Page 16 baseball basketball THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Page 14 Established in 1977 / www.arabtimesonline.com THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021 / SHAWWAL 1, 1442 AH emergency number 112 NO. 17688 16 PAGES 150 FILS TELECOM CASE TESTS EFFICACY OF CONTRACTS WITH IRAN ‘Prove you didn’t fold to US sanction threat’ Ground assault feared BRUSSELS, May 12, (AP): European com- establish that there was an objective reason - panies doing business with Iran could face other than the fact that Bank Melli Iran was legal troubles if they have terminated their subject to primary sanctions - which justified contracts with Iranian banks or firms solely the termination of the contracts at issue.” because of fears about possible US sanctions, Telekom Deutschland says around half its according to a legal opinion handed down turnover is made in the United States and ar- Wednesday by a top EU court advisor. gues that the EU blocking statute shouldn’t The case centers around then President stop it terminating a contract without reason. Donald Trump’s 2018 decision to unilaterally But Hogan says Iranian banks or companies pull the United States out of the Iran nuclear may ask EU national courts to order that such agreement. The move sparked a series of US contracts be upheld. sanctions, some of them meant to prevent companies from doing business with Iran. Also: To protect European interests and help TEHRAN: Iran’s former hard-line President Iran’s moribund economy, the EU introduced Mahmoud Ahmadinejad registered Wednes- a “blocking statute” shielding companies in day to run again for the Islamic Republic’s the 27-nation bloc. However, many big firms presidency, raising the possibility that the do more business in the United States than in populist leader who rapidly advanced Tehran’s Iran and some quickly severed ties rather than nuclear program to challenge the West could risk running afoul of US sanctions. return to the country’s top civilian post. In Germany, Iran’s Bank Melli launched Ahmadinejad’s attempt to run again in 2017 legal action against Telekom Deutschland disregarded the words of Iran’s Supreme Leader after the telecommunications firm ended its Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had warned the contract with the Iranian bank’s branch in firebrand, Holocaust-questioning politician his Hamburg without providing a reason. standing for office would be a “polarized situ- In Wednesday’s legal opinion, Advocate ation” that would be “harmful for the county.” General Gerard Hogan said that European This time, however, Khamenei seemingly isn’t companies should justify why they are cutting directly challenging the candidacy of the 64-year- business ties with Iranian banks and enterpris- old former Tehran mayor, who joins a wide-open es to prove they aren’t simply caving in under election to replace the relatively moderate Presi- the threat of US sanctions. dent Hassan Rouhani. A council Khamenei The opinion is nonbinding, but the Euro- oversees ultimately will determine if Ahmadine- pean Court of Justice often follows such legal jad and other hopefuls can run in the June 18 poll. guidance and could well do so again when the As Iran negotiates with world powers over Luxembourg-based court rules on the case its tattered nuclear deal amid tensions with involving Bank Melli, Iran’s biggest bank, the US, the entry of Ahmadinejad could en- probably in coming months. liven an election that Iranians so far appear According to a statement, Hogan “con- unenthusiastic about during the coronavirus siders that it is for Telekom Deutschland to pandemic and crushing sanctions. Opinion Stinginess kills states, rainy day savings help in dry times Smoke caused by Israeli airstrikes are seen at a residential building in Gaza City, early Wednesday, May 12, 2021. (AP) By Ahmed Al-Jarallah your wishes will be fulfilled. But tell us Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times why do you make such strange wish- Kuwait rebuffs settlement schemes es?” AS a result of leaders being oblivious Alexander took a deep breath and to the concept of caring for their armies said, “I would like the world to know GAZA CITY, May 12, (Agencies): Rockets streamed endgame in sight. and people, there are countries in this the three lessons I have just learnt. Gaza’s Hamas rulers and other militant groups have fired bar- world that choose to hold back on out of Gaza and Israel pounded the territory with The lessons are ... I want my physi- airstrikes early Wednesday as the most severe out- rages of hundreds of rockets that at times have overwhelmed Isra- spending for the sake of fortifying their cians to carry my coffin so that people el’s missile defenses, causing air raid sirens and explosions to echo countries. This happens even though would realize that no doctor on this break of violence since the 2014 war took on many across Tel Aviv, Israel’s biggest metropolitan area, and other cities. such leaders are not spending