JAMADA ALTHANI 23, 1440 AH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019

28 Pages Max 24º Min 13º 150 Fils Established 1961

ISSUE NO: 17769 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net

Crisis, what crisis? Qatari Palestinian DJs bring past Rouhani keeps Zarif in Maxwell seals series sweep 10love of luxury going strong 19 into present with fresh beats 24 post, rejects resignation 28 for Australia with third ton

Pakistan, India say they shot down each other’s warplanes

Khan warns of Kashmir escalation • Pak publishes video of captured Indian pilot ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan both said they shot down each other’s fighter jets KAC suspends yesterday, with Pakistan capturing an Indian pilot a day after Indian warplanes struck inside Pakistan for the first time since a 1971 war, prompting world pow- flights to Pakistan ers to urge restraint. Both countries have ordered air strikes over the last two days, the first time in history as tensions rise that two nuclear-armed powers have done so, while ground forces have exchanged fire in more than a KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways yesterday announced dozen locations. suspending flights to Lahore and Islamabad until fur- Tension has been running high since a suicide car ther notice due to the tense situation between India bombing by Pakistan-based militants in Indian-con- and Pakistan. Several other airlines, including trolled Kashmir killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary Emirates and Qatar Airways, suspended flights to police on Feb 14, but the risk of conflict rose dramati- Pakistan yesterday after the South Asian nation cally on Tuesday when India launched an air strike on closed its airspace following heightened tensions what it said was a militant training base. A senior Indian with neighboring India. government source said that 300 militants were killed Etihad, flydubai, Gulf Air, SriLankan Airlines and in Tuesday’s strike. Pakistan says no one was killed. Air Canada also suspended services to the country Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan called for talks and flight tracking portals showed Singapore Airlines, with India and hoped “better sense” would prevail so British Airways and others were forced to reroute that both sides could de-escalate. “History tells us that flights. Airlines flying over India and Pakistan to wars are full of miscalculation. My question is that, giv- Europe, the Middle East and Asia were disrupted and en the weapons we have, can we afford miscalculation,” some flights were routed through Mumbai on India’s Khan said during a brief televised broadcast to the western coast, so they could head further south and nation. “We should sit down and talk.” avoid Pakistan air space, an Indian government offi- The Pakistan government’s official Twitter account cial told Reuters. released a video of what it claimed was an Indian pilot Mark Martin, founder and chief executive at Martin who had been shot down. The man, whom Pakistan has BHIMBAR, Pakistan: Pakistani soldiers stand next to what Pakistan says is the wreckage of an Indian fighter jet Consulting India, said about 800 flights a day use the named as Wing Commander Abhi Nandan, whose face shot down in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir in the Somani area in this district near the Line of Control yesterday. India-Pakistan air corridor, making it “very critical”. is bloodied and blindfolded, gives his name and (Inset) This handout photograph released yesterday shows a captured Indian pilot holding a cup of tea in the Continued on Page 24 Continued on Page 24 custody of Pakistani forces in an undisclosed location. — AFP

News in brief Singapore in June, where Trump Trump, Kim launched his charm offensive to try and get Kim to give up his nuclear arsenal. Facebook ‘clear history’ in works Shaking hands and smiling in front of a optimistic over bank of a dozen alternating US and SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook’s feature allowing North Korean flags, they briefly took users to erase all their data is set to be released this nuclear talks questions from reporters before starting year, many months after it was announced by the one-on-one talks, then the dinner. Critics leading social network. David Wehner, Facebook’s HANOI: US President Donald Trump said the Singapore summit was light on chief financial officer, said the “clear history” fea- and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un concrete results but Trump said the ture would be available “later this year”. The fea- smiled, shook hands and dined yesterday Hanoi talks would be “equal or better ture will allow users to see which apps and web- in Hanoi, expressing optimism that their than the first” time. Kim said: “I am cer- sites send the network information, delete the data highly personal brand of diplomacy will tain that a great outcome will be from their account, and prevent Facebook from lead to a deal on the totalitarian state’s achieved this time that will be welcomed storing it. — AFP nuclear weapons. At the start of around by all people.” two hours of talks and dinner at a luxury The White House said that today Nepal tourism minister killed hotel in the Vietnamese capital, Trump Trump and Kim will meet again one-on- predicted a “very successful” summit, one, before continuing talks alongside due to resume today and end in a still advisers throughout the morning. This KATHMANDU: Nepal’s tourism minister Rabindra unspecified signing ceremony. will culminate in a “Joint Agreement Adhikari was among seven people killed yesterday The two-day get-together follows up Signing Ceremony”, the White House HANOI: US President Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korea’s leader Kim when a helicopter crashed in the country’s hilly east, on the leaders’ initial historic meeting in Continued on Page 24 Jong Un before a meeting at the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel yesterday. — AFP officials said. Rescue workers retrieved the bodies of Adhikari, 49, the pilot and five other passengers from a hillside in Taplejung district where the Air Dynasty chopper went down. The minister was on a speed, sparking a major blaze that black- trip to scope out a new airstrip in the region. — AFP Cairo train ened the walls of the Ramses station. Firefighters were seen hosing down the charred wreckage of the locomotive as crash kills 20; security forces guarded the site. Twenty Sri Lanka frees Indian ‘spy’ people were killed and 40 injured, the Amir sends health ministry said. COLOMBO: A man accused by Sri Lanka’s presi- HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah dent of orchestrating a plot to assassinate him was Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cleared of any wrongdoing by a court in Colombo condolences cable yesterday to Egyptian President yesterday. Investigators said there was no credible Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, expressing his evidence the man was plotting to kill Maithripala CAIRO: A hurtling locomotive crashed, deepest condolences over the victims of Sirisena. Magistrate Jayantha Nanayakkara dis- derailed and caught fire at Cairo’s main the crash. The Amir wished a speedy charged the accused Indian national Merceli Thomas train station yesterday, killing at least 20 recovery for the injured and for Egypt’s without charge, concluding he was not a foreign spy people in the latest disaster to strike utmost safety and security. HH the and there was no evidence against him. — AFP Egypt’s rundown railways. The country’s Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad transportation minister resigned hours Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Prime after the accident. The train engine Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- First Emirati to head to space appeared to have slammed into the Hamad Al-Sabah sent similar cables. CAIRO: Firefighters and onlookers gather at the scene of a fiery train crash at the buffers at the end of the track at high Continued on Page 24 capital’s main railway station yesterday. — AFP DUBAI: The UAE announced Monday that the first astronaut from the Gulf country will blast off on a mission to the International Space Station on Sept 25. The state has two astronauts in training, select- between his campaign and Russia - and had no direct evidence that Trump or his ed from more than 4,000 applicants. Both candi- Cohen brands with the president in Vietnam for a sec- 2016 campaign colluded with Russians - dates - Hazza Al-Mansouri, 35, and Sultan Al- ond historic summit with North Korea. the central focus of Justice Department Neyadi, 37 - said they would be happy to see the Cohen - who is about to go to jail and congressional investigations. UAE represented in space, no matter who makes Trump ‘racist’ for three years after admitting financial Cohen, who said he would hand over the journey. — AFP crimes and lying to Congress - said documents to support his assertions, and ‘conman’ Trump directed him in an illegal scheme said Trump ordered him to pay to pay hush money to a porn star, and $130,000 to adult film actress Stormy Riyadh defiant on oil cuts WASHINGTON: Donald Trump’s for- knew in advance in 2016 that Daniels to cover up an affair in viola- mer personal lawyer Michael Cohen WikiLeaks would publish dirt on Hillary tion of campaign finance laws, and also RIYADH: The Saudi energy minister said yesterday called the US president a conman, a Clinton, despite Trump’s denials of told Cohen to lie about it to first lady he is leaning towards extending oil production cuts cheat and a racist in explosive congres- both. He also said Trump directed Melania Trump. Cohen said he planned in the second half of 2019, despite US President sional testimony yesterday, saying he negotiations for a Trump Tower in Michael Cohen to provide the committee with a copy Donald Trump’s demand to keep prices down. “We was ashamed of a decade of working for Moscow through the 2016 election of a $35,000 check Trump signed on remain flexible. I am leaning towards the likelihood of the real estate billionaire. Trump’s dis- campaign even while denying any busi- White House lawyers “reviewed and Aug 1, 2017, one in a series to reim- an extension in the second half,” Khalid Al-Falih told graced former fixer was giving evidence ness ties with the Russians. edited” his testimony in 2017 when he burse him for paying off Daniels after CNBC. “Oil prices getting too high. OPEC, please as Congress prepares for the final report Cohen said Trump implicitly directed lied to Congress about the Trump Tower Trump took office. relax and take it easy,” Trump tweeted. — AFP from a probe into possible collusion him to lie about the project, and that negotiations. But Cohen, 52, also said he Continued on Page 24 2 Local Thursday, February 28, 2019 Kuwait commends contributions to Yemen during UN pledging conference Kuwait pledges $250 million in aid to Yemen

GENEVA: Kuwait’s permanent delegate to the UN- round of inter-Yemen political consultations, while com- Geneva ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim commended yes- mending and backing the endeavor of the Special Envoy terday the outcomes of the UN High-Level Pledging of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen Martin Griffiths Conference for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen. Ghunaim to put an end to the Yemeni problem. This conference said in a statement to the press that Kuwait’s aid to Yemen comes just a year after the last international gathering on was a positive addition to support the humanitarian situa- Yemen, during which Kuwait expounded on the tragic sit- tion in the conflict-torn Arab country. Ghunaim stressed uation in Yemen, which, regrettably, has not improved ever that Kuwait’s financial support to Yemen preceded many since, he said. years earlier and continues to helping the humanitarian Jarallah warned that the Yemeni people have been suf- and development conditions. Kuwait on Tuesday pledged fering from an unprecedented tragic situation involving $250 million in aid as a response to UN’s appeal for insecurity, diseases and famine, pointing to Yemen’s grow- Yemen’s humanitarian needs. ing humanitarian needs in spite of Arab and international Addressing a UN-sponsored third pledging confer- ence on Yemen held in Geneva Tuesday, Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah vowed that his coun- try would keep on helping the Yemeni people through Kuwait Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and relevant international agencies. Jarallah hoped that all hopes for joint world efforts would lead to an end to the ongoing crisis in Yemen this year, believing that international reconstruction stakeholders have a mechanism to resolve it. He elaborat- ed that the mechanism of settling the Yemeni conflict is conference based on UN Security Council Resolution 2216, the Gulf Initiative and its Executive Mechanism and Output of National Dialogue. efforts. In this context, the Kuwaiti deputy foreign minister Easing out the sufferings voiced gratitude to Saudi Arabia and UAE for their gener- GENEVA: Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah (center) attends a UN High-Level Pledging Conference In this context, he stressed the necessity of easing out ous humanitarian aid to Yemen. for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen. — KUNA the sufferings and woes of the Yemeni people and safe- guarding regional and world stability. “At the behest of His Yemen reconstruction Donation to Syria Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Meanwhile, Jarallah expressed hope that any future towards helping the people suffering from conflicts and Sabah, the Humanitarian Leader, Kuwait has exerted polit- international conference on Yemen would focus on devel- In other news, the Association of Accredited wars, said Ambassador Ghunaim. He added that the UN ical and humanitarian efforts to address this crisis and its opment and reconstruction in the country. Jarallah noted Correspondents at the United Nations (ACANU) chose highly appreciated Kuwait’s generous stance, revealing diverse dimensions,” the Kuwaiti official noted. Kuwait that Kuwait has always been keen on supporting the yesterday a photo depicting Kuwait’s generous donation that major news outlets had covered the event of the hosted political consultations of Yemeni parties for over a Yemeni people and spared no efforts to put an end to their to the Syrian humanitarian cause as an important media Kuwaiti donation. hundred days and provided logistic aid to political talks in suffering. “The tragic situations in Yemen are clear to event for the UN’s European headquarters in the last 70 Meanwhile, Ambassador Ghunaim said a gallery Sweden, which produced an agreement among Yemeni everybody, which prompted the international community to years. Speaking during the event, Ambassador Ghunaim depicting important international events had photos rivals, he reminded. respond to the UN appeal for funding the humanitarian said that the photo displayed the moment when Kuwait, related to Kuwait included one of the former UN Urging all Yemeni parties to comply with this agree- programs in the Arab country,” he pointed out. “Kuwait in 2014, donated a sum of $200 million to the humanitar- Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar prior to his ment, Jarallah reiterated Kuwait’s support to Yemeni legit- attaches great importance to development as a mainstay ian cause in the war-torn country of Syria. The photo, visit to Baghdad in January 1991 in effort to end the 1990 imacy, and its efforts to end this devastating conflict for the post-conflict rebuilding process,” he said, affirming which has advisor of the Amiri Diwan Abdullah Al- Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The gallery also had a photo of through its non-permanent UNSC membership. The Kuwait’s desire to contribute to the development effort in Maatouq, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and former US Foreign Secretary James Baker in Iraq also Kuwaiti official pointed to Kuwait’s hosting of the next sisterly Yemen soon after reaching a political breakthrough. other prominent figures, reaffirms Kuwait’s commitment within the efforts to end the occupation. — KUNA

see its young employees successfully grow NBK sponsors to leadership positions in the bank, making it the preferred institution for recruiting newly graduated Kuwaitis as well as those MGRP career fair looking for a promising career. NBK is unique with its strong resources and skills for Kuwaiti youth and professional development programs that are at par with international standards. On another hand, Abdulla Al-Jassem, KUWAIT: The National Bank of Kuwait Head of Recruitment at the bank, said: (NBK) sponsored the second career fair “Our participation in the Career Fair aims held by the Manpower and Government at spreading the culture of working in the Restructuring Program (MGRP) in an aim private sector and attracting young to provide young Kuwaiti talents with Kuwaiti talents to the banking sector.” recruitment opportunities in the private NBK welcomed more than 200 job sector by creating a direct exchange plat- seekers during the Career Fair and WASHINGTON: Former vice president and former secretary of defense Kuwait’s Ambassador to the US Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al- form between companies from the sector appointed 102 applicants during the event, Dick Cheney speaks during the event. — KUNA Sabah delivers a speech. and those looking for employment. while it directed another 40 applicants to The sponsorship comes as part of NBK’s complete the second phase of interviews continued commitment to supporting young with various departments. Jassem added those who served it. In remarks at the ceremony, stressed. “And a reminder of the courage of the talents in Kuwait and training them for the Site of Gulf War Cheney stressed that Desert Storm was a “vital American people and their willingness to always that applicants are appointed to each workplace. The bank focused during the department based on their qualifications mission accepted for the best of reasons.” stand with what is just.” exhibition on introducing the requirements “When lines are drawn in matters of defense and In his remarks, Gnehm stressed that “many and abilities, properly investing their tal- memorial unveiled of various job positions and helping them ents to their benefit and to help them grow. foreign policy, when clear principals are laid Americans, many Kuwaitis and many nationals of identify and draw their career path. down at the outset they have to be defended or countries that participated in Kuwait’s liberation NBK is focused on attracting young Commenting on the success of the Fair, Kuwaiti talents as part of its development in Washington else all kinds of trouble will follow,” he remarked. do not know how virtually the entire internation- Emad Al-Ablani General Manager of and training plans that invest in Kuwaitis to He noted “a dictator (Saddam Hussein) thought al community under American leadership came Group Human Resources, said, “NBK build a promising banking generation. The he could seize a neighboring country and get together in just cause to fight aggression to lib- invests great efforts in recruiting and bank provides training and professional WASHINGTON: After a long wait, a Gulf War away with it. We had to show him that the world erate occupied Kuwait and to free its people.” developing the skills of young Kuwaiti tal- and academic programs in its position as a memorial site has been designated in the heart doesn’t work that way anymore and we did.” He “Today, we need to tell the world that we ents. Our sponsorship of the MGRP Career of Washington DC at a ceremony on Tuesday in added “as a country, we got another thing right must never forget what Desert Storm and Fair reaffirms its commitment in helping leading banking institutions in Kuwait that synchronization with the celebrations marking in 1991 and this spirit I am happy to say has nev- Desert Shield achieved. This memorial will stand them achieve their ambitions and objec- ensures its young professionals receive the Kuwait’s 58th National Day and 28th Liberation er left us since, our troops were welcomed home as an affirmation of our commitment to a higher tives.” Ablani added that NBK is proud to training programs they need to grow. Day. Top dignitaries and Gulf War veterans with the gratitude and the respect they had cause that we must never forget,” he remarked. attended the ceremony that was held in dedica- earned.” He affirmed that “this memorial, when President and CEO of National Desert Storm tion of the ‘National Desert Storm and Desert the work is done, will complete the picture of War Memorial Association Scott Stump Shield Memorial Site,’ including former vice Desert Storm as we rightly remember it, captur- affirmed that this memorial “although remem- president and former secretary of defense Dick ing the pride we should always feel.” bering our fallen is of utmost importance, this Cheney (1989-1993), Kuwait’s Ambassador to Meanwhile, Sheikh Salem said in his remarks will not be a place of mourning. “Instead, the the US Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al- that the “momentous war changed us in Kuwait. efforts and achievement of Operations Desert Sabah, Congressman Phil Roe and former US We came to realize who our true friends are.” He Storm and Desert Shield will be remembered ambassador to Kuwait in 1991 Edward “Skip” added that over 29 years, Kuwait and the US and celebrated through the memorial,” he said. Gnehm. The ceremony was held at the site where have shared “a strong and lasting bond of friend- The memorial is being built at a prime site in the a memorial will be built “celebrating the victory ship and loyalty that continues to this day.” nation’s capital, as it is located very close to two while honoring the sacrifices of Coalition and “This memorial will stand as a testament to of the most significant and visited memorials in United States Armed Forces,” and to honor and friendships, shared values, shared sacrifice and the country, which are the Vietnam Veterans remember “the historic significance” of the the importance of upholding shared internation- Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial that have Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield and al commitments to peace and security,” he over 12 million visitors yearly. — KUNA

tant to respect freedom of expression and sive political dialogue to address the current Kuwait concerned peaceful demonstration guaranteed by interna- crisis. He urged all parties to exercise restraint, tional law, including the International Covenant reduce tension, renounce violence and make Palestinian cause essential over humanitarian on Civil and Political Rights.” every effort to prevent further violence, and Ambassador Otaibi explained that this crisis express their support for any effort by the in Venezuela requires all relevant actors to give Secretary-General of the United Nations to for Arabs: Kuwaiti MPs situation in priority to the national interest on personal or reach a political solution to stabilize the situa- party interests, and to commit to a comprehen- tion in Venezuela as soon as possible. — KUNA AMMAN: Two Kuwaiti MPs participating in the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber the 25th edition of the Arab Inter- Al-Sabah and the legislative and executive Venezuela Parliamentary Union’s (AIPU) meeting reaf- branches of government. Subaiee also firmed yesterday that the Palestinian cause stressed Kuwait’s firm stance against the NEW YORK: Kuwait said yesterday it shared is the most essential for Arabs. National normalization with Israel. Next Sunday, the the international community’s concerns over the Assembly Secretary MP Dr Oudah Al- 29th AIPU will take place with the partici- humanitarian situation in Venezuela, which Ruwaiee and MP Al-Humaidi Al-Subaiee pation of Kuwait’s Parliament Speaker caused the displacement of thousands of people said that choosing the title ‘Jerusalem... the Marzouq Al-Ghanem. — KUNA to neighboring countries. This came in Kuwait’s Eternal Capital of Palestine’ for the 29th convention to be held next week underpins speech before UNSC meeting to discuss situa- the significance of the cause. Ruwaiee tion in Venezuela delivered by Kuwait’s stressed that Arab parliaments continue to Permanent Representative for the United Nation adopt and support the just Palestinian caus- Mansour Al-Otaibi. es in different international platforms. Ambassador Otaibi expressed appreciation “Kuwait is one of the leading countries in of Latin American and Caribbean countries for supporting the Palestinian cause, and right- hosting such large numbers of displaced people, eousness of it will prevail sooner or later,” calling all parties concerned to take the neces- Ruwaiee noted. sary measures to ensure that humanitarian Meanwhile, MP Subaiee said that assistance reaches those in need. “We followed choosing the theme for the 29th edition is latest developments in Venezuela over the past most applicable, especially due to current few days that have resulted in the deaths of a circumstances that Palestine and the region AMMAN: MP Dr Oudah Al-Ruwaiee partici- number of victims and we stress the importance NEW YORK: Kuwait’s Permanent Representative for the United Nation Mansour Al-Otaibi are witnessing. He stressed that the pates in the 25th edition of the Arab Inter- of holding accountable those responsible for delivers a speech during a UNSC meeting to discuss situation in Venezuela. — KUNA Palestinian cause had always been crucial Parliamentary Union’s meeting. — KUNA these unfortunate events,” he said. “It is impor- to all Kuwaiti people led by His Highness 3 Local Thursday, February 28, 2019 Man hires mob to kidnap compatriot; suspects arrested in Farwaniya Four kidnappers promised to be paid KD 1,000 each

By Hanan Al-Saadoun and Agencies Rumaithiya polyclinic. A team was sent from Bidaa res- conditioning duct of a Mubarakiya perfume store. incident took place in an Ahmadi governorate area cue center. The toilet’s door was forced open and a Separately, firemen fought a blaze that scorched cars when a car was seen driven without a plate on the front, KUWAIT: Farwaniya police patrols foiled an attempt dead man was found inside - a Kuwaiti in his 30s. The and spare parts in a Shuwaikh garage. Industrial so she was pulled over and a citation was issued. The by four men to kidnap a person in the area, and arrest- body was taken by forensics personnel. Separately, Al- Shuwaikh, Shuhada, Salmiya and backup centers woman did not like it and insulted him verbally. The ed the suspects who claimed that someone promised to Rai daily reported yesterday that the body of an responded and prevented the fire from spreading. No woman was sent to the police station, where she was pay them KD 1,000 each for the operation. Patrolmen unidentified person was recovered by the coroner after injuries were reported. In other news, Acting Deputy charged with insulting a public employee on duty. in Farwaniya became suspicious when they saw an SUV he threw himself from the top of a building. Police and Director General for Firefighting Affairs Brig at a traffic light between Farwaniya, Rehab and paramedics rushed to the area and found the body in a Mohammad Al-Mohammaid inspected security points Theft Omariya with four people inside, who were visibly pool of blood. The person did not have any ID on him. and work of firemen on Arabian Gulf Road. He said fire- A Pakistani man was mugged by a man wearing a nervous. They asked the driver to pull over and The case was considered a suicide. men are ready to face all circumstances. dishdasha claiming to be a detective, who stole KD approached the vehicle, when they noticed a fifth per- 1,000 and a smartphone before disappearing. The son in the backseat who was handcuffed while his face Territorial waters ‘Critical point’ victim was driving in Qurain, when he was surprised was covered with a plastic bag. The man immediately The Interior Ministry’s Relations and Security A citizen who feared for her son’s life called police by the man who claimed to be a detective, who said screamed for police’s help when they approached the Information Department released a statement com- and told them he has reached a ‘critical point’ at an he will hurt him if he does not give him the money and vehicle, so they arrested the four and freed him. menting on a video clip circulating on social media and apartment he shares with his girlfriend. Policemen went the phone, reported Al-Rai. Detectives are working Detectives found out that a citizen had instructed the showing a Saudi coastguard patrol arresting Kuwaitis to the apartment along with the mother, who allowed on the case. four Arab men to kidnap his fellow compatriot for rea- onboard a boat outside Kuwait territorial waters, say- them to enter and arrest them. Both were in an abnor- sons that remain under investigations, and had prom- ing the citizens entered the joint marine area between mal state surrounded by shabu and drugs parapherna- Smuggling foiled ised to pay them KD 1,000 each if they get the job the two countries without permits. The department said lia, reported Al-Rai. Both were sent to the Drugs Abdaly customs officers foiled an attempt by a done. An arrest warrant was issued for the alleged insti- several Kuwaiti coastguard patrols went to the area and Control General Department. Gulf national to smuggle nearly 4,000 tablets of gator, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. all IDs of the citizens were returned. Captagon, Al-Rai reported yesterday. The driver Policeman insulted seemed nervous upon arrival from Iraq, so he was Body found Store fire A citizen was charged with insulting a policeman on searched and the drugs were found. He was sent to Police were called to open a locked door at Capital and Hilali firemen put out a blaze in the air duty who issued her a citation, Al-Rai reported. The concerned authorities.

The sources reassured that strategic blood that the Environment Public Authority (EPA) employees at various ministries and gov- Blood banks eyed reserves used in emergencies are stable and had filed 351 citations for disposing waste in Schools ‘almost ernment bodies against not showing up explained that constant calls to donate blood rain drainage and sewer grids. Responding to a to work yesterday and today - February for Ahmadi, Sabah are made to boost public awareness about the parliamentary inquiry, Bushehri explained that empty’ after 27 and 28 - using fake sick leaves, which significance of donating blood in general. EPA had referred 93 violations to the public might lead to seven years in prison for Meanwhile, Health Minister Sheikh Dr prosecution and that 220 others are pending. using fake official documents. health zones Basel Al-Sabah approved granting private She noted that 67 percent of the violations national holidays In other news, MP Saleh Ashour medical facilities four-year licenses to prac- had been committed by restaurants (235) and demanded setting limits on the ‘chaotic tice medicine after meeting all the conditions 13 percent by medical facilities (47), followed By Meshaal Al-Enezi celebration’ of the national holidays, as By A Saleh required by MoH and other government bod- by garages and carwashes with 40 citations. he put it. Ashour also demanded organ- ies. He also instructed that the current licenses KUWAIT: Schools were almost empty izing an official public ceremony that KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health (MoH) plans will remain in effect until they expire, and that Labor inspection yesterday after the national holidays, technically and organizationally suits to open a blood bank in Ahmadi health zone in case a private medical facility violates the Acting Manpower Authority Director while the entire teaching staff is present, Kuwait’s reputation and image. Ashour with a capacity of 50 beds and another at regulations or conditions, a three-month Abdullah Al-Motoutah announced opening well-informed educational sources said. thanked security and media officials and Salwa Sabah Al-Ahmad Stem Cell Center in grace period would be given to set things offices of the labor inspection department at “It seems that there no solutions to the staff for the efforts they exerted in com- the Sabah health zone with a capacity of 40 right before the violation is referred to the each government project site to be closer to mass absence problem and that the few memorating the national anniversaries. beds, said informed sources. The sources licenses committee to decide on the penal laborers working on these sites. Motoutah students who showed up to school were The Interior Ministry had announced in added that a large branch of the blood bank measures to be taken. added that the authority holds a monthly sent home,” commented the sources who the meantime that police dealt with over will open soon at Jaber Hospital with a capac- diwaniya with diplomatic missions in Kuwait spoke on the condition of anonymity. 300 reports, several traffic accidents and ity of 20 beds to bring the total blood bank Waste disposal to communicate with them, listen to their Meanwhile, a number of lawyers warned 16 fights during the national holidays. bed capacity to 180, including the central Minister of Public Works and Minister of remarks and respond to their inquiries con- blood bank in Jabriya and Jahra blood bank. State for Housing Affairs Jenan Bushehri said cerning various labor-related issues. 4 Local Thursday, February 28, 2019 Amir greets citizens, residents on national celebrations

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah on Tuesday congratulated citi- zens and residents on the 58th anniversary of National Day and the 28th anniversary of Liberation Day. His Highness the Amir appreciated their joyful and exuberant participa- tion in various public festivities that reflected highly civilized conduct, and national unity and amity. His Highness Sheikh Sabah urged everyone to be well aware of, and grateful for, the bliss of liberation, security and wel- the leaders of Arab and Gulf countries Anniversary. His Highness the Crown fare, to maintain national unity and to for sharing Kuwait in its national cele- Prince also expressed satisfaction harness all potentials and energies for brations in a way that reflected his- towards the huge efforts carried out development and prosperity. The torical close relations among Arab by state entities during the national efforts of all state agencies involving countries. Finally, His Highness the celebrations. police and army to ensure smooth Amir prayed Allah the Almighty to His Highness Sheikh Nawaf also national celebrations marking the bestow the graces of perpetual secu- expressed gratitude to GCC leaders for country’s national occasions were rity, safety and prosperity on the dear their cables during the national occa- also highly commended by His nation, and to help everyone seeking sions, saying that it continues to solidify Highness the Amir. His Highness to serve Kuwait. their ties with the state of Kuwait. His Sheikh Sabah reminisced with much Meanwhile, His Highness the Crown Highness the Crown Prince took the pride the nation’s martyrs who had Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- chance to remember all those who laid sacrificed themselves in defense of Jaber Al-Sabah addressed in a state- their lives in the sake of protecting the dear homeland, praying Allah the ment yesterday citizens and expatri- Kuwait from harm and also wished the Almighty to have mercy upon them ates, expressing his appreciation for Kuwaiti people and country evermore and to grant them Paradise. their salutations during the 58th success and welfare under the leader- Furthermore, Sheikh Sabah thanked National Day and 28th Liberation ship of His Highness the Amir. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Revelers celebrated Kuwait’s National and Liberation Days with parades held at the Arabian Gulf Road during the holiday. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat and Joseph Shagra Established 1961 5 Local Thursday, February 28, 2019

Photo of the Day

KUWAIT: Palm trees lightened in the colors of Kuwait’s flag during the national celebrations. — Photo by Nawara Fattahova Kuwaiti embassies continue to mark national celebrations

