JAMADA ALAWWAL 11, 1439 AH SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018

Max 25º 32 Pages Min 10º 150 Fils Established 1961

ISSUE NO: 17442 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net

Kuwait down three spots in ‘Deportados Brand’: Mexicans HSBC side-steps high-profile Wozniacki beats Halep 5 Human Freedom Index report 11 stand up to Trump with T-shirts 17 Qatar deals in Gulf gauntlet 16 to win Australian Open

Saudi billionaire Alwaleed released after ‘settlement’

Top broadcaster, other tycoons also freed as anti-graft probe winds down

RIYADH: Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin above. Guards cracked jokes and drank coffee. His office conspiracy theories Talal, one of the kingdom’s top international business- said the prince was out visiting family, but declined to men, was released from detention yesterday, more than give any details. Prince Alwaleed had been confined at two months after he was taken into custody in a sweep- the Ritz-Carlton since early November, along with Big Yes! ing crackdown on corruption. His release came hours dozens of other senior officials and businessmen, part of after he told Reuters in an interview at Riyadh’s opulent Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to reform oil Ritz-Carlton hotel that he expected to be cleared of any superpower Saudi Arabia and consolidate his position. wrongdoing and be freed within days. The attorney general said earlier this week that 90 A senior Saudi official said Prince Alwaleed was freed detainees had been released after their charges were after he reached a financial settlement with the attorney dropped, while others traded cash, real estate and other By Badrya Darwish general. “The attorney general has approved this morn- assets for their freedom. The authorities were still hold- ing the settlement that was reached with Prince Alwaleed ing 95 people, he said. Some are expected to be put on bin Talal, and the prince returned home at 1100 am trial. An official Saudi source said on Friday that several (0800 GMT),” the official told Reuters, without giving prominent businessmen had reached financial settle- details of the terms. ments with the authorities, including Waleed Al-Ibrahim, [email protected] The decision to free him, and the release of several owner of regional television network MBC, who was other well-known tycoons on Friday, suggested the main released. Terms of his settlement were not revealed. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal part of the corruption probe was winding down after it Ibrahim held a family gathering at his residence after sent shockwaves through Saudi Arabia’s business and his release, three MBC employees told AFP on condition ed on his case. Saudi authorities have said they expect to ately in Kuwait, the news is dominated by sto- political establishment. The Ritz-Carlton is set to reopen of anonymity. The staff also received an official email raise some $100 billion for the government through such ries of expats (wafedeen). At the top of the for business next month, sources at the hotel have said. congratulating them on his freedom. The Financial Times settlements - a huge windfall for the state, which has hour is the dispute between Kuwait and the L Its website lists rooms as available from Feb 14. reported earlier Friday that authorities had ordered seen its finances squeezed by low oil prices. Some pri- Philippine government over the treatment and rights Outside Prince Alwaleed’s Riyadh palace, dozens of Ibrahim to hand over his controlling stake in MBC to vate analysts think that target will be hard to hit, given of domestic helpers and laborers. Of course, I sec- cars lined the entrances as a huge Saudi flag flapped secure his release. Authorities have so far not comment- Continued on Page 11 ond Philippine President Duterte’s zealous defense of his citizens. I salute his courage. The man has a history of patriotism and fighting corruption, spe- cially the drug cartels, which are a massive power in the Philippines. Ambulance bomb Back in Kuwait, we’ve been hiring Filipina domes- tic workers for more than 30 years. Why, for God’s kills 95 in Kabul sake, hasn’t there been in the course of all these years a single, proper comprehensive study to KABUL: An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a understand the problems and challenges which crowded area of Kabul yesterday, killing at least 95 peo- domestic helpers and employers face. The problems ple and wounding 158 others, officials said, in one of the go both ways, although the latter face less. biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years. There are problems, of course, but overall, The Taleban-claimed assault - the second carried out by domestic labor benefits Kuwait and its people, and the militant group in the Afghan capital in a week - trig- let’s face it, they contribute greatly to our daily lives. gered chaotic scenes as terrified survivors fled the area So let’s give them their rights and respect and digni- scattered with body parts, blood and debris, and hospi- ty. Maybe the rules in the ministry protect domestic tals were overwhelmed by the large number of wounded. workers now with the new domestic labor law, but It came as both the insurgents and the Islamic State the law is not widely implemented. Helpers are sup- group have escalated their attacks on Kabul, one of the posed to get a salary every month, a day off per deadliest places in Afghanistan for civilians. An AFP week, no more than 12 hours of work per day, one reporter saw “lots of dead and wounded” civilians in the month of salary for each year worked as indemnity Jamuriate hospital, which is meters away from the blast and a decent place to live and food to eat. And it and where medical staff struggled to treat the bloodied goes without saying they deserve humane and men, women and children lying on the floor in corridors. respectful treatment as human beings who are just Health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh told AFP doing their job. Continued on Page 11 KABUL: Afghan volunteers carry bodies at the scene of a car bomb in front of the old interior ministry building yesterday. —AFP How can this be accomplished? Is it too difficult for the government to set up a special organization tasked with monitoring the implementation of this law? And don’t laugh at me and say: “What? You Pressing Syrian want an organization to watch over the maids?” I say: “Yes! Big Yes!” Because every single household in Kuwait has at least one or two domestic helpers. offensive, Turkey So it is an issue - a major issue - and we cannot close our eyes to it. urges US pullback Let’s explain how this organization can work: First, every new arrival to Kuwait should be given at AZAZ, Syria: Turkey yesterday urged the United least basic information on how to contact her States to withdraw personnel from a Kurdish-held town embassy, the organization overseeing the law, what in northern Syria after Washington told Ankara it would are her basic rights and responsibilities and what she stop arming a Syrian Kurdish militia that Turkey is can do if she’s unpaid, abused or in need of help. fighting. As Turkey’s offensive in Syria entered its sec- Second, there needs to be regular follow-up in ond week with new air strikes and artillery, Foreign three-month or six-month intervals with helpers - Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said it was “necessary for especially those who are new arrivals - to ensure them (US) to immediately withdraw from Manbij”, that they are being treated fairly. We have so many where Washington has a military presence. qualified young men and women who can be trained Turkey launched operation “Olive Branch” on Jan 20 to act as social workers to follow up and ensure the against the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units health and wellbeing of all domestic workers. (YPG) militia in its western enclave of Afrin, supporting The municipality sends inspectors to restaurants Syrian opposition fighters with ground troops and air to ensure food is safe for consumption. Can’t we strikes. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threat- send inspectors at least to look after the welfare of ened to expand the offensive against the YPG to the people who are working inside our homes, serv- Manbij, east of Afrin. Relations between NATO allies ing our food and taking care of our children? Ankara and Washington have worsened since Turkey Doesn’t that seem like an important thing to do? launched an operation, with the United States urging Continued on Page 11

ered the core of the problem, especially since their Govt grapples with numbers are over 1.8 million. The source said all recommendations and results related to correcting the structure that were reached 1.8m loose laborers by the higher committee to study the population KUWAIT: A government source has admitted that structure or other committees will face the obstacle of the correction of the population structure in Kuwait is marginal and loose laborers who are in the country for not possible, according to a report in Al-Rai daily yes- years, adding that the great majority of these residents terday. He said the solutions proposed by a higher are not known and cannot be located. committee that was formed in 2014 to remedy the He said inspection campaigns against residency demographic imbalance remain only on paper, violators remain the only possible solution currently to describing the process as “very difficult”. The source eradicate the problem, adding that chasing hundreds said it is not possible to rectify the defect the country of thousands of violators is not easy and needs large is suffering from due to the inability of the state to manpower and a long period. contain marginal and loose labor, and this is consid- Continued on Page 11 2 Established 1961 Local Sunday, January 28, 2018 Iraq eager to boost cultural, media ties with Kuwait: Minister Kuwaiti media delegation’s visit reflects Iraq’s care for Kuwait

BAGHDAD: Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism and Al-Rashed, KUNA Deputy General Director for the Antiquities Firyad Rawanduzi said that the joint cultur- Editorial Department and Chief Editor Saad Al-Ali, al and media activities contributes to bridge relations Undersecretary of the External Media at the Ministry of between Iraq and Kuwait. Rawanduzi made his Information Faisal Al-Mutallqem and Editor-in-Chief of remarks on Thursday during a meeting with the the daily newspaper, Al-Anbaa. It also includes Hassan Kuwaiti media delegation visiting the Capital Baghdad, Al-Sayegh from the Premier Diwan and other renowned adding, “media and culture can play an important role journalists and media figures. The conference for in improving the relationship between the two nations.” rebuilding Iraq is due on February 12-14 in Kuwait. It He said that the year of 2018 will bring together a number will witness a remarkable of donors, regional and inter- growth in mutual cultural national organizations name- activities, as many of the ly the United Nations, the Iraqi cultural delegations will Media, culture European Union and the visit Kuwait in the next few World Bank. months. He stressed the play key role in importance of activating the Successful mission social relations between improving ties The Kuwaiti media dele- Kuwaiti and Iraqi people, gation’s visit to Baghdad noting to the historical depth reflected Iraqi government of this relationship, which and people’s care towards based on common history Kuwait, and the journalists’ and neighborhood. mission was successful by all standards, Rashed, who is The Iraqi minister appreciated the visit of the Kuwaiti also the visit’s coordinator, said on Friday. “The mission BAGHDAD: A group photo of members of the Kuwaiti media delegation, including Kuwait Times media delegation, stressing that it has reflected Kuwait’s comes as an extension to the Kuwaiti official efforts Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan (right), with Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism and interest in Iraq in the post-Saddam Hussein era. The exerted to boost and enhance bilateral ties with Iraq,” Antiquities Firyad Rawanduzi (center). — Photo by Mustafa Al-Bader Kuwaiti delegation ended its visit to the Iraqi capital he said. The visit included meetings with local senior Baghdad, where they met with a number of government officials in the cabinet, parliament, media institutions, officials and heads of political parties to consider the and political parties, he added. Kuwaiti delegation visit. The Kuwaiti media figures During the meetings, they tackled the security and Iraq reconstruction conference to be hosted in Kuwait Rashed thanked Iraqi Ministries of Foreign Affairs met the Iraqi Premier, Parliament Speaker, Vice political stability in Iraq, as well as discussing prepara- in mid-February. The Kuwaiti delegation includes and Information, as well as the Iraqi Embassy in Presidents, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense, tions for the upcoming Iraq’s reconstruction confer- Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan, Kuwait, Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate (IJS), and Iraqi Interior, Planning, Industry, Oil, and Culture, along with ence, and means of attracting Kuwaiti investors to Secretary of the Kuwaiti Journalists Association Adnan media institutions that intensively followed up on the other senior officials. boost Iraqi trade and industry. — KUNA

Diplomats hosted at Azayez farm

KUWAIT: Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber Al-Sabah hosted diplomats at his Azayez farm in Al-Abdali on Friday. Several ambassadors, Foreign Ministry officials and other dignitaries attended the annual gathering. —Photos by Joseph Shagra Established 1961 3 Local Sunday, January 28, 2018 New study to reintroduce railway project to investors: Minister

KD 5.3 billion expected cost for public private partnership project

By A Saleh vate partnership projects decided to expected to continue after the recov- ence of the approve the feasibility studies of the ery of oil prices. Meanwhile, the hotel chamber’s KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works project, the minister said. On Feb 7, sector in the Middle East witnessed a president. The and State Minister for Municipality the committee agreed to start by drop in 2017 of 1.1 percent in occu- meeting comes Affairs Hussam Abdullah Al-Roumi offering the project for investment, he pancy rates at 65 percent, while on the heels of said another study will be conducted added. prices dropped by 4.5 percent. committee Kuwait donates to reintroduce the railway project to rapporteur MP investors. He said a technical financial Nine percent Labor cities Saleh Ashour $2.4 million to study is being prepared to lay down STR, a firm specialized in hotel Sources said the international receiving an the implementation mechanism by research, said the hotel sector in advisor for the labor cities project is answer to his which the total cost of the project will Kuwait saw a nine percent increase in preparing the project’s specifications, question from UN agencies be reduced through its as five companies and inter- Deputy Hussam Abdullah execution by the roads national conglomerations Premier and Al-Roumi NEW YORK: The State of Kuwait announced late Friday authority, like Jaber Bridge, have been qualified to par- State Minister voluntary donations amounting to $2.397 million for aid while partnership should ticipate in tenders for the for Cabinet programs of the UN agencies. According to a statement by be during operation and Nine percent South Jahra project. They Affairs Anas Al-Saleh that the govern- the Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United maintenance stages. said the specifications will ment sent a proposed law with increase Nations, the contribution was delivered to several UN pro- Roumi, responding to a be submitted to the bidding regards to the chamber in a decree grams including the UN Central Emergency Response question from MP Osama committee before submitting no. 97/2010, and it is still at the in hotel Fund, (CERF), UN Development Program (UNDP), UN Al-Shaheen, said the it to the higher committee National Assembly. Human Settlements Program, UN Children’s Fund expected cost for intro- and the start of receiving occupancy (UNICEF), UN Environment Program (UNEP), and UN ducing and executing the offers. The project aims at Automated link Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of project with public private reducing the presence of An official source at the Manpower Women. Moreover, the Kuwaiti aid will also fund the UN partnership is KD 5.3 bil- laborers in families’ residen- Public Authority said the labor need Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the UN lion. The government will tial areas and improve the estimation department completed the Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, the UN housing be committed to pay the total cost of occupancy during 2017, reaching 56.7 standard of living of the workers by automated link with the traffic fund, and the UN Fund for Drug Abuse Control, it added. the project, with annual payments of percent. They said the average room charging reasonable rents. department with regards to issuing Separately from the abovementioned sum, the Kuwaiti per- KD 177.5 million for 30 years. He said price dropped by 4.7 percent to records that shows the historic regis- manent mission delivered $900,000 to the bureau of the the project is not finalized yet, so the reach KD 62.1, compared to a rise in ter of private cars in companies and Chamber of Commerce UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the roads authority decided to restudy it the average return of a hotel room by The financial and economic affairs establishments. The source said the Near East (UNRWA), $100,000 for the United Nations due to the large financial commit- 3.7 percent to reach KD 35.23. They committee will hold a meeting today automated linkage is being made with Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) ments over a long period. said these results are due to a rise in to discuss a proposed law to regulate the Agriculture Public Authority with and $50,000 to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the On June 5, 2016, the decision of the demand, which saw an increase esti- the work of the Kuwait Chamber of regards to all farming licenses, be it in statement added. — KUNA higher committee for the public pri- mated at 12 percent. The growth is Commerce and Industry in the pres- the plant or animal sectors.

key role in boosting the national econo- KFH holds my and revitalizing the private sector market. This festival, that brings together all coffee festival the coffee specialists and lovers under one umbrella, contributes in opening in collaboration new horizons for visitors to get acquainted with the success stories of the Kuwaiti entrepreneurs, while paving with Cofe App the way for establishing relationships with suppliers and industry pioneers and specialists. KUWAIT: Kuwait Finance House (KFH) KFH team is accessible to visitors at a held in collaboration with Cofe App the booth where free coffee is offered to first-of-its-kind coffee festival in Kuwait Hesabi account holders. KFH attaches at Al-Hamra tower. This comes as part special interest to the youth segment of the bank’s endeavors to support the and provides them with unprecedented Kuwaiti youth activities, while encour- discounts and offers to meet their aging the entrepreneurship that plays a expectations.

KFH booth at the festival.

Huge visitors’ turnout.

He said he was in the Philippines in KRCS chief order to open a Kuwaiti humanitarian village in Samar in Visayas Province, east of the Philippines, which was hit by stresses Kuwait’s typhoon in November 2013 and left thousands of people dead and caused humanitarian stupendous damage nationwide. The Kuwaiti Humanitarian Village is aid to affected home to 297 housing units, he said, quoting His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- people Jaber Al-Sabah as having announced a bountiful donation of $10 million in KUALA LUMPUR: Kuwait Red Crescent emergency relief aid to typhoon-hit Society (KRCS) Chairman Hilal Al-Sayer people in the Philippines. It took a cou- yesterday underlined the significance of ple of years to complete the humanitar- development projects for people affect- ian project, with relevant international ed by natural disasters. Upon arrival in safety criteria having been met, the the Philippines today to launch a Kuwaiti KRCS chief boasted. The KRCS was in humanitarian project there, Sayer said the forefront of the societies which had that the Kuwait-funded humanitarian ini- immediately responded to calls for tiatives mirror Kuwait’s bright image humanitarian and relief aid to the worldwide. Philippines, he pointed out. — KUNA 4 Established 1961 Sunday, January 28, 2018 Local

Photo of the Day

KUWAIT: A bird looking for food during a low tide at a beach in Doha. —KUNA photo Zain strategic partner of 10th Int’l Invention Fair Middle East Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company Middle East since previous years. Khashti appreciated the in Kuwait, announced its strategic partnership of the 10th pioneering role of the scientific club and the participation International Invention Fair Middle East. The event is held of Kuwait in the scientific and international forums. He under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh added that Kuwait has no less experience and knowledge Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and runs from 28-31 in its scientific level than its counterpart in the world, and it January 2018 in Arraya Ballroom at the Courtyard Marriott is capable of being the first in the world in the field of sci- Hotel. Zain will be participating in the opening ceremony entific inventions when it is provided with sufficient sup- through its own booth, which will serve as a platform for port from the private sector. all visitors wishing to know more about the company’s lat- The International Invention Fair is one of the most sig- est offerings and promotions. nificant and largest specialized exhibitions of inventions in Zain’s support of this major event since its inception is the Middle East, and is considered as the second largest part of the company’s Corporate Sustainability and social exhibition of its kind in the world. The event is part of the Responsibility strategy, which aims at supporting the sci- International Exhibition of Geneva, and offers an opportu- entific arena and contribute to the further development of nity for inventions from different cultures to be exhibited the scientific field in Kuwait and the region. The Invention and the strengthening of relationships among inventors Fair Middle East brings together a large number of local, and investors. regional, and international inventors who jointly exchange Zain is keen on encouraging Kuwaiti and Arab talents, knowledge and experiences. especially Kuwaiti inventors, in the fields of science and Zain’s Corporate Communications and Relations innovation side by side with international experts. Zain Director Waleed Al-Khashti noted that the private sector supports such areas as it believes it offers a valuable role is important in supporting such scientific activities and opportunity for young inventors to benefit from the encouraging the Kuwaiti youth by raising the level of per- expertise and knowledge of international inventors. The formance and refining skills to reach international levels. company will continue to foster young talents, believing He also pointed out that the company was one of the first that the current generation of youngsters holds the keys to KUWAIT: Chairman of Kuwait Science Club Talal Al-Kharafi (center) with Zain’s representative Ahmed supporters of the International Inventions Fair in the the future development of Kuwait. Abul during the press conference to announce the launch of the exhibition.

Kuwait chronicles UNESCO chief lauds Amir relics buried for boosting development in seabed

PARIS: The UNESCO chief on KUWAIT: The National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters Friday lauded His Highness the Amir (NCCAL) is currently cooperating with a team of Polish experts to Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber locate and chronicle relics submerged in Kuwait’s territorial waters, Al-Sabah for his remarkable role for the council said in a statement on Friday. The council indicated that the boosting development and culture in work is in line with the Convention on the Protection of the the Middle East. Director General of Underwater Cultural Heritage, adopted on November 2, 2001, by the the United Nations Educational, General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Scientific and Cultural Organization, Cultural Organization (UNESCO). KUWAIT: Experts conduct a survey of submerged relics off Failaka Audrey Azoulay, praised His The convention is intended to protect “all traces of human exis- island. —KUNA photos Highness’ humanitarian role during a tence having a cultural, historical or archaeological character” which meeting with the State of Kuwait’s have been under water for over 100 years. This extends to the protec- Ambassador to France Sami Al- tion of shipwrecks, sunken cities, prehistoric art work, treasures that Suleiman. The Kuwaiti envoy hand- may be looted, sacrificial and burial sites, and old ports that cover the ed over to the UNESCO chief an oceans’ floors. NCCAL’s statement indicated that the task is according invitation from Deputy Prime to Law 10/2017, approving the Paris convention for protecting the Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh submerged treasures-published by the official gazette on May 7, 2017. Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah Kuwait has little experience with respect of exploring, preserving to partake in the planned interna- and salvaging such relics from the seabed, thus the task warrants tional conference for reconstructing training Kuwaiti archeologists on diving and dealing with the antiqui- Iraq. She expressed her keen readi- ties deep in the waters. Moreover, competent authorities need to sur- ness to partake in the event, due in PARIS: Director General of UNESCO vey the sea depths, drawing maps of locations concealing such treas- Kuwait on February 12-14. The two Audrey Azoulay (Right) meets with ures and coordinating with other authorities to minimize any negative sides discussed UNESCO’s support Kuwait’s Ambassador to France Sami impact on the marine life. According to the Amiri Decree 11/1960, any for education and culture in war- Al-Suleiman. —KUNA project in the marine environment requires advance reference to the stricken regions in Iraq. —KUNA NCCAL before execution. —KUNA Chronicling antiquities’ location off Failaka island. Established 1961 5 Local Sunday, January 28, 2018 Kuwait down three spots in Human Freedom Index report

Ranks 125th out of 159 countries

KUWAIT: Kuwait dropped three spots in the Human Kenya (89), Malaysia (97), India (102), United Arab five European regions (Central Europe and the Baltics, The findings in the report suggest that freedom Freedom Index 2017 report, compared to a year Emirates (116), Russia (126), China (130), Nigeria (133), Western Europe, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe plays an important role in human well-being, and they before. Kuwait finished 125th out of 159 countries Pakistan (141), and Southern Europe) offer opportunities for further research into the com- profiled in the report, its worst ranking since the Zimbabwe (146), Saudi and North America and plex ways in which freedom influences, and can be annual report’s first edition in 2008. Kuwait scored Arabia (149), Iran (154), are least protected in influenced by, political regimes, economic develop- 5.70 out of 10 in personal freedom, 6.62 in economic Egypt (155), Venezuela the Middle East and ment, and the whole range of indicators of human freedom, and 6.16 in human freedom. Kuwait ranked (158), and Syria (159). North Africa, South well-being. 131st in the personal freedom rank, 97th in economic Out of 17 regions, the Worst ranking Asia, and sub-Saharan The Human Freedom Index presents the state of freedom and 125th in human freedom in the report highest levels of free- since the Africa. human freedom in the world based on a broad meas- which was co-published recently by the Cato Institute, dom are in Western Countries in the top ure that encompasses personal, civil, and economic the Fraser Institute, and the Liberales Institut at the Europe, Northern report’s first quartile of freedom freedom. Human freedom is a social concept that rec- Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. Europe, and North enjoy a significantly ognizes the dignity of individuals and is defined here The top 10 jurisdictions in order were Switzerland, America (Canada and edition in 2008 higher per capita as negative liberty or the absence of coercive con- Hong Kong, New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Finland, the United States). The income ($38,871) than straint. Because freedom is inherently valuable and Norway, Denmark, and, tied at 9th place, the lowest levels are in the those in other quartiles; plays a role in human progress, it is worth measuring Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Selected coun- Middle East and North the per capita income in carefully. The Human Freedom Index is a resource that tries rank as follows: Canada (11), Sweden (13), Africa, Eastern Europe the least-free quartile is can help to more objectively observe relationships Germany (16), the United States (17), Japan (27), South (Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine), South Asia, and sub- $10,346. The report finds a strong correlation between between freedom and other social and economic phe- Korea (29), France (33), Italy (35), Chile (37), South Saharan Africa. Women-specific freedoms, as meas- human freedom and democracy. Hong Kong is an out- nomena, as well as the ways in which the various Africa (68), Mexico (73), Indonesia (78), Turkey (84), ured by seven indicators in the index, are strongest in lier in this regard. dimensions of freedom interact with one another.

Four arrested Attempted suicide Kuwait, Italy to An Indian man was rushed to Adan Hospital and was saved after he stabbed enhance military in suspected himself in the abdomen with a pair of scissors and tore his intestines. Interior money Ministry authorities opened an investi- cooperation gation to find how this happened, as the KUWAIT: The State of Kuwait and the Republic of Italy laundering case man is being held at Fintas police sta- have examined plans for boosting military cooperation tion. Policemen heard the Indian’s cries, between the two friendly countries. According to a state- so they responded and found him bleed- ment by the Ministry of Defense issued on Friday, ranking KUWAIT: Four Egyptians were arrested ing from the abdomen. He was trans- Kuwaiti and Italian military officers have recently held with $7 million, after they agreed to sell ferred to hospital in a critical condition. cooperation talks in Italy. The Kuwaiti side, headed by the $5 million to a citizen for KD 730,000 in Doctors operated on him and removed assistant chief of staff and head of the joint supreme com- a suspected money laundering case. A the pair of scissors from the abdomen. mittee, Staff Brigadier Mohmmad Al-Kandari, held discus- security source said a citizen received Attempted suicide charges were filed on sions on defense cooperation with Italian military chiefs, an offer from an Egyptian friend to buy the orders of the Ahmadi prosecutor. headed by the assistant chief of staff for planning and $20 million in cash (not forged) for KD defense policies, Major General Lorenzo D’Addario. The 730,000 for each $5 million. The citizen Driving under the influence two days of discussions, held in the Italian capital Rome, went to Farwaniya police authorities and Hawally police arrested three military were part of the 10th session of the Italian-Kuwaiti Military told them about the offer, and he was officers for being drunk and behaving officer’s actions. to the Drugs Control General Committee. The two sides examined plans that would be told to go along with the deal. He told recklessly in Salmiya. The officers Department (DCGD). Police found the executed later, with aim of enhancing the defense relations the Egyptian man to deliver the dollars attacked a policeman while he was Fugitive caught two in a car that was running with them between the two friendly countries. — KUNA in Jabriya, where five Egyptians arresting them, as one of them was tak- Capital police arrested a citizen inside, seemingly unconscious. appeared with two bags. Police con- ing pictures. When their car was sentenced for four years in jail for Policemen kept knocking on the window verged on them and arrested four of searched, three bottles of cologne were money laundering. He is also wanted until they woke up and were found in an them, as the fifth escaped. The suspects found. The three were charged with by state security. The citizen was abnormal condition, and seemed are being questioned to find out where insulting a public employee, driving stopped late at night and claimed he unsteady when they left their car. the rest of dollars are being kept. under the influence and misuse of a did not have an ID, so he was identi- phone. fied through a fingerprint. He was sent Physical assault Fatal crash to concerned authorities. Sulaibiya police received a complaint A man died and another was injured Officer questioned from a bedoon claiming someone when their vehicle collided with a water The supervision and inspection Addicts arrested punched him in the face and broke his tanker on Salmi road. The two were department at the interior ministry A royal family member and a Kuwaiti jaw. The bedoon submitted a medical trapped in the vehicle. The victim’s body summoned an officer to question him citizen were arrested after being found report of his injuries. Police summoned was handed to the coroner while the over inquiring about the travel history sleeping in their car under the influence the suspect for questioning. — injured man, a Kuwaiti, was rushed to of a citizen without any legal merit. The of drugs. They had 12 narcotic pills and Translated by Kuwait Times from the Jahra Hospital. citizen told the department about the four bags of chemical. Both were taken Arabic Press InternationalEstablished 1961 SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018 New tactical nukes in US arsenal raise risks Echoes of history as Kurds feel let down by the West Page 7 Page 8

CALIFORNIA: Photo shows a young woman as she receives a flu shot at a Walgreens pharmacy in San Francisco, California. —AFP Modern medicine infected by virus of mistrust Scientists scramble for ways to shore up credibility

PARIS: A rising tide of suspicion amplified by social net- to kindergarten or school. Many factors account for this agreed that clinical trials funded by drug companies were Confirmation bias works has eroded public trust in modern medicine, leaving upsurge in mistrust, experts say. often biased to produce a positive outcome. A medical mis- Our brains can also be tricked into seeing causal links scientists and health officials scrambling for ways to shore step of another kind was the publication in 1998 by The between rare events that, by coincidence, happen at the same up its credibility, experts say. Especially in rich nations, faith Victim of success Lancet, a respected medical journal, of research that drew a time. “Many children are diagnosed with autism at the age of has waned in vaccines that have saved millions from the rav- Most damaging, perhaps, are a series of scandals involv- causal link between vaccines and autism in children. When it two-about the same age they get their MMR vaccines,” ages of polio, tetanus, small pox, influenza and many other ing inadequately vetted drugs, poor oversight by health offi- was later revealed that evidence underlying this claim had Oliver noted, using the abbreviation for measles, mumps and once rampant and deadly diseases. “The level of confidence cials, and attempted cover- been falsified, the study rubella. Add the “echo chamber” of the internet and social is not what it was twenty years ago,” French immunologist ups. France was profound- was withdrawn and its networks, and a perfect storm of mistrust begins to form. Alain Fischer said. “It is crumbling.” ly shaken a blood scandal author Andrew Wakefield “Social media have rapidly become the main information The scale of scepticism is startling. A survey conducted by in which nearly 4,000 barred from the profession. source for many users,” said Walter Quattrociocchi, a the British Academy of Medical Sciences last year found that people were infected with But the damage was researcher at the Laboratory of Computational Social Science only 37 percent of Britons trusted evidence from medical the HIV virus in the 1980s In rich nations, done. Vaccines and other in Lucca, Italy who has studied the spread of fake news and research. Two-thirds cited friends and family as more reliable. after receiving contami- medicines are also a victim conspiracy theories. Facebook now counts more than two bil- A quarter of 1,500 parents polled in the United States in 2017 nated blood transfusions. faith has waned of their success. “We no lion monthly active users. When it comes to conspiracy theo- believed that vaccines can cause autism in healthy children, In 2010, off-label use of a longer see the diseases, ries, the tendency to gravitate towards what one already despite a complete lack of credible evidence. One-in-ten had diabetes drug called in vaccines just reports about possible believes-known as “confirmation bias”-plays a crucial role. refused to give their offspring at least one vaccine. In France, Mediator was shown to side-effects,” said Cornelia “Users happily embrace false information as long as it rein- meanwhile, more than 40 percent of adults have expressed cause fatal heart problems. Betsch, a researcher at the forces their preexisting beliefs,” Quattrociocchi said. doubt about vaccine efficacy or safety. These opinions have And last fall, thousands of University of Erfurt in The increasingly blurred boundary between verifiable fact consequences. Whooping cough, measles and mumps-com- severe malformations in Germany who has written and subjective assertion that defines what some call the “post- municable diseases that had effectively disappeared-have all newborns were attributed to the epilepsy medication extensively about vaccine policy. “That leads us to over- truth” era doesn’t help. A 2014 tweet from Donald Trump, said seen a resurgence in the United States in the last decade Valproate. estimate the risks of vaccination, and under-estimate the Quattrociocchi, is a textbook example. Now President of the because the number of parents refusing to innoculate their Similar scandals relating to EpiPens for anaphylaxis and risks of the diseases.” At the same time, the underlying logic United States, he wrote on Twitter then: “Healthy young child toddlers rose above the threshold needed to ensure what sci- cancer drugs, as well as price gouging, and concerns about of vaccines seem counter-intuitive, said Eric Oliver, a politi- goes to doctor, gets pumped with massive shot of many vac- entists call “herd immunity.” In France, health authorities were the over-prescription of opioids has shaken public confi- cal scientist at the University of Chicago. “Injecting septic cines, doesn’t feel good and changes - AUTISM. Many such forced to take action: as of this year, any child that has not dence in doctors and ‘Big Pharma’. In a recent survey in substances into my body to prevent disease is not a natural cases!” He later tweeted that childhood vaccinations were been vaccinated for 11 specific diseases will not be admitted Britain, 82 percent of doctors and 67 percent of adults idea,” he told AFP. acceptable, but not in “1 massive dose.” —AFP

Now defeated, German leftist rebels the Iraqi most fight to sink Merkel feared jihadists power pact await their fate BERLIN: Germany’s Angela Merkel hopes to form a new gov- BAGHDAD: Their names spread terror across the Islamic ernment by late March, half a year after inconclusive elections, State group’s cross-border “caliphate”, but senior but if there is one man who may yet torpedo the plan, it’s a 28- jihadists now languish in Iraqi prisons, subjects of mock- year-old Young Socialist. Kevin Kuehnert has burst onto the ery for the populace they ruled. Once boasting nicknames German political scene as the passionate leader of a guerrilla like the Black Box and the Butcher of Mosul, the defeated campaign against another grand coalition or “GroKo” govern- IS commanders now draw vitriol on social media while ment which now spells the greatest threat to the veteran news outlets have published selfies taken by Iraqi soldiers leader. The Berlin university student heads the youth wing of of them being captured or marched handcuffed in prison the Social Democrats (SPD), Germany’s second biggest party, uniforms. which has reluctantly agreed to once again negotiate a role as Following the jihadist group’s ouster from second city MOSUL: Graphic picture taken in the city of Mosul shows a body of an alleged Islamic State group jihadist. —AFP junior partners to Merkel’s conservatives. Mosul last July, Iraqi forces went on the hunt for IS fight- To Kuehnert and other like-minded youth wing members ers who had fled the battlefield. Researchers estimate they have since put behind bars some 20,000 suspected mem- third in command, according to security sources “Butcher” is a subject of derision and hatred on social such a power pact would spell a betrayal of the over 150-year- speaking on condition of anonymity. He also had the media. “He terrorized all of Mosul by stoning people to old labor party’s cherished ideals that could consign it, after a bers of the group. The search involved digging through the rubble of war-torn Mosul and hunting through the symbolically important role of “teaching theology to death,” wrote one user. “Today the people of Mosul string of election defeats, to the dustbin of history. While SPD tunnels and hideouts the jihadists had created during their Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi,” the jihadists’ self-proclaimed should take him to a public place and beat him to death leader Martin Schulz has made his peace with the idea of play- three-year reign. “caliph”, they said. with their shoes.” ing second fiddle to “Mutti” Merkel, Kuehnert and other next- It was in Mosul’s Old City, near the Al-Nuri mosque generation politicians are doing their best to derail the plan. In where the self-proclaimed “caliph” Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi ‘Terrorized all of Mosul’ ‘Cubs of the caliphate’ his fiery speech at an SPD party congress last Sunday, made his only public appearance, that the elite Counter- Another infamous IS member, Mufti Abu Omar (whose Some of those now detained were among the wave of Kuehnert said that repeated tie-ups with Merkel’s party over Terrorism Service found the senior commander nick- real name is Ezzedine Taha Ahmed), spread terror far foreigners who flocked to IS. While his comrades recent years were “an endless loop ... that we have to break”. named the “Black Box of IS”-a moniker that came from beyond Mosul through the group’s propaganda efforts. In enforced IS rule, Abu Hamza Al-Beljiki was preparing for He urged party comrades to bite the bullet, go into opposition his lynchpin role in the organization. Nizam Eddin Al-Rifai one gruesome video, he appeared in military uniform. the future. According to investigators, he was in charge of and “be a dwarf today so we can be a giant again one day”. had sent gunmen and suicide bombers in a desperate bid Sporting a kalashnikov rifle he ordered young people, the “cubs of the caliphate” about sixty children aged eight With the mood in the party glum and fragile, the plan to to repel government troops, said Sabah Al-Noman, suspected of being gay, thrown from the roof of a building to 13 who received intensive fitness and weapons training. negotiate another loveless left-right alliance was backed with spokesman for elite units that spearheaded the Mosul to their deaths. That clip and others earned the 62-year- Abu Hamza is the nom de guerre of Tarik Jadaoun, a a dangerously thin margin, by 56 percent of the 600 party offensive. But in the end he had no choice but to surren- old Iraqi the nickname “Butcher of Mosul”. Today, he is in Belgian fighter with Moroccan roots, who joined the delegates. Now Kuehnert’s rebel alliance hopes to bomb the der. Cornered by government soldiers, he left his under- the hands of the country’s security forces, who nickname group in 2014. After appearing in videos calling for GroKo plan at the end of coalition talks, expected several ground hideout bare-chested, his unkempt beard match- him “White Beard”-facial hair he trimmed as he tried to attacks in Europe, he earned the moniker “the new weeks from now, when the party’s 440,000 rank-and-file ing his white hair. disguise himself as troops approached. Abaaoud”, after his compatriot Abdelhamid Abaaoud, one members get to have the final word in a vote. If the young Time was finally up for the notoriously hardline head He escaped, like many jihadists, by mingling with the of the organizers of the November 2015 attacks in Paris. activists, and other internal critics, succeed with their judge of the “caliphate” which at its height ruled over flood of civilians fleeing the battle-scarred city centre. He Currently detained and awaiting trial, he faces charges #NoGroKo campaign, this would likely spark snap elections roughly seven million people in Iraq and Syria. The 60- hid in a house in the city’s east, never leaving for fear of under Iraq’s terrorism law, that have already seen several in Europe’s biggest economy, and probably the end of the year-old Mosulite is still under interrogation, Noman being recognized, provincial council security official Europeans receive the death penalty. According to state- Merkel era. —AFP said, adding that he could still give up valuable infor- Mohammed Ibrahim said. “A neighbor saw him and ments by Iraqi justice officials, he made a detailed confes- mation about IS. Rifai’s position made him the group’s informed the security forces,” he said. Today, the sion to his jailers. —AFP Established 1961 7 International Sunday, January 28, 2018 Echoes of history as Kurds feel let down by the West

New chapter in a century of betrayal by world powers

PARIS: As Turkey presses its offensive against ‘Always the same’ Kurdish fighters in Syria, many Kurds feel let down, The Kurds are a Muslim but non-Arab ethnic group not for the first time, by Western powers. Often in the Middle East and are thought to number 25 to 30 described as the world’s largest people without a million people across an area that spans Iraq, Turkey, state, the ethnic group from the mountains in the heart Iran, Armenia and Syria. They have never had their of the Middle East has been a key ally in the fight own homeland defined by national borders, but the against the Islamic State group. creation of Kurdistan remains a dream for many in the Backed by the Western-led military coalition long-persecuted community. Some hoped the current against the jihadist group, Kurdish peshmerga forces turmoil in the Middle East would bring it closer. have been praised for being vital and brave foot sol- But the Turkish offensive on the Afrin enclave has diers in the battle in Syria and Iraq. Now, with Turkey left them with a familiar feeling: that a new chapter in invading a Kurdish enclave in Syria with tanks and a century of betrayal by world powers is being writ- artillery, many in the community are looking for pay- ten. Few have forgotten the treatment of the Kurds in back, but have been left bitterly disappointed. “Before, Iraq by previous US governments: they were encour- with the Islamic State, aged twice to rebel against everyone needed us to do Iraqi dictator Saddam the dirty work, but now Hussein, only to be aban- we’ve being abandoned,” doned and slaughtered in Ismail Akgul, a 55-year-old The world’s their thousands. And the Kurdish trader living in collapse of the Ottoman Paris, told AFP. largest people empire and the settlement The diaspora in Europe is at the end of World War I particularly sensitive about without a was meant to lead to the what are perceived as half- creation of Kurdistan hearted interventions by state under the 1920 Treaty of their adopted countries, Sevres. But it was never France, Germany or Britain. ratified and subsequent After NATO member Turkey agreements made no men- launched its assault last weekend on the Kurdish tion of the Kurds. People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia, which it views Today the community is as fragmented as ever, in as a terror group, European nations urged restraint, control of territory in Syria and Iraq. Up to 15,000 but said little else in public. “We have the feeling of ethnic Kurds are expected at a protest in Germany being dropped by the international community,” Agit while thousands more are expected in Paris. “It’s not Polat from the CDK-F Kurdish organization in France the first time that we’re left on our own like that,” said BEIRUT: A Lebanese Kurd holds a placard bearing a portrait of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and said, after taking aim at the “unacceptable and com- trader Akgul, with tears in his eyes. “In all the wars, it’s reads in Arabic ‘Erdogan the officials sponsor of the Islamic State’, during a protest near the Turkish embassy, plicit silence” of the West. the same. We don’t trust anyone anymore.” —AFP against the ongoing Turkish military campaign in the Kurdish-held Syrian enclave of Afrin. —AFP

