WORLD DIPLOMATS IN PARIS URGE PEACE TALKS Kuwait push for final ME settlement

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1 basketball Page 41 THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Established in 1977 / MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2017 / RABI AL AKHAR 18, 1438 AH emergency number 112 NO PAGES 150 FILS WORLD DIPLOMATS IN PARIS URGE PEACE TALKS Kuwait push for final ME settlement PARIS, Jan 15, (Agencies): Kuwait s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said that the international conference for peace, Paris is hosting on Sunday, should focus on an end to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Trump warned off unilateral Mideast moves The conference should concentrate on reaching a final settlement for the conflict and not only continuing to manage it, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled told the meeting which opened earlier today by the French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. This can be realized through incentives to the Israelis and the Palestinians to resume the peace negotiations, creating the favorable conditions and climate for interaction and economic, educational and vocational cooperation, he said. Astana stands between the lion and the fox Opinion By Ahmed Al-Jarallah Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times There is a folktale about a lion that went on a hunting expedition with a fox and a wolf. They succeeded in catching a wild ox, a gazelle and a hare. The lion then instructed the wolf to divide the prey. When the wolf proposed that each should take what they hunted, that meant the ox would go to the lion, the gazelle to the wolf and the hare to the fox. However, the lion was not happy with such a division so it hit the wolf hard, killing it instantly. It then proposed the fox to divide the prey. Being wary of a fate similar to that of the wolf, the fox proposed that the issue does not require any division. It told the lion, The gazelle will be your dinner, the hare your breakfast and the ox your lunch. The lion was happy with this division of prey. The lion then asked the fox what inspired it to come up with this solution and it replied, The lifeless body of the wolf lying beside me. This folktale applies to the current situation in Syria. Every time a glimpse of a solution appears in the horizon, the armed opposition factions run towards proposing the distribution of the spoils in the same manner that the wolf proposed to distribute the prey, which brings the issue back to square one. This is because these factions hold on to their conditions, which have been unrealistic from the very beginning. This means the circle of conflict in Syria violence, killings, displacement and destruction will continue, and with it, the prospect of a solution becomes grimmer. Today, after six years of civil war and deterioration of the country in various locations due to division of land which is done publicly among the international and regional forces involved in the Syrian conflict in addition to some terrorist groups, the upcoming dialogue in Kazakhstan s capital Astana appears as a glimmer of hope for Syria to escape from the dark tunnel. After several factions had expressed their initial approval to participate in this dialogue, each of these factions is now setting Continued on Page 37 ahmed@aljarallah.com Follow me on: ahmedaljarallah@gmail.com US$/KD /50 Euro/KD Yen/KD British /KD KSE pts at closing Jan 15 See Page 36 Dow pts at closing Jan 13 Nasdaq pts at closing Jan 13 FTSE pts at closing Jan 13 Nikkei pts at closing Jan 13 Gold $1, per oz (London) NYMEX crude $52.51 per barrel Brent crude $55.57 per barrel 3-month $ LIBOR rate % US Secretary of State John Kerry shares a laugh with European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini (right), as they take part with other foreign ministers, including Kuwait s Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, and representatives in a family picture during a Mideast peace conference in Paris, on Jan 15. Fearing a new eruption of violence in the Middle East, more than 70 world diplomats gathered in Paris on Sunday to push for renewed peace talks that would lead to a Palestinian state. (AP) Don t jump to conclusions over no-confidence vote MPs file to grill minister over sports ban By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: MPs Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, Abdulwahab Al-Babtain and Al-Humaidi Al- Subaie on Sunday submitted a grilling request against Minister of Information and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah. The interpellation consists of these points: suspension of sports activity in Kuwait, wastage of public funds, serving personal interests in the State Ministry for Youth Affairs, financial and administrative irregularities in the Ministry of Information, ignoring press freedom, and prosecuting bloggers. Speaking to reporters after submitting the grilling motion, Al-Tabtabaei pointed out the minister has been given more leeway, especially on the sports issue which made Kuwait miss the opportunity to participate in the Asian Cup. He urged the people to refrain from jumping into conclusion regarding the no-confidence vote as this is for the MPs to decide. He then stressed the need to reject the idea of referring the interpellation motion to the Constitutional Court, delete its points or discuss it in a closed-door session. Talking about the group of 26 opposition figures, Al-Tabtabaei stressed this group does not represent a political party so their stance on the interpellation motion might be different. On the possibility of reshuffling ministers, Al-Tabtabaei pointed out that it is unacceptable if the reshuffle takes place before the interpellation. Last month, the minister and the public sports authority requested IOC and FIFA to temporarily lift the suspension and pledged to amend controversial sports legislation, under pressure from Parliament. But the two sports bodies rejected Kuwait s request and the IOC demanded specific measures before ending the suspension. Besides amending sports laws, the IOC asked the authorities to immediately reinstate the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee dissolved along with several sports federations in August. It also demaned that Kuwait withdraw all cases filed in Swiss courts against international sports bodies, claiming the suspension was illegal. As a result of the ban, Kuwait was barred last week from taking part in qualifiers for the 2019 Asian Cup. In a related development, National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al- Ghanim confirmed receiving the interpellation request on the same day, disclosing the request will be included in the agenda of the parliamentary session slated for Jan 31, He explained that postponing the debate on the interpellation requires a decision by the Parliament because the two-week period has yet to end. Meanwhile, the parliamentary Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee on Sunday discussed a number of Continued on Page 37 Photo by Rizk Tawfik Kuwaiti MPs (left to right) Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie, Abdulwahab Al-Babtain and Waleed Al-Tabtabaei arrive for a session at the National Assembly in Kuwait City on Jan 15. The three lawmakers filed to grill the Minister of Information and Youth for allegedly failing to meet international demands to end a 14-month sports ban. Newswatch KUWAIT CITY: Ministry of Electricity and Water has contacted several relevant authorities to establish a new committee to review the recommended tariffs for electricity and water consumption in line with Law No. 20/2016, reports Al-Qabas daily. A reliable source said the decision is based on Article 7 of the regulation stipulating the minister should form a committee chaired by the undersecretary to review the recommended tariffs if necessary. The committee could seek the contribution of experts in this field as deemed fit and members of the committee shall include a representative each from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Fatwa and Legislation Department. He noted the committee will review the billing system of electricity and water consumed per unit with special tariffs for peak periods, and consultancy offices could be hired for that purpose. The minister will issue a decision to activate the new electricity and water tariffs after its referral to the Council of Ministers before it is published in the official Gazette and the ministry s website. See Also Page 2 FRANKFURT: A flight from Oman to Germany operated by Lufthansa s budget unit Eurowings will head home after getting the all clear by authorities in Kuwait where it made an emergency landing over a bomb scare, spokespeople for the airlines said. Continued on Page 37 This is likely to lay down bases for peace and dismiss all forms of extremism and violence, he added. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled called for setting a time limit for completing the negotiations, as well as the immediate implementation of any agreement to be concluded, for reaching a two-state solution based on the relevant UN resolutions, mainly the UN General Assembly s No. 1994, and the UNSC s 242, 338, 1397, 1515, 1850 and 2334, in addition to the Arab Peace Initiative, paving the way for establishing a Palestinian State on the pre- June 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as capital. In order to achieve these goals, the concerned world s bodies especially the Middle East Quartet, the UNSC s Permanent Members and the international bodies have to play an effective role for supporting and implementing them, the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister noted. He expressed the hope that the Quartet would include Arab members to make it more vital and effective. Meanwhile, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled expressed deep concern over reports that the new US Administration would move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to the Occupied Jerusalem, a matter that is most likely to undermine the opportunities for peace, contradicting with the UNSC resolutions, especially No. 478 that reads: Those States that have established diplomatic missions at Jerusalem to withdraw such missions from the Holy City. At the onset of the address, the Kuwaiti chief diplomat said that the world s public opinion, especially in the Arab region, is closely following the conference and the regional and international momentum it could produce to resume the stalled peace process. Thus, participants in the Paris meeting, should seek by all means that the event would lead to the activation of the outcome of previous conferences and initiatives that sought a solution to the Palestinian cause, such as Madrid 1991, Oslo 1993 and Camp David 2000, besides the several resolutions by the UN s General Assembly and the UNSC on the major issue, he said. The results of not applying the UN resolution, and the non-commitment to what have been concluded in the relevant international conferences have aggravated the humanitarian tragedies of the unarmed Palestinian people, and heightened tension in the region, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled stressed. Moreover, this has been reflected on the international peace and stability, as the region started to see the emergence of further crises, such as extremism and terrorism that cannot be dissolved unless the root of the problem, namely the Palestinian issue, is settled, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister noted. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said that this year marks the 69th anniversary of the Palestinians Nakba, sufferings and pain, and the 50th of the occupation of Arab territories in He also highly appreciated the precious peace initiative offered by the French President Francois Hollande to save the Mideast peace process, recalling France s stances in support of the Palestinian cause on the international levels. The Paris conference is bringing together more than 70 participants, nations and international organizations, in an attempt to bolster the Two- State Solution and provide incentives to both belligerents to resume negotiations that have broken down for six years. Sending a forceful message to Israel and the incoming Trump administration, more Continued on Page 37 Continued on Page 37

2 LOCAL 2 HH the PM with graduates of Harvard University. Executive bylaws concerning new power, water tariffs issued Minister Al-Marzouq to form committee By Mohammad Ghanim Al-Seyassah Staff KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Minister of Oil and Minister of Electricity and Water Eng. Essam Al-Marzouq has issued executive bylaws of law No. 20/2016 concerning the new electricity and water usage charges, which will be published in the official gazette next Sunday. KUNA photo Kuwait s Finance Undersecretary Hamada and Indian Ambassador exchanging the signed documents. Kuwait, India amend double taxation agreement The Kuwaiti Ministry of Finance on Sunday signed a protocol with India amending the agreement between the two countries to avoid double taxation on income and to prevent tax evasion. The protocol amends the types of Kuwaiti taxes in Article two of the agreement, as well as Article 26 on exchanging tax data, both on individuals and corporates, the ministry s Undersecretary Khalifa Hamada said in a press release. He added that Kuwait ratified the form on exchanging tax data of endorsed by the Organization According to the executive bylaws, the minister will form a committee with representatives from Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Fatwa and Legislation Department. The committee will be headed by the Undersecretary of Ministry of Electricity and Water Eng. Mohammad Boushahri. The aim of the committee is to study the prices specified in Law No. 20/2016 and refer its recommendations to the Minister of Electricity and Water after which they will be forwarded to the Cabinet. The committee intends to set the prices after taking into consideration the economic conditions so that it will not result in increase in the prices of other commodities and services. It is worth mentioning that the last parliament had approved the new charges during the parliamentary session held on April 13, The category of private houses was excluded from the provisions of law No. 20/2016. As per this law, the costs of electricity consumption in the investment apartment sector are: 5 fils per kilowatt for usage of 1-1,000 kilowatts, 10 fils per kilowatt for usage from 1,001 to 2,000 kilowatts, and 15 fils per kilowatt for usage above 2,000 kilowatts. The cost of electricity consumption in the governmental and commercial sectors is a fixed rate of 25 fils per kilowatt. In industrial and agricultural sectors, the cost is 10 fils per kilowatt. The cost in other sectors is a fixed rate of 20 fils per kilowatt. for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), noting that the Kuwaiti-Indian agreement was effective as of Oct 17, He also said that the agreement on encouraging investments between the two Asian countries was put into effect on June 28, (KUNA) Regarding the prices for water usage in the investment apartment sector, the monthly cost for water usage from 1 to 3,000 imperial gallons is KD 2 per 1,000 gallons. For consumption from 3,001 to 6,000 imperial gallons, the cost is KD 3 per 1,000 gallons. For more than 6,000 gallons, the cost is KD 4 per 1,000 gallons. For the governmental and commercial sectors, the law has specified a fixed cost of KD 4 per 1,000 gallons. Many against JASTA US companies in Kuwait have reservations against FATCA KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Strategic Consultant at Ernst &Young Company, Executive Member and Head of the Coordinating Committee for American Business Council in Kuwait Abdul-Aziz Al-Othman affirmed that American companies in Kuwait have reservation against the implementation of FATCA, reports Al-Nahar daily. Al-Othman explained the reservation is based on implementation of the law on the US companies only, while companies of other countries do not pay tax. He said the procedure is detrimental to the competitive capability and reduces profit margin. He declared that many US citizens resident in Kuwait and other GCC countries are against the Justice against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), because it affects their interests in Kuwait. Possible He anticipated the government will do away with implementing value added tax (VAT) law since the parliament has rejected it. This is possible, even though the government has carried out several procedures toward its implementation and common decision taken with other GCC countries at this time of unstable and dwindling oil prices. Talking about the economic strategic partnership with the US, Al-Othman disclosed that Kuwait is among the countries that issue least American bonds worth about $31 billion compared to countries like China whose bond reaches $1.2 trillion based on the global reports of He stressed the value of Kuwaiti-American investments in Kuwait is about $300 million, while the investments of Kuwaitis in America have reached $1.5 billion. He reiterated the investments are in diverse sectors, including real estate, retail, technology and capital markets. PM receives Harvard graduates mp profile getting to know you Kuwait Today Al-Otaibi Prayer Timings Fajr... 05:20 Sunrise... 06:43 Zohr... 11:58 Asr... 14:53 Maghrib... 17:12 Isha... 18:33 Weather Expected weather for the next 24 hours: By Night: Partly cloudy with light to moderate south easterly changing to north easterly later on wind, with speed of km/h with a chance for scattered rain. By Day: Partly cloudy with light variable wind changing to light to moderate south easterly wind, with speed of km/h with a chance for scattered light rain later on. Station Max Min Exp Rec Kuwait City Kuwait Airport Abdaly Bubyan Jahra Failaka Island Salmiyah Ahmadi Nuwaisib Wafra Salmy days forecast - Weather Monday, Jan 16 Expected weather...sunny + scattered clouds Max Temp...21C Min Temp...08C Wind Direction... NE-N Wind Speed km/h Tuesday, Jan 17 Expected weather...sunny + scattered clouds Max Temp...20C Min Temp...07C Wind Direction... NW Wind Speed km/h Wednesday, Jan 18 Expected weather...partly cloudy Max Temp...20C Min Temp...08C Wind Direction...NW-VRB Wind Speed km/h Thursday, Jan 19 Expected weather...partly cloudy Max Temp...22C Min Temp...08C Wind Direction...VRB-NW Wind Speed km/h Marine Forecast Station Max Min Sea Today s Exp Rec Surf Waves Ht Dirn South Dolphin ft SE Umm Mudayrah ft SE Voting Record Khalid Mohammed Al-Otaibi (Independent) Fifth Constituency KHALID MOHAMMED AL-OT- AIBI was born in 1966 and holds a bachelor s degree in Police Science. He is a first-time MP who won sixth place in his constituency in the November 2016 elections with 3,998 votes; ahead of his rival Majed Musaed Al-Mutairi who got 3,821 votes. He was elected member of the Health, Social Affairs and Labor Committee in the current Parliament. Statement Al-Otaibi called on HH the Prime Minister to be aware of the enormity of the two authorities tasks in the next phase. He said, Ministers must be chosen according to their ability to handle complex situations. He also expressed support for the grilling request that MPs Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, Abdul-wahab Al-Babtain and Humaidi Al-Subaiei submitted against Information Minister and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Hamoud Al-Sabah. He was quoted as saying, I have looked into the key points of the interpellation. I think all these points are appropriate and very timely. The minister, in his capacity, should bear responsibility for irregularities mentioned in the interpellation; particularly his huge responsibility concerning the sports file. He is part of the ongoing conflict on the issue which harmed the interests of the local sports sector. KUNA photo His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah received on Sunday at Bayan Palace, Minister of National Assembly Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah accompanied by graduates of Harvard University from different nationalities. His Highness the Prime Minister during the meeting praised the graduates tour in the area and wished them success in achieving their goals in practical life. (KUNA) Al-Otaibi is a first-time MP and has no voting record. Beacon M ft SE Beacon N ft SE Qaruh Island ft SE Umm Al-Maradim ft SE Sea Island Buo Salmiyah ft SE 4 days forecast - Marine Monday, Jan 16 Expected weather...sunny + scattered clouds Sea state...slight to moderate Wave height ft Max Temp...21C Min Temp...08C Wind Direction... NE-N Wind Speed km/h Tuesday, Jan 17 Expected weather...sunny + scattered clouds Sea state...slight to moderate Wave height ft Max Temp...20C Min Temp...07C Wind Direction... NW Wind Speed km/h Wednesday, Jan 18 Expected weather...partly cloudy Sea state...slight to moderate Wave height ft Max Temp...20C Min Temp...08C Wind Direction...NW-VRB Wind Speed km/h Thursday, Jan 19 Expected weather...partly cloudy Sea state...slight to moderate Wave height ft Max Temp...22C Min Temp...08C Wind Direction...VRB-NW Wind Speed km/h Tide times at Shuwaikh Port 1st high tide:... 14:31 2nd high tide:... 01:29 1st low tide:... 08:16 2nd low tide:... 20:10 Sunrise:... 06:44 Sunset:... 17:11 Recorded yesterday at Kuwait Airport Max temp...19c Min temp...04c Max Rh...64% Min Rh...31% Max Wind... NW 39 km/h Total Rainfall in 24 hrs... 0 mm Recorded yesterday at South Dolphin Min/Max/ Air Temp...11/17C Min/Max Rel Hum...40/63% Wind Direction/Wind Speed...N/40 km/h Prev Wave Dir/Max Wave Ht...N/4 ft Min/Max Sea Surface Temp...14/15 C Sea Current...Upwelling Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Meteorological Dept. deaths Iman Hadi Awad Misfer Bin Helolan Al Azemi, 24 years old buried on Sunday. Condolences: (Men) Qosour, Block 2, St. 20, House Tel (Women) Sabahiya, Block 2, St. 3, House 332 Tel Abdul Razak Ali Khalifa Al Shaheen Al Ghanim, 76 years old, buried on Sunday. Condolence: (Men) Faiha, Diwan Al Ghanim, Block 2, St. 20, House 11 Tel (Women) Nuzha, Block 1, St. 13, House 36. Jumma Hamad Jumma Al Tamemi, 65 years old, buried on Sunday. Condolence: (Men) Andalous, Block 12, St. 6, House 11 Tel (Women) Qosour, Block 7, St. 35, House 14. Yousef Abdullah Mohammad Al Kandari, 76 years old, buried on Sunday. Condolence: (Men) Shaab, OPP. Cairo St. (Diwan Al Kanadra) Tel (Women) Mubarak Al Abdullah, Block 2, Ahmad Mohammad Al Humaithi St. 17, House 39. Ebtisam Yousef Hamad Al Mair, 59 years old, to be buried on Monday after Asr prayers. Condolence: (Men) Rawda, Block 20, House 53 Tel (Women) Adailiya, Block 1, Amoriya St. House 15 Tel Mohammad Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al Bedaiwi, 21 years old, to be buried on Monday after Asr prayers. Condolence: (Men) Rawda, Block 1, Abdul Rahman Al Dakhel St. House 29 Tel (Women) South Kheitan, Block 3, St. 94, House 99 Tel Mohareb Khalifa Khalaf Al Shamari, 81 years old, to be buried on Monday after Asr prayers. Condolence:Waha, Block 2, St. 1, House 14 Tel Marthi Thawi Al Fateh Al Azemi, 83 years old, buried on Sunday. Condolence: Riqqa, Block 4, Police Station St. House 3 Tel Fahad Abdul Razak Shaher Al Sharefi, 56 years old, to be buried on Monday after Asr prayers. Condolence: (Men) Andalous, Block 10, St. 4, House 9 Tel (Women) Adan, Block 2, St. 86, House 13 Tel Jan 15, 2017

