RAJAB 14, 1440 AH THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019

28 Pages Max 27º Min 12º 150 Fils Established 1961

ISSUE NO: 17787 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net

Kuwait drops 6 places in Indian fugitive celebrity Kazakhstan renames capital Harden completes set as 392019 happiness rankings jeweler arrested in London 24 as new president takes office 28 Rockets trounce Hawks

Amir holds talks with Pompeo on Kuwait-US relations, issues

US-Kuwaiti Strategic Dialogue held • FM: Visit significant amidst regional developments

By Faten Omar and Agencies

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah, with the attendance of HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, received at Bayan Palace yesterday Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, who was accompanied by visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who conveyed greetings of US President Donald Trump to HH the Amir. During the meeting, the Amir also relayed his greetings to Trump, and discussed a number of issues of mutual interest and the historical relations between the two nations. At a joint press conference later yesterday at the foreign ministry, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said Pompeo’s “significant” visit to Kuwait comes amidst “critical” regional developments. “In light of such global changes, we keenly listened to the wise directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah,” he said. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled’s remarks came after holding the third US-Kuwaiti Strategic Dialogue, with Pompeo heading the US side. Welcoming Pompeo on his first visit to the country, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled reaffirmed “distinguished, his- toric and deep-rooted” relations with the US, recalling its “firm” stance towards Kuwait’s safety and stability, which bravely manifested in the 1991 US-led military KUWAIT: (Left) HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receives US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at Bayan Palace yesterday. (Right) Pompeo and Kuwait’s operation to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation. Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah exchange documents during the third US-Kuwaiti Strategic Dialogue yesterday. — KUNA/AFP Continued on Page 24

the torrential rains that hit the country in November, Assembly delays will begin in the first week of next month. She said the work was delayed because the ministry was assessing Zain Group holds general assembly studies on loose gravel from the roads and ways of 35-day annual treatment, adding that the new paving material had Zain a premier digital lifestyle provider been sent overseas for examination. leave amendment The minister said repairs will first start on motor- ways and some lanes will be closed for 12 hours daily to By B Izzak complete the work, but she gave no deadline for finish- ing the repairs. She however hoped the repairs will be KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday approved completed before the end of the year. Bushehri apolo- capital spending for the next fiscal year but delayed the gized to the people for taking so long to start the second and final reading on the labor law amendment repairs. She said that a number of senior officials and to increase annual leave in the private sector from 30 to contractors will be held to account and that cases will 35 days. The voting will take place in a later session. be filed in court against those who caused the flying Minister of Public Works Jenan Bushehri told the gravel problem. Assembly that repair works on the roads, damaged by Continued on Page 24

Minister Jacinda Ardern called “gutting”. “I cannot tell Father and son you how gutting it is to know that a family came here for safety and for refuge, and they should have been safe here,” Ardern said at a press conference in laid to rest as Christchurch after the funeral. KUWAIT: Zain Group Chairman Ahmed Al-Tahous and Zain Group Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Bader Al-Kharafi Khalid, 44, and Hamza were shot dead at the Al Noor address the annual general assembly meeting at Zain Group headquarters yesterday. NZ burials start Mosque, the first site to be attacked, but not before Hamza called his mother in a panic. “After that I heard KUWAIT: The annual Zain Group ordinary general profitability and a good reason to be optimistic about CHRISTCHURCH: A Syrian refugee and his son who shooting and he screamed and after that I didn’t hear assembly was held yesterday at the Zain Group’s 2019 and beyond. We are focused on fulfilling our fled the chaos of their homeland only to meet tragedy in him,” she told New Zealand media this week. Their headquarters in Kuwait, attended with a quorum of strategic vision of transforming into a fully integrated New Zealand were buried yesterday in the first funerals younger son Zaid, 13, was also wounded in the attack 73.91 percent that approved the recommended cash and innovative digital lifestyle provider and exceed- of those killed in the mosque massacres. Hundreds of and attended the funeral in a wheelchair. In a powerful dividend of 30 fils per share. “Zain continued to ing customers’ expectations in all aspects of the mostly Muslim mourners gathered at a cemetery in the scene, he held his hands aloft as he prayed alongside achieve positive results and drive its operations to services we provide them,” Zain Group Vice- southern city of Christchurch to lay to rest Khalid rows of mourners. “I shouldn’t be standing in front of further growth in 2018, despite operational chal- Chairman and Group CEO Bader Al-Kharafi. Mustafa and his 15-year-old son Hamza, who were you. I should be lying beside you,” Zaid said at the lenges being faced by the regional telecom sector “Zain prides itself in remaining a forward-look- among 50 people slaughtered at two mosques by an graves of his brother and father, according to Jamil El- including competition, regulatory and socio-eco- ing organization, and a central theme of Zain Australian white supremacist. Biza, who travelled from Australia for the funerals. nomic factors. The group has been able to enhance Group’s ‘4Sight” Digital Strategy is to maximize The pair had fled to New Zealand seeking sanctuary Also attending was Abdul Aziz, an Afghan refugee its competitive position thanks to its transformation shareholder value through business growth and from the Syrian maelstrom but died in last Friday’s hail who confronted the gunman at Linwood Mosque. programs, which are turning the company into an efficiency while seeking value enhancing opportu- of bullets, a bitter irony that New Zealand Prime Continued on Page 24 efficient digital lifestyle provider,” said Zain Group nities and new revenue streams in the digital arena. Chairman Ahmed Al-Tahous. We are particularly interested in the profitable “Zain Group was resilient towards internal and growth areas of smart cities, IoT and Enterprise external challenges and exited the year with healthy (B2B),” he added. ( See Page 11)

News in brief UAE deports man who praised attacks Girl raped, killed by bros, uncle

DUBAI: An employee at a Dubai-based security com- NEW DELHI: Two brothers have been arrested in pany was fired and deported for celebrating the dead- India for allegedly raping their 12-year-old sister who ly New Zealand mosque attacks under a fake identity was later beheaded with a sickle, police said yesterday. on Facebook, the group said yesterday. “Over the The girl’s uncle, 40, has also been arrested and police weekend, a Transguard employee made inflammatory are searching for the eldest brother after the body was comments on his personal Facebook account celebrat- found in the central state of Madhya Pradesh last ing the deplorable mosque attack in Christchurch, week. “All the men (three brothers and the uncle) were New Zealand,” the Transguard security group said. involved in raping the girl and when she threatened to “We have a zero-tolerance policy for the inappropri- tell the police, they strangled her to death and ate use of social media, and as a result this individual chopped off her head and dumped the body,” Sagar was immediately terminated and turned over to the district police superintendent Amit Sanghi said. He said authorities to face justice.” Transguard said the man the autopsy had confirmed the victim was gang-raped CHRISTCHURCH: Zaid Mustafa (in wheelchair) attends the funeral of his slain father Khalid and brother Hamza at had been deported by the UAE government. — AFP and subjected to “unnatural sex”. — AFP the Memorial Park cemetery yesterday. — AFP 2 Local Thursday, March 21, 2019 Amir, Crown Prince receive newly-elected MPs, governors Amir meets visiting Iraqi Minister of Electricity

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Anas His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with Iraqi Al-Saleh and the newly-appointed governors. — Amiri Diwan and KUNA photos Minister of Electricity Dr Louay Al-Khateeb.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh development for the dear homeland and them on the confidence accorded to them, Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah attain “our kind people’s aspirations.” wishing them success in fulfilling their duties received at Bayan Palace yesterday His Meanwhile, His Highness the Amir in a manner that would address citizens’ Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf received His Highness the Prime Minister needs and contribute to the development of Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Later, His Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the dear homeland. Minister Saleh also intro- Highness the Amir received National Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister duced the governors to His Highness the Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem, for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh, who intro- Prime Minister. Furthermore, His Highness who introduced to His Highness the Amir the duced to His Highness the Amir the newly- the Crown Prince received His Highness new MPs Bader Hamed Al-Mulla and appointed Hawally Governor Lieutenant Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, as well as Deputy Abdullah Ahmad Al-Kandari, who won the General Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh parliamentary by-elections in the 2nd and Farwaniya Governor Sheikh Faisal Al- Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah. 3rd Constituencies. His Highness the Amir Humoud Al-Sabah, Capital Governor Sheikh In the meantime, His Highness the Amir congratulated the new MPs, and wished Talal Khaled Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, Jahra received Oil Minister and Minister of them the best of luck in the service of the Governor Nasser Falah Al-Hajraf, Mubarak Electricity and Water Dr Khaled Al-Fadhel nation. His Highness the Crown Prince also Al-Kabeer Governor Mahmoud accompanied by the visiting Iraqi Minister received the newly-elected MPs, wished Abdulsamaad Bushehri, Ahmadi Governor of Electricity Dr Louay Al-Khateeb. them success in fulfilling their legislative and Sheikh Fawaz Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, His Minister of the Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh supervisory tasks, along with their fellow Highness wished them all success in their Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah attended the meetings. members of the parliament, for sake of ele- new posts. His Highness the Prime Minister and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with vating level of the parliamentary practice in a His Highness the Crown Prince also Speaker Ghanem also received the visiting National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem and MPs Bader Al-Mulla and Abdullah manner that would achieve progress and received the governors, and congratulated Iraqi minister. — KUNA Ahmad Al-Kandari.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with Deputy Prime Minister and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah meets with Deputy Prime Minister Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh and the newly-appointed governors. and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh and the newly-appointed governors. Sheikh Nasser, chamber chief discuss mega projects

KUWAIT: First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah held talks yesterday at his bureau with Chairman of Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ali Al- Ghanem on a host of issues. The Ministry of Defense said in a statement that the two sides held a cordial conversation on diverse topics. The meeting coincided with recurring calls at various local levels to engage the private sector in Kuwait’s mega development projects. Meanwhile, Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad met with the undersecretary of the Chinese Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. Friendly talks, issues of mutual concerns, especially on the KUWAIT: First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Nasser First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al- defense level and ways to enhance them, were discussed during the Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah meets with Chairman of Kuwait Chamber of Ahmad Al-Sabah meets with the undersecretary of the Chinese Commission for encounter, the Ministry of Defense said in a press release. — KUNA Commerce and Industry Ali Al-Ghanem. — Defense Ministry photos Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

Sheikh Jaber center hosts honoring of Al-Hajraf award

KUWAIT: Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center has hosted final cere- mony for honoring winners of the second edition of Falah Mubarak Al- Hajraf Award for National Works. Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah attended the ceremony on behalf of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, patron of the activity, held late on Tuesday. Addressing the ceremony, the Amir’s Representative, Minister Sheikh Ali noted His Highness the Amir’s special concern for empowering the youth. His Highness the Amir has repeatedly said that the youngsters are the most precious wealth of Kuwait. Minister Sheikh Ali called for sharpening the youth’s skills, boosting their capacities through education and protecting them from adopting harm- ful conducts. Meanwhile, Fahad Abdulrahman Al-Me’jel, the award chair- man, addressed the attendees, saying in part that he was elated to par- take in honoring a group of junior Kuwaitis who won the award in short story, poetry, painting and short films. Sheikh Ali handed the awards for KUWAIT: Winners of the second edition of Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf Award for National Works pose for a group photo with Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh the winners, from among 231 contesting artists.— KUNA Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah at the final ceremony. —Amiri Diwan photo 3 Local Thursday, March 21, 2019 Kuwait drops six spots in 2019 World Happiness Report Down to 51 out of 156 countries; Finland tops list for second year

KUWAIT: Kuwait dropped six places in the UN Yemen, India, Syria, Botswana and Venezuela. Benin Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s 2019 saw the largest gain over that period, rising 50 places World Happiness Report which was released yester- in the rankings. day. The report ranks Kuwait in the 51st place (with a Despite the political turmoil brought by Brexit, score of 6.021), down from 45 in last year’s report Britain rose four places in the rankings to 15th. The which ranks 156 countries according to things such as United States, meanwhile, continued its slide of recent GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectan- years, dropping one spot to 19th place. “This year’s cy, social freedom, generosity and absence of corrup- report provides sobering evidence of how addictions tion. Kuwait ranked fifth among Gulf states in the are causing considerable unhappiness and depression report, trailing the United Arab Emirates (21st world- in the US,” said professor Jeffrey Sachs, one of the wide), Saudi Arabia (28), report’s authors. Qatar (29) and Bahrain (37) Released on the (Oman is not ranked in the International Day of report). Happiness on March 20, the Finland topped the rank- Released on report warned that world ing of the world’s happiest happiness has declined in countries for the second year Int’l Day of recent years, driven by a in a row, with the Nordic sustained fall in India, which countries taking the leading Happiness this year ranked in 140th spots, while South Sudan place. This has coincided came last. The top 10 was with a rise in negative feel- again dominated by the ings, “comprising worry, Nordics, with Denmark, sadness and anger, especial- Norway and Iceland taking the other leading spots fol- ly marked in Asia and Africa, and more recently else- lowed by Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, New where,” it said. This year’s publication also looked at Zealand, Canada and Austria. The United States how countries have performed in the happiness rank- dropped one place to 19th. ings since 2005. Of the 20 largest gainers, half are in Among the 20 top gainers since the 2005-2008 Central and Eastern Europe, five are in sub-Saharan average ranking were 10 countries in Central and Africa, and three in Latin America. The five largest Eastern Europe, five in sub-Saharan Africa and three in declines since 2005 were in Yemen, India, Syria, KUWAIT: This archive photo shows a general view of Kuwait City. Latin America, while the five that fell the most were Botswana and Venezuela. — Agencies GCC hopes free trade pact with EU would see light soon

By Ben Garcia and KUNA

KUWAIT: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani has stated that the GCC countries were eager to finalize free trade agreement with the EU soon to boost trade exchange. “In 1990, negotiations for a free trade agreement was launched and all articles, except for only one related to the export tariffs, were approved, we hope a constructive formula would be agreed soon to serve our mutual interests,” Al-Zayani told the audience at the Third EU- GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani speaks Director General of KDIPA Sheikh Dr Meshaal Al-Sabah Chairman of KCCI Ali Al-Ghanem addresses the GCC Business Forum which kicked off on Tuesday. during the forum. delivers a speech. audience. He described the European Union one of the main trade partners to the GCC member states. “The trade exchange between both sides have jumped from $37 investments rose to $430 billion in 2017. Moreover, the highlighted a number of factors which would influence tunities in the healthcare sector, digitalization and billion in 2001 to $172 billion in 2017,” he unveiled. intra-GCC trade also jumped to $133 billion in 2017, he EU-GCC relations and cooperation in the future. He doing business in the GCC. Zayani stated that the GCC countries were trying to said. “Gulf countries are looking forward to raising the cited oil as the main factor as it is the prime compo- EU-GCC Business Forum offers significant opportu- create safe, stable and sustainable environments for level of cooperation and strengthening relations with nent of bilateral trade and investment. The projections nities for cross-cutting networking and identification achieving aspired prosperity through partnering with the European Union and this forum is a clear evidence about a future decline in the importance of the oil, of opportunities to engage in the ongoing diversifica- global economic blocs, unifying legislations, encourag- of the depth of Gulf-European relations,” he concluded. coincide with affirmed indications about the weight of tion strategies and the corresponding projects under- ing private sector contributions to development proj- global economy was moving from the West to the East pinning them, in particular in key economic sectors ects, upgrading procedures and administrative systems Ideal platform which would have deep impacts on the region and the where representatives from the GCC and EU will pres- to streamline entrepreneurship, and promote creativity Meanwhile, Director General of the Kuwait Direct world, he said. ent ongoing initiatives and planned investments. It and innovation. The GCC and its six-member states had Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) Sheikh Dr He argued that the second was the start of the offers an excellent opportunity for partners from the emerged as the most stable, prosperous, attractive Meshaal Al-Sabah said the two-day forum provides an fourth industrial revolution which would bring intrinsic GCC region and the EU to meet and explore new trade countries for foreign investments in the region thanks ideal platform for exchanging information and exploring transformations that create a virtual digitalized world and investment partnerships between businesses in to the growth of oil revenues and the adoption of ambi- promising investment opportunities. Kuwait’s hosting of and a new economy in which feasibility and creativity two of the world’s major economic regions. tious national strategies and vision to diversify and the third session of the forum, embodies its eagerness other than the cost and price would be decisive in mar- boost national economies, he explained. He added that to showcase the new legal, executive and procedural ket competitiveness. Thus if the EU hesitated in helping Economic relations the GCC countries had witnessed in the past few years reforms introduced by GCC states to improve invest- the GCC enter this era, the development gap would be Michele Cervone D’urso, EU Ambassador to the a significant growth in the flow of foreign direct invest- ment environment, he said. He hailed the forum also a a difficult obstacle hindering their future cooperation, Delegation of European Union to Bahrain, Kuwait, ments as a result of the government reforms, initiatives platform for exploring nascent projects in the EU and he suggested. Third factor is the EU stances towards Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, said trade and econom- and economic measures which have shown an increas- GCC markets and providing new investment prospects Arab causes, especially the Palestinian one. He regret- ic relations between the EU and GCC have been ing interest of investors in the Gulf region. He boasted to their companies for cooperation in a variety of ted that that the EU stances of the repercussions of the increasing in the past decade. However, he admitted that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has become domains at the forefront of which infrastructure, logisti- Arab Spring in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen, “do not that the investment area is underperforming and they an important economic bloc. The GCC’s gross domestic cal services, sustainable energy and smart cities. augur well in this regard.” are not yet realizing the numerous potentials. “There is product has surpassed $1.5 trillion, the value of imports In the meantime, Chairman of the Kuwait Chamber Ghanem said that the fourth factor was the issues of a lot of space to improve and this forum will tackle this and exports exceeded $1 trillion annually and local of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Ali Al-Ghanem security and refugees as well as the political and eco- issue on how we can go further. The potential is huge - nomic changes in the EU, such as Britain withdrawal of we are not talking about oil or petrochemicals - there the European bloc. It was in the interest of the are more areas. There is a lack of knowledge about European Union to know in depth the dimensions of regulations and regulatory aspects. Most importantly, the changes and risks that the region was going we will try to understand barriers for investors - through and in the interest of the parties to employ maybe we can come up with a solution to this,” he said. security and immigration issues to emphasize the “At the same time, we have challenges, but we have lots importance of their economic and development coop- of potential. The Gulf has been more and more attrac- eration, he asserted. He recalled that the tive, thanks to your efforts of diversification and the Mediterranean Sea is no longer a European-Arab lake. domestic reforms you’ve been undergoing, which aim Now on its coasts emerged news cities, routes, bases to attract foreign capital and knowhow and technolo- and forces that protect interests of other countries that gies,” he said. are highly competitive. The forum brings together an Entitled, Oasis of Opportunities, the European array of high-level speakers and experts from the Gulf Union-GCC Business Forum is an event organized by and the EU. the EU, Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority In recognition of the importance of knowledge, cre- (KDIPA), Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry ativity and innovation, which are vital elements of eco- and Kuwait Supreme Council for Planning and nomic development in a modern world of rapidly Development. The event aims at directly addressing expanding technology, the participating experts tackle issues of innovation and entrepreneurship and invest- pressing subjects such as developing and supporting ment opportunities, especially in healthcare sector, KUWAIT: A general view of people in attendance of the Third EU-GCC Business Forum. — KUNA photos innovation in business and investment, seizing oppor- digitalization and doing business in the GCC.

for its rich Islamic heritage and hosting of Secretary General of the Kuwaiti council of Kuwait seeks communities of diverse cultures. culture, said the council is partaking in the Minister Jabri, also Chairman of the country’s celebrations with a large number of National Council for Arts, Culture and popular artistic troupes and teams tasked to cement ties Letters, was speaking on margins of a with promoting the Kuwaiti culture. The reception, held by the Kuwaiti Ambassador Kuwaiti delegation will also take part in the with Tunisia Ali Al-Dhafiri in the minister’s honor. Arab Cultural Week, coinciding with the Minister Jabri congratulated Tunisia on the upcoming Arab summit. Jabri had earlier 60th independence anniversary, which fell described Tunisia as “one of the countries TUNIS: Kuwaiti Minister of Information yesterday, and its hosting of the 30th Arab that has promoted tolerance, rejected Mohammad Al-Jabri said yesterday that summit, due on March 31. Tunisia and extremism and fought against destructive Kuwait is partaking in Tunisia’s celebrations Kuwait are bonded with solid ties, backed ideas through its media and culture tools.” KUWAIT: Representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- marking Tunis as Capital of Islamic Culture by the two countries’ leaders, namely His Meanwhile, Tunisian Minister of Cultural Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Advisor to the Amiri Diwan Dr Abdullah for cementing the bilateral ties between the Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Affairs Mohamed Zine El-Abidine said in a Maatouq Al-Maatouq left for New Zealand yesterday evening to offer two countries. In a statement to the press, Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Tunisian President press conference that his country deserves condolences to Governor-General Patsy Reddy over the victims of the minister Jabri said Tunis deserves to be Beji Caid Essebsi. the lead, especially after activating the cul- shootings at two mosques in Christchurch.—KUNA designated Capital of Islamic Culture 2019 Meanwhile, Issa Al-Ansari, Assistant tural policy. — KUNA 4 Established 1961

Thursday, March 21, 2019 Local 4.7 million passengers expected to use Kuwait Airways this year 5% increase in total income for Q1 of 2019: KAC Chairman

By Nawara Fattahova approving the complete organizational structure, appointing an executive director, strategic cooperation KUWAIT: Established in 1954, Kuwait Airways with Boeing to establish a regional center in the Middle Corporation (KAC) is celebrating its 65th anniversary. East and North Africa to train pilots and engineers and During these years, KAC has improved its services and launching the new Integrated Operations Control Center notched up many achievements, which were announced (IOCC),” he noted. during a press conference held yesterday. “KAC will Other achievements include revising a contract with achieve a five percent increase in total income for the first Airbus on purchasing the A350-900 and signing a con- quarter of 2019 compared to the same period of 2018, tract to purchase the A330-800 and renew the contract and an eight percent increase in number of passengers for the A320 NEO, which saved over $100 million and this year compared to the same period in 2018. In 2017, averted any expected losses due to the previous sched- 4.1 million passengers used KAC, that rose to 4.5 million ule. The final fleet will consist of 10 Boeing B777-300 ER in 2018, and is expected to reach 4.7 million passengers aircraft, eight Airbus A330-800 NEO, five Airbus A350- this year,” KAC Chairman Yousef Al-Jasim said. 900 and 15 Airbus A320 NEO planes. The 65th anniversary celebrations include various Also, all flights were transferred to Terminal T4 from activities. “The marketing and public relations department T1 from Nov 2018 except New York flights. T4 includes a of KAC has set a schedule of activities that will be held total of 14 gates with a parking lot for 2,000 vehicles. The from today till the end of this year as part of the celebra- First Class, Business Class and Oasis Club members tions. These will include vari- lounge was opened in T4. A ous promotions and special limousine service was added offers that will be announced for first class and royal class later,” he said. passengers. In addition, KAC The officials and staff of Kuwait Airways signed a contract to change the KAC strive to achieve the old buses with new ones and planned goals. “We at KAC celebrates 65th increase their number, along maintain the highest standards with increasing the number of of safety in our operations. anniversary aircraft stairs. Furthermore, we have reached During summer 2018, KAC KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways Chairman Yousef Al-Jasim (center) attends a press conference yesterday. —KUNA the highest standards of flight launched new destinations schedule discipline that including Malaga (Spain), reached between 90-95 per- Trabzon (Turkey), Tbilisi cent, which is higher than the international average of 85 (Georgia), Munich (Germany), and Vienna (Austria) - the percent. In addition, we provide the best services for our last two are seasonal. KAC is planning to start operating clients before, during and after their trip,” explained Jasim. to four new destinations - Nice (France), Sabiha Airport Kuwait calls for “We will never go below this high standard of achieve- in Istanbul (Turkey), Larnaca (Cyprus) and Guangzhou ments and performance. We will put more efforts to have (China), in addition to plans to launch seasonal destina- a world free of more achievements and always rank on top of the best tions including Baku (Azerbaijan), Tbilisi (Georgia), airlines. Today we want to announce the new official slo- Casablanca (Morocco) and Sarajevo (Bosnia). gan of celebrating 65 years of establishing KAC - Sure KAC increased sales by 14 percent in 2018 comparing nuclear weapons We Can, which expresses our long history of leading in to 2017, hiking revenues by 11 percent compared to 2017. NEWYORK: Kuwait called yesterday for a world free this field and the loyalty of our clients,” he pointed out. The estimated sales for the first quarter of 2019 have of nuclear weapons, stressing on the major risk and After the appointment of a new board of directors of reached KD 76.9 million compared to the same period of dangers in the spread of such weapons. This came dur- KAC in April 2018, the board set a complete strategy 2018 with KD 73.1 million. A 24/7 call center, and a new ing a speech delivered by member of Kuwait’s (strategic business plan) for the period between 2018 to service of communicating with clients through WhatsApp Permanent Mission to the UN Nawaf Al-Ahmad to 2026, which includes commercial, operations, financial were launched. The Baker Street office of KAC in London Security Council’s session on UN Security Council Member of Kuwait’s Permanent Mission to the UN Nawaf and administrative aspects, in addition to the fleet plan was reopened, while a KAC office at The Avenues committee (1540). Al-Ahmad during this period. Jasim also spoke about some achieve- opened in October. Building of a new tower for KAC on Ahmad affirmed on the importance work of the com- ments of this strategy in 2018. “Achievements include Hilali Street in Kuwait City also began. mittee in preventing individuals and terrorist parties from possessing, manufacturing, or transferring all “Our goal is to develop work needed for the com- kinds of mass destruction’s weapons. Ahmad mentioned mittee and its four group’s effort by co-operating and 1540 Committee agenda 2019, which considered strate- activating the national and regional mechanisms at all gic planing in order to prohibit owning any kind of levels,” he said. He also notified that the consequences these weapons, aiming for a sustainable and peaceful that follow weapon’s spreading are serious and preven- future. The committee also shed light on the role of civil tive measures has to be taken in order to keep the society in preventing these weapons, he added. world safe and secure. —KUNA

traffic ticket and that he wants to enter. When he was Technician dies denied entry, he insulted and assaulted the policemen on guard. The man is facing charges of slandering and after falling assaulting a public servant on duty. Automatic renewal from winch The manpower authority’s official spokesperson and public relations and media manager Aseel Al-Mazyad By A Saleh said renewal of national labor permits is done automati- cally without checking with the authority, noting that KUWAIT: An Indian repair technician was killed yes- this measure has been in effect since Dec 2018 with the terday after he fell from a window cleaning winch aim of facilitating the procedures citizens working for between the buildings of the ministries of social affairs the private sector have to go through. and commerce at the ministries complex. The incident Meanwhile, the manpower authority’s deputy direc- happened only one day after a ceiling collapse at the tor for the national manpower sector Iman Al-Ansari site of a mosque under construction killed three said in implementation of the Cabinet resolution num- Egyptian construction workers in Nahdha. Following up ber 1439/2018, citizens with two-year post-secondary on this case, the Egyptian minister of manpower school certificates who apply for national labor support Mohammed Saafan issued immediate instructions to the allowances will not get it unless they attend a one-year manpower office at the Egyptian consulate in Kuwait to training course, while those with lesser certificates will obtain compensation and due wages of the three work- not get it unless they attend two-year training courses, ers as well as that of the two injured workers. He also adding that the new measures will take effect by the ordered shipping the three bodies back to Egypt and beginning of April. expressed condolences to their families, said the min- istry’s official spokesperson Haitham Saaduddin. Residents protest A number of Wafra residential city residents yester- Policemen assaulted day protested outside the public authority for housing A Kuwaiti man was arrested by security guards out- welfare, demanding the immediate completion of public side Farwaniya governorate’s security directorate when services in the area, paying their rent allowances and the he insulted and assaulted them for preventing him from sums deducted for infrastructure. Informed sources said driving into the building, said security sources. The the housing authority’s public relations manager Omar sources explained that on showing up at the gate, the Al-Rowayyeh arranged a meeting between the protes- man kept honking and shouting that he had received a tors and the authority officials to discuss the demands.

