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Administratorscall on Amir to help save museum

Star abroad, pest at home, magician fights law

Barca suffer PSG hangover in Deportivo defeat

Mohannad Al-Kharafi appointedZain chairman

Leftover cluster bomb

kills child, guts houseMoH orders probe into liposuction video

KUWAIT: A child was killed and his brother was injured inQusoor while they were playing with a BLU61 type clusterbomb, a remnant from the 1990 Iraqi invasion. The interiorministry said in a statement that concerned authoritieschecked the shrapnel lodged in the boy’s body, and con-firmed it was from a cluster bomb. The children had gone ona picnic and brought home two “foreign objects”. One of theboys was playing with it when it exploded, leading to a fire.

Leftover ordnance from the Iraqi invasion continues tocause sporadic casualties. In December last year, anunidentified man was killed by a landmine in the Salmidesert. The victim’s legs were blown off by the blast. InNovember, landmines were found on the beach and in thewater near a seaside club in Bidaa. According to the interi-or ministry, the landmines were washed up by the tide onthe beach. The mines were removed safely and no injurieswere reported.

According to reports, during the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqitroops planted millions of mines in Kuwait, with approxi-mately 97.8 percent of Kuwait’s land mined or affected byunexploded ordnance. Heavily mined areas included thenorthern coast of Kuwait Bay and the Kuwait-Saudi Arabiaborder. Millions of mines have since been recovered, butmany are still hidden in coastal and desert areas of Kuwait.

Separately, Health Minister Dr Jamal Al-Harbi yesterdaysaid he has ordered the medical license committee of hisministry to interrogate a surgeon involved in a videoshowing a woman undergoing a liposuction. “The video,circulated live on social media, shows the surgeon con-ducting the cosmetic procedure on the woman in contra-vention of the values and standards of the medical profes-sion,” the minister told KUNA.

“The surgeon is a consultant in general surgery andnot plastic surgery, so he is not entitled to conduct sucha procedure,” he said. “Moreover, it is unacceptable tofilm a surgery and circulate such a video, which violatesthe privacy of the patient and the standards of the pro-fession,” Harbi explained. The video, circulating onFacebook and Twitter, drew resentment in professionaland public circles. — Agencies

ANKARA/ROTTERDAM: President Tayyip Erdogan saidyesterday the Netherlands was acting like a “bananarepublic” and should face sanctions for barring Turkishministers from speaking in Rotterdam, fuelling a row overAnkara’s political campaigning abroad. Erdogan is lookingto the large number of Turks living in Europe, especially inGermany and the Netherlands, to help secure victory nextmonth in a referendum that would give the presidencysweeping new powers.

In a speech in France, Foreign Minister MevlutCavusoglu described the Netherlands as the “capital offascism” as it joined other European countries in stoppingTurkish politicians holding rallies, due to fears that ten-sions in Turkey might spill over into their expatriate com-munities. The Dutch government barred Cavusoglu fromflying to Rotterdam on Saturday and later stopped FamilyMinister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering theTurkish consulate there, before escorting her out of thecountry to Germany.

Dutch police used dogs and water cannon yesterdayto disperse hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flagsoutside the consulate in Rotterdam. Some threw bottlesand stones and several demonstrators were beaten bypolice with batons, a Reuters witness said. Mountedpolice officers charged the crowd. The Dutch government- set to lose about half its seats in elections this week,according to polls, as the anti-Islam party of Geert Wildersmakes strong gains - said the visits were undesirable andit would not cooperate in their campaigning.

“I call on all international organizations in Europe andelsewhere to impose sanctions on the Netherlands,”Erdogan said, after his prime minister earlier said Turkeywould retaliate in the “harshest ways”, without specifyinghow. “Has Europe said anything? No. Why? Because theydon’t bite each other. The Netherlands are acting like abanana republic,” Erdogan said in a speech in Kocaeliprovince, near Istanbul. — Reuters (See Page 7)

Erdogan slams ‘banana republic’ Netherlands

A police dog bites a demonstrator after riots broke out during a pro-Erdogan demonstration at the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam,Netherlands yesterday. (Inset) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogangestures as he speaks in Istanbul yesterday. — AP/AFP

AMMAN: A Jordanian soldier who shotdead seven Israeli schoolgirls in 1997 wasreleased from prison yesterday after servingout his life sentence, sparking outrage fromthe families of those killed. In March 1997,Ahmad Dakamseh fired an automaticweapon at schoolgirls on a trip to theJordan-Israel border, killing seven of themand wounding five others and a teacher. “Heis now a free man,” his cousin MohammedYahya Dakamseh told AFP by phone, sayinghe had been released at around 1:00 amafter “he finished his jail term”.

Dakamseh, who is aged 46 accordingto a family member, was released fromthe Bab al-Hawa prison in Irbid, 90 km

north of the capital Amman. He hadbeen sentenced to life imprisonment,which in Jordan is 20 years. Dakamseh,who hails from Irbid’s Ebder area, was amarried father-of-three at the time of theattack. His motives were never entirelyclear, but he told the national securitycourt during his trial that he fired hisweapon at the schoolgirls after theymocked him while he was praying.

Jordan’s then ruler King Hussein con-demned the attack and later travelled toIsrael to offer his condolences to the fam-ilies of the murdered schoolgirls. His gov-ernment also paid compensation.

Continued on Page 13

Jordan releases jailed soldier

IBDIR, Jordan: Ahmad Dakamseh (second left) is seen with friends and relativesafter his release from prison yesterday. — AP

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Leading opposition MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizriyesterday threatened that he will file to grill the primeminister and three Cabinet ministers after 30 days if anumber of demands were not met, including scrap-ping hikes in the prices of petrol and electricity.Muwaizri’s threat comes just a few days after a self-declared moratorium by the opposition not to grillthe prime minister as part of a deal stipulating thatthe government will reinstate citizenship of opposi-tion figures it revoked in the summer of 2014. Severallawmakers however openly said they were not com-mitted to that agreement. Muwaizri is one of them.

Muwaizri said that the grillings against PrimeMinister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and atleast three ministers are ready and he plans to filethem after 30 days. The demands the lawmaker madeinclude respecting the constitution, suspending theso-called economic reform charter, immediately halt-ing the petrol and electricity price hikes and suspend-ing the privatization program. Other demandsinclude resolving the decades-long problem of state-less people locally known as bedoons, stopping secu-rity restrictions on Kuwaiti jobseekers and haltinggovernment “atrocities” against the disabled andreceivers of social aid.

The lawmaker said that the constitution does notgive any immunity to anyone against grillings and theonly immunity for the government is to serve thepeople correctly. He called on ministers and officialsto respect the responsibilities entrusted to them.

Continued on Page 13

MP threatens

to grill premier,

three ministers

This picture released by the official website of the Iranian Defense Ministry yester-day shows a domestically manufactured tank called “Karrar” in an undisclosedlocation in Iran. — AP

TEHRAN: Iran’s semi-official Fars newsagency yesterday reported that thecountry has unveiled a domesticallymanufactured tank and has launched amass-production line. The report quotedDefense Minister Hossein Dehghan assaying: “The tank has the capability tofire missiles and precisely guide them.”Fars said the tank named “Karrar” isequipped with an electro-optical firecontrol system and laser range-finderand is capable of firing at both stableand mobile targets day or night.

Last week Iran unveiled a new heli-copter designed for offshore operations,

medical evacuations and surveillance.The official IRNA news agency said thatthe four-bladed Saba-248 has twoengines but its capable of operating withjust one, and that it can fly in tempera-tures ranging from minus 25 to 55degrees Celsius.

Dehghan also said the tank can com-pete with the most advanced tanks inthe world in the three main areas of“power, precision and mobility”. Iran hasbeen producing its own weapons andmilitary equipment, including missiles,fighter jets and submarines, for morethan two decades. — AP

Iran unveils domestically

made tank, production line

L O C A LMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

Amir meets top Bosnian lawmaker

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with Speaker of the Bosnian House ofRepresentatives Sefik Dzaferovic. —KUNA photos

His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabahmeets with Speaker of the Bosnian House of Representatives Sefik Dzaferovic.

National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem meets with Speaker of theBosnian House of Representatives Sefik Dzaferovic.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah met with the visitingSpeaker of the Bosnian House of RepresentativesSefik Dzaferovic at Bayan Palace yesterday. Themeeting was attended by National AssemblySpeaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem and DeputyMinister of Amir Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali JarrahAl-Sabah.

Dzaferovic arrived to Kuwait earlier yesterdayon a two-day official visit. He also met withGhanem to discuss bilateral cooperation in allfields, pointing out the importance of parliamen-tary collaboration and ways of enhancing existingrelations, in addition to regional and internationalissues that concern both nations.

The meeting was attended by Kuwait’s DeputySpeaker MP Essa Al-Kandari, Chief of the HonoraryMission MP Ali Salem Al-Deqbasi and severalmembers of Kuwaiti parliament, in addition toKuwait’s Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nasser Al-Mutairi, and Bosnian Ambassador toKuwait Mehmed Halilovic.

After the meeting, Speaker Ghanem held aluncheon banquet in honor of the visiting officialand his accompanying delegation at Sabah Al-Ahmad’s building where a number of MPs attend-ed. The Bosnian parliament speaker arrived inKuwait earlier yesterday on a two-day official visit.Dzaferovic also met with His Highness the PrimeMinister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace.

Senior officialsSeparately, His Highness the Amir received His

Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace yester-day. His Highness the Amir also received Ghanem,His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak as well asFirst Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign MinisterSheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Hamad Al-Sabah.

Meanwhile, His Highness the Crown Princereceived Ghanem, His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, Deputy PrimeMinister and Defense Minister Sheikh MohammadAl-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Deputy PrimeMinister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah. Moreover, His Highness theCrown Prince received Minister of State forCabinet Affairs and Acting Minister of InformationSheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and Minister of Social Affairs and Labor andMinister of State for Planning and DevelopmentAffairs Hind Al-Sabeeh.

In other news, His Highness the Amiraddressed a cable of condolences to Saudi KingSalman on the demise of the mother of PrinceNawaf bin Saud bin Abdulaziz. His Highness theCrown Prince and His Highness the Prime Ministersent similar cables to the Custodian of the TwoHoly Mosques. —KUNA

Amir to attend PAAET

graduation ceremonyKUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is set topatronize and attend the honoring ceremony of outstanding graduates of colleges andinstitutes of the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) for the aca-demic year 2015/2016. The event takes place today at PAAET’s new building in Shuyoukh,starting from at 10:30 am. —KUNA

The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training’s new building inShuyoukh.

CANBERRA: Former Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah said yesterday that the Middle Eastregion is witnessing a daunting future full of chal-lenges, calling on the international community toexert more efforts to confront it.

In a lecture at the Australian National University(ANU), Sheikh Dr Mohammad said “when it comes tounderstanding populism’s impact on national security, itis important to both look at the height of internationalrelations but also the plains-of convulsions in people’slives.” The lecture was held under the title “Regional secu-rity in unstable world, a GCC vision” highlighted variousareas in the region.

“Speeches are often difficult to get right,” he said. “Atbest they are funny, uplifting, or thoughtful. Since this isa conversation about recent developments in the MiddleEast, it is hard to promise anything but the last. Therewas nothing funny or uplifting about the political con-vulsions, that gripped the world last year and that con-tinue to roil our region. Today we share a feeling of sad-ness and mutual condolences, as we see innocent civil-ian victims, falling in Berlin, in Amman, in Aleppo, andjust a few days ago, in Istanbul. To be sure, hundreds ofthousands of people have been killed in the Middle East,while millions of refugees now roam the world.”

“Terrorism has reached its pinnacle, and metasta-sized into the so-called (IS) Da’esh. Key states in theregion are now fighting for their very existence. Oldglobal powers, United States, United Kingdom, andFrance that have shaped the 20th century Middle East,are nowhere to be seen,” he noted”

“The new actors, Russia, Turkey, and Iran are now theones calling the shots,” he emphasized. “In fact, one con-sequence of the political dynamics in the Middle Easttoday is the surge in nationalist, sectarian, and populistrhetoric in key states across the world. The surprise ofBrexit and Trump, an escalation of the Syrian refugee cri-sis, and the resurgence of the far-right in Europe-all her-ald a crisis of the established order in the West.”

“This year, elections will be held in four of the sixfounding members of the European Union, and populistforces are on the march in each one. Everything is atstake,” he warned. “Peace and prosperity, knotted togeth-er by trade and financial globalization, underpinned by asecurity alliance led by the United States, could all unrav-el. Ladies and gentlemen, we are truly in dangeroustimes. Harvard professor Graham Allison warned usabout ‘Thucydides Trap.’ A condition by which a risingpower (Russia) rivals and challenges a ruling power(United States), resulting in a catastrophic war and may-hem. This can’t be more evident than in Europe and theMiddle East. In addition to that, the rise of populistmovements, which is not simply a European or NorthAmerican phenomenon, will have profound effects onthe very foundation of global peace, that was built afterthe 2nd World War.”

“What are the Security Implications of these develop-ments?” Sheikh Dr Mohammad asked. “First, it will likelymean that the politics of the United States and Europewill turn inward and tend towards isolationism.”

PopulismSheikh Dr Mohammad said “that is because pop-

ulism emerges out of a reaction to failed foreignengagements, and is often xenophobic in nature. Inpoll after poll, most Americans say that it would be bet-ter if the United States simply dealt with its own prob-lems, and let other countries deal with theirs. To besure, the consequence of American ambivalencetowards globalism means they are potentially less reli-able partners in a crisis.”

“Following eight years of weakened Americanengagement in the our region, which many feel has cre-ated a disconcerting vacuum, it looks like we have towait a little bit longer, until the contours of presidentTrump’s approach to our region, becomes clearer,” hesaid. “Second, it is clear that populists will push for ‘beg-gar thy neighbor’ kind of policies, that aim for nationalself-interests and threaten to undermine historic treaties.The Bretton Woods Agreement-the foundation for a free

and fair international monetary system- is in peril due topopulist forces bucking against globalization and a dis-content about migration. This populist movement isinherently anti-free trade, and will add to an alreadyuncertain and nervous global market.”

“We have learnt all too well that aggressive non-market policies in support of populist forces will alwaysfail; populist economic policies simply do not work.What are the Implications on GCC Security?” he won-dered. “Turning to our region, we in the GCC feel direct-ly the reverberations of these alarming trends. It hasmanifested itself in several ways across the region, fromthe failed states in Yemen and Libya to the ongoing cri-sis in Syria. The international community can no longermerely manage crisis in the Middle East. Our focusmust shift to resolution. Failure to take early action mayinarguably lead to disastrous consequences, and willimpose a heavy economic and humanitarian toll. Suchinaction insures that crises will inevitably produce theirown set of sub crises. The Palestinian Israeli conflictvividly demonstrates what happens when we fail tomake the difficult choices.”

Lack of will“For over 60 years, the Palestinian issue has been a

source of regional instability, extremism and numerouswars, to be sure- it has tested the regional and interna-tional order. Even though the political solution is withinreach, there is still a lack of political will to take the neces-sary steps required,” Sheikh Dr Mohammad argued.

“In Yemen and Libya, despite all the difficulties thereare positive mechanisms in place and roadmaps for apolitical solution,” he said. “We must work collectively torealize these solutions. The GCC is actively working tosupport these processes. In Yemen, the GCC roadmapprovides a realistic path out of the current crisis. Theinternational community now needs to use all of itsavailable leverage to ensure that all Yemeni actors acceptand implement this road map. We understand the pathahead is not an easy one but surely it is preferable tocontinued confrontation. In Libya the way out of thecurrent chaos is through the Libyan political agreementsigned in Sakhairat. What is needed are greater efforts tofacilitate the dialogue between the Libyan parties toovercome outstanding issues and insure the full and fairimplementation of the agreement.”

“In Syria, the region and the world cannot afford towalk away from their responsibilities,” he underlined. “Wemust double our efforts and find a constructive solutionto the conflict. Unfortunately, prospects are not encour-aging and the Syrian crisis continues to tear apart theSyrian people and their society. The geopolitics of thecrisis and the regime’s believe that it can secure a militaryvictory, are obstructing the constructive and seriouspolitical engagement required, to embark on the roadtowards resolving the crisis.”

“Interlinked with our effort to ending conflicts in theregion is the GCC’s absolute commitment to combatand overcome extremism and terrorism,” he stressed.“The link between extremist ideology and terrorist actsis a clear one. We cannot face off with one without con-sidering the other. Furthermore, we believe that con-fronting extremism and terrorism is a long drawn outand extend challenge. This understanding is essential inour effort to confront extremism and terrorism. Varioustools are required in this lengthy battle. Including con-trol over financial flows and the deconstruction of theextremist ideology and narrative. The GCC is an activemember of the global coalition to degrade and destroyDaesh. The battle to liberate Mosul is a critical turningpoint in this effort. While the priority is to defeat Daesh,we continue to voice our concern towards sectarian vio-lence against innocent civilians, and the implication ofthat on the future stability of Iraq.”

Greater effortsIn order to deprive the extremist of their support

base and lay the foundation for peace and stability,greater political efforts are needed to reconcile Iraq’scommunities, according to Sheikh Dr Mohammad. “Aunified nation state, devoid of sectarian rhetoric andpractice, remains our best insurance against the politicsof extremism and instability,” he said. “We in the GCC arestrong advocates for an international effort to empowernation states over the dangerous rise of sectarianism.

“The Arab world continues to pay a heavy price forthe sectarian agendas promoted by regional actors andnon-state groups. Their expansionary and divisive poli-tics breed hatred and erode the very foundations of ourstates and communities. The current ugly trend prevail-ing in regional politics, is an accumulation of past fail-ures, regional milestones, and countless revisionistswho are trying to redefine the political role of religion.To be sure, we are now paying a heavy price due to thislethal combination It is vital that we as a region defendthe pluralistic nature of our societies against those whopromote division and sectarianism.”

“Here, it is critical that Iran ceases it is meddling inthe affairs of Arab states,” he indicated. “By employingsectarian methods in instigating instability in Bahrain,Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, Iran hopes to establishitself as the region’s hegemonic power. And despite allthese misgivings, the GCC has repeatedly stated itsdesire to initiate dialogue with Iran. Such dialogue mustbe genuine and construct, and based on the goldenrule of international relations, the principal of no inter-ference in the internal affairs of sovereign nations.”

Cyber warfare“Finally, the American inventor Charles Kettering

once said ‘My interest is in the future because I amgoing to spend the rest of my life there.’ So, perhaps Ishould conclude with what I think the most hideousinstrument of warfare in the 21st century, cyber,” SheikhDr Mohammad said. “It has often been said that the firstcasualty of war is truth. we can see how state and non-state actors are continuously engaging in massive disin-formation campaigns and cybercrime.

“Daesh’s savvy online recruitment campaign, andRussian’s cyber intervention in the American election,are only few examples. In this “post-truth” era, socialmedia legitimizes these movements to create infor-mation bubbles that we all live in- this is called ‘confir-mation bias’. It is critical that we identify these biasesearly on and gain the conceptual toolkit in order tofight them.”

“The GCC is, indeed, well positioned to create amodel of moderation that will confront the negativestereotypes about the Arabs and their culture,” hepointed out. “A model that is unified in its promotionof stable, open, and dynamic region, a model that pro-motes cultural openness, religious tolerance, and theempowerment of women. We must be creative andsmart in our war against deception, defamation andmisinformation. We must master these 21-centurytools to help us navigate through these dangerousand treacherous waters.” —KUNA

Mideast full of challenges,

daunting future: Former FM

CANBERRA: Former Deputy PrimeMinister and Foreign Minister Sheikh DrMohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabahspeaks during a lecture at the AustralianNational University (ANU). —KUNA

L O C A L

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

Ithink for many people starting their own businessis a dream come true. To have that independence,to wake up every morning and do something that

you love, to be your own boss and to make a differ-ence for the community around you. I stronglybelieve in the benefits of having young and talentedlocals be creative and run their own businesses.

Ten years ago, having a small business in Kuwaitwas extremely difficult. The streets of Kuwait wererun by western franchises then, but that is not thecase today. Every day we hear about a new Kuwaitibusiness opening up. In fact, recently we have beenhearing more and more words like entrepreneur,start-up, SMEs and franchises, and the terms can bevery confusing, but I think it is important for us as asociety to understand what is going on and whatimpact we have on ourselves by supporting localbusiness. The success stories are inspiring; our localconcepts have franchised to Doha, Dubai, Manamaand Muscat, and even to London and Paris.

Today I will be answering common yet importantquestions for inspiring creative people who wouldlike to establish SMEs. SME is an abbreviation thatstands for a ‘small or medium enterprise.’ There aredifferent definitions, and in Kuwait, we do not reallyhave one standard definition. However, an easy wayto define it is by the amount of employees a businesshas. Medium enterprises usually have under 50employees in total.

Kuwaiti partnerQuestion: Can I own a business in Kuwait as an

expatriate without a Kuwaiti partner?Fajer: Theoretically and according to the compa-

nies law you will need a Kuwaiti partner, but recentlya new law has passed for establishing Kuwait DirectInvestment Promotion Authority (KDIPA). It is a gov-ernmental authority that aims to encourage foreigninvestment in Kuwait. You can visit their website atwww.kdipa.gov.kw and apply online for a commer-cial license as an expat in Kuwait. They offer exemp-tions and have four different application types.

From homeQuestion: I have heard that in the near future we

are going to have a law in Kuwait that allows peopleto run businesses from their houses. Is this true?

Fajer: The idea of having a business legally runfrom a private residence has been discussed widelyin the legal field in the past few years and even moreso in the past few weeks. It seems like the govern-ment would like to encourage the youth to start theirown companies and this seems like a positive reform.I personally hope this becomes a reality because Iknow for a lot of people, renting a place to start abusiness can be very difficult. If you would like moreinformation on the idea itself, please follow @legal-izekw on Instagram for more information.

KD 10,000 depositQuestion: Is it true that you do not need KD

10,000 deposited in your bank account in order toget a license for my business?

Fajer: Yes. Previously, KD 10,000 or even KD 15,000was required as a deposit in the bank account of theperson that was obtaining the commercial license.But now for the majority of commercial license types,you only need KD 1,000 as a deposit. You can find thelist of licenses and their requirements on the Kuwaitigovernment’s website. If not, please send me an emailat ask@fajerthelawyer.com and my firm will forwardyou the information. If you have inquiries on therequirements for starting a business, please visitKuwait business center www.kbc.gov.kw. The staffthere are very knowledgeable and welcoming.

Non-profitQuestion: The new commercial laws in Kuwait

allows you to start a non-profit company. What is thedifference between non-profit companies and non-profit organizations?

Fajer: I think it is important for those in the fieldto understand the difference between non-profitorganizations and non-profit companies underKuwaiti law, which can be confusing because a differ-ent lingo is used to explain things. A non-profit com-pany would be registered under the Kuwait Chamberof Commerce and Industry and can run commercialactivity, whereas non-profit organizations in Kuwaitare usually societies that have a very different inter-nal structure compared to a company.

Should you be interested in more informationabout running a company in Kuwait, please email meat ask@fajerthekawyer.com and ask to be signed upto my weekly letter, or follow @sirdab_lab, @mefazecand/or @reyada_co that are offering many services aswell as talks and workshops to encourage businesscreative individuals. Good luck in your newestendeavors and I will continue answering questionsnext week on the same topic.

For any legal questions or queries, emailask@fajerthelawyer.com.

Starting a business

in Kuwait

Legalese

By Attorney Fajer Ahmed

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: The Kuwait House for NationalWorks Museum is still facing the threat ofbeing demolished without getting an alter-native place to move to. The situation gotworse when the government cut the build-ing’s electricity last month, two days beforeNational Day.

The administration of the museum held apress conference yesterday at the museumin Shuwaikh, to which they invited represen-tatives of various embassies of countries

that have sections in the museum. “Thereare sections for 28 countries in the museum,which is a symbol and appreciation for theirsupport of Kuwait during the invasion. Weinvited them to explain that it is not ourfault. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shouldinform them about its plans,” said Saleh Al-Anezi, a volunteer administrator.

The Kuwait House for National Works isthe only museum in Kuwait telling the storyof the Iraqi invasion of 1990. It will bedemolished to complete the road develop-ment project in the area. This will be a greatloss for the country due to its value and cul-tural role.

Dr Yousef Al-Amiri, President of Museum,

called upon His Highness the Amir SheikhSabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to helpthe museum get its power back. “This muse-um represents a historical epic telling thestory of the invasion and the great sacrificesby the martyrs to defend our country. Weused to receive about 150 students daily,who come on school field trips to learnabout Kuwait history,” he pointed out.

“Moreover, all foreign military delega-tions visiting Kuwait visit the museum aspart of their trip, in addition to welcomingother delegations, officials, visitors and resi-dents. We had visitors coming from abroadto visit the museum on National Day, but wewere without electricity. This is really sad,”added Amiri.

New locationsMost NGOs in the area have moved to

new locations they were given as replace-ments by the Ministry of Social Affairs andLabor, as they belong under its umbrella.“The Cabinet issued a decree previouslylisting this museum under the umbrella ofthe National Council for Culture, Arts andLetters, and that it can still continue pro-viding its activities, yet the electricity wascut,” explained Anezi. “It seems that theyjust want to delete this part of Kuwait’s his-tory by demolishing the only museumtelling this event. But this is impossible, itis a part of our history during which wesuffered a lot and we lost many martyrs. Itwas an event that took place in Kuwait and

can’t be erased easily,” he added. TheKuwait House for National Works wasestablished by donations. “This museumwas launched in 1997 only from donations,and the government didn’t spend one filson it. Around 200 volunteers were workinghere to do this great job. During these 20years, I collected all the items, includingthe audiovisual materials and did all thework from my own resources with the sup-port of donations. I have spent over KD600,000 for this historical work, but theywant to demolish everything,” Amirilamented. The officials of the museum onlywant the electricity back until they are giv-en a replacement building to move themuseum before it gets demolished.

Organizers ask Amir to

help save Invasion museum

Electricity cut two days before National Day

KUWAIT: Saleh Al-Anezi, a volunteeradministrator at the Kuwait Housefor National Works Museum speaksduring a press conference at themuseum in Shuwaikh yesterday. Students tour the Kuwait House for National Works Museum. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

By A Saleh

KUWAIT: Health Minister Jamal Al-Harbireaffirmed that Jaber Hospital would onlyserve citizens, free of charge. He also notedthe new hospital will serve areas ofMubarak Al-Kabeer and Hawally gover-norates, in addition to some Capital gover-norate areas, while citizens from otherareas would have access to treatment atthe hospital only with official transfersfrom other public hospitals. Harbiexplained that Jaber Hospital would be thelargest in the Middle East with a capacity of1,166 beds, 36 operation theaters and 196ICU beds. He said the hospital was built inSouth Surra to reduce the burden on Amiri,Mubarak and Adan hospitals.

In another health concern, the newly-appointed overseas treatment manager DrAbdul Razzaq Al-Anjeri (appointed in mid-January) quit his new post after only 55days, said health sources. The sourcesadded that Harbi was expected to name anacting manager or appoint a new onematching the conditions of being a con-sultant and having good skills in dealingwith the public. The sources also predictedthe new manager to be a doctor from theyounger generation.

Rent allowanceThe Ministry of Education’s (MoE)

human resource manager Saud Al-Jowaisrisaid rent allowance had been temporarilysuspended for some non-Kuwaiti femaleteachers who have not updated their infor-mation. Jowaisri stressed 85 percent offemale teachers had already updated theirinformation and provided the ministrywith the needed documents - copies ofmarriage deeds, copies of the teacher’s andher husband’s civil IDs and a ‘To Whom itMay Concern’ certificate from the hus-band’s workplace. “Rent allowance pay-ment will automatically resume once this is

done,” he underlined, noting that the docu-ments were needed to make sure theteachers were not married to Kuwaitis or topeople working for the government andalready getting rent allowance. Jowaisriadded the suspension was made on CSCinstructions through decision number 38pertaining cutting non-Kuwaiti teachers’rent allowance from KD 150 to 60.

In another educational concern, MoEUndersecretary Dr Haitham Al-Athari saidthe ministry will launch a new service toreceive applications and interview expatteachers online next year without having todispatch special committees to the teach-ers’ respective countries. Athari said theministry was currently working on develop-ing a special e-system enabling applicantsto file in their applications through the min-istry’s website, and then communicate withthose to be interviewed through email, andfinally specialized technical committees willinterview them online. He added that coor-dination with the foreign ministry is under-way to prepare special halls at Kuwaitiembassies abroad where the applicantswould have access to MoE’s website and dothe online interviews.

RetireesHead and founder of the National

Project for Retirees Dr Salah Al-Abduljadirsaid a campaign was launched to promotethe project that includes building a data-base of over 3,000 retired citizens. He alsoannounced that over 100 of them hadbeen nominated for recruitment in govern-ment and private bodies.

PrivatizationOil Minister and Minister of Electricity

and Water Essam Al-Marzouq stressed thatKuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) hasset a plan to rope in the private sector inrunning some current and future activities.Marzouq said the plan includes some sug-

gestions about the activities that could beconsidered when putting the privatizationlaw number 37/2010 into practice.

TaxesThe Finance Ministry’s tax department

plans to follow strict measures with share-holding companies to compel them to payoverdue fees and taxes to the government.The ministry will suspend all governmentservices provided to general and closedshareholding companies unless they get aclearance from the tax sector. The decisionwas made upon directive number 1/2017pertaining collecting overdue funds,rationalizing and controlling expenditure.

Unified portalUAE’s telecommunications regulatory

authority (TRA) said GCC states plan tolaunch a unified electronic governmentportal through which GCC citizens’ trans-action could be processed. TRA explainedthat once in service, the new unified e-government site would enable GCC citi-zens to do various transactions using spe-cial usernames and passwords afterrespective GCC e-government networksare connected. TRA added that the GCC e-government executive committee hadprepared an initial list of services to beprovided to be reviewed by the GCC min-isterial committee meeting due to be heldin Doha on March 22.

Sharia lawsKuwait Municipality recently activated

ministerial decision number 372/2008 per-taining public stores causing annoyance orhealth problems, said informed municipalsources, noting that the municipality hadthe right to close down any commercialfacility if it contradicts Islamic sharia lawsand regulations, such as allowing men towork in women’s beauty salons or womenworking in barbershops.

The Jaber Hospital.

Jaber Hospital to serve citizens

from all over Kuwait: MinisterMunicipality can close shops noncompliant with sharia

Temporary sports

committees extended

By Meshaal Al-Enezi

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s official gazette Al-Kuwait Al-Youm yes-terday published a decision extending the tenures of thetemporary committees running Kuwait FootballAssociation (KFA) and Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC),formed by decision number 730/2016, for three furthermonths. According to the decision, some members ofKFA’s board of directors headed by Fawwaz Al-Hasawi werechanged to include Jawad Maqseed, Hamed Al-Shaibani,Salamah Al-Enezi, Hussein Al-Khodari, Khaled Al-Fadhli andSalah Al-Hasawi.

Egyptian universities Minister of Education Mohammed Al-Fares issued a

decision cancelling the previous ministerial decisionnumber 20/2015, which had stipulated suspending theregistration of Kuwaiti students for graduate and post-graduate law studies in Egyptian universities. Separately,lawyer Adel Abdul Hadi said through a power of attorneyissued to him by some judiciary chancellors, he filed acontest questioning the constitutionality of the PublicAnti-Corruption Authority.

‘Violent shakeup’ Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Assembly

Affairs Faleh Al-Azeb stressed that the ministry is about towitness a ‘violent shakeup’ in various sectors, whereemployees showing up to work would be meticulouslyscrutinized in a bid to achieve equality by rewarding thosewith good performance and holding those with poor per-formance accountable, starting form senior officials all theway down to various employees. Azab also noted that partof the new Jahra court complex would be allocated for thefamily court.

Research field vital to

petrochemicals: Hashim

MANAMA: Deputy CEO for Olefins and Aromatics at thePetrochemical Industries Company (PIC) Hosnia SayedHashim stressed importance on research as a field in petro-

chemical industry. This came in astatement made yesterday on thesidelines of her participation in theResearch and Innovation forumorganized by the GulfPetrochemicals and ChemicalsAssociation (GPCA).

Hashim, who is also EQUATEBoard Chairperson, said the compa-ny has developed in cooperationwith the Kuwait PetroleumCorporation (KPC) a road map forresearch and development in thepetrochemical industry field. On the

most prominent challenges facing the petrochemical indus-try, Hashim said that the lack of the natural gas represents oneof the most challenges, especially since the industry relies onit. About her participation in the Research and InnovationForum, Hashim said that it was a great opportunity that provid-ed valuable insight into the current industry plans to harnessthe power of innovation and to help drive sustainable and prof-itable growth for the sector and the region. —KUNA

Hosnia SayedHashim

Kuwait declares

start of 3rd GCC

Traffic WeekKUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior announced yesterday inau-gurating the Third GCC Traffic Week, themed ‘your life is a lia-bility,’ scheduled to proceed till March 18. The week-longactivity has already begun with police patrols distributingleaflets of guidance to motorists at road intersections.

Members of the participating GCC delegation have visitedthe operation and control rooms, inspecting the traffic per-sonnel task performance, ensuring smooth flow on the roadvia smart visual equipment. The ministry’s statement said theGCC Week activity is aimed at gearing up all possible effortsto limit accidents, spare lives and swap expertise among theCouncil member states.

The traffic department holds exhibitions at the Avenuesand 360 malls during the week, with participation of medicalteams, staff from various traffic departments, the informationsystems’ department and the general director of relations andsecurity information. During the exhibition, motorists withgrave penalties will be given the chance to re-examine and getsofter punitive measure-except for very grave cases. —KUNA

A policeman distributing leaflets of guidance tomotorists at an intersection.

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

L O C A L

KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways, the official nationalcarrier of the State of Kuwait, has this weekendwelcomed the fifth of 10 Boeing 777-300ERaircraft into its expanding, new look fleet; sig-naling the halfway point in an order for theextended-range aircraft and second-largestpassenger jet in the sky today.

Following the theme of naming the newfleet after place names, in Kuwait, the fifthBoeing 777-300ER has been called ‘Warbah’ -the Kuwaiti island that sits at the mouth of theEuphrates River. After entering commercialservice, ‘Warbah’ will be a key factor inenabling the airline to increase its seat capaci-ty on Kuwait Airways’ long-haul routes, duringthe Summer Season, to destinations likeFrankfurt, Bangkok and Manila.

While, during the Summer Season,Frankfurt (4), Bangkok (7) and Manila (7) main-tained the same number of weekly flights asthe Winter Schedule, the seat capacity increas-es that the introduction of the Boeing 777-300ER fleet will make on these routes, will beclose to 60 per cent.

“As we stand at the midway point of thedelivery order of 10 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft,we already recognize the importance thesenew planes have had in improving the prod-uct offering we provide to many of our long-haul customers on core routes within our net-work,” said Rasha Al-Roumi, Chairperson andCEO of Kuwait Airways.

“In just a short period of time, since the firstBoeing 777-300ER delivery in December 2016,these aircraft have increased our seat capacity,increased the numbers in our operationalfleet, and allowed Kuwait Airways to boostflight frequencies to key destinations - in line

with demand. The new aircraft are also thecanvass upon which we showcase our newlook livery to the world,” Roumi added.

“In addition to this, the Boeing 777-300ERfleet has also enhanced Kuwait Airways’ on-board product offering, including one of the

most spacious economy seat configurations inthe world, a state-of-the-art in-flight entertain-ment system [Panasonic ex3], and the intro-duction of new menus that cater to the widestrange of palettes and specialist requests,” sheconcluded. Later into the Summer Season,

which starts 26th March, Kuwait Airways willexclusively deploy Boeing 777-300ER aircrafton its Bangkok, Manila, Dhaka, and Frankfurtroutes. Dates for the full transfer of these air-craft onto several other long-haul routes willbe announced shortly.

‘Warbah,’ the latest Boeing 777-300ER to join Kuwait Airways’ fleet.Kuwait Airways Chairperson Rasha Al-Roumi.

Halfway there! Fifth B777-300ER aircraft joins Kuwait Airways fleet

58 percent seat capacity increases on key long-haul routes

KUWAIT: An aerial view of the Saad Al-Abdullah housing project. — KUNA photos

KUWAIT: Providing housingfor citizens is considered oneof the main goals for KuwaitVision 2035, through estab-lishing and distributing thou-sands of houses, apartments,in various parts of the coun-try. Kuwait allocated billionsof dinars in response toKuwaiti families requests forhousing, and made it a gov-ernment priority throughestablishing a huge housingprojects, l ike in Jaber Al-Ahmad city, Saad Al-Abdullah, Sabah Al-Ahmad,northwest of Al-Sulaibkhat,Mutlaa, Khairan, and Silk resi-dential cities.— KUNA

Housing welfare a priority in Kuwait Vision 2035

Housing complexes in the residential area northwest of Al-Sulaibkhat.

Sabah Al-Ahmad housing project.

Housing projects northwest of Al-Sulaibkhat.

Jaber Al-Ahmad residential city. Homes in the Saad Al-Abdullah residential project.

L O C A LMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

Photoo f t h e d a y

KUWAIT: This photo taken on March 10, 2017 shows the Mammatus clouds’ formation over a location south of Kuwait City. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK)announced its sixth annual ‘Ya Zain Turathna’ (ourbeautiful heritage) cultural campaign while partici-pating in a live broadcast aired on FM 88.8 this pastSaturday. Amani Al-Waraa, Assistant GeneralManager - Public Relations and Media Departmentgave a presentation about the campaign’s goalswhich reflect CBK’s commitment to reviving theKuwaiti heritage, the bank said in a statement.

DUBAI: Kuwait Business Council in Dubai andNorthern Emirates held its General Assembly onSaturday, and members approved the 2016 and2017 budgets. The council said the membersdiscussed financial and administrative perform-ance since establishment until end of the fiscalyear. They reviewed a report about diversifica-tion of revenues in order to support the coun-cil’s activities for a whole year. — KUNA

BEIRUT: The Arab woman festival 2017 honoredtwo Kuwaiti women Saturday in Lebanon fortheir hard efforts in education and business, andcelebrated a third Kuwaiti for being awardedmembership of Arab Women Council. They areSeham Al-Furaih, chairperson of the KuwaitiNational Society for Protection of Children, andMaha Albaghli, Founder of the Safira Companyfor Social Responsibility. — KUNA

In Brief

Business Council meets Kuwaiti women honored Bank’s cultural campaign

KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and most developed tele-com operator, sponsored ‘Marj ’Exhibition for Kuwaiti SmallBusinesses held last Saturday 12March at Murouj Center, organizedby Attention Company.

Abdelrazzaq Bader Al-Essa,Corporate CommunicationsDirector at VIVA stated: “VIVA’s plat-inum sponsorship for this significantexhibition that focuses on smallbusinesses, proves that VIVA’s strate-gy always revolve on embracing theKuwait Small businesses and theCreative Kuwaiti Youth at differentaspects, and ‘Marj’ exhibition was agreat opportunity to highlight theseprojects and grant its owners thechance to engage through display-ing their products and innovations.”

Hessah Salem Al-Sabe fromCorporate Communications at VIVAwas presented at VIVA’s booth and aprofessional team offered to the vis-itors the latest prepaid and postpaidpackages, products and servicesincluding “more” platform launchedrecently. The exhibition featuredentertainment and competitions,kids’ games, in addition to a showfor the biggest owl in the world.Winners received valuable prizes atthe end of the event and enjoyedsongs and music.

VIVA platinum sponsor

of ‘Marj’ exhibition

F r o m t he A r a bic pr e s sMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

CrimeR e p o r t

Drunk policeman

arrested at seafront

Cross-dresser caughtPatrol officers pulled over a car in the Rehaya desert

and thought at first that the driver was a female wear-ing heavy makeup who was in an abnormal condition.The discovered later that the motorist was a 40-year-oldmale. Police found heroin, shabu and three joints ofhashish. He was arrested and sent to concerned author-ities. In addition to drug possession and abuse, the manalso faces charges of cross-dressing, which is illegalunder Kuwait’s Penal Code.

Generator thieves arrestedAhmadi detectives solved the mystery of the theft of

power generators from camps after they arrested abedoon, two Egyptians and an Iraqi, in addition to aprisoner in the central prison. Police received com-plaints that generators were being stolen. Detectivesthen learned about a bedoon, who confessed to severalthefts and told them about a partner who is serving ajail sentence, and an Egyptian who bought what theystole. The Egyptian said he sold three generators topeople he did not know, then told them about anotherEgyptian and an Iraqi. Detectives found 34 power gen-erators with the second Egyptian. The Iraqi was caughtwith two generators. All four were sent to concernedauthorities. — Translated from the Arabic press

The Kuwaiti society, like other Arab and Muslimsocieties, is a masculine one, where females haveno role in it except for what the man wants for her,

with some exceptions. So, it is very rare to see womenconfronting men in courts, because most legislation arebiased against her, especially those related to her life inmatters of marriage, divorce, alimony and custody, apartfrom the masculine stand towards the rest of her rightsas a human being. This is not limited to the husband, butalso widens to include an oppressive father or ignorantbrother or even a thankless son!

So, it is not strange to notice that the majority ormaybe all Muslim countries have signed the universaldeclaration of human rights, while having reservationstowards items dealing with woman’s rights - the wife,sister, mother and daughter!

So, as we said, it is rare for the woman, who is mostlyconservative, to get out of her narrow surroundings andvisit a lawyer’s office, enter courts, compromise her rep-utation and be humiliated between various degrees oflitigations and spend much time and money in the formof judicial and lawyers’ fees.

The stand of the legislative committee is alsostrange, which takes interest in matters that are not that

interesting, or some members of the alien phenomenacommittee spend their time arguing about trivial mat-ters and ignoring women’s rights and her malicioustreatment, though she represents half the society and isits main pillar, without facing it and justify the oppres-sion of men.

It also becomes silly for these “leaders” to accuse infi-dels and immoral liberals and seculars of being corruptin their ethics, ignoring the fact that liberals in generalare more humane than them and more just in dealingwith the woman and less exploitive of her circum-stances. It would have been better for them, as they arespeaking about morality and good deeds, to becomemore noble in dealing with those they exploited to satis-fy their desires, then ignore their rights shamelessly.

A sheikh said the woman lacks an unknown gland, soshe cannot talk, think and remember at the same time!And I do not know why I remembered ChancellorAngela Merkel while I was reading this, and the reasonmay be the time difference between Socrates’ sayingand that of the sheikh which is 2,500 years. This numberof years may represent the civilized difference betweenour societies and theirs!

— Translated by Kuwait Times

The civilized difference

Al-Qabas

Throughout the last months of the previous par-liament’s tenure, those returning from boy-cotting the elections actively criticized the 2013

parliament and its decisions and even the previousgovernment’s decisions. We used to see them express-ing rejection of fuel price increases, depriving blasphe-mers from the right to run for elections, citizenshipwithdrawal, etc on all occasions until the election sea-son started. They then increased the dose of opposi-tion and raced to declare their attitudes over thespeakership election, expressing rejection of theincumbency of speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem.

As usual, all idiots and naive people of all actionsraced to promote these candidates in various publicforums, describing them as the ‘saviors’ who will putthings back on the right track. And, naturally enough,they were wrong, but it seems that they will neverlearn the lesson and will still make the same mistakesover and over until God knows when. After shouting,whining and strict rejection of any law that woulddepose politicians and end their careers as lawmakers,those who had complained and are currently in a trucewith the government are making proposals toenhance the very same bill!

One of them even withdrew all his previous criti-cism to the bill and summed it up in suggesting not toimpose it retroactively. Another is seeking addingnew articles to the bill to include the Prophet’s (PBUH)companions and wives. A third will most probablysuggest adding the Prophet’s (PBUH) family members.It will not even be strange to add more expansions inthe future!

These are the lawmakers who were elected by largesections of voters. They are also the same ones whowill be re-elected as soon as they use the very sameold stereotypical talks with new packaging in futureelectoral speeches!

Lawmakers’ practices nowadays are but theinevitable results of many people’s persistence onremaining head to toe in ‘full cream’ ignorance andnaivety, because those who vote for candidates theyare unfamiliar with know nothing about democracy,and will never enhance democracy at all.

— Translated by Kuwait Times

This is the result

Al-Jarida

By Ali Mahmoud Khajah

KUWAIT: A drunken policeman in uniform danced by theseafront with families and women around. A police patrolwas sent to the area and arrested the policeman, despiteresistance. He was sent to concerned authorities.

By Ahmad Al-Sarraf

These are the lawmakers

who were elected by

large sections of voters

Smuggling foiledNuwaiseeb customs foiled an attempt by a citizen to

travel with heroin and Captagon tablets to Saudi Arabia.The citizen seemed nervous, so officers searched his vehi-cle and found two envelopes of heroin, 23 Captagon and52 Seroquel tablets. He was arrested and handed to police.

KUWAIT: Gulf Bank is proud to have partici-pated, as a sponsor, in the Benchmark Forum2017, the 4th Annual DesignEntrepreneurship Forum. Organized byyourAOK, the Benchmark Forum took placeon Friday March 3 and Saturday March 4,2017, in Dar Al Athar Al Islamiya, Yarmouk.

Benchmark Forum brings together innova-tive business minds and creative designers toshare their experience and inspire youngentrepreneurs and to provide them with thementorship that may guide them down theroad towards development and success.

Commenting on this occasion, KhaledAlOtaibi, Manager of External Relations atGulf Bank said:” Gulf Bank has always placedentrepreneurship and youth at the core of itsCSR strategy. We are proud to sponsor theFourth Benchmark Forum as we are strongly

committed to giving back to the Kuwaiticommunity by focusing on youth, education,health and fitness, helping the underprivi-leged, women’s empowerment, as well aspromoting Kuwait’s heritage and culture.”

With regards to the objective of the event,Ruba Al- Saleh, Co-founder and ManagingDirector of YourAOK stated: “ We aim tobridge the gap between passion and profes-sion to aid young designers in creating effi-cient, long term businesses for themselvesand to aid in enhancing Kuwait’s economy”.

The event convened professionals fromtheir respective fields, Kuwaiti and Arabdesigners and entrepreneurs who gave talksand lectures over two consecutive days.Additionally, the forum included an exhibi-tion of design works and arts, on-the-spotconsultation by incubators, and outdoor

activities. Free of charge, Benchmark is a non-profit event that aims to educate designersand creative professionals by providing themwith a merging skill-set between design andbusiness.

It is the only Design EntrepreneurshipForum in the MENA region, with a focus oncreativity and innovation as tools to becomea better designer and entrepreneur.

YourAOK is a networking platform bring-ing together creative professionals, designfirms and product suppliers together. It offersthem a multimedia platform with digitalportfolios allowing clients to easily browsethrough profiles and visual works to hireartists, photographers or designers. Gulf Bankis strongly committed to supporting youthinitiatives and entrepreneurs and empowerthem to lead the next generation.

MANAMA: Kuwait Finance House - Bahrain(KFH-Bahrain) recently hosted a delegationfrom the People’s Republic of Bangladeshwhich included a number of officials fromleading Islamic banks and financial institu-tions from February 26 to March 2, 2017.The delegation was headed by AKM NurulFazul Bulbul, Director CEO of AximExchange Company.

Abdulhakeem Al-Khayyat, theManaging Director and CEO and variousExecutive and Senior Managers of KuwaitFinance House-Bahrain have greeted andwelcomed the Bangladeshi delegation inthe Bank’s headquarters in the World TradeCenter in Manama.

During the agenda’s, the two sidesexchanged cordial talks and expertise inthe banking industry. The visit wasarranged in collaboration with the CentralBank of Bahrain, the Bahrain Institute ofBanking and Finance and a number ofIslamic banks in the Kingdom. The aim wasto educate the delegation on the basics of

banking transactions compliant withIslamic sharia law.

During the reception, Khayyat con-firmed the distinguished bilateral relationsbetween the Kingdom of Bahrain and theRepublic of Bangladesh. He welcomed thedelegation in collaboration with distin-guished guests to enhance strategic part-nerships and relationships and providesupport to the Islamic banking industry intheir organizations.

During a meeting, discussions wereheld about the role of Islamic banks in theglobal economy, how to overcome theglobal financial crisis successfully and howit became a successful model to the eco-nomic experts around the world.

The delegation’s visit to the Kingdom ofBahrain included the appointments to theheadquarters of the Central Bank ofBahrain, the offices of the Accounting andAuditing Organization for Islamic FinancialInstitutions in Bahrain, Al Baraka Bank andother places around the Kingdom.

KFH-Bahrain received delegation

of Bangladeshi Islamic bankers

Group picture of the delegation with KFH-Bahrain officials.

Gulf Bank supports 4th Benchmark Forum 2017

Encouraging young designers and entrepreneurs

Al-Anbaa

Iraqi forces retake 3rd of west Mosul

Page 8Anti-Islam Dutch MP fans flames from security bubble Page 10

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

ISTANBUL: A group of Turks protest outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul yesterday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he appropriately accused the Dutch government of ‘Nazism and fascism,’ saying only those types ofregimes would bar foreign ministers from traveling within their countries. — AP

Netherlands bars Turkish ministersTurkey vows harsh retaliation as dispute escalates

ANKARA: Turkey told the Netherlands yesterday that itwould retaliate in the “harshest ways” after Turkish minis-ters were barred from speaking in Rotterdam in a row overAnkara’s political campaigning among Turkish emigres.President Tayyip Erdogan had branded its fellow NATOmember a “Nazi remnant” and the dispute escalated into adiplomatic incident on Saturday evening, when Turkey’sfamily minister was prevented by police from entering theTurkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags gatheredoutside, demanding to see the minister. Dutch police useddogs and water cannon yesterday to disperse the crowd,which threw bottles and stones. Several demonstratorswere beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said.They carried out charges on horseback, while officersadvanced on foot with shields and armored vans. Less thana day after Dutch authorities prevented Foreign MinisterMevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam, Turkey’s familyminister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, said on Twitter she wasbeing escorted back to Germany.

“The world must take a stance in the name of democra-cy against this fascist act! This behavior against a femaleminister can never be accepted,” she said. The Rotterdammayor confirmed she was being escorted by police to theGerman border. Kaya later boarded a private plane fromthe German town of Cologne to return to Istanbul, mass-circulating newspaper Hurriyet said yesterday. The Dutchgovernment, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islamparty of Geert Wilders in elections next week, said it con-sidered the visits undesirable and “the Netherlands couldnot cooperate in the public political campaigning ofTurkish ministers in the Netherlands.”

The government said it saw the potential to import divi-

sions into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro-and anti-Erdogan camps. Dutch politicians across the spec-trum said they supported Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s deci-sion to ban the visits. In a statement issued yesterday,Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had told Dutchauthorities it would retaliate in the “harshest ways” and“respond in kind to this unacceptable behavior”.

Turkey’s foreign ministry said it did not want the Dutchambassador to Ankara to return from leave “for some time”.Turkish authorities sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankaraand consulate in Istanbul in apparent retaliation and hun-dreds gathered there for protests at the Dutch action.Erdogan is looking to the large number of emigre Turks liv-ing in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands,to help clinch victory next month in a referendum thatwould give the presidency sweeping new powers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will doeverything possible to prevent Turkish political tensionsspilling onto German soil. Four rallies in Austria and one inSwitzerland have been cancelled due to the growing dis-pute. Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish andIslamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote “yes”to his new powers. But he has also drawn on the emotion-ally charged row with Europe to portray Turkey as betrayedby allies while facing wars on its southern borders.

The Dutch government had banned Turkish ForeignMinister Mevlut Cavusoglu from attending a rally onSaturday in Rotterdam but he said he would fly there any-way, saying Europe must be rid of its “boss-like attitude”.Cavusoglu, who was barred from a similar meeting inHamburg last week but spoke instead from the Turkishconsulate, accused the Dutch of treating the many Turkishcitizens in the country like hostages, cutting them off from

Ankara. “If my going will increase tensions, let it be ... I am aforeign minister and I can go wherever I want,” he addedhours before his planned flight to Rotterdam was banned.

Sanctions threatCavusoglu threatened harsh economic and political

sanctions if the Dutch refused him entry, and those threatsproved decisive for the Netherlands government. It citedpublic order and security concerns in withdrawing landingrights for Cavusoglu’s flight and said the threat of sanctionsmade the search for a reasonable solution impossible. “Thisdecision is a scandal and unacceptable in every way. It

does not abide by diplomatic practices,” Cavusoglu toldreporters in Istanbul on Saturday evening.