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti embassies and diplo- Ambassador to Ukraine Rashed Al- Kuwait with the UAE, saying that the matic missions in Canberra, Bern, Bandar Seri Adwani held a reception ceremony on the leaderships and people of both brotherly Begawan, and Dhaka held receptions marking national occasions in the capital Kiev that nations were eager to walk side-by-side the country’s 58th National Day, 28th was attended by top state officials includ- into a mutual future of welfare, security Liberation Day, and the 13th year of His ing Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko. and development. Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- In Abu Dhabi, Acting Charge In Ankara, a similar function was held Jaber Al-Sabah’s ascension to power. In the D’affaires at the Kuwaiti embassy by Kuwaiti Ambassador Ghassan Al- Australian capital, Ambassador Monther Al- Abdullah Al-Salem held a reception at a Zawawi who extended his own wishes of Essa held a reception attended by Deputy local hotel attended by senior UAE offi- prosperity and development to the lead- Chief of Protocol and senior Australian officials cials in additions to Arab and foreign ership and people of his country. The in additions to Arab and foreign diplomats and diplomats and representatives in the fel- Ambassador commended the ever-devel- representatives. Essa congratulated on the low GCC country. Salem congratulated oping relations between Kuwait and occasion His Highness the Amir of Kuwait on the occasion His Highness the Amir of Turkey, affirming that both countries Sheikh Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Kuwait Sheikh Sabah, His Highness the have succeeded in boosting ties and Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad commercial exchange in recent years. and the Kuwaiti people on the advent of the Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the Kuwaiti peo- The celebration in the Kuwaiti embassy national occasions. Ambassador Essa praised ple on the advent of the national occa- in Ankara was attended by a score of the bilateral relation between Kuwait and sions. The Kuwaiti diplomat also touched Turkish officials as well as Arab and for- Australian in all fields, noting that Kuwaiti on the deep-rooted relations linking eign diplomats. — KUNA investments in Australia reached 8.7 billion, HONG KONG: The Kuwaiti diplomatic mission in Hong Kong celebrates the country’s mostly in energy and liquid natural gas (LNG) national days.— KUNA sectors. Trade surplus between the two coun- tries reached $708 million in 2017 including wheat, meats, and other products. Ambassador. He also touched on other past reception at a local hotel, which gathered sen- In Switzerland, Kuwaiti Ambassador Bader and current visits that contributed to the devel- ior Italian figures and diplomats in the north- Al-Taneeb extended his own wishes of pros- opment of relations such as the first visit by a ern region of the country. He extended con- perity and development to the leadership and Kuwaiti official to China carried out by then gratulations to the Kuwaiti leadership and people of his country held a similar function. Minister of Finance and late Amir Sheikh Jaber people on the occasions of the national days, Head of Kuwait Heritage Group at Beit Al- Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 1965, an event expressing joy to the strong turnout for Othman Anwar Rifai and other officials followed by the opening of Kuwait’s embassy in Kuwait’s national celebrations. In Moscow, the attended the celebration. Meanwhile, the 1972. Kuwait opened its General Consulate in reception — held by Kuwait Ambassador to Kuwaiti embassy in Brunei held a similar Hong Kong in 1999 and Guangzhou in 2008. Russia Abdulaziz Al-Adwani — was attended reception in celebration of Kuwait’s national Meanwhile, a senior member in the Standing by senior Russian officials including Russian day. Ambassador Salah Mubarak Al-Mutairi Committee of the People’s Congress of President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy to the took the chance to congratulate His Highness Guangdong Province congratulated the Middle East and North Africa and Deputy the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince, the Kuwaiti leadership and people on the advent of Defense Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, Minister government and people of Kuwait on the the national celebrations. The member lauded for North Caucasus Sergy Chepotarev and national occasions. the strength of relations between China and Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council The function in Brunei was attended by a Kuwait, revealing, in specific, that trade Ilyas Umakhanov. It was also attended by score of senior officials from Brunei as well as between Kuwait and the province of Ambassadors of Arab and foreign countries Arab and foreign diplomats. In Bangladesh, Guangzhou had reached around $1.5 billion in accredited to Russia, as well as representatives Kuwait embassy celebrated the national days 2018, an increase of around 11.88 percent from of business circles, orientalists, clerics and by holding a reception ceremony that was the previous year. The member indicated that members of the Kuwaiti diplomatic mission. In attended by high ranking officials, who greeted the province was eager to pursue more ven- a speech delivered by Ambassador Al-Adwani Ambassador Adel Hayat on the occasion, tures of cooperation with Kuwait and con- congratulating the Kuwaiti leadership and expressing thanks for the Kuwaiti support of tribute to Kuwait Vision 2035. In Hong Kong, people on the national occasions. He praised the development projects in Bangladesh. Kuwait’s General Consul to the city and Macau the role of the Kuwaiti leadership in trying to In Guangzhou, China, General Consul to the Salah Al-Saif hosted a similar celebration. resolve conflicts on both gulf and Arabic Chinese city Khalifa Al-Kharafi congratulated Senior officials of the Hong Kong government scenes. Adwani also praised the development His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah, His and a score of diplomats attended the festivi- of the Kuwaiti-Russian relations, which have Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- ties. Consul Saif congratulated the Kuwaiti become a factor in supporting regional stabili- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the government and leadership and people on the advent of the ty in the Gulf region. In a similar statement, people of Kuwait on the advent of the country’s national days, wishing his country evermore Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special national occasions. In recent times, Kuwait and prosperity and welfare. envoy to the Middle East and North Africa and China took huge strides towards boosting rela- The Kuwaiti diplomat lauded his country’s Deputy Defense Minister Mikhail Bogdanov tions especially after the visits conducted by relations with Hong Kong, affirming that both praised the “distinctive” relations between His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah as well as sides were looking into opening various venues both countries in different fields. He noted that First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of of cooperation. Secretary for Justice of Hong Russian Foreign Minister Syrgy Lavrove Defense Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Kong Teresa Cheng commended Kuwait on the would soon pay a visit to Kuwait. Jaber Al-Sabah to late China last year. During advent of the GCC country’s national celebra- Minister for North Caucasus Sergy his visit in 2018, His Highness the Amir attended tions, affirming that her government was eager Chepotarev said in a statement that there is a the eighth Arab-China forum and also meet to expand cooperation with Kuwait on all pos- broad prospect for the development of the with President Xi Jinping, expanding the hori- sible fields. She encouraged Kuwaiti investors Kuwait- Russia ties through high-level relations. zon of Kuwaiti-Chinese cooperation in all pos- to seek opportunities in the grand Gulf region He expressed hope that both countries will sible fields. First Deputy Premier and Defense south of China, which includes Hong Kong, expand cooperation in the fields of trade, econ- Minister Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad also which has a GDP of $1.5 trillion. omy, tourism, energy, and mega projects espe- promoted during his visit late December the To Europe and specifically Milan, Italy, the cially in Northern Caucasus province that has a country’s Vision 2035, indicated the General Consul Abdulnasser Bukhadour held a Muslim majority. In a similar celebration, Kuwait InternationalEstablished 1961 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019 Nigeria’s Buhari wins re-election; opposition Melting missiles - just one problem with F-35s stopping N Korea rockets vows court battle Page 9 Page 7

HASAKEH: A veiled woman looks back at Al-Hol camp in al-Hasakeh governorate in northeastern Syria. The motley crew of foreign jihadist wives held at the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria are united by at least one thing: the fear of being separated from their children. — AFP Jihadist wives cling to children Countries of origin not in a hurry to repatriate radicalized citizens

AL HOL: The motley crew of foreign jihadist wives she shares with dozens of other families. Kenza, who A few yards away, two young French women are Turkey and Tunisia. One British woman says she would held at the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria are unit- would not give her full name, says she hopes Morocco wondering if France will allow them to return with rather not talk to reporters for fear of retaliation from ed by at least one thing: the fear of being separated will take her and her children back and sees no reason their children. France, which has one of the largest her more radical “sisters” from central Asia. “The situ- from their children. Penned in a special section of the why she should be detained. Western contingents among jihadist ranks in Syria, ation is bad here. There are quarrels between sisters,” camp and huddled in rudimentary tents, most of them has hinted it may take back says one woman from Trinidad and Tobago. Tension is are tight-lipped about the lives they led in the Islamic How long? children but without their also rife between the foreigners and the Syrian and State group’s “caliphate”. In the camp’s dusty alleys, parents. “Being separated Iraqi families who were displaced by the conflict and Kenza, from Morocco, is one of the few who agreed a black child who says he is from our children is not an resent the jihadists. “There have been attacks against to talk, as a swarm of children of various origins ran American stops every adult option. They are all we have foreign women” at the camp’s main market, camp around her tent to collect water for their mothers. She he sees and asks them in a Most of them left,” says one of them, who manager Nabil Hassan said. slipped out of Baghouz two weeks earlier, as Kurdish- soft, plaintive voice: “Hey, my would not give her name. Al-Hol is now home to 50,000 people, including led forces closed in on the riverside hamlet where father is dead. Do you know ‘tight-lipped’ Most women in the camp 30,000 who arrived over the past two months. The holdout IS fighters are making their very last stand. how much longer we’re have the same reaction but humanitarian burden is huge on the Kurdish adminis- The 38-year-old, fully veiled in black like nearly all going to stay here?” relations between the dozens tration, which is calling for stepped up efforts from the other women in the camp, sums up her four years Nobody answers him of nationalities represented in international aid community. Baghouz has been under under IS rule in a few laconic words. because nobody knows. the foreign women’s section intense bombardment for months, health conditions Her husband brought her to Syria, he never worked Some of the foreign suspects are not always easy. inside the besieged IS pocket are dire and many of the for IS “because he brought his own money” and then held at Al-Hol have been there, in the custody of the families who arrive in Al-Hol need medical assistance. he died in a bombardment. When asked why she and Kurdish forces administering the area, for two years. Tension in the camp At least 78 people, mostly children, have died on the her three children followed him all the way to the hell Their countries of origin are not in a hurry to repatri- Besides those who hail from Syria and Iraq, the two way to the camp or shortly after arriving in recent of Baghouz, she says: “The jihadists prevented us from ate radicalized citizens and claim the legal framework countries the “caliphate” once straddled, the largest weeks, according to the International Rescue fleeing.” She is now sheltered in a large UN tent which for any returns is too weak. groups are from Russia, the former Soviet republics, Committee. — AFP

women huddle in a circle on the rocky, On Jerusalem’s Guns and milk: arid ground, waiting to receive food hand- outs from the SDF. Carrying a bag in his hand, a young child trudges through the edge, a ‘nowhere what they crowded screening point, searching for his mother, Wardah. Behind him, one woman land’ for carried from tends to her child, another takes out a bottle of milk for her newborn, and a third sits still in silence, as though in shock. Palestinians ‘caliphate’ Abeer Mohammad, a 35-year-old Syrian evacuee originally from the north- NEAR BAGHOUZ: Guns, laptops, gold ern province of Aleppo, opens her tiny KUFR AQAB: Palestinian residents of Kufr coins and baby formula: when Syrian bag and pulls out a dirty plastic box con- Aqab, just north of Jerusalem, could be for- fighters search women emerging from the taining pinches of powdered milk. “I didn’t given for thinking they live under two gov- ruins of the jihadist “caliphate”, what they bring anything with me except some ernments at once, or perhaps none at all. find is not the contents of your average clothes and some milk for the young one,” They pay taxes to Israel, which collects their handbag. Women arrive in droves at a she says, her three children sitting beside trash and theoretically plans their roads. But screening point controlled by the US- her. “We didn’t have anything left any- electricity and water come from Palestinian backed Syrian Democratic Forces, 20 way,” she says, her eyes covered by a full companies, and when the police come to the kilometers north of the Islamic State face veil. The women’s black veils make it often lawless area they too are Palestinian. group’s last redoubt in the village of KUFR AQAB: Photo shows a view of the Palestinian residential area of Kufr Aqab, between hard to differentiate between them. Both the Israeli and Palestinian authorities Baghouz near the Iraqi border. Another Syrian woman from Aleppo, say they provide services to the area, but Jerusalem and Ramallah, which lies on the other side of Israel’s separation barrier dividing the occupied West Bank from Jerusalem. —AFP Veiled from head to toe, they conceal who asked not to be named, said: “No residents say in reality no one is in control. weapons under their clothes or in their pictures or memories or anything. We did- They say the result is an often chaotic bags, tucked between their children’s n’t bring anything but clothes”. nowhere-land where high-rise buildings are On a recent visit AFP saw trash piled on the Palestinian figures estimate that around 85 scant belongings, says Nawal Kobani, an constructed only a few metres apart and side of streets next to buildings without percent of Kufr Aqab residents are 18-year-old SDF fighter. “The men don’t ‘They have surrendered’ rubbish piles up on roadsides. “Life here proper sewage systems. “The fugitives from Jerusalem ID holders. Homes are also far carry anything, these things we only find Around 50,000 people-mostly has become unbearable,” said shop owner Israel come here and the fugitives from the more affordable there than inside Jerusalem. with the women,” the blonde, green-eyed women and children-have streamed out Abu Mohammed, who has lived in the area Palestinian Authority come here and there is Yusef Qassam, 63, can’t live in Jerusalem fighter tells AFP at the SDF outpost. On of the Baghouz pocket since early for 25 years. Kufr Aqab is among a handful no one to control them,” said Abu because he has a West Bank ID, but his wife Monday, the SDF evacuated over 46 December, according to the Britain- of locations that occupy a unique and Mohammed. is from the city and their four children have truckloads of people from the last scrap of based Syrian Observatory for Human bizarre status in the Israeli-Palestinian con- Jerusalem IDs. the jihadist proto-state, adding to the Rights. The early groups carried large flict. Israel considers the area part of Unique status So the family lives in an apartment in Kufr 5,000 men, women and children evacuat- suitcases and blankets with them as they Jerusalem, which it fully controls. But Kufr Why then, do the residents remain? The Aqab. “If the Israelis prove that she lives in ed last week. The SDF say they are seek- left the IS redoubt. Some women stacked Aqab lies on the other side of Israel’s sepa- key lies in the unique status of the area. the West Bank, she will lose her Jerusalem ing to clear civilians from the IS pocket gold bracelets on their arms. But the lat- ration barrier dividing Jerusalem from the Unlike their counterparts in the West Bank, ID. We know that Israel is emptying before a final push to crush jihadists now est arrivals came out carrying nothing occupied West Bank. Palestinians from Jerusalem hold ID cards Jerusalem of Palestinians,” he said. This is a trapped in less than half a square kilome- more than small backpacks. As such, the Israeli government has only that grant them access to the city and all of common Palestinian accusation about the ter in Baghouz. Umm Mohammad, a 45 year-old Syrian partial control over the area, operating Israel. West Bank ID holders, on the other disputed city-one that Israel denies. Israel from Aleppo, sits beside a pair of crutches. through contractors and a community hand, have to apply for permits to enter occupied east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six- ‘No pictures or memories’ She was wounded six months ago when a administration. Its police officers rarely, if Jerusalem. Day War and later annexed it in a move nev- The latest batch of evacuees arrive at shell crashed into her home in Al-Shaafa, ever, patrol, though the army is known to If Palestinians from Jerusalem are proved er recognized by the international communi- the SDF screening point at sunset on one of the last jihadist bastions taken by enter to carry out arrests. Around 100,000 by Israeli authorities to be living beyond the ty. It sees the entire city as its capital, while Monday, dust covering their clothes from the SDF. “Today, we carried the clothes people live in the five-square-kilometer wall, they can be stripped of their Jerusalem the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the rough journey out of Baghouz. Clad in that we could gather and we brought area, hit by high rates of crime and poverty. IDs-but not in locations like Kufr Aqab. the capital of their future state. — AFP black in the fading light, a group of them with us here,” she said. — AFP Established 1961 7 International Thursday, February 28, 2019 Nigeria’s Buhari wins re-election as opposition vows court battle

Atiku rejects results; scores die on and after voting day

ABUJA: President Muhammadu Buhari has won a second term in Nigeria, the election were unstable due to the large num- board said on yesterday, but his main rival Dozens buried ber of holes dug by the miners, offi- planned a fraud challenge after a vote marred cials said. “We still have hope. When by delays, logistical glitches and scores of we called them they still responded deaths. More than 260 people were killed in Indonesia from down there, asking for help,” since the start of the campaign in October, 47 local disaster agency official Abdul of them during Saturday’s vote and its after- gold mine Muin Paputungan said. “We can’t use math, according to one monitoring group. heavy machinery because the location Buhari, a 76-year-old former military ruler is very steep... it could endanger the took 56 percent of votes against 41 for his collapse victims,” Paputungan said. main rival, businessman and former vice presi- Rescuers were trying to get water dent Atiku Abubakar of the People’s NORTH SULAWESI: Indonesian to the buried miners but feared a Democratic Party. rescuers scrambled yesterday to find wrong move could make the situation The incumbent has a daunting to-do list, dozens buried in the collapse of an worse. “There are a lot of challenges including reviving an economy still struggling illegal gold mine that killed at least because the rocks that fell are in a to recover from a 2016 recession and quelling three people, the disaster agency very dangerous position,” a decade-old Islamist insurgency that has said. The effort to save survivors at Paputungan said. “We’re trying to be killed thousands in the northeast, many of them the remote site on Sulawesi island extra careful.” Local hospital chief civilians. “The new administration will intensify was hampered by steep terrain and ABUJA: Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman Mahmood Wahdiana Mantang said nine patients its efforts in security, restructuring the econo- unstable soil conditions after the col- had been released after the accident my and fighting corruption,” he told celebrat- Yakubu (left) presents to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari his certificate of election lapse triggered a landslide Tuesday after he was re-elected yesterday in Abuja. — AFP and several others were being treated ing supporters at the campaign headquarters evening, it said. Three people have for injuries. “They’re suffering from of his All Progressive Congress party in the been found dead while 14 others were lacerations, gashes and some have capital Abuja. The president garnered 15.2 mil- controversy could just peter out, as happened among cheering supporters. Atiku, 72, had said pulled from the rubble alive yesterd- broken bones,” she added. lion votes to Atiku’s 11.3 million, on turnout of recently after a presidential vote in he would aim to double the size of the econo- day, according to officials. Environmentalists called on local just 35.6 percent, the electoral commission Democratic Republic of Congo. “A legal chal- my to $900 billion by 2025, privatize the state “Dozens of people were mining for officials to enforce regulations and said. That compared with 44 percent turnout lenge is very unlikely to overturn the official oil company and expand the role of the private gold at this location when suddenly safety measures in response to the in 2015. result,” said John Ashbourne, senior emerging sector. “As President Buhari seems likely to beams and supporting boards broke accident. “We predicted this was While Buhari urged supporters not to gloat markets economist at Capital Economics in remain in power, Nigeria’s credit challenges due to unstable soil conditions,” said going to happen,” said Theo or “humiliate” the opposition, Atiku said the London, of the Nigerian election. remain and include a low growth environment, disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Runtuwene, a local director for the election was rigged. “It is clear that there were very high exposure to fluctuations in oil prices Purwo Nugroho. More than three Indonesian Forum for the manifest and premeditated malpractices in Deaths and delays of government revenues and export earnings, dozen people may still be trapped at Environment. “The area is mountain- many states which negate the results The candidate with the most votes nation- weak institutions, and high levels of corrup- the site in the Bolaang Mongondow ous and (miners) dug holes there, announced,” he said. “I hereby reject the result wide is declared the winner as long as they tion,” said Aurelien Mali, Moody’s senior ana- region of North Sulawesi, where some which is extremely risky... There are of the February 23, 2019, sham election and have at least one quarter of the vote in two- lytical adviser for Africa. five miners were killed in December dozens of sites in North Sulawesi will be challenging it in court.” One obvious thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states and the capital, Voting was delayed by a week after the after an illegal gold mine accident. where the ground is very unstable, red flag was that states in the northeast rav- Abuja. Buhari secured enough votes to meet election commission was unable to get ballots The mineral-rich Southeast Asian especially during the rainy season,” aged by insurgents’ attacks generated much both requirements, a remarkable turnaround and results sheets to all areas. At least 47 peo- nation has scores of unlicensed min- he added. In 2016, 11 miners died after higher voter turnouts than peaceful states, after the race looked close. He campaigned on ple were killed during voting and afterwards, ing sites and safety regulations are a mudslide engulfed an illegal gold Atiku said. pledges to fight corruption and overhaul according to the Situation Room, a monitoring routinely flouted. mine in Sumatra’s Jambi province. A The opposition’s accusations have height- Nigeria’s creaking road and rail network. “As a organization linking various civil society Some of the still-buried victims year before, 12 people were killed ened tensions in Africa’s most populous nation youth of Nigeria, I believe this is the way for- groups. Some deaths resulted from clashes were responding to rescuers’ calls but when a shaft collapsed after they tun- and biggest oil producer where six decades of ward for this country and for my generation, between groups allied to the leading parties it was not clear how many were still neled into a disused gold mine on independence have seen long periods of mili- and that is why we choose to bring him back and the police over the theft of ballot boxes alive. Ground conditions at the mine Java island. — AFP tary rule, coups and secessionist wars. But the for the second time,” said Juwarat Abubakar and allegations of vote fraud. — Reuters 8 Established 1961 International Thursday, February 28, 2019 Chaos turns to uncertainty at the Venezuelan border town

Venezuelan security forces crack down on opposition supporters

URENA: Bloody violence may have subsided for now forces cracked down on opposition supporters trying at Venezuela’s blockaded border, but for local people, to bring aid supplies across the bridge. National terror has turned to anxiety about how they will reach Guards fired tear gas and rubber bullets. the schools and shops they depend on. In the Demonstrators set fire to a bus. Its charred remains Venezuelan border town of Urena, Kelly Pinto stared were being towed out of the way on Tuesday, but other at the Santander Bridge leading to Colombia-now debris still lay around. President Nicolas Maduro had blocked by a white armored truck. Like many of her branded the aid bid a ploy by his opponent, self- neighbors, she was wondering when it will reopen so declared president Juan Guaido. Maduro said it was a she can reach the Colombian city of Cucuta. pretext for a US invasion. “My youngest is really worried. She says, ‘Mummy, I want to go to school; mummy, I have an exam,” said Awaiting orders Pinto, mother of two girls aged eight and 10. “What am Colombia had said it would reopen the border I supposed to do?” she said. crossings from Cucuta to “They won’t tell us whether Urena and nearby San they are going to open it or Antonio early Tuesday. But not.” Nearby, a small group of the decision depends equally schoolgirls stood with a sign Unrest leaves on the Venezuelan military. that read, “We want to go to The crossings were still school. Let us pass.” While 4 people dead blocked later in the day. A her children go to a school group of local people timidly across the border from their approached a detachment of crisis-hit country, Kelly lives soldiers guarding the CUCUTA: Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido jump the security fence back to the Colombian off trading in goods she buys Santander bridge, hoping to side of the Francisco de Paula Santander International Bridge in Cucuta, during clashes with Venezuelan security on the far side of the bridge. be allowed to cross. The forces in Urena, Venezuela. — AFP Thousands like her rely on locals offered to help clear crossing to Cucuta to get the basic goods and services the rubble left over from Saturday’s disturbances. The lacking in Venezuela. soldiers “told us they are in the process of opening it,” bodies criticized the military for targeting those trying 2,200-kilometer border with Colombia had already said one of the group of neighbors, Gladys Celis. to bring in the aid trucks, one of which was set on fire. been shut before, from 2015 to 2016, after an attack Blocked by debris Her husband and eldest daughter work in Cucuta on a Venezuelan military patrol. Since that peak of On the bridge, a white armored truck-known as a and her younger daughter goes to school there. But Bad memories tension with Colombia, it had been reopening gradu- “bat” for the white metal wings that extend from its the soldiers “gave no date, no time, nothing,” she Maduro’s government on Saturday shut down the ally for people’s work or medical needs until the latest sides-sat blocking the way. The border has been shut added. “They are awaiting orders.” Maduro’s authori- country’s entire border with Brazil, where unrest left upsurge of unrest. But regional trade groups say only since clashes broke out on this and other nearby bor- ties claimed a victory on Saturday after blocking four people dead. He also closed four border bridges about a fifth of local trade has recovered from that der crossings over the weekend. Venezuelan security Guaido’s side from trucking in the aid. International to Colombia in the western state of Tachira. The earlier shutdown. — AFP

News in brief Bar association. The Court of Appeal ‘Unreasonable would have to be convinced that some- thing during the trial “had gone wrong”, Indonesian housewives arrested verdict’: Cardinal such as an error made by the judge, or that something said by one of the barris- BANDUNG: Three Indonesian housewives have been ters prejudiced the jury in a way that arrested over an online video that claimed President George Pell’s could not be overcome, Collins said. Joko Widodo would ban prayer and make gay mar- Some defence lawyers have used the riage legal in the Muslim majority country if re-elected, grounds for argument, though rarely successfully, police said. Widodo has fended off accusations over that a guilty verdict should be quashed his Muslim credentials for years, claims that have been on the grounds that the jury’s decision is revived ahead of April presidential elections. Indonesia appeal so far against the weight of the evidence has also been battling a wave of fake news and misin- it should be set aside as “unreasonable”. formation campaigns online in the lead up to the polls. SYDNEY: Cardinal George Pell’s “It only succeeds rarely, and in an The video, shared thousands of times online, showed lawyers plan a multi-pronged appeal exceptional case, because in our system, two women in hijab headscarves telling an old man that against his conviction for the sexual great reliance is placed upon the com- Widodo would end the call to prayer, which is per- assault of two choirboys at Saint mon sense of the jury,” Collins said. formed five times a day by many in the world’s most Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne in Experts say a possible weakness in the populous Muslim country. He would also force women 1996-97. Prosecutors and the defense jury’s verdict is that it was based on the to remove their hijab in public and legalise gay mar- can take several months to submit their testimony from the one surviving victim riage, which is widely opposed in Indonesia, the video written arguments and counter-argu- of offences that took place more than suggested. — AFP ments to Victoria state’s Court of Appeal two decades ago. SYDNEY: This photo illustration shows the front pages of Australia’s major newspa- before a hearing by a bench of three pers reporting the conviction of Cardinal George Pell in Sydney yesterday. — AFP judges. Here’s what the legal team said Jury not correctly formed ‘Arson’ attack hits mosque are going to be Pell’s grounds of appeal: Fourteen, instead of the usual 12, jurors were empanelled for the trial. Animation video rejection found themselves alone in the sacristy — The legal team will argue that Chief where most of the offences took place JOHANNESBURG: A mosque in Durban has been Verdict was unreasonable After the trial, 12 of them — eight men Judge Peter Kidd should have allowed — following Sunday mass. Justice Kidd set ablaze, in the latest assault on an Islamic building in Pell’s lawyers will argue that the ver- and four women - were part of the final them to play an animated video for the did not allow the animation to be played, South Africa, a Muslim leader said. Images of the dict was unreasonable, in what is a “fair- deliberations. The defense will contend jury. The illustration was meant to show saying it was based on guesswork. charred mosque, located in the suburb of Effingham, ly standard ground of appeal”, said that the jury in this instance was unlaw- how the movement of people in the Collins said having an animation presen- showed forensics officers on site and community mem- Matthew Collins, the president of the fully constituted. Collins said while it was cathedral would have raised questions tation was “certainly unusual” but not bers inspecting the damage. “The attack happened in peak body for barristers, the Victorian unusual for there to be more than 12 the early hours of the morning at around 1:30 am,” jurors empanelled, it was not unheard of. about whether the choirboys could have unheard of. — AFP Islamic elder Mohammed Tariq told AFP, adding that no-one was injured because of the early hour. “The mosque itself has been burnt extremely badly and emergency personnel have been on the scene. A case Moscow’s help for of arson has been opened,” he said. Police could not be In major religion reached for comment. The attack comes amid tensions between Muslim factions in South Africa, a country the homeless that prides itself on its religious tolerance. — AFP case, US top court expands ‘out of sight’ weighs Maryland Australian jailed in Bali MOSCOW: With temperatures outside well below DENPASAR: An Australian man charged with selling freezing, about 30 homeless people gather around a cross case television set in one of Moscow’s few dedicated shel- cocaine in Bali was jailed for more than five years yes- WASHINGTON: The conservative-majority US ters, far from the city centre. Wearing a medical mask terday. A court on the Indonesian resort island handed Supreme Court yesterday takes up one of the to reduce the risk of infectious diseases, an employee down the sentence to Brendon Luke Johnson, arrested biggest cases of its current term when it weighs keeps a note of new arrivals at the 24-hour centre in last year with almost 12 grams of cocaine hidden at his whether a cross-shaped war memorial on public Lyublino, a southeastern suburb of the sprawling rental home. Johnson, who is reportedly 43, and his land in Maryland is an unconstitutional govern- Russian capital. At the back of the registration room, a Indonesian girlfriend Remi Purwanti were each given ment endorsement of religion. The so-called Peace homeless woman in a wheelchair weeps silently. five years and four months in prison by the Bali court. Cross, a 40-foot-tall concrete memorial to 49 men “This is a model centre for Russia,” says Sergei Foreigners are regularly arrested for drugs offences in from Maryland’s Prince George’s County killed in Timoshenkov, director of the facility which has 1,000 MOSCOW: Homeless people take a walk outside a shelter Bali, which attracts millions of visitors to its palm- World War One, is situated on public land at a beds and some 500 employees. The Lyublino shelter in Moscow. The city’s biggest shelter for the homeless is fringed beaches every year. Indonesia has some of the busy road intersection in Bladensburg just outside offers the capital’s homeless a place to wash, eat and located in southeast Moscow and aims to help the needy world’s toughest anti-drug laws and traffickers can be Washington. change their clothes, as well as legal advice and psy- in recovering their personal papers, finding a job and sentenced to death. Earlier this year, a Tanzanian man Fred Edwords and two other plaintiffs filed a chological support. Those who come are usually returning to normal life. —AFP was arrested in Bali for trafficking after more than a 2014 lawsuit challenging the cross as a violation of required to be sober but the rule is suspended during kilogram of methamphetamine was found in plastic the US Constitution’s Establishment Clause, which the winter, when a night spent exposed on the streets of stigmatization” of homeless people. In October, baggies inside his stomach, according to police.— AFP prohibits the government from establishing an offi- could mean death. For the past 10 years, the centre has Nochlezhka had to drop a plan to open a launderette cial religion and bars governmental actions favor- been at the forefront of the city’s efforts to tackle its for homeless people near the city centre under pres- ing one religion over another. The cross was fund- homeless problem. sure from residents. Human Rights Watch slams UAE ed privately and built in 1925. The property where “Some locals threatened to beat up our staff, set fire it stands was in private hands when it was erected, BEIRUT: Long-held stigma to the launderette, and even kill the homeless people,” Human Rights Watch has accused author- but it is now on land owned by the Maryland- During the Soviet era, homeless people were prose- says Baibakova. ities in the United Arab Emirates of mistreating and National Capital Park and Planning Commission, a cuted under anti-begging laws. Their number boomed denying adequate medical care to a terminally-ill governmental agency. The nine justices on the high during the 1990s with the economic collapse that fol- Severe frostbite Emirati woman in prison on terrorism charges. The court, which has a 5-4 conservative majority, are lowed the fall of the USSR. Now there are six such Nonetheless, the Lyublino centre and Moscow’s New York-based rights group said Alia Abdel Nour, due to hear a 70-minute oral argument, with a rul- shelters-Lyublino and five smaller ones-in the capital, wider policy have borne results. In 2003, 1,200 home- 42, was diagnosed with breast cancer after her ing due by the end of June. and NGOs working in the field have largely praised less people in Moscow died from the cold. In the winter arrest in 2015 and is being denied regular contact The Establishment Clause’s scope is contested, Moscow’s progress on the issue. But some criticize a of 2017-2018, the death toll was 11. Yury, who had eight with her family. “Abdel Nour should be allowed to so comments by the justices suggesting a willing- policy that removes a group still facing lingering social fingers and both legs amputated due to severe frost- spend her last days watched over by her family, not ness to allow greater government involvement in stigma from the centre of the city, as Moscow contin- bite, has spent the night at the shelter with his girl- by prison guards who keep her shackled to a hospi- religious expression will be closely scrutinized. The ues a wave of development that accelerated leading up friend. He originates from the eastern Ukrainian city of tal bed,” HRW’s Middle East and North Africa cross has the backing of President Donald Trump’s to last year’s World Cup. “The current policy is to put Donetsk, now at the centre of a conflict between Kiev director Sarah Leah Whitson said in a statement. administration and members of the American homeless people out of sight,” says Darya Baibakova, and Russian-backed separatist rebels. Yury says he The rights group called on the Emirati authorities to Legion veterans’ group, who hold memorial events of the Nochlezhka NGO, that works with those without lost his passport in Russia and cannot apply for a new release Abdel Nour “given her current condition”. at the site. Veterans and their relatives have said the permanent accommodation. one, meaning he has no access to city housing schemes. Abdel Nour’s family says she was forced to sign a monument has no religious meaning despite being She believes that Moscow should have facilities in All he can use are the emergency shelters. “We’ll have document saying she was refusing chemotherapy, in the shape of a Christian cross, calling the lawsuit every district, rather than in “remote industrial areas”. to leave soon,” he says, without clarifying where the HRW said in a statement. — AFP misguided and hurtful. — Reuters And she underlines the lasting impact of the “long years couple might go after Moscow. — AFP 9 International Thursday, February 28, 2019 Melting missiles - just one problem with F-35s stopping N Korea rockets Pentagon seeking ways to neutralize nuke threat WASHINGTON: Looking for a quick way to stop North the defense strategy review, Under Secretary of Defense Korean missiles immediately after lift-off, the Pentagon is for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin said: “we do studying as a near-term option whether a group of F-35 think it could be both cost effective and ... within the fighter jets hovering around North Korean airspace could bounds of math and physics.” Among other proposals pick off freshly-launched rockets. In its current form, the included in the review was one involving lasers mounted idea defies physics, missile defense experts say. It calls for on drones - proposed to stop missiles just after take-off in interceptor missiles that fly so fast they could melt one what is called the boost phase. During this portion of the expert said, and the only surefire way for US military air- flight the missile is most vulnerable, flying at its slowest craft to defeat a missile with current technology would be speed, easily detected by the heat from its engines, and to fly in hostile airspace, according to three experts inter- incapable of evading interceptors as it accelerates to viewed by Reuters. break out of the earth’s atmosphere. The idea, part of a six-month study launched last month, shows how the Pentagon is seeking ways to neu- Melting missiles tralize the threat posed by Pyongyang even as President Geography complicates the F-35 plan. Tom Karako, a Trump meets North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and in Vietnam in his effort to stop Kim’s nuclear program. International Studies in Washington noted that jets lying in Concern over US missile defenses has grown with the wait for a North Korean missile would in theory need to escalating threat from North Korea. Two years ago North respect North Korean airspace. But remaining at such a Korea conducted about a dozen missile tests, some with distance could leave the jets too far from the missile launch multiple rockets, including the launch of a suspected inter- to be effective. Theodore Postol, a missile defense expert continental ballistic missile that could hit the US mainland. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said even a They also tested a purported hydrogen bomb. The F-35 modified air-to-air missile would be too slow to take out plan under study would likely involve continuously flying a an intercontinental ballistic missile before it exited the group of the stealthy jets within range of known North atmosphere. Korean missile sites. Once a missile is launched towards Air-to-air missiles like those made by Raytheon Co US territory, the F-35’s advanced sensors would detect would only have an estimated 200 seconds to hit a ballistic and then fire a special air-to-air missile before the missile before reaching an altitude where the air is too thin Pyongyang projectile exits the atmosphere, the latest mis- to maneuver. Given that it would take an F-35 approxi- HANOI: A motorcade transporting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, make its way to the Sofitel Legend Metropole sile defense strategy and Pentagon leadership have said. mately 50-60 seconds to detect, lock onto and launch an hotel in Hanoi yesterday, ahead of the second US-North Korea summit. — AFP Military officials say the F-35 option is the one they air-to-air missile, Postol said, the jet would need to be very want to test first because it could use existing military close to the ballistic missile to take it out. “If you are on hardware and potentially be operational sooner than other top of it you can shoot it down,” the retired rocket scien- that Pentagon was weighing such an option was signifi- would need to be very close to the launch site, within strategies, and at a relatively low cost. At the same time tist said. “But the odds are going to be very low that you cant, Karako said. “This shows a broader cultural shift.” North Korea itself, said physicist Laura Grego, who stud- Pentagon leadership says the tests may reveal a new inter- can be on top of it.” Rather than some giant program, Karako said, the ies missile defense at the Union of Concerned Scientists. ceptor is needed, or that the F-35 may only have a role in Even if a much faster and lighter version air-to-air mis- Pentagon is considering “a mission that is integrated into a Grego said that even if the air-to-air missile traveled at detecting the just-launched missile and not necessarily sile was mounted in an F-35 jet, depending on the distance broader mesh of tactical programs the Department of five times the speed of sound, the F-35 would need to be also shoot it down. the weapon would have to fly so fast it would begin to Defense can call on.” within about 50 miles of the missile, “probably closer, to Speaking about that option after last month’s release of melt, Postol added. Despite the obstacles, the very fact Making it work will be a challenge, though. “You be realistic.” — Reuters

