JUMADA ALAWWAL 14, 1441 AH THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020

28 Pages Max 20º Min 06º 150 Fils Established 1961

ISSUE NO: 18030 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net

Philippines sending planes, ship Snipers to cull up to 10,000 Oil markets unfazed by Mane crowned Africa’s 3 to evacuate workers from Iraq 9 camels in drought-hit Australia 11 Iran strikes on US bases 27 2019 Player of the Year

Trump says Iran ‘standing down’ after missile strikes Khamenei: ‘Slap in face’ of US • Trump: ‘All is well’ • Rouhani: ‘We don’t retreat’

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump yesterday said Iran appeared to be “standing down” after missile strikes against Iraqi bases housing US troops that caused Kuwait denies US no US casualties, indicating there would be no immediate new military response. In a televised address to the troop pullout, says nation from the White House, Trump emphasized that there were “no Americans harmed” in the salvo of missiles aimed at two bases. news agency hacked While he promised to immediately impose “punishing” new economic sanctions against Iran, Trump welcomed KUWAIT: Kuwait yesterday denied reports that signs that Iran “appears to be standing down” in the tit- the United States had decided to withdraw its for-tat confrontation, signaling that the United States did troops from the state, saying the Twitter account of not plan a new military riposte. Trump closed his remarks its official news agency had been hacked. The by addressing Iranians directly, saying that he was “ready state-run Kuwait News Agency had tweeted that to embrace peace with all who seek it.” Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister However, the US president, facing both an impeach- Sheikh Ahmad Al-Mansour Al-Sabah had been ment trial in Congress and a tough reelection in informed by the commander of US forces in Kuwait November, touted his decision to order the killing of top of their intention to withdraw from the Arifjan base Iranian general Qasem Soleimani last Friday - the opera- within three days. The news, published in both tion that prompted Tehran’s missile strike. Soleimani, a Arabic and English, was deleted within minutes. national hero in Iran, was “the world’s top terrorist” and “The (Twitter) account of Kuwait News Agency “should have been terminated long ago”, Trump said. An image grab shows rockets launched from Iran against US military bases in Iraq early yesterday. — AFP was hacked... The report about the intention of the Although Trump ended his remarks with the call for US troops to pull out is untrue,” government peace, he opened by stating bluntly that he would never “slap in the face” for the United States and indicated that background, voices shouted “God is greatest”. It also spokesman Tareq Al-Mazrem said in a statement. allow Iran to procure a nuclear weapon. He then urged more was to come. “An important incident has happened. showed purported images of the blasts where they struck. KUNA also said it had been hacked and noted that European allies and other world powers to follow The question of revenge is another issue,” Khamenei said in It was not possible to verify the images’ authenticity. the report was not published on its general wire. America’s lead in abandoning a teetering international a speech broadcast live on state television. The office of Iraq’s premier said it had received “an The United States said on Friday that it was deploy- agreement on managing the country’s nuclear ambitions. Iranian television reported an official in the supreme official verbal message” from Iran informing it that a mis- ing up to 3,500 more troops to the Middle East with Iran’s missiles targeted the sprawling Ain al-Asad airbase leader’s office as saying the missile attacks were the sile attack on US forces was imminent. “Iraq rejects any reprisals expected after an American drone killed in western Iraq and a base in Irbil, both housing American “weakest” of several retaliation scenarios. It quoted violation of its sovereignty and attacks on its territory,” top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad. and other foreign troops deployed in a US-led coalition another source saying Iran had lined up 100 other poten- the statement said, without specifically condemning the Continued on Page 24 fighting the remnants of the Islamic State group. Iran’s tial targets. State media showed footage of what it said missile strikes. Iraqi President Barham Saleh denounced supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the missiles a were Iran’s missiles being fired into the night sky. In the Continued on Page 24 176 killed as Ukraine plane crashes in Iran TEHRAN: A Ukrainian airliner crashed shortly after take-off from Tehran yesterday killing all 176 people on board, mainly Iranians and Canadians. Search-and-res- cue teams were combing through the smoking wreck- age of the Boeing 737 flight from Tehran to Kiev but officials said there was no hope of finding anyone alive. The vast majority of the passengers on the Ukraine International Airlines flight were non-Ukrainians, including 82 Iranians and 63 Canadians, officials said. The crash occurred with tensions high in the Middle East and shortly after Tehran launched missiles at bases in Iraq housing US troops. However, there was no immediate indication of foul play and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned against “specu- lating” on the cause of the disaster. The US aviation authority said it had banned US-registered carriers from flying over Iraq, Iran and the Gulf, and airlines including Lufthansa and Air France suspended flights through Iraqi and Iranian airspace. Footage released by Iranian state media showed a field on fire and the smoldering wreck of the plane. Body bags were lined up on the ground and the TEHRAN: Rescue teams work at the scene after a Ukrainian plane crashed near Imam Khomeini Airport in the capi- Continued on Page 24 tal Tehran early yesterday, killing everyone on board. — AFP

Last week, Turkey sent its first troops Erdogan, Putin to help defend the UN-backed Tripoli government and Erdogan says there are 2,500 Russian mercenaries supporting launch pipeline, renegade strongman Khalifa Haftar - a claim denied by Moscow. Earlier, they urge Libya truce inaugurated the TurkStream pipelines, BEIRUT: Former Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn which will deliver Russian gas to Turkey gestures as he addresses a large crowd of journalists ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep and Europe via the Black Sea. Erdogan at the Lebanese Press Syndicate yesterday. — AFP Tayyip Erdogan and Russian counter- described it as a “project of historic part Vladimir Putin called yesterday for importance”, while Putin noted the a ceasefire in Libya after talks in strengthening “partnership of Russia and Istanbul, where they also inaugurated a Turkey in all domains”. Defiant Ghosn “historic” gas pipeline. The leaders used TurkStream and the Nord Stream a joint statement to call for a truce from pipelines under the Baltic allow Russia to hits back against midnight on Sunday “supported by the increase gas supplies to Europe without necessary measures to be taken for sta- having to rely on Ukraine. But Moscow’s bilizing the situation on the ground” in increasing domination of European ener- Japanese ‘plot’ Libya, where they are seen as support- gy markets has worried the United ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin ing opposing sides. Continued on Page 24 attend the inauguration ceremony of a new gas pipeline “TurkStream” yesterday. — AFP BEIRUT: Fugitive auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn yes- terday accused Nissan and Japanese prosecutors of plotting against him as he staged an impas- stars have traditionally shied away from politics, fearing scene showed masked men swinging batons as students sioned defense at his first public appearance since Furor after top their films could be boycotted or their safety threat- screamed in terror. No-one has been arrested in con- fleeing the country. In a combative news confer- ened. The industry also relies heavily on government nection with the violence. ence in Beirut, the former Renault-Nissan boss - support. But Deepika Padukone, 34, the country’s top- The incident has been blamed on the Akhil Bharatiya one of the world’s most high-profile corporate Bollywood star earning female celebrity according to Forbes India, Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student body linked to executives - slammed the financial misconduct broke the mold when she attended a demonstration in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata charges he faced in Japan as “baseless”. attends demo New Delhi on Tuesday evening. Party. The group denied involvement. Padukone’s “The collusion between Nissan and prosecutors The protest came two days after masked attackers appearance led to calls - including from BJP spokesman NEW DELHI: is everywhere,” Ghosn told a large crowd of jour- One of Bollywood’s top stars sparked a went on a rampage inside the campus of the prestigious Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga - for her upcoming film nalists at an appearance that lasted more than two social media storm yesterday, attracting admiration and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), leaving 34 students “Chhapaak” to be boycotted, while others accused her Continued on Page 24 vitriol after showing solidarity with students who were and faculty members injured. Police reportedly stood of a publicity stunt ahead of its release tomorrow. attacked at a Indian university this week. Indian film by and did nothing, while videos purportedly from the Continued on Page 24 2 Local Thursday, January 9, 2020 Lawmakers in controversy over general amnesty bill Head of budgets panel warns of high spending

KUWAIT: His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace yesterday. — KUNA National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem gestures during the session. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Ministers and MPs share conversations. KUWAIT: Lawmakers attend a parliament session at the National Assembly yesterday.

By B Izzak pardon about two dozen Kuwaiti Shiites convicted of later deleted the report and said its Twitter account collaborating with Iran intelligence and possessing of was hacked and it never published the report on its KUWAIT: Lawmakers yesterday clashed over the large quantities of arms. The bill also calls for pardon- general wire. The government spokesman swiftly meaning and scope of a draft law calling to pardon ing former Shiite MP Abdulhameed Dashti, who is liv- denied the report. former MPs and activists jailed for taking part in ing abroad to escape more than 70 years of jail term In the meantime, MP Mubarak Al-Hajraf strongly protests and for comments on social media deemed for criticizing neighboring Arab countries. MP Ahmad criticized health services in the country, especially at offensive. Islamist MP Abdullah Fahhad said that the Al-Fadhl also objected to the opposition draft law, the intensive care units, saying that the sister of the oil bill is not against the powers of His Highness the Amir insisting that pardon must be sought from His Highness minister died in hospital after contracting a killer in granting special pardon to certain people but the the Amir who has the power to pardon people. virus. The oil minister Khaled Al-Fadhel however draft law is being reviewed in line with the constitu- Opening the session yesterday to continue debat- explained that his sister contracted the virus at a pri- tion. Fahhad was referring to a bill being studied by ing the Amiri Address, speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem vate hospital. the legal and legislative committee and calling to par- called on MPs to pay a great attention to national uni- MP Abdullah Al-Roumi stressed that the constitu- don former MPs and activists from offences related to ty and to avoid speaking about events taking place tion and the parliamentary system are not enemies of freedom of speech and taking part in protests. outside, in a clear reference to the US-Iran hostilities. the country’s leadership or the ruling family. MP But MP Khaled Al-Shatti, head of the legislative The session was ongoing when the Twitter account Adnan Abdulsamad, head of the assembly budgets committee, said any amnesty legislation must include of Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) was hacked and committee, warned that if spending in the budget all cases in order to overcome domestic problems and published a brief report in both Arabic and English continues at the current high level, the state reserve help promote unity, and strongly rejected what he citing the defense minister announcing that the US is under the threat of vanishing. The assembly holds a called “selective amnesty.” Shatti, a Shiite lawmaker, troops were vacating the Arifjan Base within three special session today to discuss a number of issues, Oil minister Khaled Al-Fadhel speaks during the session. had submitted a different amnesty draft law calling to days, which fell as a bombshell in the country. KUNA including the regional security developments.

MP Mubarak Al-Hajraf speaks as MP Abdullah Fahhad (left) looks on during MP Safa Al-Hashem shares a conversation with Speaker Marzouq Al- MP Ahmad Al-Fadhl speaks during the session. the session. Ghanem.

Health Minister Dr Basel Al-Sabah gestures during the session. Minister of Social Affairs Dr Ghadeer Aseeri speaks with a lawmaker. MPs and Cabinet ministers attend the session yesterday. 3 Local Thursday, January 9, 2020 Filipinos ordered to leave Iraq; embassy in Kuwait reassures citizens Embassy advices Filipinos in Kuwait to ‘maintain situational awareness’

MANILA/KUWAIT: The Philippines will dispatch Government prepared cargo planes and a ship to help evacuate Filipino The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait had released migrant workers from Iraq after ordering its citi- an advisory on Tuesday reassuring its estimated zens to leave following an Iranian missile strike population of 230,000 citizens in the Gulf state targeting US troops, officials said yesterday. In about plans to repatriate Filipinos out of Kuwait if the meantime, the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait necessary. “In view of recent developments in the reassured nationals in the Gulf state that they Middle East, Filipinos in Kuwait are assured that are ready to repatriate Filipinos living there if the Philippine government is prepared to repatri- necessary. ate any Filipino who may be affected or displaced Manila issued the mandatory evacuation order by the ongoing crisis,” reads an advisory the for its nationals in Iraq after Iran carried out its Philippine Embassy in Kuwait released on Tuesday first act of promised revenge for the US killing for all Filipinos in Kuwait. “Filipinos in Kuwait are last week of a top Iranian general. About 1,600 advised to remain vigilant, exercise caution and Filipino workers are in Iraq — among some two maintain situational awareness at all times,” the million of their countrymen public advisory reads. across the Middle East — Around 10 million as part of a vast diaspora Filipinos work abroad and that is a key pillar of the Malaysia the money they send home economy. is a lifeline in a nation Iran fired missiles at seeking to where many live in deep Iraqi bases housing the US evacuate poverty despite the coun- military, and Iranian state try’s robust economic television said it was in citizens growth. The government response to Friday’s killing has for decades hailed of general Qasem overseas workers as mod- Soleimani, one of the most ern heroes, but advocacy important figures in the groups have highlighted country’s government. the costs — which include the vulnerability of MANILA: A protester holds anti-US placards next to Philippine policemen during a rally in front of the US embassy in Manila on January 6, 2020, demonstrating against the US strike that killed Iranian com- Philippine defense secretary Delfin Filipinos to danger in troubled nations. mander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq. —AFP Lorenzana told reporters the government will send at least three military cargo planes and a Malaysian citizens newly built coastguard ship to get Filipinos out In the meantime, Malaysia is seeking to evacu- namely the premiership office, the defense and bulk of whom are personnel of the Malaysian oil of harm’s way. ate its citizens from Iraq and Iran in aftermath of interior ministries, held a meeting today to map and gas company Petronas. Meanwhile, Malaysian The coastguard vessel, which left a French the Iranian missile attack on bases manned by out evacuation plans. Malaysia is monitoring the Minister of Economic Affairs Mohamed Azmin shipyard in December, will likely shuttle workers American and Iraqi troops in Iraq, the Malaysian situation in the Middle East and has advised expressed concern air navigation would be dis- to Qatar, Lorenzana said. “Once we gather them, Foreign Ministry declared yesterday. Malaysian nationals there to be vigilant amid “the strife in the rupted due to tension escalation throughout the we can maybe charter a plane or charter our ships Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said in a Gulf region.” There are currently 58 Malaysians, Middle East, disclosing that Malaysia Airlines to bring them home,” he added. statement that officials of various authorities, mostly students, in Iran, and 160 others in Iraq — halted flights over Iran and Iraq. —Agencies Oman sees no scope for US-Iran mediation for now KUWAIT: Oman does not see room for now for mediation to ease tensions between the United States and Iran, a Kuwaiti newspaper reported yesterday, after last week’s killing of an Iranian general in a US strike that prompted an Iranian missile attack in response. Al- Rai daily was quoting Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, the minister responsible for foreign affairs in Oman, a nation which maintains friendly ties with Washington and Tehran and which has previously acted as a go-between for the two countries. “There is no Omani mediation between America and Iran after the killing of (General) Qassem Soleimani and I believe Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah there is no room at this time,” bin Alawi was quoted as saying by the newspaper, on US targets in Iraq. The Omani foreign on the sidelines of a forum in Tehran. The ministry did not immediately respond to comments appear to have been made requests for comment on bin Alawi’s before yesterday’s missile strike by Iran reported remarks. —Reuters

Commander of the Iranian Islamic Oil prices jump Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force Qassem Soleimani, in an action adopted by the Pentagon, following to highest level escalation of fears of Iranian reac- tions, Awadi said. The Iranian in 4 months response to the killing of Soleimani came early yesterday through an KUWAIT: Oil prices jumped yesterday attack on Iraq’s Ain Al-Asad air base, to the highest level in four months, as oil prices jumped after the attack to reaching $71.75 per barrel (pb) for $70 pb, then came back down due to Brent crude, following the Iranian large amount availability of American attack on Iraq’s Ain Al-Asad air base. oil in the market in addition to most The air base includes American soldiers countries took their precautions of in Iraq, which raised fears of an escalat- crises times. China, Japan and South ing conflict and disruption of oil sup- Korea have reserves of 1.2 billion bar- plies. Brent crude futures rose $1.83, by rels covering their needs for about 2.7 percent, to reach $70.10 pb, after three weeks, he noted. Awadi said that rising earlier in the session to $71.75, the decision of the Organization of reaching its highest level since last mid- Petroleum Exporting Countries September. West Texas Intermediate (OPEC) to reduce production by 500 also rose about two dollars, nearly thousand barrels per day starting from three percent, recording $64.30 pb, the beginning of January this year had where earlier it touched $65.85, its a role in the relatively high oil prices. highest price since last April. Oil prices expected to rotate between In this regard, Kuwaiti oil expert $75-80 in case tension increased and Abdulhameed Al-Awadi said that the Washington’s response to the Iranian recent tensions in the Middle East have attack on the air base, he added. a direct reflection on oil prices, due to Iran announced yesterday bombing region’s sensitivity and its containment of Ain Al-Asad air base, which includes of the largest oil reserves in the world. American soldiers in Iraq, in response The region exports approximately 18 to the killing of Qassem Soleimani. million barrels of oil per day, he said. Iranian state television said that the Some 50 to 60 oil tankers enter the Gulf Revolutionary Guards bombed the air region daily, he said, noting that the dai- base with missiles, warning the United ly oil prices fluctuate according to the States against any further movement or geopolitical conditions and tensions in aggression. In the same context, Iraqi the region. Oil prices have been rising media have confirmed targeting the air since the beginning of tension between Washington and Tehran following US base in Anbar Province with nine ballis- withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear tic missiles, without revealing the size of agreement in May 2018, as well as two- the losses caused. In turn, US President missile attack on Saudi Aramco, in addi- Donald Trump in a tweet posted on his tion to the Iranian attack on two oil official Twitter account following the tankers in the Gulf of Oman, he added. attack stressed that “all is well”, and The prices jumped three dollars “assessment of causalities and damages this week after the killing of taking place now. —KUNA 4 Local Thursday, January 9, 2020

Photo of the Day

KUWAIT: A camel struggles to get back up after falling at the beginning of a race in Kabd, 50 kilometers southwest of Kuwait City, in this file photo. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

results in a chronic, sys- Ooredoo Kuwait tematic inflammatory disor- der that may affect many tissues and organs, and sponsors ‘Join mainly attacks flexible joints. It can be a disabling the Fight’ and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of functioning and mobility KUWAIT: Ooredoo Kuwait, the first to launch innovated if not treated adequately. digital services in Kuwait announced its sponsorship of Commenting on the com- ‘Join the Fight’ against rheumatoid disease. ‘Join the pany’s sponsorship, Mijbil Fight’ is CrossFit competition organized by Neon Fitness Mijbil Alayoub Alayoub, Senior Director of and Tamper which aims to raise funds and awareness of Corporate Communications Rheumatoid Disease. The CrossFit competition will be at Ooredoo Kuwait said: held on Friday January 10 from 8 am to 7 pm on “We always believe in the importance of playing an Abdulmunim Riyadh Street in Kuwait City. Funds will be active role in participating to help others. We are hon- donated to the Kuwait Red Crescent Society to provide ored to be working with ‘Join the Fight’ and Kuwait Red treatment to the ever increasing number of rheumatoid Crescent Society and we look forward to taking part in patients who cannot afford the high costs of treatment. A more events that contribute to the society.” Ooredoo’s large number of social media celebrities in Kuwait sup- port the cause and will be present at the event such as support to this cause comes in line with the company’s Dana Al-Tuwarish, Hajer Jamal, Nourah Al-Ameeri, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, which Yalda Golsharifi. focuses a great deal on supporting health initiative and Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that promoting a healthier Kuwait.

tion. The law has emerged into greater prominence in Diabetes Institute recent years with the proliferation of health data breaches caused by cyber-attacks and ransomware attacks on health insurers and providers. achieves HIPAA Compliancy Group LLC has supervised and over- seen Dasman Diabetes Institute’s compliance since July seal of compliance of 2019. Dasman Diabetes Institute has completed their Compliance Audits for 2019. The annual HIPAA Self Audits and documentation show the Company is mak- KUWAIT: Dasman Diabetes Institute (DDI), founded by ing a Good Faith Effort in complying with the HIPAA Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, federal regulations. Dasman Diabetes Institute records has recently received HIPAA (Health Insurance show that the Security Rules for administrative, physi- Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), which is a cal and technical safeguards, as well as policy, proce- United States legislation that provides data privacy and dure and documentation requirements for 2019 have security provisions for safeguarding medical informa- been completed.

KUWAIT: The Dasman Diabetes Institute. 5 Local Thursday, January 9, 2020 Over 400 suffer from head cancer in Kuwait every year CAN launches campaign to spread awareness on head, neck and thyroid cancer

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: Over 400 people are affected by head cancer in Kuwait every year. “This means more than one case daily, which is a high number, so we at Cancer Aware Nation decided to hold an awareness campaign in the month of January on head cancer (head, neck and thyroid),” Dr Khaled Al-Saleh, Chairman of CAN, told Kuwait Times. “Head cancer can be discovered easily, because it is in the face and everybody can see the face. Also, thyroid cancer is easy to view as it affects women more than men, and women usually see their faces all the time,” he added. “The main issue of this month’s aware- Dr Khaled Al-Saleh ness campaign on head cancer is to encour- age people to seek medical advice if they discover any symptom. All cancers have a ous activities such as awareness lectures, risk factor. It’s not a cause, but it means that workshops, exhibitions, sports exercises the likelihood of developing cancer increas- and others. The activities will take place in es when we have risk factors. Smoking and KUWAIT: A group photo taken during a function held to announce the awareness campaign. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat different locations including schools, hospi- alcohol are among the main risk factors, tals, co-ops, shopping malls and other loca- and these two together increase the proba- the voice, or pain anywhere in the head are and should be treated,” he noted. primary care are trained in dealing with tions visited by people. Doctors from the bility eightfold than only smoking. So we among the most common symptoms. Ninety “This campaign should reduce the num- these symptoms, as we have trained over field will be participating in these activities advise people not to smoke, and if they percent of these symptoms are ordinary, ber of head cancer cases as well as increase 1,000 doctors. So patients should go to the to give medical advice to patients and to smoke, not to consume alcohol on top of but there are chances that these symptoms the treatment rate. All activities are open to polyclinic in their area for checkups,” con- answer their questions,” said Dr Eman Al- that. This is the second aim - to make peo- are of head cancer, and doctors can discov- the public. Also, people should know that cluded Dr Saleh. Shameri, Head of the Nuclear Medicine ple aware of risk factors,” explained Saleh. er it. So patients should not ignore these there is no screening for head cancer simi- The campaign will continue till the end Unit at Adan Hospital during a press con- “Lump in the nose, sore throat, change in symptoms, as cancer will not go by itself lar to breast or prostate cancers. Doctors in of this month. “The campaign includes vari- ference held on Tuesday.

Commerce Ministry closes 25 violating companies, shops Biometric access control By Meshaal Al-Enezi sumer protection-related violations. Expired IDs Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad announced that in a for teachers next year KUWAIT: The Ministry of Commerce and Hawally campaign bid to provide better health services at vari- Industry yesterday announced closing 25 Hawally municipal inspectors launched an ous health ministry facilities, administrative By A Saleh that the proposal Minister of Social companies and commercial stores for violat- inspection campaign in various governorate directive number 3/2020 was issued yester- Affairs and Labor Dr Ghadeer Aseeri ing several laws and regulations. The ministry areas, said Hawally cleaning and road block- day allowing receiving and serving all citizens KUWAIT: The Ministry of Education is currently preparing on granting explained in a press statement yesterday that age control manager Mohammed Al-Jabah, at various ministry facilities even if their civil will start implementing the fingerprint social aid to the children of Kuwaiti the closed facilities include two contracting noting that the tours resulted in removing IDs have expired. biometric access control system in women married to non-Kuwaitis will companies, four restaurants, three gift and 3,600 cubic meters of debris, cleaning 140 public schools at the beginning of the not be open for all, as some believe. accessories shops, a butchery, a grocery, alleys and 90 main streets, filing 22 cleaning Suspect fined next school year, said official sources, Speaking on the condition of three garment and shoe stores, eight fruit and and road blockage citations and removing 83 The criminal court yesterday fined the noting that the decision has been made anonymity, the sources explained that vegetable stores, a fodder outlet, a decor abandoned vehicles. Jabah added that two main suspect in what is known as the ‘Ateej despite objections. The source elabo- the proposal is still being studied store and a garage. The statement explained large trucks and a large bulldozer were used Al-Mesayyan’ case with KD 5,000 and rated that Kuwait Teachers Society is before referring it to the Cabinet, that the violations committed included having to remove 1,000 used tires and send them to acquitted two others - lawyer Yousif Al- totally against making teachers use the adding aid would be given according invalid licenses, commercial fraud and con- the Salmi landfill. Mehaish and journalist Omar Al-Rashed. new system in view of their work bur- to family income, whether the husband den, which requires some leniency in works or is unemployed, whether the occasionally arriving late if they do not mother works or is unemployed, and if have the first period on the timetable. she is employed, how much she earns. Firemen battle Mahboula building blaze Further, the sources said that in The sources noted that aid will not doing this, the ministry complies with be given if both spouses work or the Civil Service Commission regulations mother gets a monthly salary over KD to implement the system that is 1,000, adding that children of Kuwaiti already being used for employees in mothers studying in public or private various government bodies and that universities and Public Authority for the project had been delayed for Applied Education and Training col- budgetary reasons. “A tender was leges already receive social offered for public bidding and the process will take more than one com- allowances. “Children will also not be pany to install the devices in over 900 given aid if the mother owns a busi- schools,” the sources explained. ness,” the sources added, noting that aid will be immediately suspended if it Social aid turns out that recipients have similar Official sources yesterday stressed monthly incomes.

A group photo of firemen who participated in the drill.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: Firemen from Mangaf and Fahaheel fire stations battled a blaze reported in a Mahboula building consisting of seven floors. The building was evacuated before firemen extinguished the fire which had started in a fourth floor apartment. No injuries were reported, and an investigation was opened to reveal the cause of the fire. Separately, Kuwait Fire Service Directorate (KFSD) carried out a drill at the Science Center yesterday. Bidaa, Salmiya and preven- tion fire stations participated in the exercise during which firemen were trained on evacuat- ing visitors and staff from the building, tackling a fire in the basement and rescuing an injured person on the first floor. Firemen participate in a drill at the Scientific Center.

