THULHIJJA 19, 1440 AH TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2019 28 Pages Max 47º Min 29º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17910 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Govt supports entities highlighting Empty classrooms as some Facelift of Cairo’s Baron At last: Cincinnati title lands 3 state achievements: Info minister 6 schools reopen in Kashmir 24 Palace sparks outcry 28 Medvedev in world top five Bashir acknowledges receiving millions of dollars as trial opens Sudan ex-president sits in court cage, jokes about prison KHARTOUM: Sudan’s ousted president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir greeting from the courtroom cage. A small number of family mem- acknowledged receiving millions of dollars, a police detective told bers were permitted inside the cage after the session ended to a court yesterday at the start of a corruption trial that many speak with him. The next hearing was scheduled for Saturday. Sudanese thought they would never see. Bashir listened to the Bashir faces a raft of charges of war crimes, crimes against testimony without comment, sitting in a metal cage and wearing humanity and genocide from the International Criminal Court over traditional white robes and a turban in his first appearance in a his role in the Darfur war but yesterday’s trial is over graft allega- Khartoum courtroom. He is charged with illicit possession of for- tions. London-based rights watchdog Amnesty International has eign currency and accepting gifts in an unofficial manner. Bashir’s warned however that the corruption trial should not distract from lawyer dismissed the accusations, telling reporters after the hear- his Darfur indictments. ing it was usual for leaders to hold amounts of foreign currency. “While this trial is a positive step towards accountability for The veteran leader spoke to confirm his name and age. When some of his alleged crimes, he remains wanted for heinous crimes asked about his residence, Bashir laughed and said: “Formerly the committed against the Sudanese people,” Amnesty said. Amnesty airport district, at army headquarters but now Kobar prison,” urged the country’s new transitional institutions to ratify the ICC’s referring to the detention complex where he sent thousands of Rome Statute, a move that would allow for his transfer to the inter- opponents during his rule. Bashir weathered multiple rebellions, national tribunal. The Hague-based ICC has for years demanded economic crises, US sanctions and coup attempts until he was that Bashir stand trial, and has renewed its call since his fall. overthrown by the military in April after mass protests against his Bashir’s lawyer Ahmed Ibrahim told reporters: “There is no 30-year rule. information or evidence with regards to the accusations of illicit His trial will be seen as a test of how serious authorities are gains aimed at Bashir. Anyone in his occupation has to have for- about trying to erase the legacy of a rule marked by widespread eign currency and it was in a room attached to his office in his violence, wars, economic collapse and the secession of South presidential residence.” Sudan. The 75-year-old, who seized power in a coup in 1989, Bashir was also charged in May with incitement and involve- arrived at the courthouse in a convoy with military and paramili- ment in the killing of protesters, and prosecutors also want him tary Rapid Support Forces soldiers. Family members shouted questioned over suspected money laundering and terrorism KHARTOUM: Sudan’s deposed military ruler Omar Al-Bashir sits in the defendant’s cage during “Allahu Akbar” (God is the Greatest) and he raised his hand in Continued on Page 24 the opening of his corruption trial yesterday. — AFP lives of three rebels in the surrounding News in brief Regime advance area. Russian President Vladimir Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron Govt rejects amending system yesterday that Moscow supports the cuts off Turkish Syrian army’s offensive against “terror- KUWAIT: The government has rejected parliamen- ists” in the northern province of Idlib. tary proposals calling for changing the current one- convoy in Syria “We support the efforts of the Syrian man-one-vote election system. The government also army... to end these terrorist threats” in rejected increasing electoral constituencies to 10 or MAARET AL-NOMAN, Syria: A Idlib, Putin said after Macron urged amending the current five constituencies. The Turkish military convoy crossed into respect for a ceasefire in Idlib. sources said the government believes the current northwest Syria yesterday, its path blocked After eight years of civil war, the election system has achieved stability and gave by advancing regime troops as tensions jihadist-run region on the border with everyone justice and equality in opportunities. It also soared between Damascus and Ankara. Turkey is the last major stronghold of gave minorities the possibility of gaining