registered bloggers, said it does not allow any about social issues and religion, we see no rea- India’s air force conducts bombing raids Bangladesh shuts obscene content, adding the crackdown was a son to censor them,” Al Fasani said. Telecoms India v Pakistan: inside Pakistan. clear attempt at censorship. The sweep also Minister Mustafa Jabbar, who ordered the blocked the Bengali version of Google Books as crackdown, told the Dhaka Tribune newspaper 1984 down popular well as popular social media apps such as that somewhereinblog.net was closed due to a history of Indian forces seize the Siachen Glacier, a TikTok and Bigo. objectionable content. “Have you ever gone remote and uninhabited territory high in the blogging site “We were stunned after discovering our blog through the content that blogging websites conflict over Karakoram Range also claimed by Pakistan. was blacklisted and blocked,” said Mozaddid Al publish? After verifying reports on all the web- The first of many battles are fought over the in crackdown Fasani, a moderator and spokesman for some- sites, we made the move,” Jabbar said. high-altitude stretch, until a ceasefire is whereinblog.net “Our platform, in no way, sup- Rights groups have accused the government Kashmir signed in 2003. ports or spreads pornographic or obscene of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which has just DHAKA: Bangladesh’s most popular Bengali material and we always stay on a high alert started a fourth term, of undermining free NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan have fought 1999 blog platform has been blocked by telecom reg- regarding content that might hamper national speech. Last September the government passed two wars and countless skirmishes over Pakistan-backed militants cross the dis- ulators in what critics yesterday denounced as security or sovereignty.” The spokesman a controversial digital security act that journal- Kashmir, the Himalayan region claimed in full puted Kashmir border, seizing Indian military an assault on freedom of expression. The some- described reported allegations by the telecoms ists said severely curbs media freedom. by both nuclear-armed rivals. But rarely have posts in the icy heights of the Kargil moun- whereinblog.net platform was among more than minister that the site promotes atheism as “dis- Dozens of social media activists including ground troops or air forces crossed the heav- tains. Indian troops push the intruders back, 20,000 websites that internet service providers heartening”. celebrated photographer Shahidul Alam were ily militarized de facto border between the ending the 10-week Kargil conflict which costs 1,000 lives on both sides. were ordered to shut down as part of a crack- “We ... believe in the freedom of speech. As detained for several months last year for two foes, known as the Line of Control (LoC), down on online pornography and gambling. But long as someone doesn’t cross the boundary (of social media comments about student protests in Kashmir. Here are some of the major clash- 2016 the platform, which hosts more than 250,000 inciting hatred) and expresses his or her opinion in Dhaka. — AFP es between the South Asian enemies over the India launches what it calls “surgical flashpoint mountainous territory. strikes” on targets in Pakistani Kashmir in September, less than two weeks after a mili- Weibo, as people posted about delayed trains, capital city of central Hunan province. 1947 traffic congestion and road closures in Chinese “Changsha friends, are you ready?” tant attack on an Indian army base leaves 19 China scrubs The first war breaks out over Kashmir soldiers dead. Pakistan denies the strikes cities through which Kim’s iconic olive green “This train is so slow,” commented another. after partition divides the subcontinent into train is expected to pass. “Yesterday it arrived in Zhengzhou-it’s only now took place. In November, seven Indian sol- social media India and Pakistan. The maharaja of Kashmir, diers are killed after militants disguised as Some seemed genuinely confused by the made it to Wuhan.” Already, censors have start- the local ruler, accedes to India as tribal sudden shutdown of roads, while others refer- ed to erase or limit the visibility of Weibo posts policemen storm a major army base near the fighters from Pakistan launch attacks. frontier with Pakistan. as Kim train enced Kim’s epic train ride through China-many on road closures, as Kim’s train route remains choosing to use nicknames for the North swathed in secrecy. Some posts hashtagged 1965 2019 Korean leader, such as “Boss Kim” or “Little “Zhengzhou road closures”, for instance, have trundles south India and Pakistan fight a second brief war India vows retaliation after at least 40 brother Kim”, potentially to avoid censorship. been blocked by the social media site, according over Kashmir before a ceasefire is declared. paramilitaries are killed in a suicide attack in The train, which has a top speed of 60 kilome- to FreeWeibo, which tracks censored and delet- Kashmir territory it controls. New Delhi BEIJING: Chinese censors raced to scrub online ters per hour, set off from Pyongyang on ed Weibo posts. Other hashtags, such as 1971 blames the Pakistan-based militant group discussions about North Korean leader Kim Saturday for a 4,000-kilometre journey that is “Changsha road closures”, are not searchable, India and Pakistan fight another war, not Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) for the attack. In Jong Un’s whereabouts as his armored train expected to total 60 hours-the great majority of despite their use in Weibo posts. The sighting of over Kashmir but over Islamabad’s rule in the early hours of February 26, Indian con- trundled southward to Vietnam for his summit it across China. “Those watching Leader Kim’s Kim’s armored train, which has tinted black win- then East Pakistan, with New Delhi support- ducts air strikes against what it calls JeM’s with US President Donald Trump. The secretive Changsha road situation, has he made it to dows and a yellow stripe, has set off a flurry of ing Bengali nationalists seeking independ- “biggest training camp”, killing “a very large itinerary fuelled speculation on Twitter-like Changsha yet?” wrote one user, referring to the train spotting. — AFP ence for what would become Bangladesh. number” of militants. — AFP 10 Analysis Thursday, February 28, 2019

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Unshackled yet far from free, ex-slaves struggle

barka Mint Essatim was 23 when she discov- ered she was a slave. Her master’s driver saw Mher doing heavy lifting one day and asked if she was paid. When Mbarka said ‘no’, he told her the truth about the family she had always considered her own. “I knew no one else and thought they were my family,” she said of her masters, members of the light- skinned elite known as white Moors in the west African country of Mauritania. She neither looked like them nor lived like them. “I did not sleep with them in the A Porsche is seen at the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition on Feb 20, 2019. — AFP same house. I was afraid of them, they struck me ... raped me. I wanted to be like children my age, going to school and studying. I was alone.” She tells the story coolly, sitting in a makeshift shack in the capital, Nouakchott, as if the child taken from her mother at five to wash dishes and scrub floors Qatari love of luxury strong despite crisis was someone else. Essatim escaped in 2011 with the help of the driver, now her husband, but has no job or bdulla Sager Al-Khori has little doubt about the Constantin - with its slogan of unashamed exclusivity Outside, drivers waited for their valet-service parked education and seven children to raise in a nation where significance of a luxury watch when it comes to “One of not many” - and Alfardan. Maseratis, Bentleys and Rolls-Royces. her ethnic group occupies the bottom rung. Life is no Afashion - and making a statement - even in the thick longer defined by servitude, punctuated by rapes or of Qatar’s diplomatic crisis. “Because we have the tradi- No price tags Crisis? beatings, but Essatim struggles to feed her family. tional dress the only thing we can use as an accessory are Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world, Even a regional diplomatic crisis which has engulfed About 40 million people globally are estimated by watches and cufflinks, so the watch is a big part of our ranked by some as the richest in per capita terms, and Qatari politics for almost two years has failed to dent sales the United Nations to be modern-day slaves, but no being on top of fashion and being fashionable,” said the many of those drawn to the exhibition turned up not just to of luxury items. “Our sales have almost doubled since the data exists on how many are freed or escape - and 36-year-old who works in public relations. look but to buy. There was nothing so vulgar as a price tag situation because now the Qatari people are buying in face a fresh ordeal as they seek basic services and But Khori’s passion for timepieces goes further than in sight, and the show was an unabashed testament to Qatar,” said Hublot regional director David Tedeschi. support to start life anew. As Mauritania begins to most - he is a founding member of the Qatar Watch Club, a opulence and wealth far beyond the reach of many. Three- “They’re not buying anymore” in the other oil-rich Arab emerge from a decades-old tradition of descent-based group of some 50 men who meet regularly to discuss their million-dollar necklaces vied for attention with $200,000 states of the Gulf. Geoffroy Ader, a collectible watch afi- slavery, activists say tens of thousands are in Essatim’s love of watches. It “started from just wanting a watch to watches and iconic cars from the set of Hollywood movies. cionada at the show, said 2018 figures showed that “Qatar situation - struggling to get by each day. just tell the time to... I want this watch because I love the Slim-suited European retailers chased the next sale, holds the first position” for sales of luxury watches. Since Activists say improving their lot is harder than end- history, I love how hard is it to make this mechanism and models displayed latest designs and elegantly-dressed rich June 2017, Doha has been isolated from neighboring for- ing slavery, and just as crucial to repairing race rela- how complicated these watches are,” he said. “So, it (went) locals shuffled between high-end stores - as nearby mer allies including Saudi Arabia over allegations of Qatari tions and maintaining peace. Mauritania was the last from just a tool to telling the time to a passion that I hope Bangladeshi cleaners looked on. Leading Qatari dignitaries support for terrorist groups and of being too close to Iran. country to abolish slavery - in 1981 - and criminalized it to pass on to my children in the future.” and royal family members attended and Bollywood super- Despite repeated denials from Doha, some fear that the in 2007. The Global Slavery Index, published annually Khori, who initially trained as a mechanical engineer, star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was flown in to officially bitter regional spat could permanently reshape Gulf poli- by human rights group Walk Free Foundation, estimates spoke to AFP at the close of the Doha Jewellery and open the show. One retailer told of how 500 watches tics. And despite the watch club being an all-male affair, that 2 percent of the population, or 90,000 Watches Exhibition, a vast five-day show that ran until specifically-designed for the Doha exhibition, each costing interest is far wider, according to Tedeschi. “In Qatar... we Mauritanians, are still enslaved. “For the slaves, all we February 25. The event attracted large crowds to view the 30,000 riyals ($8,200), sold out before the show had even have a lot of women customers,” he said. In most countries can do is free them,” said Alioune Sow, a member of the latest collection from global luxury brands, including opened. The air itself was rich with the distinct aroma of around 30 percent of customers are women, while it runs Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Chaumet, Dior, Chopard, Tiffany, Rolex, Vacheron expensive oud - also known as liquid gold - fragrances. at between 40 to 45 percent in Qatar. — AFP Movement (IRA), which freed Essatim’s children. “We are not the state. We don’t have funds,” said pharmacist Sow, who donates medicine to ex-slaves when he can. Malviya, the BJP’s chief of information tech- Although it is hard to identify victims - countless Going TikTok: nology, said the party was tracking TikTok Young Erdogan remain hidden within mansions - former slaves are conversations and it was “a brilliant medium easy to spot. Rights groups say they amass in the Indians hooked for creative expression”. The party, however, aims to emulate poorest areas, often lacking running water, health cen- has no plans as of now to officially join the ters and schools. Charities and government help, but platform, he said. reach just a fraction of those in need. From her moment on Chinese app A Congress source said the party was famous namesake of liberty, Essatim said she was on her own. “I was exploring joining TikTok and assessing how happy to be free... (but) I wanted to have a house to it could be used to better reach out to peo- live in, and work for me and my husband,” said the 30- video clip shot on a sparse rooftop of ple in rural areas in the run-up to the elec- ecep Tayyip’s father had big year-old. She still has neither. what looks like a low-rise apartment tion. Not all political videos on TikTok seek ambitions for his son. Already Ablock shows a young Indian man votes. Some videos show people waving the Rbearing the family name Erdogan, Freedom by law swaying while lip-syncing a song praising Congress flag on Indian streets. Another clip his father called him Recep Tayyip after Haratines, Mauritania’s ‘slave caste’, make up nearly Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Describing shows Modi and German Chancellor Angela Turkey’s president hoping his son half the population, with the rest divided between himself as a proud Indian with the online Merkel on a stage, with a Hindi-language would emulate his idol’s success. Now white Moors and other black ethnic groups, according identity “garrytomar”, he is wearing ear-studs rustic voiceover of her saying she will marry the younger Erdogan wants to follow in to Minority Rights Group, a London-based rights and shows a beaded necklace under a partly the Indian leader. “I would die with him and his namesake’s footsteps with a foray organization. Essatim was born a slave because her unbuttoned shirt in the 15-second clip. “Modi live with him,” the Merkel voice imperson- into politics, running in March 31 elec- mother was one. Raped by her master and his son as a has single-handedly trounced everyone ... ator declares in the video. In another TikTok tions for a village chief post in a neigh- Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a candidate in teen, she had two girls who were given away to various Modi is a storm, you all now know,” goes the post, Modi fan Yogesh Saini says the prime bourhood of Golcuk in Turkey’s north- elections for a village chief post, poses members of the master’s family. “When I refused to let Hindi song, posted on Chinese video mobile minister is his world, moments before open- west. Village chief, or muhtar, is a key on Feb 13, 2019 in Golcuk in front of his her (first-born) go, they took her by force,” Essatim application TikTok, the latest digital platform ing his jacket to reveal a video of Modi on post in the local elections - held every campaign headquarters. — AFP said. “All I could do was cry. I was afraid for her to face to grip India’s small towns and villages ahead his chest. Saini, 23, isn’t affiliated to any five years - when President Erdogan of a general election due by May. what I faced.” Mauritania’s government denies slavery political party, but says: “It’s my job to sup- will look to shore up his influence at the forms. “Some say Reis (the chief, a Created by Beijing Bytedance is widespread and says cases are rare and handled port Modi-ji, so I’m doing that,” using the grassroots level. nickname for the president) has an Technology Co, one of the world’s most swiftly. “We ban drugs, we ban terrorism, we ban arms honorific Indian suffix. He spoke to Reuters “Since I was born with this name, it impostor on social media, and others trafficking. And it happens,” said Hamdi Ould Mahjoub, valuable start-ups potentially worth more from the small town of Sawai Madhopur in is like I have a written destiny,” the 20- say ‘they said he cannot even be head of Tadamoun - the national agency that deals than $75 billion, TikTok allows users to cre- the desert state of Rajasthan. year-old Recep Tayyip told AFP out- muhtar, but he will become one’”. with the impact of slavery. “This too (slavery) is a ate and share short videos with various spe- side his office. When his father, a local That was a reference to the symbolic cial effects. It is becoming hugely popular in crime ... and there are people who do it.” Anti-slavery Scrutiny, backlash social security administrator and admir- meaning the muhtar post holds for rural India, home to most of the country’s 1.3 groups paint another picture, in which the state rarely Jokes, dance clips and videos related to er of the Turkish leader, named him, Erdogan the president. When billion people. Social media platforms such supports victims and people of influence protect slave India’s thriving movie industry dominate the President Erdogan was still just the President Erdogan was mayor of as Facebook, its unit WhatsApp and Twitter owners, who share their class. platform. #Bollywood tagged videos have mayor of Istanbul. But he soon became Istanbul in 1998, he was jailed briefly are extensively being used by Indian politi- There have been four prosecutions of slave owners nearly 13 billion views and the app is also an “idol” for the younger Recep Tayyip. for reciting a poem found to be reli- cians for campaigning ahead of the election: since 2007, while anti-slavery activists have been jailed flooded with memes, as well as videos on “With his way of addressing the world giously motivated, considered a viola- on multiple occasions - including Biram Dah Abeid, Facebook’s 300 million users and cooking. TikTok, though, is facing opposition tion of Turkey’s secular norms then. WhatsApp’s 200 million have made India and care for people, he is one of the president of the IRA. With enough evidence, the group from some quarters. The information technol- leaders I take as a model,” Recep After his conviction, some newspapers can pressure the state to intervene, said Sow. But they their largest market in the world, while ogy minister of the southern state of Tamil reported that “he cannot even be a Twitter too has millions of users. Tayyip said. have had little success advocating for harsher sentences Nadu, M Manikandan, said he will urge the Erdogan has been in power since muhtar any more” - a phrase Erdogan TikTok is fast catching up: it has been often refers to in speeches now to show and victim compensation, he added. “When you com- federal government to ban the app as some 2003, first as prime minister and then as downloaded more than 240 million times in how he struggled to get to the top. pensate (the slave) he will have means, he’ll have a content was “very unbearable”. “Young girls president. For supporters, he is a strong India so far, according to app analytics firm and everybody is behaving very badly. With the ruling Justice and start,” said Sow. “We continue to insist on this point.” leader putting Turkey on the map, but Sensor Tower. More than 30 million users in Sometimes the body language is very bad, and Development Party (AKP) claiming to Essatim said her dream is education for her children critics brand him an autocrat who has India installed it last month, 12 times more than (people are) doing mimicry of political leaders be the voice of the pious underdog in a - but it is fast slipping out of reach. Aged from five eroded freedoms. After the president’s in Jan 2018. “Most urban elites haven’t heard very badly,” Manikandan told Reuters. secular system, Erdogan regularly gath- months to 16 years old, none has gone to school. The campaign for youth to get involved in of TikTok and those who have, tend to view it A Hindu nationalist group close to Modi’s ers muhtars from all over Turkey at his older ones were barred for lack of identity papers, a politics and reforms to lower the voting common problem when the father is a slave master, as a platform for trivial content. In reality, it BJP too has called for a ban on TikTok. presidential palace in Ankara since he hosts diverse content including a fair share of TikTok said it respects local laws and there age from 25 to 18, the younger Erdogan was elected president in 2014. He uses activists say. Her younger ones lacked school supplies found the courage to jump into the fray. and missed the registration deadline, said Essatim. political speech,” said Kailas Karthikeyan, a was “no basis” for the concerns. Promoting a this as a platform to deliver political “I always thought about politics but I messages and inspire local leaders. “The situation cannot change if they don’t go to New Delhi-based technology analyst who has safe and positive in-app environment was its was shy, then I plucked up the courage Muhtar candidates are not party school,” said Brahim Bilal Ramdhane, who started an tracked TikTok for nine months. TikTok’s “top priority”, it said. The backlash comes as after the election reform,” he said. “I affiliated in Turkey and the younger organization called Fondation Sahel to educate former video-only interface makes it less elaborate social media companies face increased said to myself, everyone is doing it and Erdogan is competing against two other slaves. Born into slavery, Ramdhane went to school as and easier to use compared to platforms such scrutiny from authorities over fake news and why not me?” individuals. Recep Tayyip said he had his masters had no need of him. He later convinced his as Facebook or Twitter, making it a bigger undesirable content ahead of the polls. A so far enjoyed the benefits of having the family to leave. “It’s the only solution. It might take 100 attraction in rural India, he added. federal proposal will mandate them to swiftly ‘Joking’ same name as the president. “Our pres- years, but that’s what must be done,” he said. Mahjoub, remove “unlawful” content when asked. Recep Tayyip said he has not yet ident is a beloved one, elected with 52.6 director of Tadamoun agency, agreed that education Political interest A senior government official in New Delhi met the president in person. But he has percent of the vote. was a priority and said government had created at While Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party said the government wants TikTok to comply plenty of memories about his name. “At Of course I see a better prospect of least 60 schools since 2014, mostly for former slaves. (BJP) and the opposition Congress party with the new Indian regulations as and when first people think I am joking and those his supporters being likely to vote for But inequality is still stark. State schools for mainly have not officially joined TikTok, videos they kick in, but there wasn’t any immediate who do not believe me, they check my me,” he said. The only disadvantage he Haratines often lack teachers or fall into disrepair; tagged #narendramodi have received more concern on content. Still, the government has than 30 million views and those about asked the Chinese company to have better identity card,” he said. The young had with his name was abroad at pass- white Moors opt for private school. Some ex-slaves hopeful said he received a positive Congress chief Rahul Gandhi (#rahulgandhi) checks in place to ensure its users are aged port control when he visited Germany also keep children at home because they do not think response to his candidacy, but was not have got nearly 13 million hits. Total views above 12, which is recommended by the app recently. “They are not fond of the name: schooling is important, added Ramdhane. — Reuters free from criticism on social media plat- for political videos is far higher. Amit itself, the official said. — Reuters It is a global brand name.” — AFP Established 1961

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019 Business Road to riches: Vietnam firm AUB holds annual ceremony to Ooredoo Kuwait presents incredible 12‘could show way for North Korea’ 13 honor its outstanding employees 14 digital revolution at MWC2019

In this file photo, Air France and KLM aircraft stand parked at Schiphol Airport, Netherlands. Shares in Air France-KLM plummeted yesterday, a day after the Dutch government announced it was buying a stake in the troubled airline in a bid to match the French state’s influence. — AFP Air France-KLM shares slump 11% Dutch govt eyes 14% stake to balance French influence

AMSTERDAM/PARIS: Shares in Air France-KLM fell balance the French government’s stake in the group. now look unjustified. “We view this development as was a “fundamental step toward protecting Dutch sharply yesterday after the Dutch government said it The move, which took the French by surprise, came negative,” they wrote. “Government interference is interests”, at a news conference called at short notice would take a 14 percent stake in the airline, highlighting weeks after a confrontation between the Dutch govern- unwelcome and likely to be contrary to investors’ inter- on Tuesday night in the Hague. “Buying this stake tensions between France and the Netherlands over ment and the company’s French-dominated executive ests. Delta Airlines and China Eastern Airlines each also ensures we have a seat at the table.” control of the company. board over waning Dutch influence. hold an 8.8 percent stake in Air France-KLM. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said he had Air France-KLM shares were down by 11 percent by Although Air France and KLM merged back in 2003, not been informed in advance of Dutch plans, and 0855 GMT which analysts said reflected worries that the KLM subsidiary has always maintained an inde- ‘Seat at the table’ added it was essential for Air France-KLM to be “man- governments’ competing interests may run contrary to pendent corporate structure within the group. With the CEO Smith travelled to the Netherlands for a report- aged without national public interference.” those of investors. backing of the Dutch government, the KLM subsidiary edly uncomfortable meeting with Finance Minister Air France this month reported full-year operating “Air France-KLM risks becoming a political football has balked at attempts by Air France-KLM group’s new Hoekstra before an Air France board meeting on Feb. earnings of 266 million euros, compared with 1.07 bil- between two governments,” Liberum analysts said in a Canadian CEO Ben Smith to move toward deeper inte- 19. Sources close to KLM said Smith’s dismissive atti- lion euros at the KLM subsidiary. The group has trailed note. Late on Tuesday, Dutch Finance Minister Wopke gration. Liberum analysts said that while the stake- tude toward Dutch government concerns about the rivals Lufthansa and British Airways on profitability, Hoekstra announced the Netherlands had taken a 12.7 building by the Dutch government appeared to have importance of Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport in the held back by restrictive French union deals and strikes percent stake for 680 million euros ($774 million) and supported the share price over recent days, hopes that group’s future may have played a role in the govern- that last year wiped 335 million euros off earnings and aimed to increase that to about 14 percent, to counter- the French government would eventually sell its shares ment’s decision to act. Hoekstra said buying the stake forced out its CEO. — Reuters

its head toward you, make eye contact and smile. Top gadgets at Its cartoon-like eyes can express “emotions” includ- ing surprise, happiness and sadness, or appear to be sleeping. If you point a camera at it, Liku will smile and Mobile World strike a stylish pose with its arms and legs-even when you take a selfie with it. Congress “We designed LIKU to have an adorable appear- ance, to elicit positive feelings. When people look at Liku, they smile naturally. We hope Liku will be your first robot friend,” said Torooc chief marketing officer BARCELONA: From a tiny robot which strikes a pose JaeHee Chang. The company plans to start shipping the when you point a camera at it to a pocket translator, robot early next year. It is priced at around $2,500 here are five eye-catching devices on display at the (2,200 euros). Mobile World Congress trade fair which opened Monday in Barcelona: Dog health monitoring harness Spanish startup Dinbeat presented a harness for Smartphone-controlled light bulb dogs dubbed the DinbeatPRO which uses sensors to Want to dim the lights in your living room but monitor breathing, body temperature, barking activity don’t feel like getting up from the sofa? China’s level and body position. Xiaomi, the world’s fourth-largest smartphone maker, While there are many activity monitors for pets presented a new connected light bulb-the Mi LED geared for pet owners, the harness was specifically Smart Bulb-that lets users control light color and designed to be used by veterinarians treating hospital- brightness via an app on their phone or Amazon’s ized dogs. “Right now medical devices which were BARCELONA: Sony Xperia 1 smartphones connected to a TV screen are displayed at the Mobile World Congress voice-controlled assistant Alexa. designed for humans, which are much more complicat- (MWC) in Barcelona yesterday. — AFP The company said the light bulb offers 16 million ed and have cables, are used and the animal must be color options. sedated to use them,” said Dinbeat project manager Marina Gomez de Tejada. through the litter before hurling a few handfuls of clean Pocket translator Robot companion litter in the box. It can even send you text notifications The Netherlands-based startup Travis presented a South Korean robotics company Torooc turned LavvieBot for top cats when your cat uses the toilet or when the litter storage pocket-sized smart device that uses artificial intelli- heads with its tiny companion robot called Liku which Going on holiday and have no one to look after your or the waste bin is full. gence to translate conversations between people walks and expresses emotions like a human with its cat? South Korean startup PurrSong displayed an “This is clearly marketed towards cat owners who speaking different languages in real time. large eyes. The robot, just 1.5 feet (0.5 meters ) tall and automatic litter box called the LavvieBot which auto- don’t have the time to take care of their cat all the time, The device has a headphone jack at the bottom, so weighing 2.5 pounds (1.1 kilos), has a forehead camera cleans and auto-refills. or they just want the freedom of not having to clean out you can plug in your own, and it works with wireless that allows it to pick up on our cues to strike up a rap- After your cat does its business inside the machine the litter box every day,” said PurrSong marketing earbuds as well. You select the language you need to be port. If you walk into a room and greet Liku, it will tilt and has left, LavvieBot noiselessly pushes a rake manager Heaven Nam. translated and then just start your conversation. —AFP 12 Established 1961 Business Thursday, February 28, 2019 Global reports KD 14.2m revenues and KD 4.6m net profit in 2018 BoD recommends to AGM to approve Global’s merger with KAMCO

