudin and Singapore embassy’s Charge d'aff aires Navin Kumar.
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COMMUNITY COM
Dizzying Disney decisions p
By Andrew A Smith
It’s a pretty dizzying time for streaming services, especially if you’re a fan of Peak Geek TV.
First, Disney announced it was removing its content from Netflix and starting its own streaming service.
Then they walked it back a little.The day before that, Netflix
announced it was buying a Scottish comics publishing company to make its own, comics-based proprietary content.
That’s the backdrop as the much-anticipated Marvel Television’s, The Defenders, drops on Netflix.
And, as if to drive home the point, two more comics-based properties will follow on Aug. 25.
Whew! But what does it all mean?
Let’s start with Netflix. In its Aug. 8 earnings report, Disney announced it was going to pull its content from Netflix and start its own streaming service. The initial
CNBC.com story reported that Disney had decided to “exercise an option to move its content off” Netflix. That content included Marvel and Star Wars titles.
But according to bleedingcool.com, “moments later, the CNBC post was quietly changed to remove reference to Marvel entirely and add a blurb about Pixar.”
What th—?Fortunately, Alisha Grousa of
Forbes.com came to the rescue. She explained with quiet authority that nothing will happen until after 2018, when Disney’s current contract with Netflix expires. Further, Netflix-produced Marvel shows – which at this point include Daredevil, Defenders, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and The Punisher – are under a separate contract, and are unaffected.
In other words, the change will affect only the distribution of Disney movies, and only Disney movies that arrive after 2018, and only after they’ve run in theatres.
Still, that’s quite a lot, considering that the Disney brands include not only the House of Mouse, but LucasFilm (Star Wars),
Netflix-produced Marvel shows like The Defenders won't be aff ected by Disney's plans. The Defenders stars, from left, Mike Colter (Luke Cage), Scott Glenn (Stick), Finn Jones (Danny "Iron Fist" Rand), Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones) and Charlie Cox.
Lakeith Stanfield, left, and Nat Wolff (Light Turner) star in the Netflix movie adapting the Japanese graphic novel Death Note, arriving August 25, 2017.
Marvel Films, and Pixar. According to Forbes, Netflix stock dropped five points after the Disney announcement.
But even that is no cause for panic, as Reuters reported Aug. 11. “Netflix Inc. is in ‘active discussions’ with Walt Disney Co. about keeping Marvel and Star Wars films after 2019,” Reuters said, quoting Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger.
But what about that Netflix announcement about its content purchase? Well, the connection between the two events is unclear. (Snicker.)
Still, it’s pretty interesting on its own merit. Netfl ix is buying Millarworld, the company launched by Scottish writer Mark Millar and his wife Lucy in 2004 to publish Millar’s comics work. Previously, Millar had made a name for himself in both British and American comics, the latter with the Big Two, Marvel and DC Comics.
At DC, Millar wrote an acclaimed graphic novel titled Superman: Red Son, which followed a Man of Steel whose rocket landed in the Soviet Union instead of Kansas. He also had acclaimed runs on titles like The Authority, JLA and Swamp Thing, usually with, or following, legendary names like Grant Morrison and Warren Ellis.
Some of his work at Marvel Comics has actually made it to the silver screen, albeit in diluted form. His The Ultimates title, about an Avengers team in an alternate universe, is as much of an influence on the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the actual Avengers series. His Old Man Logan story, published in Wolverine in 2008, was the inspiration for the recent movie with Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart. Millar wrote the comics event story Civil War, which was adapted in part for the Captain America movie of the same name.
But Millar’s mark in movies is mainly from his own creator-owned properties. Three of his 18 published franchises have been adapted to film: Kick-Ass, Kingsman and Wanted. Other creations that seem adaptation-friendly include Chosen, Jupiter’s Legacy (in which a superhero group takes over the world, only to be challenged by their children), Nemesis (about an unstoppable supervillain and the dogged cop who pursues him) and Superior (in which a handicapped boy can transform into an adult superhero).
So why did Netflix snap up Millarworld? Well, the Disney announcement might have had something to do with it. But it’s also a good business strategy: Streaming services like Netflix need a lot of content.