3 LOCAL 3 Parliament Speaker Al-Ghanim His Highness the Prime Minister Defence Minister Sheikh Mohammad Khaled Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Information Minister Sheikh Salman KUNA photos Minister of Public Works Al-Muttawa Audience of His Highness the Crown Prince His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received on Sunday at Bayan Palace National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim. His Highness also received His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Mohammad Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah and Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah. His Highness the Crown Prince also received Minister of Public Works, Abdurrahman Al-Muttawa. During the meeting, Minister Al-Muttawa presented to His Highness the 2016 statistical manual of the Ministry of Public Works projects. (KUNA) Kuwait reaffirms stance on having Arab seat in UNSC Reforming Council vital: Al-Otaibi A photo from the societal initiative We protect it that falls under EPA. No professors with high experience College of Life Sciences students participate in a societal initiative KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Students of the courses of Human and Environment, and Introduction to Environmental Technical Management at the College of Life Sciences in Kuwait University participated in a societal initiative titled We protect it that falls under the Environment Public Authority (EPA). The initiative was supervised by Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad of Environmental Technical Management Department as well as by Suad Al-Jarallah and Dalal Al-Tawhid representatives of We protect it initiative to minimize trash. Voluntary The We protect it team is a voluntary work team consisting of Kuwaiti specialists in various fields who contribute to the societal initiative for reducing trash. This initiative, which is registered at Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, is based on an unprecedented simple idea and aims to present a practical quick solution to the problem of trash and its dangers on the environment of Kuwait. The partners of the initiative are Ministry of Education, Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Ministry News in Brief Automated voting eyed: A number of MPs intend to push for easing the voting procedures for citizens through the implementation of the automatic voters registration system and reducing the voting age to 18 years old in line with what Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khaled announced in this regard during his tenure as Minister of Interior, reports Al-Nahar daily quoting sources. On the other hand, Minister of Justice and State Minister for National Assembly Affairs Faleh Al-Azeb pointed out that reducing the age for parliamentary election candidates as suggested by some MPs need substantial amendment of the relevant law; whereas the reduction of voting age is linked with the voters legal capacity. Awareness on hemorrhage: Minister of Health Dr Jamal Al-Harbi recently inaugurated an awareness campaign on hemorrhage inside the Avenues Mall in the presence of Director of Sabah Hospital Dr Mahdi Al-Fadhli and Head of Pediatric Department in Sabah Hospital Dr Eman Al-Enezi. of Social Affairs, Kuwait Municipality, Kuwait University, Ministry of Electricity and Water, Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources, National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters and Al-Qabas daily. Meanwhile, Acting Dean of College of Life Sciences at Kuwait University and Assistant Dean for Technical Support and Planning Dr Qasem Afif revealed that the collage is facing problems in attracting professors with high experience in this specialization, reports Al-Rai daily. He indicated that the current professors are on an average below the age of 40 years, and there is only one professor of the actual rank of Professor while there are six assistant professors and 30 professors of the rank Teacher. Dr Afif said the professors teaching rate specializations have less experience, adding that the faculty is suffering this year from the problem of training students of Nutrition Science Unit. He revealed that there are roughly 150 graduates of this major who are currently working in this field and have excellent experience. In his speech, the minister affirmed that Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital is only for Kuwaitis and its furnishing and operation will be done in stages. He revealed that the first stage is for setting up the administration and outpatient departments, which will be in operation soon. E-transactions eyed: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has laid down a plan to facilitate the processing of transactions through the electronic system, reports Al-Shahed daily. In a press statement, Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Rawdan disclosed the plan, which will be implemented within one year, will be divided into three phases that will be announced as soon as they are finished. On the renewal of commercial licenses, he explained that if the information is the same as per the expired licenses, they should be renewed electronically. Talking about the need to apply a consumer protection system that includes complaints and news, the minister revealed it will be similar to the system in Saudi Arabia. DOHA, Jan 15, (KUNA): Kuwait has stressed Sunday the importance of reforming the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to improve and bring more transparency to the Council s work. Head of Kuwait s permanent mission to the UN headquarters in New York, Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi told KUNA that part of the reforms should include fair Arab representation at the UNSC, appropriate with the number of Arab countries and Arab issues discussed by the Council s agenda. Al-Otaibi, coordinator of the Arab Group on the Council reform, added that UNSC reform can only be realized by bringing greater transparency to the work of the Council and increasing its members according to standards and regulations that would create a fair balance in representation and efficiency in performance. The reform is still under consideration since talks on the matter began 23 years ago, it is important to find new mechanisms to expand membership at the council, he said. The meeting, which Qatar called for, came after the UNSC failure in carrying out its responsibilities in underscoring the importance of fast reform. Thirty Members are participating in the two-day meeting, along with the President of the 71st UN General Assembly Peter Thomson and the Co-Chairmen of the Inter-Governmental Negotiation on Security Council Reform Ambassador Mohammad Khairi of Tunisia. Bahrain s Minister of Information Ali Al-Rumaihi on Sunday called on the Gulf press and media to shoulder their responsibilities in the face of various regional and external challenges. The minister, speaking at the sixth conference of the Gulf Press Federation, said these challenges aim at undermining security and stability of the regional countries, spreading sedition among peoples of the GCC states and meddling in their internal affairs. These challenges must prompt us to overhaul the press and media in the Gulf so they may publicize their ideal messages on the bases of responsibility, transparency, integrity and objectivity, he said. Minister Al-Rumaihi urged the federation and press organizations in the GCC countries to contribute to boosting national belonging, promoting values such as tolerance and coexistence among nations of diverse civilizations. He called for renouncing acts designed to sow sedition, spread incitement of sectarian, religious or racial hatred, breach peoples honor or privacy. Minister Al-Rumaihi affirmed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in supporting Arab and Islamic causes and leading the Arab-Islamic coalition for fighting extremism and terrorism. Moreover, he called for modernizing the GCC media. Later on, the federation elected the new chairman; chief editor of the Saudi newspaper Al-Jazira Khaled Al- Malek. Issa Al-Shayji, the chief editor of the Bahraini newspaper, Al-Ayam, was elected as the secretary- general. Chairman of Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) Sheikh Mubarak Duaij Al-Ibrahim Al-Sabah received Sunday at his office Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Bahrain Sheikh Azzam Mubarak Al-Sabah. The meeting was attended by KUNA Deputy Chairman for Administrative and Financial Affairs Abdulhameed Malak. They tackled the role of media in assisting the diplomatic efforts as well as media services KUNA offers KISR and ACK officials during the press conference. KISR, ACK join forces for greater oil production Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) and the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK) signed an agreement on Sunday in the fi eld of petroleum engineering, part of efforts to boost oil production. In a press conference on Sunday, KISR s Director General Dr Samira Omar underscored that the agreement signed between both sides will give ACK pupils the opportunity to participate in researches conducted by KISR germane to oil extraction. Moreover, she noted that such endeavors allow both institutes to share their knowhow with one another, which in turn, results in a more adept workforce. Meanwhile, Director of KISR s Oil Research Department Dr Mina Marafie said that the partnership forged between KISR and ACK will be instrumental in bringing the oil sector s goal for the year 2030 to fruition. On the agreement, she added KUNA photo to support the country s foreign policy and to boost the cooperation among Kuwait s embassies abroad. The diplomat endorsed KUNA keenness on the continuous cooperation with Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry and embassies abroad, reflecting the efforts our diplomatic missions exert to serve our country in the regional and international arenas. Meanwhile, chairman of KUNA stressed on the agency s commitment to play its national role in serving Kuwait locally and abroad. (KUNA) KUNA photo that it comprises lectures, workshops and seminars that will prove mutually beneficial for both sides. Similarly, ACK Chairman Abdullah Al-Sharhan noted that the main objective of this agreement is to allow ACK students the chance to partake in activities offered by KISR. He also pointed out that the agreement fi ts into state plans to bolster the national workforce. (KUNA)

4 LOCAL 4 Late Amir revamped women s status and ensured gender equality Amir of Hearts orchestrated Kuwait s progress: Sheikha Fariha KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15, (KUNA): The late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah led Kuwait to progress in various fields, mainly including urbanization, said President of the Kuwait Association for the Ideal Family Sheikha Fariha Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Although Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad, or Amir of Hearts, passed away 11 years ago, people will remember him forever, Sheikha Fariha said in a press release on Sunday. During his rule, which began in 1977, the late Amir steered the country s advancement and development in various domains and sectors, she added. She pointed to the great role and achievements made by the State of Kuwait during the era of Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad, she said, adding that he was chosen Head of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) when its rotating session was held in Kuwait. The late Amir played a key role in the promotion of the OIC s position at the world level and worked hard to establish many regulative laws, she said. Having been keen on Kuwait s international presence, the late Amir adopted the country s policy for opening up to the world, and established strong relations with many world countries, thus enabling Kuwait to fulfill its people s expectations and ambitions, she added. On the Gulf level, it was the late Amir who came up with the idea of creating the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and suggested a GCC Advisory Council which acts as a legislator for the six GCC member states. Furthermore, Kuwait, during his era, made considerable progress in terms of revamping women s status and ensuring gender equality as Kuwaiti women obtained political rights; 150 inventions to be showcased at the IIFME inventors meeting mainly the appointment of the first female cabinet minister in the country s history, Sheikh Fariha boasted. She quoted the late Amir as having emphasized national unity as the most effective way to create miracles and achieve national development and prosperity. Kuwait marks on Sunday the 11th anniversary of the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The late Amir, who took over the reign on Dec 31, 1977, was the 13th ruler of Kuwait, and the third Amir during the state s constitutional era that began with the signing of the constitution on Nov 11, 1962 by the late Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. The wisdom and experience of the late Amir, along with the great support of many brotherly and friendly countries, led to the liberation of Kuwait from the 1990 Iraqi invasion. Event kicks off today in Kuwait A photo from the event KU organizes seminar titled Qaroh Island KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: The Office of Deputy Director for Planning at Kuwait University organized a seminar titled Qaroh Island its protection and expansion, and rehabilitation of its marine environment. According to a press release, the seminar was led by Dr Jassem Al- Hassan, a member of the teaching staff in the College of Science at Kuwait University. Employees from the planning sector, several teaching staff and researchers from the college attended the seminar. The seminar covered details about the island, its natural and geographical characteristics, and its political and environmental significance for the State of Kuwait. The negative effects, which the island has been facing for many years and which continue to threaten its positive as well as its size, as in few years it could disappear, were also discussed during the seminar. A proposal for the island s protection and its expansion, through the execution of a project by the operations program Offset in coordination with Kuwait Direct Promotion Authority, was presented during the seminar. It will be headed by Dr Jassem Al-Hassan in coordination with the Office of Deputy Director for Planning at Kuwait University. The coordination entails the planning of the project and its technical requirements. It will involve Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense and Environment Public Authority. KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15, (KUNA): The 9th International Invention Fair in the Middle East (IIFME) will take place here from Jan with 200 inventors from 36 countries taking part. The event, themed investor-inventor meeting is to be held under Auspices of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah; it will showcase 150 inventions, Kuwait Science Club (KSC) said. Speaking to reporters on Saturday evening, head of the organizing committee Talal Al-Kharafi extolled His Highness the Amir for his kind patronage of the gathering and limitless support to youth inventors. His Highness the Amir s care for science and scientists offers encouragement to the KSC activities meant to foster the skills of talented youth, Al- Kharafi said. The fair, one of the most significant and largest specialized exhibitions of inventions in the Middle East, aims to galvanize the Arab and Muslim youth into making innovative achievements in the area of scientific research and market their inventions, he pointed out. The participation of investors in the event will contribute to the promotion of scientific and technological advancement in the Arab world and Arabian Gulf region. The event will provide an opportunity for revealing the culture of invention to societies and strengthening the existing relationships among the inventors and corporations, Al- Kharafi noted. It will offer cash awards totaling in value $100,000; these include a grand prix of $15,000, the KSC prize $10,000, the GCC Patent Office prize 50,000 Saudi riyals for the three top winners from the GCC countries, the award of the International Exhibition of Geneva - $15,000, and an award from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Director Meanwhile, Dr Salam Al- Ablani, director of the scientific culture dept. of Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), affirmed the commitment of the IIFME to providing the conditions necessary for creativity and innovation in science. KFAS attaches great importance to such events that provide an opportunity for Kuwaiti young inventors to network with their peers from around the globe, he noted. Dr Al-Ablani welcomed the participation of investors in the event, saying it opens new horizons for inventors to sell their viable and applicable inventions. Chief of the arbitration panel David Farouqi said his panel is made up of more than 35 worldrenowned judges who have long experience in assessing the inventions as per the standards set by the International Exhibition of Geneva. Talal Al-Kharafi A special taskforce headed by Eng Najwan Al-Yasin at the College of Engineering and Petroleum held its fi rst meeting on Monday to prepare a transition plan for the transfer of the College of Engineering and Petroleum to Sabah Al-Salem University City. The current status of the project and timetable of preliminary handover of the College of Arts project, which is expected to be executed in March 2018, were discussed during the meeting. The team agreed to prepare the main plans for the transition and operation of Sabah Al-Salem University City and to coordinate in making field visits. Private sector targeted for top employer Kuwait affi rms commitment to launch Arab customs union CAIRO, Jan 15, (KUNA): The State of Kuwait is committed to meeting requirements for launching the Arab custom union, a visiting official of the Gulf State affirmed here on Sunday. Establishing the Arab custom federation was endorsed at the Arab economic summit hosted by the State of Kuwait in 2009, where the top leaders entrusted the Arab Economic and Social Council with setting up the federation for boosting pan-arab economic merger, said Mona Al-Rashidi, the head of the secretariat bureau of the committees at Kuwaiti General Administration for Customs. She was speaking in a statement to KUNA, on sidelines of the 31st session of the Arab custom committee, due at the Arab League for three days. Al-Rashidi, who chairs the meeting, added that the State of Kuwait adheres to completing requirements for launching the great Arab free trade zone, noting that Kuwait had done its part with respect of setting up a full zone. The Kuwaiti official added that the officials during the meeting noted necessity of speedy up negotiations to unify the tariffs, affirming that Kuwait is supportive of this approach. The bill of the unified Arab custom union, along with its explanatory attachment and executive by-laws, has been finalized, she said, indicating at a relevant memo that tackled protection of domestic products, stimulating national industries and offered flexible terms for joining the federation. News in Brief CP support morale-booster : His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah s concern is a great incentive for Kuwaiti sports, head of an interim committee in charge of Kuwait Football Association (KFA) Fawaz Al-Hasawi said on Sunday. In a statement to the press, Al-Hasawi attributed the success of Kuwaiti sports to the overwhelming support by the country s leadership, noting that the finals of this season s His Highness the Crown Prince s Cup pits Al-Kuwait club against Al-Qadsiya. (KUNA) e-passports in 24 hrs: From February, the Citizens Service Centers will receive applications for e-passports for Kuwaitis and the documents will be issued within 24 hours, reports Al-Anba daily quoting reliable security sources. However, the sources revealed passports will not be issued if the citizens fail to pay overdue traffic or municipal fines, if any. Lawmaker intends to grill: Lawmaker Dr Jama an Al- Harbash declared his intention to grill the Minister of Health if his brother Dr Suleiman Al-Harbash is appointed as the ministry undersecretary, reports Al-Rai daily. The statement came in response to Twitter user Al-Azmi following a tweet he posted on his account saying Meanwhile, the Manpower and Government Restructuring Program (MGRP) is hard at work to create of the private sector the major employer of national workforce in the country, through encouraging young people to work in non-government jobs. The trend is part of the government s efforts to remedy the imbalance in the structure of the local labor market, director of developing national manpower at the MGRP Eman Al-Ansari told a graduation ceremony of 30 job seekers from the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK). It aims to replace the migrant labor with nationals, Al-Ansari said. The chief MGRP seeks through manpower development schemes to quality those seeking jobs in the private sector through training programs in cooperation with various Kuwaiti institutions, she noted. She highlighted the state s high interest in youth as Kuwait s real wealth, citing a significant saying of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Established amongst the first private higher educational institutions, the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK) offers unique experiential education programs which are recognized in the region. The ACK s is to generate human capital equipped with practical knowledge and employability skills that contributes to the economic development and welfare of Kuwait. Al- Harbash trades in the blood of Falah Al-Sawagh and mounts pressure on the minister to appoint his brother as the ministry undersecretary. It is worthy of note that Dr Suleiman Al-Harbash was head of the Kuwaiti Health Office in Germany. New health attache in Egypt: Minister of Health Dr Jamal Al-Harbi issued a decision to appoint Dr Abdulrazzaq Al-Anjari as the director of Overseas Treatment Department and to transfer the current director of the department Dr Mohsin Falah Al-Ajmi to manage the Pre-marriage Checkup Department currently headed by Dr Yaqoub Al-Kandari who will undertake his responsibility as health attaché in Egypt soon, reports Al-Rai daily. Health sources said the step is part of the Health Minister s plan to pump new blood into vital departments to improve the level of service. KOC reduces daily production: Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has reduced its daily production by 138,000 barrels such that the total production is now million barrels per day, reports Al-Anba daily quoting reliable oil sources. They said Kuwait is seeking to reduce production more than what is required, adding that OPEC has reduced by 133,000 barrels.

