SUBSCRIPTION TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017 THULHIJJA 7, 1438 AH www.kuwaittimes.net 4,000 pilgrims Expedia chief Lamar wins I’m no Neymar, leave for hajj Khosrowshahi big, but absent insists Barca amid pious named to Swift steals new boy atmosphere2 lead17 Uber VMA30 show Dembele16 2 million Muslims converge Min 30º Max 43º on Makkah for pilgrimage High Tide 04:08 & 17:22 Low Tide Iranian pilgrims back for hajj amid regional crises 11:10 & 22:55 32 PAGES NO: 17318 150 FILS JEDDAH: Two million Muslims from across the globe Amir meets Russian FM are converging on Makkah in Saudi Arabia for the hajj pilgrimage, a religious duty and for some pilgrims the journey of a lifetime. This year sees the return of pil- grims from Iran, regional rival to powerhouse Saudi Arabia, and comes with the Gulf mired in political crisis and Islamic State group militants squeezed in Iraq and Syria. “I’m so excited because many people dream of coming to this place,” said 47-year-old Eni from Indonesia, her face framed in a sand-colored veil trimmed with lace. “We feel more religious when we leave this place,” she said. Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim nation, and it also provides the largest number of pil- grims for the hajj. Eni’s compatriots throng Jeddah air- port 80 km west of Makkah, as tens of thousands of pil- grims pass through the gateway to the hajj every day. But Eni is almost oblivious to the hubbub that sur- rounds her as she studies her Holy Quran in the oppres- sive heat, pearls of sweat beading her face. “After my first pilgrimage I felt I wanted to come back to feel myself close to him,” she said of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) before returning her attention to the holy book. The hajj is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith, which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in a lifetime if he or she has the means to do so. “This year we expect around two million pilgrims,” KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Abdelmajeed Mohammad Al-Afghani, director of hajj meets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov yesterday. and umrah (lesser pilgrimage) affairs, told AFP. MAKKAH: This long exposure photograph shows pilgrims circumambulating the Kaaba, Islam’s holi- — KUNA (See Page 3) Continued on Page 11 est shrine, in the Grand Mosque on Sunday prior to the start of the annual hajj pilgrimage. — AFP PAGE PAGE Houston races to save flood Pakistan bank faces Computer chips that victims before storm returns $629m penalty in US smell new leap for AI HOUSTON: Rescue teams in boats, trucks cue missions” are still pending and many 19 and helicopters scrambled yesterday to more are expected. “People are needing reach hundreds of Texans marooned on clothing. Literally, people are coming in flooded streets in and around the city of and they are coming in wet,” he said. “We Rapist guru jailed for 20 years Houston before monster storm Harvey have kids, babies, up to senior citizens. returns. Houston mayor Sylvester Turner They are needing everything. They are said more than 2,000 people had been needing clothing, food, medical supplies.” ROHTAK, India: An Indian court yester- brought, soaking and desperate to rapidly- Houston fire chief Samuel Pena urged 5 cannibals in day sentenced a controversial spiritual filling shelters in America’s fourth largest patience, promising: “We fully recognize leader to a total of 20 years in prison for city - and more are yet to come. The 911 there are many other people out there in raping two of his devotees, days after his emergency services line has received more distress situations and we intend to get to S Africa court followers went on a rampage that left 38 than 56,000 calls, but city officials urged every one of them.” Harvey hit Texas on dead. The riots broke out on Friday when residents facing life-threatening storm Friday as a Category Four hurricane, tearing JOHANNESBURG: Five South African men charged Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, 50, was con- water floods to remain on the line and trust down homes and businesses on the Gulf over suspected cannibalism appeared briefly in victed of raping the two women at the that help will come. coast before dumping what meteorologists court yesterday as scores of angry protesters gath- sprawling headquarters of his hugely “The goal is rescue, that’s the major said was an “unprecedented” nine trillion ered outside, police said. The men from the rural popular Dera Sacha Sauda sect in the focus of the day,” Turner said, flanked by gallons of rainfall inland. The Texas bayou town of Escourt, in KwaZulu-Natal province, were northern state of Haryana in a case that grim-faced city officials at a televised press and coastal prairie rapidly flooded, arrested over a week ago after one handed himself dates back to 1999. conference, warning that 185 “critical res- Continued on