Dutch anti-Muslim politician Wilders, polling sec-ond ahead of Wednesday’s elections, said in a tweeton Saturday : “ To all Turks in the Netherlands whoagree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER comeback!!” Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: “ Thismorning on TV (the Turkish minister) made clear hewas threatening the Netherlands with sanctions andwe can never negotiate with the Turks under suchthreats. So we decided ... in a conference call it wasbetter for him not to come.”— Reuters

ESSEN: German police sealed off amajor shopping centre in the centralcity of Essen yesterday, citing thethreat of a terror attack, with mediarepor ts suggesting a l ink to theIslamic State group. The country is onhigh alert following scenes of car-nage at a Christmas market in Berlinin December, when an IS jihadistrammed a truck into a crowd ofpedestrians, killing 12 people. TheGerman domestic security agencyBfV believes the IS group was “almostdefinitely” behind the threat, localmedia reported.

According to the Bild daily, IScalled for an attack and got a messageto Syrian supporters in the Essenregion to attack a shopping centre onSaturday. Security services quoted byBild described the threat as a poten-tial multiple suicide bombing at themall, one of the biggest in the coun-

try. “ The shopping centre will beclosed all Saturday due to securityconcerns. The police have concreteinformation regarding a possibleattack,” local police said in a statementpublished on social media.

Local car parks and the under-ground train station were also closed.Though there was no announcementof arms or explosives being found,police said two men had been pickedup for questioning. Both men werearrested in the town of Oberhausennear Essen but later police said in astatement that the pair “are not sus-pects” in the case.

‘Major operation’ “Many agents are deployed onsite.

This is a major operation,” a localpolice spokesman told AFP, indicatingthe lockdown included the 200-storeLimbecker Platz in downtown Essen,

nearby parking garages and an under-ground rail station. Sniffer dogs werealso been deployed at the site. Essen,which is in the industrial Ruhr region,has a population of approximately500,000. The police said they hadbeen alerted to the threat by “anotherdepartment” but no German agencyhas confirmed if it was involved.

Interior ministry spokesman TobiasPlate said that the operation wasbeing handled by the local policeforce but added that his ministry wasin “constant touch” with the GTAZ, ajoint counter-terrorism centre used by40 internal security agencies. Germanauthorities have been on alert sincethe deadly Christmas market attack inBerlin. A Tunisian failed asylum seeker,Anis Amri, rammed a hijacked truckinto the crowded market onDecember 19, before being shot deadfour days later by police in Italy. LastJuly, a German-Iranian teenager whopolice say was obsessed with massmurderers, shot dead nine people at aMunich shopping mall before turningthe gun on himself.

Fears of another attack rose onThursday when a 36-year-old para-noid-schizophrenic man from Kosovorampaged through Duesseldorf rail-way station with an axe, woundingnine people. Police have ruled out aterrorist motive for that attack.Domestic security officials estimatethere are some 10,000 radicalIslamists in Germany, with roughly1,600 among them suspected ofbeing capable of violence. IS hasclaimed responsibility for attacks inGermany in the past year, includingthe murder of a teen in Hamburg, asuicide bombing in Ansbach and anaxe rampage on a train in Wuerzbergthat injured five.—AFP

Germany shuts down major

shopping mall over threat

ESSEN: Policemen secure the area around the ‘Limbecker Platz’ shoppingcentre in Essen, western Germany, after a terror warning. — AFP

MOSUL: Iraqi security forces have seizedcontrol of more than a third of west Mosul, acommander said yesterday, after a week ofsteady gains in their battle to retake the cityfrom the Islamic State group. Fierce fightinghas shaken Mosul in recent days as thou-sands of US-backed Iraqi soldiers and policebattle to reclaim the country’s second city. Arenewed push against the jihadistslaunched last Sunday has seen IS forcedfrom several neighborhoods and key sites,including the main local government head-quarters and the famed Mosul museum.

Speaking to AFP yesterday, Staff MajorGeneral Maan Al-Saadi of the elite Counter-Terrorism Service said “more than a third” ofwest Mosul was now under the control ofsecurity forces. CTS forces were battling ISinside the Mosul al-Jadida and Al-Aghawatareas yesterday, Saadi said, adding that heexpected the fighting there to be complet-ed in the coming hours. Iraq’s JointOperations Command (JOC) said thatforces from the Rapid Response Division,another special forces unit, and the federalpolice were also attacking the Bab Al-Toubarea on the edge of Mosul’s Old City.

“The battle is not easy... we are fightingan irregular enemy who hides among thecitizens and uses tactics of booby-trapping,

explosions and suicide bombers, and theoperation is taking place with precision topreserve the lives of the citizens,” BrigadierGeneral Yahya Rasool, the spokesman forthe JOC said. Still, he said, IS resistance “hasbegun to weaken in a big way”. IS seizedMosul in mid-2014 when the jihadist groupswept across areas north and west ofBaghdad, taking control of swathes of terri-tory and declaring a cross-border

“caliphate” in Iraq and neighbouring Syria.Backed by a US-led air strikes and other

support, Iraqi forces have since retakenmuch of the territory they lost. The opera-tion to recapture Mosul-then the last Iraqicity under IS control-was launched inOctober. After recapturing the east of thecity, Iraqi forces last month set their siteson the west, where hundreds of thousandsof civilians remain trapped.

Mass grave Northwest of Mosul advancing Iraqi

forces also took the infamous Badushprison this week, announcing on Saturdaythey had uncovered a mass grave contain-ing the remains of hundreds of people exe-cuted by the jihadists. The Hashed Al-Shaabi paramilitary forces found “a largemass grave containing the remains ofaround 500 civilian prisoners in (Badush)prison who were executed by (IS) gangs,”the military said. According to HumanRights Watch, IS gunmen executed up to600 inmates from the prison in June 2014,forcing them to kneel along a nearby ravineand then shooting them with assault rifles.

The jihadists have committed widespreadatrocities in areas under their control andclaimed responsibility for a series of deadlyattacks in Western cities and elsewhere. TheUS-led coalition launched air strikes againstIS in Syria and Iraq in 2014 and is providing arange of support to allied forces in bothcountries. In Syria the coalition is backing anArab-Kurdish alliance known as the SyrianDemocratic Forces (SDF) that is pushingtowards the jihadists’ de facto capital Raqa.Turkish-backed rebels are also advancingagainst IS in northern Syria, as are govern-ment troops supported by Russia. — AFP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

China praises courts for punishing state crimes

BEIJING: The convictions of a prominent defense attorneyand his associates were among the country’s top legalachievements last year, China’s chief justice said Sunday,highlighting a case that has been criticized by Westerngovernments and rights groups. In a report to the nationallegislature, Zhou Qiang also said that China, which isbelieved to execute more people than the rest of the worldcombined, gave the death penalty “to an extremely smallnumber of criminals for extremely serious offenses” in thepast 10 years. The actual number of executions in China isa state secret. A 2007 decision that all death sentencesmust be reviewed by the Supreme People’s Court isbelieved to have reduced the number of executions dra-matically. Zhou praised courts for severely punishingcrimes against state security and violent terrorism, and saidthe trend will continue in order “to resolutely safeguard thecountry’s political security.”

Haiti pays last respects to ex-president Preval

PORT-AU-PRINCE: Former Haitian President RenePreval was buried Saturday after a state funeral in Port-au-Prince, a final tribute to a beloved champion of therural poor. Preval, who served two terms as president,died on March 3 at age 74. His sister told local mediathat he had suffered a heart attack. In stands draped inHaitian flags, family and close colleagues of the formerleader gathered at the funeral. Sitting in full sunlight,guests who had arrived early in the morning were giv-en straw hats typical of rural areas beloved by the for-mer president. Later, as rain fell, a funeral processiontook the body 200 kilometers north to Preval’s father’snative village of Marmelade. There, the late presidentwas laid to rest at the edge of a lake located on a farm-a fitting place for an agronomist by trade who wasalways deeply attached to the land and the peoplewho worked it.

Dozens injured as Georgia’s police and protesters clash

BATUMI: Nearly two dozen people were hospitalizedyesterday in Georgia’s Black Sea port of Batumi afterpolice used tear gas and rubber bullets against hundredsof stone-throwing rioters, local media reported. The vio-lent clashes reportedly followed a spontaneous protestby local residents against police officers arresting severalmen who refused to accept a parking fine. Eleven policeand 10 demonstrators were hospitalized with injuriesand symptoms of tear gas poisoning, regional healthcareminister Zaal Mikeladze told journalists. In an effort tocalm down the worst riots Georgia has seen in decades,Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili said he ordered thearrested men be released from custody. Protesters-most-ly youths-attempted to storm a police building andtorched police cars in the streets of Batumi, the country’ssecond-largest city and the most popular tourist destina-tion, Rustavi-2 TV network reported. Opposition politi-cians said that public anger had been growing in Batumiover police issuing disproportionate fines for minor traf-fic offences.

Two female bombers killed in foiled attack

LAGOS: Civilian vigilantes foiled a suicide attack onthe outskirts of Nigeria’s flashpoint city of Maiduguri,killing two teenaged female bombers, police said onSunday. Boko Haram’s Islamist insurgency has fre-quently used young women and girls to stage suicidebombings. “Two female suicide bombers, about 18years of age... were sighted by the civilian JTF (vigi-lantes) and consequently shot dead by security per-sonnel,” police spokesman Victor Isuku said in a state-ment. The would-be bombers were killed Saturday asthey tried to break into Maiduguri, the provincial capi-tal of Borno state where Boko Haram was born. Isukusaid no one else was killed or injured in the incident,though a rescue services official said a vigilante hadbeen hurt. Abdulkadir Ibrahim of the NationalEmergency Management Agency (NEMA) said one ofthe bombers was pregnant. In January, a femalebomber with a baby strapped to her back used theinfant as a decoy before detonating her explosives,killing several people in the volatile region.

Newsi n b r i e f

Madagascar’s cyclone death toll reaches 50

JOHANNESBURG: Madagascar’s government says thedeath toll from Cyclone Enawo has risen to at least 50, with20 people missing. The island nation’s disaster manage-ment agency on Sunday said the cyclone that made land-fall in the northeast on Tuesday also has driven 110,000people from their homes. At least 183 people were injured.Enawo brought heavy rains and winds in excess of 140miles (225 kilometers) per hour - the equivalent of aCategory 4 hurricane. Officials say the full extent of thedamage is not yet known because of telecommunicationsbreakdowns, making it hard to contact rural communities.The cyclone also has damaged the economy. The Savaregion in the northeast produces about half of the world’svanilla, and producers predict a very bad harvest.

Guatemala shelter fire death toll climbs to 39

GUATEMALA CITY: The death toll in a horrific fire at a gov-ernment-run shelter for Guatemalan teens has climbed to39, officials said yesterday. Hundreds of protesters ralliedoutside the residence of President Jimmy Morales, allegingthat government negligence at the overcrowded facilitywhere staffers were accused of sexual and other abuseallowed the tragedy to happen. Some of the protesters car-ried blue and white Guatemalan flags stained with red tosymbolize blood and death. Three more adolescent girlssuccumbed to their injuries while being treated in intensivecare, according to hospital officials, who said 14 girls are stillin their care, including eight in critical condition. The girlsperished in a blaze Wednesday at the co-ed Virgin of theAssumption Safe Home for children in San Jose Pinula, a vil-lage just east of the capital. The fire broke out in the girls’living quarters of the walled facility, killing 19 immediately.

BATUMI, Georgia: A Georgian riot police officerjumps over a burned car yesterday in Georgia’sBlack Sea port of Batumi during clashes betweenpolice and stone-throwing rioters. — AFP

CAIRO: Hundreds if not thousands of armed men are con-verging on Libya’s main oil shipping terminals, which therival powers in the country’s east and west are fighting tocontrol in a battle being watched by global oil markets.The struggle for the Ras Lanuf refinery and nearby Sidrdepot threatens to spiral into an all-out conflict betweeneast and west. Already, it has seen the bloodiest fightingyet between the two camps: Around 40 troops from theeast were killed over four days as militias backed by west-ern factions stormed the area last Friday, losing a handfulof casualties.

Now forces from the east loyal to military strongmanKhalifa Hifter are massing nearby, threatening a new assaultto wrest back the facilities, which are nominally in thehands of the Tripoli government. In another worrying step,the eastern parliament on Tuesday voted to withdraw sup-port from the United Nations peace deal that created theTripoli government in January 2016 in hopes of endingyears of chaos in the North African country. The withdrawalof support further undermines the government, which hashad difficulty asserting authority even in Tripoli. The follow-ing is a look at the Libyan players, the oil terminals at thecenter of the fight and what could happen next:

The EastHifter, an army general, former CIA asset and US citizen

who lived nearly 20 years in American exile, is the mostpowerful figure in the east, touting himself as the champi-on against Islamic militants in Libya - though his enemiesaccuse him of aiming to become a new dictator likeMuammar Gaddafi, who was overthrown and killed in thecountry’s 2011 Arab Spring revolt. He has talked of march-ing to take Tripoli to unite the country, hinting that he aimsto rule. He opposed the government set up by the UNpeace deal because it would have pushed him out as headof the military.

The general is backed by Egypt and Russia, butWashington under the Obama administration kept him atarm’s length. One key question in his future will bewhether the US warms up to him under President DonaldTrump, who has sounded more favorable to Egypt andmore open to dealing with regional strongmen. He com-mands a collection of militias and eastern tribal forces as

well as the remnants of the Libyan National Army, includ-ing Gaddafi-era officers. Hifter is also allied to the eastern-based parliament, which was the last legislature to beelected in Libya and had to flee east when opponents tookover the west in 2014.

Hifter’s forces seized the oil facilities last year. TheObama administration had joined the UN in calling on himto hand them over to the Tripoli government. Hifter hadseemed more inclined to use them as a bargaining chip toforce a rewriting of the peace accord. But now that theyhave been wrested from him by force, he may resortinstead to an all-out fight against Tripoli. His army says it ismassing forces east of the terminals, awaiting orders. Theirstrength is unclear but they can call on reserves of thou-sands of eastern Libyan fighters and tribesman and arebacked by Libyan and foreign air support. Hifter travels reg-ularly to Cairo and insiders have said he flew there shortlyafter losing control of the terminals.

The WestThe Tripoli government was created under the UN deal

in hopes of ending the east-west split. Instead, it hasbecome just another player in that divide, reliant on its mili-tia allies to have any authority. Chief among those allies arethe militias of the neighboring city of Misrata, the strongestand most cohesive fighting force in the west. The Misratamilitias provide security for the Tripoli government and itwas they who earlier this year captured the Islamic Stategroup’s main stronghold, Sirte, effectively defeating for nowthe extremists’ attempt to extend their caliphate to Libya.

The international community has tried to bolster theTripoli government - particularly Italy, which is heavilyinvested in Libya’s oil sector and has a military presencein the capital in the form of an army hospital that treatedMisrata fighters during the battle against IS. It was anewly formed militia that retook the oil facilities at RasLanouf and Sidr.

The Benghazi Defense Brigades, as it is called, depictsitself as an eastern-based force, made up of former rebelsand Islamic militants recently defeated by Hifter’s forcesin the eastern city of Benghazi. But it is clearly linked tothe west, with some Misrata fighters in its ranks - and itscommanders recently held a press conference in Misrata.

The Brigades handed the oil facilities over to the controlof the Tripoli government, which has ordered its NationalPetroleum Guards under Brig Gen Idris Abukhamada -the official guard force for oil infrastructure - to deploy atthe sites.

Oil ImpactOil prices have dropped over the past week because of

growing US supplies, frustrating OPEC attempts to bolsterthe price by curbing production. While the supply glut isthe biggest factor dominating the market, the Libya fight-ing has potential to put some upward pressure on prices. Itdid so when the Brigades took Ras Lanouf and Sidr lastweek, forcing the shutdown of the maritime export termi-nals there, Libya’s largest. That spooked the markets, caus-ing a brief blip of higher prices. The facilities remain closed,causing some reduction in Libya’s production, which inFebruary had reached 700,000 barrels a day.

Oil is Libya’s only real source of revenue, and it has beentrying to rebuild the industry, though it remains but a shad-ow of the 1.6 billion barrels a day produced in 2011. Whilethe oil facilities have changed hands several times over thepast years, the revenues have continued to flow into thecentral bank based in Tripoli, an arrangement accepted byall parties that for the moment is not in doubt. Heavierfighting at the facilities could further scare traders, especial-ly if infrastructure is damaged.

What could happen nextThe ball appears to be in Hifter’s court. His forces could

face only weak opposition if they stormed Ras Lanouf andSidr, protected only by the official oil guard units. But theimpact could be much wider. Until now, the powers in eastand west have largely avoided fighting directly, instead bat-tling through proxies. Storming the oil facilities would be adirect assault by Hifter on the internationally backed Tripoligovernment since it officially holds them now. Hifter wouldlikely be seen as flouting the United Nations and Europeancountries, which have called for a cease-fire. That opens thedoor to further possible escalations. How far Hifter goesdepends on whether he finds international supporters, buthe could try to carry out his threats to move against Tripoli,pitting him against Misrata’s powerful fighters. —AP

Libya’s deepening split finds

battleground at terminalsArmed men converge on main oil shipping terminals

ADDIS ABABA: A landslide swept through a massivegarbage dump on the outskirts of Ethiopia’s capital, killing atleast 46 people and leaving several dozen missing, residentssaid, as officials vowed to relocate those who called the land-fill home. Addis Ababa Mayor Diriba Kuma said 15 bodieshad been recovered since the landslide Saturday night at theKoshe Garbage Landfill buried several makeshift homes andconcrete buildings. The landfill has been a dumping groundfor the capital’s garbage for more than 50 years.

About 150 people were there when the landslideoccurred, resident Assefa Teklemahimanot said. The mayorsaid 37 people had been rescued and were receiving medicaltreatment. Many people at the landfill had been scavengingitems to make a living, but others live there because rentinghomes, largely built of mud and sticks, is relatively inexpen-sive. An AP reporter saw four bodies taken away by ambu-lances after being pulled from the debris. Elderly womencried, and others stood anxiously waiting for news of lovedones. Six excavators dug through the ruins.

“My house was right inside there,” said a shaken TebejuAsres, pointing to where one of the excavators was diggingin deep, black mud. “My mother and three of my sisters werethere when the landslide happened. Now I don’t know thefate of all of them.” The resumption of garbage dumping atthe site in recent months likely caused the landslide, Assefa

said. The dumping had stopped in recent years, but itresumed after farmers in a nearby restive region where anew garbage landfill complex was being built blockeddumping in their area. Smaller landslides have occurred atthe Koshe landfill in the past two years but only two or threepeople were killed, Assefa said.

“In the long run, we will conduct a resettling program torelocate people who live in and around the landfill,” theAddis Ababa mayor said. Around 500 waste-pickers arebelieved to work at the landfill every day, sorting throughthe debris from the capital’s estimated 4 million residents.City officials say close to 300,000 tons of waste are collectedeach year from the capital, most of it dumped at the landfill.Since 2010, city officials have warned that the landfill wasrunning out of room and was being closed in by nearbyhousing and schools.

City officials in recent years have been trying to turn thegarbage into a source of clean energy with a $120 millioninvestment. The Koshe waste-to-energy facility, which hasbeen under construction since 2013, is expected to generate50 megawatts of electricity upon completion. Ethiopia,which has one of Africa’s fastest growing economies, is undera state of emergency imposed in October after severalmonths of sometimes deadly protests demanding widerpolitical freedoms. — Agencies

46 killed, dozens missing in

Ethiopia ‘garbage landslide’

ADDIS ABABA: Police officers secure the perimeter at the scene of a garbage landslide, as excavators aid rescueefforts, on the outskirts of the capital Addis Ababa yesterday. —AP

Death toll in Damascus

bombings jumps to 74

BEIRUT: The toll from twin bombings targeting Shiitepilgrims in the centre of Damascus has risen to 74dead, a monitor said yesterday. Among the victims ofSaturday’s blasts were 43 Iraqi pilgrims who hadcome to the Syrian capital to visit Shiite shrines inDamascus’s famed Old City, according to the SyrianObservatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based monitor said that 11 bystandersand eight children were among those killed, as wellas 20 members of pro-government security forces.Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said that aroadside bomb detonated as a bus carrying pilgrimsmade its way through the Bab Al-Saghir area of theOld City before a suicide bomber blew himself up.Syrian state television on Saturday gave a toll of 40killed and 120 wounded by “two bombs detonatedby terrorists”.

Iraq’s foreign ministry said around 40 of its nation-als had died. No group has so far claimed responsibil-ity for the attack. Shiite shrines are a frequent targetfor Sunni extremists of Al-Qaeda and the IslamicState group (IS), not only in Syria but also in neigh-boring Iraq. The Sayyida Zeinab mausoleum to thesouth of Damascus, Syria’s most visited Shiite pilgrim-age site, has been hit by several deadly bombingsduring the war. Twin suicide bombings in the high-security Kafr Sousa district of the capital in Januarykilled 10 people, eight of them soldiers. That attackwas claimed by former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front. — AFP

MOSUL: Iraqi civilians walk toward Iraqi security forces after fleeing their homes dueto fighting between government forces and Islamic State militants, on the westernside of Mosul. — AP

Iraqi forces retake 3rd of west Mosul

DAMASCUS: Photo shows blood soaked streetsand several damaged buses in a parking lot at thesite of an attack by twin explosions in Damascus,Syria on Saturday, March 11, 2017. — AP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

BRASILIA: Brazil’s capital is on edge ahead of theexpected opening of scores of corruption casesthis week against sitting and former politicians ina crisis that could threaten President MichelTemer’s rule. Within days, Prosecutor GeneralRodrigo Janot is expected to request authority fora slew of probes against members of the govern-ment and Congress. It’s the latest chapter of athree-year embezzlement and bribery scandalshaking Latin America’s biggest economy. Lastweek “was the calm before the political crisiswhich is coming and which will last for months,”said political analyst Alberto Almeida. “It’s a terri-ble time for the credibility of the political class.”

Speculation has been growing for months overwho will be on Janot’s list. On Saturday, G1 newssite reported that Janot would seek about 80

investigations and that the number of politiciansinvolved may reach 200. The request to theSupreme Court, which oversees all judicial mattersconcerning sitting politicians, will be based on adeluge of testimony in plea bargains with 77 for-mer executives of the giant Odebrecht construc-tion company. Odebrecht employees have con-fessed to systemic briber y of polit icians inexchange for inflated contracts with state oil com-pany Petrobras and favorable legislation. Themoney went either directly into politicians’ pock-ets or into party campaign slush funds.

It is not clear whether Temer, who has alreadylost a string of ministers to the ever-expandingcorruption crisis, will be subjected to a probe him-self. He is also involved in a separate case at theSupreme Electoral Court which is looking into

whether his 2014 election as vice president on theticket with then president Dilma Rousseff benefit-ed from campaign slush funds. The court could, intheory, annul the election’s result, creating yetanother wave of instability for Brazil.

Reforms in dangerAt the very least this week, Temer’s govern-

ment looks certain to take a new battering justwhen it’s trying to push through austerity reforms.Brazil has been through two straight years ofrecession and Temer, who became president lastyear after Rousseff was impeached, says his maingoal is to put the economy back on track. He hasgot Congress to pass a 20 year spending freezeand is now asking for pension reform and otherpainful measures. But the corruption scandal also

means that Congress-where many members areexpected to be probed by Janot-is sometimesmore interested in survival than legislation.

For example, Congress has spent much of itsenergy in recent weeks on t r y ing to craf tamnesties to cover anyone involved in takingunregistered campaign donations, despitef ierce condemnation f rom ant i - corrupt ionjudges and prosecutors. “Every time there’s anew phase (of the probe), Congress stops,” saida source in the Chamber of Deputies, asking notto be identified. Almeida said that unlike previ-ous Brazilian political crises, this one is turninginto open war between the judiciary and thepolitical world. “These crises used to be resolvedwithin the political world..., but that’s not possi-ble any more.”— AFP

BERLIN: She is controlled and cautious, a physi-cist from East Germany who takes her time mak-ing decisions and has never relished the atten-tion that comes from being Europe’s most pow-erful leader. He is a wealthy real estate magnatefrom New York who shoots from the hip andenjoys the spotlight. It is hard to imagine twoleaders more different, in style or substance,than Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, andDonald Trump, the new president of the UnitedStates. For months, they have been engaged inan uneasy long-distance skirmish over policyand values.

Tomorrow, they meet for the first time - ahigh-stakes encounter that will be watched bygovernments around the world for clues aboutthe future of the transatlantic alliance, a part-nership that has helped shape the global ordersince World War Two but which Trump is threat-ening to upend. “Do I think they are going tobecome good friends? Probably not. They arevery different personalities,” said CharlesKupchan, who advised Trump’s predecessorBarack Obama on European policy as a memberof the National Security Council. “But I do thinkthey have a strong interest, both politically andstrategically, in learning how to work together.It is arguably the most important meeting witha foreign leader of Trump’s presidency.”

German officials say the detail-orientedMerkel, 62, has been preparing assiduously forher trip to Washington. She has watchedTrump’s speeches and poured over his inter-views, including a lengthy Q&A with Playboymagazine from 1990 in which he floats many ofthe controversial ideas he is now trying toimplement as president, they say. Members ofher entourage have also analyzed Trump’sencounters with other leaders - includingBritain’s Theresa May, Japan’s Shinzo Abe andCanada’s Justin Trudeau - and have hadexchanges with some of their counterparts onhow to handle the unpredictable former reality-TV star, the officials added. “We have to be pre-pared for the fact that he does not like to listenfor long, that he prefers clear positions anddoes not want to delve into details,” said onesenior German official.

‘Catastrophic mistake’On both economic and foreign policy, the

divide between the two leaders appears vast.Trump, 70, has called Merkel’s decision to allowhundreds of thousands of refugees intoGermany a “catastrophic mistake”. He has threat-ened to impose tariffs on German carmakersthat import into the US market. And he has criti-cized Berlin for not spending more on defense,a longstanding US complaint that Merkel haspromised to address.

Another source of tension is Germany’s 50billion euro trade surplus with the UnitedStates. Trump adviser Peter Navarro has accusedGermany of gaining unfair trade advantagesthrough a weak euro. Merkel and her ministershave pointed out that the European CentralBank - and not Berlin - controls the fate ofEurope’s single currency. Russia will also be onthe agenda. White House officials have said

Trump will seek advice from Merkel on how todeal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

For her part, Merkel has been critical ofTrump’s travel ban targeting the citizens of sev-eral mainly Muslim countries. In a phone call inJanuary, she explained to Trump that theGeneva Convention obliges signatories, includ-ing the United States, to take in war refugees onhumanitarian grounds. Merkel is also concernedthat Trump, who has repeatedly praised Britain’sdecision to leave the European Union, mightcontinue to undermine the bloc with his rheto-ric at a time of deep crisis triggered by the riseof anti-EU populist parties.

“Europe is in a very fragile, precarious stateand Germany is trying to ensure that theEuropean integration project holds together. Isuspect the chancellor will want to make thisclear to the president,” said Anthony Gardner,who served as US ambassador to the EuropeanUnion until January. “This is an opportunity tosketch out areas of common interest, to define apositive agenda,” he added. “But one meetingwon’t change the atmosphere on its own.”

Potential for surprisesTrump is the third US president that Merkel,

Europe’s longest-serving leader, has workedwith. She established a good rapport withGeorge W Bush, who was keen to repair tieswith Germany after his clash with Merkel’s pred-ecessor Gerhard Schroeder over the Iraq war.And although relations with Obama got off toan awkward start when Merkel rebuffed hisrequest to speak at the Brandenburg Gate dur-

ing the 2008 presidential campaign, the twogrew close over time, cooperating on sanctionsagainst Russia and launching negotiations on atransatlantic free-trade deal. “The parting ishard for me,” Merkel acknowledged whenObama visited Berlin in November, a week afterTrump’s victory.

The German leader will be walking a fine linein Washington. With an election looming athome in September, she must avoid offeringher political opponents ammunition by cozyingup to Trump. Neither can she afford an openconfrontation that might damage German inter-ests. One of the biggest concerns in the chan-cellor’s camp before the visit is the potential forsurprises. Japan’s Abe had an awkward 19-sec-ond handshake with Trump, while May was criti-cized in some sections of the British media forholding hands with Trump during a stroll at theWhite House, apparently after he reached out tosteady himself.

When Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu met Trump last month, he and histeam spent the day before running through end-less scenarios, lines of questioning and role-playsto ensure they were prepared for any scenario.But in the end, they were still taken aback whenTrump spoke off the cuff at their news confer-ence on the sensitive issues of settlements and afuture Palestinian state. Merkel has admitted tobeing so uncomfortable with surprises as a childthat she drew up her Christmas wish-list monthsin advance to avoid being caught off-guard byan unexpected gift. With Trump, she might haveto expect the unexpected. — Reuters

German, US leaders to meet in

‘clash of style and substance’Trump called Merkel’s refugee policies ‘catastrophic mistake’

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil’s President MichelTemer blames bad vibes and even ghostsfor driving him from his sumptuous officialresidence in the capital Brasilia, a Braziliannews weekly reported Saturday. Temer sur-prised Brazilian politics watchers this weekwith the revelation that he has decampedfrom the Alvorada Palace and moved withhis former beauty queen wife and their sev-en-year-old son down the road to thesmaller vice presidential residence. Themodernist Alvorada, which means Dawnand was designed by Brazilian architectOscar Niemeyer, would be a dream homefor many. It has a huge pool, football field,chapel, medical center and vast lawn.

But Temer, 76, and his 33-year-old wifeMarcela, find the cavernous, glass-frontedbuilding spooky. “I felt something strangethere. I wasn’t able to sleep right from thefirst night. The energy wasn’t good,” Temerwas quoted as saying by Veja. “Marcela feltthe same thing. Only (their son)Michelzinho, who went running from one

end to the other, liked it.”“We even startedto wonder: could there be ghosts?” hereportedly quipped to Veja. According to areport in Globo newspaper, Marcela Temerbrought in a priest to attempt to drive outany evil spirits, but to no avail.

The Temers then moved to the still luxu-rious but smaller Jaburu Palace nearby.Temer knows it well: this was his residencewhen he served as vice president until lastyear when then president Dilma Rousseffwas impeached for breaking budgetaccounting laws. That automatically putTemer in the top job and in the Alvorada.No one filled his vacant vice presidentialpost, however, meaning he can now takehis pick of palaces. The house movingcomes in the middle of a severe political cri-sis for Brazil, with many of Temer’s allies fac-ing potential corruption probes. The presi-dent himself is battling a case in the elec-toral court where he is accused of havingbenefited from illegal donations when heand Rousseff ran together in 2014. — AFP

‘Ghosts’ drive Brazilian

leader from residence

PORT-AU-PRINCE: A bus speedingaway from the scene of a hit-and-runaccident plowed into dozens of streetmusicians in the Haitian city ofGonaives yesterday, killing a total of 34people, officials said. Fifteen peoplealso were injured in the incident inGonaives, a city of some 300,000 peo-ple located about 150 km northwest ofthe capital Port-au-Prince. “First, the busplowed into two pedestrians, killingone of them, and injuring the other,”Marie-Alta Jean Baptiste, head of Haiti’scivil protection office, told AFP.

The driver then rammed into three

groups of street musicians as he tried tospeed away, leaving 33 of them dead ina scene of ghastly carnage. Emergencyworkers transported the injured to thehospital, while police tried to control anangry crowd. “The people who werenot victims of the accident tried toburn the bus with the passengersinside, said Faustin Joseph, civic pro-tection coordinator for the departmentof Artibonite, where Gonaives, theregional capital, is located. “The bus,the passengers and the driver were allplaced into the care” of the localauthorities, Joseph said. — AFP

Bus in Haiti flees

accident, kills 34

Brazil’s capital on edge ahead of corruption probes

This combination of pictures shows US President Donald Trump (left) and German ChancellorAngela Merkel. Europe’s most powerful leader, Angela Merkel, meets for the first time tomor-row America’s flamboyant President Donald Trump whose arrival in the White House has sentshockwaves across the Atlantic. — AFP

Brazilian President Michel Temer

WASHINGTON: Less than twenty-four hoursafter Donald Trump had won the White House,House Speaker Paul Ryan triumphantly pro-claimed the start of a new era of Republicanleadership that would “hit the ground running.”Six weeks into Trump’s administration,Republicans are running - just in differentdirections. As congressional leaders move for-

ward with efforts to undo former PresidentBarack Obama’s health care law, conservativeactivists and GOP lawmakers are slamming theproposal as “Obamacare lite,” “Obamacare 2.0”and “RINOcare” - RINO standing for RepublicansIn Name Only, a term of derision.

Swing state senators worry that their sick-est and poorest constituents could lose access

to health care. Republican governors fear thatmillions of people now covered by Medicaidcould be dropped, a step the governors warncould hurt GOP candidates in their states.“We’ve said all along, ‘Work with the gover-nors,’” said Gov Brian Sandoval, R-Nev. “Well,they came out with their own bill, which does-n’t include anything that the governors have

talked about.”Republican leaders hoped uni-fied control of Washington would unite theparty around years of campaign promises todismantle the Affordable Care Act, cut taxesand slash regulations.

Health care battleInstead, the celebratory weeks that fol-

lowed Trump’s victory seem to have been littlemore than a temporary cease-fire in a years-long GOP civil war. “There are people whohaven’t adjusted to the fact that we have aRepublican president,” said Michael Steel, aformer top adviser to onetime Speaker JohnBoehner, R-Ohio, who frequently tangled withtea party-aligned lawmakers. “These guyscould wind up leading the cavalry chargestraight into machine-gun fire.”

The health care battle is probably the firstof many intraparty clashes to come. Already,plans to overhaul tax laws have Republicanstied in knots, budget hawks are skepticalabout Trump’s $1 trillion infrastructure planand senior GOP lawmakers have rejectedmajor pieces of his upcoming budget propos-al. The White House realizes that it must winover many of the objectors. With Democraticvoters demanding nothing short of completeresistance to Trump, congressional passage ofthe Republican agenda will depend largely onparty-line votes. That leaves limited room forGOP defections.

In a Wednesday meeting with the leaders ofconservative groups, Trump positioned himselfas the good cop in the conflict, taking what one

participant described as a series of veiled shotsat Ryan. The president argued that his team wasat least meeting with conservative activists,according to the participant, who spoke on thecondition of anonymity to describe private dis-cussions. Trump also reminded the activists ofhis strong support among the conservativebase and said he planned to campaign in stateshe won, in an effort to pressure their unsup-portive lawmakers.

“I want to be as helpful to the Trumpadministration as I can. I’m very supportive ofthe president. I support him, I want to helphim. But respect has to go up and down thestreet, it’s got to go both ways,” said Rep GaryPalmer, R-Ala, a member of the hard-lineHouse Freedom Caucus. At least one conser-vative group is already running digital adsagainst the GOP health care plan, arguing thatthe tax credits in the bill essentially replaceone federal entitlement with another.Activists plan to swarm Capitol Hill to demandCongress pass a repeal bill that would com-pletely erase all trace of Obama’s signaturedomestic achievement.

“This is not something that is easy for us tosay, ‘OK, we’ll take half a loaf,’” said AdamBrandon, head of the conservative activistgroup FreedomWorks. “What Senate LeaderMitch McConnell promised when he was onthe campaign trail was we’re going to repealObamacare root and branch. So what we’reasking him to do is repeal - root and branch.”Republican leaders attribute some of the dis-cord to inexperience. — AP

US Republicans still battle each other even after gaining power

The Capitol is seen at sunup as Senate Republicans are poised to use their majority to confirm President Donald Trump’s controver-sial nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, despite calls from Democrats for a delay as both houses of Congress pre-pare to leave Washington for the President’s Day weekend and return to their home districts. — AP

BUDAPEST: Hungary’s left-wing parties are cer-tain to fail at today’s presidential vote but havealready won a victory of sorts, forming a rareunited front against Prime Minister Viktor Orban.Ahead of next year’s general election, challengesto the powerful right-wing premier are takingshape on both left and right, although few arespeculating they will be strong enough to turnHungary’s populist tide.

The parliamentary vote for the largely cere-monial presidential role is a mere formality giventhat Orban’s ruling rightwing Fidesz party, inpower since 2010, holds close to a two-thirdsmajority. In the last election five years ago,Orban’s ally Janos Ader ran uncontested. But onMonday, Ader, standing for reelection, facesrespected former ombudsman Laszlo Majtenyiwho has managed to unite normally warringleftist parties, all of whose 43 lawmakers in the199-seat house have pledged to vote for him.

“It’s significant because for once they supporta single candidate even though they don’t likeeach other,” analyst Csaba Toth said. The keyquestion is whether that unity will lead them tosupport Laszlo Botka, mayor of the third-biggestcity Szeged, as prime ministerial candidate.Botka, towering at nearly two meters in height,was put forward in December by the Socialists,the largest leftist party. A trained lawyer and ex-water polo player who cuts a formidable figure,

his competent running since 2002 of Szeged, theonly major city not controlled by Fidesz, hasearned the 44-year-old respect across partylines. Botka has accused strongman Orban ofgoverning like a “king” and said the time hascome for “new left-wing policies”.

Although a recent poll put Botka almostneck-and-neck with Orban in personal populari-ty, his Socialist party is much less popular, taint-ed by its roots as a communist party and a cor-

ruption-ridden spell in government. Botkainsists he will only run if the fragmented leftbloc, comprising some seven parties, standsbehind him-a Herculean task given their currentreluctance to cooperate. Under election rulesmost seats are won on a first-past-the-postbasis, rewarding the monolithic Fidesz.Therefore without compromises and alliances,the leftist opposition can expect “total defeat”,local journalist Peter Peto said. — AFP

HEERLEN: Firebrand anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders (second right) surrounded by police officers and security guards as he waves tosupporters during a campaign stop in Heerlen, Netherlands. — AP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

PARIS: Dutch elections on Wednesday set the stagefor others in France and Germany that come againsta background of eurosceptic or anti-immigrant senti-ments boosted by Brexit.

The Netherlands: PVV eyes record scoreOn Wednesday, 12.9 million Dutch voters will

be eligible to cast ballots in general elections con-tested by 28 parties and 1,114 candidates. Thevote has boiled down to a tight race between MPGeert Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV) andPrime Minister Mark Rutte and his Liberals (VVD).Polls indicate that the anti-euro, anti-Islam PVVcould score its best result since its creation in2006. The PVV would not necessarily be part ofthe next government however, because that willl ikely be a coal i t ion and most par t ies havepledged not to govern with the PVV. A firebrandpolitician, Wilders has vowed to shut mosques,ban the Koran, close the country’s borders andtake The Netherlands out of the EU, an institutionthat it helped found. Leiden University analystGeerten Waling believes the vote will produce “avery divided parliament” and warned: “It’s going tobe much tougher to form a coalition government,much tougher than before.”

France: Duel ahead with Le PenFrance’s presidential race has turned into a

rollercoaster, with frontrunning candidates doggedby scandal and the anti-immigrant, anti-euroNational Front (FN) seeking to pull off a DonaldTrump-style upset. The first round of voting takesplace on April 23. If no candidate gets more than 50percent of the vote, the top two go into a runoff onMay 7. Once the frontrunner, conservative FrancoisFillon has had to battle to stay in the race becauseof the revelations that he had paid his wifePenelope hundreds of thousands of euros frompublic funds, allegedly for fake jobs.

This has proved good news for EmmanuelMacron, an independent centrist, who polls showwould reach the second round of the election, wherehis opponent is forecast to be far-right leader MarineLe Pen. Although polls show Le Pen losing in the sec-ond round, all eyes are on her nationalist FN, which isseeking to emulate Trump’s surprise November victo-ry in the US, which defied pollsters and media alike.However, Le Pen has her own legal troubles: she facesprosecution for distributing images of Islamic Stateatrocities over Twitter as well as separate cases overmisusing public funds at the European Parliamentand campaign financing. — AFP

THE HAGUE: With his flamboyant shock ofblonde-dyed hair and fiery anti-Islam rhetoric,Dutch politician Geert Wilders comes across aman who doesn’t mind the limelight. Yet forthe past dozen years, the right-wing populisthas spent much of his time holed up in anony-mous safe houses or in a heavily guarded wingof Parliament. Tight security surrounds Wildersnight and day, and he hardly ventures out-doors. For his handful of campaign eventsahead of a March 15 election, he traveled inconvoys of armored cars.

Tax on veils“It’s a total lack of freedom. That’s how I

would say it,” Wilders, who leads the Party forFreedom in the Netherlands said in a recentinterview. The elaborate protection apparatusthat surrounds him is a reaction to deaththreats from extremists enraged by his fiercecriticism of Islam. Wilders has made headlinesand drawn condemnation for more than adecade for his anti-Islam rhetoric, which hasincluded comparing the Quran with AdolfHitler’s “Mein Kampf” and calling for a tax onthe veils some Muslim women wear.

At the same time, support for his party hasgrown in fits and starts, mirroring what hecalls a “Patriotic Spring” sweeping Europe.Despite slipping in the polls recently, the Partyfor Freedom remains on track to become one

of the biggest parties in the 150-seat lowerhouse. He also is regular ly compared toPresident Donald Trump, for his policies andalso his penchant for communicating viaTwitter. As protests and riots unfolded thisweekend in Rotterdam over a Dutch govern-ment decis ion to block the vis i ts of twoTurkish ministers, Wilders fired off regularincendiary tweets.

“Go away and never come back ... and takeall your Turkish fans from The Netherlands withyou please. #byebye,” he said in one as Turkey’sfamily affairs minister was at the center of atense standoff at the Turkish consulate. Hisone-page election manifesto is light on eco-nomic policy and heavy on pledges to “de-Islamize” the Netherlands, a nation of 17 mil-lion where an estimated 5 percent of the adultpopulation is Muslim. Wilders calls Islam athreat to western democracy and vows to closeall mosques and ban the Quran, if he winspower. But he has alienated so much of thepolitical mainstream that even if he wins thepopular vote he is considered unlikely to beable to form a ruling coalition in a nationwhere no single party has ever ruled alone.

Polarizing rhetoricCrucially, Prime Minister Rutte has ruled out

working together after the election. Polls showRutte’s center-right People’s Party for Freedom

and Democracy with the most voter support inthe days leading up to Wednesday’s election.Rutte rejects Wilders’ polarizing rhetoric, butalso harbors hard feelings over Wilders’ deci-sion to effectively torpedo Rutte’s first minoritygovernment in 2012. After weeks of negotia-tions on a tough austerity package, Wilders,who pledged to prop up the government bymarshaling party lawmakers for key votes,backed out, forcing fresh elections. “We knowthey walk away when the going gets tough,“that they make problems bigger not smaller,”Rutte said of the Party for Freedom. Even so,Wilders’ message has found strong support in anation known for its long history of religioustolerance and personal freedoms.

Wilders’ opposition to Islam dates back tothe days when he could st i l l move freelyaround the world. In his youth he lived inIsrael, which he saw as a democratic oasis sur-rounded by oppressive regimes in the MiddleEast. After working for a Dutch governmentwelfare organization, Wilders gravitated intopolitics and joined the party now led by Rutte.But he quit in 2004 over his opposition bring-ing Turkey into the European Union. Two yearslater, he formally established the PVV, theDutch acronym for the Party for Freedom.Wilders set up his party so that he is its onlymember, allowing him to keep a tight rein onits message and lawmakers. — AP

Anti-Islam Dutch lawmaker fans

flames from the security bubble

Election manifesto pledges to ‘de-Islamize’ Netherlands

PARIS: Carlos the Jackal, the perpetrator ofheadline-grabbing attacks in the 1970s andearly 1980s, goes on trial in France today forthe deadly bombing of a Paris shop morethan 40 years ago. With attention in Francenow focused on the ever-present threat ofjihadist attack, the trial in Paris will reachback to a time when Europe was repeatedlytargeted by ruthless groups sympathetic tothe Palestinian cause.

Carlos, 67, a Venezuelan whose real nameis Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez, describes himselfas a “professional revolutionary” and wasdubbed “Carlos the Jackal” by the presswhen he was one of the world’s most want-ed terror suspects. The nickname came froma fictional terrorist in the 1971 FrederickForsyth novel, “The Day of the Jackal”, whichwas turned into a popular film. Arrested inthe Sudanese capital Khartoum in 1994 byelite French police, Carlos is already servinga life sentence for the murders of two police-men killed in Paris in 1975 and that of aLebanese revolutionary.

He was also found guilty of four bomb-ings in Paris and Marseille in 1982 and 1983,some targeting trains, which killed a total of11 people and injured nearly 150. Carloswill be judged by three judges for the attackon the Drugstore Publicis, a busy shop oncelocated in Saint-Germain-des-Pres in theheart of Paris. In the late afternoon ofSeptember 15, 1974, a grenade was lobbedinto the entrance of the store, killing twomen and leaving 34 people injured.

‘Wounds never healed’Georges Holleaux, a lawyer representing

the two widows of the men killed and 16other people affected, said they relished thechance to finally see Carlos in court. “Thevictims have been waiting so long for Carlosto be judged and convicted. Their woundshave never healed,” he said. Carlos’s lawyer,Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, said the trial was awaste of time and money. “What exactly isthe point of having a trial so long after theevents?” she said. Carlos denies the charges,which include “murders carried out with aterrorist organization”. Al Watan Al-Arabimagazine published an interview in 1979 inwhich Carlos is said to have admitted thathe had thrown the grenade into the shop.He has since denied giving the interview.

The prosecution says the attack waslinked to a hostage-taking at the French

embassy in the Dutch capital The Haguethat had begun two days earlier, onSeptember 13, 1974. The Japanese RedArmy, a communist militant group whichhad close ties to the Popular Front for theLiberation of Palestine in which Carlos wasthe head of “special operations”, wasdemanding that French authorities free oneof its members who had been arrested atParis Orly airport two months early. Theprosecution says Carlos orchestrated theHague hostage-taking and carried out theParis grenade attack to force the Frenchgovernment to give in to the Japanesegroup’s demands.

He achieved his aim-the Japanese sus-pect was released and was able to travel toYemen with other members of the Haguehostage-taking team. The case againstCarlos is also based on witness testimonyfrom his former brothers-in-arms, includingHans-Joachim Klein, a German to whom theVenezuelan is said to have admitted hewanted to “apply pressure to get theJapanese man freed”. Investigators havetracked the provenance of the grenade andsay it came from the same batch as thoseused by the Hague hostage-takers and hadbeen stolen from a US army base in 1972.One was also found at the Paris home ofCarlos’s mistress. — AFP

Carlos the Jackal faces

trial in France - again

THE HAGUE: People walk along street stalls at a fruit market in The Hague, The Netherlands. In TheHague’s most culturally diverse neighborhoods, many women wear Muslim headscarves. — AP

PARIS: In this file photo, Venezuelaninternational terrorist Carlos the Jackalwhose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchezis seated in a Paris courtroom. — AP

Hungary parties maneuvering

to oust ‘omnipotent’ Orban

THE HAGUE: The small lowlands countryof The Netherlands holds general electionson Wednesday, the first in a series ofnational polls which could reshapeEurope’s political landscape. Away from thetourist delights of the tulips, windmills andclogs, here is a beginner’s guide to theDutch elections:

What is at stake? Amid the rise of populist and far-right

parties, the Dutch will be the first to castballots ahead of presidential votesplanned in France in April and May, andlegislative polls in Germany in September.After the surprise Brexit vote and DonaldTrump’s win in the US presidential elec-tion, far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders ishoping for his biggest polls win to date,which could see him emerge with thelargest party in parliament.

Who is running?The vote has essentially come down to a

neck-and-neck race between Wilders andhis Freedom Party (PVV ) and outgoingPrime Minister Mark Rutte and his Liberals( VVD). But there are 28 parties-a postWorld War II record-competing for the 150seats in the Dutch lower house of parlia-ment. A total of 76 seats are needed for amajority. Thanks to a complex system ofproportional representation, even smallparties can get seats, enabling them toplay an important role in shaping themake-up and viability of the next govern-ment. While Wilders has been topping thepolls, smaller parties like the Green ecolo-gists GroenLinks have also been wooingvoters away from some of the country’slong-established, traditional parties.

The main campaign themesEurope’s worst refugee crisis since the

1940s and a slew of attacks by Islamic

jihadists have forced their way high up theDutch campaign agenda-fuelling supportfor Wilders’s anti-Islam, anti-immigrationplatform. Wilders has a one-page partymanifesto which vows to close the bordersto Muslim immigrants, close mosques andban the sale of Korans. In an overt bid towin over some of Wilders’s supporters,some of the other parties are increasinglyinsisting on bolstering what they call“Dutch values.” Rutte told citizens withimmigrant backgrounds to “act normally”and adapt to Dutch norms or “leave” thecountry. The biggest debates so far havehowever focused more heavily on tradi-tional concerns-health care, pensions, andwork conditions. Just days before the votetoo, The Netherlands became embroiled ina bitter diplomatic row with Turkey, whichforced itself onto the elections agenda.

How do elections work?The Dutch lower house, or Tweede

Kamer as it is called, says on its websitethat “no party has ever received more than50 percent of the votes.” “All governmentssince World War II have been coalition gov-ernments, supported by two or more par-ties to form a majority.” Once the officialresults are announced on March 21 by theelections commission, the new Dutch par-liament will be installed on March 23.Apoint person, known as an “informateur”,investigates which parties could form acoalition, and presides over negotiationsbetween the party leaders to draw up aprogram of policies. These discussions cantake weeks or even months. Dutch mediahas reported it takes on average threemonths for a new government to takeoffice. Once a program has been set out, aperson known as a “formateur” beginsdrawing up the possible new cabinet. Thereward for this arduous task is often thetop job-becoming prime minister. —AFP

Guide to Dutch elections

BRUSSELS: Hungary’s Prime minister Viktor Orban (center) arrives to attend the EU summit atthe new ‘Europa’ building in Brussels. — AFP

Immigration and EU: Buzzwords in 3 key elections

SKOPJE: A political crisis that hasparalyzed Macedonia for two yearsis sliding into an ethnic dispute,with nationalists taking to thestreets over a series of demands bythe country’s Albanians. The issueseemed to be closed after 2001when, following a seven-monthethnic Albanian insurgency that leftmore than 100 people dead, apeace accord provided more rightsfor the minority. Albanians accountfor around a quarter of Macedonia’stwo million people.

But a deadlock fol lowingDecember’s snap election, part ofa deal brokered by the EuropeanUnion aimed at solving long-run-ning political troubles, has threat-ened to reawaken the demons inthe former Yugoslav republic. Thecrisis erupted in 2015 when theopposit ion Social Democrats(SDSM) and the ruling conserva-t ive national ist VMRO -DPMNEparty exchanged accusations ofcorruption and wiretapping. Anacr imonious confl ic t ensuedbetween the two predominantly-Slavic parties, lacking any ethnicconnotation and watched over bysmaller Albanian parties, them-selves divided.

The election changed all that-but not in the way the EU hopedfor. The polls gave no clear majori-ty, with the conservatives takingonly two more seats than SDSM.The Albanian groups emerged inthe role of kingmakers. After sev-eral meetings over the border inthe off ice of Albanian Pr imeMinister Edi Rama, these groupssettled their differences and creat-ed a joint platform, notablydemanding that their languageobtain off ic ial status acrossMacedonia. Currently, the lan-guage is only off ic ial in areaswhere Albanians make up morethan 20 percent of the population,in line with the 2001 peace deal.

Undermining sovereignty? The Albanian demands were

accepted by SDSM leader ZoranZaev, in a bid to gain power after10 years of rule by conservativeleader Nikola Gruevski, his arch-enemy. But on March 1, PresidentGjorge Ivanov-an ally of Gruevski-

refused to give Zaev a mandate toform a government, saying theAlbanian platform undermined“Macedonia’s sovereignty, territo-rial integrity and independence”.The move was swiftly denouncedby the opposition as a “coup” andcondemned by both the UnitedStates and the European Union,which Macedonia aspires to join.

Thousands of Macedoniansagree with the president and havesince taken to the streets, chanti-ng patriotic slogans and callingfor the country’s unity to be pre-served. The demonstrators, mostlymiddle -aged men and womenwaving the red and yellow nation-al flag, fear the Albanian demandswill lead to the “federalization”and potential break-up of thesmall country. “There is no end toethnic Albanians’ demands. Stepby step there will be a GreaterAlbania and no Macedonia,” saidLidija Vasileva, a fashion designerfrom Skopje who is a regular atthe protests.

“This is our homeland, we donot have another one,” said well-known singer Kaliopi Bukle at arally. Russia has supported theprotesters and denounced Tirana,accusing it of acting with “themap of the so- cal led GreaterAlbania” in mind. Albanian author-ities vigorously deny the accusa-tion. Apart from Macedonia, thereare ethnic Albanian minorities inMontenegro, Greece and southernSerbia. In Kosovo, which bordersMacedonia, they make up around90 percent of the population.