The Hollywood Reporter quoted Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities as saying essentially that: “It’s an acknowledgement
that Netflix is a distributor of other people’s content and if they want to be a player, they have to own more.”
Which brings us to the two new shows adapted from comics coming Aug. 25.
At Netflix, a popular Japanese property called Death Note has been adapted into a movie. It has already appeared in manga (comics) and animation (anime) form in its native land.
The premise is a student named Light Yagami finding a notebook dropped by a Shinigami. Yagami discovers that any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and decides to use the book to rid the world of criminals. Yagami’s use of the notebook draws the attention of law enforcement, of course, but there’s a more insidious danger: By committing all this casual murder, is Yagami becoming evil himself?
Despite the popularity of Death Note in Japan, the adaptation launches with three strikes against it. One, the story is being transplanted to the US (where the protagonist will be named Light Turner), which has some purists pretty upset. Two, the original series runs 2,500 pages, or 12 volumes, but is being adapted into a 101-minute movie. And three, the track record for foreign graphic novels adapted into American fi lm is abysmal.
Maybe being streamed instead of appearing in theatres will give Death Note a boost over its fellow adaptations that fared poorly, like Ghost in the Shell and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
Meanwhile, in non-Netflix news, the first season of a new production of The Tick arrives at Amazon Aug. 25. This adaptation of creator Ben Edlund’s comic book is the third, after an animated series that ran for three seasons beginning in 1994, and a live-action show (starring Patrick Warburton) that lasted nine episodes in 2001-02.
If you haven’t enjoyed The Tick before, he is a hugely muscled, invulnerable superhero who dresses in a blue suit with insect antennae and is hilariously clueless. (He is played by Peter Serafinowicz.) The Tick is joined (reluctantly) in his protection of The City by his non-powered sidekick Arthur (Griffin Newman), who has his own ridiculous outfit and is beginning to question his sanity.
“We’re utterly hypocritical, putting forward our own very earnest hero myth, as if we’re completely oblivious idiots,” Edlund told The New York Times. “I like the meta-level of nonsense that we can be accused of.”
(Contact Captain Comics at [email protected]. For more comics news, reviews and commentary, visit his website: comicsroundtable.com.) – TNS
9GULF TIMES
COMMUNITYMonday, August 21, 2017
MICS
perplex Defenders viewers
Mark Millar's The Secret Service graphic novel was adapted as Kingsman: The Secret Service. A sequel will be released October 22.
Monday, August 21, 201710 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY INFOGRAPHIC
11Monday, August 21, 2017 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITYLIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE
ARIESMarch 21 — April 19
CANCERJune 21 — July 22
LIBRASeptember 23 — October 22
CAPRICORNDecember 22 — January 19
TAURUSApril 20 — May 20
LEOJuly 23 — August 22
SCORPIOOctober 23 — November 21
AQUARIUSJanuary 20 — February 18
GEMINIMay 21 — June 20
VIRGOAugust 23 — September 22
SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 — December 21
PISCESFebruary 19 — March 20
Today is a relatively calm day that's sure to please you, Aries. You
may even receive gifts from family and friends as marks of their
esteem or love for you. This is just the kind of reassurance you need.
Though you have a fairly subtle influence in your relationships with
others, it's nevertheless essential to you to be a good friend.
This could be the luckiest day of the month, Cancer. But astrology
also takes your role into account. In other words, luck is something
you have to work for. If you seem to have an incredible streak of luck
today, it's probably because you did something earlier to make it
happen!
Perhaps you can't believe it, but it's time to say goodbye to your
rigid attitude. A little pleasure among all that seriousness and
responsibility won't do you any harm. This day could help you
change your point of view on life. This will feel great!
If you've been thinking of living somewhere else, Capricorn, today
will push you to really want to move far away from the place you're
living now. Such a move could have consequences for your work
situation or family life. It may be time to think seriously about what's
holding you back. Wouldn't the people closest to you be happy to go
along?
Everyone knows that nothing can stop you when you're determined
to get something done. As long as other people are on your side
today, you will be amazed at all the things you can accomplish. But
don't get too excited, Taurus, because it's time to take care of those
thankless tasks that no one wants to deal with. You may need other
people's help to get them done.