KUWAIT: The scene inside the Mahboula building after firemen extinguished the blaze. International THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020 World leaders condemn Iran attack targeting India restricts palm oil imports after Malaysia criticism of Modi Page 9 US troops Page 8

KIEV: A woman uses a smartphone as she walks past an arrivals board displaying the Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 from Tehran marked as cancelled at the Boryspil airport outside Kiev yesterday. —AFP Airlines avoid Iran, Iraq airspace International carriers re-route or cancel flights after missile strikes WASHINGTON/MONTREAL: Major carriers from flying over Iraq, Iran and MH17 was downed by a missile fired over either country included Qatar airlines canceled Iran and Iraq flights the Gulf, citing the potential for from Ukraine, killing 298 people. But Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, yesterday and re-routed others away “misidentification” of aircraft. Its re-routing increases flight times and Turkish Airlines, flydubai, Air Arabia and from both countries’ airspace, following Russian counterpart, the Federal Air burns extra fuel. Australia’s Qantas low-cost long-haul carrier Norwegian an Iranian missile strike on United Transport Agency, said it was recom- Airways said yesterday it would add 50 Air, according to FlightRadar24 data. Encrypted app States-led forces in Iraq. Dubai-based mending that airlines avoid the air minutes to its Perth-London flight time “We fly across Iran on flights to and Emirates and low-cost flydubai were space over Iran, Iraq and the Persian and cut passenger numbers to carry from Dubai. Our security department aims to boost among airlines that canceled flights, as and Oman Gulfs “due to information more fuel as it re-routes around Iran monitors the situation closely with the US Federal Aviation Administration about current risks for safety of inter- and Iraq. The FAA had already prohib- ongoing evaluations,” Norwegian said in barred American carriers from the area. national passenger flights”. Gulf Air ited US carriers from Iranian airspace a statement. “The safety and security for sex crime But several other carriers continued and Kuwait Airways had already sus- and flying below 26,000 feet over Iraq, our passengers and crew is always our operations over the affected airspace. pended flights to Iraq shortly after after Iran shot down a high-altitude US number one priority.” Lufthansa and its Austrian Airlines unit Soleimani’s assassination, and on drone last June. Air France-KLM, which While Emirates and flydubai each reporting in India nonetheless decided to maintain flights Tuesday, EgyptAir said it would as halted flights to the Iranian capital in canceled a return flight to Baghdad, CHENNAI, India: Women in India will be able to to the Iranian capital, Tehran, this week, well, for three days. 2018, said it was also suspending Air Qatar Airways said its flights to Iraq anonymously report sexual abuse, seek medical or a statement said. The flight ban came shortly before a France flights through Iranian and Iraqi were operating normally. The use of legal aid and create private journals on a mobile app Iran fired more than a dozen ballistic Ukraine International Airlines Boeing airspace “as a precautionary measure”. Iranian and Iraqi airspace is particular- to be launched next week to make reporting of the missiles from its territory targeting at 737 burst into flames shortly after British Airways said a small number ly critical for the Qatari carrier, banned crime less traumatic for survivors. The Smashboard least two Iraqi military bases hosting take-off from Tehran, killing all 176 of its flights would be affected by re- from flying over Saudi Arabia, the app uses blockchain to create an encrypted space US-led coalition personnel early yes- people aboard in a crash blamed by routing, without elaborating. Virgin United Arab Emirates and Bahrain since where victims of sex crimes can store notes, photos, terday, the US military said. Within Ukrainian authorities on an engine fail- Atlantic, Singapore Airlines Ltd, mid-2017 as the result of a damaging screenshots, documents, video and audio as a journal hours, the FAA barred US carriers from ure. Non-US operators are not bound Malaysia Airlines, Air Canada and dispute with its neighbors. OPSGROUP, or time stamped evidence, said Noopur Tiwari, co- airspace over Iran, the Gulf of Oman by the FAA’s flight ban, but they and Taiwan’s China Airlines were also which advises airlines on security, said founder of the app. and the waters between Iran and Saudi other regulators consider its advice among carriers that re-routed flights. the new US flight bans were “signifi- The app also hopes to create an online commu- Arabia, citing “heightened military carefully when deciding where to fly. “As a result, flight times to and from cant”, particularly given that the entire nity of “feminists to fight patriarchy” and give sur- activities and increased political ten- The European Union Aviation Safety Mumbai may be slightly longer than over-water airspace in the region is vivors access to doctors, lawyers, journalists and sions in the Middle East, which present Agency (EASA) is studying the situa- expected,” a Virgin spokeswoman said. now unavailable. “Flights headed to and mental health experts. an inadvertent risk to US civil aviation tion, a spokeswoman said. Other major airlines maintained flights from the main airports in the region “From my own experience, I know that sur- operations.” Airlines have taken more steps to over Iraq and Iran but said they were such as Dubai will now need to route vivors find themselves very isolated and very few The US Federal Aviation avoid flying over conflict zones since actively monitoring the situation. through Saudi Arabia’s airspace,” it know what to do,” Tiwari told the Thomson Administration banned US-registered 2014, when Malaysia Airlines Flight As of 0830 GMT, airlines still flying said on its website. —Agencies Reuters Foundation in a phone interview ahead of the Jan. 15 official launch after two months of testing. “Our systems infantilizes survivors a great deal and they are not given any agency, Germany warns often alienating them. It ends up with many not finding any help at all. The app will give them that of ‘second support.” India topped a list of most dangerous nations for women in a Thomson Reuters Foundation 2018 Syria’ as EU survey, with more than 32,500 cases of rape regis- tered with the police in 2017, about 90 a day, hosts Libya PM according to the latest government data. Brutal rapes and attacks on survivors who seek BRUSSELS: EU leaders met the head of Libya’s UN- justice regularly hit the headlines in India. Added recognized government yesterday as they scramble to to this, stigma and legal delays also deter women contain the escalating crisis there, with Germany warn- from reporting sex crimes, human rights cam- ing the country could deteriorate into a “second Syria”. paigners said. To protect women from assault, Fayez Al-Sarraj, whose beleaguered Government of police in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and National Accord is facing an offensive by rival forces Telangana have launched their own mobile apps who control the country’s east, met EU diplomatic chief that promise immediate help when they hit the Josep Borrell, who cautioned that Libya was facing a SOS button. Women’s rights campaigners have “watershed point”. He also met EU Council President voiced concern over data privacy, stating that Charles Michel and German Foreign Minister Heiko these apps may put survivors at risk of being Maas, who told reporters that “we want to prevent blackmailed or called out in public if confidential Libya from becoming the scene of a proxy war or Libya BRUSSELS: Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj (left), shakes hands with European Council President Charles Michel information is leaked. becoming a second Syria.” Borrell’s and Maas’ warn- before their meeting at the Europa building in Brussels, yesterday. —AFP “I would be inherently skeptical of such technol- ings came after military strongman Khalifa Haftar’s ogy because of the high risk of data misuse,” said forces-who have support from the UAE, Egypt and Sherin Bosko, co-founder of charity Nakshatra that Russia-seized control of the coastal city of Sirte as part above all the political process under the aegis of the Libya has been plunged into chaos since a 2011 runs a rape crisis centre in Tamil Nadu’s capital, of his drive to take Tripoli and oust the GNA. United Nations.” NATO-backed uprising that killed longstanding dicta- Chennai. “Survivors can be blackmailed, threatened No date has been fixed for the Berlin conference, tor Muammar Gaddafi, and is now divided between the and further stigmatized if data on these platforms Foreign interference but Maas suggested it could happen in the coming GNA and Haftar’s rival authorities based in the coun- falls in the wrong hands. Credibility of the platform The EU pledged to “step up efforts towards a weeks. Borrell, who on Tuesday condemned Turkey for try’s east. Tensions escalated last year when Haftar is of utmost importance.” peaceful and political solution” in a statement released “interference” in the Libya conflict, earlier in the day launched an offensive to capture Tripoli and the conflict Tiwari said Smashboard would never harvest afterwards, hoping the so-called Berlin process-UN- warned that the situation in Libya was becoming is complicated by the involvement of outside forces data for other purposes, does not track users’ sponsored talks planned for the German capital-can increasingly perilous. Michel is due in Turkey this including the UAE and by Russian mercenaries backing locations, limits the number of accounts a person offer a way out. Maas, who a day earlier took part in weekend for talks with President Recep Tayyip the strongman-though Moscow denies playing a role. can have and allows pseudo-anonymity - whereby emergency talks on Libya with his French, British and Erdogan, while Borrell plans to meet other Libyan lead- The EU is keen to stop the conflict spiralling out of only site administrators can see information linked Italian counterparts, said Sarraj had given his full sup- ers including Haftar in search of a breakthrough. control, fearing that terror groups such as the Islamic to users. “We believe that the less personal infor- port to the Berlin process and pledged to “push ahead Ankara says it has sent 35 Turkish troops who are car- State could exploit the instability to launch attacks and mation we have on anybody, the less hassle of with what is to be agreed there-both a ceasefire and an rying out training and coordination tasks to support the concerned the turmoil could lead to more migrants try- storing it and less fear of getting hacked and los- arms embargo with the neighboring states, but also GNA, insisting they will not take part in any fighting. ing to cross the Mediterranean. —AFP ing it,” said Tiwari. —Reuters 7 International Thursday, January 9, 2020 Cyprus to host US rapid response unit for any Mideast evacuations Iraq pro-Iran factions ramp up threats to US

NOCOSIA: Cyprus said yesterday it had accepted a US on the full island in 1987 with an aim to prevent an arms request to station a rapid response team on the island in race and encourage a peaceful settlement between the case American diplomatic personnel or civilians need to be Greek majority and Turkish minority. Critics say the step evacuated amid rising US-Iranian tensions. Cyprus “gave has been counterproductive by forcing Cyprus to seek its consent for the temporary stationing in Cyprus of a other partners while Turkey, a NATO member, has sta- rapid response unit whose task will be to evacuate US tioned forces in northern Cyprus since the invasion. diplomatic missions to the region, as well as US citizens, if US officials have been concerned that the ban has necessary,” said government spokesman Kyriacos brought EU member Cyprus closer to Russia, with the Koushos. island in 2015 signing off on an access deal to its ports. He stressed that the request was accepted “for exclu- Under the new act, the United States will still restrict cer- sively humanitarian operations”. Koushos said the request tain sensitive technologies to Cyprus unless the US certi- was made through the US embassy in Nicosia. “It has been fies that the island is denying Russia military vessels port a longstanding practice for the Republic of Cyprus to pro- access for refuelling and servicing. In 2006, Cyprus was vide facilities for humanitarian operations on the basis of used as a ‘safe haven’ to evacuate nearly 60,000 civilians requests from third countries. from Lebanon in the largest operation of its kind since “We will continue to do so as a factor of stability and World War II. security in the region... thus taking advantage of our geo- Meanwhile, a top commander in Iraq’s Hashed Al- graphical location as well as our excellent relations with all Shaabi paramilitary network said yesterday it was time for the states of the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle an “Iraqi response” to a US drone strike that killed the East,” he added. The request came after Iran fired a volley network’s deputy chief. of missiles yesterday at Iraqi bases housing US and other “That response will be no less than the size of the foreign troops, the Islamic republic’s first action in its Iranian response. That is a promise,” Qais Al-Khazali, a promised revenge for the US killing of a top Iranian gener- hardline Hashed commander, threatened in a tweet. Iran al in Iraq last week. Ties between Washington and the launched missiles at Iraqi bases housing US troops early island’s internationally recognized government have grown yesterday in retaliation for last week’s US drone strike that of late-last month Washington lifted a 1987 arms embargo killed senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and on Cyprus as a sign of warmer relations. Hashed deputy chief Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had been due to The Hashed had already vowed it would retaliate but visit Cyprus on Tuesday but postponed an Asian tour due ramped up its threats after Tehran’s missile strikes. to the tensions with Iran. A former British colony, Cyprus Harakat Al-Nujaba, a hardline faction within the network, BASRA: An Iraqi student holds a placard that reads in Arabic: “If you don’t worry about your country, then hosts two sovereign British military bases. The island has thanked Iran for its attack. you’re a burden on it.. my loyalty is to Iraq”, during ongoing anti-government demonstrations in the been divided since 1974 when Turkey occupied its north- “To American soldiers: Do not close your eyes. southern city of Basra yesterday, shouting slogans against turning Iraq into a battleground. — AFP ern third in response to a Greek Cypriot coup engineered Revenge for the martyr Muhandis is coming at the hands by the military junta then ruling in Athens seeking union of Iraqis-until the last soldier among you leaves,” it said. with Greece. On Tuesday, Nujaba head Akram al-Kaabi said pro-Iran formed in order to execute a harsh, deliberate response to forces across Iraq. “We will wage a war against the Turkey has since maintained up to 35,000 troops in the groups had further unified their ranks to respond to the the American terrorist forces,” Kaabi said. His deputy had American presence in all parts of the region that we can breakaway north. The United States imposed an embargo US. “The International Resistance Regiments have been earlier called for an urgent meeting to unite anti-American reach,” said Nasr Al-Shammary. —AFP

cy and its former governor resigned amid a political scan- Puerto Rico dal and massive street protests last year. Vazquez ordered schools and other public offices closed while emergency responders searched crumpled buildings for possible vic- inches back tims and engineers inspected others for safety. Iran and the US: Some Puerto Ricans in the hard-hit south of the island to normal moved beds outside on Tuesday night and slept outdoors, Months of escalating fearful their homes would crumble if another earthquake after earthquake hit, Vazquez said. Hundreds of quakes have touched the island, including tensions 10 of magnitude 4 or greater, since December 28, the US SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico’s power grid crept Geological Survey said. Around 750 people spent the TEHRAN: Tensions between Iran and the United States back to service yesterday after it was shut down entirely night in shelters in southern towns hit hardest, the govern- have been steadily escalating for months. After a US as a safety measure on Tuesday amid a storm of earth- ment reported. Bottled water, batteries and flashlights ran strike killed a top Iranian commander last week and Iran quakes including the most powerful to strike the low at supermarkets in the capital San Juan and long lines launched retaliation strikes yesterday, here is a review: Caribbean island in 102 years. The temblers including one formed outside gas stations. Backup generators kept the of magnitude 6.4 killed at least one person and flattened Two firemen survey a collapsed building after an earthquake city’s international airport functioning. Puerto Ricans are Terror blacklist homes across the southern coast, provoking a state of hit the island in Guanica, Puerto Rico on Tuesday. — AFP used to dealing with hurricanes but powerful quakes are On April 8, 2019 Washington declares Iran’s elite emergency on the island of 3 million people and the acti- rare. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, this is the first time this Revolutionary Guard Corps a “terrorist” group. Its Quds vation of the National Guard. Governor Wanda Vazquez said on Tuesday power should has happened to us,” said Patricia Alonso, 48, who lost Force, which operates abroad, is also put on the black- Nearly 500,000 customers had service yesterday be restored to most of the island within 48 hours provided power and water at her home and headed to her mother’s list. On May 5, White House national security adviser morning, up from 100,000 the night before, and the island there were no more earthquakes. apartment building with her 13-year-old son as it had a John Bolton announces the deployment of an aircraft was generating about 542 megawatts of electricity, the Puerto Ricans endured lengthy power outages in 2017 generator. carrier and a bomber task force to the Middle East. power authority AEE said, still short of the demand of following devastating Hurricane Maria, one of a series of The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency some 2,000 megawatts. The large Costa Sur plant suffered natural and man-made disasters to afflict the U.S. territory (FEMA) said on Tuesday that aid had been made available Nuclear accord unravels severe damage and remained out of service, though in recent years. The island is also going through bankrupt- for earthquake response efforts. — Reuters On May 8, a year after Washington unilaterally withdrew from an international 2015 deal curbing Iran’s nuclear program and reimposed sanctions, Tehran warns it is prepared to resume nuclear activity. Trump announces new measures against Iran’s steel Re-elected Venezuela and mining sectors. Attacks on ships oppn leader On May 12, four ships, including three oil tankers, are damaged in mysterious attacks in the Gulf that the calls for protests United States blames on Iran. On May 25, the United States says it is deploying 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to counter “credible threats” from CARACAS: Venezuela opposition leader Juan Guaido Iran. Two tankers, Norwegian and Japanese, come called Tuesday for three days of protests against under attack in the Gulf of Oman on June 13. President Nicolas Maduro, hours after he was sworn in Washington, London and Riyadh blame Iran, which for another term as National Assembly speaker follow- denies involvement. ing a standoff with the armed forces. Guaido was barred from entering the assembly by the National Guard for US drone shot down around half an hour in dramatic and chaotic scenes, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says on June 20 it shot while a rival claimant to the speaker’s post occupied the down a US drone that violated Iranian airspace near chair. “It’s time to stand up and to stand up with force,” the Strait of Hormuz. Trump approves a retaliatory Guaido said later during a press conference. strike, but cancels it at the last minute. On June 24, “We will mobilize for street protests on Thursday Trump announces “hard-hitting” financial sanctions on and Friday, and on Saturday we will all be in the Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and streets.” Guaido, self-appointed acting president of MOGADISHU: People start cleaning debris at the site where a car bomb exploded near the Somali parliament senior Iranian military leaders. On July 18, Trump says Venezuela, leads the opposition to leftist Maduro, in Mogadishu, Somalia, yesterday. — AFP the US military took down an Iranian drone that came who remains in power despite Guaido’s year-long dangerously close to one of its naval vessels in the effort to oust the man he calls a “usurper.” The Strait of Hormuz. On July 1, Iran announces it has National Assembly legislature is the only branch of the blast,” he said. Shamso Ali, another witness, breached a cap on its uranium enrichment set out in government in opposition hands, and Guaido’s hold- Four killed in described “smoke and chaos along the road, the blast the 2015 deal. ing of the speaker’s post is important for continuation was very heavy”. of his struggle with Maduro. Guaido is backed by the car bombing “Thanks to God I was a distance away but I saw the Saudi oil attack United States and more than 50 other countries but, smoke and several vehicles caught on fire,” he said. On September 14, aerial attacks claimed by despite Venezuela’s economic collapse, Maduro Mogadishu is regularly hit by attacks by Al-Shabaab, Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels spark fires at two appears entrenched with crucial support from the near Somalia which has fought for more than a decade to topple the major Saudi oil facilities. Tehran is accused by the armed forces. He is also backed by China, Russia and Somali government. The powerful blast comes after Al- United States and other powers of being responsible Cuba. “Here we are, showing our face,” Guaido said, parliament Shabaab claimed a massive car bombing in Mogadishu on but denies involvement. On September 20, Trump taking his seat in the assembly after rival claimant December 28 that killed 81 people. announces “the highest sanctions ever imposed on a Luis Parra and pro-government lawmakers left. The attack hit a busy checkpoint in the southwest of country”, hitting Iran’s central bank. On November 7, Lawmakers sang the national anthem but electricity MOGADISHU: At least four people were killed and 10 the city, leaving vehicles charred and twisted at a cross- Tehran resumes uranium enrichment at its under- to the chamber was cut off, leaving deputies to use wounded when a car bomb exploded close to a check- roads in the deadliest assault in two years in the Horn of ground Fordo plant-its fourth walk-back from the flashlights on their mobile phones. Guaido then raised point near Somalia’s parliament in the capital Mogadishu Africa country. Scores more were wounded. Al-Shabaab 2015 nuclear accord. his right hand and took the oath of office for another yesterday, police said. A plume of thick black smoke was has also managed to expand its network in the region, term as leader of the assembly. Earlier, dozens of seen over the city and witnesses said a number of vehi- especially in Kenya which has suffered several devastating US backs protesters National Guard troops wearing helmets and carrying cles were on fire. attacks in retaliation for it sending troops into Somalia in Iran is furious when the US expresses support for riot shields blocked Guaido from entering the building. Islamist group Al-Shabaab claimed the attack, after a 2011. On Sunday, three US citizens died and several air- protesters who take to the streets on November 15 “These are not barracks!” Guaido shouted. Some spike in activity in recent days by the Al-Qaeda linked craft and military vehicles were destroyed when Al- after a fuel price hike. The White House condemns of his allies and members of the press were also group which has seen it inflict mass casualties in Somalia Shabaab stormed a military base in Kenya’s coastal Lamu Iran for using “lethal force” in the days of violence, blocked from getting inside. The opposition said on and attack a US military base in Kenya. “Explosives were region. Also Sunday, just hours after the attack, police which reportedly leaves scores dead. Iran’s foreign Twitter that four lawmakers were injured by “regime packed in a vehicle which the security forces think was arrested three men who tried to force their way into a ministry criticizes “American economic terrorism”. minions.” Parra, an opposition legislator accused of trying to pass through the checkpoint but because he British military training camp in the central Kenyan town of corruption, had declared himself speaker on Sunday could not do that, the suicide bomber detonated it,” said Nanyuki. The Al-Qaeda-linked group has in the past car- US strike kills commander after the armed forces had prevented Guaido from police officer Adan Abdullahi. “Initial reports we have ried out bloody sieges against civilians in Kenya, such as On December 29, the United States carries out air entering the building. Guaido had declared Sunday received indicate four people were killed and more than 10 the upmarket Westgate Mall in 2013 and Garissa strikes against bases of a pro-Iran group in Iraq, that he was re-elected to his post after holding a leg- others were wounded in the blast.” University in 2015. The uptick in attacks comes almost a killing at least 25 fighters. The strikes are in retaliation islative session alongside loyal deputies at the offices year since the January 15 siege on an upscale Nairobi for rocket attacks against US interests in Iraq, includ- of a pro-opposition newspaper. Crisis-hit Venezuela ‘There was chaos’ hotel which left 21 people dead. ing one in which a US civilian contractor is killed on has been in political turmoil since last January when Abdirahman Mohamed, who was at a nearby grocery In recent statements, Al-Shabaab has referred to an December 27. On December 31, pro-Iran protesters Guaido used his position as speaker to declare him- store when the blast occurred, said he saw several dead increase in US military air strikes under President Donald storm the US embassy compound in Baghdad self acting president in a direct challenge to the bodies. “I saw the dead bodies of several people some of Trump, accusing Washington of killing innocent civilians. expressing fury over the strikes. Trump warns Tehran authority of Maduro. — AFP them killed by shrapnel inside their vehicles. There was AFRICOM said in April it had killed more than 800 people it could “pay a very big price”. — AFP chaos... and ambulances reached the scene soon after in 110 strikes in Somalia since April 2017. — AFP 8 International Thursday, January 9, 2020 World leaders condemn Iran attack targeting US troops Netanyahu warns of ‘resounding blow’ if Iran attacks Israel

PARIS: World leaders yesterday condemned Iran’s mis- the crisis was hampering the fight against Islamic State. sile attack on Iraqi bases housing US and other foreign EU foreign ministers will hold emergency talks on the troops and urged an end to the escalating confronta- Iran crisis Friday. tion between Tehran and Washington. Iran said it had acted to avenge the US killing of top Iranian general ‘Restraint and responsibility’ Qasem Soleimani last week, warning it would hit back French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a even harder if Washington responded. statement: “The priority is more than ever for a de- escalation. “France remains determined to work to ease ‘All is well’ tensions and is in contact with all the parties to encour- “All is well!” US President Donald Trump tweeted. age restraint and responsibility.” “Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good!” ‘Logic of dialogue’ Germany called on Iran to end a “spiral” of conflict ‘Refrain from further violence’ and condemned the Iranian attack. Chancellor Angela NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said: “I condemn the Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters all Iranian missile attacks on US and coalition forces in parties needed to “exercise restraint and to turn away Iraq. NATO calls on Iran to refrain from further vio- from a logic of escalation and towards a logic of dia- lence.” A NATO official said none of its troops in Iraq logue”. Germany temporarily withdrew 32 of its sol- had been hurt in the strikes. The alliance had said diers from a camp close to Baghdad on Tuesday. Tuesday it would take some personnel out of the coun- try for safety reasons. ‘Battlefield for warring sides’ Iraq’s President Barham Saleh said he feared “dangerous ‘Urgent de-escalation’ developments” in the region. “We denounce the Iranian “Iran should not repeat these reckless and danger- missile bombing that hit military installations on Iraqi terri- ous attacks but should instead pursue urgent de-esca- tory and renew our rejection of the repeated violation of lation,” Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson told par- state sovereignty and the transformation of Iraq into a bat- liament. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab warned that tlefield for warring sides,” his office said in a statement. WASHINGTON, DC: Anti-war activist march from the White House to the Trump International Hotel in another war in the Middle East would only benefit the Washington, DC. —AFP Islamic State group “and other terrorist groups”. Israeli warning IsraeIi Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned ‘No-one’s interest’ yesterday that Israel would strike a “resounding blow” if US drone attack last week that killed a top Iranian com- is continuing apace”. “The state of Israel is the stable EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the attack attacked by arch foe Iran, as regional tensions soar after mander. “Anyone who attacks us will receive a resounding anchor in these turbulent waters,” he added. While Israel was yet another example of “escalation and increased the US killing of a top Iranian general. The premier was blow,” Netanyahu said to applause at a Jerusalem confer- and Iran remain sworn enemies, Netanyahu said his coun- confrontation”. “It is in no-one’s interest to turn up the speaking hours after Iran launched a salvo of missiles on ence. Despite the general’s assassination, Netanyahu said try was increasingly “getting the recognition of the Arab spiral of violence even further,” he added, warning that bases in Iraq used by the United States in retaliation for a Iran’s regional “destabilization continues and the struggle world because we are strong”. —AFP

Soleimani’s many supporters in Iraq. US insists no On Sunday the Iraqi parliament voted in support of expelling US troops, and the idea gained force Monday when the ‘Aggressive’ plans to pull letter from the head of Task Force-Iraq, US Brigadier General William Seely, man held on out of Iraq announcing a US exit was revealed. Seely wrote the US-led coalition would WASHINGTON: The United States has “be repositioning forces in the coming Paris train no plans to withdraw its troops from days and weeks to prepare for onward Iraq, the White House and Pentagon movement.” Trump and Esper strongly THE HAGUE: Dutch police arrested a man who insisted Tuesday, as Iraq premier Adel denied pullout plans, and Trump even acted “aggressively” and was heard shouting Allahu Abdel Mahdi said he had received a US suggested the letter could be a “hoax.” Akbar on a train from Amsterdam to Paris yester- letter signalling a pullout. day, causing the train to be halted. President Donald Trump said with- Mystery letter No weapons were found and no one was injured drawing the more than 5,000 US troops But its existence continued to ripple in the incident on the high-speed Thalys train, said in Iraq would be the “worst thing” for through Iraqi and US politics, with no police in the port city of Rotterdam where the train that country. Defense Secretary Mark explanation of why it was circulated. “It stopped. “In the train from Amsterdam to Paris, a 28- Esper underscored that US policy has was an official letter written in such a year-old man behaved aggressively this morning. not changed, dismissing as a mere “draft” manner,” Abdel Mahdi told a televised Travellers heard the man shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’, and the unsigned letter from a US general to cabinet meeting Tuesday. “It’s not a MOSUL: In this file photo taken on June 21, 2017 a US soldier advising Iraqi panic broke out briefly,” the police said on Twitter. Iraq’s government saying Washington piece of paper that fell off the printer or forces is seen in the city of Mosul, during the ongoing offensive by Iraqi troops “The man has been arrested and the police are to retake the last district still held by the Islamic State (IS) group. —AFP would redeploy troops “in due deference reached us by coincidence,” he said. investigating the case. No injuries and no weapons to the sovereignty” of the country. “At The letter discussed “redeploying were found.” Dutch broadcaster NOS quoted some point we want to get out, but this with an aim to withdraw from the coun- also defended the decision to kill nice resort some place in Baghdad,” police as saying that the man “behaved confused isn’t the right point,” Trump said. “It’s the try. The expressions were very clear,” he Soleimani, who was a commander of the Trump said of Soleimani and top Iraqi and shouted strange things.” worst thing that could happen to Iraq.” said. But Trump warned that a US depar- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in military figure Abu Mahdi al- Dutch railway operator NS was quoted by local “Our policy has not changed. We are not ture would leave a gap that would be charge of Middle East regional affairs, Muhandis, also killed in the strike. media as saying the train, which left Amsterdam at leaving Iraq,” Esper told reporters. filled by Iran, whose powerful political and who was considered one of the most “They were there to discuss bad busi- 6:15 am (0515 GMT), continued on its way after a “There is no signed letter, to the best of influence in Iraq was spearheaded by powerful people in Iran. While the White ness, and we saved a lot of lives by ter- half-hour delay. In 2015 a Moroccan jihadist armed my knowledge,” Esper added. Soleimani. “If we leave, that would mean House and Pentagon continued to with- minating his life.” with guns and a box cutter attacked people on a that Iran would have a much bigger hold details of the rationale for Friday’s Esper said he fully expected Tehran to Thalys from Amsterdam to Paris before being tack- Fallout from drone strike foothold, and the people of Iraq do not drone strike, Esper said Soleimani was retaliate, and cautioned that while the led by three Americans on holiday. Washington continued to defend itself want to see Iran run the country. That I planning imminent attacks against US United States “is not seeking a war with The attacker, Ayoub El Khazzani, acted under from the fallout from its drone strike last can tell you,” Trump told reporters. assets. “I think it’s more fair to say days, Iran, we are prepared to finish one.” “We the orders of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who later went Friday killing powerful Iranian General “The Iraqi people were not happy for sure,” Esper said. are seeking a diplomatic solution but on to plan the Paris attacks in November 2015, Qasem Soleimani just after he arrived in when the suggestion was made yester- first, this will require Iran to de-escalate,” investigators say. —AFP Baghdad from Damascus. The killing of day that we were thinking about leaving Not a vacation he said. “It will require the regime to the key Iranian player in regional politics at some point,” he said. “But at some “They weren’t there to discuss a come to the table with the goal of pre- and security drew outrage from Iran and point, we will want to leave.” US officials vacation. They weren’t there to go to a venting further bloodshed.” —AFP Boeing crash “As tempting as it is to use the tools Facebook exec available to us to change the outcome, I am probe protocol confident we must never do that or we will become that which we fear,” Bosworth hampered by says it helped wrote. That doesn’t mean Facebook should not draw a line when it comes to how it is put Trump in used, he reasoned. Clearly inciting violence, Iran-US tensions thwarting voting, and other blatant trans- gressions should be banned, but voters PARIS: There are clear international rules governing investiga- White House should be trusted to decide what kind of tions into air crashes, but in the case of yesterday’s Ukrainian leaders they want to elect, according to passenger jet disaster in Iran they are likely to fall victim to heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington. The LAS VEGAS: A senior Facebook executive Bosworth. “If we don’t want hate-monger- Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 crashed less on Tuesday said the world’s biggest social ing politicians then we must not elect than three minutes after taking off from Tehran’s airport, killing network unintentionally helped put Donald them,” Bosworth wrote. “If we change the 176, mostly Iranians and Canadians. Tehran has already indicat- Trump in the White House but warned outcomes without winning the minds of the ed it would not hand over to Americans the recovered flight against dramatic rule changes. The Trump people who will be ruled then we have a recorders, the so-called black boxes, for investigation. campaign did effectively use Facebook to democracy in name only. If we limit what The rules on probes into air crashes are set down in the 1944 rally support for his presidential run, and information people have access to and Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, and the the social network should be mindful of that what they can say then we have no democ- responsibility for the investigations is assigned to the countries racy at all.” without making moves that stifle free politi- SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook’s hardware vice president Andrew Bosworth ges- where they occur. cal discourse, Andrew Bosworth said in a tures as he speaks during an AFP interview on September 17, 2019 in San This puts Iran in charge of the investigation, but the country lengthy post on his personal Facebook War rooms Francisco, California. —AFP that manufactured the aircraft and the country of the airline page triggered by The New York Times Bosworth’s comments came with that operated the plane are also to have representatives publishing an internal memo he wrote. Facebook under pressure to better protect involved in the probe. “So was Facebook responsible for user data and prevent its services from of mind for me is regulation and how the around the world,” Everson said. In theory this means that the US National Transportation Donald Trump getting elected?” Bosworth being used to spread misinformation, exac- privacy landscape is developing,” Everson “We have 70 to 90 elections each year, Safety Board, which is the body charged with investigating air asked. “I think the answer is yes, but not for erbate social divides and sway political accidents, would be involved as Boeing is based in the United said. “We would like help on the regulatory so we have been getting better. War rooms the reasons anyone thinks.” Bosworth con- opinions as was the case in 2016 in the US. States, and would likely rely on experts from the manufacturer. front for privacy and security.” are part of our strategy.” Facebook will ban tended Trump was not elected because of Keeping the social network secure while Facebook priorities this year include hyper-realistic deepfake videos ahead of “That could be a little complicated,” said Jean-Paul Troadec, thwarting misinformation and fending off former head of France’s BEA airline safety agency. The crash Russia or misinformation or Cambridge preventing the platform from being used by the US election but will still allow heavily Analytica, but rather because he ran “the competition with new features were among malevolent actors to influence the US elec- edited clips so long as they are parody or came on the same day that US-Iranian tensions rose to new priorities laid out by executives at the heights as Iran fired a volley of missiles at Iraqi bases housing single best digital ad campaign I’ve ever tion, according to Everson. The social net- satire. Everson re-affirmed Facebook will Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas US and other foreign troops, the Islamic republic’s first act in its seen from any advertiser.” work is in nearly 200 countries around the stick with its controversial policy of allow- promised revenge for the US killing of a top Iranian general. Since Facebook has the same ad policies Tuesday. “The innovation piece is impor- world, where scores of elections take place ing politicians to post information proven Boeing said it was in contact with Ukraine International in place now, the outcome of the 2020 tant to us while we keep people in the com- annually, and will apply lessons learned to be false. Airlines and that it was “ready to assist in any way needed”. election could be the same as it was four pany focused on security,” said Facebook through experience to the US, Everson “We do not believe we are in the posi- However, the head of Iran Civil Aviation Organisation head, Ali years ago, he added. Facebook has main- vice president of global marketing solutions said. Facebook will once again have a “war tion to be the arbiter of truth, but we have Abedzadeh, said while the Ukrainians were free to participate in tained a hands-off policy on political ads, in Carolyn Everson. room” to coordinate responses to election been clear that we are continuing to evalu- the probe into the crash, “we will not give the black boxes to the contrast with Google which in November Facebook provided visitors a look at a or voter manipulation efforts by state ate how we can do it better,” Everson said. manufacturer (Boeing) and the Americans,” according to the placed restrictions on how advertisers can revamped “Privacy Checkup” tool for users actors or others in real time. “We don’t want people to mislead on our Mehr news agency. —AFP target specific groups of voters. which is rolling out this week. “What is top “The war room model has been working platform.” —AFP 9 International Thursday, January 9, 2020 India restricts palm oil imports after Malaysia criticism of Modi Indonesia’s share of India’s palm imports could rise MUMBAI: India imposed restrictions on new citizenship law, which critics say under- third of India’s palm oil imports, but a lower imports of refined palm oil and palmolein yes- mines the country’s secular foundations. duty on refined palm oil helped Malaysia to terday, a move sources said was retaliation Palmolein is a liquid form of palm oil used in overtake Indonesia as India’s biggest suppli- against top supplier Malaysia after its criticism cooking. New Delhi had earlier this week er in 2019. Palm oil is crucial for the of India’s actions in Kashmir and a new citizen- informally asked palm oil refiners and traders Malaysian economy as it accounts for 2.8 ship law. The Indian Ministry of Commerce and to avoid buying Malaysian palm oil. percent of gross domestic product and 4.5 Industry issued a notification declaring that The decision to restrict all imports of percent of total exports. State-owned and the import of refined palm oil “is amended refined palm oil is also likely to boost business private Malaysian refineries will likely have from ‘Free’ to ‘Restricted.’” for Indian refiners of the vegetable oil. Indian to scramble to find new buyers for their Four industry sources told Reuters that the crude palm oil, soyoil soybean and rapeseed refined product. memo was an effective ban on imports of prices jumped after the announcement. Indian refiners need the boost as refining refined palm oil, meaning India can now only “This move in a way will punish Malaysia activity in the country has been hit in the past import crude palm oil. It will hit Malaysia, the and will help local refiners as well,” a Mumbai- year by imports of cheaper refined palm oil, main supplier to India of refined palm oil and based refiner, who declined to be named, said. said B V Mehta, executive director of the palmolein, but is likely to help Indonesia, the The Indian Ministry of Commerce and Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA), a biggest exporter of crude palm oil. Indian gov- Industry did not respond to a request for fur- Mumbai-based trade body. “Indian refiners ernment and industry sources told Reuters that ther information. Malaysia’s Primary Industries were struggling for survival ... The ban on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nation- Minister Teresa Kok, who is responsible for the refined palm oil imports will help refiners, local alist government was seeking to target palm oil industry, declined to comment. farmers and help in creating new jobs,” Mehta Malaysia after recent criticism of India by “Malaysia is in a lose-lose situation with said. Palm oil accounts for nearly two-thirds of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. this ruling,” said Sathia Varqa owner and co- India’s total edible oil imports. The country Mahathir said in October that India “invad- founder of Singapore-based Palm Oil buys more than 9 million tons of palm oil annu- ed and occupied” Kashmir, a disputed Muslim- Analytics, adding “India will ramp up buying of ally, mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia. majority region also claimed by Pakistan. Last CPO from Indonesia.” Indonesia is the world’s biggest producer of In this file photo, a worker collects palm oil fruits at a plantation in Bahau, month he said India was stoking unrest with its Indonesia traditionally corned around two- palm oil, followed by Malaysia. — Reuters Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. — Reuters