5 LOCAL 5 Minister of Awqaf stresses importance of social unity Meeting settled on 10 constituencies for Municipal Council KUNA photos Top & above: Iraqi refugees being distributed 1,500 food packets and 2,500 blankets. 1,200 food packs delivered to Iraqis KRCS calls for int l coordination for better humanitarian services KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15, (KUNA): Chairman of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) Dr Hilal Al-Sayer on Monday emphasized the momentousness of coordinating among the international humanitarian organizations to provide the best services to those afflicted by catastrophes or wars. During a meeting with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Gulf Director Saeed Hersi, Al-Sayer stressed the importance of drawing up field programs, boosting partnerships and exchanging data and expertise to overcome the logistic challenges hindering delivery of relief aid to Yemeni governorates. He told KUNA that he and Hersi discussed the partnership and cooperation between OCHA and the KRCS. Partnership is one of the major strategies of relief work, Al-Sayer said. The meeting also addressed the KRCS efforts in Yemen, Iraq and Syria, especially for assisting people displaced from Aleppo. On his part, the OCHA Gulf chief spoke to KUNA lauding the KRCS leading humanitarian role. It is one of the chief donor agencies on the world scene, he said. Hersi referred to the society s positive response to relief efforts through cooperation with the regional and the UN organizations. He said they are looking forward to further cooperation with the KRCS. Meanwhile, KRCS distributed on Sunday 1,200 food baskets to displaced Iraqi families residing in camps in the autonomous region of Kurdistan. Speaking to KUNA, Kuwait s Consul General in Irbil Dr Omar Al-Kandari said that the aid is part of humanitarian efforts to mitigate the misery of the Iraqi people. Moreover, Al-Kandari noted that KRCS has launched a comprehensive aid package for displaced Iraqis, which includes providing them with nutritious food baskets, adding that Kuwait s General Consulate will help facilitate the aid process. Meanwhile, KRCS Director of Disaster Management Yousef Al-Miraj told KUNA that KRCS has delivered humanitarian aid to 1,200 families, all of whom were the recipients of food baskets. On the varied aid package, Al-Miraj said that it covers the basic needs of displaced families in Iraq s Kurdistan region. In a statement to KUNA, Al-Barzani Charity official Mohammad Baha-el-Din thanked Kuwait for the copious amount of humanitarian aid given to displaced Iraqis. Kuwait has doled out an incessant flow of aid to displaced Iraqis since 2015, where some 130,000 food baskets were delivered to displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees. The State of Kuwait, Sunday, Jan 15, distributed 1,500 food packs and 2,500 blankets to Iraqi refugees in camps located in al-qayyarah, south of Mosul. Combining public, private jobs will open doors for corruption: official Declare assets KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Chairman of the Union of Kuwait Engineering Offices and Consultancy Firms Engineer Bader Al-Salman has warned of the dangers of parliamentary calls to allow citizens working in public sector to be licensed to carry on private activities and other projects, reports Al-Seyassah daily. He added the proposal if approved will present a new door for corruption, indicating calls of this kind only aim to stir up the feelings of voters in establishing more electoral bases. He noted the idea of citizens keeping their jobs in public sector in addition to private activities and other projects will only add to the expenses of the national workforce on the State, while the main concern is to attract more national personnel to work in private sector in order to save huge sums paid in the form of grants. Impossible He stressed it s impossible to make a citizen combine two jobs due to the conflict of interest coupled with lack of integrity in wasting public funds through payments approved in support of the national program for citizens working in private sector. He also said the state apparatus cannot absorb a lot of specialties among the graduates due to deficit in the state budget, and combining public and private jobs will only open doors for corruption and increase demand for government jobs; thereby putting burden on the salaries. He added all public sector employees will become private sector employers, and in the end, contribute to increase marginal workers. He urged the MPs to stop what he called publicity proposals that may deprive future generations of the public wealth due to unjustified wastage. Meanwhile, Directorate General for Legal Affairs, Studies and Researches at Ministry of Interior has demanded the leadership of the ministry to disclose and declare their assets in accordance with decree No. 30/2016 related to the executive bylaw of law No. 2/2016 for establishment of an anti-corruption authority, reports Al-Anba daily. In a circular sent to all leadership of the ministry, the department affirmed that the provisions of the law applies on the premier, deputies and all who occupy executive positions such as ministers and other senior officials. KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15, (KUNA): Kuwaiti Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Al-Jabri said Sunday Kuwaiti social unity has been a major deep-rooted characteristic of the Kuwaiti people. Al-Jabri, who doubles as Minister of Municipal Affairs, made the remark in a keynote speech during the 13th Seminar on Developments of Islamic Thought organized by the Ministry of Awqaf and patronized by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. He said that it is imperative to maintain and safeguard social unity in order to wipe out the horrible phenomenon of terrorism, commending the political leadership s effective response to this scourge. The Muslim world has been hit by the pestilence of terrorism and extremism that has pushed many young people to commit murders and launch bombings, thus seriously distorting the image of the tolerant religion of Islam. Al-Jabri KUNA photos Top: Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah during the opening ceremony and (above) some photos from the opening of the festival. Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah attends opening ceremony Gulf popular heritage fest kicks off Knowledged However, the minister acknowledged that the causes of terrorism are very complicated, and terror has various forms and manifestations, calling for sharpening anti-terrorism efforts and overcoming relevant challenges. On his part, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Fareed Emadi said the Arab world needs to effectively fight the scourge of extremism and hardline thought. He added that the Muslim world s economic problems and sufferings and political contradictions have been used as a pretext for extremism and terrorism. Therefore, Islamic and world organizations and foundations should exert more concerted efforts to address the reflections of terrorism and to rebuff extremists easily refuted justifications and excuses as well as to protect young people from extremist thoughts. Political Advisor at the GCC Secretariat General Nawaf Al- Mutairi said the swift regional developments have regrettably imposed security and social challenges on GCC member states. He listed such major challenges as growing terrorist and extremist groups and movements and lack of moderation and tolerance. Al-Mutari emphasized that the phenomenon of terrorism needs to be addressed by regional and international efforts. A meeting of Kuwait Municipality and the Interior Ministry settled on 10 constituencies for the Municipal KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15, (KUNA): A Gulf popular heritage festival opened on Sunday in Sabah Al-Ahmad village, drawing a large turnout in an event sponsored by His Highness the Amir. The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, Amiri Diwan Advisor and the village s supervisor Mohammad Daifallah Sharar, Deputy village supervisor Sheikh Sabah Fahad Al-Nasser Al-Sabah and the director of the village Saif Al-Shallahi, along with a number of government officials. In a statement to the press, Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah said that the festival will allow the people of Kuwait and the Gulf region the chance to mingle amid a delightful ambiance. Moreover, he spoke of the greenery galore found in the village, in addition to numerous outstanding services it provides, adding that the festival coincides with the 11th anniversary of the passing of late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Meanwhile, Director General of the Public Authority for Youth (PAY) Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi noted that PAY is participating in the festival, which aims to instill in youth values of national unity and patriotism. Al-Mutairi added that he was hopeful that Kuwaiti youth would be able to showcase a favorable image of Kuwaiti culture. The festival will include a plethora of contests and activities designed to illustrate Kuwait s profound maritime heritage. Council as per the new law, reports Al- Qabas daily. Knowledgeable sources noted the National Assembly has commissioned the government to determine areas of the constituencies. They revealed that 38 cities, suburbs and areas are excluded from the 10 constituencies of the Municipal Council: Jaber Al-Ahmad, North West Sulaibikhat, West Abdullah Al-Mubarak, Nawaf Al-Ahmad, Al-Qasr, Anjifa (bloc 13 Salwa), Al- Masayel, Al-Sadeeq, Al-Zahra, Al- Salaam, Hateen, Al-Shuhada, Abdullah Al-Mubarak, Al-Rehab, Al-Nahda, Ishbiliyah, Sabah Al-Nasser, Al-Shuwaikh (Health and Educational), Jaber Al-Ali, Saad Al-Abdullah, Al-Qaraiwan, Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Al-Adan, Al-Qurain, Al-Quosor, Abu Al-Hasaniya (bloc 10-11), Abu Fatira, Fahad Al- Ahmad, Sabah Al- Ahmad Housing area, Al-Khairan housing area, Sabah Al-Ahmad (marine). The source revealed the intention to merge and re-distribute the new areas to meet the number of electorate in each constituency.

6 LOCAL MoH ponders replacing expats in various depts Other Voices Just a tip of the iceberg By Ahmad Al-Sarraf always get many mixed feelings I each time I read or hear reports about attempts being foiled to smuggle huge quantities of alcohol into the country. Historically, it was not allowed to consume alcohol openly in Kuwait. Even until the issuance of the Law No. 206 in the mid-1960s, alcohol was being sold to non-muslims in Kuwait through Cree McKinsey British Company. However, the non-muslims were then re-selling the alcohol to Muslims and other residents, to make money. The selling points were known to the government but it preferred to turn a blind eye. Based on a report published by the Al-Qabas on Jan 27, 2009, it was mentioned that a Kuwaiti newspaper had published a report in October 1963 about Cree Mackenzie Company, accusing it of making huge profits from the sale of liquor since it had monopolized the sale which was surprising because the country believes in the free economic system. The report mentioned the MPs had submitted a draft law to the government in May 1964 to confiscate and destroy all existing alcohol. There was a discussion on the subject and an amendment to Article 206 of the Penal Code. The session saw extensive discussions by a number of MPs, including MP Jassem Al-Qatami who said the prevention is not enough and is not a cure for any problem. He called on educating the people and promoting awareness among them and that the government should play a role. MP Dr Al-Khatib said the phenomenon needs a wider study and analysis, but the National Assembly agreed in principle to the draft Keep check on lazy workers: minister KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15, (Agencies): Minister of Health Dr Jamal Al-Harbi has given directions to the top ministry officials to intensify surveillance on the departments and deal with the laggards at work no matter their positions, reports Al-Anba daily. The daily quoting a reliable source added the assistant undersecretary will deal with any failure or mistake committed by the personnel. He also said the list of names of nominees for the assistant undersecretaries position will be submitted to Civil Service Council, and law. On Oct 12, 1964, the government banned the import of alcohol and intoxicants and withdrew the licenses of authorized bodies. Law No. 206 was issued which stipulated punishment. The law called for imprisonment for any person importing or manufacturing alcohol for trading purposes. However, the law did not apply to the embassies and diplomatic missions. What is important in the subject is the destruction of confiscated alcohol, perhaps in accordance with the explanatory memorandum of the law, but those who suggested the disposal of the confiscated materials were thinking in small quantities. The quantities are getting bigger and bigger worth tens of millions of dinars, and possibly more. It is senseless to insist on the destruction of the confiscated alcohol in a primitive manner. For example, the confiscated alcohol can be exported to other countries and the proceeds from thereof can be used to treat the alcohol and drug addicts. The other side is related to the smuggling operations. It is horrifying to know there are those who can smuggle more than ten containers without being inspected. We have a feeling the alcohol confiscated by the authorities is only a tip of the iceberg. This is in addition to other stuff being smuggled by some people more dangerous than alcohol, such as weapons and drugs. Are we aware of the size of the threat that we are exposed to, and with all this corruption in which we live? habibi.enta1@gmail.com Al-Sarraf it includes the Director of International Relations Dr Narjes Al-AbdulGhafour. The same source added the ministry is currently considering implementation of the replacement policy in its administrative and financial departments, indicating the ministry has prepared the names of expatriates working in the ministry, especially in financial and administrative affairs. The source revealed the ministry s intention to distribute over 600 expatriate personnel to the ministry, hospitals and other departments gradually. A symposium on islet cell transplantation (ICT) Saturday started, with participation of a number of experts from across globe who shared their knowledge and experiences in establishing and using this pioneering technique. The ICT which is a groundbreaking and lifesaving procedure used to treat patients with severe type I diabetes hosted under the sponsorship of Qatar Metabolic Institute, and organized by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), at Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). ICT is a cell replacement therapy that involves isolating islet cells (tiny clusters of different types of cells) from a donor pancreas and transferring them into the liver of an insulin-dependent recipient. Professor Abdulbadi Abou Samra, HMC s Chair of Internal Medicine and Director of the Qatar Metabolic Institute, highlighted the potential benefits of ICT to type I diabetes sufferers. He said: For a type I diabetic who may not know when their blood sugar reaches dangerously low levels, ICT treatment could make a significant difference to that person s quality of life. The pancreas contains islets that produce hormones. Alpha cells raise the glucose level in the blood while beta cells make the hormone insulin which lowers the glucose level, he added. He noted that with type I diabetes, the body s immune system mistakenly destroys the beta cells which cause the pancreas to lose the ability to make insulin. During Islet Cell Transplantation, the job of the donor islet cells is to produce insulin to help the transplant recipient regain control of their blood sugar levels, enabling them to monitor them more effectively, he explained. This can eliminate or greatly reduce the need for insulin injections and in some cases can prevent brain damage or premature death, he said. Today, we are fortunate to have had the opportunity to welcome some of the world s leading experts in the field of Islet Cell Transplantation. My hope is that we can share and use their knowledge and insights to increase our understanding of this groundbreaking procedure, he concluded. DIWANIYA A DIGEST OF PUBLIC OPINION DAESH misleading Arab youths Need to know your enemy IN THE year 1988, the then Soviet Union declared it was withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan to end the war in Kabul, columnist Mohammad Ahmad Al-Mulla wrote for Al-Shahed daily. This Soviet decision actually shocked the United States of America because it had not prepared any plans how to deal with both the Arab and Afghan Mujahedeen after this withdrawal because it is common knowledge the Mujahedeen during that time basked in US support because it is Washington that armed, trained and groomed them Mujahedeen which came from several countries the Arab, the Middle Eastern, Middle Asia and even Chechens to fight the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union withdrawal actually took the US by surprise because Washington had yet to make plans how to encounter these Mujahedeen and minimize their danger following the withdrawal. Amid such atmospheres, the al-qaeda network, Godfather of the Islamic State or the so-called DAESH was founded and most Arab Mujahedeen returned home including the Tunisians, the Algerians, the Egyptians and so on and brought with them their extremist thoughts. Following this development, we found these returnees promoting the excommunication ideology in their respective Arab countries and governments in these countries found themselves fighting fiercely these extremists. In the Gulf countries, these extremists under the leadership of Osama bin Laden started implementing their terrorist operations inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries witnessed the formation of cantons to promote the terrorist thought to create a generation of terrorists in this part of the world. However, Afghanistan in 1989 Al-Mulla witnessed the outset of a fierce war among these extremist organizations that were fighting to liquidate each other. In this context, we found one of the leaders of these organizations Abdullah Azzam who belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood Group, had decided to establish the Islamic State and the Islamic Khelafat in Afghanistan to found a strong State and groom the latter to fight Israel and liberate Palestine. But Osama bin Laden, was actually promoting another thought of fighting the US and this was mostly attributed to the terrorist physician Egyptian Aiman Al-Zawahari who was one of the extremist Mujahedeen leaders in Egypt, and managed to form a coterie of extremists around Osama bin Laden and managed to isolate the latter away from the thought of Abdullah Azzam who was striving to fight Israel. Such being the case, he was determined to assassinate Azzam by planting a bomb in his car and eventually succeeded in getting rid of him along with his two sons and the finger of accusation finger was pointed at Al-Zawahari. Following the murder of Azzam, al-qaeda wore the extremist look and called for striking at the US interests everywhere. This happened although al-qaeda prior to this development was the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) agent. Not just that, ironically those who were involved in carrying out terrorist operations following the end of war in Afghanistan have a suspicious history. Take for example the masterminds of Sept 11, 2001 attacks Khaled Al-Sheikh Mohammad and his brother-in-law Ramzi Yusuf who were previously living in the Philippines and were involved in debauchery and immoral practices. But the question here is: how these two men later became Islamist terrorists? As a matter of fact, I would like to address this question to the US secret service. Moreover, there were some other terrorists including Ziad Al-Jarrah who was one of those who had hijacked one of the aircraft on Sept 11th, 2001 in addition to his friend Abdurrahman Hussain who was behind the explosion of the US frigate USS Cole, let alone Hussain was the chief of al-qaeda operations in the Arabian Peninsula and was living with a Russian prostitute. Such being the case, we wonder how these deviates claim that they are extremist Islamists. I think they were recruited, financed and supported by a foreign intelligence service to carry out terrorist operations. But nowadays, we have observed that the terrorist practices have developed