‘Escalation possible’Albania, a solid NATO ally, has

defended its role. To be concernedabout “the situation of Albaniansbeyond our borders is a constitu-tional obligation,” Foreign MinisterDitmir Bushati said. And writingon Facebook, the prime ministersaid Albanian “is not the languageof the enemy, but of a constituentpeople of Macedonia.” “WithoutAlbanian, there is no Macedonia,”

he added, in a stance that hasunanimous support in Albania.But for independent Serbian ana-lyst Aleksandar Popov, this “pan-Albanian platform” negotiated inTirana is “dangerous” for theBalk ans. “ There are alreadyprotests and an escalation is pos-sible, even a conflict,” he said.

Early on Tuesday, Molotovcocktails were thrown at a build-ing in the southern Macedoniantown of Bitola where the Albanianalphabet was standardized in1908. “We do not need these kindof incidents,” said Nuser Arslani,head of the museum, as Tiranaurged Albanians in Macedonia“not to fall into the trap of provo-cations”. Ali Ahmeti, a former rebelleader and now head of the mainAlbanian party in Macedonia, DUI,has called for “restraint” in order toavoid “inter-ethnic conflict”. Foranalysts, only new elections or abroad coalition government canstem the spiral-two options thatfor now are hypothetical. —AFP

NAPLES: A group of people clashes with police in Fuorigrotta district duringa rally organized by citizens and social community against the politicalmeeting of Matteo Salvini, general secretary of Italian far-right party LegaNord in Naples. —AFP

ROME: Italy’s government vowed yesterday todefend far-right Northern League leader MatteoSalvini’s right to free speech after violent clashesmarred his first rally in Naples, proud capital of thecountry’s poor south. “Something very importanthappened yesterday which we have to reflect on,”Interior Minister Marco Minniti said after the vio-lence between a small group of masked protestersand riot police erupted on the margins of an oth-erwise peaceful demonstration in the sprawlingport city on Saturday.

“In a democracy it is fundamental that every-one has the right to speak and it is even more fun-damental for those whose views are furthest awayfrom our own,” Minniti said. Minniti’s interventioncame amid a row over whether Naples’s leftistmayor, Luigi de Magistris, had encouraged activistsbent on preventing Salvini speaking. Saturday’sviolence came after a handful of demonstratorsbroke away from a protest march.

They began hurling stones, flares, smokebombs and Molotov cocktails at the police, whoreplied with baton-and-shield charges and teargas. The confrontation continued for over an hour,during which cars and rubbish carts were van-dalised or overturned. Police made three arrestsand were looking for three other people reportedto have been involved. There were no reports ofserious injury.

Mayor ‘should quit’Salvini, an anti-immigration, anti-euro populist

who attracts protests whenever he ventures outof his base in Italy’s wealthy north, said he wouldbe filing a defamation suit against de Magistris. Inthe run-up to Saturday’s clashes, the independentleft-winger had branded Salvini a fascist xeno-phobe with contempt for southern Italy. He alsotried to use his mayoral powers to deny the far-right leader a venue for his first rally in Naples. Hewas overruled by the local prefect, acting on the

orders of the interior ministry. “De Magistrisshould resign instead of accusing me of being aNazi-fascist,” Salvini said Sunday. “Nothing like thishas ever been seen in Naples and the worst thingabout it is the mayor’s support for it.” DeMagistris’s handling of Salvini’s visit also cameunder fire from the media and constitutionalexperts. “Handing Salvini the stamp of being thedefender of free speech and the right of politicalleaders to voice their opinions was, frankly, anunthinkable short-circuit,” Francesco Casavola, aformer president of Italy’s Constitutional Court,told La Repubblica.

Black Bloc and Ultras De Magistris, who had voiced support for the

anti-Salvini protesters earlier in the week, said hedid not condone what happened on Saturday. “Asa former magistrate who is proud of his city, I dis-tance myself from any form of violence,” he said.Media reports said the protesters involved in theviolence were a mixture of militants of the anti-globalization Black Bloc group and hooligan fansof local football club Napoli, known as “ultras”.Commentators described the chaotic scenes asshameful and questioned whether de Magistrishad not fanned the flames with his commentsbefore Salvini’s arrival.

They included tweeting “I’m with the (protestorganizers) social centers,” and accusing the cen-tre-left government of dictating to the city how torun its affairs. Italian newspaper Corriere dellaSera said in an editorial that the essential pointabout the episode was that Salvini had not beendenied a platform, in line with policies applied tofar right leaders in France and the Netherlands.But it asked: “How many Neapolitans were notable to go and listen to Salvini, even just out ofcuriosity, because of the heavy atmosphere thatwas created. Is this not a high price to pay for theintolerance of those in black hoodies?” —AFP

Violent clashes trigger

political storm in Italy

VATICAN CITY: Elected in 2013 with abrief to reform a scandal-hit Vatican,Pope Francis has launched numerousinitiatives but, four years later, he is stillstruggling to deliver real change. As hecelebrates his fourth anniversary at thehead of the Catholic Church onMonday, the affable Argentine contin-ues to bask in a remarkable level ofpopularity around the world thanks tohis popular touch, plain speaking andhis humble, modest style. But inside theVatican Curia there is not always thesame enthusiasm for a pope who hasregularly lambasted the administrationthat runs the global church. Addressingsenior officials in December, the 80-year-old pontiff warned them thereform process he launched in 2013 hadto lead to more than a cosmetic “face-lift” to remove wrinkles.

“Dear brothers, it’s not the wrinklesin the church that you should fear, butthe stains!” he told a group of religiousbureaucrats he had previouslydescribed as suffering from “spiritualAlzheimer’s”. One Argentine bishopestimates active supporters of Francis’sagenda to make up only around 20 per-cent of the Curia. A majority are loyalbut passive and there is a significantminority actively opposed to him, thecleric says. Adding to Francis’s prob-lems is the fact that rapid change has

been anything but a feature of Churchculture over the centuries.

Good pope, bad Curia?The sensitive issue of clerical sex

crimes illustrated this double difficultylast week when Irish abuse survivorMarie Collins resigned from the pope’sadvisory panel on the issue blaming“shameful” obstruction from within theCuria. But some Vatican insiders saydepictions of a kind of civil war in theupper echelons of the Church are wideof the mark.”We need to get rid of thiscliched idea of a reforming pope on oneside and a group trying to block him onthe other,” said German cardinal GerhardLudwig Muller, the head of the depart-ment targeted by Collins’ criticism.

“This simplistic idea of a good popeand a wicked Curia is dangerous forthe pontiff because it can leave himisolated,” said Gianni Valente, of thespecialist review Vatican Insider. And itdoes not always reflect reality. ManyVatican officials say certain reforms areheld up because of a lack of sufficientpreparatory consultation or becausethe wrong people are put in charge ofthem. The most flagrant example ofthis was the appointment to a financialreform panel of Francesca Chaouqui, aPR consultant with questionable quali-fications for the role.

Years to goChaouqui was convicted last year of

leaking classified documents to journal-ists at the end of a highly embarrassingtrial dubbed Vatileaks II. The case cen-tered on an unsuccessful attempt toprosecute two investigative journalistsfor using the leaked documents toexpose waste and mismanagement ofVatican finances and the taste of somecardinals for lavish luxury. Better con-trols on money coming in and goingout are at the heart of Francis reformagenda but officials admit it will be sev-eral years before fully audited consoli-dated accounts are produced. “It is noteasy to introduce common accountingstandards when you have not had themfor centuries,” confides one official.

A month after his election, Francisappointed eight (now nine) cardinals toan advisory committee on administra-tive reform, but details of progress onthis are sketchy. At the beginning of2014 a powerful economic departmentwas created under Australian cardinalGeorge Pell. The move created shock-waves at the time but his powers havebeen trimmed since, according toVatican watchers. The body that man-ages the Vatican’s huge assets hasresumed control of its own affairs, not-ed Sandro Magister, a conservativecommentator who is critical of Francis

leadership. On the other hand, Vaticanmedia activities have been completelyreorganized and shaken up, despiteconsiderable internal reservations.”Thepope starts procedures and sows disor-der,” says Magister, who describesFrancis as being far from delivering thekind of change that was much dis-

cussed at the time of the conclave ofcardinals which elected him. Valente ismore forgiving. “It is a long-distance joband the pope is laying out guidelines,”he says, while stressing that mostbelievers will judge Francis’s perform-ance as pope on other, less institutional,issues. —AFP

Sluggish reforms blot Pope’s four-year report card

YANGON: The family of Myanmar’s last king hitout yesterday at a Thai soap opera inspired bythe palace intrigue of their ancestors, accusingThailand of double standards in how it treatsanother country’s royals. Soe Win, the greatgrandson of Myanmar’s last monarch KingThibaw said his family were angered by “A Lady’sFlame”, a new hit prime-time soap that recountsa bloody dynastic power struggle. The show isset in a fictional kingdom but almost entirelymimics the final years of the Konbaung dynastyin the 19th century in the country formerlyknown as Burma. It portrays the schemingamong a key queen and princesses who orches-trated the massacre of nearly a hundred peopleto ensure Thibaw had no rivals to the throne fol-lowing his father’s death in 1878.

While the massacre is historical fact, Thibaw’sscions are upset with their family’s portrayal by acountry that shields its own monarchy from any

criticism. “We have asked Thais this, would theyaccept it if one of our companies here did thesame thing about their country,” Soe Win said. “Ifno action is taken, we will ask for help from their(Thailand’s) royalty,” he added. Thailand fero-ciously enforces a lese majeste law that bansscrutiny or criticism of its monarchy. Increasingnumbers have been jailed in recent years fortheir comments about the royal family, some-times for as much as 30 years.

It is only supposed to protect senior living roy-al family members. But recent cases have beenbrought against a historian for writing about aThai king four centuries ago, against studentswho staged a play about a fictional kingdom andagainst a man for insulting the favourite dog ofthe late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. NeighborsThailand and Myanmar were bitter rivals for cen-turies and fought a number of bloody wars. Oneof the most momentous battles saw Myanmar

forces attack the city of Ayutthaya, second capitalof the Siamese kingdom, and raze it to theground in 1767, forcing the inhabitants to aban-don the city.

In Thai historical soaps and dramas theBurmese are often portrayed as having villain-ous or treacherous tendencies, something thathas previously caused anger in Thailand’s west-ern neighbor. Soe Win said he was particularlyincensed by scenes in “A Lady’s Flame” in whichroyal family members slapped each other. “It’squite insulting, as if we are wild,” he said. Formany Burmese the fall of its monarchy at thehands of the British just a few years after Thibawtook the throne was a deep psychological scar.He died in exile in India though there are plansto return his remains to his homeland. His familyis playing a much more visible role now that themilitary who suppressed them have given wayto a civilian-led government. —AFP

Thai soap angers family

of Myanmar’s last king

Myanmar accuses Thailand of double standards

SKOPJE: Farmers on tractors participate in a protest in front of the Government building in Skopje,Macedonia. Thousands of Macedonians protest peacefully for days in the capital Skopje and othercities, against the designation of Albanian as a second official language nationwide. —AFP

Macedonia’s political

crisis takes ethnic turn

ARICCIA: Pope Francis sits on a bus with other clergymen on their wayback to the Vatican at the end of a week long spiritual retreat at the vil-lage of Ariccia, near Rome. —AP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

LONDON: Britain is drawing up contin-gency plans in case its Brexit negotia-tions with the EU fail, a minister saidSunday as speculation mounted that thewithdrawal process could start thisweek. Brexit minister David Davis said itwas in “everybody’s interests that we geta good outcome”, but said the govern-ment was “planning for the contingency,all the various outcomes”. He was speak-ing after MPs warned that ministersmust prepare for the possibility that,with EU treaties allowing just two yearsto agree a new relationship, Britainmight well leave without a deal. PrimeMinister Theresa May has said she is opti-mistic about settling the divorce and anew trade agreement with the EU withinthe timeframe, but would walk away

rather than accept a bad deal. The cross-party parliamentary foreign affairs com-mittee said this “represents a verydestructive outcome leading to mutuallyassured damage for the EU and the UK”,citing economic losses and legal confu-sion. Davis told the BBC he did not thinkthat was “remotely likely”, adding: “Therewill be tough points in this negotiation.But it’s in absolutely everybody’s inter-ests that we get a good outcome.”TheMPs noted that the previous govern-ment had not prepared for the shockvote to leave the EU in the June referen-dum, something they called “gross negli-gence”. “Making an equivalent mistakewould constitute a serious dereliction ofduty by the present administration,” theysaid in the report. —AFP

Britain plans for all

options; Brexit nears

I N T E R N AT I O N A LMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

KUALA LUMPUR: Li Nang, a youngmigrant worker wearing hot pants andhigh heels, stood before the statue of agilt goddess garlanded with marigoldsand fairy lights in Kuala Lumpur as sheprayed for good business-and her ownsafety. Malaysia’s underground commu-nity of undocumented female workerswas thrust into the spotlight when newsemerged that Kim Jong-Nam was assas-sinated by two women migrants usinglethal nerve agent VX on February 13 atKuala Lumpur International Airport.

Since then, a Malaysian police crack-down on undocumented workers like Lihas escalated-making their already vul-nerable existence even more precarious.Airport CCTV footage shows two womenapproaching the half-brother of NorthKorean leader Kim Jong-Un and appar-ently rubbing his face with a cloth.Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan ThiHuong, 28, from Vietnam, have sincebeen charged with the murder and facethe death penalty if found guilty. SouthKorea says Jong-Un ordered the killing ofhis estranged sibling, who had livedoverseas for years but had voiced criti-cism of the regime, and engaged twooutsiders to carry it out.

Both women have told diplomatsfrom their countries they were dupedinto believing that they were taking partin a TV prank show but Malaysian police

have rejected their claims. Little is knownabout them, with police saying thatHuong worked at an “entertainment out-let” while Aisyah was a masseuse at aspa, but immigration experts say thesecrecy surrounding their lives illustratesthe clandestine existence led by thou-sands of undocumented Southeast Asian

women migrants. Many migrants travelto Malaysia through formal labor con-tracts, but thousands more take advan-tage of being allowed to work inSingapore and Malaysia for 30 days at atime, travelling back and forth betweentwo or three countries and trying to earnas much as possible before their luck

runs out. Taking up jobs as cleaners,waitresses, masseuses and prostitutes,they live in the grip of a murky system,vulnerable to exploitation and harass-ment by police looking to shake themdown for bribes.

As she prepared for work, Li, a 25-year-old Vietnamese prostitute, kept upa steady exchange of messages with hersister in Ho Chi Minh City, in an attemptto reassure relatives even as she herselffeared for her safety. “I texted her saying‘I have to take the risk. What choice do Ihave? I need the money’,” Li told AFPinside a dimly lit bar. The arrests of hercompatriot Huong and Indonesian Sitihave brought unwelcome attention to acommunity which already has much tofear from Malaysian authorities.

‘Constant fear’ At a pub in the Petaling Jaya suburb,

Filipina waitress Mika (not her real name)said that police had intensified theirefforts to hunt down illegal workers likeher following Kim’s assassination. Threeof her friends working in the same barwere recently arrested by police.“Fortunately I was off on that day. I thinkGod saved me,” the single mother said. “Iam now living in constant fear. I do notwant to be caught.”

The 35-year-old previously paid3,600 ringgit ($800) to an employment

agent to secure a long-term work visa,but he stole the money. “Now I have amonthly visa. Before it expires I head toThailand where I spend three nights. Igive an agent a fee of 1,000 ringgit andhe gets a new visa for another month,”she said. “Life goes on like this everymonth.” Malaysia, Southeast Asia’s thirdlargest economy, is highly dependenton foreign labor. According to a WorldBank report in 2015, the country hostssome 2.1 million registered migrantsand likely more than one million otherswho are undocumented.

Women are especially vulnerable,with agents or employers forcing someof them to live together in the samehouse under constant surveillance, leav-ing them isolated and with little to nocontact with the outside world, migrantrights’ activist Aegile Fernandez said.Often, their passports are withheld sothey have no means of running away,leaving them open to abuse andexploitation, said Fernandez, co-direc-tor of Tenaganita, a Malaysian non-prof-it focusing on migrant worker protec-tion. “Some are even threatened bytheir employers that they will be hand-ed to immigration, or even threatenedwith rape,” she said. “If you were in thatsituation, you would be in fear. Youknow there’s no way out, you just con-tinue working.”— AFP

Kim’s death sheds light on murky world of women migrants

BEIJING: China’s top statistician said yes-terday anyone caught falsifying econom-ic data would face zero tolerance and bepunished under the law. There has longbeen scepticism about the reliability ofChinese data, especially as the govern-ment has sought to reduce expectationsof a protracted slowdown in the world’ssecond-largest economy. In January, the“rustbelt” northeastern province ofLiaoning said in its annual work report ithad falsified reporting of fiscal data from2011 to 2014. Speaking on the sidelinesof the annual meeting of parliament,Ning Jizhe, head of the National StatisticsBureau, said violations would be investi-gated and punished.

“As soon as there are statistical cases

that break the law or faked, it will be vot-ed down, there will be zero tolerance, noappeasement,” said Ning, who is also ViceChairman of the planning body theNational Development and ReformCommission.

The combined economic output ofChina’s provinces has long exceedednational output measured by theNational Bureau of Statistics, raisingsuspicions that local officials were over-stating performance. The gap has beennarrowing, but the discrepanc ybetween provincial GDP and thenational figure was still 2.76 trillionyuan ($399.71 billion) last year, roughlyequal to the GDP of Thailand, accordingto a Reuters calculation. — Reuters

SEOUL: Disgraced South Korean leader ParkGeun-hye left the presidential Blue House yester-day, two days after a court dismissed her over acorruption scandal, facing life as a private citizenand the possibility of jail. Park struck a defianttone upon arriving at her private home in the

Gangnam district of the capital, Seoul, after leav-ing the Blue House compound in a motorcade offast-driving black cars, flanked by police motor-bikes. “I feel sorry that I could not finish the man-date given to me as president,” a spokesman forPark, member of parliament Min Kyung-wook,quoted her as saying. “It will take time, but Ibelieve the truth will be revealed,” Park said inher first public comments since her dismissal.

She accepted responsibility for the eventsthat culminated in the Constitutional Court onFriday upholding a parliamentary impeachmentvote over an influence-peddling scandal that hasshaken the political and business elite. “I take

responsibility for the outcome of all this,” Minquoted her as saying. Park, 65, is South Korea’sfirst democratically elected leader to be forcedfrom office. A snap presidential election will beheld by May 9. Her dismissal followed months ofpolitical paralysis and turmoil over the scandal

that also landed the head of the Samsung con-glomerate in jail and facing trial.

The crisis has coincided with rising tensionwith North Korea and anger from China over thedeployment in South Korea of a US missile-defense system. Throngs of flag-waving support-ers crowded the street outside Park’s home asshe arrived there about 30 minutes after leavingthe presidential palace. She waved through hercar’s tinted window as it inched its way downthe street, with security men in suits walkingalongside. She stepped out smiling, the public’sfirst glimpse of her since her dismissal, andgreeted supporters.

‘Justice, common sense’ Park’s ouster marked a dramatic fall from

grace for South Korea’s first woman presidentand daughter of Cold War military dictator ParkChung-hee. It was not the first time she has hadto leave the Blue House compound of tradition-al-style buildings at the foot of a hill in Seoul. In1979, after a nine-day funeral following theassassination of her father, the young Park leftthe Blue House with her siblings for a familyhome. She had been acting first lady after hermother was shot and killed in an earlier failedassassination attempt on her father.

Now, having lost presidential immunity, shecould face criminal charges over bribery, extor-tion and abuse of power in connection with alle-gations of conspiring with her friend, Choi Soon-sil. Both women denied wrongdoing. The liberalpolitician likely to become the next president,Moon Jae-in, promised to work for justice andcommon sense. “We still have a long way to go.We have to make this a country of justice, ofcommon sense through regime change,” Moon,who advocates reconciliation with North Korea,told a news conference. Moon is leading in opin-ion polls, which show South Koreans are likely tothrow out the conservatives after nearly adecade in power and turn to a liberal leader.

Moon called on Park to publicly accept thecourt ruling. Park’s dismissal has exposed faultlines in a society long divided by Cold War poli-tics. Thousands of Park’s jubilant opponents cel-ebrated in Seoul on Saturday, where they havebeen gathering every weekend for months, anddemanded that she be arrested. The former pres-ident’s conservative supporters also took to thestreets not far away, though fewer in number.Police were out in force but there was no trou-ble. On Friday, two Park supporters were killed asthey tried to break through police lines outsidethe court, shortly after the verdict. One wasbelieved to have had a heart attack and the oth-er died as the Park supporters attacked policebuses. A third, a man aged 74, suffered a heartattack and died on Saturday. — Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR: People make their way to enter the forensic department atKuala Lumpur Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday. Malaysia’s ForeignMinister Anifah Aman said the government hopes to begin formal talks withNorth Korea in the “next few days” on solving a diplomatic dispute that has seenthe two countries bar each other’s citizens from leaving. —AP

BEIJING: China is doing a poor job at politi-cal education for university studentsbecause the classes are outdated andunfashionable, the education minister saidyesterday in a rare admission of the difficul-ties faced enforcing a key government poli-cy. Beijing has campaigned against thespread of “Western values” at universities,and the ruling Communist Party’s anti-cor-ruption watchdog last year sent inspectorsto monitor teachers for “improper” remarksin class. In December, President Xi Jinpingcalled for allegiance to the party from col-leges and universities, the latest effort byChina to tighten its hold on education.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annu-al meeting of parl iament, EducationMinister Chen Baosheng said Xi had made“important comments” on political educa-tion for students in December, but thatthere were problems on the ground.“When we go and investigate at collegesand universit ies, attention levels atthought and political theory classes arenot high. People are there in body but notin spirit,” Chen said. “Why is this? The con-tents do not suit their needs. Perhapsmainly the formula is rather outdated, thetools are rather crude and the packagingis not that fashionable,” he added.

Students need to be led by the core val-ues of Chinese socialism to ensure theirhealthy moral growth, and they should alsostudy traditional Chinese culture, revolu-tionary culture and “advanced socialist cul-ture”, Chen said. That is the best way to getstudents ready to shoulder their responsi-bilities to society, he added. Crackdownson what academics and students can sayand should think are nothing new in China.Curriculums and speech at universities, inparticular, are tightly controlled by the gov-ernment, fearful of a repeat of the pro-democracy protests in 1989 that were ledby students.

In 2013, a liberal Chinese economistwho had been an outspoken critic of theparty was expelled from the elite PekingUniversity. A year later, the university, oncea bastion of free speech in China, estab-lished a 24-hour system to monitor publicopinion on the internet and take earlymeasures to control and reduce negativespeech, according to a party journal at thetime. China aims to build world-class uni-versities and some of its top schools fairwell in international rankings by variousstandards. However, critics argue con-straints on academic freedom could inhibitthose ambitions. — Reuters

MANILA: Negotiators from the Philippine gov-ernment and Maoist-led rebels have reached anagreement to resume formal peace negotiationsnext month, a month after an angry PresidentRodrigo Duterte cancelled talks after rebelsambushed soldiers. The two sides would holdtalks in the first of April to work out a bilateralceasefire, Duterte’s peace adviser Jesus Durezasaid after two-day informal talks in Utrecht overthe weekend.

“I am pleased to announce that the peacenegotiations between the Philippine govern-ment and the Communist Party of thePhilippines-New People’s Army-National

Democratic Front which broke down weeks ago,are now back on track again,” Dureza said on hisFacebook post yesterday. “The parties are expect-ed to start discussions on the bilateral ceasefireduring the planned resumption of the negotia-tions during the first week of April, this year.”

A second meeting was set for June. The talksare brokered by Norway to end nearly fivedecades of conflict, which has killed more than40,000 people. The communist rebellion is one ofAsia’s longest-running insurgencies. The fire-brand leader scrapped peace talks last monthdue to the New People’s Army’s increasingattacks in the countryside, a violation of its own

unilateral truce. He said he would only agree toresume talks if rebels stopped the attacks andextortion activities on mines and plantations.

In Baguio City, a mountain resort city north ofManila, the president said the government willreciprocate the “valor and courage” of soldiers byproviding them with modern weapons and finan-cial benefits. “In the next two to three years, theArmed Forces of the Philippines will have flightsimulators, fast boats, radars, assault vehicles, aswell as new surveillance and fighter aircraft soyou can patrol our borders and seas,” he said. Healso promised to upgrade the army so it will be “atpar with the rest of the world”. — Reuters

‘Disgraced’ South Korean

leader leaves Blue House

Park strikes a defiant tone, says truth will be revealed

Philippines govt, Maoist-led

rebels agree to resume talks

QUEZON: Protesters hold slogans during a rally outside Camp Aguinaldo, headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), in Quezoncity, north of Manila to protest the alleged ‘all out war’ being waged by the military and police against communist rebels following the collapseof the peace talks. — AP

SEOUL: A car (left front), carrying South Korea’s impeached ex-president Park Geun-Hye (cen-ter - in the car) heads to her private residence yesterday. — AFP

China ‘doing poor job

at political education’

Classes are outdated and unfashionable

China vows zero tolerance

for faked data, false info

BEIJING: Two delegates in ethnic minority dress pause while walking towards theGreat Hall of the People to attend a plenary session of the National People’sCongress (NPC) in Beijing yesterday. China’s top leadership as well as thousands ofdelegates from around the country are gathered at the Chinese capital for the annu-al legislature meetings. — AP

N E W SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

Continued from Page 1

The attack came less than three years after Jordan andIsrael signed a peace treaty. Dakamseh was driven homeyesterday in a convoy of dozens of cars whose drivers werehonking their horns, a video shared on social media showed.

Dakamseh’s brother Bassem said the family home wasfull of well-wishers. “He is in good health, wearing a blacksuit among his relatives and close family including his78-year-old mother,” his brother said. Videos circulatedon social media showed Dakamseh greeting relativesand posing for selfies with visitors. Dakamseh toldJordanian media yesterday that he was “against anydestabilization in the country”, but that his opinion ofIsraelis had not changed. “As for my position on theZionists, you all know... what I did 20 years ago,” he said.

There was no immediate official reaction from neigh-boring Israel, but relatives of the slain schoolgirlsslammed Dakamseh’s release. “This morning takes usback 20 years, to that horrible day,” said Hezi Cohen,whose daughter Nirit was shot dead in the attack. “I’d liketo tell the (Israeli) prime minister and defence minister:Our children’s blood should not be worthless,” he told

Israeli news website Ynet. “You should have acted vis-a-vis Jordan to prevent this release at any cost.”

Orit Cohen, whose sister Keren was killed, said: “Whosays that tomorrow he (Dakamseh) won’t carry out anoth-er attack and murder more Israelis?” Israel Fatihi, whosedaughter Sivan was killed in the attack, said the Israeliambassador to Jordan had warned them of theJordanian’s release. Dakamseh “was called a hero in theJordanian parliament at the time of the murder,” he said.“If that’s what they said in parliament, what can weexpect from the family?” Israel’s “peace with Jordan isbetween us (Israelis) and the royal family - not the peopleor the parliament,” Fatihi said.

After the 1997 killings, Jordanian police said theyprevented 100 people including two Islamist memberso f p a r l i a m e n t f ro m p ay i n g a s o l i d a r i t y v i s i t toDakamseh’s family. But 21 other lawmakers in a state-ment condemned the massacre, saying the holy warmentioned in the Holy Quran did not authorize thekilling of children. Dakamseh, who suffers from highblood pressure and diabetes, was hospitalized in 2014after he went on a five-day hunger strike to demandhis release. — AFP

Jordan releases jailed soldier

Continued from Page 1

Muwaizri said that it is no longer acceptable to see squander-ing of public funds and corruption continue unchecked, and thatKuwaitis continue to be humiliated to get their deserved rights.He also charged the government of demanding very difficultconditions for Kuwaitis to get jobs.

The lawmaker recalled the issues of Dow Chemical, Shelland agricultural and industrial plots that involved corruptioncases and infringement on public funds, adding that the con-tinuity of these issues means that the government does notrespect the people and their representatives in the Assembly.

Muwaizri did not name the ministers who will be targeted,but said their number could even increase.

MP Faisal Al-Kandari also said that he is not committed tothe temporary halt in grilling the prime minister because themeasure is not in line with the constitution. Kandari blamedMPs for forgetting key popular issues like scrapping hikes inpetrol and electricity prices and focusing instead on the issueof revoked citizenships. The National Assembly holds weeklysessions tomorrow and on Wednesday and is scheduled todebate key issues including a special debate on housing, theissue of Khor Abdullah and debating the proposed increasesof charges on public services and commodities.

MP threatens to grill premier...

TOKYO: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman arrived in Tokyo yesterday,making the first visit to Japan by a monarch from the oil-richnation in nearly five decades. King Salman, who was greetedby Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito at Haneda airport, will meetPrime Minister Shinzo Abe today as he kicks off the Japaneseleg of a broader tour of Asia. Salman, who will visit EmperorAkihito tomorrow, is travelling with an entourage estimated atover 1,000 people.

Some 1,200 rooms at Tokyo’s luxury hotels have beenbooked by the delegation for the three-night stay throughWednesday, according to local media, which has also reportedthat hundreds of limousines have been brought into the capi-tal to accommodate the visitors. Saudi Arabia is the largest

provider of oil exports for Japan, which relies on Middle Eastfor energy to power the world’s third largest economy.

Japan hopes to use the visit to widen its relations withSaudi Arabia and help the country’s efforts to diversify itseconomy, including exploring ways to increase Japaneseinvestments in non-energy sectors such as manufacturing,according to officials. King Salman’s arrival marks the first visitto Japan by a Saudi leader since the 1971 visit to Japan bythen-King Faisal. King Salman himself, however, last visitedJapan in 2014 as a crown prince. The king is on a month-longtour of Asia, which has already taken him to Malaysia andIndonesia. After Japan, he is scheduled to visit China and theMaldives. —AFP

Saudi king arrives in

Tokyo for 4-day visit

A picture taken yesterday shows a partial view of the Emirati city of Sharjah. —AFP

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A N A L Y S I SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

Focus

Stargazing keeping

tourism looking up

With urbanization gaining pace and air pollutionclouding the view in major cities, contemplat-ing the stars in a pitch-black sky is fast becom-

ing a rarity that tour operators are banking on as a newselling-point. From a total solar eclipse to the Milky Wayto the Northern Lights, many experts at Berlin’s ITB,marketed as the world’s leading travel trade show, weremaking the case for astronomical experiences this year.“Astro-tourism is really an increasing business. We nowsee a lot of travel agencies which offer this kind oftourism,” Andreas Haenel, an astronomer and directorof the planetarium museum in north-westernGermany’s Osnabrueck, told AFP.

While space tourism may be the holy grail for themost committed of stargazers, its astronomical pricetag puts it out of reach for most, not to mention healthand safety concerns over forays beyond the atmos-phere. Enter astro-tourism, which allows enthusiasts ofcelestial movements to experience the natural phe-nomena with both feet firmly on planet Earth. With fewplaces sufficiently dark for observations, someEuropean and US national parks have now classed cer-tain areas as “dark sky preserves”.

Meanwhile, deserts in Namibia, Botswana and Iranare marketed as ideal stargazing sites that also offer theexoticism of sandy dunes. Keyvan Lankarani, theEuropean representative of an Iranian tour company,said the sector started developing in his country due todomestic demand. “It really started within the Iranianmarket itself because of the vast central desert, we havepretty big spaces of darkness,” he said.

Northern Lights But beyond just searching for familiar favorites like

Orion’s belt or the Big Dipper, Haenel says recent yearshave seen a boom in “event astro-tourism” - travel towitness an eclipse, a meteor shower, or the NorthernLights. At the ITB show, the brochure promotingCanada’s Yukon sold the moment that “you will neverforget” when skies suddenly light up with colourfulstreaks as a result of gaseous particle collisions.

Known commonly as the Northern Lights, the AuroraBorealis has become a major selling point for townsaround the Arctic Circle. “There has been an increasinginterest since the last four years. It has to do our market-ing of course and an awakening,” said Ellen Kachel of theNorthern Norway Tourist Board, noting that demand hasgrown in particular among Asian clients.

The northern Norwegian city of Tromso has seen thenumber of visitors explode, and every photo shared onsocial networks only serves to fuel further interest forthe region. But this year, the big astro-tourism seller isthe Aug 21 total eclipse of the sun, which will only bevisible along a stretch running from Oregon to SouthCarolina, cutting diagonally across the United States.

“Nobody knows how many tourists are going there,the estimations go from several hundred thousands toseveral million people. But it seems to be becoming agreat event,” said Haenel. In Idaho, the tourism sector isalready in full gear to welcome an influx. “We are almostsold out,” said Nancy Richardson of Idaho Tourism,adding that “we’ve been selling this product (the solareclipse) for two years already.”

Be patient with the ‘diva’ Illustrating how magical such experiences can be,

Richardson recounted the story of a tourist from apolluted Chinese city who had tears in his eyes whenhe saw the Milky Way from the dark Idaho mountainsfor the first time. After all for some on the planet, star-ry skies are already a thing of the past. Defenders ofthe “dark sky” warn that the space available is shrink-ing faster and faster due to light pollution, not just forstar gazing, but also for nocturnal animals that thrivein the dark.

Harald Bardenhagen, an astronomer and director ofthe Stars without Borders workshop, noted that “manyEuropeans have never seen properly the Milky Way”. “In2024 you won’t be able to see the stars anymore ifnothing is done against the light pollution,” he said. Asthe sector’s popularity grows, some warn that it shouldbe careful not to fall victim to its own success.

For Kachel, the sector will have to find a balance ofmoderate growth that respects nature. At the sametime, astro-tourism may not be for everyone as it notonly calls for patience, but also the acceptance thattonight may just not be the night.

“We never promise, that’s why we call it ‘hunting theLights’, you are looking for it but you don’t know ifyou’ll see it,” said Kachel. After all, she went on, theAurora Borealis “is a diva”- sometimes just not in themood to perform. — AFP

US President Donald Trump haslaunched a charm offensive of thetype not seen before in his brief and

chaotic tenure, forcefully rallying behindlegislation to repeal the Obamacare health-care law while trying to placate the bill’sopponents. In doing so, the often blusteryTrump faces a test of credibility for the vot-ers that catapulted him into office: Howdoes a celebrity outsider, the CEO president,cut deals in Washington? Does the NewYork businessman live up to the image ofdealmaker in chief?

Interviews with more than a dozen WhiteHouse and congressional aides, members ofCongress and conservative activists offer aglimpse into his attempts at conducting themost formidable, high-stakes negotiation ofhis presidency. They show a more circumspectTrump than many see publicly. While theyacknowledge he can make his points with ablunt and combustible style, he appears to bedoing more listening than talking, they said,trying to appease both supporters and criticsby signaling flexibility over legislation thatfaces criticism on multiple fronts.

Democrats and some influentialRepublicans say it would rip health insur-ance away from millions of Americans andincrease costs for many others, includingvoters who helped elect Trump - a problemthat could haunt his fellow Republicans in2018 congressional elections. Conservativessay it does not go far enough in gutting theAffordable Care Act, President BarackObama’s signature healthcare reformpassed by Democrats in 2010. Republicanshave long sought to dismantle the law,which they see as government overreach.Trump has called Obamacare a “disaster”and made its repeal and replacement a key

campaign pledge. The political stakes areimmense for an eight-week-old presidencymarked by instability, infighting, battleswith the media, questions over tempera-ment and a stubborn investigation into tiesbetween his campaign and Russian intelli-gence. “A lot of times you have politicianswho gather in a room to pontificate. That’snot why he has gathered people in theroom,” a senior White House official said ofTrump’s negotiation style this week. “He’sgathered people in to hear their opinions. Ithink that’s lost a little bit because he doesspeak so forcefully. He definitely does letthem say their piece, and he listens.”

The president has reached out to influ-ential conservatives such as U.S. Senator TedCruz and groups such as the HeritageFoundation and Americans for Prosperity,which have expressed skepticism about thebill. “He was gregarious, reasonable. He lis-tened. It was a not a lecture,” said TimPhillips, president of AFP, a group backed bybillionaires Charles and David Koch andpart of a small group of conservative lead-ers who met with Trump in the Oval Officeon Wednesday night. “He said: ‘This is anegotiation. Let’s figure out ways to makethis proposal better,’” Phillips said of Trump.

Trump has indicated he will only go sofar to make conservatives happy, insistingthe core elements of the bill must remainintact if it has any chance to pass the Houseof Representatives and then the Senate,both controlled by Republicans. One stick-ing point involves the use of tax credits tohelp consumers purchase health insurance,which Trump favors. “He’s made it clear thisis the vehicle to finally undo the damage ofObamacare and repeal and replace it,” saidanother senior White House official. “And if

it can be improved in this process, he hasencouraged that.”

Thin margin for success Trump is operating with a razor-thin

margin for success. A defection by 20 or soRepublicans in the House could sink thebill’s prospects. There is already discontentamong some in the Senate, whereRepublicans hold an even slimmer edge.Democrats and groups such as AARP, whichadvocates for older Americans, and theAmerican Medical Association have comeout strongly against the bill.

Conservatives in the House and advoca-cy groups opposed to the bill would like toslow the process and rework its fundamen-tals. They argue the legislation retains basicfacets of Obamacare, including federalassistance to purchase health insurance andpenalties if coverage lapses. House SpeakerPaul Ryan is hoping to pass the legislationwithin two weeks so the House can moveon to other priorities. That leaves little timefor wholesale alterations.

Representative Kevin Brady, chairman ofthe House Ways and Means Committee, saidhe expected the bill would largely remain inits current form. “I know lots of people havegood ideas. That’s terrific. And those will fitin future bills.” The White House has tried topersuade conservatives that the House bill isjust the first step in a three-step process, andwill soon be joined by a companion bill thatwould embrace some of their policy priori-ties. Regulations put in place by Secretary ofHealth and Human Services Tom Price willalso address their concerns, aides said.

The challenge for Trump is whether hecan convince enough wary conservatives toback the first step of the plan without being

able to guarantee the other phases will cometo pass. It could leave them on the recordvoting for a bill they do not feel adequatelydismantles Obamacare. Some conservativesmay also not see the point of sticking theirnecks out backing a bill that may die in theSenate. “This is a futile effort,” said RachelBovard, a policy analyst for the HeritageFoundation, which opposes the bill.

‘Making people feel loved’The White House is aggressively making

the case that the House bill is the bestchance to do away with Obamacare.Moving too far rightward to placate conser-vatives could stir up opposition from mod-erate Republicans and lead to a bill thatstokes a powerful backlash among millionsof Americans who would lose health insur-ance - including many Republicans. ManyDemocrats are already planning to run cam-paigns on the issue.

The White House was busy this week try-ing to reassure moderate Republicans aswell. Vice President Mike Pence is holdingmeetings in Congress, including with SenateMajority Leader Mitch McConnell, aRepublican aide said. Trump’s budget direc-tor, Mick Mulvaney, a former House member,has invited conservative lawmakers to dinnerat the White House next Tuesday. Trumpplans to leverage the power of his office inanother way, making trips to Kentucky andTennessee in coming days to sell the Housebill to the American public. Earlier this week,Trump welcomed about 30 RepublicanHouse members, many of whom said theyhad never been in the White House before - acontrast in style from Obama, who was oftencriticized for not attempting to engage morefully with Congress. — Reuters

Trump tests dealmaker image to sell bill

Poland’s ambition to be central Europe’s leader withinthe EU suffered a humiliating blow when Hungary,Slovakia and the Czech Republic defied its call to

block the re-election of Donald Tusk as European Councilpresident. The lack of support from the other three“Visegrad” countries left Prime Minister Beata Szydlo inuncomfortable isolation at an EU summit on Thursday -one leader out of 28 refusing to back Tusk, a former Polishleader who is loathed by her Law and Justice (PiS) party.

The emphatic defeat exposed the Polish conservatives’inability to unite their ex-communist neighbors under ashared wish to gain more sway for the region in Brussels.Particularly painful was the desertion by Hungarian PrimeMinister Viktor Orban, who has defended the PiS againstEU accusations it is undermining the rule of law by seekingmore control over the justice system and the media. “Weare disappointed by Prime Minister Orban’s attitude,” saidJaroslaw Kaczynski, the co-founder and head of the PiSwho has never hidden his enmity towards Tusk. PolishForeign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said the Visegradfour (V4) group continued to function, and Poland, by farits largest member, “didn’t have to be the leader”. “We canbe its spokesman,” he told reporters.

Divisions among the four, which joined the EU in 2004in the bloc’s biggest expansion into ex-communistEurope, are numerous. They differ on relations with theirformer communist master Russia, ties with Germany,membership of the euro currency and the place of reli-gion in society. All three of Poland’s regional peers viewTusk as a safe pair of hands who can forward the region’sagenda in Europe. Poland’s official reason for wanting toveto him was that he had unfairly criticized the govern-ment from his seat in Brussels.

“Tusk understands our world view and our view of howthe European Union should work,” Czech Prime MinisterBohuslav Sobotka told reporters. He added that Polandwould also have to explain its refusal to sign off on the offi-cial record of the summit in protest against Tusk’s reap-pointment, suggesting a potential new rift within the V4.“Poland will have to explain it well because it simply is notpossible for one member state to veto European Councilconclusions without giving specific, factual reasons,”Sobotka said.

Andrzej Rychard, sociologist at the Polish Academy of

Sciences, said: “The PiS has paid a tremendous amount ofattention to the V4 group but (the Tusk vote) was a spec-tacular demonstration of how the V4 is divided and howPoland is alone.”

‘Consequences are dire’The PiS’ euroscepticism and what some western capitals

see as Poland’s tilt towards authoritarianism had alreadypushed it towards isolation in Brussels. Among otherissues, Warsaw is frustrated about its failure to find supportin a push against EU action on global warming, which itsees as a menace to its coal-powered energy industry.

While EU officials and diplomats also considerHungary’s Orban an authoritarian, they generally see himas a more cunning player who would eventually sit downfor talks to hammer out deals, whereas Poland’s Kaczynskiis seen as a rigid ideologue that people outside Poland donot understand. Even so, the two come together moreoften than Slovakia and the Czech Republic, which havestrong economic ties with Germany and are often con-

cerned about Kaczynski’s nationalist rhetoric against Berlin.Orban’s Fidesz party belongs to the same political

grouping in the European Parliament as Tusk, the EuropeanPeople’s Party. Kaczynski’s PiS is part of the EuropeanConservatives and Reformists, a smaller centre-right groupthat is more sceptical on EU integration. In the comingyears, Warsaw will need to build alliances in negotiationsover how much of Europe’s budget will go to Poland’spoorer regions and how big a hit it will take when Britainleaves the bloc and stops paying its dues.

Poland, the biggest recipient of EU funds, and Hungary,stand to lose more than Slovakia and the Czech Republic,which are somewhat richer in per capita terms. “The V4group has been struggling for a long time, though I would-n’t say it’s dead,” said Anna Materska-Sosnowska, a politicalscientist at Warsaw University. “(But) the consequences aredire,” she said of the Tusk vote. “Not only did the govern-ment expose itself to ridicule but it also showed it doesn’tunderstand diplomacy and EU rules, and doesn’t knowhow to forge alliances.” — Reuters

Polish ambitions hit by EU humiliation

Donald Tusk Viktor Orban Beata Szydlo

TOKYO: Japan’s oldest professional footballer Kazuyoshi Miura tallied anoth-er record yesterday, with a match-winning goal making him the first playerover 50 to score in the J-League. Nicknamed “King Kazu” for his spirited gritand style, Miura sent a left-footer flying into the goal in the 40th minute,securing Yokohama FC’s 1-0 victory against ThespakusatsuGunma. “I am always looking for opportunities to score goals.I was feeling particularly good today, and had a hunch that Imight score,” Miura said in a statement released to localmedia. The former international celebrated his 50th birthdayin February and has since sprinted into footballing history,with several professional appearances, eclipsing the record offormer England great Stanley Matthews who was 50 when heturned out for Stoke City against Fulham in 1965. Thoughthe pin-up looks have been replaced by a few tell-talewrinkles and greying hair, Miura has signalled hisintent to play until he’s 60. Miura shot to fame in theearly 1990s as Asia’s best known footballer, helpingto put the Japanese game on the map after the pro-fessional J-League was launched in 1993. —AFP

S P O RT SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

PARIS: Former All Black Tom Taylor kicked Pau to animportant Top 14 victory over Castres yesterday, keepingthe team in the hunt for a play-off place with an 18-12win. The victory lifts Pau at least temporarily into fifth inthe table ahead of Montpellier as the race to a top-six fin-ish and the play-offs hots up. Montpellier clash with sec-ond-placed Clermont later in other Top 14 game. Paustarted the day in sixth place and badly needed a win withtough fixtures up ahead including a visit to Clermont nextweekend followed by a clash with top-of-the table LaRochelle with a visit to Toulon also on the agenda. Taylor,28, capped three times for the All Blacks in 2013, kickedthe home side 12-6 up at half time and added two morekicks after the break for a try-less win in a tight gamewhich looked as if it could have gone either way until thedying minutes. However, Castres failed to capitalise ontheir few scoring chances and squandered their kicks, withJulian Dumora firing wide in the 73rd minute in their lastchance to close the gap. — AFP

Taylor kicks Pau

to Castres win

NEW DELHI: Local favourite SSP Chawrasia made history after retaining his titleat the Hero Indian Open with a remarkable seven-stroke win in New Delhi yester-day. Chawrasia, 38, became the first Indian to successfully defend a EuropeanTour title and the first player to win their first four events in their home country.

The five-time Asian Tour winner started the day with a joint lead atthe DLF Golf and Country Club and ended at four-under when

the third round of the weather-hit tournament was complet-ed Sunday morning. He did not look back in round four,

carding a one-under 71 to finish with a 10-under 278 forthe tournament and push Gavin Green of Malaysia intosecond place with 285. Chawrasia had finished runner-

up four times at the tournament before finally triumphinglast season. “I’m winning back-to-back so I’m really veryhappy,” said Chawrasia. “This is a very tough course so I was

just trying to play straight and in the right places. I playedvery consistently this week.” Chawrasia had to return to com-plete seven holes of his third round on Sunday morning after

a storm hit play on the first two days. —AFP

Chawrasia retains

Indian Open crown

Japan’s ‘Kazu’ first player

over 50 to score in J-League

MOTOR RACING

By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: The tournament of the late SheikhAbdallah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, held atSheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic ShootingComplex concluded Saturday in the presenceof representative of tournament patronSheikh Abdallah Khalid Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah,President of Kuwait and Arab Shooting

Federations Eng. Duaij Al-Otaibi, SecretaryGeneral of KSF, ASF Obaid Al-Osaim, andKuwait Shooting Sport Club board members.

KSSC Assistant Secretary Eng. MohammadAl-Ghurba said the tournament enjoyed largeparticipation by club, and National Guardshooters who competed hard in a friendlyatmosphere and results were promising.

He said Sheikh Abdallah Al-Mubarak’s

traits represent the man who loves his coun-try and was an example of forgiveness andhumbleness. Al-Ghurab thanked the family ofthe late Sheikh for supporting shooting andshooters.

Results of the tournament were as follows:In the Skeen men: Salah Al-Mutairi won

first place, followed by Saud Habib in second

and Zaid Al-Mutairi third.In the trap men: Khalid Al-Mudhaf was

first, Talal Al-Rashidi second and Saad Al-Hubaida third.

In the double trap: Ahmad Al-Afasi first,Saad Lafi second and Meshal Al-Thafiri third.

In the trap women: Sarah Al-Hawal wasfirst, Shahad Al-Hawal second and FatimaFawzi third.

In the Skeet women: Eman Al-Shammatook first place, Afrah Adel in second whileSheikha Al-Rashidi third.

In the Juniors Skeet: Hamad Al-Ablanifirst, Hamad Al-Khalidi second and Ahmad Al-Azmi third.

In the juniors trap: Bader Al-Adwani, wonfirst place, Faris Al-Mutairi second and RashidAl-Rashidi third.

Late Sheikh Abdallah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah shooting tournament

ST PETERSBURG: Will Power won the polefor IndyCar’s season-opening race at StPetersburg, proving he still is the best driv-er at navigating the temporary street cir-cuit. It was a record seventh pole in eightyears at St. Pete for Power, who also wonthe pole for this race last year. He’s a two-time winner at St. Pete and will try for winNo. 3 in Sunday’s opener.

Power ran the course Saturday in hisTeam Penske Chevrolet with a lap of 1minute, 1.0640 seconds (106.118 mph). “Ittakes obviously a very good team,” theAustralian said. “Very happy to be on pole.Can’t believe it’s now seven times.”

Power did not race in last year’s opener.He became ill after his qualifying lap andIndyCar ultimately benched him for therace because of concussion-like symptoms.

It turned out Power had an ear infec-tion, and not racing in the opener likelycost him a chance to win the champi-onship. Power finished second in theIndyCar standings last year to Team Pensketeammate Simon Pagenaud. Scott Dixonqualified second Saturday in the newHonda that Chip Ganassi Racing is fieldingthis year, followed by James Hinchcliffe.New Penske driver Josef Newgarden quali-fied fourth while Takuma Sato, now drivingfor Andretti Autosport, and Tony Kanaanround out the final six for Sunday. It wasn’tall smooth sailing for the Penske group,despite two drivers in the top four.Reigning series champion SimonPagenaud and Helio Castroneves failed toadvance to the second round of qualifying.Pagenaud will start 14th, Castroneves

16th. Although a Chevy won the pole,Honda qualified nine drivers in the top 12.The manufacturer has been overshadowedby Chevy since Chevy returned to IndyCarin 2012. One Honda driver who hadexpected better qualifying results butfailed to get it was Marco Andretti, whoqualified 15th. Andretti is trying to be loos-er in the car and stop overthinking thedecade of struggles he’s had searching forsuccess.

“This is hard to swallow, Andretti said.“This one hurts. We’re faster than this - lastyear we went to the back of the field andhad the pace to come back through, sowe’re going to have to do that.” The thirdturn of the circuit was reconfiguredThursday evening, the day before Indy carshit the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary streetcircuit. What once was a fast, sweepingright-hand turn now has curbing thatchanged the apex and made the corner atraditional braking area. Also, 180 feet ofwall on the drivers’ left side was movedback almost 40 feet. “I would say turn threeis going to be the biggest difference onpassing,” Graham Rahal said. “Turn three isobviously so much tighter now with abrake zone there and stuff. It will be inter-esting to see.”

The track has retained its character,although it was repaved last month, withnew asphalt on about 70 percent of thecircuit. “It’s definitely different,” Kanaansaid. “I was expecting there to be a littlemore grip and for it to be smoother. In oth-er words, I was expecting us to lose a littleof the beauty of this track.”— AP

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK)has launched its annual campaign toreward NBK Mastercard Credit Cardholdersby offering them four chances to win twotickets to the semi-final and final matchesof ‘UEFA Champions League Final Cardiff2017’ held in Whales. As the official sponsorof the UEFA Champions League,Mastercard will be sponsoring the ticketsprovided to winners.

The campaign, which runs through April30, 2017, provides NBK Mastercard CreditCardholders with the chance to be a part ofthe most popular sporting event in theworld, with two winners getting the oppor-tunity to attend the Semi-finals, and twowinners attending the Final to be held onJune 3, 2017. The fully-paid trips, whichinclude a roundtrip airline ticket, hotelaccommodation and game tickets, in addi-

tion to roundtrip transportation to andfrom the stadium, are al l offered byMastercard.

NBK Assistant General Manager -Consumer Banking Group, Hanadi Khazal,said that NBK is always keen on rewardingits customers by presenting them with thebest exclusive and innovative services andproducts, and through its collaborationswith the most prominent and leading com-panies worldwide. NBK is the only bank inKuwait to run such a campaign for its card-holders. dded that this campaign isextremely popular in Kuwait and there isan ever-growing interest to follow itsuniquely enthusiastic games. “Thanks toour exclusive collaboration withMastercard, football fans will have anexclusive chance to attend the mostsought-after f inal games of the UEFAChampions League, directly on the stadi-um’s grass field.”

Pankaj Kathuria, Area Business Head,Nor thern Gulf, Mastercard, said:“Mastercard has a rich history of support-ing globally renowned football events, andwe have always endeavored to bring card-holders unique experiences that take themto the heart of their favorite games. We areexcited to offer our cardholders rewardingincentives that give them the opportunityto embark on exceptional and pricelessexperiences.”

NBK Mastercard credit cardholders willbe entitled to one entry into the draw forevery KD1 spent using their credit cardslocally, and three chances when they usetheir cards abroad during their travels out-

side of Kuwait or when they make a pur-chase online. Cardholders can boost theirchances of winning by increasing theusage of their credit card during the lengthof the campaign.