- an ex-convict jailed for drugs offences. He was Ex-con robs arrested and sent to concerned authorities. Separately, firemen put out a blaze reported in a power transformer in the Rahaya desert area in ambulance Jahra yesterday. A call was received about an By Hanan Al-Saadoun explosion and fire in a transformer, so occupation- al Jahra and Tahreer fire stations responded under KUWAIT: Efforts by Capital traffic patrols helped the command of Meshaal Al-Abdally. The power determine the identity of the suspect involved in was cut off and fire put out. No injuries were the theft of an ambulance from Farwaniya Hospital reported.

issued without the engineering society’s approval, and Three ‘engineers’ that they forged their work permits based on which they received residency permits. Atal said residency detectives asked about three Indian engineers in the oil arrested for work sector. The three had files at the society but they were permits’ forgery denied accreditation. Investigations are under way. Maid found dead KUWAIT: The electronic linking between government The body of an Indian domestic helper was recov- and private entities led to the discovery of a large num- ered by the coroner after she was found dead in her ber of people who entered Kuwait with forged degrees room under mysterious circumstances in her sponsor’s and qualifications, and got jobs and residencies based house. Interior Ministry operations received a call from on them. Head of the Engineers Society Eng Faisal Al- a citizen claiming he found her dead in her room. Atal said the prosecution detained three Indian engi- Ahmadi police, and paramedics responded, then when neers for forging work permits and official documents. death was confirmed forensics were called in. He said investigations revealed that the three do not Investigations are ongoing to find out the reasons of meet conditions of issuing work permits, which is not the death. —Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Rai

InternationalEstablished 1961 THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019 Priyanka lambasts Modi on home turf

US drone strikes in Somalia escalate as death toll mounts Page 8 Page 9

BAGHOUZ: Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fire a cannon on the frontline of battles in the Islamic State group’s last remaining position in the village of Baghouz in the countryside of the eastern Syrian province of Deir Ezzor. — AFP Syria war on IS holdout wraps up SDF delivers killer blow to the last vestige of IS ‘caliphate’

BAGHOUZ: Their battle against the last jihadists The front porch of a plush villa the SDF turned dance. “It’s a day of celebration, the nightmare is including the yellow tea mug he takes everywhere. holding out in the besieged Syrian village of Baghouz into a temporary military headquarters is littered over,” said Majid Hejjo, a 23-year-old SDF fighter An unknown number of diehard jihadists are still hasn’t quite ended but Kurdish-led fighters have with the duffle bags, ammo belts and body armor the still wearing his fatigues and a khaki cap. The young refusing to surrender and dodging SDF fire in their already started celebrating. When they returned from Kurdish soldier is originally from the northeastern hideouts along the reedy banks of the Euphrates. the front on Tuesday, they put the lamb skewers on province of Hasakeh but is stationed in Raqa, the for- Syrian and Iraqi government forces and their allies the grill and broke into dance as the radio of their mer jihadist “capital” which the SDF seized in 2017. are deployed on the other side of the river and the battered truck sputtered a Kurdish tune. Kurdish-led border, making any escape impossible. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) delivered the ‘Twice happy’ Although IS has already started regrouping in killer blow to the last vestige of the Islamic State fighters Since December, he has been regularly mobilized some of its desert and mountain hideouts in the group’s “caliphate” this week and the end of the on two-week fighting missions to help wipe out the region, the fall of Baghouz will mark the end of the bruising six-month-old operation is now within celebrate very last remnants of a jihadist proto-state that once group’s territorial control. His backpack already touching distance. With backing from the US-led covered territory larger than Britain. Now the young thrown over his shoulder, Mohammed Hallush doesn’t coalition’s warplanes, they forced holdout jihadists victory man wants to hang up his rocket-propelled grenade plan to stay to witness the historic announcement from their main encampment and into a few hectares launcher and return to his pregnant wife. “We’re and is heading back to his family in Hasakeh. “I’ve (couple of acres) of farmland by the Euphrates River. doubly happy. We’re going to see our families and been here 11 days, the battle is over, the war is over,” The prospect of an imminent victory announcement we have vanquished IS,” he said. said the lanky 24-year-old with grey woolly hat and combined with early leave for the Kurds’ Nowruz fighters discarded to join the impromptu party. One Next to him, his younger half-brother Mohannad short trimmed beard. “This leave will not be like the New Year holiday drew dozens of smiling fighters to fighter remained on the roof, on barbecue duty, while is checking he hasn’t forgotten anything as he stuffs previous ones. This time we’re returning home from a base on the edge of Baghouz. the others formed a circle to start a “dabke” folk his belongings into his green wheeled suitcase, Baghouz.” — AFP

imposes Islamic law. The five couples Anger sweeps Indonesia’s flogged Thursday received between four and 22 strokes from a rattan cane outside a mosque in the provincial capital, Banda Indian Kashmir Aceh whips Aceh, after they served several months in prison. Religious police caught the as teacher dies five amorous amorous couples cuddling and holding hands or, in some cases, having sex. Hundreds of spectators, including chil- in custody couples dren, watched as a masked sharia officer lashed the offenders as they winced in BANDA ACEH: A group of unmarried pain. “We hope in the future there will be SRINAGAR: Schools and businesses shut couples were whipped in Indonesia’s no more cases like this - it’s embarrass- across Indian-administered Kashmir yester- Aceh province after they were caught ing,” said religious officer Safriadi, who day as protests grew over the death in behaving amorously - a crime under the goes by one name. In December, two men police custody of a young school teacher conservative region’s Islamic law. caught having sex with underage girls that sparked outrage across the restive terri- Flogging is common for a range of were whipped 100 times each in Aceh. tory. Police bundled Rizwan Asad Pandit offences in the region at the tip of Rights groups have slammed public can- from his home in a late-night raid Sunday to Sumatra island, including gambling, ing as cruel, and Indonesia’s President a detention centre in the main city of drinking alcohol and having gay sex. Joko Widodo has called for it to end, but Srinagar, where he died in the early hours of It is the only province in the world’s the practice has wide support among Tuesday. No official explanation has been biggest Muslim-majority country that Aceh’s population. — AFP offered for his death. Police say Pandit-who spent his 29th birth- day in custody-was taken “in pursuance of a terror case investigation”. He was a cam- paigner for Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest reli- KASHMIR: The mother (right) of school teacher Rizwan Assad Pandith, who died in police cus- gious political group in Kashmir, which was tody, mourns her lost at a house in Awantipora of Pulwama district, south of Srinagar. — AFP outlawed by New Delhi this month. Authorities launched a sweeping crackdown that has seen hundreds arrested since. registered an official investigation yet. At the height of major demonstrations But his family said Pandit had no links to Shops and schools were shut in Srinagar against Indian rule in 2016, another teacher militancy and was murdered. “He has been and large parts of Kashmir in protest after died in military custody, fuelling popular anger. murdered in cold blood, and now they are three major separatist groups in the region The soldiers accused of murdering the man telling lies about his death. How could that called for a strike. Rights groups, including were never prosecuted. Kashmir has been be? He has been tortured to death,” Pandit’s the UN rights office, have accused Indian divided between India and Pakistan since their brother Zulqarnain Pandit told local newspa- forces of acting with “virtual immunity” in freedom from British rule in 1947. The rivals per Kashmir Reader. News of his death Kashmir, protected by laws that shield sol- have fought two wars over the Himalayan terri- spread quickly in Kashmir, where popular diers from prosecution. There have been tory. Militant groups have waged an insur- anger against Indian rule in the Muslim- more than 100 official inquiries into civilian gency against Indian rule for 30 years, some majority region often erupts into violent deaths in Kashmir since 2008 but none has seeking independence or a merger with clashes between civilians and government resulted in convictions, said Khurram Parvez, Pakistan. India accuses Pakistan of supporting BANDA ACEH: An Indonesian woman is whipped by a member of the Sharia forces. Local authorities have ordered an a high-profile local activist. “This absolute armed groups inside its portion of Kashmir, an police in public in Banda Aceh yesterday. — AFP inquiry into Pandit’s death but police have not impunity completely scuttles justice,” he said. allegation Islamabad denies. — AFP Established 1961 7 International Thursday, March 21, 2019 No! ‘This does not show 350 accept Islam’ in New Zealand Australia summons Turkish ambassador

NEW DELHI: A video of a religious ceremony has skullcap as Pierre Vogel, who describes himself on his been viewed more than one million times on verified Facebook page as “the most famous preacher Facebook posts alongside a claim 350 people in Germany”. “accepted” Islam in New Zealand after last week’s AFP contacted Hashmat to ask why he posted the deadly mosque shootings. The posts are misleading- video alongside the caption, and whether he had any the video is from an unrelated Islamic event in proof to back up his claim that 350 people had Germany available online since 2007 - and contain no accepted Islam in New Zealand after the attacks. other evidence to back up the claim of 350 people Hashmat said by phone: “That video is symbolic, a accepting Islam in New Zealand in recent days. reference. There is a news link below that video from where I got the information”. The link he referred to What are we verifying? was a blog post that similarly made the claim of 350 The 90-second video starts with a bearded accepting Islam, without citing any evidence or Caucasian man wearing a skullcap passing a micro- sources. AFP published a blog post on Wednesday phone to another man, who then speaks in Arabic. It that gives an in-depth report on its investigation into continues with a ceremony spoken in Arabic and the misleading posts (3). German. The video was viewed more than one million times in 48 hours after being uploaded on Monday to What can be concluded? the Facebook page of Sajid Hashmat, who identifies AFP found more than 70 posts on Facebook that himself as a “senior leader” with a regional political had the same video and caption, with similar posts party in India that represents Muslims. also on YouTube and Twitter. Comments on these The caption alongside the video in the misleading posts indicated many people believed the 2007 Facebook post states in English: “50 Muslims were German video was a recent one from New Zealand, killed on Friday in New Zealand & 350 people and they did not understand Hashmat’s stated nuance CHRISTCHURCH: Floral tributes to those who were gunned down at the two mosques are seen against a wall accepted #Islam today in #NewZealand”. AFP creat- about it being “symbolic”. bordering the Botanical Garden in Christchurch. — AFP ed an archived version of this false post (1). The post was published after 50 worshippers in two mosques Turkish envoy summoned for his comments and for using gruesome video shot livestreamed much of the attack and spread a mani- were shot dead in the southern New Zealand city of Meanwhile, Australia’s prime minister said he by the Christchurch mosque gunman as an election festo on social media claiming it was a strike against Christchurch on Friday. An Australian man has been would summon Turkey’s ambassador in Canberra yes- campaign prop. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Muslim “invaders”. charged over the murders. AFP found dozens of other terday to explain “very offensive” comments made by Peters protested on Monday that such politicization The manifesto references Turkey and the minarets posts with the same video and misleading caption on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the wake of the of the massacre “imperils the future and safety of the of Istanbul’s famed Hagia Sophia, now a museum, that Facebook and YouTube, some of which had been Christchurch massacre. Erdogan, while campaigning New Zealand people and our people abroad, and it’s was once a church before becoming a mosque during viewed tens of thousands of times. for local elections, presented the attack as part of an totally unfair”. the Ottoman empire. “This is not an isolated event, it assault on Turkey and Islam and warned anti-Muslim Peters announced on Tuesday that he would be is something more organized,” he said during a cam- What do we know? Australians would suffer the same fate as soldiers at travelling to Turkey this week at Istanbul’s request to paign event on Monday in Canakkale in western Through an investigation using video analysis tool Gallipoli, a blood-drenched WWI battle. attend a special meeting of the Organization of Turkey. “They are testing us with the message they InVid and multiple keyword searches, AFP estab- “I find it a very offensive comment, of course I do, Islamic Cooperation. Three Turkish nationals were are sending us from New Zealand, 16,500 km (10,250 lished the video appeared on YouTube on November and I will be calling in the Turkish ambassador today wounded in the rampage that killed 50 worshippers miles) from here.” Erdogan did not project the video 24, 2007 (2). The German-language caption in that to meet with me to discuss these issues,” Scott at two mosques in the southern New Zealand city of at the Monday event. Peters said he had complained post translates to: “Five people adopt Islam”. Through Morrison told national broadcaster ABC. Erdogan Christchurch on Friday. The accused gunman, a self- directly to visiting Turkish Vice-President Fuat Oktay further searches, AFP identified the man wearing the had already been sharply rebuked by New Zealand avowed white supremacist from Australia, and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.— Agencies

Hamas’ crackdown quells Gaza demos; Czech Muslims cry protest calls persist foul over imam’s

GAZA: Gaza has seen regular protests along the Israeli call to take up arms border for the past year, but new demonstrations in recent days have been much less to the liking of the strip’s rulers PRAGUE: Czech Muslims cried foul yesterday after Hamas. Over the course of several days beginning last the head of Prague’s Muslim Community called on week, hundreds of Palestinians gathered in multiple loca- them to take up arms in the wake of the Christchurch tions in protests against rising prices but also in opposition attack. Leonid Kushnarenko published his video mes- to the Islamist group, which has controlled Gaza since sage on Facebook Sunday, two days after an Australian 2007. Hamas security forces cracked down harshly, beating white supremacist killed 50 people in two mosques protesters and arresting hundreds, rights groups say. during a rampage in the New Zealand city. Demonstrations have since petered out, though organiz- “In light of the recent tragic events I inform all our ers have called for fresh rallies in the coming days. United members, in particular men-all who want... to get Nations envoy Nickolay Mladenov on Sunday condemned armed to protect their health and property, contact me a “campaign of arrests and violence” by Hamas security and I’ll help you.” Kushnarenko said. The Denik N daily forces. “The long-suffering people of Gaza were protesting quoted the Ukrainian-born lawyer as saying he made the dire economic situation and demanded an improvement RAFAH: Palestinian protesters take part in a night demonstration near the fence along the border with Israel, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. — AFP his appeal due to “Islamophobic sentiments” in the in the quality of life in the Gaza Strip,” said Mladenov, Czech Republic. Czech President Milos Zeman won his envoy to Israel and the Palestinian territories. The protests second term last year with some strongly anti-Muslim are a rare internal challenge to Hamas, which has fought In response to the protests, hundreds of people have been home Monday evening. Fatah accused Hamas gangs of rhetoric, while the anti-migrant far-right SPD party three wars with Israel since 2008. at least temporarily detained, according to rights groups, being behind the attack on Atef Abu Seif, though Hamas has 22 lawmakers in the 200-seat parliament. Small numbers gathered in various spots from Thursday while a number have talked of arbitrary beatings at the denied it and pledged to investigate. Demonstrators insist “It’s a matter of prevention. I said it to prevent to Sunday, calling for Hamas authorities to reduce taxes hands of Hamas forces. the protests are not primarily political, but instead econom- crazy people from going to a mosque and doing evil,” and improve the economic situation. Youth unemployment More than 1,000 people have been questioned or ic. The rallies have been watched closely in Israel, including Kushnarenko told the daily. “We won’t support such in Gaza is 70 percent, according to the World Bank, which detained, according to the Independent Commission for by those hoping to draw further attention to them. appeals, I disagree,” Muneeb Hassan Alrawi, head of says the main cause is the Israeli blockade of the strip Human Rights, founded by the West Bank-based Palestinian Fatah has also expressed support for protesters, and the Czech Muslim Communities Centre, told Denik N. along with Egypt’s border having been largely closed in Authority, which Hamas chased from Gaza in 2007. Osama Hamas accuses outside hands of stirring trouble. Iyad al- “It’s a wrong step.” The Prague Muslim Community recent years. Israel says the blockade is necessary to Kahlout, a journalist based in Deir Balah in central Gaza, Bozum, spokesman for Hamas’s interior ministry, said the said on Facebook Tuesday that “any statements or acts restrict Hamas, but rights groups argue the measures was broadcasting the protests live on Facebook as they authorities were “not against demonstrations protesting the by... chairman Kushnarenko are his private (activity) amount to collective punishment of the roughly two million occurred outside his house. He said a group of men difficult conditions of our people in Gaza because of the and do not represent the views of Muslims living in residents. stormed his house and beat him for 10 to 15 minutes, which blockade”. “But we will not allow them to be exploited in Prague or the Czech Republic”.— AFP Facing financial shortfalls, Hamas has increased taxes on he said left his back covered in bruises. order to provoke chaos and sabotage,” he said, adding cigarettes and other imported goods. Tomatoes have up to A senior member of Palestinian president Mahmud Hamas believed calm had been restored. He did not respond trebled in price, while many other basic goods have spiked. Abbas’s Fatah, Hamas’s rivals, was badly beaten near his to questions about violence by the security forces.—AFP ‘$8 fine’ for elevator Indonesia death toll tops sexual assault sparks 100, dozens still missing outrage in Vietnam

SENTANI: The death toll from flash 2,300 personnel have been deployed to HANOI: Vietnamese citizens were outraged after a man was floods and landslides that tore through search for the missing victims and to clean fined $8 for forcibly kissing a woman in an elevator, a rare Indonesia’s Papua region has topped 100 up debris. Flooding is common in public outburst in a country where sexual assault is scarcely with dozens more still missing, the disas- Indonesia, especially during the rainy sea- spoken about openly. The #MeToo movement never took off ter agency said yesterday. Nearly 10,000 son which runs from October to April. in Vietnam, a conservative communist country where gender- people have moved to shelters while at In January, floods and landslides killed based violence is widespread but remains a taboo topic. least 104 victims are confirmed to have at least 70 people on Sulawesi island, Citizens took to social media this week after a man was fined died and 79 are unaccounted for in the while earlier this month hundreds in West 200,000 dong, or $8.61, for forcibly kissing a woman in an aftermath of the disaster, triggered by Java province were forced to evacuate elevator in her Hanoi apartment building. heavy rain on Saturday. when torrential rains triggered severe CCTV footage showed the man chatting to the woman before cornering her and suddenly jumping on her before Scores have suffered injuries, including flooding. Meanwhile, three people were she scrambles out of the elevator as he grabbed her arm. cuts and broken bones, while some 40 killed-including two Malaysian tourists- The footage quickly went viral, stoking public anger. “The unidentified bodies would be buried in a and some 182 were injured after an earth- fine... was a mockery and humiliation against the dignity of mass grave on Thursday, officials said. quake on Sunday triggered a landslide on Vietnamese women,” said Facebook user Duong Dai Trieu Many survivors fear more floods will rip the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok, Lam yesterday. Office worker Nguyen Trang told AFP: through hard-hit Papua, which shares a next to Bali. “It’s ridiculous, I can’t accept this... I’m worried for my border with independent Papua New Lombok was rocked by several earth- kids and myself”. Guinea on an island just north of Australia. quakes last summer, killing more than 500 Unlike rape, sexual assault is not a criminal offence in “The increasing number of evacuees has people and leaving over 150,000 home- Vietnam, but is considered an administrative violation falling made the shelters very crowded and less. And in September last year, the under the category of “indecent speech and behaviour”. The uncomfortable,” said national disaster country was hit by an earthquake and maximum fine for sexual assault is $13. An online petition call- agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island which ing for an amendment to the law gathered steam yesterday. Nugroho. killed around 2,200 people. The Southeast Official data on sexual harassment is not routinely published As teams loaded mud-caked corpses Asian archipelago of some 17,000 islands in Vietnam, though 87 percent of women and girls experi- into body bags, the search for survivors is one of the most disaster-prone nations enced sexual harassment in public, according to a 2014 sur- was hampered by mountains of debris on Earth, straddling the Pacific Ring of vey of 2,000 women by the NGO ActionAid. including rocks and fallen trees. Hundreds Fire, where tectonic plates collide. The last comprehensive survey on gender violence in 2010 of homes, bridges, schools and other pub- Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are SENTANI: Soldiers put victim’s bodies into body bags in Sentani. Flash floods in published by the World Health Organization and the lic facilities were destroyed. More than common.— AFP Indonesia’s eastern Papua province have killed at least 100 people. — AFP Vietnamese government said 34 percent of women reported regular abuse by their spouses. —AFP 8 Established 1961 International Thursday, March 21, 2019 Stakes rise for Boeing; EU and Canada step up scrutiny of MAX after crashes

Boeing and US regulator face awkward questions ADDIS ABABA: Europe and Canada said they would seek actions taken by other countries, but said in a statement their own guarantees over the safety of Boeing’s 737 that “the current, historic aviation safety record in the US MAX, further complicating plans to get the aircraft flying and globally is achieved through the FAA’s robust process- worldwide after they were grounded in the wake of two es and full collaboration with the aviation community.” The accidents killing more than 300 people. As the US Federal US Transportation Department’s inspector general plans to Aviation Administration (FAA) analyses Boeing’s plans for audit the FAA’s certification of the jet, an official with the a software fix prompted by the first crash five months ago, office said on Tuesday. The office can recommend changes the European Union’s aviation safety agency EASA prom- or improvements to how the FAA operates. Boeing said it ised its own deep look at any design improvements. “We would cooperate with the audit. will not allow the aircraft to fly if we have not found The unusual public intervention by two leading regula- acceptable answers to all our questions,” EASA Executive tors came as a probe into the final minutes of Ethiopian Director Patrick Ky told an EU Airlines Flight 302 turned parliament committee hearing. toward secrets hidden in the Canada said it would inde- cockpit voice recorder. The pendently certify the 737 Probe shows voices of Captain Yared MAX in the future, rather than Getachew and First Officer accepting FAA validation, and parallels with Ahmednur Mohammed could would conduct an “exhaustive help explain the March 10 review” of the automated flight Indonesian crash of the Boeing 737 MAX control system in MAX air- that has worrying parallels craft, known as MCAS, which disaster with another disaster involving experts believe may have the same model off Indonesia played a role in both crashes. in October. Canada also said it would send The twin disasters killed a team to help US authorities 346 people, but there is no evaluate proposed design changes and decide if others conclusive evidence so far that they are linked. Black box were needed. Boeing Co declined to comment. The com- data was downloaded in France but only Ethiopian experts pany on Tuesday reshuffled the top executives in its com- leading the probe have access to the dialogue between LE BOURGET: Photo shows one of the two black box recorders of the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX which crashed min- mercial airplanes unit to focus on the accident investiga- Getachew, 29, and Mohammed, 25. The data was back in utes after taking off from Addis Ababa airport. — AFP tions. US government officials do not believe the two Addis Ababa on Tuesday, sources familiar with the probe crashes will lead to a worldwide shift away from FAA cer- said. Experts believe the new MCAS system, which is world’s biggest planemaker and a massive US exporter, are federal prosecutors are scrutinizing how carefully the tifications but US lawmakers, as well as federal prosecu- designed to stop stalling by dipping the nose, may have at stake. MAX model was developed, two people briefed on the tors, are scrutinizing the certification of the Boeing 737 been a factor in both crashes, with pilots unable to over- Lawmakers and safety experts are questioning how matter said. The US Justice Department is also looking at MAX. The chairman of the US House of Representatives ride it as their jets plunged downwards. Both came down thoroughly regulators vetted the MAX model and how the FAA’s oversight of Boeing, one of the people said. And transportation committee and another key Democrat asked just minutes after take-off after erratic flight patterns and well pilots were trained on new features. For now, global a federal grand jury last week issued at least one subpoena the Transportation Department’s inspector general on loss of control reported by the pilots. However, every acci- regulators have grounded the existing fleet of more than to an entity involved in the plane’s development. US Tuesday to examine key decisions made by the FAA in dent is a unique chain of human and technical factors, 300 MAX aircraft, and deliveries of nearly 5,000 more - President Donald Trump plans to nominate former Delta certifying the 737 MAX jet for use. experts say. The prestige of Ethiopian Airlines, one of worth well over $500 billion - are on hold. Pressure on Air Lines executive Steve Dickson to head the FAA on The FAA declined to comment on that request or on Africa’s most successful companies, and Boeing, the Chicago-headquartered Boeing has grown with news that Tuesday. —Reuters

was “doing a fantastic job” and had “brought the coun- News in brief Trump and right-wing try together.” For years Bolsonaro was little more than a marginal Power plant ‘triggers quake’ congressman, but his Trump-like campaign in 2018, Bolsonaro announce promising to combat corruption and crime, and to end SEOUL: A rare earthquake in South Korea was trig- politics as usual, propelled him to surprise victory. His gered by the country’s first experimental geothermal a special relationship hard-right views, including frequent expressions of sup- power plant, a team of government-commissioned port for Brazil’s past period of military rule, horrified the experts said yesterday. The southeastern port city of left and drove deep divisions in Latin America’s biggest Pohang was rattled by a 5.4-magnitude earthquake in WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump heaped nation. But at the press conference, his condemnation of November 2017 - the second-most powerful tremor praise yesterday on right-wing Brazilian President Jair what he called “fake news”-opponents say he is refer- ever in the normally seismically stable South. Dozens of Bolsonaro-and received plenty back-in announcing a ring merely to critical reports-and references to deeply people were injured and more than 1,500 left homeless special relationship that he said could even see the conservative social values pleased Trump. “We have WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump and Brazil’s - while a nationwide college entrance exam was post- President Jair Bolsonaro (left) leave after a press confer- poned in an unprecedented move as authorities scram- Latin American country join NATO. At a joint news many views that are similar,” Trump said. conference on the sun-soaked Rose Garden lawn, ence in the Rose Garden at the White House in bled with recovery efforts. A year-long government- Washington, DC. — AFP commissioned study pointed to the geothermal power Trump and the man dubbed “Trump of the Tropics” let Brazil in NATO? plant as the cause. —AFP the mutual compliments flow. Trump spent much of the news conference dis- “I have always admired the United States of cussing efforts to squeeze Venezuela’s authorities, ers of Brazil’s anti-communist military dictatorship, America. And this sense of admiration has just which he warned could face many more sanctions than Trump has a ready ally against Maduro. In return, increased after you took office and the presidency,” those already imposed in an attempt to cripple the gov- Bolsonaro got one of the main items on his wish list: Bolsonaro said. Trump, stressing Brazil’s partnership in ernment’s finances. Brazil, which shares a long border agreement for Brazil to be given NATO privileges. This 6 police killed in SW Pakistan the US-led campaign to force hard-left Venezuelan with Venezuela, is important in the strategy. In “major non-NATO ally” status would ease Brazil’s President Nicolas Maduro from power, said Bolsonaro Bolsonaro, an ex-soldier who idolizes the former lead- access to US weaponry and other military links.—AFP QUETTA: At last six Pakistani policemen were killed in a raid on a checkpoint in southwestern Balochistan province, officials said yesterday, in the latest Taleban- claimed attack in the restive area. The assault took place in the mountainous Sanjawi area of Ziarat dis- trict, some 80 kilometers east of the provincial capital British PM seeks US drone strikes in Quetta. “It was a sudden attack. The attackers came on motorcycles and killed all six personnel on duty,” brief Brexit delay Qadir Bakhsh, a senior government official in Ziarat Somalia escalate as said. Bakhsh said the attackers were armed with auto- matic weapons and fled after the assault yesterday, from hesitant EU death toll mounts adding that a search operation has been launched in the area. The Pakistani Taleban later claimed responsi- bility for the attack in an email sent to media. Faisal LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May asked EU NAIROBI: Amnesty International yesterday accused Agha-another senior government official-confirmed leaders yesterday for a three-month delay to Brexit US forces of killing several civilians in Somalia as they the attack and toll.—AFP amid continued political deadlock in London, but “dramatically increased” the number of air strikes in the Brussels warned the postponement carried “serious volatile country, but the US military denied the deaths. legal and political risks”. Exactly 1,000 days on from The US military said it had carried out 110 strikes by Britain’s seismic 2016 referendum vote to leave the drones and manned aircraft in the past two years in European Union and with just nine days left until the Somalia, killing over 800 people, but insisted every China backs Pakistan efforts scheduled departure date, the divorce deal is blocked in death was that of a “terrorist.” But Amnesty researchers parliament and political turmoil grips the country. who investigated five air strikes in detail reported at BEIJING: China backed its “iron friend” Pakistan yes- Faced with the potentially catastrophic impact of LONDON: Britain’s Leader of the House of Commons least 14 civilians had been killed-raising fears the total terday, applauding its recent counter-terrorism meas- dead in the scores of attacks may be far higher. ures as Islamabad faces criticism for harboring mili- Britain leaving its biggest trading partner with no deal Andrea Leadsom reacts as she leaves from 10 “The attacks appear to have violated international tants. An attack on Indian-administered Kashmir last on March 29, May said she would try one last time to Downing Street in London yesterday. — AFP month killed 40 Indian security personnel and was pass her deal next week. humanitarian law, and some may amount to war claimed by a Pakistan-based militant group. “China If it passes, it would still need to be ratified, and she crimes,” Amnesty said in the report, titled “The Hidden commends Pakistan’s recent strong counter-terrorism told MPs she has written to EU President Donald Tusk Britain tells them clearly what it wants. “As long as we US War in Somalia”. The study is based on 150 inter- measures at home,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi told asking to push Brexit back until June 30. If she fails a don’t know what Britain could say yes to, no decision views including witnesses, family members of those reporters after meeting with his Pakistani counterpart. third time, May said parliament would have to decide can be taken on our side either,” Juncker told German killed and security experts. Their reports were corrob- “We fully support Pakistan in carrying through its what happened next - but said she viewed any longer broadcaster Deutschlandfunk. He said the deal agreed orated by satellite imagery, photographs of the deep counterterrorism campaign,” Wang said. Since March extension as “a failure to deliver on the referendum was the final offer, warning: “Nothing more can be done, craters of the explosions, as well as munition fragments 5, Pakistani authorities have arrested hundreds of sus- decision”. She hinted that her own future was on the we’ve reached the end of the road. collected from the sites. pected Islamist militants and shuttered more than 700 line, saying: “As prime minister, I am not prepared to “If other scenarios are being discussed, we’d need a US strikes, which included missiles fired by manned madrassas, mosques, and clinics linked to banned delay Brexit any further than June 30.” new road.” Juncker said May needed to present Brussels aircraft as well as drones, targeted Somalia’s Al-Qaeda groups. —AFP And the prospect of Britain having to hold European with an agreement approved by parliament as well as “a linked jihadist insurgents, Al-Shabaab. Amnesty said Parliament elections at the end of May would be “unac- clear timetable”. Given that this was unlikely before the that since April 2017, the US “has dramatically ceptable”, she said. May will travel to Brussels today for summit’s start today, “we will probably need to meet increased the number of air strikes - from manned air- an EU summit where she will put her request in person again next week”. European Parliament vice-president craft and unmanned drones - it has launched in Somalia, Karadzic sentence increased to the other 27 EU leaders, who must unanimously Mairead McGuinness said she expected the EU will be tripling the annual rate of attacks.” It said the number approve any delay. But European Commission President willing to grant a Brexit extension if the purpose is clear. of US air strikes is more than the number of those it THE HAGUE: UN judges yesterday ordered former Jean-Claude Juncker said it was unlikely they would However, she told BBC television there were concerns carried out in Yemen and Libya combined during the Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic to spend the reach a decision without a clear signal from London on over continued uncertainty from a “rolling cliff-edge”. same period. rest of his life in jail for the “sheer scale and systematic what MPs want, suggesting another meeting might be But the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) insisted cruelty” of his war crimes a quarter of a century ago. needed next week. ‘National humiliation’ they had all been legitimate targets as members of Al- Karadzic, 73, stood motionless and grim-faced in the The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, Brexit-backing British newspapers echoed the gener- Shabaab, and that the Amnesty report was incorrect. dock as judges said they had upheld his 2016 convic- also warned EU leaders against the June 30 date saying al sense of frustration. The Daily Mail’s editorial read: “Since June 2017, AFRICOM conducted 110 airstrikes tions for genocide and war crimes during the conflict in a shorter delay to May 23 or a longer one to “at least “1,000 days of incompetence, betrayal and now national in Somalia, eliminating more than 800 terrorists,” it said Bosnia, and increased his original 40-year sentence. until 2019” would be preferable. humiliation... how did victory turn to this?” Addressing in a statement, adding that “our assessments found that The panel of appeals judges in The Hague “imposes a no AFRICOM airstrike resulted in any civilian casualty sentence of life imprisonment” after rejecting MPs at her weekly question and answer session in the ‘End of the road’ House of Commons, May expressed her own frustration or injury.” AFRICOM added that it was “in the interest Karadzic’s appeal against his conviction for atrocities of the terrorist group al-Shabaab to untruthfully claim including the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, head judge May and the EU hammered out a divorce agreement at the deadlock. She said any delay to Brexit beyond civilian casualties.” Vagn Joensen said. Judges at the original trial “under- over the past two years but MPs have twice rejected the June would require Britain to take part in May elections estimated the extreme gravity of Karadzic’s responsi- plan by heavy margins. Her original plan to hold a third for the European Parliament, which would be “unac- Amnesty’s military expert Brian Castner said that bility for the most grave crimes committed during the vote this week, before the EU summit, was dramatically ceptable”. However, opposition Labor leader Jeremy “the civilian death toll we’ve uncovered in just a handful period of conflict, noted for their sheer sale and sys- blocked by Commons speaker John Bercow, who said Corbyn blamed the prime minister’s “incompetence, fail- of strikes suggests the shroud of secrecy surrounding tematic cruelty”, Joensen said.— AFP May could not keep bringing the deal back to MPs ure and intransigence”, saying she refused to accept her the US role in Somalia’s war is actually a smokescreen without changes. European leaders are now demanding deal had failed.—AFP for impunity. —AFP 9 International Thursday, March 21, 2019 Billionaire remanded in custody after London court appearance Indian diamond magnate wanted over bank fraud