UK ministers show News in brief a united front to Rising anti-Semitism BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned of rising anti-Semitism in her country on International calm eurosceptics Holocaust Remembrance Day, calling the need to pro- LONDON: Britain’s Brexit, finance and business min- tect Jewish buildings “shameful”. It is important to isters displayed a united front on Friday with a letter remember the millions of Holocaust victims because seeking to reassure eurosceptics worried over the “anti-Semitism, racism and the hatred of others are country’s path out of the European Union. Publication more relevant” recently, Merkel said in her weekly of the letter late Friday followed a speech by Brexit podcast yesterday. “It is inconceivable and shameful minister David Davis, in which he admitted there were that no Jewish institution can exist without police pro- “different views” within the government over Britain’s tection, whether it is a school, a kindergarten or a syn- departure from the bloc. Davis joined forces with agogue,” she said. The chancellor also reaffirmed her finance minister Philip Hammond and business secre- support of creating the position of anti-Semitism com- tary Greg Clark to assert that Britain will continue to missioner in the next German government, if her party follow EU rules for a “strictly time-limited” transition can finalize tortuous negotiations to forge a coalition. period after it leaves the bloc. “During the implementation period, we are clear that Gazan unearths graves the UK’s and the EU’s access to one another’s markets MIDDLESBROUGH: Britain’s Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (Brexit Minister) David should continue on current terms,” the trio wrote. Pro- Davis takes a trip along the River Tees after delivering a speech outlining the UK’s ambitions for an BEIT HANUN: When Abdul Karim al-Kafarnah went Brexit MPs have expressed concern at proposals to implementation period after Brexit, during a visit to PD Ports at Teesport. —AFP continue following European Union rules after Britain to check the rainwater gushing down a hole in his gar- leaves in March 2019 in return for market access, while den he was in for quite a shock-hidden steps led him having no policymaking power. The ministers sought to down to an ancient grave complex. The 24-year-old the Brexit minister said Britain would negotiate its But London is yet to set out precisely what it wants lives in the Beit Hanoun district of the Gaza Strip by allay such fears by saying the transition period of own trade deals during the transition period and seek and, as a survey of Conservative MPs published this around two years was only intended to give people, the Israeli border which suffered intensive bombard- to sign them, even if they could not come into effect week showed, there appears to be significant differ- ment during the 2014 conflict between the Israeli army businesses and public services time to get ready for the until afterwards. ences on crucial elements of the transition. Almost full EU exit. and Palestinian militants. The family home was He laid out the ultimate prize at the end: “For the three-quarters oppose the continuation of freedom of destroyed and the surrounding plots heavily churned first time in more than 40 years we will be able to step movement during the transition period, according to ‘New allies’ up, leaving extensive craters in the ground. The flash- out and sign new trade deals with old friends and new the survey by the Mile End Institute and The UK in a flooding earlier this week led him to one particular The show of unity presented in the joint letter allies around the globe.” Davis conceded that Britain Changing Europe research units. Continued ECJ juris- comes after Prime Minister Theresa May rebuked spot, where, on removing a large stone, he found a would continue to accept the jurisdiction of the diction after March 2019 is opposed by 63 percent, staircase leading four meters (13 feet) down into an Hammond for saying Britain would stay closely European Court of Justice (ECJ) during the transition. the study said. aligned to the bloc. On Thursday the finance minister ancient tomb. “I discovered the place where the water The ministers’ joint letter also reaffirmed that as part Jacob Rees-Mogg, who spearheads a group of was falling in,” he told AFP. raised eurosceptic hackles in Davos when he of the transition EU citizens will continue to be able to more than 50 Brexit-supporting MPs in May’s expressed hope that the British and EU economies move to Britain without restrictions, although a “regis- Conservative Party, warned that staying closely would move only “very modestly, apart”. On Friday, tration scheme for new arrivals” will be introduced. aligned to the EU risked making Brexit a “damage Iran Guards, IS clash Hammond told Sky News television that Britain need- limitation exercise”. “The British people did not vote ed a “middle way” to protect businesses and jobs- Opposition within Westminster for that. They did not vote for the management of BEIRUT: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards clashed with outside the customs union, but refusing to “sever our Tensions are rising in the British government as the decline,” he said in a speech Thursday, accusing min- Islamic State militants in the western part of the coun- trade links” with the EU. EU prepares to approve guidelines next week for talks isters of being “timid”. The high-level disagreements try yesterday, according to Sepah News, the official Davis conceded in his speech that in politics, there on the terms of the transition period, intended to ease come at a difficult time for May, with several MPs news site of the Guards. A team of 21 Islamic State were “different views”, adding: “There will be argu- the divorce. David, Hammond and Clark said they criticizing her for a lack of ambition in her domestic fighters crossed Iran’s western border and were placed ments about the tactics but they will change, the wanted negotiations on the implementation period to program, and reports suggesting a growing number under surveillance before the Guards, the most power- options available to us will change throughout the be finished by the end of March, which will be followed of Conservative MPs back the idea of a leadership ful military force in the Islamic Republic, attacked them course of the negotiations.” In his speech on Friday, by discussions on Britain’s future trading relations. challenge. —AFP yesterday morning, Sepah News reported. Most of the militants have been arrested, the report said, but there was no mention of the number of people killed or trying to address the issues. book “Who Can We Trust?” tudes towards social networks and wounded in the clash. Last June, Islamic State attacked ‘Job-killing’ “Technology should always give people Uber is the best known example of a search engines are changing. the Iranian parliament in Tehran and the mausoleum of new opportunities, not remove them,” fast-growing company with a bruised “The main question is whether the Islamic Republic’s founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Ma said. But when IBM President Ginni reputation: accused of bad working Facebook and Google are technology Khomeini, killing at least 18 and wounding dozens. robots, Rometty admits that “100 percent of conditions and sexual harassment it has companies or editorial companies, it is a jobs will be somehow affected by tech- faced chaotic legal proceedings and question that remains unresolved,” said nology,” it might be a tough sell. It’s not massive data piracy, which have sapped Martin Sorrell, CEO of the British adver- ‘Stabbed in the face’ AI under just about jobs. “People want to trust the firm. “For a long time, the answer of tising giant WPP. Amid the mistrust, technology, as long as they know who is many digital companies has been to say: Davos heard unique proposals from the CAIRO: Assailants yesterday stabbed and seriously scrutiny behind it,” said Neelie Kroes, now a we are only the software, the platform, digital world, which mostly rejects too wounded Egypt’s former anti-corruption chief who was member of the Open Data Institute, but technology now penetrates every much oversight by governments, believ- also a top aide to a barred candidate for a March pres- DAVOS: “Artificial intelligence and after having been for years the aspect of our lives, our trades, our ing it would stifle innovation. idential election, his lawyer said. Ali Taha said that robots will kill many jobs.” It’s a European commissioner in charge of homes, our relationships,” said Zvika Marc Benioff, the outspoken CEO Hisham Geneina was attacked by three men who depressingly blunt statement for anyone digital issues. Krieger, who leads digital projects for and founder of Salesforce, a major cloud “stabbed him in the face and beat him, breaking his to make, but even more so as it is the In recent months, US-based Uber, the World Economic Forum, the organ- services company, called plainly for legs,” near his Cairo home. He was admitted to hospital prediction of Jack Ma, CEO of the which connects individuals with drivers izer of the Davos meeting. “Our more regulation of the sector. “We’re for treatment. Geneina was sacked by President Abdel Chinese online sales giant Alibaba. The through an application, found itself in the response is no longer audible,” he said. the same as any other industry,” Benioff Fattah Al-Sisi as head of the Central Auditing Authority rise of AI-its huge potential and fears hot seat after several murders perpetrat- told CNBC in Davos. Much like “finan- in 2016 after he was accused of exaggerating the cost over its potentially negative conse- ed by its chauffeurs, notably in the ‘Too slow’ cial services, consumer product goods, of corruption. Yesterday he was on his way to a court quences-is just one of the big issues United States and in Lebanon. “You In Davos, there was also concern food-in technology, the government’s hearing to contest his dismissal. A security source, discussed at the World Economic Forum have to remember that the rating of a about Internet giants hoovering up huge going to have to be involved,” he said. speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed in Davos, along with breaches of per- driver evaluates his driving but cannot amounts of personal data, sometimes Observers hailed what they saw as a Geneina had been wounded but said it happened dur- sonal data and fake news. But it is prob- predict if he is a serial killer,” Uber illegally and sometimes sharing it with change of heart by the titans of tech. ing “a dispute with three young men following a car ably artificial intelligence and the ability director Dara Khosrowshahi told a panel authorities. “The danger is that we are “Regulatory authorities in Europe have accident”. Geneina was top campaign aide to Sami of machines to not only interact with, at this week’s economic gathering in the too slow and that the world is destroy- been complaining for years that big dig- Anan, a former armed forces chief of staff who this but manipulate human beings that raises Swiss resort of Davos. “In this situation, ing us while we are still asking who real- ital companies are not responding when month announced he intended to stand against Sisi in the most suspicion. who is responsible, the individual or the ly owns our data,” said German they’re called,” said WEF’s Zvika the March election. Aware of growing governmental and platform?” wondered Rachel Botsman, Chancellor Angela Merkel during her Krieger. “Let’s say they’re picking up public distrust, the giants of tech are an expert on the issue and author of the Davos speech. In the same way, atti- the phone now.” — AFP 8 Established 1961 Sunday, January 28, 2018 International New tactical nukes in US arsenal raise risks, experts, critics warn New nuclear policy could trigger another arms race WASHINGTON: The Pentagon is set to unveil President Escalate to de-escalate Donald Trump’s nuclear policy next week, and critics are Given the state of Russia’s military forces and the coun- already warning it could trigger another arms race and raise try’s financial problems, Moscow fears it would be quickly the risk of miscalculations that might spark an atomic con- outmatched in a conventional conflict with the West. To flict. A leaked draft version of the Nuclear Posture Review compensate, it has an “escalate to de-escalate” strategy in indicates the Pentagon is calling for the development of a which it would deploy lower-yield bombs as part of a lim- new type of low-yield nuclear bomb that is designed to be ited first use of nuclear weapons. The Pentagon’s nuclear used on the battlefield, rather than to level a city. policy draft, which euphemistically calls low-yield bombs These so-called tactical nuclear weapons have a limited “supplements”, states that increasing such weapons would explosive strength though still are staggeringly powerful help deter Russia and other nations. compared to conventional “These supplements weapons. Underpinning the will enhance deterrence Trump nuclear doctrine is by denying potential the concern that America’s adversaries any mistaken nukes are so powerful that confidence that limited adversaries don’t believe nuclear employment can they would ever be used. Draft calls for provide a useful advan- The draft policy says tage over the United Russia’s own low-yield low-yield bombs States and its allies,” nukes, within easy striking states the policy, which distance of Europe, provide ‘supplements’ was obtained by the “a coercive advantage in Huffington Post. crises and at lower levels of Kristensen said he could conflict.” envision a scenario “Correcting this mistak- where a US president en Russian perception is a strategic imperative,” the docu- was “less self-deterred” from using a nuclear weapon if he ment states. Any weapon with an explosive blast of 20 thought it would only have limited effects on a civilian kilotons or less is considered low-yield. To put that in per- population. spective, one kiloton is the same as 1,000 tons of TNT; the The proposed policy says the Defense Department and bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the National Nuclear Security Administration will develop WASHINGTON: Members of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists talk about why they moved their Doomsday clock 30 sec- World War II were about 15 and 20 kilotons respectively, a low-yield submarine-launched ballistic missile for onds closer to the end of the world in Washington, DC. Mounting concerns about the possibility of a nuclear war along with so they would be considered low-yield today. deployment and, in the longer term, develop a sea- US President Donald Trump’s “unpredictability” have pushed the symbolic “Doomsday Clock” to two minutes before mid- But America already has a massive nuclear arsenal at its launched cruise missile. America currently has an estimat- night, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists said. —AFP disposal, including 150 B-61 nukes stored across multiple ed arsenal of about 7,000 nuclear warheads, second only European countries that can be configured for low-yield to Russia, which has a few hundred more. The new missile options. Hans Kristensen, director of the nuclear information types wouldn’t add to the stockpile, but rather would lion over 30 years. Congressman Adam Smith, the top arms race, undermine strategic stability by lowering the project at the Federation of American Scientists, said US mil- reconfigure existing warheads. Critics, including Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee that threshold for nuclear use, and increase the risk of miscal- itary strategy does not need a new type of weapon. “If you Democratic lawmakers, worry not just about developing oversees the Pentagon, blasted the new policy. “The culation that could precipitate a nuclear war.”Matthew really wanted to use weapons in a limited low-yield scenario, new weapons but of the cost of overhauling America’s administration’s recommendations will not increase our Costlow, a defense analyst at the National Institute for they are there. You don’t have to have another one,” he said. nuclear arsenal. Already, the price tag is more than $1 tril- security,” Smith said. “They will instead feed a nuclear Public Policy, said fears are being overblown. —AFP

5 key themes of Gyrating Russian a week in Davos

trainee pilots spark DAVOS: It began with blinding snowfall, warmed up as France’s president auditioned for “leader of the free world”, and ended in another chill with US President Donald Trump ‘civil resistance’ drawing boos and hisses. Here AFP recaps five key themes that emerged over a week of meetings at the World MOSCOW: Dancing in their underwear and caps to the Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss Alpine village of tune of the Benny Benassi hit “Satisfaction”, the air Davos, which closed on Friday: cadets had little idea their video would prompt outrage from authorities and then a wave of solidarity across The Trump Show Russia. In the clip that went viral, 14 teenage students at Every year, the WEF features hundreds of panels and the Ulyanovsk Civil Aviation Institute gyrate, suggestive- thousands of delegates debating everything from the bene- ly suck bananas and smack their behinds to the tune of fits of meditation to how to avert the next pandemic. But the 2003 pop smash. Trump grabbed the headlines before, during and after the The video racked up more than two million hits after event as he became the first US president to attend Davos it appeared on social networking sites last week, provok- since Bill Clinton in 2000. It shaped up to be a story of stark ing the wrath of the head of the institute, who said the contrasts given the chasm between Trump’s protectionist “immoral parody” had “humiliated the profession”. rhetoric and the Davos elite’s commitment to open borders “They will never find work,” Sergei Krasnov promised in and a liberal world order. Trump struck some “America First” notes in a 15-minute speech ending the forum, while also DAVOS: US President Donald Trump delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting the media in the region 550 miles to the east of Moscow. on Friday. —AFP But the clip has generated dozens of other parodies assuring the world’s corporate movers and shakers that featuring nurses, grandmothers and even cats-becoming “‘America First’ does not mean America alone”. The 1,500- a symbol of resistance against a Russian state that pro- strong audience, primed for a much more severe tongue- were acclaimed as defending a rules-based order and step- intelligent robots and all-knowing online networks threaten motes itself as a champion of traditional values in the lashing, seemed content to leave it at that. But Trump then ping into a global leadership void created by Trump’s elec- to drag humanity into a nightmare of mind control and mass face of Western decadence. The Federal Air Transport complained to WEF chairman Klaus Schwab of “how nasty, tion and Britain’s Brexit vote. If Merkel has been hampered unemployment. “This will be decided by the people who Agency released a statement demanding the “strictest how mean, how vicious and how fake the press can be”. Cue by protracted coalition talks following an election setback, own the data. They control not just the future of humanity, disciplinary measures” against the cadets, calling for the booing from some in the hall. Macron is walking tall on the international stage and was but the future of life itself,” said Yuval Noah Harari, the them to undergo psychological examination. Sergei hailed as the week’s standout star, the “darling of Davos”. Israeli author of bestselling books about technology and Morozov, governor of the Ulyanovsk region, called the Currency chaos For The New York Times, Macron in particular “laid claim to anthropology. clip an “insult” and formed a commission to investigate If Trump meant to find some kind of balance between his the mantle of leader of the free world” with his hour-long possible infractions of civil aviation regulations. domestic gallery and a skeptical foreign audience, his speech on Wednesday, which mixed English and French as Business and blizzards finance minister upended decades of consensus underpin- he called for a reboot to globalization to stave off populism. The Davos crowd are used to snow and icy paths-the Thrusting in solidarity ning the gargantuan flows of money that grease world trade. Swiss prefer not to grit the roads, to avoid environmental Stunned by the severity of the punishment facing the Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin sent the dollar spiraling Tech loses its shine damage. Every year, there are lengthy queues at the con- trainees, some Russians decided to show their support to three-year lows against the euro by telling reporters in “Davos is a good place to announce that their days are ference cloak-rooms as delegates shed layers of clothing for the adolescents by filming themselves dancing to Davos that a weaker greenback was good for US trade. numbered,” billionaire investor George Soros said, describ- and switch from hiking boots to smart shoes and high “Satisfaction” in the same stripped down attire and with Trump insisted that Mnuchin had been misquoted, and the ing tech giants such as Facebook and Google as monopolies heels. But the snowfall at the start of the week was the the same suggestive choreography. In less than a week, treasury chief tried to walk back the comment. But the dam- that could be manipulated by authoritarian regimes to sub- region’s heaviest in two decades, after a winter that has 50 similar videos appeared online, where they have been age was done, as European governments rebuked the viola- vert democracy. Every year Silicon Valley decamps en masse already seen tourists trapped in some of Switzerland’s ski widely shared. From Saint Petersburg to the island of tion of US commitments made in various economic fora, sus- to the Swiss Alps, and its visionary leaders are usually guar- resorts. The snow disrupted road and rail traffic from Sakhalin off Russia’s far east, electricians, jockeys, emer- pecting another attempt by the Trump administration to anteed a warm reception from politicians keen to harness Zurich, the nearest city to Davos, and affected flights of gency services staff, television stars and students have bend world trade to its advantage. their companies’ potential to transform productivity and VIP helicopters. Within the village, attendees trudged on been thrusting in solidarity. shake up old business models. foot rather than risk getting snarled up in long lines of Almost one in two Russians have seen the original Darling of Davos But the anti-tech backlash has begun and was on brutal shuttle buses and limousines. More snow was forecast for video, according to a survey published by the Russian If some of the noises from Team Trump were jarring for display this time, with Davos audiences warned of the dan- Friday night and Saturday. But Trump had already left, Public Opinion Research Center on Thursday, with 35 the Davos crowd, the “Merkron” harmony was music to their gers to free societies of fake news on social media, and choppered away to Zurich and the waiting Air Force One percent of those believing it to be a symptom of moral ears. Separate speeches at the WEF by French President threats to a free press from Google and Facebook gobbling after a series of meetings where his delegation blew a decline but 43 percent seeing it as a harmless joke. “This Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel up advertising revenue. More broadly, experts said that storm through the usual bonhomie.—AFP is an example of civil resistance” when faced with a state which seeks to control private behavior, said political commentator Andrei Kolesnikov in the liberal New building boom, and the number of new Times. And he predicted the cadets would get off lightly New party gives arrivals just keeps on rising. Now, beyond ahead of a presidential election in March: “Nobody the newspapers, schools and radio station needs such a spicy scandal during Vladimir Putin’s tri- blaring the latest Russian pop across the umphal march to the renewal of his powers.” voice to Russian island, there is a striking new addition. Two Russian-speaking businessmen ‘Homoerotic subtext’ speakers in have launched a political party they hope Sociologist Victor Vakhshtain compared the “moral will help shake up the island, raising eye- panic” sparked by the video to the outrage following brows in a country with deep ties to Pussy Riot’s anti-Putin “punk prayer” in a Moscow Cyprus Moscow. Russian investor Alexei Voloboev cathedral in 2012, which saw members of the female insists he never dreamt of getting involved protest group sentenced to prison. Only in the case of in the insular world of Cypriot politics LIMASSOL: Muscovite pensioner Svetlana the Ulyanovsk teens, there was no political message. when he became a citizen 10 years ago. But Bogomilova emerges from a Russian gro- “They just wanted to bring a bit of fun into their very he says the rise of an ultra-nationalist par- cery store into the Mediterranean sunshine regimented lives as air cadets,” he said. For Natalia ty at 2016 legislative elections changed near the Limassol beachfront in Cyprus. “It LIMASSOL: Natalia Kardash, an editor at Vestnik Kipra a bi-monthly Russian news- Zorkaya, an analyst at the independent pollster Levada, that. Last year the former restaurant and is very convenient here,” the retired teacher paper, poses at her office in the Cypriot port city of Limassol.— AFP the reaction from the authorities was connected to the radio station owner registered Ego o Politis said as a family with a pushchair strolled by (Me the citizen) - a party he hopes will “homoerotic subtext” they saw in the video. chatting in Russian. “There is everything attract Cypriots and get the largely disen- who can vote in Cyprus. Voloboev says European Parliament elections next year. “Homophobia is very present in the spheres of politics you could need.” Across the European gaged Russian community involved. 1,000 people have already applied to join Its rise comes as alleged Kremlin meddling and media in Russia and this powerful ideological dis- Union’s most easterly member it is easy to the party and says it will gain a base in Western democracies dominates global course also influences local authorities,” she told AFP. spot the influence of the island’s sizeable ‘We can change something’ among some 35,000 Cypriot passport headlines. “(But) young people already live in another reality Russian-speaking community. “We have provided a breath of fresh air holders, while double that number are resi- But Voloboev and vice president Ivan and they won’t accept the imposition of traditional In the seaside city of Limassol-the main for the Russian-speaking community,” dent on the island. Others say the number Mikhnevich, an IT entrepreneur from Russian values, a religious vision of morality.” She said magnet for those coming to Cyprus from Voloboev told AFP at the party’s still emp- is smaller-but it could still prove a sizeable Belarus, laugh off any suggestion they are young people were “less afraid than their elders,” the former Soviet Union-posters promote ty headquarters in the capital Nicosia. “We chunk in a country with only 550,000 reg- doing Moscow’s bidding as “anti-Russian pointing to the thousands of adolescents who took to concerts by Russian stars while adverts in have shown that we can change something istered voters. The party is not fielding a hysteria”. “If I wanted to build Russia then the streets when called by Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny Cyrillic offer elite flats. Money from the for- here, if we want.” There are no exact fig- candidate in a presidential election to be I would go back and live in Russia,” said last year. —AFP mer Soviet region has helped spark a mini- ures on the number of Russian speakers held on Sunday, but aims to run in Voloboev. —AFP Established 1961 9 International Sunday, January 28, 2018 Macron speaks language of globalization reset at Davos French President urges ‘redefining of capitalist order’

DAVOS: French President Emmanuel Macron waxed lyrical with some states engaging in a free-for-all for their own in French and English at the Davos business summit to benefit. What was needed, he insisted, were “coordinated urge a redefining of the capitalist order, saying globaliza- strategies” across the board. In terms of tax policy, “France tion in its current form is in “crisis” and needs recalibrating was very misaligned compared with the rest of Europe as to stave off populism. Using both languages to insist that she was well above the European average”, Macron said, “France is back” and “at the heart of Europe” even as pushing home his view that a high tax take means “talented Britain leaves the EU, Macron made his main pitch in people vote with their feet” and leave the country. English to say liberal reforms were necessary to ensure his country adapts to globalization. Race to the bottom But he balanced that out by switching to French to Macron said in the current climate the “dynamic” was denounce excesses of fiscal and social dumping and urge a one of cutting tax rates and paring back social spending reset on how the world which threatened creating resolves such issues. In a a “race to the bottom”. much-awaited speech less Welfare benefits and the than nine months after his fiscal means to cover election, Macron’s 20- them, Macron said, “issues minute discourse on Globalization which stood at the heart of Wednesday, chiefly in the state” but said in English, saw him unveil his in its current today’s world “if you are vision on how to deliver looking for comparative reforms “to “make France form in ‘crisis’ advantage you are always more competitive” and pulled downwards” in “more flexible”. Macron terms of tax rates. At the arrived at Davos having same time, he urged com- managed to push through panies to “renounce all- sensitive labor and tax out tax optimization” reforms in France while he is also out to reshape the coun- strategies and called on nations to ensure that digital try’s higher education system. giants “pay taxes”. Without global cooperation on tax, “In France, we correct inequalities with taxes and norms Macron said, “we shall never convince the middle classes but without preventing them. This has weakened our com- that globalization is good for them.” PARIS: President of Argentina Mauricio Macri (right), his wife Juliana Awada (left), France’s President petitiveness,” said Macron, who has vowed to drive down Emmanuel Macron (2nd right) and his wife Brigitte Macron (2nd left) pose with Chef Guy de Savoy prior to the overall tax take for most households. His address fol- ‘Unravel’ a dinner in Paris yesterday. —AFP lowed on from a “Choose France” charm offensive on Expanding his theme, Macron regretted the lack of fis- Monday at the Versailles palace where the 40-year-old cal harmonization in the European Union with Ireland true of every country,” he warned. “We must also end this current 33.3 percent to 25 percent from 2022. Most of its centrist bathed in the attention of 140 bosses from compa- notably attracting foreign firms through ultra-competitive tendency to unravel social rights in order to adjust to EU neighbors have already introduced more competitive nies such as Facebook and Google, who announced major corporation tax. “In my country, if I do not make sense of globalization,” said Macron, urging a minimum social secu- rates. Last Friday, Macron joined German Chancellor investments. Switching back to his native tongue, Macron this globalization then in five, 10, 15 years time it will be rity safety net for all. In terms of corporation tax, France Angela Merkel in calling for the rate to be harmonized also noted globalization “is going through a major crisis” the nationalists, the extremes which win-and this will be has the highest rate in the euro-zone pending a cut from a across the European Union.—AFP

militants launched an assault on the Kabul News in brief Kabul blast: The offices of CARE International, part of a wave of bombings in the city on September 5 that left at least 41 people dead and 14 Mali soldiers killed key moments dozens wounded. BAMAKO: Unidentified gunmen killed at least 14 soldiers in in security of The truck bomb central Mali, an area targeted by a growing wave of attacks A massive truck bomb on May 31, 2017 by Islamist militants, when they overran a military camp killed more than 150 people and wounded yesterday, two army officers said. The camp in the town of Afghan capital hundreds in the city’s fortified diplomatic Soumpi, near the southern boundary of Mali’s Timbuktu quarter, the deadliest attack in Kabul since region, came under attack at around 6 am. “The provisional the US invasion began in late 2001. The toll is 14 dead, 17 wounded and two enemies killed. The KABUL: Taleban militants detonated a bomb, which no group has claimed respon- search is still on for those missing,” one of the sources said. bomb hidden inside an ambulance in a sibility for, prompted authorities to devel- The second source said “around 15” soldiers had been crowded area of Kabul yesterday, killing at op a new plan to expand their ring of steel killed. “The soldiers abandoned their position. The enemy least 63 people and wounding 151 others, around the city and impose tight restric- carried away material,” he said. Both sources asked not to officials said. Both the Taleban and the tions on large vehicles. be named as they were not authorized to speak to the Islamic State group have stepped up their But the time consuming checks result in media. Violence by militant groups, some with links to Al- attacks in Kabul since 2016, turning the hundreds of trucks waiting hours before they Qaeda and Islamic State, is on the rise in West Africa’s arid city of some five million people into the can proceed, and officials are forced to Sahel region. In Mali, attacks have grown more frequent one of the deadliest places in Afghanistan acknowledge that with more than a hundred and spread further south towards the capital, Bamako. for civilians. Here are some of the key ways in to Kabul it is impossible to control all moments in the security of the Afghan cap- KABUL: An Afghan man holds a wounded child, after a car bomb exploded ital over the last two years. the entrances. Their point is proven just months later, when a suicide bomber on foot near the old Interior Ministry building, at Jamhuriat Hospital yesterday. —AFP Heavy snow hit China First Islamic State attack evades checkpoints to reach the “Green claimed by the Middle Eastern jihadist foreigners for nearly 12 hours before being BEIJING: Heavy snow continued to affect parts of China After carrying out multiple attacks Zone” and blow himself up, killing at least five yesterday, closing highways, causing train and flight can- across Afghanistan, IS claimed its first people and wounding dozens. Yesterday’s group in December alone. The parliament, killed by Afghan security forces. Despite cellations, and even interrupting a soccer match between assault in Kabul in July 2016 as twin explo- attack was another chilling demonstration of the Supreme Court, and security installa- heightened threats in Kabul, visitors to the Vietnam and Uzbekistan in a southern Chinese province. In sions ripped through crowds of Shiite eth- the militants’ ability to evade security and tions as well as foreign forces in Kabul also hotel described lax security ahead of the central Hubei province, sections of more than 30 highways nic Hazaras, killing at least 85 people and penetrate the heart of the city. came under attack in 2017, with civilians attack, which began late on January 20. were closed due to icy conditions, the official Xinhua news wounding more than 400. Since then IS paying a disproportionate price. US It was the start of another bloody week agency reported. The three railway stations in Wuhan, has escalated its presence in the city, Bloody end to 2017 President Donald Trump also announced across the country, with an IS attack on a Hubei’s provincial capital, cancelled more than a hundred claiming nearly 20 attacks across Kabul in The truck bomb was not the only his new strategy for Afghanistan in 2017, Save the Children compound in eastern the past 18 months, and establishing cells notable Kabul attack of 2017. Among many vowing in August that troops would stay Jalalabad city killing at least five people train journeys. By about noon (0400 GMT), 95 flights had including students, professors and shop- smaller assaults which killed dozens of there indefinitely. The Taleban responded and forcing the charity to suspend opera- been cancelled at the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, keepers evading Afghan and US security people were an attack on Afghanistan’s with a wave of attacks across the country. tions. More security alerts were issued in stranding some 1,200 passengers. The airport at Nanning, forces. The group’s attack on Hazaras was largest military hospital in March which Kabul yesterday, warning of attacks tar- capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous the deadliest in Kabul in 2016, which officially left at least 50 people dead, No end in sight geting places frequented by foreigners. Region, also cancelled many flights. In Changzhou city in brought new levels of carnage even to a though security sources and survivors say Just four days into 2018 another suicide Twenty minutes before yesterday’s blast an southern Jiangsu province, the second half of the Under-23 city already grimly accustomed to atroci- the toll exceeded 100. Minority Shiites blast rocked Kabul, in an Islamic State- AFP reporter saw police checking ambu- Asian Cup final was interrupted for an hour on Saturday ties. Other attacks included a truck bomb increasingly became targets as Sunni IS claimed attack which killed at least 13 peo- lances several hundred meters from the afternoon as snow covered the pitch. Vietnam, long seen as and ensuing firefight that killed at least 64 stepped up their assaults, with dozens ple. Then the Taleban stormed the land- scene of the explosion. Ambulances-ubiq- an underdog, had defeated Australia, Iraq and Qatar to face people and wounded some 350 others on killed in multiple attacks. The deadliest-in mark Intercontinental Hotel in a complex uitous at the site of the dozens of attacks Uzbekistan in the final, cheered on by Vietnamese at home April 19, a week after the start of the which some 40 people were killed and assault in which witnesses told AFP the that rock Kabul each year-are rarely and at the Changzhou Olympic Sports Centre. Taleban’s “spring offensive”. And Taleban dozens wounded-was one of three assaults gunmen went from room to room targeting checked in the city.—AFP Drone strike kills 7

Cement swept away ADEN: A drone strike yesterday killed seven suspected Al- Deadly mudflows Residents living by a river in Daraga town in Albay Qaeda militants in southern Yemen, a security official said. province expressed fear of a repeat of the 2006 inci- The US military is the only force known to operate armed dent. “We are worried that lahar will flow again. We can- drones over Yemen. The official said the strike happened not sleep soundly at night. We sleep like chickens, wak- threaten residents after midnight and targeted a car in Shabwa province. “All ing up at the slightest rumble of the volcano,” Virginia seven passengers, who were Al-Qaeda members, were Tuscano, 47, told AFP as rain poured outside her home. killed,” said the security source. The United States con- as volcano erupts “Back in 2006 the lahar flow was so powerful it was like waves sweeping away even homes made of cement.”The siders the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian mother-of-three said she had packed her bags and was Peninsula to be the radical group’s most dangerous LEGAZPI: Millions of tons of ash and rock from an ready to leave her home. Observers saw a shroud of branch. A long-running drone war against AQAP has erupting Philippine volcano could bury nearby commu- steam covering the entire mountain as heavy rain met intensified since US President Donald Trump took office nities due to heavy rain, authorities said yesterday, as the hot lava and volcanic material on Mayon’s slopes. in January 2017. AQAP has flourished in the chaos of the tens of thousands flee over fears of a deadly explosion. Steam could also be seen rising from the volcano’s country’s civil war, which pits the Saudi-backed govern- The official Philippine Institute of Volcanology and crater as rainwater entered its interior. Volcanic mud- ment against Shiite Houthi rebels. Seismology (Phivolcs) issued the warning as heavy rains flows are a perennial problem during and after volcanic lashed the area surrounding the Mayon volcano, which eruptions in the Philippines, which sits on the “Ring of has been emitting flaming lava and giant clouds of Fire”-islands in the Pacific that were formed by volcanic University students expelled superheated ash for the past week. activity. The government has already evacuated more Rainwater could combine with the volcanic ash and than 84,000 people from a “danger zone” stretching as YANGON: Fourteen students have been expelled from a rock to form deadly, fast-moving mudflows-called far as nine kilometers around Mayon over fears of a Myanmar university after staging a campus protest calling “lahars”-that could sweep away entire settlements, it possible deadly eruption. Provincial disaster relief head for more education funding, an activist said yesterday, said.”The important thing is to move out in case of Cedric Daep said he expects the number of people sparking concern over eroding freedoms in the fledgling heavy rains... this is a precautionary measure,” Phivolcs evacuated to increase as residents flee from areas democracy. The four-day rally at Yadanabon University in chief Renato Solidum told AFP. The institute earlier said threatened by lahar. Mandalay drew some 100 students before it was broken up that 25 million cubic metres (about 883 million cubic by police on January 25. It was the first student protest feet) of ash and other volcanic material had recently Mixed blessing under Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian administration, which been emitted by Mayon, settling on its slopes and else- However, the rains were also washing away the thick, took power in early 2016. Students were key drivers of where nearby. choking carpet of ash that has covered many communi- political activism under the former military regime, which It warned that this could result in lahars flowing ties in the shadow of Mayon in the past week, Daep violently cracked down on dissent during its 50-year reign. said. “The rains also washed away the ashes on grass- into waterways, and called on officials to move resi- Many had hoped Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate and former lands. That means that cattle could now feed on the political prisoner, would usher in a new era of freedom. But dents near rivers to higher ground. An explosion of the grasses which they could not do in the past days,” he a rash of defamation cases and arrests of journalists, plus 2,460-metre (8,070-foot) Mayon in August 2006 did added. Mayon, located about 330 kilometers (205 not directly kill anyone but four months later, a miles) southeast of the capital Manila, is the most active lingering censorship in the arts, have dampened optimism typhoon unleashed an avalanche of volcanic mud from of the country’s 22 volcanoes-and one of the deadliest. and triggered alarm that freedoms are backsliding. The lat- est case to draw rebuke was the expulsion of 14 students in its slopes that claimed 1,000 lives. Phivolcs said Four foreign tourists and their local tour guide were LEGAZPI: Mayon volcano glows as it emits lava Mayon had emitted fountains of lava on Friday but bad killed when it last erupted in May 2013. In 1814, more Mandalay, who participated in the rally calling for more cascading on its slopes, as seen from Legazpi national spending on education. weather was preventing observation of the volcano’s than 1,200 people were killed when lava flows buried City, in Albay province yesterday. —AFP activity yesterday. the nearby town of Cagsawa.—AFP 10 Established 1961

Sunday, January 28, 2018 Analysis

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WASHINGTON WATCH Pence’s Middle East By Dr James J Zogby

