Singapore                                                                                                                                                                                              12 June 2018                                                                                                                                                                                        (Yonhap News)

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's historic summit on Tuesday signaled the start of warming ties between Cold War foes and the possible onset of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Trump and Kim met on the resort island of Sentosa, Singapore, against the backdrop of North Korea's nuclear weapons capability that Trump has vowed never to allow to hold the United States hostage.

Belying the somber theme of their meeting, the two leaders smiled, shook hands and exchanged pleasantries about how they will have a "terrific relationship" (Trump) and how the world might view their meeting as a scene out of a sci-fi movie (Kim).

The first sit-down between the leaders of the Korean War adversaries produced a joint statement calling for the "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula and the start of "new" relations between the two countries.

It fell short of Washington's longstanding demand for the "complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement" (CVID) of the North's nuclear program and didn't offer a detailed timeline for when denuclearization would take place, but it created space for the two sides to move forward into a cooperative relationship.

"President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the statement read. DPRK stands for North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

It also said the two countries will "join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula."

A signing ceremony attended by the two leaders capped their highly anticipated meeting.

Trump had more to gush about at a press conference that lasted over an hour before a room of skeptical journalists.

"The past does not have to define the future," Trump said. "And as history has proven over and over again, adversaries can indeed become friends. We can honor the sacrifice of our forefathers by replacing the horrors of battle with the blessings of peace."

In particular, he voiced hope to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, which left the two sides technically at war following the signing of an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Establishing diplomatic relations between Washington and Pyongyang could be "a little bit early" but will happen "hopefully soon," he said.

In what was seen as a major concession to Pyongyang, Trump also said he will stop "war games" with South Korea, referring to joint military exercises that have long irked the communist regime.

He called the exercises "provocative" and "expensive," appearing to buy into the rhetoric used by Pyongyang.

Another agreement Trump made a point of highlighting was their commitment to recovering and repatriating the remains of American soldiers killed or missing in action during the Korean War.

Trump said he raised the North's human rights abuses in his talks with Kim and came away believing the dictator "wants to do the right thing."

If all goes well, the president held out the possibility of meeting Kim again at the White House, an invitation the North Korean leader accepted. On visiting Pyongyang, he said, "Well, at a certain time, I will. I said that will be a day that I look very much forward to, at the appropriate time."

The on-again, off-again summit was reinstated on June 1 after an envoy of Kim's brought Trump a personal letter from the North Korean leader. Trump had called off the meeting the previous week, citing "open hostility" from the regime.

And in the weeks before that, North Korea threatened to pull out of the meeting over suggestions from U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence that the regime would ultimately meet the same fate as Libya's collapsed government if it refused to denuclearize.

The summit was arranged in a flurry of diplomacy after Trump in March accepted Kim's invitation to meet, a decision that took even his aides by surprise.

Behind that move was South Korean President Moon Jae-in's push to improve ties with the North amid escalating fears of war prompted last year by an exchange of threats and personal insults between Trump and Kim over North Korea's testing of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                      12 June 2018

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of State of Qatar met at Al Bahr Palace on Monday evening with Shahzad Ahmad, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Qatar, who came to pay courtesy call to Amir of Qatar at the end of his tenure in Qatar.

Amir of Qatar decorated with Al Wajba Medal the out-going ambassador in recognition of his contributions in enhancing bilateral relations between both the countries. Emir of Qatar wished further progress and development between Qatar and Pakistan and wished Pakistani ambassador success in his future .

Out-going Pakistani envoy thanked Amir of Qatar and expressed his appreciation to the Officials of Qatar for their cooperation.

Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                       11 June 2018

As the annual holiday season approaches, the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) issues tips to Qatari telecom consumers to avoid roaming bill shocks.

The two service providers in Qatar have a diverse range of roaming packages and services to cater to a range of consumer requirements. CRA advises telecom consumers to make sure they understand the service they want to use before they subscribe to it, to verify if whether their service provider offers a roaming package in the destination country and to read the terms and conditions related to the specific service they want to use and clearly understand the cost of it.

CRA also advises consumers to understand the activation process before they travel and if in doubt to contact their service provider to clarify and to activate the package before they reach their destination, because they may need to use roaming data to activate the package and could be charged ‘out of package’ for that if it’s not activated in advance.

• Ooredoo’s pre-paid customers can activate Ooredoo passport, by sending “OP” as SMS to 121, or via Ooredoo mobile app.