If you get asked to lead a team in your personal or professional life,
jump at the chance. Today you will get all the support you need,
Leo. Don't be afraid that you're not good enough. Things will come
together without your having to do much at all. Besides, you already
know that people are on your side!
Life is helping you out at the moment, Scorpio. You might chalk it up
to some divine power. Whatever it is, your guardian angel is always
by your side. Perhaps you'd like to begin something new in your
life, like moving or changing lifestyles. At the moment you can do
anything you want to do. It will all work out just fine!
You have a great day ahead of you, Aquarius. Everything will work
out like clockwork. By the end of the day, you'll still have the energy
to do something fun with your evening. It's a wonderful day for
group activities. If you aren't involved in any, why not try a sport,
hobby, music, or art?
You may be considering taking a trip or planning a party with some
friends, Gemini. You may find out today that it's up to you to do all
the organising. This won't bother you too much because you know
you'll do it right. Why don't you think about really trying to outdo
yourself and plan something special that your friends will never
forget?
You couldn't dream of a better day to deal with all the little problems
in your daily life — broken washing machine, money problems, minor
health issues. If your doctor has given you a prescription, you can
expect it would work like a miracle drug. Virgo, take care of the little
things. It will take less time than you think!
Have you ever thought about writing or working for a company in
which you can use your excellent communication skills, Sagittarius?
The planetary alignment emphasises writing and communication.
It's time to show the world that you have a gift and that people can
count on you to do a great job. Think about the publishing business.
You may have received some bad news concerning your finances,
Pisces. This is probably the best day you could ask for out of the
whole month to deal with these problems. If you want to come out of
this situation a winner, it may be necessary to approach things from
a diff erent angle than usual. Rest assured that things will probably
work out just fine.
A healthy diet and lifestyle are our best weapons against age-related diseases, and for staying healthy and active throughout life.
Diet has a profound impact on two of the leading causes of age-related illnesses and conditions: infl ammation and being overweight. Maintaining a healthy heart and blood vessels are two of the most important things anyone can do, along with keeping one’s weight under control.
Eating a healthy diet does not need to be a chore, she claims. It is all a question of smart choices. Picking the right foods not only makes a diff erence in health risks, but also positively aff ects performance throughout the day at work and at home. While the answer is not in a single food, or even a handful, adding nutrient-rich foods like these list is part of a winning game plan.
PistachiosPistachios are a multitasking nut that has
proteins and healthy fats, as well as three types of antioxidants. Those antioxidants help to decrease blood pressure and allow for good muscle recovery. Large population studies show that people who regularly eat nuts, such as pistachios, have a substantial lower risk of dying from heart disease or suffering a heart attack. Pistachios may protect from heart disease in part by improving blood cholesterol levels. Pistachios contain relatively high levels of
the amino acid L-arginine, which maintains the arteries’ flexibility and enhances healthy blood flow by boosting nitric oxide, a compound that relaxes blood vessels. They’re also good for the eyes and skin, and have been found to positively promote weight maintenance.
Cherry juiceCherry juice are great after workouts as
its targeted antioxidants help with muscle recovery, improving recovery time. In addition, it boosts sleep quality to help prevent anxiety and stress later on in the day.
Greek yogurtPlain Greek yogurt is a nutrient-packed
snack that has many health benefi ts. High in protein, it can boost energy and muscle mass, which decreases as we age. It can also benefi t digestive health if it contains probiotics. Check the label to see if it contains live and active cultures.
BeetsThe deep red root vegetable increases the
size of blood vessels, thereby improving the fl ow of oxygen that can get to muscles and tissues. For anyone with high blood pressure or suff ering from cardiovascular disease, this is a good food to include.
MilkA good hydration beverage that has
protein, vitamin D and calcium like we often hear, milk also contains electrolytes for good muscle contraction.
Salmon and grass-fed beefBoth of these are high in omega-3,
which is a really good healthy fat profi le for overall heart health. They also decrease infl ammation in the long term. Infl ammation causes a lot of the diseases we fear as we age, whether it’s diabetes or cardiovascular health.