S Vice President Michael Pence’s recent foray into Middle East politics has been nothing short of a disaster. UBecause he sees the world through the lens of right-wing Evangelical Christianity, he trampled on regional realities, leav- ing a mess in his wake. One might have hoped that American political leaders had learned the dangers of an ideologically-driven foreign policy from the failed presidency of George W. Bush. Bush, whose world view was a mish-mash of Evangelical and neo-conserva- tive doctrines, led the US into a disastrous invasion of Iraq. Guided by ideology, Bush saw that war as a necessary battle of good versus evil that would inevitably be won by the “good”. As his Administration framed the war: the tyrant would be over- thrown, America would be celebrated as the liberator of Iraq, democracy would take root, and then spread throughout the entire Middle East. To the true believer - it was that simple. Reality dictated otherwise. What the ideologues hadn’t factored into their simplistic vision were complex regional realities, in particular, the history China’s development push worries non-profits and social make-up of Iraq’s people and the ambitions of its neighbors. Within short order, the country descended into a sec- tarian civil war, Iran gained a foothold in Iraq becoming an hina’s development push into poor countries is come addition to the world of development finance Reuters, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua emboldened regional force, and US troops became ground marginalizing the role of human rights bodies, because I think it avoids the risk of overreaching, of try- Chunying told a briefing in Beijing: “The Chinese govern- down in a long, deadly, and demoralizing war - with still unfold- green groups and other non-profits, making it ing to do too much with individual investment projects.” ment has always asked companies that are going out to ing consequences. C harder for them to play their traditional role as a check Financing through institutions such as the World Bank carry out operations in their host countries under a legal The real danger of seeing the world through a narrow ideo- on rampant development, advocates said. China has has long been used by rich countries as a way to push framework in accordance with the law and rules, and to logical lens is that while the lens may be your own, the world embarked on one of the biggest overseas development borrowers to improve their track record on social causes. positively fulfil their responsibility to society.” being viewed through it is not yours to control. What you see plans since America’s post-war Marshall Plan, with more As part of that push, non-profits have played the role of Some sovereign governments welcome assistance may “fit” your understanding of the way “things ought to be”, than $100 billion of investments through its Belt and watchdogs, helping to change the course on issues such without a broader agenda. Bangladesh, for example, but the reality your lens filters out won’t “behave” or go away Road scheme to build highways, rail lines, ports and other as dam development and speaking up for human rights. struck deals with China for billions of dollars worth of just because you deny or don’t acknowledge that it exists. infrastructure linking up Asia, Europe and Africa. Advocates said the headwind had become stronger amid loans for various projects when President Xi Jinping vis- Pence’s recent descent into Middle East’s troubled waters But unlike Western-backed lenders, where develop- rising populism and as the United States under President ited in late 2016. “Anybody would prefer Chinese invest- displayed this same ideological blindness. His heterodox ment financing often comes with social and environmen- Donald Trump took a more muted approach on issues ment if the alternative is the World Bank,” Moshiur Christian faith celebrated President Trump’s recognition of tal strings and strengthens the voice of non-profits, like human rights or reversed policy, as it did on climate Rahman, economic adviser to Bangladesh’s prime minis- Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, because he sees Israel as the China-backed lenders are taking a more hands-off ter, told Reuters in an interview in Dhaka this month. fulfillment of biblical prophecy and a necessary prerequisite for approach, according to interviews with NGO executives “Unlike Western investors, they are not worried about the “final days” leading to the second coming of Christ and the and a lender at the World Economic Forum. “The situa- how many people you put in jail.” conversion of the Jews. At times Pence’s visit to Israel appeared tion with China right now is obviously the one to watch,” to be more of a religious pilgrimage than a diplomatic mission. said Jennifer Morgan, executive director of Greenpeace Common Ground His speech before the Israeli Knesset was filled with biblical ref- International. “What are the standards they are setting in Some non-profits are looking for common ground to erences and theological imagery. He mentioned Abraham and Non-profits the loans or the financing that they are doing around the find areas that they can work on. The Bill & Melinda David and spoke of the Jewish exile and their coming to the world?” Gates Foundation has been working with Beijing on proj- Promised Land (both of which he brazenly compared to the have played Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights ects for more than a decade, and taking Chinese expert- American experience). And he concluded with this: Watch, described China’s approach as amoral and said it ise in areas such as agriculture to other parts of Asia and “Israel is like a tree that has grown deep roots in the soil of the role of had eased the economic pressure that nations felt when Africa, said Mark Suzman, chief strategy officer for the your forefathers, yet as it grows, it reaches ever closer to the aid or investment was “more conditioned on respect for foundation. Suzman said the foundation was in discus- heavens. And today and every day, the Jewish state of Israel, and watchdogs human rights”. China-backed institutions take a different sions to see if Belt and Road projects in Southeast Asia all the Jewish people, bear witness to God’s faithfulness...It was approach to the World Bank and other Western-backed could be used to work on malaria prevention in the the faith of the Jewish people that gathered the scattered frag- development lenders. For example, the World Bank has a Mekong delta, a disease where the Chinese have expert- ments of a people and made them whole again...and it was faith strong bias against new coal-fired power stations on ise. “We actually feel pretty optimistic that there is a that rebuilt the ruins of Jerusalem and made them strong again. environmental grounds, but China’s new Asia change. “Am I concerned about shrinking civic space and win-win potential to it,” Suzman said. The miracle of Israel is an inspiration to the world.” Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which is helping not having as much voice in governments in various Last month the Chinese government circulated an arti- finance the Belt and Road plan, is less strident. countries around the world? Absolutely,” Morgan said. cle to the United Nations about its approach to human Biblical Language The AIIB’s vice president for policy and strategy, rights, laying out how Beijing was turning its “domestic This almost breathless ecstatic testimonial wasn’t all that Joachim von Amsberg, told Reuters at Davos that the No Strings Attached governance philosophies into international consensus”. Pence said. He made a not-so-oblique reference to the Trump Chinese-backed lender wanted to encourage transition to Von Amsberg, who spent some 25 years at the World “Peace and security are the most important human Administration’s hoped for so-called “Israel-Sunni” alliance, say- renewable energy but it did not want to “put on the front Bank before joining the AIIB in 2016, said the lender with rights,” wrote Li Baodong, vice minister for foreign ing “long-standing enemies are becoming partners...the descen- door the sign - ‘No Coal’.” “We are not seeing every 84 member nations held itself to high standards on envi- affairs. “Development is of paramount importance. We dants of Isaac and Ishmael are coming together in common project as a lever into broader policy changes in our ronmental, social and governance norms, and denied it have made fresh headway in increasing our say on human cause as never before”. In near biblical language, he pledged to member countries,” von Amsberg said. “That is a wel- weakened civil society. In response to a question from rights issues,” he wrote. —Reuters “drive radical Islamic terrorism from the face of the earth.” He also noted that the US has “redirected funding [from traditional aid groups that provide relief and reconstruction assistance to all groups impacted by war]...and, for the first time...providing prison sentence was increased by the Complicated re-election plan direct support for Christian [whom Pence has referred to as “our Left sticks by appeals court from nine to 12 years. “We Lula down - but As expected, three judges sitting in the fellow Christians”] and other minority communities” in Iraq. need social confrontation to stop this coup. southern city of Porto Alegre agreed What Pence’s ideology did not allow him to see was that by There has to be a rebellion by citizens,” Wednesday that Lula, 72, was guilty of his full-throated embrace of a biblically-inspired vision of Israel, wounded Lula; said firebrand Workers Party Senator not out - after corruption by being bribed with a posh he put the final nail in the coffin of a US-led peace process. Only Lindbergh Farias. With doubts about his seaside condo, even though Lula insists he once, in passing, did Pence even mention Palestinians. Because ‘no Plan B’ ability to run, other parties will be reluctant graft verdict never even got the keys to the place. The he could not see Israel doing wrong, he made no mention of the to ally themselves with the PT, which could judges extended Lula’s original prison sen- harsh occupation or settlement expansion. And Palestinian razil’s Workers Party and labor lead- eventually be forced to back another candi- he Brazilian appeals court that tence of nine and a half years, handed Christians, who refused to meet with Pence in protest of the US ers insisted on Thursday that left- date. “The 3-0 vote to condemn him and upheld a corruption conviction down in July, to 12 years and one month. embassy move, were not included in Pence’s beleaguered “fellow Bwing hero Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva the increase in his sentence was a definitive against former president Luiz Inacio The ruling was undoubtedly bad news for would be their candidate in this year’s pres- shock to Lula’s political life. It ends it,” said T Lula, but the question is how bad. “It com- Christians” needing US support. Lula da Silva has dimmed his chances of idential race, despite his failure to overturn What Pence also wasn’t able to factor into his distorted view Sergio PraÁa, a political scientist at FGV running for office again but not killed them. plicates his plans to run for the presidency a corruption conviction that will likely bar think tank in Sao Paulo. this year but it doesn’t finish them alto- of the region is just how irreconcilable his stance on Israel and The ruling issued Wednesday means Lula - him. Political observers expect the Workers gether,” said market analysts Capital Jerusalem are with the deeply held sensibilities of the Arab the barrel-chested former steel workers Party to back his candidacy for as long as it Nobody Left on the Left Economics. “The unanimous verdict is World’s leaders and peoples. While Egypt’s and Jordan’s leaders union boss who rose to make Brazil the met with the Vice President, they kept him at arm’s length (and, possibly can, as without the charismatic The exclusion of Lula from the 2018 important since it reduces the avenues of Lula on the campaign trail Brazil’s second election would not only leave the Workers poster child of emerging economies and appeal that are now open to Lula. That in the case of Egypt, did their best to keep press away). What lifted millions out of poverty - could be dis- the US appears not to understand is that despite Arab leaders’ largest party in Congress faces oblivion. Party orphaned but also the Brazilian left. being said, it does not close them off com- “We are here to reaffirm Lula’s candida- “There is nobody else on the left with a real qualified from the October election he is pletely.” concerns with Iran and extremism, they are not about to trample strongly favored to win. on Palestinians and their rights in Jerusalem in order to join cy for president of Brazil. We have no Plan chance for victory, and certainly nobody Pro- and anti-Lula forces, who demon- But the final decision on Lula’s eligibility forces with or normalize ties with Israel. In fact, Trump’s B. He will be our candidate,” party leader from the Workers Party,” PraÁa said. strated in Porto Alegre but mainly in Sao to seek another term at the head of the now embassy move and Pence’s performance, if anything, have fueled Senator Gleisi Hoffmann said at the coun- “There is nobody left on the left.” Still, Paulo, are at loggerheads over whether the economically struggling giant will not come extremist currents, emboldened Iran, and put the US’ Arab try’s largest labor union headquarters. The some analysts said Lula, while down after court decision is fair. Lula’s supporters say World allies at risk. two-term former president, while popular, the court verdict, was not entirely out, with until shortly before the vote - casting they smell a rat, and accuse the courts of Finally, a word about Pence’s efforts to reprogram US aid has slim chances of undoing Wednesday’s consultancy Eurasia saying he has a rough- uncertainty over Brazil’s future. Candidates acting with suspicious speed, and on the toward Middle East Christians. While celebrated by Evangelical ruling by an appellate court. His exclusion ly one-third chance of being able to run. must announce by August that they are basis of slim evidence that came from a Christians in the US, this move has been criticized by the hierar- raises the prospect of a right-leaning If Lula is ruled out, his party could ally officially in the race. On Thursday Lula’s leak. His critics argue that he and the PT chy of the Middle East Christian churches. While every religious reformer winning the Oct. 7 election and itself with the center-left Democratic Labor Worker’s Party (PT) closed ranks the man are rotten with corruption and that he community has suffered at the hands of ISIS, there is no doubt sticking to Brazil’s austerity program. Party (PDT), which stands to gain leftist who was Brazil’s president for two terms, deserves to go to prison. Lula has six other that Arab Christians and other regional minorities were singled Investors are betting it is game over for backers for its candidate Ciro Gomes, a for- from 2003 to 2011. legal cases pending, also essentially for out by the extremists for the harshest treatment. Nevertheless, Brazil’s most influential politician and early mer governor of Ceara state. Another left- “We are here to reaffirm the candidacy alleged corruption. “The issue of the condo the region’s Christian hierarchy fear being too closely embraced front-runner. Sao Paulo’s stock market hit a of-center option is environmentalist Marina of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva,” said Senator is far from the most serious one,” said one by the US or singled out for special treatment since that would new high after the decision and the curren- Silva, who has won more than 20 percent of Gleisi Hoffmann at a meeting of the party of the appeals court judges, Leandro exacerbate sectarian tensions, putting them at greater risk in cy strengthened from 3.20 to 3.14 reais to the votes in the last two presidential elec- leadership in Sao Paulo. A poster on the Paulsen. their own countries. In the end, the only group celebrating the dollar. But Lula accepted the Workers tions on an anti-corruption platform. door read, “In defense of democracy and of Lula’s defeat in court will have a big Pence’s pilgrimage to the region is the far-right in Israel. He Party nomination, which has to be formal- But she publicly supported the convic- Lula. Without meaning to be arrogant,” impact on the presidential campaign and embraced their vision of a Jewish state in their “Promised Land” ized at a party convention, and told a rally tion of Lula for taking a bribe and his party Lula said, “I want to tell you that I want to marks the start of what will probably be a and ignored Palestinian rights. This uncritical support has already in Sao Paulo that he would “fight to the is unlikely to join forces with her. The be the candidate, to win the elections. long legal battle, with less than nine months further emboldened them to accelerate their efforts to expand end” to appeal against his conviction. “I absence of Lula on the campaign trail is not We’re not lowering our heads!” Lula was to go until the election. “It is an unprece- settlements, annex the occupied territories, and bury, once and want to be candidate to win the elections expected to benefit far-right candidate Jair due to travel to Ethiopia on Thursday to dented situation in Brazil,” said Fernando for all, hopes for a just and lasting Israel-Palestinian peace - thus and govern this country,” he said to a Bolsonaro, running second in polling and take part in a conference organized by the Schuler of Insper, a higher education insti- demonstrating, once again, how adherence to blind ideology can crowd that chanted “Lula for president.” whose support is in part based on a fear of UN Food and Agriculture Organization, but tution focusing on business, economics and be a dumb and dangerous way to shape foreign policy. Workers Party leaders called for a civil a Workers Party return to power. Instead it authorities rescinded his passport after a engineering. “Lula is the frontrunner in the NOTE: Dr James J Zogby is the President of the Arab American disobedience campaign to oppose his may open the field for more right of center complaint was filed alleging he posed a election and his candidacy is by no means Institute exclusion from the elections and said they candidates with clear market-friendly flight risk, preventing him from leaving the assured. It is a dramatic situation for would resist any move to arrest Lula, whose stances. —Reuters country. democracy.” —AFP Established 1961 11 News Sunday, January 28, 2018

‘In shock’ through the city’s diplomatic quarter on May 31, killing ‘Deportados Brand’: It was their way out of the uncertainty which mir- Ambulance bomb 150 people and wounding hundreds - showed a huge rored that of the deported immigrants arriving at the plume of smoke rising into the sky. Near the blast site airport. As well as Jacome, who lends them a cellphone civilians walked through debris-covered streets carrying Mexicans stand up to and offers accommodation at the group’s screen-print- kills 95 in Kabul... wounded on their backs as others loaded several bodies at ing facility, they are met by local officials and another a time into ambulances and private cars to take them to Trump with T-shirts Continued from Page 1 medical facilities around the city. organization which gives them a small green bag to The Italian NGO Emergency said 131 wounded had keep their things in, instead of the sacks provided when that the toll “now stands at 95 dead, 158 wounded”, been taken to its hospital, with its coordinator Dejan Panic MEXICO CITY: Few people know gate “N” at they are deported. Although some manage a small shortly after the interior ministry warned that an earlier tweeting that it had been a “massacre”. A photo posted on Mexico City’s airport but three times a week it is the smile, many new arrivals look as if they have just arrived death toll of 63 could rise. Emergency’s Twitter account showed hospital staff treat- arrival point for the latest group of Mexican immigrants on another planet. The blast happened in an area where several high-pro- ing injured people in an outdoor walkway next to a gar- deported by the United States. Waiting to meet them is “It’s a very hard assimilation process. First someone file organizations, including the European Union, have den. A man told Ariana TV he had taken his wounded Adan Jacome. Jacome, 45, goes to the terminal to offer arrives in Mexico and says ‘I can’t believe it, why did offices. Members of the EU delegation in Kabul were in brother to Jamuriate and Emergency hospitals but had the support of a group of immigrants also repatriated to they deport me?’ They didn’t want to come back, they their “safe room” and there were no casualties, an official been turned away. “They are asking people with non-life Mexico, and who are the brains behind “Deportados had a well-paid job, and that’s where the anger comes told AFP. The force of the explosion shook windows of threatening wounds to go to other hospitals,” he said. Brand”, a small T-shirt business which aims to reunite from,” said Lavariego, 42. Ana Laura Lopez, also 42 and buildings at least two kilometers away and caused some Aminullah, whose stationery shop is just meters from families and help deported Mexicans start over. one of the most familiar faces in the organization, had a low-rise structures in the immediate vicinity to collapse. where the explosion happened, said the force of the explosion shook the foundations of his building. “The He is a much-needed helping hand for the many similar experience when she was deported from The suicide bomber passed through at least one migrants who arrive in a practically foreign country but checkpoint in the ambulance, saying he was taking a building shook. All our windows broke. The people are in Chicago after 16 years, leaving two sons. shock in our market,” he told AFP. A man told Tolo News who must find work quickly, despite the stigma of hav- patient to Jamuriate hospital, an interior ministry She was heading to the airport to sort out her spokesman told AFP. “At the second checkpoint he was he was passing the area when the explosion happened. “I ing just been deported. Upon returning, “doors are papers in Mexico - with the intention of returning to recognized and blew his explosive-laden car,” Nasrat heard a big bang and I fainted,” he said, outside the closed to them, because people think they must have the US with a work visa - when she was picked up by Rahimi said. Rahimi told a news conference that most of Emergency hospital. “There were dozens of people who killed or robbed someone, or been on drugs”, Jacome, immigration agents. Now, she cannot return to the US the victims were civilians. He said the Taleban-affiliated were killed and wounded. There were pools of blood.” who was deported to Mexico after living in Las Vegas for 20 years. For her, “everything changed” when she Haqqani Network was responsible and four suspects had The attack was condemned by the presidential palace for 16 years, told AFP. arrived in Mexico. “I had just been robbed of the only been arrested. Twenty minutes before the blast an AFP as a “crime against humanity”. There was international Arrests of undocumented migrants have surged opportunity I had, when I wasn’t a criminal, when I had reporter saw police checking ambulances several hundred outcry too, with NATO, the US embassy in Kabul and since US President Donald Trump took office one year dedicated myself to working. I was in shock for several metres from the scene of the explosion, as the drivers and British foreign minister Boris Johnson among those ago. Law enforcers say they focus on criminal aliens but days,” she recalled. patients stood on the street. Ambulances are rarely expressing horror at the latest attack. The offices of the rights groups allege longtime residents with families checked in the city. High Peace Council, charged with negotiating with the The International Committee of the Red Cross in Taleban which has been waging a more than 16-year and jobs are rounded up on minor infractions. ‘A broken dream’ “Deportados Brand”, whose shirts bear slogans such as Afghanistan condemned the use of an ambulance in the insurgency in the war-torn country, are also near the blast However, with the business going from strength to bombing, saying on Twitter it was “unacceptable and site. “It targeted our checkpoint. It was really huge - all “We are all gate ‘N’” and “F**k Trump”, was born strength and winning fans on Facebook, her tone unjustifiable”. The Taleban used social media to claim our windows are broken,” Hassina Safi, a member of High almost by chance at the end of 2016, as Mexico waited changes remembering the T-shirt design which best responsibility for the attack, which comes exactly a week Peace Council, told AFP. “So far we don’t have any reports with bated breath for Trump to take office after his expresses her current feelings. “Intelligent here and after its insurgents stormed Kabul’s landmark if any of our members are wounded or killed.” A security election win. there,” it says in Spanish, in a design which mimics the Intercontinental hotel, killing at least 25 people, the major- alert issued yesterday morning had warned that the Struggling to find work, the five-strong group sold logo of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Although ity foreigners. Islamic State group was planning “to conduct aggressive traditional sweets in the street, then went on to create they’re enjoying success in Mexico, the group’s mem- Photos shared on social media purportedly of the blast attacks” on supermarkets, shops and hotels frequented by distinctive T-shirts to identify themselves. The first day bers see returning to their homes in the US as an - the deadliest in Kabul since a truck bomb ripped foreigners. — AFP they used them was Jan 20, 2017, the date of Trump’s increasingly difficult task, thanks to Trump’s tough inauguration. People liked the shirts, said Gustavo stance on immigrants. “It’s a year that has lowered our automated linkage between various state institutions Lavariega, another member of the group who was hopes of returning home,” says Lopez, at a protest in deported after 17 years in Washington state. He left four Govt grapples with contributed to the escalation of this problem and the front of the US embassy in Mexico, during which they increase in the numbers of marginal laborers, especially daughters behind. A few months later, fueled by the present the sacks given to deported migrants. “Every since some sectors have an illogically large numbers of desire to express their feelings using the shirts, the sack has a story. It’s a broken dream, a separated 1.8m loose laborers... workers, such as shepherding, fishing and agriculture, group was screen-printing garments to sell. family,” she said. — AFP Continued from Page 1 estimated unofficially at hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile, the latest records issued by the central He said the state was able to control the entry and statistics department on Sept 30, 2017 showed an increase in the number of workers in the third quarter Ankara bitterly contested each other’s accounts of a exit of new marginal laborers due to strict measures that by an estimated 31,894 expats, compared to second telephone conversation between Erdogan and US were applied lately in not bringing in excess labor, in Pressing Syrian quarter data last year that showed increased expat President Donald Trump. A White House statement said addition to reducing government cleaning and guarding labor in the workforce at 29,192 workers, compared to Trump urged Turkey to “limit its military actions”, but a contracts by 25 percent. 2,682 Kuwaitis. offensive, Turkey... Turkish official said this was not an accurate reflection of The source said the state’s delay in implementing an Continued from Page 1 the leaders’ call. There have been expressions of concern over the offensive from other Western allies including the ticularly worrying for foreigners because of his interna- restraint and fearing an impact on the fight against European Union. German police yesterday ordered the Saudi billionaire tional prominence as an investor in top Western compa- the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. dispersal of a protest against the offensive attended by nies such as Twitter and Citigroup, and in top hotels One of the issues marring relations was the US sup- over 15,000 in Cologne because of the presence of PKK including the George V in Paris and the Plaza in New plying the YPG militia - which has spearheaded the fight symbols, banned in Germany. Alwaleed released... York, the banker said. “The government is signalling that it - with arms since last year in battles against IS. Manbij Continued from Page 1 wants to move to a new phase now, away from the crack- itself was retaken from IS by the Kurdish-led, US- Syrian rebels ‘take village’ down and into other economic reforms,” the banker said. backed Syrian Democratic Forces in 2016 as part of a The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring how many suspects have seen charges dropped. Prince Alwaleed described his confinement as a misun- push that would later recapture the city of Raqqa from group told AFP the fighting was concentrated in the Allegations against Prince Alwaleed, who is in his early derstanding and said he supported reform efforts by the the militants. The Turkish presidency said US National northwest part of the Afrin region. Turkish forces and 60s, included money laundering, bribery and extorting crown prince. “There are no charges. There are just some Security Advisor H R McMaster “confirmed” to allied Syrian rebels had taken a village and were making officials, a Saudi official told Reuters in November. The discussions between me and the government,” he said. Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin in a phone call late progress, albeit “slowly because of bad weather”, prince’s net worth has been estimated by Forbes magazine The prince appeared greyer and thinner than in his last Friday that Washington would no longer “give weapons Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. An AFP at $17 billion. In his first interview since he was taken into public appearance, a television interview in October, and to the YPG”. correspondent in the Syrian town of Azaz held by pro- custody, conducted hours before his release, Prince had grown a beard while in detention. “I have nothing to Ankara says the YPG is a “terrorist” offshoot of the Ankara fighters, east of Afrin, could hear sporadic Alwaleed told Reuters that he had maintained his inno- hide at all. I’m so comfortable, I’m so relaxed. I shave here, outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) which is pro- artillery fire. cence of any corruption in talks with the authorities. He like at home. My barber comes here. I’m like at home, scribed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western The Turkish military said “at least 394 terrorist organ- said he expected to keep full control of his global invest- frankly speaking,” he said. allies. “God willing we will crush them (terror groups) ization members were neutralized” in the operation. It ment firm Kingdom Holding Co without being required to He granted the 30-minute interview, including a tour of like a steamroller,” Erdogan said yesterday during a was not possible to independently verify the toll. The hand over assets to the government. his suite, partly to disprove rumors about mistreatment speech in Istanbul. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim Observatory said 111 Ankara-backed rebels and Kurdish Asked if the attorney general was convinced of Prince and that he had been moved from the hotel to a prison. hit out at critics, explaining the “operation was not an fighters have been killed between both sides since last Alwaleed’s innocence, the senior Saudi official said: “I will The prince said he was able to communicate with family option but a necessity”. Saturday. It said 38 civilians have been killed, mainly as a not negate or confirm what he says. Generally this falls members and executives at his business during his deten- result of Turkish shelling, but Ankara strongly rejects back to those who concluded the settlement, and for sure tion. Prince Alwaleed showed off the comforts of his gold- ‘Cut ties with YPG’ such claims. Health workers in Afrin told AFP they feared there is no settlement unless there are violations, and they accented private office, dining room and kitchen, which Earlier this month, the US-led coalition fighting IS the offensive would lead to a humanitarian “tragedy”. are not concluded without the accused admitting it in was fully stocked with his preferred vegetarian meals. said it was working to create a 30,000-strong border “Medication and humanitarian aid necessary to help writing and promising not to repeat it.” The source In the corner of his office sat tennis shoes, which he security force in northern Syria. “The US must cut its ties civilians will soon run out,” said Khalil Sabri Ahmed, declined to give further details, but confirmed that Prince said he used regularly for exercise. A television played with a terror organization. It must take back the weapons head of the main hospital in Afrin. Alwaleed would remain head of Kingdom Holding. business news programs, and a mug with an image of his it has given,” Cavusoglu said, adding Turkey “now want- The UN children’s agency UNICEF said at least 11 chil- A Gulf banker who deals with Saudi Arabia said the own face on it was perched on the desk. After being ed to see concrete steps taken”. During their call, dren were killed since the operation began. Turkey’s AFAD authorities appeared keen to conclude the probe partly released, Prince Alwaleed said, he would stay in Saudi McMaster and Kalin agreed to coordinate closely in emergencies agency head Mehmet Gulluoglu said they because foreign investors were concerned their assets or Arabia and would return to the challenge of juggling his order to prevent misunderstandings. were making plans for a camp to be established in Azaz “in local business partners could be targeted in the wide- global business interests. “I will not leave Saudi Arabia, for The contact came just days after Washington and the face of a possible refugee influx from Afrin”. —AFP ranging crackdown. Prince Alwaleed’s detention was par- sure. This is my country.” — Agencies 12 Established 1961 Sports Sunday, January 28, 2018 US Gymnastics board resigning amid sexual abuse scandal Congress moves forward with probe of sex abuse in sports

MICHIGAN: The remaining directors of the US gym- promising to cooperate with investigations into the nastics governing body are resigning in the wake of this matter. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, whose week’s sentencing of the former national team doctor office prosecuted Nassar, confirmed on Twitter that the for molesting female athletes, USA Gymnastics said on office is investigating the university. U.S. Education Friday, complying with a demand by the US Olympic Secretary Betsy DeVos announced her department was Committee. investigating the university and will “hold MSU The doctor, Larry Nassar, was sentenced on accountable for any violations of federal law.” “What Wednesday to between 40 and 175 years in prison by a happened at Michigan State is abhorrent,” DeVos said. judge in Lansing, Michigan, following a week of blister- Nassar, 54, was sentenced for sexually assaulting girls ing statements in court by his victims including Olympic under the guise of medical treatment. gold medal-winning gymnasts Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber and other female athletes. He had pleaded ‘MORAL AUTHORITY’ guilty to sexual assault Some critics who said charges. the USOC could have USOC CEO Scott caught Nassar sooner if Blackmun on Thursday it had acted on com- said USA Gymnastics Michigan State plaints made by athletes would be stripped of its called the USA standing as a governing University Gymnastics board resig- body if all board mem- nations too little and too bers did not quit, with a athletic late. Several victims dur- new interim board put in ing Nassar’s sentencing LANSING: File photo shows women from the Michigan based victim advocacy groups End Violent Encounters and place by the end of director retires hearing blamed the Firecracker Foundation cheer for women as they leave the courthouse after the sentencing of disgraced doctor Larry February. At least five of USOC, as well, for the Nassar in Ingham County Circuit Court on January 24, 2018 in Lansing, Michigan. — AFP the 21 members already abuse. had resigned as a result “I don’t think they Congress also is investigating the matter. A House of first victim to publicly accuse Nassar in 2016, wrote in of the scandal. have the moral authority Representatives investigation will examine allegations a New York Times opinion piece that anyone who pro- “USA Gymnastics will comply with the USOC to speak at all on this issue,” John Manly, a lawyer who of sexual harassment by officials in other sports, includ- tected Nassar should face consequences. requirements,” Leslie King, a spokeswoman for USA represents 120 of Nassar’s victims including 2012 ing swimming and taekwondo. “The first step toward changing the culture that led Gymnastics, said in an email. The senior sports official at Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney, said of the Raisman, who was among the more than 150 accus- to this atrocity is to hold enablers of abuse account- Michigan State University, where Nassar previously USOC. “In fact, their board ought to resign and Scott ers who recounted their stories in court, vowed to keep able,” Denhollander wrote. The US House Energy and worked, announced his retirement on Friday. The depar- Blackmun ought to resign, too,” Manly added. the pressure on sports organizations to see who else Commerce Committee, in announcing its investigation, ture of Athletic Director Mark Hollis came two days A USOC spokesman declined to comment on calls knew about Nassar’s abuse. Nassar worked for the said sports organizations “must have mechanisms in after university President Lou Anna Simon stepped for that group’s board and Blackmun to resign. USOC federation through four Olympic Games, but the allega- place to ensure complete oversight and prevent such down under pressure. Both said they were unaware of board member Susanne Lyons called the USA tions did not become public until 2016 in an investiga- abuses from occurring.” Nassar’s abuse until it was reported publicly. Gymnastics board resignations “a critical first step” to tive report by the Indianapolis Star. The House next week is due to vote on legislation “Our campus, and beyond, has been attacked by evil, better protect athletes, but more work remained. A “Everyone stood up for him,” Raisman told the ABC passed by the Senate in November that would require an individual who broke trust and so much more,” Hollis USOC investigation into how Nassar was able to abuse program “The View.” “My work, and the army of sur- amateur athletics governing bodies to report sexual- told a news conference, referring to Nassar. victims for years will include looking at whether any vivors, we’re not done yet. We still have to hold these abuse allegations immediately to law enforcement or a “I’m not running away from anything,” Hollis added, USOC officials themselves looked the other way. organizations accountable.” Rachael Denhollander, the child welfare agency. — Reuters

Swiss Feuz

the government to order a review of S Korea the governing body after the Sochi wins downhill Olympics in 2014. “I sincerely apolo- gise for the issues regarding the in Garmisch skating chief national skating team ahead of the Winter Olympics,” Kim said in a apologises statement. “We promise there will be GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN: Reigning no repeat of these problems and will downhill world champion Beat Feuz of come up with reform measures and Switzerland set down an Olympic marker for incidents implement them as soon as possible.” yesterday with a thundering victory in The KSU handed out a lifetime ban Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The 30-year-old to the coach of Shim Suk-hee on Swiss clocked one minute, 55.39 seconds in SEOUL: Korea’s skating union has Thursday after he admitted to physi- the downhill as Vincent Kriechmayr of Austria apologised for souring the mood ahead cally assaulting the 20-year-old, who and Italy’s Dominik Paris took joint second of February’s Winter Games after a won gold, silver and bronze medals in after they both finished at 0.18 secs back. coach was banned for life for striking a Sochi. Public anger with the KSU grew “I was completely at my limits at the end,” short track athlete and a speed skater when it emerged speed skater Noh said a delighted Feuz following his third GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN: Switzerland’s Beat Feuz poses during the winner ceremony of the almost lost her spot at the Olympics Seon-yeong was told only last week downhill World Cup win this season. With the men’s downhill at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany, due to an administrative error. that she would be unable to compete Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang beginning yesterday. Switzerland’s Beat Feuz won the competition, Austria’s Vicnent Kriechmayr and Italy’s Kim Sang-hang, president of the in the team pursuit in Pyeongchang in two weeks, the Swiss now has a career Dominik Paris placed second. — AFP Korea Skating Union (KSU), said in a because she had not been able to earn total of seven downhill victories, with a fur- statement that it would take steps to a spot in an individual event. ther three in the Super-G, on the World Cup avoid further problems as South Korea The KSU was criticized for failing circuit. nearly a second and he crossed the line in Lenzerheide in Switzerland yesterday. The prepares to host next month’s to give Noh the chance to qualify but Aksel Lund Svindal was first down the eleventh place. French star led after the first run and held on Olympics in Pyeongchang. it blamed the oversight on miscom- Kandahar course and held the lead until Feuz, Olympic champion, Matthias Mayer of to beat German Viktoria Rebensburg by The incidents sparked a huge munication with the International fifth down the piste, shaved 0.28 seconds off Austria, could only manage eighth. Local 0.07sec with Slovenia’s Mate Hrovat third at backlash in Korea, with almost 200 Skating Union. Noh, who had been his time on the lower section. Norwegian vet- favourite, Germany’s Thomas Dressen, who 1.45s. Worley was registering her 12th overall online petitions calling for the KSU to hoping to win gold to honour her late eran Svindal, 35, eventually finished fourth. celebrated the first downhill win of his career World Cup triumph ahead of the be reformed or disbanded were brother, former short track world Last year’s downhill winner in Garmisch, in Kitzbuhel last weekend, came within 0.53 Pyeongchang Games which get underway on lodged with the presidential Blue champion Jing-kyu, who died of bone Hannes Reichelt of Austria, was 0.12 quicker of Feuz’s time to finish seventh. The racing February 9. US ski star and Olympic champi- House. The KSU has seen more than cancer in 2016, was surprisingly rein- than Feuz’s time at the fourth time check, but continues on Sunday in the Bavarian Alps on Mikaela Shiffrin, came seventh, almost two its fair share of controversy over the stated on Friday after two Russians faded to finish fifth at 0.43. with the men’s giant slalom. seconds off the winner. Shiffrin retained her years, with allegations of favouritism who had qualified were dropped from Likewise, Germany’s Andreas Sander Meanwhile, world champion Tessa Worley massive lead in the overall World Cup stand- and athlete mistreatment prompting the final list.— Reuters charged down the course and was leading tuned up for the Olympic Games with her first ings with Rebensburg now just 32 points until the final turn, but a mistake cost him World Cup success of the season at clear of Worley in the giant slalom. —AFP

people speak up the issue will gain momentum. “When Special Olympics the average person says that and the health centre opens up and doctors treat them (people with intellectual dis- abilities) and schools are open as well as communities to aim to smash them and a job is within reach, once we get to that tip- ping point of the community then we have a chance. And down barriers that is what we are looking for.” ‘UNFAIR AND DEHUMANISING’ LONDON: Special Olympics chairman Timothy Shriver Shriver’s organisation holds World Games every two whose organisation celebrates 50 years in 2018 — years, alternating between summer and winter events, dreams of a world in which nobody stands in the way of with the next competition in Abu Dhabi in 2019. The people with intellectual disabilities who want to take part Special Olympics offer more than 30 Olympic-style indi- in sport. vidual and team sports from alpine skiing to volleyball. Shriver, whose mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver Shriver describes the amount of prejudice that still founded the Special Olympics, oversees a body that has exists as “astonishing”. “There are doctors who refuse to around five million athletes with intellectual disabilities treat people with intellectual disabilities, healthcare insti- and holds 100,000 events around the world annually. tutions that say to mothers ‘your child is hopeless’, Events to mark this year’s anniversary include a “Global schools who don’t have programmes and companies who Day of Inclusion” at Soldier Field, Chicago, which hosted say we won’t hire people like you,” he said. “It is infuriat- the first International Special Olympics Summer Games ing, frustrating, unfair and dehumanising and this is why in July 1968. Timothy Shriver, nephew of assassinated US we exist, to oppose it and overcome it and end it. Until president John F Kennedy, says he hopes ordinary peo- discrimination is ended we will not cease. That is the ple will help turn the tide of prejudice and enable their bottom line.” goal to be achieved. “I think you can roll back prejudice NEWARK: File photo taken on June 15, 2014 shows Tim Shriver, Chairman of The Board of Directors, Special Olympics significantly but not completely,” he told AFP in a phone ‘GOOD WILL WIN’ attends the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games Opening Ceremony at Prudential Center on June 15, 2014 in Newark, interview from his office in Washington DC. Shriver, whose father Sargent is known as the archi- New Jersey. — AFP “The goal is to have unified sports in every school and tect of the “War on Poverty” in the 1960s and in 1972 club round the world. Not most, not some, not a good was running mate to defeated Democrat presidential told him we stand for anyone who has been excluded, is Shriver was a co-producer on the Steven Spielberg number, but all. I would say sports clubs at the moment, candidate George McGovern, is now pushing to reach on the periphery, anyone society has said does not film “Amistad” about an revolt by African slaves on board there are probably perhaps four percent who do. “There the estimated 500,000 refugees with intellectual disabil- belong here,” said Shriver. a Spanish-owned slave ship and he believes there is a is a long way to go but we live in an era when change ities. Special Olympics Europe Eurasia held a forum, “On “Our athletes say ‘come and play with us’. It is our comparison between their leader, (Joseph) Cinque, and can happen quickly and we think in our 50th anniversary the Margins”, in Amsterdam this week to draw attention DNA, we are not experts on refugees, or indeed a lot of his athletes. “The hero is not the people who helped but it can happen.” to the issues facing refugees with intellectual disabilities problematic issues like gender and race but we are the unjustly incarcerated slave,” said Shriver. “He leads Shriver, a teacher by profession, who became chair- attended by various UN bodies. experts on the idea of including people and no one is the rebellion, he leads and inspires the lawyers and chal- man of the Special Olympics in 1996, says when ordinary “When I had the chance to meet with Pope Francis I better at that than our athletes.” lenges the constitution and wins his freedom.— AFP Established 1961 13 Sports Sunday, January 28, 2018 DeMarcus Cousins carried off court as Pelicans defeat Rockets