water,” the APY Lands executive committee said in a Snipers to cull statement. South Australia’s environment department, which is supporting the aerial cull, said the drought had also created “critical animal welfare issues” as some 10,000 camels in camels have died of thirst or trampled each other as they Man pleads not guilty rush to find water. drought-stricken “In some cases dead animals have contaminated impor- to murder of 19 at tant water sources and cultural sites,” a spokesperson Australia added. Camels were first introduced to Australia in the 1840s to aid in the exploration of the continent’s vast inte- Japan care home rior, with up to 20,000 imported from India in the six decades that followed. SYDNEY: Snipers took to helicopters in Australia yester- YOKOHAMA: The man accused of murdering 19 dis- Australia is now thought to have the largest wild camel day to begin a mass cull of up to 10,000 camels as abled people at a Japanese care home in one of the population in the world, with official estimates suggesting drought drives big herds of the feral animals to search for country’s worst mass killings pleaded not guilty yester- more than one million are roaming the country’s inland water closer to remote towns, endangering indigenous day as his trial began. Satoshi Uematsu, a former employ- deserts. The animals are considered a pest, as they foul communities. Local officials in South Australia state said ee of the care center outside Tokyo, did not dispute his water sources and trample native flora while foraging for “extremely large” herds have been encroaching on rural involvement in the 2016 stabbing rampage during his first food over vast distances each day. Traditional owners in communities-threatening scarce food and drinking water, court appearance on charges including murder. the APY Lands have for years mustered and sold off feral damaging infrastructure, and creating a dangerous hazard After prosecutors read out the details of the charges, camels but more recently they have “been unable to man- for drivers. SYDNEY: Ian Rowan, the 2009 world champion camel jockey, the judge asked Uematsu “is there anything in the charges age the scale and number of camels that congregate in dry It comes after Australia experienced its hottest and dri- leads camel “Aloki” along Sydney’s Circular Quay during a that differs from the facts?” “No there isn’t,” Uematsu conditions”, according to the environment department. est year on record in 2019, with the severe drought caus- promotional event in this July 4, 2011 file photo. — AFP replied, dressed in a navy suit with a white shirt and tie, As a result, “up to 10,000 camels will be destroyed in ing some towns to run out of water and fuelling deadly his long black hair tied back in a ponytail. But despite accordance with the highest standards of animal welfare”, bushfires that have devastated the country’s southeast. The admitting the horrifying attack, Uematsu’s lawyers local media reported. “These (camel) groups are putting it added. Public broadcaster ABC reported the animals five-day cull in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara entered a plea of not guilty, saying their client was suffer- pressure on the remote Aboriginal communities in the APY would be killed away from communities and the carcasses (APY) Lands-home to about 2,300 indigenous people in ing a “mental disorder” linked to his use of marijuana. Lands and the pastoral operations as the camels search for burned. — AFP the north-west of South Australia-is the first in the state, “He abused marijuana and suffered from mental ill- ness. He became a different person and as a result, this incident happened,” his lawyer said. “He was in a condi- tion in which either he had no capacity to take respon- Planes, trains and sibility or such a capacity was significantly weakened.” Dozen hurt in The session was disrupted shortly after it began boxes: Ghosn’s when court security restrained Uematsu after he fresh Indian reportedly attempted to put something in his mouth. The disturbance prompted the judge to call an audacious escape unscheduled recess, and Uematsu was not in court student clashes when the session briefly resumed in the afternoon. TOKYO: Private jets, bullet trains and boxes with Uematsu has reportedly said he wanted to eradicate AHMEDABAD: At least a dozen people were injured holes for breathing: Carlos Ghosn’s escape from Japan, all disabled people in the horrifying attack at the Tsukui yesterday in fresh clashes between student groups loyal where he was awaiting trial, is worthy of a Hollywood Yamayuri-en center in the town of Sagamihara outside to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and opponents plot. A millionaire many times over, used to hob-nob- Tokyo, which also injured 26 people. He turned himself in to police after the attack, carrying bloodied knives, with the main opposition Congress party, police said. bing with the Davos set, Ghosn chafed at what he felt and it later emerged that he had left his job at the home Student politics has turned ugly in recent weeks over were the tight restrictions imposed as a condition of just months earlier and had been forcibly hospitalized several issues, including a new citizenship law, heavy- his bail ahead of an expectedly lengthy trial for finan- after telling colleagues he intended to kill disabled peo- handed police tactics and hikes in university fees. cial misconduct. ple at the center. He had been discharged after 12 days The latest confrontation, in Modi’s home state, As 2019 drew to a close, the former boss of Renault- came two days after attackers rampaged through a when a doctor decided he was not a threat. He had also Nissan made a break for it. Here’s what we know about written a letter outlining plans to attack the home, Delhi university, leaving 34 injured and sparking his dramatic flight: nationwide protests. Critics and media reports claiming “disabled people only create unhappiness.” Prosecutors said they would prove he was capable blamed the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad ‘Bullet train’ (ABVP), a student body linked to Modi’s ruling of taking responsibility for the attack, adding the ram- Contrary to early reports of a Houdini-like escape Bharatiya Janata Party, for the violence on Sunday page was “inhumane” and left “no room for leniency.” from his house hidden in a musical instrument case, it evening at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Uematsu faces the death penalty if convicted on some seems the tycoon simply walked out of his luxury Police reportedly stood by and did nothing to stop of the six charges, including murder, with a verdict the attack, while videos purportedly from the scene central Tokyo residence on December 29, security BEIRUT: Former Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn (left) expected on March 16. Since his arrest, he has shown showed masked men swinging batons as students camera footage shows. According to Japanese media, arrives at the Lebanese Press Syndicate to address a large no remorse, telling Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun daily in an screamed in terror. he met two US citizens in a nearby hotel and the trio crowd of journalists on his reasons for dodging trial in interview that people with mental disabilities “have no Police in Gujarat state in western India said fresh took a shinkansen bullet train from Shinagawa, a Japan, where he is accused of financial misconduct, in Beirut heart”, and “there’s no point in living” for them. “I had to violence broke out on Tuesday when members of the major Tokyo hub, to Osaka in western Japan, a trip of yesterday. — AFP do it for the sake of society,” he said of the attack. Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India around three hours Uematsu’s beliefs shocked Japan, with experts and activists raising questions about whether others might (NSUI) held a protest outside the ABVP’s offices. All three headed to a hotel near Kansai International However, a source close to the matter told AFP the hold similar views. — AFP “Some 10 to 12 people have been injured in the clash,” Airport, with security camera footage showing only the Tokyo court had allowed Ghosn to keep his second K N Damor, deputy commissioner of Ahmedabad two Americans leaving, carrying “two big boxes”-with French passport so long as it was kept “in a locked police, told journalists. One unverified but widely Ghosn apparently inside one of them. case” with the key held by his lawyers. This second shared video suggests members of the ABVP chasing He departed in a private jet-Turkish investigators say French document was so he could prove his short-term and hitting an NSUI activist with sticks. a Bombardier labelled TC-TSR-that landed in Istanbul visa status if needed when travelling in Japan-which Prolific UK rapist The ABVP accused the NSUI of instigating the at 5:15am local time on December 30 and parked in a was allowed in his bail conditions. clashes. Beyond universities, almost a month of violent hangar. A Japanese transport ministry official has told He apparently used this to enter Lebanon-airport protests across the country against the new citizen- AFP that security checks on luggage are not necessary documents there seen by AFP show he entered on a sparks shock, disgust ship law has left more than 25 people dead. for private jet operators and the boxes were apparently French passport. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le The law speeds up citizenship claims from perse- too big for the X-ray machines at the airport. cuted minorities from Islamic-majority Pakistan, Drian said he had “no particular information” about in Indonesia Citing sources close to the investigation in Turkey, that. Japanese authorities have confirmed there is no Afghanistan and Bangladesh, but not if they are the Wall Street Journal said holes had been drilled in the JAKARTA: The father of an Indonesian student described Muslim. Combined with a mooted citizens register, it record of Ghosn departing the country-lending cre- box containing Ghosn so the executive could breathe. dence to the cargo box theory. as Britain’s most prolific rapist said his son’s life sentence has stoked fears that Modi wants to remold India as a “fits the crimes”, as the lurid case sparked shock and dis- Hindu nation and marginalize its 200 million Muslims, gust in his native country. On Monday, a judge in ‘Clandestine getaway’ What next? something he denies. — AFP Manchester sentenced Reynhard Sinaga, a 36-year-old Turkish news agency DHA said in Istanbul Ghosn Interpol, the international police cooperation body, doctoral student, to life in prison and called him an “evil boarded a second private jet to Beirut, a Bombardier issued a “red notice” for Ghosn’s arrest, but Beirut Challenger 300 TC-RZA, which left 45 minutes later. sexual predator” who preyed on drunken young men on and Tokyo do not have an extradition agreement nights out. Turkey’s Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said seven under which he could be sent back to Japan, and people had been detained in connection with the jets, The court heard he may have attacked as many as 195 Lebanese officials say he entered the country legally. men, luring them into his flat with the offer of a place to including four pilots. Five were formally arrested. The However, an official speaking on condition of stay or alcohol. Sinaga was found guilty of 159 offences, Turkish private jet company MNG filed a complaint anonymity told AFP that Ghosn would receive a sum- including 136 rapes and eight attempted rapes, at four Friday alleging its aircraft were used illegally, and said mons from the Lebanese judiciary which “is obliged separate trials, according to the Crown Prosecution one employee admitted to falsifying the flight manifest to hear him” but “can still decide whether to arrest Service, making him “the most prolific rapist in British legal to keep Ghosn off the passenger list. him or let him remain free”. history”. “We accept the verdict. His punishment fits his The 65-year-old former car executive has insisted he Nevertheless, he could still find himself in hot water crimes. I don’t want to discuss the case any further,” acted alone, without help from his family. in Lebanon. Three lawyers submitted a report to the Sinaga’s father Saibun told BBC Indonesia. The family The Wall Street Journal said he was aided by a for- public prosecutor demanding he be prosecuted over a could not be immediately contacted by AFP. mer US special forces operative, Michael Taylor, now 2008 trip he made to Israel-a country Lebanon bans its The Jakarta Post reported that Sinaga was born in working as a private security contractor and described citizens from visiting. A source close to the case in Sumatra’s Jambi province but spent time in Depok on the AMRITSAR: Students hold placards to protest against as an “expert in the art of clandestine getaways”. Japan has told AFP that a trial over alleged financial outskirts of Jakarta. He reportedly moved to Britain in India’s new citizenship law as they join a nationwide misconduct involving Ghosn’s right-hand man Greg 2007 to take a master’s degree in sociology and later pur- general strike called by trade unions aligned with Passport roulette Kelly and Nissan could still proceed. Ghosn denies all sued a PhD at Leeds University. Media reports said he was opposition parties to protest the government’s eco- In his own words, Ghosn was a symbol of globaliza- the charges against him and has told Fox Business that the eldest of four siblings who hailed from a wealthy nomic policies, near the railway station in Amritsar tion and he held three nationalities: French, Brazilian he is ready to name executives and officials he says Catholic family. yesterday. — AFP and Lebanese. As part of his bail conditions, three pass- conspired against him in a “plot” to prevent Nissan get- A University of Indonesia classmate said she was ports were kept locked up by his lawyers. ting too close to French firm Renault. — AFP shocked at his crimes. — AFP 10

Thursday, January 9, 2020 Analysis

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Turkish support for Tripoli could ‘rebalance forces’ in Libya

he planned arrival of Turkish military advis- Iraqi Kurds inspect a crater caused by a reportedly Iranian missile initially fired at Iraqi bases housing US and other US-led coalition troops, in the Iraqi Kurdish town of ers in Libya should bolster the international- Bardarash in Dohuk governorate yesterday. — AFP Tly recognised government, but may not be enough to turn the tide of a conflict in which east- ern-based forces have the upper hand thanks to foreign support. Turkey’s decision to send the advisers and technical experts responded to a Where does Gulf crisis go after Iran strikes? request by Prime Minister Fayez Al-Serraj’s Government of National Accord (GNA), which ran’s Major General Qassem Soleimani would have Confrontations Nightmare Ankara backs against forces allied to veteran com- been devastated to learn his surviving colleagues at the To do so, critics argue, would hand Iran the major The nightmare scenario the United States feared per- mander Khalifa Haftar. Itop of Iran’s government considered the firing of 20 strategic regional victory it has craved, and for which haps the most - an overwhelming assault on its embassy Turkey has already provided drones and missiles at US bases a “proportionate response” to his Soleimani - head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard prompting a humiliating Saigon-style withdrawal months armored vehicles for the defence of the capital, assassination. Whether Tehran’s military response is truly Quds Force - worked so bloodily for years. What is much before November’s presidential election - now looks much Tripoli, which helped quickly stall the offensive complete, of course, remains uncertain - although Foreign less clear, however, is whether Trump would care - and less likely. But much will depend on how Iran chooses to launched by Haftar’s forces nine months ago. But Minister Javad Zarif was unusually clear in tweeting short- whether such a turn of events would exacerbate or intensi- approach the nuclear issue in particular. There are still Turkish backing has often been outweighed by air ly afterwards that the strikes “concluded a proportionate fy the proxy confrontations such as Syria and Yemen plenty in Washington who would like to tighten sanctions power from the United Arab Emirates in support of response”. where that face-off has long been fought out. further in the hope of bringing in outright regime change, Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), Even if it is, the question is whether President Donald And in truth, of course, Washington has already been although Trump is not necessarily among them. European Trump will go through with his own Twitter threats to significantly pulling back its involvement in almost lwaysa and by a technological and frontline edge provided states will be hoping for a different approach, perhaps unleash overwhelming US strikes - including against cul- confrontations, most notably through the withdrawal of by Russian military contractors since September, nudging all sides back towards a renewed version of tural sites - in retaliation. The lack of US casualties, US troops from Syria last year. In Yemen, the United President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal. officials, diplomats and analysts say. together with the president’s own tweet following the States has already ceased refuelling Saudi jets, while “The decision by the GNA to request military The further strengthening of Europe’s keystone “E3” strikes that “all is well”, suggest that will not happen. European states, particularly Germany, have scaled back alliance on Iran - Britain, France and Germany - may be support from Turkey follows a dangerous escala- If further direct military action can be avoided, that or stopped military exports to Riyadh. Across the tion in the conflict from Haftar and his backers, amongst the greatest legacies of the decade’s first interna- would be a relief to many in Washington and across the Western world, fatigue with two decades of entanglement tional crisis. Perhaps even more important, however, is the including bringing in Russian mercenaries,” GNA region - and, in some quarters, seen as something of a vin- in the Middle East has long been growing. Proxy con- emergence of what might be termed a “Trump Doctrine”. Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha said in a state- dication of the decision to strike. Had Soleimani not been frontations will continue, but they may do so largely The president is now much less encumbered by advisers ment to Reuters. On Monday, the LNA advanced killed, supporters of the action will maintain, the United fuelled by local actors and with much less involvement by like former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to stay his hand into Sirte, a strategic city in the centre of Libya’s States could have been trapped in a dangerous cycle of the United States and its allies. or influences his thinking. Mediterranean coastline, and fighting has escalation in Iraq that could have killed many more. That doesn’t mean they will not escalate. The last Faced with a confrontation, Trump was clearly willing to increased around Tripoli in recent weeks. Whether or not that is true, is, frankly, impossible to month has seen Turkey send troops to pitch in to Libya’s countenance more aggressive direct action than almost know. Even if the immediate crisis now begins to de-esca- civil war, in which Qatar and the United Arab Emirates This has heightened pressure on GNA forces, any of the US foreign policy community would have late, both Washington and Tehran face difficult decisions in have long been on different sides, with other nations which two sources close to those forces said had embraced. He may follow that, however, by withdrawing the weeks to come. Iran has pledged to resume nuclear pulling the strings increasingly believed to include Russia been struggling against missile systems being used America from the region still further. That’s an approach enrichment in a way that could easily plunge the region and Italy. There’s no reason yet to suspect Soleimani’s to bring down drones and laser-guided shells America’s allies and potential foes alike will ponder, and it back into dangerous confrontation, while the United States death will significantly reduce Teheran’s involvement in thought to have been introduced by Russian con- will not necessarily make the world a safer place. tractors. The GNA’s drone fleet has also been must manage an Iraq now openly demanding the with- Yemen or Iraq. drawal of US forces. Recent months have seen growing anti-government Those like Soleimani who thrive on driving instability depleted by attacks on airports and air bases in should also pause to think, however. The slain general Tripoli and the city of Misrata, northwest of Sirte. Behind the scenes, perhaps inevitably, what may really protests in both Iraq and Iran, with Soliemani seen a major drive events are domestic politics in the United States, Iran driver of the brutal and often lethal response to both. That clearly felt himself untouchable, and would almost certainly Turkish officials have indicated that any deploy- and Iraq. For Trump, the strike on Soleimani looks unlikely was believed to have been a factor in his decision to step have assumed his killing would spark even greater blood- ment will not involve troops but that Turkey has to do him any harm in an election year. Neither, however, up attacks on US forces in Iraq through local Shi’ite mili- shed. Instead, for all the mourners at his funeral, it is hard been considering sending Syrian rebels. A source would scaling back or even ending America’s military pres- tias, which prompted US air strikes that were followed by not to notice just how quickly all sides, including his own, in the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army said some ence in Iraq, or indeed across the rest of the Middle East. mob attacks on Washington’s embassy. are wanting to move on. — Reuters fighters had already signed up as guards. “What this will bring above all is a rebalancing of forces,” said Arnaud Delalande, an independent defence consultant and Libya expert. “In particular it could dramatically escalatory, at least not now.” Iran fired mis- tant incident has happened. The question of revenge is bring air defence, which could be jamming sys- Iran anti-US strikes: siles from its own soil yesterday at Iraqi bases housing another issue.” tems, but also coordination of troops on the US troops, in the first act of promised retaliation for Iran may be seeking to ward off open military conflict ground.” Friday’s killing of Soleimani, one of the country’s most with the United States - its enemy following the 1979 Measured, but important figures. “With the attacks, Tehran signalled its Islamic revolution that toppled the pro-American shah - Russian and Turkish cooperation capacity and readiness to respond to US attacks, thus but it may also consider other less conventional means of Manoeuvring in Libya by Russia and Turkey, not final response saving face, and yet they have been well targeted to retaliation. “Given the strength of emotion that we’ve whose presidents meet in Turkey yesterday, has avoid fatalities and thus avoid provoking Trump’s reac- seen in Iran already... I wonder whether this is enough. overshadowed European efforts to revive a UN- tion,” said Annalisa Perteghella of the Institute for Does it actually look like and feel like revenge?” asked ran’s missile strikes on US troop bases in Iraq were a International Political Studies in Milan. Raine about the missile strikes. led peace process. Although Turkey and Russia measured first response to Washington’s assassina- While the riposte was unprecedented in being Iranian state television initially claimed 80 have generally been on opposing sides in Syria’s Ition of a top commander, but are unlikely to be the launched from inside Iran by the Iranian state and not a Americans were killed but Trump said on Twitter: “All is civil war, they have strengthened economic and last act in what could be a long and asymmetrical militia, the authorities picked a purely military target well!” Raine noted: “In this case, Iranian blood was military ties recently. They now cooperate in revenge campaign, experts say. With an outpouring of using conventional weapons and with no civilian casual- shed and honor dictates... that American blood must be northeast Syria, where they mount joint patrols, emotion in Iran over the killing of General Qasem ties. “The Iranians have attempted to square the circle shed in return. For that human reason, I would hesitate and Ankara bought Russian missile defense sys- Soleimani in an American drone strike, Tehran wanted to (with) a very proportionate attack that is not likely to to say that this is the end of it.” Instead, Iran will likely tems last year despite opposition in Washington. appear decisive to calm a clamor for revenge, without necessarily provoke the response promised by Trump,” try to exploit the high emotion that saw immense Ankara and Moscow want to protect their provoking President Donald Trump to unleash all-out added Francois Heisbourg of the Foundation for Strategic crowds attend mourning ceremonies for Soleimani and strategic interests in Libya, where they lost lucra- armed conflict. Research in Paris. activate its proxies across the region. “I would expect tive contracts in 2011 after a NATO-backed upris- “The Iranians are under pressure to do something “On the Iranian side, this is clearly a signal to stop the them to be considering attacks against US interests of ing, and in the wider east Mediterranean region. immediately given the strength of feeling, and that’s escalation process. The real question now is what Trump higher value to the US elsewhere in the region and par- The two countries are unlikely to clash directly, where the importance of demonstrating defiance comes is going to do,” he said. While Iran’s Foreign Minister ticularly in those countries where Iran has operational with Ankara seeking leverage to negotiate over in,” John Raine, a geopolitical expert at the International Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted yesterday that the mis- reach,” said Raine. Particular attention will be paid to offshore gas drilling rights after signing military Institute for Strategic Studies in London told AFP. “What sile strike “concluded” its reprisal for Soleimani’s killing, the behavior of Shiite militias backed by Iran, notably and maritime accords with the GNA in November. they did not want is to undertake an operation that was supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: “An impor- Hezbollah in Lebanon. — AFP “In Libya, Ankara’s end game is not to help Tripoli win the conflict, which is not realistic. It is to create a stalemate and political negotiations very sparse and quite old and quite out of date. They’ve “Iran in the Persian Gulf doesn’t really need to have big that preserve its maritime demarcation deal,” said Iran invests in means spent all their money on asymmetric attack capabilities. In ships, not necessarily frigates and destroyers. Speedboats, Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat who heads that regard they’re very well prepared.” gun boats, missile boats can do the job,” said Hossein the Istanbul-based Center for Economics and Until yesterday, the strategy had deterred a direct conflict Aryan, a military analyst who served 18 years in Iran’s navy Foreign Policy Studies think tank. A senior Turkish to indirectly confront with the US as tensions spiked since Washington quit a mul- before and after the 1979 Islamic revolution. Major- official told Reuters: “Turkey is in close contact ti-lateral nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. Gulf General Qassem Soleimani, whose killing in a US drone with Russia to prevent conflict. This will continue.” superpower enemy rival Saudi Arabia recently witnessed the damage that missile strike in Baghdad last week sparked the Iranian retaliation Russia could be eyeing a long-term goal of hav- and drone assaults can cause, after a strike on its oil facilities on Wednesday, was the head of the Revolutionary Guards ing a naval base in eastern Libya, said Jalel last year briefly halved production and knocked out 5 per- Quds Force. The group handled clandestine operations Harchaoui, a research fellow with the Clingendael ran’s launching of more than a dozen missiles at cent of global crude supply. Riyadh and Washington blamed outside Iran, working closely with allied military forces and Institute think tank in The Hague. “Russia is pre- American-led forces in Iraq yesterday came after years Iran for the attack, a charge Tehran denied. militias in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. sented with a golden opportunity to make its pres- Iof preparing for a confrontation with its superpower Iran has built the largest stockpile of ballistic missiles in Iran’s leaders have promised harsh reprisals over the ence in eastern Libya more entrenched,” he said. foe, whose forces are vastly larger and more advanced. the Middle East. Some are based on the older, widely used death of Soleimani, who was a national hero to many Ankara and Moscow are filling a gap left by US The Gulf country has more than 500,000 active-duty per- “Scud” designs, with a range of at least 750 km. Others, Iranians but considered a dangerous villain by Western sonnel, including 125,000 members of its elite disengagement in Libya under President Donald based on the North Korean No Dong, can reach up to governments. He was buried in Iran on Tuesday after tens Revolutionary Guards, according to a report last year by Trump and there are divisions among European 2,000 km, within reach of Israel or southeast Europe, of thousands mourned him in a ceremony led by Iran’s the International Institute for Strategic Studies. But inter- states over Libya. “I think the Europeans are com- according to a US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) supreme leader. US officials have said Soleimani was killed national sanctions and restrictions on arms imports have report last year. The Revolutionary Guards fields a fleet of because intelligence indicated forces under his command pletely left out in the cold here,” said Harchaoui. made it hard for Iran to develop or buy more sophisticated “They’re scrambling.” — Reuters missile-armed speedboats and midget submarines it can planned attacks on US targets in the region, although they weaponry. deploy against US military ships or commercial tankers to have provided no evidence. Democrats in the US Congress To compensate for the imbalance, Iran has developed disrupt the flow of oil in Gulf waters, where Washington and some of the party’s presidential contenders warned “asymmetrical” responses - ballistic missiles, deadly says Tehran attacked six tankers last year. that the escalating conflict could spark a wider war in the drones and a web of militia allies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon “If you look at ships, tanks, jet fighters, Iran looks very Middle East. Lebanon’s Hezbollah, along with a handful of All articles appearing on this page are the and Yemen, among other things - with the aim of being weak. But if you’re looking at anti-ship missiles, ballistic the Iraqi militias closely allied with Iran, have already personal opinion of the writers. Kuwait able to inflict pain while avoiding the traditional battlefield. missiles, UAVs and things like that then it looks a lot more pledged to take revenge against American forces for “From a conventional military perspective they would get capable,” said Jeremy Binnie, Middle East and Africa edi- Soleimani’s death. More than 5,000 US troops are in Iraq Times takes no responsibility for views absolutely hammered,” said a British former military com- tor for Jane’s Defense Weekly. Iran’s fleet of unmanned along with other foreign forces as part of a coalition that expressed therein. mander who asked not to be identified because of the sen- aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be used for surveillance or has trained and supported Iraqi security forces against the sitivity of the matter. “Their conventional military is very, armed with explosives, according to military experts. threat of Islamic State militants. — Reuters Established 1961

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020 Business

Samsung flags one-third drop ‘Millions’ strike in protest at TV makers woo Net generation 12in Q4 2019 operating profit 13 Indian government policies 14 with super-high-def models