Beyond these foods, Here’s more tips for healthy eating.
Look for diff erent colours of foods at diff erent times. Make sure they’re incorporated throughout the day.
Eat often and in a good portion size.
Shop for high quality whenever possible and pay attention to ingredients.
Maintain balance. Make sure your plate has carbohydrate, protein and healthy fat in the correct amounts. Add fruits and vegetables to that to get the antioxidants.
And fi nally, have a plan. Plan out what you’re going to eat that day and stick to it.
Every letter of the alphabet is used at least once. Squares with the same number in have the same letter in. Work out which number represents which letter.
Puzz
les
cour
tesy
: Puz
zlec
hoic
e.co
m
ADAM BEDE AMELIA BEN HUR CANDIDE DR NO EMMA GIGI HEIDI
HERZOG IVANHOE JANE EYRE LORD JIM LORNA DOONE NANA OLIVER TWIST PINOCCHIO
REBECCA ROB ROY SHIRLEY SILAS MARNER SYBIL TOM JONES
DOWN: 1 Affair 2 Third-rate 3 Unwinds 4 Draws 6 Reddens 7 Adela 8 Hardened 9 Manifest 14 Bourgeon 16 On the line 17 Consigns 19 Twitter 21 Mistake 22 Weight 24 Edwin 25 Anton.
DOWN1. The fellow does get
information (5)
2. Stop, the time having come to
go back to work (5,4)
3. A stiff board (4,10)
4. Do compose funny songs
about the proteges (7)
5. It would be great to turn up at
the race-meeting (7)
7. There’s a note with the money
in a foreign language (5)
8. Goes towards, to take a close
look at the fringes (9)
9. Absolutely round (5,9)
14. Transport through the ages?
(4-5)
16. Insinuate one should be the
presenter (9)
18. Is he crumpled up in the car
boot? (7)
19. Copy held by some bank (7)
22. Get rid of the mid-week 10.49
in (5)
24. Rows of fasteners (5)
Out of danger
There was some heartening news recently after a bit of a scare. Early this month, it was reported that Dilip Kumar had been hospitalised and his condition was critical. There was also mention of his kidneys having failed. The veteran actor is 94 years old and understandably his fans feared the worst. But he showed that there was a lot of fi ghting spirit still left in him. After a little over a week in hospital, his wife, Saira Banu, announced on Twitter that he had recovered. The doctors attending him had also permitted him to return home.
Once back, they had a surprise
visitor in the form of Shah Rukh Khan. She tweeted about it: ‘Message from Saira Banu: Sahab’s mooh-bola beta-“son” @iamsrk visited Sahab today. Sharing some photos of the evening...Sahab’s doing much better since return from the hospital. Shukar Allah.’
Later, she gave an interview to a tabloid and said that Shah Rukh was usually not in touch with them. In fact, Aamir and Salman were more in contact with the family. And she did indeed complain to Shah Rukh about it when he came. To which he said he had been busy with shoots that took him out of the country. He also promised to correct his not being connected in future.
Monday, August 21, 201714 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY BOLLYWOOD
Success calls
Akshay Kumar seems to be on a roll. For long relegated to being just behind the three superstar Khans of Bollywood, he seems to have surpassed at least Shah Rukh Khan for now. Akshay’s Toilet –
Ek Prem Katha is off to a roaring start having easily surpassed in a week what Shah Rukh’s When Harry Met Sejal hasn’t been able to do in double that time. It has crossed the Rs100 crore mark in domestic earnings, which the Shah Rukh movie will most probably not.
But what is striking about Toilet – Ek Prem Katha’s success is that it is not a one-off for Akshay. In earlier times, his hits would be interspersed with fl ops. But consider his record in the last two years. In 2016, there was Rustom, Airlift and Housefull 3. The former two were superhits while the latter was a hit. In 2017, before Toilet – Ek Prem Katha, there was Jolly LLB 2, which was also a big hit. That is fi ve consecutive hits, all of them over the Rs100 crore mark. That affi rms his position as a star who might not necessarily provide the bumper lottery of Rs300 crore movies,
but a steady cash counter that is low risk. No one else besides Salman Khan and Aamir Khan have that position in Bollywood at present. What is the reason for Akshay’s success? It is hard to pinpoint but script selection might have something to do with it.