KUWAIT: Global Investment House both entities. The board of directors, in (“Global” or the “Company”), a regional its meeting held on 21st of February asset management and investment bank- 2019, discussed and approved the Marks and Spencer ing firm headquartered in Kuwait, with advice of the independent investment offices in major capital markets in the advisor, including the asset valuation MENA region, yesterday announced its report, and recommended to the agrees deal with financial results for the year ended 31 approval of the Extraordinary General December 2018 reporting a net profit of Assembly the merger with KAMCO KD 4.6 million ($15.2 million) compared according to the swap ration recom- Ocado to sell to KD 2.5 million ($8.3 million) in 2017, mended by the investment advisor, total revenues of KD 14.2 million ($46.7 0.75522821 KAMCO share against each food online million), and fee and commission income Global share, after obtaining regulatory of KD 9.6 million ($31.6million) repre- approvals. LONDON: UK retailer Marks and Spencer yes- senting 67.5 percent of total revenues. Regarding operational performance, terday announced a deal with online supermarket In September 2018, KAMCO com- the asset management business generat- Ocado to deliver M&S food direct to homes, as pleted the acquisition of the majority ed total revenues of KD9.2 million ($30.5 Sulaiman M Al-Shaheen Al-Rubaie Faisal Mansour Sarkhou customers increasingly move to internet shopping. stake thus becoming the largest share- million) and total assets under manage- M&S, which already sells its clothing online and holder owning around 70 percent of the ment stood at KD 863 million ($2.85 bil- focused on launching products and serv- needs offering recurring income/yield is shutting stores, is buying 50 percent of Ocado’s company’s capital with the aim to merge lion). Asset management teams remained ices best suited to clients’ investment accompanied with low volatility. UK retail business for up to £750 million ($994 million, 874 million euros), the two companies said in statements to the London Stock Exchange. The joint venture will be known as Ocado.com. Investor Cerberus Road to riches: Vietnam firm ‘could M&S branded food products will be sold online by September 2020 following the termination of Ocado’s current such deal with UK supermarket open to Deutsche show way for North Korea’ group Waitrose. “I have always believed that M&S food could and should be online,” Marks and Spencer chief Bank merger with executive Steve Rowe said yesterday. “Combining the strength of our food offer with leading online Commerzbank and delivery capability is a compelling proposition to drive long-term growth.” FRANKFURT: US investor Cerberus, a major share- Ocado said the 50/50 joint venture would holder in both Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, is “transform online grocery shopping in the UK”. open to a merger between Germany’s two biggest It added: “The grocery retail sector is undergo- lenders, a person familiar with the matter said yester- ing significant and rapid change as customer expec- day, raising the chances of a tie-up. tations evolve and as spending shifts online.” Marks Speculation of a merger has heightened under the and Spencer is meanwhile in the process of shutting tenure of Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, who has spo- more than 100 stores by 2022. In morning deals, ken in favor of strong banks. Both banks have been shares in M&S slumped 9.5 percent to 274.30 slow to return to sustainable profitability since the pence on London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index global financial crisis. “Cerberus wouldn’t stand in the after the company said it would slash its dividend. way of a merger,” said the person familiar with the It added that it would raise up to £600 million thinking of the US buyout firm. from a rights issue to help fund the Ocado deal. Cerberus holds 3 percent of Deutsche Bank Ocado shares jumped 4.8 percent to 1,038 shares and 5 percent of Commerzbank shares, and pence, topping the FTSE 100, which was down 0.9 was previously opposed to a merger, German news- Vinfast is touted as a possible model for North Korea as it considers opening up its economy.— AFP percent overall at 7,087.20 points. “For Ocado, the paper Handelsblatt reported on Tuesday. The buyout deal is going to replenish it with fresh funds to firm believes there is still room in Germany for two HAI PHONG, Vietnam: A North Korean delegation leaving the factory with a convoy of about 20 cars to continue to invest in distribution centres, to fulfil big banks but that it is an open question whether visited a Vietnamese car factory yesterday ahead of visit an agricultural project owned by the conglomer- the international partnerships it has signed in both can turn around their businesses on their own, Kim Jong Un’s summit with US President Donald ate. Earlier, the North Korean delegation went to recent years,” noted Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at the person said. Cerberus hasn’t yet decided on the Trump, with analysts calling it a potential inspiration Halong Bay, whose towering rocky karsts are the stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown. need for a merger, the person added. Deutsche Bank for Pyongyang-an indigenous plant that symbolizes crown jewels of Vietnam’s tourism sector. In a separate statement, Waitrose said it was and Commerzbank declined to comment. Cerberus growth and prosperity. Kim himself remained in his Hanoi hotel for the day ending a long association with Ocado having representatives in New York didn’t immediately A convoy carrying at least two of Kim’s top aides, as he prepared for his face-to-face meeting and dinner strengthened Waitrose’s own online business. respond to requests for comment outside of normal both of them vice-chairmen of North Korea’s ruling with Trump later yesterday. The North has sought to Ocado hit the news earlier this month when its business hours. Based on Tuesday’s closing prices, a Workers’ Party, visited the Vinfast complex in develop its nascent tourism sector, with Kim oversee- share price tumbled after a fire ripped through a combination of Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank Vietnam’s coastal industrial hub of Haiphong. ing the development of the giant Wonsan-Kalma resort company warehouse operated by robots. The would have an equity market value of almost 25 bil- The long motorcade rolled past lines of people in project under construction on its east coast. Andover facility in southern England is designed lion euros ($28 billion). Vinfast jackets waving Vietnamese and North Korean to handle up to 1,100 robots, or moving containers Deutsche Bank has more than 20 million personal flags. The trip came after Trump, in a morning tweet, ‘Learn a lot’ collecting orders for its solely online customers. and business customers, and Commerzbank around touted an “AWESOME” future for North Korea if it Like China, Vietnam’s Communist authorities have No staff or members of the public were injured as 18 million. Cerberus is among the largest sharehold- gives up its nuclear weapons, and held up rapidly embraced market economics in recent decades and have a result of the blaze. — AFP ers in both banks after buying stakes in 2017. Since growing Vietnam as an example. been rewarded by a glittering economic transformation. its purchase, shares in Deutsche Bank have fallen 51 Vinfast is the Communist country’s first homegrown Expansion has largely been buoyed by the low-cost man- percent, while those of Commerzbank have lost 39 car manufacturer and part of its largest private con- ufacture and export of goods from Nike shoes to Intel percent of their value. Early afternoon in Frankfurt, glomerate-owned by the country’s richest man, multi- processors, and today it is one of Asia’s fastest-growing Deutsche Bank shares were flat, while Commerzbank billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong. economies with GDP rising 7.08 percent last year. was up 1.2 percent. Cerberus is the second-largest The firm unveiled its first two models, a sedan and Vingroup CEO Vuong started out in business selling investor in Commerzbank after the German govern- an SUV, at the Paris Auto Show in November with for- dried noodles in Ukraine, and has grown his empire to ment, which holds a stake of more than 15 percent mer footballer David Beckham brought in to promote become Vietnam’s biggest conglomerate. It owns a after a state bailout. the cars. Using technology licensed from German giant string of holiday resorts, luxury condominiums, shop- Finance Minister Scholz’s team has met frequently BMW and designed by Italian firm Pininfarina-which ping malls, convenience stores, schools, hospitals and with executives of Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank and counts Ferrari among its customers-they are projected farms across the country, with Forbes estimating major shareholders, including Cerberus. to go on sale in September. Vuong’s net worth at $7.8 billion. A merger between the two banks has appeared Production has yet to begin, but Vinfast has poured Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean Studies more likely since last month when two people with the $1.5 billion into its sprawling new factory northeast of at Dongguk University, told AFP that Vietnam was “an knowledge of the matter said time was running out for Hanoi. In contrast, North Korea’s main car company, ideal country to benchmark for North Korea” as it was Deutsche Bank to turn itself around on its own. Pyonghwa-originally set up by the Southern-based “also a socialist country that has achieved significant But some major shareholders see no need for a Unification Church-is said to rebadge vehicles made economic growth through reform”. “But it will be hard deal. “We do think there’s merit in patience,” a per- by Chinese firms such as Dongfeng Motors. The North for North Korea to adopt Vietnam’s model,” he added. son familiar with the thinking of one top-10 Korean delegation led by senior ruling party leader Ri Pyongyang has quietly been reforming its sanctions- In this file photo, a man walks past a branch of Deutsche Bank shareholder said on Wednesday. “We Su Yong toured the gleaming factory where rows of hit economy for years, loosening the shackles on are not in the camp of people that say both Marks and Spencer supermarket in west shiny motorbikes were on display. state-owned enterprises and turning a blind eye to London. — AFP Commerzbank and Deutsche wouldn’t be able to sur- Later the North Koreans held talks with representa- private business activities, but the state retains a sig- vive on their own.” — Reuters tives from Vingroup-Vinfast’s parent company-before nificant role. — AFP

EXCHANGE RATES

Thai Bhat 10.660 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 17.332 Hong Kong Dollar 0.036660 0.039410 Turkish Lira 57.640 AL-MUZAINI EXCHANGE CO. Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.222 Indian Rupee 0.003671 0.004443 Singapore dollars 224.733 Tunisian Dinar 103.150 Indonesian Rupiah 0.000017 0.000023 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES Jordanian Dinar 429.500 Japanese Yen 0.002664 0.002844 US Dollar Transfer 304.300 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 0.203 BAHRAIN EXCHANGE COMPANY WLL Korean Won 0.000262 0.000277 Euro 346.420 Syrian Lira 0.000 Malaysian Ringgit 0.070926 0.076926 Morocco Dirham 32.407 Sterling Pound 400.460 Nepalese Rupee 0.002607 0.002947 CURRENCY BUY SELL Canadian dollar 233.720 Pakistan Rupee 0.001536 0.002306 Europe Turkish lira 58.410 Philippine Peso 0.005801 0.006101 DOLLARCO EXCHANGE CO. LTD British Pound 0.395420 0.409320 Swiss Franc 307.370 Singapore Dollar 0.220195 0.230195 Czech Korune 0.005474 0.014774 US Dollar Buying 297.000 Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001362 0.001942 Rate for Transfer Selling Rate Danish Krone 0.042283 0.047283 Taiwan 0.009762 0.009942 ASIAN COUNTRIES US Dollar 303.790 Euro 0. 338387 0.352087 Thai Baht 0.009356 0.009906 Japanese Yen 2.749 Canadian Dollar 231.355 Georgian Lari 0.112233 0.112223 Vietnamese Dong 0.00013 0.00013 Indian Rupees 4.280 Sterling Pound 404.815 Hungarian 0.001000 0.001190 Pakistani Rupees 2.221 Euro 348.185 Norwegian Krone 0.031444 0.036644 Arab Srilankan Rupees 1.691 Swiss Frank 306.555 Romanian Leu 0.055648 0.072498 Nepali Rupees 2.668 Bahrain Dinar 807.890 Russian ruble 0.004615 0.004615 Bahraini Dinar 0.792194 0.808694 Singapore Dollar 226.840 UAE Dirhams 83.115 Slovakia 0.009088 0.019088 Egyptian Pound 0.017102 0.019702 Hongkong Dollar 38.773 Qatari Riyals 84.350 Swedish Krona 0.028668 0.033668 Iranian Riyal 0.000084 0.000085 Bangladesh Taka 3.583 Saudi Riyals 81.905 Swiss Franc 0.297329 0.0308329 Iraqi Dinar 0.000211 0.000271 Philippine Peso 5.851 Jordanian Dinar 429.760 Jordanian Dinar 0.424078 0.433078 Thai Baht 9.764 Egyptian Pound 17.312 Australasia Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000 Sri Lankan Rupees 1.689 Malaysian ringgit 77.826 Australian Dollar 0.210272 0.222272 Lebanese Pound 0.000151 0.000251 Indian Rupees 4.281 New Zealand Dollar 0.203244 0.212744 Moroccan Dirhams 0.022096 0.046096 Pakistani Rupees 2.189 GCC COUNTRIES America Omani Riyal 0.783682 0.789362 Bangladesh Taka 3.610 Saudi Riyal 81.201 Canadian Dollar 0.225559 0.234559 Qatar Riyal 0.079252 0.084192 Qatari Riyal 83.633 Philippines Pesso 5.853 audi Riyal 0.080020 0.081320 Cyprus pound 18.075 US Dollars 0.300050 0.305350 Omani Riyal 790.903 US Dollars Mint 0.300550 0.305350 Syrian Pound 0.001289 0.001509 Bahraini Dinar 808.560 Japanese Yen 3.745 Tunisian Dinar 0.096150 0.104150 Syrian Pound 1.590 UAE Dirham 82.904 Asia Turkish Lira 0.051021 0.062521 Nepalese Rupees 2.680 UAE Dirhams 0.081384 0.083084 Malaysian Ringgit 75.545 Bangladesh Taka 0.003050 0.003851 ARAB COUNTRIES Chinese Yuan 0.043927 0.047427 Yemeni Riyal 0.000989 0.001069 Egyptian Pound - Cash 19.600 Chinese Yuan Renminbi 45.850 13 Business Thursday, February 28, 2019 AUB holds annual ceremony to honor its outstanding employees

Bank’s senior management and staff

KUWAIT: In the presence of its senior management, Ahli and employees, commended the results achieved by the He highlighted that 2019 offered a wonderful opportunity United Bank held the annual ceremony to honor its out- honored employees during 2018, alluding to the achieve- to grow and contribute further to sustained prosperity of standing employees for the year 2018. The event witnessed ments and the remarkable our customers and the community that we are part of. the distribution of certificates of appreciation and com- progress made by the bank Speaking at the event, the Bank’s General Manager of memorative gifts to the employees who have been in the year after year. Just as Human Resources, Naqeeb Amin, said: “This ceremony Bank’s service for a long time and who have displayed a important as the financial reflects the splendid spirit of our personnel.” This spirit, he high level of commitment and dedication. numbers, the Bank, through added, “is an exceptional example of a positive environ- They have been an inspiration for many of the more its services, has supported ment that highlights the Bank’s ability to keep many of its recent joiners to the Bank. The ceremony also witnessed a large number of busi- employees who are our real wealth. the honoring of the employees and departments that were nesses in individuals in A number of these employees have been with the Bank awarded prestigious international prizes during 2018. Kuwait. This has supported for more than thirty years.” Amin wished the honored AUB holds this annual event in order to underscore its the continued prosperity of employees more progress and success, trusting that the strong belief in the importance of deepening social ties the community and econo- Bank’s recognition and appreciation of their performance among its employees and reward the best performers. Held my. As part of this, the will propel them toward making further efforts and will at Marriott Courtyard Kuwait Hotel the celebration Bank’s performance has support their Bank’s future progress. opened with a recital of verses from the Holy Koran, fol- earned a number of presti- Commenting on the event, Mariam Al-Mudhaf, AUB’s lowed by a number of events and competitions including Naqeeb Amin gious international prizes in Head of Employee Relations & Services, said: “This the distribution of valuable prizes to the participating the year 2018. annual event is a platform for the Bank to express employees. At the end of the event, Tareq Muhmood thanked the Management’s appreciation of the efforts made by the AUB Acting Chief Executive Officer, Tareq Muhmood, Bank’s employees and lauded their performance, adding employees and the contribution made by each of them to honored the outstanding and best performing departments that they were the main factor behind the Bank’s progress. the Bank’s success.” Tareq Muhmood

billion. The buyout marked the capstone of Bayer faces Bayer’s transformation into a “focused life science company clearly aligned to the VIVA announces new marathon megatrends in health and agriculture,” chief executive Werner Baumann said. nationwide 5G after mammoth Marathon challenges ahead But while bosses eye future revenue services with Monsanto merger opportunities, the company’s feet are tan- gled in a thicket of 11,200 cases in the US alleging health problems caused by Huawei in 2019 FRANKFURT: German chemicals and phar- Monsanto herbicide glyphosate. A maceuticals giant Bayer reported plunging California jury last year awarded a long- KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and most time user of the weedkiller almost $290 profits for 2018 after taking over US agri- developed telecom operator, announced the estab- million after he argued it caused his non- chemical firm Monsanto, with years of hard lishment of a 5G Innovation Center, with the aim to Hodgkin’s lymphoma, although the judge work ahead of the group to fight off legal explore, develop, and launch new 5G use cases in risks related to the merger and to keep later reduced the award and Bayer has appealed. A first federal case got under Kuwait by 2019. Currently VIVA is already in action profits flowing in its medicines division. to rollout a nationwide 5G network with over 1000 Net profit at the Leverkusen-based way this week, also in California, one of seven trials scheduled for this year. “We’ll 5G NR sites supported by a massive device ecosys- group tumbled 76.9 percent, to 1.7 billion need a certain number of cases to move tem of more than 100K devices including 5G CPEs, euros ($1.9 billion), as costs from the $63 through the courts to have an idea of what setting the benchmark as one of the largest 5G com- billion mega-merger as well as one-off direction” the risks for the company are LEVERKUSEN: The logo of German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer can be mercial rollouts in the world up to date. The 5G inno- effects burdened the bottom line. headed, Baumann said. seen at the company’s headquarters in Leverkusen, western Germany, yesterday. — AFP vation center comes to enforce VIVA’s 5G business Bayer highlighted a windfall in the pre- “From our perspective, we are crystal strategy execution and will open the door for new vious year from selling shares in former business models such as ultra-broadband, IoT, smart clear that it’s a safe product,” he added, “several million” euros on preparing for the operating profit before special items to 12.2 polymers division Covestro that made for pointing to dozens of scientific studies as well city services, and position VIVA as the undisputed risk of a no-deal Brexit that could see new billion. It plans to sell off business areas an unfavorable comparison with 2018. as regulatory findings from major countries leader in 5G era. trade hurdles between the European main- like animal health, parts of its over-the- Operating, or underlying profit before spe- that back the company’s position. Elsewhere On this occasion, Eng Zarrar Khan, VIVA’s CTO land and Britain, stashing between 8 weeks counter medicines unit and Currenta, the cial items grew 2.8 percent to 9.5 billion in the business, Baumann acknowledged that said: “Two months back, VIVA celebrated its 10th and 12 months’ supply of many drugs. But spin-off German firm that operates its for- euros, while revenues rose 4.5 percent to the company’s pipeline of future pharmaceu- year anniversary, the growth we witnessed in the past reach 39.6 billion, adjusting for price and tical products “could be stronger, there’s no some radioactive treatments like Xofigo mer chemical parks. Meanwhile 12,000 represents an amazing success story. We provided currency effects. question about it”. At the moment block- can’t be stored long-term, leaving the firm workers are set to depart in a restructuring best in class Telco services to our customers, invest- The group had to sell off part of its buster drugs, including anticoagulant Xarelto to negotiate “special allowances” to import scheme running until 2021, many of them in ed in latest cutting edge technologies, and boosted existing seeds and pesticides businesses to or cancer treatments Stivarga and Xofigo, them, Baumann said. Germany. Bayer is working with worker Kuwait leadership in ICT era. rival BASF to get the Monsanto deal past bring in 6.8 billion euros of revenue a year. “Hopefully we won’t need any of it” if representatives to offer early retirement Moving forward, we intend to position VIVA as competition authorities, bringing in 4.1 bil- But many of their patents are set to run out in the EU strikes a deal with Britain, a market and other schemes to ease the transition first operator in the world to deliver true 5G NR lion euros. Costs for special items at the the mid-2020s, with few candidates to take worth around one billion in revenue to for those leaving, human resources chief experience, with the planned nationwide coverage, group rose from 1.2 billion euros in 2017 to their place as surefire top sellers. Bayer annually, he added. Worldwide in Hartmut Klusik said. Shares in Bayer our clients will have access to 5G networks and 2.6 billion last year. And charges linked to 2019, Bayer is confident of reaching 46 bil- topped the gainers on the blue-chip DAX experience new services. The establishment of the the Monsanto takeover weighed in at 2.0 Optimistic for 2019 lion euros in adjusted sales-around four index in midday trading in Frankfurt, rising 5G innovation center will help us to drive digitaliza- billion euros, while depreciations cost 3.3 Baumann said that Bayer had spent percent higher than 2018 — and lifting 4.2 percent to reach 69.29 euros. — AFP tion across vertical sectors, Industries from telemedi- cine to smart cities to public safety will thrive with the support of 5G infrastructure. The networks will “They sold between $15 and $20 million to the enable new revenue streams, enhance operational Zimbabwe sold up banks,” said one executive whose bank bought dollars US business efficiency, reduce costs, and ultimately uplift the from the RBZ. “But that will be exhausted by the end of standard of living across Kuwait. next week, and that is when reality will kick in.” VIVA Kuwait chose Huawei as strategic partner to to $20 million to ‘We will run out soon’ groups urge support its 5G rollout, leveraging Huawei’s 5G lead- Another executive at one of Zimbabwe’s three ership and E2E Ecosystem. Over the past 10 years, banks for trade on biggest banks confirmed the amount and added: “The Trump to delay VIVA and Huawei collaborated to deliver successful problem is that there is huge demand, but no one is 3G/4G services, this 5G move reflect VIVA’s confi- new forex platform selling, so we will run out pretty soon.” Dealers at tariff hike dence and trust in Huawei’s capabilities. banks said the reason sellers were not coming forward 5G is the next generation wireless network, was because they wanted a higher rate for dollars. WASHINGTON: Over 150 business groups sent a letter to enabling new 5G use cases to emerge and transform HARARE: Zimbabwe’s central bank has sold up to $20 On the black market, $1 bought 3.6 RTGS, President Donald Trump yesterday urging him to publish a the way live, with its ultra-high capacity, services such million to banks for trading on a newly-launched forex unchanged from Tuesday. But dealers said the central federal notice that makes clear tariffs do not automatically as VR/AR, 4K/8K video live streaming will provide interbank market, but the money could be exhausted by bank was giving indications to the market that it did increase on Saturday, after his decision to delay a steep immersive experiences, critical communication use the end of next week due to high demand, banking not want the official rate to move beyond 2.5 for now. tariff hike on Chinese goods. cases including driverless cars and drones will revolu- sources said yesterday. Zimbabweans had hoped the “You then ask yourself whether this is really a free Trump announced the delay on Sunday, without giving tionize transportation industry, sensors, machines and end of Robert Mugabe’s rule in 2017 after an army coup float,” a dealer at a Harare bank said. The central bank specifics, after his top trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer, and smart devices will be all connected bringing the smart would change their economic fortunes, but have instead says it removed the 1:1 dollar peg to benefit exporters Chinese Vice Premier Liu He wrapped up seven days of talks. city dream into reality. 5G will touch each and every watched as a severe dollar crunch hobbles businesses who previously surrendered a portion of their dollars The announcement was the clearest sign yet that China and aspect of our lives for the better. and brings shortages of medicines, fuel and food. at the official rate. the United States are closing in on a deal to end a months- Many anticipated walking into banks to buy US dol- Exporters, including miners who earn the most dol- long trade war between the world’s two largest economies lars after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) lars for the economy, can now sell part of their US dol- that has slowed global growth and disrupted markets. scrapped a discredited 1:1 dollar peg for surrogate lars at the 2.5 rate. But they can only keep dollars in Tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports had bond notes and electronic dollars last week, merging local foreign currency accounts for 30 days, after been set to rise to a prohibitive 25 percent from the cur- them into a lower-value transitional currency called the which they are required to sell on the interbank market. rent 10 percent if no deal were reached by Friday. RTGS dollar. This, the central bank hopes, will create a ready pool of “Although we are encouraged by the latest signs of But banks were under orders to restrict transac- dollars for importers and the government. progress, it is important to note that existing tariffs and tions to companies and individuals with foreign pay- But some analysts are skeptical, saying exporters shifting deadlines are hanging over American businesses ments to make that would stimulate economic growth, should be allowed to keep all their dollars and only sell and farmers and undermining their ability to grow, invest, according to a central bank directive seen by Reuters. when they need to, if Zimbabwe is to attract foreign and plan for the future,” the letter said. That, and the fact the exchange rate has remained investment. “This is not much of a currency reform. The business groups include the American Petroleum stuck at around 2.5 RTGS to the dollar since the cur- They just merged the RTGS (electronic dollars) and Institute, the National Retail Federation, the Retail rency started trading on Friday, brought criticism from bond notes and devalued the exchange rate, but Industry Leaders Association, the Internet Association bankers and economists that it was not the monetary everything remains the same,” said Tony Hawkins, pro- and the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association reform needed. fessor of business studies at the University of among others. They are part of the Americans For The central bank sold what it called “seed” US dol- Zimbabwe. In another sign of the acute dollar short- Free Trade coalition. US businesses paid an additional lars to a handful of banks on Friday, but RBZ governor ages, long queues resurfaced at petrol stations this $2.7 billion in tariffs in November 2018, according to VIVA’s chairman and Huawei’s Chairman attend the sign- John Mangudya and Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube week where fuel is supplied by government purchases data from a coalition of US business groups fighting ing ceremony have refused to say the amount. in the US currency. — Reuters trade tariffs. — Reuters 14 Established 1961 Business Thursday, February 28, 2019 Ooredoo Kuwait presents incredible digital revolution at MWC2019 Al-Thani: ANA is Kuwait’s first all-digital customized product for our customers

BARCELONA: Ooredoo Kuwait announced yesterday at Mobile World Congress MWC2019 - taking place until February 28th - the launch of ANA, the first operator to provide personalized mobile plans to enrich customers’ digital lives in partnership with Matrixx Software, a Silicon Valley-based company that spe- cializes in advanced mobile software, to digitally transform the mobile experience for mobile customers in Kuwait. ‘ANA’ is powered by Matrixx, which specializes in helping mobile customers buy, manage, share and pay for digital services. Ooredoo is the first operator in the Kuwait market to launch such a serv- ice, which provides an all-digital, individu- ally customized mobile product that gives customers complete control of their mobile plans and digital worlds, and makes it easier to buy, use and pay for Ooredoo Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Thani and Dave Labuda A group photo with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Thani services directly from their mobile phones. Speaking to media about this outstand- ing achievement, Chief Executive Officer Customers can create their own mobile strategy that we are pursuing in Ooredoo networks, this new service will further and Founder, Matrixx Software, said: at Ooredoo Kuwait Sheikh Mohammed number, make appointments, track health, Kuwait and living up to our vision of enhance customers’ enjoyment of digital “Partnering with Ooredoo is part of our bin Abdullah Al-Thani said: “In line with pay bills, and much more. We are proud to enriching people’s digital lives”. services. mission of making it possible for Ooredoo the MWC theme of ‘Intelligent push the digital experience boundaries for The launch of ANA reiterates Ooredoo is keen to use ANA to help to lead digital transformation in Kuwait Connectivity,’ our new digital mobile our customers, bringing the best of Silicon Ooredoo’s position as a market leader in empower a growing population of young, and succeed in the on-demand economy. services in Kuwait enrich our customers Valley through our partnership with digital transformation, having spearhead- digital savvy customers with the latest Our technology works by providing a new digital experiences with the freedom to Matrixx”. Al-Thani further added, “the ed many pivotal initiatives, such as the technology, in line with Kuwait’s commercial platform for rapid digital choose and customize the digital package launch of Kuwait’s first all-digital, individ- introduction of the first eSIM in Kuwait, Government wider digital transformation transformation. It is increasingly impor- that fits their needs through features like ually customized mobile product is a true and ground-breaking 5G trials. Combined plans related to New Kuwait 2035. tant for mobile operators to be able to eSIM, roaming and booster packs. reflection of our digital transformation with Ooredoo’s award winning superfast Dave Labuda, Chief Executive Officer offer tailored mobile solutions.” Warba Bank to UFM holds conduct Al-Sunbula ‘facility draw today management professional’ KUWAIT: Warba Bank, “the Best investment Bank” and “Best Corporate Bank” in Kuwait, will be conducting its weekly Sunbula draw number 9 today at 11 am in pres- training course ence of a representative from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Bank officials. KUWAIT: United Facilities Al-Sunbula both account and fixed deposits are the Management Company K.S.C.C (UFM), perfect choices for customers who wish to save money a subsidiary of United Real Estate and achieve steady returns while at the same time have Company K.S.C.P (URC), one of the the opportunity to win cash prizes throughout the year. leading real estate development compa- In line with the bank’s mission to develop and differenti- nies in the Middle East and North ate its offerings, Warba Bank has enhanced its Sunbula Africa, organized the “Facility campaign for 2019 with more cash and prizes reaching Management Professional” training more than KD 1 million. course in collaboration with Warba Bank will continue its weekly draws for 5 win- International Facility Management applying the latest facilities manage- UFM to its facilities such as Marina local market. “UFM’s membership with ners of KD 1,000 each. What’s new in 2019 are the Association (IFMA) in Marina Hotel ment systems towards community safe- Hotel, Marina Mall World and KIPCO IFMA is part of the company’s strate- “Mega Draws” which will be held every quarter to from 10th to 14th February 2019. The ty and sustainability. Tower, in which he considered UFM one gies to provide its clients with a high reveal five winners, the 1st winner will get KD 100,000! training course was conducted by Robert Blakey is a renowned interna- of the best facilities management quality of facilities management servic- The four winners thereafter will each get the latest Land IFMA’s accomplished instructor, Robert tional developer and trainer of modern providers in the region. es for governmental, private and oil sec- Cruiser VXR. Furthermore, the final Mega draw held in Blakey, and attended by UFM’s employ- facilities management systems who Ahmad Yousef Al-Kandari, UFM tors in line with the international stan- January 2020 will feature 2 more Land Cruiser VXRs! ees and facility managers from govern- takes a unique approach to life-cycle Vice Chairman and Chief Executive dards,” Al-Kandari said. As for the chances for winning, each customer is eligible mental and private sectors. studies with an outcome that impacts Officer, expressed his happiness for Al-Kandari also expressed his to enter the draw against each KD 10 in the Sunbula The training course is part of UFM’s society on several different levels to organizing “Facility Management appreciation to the engineering affairs Account. Nevertheless, Sunbula Fixed Deposit learning and development approach include global, organizational, program Professional” training course in collabo- department at Amiri Diwan for their investors also get chances in the Sunbula draws along towards its engineers and technicians in and individual. During his visit to ration with IFMA to both UFM’s engi- participation in the training course to with high expected returns that reach up to 3.5 percent addition to other facilities management Kuwait, Blakey highly admired the facil- neers as well as various facilities man- develop and optimize their facilities distributed either monthly or at maturity upon the cus- professionals in the work force by ity management services provided by agement professional trainees from the management services in Kuwait. tomer’s preference. Furthermore, Warba Bank is leveraging on its Customer Onboarding solution, in line with its ambitious five-year strategy that enables non-Warba Bank cus- tomers to request the opening of Al-Sunbula account in Burgan Bank’s a simple electronic manner without having to visit the EU tells Italy to sort branch, through 5 simple steps in 5 minutes. New cus- airport branch to tomers will be able to request opening the account at out its public finances anytime, anywhere, through the new and unique elec- tronic system used to implement this service. service customers BRUSSLES: The EU yesterday urged Italy to clean Representatives will then contact the customer to deter- up its public finances, telling the populist government mine the appropriate time to visit the branch to get 24 hours a week in Rome that urgent work was needed given the coun- required signatures, verify the customer’s identity, deliv- try’s “weakening” economic prospects. er his/her debit card, and activate the account. Italy watered down key measures in its big-spend- KUWAIT: Ensuring optimal and ongoing ing budget late last year under pressure from the EU, customer service for its growing cus- which threatened to impose fines if Rome broke its tomer base, Burgan Bank announced that deficit and debt-reduction commitments. its airport branch will remain open 24 But the European Commission, the bloc’s executive hours for seven days a week starting from arm, insisted that Italy’s ruling coalition of the anti- Joy Alukkas receives 3 March 2019. The service will ensure all establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the far- existing and new customers have continu- right League party need to do more to get Italy’s al access to the banks operations, their books in order. “Our message to Italy today is also IAA award accounts, as well as to new products and familiar: that it must take steps to improve the quality services. The staff at the Airport branch of its public finances, increase the efficiency of its COCHIN: Joyalukkas Group Chairman Joy Alukkas will be on call and available at all times to public administration and justice system, enhance its receiving special award from International President benefit its customer’s different banking business environment, and strengthen its labor market of IAA Sreenivasan Swamy at the 44th International and the financial system,” Economics Affairs Advertising World Summit at Cochin. requests and requirements. Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is the Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said at the launch of a youngest commercial Bank and second report on the economies of EU member states. “Moreover, the urgency of doing so is all the greater largest by assets in Kuwait, with a signifi- given Italy’s weakening economic outlook.” cant focus on the corporate and financial The report listed a series of major concerns about institutions sectors, as well as having a Italy’s economy including high levels of government growing retail, and private bank customer debt, non-performing loans and unemployment. base. Burgan Bank has majority owned The report warned that even with Italy’s watered- subsidiaries in the MENAT region sup- down spending plans, the government’s debt ratio is ported by one of the largest regional “not expected to decline in the coming years”. branch networks which include Gulf Bank The Italian economy contracted in the fourth quar- Algeria - AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad ter of 2018 because of a slowdown in exports, plung- - BOB (Iraq & Lebanon),Tunis ing the eurozone’s third-largest economy into reces- International Bank - TIB (Tunisia), and sion and increasing the government’s budgetary prob- fully owned Burgan Bank - Turkey, (col- lems. Italy’s public debt is a big problem, sitting at a lectively known as the “Burgan Bank huge 2.3 trillion euros ($2.6 trillion), or 131 percent of Group”). Furthermore, Burgan Bank has a the nation’s annual economic output-way above the present in the UAE through its corporate 60 percent ceiling set by the EU. Earlier this month, office (“Burgan Financial Services Italian unions led a protest of hundreds of thousands Limited) which had helped the bank to of people in Rome to demand pro-growth policies, the participate in multiple financing opportu- biggest such demonstration in four years. — AFP nities in the UAE. 15 Established 1961