Iran crisis fuels fear over ME oil supplies

Crude markets unfazed by strikes on US targets Analysis

LONDON: The burgeoning Iran crisis has Kapadia, CEO of Sun Global Investments. Iraq, whose crude exports represent (about) disposal in any event. “Sooner or later sparked oil supply worries over the Strait of “These concerns have been fuelled by 3.5 million barrels per day,” Haines said. “If investors will realize that the plentiful non- Oil at crossroads Hormuz-a vital shipping lane for a fifth of Friday’s killing of Soleimani and it is likely US troops leave, it will leave the area less OPEC supply will more than make up for global crude-and also over Iraq’s output, Iran will try and disrupt oil exports that trav- secure,” he added. any short-term disruptions in the Middle analysts say. Oil prices had surged last el through the Straits of Hormuz. East,” noted Forex.com market analyst as hedge funds Friday after US President Donald Trump “However ... it remains unclear as to what ‘Not single drop lost’ Fawad Razaqzada. ordered the drone assassination of Iran’s top the next developments will be.” The US gov- “Eventual loss of supply in the Middle SEB analyst Bjarne Schieldrop added that general Qasem Soleimani, but the market ernment’s Energy Information Administration East may however be in Iraq down the road “not a single drop of oil supply has been lost build large stabilized on Monday and Tuesday with describes Hormuz as “the world’s most and not so much due to near term retalia- due to the recent incidents and this is why Middle East crude supplies unaffected. important oil transit chokepoint” through tions, though so far not a single drop of oil the oil price has fallen back down again so bullish position However yesterday, the oil market shifted which 21 million barrels of crude per day supply has been lost,” he said. Soleimani’s quickly. What the market fears is that the sit- higher once more after Tehran launched passed in 2018. assassination, which was carried out by a uation spirals out of control.” Global stock LONDON: Even before Iranian general Qassem Soleimani revenge attacks to target US forces in Iraq, The strait had already been rocked last drone near Baghdad airport, sparked con- markets initially slid on investor concern of a was killed by a US air strike on Jan 3, ratcheting up tensions making good on its pledge to hit back over year by a string of attacks that Washington cern about a spreading conflict. Europe’s broader conflict, though many were in posi- across the Middle East, hedge funds had become very bullish the killing. Iran fired missiles overnight at and its allies blamed on Iran, accusations benchmark oil contract Brent and US coun- tive territory in afternoon trades. London about oil prices. Fund managers amassed an unusually large Iraqi bases housing the US and British mili- Tehran firmly denied. Its Western foes have terpart West Texas Intermediate crude had stocks were the outlier, down by almost 0.2 net long position in petroleum futures and options towards tary, officials in Washington and Tehran said. also accused Iran of being behind a major initially won more than three percent each percent, while Frankfurt gained 0.5 percent the end of last year in anticipation of the global economy British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab attack on Saudi oil installations and Iran has on Friday. and Paris was slightly higher as well. picking up in 2020, but that also leaves prices vulnerable to a voiced concern over “reports of casualties”. in recent months also repeatedly seized However, those gains fell far short of Markets.com analyst Neil Wilson correction if the recovery is delayed or fails to materialize. But Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad tankers operating in the Gulf. September 16, when both contacts had rock- remarked that “at present you sense traders Hedge funds and other money managers had raised their Javad Zarif insisted that the country does Traders remain less fearful over the loss eted about 14 percent on news of attacks on are sitting on their hands a bit while they combined net long position in the six most important petrole- “not seek escalation or war”. Traders remain of Iranian oil because the Islamic republic Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure. wait for the US president to respond offi- um futures and options contracts to 951 million barrels on fearful nevertheless that Tehran could seek remains under punishing US sanctions that Meanwhile, world oil prices dipped yes- cially to the Iranian attacks.” Safe haven Dec. 31, the highest for almost 15 months. Not only was that to block the Hormuz waterway-a key artery were re-imposed by Trump in 2018. Energy terday in afternoon European trading, after assets fared well initially, but after surging the largest bullish position of 2019, it was more than double for crude that stretches between Oman and Aspects analyst Christopher Haines noted briefly spiking when Iran launched missile above $1,600 an ounce for the first time in early October’s low of 437 million barrels and triple the low Iran. Hormuz, one of the world’s most con- traders were instead worried about oil out- attacks on US targets in Iraq. The strikes, six years, gold fell back to $1,573.60 which for the year of just 302 million back in January. gested transit points, links up the region’s oil put from Iraq-particularly if US troops are launched in retaliation for the assassination represented a slight loss on the day. Uncertainty and pessimism dominated for the first nine producers with markets in Asia, Europe and pulled out. America’s military strategy in Iraq of Iran’s top general last Friday, sent Brent Iraq is currently the second biggest play- months of the year thanks to the US/ China trade war, before North America. was thrown into confusion Monday as the and New York crude to multi-month peaks er in oil cartel OPEC after kingpin Saudi giving way to increasing optimism in the final quarter as the Pentagon admitted a letter from a general before profit-taking and experience pre- Arabia. SEB analyst Bjarne Schieldrop belligerents moved towards a truce. Hedge funds managers Disruptions at forefront informing the Iraqi government of an immi- vailed. Iran said it had “concluded” its missile agreed that Iraqi production could be ended the year with their highest position in Brent (411 million “Supply disruptions were put at the fore- nent US troop pullout was sent by mistake. attacks for now, and analysts pointed out impacted by the current crisis-but so far no barrels) and near-highest position in WTI (326 million), front of the agenda for investors,” said Mihir “There is a potential risk of disruption on that oil traders had many sources at their oil supplies have been affected. —AFP according to position data published by regulators and exchanges. Positions were also very close to their highest in US diesel (21 million barrels) and towards the top of the also called on the United States to quit the region. “The annual range in US gasoline (106 million) and European UAE sees no trend of oil prices is up and this benefits Iran ... gasoil (87 million). Americans should stop disturbing the region and let the Portfolio managers were net purchasers of petroleum people of the region live,” Zanganeh said. futures and options in 10 of the last 12 weeks of the year, risk now to oil OPEC’s Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo told increasing their position by a massive 514 million barrels. the conference in Abu Dhabi that oil facilities in Iraq, the Primarily, the bullishness was driven by an improving outlook flow through second biggest producer in OPEC, were secured and for the global economy and oil consumption next year, with oil output was continuing. He said global spare oil capacity buying coinciding with the broad rally in global equities and stood at around 3-3.5 million barrels per day (bpd), with progressive normalization of the US Treasury yield curve. Strait of Hormuz the majority held by Saudi Arabia, the top producer in Progress on the first phase of a trade deal between the United the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries States and China, as well as three quarter-point interest rate ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates’ energy minister (OPEC). cuts by the Federal Reserve, fuelled hopes for a cyclical accel- said yesterday he saw no immediate risk to oil passing eration in 2020. Saudi Arabia’s decision, together with its allies through the vital gateway of the Strait of Hormuz after No supply shortage seen in the OPEC+ group of major oil exporters, to deepen pro- Iran attacked bases housing US forces in Iraq. Iranian The UAE’s Mazrouei said OPEC would respond to demand growth was around 1 million bpd, adding this duction cuts in the first quarter of this year also helped eased officials have said the missile strikes were a response to any possible oil shortages if needed, within its “limita- was “not robust and not alarming”. Asked what message fears about oversupply in 2020. But production cuts are a Friday’s killing of top Iranian commander Qassem tions”. But he saw no sign of a supply shortage, with he would send to US President Donald Trump, Barkindo second-order effect. The improving consumption outlook was Soleimani in Baghdad. healthy demand and global oil inventories hovering told the gathering that the United States’ emergence as much more important in lifting oil prices. Fund managers were The situation is not a war, and what is happening now around the 5-year average. “We are not forecasting any a leading oil and gas producer should carry shared piling into petroleum futures and options long before OPEC+ should not be exaggerated, Suhail Al-Mazrouei said on shortage of supply unless there is a catastrophic escala- responsibility for energy market stability. “The contin- reached an output agreement in early December. the sidelines of a conference in Abu Dhabi, capital of the tion, which we don’t see,” he said. Barkindo said he was ued task of the OPEC+ to maintain stable oil markets on Oil bulls seem to be hoping for a rerun of 1999/2000, UAE, an OPEC producer. “We will not see a war,” he confident that leaders in the Middle East were doing a sustainable basis is a shared responsibility of all pro- when three quarter-point cuts by the Federal Reserve in added. “This is definitely an escalation between the everything possible to restore normal conditions. The ducers including the US,” Barkindo said. “OPEC alone response to the Asian financial crisis and Russian debt United States, which is an ally, and Iran, which is a region was shaken last year by attacks on oil tankers can’t shoulder that responsibility. We invite the United default fuelled a rapid expansion of the US economy in the neighbor, and the last thing we want is more tension in near the Strait of Hormuz and an assault on Saudi energy States to join us in this noble objective,” he added. final frenetic phase of the long boom of the 1990s. Like in the Middle East.” plants that initially halved the kingdom’s crude output. OPEC and its allies, a grouping known as OPEC+, has 2019, Saudi Arabia had restrained its oil output through Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh was quoted by Washington and Riyadh blamed their common foe been capping production since 2017 to avert oversupply 1999, continuing into early 2000 even as consumption the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying yesterday Iran, also an OPEC member, for those strikes, a charge and support prices. The US is not part of this oil supply accelerated again. —Reuters that Tehran was benefiting from rising oil prices, and Tehran denied. Barkindo said the forecast for global management agreement. —Reuters 12 Established 1961 Thursday, January 9, 2020 Business Samsung flags one-third drop in Q4 2019 operating profit Premium smartphone market grows fiercely competitive

SEOUL: Samsung Electronics’ operating profits fell by decision maker. more than a third in the fourth quarter, the world’s Lee was initially jailed for five years in 2017 on biggest manufacturer of smartphones and memory multiple convictions including bribery, then released chips estimated yesterday. Samsung was hit by a after several of his convictions were quashed, only for series of difficulties in 2019, with chip stockpiles the Supreme Court in August to order a retrial. bloating and prices falling, in contrast to the booming Its board chairman Lee Sang-hoon was also jailed market of previous years. The premium smartphone last month for sabotaging union activities, prompting a market has also grown fiercely competitive with buy- rare apology from the firm. ers waiting longer before upgrading to new models. But the figures beat expectations, analysts said, with 2020 recovery? chip demand starting to improve and strong smart- Samsung Electronics shares reached an intraday phone sales. The forecast represented a relative one-year high in Seoul yesterday and closed up 1.8 improvement-in each of the first three quarters of percent, while the KOSPI index was down 1.1 percent 2019 net profits fell by more than half year-on-year. following the Iranian missile attack on US forces in Samsung Electronics is crucial to South Korea’s Iraq. “Sales in memory chips were strongest along economic health. It is the flagship subsidiary of the with good numbers in its IT and Mobile division,” said giant Samsung Group, by far the largest of the family- Lee Joon-min of Hana Financial Investment. Analysts controlled conglomerates, known as chaebols, that expect Samsung to perform better this year on the dominate business in the world’s 11th-largest econo- back of a recovery in chip demand and limited supply, my. In an earnings guidance statement, Samsung along with new 5G smartphone models and other Electronics projected operating profits in the October innovations. to December period at 7.1 trillion won ($6.1 billion), Reduced chip production at one of Japanese rival down 34.2 percent year-on-year. Kioxia’s plants has seen average NAND flash selling Sales were forecast to be flat at 59 trillion won, it prices “start to rebound”, Avril Wu, an analyst at the added. For full-year 2019, it predicted operating prof- Taipei-based market tracker TrendForce told AFP. its of 27.7 trillion won, down 52.9 percent, on sales “As for DRAM, we expect prices to increase each down 5.8 percent to 229.5 trillion won. quarter in 2020,” she said, adding: “The recovery of The company has been strained by a protracted the DRAM and NAND market is mostly driven by the trade dispute between China and the US, and been constriction of supply, but an increase in demand also caught up in a diplomatic row between Seoul and contributes to this as well.” Samsung is also pinning its SEOUL: A woman walks past an advertisement for the Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G smartphone at a Tokyo over historical disputes, with Japan imposing hopes on increasing availability of 5G telecom servic- telecom shop in Seoul yesterday. Samsung Electronics’ operating profits fell by more than a third in tough restrictions on exports crucial to South Korean es driving sales of its handsets-it is a world leader in the fourth quarter, the world’s biggest manufacturer of smartphones and memory chips estimated tech giants in July. the technology. yesterday. —AFP In another shadow hanging over the firm, its vice It said last week it had shipped more than 6.7 mil- chairman and de-facto leader Lee Jae-yong is on trial lion Galaxy 5G smartphone devices globally last year, for the second time over the sprawling corruption claiming it had more than half the world’s 5G smart- new Galaxy devices next month in San Francisco that the company’s mobile communication division. scandal that led to the impeachment of South Korea’s phone market as of November. it said-without offering details-will “shape the next Samsung withholds net profit and sector-by-sector former president Park Geun-hye. A guilty verdict and It has announced a lineup of new products for 2020 decade of mobile experiences”. “For Samsung, 2020 business performance until it releases its final earnings long prison sentence would deprive the firm of its top including the world’s first 5G tablet, and will unveil will be the year of Galaxy 5G,” said TM Roh, head of report, expected later this month. —AFP

according to the CMA. Facebook and The CMA has also found examples via photo-posting app Instagram which owner Facebook has promised to inves- Apple’s eBay pledge to tigate. “Millions of people base their shopping decisions on reviews, and if news service these are misleading or untrue, then better tackle shoppers could end up being misled into buying something that isn’t right for reaches 100 fake reviews them - leaving businesses who play by the rules missing out,” said CMA Chief million users LONDON: Facebook and eBay have Executive Andrea Coscelli. promised to better identify, probe and The CMA said neither company was respond to fake and misleading CUPERITNO: Apple Inc yesterday said its intentionally allowing such content and reviews, Britain’s Competition and Apple News service has reached 100 million both had committed to tackle the prob- Markets Authority (CMA) said yester- lem. “We maintain zero tolerance for monthly active users versus 85 million a year pri- day after pressing the online platforms fake or misleading reviews and will con- or, demonstrating growth in a key services busi- to tackle the issue. Customer reviews tinue to take action against any seller ness that is being closely watched by investors have become an integral part of online that breaches our user polices,” said a LAS VEGAS: (Left to right) Facebook VP, Public Policy and Chief Privacy Officer as iPhone sales decline. The users come from the shopping on several websites and spokeswoman at eBay. for Policy Erin Egan, Apple Senior Director, Global Privacy Jane Horvath, The United States, United Kingdom, Canada and apps but the regulator has expressed Facebook said it was working to stop Procter & Gamble Company Global Privacy Officer Susan Shook and Federal concerns that some comments may not Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter participate in a privacy roundtable at Australia, Apple said. Apple also offers a paid such fraudulent activity, including be genuine. Facebook has removed CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. —AFP version of its news service called Apple News+ exploring the use of automated technol- 188 groups and disabled 24 user ogy to help remove content before it for $9.99 per month but did not disclose sub- accounts whilst eBay has permanently was seen. scriber numbers. prevent this kind of activity across our do and are working with the CMA to banned 140 users since the summer, “While we have invested heavily to services, we know there is more work to address this issue.” —Reuters Apple gave the figures in its annual early January update on its services businesses. Apple’s overall services segment revenue rose 16 coordination with law enforcement. The rules are part comment. The second government source said that percent to $46.3 billion in its most recent fiscal India to tweak of India’s broader efforts to tackle disinformation and having two separate layers of rules would mean that big “fake news”. Since 2017, rumor-mongering on social social media companies such as Facebook, WhatsApp year ended on Sept. 28, 2019, while its iPhone media has been blamed for mob attacks that killed 30 and Chinese video app TikTok would continue to face segment sales fell 14 percent to $142.4 billion. content regulations people across the country. stricter regulation, but technology firms such as The company said between December 2019, But the draft proposals, called “intermediary guide- Amazon.com could breathe easier. and Jan. 1, 2020, its customers spent $1.42 billion to ease burden lines” when they were released in December 2018, The official described the proposed regulation for in its App Store, a 16 percent increase over the could have applied to a broad range of technology other technology companies as “minimal” and “simple”, previous year, and $386 million on Jan. 1 alone, a firms including e-commerce players, cloud storage adding the rules would be finalized later this month. 20 percent increase. Apple keeps between 15 on some players providers and telecoms companies. India’s IT ministry India’s IT ministry has previously said stricter regu- is now considering a two-tier systems - with stricter lations were necessary to safeguard users and the percent and 30 percent of the sales through its NEW DELHI: India plans to amend proposed rules for rules similar to the original proposals applying only to nation’s security as the Internet has emerged as a App Store, depending on whether users buy policing digital content so the toughest measures apply social media companies, said the two government “potent tool to cause unimaginable disruption to the software as a one-time purchase or recurring only to big social media firms, two government sources sources, who declined to be named as the plans are still democratic polity”. The original draft rules also said subscription. told Reuters, in a move that could give relief to other private. companies must “remove or disable access” to “unlaw- Apple launched several new services in tech players fearful of the new regulations. “The problem is largely with large messaging plat- ful” content within 24 hours, when asked by a govern- 2019, including a streaming video service The original proposal would have forced all tech forms, ones that enable interaction. Some of the ment agency or through a court order. called Apple TV+, a video game service and a players, in addition to Facebook, Twitter and requirements for non-social media companies were That particular requirement, however, would likely unrealistic,” one of the officials said. stay in the new rules for both social media and other credit card. —Reuters WhatsApp, to deploy automated tools to check for unlawful content and to appoint an officer for “24x7” India’s IT ministry did not respond to a request for technology firms, the sources said. —Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES Chinese Yuan Renminbi 44.185 Chinese Yuan 0.042315 0.045815 Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. US Dollar Transfer 303.900 Thai Bhat 11.010 Hong Kong Dollar 0.037047 0.039797 Euro 340.670 Turkish Lira 51.280 Indian Rupee 0.003592 0.004364 Sterling Pound 400.840 Singapore dollars 224.556 Indonesian Rupiah 0.000017 0.000023 ASIAN COUNTRIES Canadian dollar 235.220 Japanese Yen 0.002737 0.002917 Japanese Yen 2.806 Turkish lira 51.510 Korean Won 0.000249 0.000264 Indian Rupees 4.229 Swiss Franc 315.250 BAHRAIN EXCHANGE COMPANY WLL Malaysian Ringgit 0.070359 0.076359 Nepalese Rupee 0.002620 0.002960 Pakistani Rupees 1.956 US Dollar Buying 296.550 CURRENCY BUY SELL Srilankan Rupees 1.672 Pakistan Rupee 0.001314 0.002084 Europe Philippine Peso 0.005849 0.006149 Nepali Rupees 2.643 Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd British Pound 0.391541 0.405441 Singapore Dollar 225.950 Singapore Dollar 0.219742 0.229742 Czech Korune 0.005426 0.014726 Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001316 0.001896 Hongkong Dollar 39.087 Rate for Transfer Selling Rate Danish Krone 0.041319 0.046319 Taiwan 0.010109 0.010289 Bangladesh Taka 3.553 US Dollar 303.550 Euro 0. 331098 0.344798 Thai Baht 0.009719 0.010269 Philippine Peso 5.993 Canadian Dollar 234.495 Georgian Lari 0.113985 0.113985 Vietnamese Dong 0.00013 0.000013 Thai Baht 10.108 Sterling Pound 399.790 Hungarian 0.001145 0.001335 Malaysian Ringgit 77.724 Euro 339.975 Norwegian Krone 0.030272 0.035472 Arab Swiss Frank 297.150 Romanian Leu 0.065096 0.081946 Bahraini Dinar 0.799960 0.807998 GCC COUNTRIES Bahrain Dinar 807.250 Russian Ruble 0.004914 0.004914 Egyptian Pound 0.019058 0.021798 Saudi Riyal 81.094 UAE Dirhams 83.050 Slovakia 0.009076 0.019076 Iranian Riyal 0.000084 0.000085 Qatari Riyal 83.523 Qatari Riyals 84.285 Swedish Krona 0.028116 0.033116 Iraqi Dinar 0.000199 0.000259 ani Riyal 789.864 Saudi Riyals 81.840 Swiss Franc 0.306513 0.317513 Jordanian Dinar 0.423725 0.432725 Bahraini Dinar 807.490 Jordanian Dinar 429.420 Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000 UAE Dirham 82.795 Egyptian Pound 18.955 Australasia Lebanese Pound 0.000103 0.000253 Sri Lankan Rupees 1.674 Australian Dollar 0.200389 0.212389 Moroccan Dirhams 0.021137 0.045137 ARAB COUNTRIES Indian Rupees 4.212 New Zealand Dollar 0.195476 0.204976 Omani Riyal 0.784227 0.792106 Egyptian Pound - Cash 21.750 Pakistani Rupees 1.956 Qatar Riyal 0.082819 0.083651 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 18.965 Bangladesh Taka 3.546 America Saudi Riyal 0.079953 0.081253 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.221 Philippines Pesso 5.970 Canadian Dollar 0.228473 0.237473 Syrian Pound 0.001288 0.001508 Tunisian Dinar 114.680 Cyprus pound 18.060 US Dollars 0.299800 0.304350 Tunisian Dinar 0.104855 0.112855 Jordanian Dinar 428.900 Japanese Yen 3.800 US Dollars Mint 0.300300 0.304350 Turkish Lira 0.044565 0.054410 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 0.203 Syrian Pound 1.590 Asia UAE Dirhams 0.082109 0.082933 Syrian Lira 0.000 Nepalese Rupees 2.650 Bangladesh Taka 0.002925 0.003726 Yemeni Riyal 0.000988 0.001068 Morocco Dirham 32.193 Malaysian Ringgit 74.940 13 Business Thursday, January 9, 2020 ‘Millions’ strike in protest at Indian government policies Farmers, students join unions to fight ‘anti-people policies’

NEW DELHI: Millions went on strike throughout India ‘Contempt towards labor’ yesterday, unions said, as workers angry at the govern- The government had warned strikers that they would ment’s labor policies brought travel chaos across the face “consequences” including having wages deducted country. The widespread action was in opposition to what and other disciplinary action if they joined the protest. unions called the “anti-worker and anti-people policies” of But the strike added to pressure on the Modi government right-wing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They highlight- already hit by widespread protests over the nationality ed the recent privatization of public firms and natural law passed on December 11. More than 25 people have resources and demanded a rise in the minimum wage and been killed in the protests. Growing unrest in universities pensions. has added to social tensions. Farmers and students joined some of the protests called “The attitude of the government is that of contempt by 10 trade unions who claim 250 million members towards labor,” said the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, between them. Bus and train services and state-owned banks bore the brunt of the national strike action that was one of the groups organizing yesterday’s 24-hour strike. staged in defiance of government warnings of “conse- Opposition parties have backed the strikers. Rahul quences” for anyone who took part. Protesters blocked Gandhi, former leader of the main opposition Congress roads and railway tracks, while those at rallies also chanted party said the government had “created catastrophic slogans against the government’s new nationality law that unemployment” in a Twitter message praising the action. opponents say is anti-Muslim and has sparked widespread A government’s move to privatize big state-run firms as demonstrations. it struggles to get out of a severe economic slowdown has In West Bengal state, strikers targeted railways and key riled the opposition and unions. The government statistics highways and burned tyres on a main road in the state office forecast on Tuesday that annual growth would slow capital of Kolkata. Protesters carried red flags at rallies in to 5.0 percent in 2020, the slowest pace in 11 years. the city. Police said there had been some “clashes” in Last month the International Monetary Fund said the Kolkata and other districts between supporters and oppo- Indian government must take steps quickly to reverse the nents of the strike. The eastern states of Bihar and Odisha, slowdown. It said declining consumption and investment, AMRITSAR: Activists of Communist Party of India Marxist (CPIM), along with members of different workers unions, shout slogans as they block train tracks during a nationwide general strike called by trade unions Maharashtra in the west, Haryana in the north and Kerala coupled with falling tax revenue, had combined to put the aligned with opposition parties to protest against the Indian government’s economic policies, near the rail- and Karnataka in the south were also hit by the action. brakes on what was once the fastest growing of the way station in Amritsar yesterday. — AFP Some workers at state oil and coal firms joined the strike. world’s major economies. — AFP

Crossrail Planes, trains The Tube, London’s ancient, cherished and increasingly overcrowded subway sys- tem, was supposed to have a new line zip- and bills: UK’s ping through in 2018. Few now expect the Travelex staff go first doors to open until the end of 2021 at big projects the earliest, with accompanying costs back to basics growing from £14.8 billion to more than dilemma £18 billion. What was once proudly billed as Europe’s biggest construction project is as ransomware turning into a waste for Londoners who LONDON: A high-speed train that won’t purchased homes around future train stops, cripples systems start. An overcrowded airport that can’t hoping for easy commutes. Stores and expand. A new subway line that never runs. restaurants around the various construction LONDON: Staff at foreign exchange firm Travelex are Britain’s attempts to revive its creaking sites complain of lost business, and the pro- using pen and paper to serve thousands of customers infrastructure are turning into a headache ject’s chairman resigned under pressure in after the company said cyber hackers were holding its for Prime Minister Boris Johnson just as his 2018. London’s transport authorities believe systems to ransom, leading to a global blackout on its fight with Europe over Brexit winds down. they have lost up to £750 million in pas- online currency exchange services. Mega-spending on delayed, unpopular senger revenue because of the delays. The currency trader, which also provides forex serv- and controversial projects will be very ices for customers of HSBC, Barclays, Virgin Money and much the focus when finance minister Sajid Heathrow expansion the banking arms of British retailers Tesco and Javid unveils his new budget on March 11. Europe’s busiest airport has turned into Sainsbury, said on Tuesday a software virus identified Javid’s promise of an “infrastructure the scene of a battle of wills between envi- on Jan 2 was a ransomware attack. revolution” chimes with Johnson’s hopes of ronmental campaigners and Heathrow The spread of the ransomware, which Travelex said it securing the future votes of Britons from A revamp of overground and underground rail links was supposed to provide a boon for authorities who want a third runway built. had successfully contained, forced the company to take poorer northern regions who switched London and Britain’s Southeast-but actual delivery of pharaonic infrastructure projects has Heathrow aims to grow annual passenger all its systems offline, causing chaos for New Year holi- sides and helped his Conservative party proved complex and costly in terms both of soaring costs and delays. traffic from the current 78 million to 130 daymakers and business travellers seeking online cur- win last month’s election. Many parts of million. Local residents and clean climate rency services. The company, which has a presence in Briton look on richer London with tinges of more than 70 countries, is currently only able to serve anger and envy at its concentration of gov- Designed to run to the former industrial on schedule, with the opposition Labor lobbies have all decried the expansion, while Johnson promised to “lie down in front of customers face-to-face at its 1,200 on-airport and off- ernment spending and wealth. powerhouse Birmingham and then Party suggesting in a study that the first airport locations worldwide. But Johnson’s vision will be tested by an Manchester and Leeds, HS2 was supposed train will not reach Leeds until 2040. those bulldozers and stop the construction” when he was still London mayor in 2015. A criminal investigation led by London’s uneasy business climate and threats of to follow on from London’s southern Johnson last year said it might be wiser- Metropolitan Police is now also underway. The Financial economic stagnation caused by the coun- Eurostar connection with Paris. But it has and a lot cheaper-to simply run the trains His predecessor Theresa May’s govern- ment approved the new runway in June Conduct Authority, Britain’s markets regulator, said it try’s divorce from the EU. Here is a look at done little but accrue costs since first between Manchester and Leeds instead. was also in contact with the firm to ensure affected cus- some of the projects that Johnson will have being formally proposed more than a Others back scrapping the entire project 2018 but Johnson expressed “doubts” about it last month. His spokesman said tomers were being treated fairly. The National Cyber to tackle after Brexit. decade ago. and investing the money instead in Security Centre said it was providing technical support. Projected to cost £55 billion in 2015 upgrades to existing regional links. As in Tuesday that Javid’s budget will make “tough decisions” and root out “anything Scores of people turned to Twitter to vent their frus- HS2 high-speed train line ($72 billion, 65 billion euros at current many other European countries, most tration at being left without cash they had ordered for that is not aligned with the government’s The long-suffering High Speed 2 was exchange rates), HS2’s full price is now on British trains run from the capital to specif- their travels. Travelex’s parent company Finablr Plc said priorities”. It was unclear is he was refer- meant to create London’s first new rail link course to double before the first train runs ic cities, making travel between the regions the hackers used a type of ransomware called ring to Heathrow or HS2. — AFP to the north of the England in 150 years. in 2029. Critics doubt it will be completed difficult, expensive and slow. Sodinokibi-also commonly referred to as REvil-in an attempt to encrypt customer data. Travelex said there was no evidence yet that any data had been stolen. Finablr processes more than 150 Barclays bank million transactions per year-all of which rely on the Germany’s ‘misery efficient and uninterrupted operation of computer and faces landmark communication systems. According to its listing continues’ as prospectus, published last year, the company has com- investor vote puter-crime insurance to cover cyber risks. But the inci- industrial orders dent sent the company’s shares slumping almost 20 per- cent to a record low on Wednesday, a drop exacerbated on climate by two major investors selling shares worth about $72 fall unexpectedly million in the payments firm. A Virgin Money spokesman said customers were LONDON: Barclays shareholders unable to place orders via the Virgin Money Travel BERLIN: German industrial orders fell unexpectedly filed yesterday a landmark resolu- in November on weak foreign demand and a lack of Money website or any Travelex website or the contact tion asking the bank to phase out center but that customers could process orders at a major contracts, data showed yesterday, suggesting the financing of energy companies that a manufacturing slump will continue to curtail Travelex Bureau directly. Sainsbury’s Chief Executive “driving the climate crisis”, a Mike Coupe described the incident as “disruptive” but growth in Europe’s largest economy. Germany’s pressure group coordinating the export-dependent manufacturers are struggling with said customers could still buy currency over-the- action said. sluggish demand from abroad as well as business counter, while a spokesman for Tesco said its 360 in- A total of 11 institutional uncertainty linked to trade disputes and Britain’s store Travel Money outlets were operating as normal. investors managing more than £130 decision to leave the European Union. A spokeswoman for HSBC said its UK bank branches billion ($170.6 billion, 153 billion “The misery in manufacturing continues,” VP held some euro and dollar stock for immediate purchase Bank economist Thomas Gitzel said, noting that the euros) have joined forces with more but it was unable to take travel money orders. Barclays military escalation between the United States and than 100 individual shareholders for apologized to its affected customers and said it would Iran was now posing an additional risk for business- the resolution to be voted on at the restore service “as soon as it was able to do so”. es. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told reporters in British bank’s annual general meet- Travelex, which had computer specialists and exter- ing in May, ShareAction said in a Berlin that the situation in the Middle East had nies to move faster. In a December climate change, and we meet with nal cybersecurity experts work on isolating the virus, is become “very dangerous”. But he added that he did statement. gradually restoring a number of internal systems and is “Today a group of shareholders, interview with a BBC program ShareAction and other shareholders not expect any major consequences for growth, guest-edited by Thunberg, Carney regularly to update them on our working to resume normal operations as quickly as because Germany’s domestic economy remained coordinated by ShareAction, have possible. Global companies are increasingly facing ran- taken formal action at Barclays, said the world of business needed progress.” The 11 institutional stable and there were signs the Sino-U.S. trade dis- to step up action, including on the investors who co-filed the resolu- som-demanding hackers who cripple businesses’ tech- pute was easing. asking the bank to phase out its nology systems and only stop after receiving substan- disclosure of climate risk from their tion comprise Arcus Foundation, As Contracts for German goods decreased by 1.3 per- financing of fossil fuel companies tial payments. operations. The 2015 Paris agree- You Sow, Brunel Pension cent from the previous month, posting the steepest that are active agents in driving the These hackers use malicious programs such as ran- ment saw nations commit to limit- Partnership, the Central Board of drop since July, data from the Economy Ministry climate crisis,” it said. UK-based somware to take down systems controlling everything ShareAction added that “the first ing global warming to two degrees the Methodist Church, Falkirk showed. That confounded the Reuters consensus fore- Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre- from supply chains to payments to manufacturing. cast for a 0.3 percent rise. Demand from other countries climate change resolution filed at a Council Pension Fund, Folksam, industrial levels. Neither Finablr nor Travelex provided any detail on the fell 3.1 percent, the biggest drop since February. Orders European bank requests that Jesuits in Britain, Lankelly Chase, costs of handling the incident so far but Finablr said it from domestic clients rose 1.6 percent. The reading for Barclays publishes a plan to gradu- LGPS Central, Merseyside Pension Working to help climate change did not currently expect to suffer any material financial October was revised up to a rise of 0.2 percent from a ally stop the provision of financial Fund, and Sarasin & Partners. “The impact from the incident. previously reported decline of 0.4 percent. services... to companies in the Yesterday, ShareAction said that lending practices of many banks since the Paris Agreement, Barclays Another European company aluminum maker Norsk DIHK economist Katharina Huhn said that orders energy sector, and to gas and elec- poses a serious threat to the goals Hydro faced costs of between 300 million and 350 mil- had financed fossil fuel companies from the euro zone had weakened significantly, sug- tric utilities that are not aligned to the Paris agreement,” said Laura lion Norwegian crowns ($39.52 million) in its first quarter and high-carbon projects with more gesting a broader malaise in the region. “In addition with the goals of the Paris climate Chappell, chief executive of Brunel last year following a similar cyber attack in March. “The than $85 billion. “This makes it the to the decline in foreign orders, there has also been a agreement”. Pension Partnership, which manages ongoing attack against Travelex is arguably the worst world’s sixth largest backer of fossil gradual decline in domestic demand,” Huhn warned. Companies are under increasing £30 billion. case scenario for how crippling ransomware can be,” fuels, and constitutes the highest Without bulk orders, industrial orders rose 1.0 per- pressure to help cut carbon emis- “As such, we welcome Stuart Reed, vice president for cybersecurity at British cent in November, the economy ministry said, adding sions after Swedish wunderkind level of fossil fuel financing of any ShareAction’s call to the world’s web services firm Nominet said. “If there was ever any that incoming orders had stabilized at a low level in Greta Thunberg last year helped to European bank, exceeding its peers largest banks to integrate climate doubt that a cyber attack could have a significant effect recent months. “At the same time, business expecta- drag the climate emergency into the by over $27 billion,” the investor change risk assessment and to set on financial markets, this proves otherwise.” Hackers have tions in manufacturing have brightened somewhat. So mainstream. And Bank of England pressure group added. and disclose adequate phase-out tar- grown more sophisticated during the past year, cyberse- the outlook for industrial activity has improved a bit,” head Mark Carney, soon to become In a brief response to gets in response. We hope the curity experts say, shifting from individuals to larger the ministry said. — Reuters UN special envoy on climate action ShareAction’s statement, Barclays Barclays board formally supports this companies that can afford bigger ransoms. — Reuters and finance, recently urged compa- said: “We are working to help tackle resolution,” she added. — AFP 14 Established 1961 Business Thursday, January 9, 2020 TV makers woo Net generation with super-high-def models Bigger, more beautiful and better connected TVs at CES

