SUBSCRIPTION MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2016 RAMADAN 15, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Panel did not UK polls show Chile thrash Protests as Ramadan TImings recommend momentum for Mexico 7-0 tension at Emsak: 03:03 raising school ‘In’ after to reach Orlando Fajer: 03:13 Shrooq: 04:48 fees, says MP MP’s murder Copa semis funerals Dohr: 11:49 Asr: 15:23 Maghreb: 18:50 3 9 20 10 Eshaa: 20:22 Assembly passes budgets Min 30º Max 46º of eight new govt bodies High Tide 00:35 & 11:07 Low Tide MPs lash out at sports officials as they amend sports laws 05:33 & 18:48 40 PAGES NO: 16910 150 FILS By B Izzak Ramadan Kareem KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday, meeting in Gratitude: A lesson a special session, approved the 2016/2017 budgets and the final accounts of eight new government bodies and of holy Ramadan voted to approve government-sponsored amendments to sports laws to facilitate lifting of international sanc- By Teresa Lesher tions. MPs voted by 46 in favor with six against to a new sports law that allows the government to dissolve y the end of the day, when I finally sit down to a sports federations and clubs for the sake of public inter- glass of cool water and a few dates, I am over- est. It however gives these bodies the right to challenge Bcome with a sense of gratitude. I realize what a the dissolution in court. blessing food and water are. I realize that many people It also changes the voting to the single-vote system do not have access to clean water or nutritious food. I which allows members of clubs to elect only one realize that many people never feel the satisfaction I member in the board. The previous system allowed do at the end of a balanced and delicious meal. I members to vote for all the board members. Some become aware of how blessed I am, and as I take those MPs strongly criticized Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al- first sips and savor the first tastes, I am filled with grati- Sabah, chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia and tude. Not only for the food and drink, but for the senior member of international sports organizations opportunity to express my devotion to God through and his younger brother Sheikh Talal, chairman of the fasting in daylight hours, just as He has asked me to Kuwait Olympic Committee, blaming them for causing do. I feel fortunate that I have been guided to an the suspension of Kuwaiti sports internationally. MP annual ritual that, despite the feelings of weakness I Abdullah Al-Turaiji asked until when the two brothers experience, strengthens me in every way - physically, will continue to control the Kuwaiti sports and won- mentally and spiritually. dered why the international ports bodies do not inter- Maryam, mother of Jesus, is a fine example of fere in other Gulf countries. someone grateful for God’s many blessings. The holy He called on the government to dissolve all sports Quran says that when Zachariah found food with her bodies in the country after the amendment. But a num- when he visited her, he asked where she got it from. ber of MPs warned that the amendments will likely Her response is quite interesting. Most people proba- bring more government control and interference in bly would have said, “The neighbor sent it to me” or “A KUWAIT: Minarets of three different mosques are pictured in Kuwait City. Mosques around Kuwait prepare sports and accordingly will not help lift the internation- caravan has just arrived from Yemen” or “I bought it to welcome worshippers for ‘Qiyam’ prayers that are performed during the last ten nights of Ramadan, start- al suspension. this morning from the farmers’ market.” Although any ing from Friday night. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat Continued on Page 13 answer would satisfy the most curious person, it didn’t satisfy her. She was so devout and so wise that she could see beyond the obvious and the circumstantial - Egypt, Qatar clash she could see the Truth. So she answered, “This is from Dubai group buys majority Allah. Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He over Morsi-era wills, without limit.” (3:37) stake in Kuwait’s Americana We should respond as wisely as Maryam when espionage case asked about our blessings. The holy Quran says, DUBAI: Qatar and Egypt have renewed their ani- KUWAIT: A Dubai-based investor group led by Emaar percent of the company. Established in 1964, Americana, “Whatever good has come to you, it is from God” mosity, trading harshly-worded statements over the Properties chairman Mohamed Al-Abbar has agreed to or Kuwait Food Company, is the parent group that (4:79).So if someone asks you, I love your clothes! sentencing to death by a Cairo court of six people, purchase a majority stake in Kuwait’s top food company brought to the Middle East more than a dozen major food Where did you get them? You should realize that they including two Al-Jazeera employees, for allegedly Americana, the firm said yesterday. A binding agreement brands like Pizza Hut, KFC, Costa Coffee and TGI Friday’s. are from God. Or if someone remarks that you are so passing Egyptian documents related to national for the acquisition, estimated at $2.3 billion, was reached It owns more than 1,690 outlets and employs 63,000 security to Qatar and the Doha-based TV network strong, you should acknowledge the source of all between Abbar’s Adeptio group and Al-Khair National workers in the Middle East and North Africa region. It during the rule of President Mohammed Morsi. strength: “It’s from God!” Or if your kids ask, what’s for for Stocks and Real Estate, a statement on Kuwait’s Stock also has 17 factories in the region and abroad and pro- Relations between Egypt and Qatar have been dinner, the best response is “rice and chicken from Exchange said. duces a variety of food products. fraught with tension and suspicion since the ouster God.” That’s the outlook that Maryam had: apprecia- The new development comes three weeks after the Meanwhile, nutrition giant Americana’s shares by the military in 2013 of the Islamist Morsi, who tive, humble, insightful. Look around and start count- two sides announced that takeover negotiations had col- resumed trading yesterday after the company’s clarifica- enjoyed the support of the rich Gulf nation through- ing your blessings - from the food you expect to eat lapsed. Al-Khair said in its statement that negotiations tion about the sale deal between Kuwait’s Al-Khair and out his one year in office. Egypt claims that Qatar tonight, to the soft pillow on your bed, to the eyes that were reopened and the binding deal was signed on Dubai’s Adeptio. The company’s shares received offers endangers its national security by supporting are reading these words. If it’s good, it’s from God. Saturday to buy the stake for KD 2.65 ($8.8) per share. worth KD 2,200, but no offers and transactions were Islamist groups, including Morsi’s Muslim Continued on Page 13 Based on the latest official figures, Al-Khair holds a 66.8 made. Both companies will be notified by the Capital Brotherhood, which is now banned in Egypt and has percent stake in Americana’s 391 million stocks worth Markets Authority (CMA) about all necessary procedures been declared a terrorist group by the government. around $2.3 billion. Under Kuwaiti law, Adeptio must in order to complete the transaction, the statement Continued on Page 13 News make a similar offer to the holders of the remaining 33 added. — Agencies in brief Trump: US should seriously 2 workers killed in UAE consider profiling Muslims nuclear plant accident WASHINGTON: Donald Trump says the Trump says that in the age of interna- DUBAI: A state-owned newspaper has reported that two country should “seriously” consider profil- tional terrorism, it’s a matter of choosing workers have been killed while building the first nuclear ing Muslims in the United States as a ter- “common sense” over “political correct- power plant in the rorism-fighting tool. The presumptive ness.” He’s also proposed a temporary ban United Arab Emirates. Republican presidential nominee says oth- on foreign Muslims from entering the The National of Abu er countries use profiling and “it’s not the United States. Dhabi reported that the worst thing to do.” “You look at Israel and you look at oth- workers were killed and In an interview with CBS’ “Face the ers, and they do it and they do it success- three others injured Nation,” Trump said, “I hate the concept of fully. And you know, I hate the concept of while working in a “man profiling, but we have to start using com- profiling, but we have to start using com- basket held by a crane” mon sense” and “look at it seriously.” mon sense,” he added. Trump has drawn on May 12 at the under- Profiling is the government practice of tar- criticism from many in his party for his construction Barakah The first nuclear reactor at geting people for investigation based fac- comments on American Muslims after the nuclear power plant in Barakah under construction. tors such as their race, religion or nationali- Orlando attack, in which a US born Muslim the UAE’s western desert. TEHRAN: A Boeing 747 of Iran’s national airline on the tarmac of Mehrabad ty.