Thursday, February 28, 2019 What’s On

Ooredoo’s 5G-Enabled Aerial Taxi Lands at Mobile World Congress Visitors can experience the power of 5G by taking a VR ‘flight’ over Doha, Qatar in the Aerial Taxi

oredoo, one of the world’s leading ICT providers, is how 5G is poised to help bring about a complete transfor- commercial 5G network in Qatar, and trialled the first inter- ving 5G connected Aerial Taxi at our pavilion, where users demonstrating how 5G can revolutionise transport, mation of society. national 5G call in the Arab World. Now, Ooredoo has more can sit inside the taxi and experience the thrill of flying over Owith the world’s first 5G-enabled Self-Driving 5G The self-driving 5G connected Aerial Taxi is not the only than 100 live 5G sites in Qatar, has done 5G tests and trials Doha in Virtual Reality. We’re proud to showcase Qatar’s connected Aerial Taxi landing at its booth at Mobile World futuristic service on show that will leverage the superior in Indonesia, Kuwait and Maldives, and has set up a 5G leadership in 5G and Smart City applications, and show a Congress 2019 (MWC19). MWC19 is being held in speed and low latency of 5G. Ooredoo is also offering live Technology Centre Myanmar. world of future-oriented services, which fits perfectly with Barcelona on 25-28 February under the theme of “Intelligent demonstrations of how the technology can enable innova- Sheikh Saud Bin Nasser Al-Thani, Group Chief MWC19’s theme of ‘Intelligent Connectivity’.” Connectivity” and is expected to attract some 107,000 pro- tive services including child location monitoring, stadium Executive Officer, Ooredoo, said: “We took an early global Ooredoo is preparing 1,200 network stations to be 5G- fessionals from over 200 countries and territories. security using drones, and intelligent connected apps to lead in 5G technology when we were the world’s first com- ready, spreading the benefits of the technology nationwide The aerial taxi, which is on display at Ooredoo’s booth - assist visitors at mega events such as the upcoming football munications company to launch commercially-ready 5G in in Qatar. Visit the Ooredoo pavilion in Hall 2H60 at MWC19 complete with a Virtual Reality experience that simulates tournament in Qatar in 2022. 2018. In this year’s Mobile World Congress, we’re anticipat- at Fira Gran Via, Fira Montjuic and La Farga L’Hospitalet, flying over Qatar’s capital Doha - is just one example of Over the past year, Ooredoo launched the world’s first ing great interest in our 5G demos, particularly the self-dri- Barcelona.

extended its thanks and appreciation to the hard-work- Gulf Bank celebrates ing Kuwait’s police force, with a number of employees visiting police checkpoints to thank them for their work over the course of the country’s celebrations. Speaking Kuwait National Day of the celebration, Ahmad Al-Amir, Assistant General Manager for External Communications, Gulf Bank com- and Liberation Day mented, “On behalf of Gulf Bank, we extend our congrat- ulations and thanks to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- ulf Bank, one of Kuwait’s leading banks, and its Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Crown Prince employees celebrated the Kuwait National Day Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. We would and Liberation Day, displaying national pride on also like to wish the people of the country a Happy Ahmad Al-Amir G the occasion of the 58th National Day. The bank also National and Liberation Day.” NBK Family shares National Day Burgan Bank spirit with hospitalized children celebrates National Days with staff n celebration of Kuwait`s National days, Burgan Bank - Internal Communication honored and shared in the Icountry’s joy with its staff from the head office and their branches. Reflecting national pride, the bank deco- rated and illuminated its main branch with the colors of the Kuwaiti flag. They also handed special gifts and badges decorated with slogans symbolic of patriotism to the delighted employees. Held under a festive spirit, the employees expressed their joy of the initiative via their respective social media channels. Burgan Bank congratu- lates the residents of Kuwait on the occasion of the nationwide celebrations. CBK receives special needs students n the occasion of Kuwait’s inde- by the children during the celebration. Also, n celebrating the 68th National Day and chairman Sheikh Ahmad Duaij Al-Sabah, various occasions and stressed that receiving pendence and the anniversary of its NBK family shared with the children the the 28th Liberation Day anniversaries, CEO Elham Mahfouz and a number of the Al-Amal school students is part of the bank’s Oliberation, National Bank of decoration of healthy cookies using black, Ithe Commercial Bank of Kuwait’s (CBK) bank’s executives. community services through sponsoring Kuwait’s (NBK) family paid a visit to NBK white, green and red Kuwait’s flag colors on corporate communication sector recently In this regard, CBK’s deputy manager for activities that boost patriotism. Wer’a added Children’s Hospital at Sabah Medical dis- the occasion of the national celebrations. received students from Al-Amal School for communal communication affairs Amani Al- that using sign language, the students were trict to share happy National moments of The visit is part of NBK’s national cele- boys; a special education school. The Wer’a stressed that CBK is keen on commu- briefed about various services and promo- Kuwait’s celebrations with the children and bration month at the hospital. The month of reception was attended by CBK’s board nicating with various society categories on tional offers CBK provides. their families. February included several events like draw- ing, designing and coloring Kuwait flag, maps and characters on canvas to celebrate the patriotic spirit. NBK’s visits to the children targeted chil- dren, nurses and doctors. NBK is committed to provide a healthy environment for chil- dren to be able to stand for their treatment strong and happy. NBK is proud seeing chil- dren happy every week there is a visit. The visit to the hospital was emotional and overwhelming for both the children and NBK family. It reflects the bank’s high The celebration comes as part of a pro- sense of duty and responsibility towards all gram designed to engage with children and those in need from different sectors of runs all year long. Children and the society. It is a well rooted tradition that has Hospital’s team took part in the fun activity been carried out by NBK each year in its to celebrate the National Day. Flags, pins, efforts to continuously have an active role caps and Kuwaiti theme clothes were worn in the Kuwait society. 16 Health & Science Thursday, February 28, 2019 China drafts new rules to ban rogue scientists after gene-editing uproar BEIJING: China has drafted new rules to supervise research without proper authorization, and the govern- genome of healthy babies,” Silva told AFP. “There was no biotechnology research, with fines and bans against rogue ment can stop the work. Scientists can also be fined 10 to reason to put these two babies through an untested and scientists after a Chinese researcher caused a global out- 20 times the amount of “illegal income” earned from potentially very dangerous, life-altering procedure,” Silva cry by claiming that he gene-edited babies. unauthorized research and be banned from their field of said. Eight volunteer couples — HIV-positive fathers and The announcement comes as He Jiankui’s controversial work for six months to one year. HIV-negative mothers — signed up for He’s trial. A sec- experiment continues to transfix the scientific community, “If the circumstances are serious, their medical prac- ond woman became pregnant in the experiment but it is with researchers saying the procedure had the potential tice license shall be revoked and the individual shall not unknown if she has given birth yet. of enhancing the learning capabilities and memory of the engage in clinical research for life,” the rules say. He babies. He announced in November that the world’s first Jiankui has been placed under police investigation, the Who funded it? gene-edited babies — twin girls — were born that same government ordered a halt to his research work and he Miou Zhou, a professor at the Western University of month after he altered their DNA to prevent them from was fired by his Chinese university. Health Sciences in California, told AFP he was “shocked” contracting HIV by deleting a certain gene under a tech- by the controversial experiment, which could inflame nique known as CRISPR. Smarter babies? speculation about the creation of super-intelligent The claim shocked scientists worldwide, raising ques- His experiment involved deleting a gene called CCR5, a humans using gene-editing technology. “Because I have tions about bioethics and putting a spotlight on China’s process that could also enhance memory and the brain’s been studying CCR5 on cognitive function in mice for a lax oversight of scientific research. ability to make new connections — linking it to academic long time, I remember my first reaction was why (did) he Gene-editing for reproductive purposes is illegal in success, according to a study published last week in the choose CCR5 to make the first genetically edited most countries. China’s health ministry issued regulations journal Cell. “Certain aspects of cognitive function, babies?” Zhou said. in 2003 prohibiting gene-editing of human embryos, including long term memory, could have been enhanced During a human genome summit in Hong Kong last though the procedure is allowed for “non-reproductive by the CCR5 mutation in the twin girls,” said Alcino Silva, year, He Jiankui acknowledged he knew about the poten- purposes”. a neurobiologist at the University of California, Los tial brain effects of tinkering with the CCR5 gene from The announcement comes as He Jiankui’s controversial The new rules unveiled by Beijing on Tuesday pro- Angeles (UCLA). Silva’s and Zhou’s previous research dating back to 2016. experiment continues to transfix the scientific community, pose to classify technology used for extracting genetic His team first discovered how the CCR5 gene affected “I saw... (Silva’s) paper, it needs more independent ver- with researchers saying the procedure had the potential materials, gene editing, gene transfer and stem cell learning and memory in mice in 2016. ification,” he replied when asked about it during a Q&A of enhancing the learning capabilities and memory of the research as “high risk”. The study by Silva and others showed people who nat- session. “I am against using genome editing for enhance- babies. — AFP Health authorities under the central government would urally lack the CCR5 gene recover more quickly from ment.” Investigators told Xinhua that He was “pursuing manage such research. The State Council, China’s cabinet, strokes. People missing at least one copy of the gene also personal fame” and used “self-raised funds” for the would be responsible for “the supervision and administra- seem to have better learning abilities, it said, suggesting a experiment. But a November submission by He’s team to experiment. The program, however, denies funding He’s tion of clinical research and applications throughout the possible role in everyday intelligence. the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry has identified the project. A statement on its official WeChat social media country,” according to the rules. The new draft proposes “It is very possible that other aspects of cognitive Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Free account said it “never sponsored” He’s experiments and fines of between 50,000 and 100,000 yuan ($7,500 and function (of the twins) may have also been disrupted. We Exploration Project — a publicly-funded program over- that the information provided to the clinical trial registry $15,000) for scientists or institutions that carry out simply do not know enough at this time to be altering the seen by the local government — as bankrolling the “was not true”. — AFP 17

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CROSSWORD 2145 STAR TRACK

Aries (March 21-April 19) Libra (September 23-October 22)

Go shopping. Take a trip. You’ve got pent-up energy that needs to be You feel loved and you have a clarity of spirit both on your emotional released. There are ways you can satisfy that liveliness because some of this ener- state and your finances. You can help your friends now to understand life’s situa- gy is sexual in nature. You don’t want to be hemmed in right now at all. You need tions better. Work goes wonderfully meaning nothing has come up to bother you people to bounce ideas off and the time to do it. Any subject is open and isn’t there today, Libra. Today and tonight is a time of communicating to a lover your taboo. Laughing is at the forefront and not because you’re the comedian, Aries. desires and motivations. There are always reasons for everything and it always You need to vent and this is the way you can. Have a wonderful day and culminate takes two when lovers are involved. Use your most diplomatic behavior and it with a nice dinner with friends or family. understating in realizing you’re part of the two.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Carefully think over whether you really want to end what you per- ceive to be a dead-end job right now. You may want to return to school for more A work acquaintance might have you traveling or making plans to visit education but you need to create a way to eat and sleep too. Get the necessaries him or her. This is something you’ve looked forward to doing but may have the slight- together before you make a major move. Think. Take some time alone. Read a est fear of the unknown since it takes you out of your comfort zone. This could be the book to get your brain to process all that’s going through it. Make it a read that blessing of a lifetime for you where career is concerned and could give you the very you can neglect and still reflect intelligently without problems. You’re wishing for wealth you need. Higher education may be involved and only serves to move you change, Taurus. Use care for what you ask. Energy and thought manifest. towards your goals. Though this is a difficult time to be calm you need to try.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

You may be asked to start a new group at your job. Jump on it. You’ll Those you love are helping you through a tough time. It’s appreciat- get to show your intelligence and manner of handling people and new work. ed. Don’t allow yourself to fall down the crevice of a depressed emotional ice- Superiors have noticed your ability to sum things up, cut through the red tape berg. Realize that you’re one tough cookie, always have been, always will be. You and communicate well with people in your group. You boss is sure you can han- can do anything you need. Even though work related problems arise, know you ACROSS 80. Filled or abounding with clouds. dle anything that comes up, Gemini, because he or she has already seen it. On have them beaten, Sagittarius. You’re looked upon with fondness by those who 1. A magnetic tape recorder for recording 81. A loose sleeveless outer garment made another note, you may feel alone today even in a crowd. Don’t worry this is short hired you. Others don’t matter. Keep your wits about you and march forward (and playing back) TV programs. from aba cloth. lived. Try to do something you like after work. with your head held high. Go out tonight and enjoy with friends. Make sure you 4. A female ballet dancer. have those you love around you. 12. South American wood sorrel cultivated DOWN for its edible tubers. 1. The act of going to see some person or 15. A self-funded retirement plan that place or thing for a short time. allows you to contribute a limited 2. United States writer (1871-1900). Cancer (June 21-July 22) yearly sum toward your retirement. 3. An Indian side dish of yogurt and Capricorn (December 22-January 19) 16. Increased or intensified in value or chopped cucumbers and spices. Career is at the forefront because you may have to choose between beauty or quality. 4. Lacking or deprive of the sense of hear- Be careful not to overextend yourself now. Your mind is speeding work and whether you’re enjoying yourself while doing it. You’re working about 17. An anxiety disorder characterized by ing wholly or in part. through ideas and evaluations of those thoughts at a bullets pace. You may as many hours as you’re with family. You need to love what you’re doing. If chronic free-floating anxiety and such 5. A former copper coin of Pakistan. decide you want to start a new company or expand the one you’re with now. You you’re not a new place of employment is being sought. Respect is what you symptoms as tension or sweating or 6. A state in New England. may even be seen helping to build the building you’ll house later or running laps need. If you’re getting it at work then that goes a long way towards fulfillment. trembling of light-headedness or irri- 7. A deep bow. because you feel you need to exercise in order to blow off some excitement. This As a parent if you’re looking for respect and if you’ve got children you know tability etc that has lasted for more 8. The compass point midway between is all good, Capricorn. Enjoy the sensation. You’ve worked for it. Things fall right that’s not something you’re likely to achieve anytime soon. Get it at work if you than six months. northeast and east. into place as if it’s meant to be and it is. 18. An island in the southern Mariana 9. Fiddler crabs. can Cancer because you’re probably only going to be frustrated at home. Meet Islands that is the administrative center 10. Being one more than six. with friends tonight. of the United States Trust Territory of 11. Swelling from excessive accumulation the Pacific Islands. of serous fluid in tissue. 20. The period of time during which you 12. A member of the Siouan people for- Aquarius (January 20- February 18) are absent from work or duty. merly inhabiting the Black Hills of 21. Title for a civil or military leader (espe- western South Dakota. cially in Turkey). 13. An enclosure made or wire or metal Leo (July 23-August 22) This is a nice time to reflect and communicate with others on work, 22. The Palestinian uprising (beginning in bars in which birds or animals are home and family. Clear thought helps you work harder and be more efficient. 1987) against the Israeli occupation of kept. Workmates love working with you and show it as do you for them. Someone at work lends some sympathy when you’re feeling down about timeta- the West Bank and Gaza Strip. 14. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christian You’re enjoying what you do in your career and consider the people you’re bles and how to get things done effectively. Family tries to unite around you with 24. Special design or visual object repre- mythology. working with are becoming a work family to you. Your emotions are making you love and understanding, Aquarius. You’re learning through experience now as senting a quality, type, group, etc.. 19. Low-growing tropical perennials think back to years ago and another time when life was great for you. The mem- you have in the past how much your family is there for you and how they’ve 26. A bluish shade of green. grown for their stingless foliage. ories are mounting and you don’t even realize, Leo, that you’re creating memo- helped you through some emotional times before. You might even be thinking of 27. Giant treelike plant having edible nuts 23. Causing fear or dread or terror. ries now. Your homelife and family are good and that’s what really matters. You making changes in your love life now. Take your time. Those words are what and leafstalks that yield a refreshing 25. Lacking either stimulating or irritating need to be needed and it’s okay. you’ve noticed is a prominent theme this month. drink of clear watery sap. characteristics. 30. (Akkadian) God of wisdom. 28. Being one more than six. 32. An independent ruler or chieftain 29. A trivalent metallic element of the rare (especially in Africa or Arabia). earth group. 33. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly 31. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising Virgo (August 23-September 22) Pisces (February 19-March 20) aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking solely the razorbill. true stems and roots and leaves. 34. The 3rd letter of the Hebrew alphabet. You’ve made it. You’re back at work and guess what, you have the Thank goodness yesterday is over and some modicum of normalcy 36. Tree of the genus Catalpa with large 35. Lighted up by or as by fire or flame. drive and the oomph to complete long-term projects at work now. People enjoy has returned to your life today. People seem to care for you again. They’re at your leaves and white flowers followed by 37. Having winglike extensions. your enthusiasm especially your boss. You’ve got more than just work on your beck and call, or almost, when you request help. Your grasp of the abstract at work long slender pods. 38. A sharp hooked claw especially on a mind though. You want your life to be better in the health department as well, today propels you forward in job expectations. Receive compliments with tact and 41. Marked by or showing unaffected sim- bird of prey. Pisces. You might take a cooking course for fifteen-minute meals or decide to gratitude. At home or with a lover, talk about philosophy. It’ll be well received now, plicity and lack of guile or worldly 39. A tricycle (usually propelled by ped- meet for online adventures with a romantic get-a-way dating match market. Virgo. Do something physical to burn off some of the attitude residue from yester- experience. alling). Everything you touch is wonderful. As you create better, you want more now. day. Go swimming or dine around water. It’ll top off your evening. 42. Leaf or strip from a leaf of the talipot 40. A small constellation in the southern The world is your oyster. palm used in India for writing paper. hemisphere near Lupus and Ara in the 43. Give over. Milky Way. 46. Destruction of heart tissue resulting 44. (trademark) An antacid. from obstruction of the blood supply 45. (physics and chemistry) The smallest Wordsearch Puzzle Sunday’s Solution to the heart muscle. component of an element having the 47. A poem consisting of 3 stanzas and an chemical properties of the element. envoy. 48. Least expensive statin drug (trade 51. A member of the Siouan people inhab- name Lescol). iting the valleys of the Platte and 49. A coffin along with its stand. Missouri rivers in Nebraska. 50. Capital and largest city and economic 52. A state in the Rocky Mountains. center of Peru. 53. Not capable of movement or of being 54. Genus of East Indian trees or shrubs. moved. 56. A metallic element having four 55. A transparent optical device used to allotropic forms. converge or diverge transmitted light 58. (psychoanalysis) An idealized image of and to form images. someone (usually a parent) formed in 57. An independent agency of the United childhood. States government responsible for 61. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked collecting and coordinating intelli- on a skewer usually with vegetables. gence and counterintelligence activi- 62. Jordan's port. ties abroad in the national interest. 64. The elementary stages of any subject 59. A nonmetallic largely pentavalent (usually plural). heavy volatile corrosive dark brown 65. Dwell (archaic). liquid element belonging to the halo- 66. A French abbot. gens. 67. Type genus of the Majidae. 60. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh. 68. A river that rises in northeastern 63. Alternatively, a member of the family Turkey (near the source of the Nymphaeaceae. Euphrates) and flows generally east- 70. The atomic weight of an element that ward through Armenia to the Caspian has the same combining capacity as a Sea. given weight of another element. 69. King of Denmark and Norway who 71. A promontory in northern Morocco forced Edmund II to divide England opposite the Rock of Gibraltar. with him. 74. An honorary degree in science. 72. A communist nation that covers a vast 75. French writer considered by some to territory in eastern Asia. be a founder of the detective novel 73. An agency of the United Nations affili- (1832-1873). ated with the World Bank. 78. A light touch or stroke. 76. The eleventh month of the civil year. 79. The compass point midway between 77. A state in northwestern United States east and southeast. on the Pacific.

Sunday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku Sunday’s Solution Established 1961 Th l h b lf Lifestyle THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 , 2019

Schoolgirls look at “The Morning of the Streltsy Execution” by Russian painter Vasily Surikov exhibited at The State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. — AFP Palestinian DJs bring past into present with fresh beats

mixing desk at her fingertips, the artist known as Sarouna coaxed a haunting Bruno Cruz, a ‘Notlongtime a remix’ DJ who is also on the Arefrain from the bass track-music both album, said he was fascinated by the project. In his about the past and the present. Like other popu- studio overlooking the sea in the northern Israeli lar names on the Palestinian electro scene, the city of Haifa, he was recently mixing while sur- 23-year-old, wearing a hoodie emblazoned with rounded by dozens of posters, reminders of his “Made in Palestine” in Arabic, creates songs by many concerts in the region and in Europe since Rashid Abdelhamid, a film producer, works on a music track drawing on local folk music. “Why would I go for the late 1990s. “I had been trying previously to do at the house of Palestinian DJ Sarouna. European styles, which I don’t really feel this sort of mix,” Cruz said, but getting copyright attached to?” she said, in her bedroom studio clearances for traditional material was a challenge. overlooking the hills around Ramallah. “We will They then came across the center’s collection live this heritage so that we do not forget.” The which made songs available to the Electrosteen project was the idea of Rashid Abdelhamid, a project. “You could use them without worries. It film producer, assisted by Sama Abdulhadi, who was great,” he said. We Palestinians, many consider the first Palestinian woman DJ. Listening to the archives, he recognized They assembled 10 artists from the Palestinian rhythms and melodies sung by his aunt and grand- territories, Israel, Britain, France and Jordan at a mother when he was a child and also discovered a we are caught in villa in Ramallah. still wider musical heritage, which differed accord- From this two-week artistic residency in 2018, ing to district. “Every place has a story of its own, conflict, occupied, an album of 18 songs was born, entitled even if, in the end, all this is Palestinian folklore,” “Electrosteen”-a word combining Electro and the 35-year-old said. ‘Everything is political’ Sarouna, a Palestinian DJ, And if this new treatment of old gems changes works on a music track at “Falesteen”, Arabic for Palestine. Each with their He chose to integrate into one of his pieces a preconceptions of Palestinian culture, so much the own musical backgrounds, the artists worked from recording from the 1950s of a wedding singer her home in the West Bank hobbled, but we better, he said. “The idea is to say, ‘OK, we city of Ramallah, in the hundreds of pieces of traditional Palestinian music from the northern West Bank and the traditional Palestinians, we are caught in conflict, occupied, recorded about 15 years ago by the Popular Art interaction between the performer and the guests. Israeli-occupied West Bank. hobbled, but we make music and we like to have — AFP photos make music and we Centre, a Palestinian organization based in “There is a strange connection between traditional fun,” said Abdelhamid. For him and the artists who Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. At first, faced Palestinian music and breakdance or hip-hop, with participated in the album, “everything is political” like to have fun’ with treasures from the rich local tradition, “we an MC who sings and addresses people in the as a Palestinian, whether one likes it or not. didn’t know what to do. We didn’t want to spoil room,” Cruz explained, folding his hand as if grip- “It’s new music with techno accents, with hip- them,” said Sarouna, the youngest of the musi- ping an imaginary microphone, mimicking a mas- hop, dub, reggae, which can be played in discos cians, her hair cut in a boyish style. ter of ceremonies leading the party at Palestinian and big festivals all over the world,” said Cruz. “It “I listened, I listened, then I took a little piece of celebrations. will take the Palestinian cause to places where the music, I put it in the software and I put a rhythm Sometimes it’s hard to recognize the original Palestinian Authority-the Palestinian government- on it, similar to that of the music but with more music, as Electrosteen musicians have added their cannot be heard.” Abdelhamid is already looking electro accents,” she said. “Sometimes I added own stamp. “It’s not a remix of famous songs,” said to the future and said he would like to add dance qanun,” she said, referring to the stringed instru- Abdelhamid. The artists “have incorporated small to his future project and mix dabke-a traditional ment used in traditional music. On March 1, artists instrumental parts, voices, atmospheres,” he Arabic line dance-and hip-hop moves. — AFP involved in the project will take to the stage of the explained, each one bringing their own musical Arab World Institute in Paris for a performance. influences.

Sarouna, a Palestinian DJ, works on a music track at her home. Bruno Cruz, 35, a Palaestinian DJ who contributed to the album “Electrosteen”, mixes in his studio in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. 20 Established 1961 Lifestyle Music & Movies Thursday, February 28, 2019 A family trapped in the I Coast conflict: Apolline Traore’s new film

new film set during the 2010-11 post-election vio- father’s life and makes him see that she is as worthy of lence in Ivory Coast and centered around the being his heir as her brother. “The film highlights the sto- Acourage of a 12-year-old girl, premiered Tuesday ry of a girl who has a lot of strength, at least as much as a at Fespaco, Africa’s biggest film festival, in Burkina Faso. boy,” actor Jean-Louis said after the film’s screening in “Desrances” was written and directed by Burkinabe film- Ouagadougou. “There are a lot of barriers against maker Apolline Traore, whose 2017 film “Frontieres” also women in society, things that hinder their progress. It’s featured at Fespaco. Her latest offering focuses on the men who have always led (society), and the result has not courage and wisdom of women in the face of men’s folly. been great,” he added. “The future is in the hands of The film’s title refers to the character Francis Desrances women!” played by Haitian actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, perhaps best known for his role in the hit television series “Heroes” (as ‘Afro-Optimist’ The Haitian). In the film, Desrances is desperately looking Traore, 43, became known internationally two years for his wife and their newborn son, whom he fears were ago with “Frontieres” (Borders), which picked up a spe- abducted by gangsters during the violence in Abidjan. cial award at the 2017 Fespaco festival. But with her new But the real hero of the film is his daughter Haila, film, she hopes to become the first woman to win the fes- played by Ivorian Jemima Naomi Nemlin. She saves her tival’s top prize. David Kessler, director of Orange Studio which co-produced “Desrances”, told AFP that young African directors today “are real pros”. “I am very opti- mistic about the emergence of new talents” in African cinema, he added. Kessler also pointed to “a huge appetite for local con- tent”. “The public is demanding films and series made locally that speak to their everyday life, in Senegal or Ivory Coast for example.” Jean-Louis was equally posi- tive about African film-making. “From a cinematographic point of view, all our stories are still to be told, our heroes, our ancestors, our cultures, all our languages. Burkina Faso’s film director Apolline Traore (top, second from left) poses with Haitian actor Jimmy Jean-Louis (top, sec- “The world does not know Africa through cinema. A few ond from right) and other actors during the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) in films have been made by others about us, but we have Ouagadougou. — AFP photos never really given our version of Africa,” he added. “I am super Afro-optimist!” Fespaco-the acronym in French of the Pan-African Film fessionals to network and pitch their work to clients in “Desrances” is in competition with 19 other full-length and Television Festival of Ouagadougou-takes place in Europe, North America, and beyond. — AFP Burkina Faso’s film director Apolline Traore (right) poses with movies for the so-called “African Oscar”-the Golden the capital of Burkina Faso every two years. Launched in Haitian actor Jimmy Jean-Louis during the Panafrican Film Stallion of Yennenga, named after a mythical 12th-centu- 1969 and loosely modeled on the Cannes Film Festival, it and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO). ry warrior princess who founded the Mossi empire. provides an opportunity for African movie and TV pro-