NBK firmly establishes its leadership inthe credit card domain in Kuwait throughits continuous dedication to providingmore preferential services and benefits toNBK Credit Cardholders, and its constantkeenness for innovation and presentingrewarding offers that meet the expecta-tions and aspirations of its clients. NBKcredit cards have a worldwide globalacceptance, as they are considered themost convenient method of payment,while providing numerous distinctive ben-efits, discounts, and rewards.

For more information, visit our websiteat nbk.com or NBK social media pages onInstagram @NBKPage and on Twitter@NBKPage.

Hanadi Khazal

NBK, Mastercard offer cardholders opportunity

to attend ‘UEFA Champions League Final Cardiff 2017’Will Power wins pole again at

St Pete for IndyCar opener

SHOOTING

S P O RT SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

GOLF

TENNIS

INDIAN WELLS: Maria Sharapova’splanned return from a 15-month drugsban at Stuttgart next month is “disre-spectful” to other WTA players, formerworld number one Caroline Wozniackisaid Saturday.

The tournament will already beunderway when five-time Grand Slamchampion Sharapova’s suspension ends

on April 26, and she’ll play her firstmatch that day. “I think it’s very ques-tionable, allowing-no matter who it is-aplayer that is still banned to play a tour-nament that week,” Wozniacki said. “Ithink it’s disrespectful to the other play-ers and the WTA.” Wozniacki said she hadno problem with Sharapova, whose banfor a positive test for meldonium was

reduced by the Court of Arbitration forSport, returning to the game.

But she said the Russian star, whoseworld ranking has been wiped out byher absence, should play her way backinto tournaments. “I think everyonedeserves a second chance, and I thinkthat she’s going to come back and she’sgoing to fight her way back,” Wozniacki

said. I’m sure she’s going to play well.But at the same time, I feel like when aplayer is banned for drugs, I think thatsomeone should start from the bottomand fight their way back, because it’s dif-ferent from an injury where someone isout because they had hurt themselves.

“When someone has been bannedfor drugs and something that is per-

formance enhancing, I think that youdeserve a second chance like everybodyelse, people make mistakes. But I thinkyou should fight your way back from thebottom.” Wozaniacki spoke after secur-ing her third-round berth at the IndianWells hard court tournament with a brisk6-3, 6-0 victory over Poland’s MagdaLinette. — AFP

Sharapova should ‘start from bottom’: Wozniacki

INDIAN WELLS: Vasek Pospisil of Canada plays a backhand during his straight sets victory against Andy Murray of Great Britain in their secondround match during day six of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Saturday in Indian Wells, California. — AFP

INDIAN WELLS: World number one AndyMurray crashed out of the ATP Indian WellsMasters on Saturday, toppled in straight sets by129th-ranked Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil.

“I felt like I had the ability to do it, but goingthrough it is another thing,” Pospisil, a formerWimbledon doubles champion, said after notch-ing the biggest singles win of his career 6-4, 7-6(7/5). “I just tried to stay composed.”

Murray, coming off his first title of 2017 atDubai, was again brought up short in IndianWells, where his best showing is a 2009 runner-up finish to Rafael Nadal. He was at a loss toexplain his erratic results in the California desert.“I don’t know exactly why it is, because in prac-tice here normally I play pretty well,” Murraysaid. “And then some years I played well. Someyears it just hasn’t quite happened for me.”

Murray was particularly disappointed to havedropped the first set after twice going up abreak. But a lackluster service effort, includingseven double-faults, spelled disaster in the faceof Pospisil’s aggressive attack.

The 26-year-old Canadian had the StadiumCourt crowd solidly behind him as he battled atthe net. Trailing 4-2 in the first set, Pospisil won

six straight games as he went up a break in thesecond before Murray broke back to knot thescore at 2-2. They went with serve to thetiebreaker, in which Murray’s double-fault gavePospisil a 3-1 lead. Murray saved one matchpoint with a service winner before holding offPospisil on two more on the Canadian’s serve.

But Pospisil finally put it away with a fore-hand winner. “I started a little bit kind of tenta-tive, just trying to get into the match,” Pospisilsaid. “I felt like I was playing better as the matchwas going on,” he added. “I was just kind of stick-ing to the game plan and kind of distracting mymind with what I wanted to do on the court.

“Of course still some thoughts come in, espe-cially in the second set. It’s not every day you’reclose to beating the number one player in theworld. So I did well to kind of stick with theprocess and not really get distracted.”

Murray, who endured a disappointing fourth-round exit at the Australian Open, was left toregroup before the fast-approaching MiamiMasters. Pospisil, meanwhile, was looking aheadto a meeting with Serbian qualifier DusanLajovic, a 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2) winner over Spain’sFeliciano Lopez. “I’m going to enjoy this tonight,

and obviously tomorrow morning I’m going towake up and almost try to forget about it asmuch as possible,” he said.

FOGNINI TOPPLES TSONGA French seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also

fell at the first hurdle, stunned 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-4by Italy’s Fabio Fognini.

Fognini, ranked 43rd in the world, notchedhis first win over eighth-ranked Tsonga in fivecareer meetings. He also ended the Frenchman’snine-match winning streak that had seen him lifttrophies in Rotterdam and Marseille.

Third-seeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka advancedwithout incident, downing Italian Paolo Lorenzi6-3, 6-4 to set up a third-round meeting withGermany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, who was trail-ing 6-7 (3/7), 1-1 when Alexandr Dolgopolovretired from their match. Eighth-seeded AustrianDominic Thiem also advanced on cue, easingpast France’s Jeremy Chardy 6-2, 6-4 whileJapanese lucky loser Yoshihito Nishioka upset19th-seeded Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 6-3.

Nishioka withstood a dozen aces from theCroatian veteran, breaking him three times whilesaving all seven break points he faced. —AFP

Pospisil vanquishes

Murray at Indian Wells

By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: Kuwait Eighth Tennis Tournamenthas reached its final rounds as it will con-clude Thursday. Zoran Dimitrivic reachedthe final of the pioneers above 55 by defeat-ing Majdi Khamis 6-2, 6-3.

In the pioneers individuals above 45:Mohammad Tounaih defeated KrishnaKumar 6-2, 6-3 and Jarkola Chowdarydefeated Simon Atkison 6-2, 6-0.

In the men’s individuals: Abdelrahman Al-Awadhi defeated Abdelreda Al-Shath 6-4, 4-

6, 10-5. Meanwhile Hassan Al-Mousa defeat-ed Ali Ibrahim 6-4, 7-6, while NasserAbdelsalam defeated Hadi Mansour 6-1, 6-0.

In the 4-17 Juniors: Essa Qabazard defeat-ed Abdelwahab Al-Sharaf 6-3, 6-1, AhmadKhamis defeated Hussein Abdellatif 6-2, 6-2and Daniel Ghassan defeated Talal Antar 6-4, 6-2. In the Juniors individuals 4-11: BaderAntar defeated Ali Al-Shatti 7-5,6-4,Abdelwahab Abdellatif defeated Fawzan Al-Khashan 6-4, 6-2. In the women individuals:Sarah Behbehani defeated Yasmeen Al-Shamali 6-1, 6-0, Dana Al-Fulaij defeated

Dalal Behbehani 6-0, 6-0. In the women 418:Farida Al-Ayyat defeated Cavni Ranpar 6-0,6-0, Rena Al-Samrani defeated Sai Adivi 6-1,6-0. In the men’s doubles Abdelrahman Al-Awadhi and Abdallah Rashid Al-Mukaimidefeated Dawood Hashim and Mahmoud 6-2, 6-0. Tamim Al-Hallaq and Ghulam Rasouldefeated Ali Al-Shatti and Badar Antar 6-3,6-2, Hassan Al-Mousa and Enam khandefeated Ahmad Al-Rabee and Ali Ibrahim6-3, 6-2, Mohammad Khalid Sadiq andBigon Rinquest defeated Nasser Abdelsalamand Abdelhameed Al-Shatti 6-2, 6-0.

Dimitrivic reaches final of

Kuwait Eighth Tennis tourney

INDIAN WELLS: Venus Williams savedthree match points as she roared back for a1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 victory over old foe JelenaJankovic on Saturday and a place in thethird round at Indian Wells.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion,her right arm bandaged and her servespeed down, surrendered the first set injust 20 minutes and was quickly down abreak at 3-1 in the second.

“I definitely wasn’t able to do everything

I wanted to,” she said. “Took me some timeto kind of get my head around that.

“You have to get disciplined and just tryto deal with what’s at hand and try to usethe tools you have on this particular day,”said Williams, who did so with a vengeance.

She broke Jankovic twice to take a 5-4lead in the second set before the Serb vet-eran, like Williams a former world numberone, broke in the 10th game to pull level at5-5. Serving to save the match, Williamswas on the ropes in the 12th game but shesaved three match points to force the

decider. Once she came through it, she ranaway with the third, buoyed by an enthusi-astic crowd.

“It ain’t over til it’s over,” she told herecstatic fans of her determination to stickwith it until the end. “And I didn’t see no fatlady singing.” Williams next faces CzechLucie Safarova, a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 winner overAmerican Coco Vandeweghe.

Safarova denied Vandeweghe a chanceto avenge her semi-final loss to Williams atthe Australian Open, where Williams fell inthe championship match to her sisterSerena. Jankovic, meanwhile, could onlyregret her missed opportunities, especiallyher first match point that Williams savedwith a volley winner. “When she was at thenet I was supposed to play that cross fore-hand but I played down the line and rightto her and she made a winner,” Jankovicsaid. “I had everything under control and Ijust let it slip away.”

KERBER IN CONTROL There was no such drama for second-

seeded Angelique Kerber, who raced intothe third round with a 6-2, 6-1 victory overfellow German Andrea Petkovic. Kerber,who is assured of reclaiming the numberone world ranking when the tournamentends thanks to Serena Williams’ injury with-drawal, reversed a run of poor fortune inthe California desert, where she hadn’tmade it out of her tournament openersince 2011. “Of course, it was not so easy toplay against her, we know each other verylong,” Kerber said. “I was trying today just tofocus more on my side of the tennis court.Just being focused on my game, because Ithink the last three years I lose here in thefirst round, so that was also something inmy mind that I would like to change thisyear and just go through it.” Kerber nextfaces France’s Pauline Parmentier, whoousted 27th-seeded Yulia Putintseva ofKazakhstan 6-2, 6-3. Women’s fourth-seedSimona Halep of Romania cruised throughher opener, downing Croatian wild cardDonna Vekic 6-4, 6-1. Sixth-seededAgnieszka Radwanska beat Spain’s SaraSorribes 6-3, 6-4 and ninth-seededAmerican Madison Keys made a successfulreturn to competition with a 6-1, 7-5 victo-ry over Colombian Mariana Duque. Keyswas playing in her first match of 2017 aftermissing two months in the wake of leftwrist surgery.

“It felt really good,” Keys said. “I really,really missed competing and being able togo out there and get a win on top of it wasamazing.” —AFP

Venus battles back

to beat Jankovic

INDIANS WELLS: Venus Williams of theUnited States serves against JelenaJankovic of Serbia on Center Court at IndianWells Tennis Garden on Saturday. — AFP

MIAMI: Canada’s Adam Hadwin fired abogey-free four-under par 67 Saturday toseize a four-stroke lead over AmericanPatrick Cantlay after the third round of theUS PGA Valspar Championship. The 29-year-old from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan-seeking his first PGA crown — stood on 14-under 199 after 54 holes over Innisbrook’sCopperhead course in Palm Harbor, Florida.

“I’ve been really proud of myself grind-ing things out. I just have to come out anddo the same thing tomorrow,” Hadwin said.“I’m going to play well tomorrow if I givemyself a chance to win on 18 — if I’ve gotto be 5-over or 2-under, I just want a

chance to win.” Cantlay, also seeking hisfirst PGA title, roared into second with theday’s low round, a 66, to reach Sunday’sfinal pairing on 203, one ahead of compa-triot Jim Herman, who led Thursday afteran opening 62, and two better thanAmerican Dominic Bozzelli.

“I’m not going to worry about anythingelse, fairways and greens and make asmany putts as I can,” Cantlay said of hisSunday strategy. “Try not to have too manyexpectations, try to stick to my program, hitfairways and greens, try to stick to my dealand not have a whole lot of doubts.”

British Open champion Henrik Stensonof Sweden and American J.J. Henry sharedfifth on 206. Hadwin eased his nerves withan opening birdie, finding the fringe withhis second shot and two-putting fromthere. “I felt really good on the golf course,”Hadwin said. “A little nervous on the put-ting green. Got over that pretty quickly,made a good drive, a good swing and twoputts for a birdie. That relaxed me reallyquick.” Hadwin added a six-foot birdie puttat the seventh, then dropped a 33-footbirdie putt at the par-4 12th thanks tosome help from being able to read a similarputt from playing partner Herman.

“He putted right on that line just beforeme,” Hadwin said. “I had a good look at itand judged the speed right.”

The Canadian followed with a 55-footbirdie putt at the par-3 15th and sank atesty six-foot par putt at the 18th to keephis four-stroke advantage. “It was huge,”Hadwin said. “To end on that, a ton ofmomentum coming into tomorrow.

“With this ball striking coming around,the sky is the limit. I have to stay patientand just keep playing my game.”

Cantlay birdied the par-5 first, fifth and11th holes as well as the par-3 eighth butthe 30-foot birdie putt he sank on the par-418th to close a bogey-free round broughtan extra-special smile. “It was nice to seethat one go in, a little bonus,” he said.

Herman stumbled with bogeys at 15and 16 before sinking a 16-foot birdie puttat the par-3 17th and closing with a par tofinish on 71. His lone PGA victory came atlast year’s Houston Open, a title he defendsin three weeks. — AFP

Canada’s Hadwin stays ahead

in search of first PGA win

PALM HARBOR: Adam Hadwin putts onthe 16th green during the third round ofthe Valspar Championship golf tourna-ment Saturday, at Innisbrook in PalmHarbor, Fla. — AP

S P O RT SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

NHL

CRICKET

NEW DELHI: Australia’s David Warner isrefusing to take the bait after being pub-licly sledged by India’s cricketers, but evenif he wanted to fire back the strugglingopening batsman has few runs to back upany fighting words.

The lefthander has cobbled togetherjust 98 runs from four innings in the firsttwo Tests of the series in India and has fall-en three times to spinner RavichandranAshwin-twice in last week’s defeat atBangalore, which levelled the series 1-1.

Warner has regularly punished India’sbowlers on the seam-friendly wicketsback home, belting them for nearly 50

runs on average, but he has beenneutered by the subcontinent’s flat pitch-es where he averages 24.41.

India have seized upon Warner’s woes,with top-order batsman CheteshwarPujara poking fun at the vice captain’sstruggles against Ashwin, who has dis-missed him nine times in his career, themost by any bowler.

“They were always under pressurewhen they walk into bat,” Pujara said in avideo interview with Ashwin posted onthe Indian cricket board’s website. “I want-ed to make sure their batsmen are think-ing about it,” Pujara added. “Especially

David Warner. Whenever he walks in tobat, Ash is always happy.

“So I always keep reminding him thatAsh is the one.” Warner plundered India for457 runs in the 2014/15 home series,which Australia won 2-0, and was involvedin a number of verbal battles with thetourists, earning him a code of conductfine in the second Test in Adelaide.

‘SPIRIT OF CRICKET’Warner, who has since shed his image

as Australia’s chief aggressor under cap-tain Steve Smith, was unimpressed by thevideo but said the tourists would not

respond in kind ahead of the third Test inRanchi this week. “It’s just a rule of thecricketing world you keep everything onthe field ... but that’s up to them. From ourpoint of view, we’ll never do that,” he said.“At the end of the day we’re professionalsand you have to move on from that stuff.Hopefully both teams will come out andplay with the spirit of cricket.” TheBangalore Test ended on a sour note, withIndia captain Virat Kohli alleging his coun-terpart Smith and Australia had floutedthe rules when deciding to review umpiredecisions. Cricket Australia boss JamesSutherland labelled the accusations as

“outrageous” and the affair threatened tosour relations for the rest of the seriesbefore the rival boards called a truce onFriday. Warner said he would be “prettyupset” if any Australian players aired griev-ances publicly in the manner Kohli had,but he was keen to move on.

“There’s going to be a lot of niggleshere and there around certain things, andI think just a few people got out of handand I think everyone has reined it back inagain,” he said.

“So we’re looking forward to gettingout to Ranchi and playing a great brand ofcricket.” — Reuters

Warner bites his tongue, hopes to let bat do the talking

DUNEDIN: Protective covers lay on the pitch as play is delayed because of rain on the final day of the first cricket Test at University Oval,Dunedin, New Zealand, yesterday. —AP

WELLINGTON: The first test between NewZealand and South Africa ended in a draw yes-terday after heavy rain washed out the fifth andfinal day’s play in Dunedin, leaving both sidesfrustrated at losing the chance to take a 1-0 leadin the three-match series.

The match had been delicately poised enter-ing the final day with South Africa 224 for six inthe second innings, a lead of 191 runs, with cap-tain Faf du Plessis on 56 and Vernon Philanderon one at University Oval.

Heavy rain that began early yesterday, how-ever, ensured a delayed start and after thescheduled lunch break was taken at 1 p.m. (0000GMT), umpires Kumar Dharmasena and BruceOxenford decided there was no chance of anyplay. “I think the game was shaping up quitenicely for all three results,” New Zealand captainKane Williamson said. “The game was certainly inthe balance and it’s just a shame not to get anyplay today.

“But it’s nice going into the second matchwith both teams having played some goodcricket.” New Zealand will enter the secondmatch at Wellington’s Basin Reserve without bat-ting stalwart Ross Taylor, who tore his calf mus-cle during the first innings, while left arm pacebowler Trent Boult is under an injury cloud.

“It’s a real shame to lose Ross, our premier

batter, but therein lies an opportunity for some-one else,” Williamson added.

“(Trent) does have a little niggle but we don’tknow how serious it is yet. He will travel with usto Wellington and hopefully he will recover. He isa big player for us.”

Du Plessis felt his side could also have wonthe game had they set New Zealand a target ofabout 250 runs in 60 overs.

“It was set up to be a great finish,” du Plessissaid. “We were looking to get about another 50or 60 runs and on this wicket the ball is turning

nicely and (left-arm spinner) Keshav (Maharaj)got five in the first innings.

“The nature of the wicket was you couldeither get wickets quickly or it’s slow scoring andwe were favouring our chances because Rosswas not going to bat and Trent was injured.”

South Africa’s opening batsman Dean Elgar,who scored 140 in the first innings and 89 in thesecond, was named man of the match.

The second game in Wellington starts onMarch 16, before the third match at Seddon Parkin Hamilton begins on March 25. —Reuters

NZ, SA Test ends drawn

after final day washout

South Africa 1st innings 308 (D. Elgar 140, T. Bavuma64, F. du Plessis 52; T. Boult 4-64)New Zealand 1st innings 341 (K. Williamson 130, J.Raval 52, B. Watling 50; K. Maharaj 5-94) South Africa 2nd innings (Overnight: 224-6)S. Cook c Watling b Boult 0 D. Elgar c Williamson b Patel 89 H. Amla c sub b Wagner 24 J. Duminy lbw b Wagner 39 F. du Plessis not out 56 T. Bavuma b Santner 6

Q. de Kock b Patel 4 V. Philander not out 1 Extras (b-1 lb-3 w-1) 5 Total (for 6 wickets, 102 overs) 224 Fall of wickets: 1-0 S. Cook, 2-39 H. Amla, 3-113 J. Duminy,4-193 D. Elgar, 5-206 T. Bavuma, 6-218 Q. de KockTo bat: K. Maharaj, M. Morkel, K. RabadaBowling: T. Boult 15-4-34-1, N. Wagner 27-7-57-2 (w-1),M. Santner 19-6-37-1, J. Patel 36-15-72-2, J. Neesham 5-0-20-0. Result: Draw

SCOREBOARD Scoreboard at close of play on the fifth and final day in the first Test between New Zealand and South Africa yester-day in Dunedin, New Zealand.

WINNIPEG: Brian Elliott made 31 saves forhis second consecutive shutout as theCalgary Flames extended their winningstreak to nine games with a 3-0 victory overthe Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. MikaelBacklund and Michael Frolik each scoredon the power play as the victory also gaveCalgary points in 11 straight games. TheFlames also jumped in the NHL standings.Their 80 points tied them with Anaheim,but Calgary moves into second place in thePacific Division because they have threemore wins than the idle Ducks. AlexChiasson also scored, while Frolik addedone assist and Dougie Hamilton, a game-time decision, had three assists.

SENATORS 4, AVALANCHE 2Craig Anderson made 14 saves to set

the franchise wins mark as Ottawa defeat-ed Colorado for its sixth consecutive victo-ry. Alex Burrows and Mike Hoffman eachhad a goal and an assist for Ottawa, whichtied Montreal atop the Atlantic Divisionwith 84 points. Anderson earned win No.147 with Ottawa and passed PatrickLalime for the top spot. Fredrik Claessonand Ryan Dzingel also had goals for theSenators. Calvin Pickard stopped 27 shotsand Matt Nieto and Sven Andrighettoscored for the Avalanche.

KINGS 4, CAPITALS 2Adrian Kempe scored his first NHL goal

with 11:14 to play and captain Anze Kopitarhad a goal and an assist in Los Angeles’ vic-tory over NHL-leading Washington. MarianGaborik also scored and Jonathan Quickmade 17 saves in a big win for the Kings,who have won three of four as they fight tostay in the playoff race. Jeff Carter added anempty-net goal as Los Angeles won back-to-back games for the first time since earlyFebruary. The Kings are in ninth place in theWestern Conference, trailing St. Louis bythree points. Jakub Vrana and T.J. Oshiescored for the Capitals, who have lost threestraight regulation games for the first timein their outstanding season.

PENGUINS 3, CANUCKS 0Matt Murray made 27 saves as

Pittsburgh beat Vancouver. Jake Guentzel,Ian Cole and Conor Sheary scored for thePenguins, who have won five straight andare in sole possession of second place inthe Metropolitan Division ahead ofColumbus. The Canucks took another hit totheir already bleak playoff outlook, slipping10 points back for the second wild card inthe Western Conference. Vancouver goalieRyan Miller was outstanding despite theloss, making a season-high 45 saves.

BRUINS 2, FLYERS 1Drew Stafford scored with 5.6 seconds

left in the third period when his dump-inshot tipped off Philadelphia defensemanBrandon Manning’s stick, lifting Boston tothe win. David Pastrnak had a power-playgoal, and Tuukka Rask made 26 saves forBoston, which improved to 10-3 underinterim coach Bruce Cassidy, who replacedfired Claude Julien on Feb 7. Jordan Wealhad the Flyers’ goal, and Steve Masonstopped 25 shots. Philadelphia may be slid-ing out of a chance at a playoff berth withits ninth loss in 14 games (5-8-1).

PREDATORS 3, SHARKS 1SAN JOSE, California (AP) - Ryan

Johansen and James Neal scored goals tohelp Nashville snap a four-game losingstreak with a victory over San Jose. Afterstarting their California swing with a

shootout loss in Anaheim and an overtimedefeat in Los Angeles, the Predators headhome on a high note by beating thedefending Western Conference champions.Backup goalie Juuse Saros made 25 savesfor the win. Paul Martin scored the lonegoal for the first-place Sharks, who lost forjust the second time in seven games.

MAPLE LEAFS 3, HURRICANES 2, OTMorgan Rielly scored 2:13 into overtime

to lift Toronto over the Carolina. Rielly’swrist shot past Cam Ward gave Toronto itsthird straight victory and moved them onepoint ahead of the New York Islanders forthe eighth and final playoff spot in theEastern Conference. Mitch Marner andJames van Riemsdyk also scored forToronto and Frederik Andersen made 36saves. Victor Rask and Teuvo Teravainenscored for Carolina, which has lost 11 of 15games. Ward made 23 saves but couldn’tsteer aside Rielly’s shot, which bounced offhis left leg pad and angled into the backcorner of the net.

SABRES 5, BLUE JACKETS 3Evander Kane scored a power-play goal

with 2:29 remaining as Buffalo rallied from athree-goal deficit to beat Columbus. SamReinhart, Matt Moulson and Jake McCabescored to tie it and Jack Eichel added an emp-ty-netter for Buffalo. Robin Lehner stopped all24 shots he faced after taking over for AndersNilsson to start the second period. Nilssonwas yanked after giving up three goals on 12shots. Nick Foligno, Oliver Bjorkstrand andDavid Savard scored for Columbus. JoonasKorpisalo stopped 26 shots.

LIGHTNING 3, PANTHERS 2Ondrej Palat scored with 2:23 left to give

Tampa Bay a victory over Florida. Palat redi-rected Andrej Sustr ’s shot to completeTampa Bay’s comeback from a two-goaldeficit. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 savesand Nikita Kucherov and Yanni Gourde alsoscored for the Lightning. Jaromir Jagr andMark Pysyk scored for Florida while JamesReimer stopped 31 shots.

COYOTES 5, DEVILS 4Tobias Reider and Anthony DeAngelo

each had a goal and an assist as Arizonahanded New Jersey its 10th consecutiveloss. The Coyotes led 4-0 early in the sec-ond period but needed the goal from therookie DeAngelo with 6:29 to play for whatproved to be the winning margin.DeAngelo’s goal, a patient shot throughtraffic from the slot, put Arizona up 5-3before John Moore’s backhanded uppershelf shot past goalie Mike Smith cut it to5-4 with 4:58 remaining. Smith preservedthe victory by blocking Taylor Hall’s penaltyshot with 2:38 to play. Devils goalie CorySchneider was lifted after allowing fourgoals on 10 shots in the first 24:13 of thegame. Radim Vrbata, Brendan Perlini, andJakob Chychrun also scored for Arizona.Kyle Palmieri scored twice and BeauBennett added goals for New Jersey.

BLUES 4, ISLANDERS 3Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice to lead

St. Louis over New York. Alexander Steenand Patrik Berglund also scored as theBlues won their fourth straight game.Carter Hutton stopped 21 of 24 shots. NewYork’s Thomas Greiss stopped 14 of 18shots in the first two periods before beingpulled in favor of Jean-Francois Berube tostart the third with the Islanders trailing 4-1. Brock Nelson, Anthony Beauvillier andNick Leddy scored for the Islanders.— AP

Flames blank Jets to extend

winning streak to nine games

WINNIPEG: Joel Armia #40 of the Winnipeg Jets checks Matthew Tkachuk #19 of theCalgary Flames during NHL action on Saturday at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg,Manitoba. — AFP

DUNEDIN: South Africa captain Faf du Plessissaid yesterday he was surprised no one hadbeen charged by the ICC after the ugly spatwhich blighted the Australia-India Test series. “Iwas, yes. Purely from the reason of what I wentthrough in Australia for something I feel was alot smaller, so (am) surprised with it,” he said inDunedin following the washed-out end to thefirst Test against New Zealand. Du Plessis wasfined his match fee during a Test againstAustralia in November for sucking on a mint andrubbing saliva into the ball. ICC (InternationalCricket Council) chief executive DavidRichardson had described it as “an obviousbreach” of the ball-tampering law. However, theICC decided not to take action against the war-ring India and Australia captains-Virat Kohli andSteve Smith-following cheating accusations dur-ing the second Test in Bangalore last week.

Kohli accused Smith of abusing the decisionreview system (DRS) after he was seen looking tothe Australian dressing room for advice onwhether to ask for a review after being given outlbw. Smith described his breach as a “brain-fade”.

Du Plessis has always denied ball tamperingand said the reaction from the ICC was differentto the way he was treated.

“Definitely it was different. I’m surprised bythe way it happened,” he said.

“Maybe it’s because I speak on a personalpoint of view and felt I was treated very harsh.When you see something like that you’d hope it(the treatment) would be exactly the same.”

Du Plessis said it was very unlikely therewould be a similar dust-up between the SouthAfrican and New Zealand players. “When youplay teams like India and Australia obviously thatcan happen and it’s easy for something like thatto blow up,” he said. “For me, it’s just been good

to be on the other side of it this time and seehow things unfold.”

The first Test between New Zealand andSouth Africa ended in a draw when rain prevent-

ed any chance of play on the final day withSouth Africa 224 for six in their second innings,leading New Zealand by 191. The second Teststarts in Wellington on Thursday. — AFP

Du Plessis

Du Plessis surprise at ICC over India spat

S P O RT SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

BASEBALL

RUGBY

BASKETBALL

MILAN: Giro d’Italia contender FabioAru’s pre-race build-up suffered a blowyesterday when he was forced out ofTirreno-Adriatico with a bout of bronchi-tis. Aru is one of several contenders forthe three-week Italian epic in what is itscentenary edition, alongside formerchampions Vincenzo Nibali and NairoQuintana.

But his team Astana announced:“Unfortunately, Fabio Aru has suffered,

even in the night, of a tracheobronchialacute bronchitis, with fever. “Therefore,in accordance with management andmedical staff of the Astana Pro Team, itwas decided not to start the fifth stageof Tirreno-Adriatico today to allow himto recover from the illness.”

Tirreno-Adriatico was only one of twostage races Aru had targeted as part ofhis Giro preparations along with nextmonth’s Tour of the Alps. The illness

caused him to lose nearly five minutes toQuintana on Saturday, when theColombian raced to victory on the sum-mit of stage four. Although climbingspecialist Quintana will be a big focus ashe attempts the first part of a Giro-Tourde France double this summer, the rival-ry between Aru and Nibali threatens tosteal the spotlight.

Aru was Nibali’s trusted teammatewhen the latter won a dramatic 2013

edition, after racing through a snow bliz-zard on the Tre Cime di Lavaredo climbin the Dolomites to secure overall victo-ry. Nibali, the 2014 Tour de France cham-pion who also won the Tour of Spain in2010, now races for the Bahrain team.Aru has moved up to become the teamleader at Astana.

The pair have largely avoided eachother in Grand Tours since 2013, mean-ing the 2017 Giro d’Italia sets the scene

for a potentially epic battle for the pinkjersey. Organisers went to great lengthsto make sure both compete at the May5-28 race. The 100th edition starts onAru’s native island of Sardinia, taking inthree stages before crossing over toNibali’s home island of Sicily for stagesfour and five.

Aru is now set to attend a trainingcamp in Sierra Nevada and line up in theTour of the Alps on April 17-21. —AFP

Giro blow as sick Aru abandons Tirreno

CYCLING

MIAMI: Nelson Cruz smashed a three-runhome run in the bottom of the eighthinning to lift Dominican Republic to a 7-5victory over the United States in the WorldBaseball Classic ( WBC) in Miami onSaturday. Cruz sent the pro-Dominicancrowd of more than 37,000 at Marlins Parkinto a frenzy when he sent a line drive offleft-hander Andrew Miller rocketing intothe bleachers to give the Dominicans theirfirst lead of the game.

Center fielder Starling Marte added asolo homer later in the inning to pad themargin as the reigning champions foughtback from a 5-0 deficit in the sixth inning.

New York Mets closer Jeurys Familiapitched a clean ninth to seal the victoryand put the Dominicans (2-0) top of Pool Cahead of the United States (1-1), Colombia(1-1) and Canada (0-2).

The United States plays Canada later,with a place in the next round at stake.

Cruz said he was delighted to give theDominican fans a moment to rememberwith his home run, in front of the largestcrowd at the home of Major LeagueBaseball’s Marlins.

“It was crazy, it was loud, the fans theynever give up. They deserve it,” the SeattleMariners player said in an interview.

“We (Dominicans) love baseball. Webreathe baseball 24/7. We have so much

talent, it’s unbelievable. It was nice to get itdone today.” Earlier on Saturday, Colombiarecorded their first WBC win, beatingCanada 4-1 in Miami.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Julio Teheran wasdominant for five innings for Colombia,retiring the final 13 batters he faced.

Canada struck first, scoring their onlyrun in the first inning, but they did not getanother hit until the seventh and by thenColombia were ahead 3-1.

In Pool D, Francisco Lindor had threeRBIs as Puerto Rico beat Mexico 9-4.

Javier Baez hit a three-run home run inthe ninth inning to give Puerto Rico someinsurance in Jalisco, Mexico. Puerto Rico (2-0) heads the pool ahead of Venezuela (1-1)and Italy (1-1), with Mexico (0-2) eliminat-ed. Venezuela pushed across a run in the10th to edge Italy 11-10, with Martin Pradocollecting five hits, including the game-winning RBI double.

Venezuela trailed 5-0 in the fifth beforerallying. Catcher Salvador Perez drilled ago-ahead homer with one outin the ninthinning but was forced to leave the gamewhen Drew Butera collided with him on aplay at the plate after Italy (1-1) tied thescore in the ninth. Venezuela closerFrancisco Rodriguez was also injured onthe play. In Tokyo, Israel beat Cuba 4-1 inthe opening game of Pool E. —Reuters

Cruz missile lifts Dominican

Republic to 7-5 win over US

SAN ANTONIO: Patty Mills had 21 points as theSan Antonio Spurs rolled to a 107-85 victoryover the Golden State Warriors on Saturdaynight in a game short on star power to pullwithin a half-game of the NBA’s top record. Thebig showdown between the league’s top twoteams turned into a huge letdown with bothteams missing their star players. Already with-out Kevin Durant due to a knee injury, GoldenState opted to rest Stephen Curry, KlayThompson, Draymond Green and AndreIguodala. The Spurs were expecting to be with-out Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker and DejounteMurray due to injuries, but received a jolt whenthey were informed that LaMarcus Aldridge willbe out indefinitely with a minor heart arrhyth-mia. Aldridge underwent tests Saturday and willhave more today. Ian Clark had 36 points to leadGolden State, which has dropped three in a rowand five of seven.

WIZARDS 125, TRAIL BLAZERS 124, OTJohn Wall scored 39 points as the Wizards

picked up a controversial road win. It looked as ifMarkieff Morris stepped out of bounds beforemaking a go-ahead baseline jumper with 0.4seconds left in overtime. The crowd at the ModaCenter howled in protest and the players point-ed to the video replay to no avail. Bradley Bealadded 26 points for the Wizards, who have wonfive straight. CJ McCollum scored 34 points forPortland, which had won four in a row. DamianLillard had 33.

HEAT 104, RAPTORS 89Dion Waiters scored 20 points while Tyler

Johnson added 16 as the Heat improved to 21-4over their last 25 games. Goran Dragic scored 15and Hassan Whiteside added 12 points and 14rebounds for Miami. Dragic played only 41 sec-onds in the second half, leaving after taking anelbow from Toronto’s Cory Joseph. Dragic even-tually returned to the bench with an icepackover his right eye, which appeared to be swollennearly shut. DeMar DeRozan scored 17 points forthe Raptors, who have lost 15 of their last 24games. Toronto, still without injured All-Starpoint guard Kyle Lowry, managed only sevenassists - an NBA low for any team this season - on32 field goals.

THUNDER 112, JAZZ 104Russell Westbrook had 33 points, 14 assists

and 11 rebounds for his 32nd triple-double ofthe season, leading Oklahoma City to the victo-ry. Westbrook broke a tie with Wilt Chamberlain(1967-68) for the second-most triple-doubles ina season. Oscar Robertson set the record of 41 in1961-62. Victor Oladipo added 22 points to helpthe Thunder win for the third time in four regu-lar-season meetings with the Jazz. Utah waswithout center Rudy Gobert and forward DerrickFavors because of leg soreness while GordonHayward played only 21 minutes, finishing withnine points - 13 below his average.

PELICANS 125, HORNETS 122, OTAnthony Davis had 46 points and 21

rebounds as the Pelicans defeated the Hornetswith DeMarcus Cousins sitting on the benchduring crunch time. Davis had 15 points in thefourth quarter and nine more in overtime,including a three-point play on an offensiverebound to put the Pelicans ahead for goodwith 1:11 left. Davis finished 18 of 31 from thefield and was 4 of 5 from 3-point range. JordanCrawford had 19 points and Jrue Holiday added15 points and 13 assists as the Pelicansimproved to 3-6 since adding Cousins. ButCousins didn’t play a big role in the win. He did-n’t play after picking up his fifth foul with 9:35left in regulation. The Pelicans’ win offset animpressive night from Marvin Williams, who hada season-high 27 points to go along with 10rebounds for Charlotte.

CAVALIERS 116, MAGIC 104LeBron James had 24 points, 13 assists and 12

rebounds as Cleveland stopped a three-gamelosing streak. Kyrie Irving scored 22 points andTristan Thompson added 14 points and 13rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leadingCavaliers, who had dropped four of five overall.The Magic played them close for much of thegame, but couldn’t match shots with James andthe defending NBA champions down the stretch.Orlando had four players score in double figures,but lost for the fourth time in five games. NikolaVucevic had a team-high 20 points and 16rebounds after missing the previous four gameswith a sore right Achilles.

BUCKS 102, TIMBERWOLVES 95Tony Snell scored 19 points while Giannis

Antetokounmpo had 18 as the Bucks earnedtheir season-high sixth consecutive victory.Milwaukee had seven players score in doublefigures. Matthew Dellavedova scored 16 pointsand Greg Monroe finished with 12. Karl-AnthonyTowns had 35 points and 14 rebounds forMinnesota, which was coming off a victoryagainst Golden State on Friday night. Ricky

Rubio added 22. The Timberwolves got withintwo with just under three minutes remaining ona Rubio jumper but the Bucks held off the latechallenge.

SUNS 100, MAVERICKS 98Devin Booker hit a 19-footer with 1.4 seconds

left to lift Phoenix to the road win. Booker scored25 of his 36 points in the second half. He scoredthe Suns’ final eight points, twice making tyingbaskets. After the Mavericks’ Wesley Matthewsmissed a 3-point attempt, Booker hit the winner.The Mavericks failed to get off a shot before timeexpired. Dirk Nowitzki had 23 points and 11rebounds for Dallas. Harrison Barnes also scored23 points for the Mavericks, making a career-high 13 free throws in 14 attempts.

CLIPPERS 112, 76ERS 100Chris Paul scored 30 points and DeAndre

Jordan had 19 points and 20 rebounds, helpingthe Clippers to their fourth win in five games.Paul also had seven assists and Blake Griffinadded 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Clipperstrailed 79-75 after three quarters but opened thefinal period with a 10-0 run. Los Angeles hasbeaten Philadelphia in 10 of their last 11 meet-ings. Richaun Holmes led Philadelphia with 24points and nine rebounds. Dario Saric added 16points, and Jahlil Okafor had 14. The Sixers havelost four in a row and seven of eight overall.

HAWKS 107, GRIZZLIES 90Taurean Prince scored a career-high 17 points

as the Hawks handed the Grizzlies their fifthstraight loss. Prince had three of Atlanta’s 15 3-pointers. Paul Millsap had 16 points and 11rebounds for the Hawks, and Dennis Schroderfinished with 16 points, eight assists and seven

rebounds. JaMychal Green led Memphis with 20points and 11 rebounds, while Mike Conleyscored 16. Brandan Wright finished with 10points.

NUGGETS 105, KINGS 92Jamal Murray scored 11 of his 14 points in the

fourth quarter as Denver held on for the roadwin. Gary Harris had 24 points and Nikola Jokicadded 20 points and 14 rebounds as theNuggets beat the Kings for the second time insix days to even the season series. It also wasDenver coach Mike Malone’s second straight winover his former team after going 0-4 againstSacramento. More importantly for Denver, theNuggets increased their lead to two games overPortland for the final playoff spot in the West.Buddy Hield had 17 points for Sacramento,which lost its eighth straight. The Kings are 1-8since trading All-Star DeMarcus Cousins to NewOrleans.

PISTONS 112, KNICKS 92Tobias Harris scored 23 of his 28 points in the

first half, leading Detroit to the victory. ThePistons have had some issues with slow startslately, but they raced out to an 18-point lead inthe first quarter against New York. Harris finishedthe period with 11 points in what was anencouraging effort by Detroit, which was com-ing off an emotional win over Cleveland onThursday night. The Pistons are 12-6 since thestart of February and they’ve boosted their post-season hopes in the process. Andre Drummondhad 24 points and 15 rebounds for Detroit whileReggie Jackson had 19 points and eight assists.Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points for theKnicks, who had six players in double figures butlost for the fourth time in five games. —AP

Spurs roll to 107-85

victory over Warriors

SAN ANTONIO: San Antonio Spurs forward Kyle Anderson, left, attempts to shoot againstGolden State Warriors center JaVale McGee during the second half of an NBA basketball game,Saturday, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 107-85. —AP

Eastern ConferenceAtlantic Division

W L PCT GB Boston 41 25 .621 - Toronto 38 28 .576 3 NY Knicks 26 40 .394 15 Philadelphia 23 42 .354 17.5 Brooklyn 11 53 .172 29

Central DivisionCleveland 43 21 .672 - Indiana 33 32 .508 10.5 Detroit 33 33 .500 11 Milwaukee 32 33 .492 11.5 Chicago 31 34 .477 12.5

Southeast DivisionWashington 41 24 .631 - Atlanta 37 29 .561 4.5 Miami 32 34 .485 9.5 Charlotte 29 37 .439 12.5 Orlando 24 43 .358 18

Western ConferenceNorthwest Division

Utah 41 25 .621 - Oklahoma City 37 29 .561 4 Denver 31 35 .470 10 Portland 28 36 .438 12 Minnesota 27 38 .415 13.5

Pacific DivisionGolden State 52 14 .788 - LA Clippers 40 26 .606 12 Sacramento 25 41 .379 27 Phoenix 22 44 .333 30 LA Lakers 20 45 .308 31.5

Southwest DivisionSan Antonio 51 14 .785 - Houston 45 21 .682 6.5 Memphis 36 30 .545 15.5 Dallas 28 37 .431 23 New Orleans 26 40 .394 25.5

NHL results/standings

Denver 105, Sacramento 92; Washington 125, Portland 124 (OT); Atlanta 107, Memphis 90; Phoenix 100, Dallas 98;San Antonio 107, Golden State 85; Milwaukee 102, Minnesota 95; Miami 104, Toronto 89; New Orleans 125, Charlotte122 (OT); Cleveland 116, Orlando 104; Detroit 112, NY Knicks 92; LA Clippers 112, Philadelphia 100; Oklahoma City112, Utah 104.

MIAMI: Dominican Republic’s Carlos Santana follows through on a single to scoreRobinson Cano during the sixth inning against the United States in a first-roundgame of the World Baseball Classic, Saturday, in Miami. At left is US catcher JonathanLucroy. — AP

T WICKENHAM: England coach EddieJones challenged his side to achieve“greatness” by completing back-to-backGrand Slams after they retained their SixNations title with a round to spare follow-ing a 61-21 thrashing of Scotland atTwickenham on Saturday.

Jonathan Joseph scored a hat-trick asEngland ran in seven tries, with OwenFarrell overcoming a leg injury to kick 26points as they overpowered Scotland inposting a record score in the 135th edi-tion of rugby union’s oldest internationalfixture. Victory also saw England equalNew Zealand’s record of 18successive Test wins by aleading nation. England willbreak the world champions’mark if they beat Ireland inDublin next weekend,where a win would also seethem complete a secondstraight clean sweep in theSix Nations. No side hasdone that in the Six Nationsera, with France achievingconsecutive Five NationsGrand Slams in 1997 and1998. England last man-aged the feat in 1992 and1993 “We’ve got a fantasticopportunity,” said Jones, yetto lose a match as England coach sincetaking charge following the hosts’ first-round exit at the 2015 World Cup.

“ I t (would) mean for the playersthey ’ve achieved greatness,” theAustralian added. “How many times inyour life do you get to be great? It’s excit-ing. They’re in the dressing room nowtalking about it. They want to do it.” NextSaturday ’s match takes place on StPatrick’s weekend, with Ireland looking tobounce back from a 22-9 loss to Wales inCardiff on Friday.

‘VULNERABLE ENGLAND’ Jones said Ireland, who ended New

Zealand’s winning streak, would love

nothing more than to spoil England’s par-ty. “Ireland, psychologically, are in a verystrong position,” he added.

“ They’re beaten, they ’re out of thetournament and they love spoiling par-ties. “And the party they’d love to spoilthe most is the England party,” insistedJones, coach of the Australia side beatenby England in the 2003 World Cup final.

“We’re vulnerable, because we’ve won,we’re champions of the Six Nations. “We’regoing to have to work really hard to getourselves right for the game. And we will.”

Having established a 30-7 lead at half-time, England didn’t let upand added 31 more pointsafter the break on Saturday.“The number one team inthe world goes on and fin-ishes that off,” added Jones,whose ultimate ambitionwith England is to dethronethe All Blacks by winningthe 2019 World Cup inJapan. “We’re not beatingour chests and saying we’rethe number one team inthe world, but we aspire tobe the number one team inthe world.” Scotland kickedoff one win away from aTriple Crown and with high

hopes of a first victory at Twickenhamsince 1983. But they were never in thegame, with their wafer-thin defencerepeatedly ripped apart. However, a winover Italy at Murrayfield next weekendcould still see them finish second for thefirst time since the tournament becamethe Six Nations.

That would be a f itt ing way forScotland to see off coach Vern Cotter. TheNew Zealander is leaving to join Frenchclub Montpellier after Scotland felt theyhad to get Glasgow boss GregorTownsend — 10 of whose players were inthe starting XV at Twickenham-on boardas coach of the national side or risk losinghim to an overseas offer.—AFP

Jones wants Six Nations kings

England to seize ‘greatness’

England coach Eddie Jones

S P O RT SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

P W D L F A Pts Chelsea 27 21 3 3 57 20 66 Tottenham 27 16 8 3 53 20 56 Man City 27 17 5 5 53 29 56 Liverpool 28 16 7 5 60 35 55 Arsenal 26 15 5 6 55 31 50 Man United 26 13 10 3 39 22 49 Everton 28 13 8 7 47 30 47 West Bromwich28 11 7 10 36 37 40 Stoke City 28 9 9 10 32 40 36 Southampton 26 9 6 11 32 34 33

West Ham United28 9 6 13 38 49 33 Burnley 28 9 4 15 31 42 31 Watford 27 8 7 12 33 47 31 Bournemouth 28 8 6 14 40 54 30 Leicester City 27 7 6 14 30 45 27 Swansea City 28 8 3 17 36 61 27 Crystal Palace 27 7 4 16 35 46 25 Hull City 28 6 6 16 26 54 24 Middlesbrough27 4 10 13 19 30 22 Sunderland 27 5 4 18 24 50 19

English Premier League table

SOCCER

LONDON: Marouane Fellaini insistsManchester United are confident ofavenging the worst moment of JoseMourinho’s reign when they return toChelsea in the FA Cup quarter-finalstoday. Mourinho’s first visit to StamfordBridge since his sacking as Chelsea bosslast season ended in humiliation as hisformer club romped to a 4-0 victoryover United in October. United haveused the memory of that painful loss tofuel a dominant period which has seenthem lose just twice in all competitionssince then. They lifted the first majortrophy of the Mourinho era with aLeague Cup final victory againstSouthampton last month and remain incontention for further silverware in theFA Cup and Europa League.

Chelsea have been equally powerful,opening up a 10-point lead at the top ofthe Premier League and advancing tothe last eight of the FA Cup as bossAntonio Conte chases a double in hisfirst season as Mourinho’s permanentreplacement in west London.

Although United are 17 pointsbehind Chelsea, United midfielderFellaini is adamant they can turn thetables with a place in the semi-finals upfor grabs. “Obviously we lost there a fewmonths ago, but now it is the FA Cupand we will see what happens,” Fellainisaid. “It will be tight, I think. It is the FACup, it is one game. “They are top of theleague, they have confidence, they havegreat players, but we will show our qual-ity there and see what happens.

“Of course they are confident so let’sgo there and see what we can do.”

FATIGUE Chelsea’s hopes of securing a club

record 13th successive home win mayhave been boosted by the contrastingpreparations the two teams have hadthis week.

While Conte and his players havebeen able to plot Mourinho’s downfall attheir training base since Monday’s win atWest Ham, United were forced toembark on a draining trip to Russianclub Rostov on Thursday in the EuropaLeague. Mourinho bemoaned the poorquality of the pitch in Russia and, withhis players not arriving home until theearly hours of Friday morning, it would

be no surprise if they showed signs offatigue at Stamford Bridge.

Even so, Conte doesn’t anticipate aneasy ride from a team with United’sstrength in depth. “Manchester United,together with (Manchester) City, has thebest squad in the league,” Conte said.

“They have a lot, a number of greatplayers, with great talent and greatexperience to win. “We have a goodidentity, our team. But for sure it will bea really tough game for us and for them.”

Conte’s wild touchline celebrations ofhis team’s goals irked Mourinho inOctober and the United boss accusedhis rival of deliberately stirring up theChelsea fans, who taunted their formeridol with chants of “you’re not specialanymore”.

It will be fascinating to see what sortof reception Mourinho gets fromChelsea’s supporters this time. Butdespite Mourinho’s protests, Conte hasno intention of toning down the touch-line theatrics that have become histrademark this season.

“I’ve shown at Chelsea, not onlyChelsea, every team that I managed thatI live the game with great passion,”Conte said. “Sometimes I want to sharemy enthusiasm, my passion with myplayers, with my staff, also with the fans.I think it’s normal.

“I’m very focused on the pitch. Themind games (with Mourinho) don’tbring you the win. “For me the mostimportant thing is to try to win, then tothink for another celebration.” — AFP

United confident of avenging Chelsea misery says Fellaini

PREVIEW

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s English midfielder Dele Alli (L) vies with Millwall’s English-born Jamaican defender Shaun Cummings (R) andMillwall’s Irish midfielder Shaun Williams during the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Millwall atWhite Hart Lane in London, yesterday. — AFP

Son treble steers Spurs

into FA Cup semifinalsLONDON: Son Heung-Min’s hat-trick firedTottenham into the FA Cup semi-finals, but hisside’s 6-0 victory against Millwall was over-shadowed by Harry Kane’s potentially seriousankle injury. Kane limped off in the 10thminute at White Hart Lane after his ankle twist-ed awkwardly.

The England striker was sidelined with anoth-er ankle problem earlier this season and theinjury is a major worry for Tottenham bossMauricio Pochettino. England manager GarethSouthgate will also be concerned as he is due toname his squad for forthcoming fixtures againstGermany and Lithuania. Tottenham are lookingto win the FA Cup for the first time since 1991and close the gap on Premier League leadersChelsea, but those ambitions would be muchharder to achieve without their leading scorer.Despite Kane’s absence, Tottenham were toostrong for third tier Millwall and they marked thelast FA Cup tie at the Lane before the stadium isdemolished, with a commanding quarter-finaldisplay. Christian Eriksen opened the scoringand Dele Alli and Vincent Janssen were also ontarget, but it was Son who took centre-stagewith his treble. Tottenham will discover theiropponent for next month’s Wembley semi-finalstoday, but news of Kane will be anticipated evenmore eagerly. Given the notorious reputation ofMillwall’s support, much of the pre-match focushad been on the possibility of crowd trouble.There was a tense atmosphere outside the stadi-um before kick off, but a huge police presencemanaged to contain the threat of serious vio-lence despite bottle throwing and minor scuf-fles. Inside, a large segregated area was used tokeep Millwall and Tottenham fans apart, with aline of stewards wearing orange hard hats incase missiles were thrown.

Millwall arrived with a 17-match unbeatenrun that included FA Cup upsets ofBournemouth, Watford and Leicester, but facinga team of Tottenham’s class was a differentproposition altogether. Dominating possessionwith ease, Pochettino’s side battered Millwallfrom start to finish as they cruised to a 16th winfrom 18 home games this season.

INCESSANT PRESSURE Kane’s injury came early, the England star’s

ankle twisting badly after Jake Cooper slid intohim. After several minutes of treatment, Kanelimped off to be replaced by Danish wingerEriksen. It was a big blow for Tottenham givenKane’s red hot form had brought him eight goalsin his last four appearances and 24 for the sea-son. As Tottenham regrouped, Millwall strikerSteve Morison curled wide from 20 yards in arare moment of alarm for the hosts.

But Tottenham’s incessant pressure wasrewarded in the 31st minute when Alli chesteddown a high clearance and Eriksen pounced todrill a low shot into the far corner from just

inside the area. Victor Wanyama powered aheader against the crossbar as Tottenhampressed for the second goal, which arrived inspectacular fashion from Son in the 41st minute.Picked out by Eriksen on the edge of the area,Son cut inside and curled a sublime shot pastKing. Son’s first goal since January was the per-fect way to silence some unsavoury tauntsaimed at him by Millwall fans, and the SouthKorean wasn’t finished yet. Making a perfectly-

timed run onto Kieran Trippier’s pass, Son got inbehind the Millwall defence in the 54th minuteand volleyed a fine finish past King. Alli tappedin Eriksen’s cross for the fourth in the 72ndminute and Janssen made it five seven minuteslater with his first goal from open play for Spurssince signing last year.