LeBron scores 26 points as Cleveland rolled past Indiana

LOS ANGELES: Anthony Davis had 27 points TRAIL BLAZERS 107, MAVERICKS 93 and 11 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined won their season-high fourth game in a row by for 49 points and Portland broke things open in holding off the Houston Rockets, 115-113, on the fourth quarter en route to a win over Dallas. Friday night at the Smoothie King Center in Lillard scored 29 points and McCollum added New Orleans. The Pelicans, who won for the 20 for the Trail Blazers (27-22), who won their seventh time in their last eight games, had won fourth straight game and gave coach Terry three consecutive games on four previous Stotts his 250th career coaching victory. Ed occasions, but each time lost as they tried to Davis had a big game off the bench, scoring 15 win their fourth in a row. With less than 10 sec- points on 6-for-7 shooting, grabbing 13 onds remaining, Pelicans All-Star DeMarcus rebounds and blocking three shots. Cousins was helped off the court after suffering a non-contact Clippers 109, left leg injury. Grizzlies 100 ESPN, citing Lou Williams league sources, registered 40 reports that the Lou Williams points, 10 Pelicans believe assists and four he has a torn registered steals to lead ACL and will be Los Angeles to out for the sea- 40 points, a victory over son. Cousins Memphis. Milos had his second 10 assists Teodosic triple-double in scored a three games, career-best 18 finishing with 15 points for the points, 13 Clippers, who rebounds and 11 assists. halted a three-game slide. DeAndre Jordan contributed 15 points and nine rebounds, Blake NEW ORLEANS: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans dunks the ball against the Houston Rockets on Friday at Smoothie King BUCKS 116, NETS 91 Griffin had 14 points and eight boards and Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. — AFP Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to action Wesley Johnson matched his career best of six after sitting out two games with a sore right steals. Mario Chalmers had 17 points and 10 knee and scored 41 points in Milwaukee’s rout assists, Jarrell Martin also scored 17 points and been without Ball for its last six games since he of Brooklyn. Antetokounmpo hit 14 of 20 shots Dillon Brooks had 15 for the Grizzlies, who lost sprained his left knee on Jan. 13. Despite Ball’s and made 10 of 11 from the free throw line. He for the third time in the past four games. absence, the Lakers were able to overcome a NBA results/standings hot 3-point shooting Bulls squad that rallied flirted with a triple-double, as well, grabbing 13 Dallas 93, Portland 107; San Antonio 78, Philadelphia 97; Cleveland 115, Indiana 108; Toronto 93, rebonds to go with seven assists, two steals and 76ERS 97, SPURS 78 from two double-digit deficits. Chicago used Utah 97; Phoenix 85, New York 107; Chicago 103, LA Lakers 108; Memphis 100, LA Clippers a pair of blocked shots as the Bucks, playing Joel Embiid had 18 points and 14 rebounds the hot hand from outside to go on a 16-1 run in 109; Milwaukee 116, Brooklyn 91; New Orleans 115, Houston 113; Charlotte 121, Atlanta 110. without point guard Malcolm Brogdon as Philadelphia stunned San Antonio. It was the fourth quarter as Nikola Mirotic and Denzel (strained left calf), improved to 2-0 since firing Embiid’s fifth double-double in the last seven Valentine each hit a pair of triples to put their Eastern Conference Western Conference head coach Jason Kidd Monday afternoon. games. Ben Simmons scored 21 points on 10- team ahead 92-90. Mirotic, who scored 18 W L PCT GB Golden State 39 10 79.6 - of-11 shooting, Dario Saric added 15 and Justin points, and Valentine, who had 16, each made Boston 35 14 71.4 - Houston 34 13 72.3 4 four 3-pointers. The Bulls made 17 of 36 from Toronto 32 15 68.1 2 San Antonio 32 19 62.7 8 CAVALIERS 115, PACERS 108 Anderson had 12 for the Sixers, who moved Cleveland 28 19 59.6 6 LeBron James scored 26 points as part of a three games above .500 and won for just the behind the arc. Minnesota 31 20 60.8 9 Miami 27 21 56.3 7.5 Oklahoma City 28 20 58.3 10.5 triple-double and J.R. Smith had 23 points as second time in San Antonio since 1986. Timothe Washington 26 22 54.2 8.5 New Orleans 27 21 56.3 11.5 Cleveland rolled past Indiana. James added 11 Luwawu-Cabarrot also had 10. The Sixers had KNICKS 107, SUNS 85 Philadelphia 24 21 53.3 9 Center Enes Kanter had 20 points and 10 Portland 27 22 55.1 12 assists and 10 rebounds and Smith hit a sea- dropped 13 in a row in San Antonio and hadn’t Milwaukee 25 22 53.2 9 Denver 25 23 52.1 13.5 rebounds for his 20th double of the season Indiana 26 23 53.1 9 son-high seven 3-pointers as the Cavaliers beat posted a victory since January of 2004. Randy LA Clippers 24 24 50.0 14.5 Detroit 22 24 47.8 11.5 Indiana for the first time in four meetings this Ayers was the Sixers’ coach that season when and Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points as Utah 21 28 42.9 18 New York 22 28 44.0 13.5 season. Center Tristan Thompson had 10 points he took over for Larry Brown. New York ended a seven-game road trip with LA Lakers 19 29 39.6 19.5 and 10 rebounds, his second double-double of a win over Phoenix. Reserve Trey Burke tied a Charlotte 20 27 42.6 14 Brooklyn 18 31 36.7 17 Memphis 17 31 35.4 21.5 the season, while replacing Jae Crowder in the LAKERS 108, BULLS 103 season high in his second straight 18-point Phoenix 17 32 34.7 22 game, Tim Hardaway Jr. had 15 points and Chicago 18 31 36.7 17 starting lineup. Coach Tyronn Lue had prom- Los Angeles used a series of late runs to Orlando 14 33 29.8 20 Dallas 16 33 32.7 23 ised a shake-up after the Cavs lost 10 of their down Chicago for its fourth straight victory Courtney Lee had 11 for the Knicks (22-28), Atlanta 14 34 29.2 20.5 Sacramento 15 33 31.3 23.5 previous 13 games. without star rookie Lonzo Ball. Brandon Ingram who never trailed while breaking a three- scored 25 points for Los Angeles, which has game losing streak. — Reuters Chinese prodigy Slams with a stirring win in Dublin last Second best no year-but Murray still believes Eddie Li leads from Jones’s English side are a step up from longer good them. “We have matured and pro- McIlroy in Dubai gressed, not to the level England have, but we finished second last year and enough for were pissed off,” said Murray. “In years DUBAI: China’s Li Haotong displayed his gone by we’d have said we had a decent superstar potential as he outscored Rory Irish: Murray Six Nations. We don’t go on about McIlroy by four shots in the third round to wanting to be the best team in the world take a one-shot lead into the final day of the but we do not prepare just to give it a $3 million Dubai Desert Classic. Starting his LONDON: The Irish rugby team are go. Those days are long gone.” third round yesterday trailing leader McIlroy no longer satisfied with finishing sec- Murray, whose world class halfback by three shots, the 22-year-old Li put togeth- ond, the only thing that counts is win- pairing with Johnny Sexton will be piv- er a superb round of eight-under-par 64 to ning the Six Nations, their star scrum- otal to Irish chances of dethroning finish on 20-under after 54 holes. half Conor Murray told The Times yes- England, says despite the lofty ambitions Four-time major champion McIlroy came terday. The 28-year-old-who was a he has both at national and provincial back to the course early in the morning to standout performer for the British & level the death of his then Munster complete his second round and made five Irish Lions in their drawn three Test coach Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley made him birdies in seven holes. However, he could not series with world champions New take stock of the pressure he was put- ting on himself. get going in the third round and found himself DUBAI: Li Haotong of China plays a shot during day three of the Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Zealand last year-says the mindset has Foley, a robust backrow forward for one-over at the turn. But a much better back Golf Club yesterday, in Dubai. — AFP completely changed since Kiwi Joe nine gave him a third-round 68 and three-day Schmidt took over the coaching reins Munster and Ireland in his playing days, tally of 19-under 197. in 2013. was found dead aged just 42 due to a Frenchman Alex Levy had a hole in one at sions, including a good up-and-down on McIlroy, winner of the tournament in 2009 That has been reflected in not only pulmonary oedema in his Paris hotel the fourth en route to a 65, and he is tied the 14th hole. and 2015, is looking to become the second two successive Six Nations titles room on the day of a European third at 17 under par with South African “Played really solid. Especially had a cou- three-time champion here after Ernie Els. (2014/15) but also beating all the south- Champions Cup match in 2016. youngster Haydn Porteous, who also shot 65. ple up-and-downs and was quite happy to A couple of loose drives resulted in a par ern hemisphere powerhouses including “Axel’s passing has had a massive impact England’s Andy Sullivan made a big move shoot eight-under on this course,” said Li, on the par-5 third hole and a bogey on the the emotionally-charged historic victory on me and it will be the same for thou- with a 63 to rise to fifth place at 200. who will become the first male Chinese player par-4 eighth, and there was another over the All Blacks in 2016. The Irish are sands of people with Dolores (Riordan Li made four birdies on either half of the to crack the top 50 in the world rankings if he dropped shot on the par-3 fourth hole. But many people’s favourites to regain the the Cranberries singer who also hailed golf course and never looked in trouble goes on to win. the world number 11, who made a comeback Six Nations title this year-England have from Munster and was found dead in her because of his impressive ball-striking. “I just wanted to play by myself and play to competitive golf after more than 100 days won the last two though Ireland pre- London hotel room this month),” said Even when he was not hitting it close, his my game. I thought if I just stayed patient, I out last week in Abu Dhabi, fought back on vented them from successive Grand Murray. — AFP short game saved him on a couple of occa- will play good. So just did that all day.” the back nine. —AFP

to make the cut-his first since the his first putt a few feet from the cup and sending his first drive at least 50 yards “It was nice to get one to fall in there Tiger Woods Wyndham Championship in August of made that for the needed birdie-capping a left. He laid up in the rough and two- and get something positive going into the 2015 where he finished tied for 10th.Since 71 for a total of 143 and offering a big putted for par at the par-five 10th from back nine,” Woods said. He got back to then Woods has battled back trouble that smile to cheering fans. about 40 feet. But he couldn’t get out of even par with a birdie at the fifth, a short makes cut with sidelined him for all of 2016. He is playing Woods was 10-shots off the 36-hole trouble at the par-four 13th, his fourth par-five, where a solid drive trickled into his first official tournament since missing lead held by American Ryan Palmer, who hole of the day, after another tee shot the first cut of rough and his second shot closing birdie at the cut here last year in an abortive come- carded a five-under par 67 on the North went left into a scrub hazard. An irked left him off the green but his chip left him back bid that ended with spinal fusion sur- Course for 11-under 133. Spain’s defend- Woods took an unplayable lie, then an easy birdie. gery in April. ing champion Jon Rahm, who could seize missed the green. His chip rolled through “My short game’s been good all week,” Torrey Pines “I was grinding my way around the the world number one ranking from Dustin the putting surface and he walked off Woods said. “I’m just trying to get used to golf course today,” said Woods, who hit Johnson with a victory, carded a six-under with a double-bogey that put him two- the firmness of the greens. We can hear just three of 14 fairways and nine of 18 66 and was alone in second on 134. over and outside the cutline. the ball land from the fairway.” Woods got LA JOLLA: Tiger Woods birdied his final greens in regulation. “I fought hard. I Luke List carded a 66 to share third up and down for birdie at the seventh, but hole on Friday capping a back-nine rally was trying to post a number, which I was place on 135 with first-round leader Tony SOLID TURNAROUND was back outside the cut line after a that saw him make the cut in his return to able to do.” Woods was one shot outside Finau, who carded a 70. Woods had Woods responded with four birdies bogey at the par-three eighth. the US PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance the cut line when arrived at his final hole, opened the tournament on Thursday with coming home. He gave his massive gallery- “I was just trying to get under par Open. The 14-time major champion wres- the par-five ninth. a respectable even-par 72 on the South sent scampering several times by his for the day,” he said of his inward tled four birdies from his last nine holes on He was in the right rough off the tee Course-scene of his 14th and most recent errant drives-something to cheer about for push. “I thought that would be a good, the North Course at Torrey Pines, carding and his second shot left him on the edge of major title at the 2008 US Open. the first time all day when he rolled in a solid turnaround from being two-over a one-under par 71. That was just enough the green, 75 feet from the pin. He nestled But he struggled off the tee all day- 50-foot birdie bomb at the first hole. at the turn.” — AFP 14 Established 1961 Sports Sunday, January 28, 2018 Madushanka’s hat-trick on debut seals title for S Lanka Fourth bowler in history to claim hat-trick on debut

DHAKA: Shehan Madushanka became the fourth SCOREBOARD bowler in history to claim a hat-trick on debut as Sri Lanka crushed Bangladesh by 79 runs to win the tri- Scoreboard at close of play of final between Bangladesh and Sri nation one-day international tournament in Dhaka yes- Lanka yesterday at Mirpur, Bangladesh. terday. The 22-year-old pacer claimed Bangladesh’s last Sri Lanka win by 79 runs three wickets before finishing with 3-26 as Sri Lanka Sri Lanka 1st innings defended their modest score of 221 runs by bowling out D Gunathilaka c Tamim Iqbal b Mehedi 6 Bangladesh for 142 in 41.1 overs. U Tharanga b Mustafizur Rahman 56 Madushanka took the wickets of Rubel Hossain and K Mendis c Mahmudullah b Mashrafe 28 Mashrafe Mortaza in the last two balls of his sixth over N Dickwella c S Rahman b Mohd Saifuddin 42 before he removed Mahmudullah Riyad in the next over D Chandimal b Rubel Hossain 45 to complete his hat-trick. He joined South Africa’s T Perera c Tamim b Rubel 2 Kagiso Rabada, Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam and team- A Gunaratne lbw Rubel 6 mate Wanidu Hasaranga who have also achieved the A Dananjaya c Mohd Mithun b Mustafizur 17 rare feat. S Madushanka b Rubel Hossain 7 S Lakmal Run Out Mushfiqur Rahim 2 D Chameera Not Out 1 Extras 0b 5lb 2nb 0pen 2w 9 Total (50.0 overs) 221 all out Bowling: Mehedi Hasan 10-0-53-1-5.30; Mashrafe Mortaza 7-0- 35-1-5.00(1w); The guys put Mustafizur Rahman 10-0-29-2-2.90(1w) (1nb); Mahmudullah 4-0- 18-0-4.50; Mohammad Saifuddin 4-0-15-1-3.75; Shakib Al Hasan their heart and soul 5-0-20-0-4.00; Rubel Hossain 10-0-46-4-4.60(1nb). in the practices Bangladesh 1st innings T Iqbal c Dananjaya b Chameera 3 M Mithun Run Out Thisara Perera 10 S Rahman c Gunaratne b Chameera 2 DHAKA: Sri Lanka cricketer Akila Dananjaya (L) celebrates after the dismissal of Bangladesh cricketer M Rahim c Tharanga b Dananjaya 22 Mahmudullah staged a valiant fight for Bangladesh Mushfiqur Rahim during the final one day international (ODI) match in the Tri-Nations Series between Mahmudullah c Tharanga b Madushanka 76 with 76 off 92 balls but he lacked support from other Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Dhaka yesterday.— AFP M Hasan c&b Akila Dananjaya 5 batsmen, who missed the batting of all-rounder Shakib M Saifuddin Run Out Asela Gunaratne 8 Al Hasan due to a finger injury he suffered in the game. M Mortaza c Mendis b Madushanka 5 Medium pacer Dushmantha Chameera and spinner sure he wouldn’t be playing. We saw his hand. We knew ably supported by fellow paceman Mustafizur Rahman Rubel Hossain b Madushanka 0 Akila Dananjaya claimed two wickets each for Sri it wasn’t possible for him to bat. So we had asked the (2-29) as the hosts made regular strikes after the visi- Mustafizur Rahman Not Out 0 Lanka. “We are over the moon... the guys put their others not to think about it. I wouldn’t use it as an tors elected to bat first. Extras 1b 4lb 0nb 0pen 6w 11 heart and soul in the practices and then when they go in excuse when chasing 220-odd runs,” he said. Upul Tharanga top-scored with 56 off 99 balls while Total (41.1 overs) 142 all out to the middle they put their heart and soul,” said Sri “Everyone is disappointed in the dressing room. We skipper Dinesh Chandimal added 45. Wicketkeeper- Bowling: Suranga Lakmal 9-2-29-0-3.22; Dushmantha Chameera 8- Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal. expected to win having come this far,” he added. batsman Niroshan Dickwella made 42. Sri Lanka will 1-17-2-2.12(1w); Thisara Perera 7-0-31-0-4.43; Shehan “They had the plans and they executed well, and Earlier, fast bowler Rubel claimed four wickets to now play two Test matches against Bangladesh with the Madushanka 6.1-1-26-3-4.22(2w); Akila Dananjaya 9-0-30-2- credit goes to everyone who played the series.” help Bangladesh dismiss Sri Lanka for 221 runs on a first Test beginning in the port city of Chittagong on 3.33(2w); Danushka Gunathilaka 2-1-4-0-2.00(1w). Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza refused to use sluggish pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. January 31. The Test series will follow two Twenty20 Shakib’s injury as an excuse. “When he fell, we were Hossain, who returned with the figures of 4-46, was internationals between the two teams. — AFP

Stokes tops India win IPL bidding after South war despite Africa collapse

JOHANNESBURG: Ishant Sharma and Jasprit court date Bumrah sparked a dramatic collapse as India Chairman of Royals Challengers beat South Africa by 63 runs on the fourth day BANGALORE: England’s star allrounder Bangalore Amrit Thomas. Ben Stokes topped the Indian Premier of the third and final Test at the Wanderers Stadium yesterday. League auction yesterday selling for $1.96 $1.9 million each to avoid the auction. Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla shared a cen- million despite a looming court case for India captain Virat Kohli secured a record assault. On a day in which the eight IPL $2.7 million deal before the auction to stay tury second-wicket partnership which took teams spent over $50m on talent, Stokes’s with Royal Challengers Bangalore. South Africa more than halfway towards their deal with Rajasthan Royals came ahead of target of 241 before Amla’s dismissal for 52 Indian batsmen Lokesh Rahul and Manish PUNJAB THWARTED started a collapse in which nine wickets fell for Pandey and Australians Chris Lynn, Rahul and Pandey came just behind 53 runs. Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell in the Stokes in the bidding war. Sunrisers Sharma and Bumrah claimed two wickets top prices paid. But England captain Joe Hyderabad got Rahul and Kings Xi Punjab each to start the slide before Mohammed Root and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, picked Pandey for $1.7m each. Among the Shami ripped through the lower order, taking and star batsmen Chris Gayle of West Australian stars, Kolkata Knight Riders five for 28. Elgar was left to fight alone, carry- Indies and Hashim Amla of South Africa snapped up prolific-scorer Lynn for $1.5m ing his bat for 86 off 240 balls. failed to attract bids. Veteran Sri Lanka and left-arm paceman Starc for $1.47m. The win ensured India stayed comfortably paceman Lasith Malinga also went unsold Delhi Daredevils got all-rounder Maxwell on top of the International Cricket Council Test but the franchises have the option of get- for $1.41m. rankings despite losing the series 2-1. South ting them back on the auction table “Thanks for getting me on board. I am Africa would have drawn level on points if they Sunday. Rajasthan Royals, returning to the really excited to join the KKR family for had completed a clean sweep. world’s wealthiest cricket league from a this season,” Starc said in a video message The hosts were looking comfortable as two-year match-fixing ban, paid $200,000 on twitter. Among other top purchases, Elgar and Amla compiled a partnership of 119, less than the record laid out for Stokes last England paceman Chris Woakes was although it took four hours and 50.4 overs of year by Rising Pune Supergiant. bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for hard work on a difficult pitch. It was only the However, Stokes was delighted with the $1.16m and Indian spinner Ravichandran third century partnership of the series. But deal. “Buzzing to be representing Ashwin went for $1.19 million to Kings XI @rajasthanroyals in this years IPl (IPL) and Punjab. India hit back with the wickets of Amla and AB great to be playing alongside @josbuttler,” Punjab were thwarted in several bids by de Villiers in quick succession shortly before tea. Amla fell with the total on 124 when he JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s batsman Dean Elgar plays a shot during the fourth day of he wrote on twitter. Though Stokes’s legal the IPL’s ‘right to match’ rule under which a the third cricket Test match between South Africa and India at Wanderers cricket ground team has assured the IPL that he will be clipped Sharma firmly towards midwicket and player’s former side can match the winning yesterday. — AFP available for the full April 7-May 27 sea- bid to claim him back. Punjab lost Indian Hardik Pandya dived to his right to hold a good son, all eyes will be on his court hearing on opener Shikhar Dhawan to Sunrisers catch. Amla had faced 140 balls in making his February 13. Hyderabad after bidding $818,000 and second half-century of the match. If he is stopped from playing the whole South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis to De Villiers started confidently with a bound- season then the Royal have the right to find Chennai who will have to equal their ary off Sharma but was out for six when he was SCOREBOARD a replacement for Stokes, one of the best $250,000 bid. squared up by a lifting delivery from Jasprit performers last season, who attracted bids Sunrisers also used ‘right to match’ to Bumrah which flew off the shoulder of his bat JOHANNESBURG: Scoreboard at close of play on the fourth day of 3rd Test between from several franchises. His new team are steal Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, 19, to Ajinkya Rahane at gully. South Africa and India yesterday at Johannesburg, South Africa. desperate for success. The Royals were from Punjab after they made the highest The same two bowlers struck again immedi- inaugural IPL champions in 2008 under bid of $1.41m. A total of 578 players are ately after tea. South African captain Faf du India win by 63 runs 38-1-3.17; Andile Phehlukwayo 3-0-15-0-5.00 (1w). Australian legend Shane Watson, but were up for auction, hoping for lucrative deals Plessis was bowled by a ball from Sharma India 1st innings: 187 all out barred for two seasons with Chennai Super after the IPL recently signed a new $2.5- which cut back and kept low and the out-of- South Africa 1st innings: 194 all out South Africa 2nd innings Kings in 2015 over a spot-fixing scandal. billion media deal. Pakistan players are form Quinton de Kock was trapped leg before Aiden Markram c Parthiv Patel b Shami 4 Stokes edged out Australian batsmen Steve kept out of the league as sporting ties wicket first ball by Bumrah. India 2nd innings Dean Elgar Not out 86 Smith and David Warner as the highest- between India and Pakistan are frozen Vernon Philander batted brightly to make 10 Murali Vijay b Kagiso Rabada 25 Hashim Amla c Pandya b I Sharma 52 paid foreigner in the IPL. Smith and because of the tense political relations before he pulled a ball from Shami onto his Parthiv Patel c Markram b Philander 16 AB de Villiers c Rahane b Bumrah 6 Warner were retained by their teams for between the neighbours. — AFP stumps, to be followed in quick succession by Lokesh Rahul c Plessis b Philander 16 Faf du Plessis b Ishant Sharma 2 Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Cheteshwar Pujara c Plessis b Morkel 1 Quinton de Kock lbw Jasprit Bumrah 0 Top ten buys on first Morkel, all without scoring. Virat Kohli b Kagiso Rabada 41 Vernon Philander b Mohammed Shami 10 day of IPL auction Phehlukwayo was bowled by Shami, Rabada Ajinkya Rahane c de Kock b Morkel 48 Andile Phehlukwayo b Mohammed Shami 0 was caught at first slip by Bhuvneshwar Kumar Hardik Pandya c&b Kagiso Rabada 4 Kagiso Rabada c Pujara b Bhuvneshwar Kumar 0 BANGALORE: With more than $60 million to spend, the eight Indian Premier and Morkel was bowled by Shami. Elgar, hav- Bhuvneshwar Kumar c de Kock b Morkel 33 Morne Morkel b Mohammed Shami 0 League teams splashed out again yesterday for the 2018 season. Here are the top 10 ing batted with unflappable concentration for Mohammed Shami c de Villiers b Ngidi 27 Lungi Ngidi c (Sub) b Mohammed Shami 4 buys by value: more than five hours, tried to play some shots Ishant Sharma Not out 7 Extras 7b 0lb 0nb open 6w 13 Ben Stokes (England - allrounder) Rajasthan Royals $1.96m and keep the strike after being joined by last Jasprit Bumrah c Rabada b Philander 0 Total (73.3 overs) 177 all out Manish Pandey (India - batsman) Sunrisers Hyderabad $1.7m man Lungi Ngidi. He hit a six off Kumar before Extras 5b 12lb 0nb 0pen 12w 29 Fall of Wickets: 1-5 Markram, 2-124 Amla, 3-131 de Lokesh Rahul (India - batsman) Kings XI Punjab $1.7m Ngidi was caught behind off Shami. Total (80.1 overs) 247 all out Villiers, 4-144 du Plessis, 5-145 de Kock, 6-157 Chris Lynn (Australia - batsman) Kolkata Knight Riders for $1.5m Conditions remained difficult for batting but Fall of Wickets: 1-17 Patel, 2-51 Rahul, 3-57 Pujara, 4- Philander, 7-157 Phehlukwayo, 8-160 Rabada, 9-161 Mitchell Starc (Australia - paceman) Kolkata Knight Riders $1.47m there were none of the extreme bounces and Glenn Maxwell (Australia - all-rounder) Delhi Daredevils $1.41m 100 Vijay, 5-134 Kohli, 6-148 Pandya, 7-203 Rahane, 8- Morkel, 10-177 Ngidi. deviations that prompted the umpires to halt 238 Shami, 9-240 Kumar, 10-247 Bumrah. Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 18-4-39-1-2.17; Rashid Khan (Afghanistan - spin bowler) Sunrisers Hyderabad $1.41m play shortly before the scheduled close on Krunal Pandya (India - all-rounder) Mumbai Indians $1.38m Bowling: Vernon Philander 21.1-5-61-3-2.88; Kagiso Mohammed Shami 12.3-2-28-5-2.24; Friday. But once the Elgar-Amla partnership Sanju Samson (India - wicketkeeper-batsman) Rajasthan Royals $1.25m Rabada 23-5-69-3-3.00 (1w); Jasprit Bumrah 21-3-57-2-2.71 (1w); Ishant Sharma 16- Kedar Jadhav (India - all-rounder) Chennai Super Kings $1.22m. — AFP was broken new batsmen were unable to play Morne Morkel 21-6-47-3-2.24 (2w); Lungi Ngidi 12-2- 3-31-2-1.94; Hardik Pandya 6-1-15-0-2.50 (1w). with any confidence. — AFP Established 1961 15 Sports Sunday, January 28, 2018 Will Grigg stars with two goals as Wigan shock West Ham in FA Cup Swansea and Huddersfield play out to a 1-1 draw

LONDON: Will Grigg scored twice as third-tier Wigan It was a similar story when a much-changed knocked 10-man West Ham out of the FA Cup with a 2- Huddersfield side, indicating manager David Wagner’s 0 win yesterday. Wigan have slumped down English preference for Premier League survival over a Cup run, football’s ladder since winning the FA Cup in 2013 but took an early lead against Birmingham through a Steve the League One leaders rekindled memories of that run Mounie header. Lukas Jutkiewicz, however, drew a to Wembley as they reached the last 16 of this season’s Birmingham side battling to avoid relegation from the edition at the expense of David Moyes’s Premier second-tier Championship level in the 54th minute. League side. Premier League Brighton were also on the verge of a Northern Ireland replay until Glenn striker Grigg made it five Murray’s 90th-minute goals in as many Cup ties goal secured a 1-0 win this season when he put over Championship side Wigan ahead as early as Middlesbrough. the seventh minute with a Javi Gracia’s reign Nottingham Forest’s FA towering header past Cup run ended just one England goalkeeper Joe as Hornets manager round after they Hart. To make matters knocked out holders worse for the Hammers start with a defeat Arsenal courtesy of a 2- they were a man down 1 defeat by four minutes into the sec- Championship rivals ond half when Arthur Hull. Masuaku was sent-off, The first of this having appeared to spit weekend’s all-Premier at Wigan’s Nick Powell. League ties saw Southampton beat Watford 1-0 as Jack Grigg made it 2-0 from the penalty spot shortly after Stephens marked his 24th birthday with a goal to the hour mark following Reece Burke’s handball in the ensure Javi Gracia’s reign as Hornets manager started box. Elsewhere struggling Premier League sides with a defeat. Swansea and Huddersfield played out 1-1 draws with Fourth-tier Newport County will hope to pull off a lower-division Notts County and Birmingham City classic ‘giantkilling’ when they face eight-times winners respectively, leading to unwanted replays for teams Tottenham Hotspur at their Rodney Parade ground in whose priority is remaining in the top flight. south Wales later Saturday. Liverpool play West Brom The Swans, bottom of the Premier League, took the at Anfield in the last of yesterday’s ties. Chelsea face lead when Luciano Narsingh scored just his second Newcastle in another all top-flight clash today when SOUTHAMPTON: Southampton’s German-born Portuguese defender Cedric Soares (L) nearly puts the ball in from a cross during goal in 31 games for the Welsh club on the stroke of league leaders Manchester City continue their bid for the English FA Cup fourth round football match between Southampton and Watford at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton, half-time. But fourth-tier County equalised in the 62nd an unprecedented ‘quadruple’ of major trophies away southern England yesterday. —AFP minute through Jon Stead. to second-tier Cardiff. — AFP

Real Madrid roar back with big Kuwait jet skiers win at Valencia win four trophies MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo scored two penalties as stumbling Liga champions Real Madrid hit back from DUBAI: Kuwait jet skiers won four trophies in Heat their miserable start to 2018 with a rousing 4-1 win at II of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) championship, Valencia yesterday to move within two points of recap- which concluded in Dubai yesterday. turing third place in La Liga. Rashed Al-Dawwas, of Kuwait, told KUNA he Ronaldo sent goalkeeper Neto the wrong way to was thrilled to win the GP4 race and its trophy and slot in his 100th penalty for club and country in the leading the general standing of this category. 16th minute after the Portuguese was felled in the box He said his teammate, Yusuf Al-Abdulrazzaq, following a lightning quick breakaway from a Valencia came third in the GP1 category. corner. He made no mistake again from the spot in the Abdulaziz Al-Najdi and Humoud Al-Mudhayyan, 38th after Karim Benzema had been pushed over in the also from Kuwait, won trophies of the 3rd and 5th area by defender Martin Montoya, stretching Madrid’s places in the GP2 category, said Al-Dawwas. lead and moving on to eight goals in the league this He added that the races were tough and the jet season, including four penalties. Valencia pulled them- skiers were talented. He said the next Heat would be selves back into contention in the 58th minute when held in two weeks “and we will continue achieving Santi Mina headed home from a corner while Real positive results, God willing.” — KUNA goalkeeper Keylor Navas denied Dani Parejo an equaliser with an impressive save with his foot. Real had gone into the game on the back of being dumped out of the King’s Cup by Leganes in midweek and were missing captain Sergio Ramos and midfielder Isco through injury but produced a gritty display, Matches on TV defending well and striking with intent on the counter- attack. Brazilian left back Marcelo made sure of the (Local Timings) points with a thumping first-time left-foot strike in the 84th minute and Toni Kroos added the fourth, capping SPANISH LEAGUE a second win in five league games for Madrid and their Leganes v Espanyol 14:00 first away league victory since beating Getafe on Oct beIN SPORTS HD 3 14. Real remained fourth in the standings on 38 points, VALENCIA: Real Madrid’s Brazilian defender Marcelo (R) vies with Valencia’s Spanish midfielder Carlos Atletico de Madrid v Las Palmas 18:15 two behind Valencia and with a game in hand but they Soler during the Spanish league football match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid CF at the beIN SPORTS HD 3 are 16 adrift of runaway leaders Barcelona, who host Mestalla stadium in Valencia yesterday. — AFP Alaves today. — Reuters Sevilla v Getafe 20:30 beIN SPORTS HD 3 Barcelona v Deportivo Alaves 22:45 beIN SPORTS HD 3 duced a poor display on his Borussia Dortmund return in their 2-2 draw against Freiburg whose captain Nils Bayern roar ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE Cavani breaks Petersen netted twice. Aubameyang was dropped for Dortmund’s two previous games as his club reportedly Spal v Internazionale Milano 14:30 back to floor rejected a second bid by Arsenal of 58 million euros beIN SPORTS HD 4 PSG scoring ($72m). The German club are reportedly holding out for Fiorentina v Hellas Verona 17:00 Hoffenheim 70 million euros for their top scorer. Dortmund went beIN SPORTS HD 1 record ahead when Shinji Kagawa volleyed home his second Napoli v Bologna 17:00 goal in as many games on nine minutes. Aubameyang, beIN SPORTS HD 4 BERLIN: Robert Lewandowski netted his 18th who headed over on 32 minutes, was booed by home PARIS: Edinson Cavani broke Zlatan Bundesliga goal this season as runaway leaders Bayern fans whenever he went near the ball. Torino v Benevento 17:00 Ibrahimovic’s all-time goalscoring record for Munich came from two goals down to thrash Freiburg drew level on 21 minutes when Petersen beIN SPORTS HD 9 Paris Saint-Germain yesterday, tapping in his Hoffenheim 5-2 yesterday. Bayern have won 18 of their fired home at the near post. Petersen grabbed his sec- Genoa v Udinese Calcio 17:00 157th goal for the club against Montpellier. The last 19 games and are 16 points clear in the table. ond with a spectacular shot after pouncing on a Nuri beIN SPORTS HD 7 Uruguay striker had levelled the Swede’s previ- However, a dreadful start left Bayern 2-0 down at Sahin mistake and lobbed Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Crotone v Cagliari Calcio 17:00 ous mark of 156 goals 10 days ago, and turned home-the first time that has happened since January Burki from 30 metres. However, Germany Under-21 beIN SPORTS HD 8 1977 — after just 12 minutes. left-back Jeremy Toljan spared Dortmund’s blushes home Adrien Rabiot’s cutback in the 11th minute Milan v Lazio 20:00 Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich brought down Serge with a 93rd-minute equaliser. Dortmund are fifth in the at the Parc des Princes. beIN SPORTS HD 4 Cavani celebrated the record by throwing his Gnabry in the area with two minutes gone and the ref- table after their third straight draw. Roma v Sampdoria 22:45 shirt into the crowd, receiving a booking after eree pointed to the spot. Gnabry, who returns to Schalke reclaimed second spot from Eintracht shaking hands with the referee and having to Bayern next season when his loan spell at Hoffenheim Frankfurt, who beat Borussia Moenchengladbach on beIN SPORTS HD 4 ends, had his penalty attempt saved by Bayern goal- take a new jersey from the bench. It was the 30- Friday, with a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart. Brazil centre- keeper Sven Ulreich. year-old’s 27th goal for the Ligue 1 leaders in all back Naldo gave the Royal Blues the lead before GERMAN BUNDESLIGA However, Mark Uth tapped home the rebound with Morocco’s Amine Harit slotted in a penalty. competitions this season. He is PSG’s top scorer Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Mainz 17:30 three minutes gone. Bayern’s fortunes dived further Fourth-placed RB Leipzig were held to a 1-1 draw at this term with three more goals than world- beIN SPORTS HD 5 when Jerome Boateng’s poor pass was snapped up by home to second-from-bottom Hamburg, whose new record signing Neymar, who returned to the Gnabry who drove the ball into the bottom left-hand head coach Bernd Hollerbach picked up a point on his Hannover v Wolfsburg 20:00 team for the first time on Saturday since being corner to stun home fans. However, Bayern were level first game in charge. beIN SPORTS HD 5 booed after taking a penalty that could have giv- with 25 minutes gone. Portugal midfielder Bruma gave Leipzig the lead on en Cavani the record in an 8-0 thrashing of Dijon Lewandowski began the charge by tapping home nine minutes, finishing a counter-attack when FRENCH LEAGUE on January 17. Kimmich’s shot and Boateng made amends by heading Hamburg’s Aaron Hunt lost the ball. However, Hamburg LOSC Lille v Strasbourg 17:00 Cavani has now scored 157 goals in 229 home to make it 2-2 at the break. Kingsley Coman gave broke their run of four straight defeats when Filip beIN SPORTS HD 6 matches for the capital side since joining from Bayern the lead for the first time with an hour gone Kostic hit their equaliser on 29 minutes. Napoli for 64 million euros ($79.5 million) in before Arturo Vidal headed home on 66 minutes. To Bottom-side Cologne were denied a fourth straight Girondins de Bordeaux v Olympique Lyonnais 19:00 2013, while Ibrahimovic managed 156 in 180 compound Hoffenheim’s misery, their ex-striker Sandro victory in their 1-1 draw against Augsburg. Milos Jojic beIN SPORTS HD 6 games during his four seasons in Paris before Wagner scored his first Bayern goal on 90 minutes to curled in a superb free-kick on 40 minutes before Olympique Marseille v Monaco 23:00 leaving for Manchester United in 2016. — AFP complete the comeback. Brazilian midfielder Caiuby headed home an equaliser beIN SPORTS HD 6 Arsenal-target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pro- 22 minutes from time. — AFP Established 1961 Sport

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018

Special Olympics aim to Madushanka’s hat-trick on Will Grigg stars with two goals as 12smash down barriers 14 debut seals title for S Lanka 15 Wigan shock West Ham in FA Cup

MELBOURNE: Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki (L) poses with the winner’s trophy beside Romania’s Simona Halep after their women’s singles final match on day 13 of the Australian Open ten- nis tournament in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP Wozniacki wins Australian Open Takes Halep’s world number one ranking

MELBOURNE: Caroline Wozniacki held firm to edge a saved match points in her second round match against all-court play. back foot and suddenly dizzy, and she called a medical brave Simona Halep in a classic Australian Open final yes- Jana Fett. Making the breakthrough in her 43rd grand slam “I was close again, but the gas was over in the end,” timeout to have her blood pressure taken after holding terday, claiming a long-awaited grand slam title after two appearance- only three players have needed more- said twice French Open runner-up Halep, all class after her serve to 3-2 in the second set. heart-breaking near-misses. In a captivating tussle played Wozniacki will no longer third grand slam final dis- She then began grabbing at her left thigh after points, out in stifling humidity, the Dane hung tough in a nerve- be known as one of the appointment. “I’m still but somehow found the energy to break Wozniacki with a shredding final set to win 7-6(2) 3-6 6-4 under the lights game’s best without a losing and I’m still wait- swashbuckling forehand down the line. Nothing would at a heaving Rod Laver Arena. major success. ing,” she added with a come easy for Halep, who saved further break points in a She swiped Halep’s world number one ranking in the “Honestly, I think that’s wry smile. “Maybe the nervous service game before claiming the set with a risky process, six years after losing it at the 2012 tournament at one of the most positive Ends long wait fourth one will be with dropshot that Wozniacki failed to deal with. Melbourne Park, the restoration having taken a record things about all of this,” luck.” Romanians in the terraces went ballistic at the break- amount of time. “I have to take a second to hug Daphne... the second seed told for first grand On a steamy evening, through, but were silenced as Wozniacki feasted on her it’s a dream come true, and my voice is shaking, it’s a very reporters. “I’m never going Wozniacki’s edge in pow- opponent’s weakening second serve, a fiery return pushing emotional moment,” a teary-eyed Wozniacki said, cradling to get that question again. slam title er told early as she roared her 2-0 ahead in the decider. The grind of a long fortnight the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at the presentation I’m just waiting for the to a 3-0 lead in the open- came to the fore as both players threw away serve, but ceremony. question, ‘when are you ing set before Halep could Halep nudged 4-3 in front when Wozniacki’s forehand “I want to congratulate Simona. I know today is a tough going to win the second find her range. She wob- deserted her. It all looked grim for the Dane as a trainer day and I’m sorry I had to win.” After closing it out when one?” Top seed Halep was bled when serving for the strapped her leg at the change of ends, but she broke back Halep netted a backhand, the overwhelmed Dane threw gallant in defeat and at the set at 5-3 when a holler- before holding serve for the first time in three attempts. her racket away and collapsed onto the blue hardcourt as end of an exhausting campaign, she came back from a ing fan broke her focus. Sensing her moment as Halep served for survival, the packed terraces roared. break down in the final set to push within two games of But she was commanding in the tiebreak, closing it out Wozniacki fired a searing forehand winner to edge a 16- Following runner-up finishes at the 2009 and 2014 US victory. But Wozniacki took full advantage of the fatiguing swiftly with a blazing shot that all but knocked the racket shot rally for match point and then held on grimly until the Opens, it was third time lucky for the 27-year-old who Romanian, claiming the last three games after some furious out of Halep’s hand. The world number one was on the Romanian finally buckled. — Reuters

more than a consolation. Diabate, who goal of 2018 but that was merely a blip, Diabate’s debut arrived at the King Power Stadium from Diabate making it 4-1 before Ndidi scored French Ligue 2 club Gazelec Ajaccio earli- with the last kick of the match. er this month, scored his second and Peterborough may have bowed out, but double helps Leicester’s fourth in the 87th minute before several lower league clubs remain involved Wilfred Ndidi made it 5-1 in stoppage- in the tournament. They include fourth-tier Leicester into time. Newport County, who will hope the ‘Magic But for the debutant’s star showing, of the FA Cup’ comes to Rodney Parade Nigeria international Iheanacho would when they welcome eight-times winners FA Cup last 16 have taken the headlines. “It’s a lovely Tottenham Hotspur to south Wales later on competition to play in. It was a good team Saturday. LONDON: Fousseni Diabate scored twice performance,” Iheanacho told BT Sport. Meanwhile Liverpool will look to reach on his Leicester City debut as the Foxes “I have been waiting for an opportunity the last 16 at the expense of West cruised to a 5-1 win at Peterborough to take my chance and this was it.” Bromwich Albion in an all-Premier League United in the fourth round of the FA Cup Iheanacho and Diabate combined to break clash at Anfield with Southampton and yesterday. Any hopes third-tier the deadlock, the former’s pass allowing Watford meeting at St Mary’s. Chelsea Peterborough might create an upset lasted the 22-year-old to run into the box before face Newcastle in another all-Premier all of nine minutes, with Diabate’s opening finishing with his left foot. League clash on Sunday when league goal followed by two more from Kelechi Former Manchester City striker leaders Manchester City continue their bid Iheanacho that gave the Foxes a 3-0 lead Iheanacho curled in Leicester’s second and for an unprecedented ‘quadruple’ of major PETERBOROUG: Leicester City’s Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi score their at half-time. made it 3-0 when he volleyed home a trophies (Premier League, FA Cup, League fifth goal during the English FA Cup fourth round football match between Peterborough’s Andrew Hughes pulled Christian Fuchs cross. Hughes scored from Cup and Champions League) away to sec- Peterborough United and Leicester City at London Road stadium in one back in the 58th minute but it was no a corner as Leicester conceded their first ond-tier Cardiff. — AFP Peterboroug yesterday. — AFP Established 1961

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28، 2018 Business US trade body blocks 300% tariffs Boursa Kuwait equities mixed Jazeera Airways presses on with 19on Bombardier CSeries planes 20 amid random buying trends 21 new direct flights to India

DAVOS: US President Donald Trump looks on as the Landwehr Fribourg band leaves the stage during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting on Friday in Davos.—AFP Trump warns Davos on unfair trade US says ‘America First’ doesn’t mean ‘America alone’