and this is evident through the appearance of terrorist militias and groups who are carrying out their activities in the name of religion to terrorize the Muslims and open the door for others to tear apart the Arab and Muslim countries on sectarian basis. Such being the case, we suggest we have to study the history well and unify our ranks to fight the terrorist mercenaries who are exploiting religion to destroy the Arab and Muslim nations, particularly since we know DAESH for instance, has more than two hundred websites on the social media to keep in touch with our youth and persuade them to join this terrorist organization and provoke them against the Arab and Gulf governments. Also: The United Nations Security Council has recently adopted a resolution that could be deemed the first of its kind since This resolution has condemned the Israeli settlements policy in the occupied Palestinian territories, columnist and former Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Education Dr Yaqoub Ahmad Al-Sharrah wrote for Al-Rai daily. This policy has remarkably enhanced since 1977 in violation of the International Law and the United Nations resolutions which have repeatedly condemned the building of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine and declared the same as void of any kind of legality, let alone the international organizations had called for dismantling the said settlements. As a matter of fact, the settlements issue is old and kicked off after the 1967 Arab Israeli war. This policy was actually aimed at forcing the Palestinian Arabs to leave their territories and replace them with the Israelis and eventually change both the geographic and demographic structure of the relevant territories. And in order to implement its schemes Israel practiced a lot of illicit activities to achieve its expansionist plan in the occupied Palestinian territories and impose its domination on the latter by force. In the meantime, the consecutive Israeli governments were actually involved in encouraging the Jews and extending all sorts of incentives to settle in these territories in a prelude to persuade the world to recognize its domination on the said territories in general and in East Jerusalem in particular. Consequently, the recent United Nations Security Council resolution calling on Israel to halt the building of settlement in the Palestinian territories immediately has indeed come as a shock for the Israeli government. It reacted immediately and attacked the US administration in general and President Barack Obama in particular accused him of being behind the resolution in question which has been endorsed by the UN Security Council far away from any American veto. Israel was actually striving to legalize its settlement in the Palestinian territories, hence, and immediately following the Security Council recent resolution had hastened to summon the ambassadors of the countries to Israel who voted in favor of this resolution to criticize them, simply because Israel feels that the rejection of its settlements policy in the occupied Palestinian territories is a new victory for the Palestinian cause. Political groups are agitating that expatriates only should bear the burden of recession in the country. They should reduce the noise and stop that kind of arrogant discrimination, columnist Hassan Al-Essa wrote for Al-Jaridah daily. They make it look as if the expatriates in their various professions were the ones who shut the doors of employment and means of livelihood of Kuwaitis. It is as if the money transfer to their relatives forms the basis for recession since the oil prices began to dwindle and almost the sole source of revenue fell, so the Trumpists (in reference to Trump) among Kuwaitis and GCC citizens set their eyes on expatriates and their jobs. This action is as if those expatriates have displaced the citizens from places of their work and future sustenance! Nothing prevents shutting doors and deporting a majority of the expatriates to create job opportunities for citizens. Let the political dealers tell us for how long we can remain alive before our situation deteriorates leading to death in our various places! Few days ago, I read a news article in a local newspaper as per which the government has reduced the budget allocated for scientific researches in Kuwait University from KD 5 million to KD 600,000, Dr Hamad Ismail Al-Ansari wrote for Al-Rai daily. This step taken by the government is in line with its rationalization policy to confront the deficit in the state budget. This news may have passed unnoticed without realizing the seriousness of the mistake made by our government and its destructive longterm effect. Scientific research is deemed as the main nerve of academic work and the basis for the development of countries. So how can we develop and improve without knowing the significance of scientific research, while advanced countries have allocated huge budgets just for research and development? Unfortunately, the news article described the scientific research s budget as ascetic move to tackle the deficit in the state budget. Turkey has seen several political, social and cultural transformations following the secularism of the country and its declaration as a republic by the end of 1920s, columnist and researcher of Islamic movements Mubarak Al-Jarri wrote for Aljarida daily. These transformations were led by the Turkish army officer, revolutionary and founder of Turkey Mustafa Kamal Ataturk, The First Reformist after the collapse of the Ottoman State. We will not go into historical and political analyses of the reasons behind the collapse of the Ottoman State. We will also not discuss the character of Ataturk and his speeches. We will also not discuss the Islamic power, its current status and its relations with the secular power without getting involved in the historical part which created a wide political trend after Ataturk with the so-called stream of perfectionism which is based on secularism that is described by the French intellectual Oliver Rowa as the Jacobin State (the phase of dictatorship during the French Revolution). As it is known to all, the first and key target of secularism is to separate state from religion and not fight the religious identity, as was evident during the era of Ataturk until the beginning of the 1990s. Despite the terrorist act that targeted Imam Al- Sadeq Mosque in 2015, Kuwait is still a stable country even though it is close to the most volatile region in the world, Retired Lieutenant General Tareq Hamada wrote for Al-Anba daily. I am talking about Iraq where DAESH, which is known as the most violent and bloody terrorist group in human history, has been wreaking havoc. The relative stability has unsettled extremists who are trying to pollute all parts of the world with their bloody hands. It is normal for them to target Kuwait considering its closeness to their stronghold, so they are trying everything they could to get at the country s security. This fact may be hidden to some people, but it is definitely known to the Ministry of Interior that has sources of information from sisterly and friendly countries. This is in addition to the local security apparatus which ranks among the most effective in the Middle East. I have also gathered information about a good authority indicating the security apparatus under Major General Esam Al-Neham provide vital information to friendly countries and it is useful in avoiding grave danger. Compiled by Zaki Taleb 6

7 LOCAL legal clinic Baby s residence PRO BONO LEGAL ADVICE My husband and I are earning less than KD 450 and I will deliver my baby here in Kuwait this January, so my questions are: Is there a salary cap for applying for a visa for my baby under the new law 2016 while we are both under Visa 18. If we can t make a visa for my baby, what will happen? Name withheld The above question and the one following were dealt with last week but our attention was drawn to the inaccuracies found in the answers given. We are therefore repeating the questions to cure the inaccuracies pointed out. Answer: Since you and your husband are on Visa 18, the salary cap of KD 450 is applicable to your husband as he is the one legally permitted to sponsor your child. Under the new residency law you and your husband cannot club your salary to satisfy the KD 450 cap. In this case it is only the Director-General of Immigration who can take decision on the issue. We wish you the best of luck. Termination My appointment was terminated but I requested my manager not to terminate me. Instead I pleaded to be allowed to submit my resignation. This was accepted by my manager. Now I will get all my end of service benefits. Can you please let me know if he will give me a relieving and experience letter? Name withheld Answer: According to Article 54 of the Kuwait Labor Law your employer has no choice but to give you an experience letter and also a letter of the last remuneration earned by you. Also note that your employer cannot put any adverse remarks on the letter which may hurt your chances of future employment. Indemnity Sir I want to seek advice from you about my date of resignation. I have spent 9 years and 7 months in my company and I want to finish my 10 years service because I want to take my full indemnity. My joining date was June 21, Am I supposed to tender my resignation on March 21, 2017 so that I will be 19 years on June 21, 2017? Name withheld Answer: Yes, you are right. If you tender your resignation letter on March 21, 2017, you would have covered the mandatory 3-month notice period by June 21, as required under the Labor Law and tat the same time completed ten years of service to enable you get your indemnity in full. Residence transfer I have been working in a construction international company in Kuwait for the past four and half years. They have now given me a release to transfer to another company. And I have got a good offer from the company. My question is, is it possible to transfer my residence from company to company? Or do I have to pay KD 350 to transfer? Name withheld Answer: You don t have to pay anything for the transfer because you are working for a local firm and you want to transfer to another company. You have also got the release. That s all you require in the private sector after completing the mandatory requirement of working a certain period with your current firm. Had you been working on a government project, that would have a different story all together. Work to dependent I am working in Kuwait and so is my wife. We both are on visa Article No: 18 (work). Now my wife resigned her job and I want to transfer her visa to family visa. My salary is KD 350. I have a daughter also and she is already on my sponsorship. Now my question: will the new rule allow me to transfer my wife s visa to family visa on my current salary, considering that she is already in Kuwait? Name withheld Answer: This new rule is certainly creating a lot of doubts although the Immigration Department is strictly enforcing it, the head of the Immigration Department has the power to waive the KD 450 limit in cases like yours. First of all, it is quite possible that your wife might easily get the dependent residence but just in case your application is rejected, submit an application to the head of the Immigration Department and very likely your application will be accepted. ID used by cheat I would like to thank you for all the legal advice that you have been giving to the readers I recently read the issue regarding the Civil ID use by another person to purchase an electronic gadget. My wife has been affected by a similar issue. She had applied for a job earlier and given a copy of her Civil ID to the company where she applied. Somebody used the copy of her Civil ID to purchase products from a telecom company and now this company is asking us to pay for the purchases. My wife went to the telecom company and they said they would investigate the matter. My wife went to the telecom company a number of times and we even told them that we were outside the country at the time the purchases were made. They have now had a travel ban slapped on my wife. Will the case or the travel ban affect the renewal of my wife s residence? (Visa 18) because her residence will expire on Jan 23, 2017 we are planning to fight back but we are afraid that her company will have a problem to renew her residence. Seeking your advice. Name withheld Answer: The ban will not affect the renewal of your wife s residence nor should her company worry about it will not have any problem in renewing the residence. The travel ban means exactly that your wife can t travel out of the country. It doesn t affect any other transaction in Kuwait, so you don t have to worry about anything nor does her company. Driving license Thank you very much for giving residents of Kuwait a chance to share their problems and issues and accordingly providing feedback and/or solutions in the light of Kuwait Law. I have been living and working in a private company in Kuwait since Although having a Master s degree and working as an administrative supervisor (Almushrif Al Idaari), my basic salary (mentioned on Izane-amal work permit) is KD 355 per month whereas the company is paying me incentives per quarter with my total earning crossing KD 600 per month. My question here is Am I able to apply or get Kuwait s driving license? If no, would you possibly give me some suggestions in this regard? Moreover, I seek your suggestions for the below-mentioned thoughts: One of my friends told me to visit and apply for a license at the Traffic Department but I am hesitant to do so. Will I be able to apply for a license if I request the company (not sure if company will approve) to change my designation from Administrative Supervisor to Sales Account Manager? Name withheld Answer: It doesn t matter what you are earning, it is only the salary mentioned on the work permit which is accepted by the Kuwait Traffic Department. So, the best way would be to change the salary on the work permit whenever your residence is renewed or transferred. About the change in designation, the only way you can get a waiver on the salary issue is if the designation on the work permit is one of those which are exempted from the salary limit. Managers are on the list but it is totally at the discretion of the Traffic Department to accept or reject your request. Driving lincense When I received my driving license, my designation was mentioned as purchasing supervisor. Since my residence is due for renewal and my current role is HR Officer, will my license be affected? Please do let me know if my designation has to be the same as per my license. I fulfill the other 3 criteria for license, hold a valid attested degree certificate, have completed more than 2 years in Kuwait and my salary is over KD 600. Name withheld Answer: Please always remember, on the issue of change of designation, you won t be affected unless you get the license for the designations of driver, student, housewife or mandoub and then change to another designation. In such cases only will the license be cancelled. You won t be affected if you get the license for other professions and then make a change. Visa for baby I am an Indian. My husband is working in Kuwait. Now my job visa is OK. My husband s salary is KD 250. We want to bring our 10-month baby girl from India. Will we get a family visa for baby? If not, is there any other option to bring our baby to Kuwait? Name withheld Answer: It is going to be very difficult, especially with the baby already in India, as you are not allowed to club your salaries and the husband s salary doesn t meet the KD 450 requirement. Although the rules on the issue are being strictly implemented, you should submit a request to the Director General of Immigration to waive the salary limit and grant you the visa. The Arab Times invites questions on all aspects of Kuwaiti law. If you face a problem, or need specific advice on any legal matter, from commercial and investment law to divorce and labour, send questions to the Managing Editor, Arab Times, P.O. Box 2270, Safat, Kuwait, or Fax to arabtimes@ arabtimesonline.com Statistics reveal degree of graft in Kuwait has hit KD 698 mln annually 47.2 pct higher than total corruption in all European countries By Najeh Bilal Al-Seyassah Staff KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Recent data and statistics reveal the degree of corruption in Kuwait, which has reached KD 698 million annually and is over 47.2 percent higher than the total size of corruption in all European countries. This raises many questions concerning the increasing rate of corruption in the country and the ability of the main culprits in any corruption case to get away, leaving the scapegoats to bear the consequences. In an investigative report, experts expressed their opinion in response to some questions in this regard. They revealed ways to curb the organized looting of the country s wealth, and stressed the need for tough laws to pursue corrupt individuals, which would heavily contribute in reducing the rate of corruption in the country. Expert Economic expert and former member of the committee in charge of embezzlement in Kuwait Oil Tankers Company Hajjaj Bokhodoor explained that there are two elements that cause corruption in the country - the economic element and the residency law element. There are many loopholes in these laws which present many easy opportunities for all types of violations and embezzlements to be committed. Bokhodoor indicated that the way the signing of tenders is done on the basis of the lowest offer and the phrasing of these tenders contribute to the looting of the public funds. He stressed the need for such tenders and contracts to be referred to legal bodies of highlevel of competency. He also pointed out another problem, which is the way the State Audit Bureau declares violations without mentioning the causes and the best solution to prevent them from happening again, let alone the importance of prior, current and post monitoring of such issues. Bokhodoor warned that only post-monitoring of contracts or tenders will encourage violations, adding that the recorded rate of looting is perhaps lesser than the actual rate of looting and that the current economy laws encourage looting. Meanwhile, former oil minister Lawyer Ali Al-Baghli said the case of the two smuggled containers is reeking of corruption due to the fact that initial names linked to the incident were of Kuwaitis, even though an expatriate was the one who was eventually convicted. He explained that the same happens in drug-related issues in the country, especially after Ministry of Interior confessed that Kuwait has become a major distribution center for narcotics in the region. The words of the minister attest the presence of widespread slackness and corruption in the customs department, which could mean that the incidents which are publicized could be lesser than the actual number of incidents that take place. Unfortunately, the big sharks behind such incidents are never caught, or else the level of corruption would have dropped due to the deterrent measures. However, because there is nothing like that in place currently, poor expatriates bear the load to protect the big sharks. Lawyer Al-Baghli asked, What benefit can be achieved from dismissing the head of the customs department over the smuggling of the two containers filled with liquor bottles? Where is the citizen who brought 20,000 expatriates through visa trade? Have we ever heard of any citizen getting convicted because of spoilt foodstuffs? Despite all this, we see that the 2016 National Assembly are focused on establishing the negative phenomenon committee without showing any tangible concern to bolster control and oversight on the country to prevent corruption and violations, said Al-Baghli. He described the move to Photo from the event KU Sports dept holds 2nd Bowling tourney for staff Jaber Hospital marred by tech errors Dr Mahdi discloses details of 2nd 5 year development plan KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development Dr Khaled Mahdi has disclosed details of the second five-year development plan, reports Al-Anba daily. In a press statement, Al-Mahdi said the projects included in the annual plan for 2017/2018 with an estimated cost of KD 4.7 billion have been inserted in the five-year plan. He explained this plan includes 20 major projects that will change the face of Kuwait. He pointed out the five-year plan will raise Kuwait to be among the highest places according to international standards. Al-Mahdi pointed out that the plan consists of giving investment opportunities to foreign investors and paving way for the private