Toilet – Ek Prem Katha had not found much acclaim from reviewers but the story was not a run of the mill one. Same for Rustom and Airlift. They were off beat fares created within the milieu of commercial entertainers. Airlift, in fact, had a new director, which indicates that Akshay gave more importance to the script than to who would be helming the project. He is willing to take risks.
This year he will also be playing a negative character opposite Rajnikanth in the sequel of the blockbuster Robot. It is said to be one of the most expensive movies ever produced and chances are it too will be a big hit. Akshay will soon be 50 and in a recent interview to a newspaper, he was asked about how he manages to look this good even now. His answer was that he keeps his life simple by only doing movies and taking care of his family.
Second hit
Another person who is basking in the success of Toilet – Ek Prem Katha is its lead actress Bhumi Pednekar. She had made an unusual debut playing an overweight woman in the movie Dum Laga Ke Haisha. It came out in 2015 and became an unexpected hit. Bhumi got noticed for a great performance but then there was the danger of being typecast as an overweight actress. Bhumi, it turned out, had in fact put on weight for the role and was soon back to her regular body type.
In Toilet – Ek Prem Katha she plays a feisty rural woman, so that too is removed from the glamorous roles that heroines build their careers by. But she has shown herself capable to mould into any role and with two back-to-back successes, should now have a pick of choices.
In an interview to an online magazine, she spoke of how she had been nervous before the release unsure about how the audience would fi nd the story. But her decision to do the movie seems to have paid off .
Before Koff ee With Karan, the most popular celebrity chat show on Indian television hosted by the fi lmmaker Karan Johar, there was Rendezvous With Simi. Simi Garewal, former actress, hosted it and like Karan she was an intimate of all the top Bollywood personalities.
Her style was sombre and elegant, without any recourse to gossip or provocation, which is what made Karan’s show so popular. Rendezvous With Simi had a wide audience because she could get the who’s who of the fi lm industry to participate in it.
But the mood of the times soon overtook her and both the television channels and audience wanted spicier stuff . As Karan’s show became instantaneously popular, her’s gradually ended. One would think that is old history, except that there was an odd recurrence of it. Simi was hosting an awards show in Melbourne and Karan had been one of the guests there. Later, he apparently off ered himself as the host for the coming edition of the event. This was learnt by Simi who was naturally enraged. She tweeted about it, ‘After I fi nished hosting IFFM Awards @karanjohar told Festival Director ‘Next year I want to host the awards’! Another takeover?!’
If true, this is somewhat ungracious of Karan. He is also turning into a controversy magnet, having public squabbles with the likes of Ajay Devgn and others. For someone already so successful, one wonders why he doesn’t just relish what he has.
Akshay Kumar's latest film is a hit.
ANGRY: Simi Garewal.
Dilip Kumar
Bhumi had made an unusual debut playing an overweight woman.
Monday, August 21, 2017 15GULF TIMES
COMMUNITYFILMS
Sweeping, unfocused Battleship Island concocts a WWII-era Korean escape thrillerBy Justin Chang
Wartime horrors are rarely served up with as much cinematic gusto as they are in The
Battleship Island, a sprawling, savagely violent epic set during the fi nal days of World War II, on a remote Japanese military outpost where several thousand Koreans were held captive.
Directed with boisterous energy if also an enervating lack of focus by Ryoo Seung-wan (The Berlin File, Veteran), the movie is the latest of several period fi ctions about Koreans casting off the shackles of Japanese colonial rule, though it displays little of the wit and fi nesse that distinguished last year’s The Handmaiden and The Age of Shadows, two superior dramas of occupation-era resistance.
What Ryoo’s fi lm does have in abundance are shootings, impalings, Molotov cocktail explosions and extended moments of slow-motion carnage – and that’s just the roughly half-hour uprising that brings this hugely ambitious spectacle to a close. It’s quite a technical display and an undeniably jaw-dropping sequence, not least for the fact that it appears to have been dreamed up entirely by the fi lmmakers, who have sought to transform a grim expose of Japanese barbarism into a triumphant tale of Korean revolt and escape.
