SUBSCRIPTION SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2017 RABI AL-THANI 3, 1438 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Kuwait Times offices will be closed on Sunday, January 1, 2017. Therefore, there will be no issue of the newspaper on Monday, January 2, 2017. Our next issue will hit the news- stands on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. Happy New Year! Celebrations kick off Min 09º Max 22º High Tide as world rings in 2017 13:12 & 23:25 Low Tide Revelers bid adieu to a year of conflicts 06:40 & 18:05 32 PAGES NO: 17098 150 FILS SYDNEY: Australia rang in the New Year with a spectacu- lar fireworks display in Sydney, sending rainbow-colored showers into the night sky and defying the global terror attacks that cast a pall over 2016. Around 1.5 million peo- ple packed Australia’s biggest city to watch as the mid- night fireworks erupted from Sydney Harbour Bridge, with the extravaganza beamed to television sets and phones across the world. As 2016 drew to a close, revelers around the world were biding a weary adieu to a year filled with political surprises, prolonged conflicts and deaths of legendary celebrities. Japan ushered in 2017 in style, with thousands pack- ing the streets of Tokyo and releasing balloons into the air in celebration of the new year. Sydney’s visual feast paid tribute to some of the international musical legends who died this year, including David Bowie and Prince, with purple rain pouring off the bridge in an early display and firework “stars” soaring high above the harbour. 2016 has seen repeated bloodshed, most recently a deadly truck attack at a Berlin Christmas market, a similar incident on Bastille Day in France that killed 86 people, and atrocities in Turkey and the Middle East. But the New South Wales state premier urged “business as usual” as a larger-than-usual crowd gathered due to the weekend timing and warm weather. “My encouragement to everyone is to enjoy New Year’s Eve... in the knowledge that police are doing every- thing they can to keep us safe,” Premier Mike Baird said. Around 2,000 extra officers were deployed in Sydney after a man was arrested for allegedly making online threats against the celebrations. There were a number of other reported threats during the holiday period, in Asia- Pacific and elsewhere. In Melbourne, police foiled a “significant” Islamic State- inspired Christmas Day terror plot. Indonesia said it foiled plans by an IS-linked group for a Christmas-time suicide bombing, and 52 died in the Philippines in bomb attacks blamed on Islamist militants. Israel on Friday issued a warning of imminent “terrorist attacks” to tourists and western targets in India. SYDNEY: Fireworks erupt over Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the New Year celebrations today morning.— AFP Continued on Page 27 IS bombings in Baghdad kill 29 BAGHDAD: A pair of suicide bombings the officials. minutes apart hit a central Baghdad mar- All officials spoke on condition of Baghdadi alive, ket yesterday, killing 29 people and anonymity because they were not wounding at least 54, prompting security authorized to release the information. forces to ban traffic from key streets at The Islamic State group claimed respon- still leading: US the center of the Iraqi capital, police and sibility for the attacks in Al-Sanak in a WASHINGTON: The Pentagon said on Friday it believes hospital officials said. statement posted by its Aamaq news that Islamic State chief Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi is indeed The twin attacks hit Al-Sinak, a busy agency, confirming that the blasts came alive, despite repeated efforts by the US-led coalition market selling car accessories, food and from a pair of suicide bombers. Later yes- to take out the jihadist group leader. Baghdadi has clothes as well as agricultural seeds and terday, three separate attacks in and kept a low profile, despite having declared himself the machinery. Minutes after the first sui- around Baghdad killed eight people and leader of a renewed Muslim caliphate, but last month cide bomber detonated his explosives- wounded 17. Those killed included one released a defiant audio message urging his support- laden belt, the second one struck amid policeman. ers to defend the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. the crowd that gathered, according to Continued on Page 27 It is not clear if he is in the besieged city, where he declared his caliphate in 2014 after the IS group seized JAMMU: People watch Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the territory covering much of eastern Syria and northern nation, on television at a grocery store in Jammu yesterday. — AP Iraq. “We do think