LONDON: Fugitive billionaire jeweler Nirav Modi, want- Modi’s arrest. Modi left the country before India’s biggest ed by Indian authorities over a $2 billion loan fraud at banking fraud came to light early last year. state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) was remanded in PNB, India’s second-largest state-run bank, said in custody after appearing before a British court yesterday. 2018 that two jewellery groups headed by Modi and his India asked Britain last August to extradite Modi, 48, uncle Mehul Choksi had defrauded it by raising credit whose diamonds have sparkled on famous Hollywood from other Indian banks using fraudulent guarantees stars, after he was accused of massive bank fraud, charges issued by rogue staff of the bank. Modi and Choksi have he denies. The diamond magnate was arrested in the both denied wrongdoing. Prior to his arrest, India’s main Holborn area of central London on Tuesday after he went opposition Congress party had used it as a weapon to tar- into a bank to open an account and a member of staff con- get the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of an April- tacted police. May general election. Prakash Yesterday, he appeared at Javadekar, a minister in Indian London’s Westminster Prime Minister Narendra Magistrates Court accused by Modi’s cabinet, said all the fugi- India of two charges of conspir- Modi arrested tives would have to come back acy to fraud and conspiracy to and “return the looted money conceal criminal property. He in London after to the nation”. spoke only to confirm his name, In December, a British court age and address, and that he bank tip-off agreed that another high-pro- did not agree to being extradit- file Indian businessman, avia- ed. His lawyer, George tion tycoon Vijay Mallya, could Hepburne Scott, said his client be extradited to his homeland would deny the charges which to face fraud charges. Mallya is he believes are politically motivated. currently appealing the decision. Separately, the Despite offering to put up 500,000 pound ($658,650) Enforcement Directorate (ED), India’s main financial security, he was told he would not be given bail. District crime-fighting agency, said that a court yesterday issued a Judge Marie Mallon said there were substantial grounds to non-bailable warrant against Nirav Modi’s wife. The court believe he might not surrender to bail and no conditions also allowed the ED to auction 11 vehicles belonging to would satisfy her to grant his release. He was remanded in Modi - including Rolls Royce, Porsche, Mercedes and custody until his next appearance at the same court on Toyota models - and allowed income tax authorities to March 29. PNB shares closed up 3 percent on the news of auction 68 paintings owned by him. —Reuters NEW DELHI: An Indian supporter of the Congress Party keeps his hand on the face of the photo of bil- lionaire jeweler Nirav Modi during a protest in New Delhi. —AFP

ment in the western city of Pune. “A cartoon conveys the mes- Limited oversight Chasing youth vote, sage of a 500-1,000 word article in just a minute,” he said. The India is by far the world’s biggest democracy, but most of its 1.3 scale of elections in India means voting is staggered, with the billion population belong to lower income groups. And, at a time first regions going to vote on April 11, and the count to be com- when more mature democracies than India’s are grappling with the Indian parties blitz pleted on May 23. impact of social media, there are concerns about the electorate’s sus- India scion Priyanka Each day Bhalerao reads the local newspapers, watches the ceptibility to false messages spread online. As more than two-thirds television news, and checks his WhatsApp messages, seeking of Indians live in rural areas, political parties are trying to extend their Gandhi lambasts smartphones with ideas for an image or issue that might resonate with supporters social media reach through regional languages, to go beyond urban of the Hindu nationalist BJP. Being a Modi supporter himself areas where Hindi and English are more commonly spoken. political cartoons makes it easier. Like the BJP, Gandhi’s Congress Party and oth- When Modi’s BJP won a landslide victory in 2014, social Modi on home turf er rivals have their own armies of artists, video editors and media had not become as pervasive as it is today. Data plans PUNE: Ganesh Bhalerao is a cartoonist hoping to go viral in the journalists to create online content for the social media war. were expensive and pricey smartphones were unaffordable for VARANASI: The newest star in India’s Nehru-Gandhi battle to secure Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s re-election Hired for the campaign season, they get paid a few hundred far more people. Now there are more than 400 million smart- dynasty wrapped up a pre-election boat tour along the when India votes over the next two months. Hired by the ruling dollars a month, according to half a dozen party workers who phones users and consumers are able to access nearly 50 giga- Ganges river yesterday, disembarking in Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to find amusing ways to lionise spoke with Reuters. bytes of data for as little as $3 per month. It all helps explain home constituency to attack the prime minister’s record. Modi or lampoon opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, Bhalerao is a Social media has made it a lot easier for political parties to why social media platforms like Facebook, its messenger Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, sister of Rahul Gandhi who wants social media warrior in an election campaign being fought online get out their message to more voters. But nowadays, India’s WhatsApp and micro-blogging site Twitter have become such to unseat Modi in elections starting on April 11, announced as never before. “Political parties are realizing the importance of masses want politics served with more pizzazz. Nearly two- fierce political battlegrounds. In 2014, parties spent less than her long-awaited entry into politics in January, bolstering cartoons as they elicit a huge response,” the 29-year-old former thirds of the population is under 35 years old. Most have little half a million dollars on digital advertising, but this time round it the hopes of the opposition Congress party, which has art teacher told Reuters while feverishly sketching a piece glori- time or patience for attending political rallies, or wading is likely to be closer to $26 million, according to a top media been dominated by her family for generations. Their father fying the Modi government for ordering India’s recent air strikes through turgid party manifestoes. “The larger audience is and marketing firm, which did not want to be named. India’s was Rajiv Gandhi, assassinated in 1991, their grandmother against Pakistan. now more inclined to short videos, cartoons and visuals,” Election Commission has asked candidates to report their Indira Gandhi, killed by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984, and Cartoons posted on BJP-run Facebook pages, Twitter han- Diptansu Chaudhury told Reuters in Kolkata, where he heads spending on social media and it also requires them to seek their great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first dles and WhatsApp groups are shared hundreds of times and the IT wing of Trinamool Congress, a powerful regional party approval for advertisements, but such rules can be bypassed by prime minister. reach millions, Bhalerao told Reuters as he worked in his apart- in West Bengal. the use of proxies. —Reuters Arriving after her three-day cruise in Varanasi, the northern holy city famous for its riverside cremations where Modi stood for election in 2014, Priyanka said people must under debts of more than $1 billion and has now been forced tion of flight days before departure without any prior intima- stand up against his “anti-people” policies. “You can bring Crisis at Jet Airways to ground a total of 78 of its 119 aircraft after failing to pay tion or communication over phone!” The firm is also facing about a change. You must raise your voice for a new gov- lenders and aircraft lessors. pressure from its many pilots who have not been paid on ernment who will make policies for you and understand In a statement late Tuesday announcing its latest ground- time, with unions threatening they will walk off the job if your problems,” the 47-year-old said. “The farmers of this worsens as it grounds ing, the firm it said it was “actively engaging” with lenders to salaries do not arrive soon. country are suffering. He is neck-deep in debt and is com- secure fresh liquidity and wanted to “minimize disruption”. “Pilots will stop flying jet planes from 1st April 2019 if the mitting suicide. He does not get seeds and fertilizers on time, planes, faces strike But with hundreds of customers left stranded, Jet’s social company does not disburse due salaries and take concrete he is not getting the right price for his produce,” she added. media accounts have been flooded with often suddenly decisions,” a spokesperson for the National Aviator’s Guild, The opposition has been targeting Modi’s right-wing MUMBAI: India’s Jet Airways was fighting multiple crises stranded passengers demanding information, new flight tick- a pilots union said. India’s aviation regulator on Tuesday Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a lack of jobs, slowing yesterday after grounding six planes, leaving it with only a ets and refunds. “@jetairways We book our flights in advance warned Jet Airways to ensure that staffers facing stress are growth and the desperate situation of farmers in the lead-up third of its fleet flying, while pilots have threatened to walk so that we save on travel cost and you are sending cancella- not forced to operate flights. Meanwhile, Bloomberg report- to the gargantuan election which ends May 19. The centre- out and a major shareholder is reportedly looking to offload tion (message) now?”, read one irate tweet yesterday. ed that Etihad Airways of the United Arab Emirates has left Congress party, which has ruled India for about half a its huge stake. The problems at India’s number-two carrier “I have sent a DM (direct message) regarding my ticket offered to sell its 24 percent stake in Jet to State Bank of century since the country became independent in 1947, was thrashed by the BJP five years ago, with Modi promising to come as other airlines struggle to turn a profit despite the details. Please respond,!” said Sachin Deshpande, according India (SBI). A collapse would deal a blow to Prime Minister create jobs, stamp out corruption, and bring “Achhe Din” sector rapidly expanding in the country over recent years. to his Twitter profile a design engineer. Another, Ankit Narendra Modi’s pragmatic pro-business reputation ahead (“Good Days”). —AFP Jet, which employs more than 20,000 people, is gasping Maloo, wrote: “Received an email for all together cancella- of elections starting on April 11. —AFP 10 Established 1961 Analysis Thursday, March 21, 2019

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Venezuela doctors under regime pressure during UN visit enezuelan doctors have come under pres- sure from President Nicolas Maduro’s Vgovernment for trying to alert a visiting UN mission about the severe lack of hospital medicine and equipment, NGOs say. Venezuelan View of an abandoned boat on the dried Aculeo Lake in Paine, about 70 km southwest of Santiago on March 5, 2019. —AFP authorities say that US sanctions freezing $30 billion in assets have blocked imports of basic items including medicine. But they have roughly stomped down on dissenting voices saying much Drought wipes Chilean lake from map of the resulting medical emergency is the fault of mismanagement, the NGOs allege. he cows and horses would have come for the last drop of the towering Andes - saying “Help us to protect very likely that the next few years will be as dry as those “They forcibly booted out the head of a med- blades of grass. Now their bones are scattered on the lagoon.” we have experienced.” ical school in Maracay (west of Caracas) and Tthe cracked earth, victims of drought that wiped Around 70 percent of Chile’s population live in since then we haven’t heard from her,” said Jaime Santiago’s weekend playground Lake Aculeo from the Rainfall dries up drought-prone areas where rainfall has decreased signifi- Lorenzo, executive director of one association map. Lake Aculeo’s demise is so sudden and complete it Once boasting a depth of 20 feet (six meters) the water cantly. Experts estimate temperatures will continue to rise called Medicos Unidos (Doctors United). “She seems as if someone had pulled a giant plug and let all the level began to fall from 2011. By last May, the lake had until 2030 and water levels inland will drop by as much as protested against the repression of medical water out. So sudden was it that as recently as 2011 the dried out completely. There’s no single explanation, though 30 percent. But other factors have contributed to the eco- staff,” he said. An opposition lawmaker, Jose 4.6 square-mile (12 square-kilometer) lagoon was a thriv- climate change is a key factor. Locals and experts point to logical disaster at Lake Aculeo. A viable lake meant boom- Manuel Olivares, who is also an oncologist and ing weekend getaway for people from the Chilean capital a drastic decrease in rainfall. But agricultural practices ing tourism. It proved a magnet for developers. Second an hour away. requiring vast amounts of water and lakeside development homes and shops mushroomed, hiking up domestic water radiotherapist, on Twitter said she was “the third Thousands came here to swim, water-ski, sail or simply are also factors. “My grandparents remember when tor- demand in a short time. doctor in two weeks to be persecuted for having cool off in the long austral summer. They camped along its rential rains fell for a minimum of a week, and today, if it’s Farming put added pressure on the ecosystem which denounced the situation in the hospitals.” shores and lined up for tables at busy lakeside restaurants. raining for two days, we’re lucky,” said Camila Nunez, 20, led to over-exploitation of the lake for irrigation purposes, On Sunday a clash erupted when a pro- Now, water and cooling summers on Lake Aculeo are a who works in a nearby restaurant. particularly for the lucrative avocado crop. “The need for regime crowd threw stones at hospital staff in the fast receding memory. “We have been suffering drought Average annual rainfall in central Chile during the 1980s water by crops in the adjacent agricultural area generated northwest city of Barquisimeto as they waited for for 10 years, and now the lake has disappeared, with was nearly 14 inches (350 millimeters). By 2018, that had pressure on the lagoon” until it was empty, said Bustos. the arrival of representatives of the UN High tourism, camping, business, everything,” laments Marcos fallen by half. Scientists predict it will continue to fall 5What’s left behind is a dusty landscape of crusty earth Commissioner of Human Rights. According to Contreras, a campsite employee. because of global warming. “We are living through a very and spindly, dried shrubs. And summer memories for peo- Medicos Unidos, the repression has worsened Wooden jetties now poke out grotesquely over the flat prolonged period of drought that has lasted several years,” ple like Antonia Romero. The 26-year-old who grew up on over the past two weeks. “We have drawn atten- plain of the lakebed. Canoes and speedboats gather dust said Eduardo Bustos, director of climate change research its shores and is now employed at one of the few function- on the former lakeshore. A giant sign on the approach at the Catholic University of Chile. “In the future, we see ing campsites, left to reflect on its demise: “We were tion to our patients dying for lack of supplies and shows the lake as it was - stark blue against the back- that there is a tendency for rainfall to decrease, so it is killing the lake little by little.” —AFP equipment. Doctors have been arrested without any reason at all,” Lorenzo said. ‘Precarious situation’ At orphanage, On Saturday, a young doctor in the state of The powerful Carabobo, Ronnie Villasmil, tweeted that he was elephants find leaving Venezuela after being summoned by meteor that police for having contacted the UN mission. “Now I have to flee like a criminal and my mother new life, love is crying over it,” he wrote. “They want to no one saw deprive me of liberty. My only crime is wanting uggard, a lively three-year-old, limps behind to raise the alarm over the precarious situation in the rest of his ragtag troupe of orphan ele- t precisely 11:48 am on Dec 18, 2018, a large Carabobo’s hospitals,” he said. Lphants, halting to graze or rub against a tree. space rock heading straight for Earth at a speed The visiting five-member UN team has When he was just five months old, Luggard was Aof 19 miles per second exploded into a vast ball found struggling to keep up with his herd in Kenya’s of fire as it entered the atmosphere, 15.9 miles above the declined all contact with media. It is officially in Tsavo East National Park. He had been shot twice. Bering Sea. From below, the only witnesses to this fiery the country on a “preliminary technical mission” One bullet pierced his left front foot, and another event may have been the fish that inhabit the frigid to prepare for a possible visit by the High shattered his right, hind femur just above the knee waters between Russia and Alaska, as no human eye Commissioner for Human Rights, former Chilean joint. The calf was discovered “too late for succesful caught sight of it. A meteor is the luminous phenomenon president Michelle Bachelet, who was formally that results when an asteroid or other celestial body surgery,” said Edwin Lusichi, 42, head keeper at the An orphan elephant is fed with milk by a keeper at the invited by Maduro’s government in November. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) elephant nursery in enters the Earth’s atmosphere. It is commonly called a David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) elephant orphanage shooting star. If it does not fully vaporize and some part The team was finally able to visit the hospital Nairobi National Park, Luggard’s new home. in Nairobi on March 12, 2019. —AFP in Barquisimeto when doctors and local officials With the rest of the gang of 20 elephant babies in of it hits the Earth’s surface, it is called a meteorite. provided an escort. A doctor who spoke with this unusual orphanage, Luggard comes charging One of the first researchers to detect the event was Peter Brown, a meteor scientist at the Department of the visitors said she told them of all that was with great enthusiasm, though hobbling heavily on with... a human baby,” said Julius Shivegha, 43, one of the caretakers. “We have to make sure that they are Physics and Astronomy at the University of Western missing at the hospital. “I told them that patients his deformed leg, out of the bush for a 9:00 am feed- Ontario. On March 8, he was poring over December we operated on can’t get chemotherapy here ing. The calves greedily slurp from oversized “baby well-covered with a blanket, to keep them warm... They keep waking up for the milk... We are around for data from the system used by the Comprehensive Test and those unable to buy it abroad die. And bottles”, rumbling contentedly and trumpeting excit- Ban Treaty Organization to detect atmospheric explo- when I told them how much we earn, their jaws edly as they ingest the special mix of human baby reassurance and for company, just to make sure they don’t feel lonely.” sions caused by nuclear tests. The system is comprised dropped,” she told AFP on condition of formula, water and vitamins. Each calf at the nursery of seismic and acoustic sensors capable of picking up has a tragic story: Orphaned by poachers, drought, The bond between animal and human is a close anonymity. one. During the daytime, the keepers accompany the infrasound, inaudible to the human ear, at a distance of or in conflict with humans encroaching ever further tens of thousands of miles. “Many of them detected the In crisis-hit Venezuela, a doctor earns group as they wander about the savannah, browsing between 18,000 and 30,000 bolivars per into the few wild places left. “We rescue them from sound waves from this explosion,” he told AFP. “If you just a few days old,” DSWT administrator Kirsty and playing. They call their charges by name, and the were directly under it, it would have been deafening.” month-the equivalent of $6 to $10. The non- elephants respond. As a treat, the keepers prepare governmental organizations also said authorities Smith told AFP. mud baths into which the babies dive with abandon, 10 meters in diameter had gone to length to try to cover up the extent The youngest elephant in the center’s care is Larro, 10 months. She was found lost and alone in the rolling and sliding about, blowing bubbles, and wildly US military satellites spotted the explosion immedi- of the problems by hastily slapping fresh paint Maasai Mara game reserve, likely after her family splashing the wet earth around with their trunks. ately. But it was not until March 8 that the Air Force down and hauling in last-minute deliveries. “In clashed with humans. “Sometimes the elephants get officially informed NASA, which logged the event in the Valencia (in Carabobo state) and Barquisimeto into the communities, farms and homes, people fight ‘Sometimes we just cuddle’ database of fireballs it has kept since 1988, according to we saw two trucks delivering medicine and them, chase them away, and in the process of the fight “We sometimes play soccer with them,” said Lindley Johnson, NASA’s Planetary Defense Officer. “It equipment to hospitals the mission was going to they (the babies) get separated from their families,” Shivegha of the daily routine. “Sometimes we just was almost immediately published on our website, with- visit,” Lorenzo said. Lusichi explained. Without its mother, an elephant cuddle them, we hug them. Some of them will keep on in 10 minutes, I would say,” he told AFP. NASA’s Center calf will die. They are weaned between the ages of trying to just grab your hands or suck your fingers for Near Earth Object Studies calculated the energy released by the explosion to be 173 kilotons, more than Exodus of doctors five and 10, when they enter adolescence. Adulthood like a pacifier. All of this makes them really close to A human rights NGO critical of the govern- us... We are their mothers.” This makes for a “bitter- 10 times as destructive as the 15-kiloton atomic bomb starts around the age of 18, and left undisturbed, ele- that leveled Hiroshima in 1945. ment, Provea, slammed “these camouflage opera- phants can live to be 70. But poaching claims many sweet” separation: when the elephants graduate from the nursery, they go to one of three reintegration It was the most powerful explosion in the atmos- tions before the UN mission’s arrival,” saying the prematurely. phere since the fireball that burst over the Russian town sudden appearance of supplies was “testimony centers at Tsavo. Here they spend several years learn- ing to live independently, eventually joining a herd or of Chelyabinsk in 2013. That was 440 kilotons, and left to the government’s negligence and cruelty”. In Killing for ornaments 1,500 people injured, mostly from glass flying out of Venezuela’s public hospitals, 90 percent of med- About 20,000 African elephants per year - 55 per forming their own and setting off into the wider park. For disabled elephants like Luggard, the SWT runs smashed windows. The event was described on Monday ical items are missing and nearly all the state lab- day - are killed, mainly for their tusks, according to by scientists at the 50th Lunar and Planetary Science a haven in Kibwezi Forest with abundant food and the WWF. “You’re killing a whole elephant just to Conference in Texas. When he read a report on the sub- oratories are closed, according to a survey by water all year round, and no human settlements near- another NGO, Doctors for Health, with the oppo- have the tusks! For what - just to have an ornament?” ject on the BBC, Simon Proud, a meteorologist and spe- asks an exasperated Lusichi. He points to Enkesha, a by. In 42 years, the trust has rehabilitated more than cialist in satellite data at Oxford University, decided to sition-ruled National Assembly. Maduro’s gov- 230 orphan elephants. Over 120 are living wild and ernment has released no official figures on the tiny two-year-old. “You see the trunk? She was found check the archive of images collected by a Japanese trapped in a snare” which all but severed the have given birth to 30 known calves, said Smith. weather satellite, Himawari, which his center permanent- state of public hospitals for three years. Ending attacks on elephants will be difficult in a part ly monitors. The situation in the impoverished yet oil-rich appendage elephants use to breathe, eat, drink water, and communicate. of the world where poverty and the danger posed to Bingo: the satellite was in the right place at the South American country has been worsened by Enkesha was rescued, stitched up, and after a long human life and property by wild elephant herds, are right time, he told AFP. Proud published the image on an exodus of doctors, tens of thousands of whom rehabilitation, now uses her badly-scarred trunk seen as justification. his Twitter account: what looks like an orange ball of have left, according to Lorenzo. According to the almost as normal, ripping up grass to eat and sucking To try and change mindsets, the SWT takes chil- fire above the clouds and sea, but which is in fact a UN, 3.4 million Venezuelans have abandoned up water. The nursery keeps babies like Luggard, dren on excursions to cultivate a love for wildlife and cloud of dust from the meteor caught in the sunlight, their country, with more than three-quarters of Larro and Enkesha until they are about three - the provides schools with books and desks with money Brown said. As it turns out, NASA’s MODIS satellite also photographed the dust cloud, the agency’s Kurtis them - 2.7 million - leaving since 2015. Matters age at which elephants start craving more independ- raised through its projects. Shivegha called for were made worse when a weeklong, nationwide “everyone’s support”, in creating alternatives to Thome told AFP Tuesday. “It doesn’t surprise me,” ence. But until then, they receive 24-7 care with a said Patrick Michel, research director and asteroid blackout early this month paralyzed the country bottle feeding every three hours. The babies sleep in poaching, such as small business opportunities, for people who live near game reserves. Also, crucially, specialist at the observatory of the Cote d’Azur in and knocked out power to hospitals, many of single wooden rooms at night, and the youngest each southern France. —AFP which did not have working generators. —AFP have a keeper with them. “let’s try and stop the end product market, let’s tell “It’s similar to spending a night in a bedroom people to stop buying (ivory),” he urged. —AFP Established 1961

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019 Business

KAMCO 2018 net profit reaches Investors flee Bayer after Rags-to-riches Skoda mulls 13KD2.56m, an increase of 124% 13 glyphosate trial blow 14 post-Brexit sales miseries

Zain investing heavily in its ‘4Sight’ digital strategy

Zain Group holds AGM with a quorum of 73.91%; dividend of 30 fils for 2018 approved

KUWAIT: Zain Group Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Bader Al-Kharafi addresses the Annual General Assembly meeting at Zain Group headquarters in Kuwait yesterday.

KUWAIT: The annual Ordinary General Assembly of and expanding beyond standard telecom services to Zain Group was held yesterday at the Zain Group’s diversify revenues and create value. headquarters in Kuwait with a quorum of 73.91 percent Groupwide API: The company started the year that approved the recommended cash dividend of 30 announcing a landmark agreement in support of the fils per share. launch of the Zain Group Application Program Interface (API) Platform, which will see Zain exposing Excerpts from Zain Group Chairman, Ahmed Al- its APIs, thus helping to remove a significant barrier to Tahous’s statement at the Ordinary General Assembly developing potential digital partnerships globally. Zain continued to achieve positive results and drive This strategic initiative is set to bring about greater its operations to further growth in 2018, despite opera- agility to Zain as we consider new market opportuni- tional challenges being faced by the regional telecom ties, accelerating innovation and expanding into new sector including competition, regulatory and socio- business verticals. economic factors. The Group has been able to enhance Zain Drone: The launch of Zain Drone as-a- its competitive position thanks to its transformation Service (DaaS) is set to unlock opportunities in vari- programs, which are turning the company into an effi- ous industries, offering state-of-the art bespoke drone cient digital lifestyle provider. solutions and advanced analytics for governments and 2018 witnessed a significant transformation of Zain businesses in an efficient, safe and fast manner. Zain Group in terms of operational and investment plans, Drone will focus on the Kuwait market initially and with strong growth in all its financial indicators. This then expand to other key markets where it makes growth was underpinned by the successful implementa- commercial sense to do so. tion of the turnaround strategy in Saudi Arabia which ZINC in Kuwait: Living our belief in innovation, has driven the operation to profitability, coupled with the company opened a Zain Innovation Center (ZINC) the beneficial regulatory changes and consolidation of in Kuwait, located within the Zain Group head offices. Zain Group Chairman Ahmed Al-Tahous addresses the Zain Saudi Arabia into Zain Group. Zain Group Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Bader Al- This is the first facility to be located outside of the Ordinary General Assembly Both Zain Kuwait and Zain Iraq also enjoyed a Kharafi. ultra-successful ZINC in Jordan, featuring a co-work- strong year, with the growth of data revenues and the ing hub, a first-of-its-kind development in Kuwait tremendous development in the enterprise and business provided by a corporate entity. The facility’s main aim sector, all having gained traction. Highlights is to bolster youth entrepreneurship and the country’s Today, Zain Group is one of the leading telecommu- startup ecosystem. ZINC Kuwait is set to encourage nications companies in the region, focusing on investing young minds to think and act creatively outside of the • Zain Group Chairman, Ahmed Al-Tahous: “All operations have undergone decisive changes to boost in digital services and adopting business models that norm in an open, supportive environment. Apart from exceed the expectations and aspirations of its customer operational performance and growth plans” the inspiring co-working hub facilities, ZINC will pro- base. This strategic approach has helped the company • Zain Vice Chairman and Group CEO, Bader Al-Kharafi: “Company’s exceptional performance during vide aspiring entrepreneurs and startups access to evolve its operations, successfully opening up new rev- 2018 due to digital transformation and focus on profitable growth areas” experts in various fields and advice from mentors from enue streams in digital services, with the aim of estab- • Growth in Zain Saudi Arabia sees company’s market capitalization rise by $780 million in last 6 months the region and across the globe, including Zain senior lishing a powerhouse for digital transformation in the personnel and associated technology partners. Middle East. • Sound operational performance in Zain Iraq and Zain Sudan highlight period Omantel strategic relationship grows stronger: Excerpts from Zain Group Vice-Chairman and • Zain Kuwait continues to focus on innovation and digital services especially on B2B Following the completion of Omantel’s acquisition of Group CEO, Bader Al-Kharafi’s statement at the • The Group’s roadmap focuses on upgrading networks, fiber optics and 5G readiness Zain Group shares that brought its total holding to Annual General Assembly • Zain continues to support the entrepreneurial startup ecosystem across the region 21.9 percent at the end of 2017, both entities spent Zain Group was resilient towards internal and exter- 2018 focusing on synergies and building on the cre- nal challenges and exited the year with healthy prof- ation of a new digital telecom powerhouse looking for itability and a good reason to be optimistic about 2019 upgrades and expansions across all our markets. across our footprint to engage in a meaningful manner opportunities to lead digital transformation across the and beyond. We are focused on fulfilling our strategic Furthermore, we are partnering with leading global and be active participants in the socio-economic MENA region. The scale and diversification of the vision of transforming into a fully integrated and inno- entities to enhance the appeal and quality of the prod- development of their communities. partnership will result in the generation of incremental vative digital lifestyle provider and exceeding cus- ucts and services we make available to our customers Financially, Zain is committed to consistently creat- revenue and accelerated introduction of innovative tomers’ expectations in all aspects of the services we via fast and reliable connectivity while carrying out ing value for shareholders and other stakeholders, and products and services. provide them. various initiatives to re-engineer customer experience. we remained focused on cost optimization and Highlights of Zain Kuwait during 2018: The Zain prides itself in remaining a forward-looking As a sustainable conscious company, one of Zain’s increasing new revenue streams resulting in an operation in Kuwait provides Zain with a conducive organization, and a central theme of Zain Group’s primary missions is to have a positive impact on the impressive Group financial performance as evident platform for digital innovation in products and servic- ‘4Sight’ Strategy is to maximize shareholder value communities we serve, while undertaking initiatives to above. These inspiring results on multiple levels for es that will be launched there, and that knowhow through business growth and efficiency while seeking participate actively in the Fourth Industrial Revolution 2018 are a true reflection of the dedicated efforts of exported across our footprint. Kuwait also sets the value enhancing opportunities and new revenue and promote social innovation. For us at Zain, the Zain’s 6,000 strong and talented workforce who work foundation for the performance of the rest of the streams in the digital arena. We are particularly inter- maturing of social innovation is of great importance as with passion every day, in all that they do. Group, and 2018 was another year that the team’s suc- ested in the profitable growth areas of smart cities, it not only addresses society’s most pressing chal- cessful efforts were punctuated by strong partner- IoT and Enterprise (B2B). lenges such as youth unemployment, the plight of Major developments and highlights of 2018 ships, digital innovation and market leadership in all We continue to reinvent, transform and enable the refugees, economic stagnation and environmental 2018 was memorable on multiple fronts, building on key business facets at Zain Kuwait. core digitally to support vast investments in network issues, as it provides a legitimate avenue for youth Zain’s digital transformation efforts in seeking growth Continued on Page 12 Established 1961 12 Business Thursday, March 21, 2019