This brand of historical revisionism is nothing new in the movies, and despite the charges of
inaccuracy that have been levelled at The Battleship Island in the Japanese press, it is not, in and of itself, suffi cient cause for rejection. (Quentin Tarantino shouldn’t be the only fi lmmaker permitted to treat history as grist for a stirringly ludicrous revenge fantasy.) Certainly it has its satisfactions where a mass audience is concerned, judging by the fi lm’s record-breaking performance at the Korean box offi ce, where it earned more than $27 million in its fi rst week.
The troubling whiff of nationalist sentiment doesn’t entirely blunt the force and sweep of Ryoo’s multipronged narrative, even when the story generally proceeds in fi ts and starts. The chief protagonist is Lee Gang-ok (Hwang Jung-min), a debonair bandleader from Seoul who, after a few foolish indiscretions, winds up on a boat bound for Japan’s Hashima Island, a.k.a. Battleship Island, a concrete-walled labour camp off the coast of Nagasaki. Despite his protests on behalf of
himself and his young daughter, Sohee (Kim Su-an), Gang-ok is put to work in the island’s coal mines alongside hundreds of other Korean men, women and children being held captive.
It’s 1945 and the end of the war is in sight, though that’s scant consolation for the prisoners, a handful of whom are individuated here via broad brushstrokes and shrewd movie-star casting. The dreamy-eyed So Ji-sub plays Choi Chil-sung, a once-suave Seoul
gangster who tries to fi ght his way into a position of power, while Lee Jung-hyun is the beautiful, much-abused Mal-nyeon, a character whose main purpose is to gloss over the uniquely horrifi c plight of Korean “comfort women.” Elsewhere on the island, Park Mu-young (Song Joong-ki) is a US-trained spy sent to Hashima Island to smuggle out the respected Korean resistance leader Yoon Hak-chul (Lee Kyoung-young).
That particular plot thickens intriguingly enough, and before long the movie’s focus on the island’s horrendous conditions – the soot-and-grime budget was very well spent – gives way to a daring Korean mass exodus that scoops up all the other characters in its wake. What should be a thrilling moment of convergence, however, winds up feeling largely pro forma: It’s when the various threads converge that the mechanical nature of the plotting and the thinness of the characterisations are thrown into sharpest relief.
Amid all the clandestine scheming and inevitable mass killing that ensues, the fi lm keeps cutting back to the hapless but resourceful Gang-ok, who, played as a fi gure of bumbling quasi-comedy by Hwang (the star of Ryoo’s high-octane 2015 cop thriller, Veteran), represents one of the picture’s more glaring tonal inconsistencies. Far better is Kim, the young breakout star of Train to Busan, whose stirringly committed performance becomes the story’s centre of gravity. If we must have our historical (and a historical) fi ctions, she’s the one you want leading the charge. – TNS
Ji-seob So as Choi Chil-sung in the film.
A promotional poster for the film.
By Stuart Leavenworth
As evidence piles up about North Korea's nuclear capabilities, some of US President Donald Trump’s supporters and outside advisers are urging him to launch a preemptive
strike on Kim Jong un's weapons facilities or the missiles being prepared for launch.
But there’s at least one signifi cant reason why US military leaders would be reluctant to carry out such a strike: North Korea would surely retaliate, and this retaliation could include use of chemical weapons.
The casualties would be unimaginable. Some 23 million people live in the region of Seoul, with parts of the city sitting a mere 35 miles from the North Korean border. Also at risk would be some 150,000 US citizens who live in South Korea, including 29,000 troops stationed there.
“Nuclear weapons are not the only threat,” said Kelsey Davenport, director of non—proliferation policy for the Arms Control Association. “North Korea could respond to a US attack using chemical weapons. That would be devastating.”
North Korea is known to have compiled large stockpiles of nerve agents such as sarin and VX. It could fi re these from hidden artillery and missile sites, targeting US military bases in the region and cities such as Seoul and Tokyo.
