SUBSCRIPTION SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016 RABI ALTHANI 21, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Private schools Tearful Kerber pressure union stuns Williams to negotiate to win first tuition 3fee hike major20 title 16 more starve to death Min 05º Max 12º in Syria’s besieged Madaya High Tide 03:50 & 16:31 Opposition heads to peace talks in Geneva Low Tide 10:10 & 23:03 40 PAGES NO: 16772 150 FILS GENEVA: Syria’s main opposition body headed to Switzerland yesterday to demand progress on the dire Nearly 40 migrants drown off Turkey humanitarian situation before formally joining peace talks, as the starvation death toll in the besieged town AYVACIK, Turkey: The Turkish coastguard yesterday recovered the of Madaya rose. The High Negotiations Committee bodies of women and children washed up on a beach after yet (HNC) late Friday begrudgingly bowed to US and Saudi another migrant boat sank while trying to reach Europe, leaving at pressure to at least show up in Geneva to test the least 37 dead. In harrowing scenes reminiscent of the death of Aylan waters for joining the biggest push to date to end a Kurdi, the Syrian toddler photographed lying dead on a Turkish five-year-old civil war. But the body insisted it will not beach in September, the body of a small child could be seen among engage in negotiations, even indirectly, with President those strewn over a beach near the town of Ayvacik in northwestern Bashar Al-Assad’s regime until UN Security Council res- Canakkale province, an AFP photographer at the scene said. olutions requiring an end to sieges of towns are An AFP picture showed the dead child dressed in dark trousers adhered to. and a blue top, face covered with a small hat. In another image, a Highlighting the dire situation, medical charity MSF Turkish gendarme is seen lowering the body of an older child into a yesterday raised the death toll from starvation to at body bag. Another young child was also found dead in the water, least 46 since Dec 1 in Madaya, one of more than a according to the AFP photographer. A number of other children also dozen Syrian towns blockaded by regime or rebel drowned after the boat ferrying them and their families - some from forces. “We will not sit down at the negotiating table if Syria, others from Afghanistan and Myanmar - to the nearby Greek our people continue to be massacred,” HNC spokesman island of Lesbos sank just off the Turkish coast. Salem Al-Meslet said Friday after the group finally A Turkish official, contacted by AFP, said the Turkish coastguard announced its attendance in Geneva after four days of recovered 37 bodies including children. The incident comes two days wrangling in Riyadh. after 25 migrants, including 10 children, drowned off the Greek On Friday, the scheduled start of a planned six island of Samos. In an earlier statement the Turkish coastguard said months of talks under an ambitious roadmap set out in 75 people had been rescued. The Turkish coastguard also said it Vienna in November, protesters highlighted the plight could not give an exact number of migrants in the boat based on the of ordinary Syrians with “siege soup” of grass and leaves. testimony of the rescued migrants, adding that the rescue operation The HNC are also pressing for bombardments of civil- was continuing. AFP’s photographer counted at least 19 bodies. “We ians to cease. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights are sad. At least 20 friends are still missing,” a weeping woman who said yesterday that Russian air strikes, which began in was among the survivors said earlier. AYVACIK, Turkey: A Turkish paramilitary police officer holds the dead body of a migrant late September to support Assad, have killed 3,578 peo- Continued on Page 13 boy from the shoreline near this Aegean town yesterday. — AP ple in total including 1,380 civilians. Continued on Page 13 No morning assemblies at schools due to chill KUWAIT: Minister of Education Dr Badr Al-Essa ‘extreme cold’ weather today, with cold winds and a announced canceling the morning assembly at all minimum temperature of 2 degrees C. Kuwait is expe- schools today due to the sharp decrease in tempera- riencing a cold wave described as the most extreme tures. The Kuwait Meteorological Center at the in years, with subzero temperatures resulting in frost Directorate General of Civil Aviation has predicted in some areas. — KUNA JAGHORI, Afghanistan: Afghan boy and Lionel Messi fan Murtaza Ahmadi, 5, wears a plastic bag jersey as he plays football on Friday. — AFP Afghan boy in plastic Messi jersey becomes Internet star JAGHORI, Afghanistan: A five-year-old Afghan boy living and the only ball I have is punctured,” Murtuza told AFP. “I in an insurgency-prone area has become an online sensa- love Messi, he plays really well, and I love the shirt my tion after pictures