SUBSCRIPTION MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017 SHABAN 12, 1438 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Central Bank Nigeria swaps Rouhani faces Arsenal beat to apply sharia 82 Chibok protests at site United, Wenger governance girls for Boko of deadly gets better of by yearend3 Haram prisoners7 mine collapse8 Mourinho20 Macron elected French Min 28 º Max 37º president in landslide High Tide 10:48 & 23:10 Low Tide Country’s youngest-ever leader faces huge challenge 04:35 & 17:05 40 PAGES NO: 17221 150 FILS PARIS: Pro-European centrist Emmanuel conspiracy theories Amir meets Egypt president Macron resoundingly won France’s land- mark presidential election yesterday, first estimates showed, defeating far-right WikiLeaks Kuwait leader Marine Le Pen in a pivotal vote for the future of the divided country and Europe. At 39, the former investment banker will be the country’s youngest- ever leader and faces a huge challenge to heal a fractured and demoralized coun- try. The vicious election campaign has exposed deep economic and social divi- By Badrya Darwish sions, as well as tensions around identity and immigration. Initial estimates showed Macron win- [email protected] ning between 65 percent and 66.1 per- cent of the ballots - a higher than expect- ed score - and Le Pen scoring between 33.9 percent and 35 percent. Unknown Emmanuel Macron hat’s this new war we are seeing nowadays three years ago, Macron is now poised to spokesman said it was a “victory for a in Kuwait? Every day we have a surprise become one of Europe’s most powerful strong and united Europe”, while EU Wabout scandals involving well-known and leaders, bringing with him a hugely ambi- Commission President Jean-Claude influential people. I’m sorry guys - I cannot publish tious agenda of political and economic Juncker said French voters had chosen a their names as the newspaper could be accused of reform for France and the European “European future”. After Britain’s vote last damaging unity and solidarity in Kuwait. But social Union. The result will resonate worldwide year to leave the EU and Donald Trump’s media, which seems to be held to a lower standard, and particularly in Brussels and Berlin victory in the US, the French election had is full of reports of scandals and scams and kick- where leaders will breathe a sigh of relief been widely watched as a test of how backs and corruption in major ministries, involving KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receives Egyptian that Le Pen’s anti-EU, anti-globalization high a tide of right-wing nationalism influential people. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi at Bayan Palace yesterday. — KUNA (See Page 2) program has been defeated. would rise. Everyone in Kuwait is sharing WhatsApp mes- German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Continued on Page 13 sages with documents, recorded conversations, etc. The problem is that you can never really verify if these are authentic or fabricated, or just people slic- Food bank signs contract with ing each other up for what reason I don’t know. But what surprises me is how do these whistleblowers get their hands on such secret documents or record- ings? Supposing even some of it is true, who has Quaker for 1,000 food baskets such access to secret documents, deals and details about anyone, including how much he took, what KUWAIT: Kuwait Food Bank Society (KFBS) was the correspondence, etc, etc. I’m pretty sure it’s announced signing a contract with ALTCO not the farrash (janitor) who cleans the office. (Quaker) to provide the bank with 1,000 food This week has reminded me of Julian Assange baskets including various Quaker products. and his WikiLeaks drama. But more seriously, I have The contract was signed at the food bank’s to wonder why this drama appeared all of the sud- headquarters by KFBS Secretary General Salem Ali Al-Hamar and ALTCO General den and focused on certain well-known families. Manager George Sassine in a ceremony What’s cooking? I’ve noticed lately a lot of interest- attended by both sides’ officials. ing activities happening in Kuwait and lots of past A press release issued by KFBS said with stories showing up again on the surface, like the natural ingredients of high nutritional value dead fish in the harbor. and no preservatives, Quaker products are Seems to me like every year at the beginning of the finest food products worldwide, and this the summer, we see a seasonal ‘political’ El Nino. Just was the reason KFBS is keen on including when Kuwaitis are getting ready for Ramadan and them in food baskets to be distributed to starting their summer breaks, suddenly everything needy families in Kuwait. Hamar said that as part of its charitable activities, KFBS will dis- starts ‘breaking’ at home. We are a small society in tribute 1,000 food baskets to needy families Kuwait and we all know each other. I find this dis- during Ramadan. KFBS