DAVOS: US President Donald Trump took his “America cannot have free and open trade if some countries exploit a storm because of comments by Treasury Secretary “I think he came here to make not just American but First” message to the world’s elite on Friday, telling a sum- the system at the expense of others.” Steven Mnuchin, who said earlier this week the United global business comfortable about where America is mit of business and political leaders that the United States His speech was mostly met by polite applause, although States benefited from a lower dollar, which would make its now,” said IHS Markit’s chief economist, Nariman would “no longer turn a blind eye” to what he described as he drew some jeers and exports cheaper. Behravesh. “He wasn’t trying to convert people to his own unfair trade practices. whistles during a question Those remarks sent the views, but saying we are a great economy, come and Trump became the first sitting US President to address and answer session, when US currency tumbling and invest in the US.” the annual conclave of the rich and powerful at the Swiss he attacked the news drew sharp rebukes from Andrei Guryev, chief executive of Russian fertilizer ski resort of Davos for 18 years, closing the summit with a media: “It wasn’t until I the European Central giant Phosagro, said Trump had spoken “how big business mostly upbeat speech that declared the United States became a politician that I ‘No daylight’ Bank chief and other fig- people should be speaking at important road shows of “open for business”. realized how nasty, how ures, who view countries their own companies”. “Now is the best time to bring your money, your jobs, mean, how vicious and between Trump, talking down their own That did not please everyone. Winnie Byanyima, direc- your businesses to America,” he said, singling out tax cuts how fake the press can currencies as a violation tor of Oxfam International, said: “Trump’s boastful sales and curbs to regulation as boosting the investment climate. be,” he said. Mnuchin on dollar of unwritten rules to keep pitch was a victory lap for the trillions of tax cuts that the “The world is witnessing the resurgence of a strong and While he has a record trade balanced. Mnuchin wealthy elites and corporations have clamored for.” prosperous America.” of opposing trade agree- told CNBC television on Still, the reception was more polite than might have He said he would always promote “America First”, as he ments involving multiple Friday he was “absolutely been expected, given the open anxiety with which the expected other world leaders to do on behalf of their own countries, he said the not trying to talk down prospect of a Trump presidency was met at Davos a year countries, but added: “America First does not mean United States would seek the dollar” and that his ago. Trump’s questioning of trade, withdrawal from the America alone. When the United States grows so does the bilateral deals with individual states. That could include remarks had been taken out of context. “What I said was Paris climate treaty and nationalist rhetoric sit uneasily at world.” members of a Trans-Pacific trade agreement from which he actually very even-handed and consistent with what I said the quintessentially globalist event. Throughout the week, But he swiftly turned to a theme of demanding tougher has withdrawn, he said, adding he would consider negoti- before.” European leaders spoke with worry about the rise of enforcement of trade rules, accusing unidentified countries ating with them collectively if it was in the U.S. interest. On Thursday, Trump said he ultimately wanted the dol- populism. of unfair practices, including stealing intellectual property Before his trip to Davos, Trump imposed 30 percent lar to be strong. US officials said there was no disagree- Without mentioning Trump by name, German and providing state aid to industry. “We will enforce our tariffs on imported solar panels, among the first unilateral ment between Trump and Mnuchin, and the Treasury Chancellor Angela Merkel evoked the build-up to the two trade laws and restore integrity to the trading system. Only trade restrictions made by the administration as part of a Secretary had been making a factual observation about world wars. Trump hosted a dinner with business leaders by insisting on fair and reciprocal trade can we create a broader protectionist agenda. the impact of a lower dollar, not announcing a policy pref- on Thursday night. Two European executives told Reuters system that works not just for the United States but for all erence to drive it down. they stayed away because they did not want to shake his nations,” Trump said. “The United States will no longer Weak dollar Despite Trump’s tough trade talk, those in the audience hand. One said he consulted his wife and children before turn a blind eye to unfair trade practices,” he said. “We The Trump administration’s debut at Davos also caused mostly noted the upbeat tone of his speech. deciding not to go. —Reuters

time, reflecting a more cautious approach by banks in the Morgan, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi and Qatar National Bank. tiously in order to maintain relations on both sides. Saudi HSBC side-steps region. “This is not a problem of HSBC only, it’s a problem of Qatar is now close to choosing which banks will run its latest Arabia is opening up to foreign investors as part of economic all international banks with a strong presence in the region. bond issue, which could be for around $9 billion, and has pro- reforms pushed forward by its new crown prince, Each bank solves it in its own way,” one of the sources said. visionally chosen some of them, bankers familiar with the Mohammed bin Salman, including the sale of a stake in oil high-profile Qatar An HSBC spokesman said: “We never comment on market process told Reuters. giant Aramco. rumor and speculation”, while a spokesman for the govern- Although HSBC decided not to undertake high-profile Banks compete to obtain top roles in public bonds not so ment of Qatar did not respond to a request for comment. roles in major Qatari debt transactions after it was much for the fees they yield, but rather to establish or deals in Gulf gauntlet When Riyadh launched its boycott, it said it would seek approached for the dollar bond in November, it is unclear strengthen relationships with the borrowers in order to obtain understandings with international firms to cut ties with Doha. whether the bank could still play a smaller part. Bankers said more profitable mandates on future transactions. Earlier this DUBAI/LONDON: A boycott of Qatar by its neighbors has Banks from the four Arab countries have pulled deposits from the move did not mean any disengagement from the country, week Saudi Arabia said it had requested offers from banks to prompted HSBC to turn down a leading role on Doha’s new Qatar and reduced, though not ended, other business with it. where HSBC retains a branch. However, in another indication organize a range of its own international debt deals, including dollar bond as the bank treads a political tightrope in the While the Gulf allies have not publicly warned banks to avoid of its new approach, HSBC has not pitched for a “bookrun- a bond and refinancing a $10 billion loan. These plans have Gulf, four banking sources familiar with the decision told business in Qatar, bankers have told Reuters that it is clear ner” role on a separate $3 billion loan refinancing by Qatar complicated matters for banks in the region as, depending on Reuters. close ties with Doha could hurt business relations. The UAE National Bank, the first such deal by a Qatari government- the timing, Saudi Arabia and Qatar could end up in direct Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and central bank has blacklisted some Qatari individuals and owned firm since the crisis began. competition for funds from international investors. Egypt in June cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar. organizations and told its own banks to apply enhanced due HSBC was one of the top banks in QNB’s original loan and For HSBC, which was bookrunner last year on 42 bond The move initially hit Qatar’s growth but by the end of 2017 diligence in their dealings with six Qatari banks. a banker close to the matter said the decision not to take a deals in the Gulf Cooperation Council, which comprises Saudi its economy had largely recovered. The Qatari government is This has made many foreign banks more cautious and in top role in the refinancing was a result of the political situa- Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait, this could now planning its first international bond since the crisis began some cases prompted them to handle Qatari business from tion and a “repositioning” of its Qatar business. present a particularly tricky juggling act. HSBC arranged and has approached banks in recent weeks to arrange the Europe or the United States, rather than regional headquar- $14.8 billion of bond issuance out of a total of $90.4 billion, deal. But HSBC, which has led almost every sovereign bond ters in Dubai. When Qatar sold its last international bond in Competing demands the largest share of bond bookrunning for the GCC region in issue in the Gulf over the past two years, will not do so this 2016, raising $9 billion, HSBC took a leading role alongside JP The Gulf’s diplomatic rift is forcing banks to tread cau- 2017, Thomson Reuters data shows. — Reuters 18 Established 1961 Sunday, January 28, 2018 Business Kuwait’s non-oil growth picks up modestly, inflation moderates: IMF IMF Executive Board concludes 2017 Article IV consultation with Kuwait

KUWAIT: On January 12, 2018, the Executive Board of high loan-loss provisioning (over 200 percent cover- efforts to streamline current spending, diversify rev- management more effective and support the develop- the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the age). Moreover, banks have maintained strong liquidity enue, and improve the business climate, and stressed ment of capital markets. Article IV consultation with Kuwait. Non-oil growth buffers. Private sector deposit growth has declined in that the new environment calls for deep and sustained Directors welcomed the banking system’s sound has picked up modestly over the past two years, and recent years, but this has partly been offset by an reforms. position and the authorities’ prudent regulation and inflation has moderated. After coming to a standstill in increase in public sector deposits. While the growth of Directors encouraged the authorities to proceed supervision. Given the downside risks to asset quality, 2015, real non-hydrocarbon growth has recovered and credit to the private sector has also slowed mildly on a with the planned introduction of excises and the VAT high loan concentrations, common exposures, and is set to reach 2.5 percent this year, driven by year-on-year basis since July 2016, the underlying and to further curtail current expenditure. Highlighting interconnectedness of the financial sector, they wel- improved confidence. However, a cut in hydrocarbon trend (i.e. after adjusting for a large one-off loan the need for deeper reforms to reduce financing comed ongoing initiatives to identify and address output by close to 6 percent, reflecting implementation repayment) has remained above 5.5 percent. requirements more rapidly, create space for growth- emerging pressures. To further enhance financial sec- of the OPEC+ deal, will bring overall real GDP down enhancing capital outlays, and achieve intergenera- tor resilience, Directors saw scope to strengthen the by about 2.5 percent in 2017. Notwithstanding the Executive Board tional equity, they rec- crisis management and preparedness and the liquidity impact of higher energy and water prices, inflation is Assessment ommended further steps forecasting frameworks. on track to reach a multiyear low of 1.75 percent in Executive Directors to contain the wage bill. 2017, due to a decline in housing rents and favorable concurred that Kuwait is They stressed that bet- Public sector growth food price developments. facing “lower-for- ter aligning public and Directors stressed that moving from a public sec- The government’s underlying fiscal position has longer” oil prices from a Fiscal position private sector compen- tor-led growth model to one driven by the private improved on the back of spending restraint, but financ- position of strength giv- sation would enhance sector requires creating incentives for risk-taking and ing needs have remained large. While overall fiscal en large financial buffers, improves on nationals’ incentive to entrepreneurship. They emphasized the importance of accounts remained broadly balanced in 2016/17, the low debt, and sound spending consider private sector education reform to equip new graduates with the rel- fiscal balance which excludes mandatory transfers to financial sector. jobs and support com- evant skills for private sector jobs and saw merit in the Future Generations Fund (FGF) and investment Directors noted that restraint petitiveness, and rec- greater use of privatization and partnerships with the income posted a large deficit (17.5 percent of GDP) for non-oil growth is ommended limiting private sector to boost productivity, investment and a second year in a row. The corresponding financing expected to continue to public sector employ- job creation. They agreed that this should be comple- needs were covered through a drawdown in readily recover gradually over ment growth as more mented by further steps to improve the business envi- available General Reserve Fund (GRF) assets, domestic the medium term, with private sector jobs are ronment, including reforms to facilitate access to land, borrowing at various maturities, and a successful debut the fiscal and external positions remaining broadly bal- created. They saw reducing the large subsidy and reduce the burden of administrative procedures and international sovereign bond sale. The external current anced. While acknowledging short-term upside risks transfer bills while protecting the most vulnerable as excessive regulations, and foster competition. Given account recorded its first deficit in many years in 2016. from the recent recovery in oil prices, they saw a fur- important. their potential for job creation, they welcomed the ther drop in oil prices over the medium term, tighter Directors commended the introduction of medium- authorities’ focus on SMEs. Banking sector global financial conditions, heightened regional securi- term expenditure ceilings and encouraged the author- Directors concurred that the peg to a basket The banking sector has remained sound, and ty and geopolitical risks, and delays in project and ities to further strengthen the medium-term fiscal remains appropriate for the Kuwaiti economy, as it deposit and credit growth have slowed somewhat. As reform implementation as the main risks to the outlook. framework to help underpin consolidation. They wel- continues to provide an effective nominal anchor. They of Q2 2017, banks featured high capitalization (CAR of Directors noted that the sharp decline in oil prices comed the government’s balanced financing approach noted that the recommended fiscal adjustment would 18.3 percent), steady profitability (ROA of 1.1 percent), had adversely affected fiscal and current account bal- and noted that further strengthening of the related largely close the moderate current account gap over low non-performing loans (ratio of 2.4 percent), and ances. They commended the government’s recent institutional and legal frameworks would make debt the medium term. US economy cools California woman in Q4, falling sues Walmart for below Trump goal WASHINGTON: The world’s largest economy slowed in the final quarter of 2017, bringing US GDP expan- ‘segregated’ sion for the year below President Donald Trump’s ambitious three percent target, according to data black products released Friday. The slowdown underscored the diffi- culty the administration faces in making good on an LOS ANGELES: A Californian woman sued supermarket emblematic pledge. WASHINGTON: The US economy slowed in the final quarter of 2017, bringing US GDP expansion for the year chain Walmart on Friday, accusing the company of imple- The White House believes the massive tax cuts below President Donald Trump’s ambitious three percent target, according to data released Friday. menting extra security measures on products marketed passed last month will energize the economy and offset toward black people. Essie Grundy, 43, says all beauty the $1.5 trillion cost of the tax overhaul, but econo- products marketed for black people are placed in a mists say this is not likely and any growth bump will be expected, disappointing hopes for a third consecutive and prosperous America. locked glass case, while cosmetics targeting other eth- modest. After two quarters of expansion above three 3 percent-or-better quarter for the first time since “America is open for business, and we are compet- nicities are freely available at the Walmart near her Perris percent, GDP slowed to 2.6 percent in the October- 2005, but the details were stronger than the headline itive once again,” he said. The GDP data showed home, about an hour southeast of Los Angeles. When December period, held down by a big jump in imports she asked a shop employee why the products were figure,” Jim O’Sullivan of High Frequency Economics growth in the fourth quarter was bolstered by con- and falling business inventories, according to the first under lock and key, Grundy was told it “was a directive said in a research note. Trump rose to power a year sumer spending, home buying, and business invest- from corporate headquarters,” longtime women’s rights growth estimate from the Commerce Department. ago on a nationalist economic agenda, seeking to ener- ments. Exports also had a good quarter as the US attorney Gloria Allred told reporters. That was slower than analysts forecast and meant gize growth to three percent or even four percent by dollar continued to weaken, gaining 12.6 percent The employee also told Grundy “she would need to growth for the year was 2.3 percent, better than the 1.5 revitalizing manufacturing and attacking bilateral trade compared to the prior quarter, the largest jump in be escorted to the cash register with the product so she percent gain in 2016 but well below 2015’s 2.9 percent. deficits while slashing taxes and regulation and limiting four years. could purchase it,” Allred added. When Grundy raised But the result is subject to revision as more data immigration. But imports, which subtract from GDP, rose an even the issue with a store manager, she says she did not become available. Analysts highlighted the positive faster 13.9 percent, the largest quarterly increase in receive a clear response, and no action was taken. signs within the report, including strong spending and Making the case in Davos more than seven years. Durable goods orders were Grundy says she also visited two other Walmarts close to investment, but cautioned that growth in the first quar- Making the case for his America First vision at the another bright spot for the quarter, with sales of large, her home, and in one cosmetics marketed for African ter of this year could be below trend, as in recent years. World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on factory-made items rising by 8.2 percent, the biggest Americans were freely available, but monitored with “In short, growth was a bit less than generally Friday, Trump said praised “the resurgence of a strong quarterly gain in 14 years. —AFP security surveillance, unlike other products. “As a result of this discriminatory business practice and policy, we filed a lawsuit this morning against pact, which US President Donald Trump has threatened focused on how important this is and they are paying Walmart,” Allred said, without specifying the damages to kill. “I’m encouraged,” said Perrin Beatty, president attention.” She noted that a US congressional delega- being sought. “It perpetuates a racial stereotytpe that Business groups African Americans are thieves.” The lawsuit demands an of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. tion was for the first time in Montreal for the NAFTA immediate stop to the practice-noting the humiliation optimistic on NAFTA “If you compare where we are today to where we talks. “These members of Congress are starting to real- and psychological trauma Grundy was made to feel. were a couple of weeks ago, it appears there is some ize that it’s not just important to Canada, it’s not just Grundy, a 43-year-old mother who owns an online incremental movement. That’s positive,” he said, not- important to Mexico, but it is important in their own clothing business, returned to the shop after the initial breakthrough ing that no proposals put forth had yet been “rejected district, in their own states and that’s a very good out of hand.” “If there is a political will to make this development,” she said. incident and filmed the beauty department. The video MONTREAL: Business leaders expressed cautious was played during the press conference-showing men’s happen, it’s eminently possible, eminently doable,” The Montreal round of talks are due to end Monday optimism Friday for a breakthrough in North American and women’s shampoos, body creams and combs of little Beatty concluded. with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, retail value among other products with labels featuring Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Canadian, US and Maryscott Greenwood, chair of the Washington- Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo and US black models, all arranged in a locked glass case. —AFP Mexican negotiators were gathered in Montreal for a based US-Canada Business Council echoed the view, Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer holding a joint sixth round of crucial talks to revamp the 1994 NAFTA saying: “Key policymakers in the United States are now press conference. —AFP

EXCHANGE RATES

Euro 371.320 Japanese Yen 3.705 Asia Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Sterling Pound 420.750 Syrian Pound 1.585 Bangladesh Taka 0.003272 0.003856 Canadian dollar 243.260 Nepalese Rupees 2.954 Chinese Yuan 0.045534 0.049034 ASIAN COUNTRIES Turkish lira 80.160 Malaysian Ringgit 76.960 Hong Kong Dollar 0.036443 0.039193 Japanese Yen 2.721 Swiss Franc 316.360 Chinese Yuan Renminbi 47.210 Indian Rupee 0.004273 0.004914 Indian Rupees 4.734 Australian Dollar 24.413 Thai Bhat 10.425 Indonesian Rupiah 0.000018 0.000024 Pakistani Rupees 2.727 US Dollar Buying 300.200 Turkish Lira 79.660 Japanese Yen 0.002633 0.002813 Srilankan Rupees 1.957 Korean Won 0.000271 0.000286 Nepali Rupees 2.956 GOLD Malaysian Ringgit 0.072671 0.078671 Singapore Dollar 229.200 20 Gram 249.070 BAHRAIN EXCHANGE COMPANY WLL Nepalese Rupee 0.003006 0.003178 Hongkong Dollar 38.552 10 Gram 127.450 Pakistan Rupee 0.002550 0.002840 Bangladesh Taka 3.619 5 Gram 64.570 CURRENCY BUY SELL Philippine Peso 0.005916 0.006216 Philippine Peso 5.946 Europe Singapore Dollar 0.222992 0.232992 Thai Baht 9.487 Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd British Pound 0.415184 0.422884 Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001726 0.002306 Czech Korune 0.006503 0.015803 Taiwan 0.010191 0.010371 GCC COUNTRIES Danish Krone 0.045492 0.050492 Thai Baht 0.009105 0.009655 Saudi Riyal 80.427 Rate for Transfer Selling Rate Euro 0. 363444 0.370944 Qatari Riyal 82.836 US Dollar 301.200 Georgian Lari 0.118327 0.118327 Arab Omani Riyal 783.264 Canadian Dollar 242.640 Hungarian 0.001100 0.001290 Bahraini Dinar 0.792503 0.801003 Bahraini Dinar 800.850 Sterling Pound 417.825 Norwegian Krone 0.034233 0.039433 Egyptian Pound 0.014341 0.020059 UAE Dirham 82.137 Euro 368.910 Romanian Leu 0.062086 0.078936 Iranian Riyal 0.000083 0.000085 Swiss Frank 29 Russian ruble 0.005316 0.005316 Iraqi Dinar 0.000198 0.000258 ARAB COUNTRIES Bahrain Dinar803.394 Slovakia 0.008963 0.018953 Jordanian Dinar 0.420278 0.429278 Egyptian Pound - Cash 19.700 UAE Dirhams 80.100 Swedish Krona 0.033445 0.038446 Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 16.990 Qatari Riyals 82.410 Swiss Franc 0.306422 0.317422 Lebanese Pound 0.000149 0.000249 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.210 Saudi Riyals 83.640 Moroccan Dirhams 0.021960 0.045960 Tunisian Dinar 124.700 Jordanian Dinar 426.100 Australasia Omani Riyal 0.776149 0.781829 Jordanian Dinar 425.110 Egyptian Pound 17.067 Australian Dollar 0.232109 0.244109 Qatar Riyal 0.078456 0.083396 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 2.009 Sri Lankan Rupees 1.958 New Zealand Dollar 0.214183 0.223683 Saudi Riyal 0.079247 0.080547 Syrian Lira 0.000 Indian Rupees 4.723 Syrian Pound 0.001276 0.001496 Morocco Dirham 33.121 Pakistani Rupees 2.727 America Tunisian Dinar 0.119969 0.127969 Bangladesh Taka 3.653 Canadian Dollar 0.236260 0.245260 Turkish Lira 0.074507 0.084807 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES Philippines Pesso 5.935 US Dollars 0.297150 0.301570 UAE Dirhams 0.080594 0.082294 US Dollar Transfer 301.400 Cyprus pound 17.925 US Dollars Mint 0.297650 0.301570 Yemeni Riyal 0.000979 0.001059 Established 1961 19 Business Sunday, January 28, 2018 US trade commission blocks 300% tariffs on Bombardier CSeries planes Dispute strains trade US relations with Canada

WASHINGTON: A bipartisan US trade panel on Friday “Bombardier and its innovative workforce play a vital role blocked the government’s decision to impose nearly 300 per- in the Northern Ireland economy,” she wrote on Twitter. The cent punitive tariffs on airplanes manufactured by Canada’s ruling comes as fraught talks are underway this week in Bombardier, in a dispute that has inflamed relations with Montreal to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Ottawa. Agreement between Canada, Mexico and the United States. The US International Trade Commission voted 4-0 that there was no injury to US manufacturers, which effectively ‘Disappointed’ forces President Donald Trump’s Commerce Department to Shares in Bombardier jumped higher on the news, finishing reverse course on the retaliatory measures designed to pro- up more than 15 percent in Toronto. Boeing said the company tect Boeing. was “disappointed” with the decision by the commission, The failure to back up which “did not recognize the Commerce Department the harm that Boeing has was a rare move by the suffered from the billions of panel, but it will not release dollars in illegal govern- an explanation of its rea- ment subsidies” soning until March. Boeing Decision termed Bombardier received. filed a trade complaint after “Those violations have Delta Air Lines placed an victory for harmed the US aerospace order for 75 of the CSeries industry, and we are feeling jets, which can seat innovation the effects of those unfair between 100 and 150 pas- business practices in the sengers, and found a market every day,” it added. receptive ear in the Trump A Boeing spokesman administration, which has told AFP the company ratcheted up adversarial would review the commis- trade actions. Although none of the planes have been deliv- sion’s reasoned decision early next month before deciding ered, the Commerce Department ruled that the aircraft bene- future steps. The company could appeal the ruling in US fited from unfair subsidies and were sold below cost, allowing federal courts. Bombardier argued that Boeing suffered no QUEBEC: In this file photo shows the bombardier aircraft CSeries on the tarmac in Mirabel, Quebec. — AFP Bombardier to have an advantage over Boeing. harm because it did not offer a comparable sized jet to com- “Today’s decision is a victory for innovation, competition pete for Delta’s business. In addition, the Canadian firm has and the rule of law. It is also a victory for US airlines and the since struck a bargain with European manufacturer Airbus, “We will carry on full steam with our C series project, scrapped plans to buy 18 Super Hornet fighter jets, which are US traveling public,” Bombardier said in a statement shortly giving the latter a controlling stake in the CSeries jets and focusing on addressing the needs of our airline customers manufactured by Boeing. The ITC is an independent federal after the vote. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland allowing them to be manufactured duty-free in Alabama. and creating more and new, high-skill manufacturing jobs in agency and its commissioners are balanced between said Ottawa was likewise “very pleased” with the ruling. “With this matter behind us, we are moving full speed the US.” The aircraft case is one of several that have soured Republicans and Democrats, although it currently has only “The government of Canada will always vigorously defend ahead with finalizing our partnership with Airbus,” the Trump White House’s relations with Canada, which last four instead of the usual six members. the Canadian aerospace industry and its workers against pro- Bombardier said. “Integration planning is going well and we month lodged a wide-ranging complaint with the World Unlike the Commerce Department, ITC investigations tectionist trade policies,” she said in a statement. Britain’s look forward to delivering the CSeries to the US market.” Trade Organization, challenging US moves to impose puni- determine whether US industry is injured or threatened with Prime Minister Theresa May described the decision as “good “We are happy to see that the ITC concurred with our tive tariffs. harm by the imports in question. Both agencies have to rule in news for British industry.” views,” Airbus group CEO Tom Enders told AFP. As tensions turned raw last year, the Canadian government favor before punitive tariffs can take effect. — AFP

negotiator for IG Metall, which represents more than 3.9 mil- Industrial strikes loom lion workers. The union’s boss Joerg Hofmann said up to 50 Trump seeing the companies would be affected between Wednesday and Friday by the 24-hour strikes in selected sites across the country. In light on free as talks with German a statement, the regional employers’ association Suedwestmetall warned against solutions that would inflame British PM hails the situation and denounced the “disproportionate demands” trade? Perhaps union collapse of the union. The full-day walkouts are a recent addition to the union’s Bombardier’s BERLIN: Germany’s metalworkers’ union said yesterday that WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump may have realized arsenal, which has never used them before. Europe’s biggest it will intensify its campaign for better pay and conditions, his “America First” policy risks leaving the US alone on trade, union has also raised the prospect of staging its first open- threatening 24-hour “warning strikes” after talks with indus- but analysts are skeptical his latest offer to rejoin a multilater- ended strike since 2003. It mobilized more than 600,000 trade victory try representatives fell apart. Production by the country’s al trade pact will bear fruit. Trump went to the free-trade bas- workers in a series of short warning strikes earlier this month, crucial metal and electrical engineering industries may be tion World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and including at Volkswagen, BMW, Bosch and Siemens. The affected next week by the walkouts after the latest round of over Boeing offered the possibility that the US would rejoin the Trans- biggest hurdle in the talks is IG Metall’s insistence that negotiations ended without a deal. Pacific Partnership. That came a year after one of his first offi- employers top up the salaries of some of the workers who LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May The main sticking point remains the powerful IG Metall cial acts as president was to withdraw from the deal, and only choose to reduce their hours. Employers have slammed the on Friday welcomed Bombardier’s unexpected union’s demands for workers to have the option of a 28-hour days after the 11 remaining TPP countries agreed to proceed demands as too costly and even discriminatory to staff already trade victory against US planemaker Boeing Co week, with employers making up some of the salary loss. with the accord in the absence of the United States. That working part-time without additional compensation. They as good news for British industry. “Obviously employers do not understand any language decision to go ahead without the US “really got under his have also so far only offered a two-percent wage increase, The dispute between the two companies had other than pressure,” said Roman Zitzelsberger, the chief skin,” said Monica de Bolle of the Washington-based rather than the six percent sought by the union. — AFP put thousands of jobs at risk in Belfast, Northern Peterson Institute for International Economics. Ireland, where Bombardier makes the CSeries But Trump also plays to the crowd, which makes some CS100 and CS300 carbon wings. “I welcome this wonder if he will follow through. In his speech Friday to a decision, which is good news for British industry,” packed audience in Davos, Trump said the US would consider May said on Twitter. “Bombardier and its innova- negotiating with its onetime TPP partners “either individually, tive workforce play a vital role in the Northern or perhaps as a group, but only “if it is in the interests of all.” Ireland economy.” Britain’s business minister, Greg Clark, also A 180 on trade? welcomed the news, saying in a statement that In Davos the signal, although vague, was well received by the British and Canadian governments had main- the free-market loving audience, which included the who’s tained all along that the case was unjustified. who of the world’s economic and political elite. The TPP was “This is excellent news for the dedicated initially a US-led project that, while deliberately excluding workforce in Northern Ireland and supply chain Washington’s rival China, would have accounted for 40 per- across the UK, who have a great future ahead,” cent of global gross domestic product, one of the most he said. “The decision by the International Trade important economic indicators. Commission confirms what the UK and Canadian Trump dumped the deal in the belief it would punish US Governments working hand in hand has main- workers by allowing companies to hire cheaper labor abroad. tained from the outset, that this case is unjusti- His first year in office has been marked by a huge increase in fied. We are pleased that the ITC have now rec- trade complaints against various countries, especially China. ognized this.”— Reuters “With President Trump and trade policy, the world has learned to have to ‘wait and see.’ There can sometimes be a large gulf between his words one day and his policy actions the next,” Chad Bown of the Peterson Institute told AFP. Gregory Daco of Oxford Economics said he is not confident STUTTGART: Roman Zitzelsberger (left), Baden-Wuerttemberg district manager of IG Metall metalwork- Trump is set to do “a 180 on trade.” ers’ union, and Joerg Hofmann, First Chairman of IG Metall, speak during a press conference after the Just before going to Davos he “took a much more protec- termination of the fifth round of negotiations in Stuttgart yesterday. — AFP tionist stance,” imposing import tariffs on washing machines from South Korea and solar panels from China, and there are a host of decisions looming on steel and aluminum from ed that Brexit turmoil had taken its toll. “GDP growth was 1.8 China, he noted. The hint of a possible change of heart could UK economy picked percent in 2017. This was a significantly better performance be the result of urging from the business community which than had been widely expected at the start of the year, given benefits from free trade deals. Edward Alden, of the New the major Brexit uncertainties that were expected to-and duly York-based Council on Foreign Relations, told AFP that “the up at end of 2017 did-persist through the year” said Archer. biggest story here is he is under pressure from business not “Additionally, there was a major squeeze on consumer to embrace” a radically protectionist trade policy agenda. LONDON: Britain’s economy grew 0.5 percent in the final purchasing power. “Nevertheless, GDP growth of 1.8 percent “Trump clearly received this message,” Alden said. The three months of last year, official data showed Friday, picking in 2017 was the slowest UK expansion since 2012 and it looks business community certainly has ramped up its efforts to up speed despite Brexit uncertainty. somewhat uninspired compared with markedly improved convince the administration to preserve the North American However, the buoyant performance, propelled by the pow- global growth.” Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which Trump also threat- erhouse services sector, was not enough to prevent the weak- Hargreaves Lansdown economist Ben Brettell added that ened to tear up. US, Canadian and Mexican officials will con- est annual growth for five years as a result of the so-called activity was “uneven”. “The overall picture is one of muddling tinue the latest round of talks to salvage the accord this “Brexit effect”. through,” Brettell said. “Growth still looks lackluster and weekend in Montreal. “I think there is a realization that you “UK gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated to have somewhat unevenly distributed ... but it’s certainly fair to say can’t just be America First, and America alone, you have to be increased by 0.5 percent in quarter four 2017, compared with the economy has performed much better than many feared in America with others,” Daco said. But he cautioned, “I’m not 0.4 percent in quarter three,” the Office for National the aftermath of the Brexit vote, boosted by the rising tide of that confident honestly” that Trump will follow through on the Statistics (ONS) said. a global recovery which has lifted all boats.” TPP offer. —AFP The reading was in line with market expectations, boosted Many experts had predicted economic chaos in the event by the services sector, and was the best performance since of a Brexit vote in the nation’s 2016 referendum, but this has the same quarter of 2016. However, the ONS added that so far failed to materialize. Britons narrowly voted to leave the British economic growth stood at 1.8 percent last year. That European Union, with departure scheduled for March 2019. was the weakest annual rate since 2012 and marked a modest slowdown from 1.9 percent in 2016. Slow and uneven The ONS added Friday that expansion was primarily driv- ‘Brexit effect’ en by the services sector, which accounts for almost 80 per- Bank of England governor Mark Carney, speaking from cent of economic activity. But it also cautioned over patchy Davos, admitted there was a short-term “Brexit effect” on growth. economic activity. “What’s happening in the UK is the Brexit “Despite a slight uptick in the latest quarter, the underly- effect in the short term,” Carney told BBC Radio 4 from the ing picture is of slower and uneven growth across the econo- sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. my,” said ONS head of GDP Darren Morgan. “Businesses in the UK ... are waiting to see what kind of “The boost to the economy at the end of the year came relationships we will have with Europe and what kind of rela- from a range of services including recruitment agencies, let- tionships we will have with the rest of the world.” He added ting agents and office management. “Other services-notably DAVOS: US President Donald Trump delivers a speech however that the economy could grow more strongly this consumer facing sectors-showed much slower growth. during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting year once those relationships are clear. Howard Archer, chief “Manufacturing also grew strongly but construction again on Friday.—AFP economic advisor at the EY ITEM Club research group, not- fell,” Morgan added. — AFP 20 Established 1961 Business Sunday, January 28, 2018

BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT Boursa Kuwait equities mixed amid random buying trends Traders look for clues from annual financial results

KUWAIT: Boursa Kuwait ended last week with continued watch of the traders for the listed the ones that have been traded on with prices mixed performance. The Price Index closed at companies’ annual financial results, especially less than its par value. On the next session, the 6,651.91 points, up by 0.19 percent from the that such results will define to a great extent Boursa was able to return to the green zone, week before closing, the Weighted Index the investment goals of many investors for the after its three indices ended the session with decreased by 0.16 percent after closing at next period. different increases, supported by the return of 418.45 points, whereas the KSX-15 Index In addition, the Boursa recorded market the purchasing and collection operations exe- closed at 965.55 points down by 0.12 percent. losses of KD 32.93 million during the last week, cuted on the leading stocks in particular, which Furthermore, the week’s average daily turnover as its market capitalization reached by the end was apparent on the performance of the decreased by 12.88 percent, compared to the of the week KD 28.05 billion, down by 0.12 Weighted and KSX-15 indices and enabled it to preceding week, reaching KD 13.66 million, percent of its level at the previous week, where compensate all its losses recorded in the previ- whereas trading volume average was 118.79 it was KD 28.09 billion. Also, the market gains ous session, while the Price Index was able to million shares, recording a decrease of 13.74 since the beginning of 2018 contracted to reach record limited gains supported by the random percent. KD 1.11 billion, with a growth of 4.14 percent purchasing operations executed on a number of The market indices’ weekly closings fluctu- compared to its value at the last trading day of small-cap stocks, to compensate a part of its ated for the first time in this year, as the market the last year. (Note: The market cap for the losses recorded earlier in the beginning of week witnessed a continued random purchasing listed companies is calculated based on the session. operations on the small-cap stocks, in addition average number of outstanding shares as per The mid-week session witnessed mixed to the quick speculations that concentrated on the latest official available financial statements). closings for the three indices, as the Price Index the stocks of low price values, which was posi- Moreover, the Boursa Kuwait initiated its continued its upward direction affected by the tively reflected on the Price Index performance first session of the last week with a decline speculative performance of the small-cap to end the week’s trading with some gains; on included all its indices, especially the weighted stocks, while the quick return of the profit col- the contrary, the selling pressures and the profit ones, which were affected by the profit collec- lection operations on the leading stocks pushed collection operations executed on some leading tion operations witnessed during the session the Weighted and KSX-15 indices to close in stocks, pushed the Weighted and KSX-15 and concentrated on the leading stocks, espe- the red zone, which came in light of the indices to end the week’s trading in the red cially after the good increases it witnessed in dropped trading levels of both the volume and zone, after the good performance it witnessed the previous session. Also, the Price Index the cash liquidity, where the volume decreased since the beginning of the new year. The mar- decreased affected by the selling pressures that by 12.42 percent and the value dropped by ket witnessed such performance in light of the the small-cap stocks were subject to, especially 11.24 percent. The market did not witness on Wednesday’s and Thursday’s sessions much of a change com- pared to Tuesday’s session, as the market indices continued its fluctuations amid a change of traders’ behavior, where the Weighted and KSX- 15 indices continued to decline in light of the continued profit collection operations in control- ling the leading stocks’ trading, which pushed it to end the week in the red zone, while the Price Index was able to continue its growth as a result to the purchasing and speculating operations on some small-cap stocks, which enabled it to com- pensate all its losses and pushed it to end the week’s trading in the green zone. For the annual performance, the Price Index ended last week recording 3.81 percent annual gain compared to its closing in 2017, while the Weighted Index increased by 4.24 percent, and the KSX-15 recorded 5.54 percent growth.