sector to contribute to the development of the national economy. This is in addition to a comprehensive plan for privatization and granting new opportunities for tourism and trading as the plan aims lessen dependence on oil as the only source of national income, he concluded. Meanwhile, Jaber Hospital is marred by serious technical errors that will become visible only after the delivery of the project to Ministry of Health, reports Al-Shahid daily quoting a source. He noted the water tank at the central project site collapsed due to error in the design and execution, indicating the Ministry of Public Works overlooks its supervisory role on projects and facilitates negligence of the contractors. Furthermore, Assistant Undersecretary for Financial Affairs in the Ministry of Health Dr Mohammed Al-Azmi said the remuneration for wage-based employees will continue and there is no intention to suspend their wages or to do away with services provided by this segment, reports Al-Shahed daily. In a meeting with the ministry s Finance Sector recently, Al-Azmi affirmed that the employees wages will be paid this month. During the meeting, the assistant undersecretary stressed the need to pay the wages of this segment along with their colleagues on the same date without delay as was the case in the past. Under the patronage of the Secretary General of Kuwait University Dr. Adam Al-Mulla, the Department of Sports Facilities in Kuwait University organized the Second Bowling Tournament for the university s male and female teaching staff and employees. The tournament, which was organized at Shamiya Bowling Center on January 9, saw the participation of a total of 20 bowlers of both genders from various colleges and departments of Kuwait University. They participated with enthusiasm and competitive spirit in the knockout matches. At the end of the tournament, implicate only expatriates as a violation of all local and global human rights principles as well as violation of the traditions and norms of this country and its reputation. In this regard, Columnist ret Major General Hamad Alsraee said, Everyone talks about corruption and everyone can feel its existence in the many governmental corridors. Some, if not all, of its officials are tainted with corruption such that people feel the need to pay bribes in order for completing a transaction. Tangible He said he wondered why there have not been any tangible efforts to prosecute those involved in corruption despite the many reported cases of corruption, indicating that such cases are usually reported by the local and even international organizations but no one seems to be referred to prosecution. Furthermore, former secretary general of Kuwait Society for Protection of Public Funds, and current Chairperson of Kuwait Work Umbrella Ma aak Anwar Al-Rashid, after pointing out the fact that international organizations have reported an increase in the corruption in Kuwait by 47.2 percent, said he wonders why all the corruption cases that were raised during the 2016 elections have not been pursued. He lamented that corruption has infiltrated the state s pillars and majority of its institutions, prizes and medals were distributed to the winners by the Assistant Undersecretary for Education Development and Activities and Director General of Schools Evening Clubs Faisal Maqseed, Director of Sports Facilities Department Dr Hussein Al-Qabandi and various sports personalities from the university. due to which a suitable person should be placed in the right position in order to curb and hopefully wipe out corruption. Al-Rashid added, However, it is unfortunate that those who are known for their integrity, trust, confidence and experience have excused themselves from taking up such positions. In addition, an Islamic cleric Saleh Al-Ghanim stressed that Islam aims to fight against injustice and oppression in order to protect rights, insisting that, any citizen or expatriate who steals or loots should be prosecuted because We are living in a country of Islam, justice and law. He quoted one of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) s sayings, which warns about destruction of nations and its reasons. The prophet said, O people! What destroyed the nations before you, was that when a noble person committed theft, they used to leave him (without punishment), but if a weak person among then committed theft, they would inflict the legal punishment on him. This saying is related to an incident related to a woman who had committed a theft. Since she was from a noble family, people wanted to intercede for her to the prophet so that she did not get punished for her crime. However, the prophet then said that, if it was his daughter Fatma (may Allah be pleased with her) who committed that theft, he would have punished her regardless. 7

8 LOCAL 8 Court Cases/Crime Story fabricated: police Court acquits four inmates of possessing drugs in jail By Jaber Al-Hamoud Al-Seyassah Staff and Agencies KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: The Court of Cassation upheld the verdict issued by the Court of Appeals which acquitted four inmates of Central Prison including a Bedoun man and an expatriate who were accused of possessing drugs inside the prison. According to the case file, the incharge officer, who is the director of the Coordination and Follow-up Department at the Central Prison, testified that he carried out investigations as per which 37 prisoners possess Hamza drugs in the fifth cell of the Central Prison. After receiving a warrant from the Public Prosecution, the suspects were arrested and referred to the Criminal Investigations Department. Urine samples of four of the arrested inmates tested positive for traces of morphine. The Public Prosecution then charged them with smuggling, possession and consumption of drugs inside the Central Prison. The Criminal Court had sentenced the four defendants to five-year imprisonment with hard labor as well as a fine of KD 1,000 each. The court ordered the deportation of the expatriate and the Bedoun suspects following the completion of their prison terms. However, the defense counsel Lawyer Mohammad Hamza stressed that the Public Prosecution s warrant was illegal as it was issued based on unserious investigations. Insisting that the urine tests are illegal because they exceeded the limits of the issued warrant, he urged the Court of Appeals to acquit his clients. The verdict of the Court of Appeals to acquit the defendants of the charges was upheld by the Court of Cassation, which rejected the appeal submitted by the Public Prosecution. Story fabricated : The Jahra Public Prosecution has ordered the arrest of a Syrian woman for making a hoax call, reports Al-Anba daily. A security source said the Syrian called the Operations Room of the Interior Ministry and informed seeing a man in dishdasha stopping near a public park in Al-Naeem area and handing over arms and ammunition and dollar bills to the two guards. The daily added, based on the story of the woman, the State Security whisked away the two guards for interrogation and released them after they discovered it was a fabricated story. Rescue my client : An unidentified lawyer sought the help of the Ministry of Interior to rescue his female client who had been detained by her family, reports Al-Anba daily. In his complaint to the Mubarak Al-Kabir police, the lawyer said his client had filed a lawsuit against her family and her sister in particular for impersonating her. When police went to the house, no one answered the door. The daily did not give details. Prompt action taken: When the Dasman Police Station received an anonymous call threatening to blow up the Interrogation Office of the Ministry of Interior, the issue was dealt with seriously and the ministry without much delay deployed the Special Task force to security the institution, reports Al-Shahed daily. The daily added, the ministry has given strict instructions to deal with the issue seriously and to deal immediately with any suspect. The sources confirmed the Interior Ministry does not take any communication lightly and deals with the situation from a security perspective to protect all vital sites. The State Security apparatus had earlier received confidential information about intention of the vested interests to target the detectives. KUNA photo KUNA Chairman Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij Al-Ibrahim Al-Sabah with Higher Organizing Committee of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah Journalism Excellence Award Chairman Ayman Al-Ali and winners. KUNA chief meets journalism award winners KUNA Board Chairman and Director-General Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij Al-Ibrahim Al-Sabah Sunday met with Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah Journalism Excellence Award Ayman Al-Ali and young winners. During the meeting, which was attended by KUNA Deputy Director- General for Administrative, Financial and Communication Sector Abdulhameed Malak, Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij reiterated continuing support to Kuwaiti youth in the press domain, urging them to boost their skills and capabilities in a scientific and considered manner. He said young journalists win of the press competition reflected KUNA s care for its staff, given that the contest now attracts many journalists. He highly commended the contest and its message of encouraging distinguished generations to shoulder responsibility for maintaining Kuwait s pioneering media. On his part, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah Journalism Excellence Award Ayman Al-Ali appreciated Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij s backing to Kuwaiti young journalists as an incentive for more dedication and production. He noted that the organizing committee takes care of young editors by means of providing them with training courses inside and outside Kuwait, in cooperation with leading world media organizations. This, he went on saying, marks a genuine translation of the patron of the competition, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah s care and support for Kuwaiti journalists. (KUNA) Sneak peek cams trap no-belt users, phone talk on the move US soldier dies: An Army soldier from Hemet who was deployed from Fort Bliss in Texas has died while serving in Kuwait, the US Department of Defense announced Saturday, says City News Service. Spc John P. Rodriguez, 23, died on Jan 12, in the US Central Command area of responsibility in a non-combat related incident, a news Other Voices How to get a good service By Marwan Salamah Kuwaiti Consultant MOODY S, one of the biggest credit rating agencies in the world, will now pay $864 million in penalties for misrepresenting the value and risks of the securitized mortgage bonds that collapsed, and were the cause of the great depression of There is an ancient assumption that many businessmen are not entirely honest. This also applies to bond and equity shares issuers, promoters and raters. Everyone is anxious to get the deal moving, and is loath to throw a wrench into the wheels. Everyone wants to make a quick buck, and walk away. That, is partially the reason why Hammurabi, four thousand years ago in Mesopotamia, issued his famous edicts or laws on trade conduct, and penalties for malpractice and cheating customers. Moody s penalty is certainly justified, but whether it is big enough to make any impact to rectify the damage its dishonest ratings caused, is another subject and is open for discussion. But what is most astounding, is how Moody s reputation remains pure and unscathed, despite its blatant disregard to its declared and promised method of work execution (see our article on the dishonesty of international banks-arab Times Sept 24, 2016). No wonder, the present debate ignores all that, and instead centers around how to avoid such debacles in the future. One argument presented in Forbes News in Brief Rodriguez release states. The incident is under investigation. Rodriguez was deployed to Kuwait for Operation Inherent Resolve, said spokesman Gil Telles. He was assigned to 2nd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, the news release states. A post on the 2nd Engineer Battalion s Facebook page said a memorial ceremony for the families at Fort Bliss would be scheduled in the Magazine article (Jan 14, 2017), criticizes the present arrangement where the bond or equity issuer pays the rating agency their valuation fees. Obviously, the rating agency is then beholden to its client, and may bend backwards to please him to retain his present and future business. The alternatives explored were limited to having either the buyers of the bonds or the Government, pay the rating fees. But both alternatives were not deemed to hold water and impractical, thus completing a full circle to conclude, that the existing arrangement, where the issuers pay the rater, is the only viable solution! We beg to differ. There is one other solution, that would greatly encourage the rating agencies to be more prudent and diligent when conducting their tasks. This is to pay them in kind. Pay them in the bonds and/or the equity that they have rated, with a caveat prohibiting their resale or disposition in any manner for 5-10 years. If the rating agencies do their job well, they would earn more than their mere fees by profiting from any rise in the value of those bonds or shares. But, if they are sloppy or crooked, they get whammed twice, once by ending up with junk paper as fees, and second, lose their reputations and are themselves downgraded. There is a local Arab saying: O incompetent baker, eat the bread that you baked! msalamah@marsalpost.com near future. A son, a husband, and a friend to everyone around him, Rod was an amazing person that we all loved, the post said. Our most heartfelt condolences go out to his family back home. His awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terror Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Army Commendations Medal, according to an from the Fort Bliss public affairs office. Immorality denied: The Ministry of Education has denied reports in the social media that one of the schools was involved in immoral activities, reports Al-Shahed daily. The ministry said that it has full trust in the teachers and the administration and appreciates what the school does in the area of educating children. The ministry said it will not tolerate anyone attempting to tarnishing the reputation of the teachers and has requested the Interior Ministry to take legal action to preserve the reputation of its employees. KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: A security source says any increase in the traffic fines needs a law to be issued by the legislative authority, reports Al-Anba daily. The daily added, rumors about the increase in fines for certain violations are not true and pointed out the increase in fine for parking allocated for the disabled was issued through a law. The source added that any amendment to the fines will be introduced through a law and must be accompanied by a security awareness campaign. The source noted using the cell phone while driving is a grave offence because the person behind the wheel lacks concentration. The daily added, if a motorist is caught speaking while driving, the vehicle will be confiscated for two months according to the law and also fined. Information circulated in the social media said the surveillance cameras installed along the road can spot the motorists speaking on the phone and will be fined KD 100. Lonely maid kills self: An unidentified domestic helper reported ended her life inside the domestic labor office in Hawalli, reports Al-Rai daily. The housemaid reportedly opened the second floor window and jumped to meet her death. The death was instantaneous. This happened after the sponsor returned the woman to the recruiting office because she had allegedly refused to work and had shown her desire to go home. Crushed to death: A Pakistani who was run while crossing a road in Al-Qurain died on the spot, reports Al-Jarida daily. The motorist has been arrested and the remains of the victim referred to the Forensics. In another unrelated incident, the Al-Rai daily said, police are looking for a hit-and-run motorist for running over another Pakistani on the Fahaheel Expressway. No pork, donkey, dog : There have been rumors that the Kuwaiti markets sell pork, meat of donkey and dogs, reports Al-Rai daily. The head of emergency team of the Kuwait Municipality, Capital Governorate branch Tariq Al-Qattan said those who promote such rumors should be punished immediately. Al-Qattan added the butcheries and meat markets are inspected on a regular basis by inspectors who work around the clock to check seals on the carcasses and also cars which transport the meat to ensure they conform to the health requirements. 11 million travel: The Passports Department at Kuwait International Airport has so far processed a total of Traffic fines jump only through law KUNA photo Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah discussed with the British Ambassador to Kuwait Mathew Lodge, security issues of mutual concern. Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarah underscored that both nations enjoy close and solid ties. Meanwhile, the British envoy acknowledged Kuwait s efforts to promote peace and security in the region, saying that such discussions are crucial to boost bilateral ties. (KUNA) KTL, Pakistanis join efforts Huge turnout at blood donation campaign By Marwa Al-Bahrawi Al-Seyassah Staff KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Kuwait Thalassaemia League (KTL) organized a blood donation campaign, with the cooperation of the Pakistani Community of Kuwait, at the Central Blood Bank in Jabriya area. Head of the league Dr Maha Buresli said this campaign is a stepping stone of cooperation towards executing several social 10,848,550 transactions for departing and arriving passengers. In a press statement, the Public Relations and Security Media General Department in the Interior Ministry gave a breakdown of the abovementioned transactions as follows: the number of transactions completed for arriving Kuwaiti passengers reached 1,884,888 compared to 1,887,753 for departing passengers while the number of transactions for arriving GCC nationals totaled 337,432 and a total of 3,253,291 for arriving other nationalities compared to 3,147,846 departing passengers. According to the statement, the number of visas issued by the Passport Department in the airport reached 216,529. This is in addition projects in order to spread awareness about hereditary diseases and to enhance the concept of blood donation for helping those in need in the society. Dr Buresli revealed that the campaign received a huge turnout of Pakistan expatriates led by their ambassador to Kuwait and the members of the Pakistani Embassy, indicating that Pakistani expatriates in Kuwait have engaged in various blood donation campaigns in the past and this is to fingerprinting of 696 deportees, arrest of 224 persons who forged passports and 164 who hold passports that belong to others, while the fingerprint results of 114 persons showed they were banned from entering the country for various reasons but they were allowed entry after presenting the required letter. A total of 2,744 persons were asked to return to their countries of origin for different reasons whereas 1,123 persons were referred to the Residency Security Affairs General Department, 255 persons to the Central Management, 180 Kuwaitis to the concerned authorities and 97 persons were found to be banned from entering the country. The Airport Security General their ninth participation. Kuwait Thalassaemia League was established by group of physicians in 1994 under the umbrella of Kuwait Medical Association. The league board was elected and consists of doctors working in the field of Hematology, as well as patients and family members. The aim of the league is to update doctors on developments in the field of thalassemia management, as well as educate patients and their families. Department urged all passengers to fully cooperate with securitymen in order to ease travel procedures. Complaints rundown: General Department of Public Relations and Media Security at Ministry of Interior declared in a press release that the Department of Domestic Labor affiliated to the General Department of Residency Affairs released a report on the complaints the department received in According to the report, the total number of complaints received by the department in 2016 was 1,304 including 48 complaints from domestic workers, 1,236 from employers of domestic workers and 20 from the domestic labor bureaus.