of him dressed in an improvised Lionel brother made for me.” Kicking the deflated football in his Messi jersey - made out of a plastic bag - went viral. snow-covered village, he added: “I want to be like Messi Murtaza Ahmadi idolises the Argentine soccer star but a when I grow up.” Mohammad Arif Ahmadi, his father who jersey of his favorite player is beyond the means of his works as a farmer, said he hopes that his son turns into a poor family in rural Ghazni province southwest of Kabul. great football player one day. “I want my son to become the His elder brother Homayoun, 15, made him the plastic Messi of Afghanistan,” he told AFP. “Murtaza wants to meet shirt with Messi’s named scrawled in marker pen and post- Lionel Messi in person one day. He asked me to buy him a ed the photos of Murtaza wearing it on Facebook two jersey but I cannot afford it,” Ahamdi, a father of six, said. weeks ago. When his photos were first posted, Internet users “Our neighbor had thrown away grocery bags and scrambled to identify the boy and it was initially claimed Murtaza brought me one to make a Messi jersey,” he was an Iraqi Kurd. But Murtaza’s uncle Azim Ahmadi, Homayoun, a high school student and himself a FC who lives in Australia, revealed to the media that his Barcelona fan, told AFP. Jorge Messi, Lionel’s father, told nephew was the unwitting star of the story. His father AFP the footballer was aware of the photos that made only learned about Murtaza’s newfound fame from rela- waves on social media and “wants to do something” for his tives when he recently visited Kabul for medical treat- young fan. Murtaza, whose father admitted he could not ment. Sport was rarely played under Taleban rule, and afford to buy him a replica jersey, said he only had a punc- the football stadium in Kabul was a notorious venue for tured ball to play with in his village in Taleban-infested executions, stonings and mutilations. Football and cricket Ghazni. are the two most popular sports in the war-ravaged “We do not have a football playground near our house country. — AFP LOCAL SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016 KUWAIT: (From left) Advisor at His Highness the Prime Minister’s Diwan Dr Sheikha Rasha Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah is pictured with Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah and Indian Ambassador to KuwaitSunil Jain attend the Indian Doctors Forum. — Amiri Diwan photos. Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Sunil Jain. Kuwait seeks Indian professionals as it expands health care: Sheikh Ali ‘Indian Doctors Forum’ kicks off under Amir’s patronage KUWAIT: Kuwait is expanding its infrastruc- age. In his opening remarks, Sheikh Ali Jarrah contribution of the Indian doctors towards awareness among the public.” his appreciation to His Highness the Amir’s ture in health care and we look forward to conveyed the greetings of His Highness the the establishment and development of the “Today it gives me great pleasure in sponsorship and his support to Indian doc- more and more Indian health professionals Amir and “good wishes to Indian Doctors health care system in Kuwait is praise wor- releasing the 12th edition of IDF Health tors and Indian community in general. In the joining us in the future, a senior government Forum and to the Indian community at thy.” “The services provided by the Indian Guide titled “Emergency Medicine,” he meantime, Advisor at His Highness the Prime official said yesterday. large.” He added that “historical ties between nurses and technicians are also commend- announced. He added “recently the Health Minister’s Diwan Dr Sheikha Rasha Al- Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Kuwait and India have been based on strong able,” he added. Ministry launched a national life-saving cam- Humoud Al-Sabah encouraged for more Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah made those state- friendship. Indian Doctors Forum has further paign purposed to boost public awareness cooperation and exchange of expertise ments at the Indian Doctors Forum, which he strengthened the bond of friendship Treasure of knowledge about first aid practices. I am sure that this between the two countries in the field of opened on behalf of His Highness the Amir through the various community welfare and Furthermore, Sheikh Ali Jarrah praised the guide will further assist in achieving that medicine. Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. social activities.” annual health guide released by the forum goal.” Sunil Jain lauded the “positive” role of the The forum was held at Regency Hotel late “I congratulate members of the forum on and described it as “a treasure of knowledge Meanwhile, President of the Indian Indian Doctors Forum in boosting bilateral Friday under His Highness the Amir’s patron- their 12th year celebration,” he said.