Sector’s Indices Six of Boursa Kuwait’s sectors ended last week in the green zone, while the other six points. The Basic Materials sector was second on ed shares were 24.26 percent of last week’s recorded declines. Last week’s highest gainer the losers’ list, which index declined by 1.80 per- total trading volume, with a total of around was the Technology sector, achieving 1.63 per- cent, closing at 1,288.72 points, followed by the 144.08 million shares. cent growth rate as its index closed at 488.33 Insurance sector, as its index closed at 1,022.36 On the other hand, the Banks sector’s stocks points. Whereas, in the second place, the Real points at a loss of 0.93 percent. were the highest traded in terms of value; with Estate sector’s index closed at 1,010.98 points a turnover of around KD 26.93 million or 39.42 recording 1.31 percent increase. The Consumer Sectors’ Activity percent of last week’s total market trading val- Services sector came in third as its index The Real Estate sector dominated a total ue. The Financial Services sector took the sec- achieved 0.57 percent growth, ending the week trade volume of around 177.77 million shares ond place as the sector’s last week turnover at 936.49 points. changing hands during last week, representing was approx. KD 11.13 million representing 16.30 On the other hand, the Health Care sector 29.93 percent of the total market trading vol- percent of the total market trading value. headed the losers list as its index declined by ume. The Financial Services sector was second —Prepared by: Studies & Research 3.93 percent to end the week’s activity at 1,451.15 in terms of trading volume as the sector’s trad- Department - Bayan Investment Co.

rate, the Commerce Department reported. track for a weekly fall of 1.6 percent. The Dow Earnings lift Wall Shares of drugmaker AbbVie Inc also climbed Jones Industrial Average rose 223.92 points, or 10 percent after the company significantly 0.85 percent, to 26,616.71, the S&P 500 boosted its 2018 earnings forecast and said it gained 33.62 points, or 1.18 percent, to St to record hopes to accelerate dividend growth and 2,872.87, and the Nasdaq Composite added share buybacks. 94.61 points, or 1.28 percent, to 7,505.77. highs; dollar falls “We continue to see these positive steps in The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 the right direction and definitely earnings are index rose 0.54 percent, and MSCI’s gauge clearly justifying a lot of the recent move that of stocks across the globe gained 0.67 per- NEW YORK: Strong earnings from Intel and we’ve had,” said Ryan Detrick, senior market cent. For the week, the MSCI index was up 2 other companies drove Wall Street indexes to strategist at LPL Financial in Charlotte, North percent. record closing highs on Friday, while the US Carolina. In a weekly note on capital flows, Bank of dollar remained weak after recent comments Fourth-quarter earnings growth for the America Merrill Lynch analysts said that 98 by the US Treasury secretary. S&P 500 is now estimated at 13.2 percent, percent of global equity markets are now The S&P 500 jumped 1.2 percent, its according to Thomson Reuters data, up from trading above 50- and 200-day moving aver- biggest daily percentage gain since March 1. 12 percent at the start of the year. ages, though the pace of the melt-up meant a The S&P and the two other main indexes all Also helping equities, the US dollar correction was increasingly likely. notched their best four-week runs since 2016. remained weak against a basket of major cur- World equity markets have rallied over the Stocks around the globe also rose. The MSCI rencies, still bruised by comments earlier this past year, buoyed by a synchronized uptick in world equity index, which tracks shares in 47 week by US Treasury Secretary Steven global economic growth in a boon to corpo- countries, climbed for a 10th straight week, its Mnuchin in support of a weak dollar and fol- rate profits and stock valuations. longest weekly winning streak since 1999. lowing Friday’s US growth data. US Treasury yields climbed after the US Shares of Intel Corp jumped more than 10 President Donald Trump’s comments on GDP data and after the governor of the Bank NEW YORK: The day’s closing numbers are displayed after the closing bell of the Dow percent and hit their highest level since Thursday in favor of a “strong dollar,” a day of Japan said inflation is finally close to reach- Industrial Average at the New York Stock Exchange on Friday in New York. —AFP October 2000 a day after the company after Mnuchin said a weaker greenback would ing the central bank’s 2 percent target. reported quarterly results. The results of Intel help US trade balances in the short term, Benchmark 10-year notes last fell 11/32 in underpinned prices. Brent crude futures set- gain, while US crude was up 4.3 percent for and some other companies helped investors failed to keep dollar bears in check. price to yield 2.6599 percent, from 2.621 tled up 10 cents, or 0.1 percent, at $70.52 the week. shrug off weaker-than-expected US econom- The dollar index, which measures the percent late on Thursday. In the energy mar- per barrel, while US crude futures closed at Gold also rose with the dollar’s decline. ic growth data. Fourth-quarter gross domes- greenback against a basket of six major cur- ket, oil prices settled higher, with crude also $66.14, up 63 cents, or nearly 1 percent. For Spot gold was up 0.3 percent at $1,351.86, tic product increased at a 2.6 percent annual rencies, was down 0.33 percent at 89.1 and on posting a weekly gain as the weaker dollar the week, Brent posted a nearly 2.7 percent up 1.5 percent this week. — Reuters. Established 1961 21 Business Sunday, January 28, 2018 Jazeera Airways presses on with new direct flights to India We’re persistent about strengthening our Indian network: CEO

KOCHI: Jazeera Airways, Kuwait’s leading low cost air- brings us enormous pride. Kochi is a popular destina- line, operating regionally and internationally, celebrat- tion for tourism and medical visits and we see these as ed its four weekly flights into Kochi. Together with the growing segments out of the Kuwait market. In addi- Cochin International Airport CEO (CIAL), media rep- tion, we will offer a welcome choice to the VFR resentatives and local travel agents from Kochi, Jazeera (Visiting Friends & Relatives) travellers wanting to Airways inaugurated the third Indian destination at an connect with their families in both Kerala and Kuwait.” event in the city today. V J Kurian, Managing Director CIAL (COK) said, Following its recent launch into Hyderabad and “All of us at CIAL are honored by what the new opera- Ahmedabad, Kochi is the tions can achieve for our third route in India being local as well as interna- offered by Jazeera, tional customers. We launching direct flights are eager to witness the into Kuwait from Kochi becomes dynamic flow of travel- January 18, and connect- ers this year, as Kuwait’s ing beyond to other des- Jazeera’s third Jazeera Airways con- tinations across the nects more people to Middle East. destination in the benefits our state Flights operate four India has to offer while days a week on enabling new bridges to Mondays, Tuesdays, exciting routes into Thursdays and Sundays Kuwait and the Gulf. “ departing at 8:55 pm Jazeera Airways has transiting through. reliable fleet of 8 Airbus A320 aircrafts currently. from Kochi and arriving at 12:10 am in Kuwait and built a reputation in Kuwait and the Gulf as a low Jazeera was also recognized for On-Time- Customers can enjoy a baggage allowance of 30kg from Kuwait, departing at 12:45 pm reaching Kochi at cost champion, offering great value fares combined Performance by the world’s leading air travel intelli- for Economy Class and 50kg per Business class 8:10 pm. with unique service offerings such as the innovative gence company, OAG and for best value flights and passengers. Rohit Ramachandran, CEO of Jazeera Airways said, Park & Fly facility at Kuwait International airport. service in the region winning the ‘Low Cost Airline of Travelers can book flights or learn more about “We have been persistent about strengthening our The airline will move into its own new terminal in the Year’ Award at the 2017 Aviation Business Awards. Jazeera Airways services, offers, promotions and desti- Indian network and today, looking at how Jazeera has Q2 this year providing passengers with an improved Flying to over 20 destinations across the Middle nations via Jazeera’s website - Jazeeraairways.com, or successfully launched flights into three new cities, experience when travelling in and out of Kuwait, or East, Europe and India, Jazeera Airways operates a through the dedicated app or from all travel agents. Ooredoo participates in Kuwait Aviation Kids win KD 250 Show 2018 KUWAIT: Ooredoo proudly announced the conclusion with NBK’s ‘Save of its participation at the Kuwait Aviation Show 2018, an event that was sponsored by His Highness the Amir & Win’ with Zeina Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah that gath- ered all aviation enthusiasts within a fun-filled schedule. KUWAIT: National Bank of Over 40,000 people visited the four-day show, in which Kuwait believes in educating chil- 144 international and local companies including 57 air- dren in financial literacy and sav- craft participated. Ooredoo showcased its participation ings and works through its Zeina by providing WIFI services at the exhibition and distrib- Savings Account to promote uting giveaways to the visitors. responsible saving and spending The event succeeded in attracting visitors and habits. On 23 January 2018, NBK enthusiasts from different age groups, and included a announced the final winners of the number of activities such as entertainment perform- Zeina Save & Win Campaign, held ances and an exhibition. The airshow offered a vari- in collaboration with Kidzania. ety of activities with aerial exhibits held on all four Ten lucky children won cash days by the Kuwait air force, Solo Turk, Saudi 777 fitted with its award-winning, revolutionary new dem with its social responsibility strategy of support- prizes of KD 250 each, deposited Amal Al-Duwaisan Falcons, Extra Qatar and various others. Qatar Business Class seat, Qsuite as well as its extra-wide ing the passions of its customers, which in turn is into their Zeina Savings Account. Airways also participated in the inaugural Kuwait body Airbus A350-900. based on its core values of ooredoo, of caring, con- The winner’s names were Aviation Show 2018, where it displayed the Boeing Ooredoo stated that its participation came in tan- necting and challenging. announced live on Nabth Al-Kuwait radio program on 88.8 FM. The draw was held in the presence of senior NBK officials and officials from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. “Zeina Save & Win was a successful campaign that raised Kuwait National Fund awareness among parents and children the importance of financial literacy,” explained Amal Al-Duwaisan, Senior signs an MOU with Manager Consumer Banking Group, National Bank of Kuwait. “NBK strives to develop our future generations and offers GE Power to train SMEs products and services specifically tailored to suit their needs and develop their potential.” KUWAIT: Kuwait’s National Fund for Small and Medium Winners for the fourth and final Zeina Save & Win cam- Enterprise Development (The National Fund) has signed a paign draw: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with GE Power to incu- 1. Hamad Mohd Hamad Alhaddad bate small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to build digital 2. Abdullah Rakan Abdullah Alrefaei industrial applications for the power generation sector and to 3. Bader Fahad Abdulaziz Al-Qattan strengthen their economic growth and competitiveness. The ini- 4. Dana Abdulla Bader Alshemal tiative ties in with the National Fund’s vision to build an inclu- 5. Nour Loay Abdulhamid Al-Qattan sive, collaborative and innovative ecosystem for entrepreneurs 6. Mahdi Hasan Ismail Hussain to lay the foundation for economic opportunities in Kuwait. 7. Fatima Mohammed Abdullah Shehab In the presence of Khaled Al-Roudhan, Kuwait’s Minister of 8. Yousef Yaqoub Yousef Haidar Commerce & Industry and Minister of State for Youth Affairs; 9. Faisal Sabah Sami Abdulsalam Lawrence R Silverman, US Ambassador to Kuwait; Scott L 10. Fay Mohammad Ismaeil Sadeqi Strazik. President & CEO of GE’s Power Services business; The Zeina Savings Accounts encourages children to learn Joseph Anis, President & CEO of GE’s Power Services business about banking. It serves as an excellent tool for parents to in the Middle East, Africa and India; board members of The teach children about saving and spending responsibly and how National Fund; and high-ranking officials of the Kuwait Direct Digitization can unlock tremendous benefits for industry. A fits it offers. We are honored to support this journey.” to utilize digital tools like NBK’s award-winning website, Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), the MOU was signed report issued by the World Economic Forum in 2016 stated that The Predix platform is already widely implemented across NBK.com or the NBK mobile app to manage their account. in Kuwait City by Mr. Abdullah Hamad Al-Jouan, Chairman of $1.3 trillion of value can be realized purely by deploying and the Middle East and Africa, including at large utilities. Through Children under 15 years old with an NBK Zeina savings the Board & President of the National Fund for Small & adopting digital technologies over the next ten years in the the MOU, Kuwaiti SMEs will have the opportunity to partici- account in their name received one entry into the quarterly Medium Enterprise Development, and Bhanu Shekhar, Chief electricity sector alone. pate in the ongoing digital transformation of the power sector, draw for every KD 10 that was deposited into their account Digital Officer of GE Power in the Middle East and Africa. Abdullah Hamad Al-Jouan said, “Digital technologies are a helping to enhance the industry’s efficiency and reliability, while during the campaign period. Parents who set up a standing Khaled Al-Roudhan said, “This agreement is in line with the game changer that support businesses to scale up, enhance lowering its carbon footprint. Additionally, as the region turns deposit order doubled their child’s chances of winning. Ministry’s strategy to support young entrepreneurs and create operational efficiency and achieve higher levels of productivity. towards a rising share of intermittent renewable energy in the A total of 40 young winners were awarded the KD 250 an ideal business environment for them to achieve the desired Building the digital skills of Kuwaiti entrepreneurs on GE’s overall generation mix, Predix-based Industrial Internet of cash prize. The Zeina Save & Win Campaign ended 31 success for their enterprises. The continuous collaboration Predix platform is a significant means to help realize their true Things applications can help enhance grid stability by improv- December 2017 and the 23 January announcement is the final between the various departments within the Ministry of potential. This collaboration will enable and inspire them to inte- ing the flexibility of the power generation sector so operators 10 winners. Commerce and Industry has paved the way towards reaching grate digital tools as well as innovate new, more efficient and can ramp up or down power supplies more quickly. National Bank of Kuwait, a leading Kuwait bank, has been this agreement, which is in turn the result of the Kuwait Direct highly productive ways to boost growth. GE’s global experience GE Power will train entrepreneurs on developing applications listed among the World’s Safest Banks 12 consecutive times by Investment Promotion Authority’s support and concentrated in leading the digital transformation of industry, together with its on the Predix platform, supply the infrastructure to support Global Finance magazine. NBK enjoys the highest credit rat- efforts to attract international investors, such as GE, and facili- local presence and knowledge, make them an excellent organi- application development and provide access to trainers for the ings by international credit rating agencies, Standard & Poor’s, tate new initiatives to empower young entrepreneurs and give zation to collaborate with on this initiative.” Predix platform. Training and development activities will take Moody’s and Fitch Ratings. them access to the innovative services and technologies avail- GE’s Joseph Anis said, “Today’s MOU is aligned with the place at the GE Kuwait Technology Center, a flagship facility Customers can benefit from NBK’s Rewards Loyalty able within the GE Kuwait Technology Center.” goals of the Kuwait National Development Plan to create new that serves three core areas for energy sector customers across Program network, the largest in Kuwait. The NBK Rewards As per the MOU, The National Fund and GE Power will job opportunities, support the SME ecosystem, and contribute the Middle East and Africa: training, tooling and engineering. program includes more than 700 partner outlets restaurants, identify, train and help entrepreneurs to grow SMEs that will to the diversification and competitiveness of the economy. The The MOU builds on GE’s strong legacy of contributions fashion brands, lifestyle shops, hotels, travel and entertainment develop digital applications for the industrial sector based on National Fund is setting an example as a world-class institution towards the development of Kuwait’s industrial infrastructure. for children. Parents can set up a Zeina account for their chil- the Predix platform, GE’s application development platform for that is mapping out a vision for the future of the region - one GE technologies deliver over a third of Kuwait’s power today dren by visiting a local branch or NBK.com website. the Industrial Internet, which was built to meet the scale, com- where the public and private sectors come together to drive the and the company creates employment for more than 250 people plexity, speed and security requirements of industry. digital transformation of the economy and reap the many bene- in the country. 22 Established 1961 Technology Sunday, January 28, 2018 Data doom: Five steps from Davos to digital dystopia ‘Humans will come to live under the rule of digital dictatorship’

DAVOS: Intelligent robots and all-knowing online networks Addiction threaten to drag humanity into a “totalitarian” nightmare of Karl Marx called religion “the opium of the people”, mind control, mass unemployment and children hooked on but now another powerful drug is taking over. Online smartphones, experts warned at this week’s Davos summit. firms know how much we like thumbing away at our Online retailers and social networks collect so much data smartphones and are doing their best to keep us at it, about us that they can watch us, control us and will trans- several prominent delegates at Davos warned. “They form us entirely, said Yuval Noah Harari, the Israeli author of deliberately engineer addiction to the services they pro- bestselling books about tech- vide,” Soros said. “This can nology and anthropology. be very harmful, particularly “This will be decided by for adolescents.” the people who own the Marc Benioff, chief execu- data. They control not just tive of major US cloud soft- the future of humanity but ware firm Salesforce, said the future of life itself,” he A revolution there were “a lot of parallels” told a panel in Davos. “If between web apps and ciga- democracy cannot adapt to in skills rettes. “Product designers are these new conditions, then trying to make user interfaces humans will come to live more addictive than ever,” he under the rule of digital dic- told AFP in Davos. “This needs tatorship.” As envisioned by to be discussed and evaluat- various leaders, business ed,” he said. “Technology has people and thinkers at this year’s World Economic Forum to be normalised. It has to be regulated just like every oth- gathering, here are five stages through which digital tech- er industry.” nology will subjugate and dehumanize our race if we are not careful: Mind control Once the apps have got us physically addicted, DAVOS: People pass in front of big screen during the speech of US President Donald Trump on January 26, 2018 at Robots taking our jobs experts fear, they will go to work on our minds by logging the Davos Congress Centre (C), the venue of the annual World Economic Forum.—AFP The first phase of the data revolution is already under into our brain waves and bodily functions. “We’ve reached way. The robots are taking our jobs. While we plod around the point where we can hack not just computers but we with our eyes on our smartphones like digital zombies, can hack human beings and other organisms... Advances in risk compromising themselves by cooperating with panies at Davos launched Skillset, a platform to help buses are starting to drive themselves and machines are computer science, machine learning and artificial intelli- authorities in Russia and China and creating a “web of workers evaluate their job skills and acquire new ones. ringing our groceries through the cash register. The WEF gence are giving us the computing power,” Harari said. totalitarian control”. But while the companies were looking to preserve their estimates that new technology could affect 1.4 million jobs “Brain activity, blood pressure can be tracked by an algo- In an outspoken dinner speech during the summit, human resources, others were casting doubt on the very in the United States alone by 2026. rithm which can appeal to your sexual preference. he warned of an “alliance between authoritarian states future of the “H” in “HR”. Once technology has taken our “This time it is not just a question of blue- or white- Algorithms can predict desires, manipulate emotions, take and these large, data-rich IT monopolies”. World lead- data, our political rights, our jobs and our free will, it will collar workers,” said Alain Roumilhac, the head of US decisions on your behalf.” ers at Davos echoed the warning about data and pow- come for our souls. recruiter Manpower in France. “We are experiencing a er. “The danger is that we are too slow and that the For Harari, author of the two-book series “Homo revolution in skills,” with both manual and administrative Data dictators world is destroying us while we are still asking who Sapiens”, the tech shift is an evolutionary one. “By hack- tasks likely to be carried out by robots, he said. Car mak- The fourth stage will be a political coup-albeit a quiet, really owns our data,” said German Chancellor Angela ing organisms, elites might gain the power to engineer the ers are fast developing driverless vehicles. Online retail digital one. The World Economic Forum calls the digital Merkel in a speech. future of life itself,” he said. “By hacking organisms, elites giant Amazon this week opened a 1,800 square-foot (170 data age “the fourth industrial revolution”. But what will might gain the pow”If too much of the data becomes con- square-metre) cashier-less convenience store with cam- the new regime be like? Billionaire investor George Soros Dehumanization centrated in too few hands, humanity will split not into eras and artificial intelligence scanning the items remotely. said social media companies like Facebook and Google In response to the tech upheaval, a grouping of com- classes, it will split into different species.” — AFP Ariane 5 satellites Facebook wins EU in orbit but not court fight against in right location

class action lawsuit KOUROU: Two commercial satellites have been placed in orbit by an Ariane 5 rocket but have yet to reach their cor- LUXEMBOURG: The EU’s top court on Thursday dis- rect positions, Arianespace said Thursday, after mission missed a bid by an Austrian activist to bring a class control briefly lost contact with the craft in a rare malfunc- action against Facebook for privacy breaches, although tion. The usually reliable European space workhorse blast- he can sue the US social media giant on a personal ed off at 7.20 pm (2220 GMT) from the Kourou Space basis. Max Schrems said he would now push ahead in Centre in French Guiana carrying satellites for an Austrian court with the individual case against Luxembourg’s SES and the United Arab Emirate’s Yahsat Facebook’s Irish division for alleged rights violations in the first launch of the year for Arianespace. including personal data. Facebook welcomed the judg- For nearly 30 minutes mission controllers were left on ment and said it looked forward to “resolving” the case tenterhooks when the rocket lost contact in what CEO brought by Schrems, a campaigner who has previously Stephane Israel described as an “anomaly”. But the team brought down a landmark EU-US data sharing pact. later received good news when the satellites chirped back “Mr Schrems may bring an individual action in into radio contact. “Both satellites were confirmed sepa- Austria against Facebook Ireland,” the Luxembourg- rated, acquired and they are on orbit,” Arianespace said in based European Court of Justice said in a statement. an updated statement after the initial lift-off scare. The “By contrast, as the assignee of other consumers’ company, which is headquartered in France, said a tracking claims, he cannot benefit from the consumer forum for station in Brazil was unable to locate the craft shortly after the purposes of a collective action.” Schrems had ignition of the rocket’s upper stage. lodged legal cases in an Austrian court on behalf of “This lack of telemetry lasted throughout the rest of himself and seven other users in Austria, Germany and powered flight,” the statement said. But both satellites India against Facebook in Ireland as a way of starting a were later “communicating with their respective control class action suit. Austria’s Supreme Court had referred centers”. But a source told AFP the satellites did not KOUROU: This handout picture released by Ariane Espace on January 25, 2018, shows an Ariane 5 rocket blasting the matter to the ECJ after Schrems’s lawsuit was first detach from the rocket in the correct place after the craft off from the Kourou Space Centre (Europe spaceport). —AFP thrown out and then restored by the country’s courts. followed an “imperfect trajectory”. Arianespace said they were currently “repositioning the satellites in the right Huge blow place using their propulsion systems” adding that their Yahat’s Al-Yah 3 satellite weighs in at 3,795 kilogram’s and competition from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Two recent launch- Schrems still hailed it as a victory, tweeting “YAY” current status was “reassuring after strong concerns”. also carries telecommunications equipment. es have suffered malfunctions but were shut down before with a winking-smiley-face emoji. “For three years Israel had earlier tweeted that the initial launch had been Since it was founded in 1980, Arianespace has put more the rocket could lift off. In September mission control Facebook has been fighting nail and toe against the “flawless”. than 550 satellites into orbit including for Europe’s Galileo aborted the launch of an Ariane 5 rocket carrying two Courts jurisdiction in Austria and lost. Now, we can GPS system. The company posted sales of about 1.3 billion commercial satellites in the final countdown as the main finally go ahead with the case,” he said in a statement. Reliable workhorse euros ($1.6 billion) in 2017. The Galileo program, when engine was being ignited. An Ariane 5 lift-off was also “Facebook will now have to explain to a neutral Court The SES satellite, built by Airbus in the UK, weighs complete, will have 30 satellites in three orbital planes by aborted at main engine ignition in March 2011. whether its business model is in line with stringent more than four tons and is carrying both telecoms equip- 2020. If all goes according to plan the system will be able The Kourou Space Centre has also been hit by strikes. European privacy laws. This is a huge blow for them. ment as well as a NASA platform designed to explore the to pinpoint a location on Earth to within a meter-com- Last year workers in the French territory erected barri- “Unfortunately the Court of Justice has not taken up the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and space. SES pared to several meters for the United States’ GPS and the cades around the space centre and delayed the launch of a golden opportunity to finally establish collective said in a statement that its satellite was “in good health” Russian GLONASS systems. rocket several times. Guiana, home to some 250,000 peo- redress options in Europe, but kicked the ball back to and that it would be maneuvered into the correct orbit in First used in 1986, the Ariane 5 vehicle has a strong ple, has been administered as a French region since the the legislator.” the next few months thanks to its own propulsion system. track record of reliability although the company faces stiff end of the 18th century. —AFP Facebook had argued that people can only sue as individual consumers, not as groups. “Today’s decision by the European Court of Justice supports the previous decisions of two courts that Mr Schrems’s claims can- content and its ability to generate traffic via social not proceed in Austrian courts as “class action” on BuzzFeed in deal networks. But several major global social media net- British PM urges social behalf of other consumers,” a Facebook spokesman works including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram- said in a statement. “We were pleased to have been which are crucial for delivering BuzzFeed content-are not accessible in China, where they are blocked by media to act on abuse able to present our case to the European Court of to distribute draconian censorship. Justice and now look forward to resolving this matter.” BuzzFeed’s content ranges from in-depth surveys DAVOS: British Prime Minister Theresa May will encourage Schrems single-handedly brought down the EU’s content in China and potentially sensitive political topics to much activist investors on Thursday to pressure social media firms into former “Safe Harbour” data sharing arrangement in lighter coverage of celebrities and the popular video clamping down on fake news, hate speech and sexual harassment. 2015 after he sued Facebook in Ireland over the trans- recipes of its “Tasty” food network. But Bytedance “Investors can make a big difference here by ensuring trust and fer of personal information by Facebook from Europe BEIJING: BuzzFeed has struck an agreement with could carefully select what it broadcasts of BuzzFeed’s safety issues are being properly considered. And I urge them to to the United States. The ECJ ruled the 16-year-old Chinese technology group Bytedance to distribute its content to avoid the wrath of Chinese censors. Its do so,” she will say in a speech to the World Economic Forum in deal was illegal after Schrems cited US snooping prac- content in China, a rare foray behind the “Great Toutiao platform has already fallen foul of the Davos. She will highlight how a group of shareholders recently tices exposed by former US intelligence contractor Firewall of China” for Western media as Beijing tight- Cyberspace Administration of China, which in demanded Facebook and Twitter “disclose more information Edward Snowden. Schrems is now suing Ireland’s data ens its censorship of the internet. Bytedance, which December asked it to remove sections accused of about sexual harassment, fake news, hate speech and other forms protection regulator over the issue in a separate case operates the popular Toutiao aggregator, claims 200 “disseminating pornographic and vulgar content” and of abuse that take place on the companies’ platforms”. being considered by the ECJ. —AFP million daily users, according to a statement the two “exerting a harmful influence”. May will say that smaller media platforms also need to act, groups released Friday. Under the partnership agree- With an online population of more than 700 mil- according to extracts of her speech released by her office in ment Bytedance will be able to distribute content and lion, China is a tempting market for BuzzFeed, which is London. “Smaller platforms can quickly become home to criminals videos from the US online news and entertainment going through tough times and had to give up plans and terrorists. We have seen that happen with Telegram,” May will firm on its own platforms in China. for a stock market listing, after announcing in say. “And we need to see more co-operation from smaller plat- “We look forward to meaningfully engaging November that it was dismissing about 100 of its forms like this. No-one wants to be known as ‘the terrorists’ plat- Chinese audiences in our feedback loop, to learn 1,700 employees. The Chinese audience could give it a form’ or the first choice app for paedophiles.” more about what they love, how they use and interact new lease on life on the international stage, without Her call comes as part of a broader push for international with our content and what they’d like to see,” too much financial risk. In 2016, BuzzFeed launched a action against online extremism, which May took last year to the BuzzFeed’s international vice president Scott Lamb Japanese edition of its website in collaboration with G7 and the United Nations General Assembly. In Davos, she will said in their statement. “We’re thrilled about this first Yahoo Japan. Bytedance makes no secret of its inter- say that big technology firms have made progress in dealing with foray into testing our content there,” he added. No national ambitions and hopes to break through abroad harmful and illegal online activity, but must do more. She will chair financial details of the agreement were given. with a foreign version of Toutiao called TopBuzz, a meeting with technology companies including Siemens, Cisco Founded in 2006, BuzzFeed has become a major play- which relies on artificial intelligence to target informa- and IBM, to discuss their role in ensuring the “responsible use of er in the world of online information thanks to its viral tion, videos and content specific to each user. — AFP the internet”, her spokesman said. —AFP Established 1961 23 Health Sunday, January 28, 2018 Papua’s remote villages cry for help amid deadly health crisis No doctors in the community of several hundred

ASMAT, Indonesia: Worried parents braved long we can only try to serve people by giving them medi- queues and scorching heat in the remote Papuan jungle cine” he added. to get their sick babies treated Friday, as the impover- ished region grapples with a deadly measles-and-mal- ‘Too late’ nutrition outbreak. AFP has been able to access the iso- The head of the military medical teams acknowl- lated village of Ayam, where houses sit on stilts and the edged that Jakarta’s response was slow. “Let’s be hon- only bare-bones clinic has no modern medical equip- est, maybe the local and national governments became ment, a few rickety beds, and overwhelmed nurses aware of this (outbreak) too late,” Asep Setia Gunawan, struggling to cope. the military’s medical task force chief, told AFP. “The There are no doctors in the community of several conditions here are serious and that’s why we are call- hundred which has seen over two dozen cases of ing this an ‘extraordinary’ outbreak.” measles. Crisscrossed by rivers and swamps, Ayam is a The problems in Ayam and other villages across 10-hour boat trip to the nearest major city Timika. The Papua are a combination of myriad problems including Indonesian military has sent medical teams to Ayam and years of national and local government neglect, a lack of other remote locations across the vast region to prevent jobs, and logistical hurdles in boosting the quality of life the spread of what they are calling an “extraordinary” for remote communities, experts said. They warn that outbreak. Villagers are also suffering from other health this crisis will be repeated without more action to pull problems like diarrhea and respiratory infections. the province out of grinding poverty and end a low-lev- “What we really need el separatist insurgency is medicine and food so fuelled by resentment our children here can be over poor conditions. “I healthy again... that’s hope this crisis will help what we need now,” said some people here-at AGATS: A Papuan child suffering from malnutrition lies in a hospital bed for treatment in Agats, the capital of 28-year-old father least those in power to Asmat district in Indonesia’s easternmost Papua province. —AFP Yunus Komenemar, An change their minds, but if whose one-year-old son ‘extraordinary’ they choose business as was diagnosed with usual another crisis will day carries around 50 percent of the risk of a pack a measles. Ayam is in the outbreak appear next year as Heart attack risk day,” he told AFP. Asmat district where well,” said Andreas Smokers should not be fooled, in other words, into some 800 children have Harsono, a Jakarta-based thinking that a few cigarettes a day-or even just one- been sickened, while as campaigner for Human high with one carries little or no long term harm, he added. “Whilst many as 100 others, Rights Watch. it is great that smokers try to cut down-and they mostly toddlers, are Komenemar, whose cigarette a day should be positively encouraged to do so-in order to feared to have died in the outbreak, which was first young son was being treated for measles, worried about get the big benefits on cardiovascular disease they made public this month. what will happen when the military leaves Ayam. “The PARIS: Just one cigarette a day carries nearly half the need to quit completely,” he said by email. The find- Harrowing images from affected communities government is paying more attention, aid is coming in risk for heart attack and stroke as smoking a full pack ings were published in the medical journal BMJ. showed rail-thin children lying on rickety beds with and there are (positive) changes, but we want it to last,” of 20, according to a large-scale study published Tobacco kills about seven million people worldwide their rib cages exposed and a malnourished girl lying he said. Many Papuans live a semi-nomadic existence Thursday. “If someone smokes one cigarette instead every year, according to the World Health on the floor hooked up to an IV drip. “I’m sad, I’m and lack proper medical care, schools or other basic of 20 per day, intuitively we’d think that the risk drops Organization. About two million of those deaths are angry, and I feel pity,” said Norce, a mother of a five- services, including access to clean water. Angelina to 1/20, or five percent,” said lead author Allan due to cardiovascular disease, mainly coronary heart year-old being treated for measles in Agats, another Sanpai, a mother of six who was waiting to get treat- Hackshaw, a professor at University College London, attacks and stroke. Earlier research suggested that hard-hit community. In Ayam, nurse Abednego Bakay ment for her six-month old baby’s diarrhea, said putting whose paper analysed 141 previous studies. “This smoking a few cigarettes a day was linked to a high- said his clinic was short of almost everything, including food on the table is a daily struggle. “I’m used to crying seems to be the case for lung cancer, but is not true er-than-expected risk of heart disease, but findings crucial vaccines. “The equipment here is basic and so because we’ve got so little food,” she said. —AFP for heart attacks and stroke, where one cigarette per were inconclusive. —AFP 24 Established 1961

Sunday, January 28, 2018 What’s On Marriott Hotels win 14 awards at HORECA Kuwait

arriott Hotels in Kuwait have partici- Courtyard by Marriott Kuwait participated in tion in the exhibition, George Aoun, Cluster pated in HORECA Kuwait 2018 for various competitions including, ice carving, General Manager of Marriott Hotels in Mfood and hospitality industries for bedding competition, wedding cake and tra- Kuwait said: “HORECA Exhibition is consid- the sixth year in a row. The exhibition took ditional Kuwaiti dish contest, and were ered one of the most important food and hos- place on January 15-17 at the Kuwait awarded a collection of recognitions, includ- pitality events in the region that is why we International Fair. A huge number of chefs ing 2 gold medals in the Traditional Kuwaiti participate every year.” “We are very proud from different hotels and restaurants in Dish and bedding competition, two silver in of our chefs and their amazing achievements. Kuwait competed in a series of live culinary the fresh pasta and sushi contests, two bronze HORECA Exhibition 2018 proved once again shows which were judged by a panel of inter- in the ice carving and sandwiches competi- Marriott’s continued passion and excellence national chefs from the Middle East and tions, and eight Merit Certificates in other in dishing up world-class cuisine through its Europe. JW Marriott Kuwait City and contests. Commenting about their participa- talented chefs.” Aoun added.

Kuwait. The Six Governing Bodies of FOHSK being Induction of officers named, Alma Perias - Rafols, RDH, - Chairman of the Board; Ysabelle Paola L Macatangay, RDH - Deputy Chairman of the Board, Piaget Louise F Maglalang, of Filipino RDH -Executive Administrator; Catherine D Arguelles, RDH - Chairman on Committee and Affairs; Annabelle Oral Hygienists’ C Tiglao, RDH - Chairman on Media and Communication and Rudilyn O Pigar, RDH - Financial Analyst and the Oath Taking of the Pioneering Society in Kuwait Members. Give-away of top brand in food supplements and e are pleased to announce to the public that dietary food like Orthomol (Germany) Vital F and the Filipino Oral Hygienists’ Society of Orthomol Femin Supplements were given away to WKuwait (FOHSK) is now an Official and Duly members upon registration. Te’Pe interdental brushes Recognized Organization by the Philippine Embassy, from Sweden were given away to 17 winners as conso- Kuwait. FOHSK is a non-profit, non-political and free lation prices. Top Oral Hygiene brands like Waterpik from religious ties organization based in Kuwait com- and Philips were given away as GRAND RAFFLE posing of 6 Board of Directors and 47 Pioneering PRICES. The three grand prize raffle winners were Members of Filipino Oral Hygienists from both private drawn by Philippine Embassy Charge’ d’affaires, and public sectors. Last January 5, 2018, the said group Honorable Charleson Hemosura and FOHSK Chairman of Filipino Oral Hygienists gathered at the Philippine of the Board Alma Perias Rafols, RDH and were assisted Embassy in Kuwait. by FOHSK Officers and Ultramed Clinical Product The big and historical day was highlighted by the Specialists Catherine D. Arguelles, RDH and Annabelle Six FOHSK Board of Directors who successfully sworn C Tiglao, RDH. The event was graced by the presence their Oaths of Office before Honorable Charleson C of Bouchra A. Laksimi, D Sc; Ultramed Oral Hygiene Hermosura, Charge’ d’affaires Philippine Embassy Team Leader.

test, culminated at Indian Educational School Kuwait in churning their brain cells at different locations in the Indian School Bahrain (1st place), Jemi Eldho, Private Bee-Swarmed the most majestic manner on 20th January 2018. Middle East in real time. International English School, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2nd The school auditorium took the shape of an The spellers were taken for a roller coaster ride of place), Malavika Vinod, Indian Community School amphitheatre where spectators fidgeted and grimaced words of extreme complexity and simplicity, and they Khaitan, Kuwait (3rd place) and Abhinav Ashokan, Al Bhavan marks in anticipation for the fight of the year. The chief guest, all gleefully rode along artfully dodging the cleverly laid Saad Indian School Al Ain, UAE (3rd place). Category Ms. Ann Newman, Department of English Language traps of letters. The audience in the auditorium and the 2: Rahul Wavare, British School of Kuwait (1st place), the spellbinding and literature, Gulf University of Science and many thousands glued to the live streaming were fallen Aarush, Private International English School, Abu Technology, Kuwait, along with the guest of honour Dr. through the void of a whirlpool of words into a virtual Dhabi, UAE (2nd place), Manini Laslit Desai, Bahrain Shashiranjan Yadav, Vice-Chancellor, Indian Institute of world of letters which eventually entrapped them all for Indian School Bahrain (3rd place). Category 3: Nevin day in style Teacher Education Gujarat, India graced the day of a few hours to let them watch in awe one of the most Noji Vaidyan, Indian Educational School Kuwait (1st grandeur. Mr. Suresh.V. Balakrishnan Vice Principal adrenalin-rushing arcade games of the alphabet. After place), Arjun N Anooj, Private International English pell-tacular gladiators’ armed with letters and Middle and senior wing IES and Ms. Jaemi Byju Head 3 hours of brain racking, the regal ride came to an end School Abu Dhabi, UAE (2nd place), Steve Chalil Biju, words fought vigorously in the colosseum of of the Department of English, Middle and Senior wings with a bee dance by the charismatic students of IES Bahrain Indian School Bahrain (3rd place). Category 4: ‘Sknowledge, and in times, like mystical beings, IES were the chief pronouncers of the day along with breaking the spell and setting some fire work of elegant Shad Ahmed Shahul, Fahaheel Al-Watanieh Indian transforming into bees and butterflies collected nectar Mr. E.P Prasad, senior faculty, the Department of steps in the auditorium. Mrs. Meenakshi Nayyar , Vice Private School (DPS), Kuwait (1st place), Nivedha of letters to store in their arc-’hives’ of achievements as English being the assistant pronouncer. Contestants Principal Co-Curricular Activities declared the final Mayiluanan, Private International English School Abu the grand finale of the fourth edition of Bharatiya from different schools in Kuwait were categorized and result of the Bhavans GCC Spell Bee Championship. Dhabi, UAE (2nd place) and Parthiv Varma, Al Saad Vidhya Bhavan’s GCC Spell Bee, a spell-the-word con- seated on the dais with their counterparts sitting and The winners are: Category 1: Parth Gupta , Bahrain Indian School Al Ain, UAE (3rd place). Established 1961 25 TV Sunday, January 28, 2018