Baghdadi is alive and is still leading ISIL and we are obviously doing everything we can to track his movements,” Pentagon spokesman Peter Modi defends decision Cook told CNN. “If we get the opportunity, we certainly would take advantage of any opportunity to deliver him the jus- to pull high-value bills tice he deserves,” he said. “We’re doing everything we NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister fill the gap created by the erasure of a can. This is something we’re spending a lot of time on.” Narendra Modi defended his govern- majority of the country’s notes. At that In mid-December, the United States more than dou- ment’s decision to demonetize the coun- time, Modi said that by Dec 30, normalcy bled the bounty on the shadowy IS leader’s head to try’s highest-value currency bills last was likely to return. However, on Friday, $25 million. The group has only released one video of month in an unusual New Year’s Eve mes- the Reserve Bank of India announced that Baghdadi, showing a man with a black and grey beard sage to the nation yesterday. that it would continue to control how wearing a black robe and matching turban, dating Modi called India’s massive demoneti- much money people can withdraw from back to 2014. Cook suggested that Baghdadi is isolat- zation drive, which withdrew 86 percent ATMs and banks for now. ed because coalition raids have killed many IS leaders. of the country’s currency bills from the According to a statement from the cen- “He’s having a hard time finding advisers and confi- system, “a historic purification ritual” to tral bank, the daily limit on ATM with- dants to speak with because a lot of them are no cleanse the system of tax evasion and cor- drawals will go up to 4,500 rupees ($66) longer with us,” the spokesman said. According to an ruption. “This will play an important role from 2,500 ($37) rupees, but the weekly official Iraqi government document, Baghdadi was in changing the direction of the nation in cap on withdrawals from bank accounts born in Samarra in 1971. — AFP BAGHDAD: Women grieve for bomb victims Arif Muhanad (36) and his son times to come,” he said in the speech, will remain at 24,000 rupees Saturday Muhanad (8) during their funeral procession in Baghdad yesterday. — AP which was televised live. onward. It wasn’t clear how long the limits In an announcement that caught the would be in place. country by surprise on Nov 8, Modi said in Since the announcement that the old Merkel: Islamist terrorism biggest test a similar address to the nation that India high-value bills were no longer legal ten- BERLIN: Islamist terrorism is the biggest test fac- world had turned upside down or that what for cating the coalition arithmetic. was withdrawing 500- and 1,000-rupee der, banks and ATMs have seen massive ing Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said yes- long had been held as an achievement is now “Election year 2017: For Merkel, nothing is bills as legal tender in order to crack down lines of people. It’s not unusual for ATMs terday in a New Year’s address to the nation, and being questioned. The European Union for certain any more”, ran a headline in Saturday’s on the country’s massive amounts of to not be refilled for days and for banks to vowed to introduce laws that improve security example,” Merkel said. edition of mass-selling daily Bild. The paper “black money,” or untaxed wealth. run out of cash within a few hours of after a deadly attack before Christmas in Berlin. “Or equally parliamentary democracy, which wrote that for an increasing number of voters The deadline for exchanging or opening. Merkel, seeking a fourth term as chancellor in allegedly is not caring for the interests of the citi- the chancellor, 62, no longer appeared unas- depositing the old currency in bank A majority of Indians earn and spend 2017, described 2016 as a year that gave many zens but is only serving the interests of a few. sailable. accounts passed Friday. When the govern- in cash, either due to habit or because the impression that the world had “turned What a distortion,” she said in a veiled reference Liberals across the Atlantic have hailed ment announced its demonetization they’re too poor to have access to upside down”. She urged Germans to shun pop- to claims by the far-right party Alternative for Merkel as an anchor of stability and reason in a plans, it also announced a cap on the banks. Experts say only about 40 per- ulism and said Germany should take a leading Germany (AfD) that is stealing votes from her year that saw Donald Trump elected as US presi- amount of money people could withdraw cent of the country’s ATMs are equipped role in addressing the many challenges facing conservatives.