LAS VEGAS: Bigger, more beautiful and better connected: At the Consumer Electronics Show, which kicked off Tuesday in Las Vegas, TV makers flaunted top-notch models meant to lure a generation weaned on the internet. LG, Samsung, Sony and others touted the visual grandeur of new 8K super-high-definition screens, which are suited for TVs larger than 65 inches in diameter, a fast growing segment of the market. The luxury sets are meant to appeal to millennials and Generation Z with features such as video streaming services, plus smart home and video games capabilities. Samsung’s Sero TV, for example, pivots from landscape to portrait modes, the same way a smartphone or tablet lets a viewer flip a screen while watching a YouTube video, eliminating the black bands on the side. “Screens have become lifestyle prod- ucts,” said JH Han, president of Samsung’s LAS VEGAS: (Left to right) Technology Editor for Elle Jenna Blaha, Director of visual display business. Partnerships for Instagram Claudine Cazian, Senior Vice President of Global “It has never been so clear that the role Communications for Dell Jennifer Davis, Founder and CEO of The Good Co Jasmine of the screen is changing right before our Crowe and Global Head of Communications for Spotify Dustee Jenkins participate in a LAS VEGAS: LG Signature OLED R roll up or roll down televisions are displayed on very eyes.” The newer sets go beyond the panel at the C Space Storytellers Stage hosted by Elle during CES 2020 at the Aria Resort “Aopening day of the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada current 4K or ultra-high definition displays- & Casino on Tuesday in Las Vegas, Nevada. —AFP Photos on Tuesday. already an upgrade from the first generation of flat panels-to 8K, with more pixels for the Samsung Electronics America executive benefit from it.” Skyworth’s new 75-inch unique growth engine for our business has But it forecast “robust growth” of flat massive screens now becoming popular. vice president. Q91 with 8K graphics will be priced at been gaming monitors,” Stinziano of panel displays this year. “Although there are He predicted 2020 would be a “tipping $5,999 in the United States. Samsung said. still uncertainties due to the trade war 8K tipping point? point” for 8K going mainstream. Skyworth, Millennials see a television as a tool to between the US and China, demand for flat- Rich 8K definition is meant to woo own- a well-established TV maker in China, Playing the game help them win video games, according to panel displays is expected to increase on ers of huge flat screens, by packing more unveiled premium television models meant To stay in the race, televisions are also TCL executives who showed off an the back of historically low panel prices and color to fill larger viewing areas. Networks to break into the US and European markets. adapting to connected lifestyles by integrat- enhanced line-up boasting features aimed at the impacts of various sports events held and content creators alike are beginning to “Only when the whole industry works ing voice assistants from Amazon, Google or players. during even-numbered years,” said IHS come together to cater to viewers with such together can it realize the full value of 8K to Apple, and offering functionalities adapted That said, demand for flat panel displays Markit Technology display research direc- screens. users,” said Skyworth TV chief executive to streaming platforms and video gaming. fell short of expectations last year in the tor Ricky Park. Samsung, for example, is working with Tony Wang. The latest models presented at CES includ- consumer market due in part to trade ten- Such events include Japan public broad- YouTube and other partners to stream “The entire 8K industry chain is reaching ed advanced technical characteristics in sions between China and the United States caster NHK’s plans to show the 2020 8K content directly to its most expensive its full development and now is the best time terms of graphics and sound capabilities to as well as a slowing global economy, Olympics in Tokyo in 8K, which is expected TVs, according to Joe Stinziano, to launch an 8K screen, when users can fully satisfy gamers eager for greater immersion. according to IHS Markit. to help boost that demand. —AFP Defying critics, Ivanka Trump draws applause at tech show LAS VEGAS: US presidential adviser Ivanka Trump on Tuesday touted government-industry collab- oration to create jobs, drawing applause at a tech show that con- trasted with the criticism she faced beforehand for her lack of tech experience. The daughter of Republican President Donald LAS VEGAS: An electric cargo bike from Italian startup Measy is seen Trump and a businesswoman, with a delivery robot from sister company Yape as part of a demon- Trump spoke at the annual CES stration of multimodal transportation at the 2020 Consumer tech conference in Las Vegas in the Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday. —AFP face of backlash from some industry officials, including women, who challenged her tech qualifications. ticipation, saying she leads White anything,” Trump told Shapiro. She said a White House council House efforts on job creation and Some in the Women Who Tech that she co-leads will launch a economic growth through work- group on Facebook voiced displeas- nationwide year-long advertising force development, skills training ure with the invitation to Trump. campaign to encourage all pathways and entrepreneurship. Investor Elisabeth Fullerton wrote: to jobs, including apprenticeships, Consumer Technology “This is an insult to women in tech- and not just a college degree. “We Association CEO Gary Shapiro, who nology. We did hard times in universi- need to raise awareness about many moderated the discussion with ty, engineering, math, and applied sci- options that exist,” she told the audi- Trump, praised her remarks. “On ences. This is what extreme privilege ence. Trump said the White House behalf of the industry, we want to and entitlement get you. It’s not what will release a national workforce work with you. We want to create you know it’s who you know I guess.” strategy in the coming months. She jobs,” Shapiro said. Trump talked Tech analyst Carolina Milanesi said over 400 companies have com- about efforts to boost paid family wrote in an opinion piece in mitted to offering over 14 million leave, finding people to fill 500,000 Forbes: “The reason for my upset training opportunities. manufacturing job openings and is rooted in the fact that there are The council includes the chief doing more to recruit and retain many more women who are in tech executives from Apple Inc , immigrants that she dubbed “the and are entrepreneurs who could Walmart Inc, IBM Corp and other greatest talent in the world.” run circles around Trump on how major companies. Conference “If we can’t agree come together technology will impact the future organizers defended Trump’s par- on this, we can’t come together on of work.” —Reuters

the polls and has portrayed herself as a defender of Taiwan economy Taiwan’s liberal democracy against the increasingly authoritarian shadow cast by Beijing under President Xi Jinping. Her main competitor Han Kuo-yu favours an electoral weak much warmer ties with China, saying it will boost the island’s fortunes. spot for Tsai Han’s campaign has stumbled, with many Taiwanese voters rattled by China’s hardline response to pro-democracy protests in neighboring despite record Hong Kong and the mass internments of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang. But he has drawn blood on the TAIPEI: Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen looks set to economy, which Beijing has squeezed since Tsai took secure a second term in elections this weekend, but power in 2016 because her party rejects the idea that her Achilles heel is an economy that China has Taiwan is part of “one China”. squeezed relentlessly in an effort to assert its control “My goal as the president is very clear: ‘Taiwan over the island’s future. safe, people rich’,” Han said during a recent televised Despite Beijing’s pressure campaign, Tsai can boast debate, repeating what has become his main mantra. a solid economic record, with the lowest unemploy- “Taiwanese people have been living very difficult ment for decades and strong export growth. But her lives in the past three and a half years,” he added. main challenger has gained traction by insisting Tsai’s With Taiwan being a comparative economic min- dismal relations with China bode badly for the island’s now that remains hugely reliant on the mainland, that longer-term prosperity. message has resonated among many, especially Saturday’s vote will have implications far beyond those with Chinese business interests. Tsai Pao-shin, Taiwan’s borders. Taiwan has long been a potential a former supporter of the ruling Democratic flashpoint between China, which has vowed to one Progressive Party (DPP) and an executive secretary day seize the self-ruled island, regarding it as its of a fishing association in Kaohsiung, said he own territory, and the United States, its main mili- planned to vote for Han. “(President) Tsai’s policy is tary ally. With China-US relations deteriorating, anti-China. We can’t sell our products to China and observers are closely watching for the result and there are fewer mainland tourists to Taiwan,” he told how Beijing might react. AFP. “Discord between the two sides is not doing Tsai, the island’s first female leader, is riding high in anyone any good.” —AFP Established 1961 15

Thursday, January 9, 2020 What’s On

Visit Nepal 2020 tourism campaign launched

— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

By Ben Garcia Visit Nepal 2020 also aimed at increas- to attract more tourists to Nepal in 2020. Pashupatinath; and the medieval city of ing the number of foreign investments in “Now is the time to visit and invest in Bhaktapur. Nepal is a multiethnic country he Embassy of the Federal the country especially in the infrastructure Nepal where everything is stable; from with Nepali as the official language. Democratic Republic of Nepal projects and agriculture. “Nepal is now politics to business, we are always ready,” “There is more to see in Nepal than Tlaunched on Tuesday ‘Visit Nepal very peaceful and with complete stability he said, noting that Nepal has launched a Mt Everest,” Ambassador Bhandari said. 2020’, a more aggressive tourism promo- in politics and security, we can make sure well-funded tourism campaign to once “Food is diverse; we serve halal food in tion approach to woo expats and Kuwaiti you are well taken care of once you visit again encourage foreigners to visit his all hotels and accommodations. Nepal is tourists, home of the tallest mountain in our country. “We welcome you warmly country and check several business relatively close geographically to the the world ‘Mount Everest’. Nepal has and we want to have connection with you opportunities available there. Gulf, it is only a four-hour flight away. recorded the hottest destination before in terms of investment,” he said. In terms Nepal is a landlocked country in South Contrary to popular belief, Nepal is not 2015 earthquake but it was badly affected of visa, he said most of the countries can Asia located between India and the Tibet always cold; we have dry season and by the earthquake and only recently are secure visa upon arrival. “Kuwaitis can region. It is known for its temples and monsoon season too.” bouncing back. “You know after the earth- come and visit us and their visa will be Himalayan mountains, which include Mt As for the visa, while it is not free, quake in 2015, our tourism sector was issued at the airport,” he said. Everest. Kathmandu, the capital, has a Ambassador Bhandari explained that for badly affected, but we are trying our best “I know that Kuwaitis are known trav- mazelike old quarter filled with Hindu and Kuwaiti tourists, they can easily obtain to showcase our country to the world elers, and we want them to experience the Buddhist shrines. Around Kathmandu their visa upon arrival if they choose to go again and reconsider 2020 on your next plus the hospitality and uniqueness, genui- hospitality we share with people around Valley are Swayambhunath, a Buddhist to Nepal without filing for a visa at the travel,” said Durga Prasad Bhandari, ness of people of Nepal is worth mention- the world,” he said, adding that political temple with resident monkeys; embassy. “But you can also secure a visa Nepal Ambassador to Kuwait. “Obviously ing, we want to increase the visitors from stability has helped the government shift Boudhanath, a massive Buddhist stupa; in our embassy, and the visa will be issued we have the best tourist destination ever, Kuwait once again,” he said. focus on doing “aggressive campaigning” Hindu temples and cremation grounds at within a day after you apply,” he said.

Kitchen tips to help your kitchen run like a restaurant

e covered the best cooking tips in existence-the next logical RUN YOUR POTATOES THROUGH THE DISHWASHER USE COOKING SPRAY TO MAKE LESS OF A MESS step is to cover kitchen tips, no? Here are a few game-changing Wthings to remember before getting crazy in your kitchen. ELIMINATE TUPPERWARE SMELL BY PACKING THEM WITH NEWSPAPER

Seriously, it’s a foolproof way of cleaning your dirty vegetables when hand-washing won’t suffice. Make sure there’s no soap in the machine, of course, but a simple rinsing cycle will do the trick.

No one’s really sure why, but crumpling up newspaper and stacking it HEAT A DISH TOWEL IN THE MICROWAVE TO GET RID OF into smelly Tupperware overnight has been known to finally get rid of the FISH SMELL odor. Just make sure to thoroughly wash your containers after the fact, as newspapers aren’t exactly clean. When measuring out super sticky ingredients, coat your measuring cup with a butter or oil cooking spray first. It ensures the sticky substance will slide right out and prevent you from having to scrub at your cups forever PREVENT BUBBLING OVER WITH A WOODEN SPOON afterward.

MICROWAVE YOUR SPONGE

Trust us: If you put some dish soap on your dish rag, heat the rag itself for a few minutes, leave the rag in the microwave for about half an hour, If any of your pots are boiling over, quickly place a wooden spoon return to the rag, and wipe the walls of the microwave down, you will be across the rim-that’ll settle the frothy bubbles and prevent more free of that fishy microwave smell that’s been plaguing you since, well, the over-boiling. last time you microwaved fish. ...For just a few seconds when it’s (seemingly) irreparably gross. 16 Health & Science Thursday, January 9, 2020 No link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, finds major study WASHINGTON: A major US government-led study published ter of a million women from 1982 to 2017. The studies surveyed par- Tuesday found no link between ovarian cancer and the use of tal- ticipants every year or two on a diverse set of questions related to cum powder in the genital area, citing data from more than health, including the use of talcum powder. The hope was that by Gorilla at San Diego 250,000 women. The paper appeared in the influential Journal of scaling up the number of participants, it would be possible to discern the American Medical Association (JAMA), which also published an weak effects with statistical validity, which would have been unde- editorial praising the research methods and calling the findings tectable on a smaller population. Among the 252,745 women followed Zoo undergoes “overall reassuring.” for a median period of 11.2 years, 2,168 developed ovarian cancer. For decades, some women have used talcum powder for genital No statistically significant association was found when compar- cataract surgery hygiene to absorb odor and moisture — either through direct ing women who had used powder and those who had never used it. application or via underwear, sanitary pads, tampons or Nor was any significant association found when comparing fre- LOS ANGELES: A team of eye doctors in diaphragms. The practice is more common among older genera- quency or length of use. But although the study is the largest of its California tested their skills on an unusual tions. But its use has grown controversial because of reported kind with the longest follow-up time, the authors said there were patient — a western lowland gorilla. Working cancer risks. several limitations. These included that two of the four data sets with veterinarians from the San Diego Zoo, an eye surgeon removed a cataract from the left In 2018, US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson was missed information on frequency and duration of use. SAN DIEGO: In this image courtesy of San Diego eye of a three-year-old female named Leslie on ordered to pay out $4.7 billion to 22 women who had claimed that Zoo Global, 3-year-old female western lowland December 10, zoo officials announced. asbestos in the company’s talcum powder products caused them to ‘Competent, careful study’ gorilla, Leslie, is surrounded by ophthalmolo- They said the surgery was performed at the develop ovarian cancer. An appeal is underway. In the 1970s, con- There are also inherent limitations associated with so-called gist, veterinarians, and animal care experts as zoo’s medical center and Leslie was recovering she undergoes cataract surgery on December cerns arose over possible contamination of the mineral talc with observational studies of the population at large — as opposed to well. The surgeon who performed the proce- asbestos, which often form alongside each other in nature. Some controlled clinical trials for drugs — including failure to account 10, 2019, at UC San Diego Health in San Diego, dure, Chris Heichel, said that while he had car- California. — AFP studies showed a higher risk of ovarian cancer among users of tal- for all possible external factors. ried out thousands of eye surgeries on human cum powder, which was suspected of entering the ovaries via the Kevin McConway, an emeritus professor of applied statistics at patients, this was his first on a gorilla. vagina and uterus. Britain’s Open University called it a “good, competent, careful “Fortunately, the similarities between the with clear vision for the rest of her life. A But the link remained contested because of the overall low num- study,” but added that it could not definitively rule out a link anatomy of human and gorilla eyes are great cataract is a clouding of the clear lens behind ber of studies conducted, with some of them criticized for a between talc and cancer entirely. enough to allow us to safely navigate the pro- the colored part of the eye, known as the iris. methodology that introduced recall bias among participants, while “Most of the risk differences that the researchers examined cedure without complication,” he said in a Cataracts typically develop over time, as part of others were not statistically conclusive. The effect is also difficult to were not statistically significant,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that statement issued by the zoo. “The remainder of the normal aging process, but they can also be isolate because ovarian cancers themselves are rare: only 1.3 per- these differences were definitely zero, only that they were small the eye appeared to be in excellent health, indi- caused by trauma to the eye. Once a cataract cent of all women risk being affected in their lifetimes. enough so that they could plausibly be due only to random varia- cating exceptional vision potential for the rest develops, the lens becomes progressively tion.” He concluded that what the research did establish was that of Leslie’s life.” cloudier and vision deteriorates. Zoo officials Unprecedented scale if such a risk did exist, it was likely to be very small. “I’m not a The procedure involved removing the said they suspect Leslie’s cataract resulted from In the new JAMA paper, led by Katie O’Brien of the National woman, so can’t have concerns about my own health in these cloudy lens from Leslie’s eye and inserting a an injury, either from a fall or while playing with Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, researchers synthesized respects - but if I were a woman, this wouldn’t be high on my list new artificial lens that should provide the gorilla other young gorillas in her troop. — AFP data from four large studies, which encompassed data from a quar- of worries.” — AFP 17

Thursday, January 9, 2020

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Call: 24833199 ext:101,102 or Direct line: 24835616 / 24835617 or email: [email protected] 18 Established 1961 Stars Thursday, January 9, 2020

CROSSWORD 2405 STAR TRACK

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

How annoying when work gets in the way of pleasure, but there are times when It's time once and for all to tie up all those loose ends of projects left undone. professional opportunities are simply too good to pass up. That beguiling crea- Much as you may dread it, think of it this way, Libra: by completing these ture you've had your eye on will just have to wait for you another day. For now, tasks you clear space for exciting new projects to come your way. Know that Aries, focus on the business at hand. With the current aspect at play, the payoff everything bodes well today for all things financial and professional. Perhaps could be tremendous! you'll get that bonus that's due you!

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

One disadvantage of attics is that so much junk tends to get stored up there. Today Junk mail and a few telephone solicitations would almost be a welcome relief is the day for you to clean house. You've been putting this off long enough and now from the intense communications you've been having with people lately. All must face the dust and debris in your own personal attic. Whether it's emotional this intensity is interesting, to be sure, but also more time consuming than messes that need cleaning up or business matters that beg for attention, know that you'd like. You barely have time to handle your own affairs, much less those you will be hurting yourself and your future prospects if you delay any longer. of others. If you begin to feel yourself at the bursting point, call your own per- sonal time-out. A shower or bath would do you a world of good, Scorpio.

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

It seems your ship is about to come in, Gemini. At least, the planets seem to think It isn't nearly as bad as you think, Sagittarius. In fact, things are definitely looking up. so. Your years of cultivating business relationships will pay off in the form of Of course, you'll never know that if you refuse to drag yourself out of bed to see for yourself. Your hard work of the last few months has left you enervated and some- ACROSS 81. Dish baked in pastry-lined pan often with a increased sales or new business opportunities. It seems this success spills over into your personal life as well. Life on the home front has never been more serene. what drained. But today you begin to see the payoff! It's time to get up, get dressed, 1. A gradual decline (in size or strength or pow- pastry top. You are the conductor of this melodious symphony that is your life. and dazzle the world with your brilliance. You know you can do it. er or number). DOWN Congratulations! 4. Any of various long-legged carrion-eating 1. English essayist (1775-1834). hawks of South and Central America. 2. Any of numerous local fertility and nature 12. A transuranic element that has not been deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples. found in nature. 3. God of wealth and love. 15. The syllable naming the sixth (submediant) 4. An enclosure made or wire or metal bars in Cancer (June 21-July 22) Capricorn (December 22-January 19) note of a major or minor scale in solmization. which birds or animals are kept. 16. A resident of Alabama. 5. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part Why does being patient have to take so long? quipped one frustrated soul. Could Think of yourself as a marathon runner. You have a very long distance to travel, 17. A period of time spent sleeping. of an organism. it have been you, Cancer? Waiting has never been your strong suit, there's no but the sweetness is not just to be found in crossing the finish line, but rather in 18. A plant hormone promoting elongation of 6. The network in the reticular formation that question about it. You will get through today more easily if you concentrate on relishing all the sights along the way. While your head today is overflowing with stems and roots. serves an alerting or arousal function. finding an outlet for your pent-up frustration. A visit to the gym or a vigorous plans and ideas, you begin to feel deflated when you begin to consider all the 19. A volatile flammable mixture of hydrocar- 7. A dark-skinned member of a race of people cleaning of the house would help. logistics of realizing these dreams. Fret not, Capricorn. The planets have blessed you with an energy level that is equal to the task, so go ahead and get started! bons (hexane and heptane and octane etc.) living in Australia when Europeans arrived. derived from petroleum. 8. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant 20. An agency of the United Nations affiliated white flowers and yielding a durable timber with the World Bank. and resinous juice. 21. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly 9. A primeval personification of air and breath. Leo (July 23-August 22) Aquarius (January 20- February 18) aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true 10. An area in which something acts or oper- stems and roots and leaves. ates or has power or control. 23. (religion) Of or pertaining to or characteris- 11. Administer an oil or ointment to. We all know the adage, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." But you can't It's time for you to tap in to that inner resource that you have always known tic of the Anglican church. 12. A cycle with a single wheel that is driven by help feeling that you have tried and tried and tried to no avail. All that is about to existed. Your ability to heal is extraordinary, and there's no point in denying it change, Leo, as you begin to reap the fruits of your labors. You can expect to see any longer. Your mind is like a sponge, thirsty to soak up any new knowledge 25. A public promotion of some product or ser- pedals. things from a new, unusual perspective. This will allow you to sidestep the obsta- or practice about the healing arts. You might spend today browsing a New vice. 13. A quantity of no importance. cles that have been blocking you recently. Pay extra attention today and make a Age bookstore. Or why not spend a relaxing hour lying flat out on a table, 29. Suggestive of the supernatural. 14. The complete duration of something. mental note, if not a physical one, of any unusual ideas you have. learning from the skilled fingers of a master masseuse? 30. A soft white precious univalent metallic ele- 22. Chief port of Yemen. ment having the highest electrical and thermal 24. A native or inhabitant of Iran. conductivity of any metal. 26. Remote city of Kazakhstan that (ostensibly

32. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a for security reasons) was made the capital in Virgo (August 23-September 22) Pisces (February 19-March 20) skewer usually with vegetables. 1998. 27. A long noosed rope used to catch animals. 33. A book of the New Testament. Whatever you want, Virgo, you need only ask for it and there is a good chance Once begun is half done, as the saying goes. This certainly applies to you today, 36. The mother of your father or mother. 28. The blood group whose red cells carry both you will get it. And it's about time, too. It seems you have been working excep- 38. A mountain range in China. the A and B antigens. Pisces. Yes, it's true that you have a considerable amount of work ahead of you, tionally hard lately. You are certainly due for a raise, if not a promotion. Gather but surely you know that you can get it done. Trite as it may sound, making a 31. A metric unit of weight equal to one thou- 40. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac your thoughts, collect your supporting evidence, and ask for what you deserve. list (no, you don't have to check it twice) will help you break the projects down insects. sandth of a kilogram. If your yen for more public recognition is nagging at you, then take steps today into manageable chunks. It's so much easier to focus only on the next step 41. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flow- 34. Learns from a tutor. to ensure that you get more time in the spotlight. rather than the entire Herculean task. ers. 35. Something (often something deceptively 44. A representation of the Virgin Mary mourn- attractive) that catches you unawares. ing over the dead body of Jesus. 37. A radioactive element of the actinide series. Wordsearch Puzzle Yesterday’s Solution 45. Before noon. 39. The topmost one of two. 48. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali 42. A loose sleeveless outer garment made earth group. from aba cloth. 49. A trivalent metallic element of the rare earth 43. A switch made from the stems of the rattan group. palms. 50. African antelope with ridged curved horns. 46. In a gay manner. 52. A person who participates in a meeting. 47. On or toward the lee. 56. The lofty nest of a bird of prey (such as a 51. Idle or foolish and irrelevant talk. hawk or eagle). 53. Chinese tree bearing seeds that yield tung 59. Of or pertaining to hearing or the ear. oil. 60. Fermented alcoholic beverage similar to but 54. A wealthy man (who made his fortune in heavier than beer. the Orient). 55. A chronic skin disease occurring primarily in 61. (Irish) Goddess. women between the ages of 20 and 40. 63. Area around the altar of a church for the 57. Away from the mouth or oral region. clergy and choir. 58. Add ions to. 66. A large and densely populated urban area. 62. Yellow-fever mosquitos. 69. A silvery ductile metallic element found pri- 64. A Nilotic language. marily in bauxite. 65. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug 70. A legal document codifying the result of (trademarks Aleve and Anaprox and Aflaxen). deliberations of a committee or society or leg- 67. Made agreeably cold (especially by ice). islative body. 68. An island in Indonesia east of Java. 75. (computer science) The smallest discrete 71. The foot of a human being. component of an image or picture on a CRT 72. The universal time coordinated when an screen (usually a colored dot). event is received on Earth. 76. Any of various widely distributed beetles. 73. An ester of adenosine that is converted to 78. A room equipped with toilet facilities. ATP for energy storage. 79. A lyric poem with complex stanza forms. 74. Any high mountain. 80. A step to one side (as in boxing or dancing). 77. That is to say.

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku Yesterday’s Solution Established 1961 Lifestyle

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020

Cars and people surround camels for sale during the annual King Abdulaziz Camel Festival in Rumah, some 160 km east of Riyadh, on Tuesday. — AFP photos

s the first woman to win a Golden Globe added, speaking at a Beverly Hills event hosted “Chernobyl”. After two decades scoring films, as a solo composer, “Joker” musician by BAFTA, Britain’s version of the motion pic- Gudnadottir sees changing attitudes towards AHildur Gudnadottir had every reason to ture Academy. One memorable scene in which women as a key ingredient in her breakthrough, bask in the spotlight of this weekend’s star- Phoenix’s Joker flees from a bloody crime into and historic Globes win. studded Hollywood gala. But the Icelandic a public bathroom, where he unexpectedly Previously, the only female composer to tri- maestro immediately singled out Joaquin breaks out into an unsettling dance, was umph was Lisa Gerrard, who shared her Globe Phoenix - who won best drama actor as the famously improvised by the actor. The dance with Hans Zimmer for 2000’s “Gladiator”. “I’ve film’s conflicted anti-hero - praising his unique takes place to Gudnadottir’s theme, which was noticed a bit of wariness sometimes in the last collaboration with her haunting score. “Thank played on set. years, in the last decade or so to trust women you Joaquin for making my job really easy with “Our dialogue was not through words - we for these bigger projects,” Gudnadottir told a spectacular, unbelievable performance - it’s never had a conversation about any of this,” journalists after her win Sunday. “But I believe mind blowing,” Gudnadottir said as she collect- explained Gudnadottir. “But he was really able because of all the awareness that has been ed her prize Sunday. to interact with the music itself.” “It’s just a won- raised in the last couple of years about the posi- While it may have been characteristic mod- derful way to collaborate. I think it’s a really tion of women in the industry, I think I have also esty, the relationship between the film’s eerie beautiful and organic way for a film that has so definitely benefited a lot from that.” She added: cello soundtrack and its star performance was many different elements - for all the elements to “I think people are just a bit more open towards unusually intense. Gudnadottir wrote the grow together.” trusting women today.” — AFP “Joker” theme before shooting even began - a rare order of events - allowing the director and ‘Wariness’ toward women cast to use the music “while they were shoot- The uncanny link between composer and star ing,” she explained. “The music was able to is sure to add to the mythos of the movie, which Icelandic musician Hildur Gudnadottir poses influence his performances a lot,” said has stirred up controversy along with adulation in the press room with the award for best Gudnadottir, who opted for simple pulsing and awards buzz. Phoenix is frontrunner to win Best Original Score - Motion Picture during rhythms resembling heartbeats. the best actor Oscar, while Gudnadottir is well- the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards on “A lot of his movements and a lot of the placed to add to an awards cabinet which Jan 5, 2020, at The Beverly Hilton hotel in pacing comes directly from the music,” she includes an Emmy for scoring HBO series Beverly Hills, California. — AFP 20 Established 1961 Lifestyle Technology Thursday, January 9, 2020

The 8K video version of the new Autel EVO 2 is flown on the opening day of the CES.