There was still time for Son to be gifted histreble in stoppage-time when King let his shotslip through his legs into the net. — AFP

MILAN: Argentinians Mauro Icardi and EverBanega struck a hat-trick apiece asChampions League-chasing Inter Milandemolished high-flying Atalanta with adefiant 7-1 romp yesterday.

Atalanta travelled to the San Siro confi-dent of causing an upset having beatenInter, Napoli and Roma at home in a seasonthat is turning out to be their best to date.

But Gian Piero Gasperini’s men, whohave got used to being welcomed back toBergamo by hundreds of ecstatic fanswhenever they play away, are set for ascolding after a dismal display that sawAtalanta drop two places to sixth.

Gasperini said: “We got a lot of thingswrong today, but in the kind of season thatwe’re having, we can allow ourselves theodd slip-up.

“We’re still targeting the Europa League.”Icardi completed his hat-trick in nine

first-half minutes-including one from thespot when he was tripped in the area-tofire the Nerazzurri to a 3-0 lead by the 26thminute, with Banega netting twice andRemo Freuler hitting a 42nd-minute conso-lation as Inter took a 5-1 half-time lead. Thehosts twisted the knife seven minutes afterthe restart when ex-Atalanta midfielderRoberto Gagliardini slammed the ball paststricken goalkeeper Etrit Berisha and intothe top corner, before Argentina midfielderBanega completed his hat-trick with adeflected free-kick on 68 minutes.

Inter moved up to fourth to sit fivepoints behind Roma, who occupy the thirdand final Champions League qualifyingplace, although the capital club will pulleight points clear of Inter with a win awayto struggling Palermo later.

DEDICATED SONGRoma’s city rivals Lazio, one point

behind Inter in fifth, will leapfrog Inter ifthey account for Torino at home today.

Inter’s fans showed their appreciation ofcoach Stefano Pioli by belting out a dedi-cated song just after the half hour.

Although it gave him goosebumps, Piolisaid nothing has been achieved yet.

“I got quite emotional, it made me reallyhappy,” said Pioli. “I’m happy for everyoneat the club, but now we have to face Torino(away). “We’ve got 10 games left, which is alot. We have to keep our heads down and

work hard. Today we had the per fectapproach, let’s keep it that way.”

Champions Juventus took another steptowards a record sixth consecutive Serie Atitle with a controversial 2-1 win over ACMilan on Friday, when Argentinian starletPaulo Dybala hit a controversial, last-gasppenalty for the hosts.

Massimiliano Allegri’s men are now 10points ahead of Napoli, who saw LorenzoInsigne hit a brace, one from the spot, andBelgian forward Dries Mertens add anotherfrom the penalty spot in a 3-0 home winover struggling Crotone. Days after crash-ing out of the Champions League followinga 6-2 aggregate loss to Real Madrid, Napolicaptain Marek Hamsik said the pressure isnow on Roma. “This win has put themunder a little bit of pressure, we’ll see whathappens,” said the Slovak.

“Now, we have to turn our attention toour trip to Empoli, who are never easy toplay at home.” Elsewhere, Croatia strikerNikola Kalinic saved Fiorentina’s blusheswhen he struck in the dying seconds tosecure a 1-0 home win over Cagliari.

Chievo got back to winning ways follow-ing a 3-1 reverse at AC Milan two weeksago with a 4-0 romp over Empoli in Veronawhere Roberto Inglese, Sergio Pellissier,Valter Birsa and Bostjan Cesar were all ontarget. Chievo remain in midtable, withEmpoli edging dangerously towards therelegation zone. They are only seven pointsahead of third-from-bottom Palermo,although the Sicilians will start as under-dogs against Roma later. —AFP

Icardi, Banega hit hat-tricks

as Inter Milan pummel Atalanta

MILAN: Inter Milan’s forward from Argentina Mauro Icardi (L) fights for the ball withAtalanta’s defender from Brazil Rafael Toloi during the Italian Serie A football matchInter Milan vs Atalanta at “San Siro” Stadium in Milan yesterday. —AFP

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Chelsea v Watford 23:00beIN SPORTS

SPANISH LEAGUE

Osasuna v SD Eibar 22:45beIN SPORTS

ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE

SS Lazio v Torino FC 22:45beIN SPORTS GLASGOW: Clint Hill’s late goal rescued a

point for Rangers in the Old Firm derby andended a 22-match winning run for Celtic inthe Scottish Premiership.

Rangers, with under-20s coach GraemeMurty in charge as new manager PedroCaixinha watched on from the stands, startedbrightly but it was Celtic who took a 35thminute lead through Stuart Armstrong. Withtime running out, veteran defender Hillpopped up in the 88th minute to grab anequaliser as Celtic dropped points for the firsttime since 18 September last year when theywere held to a 2-2 draw with InvernessCaledonian Thistle.

Celtic, however, remain unbeaten in 35domestic matches and still hold a 25 pointadvantage over Aberdeen, who are eightclear of Rangers in the race for second place.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers felt hisside were denied a chance to win it late on.

“We obviously should have had a penaltyright at the death, it was a clear cut penalty,”Rodgers said of a late challenge by Hill onLeigh Griffiths. “But I am proud of the teamtoday. It was a tough game.” Rangers interimmanager Murty was pleased with the spiritshown by his players.

“I thought the players showed a degree oftenacity and grit that they have been ques-tioned about and challenged about for a longtime,” Murty said. “They stood up in a difficultenvironment and managed to get somethingfrom the game and I thought without twooutstanding saves from Craig Gordon theycould have had more.”

CELTIC FURIOUS The Rangers players looked eager to

impress their new on-watching manager andpegged Celtic back in the opening 25 min-utes. Martyn Waghorn picked up a yellowcard for a nasty challenge on Nir Bitton but

worse was to come for the Rangers striker ashe blew a golden chance to fire his side infront. Kenny Miller’s headed knock-on sentthe Englishman clean through on goal butCraig Gordon showed why Celtic handed hima new three-year contract during the week ashe blocked the effort with his out-stretchedfoot. Celtic came closer moments later whenArmstrong’s 20-yard free-kick was turned onto the post by Wes Foderingham with thekeeper also tipping a fierce strike from KieranTierney round the post.

Armstrong then won possession fromJason Holt and fed Mikel Lustig down theright before collecting the return pass andlashing a shot beyond the keeper from theedge of the box.

The Rangers keeper had to be alert at thestart of the second half to tip away a fierceangled strike from Armstrong after the mid-fielder had been played in by a clever reversepass from Scott Sinclair.

Celtic were well on top but a quick break-away presented Rangers with a chance toequalise as Miller delivered the ball into thebox from the left with Waghorn’s effort on theturn stopped by the feet of the advancingGordon. Dembele, who had scored in theprevious three meetings of the sides, cameclose to adding to his tally of five Old Firmgoals when he hit the post with a shot acrossgoal. Rangers threw men forward and it sawthem claim an 88th minute equaliser.Emerson Hyndman’s shot was kept out byGordon but the loose ball fell to 38-year-oldHill who made no mistake from close range.

Celtic were furious when Hill thenappeared to bring Griffiths down in the boxbut the referee waved play on before thedefender then headed a shot from theScotland striker off the line as they deniedthe Hoops a fourth straight Old Firm win thisseason. — AFP

Rangers deny Celtic

in Old Firm draw

16Pospisil vanquishes Murrayat Indian Wells

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 201719

Son treble steers Spurs into FA Cup semifinals

Cruz missile lifts Dominican Republic to 7-5 win over USPage 18

MADRID: Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto, centre, drives the ball past Deportivo’s Raul Albentosa during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Deportivo and Barcelona at the Riazor stadium in A Coruna, Spain, yesterday.—AP

MADRID: Barcelona lost 2-1 at relega-tion-threatened Deportivo La Corunayesterday in its first match after itsamazing win over Paris Saint-Germainin the Champions League, giving RealMadrid a chance to retake the Spanishleague lead.

Without some of the starters fromthe 6-1 victory on Wednesday,Barcelona lacked the same intensitythat it had at the Camp Nou as its 19-game unbeaten streak in the leagueended. Defending championBarcelona stayed on 60 points, oneahead of Madrid, which hosts RealBetis later.

Deportivo, which moved furtherfrom the relegation zone with victoryat the Riazor Stadium, scored once ineach half off corner kicks. Luis Suareznetted Barcelona’s lone goal, andLionel Messi missed one of the team’sbest chances to salvage a draw whenhis free kick in stoppage time sailedover the crossbar.

The game came four days afterBarcelona scored three times in thefinal minutes to reverse the 4-0 first-leg loss to PSG in the Round of 16 ofthe Champions League.

Coach Luis Enrique didn’t startRafinha, Samuel Umtiti and Neymar,who was decisive on Wednesday withtwo goals and two assists. AndresIniesta and Ivan Rakitic only enteredSunday’s match in the second half.

Sergi Roberto, who scored theclincher against PSG in the fifth minuteof stoppage time, played from thestart in La Coruna. Andre Gomes, DenisSuarez and Arda Turan also got achance to play.

Striker Joselu opened the scoringfor Deportivo in the 40th minute witha close-range shot after Barcelonadefender Javier Mascherano failed toclear a loose ball inside the area after acorner. Joselu had missed a chancejust seconds earlier on a shot thatrequired a remarkable save by goal-keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Suarez equalized less than a minuteinto the second half with a right-footstrike after Gomes’ attempt wasblocked. But the hosts went aheadagain in the 74th with a firm header bymidfielder Alex Bergantinos off anoth-er corner. The goal came just moments

after another great save by Ter Stegento a header by Alejandro Arribas.Deportivo, which had won only one ofits last 10 matches, moved to 15thplace with 27 points, eight clear of therelegation zone.

Barca boss Luis Enrique accepted ithad been “difficult” for his side to liftthemselves from the tiredness andeuphoria of pulling off the biggestcomeback in Champions League histo-ry from a 4-0 first-leg deficit.

However, despite missing theinjured Neymar, Suarez claimed Barcahad enough recovery time to put in abetter performance than they showedat Riazor. “There was enough time torecover and we were aware that theleague game was coming,” added theUruguayan.

Barca now lead Real Madrid at thetop of La Liga by just a point havingplayed two games more. Madrid canmove top later with victory at home toReal Betis. And Enrique claimed it willtake a “very strong” end to the seasonin Barca’s remaining 11 league gamesto deliver a third consecutive title.

“Now we have to think that we stillhave matches against our rivals for thetitle to come,” said Enrique. “We aregoing to have to have a very strongend to the season to be able to opt fortrophies.”

REAL SOCIEDAD 0, ATHLETIC BILBAO 2

Real Sociedad’s hopes of qualifyingfor the Champions League took a hitafter a home loss to Athletic Bilbao inthe Basque derby.

Real Sociedad needed a victory atits Anoeta Stadium to stay within onepoint of fourth-placed Atletico Madrid,the first team in the qualifying zone fornext season’s European competition.

Seventh-placed Athletic got on theboard with a 28th-minute penalty kickconverted by Raul Garcia and added tothe lead with Inaki Williams in the 56thafter a mistake by defender AlvaroOdriozola. His pass back to a team-mate came up short and was inter-cepted by Williams. The hosts had agoal disallowed in the 70th after a foulwas called on the attack. It was RealSociedad’s third-straight game with-out a win at Anoeta. — Agencies

Barca suffer PSG hangover in Deportivo defeat

LIVERPOOL: Emre Can’s superb shot guidedLiverpool to a 2-1 home win over Burnley yesterdayand maintained their bid to qualify for next season’sChampions League. Ashley Barnes, with his club’s firstgoal at Anfield since 1975, had given Burnley adeserved early lead only for Georginio Wijnaldum toequalise in first-half injury-time.

And Can struck just after the hour mark to securevictory for Liverpool, although it was a far from con-vincing performance by Jurgen Klopp’s side. Germaninternational Can collected a short pass from DivockOrigi and was allowed space to unleash a right-footshot from 25 yards which the Burnley goalkeeper, TomHeaton, might have been expected to save before itreached the bottom left-hand corner of his net.

Liverpool had gone in at the half-time interval levelalthough it was a scoreline that even the most ardenthome supporter would have admitted was harsh onBurnley. With just two away points to their name allseason-from a still impressive tally of 31 — Sean

Dyche’s team opened the game aggressively and tookthe lead in just the seventh minute.

Right-back Matt Lowton crossed low into the areafrom the wing and, after Andre Gray narrowly missedmaking contact, Barnes slid in ahead of his marker toforce the ball past Liverpool goalkeeper SimonMignolet. Burnley, without a victory at Anfield since1974, would have hoped to reach the interval withoutconceding an equaliser and looked well on course forthat target for the majority of the half.

UNLIKELY EQUALISER Not until the 45th minute did Liverpool enjoy a

‘shot’ on target and that was actually an over-hitdefensive header from Burnley’s Joey Barton whichforced Heaton into a comfortable diving save, his firstof the game. But a minute into first-half injury-time,Liverpool claimed an unlikely equaliser which raisedthe mood around the stadium. Origi, starting in placeof the injured Roberto Firmino, crossed from the leftand Wijnaldum made a lazy attempt to control theball, flicking out a boot and benefitting from a fortu-nate rebound from defender Ben Mee, before drillinghome an unstoppable finish from six yards.

Considering recent dominant home wins overTottenham and Arsenal, it was a disappointing startfrom a Liverpool side which has struggled against thePremier League’s lower-placed clubs this term.Unbeaten against the top six all season, Liverpool’sfive league defeats this term have come against teams

currently in the bottom half of the table-including12th-placed Burnley, who won 2-0 when the sides metat Turf Moor in August. The first half offered little evi-dence those troubles were about to change.

Even before the goal, Burnley’s crosses from theright had caused concern, with Gray’s chip almostfinding Barnes after five minutes. Solid at the back,Burnley also looked the more likely to score a secondgoal after Barnes’s opener.

After 25 minutes, Barnes yet again slipped hismarker, Ragnar Klavan, but was offside as he volleyedwide and Gray shot just over from a difficult angleafter a Lowton throw-in had flicked off James Milner’shead. But the second half opened with Liverpool in farmore determined mood, although their suspectdefending always gave Burnley hope.

Barnes sent a speculative first-time shot wide soonafter the restart before Liverpool finally started tothreaten, with Joel Matip seeing a shot blocked from aPhilippe Coutinho cross.

Can’s goal was still harsh on Burnley, although thevisitors almost found a route back into the game justthree minutes later, when Mee headed a free-kickacross goal and Barnes’s effort was blocked by Klavan.

Both teams squandered late chances for furthergoals. Sadio Mane had only Heaton to beat but sawthe Burnley keeper tip his 12-yard shot over the bar inthe closing stages before Lowton missed a gloriousopportunity to equalise, shooting wide from a scram-ble in the area in stoppage-time. — AFP

Can the man as Liverpool beat Burnley

Liverpool 2

Burnley 1

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum scores his side’s first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Burnley atAnfield, Liverpool, England, yesterday. — AP

BusinessMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

Nissan Al-Babtain wins 2 gold medals at 2016 Nissan Skills Contests

Page 252017 Cadillac XT5 crossover earns 2016 Top Safety Pick+ rating

Page 26Ivanka Trump is exception to dad’s ‘Buy American’ ruleWarba partners with Al-Ghanem Auto for financing on Ford cars

Page 23Page 22

KUWAIT: Zain Group holding its annual Ordinary General Assembly at the company’s headquarters in Shuwaikh yesterday.

KUWAIT: Zain Group, a leading mobile telecominnovator in eight markets across the Middle Eastand Africa announces holding its annual OrdinaryGeneral Assembly at the company’s headquartersin Shuwaikh, Kuwait yesterday and after satisfyingthe legal quorum requirements with 66.79 percent,approved the distribution of a cash dividend of 35fils ($0.11) per share for the financial year ended 31December, 2016. Additionally, after passing a num-ber of items on its agenda, the meeting saw theelection of the Group Board of Directors for thenext three years.

The incoming Board members now constitutethe following:

Mohannad Mohammad Al-Kharafi; Bader NasserAl-Kharafi; Ahmed Tahous Al-Tahous (the representa-tive of the Kuwait Investment Authority); the corpo-rate entities: Fajer Al-Nasim for selling and buyingstocks represented by Houssam Fawzi Al-Kharafi;Nasim Al-Delta for selling and buying stocks repre-sented by Khaled Ali Al-Ghanim; Abeer Al-Shorouqfor selling and buying stocks represented by TalalJassem Al-Kharafi; Jawharat Gibla for selling andbuying stocks represented by Faisal Nizar Al-Nusif;and Dana Al-Qebla for selling and buying stocks rep-resented by Khaled Waleed Al-Falah.

The newly-elected board of directors met imme-diately after the election and appointed MohannadMohammed Al-Kharafi as the Chairman of ZainGroup, Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi as Vice-Chairmanand Chief Executive Officer of Zain Group, andappointed Scott Gegenheimer in a new role asChief Executive Officer of Operations.

During the General Assembly, Zain Groupreported an increase in net profit by 2 percentyear-on-year to reach KD 157 million ($519 million),reflecting earnings per share of 40 fils ($0.13). Totalannual consolidated revenue for the year amount-

ed to KD 1.1 billion ($3.6 billion), while EBITDAgrew 3 percent to KD 512 million ($1.7 billion). ZainGroup’s customer base grew by 3 percent duringthe year, reaching more than 47 million customers.

Also during the General Assembly, ChairmanAsaad Ahmed Al-Banwan explained that Zain’sfinancial results were affected by social unrest andsecurity risks in several of the company’s markets,along with fluctuations in currency exchange ratesand monetary policies that were imposed in somemarkets. For the full-year 2016, foreign currencytranslation impact, driven by the 60 percent cur-rency devaluation in Sudan from 6.4 to 15.9 (SDG /USD) at the beginning of November 2016, cost Zain

Group $92 million in revenue, and $38 million inEBITDA. Most notably, net income was affected by$140 million due to currency variance loss in 2016.

The Chairman commented, “The Group contin-ued its strategy to diversify its business amidlarge shifts in the telecommunications industry.We also made tremendous progress in focusingon the operational efficiency, strengthening ourplans to rationalize costs and capital expendi-tures. With respect to total capital expenditure,this totaled $635 million for the year (excludingZain Saudi Arabia).”

Al-Banwan continued, “Zain has succeeded inbuilding a solid foundation for its strategic busi-ness init iatives, ensuring al l of our strategicinvestments are geared towards maximizingshareholder wealth.”

During the annual General Assembly, the ViceChairman, Bader Al-Kharafi said, “The result of sev-eral factors beyond our control negatively impact-ed our overall operational performance in 2016, aswe witnessed worsening social economic develop-

ments affecting Zain operations in Iraq and Sudan.“Al-Kharafi continued, “Amidst these difficult cir-

cumstances, Zain still made strategic and opera-tional progress, and in Saudi Arabia, for example,the decision from the Communications andInformation Technology Commission to extendZain Saudi Arabia’s license for an additional 15years was a significant boost to the operationthere. This decision will have a positive impact onthe financial and operational performance of ZainSaudi Arabia, which will contribute in reducing theamortization license charges estimated at approxi-mately SAR 433 million ($115 million) a year.”

Al-Kharafi explained that Zain Iraq succeeded in

reaching a negotiated settlement with the coun-try’s Finance Ministry related to an imposition of acapital gains tax on its acquisition of Iraqna in2007. This resulted in the lifting of restrictions onthe trading of Zain Iraq’s shares, access to the com-pany’s bank deposits, and the waiving of penaltiesand interest on taxes.

The Vice Chairman revealed that the Group cur-rently enjoys a strong presence geographically,with a balanced range of markets that are at differ-ent stages of growth. Zain continues to be a marketleader with respect to market share in five of itseight markets of operation.

Al-Kharafi added, “Zain Group continues to focuson innovation in digital services, and to invest inthe business sector, and we expect our investmentprogram to drive us in new areas as we collaboratewith innovative technology players.”

Zain has identified service provision in the smart

cities space and in B2B/enterprise sector as signifi-cant growth areas and has been investing accord-ingly. Such developments fall under the ZainDigital Frontier and Innovation (ZDFI) businessstrategy, a unit that was established in 2014, andcharged with launching Zain into the digital spacewith the view to growing the company throughnew innovative business streams, which add to itsfinancial viability and market capitalization.

Al-Kharafi concluded, “We are committed to ourstrategy to leverage our strengths, including ourpeople, brand, customer experience, cutting edgetechnology innovations, and geographic coverage

in our bid to become a diversified and innovativedigital lifestyle operator.”

The company ’s 2016 Annual Report can bedownloaded in Arabic and English from this link:http://www.zain.com/investor-relations/financial-reports.

• Zain Group held its annual Ordinary General Assembly in agathering that constituted a quorum of 66.79% and approved acash dividend of 35 fils.

• Vice-Chairman Bader Al Kharafi: “Investments in emergingtechnologies will diversify our revenue streams.”

• New Board of Directors elected for three years; ScottGegenheimer given new role as CEO of Operations.

The newly-elected board of directors met immediately afterthe election and appointed Mohannad Mohammed Al-Kharafias the Chairman of Zain Group, Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi asVice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Zain Group, andappointed Scott Gegenheimer in a new role as Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Operations

Zain Group Vice Chairman and CEO Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi

Zain Group Chairman Mohannad Mohammad

Al-Kharafi

Zain Group approves cash dividend of 35 filsMohannad Al-Kharafi elected Zain Group Chairman, Bader Al-Kharafi Vice-Chairman and CEO

Asaad Al-Banwan (left) and Zain Group Vice Chairman and CEO Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi attend thehgeneral assembly meeting.

B U S I N E S SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

EXCHANGE RATES

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

ASIAN COUNTRIESJapanese Yen 2.691Indian Rupees 4.598Pakistani Rupees 2.921Srilankan Rupees 2.026Nepali Rupees 2.880Singapore Dollar 218.110Hongkong Dollar 39.469Bangladesh Taka 3.825Philippine Peso 6.094Thai Baht 8.750

GCC COUNTRIESSaudi Riyal 81.775Qatari Riyal 84.224Omani Riyal 796.388Bahraini Dinar 814.270UAE Dirham 83.490

ARAB COUNTRIESEgyptian Pound - Cash 22.400Egyptian Pound - Transfer 18.170Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.231Tunisian Dinar 134.110Jordanian Dinar 431.710Lebanese Lira/for 1000 2.043Syrian Lira 2.185Morocco Dirham 30.799

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIESUS Dollar Transfer 306.450Euro 325.760Sterling Pound 376.470Canadian dollar 229.810Turkish lira 82.980

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

BAHRAIN EXCHANGE COMPANY WLL

Swiss Franc 304.470Australian Dollar 235.050US Dollar Buying 305.250

GOLD20 Gram 252.38010 Gram 129.1105 Gram 65.400

Rate for Transfr Selling RateUS Dollar 306.350Canadian Dolla 227.680Sterling Pound 374.005Euro 324.165Swiss Frank 312.830Bahrain Dinar 812.110UAE Dirhams 83.800Qatari Riyals 85.025Saudi Riyals 82.620Jordanian Dinar 433.255Egyptian Pound 17.453Sri Lankan Rupees 2.025Indian Rupees 4.588Pakistani Rupees 2.921Bangladesh Taka 3.850Philippines Pesso 6.078Cyprus pound 168.231Japanese Yen 3.675Syrian Pound 2.431Nepalese Rupees 3.865Malaysian Ringgit 69.600

KUWAIT: Warba Bank - the best investmentbank in Kuwait as well as the Best CorporateAdvisory- revealed its new partnership withAl-Ghanem Auto - the exclusive dealer forFord cars in Kuwait. By the terms of this spon-sorship, customers willing to own the brandnew Ford have the opportunity today to ownit through a flexible monthly installment planwith cash price.

This partnership is the second betweenboth institutions out of which Warba seeks tocater to customers’ needs, expand its bankingsolutions while further distinguish its clientswith smart banking solutions complying with

Islamic Sharia. Warba cars’ financing solutionare tailor-made based on flexibility and con-venience; the installment plan will have theoriginal value of the car with no profit added.The maximum financing value is 15K KD withup to 5 years’ settlement. In addition, thebank has facilitated the procedure and condi-tions of car financing where no down pay-ment is needed nor salary transfer.

The offer include selected array of 2016 &2017 Ford cars’ models such as: Figo, Fiesta,Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Ecosport, entirely newEdge, Explorer, Expedition & F150. A warrantyof 5 years or 100K Km is included in order to

ensure peace of mind to all owners of Ford.Such amazing prices and special facilities candefinitely pave the way to easily take thedecision of buying a new Ford car via month-ly installments.

This new offer has been custom-designedbased on Warba’s deep understanding ofcustomers’ preferences in obtainingAmerican-made automotive cars, which arehugely popular in the Kuwaiti market inobservance of their comfort, moderndesigns, high-end technology, durability andgrandeur. A professional team from WarbaBank is available at all automotive agencies

across Kuwait where they effectively answerthe customers’ inquiries, give a broad expla-nation about the banks’ leading financialsolution as well as the offers related to cars’financing.

The new partnership between WarbaBank & Al-Ghanem Auto is an importantaddition to the bank’s existing partnershipswith leading automotive agencies in Kuwait.By which, Warba seeks to provide its cus-tomers with distinguished offers throughdiversifying its offerings, giving them moreoptions to choose their preferred new carmodel according to flexible settlement

methods to ease their financial burdens.Warba Bank was established pursuant toAmiri decree and officially registered as anIslamic bank by the Kuwaiti central bank on5 April, 2010. It offers a bundle of compre-hensive integrated services and bankingsolutions that comply with the Islamic shariajurisdiction, and such services are offeredthrough three groups or services, namely,the Banking Group, the Company FinancingGroup and the Investment and TreasuryGroup. The bank has 10 branches in strategiclocations with over 400 employees workingunder its umbrella.

CURRENCY BUY SELLEurope

British Pound 0.368223 0.378223Czech Korune 0.003978 0.015978Danish Krone 0.039543 0.044543Euro 0. 318667 0.327667Norwegian Krone 0.032007 0.037207Romanian Leu 0.071375 0.071375Slovakia 0.009195 0.019195Swedish Krona 0.029918 0.034918Swiss Franc 0.296184 0.307184Turkish Lira 0.077284 0.087584

AustralasiaAustralian Dollar 0.225073 0.237073New Zealand Dollar 0.208300 0.217800

AmericaCanadian Dollar 0.223351 0.232351Georgina Lari 0.138411 0.138411US Dollars 0.302350 0.306750US Dollars Mint 0.302850 0.306750

AsiaBangladesh Taka 0.003505 0.004089Chinese Yuan 0.042973 0.046473Hong Kong Dollar 0.037378 0.040128Indian Rupee 0.002656 0.004753

Indonesian Rupiah 0.000018 0.000024Japanese Yen 0.002604 0.002784Kenyan Shilling 0.002979 0.002979Korean Won 0.000257 0.000272Malaysian Ringgit 0.065174 0.071174Nepalese Rupee 0.002967 0.003137Pakistan Rupee 0.002682 0.002972Philippine Peso 0.005999 0.006299Sierra Leone 0.000038 0.000044Singapore Dollar 0.211859 0.221859South African Rand 0.017665 0.026065Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001668 0.002248Taiwan 0.009809 0.009989Thai Baht 0.008398 0.008948

ArabBahraini Dinar 0.806293 0.814793Egyptian Pound 0.013840 0.023093Iranian Riyal 0.000085 0.000086Iraqi Dinar 0.000195 0.000255Jordanian Dinar 0.426566 0.435566Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000Lebanese Pound 0.000153 0.000253Moroccan Dirhams 0.020184 0.044184Nigerian Naira 0.000403 0.001038Omani Riyal 0.789553 0.795233Qatar Riyal 0.083363 0.084813Saudi Riyal 0.080633 0.081933Syrian Pound 0.001300 0.001520Tunisian Dinar 0.130288 0.138288Turkish Lira 0.077284 0.087584UAE Dirhams 0.082011 0.083711Yemeni Riyal 0.000996 0.001076

Chinese Yuan Renminbi 44.715Thai Bhat 9.655Turkish Lira 82.090

Warba partners with Al-Ghanem Auto for financing on Ford cars

ADDIS ABABA: Electric light railway tracks soarover Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, a rare exam-ple of mass transit infrastructure on a continentruled by ramshackle, diesel-spewing buses.

But despite government promises, the roadsbelow are still clogged with traffic 14 monthsafter the light rail system’s opening, and formany residents the city’s network of overcrowd-ed minibus taxis remain the only option. “It’s bet-ter than nothing,” said retiree Zerayakob Assefa,dismissing the half a billion dollar investmentwith a shrug as he waited for a train to the city’seastern suburbs. When one did arrive, 15 min-utes later, it was so packed he could not board.

“I will never get on it again!” said one exasper-ated passenger as she squeezed from thejammed car. Opened in September 2015, thelight rail was supposed to ease traffic in the capi-tal of Africa’s second most populous country. It isthe first system of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa,and has caught the attention of other cities suchas Lagos and Nairobi which are planning theirown traffic-reducing tramways.

Ethiopian officials have touted the two-line,34-kilometre system as a sign of the dividendsthe country’s rapid economic growth is payingto its people. One of the continent’s best-per-forming economies, Ethiopia grew by nearly 10percent in 2015, according to the World Bank.

Excitement fades But growth is expected to slow due to a

drought and a recent series of anti-governmentdemonstrations that have targeted foreign busi-nesses. That has not stopped Prime MinisterHailemariam Desalegn’s administration fromploughing money into Chinese-built infrastruc-ture projects including dams, airport terminalsand highways. The light railway was built by theChina Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC)at a cost of $475 million (447 million euros), 85percent of which was covered by China’s Export-Import Bank.

Excited commuters queued for hours to bethe first to ride the tramway when it opened butnow say it is not the transportation game-changer they had hoped for. With ticket pricesfrom $0.10 to $0.30, the train is comparable tothe cost of a bus ride but the light rail is over-crowded and the network reaches only certainneighborhoods, commuters said.

Many in the city of four million are left withno choice but to rely on the “blue donkeys”, asAddis Ababa’s cramped minibuses are known.“They are full inside,” electronics salesmanAndulam Alemu said of the light rail as he wait-ed in a queue to board a minibus in theKazanchis neighborhood. “Still there is the prob-lem of transport.”

Some even blamed the light railway forincreasing traffic. While the tracks are elevated inparts of town, in others they cut between andthrough lanes of traffic, leaving thoroughfaressnarled with cars, complained minibus driverAmin Ansar. “Even in the places where the railsare located, it’s made traffic worse, because youcan’t cross to the other side,” Ansar said.

No quick fix Awoke Mulu, a spokesman for the Addis

Ababa Light Rail Transit Service, said the trainshave already carried 50 million passengers andmade a “positive impact” on their commute butthat the city’s large and rapidly growing popula-

tion makes the job difficult. “We cannot say weare eliminating the transport problem, becausethe number of people in the city is increasing,”Mulu said. Wear and tear is also taking its tollwith around a third of the 41 light rail cars out ofaction and undergoing repairs, exacerbatingdelays and overcrowding.

Elias Kassa, a professor of railway science atthe Norwegian University of Science andTechnology, said planners had failed to integratethe new light rail with the pre-existing bus sys-tem. Whether rail or bus, commuters have towalk long distances and scramble across busyroads to catch public transport, a flaw Kassawarned could ultimately undermine the networkif not corrected.

Still, he called the system a good start for agrowing city trying to keep up with its trans-port needs. “The goal was to alleviate short-age of transport system, mainly for people oflower income,” Kassa said. “If you think of that,I’d say it has obtained the goal, not fully, butto some extent.” —AFP

Light railway fails to fix

Ethiopia’s traffic woesRoads are still clogged after opening of mass transit system

ADDIS ABABA: This file photo taken on April 3, 2015 shows view due west from the Meskel Square station of the Addis Ababa light rail. Electriclight railway tracks soar over Ethiopia’s capital, a rare example of mass transit infrastructure on a continent ruled by ramshackle, diesel-spew-ing buses.

ADDIS ABABA: Despite government promises, the roads below the electric rail system are stillclogged with traffic for 14 months after its opening. —AFP photos

LAGOS: Hard currency curbs imposedby Nigeria’s central bank have helpedboost local food production, centralbank governor Godwin Emefiele wasquoted as saying by two newspapersyesterday. Entrepreneurs have criticizeda halt to hard currency allocations bythe central bank for the impor t ofalmost 700 goods to prop up the nairahammered by a fall in oil revenues andboost local food production.

“This policy was basically borne out ofnecessity to conserve foreign exchange,”Emefiele said in a speech, referring to theimport ban, according to Vanguardnewspaper. “This policy needs to be sup-ported not just in response to the pres-sure on the naira but as an opportunityto change the economy’s structure,resuscitate local manufacturing and

expand job creation for our citizens,” headded. Emefiele also said Egypt’s experi-ence with a free float of its currency didnot convince him Nigeria should followsuit as it might increase inflation. “I haveheard commentators suggest we shouldfollow Egypt’s example and free thenaira,” Emefiele said, according to THIS-DAY newspaper.

“What they do not tell you is that fol-lowing their currency adjustments infla-tion today in Egypt is over 30 percent. Isthat what we want in Nigeria?” he said.The central bank has faced criticism frominvestors for keeping the naira at a ratesome 30 percent above the black marketwhere entrepreneurs are forced to goamid dollar scarcity on official channels.The central bank was not immediatelyavailable for comment. — Reuters

LONDON: British homebuilder Bovis hasrejected a bid approach from rival GallifordTry but remains in negotiations about apossible deal, the firm said yesterday,adding it had also rejected a proposal fromanother suitor, Redrow. A tie up betweenGalliford and Bovis would see the country’ssixth- and eighth-biggest housebuilderscombine in search of economies of scale inan industry which has reported rising prof-its in recent years and so far shown littlevulnerability to Britain’s exit from theEuropean Union.

Bovis, which lost its CEO in Decemberfollowing a profit warning, said in Februaryit would slow construction this year andfocus on improving the quality of its homesafter complaints from some buyers.“Discussions with Galliford Try are ongoing,”a Bovis statement said. It said an initial all-share offer had been rejected, alongside ashare and cash bid from Redrow becauseneither reflected the underlying value ofthe firm. Galliford confirmed it was in talksover a possible purchase, saying it hadmade an offer that would value the entireissued equity of Bovis at 1.19 billion pounds($1.45 billion), or 886 pence per share.

Bovis shares closed at 828 pence onFriday. Galliford said a merger could “createa new major housebuilder with nationalscale and geographic coverage” as well asdelivering synergies from combining thetwo firms’ “operational structures, sourcing

and operating practices.” Its offer proposedan equity split in the combined group of52.25 percent to Galliford shareholders and47.75 percent to Bovis shareholders.

NO TO REDROWBovis said it had terminated discussions

with Redrow after the firm indicated it wasnot willing to improve its offer. “The boardalso concluded that the Redrow proposalwas not in the interests of Bovis sharehold-ers as the cash element of the offer wouldrequire shareholders to crystallise value atthe current Bovis valuation,” the Bovisstatement said.

Earlier this year, Bovis said it saw littlelogic in a merger with another rival,Berkeley, after a media report said an influ-ential Bovis shareholder wrote to Berkeleyasking it to consider such a step.

The last major consolidation in the mar-ket occurred nearly a decade ago whenTaylor Woodrow and George Wimpeymerged to form Taylor Wimpey, becomingBritain’s biggest housebuilder at the time.The sector has been buoyed by a lack ofnew housing supply which has pushed upprices and spurred several governmentschemes designed to support home buy-ing. But Bovis has struggled to capitalise onthese conditions, and in Februaryannounced a 7 million pound hiring spreein response to the complaints about poorquality housing. — Reuters

BERLIN: Ground staff at Berlin’s two airportswill start a 25-hour strike today, the Verdiunion said yesterday, stepping up action ina pay dispute that has already caused thecancellation of around 1,000 flights.

Workers at Berl in’s Tegel andSchoenefeld airports will walk out at 4 amlocal time (0300 GMT) today and end theaction tomorrow morning at about 5 amlocal time (0400 GMT ), said Verdi in astatement. Lufthansa said it would cancelal l f l ights today from Frankfur t andMunich to Berlin, and from Germany’scapital to those cities. It did not say howmany flights that involved.

The union wants an increase in pay forground staff to 12 euros ($12.80) an hourfrom about 11 euros as part of a one-yearcollective agreement.

The employer is offering about 10 centsmore an hour over four years. As well asLufthansa, carriers including Air Berlin,easyJet and Ryanair serve the two airports.Ground staff jobs include checking in pas-sengers, loading and unloading planesand directing aircraft on the tarmac.

Tens of thousands of passengers werestranded in Berlin on Friday as the laststrike by ground staff led to the cancella-tion of nearly 700 flights. — Reuters

UK builder Bovis in talks with

Galliford Try after rejecting bids

Nigeria CB governor defends

policy of limiting imports

Berlin airport workers

to strike again today

B U S I N E S SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

WASHINGTON: The US Federal Reserve thisweek is poised to raise its benchmark interestrate amid burgeoning job growth and asurge of market optimism since PresidentDonald Trump took office.

Central bankers on Friday likely got thefinal push they needed, if they were in anydoubt, after a strong employment showing235,000 net new jobs created in February andthe unemployment rate moving down atenth of a point to 4.7 percent. Even beforethe jobs report, and despite lingering ques-tions about Trump’s economic agenda, keyfigures on the Federal Open MarketCommittee, which sets the federal funds rate,were sending clear signals that a rateincrease was likely.

The FOMC is due to announce its decisionat the end of the two-day meeting onWednesday. Fed Vice Chairman StanleyFischer said recently that if there had been a“conscious effort” among Fed members to

raise the public’s expectations, “I’m about tojoin it.” Analysts who are widely expecting amove note the central bank largely has metits targets for unemployment and inflation,despite some sour notes in other data.“They’ve virtually achieved their dual man-date,” Mickey Levy, chief Americas economistat Berenberg Capital Markets, told AFP. “Thisis really a simple decision.”

On Friday afternoon, the Fed fund futuresmarket put the probability of a 25-basis-pointincrease at 93 percent. The world’s largesteconomy has steadily pumped out new jobssince mid-2016, with the three-month averagefor job creation at 209,000 for Decemberthrough February. And the unemployment ratehas remained below five percent since May.

Meanwhile, in January the price index forpersonal consumption expenditures, theFed’s preferred inflation measure, hit itsfastest annual pace in more than four years,reaching 1.9 percent, just shy of the two per-

cent target. And consumer confidence inFebruary was at a 15-year high.

Reasons for caution However, in remarks earlier this month,

Fed Governor Lael Brainard, among the mostdovish of FOMC members, said there couldbe “room for further improvement” in theeconomy. While generally supportive of rais-ing rates, Brainard said so-called core PCE, aninflation measure that excludes volatile foodand fuel prices, has been below the Fed tar-get for most of the past eight years.

And too many prime-age workers remainoutside the labor force and too many part-time workers were struggling to find full-timeemployment, she added. Steven Ricchiuto ofMizuho Securities agreed that, beyond hiringand inflation, some economic data were lessthan convincing.

“To me, it makes the appropriate sense towait until May” for a rate hike, he told AFP.

Ricchiuto pointed to a sharp slowdown infourth quarter growth, which hit a sluggish1.9 percent, and a widening trade deficit,which is likely to weigh on growth this quar-ter. January also saw a decline in personalconsumption, with warm weather depressingutility bills, and industrial production, not tomention disappointing auto sales and fallinghousing starts. Furthermore, given theupheaval in Congress, it is not clear when or ifTrump’s expansionary policies will get off thelaunch pad, he added.

“I don’t think it’s coming right down thepipeline,” Ricchiuto said. The Fed has indicat-ed it may need to raise rates faster if theTrump administration passes its promised taxcuts and spending program.

Policy too easy However, Berenberg’s Levy said that,

adjusted for inflation, the real federal fundsrate was actually negative, and the Fed still

has a “bloated” balance sheet because of allthe securities it bought during the crisis to tryto boost the economy. “Don’t lose sight ofwhere we are now. That’s just excessive mon-etary ease,” he said, adding that even ifTrump’s stimulus measures founder inCongress, a rate hike could still be in order.

Jon Faust, a former advisor to the FederalReserve Board, agreed. “The economic dataare always mixed. You never wait until allsigns are pointing in the same direction,” hetold AFP. “It’s not that you’d be late, you’d benever.” “As of now, this move is not premisedon some big stimulus passing. The data havebeen solid. It warrants another tiny step,” hesaid. “A quarter point, given where we areright now, is not stepping on the brakes.”

Fed officials have made the same point,saying even with an increase, interest rateswill still be low and supportive of growth,but they are gradually trying to get back tonormal. —AFP

Sooner than expected, US Fed feels it’s time to hike

BEIJING: In his January inauguration speech, USPresident Donald Trump made a seeminglystraightforward pledge: “We will follow two sim-ple rules: buy American and hire American.” Hisdaughter is the exception: even as he spoke, atleast eight shipments of Ivanka Trump-brandedshoes, bags and clothes-more than 53.5 tons-were steaming towards American ports fromChina, according to US Customs bills of landingexamined by AFP.

Trump uses his presidential pulpit to censuremanufacturers-both domestic and foreign-forusing overseas labor to make goods forAmerican consumers, but the Ivanka-brandedorders have kept rolling in. More than two tonsof ladies’ polyester woven blouses, 1,600cowhide leather wallets and 23 tons of made-in-China footwear were among at least 82 suchshipments that passed US Customs-almost oneper business day-from Trump’s November 8election win through February 26, recordsshowed. The goods were made in China bythree US companies holding licenses to manu-facture products for Ivanka Trump’s fashion line:garment maker G-III, Mondani Handbags andMarc Fisher Footwear.

Marc Fisher told AFP it had no comment,while the others did not respond to requests.The first daughter’s business has come underscrutiny since major US department store chainNordstrom announced in February it would stopcarrying her products, citing poor sales.

That provoked a scathing attack from Trumpand his advisers and even prompted seniorcounsellor Kellyanne Conway to urge Americansto go out and buy his daughter’s products.

The Washington Post reported this week thatmany had done just that, with February provinga banner month for the brand, in terms of sales.

‘Very hypocritical’ More than 1,200 shipments of Trump-brand-

ed products have flowed into the US from Chinaand Hong Kong over the past decade, accordingto an examination of US import data last year byanti-Trump political action committee OurPrinciples PAC. During his campaign, Trumpdefended the licensing of the Trump name forgoods made in China-from shoes to ties to dressshirts-as smart business.

But at the same time he frequently accusedChina of stealing US jobs through unfair tradepractices and currency manipulation, while alsoslamming US firms such as Ford and Nabisco for

off-shoring. Since taking office, he has kept upthe pressure, vowing to punish domestic andforeign companies that manufacture abroadwith massive tariffs of as much as 45 percent.His frequent fusillades have led some companiesto second-guess decisions to build productionfacilities overseas. In February, Japanese firmNisshinbo Holdings, a leading global maker ofautomobile brake parts, dropped plans to opena factory in Mexico, saying it was due to Trump’strade policies. But the president has beennotably silent on his daughter’s products, whichare sold in American retailers like Macy’s, Lord &Taylor and TJ Maxx. G-III alone sold $29.4 millionof the goods in 2015, and sales in the first ninemonths of 2016 were up $13.3 million over thesame period the previous year, according to thecompany’s public filings. But rather than chidehis daughter’s partners for making their prod-ucts abroad, Trump instead lashed out atNordstrom last month after it announced itwould stop carrying Ivanka’s fashion range.

“My daughter has been treated so unfairly by@Nordstrom,” he tweeted. Christopher Balding,an expert on Sino-US trade relations at PekingUniversity, called it “very hypocritical to make(bringing jobs back to the US) a policy plank andmanufacture her products in China”.

But “in their defense... she couldn’t get thoseproducts manufactured in the US at a reason-

able price point.” However, a long-time garmentindustry executive who spoke on condition ofanonymity told AFP simple products like poly-ester dresses could “definitely” be made in theUS at a similar price once savings from trans-portation and tariffs are factored in.

“The less labor involved in making the gar-ment, the more they can compete with Asianmanufacturers.”

‘Tough policies’ Late last month, Ivanka sat in on a White

House meeting where her father discussed“tough policies” to bring “our jobs back”.“Everything is going to be based on bringing ourjobs back,” the president said, as he addressed agroup of manufacturing moguls from a dozenAmerican firms.

Following the meeting, a spokesperson forthe Ivanka Trump brand told AFP the companyhas “consistently expressed that we share indus-try leaders’ interest in bringing more manufac-turing opportunities to the US and are lookingforward to being a part of the conversation”. Justnot yet: two days later, more than 5,000 IvankaTrump polyester blouses arrived in Newark, NewJersey. And at least one shoe factory in southernChina has received an order for 10,000 shoes fornext season, according to Chinese newspaperthe Global Times. — AFP

KUWAIT: Globe Express Services (GES)has revealed that its commitment to ‘Makea Difference’ and give back to the commu-nity has widely been reflected in its newlylaunched ‘One Shipment One Dollar’ socialcampaign, an initiative that seeks to helpunderprivileged children inpursuing their right to an edu-cation. The global CorporateSocial Responsibility (CSR)program will bring hope andjoy to young generationsworldwide.

Under the initiative, GES willdonate $1 for every executedshipment across any of theirinternational offices through-out the period of March 1st toAugust 31st, 2017. The totalproceeds of this campaign willbe contributed to selected NGOs comingfrom respective countries that deal withbuilding and securing a safe learning envi-ronment for kids.

Mustapha Kawam, GES President &CEO, said: “Globe Express Servicesbelieves that education is a key factor inbuilding stronger and sustainable com-munities. Each one of us should feelresponsible towards helping childrendevelop their personal identity throughgetting a proper education. By doing thelatter, we will contribute to the society’soverall well-being. Despite all the socialbarriers and limitations in having accessto quality education especially indeprived areas, GES plays a leading role inproviding its educational support. Theteam behind our campaign will collabo-rate with relevant organizations to guar-

antee a proper implementation of this ini-tiative where all children will be receivingthe needed assistance.”

Through this six-month ‘One ShipmentOne Dollar’ campaign, GES will provideunderprivileged children with the oppor-

tunity to obtain a proper edu-cation and develop their fullpotential in a safe environ-ment away from any harm. Ontop of that, GES encouragesits employees and loyal cus-tomers worldwide to supportthis CSR initiative by donatingtheir unwanted clothes,shoes, toys and accessories tothese children.

“Smiles and joy will fillthose kids’ hearts, some ofwhom do not even have the

basic essentials of life. Through our ‘OneShipment One Dollar’ initiative, we look for-ward to do whatever it takes to transformtheir lives into a better future. Children willfeel empowered and will gradually be ableto uplift their country and promote peace-ful communities. Real giving meansMaking a Difference in an individual’s lifeand eventually his surroundings. We inviteeveryone to join hands and be part in thisnoble act,” Kawam added.

This campaign will leverage GES inter-national networks and strengthen itsposition as one of the world’s leadinglogistics companies. The campaign willalso encourage new business collabora-tions and strategic partnerships with cor-porations that share a common goal ofinvesting in less fortunate societies andsecure a decent future for them all.

BEIJING: The risk of a steep slide in China’seconomy has reduced, the head of a gov-ernment research centre said yesterday,adding the country had moved through an“L-shaped” pattern of slowing to now “hori-zontal” growth.

China’s economy grew 6.7 percent lastyear, according to the government, theslowest pace in 26 years. The country metits growth target with support from recordbank loans, a speculative housing boomand billions in government investment. Butas Beijing moves to cool the housing mar-ket, slow new credit and tighten its pursestrings, China will have to depend more ondomestic consumption and private invest-ment. The government last week trimmedits economic growth target to about 6.5percent for this year.

Li Wei, the director of the DevelopmentResearch Center of the State Council,China’s cabinet, said many positive eco-nomic signs were emerging domesticallyand internationally, and the risk of a largeslide in economic growth had “clearly low-ered”. China’s economic development hasgone from a “downward stroke in the L-shape to the horizontal stroke”, the officialXinhua news agency said, citing Li’s com-ments on the sidelines of China’s annualsession of parliament. The horizontal trendpoints to long-term steady development,but does not eliminate the possibility ofshort-term fluctuations, or mean the eco-

nomic transformation is complete, Li said.“Our economy still has many difficulties toresolve, so we must prepare to respond tothe emergence of possibly relatively largerisks,” Li said.

Earlier yesterday, a vice chairman ofthe state economic planner said China’sindustrial output grew more than 6 per-cent in January and February, and thatthe survey-based unemployment rate in31 major cities was about 5 percent forthe two months.

National Development and ReformCommission (NDRC) Vice Chairman NingJizhe gave the approximations, which werein line with expectations for official data setto be issued on Tuesday. Fixed asset invest-ment growth kept pace with the final fewmonths of last year, Ning said.

“China’s economic growth still mainlyrelies on domestic demand,” he said.January and February data will be releasedtogether in a bid to smooth out seasonalfactors caused by the timing of the longLunar New Year holidays, which began inlate January this year but fell in Februarylast year.

China unexpectedly posted its first tradegap in three years in February as a con-struction boom pushed imports muchhigher than expected. That upbeat importreading reinforced the growing view thateconomic activity in China picked up in thefirst two months of the year. — Reuters

WASHINGTON: Caterpillar, a weekafter its headquarters and other facil-ities were raided by a number of fed-eral agencies including the InternalRevenue Service, denied that it hadbroken any federal tax laws. “The IRShas challenged Caterpillar’s taxesfor years 2007 - 2012,” the companysaid Friday. “We disagree with theIRS’ position, have cooperated forrequests for information, andbelieve that we are compliant withtax laws and stand by our financialreporting.”

Caterpillar has been challengedfor some time by federal agencies

in regard to its accounting practicesand last week the company saidthat the raids may have been relat-ed to a Swiss business, calledCSARL. In a filing with the Securitiesand Exchange Commission lastmonth, Caterpillar said that the IRShad informed the company that itowed $2 billion in additional taxesfor the years 2010 to 2012 becauseof profits from that Swiss unit.

“Caterpillar takes very seriouslyits obligation to follow tax law andpay what it owes,” the companysaid Friday.

The raids came two days after

the New York Times cited a reportby Dartmouth College accountingprofessor Leslie A. Robinson, whichstated that Caterpillar “did not com-ply with either U.S. tax law or USfinancial reporting rules.” The Timessaid the report was commissionedby the government but it’s not clearwhich agency wanted it, and thereport has not been made public.

Caterpillar had not been fur-nished with a copy of the reportuntil Thursday morning, it said, aweek after the raids and more thana week after the New York Timesstory was published.

Officials at Dartmouth wouldnot discuss the report or release itofficially to The Associated Press.Other than the IRS, the agenciesinvolved in raids on three proper-ties where Caterpillar operatesincluded the US Department ofCommerce Office of ExportEnforcement and the FederalDeposit Insurance Corp.’s office ofinspector general.

Caterpi l la r i s one of theworld’s largest makers of con-struction and other heavy equip-ment and had revenue of $38.54billion last year.—AP

SUINING CITY: In this file photo, a worker examines an LED light bulb at a factory inSuining city in southwestern China’s Sichuan province. China’s factory activity pickedup pace last month, surveys showed adding to recent evidence that a key sector ofthe world’s No 2 economy is stabilizing. —AP

China’s economy is set

for steady growth: Data

Globe Express Services

seeks to empower

underprivileged children

‘One Shipment One Dollar’ initiative

Mustapha Kawam

In wake of fed raids, Caterpillar

denies skirting tax laws

Ivanka Trump is exception to

dad’s ‘Buy American’ rule8 shipments of Ivanka-branded goods reach US from China

NEW YORK: This file photo taken on December 11, 2016 shows a woman looking over rings for sale at the Ivanka Trump store in Trump Tower inNew York. In his January inauguration speech, US President Donald Trump made a seemingly straightforward pledge: “We will follow two sim-ple rules: buy American and hire American.” — AFP

NEW YORK: This file photo taken on January 11, 2017 shows US President-elect Donald Trumptalking to his daughter Ivanka during a press conference at Trump Tower in New York. —AFP

B U S I N E S SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

NEW YORK: Bank shares have been the runawaywinners of the post-election US stock marketboom as investors wagered that higher interestrates, lighter regulation, lower taxes and fastereconomic growth would boost profits forlenders. Up 32 percent since the election ofDonald Trump, the S&P 500’s bank index has out-paced the wider market’s gain by roughly 3-to-1.Now, however, a changing dynamic in the bondmarket as the US Federal Reserve gears up toraise interest rates at a faster pace than many hadpreviously expected is beginning to give pause

to some early bank stock bulls. With anotherstrong US jobs report in the books, the Fed iswidely expected to raise overnight interest rateson Wednesday, and is now seen delivering threerate hikes in 2017. Rising rates can boost bankprofits, but bank profitability also hinges on thedifference between short-term rates, like thoseset by the Fed and which tend to mark the costfor banks to acquire their funds, and long-termrates, which serve as benchmarks for what bankscharge their customers for loans.