9 LOCAL/GULF 9 Around 880 companies from 40 countries expected to take part 10th World Future Energy Summit to open in Abu Dhabi ABU DHABI, Jan 15: The 10th World Future Energy Summit (WFES) opens tomorrow at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), with the 2017 edition expected to be the biggest ever. Hosted by Masdar as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), WFES drives the business case for sustainability, and is now firmly established as a leading global platform for turning renewable energy goals into business opportunities. Held under the theme of Sustaining the Clean Energy Consensus; Empowering New Players, WFES 2017 will bring together the world s leading technology providers, government delegations, innovators, and thought leaders in Abu Dhabi. Organisers expect around 880 companies from 40 countries and 38,000 attendees from 175 countries. That is a substantial increase on 2016, with around 600 companies and 32,000 attendees. As WFES reaches its 10-year milestone, visitor numbers are around three times the figure for the first event in Over the last decade Masdar has been a catalyst for the adoption of renewable energy in the Middle East and North Africa, said Mohamed Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, Abu Dhabi s renewable energy company. Through the World Future Energy Summit, Masdar has helped to build an internationally respected platform that is sharing the knowledge, experience and investment necessary to make renewable energy and clean-tech adoption a commercial reality in the region today and in markets beyond. Countries across North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia are emerging as international leaders in implementing renewable energy plans, and in 2017 WFES will showcase an unprecedented range of bankable opportunities in a market experiencing exponential growth. Last week, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced plans for the UAE to invest $163 billion in renewable energy projects by 2050 as part of its Energy Plan 2050, with a target of generating 50 percent of the country s power needs from clean energy. Among the major regional markets, Saudi Arabia will be an official country partner for WFES, having announced a target of 9.5 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2023 as part of its Saudi Vision 2030 national development strategy. The Saudi pavilion will be the biggest at the event, hosting key government and business entities. A high-level delegation will travel to Abu Dhabi from Morocco, where one of the MENA region s most successful renewable energy programmes is on track to supply more than half the nation s electricity needs by 2030, while Indian officials will be seeking partners for ambitious plans to add 175 gigawatts of renewables to the energy mix by Other markets, such as Egypt and Jordan, also have advanced plans for renewable energy, part of a commercial environment that is attracting the world s biggest technology providers to the region, as well as driving the emergence of innovative small-to-medium businesses focused on specific aspects of sustainability. They are part of an industry supporting a potential $1 trillion in additional GDP growth by If the world more than doubles its renewable energy share to over 50 percent by 2030, then global GDP would increase by $1.3 trillion and 24 million jobs would be created, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The projected growth of the sector is consistently being revised upwards as achievements accelerate ahead of expectations. The global offshore wind sector is growing at around 30 percent per year, while the PV sector is experiencing 25 percent per annum growth, said Mohamed Al Ramahi. The continued success of the World Future Energy Summit, driven by the access it provides to decision makers, experts and business opportunities, is helping to ensure that industry players keep pace with the overall growth of the market. This year s event comes at a critical moment, with innovation and economies of scale making cost-competitive renewable energy a reality. This was demonstrated last June when Dubai Water and Electricity Authority selected a Masdar-led consortium to develop Phase 3 of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. This set a price of less than 3 US cents per kilowatt hour for solar power generation for the first time, anywhere in the world. WFES has played an essential role in reaching this point, supporting the renewables industry through its early years The success of WFES is built on strong foundations as a commercial event, said Ara Fernezian, Group Managing Director Middle East, at Reed Exhibitions, the event organizer for WFES. We have grown with the renewable energy sector and today we are part of a thriving industry. There are new innovations every year, large financial investments are being made, and people come here to do business. WFES is about positive action. Within the event, WFES Energy Efficiency Expo will debut, showcasing solutions in energy efficiency and smart building solutions for the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. The Expo will be hosted by Masdar, in partnership with the Urban Planning Council of Abu Dhabi, Emirates Green Building Council, and the Clean Energy Business Council. WFES Solar Expo will highlight the latest solutions in solar photovoltaic applications and components, solar thermal, and energy storage, and will host networking at the Solar Village. The Sustainable Transport Zone will feature the latest in environmentallyfriendly transportation. ADSW 2017 will also see the return of important co-located events alongside WFES to promote a complete cycle of sustainability, including the 5th International Water Summit, supported by Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), and the 4th EcoWASTE exhibition and conference, held in partnership with Tadweer, The Center of Waste Management in Abu Dhabi (CWM). Tailored to the networking needs of business leaders, the Business Connect programme will pre-arrange thousands of meetings bringing together buyers and sellers. The programme at WFES 2016 hosted a record 1,735 executive buyers from 1,322 companies and 75 countries. Part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2017, WFES will be at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from Jan 16 to 19. Spain s King Felipe discusses warship sale with Saudi King Saudi Arabia honours Felipe with cordon of King Abdul Aziz WFES 2017 will drive the MENA region s energy efficiency, solar energy and sustainable transport markets. The UAE is emerging as a leader in clean energy. Union will not tolerate any harm NUKS-Kuwait reaffirms to protect rights of students KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: The National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS)- Kuwait University branch has reaffirmed its commitment to protect the rights of students whenever they face problems or obstacles whether with the university management or professors, asserting it will be always the first line of defense and it will not tolerate any form of harm verbal or physical inflicted on students, reports Al-Shahed daily. Talking about the recent incident in the College of Arts, the union said it is waiting for the college to take legal procedures including investigation and assessment of all aspects of the incident with transparency in order to protect the rights of the concerned student and professor. Examination cheating continues Grade 10 Physics papers leaked through social media By Rana Salem Al-Seyassah Staff KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Despite the tough measures put in place by the Ministry of Education to prevent cheating in examination centers, several Grade 10 students managed to cheat in the Physics exam Monday morning through a group on the social media application Whatsapp leaking the paper at 8:05am, just five minutes after the exam had started. Students that managed to enter the examination room with mobiles were able to pass on model answers while the invigilators were unaware, indicating means they will pass the exam without going through lot of trouble. The Whatsapp group in question consisted of 350 students, and they even managed to forward answers and chat with each other. The union pointed out that regardless of the circumstances, the teacher is considered a father and a model; hence, the need to demonstrate fatherly character particularly in understanding the situation of his children students during examinations when they are under academic pressure. The union also affirmed its respect for the teaching staff in the university in general and the History Department in particular, while praising majority of the members of the department which is regarded as one of the best in the college. The union added the incident is considered an isolated case, hoping it will be dealt with amicably and that it will not recur. Education sources stressed the examination control room compared the model answers from the sanctioned printer of the technical guidance department with those found in the group, and it was an easy job. They noted the students were chatting about other similar groups for other subjects, and according to sources, students might use the same means to cheat in the final exams if concerned officials do not take necessary measures to prevent repetition of the act or other similar phenomena. Sources urged the school principal and those in charge to be strict in withdrawing mobile phones and other communication gadgets from students before the exam starts. Some teachers affirmed that several students entered the exams 15 minutes late, which in this case, is enough in cheating the entire exam. RIYADH, Jan 15, (AFP): Spain s King Felipe VI met Sunday with Saudi King Salman, official media said, during a visit coinciding with talks to sell Spanish warships. Felipe, 48, was guest of honour at a lunch hosted by Salman, 81, who decorated him with the cordon of King Abdul Aziz, the highest Saudi honour for a foreigner, the Saudi Press Agency said. Later they discussed relations between the two friendly nations and how to further develop them in various fields, it said. They also reviewed the situation in the Middle East. Felipe arrived late Saturday in Riyadh for a three-day stay. The Spanish foreign ministry said its minister Alfonso Dastis, and Public Works Minister Inigo de la Serna, would accompany Felipe during the visit. Spanish media have linked this trip to a much anticipated deal to sell Avante 2200 corvettes for an estimated two billion euros ($2.1 billion). We can only confirm that negotiations are very advanced to build five warships which would be sold to the Saudi navy, a spokesman for stateowned Spanish ship builder Navantia told AFP. Spain is the seventh largest arms exporter in the world, and Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest buyers of military gear. A Saudi-led coalition began air strikes over Yemen almost two years ago after Huthi rebels and their allies, troops loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, overran much of Yemen. Riyadh feared the Huthis would seize all of Yemen and move it into the orbit of Shiite Iran, Sunni Saudi Arabia s regional rival. But the air campaign has faced repeated criticism from rights groups over civilian casualties. This year s Saudi budget allocates 191 billion riyals ($51 billion) for military spending including equipment and weaponry, down from 205 billion riyals spent in A separate budget allocation of 97 billion riyals is to pay for new naval bases for the Border Guards, and other security projects. Rights groups have said any Spanish sale of warships to Saudi Arabia would be illegal under international law. Felipe s father, Juan Carlos, who reigned from 1975 to 2014, has close ties to the Saudi royal family. A Spanish consortium, Al- Shoula, is building a high-speed railway across the desert to link the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The project is behind schedule and is now set to open in Spanish construction group FCC leads one of three consortia building a $22.5 billion rapid transit system in the Saudi capital. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz (right), decorating Spanish King Felipe VI (left), with the cordon of King Abdul Aziz, the highest Saudi honour for a foreigner, in Riyadh on Jan 15, during a visit coinciding with talks to sell Spanish warships. Felipe is on a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia. (AFP) Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor with a group of students from Columbia University. Challenges and opportunities in UAE discussed Al Habtoor holds open talks with US students DUBAI, Jan 15: Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Chairman of the Al Habtoor Group held an open discussion forum with students on an MSc course at Columbia University. The group of eleven students were joined by Dr Ibrahim S. Odeh, Director, Global Leaders in Construction Management, and a Professor at the school of engineering at Columbia University. Dr Ibrahim previously accompanied another group of students from the New York-based university on a visit to the Al Habtoor Group head office in The students are studying a graduate level course which is mainly focused on strategy and marketing analysis of the construction industry in the GCC region. The group, who were staying at Al Habtoor City, a new landmark urban development and brainchild of Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Founding Chairman of Al Habtoor Group, got the opportunity to talk candidly to the head of the UAE conglomerate about the challenges and opportunities in the engineering sector in the United Arab Emirates. Al Habtoor said, Dubai and the entire UAE is a safe haven of the world. It is the land of opportunity for anyone irrespectively of nationality, culture or religion. It offers many opportunities for graduates. He said the students would gain the best knowledge in their field by working in Dubai after they graduate in May You can learn the principals of civil engineering from university, but to really get an understanding of what s required I would advise you to come to Dubai and work on one of the amazing projects here. Dubai is one of the most innovative places in the world. It is like a school for engineering. Anything is achievable here with the right planning and skillset. The Chairman added, One of the biggest challenges in civil engineering around the world is MEP. Firstly, it can t keep up with the pace of innovation within the industry. This is in addition to the lack of good MEPs, which is compromising the possibilities. Dr Ibrahim S. Odeh said, The visit was an eye opener to us on the vision of Dubai and United Arab Emirates. He added, The team had great opportunity to meet with seven CEOs of top engineering and construction local and international firms. These meetings helped us to better understand the challenges and opportunities in the construction industry that are facing the UAE as well as the region.

10 INTERNATIONAL 10 World News Roundup Black Lives Matter activist Kandy Freeman marches in front of Trump Tower on Jan 14 in New York City. (Inset): In this May 17, 1967 file photo, Dr Martin Luther King speaks at the University of California administration building in Berkeley, California. Fifty years ago, Martin Luther King Jr asked Americans, Where do we go from here? His warning of chaos or community squarely confronted racism, and marked a shift from his emphasis on non-violence to a demand for full economic and political equality. Younger generations of black activists say they prefer the pointed, more forceful King to the Nobel Peace Prize-winning pacifist who preached love over hate. (AFP/AP) Court Civil Rights I don t deserve it SC takes up suit over 2001 Muslim jailings WASHINGTON, Jan 15, (AP): Ahmer Abbasi speaks softly as he describes the strip searches, the extra shoves, the curses that he endured in a federal jail in Brooklyn following the Sept 11 attacks. I don t think I deserved it, Abbasi said during a telephone interview with The Associated Press from his home in Karachi, Pakistan. Abbasi s quiet, matter-of-fact tone belies his determination, even after 15 years, to seek justice in American courts provided the Supreme Court will let him. The justices on Wednesday are hearing an appeal from former Attorney General John Ashcroft, former FBI Director Robert Mueller and other former US officials that seeks to shut down the lawsuit that human rights lawyers have filed on behalf of Abbasi and Abbasi others over their harsh treatment and prolonged detention. Somebody has to be accountable, somebody has to be responsible, said Abbasi, 42, who works in real estate in Pakistan. The former officials, including the top immigration enforcement officer and the warden and deputy warden at the New York City jail, say it should not be them. Senior government officials should not be regularly second-guessed by lawsuits seeking money damages from them in their personal capacity, said Richard Samp, chief counsel at the Washington Legal Foundation and author of a brief from four former attorneys general. Abbasi was among more than 80 men who were picked up in the days and weeks following Sept 11 on immigration violations. Until then, he said he had been living the American dream since coming from Pakistan in He was living in Jersey City, New Jersey, across the river from Manhattan and driving a taxi in New York. He acknowledges he remained in the United States after he should have left and that he entered into a fraudulent marriage so he could get a coveted green card that would allow him to stay in the US legally. He might never been caught except for the terrorist attacks and the aggressive response of officials who wanted to be sure there would be no follow-on strikes. Deported When he was arrested in late September 2001, Abbasi said he readily admitted he was in the country illegally and assumed he would be quickly deported. Instead, he was held for nearly 11 months, including more than four months in the most restrictive conditions. He was strip-searched frequently and allowed out of his cell for no more than a couple of hours a day. He was deported in August The Justice Department s inspector general produced two reports detailing problems with the detentions. The government settled an earlier suit involving five other men for $1.2 million. Rachel Meeropol of the Center for Constitutional Rights will argue the Supreme Court case. Meeropol said the men she is representing were arrested without any evidence linking them to terrorism because they fit a profile in law enforcement s eyes. They were a group of individuals who looked how they imagined the hijackers looked, Meeropol said. A divided panel of the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in New York said the men were detained as if they were terrorists, in the most restrictive conditions of confinement available, simply because these individuals were, or appeared to be, Arab or Muslim. The procession escorting the hearse of slain Orlando Police Master Sgt Debra Clayton slowly makes its way out the East-West Expressway toward Woodlawn Memorial Park, at dusk on Jan 14. Authorities say Clayton was gunned down outside a Wal-Mart store in Orlando last Monday after she approached 41-year-old Markeith Loyd, who was wanted for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend at the time. (AP) Lynch America Sessions Hold police accountable : As a younger lawyer, Loretta Lynch prosecuted New York police officers who sodomized a Haitian immigrant in a precinct bathroom. As attorney general, she s broadened her focus to go after entire police departments for unconstitutional practices. In an interview as her tenure ends, Lynch strongly defended the Justice Department s aggressive intervention in local law enforcement during the Obama administration, including the decision to repeatedly seek court-enforceable improvement plans with troubled police agencies. One such consent decree came Thursday in Baltimore, and the Justice Department a day later issued a scathing report on the Chicago Police Department. That is a role that the federal government absolutely has to play, Lynch told The Associated Press. Frankly, it is our role to defend the constitutional rights of the citizens of our cities in this great country. That approach seems likely to change in the next administration. Sen Jeff Sessions, an Alabama Republican and President-elect Donald Trump s choice for attorney general, said at his confirmation hearing this past week that while consent decrees are not necessarily a bad thing, enforcement actions against entire police departments can lower an agency s morale and unfairly malign all officers for the actions of some. He would not commit that there would We will not be Trumped Marchers brave rain for MLK march WASHINGTON, Jan 15, (AP): Despite rain and cold weather, marchers filled several blocks in Washington on Saturday as they rallied in a Martin Luther King Jr Day march that was at times also a rally against Presidentelect Donald Trump. Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton had organized Saturday s We Shall Not Be Moved march and rally ahead of Monday s Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. But Trump, whose inauguration will take place in less than a week, was also on marchers minds. Holding umbrellas and bundled against temperatures in the mid-30s the crowd chanted No justice, no peace and We will not be moved but also We will not be Trumped and Love Trumps hate. They cheered when one speaker referenced the comments of Georgia Rep. John Lewis, who has said he will not attend Trump s inauguration and, an interview with NBC s Meet the Press set to air Sunday, that he doesn t consider Trump a legitimate president. We come not to appeal to Donald Trump, because he s made it clear what his policies are and what his nominations are. We come to say to the Democrats in the Senate and in the House and to the moderate Republicans to Get some backbone. Get some guts. We didn t send you down here to be weak-kneed, Sharpton told marchers at a rally after they walked from the Washington Monument to a park near the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Sharpton called on marchers to oppose Trump s nominee for Attorney General, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, never be any changes in the agreements, which are overseen by a judge and require police departments to overhaul their practices. and asked the crowd if they were willing to visit their senators offices to oppose the nomination. He told them: We need to make some house calls. We need to stay a little while. He later told The Associated Press those visits, involving a number of groups, would begin within the next 10 days. Protesters also gathered Saturday to support immigrant rights at rallies around the US, including in Washington, denouncing Trump s anti-immigrant rhetoric and his pledges to build a wall on the US-Mexican border and to crack down on Muslims entering the country. The Washington crowd urged Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress not to undo the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, aimed at helping people who were brought to the country as children. Cries Joining Sharpton were family members of Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin and Walter Scott, black men whose names have become rallying cries following their deaths. When we leave here we have work to do, said Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, who died in 2014 on Staten Island, New York, after a white officer placed him in a chokehold. Carr and Sharpton talked about voting rights, criminal justice reform, health care and a living wage as issues marchers should care about. Sybrina Fulton, whose son Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in Florida in 2012, asked Lynch leaves office following a nearly two-year tenure marked by massacres carried out by violent extremists, including the shootings at a nightclub in Orlando, In this Jan 15 photo, released by the National Park Service shows the Zion Scenic Drive closed just north of the Zion Lodge at Zion National Park, Utah. Nobody was injured, but officials say Zion Scenic Drive is impassable just north of Zion Lodge and will remain closed until further notice. Park officials say the slide occurred late Friday, covering both lanes of the road with about 200 tons of massive boulders and debris that stretch about four car lengths. It s not immediately known when the closed stretch of road will reopen. (AP) marchers to stand up and make a difference in your community. For Abdul Aliy-Muhammad, the Martin Luther King Jr. he learned about as a child was a man of love, peace and racial harmony, a gifted orator. It wasn t until Aliy-Muhammad became an activist that he came to know, and appreciate, the King who decried the Vietnam War as unjust and made a firm, insistent case for economic justice for black Americans. There is a Martin Luther King that is important to the resistance movement that we don t hear about, said the 33-year-old co-founder of the Black and Brown Workers Collective in Philadelphia. We always hear about love and forgiveness.... There was also a King who was radical. Younger black activists say they prefer the pointed, more forceful King to the Nobel Prize-winning pacifist who preached love over hate as he led nonviolent marches across the segregated South. They like the fact that the urgency in King s demand for equality in the years just before his assassination in 1968 is in keeping with the tenacious nature of today s Black Lives Matter rallying cry. Then as now, it was about promises not translating into substantive transformation, said Princeton University professor Imani Perry. The questions young people are asking and the way they re challenging the status quo are important. If we don t have that kind of vision, we end the possibility for change before we even have the conversation. In that sense, they really are carrying the torch. Florida; persistent hacking from overseas, including Russian government efforts to meddle in the US presidential election; and an election-season investigation into Hillary Clinton s server that entangled the Justice Department in presidential politics and led to criticism for her illtimed meeting on an airport tarmac with former president Bill Clinton. (AP) Chicago pledges improvements: Chicago officials are pledging to revamp the city Police Department following a scathing federal report, but a change in presidential administrations could spell uncertainty for the critical next step in the process: negotiating a court-enforceable improvement plan with the Justice Department. A report released Friday in the final days of Attorney General Loretta Lynch s tenure found that police in the nation s secondlargest department had violated the constitutional rights of residents for years, including by frequently using excessive force, shooting at people who did not pose imminent threats and using stun guns on others only because they refused to follow commands. The report was the culmination of a yearlong investigation, one of about two dozen civil rights probes of local law enforcement agencies undertaken by President Barack Obama s Justice Department. (AP)

