JAMADA ALTHANI 6, 1439 AH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2018 Max 27º 32 Pages Min 12º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17464 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Amir patronizes, attends Limak signs KD 249.2m syndicated Taiwan looks south for Shakhtar too strong for Roma; 3 Quran contest ceremony 18 credit agreement with NBK and KFH 31 Muslim tourist dollars 16 Sevilla shut out in United draw Fears and outrage as Syrian regime pounds rebel enclave Eastern Ghouta residents ‘waiting to die’ as bombs fall BEIRUT: Syrian jets carried out more deadly raids on Eastern Ghouta yesterday, as Western powers and aid Kuwaiti National and agencies voiced alarm over the mounting death toll and spiraling humanitarian catastrophe, while residents of Liberation Days 2018 the district said they were waiting their “turn to die”. The regime of President Bashar Al-Assad intensified its strikes this month on the rebel enclave east of Damascus, where close to 300 civilians have been OP-ED killed since Sunday. Warplanes continued to pound Eastern Ghouta towns yesterday, killing 24 civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Most of them were killed when barrel bombs - crude, improvised munitions that usually cause indis- By Lawrence Silverman, criminate damage - were dropped on the town of Kfar US Ambassador to Kuwait Batna, the Britain-based war monitor said. More than 1,400 people were wounded in three days that saw the bloodiest wave of strikes on the enclave since the start n behalf of the United States government, of the civil war in 2011. Medics have been overwhelmed I congratulate the government and people throughout February. The five-year siege of the enclave Oof Kuwait on the 57th anniversary of inde- has restricted access to medical supplies, while three pendence and the 27th anniversary of liberation. clinics were hit and put out of service this week. The United States is honored to have built a deep- The hospital in the town of Arbin was hit twice on rooted relationship with Kuwait that has grown Tuesday and the Observatory said Russian warplanes stronger from independence, through liberation, to had carried out that strike and others, its first on today. This relationship benefits both our peoples. Eastern Ghouta in three months. The Kremlin yesterday Our peoples are safer as a result of our close denied any involvement in the strikes and rejected cooperation on defense and security, including reports to the contrary as “groundless accusations”. the joint effort to stop terrorism and terrorist The hospital in Douma, the largest town in Eastern financing. Last week, the United States and Ghouta, is still functioning but the influx of wounded is such that doctors and nurses cannot save everyone. Kuwait co-hosted the Ministerial Meeting of “We received a mother yesterday who was pulled from the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. the rubble. She was six-months pregnant and seriously Representatives of over 70 member nations and wounded,” said surgical nurse Maram. “We did a C- institutional partners came together in Kuwait HAMOURIA, Syria: Syrians rescue a child following a regime air strike in this rebel-held town in the besieged Eastern section but could not save her, nor her baby,” she said. Ghouta region on the outskirts of the capital Damascus yesterday. — AFP City united in the determination to defeat Continued on Page 11 ISIS/Daesh through a sustained, multifaceted effort. We likewise appreciate Kuwait’s gener- ous hosting of the International Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq. Armed forces in show of This past year has been a productive one for US-Kuwait relations, highlighted by the visit of strength with military drill His Highness the Amir at the White House and our second successful US-Kuwait Strategic KUWAIT: Kuwait yesterday brought Mahmoud Al-Dosari pointing out that Dialogue. These meetings opened new channels down the curtain on a major military such activities provide an opportunity to of cooperation on security, trade, investment exercise involving its armed forces and capitalize on core strengths. He applaud- and education. The United States reiterates its the US army, in an event attended and ed the military, police and National commitment to Kuwait’s security and continues sponsored by Kuwaiti First Deputy Guard for working like a well-oiled to contribute to the enhancement of the capa- Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh machine, saying the three protection bilities of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces to defend Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. bodies represent a formidable trio that The Kuwaiti army put on a show of keeps security intact. their country. We will share information in ways military might in a drill christened Al- The National Guard’s Undersecretary that strengthen our security. We will work