Yangon gripped as big-budget Mexico’s Inarritu blockbuster brings streets to standstill to head Cannes film festival jury he five-time Oscar-winning Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is to head the jury Tat this year’s Cannes film festival, the organizers In this file photo actress Emma Thompson speaks during the said yesterday. The 55-year-old is one of the “three 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at TIFF Bell Lightbox amigos” of Mexican filmmakers who have dominated in Toronto, Canada. — AFP the Academy Awards in recent years alongside Alfonso Cuaron, the best director winner this year with “Roma” and last year’s victor Guillermo del Actress refuses to work with Toro for “The Shape of Water”. He is also one of only three filmmakers ever to have won the Oscar ex-Disney animation chief for best director back-to-back-for “Birdman” in 2015 and “The Revenant” a year later. “Not only is he a daring filmmaker full of surprises, Alejandro is over harassment accusations also a man of conviction, an artist of his time,” ritish actress Emma Thompson has quit an anticipat- Cannes director Thierry Fremaux said. ed film produced by California’s Skydance studios Bbecause it hired former Disney creative director John Lasseter, who is accused of sexual harassment, her publicist told AFP Tuesday. The two-time Oscar winner This photo shows production crew setting up a street scene during the filming of the movie “Line Walker 2” near a was to voice one of the characters in the much touted ani- pagoda in Yangon. mated film “Luck,” and had already begun recordings, according to the entertainment news site Variety. But she ars dangling from cranes, street shootouts and The final day of shooting drew hundreds of locals dropped the project when Skydance announced in early actors rappelling from roofs-Yangon residents wearing the sarong-like longyi as well as a long line of January that it recruited Lasseter, 62, who was forced to Cwere transfixed this week by the filming of a big- robed monks crowding onto overhead pedestrian passes, leave his position at Disney as animation chief after budget Hong Kong action movie around the city’s iconic craning for a view of a choreographed gunfight. “It is acknowledging he made staff feel uncomfortable with Sule pagoda. Yangon has lent the charm of its colonial- amazing to see cars flying in the air, like in the big films,” unwanted hugs. style buildings and golden temple spires to Line Walker 2 Sai Mine, who was visiting Yangon from northern Shan Thompson wrote to management at the studio to In this file photo Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu — the sequel to the 2016 blockbuster of the same name State, told AFP. The 25-year-old had heard about the protest the decision to bring on Lasseter, who is famous arrives on the red carpet for the 88th Academy which grossed $90 million worldwide. Line Walker 2 filming and begged her sisters to take her to Sule Pagoda for transforming Pixar from a small graphics department Awards in Hollywood, California. — AFP stars Hong Kong heartthrob Louis Koo and Nick Cheung. where the smoldering remains of a car lay nearby. into the most successful animation studio in the world. The Inarritu made his big breakthrough at Cannes in Myanmar actors were cast as well, and Aung Myint Myat 59-year-old performer then forwarded her letter to the 2000 with his breathtaking debut, “Amores Perros”, said he got the “amazing” opportunity to play a SWAT Los Angeles Times, which published it in full. “It feels very a gritty overlapping panorama of Mexico City that team leader in the film. odd to me that you and your company would consider hir- introduced the world to the actor Gael Garcia “I’m really proud of it,” he told AFP. Amateur filmmak- ing someone with Mr Lasseter’s pattern of misconduct Bernal. It won the sidebar Critics’ Week prize and er Thar Nge expressed delight at the chance to witness given the present climate in which people with the kind of was later pipped for the best foreign language the day-long process to film a scene that plays out in power that you have can reasonably be expected to step Oscar by “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon”. Inarritu seconds on the silver screen. “I am a big fan of action up to the plate,” Thompson wrote in the note, whose later won best director at Cannes-the world’s and adventure films and it is amazing for me to be able to authenticity her publicist confirmed to AFP. biggest film festival-for “Babel”, his 2006 epic told see these moments,” the 22-year-old told AFP. Some “If a man has been touching women inappropriately for in five different languages over three continents. were hopeful a big-budget film featuring Yangon’s sights decades, why would a woman want to work for him if the only reason he’s not touching them inappropriately now is could boost tourist numbers. While the number of ‘Passion and devotion’ Chinese tourists increased in 2018, Myanmar has seen a that it says in his contract that he must behave ‘profession- Having been the first Mexican director ever to be drop in Western visitors following news of the army’s ally’?” “I am well aware that centuries of entitlement to nominated for an Oscar, he is now the first to head crackdown on the Muslim Rohingya minority in northern women’s bodies whether they like it or not is not going to the jury at Cannes, which sees itself as the Rakhine state. — AFP change overnight,” she continued. “Or in a year.” “But I am also aware that if people who have spoken out-like me-do “Olympics of cinema”, with movies from every cor- not take this sort of a stand then things are very unlikely to ner of the globe. Inarritu, who rarely sits on festival This photo shows production crew setting up a street scene juries, said he would apply himself to the task with with damaged vehicles during the filming of the movie “Line change at anything like the pace required to protect my daughter’s generation.” — AFP “passion and devotion”. “Cinema runs through the Walker 2” near a pagoda in Yangon. — AFP photos veins of the planet and this festival has been its heart,” he added. Last year Australian actress Cate record for the fastest two billion, three bil- Blanchett presided over the jury, which gave the top Shakira Hit song ‘Despacito’ lion and four billion views (272 days). Palme d’Or prize to Japan’s Hirokazu Kore-eda’s to be questioned Fonsi’s Spanish-language hit, whose “Shoplifters”. breaks YouTube record English title is “Slowly”, has had nearly two She also led red carpet protests to demand an in June over alleged tax fraud billion views more than its nearest chal- equal place for women in Hollywood. Fremaux said with six billion views lenger, “Shape of You”, by the British singer the festival was “particularly proud” to have made Ed Sheeran. The South Korean singer Psy space for Inarritu’s 2017 virtual reality installation olombian superstar Shakira will be to 2014, however, as the timeframe to pros- he mega-hit “Despacito” by the was the first to cross the two-billion-views “Carne y Arena” in its official selection. The VR questioned by a court near ecute alleged tax offences in 2011 has Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi has barrier on the platform with his “Gangnam show allowed people to put themselves in migrants’ Barcelona on June 12 for allegedly expired. In a relationship since 2011 Pique, C Tbecome the most watched video ever Style” in 2012, which also set off a dance shoes and “addressed the question with great evading 14.5 million euros ($16.5 million) in with whom she has two sons, Shakira trans- on YouTube with more than six billion craze. Psy is now fifth in the YouTube strength and humanity”, Fremaux added. Unlike taxes, a Spanish court said Tuesday. In a ferred her official residency to Spain in views, the Google-owned service said charts with 3.3 billion views. — AFP Cuaron, whose Oscar-winning masterpiece “Roma” statement, the high court of Catalonia, 2015. Until then, it was in the Bahamas. Tuesday. The video, first released in was backed by Netflix, Inarritu has never made a where the singer lives with her partner, FC But a spokesman for prosecutors in January 2017 by Fonsi and Puerto Rican film with the streaming giant. Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique, said she Barcelona told AFP last year that this didn’t rapper Daddy Yankee, already holds the Cannes and Netflix got into a bitter spat last year had been summoned to appear before a “match reality” with her children and part- after the US giant boycotted the festival in protest judge in Esplugues de Llobregat. The 42- ner in Barcelona. Shakira’s representatives at the festival’s insistence that films in competition year-old is suspected of not paying taxes in insist that until 2014 she earned most of her must follow French rules on streaming. Under a Spain despite being a resident between money in international tours and didn’t live French law to protect cinemas, streamers must wait 2011 and 2014, according to prosecutors. more than six months a year in Spain-a pre- 36 months after a film’s cinematic release before The case only covers the period from 2012 requisite to be an official tax-paying resi- they put it online. Consequently “Roma” and several dent in the country. With her mix of Latin other Netflix films have not made it to general and Arabic rhythms and rock influences, release on the big screen there. However, both sides Shakira is one of the biggest stars from have since walked back from the clash, with Netflix Latin America, scoring major global hits boss Reed Hastings admitting that they may have with songs such as “Hips Don’t Lie” and gone too far. “Sometimes we make mistakes. We got “Whenever, Wherever.” — AFP into a bigger situation with Cannes than we meant to,” he said. The Cannes film festival will run from In this file photo Colombian singer May 14 to 25. — AFP Shakira performs on stage during her “El Dorado World Tour” at the Azteca stadium in Mexico City. — AFP Established 1961 21

Thursday, February 28, 2019 Lifestyle Fashion

No more ‘lucky’ beards: Japan’s sumos hit by whisker ban apanese sumo officials have introduced a crackdown Sumo Association (JSA). Superstitious sumo wrestlers The ancient sport of sumo has been tarnished by a collapsed during a speech were repeatedly told to leave on beards, calling them “indecent” and telling often decline to shave their beards during tournaments series of scandals in recent years-from allegations of the ring, creating a flurry of embarrassing headlines. The Jwrestlers they must look spick and span during as they believe it brings them luck, but the sumo associ- bout-fixing and the involvement of organized crime to JSA was forced to make a groveling apology after being competitions under strict, new rules on personal groom- ation have decided they will no longer tolerate such drugs arrests and severe bullying, the most serious case accused of deep-rooted sexism, but just days later a ing. The draconian whisker ban is part of fresh regula- slovenliness. resulting in the death of a teenage wrestler in 2007. female mayor from the western city of Takarazuka was tions also barring tattoos and long nails, a sumo “Wrestlers must preserve their personal hygiene,” Grand champion, or yokozuna, Harumafuji was charged barred from delivering a speech inside the sandy ring. To spokesman told AFP yesterday, as the authorities look to JSA elder Oguruma told reporters after a board meeting. over a brutal assault on a rival wrestler while out drink- add insult to injury, the gaffe-prone JSA was slammed clean up the image of Japan’s roly-poly sport. “It was “Officials and referees will be on the lookout. The sumo ing in 2017, ending his illustrious career. again for trying to prevent girls from participating in a stipulated that items such as long nails, tattoos and ring is sacred and it’s important spectators don’t see Believed by historians to date back some 2,000 children’s sumo event, citing “safety concerns”. — AFP beards grown out of an excessive wish for good luck anything unsightly.” Grand champion Kakuryu said: “It’s years, sumo was plunged into further controversy when shall be banned,” said the spokesman for the Japan an important point so we must absolutely adhere to it.” women who rushed to the aid of a local mayor who had Teddy Girls make comeback in Dior’s rebel Paris show

ior went back to the feisty Teddy Girls of 1950s Britain for its vision of a feminist future in its Paris fashion week show Tuesday. With black leather jackets, long nipped-waist Dior “New Look” skirtsD with leather cumberbunds and tartan a-go-go, designer Maria Grazia Chiuri raided the wardrobes of the rebel girls of the early days of rock ‘n’ roll. The original royal rebel Princess Margaret-a Dior addict-and the proudly proletarian Teddy Girls who were the “queens of the rav- aged landscape” of postwar Britain were the two pillars of the Italian creator’s autumn winter collection. She took some of the most feminine clothes of the epoch-kitten heels with black socks, shiny bucket hats and tight woollen sweaters-and mixed them with a more mascu- line and sportswear silhouette. Chiuri has been on some- thing of a crusade during her time at the most feminine of French labels to make its famously chic clothes simple and adaptable enough for everyday wear. And you could easily imagine women wearing trainers under even the most intricate of dresses in this collection. The Teddy Girls were the punks of their time, “impertinent characters with wild quiffs who wore Edwardian-style men’s jackets with ample skirts, jeans and black leather jackets,” the designer said. “London always represents tra- dition and at the same time the breaking with tradition,” Chiuri told AFP.

Models present creations for Christian Dior during the Fall-Winter 2019/2020 Ready-to-Wear collection fashion show in Paris. — AFP photos

Anthony Vaccarello is less up to speed with latest feminist theory. Shortly after he took over the label he found himself in the firing line of outrage over a “hypersexualised” 2017 ad campaign for the label that put painfully thin models in “degrading” poses. The young Belgian designer has not backed down from his sexed-up vision for the brand, and his Paris show was a procession of leggy models in black micro dresses and hotpants. Vaccarello’s women are night owl vamps and his only concession to winter was to drape some in big overcoats with exaggerated shoulders-all the better to show that everyone was a man-eater, wearing her sexiness like a weapon. These were clothes to sin in, to turn heads at glitzy cocktails and nightclubs, with a line of fluorescent looks lit- erally lighting up in the dark. His co-ed show under the Eiffel Tower also made a game bid to steal a march on his Saint Laurent predecessor Hedi Slimane, who has created a male line for the first time at Celine. Vaccarello’s response has been to go toe-to-patent-Chelsea-boot-toe, out- Slimane-ing the man they call the “sultan of skinny” at his ‘Fashion is a political act’ own lux-grunge rock god game. — AFP The show was a long love letter to the iconoclasm of British style, and comes as an exhibition about Dior at the V&A museum in London has become a sold-out hit. “I tried to create pieces in this collection in which everyone can express themselves in their own way by using different combinations while respecting the codes of the brand,” Chiuri said. Since her debut collection in 2017 — when she made headlines with a “We Should All Be Feminists” T- shirt-Dior’s first female designer has put down a ladder to women artists and writers. Models present creations This time she lionized the veteran Italian artist Tomaso by Saint Laurent during Binga, who took on a man’s name to satirize male privilege. the Fall-Winter 2019/2020 One of her most iconic works, an alphabet formed from the Ready-to-Wear collection naked body of a middle-aged woman, was the backdrop for fashion show in Paris. the show in a huge pavilion in the grounds of the Rodin Museum in Paris. With Hollywood star and #MeToo activist Jennifer Lawrence in the front row, the 87-year-old artist (whose real name is Bianca Menna) dressed up like a kind of cardinal to read a stirring declaration urging female soli- darity before Chiuri sent out her models.

Saint Laurent’s killer vamps In another feminist nod, three wore T-shirts bearing the titles of books by the American feminist thinker Robin Morgan-”Sisterhood is Powerful”, “Sisterhood is Global” and “Sisterhood is Forever”. “Today fashion and the act of buying is a political act,” Chiuri told AFP. “Apart from clothes, bags and shoes, people want to know that behind objects there are values in which they believe,” she said. It is safe to say that Saint Laurent’s 22 Established 1961 Thursday, February 28, 2019 Lifestyle Features World’s smallest baby boy goes home from Japan hospital

baby boy weighing just 268 grams (9.45 oz) at birth was sent home after months in a Tokyo hospital, the Asmallest surviving male baby in the world, Keio University hospital said. The boy was born through Caesarean-section last August after he failed to gain weight during the pregnancy and doctors feared his life was in danger. The boy was in intensive care until his weight reached 3.2 kilograms and he was discharged on Feb 20, said Dr Takeshi Arimitsu of the university’s School of Medicine, Department of Paediatrics. “I am grateful that he has grown this big because, honestly, I wasn’t sure he could survive,” the boy’s mother told Reuters. The previous record was held by a boy born in Germany in 2009 weighing 274 grams, according to the Tiniest Babies registry managed by the University of Iowa. This undated handout The smallest girl was born weighing 252 grams in released by Japan’s Keio Germany in 2015, according to the registry. — Reuters University Hospital shows a baby, who weighed 268 grams This undated handout shows a five- at birth, at the hospital in day-old baby, who weighed 268 grams Tokyo. — AFP photos at birth, at the hospital in Tokyo. 50 years since iconic Paris market uprooted Malaysia’s flying n the early hours of Friday February 28, 1969, World’s biggest Parisians headed to the centuries-oldfresh food mar- On Monday March 3 Rungis opened its brand-new car plan jets Iket in the heart of the city to bid a nostalgic good- doors, offering fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, dairy and bye. By Monday the market would be uprooted from flowers. It also took in the city’s main meat market in 1973. its prized location in central Paris and reestablished in It is today the world’s biggest fresh produce market, cov- into controversy the suburbs at Rungis, today the world’s largest fresh ering 234 hectares (580 acres) with an annual turnover of produce market. Here is an account of the transfer 50 nine billion euros ($10.2 billion), according to its official alaysia plans to launch a flying car, a years ago of the ancient Les Halles market, replaced by website. Mminister has said, sparking a flood of a modern shopping mall of the same name. Rungis employs around 12,000 wholesalers, producers, mockery in a country with a che- porters, restaurateurs and other workers, with the seafood quered history when it comes to automotive Farewell with flowers section opening the earliest at 2:00 am. The move also projects. The prototype of the vehicle, which Many of the Parisians who flocked to the site in the introduced new innovations. “People don’t carry meat any- uses local technology, will be unveiled later this early hours of its last day came with their cameras to more,” said Guy Eschalier, 96, who had worked at the old year, said Entrepreneur Development Minister capture “for the last time the strange atmosphere” of La Villette meat market. “Everything is automated, the cold Redzuan Mohamad Yusof, according to state the much-loved old market being dismantled, AFP In this file photo taken on December 1, 2017 a man pulls a chain is enforced, the traceability, to give the customer all news agency Bernama. The vehicle cost about reported. Armsful of flowers were tossed into the com- trolley at the vegetable area of the international food market the guarantees.” one million ringgit ($245,000) to develop and plex’s central square and there was a “bed of azaleas, of Rungis, outside Paris. With the Paris site of Les Halles abandoned, petitions will fly at low altitudes, he said Tuesday, with- roses and tulips” outside the adjacent Saint-Eustache circulated to preserve its landmark cast-iron, steel, brick out revealing any more details. church, lit up for the occasion. “A last tribute from the ‘Move of the century’ and glass pavilions. In 1970 they hosted cultural activities, Previous car projects in Malaysia have not florists” who were the first to move to Rungis, the The relocation was a quasi-military operation and keeping alive the hope of an architectural rescue, but in always met with great success-the country report said. entrusted to a reserve officer specialized in army logistics. 1971 demolition began and the great market turned into a started producing Protons in the 1980s but they Near the church, people danced around pyramids of Carried out overnight March 2-3, the “move of the centu- giant excavation. A major railway hub opened on the site are routinely criticized for unimaginative models vegetable crates as a band played popular songs. But ry” involved nearly 30,000 people, the Rungis site says. in 1977 and, two years later, a shopping mall known as the and shoddy workmanship, and their popularity they were not able to dispell “the heavy atmosphere of Around 5,000 tons of merchandise from 1,000 businesses Forum des Halles, its latest transformation unveiled just last has steadily fallen. For many people, the flying melancholy”. A market had existed here since the 12th and masses of material were bundled into 1,500 lorries for year. car project was just another harebrained century when the first two halls were built, the start of the seven-kilometer (four-mile) trip south of Paris, it says. One original pavilion survived, reassembled piece-by- scheme cooked up by foolish politicians. “Words what eventually became Les Halles with 12 pavilions Dairy and eggs vendor Didier Maitre was disappointed piece in the Paris suburb of Nogent-sur-Marne where it fail me. I have never read so much stupidity in over a dozen hectares (about 30 acres). It supplied with the modern new premises. “With its goods lift and its houses a concert hall. The framework of another pavilion is my life,” one commentator wrote online. some eight million people with their fresh produce, big aisles, Rungis looked more like a little town than a big also on display, some 10,000 kilometers away, in a park in Aman Shah posted on Facebook: “How come according to the Rungis website. But it had become too market like the old Les Halles,” he told AFP in 1969. The Yokohama, Japan. — AFP this idiot is selected as a minister? Solve the big for the narrow roads of the old city centre. For rea- “belly of Paris”, the old market had been busy and vibrant, public transport problem first, instead of sons of hygiene, traffic and access, authorities decided even if a little seedy because of the prostitutes on nearby inventing flying car.” There have been several in 1959 to move it out. rue Saint-Denis, he remembered. attempts around the world to develop flying cars, such as the Transition made by US firm Terrafugia and the AeroMobil, produced in Slovakia. Both have taken years and a lot of money to develop, and are yet to go on sale. Some ques- tioned the wisdom of trying to develop a flying vehicle in Malaysia with the national car indus- try already facing problems. “We cannot even promote hybrid and electric car properly and sell them at affordable price, now talking about flying cars. What a joke,” said one comment. Since returning for a second stint as prime min- ister, Mahathir Mohamad-who previously championed Proton-has announced plans for a new national car project, triggering widespread criticism. — AFP This file photo taken on September 25, 1978 shows the construction site of the Forum des In this file photo taken on February 25, 1969 a woman grabs fruits and vegetables left on the Halles shopping center in Paris after the destruction of the Halles market following its ground in front of the Halles in Paris as the market closed for good and was transferred in reestablishment in the suburbs at Rungis in 1969. — AFP photos Rungis, south of Paris, on February 28, 1969. Robinson Crusoe island sets example for the world in conservation

or almost a century, the inhabitants of Robinson of the NGO National Geographic Pristine Seas. “But we lobster pots. There are also limits on the size of lobsters that Crusoe-named for literature’s most famous cast- are still a sick patient in need of recuperation,” he said. can be taken, and females with eggs are returned to the sea. Faway-have known that their island’s fragile ecosys- There are other notable success stories: the South tem depends on them conserving its unique wildlife. One Cats, rats and coatis American fur seal, a species that was almost extinct 40 of three islands in the Juan Fernandez archipelago, 700 The wildlife of these remote islands faces various years ago, now has a population of 30,000 on the islands. kilometers (430 miles) off the Pacific coast of Chile, it was threats, including ocean trash-in particular plastic-and inva- “The great asset of Juan Fernandez is that the local popula- discovered in the sixteenth century. The island chain sive species that have been introduced to the fragile tion takes part in conserving species, together with the secured its place in history as the home of Alexander ecosystem of Juan Fernandez, home to around 1,000 peo- NGOs,” said Environment Minister Carolina Schmidt on a Selkirk, the Scottish sailor marooned there for four years ple. Cats, rats and coatis (a type of South American rac- recent visit. A paradise for divers and hikers, the islands are and four months, a tale he later related to Daniel Defoe, coon) are the main hazard for the Juan Fernandez firecrown, opening up to tourism, though getting here is tricky-the who penned his adventure book based on his story. a type of hummingbird found only in the islands, and whose small planes that fly in carry a maximum of eight passengers One of the other islands in the chain is called eggs and chicks are easy prey. They are also a threat to the because they have to carry enough fuel for the return trip, Alexander Selkirk, the third is Santa Clara. In 1977, the pink-footed shearwater, a migratory seabird which only which means tickets are expensive at $800 a head. archipelago was named a biosphere reserve and almost nests in the archipelago, where there are 35,000 pairs, and a year ago, Chile announced the creation of the enor- on Mocha Island, close to the mainland, where there are A male Juan Fernandez firecrown (Sephanoides fernan- Plastic-free by 2020 mous Juan Fernandez Marine Park. Covering an area of 60,000 breeding pairs. densis) hummingbird perching on a sprig at Robinson Plastic that arrives on supply ships from the mainland 262,000 square kilometers (101,000 square miles) of The environment ministry has just launched a recovery Crusoe Island. every two weeks, or is washed up on ocean currents, is one ocean, it is one of the largest protected zones in the plan to protect the underground nests of the shearwaters, Sustainable fishing of the islands’ main challenges. Unlike Easter Island, another Pacific. which fly in to mate every year from the United States and Sustainable fishing is the archipelago’s main goal. As far far-flung Chilean outpost in the Pacific which ships some of It also connects to a network of marine reserves in Canada. “People are taking this seriously,” said Pablo back as 1935, fishermen started introducing measures to its plastic back to the mainland for recycling, the archipela- Chile totaling some 1.3 million square kilometers, meaning Manriquez, coordinator for the NGO Oikonos, noting that preserve the islands’ principal source of income, the lobster, go burns all its waste, some 315 tons of it. Munoz, together that about 44 percent of the nation’s waters have some residents have changed their street and house lights from which is mainly sold to China where a live crustacean can with local authorities and the environment ministry, has just level of protection against mining and industrial fishing. white to red or green to help the shearwaters avoid crash- bring in $200. “They brought down the catch by 75 per- signed an agreement that will see the islands eradicate plas- “Until 10 years ago, Chile was one of the biggest ocean ing into buildings and trees in foggy weather, when the cent!” said fisherman Wilson Gonzalez, whose family has tic by 2020. “If we want a zero waste world, we need to exploiters in the world, but now it has changed course and bright lights appear to disorient them. Downed birds are been fishing here for generations. The result was the first start with a world without plastic,” said Schmidt. — AFP become one of the leaders in ocean conservation, with the vulnerable to predators. Work has also been started to sustainable fishery in South America, said Daniel Gonzalez, creation of huge marine parks which will really help fish preserve the luma trees where hummingbirds nest, eradicat- head of the islands’ fishing union. Fishing is only permitted stocks recover,” said Alex Munoz, Latin America director ing non-native blackberry bushes that strangle the trees. from October 1 until May 15 and only then using wooden

Sea lions bask on rocks on Robinson Crusoe Island. View of the town of San Juan Bautista, on Robinson Crusoe Island, in the Pacific Juan Fernandez Islands, off the coast of Chile. Classifieds Thursday, February 28, 2019

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Arrival Flights on Thursday 28/2/2019 IAW 157A Al Najaf 13:55 Departure Flights on Thursday 28/2/2019 AXB 394 Kozhikode 14:15 Airlines Flt Route Time KAC 774 Riyadh 14:00 Airlines Flt Route Time KNE 532 Jeddah 14:20 JZR 254 Amman 00:05 KAC 792 Madinah 14:05 AIC 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05 JZR 103 Bahrain 14:40 JAI 572 Mumbai 00:15 JZR 602 Baku 14:10 MSC 502 Alexandria 00:05 IAW 158A Al Najaf 14:55 THY 766 ISL 00:30 IRA 667 Esfahan 14:10 FDB 072 Dubai 00:40 IAW 158B Al Najaf 14:55 KAC 504 Beirut 00:45 KNE 231 Riyadh 14:10 JZR 409 Delhi 00:50 QTR 1079 Doha 15:00 KAC 102 London 00:50 SVA 500 Jeddah 14:15 JZR 707 Luxor 01:00 KNE 382 Taif 15:00 JZR 734 Cairo 00:50 FDB 059 Dubai 14:20 JAI 571 Mumbai 01:15 KAC 661 Abu Dhabi 15:00 THY 772 Istanbul 00:50 KAC 672 Dubai 14:25 JZR 111 Doha 01:45 IRA 666 Esfahan 15:10 SAI 441 Lahore 00:50 KAC 618 Doha 14:40 SAI 442 Lahore 01:50 FDB 060 Dubai 15:10 PGT 858 Istanbul 01:00 FDB 8065 Dubai 14:40 KAC 677 Dubai 01:50 JZR 125 Dubai 15:15 DLH 625 Dammam 01:25 GFA 221 Bahrain 14:40 KAC 417 Manila 02:20 GFA 222 Bahrain 15:25 RJA 642 Amman 01:35 KAC 412 Bangkok 15:00 DLH 625 Frankfurt 02:25 FDB 8066 Dubai 15:40 UAE 853 Dubai 01:45 KNE 529 Jeddah 15:05 THY 773 Istanbul 02:30 KAC 673 Dubai 15:40 THY 764 Istanbul 01:50 KAC 788 Jeddah 15:10 PGT 859 Istanbul 02:55 SVA 501 Jeddah 15:45 IGO 1757 Kochi 01:55 ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 15:15 IGO 1758 Kochi 02:55 KAC 775 Riyadh 15:50 PGT 860 Istanbul 02:05 JZR 222 Riyadh 15:30 THY 767 ISL 03:05 KNE 530 Jeddah 16:00 JZR 722 Alexandria 02:15 KAC 562 Amman 15:35 ETH 621 Addis Ababa 03:05 KAC 615 Bahrain 16:05 ETH 620 Addis Ababa 02:15 OMA 645 Muscat 15:35 UAE 854 Dubai 03:40 KAC 563 Amman 16:10 GFA 211 Bahrain 02:30 UAE 857 Dubai 15:45 PGT 861 Istanbul 03:45 KAC 619 Doha 16:10 KLM 446 Bahrain 02:30 JZR 732 Cairo 15:50 KLM 446 Amsterdam 03:55 ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 16:20 QTR 1086 Doha 02:40 SAW 705 Damascus 16:00 OMA 643 Muscat 02:55 KAC 118 New York 16:05 OMA 644 Muscat 03:55 OMA 646 Muscat 16:35 KKK 1268 Istanbul 03:05 ABY 127 Sharjah 16:05 THY 765 Istanbul 04:00 KAC 785 Jeddah 16:40 ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:05 JZR 212 Jeddah 16:25 QTR 1087 Doha 04:00 ABY 128 Sharjah 16:45 MSR 612 Cairo 03:15 KAC 542 Cairo 16:30 KKK 1269 Istanbul 04:00 SAW 706 Damascus 17:00 JZR 724 Alexandria 04:00 KAC 502 Beirut 16:30 ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:05 KAC 675 Dubai 17:05 QTR 1076 Doha 04:00 QTR 1072 Doha 16:35 MSR 613 Cairo 04:15 KAC 503 Beirut 17:15 LMU 510 Cairo 04:00 FDB 051 Dubai 16:40 LMU 511 Cairo 05:00 KAC 691 Muscat 17:15 IGO 1751 Chennai 04:10 FDB 8109 Dubai 16:50 IGO 1752 Chennai 05:10 FDB 052 Dubai 17:40 KAC 418 Manila 04:25 FEG 341 Sohag 16:55 QTR 1077 Doha 05:30 KAC 283 Dhaka 17:45 KAC 784 Jeddah 04:30 JZR 114 Doha 17:10 FDB 070 Dubai 05:50 UAE 858 Dubai 17:45 JZR 406 Kochi 04:45 SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15 JZR 215 Jeddah 06:00 JZR 405 Kochi 17:45 UAE 873 Dubai 04:55 GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30 JZR 713 Sohag 06:15 QTR 1073 Doha 17:50 FDB 069 Dubai 05:00 JZR 214 Jeddah 17:45 JZR 121 Dubai 06:35 FDB 8110 Dubai 17:50 KAC 382 Delhi 05:05 JZR 104 Bahrain 17:45 THY 771 Istanbul 06:40 FEG 242 Alexandria 17:55 JZR 404 Hyderabad 05:10 UAE 875 Dubai 18:00 UAE 874 Dubai 06:50 KAC 343 Chennai 18:00 KAC 1544 Cairo 05:10 FDB 063 Dubai 18:15 JZR 251 Amman 07:05 KAC 331 Trivandrum 18:00 THY 770 Istanbul 05:10 JZR 124 Dubai 18:20 KAC 167 Paris 07:10 JZR 733 Cairo 18:10 DHX 170 Bahrain 05:20 QTR 1080 Doha 18:30 RJA 643 Amman 07:15 SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15 JZR 112 Doha 05:25 MSR 620 Cairo 18:30 GFA 212 Bahrain 07:15 GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20 KAC 332 Trivandrum 05:40 RJA 640 Amman 19:00 KAC 413 Bangkok 07:20 KAC 621 Doha 18:25 KAC 344 Chennai 05:50 ABY 123 Sharjah 19:25 JZR 115 Doha 07:30 JZR 127 Dubai 18:35 JZR 402 Mumbai 06:05 RBG 555 Alexandria 19:25 KAC 173 Munich 08:20 JZR 253 Amman 18:40 KAC 284 Dhaka 06:10 KAC 616 Bahrain 19:30 JZR 601 Baku 08:30 JZR 403 Hyderabad 18:40 KAC 362 Colombo 06:10 KAC 156 Istanbul 19:30 KAC 163 MXP 08:40 KAC 381 Delhi 18:55 KAC 302 Mumbai 06:25 GFA 217 Bahrain 19:30 FDB 054 Dubai 08:50 FDB 064 Dubai 19:20 KAC 678 Dubai 06:55 NIA 161 Cairo 19:30 KAC 501 Beirut 09:00 JZR 721 Alexandria 19:20 BAW 157 London 07:05 KAC 662 Abu Dhabi 19:35 KAC 787 Jeddah 09:05 UAE 876 Dubai 19:30 JZR 708 Luxor 07:15 KAC 776 Riyadh 19:50 KAC 613 Bahrain 09:05 MSR 621 Cairo 19:30 KAC 206 Islamabad 07:35 FDB 057 Dubai 19:50 BAW 156 London 09:10 QTR 1081 Doha 19:55 KAC 354 Bengaluru 07:35 JZR 126 Dubai 19:55 JZR 731 Cairo 09:10 RJA 641 Amman 20:00 FDB 053 Dubai 07:50 KNE 381 Taif 20:00 KAC 791 Madinah 09:10 RBG 556 Alexandria 20:05 KAC 384 Delhi 08:00 KAC 620 Doha 20:15 KAC 541 Cairo 09:30 QTR 8511 Doha 08:00 OMA 647 Muscat 20:20 ABY 124 Sharjah 20:05 KAC 561 Amman 09:40 GFA 218 Bahrain 20:15 KAC 358 Kochi 08:05 QTR 1088 Doha 20:35 ABY 126 Sharjah 09:45 KAC 304 Mumbai 08:20 KAC 674 Dubai 20:35 NIA 162 Cairo 20:30 KAC 671 Dubai 09:45 KAC 301 Mumbai 20:35 UAE 855 Dubai 08:35 DLH 624 Frankfurt 20:45 KAC 101 London 09:45 MSC 411 Asyut 09:00 KAC 174 Munich 21:15 FDB 058 Dubai 20:35 KAC 741 Dammam 09:45 KNE 232 Riyadh 20:50 ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:05 ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:20 QTR 8512 Doha 10:00 ABY 125 Sharjah 09:05 ALK 229 Colombo 21:20 JZR 401 Mumbai 20:55 UAE 856 Dubai 10:00 KAC 357 Kochi 21:00 QTR 1070 Doha 09:30 MEA 402 Beirut 21:20 MSC 412 Asyut 10:00 FDB 055 Dubai 09:40 KAC 164 MXP 21:25 OMA 648 Muscat 21:20 JZR 410 Delhi 10:00 KAC 168 Paris 21:30 ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:10 DLH 624 Dammam 21:30 SVA 512 Riyadh 10:00 UAE 859 Dubai 21:35 KAC 773 Riyadh 10:10 DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50 SYR 341 Damascus 10:00 RBG 551 Alexandria 21:40 FDB 056 Dubai 10:35 QTR 1089 Doha 22:00 SAW 703 Damascus 10:30 GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45 KAC 617 Doha 10:35 ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:10 GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40 KAC 676 Dubai 21:45 JZR 211 Jeddah 10:40 KAC 1543 Cairo 22:15 IRA 675 Lar 10:50 FDB 8739 Dubai 21:50 QTR 1071 Doha 10:45 KAC 203 Lahore 22:15 JZR 122 Dubai 11:10 KLM 445 Amsterdam 21:50 KAC 155 Istanbul 10:45 MEA 403 Beirut 22:20 JZR 116 Doha 11:10 KAC 564 Amman 21:55 SYR 342 Damascus 11:00 RBG 552 Alexandria 22:20 QTR 1074 Doha 11:35 JAI 574 Mumbai 22:00 SVA 513 Riyadh 11:00 ALK 230 Colombo 22:25 JZR 216 Jeddah 11:45 MSC 405 Sohag 22:00 GFA 214 Bahrain 11:25 KAC 383 Delhi 22:30 KAC 117 New York 11:25 MEA 404 Beirut 11:55 QTR 1082 Doha 22:05 KAC 303 Mumbai 22:30 SAW 704 Damascus 11:30 KAC 614 Bahrain 12:25 ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:15 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:30 JZR 252 Amman 12:30 AIC 981 Chennai/Ahmedabad 22:25 IRA 668 Mashhad 11:50 JZR 213 Jeddah 12:00 KLM 445 Bahrain 22:50 JZR 714 Sohag 12:35 KAC 622 Doha 22:30 FDB 8740 Dubai 22:50 KAC 742 Dammam 12:50 RBG 213 Sohag 22:30 JZR 221 Riyadh 12:00 MEA 405 Beirut 12:55 KAC 783 Jeddah 22:55 UAE 871 Dubai 12:50 KAC 786 Jeddah 22:45 UAE 860 Dubai 23:00 ABY 121 Sharjah 12:55 KAC 692 Muscat 22:55 QTR 1075 Doha 13:00 MSR 610 Cairo 13:10 BBC 043 Dhaka 23:00 JZR 113 Doha 13:30 MSC 406 Sohag 23:00 AXB 393 Kozhikode 13:15 MSC 501 Alexandria 23:05 ABY 122 Sharjah 13:35 JAI 573 Mumbai 23:00 KNE 531 Jeddah 13:20 GEC 8456 Frankfurt 23:10 JZR 123 Dubai 13:40 ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:05 QTR 1078 Doha 13:35 JZR 128 Dubai 23:15 MSR 611 Cairo 14:10 RBG 214 Sohag 23:10 IAW 157B Al Najaf 13:55 FDB 071 Dubai 23:45 UAE 872 Dubai 14:15 QTR 1083 Doha 23:25 24 Established 1961 News Thursday, February 28, 2019