15:35 Kroll Show 21:20 Stuck In The Middle KSA 05:15 Ax Men 08:36 Sanjay And Craig 16:00 Friendszone 21:45 Austin & Ally 06:00 Mountain Men 09:00 SpongeBob SquarePants 16:30 Friendszone 22:10 Austin & Ally 06:50 Forged In Fire 09:24 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 16:55 Friends 22:35 Girl Meets World 07:40 American Restoration 09:48 Henry Danger 17:20 Friends 23:00 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug 08:30 Storage Wars 10:12 Game Shakers 00:15 Dead Again In Tombstone 17:45 Disaster Date & Cat Noir 08:55 Storage Wars 10:36 Regal Academy 00:25 Saturday Night Fever 02:00 Rise Of The Planet Of The 18:10 Ridiculousness Arabia 23:25 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug 00:00 The Platinum Life 09:20 American Pickers 11:00 Winx Club 02:25 Youth Apes 18:35 Lip Sync Battle & Cat Noir 00:55 The Platinum Life 10:10 Ax Men 11:24 SpongeBob SquarePants 04:35 One True Thing 03:50 The Last Rescue 19:00 Lip Sync Battle 23:50 Lolirock 01:50 E! News 11:00 Forged In Fire 11:48 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 06:45 The Great Gatsby 05:40 Mission: Impossible - Rogue 19:25 Impractical Jokers 02:50 WAGs 11:50 American Restoration 12:12 The Loud House 09:15 The Apartment Nation 19:50 Real Husbands Of Hollywood 03:40 WAGs 12:40 Storage Wars 12:36 Rabbids Invasion 11:30 One True Thing 07:55 Operation Chromite 20:12 Friends 04:35 WAGs 13:05 Storage Wars 13:00 Breadwinners 13:40 The Great Gatsby 09:50 Rise Of The Planet Of The 20:35 Friends 05:30 Celebrity Style Story 13:30 Swamp People 13:24 Massive Monster Mayhem 16:05 The Beat Beneath My Feet Apes 21:00 The Daily Show With Trevor 06:00 Botched 14:20 Swamp People 13:48 Hunter Street 17:45 The Shamer’s Daughter 11:35 Independents’ Day Noah 00:15 PJ Masks 06:55 Botched 15:10 Mountain Men 14:12 I Am Frankie 19:30 African Safari 13:10 Mission: Impossible - Rogue 21:30 Comedy Central Presents 00:30 Vampirina 07:50 Botched 16:00 Forged In Fire 14:36 The Thundermans 21:05 Far From Men Nation Comedy 3alwagef 01:00 Vampirina 08:45 Botched 16:50 American Restoration 15:00 Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn 22:55 Bulworth 15:25 Rampage: President Down 22:00 Russell Howard’s Stand Up 01:30 Art Attack 09:40 Botched 17:40 The Curse Of Oak Island 15:24 School Of Rock 17:05 I Am Number Four Central 01:55 Henry Hugglemonster 10:35 Botched 19:20 Forged In Fire 15:48 SpongeBob SquarePants 18:55 Street Fighter 22:25 The Half Hour 02:05 Loopdidoo 11:30 WAGs LA 20:10 American Restoration 16:12 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 20:40 Star Wars: The Force Awakens 22:50 The Half Hour 02:20 Henry Hugglemonster 12:25 WAGs Atlanta 21:00 Storage Wars 16:36 The Loud House 23:00 The Transporter 23:15 Real Husbands Of Hollywood 02:35 Calimero 13:20 WAGs Atlanta 21:25 Storage Wars 17:00 Massive Monster Mayhem 23:40 The Daily Show With Trevor 02:50 Henry Hugglemonster 14:15 Celebrity Style Story 21:50 American Pickers 17:24 I Am Frankie Noah 03:05 Art Attack 14:45 My Fabulous Me 22:40 Forged In Fire 17:48 Hunter Street 00:55 Felix The Toy Rabbit And The 03:30 The Hive 15:15 My Fabulous Me 23:30 Mountain Men 18:12 Henry Danger Time Machine 03:40 Loopdidoo 15:45 My Fabulous Me 18:36 Nicky, Ricky, Dicky And Dawn 02:25 Pacific Pirates 03:55 Henry Hugglemonster 16:15 Keeping Up With The 19:00 School Of Rock 03:55 Operation Arctic 04:10 Art Attack Kardashians 19:24 Game Shakers 05:35 The Happy Cricket 00:50 Lone Star Law 04:35 Loopdidoo 17:10 Keeping Up With The 19:48 The Thundermans 07:05 A.R.C.H.I.E. 01:45 Swamp Brothers 00:30 Ultimate Survival 04:50 Calimero Kardashians 20:12 Ride 08:40 The Emperor’s Secret 02:13 Swamp Brothers 01:20 Ecopolis 05:05 Art Attack 18:05 Keeping Up With The 20:36 SpongeBob SquarePants 10:15 Felix All Around The World 02:40 Swamp Brothers 02:10 How The Earth Works 05:30 Henry Hugglemonster Kardashians 00:15 The Game Chef 21:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:45 Moomin And Midsummer 03:08 Swamp Brothers 03:00 How The Earth Works 05:45 Henry Hugglemonster 19:00 E! News 00:45 What’s For Sale? 21:24 Sanjay And Craig Madness 03:35 Snake Sheila 03:50 Kids Do The Craziest Things 06:00 Art Attack 20:00 Red Carpet Icons 01:10 Food Lover’s Guide To The 21:48 Rabbids Invasion 13:10 Felix The Toy Rabbit And The 04:00 Snake Sheila 04:15 Kids Do The Craziest Things 06:30 Henry Hugglemonster 20:30 Red Carpet Icons Planet 22:12 Breadwinners Time Machine 04:25 Snake Sheila 04:40 Kids Do The Craziest Things 06:45 Loopdidoo 21:00 Keeping Up With The 01:40 Eat Street 22:36 Harvey Beaks 14:40 Pacific Pirates 04:50 Snake Sheila 05:05 Kids Do The Craziest Things 07:00 Henry Hugglemonster Kardashians 02:05 Eat Street 23:00 SpongeBob SquarePants 16:10 Back To The Sea 05:15 Snake Sheila 05:30 Kids Do The Craziest Things 07:15 Calimero 22:00 Revenge Body With Khloe 02:35 Eat Street 23:24 SpongeBob SquarePants 17:50 Felix All Around The World 05:39 Snake Sheila 05:55 Kids Do The Craziest Things 07:30 PJ Masks Kardashian 03:00 Eat Street 23:48 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 19:20 Help And Freedom 06:02 Bad Dog 06:20 How It’s Made 08:00 P-King Duckling 23:00 Keeping Up With The 03:30 The Food Files 20:50 Swan Princess: Royally 06:49 Bad Dog 06:40 How It’s Made 08:25 Puppy Dog Pals Kardashians 03:55 The Food Files Undercover 07:36 Night 07:00 Bear Grylls Survival School 08:50 Mickey And The Roadster 04:25 Miguel’s Feasts 22:20 Back To The Sea 08:00 Night 07:25 Bear Grylls Survival School Racers 04:50 Angelo’s Outdoor Kitchen 08:25 Whale Wars 07:50 Bear Grylls Survival School 09:15 Goldie & Bear 05:20 Lucky Chow 09:15 Wildest Middle East 08:15 Bear Grylls Survival School 09:30 Doc McStuffins 05:45 Lee Chan’s World Food Tour 00:15 Shimmer And Shine 10:10 Wildest Middle East 08:40 How It’s Made 10:00 PJ Masks 06:15 A Taste Of South Africa 00:39 Shimmer And Shine 11:05 Wildest Middle East 09:05 How It’s Made 10:30 Sofia The First 00:00 Man Fire Food 06:40 A Taste Of South Africa 01:01 Max & Ruby 00:25 Boyz In The Hood 12:00 Wildest Middle East 09:30 How It’s Made 11:00 Vampirina 00:30 Man Fire Food 07:10 George Clarke’s Amazing 01:25 Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 02:25 Leatherheads 12:55 Wildest Middle East 09:55 How It’s Made 11:30 Mickey And The Roadster 01:00 Restaurant: Impossible Spaces 01:36 Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 04:25 Janie Jones 13:50 My Fat Pet 10:20 How It’s Made Racers 02:00 Mystery Diners 08:05 Glamour Puds 01:47 The Day Henry Met 06:20 Baby’s Day Out 14:45 Keeping Up With The Kruger 10:45 How It’s Made 12:00 The Lion Guard 02:30 Mystery Diners 08:30 Glamour Puds 01:52 The Day Henry Met 08:05 13 Going On 30 15:40 The Lion Queen 11:10 How It’s Made 12:30 Sofia The First 03:00 Man Fire Food 09:00 Chocolate Covered 01:57 The Day Henry Met 09:50 Brooklyn 16:35 Snake Sheila 11:35 How It’s Made 12:55 Sofia The First 03:30 Man Fire Food 09:25 Chocolate Covered 02:03 Blaze And The Monster 11:45 Shanghai Noon 17:03 Snake Sheila 12:00 How It’s Made 13:20 Sofia The First 04:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 09:55 Living Free With Kimi Werner Machines 13:45 Valentine’s Day 17:30 Snake Sheila 12:25 How It’s Made 13:45 Sofia The First 04:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 10:50 John Torode’s Asia 02:24 Blaze And The Monster 15:55 Calendar Girls 17:58 Snake Sheila 12:50 Tanked 14:10 Miles From Tomorrow 05:00 Guy’s Grocery Games 11:15 Miguel’s Feasts Machines 17:50 Seven Years In Tibet 18:25 Swamp Brothers 13:40 Tanked 14:35 Miles From Tomorrow 06:00 Roadtrip With G. Garvin 11:45 Building Wild 02:45 Team Umizoomi 20:15 Money Monster 18:53 Swamp Brothers 14:30 Tanked 15:00 Miles From Tomorrow 06:25 Roadtrip With G. Garvin 12:40 Eat Street 03:09 Team Umizoomi 22:00 Scary Movie 4 19:20 Sharkbite Beach 15:20 Tanked 15:30 Mickey And The Roadster 06:50 Man Fire Food 13:05 Eat Street 03:31 Paw Patrol 23:25 Love And Other Drugs 20:15 Shark Attack File 2 16:10 Tanked Racers 07:15 Chopped 13:35 Eat Street 03:55 Paw Patrol 21:10 Lair Of The Killer Crocs 17:00 What Could Possibly Go 15:55 Goldie & Bear 08:05 Barefoot Contessa 14:00 Eat Street 04:19 Shimmer And Shine 22:05 Shark Feeding Frenzy Wrong? 16:20 Doc McStuffins 08:30 Barefoot Contessa 14:30 The Food Files 04:42 Shimmer And Shine 23:00 Man-Eating Super Croc 17:50 How It’s Made 16:50 Vampirina 08:55 The Pioneer Woman 14:55 The Food Files 05:05 Nella The Princess Knight 23:55 Lone Star Law 18:15 How It’s Made 17:15 Puppy Dog Pals 09:20 The Pioneer Woman 15:25 Restoration Man 05:27 Nella The Princess Knight 18:40 Breaking Magic 17:40 The Lion Guard 09:50 Siba’s Table: Fast Feasts 16:20 Food Lover’s Guide To The 05:50 Rusty Rivets 00:40 Da Vinci’s Machines 19:05 Breaking Magic 18:10 The Lion Guard 10:20 Siba’s Table: Fast Feasts Planet 06:14 Rusty Rivets 01:30 Da Vinci’s Machines 19:30 Pick A Puppy 18:35 Sofia The First 10:50 Bake With Anna Olson 16:45 Street Food Around The World 06:37 Blaze And The Monster 02:20 Da Vinci’s Machines 19:55 Pick A Puppy 19:00 Sofia The First 11:20 Chopped 17:15 A Taste Of South Africa Machines 03:10 Da Vinci’s Machines 20:20 Beverly Hills Groomer 19:30 Vampirina 12:10 Man Fire Food 17:40 A Taste Of South Africa 07:00 Blaze And The Monster 04:00 Da Vinci’s Machines 20:45 Beverly Hills Groomer 20:00 PJ Masks 12:35 Man Fire Food 18:10 City Chase Marrakech Machines 04:48 How Do They Do It? 00:00 Death In Paradise 21:10 Playhouse Masters 20:20 P-King Duckling 13:05 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 19:05 Food Lover’s Guide To The 07:24 Paw Patrol 05:12 How Do They Do It? 01:00 Gunpowder 22:00 Bionic Builders 20:45 The Lion Guard 13:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives Planet 07:37 Dora The Explorer 05:36 How Do They Do It? 01:55 New Tricks 22:50 Ultimate Survival 21:15 Goldie & Bear 14:00 Chopped 19:30 Street Food Around The World 08:00 Nella The Princess Knight 06:00 How Do They Do It? 02:45 Casualty 23:40 Ultimate Survival 21:30 Mickey And The Roadster 15:00 Barefoot Contessa: Back To 20:00 Eat Street 08:11 Kid-E-Cats 06:24 Food Factory 03:35 Doctors Racers Basics 20:30 Eat Street 08:15 Kid-E-Cats 06:48 Food Factory 04:05 Doctors 22:00 Doc McStuffins 15:30 Barefoot Contessa: Back To 21:00 The Food Files 08:21 Bubble Guppies 07:12 Food Factory 04:35 Eastenders 22:30 Doc McStuffins Basics 21:30 The Food Files 08:44 Blaze And The Monster 07:36 Food Factory 05:00 Death In Paradise 22:50 P-King Duckling 16:00 The Pioneer Woman 22:00 Restoration Man Machines 08:00 How Do They Do It? 06:00 Doctors 23:20 PJ Masks 16:30 The Pioneer Woman 22:55 Eat Street 09:06 Bubble Guppies 08:26 Da Vinci’s Machines 06:30 The Musketeers 23:45 PJ Masks 17:00 Siba’s Table 23:20 Eat Street 09:51 Nella The Princess Knight 09:14 Da Vinci’s Machines 07:30 Call The Midwife 00:50 Kindred Spirits 17:30 Siba’s Table 23:50 A Taste Of South Africa 10:14 The Day Henry Met 10:02 Da Vinci’s Machines 08:30 Agatha Raisin 01:45 A Haunting 18:00 Bake With Anna Olson 10:19 Paw Patrol 10:50 Da Vinci’s Machines 09:15 Doctors 02:40 Dating Game Killer 18:30 Bake With Anna Olson 10:43 Rusty Rivets 11:38 Da Vinci’s Machines 09:50 Eastenders 04:30 Shallow Grave: People 19:00 Man Fire Food 11:06 Wallykazam! 12:26 Mythbusters 10:20 New Tricks Magazine Investigates 19:30 Man Fire Food 11:29 Bubble Guppies 13:14 Mythbusters 11:15 The Musketeers 05:25 Drew Peterson: The Wife Killer 20:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 11:52 Team Umizoomi 14:02 Mythbusters 12:15 Call The Midwife Cop? 00:15 Railroad Australia 20:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 12:15 Shimmer And Shine 14:50 Mythbusters: The Search 13:15 Agatha Raisin 06:20 Drew Peterson: The Wife 01:05 Abandoned Engineering 21:00 Tia Mowry At Home 00:10 The Indestructibles 12:38 Shimmer And Shine 15:38 Mythbusters: The Search 14:00 Doctors Killer Cop? 01:50 Yukon Men 21:30 Tia Mowry At Home 00:35 The Indestructibles 13:00 Max & Ruby 16:26 Food Factory 14:30 Eastenders 07:10 Forbidden: Dying For Love 02:35 Yukon Men 22:00 The Big Eat - Middle East 01:00 Yukon Gold 13:23 Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 16:50 Food Factory 15:05 New Tricks 08:00 California Investigator 03:20 Street Outlaws 22:30 The Big Eat - Middle East 02:00 Wicked Tuna: North vs South 13:34 Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 17:14 Food Factory 16:00 The Musketeers 08:25 On The Case With Paula Zahn 04:05 Alaska: The Last Frontier 23:00 Chopped 03:00 Fish Tank Kings 13:45 The Day Henry Met 17:38 Food Factory 17:00 Call The Midwife 09:15 On The Case With Paula Zahn 04:50 Deadliest Catch 04:00 Breakthrough 13:50 The Day Henry Met 18:02 Food Factory 18:00 Doctors 10:10 On The Case With Paula Zahn 05:35 How Do They Do It? 05:00 Route Awakening 13:55 The Day Henry Met 18:26 How Do They Do It? 18:30 Eastenders 11:05 True Crime With Aphrodite 06:00 Auction Kings 05:30 Route Awakening 14:00 Blaze And The Monster 18:50 How Do They Do It? 19:00 New Tricks Jones 06:23 Container Wars 06:00 Lawless Island Alaska Machines 19:15 How Do They Do It? 20:00 Liar 12:00 True Crime With Aphrodite 06:45 How Do They Do It? 07:00 Ghost Town Gold 14:23 Blaze And The Monster 19:40 How Do They Do It? 21:00 Line Of Duty Jones 07:10 How Do They Do It? 08:00 Ultimate Mars Challenge Machines 20:05 How Do They Do It? 22:00 New Tricks 12:55 I Almost Got Away With It 07:35 Alaska: The Last Frontier 00:10 Coronation Street 09:00 Explorer XL 14:45 Team Umizoomi 20:30 The Strangest UFO Stories Of 23:00 Doctors 13:50 I Almost Got Away With It 08:20 Auction Kings 00:35 Coronation Street 10:00 To Catch A Smuggler 15:08 Team Umizoomi All Time 23:30 Eastenders 14:45 I Almost Got Away With It 08:45 Container Wars 01:00 Paul O’grady’s Animal Orphans 11:00 Drain The Ocean: Deep Sea 15:30 Paw Patrol 21:20 The Strangest UFO Stories Of 15:40 I Almost Got Away With It 09:10 Deadliest Catch 02:00 Coronation Street Mysteries 15:54 Paw Patrol All Time 16:35 I Almost Got Away With It 09:55 Kings Of The Wild 02:30 Coronation Street 12:00 Seconds From Disaster 16:19 Shimmer And Shine 22:10 The Strangest UFO Stories Of 17:30 Disappeared 10:45 Deadliest Job Interview 02:55 Coronation Street 13:00 Dog Whisperer 16:42 Shimmer And Shine All Time 18:25 Disappeared 11:30 Sean Conway: On The Edge 03:25 Coronation Street 14:00 Dog Whisperer 17:05 Nella The Princess Knight 23:00 How The Earth Works 19:20 Disappeared 12:20 Auction Kings 03:50 Martin Clunes: Islands Of 15:00 Yukon Gold 17:26 Nella The Princess Knight 23:50 Dangerman 00:00 Homicide Hunter 20:15 Disappeared 12:43 Container Wars Australia 16:00 Wicked Tuna: North vs South 17:49 Rusty Rivets 01:00 Homicide Hunter 21:10 Grave Secrets 13:05 How Do They Do It? 04:40 Vera 17:00 The Story Of Us With Morgan 18:14 Rusty Rivets 02:00 My Haunted House 22:05 Disappeared 13:30 How Do They Do It? 06:15 The Voice UK 2018 Freeman 18:38 Blaze And The Monster 03:00 The Haunting Of... 23:00 Shattered 13:55 Deadliest Catch 07:40 Inside Windsor Castle 18:00 The 2000s: The Decade We Machines 04:00 Crimes That Shook Australia 23:55 Village Of The Damned 14:40 Yukon Men 08:30 Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of Saw It All 19:00 Blaze And The Monster 05:00 Homicide Hunter 15:30 Kings Of The Wild Dogs 20:00 Wicked Tuna: North vs South Machines 01:00 Wicker Park 06:00 Homicide Hunter 16:15 Deadliest Job Interview 09:00 Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of 20:50 The Story Of Us With Morgan 19:23 Paw Patrol 03:00 Find Me Guilty 07:00 The First 48 17:05 Sean Conway: On The Edge Dogs Freeman 19:37 Dora The Explorer 05:00 Ali 08:00 The First 48 17:50 Alaska: The Last Frontier 09:30 Royal Stories 21:40 The 2000s: The Decade We 20:00 Nella The Princess Knight 07:30 The Illusionist 09:00 The First 48 18:40 Deadliest Catch 09:55 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Saw It All 20:11 Kid-E-Cats 09:30 Ant-Man 10:00 The First 48 00:10 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage 19:25 Yukon Men 11:00 Vera 23:20 Brave New World 20:15 Kid-E-Cats 11:45 Che: Part Two 11:00 It Takes A Killer Witch 20:15 Street Outlaws 12:45 The Voice UK 2018 20:21 Bubble Guppies 14:15 Find Me Guilty 11:30 It Takes A Killer 00:35 Binny And The Ghost 21:00 Diesel Brothers 14:00 The Voice UK 2018 20:44 Blaze And The Monster 16:15 Terri 12:00 Homicide: Hours To Kill 01:00 Hank Zipzer 21:50 Supertruckers 15:25 Inside Windsor Castle Machines 18:00 Wicker Park 13:00 Homicide: Hours To Kill 01:25 Alex & Co. 22:40 Fast N’ Loud 16:15 Cash Trapped 21:06 Paw Patrol 20:00 The First Time 14:00 Homicide: Hours To Kill 01:45 Disney Mickey Mouse 23:30 Alaska: The Last Frontier 17:15 Cash Trapped 21:29 Shimmer And Shine 21:30 The Painted Veil 15:00 Cold Case Files 01:50 Evermoor Chronicles 18:10 Martin Clunes: Islands Of 21:52 Nella The Princess Knight 23:45 Cypher 16:00 Cold Case Files 02:15 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage Australia 00:20 1000 Days For The Planet 22:15 The Day Henry Met 17:00 Homicide Hunter Witch 19:00 The Voice UK 2018 01:10 Animal ER 22:20 Paw Patrol 18:00 Homicide Hunter 02:40 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage 20:30 Vera 02:00 Nordic Wild 22:44 Rusty Rivets 19:00 The Eleven Witch 22:15 The Doctor Blake Mysteries 02:50 Wild 24 23:07 Wallykazam! 20:00 Fritzl By Fred Dinenage 03:05 Binny And The Ghost 23:20 Paul O’grady’s Animal Orphans 03:45 Man V. Monster 23:29 Bubble Guppies 21:00 The Jersey Slayings 03:30 Binny And The Ghost 06:00 Milo Murphy’s Law 04:40 The Monster Project 23:53 Team Umizoomi 00:00 Devious Maids 22:00 Crimes That Shook Britain 03:55 Hank Zipzer 06:25 Milo Murphy’s Law 05:35 Kings Of The Kill 01:00 Devious Maids 23:00 Hatton Garden Heist: One Last 04:15 Disney Mickey Mouse 06:50 Marvel’s Spider-Man 06:30 Monster Fish 02:00 Mistresses Job 04:20 Hank Zipzer 07:15 Marvel’s Spider-Man 07:25 Monster Fish 03:00 Project Runway 04:45 Alex & Co. 07:40 Disney Mickey Mouse 08:20 Hunter Hunted 04:00 MAFS: The First Year 05:10 Alex & Co. 07:45 Pair Of Kings 01:00 The King Who Tricked Hitler 09:15 Pythonathon 05:00 Project Runway 05:35 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage 08:10 Pair Of Kings 02:00 Auschwitz: Journey Into Hell 10:10 Animal ER 06:00 MAFS: The First Year Witch 08:35 Phineas And Ferb 03:00 Heroes Of War 11:05 Safari Brothers 00:55 Little Loopers 07:00 Project Runway 00:05 Martha And Snoop Potluck 06:00 Sabrina Secrets Of A Teenage 09:00 Phineas And Ferb 03:50 Heroes Of War 12:00 World’s Weirdest 02:30 Alvin And The Chipmunks: The 08:00 Project Runway Dinner Party Witch 09:25 Mighty Med 04:40 Third Reich 12:55 Nordic Wild Road Chip 09:00 Fashion Star 00:30 Pete Davidson: Smd 06:25 Binny And The Ghost 09:50 Mighty Med 06:20 Bible Secrets Revealed 13:50 Man V. Monster 04:05 The Flintstones 10:00 MAFS: The First Year 01:20 Michael McIntyre’s Showtime 06:45 Disney Mickey Mouse 10:20 Gravity Falls 07:10 The Universe: Ancient 14:45 The Monster Project 05:40 Monte Carlo 11:00 Project Runway 02:15 Tosh.0 06:50 Rolling With The Ronks 10:45 Gravity Falls Mysteries Solved 15:40 Botswana 07:30 Little Loopers 12:00 Cedar Cove 02:38 Tosh.0 07:00 Jessie 11:10 Lab Rats 08:00 Ancient Impossible 16:35 Extreme Animal Babies 09:05 A Tiger’s Tail 13:00 Cedar Cove 03:00 The Daily Show - Global 07:25 Elena Of Avalor 11:35 Lab Rats 09:00 Ancient Impossible 17:30 Monster Fish 10:30 Alvin And The Chipmunks: The 14:00 Mistresses Edition 07:50 Descendants Wicked World 12:00 Pair Of Kings 10:00 Your Bleeped Up Brain 18:25 Botswana Road Chip 15:00 Fashion Star 03:25 Tosh.0 07:55 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug 12:25 Two More Eggs 11:00 Your Bleeped Up Brain 19:20 The Monster Project 12:05 Mune 16:00 MAFS: The First Year 03:50 Chappelle’s Show & Cat Noir 12:30 Pair Of Kings 12:00 The Universe: Ancient 20:10 Botswana 13:35 Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything 17:00 Project Runway 04:15 Kroll Show 08:20 Hotel Transylvania: The Series 12:55 Mech-X4 Mysteries Solved 21:00 Extreme Animal Babies 15:05 Beethoven’s Second 18:00 Black Box 04:40 Key And Peele 08:45 Tangled: The Series 13:20 Mech-X4 13:00 Ancient Impossible 21:50 Monster Fish 16:35 Big Baby 19:00 Black Box 05:05 Important Things With Demitri 09:10 K.C. Undercover 13:45 Phineas And Ferb 14:00 Ancient Impossible 22:40 Botswana 18:00 A Royal Christmas 20:00 Mistresses Martin 09:35 Bizaardvark 14:10 Disney Mickey Mouse 15:00 Ancient Top 10 23:30 World’s Weirdest 19:35 Mune 21:00 Fashion Star 05:30 Impractical Jokers 10:00 Bunk’d 14:15 Phineas And Ferb 16:00 Ancient Top 10 21:05 Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything 22:00 MAFS: The First Year 05:55 Disaster Date 10:25 Liv And Maddie 14:40 Zeke And Luther 17:00 The Universe: Ancient 22:35 Big Baby 23:00 Project Runway 06:20 Ridiculousness Arabia 10:50 Disney Cookabout 15:05 Zeke And Luther Mysteries Solved 06:50 Lip Sync Battle 11:15 Stuck In The Middle 15:30 Lab Rats 18:00 Hangar 1: The UFO Files 07:15 Lip Sync Battle 11:40 Descendants 2 15:55 Lab Rats 19:00 Modern Marvels 07:40 The Jim Gaffigan Show 13:30 The Zhuzhus 16:25 Kickin’ It 20:00 Pirate Treasure Of The 00:12 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 08:05 Impractical Jokers 13:45 Liv And Maddie 16:50 Kickin’ It Knights Templar 00:36 Rabbids Invasion 08:30 Disaster Date 14:10 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug 17:15 Supa Strikas 21:00 The Universe: Ancient 01:00 Rabbids Invasion 08:55 Workaholics & Cat Noir 17:40 Supa Strikas Mysteries Solved 01:24 Sanjay And Craig 09:20 Kroll Show 14:35 Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug 18:05 Gravity Falls 22:00 The Universe: Ancient 01:48 Sanjay And Craig 01:15 Scouts Guide To The Zombie 00:20 Ambulance 09:45 Key And Peele & Cat Noir 18:30 Marvel’s Ant-Man Mysteries Solved 02:12 Winx Club Apocalypse 01:05 What Have I Got? 10:10 Important Things With Demitri 15:00 Jessie 18:35 Gravity Falls 23:00 Atlantis Found 02:36 Winx Club 02:55 We’re No Angels 01:27 What Have I Got? Martin 15:25 Jessie 19:00 Right Now Kapow 03:00 Harvey Beaks 04:45 Hector And The Search For 01:50 Katie Price: My Crazy Life 10:35 The Jim Gaffigan Show 15:50 Hotel Transylvania: The Series 19:25 Milo Murphy’s Law 03:24 Harvey Beaks Happiness 02:12 Katie Price: My Crazy Life 11:00 Impractical Jokers 16:15 Hotel Transylvania: The Series 19:50 Marvel’s Rocket And Groot 03:48 The Loud House 02:35 Separated At Birth 11:25 Disaster Date 06:45 Wiener Dog 16:40 Star Wars Forces Of Destiny 19:55 Mech-X4 04:12 The Loud House 08:20 Almost Christmas 03:20 Little People, Big World 11:50 Ridiculousness Arabia 16:45 K.C. Undercover 20:20 Penn Zero: Part Time Hero 04:36 Breadwinners 10:15 Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot 04:05 Toddlers & Tiaras 12:15 Impractical Jokers 17:10 Disney Cookabout 20:45 Gamer’s Guide To Pretty Much 05:00 Breadwinners 04:50 Toddlers & Tiaras 11:50 Joe Somebody 12:40 Friendszone 17:35 Tangled: The Series Everything 00:20 American Pickers 05:24 Get Blake 05:35 Say Yes To The Dress 13:05 Friendszone 18:00 Tangled: The Series 21:10 Kid vs. Kat 01:10 Forged In Fire 05:48 SpongeBob SquarePants 13:35 SuperBob 06:00 Super Soul Sunday 13:30 Important Things With Demitri 18:25 Alex & Co: How To Grow Up 21:35 Marvel’s Rocket And Groot 02:00 Forged: Iron & Fire 06:12 SpongeBob SquarePants 15:05 Love The Coopers 06:45 Hodges Half Dozen Martin Despite Your Parents 21:40 Disney Mickey Mouse 02:25 Milwaukee Blacksmith 06:36 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 17:00 Leap Of Faith 07:30 Little People, Big World 13:55 Friends 20:00 Star Wars Forces Of Destiny 21:45 Lab Rats 02:50 Hunting Hitler 07:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 18:55 Article 99 08:15 7 Little Johnstons 14:20 Friends 20:05 Bunk’d 22:10 Lab Rats 03:40 Storage Wars 07:24 Rabbids Invasion 20:40 My Super Ex-Girlfriend 09:00 Cake Boss 14:45 Workaholics 20:30 Bunk’d 22:35 Phineas And Ferb 04:05 Storage Wars 07:48 Get Blake 09:25 Toddlers & Tiaras 15:10 Key And Peele 22:20 Scorned 20:55 Stuck In The Middle 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am 04:30 Ax Men 08:12 Harvey Beaks 23:55 Tales Of Halloween 10:10 Obsessive Compulsive 26 Established 1961

Sunday, January 28, 2018 Stars

CROSSWORD 1820 STAR TRACK

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

Aries, you could be knocked off kilter by problems with associates; be Libra, you will experience bouts of extreme physical and emotional ener- careful, this could negatively affect your progress. Even so, you have entered a cycle gy; this is a great time to channel these in to productive efforts for the future. There is that supports taking chances. Abundance will be yours by following new plans and an opening for a new romance or a chance to reignite an old one that has grown cold. designs you have never tried before. Treasures could be uncovered by using very A fun outing with friends could turn negative if you aren’t careful; this may involve unconventional methods. You will consider working with new people or you could someone having too much alcohol. Be care that you keep your thoughts to yourself return to a former company. You will stand against another and have to decide to when in a group; the wrong thing could fly out of your mouth! Someone will seek your unite or separate. You are able to formulate and eloquently relay your new concepts guidance later when you have a moment alone. One of your brightest abilities is to see and documentation. You hold the keys to the future; your manner and wit coupled through falsehoods and misleading statements. Let your mind and body relax this with your high level of intellect make the path clear, Aries. evening when you enjoy dinner in a new place with someone you love, Libra.

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

Taurus, it is important to deal with situations from long ago. Someone Scorpio, the heavens indicate that you could want a pet or perhaps you will contact you for input on something that needs your common sense approach; you are just in a care taking mood in general. You will feel a need to love and be loved, will be appreciated more than you know. You could be overwhelmed with gratitude above all you like equal shares for balance. If you feel dissatisfied look at the problem for where you are in your own journey. If you are in public relations or advertising and see what, if anything, you contributed to it; this is something you can fix. A tender you will hit the target as you understand exactly what audiences need to hear and subject could be approached by someone who means well; try to hold your temper in see. You could discover a new trick to help with a struggle you can t seem to conquer. check. It seems you could enjoy a new gadget you treated yourself to on a whim. A Helping others seems easy compare to helping yourself. An admirer will speak of your new machine at work could make you life a lot easier. Spur of the moment adventures excellent refinement and winning personality. You will feel sorry for someone who has appeal to you now. Someone one interesting and new very soon, Scorpio. less than you. Relax and enjoy your time with a good book or movie, Taurus!

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

Gemini, you could feel excluded and overlooked; this could be due to Sagittarius, a time of certainty about who and what you love is opened now; your high standards others do not agree with. This is a perfect time to you will no longer try to trick yourself with head games when it concerns look at your life and yourself. You will connect with the vibrations of those around you; the deepest loves in your life. Now is the best time to fully understand who and what you ACROSS large evil-smelling (often star-shaped) want throughout your life. Feeling valuable and admired gives you what you want and need 1. A flexible container with a single open- flowers. you know where you stand. You might experience flares in temper and want to lash out; you might have difficulty controlling this. You could receive praise from a supervisor or for your own peace of mind. You may have to step out of the shadows to gain what you ing. 85. A light touch or stroke. want; be who you are! Today is a good hair, good attitude, just a plain old good looking 4. A particular environment or surrounding coworker for a job well done. You could appear to be having a wonderful, easy time and others will seek you out for input on a very important project; you will be able to get day for you and people will comment on it. Enjoy this fabulous time of vitality and good influence. DOWN health! Remain patient, courteous, respectful and focused on what is important. Enjoy a 12. Explosive consisting of a yellow crys- 1. A small cake leavened with yeast. your messages across with ease. Tonight make plans for getting something new around talline compound that is a flammable 2. (botany) Of or relating to the axil. the house; you could enjoy the late night hours watching an old movie, Gemini. discussion with a loved one tonight regarding plans for the future, Sagittarius. toxic derivative of toluene. 3. A measuring instrument for measuring 15. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike and indicating a quantity or for testing part of an organism. conformity with a standard. Capricorn (December 22-January 19) 16. Type genus of Geastraceae. 4. Title for a civil or military leader (espe- Cancer (June 21-July 22) 17. The former capital and 2nd largest city cially in Turkey). Capricorn, try to focus on being patient with yourself and others. The urge Cancer, your home life could come to mean even more to you as you of Brazil. 5. A city in western Saudi Arabia. for a different kind of social event or party could go from great to terrible; think back on treasured times with family and friends. You have created a 18. Capital and largest city of Iraq. 6. A soft silvery metallic element of the be careful! Sit back and go which ever way the wind blows until things settle down. You wonderful legacy that supports your family s sense of being taken care of. You may 20. Towards the side away from the wind. alkali earth group. could find yourself balanced precariously between being considered right or wrong on a 21. With rapid movements. 7. Muslims collectively and their civiliza- want to keep your thoughts to yourself on some of your plans until the right time comes project; could be at home or work. Some would like to see traditional methods used, oth- 23. A particular geographical region of tion. to share. You may find that cleaning up will reveal something long lost. You may feel ers prefer trying something new that might work even better. It falls to you to get this sit- indefinite boundary (usually serving 8. Goddess of criminal rashness and its that you want to separate yourself from others for some clarity. Someone will express uation into a zen space pleasing to all involved, including you. Someone will offer you a some special purpose or distinguished punishment. gratitude for your helping them with a serious situation that has turned out well; you moment of rest late in the afternoon; you will return to work with solutions. Your strength, by its people or culture or geography). 9. A recurring sleep state during which are known for turning negatives into positives. You could find an outlet for frustrations confidence and power come from knowing how you stand emotionally, Capricorn. 24. An agency of the United Nations affili- rapid eye movements do not occur today and this could become a place you return to over and over, Cancer. ated with the World Bank. and dreaming does not occur. 26. The capital and largest city of 10. A ductile malleable reddish-brown cor- Managua. rosion-resistant diamagnetic metallic 28. A language unit by which a person or element. Leo (July 23-August 22) Aquarius (January 20- February 18) thing is known. 11. Proceed or issue forth, as from a 30. (the feminine of raja) A Hindu princess source. Leo, you are comfortable with yourself and the distance you have come Aquarius, your persuasive energies are soaring now. You have entered a or the wife of a raja. 12. Very sad. emotionally. You will receive thanks from someone you helped with a sen- new cycle that promotes success with your job search or maybe the time has come for 31. A woman hired to suckle a child of 13. An intensive care unit designed with sitive problem; you make a habit of helping and are well known for it. A confidant listens you to accept an invitation from an interested admirer. You will be driven to take stock someone else. special equipment to care for prema- and agrees with your viewpoint and will add comments that help. You will feel discon- of your life and achievements. It is possible that you may have serious doubts about 34. Of or like a feeble old woman. ture or low-birth-weight or seriously nected and helpless regarding a very delicate issue that is very personal in nature; these being conned or lied to; you might look at the people in charge with suspicion. An eld- 36. Genus of tropical plants with creeping ill newborn. will be worked through in a way that is best for all. If someone rudely interrupts you as erly person tests your judgment and questions your honor. You will be inspired to let rootstocks and small umbellate flow- 14. 100 toea equal 1 kina. you try to speak, pull back and let them rant; you know this person and this will blow your imagination open to its full potential. Let yourself dream, these days do not come ers. 19. Russian country house. over as usual. You will enjoy a gathering of relatives or friends where you will joyfully too often, so do not ignore the opportunity to follow your fantasies. The stars align to 39. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked 22. A republic on the Isthmus of Panama. create a sense of worth as you contemplate the meaning of life, Aquarius. on a skewer usually with vegetables. 25. Fairly small terrestrial ferns of tropical interact with children and perhaps animals. Warm feelings and respect tonight, Leo. 40. An ancient Assyrian city on the River America. Tigris and traditional capital of 27. A colorless and odorless inert gas. Assyria. 29. A liquid solution that results from elu- Virgo (August 23-September 22) Pisces (February 19-March 20) 41. (computer science) A system of world- tion. wide electronic communication in 32. A small spineless globe-shaped cactus. Virgo, you could feel bogged down and helpless a bit later today. Pisces, there could be a disappointment when it comes to gaining weight. which a computer user can compose a 33. The superior of a group of nuns. Your feeling for people in general could undergo drastic shifts. The positive message at one terminal that is gener- 35. Bulky grayish-brown eagle with a Everywhere you look is turmoil or chaos and people are expecting you to be the fixer of the team; see what happens when you do such a good job throughout the day you qualities you were born with will be useful today when working with several people. A ated at the recipient's terminal when short wedge-shaped white tail. strong desire, stronger than anything else, for being valued and appreciated will keep he logs in. 37. A linear unit of the size of type slightly meet one complication after another with seemingly no end in sight. An unhappy client could inadvertently show you how to handle a rather sensitive aspect of the contract. your attention most of the day. Your goals are set high, but they will be proof of your 42. A state-chartered savings bank owned larger than an em. worth when you achieve them. The assignments you make during this new phase will cre- by its depositors and managed by a 38. Type genus of the Alaudidae. You will find yourself tending to tasks you haven t dealt with in quite some time. board of trustees. 43. English theoretical physicist who Someone will lend a hand where a certain financial complication threatens to accelerate ate productive results and high esteems. Job well done! The possibilities for aggravation 45. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising applied relativity theory to quantum and drastically worsen. By day s end you have put out more than one fire, now take regarding politics, religion and other touchy social issues are indicated; remember, every- solely the razorbill. mechanics and predicted the exis- care of yourself with a long soak in a warm tub and perhaps a nice cocktail, Virgo. one is entitled to their opinions. Great enjoyment with loved ones this evening, Pisces. 46. A large group of islands in the south tence of antimatter and the positron Pacific including Melanesia and (1902-1984). Micronesia and Polynesia (and some- 44. A doctor's degree in dental surgery. times Australasia and the Malay 47. (archaic) Of persons. Wordsearch Puzzle Friday’s Solution Archipelago). 48. A silvery soft waxy metallic element of 49. A Mid-Atlantic state. the alkali metal group. 51. A bivalent and trivalent metallic element 50. More of the same adv. of the rare earth group. 54. A public promotion of some product or 52. An East Indian sailor. service. 53. Moving toward the east. 55. Involving the entire earth. 57. In addition. 56. A radioactive element of the actinide 58. The residue that remains when some- series. thing is burned. 59. Small turnover of Indian origin filled 61. Made from baking chocolate or cocoa with vegetables or meat and fried and powder and milk and sugar. served hot. 62. City in southwestern Colombia in a rich 60. A metric unit of volume or capacity agricultural area. equal to 100 liters. 65. A genus of Ploceidae. 63. An important question that is in dispute 69. An archipelago of about 100 islands in and must be settled. the North Atlantic off the north coast 64. A chronic inflammatory collagen dis- of Scotland. ease affecting connective tissue (skin 74. A loose sleeveless outer garment made or joints). from aba cloth. 66. In bed. 75. A mountain in the central Himalayas on 67. Any of a group of Indic languages the border of Tibet and Nepal (27,890 spoken in Kashmir and eastern feet high). Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. 78. The younger brother of Edwy who 68. Voluntary contributions to aid the became king of Northumbria when it poor. renounced Edwy. 70. (Christianity) The abode of Satan and 79. An emotional response that has been the forces of evil. acquired by conditioning. 71. Advanced in years. 80. Of or relating to or consisting of mus- 72. Plant with an elongated head of broad cle. stalked leaves resembling celery. 82. A federal agency established to coordi- 73. Lacking in liveliness or charm or sur- nate programs aimed at reducing pol- prise. lution and protecting the environment. 76. Temporary military shelter. 83. A condition (mostly in boys) character- 77. A protocol developed for the internet ized by behavioral and learning disor- to get data from one network device ders. to another. 84. Any of various plants of the genus 81. The branch of computer science that Stapelia having succulent leafless deal with writing computer programs toothed stems resembling cacti and that can solve problems creatively.