• Ooredoo’s post-paid customers can activate Ooredoo passport, by sending “OP” for weekly or “OPM” for monthly as SMS to 114, or via Ooredoo mobile app.

• Vodafone’s Qatar pre-paid and post-paid customers can activate Vodafone passport, by dialing *110*110#, or via Vodafone mobile app.

Often bill shock is a result of using a non-partner network carrier in the destination country. Service providers have mechanisms in place to automatically connect consumers to their preferred network partner (If available). Consumers should verify with their service providers whether to keep network selection manual or automatic.

Consumers, who have high-data usage, should continually monitor their balance to avoid incurring high roaming costs outside of their package. Service providers are obliged to provide consumers with notifications before the package ends or is consumed completely. Consumers should take advantage of such alerts and manage their roaming costs responsibility.

• Ooredoo’s pre-paid customers can check their balance for Ooredoo passport, by sending “BAL OP” as SMS to 121, or via Ooredoo mobile app
• Ooredoo’s post-paid customers can check their balance for Ooredoo passport, by sending “BAL OP” for weekly and “BAL OPM” for monthly as SMS to 114, or check via Ooredoo mobile app.

• Vodafone’s Qatar pre-paid and post-paid customers can check their balance for Vodafone passport, by dialling *129# or via Vodafone mobile app.

Notifications also help consumers to decide if they want to extend or stop roaming service after the expiry or over consumption of roaming data. If extension of a roaming service is required, consumers should check with their service provider regarding the process of adding more allowance. If using a monthly roaming package, check with the service provider if the renewal is automatic and plan accordingly. Finally, if consumers do not want to use roaming services while travelling, they should ensure to switch off their mobile roaming data option in the phone settings.

CRA strives to help consumers make informed decisions when using roaming packages and services available to them when travelling out of the country as it is vital to stay informed about the data and roaming usage to avoid bill shocks. If consumers have any unresolved complaints with their service providers CRA is available 24/7 through its hotline (103) and mobile app ‘Arsel’.

Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                     11 June 2018                                                                                                                                                                                         (AlJazeera News)

The government of Qatar is taking the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the UN International Court of Justice over what it described as human rights violations, according to the official Qatar News Agency (QNA).

The move on Monday comes a year after the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting "terrorism".

Doha has repeatedly rejected the allegations as "baseless".

"As set forth in detail in Qatar’s application to the International Court, the UAE led these actions, which have had a devastating effect on the human rights of Qataris and residents of Qatar," the government said in a statement on Monday.

The International Court of Justice is the UN's highest judicial organ.

UAE officials also participated in a full-scale online media campaign against Qatar and Qataris, directly inciting hatred against the Gulf nation, QNA said.

"The unlawful measures imposed by UAE have torn apart families, with parents being separated from children and husbands from wives. The families deserve to be re-united," Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said.

Abu Dhabi's attacks on fundamental freedoms were described in a December 2017 reported by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ("OHCHR") as part of a "widespread defamation and hatred campaign against Qatar."

The Qatari government said the UAE had enacted a series of measures that discriminate against Qataris, including expelling them from the UAE, prohibiting them from entering or passing through the UAE, ordering UAE nationals to leave Qatar, and closing UAE airspace and seaports to Qatar.

Qatar said it believed the actions were in violation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) - including discrimination on the basis of nationality - of which the UAE and Qatar are both signatories.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt are not signatories of the CERD.

Qatar requested that the court order the UAE to take steps to comply with its obligations under the CERD, ceasing and revoking the measures currently applied and restoring the rights of Qataris.

It also requested that the UAE makes reparations, including compensation, but gave no details of the amount it might be seeking.

Qingdao                                                                                                                                                                                                11 June 2018                                                                                                                                                                                         (Xinhua News)

Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held the annual summit of the Eurasian institution here on Sunday, with Chinese President Xi Jinping chairing the meeting.

At the 18th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the SCO, Xi called for carrying forward the Shanghai Spirit to surmount difficulties, defuse risks and meet challenges.

Other SCO leaders also voiced their expectations of future cooperation in various areas so as to give full play to the organization's role after its expansion.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India will be very happy to cooperate with other SCO countries in the framework of the SCO in different areas such as organic farming, dairy and animal husbandry, agricultural education, food processing and pharmaceuticals.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said the Shanghai Spirit is a driving force for the SCO to carry out its work effectively. He suggested expanding trade and investment cooperation from a bilateral level to a multilateral scale, promoting settlements in local currencies among member states, strengthening exchanges in digital information technology and developing infrastructure.

Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov said the SCO should play a better role in safeguarding regional security and stability, adding that he hopes its members would further coordinate their positions and actions to better address the threat posed by the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism in the region.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain said that in just 17 years, the SCO has become a model organization for safeguarding regional security and promoting exchanges among member states. He suggested SCO leaders strengthen communication and jointly promote a more fair and reasonable international economic system.

Russian President Vladmir Putin said combating terrorism is one of the priorities of the SCO, and the organization should take further measures to promote regional stability.

He also called for alignment of projects within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Belt and Road Initiative, thus further enhancing cooperation.

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon said regional tensions have aggravated because of various security threats. The SCO should promote closer cooperation in law enforcement and defense, and jointly combat the "three evil forces," drug trafficking and other transnational organized crimes.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called on SCO member states to continue expanding economic and trade cooperation and promote regional integration.

The leaders of the four SCO observer states also attended the meeting.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said that the problems of terrorism and narcotics must be confronted comprehensively, and that he looks forward to expanding his country's cooperation with the SCO.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said the SCO is capable of contributing to safeguarding international security. He called for enhancing cooperation in information and cyber security as well as nuclear security.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said countries in the region need to value their common ground, address disputes peacefully, seek long-term common interests, respect each other and abandon conflict and confrontation for a more secure, stable and prosperous region.

Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga said the SCO is an important platform for regional cooperation, adding that he hopes Mongolia can increase its participation in regional cooperation within the SCO framework.

Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                       11 June 2018

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of state of Qatar met here on Monday with Shahzad Ahmad, Ambassador of the Republic of Pakistan on occasion of end of his tenure in the country.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs thanked the Pakistani ambassador for his efforts in supporting and promoting bilateral relations, wishing him success in his future duties.

Singapore                                                                                                                                                                                              11 June 2018

Today Guardian reported that Washington is prepared to offer North Korea unprecedented security guarantees, the US Secretary of State has said in Singapore on the eve of the summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.

Mike Pompeo did not specify what security assurances Trump would offer Kim but made clear they would go even further than a 2005 agreement in which the US pledged not to attack North Korea with nuclear or conventional weapons.

The White House said Trump would begin his meeting with Kim, the first ever US summit with North Korea, at 0900 AM on Tuesday (0200 AM UK time; 0900 PM on Monday night in Washington) with a one-on-one meeting with translators but no advisers or aides. Only after that initial personal session will national security officials join the meeting.

US and North Korean officials met in Singapore on Monday to prepare for the historic summit, which will take place at a luxury hotel on an island close to central Singapore.

While North Korea spoke of establishing a new “permanent peace-keeping mechanism” and its state-run news agency hailed a “new era” in relations with the US, Trump tweeted on Monday about how pleased he was to be in Singapore.

“Excitement in the air!” he tweeted.

Kim was the first to arrive in Singapore, landing at Changi airport on a commercial Air China plane. It is the farthest Kim has travelled since inheriting power in 2011, and only his third known trip outside the country since then, with the use of a Chinese plane raising questions over the state of North Korea’s ageing fleet of Soviet-built aircraft.

Kim met the Singaporean prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, briefly on Sunday, smiling broadly as the two posed for photographs.

“The entire world is watching the historic summit between [North Korea] and the United States of America, and thanks to your sincere efforts ... we were able to complete the preparations for the historic summit,” Kim told Lee through an interpreter.

Kim later departed with his entourage on a night-time tour of Singapore accompanied by local government officials.

Singapore’s foreign minister tweeted a selfie with Kim and an unknown man during the tour.

Members of the media were held at bay as they tried to sneak a glimpse of the North Korean leader. There were rumours in the afternoon that Kim would tour several economic projects in the city state and his staff and cars were on call from about 2pm local time.

The US president arrived on Air Force One a few hours after Kim, coming directly from a tumultuous G7 summit in Quebec, which ended with a bitter personal exchange between the US president and the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau.

Even after touching down in Singapore, it was clear that trade disputes with US allies in Quebec continued to rankle Trump.

“Sorry, we cannot let our friends, or enemies, take advantage of us on trade any more,” Trump tweeted. “We must put the American worker first!”