When that difference, or spread, is large, bank

profits can rise rapidly. When it narrows, or flat-tens, profit growth can suffer. At issue now iswhat some investors see as a growing risk of aflattening yield curve under a more aggressiverate-hike path by the Fed. Forwards pricing for 2-and 10-year Treasury yields suggests the spreadbetween them will narrow to about 93 basispoints by year-end from the current 122 points.

That is why Jeffrey Gundlach, chief executiveofficer at DoubleLine Capital and an early buyerof the Trump rally, said he has sold his financialstocks. “When the Fed tightens more than once a

Wall Street Week Aheadyear, historically it is very consistent with aflatter curve,” Gundlach said. “The yieldcurve won’t help the sector.”

In the month after the Nov 8 USPresidential election the S&P 500 bankindex rose 24 percent. Since then thestocks have risen 5.7 percent as manyinvestors awaited concrete signs of regula-tory and tax reform. “Post-election, thatwas the easy money on financials rightthere,” DoubleLine’s Gundlach said.

More than just the curve To be sure, the bank rally has been

grounded on more than just rate hikeexpectations and yield curve forecasts.Investor interest has also been stoked byassumptions about Trump’s agenda inWashington. Investors have been bettingthat Trump’s promises of tax cuts wouldboost consumer spending and companyprofits, which would drive loan demand.Meanwhile, his promise to slash regula-tions could also cut compliance costs and

allow banks to expand their loan portfoliosmore rapidly than possible under restric-tions imposed following the financial crisis.That is among the reasons why DavidLebovitz, global market strategist at J PMorgan Asset Management, still expectsmore gains for financial stocks.

Even if regulatory and tax reform lookslike it will take a long time, investors willlikely be patient as long as Trump’s admin-istration provides more specifics on itsplans including timetables, Lebovitz said.

But he cautioned that “disappointmenton the policy front is the biggest risk” tostocks right now as investors have priced inpolicy changes already. Paul Nolte, portfo-lio manager at Kingsview AssetManagement in Chicago, said that the banksector’s outperformance may be “done”but stopped short of calling for a correc-tion. “I’m not sure investors are looking atthe shifting yields and market conditions. Itseems to be buy and worry about the ‘why’later,” he said. — Reuters

Some bank bulls grow wary on policy uncertainty

WASHINGTON: US employers added arobust 235,000 jobs in February andraised pay at a brisk pace - signs that aresilient economy has given many com-panies the confidence to hire in anticipa-tion of solid growth ahead. With theunemployment rate dipping to a low 4.7percent from 4.8 percent, the job marketappears to be fundamentally healthy ornearly so.

Friday’s employment report from thegovernment showed that more peoplebegan looking for jobs last month, anencouraging sign that they’ve grownconfident about their prospects. Hiringwas strong enough to absorb those newjob seekers as well as some of the previ-ously unemployed.

The picture of an economy on solidfooting nearly eight years after the GreatRecession ended has made it all but cer-tain that the Federal Reserve will raiseinterest rates next week and signal thelikelihood of additional rate hikes ahead.February’s jobs report was the first tocover a full month under PresidentDonald Trump. During the presidentialcampaign, Trump had cast doubt on thevalidity of the government’s jobs data,calling the unemployment rate a “hoax.”

But just minutes after the report wasreleased at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time, Trumpretweeted a news report touting the jobgrowth. Later in the day, his spokesman,Sean Spicer, quoted Trump as saying ofthe jobs reports: “They may have beenphony in the past, but they are very realnow,” a comment that incited laughter,including from Spicer himself, during apress briefing.

Economists were mainly encouragedby the employment data. “It’s hard to findmuch to dislike in the February jobsreport,” said Michael Feroli, an economistat JPMorgan Chase, said. About a quarterof the job gains occurred in construction,which added 58,000 jobs, the most in adecade. Unseasonably warm weatherlikely inflated that figure, economistssaid. Last month was the second-warmest February since 1895, accordingto the Commerce Department.

Some economists cautioned that lastmonth’s outsized job gains might be hardto sustain. If warm weather did help ele-vate construction hiring in February, forexample, it might also have the effect ofsubtracting from job growth that wouldnormally occur in early spring.

“There will probably be some weatherpayback in March,” Ted Wieseman, aneconomist at Morgan Stanley, said in anemail. Mining, which includes oil and gasdrilling, added 7,700 jobs last month, themost in nearly three years. Energy com-panies have increased drill ing inresponse to higher oil prices, reversingnearly two years of job losses. Oil priceshave dropped this week, though.

And as unemployment declines, hir-ing typically slows as the pool of avail-able workers shrinks. Many small busi-nesses are complaining that they cannotfind workers with the qualifications theyneed. This trend could weigh on hiring incoming months. Stock prices fluctuated

throughout the day Friday, and the DowJones industrial average closed up amodest 44 points.

The February jobs data likely providedthe final piece of evidence the Fed need-ed to raise rates after its next policymeeting Wednesday. It would be theFed’s third rate hike in 15 months. TheFed’s inclination to tighten borrowingrates reflects how far the economy hascome since the central bank cut itsbenchmark short-term rate to zero in2008 and kept it there for seven years tosupport a fragile economy.

In December, Fed policymakers hadforecast that they would raise rates threetimes this year. Those increases couldlead eventually to higher loan rates forhomes and cars as the economy furthersolidifies its gains. Economists saidFriday’s hiring data increases the proba-bility of additional rate hikes.

“There are few factors more importantto consumers than jobs,” said RussellPrice, an economist at AmeripriseFinancial. “Overall, consumers are in greatshape to support an accelerated pace ofeconomic growth.”

Great RecessionAverage hourly pay rose 2.8 percent

year over year in February, a decentgain though slightly below historicalaverages. In a healthy economy, wagestypically rise at a roughly 3.5 percentannual pace. Though most of the jobmarket’s scars from the Great Recessionhave healed, some have still not. Thenumber of part-time workers who wouldprefer a full-time job but can’t find itremains nearly 25 percent above its levelbefore the recession began in 2007.

That’s a big reason why an alternatemeasure of unemployment, whichincludes those involuntary part-timeworkers as well as people who havestopped job-hunting, was 9.2 percentlast month. That is well below its peakbut is still higher than before the reces-sion. Sti l l , business confidence hasrisen since the presidential election,possibly in anticipation of tax cuts andderegulation from the Trump adminis-trat ion. A sur vey by the NationalFederation of Independent Businessfound small business optimism at a 12-year high in January.

Vicki Holt, CEO of Proto Labs, whichmakes parts for automakers, medicaldevice and aerospace companies, saysher clients’ outlook has brightened. “Ourcustomer base is really excited about thegeneral climate and support for manu-facturing from the administration,” Holtsaid. “And that helps us.” The UnitedStates is also benefiting from steadiereconomies overseas. Growth is pickingup or stabilizing in most European coun-tries as well as in China and Japan.

Recent pay growth in the UnitedStates partly reflects higher minimumwages that took effect at the start ofthe year in 19 states, economists said.In addition, steady job gains tend toraise pay as employers compete forworkers. —AP

A robust jobs report points

to resilient US economy

A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Friday. —AP

b u s i n e s sMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

KUWAIT: Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al-Babtain Company(AABC), the authorized agent of Nissan vehicles in the Stateof Kuwait, has once again underscored its commitment toexcellence in providing outstanding customer service byachieving first place in the prestigious Nissan RegionalSkills Contests in the categories of Technicians and Parts.

The Nissan Regional Skills Contest is an annual eventconducted by Nissan Middle East in Dubai, UAE, andshowcases the talents of Nissan employees across theregion as well motivates Nissan dealerships to developtheir workforce. Contestants are tested on the basis ofNISSAN’s global selling standards with the objectives ofimproving their capabilities, advancing their skills andensuring the experience provided to customers is in linewith Nissan standards, thus providing customer service

excellence in the Sales & Service process. The awards com-prise every aspect of the business - from knowledge ofNissan genuine parts, service advice, sales acumen, andtechnical expertise.

This year’s contests were conducted in 5 different lan-guages with 11 Nissan distributors sending their top per-sonnel to compete in four different categories: Technician,Service Advisor, Parts Executive and Sales Executive.Nissan Al-Babtain was bestowed the following awards:

1. Nissan Parts Executive Excellence CompetencyAward (NIPEC) - GOLD medal winner: Jethin Jose, as wellas receiving Best performance in Order Taking category.

2. Nissan Service Technician Excellence CompetencyAward (NISTEC) - GOLD medal winner: Ramesh Rajan, aswell as receiving Best performance in Electrical System

trouble diagnosis & repair category.Saleh Al-Babtain, CEO - Al-Babtain Group, congratulat-

ed the winners and thanked the team for their support,hard work and dedication. As a sign of appreciation, heannounced the management’s decision to reward the win-ners with a special cash incentive.

Mohamed Shalaby, Chief Operating Officer - Al BabtainGroup, commended the winners and said “At Al-Babtain,we pride ourselves in ensuring that we have the highestlevel of talent in the business. By developing our work-force through a continuous training program, aimed athelping our professionals grow, we are ensuring that ourcustomers experience highest level of service. At Nissan,we thrive to achieve the industries’ ‘best practice’ stan-dards every day, on a regional and global level; we contin-

ue to stand out in whatever we do.”Group HR General Manager, Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz

Al-Babtain remarked “We believe that people are ourbiggest asset and our continuous pursuit of achievinghigh standards means we are investing heavily in our peo-ple to help them reach their full potential through men-toring, training and support activities.”

In 1948, late Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al Babtain estab-lished a small automotive business. Today Al-BabtainGroup is a conglomerate organization located in the Stateof Kuwait. Al-Babtain Group integrated honesty, integrityand dedication in all aspects of the business. The Grouphas established strongholds in the local, regional andinternational market. Al-Babtain Group experienced con-tinuous success throughout the past 60 years.

Nissan Al-Babtain wins 2 gold medals at 2016 Nissan Skills Contests

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump sendsCongress a proposed budget this week that willsharply test Republicans’ ability to keep long-standing promises to bolster the military, mak-ing politically painful cuts to a lengthy list ofpopular domestic programs.

The Republican president will ask his adopt-ed political party, which runs Capitol Hill, to cutdomestic agencies such as the EnvironmentalProtection Agency and the departments ofEducation and Housing and UrbanDevelopment, along with grants to state andlocal governments and community develop-ment projects. The spending plan, set forrelease Thursday, would make the Pentagonthe big winner with a $54 billion boost todefense spending. Trump has promised to “do alot more with less,” but his blueprint faces areality test with Republicans, many of whomare already protesting.

Republicans have groused about some ofthe preliminary plans, including elimination ofthe $3 billion community development blockgrant program that’s popular among local GOPofficials, a 25 percent cut to the EPA and elimi-nation of 3,000 jobs, and essentially scuttling a$300 million per-year program to clean up theGreat Lakes.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, is joining withDemocrats to push back on that last proposedreduction. Cuts to the Coast Guard are meetingRepublican resistance. Trump’s plan to eliminatecommunity development block grants was dis-missed on Capitol Hill by those who rememberhow a modest cut to the program sank a spend-ing bill not long ago. “The money has to comefrom someplace,” White House budget chiefMick Mulvaney said on the “Hugh Hewitt Show.”“The question is this: What’s more important?What’s more important - defending the border,defending the country or doing those things?”

Democrats are unlikely to support the cuts,and Republican defections raise the possibilityof a congressional train wreck and a potentialgovernment shutdown when the 2018 budgetyear begins Oct. 1. Preliminary reports on thebudget show some domestic Cabinet agencies,such as the departments of Homeland Securityand Veterans Affairs, would see increases,including $3 billion for Trump’s promised wall onthe U.S.-Mexico border. Trump said repeatedlyduring the campaign that Mexico would pay forthat project, but Mexico has said no.

Those intended spending increases, however,would mean deeper cuts elsewhere. Peoplefamiliar with the budget who spoke on condi-tion of anonymity in advance of the publicrelease say the White House is seeking a 30 per-cent cut from an Energy Department office thatpromotes energy efficiency and renewable ener-

gy. The office has funded research on projectssuch as LED light bulbs, electric trucks, advancedbatteries and biofuels.

The Office of Energy Efficiency andRenewable Energy is targeted for at least $700million in cuts from its current $2.1 billion budg-et, said Scott Sklar, chairman of the steeringcommittee of the Sustainable Energy Coalition.

Steep cutsThe Energy Department could see steep cuts

for its 17 national laboratories, which conductcutting-edge research on topics from nuclearpower to advanced materials for energy genera-tion, storage and use. Trump’s preliminary budg-et, delivered in secret to agencies last month,proposes a 37 percent cut to the StateDepartment and foreign aid budgets. Those cutsand others were subject to revision in the backand forth that the White House had with agen-cies leading up to the coming release this week.

Trump’s submission won’t tell the completestory. It will be limited to the discretionary, $1trillion-plus portion of the $4 trillion annual fed-eral budget that pays for Cabinet agencies anddepartments. These annually appropriated pro-grams have been squeezed in recent years whilethe costs of mandatory programs such as

Medicare and Social Security have risen eachyear, mostly unchecked.

The remainder of Trump’s budget - proposalson taxes, mandatory spending and deficits andprojections on the economy - won’t come outuntil May. That document is sure to upset mem-bers of the GOP’s once-proud and large band ofdeficit hawks, because Trump’s full plans are sureto show large, permanent budget deficits, evenwith all of the tricks and tools available to theWhite House Budget office. The government rana $587 billion deficit last year that required it toborrow 15 cents of every dollar it spent. Lookingahead, the nonpartisan Congressional BudgetOffice says the government is on track for accu-mulated deficits of more than $9 trillion over thecoming decade.

CBO Director Keith Hall warns that such hugedeficits are putting the government on a long-term path that “would have serious negativeconsequences for the budget and the nation,including an increased risk of fiscal crisis.”

But Trump is promising to leave the govern-ment’s two largest programs, Medicare andSocial Security, virtually untouched. He’s alsopromising $1 trillion in infrastructure spending,even as pressure is building to finance tax cutswith borrowed money. — AP

In first budget, Trump to push

conservative view of govt

President may ask for painful cuts

WASHINGTON: In this Feb 2, 2017 file photo, budget director Mick Mulvaney speaks toreporters at the White House in Washington. President Donald Trump unveils a proposedbudget on March 16 that will sharply test Republicans’ ability to keep longstanding promis-es to beef up the military by making politically painful cuts to a lengthy list of populardomestic programs. — AP

MEXICO CITY: On Feb 19, 2016, at acampaign rally in North Charleston,South Carolina, then-candidate DonaldTrump gave a stump speech in whichhe railed against American jobs movingto Mexico: “We lose our jobs, we closeour factories, Mexico gets all of thework,” he said. “We get nothing.”

That same day a law firm in MexicoCity quietly filed on behalf of his com-pany for trademarks on his name thatwould authorize the Trump brand,should it choose, to set up shop in acountry with which he has sparredover trade, migration and the plannedborder wall.

The Trump trademarks have nowbeen granted by the Mexican Instituteof Industrial Property, or IMPI for its ini-tials in Spanish. Records show the lastthree were approved Feb 21, just over amonth after Trump took office, and afourth was granted last Oct 6, about amonth before the US election.

Trump’s company has notched sev-eral trademark wins recently. TheAssociated Press reported Wednesdaythat the Chinese government recentlygranted preliminary approval for 38trademarks to Trump and a relatedcompany. That sparked outrage fromsome Democratic senators and critics,who have been pushing Trump to severfinancial ties with his global businessesto avoid potential violations of theemoluments clause of the USConstitution, which bars federal offi-cials from accepting anything of valuefrom foreign governments unlessapproved by Congress.

The Mexican trademarks cover abroad range of business operations thatcan roughly be broken down into con-struction; construction materials; hotels,hospitality and tourism; and real estate,financial services and insurance. Theyare all valid through 2026.

The same four trademarks were pre-viously held in the name of Donald J.Trump and expired in 2015, a yearbefore the new applications. The newapprovals list the trademark owner asthe company DTTM Operations LLC,with an address in the Trump Tower onFifth Avenue in New York.

As president Trump has handedmanagement of his business to his twoadult sons and vowed to strike no newdeals abroad while he is in off ice.However critics say questions remainabout possible conflicts of interest,noting that foreigners could still seekto influence Trump by helping his

existing foreign operations or by eas-ing the way for future ones after heleaves the Oval Office.

Trump Organization General CounselAlan Garten said the Mexican govern-ment’s decision was not a special favorto the president.

“We’re not being granted anythingwe didn’t have before,” he said. The origi-nal trademarks came “years before(Trump) even announced his candidacy.”

Garten said the Mexican trademarksoriginally had two purposes: laying theground for possible new ventures andkeeping other people from usingTrump’s name for their own businesses.

He said the trademarks are whollydefensive now. “Circumstances havechanged,” Gar ten said. “He’s beenelected and we agreed not to do for-eign deals.”

Richard Painter, the chief WhiteHouse ethics lawyer under George W.Bush, said the Mexican grants are in anethical “gray” area: defensive in naturenow, perhaps, but setting the presidentup to profit when he leaves office. “Towhat extent is this appropriate? I don’tknow,” Painter said. “ We never hadObama running around the world lock-ing up his name, or Bush.”

Intellectual property lawyer EnriqueAlberto Diaz Mucharraz is listed on thetrademark filings. A junior partner at theMexico City law firm Goodrich Riquelmey Asociados, he declined to commentciting client confidentiality rules.Phones rang unanswered at the publicrelations office of IMPI, and there wasno response to an emailed request forcomment on a list of questions.

Trademarks can prove enormouslyvaluable to companies, especially incountries with a growing number ofmiddle class consumers who recog-nize the brand, said Ashwinpaul CSondhi of A C Sondhi & Associates, aninvestment consultanc y in SafetyHarbor, Florida. Mexican political ana-lyst Alejandro Hope said IMPI is gener-ally considered to be apolitical and thetrademark concession was most likelya technical decision.

More remarkable, Hope said, wasthat the application was filed during aheated campaign when “he had alreadystarted using Mexico as a pinata” forpolitical purposes.

“What I find striking is that theseguys were thinking about doing busi-ness in Mexico while they were trashingMexico on the campaign trail,” Hopeadded. — AP

Mexico OKs Trump trademarks

for hotels and tourism industry

MEXICO CITY: In this Nov 10, 2016 file photo, a banner with an image of DonaldTrump to promote an exhibition that features dozens of works by Mexican andinternational cartoonists, mocking amongst other things the US presidentderogatory statements about Mexicans and his plans to build a wall betweenthe two countries, in downtown Mexico City. — AP

BEIJING: China’s top statistician said yester-day anyone caught falsifying economicdata would face zero tolerance and be pun-ished under the law.

There has long been skepticism aboutthe reliability of Chinese data, especially asthe government has sought to reduceexpectations of a protracted slowdown inthe world’s second-largest economy.

In January, the “rustbelt” northeasternprovince of Liaoning said in its annual workreport it had falsified reporting of fiscaldata from 2011 to 2014. Speaking on thesidelines of the annual meeting of parlia-ment, Ning Jizhe, head of the NationalStatistics Bureau, said violations would beinvestigated and punished. “As soon as

there are statistical cases that break the lawor faked, it will be voted down, there will bezero tolerance, no appeasement,” said Ning,who is also Vice Chairman of the planningbody the National Development andReform Commission.

The combined economic output ofChina’s provinces has long exceedednational output measured by the NationalBureau of Statistics, raising suspicions thatlocal officials were overstating perform-ance. The gap has been narrowing, but thediscrepancy between provincial GDP andthe national figure was still 2.76 trillionyuan ($399.71 billion) last year, roughlyequal to the GDP of Thailand, according toa Reuters calculation. — Reuters

China vows zero

tolerance for faked data

Unemployment rate falls

sharply for recent veterans

WASHINGTON: Recent veterans found jobs inFebruary, helping reduce their unemployment rate toits lowest level in five months. The jobless rate for vet-erans who have served in the armed forces anytimesince September 2001 dropped to 4.6 percent from 6.3percent in January. More of these veterans beganlooking for work last month and were hired.

The unemployment rate also declined across ethnicgroups, including whites, Asians and Hispanics. Forblack Americans, though, unemployment rose to 8.1percent from 7.7 percent, exacerbating a stubbornemployment gap by race. The jobless rate for African-Americans is nearly double that of whites. All told,employers added 235,000 jobs in February. The overallunemployment rate dipped to 4.7 percent from 4.8percent in January.

The data for demographic groups came from a sur-vey of households that is part of the LaborDepartment’s monthly jobs report. —AP

b u s i n e s sMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

KUWAIT: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)announced that the 2017 Cadillac XT5 crossover hasearned a rating of 2016 Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+) whenequipped with optional front crash prevention. A rating ofTSP+ is the highest rating a vehicle can earn from the IIHS.

To qualify for a TSP+ rating, a vehicle must earn goodratings in the five crashworthiness tests - small overlapfront, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and headrestraints - and an advanced or superior rating for frontcrash prevention. Read more on the crash test results fromthe IIHS here.

“Passenger safety was one of our top priorities when weengineered the XT5,” said Paul Spadafora, XT5 chief engi-neer. “We equipped the XT5 with Cadillac’s full set of driverawareness and driver assistance systems to aid collisionavoidance. Just as importantly, we designed an advancedstructure that is both stiffer and lighter, for excellent crash-worthiness. This included a revised front structure thatspecifically targets the challenging offset barrier scenario.”

The 2017 XT5 is standard with seven airbags. OnStar’ssuite of emergency services, including Automatic CrashResponse, is available. The XT5 also offers numerousadvanced safety systems included in the Driver Awarenessand Driver Assist Packages.

The Driver Awareness Package includes the Safety AlertSeat, Forward Collision Alert, Lane Keep Assist with LaneDeparture Warning, front pedestrian detection, Front

Automatic Braking and IntelliBeam headlights (automatichigh beam). It is available on the XT5 Luxury trim level andis standard on XT5 Premium Luxury and Platinum.

The Driver Assist Package includes adaptive cruise con-trol, Automatic Safety Belt Tightening, Automatic ParkAssist, Automatic Collision Braking and Front and RearAutomatic Braking. It is available on the XT5 PremiumLuxury and Platinum trims. These features are required forthe XT5 to earn the TSP+ rating.

The front rails of XT5’s body structure exemplify thedesign approach. Using extensive computer simulationsand data from physical tests, engineers “splayed” the frontrails on each side, widening and angling the structureslightly outward. This design alteration targeted offset bar-rier impacts and contact to the front corners of the vehicle,a vital aspect in safety testing and real-world collisions.

Premium Care ProgramYusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Automotive showcases

the company’s commitment to enhance customers’ uniqueCadillac experience by offering customers peace of mindwith a comprehensive insurance program. In addition, allCadillac owners will enjoy service and maintenance forfour years or 100,000 km, warranty for 4 years or 100,000km, 24-hour roadside assistance anywhere in the MiddleEast for four years (unlimited miles) plus a courtesy trans-portation and a replacement vehicle upon availability.

2017 Cadillac XT5 crossover earns 2016 Top Safety Pick+ rating

TSP+ is IIHS’ highest rating from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

KUWAIT: Global jewellery retail chainJoyalukkas has added Bahrain’s national carrier,Gulf Air, to its roster of rewards partners givingthe airline’s Falconflyer (loyalty program) mem-bers an opportunity to earn points/miles withevery Joyalukkas jewellery purchase and, as alaunch offer, giving them the chance to earndouble Falconflyer miles on any purchase fromparticipating Joyalukkas showrooms in Bahrain,Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Singapore,Malaysia, the UAE, UK and the USA.

In a ceremony held at Gulf Air ’s BahrainHeadquarters, Joyalukkas Group ExecutiveDirector John Paul Alukkas and Gulf Air ChiefCommercial Officer Ahmed Janahi, signed apartnership agreement forging new avenues forcustomers to earn more rewards. The ceremonywas also attended by top executives from bothcompanies, including Joyalukkas Head ofCorporate Finance Thomas Scaria and Gulf AirSenior Manager Customer Experience, Kavita S.Al-Jassim.

“The success of Joyalukkas is largely due tothe loyalty and support our customers have giv-en us throughout our 30 years in the industry,”said John Paul Alukkas, Executive Director,Joyalukkas Group. “Because of this, we strive tooffer them the best value, world-class productsand benefits that enhance their lifestyles. Thispartnership with Gulf Air is aimed at offeringthem even more rewards and opportunities tosimply enjoy life.”

Gulf Air Chief Commercial Officer, Ahmed

Janahi welcomed the agreement saying: “Ourfocus is on making Gulf Air’s Falconflyer programas rewarding as possible. In line with this, we aredelighted to broaden the Gulf Air FalconFlyeroffering and give our loyalty program membersaccess to greater privileges thanks to our part-nership with global jewellery retail chainJoyalukkas.”

Gulf Air operates one of the largest networksin the Middle East, serving 41 cities in 24 coun-tries spanning three continents. The airline’sFalconflyer Program is known for its high-value

promotions and partnerships making it one ofthe most sought-after frequent flyer programs inthe world with special privileges both on theground and in the air like special online book-ing bonuses, a generous baggage allowance,three years miles validity, unlimited loungeaccess, priority baggage handling and guaran-teed seats etc.. Among many other benefitsintended to make the traveling experience moreenjoyable and rewarding. Further informationabout Gulf Air’s Falconflyer program can befound online by visiting gulfair.com

Kuwait: Chevrolet Alghanim seeksalways to provide customers with quickand direct service. As part of that, itannounces the new hotline 1800022 forone-to-one service to ensure the qualitythat meets the expectations of cus-tomers. Chevrolet Alghanim’s new hot-line reflects the continuous develop-ment of services aiming to satisfyChevrolet’s lovers, which is consideredthe key indicator of success.

Chevrolet Alghanim’s customer serv-ice operates on a very high level of effi-ciency to serve the needs of the cus-tomers sufficiently. It consists of 15qualified employees, who are dedicat-ing their time only to serve customers.Their mission is to fulfil needs, solveproblems and find instant solutions tomeet the expectations.

Furthermore, Chevrolet Alghanimsupports its employees by constantlytraining them on the different aspectsof customer service. As a result,Chevrolet Alghanim’s customer service

is considered one the leading servicesin the field of automotive.

With this leading service, the cus-tomer service is distinguished, as itsemployees communicate in both Arabicand English to maintain a fast and effec-tive service. This reflected positively onsales as well.

The customer service includes pro-viding general information about theshowrooms and customer service cen-ters’ locations. It also assists customerswith the working hours, and settingmaintenance or test-drive appoint-ments. In addition, the customer serviceis available to take any inquiries, com-plaints and suggestions. Therefore, thecenter receives more than 80,000 callsannually with a duration of nine sec-onds only for each call. ChevroletAlghanim encourages customers to call1800022 for any of the services men-tioned, as it promises its customers withserving them the best quality to satisfythem and guarantee their comfort.

Chevrolet announces

new hotline 1800022

for customer service

KUWAIT: Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al-Babtain Company (AABC), the authorizeddealer of Renault vehicles in the State ofKuwait, celebrated International Women Daywith its female customers, in recognition ofthe remarkable role they play in society.

On March 8th, all female customers whopurchased a new Renault vehicle receivedflowers from Renault Al-Babtain team, whoproudly boasts a large number of femaleemployees, across all the various depart-ments. On the occasion of the InternationalWomen’s Day, Renault Al-Babtain extendsits best wishes to all women, and in particu-lar to its female employees and customers,who play an instrumental role in the suc-cess Renault Al-Babtain enjoys today.

The latest initiative falls under RenaultAl-Babtain’s CSR commitment to honor allsegments of the society, as each andevery member adds value to the commu-nity as a whole.

In 1948, late Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al-Babtain established a small automotivebusiness. Today Al-Babtain Group is a con-glomerate organization located in the Stateof Kuwait. Al-Babtain Group integrated hon-esty, integrity and dedication in all aspectsof the business. The Group has establishedstrongholds in the local, regional and inter-national market. Al-Babtain Group experi-enced continuous success throughout thepast 60 years. The contemporary and flexi-ble management approach, aligned withthe long term vision and well-studied strate-gies are the key factor for the groups’ suc-cess. Al-Babtain Group businesses include;Automotive, Information Technology,Investment, Real Estate, Finance andIndustrial.

The Group has licensing rights for someof the world’s leading brands, internationalcorporations and distributes a wide varietyof products & services.

Renault Al-Babtain celebrates

International Women’s Day

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank, the second largest interms of assets, announced yesterday thenames of the daily draw winners of itsYawmi account draw, each taking home acash-prize of KD 5,000.

The lucky winners are: 1. Basel Matar Koubal Al-Otaibi2. Fotouh Hamad Mohammed Al-Dalali3. Fajer Ahmad Mohammad Hajeyah4. Mohammad Abdullah Ali5. Awadh Ghayadh Obaid Al-EneziIn addition to the daily draw, Burgan

Bank also offers a quarterly draw with morechances to win higher rewards, offering thechance to one lucky customer to win KD125,000 every three months. The YawmiAccount offers daily and quarterly draws,wherein the quarterly draw requires cus-tomers to maintain a minimum amount ofKD 500 in their account for two months pri-or to the draw date. Additionally, every KD10 in the account will entitle customers toone chance of winning. If the account bal-ance is KD 500 and above, the accountholder will be qualified for both the quar-terly and daily draws.

Burgan Bank encourages everyone toopen a Yawmi account and/or increase theirdeposit to maximize their chances ofbecoming a winner. The higher the level ofthe deposit, the higher the likelihood to win.

For more information on opening aYawmi account, the new quarterly draw oron any of the bank’s products and services,customers are urged to visit their nearest

Burgan Bank branch. Established in 1977,Burgan Bank is the youngest commercialBank and second largest by assets in Kuwait,with a significant focus on the corporate andfinancial institutions sectors, as well as hav-ing a growing retail, and private bank cus-tomer base. Burgan Bank has majorityowned subsidiaries in the MENAT regionsupported by one of the largest regionalbranch networks.

The Bank has continuously improved itsperformance over the years through anexpanded revenue structure, diversifiedfunding sources, and a strong capital base.The adoption of state-of-the-art servicesand technology has positioned it as a trend-setter in the domestic market and withinthe MENA region. Burgan Bank’s brand hasbeen created on a foundation of real values- of trust, commitment, excellence and pro-gression, to remind us of the high standardsto which we aspire. ‘People come first’ is thefoundation on which its products and serv-ices are developed.

The bank was re-certified with the presti-gious ISO 9001:2008, making it the firstbank in the GCC, and the only bank inKuwait to receive such accreditation for thethird consecutive year. The Bank also has toits credit the distinction of being the onlyBank in Kuwait to have won the JP MorganChase Quality Recognition Award for twelveconsecutive years. Burgan Bank, a sub-sidiary of KIPCO (Kuwait Projects Company),is a strongly positioned regional Bank in theMENA region.

Burgan Bank announces

winners of Yawmi draw

Joyalukkas launches loyalty

reward program with Gulf Air

Al-Tijari announces winners

of Al-Najma account

KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al-Najma Account daily draw on 12th March 2017.

The draw was held under the supervision of theMinistry of Commerce & Industry represented byAbdulaziz Ashkanani.

The winners of the Al-Najma daily draw are:Maher Mohammad Saleem — KD 7000 Malak Salman Al-Qalaf — KD 7000 Ali Abdullah Al- Baghli — KD 7000 Mariano Simplicio Furtado — KD 7000 Ali Ahmad Abdulhakeem — KD 7000.Al-Najma awards are now brighter and bigger than

ever with the revamped Al-Najma account, all yourdreams will be turned to reality. On top of offering thehighest daily prize in Kuwait for KD 7,000, now ourMega prize draws got bigger to reach KD 250,000.

The new prizes scheme for Al-Najma account dailydraw to win KD 7000. Quarterly draws to win greatprizes that would start from KD 100,000 to KD 250,000.

1ST QUARTER — KD 100 000 2ND QUARTER — KD 150 000 3RD QUARTER — KD 200 000 4TH QUARTER — KD 250 000. With Al-Najma you have more chances to win

greater prizes• Each KD 25 kept in your account gives you one

chance to win • Each KD 25 kept in your account for one week will

give you a chance to enter the daily draw.• Each KD 25 kept in your account for 3 months will

give you chance to enter the quarterly draw. Additional features:• ATM card• Issue a credit card against your account• Obtain all CBK banking servicesYou deserve to win! Open an account now with just

KD 500 and you will enter all draws.

t e c h n o l o g yMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

WASHINGTON: It’s not just who did it, but why.WikiLeaks’ release of nearly 8,000 documentsthat purportedly reveal secrets about the CIA’stools for breaking into targeted computers, cell-phones and even smart TVs has given rise tomultiple theories about who stole the docu-ments and for what reason.

Perhaps it was a US spy or contractor who feltjilted. Maybe the CIA was exposed by a foreigncountry that wanted to embarrass US intelli-gence. Could it have been a CIA insider worriedabout Americans’ privacy rights? Some possiblemotives behind last week’s disclosure:

From the sourceIn a statement released with the documents,

the anti-secrecy group launched by JulianAssange in 2006 said the source told the organi-zation that there are policy questions in urgentneed of public debate Among them were“whether the CIA’s hacking capabilities exceedits mandated powers” and the “problem of pub-lic oversight of the agency.”

The CIA, while not confirming that the docu-ments are authentic, isn’t necessarily buying thatexplanation. “As we’ve said previously, JulianAssange is not exactly a bastion of truth andintegrity,” CIA spokeswoman Heather FritzHorniak said. She said the CIA’s work would con-tinue “despite the efforts of Assange and his ilk.”

Robert Chesney, a national security lawexpert from the University of Texas School ofLaw, said WikiLeaks could have put the materialonline to damage the reputation of US intelli-gence agencies.

“Julian Assange is in the business of trying toreduce American power. That’s just fact,” he said.

“It’s about giving the CIA’s reputation a blackeye,” he said. “I think they are trying to inducepanic and make people even more skeptical ofthe intelligence agencies.”

Assange said during an online news confer-ence Thursday that it was “not true” thatWikiLeaks was focused on the United States. Hecited recent publications dealing with Germanyand Turkey and numerous references to Russiaand China throughout WikiLeaks’ previousreleases. “People raise this for distracting rea-sons, to try to question the messenger becausethe content itself is so powerful,” he said.

Jilted contractorSpies go rogue for many reasons: money, a

quest for fame, ego, they are coerced or compro-mised. WikiLeaks said the material came from an“isolated high-security network” inside the CIA’sCenter for Cyber Intelligence. The group said thematerial “appears to have been circulatedamong former U.S. government hackers andcontractors in an unauthorized manner” andthat one of them gave WikiLeaks part of thiscache. Assange suggested that spies, formerintelligence officials and contractors had beensharing the material, potentially to feed a grow-ing for-profit market in electronic espionagetools. He said it appeared that not only was itbeing spread among contractors and formerAmerican computer hackers for hire, but “nowmay be in the black market.”

Traditionally, money has been a key motive.But Frank Cilluffo, who directs the Center forCyber and Homeland Security at GeorgeWashington University, thinks leakers might leak

for different reasons today. “If they were doing itto make money, why would they go toWikiLeaks?” he asked.

He said Edward Snowden, a former contrac-tor for the National Security Agency who leakedclassified material exposing US government sur-veillance programs, was not motivated by mon-ey. Likewise, Chelsea Manning, who was con-victed of leaking many thousands of classifiedgovernment and military documents toWikiLeaks while serving as an intelligence ana-lyst in Iraq, said she did it not for money but toraise awareness about the war’s impact on inno-cent civilians.

Foreign meddlerIt’s not impossible to imagine an insider walk-

ing out of the CIA with the data, said Bob Ayers, aretired US intelligence officer currently working asan international security analyst based in England.But Ayers, who appeared opposite Assange in adebate over whistleblowers in London severalyears ago, said his instincts are that a foreigncountry is involved. “I think the Russians arebehind it, I really do,” he said. James Lewis, a cyber-security expert at the Center for Strategic andInternational Studies in Washington, also suspectsa sleight of hand by the Kremlin, which he says hasused WikiLeaks in the past.

He pointed to WikiLeaks’ statement aboutreceiving the material from a source who thinksthere needs to be a debate about whether theCIA’s hacking exceeds its mandated powers.Lewis said the source who believed that the CIAhad gained too much power “probably lives inMoscow.” “There is a long-term campaign by theRussians to damage the US and the intelligencecommunity,” he said. “It’s too early to tell if this isanother part of that - although it fits that pat-tern. I think the biggest concern is that we are ina new kind of fight with Russia and we are los-ing. The damage from lost tools can be repaired.

The damage to reputation takes longer.” Assangehas long denied claims, often made on flimsy evi-dence, that he acts on behalf of Russian interests.Asked Thursday by an American journalistwhether he had received any money from theRussian state, Assange said no and that it was a“pretty sad question.” And this past week, RussiaForeign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied anyRussian involvement in hacking.

Americans’ right to knowWikiLeaks said the source of the documents

wants to start a public debate about “the securi-ty, creation, use, proliferation and democraticcontrol of cyber weapons.” Ben Wizner isSnowden’s lawyer and the director of the Speech,Privacy, and Technology Project at the AmericanCivil Liberties Union. He said if WikiLeaks is accu-rately representing the source’s intentions, thenthere seems to be success in stirring a publicdebate about the balance between the need toprotect networks used daily by Americans andthe government’s need to conduct surveillanceoperations against adversaries.

“To the extent that the documents helpinform a public debate about what the balanceshould be between the government’s offensivesurveillance operations and defensive cyberca-pabilities, then the documents have contributedto an important public conversation,” Wiznersaid. But he also wondered whether the sourcewanted the documents released with partsblacked out. WikiLeaks has previously voiced dis-gust with the idea of censoring documents, evenin part, saying that doing so “legitimizes the falsepropaganda of ‘information is dangerous.’”

WikiLeaks has not answered questions fromThe Associated Press about why it applied redac-tions this time or whether it was done at thesource’s request. Knowing the answer to thosequestions, Wizner said, might help with under-standing what motivated the release. —AP

Twin mysteries behind

leak of CIA’s cybertoolsWikiLeaks’ release of nearly 8,000 documents: Who and why

WASHINGTON: Dismissed by formerUS president Barack Obama as a placeexplorers had already seen, the Moonhas once again gained interest as apotential destination under DonaldTrump’s presidency. Private sectorcompanies in particular are energizedby the prospect of future space explo-ration missions beyond low-Earthorbit, where the International SpaceStation circles the Earth. Even thoughTrump himself has said little aboutthe subject, his close circle and someformer NASA officials have madeclear their interest in returning to theMoon by way of partnerships withthe private sector.

Billionaire Elon Musk, the presi-dent and chief executive of SpaceX,along with Amazon founder JeffBezos, who also runs a rocket com-pany called Blue Origin, have metwith Trump’s advisors several timessince the Republican won the presi-dency. “There is certainly a renewedinterest in the Moon in the Trumpadministration,” said John Logsdon,former director of the Space PolicyInstitute at The George WashingtonUniversity. Some of Trump’s advi-sors worked on the Constellationprogram, conceived by formerpresident George W Bush with agoal to return humans to the Moonfor the first time since the pioneer-ing US Apollo missions of the1960s and ‘70s.

Obama cancelled Constellation,deeming it too costly and repetitivein nature, opting instead to worktoward new and unexplored desti-nations like an asteroid and, oneday, Mars. “The people advisingTrump on space in a sense are stillangry at that and believe it was amistake,” said Logsdon. “If theTrump administration gets out ofthe current chaos and if theirapproach to the budget wouldallow it, I think within the next 12months, we will see a major spaceinitiative involving a public-privatepartnership-hopefully international

partnership-focused on a return tothe Moon.”

BoldEric Stallmer, president of the

Commercial Spaceflight Federation,which represents the private sectorof spaceflight, agreed. “I think theTrump administration wants to dosomething big and bold and theMoon is certainly that idea,” he said.NASA’s current focus on developingwhat will be the world’s most pow-erful rocket, known as the SpaceLaunch System, which will propel anew capsule, Orion, to deep space,one day carrying people aroundthe Moon, to an asteroid or even toMars by the 2030s. Stallmerdescribed this program as “veryexpensive.”

“I think you cannot proceed witha mission to the Moon and beyondat this point anymore without apartnership with the commercialindustry,” he added. Since the US-run space shuttle program endedin 2011, NASA has forged partner-ships with private industry, includ-ing SpaceX and Orbital ATK, toresupply the International SpaceStation. SpaceX plans to start send-ing astronauts to the orbiting out-post as early as 2018. “I know thatthere is no backing down from the

commercial sector, from the com-mercial launch companies on theirdesire and vision to go to the Moonand beyond. These are very excitingtimes,” said Stallmer.

SpaceX said last month it hadsigned its first contract to send twospace tourists on a trip around theMoon at the end of 2018, but didnot give many details, including thecost or their identities. SpaceX hasalso vowed to send an unmannedspacecraft on a journey to Mars in2018, as a prelude to manned mis-sions one day. Meanwhile, TheWashington Post reported that itsowner Bezos is working on anAmazon-like delivery service to theMoon. The proposal has not beenmade public, but was circulated tothe Trump team and NASA in theform of a seven-page white paper,the report said.

Moon colonies The goal of the project is to

enable “future human settlement”on the Moon. “It is time for Americato return to the Moon-this time tostay,” Bezos was quoted as saying inan email to the Post. “A permanent-ly inhabited lunar settlement is adifficult and worthy objective. Isense a lot of people are excited

about this.”Oklahoma Republicanlawmaker Jim Bridenstine, who hastold Trump he wants to be the nextNASA administrator, has praisedcooperation between the US spaceagency and private industry, andcalled for a return to Moon missionas a way to boost needed resourceson Earth, such as water.

Research has shown billions oftons of water ice can be found ateach lunar pole. “Water ice on theMoon could be used to refuel satel-lites in orbit or perform on-orbitmaintenance,” he wrote in a blogpost in December.

“Government and commercialsatellite operators could save hun-dreds of millions of dollars by serv-icing their satellites with resourcesfrom the Moon rather than dispos-ing of, and replacing, their expen-sive investments.” This could trans-late into lower bills for users ofsatellite internet, television andradio services, he said. The lunarsoil is also believed to be rich in rareEarth minerals that are widely usedin electronic devices. The GoogleLunar XPrize Foundation is also inon the action, recently announcingits five finalists for a $20 millionaward to the first team to land arobot on the Moon. — AFP

SAN FRANCISCO: Uber’s rise to the top ofthe ride-sharing industry is due in largepart to its hard-charging founder and chiefexecutive, Travis Kalanick. But whileKalanick has steered Uber to a valuation inthe tens of billions of dollars with opera-tions worldwide, he and the company havebeen bruised by this aggressiveness,prompting a search for a steadier hand atthe wheel.

After a series of missteps and embar-rassments for Uber and Kalanick, the SanFrancisco startup has acknowledged it issearching for a number-two executive tohandle some of the day-to-day manage-ment tasks. Kalanick, 40, is known for tak-ing a hard line in battles with regulatorsand taxi operators in markets opposing theentry of a new kind of competitor. But hehas been humbled by the events of thepast month, which included the release ofa dash-cam video showing him beratingand cursing at one of Uber’s drivers.

“To say that I am ashamed is an extremeunderstatement,” Kalanick said in a memoto employees after the incident. The video,he said, was “a stark reminder that I mustfundamentally change as a leader andgrow up. This is the first time I’ve been will-ing to admit that I need leadership helpand I intend to get it.” Uber has also beenrocked by disclosures about a culture ofsexism and its covert use of law enforce-ment-evading software. Kalanick also madea hasty exit from a business advisory panelfor President Donald Trump after a con-sumer boycott campaign fueled by con-cerns that he was aiding a leader withdivergent values.

But Kalanick has long been known assomeone who drives close to the edge. TheCalifornia native dropped out of theUniversity of California-Los Angeles (UCLA)to start a file-sharing service called Scour,which pre-dated the popular serviceNapster but ran into similar legal chal-lenges. Scour faced lawsuits from majormusic and film industry groups claiming$250 billion in damages, and was forced to

declare bankruptcy in 2000. After that fail-ure, he launched another file-sharing serv-ice called Red Swoosh.

Despite legal issues, Kalanick ended histenure at Red Swoosh a millionaire whenthe company was bought in 2007 byAkamai Technologies. Kalanick frequentlyrecounts his story for the idea of Uber-say-ing he and co-founder Garrett Camp wereunable to find a taxi during a 2008 visit toParis, and dreamed up the idea of pushinga button on a smartphone to summon aride, and called it UberCab.

The name was shortened to Uber, whichlaunched in 2010 in San Francisco, andnow is active in more than 500 citiesaround the world, with an estimated valua-tion of $68 billion. According to Forbesmagazine, Uber’s lofty value gives Kalanicka personal net worth of $6.3 billion.

Bumps in the road The road has not always been smooth.

Last year, Uber had to quit the Chinesemarket and agree to a partnership with thelocal market leader, Didi Chuxing.

Uber and Kalanick have faced protestsand traffic tie-ups from angry taxi drivers,with demonstrators in Paris setting fire tosome vehicles. Some Uber drivers havesued to be recompensed as employees,rather than independent contractors, andothers have complained that the mobileapp used by Uber lacks the ability to offertips. Uber has also faced criticism for its“Greyball” software that may be used toavoid authorities, and its “God View” whichcould be used to spy on riders.

After revelations about “Greyball,” Uberannounced it would not use the programto evade regulators. Kalanick is known forbeing defiant in the face of criticism but hisrecent mea culpa is not the first time he hastried to soften his image. “I realize that I cancome off as a passionate advocate forUber,” he was quoted as saying in 2015 byThe Wall Street Journal.

“I’ll be the first to admit I’m not perfect,and neither is this company.” —AFP

SAN FRANCISCO: The US state of Californiais easing its rules for autonomous car test-ing, by allowing testing of vehicles in whichthere is no human driver. The new ruleshave yet to be submitted for public consul-tation, with a final version expected by theend of the year, according to itsDepartment of Motor Vehicles (DMV ) .“ These rules expand our existingautonomous vehicle testing program toinclude testing vehicles where no driver ispresent,” said DMV Director Jean Shiomoto.

“This is the next step in eventually allow-ing driverless autonomous vehicles onCalifornia roadways.” California took someheat earlier for seeking to stop testing offully autonomous cars-those in which a

human is not physically on board. Rulesproposed at the end of 2015 required that aperson with a permit always be present inthe vehicle, and be able to regain control ofit. And that person would be held responsi-ble for traffic offenses or accidents.

The Federal Road Safety Agency NHTSA,however, differed a few months later say-ing that a computer system-based on theartificial intelligence of autonomous cars-could be considered their “driver.”California, and Silicon Valley in particular, isa key location for automakers and techstartups working on driverless cars. Thechange should help keep that the case.The DMV says it last permitted 27 manu-facturers to test self-driving cars. —AFP

This April 13, 2016, file photo shows the seal of the Central Intelligence Agency at CIA head-quarters in Langley, Va. WikiLeaks’ release of nearly 8,000 documents that purportedly revealsecrets about the CIA’s tools for breaking into computers, cellphones and even smart TVs hasgiven rise to multiple theories about whodunit and why. —AP

Under Trump, the Moon regains

interest as possible destination

This May 18, 2016 file photo shows a Google self-driving car on display at Google’sI/O conference in Mountain View, California. — AP

NEW DELHI: This file photo shows Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)of US transportation company Uber Travis Kalanick as he speaks at an event inNew Delhi. — AFP

Driving change: Kalanick,

the force behind Uber

California gives green light

to self-driving car tests

NEW YORK: For some millennialinvestors, loyalty to one of their favoriteapps matters more than financial detailsin the case of Snap Inc. The stock ofSnapchat’s parent company has been ona roller-coaster ride since its marketdebut last week, surging more than 70percent from the initial public offeringprice in the first two days of trading andplunging back down by a quarter since.

Some seasoned investors have beenwary of the volatile, relatively high-pricedstock of a company that has yet to reporta profit. But novice investors said theirdeep affinity with the disappearing-mes-sage app prompted them to jump in. ‘Ibought it even when I was pretty positiveI would not make a profit in the shortrun, but just because I am a fan of the

product,’ said Chris Roh, a 25-year-oldsoftware engineer in San Francisco, whohas only been trading stocks for about amonth on Robinhood, a mobile tradingapp popular among millennials.

Snap sold shares at $17 a piece in itsIPO on March 1. The day after, on the firstday of trading on the New York StockExchange, the stock popped as high as$26.05. Roh said he bought the stock onthat first trading day at $25 a share.Trading activity on Robinhood jumped by50 percent on the day of Snap’s debut,with more than 40 percent of those whotraded that day buying Snap shares. Themedian age of Snap shareholders on theplatform were 26, the same age as SnapChief Executive Evan Spiegel, accordingto Robinhood. — Reuters

Millennial love for Snapchat

extends to the stock

HEALTH & SCIENCEMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

PHILADELPHIA: In this Friday, March 10, 2017 file photo, a woman walksthrough in a winter snow storm in Philadelphia. - AP

NEW YORK: The Northeast is bracing forwinter’s last hurrah - a blizzard expectedto sweep the New York region startingtoday with possibly the season’s biggestsnowstorm dumping up to 18 inches onCentral Park.

The National Weather Service issueda blizzard watch Sunday for coastalregions including New York City andsurrounding areas of Long Island,Westchester County and Connecticut.

A winter storm watch was in effectfor a larger area of the Northeast: NewJersey, Pennsylvania and New England.

In New York City, forecasters said thefirst snow is expected late Monday orjust after midnight Tuesday, with up to 4inches falling by dawn. Heavy snow therest of the day could pile 10 to 14 inchesmore of white stuff, with sustainedwinds of about 30 mph and wind gustsof up to 50 mph.

“This would certainly be the biggestsnowstorm of the 2017 winter season inNew York City,” said Faye Barthold, a

weather service meteorologist based onLong Island.

On Long Island, a snowfall of 12 to 18inches was forecast along with equallystrong winds and visibility of a quartermile or less. New York Gov. AndrewCuomo announced Sunday that theNew York State Emergency OperationsCenter wil l be activated Mondayevening, with stockpiles of sandbags,generators and pumps at the ready.

Other areas, including the lowerHudson Valley and northeastern NewJersey, also could get 12 to 18 inches ofsnow. But those areas were not under ablizzard watch because high winds andlow visibility were not expected.

The severe weather would arrive justa week after the region saw tempera-tures climb into the 60s. Sunny days andT-shirt-wearing temperatures made itseem like winter had made an early exit.But the chilly weather and snow someareas got Friday may prove to be just ateaser. —AP

Northeast blizzard could dump

up to 18 inches of snow on NYC

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trumpand Republican leaders say drasticaction is needed because the Obama-erahealth care overhaul is a disaster, withsoaring premiums and insurers bailingout. It is true that major parts of the 2010law are clearly troubled, but others areworking fairly well.

The risk is that the GOP’s ‘rescue mis-sion’ will inflict collateral damage onwhat’s working and cause new problems.Or that promised solutions might disap-point. The Affordable Care Act, or ACA,expanded coverage in two main ways. Itoffered subsidized private health insur-ance through online markets such asHealthCare.gov that cater to people with-out workplace coverage. It also allowedstates to expand their Medicaid pro-grams to cover more low-income adults.

Together, those features have helpedpush the nation’s uninsured rate below 9percent, a historic law. A look at some ofthe law’s major elements, their currentstatus, and how they might be affectedby the repeal and replace legislationadvancing in the House:

MedicaidStatus: Thirty-one states have expand-

ed Medicaid under the health law. Thefederal-state health care program forlow-income people now covers about 1in 5 people in the United States, fromnewborns to elderly nursing home resi-dents. About half of the expansion stateshave Republican governors. Gov. JohnKasich, R-Ohio, says it has allowed hisstate to offer “a stable source of care” forthe working poor, the drug-addicted, andthe mentally ill. Although Medicaid is anotoriously stingy payer, hospitals havestrongly supported the expansion aspreferable to treating uninsured patients.

Impact: The House bill would repeal

the Medicaid expansion, which now cov-ers about 11 million people. Currently thefederal government offers a generousmatching payment to states that expandtheir programs. Starting in 2020, thatpayment would only be available forbeneficiaries already enrolled under theexpansion, not for any new ones.

In an even bigger change, the billwould end Medicaid’s open-ended enti-tlement status, moving to a system oflimited federal financing. Washingtonwould pay the states a fixed amount per

beneficiary, based on Medicaid spendingin each state, adjusted annually for med-ical inflation. Supporters say the changewould bring needed fiscal discipline andencourage states to innovate. Critics sayit will ultimately harm the poor and goesfar beyond addressing issues with theACA.