Continued from Page 11 USD terms), while net income increased 11 percent to reach SDG 1.2 billion ($45 million, down 31 percent in New Kuwait 2035 Vision USD terms). Data revenues (excluding SMS and VAS) Zain Kuwait focused on the areas of Customer formed 18 percent of total revenues, with an impressive Experience, Smart Homes, and Digital Entertainment annual growth of 56 percent. continuing its transformation into a digital services Regarding the currency devaluation in Sudan, unfor- provider in support of the New Kuwait 2035 Vision tunately it keeps getting worse as the Central Bank of introduced by His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al- Sudan decided to set its daily currency exchange rate Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The operator’s focus on effective from 7 Oct, 2018. This resulted in the official Smart Security, Smart Education, Smart Health, Smart exchange rate being set at 1 USD = 47.5 SDG, noting Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Economy, and Smart the official exchange rate before that was 1 USD = 28.3 Infrastructure aims on empowering a smart life, a safe SDG as of February 2018. community, and an efficient business sector. Zain Jordan continues to lead the telecom sector Zain Saudi Arabia enjoyed an especially successful in the Kingdom: The team there are focused on trans- 2018: The Group and KSA team’s relentless turnaround forming the operator on multiple levels and focusing efforts in the Kingdom are bearing fruit, as our opera- heavily on expanding both its fiber and 4G networks tion in KSA experienced some incredibly positive mile- across key parts of the country. This has resulted in stones during the year, which boosted its financial and immediate success with Zain Jordan reporting impres- operational position in that market. This had a very sive take-up of new customers in both the household positive affect on the Group on many levels, as evident and enterprise segments. The operator is focused on in our financial results. offering home broadband packages geared towards As a result of the step-up acquisition of Zain KSA in increasing its market share in gaming, content, stream- mid-2018, the operator began to be treated as a sub- ing apps, devices and IoT services. sidiary of Zain Group. An immediate consequence of The operator’s ZainCash offering is proving to be this development was to have various key financial indi- instrumental as its unique value proposition consisting cators of Zain KSA’s financial results consolidated with of nationwide mobile coverage, an extensive agent net- the results of Zain Group commencing from the third work and ability to transfer instantly to individuals, is quarter of 2018. The consolidation of Zain KSA resulted proving popular. in an additional increase of $1.1 billion in total revenues Zain Bahrain focus on operational efficiency: and $487 million in EBITDA to the Group. Celebrating its 15th year of operation in the Kingdom, As a result of this transaction, Zain Group’s net debt Zain Bahrain team’s focus delivery of state-of-the-art to EBITDA ratio (including Guarantees) is currently at Zain Group Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Bader Al-Kharafi speaks to the media on the sidelines of the ordinary technology was evident by the profit increase the 2.3 times, which otherwise if we excluded the consoli- general assembly meeting operator recorded. The team also focused on the offer dation of Zain KSA, the ratio would be 3.2 times. This is of appealing innovative digital services that provide below the industry averages and we always aim to greater value to enterprise (B2B) and individual cus- reduce such levels to avoid future interest rate increas- tomers. Catering for increased demand for high-speed es and associated costs. Highlights of Zain Saudi Arabia’s remarkable year and reliable connectivity solutions of business cus- Furthermore, Zain KSA recorded its best-ever annu- tomers, Zain Bahrain joined the MEETS regional cable al financial performance since inception in 2018, with • The market capitalization of Zain KSA has risen by more than $780 million over the last 6 months. system to boost business offerings supporting the several key financial indicators showing record growth • Revenues rose 3% to $2 billion. Kingdom of Bahrain’s vision to become a major hub levels, reflecting the successful implementation of the for ICT and data transmission in the MENA region. telco’s turnaround strategy. This landmark was achieved • Net profit of $89 million, a 29-fold increase, the best-ever since the company was founded Zainiac, digital innovation from within the organiza- as the company celebrated a decade of commercial • Significant benefits from the settlement agreements signed with the Kingdom’s government tion’s human talent: Zain’s Human Resources strategy operation of mobile voice and data services in the • Reduction of annual royalty fees on commercial services from 15% to 10% of net proceeds retroactive- builds on the strength of the 6,000 talented workforce Kingdom. ly from 1 January 2018. The market capitalization of Zain KSA has risen by from across operations. To remain innovative and approximately $780 million over the last 6 months, • This impact is not a one-off benefit but will continue to reap the benefits of about SAR 300 million competitive we need to generate ideas from wherever after it reported its best-ever net profit of $89 million annually. we can find them and seeking them out internally is for 2018 (a 29-fold annual increase). EBITDA also • Settlement of disputed amounts related to the payment of annual royalty fees to the CITC for the nine- prudent. Accordingly, in recent years has been the tapping into Zain’s internal human resources to gener- increased 20 percent Y-o-Y to reach $800 million, year period. The expected financial impact of this settlement is forecast to reach SAR 1.7 billion ($453 reflecting an EBITDA margin of 40 percent and rev- ate innovative ideas. During 2018 we witnessed signif- million) over the next three years Zain Saudi Arabia is in a strong financial position now. enue rose 3 percent to $2 billion. icant progress on Zainiac, an online platform and com- At the end of 2018 the company signed an agree- • The company made early payments of its Murabaha facility totaling SR 1.125 billion in 2018, reflecting munity for Zain Group employees. The platform allows ment with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Finance (MOF), the company’s solid cashflow generation ability and shrewd cash management employees across the Group to suggest innovative Ministry of Communications and Information The impact of the Zain Group’s consolidation of Zain Saudi Arabia ideas, share challenges, and collaborate in a bid to achieve common goals. Technology (MCIT), and Communications and • Zain KSA’s consolidation was phenomenal on several levels, as Zain Group’s net debt to EBITDA ratio Information Technology Commission (CITC) to consol- The platform is an acknowledgement of the huge idate the annual royalty fee for commercial service, (including Guarantees) is currently at 2.3 times, which otherwise if excluded the consolidation of Zain talent pool assembled within Zain Group, and aims to reducing the tariff from 15 percent to 10 percent of net KSA, the ratio would be 3.2 times. This is below the industry averages. promote synergies among country operations, lever- revenues retrospectively, commencing 1 January, 2018. • Resulted in an additional increase of $1.1 billion in total revenues of the Group. aging the benefits of crowd-sourcing of new ideas Additionally, the agreement included the settlement and business models. As part of the initiative, Zain of disputed amounts related to the payment of annual Data Usage on Zain networks and locations during 2018 organizes workshops with leading partners focusing royalty fees by Zain Saudi Arabia to the CITC for the on establishing and fostering startup competencies. nine-year period between 2009 and 2017, under the • 8.7 Petabytes (PB) daily across all Zain networks Healthy growth in Enterprise (B2B) revenues condition that Zain invests further in expanding its • Zain operates 56,000 sites, with 13,307 sites for 4G network during 2018: Zain continues to strengthen its posi- infrastructure in addition to other conditions over the • 22% increase of 4G customers tioning as the operator-of-choice for connectivity next three years. The expected financial impact of this • 4G sites cover 72% of data traffic services to governments and companies of all sizes settlement is forecast to reach SAR 1.7 billion ($453 • Smartphones account for 53% of all devices used in Zain markets. across the Middle East. B2B is one of the most dynam- million) over the next three years. ic and innovative areas and is a growth engine for During the fourth quarter of 2018, the company many key operations. Our ongoing focus on develop- made a second early voluntary payment towards its ing innovative value propositions and offering a supe- Murabaha financing agreement, following a voluntary With the improvement in social conditions, the team’s operations and spur economic growth. The debt pack- rior customer experience to enterprise customers payment in September 2018 for a total of SAR 1.125 bil- focus on driving business growth and restoration of age includes $100 million from the IFC’s own account, delivered strong revenue growth in 2018. lion. These early payments reflect the company’s solid numerous network sites notably in the West and North and a further $169 million in mobilization. The financing We are addressing the ICT needs of governments cashflow generation ability and shrewd cash manage- regions, as well as expansion of 3.9G network sites helped Zain Iraq enhance its capacity as well as the and companies across our footprint with a compre- ment. Following such repayments, the net debt to EBIT- across the country saw the operation return to prof- quality of its 3G network, allowing the operator to hensive suite of mobile, fixed, IoT, IT security and DA ratio of Zain KSA has improved. itability. This is combined with numerous customer expand coverage to unserved areas in the country. Zain cloud services; building end-to-end solutions to grow Given the abovementioned positive developments, acquisition initiatives, especially in core regions, that Iraq was also able to modernize its networks and cus- our B2B businesses. Our operations serve the entire the company is in a much stronger fiscal position that has resulted in impressive customer additions. Another tomer service in northern Iraq. spectrum of customers, from Small Office, Home will only grow stronger. 2018 shall go down as a mile- contributing factor to the operation’s financial revival Sudan’s operational performance continues to stone for us and shall be looked back on many years was the significant growth of data revenues and robust improve: In local currency SDG terms, the operator Office (SoHo) companies to large corporations and from now as the year Zain Saudi Arabia truly came into growth in the Enterprise (B2B) segment. continues to perform exceptionally well, as revenues government entities with dedicated B2B units. We also its own. Major financial institutions continued to show confi- grew by 37 percent Y-o-Y to reach SDG 9.7 billion continue to invest in our customer-facing staff and The revival of Iraq: The revival and healthy growth dence in Zain Iraq with the IFC, a member of the World ($316 million, down 24 percent in USD terms) for the capabilities and expanded the key account manager of Zain Iraq is remarkable, which had to deal with chal- Bank Group, agreeing to provide a financing package full-year 2018. EBITDA increased by 29 percent to teams, the Zain B2B shop-in-shop locations, and after- lenging social and economic conditions in recent years. worth $269 million to help reconstruct Iraq’s telecom reach SDG 3.7 billion ($121 million, down 27 percent in sales care teams.

KUWAIT: Zain Group’s ordinary General Assembly is in progress Established 1961 13 Business Thursday, March 21, 2019 KAMCO 2018 net profit reaches KD2.56m, an increase of 124% EBITDA KD5.19m, revenue KD18.36m, earnings per share 10.77 fils

KUWAIT: KAMCO Investment Company period were KD 15.68 million, a KD 7.21 ing mandate growth for the year was also enhancing our operational model, despite (“KAMCO”), a leading investment firm with million increase as a result of higher finan- strong, successfully closing 9 transactions incurring additional one-off expansion one of the largest AUMs in the region, cial and operational costs related to the worth around KD 534 million. related expenses this year. The strong announced its consolidated financial results Firm’s growth strategy, as well as other Faisal Mansour Sarkhou, CEO of KAM- investor confidence in KAMCO was seen in for the year ended December 31, 2018. provisions. CO, said, “We are moving forward towards our bond issuance which was covered with- KAMCO reported a net profit attributable In addition to the majority stake acqui- fulfilling our vision to become the preferred in an exceptionally short period, marking to the equity holders of KD 2.56 million, sition in Global Investment House asset management and investment banking another successful transaction in 2018. In which is an increase of 124 percent from (“Global”), the Firm’s performance was player in the region. Despite challenging addition to achieving significant milestones KD 1.14 million in 2017. Earnings per share underpinned by an increase in fee income, market conditions, we continue to maintain throughout the year, we increased the num- increased to 10.77 fils compared to 4.80 fils a growth of KD 3.22 million, from KD 7.0 strong liquidity with a financial robust ber of portfolios under management and in 2017. EBITDA for the period was KD million in 2017 to KD 10.22 million in 2018. structure and the flexibility to harness the further increased the size of our interna- 5.19 million versus KD 2.78 million in 2017, The increase was mainly due to the growth development our integrated business mod- tional real estate portfolio.” an increase of 87 percent. Total revenues in management and advisory fees driven by el. In 2018, which also marks our 20th year Commenting on the market perform- increased by 91 percent to reach KD 18.36 the rising level of assets under manage- anniversary, we increased our AUM with a ance during 2018, Sarkhou added, “GCC million in comparison to 2017. ment and investment banking mandates. long-term mindset taking advantage of equity markets outperformed global peers Faisal Mansour Sarkhou While the Firm reported an increase in Fees from fiduciary activities for the full opportunities during periods of disruption.” with a yearly return of 12 percent amid the operational expenses due to imple- year were KD 8.08 million, with a 16.69 Sarkhou added, “The acquisition of a high volatility in 2018 as compared to flat- investment climate and increased investor menting its expansion plan, net cash gener- percent increase in total assets under man- 69.528 percent stake in Global was one of tish returns in 2017. We have a positive confidence. However, geopolitics influence, ated from operating activities amounted to agement to KD 3.93 billion (including the our key achievements for the year. We outlook for 2019 given the stable macro- and volatile energy prices remains an KD 5.44 million. Total expenses for the effect of the acquisition). Investment bank- believe that this move will help us in economic conditions, improvement in overhang on the region.”

Recession unlikely Investors flee Asian business The United States and China have put on hold a planned escalation of their trade war pending negotiations, but the Bayer after sentiment much-awaited conclusion of the latest round of talks has also been delayed glyphosate lingers near even though remarks from the two sides have been optimistic. Global agencies including the International Monetary trial blow 3-year low Fund (IMF) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and SEOUL: Confidence among Asian com- Development (OECD) have said failure to FRANKFURT: The threat to German chemi- panies held near three-year lows in the resolve trade tension could further slow a cal giant Bayer and subsidiary Monsanto first quarter as a US-China trade dis- from US litigation swelled yesterday, when its pute dragged on, pulling down a global downward-trending global economy. share price plunged after a jury ruled weed- economy that is already on a downward Regional powerhouses China, Japan killer Roundup was a “substantial factor” in path, a Thomson Reuters/INSEAD sur- and South Korea all saw exports fall last an amateur gardener’s cancer. vey found. month, with China and South Korea suf- A wave of lawsuits has put pressure on The Thomson Reuters/INSEAD fering their worst annual declines in Bayer since its $63-billion takeover of Asian Business Sentiment Index track- overseas sales in around three years. Monsanto last year, spooking investors who ing firms’ six-month outlook was flat in The index staying above the neutral worry damages payouts could quickly mount the March quarter from the previous point of 50 suggests companies in Asia into the billions if the firm fails to convince BERLIN: A view of the compound of German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer in quarter’s 63, compared with a near are not expecting an imminent global courts its product is safe. Chief executive Berlin. — AFP three-year low of 58 set in the recession, but languishing near multi- Werner Baumann said last month the compa- September quarter. A reading above 50 year lows indicates companies are exert- ny faced a total of 11,200 US cases over means optimistic respondents outnum- ing caution. “We don’t see a global hard Roundup and its active ingredient glyphosate, investors “start doing the numbers, and it Bayer has filed an appeal, betting it can bered pessimists, but the latest index landing as a likely scenario when we look a herbicide key to Monsanto’s business model doesn’t look very pretty at all”. do better at convincing judges in appeals still marks one of the five worst since at economic factors such as inflation and that has come in for intense scrutiny around The latest case has so far brought no dam- courts than sceptical juries in lower tri- the world started its recovery from the credit conditions,” said Young Sun Kwon, the world. ages award against Bayer, as jurors now have bunals. The two US cases have turned on a 2008-2009 global financial crisis. economist at Nomura in Hong Kong. “But That mass of lawsuits meant markets to decide whether Monsanto is liable for the 2015 finding from the International Agency “Things have not gotten worse but a there are big uncertainties in politics.” shuddered after a federal court finding harm suffered by Hardeman. for Research on Cancer (IARC), an arm of lot of uncertainty is putting companies in Lessons from the 2008-2009 global Tuesday that Roundup was behind the non- “Monsanto has not taken a responsible, the World Health Organization, that wait-and-see mode,” Antonio Fatas, a financial meltdown have forced countries Hodgkin’s lymphoma suffered by 70-year-old objective approach to the safety of Roundup is “probably carcinogenic”. But Singapore-based economics professor at to strengthen economic defenses, but Edwin Hardeman, who used the product for Roundup,” Hardeman’s lawyers Aimee Bayer points to more recent findings from global business school INSEAD, said of factors such as Britain’s planned exit decades on the garden at his California home. Wagstaff and Jennifer Moore said in a joint regulators around the world, especially in US-China talks on trade relations. from the European Union and the US The second major legal setback in a year statement. advanced economies like the US, Europe “In one week, it looks like they are Federal Reserve’s uncertain path are set the Leverkusen-based group’s stock “Instead, it is clear from Monsanto’s and Canada, and reams of scientific studies promising and the week after it looks like posing threats. With less than two weeks actions that it does not particularly care as proof of the safety of its product. ebbing well into Wednesday trading after they are going nowhere, and so there’s a before the March 29 divorce date, whether its product is in fact giving people “Regulatory authorities around the world an initial plunge. By 11:20 am in Frankfurt lot of wait-and-see attitude,” he added, British Prime Minister Theresa May’s cancer,” they alleged. consider glyphosate-based herbicides as safe (1020 GMT), the shares were trading down saying the uncertainty is forcing compa- government is still struggling to push a 13.2 percent at 60.53 euros ($68.71), drag- when used as directed,” the group said in its nies to put off investment decisions. departure deal with the EU through the ging down the DAX index of blue-chip Science battle statement, highlighting “800 rigorous stud- A global trade war was cited as the British parliament. German shares. Jurors in the earlier California state court ies” of glyphosate’s effects. chief business risk by respondents for the In the United States, the Fed has Since the merger was completed, Bayer’s case of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson, a school Its confidence in its evidence and its third quarter in a row, though by a smaller declared a pause in its tightening cam- stock has shed almost 40 percent of its value. groundskeeper who suffers from terminal legal strategy may not be enough to con- margin. Higher interest rates emerged as paign, but economists foresee at least Tuesday’s “decision... has no impact on non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, found in August vince investors to hold on through the tur- the second-biggest risk, outpacing a one more increase later this year despite future cases and trials because each one has that Monsanto acted with “malice”. bulence, IG’s Beauchamp said. “If you are slowing Chinese economy. A total of 100 increasing signs of slowdown in major its own factual and legal circumstances,” Its glyphosate weedkillers Roundup and expecting stock markets as a whole to do companies from a range of sectors economies. Bayer said in a statement, adding that it stood Ranger Pro substantially contributed to the better then you don’t want to be stuck with Respondents to the survey included behind science it says demonstrates terminal illness, they judged. Monsanto was the one company that is facing huge legal responded to the survey, conducted from Canon Inc, Suzuki Motor Corp, Thai glyphosate is safe. But IG analyst Chris initially ordered to pay $289 million to claims,” he judged. March 1-15 in 11 Asia-Pacific countries Beauchamp told AFP the prospect of thou- Johnson, who has two young sons and is in “A lot of (investors) will probably decide where 45 percent of the world’s popula- Beverage PCL, Metropolitan Bank and sands of plaintiffs potentially being awarded the end stages of his cancer, before the dam- to cut back exposure quite dramatically and tion live and 32 percent of global gross Trust Co and Delta Electronics tens of millions of dollars each means ages were reduced to $78.5 million. see how it plays out.” — AFP domestic product is generated. Thailand PCL. — Reuters

said Ralph Sutton, a veteran of the Greenberg said. And many people want rising between January and February... but by less Lawsuits hot industry who raised $250 million to to try their luck. UK inflation than between the same two months a year ago.” launch his own company, Validity “Investor demand is very high, we sell Britain’s annual inflation remains under the Finance, last June. out within hours.” Bank of England’s 2.0-percent target, which new option for Litigation funding can “improve edges higher today is widely expected to announce no change their ability to access the legal system Frivolous lawsuits to its main interest rate, currently at 0.75 percent. Wall Street more effectively,” because it “helps lev- It is difficult to measure the size of this as Brexit looms “The Bank of England is clearly going to sit tight el the playing field and permits cases to industry since the litigation finance com- on interest rates until there is greater clarity on be adjudicated on merits and not on panies are discreet about their business. LONDON: British annual inflation nudged higher the Brexit situation and it can see how the econo- investors money plaintiffs or defendants may But America’s very litigious society could in February, official data showed yesterday, as my is being affected,” noted EY economist have,” he said. offer a wealth of opportunities. Bentham Britain faces uncertainty over its planned depar- Howard Archer. NEW YORK: Lawsuits can provide IMF estimates legal services expendi- ture from the European Union. The Consumer “Indeed, there is a very real possibility that the big payoffs. And betting on the outcome In a few clicks tures total $357.6 billion a year in the Prices Index 12-month rate climbed to 1.9 percent Bank of England will keep interest rates at the of a lawsuit is becoming a hot new way On the LexShares internet platform, United States, far ahead of the United last month, up from a two-year low of 1.8 percent current level of 0.75 percent through 2019. “The for Wall Street investors to cash in. created in 2014, accredited investors can Kingdom ($54.9 billion), Canada ($25.72 in January, the Office for National Statistics current muted state of the UK economy hardly Investment companies specializing in choose the case they want to bet on, billion) or Australia ($19.7 billion). (ONS) said in a statement. “Rising prices for food, calls for higher interest rates despite the tightness financing legal proceedings are moving from patent infringement, to breach of But the company is starting cautious- alcohol and tobacco, and across a range of recre- of the (UK) labor market and recent firmer earn- in to capitalize on the new business line, contract or theft of trade secrets. ly: Bentham IMF funded only four US ational and cultural goods produced the largest ings growth,” he added. The new data was allowing one side to finance the costs of Companies that are filing the lawsuit can, cases in the second half of 2018. But the upward contributions to change in the rate released yesterday-just nine days before Britain is litigation-lawyers and expert witnesses- in just a few clicks, raise funds from the firm raised another $500 million in between January and February,” the ONS said. scheduled to leave the EU-as it was revealed in exchange for a percentage of the site. But the platform also actively December for a fund geared at new cas- “The largest, offsetting, downward contribu- British Prime Minister Theresa will request a short award either after the trial concludes or searches for cases that would make es. Some observers cringe at this new tion came from clothing and footwear, with prices delay to Brexit from Brussels. — AFP from any settlement between the parties. attractive investments. type of investment, fearing the influx of This practice began in Australia about “We created a piece of software that money could fuels a profusion of frivo- 20 years ago but has recently gained mines in the raw text when cases are lous lawsuits. The American Chamber of momentum in the United States. The filed,” said LexShares founder Jay Commerce in particular wants to require simplest way for private investors to get Greenberg. Using an algorithm with 17 that plaintiffs disclose if they are using in on the action is to buy shares of the parameters the cases are given a rank- this kind of financing for their cases. companies that specialize in litigation ing, after which a team of lawyers Maya Steinitz, a professor at Harvard finance, like heavyweight Burford assesses the merits of the case, the abili- University’s law school, said giving the Capital, which is worth 4 billion pounds ties of the lawyers, and verifies that the plaintiffs the means they need to seek on the London Stock Exchange, or defendant will be able to pay any com- justice is beneficial. Bentham IMF on the Australian pensation. But she acknowledged that the mar- Securities Exchange. Of the 80 cases funded by LexShares ket is “mostly unregulated.” Investors But more and more institutional so far, involving amounts ranging from are not subject to the same ethical obli- investors, hedge funds and pension $35,000 to $4 million, there have been gations as lawyers, for example, so they funds are buying into the investment 20 victories in the 24 completed cases. potentially could force a plaintiff to vehicles created by these firms that spe- While an investor can also lose his refuse or agree to a financial settlement cialize in finding lawsuits with potential investment if the ruling goes the wrong of the case. LONDON: Britain’s International Trade Secretary Liam Fox arrives in 10 Downing Street in for big payouts. “It’s really difficult for a way, on average, the return on invest- “Finance is a utility which can be used London yesterday. — AFP small business to fight a big company,” ment is 65 percent each year, or abused,” she said. — AFP 14 Established 1961 Thursday, March 21, 2019 Business Rags-to-riches Skoda mulls post-Brexit sales miseries UK exit from EU could deal a heavy blow to Skoda brand and Czech economy

MLAD¡ BOLESLAV, Czech Republic: Once the butt of Skoda has heated rear windows? So when you’re push- jokes, Czech-made Skoda cars have won over Brits, but ing it home in the winter, your hands stay warm,” said the UK’s looming exit from the European Union could another. deal a heavy blow to the brand and the entire Czech But Britons gradually melted-Skoda’s Fabia model economy. Britain is the fifth largest export market for was named the car of the year by What Car? magazine the Czech Republic, an EU member of 10.6 million peo- in 2000, while the Skoda Yeti became the best car to ple heavily dependent on overseas shipments, especial- own in a 2013 poll of 46,000 British drivers conducted ly cars. by the Auto Express magazine. British lawmakers voted to postpone Brexit from “Nobody is ashamed of driving a Skoda now, Jeremy March 29 to at least June, but a no-deal hard Brexit Clarkson praised it in Top Gear, it is driven by taxi driv- that would slap high tariffs on imports like cars is still ers,” said Spicar. “Britain is simply a symbolic, impor- possible. tant market, and Brexit would be terribly unpleasant for Controlled by Volkswagen since 1991, Skoda exports the make.” some 80,000 cars to Britain a year, almost 10 percent A hard Brexit would “slash Czech exports to the UK of its annual output. In an e- by 20 percent, Czech GDP mailed statement, Skoda told growth by 1.1 points, and AFP it was “worried and employment by 40,000 getting ready for all scenar- staff”, analysts at the Ceska ios” and called for a “solu- Solution sporitelna bank, a Czech tion acceptable for all par- unit of Austria’s Erste Bank, ties”, but declined to elabo- acceptable for have warned. Czech com- rate. panies sell goods worth 210 Radek Spicar, vice-presi- all parties billion koruna (8.2 billion dent of the Czech euros, $9.2 billion) to Confederation of Industry, Britain a year, with auto went further, warning that exports making up more the company might suffer a than half of the total, A Skoda car leaves the plant of Czech carmaker Skoda Auto in Mlada Boleslav. Once the butt of jokes, Czech-made Skoda cars have won over Brits, but the UK’s looming exit from the European Union could heavy blow. according to Ceska. deal a heavy blow to the brand and the entire Czech economy. —AFP “A hard Brexit would mean 10-percent import duties Accounting for more than 20 percent of Czech slapped on cars, and that would hurt,” he told AFP. “It industrial output, the car industry “is the most threat- would stifle demand for cars. Companies like Skoda ened by Brexit because of its size within the economy”, expansion last year following 4.5 percent in 2017. pendent regulation present in all non-EU countries. It wouldn’t collapse, but they would lose part of an David Marek, chief economist at Deloitte Czech Czech producers of electronics, nuclear plant compo- may take time before we get the certificates,” said important market,” Spicar added. Republic, told AFP. nents, sweets, photo equipment and others are also Kolar. “Besides, Britain is a symbolic market for Skoda-it Three global carmakers with Czech plants turned worried. Stocking up is a way to avoid problems, but Linet has come a long way from being the butt of jokes to out more than 1.4 million cars in 2018, a new record, “We generate turnover of some 10 million euros in could not do that as its products are tailor-made for one of the most respected makes.” with Skoda making up over 60 percent of that. South Britain, which is about four percent of our total each hospital or clinic. Instead, it has stocked up on Korea’s Hyundai, and TPCA, a joint-venture of Japan’s turnover,” says Tomas Kolar, chief executive of Linet, a welded mattress parts from a British supplier. No joke anymore Toyota and France’s Peugeot-Citroen, also have Czech producer of hospital beds and mattresses. “We didn’t want to end up empty-handed, it would “How do you double the value of a Skoda? Fill the factories. “A hard Brexit would be unpleasant but not critical,” hit us globally because we sell mattresses worldwide,” tank with petrol,” went a popular joke about Skoda’s he added. For Linet, just like for car makers and other said Kolar, who expects Britain to impose a 6.5 percent clunky models produced in the 1980s when ‘Hard Brexit would be unpleasant’ companies, Brexit will most probably mean their prod- duty on special mattresses made by Linet should a hard Czechoslovakia-the predecessor of the Czech Republic A thriving auto sector has been a major contributor ucts will have to get a fresh certificate for sales in the Brexit occur. “It’s tough. I still hope they will find some and Slovakia-was still communist. “Do you know why to economic growth lasting since 2013, with 3.0 percent British market. “This is a non-tariff trade barrier, inde- common sense,” he said. —AFP