National Rebel-backer Turkey said its forces were opposition to President Bashar Al-Assad’s Assembly membership, which was something hard to targeted by an air strike, while the Syrian regime. The region of some three million achieve earlier. Sources said the current system gives regime accused Turkish forces of backing people was supposed to be protected by a everyone a chance to win and closed the door to “terrorists”. The convoy had entered Idlib Turkish-Russian buffer zone deal signed pre-poll alliances that placed obstacles in front of province before heading towards a key last year, but regime and Russian forces competent minorities. — A Saleh town where Russian-backed regime forces have upped their deadly bombardment are waging a fierce battle to retake the there since late April. area from jihadists and rebels. After days of inching forward, Russian- Bahrain to join US-led efforts Turkey claimed an air strike hit its con- backed regime ground forces on Sunday MAAR HATTAT, Syria: A convoy of Turkish military vehicles is pictured near this voy, killing three civilians, though a war entered the key town of Khan Sheikhun in town as smoke billows in the background during air strikes by pro-regime forces DUBAI: Bahrain said yesterday it would join US- monitor said a Russian air raid took the Continued on Page 24 yesterday. — AFP led efforts to protect shipping in the Gulf amid ten- sions between Washington and Tehran after a series of attacks on tankers. Bahrain’s King Hamad voiced ordered the release of the Grace 1, since his country’s appreciation of the “US role in sup- Iran warns US renamed the Adrian Darya. That was in porting regional security and stability” during a spite of a last-minute US bid to detain meeting with US Central Command chief General the supertanker on allegations of Kenneth McKenzie, state media said. “The king as freed tanker involvement in supporting illicit ship- confirmed the kingdom of Bahrain’s participation in ments to Syria by the Guards, listed as a the joint effort to preserve the safety of internation- leaves Gibraltar terrorist group by Washington. al maritime navigation and secure international cor- Gibraltar’s government rejected the ridors for trade and energy,” the official Bahrain TEHRAN: Tehran said it had warned its request, saying it could not seek a court News Agency reported. — AFP arch-foe Washington against attempting order to detain the ship because US to seize an Iranian tanker, which sailed sanctions against Iran were not applica- into international waters yesterday after ble in the European Union. Pak extends military chief’s tenure being released from Gibraltar. Iran had The Adrian Darya had left Gibraltar been locked in a six-week standoff with and entered international waters yester- ISLAMABAD: Pakistan extended its military US ally Britain since Royal Marines day, the deputy head of Iran’s port and chief’s tenure yesterday, ensuring stability in what seized the tanker off British territory marine authority Jalil Eslami said, cited by is arguably the country’s most powerful position as Gibraltar, on suspicion it was shipping oil state news agency IRNA. Flying the tensions soar with rival India over Kashmir and to Syria in breach of EU sanctions. Little Iranian flag, it was on course for the Greek Washington is expected to announce a withdrawal more than two weeks later, Iran’s Islamic port of Kalamata, according to shipping deal in Afghanistan. “General Qamar Javed Bajwa is Revolutionary Guard Corps impounded data. But the final destination of the vessel appointed as chief of army staff for another term of the British-flagged Stena Impero tanker and its 2.1 million barrels of oil remains three years,” read a statement signed by Prime in strategic Gulf waters in what London unclear, with authorities in Greece yet to called a tit-for-tat move. confirm it is expected to dock there. GIBRALTAR: An Iranian flag flutters on board the Adrian Darya oil tanker, formerly Minister Imran Khan and released by his office. known as Grace 1, off the coast of Gibraltar on Sunday. — AFP “The decision has been taken in view of the A Gibraltar court on Thursday Continued on Page 24 regional security environment.” — AFP according to reports - a Message in bottle found 50 yrs later Malaysia quizzes request that was rejected. Calls are now mounting UK to end EU WASHINGTON: A man gathering firewood in for action after Naik said Alaska discovered a bottle with a handwritten Indian preacher as Hindus in Malaysia have free movement message inside wishing the finder “happy sailing” “100 times” more rights more than 50 years after it was dropped into the pressure mounts than India’s Muslim minori- after Brexit sea by a Russian sailor. “Sincere greetings! From ty, and suggested Chinese the Russian Far East Fleet mother ship VRXF KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian police yesterday ques- Malaysians should be LONDON: Britain said yesterday it will immedi- Sulak,” it read.