tion and the Trump campaign’s behavior. Today he will testi- Cohen brands fy in a closed session at the House Intelligence Committee, Rouhani keeps also investigating Russian election interference, as well as Trump’s business relations with Russians. Trump ‘racist’... Cohen’s testimony was greeted by a hail of counterat- Zarif in post, tacks from Republicans. Late Tuesday Representative Matt Continued from Page 1 Gaetz, a close Trump ally, tweeted a veiled threat addressed rejects resignation to Cohen. “Do your wife & father-in-law know about your Cohen also said he would provide letters he wrote at girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that Trump’s behest that threatened his high school and colleges TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani rejected chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you’re in prison. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s resignation not to release his grades or test scores. She’s about to learn a lot,” Gaetz wrote. Democrats yesterday, saying the departure of the public face of the Cohen told lawmakers he was “ashamed” of his expressed outrage at the tweet, accusing Gaetz of illegal decade-long role as the president’s personal lawyer and witness intimidation. Islamic republic’s detente with the West would be “fixer” for sensitive problems. “I am ashamed because I Addressing a key focus of the federal and congressional against its best interests. Zarif’s abrupt announcement know what Mr Trump is. He is a racist. He is a conman. He investigations into Russian meddling, Cohen said he did not on Instagram late on Monday that he was quitting had is a cheat,” Cohen said. “Today, I am here to tell the truth have “direct evidence” of collusion between the Trump sparked rumors of mass resignations in the country’s Mohammad Javad Zarif about Mr Trump,” he said. Democratic Chairman Elijah campaign and Moscow. “But I have my suspicions,” he diplomatic corps and a petition from parliament urging Cummings said Cohen’s testimony was “deeply disturbing, added. Cohen described an incident in which Trump’s son, Rouhani to turn it down. istry to regain its proper statutory role in the conduct of and it should be troubling to all Americans”. “If it is as Donald Jr, walked behind his father’s desk and told him in a “I believe your resignation is against the country’s foreign affairs,” the official IRNA news agency reported. explosive as it appears to be, I think that it is the beginning low voice: “The meeting is all set.” Cohen said Trump interests and do not approve it,” Rouhani wrote in a In a new Instagram post yesterday, Zarif expressed of an impeachment process,” Democratic Representative replied: “OK good ... let me know.” In hindsight, Cohen said letter to Zarif, according to the government’s official gratitude for the “generous affections and unsparing Jackie Speier, another member of the panel, told NPR he believed the son was referring to the June 2016 meeting website. The president cited Iran’s supreme leader support” of officials and the people. He expressed hope radio early yesterday. at Trump Tower between a Russian lawyer promising “dirt” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in praising Zarif’s work as for- that the ministry “can carry out all its responsibilities Trump, in Hanoi for a second nuclear summit with on Clinton and members of Trump’s campaign. Trump has eign minister. “I consider you, as put by the leader, to within the framework of the constitution (and) the coun- North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, responded to the denied having advance knowledge of the meeting, which has be ‘trustworthy, brave and pious’ and in the forefront early release of the testimony by trying to discredit Cohen. try’s laws” with the “cooperation of... and supervision by come under intense scrutiny in the Mueller probe. of resistance against America’s all-out pressure,” he the supreme leader and the president.” State television “Michael Cohen was one of many lawyers who represent- And Cohen said he was present in mid-2016 when added. ed me (unfortunately),” Trump tweeted. “He was just dis- broadcast images of Zarif carrying out his duties as nor- Republican campaign consultant Roger Stone called Trump In his few public comments after his resignation, Zarif barred by the State Supreme Court for lying & fraud. He mal yesterday, taking part in the welcoming ceremony to inform him that WikiLeaks was about to publish damag- had complained that the work of the foreign ministry did bad things unrelated to Trump. He is lying in order to ing information on Clinton that it got from Russian hackers. for visiting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashiniyan. reduce his prison time.” was being undermined by political interference and The pointman for Iran’s engagement in Syria and “Mr Trump responded by stating to the effect of ‘wouldn’t expressed determination to see it regain its proper Cohen appeared drawn as he began his testimony before that be great,’” Cohen said. On race, Cohen said America Iraq, where it has played a major role in training para- statutory role. The last straw appears to have been his the House of Representatives Oversight Committee, the only has seen Trump woo white supremacists and bigots but that militaries for both countries’ successful campaigns open and televised hearing of three scheduled for him this in private “he is even worse”. “He once asked me if I could exclusion from meetings with visiting Syrian President against the jihadists of the Islamic State group, said week on Capitol Hill. On Tuesday he spent eight hours name a country run by a black person that wasn’t a Bashar Al-Assad earlier in the day, Iran’s Entekhab news Zarif was in full charge of Iranian foreign policy. General behind closed doors at the Senate Intelligence Committee, ‘s***hole.’ This was when Barack Obama was president of agency reported. Assad, who has relied heavily on Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Revolutionary which is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 elec- the United States,” Cohen said. — Agencies Iranian military and financial support during his coun- Guards’ foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, was try’s nearly eight-year civil war, met with both present on Monday for Assad’s meetings with both Khamenei and Rouhani on his rare foreign visit, but Zarif Khamenei and Rouhani. was not present at either meeting. investigation and hold those responsible accountable. Zarif “is indeed in charge of the Islamic Republic of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli was quick to visit the Iran’s foreign policy”, Soleimani said in comments car- Cairo train ‘Full coordination’ ried by the Guards’ official website Sepah News. The site and promised a tough response. “Any person found In his letter to Zarif, Rouhani stressed that he was the to be negligent will be held accountable and it will be foreign minister is “supported and approved by the sys- crash kills 20... pointman in the conduct of Iran’s foreign policy. “As tem’s top authorities, from the supreme leader down,” he severe,” he said. ordered several times, all bodies - including government Hours later the cabinet announced that Madbouli added. “There was no deliberate attempt to leave Dr Continued from Page 1 or state bodies - must be in full coordination with this Zarif out (of the Rouhani-Assad meeting)” the general had accepted the resignation of Transport Minister ministry with regards to foreign relations,” the president Hisham Arafat. People at the site of the crash appeared underlined, blaming a “lack of coordination in the presi- Ahmed Ibrahim, a jewelry salesman, said he was on said in his letter. Zarif, 59, who has served as Rouhani’s dent’s office”. his way to work when he heard a loud explosion. to be frustrated at the government’s failure to revamp foreign minister since Aug 2013, has been under con- the railway network. “Is my fate to die (on the tracks)? The prospect of Zarif’s departure had been swiftly “I ran to see a lot of people injured. I had to carry a stant pressure from hardliners who opposed a landmark welcomed by Iran’s arch foe Israel. His ready smile and young girl with my own hands,” he said, apparently still It happens all the time ... what do the authorities do?” deal he reached with major powers in 2015 curving asked a man travelling from the Upper Egyptian mastery of both the English language and social media in shock. “I saw bodies cut in half. I’d never seen that ... Iran’s nuclear program in return for an easing of interna- has made him a formidable diplomatic rival. “Zarif is I never thought I’d ever touch dead bodies.” CCTV province of Minya. tional sanctions. The government has repeatedly promised to take gone. Good riddance,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin footage circulating online showed the locomotive The pressure has only intensified since US President Netanyahu said on Tuesday. Soleimani blasted the “ene- smashing into the barrier without slowing down. People steps to upgrade the sector especially after several Donald Trump abandoned the deal in May last year and derailments and collisions in recent years. Egypt signed mies’ glee” and said it would have no effect on Iran’s walking on the platform were enveloped by smoke. reimposed crippling US sanctions. Resistance from determination to “safeguard its national interests and Separate footage filmed inside the station showed a a deal in 2018 worth one billion euros ($1.14 billion) hardliners against new anti-money laundering legisla- with a Russian-Hungarian consortium to deliver pas- the glorious victory of the Islamic resistance front.” fire engulfing the train and a nearby platform and peo- tion hampered his efforts to secure a mechanism from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had tweeted that ple rushing to help the casualties. Photos that emerged senger coaches to the country. The previous year it the European Union to allow continued trade and signed a $575 million deal with General Electric to pur- it made no difference to Washington, whether Zarif stays after the crash showed several scorched bodies scat- investment skirting the unilateral US measures. or goes. “Either way, he and @HassanRouhani are just tered around the wreckage. Several people were seen chase 100 locomotives. Zarif had told ministry staff on Tuesday that he hoped Still, figures by the official statistics agency show front men for a corrupt religious mafia,” he said, adding in videos running around and screaming for help after his resignation would “act as a spur for the foreign min- that Khamenei “makes all final decisions”. — AFP catching fire. “I carried around 20 charred bodies to there were 1,793 train accidents in 2017, up from 1,249 ambulances,” said Atef Ahmed Mahmoud from the Nile in 2016. In Aug 2017 two passenger trains collided near Delta city of Zagazig. Later yesterday, one person was Egypt’s Mediterranean city of Alexandria, killing more than 40 people and injuring scores. The next year a communist state once locked in devastating conflict killed and six others wounded in another train accident with the United States, but now a thriving trade partner. in El-Alamein, near the northern city of Alexandria, train crash in the northern province of Beheira killed at Trump, Kim least 15 people and injured dozens more. Months later Trump sent a tweet touting North Korea’s “AWE- state media reported. SOME” potential if his “friend” Kim takes the non- Egyptians have long complained that the govern- Egypt’s transportation minister sacked the head of the optimistic over... railway authority after train derailments including one nuclear route. ment has failed to deal with chronic transport problems And Trump has invested himself personally in the in the country, where roads are as poorly maintained as that injured some 60 people in Giza. The deadliest acci- dent on Egypt’s railways dates back to 2002 when 373 Continued from Page 1 relationship with Kim, creating the diplomatic equiva- railway lines. Officials often blame the rail network’s lent of a Hollywood odd-couple bromance. Before poor maintenance on decades of negligence and a lack people died when a fire ripped through a crowded train south of the capital. — Agencies said without providing further detail. A press confer- Singapore, they were slinging bizarre insults - Trump of funds. Sisi called on his government to carry out an ence is also scheduled before Trump returns to calling Kim “rocket man” and Kim calling him a Washington. “dotard”. With North Korea then busily testing missiles But the president has been dogged by scandal at and conducting underground nuclear tests, analysts gets, in a demonstration of their capacity to hit strategic home, where his former lawyer Michael Cohen feared the duo were egging each other on towards a Pakistan, India say installations, but deliberately fired into open spaces described him as a “conman” in nationally televised tes- catastrophic confrontation. where there would be no casualties. “This was not a timony to Congress starting shortly after Trump fin- Now, Trump talks of “love” and claims that his they shot down each... retaliation in true sense, but to tell Pakistan has capabili- ished yesterday’s negotiations on the other side of the ground-breaking policies defused the threat posed by ty, we can do it, but we want to be responsible, we don’t world. Asked by reporters if he had any reaction to Kim. Critics warn Trump is so keen to score a deal that Continued from Page 1 want an escalation, we don’t want a war,” Ghafoor told a Cohen’s bombshell testimony about hush money pay- he could give away too much, too quickly, endangering news conference. One of the aircraft fell on India’s side ments and murky business dealings in Russia, Trump US allies South Korea and Japan. In Singapore, Trump service number, before telling a man questioning of Kashmir, while the second came down in Pakistani- simply shook his head. took his own generals by surprise when he announced him: “I’m sorry sir, that’s all I’m supposed to tell you.” held territory with two pilots captured, he added. Seeking a big foreign policy win to push back a suspension of military exercises with the South - A statement from India’s foreign ministry said the Raveesh Kumar, a spokesman for India’s foreign min- against domestic troubles, Trump believes he can make something the North badly wanted. pilot’s treatment was a “vulgar display of an injured istry, gave a different account, telling a news briefing history with North Korea and claims Japan’s prime min- Washington would ideally like Kim to dismantle a that the Pakistan air strikes on military targets had been personnel of the Indian Air Force in violation of all ister has already nominated him for a Nobel Peace key nuclear facility at Yongbyon, allow in international “foiled”. India shot down one Pakistani plane that land- norms of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Prize. His goal is to persuade Kim to dismantle his inspectors, or even hand over a list of all his nuclear ed in Pakistani territory, and that it had lost one of its Convention”, ordering his immediate release. India has nuclear weapons and resolve a standoff with the deeply assets - something the North Koreans have categori- own planes, not two, with the pilot “missing in action”, not yet named the pilot. In a second video circulating isolated state that has bedevilled US leaders since the cally refused to do. In return, Trump is believed to be on social media, a screenshot of which was shared by Kumar added. Pakistan denies it lost a plane in the considering dangling relief from tough international encounter. At the Pakistani briefing, Ghafoor produced end of the Korean war in 1953. To lure Kim into radical the same Pakistan government account, the pilot was sanctions. Opening diplomatic liaison offices is another photographs of weapons and identity documents he change, Trump is believed to be considering offering a seen sipping tea while praising his treatment by the possible US concession. Another possibility is a joint said were carried by Indian pilots. Pakistan initially said formal peace declaration - though perhaps not a formal Pakistani military. “The tea is fantastic,” he says in declaration to end the Korean War - a hugely symbolic that two Indian pilots had been captured, before clari- treaty - to draw a line under the technically still unfin- English, adding that he is married and being treated gesture which some analysts fear would upset the deli- fying it only had one in its custody. ished war. well, but politely declining to answer further questions. cate power balance in a region where the US and China Pakistan and India have fought three wars since The Indian air force has ordered Kashmir’s main air- At the same time, Washington faces mounting pres- are already struggling for influence. independence from British colonial rule in 1947, two port in Srinagar along with at least three others in sure to extract significant concessions from Kim, who Those pushing for a scaled-back US foreign policy over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, and neighboring states to close, an official said. Pakistan has so far shown little desire to ditch his nuclear capa- footprint around the world would welcome the gambit. went to the brink a fourth in 2002 after a Pakistani mili- shut its airspace, with commercial flights in the country bility. Washington and Pyongyang disagree even on “If you get an end of war declaration, I think that’s real- tant attack on India’s parliament. The latest escalation canceled. Flights from the Middle East and India were what denuclearization means precisely. And while marks a sudden turnaround in relations between the also affected. In a separate incident, police officials in North Korea has now gone more than a year without ly important symbolically because it starts to change two countries, that both claim Kashmir in full but rule in Indian-occupied Kashmir said that four passengers and conducting missile and nuclear tests, it has done noth- the mentality,” Daniel Davis, at the conservative part. As recently as November, Pakistan’s Khan spoke a civilian had died after an Indian aircraft crashed in ing to roll back the weapons already built. Washington-based Defense Priorities think tank, told of “mending ties” with India. Kashmir. The craft was initially reported by officials to A former real estate tycoon who often boasts he is AFP. And Trump deserves credit, he said. “You just can’t The conflict also comes at a critical time for Indian be a plane, but a partial tail number from the craft seen one of the world’s best negotiators, Trump is pitching a ignore the fact that he’s the only one of the last nine Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who faces a general by a Reuters witness showed it to be an Mi17 military vision of North Korea as a new Asian economic tiger if American presidents that has even gotten to this point. election in a matter of months. Modi’s decision to order helicopter. The cause of the crash was unknown. it surrenders its nuclear status. He said the country No one else has even had the conversations, no one air strikes could benefit him politically, according to The aerial engagement followed overnight artillery could quickly emulate the summit’s host, Vietnam - a else has had these summits.” — AFP analysts and pollsters, but he was accused yesterday by fire by both sides. Pakistan used heavy caliber weapons opposition parties of capitalising on conflict. Congress in 12 to 15 places along the Line of Control, a leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the “blatant politicization spokesman for the Indian defense forces said yesterday. flights to Pakistan. All flights from Kabul to India have of the sacrifices made by our armed forces”, in a joint “The Indian Army retaliated for effect and our focused KAC suspends been cancelled until further notice while India’s state- statement by 21 opposition parties, the first time they fire resulted in severe destruction to five posts and run carrier Air India has cancelled its flights until the have broken ranks with the government over the issue. number of casualties,” the spokesman said. Five Indian flights to Pak... first week of March, an airline official in Kabul said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke sepa- soldiers suffered minor wounds in the shelling that end- Air Canada said it has temporarily suspended serv- rately with the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan ed yesterday morning, he added. Continued from Page 1 ice to India because of Pakistan’s airspace closure. and urged them to avoid “further military activity” fol- “So far there are no (civilian) casualties but there is Singapore Airlines’ Europe-bound flights would need lowing Tuesday’s air strike. “I expressed to both minis- panic among people,” said Rahul Yadav, the deputy “You can’t overfly China, so you have to overfly to make refueling stops, the airline said in a statement. ters that we encourage India and Pakistan to exercise commissioner of the Poonch district on the Indian side Pakistan and India and go to Southeast Asia and British Airways said it is monitoring the situation close- restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost,” Pompeo where some of the shelling took place. “We have an Australia. Most of the traffic destined for Bangkok and ly. India, earlier yesterday, shut several airports in the said in a statement yesterday. “I also encouraged both evacuation plan in place and if need arises we will Singapore will have to fly over Iran and then possibly northern part of the country temporarily, leading to ministers to prioritize direct communication and avoid evacuate people to safer areas,” he said. take a detour,” he said. dozens of domestic flight cancellations after Pakistani further military activity,” he said. Both China and the Officials on the Pakistani side said at least four peo- International airlines that normally transit between warplanes crossed a disputed border into the Indian European Union have also called for restraint. ple had been killed and seven wounded, including civil- Indian and Pakistani airspace have been forced to side of Kashmir. Operations at the Indian airports have Many of the facts in the latest series of engagements ians, with thousands evacuated and schools closed in reroute, including flights by Singapore Airlines, Finnair, now resumed. are disputed by the two sides. Major General Asif border areas. “Only those families are still here which British Airways, Aeroflot, and Air India, according to Indian airlines including IndiGo, India’s biggest air- Ghafoor, spokesman for the Pakistan armed forces, said have concrete bunkers built within or along their online portal flightradar24.com which tracks the move- line by market share, low-cost rival GoAir and full-ser- two Indian jets had been shot down after they entered homes,” said Muhammad Din, a resident of Chakothi, a ment of planes globally. Qatar Airways said in a state- vice carriers Jet Airways and Vistara, a joint venture Pakistani airspace while responding to a Pakistani aerial village in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir near the de facto ment it has temporarily suspended flights to eight cities between Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons, were forced mission on targets in Indian-controlled Kashmir. One of border. India has also continued its crackdown on sus- in India and Pakistan “due to the ongoing situation on to cancel services to at least six cities in northern India the jets crashed on the Indian-controlled side of the de pected militants operating in Kashmir, and yesterday the India-Pakistan border” and that its flights routed due to airport closures. The airlines said on Twitter that facto border in Kashmir, known as the Line of Control, security forces killed two Jaish militants in a gun battle, over the India-Pakistan air space may be delayed due flights to cities including Amritsar, Chandigarh, and the other on the Pakistani side. Indian police said. Syed Maqsood, the superintendent to rerouting in the area. Dehradun, Jammu, Leh and Srinagar have been put on Ghafoor said the Pakistani aircraft had carried out the of a government hospital in Indian-occupied Kashmir, Bahrain’s Gulf Air said it had suspended all flights to hold or temporarily suspended. Airports in the cities of strikes in response to India’s air strike the day before said that all hospitals in the region had been asked to and from Pakistan due to closure of airspace while low- Amritsar, Pathankot, Jammu, Leh and Chandigarh were but had taken deliberate action to ensure no casualties paint a red cross on their roofs in case of further cost carrier flydubai said it is reviewing its schedule. temporarily closed for commercial flights earlier yester- were caused. The Pakistani jets had locked on to six tar- Pakistani air strikes. — Agencies Emirates and Etihad also said they had suspended some day, sources told Reuters. — Agencies 25 Sports Thursday, February 28, 2019 Nishikori bundled out in second round of Dubai Championship Fun in Acapulco as Nadal eases into second round DUBAI: Japan’s top seed Kei Nishikori was bundled breezing past Germany’s Mischa Zverev in straight out in the second round of the Dubai Championships sets to advance to a meeting with Australia’s Nick yesterday, losing 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 to unfancied Hubert Kyrgios. Hurkacz. The Polish number one ranked 77th in the World number two Nadal, playing in his first event world handed the favourite his exit papers as since being thrashed by Novak Djokovic in last Nishikori played the gulf event for the first time. month’s Australian Open final, was always in control He came to the emirate with an early season title during a 6-3, 6-3 victory. from Brisbane, where he claimed his first trophy The 17-time Grand Slam champion completed the since 2016. Hurkacz moved into his first ATP quarter- victory in 1hr 20min at Acapulco’s Princess Mundo final after scoring his first career victory over a Top Imperial venue, defeating his 76th ranked opponent 10 opponent, needing just over two hours completing with ease. The tournament top seed seized the advan- the upset. tage in the opening set, The outsider caught scoring a break to go 3-1 Nishikori with a late break ahead with a delicate lob in the opening set but the that left Zverev floundering. favourite looked like making With Nadal’s superior up ground in the second variety proving too much for when he moved from 4-0, I didn’t play Zverev, the Spaniard quickly 5-2 up. But Nishikori failed wrapped up the opening set. on four occasions to serve it perfect today The second set went with out before squeaking serve until the seventh game, through with a break for 6- when a wild forehand from 5 followed by a serve hold Zverev sailed wide to give to make it a set each after Nadal the break for a 4-3 92 minutes. lead. Zverev hung his head Hurkacz finished the job as he claimed the final set following the miscue, seemingly realising there was no to advance, winning with six breaks of serve from sev- way back. en chances. The Japanese top seed was at a loss to Nadal then held for a 5-3 lead and wrapped up vic- explain exactly what went wrong in the first-time tory in the ninth game, moving to match point when DUBAI: Kei Nishikori of Japan returns the ball to Hubert Hurkacz of Poland during the ATP Dubai Duty Free Tennis meeting with the lowly ranked Pole. Zverev could only plop a return tamely into the net. Championship in the Gulf emirate of Dubai yesterday. — AFP “I didn’t play perfect today, but I think he was Nadal then produced a sublime backhand winner playing good serves, better than I thought,” Nishikori down the line to seal a deserved win. said. “With this wind and this surface, it’s not easy. I “I’m happy for the victory. It’s never easy against Nadal said. “It’s a big challenge for me and I hope to route to victory. Australia’s Kyrgios meanwhile was didn’t serve well when I wanted to. Mischa, especially without competing for a while,” be ready for it.” Elsewhere Tuesday, Zverev’s made to work hard for victory in his win over Italy’s “He played well in the important games, I didn’t said Nadal. “I’ll try to enjoy this moment for the next younger brother Alex had little difficulty in advanc- Andreas Seppi, battling into the second round with a make many first serves when I wanted to.. that cost me few hours and then be ready for tomorrow,” added ing to the second round, defeating Australia’s Alexei 6-3, 7-5 win. some important points.” Nadal, who said he is wary of the threat posed by the Popyrin 6-3, 6-3. Third seed John Isner of the United States also had In Acapulco, Mexico Rafael Nadal powered into mercurial Kyrgios. Second seed Zverev’s service game overwhelmed a testing opening game, needing three sets to subdue the second round at the Mexican Open Tuesday, “Nick is one of the most talented players on tour,” Popyrin, with the German hammering down 13 aces en France’s Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. — AFP