Royole FlexPai foldable smartphones are displayed at CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Jan 7, 2020 in Las Vegas. — AFP photos People look at panels of curved LG OLED televisions.

vatars touted as “artificial humans” cre- ated a buzz Tuesday at the Consumer AElectronics Show even as debate swirled on what exactly the digital entities were. Star Labs, a startup funded by Samsung, showed the painstakingly detailed AI-powered, two-dimensional digital creations to a large crowd, saying they are able to “converse and sympathize” like real people. A demonstration at CES showed conversations and gestures from the digital creations modeled after real humans. According to the California-based unit of the South Korean company, the technology allows for the creation of customized digital beings that can appear on displays or video games and could be designed to be “TV anchors, spokespeople, or movie actors” or even “companions and friends”. Pranav Mistry, chief executive of the lab, Attendees try out Realmax augmented reality (AR) glasses at the Realmax booth at CES 2020. said the creations known as NEONs are mod- eled after people but can show highly detailed expressions and gestures, and even new char- acteristics that can be programmed. “They look very human, in part because they are An attendee visits the Velodyne booth featuring Velodyne Lidar sensor technology. modeled after a human,” but can even speak in languages the person hadn’t spoken before, Mistry said. In developing the creations, Mistry said it “felt like magic to us and we wanted to share this magic.” According to Star Labs, NEON is inspired “by the rhythmic complexities of nature and extensively trained with how humans look, behave and interact”. While digital avatars have long been able to be programmed for specific tasks such as role players in games, NEON goes further by enabling interactions that can incorporate human emotion. Although the artificial humans may borrow features from real people, “each NEON has his or her own A woman receives a roll of toilet paper from the Charmin Rollbot. unique personality and can show new expres- sions, movements, and dialogues,” the compa-

The Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR concept car designed with input from Avatar director James Cameron is displayed at CES.

The Bird Cruiser, which is scheduled to be deployed in the Bird shared fleet, is displayed dur- ing CES 2020.

The Smacircle S1 folding micro-mobility bike is folded. The Hyundai S-A1 electric Urban Air Mobility concept is displayed. Established 1961 21 Lifestyle Technology Thursday, January 9, 2020

An attendee uses a DSLR camera in the Nikon booth during CES 2020. Digit, an upright robot by Agility Robotics, demonstrates package delivery at the Ford booth during CES 2020.

The Segway S-Pod is seen. Samsung’s Neon shows its “artificial humans”, AI composited animations dis- Insta360 representative Hannah Wilson models the company’s Go camera. played at human scale. ny said. The NEON creators said the new virtual humans used to ‘fake’ a human interacting with a live person for are the product of advances in technologies including bad or illegal purposes.” neural networks and computational reality. Concerns over deepfakes Generating doubts The announcement comes amid a proliferation of AI- But the invention did not impress everyone. Ben Wood manipulated computer videos known as “deepfakes,” of the consultancy CCS Insight said he was “under- and growing concerns about how they could be used to whelmed” after seeing the NEONS. He tweeted that, on deceive or manipulate. But Mistry said the computation the booth, they just look like “videos of actors which can techniques of deepfakes are “completely different” than be manipulated to do certain actions. I must be missing those used for NEON. He told AFP that his technology something.” Avi Greengart of the consultancy “doesn’t manipulate any content” but “creates the con- Techsponential said the avatars could be realistic but tent as it goes along”. He maintained that “no one will also “creepy”. “Leaving aside how impressive the tech- ever have access to the technology at its core, and that is nology is, will NEON be used in ways that people like, what we are designing from the ground up.” just tolerate, or actively hate?” he said. Mistry offered no specifics on the company’s business Jack Gold, an analyst at J Gold Associates, said model but suggested partner firms may want to use Samsung may be ahead of the pack if it can develop these digital creations for various services. The India- avatars that can show emotions and expressions, but also born Mistry was known for developing Sixth Sense, a questioned the potential for abuse. “It has major implica- gesture-based wearable technology system built at the tions for many fields like customer service, help desk Massachusetts Institute of Technology. — AFP Toyota’s LQ Level 4 concept car is displayed at functions, entertainment, and of course could also be the Toyota booth during CES 2020.

The Cybic Aquarius Folding e-bike with Amazon Alexa built-in is displayed at the Pieces are displayed of the DJI RoboMaster S1 Educational Robot at CES 2020. GoPro Max, a 360 degree camera, is displayed. Amazon booth.

Attendee Ieva Gaigala from France reacts as she experiences the ease to lift a 50-pound case with the Guardian XO, a dexterous robotic sys- Sharp’s 80” see-through video monitor is displayed. tems, from Sarcos in the Delta booth during CES 2020. 22 Established 1961 Lifestyle Cocktail Thursday, January 9, 2020

acial-recognition technology has become embed- ded in China, from airports to hotels, e-commerce Fsites and even public toilets, but a law professor had enough when asked to scan his face at a safari park. Guo Bing took the wildlife park to court, raising the tempera- ture in a growing debate about privacy and abuse of per- sonal data in an increasingly digitized society. China’s government has thrown its support behind companies that develop facial recognition and artificial intelligence for commerce and security, part of a drive to become a world leader in advanced technologies. Surveys have indicated a broad public willingness to sur- This file photo taken on Aug 21, 2019 shows a woman render some privacy in exchange for the safety and con- using a facial recognition device installed at an IFuree Go venience that technology can bring. self-service supermarket in Tianjin. But that’s changing as the collection of biometric data such as fingerprints and facial scans mounts. Domestic processing or selling of data on the one hand, while still media have called Guo’s suit against the Hangzhou Safari being able to practice government surveillance on the Park in eastern China, filed in October, the first of its kind other hand,” he told AFP. in the country, and the public reaction has exposed fears that technology is outpacing legal safeguards. Brave new world Online posts regarding the case on the popular Weibo Despite headlines about the brave new Chinese world platform have garnered more than 100 million views, with of high tech, experts say China actually continues to lag many users calling for a ban on collecting such data. The far behind the US in advancement but excels in scaling sentiment stems in part from the rampant abuse of per- up technologies for wide commercial use. It has the sonal data in China, ranging from outright financial fraud world’s largest population of mobile Internet users - to the common leaking of mobile phone numbers to more than 850 million - which operates as a valuable phishing operations. testing ground for consumer viability. This file photo taken on Oct 24, 2018 shows visitors looking at AI (artificial intelligence) security cameras with facial Facial recognition is now used to pay bills, take atten- Deal with the devil recognition technology at the 14th China International Exhibition on Public Safety and Security at the China dance in some schools, streamline security in public tran- In a recent article posted online that generated wide International Exhibition Center in Beijing. —AFP sit and punish jaywalkers. Restrooms at some tourist discussion in China, Lao Dongyan, a law professor at attractions even require a facial scan in order to receive prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing, called abuse of and Technology said the safari park’s “rash and rough to fight crime and ensure public safety. Devising laws that toilet paper to curb over-consumption. But the China facial recognition data “a deal with the devil”. “The wan- attitude showed indifference” to public sensitivities. Laws may infringe on this drive is a delicate matter and unlikely Consumers Association in Nov 2018 released a report ton promotion of facial-recognition technology will open must be used to prevent “overreach”, it added. On Dec to lead to significant changes, say experts. stating that more than 90 percent of mobile apps were Pandora’s box. The price we pay will be not only our pri- 30, the government issued a directive specifying a range “There could be symbolic moves like setting up a pri- suspected of excessively collecting personal information, vacy, but also the security we strive for,” Lao wrote. of practices related to the collection and use of personal vacy or data protection officer in companies, but nothing and 10 percent excessively amassing biometric data. Guo, a professor at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University in information via mobile phone apps that it considered to substantial,” said Beijing Normal University law profes- Concerns have grown after recent state media reports Hangzhou, said in his civil complaint that collection of be unlawful. sor Liu Deliang, founder of the Asia-Pacific Institute for said thousands of pieces of facial data were sold online data like facial scans, “if leaked, illegally provided or China still lacks a specific set of laws governing person- Cyber-Law Studies. Lokman Tsui, a communications for as little as 10 yuan ($1.40) each, and after the govern- abused, will easily endanger consumers’ personal and al data. Legislation is now being formulated, but it remains professor at Chinese University of Hong Kong, says the ment last month began implementing a new requirement property safety”. A hearing date is yet to be announced. unclear when it could be introduced. China is constructing government could opt for tough laws that target the that consumers provide a facial scan to register for Guo could not be reached for comment. a massive high-tech surveillance state marked by ubiqui- abuse of such data, rather than its collection. “It would be mobile phone services. — AFP A newspaper published by the Ministry of Science tous security cameras, which authorities say is necessary relatively easy for the government to crack down on the

gly Betty” creator Silvio Horta has been found dead in Miami, the show’s actresses said Tuesday. Horta’s agent said Ua statement from the family was expected shortly. Although no cause of death was given, a report in Variety said Horta, 45, had died by suicide. Horta developed the hit ABC show “Ugly Betty” based on a Colombian telenovella. The series charted the progress of a geeky secretary attempting to forge a career at a New York fashion magazine. Both the show - executive produced by Salma Hayek - and its breakout star America Ferrera won Golden Globes. “I’m stunned and Three-year-old female western lowland gorilla Leslie is surrounded by ophthalmologist, veterinarians and animal care experts as she undergoes cataract sur- heartbroken to hear the devastating news of ‘Ugly Betty’ creator, gery on Dec 10, 2019, at UC San Diego Health in San Diego, California. —AFP photos Silvio Horta’s death,” Ferrera wrote on Instagram Tuesday. “His tal- ent and creativity brought me and so many others such joy & light.” team of eye doctors in California tested thousands of eye surgeries on human patients, lens that should provide the gorilla with clear “Ugly Betty” co-star Vanessa Williams added: “Still in shock after their skills on an unusual patient - a west- this was his first on a gorilla. “Fortunately, the vision for the rest of her life. A cataract is a cloud- hearing the tragic news... His creativity and passion will be missed ern lowland gorilla. Working with veteri- similarities between the anatomy of human and ing of the clear lens behind the colored part of the by so many of us that worked with him. May he Rest In Peace.” The A show ran for four seasons from 2006, with Horta serving as narians from the San Diego Zoo, an eye surgeon gorilla eyes are great enough to allow us to safely eye, known as the iris. Cataracts typically develop removed a cataract from the left eye of a three- navigate the procedure without complication,” he over time, as part of the normal aging process, but showrunner and head writer. year-old female named Leslie on December 10, said in a statement issued by the zoo. “The they can also be caused by trauma to the eye. Cuban-American Horta moved to Los Angeles in 1996, and sold zoo officials announced. They said the surgery remainder of the eye appeared to be in excellent Once a cataract develops, the lens becomes pro- his screenplay for slasher movie “Urban Legend” which became a was performed at the zoo’s medical center and health, indicating exceptional vision potential for gressively cloudier and vision deteriorates. Zoo hit film starring Jared Leto two years later. Horta struggled to build Leslie was recovering well. the rest of Leslie’s life.” officials said they suspect Leslie’s cataract resulted on the success of “Ugly Betty”, with no major projects aired since The surgeon who performed the procedure, The procedure involved removing the cloudy from an injury, either from a fall or while playing his breakout hit ended in 2010. — AFP Chris Heichel, said that while he had carried out lens from Leslie’s eye and inserting a new artificial with other young gorillas in her troop. — AFP

ri Geller revealed yesterday he has applied to economists, policy experts, project managers, commu- work for the British government after Prime nications experts, as well as “weirdoes and misfits with UMinister Boris Johnson’s chief adviser called for odd skills”. The appeal resonated with Geller, an appar- “weirdoes and misfits” to apply for jobs. In an applica- ent Johnson supporter and a close friend of the singer tion sent to Johnson’s unorthodox top aide Dominic Michael Jackson. In December, he claimed to have Cummings, the British-Israeli spoon-bender offered up helped the prime minister retain power by giving him a he American writer AJ Dungo won one of the use of his “genuine psychic powers”. “You say you spoon fused with “positive energy” which had belonged France’s top graphic novel prizes yester- want someone on the ‘frontiers of the science of predic- to former Israeli leader Golda Meir. Tday for his heart-breaking tale of love, loss tion’? Well look no further,” Geller, 73, wrote in a cover In his job pitch, which included an endorsement from and surfing, “In Waves”. Dungo’s acclaimed story letter seen by AFP which begins “Dear Dom”. current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is on one level a sideways history of surfing’s “I have genuine psychic powers - just ask Mossad, Geller touted his varied life experience. He claimed his Hawaiian pioneers and how the Malibu wave rid- the CIA and the Pentagon,” he added, referring to long- career as an entertainer - featuring trademark TV per- er Tom Blake revolutionised board design. But it standing claims he has worked for US and Israeli intelli- formances of spoon bending and other illusions - had was the powerful parallel narrative of Dungo’s gence services. “I am currently busy organising the actually been “the perfect mask” for espionage work. own tragic love for his late partner Kristen opening of The Uri Geller Museum in Israel but would “In my intelligence work I assisted with Operation Tuason, a fellow surf fanatic who died of bone consider a move back to Britain for the right position,” Desert Storm, helped to locate secret tunnels in North cancer, which moved the judges of the BD the British-Israeli illusionist said. Korea and used my skills to erase crucial diplomatic Fnac/France Inter prize. discs on their way to Moscow,” he wrote. “While many Tuason helped the Florida-born illustrator, ‘Weirdos, misfits, odd skills’ have doubted my abilities, my achievements cannot be who lives in Los Angeles, overcome his fear of the Cummings last week released a 3,000-word post on dismissed as trickery or illusions.” sea before her death aged 25 in 2016. “In Waves”, his personal blog detailing what he said was the need to Geller suggested his talents could be deployed as 27-year-old Dungo’s first book, has been com- diversify the skills and backgrounds of UK policy mak- Britain enters a year of likely tough negotiations with the pared to William Finnegan’s meditative Pulitzer ers and advisers. The controversial adviser, who headed European Union over their post-Brexit trading relation- Prize-winning memoir, “Barbarian Days: A Surfing the 2016 referendum campaign for Britain to leave the ship. “I attended nuclear disarmament negotiations with Life”. Drawn in steely aquatic greeny-blue, critics EU, said the government wanted to hire “an unusual set Russia, bombarding their chief negotiator with positive hailed it as “moving and fascinating” in the way it of people with different skills and backgrounds”. thought waves so that the Soviet delegation would sign interweaves the great heroes of surfing with the They include data scientists, software developers, the Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty,” he noted. — AFP author’s adoration of his girlfriend. — AFP Classifieds Thursday, January 9, 2020

Passport No. R8270784 issued CHANGE OF NAME at Kuwait on 13-08-2017, presently residing at Kuwait do I, Nasim Mohammed Ishaque hereby declare that henceforth Karjikar, holder of Indian my name will be read as Passport No. J5393280 issued at Given Name: Shibi Kuwait on 13-03-2011 presently Surname: Joseph residing at Kuwait do hereby Objection if any may be for- declare henceforth my name warded to Embassy of India, will be read as given name: Diplomatic Enclave, Safat, Nasim Mohammed Ishaque, Arabian Gulf St. Kuwait City Surname: Karjikar. Objection if 13015. any may be forwarded to Embassy of India. Enclave Safat I, Sunil Kuttiyil George, father of Arabian Gulf St, Kuwait City Ansa Leya Sunil holder of Indian 13015. (C 5603) 9-1-2020 Passport No. S2391456 issued at Kuwait on 15-01-2018, I, Mustafakhan Hamzakhan Permanent address of Kuttiyil Jummal holder of Indian Geo Vila, Chandanappally P.0, Passport No. Z2402486, issued Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India at Kuwait on 25-09-2012, per- and presently residing at Kuwait manent address of India A- do hereby change my daugh- 1148, Jummal Mohalla, ter’s Goregaon Raigad, 402103. M.S. Given Name as: Ansa Leya and presently residing at Kuwait Surname: Sunil do here by change my name as: Objection if any may be for- Airlines Given Name: Mustafa warded to Embassy of India, Hamzakhan, Surname: Jummal. Diplomatic Enclave, Safat, Kuwait Airways 171 (C 5486) Arabian Gulf St. Kuwait City 13015. Jazeera Airways 177 I, Sultan Ahmed Husain, holder of Indian Passport number I, Sunil Kuttiyil George, father of Turkish Airlines 1884918 Z2816107, issued at Kuwait on Kripa Anna Sunil holder of 31/08/2014, presently residing Indian Passport No. T8211186 FlyDubai 22414400 at Kuwait do hereby declare issued at Kuwait on 07-11-2019, Qatar Airways 22423888 that henceforth my name will Permanent address of Kuttiyil be read as: Given name: Sultan Geo Vila, Chandanappally P.O, KLM 22425747 Ahmed, Surname: Husain. Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India Objections if any may be for- and presently residing at Kuwait Royal Jordanian 22418064/5/6 warded to Embassy of India, do hereby change my daugh- British Airways 22425635 Diplomatic Enclave, Safat, ter’s Arabian Gulf St, Kuwait City Given Name as: Kripa Anna Air France 22430224 13015. (C 5487) 8-1-2020 Surname: Sunil Objection if any may be for- Emirates 22921555 I, Sunil Kuttiyil George (Kuttiyil warded to Embassy of India, Air India 22456700 Geo Vila, Chandanappally P.0, Diplomatic Enclave, Safat, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, Pin: Arabian Gulf St. Kuwait City Air India EXPRESS 22438185/4 689648) holder of Indian 13015. (C 5485) 7-1-2020 Passport No. T5332157 issued at Sri Lanka Airlines 22424444 Kuwait on 07-07-2019, present- ly residing at Kuwait do hereby SHARING ACCOMMODATION Egypt Air 22421578 declare that henceforth my Swiss Air 22421516 name will be read as Sharing accommodation for Given Name: Sunil Kuttiyil Filipino ONLY Farwaniya block Saudia 22426306 Surname: George 4, near Big Jamiya, available on Objection if any may be for- December 25, Contact Middle East Airlines 22423073 warded to Embassy of India, 55571873. 7-1-2020 Lufthansa 22422493 Diplomatic Enclave, Safat, Arabian Gulf St. Kuwait City PIA 22421044 13015. Bangladesh Airlines 22452977/8 I, Shibi Joseph (Kuttiyil Geo Vila, Oman Air 22958787 Chandanappally P.0, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, Pin: 112 Turkish Airlines 22453820/1 689648) holder of Indian

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

Arrival Flights on Thursday 9/1/2020 FDB 059 Dubai 14:20 FDB 071 Dubai 23:40 IAW 158 Al Najaf 13:00 Airlines Flt Route Time KAC 742 Dammam 14:35 KAC 564 Amman 23:55 SYR 342 Damascus 13:00 IGO 1757 Kochi 00:10 GFA 221 Bahrain 14:40 Departure Flights on Thursday 9/1/2020 JZR 115 Doha 13:00 AIC 989 Mumbai 00:10 FDB 8065 Dubai 14:40 Airlines Flt Route Time MSR 611 Cairo 13:25 JZR 254 Amman 00:45 KAC 774 Riyadh 14:40 KAC 351 Kochi 00:01 SAW 702 Damascus 13:30 THY 772 Istanbul 00:50 KAC 672 Dubai 14:40 AIC 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05 KAC 781 Jeddah 13:30 JZR 734 Cairo 00:50 SVA 500 Jeddah 14:45 SVA 503 Jeddah 00:05 JZR 123 Dubai 13:40 PGT 858 Istanbul 00:55 PGT 7289 Istanbul 14:45 JZR 215 Jeddah 00:05 KAC 541 Cairo 13:45 KAC 102 London 00:55 KAC 118 New York 14:50 MSC 406 Sohag 00:15 UAE 872 Dubai 14:15 KAC 504 Beirut 01:05 KAC 204 Lahore 14:55 QTR 1093 Doha 00:25 AXB 394 Kozhikode 14:15 DLH 625 Dammam 01:30 KAC 618 Doha 15:00 FDB 072 Dubai 00:35 QTR 1079 Doha 15:00 RJA 642 Amman 01:40 KNE 529 Jeddah 15:10 JZR 409 Delhi 00:50 KNE 382 Taif 15:00 THY 764 Istanbul 01:50 JZR 602 Baku 15:10 AIC 990 Mumbai 01:10 KAC 661 Abu Dhabi 15:00 IGO 1759 Delhi 01:55 KAC 792 Madinah 15:10 IGO 1758 Kochi 01:10 FDB 060 Dubai 15:10 JZR 722 Alexandria 01:55 ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 15:15 JZR 111 Doha 01:55 GFA 222 Bahrain 15:25 UAE 853 Dubai 02:15 KAC 788 Jeddah 15:25 PGT 859 Istanbul 02:00 FDB 8066 Dubai 15:40 ETH 620 Addis Ababa 02:15 JZR 222 Riyadh 15:30 KAC 677 Dubai 02:10 KAC 775 Riyadh 15:45 GFA 211 Bahrain 02:30 JZR 232 Dammam 15:30 THY 773 Istanbul 02:20 PGT 7290 Istanbul 15:45 KLM 446 Bahrain 02:30 OMA 645 Muscat 15:35 JZR 119 Dubai 02:25 KAC 673 Dubai 15:50 QTR 1086 Doha 02:40 JZR 612 Tbilisi 15:40 DLH 625 Frankfurt 02:30 SVA 501 Jeddah 16:00 OMA 643 Muscat 02:55 KAC 412 Bangkok 15:40 KAC 417 Manila 02:30 KNE 530 Jeddah 16:00 KKK 1268 Istanbul 03:05 UAE 857 Dubai 15:45 IGO 1765 Delhi 02:55 ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 16:20 PGT 860 Istanbul 03:05 JZR 732 Cairo 15:50 ETH 621 Addis Ababa 03:05 KAC 743 Dammam 16:20 ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:10 KAC 562 Amman 15:50 UAE 854 Dubai 03:40 KAC 283 Dhaka 16:25 MSR 612 Cairo 03:15 ABY 127 Sharjah 15:55 KLM 446 Amsterdam 03:55 KAC 785 Jeddah 16:30 LMU 510 Cairo 04:00 JZR 152 Mashhad 16:00 OMA 644 Muscat 03:55 OMA 646 Muscat 16:35 QTR 1076 Doha 04:00 IRA 607 Mashhad 16:25 THY 765 Istanbul 04:00 ABY 128 Sharjah 16:35 IGO 1751 Chennai 04:10 JZR 212 Jeddah 16:25 QTR 1087 Doha 04:00 KAC 615 Bahrain 16:45 KAC 418 Manila 04:25 FEG 241 Alexandria 16:35 ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:00 JZR 103 Bahrain 16:50 OHY 352 Istanbul 04:30 QTR 1072 Doha 16:35 KAC 621 Doha 04:05 JZR 735 Cairo 16:50 KAC 796 Madinah 04:40 JZR 116 Doha 16:40 MSR 613 Cairo 04:15 KAC 503 Beirut 17:05 KAC 302 Mumbai 04:40 FDB 051 Dubai 16:45 PGT 861 Istanbul 04:25 IRA 666 Esfahan 17:25 JZR 540 KTM 04:45 KAC 546 Cairo 16:45 JZR 713 Sohag 04:30 KAC 619 Doha 17:35 JZR 406 Kochi 04:45 SAW 705 Damascus 17:00 KKK 1269 Istanbul 04:35 KAC 357 Kochi 17:35 JZR 702 Asyut 04:50 NIA 461 Sohag 17:20 LMU 511 Cairo 05:00 FEG 242 Alexandria 17:35 FDB 069 Dubai 05:00 FEG 341 Sohag 17:20 IGO 1752 Chennai 05:10 JZR 405 Kochi 17:40 DHX 170 Bahrain 05:10 SVA 510 Riyadh 17:25 QTR 1077 Doha 05:30 UAE 858 Dubai 17:45 KAC 358 Kochi 05:10 GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30 OHY 351 Istanbul 05:30 FDB 052 Dubai 17:45 JZR 404 Hyderabad 05:10 KNE 531 Jeddah 17:40 KAC 203 Lahore 05:45 JZR 539 KTM 17:50 KAC 784 Jeddah 05:20 JZR 214 Jeddah 17:45 JZR 101 Bahrain 05:50 KAC 563 Amman 17:55 KAC 382 Delhi 05:20 UAE 875 Dubai 18:00 THY 771 Istanbul 06:25 QTR 1073 Doha 18:00 THY 770 Istanbul 05:25 JZR 302 Istanbul 18:15 JZR 121 Dubai 06:35 SAW 706 Damascus 18:00 KAC 284 Dhaka 05:35 FDB 063 Dubai 18:15 JZR 251 Amman 06:40 KAC 343 Chennai 18:00 JZR 112 Doha 05:35 JZR 124 Dubai 18:20 JZR 113 Doha 06:40 KAC 675 Dubai 18:10 JZR 216 Jeddah 05:50 KAC 158 Istanbul 18:25 RJA 643 Amman 06:55 NIA 562 Asyut 18:10 KAC 106 London 06:00 MSR 620 Cairo 18:30 FDB 070 Dubai 07:05 JZR 733 Cairo 18:10 KAC 332 Trivandrum 06:05 QTR 1080 Doha 18:30 GFA 212 Bahrain 07:15 FEG 342 Sohag 18:20 JZR 402 Mumbai 06:05 JZR 306 Istanbul 18:55 KAC 413 Bangkok 07:30 SVA 511 Riyadh 18:20 KAC 344 Chennai 06:10 RJA 640 Amman 19:10 KAC 167 Paris 07:35 GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20 KAC 362 Colombo 06:30 KAC 156 Istanbul 19:20 IGO 1767 Mumbai 08:10 KNE 532 Jeddah 18:30 KAC 544 Cairo 07:00 RBG 555 Alexandria 19:25 KAC 173 Munich 08:20 KAC 301 Mumbai 18:35 BAW 157 London 07:05 ABY 123 Sharjah 19:25 ABY 120 Sharjah 08:30 JZR 127 Dubai 18:35 KAC 678 Dubai 07:05 NIA 161 Cairo 19:30 FDB 054 Dubai 08:35 JZR 403 Hyderabad 18:40 IGO 1766 Mumbai 07:10 GFA 217 Bahrain 19:30 JZR 001 LGW 08:35 KAC 381 Delhi 18:45 KAC 206 Islamabad 07:10 QTR 1090 Doha 19:35 KAC 163 MXP 09:00 JZR 721 Alexandria 18:55 JZR 120 Dubai 07:35 KAC 744 Dammam 19:35 KAC 787 Jeddah 09:00 FDB 064 Dubai 19:20 FDB 053 Dubai 07:50 KAC 782 Jeddah 19:50 BAW 156 London 09:10 JZR 253 Amman 19:20 ABY 129 Sharjah 07:50 JZR 104 Bahrain 19:55 JZR 731 Cairo 09:10 KAC 691 Muscat 19:30 QTR 8511 Doha 08:00 KAC 662 Abu Dhabi 20:00 QTR 1085 Doha 09:30 UAE 876 Dubai 19:30 QTR 1084 Doha 08:00 FDB 057 Dubai 20:00 KAC 545 Cairo 09:30 MSR 621 Cairo 19:30 KAC 354 Bengaluru 08:10 KNE 381 Taif 20:00 KAC 157 Istanbul 09:30 JZR 725 Alexandria 19:40 KAC 622 Doha 08:30 OMS 225 Muscat 20:05 JZR 601 Baku 09:30 QTR 1081 Doha 19:55 UAE 855 Dubai 08:35 KAC 776 Riyadh 20:05 KAC 671 Dubai 09:35 ABY 124 Sharjah 20:05 ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 08:55 OMA 647 Muscat 20:20 ABY 126 Sharjah 09:45 RBG 556 Alexandria 20:05 JZR 102 Bahrain 08:55 QTR 1088 Doha 20:30 KAC 101 London 09:45 RJA 641 Amman 20:10 IRA 667 Esfahan 09:00 KAC 616 Bahrain 20:30 KAC 561 Amman 09:45 GFA 218 Bahrain 20:15 AZQ 4565 Baku 09:00 JZR 126 Dubai 20:40 JZR 611 Tbilisi 09:45 NIA 162 Cairo 20:30 ABY 125 Sharjah 09:05 KAC 174 Munich 20:45 ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 09:55 FDB 058 Dubai 20:45 KAC 384 Delhi 09:30 KAC 674 Dubai 20:55 JZR 151 Mashhad 09:55 OMS 226 Muscat 20:45 KAC 304 Mumbai 09:30 DLH 624 Frankfurt 20:55 QTR 8512 Doha 10:00 KAC 333 Trivandrum 20:50 FDB 055 Dubai 09:40 KAC 542 Cairo 21:00 UAE 856 Dubai 10:00 KNE 232 Riyadh 20:50 IGO 1753 Ahmedabad 09:40 ALK 229 Colombo 21:20 IRA 606 Mashhad 10:00 JZR 401 Mumbai 20:55 QTR 1070 Doha 09:45 ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:20 KAC 117 New York 10:00 QTR 1091 Doha 21:00 NIA 361 Alexandria 09:50 MEA 402 Beirut 21:20 KAC 791 Madinah 10:00 OMA 648 Muscat 21:20 SVA 512 Riyadh 10:00 UAE 859 Dubai 21:30 AZQ 4566 Baku 10:00 DLH 624 Dammam 21:45 IAW 157A Al Najaf 10:00 GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45 KAC 613 Bahrain 10:05 DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50 JZR 410 Delhi 10:00 KLM 445 Amsterdam 21:50 JZR 301 Istanbul 10:05 QTR 1089 Doha 21:55 JZR 114 Doha 10:20 KAC 164 MXP 21:55 KAC 773 Riyadh 10:15 JZR 507 KHI 22:00 GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40 KAC 620 Doha 22:00 KAC 155 Istanbul 10:20 JZR 701 Asyut 22:15 JZR 714 Sohag 10:50 KAC 168 Paris 22:00 FDB 056 Dubai 10:35 MEA 403 Beirut 22:20 JZR 122 Dubai 11:15 MSC 501 Alexandria 22:00 KAC 617 Doha 10:35 ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:25 QTR 1074 Doha 11:35 RBG 551 Alexandria 22:00 IGO 1754 Ahmedabad 10:40 ALK 230 Colombo 22:25 KAC 352 Kochi 11:35 QTR 1082 Doha 22:05 JZR 211 Jeddah 10:40 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:30 MEA 404 Beirut 11:55 AIC 981 Chennai/Ahmedabad 22:25 NIA 462 Sohag 10:50 KLM 445 Bahrain 22:50 SYR 341 Damascus 12:00 RBG 213 Sohag 22:30 QTR 1071 Doha 11:00 UAE 860 Dubai 22:55 IAW 157 Al Najaf 12:00 KAC 786 Jeddah 22:50 IAW 158A Al Najaf 11:00 RBG 552 Alexandria 23:00 JZR 252 Amman 12:05 BBC 043 Dhaka 23:00 SVA 513 Riyadh 11:00 MSC 502 Alexandria 23:00 MSR 610 Cairo 12:25 GOW 061 CNN 23:00 KAC 741 Dammam 11:20 RBG 214 Sohag 23:10 SAW 701 Damascus 12:30 JZR 002 LGW 23:05 GFA 214 Bahrain 11:25 KAC 783 Jeddah 23:15 UAE 871 Dubai 12:50 QTR 1092 Doha 23:10 JZR 213 Jeddah 12:00 KAC 383 Delhi 23:20 AXB 393 Kozhikode 13:15 JZR 128 Dubai 23:15 JZR 221 Riyadh 12:00 QTR 1083 Doha 23:25 QTR 1078 Doha 13:35 MSC 415 Sohag 23:15 JZR 231 Dammam 12:35 KAC 543 Cairo 23:30 KAC 614 Bahrain 13:50 KAC 676 Dubai 23:20 MEA 405 Beirut 12:55 KAC 303 Mumbai 23:40 KNE 231 Riyadh 14:10 JZR 736 Cairo 23:30 QTR 1075 Doha 13:00 GOW 062 CNN 23:55 24 Established 1961 News Thursday, January 9, 2020