Individual health insuranceStatus: The health law was meant to

expand and stabilize the market for indi-vidual health insurance, through whichroughly 20 million people get coverage.It’s been a roller-coaster ride instead.

As sicker, costlier customers came intothe market, premiums and deductiblesshot up. Consumers eligible for the law’sincome-related financial assistance werecushioned, but millions who still pay theirown way are in shock. Former PresidentBill Clinton, in a candid moment, called it a

“crazy system.” Recently, Aetna CEO MarkBertolini pronounced the ACA’s healthinsurance markets in a “death spiral.”

Impact: The House bill would reworkthe ACA’s tax credit subsidies and loosensome of its major requirements on insur-ers. It would allow people to set asidemore money in tax-sheltered health sav-

ings accounts. More people would be eli-gible for the GOP subsidies, but the assis-tance may not go far enough for thosewith modest incomes. The GOP tax creditsare not designed to keep pace with risingpremiums, as the Obama subsidies do.Insurers would be able to experiment withredesigned plans that hold the promise oflower premiums. The pros and cons willbecome clearer as more detail and analy-sis emerges.

Online insurance marketsStatus: HealthCare.gov froze up the day

it was launched in 2013, an episode thatembarrassed the Obama White House andprompted a high-tech repair job lastingweeks. Since then, the federal website hasimproved, now serving as the backboneof a system that insures about 12 millionpeople nationwide. Several states operatesimilar websites.

Impact: The GOP bill does not repealthe provisions that createdHealthCare.gov and its state counterparts,but their future is unclear nonetheless.“The federal and state marketplaceswould likely shrink,” said Larry Levitt of thenonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.With smaller tax credits, there wouldn’t beas many customers. The GOP bill allowsconsumers to use their tax credits for cov-erage purchased outside the governmentmarkets as well.

Coverage penaltyStatus: As a way to get healthy people

into the insurance pool, the law imposedtax penalties on uninsured peopledeemed able to afford coverage. Last year6.5 million people paid penalties averaging$470, according to the IRS. An additional12.7 million people claimed exemptionsfor financial hardship and other reasons.Some young adults in good health decide

to pay the fine because they can’t squeeze$100 a month for premiums out of theiralready tight budgets. Experts argue aboutwhether the unpopular requirement hasbeen particularly effective.

Impact: The House bill repeals the taxpenalties on individuals and employersthat don’t offer coverage. That would beretroactive to the end of 2015, meaningthat those who owe penalties for last yearwould be off the hook. With the penaltygone, Republicans would try a differentway to nudge healthy people into the cov-erage pool. Those who have a break incoverage would face a 30 percent penaltyon their premiums.

Generational equityStatus: Obama’s law limited what insur-

ers could charge their oldest, pre-Medicare customers to no more thanthree times what they charge youngadults. The GOP bill would raise that tofive times, or more if states want to gohigher.

Impact: Coverage would become moreaffordable for young adults, but premiumsfor older people would rise even as theycontend with physical ailments thatemerge with age.

Republicans say their bill reflects mar-ket realities, citing estimates that the costof care is 4.8 times higher for older adults.Recognizing that older adults have higherhealth care costs, the tax credits in theGOP proposal are age-based. People over60 would get $4,000, double what some-one under 30 would get.

But AARP says the GOP proposal wouldprovide “substantially less assistance” forlower- and moderate-income older adults,particularly if expected higher premiumsare taken into account. The lobby for old-er people has called the Republican planan “age tax.” —AP

Health law’s woes, real or perceived, drive call for repeal

FORT LAUDERDALE: When Coloradoexpanded Medicaid coverage underformer President Barack Obama’shealth care law, the largest provider inthe Denver region hired more than250 employees and built a $27 millionprimary care clinic and two newschool-based clinics.

Emergency rooms visits stayed flatas Denver Health Medical Centerdirected many of the nearly 80,000newly insured patients into one of its10 community health centers, wherenewly hired social workers and mentalhealth therapists provided services forsome of the county’s poorest residents.

Demand for services at the new pri-mary care clinic was almost immediate.

The hospital system, like othersaround the country, now is facing enor-mous uncertainty under the healthcare overhaul proposed by congres-sional Republicans. The GOP planwould scale back the Medicaid expan-sion and take away direct federal subsi-dies to help consumers pay their healthinsurance premiums, replacing themwith age-adjusted tax credits.

Denver Health could see revenuelosses between $50 million and $85 mil-lion by 2020, which is between five andnine percent of their annual revenue,

according to the hospital’s chief financialofficer. Adding to the financial anxiety isthat Denver Health and many otherhospital systems and medical providersacross the country still would berequired to care for many of the samepatients, even if they lost their healthcoverage. That would leave hospitals,state and local governments, or private-ly insured patients to foot the bill.

“If it is full removal of Medicaidexpansion, we would have to makecuts on our system, and I really thinkthat those cuts would roll back ourprogress and could paradoxicallyincrease the cost of care by driving care

back to where it should not be - in theemergency rooms,” said Dr Bill Burman,interim chief executive for DenverHealth. Similar sentiments are beingshared by hospital CEOs across thecountry as President Donald Trumpand congressional Republicans makegood on their promise to undo theAffordable Care Act.

Federal moneyThe Republican plan would limit

the amount of federal money availableto states that opted to expandMedicaid, the state-federal programthat provides health coverage to the

poor and lower-income people. It alsowould overhaul the framework ofMedicaid generally so that in the futurestates would receive a limited amountper person based on enrollment andcosts. Health care advocates have saidsuch a change would mean lessMedicaid money for the states.

The Republican proposal wouldboost one revenue stream for hospitalsthat had been cut under Obama’s plan- a pool of money helping hospitalsthat care for a disproportionately highshare of uninsured patients. But hospi-tal CEOs say that money will not comeclose to making up for the revenue lost

if large numbers of people lose theirhealth coverage.

The American Hospital Association,which represents nearly 5,000 institu-tions nationwide and the CatholicHealth Association of the United States,the nation’s largest not-for-profit healthprovider, wrote Congress warning thatthe bill would lead to significant cuts ina program that provides services to themost vulnerable. “We are likely lookingat situations where hospitals wouldclose down service lines, shorten clinichours and lay off staff,” said BethFeldpush, a senior vice president atAmerica’s Essential Hospitals.

The Affordable Care Act sought toget more people covered and givethem access to primary care doctors,theoretically increasing the number ofpaying customers for hospital systemswhile diverting those people awayfrom emergency rooms where they aremore expensive to treat. About 22 mil-lion people have gained coveragethrough Medicaid and by buying pri-vate health insurance in the govern-ment-sponsored marketplaces thatoffer plans with subsidized premiums.

Historic lowThe national uninsured rate is

below nine percent, a historic low.Moody’s Investors Service said itexpects that the legislation’s provisionto cap federal Medicaid payments tothe states, starting in 2020, will causestates to reduce payments to hospitals.The legislation also would saddle hos-pitals with more unpaid bills and unin-sured patients, particularly older oneswho could now face much-higher pre-miums, according to Moody’s.

“We believe that the effect of olderenrollees losing coverage will out-weigh the positive effect of youngerpeople gaining coverage, given thatolder people have greater health careneeds and as they lose coverage, hos-pitals would incur greater uncompen-sated care and bad-debt costs,” thereport states.

S&P Global Ratings wrote that thebill would add to existing stresses onhospitals, including rising costs forsalaries and prescription drugs. NYCHealth + Hospitals, the largest publichealth system in the country thatserves mostly low-income people,made a rare decision to create its owninsurance plans to help maximize rev-enue in the changing health climate.One of its plans, granted under theAffordable Care Act, offered premiumsof $20 or less per month to 70,000 low-income enrollees. An additional 96,000people gained coverage in anotherinsurance plan under Medicaid expan-sion. One plan would be eliminatedentirely under the bill and tens of thou-sands would lose coverage on the oth-er under the Republican bill.

Stanley Brezenoff, the health sys-tem’s interim president, says it is “par-ticularly appalling” for the expandedMedicaid patients who spent yearsgoing without insurance. Many ofthem have substantial medicalneeds and finally were able to getinto a routine of receiving regularmedical care. —AP

Hospitals worry about caring

for newly uninsured in GOP plan

DENVER: In this Thursday, March 9, 2017, photo, Dr Michael Russum, left, checks patient RubyGiron in Denver Health Medical Center’s primary care clinic located in a low-income neighbor-hood in southwest Denver. —AP

WASHINGTON: In this Feb 9, 2017, file photo, the HealthCare.gov web-site, where people can buy health insurance, is displayed on a laptopscreen in Washington. —AP

NEW YORK: Amid the drive to repeal andreplace Obamacare, the question remainswhether President Donald Trump and theRepublican-led Congress can bring downskyrocketing drug prices. Recent controver-sies surrounding dramatic increases for pricesof EpiPen and HIV drugs have placed phar-maceutical costs near the top of Americanpublic policy debates.

Trump has railed against the industry andvowed to bring prices down. But experts sayTrump will struggle to realize that goal due toa system that involves a complex web ofplayers and incentives. On Friday, he tappedScott Gottlieb, a physician who has deep tiesin the pharmaceutical industry, to head theFood and Drug Administration (FDA), a pow-erful regulatory agency.

US drugs often cost about two-and-a-halftimes what they cost in France or Britain, forinstance. The difference is especially pro-nounced for cutting-edge remedies to treatcancer, rare illnesses and other maladies,such as hepatitis C. Why is there such a bigdifference between drug prices in the UnitedStates and in Europe?

Central entity Unlike in France or Britain, there is no cen-

tral public entity in the United States with thepower to negotiate with private pharmaceu-tical companies. Rather, the US market con-sists of multiple systems for different popula-tions, each with their own rules:

Private insurance: The biggest group ofAmericans get their health care through

their employers via private insurers whonegotiate drug prices with pharmaceuticalcompanies. Insurers also negotiate throughintermediaries, such as pharmacy chainsand pharmacy benefit management com-panies like Express Scripts.

Medicaid: The public health program forthe low-income population negotiates fordrug prices at the federal or state levelthrough a private intermediary.

Medicare: The public health program forthe elderly hires private companies tonegotiate drug prices with pharmaceuticalcompanies.

Veterans Administration: A publichealth insurance system for those whohave done military service, this programcomes closest to the model employed in

Europe on drug prices. “The administra-tion specifies the drugs they are going tocover and they basically set prices for thesedrugs,” Darius Lakdawalla, a professor atthe University of Southern California, saidof the VA.

Who sets drug prices? Whether for generic drugs or those still

under patent, drug companies have broadauthority to set prices based on supply anddemand, said Eric Lail of the insurance groupBlue Cross and Blue Shield.

How are prices determined? Pharmaceutical companies set prices on

the basis of numerous factors, including costsin research and development, and in market-

ing. The United States is one of the few indus-trialized economies to permit drug compa-nies to directly advertise to consumers. NewZealand is another.

Yet to a large extent, drug prices aredetermined not by research and develop-ment costs, or the effectiveness of remedies,but “on the basis of what the market willbear,” concluded a 2016 paper by Harvardresearchers Aaron Kesselheim, Jerry Avornand Ameet Sarpatwari.

The paper said most blockbuster drugsare partly the result of public funding, eitherthrough subsidies or research funding. Forexample, the lucrative Sovaldi hepatitis Cdrug now owned by Gilead Sciences has itsorigins in academic labs that received publicsupport. —AFP

Skyrocketing drug prices key question in Trump health care reform

H E A LT H & S C I E NC EMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

KUWAIT: After four weeks of visiting GreatOrmond Street Hospital for Children(GOSH) in London, Dr Abdullah Ali, who iscurrently undertaking a pediatric trainingprogram in Kuwait, addresses the impor-tance of international collaboration withhospitals in developing the future of pedi-atrics in Kuwait.

It was after working in NBK Hospital’sHematology and Oncology ward in Kuwaitfor a few months when Dr Abdullah decid-ed he was keen to advance his study in thefield of Hematology and Oncology pedi-atrics. With GOSH’s world-class facilitiesand par ticular exper tise in both spe -cialisms, Dr Abdullah saw a placement atGOSH as a great opportunity to further hispassion for Hematology and Oncology,and to bring back ideas that will strength-en pediatric healthcare in Kuwait. TheMinistry of Health sponsored Dr Abdullahon his visit to the hospital, allowing himthe opportunity to develop his skills inhematology and oncology.

“What attracted me to GOSH is its inter-national reputation. When I started mypediatric training, I saw many Kuwaitipatients coming back from GOSH from dif-ferent specialt ies, mostly from theHematology and Oncology department.Therefore, I thought it would be useful toget to know this hospital more, especiallyconsidering its reputation as one of theleading hospitals in the world. I spoke toone of the consultants at NBK hospital toexpress my interest in Hematology andOncology. He recommended GOSH andput me in touch with Dr Phil Ancliff,” DrAbdullah said.

Despite feeling a bit lost to begin withwhen arriving in London, Dr Abdullahcommented that this init ial sense ofunease quickly changed thanks to thefr iendliness of the team at GOSH. DrAbdullah explains that by visiting GOSH, ahospital which sees over 1,500 childrenfrom the Middle East region each year; ithas given him the chance to gain experi-ence in conditions he would not usuallyget the chance to see back home, due to

Kuwait’s smaller population. It has alsogiven him the opportunity to take part ininclusive clinical discussions about the lat-est findings in hematology and Oncologywith leaders in the field.

“I especially enjoyed Thursday morn-ings as this is the time of the week whereconsultants discuss different cases andtheir different opinions. This collaborativeapproach was very enlightening and itwas great to have my input valued eventhough I am a junior. On one occasion I

was talk ing to Dr Ancliff about acuteleukemia and instantly, after about 30minutes, he sent me an article about it. It’sthis sort of enthusiasm about learning andexploring techniques that ultimately formsbetter doctors. Speaking to consultants inthe department made me realize how fas-cinating the field of leukemia is and all theareas where we could learn and explore.The past 4 weeks of collaborating withleading experts has made me think ‘I reallywant to do this!’”

Crucial roleSpeaking about the experience, Dr

Ancliff, Consultant in Pediatric Hematologyat GOSH, stresses how this collaborativework plays a crucial role in developinghealthcare. “Collaborative work shouldalways be encouraged amongst healthcareprofessionals. It helps promote a more edu-cated, skilled and engaged workforce. It wasa great privilege having Dr Abdullah chooseto visit us in order to learn more about theareas of Hematology and Oncology. I

believe, through this active collaboration,together we have sparked his enthusiasmand passion for further specializing in thearea which he will then be able to apply inKuwait.” Commenting on what he plans tobring back to Kuwait, Dr Abdullah mentionshow he would like to promote the idea of amultidisciplinary team more amongst futurephysicians in Kuwait. Multidisciplinary work-ing is when professionals from a range ofspecialties collaborate to deliver compre-hensive care that addresses as many of thepatient’s needs as possible.

“The multidisciplinary area is not asestablished here in Kuwait as it is in GOSH;we have started it already but I think there’sstill more which could be done,” explains DrAbdullah. “It is important to analyze casesfrom a medical perspective and throughthe eyes of a Hematology expert, but whatthis experience taught me is the need toalso cater to the non-medical elements ofevery case such as social support and edu-cation. It is widely reported by colleaguesat GOSH that benefits of this collaborativeworking include improved health out-comes for patients, the more efficient useof resources and enhanced job satisfactionfor team members.”

Further, Dr Abdullah was amazed at thelengths GOSH go to in order to make thehospital like home for children and parentswho visit. “It is the small details whichmake a big difference. For example, GOSHhave a team of interpreters for all differentlanguages available, and even have win-dow cleaners who dress up in superherocostumes; it is a very friendly environmentfor children.”

“I would definitely recommend this expe-rience to other colleagues in Kuwait. Thelevel of research and clinical experience atGOSH is more advanced when compared toKuwait. It is always good to have a referencepoint, and GOSH has been a good bench-mark to many of our doctors. I hope we canwe can continue this collaboration in thefuture to further develop the skills andexpertise of our doctors in Kuwait,” DrAbdullah concluded.

International collaboration to develop

specialized skills of Kuwaiti doctors

Encouraged by pediatric expert

Dr Abdullah Ali (left) and Dr Phil Ancliff.

NEW YORK: Facing pressure from environmentalistsand shareholder activists, major US food companies andrestaurant chains are moving to limit antibiotics in farmanimals raised for meat. Last month, Tyson Foodsannounced a “no antibiotics ever” pledge for all Tyson-branded chicken products, building on an earlier prom-ise to restrict drug use on broiler chickens.

Analysts see the latest Tyson announcement as fur-ther evidence of a trend of large companies limitingpharmaceuticals that scientists believe increases drug-resistance for treating pneumonia, infections and otherillnesses in humans.

The wave started in 2014 with Perdue Chicken andchicken-based fast-food chain Chick-fil-A, followed byMcDonald’s, Wal-Mart Stores, Pilgrim’s Pride and others.The announcements vary in scope, with some compa-nies, for example, still permitting use of ionophores,antibiotics not used in human medicine.

The shift follows warnings about antibiotic resistancefrom health officials and a September 2016 UnitedNations General Assembly resolution that pledgedcoordinated action to address overuse. “We’re seeing acry from consumers for meat that’s responsibly raised,”said Lena Brook, a food policy advocate for the NaturalResources Defense Council (NRDC).

Still, the breadth of the movement should not beoverstated. While an estimated 40 to 50 percent of USchicken now is antibiotic-free, the percentage is far low-er for pork and beef. Moreover, several leading compa-nies have resisted action. Kentucky Fried Chicken, partof Yum Brands, currently scores an “F” on an NRDCscorecard on antibiotics policy, while Sanderson Farms,a leading US chicken producer, has lampooned thetrend. “There’s certainly strong and growing demand forit today, but to what extent it’s a fad or a long-termtrend remains to be seen,” said Zain Akbari, a foodindustry analyst at Morningstar.

Antibiotic-free premiumExperts in animal farm science say US farmers for

decades routinely employed antibiotics as a means tospeed growth rates for animals, and to prevent diseaseoutbreaks on farms where animals are frequentlypacked in close quarters.

But an April 2014 World Health Organization reportwarned of the potential for a “post-antibiotic era” inwhich “common infections and minor injuries can kill”as drugs become ineffective. In voluntary guidelinesthat took effect in January, the US Food and DrugAdministration said antibiotics in agriculture should

be limited to medically necessary uses and not forweight gain.

The call by public officials has dovetailed withheightened consciousness about food in broaderAmerican society that has also propelled organic food.Instead of antibiotics, Tyson is turning to probiotics andto botanicals such as oregano and thyme for routinetreatment, while still employing antibiotics if birdsbecome sick, a spokesman said.

Tyson, which has faced shareholder resolutions inrecent years on its water policy and other sustainabilityissues, also plans to limit antibiotics in pork, beef andturkey, although it has not yet set target dates.

“We’re eliminating human antibiotics because it’s themost responsible approach to balance a global healthconcern and animal well-being,” a Tyson spokesmansaid. “Antibiotics resistance is a very complex issue withno single cause and no single solution. It’s a global con-cern and we want to be part of the solution.”

As other companies have done, Tyson began withchicken, in part because chicken farms tend to be verti-cally organized within companies, compared with porkand beef, which involve contracts with outside farmers.That means the company would need to institute pro-grams that impact its suppliers, analysts say.

Is beef next?Advocates of stricter antibiotic use are pressing for

action on beef and pork too, and are preparing a share-holder resolution for McDonald’s annual meeting. Sincebeef already has more premium grades, adding antibi-otic-free products could be another opportunity tointroduce a pricier product, said Akbari, theMorningstar analyst.

Akbari said much of the current push is in responseto millennials, who increasingly will “force retailers andproducers to be pretty nimble.” Still, organic-mindedmillennials are not the only key segment in the vast USfood market.

Sanderson Farms last summer unveiled a marketingblitz in which a pair of folksy, baseball-cap wearing con-sumers mock the antibiotic-free craze in television adsthat question the scientific link of agriculture to thegrowth of drug resistance and the wisdom of payingmore for antibiotic-free chicken.

Joe Sanderson, chief executive of the 62-year-oldMississippi company, defended the company’s stancein a February 23 conference call. “Everybody does notwant that product,” Sanderson said. “And everybodydoes not believe the claims on that product and nor isthat claim important to everybody.” —AFP

Antibiotic-free meat gets a foothold in US

W H AT ’ S ONMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

On the occasion of National Day andLiberation Day Celebrations, Omniatyheld an open day for kids with cancer

and their parents in cooperation with Al-SayerGroup Holding and KACCH members. A largegroup of kids from National Bank Hospital forKids and BACCH participated in the celebra-tions where “First Step” Team for DiseasePrevention presented several entertainmentshows, contests, games and gift distribution.The children also enjoyed national songs andraised the flags of Kuwait expressing their joy inthis occasion with the participation of cartooncharacters and face painting with the colors ofKuwait flag.

Omniaty extends its gratitude and apprecia-tion to the team of volunteers from BACCHunder the leadership of Mary Dembsi -Coordination Manager for their participation inorganizing the celebration and ensuring theirfull cooperation and coordination withOmniaty team in order to bring happiness tothe kids in this occasion. It is worth mentioningthat Omniaty is the first national, non-profitproject whose aim is to grant wishes to childrenwho are less fortunate with terminal, and dete-riorating Illnesses aged between 3 - 18 yearsold according to the terms and conditions.

On this Occasion Mona Al Shetan - CEO ofOmniaty Project declared that: “Since establish-

ment in 2011, we at Omniaty were able to drawa smile on the faces of more than 370 childwith deteriorating Illnesses. We have seen theimpact of this charitable work on kids and theirfamilies, in addition that many institutions wel-coming the idea of this project and its work as atype of corporate social responsibility contribu-tion. I can only extend my gratitude to ourfounder partners, project board of directors: Al-Sayer Group - Tamdeen Real Estate Company -Al-Homaizi Group - Rai Medi Group -Abdulrazaq Al Sane and sons group - FASTelco- Al-Ghanim Industries - Easa Husain Al-YousifiSons Company - Al-Maousherji Group - Al-Markaz - National Bank of Kuwait.”

Omniaty organizes open day for kids with cancer

National and Liberation Day celebra-tions of Kuwait was observed at IndiaInternational School Mangaf with

great enthusiasm and patriotic fervor.Special assembly was organized with anassortment of entertainment programsincluding dance and music performances.The attire of students and teachers in theflag colors, and the decorated corridors cre-ated a perfect ambiance for the occasion.The tiny-tots of Kindergarten enjoyed theactivity of coloring the national flag.Competitions in Arabic Handwriting, wordsmaking and conversation were held for theprimary students. The event was graced bythe school Director Malayil Moosa Koya,Principal F M Basheer Ahmed, Sr VicePrincipal Narinder Kaur, Vice PrincipalsSophy John, Indulekha Suresh, Saleem andKG Head Nilofer Qazi.

National and Liberation Day celebrations at IISM

‘Sea Food Night’

Millennium Hotel & Convention Center Kuwait is welcomingits guests at ‘Lamar International Restaurant’ - one of mostprestigious buffets in the city - to celebrate its famous ‘Sea

Food Night’ every Thursday evening from 7:30 to 11:30 pm. Therestaurant will be serving a wide range of oriental and internationalseafood dishes for visitors to have a great weekend break withLamar’s upscale ambiance and excellent cuisine.

Area General Manager of Millennium and Copthorne HotelsKuwait - Dani Saleh, Said: “As part of our commitment to maintainingthe highest standards of hospitality, we now invite our guests to aspectacular seafood festival at Lamar International Restaurant, wherethey are sure to enjoy our extraordinary selection of mouth-wateringlobsters, prawns, mussels and oysters of all kinds. Lamar’s premiumquality seafood buffet also includes an assortment of delicious appe-tizers, salads and sauces”. Lamar’s talented chefs will also be prepar-ing the tastiest and most flavorsome seafood dishes in front of theirguests at a fascinating live cooking station, where they can choose toadd from the varied selection of spices and toppings to offer for amore unique dining experience. Millennium Hotel & ConventionCentre is one of the grandest emerging 5-star quality business hotelsin the country strategically located on the 4th ring road in the heartof Al-Salmiya area, close to the main shopping malls, dining andentertainment spots around the block. It is also home to businessconferences and trade exhibitions with varying capacities.

The hotel is designed for business and leisure travelers, offering295 rooms and suites equipped with state-of-the-art technology,complimentary high speed Wi-Fi and luxury amenities. MillenniumHotel facilities also include a health club - with modern Techno-gym brand machines, an outdoor swimming pool, andsauna/steam rooms. The hotel’s integrated business center offerssecretarial services and comprehensive office facilities. With 3 differ-ent cuisines and a pool bar, guests are spoiled for choice when itcomes to dining in the hotel’s world-class restaurants.

Happy birthdayto LebakaBanusri!

Greetings from yourloving parentsSumalatha andNarasimha Reddy,grandparents, uncles,

aunts, friends and well-wishers.

Greetings

On Monday, the 13th of February, a group of KESstudents from years 10-11, visited the FrenchInstitute in Jabriya, Kuwait - the main francophone

cultural center promoting French language and encourag-ing cross-cultural exchange and cultural diversity. The tripwas organized by Head of French Naylor, and Frenchteachers Kelly and Lorenzo also attended to accompanythe students. The students received a very cordial wel-

come by Bulent Inan, Assistant Director, who providedthem with extensive information about French qualifica-tions, courses and resources available at the institute aswell as information on attending French universities.

They were then given a tour of the centre and its facili-ties, followed by a visit to the French cafe, where they hadthe opportunity to taste some freshly made Frenchdesserts such as crepes and gauffres. At the cafe, they

were joined by Cedric Devais, director of the FrenchInstitute and Stefano Campopiano, Languages coordina-tor. The students enjoyed the visit and especially lovedtheir experience in the Mediatheque Section, located in acozy corner of the Institute. They found lots of great booksto read in French, as well as magazines, CDs, DVDs, andcomic books. What a great place to relax with a book orwatch a movie!

KES visit to French Institute of Kuwait

W H AT ’ S ONMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

Ooredoo, Kuwait’s fastest network, isparticipating in the Gulf Universityof Science and Technology’s 19th

Career Fair as platinum sponsor. The fair,which was inaugurated yesterday, will con-tinue to receive students today. Ooredoo’sHuman Resources team will be available toanswer queries of students from all majorsand specialties regarding job and intern-ship opportunities at Ooredoo.

In a statement to the press, OoredooChief Human Resources and AdministrationServices Officer Omar Al-Bassam said, “Webelieve in the major role youth play in thefuture of our country, and our support foryouth is deep-rooted within our strategyacross the organization in Ooredoo. This isnot the first time that Ooredoo has takenpart in a job fair; we have successfully par-ticipated in several job fairs in the past. Ouraim is to open new horizons for the ambi-tious youth by giving them an opportunity

to apply their educational knowledge tothe professional world.”

Ooredoo Kuwait’s Human Resourcesrepresentatives will be present atOoredoo’s booth to brief students aboutthe benefits of working for Ooredoo andthe different career growth opportunitiesprovided by the company, as well asinternship opportunities. Ooredoo boastsa dynamic and fresh corporate culturewhere new ideas are nurtured and every-one is given a fair chance to grow andmaximize their potential. Ooredooemployees are always given opportunitiesto develop their skills and enhance theirknowledge through extensive trainingprograms along with new challenges todevelop their interests.

Ooredoo sponsors

GUST Career Fair

The Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait in collaboration with the Indonesian Badminton Club in Kuwait (IBCK) held an ‘IBCK Open Badminton Tournament 2017’ on Friday, March 10th 2017 in Riggae. More than 120players from seven countries (Kuwait, Nepal, India, Philippines, Egypt and Pakistan) took part in the event. The event was officially opened by the Indonesian Ambassador to Kuwait HE Tatang Budie Utama Razak.

Media must not try to become power-cen-ters but act as the eyes and ears of thesociety by truthfully reporting the devel-

opments in a country, said BRP Bhaskar, a seniorIndian journalist and a human rights activist onThursday. Making a keynote speech on the emerg-ing trends in media at the annual media confer-ence of the Malayali Media Forum (MMF), Kuwait,he said, the new trend of looking at newspapers asyet another market products is not untenable. “Themedia has the power to influence the thoughtprocess of a person and help mold his or her opin-ion. This quality makes the fourth estate differentfrom other institutions and a media organizationdistinct from other corporate entities,” he said.

At the same time we have to realize the factthat there are power-centers outside govern-ments. Today, many media houses dole out newsreports from their own ivory towers under thefalse impression that the society is helpless with-out them. On the contrary, people are realizingtheir power today. “People are gradually attainingmedia literacy as evident in the emergence of thesocial media today so that they are able to decodethe destiny of the media houses looking at theirquality in discerning truthful and responsiblenews reports,” he added.

Indian Ambassador Sunil Jain as chief guestinaugurated the conference. MMF GeneralConvener Sam Painumoodu presided over the con-ference. Program Convener Nixon George intro-duced the guest of honor while Abdul FattahThayyil presented the first copy of the annual sou-venir to Bhaskar who in turn released it. ConvenorIsmayeel Payyoli welcomed the gathering andSalim Kottayil proposed a vote of thanks. A musicshow led by Biju Thikkodi and Rafi Calicut enter-tained the invited guests at the CommunityAuditorium, Jleeb Al-Shoyoukh. Bhaskar also held amedia workshop for MMF members from 10 am to4 pm on Friday.

National Forum (NAFO-Kuwait) dem-ocratically and unanimously re-con-stituted its Ladies Wing during

‘Kudumbasangamam’, conducted onFebruary 17th, 2017, at the IndianCommunity School auditorium, Ammanbranch. This organizational task was suc-cessfully executed with the initiative ofOut-gone LWCC and under the guidance ofNAFO Advisory Board. A large number ofNAFO family members attended and wit-nessed this event.

An overwhelming number of 17 ladiesvoluntarily offered to serve as members ofthe new Ladies Wing CoordinationCommittee, having its new tenure of threeyears. Smt Jayalakshmi Promod was electedas the Chief Coordinator, Smt SreekalaDileepas Vice-Coordinator. Others include;GijiUnnikrishnan, Smt SreelaRaviprasad,Smt Sreevidya Dileepkumar, Smt SreeranjiniAjay, Smt. ReshmaSubodh, Dr Asha NMenon, Smt ShyamaNandakumar, SmtArunaRajagopal, Smt SreelathaSreejayan,Smt BinduBipin, Smt SmritiVinayan, SmtSunanda Rajeev, Smt SheebaShaiju, SmtBeena Venugopal and Smt DarsanaJayadevan who were elected as coordina-

tors to the NAFO LWCC. Outgoing LadiesWing Committee chief co-ordinator SmtSmitha Sashikumar presented a detailedactivity report and widely appreciated fortheir commendable contributions for thepast three year tenure and also for the ini-tiatives taken for the smooth re-constitu-tion of the new committee. ChiefCoordinator, Smt Jayalakshmi Promod,while assuming the responsibility men-tioned that the new ladies wing in accor-dance with the set policies of NAFO wouldperform its duties with a new outlookthrough unique ideas and contribute max-imum towards its socio-cultural activitiesof NAFO.

It was mentioned that a meeting of thenew ladies wing will soon be convened inorder to plan programs mainly to revitalizeNAFO Gurukulam so as to educate andempower children with India’s traditionalculture, civilization, philosophical valuesand social principles. NAFO Kuwait is a nonprofit, non political socio-welfare organiza-tion, registered with the Indian Embassy inKuwait (INDEMB/KWT/ASSN/94) servingthe Indian Community in Kuwait and backin India for the last thirteen years.

National Forum (NAFO-Kuwait)

Ladies Wing reconstituted

Journalists must act as eyes

and ears of society: Expert

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11:10 Counterfeit Cat11:35 Pair Of Kings12:30 Future-Worm!12:55 Lab Rats: Bionic Island13:45 Atomic Puppet14:10 Disney Mickey Mouse14:15 Counterfeit Cat14:40 Supa Strikas15:05 Lab Rats15:30 Gamerʼs Guide To PrettyMuch Everything15:55 Right Now Kapow16:25 K.C. Undercover16:50 Future-Worm!17:15 Gravity Falls17:40 Lab Rats18:05 Disney Mickey Mouse18:10 Mighty Med18:35 Right Now Kapow19:00 Atomic Puppet19:25 Gamerʼs Guide To PrettyMuch Everything19:55 K.C. Undercover20:20 Kickinʼ It20:45 Mighty Med21:10 Danger Mouse21:40 Disney Mickey Mouse21:45 Marvelʼs Avengers Assemble22:10 Marvel Ultimate Spider-Manvs The Sinister 622:35 Boyster

00:20 Henry Hugglemonster00:35 The Hive00:45 Loopdidoo01:00 Henry Hugglemonster01:15 Calimero01:30 Art Attack01:55 Zou02:05 Loopdidoo02:20 Henry Hugglemonster02:35 Calimero02:50 Zou03:05 Art Attack03:30 The Hive03:40 Loopdidoo03:55 Henry Hugglemonster04:10 Art Attack04:35 Loopdidoo

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T V PR O G R A M SMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

BARELY LETHAL ON OSN MOVIES HD

DRACULA UNTOLD ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD

00:45 The Gambler02:45 While You Were Sleeping04:30 Make Your Move06:30 Win A Date With TadHamilton!08:15 Orange County10:00 Barely Lethal11:45 Steve Jobs14:00 A Lot Like Love16:00 The Ladykillers18:00 Twister20:00 Everest22:00 127 Hours23:45 Swordfish

00:10 Wicked Tuna01:00 Map Of Hell02:55 Mine Kings03:50 Wicked Tuna04:45 Mega Breakdown05:40 80s: The Decade That MadeUs06:35 Human Lampshade: AHolocaust Mystery07:30 Hitler The Junkie

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00:00 My Man Is A Loser02:00 Camp Nowhere03:45 After The Ball05:45 Parenthood08:00 Camp Nowhere10:00 After The Ball12:00 Parenthood14:00 Indian Summer16:00 Accidental Love18:00 The Rewrite20:00 Bill & Tedʼs Bogus Journey22:00 Please Give

00:00 Two Mothers02:00 The Help04:30 Healing06:30 The Search For Freedom08:00 Memories09:45 Ordinary People12:00 The Help14:30 Boychoir16:15 Wildlike18:00 Rudderless20:00 War Book22:00 True Confessions

00:50 Gator Boys01:45 In Too Deep04:00 Escape To Chimp Eden04:25 Escape To Chimp Eden06:02 In Too Deep06:25 In Too Deep06:49 Gator Boys07:36 Call Of The Wildman08:00 Call Of The Wildman08:25 Preposterous Pets09:15 Biggest And Baddest10:10 Escape To Chimp Eden10:35 Escape To Chimp Eden11:05 Tanked12:00 Preposterous Pets12:55 Bondi Vet13:50 Biggest And Baddest14:45 Gator Boys15:40 Escape To Chimp Eden16:05 Escape To Chimp Eden16:35 Tanked17:30 Ten Deadliest Snakes WithNigel Marven18:25 Village Vets18:50 Village Vets19:20 Dr. Dee: Alaska Vet20:15 Tanked21:10 Escape To Chimp Eden22:05 Village Vets23:00 Dr. Dee: Alaska Vet23:55 Gator Boys

00:00 Killers: Behind The Myth01:00 The Haunting Of...02:00 My Ghost Story: Caught OnCamera03:00 The Real Bronson04:00 Killers: Behind The Myth05:00 The Haunting Of...06:00 My Ghost Story: Caught OnCamera07:00 The First 4808:00 Deadly Wives09:00 Crimes That Shook Britain10:00 Homicide Hunter11:00 Crimes That Shook Australia15:00 Deadly Wives16:00 Crimes That Shook Britain17:00 Homicide Hunter18:00 Killers19:00 It Takes A Killer20:00 The First 4821:00 Crimes That Shook Britain22:00 Deadly Wives23:00 Homicide Hunter

00:20 Zoo Confidential01:10 Extreme Animal Babies02:00 Lion Warrior02:50 Maneater Manhunt03:45 Bear Nomad04:40 Extreme Animal Babies05:35 Lion Warrior06:30 Maneater Manhunt07:25 Bear Nomad08:20 Extreme Animal Babies09:15 Freaks & Creeps10:10 Snakes In The City11:05 Predator Fails12:00 Australiaʼs Deadliest: SharkCoast12:55 Cheetah: Fatal Instinct13:50 Hunter Hunted14:45 Baby Animals In The Wild15:40 Extreme Animal Babies16:35 Wild Australia17:30 Snakes In The City18:25 Predator Fails19:20 Baby Animals In The Wild20:10 Extreme Animal Babies21:00 Wild Australia21:50 Snakes In The City22:40 Predator Fails23:30 Australiaʼs Deadliest: SharkCoast

01:45 Shark Lake03:45 Double Team06:00 Dracula Untold07:45 Licence To Kill10:00 Navy Seals: The Battle ForNew Orleans12:00 Spooks: The Greater Good14:15 Dracula Untold16:00 Black Rose18:00 Con Air20:00 Ant-Man22:00 I Am Number Four

00:20 Street Outlaws01:10 Snaketacular02:00 Fukushima: On The FrontlineWith Joel Lambert02:50 Legend Of Croc Gold03:40 Fast Nʼ Loud04:30 Storage Wars Canada05:00 How Do They Do It?05:30 How Do They Do It?06:00 Outback Truckers06:50 Street Outlaws07:40 Fast Nʼ Loud08:30 The Island With Bear Grylls09:20 Storage Wars Canada09:45 How Do They Do It?10:10 How Do They Do It?10:35 Wheeler Dealers11:25 Diesel Brothers12:15 Street Outlaws13:05 How Do They Do It?13:30 Storage Wars Canada13:55 Storage Wars Canada14:20 Alaska: The Last Frontier15:10 The Island With Bear Grylls16:00 Outback Truckers16:50 Fast Nʼ Loud17:40 Street Outlaws18:30 How Do They Do It?18:55 How Do They Do It?19:20 The Island With Bear Grylls20:10 Storage Wars Canada20:35 Storage Wars Canada

00:10 Hank Zipzer00:35 Binny And The Ghost01:00 Violetta01:45 The Hive01:50 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch02:40 Hank Zipzer03:05 Binny And The Ghost03:30 Violetta04:15 The Hive04:20 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch05:10 Hank Zipzer05:35 Binny And The Ghost06:00 Violetta06:45 The Hive06:50 The 7D07:00 Jessie07:50 Tsum Tsum Shorts07:55 The Zhuzhus08:20 Elena Of Avalor08:45 Bunkʼd09:10 Stuck In The Middle09:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place10:25 A.N.T. Farm11:15 Good Luck Charlie12:05 Shake It Up12:55 Disney Mickey Mouse13:00 Welcome To The Ronks13:15 Gravity Falls13:40 Hank Zipzer14:05 Star Darlings14:10 Austin & Ally14:35 Jessie15:00 Bunkʼd15:25 Kirby Buckets15:50 Sunny Bunnies15:55 The Zhuzhus16:20 Miraculous Tales Of LadybugAnd Cat Noir16:45 Elena Of Avalor17:10 Stuck In The Middle17:35 Descendants Wicked World17:40 Girl Meets World18:05 Bizaardvark18:30 Bunkʼd18:55 Best Friends Whenever19:20 Disney Mickey Mouse19:25 The Next Step19:50 Austin & Ally20:15 Star Darlings20:20 Shake It Up20:45 Backstage21:10 Liv And Maddie21:35 Cracke21:40 Dog With A Blog22:05 Best Friends Whenever22:30 Jessie22:55 Tsum Tsum Shorts23:00 Kirby Buckets23:25 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch23:50 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch

00:40 A Crime To Remember01:30 Kindred Spirits02:20 A Haunting03:10 The First Kill04:00 Long Island Serial Killer:People Magazine...04:48 Blood Relatives05:36 Blood Relatives06:24 Blood Relatives07:12 Blood Relatives08:00 The Locator08:25 The Locator

00:15 Charlie Luxtonʼs Homes ByThe Med01:05 Testing The Menu With NicWatt01:30 Dog Whisperer02:20 Carnival Eats02:45 Carnival Eats03:10 Home Strange Home04:00 The Wine Show04:50 Valentine Warner EatsScandinavia05:20 One Man & His Campervan05:45 Poh & Co06:15 David Roccoʼs Dolce Vita06:40 David Roccoʼs Dolce Vita07:10 Testing The Menu With NicWatt07:35 Dog Whisperer08:30 Carnival Eats09:00 Carnival Eats09:25 The Wine Show10:20 Home Strange Home11:15 Valentine Warner EatsScandinavia11:45 One Man & His Campervan12:10 Poh & Co12:40 Testing The Menu With NicWatt13:05 Dog Whisperer14:00 Carnival Eats14:30 Valentine Warnerʼs WildTable15:50 The Wine Show16:45 One Man & His Campervan17:15 One Man & His Campervan17:40 Street Food Around TheWorld18:10 The Witch Doctor Will SeeYou Now19:05 Valentine Warnerʼs WildTable20:00 The Wine Show20:55 One Man & His Campervan21:20 One Man & His Campervan21:45 Street Food Around TheWorld22:10 The Witch Doctor Will SeeYou Now

00:00 Damien01:00 Scandal02:00 Code Black03:00 Scream Queens04:00 Prison Break05:00 The Night Shift06:00 Good Morning America -Weekend07:00 Agent X08:00 The Family09:00 The Night Shift10:00 Prison Break11:00 This Is Us12:00 Agent X13:00 The Family14:00 Live Good Morning America16:00 The Night Shift17:00 Prison Break18:00 This Is Us19:00 Rosewood20:00 Criminal Minds21:00 Homeland

00:15 Close Encounters03:10 Mythbusters08:00 How Do They Do It?08:26 Kings Of Construction09:14 Mythbusters10:02 Close Encounters10:27 Close Encounters10:50 How Do They Do It?11:14 Food Factory11:38 Food Factory USA12:03 Food Factory USA12:26 Kings Of Construction13:14 Mythbusters14:02 How Do They Do It?14:26 Food Factory14:50 Close Encounters15:15 Close Encounters15:38 Kings Of Construction16:26 Mythbusters17:14 Mythbusters18:02 Close Encounters

01:00 Garfield02:30 Ghatothkach - Master OfMagic04:30 Pim And Pom: The BigAdventure06:00 Mamma Moo And Crow07:30 Moomins And The CometChase09:00 Rugrats Go Wild10:45 Garfield12:30 Ghatothkach - Master OfMagic14:15 Memory Loss16:00 Rugrats Go Wild18:00 Bee Movie20:00 Bolts And Blip21:45 Memory Loss23:30 Moomins And The Comet

00:10 The Chase01:00 Emmerdale01:30 Coronation Street02:30 The Jonathan Ross Show03:25 Midsomer Murders05:15 Broadchurch06:10 The Chase07:05 The Jonathan Ross Show08:00 Midsomer Murders09:35 Callie-Anne Cooks Into TheWild10:00 Broadchurch10:55 The Chase11:50 The Jonathan Ross Show12:45 Emmerdale13:15 Coronation Street14:15 The Chase15:10 The Jonathan Ross Show16:00 Murdoch Mysteries16:55 Him17:50 Broadchurch18:45 Emmerdale19:15 Coronation Street19:45 Coronation Street20:10 The Jonathan Ross Show21:00 Murdoch Mysteries21:55 Him22:50 Emmerdale23:15 Coronation Street23:40 Coronation Street

00:20 Married By Mum And Dad01:10 Return To Amish02:00 My Big Fat Fabulous Life02:25 Say Yes To The Dress:Bridesmaids02:50 Love, Lust Or Run03:15 Cake Boss03:35 Designer Darlings04:20 Little People, Big World05:10 Toddlers & Tiaras06:00 Ultimate Shopper06:50 Say Yes To The Dress UK07:40 Cake Boss08:30 Little People, Big World09:20 Kate Plus 810:10 Love, Lust Or Run10:35 Cake Boss11:00 My Big Fat Fabulous Life11:25 Say Yes To The Dress:Bridesmaids11:50 Ultimate Shopper

00:05 Destroyed In Seconds00:30 Prototype This02:10 Dirty Jobs03:50 Bear Grylls: Born Survivor06:20 How Itʼs Made07:00 Dick ʻnʼ Dom Go Wild07:25 Awesome Adventures07:50 Bondi Vet08:40 How Itʼs Made09:30 Prototype This10:20 Mythbusters11:10 Bondi Vet12:00 Bear Grylls: Born Survivor12:50 How Itʼs Made13:40 Dirty Jobs14:30 Dick ʻnʼ Dom Go Wild14:55 Awesome Adventures15:20 Mythbusters16:10 Prototype This17:00 Kids Do The Craziest Things17:50 Pick A Puppy

18:40 Destroyed In Seconds19:30 How Itʼs Made19:55 How Itʼs Made20:20 Mythbusters21:10 Kids Do The Craziest Things21:35 Kids Do The Craziest Things22:00 Pick A Puppy22:25 Pick A Puppy22:50 Destroyed In Seconds23:15 Destroyed In Seconds23:40 Bear Grylls: Born Survivor

21:00 Gold Rush21:50 Everest Rescue22:40 Killing Fields23:30 Fast Nʼ Loud

00:05 Keeping Up With TheKardashians01:50 E! News02:50 Hollywood Cycle05:30 Fashion Bloggers06:00 Just Jillian06:55 E! News07:10 Just Jillian08:10 E! News09:10 Rob & Chyna12:00 E! News12:15 Celebrity Style Story12:40 Celebrity Style Story13:10 So Cosmo14:05 So Cosmo15:00 E! News15:15 WAGs19:00 E! News20:00 Celebrity Style Story20:30 Celebrity Style Story21:00 Revenge Body With KhloeKardashian22:00 Revenge Body With KhloeKardashian23:00 E! News23:15 Botched

00:00 Wrecked00:30 Community01:00 Community01:30 Saturday Night Live03:00 The New Adventures Of OldChristine03:30 The New Adventures Of OldChristine04:00 Malibu Country04:30 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon05:30 Cougar Town06:00 George Lopez06:30 Galavant07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers08:00 Malibu Country08:30 Cougar Town09:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show10:00 Superstore10:30 Galavant11:00 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon12:00 George Lopez12:30 Malibu Country13:00 Cougar Town13:30 Galavant14:00 The New Adventures Of OldChristine14:30 The Last Man On Earth15:00 Superstore15:30 Community16:00 Community16:30 George Lopez17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show18:00 The New Adventures Of OldChristine18:30 The New Adventures Of OldChristine19:00 Dr. Ken19:30 The Mindy Project20:00 Wrecked20:30 Wrecked21:00 Community21:30 Community22:00 Itʼs Always Sunny InPhiladelphia22:30 Itʼs Always Sunny InPhiladelphia

08:50 I Almost Got Away With It09:40 Deadline: Crime With TamronHall10:30 Blood Relatives11:20 Murder Comes To Town12:10 I Am Homicide13:00 The Locator13:25 The Locator13:50 I Almost Got Away With It14:40 Deadline: Crime With TamronHall15:30 Blood Relatives16:20 Murder Comes To Town17:10 Evil Online18:00 The Locator18:25 The Locator18:50 I Almost Got Away With It19:40 California Investigator20:05 California Investigator20:30 Blood Relatives21:20 Murder Comes To Town22:10 Deadline: Crime With TamronHall23:00 Obsession: Dark Desires23:50 How (Not) To Kill YourHusband

00:00 Mystery Diners01:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives02:00 Man Fire Food

03:00 Chopped04:00 Guyʼs Grocery Games05:00 Barefoot Contessa: Back ToBasics06:00 The Kitchen07:00 The Pioneer Woman08:00 Sibaʼs Table09:00 Anna Olson: Bake10:00 The Kitchen11:00 The Pioneer Woman12:00 Sibaʼs Table13:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives14:00 Chopped15:00 The Kitchen16:00 Anna Olson: Bake17:00 Chopped18:00 Guyʼs Grocery Games19:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives20:00 Man Fire Food21:00 Roadtrip With G. Garvin22:00 Iron Chef America23:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

07:55 Hitler And The Occult08:25 Nazi Underworld09:20 Mega Breakdown10:15 The Border11:10 Highway Thru Hell12:05 Mine Kings13:00 Nazi Underworld14:00 Inside: 21st Century Warship16:00 The Border17:00 Highway Thru Hell18:00 Mine Kings19:00 Mega Factories: Supercars20:00 The Border20:50 Highway Thru Hell21:40 Mine Kings22:30 Mega Factories: Supercars23:20 80s: The Decade That Made Us

01:00 Herbie Fully Loaded03:00 Chilly Christmas05:00 The Tigger Movie07:00 A Bugʼs Life09:00 Underdog11:00 The Tigger Movie13:00 Cars15:00 The Amazing Wizard OfPaws17:00 Hannah Montana Movie19:00 Confessions Of A TeenageDrama Queen21:00 The Last Flight Of Noahʼs Ark23:00 The Amazing Wizard Of

20:30 Miles From Tomorrow21:00 Unbungalievable21:05 Goldie & Bear21:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse22:00 My Friends Tigger & Pooh

00:20 Battle 36001:10 Pawn Stars01:35 Pawn Stars Best Of02:00 Storage Wars: Barryʼs BestBuys02:50 Storage Wars03:15 American Pickers04:05 Pawn Stars05:00 Mountain Men06:00 American Restoration06:50 Shipping Wars07:15 Shipping Wars07:40 Counting Cars08:05 Counting Cars08:30 Pawn Stars08:55 Pawn Stars09:20 Storage Wars Texas09:45 Storage Wars Texas10:10 American Pickers11:00 Pirate Treasure Of TheKnights Templar11:50 Time Team12:40 Swamp People13:30 Ax Men14:20 Mountain Men15:10 Shipping Wars15:35 Shipping Wars16:00 Counting Cars16:50 Pawn Stars17:15 Pawn Stars17:40 Storage Wars: Barryʼs BestBuys18:30 Pawn Stars18:55 Pawn Stars Best Of19:20 Mountain Men20:10 American Pickers21:00 The Curse Of Oak Island21:50 Hunting Hitler22:40 Ronnie OʼSullivanʼsAmerican Hustle23:30 American Pickers

inf or m at ionMONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

Ahmadi Sama Safwan Fahaeel Makka St 23915883Abu Halaifa Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd 23715414Danat Al-Sultan Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd 23726558

Jahra Modern Jahra Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 24575518Madina Munawara Jahra-Block 92 24566622

Capital Ahlam Fahad Al-Salem St 22436184Khaldiya Coop Khaldiya Coop 24833967

Farwaniya New Shifa Farwaniya Block 40 24734000Ferdous Coop Ferdous Coop 24881201Modern Safwan Old Kheitan Block 11 24726638

Hawally Tariq Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25726265Hana Salmiya-Amman St 25647075Ikhlas Hawally-Beirut St 22625999Hawally & Rawdha Hawally & Rawdha Coop 22564549Ghadeer Jabriya-Block 1A 25340559Kindy Jabriya-Block 3B 25326554Ibn Al-Nafis Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25721264Mishrif Coop Mishrif Coop 25380581Salwa Coop Salwa Coop 25628241

Ophthalmologists

Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444

Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222

Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171

Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999

Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700

Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223

Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)

Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510

Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660

Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478

Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996

Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988

Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166

Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426

General Practitioners

Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123

Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312

Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920

Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465

Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528

Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781

Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501

Urologists

Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534

Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955

Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660

Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120

Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427

For labor-related inquiries and complaints:

Call MSAL hotline 128

Sabah Hospital 24812000

Amiri Hospital 22450005

Maternity Hospital 24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700

Chest Hospital 24849400

Farwaniya Hospital 24892010

Adan Hospital 23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300

Al-Razi Hospital 24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9

Kaizen center 25716707

Rawda 22517733

Adaliya 22517144

Khaldiya 24848075

Kaifan 24849807

Shamiya 24848913

Shuwaikh 24814507

Abdullah Salem 22549134

Nuzha 22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh 24814764

Qadsiya 22515088

Dasmah 22532265

Bneid Al-Gar 22531908

Shaab 22518752

Qibla 22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla 22451082

Mirqab 22456536

Sharq 22465401

Salmiya 25746401

Jabriya 25316254

Maidan Hawally 25623444

Bayan 25388462

Mishref 25381200

W Hawally 22630786

Sabah 24810221

Jahra 24770319

New Jahra 24575755

West Jahra 24772608

South Jahra 24775066

North Jahra 24775992

North Jleeb 24311795

Ardhiya 24884079

Firdous 24892674

Omariya 24719048

N Khaitan 24710044

Fintas 23900322

GOVERNORATE PHARMACY ADDRESS PHONE

Plastic Surgeons

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari 22617700

Dr. Abdel Quttainah 25625030/60

Family Doctor

Dr Divya Damodar 23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists

Dr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians

DrAdrian arbe 23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin 2572-6666 ext 8321