management platform purview in order to manage the lot of dialogue for every Board of Directors to have to drive a 4 Cybersecurity them at once. But even this approach is only a stopgap. It’s no more strategic discussion and help ensure the board is substitute for a holistic cybersecurity strategy which empha- upholding their fiduciary responsibility in providing the sizes visibility across the network and applies granular proper risk oversight for the company. Cyber risk is no dif- Sophos Intercept X questions every insights about the threats that may be lurking among them, so ferent than other business risks and should be managed and organizations can effectively prioritize responses. We call this measured the same way. achieves highest approach Cyber Exposure. Your ability to accurately answer these four questions is CISO should be Cyber Exposure is an emerging discipline for managing vital to understanding the total risk exposure and the effec- and measuring cybersecurity risk in the digital era. Cyber tiveness of your cybersecurity measures. But if you’re deal- scores in NSS Labs ready to answer Exposure transforms security from static and siloed visibility ing with a heavily compartmentalized IT infrastructure, it to dynamic and holistic visibility across the modern attack may seem daunting to know where to even start moving 2019 AEP Test By Kevin Flynn surface. It’s the foundation upon which to build a cybersecu- toward a more holistic strategy. rity strategy that accommodates the entirety of the modern Here are three tips you can begin using today to help you KUWAIT: Sophos, a global T infrastructure often attack surface. begin your journey toward a holistic cybersecurity strategy. leader in network and end- grows up with a company. Building a holistic cybersecurity strategy using the disci- l From phishing to fishes, look deeper and broader for point security, announced INew tools, applications, pline of Cyber Exposure enables you to answer each of these vulnerabilities. The next attack is likely to come from an that its next- gen endpoint systems, and user profiles are four questions about your organization at any point in time: unknown and unexpected direction. The infamous casino solution, Sophos Intercept bolted onto the greater whole How secure - and exposed - are we? Answering this aquarium hack, where hackers grabbed 10 GB of data from a X, was recognized for hav- as the need for them emerges, question requires visibility into all aspects of the organiza- casino via the internet-connected sensors in a fish tank, is a ing the highest security usually without being given tion’s attack surface-including cloud resources, containers, perfect example. Indeed, given the fast-growing number of effectiveness and the most much strategic consideration. industrial control systems, and mobile devices, which may or IoT devices and their accompanying opportunities for bad efficient TCO (total cost of Organizational silos spring up may not be on the radar of IT. It involves taking inventory of actors to enter, security teams will have to continuously ownership) of the 19 end- around these additions as where specific threats to your company exist. For example, if update their list of vulnerabilities. But IoT devices are not point security products teams discover that each new your organization is particularly diligent about deploying the only hidden corners that need to be illuminated and tested in the 2019 AEP tool requires new skills to patches, then the latest Windows vulnerability may not be as secured against threats. Don’t forget about cloud services Group Test published by Joe Levy, CTO, Sophos NSS Labs. The 2019 deploy and maintain. Before big a concern as it would be for an enterprise that hasn’t and cloud environments, containers, video surveillance sys- Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP 3.0) Group Test test- long, the entire operation can patched its systems in seven years. By coming to terms with tems, industrial control devices, point-of-sale fixtures, HVAC ed 21 products from market-leading vendors out of which resemble a ramshackle old where your exposures are - or where they are likely to be - systems, and any other internet-connected system which is 19 comparable products were presented in the Security house onto which each gener- you reveal the larger picture of what’s at risk. not typically handled by the IT/SecOps teams. For example, Value Map (SVM). These products were examined for ation of homeowner has attached a new room. What should we prioritize? The answers to this question in September, Tenable researchers revealed their discovery security effectiveness and total cost of ownership (TCO). Threats lurk in the dark corners. Unforeseen vulnerabili- should be based on a combination of threat intelligence to of Peekaboo, a vulnerability potentially affecting hundreds “Measuring cybersecurity product effectiveness is ties, aging tech, distributed data centers, network sprawl, understand the exploitability of the issue and asset criticality of thousands of internet-connected cameras used in video unimaginably complex. With threats and attack techniques greedy insiders, and gullible users thrive. With the compo- to understand the business context of the asset. Effective surveillance systems. Make sure your security teams are tru- increasing and evolving at an ever-accelerating rate, testing nents of enterprise IT infrastructure scattered and compart- prioritization of vulnerabilities needs to take in the business ly looking everywhere and are armed with tools designed to houses need to make extraordinary investments in their mentalized, it’s difficult for any one person or team to achieve context in order to optimize your efforts, resources, and sniff out vulnerabilities as they appear in new places. laboratories if they are to produce meaningful and rigorous holistic visibility into the entire network. budget. It enables you to zero in on protecting the vulnera- l Not all assets are created equal. It’s imperative to know measurements of cybersecurity product effectiveness. But Lack of visibility makes it difficult to find these siloed ble areas likely to cost your organization the most in terms which assets are most critical to your business in order to just like all cybersecurity products are not equal, not all threat vectors, and even tougher to address them once they of labor, penalties, time, recovery, and reputation. It also respond the threats forcefully and appropriately. An iPad testing houses are equal and this remains somewhat are found. That’s because, in most cases, the tools and tactics helps reduce alert fatigue, as you can then prioritize how used by your company’s CFO may be a more high-value tar- opaque to the consumers of their reports, particularly when available are only designed to tackle specific and unintegrated your team responds to vulnerabilities based on how critical get than the iPad used at the reception desk to sign in visi- there is insufficient transparency around methodologies or areas of concern. We often see security tools being deployed the affected assets are to your business and the likelihood a tors. Make sure you’re focusing on your most critical assets execution details. Competent independent testing labs pro- scattershot throughout the organization. We see teams in given vulnerability will be exploited. first. Take the time now to determine the criticality of each vide a great service to vendors and buyers, and are critical operations, applications security, DevOps, network security, How are we reducing exposure over time? Your ability to asset and rank its importance in terms of response times. to the cybersecurity ecosystem to drive higher standards machine learning, high performance computing teams, answer this question is a measure of your progress. You’ll Then update this information regularly. Asset tagging is a of protection for all,” said Joe Levy, Chief Technology Security Operations Center (SOC), and auditing and compli- need to identify the metrics and KPIs against which you’ll good place to start building an inventory of assets based on Officer, Sophos. Sophos Intercept X includes advanced deep learning ance all pursuing and deploying their own discrete tools. And measure your efforts. Such metrics should be viewable by their criticality. Remember to include compliance require- technology, which delivers a massively scalable detection there is no shortage of security tools. business unit, geography and asset type. The goal is to ments, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI, as part of your asset model that is able to learn the entire observable threat land- While these issues are nothing new, addressing them has understand how your exposure profile is changing month to criticality assessment. scape. With the ability to process hundreds of millions of never been more urgent as the attack surface continues to month, quarter to quarter, and year to year, so you can help l Prioritize remediation. Only a small percentage of the samples, deep learning can make more accurate predictions expand. In our work with IT and cybersecurity professionals, your business-side colleagues and the c-suite understand thousands of vulnerabilities disclosed every year are ever at a faster rate with far fewer false-positives when com- we often hear about the challenges of protecting all the isolat- whether the company’s investments in cybersecurity are actually exploited. You need insight into which vulnerabili- pared to traditional machine learning. Sophos Intercept X ed apps-and the distributed computing and storage platforms- paying off. ties are currently being exploited in the wild, along with also includes innovations in anti-ransomware and exploit in use throughout the enterprise. Operational technology (OT) How do we compare to our peers? Answering this ques- early warnings about those likely to be attacked in the near prevention, and active-hacker mitigations such as credential and internet of things (IoT) devices introduce their own sets of tion forces you out of your company’s internal bubble to future. Having access to this kind of information allows theft protection. By integrating deep learning technology, problems, since these internet-connected solutions are often help you understand how your cybersecurity practices stack security teams to prioritize their threat response based on Intercept X is changing endpoint security from a reactive to deployed outside the auspices of the IT organization. up against those of others in your field, as well as those in the criticality of the asset, threat intelligence, and probabili- a predictive approach to protect against unknown threats. In most cases, organizations end up integrating apps other industries. How your organization ranks against indus- ty analysis. Note: Kevin Flynn is Sr Manager, Product through APIs and putting a multitude of clouds under a single try peers, and against best-in-class security, is an important Marketing, Tenable

grade from February, when the Cabinet Office simply said ue to grow moderately because consumer spending and Japan government the economy is in gradual recovery. The March report gave capital expenditure are holding up, a Cabinet Office official a pessimistic outlook, saying this bout of weakness could told reporters at a briefing. continue for some time in the future. For March, the government left unchanged its assess- downgrades The downbeat assessment could fuel calls for the gov- ment that consumer spending is recovering and capital ernment to delay a nationwide sales tax hike scheduled for expenditure is increasing. However, there are concerns October, and increase speculation that the Bank of Japan that companies will start cutting capital expenditure plans economy view (BOJ) will take some steps to bolster economic growth. for fiscal 2019 in April due to uncertainty about global Exports fell for a third straight month in February and trade policy. TOKYO: Japan’s government downgraded its assessment of industrial output in January saw its sharpest decline in a Japan’s manufacturing sector is exposed to the trade war the economy in March for the first time in three years, blam- year as tit-for-tat tariffs between Washington and Beijing because it sends electronic parts and capital goods to ing a bruising US-China trade war for slumping exports and slowed China’s economy and reduced demand for mobile China, where they are used to make finished products des- industrial output. phone parts and chip-making equipment from Japan. tined for the United States. COLOMIERS: The first Airbus A380 to be delivered to All The Cabinet Office, which helps coordinate government The Cabinet Office downgraded its assessment of indus- The government is scheduled to raise the nationwide Nippon Airways (ANA) is pictured on the tarmac of the policy, said yesterday the economy is in gradual recovery, trial production for the second consecutive month, saying it sales tax to 10 percent from 8 percent in October, but Airbus delivery center in Colomiers, southwestern France, but exports and output are showing signs of weakness. has shown signs of weakness and flatlined. Despite the there are concerns this will weaken consumer spending yesterday. —AFP The monthly economic report for March was a down- damage from the trade war, Japan’s economy should contin- and harm growth. —Reuters 15 Established 1961

Thursday, March 21, 2019 What’s On Relaxing spa experiences await your mum at Symphony Style Kuwait his Mother’s Day treat your mum to a very special crafted around her as an individual. You and dear mum dine experience, in any of the outlets at Symphony have 11 treatment rooms and two hammams with a TStyle Kuwait, A Radisson Collection Hotel. design to meet your specific goals in your journey to Whether you prefer celebrating her with a special card, wellness. The wellness therapies display the impeccable bouquet of flowers, or dine experience, we have it all expertise of our skilled therapists in providing you and ready and packed for you. Furthermore, you can most your special lady a personalized experience of an ele- definitely treat your mum to the personalized relaxation vated sense of well-being. Dear mum is sure to have a of our Six Senses Spa. It is time to uplift your gift-giving skin glowing as bright as her heart with our facial treat- game to your mum this year, a unique dine experiences ments and our massages will most definitely be a dis- by a captivating view of the sea in Cucina. The contem- covery of healing powers. porary outline of the restaurant is one that goes very An exuberant meal is not the only complementary much in line with the staff that will welcome your mum in treat your mum will receive on her special day, especially celebration of the special lady’s special day. if she enjoys the buzzing flavor of chocolate. In ultra-chic If diversity is what your mum seeks, then your reserva- Chococafe, every mother will indulge in the richly fla- tion in Luna will be an alluring expression of love that she vored chocolate that sure will delight your taste buds, will most definitely appreciate. The vibrant view of the gulf efforts in the diverse Tuscan menu in seafood, meats and Once your special lady has eaten, she can experience proving to be nothing short of impeccable. We promise will be one of many things your mum will enjoy at Luna salads that will enliven your special lady. A lovely meal is the intuitive mix of science and human awareness at the you to make this Mother’s Day memorable for the lady restaurant, as the remarkable atmosphere will provide not the end of it, as the savvy drinks crated with style will Six Senses Spa, where she will experience a high tech who gave you life at Symphony Style Kuwait, A Radisson pure delight. Furthermore, expert chefs deliver inspiring give your mum a captivatingly memorable experience. mixed with high-touch approach defining a service Collection Hotel.

Values workshop at Souda primary school

By Hassan Abdul Bari

nder the auspices of the school director, Soad Al- Rashidi, Souda Bint Zam’a primary school for Girls Urecently organized a workshop on the significance of values in overcoming daily routine stress, which was delivered by Dr Mohammed Al-Harbi. The workshop was organized by teachers Rawan Al-Enezi, Fatima Al-Houli and Fatima Al-Hashash. Speaking on the workshop, which was attended by var- ious female teachers from the school and other schools at Mubarak Al-Kabeer Educational Area, Al-Harbi stressed the importance of reviving and activating some of the long forgotten values to help us overcome the stress we face on tending to daily errands nowadays. Al-Harbi gave several examples of certain values such as patriotism and cleanliness reminding participants of the need to set good examples to be followed and imitated by their children and students. Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al- Harbi is an educational consultant at the UN’s World Fund for Development & Planning (WFDP)’s office in Kuwait. He also holds a PHD in teaching students with special learning difficulties and their psychological health.

Africa’s tourism sector. The Department has a number South African of prioritized projects to be promoted during the Seminar. The Department is also trying to promote South Africa as a country that is ready and attractive tourism investment for tourism investment. The presentation from the Department of Tourism delegation in Kuwait paints a picture of the opportunities available in South Africa within the tourism space, and makes the linkages he South African Embassy in the State of Kuwait to other industries quite clear. The IDC is incidentally has the pleasure to announce that the South structured in such a way that tourism is grouped with TAfrican Department of Tourism will lead an offi- light manufacturing, where it is understood that the cial tourism investment delegation to the State of tourism industry; particularly hotels, depend highly on Kuwait from 23-25 March 2019. The delegation com- light manufacturing. prises representatives of the Department of Tourism, This includes the manufacturing of furniture, linen, Trade and Investment KwaZulu Natal, Industrial carpets, kitchen ware and a number of things that are Development Corporation, the Hole in the Wall critical to the hotel industry. The Embassy of the Development and the North West Tourism Board. Republic of South Africa in the State of Kuwait and the In collaboration with the Kuwaiti Chamber of Kuwaiti Chamber of Commerce and Industry cordially Commerce and Industry, the delegation will hold an invite Kuwaiti relevant stakeholders to attend the Investment Tourism Seminar at the Chamber’s premises Seminar to know about the investment opportunities on 25 March 2019 at 10h00.The objective of the South Africa has to offer. Seminar is to attract tourism investments to grow South

ICSK Junior graduation day TIES session raduation is an exciting time. It is both an ending ou are cordially invited to another session Tjaria’s ‘Glimmer of and a beginning. It is warm memories of the past of our series about some prophets and Gand big dreams for the future. ICSK Junior cele- Ymessengers of Allah (SWT) today, March brated the nursery graduation day on Wednesday, 13th 21st at 7:00 pm, in which we will continue to learn Hope’ festival March 2019 in the school premises. It was attended by more about Prophet Musa and Haroun (AS). In 302 proud and bubbly students along with their parents this class, we will ponder Allah’s instructions to and well-wishers. Musa and Haroun (AS) to prepare them to successfully concludes The occasion was graced by the presence of our encounter Pharaoh, and briefly discuss the tech- esteemed Chief Guest, Dr P Shankar Narayanan Menon. ut of its special responsibility leading role practiced niques of presenting Islam to people of other The program commenced with the recitation of the verses under the motor of ‘We Care’, the Tijaria Real Estate faiths, insisting on the importance of respect. We from the Holy Quran followed by the Kuwait and Indian Company recently concluded its ‘Glimmer of Hope’ will also discuss the importance of avoiding O National anthems. After lighting the auspicious lamp of assumptions, briefing anyone who is charged with festival recently held at the Symphony Style Hotel under the knowledge, Principal, Mrs Sherly Dennis welcomed the title of ‘Together, We build hope...Let’s Share their joy’. The responsibilities, and equipping him with proper gathering stressing on the importance of parenting. festivities were held under auspices of the honorary chair- tools. We will see what Musa (AS) did when he She appreciated the hard work and dedication of the person of Kuwait Sports Club for the Disabled, Sheikha first arrived in Egypt, what happened when he and entire kindergarten team towards making the event a Shaikha Al-Abdullah Al-Khalifa Al-Sabah and with the Haroun (AS) arrived at the Pharaoh’s palace, and remarkable one. The tiny tots entertained the audience attendance of Tijaria board chairman, Abdul Fattah Ma’rafi. how Musa (AS) initiated discussion with Pharaoh. with their song and dance. Our chief guest spoke about Speaking on the occasion, Ma’rafi expressed his pride that Finally, we will examine Prophet Muhammad’s the role of teachers in helping children bloom and grow. the festival had been successfully run for seven years and advice to avoid humiliating ourselves and what he Vice Principal- Sheeja Maam delivered the vote of thanks. hopes that it would continue for several more to come. meant, and elicit a lot of practical lessons from the She thanked the entire team (teaching and non-teaching) Ma’rafi also thanked all charities, schools and public and life and times of Musa (AS). staff for their team work, dedication and commitment. private bodies taking part in the event. 16 Established 1961 Health & Technology Thursday, March 21, 2019 Not so fantastic: Can Japan end its love for plastic use?

TOKYO: From bento boxes to individually wrapped cedes Doi, adding that the policy in Japan “will be “About 80 percent of customers now bring their bananas, plastic reigns supreme in Japan. But amid introduced in 2020, at the earliest.” own bags or turn one down,” she said. Yumi global concern about single-use waste, new legislation Takahashi is one of those consumers, and says she could help end the country’s love affair with plastic. ‘Pay a little bit’ now tries to keep a reusable bag with her whenever The push comes ahead of the G20 summit, which So far, the proposals also lack any specific meas- she is out. “It takes only a little effort to not use plas- Japan will host in Osaka in June. Prime Minister Shinzo ures on limiting other types of single-use plastic tic bags and plastic items,” she said, explaining her Abe’s government wants to use the meeting to push waste, such as straws or cups. With the national gov- shock at seeing images of marine life suffering the for an agreement on reducing marine plastic waste. ernment moving slowly, local governments and busi- effects of such litter in the ocean. But Kanamaru said But the country’s own record on single-use plastic nesses in Japan have in some cases taken up the man- not everyone felt the same. “Some customers actually is hardly exemplary: Japan generates more plastic tle themselves. The town of Kamikatsu near Kyoto has left and said they would shop elsewhere,” she said. packaging waste per capita than any other country set a goal of zero plastic waste by 2020, while Kyoto “So it’s time for the government to introduce this except the United States, according to the UN. “We city has long required large retailers to charge for system across all businesses... Not 100 percent of believe there is room to reduce that volume and we plastic bags. customers will accept this system if only Aeon does are now considering ways to do that,” said Kentaro At a supermarket in Makuhari, east of Tokyo, cus- it,” she added. Doi, director of plastic waste strategy at Japan’s envi- tomers line up with their groceries and reusable shop- CHIBA: In this picture taken on November 7, 2018, a man carries ronment ministry. In 2018, Japan’s government ping bags. The store belongs to the Aeon group, which ‘Ambitious case’ a plastic bag while shopping in a supermarket. —AFP unveiled a proposal to start tackling the issue, with the since November 2013 has been charging customers A key obstacle, activists say, has been the associ- goal of reducing the country’s 9.4 million tons of plas- for plastic bags at all 1,631 of its large supermarkets. ation representing Japan’s ubiquitous convenience crete measures including bans on single-use plas- tic waste a year by 25 percent by 2030. “Most customers understand the purpose of it and stores, which are sprinkled across every block of tics. Ishihara said while public awareness about A key part of the proposal is to require businesses bring their own bags, and if they forget to, they are the country’s major cities. When Tokyo’s local gov- plastic waste is growing in Japan, the country’s to charge for plastic bags — a measure that has been willing to pay a little bit for a plastic one,” said ernment wanted to ban free plastic bags in the city, famed waste sorting and pristine streets had the already been widely adopted around the world. “What Haruko Kanamaru, division manager of Aeon’s cor- the association strongly opposed the plan and it effect of “hiding” the scale of the problem. we are going to do is to put a value on it... we would porate social responsibility unit. Customers who was dropped, said Kenji Ishihara, a campaigner with He praised a decision by Japan’s government in like people to think about whether it is really neces- request a bag can pay five yen ($0.05) to receive a Greenpeace Japan. “That was a very symbolic case February to ban plastic straws and cutlery in its sary to use them,” Doi said. But government officials biomass bag that is biodegradable. Kanamaru said showing that the association has a very strong eco- cafeterias, but said the country was still lagging acknowledge Japan is coming to the issue late — the firm estimates the policy saved 270 million plas- nomic and lobbying power,” he said. behind other nations. “The Japanese government dozens of countries already require businesses to tic bags in 2017, though customers can still use Greenpeace and other environmental NGOs want needs more ambitious goals if they truly want to charge for plastic bags, and many have banned their smaller plastic bags for fruit and vegetables and cold Japan to commit to the bolder goal of reducing lead the G20 summit,” he said. “The current pro- use outright. “Other countries were ahead of us,” con- items free of charge. plastic waste by 50 percent by 2030 and more con- posals are not enough.” —AFP 17

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CROSSWORD 2163 STAR TRACK

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

Routine duties help keep you on track and provide the sense of balance This is a new and perfect time for you to reflect what you desire in your life. and security you require. Life may not be a bowl of cherries, but it’s pretty dang good You have a new sense of self and are assertive with your views. Doubts about your right now! Being thankful, realizing the blessings that are yours, beautifully highlights abilities fade. You’re ready to face the future with new inventive, thoughtful assess- this current cycle; you can’t complain when you truly look at your life. You’re com- ments. Harmony in the family and in your love life bring immediate peace. Marriage or pelled to create schedules and systems; the trick is to stick to them, and you’re truly personal partnerships are high in your thoughts now, Virgo. Should you, shouldn’t you ready to create a change for the better. Taking things apart and over analyzing things but as always you do the accounting and let that figure in your decisions too. You’re doesn’t work, but you can’t help yourself at certain times; don’t beat yourself up, pick able to share your enthusiasm with all involved. You’re back and stronger than ever. yourself up whenever possible!

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

Today you’re looking towards the horizon to accomplish your goals. You It seems when it rains it pours but you really are going to like today’s rain. know what you want and you’ll let nothing get in your way. Work related items are This outpouring is bringing you success you desire in every direction of your life. It’s going easily done even though you might find a condescending attitude from a workmate. too well really but you don’t want it to stop and it seems it won’t for a while. You get kudos Keep your goal in mind and don’t let another control you. Love means more now and from your boss who may be older than you and has your best interest at heart. That’s a plus not just with friends and family. You’re on the proverbial lookout for someone special. in your career. Your love life which Libra really needs to be balanced and running smooth- You might find that special someone while quick shopping for groceries, Aries. When ly is doing just that now. If no one is there right now, he or she will be soon. Without you put emotional thought out to the universe for love, thought and emotion manifest. someone to share your life with, you are not a happy camper. That’s the one thing Libra You don’t have to chase anything it comes to you but you can’t sit at home waiting needs most. You’ve got it all and are going towards a more prosperous future too. either. That will only take longer. Enjoy your quest. If you’re not shopping for love and you’ve got it, love the one you’re with.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Gemini (May 21-June 20) People interested in your business acumen come out of the woodwork now to let you know they’re attracted to your ideas. These people are You feel physically, mentally and emotionally wonderful. You have goals ACROSS DOWN willing to put money where their mouth is and invest in your concepts. That should and you want them completed both at work and at home. This is the time to make 1. A branch of the Tai languages. 1. A brace that extends from the rear of the please you greatly, Scorpio. You like being seen as intelligent and innovative. Most your life better and you can’t wait. Get on with it, Taurus. This is what you think will 5. A case used to carry belongings when keel to support the rudderpost. people do. A new you is emerging. You’re more self-confident and aware that you’re become your new lifestyle. Whether it is or not, time will tell. You’re more assertive traveling. 2. A Polynesian rain dance performed by a making an impact on your life. As a result, you realize you’re doing the same for oth- now causing others to take a second look. Your significant other could be realizing 12. A reproach for some lapse or misdeed. woman. ers. This is great but it’s also putting you into a place where you have to think of your they have a new lover in the house and not try to rock the boat too much. He or she 15. Kamarupan languages spoken in west- 3. Jordan's port. love life, whether you want to be alone or whether you want that responsibility. ern Burma and Bangladesh and east- 4. United States Protestant theologian may like the way you’re approaching life now. Enjoy your new-found confidence. ernmost India. (1892-1971). 16. The Fate who cuts the thread of life. 5. An oil port in southern Iraq. 17. A period marked by distinctive charac- 6. A highly unstable radioactive element Capricorn (December 22-January 19) ter or reckoned from a fixed point or (the heaviest of the halogen series). Cancer (June 21-July 22) event. 7. An African amulet. Today you decide to let that old part of yourself that stood silently think- 18. Oil palms. 8. The supernatural being conceived as the Be grateful that the stars have moved and you’re in a place you know very ing go. You’re here in full force now and you want others to understand you’re in con- 20. A manner of speaking that is natural to perfect and omnipotent and omnis- well. You’re confident in your ability to beat any challenge. Thank goodness for your job trol of your work and home life. There’s a confidence about you that no one cares to native speakers of a language. cient originator and ruler of the uni- and your extra ordinary life. You appreciate it today more than you have in days. Thank cross. No fading into the background for you, Sagittarius. You’ve got items you want 21. A condition (mostly in boys) character- verse. goodness for the small things. You know that all that happens in your life is a direct to implement and you’re not taking no for an answer. Marriage or renewing your mar- ized by behavioral and learning disor- 9. Relating to or having the characteristics result of choices you’ve made. It feels as if you have an angel on your shoulder. Good or riage might even be in the cards for you now. You’re proud of yourself and think the of bees. bad mental and emotional items can be handled at the drop of a hat, your conscious as ders. world is your oyster. It is. 22. Talking idly or incoherently. 10. Any thick messy substance. it were. Today is better. Love and other sensitive ties mean so much more now. 24. A state in northwestern North America. 11. Electronic warfare undertaken under 26. A soft yellow malleable ductile (triva- direct control of an operational com- lent and univalent) metallic element. mander to locate sources of radiated electromagnetic energy for the pur- 27. American professional baseball player Leo (July 23-August 22) Aquarius (January 20- February 18) who hit more home runs than Babe pose of immediate threat recognition. Ruth (born in 1934). 12. A domain in which something is domi- Make sure your career path is making the money and giving you the You are confident today. Others look at you as if you know what you’re 30. The blood group whose red cells carry nant. happiness you deserve. Now’s the time to look it over and make changes. Consider doing and you do. They come to you with their issues because they know you’re both the A and B antigens. 13. A unit of dry measure used in Egypt. your own feelings rather than that of others now. You’re feeling a more dynamic capable of helping them rectify any worrying situation quickly both personally and at 32. A depression in an otherwise level sur- 14. A genus of Ploceidae. approach to life. That’s a good thing because it allows you to see your life for what it’s work. You’re thinking of marriage now, perhaps getting married if you aren’t already, 19. Being nine more than forty. worth to you. You’re able to dissect every part of it from work to love and figure out face. but most certainly having a partner with whom to go through life. Being alone is not 23. A quantity of no importance. what you really need, Capricorn. This is the time for action and change if need be. 34. Indian nun and missionary (born in what you’ve ever wanted. You need those close personal ties that only a life’s partner 25. Food mixtures either arranged on a Change isn’t always catastrophic but may be a time for building stronger foundations. Albania) dedicated to helping the poor can bring, Cancer. Being with family is important. in India (1910-1997). plate or tossed and served with a 37. Any of various plants of the genus moist dressing. Sabbatia having usually pink cymose 28. (Roman mythology) Goddess of abun- flowers. dance and fertility. Virgo (August 23-September 22) Pisces (February 19-March 20) 42. Grass mowed and cured for use as fod- 29. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked der. on a skewer usually with vegetables. 44. A flattened stem resembling and func- 31. God of wealth and love. His cycle of self-examination has brought you to today where you’re Doubts about yourself fade as you get on with your work and get acco- tioning as a leaf. 33. Any of various units of capacity. thinking of your family, friends and loved ones, some of which may be at your work lades for doing well now from your boss. A raise or more may be in the works. 45. Advanced in years. 35. Having an eye or eyes or eyelike fea- place. Knowing what you need, discovering who your real friends are take up time What you’ve been doing in the last few days only serves to create better for you. with your ever-growing truth in life emotional and mental search. You may even be 46. According to the Old Testament he ture especially as specified. Your wish is to make everyone associated with your workplace shine. Coworkers thinking of changing your career path or becoming your own boss. With help from and friends make use of your amateur counseling assistance because they take was a pagan king of Israel and hus- 36. A fraudulent business scheme. 38. A radioactive element of the actinide those you love, Leo, you can do anything. Close personal ties give you the encour- note of the sensitive nature you’re exhibiting right now, Aquarius. Close personal band of Jezebel (9th century BC). agement to keep going in your search for becoming the very best you can be. ties mean more to you now. 49. (used especially of persons) Having series. lived for a relatively long time or 39. Formerly included in genus Cedrela. attained a specific age. 40. Person who does no work. 41. Yellow-fever mosquitos. 50. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation 43. Found on a farm. Wordsearch Puzzle Yesterday’s Solution equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiat- 47. The lean flesh of a fish similar to cod. ed material. 48. A soft silvery metallic element of the 51. A percussion instrument consisting of a alkali earth group. pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone 52. Dried bark of the cascara buckthorn (usually held between the thumb and used as a laxative. fingers) that are made to click together 53. Type genus of the family Arcidae. (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with 54. Fiber from an East Indian plant the dance. Hibiscus cannabinus. 57. A metric unit of length equal to 1000 55. A woman's large folded hooped hood. meters (or 0.621371 miles). 56. (informal) Of the highest quality. 58. The state of being behind in payments. 59. An intensely radioactive metallic ele- 60. Distinctive and stylish elegance. ment that occurs in minute amounts in 63. The act of scanning. uranium ores. 64. A public promotion of some product or 61. A city in southern Turkey on the service. Seyhan River. 65. A unit of length of thread or yarn. 62. Leafless East Indian vine. 68. An officer who acts as military assis- 66. A metabolic acid found in yeast and tant to a more senior officer. liver cells. 72. An informal term for a father. 67. A Kwa language spoken in Ghana and 74. Port city on southern Honshu on Osaka the Ivory Coast. Bay. 69. (informal) Subject to accident or 77. Type genus of the Anatidae. chance or change. 78. A long-acting crystalline barbiturate 70. Fraught with extreme danger. (trade name Mebaral) used as a seda- 71. An opening that permits escape or tive and as an anticonvulsant in the release. treatment of epilepsy. 73. Having only superficial plausibility. 80. The sixth day of the week. 75. The month following August and pre- 81. A narrow thin strip of wood used as ceding October. backing for plaster or to make lattice- 76. Fermented alcoholic beverage similar work. to but heavier than beer. 82. Any customary and rightful perquisite 79. A soft white precious univalent metallic appropriate to your station in life. element having the highest electrical 83. Up to the present time. and thermal conductivity of any metal.

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku Yesterday’s Solution Established 1961 Lifestyle

THURSDAY, MARCH 21 , 2019 Musicians brace for Brexit disharmony

s the Brexit saga reaches a crescendo, classi- cal musicians based in Britain fear that a dis- orderly divorce could threaten their European livelihood and stunt the develop- ment of potential maestros. Viola player Aliye CornishA told AFP she was particularly concerned because she is due to start a European tour in Spain on March 30 — the day after Britain is scheduled to leave the EU. “At the moment we have no formal guidance on how to prepare,” she said. Like many classical musicians in Britain, Cornish spends months every year working in the EU. Their concern is that bureaucratic uncertainty will mean missing out on jobs. “I’ve heard stories of col- leagues having offers of work retracted from ensembles in the EU 27, who are concerned there may be too many restrictions in place,” she said, taking a break from a rehearsal in the historic surroundings of London’s St Anne and St Agnes church. Paul Smith, co-founder of the world-renowned Voces8 vocal ensemble, said Brexit was a central topic in discus- sions with promoters. “There’s so much planning that goes into taking a group of musicians into Europe,” he said. With a form from the tax authorities, British musi- cians can currently “hop on a Eurostar or a plane” and work in the EU, said Cornish. “After March 30, we don’t know if the HMRC form will be valid, we don’t know if we will need passports for instruments, we don’t know if we will need work permits.”