dreds of thousands fleeing towards the Turkish border. Erdogan, Putin Erdogan has called for a truce in Idlib, following pre- vious temporary halts to the fighting brokered with Russia in late 2018 and updated in August last year. launch pipeline... “Russia’s demands are very simple,” said Yury Barmin of the Moscow Policy Group think tank. “Turkey must Continued from Page 1 do more to eliminate terrorist cells in Idlib. The discus- sions will be around this idea.” States, which last month sanctioned firms working on Improved ties between the two countries have been TurkStream and the almost-completed Nord Stream 2. facilitated by a number of major energy and defense The ceremony in Istanbul reflected a dramatic deals. Russia is building Turkey’s first nuclear plant and improvement in ties between Russia and Turkey, who last year delivered the S-400 missile defense system, to appeared on the verge of war less than five years ago the consternation of Turkey’s NATO allies. Putin earned after Turkey shot down a Russian jet. They have estab- goodwill in Turkey after his quick support for Erdogan lished a regular dialogue over the Syrian conflict, following an attempted coup in July 2016. The two men despite being on opposing sides, but had appeared to have developed a “strong personal relationship”, be on a fresh collision course over Libya. according to Jana Jabbour of Sciences Po university in Putin arrived late on Tuesday after paying a surprise Paris, who adds that “their economic and energy plans visit to Syria - his first to Damascus since the war are interdependent”. began - at a moment of acute uncertainty in the Middle The TurkStream project, which was temporarily halt- East following the assassination of top Iranian general ed during a frosty patch in Russia-Turkey relations, Qasem Soleimani by the United States. Syria remains a includes two parallel pipelines of more than 900 km. potential powder-keg for Erdogan and Putin’s relation- The pipeline links Anapa in Russia to Kiyikoy in north- ship. Syrian government forces - backed by Russia - western Turkey and has already begun deliveries to have ramped up bombardment of the last rebel strong- Bulgaria. It is being extended towards Serbia, Hungary holds in Idlib province in recent weeks, sending hun- and Austria. — AFP

the main US base in Kuwait. It houses several thousand Kuwait denies US US troops and serves as a military transit point to Iraq and Afghanistan. Kuwait and the United States are bound by a 10- troop pullout, says... year defense pact that expires in 2022. The pact was originally signed following the first Gulf War in 1991 Continued from Page 1 after a US-led international force expelled Iraqi troops from Kuwait, ending seven months of occupation. Later The Kuwait incident comes after a US letter appar- yesterday, Information Minister Mohammad Al-Jabri ently signalling a pullout of forces from Iraq caused announced the formation of an independent committee alarm, before the White House and the Pentagon said to investigate the publication of false information on there were no such plans and that the letter was merely KUNA’s Twitter account. The committee will comprise a draft. Kuwait’s Arifjan base, which lies 70 km south of of representatives of several state departments, Jabri the capital and close to the border with Saudi Arabia, is said in a brief statement. — Agencies

toms by hiding in a box, before reaching Beirut on Dec Defiant Ghosn 30. Giving credence to that dramatic account, police in Istanbul released a photograph yesterday of a box in NEW DELHI: In this photo taken on Tuesday, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone (center) visits students protest- which Ghosn allegedly concealed himself. ing at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). — AFP hits back against... Ghosn argues the charges against him stem from a “coup” inside Nissan by disgruntled executives and es that have killed at least two dozen people amid Continued from Page 1 Japanese officials who feared his plans to more closely protests over a controversial new citizenship law integrate the car giant with its alliance partner, French Furor after top Modi’s government passed in December. It speeds up hours during which he fielded questions in English, firm Renault. Asked how high the alleged conspiracy citizenship claims from persecuted non-Muslim minori- French, Arabic and Portuguese. “There was no way I went, Ghosn said he did not believe Japanese Prime Bollywood star... ties from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, stoking was going to be treated fairly ... this was not about jus- Minister Shinzo Abe was involved. fears that Modi wants to marginalize India’s Islamic tice. I felt I was a hostage of the country that I have Nissan has continued to insist it has “incontrovertible Continued from Page 1 minority, which he denies. served for 17 years,” he said. evidence of various acts of misconduct by Ghosn”. But Meanwhile, Indian police fired live rounds yesterday Ghosn accused prosecutors and Nissan, one of the fallen tycoon sought to portray himself as an inno- The film is based on the true story of a woman who to break up a protest by strikers taking part in nation- Japan’s biggest carmakers, of “systematic leaking of cent victim of an ungrateful company that he helped to survived an acid attack and rebuilt her life. wide action against government economic policies, false information” and “intentional withholding” of prosper. He said that Nissan’s stock market value had “It is said Bollywood doesn’t take a stand,” Advaita officials said. The strike, called by unions which claim important facts related to the case. That meant he was fallen by $40 million a day since his arrest, while that of Kala, a screenwriter and commentator, said on Twitter. 250 million members, disrupted public transport, pub- “presumed guilty before the eyes of the world and sub- Renault had slumped by Ä20 million daily. In one decla- “@deepikapadukone has decided to take a stand with lic-owned banks and some auto-industry factories ject to a system whose only objective is to coerce con- ration that raised eyebrows, he denied having quit as the Leftist students at JNU. She shd be informed that across several states. fessions, secure guilty pleas,” he added. chief executive of Renault, contradicting an announce- ABVP students have also been injured. Rather than a West Bengal was the worst hit, with police firing live Japanese prosecutors quickly hit back, slamming ment that came from France’s economy minister in Jan partisan approach, wish she’d used her celebrity to rounds in the air to break up protesters who set fire to Ghosn’s claims as “categorically false”. “Ghosn’s allega- 2019. “They said that I resigned from Renault. It’s build a bridge between students,” Kala added. police vehicles and threw rocks at security forces in tions completely ignore his own conduct, and his one- wrong,” Ghosn said. But others jumped to her defense, calling for people Malda district, north of the capital Kolkata, a senior sided criticism of the Japanese justice system is totally Earlier yesterday, private security personnel guarded to go and see her movie in solidarity, leading to a battle police officer told AFP. They also fired tear gas and unacceptable,” the Tokyo prosecutor’s office said in a the pink coloured villa in central Beirut where Ghosn was of hashtags including “#ISupportDeepika” and baton-charged other protests in the eastern state, statement. The car magnate - for years venerated in believed to be residing, an AFP photographer said, as “#boycottChapaak”. “The female of the species is, and where many roads and railway lines were blocked. Japan for turning around once-ailing Nissan - fled while reporters camped outside. Journalists, including several was, and will always be the strongest of the two Police said more than 150 arrests were made. Ten awaiting trial on charges including allegedly under- from Japan, watched with bated breath as vehicles - some #DeepikaPadukone,” tweeted Anurag Kashyap, a lead- unions called the one-day strike to oppose what they reporting his compensation to the tune of $85 million. with tinted windows - came and went from the premises. ing Bollywood director. “Let’s all those who stand called the “anti-worker and anti-people policies” of Ghosn said he had “no choice” but to jump bail, Ghosn’s high-profile arrest and his long detention - against the violence go to @bookmyshow and show Modi. They were demanding increased minimum wages adding he was told by his lawyers he would have to wait 130 days in total - under severe conditions were widely them. Make our silent statement which will be the loud- and pensions, and a halt to the privatization of state five years for a verdict. He said he had been “ripped” considered draconian compared with the West. He said est,” Kashyap added. firms and natural resources. from friends and family when detained. In a comment he was held in solitary confinement in a “tiny cell” that “We are proud to see so many voices from the film Farmers and students joined some of the protests that risked causing further upset in Japan, he suggested was “light day and night”. “The feeling of hopelessness industry take the lead. More power to you @deepika- called by the unions - who said “millions” joined the his arrest had been as unexpected as the Japanese was profound,” he said, denouncing a Japanese justice padukone. Bravo!! #ISupportDeepika,” the youth wing strike - piling pressure on an administration already bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. “I didn’t suspect any- system that he said “was designed to break my spirit”. of the main opposition Congress party tweeted. The confronting nationwide opposition to the nationality thing ... Did you see Pearl Harbor happening?” Japanese prosecutors are also seeking to arrest protests sweeping India in the last weeks have posed a law. The government had warned of “consequences” The 65-year-old businessman’s shock arrival in his Ghosn’s wife Carole, alleging she “made false state- dilemma for Bollywood, which has some big-name for anyone who stopped work, but could not head native Lebanon last month was the latest twist in a story ments” during April testimony to the Tokyo district Muslim actors but is sensitive to the sentiments of the off the disruptions. Apart from West Bengal, the worthy of a Hollywood plot. Ghosn’s bail jump prompted court. As Japan grapples with the fallout from the country’s Hindu majority. “The reason why a whole lot eastern states of Bihar and Odisha, Maharashtra in outrage from the Japanese government, which has called embarrassing security lapse, prosecutors yesterday of stars back away from making statements is because the west, Haryana in the north and Kerala and his escape “unjustifiable”, as well as from Nissan which attempted to raid the offices of one of his lawyers, they are afraid of the consequences it will have on their Karnataka in the south were worst hit by the action. labelled the getaway “extremely regrettable”. Junichiro Hironaka, to seize computers. films,” said brand consultant and columnist Santosh Some workers at state oil and coal firms, as well as Many were hoping Ghosn would disclose details of However, the lawyers refused them access, citing Desai. “To do this so close to a film is certainly risky.” motorbike makers Honda and Bajaj Auto, also joined his audacious flight from Japan to Beirut via Istanbul. But “attorney-client confidentiality”. Lebanon, which has no The violence at JNU is the latest in a series of clash- the strike. — Agencies Ghosn told reporters he was “not here to talk” about extradition agreement with Japan, has said Ghosn entered how he fled Japan. According to Japanese media, Ghosn the country legally in possession of a French passport slipped out of his house in Tokyo, boarded a bullet train and a Lebanese identification card. The tycoon holds to Osaka and then a private jet to Istanbul, evading cus- Brazilian, French and Lebanese nationalities. — AFP controversial Ukrainian businessman with ties to Zelensky. 176 killed as Ukraine The president, who cut short a vacation in Oman to US. “In my view, America must receive the main response return to Kiev, ordered an investigation into the crash Trump says Iran from the nations of the region,” he said. The president plane crashes... and a sweeping check of “all civilian aircraft” in the was repeating a common refrain among Iranian officials country. “I ask everyone to keep from speculating and since the assassination that Soleimani’s death will see US putting forth unconfirmed theories about the crash,” ‘standing down’... forces leave the region. Continued from Page 1 Zelensky wrote on Facebook. Iranian state media “They cut off the hand of our dear Soleimani. The reported that the plane caught fire after crashing, but a Continued from Page 1 revenge for him is to cut off America’s feet from this passengers’ personal items - including luggage, video aired by the state broadcaster appeared to show region,” Rouhani said. “If America’s feet is cut off from clothes, a Santa Claus doll and a boxing glove - were the plane already on fire as it fell from the night sky. the attack and said it rejected attempts to turn Iraq this region, and its hand of aggression is cut off for good, scattered in the debris. UIA, the ex-Soviet country’s Iran yesterday fired more than a dozen ballistic mis- into a “battlefield for warring sides”. Speaker of this is the real and final response of the nations of the privately owned main carrier, said flight PS752 took off siles at Iraqi bases housing the US military, in the first Parliament Mohammed Al-Halbusi also took a tough region to America,” he added. from Tehran airport at 6:10 am and disappeared from action of its promised revenge for the US killing of a line, slamming the strikes as an “Iranian violation of The strikes sparked worldwide condemnation, includ- radars minutes later. It slammed into farmland at Khalaj top Iranian general. “There is a lot of speculation at the Iraqi sovereignty”, stressing Iraq should not be used to ing from NATO, Germany, France and the UK. France Abad, in Shahriar county, about 45 km northwest of the moment it has been shot down - I think that is not “settle scores”. Iraq’s military said it sustained no casu- said its forces deployed in Iraq sustained no casualties airport, Iranian state media said. going to be the case at all,” said Stephen Wright, a pro- alties in 22 missile strikes, most of them hitting Ain Al- while the UK was concerned about “reports” of victims Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that fessor of aircraft systems at Tampere University in Asad. Trump had said initial casualty assessments indi- as British troops are stationed there. The Norwegian mili- Ottawa would work to ensure a thorough investigation. Finland. “Planes fly the same routes day in, day out,” he cated “all is well”. tary said coalition troops were warned of the attack in “This morning, I join Canadians across the country who said. “You don’t tend to put... missiles next to interna- The brazenness of the strike was highly unusual for advance through intelligence channels. are shocked and saddened” by the crash, he said. “Our tional airways for obvious reasons.” He added: “It could Iran, which has tended to disguise attacks on US interests The apparent de-escalation did not remove pressure government will continue to work closely with its inter- be a bomb or it could be some sort of catastrophic or troops through its use of proxy Shiite forces. “Ballistic from approximately 5,200 US troops stationed across national partners to ensure that... (it) is thoroughly breakup of the aircraft.” missiles openly launched from Iran onto American targets Iraq, where Iran has close links to powerful armed Shiite investigated, and that Canadians’ questions are The aircraft was not one of the MAX models fitted is a new phase,” said Phillip Smyth, an expert on Shiite militias. And Iranian allies in the country said they still answered.” Trudeau’s Foreign Minister Francois- with anti-stall systems that have been linked with two militias. But as the dust settled, it appeared that Iran’s intend to take revenge for Friday’s US attack in which top Philippe Champagne had earlier said Ottawa was in other recent crashes of Boeing 737s. Boeing, which has strike - coming soon after the burial of Soleimani at a Iraqi paramilitary commander Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis touch with Kiev over the crash. been roiled by a nine-month crisis after the 737 MAX funeral in front of vast crowds - might have been more was killed alongside Soleimani. As well as the Iranians and Canadians, the passen- model was grounded, tweeted yesterday: “We are in symbolic than anything. Muhandis was the deputy head of Iraq’s Hashed al- gers included 10 Swedes, four Afghans, three Germans contact with our airline customer and stand by them in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps warned any US Shaabi, a military network incorporated into the Iraqi and three Britons, Ukraine’s foreign minister said. this difficult time. We are ready to assist in any way counter-attack would be met with an even “more crush- state whose factions are backed by Tehran. Paramilitary Eleven Ukrainians - including the nine crew - were needed.” UIA vice president Igor Sosnovskiy told ing response” and threatened to strike Israel and chief Qais al-Khazali - blacklisted as a “terrorist” by the among the victims. Canada is home to a large Iranian reporters in Kiev that the airline doubted its crew was America’s “allied governments”. However, Foreign US - said his side’s response to the United States” will be expatriate community and UIA offers discount flights at fault. “(The chances) of a crew error are minimal, we Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif seemed to indicate that no less than the size of the Iranian response”. The Iraqi between Tehran and Toronto, with a transit in Kiev. UIA simply are not considering them,” he said. Iran was satisfied for now. “Iran took and concluded pro- parliament has called for expulsion of US troops in the released a list of the names and birth years of passen- A statement posted on the Ukrainian embassy website portionate measures in self-defense,” Zarif said on wake of the operation last week and there was embar- gers. At least 25 were under the age of 18. Two passen- in Iran saying the crash was caused by an engine malfunc- Twitter. He said the strikes targeted a base from which a rassing confusion at the Pentagon over the US response. gers registered on the flight did not board before take- “cowardly armed attack against our citizens and senior tion and ruling out an act of terror was later redacted, Separately, a Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 off, Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s national officials” was launched. saying all information would be provided by an official crashed just outside Tehran after taking off bound for security council, told reporters. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the Islamic commission. A Ukrainian source told AFP the statement Kiev, killing all 176 people on board. There was no imme- The airline said the Boeing 737 had been built in 2016 republic’s response shows “we don’t retreat in the face of had been changed because the embassy had used unveri- diate suggestion of any link with the Iranian strikes but and checked only two days before the accident. It was America”. “If America has committed a crime... it should carriers including Air France, Royal Dutch Airlines and fied reports. Prime Minister Oleksiy Goncharuk said Kiev Kiev-based UIA’s first fatal crash. “The plane was in know that it will receive a decisive response,” Rouhani Lufthansa announced they were suspending flying was negotiating with Iranian authorities to allow Ukrainian working order,” UIA company president Yevgeniy said in a televised address. “If they are wise, they won’t though Iranian and Iraqi airspace as a precaution. The US investigators to travel to the crash site. Iran’s civil aviation Dykhne told a briefing in Kiev where he choked back take any other action at this juncture.” aviation regulator banned civil flights over Iraq, Iran and authority said search-and-rescue teams had found the air- tears. “It was one of our best planes with a wonderful But Rouhani said it would not be enough if Iran’s the Gulf, citing the potential for “misidentification” of air- liner’s two black boxes but that it would not hand them crew.” The airline is in part owned by Igor Kolomoisky, a armed forces hit back for any other action taken by the craft.— Agencies over to Boeing or US authorities. — AFP 25 Sports Thursday, January 9, 2020 Verhaeghe hat trick highlights Lightning rout of Canucks for eighth straight win

Blue Jackets take down Ducks with second-period surge

TAMPA: Six different players scored in Tampa Bay’s on the winning goal. Carolina goalie James Reimer six-goal second period, Carter Verhaeghe tallied his stopped 17 shots. first career hat trick and the Lightning routed the visit- ing Vancouver Canucks 9-2 on Tuesday night. Tampa BRUINS 6, PREDATORS 2 Bay tied its franchise record for goals and extended its David Pastrnak scored his NHL-leading 32nd goal of winning streak to a season-high eight games, the club’s the season and goaltender Tuukka Rask made 33 saves longest since a 10-game stretch last February. The as Boston defeated host Nashville, spoiling the debut of Lightning’s six-goal period matched the franchise Predators coach John Hynes. Hynes, who started the record set in 1995 against Winnipeg. Brayden Point season behind the New Jersey Devils’ bench before scored and assisted on three goals, and Steven Stamkos being dismissed Dec. 3, was named coach earlier in the posted his 17th tally and had two helpers. Elias day after the Predators fired coach Peter Laviolette and Pettersson and Loui Eriksson scored for Vancouver, associate coach Kevin McCarthy on Monday. Danton which had its seven-game winning streak snapped. This Heinen, Patrice Bergeron, Chris Wagner, David Krejci matchup was was just the second instance in NHL his- and Charlie Coyle also scored for the Atlantic Division- tory featuring two teams carrying a winning streak of leading Bruins, who won for the first time in four games at least seven consecutive games. (1-1-2). Filip Forsberg and Mikael Granlund scored power-play goals for the Predators. Goalie Pekka Rinne BLUE JACKETS 4, DUCKS 3 stopped 30 of 35 shots. Nathan Gerbe and Zach Werenski scored goals 72 seconds apart at the end of the second period, and RANGERS 5, AVALANCHE 3 Columbus rallied to defeat host Anaheim. Werenski Rookie goalie Igor Shesterkin made 29 saves in his added an empty-net goal with 1:33 remaining, and Eric first NHL game to lead host New York past Colorado. Robinson also scored for the Blue Jackets, who won on Called up after an outstanding debut season in the AHL, consecutive nights in Southern California after defeat- the 24-year-old Shesterkin looked solid while facing 32 ing the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. Goalie Elvis shots from the high-scoring Avalanche, who entered Merzlikins made 37 saves for Columbus. Ondrej Kase Tuesday second in the NHL in goals. Avalanche goalie had two goals and Ryan Getzlaf scored another for the Philipp Grubauer saved 24 of 28 shots. Artemi Panarin Ducks. Anaheim goalie Ryan Miller made 23 saves in collected two assists and an empty-net goal. Jesper TAMPA: Mikhail Sergachev #98 of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Elias Pettersson #40 of the Vancouver Canucks just his fourth start since Dec. 6. Fast had three assists for the Rangers. Ryan Strome and fights for the puck during a game at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. — AFP Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and an assist, while COYOTES 5, PANTHERS 2 Tony DeAngelo collected two helpers. J.T. Compher third period of a 1-0 victory over the Colorado Former NHL MVP Taylor Hall had the go-ahead goal scored twice for Colorado, and Andre Burakovsky had Avalanche on Monday. FLAMES 2, BLACKHAWKS 1 and an assist, and team captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson two assists. Elias Lindholm scored a pair of goals and Calgary added one goal and two assists as Arizona defeated RED WINGS 4, CANADIENS 3 held on to beat host Chicago for its third victory in a Florida in Sunrise, Fla. Hall, acquired from the New BLUES 3, SHARKS 2 Frans Nielsen scored two goals and host Detroit row. Matthew Tkachuk assisted on both goals for the Jersey Devils last month, had his first multi-point game Goaltender Jordan Binnington stopped 27 of 29 scored three third-period goals to collect its third vic- Flames, who improved to 11-5-1 under coach Geoff since joining the Coyotes. He has three goals and five shots as host St. Louis snapped a three-game winless tory this season over Montreal. Filip Zadina scored Ward after posting a 12-12-4 record under previous assists in 10 games with his new team. The Coyotes also streak by defeating San Jose. The loss could be espe- what proved to be the game-winner for Detroit, which coach Bill Peters. Flames goaltender Cam Talbot got goals from Christian Dvorak, Carl Soderberg and cially painful for the Sharks since captain Logan has only eight other wins besides its victories over the stopped 31 of 32 shots. Dominik Kubalik scored the former Panthers first-round pick Lawson Crouse. Couture exited the game in the second period with a Canadiens. Robby Fabbri also scored for the Wings lone goal for the Blackhawks. Chicago’s Corey Goalie Adin Hill had 37 saves, and Phil Kessel added left leg injury. He needed helped getting off the ice after while Jonathan Bernier made 23 saves. Nick Suzuki had Crawford dropped to 7-12-2 despite turning aside 26 three assists for Arizona. Florida got goals from Noel getting checked into the end boards by Blues defense- a goal and an assist for Montreal. Artturi Lehkonen and of 28 shots. Acciari and Mike Hoffman — that’s 15 on the season for man Vince Dunn. Tyler Bozak, Ivan Barbashev and Victor Mete also scored for the Canadiens, while each — and 32 saves from Chris Driedger. David Perron scored for the Blues, and Timo Meier and Charlie Lindgren stopped 26 shots. PENGUINS 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3 Erik Karlsson scored for the Sharks, who got 24 saves Tristan Jarry made 31 saves and Dominik Kahun had HURRICANES 5, FLYERS 4 (OT) from Aaron Dell. CAPITALS 6, SENATORS 1 a goal and an assist to lead visiting Pittsburgh over Dougie Hamilton scored through traffic 1:56 into Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie each scored two goals Vegas in Las Vegas. Evgeni Malkin, Patric Hornqvist overtime to give Carolina the win over Philadelphia in ISLANDERS 4, DEVILS 3 (OT) as Washington won its third consecutive game by beat- and Brandon Tanev also scored goals for Pittsburgh, Raleigh, N.C. The Flyers’ Travis Sanheim scored with Anders Lee scored with 51 seconds left in overtime ing visiting Ottawa. The Capitals scored the game’s last which improved to 12-3-1 in its last 16 games. Kris 4:11 remaining in regulation to tie the game. It came on to lift New York to a come-from-behind win over six goals — three each in the second and third periods. Letang, named an All-Star Game replacement along one of only three shots for the Flyers in the third peri- New Jersey in Newark, NJ. Lee’s shot beyond the Rookie goaltender Ilya Samsonov played well again for with Jarry earlier Tuesday, added two assists. Max od. Travis Konecny, Michael Raffl and Nicolas Aube- stick of goalie Mackenzie Blackwood capped a frantic the Capitals, stopping 26 of 27 shots. Washington held Pacioretty, Paul Stastny and Reilly Smith scored goals Kubel had earlier goals for the Flyers. Brian Elliott had overtime in which each team had 3-on-1 opportunities a 41-27 edge in shots. Ottawa took a 1-0 lead when for Vegas, which had a four-game winning streak 28 saves. Lucas Wallmark, Warren Foegele, Jake in the 90 seconds prior to the game-winning goal by Artem Anisimov put a high shot past Samsonov at 5:40 snapped and fell into a tie for first place in the Pacific Gardiner and Joel Edmundson scored in regulation for the Islanders’ captain. It was the second game-win- of the first period, but the Senators dropped their fifth Division with Arizona. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped just Carolina. Sebastian Aho had two assists, including one ning goal in as many nights for Lee, who scored in the game in a row (0-4-1). 12 of the 16 shots he faced. — Reuters

Dakar Rally challenges competitors to find their way back to Neom Amir’s 9th annual shooting grand NEOM: The spirit of adventure was in full effect on Stage 3 of the 2020 Dakar Rally as the competitors tackled a 414-kilometre loop around the future mega- prix begins tomorrow lopolis of Neom. With a perilous mix of canyons, moun- tains and sandy ground to cover, leaderboards across all five categories were given another major shake up. As the first Saudi Arabian Dakar reached its maxi- mum altitude of 1,400m, so Carlos Sainz (ESP) hit the summit of the car class for the first time. Alongside co- driver Lucas Cruz (ESP) - who read the roadbook for Sainz during Dakar wins in 2010 and 2018 - ‘El Matador’ picked up the pace on Stage 3 in his Mini Buggy. Today’s stage win, the 33rd of his illustrious Dakar career, has given Sainz an overnight lead in the car race. “The landscape was fantastic, even if we didn’t have time to stop and enjoy it properly.” - Carlos Sainz. Staying closest to Sainz on the loop around Neom was defending car class champion Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT). Second place on the stage puts Al-Attiyah and Sainz in the top two positions of the general classifica- tion, separated by less than five minutes. The Dakar may Dmitry Sotnikov have moved location, but a fight for the lead between Eng Duaij Al-Otaibi Sainz and Al-Attiyah is something very familiar at the world’s toughest rally. The third quickest car on Stage 3 belonged to Kuba By Abdellatif Sharaa Przygonski (POL) who put a couple of tough days behind him to get back up to speed. Meanwhile, KUWAIT: Chairman of the Higher Organization Stephane Peterhansel (FRA) and Giniel De Villiers (ZAF) Committee of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad maintain their places in the overall Top 10. “We lost so 9th Annual Shooting Grand Prix Eng Duaij Al-Otaibi much time on the first day and now we’re determined to said the committee completed all its preparations for enjoy the rest of this rally.” - Kuba Przygonski. the championship which will start tomorrow and con- In the bike race it was navigation that was once again tinues until Jan 17, at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad the big talking point with plenty of riders struggling to Olympic Shooting Complex. He said Kuwait is ready catch the waypoints. Ricky Brabec (USA) kept his Honda to receive its guests, as delegations began to arrive on course throughout to take the stage win. Red Bull into the country, while some of them organized train- KTM Factory Team rider Luciano Benavides (ARG) did ing camps in Kuwait. his best to keep up despite the added difficultly of riding He said hotels are all booked and ready, and logistics part of the way with an injured hand. The consistency of are arranged for all delegations, as representatives from Benavides’ team-mate Matthias Walkner (AUT) is pay- the reception are at the airport to receive and help del- ing dividends as he posted his third consecutive Top 10 egations. He said all shooting ranges are ready from all finish. The 2018 Dakar champion is third overall, just six aspects. minutes behind race leader Brabec. Al-Otaibi valued the care and support HH the Amir Walkner is joined in the Top 10 by fellow KTM gives to the sport of shooting adding that this gives Factory riders Benavides, Toby Price (AUS) and Sam Kuba Przygonski shooters many incentives to give more, and no wonder Sunderland (GBR). Gas Gas rider Laia Sanz (ESP) is the top placed female after another tough day in Saudi their coaching mission from within the Dakar lision with a rock that broke its front axle. this game is making the best achievement at the inter- Arabia. Two flat tyres forced Chaleco Lopez (CHI) to Experience class. The third OT3 at the Dakar, driven by It was a smoother ride for Sotnikov’s team-mate national and Olympic levels. drive conservatively in the SxS race and as a result he Blade Hildebrand (USA), was in contention for a stage Andrey Karginov (RUS) who won the truck stage. He said the Kuwait national team preparations has slipped back to second in the general classification, win for more than 250 kilometres of the special. Karginov is now second overall, two minutes behind reached their peak, and hoped it continues the achieve- 15 seconds behind new overall leader Casey Currie Unfortunately Hildebrand’s vehicle was struck with a race leader Siarhei Viazovich (BLR). ments shooters made during this valued tournament, (USA). Elsewhere in the SxS race, Dakar debutant Mitch technical issue with its transmission which ended his In the quad race Ignacio Casale (CHI) had to settle ending last tournament at the top of the table. Guthrie Jr. (USA) - member of the Red Bull Off-Road hunt for the day’s fastest SxS time. Hildebrand will join for third place on the stage, but he maintains his overall Eng Duaij Al-Otaibi said he is satisfied with the Team USA - retains his place in the overall Top 10. Despres and Horn in the Dakar Experience class tomor- lead. The two-time quad bike champion enjoys a 15- training camp Kuwait shooters are going through, Guthrie Jr’s team-mates Cyril Despres (FRA) and row for Stage 4. minute advantage over Rafal Sonik in second place. adding the shooters are aiming at top places, although Mike Horn (SUI) finished their day’s racing when their Even in the truck race there was evidence of the Tomorrow’s stage takes the Dakar convoy on to Al the championship will see the participation of an elite OT3 came to a standstill 274 kilometres into the special damage that the stony ground in Saudi Arabia can do Ula via a timed special stage of 453 kilometres. Heading group of world champions including shooters from stage. They were brought back to the bivouac were their the vehicles at the Dakar. The mighty Kamaz race truck west the route leaves behind the Red Sea and travels Italy, Russia, Serbia, Kazakhstan and others. machine will be repaired overnight so they can continue of Dmitry Sotnikov (RUS) came off second best in a col- east across spectacular moonscape terrains. Kuwait will have 100 shooters, 44 of whom in shot- gun, 45 pistol and rifle and 11 in archery. 26 Sports Thursday, January 9, 2020 Players unwilling to endorse four-day Test plan: Players’ body England say they will support the idea after 2023