Page 11 in to a police station, telling officers he was “tired of “He has been sentenced for 10 plus 10, eating human flesh”. His confession led to the arrest which is a total of 20 years of imprison- of his four co-accused. “All the five men appeared in ment,” said Abhishek Dayal, spokesman court yesterday for a bail hearing but opted to for India’s Central Bureau of Investigation abandon their bail application,” police spokes- (CBI), after the sentencing hearing. “I have woman Thembeka Mbhele told AFP. the judgement which details the sen- The accused, all in their 30s, are charged with tence.” A lawyer for the victims earlier told murder, conspiracy to commit murder and posses- AFP that Singh had been sentenced to 10 sion of human parts. The grisly case, which has years in jail. In fact, he was given two con- rocked the small town, has raised concerns about secutive 10-year sentences. witchcraft and traditional medicine, as one of the Authorities had imposed a security arrested is reported to be a witch doctor. clampdown on the city of Rohtak where According to the police, the first suspect walked Singh is being held due to fears of a into Escourt police station on Aug 18 with a bag repeat of Friday’s violence, when tens of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh containing a human leg and a hand. He told offi- thousands of his supporters set fire to where mobile Internet has been cut, cers on duty that he had eaten human flesh and he cars and clashed with security forces. roads barricaded with barbed wire and led them to a house where more human remains Prime Minister Narendra Modi con- soldiers deployed to man checkpoints. were found. “At this stage we don’t know who demned the violence but his ruling More than 100 of Singh’s senior loyal- these body parts belong to. We are still awaiting Bharatiya Janata Party, which is also in ists had been placed in detention as a DNA results,” said Mbhele. power in Haryana, was criticized for fail- precautionary measure, said Rohtak HOUSTON: Evacuees wade down a flooded section of Interstate 610 as floodwaters Continued on Page 11 ing to anticipate the riots. Police were police chief Navdeep Singh Virk. from Tropical Storm Harvey rise on Sunday. — AP taking no chances yesterday in Rohtak, Continued on Page 11 Hamas leader praises Rohingya tell of fleeing Iran military support Myanmar for their lives GAZA CITY: The Gaza head of before it was reduced following a COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh: have still managed to evade the the Palestinian Islamist move- falling out over the Syrian civil Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh guards. Those who have got ment Hamas said yesterday it war. It was the first time Sinwar told yesterday how they fled for through took refuge in the mostly had increased its military capabil- had spoken on record with inter- their lives from Myanmar’s army as makeshift camps in the coastal ities thanks to newly improved national journalists since he the UN refugee agency said more town of Cox’s Bazar, where some relations with Iran. In a rare became the organization’s Gaza than 3,000 had arrived in the past 400,000 Rohingya are already liv- meeting with a small number of chief in February. Sinwar said three days. The influx follows a ing after fleeing previous bouts of journalists, Yahya Al-Sinwar said relations with Tehran had fresh outbreak of fighting violence in Rakhine. Iran was “the biggest supporter” improved in recent months, with between Rohingya militants and Sona Mia said at least 800 had of Hamas’ military wing, the a delegation visiting Tehran. “The Myanmar troops in Rakhine state, arrived at his Balukhali camp since Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades. Iranian military support to which borders Bangladesh. Friday. “Police said we can’t let Hamas was “developing our mili- Hamas and al-Qassam is strate- Bangladesh has said there are them stay or else we would be tary strength in order to liberate gic,” he added, saying the rela- thousands more Rohingya massed deported. We helped them enter Palestine”, Sinwar said in tionship had “become fantastic on its border with Myanmar, through several points but are response to an AFP question, but and returned to its former era”. where the stateless minority faces sending them to Kutupalong,” said he also stressed that the move- “Every day we build missiles persecution. Mia, referring to another camp. ment did not seek war. and continue military training,” Dhaka has responded by step- Authorities at the Chittagong Hamas has run Gaza since he added, saying that thousands A Rohingya man cries after failing to cross Myanmar’s barbed wire border ping up border controls and push- Medical College Hospital said they 2007 and received Iranian finan- of people are working fence due to the presence of Bangladeshi guards near Maungdaw on the ing back hundreds of Rohingya were treating 17 Rohingya.