Risk of red tape Musicians may have to prove that their instruments do not contain endangered materials, throwing up the prospect of lengthy custom checks post-Brexit, she said. “The worry is once you leave a common rule book. “If you’re trying to get an orchestra from a rehearsal in In these file photo British-German musician Simon Wallfisch, center, London today to a concert hall in southern Spain tomor- plays the cello and sings with supporters and fellow musicians outside row... you really don’t want to be stuck at a border for the Houses of Parliament in London. — AFP photos four hours while people pore over every key of your harpsichord.”

play music I didn’t know, meet people I wouldn’t have met otherwise and I came out of it knowing that was I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Bitterly divided Hop on a Smith worries that without EU-funded projects, Britain “might end up in a cultural wasteland... with no support from the top down.” He estimates that around 25 Eurostar percent of the members of major British orchestras come from the EU, and that audiences could suffer if the talent pool was restricted. London-based Dutch viola player or a plane Michiel Wittink, a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra, which has also moved from Britain to Italy, told AFP that the introduction of visas “would make it a different story” for continental musicians. But he also thinks that if they “really want to come,” they will find a way. “London is so big, and has so many orchestras in one city, there’s so much to do, there are amazing things to explore,” he said. London’s showpiece Smith, a baritone singer, composer and conductor, classical music event, the Proms, has also found itself said he too was concerned about the potential conse- centre stage in the Brexit debate. European flags were quences. “The longer we have to spend doing this (red handed out at the final night, traditionally a colourful dis- tape) the less opportunity we have to do the core things play of British patriotism. we want to be doing-performance and inspiring the next Cornish, who took part in the initiative, said that “a lot generation of young people to fall in love in music,” he of people really went for them”. “It makes me sad to see said. Cornish used to play with the European Union how bitterly divided we are as a country,” she added. “It’s Baroque Orchestra, which has relocated from Britain to permeated into every facet of our lives.”—AFP Belgium due to Brexit. He believes that young British musicians will miss out through not being able to play in EU projects. “It gave me the chance to see countries I’d not been to before, to

London-based Dutch viola player Michiel Wittink

Musician Aliye Cornish 20 Established 1961

Lifestyle Gossip Thursday, March 21, 2019

Gemma Chan thinks men should join feminism movement

he ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ star says it “really OUR UK’s March digital issue: “Back when I started out T heartens” her when men become “allies” with a lot of the parts that I would be asked to audition for women. She said: “It always really heartens me would be specifically ethnic parts. But I was told things when a man does speak out not to just defend like, ‘We really liked you, we liked your read, but can you women but to make it clear they are an ally. It is so do more of an accent, you sound too English!’ There important ... We can’t do it without bringing men along were preconceived ideas of what someone like me should for the ride.” And the 36-year-old actress hates the con- sound like ... I put that energy into my work and it just versation surrounding women and their ageing process makes me more determined to do what I do. That’s why as she thinks it is just another form of “control”. She it’s so important for a film ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ to come added: “It’s been a way of controlling women and making out and challenge and subvert people’s ideas of what women feel insecure about ourselves and that they aren’t Asian people are like or perhaps what women are capa- adequate. We need to change things, especially in the ble of ... I think we need to challenge prejudice as a beauty industry. The ageing process is going to happen whole, to be honest.” to all of us, how are we going to deal with it? I think anti- ageing is a prehistoric term.” Gemma has had to face racial prejudice in her life too but the rejection has just made her more “determined”. She explained to GLAM- Dwayne Johnson identified as both Black and Samoan

he Hollywood star and former WWE champion opened up the 17th anniversary of his ‘WrestleMania X8’ match T responded to a social media debate between with Hulk Hogan, and counted the Hall of Famer amongst his top wrestling fans regarding his ethnicity and how he was three wrestlers of all time. He wrote on Instagram: “My friend portrayed on screen, with one arguing that Johnson - and childhood hero, Hulk Hogan passed the torch to me on this whose father Rocky was Black Canadian and whose mother Ata historic night which decreed me becoming ‘THE GREATEST OF came from a Samoan family - identified with the latter profes- ALL TIME’, but the truth is - to me - the GOAT are the three sionally. Taking to Twitter to weight into the conversation, the men below who paved the way for me and so many others in pro actor said: “Glad I came across this and I’ll give you guys some wrestling... “@hulkhogan @ricflairnatureboy @steveaustinbsr... I context & truth. I identify as exactly what I am - both. Equally just worked very hard, connected with the audience and caught proud. Black/Samoan. And my friend, let me expand your a break. “These GOATS were good enough to recognize I had thoughts a bit here - I transcended race in wrestling so there was something to offer and graciously passed the torch. (sic)” no ‘booked that way’. Thx guys (sic)” While the ‘Hobbs & Shaw’ actor has gone onto become one of Hollywood’s most recogniza- ble stars, he remains proud of his WWE career and recently Dev Patel spends his birthdays alone James

he ‘Lion’ actor will be turning 29 in T just over a month, but he says he Arthur won’t be planning a big party for the gets special occasion, as he usually just stays at home and celebrates by himself. Speaking to the New York Post’s Page Six Column, he said: “I won’t do anything special to new tattoo celebrate the special day. I’ll be by myself. Maybe do something nice. Or hide altogether. I usually spend it alone.” Dev may be too busy to he ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ hitmaker celebrate his birthday, as his latest film project took to social media to show off the new ‘Hotel Mumbai’ - which explores the terrorist T inking on his chest, whilst praising his attacks at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in India in tattoo artist Clara Sinclair for achieving 2008 - is set to be released at the end of this exactly what he wanted. She wrote on month. The actor recently praised the thriller Twitter: “Finished this up on the lovely movie for “embracing” non-white actors, and @JamesArthur23 yesterday ... The proof is in the said he doesn’t think it would have been made a puddin, you can be at the top of your craft and still decade ago. He said: “A film like this, with a be an awesome, down to earth human. Thanks for bunch of brown faces, would not have been Hailey Bieber supports Justin Bieber the trust and the great banter. (sic)” Whilst James made 10 years ago. “But people are embracing replied: “Look forward to doing more with you! new faces. Why not embrace brown ones?” The You’re the woman to go to for great tattoos and former ‘Skins’ star has Gujarati-speaking Indian to work on his mental health great vibes :) ! (sic)” The new tattoo features a parents but was born and raised in London, and tiger roaring in the centre, whilst the words, ‘All the embraced the city he grew up in, so was over- he ‘Sorry’ singer was revealed to have sought dent that he will get there. Justin is still receiving treat- world’s a stage’, a line from William Shakespeare’s whelmed when he first went to India to work on T help for depression earlier this year, and ment on both coasts, but is doing okay. He is very, very play ‘As You Like It’, is inked above. And James’ ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ with director Danny Boyle. although the treatment has seen the couple focused on getting better. “He wants to be in a great fans also rushed to social media to praise the ink- He told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper: push back their official wedding ceremony - place for his own and Hailey’s sake. He is still confident ing. One wrote: “It really looks great, the details, “Growing up, the idea is to do as much as possi- which will see them say their vows in front of their family that he will get there. They seem happy about spending a the shadows, the view of the eyes from it, and it ble to fit into that place and rid yourself of all and friends, after getting married in secret in September few days in LA. Hailey isn’t putting any pressure on him looks perfect together with the all the worlds a cultural and ancestral ties. “Being introduced to - Hailey, 22, is being nothing but supportive of her at all. She only wants him to focus on his mental health.” stage part. And both together suites you wonder- India by Danny Boyle blew my mind. It was so spouse. An insider told Us Weekly magazine: “They are in Whilst another source said the couple aren’t “focused” ful, and is as unique as you are (sic)” Whilst much more than I imagined.” a great place and they are super close. She’s very sup- on their wedding right now, as Justin’s health is more another fan added: “The black ink is so crisp and portive. They will wait [to hold their wedding ceremony] important. They said: “They will still have a wedding brilliant! Love the shading! 95% done aye? Can’t until he’s more stabilized. He’s trying to work on his eventually, but this is not their focus right now. They wait to see the finished product! (sic)” A third issues and rebuild.” The comments come after it was haven’t sent out any new save the dates. They will wait shared: “Gorgeous art on a gorgeous man! recently claimed the 25-year-old singer is “very focused until Justin feels better and is excited about planning Obviously, there were two big talents in that room on getting better.” A source shared: “Justin is still receiv- their wedding again.” (sic)” James previously confessed he “regrets” all ing treatment on both coasts, but is doing okay. He is of his tattoos. He said: “I regret every one of them, very, very focused on getting better. He wants to be in a yeah. Every single one, yeah.” great place for his own and Hailey’s sake. He is still confi-

Kit Harington sought therapy at height of his GOT fame

he 32-year-old actor was lot of people do in their 20s. “That was a T under intense scrutiny at the time when I started therapy, and started end of the fifth season of the talking to people. I had felt very unsafe, fantasy drama series, when his and I wasn’t talking to anyone. I had to character Jon Snow was killed off - only feel very grateful for what I have, but I to be resurrected early in the following felt incredibly concerned about whether I series - and he was struggling with his could even act... “It’s like when you’re at a confidence and questioning his acting party, and the party’s getting better and ability. He told Variety: “When you better. Then you reach this point of the become the cliffhanger of a TV show, and party where you’re like, it’s peaked. I a TV show probably at the height of its don’t know what I could find more from power, the focus on you is terrifying. “You this. You realize, well, there isn’t more. get people shouting at you on the street, This is it. And the ‘more’ that you can find ‘Are you dead?’ At the same time you is actually in the work rather than the have to have this appearance. All of your enjoyment surrounding it.” The show is neuroses-and I’m as neurotic as any due to end after the upcoming final sea- actor-get heightened with that level of son and Kit admitted that, for the first focus... “It wasn’t a very good time in my time, relations between the cast grew life. I felt I had to feel that I was the most “strained” but he insisted they are all fine fortunate person in the world, when actu- again now.—Bang Showbiz ally, I felt very vulnerable. I had a shaky time in my life around there-like I think a Established 1961 21

Lifestyle Features Thursday, March 21, 2019

Kylie Jenner finds bigger circle of friends he 21-year-old reality star was left stuck in the middle when Jordyn - whom she has been friends Twith for several years - admitted to kissing Tristan, the then-boyfriend of Kylie’s half-sister Khloe Kardashian, at a party last month, and sources have now said Kylie is trying to branch out and find new Priyanka Chopra calls herself friends. An insider told People magazine: “Kylie has had a rough few weeks. She is still upset about the Jordyn situation, although she seems to be doing much better. “She has been socializing more and try- terrible wife because she ‘can’t cook’ ing to find a bigger circle of friends that she can be close with. After the Jordyn drama, she realized that he 36-year-old actress married singer Nick Jonas terrible, terrible wife in that sense, but the most amazing relying on just one friend is not the best idea.” last year, and has now revealed she warned him thing when I told him that, ‘Babe, I can’t cook and I hope Meanwhile, it was recently claimed the ‘Keeping Up Twhen he proposed to her that whilst he was used to you know that,’ he said, ‘It’s alright babe, neither can I.’ with the Kardashians’ star wasn’t under any “pres- have amazing home cooked meals from his mother, he But you don’t hear that from guys! They’re usually like, sure” from her family to cut Jordyn off, as they are let- wouldn’t be getting the same treatment when he married ‘It’s OK, baby.’ And he was like, ‘I can’t either!” And ting her make her own decisions. Another source said: her, because she’s awful in the kitchen. She said: “I can’t although they won’t be collaborating in the kitchen any “It’s still a tricky situation for Kylie. And no one is cook. And I told him that when he proposed. I was like, time soon, Nick recently claimed he’d be “open” to team- actually putting too much pressure on her. Her family ‘Listen, you’re from a good southern home, you’re used ing up with his wife on a song, because he says she has is aware that she is in contact with Jordyn. They are to your mom making you amazing food. You’re not mar- an “amazing voice”. He said: “I’d be open to it, I mean, letting Kylie figure things out for herself.” Following rying that girl.’ I cannot cook. I can make eggs, also spo- she’s got an incredible voice and there’s a lot of music in news of Jordyn’s lip lock with Tristan - who has 11- radically, maybe at night.” Luckily for the ‘Quantico’ our house and a lot of dancing. “So, I don’t know. Right month-old daughter True with Khloe - the model, also actress, the 26-year-old Jonas Brothers star didn’t mind now we’re just enjoying the first couple months of mar- 21, moved out of Kylie’s home, and while it was report- her lack of culinary expertise, as he admitted he too ried life, and we’ll see where it takes us.” ed they were “barely communicating”, they were struggles when it comes to meal times. Priyanka added spotted grabbing breakfast together earlier this month during an appearance on ‘The View’ on Tuesday: “I’m a at Pedalers Fork restaurant in Calabasas, California. A source said of their reconciliation meeting: “It seemed very casual and they both were having a discussion together while eating.” Jay-Z among lineup for Woodstock Jesy Nelson fronts 50 festival ontemporary heavyweights including Jay-Z and In this file photo Jay-Z documentary on Chance the Rapper will headline this year’s performs in concert on the CWoodstock festival marking the 50th anniversary of first day of week two of the the legendary concert weekend, organizers announced Austin City Limits Music mental health Tuesday. Veteran acts that played the 1969 festival in Festival at Zilker Park in upstate New York-considered a definitive moment in pop Austin, Texas. —AFP he Little Mix star is working with the BBC to raise culture history-are also on the lineup set for August 16-18, awareness of mental health and the effects it can including Santana, John Fogerty, Country Joe McDonald Thave on young people in particular. She announced: and Canned Heat. The 2019 edition of peace, love and featuring a diverse billing of artists including rapper “This is a project really close to my heart, and I’m music will span the genres, in a bid to appeal to fans of the Common, rockers The Black Keys, pop futurist Janelle delighted to be working with the BBC on a documentary original weekend-where icons including Jimi Hendrix and Monae and folk-rock troubadour Brandi Carlile. “See ya in that will both challenge me personally and also highlight a Janis Joplin jammed in the pouring rain-as well as today’s Aug! Performing on Friday , so I have all weekend to par- hugely important issue affecting young people today. young concert-goers. Michael Lang-a promoter who co- ty!” tweeted pop star Miley Cyrus. The 73-year-old One in four men and women suffer with mental health and created the 1969 show-had promised an “eclectic bill,” Fogerty, frontman of the legendary rock band Creedence it’s a subject that I think we don’t speak about enough. telling Rolling Stone that Woodstock 50 aimed to be “mul- Clearwater Revival, also tweeted his delight: “Come join I’m making this film because I really, really want to make about me. I still get upset when I talk about it. I’ll never ti-generational.” This three-day event to be held in me on my 50 Year Trip at Woodstock 50!” “I was there 50 a change and a difference to other people’s lives.” Jesy get those years back. I was so miserable, I should have Watkins Glen, New York is separate from one slated for years ago in 1969 and I’m back to celebrate 3 days of had previously admitted she “struggled” with the pres- been enjoying my life.” And Jesy is grateful to have her the same weekend at the first festival’s site, about 115 miles Peace, Love, & Music.”—AFP sures of fame at the start of Little Mix’s career. She said: bandmates - Perrie Edwards, Leigh Anne Pinnock and (185 kilometers) away. With a lineup that includes every- “When I first started out, I struggled. I never thought I Jade Thirlwall - by her side throughout it all as she under- thing from hip hop to country with more than 80 artists, would get over thinking people thought certain things stands why fame can cause people to struggle. Woodstock 50 lives up to vows of widespread appeal,

Baby Diana? Or little Al Hamra Real Estate Co. celebrates Arthur? Bets on for Launch of ‘Marzook X Sofia Richie’ royal baby name aking the fashion scene in Kuwait by VIP guests attend the much-awaited storm, Al Hamra Real Estate Co. recent- appearance by Sofia Richie herself and the hat will Britain’s Prince Harry and his ly hosted an event to celebrate the homegrown creative minds. wife Meghan name their child? With the T W launch of a one-of-a kind collaboration Al Hamra Real Estate Co. Marketing and former actress in the last stage of her showcasing a new line of hand bags. The Public Relations Manager, Abdullah Al pregnancy, punters are having a flutter on the event witnessed the special fusion between Mansour said: “We are proud that Al Hamra baby’s gender, weight, date and birthplace. One renowned Kuwaiti luxury brand owners of Luxury Center continues to be home to of the most popular wagers is for the name. For a ‘Marzook’, Fahad and Shouq and American unique fashion labels that speak to the ever- boy, Arthur is leading the pack at bookmakers celebrity Sofia Richie take shape for the first so demanding generations of today that William Hill but if it’s a girl, many expect the Duke time in Kuwait. Aimed at accommodating crave both sophistication and differentiation. and Duchess of Sussex could pay tribute to new age Generation-Z fashion lovers, With the growing number of international Harry’s late mother. Kuwaiti Al Marzook siblings along with stores and rise of Kuwaiti designers making “Diana (is) 10/1 red hot favorite, no great sur- Sofia Richie came together to weave a their mark on global ramps, it is evident that prises there,” William Hill spokesman Rupert designer label that incorporated both vitality Kuwait has in many ways transformed the Adams said. “But the recent move is for Victoria and ambition into futuristic “Neon” designs. region and taken the lead on adopting the also 10/1, (people) really like it.” Queen The American model and influencer, latest fashion trends.” Elizabeth’s grandson and his American wife, who daughter of the legendary singer Lionel “Al Hamra, we believe in bringing our married last May, announced in October they Richie and the sibling duo’s collection fea- customers the very best of local talents, were expecting their first child this spring. In tures Marzook’s signature design - the popular styles and refined shopping experi- January, Meghan told well-wishers she was six spherical Lucid Classic bag, in a grand ences. This remarkable latest launch demon- months pregnant, adding the couple did not know theme of neon hues, Powerful Pink, Neon- Z strates not only Al Hamra’s appeal to world- the baby’s gender. Green, and Traffic Cone Orange. Held at Al class designers, but also our commitment to William Hill odds were 8/11 for a girl and Hamra Luxury Center, the successful event the Kuwaiti fashion community,” he added. evens for a boy earlier this week. At Betfair, the saw a large number of eager visitors and odds have shortened on a girl, and the favorite name is Diana at 5/1, Betfair Media Relations Manager Katie Baylis said. Baylis said another possibility was Alice, a name that was among those speculated when Prince William and his wife Kate were expecting their third child last year. Kate eventually gave birth to a boy, Prince Louis. “Punters feel that there will at some point be an Alice in the royal family and so we’ve seen plenty of interest in that name as well,” she said. The mother of Harry’s grandfather Prince Philip was called Alice. Betfair has odds of 8/1 for Arthur. Alice, Victoria, Grace, James and Edward each stand at 14/1. Diana and Arthur are also among favourites at other bookmakers. Other wagers have included who will be godparents to the baby, the date and time of birth, and if Meghan will have twins. “Comparative to (Prince William and Kate) the Harry betting is significantly more at this stage, so 30 odd percent (more) ... in real terms that’s huge,” Adams said. Outside Buckingham Palace, sightseers shared their name preferences. “I would put money on a girl and Victoria (as a name) because we could call her Tori,” tourist Sarah Owens said. Fellow sightseer Danni Ma picked Mary: “(It) sounds very old fashioned but it is Meghan and Harry (combined).”—Reuters Established 1961 22 T Thursday, March 21, 2019 L i f e s t y l e Fe a t u r e s Dragons, politicians go up in flames in Spain’s fiery festival

alencia’s Las Fallas festival lit up on the early hours In one ensemble, a sculpture of Trump wearing nothing of yesterday the Mediterranean sky with fireworks but a cowboy hat appeared alongside equally naked Adolf Vand flames from blazing sculptures of all shapes Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Spain’s former dictator, Francisco and sizes - beautiful amazons, fairytale dragons and car- Franco. The divisive planned removal of Franco’s body toonish effigies of politicians such as US President Donald from a state mausoleum also merited comic references. Trump. The festival, during which hundreds of intricate Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was pic- ‘ninots’, the Valencian name for papier-mache dolls, are tured as a prince waking “Sleeping Beauty” Franco from brought into the streets and then burned on the last day, is his tomb. a centuries-old tradition honoring St Joseph, the patron In another, a grinning Sanchez flies a government jet in saint of carpenters. an allusion to allegations that he used one for private trips. The themed dolls and doll sets, some as big as a four- Each year, members of the public vote on their favorite story building, are made by groups of artisans and cost sculptures to save the best two from the final bonfire hundreds of thousands of euros to produce. In 2016 called “Crema”. The festival is believed to have originated UNESCO, recognized Las Fallas as an Intangible Cultural from pagan rituals marking the end of winter.—Reuters Heritage of Humanity. The themes vary from musicals and magic to hot social and political issues, with the current Figures that are part of a Fallas edition featuring women’s rights, the global rise of pop- monument burn during the finale of ulism and the far right or Catalonia’s bid to gain independ- the Fallas festival, which welcomes ence from Spain. Spring and commemorates Saint Joseph’s Day in Valencia. — Reuters

Exhibition turns up trove of Growing pains in Ethiopia: Film looted Nazi art in Louvre spotlights hidden new exhibition has uncovered a hoard of French national collection during the war. cost of urban growth art looted from a Jewish family almost “We need to look at their provenance very Another Greedlegendary and gallerist treachery Rene Gimpel, Awiped out by the Nazis in the Louvre calmy and scientifically to lift all suspicion over who joined the resistance, was denounced by a iving in a tool shed on the outskirts of and other leading French museums. The show them. It is hugely important that this is done,” rival dealer Jean-Francois Lefranc and died in a Ethiopia’s capital, 10-year-old Asalif about the booming art market in occupied Paris, she said. France’s Prime Minister Edouard German concentration camp. Others were LTewold straddles a unique space between when more than two million objects went under Philippe — who visited the museum Monday- forced to “aryanise” their businesses, like modernity and tradition. In his short life, he has the hammer in a frenzy of forced sales and loot- boosted the investigative powers of a commis- Pierre Loeb, who had to hand over his gallery lived on a rural farm and in the shadows of a ing, has turned up works by Delacroix and sion which awards compensation to victims of to his colleague Georges Aubry. But as the towering condominium complex - learning how Forain taken from the family by the collabora- Nazi looting last year after criticism of the slow exhibition shows, when the war was over to dodge dangerous hyenas and land develop- tionist French Vichy authorities. pace of restitution more than 70 years since the Aubry refused to give it back until Picasso-a ers - as he and his dispossessed family try to end of World War II. communist who had remained in France find a place to call home. throughout the war-forced him. The young boy and his mother are the sub- Polack said she was now working to help the ject of the film “Anbessa”, meaning “lion” in In January, PolackAmnesia helped return a painting family of collector Armand Dorville, who had Amharic, one of Ethiopia’s main languages, that plundered from the home of France’s heroic given works to French museums before the war tracks their displacement off farmland to make pre-war interior minister Georges Mandel, a and had intended to leave more in his will. “It is way for a block of flats on the fringes of Addis man Winston Churchill hailed as “the first not just about getting paintings back, it is about Ababa. The playful protagonist, Asalif, takes resister”. Mandel, who refused to flee to London grief and acknowledging the terrible injustices centre stage of the documentary by US film- with Charles De Gaulle after France fell in 1940, of the past,” she said. “Confiscating art works maker Mo Scarpelli, premiering in London on was murdered by members of the French collab- was part of a process which started with people Wednesday at the Human Rights Watch Film orationist “Milice” militia a month before Paris being demonized, excluded from professional Festival - as he lives and plays in the looming was liberated by the allies in 1944. The portrait life, then pauperized when their bank accounts shadow of the buildings. of a young woman by Thomas Couture was were seized before finally being deported for “Asalif is the perfect person ... he lives literal- returned by the German government from the extermination in the camps,” Polack insisted. ly on the rift of old and new,” Scarpelli told the Gurlitt trove. The paintings they were deprived of could Thomson Reuters Foundation. “Anbessa” fol- Polack told AFP that the free-for-all auctions have helped buy their escape, so “they were lows Asalif over two years as he seeks to ward during the war “utterly changed” the Paris art caught in a trap”, she said. Prime Minister off roaming hyenas both literally in the forest market, then the biggest in the world, and has Philippe did not refer to the often drawn-out and in the form of lurking land developers. been cloaked for decades behind “a kind of legal process of restitution during his speech at As he carves out a space to call home, he and millions of others globally are learning that In this file photo the Federal Curator Emmanuelle Polack discovered that amnesia”. “Major players whose suspect prac- the museum, but promised to double state fund- “progress” is not for them, said Scarpelli, as the Government’s Commissioner the Louvre bought a dozen works seized from tices helped them flourish during these dark ing for the memorial from next year. Polack said film analyses universal themes of gentrification for Culture and the Media the Dorvilles while researching a new book on years were rarely investigated,” she said. Some she was encouraged by the attitude of the and urbanisation. Monika Gruetters, right, talks how Jewish families and some of the most art world dynasties rose during the war while Louvre. Ethiopia, a nation of 105 million and an eco- with heirs Maria de las important dealers in modern art were plundered. others never recovered. “I think lending the three works to us (for nomic power in East Africa, is grappling with a Mercedes Estrada, left, and The paintings are still in the French national col- The exhibition shows how the pillage was the show) is a very big step and there is a housing crisis and new developments are leav- Wolfgang Kleinertz, center, lection, with three loaned to the Shoah pre-planned, with galleries sealed off by good dynamic. They know the context and ing millions like Asalif out of the picture, during the restitution of a Memorial museum in Paris for the show. German troops after the French capital fell in they know we need to work together to do Scarpelli said. About 40 percent of Africa’s 1 painting titled ‘Portrait of a Three more works taken from the family- 1940, and the premises of its most famous mod- everything properly to solve this problem,” billion people live in towns and cities and the seated woman’ by artist most of whom perished in Auschwitz-have ern art dealer, Paul Rosenberg, seized and she added.—AFP urban population is expected to double over Thomas Couture in Berlin. turned up in the Gurlitt hoard of 1,500 Old turned into the Institute for Jewish Affairs, which the next 25 years, the World Bank predicts. “I — AFP Masters, Impressionist and Cubist works found pumped out anti-Semitic propaganda. More in a Munich apartment in 2011. Despite decades than a third of Rosenberg’s 162 seized paintings do feel like there’s this kind of sweeping narra- of pressure to restore works to their rightful are still missing, including works by Picasso, tive about the future and about a better way of owners, Polack told AFP that there had yet to be Degas and Matisse. life that for sure has been exported from a proper audit of the works acquired by the Europe and North America to the rest of the world,” said Scarpelli. But gradually he changed his mind and went on to “That this is the way we should live - big- spend four years interviewing police officials ger is better.” But the film is concerned with involved in the case. what gets lost along the way, from storytelling Netflix dramatizes to family structures, steam-rolled by moderni- ty, she said. In Ethiopia, all land is formally It is their perspectiveToo painful on the case that he tells. owned by the state, making security of tenure notorious India “When the crime happened, there was a lot of rare and dispossession easier, said Felix Horne, anger pointed toward this institution. But when I senior Ethiopia researcher for Human Rights got to know their point of view I realized the Watch. Recourse to courts is often difficult, gang-rape police were trying their best, especially given the making forced displacement a major social statistics. “As we say at the start of the show: issue, he said. ‘11,000 heinous crimes are reported every year (in Delhi). Prevention is nearly impossible with half Lions and hyenas murder case the police force stuck on traffic duty and VIP pro- The contested edges of Asalif’s home also tection’,” he added. shed light on wider issues in Africa’s second- ilmmaker Richie Mehta was at first reluctant to The series, filmed in English and Hindi, was well most populous nation, and a country in the make Netflix’s latest Indian series, document- received at its premier at the Sundance Film Festival midst of social and economic change. Unrest Fing the aftermath of the notorious gang-rape this year. It stars Shefali Shah (“Monsoon spread in Ethiopia in 2015 and 2016, sparked and murder of an Indian student that made global Wedding”) as the lead investigating officer, and also initially by an urban development plan for the headlines. Jyoti Singh, a 23-year-old physiotherapy features actors Adil Hussain (“Life of Pi”) and capital. Anger over land expropriations and student, was violently raped and assaulted and left Denzil Smith (“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”). unfair compensation, in particular, drove for dead by five men and a teenager on a bus in Nearly 40,000 rape cases were reported in India in protests, leading eventually to a new reformist New Delhi in December 2012. The horrific crime 2016. But activists say that is just the tip of the ice- Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018. “Most residents of the city do feel stretched shone an international spotlight on India’s high lev- berg, with many victims too scared to come for- In this file photo Indian protesters hold candles during a rally in New els of sexual violence, and sparked weeks of ward. Politicians and religious leaders initially because there isn’t enough supply of decent Delhi, following the gang rape of student Jyoti Singh on December 16, housing for many of them,” said Mekonnen protests and eventually a change in the law to intro- blamed Singh for inciting her own murder, echoing 2012.— AFP photos duce the death penalty for rape. prevailing attitudes in India where rape victims face Firew Ayano, an Ethiopian legal expert at “Initially I was against the idea. I thought it was overwhelming prejudice. Harvard University in the United States. “Rural inappropriate for anyone to do it,” the Indian- Even one of the perpetrators blamed her, saying dwellers have been pushed away from their Canadian director said during an interview in women who went out late at night attracted men. land without any meaningful alternative.” Ayano Mumbai. “But after I read the verdict and met some Indian authorities banned the broadcast of a BBC said the government’s housing policy targeted of the officers involved, I was amazed. The verdict documentary by British film-maker Leslee Udwin the middle and upper social classes and that detailed the manhunt and who these people were about Singh in 2015, saying they would not allow the pace of growth was leaving many behind, and how they were found. “I realized that this analy- anyone to use the incident for commercial purposes. which could stoke ethnic and social tensions. sis of hunting these guys is also a way of under- Mehta said he spoke to Singh’s family to assure Asalif’s story does not, however, present standing why these things happen,” he added. them their daughter’s horrific murder would not be a clear division between good and evil, as “Delhi Crime”, a seven-part series written and depicted in the drama. the new tower blocks offer treasures and directed by Mehta, will be released on Netflix But her father, Badrinath Singh, said the series adventures for the child. “Everybody living worldwide on Friday. The thriller recreates the would still open too many old wounds. “We will not on either side is connected to each other, police investigation, tracing the pursuit of the six watch it because it will be too painful,” Singh told they can’t not be, and that’s the way that the men behind the shocking crime. Four of the AFP. “Of course we can’t ever forget what hap- world is,” said Scarpelli. The film ends with adults accused received death sentences, while pened to our daughter but we don’t want to be tak- Asalif, the metaphorical lion, besting the one died in prison by a suspected suicide. The en through the horror all over again. The pain will hyenas, and his future remains promising, teenager was released after three years in a be too much to bear for my family.”—AFP said Scarpelli. “I don’t know how things will youth detention home. unfold, but I do have a hope that the aver- Mehta said Delhi’s police commissioner at the age Ethiopian will have more of a say on time of the atrocity, Neeraj Kumar, had first sug- what happens to their land and their family gested to him that the investigation would make a moving forward.”— Reuters powerful film. The filmmaker disagreed at the outset. In this file photo demonstrators react as police use water cannon during a protest calling for better safety for women. Classifieds Thursday, March 21, 2019