has also signed agree- Bader Al-Kharafi tasteful and vulgar. We should investigate corrup- ments with other major local foodstuff com- prominent Kuwaiti businessman Bader Al- tion where it exists. But the glee with which people panies to cover the basic needs of 5,700 Kharafi established the Kuwait Food Bank in blast it out across the society, I don’t think they needy families in Kuwait, including clothes, 2016 in order to reduce food waste and help always mean well for Kuwait. Maybe they them- blankets and food coupons. families in need by providing them with basic selves are involved in bigger issues and are just stir- On his part, Sassine said the contract will foodstuffs and other items. The food bank KUWAIT: ALTCO General Manager George Sassine (left) and Kuwait Food Bank ring up trouble or camouflaging something else. benefit needy families. He also expressed aims to become a leader in charitable work, Society Secretary General Salem Ali Al-Hamar sign a contract to provide the bank pleasure over winning KFBS’ trust. Notably, both locally and regionally. with 1,000 food baskets. MP Hayef says government delaying citizenship return Maid company to start operations in Sept By B Izzak Meanwhile, the Assembly’s health and labor committee discussed yesterday the 20,000 expatriates KUWAIT: Islamist opposition MP implementation of a law to set up a com- Mohammad Hayef yesterday charged pany for the recruitment of domestic SHANGHAI: Nicole Kushner Meyer (third left), the sister of US White House senior deported in 2016 that the government was deliberately helpers, head of the committee said. MP adviser Jared Kushner, poses at a promotional event yesterday. — AFP delaying the implementation of an Saad Al-Khanfour said the company is KUWAIT: According to the interior ministry’s resi- agreement to reinstate the citizenships scheduled to start operations at the start dency affairs directorate statistics, 19,730 expats of revoked from opposition figures. Hayef of September and its offices have already Trump son-in-law’s sis woos various nationalities were deported in 2016, ie 54 a day, who have no right to return to Kuwait unless also criticized National Assembly Speaker been readied. The lawmaker said that the China ‘golden visa’ investors they are granted an exemption by the interior minis- Marzouq Al-Ghanem over his “negative” cost of the recruitment will drop by half ter. The statistics showed that over 1,000 expats had role in the issue, saying that the speaker’s when the company starts, adding that it SHANGHAI: The sister of White House administration. However, eyebrows have been deported on direct orders of the interior min- practices in this issue are unacceptable. will have offices for police screening and senior adviser Jared Kushner urged been raised as the Chinese investment istry’s assistant undersecretary for passports and cit- The government has formed a high-lev- medical tests. The domestic helper will be wealthy Chinese yesterday to buy stakes sought by his family firm will be fun- izenship affairs Maj Gen Mazen Al-Jarrah, 2,741 were el committee to study the cases of Kuwaitis handed over to the employer only after in real estate through a controversial pro- nelled through the US EB-5 visa program. deported by airport authorities and 15,896 by the who had their citizenship revoked by the undergoing the necessary medical tests gram that offers US residency in exchange This offers foreigners permanent resi- deportation department. government for a variety of reasons. They and police screening. He said the compa- for investment. Nicole Kushner Meyer was dency - commonly known as a green Statistics also showed that 11,191 expats were include at least four leading opposition fig- ny will provide distinguished services not in Beijing Saturday and in Shanghai yes- card - in exchange for investment of at blacklisted for sponsoring others and issuing various ures and their family members, who had available at existing recruitment offices. terday, seeking more than $150 million in least half a million dollars in a US busi- types of visas, be they for domestic helpers or their citizenships revoked almost three MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri said yesterday investment in a luxury apartment com- ness that must also create 10 American dependents. In addition, statistics showed that 880 years ago. Following November’s election that the decision on the non-coopera- plex project in New Jersey. jobs. Meyer told a crowd of more than companies had been inspected and 526 were closed in which the opposition made a good tion motion against the prime minister Jared Kushner, 36, is both a senior 100 potential investors at the Four down, including three owned by first-degree rela- showing, the government pledged to rein- will be taken only after the debate of the adviser and the son-in-law of US Seasons Hotel in Shanghai that her tives of former ministers and lawmakers.