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272

Dr. Salem soso 22618787

General Surgeons

Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart

Dr. Adnan Ebil 22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada 22666300

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra 25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub 24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani 25654300/3

Paediatricians

Dr. Khaled Hamadi 25665898

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard 25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar 22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof 25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare 23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew 24334282

Dermatology

Dr. Mohammed Salam Bern University 23845955

Dentists

Dr Anil Thomas 3729596/3729581

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar 22641071/2

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed 22562226

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer 22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan 22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash 22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan 25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari 25620111

Neurologists

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan 25345875

Gastrologists

Dr. Sami Aman 22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly 25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali 22633135

Endocrinologist

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924

Physiotherapists & VD

Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288

Rheumatologists:

Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart

DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital 25339667

Consultant Cardiologist

Dr. Farida Al-Habib 2611555-2622555 MD, PH.D, FACC

Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

Soor CenterTel: 2290-1677Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.comwww.soorcenter.com

Psychologists/Psychotherapists

PRIVATE CLINICS

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Kaizen center25716707

Noor Clinic23845955

INTERNATIONALCALLS

Afghanistan 0093

Albania 00355

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Angola 00244

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Antiga 001268

Argentina 0054

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Australia 0061

Austria 0043

Azerbaijan 00994

Bahamas 001242

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Bangladesh 00880

Barbados 001246

Belarus 00375

Belgium 0032

Belize 00501

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Bosnia 00387

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Brazil 0055

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Cyprus 00357

Cyprus (Northern) 0090392

Czech Republic 00420

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England (UK) 0044

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New Caledonia 00687

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Romania 0040

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Samoa US 00684

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San Marino 00378

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Scotland (UK) 0044

Senegal 00221

Seychelles 00284

Sierra Leone 00232

Singapore 0065

Slovakia 00421

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South Africa 0027

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Spain 0034

Sri Lanka 0094

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Suriname 00597

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Sweden 0046

Switzerland 0041

Syria 00963

Serbia 00381

Taiwan 00886

Tanzania 00255

Thailand 0066

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Tunisia 00216

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Tuvalu 00688

Uganda 00256

Ukraine 00380

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United Kingdom 0044

Uruguay 00598

USA 001

Uzbekistan 00998

Vanuatu 00678

Venezuela 00582

Vietnam 0084

Virgin Islands UK 001284

Virgin Islands US 001340

Wales (UK) 0044

Yemen 00967

Yugoslavia 00381

Zambia 00260

Zimbabwe 00263

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

Directing, advising and encouraging others fill your day. This may meanyou will be lecturing or teaching or performing some artistic talent. You are buoyed withconfidence in any project you attempt. Make sure, however, that both your expectationsand abilities are realistic before diving into something you may not be able to get out ofwithout some embarrassment. You enjoy having opportunities to broaden your intellec-tual and spiritual horizons. This afternoon may be a good time to get the gang togetherfor a little musical ensemble. If you do not have this talent, it could be you have a desireto get your group of friends together for a little spur of the moment gathering, particu-larly if you have several friends living close together with similar interests.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

STAR TRACK

This is a good time to double your money. We are not talking about gam-bling but perhaps your eye for antiques or the resale value for some item will be thefocus of your monetary gain. The day is working in your favor to create some extra sav-ings or funds. You have a natural sense of what the public wants at this time. You will bedealing with young people this whole day. This may mean you run your own table at aflea market, or some other fun market place. Patience, persistence, fairness and a senseof limits are in order. This is a good time for new emotional beginnings, a fresh start, per-haps the establishment of new habit patterns-make sure they are good ones, becausethey will set the tone for you for quite some time to come!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Although this is a Monday, you may still have a schedule and a few appoint-ments to keep. You may find yourself lecturing. Be on time for appoint-

ments and take a businesslike attitude towards any plans that have been made. You couldbe most persuasive with others and eloquent in your communication skills. New ideasand an independent or pioneering mental orientation take on more importance in yourlife at this time. Teaching, learning, communicating and social contact have a way of out-lining new directions in your life; there is much activity and involvement with these kindsof issues. Today provides a natural opportunity for self-expression and lends itself to yourparticular ideas and thoughts. Your inner emotions are quite agreeable.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Puzzling over what to do to boost the appearance of the clothes in your clos-et, you may grasp the idea of a jacket that you can use to dress up a dress or

slacks. You want to look your best and may spend some time looking through the maga-zines or the internet to see about getting some new addition to your clothes. Technical orscientific equipment has your attention today and you may find that the hours fly by as youwork or play on some new equipment . . . It could be a new musical instrument. Newaccomplishments and new insights and breakthroughs are in order. Fill up your innerspaces with something spiritual this evening-sing. Underneath your calm exterior there is a

need for physical hugs and long talks. Express your needs to your loved ones tonight.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Although this may not be a moneymaking day for most, you will find thatmoney has a nice ring to it today. A little gambling, a good purchase, a hidden letter or anybonus from working a tough job is likely to land right in your lap. If you don’t see greenbefore the end of the day, you will be knocking yourself out to show someone how muchyou appreciate that person’s help to do or give or share some very special time with youand, you know the old saying, time is money. Your humanitarian urges should be satisfiedto help you find a balance. Consider some volunteer work now. An instinctive urge to getserious about taking care of you at many levels is emphasized. Positive thinking, diet, exer-cise and work put you in the right places.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Making your mark on the world has a special significance. You have anincreased desire to succeed in many avenues of your life. You are full of wit and sharpinsights. This could be a time for real breakthroughs in the idea department. A financialincrease is in the making. This is an excellent time to talk business or engage in discussionsabout philosophy, religion or the arts. Everything conspires to value and to bring out yourunique and unusual qualities. You may find that someone close to you understands and issupportive of your future plans; this person may even have an idea or two that you had notconsidered. Good things happen all day long. Something that was lost will be found beforethis day is over.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Careful-you may be susceptible to all sorts of ideas to keep the family busythis summer. There are offers in the religious sector of your life to organize and perhapshelp guide a young married group. This afternoon, you and a few of your friends may haveset aside some time to learn a new dance step. Perhaps you have rented a video. Dance is agreat way to express yourself and can be a good aerobic workout that will help to improveyour overall health as well as reduce stress. You see people as they are and not as you wantto see them, particularly in your circle of friends and loved ones. Your friends and lovedones give you some insight into the workings of different personalities. Later this eveningthere is time to just enjoy what you have.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

This is an easy, calm day that should find everything running smoothly. Youcan demonstrate a great deal of understanding and sensitivity to the needs

of others. Ideas and interaction with the elder people in your family, neighborhood or a reli-gious group may come to your attention. Perhaps you have researched or plan to researchthe options that are within your community to help the elderly. If there are no elderly inyour family, there will be some day and you plan to have answers. This afternoon is spentwith people that want to have contact with animals. There may be a new animal born atyour zoo or your very own animal has decided this afternoon is the time to give birth. Muchis discovered, talked about and laughter can be heard.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

From the very moment of sunrise, you are swept away by good feelings andloving people and places and fun ideas. Some plans from the past come to mind this morn-ing as you put together a few ideas for ways to store your favorite hobbies. This may meana trip to the hardware store. If you complete this project, you might be very pleased at theresponse from others. Many will want your plans and some will want you to build for themwhat you have built for yourself. You won’t want to quit your day job but you could see alittle financial plus from this endeavor. There is some teasing about age, body and justgood old fun today. Remember; popular and successful get the attention and you have the

attention this evening.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

You face tremendous responsibilities in relationship with loved ones and areapt to have difficulty expressing wants and desires openly at this time. Perhaps it is time tohave a chat and talk about goals. If it is important to you, it will be important to your mate.This chat could be about goals of home, travel, profession, etc. Whatever the case, easydoes it, no real answers just now, only thoughts and dreams and a promise to think onthese things for deeper results later. You will be entering a period of heightened sensitivity-your creativity is inspired-exploit it. Having reruns on television this evening means you cancatch up on some of the things you recorded last winter-if that is how you want to spendyour time. A sense of harmony makes this a happy time.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

CROSSWORD 1546

ACROSS1. Not reflecting light.4. Capable of being acted.11. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.15. An agency of the United Nations affiliat-ed with the World Bank.16. Characteristic of the classical artistic andliterary traditions.17. (obstetrics) The number of live-bornchildren a woman has delivered.18. A town in southwest Mississippi on theMississippi River.20. Expanded in scope.22. A cut of pork ribs with much of the meattrimmed off.23. The sense organ for hearing and equi-librium.24. North American republic containing 50states - 48 conterminous states in NorthAmerica plus Alaska in northwest NorthAmerica and the Hawaiian Islands in thePacific Ocean.25. The Tibeto-Burman language spoken inthe Thailand and Burmese borderlands.28. Give over.29. A silvery ductile metallic element foundprimarily in bauxite.30. Any of various large tropical carnivorouslizards of Africa Asia and Australia.33. Castrate, used with animals.36. An interest followed with exaggeratedzeal.39. Committee formed by a special-interestgroup to raise money for their favoritepolitical candidates.42. 100 lwei equal 1 kwanza.44. Altered from an originally straight con-dition.45. An isogram connecting points havingequal barometric pressure at a given time.47. A diacritical mark (~) placed over the let-ter n in Spanish to indicate a palatal nasalsound or over a vowel in Portuguese toindicate nasalization.49. A bivalent and trivalent metallic ele-ment of the rare earth group.50. The state of being under the control ofanother person.51. Title for a civil or military leader (espe-cially in Turkey).52. A white metallic element that burnswith a brilliant light.54. A heavy brittle metallic element of theplatinum group.55. An island in the Indian Ocean off theeast coast of Africa.57. A compound containing nitrogen and amore electropositive element (such asphosphorus or a metal).60. An edge tool with a heavy bladed headmounted across a handle.61. A small vessel for travel on water.62. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that wasformed by an explosion.69. A small cake leavened with yeast.72. The products of human creativity.75. A workplace for the conduct of scientificresearch.76. The United Nations agency concernedwith the international organization of foodand agriculture.77. Someone who administers a test todetermine your qualifications.78. A strong emotion.79. The basic unit of electric current adopt-ed under the System International d'Unites.80. Any of several malignant neoplasms(usually of the skin) consisting ofmelanocytes.81. A condition (mostly in boys) character-ized by behavioral and learning disorders.

DOWN1. The capital of Belarus and of theCommonwealth of Independent States.2. (Babylonian) A demigod or first man.3. A member of the Mongolian people ofcentral Asia who invaded Russia in the 13thcentury.4. Small dry indehiscent fruit with the seeddistinct from the fruit wall.5. Predacious on other insects.6. A parenteral cephalosporin (trade namesFortaz and Tazicef) used to treat moderateinfections.7. A very poisonous metallic element thathas three allotropic forms.8. A fatal disease of cattle that affects thecentral nervous system.9. In a straight unbroken line of descentfrom parent to child.10. Enthusiastic approval.11. The month following March and preced-ing May.12. French inventor of the first practicalphotographic process, the daguerreotype(1789-1851).13. (Greek mythology) Greek god of war.14. An informal term for a father.19. The first decisive battle of the HundredYears' War.21. An anti-TNF compound (trade nameArava) that is given orally.26. King of England who was renounced byNorthumbria in favor of his brother Edgar(died in 959).27. Clothing of a distinctive style or for aparticular occasion.31. An epic in Latin by Virgil.32. The essential qualities or characteristicsby which something is recognized.34. A civil or military authority in Turkey orEgypt.35. Fruit of the oak tree.37. The table in Christian churches wherecommunion is given.38. Either of two folds of skin that can bemoved to cover or open the eye.40. A large and widespread genus varyingin size from small shrubs to large trees.41. Agency of the United States govern-ment charged with mediating disputesbetween management and labor.43. A feeling of strong eagerness (usually infavor of a person or cause).46. A street of small shops (especially inOrient).48. (prefix) Outside or outer.53. An Arabic speaking person who lives inArabia or North Africa.56. Pertaining to or associated with agony(especially death agonies).58. In the same place (used when citing areference).59. A republic in southern Europe on theItalian Peninsula.63. The biblical name for ancient Syria.64. On, to, or at the top.65. A French marshal who distinguishedhimself in the War of the AustrianSuccession (1696-1750).66. Designer drug designed to have theeffects of amphetamines (it floods the brainwith serotonin) but to avoid the drug laws.67. The seventh month of the Hindu calen-dar.68. A floor covering.70. A lyric poet.71. In bed.73. A spacecraft that carries astronauts fromthe command module to the surface of themoon and back.74. A period marked by distinctive charac-ter or reckoned from a fixed point or event.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

34s t a r s

Daily SuDoku

Wordsearch Puzzle

Everything points to your taking control of this day. You could feel greatsupport from those around you, or circumstances may dictate your taking action. You feelhealthy and natural. A new exercise program makes you feel like a new person. You grabhold of a few exercise dance ideas, teach them to others and agree to meet twice a week.You will soon have a mean, lean team. All will have fun when you gather and each will bepleased to see the result of healthy bodies. Good for you. Consider opening a class or justkeep it the same and enjoy each time you gather. Tickets for an upcoming exciting eventjust fall in your lap today. Tonight there is time to enjoy a different sort of animal, perhaps akitty or puppy or birds that enjoy a special treat.

Good luck may increase your finances now. You spend some time going oversome of your records to see where you can improve your budget. The young

people in your family are industrious, you might consider showing them what some of thehousehold expenses are and allow them to ask questions. Just share enough so that theygain an idea of the responsibilities that come with family and earning money, etc. There canbe more money talk later. A friend returns a favor this afternoon, giving you a great oppor-tunity to catch up on the activities of each other. You may make some future plans to gettogether. A favorite meal and a few candles will help you enhance the evening with yourbeloved. Romance is probable.

Yesterday’s Solution

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

l if e s t y l eG O S S I P

The 30-year-old popstar - who recentlycalled time on her romance with herpersonal trainer Bobby Rich - was spot-

ted at a karaoke night in Mayfair, WestLondon, with Caspar - who rowed for GreatBritain in 2010 at the first Youth Olympics -where the pair reportedly looked “very coup-ley” An onlooker said: “Ellie had broughtCaspar along as her date. They were very cou-pley and touchy-feely.” However, an insiderclose to the ‘Love Me Like You Do’ hitmakerhas claimed the blonde beauty is still “officiallysingle”, despite having reportedly “hooked upa few times” with Casper. The source told TheSun newspaper: “Ellie and Bobby started cool-ing off before the Brits. It was a surprise topeople as they seemed really serious atChristmas. They are still friends though. Thingswith Caspar are very casual but they havehooked up a few times and seem to like eachother. But she’s officially single. With Ellie it’shard to tell which romances will become seri-ous as she’s so focused on her music. Itdoesn’t help that Caspar is based mainly inNew York at the moment so it will be hard forthem to see each other.” The news comes afterEllie recently denied she had rekindled herrelationship with her former flame and McFlybassist Dougie Poynter - whom she dated for

two years prior to their split a year ago - claim-ing the pair will “always be friends” with oneanother. She said: “There’s absolutely no ... it’slike we’ve always been friends. He’s one of myreally good friends. “For me, when I’ve been inrelationships with people, those are the peo-ple I will always hold dear to me. So if stillmaintaining a really awesome friendshipwith an ex is possible, then of coursethat’s the best thing becauseyou’ve shared so much withthat person. “You’ve createdan amazing connectionwith someone andlife’s too short tocompletely ...unless some-thing terriblehas hap-pened. Ithink it’simportant toshare this lifewith peopleyou have agenuine bondwith and you’veshared a lot with.”

Ellie Gouldingreportedly

dating rower Caspar Jopling

Following the former couple’s messy split in 2015, the 33-year-old DJ refused to let Rita, 26, perform their song ‘IWill Never Let You Down’ but he has since had a change

of heart. A source told The Sun on Sunday: “Late last year theygot in touch and sorted things out. “It was such a relief to bothof them that they could move on and put things behind them.“At the end of the day they had a lot of good times togetherand it was sad that was tainted by how bitter the split was attimes. “But things are really good now although they are notso close they’re heading out to dinner anytime soon or any-thing. “But Rita is now back in touch with a lot of Calvin’sindustry friends and able to work on music with them and,most importantly, able to perform ‘I Will Never Let You Down’.“She’s gearing up for her second album soon and it’s great tobe able to perform arguably her biggest hit when she’s doingpromo for it.” Last year Rita signed a new deal with AtlanticRecords UK - a subsidiary of Warner Music Group - followingher departure from Jay-Z’s label Roc Nation and has insistedthat the follow-up to her 2012 debut LP ‘Ora’ will be deeplypersonal. Talking about the themes on her next album, shesaid: “It’s just everything from my personal life to what I could-n’t do due to previous situations and now being free. I’ve nev-er been freer than I am right now. “It’s about everything frombeing a refugee, from flying in from Kosovo and living inLondon, having this amazing city that’s crazy and full of lights- talking about real stuff. “I’m desperate to get my music out. Ithink I’m now at a point in my life where I have a new amazinglabel, we really have taken it to the next level. It’s very song-based. “It’s very real - real instruments, believable lyrics. I’venot only grown as an individual but as a woman. People aregoing to see that.”

Rita Ora and

Calvin Harris have ended their feud

The boyfriend of the late ‘CarelessWhisper’ hitmaker - who passed awayon Christmas Day (25.12.16) aged 53 -

has reportedly “disappeared” since George’sdeath and has made no attempt to “get intouch” with George’s family, according tothe late star’s cousin Andros Georgiou.Speaking about Fadi - who found the for-mer Wham! singer’s body in bed - Androssaid: “Fadi disappeared after George’sdeath. He was never a part of the familybecause he and George just had anarrangement. Fadi had a retainer of morethan £10,000 a month, lived in his houseand was supposed to be there when hewanted company, though last year he was-n’t so available. It was just business, really.But he was still the last person to seeGeorge alive, and if he had any respect forthe family he would have got in touch.” AndAndros, 54, believes the family are still

owed answers from the 43-year-old hair-dresser. He continued: “There are still realquestions he needs to answer. Why did hesleep in his car on Christmas Eve? When didhe go in the house? Why did he wait solong to call 999 when his lover was upstairsdying? Instead of explaining to George’sfamily, he is sitting in his £5million house inRegent’s Park. You would have thought hemight have decided, ‘Out of respect, I’ll gosomewhere else.’ But he is still living there.Why?” Andros also claims Fadi will not bewritten into the late star’s will, and won’tinherit George’s house “in a million years.”He told The Sun newspaper: “He isn’t goingto inherit it, not in a million years. I’m prettysure he won’t see any of George’s money.After all, he was going to be out of his life.He would have been gone by now if Yogwas still alive. And he has done nothing butpromote himself since he died.”

George Michael’s boyfriend Fadi Fawaz snubs George’s family

Although the 20-year-old model is a keenuser of Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat,she admitted she often doesn’t like what

she reads or sees about herself on the publicplatforms. Speaking to The Times Magazine, shesaid: “It definitely does something to the soul.There are times when I feel depressed or anx-ious and a big part of it comes from that. If wedidn’t have social media, we’d have a weight lift-ed off our shoulders. “It does affect you. Peopletell me I’m ugly, fat. I try not to care but the factis, everyone wants to see what people are say-ing about them. Whoever says they don’tgoogle themselves is a liar.” And the star - whooften attends a Bible group when she is athome in New York City - insisted that shebelieves some people can become possessedby demons. Speaking about her beliefs, shesaid: “It’s not that hand-on-the-head, you passout, weird kind of stuff. I believe in prayer anddeliverance in a very intense way. “I don’t thinkthe Devil exists as a person, but I do think peo-ple can become possessed by demons.”Meanwhile, Hailey was not impressed when heractor father, Stephen Baldwin, publicly support-ed Donald Trump in the US presidential electionlast year but she insisted that their disagree-ments over politics have not soured their rela-tionship. She said: “It was a very big issue forme, but my dad’s still my dad. I would never letpolitics get in the way of family. It’s over now,and his opinions have changed with how every-thing’s now unfolding.”

The ‘I Am Cait’ star plans to celebrate the two-year anniversary of hersensational chat with ABC anchor Diane Sawyer - in which she revealedher plans to say goodbye to her former identity of Bruce and undergo a

gender transition - with another sit-down talk because she has changed somuch over the last few years. She said: “I can’t believe that in April it will betwo years since I gave my interview to Diane Sawyer and came out as trans-

gender. “I’m giving anotherTV interview to celebratethe anniversary. “It’s crazyto think how time hasflown. I feel so muchstronger as a person andI’ve learned so much. I can’teven recognise the person Iused to be.” And the 67-year-old reality star wantsto share her own positiveexperiences in order to“give a voice” with othersstruggling with genderissues. She said: “AlthoughI’ve changed physically, it’snot about how I look, it’sabout how I feel. “I’ve beenthrough so much but I’vecome through it and I final-ly feel comfortable in myown skin. “I’ve met peoplewho have been suicidalabout undergoing this bigtransformation. It’s reallyhumbled me and taughtme what ’s important. “Iwant to give a voice to peo-ple who have to deal withthis.” The former Olympianis relishing every minute of

her new life thanks to her new-found confidence in herself. She told Closermagazine: “I love doing girlie things - putting on make-up and gettingdressed up. “I feel so confident and I love the way I look. “I’m planning lots ofadventures and I definitely want to pay a visit to London. I love the UK. “Thebest thing is I don’t have to feel insecure any more - I’m embracing life andeverything it has to offer. Money and fame don’t mean anything. It’s aboutwaking up in the morning and being happy.”

Olivia Palermohas never had

a fashion disaster

The 31-year-old socialite is known for her sense of styleand admits she can’t ever remember wearing any-thing she’s later regretted. Asked about her fashion

disasters, she admitted: “Honestly, there is not one I canthink of. But if I do think of any I will be sure to let youknow.” The former ‘City’ star’s best fashion tip is always toopt for something “classic” when unsure of what to wear.Sharing her best style advice, she told HELLO! FashionMonthly magazine: “Be confident and buy pieces that youlike. Great tips are to go for the classics and use accessoriesto create different looks... “I’m sure there can be a risk of[being over-polished]. A look doesn’t need to be over-over-over done, just very elegant.” And Olivia never wastes timeplanning her outfits in advance as she prefers to dress tosuit her mood. She said: “I put them together that day. Myfirst suggestion is that it’s important to dress for you mood.”The brunette beauty believes the key to looking great at alltimes is to have everything tailored to fit, and she insists it’smoney well spent. She added: “It is important to have agood tailor, it doesn’t matter where the garment is from - alittle hemming or a tuck can make all the difference.”

Chrissy Teigen has hit back at online

mommy shamers

The 31-year-old star - who welcomeddaughter Luna with husband JohnLegend in April 2016 - shared screen-

shots of a number of angry messages fromonline commentators slamming her par-

enting abilities and called them “the worst”.The comments included: “Golden rule ofdressing babies is however many layersyou are wearing plus an extra one.Common sense really,” and “That baby nev-er shows emotions, she never smiles orcries. It’s weird.” Chrissy wrote: “Imaginebeing this miserable. We are fine, thanks.Some people are just hell bent on beingthe worst.” Meanwhile, earlier this month,Chrissy opened up about her battle withpostpartum depression, which left herunable to muster up the energy to leavethe house. She said: “When I wasn’t in thestudio [filming ‘Lip Sync Battle’], I never leftthe house. I mean, never. Not even a tiptoeoutside. I’d ask people who came insidewhy they were wet. Was it raining? Howwould I know - I had every shade closed.“Most days were spent on the exact samespot on the couch and rarely would Imuster up the energy to make it upstairs forbed. John would sleep on the couch withme, sometimes four nights in a row.

The 31-year-old singer - who is pregnant withher and husband Russell Wilson’s firstchild together and already has son

Future Zahir, two, with her former partnerFuture - was involved in a crash inBeverly Hills on Friday (10.03.17) butboth Ciara and the unborn baby arefine. She tweeted: “Thankful For GodsGrace, and Amniotic Fluid (sic).” Andher husband wrote: “MommaWilson & Baby Wilson are feelinggreat! God is good!” Both theLos Angeles Police and FireDepartments responded tothe scene after a “Volvo SUVslammed into the front pas-senger side” of Ciara’s whiteMercedes SUV. However,she was spotted walking

around after the accident as she made a phonecall and a source close to the star insisted:

“She’s fine.” A spokesperson from the LosAngeles Police Department added:“From what we can gather, it wasexchange information only.”Meanwhile, Ciara recently revealed herson Future “can’t wait” to be a bigbrother. She shared: “He rubs my belly

and he says, ‘Hi baby. I love you,baby,’ ... and then he puts my shirtdown and says, ‘Bye, bye baby.’ So,that’s his own thing. “He sees ababy walking, smaller than himand walking - it doesn’t matter,it’s a baby. So, he goes, ‘baby’and he looks at me and hegoes, ‘Mama, baby’ - and hetries to pull my sweatshirt up.”

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017l if e st yle

G O S S I P

Although Emma, 26, was origi-nally attached to the leadingrole in the musical - which

eventually went to Emma Stone - sheinsists reports that her “crazydemands” are the reason she didn’tget the part, are untrue. Speakingduring an interview with SiriusXM’sTown Hall, she said: “It’s one of thesefrustrating things where names getattached to projects very early on as away to kind of build anticipation orexcitement for something that’s com-ing before anything is really actuallyagreed or set in stone. “[‘Beauty andthe Beast’] wasn’t a movie I could justsort of step into. I knew I had horsetraining, I knew I had dancing, I knew Ihad three months of singing ahead ofme and I knew I had to be in Londonto really do that. This wasn’t a movie Icould just kind of parachute into. Iknew I had to do the work, and I hadto be where I had to be. So, you know,scheduling conflict-wise, it just didn’twork out.” However, Watson had noth-

ing but praise for the movie. She said:“I’m so thrilled that musicals are so cel-ebrated at the moment! They seem tobe back in the zeitgeist and peopleare kind of celebrating and lovingmusic and singing and dancing again.I thought [‘La La Land’] was wonder-ful. It ’s lovely.” It was previouslyclaimed that the ‘Harry Potter’ actressmade a series of “crazy demands” andwhilst producers “jumped throughhoops” to give her what she wanted,she ultimately decided she wasn’tright for the role. One insider said:“Watson was offered the lead femalerole, but she initially wouldn’t commit.Then she began making all thesecrazy demands, like rehearsals for thefilm must be done in London - for afilm called ‘La La Land’! They jumpedthrough hoops to make it work withher, but she just didn’t feel the filmwas right for her. Producers finally castEmma Stone - and once she was onboard, Ryan Gosling jumped at thechance to work with her again.”

Watson’s ‘scheduling conflict’ was to blame

for ‘La La Land’

The 28-year-old singer toldfans that Simon has not yetjoined her and their four-

year-old son Angelo on herAustralian tour and she can’t waitfor her 42-year-old spouse toarrive. According to the MirrorOnline, she confessed to her fans:“I miss my man. He’s not here yet.I can’t even find time to FaceTimehim because when I wake up he’sgoing to sleep and when I’mgoing to sleep he’s going towork.” Meanwhile, Adele con-firmed their marriage while onstage in Brisbane last week.Introducing her song ‘SomeoneLike You’, she told the crowd: “Icould see in people’s eyes as theywere listening to it on their head-phones that it reminded them ofsomething or someone. “I wastrying to remember how it was I

felt at the beginning of the rela-tionship that inspired that recordbecause as bad as a break up canbe, as bitter and horrible andmessy as it can be, that feelingwhen you first fall for someone isthe best feeling on earth, and Iam addicted to that feeling.“Obviously I can’t go throughwith those feelings because I’mmarried now. I’ve found my nextperson.” Adele sent fans in a fren-zy at the Grammy Awards whenshe appeared to reveal she hadwalked down the aisle, althoughsome wondered if it was just aslip of the tongue as she latercalled Simon her “partner”.Collecting an award, she said:“Grammys, I appreciate it, theAcademy, I love you, my manag-er, my husband and my son -you’re the only reason I do it.”

Adele is missing her husband Simon Konecki

The 23-year-old singer was approached by 20-year-old Sabah Helal in Sydney, Australia, dur-ing the week but left her in tears after verbally

lashing out after her request. Justin allegedly saidto her: “You’re invading my privacy, I don’t want aphoto. Look at you, you make me sick.” Sabah’smother Houda Bennaoui told The Herald Sun: “Mydaughter was bawling her eyes out. She was dyingto meet him and then he humiliated her. “Afteryears of supporting him, my daughter will neversee him again in concert.” Justin’s fan snub cameafter Adele defended him when he was booed ather recent concert in Sydney. Speaking during hergig at the ANZ Stadium, Adele, 28, asked concert-goers if they planned to attend Justin’s upcomingshow at the same stadium later this month, but herquestion was greeted by boos from her fans.However, she quickly rushed to defend the star, say-ing: “If you started out at 12, you’d be like that too,okay!” Justin has been a controversial figure sinceshooting to fame with his single ‘Baby’ in 2010 andhas had a number of issues with the law, paparazziand fans. Last year, Justin explained that he wouldno longer agree to take selfies with fans because hewas sick of being treated like a “zoo animal”. Hewrote on Instagram: “If you happen to see me outsomewhere know that I’m not gonna take a pictureI’m done taking pictures. It has gotten to the pointthat people won’t even say hi to me or recognize

me as a human, I feel like a zoo animal, and I wannabe able to keep my sanity. I realize people will bedisappointed but I don’t owe anybody a picture.and people who say ‘but I bought ur album’ knowthat you got my album and you got what you paidfor AN ALBUM! It doesn’t say in fine print wheneveryou see me you also get a photo (sic).”

Bieber tells fan she made him sick after she asked for a selfie

The 47-year-old singer and the 41-year-old ex-New York Yankees player recently started dat-ing and jetted off to the Bakers Bay Golf &

Ocean Club in the Bahamas on Friday (10.03.17), theNew York Post’s Page Six reports. Jennifer and Alexflew from Miami to Marsh Harbour by private jetand are believed to be staying at the home of afriend for the weekend. A source said: “It’s earlydays, but Jennifer and Alex are really into each oth-er.” The pair are believed to have met at one of thesinger’s shows in Las Vegas last month, and are saidto be taking things slow and just enjoying a “goodlight-hearted time”. A source recently explained:“This is very, very new. It’s not serious at all. Jenniferis just dating. “Jennifer and Alex are both not look-ing for a relationship, just a good light-heartedtime. They are on the exact same page.” News of therelationship comes after Jennifer insisted she does-n’t only date younger men, following her on/offromance with Drake, 30, earlier this year. Sheexplained: “First of all, stop! I don’t date youngermen. I don’t think men have to be younger. It’s notabout that. I just meet people, and if I go out withthem, I go out with them. And if I like them, I likethem, and if I don’t, I don’t. It’s about the person,you know what I mean? It’s about who they are. Ithas nothing to do with age! “There’s this thing,because I dated Beau [her backing dancer CasperSmart], and he was younger, and he was the firstguy I ever dated who was younger than me, butthen I got labelled right away. For me, it isn’t [aboutage]. I f they ’re older, they’re older. If they ’reyounger, they’re younger. It depends on whether ornot I’m attracted to their spirit, their soul, theirwhatever... their energy.”

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez are on vacation

Liam Payne is ‘having sleepless nights’

The 23-year-old singer’s girlfriend Cheryl isexpected to give birth very soon and Liamhas been frantically trying to complete his

debut record, by putting in all night recording ses-sions at Sound Tracks studio in north London,before the baby arrives. A source told The Sun onSunday: “Liam is in a real rush to get as much donebefore Cheryl goes into labor. “He did as muchwork on his music in LA as he could but obviouslyhe will be a father any day now so he’s in Londonand has his phone on loud so he can rush to herside immediately if he has to. “But until that hap-pens he will continue spending as much time inthe studio as he can. It’s not ideal right now but itwill mean he’s completely free to dote on mum andbaby when the time quickly comes. “But it’s fair tosay he’s already completely knackered due to thisschedule. People at the studio only see him atnight and he locks himself away from 9pm until 4or 5 in the morning, only taking an occasional ciga-rette break.” Liam signed a record deal with Capitolin the UK and Republic in the US and is reportedlyset to launch his solo career in September. Recordlabel bosses are keen for Liam to get his music outas soon as possible after seeing how well his for-mer One Direction bandmate Zayn Malik has donein the US. A source recently said: “The record com-pany are eager for him to get his music out thereafter seeing how well Zayn is doing in America. “Hisrecord company are hoping to put him on big USchat shows to perform. They need him to spendsome time in LA to show he’s committed.”

After the ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ singer shared apicture on Instagram of his 24-year-olddaughter wearing a white dress and a huge

smile, fans were quick to wonder if she had tied theknot with her fiance Liam Hemsworth, 27. Billy Raycaptioned the original picture: “I’m so happy...you arehappy @mileycyrus (sic)”. However, Billy Ray latertook to the picture sharing site to repost the pictureand add a new message, which stated: “Whoa! Don’tjump the gun. Been at work #StillTheKing Glad tosee so many love @MileyCyrus the same as I do#happy (sic).” The couple began dating in 2009 whenthey met on the set of their movie ‘The Last Song’before getting engaged three years later. However,things didn’t go to plan and they split for a few yearsbefore reconciling in 2016, with insiders saying theywanted to be sure that their love would last. Asource explained: “She is happy with how the rela-tionship with Liam is going. She’s adamant that shedoesn’t want to get divorced, so she wants to makesure when she eventually gets married it actuallymeans forever.” Along with rekindling their romance,Miley is also reportedly keen to work with Liam onthe big screen again. A source recently said: “Shewants to do some more movies in 2017 and wouldlove to work with Liam. It could be a romantic thing,a comedy or something that they play as characterswho hate each other.”

Billy Ray Cyrus has told fansnot to ‘jump the gun’

Pregnant Ciara has praised‘God’s grace’ after accident

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017l if e st yle

G O S S I P

Mohammed Jaffar wasarrested on March 6 forstalking and burglary

after having allegedly followed the‘Bad Blood’ hitmaker for months,but TMZ reports that he has beensending Taylor messages onlinesince 2014. And his messages inFebruary 2017, revealed that hehad been to her apartment build-ing in New York, with one messagesaying: “security guard in your lob-by today prevented us from shar-ing” candy. He also tweeted her onFebruary 16 to say: “I need to meetyou tonight”. According to theNew York Post newspaper’s PageSix column, Mohammed, 29, hadbeen lingering around her homein Tribeca, New York City, for thepast three months in order to landa face-to-face meeting with thestar. According to court papersobtained by Page Six, Mohammedstarted his campaign in Decemberwhen he arrived at her home andasked for a meeting with Taylor, 27,before being turned away. He thenallegedly turned up to her buildingfour more times in the space oftwo months, with the most recentvisit taking place on February 15.Documents also claim that on one

visit to the ‘Shake It Off’ singer’shome, Mohammed rang the door-bell to the building for “an hourstraight” in an attempt to get herattention. When no-one answered,the documents allege he returnedthe next day to try again, this timeringing for approximately 45 min-utes. It was also alleged that onFebruary 6, Mohammed managedto find his way into Taylor’s apart-ment building, and was capturedon CCTV footage lingering in thehallway outside her penthouseapartment door. During this time,he was reportedly also seen on thebuilding’s roof between 10am to2pm, according to the courtpapers. Not content with the in-person approaches, the court doc-uments also claim Mohammedmade a whopping 59 calls to the‘Blank Space’ musician’s manage-ment team between January 27and February 16, where heallegedly demanded a meetingwith the pop megastar.Mohammed is currently beingheld on a $20,000 bond, andJudge David Frey has reportedlysigned off on an order of protec-tion which prevents him from hav-ing any contact with Taylor.

Swift’s stalker has beenbombarding her

with tweets for years The ‘Room’ star is gearing up to direct her first

feature film and would love to see otherwomen step behind the camera. She said: “I

love that we’re seeing stronger women on the screen- but I don’t think that’s the end of this conversation.Because I think that we’re more than just beingstrong or just being mothering. I think there’s awhole lot that goes on in between for us to explore.“I think the best place to start would be more femalefilm directors - more female filmmakers of every dif-ferent type of race - and we need to get out of thesebinary ways of thinking. “We need more intersection-ality. We need more unique voices because whatdirecting is, is saying, ‘This is how I view the world’,and I think the way we can connect and learn moreis seeing the world through other people’s eyes.” Andthe 27-year-old actress is proud to be portrayingjournalist Mason Weaver in her latest movie ‘Kong:Skull Island’ because she thinks Mason comes from “aperspective we really need”. She added to the BBC:“She has a very specific role in this film, being theonly one who doesn’t have a weapon, as the onlyone that’s not trying to tear this creature or any ofthe other creatures on this island down. And I thinkthat’s a perspective we really need. “Being compas-sionate can actually unite all of us much better thanto dominate and control. I think that women innatelyhave that in them. “What’s interesting about playingher is that she is both things in her own way. She’snot afraid to speak up. She uses her voice and is will-ing to put her whole life on the line for what shebelieves in. But she also has that deep compassionand I think women do have that.”

Brie Larsonwants to see

more women in the director’s chair

The 69-year-old singer and hishusband David Furnish havetwo sons, Zachary, six, and

four-year-old Elijah - who wereborn to a surrogate - and headmits it is “unimaginable” howmuch his life is different now tobefore he became a parent, and hecouldn’t be happier with thechanges. He said: “It’s unimagin-able how the children havechanged my life. Years ago I could-n’t imagine becoming a dad, butthe kids have changed me somuch as a person and for the bet-ter. “I love them more and moreevery day and being a dad is nowthe most important thing in mylife.” And Elton loves seeing hisfilmmaker spouse dote on theirboys. He said: “David is a great dad,he’s fantastic because he knows he

comes second now and he doesn’tmind. We’re very hands on parents.”However, the ‘Rocket Man’ hitmak-er insists their family is completeand they don’t want any more chil-dren. He told Closer magazine:“We’re not going to have any morekids though - we’re done. We’re theperfect family unit now.” Everyyear, Elton throws a party in aid ofhis self-titled AIDS foundation,which he launched in 1992, and isproud to do as much as he can toraise awareness of the disease. Hesaid: “It’s great to have this partyevery year. I just want to make surepeople get the information aboutAIDS and what they can do to help.“It’s not a life-threatening diseaseany more - you can live foreverwith the illness - but I want peopleto be aware.”

Sir Elton John has ‘changed for the better’

since becoming a father The ‘Total Divas’ star is expecting her first child with her husband BryanDanielson this spring, and has said her active lifestyle - which sees herenjoy sports such as hiking - has helped her “feel so good” whilst she’s

still carrying their unborn daughter. She said: “I’ve really gotten into hiking. Ithink being in Arizona I’m lucky to have the desert and all the mountains. Iwas heavily active into Barre and I kept going, but in my first trimester, Iall of a sudden was in Barre class and I’m like, ‘I don’t think I can keepup.’ “You have to be really careful, which I want to be. I don’t want tolike body slam anyone through tables. But it’s nice to stay active. Itmakes me feel so good and I feel like that’s why I’ve had such agreat pregnancy.” The 33-year-old reality star added that she usu-ally hikes three or four times a week, and will then hit the gym inbetween for slightly lighter workouts. And Brie also admits theone unhealthy pregnancy craving she’s been having is bagels.She added to E! News: “I can’t stand ice cream or pickles, but Ilove bagels and fruit. If you give me bagel every day, I’m justin heaven, so I guess it’s carbs.” Meanwhile, Brie recentlyrevealed she has already decided on the name for her littleone when she arrives, opting to call her Birdy. She said:“We’re having a little girl, and her name will be Birdy JoeDanielson. Joe, her middle name, is after my grandfather- his name was Joseph, and he meant the world to me.“Birdy is because my husband and his whole family areB’s. And he married me, a B too, so his one request wasthat our kids have B names. I didn’t realise how hard itwas to find girl B names, but we both came across Birdyand knew that was it!” — Bangshowbiz

Brie Bella says ‘staying active’ has

helped her pregnancy

Ed Sheeran hasn’t been really

angry for five years

The ‘Shape of You’ singer hasn’t inherited thefiery temper of his father and brother andadmits his temperament is more like his

mother’s, who takes a long time to snap, but whenshe does it’s explosive. He said: “I’d say my dad isnumber one in my life in terms of influence andadvice. But I don’t have his temper, I have my mum’stemper. My brother Matthew has my dad’s temper.“Me and my mum, once in two years we’ll snap andthe temper will come up. “My dad and brother havevery short fuses. “Every now and then there’s onething [for me]. If on a scale of 100, my dad’s temperis a 10 on a daily basis and he’ll snap, my mumwhen she snaps will be like 110. And you don’twant to go there. “To be honest, I don’t know thelast time I was really angry, not within the past fiveyears.” The 26-year-old singer admits he has some“strong” opinions but thinks it is important not toair them in public as he isn’t as informed as hecould be about big issues. Asked the best advice hisdad has given him, he told Britain’s OK! magazine:“For the music industry, don’t talk about religion orpolitics. And it’s working. “I have my own views Ifeel strongly about. I’m a 26-year-old boy whodoesn’t really spend a lot of time watching thenews or reading the newspapers. “Therefore, myopinion is not as educated as it could be. So I’mkeeping my mouth shut.”

The 37-year-old actor has won over fans and criticswith his portrayal of Belle’s would-be suitorGaston, but he admitted that he originally had his

eye on the leading man role, taken by Dan Stevens. Hetold Digital Spy: “I did wonder why they hadn’t offeredme the Beast but they came straight for Gaston. “Thecasting director knew Gaston was for me. I came in atthe 11th hour, and it was always going to be Gaston,but it was hard to get my head around because he’s afreak of nature, isn’t he? “He’s a larger than life man.”However, Luke is now thrilled that he got to playGaston and relished portraying the character on-screen. He said: “I went with the Gaston character andrelished every minute of who he is and what he standsfor, and the bad parts of him, and all the funny parts ofit. “I think people are going to love it, I really do. I’veseen it and it just takes you to that place, that magicalDisney place. It’s so huge and the film is so beautifuland expansive and it just looks fantastic on the bigscreen. It just looks amazing.” Meanwhile, Luke recentlyinsisted it is a “compliment” to be “objectified” as a sexsymbol. The actor is astonished by some of the com-ments he receives from fans online, and though heacknowledges he’s sometimes been asked to flash the

flesh where it wasn’t entirely necessary for a scene, heunderstands that “sex sells” and his “public persona”needs to be appealing. He said: “On social media, peo-ple are very brave and say things that if they were in aroom with you, they probably wouldn’t. “In terms ofbeing ‘objectified’, there are certain jobs where I’vebeen like, ‘There’s no need to do this scene topless.’ Butsex sells. I don’t take it too seriously. “In our business,you have a public persona - fans are going to look at usin roles and maybe objectify us. It’s a compliment and Itake it as such.”

Luke Evans surprised he wasn’toffered the role of the Beast

Nick Cannon’s decision to quit ‘America’s Got

Talent’ was ‘calculated’

The 36-year-old star decided to stand down ashost of the talent show after finding out exec-utives had “threatened him with termination”

for a joke he made on a comedy special, which theyclaimed could damage their brand but insists hisdecision was never “emotional”. He said: “When peo-

ple start to put restraints on my creativity, as anartist, I just have to stand on my square and standfor something. I’ve never operated for monetarygain. Money isn’t one of the things that moves meor inspires me. “I love [money]. I embrace it the wayeveryone else does on this planet, but I don’t makedecisions based off of it. [The decision wasn’t emo-tional;] everything I do is calculated.” And Nick ispositive about the future and wishes everyone thebest. He added to Entertainment Tonight: “I feel likechange is growth. I wish everyone the best. I wish allthe new people involved the best. “I wish the brandto continue to flourish. I’ve got love for the network,I’ve got love for the production, and I feel like I’mgrowing as an artist, and as a human being, to big-ger and better things.” Nick announced the decisionin a lengthy message on Facebook last month. Hewrote: “I write this from a deeply saddened anddolorous mindset. After days of deliberating oversome extremely disappointing news that I wasbeing threatened with termination by Executivesbecause of a comedy special that was only intendedto bring communities closer together, I was to bepunished for a joke.

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

l if e s t y l eA W A R D S

Kevin Hart and the bad bunny he plays in“The Secret Life of Pets” were both winnersat the Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday

night. Hart was named favorite villain for voicingSnowball, who claimed the prize for “most want-ed pet” at the fan-voted show in Los Angeles.Hart also shared the “BFF” award with DwayneJohnson, his co-star in “Central Intelligence.”

The “Ghostbusters” remake was a multiplewinner, claiming the “favorite movie” award andacting honors for Chris Hemsworth and MelissaMcCarthy. “Finding Dory” was named favorite ani-mated movie, and star Ellen DeGeneres was thefavorite voice from an animated film. Wrestler-turned-actor John Cena hosted the ceremony atthe Galen Center on the University of SouthernCalifornia campus.

Other winners at the Saturday ceremony:• TV show (kids): “Henry Danger.”• TV show (family): “Fuller House.”• Reality show: “America’s Got Talent.”• Cartoon: “SpongeBob SquarePants.”• Favorite frenemies: Ginnifer Goodwin &

Jason Bateman in “Zootopia.”• Video game: “Just Dance 2017.”• Music group: Fifth Harmony.• Male singer: Shawn Mendes.• Female singer: Selena Gomez.• Soundtrack: “Suicide Squad.” — AP

‘Ghostbusters’, Hart win big at Kids’ Choice Awards

Host John Cena gets slimed onstage at Nickelodeon’s 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards at USC Galen Center yesterday inLos Angeles. — AP/AFP photos

Cena performs onstage.

Kevin Hart gets slimed after accepting the award for favorite vil-lain for ‘The Secret Life of Pets’.

Recording artistes Camila Cabello (right) and Machine Gun Kelly.

The cast of Fuller House accepts the award for Favorite TV Show - Family Show. John Stamos is seen onstage.

The cast of Power Rangers movie get slimed onstage. Children perform onstage at the 30th Annual Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.

Camila Cabello performs onstage.

Singer JoJo Siwa accepts the award forFavorite Viral Music Artist.

Gwen Stefani appears onstage.

Actor Nick Cannon performs onstage. Demi Lovato gets slimed.Actor Zoe Saldana speaks onstage.

Ellen DeGeneres accepts the award forfavorite animated movie for ‘Finding Dory’. (From left) Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Jade Thirlwall, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock of the group ‘Little Mix’ perform onstage.

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

l if e s t y l eA W A R D S

Indian Bollywood actor Salman Khan attends the ZeeCine Awards 2017 ceremony in Mumbai on Saturday.

—AFP photos

Bollywood stars shine at Zee Cine Awards

Actress Raveena Tandon Actor Hrithik Roshan Actress Sridevi

Actress Sunny Leone Actress Sonali Bendre

Actress Claudia Ciesla Actor Tiger Shroff Actress Alia Bhatt

Actor Chunky Pandey Actress Raima Sen

Actress Urvashi Rautela Actress Anushka Sharma

Actress Neetu Singh

Actress and singer Illa Arun

Actress Tina Ahuja

Actress Pallavi Sharda

Actress Gauhar Khan Actor Bobby Deol

37Bollywood stars shine at Zee Cine Awards

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017

The Chicago River is dyed a bright green color kicking off St Patrick’s Day weekend festivities on Saturday in Chicago. Thousands of people were expected to attend the South Side Irish Parade yesterday. — AP

For a brief moment Ishamuddin Khanhad the world at his feet: A pioneer ofthe “Great Indian Rope Trick” - an illu-

sion of such legend it was long believed tobe impossible - he thought fame and for-tune were assured. But some 22 years afterhe first dazzled crowds with his ability toconjure a length of coiled rope out of a bas-ket and up 20 feet into the air for an assis-tant to climb, he is still battling for recogni-tion - for himself, and his art.

Angered by India’s lack of support for hisindustry he is taking on archaic laws thatcriminalize street performers. “I love to per-form on the streets, but under the law I amnot a busker but a beggar,” Khan explained.“I can’t fight the law on my own, but I amdetermined not to give up,” he said, addingthat he had enlisted the help of a legal cen-ter to challenge the antiquated regulations,a foreboding task in India’s creaking courtsand maze-like bureaucracy.

Khan’s father had a monkey show, whilehis mother was a ragpicker. He grew up inKathputli Colony, an enclave of conjurers,snake charmers and puppeteers in NewDelhi’s slums famously referenced in theSalman Rushdie novel Midnight’s Children

as the “magician’s ghetto”. But such tradesare not valued anymore, he said, pointing tothe decades-old Bombay Beggary Act,which treats India’s millions of street buskersas a public nuisance and forces them into astate of perpetual illegality, where they muststay a step ahead of the law.

Because of this, there is little opportunityfor India’s tribal performers to be celebrated,despite the country’s rich history of mysti-cism and artistic tradition. “In India, if you’retalented it doesn’t make any difference,”Khan told AFP, glancing wistfully at his ropebasket and other magic props in his shanty

home tucked away down an alley reeking ofsewage. “If you don’t have enough money ora godfather with you, or (sponsorship) fromthe government or a businessman that is abig problem. And that makes me cry, some-times I feel very bad.”

Pursuing the impossible Back in 1995, Khan became the first to

perform the rope trick for the public in anoutside space - considered a huge feat inthe world of magic as it gives little optionfor props, lighting trickery or hidden aids.The trick was first mentioned by Europeanwriters during the British Raj era, Khansaid. It was regarded so difficult that in the1930s the Magic Circle offered a reward toanyone who could do it. Decades later, aversion of the story reached Khan. Alreadywell versed in the skills of the trade fromchildhood, where he’d learned tricks fromfamily and friends, he was motivated totake on the impossible.

“I heard once that if somebody suc-ceeds in doing the trick, he would get(money) from the British Magic Circle. So Ispent six years to find the secret of thetrick,” he said. He delivered the perform-ance, complete with a child seeminglyclimbing the levitating rope, at the his-toric Qutub Minar monument in NewDelhi to an enraptured audience of hun-dreds. “Overnight I won internationalfame, I was world famous,” he recalled,reminiscing how the crowd broke intothunderous applause at the sprawlingMughal-era ruins. News of his achieve-ment spread - he was invited to performabroad, sponsors took an interest, andeven now foreign tourists seek him outwhen visiting New Delhi. And yet at homethere has been little interest in his reper-toire, which also includes transformingmango seeds into a shrub by sleight ofhand and regurgitating iron bal ls.Performers such as Khan often have toeke out a living on the streets and riskdai ly harassment from police whodemand bribes or threaten chargesbecause they are in breach of the law.

Calls for the government to amend thedated legislation have fallen on deaf ears.And the slum that he and some 2,000 oth-er families of street performers call homeis being razed, ending decades of tradi-tion. But Khan, who speaks fluent Hindiand English as well as a little French andJapanese, is hopeful he can bring aboutchange. “I love to perform on the streets,and I should be allowed some publicspace so that I can entertain passersby. Isit too much to ask?” — AFP

Joni Sledge of ‘We Are Family’ group dies at 60

Joni Sledge, one of four sisters who together sang oneof disco’s most enduring songs with “We Are Family,”has died, a representative said Saturday. She was 60.

The singer died at her home in Arizona on Friday with thecause of death yet to be determined, publicist Biff Warrensaid. “We miss her and hurt for her presence, her radianceand the sincerity with which she loved and embraced life,”a family statement said.

Daughters of two performers, Joni and her three sisters- Debbie, Kathy and Kim - grew up in Philadelphia andenjoyed moderate success touring in the 1970s with R&Bsongs. But the sisters found a major hit in 1979 with “WeAre Family,” which was written by Nile Rodgers andBernard Edwards, who had emerged as key figures in thedisco craze with their band Chic. Joni Sledge, in an inter-view last year with The Guardian, said the sisters hadbecome professionally frustrated by the time they made“We Are Family” and had considered other careers, such asstudying law. “Recording the track ‘We Are Family’ was likea one-take party - we were just dancing and playingaround and hanging out in the studio when we did it,” shesaid. Rodgers offered condolences on Twitter, saying, “Wedid something pretty amazing together.” Despite the mes-sage of family unity, Kathy Sledge left the group to pursuea solo career and tensions ensued, with Joni and Debbieremaining the core members.

Sister Sledge came together in various forms for per-formances that included the massive Festival of Familiesby Pope Francis in Philadelphia in 2015 and last year’spresidential campaign of Hillary Clinton. Joni Sledge,speaking in 2015 to Women’s Wear Daily, said that thegroup’s main hit - with its chorus, “We are family / I got allmy sisters with me” - carried a time-tested message ofunity. “It’s just as powerful today. That’s one of the goodthings about it. It teaches respect,” she said. — AFP

Indian magician fights archaic law

Joni Sledge

Star abroad, pest at home

These photos taken on Jan 5, 2017 show Indian street magician Ishamuddin Khan performing in New Delhi. — AFP