CHANGE OF NAME FOR SALE

I, VISHNU MANOJ (given Mitsubishi Lancer Fortis - Sabah Hospital 24812000 name) holder of Indian 2015, white color, excellent condition, KD 1650. Mob Amiri Hospital 22450005 Passport N7014140 do here- by change my name to VISH- 50994848. (C 5505) 21-3-2019 Maternity Hospital 24843100 NU (given name) MANOJ (surname) for all purposes. I Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700 also undertake to effect the MATRIMONIAL Chest Hospital 24849400 change in all my other public documents. (C 5504) Christian, Marthomate Boy, Farwaniya Hospital 24892010 20-3-2019 28/177cm, Engineer working in Kuwait, seeks suitable pro- Adan Hospital 23940620 I, Huzefa Lukmani, holder of posal from Marthoma, Indian Passport No. Orthodox or Jacobite, B- Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300 M5452033 and Civil ID No. Tech, M-Tech or paramedical Al-Razi Hospital 24846000 288112902143 has changed working in Kuwait or aboard. my name from Hujefa to Interested may contact Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9 Huzefa Lukmani hereinafter [email protected] in all my dealings and docu- (C 5503) 20-3-2019 ments, I will be known by name of Huzefa Lukmani. Kaizen center 25716707 (C 5502) 19-3-2019 112 Rawda 22517733 Adaliya 22517144 Khaldiya 24848075 Kaifan 24849807 Shamiya 24848913 Airlines

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Sohag 22:00 KAC 155 Istanbul 10:45 MEA 403 Beirut 22:20 JZR 116 Doha 11:10 QTR 1082 Doha 22:05 JZR 122 Dubai 11:10 QTR 1071 Doha 10:45 RBG 552 Alexandria 22:20 ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:15 IAW 158 Al Najaf 10:55 ALK 230 Colombo 22:25 QTR 1074 Doha 11:35 AIC 981 Ahmedabad 22:25 JZR 216 Jeddah 11:45 SVA 513 Riyadh 11:00 KAC 303 Mumbai 22:30 RBG 213 Sohag 22:30 SYR 342 Damascus 11:00 KAC 383 Delhi 22:30 MEA 404 Beirut 11:55 KAC 786 Jeddah 22:45 KAC 614 Bahrain 12:25 KAC 117 New York 11:25 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:30 KAC 692 Muscat 22:55 SAW 704 Damascus 11:30 KLM 445 Bahrain 22:50 JZR 252 Amman 12:30 BBC 043 Dhaka 23:00 JZR 714 Sohag 12:35 ETH 3717 LGG 23:00 IRA 668 Mashhad 11:50 KAC 783 Jeddah 22:55 UAE 871 Dubai 12:50 MSC 501 Alexandria 23:05 JZR 213 Jeddah 12:00 UAE 860 Dubai 23:00 KAC 742 Dammam 12:50 GEC 8456 Frankfurt 23:10 JZR 221 Riyadh 12:00 MSC 406 Sohag 23:00 ABY 121 Sharjah 12:55 JZR 128 Dubai 23:15 MEA 405 Beirut 12:55 ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:05 MSR 610 Cairo 13:10 MSR 2614 Cairo 23:30 QTR 1075 Doha 13:00 RBG 214 Sohag 23:10 AXB 393 Kozhikode 13:15 FDB 071 Dubai 23:45 JZR 113 Doha 13:30 QTR 1083 Doha 23:25 24 Established 1961 News Thursday, March 21, 2019 Kazakhstan renames capital as new president takes office ALMATY: Kazakhstan’s new president was sworn yes- Union. He steered the country through a major transfor- terday following the shock resignation of the country’s mation, developing huge energy reserves and boosting its long-time ruler and in his first official act renamed the international influence, but was accused of cracking down capital after his predecessor. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on dissent and tolerating little opposition. Nazarbayev took office in a pomp-filled ceremony less than 24 hours will continue to enjoy significant powers thanks to his after Nursultan Nazarbayev, the only leader an independ- constitutional status as “Leader of the Nation”, life-time ent Kazakhstan had ever known, suddenly announced he position as chief of the security council and head of the was stepping down. Tokayev immediately proposed ruling Nur Otan party. changing the name of the Central Asian nation’s capital Tokayev appeared to be in pole position to take over from Astana to Nursultan, or “Sultan of Light” in Kazakh, in the long term until senators voted shortly after his and parliament approved the change within hours. swearing-in to name Dariga Nazarbayeva, 55, as their The senate also appointed Nazarbayev’s eldest new chief. She is the most politically prominent of daughter Dariga Nazarbayeva as speaker, setting her up Nazarbayev’s three children and has long been mooted as as a potential contender to succeed her father. Tokayev, a potential successor. Kazakhstan’s deputy prime minister 65, will serve out the rest of Nazarbayev’s mandate until from 2015 to 2016, Nazarbayeva has significant influence elections due in April next year, though the former pres- over the media. Analysts said it was too early to declare a ident retains significant powers in the country he ruled clear frontrunner to become the next elected president, for nearly three decades. Tokayev told lawmakers that with the recently named prime minister, 53-year-old Nazarbayev had “shown wisdom” by deciding to step Askar Mamin, another possible contender. down, a rare move in ex-Soviet Central Asia where oth- Tokayev, the interim president, has a strong diplomatic er leaders have hung on to power until death. record dating back to the Soviet period and has twice “Yesterday the world witnessed a historic event,” been foreign minister. This should go some way to reas- Tokayev said, hailing Nazarbayev as a visionary suring Kazakhstan’s major partners including China, the reformer. “The results of an independent Kazakhstan are European Union, Russia and the United States that the there for all to see,” he added. move will not threaten key relationships. Tokayev “is a Nazarbayev changed the capital from Kazakhstan’s safe pair of hands, he is a loyal presidential lieutenant,” largest city Almaty to Astana in 1997, transforming it said Kate Mallinson, a Russia and Eurasia expert at the from a minor provincial town into a futuristic city of London-based Chatham House think-tank. skyscrapers rising from the steppes. Its name meant Kazakhstan-based analyst Dosym Satpayev described “capital” in Kazakh and there had long been speculation Tokayev as a “heavyweight” but said he lacked popular ASTANA: Kazakhstan’s Senate chairman Kassym-Jomart Tokayev takes the oath as Kazakh interim president dur- of a renaming after the leader who shaped it. The city is appeal. As for Kazakh society’s reaction to Dariga ing a ceremony yesterday. — AFP central to government propaganda highlighting the Nazarbayeva, it “would be mixed to say the least,” achievements of Nazarbayev’s reign and his journey to Satpayev said. “A candidate from the family would be who rarely appears in public - as a potential contender emergence following Boris Yeltsin’s sudden retirement in build it was recently the subject of a state-funded film, controversial and Dariga does not speak the state lan- from inside the family circle. “This would be something 1999. The new leader will need to tackle growing discon- “Leader’s Path: Astana”. guage, Kazakh, as well as her father,” he said. like a Putin scenario, wherein a connected figure appears tent over falling living standards after Kazakhstan’s econ- Nazarbayev, 78, ruled Kazakhstan since before it Satpayev also pointed to another Nazarbayev relative from the shadows at the last moment,” Satpayev said, omy was hit by the 2014 drop in oil prices and western gained independence with the 1991 collapse of the Soviet - nephew Samat Abish, a high-ranking security official referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s sudden sanctions against Russia, a key trading partner. — AFP

call during the coup attempt for loyalists to take to attack was part of an assault on Turkey and Islam and Erdogan crooning the streets. Father and son warned anti-Muslim Australians would be “sent back in Another song entitled “Dombra” chants the coffins” like their grandfathers at Gallipoli, a blood- on campaign trail president’s name, drawing cheers from party faith- laid to rest as... drenched World War I battle. ful. “I am over the moon whenever I listen to In the latest display of cross cultural solidarity in Nereden Nereye,” said supporter Ayse Duru, as ISTANBUL: In a decade and a half in power, New Zealand, as Muslims prayed and prostrated before she sang along to Erdogan’s recent campaign song. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has often Continued from Page 1 Al Noor mosque dozens of locals silently stood behind The composer of Erdogan’s latest campaign tune turned to oratory skills that are the envy of his foes and performer of it when the president himself isn’t them, their arms interlinked. Moments earlier hundreds to rouse supporters with speeches, poems and sto- singing it is Turkish pop singer Altan Cetin. “It was He was embraced by many mourners. A total of six of people thumped their chests, stomped their feet and ries. Now the Turkish leader is picking up the micro- not hard for me to write (the AKP song) and put it burials took place yesterday and more were expected stuck out their tongues for a haka performance, their phone to sing, complete with hand gestures, to rally into a project. Believe me, it can sometimes be even in the days ahead after police on Tuesday began releas- cries echoing across the park. Nuha Asad, who lost her supporters of his ruling AKP party for March 31 local more difficult to do a pop song,” he told AFP in his ing victims’ remains for burial. The scale of the attack husband Ali Elmadani in the massacre, watched from elections. Music has always been a powerful tool in studio in Istanbul. Cetin said that it took almost a has caused global revulsion, including alleged gunman the sidelines, visibly moved. Turkish politics, but with Erdogan and his Justice and month to finish. “Our president uses every instru- Brenton Tarrant’s use of social media to livestream the “The New Zealand community really cares for us Development Party (AKP), it has now become one ment of politics very successfully and very profes- carnage in real-time. and we’re really together in this,” she told AFP. “It made more way to galvanize his support base before a sionally,” he said. Ardern, who has vowed to tighten New Zealand’s lax us a little happier in the grief”. The traditional haka is potentially tricky vote. In Europe, it is rare for a candidate to sing at gun ownership laws, said yesterday the horrific events used in Maori culture in a variety of ways - to intimi- With Turkey in recession and inflation in double election rallies. But in the United States, former in Christchurch showed the need for a global approach date rivals, to celebrate weddings but also to mourn, digits, the AKP is turning up the nationalist rhetoric president Barack Obama sometimes sang on the to confront the dangers posed by extremists’ use of melding both hostility and beauty into a powerful out- to try to win over voters hurt by high living costs. “I campaign trail, and in 1992, Bill Clinton famously social media. “There is an argument there to be made pouring of emotion. get goose bumps when I listen to the songs every played the saxophone before an audience - helping for us to take a united front on what is a global issue,” The start of funerals should ease pressure from day,” said Ilknur Can, at an Erdogan rally in to cement his popularity with young voters. The late she said. “This is not just an issue for New Zealand, the Muslim families, many of whom have travelled long dis- Istanbul’s Kasimpasa district, where the president Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez also often broke fact that social media platforms have been used to tances to claim loved ones’ remains and complained grew up. “I really understand, through this music, into song at rallies and speeches, rousing supporters spread violence (and) material that incites violence.” that police investigations have delayed the return of what patriotism is,” she added. Erdogan’s critics say with the national anthem or folksongs. Cetin said New Zealand yesterday charged a second person bodies and prevented the speedy burials prescribed he has eroded rights by cracking down on dissent at that music was “like a glue” for people that “brings with sharing the gruesome livestream video of the under Islam. New Zealand authorities are yet to release home. But for supporters, his electoral style taps into them closer”. “Music is about synchronization. It deadly attack. Philip Arps, 44, who was arrested the an official list of the dead, making it difficult to assess their image of Erdogan as the strong leader Turkey creates a sincerity, a unity and a power with every- needs who speaks for them. In this month’s municipal day before, was charged with two counts of distributing the full histories of victims. one who feels it.” elections, the AKP will likely remain the largest party Cetin said that he wrote what he had “lived objectionable material under the Films Act and was But few are likely to present a narrative as poignant even if some experts say it could win by a smaller through” in Turkey, saying he was happy to see the remanded in custody after appearing in Christchurch and tragic as the Mustafa family. The New Zealand percentage of the vote. country’s leader singing his music. “A president District Court. A teenager appeared in court earlier this website Stuff.co.nz this week ran a picture of Hamza Music is everywhere in Turkey, blaring out in accompanying a song with a microphone in his hand week on the same charge. smiling on a boat as he showed off a freshly caught fish. taxis, shops and restaurants. Political events also in a rally is a source of pride for the song’s compos- The 28-year-old gunman was arrested after the His mother said that after their phone connection was have regular, and often extremely loud music. The er,” he said. Gurpinar, of the Istanbul Technical shootings and is expected to spend his life in prison as cut during the shootings, she tried repeatedly to reach Turkish leader has deployed theme songs played on University, said that music was the most direct way New Zealand has no death penalty. In a rambling “man- him again. “After that someone picked up the phone speakers at rallies in past elections, which have kept to reach people. “Turkey is a country that looks for ifesto”, Tarrant had said he was motivated partly by a and told me your son can’t breathe, I think he’s dead,” him in power since 2003. But in the upcoming polls, tools to reach out to the masses more easily com- desire to stoke religious conflict between Islam and the the website said quoted her saying. Salwa described it is Erdogan himself who is singing at almost every pared to other Western states,” he said. West. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on her son and husband as both “very caring” people, rally. “Nereden nereye geldi Turkiye” (“From where Compared to the AKP, the opposition Republican Wednesday condemned what he called “highly offen- adding that “our lives have completely changed”. “God Turkey came to where we are now”) Erdogan People’s Party (CHP) often struggles to establish sim- sive” comments by Turkish President Recep Tayyip will punish him (the gunman), my son and my husband crooned from the stage at a recent event. The song ilar bonds with its old school, left-leaning, protest Erdogan, warning that he would consider “all options” are in heaven now and we’re going after them, we’re repeats a line from his election campaign tune about song repertoire, Gurpinar said. However the CHP is in reviewing bilateral relations. Erdogan had said the going to follow them to the heavens.” —AFP how far Turkey has developed under his rule. now also trying to attract more voters with modern “He already has an organic connection with his songs - one is a rap tune by two young amateur grassroots, but these songs are a new strategy to musicians. “It can have power only when the music widen support,” associate professor Dogan Gurpinar, and candidate merge,” CHP’s Istanbul candidate pending issues. of Istanbul Technical University, said. Political events Ekrem Imamoglu told AFP when asked about music’s Amir holds talks “We trust our (American) friends in contributing have also been the subject of songs. After a failed role. But he said that positive expressions like music ideas for the long-awaited peace plan for the Middle 2016 coup against Erdogan, one song had the lyrics: should replace heated rhetoric. “I wish we would see East, while putting into consideration the region’s state “Democracy took a blow and the nation was puz- and feel such nice things in politics,” he said. “We are with Pompeo... of affairs and concerned parties,” he said in response to zled... the commander-in-chief gave the order: Take happy with our songs. Honestly, I didn’t listen to the a question about an anticipated US plan for the stalled to the squares.” That was a reference to Erdogan’s others.” — AFP Continued from Page 1 Middle East peace process. Kuwait currently holds a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council, where “It will always be engraved in the minds and hearts it has championed the Palestinian cause. government now has no excuse not to implement devel- of Kuwaitis.” Describing the dialogue’s agenda as Pompeo reiterated that Kuwait is a “strategic part- Assembly delays opment projects. “ample” with important issues, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled ner”, especially when it comes to counterterrorism The Assembly also passed a draft law stipulating noted that 23 government bodies with 70 high-level efforts, reaffirming the United States’ commitment to about KD 1.4 billion in supplementary spending of officials from both sides took part in the sessions. Kuwait’s safety and sovereignty. “Kuwait hosts thou- 35-day annual.... which KD 900 million will go to the oil ministry, KD He also appreciated the United States’ efforts in sands of US soldiers on its grounds, which reflects the 320 million to the health ministry and KD 54 million to helping to mend the rift among the Gulf countries, unique, fruitful and strong military cooperation Continued from Page 1 the education ministry. MP Riyadh Al-Adasani said the which in turn is contributing to mediation efforts led by between the two countries,” he pointed out. Pompeo health ministry’s new budget includes KD 200 million HH the Amir in this regard. The US and Kuwait have lauded Kuwait’s “powerful” initiatives in Yemen, Syria MPs lashed out at the government for taking so long for medical treatment abroad, as some MPs said been trying to mediate in the bitter row that has seen and Iraq, as well as its “leadership” quality, especially in to carry out the repairs and demanded tough penalties Kuwaiti patients sent by the government to some US Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and terms of humanitarian causes, valuing HH the Amir’s for those found responsible for the damage. Some MPs hospitals were asked to leave due to the lack of suffi- non-Gulf state Egypt impose a political and economic role in this regard. insisted that Kuwaiti roads were damaged by rains cient funds from the government. boycott on Qatar since June 2017 over allegations it As for the Kuwait version of the Strategic more than tanks could. MP Mohammad Al-Mutair Adasani warned the government against imposing supports terrorism. Doha denies the charges. Sheikh Dialogue, Pompeo said that a significant number of claimed that roads were fine before the 1990 Iraqi inva- any kind of taxes on citizens or taking any measures Sabah Al-Khaled said “there is no option” other than agreements and MoUs were signed, including on sion and deteriorated after the liberation because of that may increase the financial burden on them. Health for the dispute to be resolved. cyber security, fighting terrorism, trade and educa- rife corruption. MP Abdulkarim Al-Kandari said the Minister Sheikh Basel Al-Sabah said the ministry will As for the situation in Yemen, he told the press con- tion. Pompeo referred to the historic visit of HH the prime minister should be held to account for the dam- build more public clinics in crowded areas, especially ference that the crisis was discussed during the dia- Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to age to the roads. where expatriates outnumber citizens. logue, where both sides shared visions of the necessity the US, which he described as “influential” in the his- The assembly also passed in the second and final MP Ahmad Al-Fadhl said a report stated that funds of a peaceful solution in the Arab country according to tory of bilateral relations. reading a draft law to toughen penalties on merchants raised by Kuwaiti charity societies between 2012 and the Gulf initiative, national dialogue outcomes and UN On his recent visit to Qatar, Pompeo noted that selling expired or rotten foodstuff, raising the fines to 2016 amounted to over KD 716 million, more than 90 Security Council resolution 2216. Regarding the Syrian extensive and detailed talks took place there to address as high as KD 100,000. MP Osama Al-Shaheen said percent of which were sent abroad. He inquired if the crisis, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled noted that in order for the Gulf crisis. “We all have the same set of threats, the the law stipulates that violating establishments will be government has any control over the outflow of charity peace to prevail in the conflict-ridden country, relevant threats from Al-Qaeda and from ISIS, the threat from shut while waiting for a final court ruling. MPs also funds. Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Saad Al- international references must be implemented, along the Islamic Republic of Iran. We all are working dili- passed a draft law estimating capital spending in the Kharraz said that the process of sending charity funds with joint efforts and coordination between the two gently to find a path forward so that the rift between 2019/2020 budget at KD 3.2 billion, as head of the abroad is done in coordination and under the full con- countries at the Security Council in a bid to solve those countries can be resolved”. budgets committee MP Adnan Abdulsamad said the trol of the foreign ministry. Established 1961 25 Sports Thursday, March 21, 2019 Wales kick off 2020 Six Nations at home to Italy

Japan’s Sunwolves set for Super Rugby axe

PARIS: Grand Slam champions Wales will kick off the Round 5 defence of their Six Nations title next year at home Mar 14: Wales v Scotland (1415), Italy v England against Italy on February 1, organisers announced yes- (1645), France v Ireland (2000). terday. The Welsh, who will by then be coached by Wayne Pivac as Warren Gatland steps down after this 2021 Six Nations fixtures (all times GMT) year’s Rugby World Cup, then travel to Ireland a week Round 1 later before hosting France on February 22, taking on Feb 6: Italy v France (1415), England v Scotland England at Twickenham on March 7 and rounding off (1645); Feb 7: Wales v Ireland (1500) their campaign against Scotland at Cardiff’s Principality Round 2 Stadium. Feb 13: England v Italy (1415), Scotland v Wales France wrap up the 2020 Six Nations when they (1645); Feb 14: Ireland v France (1500) host Ireland in the final fixture on March 14, in the sole Round 3 evening kick-off (2000 GMT) of the tournament, which Feb 27: Italy v Ireland (1415), Wales v England also does not feature any games on Fridays. (1645); Feb 28: France v Scotland (1500) “The 2019 Championship gave us a stunning finale Round 4 with three teams competing for the title on the final Mar 13: Italy v Wales (1415), England v France weekend, a brilliant Grand Slam winner, and a unique (1645); Mar 14: Scotland v Ireland (1500) Calcutta Cup match to finish the Championship off,” Six Round 5 Nations CEO Ben Morel said in reference to Wales Mar 20: Scotland v Italy (1415), Ireland v England beating Ireland for the clean sweep and Scotland bat- (1645), France v Wales (2000). tling back to claim a thrilling 38-all draw with England. Meanwhile, Japan’s ground-breaking Sunwolves “We look forward to developing the Championship team are set to be axed from Super Rugby, a report in partnership with our Unions, sponsors and most said yesterday, as the governing body prepared to importantly of all our fans over the coming years, and to make an announcement about the competition’s future. the next two years of the Guinness Six Nations Sydney’s Daily Telegraph said the Sunwolves would Championship generating even more excitement than be sacrificed as the 15-team, globe-crossing tourna- CARDIFF: File photo shows Wales’ centre Jonathan Davies and Wales’ full-back Liam Williams celebrate after the 2019 edition.” ment reverts to 14 sides and a round-robin format, winning the Six Nations international rugby union match between Wales and Ireland at the Principality Stadium 2020 Six Nations fixtures (all times GMT) ditching its unpopular conference system. in Cardiff, south Wales, on March 16, 2019. — AFP Round 1 The unsourced report came as governing body Feb 1: Wales v Italy (1415), Ireland v Scotland (1645); SANZAAR (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Feb 2: France v England (1500) Argentina Rugby) said it would make a statement on Much of the opposition to Asia’s first Super Rugby tainable, but that has not materialised.” While the Round 2 the “future of Super Rugby” on Friday. The Telegraph outfit came from South Africa, the Telegraph said, Sunwolves’ record on the pitch is poor, they have gradu- Feb 8: Ireland v Wales (1415), Scotland v England said Sunwolves officials and players were told about adding that its teams were opposed to travelling to ally improved and enjoyed their first away win when they (1645); Feb 9: France v Italy (1500) the decision on Tuesday, leaving them “devastated”. Tokyo and Singapore for the Sunwolves’ home games. shocked the Waikato Chiefs 30-15 earlier this month. Round 3 A spokeswoman for the Tokyo-based team told AFP: “All of the participating nations in Super Rugby have Super Rugby shrank from 18 teams to 15 in 2018, Feb 22: Italy v Scotland (1415), Wales v France “We are still waiting for Friday’s official announcement been financially propping up the Sunwolves in the hopes dropping two teams from South Africa and one from (1645); Feb 23: England v Ireland (1500) and at this stage have no comment to make.” The of luring more revenue from the untapped Asian market,” Australia in an attempt to streamline. But it retained the Round 4 Sunwolves’ introduction in 2016 was part of attempts to the report said. “It had been hoped that after two or country-based conference system which has been criti- Mar 7: Ireland v Italy (1415), England v Wales (1645); expand the game in Asia, which will host its first Rugby three seasons, cashed up Japanese companies would cised for its complexity and for giving an easier ride to Mar 8: Scotland v France (1500) World Cup in Japan later this year. back the Sunwolves and make them independently sus- teams from weaker regions. — AFP

Kuwait Club Handball Welsh rugby chiefs team to meet India’s rule out merger for T-Sport Club regions in 2019/20 By Abdellatif Sharaa LONDON: The four existing Welsh regions will continue to KUWAIT: Kuwait Club Handball team will meet India’s T- play separately for the 2019/20 season after the Professional Sport Club in its second match of the third group in the 21st Rugby Board (PRB) ruled out a merger that threatened to Asian Clubs Handball tournament being hosted by Kuwait. plunge the sport into turmoil. Kuwait’s second team Kazima will meet UAE’s Shariqa team The Scarlets and Ospreys ultimately opposed the unpopular from the fourth group of the tournament. plan as part of the controversial ‘Project Reset’, which aimed to These two matches will be proceeded by three matches: change the face of rugby union in Wales. Lebanon’s Sadaqa team with Saudi Arabia’s Mudhar, Qatar’s Under that blueprint a combined Scarlets and Ospreys Wakra with Oman’s Muscat and Bahrain’s Barbar with Iraq’s region in the west of the country, along with Cardiff Blues, the Karkh. Dragons and a side in north Wales would have made up the four Meanwhile, the opening day matches saw Iraq’s Karkh professional teams. It was set to be Welsh rugby’s biggest defeat India’s T-Sport by the score of 50-17, while Lebanon’s domestic shake-up since the inception of regional sides 16 Sadaqa defeated China’s Dragon with the score of 28-21. years ago but it faced immediate hostility. Technical Director of the Asian Handball Federation Jassim The PRB, made up of representatives of the four regions and Al-Theyab congratulated Kuwait’s leadership and people for the Welsh Rugby Union, said in a statement on Wednesday that the return of sports to international events. He said “we con- it was “united in its pursuit of what is best” without outlining gratulate ourselves for holding the Asian championship in plans beyond next season. Kuwait. He thanked Kuwait Sports Club board of directors for “The Cardiff Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets will con- their cooperation with the Asian federation in providing all tinue to represent Welsh professional rugby in domestic and requirements of the tournament. European competition for season 2019/20,” the PRB statement He said the championship provides an opportunity to have read. “Although the PRB has previously supported the principle Kuwaiti fans return because they give special flavor for match- for a proposed merger of two teams, it has since been noted es and urges players to give it all that this merger has been deemed ‘off the table’ by both inter- ested parties. “This means that budgets have subsequently been approved and player contracting can be concluded, with an emphasis on Sport looking to ban securing Welsh talent. “It is hoped that the emotion generated by the exploration of merger options can now be translated into corticosteroids in support for the professional Welsh teams, helping create a sus- tainable future for the game in Wales. “ Project Reset was launched to deal with the problems Welsh 2020: UCI boss domestic rugby has had competing with wealthy clubs in England and France. — AFP PARIS: After becoming the first drug used to treat a wide range of sport to ban Tramadol, cycling is medical conditions, including asthma. looking to use the same “health rea- Some, like nasal sprays, are allowed sons” justification to prohibit the use in competition while others - pills, of corticosteroids by 2020, intra-muscular injections-are banned International Cycling Union (UCI) in competition and require a Tokyo unveils ‘cherry president David Lappartient told Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Reuters. “We are working on this. We blossom’ Olympic torch The UCI banned Tramadol, an named a group of experts to show it opiate painkiller, at the beginning of is dangerous for your health,” said TOKYO: Organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics yesterday unveiled this month, conducting 43 tests on Lappartient. “We are hopeful to be a cherry-blossom shaped torch for the Games as the city prepares for David Lappartient the Paris-Nice stage race that ended ready to ban it for the beginning of the famed flower season to begin in coming days. The top part of the last Sunday. In 2017, 68 percent of 2020. The idea is to not have corti- torch is shaped in the traditional emblem of the sakura, or cherry blos- urine samples across 35 Olympic costeroids in our sport in 2020. microscope after Austrian cyclist Ineos taking over from Team Sky in som using the same cutting-edge technology as in production of sports containing Tramadol were “It is not easy though, because Georg Preidler admitted to cheating May and oil and gas company Total Japan’s bullet trains, the organisers said. from cyclists. with Tramadol, a test is either posi- amid an investigation into blood rumoured to take over French outfit The shiny rose-gold torch, which is 71 centimetres (28 inches) long While being monitored by the tive or negative. With corticos- doping that brought down five skiers Direct Energie next season. and weighs 1.2 kilograms (2 pounds 10 ounces), uses aluminium con- World Anti-Doping Agency teroids, there are thresholds. We are at the Nordic skiing world champi- “I am pleased that Ineos is taking struction waste from temporary housing built for victims of the 2011 (WADA), Tramadol is not on the list also calling for WADA to ban it.” onships. over the team because it is important quake and tsunami. “Cherry blossoms drawn by kids in the disaster-hit of banned substances and having it Several cycling teams, gathered in “He has been provisionally that teams find investors. It is healthy area (in Fukushima)... inspired me,” designer Tokujin Yoshioka, whose outlawed could have raised legal the Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme banned,” said Lappartient. “We are that the best team in the world finds works are known internationally, told reporters. challenges. However, Lappartient Credible (Movement for credible in contact with the national Anti- a buyer,” said Lappartient. The Fukushima was chosen as the starting point for the Olympic torch insisted that the exclusion was to cycling, MPCC), follow stricter anti- Doping Agencies and the public Frenchman was wary though of one relay. The passing of the flame is scheduled to start on March 26, 2020, protect riders’ health and safety doping rules. authorities, who have not said any- outfit having too much advantage as and the torch will head south to the sub-tropical island of Okinawa- rather than any performance Under those rules, a rider is thing yet.” Asked if the biological Ineos chairman Jim Ratcliffe is the starting point for the 1964 Tokyo Games relay-before returning enhancing benefits. imposed an eight-day rest after tak- passport, a record of a riders’ dop- expected to increase the team’s north and arriving in the Japanese capital on July 10. “So we banned it on health ing corticosteroids. “Intra-articular ing test results, could be bypassed budget. The designer added the torch is designed to ensure the flame will grounds,” said Lappartient, adding corticosteroid injections have to be by cheats as several former profes- “I understand there can be con- not go out even during the typhoon season. The March 2011 tsunami, that the Paris-Nice test results were validated by the team doctor, who sionals implied, Lappartient said: “I cerns that the team with the biggest triggered by a massive undersea quake, killed around 18,000 people not known yet. “If you need will prescribe eight days off-race,” don’t know, I don’t have all the ele- budget can have all the best riders and swamped the Fukushima nuclear plant, sending its reactors into Tramadol, OK, but when you take the rules say. ments on this investigation.” and it affects the uncertainty of meltdown and leading to the world’s worst nuclear disaster since this medicine you cannot drive so Seven of the 18 World Tour (elite) sport,” he explained. “The more Chernobyl. More than 50,000 people have not returned to their home you do not race your bike.” teams have adhered to the MPCC. SPONSORS FAITHFUL uncertainty we have in our sport, the towns. Japan has dubbed the 2020 Games the “Reconstruction The UCI now wishes to take the Cycling, a sport long rocked by dop- Sponsors, however, remain faithful better for the interest of cycling. It Olympics” and wants to showcase recovery in regions devastated by same approach on corticosteroids, a ing scandals, is again under the to the sport, with chemical giant boosts its attractiveness.” —Reuters the disaster. — AFP 26 Established 1961 Sports Thursday, March 21, 2019 Capitals alone atop Metro, Kuraly scores twice as Bruins blank Isles