from earth can really cure anybody. They their pockets, but from the state funds. hallmarks of that devastating 50-day conflict, with no Israeli airstrikes have leveled two apartment towers in the Gaza Strip, are powerless and cannot save a person where 2 million Palestinians have lived un- It was said long ago that the gener- from the clutches of death. ous one protects himself from invasion der a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade The second wish of strewing gold, since Hamas took power in 2007. Warning through generosity, and the invaders silver and other riches on the path to the opt for the stingy one because the lat- shots have allowed civilians to evacuate graveyard is aimed to tell people that Other Voices Newswatch the buildings, but the material losses will ter does not help people in times of dis- not even a fraction of gold will come be immense. Israel faced heavy criticism tress. Unfortunately, these invaders get with me. I spent all my life in greed over the tactic during the 2014 war. assistance from the people in confront- of power and in pursuit for riches but KUWAIT CITY: His Highness the Just after daybreak Wednesday, Is- ing their leaders. I cannot take anything with me. Let Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad rael unleashed dozens of airstrikes in the There are two such examples found in people realize that it is a sheer waste of Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Wednes- course of a few minutes, targeting police Misplaced honor day, exchanged congratulations Arab history which demonstrate the ex- time to chase wealth. cables with Arab and Islamic and security installations, witnesses said. tent that stinginess dismantles countries. About my third wish of having my A wall of dark gray smoke rose over Gaza The first happened during the reign By Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli countries leaders on the advent of hands dangling out of the coffin, I want Eid Al-Fitr. City. The Hamas-run Interior Ministry of the Umayyad Caliph Marwan bin people to know that I came empty Former Minister of Oil In the cables, His Highness the said airstrikes destroyed the central police Muhammad who hoarded wealth in- handed into this world and I go out of uwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), headed by its chief executive Amir wished many happy returns headquarters in Gaza City, a compound stead of spending on the army and this world empty handed”. Kofficer (CEO), has by far testified that it has given the petroleum of the dear occasion for both Arab with several buildings. people. All the prestige he had achieved sector emperors, fundamentalists and others the free hands over the and Islamic nations. (KUNA) The death toll in Gaza rose to 43 Pal- The second example is the time when throughout his life did not come in corporation without any accountability, letter or a glimmer of hope in ❑ ❑ ❑ estinians, including 13 children and three the Mongol ruler Hulago Khan crushed handy during the time of Alexander’s terms of stopping the multi-million operational anomalies in our oil women, according to the Health Ministry. KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s Min- Nearly 300 people have been wounded, the Abbasids Dynasty due to its stin- death. industry. This industry has been experiencing the worst period in its istry of Health has announced giness in spending on the army and life since the nationalization of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), as well including 86 children and 39 women. Neither his wealth, which went to his recording 1,153 new coronavirus Six Israelis, including three women and people. heirs, benefited him nor his pride in the as the establishment of the remaining service and operational petro- infections and eight related deaths Due to the stinginess of its ruler leum companies by the government of the State in the past 24 hours. a child, were killed by rocket fire Tues- victories, cheers and applause. day and early Wednesday, and dozens of Al-Mu’tasim Billah, the dynasty was There is no doubt that the moral of of Kuwait. The new fi gures take the total presented to Hulago on a silver platter. Millions are wasted without any accountabil- cases in the country up to 287,199 people were wounded. this story is that wealth is a means to An Associated Press journalist at a For a while, he subduedly fulfilled the bring life into the arteries of the state ity. This wastage was initiated by a fundamen- and deaths to 1,660 respectively, demands in of the invaders despite the talist minister under the pretext that the money noted the ministry’s spokesman hospital in Gaza City saw five dead and and revitalize its people but it is not the came from the Future Generations Fund, not Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad in state- seven wounded, including women, from dynasty’s rule for five centuries, culmi- end goal except for those who assume an Israeli airstrike that hit a car in the city.