North Korea started developing chemical weapons in 1961, when the father of the country, Kim il sung, issued his "Declaration of Chemicalization” amid rising tensions at that time. North Korea offi cially denies that it possesses chemical weapons, but according to the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, the country has four military bases equipped with chemical weapons and 11 facilities where such weapons are produced and stored.
A separate analysis in 2011 concluded that North Korea had 2,500 to 5,000 tons of these weapons.
While a surprise US strike might be able to eliminate some of these stockpiles, North Korea's artillery guns are thought to be preloaded with chemical weapons, allowing them to be deployed instantly. Hundreds of these guns are within range of Seoul, or at least parts of the city, many of them buried in mountainsides. “It would be diffi cult, if not impossible, to neutralise this artillery in any preventative strike," Davenport said.
A recent report by Reid Kirby, a military analyst, details the challenges the US—South Korean alliance faces with North Korea's stockpiles of chemical weapons.
“Compared to the nuclear threat, which involves a fi nite number of warheads and delivery systems vulnerable to air defences and antimissile systems, the chemical threat is not as easily negated,” wrote Kirby in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Some analysts say that North Korea has purposely exaggerated its chemical weapons capability, part of a strategy to deter a foreign attack. Chemical weapons decay over time and Joo Seong Ha, a defector from North Korea and a journalist based in Seoul, said the north does not have an eff ective system for maintaining and replenishing its supplies of agents such as sarin and VX.
Other analysts disagree. Daniel Pinkston,
a North Korea military specialist at Troy University in Seoul, said that Pyongyang’s military leaders have demonstrated they can develop and maintain sophisticated weaponry.
“The most important thing for them is to have the human capacity to produce this material, store it and deploy it,” said Pinkston. “It is clear they have this capacity.”
VX and sarin are both potent nerve agents, which act on the nervous system of an organism, preventing muscles from functioning. Both are banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention, but several countries maintain stockpiles.
Pinkston notes that North Korea most recently used VX in the February assassination of Kim Jong nam, the outcast half—brother of Kim Jong un, at Kuala Lumpur's airport. According to Kirby, that attack”was undoubtedly a reminder to North Korea’s enemies of the chemical threat that Pyongyang poses.”
For decades, the city of Seoul has maintained a civil defence plan to prepare residents for an attack from the north. More than 3,300 civil
defence evacuation centres are spread across the city, along with 17,500 protective shelters. Both the United States and South Korea have developed smart phone apps for their citizens to aid in an evacuation.
Even so, a bombardment of Seoul with conventional artillery would possibly kill tens of thousands of civilians, with numbers higher if chemical weapons were used. “Civilians would suff er much greater casualties than the military, which have protective gear,” said Pinkston.
Every year, the United States and South Korea hold a joint military exercise to prepare for a possible confl ict with North Korea. This exercise generally include troops donning protective gear to simulate conditions during a chemical attack.
David S. Maxwell, a retired US Army special forces colonel, recalls donning that protective gear during summer months while he was stationed in South Korea.
“It is brutal. It degrades your capability,” said Maxwell, a Korea specialist at Georgetown University. “The simplest thing – staying hydrated and drinking water through a
protective mask – is very diffi cult.”Maxwell says he has little doubt about North
Korea's willingness to use weapons of mass destruction.
“It would use chemical weapons on the fi rst day,” he said. One likely target would be US and South Korean air bases, to disrupt allied air power. "Korean and US forces train for this,” he said. “They train to decontaminate runways and aircraft, so they can continue to launch aircraft and rearm them.”
For the same reason, North Korea might also use chemical weapons on ports and navy bases in South Korea, to prevent re—supply of forces during a confl ict.
“The north would want to degrade the logistics chain of delivery in the south,” Pinkston said. “Chemical weapons could be one tool to do that. It would also have some shock value that might prevent other countries from entering the confl ict on the south's behalf.”
(This report was fi nanced in part through a travel fellowship provided by the East—West Center, the Korea Press Foundation and the Pacifi c Century Institute.) —MCT
Monday, August 21, 201716 GULF TIMES
COMMUNITY
Why pre-emptive strike against North Korea is a bad idea
A South Korean firefighter in chemical suit participates in a training for chemical accidents in a thermal power plant.