Schwartz nets hat trick, Blues throttle Oilers

NEWARK: Brett Connolly had a goal and an assist, STARS 4, PANTHERS 2 and the Washington Capitals defeated the New Jersey Alexander Radulov scored two goals, including the Devils 4-1 on Tuesday night in Newark, N.J., to move winner with 9:28 to play in the third period, and Tyler into sole possession of first place in the Metropolitan Seguin had four assists to lift host Dallas to a victory Division. Andre Burakovsky, Evgeny Kuznetsov and over Florida. Dallas is now four points ahead of idle Tom Wilson also scored for Washington. Nicklas Arizona for the first wild-card spot in the Western Backstrom collected his 50th assist of the season, and Conference. Florida lost its second straight and is now Pheonix Copley made 20 saves. Kenny Agostino 4-2-0 in its past six games. Jamie Benn and John scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 18 saves for Klingberg collected the Stars’ other goals. Aleksander the Devils, who have lost two straight. Barkov tallied twice for the Panthers. BLUES 7, OILERS 2 AVALANCHE 3, WILD 1 Jaden Schwartz capped his hat trick with a power- Philipp Grubauer made 36 saves, Tyson Barrie, play goal at 18:48 of the third period as St. Louis Tyson Jost and Ian Cole scored, and Colorado won at defeated visiting Edmonton. David Perron added two Saint Paul, Minn. The Avalanche won their second in a goals and an assist, and Alex Pietrangelo and Pat row to tighten the Western Conference wild-card race. Maroon also scored for the Blues. Jordan Binnington Colorado moved within a point of the Wild and within made 15 saves to improve to 14-3-0 in his past 17 starts. two points of Arizona. The Coyotes currently hold the Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zack Kassian scored for the second wild-card spot. Zach Parise had a goal, and Oilers. Mikko Koskinen stopped 17 of 20 shots before Devan Dubnyk stopped 35 shots for Minnesota. The being pulled 5:42 into the second period after the Blues Wild have lost two in a row, and they fell to 2-7-3 in took a three-goal lead. Connor McDavid failed to tally a their past 12 home games. point, ending his 12-game scoring streak. PREDATORS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 0 FLAMES 4, BLUE JACKETS 2 Brian Boyle, Wayne Simmonds and Filip Forsberg Michael Frolik scored the winning goal in a two- scored goals, Pekka Rinne stopped 22 shots, and point night, and David Rittich was sensational while Nashville defeated visiting Toronto. Rinne has four making 31 saves as host Calgary defeated Columbus. shutouts this season, and the past two have been The Flames moved three points ahead of the San Jose against the Maple Leafs. He has 55 career shutouts. Sharks for top spot in the Pacific Division and the Ryan Johansen had two assists for the Predators, who Western Conference. While Rittich had incredible for- managed only 20 shots on goal but won their third in a tune on his side with the Blue Jackets ringing four row. Frederik Andersen finished with 17 saves for the NEWARK: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals tries to keep the puck as Blake Coleman #20 of the New pucks off iron, he was outstanding all game, including a Maple Leafs. Jersey Devils defends in the third period at Prudential Center on Tuesday in Newark, New Jersey. —AFP one-sided third period in which he stopped 11 shots. Andrew Mangiapane, Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew BRUINS 5, ISLANDERS 0 NY. The Bruins have won two straight following a three- for the Bruins. The Islanders lost for the second time in Tkachuk added goals for Calgary, which has won four Sean Kuraly scored two goals in a regular-season game game losing streak. Boston allowed 15 goals in the skid but three games (1-2-0). New York goalie Robin Lehner, who of its past five games. Zach Werenski and Oliver for the first time in his career, and Tuukka Rask stopped all has given up just one goal in its last two games. Jake played for the first time since sustaining what was believed Bjorkstrand scored for the Blue Jackets. 13 shots he faced as Boston cruised to a win at Uniondale, DeBrusk, Patrice Bergeron and Noel Acciari also scored to be a concussion on March 5, made 34 saves. — Reuters

We are delighted to be committed to spreading awareness of the importance Gulf Bank sponsors sponsoring the 2019 Mud of a healthy lifestyle and look forward to continuing Run and look forward to to spread the message. We can’t wait to see everyone BeInspired 2019 Mud cheering on this year’s on Saturday, and good luck to all participants!” New F1 grand prix participants. The health Launched in 2016, the BeInspired Series was cre- and wellness of the coun- ated by Inspire Pure Fitness, a truly unique fitness Run for third edition try is a cause close to the experience, and has seen over 500 runners take place can tap into Bank’s heart, and we are in previous editions. Inspire offers a multitude of out- committed to supporting door activities, including a triathlon club, swimming, Vietnam ‘passion’ KUWAIT: Kuwait’s muddiest and sandiest race and promoting the impor- tennis rock climbing, and a tennis club for all ages. returns for its third edition, as part of the 2019 tance of a healthy Open in two locations, Inspire Gym is spreading BeInspired Series. Held at Murouj Phase 3, partici- Ahmad Al Amir lifestyle.” awareness of the true definition of a healthy. for racing pants have the choice of either a 5km mud run, or a Ghada Hussein, CEO, Promoting health and fitness is a key pillar of Gulf 5km obstacle course. With 2 days to go before the Inspire Sahara Health Bank’s corporate social responsibility strategy. For HANOI: Formula One chief Jean Todt yesterday event, registration is filling up quickly. Secure your Club added: “The BeInspired Mud Run is a fun and more information about Gulf Bank’s corporate social hailed next year’s inaugural Vietnamese Grand spot and register now through the website: challenging approach to fitness. A crowd favourite, responsibility initiatives and activities, please log on Prix in Hanoi as a great opportunity to open doors https://www.events.pro-vision.com/ we are looking forward to this year’s edition, and to www.e-gulfbank.com or visit its social media for people with “a passion” for motorsport in Kicking off at 8.00am, this year’s race will be held thank Gulf Bank for their continued support. We are channels. Southeast Asia. at Al Murooj Phase 3 on the 23rd of March 2019. The communist Vietnamese capital will get its Spectators of the second event of the BeInspired first taste of the high-octane glitz and glamour of Mud run will enjoy a larger viewing area, with fantas- Formula One when it hosts its first grand prix from tic views of the race, allowing them to come down April next year as the sport bids to tap into new and support the runners while relaxing at one of Al markets in the region. Murooj’s numerous restaurants and cafes. Todt said he hoped Vietnamese fans seeing the Ahmad Al Amir, Assistant General Manager for likes of five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton External Communications, Gulf Bank, said of the and Sebastian Vettel battling wheel-to-wheel on series: “Last year’s edition of the Mud Run was a the streets of Hanoi would lead to an explosion of resounding success, attracting over 450 participants. in interest in racing of all kinds in football-mad Vietnam. “It’s... fantastic for the development of the motorsport in Vietnam and in the region,” Todt, Australia’s Zampa who president of motorsport’s world governing body the FIA, told reporters Wednesday at a Ponting backs groundbreaking ceremony for the new street cir- not counting on cuit in Hanoi. Khawaja to make “I really hope that soon here will also be facili- World Cup spot ties to host cart racing, drifting racing,” he added. Todt hopes the event will breed a new generation Australia’s World of Vietnamese drivers. “You have young people, MELBOURNE: The clamour in Australia to include talented with a passion for motorsports, that’s why Adam Zampa in the Cricket World Cup squad has Cup squad I think it’s very important to involve very quickly a reached fever pitch after his strong series in India new category of motorsport,” he said. but the legspinner feels his place is far from The 5.6 kilometre (3.5 mile) street track will assured. MELBOURNE: incorporate existing and yet-to-be-built roads in In-form batsman Usman The 26-year-old from Shellharbour, New South Khawaja should be part of Australia’s World the My Dinh area of Hanoi near the national sports Wales, played a key role in the 3-2 series comeback stadium, about 13 kilometres from the city centre. Cup plans despite the imminent returns of victory over Virat Kohli’s side, taking 11 wickets at Steve Smith and David Warner, former captain Organisers said they decided against holding an average of 25.81 to outduel India’s spinners on the race in Hanoi’s historical Old Quarter because Ricky Ponting has said. their own pitches and claim second on the wicket- Khawaja struck 383 runs, including two of logistical challenges and steep costs. Hanoi has taking list behind seamer Pat Cummins. bet big on the event’s popularity, signing a 10- centuries, in Australia’s 3-2 series win over It was a far cry from Zampa’s first tour of India in India earlier this month and Ponting is of the year multi-million-dollar deal with Formula One 2017 when hard-hitting India all-rounder Hardik last year reported in state media to be costing view that the left-hander opener had earned Pandya took to him with a gusto and declared he his place at the World Cup. “I think we all saw Vietnam $60 million per year. could “hit a six off him anytime”. Vietnam said it will not dip into government over the last few weeks just how skilful a play- “Throughout my short career I’ve found it can er Usman Khawaja is... and I think when you coffers to pay for the event but instead has change really quickly,” Zampa told reporters ahead secured full financial backing from the country’s see him play like that it just makes you wonder of Australia’s first training session in Sharjah ahead why he doesn’t do it a bit more regularly,” largest private conglomerate VinGroup. of the ODI series against Pakistan. “F1 is always considered the king of all races... Ponting told reporters on Tuesday. “I started my career really well, but I’ve had some “I would be surprised if Khawaja wasn’t in we have designed a challenging street circuit ups and downs. “So (I’m) trying to build on the imprinted with Vietnamese identity and architec- the (World Cup) squad. Khawaja could proba- momentum I have would be great-I know what it’s bly slot down at three when Warner comes in ture,” VinGroup deputy chairman Nguyen Viet like to be in and out of the team and be dropped Quang said at the ceremony. and Steve Smith might bat at four or five or from the squad altogether. something just to shore up those middle overs.” Vietnam is hoping to emulate the popularity of “(I’m) just trying to make the most of my position Singapore’s glittering night race and fill a void in Smith and Warner were suspended for their at the moment ... I guess taking it one series at a Adam Zampa roles in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa the region left after Malaysia pulled the plug on its time-it’s a bit of a clichÈ, but that’s how it is.” long-standing race in 2017 for cost reasons. last year and are set to be reintegrated into the Australia won the 2015 World Cup on home soil team ahead of the May 30-July 14 World Cup in Malaysia’s government, who had bankrolled the sand and just say we’re going with fast bowlers without a specialist slow bowler but wrist-spinners when spinners in world cricket, and in one-day England and Wales. Ponting, who led Australia event since its inception at Sepang in 1999, said have become a must-have in 50-over cricket and cricket in particular, are being very, very success- to World Cup glory in 2003 and 2007, said cur- they were no longer prepared to shell out $67 occupy half of the top-10 bowlers in the ICC world ful,” selector Trevor Hohns said earlier this week. rent skipper Aaron Finch would continue to lead million a year. Hanoi will hope avoid the problems rankings for the format. Batting team mate Shaun Marsh felt Zampa had the side at this year’s tournament but former that dogged Formula One’s ventures into South Zampa, who relies less on sharp turn and drift improved “out of sight” in the leadup to the May captain Smith could still be counted for advice. Korea in 2010 and India in 2011. and more on attacking the stumps with deliveries 30-July 14 World Cup. “It’s just his control now, he’s “(Smith) is still out on the field, so he can The first Korean Grand Prix was staged at the that skid off the pitch, bowled well in tandem with a bit more mature,” he said. help Aaron Finch out,” Ponting added. “I’d southern town of Yeongnam in 2010 under a deal offspinner Nathan Lyon in India. “He’s got a bit more of an understanding of what imagine that Aaron Finch would be leaning on supposed to last until 2016. But the annual event The pair are expected to continue their dual spin he’s trying to do out there. “I thought he did a fan- Steve Smith a lot for a bit of advice, maybe haemorrhaged money from the outset, with collat- assault against Pakistan in the five matches in the tastic job in all the games (in India) and he took leading into the games, as far as preparation is ed losses of around $170 million and the plug was United Arab Emirates. The first match starts on wickets at key times. He’s going to be a big part of concerned.” —Reuters pulled in 2013. — AFP Friday in Sharjah. “We can’t bury our heads in the this team moving forward.” — Reuters 27 Sports Thursday, March 21, 2019 Mariners smash Athletics in season opener in Tokyo Seattle have named Suzuki to their 28-player roster for Japan

TOKYO: Domingo Santana blasted a grand slam yes- they trim the squad to 25 on their return. terday to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 9-7 opening- In his first at-bat in the top of the third, Suzuki game victory over the Oakland Athletics in Tokyo. Tim popped a fly to second baseman Jurickson Profar. Beckham, who went three-for-three, fired a two-run Batting ninth, he chose to walk his second at-bat in shot in the fifth to contribute to the win. the top of the fourth. But for Japanese fans who packed Tokyo Dome, it But it was Suzuki’s final batting appearance for the was all about veteran star Ichiro Suzuki, whose sluggish evening. He went to the right field to start the bottom of performance was more than offset by his younger the fourth inning but was called back to be replaced by Seattle teammates. The Athletics began the offensive Daniel Vogelbach. early, with Stephen Piscotty hitting the first home run of Fans gave him a warm standing ovation as a smiling the season in the bottom of the first from Mariners left- Suzuki jogged back to the dugout where team mates hander Marco Gonzales who marked his career’s first received him with hugs. opening-day start. Suzuki, who has broken a number of MLB records But Santana’s homer to right field with all bases since sweeping to rookie of the year honours in 2001, loaded in the top of the third inning flipped the game to remains coy about his future after hitting just .080 in 5-2, and the Mariners never gave up their lead. “It was spring training. a great swing. Glad we got to win today,” Santana said. He stepped aside to take up a front office job last For the Athletics, Khris Davis fired a two-run homer season and is entering his 19th MLB campaign on a in the bottom of the third. In the seventh, Athletics’ minor league deal with the Mariners. Matt Chapman fired a three-run shot to make it 9-7, Japan’s most successful baseball export, in 2004 but that was the end of scoring. MLB held its season Suzuki broke an 84-year-old milestone for hits in a sin- opener in Japan for the first time in seven years, and gle season, finishing with 262 — five more than base- local fans focused on every move by Suzuki, 45, an ball legend George Sisler had in 1920. aggressive hitter with superb bat control but hardly on He subsequently became the first Major Leaguer to his top form. record 200 hits in 10 consecutive seasons, while also The opening series is expected to be the last time helping Japan win the World Baseball Classic in 2006 his compatriots get to see him play in their home town- and 2009. TOKYO: Seattle Mariners Tim Beckham (C) dives to the home plate past Oakland Athletics catcher Nick Hundley (R) and could mark his swansong after a storied career. Santana praised Ichiro’s presence on the team. “It in the top of the third inning during their baseball game at the Major League Baseball Japan Opening Series in Seattle have named Suzuki to their 28-player roster feels great. Even being part of his team ... is just awe- Tokyo yesterday. — AFP for Japan, but the former hitmaker could be cut when some. Just a dream come true,” he said. — AFP

Cup. I think we’re the only team who got into the semi- the zone” in front of goal ahead of a massive three Kane welcomes finals at the World Cup to have got through their months for club and country with Spurs set to face Nations League groups, and we had probably one of Manchester City in the Champions League quarter- the hardest groups. finals and in a battle for a top-four Premier League fin- great expectations “I think that was big for us, to prove to everyone that ish. “I never want to be injured, but I had that break Europe-based it wasn’t just a one-off. That this team we are really while I was injured and I’ve used that to make sure I’m on England building for something special in the future.” England’s fresh now,” he added. “I feel in that zone, where if I get chances of winning a major tournament for the first a chance, I’m going to put it away. You go through budding stars get time since 1966 next year will also be boosted by hav- spells like that during the season. BURTON-ON-TRENT: England should embrace their ing the majority of their games at Wembley. “Since I came back from injury, I feel like I’m sharp Olympic call-ups new-found status as one of the favourites for a major Both semi-finals and final will be held at the home of with a lot of energy, and that’s when I feel I’m at my tournament, believes captain Harry Kane. The Three English football, as well as at least two of England’s best.” Kane’s latest goal in a 2-1 defeat at Southampton Lions open their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign at group games should they qualify. “We know the chance was the 200th of his career, but at just 25, he hopes he in Africa home to the Czech Republic on Friday fresh from a run to play a Euros where most of the games are at home is can follow the example of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel to the last four of the World Cup last summer and with an amazing opportunity and you don’t often get that in Messi by maturing into an even more prolific goalscor- another semi-final to come in the Nations League in your career so we will try and make the most of it,” er late into his twenties. JOHANNESBURG: Young Africans on the books June. “I think we feel that expectation where people added Kane. “Nowadays with everything, sports science, I feel of clubs in top European leagues have been called now expect us to do well and I think before the World Despite Tottenham’s faltering form of late, Kane has the prime can be a bit later. “Maybe 28 to 30, that’s up for Olympic Games qualifying duty with 26 Cup there was no expectation. It is great that we have scored four times in five games since returning from a maybe when you’re going to be in your prime. If you matches scheduled between Wednesday and next turned that around,” said Kane on Tuesday. five-week injury layoff due to ankle ligament damage. keep yourself in shape-Ronaldo and Messi have proven Tuesday. “I think we’ve handled it really well since the World And the World Cup Golden Boot winner thinks he is “in that. I’ve still got a little bit to go.” — AFP Among them are two goalkeepers, Congolese Will-Cesaire Matimbou from Paris Saint-Germain and Ivorian Nicolas Tie from Chelsea. Defender Hamza Mendyl from Schalke 04 is one of several Moroccans based abroad selected for the home- Pogba wants and-away second-round eliminators. Congo Brazzaville, the Ivory Coast and Morocco are among the countries seeking overall ‘happy coach’ victories and places in the third qualifying round during June. The seven third-round winners join hosts Egypt in a November tournament where Solskjaer to stay three places at the Tokyo Olympics will be up for grabs. at Man Utd Olympics qualifiers are restricted to under-23 footballers with three over-age ‘wildcards’ per- mitted at the finals. Gelling the likes of Matimbou, Tie and Mendyl with home-based talent is one LONDON: Paul Pogba hopes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is challenge facing Olympic coaches. given the Manchester United manager’s job on a per- Another is compensating for the lack of manent basis after the Norwegian turned the club’s for- preparatory time, with South Africa coach David tunes around. Notoane probably speaking for all his counter- The former United striker has transformed the mood parts when he lamented the short build-up. and results at Old Trafford, leading the club into the “I would have loved more time to prepare Champions League quarter-finals and lifting them into because I share with all other Olympic football contention for a top-four finish in the Premier League. coaches in Africa the challenge of building a team When Solskjaer was given the role following the from scratch. “The harsh reality is that we have departure of Jose Mourinho in December it was widely very limited time to work on the training field so it assumed he was merely keeping the seat warm for a Marco Silva Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is essential to hit the ground running,” he told bigger managerial name but his success has led to a reporters. clamour for the appointment to be made full-time and Notoane had hoped to include Crystal Palace midfielder Pogba has now added his voice. Mourinho’s reign, with Pogba the player who was defender Nikola Tavares, born in Cape Town to “Of course we want him to stay,” the France mid- repeatedly claimed to be at odds with the Portuguese. Croatian parents. “He is a left-footed centre-back, Silva fined fielder told Sky Sports. “The results have been great. I He declined to elaborate, saying only: “Maybe we a rarity in our country at the moment, but his have a great relationship with him, he has a great rela- lost confidence, maybe things went wrong. A lot of talk- South African passport is out of date so I had to £12,000 for tionship with the players. ing outside that we weren’t used to. “I don’t like to talk omit him from the squad.” “When a player is happy, he wants to keep being about the past. I like to talk about the future because South Africa face a tricky start away to Angola happy. Solskjaer deserves it. He knows the club, he that’s what matters. We are better now and the results in Luanda Friday with the return match set for Newcastle outburst knows everything about the club. have been brilliant.” Johannesburg four days later. Morocco tackle the “He is a really happy coach that gave confidence Despite their good run, United were beaten by Democratic Republic of Congo, a strong football back to the players. This gave us the freedom to play Wolves in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, a nation at senior level but one that continually fails LONDON: Everton manager Marco Silva has and enjoy football again because maybe we lost that week after losing to Arsenal in the Premier League-the been fined £12,000 ($16,000, 14,000 euros) for to make an impact in age-limit competitions. with the results that we had before.” only two domestic defeats since Solskjaer replaced Congo Brazzaville are up against Burundi, who confronting match officials on the pitch following It is a striking contrast to the final months of Mourinho in December. — AFP his side’s 3-2 defeat at Newcastle earlier this snatched a second-round place on away goals month, the Football Association announced thanks to Cedric Mavugo netting with one minute Tuesday. left in Tanzania. The Ivory Coast squad that will “The Everton manager accepted an improper ahead of England’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Czech take on Niger includes Peru-based midfielder conduct charge from the FA, which resulted from Tottenham’s Trippier Republic. “There is a lot of competition. Me, Trent Edgar Dakoi and striker Loba Arnaud Ake, who his behaviour on the field of play at the end of the (Alexander-Arnold), Kyle (Walker), and you’ve got plays his club football in Mexico. Premier League fixture against Newcastle United looks to regain (Aaron) Wan-Bissaka playing really well for (Crystal) Nigeria, who won the 1996 Atlanta Olympics on March 9,” the FA said in a statement. Palace. “But I’m here now, and I need to impress to tournament, meet Libya with the first encounter in The Portuguese was furious at Newcastle’s try and start for England and do the best I can Tunisia for security reasons. Cameroon are the winning goal being allowed to stand despite what form with England between now and the end of the season.” other African country who have been Olympic he saw as “five Newcastle players in the same line Trippier, who was England’s first choice wing back champions, edging Spain on penalties with the in offside positions”, and confronted referee Lee at the World Cup in Russia, has struggled to hit the help of Samuel Eto’o in the 2000 Sydney Games Mason on the pitch before angrily questioning the same heights in Tottenham’s campaign having had title decider. linesman who had not raised his flag. LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur defender Kieran less than a month to rest before the new season got The central Africans have a bye to the third After the match-lost after Everton threw away a Trippier has blamed injuries for his lack of form this underway last August. round as opponents Sierra Leone were disquali- 2-0 half-time lead-Silva tore into the officials, say- season and the right back said he is aware of the “There have been games when I’ve looked back fied owing to a FIFA ban imposed last year over ing that for “the third goal it was a big mistake by competition for spots in England’s back line for their and thought, ‘I could have done this or that better,’” government interference. An Owusu Kwabena hat- the assistant, it was a clear offside...” Euro qualifiers this month. Trippier added. “People say coming back from the trick helped Ghana crush Togo in the first round But it was his move onto the pitch that led to England boss Gareth Southgate named three right World Cup and going straight back into it again is the and they confront Gabon next with Accra hosting the charge by the FA, English football’s governing backs in his squad for matches against the Czech reason but I don’t think it is. You pick up injuries. the first leg. body, and the fine by an independent regulatory Republic and Montenegro, and Trippier was called up “It would have been nice to have an extra week South Sudan, who caused a stir by eliminating commission. Everton are 11th in the Premier despite being sidelined with injury since a 1-1 Premier or something but the season came around early, Uganda last November, meet four-time Olympics League after responding to the Newcastle defeat League draw with Arsenal this month. so you’ve just got to get on with it.” England play qualifiers Tunisia and will once again be the by beating Chelsea 2-0 at the weekend. —AFP “I could have done a lot better this season. I’ve the Czech Republic at Wembley Stadium on underdogs. —AFP picked up a lot of injuries,” Trippier told reporters Friday. — Reuters Established 1961 Sport

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019

Wales kick off 2020 Six Capitals alone atop Metro, Kuraly Mariners smash Athletics 25Nations at home to Italy 26 scores twice as Bruins blank Isles 27 in season opener in Tokyo

Russell rallies Nets past Kings Capela, Harden fuel Rockets’ road win over Hawks

SACRAMENTO: Bogdan Bogdanovic #8 of the Sacramento Kings goes to the basket against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. — AFP

SACRAMENTO: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson ROCKETS 121, HAWKS 105 Minnesota trailed 59-47 entering the third season high with 28 points, and Nikola pleted a four-game season sweep of the scored the winning layup with 0.8 seconds Clint Capela posted his sixth straight quarter before going on a 14-2 run, tying Mirotic scored 23 while starting in place of Hornets. Their five-game winning streak is remaining as the Brooklyn Nets overcame double-double with 26 points and 11 the game at 61-all. That’s when Curry took Brogdon. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shot a season high. Charlotte has lost nine of its a 25-point, fourth-quarter deficit to post a rebounds, and visiting Houston topped over, scoring eight points in a 94-second 8-for-14 from 3-point range and scored a past 12. stunning 123-121 victory over the host Atlanta to extend its winning streak to span as the Warriors wrested control of season-high 35 points off the bench for Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night. three games. James Harden added 31 the game. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 26 Los Angeles. The Lakers, who played with- CLIPPERS 115, PACERS 109 D’Angelo Russell scored 27 of his career- points, sinking 11 of 12 from the line, and points and grabbed 21 rebounds for the out leading scorer LeBron James (groin), Danilo Gallinari scored 24 points, and high 44 points in the fourth quarter as the had 10 assists and eight rebounds. Danuel Timberwolves, who saw their six-game lost their fourth straight game and ninth in Montrezl Harrell added 20 as host Los Nets outscored the Kings 45-18 to House Jr. came off the bench to score 19, home win streak end. the past 10. Angeles improved its playoff prospects improve to 1-3 on a seven-game road trip. including six 3-pointers. Chris Paul scored with a win over Indiana. Rookie Shai Hollis-Jefferson scored 14 points on 6-of-7 13 and had 11 assists. Atlanta got 21 points BUCKS 115, LAKERS 101 76ERS 118, HORNETS 114 Gilgeous-Alexander added 17 points as the shooting and drove through the lane to and 12 assists from Trae Young, plus 20 Khris Middleton matched his season Ben Simmons scored 28 points, and JJ Clippers moved into a tie with the Utah convert the winning basket. Jarrett Allen points and 10 rebounds from John Collins. high with 30 points and grabbed 10 Redick had 27 points, 10 rebounds and Jazz for seventh place in the Western scored 13 points, and Spencer Dinwiddie Taurean Prince added 16 points, and Vince rebounds, and Milwaukee padded its lead eight assists as Philadelphia earned its fifth Conference. The Clippers and Jazz are just added 10 for Brooklyn. Marvin Bagley III Carter hit five 3-pointers and scored 15. atop the Eastern Conference with a win straight victory, beating host Charlotte. 2 1/2 games out of third place in a crowded scored 28 points, and De’Aaron Fox had over visiting Los Angeles. Playing without Tobias Harris hit three free throws in the Western Conference field. After scoring 27 points and nine assists for Sacramento. WARRIORS 117, TIMBERWOLVES 107 Giannis Antetokounmpo (ankle) and final 8.2 seconds, and the Hornets missed a just two points in the first half, Bojan Harrison Barnes scored 17 points, Nemanja Stephen Curry scored 22 of his 36 Malcolm Brogdon (foot), the Bucks extend- chance to tie the game when Jeremy Lamb Bogdanovic finished with 19 as the Pacers Bjelica had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and points in the third quarter, and Klay ed their lead over the second-place was off target on a drive in the lane with lost their third consecutive game, keeping Bogdan Bogdanovic added 10 points for Thompson added 28 points to lead Golden Toronto Raptors to three games with 11 left two seconds remaining. Jimmy Butler their playoff-clinching celebration on hold. the Kings. State past Minnesota at Minneapolis. for both teams. Brook Lopez matched his added 23 points for the Sixers, who com- Tyreke Evans also scored 19. — Reuters

country. In an email to AFP, a FIFA spokesman this also arrested along with a total of five other suspect- Detained Bangladeshi week said the footballing body was “monitoring this 21 athletes suspected ed accomplices. matter with concern”. The statement came a day after Graeber said the doping of the 21 athletes from rights group Amnesty International demanded five sports-three winter and two summer-took place FIFA official Mahfuza’s unconditional release, saying she “was mere- of blood doping: from 2011. ly exercising her to right to freedom of expression”. “The timeframe (of doping) is from the end of released from jail If she is found guilty, Mahfuza could be sentenced to German prosecutor 2011 to 2019 in Seefeld,” he told a news conference. a maximum two years in jail. The arrest of the FIFA offi- “There are three-figure cases of blood being tak- cial marks the latest attack on freedom of expression in en out and then being reintroduced worldwide. In DHAKA: A FIFA official detained for allegedly defam- Bangladesh, Amnesty said. BERLIN: At least 21 athletes from eight nations Germany, Austria, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, ing the Bangladeshi prime minister has been freed, her Rights groups have accused the Bangladeshi gov- across five sports are suspected of blood-doping Croatia, Slovenia and Hawaii.” No details on the lawyer said yesterday, in a case closely watched by ernment of using harsh laws to stifle dissent. Scores of linked to a German doctor who was arrested as part names of the athletes or their specific sports were football’s governing body and rights groups. people have been arrested under strict internet laws of an Austria-Germany doping raid last month, made available. The investigation is ongoing. Mahfuza Akhter, a FIFA council member since 2017 and cases have been filed against at least 200 people Munich’s state prosecutor Kai Graeber said yester- Since the arrests other Austrian athletes have and the national chief of women’s soccer, was arrested for making derogatory comments about Hasina online, day. Five athletes, including two Austrians, were ini- been implicated in blood doping. Earlier this Saturday after a local football organiser accused her of according to a cyber crime prosecutor. tially arrested on Feb. 27 at the Nordic skiing world month cyclist Georg Preidler told police he had making derogatory comments about Prime Minister Mahfuza’s arrest came months after Bangladesh championships in the Austrian resort of Seefeld. attempted doping. Sheikh Hasina. detained and charged award-winning photographer The arrests were part of a joint operation with Cross-country skier Johannes Duerr, whose inter- She was granted bail this week and released from Shahidul Alam with making “false” and “provocative” German police targeting a suspected international view with Germany’s ARD television in which he Dhaka central prison yesterday afternoon “after we statements in a televised interview in August. blood-doping ring believed to have been run out of admitted doping triggered the investigation and sub- completed all legal formalities”, said her lawyer Liakat He was jailed for 107 days-the photographer said he Germany. A doctor in the German city of Erfurt was sequent raids, was arrested on March 5. — Reuters Hossain. Mahfuza in a press conference last month crit- was badly beaten while in custody-and denied bail four icised Hasina for neglecting football in the cricket-mad times before being freed in November. — AFP