Trump and his entourage met the Singaporean prime minister for lunch on Monday. He told Lee: “We’ve got a very interesting meeting in particular tomorrow, and I just think it’s going to work out very nicely.”

Mike Pompeo has been the main US architect of the summit, having flown twice in secret to Pyongyang to meet Kim. The first trip was in late March, when he was still CIA director, and even after his move to the state department the CIA has been the lead agency in pursuing contacts with the North Koreans.

Negotiations began with the North Koreans when there was no US ambassador in Seoul. The diplomatic hole has been filled by Sung Kim, the current envoy to the Philippines and a former US ambassador to Seoul, who was involved the last time a deal was struck with Pyongyang, in 2005.

He has led the US team in negotiations with North Korean officials in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea. He knows his opposite number, the vice-foreign minister Choe Son-hui, from the 2005 talks.

The lead Korea specialist on the National Security Council, Allison Hooker accompanied Sung Kim to the DMZ talks. Like the ambassador, she is one of the small handful of officials in the Trump administration with previous experience of dealing with North Korea. In 2014, during the Obama administration, she accompanied the then director of national intelligence, James Clapper, to Pyongyang to negotiate prisoner releases.

Singapore                                                                                                                                                                                             10 June 2018

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Singapore on Sunday ahead of a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over the future of Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal.

Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                      10 June 2018

Qatar Fuel (WOQOD) Extraordinary General Assembly (EGM) Chaired by Ahmed Saif Al-Sulaiti, Chairman of the Board of Directors held its meeting on Sunday today where the EGM amended Article 9-1 of the company Articles of Associations to raise the non-Qatari ownership to 49% of the company share capital and to raise the limits of ownership to the one shareholder to 1%.

It is worth noting that WOQOD attempted to convene its Extra Ordinary General Assembly meeting on 6th and 9th of May 2018 respectively but was postponed for today due to lack of the necessary quorum.

Engineer Al-Muhannadi indicated that this amendment came in order to give effect to the ‎instructions of Qatar Petroleum to its listed affiliate companies, and also to address the request of ‎Qatar Stock Exchange to undertake the said amendments with the purpose of enhancing the ‎investment attractiveness of Qatari companies, after classification of the State of Qatar was raised ‎by MSCI and a number of international indexing agencies to the level of emerging markets, thus ‎becoming the largest emerging market in the region. ‎

The amended Article 9-1 of WOQOD Articles of Associations reads as follows:‎

‎"Except for the owner of the privileged ‎share, Shafallah Center and the State of ‎Qatar (as defined in Qatar Financial ‎Market Authority Decision No. 1 of ‎‎2016), the Qatar Foundation for ‎Education, Science and Community ‎Development, The Qatar Investment ‎Authority and Qatar Holding Company, ‎no natural or legal person may at any ‎time - directly or indirectly - hold shares ‎in the Company in excess of 1% of the ‎issued capital.‎

Subject to the provisions of the above ‎paragraph, non-Qataris may hold a total ‎percentage of the capital of the ‎Company not exceeding 49% of the ‎issued capital in accordance with the ‎provisions of Law No. 9 of 2014 ‎regulating the investment of foreign ‎capital in economic activity”.

Lahore                                                                                                                                                                                                   10 June 2018

Associated Press of Pakistan, Official News Agency reported today that The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Sunday gave one-month extension to accountability court of Islamabad for deciding the three references against former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and his family members.

The two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, passed the orders while hearing an application, filed by the judge accountability court for giving additional time in the references against the Sharif family.

At the outset of hearing, Nawaz Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Harris sought six weeks time for trial completion. However, the bench declined the request saying that the matter should be decided now.

The Chief Justice also observed that Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz could go to inquire after Begum Kalsoom Nawaz, if they wanted so. They had been claiming in the public that they were not allowed to go to London to enquire about the welfare of ailing Begum Kalsoom Nawaz, he added.

The Chief Justice observed that “We would allow them (Sharifs) even if a verbal request was made by the Counsel.”

A Deputy Prosecutor General, National Accountability Bureau, also appeared before the bench.

The references were filed by NAB in view of the Supreme Court’s July 28, 2017 judgment in the Panama Papers case.

In March, the Apex Court had granted a two-month extension to the accountability court to complete proceedings. When the trial could not be completed in the stipulated time period despite day-to-day hearings, the Supreme Court in May granted one more month to decide the references.

That deadline lapsed on Saturday.