to Bairaq 7, which Maj Gen Sheikh Khaled Lt Gen Hashim Al-Refai said the drill develop new avenues to increase trade and Al-Sabah described as an all-inclusive allowed participants the chance to apply investment and consult on the best means to exercise that engages various compo- military concepts and principles. Refai enhance the environment for business and nents of the armed forces. He added that highlighted the need to hold similar investment in Kuwait. the purpose of such drills was to ensure exercises on a regular basis in a bid to We both benefit from what has been the most complete preparedness to respond to develop greater camaraderie among the enduring of US-Kuwait ties since your independ- any internal or external threats, noting country’s military institutions. The Al- ence: Education. Last November, I welcomed that the exercise will help boost produc- Bairaq 7 drill is a focal point of the three generations of Kuwaiti alumni of American tivity and cohesion within the army. Kuwaiti military’s annual agenda, allow- universities to my home to celebrate these ties Meanwhile, Kuwait’s interior ministry ing the armed forces the chance to put KUWAIT: Kuwaiti armed forces take part in the Al-Bairaq 7 military drill yesterday. — Photo and our ever-strengthening partnership. We are said it is proud to have taken part in the their prowess on display and share by Fouad Al-Shaikh (See Page 2) working to increase the already high number of drill, with its Undersecretary Lt Gen knowhow with one another. — KUNA Kuwaitis studying in the United States and the number of exchanges between US and Kuwaiti academic and research institutions. We are insti- tuting new ways to prepare Kuwaiti students for Kuwait’s first academic success at top quality educational institutions. Kuwaiti students bringing back what Philippine officials to visit film on invasion they learned in America will help forge Kuwait’s future, as they have done for decades. to make debut Since arriving in September 2016, it has been Kuwait amid worker row my privilege to get to know Kuwait and its peo- MANILA: Philippine officials are head- “We are going to Kuwait tomorrow, KUWAIT: Kuwaiti cinemas today will ple. I have joined the conversation at diwaniyas, ed to Kuwait today to seek greater pro- Saudi Arabia and then on to Qatar to launch public screenings of “Swarm of met young people planning to study in the US, tection for migrant workers after a ensure that our overseas Filipino work- Doves”, the Gulf state’s first feature-length and have been impressed by innovative and diplomatic row over the alleged mis- ers have sufficient protection,” said film about the 1990 invasion of the state by entrepreneurial men and women. The United treatment of Filipinos in the state. Labor Labor Undersecretary Ciriaco Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. The film is “inspired Secretary Silvestre Bello told reporters States and the US Embassy in Kuwait will work Lagunzad, who will helm the delega- by true events” that occurred during the sev- yesterday one of his deputies would tion. He said Duterte had ordered the en-month occupation, producer Sheikha with the government and with the private sector lead the delegation, which is also due to to foster entrepreneurship. team to ensure that the passports of Intisar Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah told AFP dur- stop in Saudi Arabia and Qatar to urge Filipino workers are deposited with the On this anniversary of your independence and ing a screening for the press. “These are sto- reforms. Topping the list are demands Philippine embassy. Duterte also want- ries of people who defended Kuwait at that liberation, we congratulate the Kuwaiti authori- that Filipino workers be allowed to keep ed Filipinos to have access to cell- time,” Sheikha Intisar said. She said “the aim ties and the Kuwaiti people on what Kuwait has their cellphones and passports, which phones so they can call for help in case of the film is not to create any grudge but to The official poster of the Kuwaiti film can be confiscated by employers. become: a significant contributor to diplomacy of abuse, Lagunzad said. “Swarm of Doves”. The trip comes after Philippine highlight the brotherhood, tolerance and uni- and stability in a region facing great challenges, Another team of labor officials said ty Kuwaitis experienced during the invasion”. and a humanitarian leader far beyond its borders. President Rodrigo Duterte last week announced a departure ban for Filipinos yesterday they would conduct negotia- The film, directed by Ramadan Another scene shows a Kuwaiti resistance For the next two years, Kuwait has the opportu- planning to work in Kuwait, which tions with Kuwait next week on a deal Khasrouh and on the festival circuit since fighter who forgives an Iraqi soldier during an nity to exercise its diplomatic leadership as a sparked a diplomatic flap between to protect Filipino workers.