Friday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku Friday’s Solution Classifieds Sunday, January 28, 2018

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4 DAAYYS FORECAST Temperatures American Airlines 22087425 Emirates 22921555 DAAYY DAATTE WEAATTHER Wind Speed MAX. MIN. Wind Direction 22087426 Air India 22438184

6XQGD\  )DLU  ƒ&  ƒ&1:      NPK Kuwait Airways 171 Sri Lanka Airlines 22424444 0RQGD\  &RRO ƒ&  ƒ& 1:      NPK Jazeera Airways 177 Egypt Air 22421578 7XHVGD\  &RRO  ƒ&  ƒ& 1:      NPK Jet Airways 22924455 Swiss Air 22421516 ::HHGQHVGD\  &RRO  ƒ&  ƒ& 1:      NPK FlyDubai 22414400 Saudia 22426306 Qatar Airways 22423888 Middle East Airlines 22423073 PRAAYYER TIMES RECORDED YESTERDAAYY AATT KUWWAAIT AIRPORT KLM 22425747 Lufthansa 22422493 Fajr  MAX. Temp.  °C Royal Jordanian 22418064/5/6 PIA 22421044 Sunrise  MIN. Temp.  °C Zuhr  MAX. RH  % British Airways 22425635 Bangladesh Airlines 22452977/8 Asr  MIN. RH  % Air France 22430224 Indian Airlines 22456700 Sunset  MAX. WWiind 1:  km/h Isha TOTTAALL RAINFFAALLL IN 24 HR.  mm

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw) DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Arrival Flights on Sunday 28/1/2018 AXB 393 Kozhikode 13:15 Departure Flights on Sunday 28/1/2018 JZR 176 Dubai 13:40 Airlines Flt Route Time KAC 792 Madinah 13:20 Airlines Flt Route Time FDB 076 Dubai 13:45 JAI 572 Mumbai 00:05 KAC 774 Riyadh 13:40 AIC 988 Hyderabad/Chennai 00:05 MSR 611 Cairo 14:00 JZR 125 Bahrain 00:10 PAL 668 Manila 14:00 JAI 573 Mumbai 00:30 UAE 872 Dubai 14:15 JZR 267 Beirut 00:30 KAC 204 Lahore 14:10 MSC 406 Sohag 00:30 AXB 394 Kozhikode 14:15 KAC 504 Beirut 00:30 KAC 692 Muscat 14:15 FDB 072 Dubai 00:35 JZR 124 Bahrain 14:30 KAC 102 London 00:50 KAC 618 Doha 14:15 KAC 677 Dubai 01:00 KAC 673 Dubai 15:05 JZR 539 Cairo 00:50 KAC 516 Tehran 14:20 JAI 571 Mumbai 01:05 FDB 060 Dubai 15:10 FDB 059 Dubai 14:20 PGT 858 Istanbul 00:55 BBC 044 Dhaka 01:30 KAC 785 Jeddah 15:25 QTR 1078 Doha 14:20 THY 772 Istanbul 00:55 JZR 142 Doha 01:45 QTR 1079 Doha 15:30 KAC 672 Dubai 14:25 RJA 642 Amman 01:05 KAC 417 Manila 02:00 SV A501 Jeddah 15:45 UAE 853 Dubai 01:45 GFA 221 Bahrain 14:40 SVA 500 Jeddah 14:45 THY 773 Istanbul 02:30 KNE 530 Jeddah 15:45 DLH 625 Bahrain 01:45 PGT 859 Istanbul 02:30 KAC 775 Riyadh 15:50 THY 764 Istanbul 01:50 KAC 304 Mumbai 14:50 DLH 625 Frankfurt 02:45 KAC 743 Dammam 16:05 ETH 620 Addis Ababa 02:15 KNE 529 Jeddah 14:55 ETH 621 Addis Ababa 03:05 PAL 669 Manila 16:10 JZR 555 Alexandria 02:15 KAC 788 Jeddah 15:10 UAE 854 Dubai 03:40 KAC 619 Doha 16:10 QTR 1086 Doha 02:20 ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 15:15 GFA 211 Bahrain 02:30 JZR 787 Riyadh 15:30 QTR 1087 Doha 03:40 KAC 563 Amman 16:10 KLM 446 Bahrain 02:30 KAC 562 Amman 15:30 KKK 1269 Istanbul 03:55 ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 16:20 WAN 548 KTM 02:40 KAC 502 Beirut 15:30 OMA 644 Muscat 03:55 OMA 646 Muscat 16:35 OMA 643 Muscat 02:55 OMA 645 Muscat 15:35 THY 765 Istanbul 04:00 ABY 128 Sharjah 16:40 KKK 1268 Istanbul 02:55 FEG 937 Sohag 15:45 ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:05 KAC 615 Bahrain 16:40 UAE 857 Dubai 15:45 KAC 414 Bangkok 03:05 MSR 613 Cairo 04:15 FEG 932 Alexandria 16:45 QTR 1072 Doha 15:55 PGT 860 Istanbul 03:05 LMU 511 Cairo 05:00 KAC 675 Dubai 17:00 JZR 535 Cairo 16:00 ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:10 KAC 103 London 05:00 QTR 1073 Doha 17:15 KAC 118 New York 16:00 MSR 612 Cairo 03:15 QTR 1077 Doha 05:30 KAC 503 Beirut 17:15 ABY 127 Sharjah 16:00 QTR 1076 Doha 03:50 FDB 070 Dubai 05:45 JZR 240 Amman 17:15 JZR 779 Jeddah 16:25 LMU 510 Cairo 04:00 KAC 303 Mumbai 06:05 JZR 266 Beirut 17:15 FDB 051 Dubai 16:40 QTR 1090 Doha 04:05 JZR 560 Sohag 06:25 KAC 283 Dhaka 17:30 RJA 640 Amman 16:55 KAC 382 Delhi 04:15 THY 771 Istanbul 06:50 FDB 052 Dubai 17:40 KAC 542 Cairo 17:05 KAC 418 Manila 04:25 JZR 164 Dubai 06:55 UAE 858 Dubai 17:45 SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15 KAC 1544 Cairo 04:25 GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30 RJA 643 Amman 07:05 KAC 357 Kochi 17:45 KAC 784 Jeddah 04:35 JZR 125 Bahrain 17:35 GFA 212 Bahrain 07:15 KAC 361 Colombo 17:45 KAC 284 Dhaka 04:50 JZR 777 Jeddah 17:40 QTR 8512 Doha 07:55 RJA 641 Amman 17:55 FDB 069 Dubai 04:55 WAN 984 Tbilisi 17:50 KAC 501 Beirut 08:00 WAN 415 Beirut 18:00 THY 770 Istanbul 05:05 UAE 875 Dubai 18:00 KAC 171 Frankfurt 08:00 KAC 331 Trivandrum 18:00 JZR 609 Hyderabad 05:10 FDB 063 Dubai 18:10 KAC 165 Rome 08:15 KAC 343 Chennai 18:00 DHX 170 Bahrain 05:20 JZR 483 Istanbul 18:15 FEG 934 Sohag 08:30 SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15 JZR 143 Doha 05:25 JZR 177 Dubai 18:15 FDB 054 Dubai 08:35 JZR 538 Cairo 18:15 KAC 346 Ahmedabad 05:30 MSR 620 Cairo 18:30 KAC 791 Madinah 08:35 GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20 KAC 332 Trivandrum 05:40 QTR 1080 Doha 18:50 KAC 787 Jeddah 08:40 JZR 184 Dubai 18:30 KAC 358 Kochi 05:40 KAC 744 Dammam 19:10 KAC 691 Muscat 08:50 KAC 344 Chennai 05:50 JZR 608 Hyderabad 18:40 KAC 776 Riyadh 19:20 BAW 156 London 08:55 KAC 381 Delhi 18:50 KAC 678 Dubai 06:00 ABY 123 Sharjah 19:25 KAC 613 Bahrain 08:55 KAC 302 Mumbai 06:10 FDB 064 Dubai 19:10 RBG 555 Alexandria 19:25 KAC 117 New York 09:00 KAC 362 Colombo 06:25 WAN 115 Bahrain 19:20 GFA 217 Bahrain 19:30 KAC 561 Amman 09:40 QTR 8511 Doha 06:25 UAE 876 Dubai 19:30 KAC 156 Istanbul 19:30 ABY 126 Sharjah 09:45 WAN 338 Alexandria 06:40 MSR 621 Cairo 19:30 KAC 674 Dubai 19:45 KAC 101 London 09:45 BAW 157 London 07:10 QTR 1081 Doha 20:00 FDB 057 Dubai 19:50 KAC 741 Dammam 09:45 FEG 933 Sohag 07:30 RBG 556 Alexandria 20:05 KAC 616 Bahrain 19:55 KAC 671 Dubai 09:45 KAC 354 Bengaluru 07:35 ABY 124 Sharjah 20:05 KAC 104 London 20:00 UAE 856 Dubai 10:00 FDB 053 Dubai 07:35 KAC 620 Doha 20:15 GFA 218 Bahrain 20:15 KAC 515 Tehran 10:00 KAC 384 Delhi 08:00 KAC 166 Rome 20:20 KAC 541 Cairo 10:00 JZR 554 Alexandria 20:30 JZR 557 Alexandria 08:15 OMA 647 Muscat 20:20 ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:10 FDB 058 Dubai 20:35 JZR 1541 Cairo 08:20 DLH 624 Frankfurt 20:45 KAC 345 Ahmedabad 20:40 UAE 855 Dubai 08:35 KAC 773 Riyadh 10:10 QTR 1088 Doha 20:45 KAC 301 Mumbai 20:50 ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:05 KAC 617 Doha 10:15 WAN 136 Doha 21:15 KAC 353 Bengaluru 20:55 ABY 125 Sharjah 09:05 ALK 229 Colombo 21:20 QTR 1071 Doha 10:20 OMA 648 Muscat 21:20 IRC 528 Ahwaz 09:05 MEA 402 Beirut 21:20 KAC 155 Istanbul 10:25 QTR 1070 Doha 09:10 ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:20 KAC 661 Abu Dhabi 10:30 KAC 1543 Cairo 21:20 FDB 055 Dubai 09:40 KAC 786 Jeddah 21:25 JZR 482 Istanbul 10:30 DLH 624 Bahrain 21:30 IRA 665 Shiraz 09:40 KAC 172 Frankfurt 21:30 FDB 056 Dubai 10:35 DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50 SVA 512 Riyadh 10:00 UAE 859 Dubai 21:35 IRA 664 Shiraz 10:40 QTR 1089 Doha 22:00 WAN 342 Sohag 10:15 KAC 676 Dubai 21:40 JZ R778 Jeddah 10:40 KAC 411 Bangkok 22:05 MSC 415 Sohag 10:15 GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45 IRC 529 Ahwaz 11:00 KAC 205 Islamabad 22:05 GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40 KLM 445 Amsterdam 21:50 MSC 416 Sohag 11:15 ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:10 WAN 114 Bahrain 11:00 KAC 564 Amman 22:00 GFA 214 Bahrain 11:25 KAC 203 Lahore 22:10 QTR 1074 Doha 11:20 QTR 1082 Doha 22:05 WAN 953 Baku 12:00 MEA 403 Beirut 22:20 JZR 165 Dubai 11:30 ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:15 SYR 342 Damascus 12:00 ALK 230 Colombo 22:25 WAN 134 Doha 11:55 AIC 981 Chennai/Ahmedabad 22:25 JZR 776 Jeddah 12:00 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:30 MEA 404 Beirut 11:55 JZR 241 Amman 22:40 JZR 786 Riyadh 12:00 KAC 783 Jeddah 22:35 KAC 614 Bahrain 12:10 JZR 185 Dubai 23:10 QTR 1075 Doha 12:30 KAC 383 Delhi 22:40 SAW 701 Damascus 12:30 JAI 574 Mumbai 23:15 VIZ 202 TQD 12:30 UAE 860 Dubai 23:00 JZR 561 Sohag 12:45 BBC 043 Dhaka 23:30 MEA 405 Beirut 12:55 PIA 205 Lahore 23:40 ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:05 UAE 871 Dubai 12:50 SAW 702 Damascus 13:30 MSR 610 Cairo 13:00 FDB 071 Dubai 23:45 QTR 1083 Doha 23:20 28 Established 1961 Lifestyle Fashion Sunday, January 28, 2018 Paris show pays homage to ‘eternal style’ of late designer Alaia

A picture shows creations displayed at the exhibition “Je suis couturier” (I am a fashion designer) of late French-Tunisian fashion designer Azzedine Alaia on January 21, 2018, at the Azzedine Alaia Association in Paris. — AFP photos

wo months after legendary designer Azzedine Alaia’s sudden death plunged the fashion world Tinto mourning, an exhibition in homage to the “King of Cling” opens Monday in his studios in Paris. The Tunisian-born designer, renowned for the way his clothes hugged the body, died suddenly in November aged 82, reportedly of heart failure after falling down the stairs at his home. The diminutive maverick, who ignored fashion week convention by showing when and where he wanted, in July produced his first couture collection in six years to rapturous reviews. Now some of his most iconic dress- es are going on display in the glass-roofed gallery next to his studio and home in the Marais district where he used to show his creations. It includes the dress worn In this file photo taken on September 7, 2017 Franco-Tunisian by supermodel Naomi Campbell, his longtime friend fashion designer Azzedine Alaia poses during an exposition of and muse, when she led his last collection down the cat- the work of British artist Richard Wentworth on fashion walk. The pair were so close Campbell called the design at the Maison Alaia in Paris. designer “Papa”, and she was inconsolable at his funeral in Tunis. ‘Last of the couturiers’ “Alaia used to say that you can make an idea more a job with Christian Dior, only to be let go because he Alaia studied to be a sculptor and used his fine art Saillard described Alaia as the “last of the couturi- precise in black and not dilute it,” Saillard said. The did not have the right immigration papers. training to sculpt with needle and thread. Fashion histo- ers”, capable of doing everything himself and making famous hooded dress he made for Jones and the fire Despite the setback, he moved on to work with Guy rian Olivier Saillard, who has curated the show which his mastery invisible. “Like Balenciaga and all those brigade-red zip one he created for pop superstar Laroche and Thierry Mugler before going out on his runs until June, said Alaia’s famously flattering cut was who knew how to cut and sew, he moved further and Rihanna are among the 41 classic dresses on display. own with his own wealthy clientele. A foundation has timeless. To hammer the point home, none of the dress- further away from making an obvious show of his bril- Although his private life was always a mystery, the now been created to safeguard his work, and will also es in “Azzedine Alaia: I am a Couturier” have a panel liant technique.” He said his clothes “didn’t shout, there designer kept an open house in Paris during fashion hold regular exhibitions from his vast personal collec- explaining when they were made. “I defy anyone to dis- was nothing bling about them”, instead he went for an weeks as celebrities rubbed shoulders with students tion of couture. A retrospective of his work, “Azzedine tinguish between a dress made in 1981, 1995 or 2017,” eternal style that never went out of fashion. Almost all and waifs and strays at his large kitchen table where he Alaia, The Couturier”, will open at the Design Museum he told AFP. Instead curious visitors must consult a cat- the dresses in the show-including ones he made for pop cooked for all comers. Alaia moved to Paris at the height in London in May, when his brand will also open its first alogue at the door. star and actress Grace Jones-are in black or white. of the Algerian war of independence, where he soon got British boutique. — AFP Five highlights from Paris haute couture fashion week

s Paris haute couture week ends Thursday, we look at the five things we learned from the elite fashion Aextravaganza: All hail Galliano Genius is a word that gets thrown around in fashion like confetti at a wedding, but many who witnessed John Galliano’s two shows for Margiela over the past 12 days believed that in his case the feathered hat fits. The British designer may never live down the notorious drunken anti- Semitic rant that cost him his job at Dior in 2011. Yet fash- ion would be far less fantastical without him. His haute couture collection using transformative fab- rics which look completely different to the naked eye than through the lens of smartphone, was not just inspired use of cutting-edge tech, but deft commentary on seeing at the world through the lens of Instagram.

Karl’s beard Even geniuses make mistakes. Just ask Karl Lagerfeld who is no doubt stroking his chin over whether he will persist with his new wispy white beard. Reaction to the Kaiser’s first major change in image in two decades was general- ly negative-and almost drowned out his very girly Chanel show. Vogue’s legendary critic Suzy Menkes did her best to soften the blow by referring to the growth as “an exciting facial accessory”.

Be careful who you quote Dior under Maria Grazia Chiuri loves nothing better than a good slogan. She began her reign at the fabled label with her “We should all be feminists” T-shirt and by plastering “Christian Dior J’adore” on just about every- thing, from bras to sandal straps. This week she wrote lines from Andre Breton’s “Surrealist Models present creations for Ralph & Russo during the 2018 spring/summer Haute Couture collection in Paris. — AFP photos Manifesto” across her models’ collar Established 1961 29 Lifestyle Fashion Sunday, January 28, 2018

bones as part of a homage to Italian artist and proto-feminist Leonor Fini. Which was unfortunate, as critics quickly pointed out, because Breton was a notorious misogynist who Fini abhorred for writing that “the problem of woman is the most marvelous and disturbing problem in all the world”. Don’t say it with flowers Never write a note using the N-word and send it to someone who puts their entire life on Instagram. The Russian designer Ulyana Sergeenko learned that the hard way this week when she sent flowers to her friend the Moscow socialite Miroslava Duma when she arrived in Paris for the shows. Both women insisted it was meant as a term of endearment between friends, but the fashion world was not in a forgiving mood. Life is black and white While catwalks are more and more gender fluid with co-ed shows and androgynous and trans models, they could not have been more binary when it came to color this week. Black and white dominated from John Paul Gaultier’s two-tone tribute to Pierre Cardin to Dior’s sur- Alexandre Vaultier and Galia Lahav collec- greens, while Viktor & Rolf also went for a realist checkerboards and Clare Waight tions, with shoulders exaggerated 1980s- bolder palette, giving their quirky creations Keller’s much-praised debut at Givenchy. style to emphasize killer glamour. Chanel and an extra sheen by making the complete col- That couture fixture the femme fatale cut Valentino swam against the austere tide with lection in satin duchesse. — AFP a black and silver swathe through the Azzaro, a sweetshop assortment of sugary pinks and

Models present creations by Giambattista Valli during the 2018 spring/summer Haute Couture collection.

LVMH luxuriates in another record year

rench luxury group LVMH said Thursday it bagged another record year in terms of sales in 2017 and profits passed the five-billion-euro mark. F“LVMH achieved another record year,” said chief executive Bernard Arnault. “The excellent performance, to which all our businesses contributed, is due in part to the buoyant environment.” Revenues grew by 13 percent to 42.6 billion euros ($53 billion) and net profit jumped by 29 percent to 5.1 billion euros. And Arnault said LVMH-whose 70 brands range from Louis Vuitton, Hennessy and Givenchy to Celine, Guerlain and Sephora-was “cautiously confi- dent” for 2018. “In an environment that remains supportive at the beginning of the year and despite unfavorable currencies and geopolitical uncertainties, LVMH is well- equipped to continue its growth momentum across all business groups in 2018,” he said. By division, the fashion and leather goods business was able to lift sales by 13 percent to 15.4 billion euros last year, LVMH said. In the selec- tive retailing division, revenues were up by 13 percent to 13.3 billion euros, while sales of perfumes and cosmetics increased by 14 percent to 5.6 billion euros. Sales in the wines and spirits division advanced by seven percent to 5.1 bil- lion euros. “Champagnes grew steadily, with volumes up four percent. With 7.5 million cases of cognac shipped in 2017, Hennessy’s volumes increased by eight percent, with significant growth in China and the United States despite supply constraints in the second half,” LVMH said. Sales of watches and jewelry expanded by 12 percent to 3.8 billion euros. —AFP 30 Established 1961 Sunday, January 28, 2018 Lifestyle Music & Movies

(From left) Honorees Stevie Nicks, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac seen onstage.

Former US President Bill Clinton (left) and Recording Academy and MusiCares President/CEO Neil Portnow (right) present the MusiCares Person of the Year award to honorees (second left) Fleetwood Mac performs at the Person Of The Year gala at Radio City Music Hall in New York. — AFP photos Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie onstage during MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Fleetwood Mac at Radio City Music Hall. Clinton repays a favor to Mac at MusiCares ceremony heir 1977 song “Don’t Stop” helped power Bill At the concert and ceremony on Friday, Miley Cyrus, behind them and reunited in 2014 for the first time since Clinton into the White House in 1992, and on Lorde, Keith Urban, Harry Styles and Juanes were among 1998, and embarked on a sell-out world tour. TFriday it was the former US president doing the musicians across genres to perform their own interpreta- “Fleetwood Mac is well known for being a dysfunc- honors for Fleetwood Mac. Clinton presented tions of Fleetwood Mac’s biggest hits over a 50-year tional family... and it was certainly much of the fuel for Fleetwood Mac with statuettes as the 2018 MusicCares career. Band members Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, our material,” said Buckingham. “But what we are feel- honorees, making them the first band to win the annual Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham ing really more now than ever in our career is love,” he award given to a musician for creative achievements ended the three-hour celebration by taking to the stage added. Proceeds from the annual MusiCares gala sup- and charitable work. Clinton chose the British- to perform “Go Your Own Way” and “Little Lies.” port members of the music industry in times of financial American band’s single “Don’t Stop” as the theme song Fleetwood Mac formed in London in 1967 and went on to and medical need. Friday’s event, held two days before for his 1992 presidential campaign, helping to revive become one of the best-selling bands in the world, with the Grammy Awards, raised some $7 million for their popularity and encouraging the fractious soft rock more than 100 million records sold, including Grammy- MusiCares, Recording Academy chairman Neil Portnow band to reunite for his inaugural ball in 1993. “They let winning 1977 album “Rumours” and hit singles said. Previous recipients include Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, me use it as a theme song and I have been trying to live “Songbird,” “Rhiannon” and “Dreams.” After romantic Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen and Paul by it ever since,” Clinton told the audience at Radio and creative tensions, some members going solo and sev- McCartney. — Reuters City Music Hall in New York. “I owe a great deal to all eral changes of line-up, Fleetwood, McVie, Nicks, of them,” he added. Buckingham and Christine McVie put their differences

Actor/singer Jared Leto performs onstage.

Juanes performs at the 2018 MusiCares Keith Urban performs at the 2018 MusiCares Recording artist Lorde performs onstage. Musician/actor Harry Styles performs at the Person Of The Year gala. Person Of The Year gala. 2018 MusiCares Person Of The Year gala.

Miley Cyrus performs at the 2018 MusiCares Person Of The (From left) Musicians Jimi Westbrook, Kimberly Schlapman, Karen Fairchild and Phillip Sweet Honoree Mick Fleetwood of music group Fleetwood Mac performs onstage. Year gala. of Little Big Town performs onstage.

Post-Sundance, female filmmakers find Hollywood dream elusive

undance, the premiere US independent but that a lot of those filmmakers have struggled makers are looking for stories that move beyond film gathering, this week saw a record to find success elsewhere. “I don’t think women female typecasts. Reed Morano first came to Snumber of female filmmakers showcased have been given those opportunities after their Sundance in 2008 as the cinematographer for and it has championed women for four decades, experience with us from all these other compa- “Frozen River.” This year, she returned to but the Hollywood success that so often comes nies, and I think it’s right to stand up and say Sundance with her film directorial debut “I for male directors has proven elusive. A study they deserve more attention than they were giv- Think We’re Alone Now,” centered on a man published this month by University of Southern en,” Barker said. (Peter Dinklage) and a teenage girl (Elle California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative ana- Male directors, such as Quentin Tarantino, Fanning) in a post-apocalyptic world. lyzed 1,100 Hollywood films from 2007 to 2017 David O. Russell, Darren Aronofsky and Damien “Out of 10 projects I get sent, seven or eight and found that out of 1,223 directors, women Chazelle, who all got their starts at Sundance, are female protagonists and that’s not the only accounted for only 4 percent of honorees. have gone on to enjoy studio success. This thing I’m interested in,” Morano said. “I do In contrast, women made up 37 percent of year’s Sundance festival comes amid the rise of think it’s unfair for women who get pegged with directors represented across the 122 films the Time’s Up movement in Hollywood, launched creating fare for other women,” she added. After debuting at Sundance this week. “The biggest by more than 300 industry figures to fight writing and directing two films with strong problem is that it is so much harder to convince against sexual misconduct and discrimination in female leads, Fidell said she purposely chose to studios ... that we can also make the bigger the workplace. center her latest film “The Long Dumb Road” on movies,” said Hannah Fidell, who wrote and Several panels at the festival focused on the the story of two boys. “I was getting boxed into directed “The Long Dumb Road,” debuting at gender gap in Hollywood with actresses such as only making stories about women going crazy Sundance. Octavia Spencer speaking out about pay parity. or young adult love stories,” Fidell said. “I made Michael Barker and Tom Bernard, who co- Spencer said she and Jessica Chastain had this hoping that ... it would really open up new founded Sony Pictures Classics and often usher teamed up to negotiate five times her asking doors for projects.”— Reuters Director/screenwriter Hannah Fidell, actors Tony Revolori, Jason Mantzoukas and Sundance Sundance movies to Oscar success, said they salary for an upcoming film the two are working Film Festival Director, Trevor Groth attend the premiere of “The Long Dumb Road” during the have produced films by 59 female filmmakers, on together. Along with pay issues, many film- Sundance Film Festival at The Eccles Center Theatre in Park City, Utah. — AFP Established 1961 31 Lifestyle Features Sunday, January 28, 2018

Floor staff prepare for lunch opening hours at the “Brasserie Paul Bocuse Le Musee”. In this photo floor staff gather for a meeting before lunch opening hours at the “Brasserie Paul Chefs prepare dishes during lunchtime at the “Brasserie Paul Bocuse Le Musee” in Bocuse Le Musee” in the National Art Center in Tokyo. — AFP photos the National Art Center in Tokyo. Japan chefs mourn France’s Bocuse like an idol

hen Japanese cook Kazunori Nakatani talks spaceship, with copper pots and pans hanging on all ‘A big father’ Chefs prepare dishes during lunchtime at the “Brasserie Paul Bocuse about his mentor Paul Bocuse, the legendary sides, and cooks in chef’s whites gliding past each Each of Bocuse’s restaurants and brasseries in Le Musee”. WFrench chef who died last week, he still uses other. They tenderly prepare slices of duck terrine Japan was designed to mirror of one of his establish- the present tense: “For us he is someone very presented with mini cornichons and plump and gold- ments in France, with the museum brasserie’s menu divine!”Bocuse is revered in France as the “pope” of en portions of chicken confit. Then coarse salt is modeled on that of his Brasserie des Lumieres in the country’s treasured cuisine, and gained interna- sprinkled on the dishes, which are intended to trans- Lyon’s football stadium. “A museum is... a very special tional recognition in part for his revolutionary place, borderless,” said Yuriko Narusawa, a PR official “Nouvelle Cuisine” in the 1970s. But he has a special for Paul Bocuse’s Japanese operations. legacy in Japan, where many local chefs trained at his “That is one of the reasons why we wanted to open Institut Paul Bocuse, near Lyon. our first restaurant here. Because the aim is to spread “He’s an idol, not only in the world of French cui- French cuisine. So this is an ideal place.” “Monsieur sine, but in the entire world of cuisine,” said Paul” as he was known, was France’s only chef to keep Nakatani, executive chef of the Paul Bocuse brand in the Michelin food bible’s coveted three-star rating for Japan. “Good produce, well-seasoned, good cooking: For us he more than four decades. But he distained overly fussy that is good cuisine,” he added, switching to French food, seeking to create only dishes that would tempt to reel off his mentor’s golden rules. “These are the diners back “for a second helping.” “He left us his phi- words that will stay with me.” Nakatani was flying to is someone losophy, the way he thought about cooking,” said France this week to join more than 1,500 chefs from Nakatani, who did several training sessions in Lyon. This file photo taken on November 09, 2012 shows French chef Paul around the world paying tribute to Bocuse at his “He was always saying ‘simply’, and I think that best Bocuse posing in his kitchen at L’Auberge de Pont de Collonges, dur- funeral in Lyon. sums up his cooking philosophy.” ing a culinary work shop in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or. very divine! Bocuse, who died at 91, was a larger-than-life ‘Deeply sad’ character, and infamously maintained a relationship The French chef first visited Japan decades ago, with his wife as well as two lovers. He also exuded a and struck up a partnership with local chef Hiroyuki warmth that extended to every employee at restau- Hiramatsu, who would go on to manage Bocuse’s six rants, his former students say. “He treated everyone brasseries and two restaurants in Japan. The first port diners thousands of kilometers away to the Lyon like a family member, even staff members, dishwash- opened in 2007, the “Brasserie Paul Bocuse Le region where Bocuse lived and worked. Jun Ueda, 42, ers,” said Nakatani. “He is an idol, but he is also a big Musee,” inside Tokyo’s National Arts Centre, where it has worked at the brasserie since it opened, and can father.” — AFP occupies a dramatic spot atop a massive inverted con- hardly believe its founder is gone. “It’s deeply sad,” crete cone that dominates the museum’s glass atrium. he said, his starched chef’s hat perched atop his head. A staircase runs down from the center of the dining “I lost my father at the age of 17 and I can tell you space into the depths of the cone, where cooks work the shock was just as great.” “He’s the one who silently and gracefully, delicately garnishing dishes that inspired me to cook French food,” he added, as a replicate Bocuse’s French delicacies. cook nearby sliced expertly though a sitting row of Chefs prepare dishes during lunchtime at the “Brasserie Paul Bocuse The kitchen resembles the steel interior of a glistening red tomatoes. Le Musee”. Met Opera’s ‘Tosca’ rises after backstage chaos

fter enduring unprecedented cast “a more modern singer and she’s a more mod- a month before opening night, the Met sus- upheaval, the Metropolitan Opera’s new ern diva,” he said. pended the production’s second conductor, A“Tosca” is winning standing ovations for former music director James Levine, amid sex- its opulent reboot of Puccini’s shadowy tale of Cursed? ual abuse allegations. About 10 days later, love, politics, power and deception. The New One of the most popular and accessible Bryn Terfel, the last remaining star of the orig- York opera house’s revamped take on the operas, “Tosca” has proven tricky for the Met in inal cast, withdrew and was replaced as repertory favorite, which premiered on New recent years. The problems began in 2009 Scarpia by Serbian baritone Zeljko Lucic. “It Year’s Eve, will go global Saturday when it is when the Met introduced a pared-down pro- was like a curse,” recalled Yoncheva. beamed to cinemas worldwide as part of the duction by Luc Bondy, replacing a much-loved “Everyone was scared something will happen Met’s “Live in HD” series. Building an unusual spectacle created by Franco Zeffirelli. The to them.” Villaume, who had just won plaudits buzz within the audience before each perform- Bondy version infamously drew jeers on open- for his handling of Massenet’s “Thais” at the ance, the new production stars two leads who ing night from the Met audience, which is not Met in November, was enlisted as an emer- had never before performed in the opera — known for booing, and was detested by some gency replacement. “There was a lot of pres- Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo and Bulgarian major patrons of the opera house. The new sure on us considering the whole history of the soprano Sonya Yoncheva. production, developed by David McVicar, production,” he told AFP. “I probably lost a Yoncheva says she was eager to put her replaces the minimalist look of its immediate few years in a few weeks.” imprint on the role of Tosca, a diva who is often predecessor with museum-quality sets, includ- But critical reception of the opening night portrayed as haughty and temperamental. “I ing of Scarpia’s fresco-filled chamber room at performance was generally good. The audience Out on a limb: Vanity always thought Tosca is a different person. the Palazzo Farnese. The McVicar staging con- that night included Bill and Hillary Clinton, who She’s not this arrogant diva. She’s not narcissis- veys much of the grandeur of Zeffirelli’s work, met the cast and attended a gala dinner that tic,” Yoncheva told AFP. “I actually believe she’s but the style is more “painterly,” said John was covered by Vanity Fair magazine. Both somebody exactly the opposite. She’s some- Sellars, the Met’s assistant general manager for Yoncheva and Villaume say the performances Fair’s curious cover body really loving and her jealousy is because production. have gotten progressively better. Now there is she feels this passion for Mario.” Her approach An unusual feature is that the production is just one left for the current cast: the Saturday he latest cover of prestigious amusement on the internet Friday, and to the show-stopping aria “Vissi d’arte,” some- performed on a slanted stage, adding dramatic broadcast, Villaume’s first “Live in HD.” “The US magazine Vanity Fair fea- Vanity Fair played along. “While we times rendered while kneeling, shuns histrionics. tension “by things being just a little bit out of way we had to deal with all those challenges Ttures an annual photograph of would have loved the exclusive on “For me, this is a moment of reflection,” said whack,” Sellars said. But casting the new pro- day after day it gave me a certain sense of ‘stay Hollywood’s elite-with a twist. Reese @RWitherspoon’s three legs, unfortu- Yoncheva. “Tosca will be in this completely inti- duction proved difficult, with the original calm,’” he said. “I will probably digest and Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey, Tom nately it’s just the lining of her dress,” mate moment, singing for herself and singing tenor, soprano and conductor all bowing out metabolize all of this in a few weeks, but it has Hanks, Robert de Niro, Nicole the magazine tweeted. As for for her god without exaggerating anything.” soon after the show was announced in been an incredible experience.”— AFP Kidman and other stars are grouped Winfrey-a producer, presenter and February 2017. Then, in a bombshell less than for the magazine’s “Hollywood Issue” actress-”how can we expect her to ‘More modern diva’ in a photo lavishly retouched-but for- juggle it all with just two hands?” The standing ovations suggest Yoncheva’s getting, it seems, to erase an extra leg. Vanity Fair joked, noting that the error unadorned approach is resonating with Met “Well...I guess everybody knows was being corrected online. audiences who may relate to Tosca’s flirty now...I have 3 legs,” Witherspoon Actor James Franco was also banter with her lover Mario Cavaradossi, and, joked on Twitter. “I hope you can still meant to be part of the Vanity Fair more darkly, see parallels between today’s accept me for who I am.” After spread but was scrubbed because of “Me Too” phenomenon and Tosca’s predica- Witherspoon’s tweet, Winfrey-the “the misconduct allegations against ment as she fends off and ultimately kills her queen of American television-raised him,” The Hollywood Reporter said, would-be rapist, the villain Scarpia. The Met her hand to comment on another pic- citing a Vanity Fair source. He was has set up a gallery on its first floor showcas- ture taken for the issue by acclaimed reportedly accused by five women of ing Maria Callas, Leontyne Price and other photographer Annie Leibovitz. sexually inappropriate behavior after Toscas of eras bygone. But opera houses are “I accept your 3d leg. As I know he won a Golden Globe this month for also eager to refresh themselves to draw in you accept my 3d hand,” Winfrey best actor in “The Disaster Artist”. younger audiences. joked. She was referring to a separate Franco sat for the Vanity Fair photo “It’s one of those roles where the artist of photograph from the shoot, one in shoot but was then digitally removed course is at the service of the character, but which Winfrey indeed seems to have from the cover following the allega- also needs to speak about himself or herself, three hands: one at her waist, one tions, The Hollywood Reporter said, and in this way that Tosca is a modern Tosca,” around Witherspoon, and a third rest- citing multiple sources. — AFP said conductor Emmanuel Villaume. “She’s ing on her own leg. That picture has less difficult, less capricious than the idea of Sonya Yoncheva, who plays the title role of the French orchestra conductor Emmanuel Villaume now been removed from Vanity Fair’s the diva we might have had in the time of fiery diva, and Vittorio Grigolo, who plays her pas- speaks before conducting “Tosca”.— AFP photos website. The photographs caused (Renata) Tebaldi or Callas, who are the refer- sionate lover, Cavaradossi, perform in “Tosca” at ences in this role.” Villaume said. Yoncheva is the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Established 1961 Lifestyle

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Michelangelo, aka Mikey, visits the exhibition “Michelangelo: Divine Draftsman and Designer” in his costume at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The fictional turtle was named after artist Michelangelo Buonarroti (Italian, 1475-1564). — AFP Guggenheim offered Trumps a gold toilet in lieu of a Van Gogh

he request was for a Van Gogh to adorn the walls of the its installation and care.” Asked to explain the meaning of the president and first lady’s private residence in the White installation and why he offered it to the Trumps, 57-year-old THouse. The answer? No-but how about a fully functioning, Cattelan told the Post: “What’s the point of our life? Everything 18-karat gold toilet instead? While it’s customary for US presi- seems absurd until we die and then it makes sense.” dents to borrow works of art during their time in office, the The Guggenheim, asked by AFP, said it had “no further Guggenheim in Donald Trump’s hometown of New York was information to provide.” The White House did not immediately polite, but firm in its refusal, The Washington Post reported. respond to an AFP query. In a blog last August, Spector called When the White House requested the renowned Dutch the toilet “a cipher for the excesses of affluence” and said more painter’s “Landscape With Snow,” the museum’s chief curator-an than 100,000 people had queued “for the opportunity to com- outspoken Trump critic-countered that the 19th century painting mune with art and with nature.” “Though crafted from millions was “prohibited from travel except for the rarest of occasions.” of dollars’ worth of gold, the sculpture is actually a great level- “We are sorry not to be able to accommodate your original er. As Cattelan has said, “Whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a request,” wrote Nancy Spector in an email obtained by the Post, $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise.” Neither is it “but remain hopeful that this special offer may be of interest.” the first association between Trump, whose Manhattan home is Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s “America”-a gleaming gold toi- famous for its lavish gold color scheme, and a golden toilet. let-was on display at the Guggenheim for nearly a year, installed Last June, Trevor Noah’s “The Daily Show” hosted a free exhi- in a restroom for the private use of members of the public with a bition in New York lampooning the president, inviting the pub- guard posted outside. lic to soak up his tweets and fire off one or two of their own This file photo shows a fully functioning solid gold toilet, made Now that the exhibition was over, the artist would “like to from a golden toilet. —AFP by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, which was going into public offer it to the White House for a long-term loan,” the Post quot- use at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. — AFP photos ed Spector as emailing. “It is, of course, extremely valuable and somewhat fragile, but we would provide all the instructions for ‘Little idols’: Japan’s dark obsession with young girls

n a cramped and dark venue in a sleazy Tokyo district, Most fans are “pure,” insists Himeno, now 24, although dozens of middle-aged men cheer at a performer on she admits she was once offered 30,000 yen ($260) for Istage: The object of their adoration is a six-year-old her used pantyhose. “Men idolizing young girls is rela- girl. Decked out in make-up with ribbons in her hair, Ai is tively accepted in Japan,” said Himeno, citing the “Tale of dressed like an adult, but still looks very much a child. She Genji”, an 11th-century classic depicting a nobleman’s is a so-called “idol” singer-common in Japan, where rights romantic relationships with women, as well as a small girl. groups have complained that society’s sometimes permis- For Ai’s manager Hidenori Okuma, the men are attracted sive view of the sexualisation of young girls puts minors by the thought of contact with a “girl next door”. at risk. “Meeting and chatting with high-school idols has become so popular,” said Okuma. “It’s now less embarrassing to admit you like young girls. Now they (male fans) say they prefer primary school girls, without hesitation.”

A ‘bizarre sight’ Ai’s mother, Mami Yamazaki, says her daughter has It must be a wanted to be an “idol” singer since she watched an anime cartoon about young girls striving for stardom. “On televi- This photo shows adults watching a concert by an idol group in Tokyo. — AFP photos sion, you see kids acting in dramas and commercials. In magazines, children are modeling clothes. What Ai is bizarre sight doing is not much different,” she says, despite the audi- ures. Police have failed to stamp out so-called JK (Joshi photo shoot featuring provocative images of a 10-year- ence for idol shows being mainly adult males. Yamazaki, Kosei, or high school girls) businesses, which offer men old. But in Japan, there has been little public debate of the 26, herself played in a band as a teenager and sees her services such as going for a walk with a teenage girl so issue. daughter’s performances as a way into the popular and the customers have a chance to negotiate for sex. Quasi- Psychiatrist Hiroki Fukui, who also treats paedophiles, lucrative world of idols. pornographic “chaku-ero”, or clothed eroticism-images says the awareness in Japan that children need to be pro- It was only in 2015 that possessing child pornography It can be a pathway to fame, as demonstrated by of small children posing in tiny swimsuits-are easily found tected from potential sexual predators is “so low.” He was criminalized and authorities are struggling to bring Japan’s AKB48 band, one of the most successful acts of all on the Internet, slipping through a legal loophole. explained: “We need to realise this situation in Japan is the country into line with other advanced nations on the time, who started in a small stage in Tokyo’s Akihabara, Lawyer Keiji Goto, who campaigns for minors’ rights, not normal.” issue. In the crowd at an idols show, Soichiro Seki, 40, with the youngest member aged 11. But getting a foothold says the problem is a social one. Many Japanese think Shihoko Fujiwara, the representative of an NGO that says he watches young girls on stage twice a week. He into the idol scene means the child has to interact with that sexually objectifying young girls is not taboo but helps victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse, insists he goes just to encourage the performers and feels adult fans, taking photos together and autographing the rather “just falls into a grey zone,” said Goto. Japan is warned of a dangerous mindset. “The girls will think to no shame. But he did concede that other fans objectify backs of their t-shirts. “It must be a bizarre sight” for for- far from being the only place with a problem of sexual- themselves the audience is crazy about them because them. “(For them) coming to a concert like this and visit- eigners, admits Himeno but she stresses any sexual ising children. In America, concerns have been raised they are small girls and because their value will reduce ing a hostess club in Kabukicho are essentially the same advances are an absolute “no-no.” about the hyper-sexualisation of children appearing in once they get to the age of 18. “A society that allows chil- thing,” he said, referring to Tokyo’s major red-light dis- beauty pageants, as well as on reality shows such as dren to have such a twisted self-identity can never pro- trict. Idol Tama Himeno, who has performed on stage ‘Not normal’ “Toddlers and Tiaras.” tect them.” — AFP since the age of 16, says the men attending her shows Japan’s battle against paedophilia is well documented. And the French Parliament in 2014 adopted a ban on worship the performers and crave communication with The number of minors abused in child pornography has “mini miss” competitions for girls younger than 13, young girls that they cannot get elsewhere. risen five-fold in the past decade, according to official fig- prompted by controversy over a 2010 Vogue magazine