Fury to fight before Wilder Five athletes rematch: WBC arrested in

LOS ANGELES: Tyson Fury has informed the World doping raids Boxing Council he plans to fight an as-yet-unnamed opponent before any rematch with reigning heavy- weight champion Deontay Wilder, the WBC said VIENNA: Five athletes from Austria, Kazakhstan Tuesday. and Estonia were arrested yesterday in anti-dop- The WBC said on Twitter that it had been notified by ing raids at the Nordic skiing world champi- Fury’s camp that the British fighter was planning anoth- onships in the Austrian resort of Seefeld, police er fight before climbing back into the ring with Wilder. said. The raids were part of a broader operation Wilder and Fury fought to a draw in Los Angeles in targeting a Germany-based “criminal organisa- December after an epic 12-round battle at the Staples tion” suspected of having carried out blood dop- Center. Their rematch is likely to be one of the most ing for years, the Austrian police said. anticipated fights of the year following a first meeting A 40-year-old sports doctor is believed to be which reignited interest in the heavyweight division. at the centre of the organisation, the police said in However, doubts over a possible rematch emerged a statement, adding that he was also arrested in last week when Fury signed a deal with US promoter Germany yesterday. In total nine people were Top Rank and ESPN, potentially complicating negotia- arrested in 16 raids in Seefeld and Germany, the tions with Wilder. Austrian police said, adding that the operation On Tuesday, the WBC confirmed that Fury’s team was coordinated with the German authorities. had notified them that they planned to fight at least Two of the athletes arrested in Seefeld are once more before scheduling a rematch. Wilder “vs from Austria, two are Estonian and one is from @Tyson_Fury is officially not happening next,” the LOS ANGELES: In this file photo taken on December 1, 2018, Tyson Fury punches Deontay Wilde in the seventh Kazakhstan, the police said. Austrian media quot- WBC said on Twitter. round fighting to a draw during the WBC Heavyweight Championship in Los Angeles, California.— AFP ed an official from the country’s skiing federation “@WBCBoxing has received communications as our as saying the two Austrians arrested were cross- process and while Wilder confirmed its willingness to December 1 meeting. “Wilder and Fury gave boxing versial split decision draw against Fury, had earlier sig- country skiers Max Hauke and Dominik Baldauf, fight the rematch, Fury will take on another fight with one of the best fights in the heavyweight division in a nalled his desire to schedule a rematch as quickly as both 26. expectations to do rematch at a later date.” long time, which has created tremendous popular possible. “I’m ready to do it again,” Wilder said last “Athletes have been caught using unauthorised The WBC had earlier given the greenlight for a demand for the fans to see a rematch,” the WBC said in December. “I’m looking forward to giving him the methods or substances. Unfortunately, it shocks direct rematch between Wilder and Fury following their December. Wilder, who retained his title with a contro- rematch as soon as possible.” — AFP me, two of our athletes are among them. They have been taken into custody, Baldauf and Hauke,” the federation’s sporting director for cross-coun- world titles because you have the year and you can try skiing and biathlon, Markus Gandler, told the Aussie surfer make a couple of mistakes during the series but still win APA news agency. the championship as long as you are pretty consistent,” Reuters was not able to immediately contact she said. the federation for comment. Two other people Gilmore hopes “Olympics is like one chance, a 30-minute heat. Who were arrested in Seefeld while two people includ- knows what (the) waves will be like. The pressure will ing the sports doctor were arrested in Germany, be incredible with no mistakes allowed, and (you have the police said. to ride Olympic to) go out there and put together the best performance The raids were part of an investigation that has of the entire last four years of your life. lasted several months on suspicion of “profession- waves of success “There are swimmers who break world records in al sport fraud” and “use of prohibited substances other competitions, but they get to the Olympics and and methods for doping purposes”. when they get there they crumble and you ask what This is not the first time that Austrian skiing has MONACO: Cathy Freeman’s memorable run to Olympic went wrong there.” been hit by a doping case. At the 2006 Olympics gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics is a moment her in Turin, the Austrian cross country and biathlon compatriot Stephanie Gilmore wants to emulate in ‘A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE’ teams had their headquarters raided by Italian Tokyo next year, she has told AFP. The 31-year-old will Gilmore, who claimed the first of her world titles in police and drugs testers in a high-profile doping bid to become the first women’s Olympic surfing cham- her rookie year in 2007, says despite surfers being scandal. pion, and with seven world titles to her name, the odds seen as rebels and free spirits, they can embrace the None tested positive but half a dozen athletes are in her favour. Olympics. were banned for life after the discovery of Gilmore, who began surfing aged 10 and first com- “Surfers and skaters (skateboarders) keep some syringes and other equipment, and the Austrian peted on the world circuit seven years later, says kind of street credibility, some coolness about them, Olympic Committee was fined for anti-doping Freeman storming down the straight in Sydney to because they are sub-cultures. They are rebels and do rules violations by the International Olympic secure 400 metres gold was etched in the memory of not want to follow path of corporate sports,” said Committee. — Reuters the then-13-year-old. Gilmore. “Watching her (Freeman) win blew my mind,” “There are a lot of top pros I have spoken to who Gilmore told AFP at the Laureus Awards. “I was so love (the) idea of it (the Olympics). They are athletes, so inspired thinking she was a super hero, the suit she had to compete on (the) world’s biggest platform, not only on with the hood and everything. “Imagine the pressure is a great marketing tool for our sport, but just a won- Stephanie Gilmore of the entire world, not just Australia, on her shoulders. derful experience. She did it so cool, calm and collected, incredible. “It can really enhance WSL (World Surfing League) said. “It is easy to be overwhelmed by the commenta- “So when I heard surfing was in the Olympics, I said events. Maybe we will bring a whole new audience and tors and the sound (of) the judges and your opponents, to myself, ‘Great I want to try and have a moment like they will fall in love with it.” But Gilmore says that her but I find as a surfer it (the ocean) is a sacred place you that’.” Gilmore, though, is not already placing herself on relationship with the sea will not be altered just can go to. the top step of the podium, as despite her multiple because surfing has gained acceptance amongst the “That sacred place is remembering this is what you world crowns, she knows from watching other champi- grey suits of the International Olympic Committee. love, being in the ocean it is such a free feeling. “You ons fall short that the Olympics are an entirely different “I think that surfing is always a spiritual experience. are being paid to surf, it is crazy.” Laureus is a global challenge. It is funny when you are competing you tap into that movement that aims to use the power of sport to tackle “It is funny. It seems so easy to win a couple of spirituality to find a clarity to what you are doing,” she social challenges in the world. — AFP Markus Gandler 26 Sports Thursday, February 28, 2019 Red-hot Flames streak past Isles, Wild stun Jets with two late goals Pacioretty’s two goals key Knights’ win over Stars UNIONDALE: Mikael Backlund and Rasmus FLYERS 5, SABRES 2 Andersson scored early in the third period Tuesday Oskar Lindblom, Jakub Voracek, James van night for the Calgary Flames, who remained red hot Riemsdyk, Travis Sanheim and Claude Giroux each with a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders in scored a goal to lead host Philadelphia past Buffalo. Uniondale, N.Y. Matthew Tkachuk opened the scoring Giroux also added an assist as the Flyers earned their for the Western Conference-leading Flames, who have fifth straight win over the Sabres in Philadelphia. won a season-high six straight, including the first two Goaltender Brian Elliott made 34 saves as the Flyers games of an Eastern Conference road trip. Calgary won their second in a row. Jack Eichel and Casey earlier had two winning streaks of five straight games. Mittelstadt each scored a goal for the Sabres. Flames goalie Mike Smith made 26 saves. Josh Bailey scored for the Islanders, who lost for the third time in PENGUINS 5, BLUE JACKETS 2 the past four games-a skid that began with a 4-2 loss Jared McCann scored twice to lead visiting at Calgary last Wednesday-to fall into a tie for first Pittsburgh past Columbus. Sidney Crosby had a goal place in the Metropolitan Division with the and assist, and Jake Guentzel and Evgeni Malkin also Washington Capitals. scored for the Penguins, who ended a two-game losing streak. They have won seven in a row against the Blue WILD 3, JETS 2 Jackets. Goaltender Matt Murray stopped 21 of 23 Minnesota scored two goals in the last 87 seconds Columbus shots. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Cam Atkinson of the game to steal a road victory over Winnipeg. scored for the Blue Jackets, whose two-game winning After Jason Zucker’s power-play goal at 18:33 of the streak ended. Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves for third period tied the score, Joel Eriksson Ek forced in a Columbus. rebound just 26 seconds later for the winner. Eriksson Ek’s goal stood after both a video review and a coach’s HURRICANES 6, KINGS 1 challenge from the Winnipeg bench. Ryan Donato and Dougie Hamilton scored two goals as Carolina won Eric Staal each had two assists for the Wild, who its ninth game in 11 outings by routing Los Angeles at extended their winning streak to four games. The Jets Raleigh, N.C. Sebastian Aho, Micheal Ferland, Jaccob COLUMBUS: Seth Jones #3 of the Columbus Blue Jackets gets called for slashing while trying to block a shot from got goals from Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele. Slavin and Teuvo Teravainen also scored for the Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period on Tuesday at Nationwide Arena in Hurricanes. Teravainen also provided three assists, Columbus, Ohio. Pittsburgh defeated Columbus 5-2. — AFP COYOTES 4, PANTHERS 3 (SO) while Jordan Staal assisted three times and Hamilton Nick Cousins, Alex Galchenyuk and Vinnie had one assist. Carolina goalie Petr Mrazek stopped 22 Hinostroza scored in a shootout as host Arizona won its shots, blanking the Kings until the final eight minutes. Stars’ Tyler Seguin and trickled across the goal line fourth straight game, defeating Florida. Jonathan Dustin Brown scored for Los Angeles off an assist from CANADIENS 8, RED WINGS 1 before Bishop could swipe it away. Vegas earned just its Huberdeau scored for the Panthers in the shootout, but Alex Iafallo. Andrew Shaw notched his first career hat trick, Max fourth win in the past 14 games (4-9-1), while Dallas fell Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper stopped Panthers cap- Domi had two goals and three assists, and visiting to 3-6-1 in its past 10 outings. Bishop stopped 44 shots tain Aleksander Barkov, and that was the difference in a BRUINS 4, SHARKS 1 Montreal pounded Detroit. Jonathan Drouin collected for the Stars, who got a goal from Roope Hintz. Brayden wild game. Arizona hit the post three times in the final Brad Marchand recorded his franchise-record- four assists while Tomas Tatar, Brendan Gallagher and McNabb and Nate Schmidt had goals for the Golden two frantic minutes of regulation, failing to score each tying 25th short-handed goal and added two assists as Joel Armia also scored for Montreal. Carey Price made Knights. time. Both Kuemper and Panthers goalie Roberto host Boston extended its point streak to 14 games 28 saves as the Canadiens defeated Detroit for the third Luongo made spectacular saves in overtime. (10-0-4) with a victory over San Jose. David Krejci time in three meetings this season. Anthony Mantha BLUES 2, PREDATORS 0 collected a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who scored for the Red Wings, who have lost six straight. Tyler Bozak broke a scoreless tie with 7:25 left in CAPITALS 7, SENATORS 2 defeated San Jose for the sixth straight time. Boston’s Detroit starting goaltender Jimmy Howard was pulled regulation, and rookie Jordan Binnington needed to T.J. Oshie scored twice in a four-goal second period Charlie McAvoy and Jake DeBrusk scored 37 seconds early from his third start in a row after allowing six make just 19 saves for his fifth shutout as St. Louis beat as Washington defeated visiting Ottawa. The Senators apart in the second period, and Jaroslav Halak finished goals on 22 shots in the first two periods. visiting Nashville. The Blues were finally rewarded for dominated the early minutes and scored the game’s first with 19 saves to improve to 4-0-2 in his past six outshooting the Predators 44-19 in the game as Bozak two goals, but it was all Capitals after that. Washington starts. San Jose’s Erik Karlsson exited early in the sec- GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4, STARS 1 fired a Vladimir Tarasenko pass just as an unsportsman- scored twice late in the first period to tie it and added ond period after appearing to aggravate a groin injury Max Pacioretty scored twice, including the deciding like conduct penalty on Nashville’s Ryan Johansen end- four more in less than eight minutes in the second. that had sidelined him for the Sharks’ 5-3 win over goal with 5:08 to play, and Marc-Andre Fleury record- ed. Alex Pietrangelo added an empty-netter for the Evgeny Kuznetsov, Brett Connolly, Lars Eller and Tom Detroit on Sunday. Karlsson returned midway into the ed 23 saves as Vegas defeated visiting Dallas to snap a Blues. Binnington continued his stellar play, improving Wilson each finished with one goal and one assist for period, but Marchand breezed by him before back- three-game losing streak. Pacioretty’s second goal to 7-0-0 with a 1.55 goals-against average at home as the Capitals, who also got a goal from John Carlson. handing the puck past Martin Jones (28 saves) at 12:28 came as he swept behind the net and lifted the puck off a starter for St. Louis. Juuse Saros was just as tough, Anthony Duclair and Oscar Lindberg were the scorers to tie Rick Middleton for the most short-handed goals the stick of Dallas goaltender Ben Bishop, then tried to making 42 saves for Nashville, which was shut out for for Ottawa. in franchise history. center the puck. Instead, his pass deflected off the the second time in three games. — Reuters German athletes earn more China turns eye to advertising rights diaspora as new during Games league season

BERLIN: German athletes and their sponsors will have gets underway more possibilities to advertise during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics following an easing of restrictions, the German Cartel Office said yesterday. Athletes compet- HONG KONG: After more disappointment on the ing at the Olympic Games have been severely restricted international stage and with the 2022 World Cup in commercial advertising and promotion activities in on the horizon, Chinese football is shifting focus the weeks running up to the Olympics as well as during yet again in another attempt to join the global the Games. German athletes Lisa Mayer (L-R), Tatjana Pinto, Gina Luckenkemper and Rebekka Haase celebrate after taking fourth place in the women’s 4 x 100 metre relay. elite-this time with talent developed elsewhere. The International Olympic Committee charter rule The Chinese Super League (CSL) season kicks 40 states that “except as permitted by the IOC off on Friday with the sport in a state of flux fol- Executive Board, no competitor, coach, trainer or offi- tion of administrative proceedings that started in 2017. planned for during the Olympics no longer need to be lowing the national team’s limp exit from cial who participates in the Olympic Games may allow He said sports organisations pursuing economic cleared by the DOSB beforehand. They can also include January’s Asian Cup and Marcello Lippi bowing his person, name, picture or sports performances to be activities were also subject to competition law. “While some terms such as “medal, gold, silver, bronze, winter out as coach. used for advertising purposes during the Olympic athletes are the key figures of Olympic Games, they or summer games.” As the Italian shuffled into retirement he left Games.” cannot benefit directly from the IOC’s high advertising It is now also permitted to use certain photographs behind an aging team in need of a complete over- This was long seen as major problem for the vast revenue generated with official Olympic sponsors. taken during the Olympic Games, while athletes are haul if President Xi Jinping’s hopes of qualifying majority of athletes who depend heavily on their visibil- However, as the games mark the height of their sporting allowed to use social media more freely during the for the World Cup are to be realised in Qatar in ity during the Olympics every four years to generate careers, self-marketing during the games plays a very Olympic Games. These changes apply only for German less than four years’ time. sponsorship and advertising revenues. important role.” athletes. The IOC, whose Rule 40 has been aimed at “This is a problem and can be a problem for “We ensure that the advertising opportunities of “Our decision grants German athletes more leeway protecting the rights of its own Olympic sponsors, had China in the next few years,” World Cup winner German athletes and their sponsors during the Olympic when it comes to marketing themselves during the already somewhat eased restrictions at the 2018 Lippi said during the Asian Cup, where his team Games, which the DOSB (German Olympic Sports Olympic Games, for example as far as the use of certain Pyeongchang winter Olympics after the Cartel Office surrendered meekly to Iran in the quarter-finals. Confederation) and IOC significantly restricted in the “Olympic” terms or their pictures taken in sports had launched its administrative proceedings for “sus- “At the moment these players are 32-, 33-years- past, are extended,” Andreas Mundt, President of the events, or social media activities are concerned.” pected abuse of a dominant position against the DOSB old and there aren’t too many younger players. Cartel Office, said in a statement following the comple- Among the changes are that advertising activities and the IOC.”—Reuters Maybe the younger players don’t have the same experience these players have.” China’s squad, with an average age of 29, was opening match of a three-match Test series against the oldest at the Asian Cup but with a lack of qual- ‘Anybody can beat Bangladesh which begins in Hamilton on Thursday. ity in the domestic ranks CSL clubs are attempting “It’s so hard to beat a side like South Africa any- to use naturalisation as a way to improve the play- anybody’: Test where, let alone in their backyard, but anybody can er pool for Lippi’s eventual successor. beat anybody.” Ninth-ranked Bangladesh, who have A lack of development work at the turn of the enjoyed home Test wins against England and Australia millennium has led to a shortage of candidates to upsets keep Black in recent years, say Sri Lanka’s victory in South Africa replace stalwarts such as Zheng Zhi and Gao Lin, stands as a beacon for them. leaving Chinese football to cast the net overseas Caps wary “What Sri Lanka did was remarkable,” said for players who are eligible through parentage. Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes. “When the boys look Norway-born John Hou Saeter-known in China at those results it definitely will be an inspiration for as Hou Yongyong and who qualifies to play for them and I will use it in the team talk. China through his mother-became the first such HAMILTON: New Zealand captain Kane Williamson “If we play anything like we can do, we will surprise player to make his debut for a CSL side at the said yesterday recent Test upsets mean “anybody can the New Zealanders.” New Zealand dominated Sri weekend. beat anybody” and the world number two ranked side Lanka before Christmas, leaving Williamson to suggest The 21-year-old midfielder was introduced can have no room for complacency against minnows it was best to shut the rankings out of the conversation. from the bench during Beijing Guoan’s 2-0 Bangladesh. The Black Caps made history this week “It’s all about winning the series, as in every series Chinese Super Cup defeat to league champions when they were elevated to second in the ICC Test that is sort of the goal you take into it,” he said. “As Shanghai SIPG. team rankings for the first time following South Africa’s Kane Williamson we’ve seen, the rankings are sometimes in your control He was joined at the Chinese FA Cup holders by shock 2-0 defeat at home to Sri Lanka, the only time an and sometimes outside your control so it’s a very diffi- former Arsenal midfielder Nico Yennaris, who also Asian team has won a series in South Africa. as a good batting strip but Williamson said it “looks a cult thing to focus on. “We know if we are playing claimed Chinese citizenship through his mother It came hot on the heels of the eighth-ranked West little different” this year and he was undecided on what good cricket day in and day out then perhaps those after moving to the Chinese Super League from Indies also enjoying a stunning result at home by win- he would do should he win the toss. things will lean your way.” English second tier side Brentford in January. ning a Test series against England for the first time New Zealand: Jeet Raval, Tom Latham, Kane New Zealand have made one change from the side Both Saeter and 25-year-old Yennaris have since 2009. Williamson (capt), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ that played their last Test, a victory over Sri Lanka two secured their Chinese passports while others are “Sri Lanka over in South Africa was a fantastic Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Neil months ago by 423 runs, with Todd Astle coming in for embarking on similar moves.— Reuters effort,” said Williamson when naming his team for the Ajaz Patel. The Seddon Park wicket is usually regarded Wagner, Todd Astle, Trent Boult. — AFP 27 Sports Thursday, February 28, 2019 Milan secure Lazio stalemate in Coppa Italia semi-final, first leg Di Maria fires PSG into French Cup semi-finals

ROME: AC Milan held Lazio to a 0-0 draw in the first leg He found himself in space one-on-one against young- of their Coppa Italia semi-final in Rome on Tuesday as the ster Donnarumma, but his audacious attempted chip hit home side wasted numerous chances. The 2013 winners the post and rolled out for a goal kick. He was immediately had plenty of opportunities to claim an advantage, includ- substituted for Felipe Caicedo by Inzaghi, whose first ing Ciro Immobile’s delicate lob in the second half, but touch was to earn a wasted corner. Gennaro Gattuso’s side will return to the San Siro the hap- The visitors had a chance to secure an away-goal pier of the teams. advantage with three minutes to go as Fabio Borini’s “The regret is that we didn’t manage to score,” Lazio impressive overhead-kick cross found Krzysztof Piatek, coach Simone Inzaghi told Rai Sport. “We were only miss- but his header sailed over the bar. The second leg takes ing a goal. But the lads put in a great performance, were place on April 24, but Lazio’s attentions will be fixed on a always very focused against Milan, who are the form team Rome derby on Saturday while Milan welcome Sassuolo in in Serie A right now.” Serie A this weekend. After a poor opening quarter of an hour as both teams Meanwhile in Paris, Paris Saint-Germain continued their failed to assert any control, the ball broke to Lucas bid for a fifth straight French Cup title as Angel Di Maria Paqueta in the home side’s box. scored twice in a comfortable Tiemoue Bakayoko’s deflected 3-0 quarter-final win over shot fell to Paqueta but his Dijon at the Parc des Princes shot was weak in threatening on Tuesday. Thomas Strakosha. Regret is we Di Maria’s eighth-minute The capital city side domi- lob put the holders ahead, nated the remainder of the first before adding his second half with plenty of chances didn’t manage before the half-hour mark, which they should have taken. with Thomas Meunier sweep- Patric, Immobile and Sergej ing in a late third. Thomas Milinkovic-Savic all saw tame to score Tuchel’s men remain on course efforts from inside the box for a historic treble, as they PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s French midfielder Christopher Nkunku (R) kicks the ball as Dijon’s Icelandic goalkeeper glance past Gianluigi also lead Ligue 1 by 17 points Runar Runarsson (L) leaps during the French Cup quarter-final football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Donnarumma’s right-hand with a game in hand and will post. The hosts had a penalty shout turned down just after take a 2-0 advantage over Manchester United into the Dijon (DFCO) at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on Tuesday. — AFP the hour mark. Immobile was pushed to the ground by second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie next Alessio Romagnoli as he cushioned the ball with a header, week. Head coach Tuchel, with Neymar and Edinson “(Paredes) played a very good first half, like the rest of the second goal for the club by Dijon goalkeeper Runar Alex but he was judged to be offside by the assistant referee. Cavani still out injured ahead of the Man United game, team,” Tuchel said. “He’s a guy who can make very precise Runarsson. But PSG did not have to wait long to break the Serbian Milinkovic-Savic finally had a shot on target on decided to leave Kylian Mbappe on the bench against a passes. It was his role to set the pace and speed up the deadlock, as Julian Draxler found Di Maria in space, with 66 minutes as his deflected effort forced Donnarumma to Dijon side languishing in the Ligue 1 relegation zone. passing game.” the Argentinian making the most of poor positioning by dive to his left. The best chance of the final 45 fell to The German singled out the first-half performance of The hosts got off to a quick start, with former Stoke Runarsson to loft the ball into the far corner for his 12th Immobile with 10 minutes to play. January signing Leandro Paredes for special praise. City forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting denied only his goal of the season.—AFP Leicester welcome Matches on TV Rodgers with win, (Local Timings) Newcastle end SPAIN COPA DEL REY Valencia C.F v Real Betis 23:00 Burnley run beIN SPORTS

LONDON: New Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers watched on from the stands as the Foxes beat Brighton 2-1, Guardiola sorry to while Newcastle pulled further clear of the relegation bat- tle by defeating Burnley on Tuesday. Rodgers was confirmed as Claude Puel’s successor just derailed Pellegrini’s before kick-off at the King Power after dramatically leav- LEICESTER: Appointed earlier in the evening, Leicester City’s Northern Irish manager Brendan Rodgers (C) is welcomed ing Celtic despite being on course for a third straight by supporters ahead of the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Brighton and Hove domestic treble in Scotland. Albion at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on Tuesday. —AFP final days at City The Northern Irishman saw what his new side are capable of as Demarai Gray and Jamie Vardy put the hosts signing Miguel Almiron to end Burnley’s eight-game Gylfi Sigurdsson scored twice either side of half-time into a 2-0 lead before Davy Propper pulled a goal back. unbeaten Premier League run with a 2-0 victory. before Dominic Calvert-Lewin rounded off a badly needed MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola has apologised if the early “I spoke to them about the incoming manager and just Fabian Schar’s stunning long-range effort put Rafael win for manager Marco Silva in stoppage time. announcement of his arrival at Manchester City in 2016 said we had to concentrate on the game. He’s given the Benitez’s men in front before Sean Longstaff scored his “The most important thing for us is winning points to destabilised his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini’s attempt to players a boost. He said he’s excited to get started,” said first league goal for the club to give Newcastle a com- boost our confidence and now we have to rest and recov- win the quadruple. Leicester’s caretaker manager Mike Stowell. manding half-time lead they never looked like surrender- er,” said Silva, whose side had not played in 17 days. Pellegrini will bring his West Ham side to Manchester “It’s been a difficult season on and off the pitch but I ing. “It is amazing to be playing every week, it was my “We have a big test on Sunday and I know how impor- yesterday, making his first visit to the Etihad for a match think we should be seventh for the quality we have. dream as a young boy,” said Newcastle native Longstaff. tant it is for the fans and our opponents. We knew how we since City sacked him to make space for Guardiola. “Today’s win broke four defeats on the spin so hopeful- “There is something different about night games at St lost the first game at Anfield and we can achieve victory at The Chilean confirmed in February 2016, three months ly the shackles are off because there’s still plenty of games James’ Park. The atmosphere is the best in the world, I got our own ground.” before his departure, that he was being replaced, and City, to play-let’s look upwards not down.” lost in the goal. It was amazing.” Huddersfield remain rock bottom, but did secure their who were still in contention to win four trophies at that However, Brighton’s alarming slide towards the bottom Cardiff remain just a point above the relegation zone as first win under Jan Siewert thanks to Steve Mounie’s 91st- point, picked up only seven points from the seven league three continued as they could not find an equaliser and Everton inflicted a second heavy home defeat on the minute winner to beat Wolves 1-0. “I will have one beer matches that followed. They did win the League Cup that now have not won in seven league games. Welsh side in five days with a 3-0 win to boost their confi- tonight-maybe two. But we have a game on Saturday and season, and reached the semi-finals of the Champions Newcastle are headed in the other direction as once dence ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby against title- there is still something possible,” said Siewert, with the League, but needed a draw at Swansea on the final day of again they were inspired by the performance of record chasing Liverpool. Terriers still 11 points off safety. —AFP the campaign to secure fourth place. Pellegrini acknowledged in May 2016 that his decision to announce his departure contributed to City’s subse- quent loss of form, saying that “something was broken in “player welfare”. While Stajcic has threatened legal that moment”. Kerr named World action and many in Australia’s soccer community still Guardiola, who joined City from Bayern Munich, said he want answers about his sacking, Milicic said Kerr’s was unaware that his impending arrival caused such insta- appointment was a chance for the team to move on. bility. “I don’t know. He can answer that. I was in Munich, Cup captain as “What I said to the group is the message is clear- so I don’t know what happened in the locker room and what’s happened in the past, we can’t change that,” he what the reason why is,” he said. told reporters. “But from today, the first meeting we “But if it was the reason-I think nobody can know it- Australian women I’m sorry and I apologise. Everybody was honest to tell had, the first training session we had, this is our Manuel what was happening, but really it’s a question for chance to move forward and we can definitely Manuel.” Pellegrini won the Premier League and the seek fresh start together make an impact on how this journey’s going League Cup in the first of his three seasons at City, and his to end.” role in the club’s rise was acknowledged by Guardiola. Kerr has earned 72 caps for Australia and scored “Of course, all the players I have in my hands now were WELLINGTON: Striker Sam Kerr was named cap- 27 times since her debut in 2009, frequently celebrat- with other managers and they learned a lot from that-and I tain of the troubled Australian women’s football team ing her goals with a trademark back flip. She said it benefit from that. yesterday, with coach Ante Milicic confident she can was a “tremendous honour” to captain the Matildas, “In the past decade, they were involved with (Roberto) lead the Matildas into a new era. Kerr, 25, will head ranked sixth in the world, with Steph Catley as her Mancini and Manuel and myself, with all the staff and all the team at this year’s World Cup and has her first vice-captain. the players, we have created Manchester City. taste of leadership as Australia hosts the Cup of “Together with Steph and the team we are com- “I didn’t build it. I didn’t create it. Many incredible play- Nations this week in Sydney, Brisbane and mitted to excelling at the 2019 Women’s World Cup ers and managers, everybody, did something. Melbourne. and there will be no bigger honour than to wear the “I hope we can leave something for the next manager to Her appointment comes after Milicic’s predecessor armband in France,” she said. The duo replaced co- do that. That’s the best we can do for other managers, Alen Stajcic was dumped in controversial circum- captains Clare Polkinghorne and Lisa De Vanna, both leave something for the club-and, of course, I got some- Sam Kerr stances last month over unspecified concerns about of whom remain with the squad. — AFP thing with what Manuel did here.” One of the most important signings City made under Pellegrini was Raheem Sterling, who scored the decisive kick as Chelsea were beaten in a penalty shoot-out in since Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho in December. That (Matic), Ander. So it’s about the preparation, the standards Sunday’s League Cup final. has been a factor in a huge upturn in results, with 14 that you have to live up to on and off the pitch as a Solskjaer admits his Sterling has scored 15 goals this season, including the matches under Solskjaer bringing 11 wins and just one Manchester United player, and as a professional player in 90th-minute winner in the 3-2 Champions League last-16 defeat. “It’s probably linked, yes,” said Solskjaer. “But the Premier League. demands contributing when do you make that change? Do you wait until pre- “It’s not just turning up, playing and training and then first-leg win over Schalke on February 20. season and think you will change results by just not asking going home and doing all these little out-of-football activi- And Guardiola was impressed by the 24-year-old’s to injury pile-up them to run? “Or do we start now and show them demands ties that we have all seen too many players doing. “I’m bravery to take the deciding spot-kick against Chelsea. of intensity and how we want to play?” The caretaker pleased with the way my lads have responded in that way, “I cannot anticipate how far his career will go. But I manager has made a point of getting United to play the that we don’t see too much of them outside football. admire the fact that, in Sunday’s situation, he took respon- MANCHESTER: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes the privi- fast-paced attacking game for which they were renowned “That was a big part of my career-as long as you are a sibility,” he said. lege of playing for Manchester United should be about the during much of Alex Ferguson’s 26-and-a-half years in footballer and you play in the Premier League, make the “The fact he said he wanted to hit the last penalty or “survival of the fittest” as he deals with a mounting injury charge at Old Trafford. most of it because suddenly you get these injuries and you even the first one, or take that responsibility, that means a crisis. Solskjaer had to make three first-half substitutions “You have seen what I have chosen,” he added. “We are done.” lot. “Of course, he helps us a lot, but he will retire and say: during Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool as Ander need to play as a Manchester United team. If you want to Solskjaer, meanwhile, is confident that Romelu Lukaku ‘I took responsibility and I was brave with courage in the Herrera, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard all hobbled off be a part of Manchester United, it’s a survival of the fittest will get himself into the right shape to rediscover his best big moments’. injured. isn’t it?” form. The striker, who has gone 10 games without scoring, “These kinds of players are judged on these kinds of The Norwegian could be without 10 players in total for Solskjaer acknowledged that the physical demands of a admitted in December that the muscle mass he put on to actions. In basketball, the last seconds, who is the taker in Wednesday’s trip to Crystal Palace and acknowledged that hard-running style may take its toll on some of the more help Belgium finish third at last year’s World Cup has ham- the last action? That makes the difference. at least some of the muscle problems suffered by his squad experienced members of his squad. But he stressed the pered his form at club level. “The penalty in the final of the World Cup, who’s the may be a result of the rising physical demands he is plac- importance of professionalism off the pitch, saying his “I can understand why, when you go to a World Cup taker? So that is what makes the difference-to have the ing on them. players could prolong their careers. and see the teams you play, the physicality might take over feeling that, when everyone has doubts, says: ‘I am going United’s running statistics have increased significantly “They are getting older aren’t they, Juan, Nemanja in terms of your preparation.—AFP to do that’. That is massive.” — AFP Established 1961 Sport

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019

Aussie surfer Gilmore hopes to Red-hot Flames streak past Isles, Kerr named World Cup captain as 25ride Olympic waves of success 26 Wild stun Jets with two late goals 27 Australian women seek fresh start

Nuggets hold off Thunder for 5th straight win Raptors continue home domination of Celtics

DENVER: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. — AFP

DENVER: Nikola Jokic had 36 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds to help Toronto defeat visiting Boston. Kawhi rebounds, Will Barton scored 23 points, and the host Leonard added 21 points and six rebounds for the Raptors, NBA results/standings Denver Nuggets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-112 who have won eight straight home games against the on Tuesday night. Jamal Murray added 20 points and Paul Celtics and eight of their past nine games overall. Marcus LA Clippers 121, Dallas 112; Brooklyn 101, San Antonio 85; Miami 121, Phoenix 124; Chicago 106, Milwaukee 117; Houston 119, Millsap finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds to help Morris had 17 points and six rebounds for the Celtics, who Atlanta 111; Memphis 110, LA Lakers 105; Minnesota 112, Sacramento 105; New Orleans 110, Philadelphia 111; Charlotte 110, Denver win its fifth straight. The Nuggets have won each of have lost three in a row and five of their past seven. Golden State 121; Cleveland 110, Portland 123; Detroit 113, Indiana 109. their first three matchups against Oklahoma City this sea- son. Russell Westbrook had 22 points, 14 rebounds and nine KNICKS 108, MAGIC 103 Eastern Conference Western Conference Emmanuel Mudiay scored 19 points to lead a big night W L PCT GB Golden State 43 17 0.717 - assists, and Paul George added 25 points, eight rebounds, Milwaukee 46 14 0.767 - Denver 41 18 0.695 1.5 seven assists and six steals for Oklahoma City. Jerami Grant from the reserves as New York overcame a 16-point Toronto 44 17 0.721 2.5 Oklahoma City 38 21 0.644 4.5 contributed 21 points for the Thunder, who have lost three deficit to record a victory over visiting Orlando. The Indiana 40 21 0.656 6.5 Portland 37 23 0.617 6 of their past four. The Nuggets held a 13-point lead early in Knicks won consecutive games for the only time this sea- Philadelphia 39 22 0.639 7.5 Houston 35 25 0.583 8 Boston 37 23 0.617 9 Utah 33 26 0.559 9.5 the fourth quarter before Oklahoma City came storming son other than a three-game stretch in late November. Brooklyn 32 30 0.516 15 LA Clippers 34 28 0.548 10 back to take a three-point lead. Then Denver responded to They posted a second straight home victory after a team- Detroit 29 30 0.492 16.5 record, 18-game home losing streak. Rookie Allonzo Trier Charlotte 28 32 0.467 18 San Antonio 33 29 0.532 11 the run with one of its own. Millsap hit two free throws, and Sacramento 31 29 0.517 12 Murray followed a Thunder miss with a corner 3-pointer to scored 12 of his 18 in the fourth while first-year center Orlando 28 33 0.459 18.5 Miami 26 33 0.441 19.5 Minnesota 29 31 0.483 14 give the Nuggets the lead again. Millsap hit a layup and Mitchell Robinson finished with a career-best 17 points, Washington 24 36 0.400 22 LA Lakers 29 31 0.483 14 split two free throws to make it 105-101 with 4:19 left. 14 rebounds, six blocks and three steals for New York. Atlanta 20 41 0.328 26.5 New Orleans 27 35 0.435 17 Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic scored 26 points Chicago 16 45 0.262 30.5 Dallas 26 34 0.433 17 RAPTORS 118, CELTICS 95 apiece for Orlando, which lost for the third time in its past Cleveland 14 47 0.230 32.5 Memphis 24 38 0.387 20 Pascal Siakam scored 25 points and grabbed eight 11 games. —Reuters New York 12 48 0.200 34 Phoenix 12 50 0.194 32

Maxwell’s knock laced with 7 fours and 9 hit back with a couple of wickets to check the Maxwell ton fires sixes eclipsed Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s 72 opposition surge. Fast bowler Nathan off 38 balls that lifted the hosts to 190 for four Coulter-Nile got Rahul, who scored a fifty in after being put into bat first. The Aussies lost his team’s opening loss, with a change of pace Australia to T20 two early wickets in their chase but Maxwell as the batsman was caught out at deep third stood his ground with two good partnerships man. series sweep including an unbeaten 99-run stand with Jason Behrendorff got Shikhar Dhawan for Peter Handscomb, who made 20. 14 and D’Arcy Short claimed Rishabh Pant for He finished the game with a six and four one with a brilliant catch from Jhye BANGALORE: Glenn Maxwell hit a breath- off paceman Siddarth Kaul to give the Richardson. Kohli then clobbered the ball to taking century to single-handedly lead Aussies a convincing win after their last-ball all parts of the ground as he hit Coulter-Nile Australia to a 2-0 series sweep over India finish in the opening match. Put into bat, the for three straight sixes in the 16th over to with their seven-wicket win in the second hosts rode on a century stand between Kohli entertain a raucous home crowd. Twenty20 international yesterday. and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who made 40 off Dhoni soon joined the party as the veteran Maxwell smashed 113 off 55 balls as the 23 balls, to take the attack to the opposition wicketkeeper-batsman hit 3 fours and 3 sixes tourists chased down their target of 191 with bowlers. before falling to Pat Cummins. The two teams BANGALORE: Australian batsmen Glenn Maxwell (R) and Peter Handscomb embrace after victory two balls to spare at Bangalore’s Opener K.L. Rahul gave his team a brisk now head into five one-day internationals in the second Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Australia at The M. M.Chinnaswamy Stadium. start with his 47 off 26 deliveries but Australia starting Saturday in Hyderabad. — AFP Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday, winning by seven wickets. — AFP