MUMBAI: Players are unlikely to embrace the pro- for four-day test cricket, we would need to clearly posed four-day Tests until administrators clarify how understand what both the economic and scheduling they plan to utilise the calendar space freed up by the benefits would be, so we can discuss that with players move, the Federation of International Cricketers’ and gauge genuine collective feedback,” FICA said. Associations (FICA) said yesterday. “It is particularly important for us, and the players, The International Cricket Council is set to discuss to understand how any additional calendar space in the idea of trimming the current five-day Tests by a the playing schedule would be used. “Making a funda- day to ease a crammed international calendar and mental change simply in order to provide calendar reduce player workload. FICA, which counts players space to fill with additional or meaningless cricket is from England, Australia and South Africa as members clearly not something we can support. Cricket’s global among others, fears the new gaps in the calendar structure desperately needs clarity, rather than further could well be filled with more cricket. confusion.” “From our discussions with players around the England have said they will support the idea after world, and our global survey data, it is clear that there 2023, Australia are to give serious consideration to the is currently a lot of negative sentiment, within the plan, while South Africa have advocated for four-day global collective of players, towards such a significant games to be played in the future. change to the game’s most traditional format,” FICA However, England director of cricket Ashley Giles said in a statement yesterday. said five-day tests were “precious” to him and the Four-day matches were given the green light by the players after England’s 189-run victory over South ICC in 2017 when South Africa hosted Zimbabwe, and Africa in Cape Town on Tuesday, a dramatic clash that England have since played one against Ireland. With went into the last hour of the fifth day. an increasing number of test matches ending prema- “If we played four-day cricket, I fear we would miss turely, the administrators are keen to free up more out on a lot matches like yesterday,” Giles told the space in the schedules for lucrative shorter-form BBC. “I know a lot of tests now don’t go to the fifth CAPE TOWN: File photo shows a man holding an England flag stands outside the Newlands stadium trying matches. day — but you know it is precious to me, and I know to get tickets to the cricket game that is sold out before the first day of the second Test cricket match Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar told Reuters it is to the players. between South Africa and England at the Newlands stadium in Cape Town. Cricketers are unwilling to he is firmly opposed to shortening test matches to “There’s a decision far from made yet, but it’s a endorse four-day Test plan. — AFP four days from five and warned against straying too responsibility as the guardians for the game in this far from the game’s roots in the quest to attract a country to look after everything that would take the (BCCI) has yet to offer an opinion, but India captain change, we remain supportive of five-day test cricket, younger audience. game forward, and also look after the workloads of Virat Kohli said he was totally against the plan. and would expect significant player resistance if a “Given the obvious cricketing implications, if the our players.” “Until such a time as we and the players are pro- shift to that is imposed on players by the ICC and/or ICC and/ or Boards do want to make a broader case The powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India vided with the full picture and compelling reasons for Boards,” FICA said. — Reuters

over extra cover but his hopes of a six to end the Lewis hits 99 game in style fell just inches short. Off-spinner Simi SCOREBOARD Singh was the only Ireland bowler to complete his 10 overs, finishing with 2-44. Brief scores in the first one-day international Zimbabwe to as Windies ease Earlier, West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph between West Indies and Ireland at Kensington Oval: picked up four wickets as Ireland stumbled to 180 all to 5-wkt victory out in the 47th over. “For me, it’s a really good start to Ireland 180 all out in 46.1 overs (L. Tucker 31; A. host S Lanka the year,” said man-of-the-match Joseph. Joseph 4-32) “It’s about putting in the hard work in training and West Indies 184-5 in 33.2 overs (E. Lewis 99 not out) for two Tests BRIDGETOWN: Opening batsman Evin Lewis fell doing the yards. “I kind of had an idea of how I want- Result: West Indies won by five wickets agonisingly short of a century as his undefeated 99 ed to bowl today, and I just kept it simple and bowled Toss: Ireland. helped West Indies to cruise to a five-wicket win over to my plans.” Wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker was HARARE: Zimbabwe have announced a hastily Ireland in the first one-day international at Kensington Ireland’s top scorer with 31 as the tourists collapsed arranged tour by Sri Lanka for two Test matches to be Oval on Tuesday. The 28-year-old left-hander made following a solid start at Kensington Oval. Adair hit two fours and a six in a brisk 29 off 34 played in Harare this month as coach Lalchand Rajput his runs off 99 balls with 13 boundaries and two sixes. Joseph dismissed opening pair Paul Stirling (15) balls before he was stumped off the bowling of says they are ready for a “new beginning”. After dismissing Ireland for just 180, the West Indies and debutant Gareth Delaney (19) as well as the dan- Hayden Walsh, with Tucker soon departing as Joseph The first game at the Harare Sports Club will be reached their target with 100 balls to spare. For gerous Kevin O’Brien for just four as Ireland slumped struck again. The three-match ODI series continues at played from Jan 19-23 and the second from Jan 27-31, Lewis, it was his eighth ODI half-century but he made from 51-1 to 88-6. A seventh-wicket stand between the same venue today and concludes in Grenada on and represents a return to Test cricket for Zimbabwe a gallant attempt to go to what would have been a Tucker and Mark Adair worth 54 runs restored a January 12. That will be followed by three Twenty20 for the first time since their tour of Bangladesh in third century. glimmer of hope for a side playing their first ODI internationals in Grenada (January 15) and St Kitts November 2018. Zimbabwe are not part of the on- With the scores level, he launched Barry McCarthy since July. (January 18 and 19). — AFP going ICC Test Championship and so no points will be up for grabs in the series. “Sri Lanka are always a very competitive team who have been playing well and I am looking forward to the Test series,” Rajput said in a statement from Zimbabwe Cricket. Stokes had more “For us, it’s a new beginning, a new chapter, and it’s good that we are starting off with the long version than cricket which always brings the best out of players. “We know our home conditions better, our players are getting match-fit and enjoying some game time. So all we on his mind have to do is to get in the middle and perform. “We have not had much game time, so the players will be very keen and eager to seize this opportunity and do well.” CAPE TOWN: England all-rounder Ben Stokes dedi- Zimbabwe have confirmed that all-rounder Sean Williams cated his match-winning performance in the second will be their new test captain following the retirement of test at Newlands to father Ged as he now seeks to help Hamilton Masakadza, who has since moved into the role the tourists claim the series in South Africa. of director of cricket.Former Zimbabwe international Stokes scored a rapid 72 from 47 balls to give David Mutendera has been named as the new convener England the quick runs they needed for an early decla- of selectors, joining Gavin Ewing, Shepherd Makunura ration in their second innings on day four, time that and Prosper Utseya on the panel. — Reuters proved vital in the end as South Africa came within eight overs of saving the test. He also took six catches in the game, and wrapped up the South African tail with three quick wickets after a brilliant spell of fast bowling late on the fifth day. FA to review Cup Stokes’ Herculean performance comes as his father Ged receives treatment in a Johannesburg hospital hav- rights after ing suffered a stroke ahead of the first test in Pretoria that started on Boxing Day. “I always had my dad in the back of my mind,” ties shown on Stokes told reporters. “He came out here to watch me and unfortunately he’s not been able to, so there was a betting website lot more in my efforts this game, doing it for him. I CAPE TOWN: File photo shows England’s Ben Stokes (C) celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of haven’t spoken to him yet but hopefully I’ve made him South Africa’s Anrich Nortje (L) during the fifth day of the second Test cricket match. — AFP proud.” LONDON: The Football Association says it will review the Captain Joe Root turned to Stokes late on the fifth betting element of FA Cup broadcast rights related to ties day as South Africa looked as though they might bat trying to put everything into every ball. For some rea- influence a game. I will always try to do that,” he said. being viewed on a gambling website. Bookmaker Bet365 the 146 overs they needed to save the test, and the all- son it just started reverse-swinging, which helped get- England will check on the fitness of seamer James showed 23 third-round matches last weekend as part of its rounder duly delivered with a superb spell of reverse- ting the right-handers nicking the ball.” Anderson ahead of the game after he pulled up with a deal with the FA, which was signed in January 2017. swing bowling that saw him pick up the last three wick- Stokes will now seek to give England the advantage side strain on the final day at Newlands. “He’ll go for a The matches were only available to watch if the cus- ets. “I said, ‘You’re not getting the ball out of my hand in the third test that starts in Port Elizabeth on Jan 16. scan, get some treatment and we’ll see how he pulls tomer had placed a bet or deposited an account with £5 “The best thing about being an all-rounder is that there up,” Root said. South Africa won the first test in ($6.5) in the 24 hours before kick-off. The FA announced until this day is done.’ It was one last push,” Stokes are four innings in a Test match so four opportunities to Pretoria by 107 runs. — Reuters in July 2017 that it had cut all ties with gambling firms, said. “We have a few days off (after the test), so I was ending a deal with Ladbrokes, and has suggested it will review future broadcast rights. “We will review this element of the media rights sales mately four weeks. Any further delay could put him process ahead of tendering rights to the new cycle from Tough break in doubt for the first Test against India next month. the 2024/25 season onwards,” said an FA spokesman. Latham, who was New Zealand’s stand-in cap- “Leagues and clubs continue to govern their own relation- tain for the third Test, went out to bat in the sec- ships with gambling companies. “The FA agreed a media for N Zealand ond innings despite the injury and faced 15 deliv- rights deal with IMG in early 2017, part of which permits eries before he was dismissed for one. Regular them to sell the right to show live footage or clips of FA as Latham joins skipper Kane Williamson, who missed the third Cup matches to bookmakers. Bet365 acquired these rights Test along with Henry Nicholls and Mitchell from IMG to use from the start of the 2018/19 season. Santner because of illness, was said to be slowly “This deal was agreed before we made a clear decision on the FA’s relationship with gambling companies in June injured list returning to full health. The injured Trent Boult (hand), Matt Henry 2017 when we ended our partnership with Ladbrokes.” All SYDNEY: New Zealand’s ranks were depleted third-round matches last weekend were delayed by one (thumb) and Lockie Ferguson (calf-strain) were minute to publicise the FA’s Heads Up mental health cam- further yesterday with batsman Tom Latham out also expected to be fit again for the India Tests but paign, backed by FA President Prince William. The Prince with a broken finger leaving the Black Caps with a question mark over whether they would play has no oversight or involvement in the commercial aspects down seven players through either injury or ill- in the preceding Twenty20 and one-day interna- of the FA. ness. Latham broke a finger on his right hand tionals. Bowling spearhead Boult, who was injured In a statement to Britain’s Press Association, Duncan claiming the final catch before the Australian by a fearsome delivery from Mitchell Starc, was Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, said: “PHE declaration on day four of the third Test in “touch-and-go to be available” for the Twenty20 is currently reviewing the evidence about the health harms Sydney. series, Stead said. India play five Twenty20 match- of gambling, which we believe are wide-ranging. “Our As the team prepared to return to New Zealand es, starting on January 24, to be followed by three report will provide sports governing bodies a fresh oppor- yesterday after being thrashed 3-0 by Australia, one-day internationals before the first Test starts in tunity to review their relationships with gambling.” —AFP Stead said Latham would be sidelined for approxi- Wellington on February 21. — AFP Tom Latham 27 Sports Thursday, January 9, 2020 Anthony, Lillard rally Blazers to 101-99 win over Raptors Grizzlies defeat Timberwolves, sweep season series

TORONTO: Carmelo Anthony made a tiebreaking shot Pistons. The Pistons announced earlier Tuesday that with 4.1 seconds remaining, and the visiting Portland forward Blake Griffin was out indefinitely after having Trail Blazers rallied to defeat the Toronto Raptors 101- arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. 99 on Tuesday night. Damian Lillard, who tied the game Cleveland’s Kevin Love collected 30 points and nine for Portland on a 3-pointer with 38.5 seconds to play, rebounds, hours after calling his recent behavior “child- had 20 points — 18 in the second half — and nine ish” in referring to recent outbursts in showing up his assists. Anthony finished with a game-high 28 points. teammates and coaches. Collin Sexton had 20 points, After the Raptors failed to score, the Trail Blazers took and Cedi Osman scored 17 points for the Cavaliers, possession with 13.6 seconds to play and set up who have dropped five in a row. Anthony’s shot from the top of the key. Kyle Lowry, who missed the final shot of the game, had 24 points OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER and 10 assists for Toronto. The Raptors were without 111 — BROOKLYN NETS 103 (OT) Fred VanVleet (hamstring), who joined Pascal Siakam Chris Paul scored 28 points and hit two clutch shots (groin), Marc Gasol (hamstring) and Norman Powell in overtime as surging Oklahoma City outlasted slump- (shoulder) on the sidelines. Toronto, which led by as ing host Brooklyn in the second night of a back-to- many as 14 points in the third quarter, took a nine-point back for both teams. The Thunder won for the 10th time lead into the fourth. in their last 12 games. Paul came within two of his sea- son-high for points and shot 9 of 15 from the floor, LOS ANGELES LAKERS 117 — NEW YORK KNICKS 87 including 4 of 8 from 3-point range. Shai Gilgeous- LeBron James scored 31 points as host Los Angeles, Alexander added 22 points and hit four free throws in which lost Anthony Davis to a back injury, crushed the final minute to ice Oklahoma City’s win and send New York. Davis left the game with 2:45 remaining in Brooklyn to its seventh consecutive loss. Taurean the third quarter when he landed hard on the floor after Prince scored 21 points to lead the Nets. losing his balance in a collision with the Knicks’ Julius Randle under the basket. X-rays on Davis’ lower back MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 119 — MINNESOTA were negative, but he was to undergo more testing. TIMBERWOLVES 112 Rookie guard RJ Barrett scored 19 points to top the Dillon Brooks scored 28 points to help host Memphis Knicks, who were without leading scorer Marcus sweep the three-game season series over Minnesota. Ja Morris Sr. with a sore neck. Randle, a former Laker, had Morant added 25 points and seven assists as the TORONTO: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson #4 of the Toronto Raptors drives to the basket during the game against the 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Elfrid Payton con- Grizzlies matched a season best with their third consec- Portland Trail Blazers at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. — AFP tributed 12 points. utive win. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 21 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots, and Jae Crowder DETROIT PISTONS 115 — CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 113 recorded 14 points, eight rebounds and matched his SACRAMENTO KINGS 114 — PHOENIX SUNS 103 wasn’t enough to prevent the Suns from sustaining a Derrick Rose capped a 24-point performance by career high of five steals for Memphis. Rookie Jarrett Nemanja Bjelica gave visiting Sacramento the lead second consecutive home loss. Bjelica finished with 19 making the go-ahead shot with 26 seconds remaining Culver scored a season-high 24 points and Jeff Teague for good with a 3-pointer with 7:31 remaining in the points, and Buddy Hield had 16 for Sacramento. as Detroit topped host Cleveland for just its third win in added 18 off the bench for Minnesota. Robert Covington game, and De’Aaron Fox saved nine of his team-high 27 Deandre Ayton had 21 points to go with a team-high 12 games. Detroit’s Andre Drummond recorded 23 tallied 17 points, Andrew Wiggins scored 15, Gorgui points for the final 7:02 in rallying from a 21-point nine rebounds, Oubre 17 points and Ricky Rubio a points and 20 rebounds, including 11 and 10, respec- Dieng added 11 and reserve Naz Reid scored 10 for the deficit to stun Phoenix. Devin Booker shot 12-for-21 in game-high nine assists to complement eight points for tively, in the first quarter. Tony Snell made four 3-point- Timberwolves. Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns extending his franchise record of consecutive 30-point Phoenix, which had won two of the first three games in ers to highlight his 18-point performance for the (knee) missed his 11th straight contest. games to seven with a game-high 34-point effort, but it the now-complete season series. — Reuters

Boot award with Salah and Arsenal’s Mane crowned Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Gabon. Solskjaer searches “I would love to thank all the Senegalese people. They have been for me all the time, Africa’s Player they push me,” said Mane, extending sin- for answers to save cere gratitude to people from his village Bambali. of the Year FIFA president Gianni Infantino as well Man Utd season as former Argentinian player Juan CAIRO: Liverpool star Sadio Mane was Sebastian Veron and Brazil’s Cafu attended LONDON: Manchester United’s demoralising defeat crowned on Tuesday as Africa’s 2019 Player Tuesday’s event. Some of Africa’s former against Manchester City in their League Cup semi- of the Year for the first time at an awards star players including Senegal’s Diouf, final laid bare their desperate need for reinforce- gala in Egypt. The 27-year old Senegalese Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan and Algeria’s Rabah ments if they are to salvage anything from their stut- striker was up against his Liverpool team- Madjer were also at the ceremony. tering season. mate Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian who Neither Salah nor Mahrez, who was United conceded three first-half goals in a match won the award the last two years, and playing for Manchester City, were present at Old Trafford for the first time since May 1997 on Algerian Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City. on Tuesday. Mane, Salah and Mahrez Tuesday in their chastening 3-1 first-leg loss against “I am really happy and at the same time played for their respective countries in the Pep Guardiola’s men. Bernardo Silva’s wonder strike, I am really proud to win this award,” said 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Salah’s Egypt Riyad Mahrez’s cool finish and an own goal from Mane at the ceremony organised by the crashed out of the competition shortly Andreas Pereira put City well on course for a third Confederation of African Football in the after it kicked off but Mane and Mahrez straight final before Marcus Rashford gave the hosts Egyptian Red Sea city of Hurghada. “It’s a faced off in the final. CAIRO: Senegal winger Sadio Mane (R) receives the award for Player of the Year faint hope for the second leg on January 29. big day for me.” Mane became the second Algeria claimed the title following a 1-0 from Ahmad Ahmad, President of the Confederation of African Football, during The defeat was another stark reminder that star from Senegal to be named African victory over Senegal in Cairo. At the cere- the 2019 CAF Awards in the Egyptian resort town of Hurghada. —AFP United are light years behind the standards set by Player of the Year after El Hadji Diouf, who mony, other male awards went to Algerian Premier League pacesetters Liverpool and defending was the continent’s best player in 2001 and coach Djamel Belmadi, Algerian Youcef champions City. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said 2002. He scored 34 goals and produced 12 Belaili for African Interclubs Player of the South African national team boss CAF Team of the Year featured Salah, there would be no easy solutions as United attempt assists in 61 appearances in 2019, accord- Year and Algeria’s national team. The Desiree Ellis was also voted top coach for Mane and Aubameyang as well as Mahrez to claw their way back to the top of English football. ing to CAF statistics. award for the youth category was given to the second consecutive year. Cameroon’s and Ajax duo Andre Onana and Hakim “I’ve said before it is not going to be a quick fix Salah’s tally stood at 26 goals and 10 Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi of Borussia women’s team was selected as the conti- Ziyech. Paris Saint-Germain midfielder and the two teams you are talking about are proba- assists in 55 matches while Mahrez Dortmund. Female awardees included nent’s best after reaching the last 16 of the Idrissa Gueye was included alongside bly two of the best teams in the world,” he said. accounted for 14 goals and 18 assists in 48 Nigerian Asisat Oshoala, who won the World Cup. Senegal team-mate Kalidou Koulibaly, “That’s the task we have ahead of us, it’s something games last year. The key Senegalese player African Women’s Player of the Year prize The Egyptian Football Association also with Hakimi, Joel Matip and Serge Aurier that we’ve started. You can see we are still a way off shared the 2018/19 Premier League Golden for the fourth time. won the Federation of the Year award. The also selected. — AFP but we’ve started something that needed doing.” The problem is that the shoots of recovery are hard to decipher, with United short of technical qual- ity and fight against City. United have had some impressive performances this season — including a Job only half 2-1 victory at City in the league last month, wins Liverpool against Chelsea and Spurs and a draw at home done for Guardiola against Liverpool. youngster But they have stumbled badly against sides they would expect to beat, losing to Watford, as Manchester City Bournemouth, Newcastle and West Ham, and face a Brewster joins tough battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League. There are problems for Solskjaer to solve all outclass Man Utd over the pitch. Rashford’s recent form has helped Swansea paper over United’s lack of depth up front after they MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola warned Manchester City opted not to replace Romelu Lukaku, who left for of Manchester United’s powers of recovery after his side LONDON: Liverpool forward Rhian Brewster has Inter Milan in August. outclassed their city rivals 3-1 at Old Trafford to put one joined Championship side Swansea on loan for the United’s midfield looks desperately short of cre- foot in the League Cup final. remainder of the season. The 19-year-old, who ativity in the absence of the injured Paul Pogba and The holders were rampant before the break as shot to fame as the top scorer when England won with Jesse Lingard struggling to find his best form. Bernardo Silva’s wonder strike, Riyad Mahrez’s cool finish the under-17 World Cup in 2017, is highly rated at Scott McTominay is also currently sidelined with a and an own goal from Andreas Pereira put City well on MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s Norwegian manager knee injury, depriving the side of steel. Anfield but has found first-team opportunities hard course for a third straight final. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (L) and Manchester City’s Spanish And despite boosting their defence with the sign- to come by as Liverpool’s established attackers United’s captain for the evening Marcus Rashford manager Pep Guardiola (R) watch the play from the ings of Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the continue to shine. restored some pride for the hosts to reduce the deficit 20 touchline during the English League Cup semi-final first summer transfer window at considerable cost, United Brewster has made three appearances for the minutes from time, but they face a huge task when the leg football match between Manchester United and do not look like a cohesive unit at the back. Liverpool first team, all in the League Cup and FA sides meet again for the semi-final, second leg on January Maguire’s arrival has not had the same galvanising Manchester City at Old Trafford in Manchester. —AFP Cup earlier this season. The England Under-21 29. However, Guardiola remains wary after Ole Gunnar impact that Virgil van Dijk’s signing had at Liverpool, international holds a Champions League winners’ Solskjaer’s men recovered from losing 2-0 at home to Paris with United recording just three clean sheets in the medal having been an unused substitute in the 2-0 Saint-Germain in last season’s Champions League last 16 Premier League this season. Only Norwich and “I enjoyed it a lot, especially because it worked,” said win over Tottenham in last season’s final. to progress. “It’s a good result, but it is not over because it Tottenham have had fewer. Silva. “I think the first half was the perfect 45 minutes, we He will now link up once again with Swansea is United,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. could even have gone to half-time winning four or five Solskjaer did not sound over-confident that the boss Steve Cooper, who was manager of the “Last season is a good example against PSG. Hopefully January transfer window would yield obvious solu- because we missed a few chances.” in front of our fans we can make a good game and reach England Under-17 World Cup-winning side. tions. “We are a young team and with the injuries The Portuguese international was back to his best and the final.” United have shown their ability to win at the Swansea, who sit sixth in the Championship, con- we’ve had and illness it shows more and that’s some- opened the floodgates by smashing a shot into the top Etihad already this season as they tore City apart on the firmed Brewster would be available for Sunday’s thing we are looking at,” he said.—AFP corner from outside the box on 17 minutes. Silva turned counter-attack to shock the Premier League champions on creator for City’s second as one pass split the United derby clash with rivals Cardiff as he looks to help home soil just a month ago. defence and Mahrez rounded David de Gea to slot into an guide the club back into the Premier League. But City restored their recent dominance of this fixture empty net. “I’ve come here to try and play a lot of games with a third consecutive win at Old Trafford and a fourth in Five minutes later it was 3-0 as De Bruyne left Phil and score a lot of goals for Swansea,” Brewster five awayderbies since Guardiola took charge. The Jones flat on the ground before his powerful shot was par- told Swansea’s website. “It’s a great club. I’ve been Matches on TV Catalan responded to the problems United posed his side ried by De Gea into the path of the unfortunate Pereira, watching them for ages - particularly when they (Local Timings) last time out by deploying an extra midfielder with both who could only turn the ball into his own goal. “After they were in the Premier League. City strikers Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus left on the scored we did not cope with that setback well enough,” “Hopefully, I can help them get back to where SPANISH SUPER CUP bench. Guardiola’s tactical plan worked to perfection as a admitted Solskjaer. Only a brilliant save from De Gea to they belong. At this moment in time, Swansea is the fluid front four of Silva, Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and deny Silva a second and Sterling’s miss from a inviting Kyle FC Barcelona v Atletico de Madrid 22:00 best team for me to join on loan. I want to help Kevin De Bruyne were too fleet of foot and thought for a Walker cross prevented the scoreline from becoming even Swansea get promoted.” — AFP beIN SPORTS United defence without the injured Harry Maguire. more embarrassing for United before the break.—AFP Established 1961 Sport

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020

Verhaeghe hat trick highlights Lightning Stokes had more than Sadio Mane crowned Africa’s 25rout of Canucks for eighth straight win 26 cricket on his mind 27 2019 Player of the Year

Argentina, Spain into ATP Cup quarters

PERTH: Rafael Nadal of Spain (L) takes a team selfie after receiving their medals for qualifying for the finals by defeating Japan in the 11th session men’s singles and doubles matches on day six of the ATP Cup tennis tournament in Perth yesterday. — AFP

SYDNEY: World number one Rafael Nadal steered (7/4), 6-4, but the 19-time Grand Slam winner made 36 The superstar eased past Chile’s Cristian Garin 6-3, Marin Cilic 7-6 (7/1) 6-3, before a focused Spain into the ATP Cup quarter-finals yesterday unforced errors. 6-3 as Serbia won their tie 2-1, with Dusan Lajovic also Schwartzman crushed Coric 6-2, 6-2. “I think everyone despite an uncharacteristically error-ridden perform- “It was important the first set, and then in the second clinching his singles match. “I really am really happy who is in the quarters is ready for the quarters. We are ance, with Argentina also powering through. After six I had some tough moments but at the same time I was with the challenges that I’ve had in the last six, seven ready to play against (Karen) Khachanov or (Daniil) days of round robin play at the inaugural team event able to manage well to have a break at the right days here, and hopefully that can allow me to build my Medvedev, the singles and then we see the doubles,” across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, eight teams are left moment, so happy for the victory,” said Nadal, who is form for Sydney and Melbourne later,” said world num- said Schwartzman. “I need to rest because Medvedev is standing from the 24 that started. yet to drop a set. ber two Djokovic. putting every ball on court, so I need to be ready for Australia, Serbia, Russia and Britain booked their “I played against a player that started the season on “Sydney’s got a big Serbian community, hopefully the match.” spots in the knockout phase on Tuesday, with Spain — fire winning two great matches against two very good the support can be as good as it was here, even better.” It was not all doom and gloom for Croatia, who still who won the revamped Davis Cup in Madrid in opponents and with very comfortable results. “So it’s a In other action, emerging Polish young gun Hubert had the chance to sneak into the last eight as one of the November — and Argentina rounding out the six positive victory for me and it’s an important victory for Hurkacz upset world number four Dominic Thiem for best runners-up. After losing their two singles, they group winners. the team. We go to Sydney with the confidence that we his third win over a top 30 player at the tournament needed to win the doubles, but Ivan Dodig and Nikola Belgium and Canada joined them as the two best- didn’t lose a match yet.” after beating Diego Schwartzman and Borna Coric. Mektic blew the chance, allowing Canada to go through placed runners-up. All the quarter-finals are in Sydney He came on court after teammate and world number Poland’s 2-1 win over Austria ended Thiem’s team’s instead. with Australia facing Britain in the first encounter today, 10 Roberto Bautista Agut downed Go Soeda 6-2, 6-4 chances of topping their group, leaving Croatia and David Goffin’s Belgium, who were not playing yes- followed by Argentina against Russia. to secure the tie. Djokovic was also a winner today, Argentina to battle it out to secure an automatic quar- terday, also crept into the knockouts at the expense of Novak Djokovic’s Serbia take on Canada on Friday, continuing his unbeaten record at the tournament as he ter-final place. France and South Africa. Some US$15 million in prize while Spain are pitted against Belgium. Nadal saw off warms up for a crack at an eighth Australian Open Left-hander Guido Pella got Argentina off to a money and up to 750 singles and 250 doubles ATP the brave challenge of Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 7-6 crown. strong start, defeating former world number three rankings points are at stake. — AFP

The Spaniard retains the overall lead ‘Mr Dakar’ wins stage 4 and is 3:03 ahead of Al-Attiyah and 11:42 in front of Peterhansel. “Leading the charge was hard and Carlos lost as Sainz keeps lead in Saudi some time, but he did an amazing job because it didn’t take him long to get AL-ULA: Frenchman Stephane of defending champion Nasser Al- back on track,” said Peterhansel. Peterhansel, otherwise known as Mr Attiyah in his Toyota. Former Formula One world champion Dakar for his 13 victories in the It was a defiant response from the Fernando Alonso couldn’t reproduce his marathon rally, clocked his first stage Qatari who began the day with a three- great drive on stage three, finishing 26 win of the 2020 race during yester- minute penalty for not letting a rival minutes behind Peterhansel who gave a day’s 672 kilometre charge from Neom through on stage three. “It feels good ringing endorsement of the new Saudi to Al Ula. after all that trouble in the first few setting for the race. Peterhansel and his Portuguese navi- days, even though we had a flat tyre and “This new Dakar is brilliant,” said the gator Paulo Fiuza threw their Mini got lost once,” said Peterhansel. Frenchman. “It has all the ingredients — across the rocks and sand that made up “It wasn’t a flawless special, but it superb landscapes, tricky navigation the greater part of the 453k special feels great to take the win. “There were and enough difficulties to make a selec- which also ran close to the historic more stones than expected and the final tion. “The organisers have been perfect Nabatean temples, to finish stage four in 60 kilometres were really difficult.” so far.” Chilean Jose Ignacio Cornejo 4hr 14min 34sec. Overall leader Carlos Sainz, who pulled Florimo won the bikes category and is At one point they made a wrong turn out a stunning drive to win on Tuesday, third in the overall standings, 8:31 which cut away some of their lead but finished third more than seven minutes behind his American Honda teammate AL-ULA: Mini’s French driver Stephane Peterhansel and his Portuguese co-driver Paulo Fiuza com- they still came home 2min 26sec ahead behind Peterhansel. Ricky Brabec. — AFP pete during the Stage 4 of the Dakar 2020 between Neom and Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, yesterday. — AFP