11 INTERNATIONAL 11 Focus Hope & disappointment Post-racial America was never realistic NEW YORK, Jan 15, (AFP): If Barack Obama was elected on a wave of optimism, eight years later, hopes of a post-racial America have soured amid recognition that it takes more than a black president to overcome centuries of racism. A recent poll confirmed findings of a number of studies published in the final months of the Obama administration: 52 percent of Americans questioned by Gallup said the country had taken a step backwards on issues of race. Just 25 percent thought things had improved since Obama admitted as much in his farewell speech in Chicago. After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America, he said. Such a vision, however well intended, was never realistic. Race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society, he said, warning that attitudes can take generations to change. Quoting America s much loved literary hero, Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, Obama added: You never really understand a person until you consider things Obama from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. It was an appeal for understanding that the 44th president repeated numerous times throughout his presidency, particularly in the later years as the country grappled with police shootings often of unarmed black men. The Black Lives Matter movement, established in 2013 after a white man was acquitted over the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, rose up against the killings in a series of protests that in some cities degenerated into clashes and vandalism. In some quarters, people raged openly on social media against having a black president. Hardly surprising then that more than 50 years after segregation was outlawed and 150 years after slavery was abolished, some thought progress had stalled. Inauguration Everybody was hopeful and people cried over Obama s inauguration, remembered Maria Fragosa, a self-employed Puerto Rican. But it did not change anything, she added. Racism is still going on and I don t think anybody can change that. Shakeya Mervin, a 30-year-old barber at a black hair salon in Harlem, agreed. I don t really see a difference, he told AFP. I think he did the best he could. Anything else it would have been a fight, he is only one man, he can t appease everybody. Dennis Carlson, a white data analyst at a nearby health insurance company, also believed Obama was not responsible. I don t think it s his fault, Carlson said. He did what he could to keep his cool. He led by example. Sharon Rush, co-founder of The Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations at the University of Florida, says Obama walked a tightrope. As a black man, he knows color makes a difference but he also represents everybody, and the philosophy while he was in office is the philosophy that race doesn t matter, she said. He tried to do what he could so as not to inflame things, but because of that he may have encouraged the disapproval of people who thought he was not doing enough, she added. For Barack Obama, there s a presidential library to build, hundreds of millions of dollars to raise, causes to champion and a book to write. And don t forget that long-promised vacation with his wife. Looming retirement is looking like anything but for the 44th president. Obama s next chapter starts Friday when he becomes an ex-president. He ll be freer to speak his mind, set his own schedule and make some money. Already, Obama is looking ahead to the book he wants to write, and has had talks with Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel about arrangements that could include speaking gigs. At 55, Obama will be a relatively young ex-president, with plenty of time for a second act. He s ruled out running another campaign for political office so has his wife but he has pledged to stay an active in the national conversation. With President-elect Donald Trump headed to the White House, Democrats are eager for Obama to play the role of shadow-president, offering direction to those Americans who feel they lost their political compass the day Trump was elected. Obama has said he has plenty of ideas for how his party can revive itself, but after eight years as president, his role will be to offer guidance, not to micromanage. Advice I think it s appropriate for me to give advice, because I need some sleep, Obama told NPR last month. And I ve promised Michelle a nice vacation. My girls are getting old enough now where I m clinging to those very last moments before they are out of the house. Obama is expected to keep a low profile for the first few months after Trump s swearing-in. Following some relaxation time with his wife and daughters in an unnamed location, the family will return to Washington, where they ve rented a mansion in the upscale Kalorama neighborhood. Obama has repeatedly praised George. W. Bush for giving him room to operate without having the ex-president publicly second-guess him at every turn. Still, Obama has reserved the right to speak out against Trump if he pursues policies the president finds particularly odious, such as a ban on Muslim immigration or mass deportation of children brought to the US illegally. The party is in bad state and there are no clear, obvious voices for Democrats yet, said Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University. If there s anyone who could stand up to a President Trump, it s going to be former President Obama. Obama may re-emerge in a more public way around the time he releases his book probably sometime next year and goes on a promotional tour. Obama s chief White House speechwriter, Cody Keenan, is expected to stay with his boss to help him craft the sequel to Obama s two previous best-sellers. Though Obama has yet to fully settle his plans, four individuals familiar with Obama s thinking said over the last year that he s discussed post-presidency arrangements with Emanuel, a leading talent executive. One of Emanuel s brothers is Obama s former chief of staff, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. This photo provided by Bellevue, Washington, Fire Department shows damage to the Islamic Center of the Eastside after a fire in Bellevue, Washington on Jan 14. Police say a man is in custody after a suspicious fire severely damaged the mosque overnight. Authorities say that as firefighters doused the flames, police found a 37-year-old man near the building and arrested People rally together at the We re Here to Stay immigration event at the Metropolitan AME Church on Jan 14, in Washington, DC. The event is one of many that took place around the country and was ment to send a proimmigration message to the incoming administration as well as to show support for immigration rights. (AFP) Trump America Lewis Trump attacks Lewis in Twitter: Donald Trump tore into civil rights legend John Lewis on Saturday for questioning the legitimacy of the Republican billionaire s White House victory, intensifying a feud with the black congressman days before the national holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Trump tweeted that Lewis, D-Ga, should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. The incoming president added: All talk, talk, talk no action or results. Sad! Lewis, among the most revered leaders of the civil rights movement, suffered a skull fracture during the march in Selma, Alabama, more than a half-century ago and has devoted his life to promoting equal rights for African-Americans. The weekend clash highlighted the sharp contrast between how many African-Americans view Trump s inauguration compared with Barack Obama s eight years ago. It also demonstrated that no one is immune from scorn from a president-elect with little tolerance for public criticism. Trump has found political success even while attacking widely lauded figures before and after the campaign a prisoner of war, parents of a slain US soldier, a beauty queen and now a civil rights icon. Lewis, a 16-term congressman, said Friday that he would not attend Trump s swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol next Friday. It would mark the first time he had skipped an inauguration since joining Congress three decades ago. You know, I believe in forgiveness. I believe in trying to work with people. It will be hard. It s going to be very difficult. I don t see this president-elect as a legitimate president, Lewis said in an interview with NBC s Meet the Press set to air Sunday. I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton, Lewis said. (AP) Syria peace talks test for Trump: Donald Trump s transition team has been invited to take part in Russian-backed peace talks on Syria, presenting a thorny first foreign policy dilemma for the new Politics him for investigation of arson. Police spokesman Seth Tyler says investigators believe the man is the sole suspect. His name was not immediately released. The mosque was unoccupied at the time and no injuries were reported. (Inset): A fire burns at the Islamic Center of the Eastside in Bellevue, Washington. (AP) Don t bury Statue of Liberty Trump anti-immigrant stance decried administration. We have been asked to attend, Trump spokesman Sean Spicer told AFP Saturday, suggesting no RSVP has been given. The talks co-hosted by Russia and Turkey take place in Kazakhstan later this month, three days after Trump s inauguration. Attendance by the new president s team would be a strong signal of Trump s determination to improve relations with Russia. WASHINGTON, Jan 15, (AP): Protesters gathered Saturday to support immigrant rights at rallies around the US, denouncing President-elect Donald Trump for his anti-immigrant rhetoric and his pledges to build a wall on the US-Mexican border and to crack down on Muslims entering the country. We are not going to allow Donald Trump to bury the Statue of Liberty, Sen Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, told a standing-room-only crowd at historic African-American church in downtown Washington during one of dozens of rallies around the nation. In Chicago, more than 1,000 people poured into a teachers union hall to support immigrant rights and implore one another to fight for those rights against what they fear will be a hostile Trump administration. Ron Taylor, pastor of a Chicagoarea Disciples for Christ Church and executive director of the United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations, told the audience there, Regardless of what happens in the coming days we know that good will conquer evil and we want to say to each and every one of you, you are not alone. In Los Angeles, several hundred people rallied at a downtown Mexican-American cultural center and plaza. Some carried signs saying Here to Stay and chanted Si se puede, Spanish for Yes, we can. The protests mark the latest chapter in a movement that has evolved since 2006, when more than a million people took to the streets to protest a Republican-backed immigration bill that would have made it a crime to be in the country illegally. Saturday s events in in Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Jose, California, and elsewhere took place as thousands participated in a We Shall Not Be Moved march and rally in Washington ahead of Monday s Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. The line to enter Metropolitan AME Church in Washington stretched nearly a city block. People attending included immigrants who lack permission to be in the country and their relatives and supporters. Also present were elected officials, clergy and representatives of labor and women s groups. Participants carried signs with messages including Resist Trump s Hate and Tu, Yo, Todos Somos America, which translates to You, me, we all are America. I stand here because I have nothing to apologize for. I am not ashamed of my status because it is a constant reminder to myself that I have something to fight for, said Max Kim, 19, who was brought to the US from South Korea when he was 6 and lacks legal permission to stay in the country. Crowd The Washington crowd urged Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress not to undo the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, aimed at helping people like Kim who were brought to the country as children. Michael Takada of the Japanese American Service Committee urged the Chicago audience to disrupt the deportation machine that he and others fear will ramp up under the new president. He also urged them to keep a close eye on their local police departments and speak out if they see those departments help ICE to deport our community members. Dr Bassam Osman, chair and cofounder of The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, elicited one of the loudest cheers from the crowd when he called out the president-elect by name in an opening prayer: Lord, this land is your land, it is not Trump s land. While there was plenty of cheering, there was also uneasiness and fear of what s to come after Trump is sworn But he faces growing opposition to rapprochement within his own Republican party, amid allegations that Moscow had launched a subversive campaign aimed at tipping the US election in his favor. Complicating matters further, the invite came during controversial exchanges between Trump s national security advisor Mike Flynn and the Russian ambassador in Washington Sergey Kislyak. This Nov 16, 2016 file photo shows New York Mayor Bill de Blasio holding a news conference in front of Trump Tower following a meeting with Presidentelect Donald Trump in New York. Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Rev Al Sharpton and celebrities including Mark Ruffalo, Michael Moore and Rosie Perez are planning to rally New Yorkers to stand up to President-elect Donald Trump on the eve of his inauguration, organizers said on Jan 14. (AP) in. Rehab Alkadi, a 31-year-old mother of a young son who came to the United States four years ago from war-torn Syria, said she doesn t believe she can be deported because there is a war in Syria, but who knows. It s so scary, what Trump says, she said. He said a lot of things bad about the Muslim people. In Los Angeles, Jorge-Mario Cabrera, spokesman for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, said, We put the Trump administration on notice that we re not going to sit idly by while he destroys our community. President Barack Obama in 2012 launched an executive effort to protect some young immigrants from deportation, after multiple proposals failed in Congress. The creation of the DACA program was heralded as a good first step by advocates who hoped it would be a prelude toward overhauling immigration laws. But that didn t happen, and Republican-led states pushed back against Obama s plans to expand the program. Now the focus is on the next administration. As a candidate, Trump promised his supporters stepped-up deportations and a Mexican-funded border wall, but it is unclear which plans the celebrity businessman will act on first, and when. And many immigrants are fearful of the campaign rhetoric but less motivated to protest in the absence of specific actions. Many participants Saturday said they would keep the pressure on Trump and said they planned to participate in next Saturday s Women s March on Washington. The threat of deportation is imminent for our communities, said Cristina Jimenez, executive director of United We Dream and one of the rally s organizers. We will keep fighting. We re not going back into the shadows. Those exchanges, confirmed by US officials, took place as President Barack Obama s administration rolled out sanctions against Vladimir Putin s regime for trying to sway the election. US intelligence has determined that Moscow intervened in Trump s favor, but did not assess whether that action determined the outcome of the election. Trump has rejected the intelligence community s findings, saying he beat Democrat Hillary Clinton fair and square. US participation in the Syria talks would be a major diplomatic coup for Moscow, cementing its role as Syria s primary powerbroker. Previous efforts to end Syria s bloody civil war have been led by the United States and taken place with United Nations backing. Senator John McCain, a Republican who is emerging as a thorn in Trump s side, has said rapprochement with Russia is unacceptable. Another reset would be complicity in Putin and Assad s butchery of the Syrian people, he said. Russia s aerial bombing campaign in Syria has turned the civil war decisively in Bashar al-assad s favor and put the United States and Europe on the back foot. But it has also seen virtually indiscriminate bombings of civilians and allegations of Russian collusion in committing war crimes. The Astana talks could cast the United States in the role of supporting actor. However, Western diplomats caution that the United States and Europe still hold influence because an estimated $200 billion will be needed for Syrian reconstruction, a price tag well beyond Moscow. (RTRS)

12 INTERNATIONAL 12 World News Roundup Britain Mind the closing doors Thatcher Echoes of Thatcher in UK railway battle LONDON, Jan 15, (RTRS): Rona Jeff loved her job as a PR consultant for an education charity in central London. But last month she quit. Her train commute had become so unbearable it was ruining her health. It became untenable to try to go to work, said Jeff, whose journey into London from Brighton on England s south coast should have taken just over an hour, but was regularly taking 4 1/2 hours because of cancellations, slow-downs and strikes. She rarely saw her husband, gave up a photography class, repeatedly cancelled plans with friends, missed a theatre performance after saving up for tickets. Finally, the stress was wrecking her sleep: It got to the point where I was ill. Southern Rail, one of more than a dozen privatised railways that bring commuters into London, has seen 25 days of strikes over 10 months. Even when staff are not officially striking, workers have been calling in sick en masse and refusing overtime, causing trains to be cancelled and timetables cut. When trains do run, nearly 40 percent are late. For a labour dispute on a railway with just 4,000 employees, the costs have been colossal. Hundreds of thousands of people are regularly affected. A university study last month estimated the dispute had so far cost the economy 300 million pounds. Officially, the argument is over a seemingly small issue: who should open and close train doors. That task now sometimes falls to conductors who ride in train carriages; Southern says train drivers can do it themselves. The unions say that would be dangerous. Management says it is the practice on other lines and deemed safe by regulators. It would mean trains could sometimes run without a guard on board, although the company says it has no plans to reduce staff and will keep supervisors on trains to help passengers. Issue Despite the narrow issue, both sides accuse their opponents of having far bigger aims, turning it into the most consequential industrial action in Britain for decades. Members of the ruling Conservative party say militant unions are deliberately fomenting commuter chaos for political reasons. Unions and the opposition Labour Party say the government is prolonging the feud to break the back of the labour movement. And it could get worse. Unions are threatening more strikes against other railways. Conservative politicians are calling for changes to laws to make such strikes more difficult, or even ban them, a step which would be seen as a broad attack on labour. Already the worst industrial dispute on Britain s railways since privatisation, it lends Prime Minister Theresa May s new tenure an echo of the era of her hero Margaret Thatcher, who transformed and polarised Britain by crushing its coal miners. Since Thatcher left office in 1990, Britain has experienced nearly three decades of labour peace, with only a fraction of the thousands of days per year lost to strikes that were typical from the 1950s through the 1980s. The left bemoans the loss of union power. The right considers it a triumph, now under threat from union militants. Not for a generation has Britain faced industrial militancy intended to bring down an elected government, wrote London s right-leaning Times newspaper in an editorial. It does so again now, not in the mining industry, as Margaret Thatcher s administration faced in the 1980s, but in the transport sector. Privatisation Under Britain s complex 1990s rail privatisation, tracks and train cars are still state-owned, but trains are run by private firms which in most cases keep the revenue from the tickets they sell, giving them an incentive to avert disruptive disputes. But Southern, run by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) - a joint venture owned by London-listed Go- Ahead and France s Keoli - works differently: the state collects ticket revenue and pays the firm to run the trains. That means when service is disrupted, the taxpayer loses money, not the company. Govia have no incentive to settle because they are not being hit financially, said Roger Seifert, a professor of industrial relations at Wolverhampton Business School. That is just a mess. If you go anywhere in the world you couldn t find a worse system of running a railway, it s laughable. So far, the government has refused to talk to the unions unless they first call off the strikes. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling echoes management s position that the unions are striking for no good reason. Nobody is losing their job, nobody is losing any money, he said of the plan to let drivers operate the doors. It is perfectly safe as judged by the independent rail inspectorate. There is no reason for this strike to be happening. Union supporters say the government has not only refused to help end the dispute, it has egged it on, saddling taxpayers with the cost and passengers with the misery. They point to a senior Department for Transport official who, before the strikes began last year, said we have got to break the unions. Workers will have to decide if they want to give a good service or get the hell out of my industry, the official, Peter Wilkinson, was quoted as saying in the Croydon Advertiser, a local newspaper in a suburb served by Southern. If the government is hoping to win public backing for a hard line, it does not seem to be working. Research suggests that while passengers are angry at both sides, they blame the company more than the unions, said Professor Seifert. Even some Conservative members of parliament now say the government should step in to resolve the dispute, or strip Southern of its franchise. Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has offered to picket alongside striking workers. Southern and the unions show no sign of settling. The company says it will take ASLEF, the union representing its drivers, to the Supreme Court to try to halt further strikes this month. We re not going to give in, Chief Operating Officer Nick Brown told BBC radio. ASLEF General Secretary Mike Whelan called the company bullies and also vowed not to concede. The RMT, a separate union which represents the guards, has threatened to hit other train companies, giving operators of two franchises in northern England until Jan. 26 to provide assurances over guard posts. Britain s Queen Elizabeth II arrives to attend a church service at Flitcham church in the village of Flitcham in Norfolk, England on Jan 15. (AP) Britain s opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn gestures during a conference at the Fabian Society conference in central London on Jan 14. (AFP) Europe Lawmaker quitting Merkel s party: A lawmaker who has long been critical of Chancellor Angela Merkel s policies says she is leaving the German leader s conservative party, citing discontent over Merkel s approach to migrants. Erika Steinbach, 73, has been a lawmaker for Merkel s Christian Democratic Union since But the conservative hardliner has increasingly been at odds with the chancellor, who has steered her party toward the center. Steinbach has criticized the most recent Greek bailout and Merkel s welcoming approach to migrants in Germany saw 890,000 asylum-seekers arrive in 2015 and 280,000 last year. Steinbach was quoted Saturday as telling the Welt am Sonntag newspaper: Would I vote CDU at the moment? No. Would I join the CDU today? No. I can only draw the honest conclusion of leaving the CDU. Steinbach said that allowing people into Germany for months without identifying them properly went against our laws and against EU treaties. More broadly, she complained that in the CDU s program the conservative element has been deliberately marginalized step by step, even stigmatized. (AP) Berlin official fired over past: The mayor of Berlin announced Saturday that a senior regional official had been fired for having worked in the Stasi, the former East Germany s dreaded secret police. Andrej Holm, in charge of housing in the state of Berlin, showed by his statements and in interviews about his past that he was unable to look clearly at himself and to draw the consequences, the head of the regional government, Michael Mueller, said in a statement. The mayor added that especially in Berlin, which was the epitome of a divided city, there must be no doubt about the work to overcome the past a reference to confronting the painful legacy of authoritarian rule. The 45-year-old Holm s ties to the Stasi were revealed by a local Berlin newspaper last month just as he was taking over the housing position. The son of a Stasi officer, he volunteered to join the agency at the age of 14 and four years later enrolled in its school as an officer cadet. He worked for the Stasi in the period immediately before the fall of the Berlin Wall in Holm is close to a far-left party, die Linke, that evolved from the once-ruling East German communist party, and in the last decade was active in local radicalism, notably among Berlin s squatter movement. (AFP) Cyprus talks to conclude this mth: A working group due to convene on Jan. 18 to hammer out security arrangements for a post-settlement Cyprus will meet Brexit for two to three days only, followed by another round of high-level talks, a source close to the Turkish Cypriot side said on Sunday. Talks in Geneva last week failed to produce a breakthrough in a conflict spanning decades, though the three countries which are stakeholders in Cyprus - Britain, Greece and Turkey agreed to set up the working group to look at security arrangements after these turned out to be a major sticking point. PM targets clean divorce in Brexit speech May to call for national unity LONDON, Jan 15, (Agencies): Prime Minister Theresa May will use a major speech on Brexit next week to call on Britons to reject the acrimony of last year s referendum and unite around the vision of a Britain more open to the world, her office said on Sunday. May intends to kick off the formal process of negotiating the terms of Britain s exit from the European Union by the end of March, but has given little away about what deal she will be seeking, frustrating some investors, businesses and lawmakers. She is due to make a speech in London on Tuesday before an audience including foreign diplomats as well as Britain s own Brexit negotiating team and other senior officials, May s Downing Street office said in a statement. It said she would stress the need for Britons, who voted for Brexit by 52 to 48 percent in last June s referendum after a deeply divisive campaign, to unite around common goals such as protecting and enhancing workers rights. Now we need to put an end to the division and the language associated with it - Leaver and Remainer and all the accompanying insults - and unite to make a success of Brexit and build a truly global Britain, May is expected to say. Comments Her comments came as finance minister Philip Hammond said Britain could change its economic model to regain competitiveness if it were to leave the EU without an agreement on market access. Those comments, from an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, were interpreted as a warning that Britain could use its corporate tax as a form of leverage in Brexit negotiations. He appears to be making a sort of threat to the European community, said Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party. It seems to me a recipe for some kind of trade war with Europe in the future. Nevertheless, Corbyn said he would not block the triggering of Article 50 - the legal process of leaving the EU. An upcoming legal ruling could insist that May gets parliamentary approval for her plan to trigger Article 50 by the end of March. The extracts of May s speech did not say whether she would reveal her stance on one of the key questions: whether she will try and keep Britain within the European single market or customs union or, if not, what level of access she will aim for. In related news, May will target a As talks loom, hard Brexit option raises fear of tariffs LONDON, Jan 15, (AP): Is it cod or haddock? That s the sort of question that will matter to Britain if it leaves the European Union s tariff-free single market and ends up operating under rules overseen by the World Trade Organization (WTO). A complete divorce, often referred to as hard Brexit, would see the EU impose tariffs on an estimated 15,000 goods, in no uniform way: some British exports, like pharmaceuticals, would face no extra charge but the large majority would. How big the tariffs are will depend on a complex series of factors. So cod and haddock may sit side by side in your average British fish and chip restaurant but they are classified differently by the EU cod would be slapped with a 12 percent tariff and haddock 7.5 percent. And the list goes on and on. According to a recent analysis from Civitas, a London-based economic think tank, the average tariff on British exports to the EU under WTO rules would be around 4.5 percent. It s a scenario that many experts, including from the ranks of those who backed Britain s departure in June s referendum, say would be a worst case scenario for British businesses. That s why the pound has fallen any time Prime Minister Theresa May s comments point to such an outcome. The response to her Brexit speech on Tuesday will be interesting. The issue is heating up as May plans to start by the end of March the formal talks to leave the EU. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other EU leaders have repeatedly warned Britain cannot retain access to the single market if it wants to control the immigration of EU citizens. May s repeated focus on the need to control borders suggests Britain won t be able clean divorce from the EU when she sets out her Brexit plans in a major speech this week, newspapers reported Sunday. In Tuesday s address, she will call for Britain to unite and get behind Brexit, pleading for an end to the insults and rancour between Leavers and Remainers, her Downing Street office said. But newspapers said she would be Steinbach Merkel to remain a member of the single market. What would that mean? Britain would trade on the rules devised and policed by the Geneva-based WTO, which has 164 members and is responsible for the vast majority of global trade. Under WTO rules, Britain would not be able to trade with its former EU partners on terms that would be any more advantageous than other countries that do not have trade agreements with the EU, such as the United States. Most British exports to the EU would be subject to the EU s Common External Tariff, or CET, meaning that all other things being equal most British goods would instantly become less price-competitive in the EU. Goods coming into Britain from the EU would also be subject to tariffs, suggesting the sides would be inclined to agree on a new trade deal to lower the tariffs again. Free trade deals typically take years to negotiate, though. It s not just about tariffs. Certain standards and regulations would still have to be met by British businesses if their products are going to make it to the European marketplace. The EU has limits on foods containing genetically-modified products, for example. The US example Under WTO rules, Britain s trade relations would closely resemble those that currently exist between the US and the EU. The two sides trade under conditions that the WTO describes as most favored nation status. It facilitates some trade but does not eliminate tariffs across the board. So US motor vehicle manufacturers pay a 10 percent tariff on most passenger cars. But minibuses can face a 16 percent charge while snowmobiles are slapped with only a 5 percent tariff. laying out the path towards a hard Brexit a strategy likely to infuriate embittered Remain voters even more. May will spark two years of Brexit negotiations when she triggers the Article 50 departure process by the end of March. She has been under pressure to reveal her strategy for the talks that will set out the future relationship between Britain and the European Union. The Greek Cypriot side has previously said there was no time frame for the talks. The working group made of technocrats from all countries involved were scheduled to meet at the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin on Jan. 18. The general agreement is that (working group session) should not take place for more than two or three days, the source told Reuters, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of present discussions. (RTRS)

13 INTERNATIONAL 13 Spain Gloomy times for Podemos Protest over dispersion policy for ETA inmates BILBAO, Spain, Jan 15, (Agencies): Tens of thousands of people demonstrated Saturday in the Basque city of Bilbao, calling for some 350 imprisoned members and sympathizers of the armed pro-basque independence group ETA to be allowed serve their sentences closer to home in northern Spain. In addition to prisoners families and pro-independence politicians, some relatives of ETA victims took part for the first time in the annual demonstration. Protesters marched through the city holding placards that read I Denounce the Spanish government s policy of dispersing ETA prisoners in 40 prisons across Spain to restrict contacts between them. Rosa Rodero, widow of a police sergeant assassinated by the ETA in 1993, marched behind a banner reading Basque prisoners to the Basque Country. Rodero All people here in the Basque country, we have fought a lot, we had to suffer a lot. The only thing we want is that peace comes and that peace is also given to these people, she said, referring to the prisoners. ETA killed 829 people in its nearly four-decade campaign to create a Basque homeland in northern Spain and southwest France. The group announced a permanent cease-fire in 2011, but Spain s Interior Ministry says there will be no change in its dispersion policy until the group fully disarms and its members ask for pardons. But AVT, the largest association of relatives of terror victims, urged that any movement of prisoners be done only on a case-by-case basis for humanitarian reasons. Assassins I don t think the victims of ETA should support having their assassins closer to home just because the ETA stopped killing five years ago, said AVT president Alfonso Sanchez, who survived an ETA bombing in Last month Spanish and French police made five arrests after discovering a suspected ETA weapons trove in southern France. The Interior Ministry refuses to say how many ETA prisoners are jailed in Spain but the protest organizers say there are 273 ETA prisoners in Spain but just two in the Basque region. Another 78 are in French jails. They say many relatives and friends have to travel hundreds of kilometers (miles) to visit the ETA inmates. Amnesty International says the dispersion policy goes against UN standards. The economically powerful Basque region is one of 17 semi-autonomous regions in Spain. Opinion polls have long indicated a majority of its 2.2 million residents do not favor splitting from Spain. Spain s Podemos was born in 2014 out of rage over austerity politics and buoyed by its promises of change, but the mood has darkened as infighting ravages the farleft party. As it prepares to celebrate its third birthday and inches closer to a crux congress in February, supporters are watching in dismay and opponents with glee as Podemos chief Pablo Iglesias spars with his deputy Inigo Errejon over what strategy to take. The dispute between the once-inseparable pair has forced party members into one faction or another, played out on social media and in the press, gaining such traction that an apologetic Iglesias warned it could destroy Podemos. It s one thing to have differences, another thing is this hugely exaggerated internal battle, says Gabriel Colome, politics professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. They are reproducing age-old behaviour patterns typical of other parties. He warned they do this right, or this project is going to explode. After its emergence in January 2014, Podemos rose at meteoric speed to score big in elections just under two years later. In those December 2015 polls, it became Spain s third political force, putting an end to the two-party system but also leaving no grouping with any absolute majority. Charismatic As coalition negotiations dragged on, rumours of a rift between the charismatic, pony-tailed Iglesias and his baby-faced number two started to emerge. But it was only after repeat June elections saw a Podemos-led coalition lose votes that the rift between the combative Iglesias and more moderate Errejon leapt to the fore. While the aim had always been to overtake the Socialists and become Spain s main left-wing force, exactly how to achieve this was a subject of much debate. Should the party continue its struggle for change but from within institutions it now occupied such as parliament, and in a moderate way that would attract Socialist voters too, as Errejon advocated? Or should it also go back to the streets, keep resisting and shaking things up as a protest party, as Iglesias wanted? These divergences broke out into the open in September in a war of tweets. We are already scaring the powerful, that s not the challenge. The challenge is to attract those people who suffer but still don t trust us, Errejon wrote. Yes but we stopped attracting one million people in June. We seduce more by speaking clearly and being different, Iglesias retorted. From then on, divisions played out publicly, continuing even as the Socialists (PSOE) imploded and the conservative Popular Party came back to power at the head of a minority government with little support all of which could have profited Podemos. The situation left supporters in a state of distress. Once an enthusiastic Podemos militant, Tristan Duanel has now stopped all activities for the party, as have others he knows. We have ended up really bitter, he says. Such has been the dismay that Iglesias felt compelled to apologise last month. If the press and social media continue to be a stage for us to try and air our dirty laundry, we will destroy Podemos, he recognised. The issue will likely be set to rest at the party congress in February, when Podemos members will vote for a new leadership council, a process that may or may not unseat Iglesias, and for what direction to take. With this in sight, Errejon s clan published a policy document on Friday acknowledging there were two strategies vying for power. On the same day, Iglesias and his team published their own document, in which they warned that only a united and strong Podemos will be able to rule. To further complicate matters, a third movement which is neither behind Iglesias or Errejon has emerged as kingmaker. Thousands of people march during a demonstration called by the citizens network Sare, protesting against dispersion of Basque prisoners in the northern Spanish city of Bilbao on Jan 14. Banner reads in Basque Basque prisoners to the Basque Country. (AFP) Former French prime minister and right-wing Les Republicains (LR) s party candidate for the French 2017 presidential election Francois Fillon delivers a speech during the LR s national council on Jan 14, in Paris. (AFP) Kadyrov Europe Putin Over 50 insurgents detained : Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov said Sunday his forces had detained more than 50 insurgents linked to the Islamic State jihadist group, completing a major security operation. Kadyrov wrote on Instagram on Sunday that security forces had captured an armed group coordinated by a Chechen fighter located in Syria, with the latest arrests taking place in various locations on Saturday. Now the whole group of bandits has been neutralised and more than 50 members have been brought to police stations, Kadyrov said, He also posted a video of himself speaking to a group of the captured men in Chechen. The Moscow-back leader of the North Caucasus region called the operation -- planned since last summer -- a big success for the law enforcement agencies. The Russian North Caucasus is one of the major sources of foreign jihadists fighting in Syria and Iraq. The Chechen leader said police on Saturday detained several participants of the armed group including an especially dangerous terrorist named as Imran Datsayev who threw a hand grenade but was captured alive. He said Datsayev testified that he received orders from Islamic State to kill a police officer and had killed a police sergeant last November. Russia fought two brutal separatist wars over the past two decades in Chechnya but the region has been largely pacified under Kadyrov s iron-fisted rule. A dwindling group of Islamist insurgents are still fighting the authorities in Chechnya and across the volatile North Caucasus, and sporadically launch eyecatching attacks. Kadyrov, a former fighter against Russia s rule who now supports President Vladimir Putin, regularly announces raids to capture insurgents, which he sometimes personally coordinates. (AFP) Belgian police free 3: Belgian police have released three people held overnight following anti-terror raids late Saturday in Brussels, local prosecutors said. France Fillon tries to win over critics Le Pen follows Trump s lead PARIS, Jan 15, (Agencies): Domination of social media was a key weapon in Donald Trump s rise to the US presidency, and now France s far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, is looking to follow suit, analysts say. Le Pen has more than a million followers on both Twitter and Facebook, giving her a bigger social media platform than any other candidate for the French presidency. Her party, the National Front (FN), is a veteran presence on the internet it was the first political group in France to launch a website, back in Now the party is trying to use the digital world to trump mainstream rivals and bypass the traditional media, to speak directly to the public. The advantage of social media, says political communication expert Christian Delporte, is that you don t have any opposition. You have your say, and you re not bothered by a journalist who may contradict you. FN supporters are already highly active on Twitter, Facebook and other digital vectors, targeting especially the conservatives champion, Francois Fillon. One method is to undermine Fillion by alleging he has Islamist leanings a fake news tactic of a kind that was all too familiar in the US presidential campaign. Two hashtags in this regard have been #LeVraiFillon ( #the real Fillon ) and #FaridFillon. They are campaigns where trolls try to tie the former prime minister who has written a book called Beating Islamic Fundamentalism to the Islamist cause. The FN denied being behind the hashtags but when asked about it, Le Pen added fuel to the fire: The real question is, what is Francois Fillon s relationship with Islamist fundamentalists? Also in the far-right sights is former Police mounted four raids in the Molenbeek district, which was home to several perpetrators of the jihadist attacks in Paris and Brussels, but found nothing, according to the Brussels prosecutor s office. Three men were arrested and questioned overnight... they were released afterwards, it said in a statement. Media reports showed armed police setting up a security perimeter during the operation. The gritty Molenbeek area has gained notoriety recently as the home of several of those who took part in the deadly Islamic State-claimed November 2015 attacks in Paris and the suicide bombings of Brussels airport and the metro in March Belgian authorities stepped up security after the killings and there have been periodic police raids and arrests since then as the investigations have continued. Belgian-born French national Salah People watch the official welcoming ceremony of the US troops in Zagan, Poland, on Jan 14. The ceremony comes 23 years after the last Soviet troops left Poland and also marks a new historic moment the fi rst time any Western forces are being deployed on a continuous basis to NATO s eastern flank. (AP) economy minister and centrist independent candidate Emmanuel Macron. He and Fillon are expected to be key challengers to Le Pen s hopes of winning the presidency in the April and May election rounds. #Macron minister of the economy that s 400,000 more homeless, the FN s general secretary, Nicolas Bay, tweeted on Thursday. Social media bombardment circumvents the mainstream media, thus avoiding negative or allegedly unfair treatment in that sphere. Trump was largely vilified in the traditional press but used Twitter, where he has around 20 million followers, to share his message and attack his opponents. It became possible for him to construct an alternate narrative, I would say an alternate reality, said another commentator, Gabriel Kahn. The FN s approach is somewhat different, firing out its message across several different social media accounts at the same time. But, like Trump s, it seeks to craft the image of a movement that is supported by the majority and whose ideas are mainstream, not fringe. It also skilfully taps into online support from hardline rightwingers by using better-chosen words to convey extremist views, said Dominique Albertini, author of a book called the Fachosphere. As election time looms, commentators expect the FN and its supporters to mount a crescendo of tweets and hashtags, creating trending topics intended to lure other users. The barrage will polish Le Pen s image, denigrate her rivals and hound critics and make her appear to be the vanguard of an unstoppable movement. Also: PARIS: French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon tried to win over party critics at a meeting on Saturday at a time when polls show him losing some momentum due to what some say is too radical an economic reform programme. Surveys suggest Fillon will win the April/May election by a comfortable margin, but recent polls have shown his share of the vote in the first round falling. Some senior members of his Republicans party, most often allies of former president Nicolas Sarkozy, have accused him of being too tough and have asked him to soften his programme to avoid scaring off lowincome voters. Fillon s programme includes cutting business taxes, relaxing labour laws and scrapping the 35-hour working week in an attempt to boost growth, while also cutting half a million public sector jobs as part of a drive to shrink the state sector. Opinion polls indicate that Macron, who is running as an independent in the April-May election, is gaining on the frontrunners, conservative candidate Francois Fillon and far-right leader Marine Le Pen. PARIS: We need Europe because Europe makes us bigger, because Europe makes us stronger, Macron told 5,000 supporters, according to his team, calling for a true joint security and defence policy at EU level. Immigration and security are key issues in the campaign, with Le Pen promising to be tough on immigration and radical Islam and to exit the EU s open-border Schengen area. Macron was addressing a rally in Lille, in northern France, a traditional Socialist bastion where Le Pen s eurosceptic National Front has performed strongly in recent local elections. Abdeslam, the only known jihadist to have survived the Paris massacres, hid in Molenbeek and was arrested there four months later, on March 18, 2016, four days before the attacks on the Belgian capital. Some 20 people have been charged in Belgium in connection with the Paris attacks. Investigators say the Paris and Brussels attacks were carried out by the same cell. (AFP) Bodies of 5 migrants found: Five migrants have been found dead off the southern Spanish coast this weekend, a Spanish police spokeswoman said on Sunday, after another at least eight were discovered off the coast of Libya on Saturday. The bodies of four men and one woman were discovered on beaches and floating just off the coast of Tarifa late on Friday and through the day on Saturday, though it was not clear where they had travelled from, the spokeswoman said. Unless we find a survivor, we really don t know what happened or even if these people were travelling on the same raft, she said. At least eight migrants died when their boat capsized off the coast of Libya on Saturday. Spanish, Italian and French coastguards work together in rescue missions in the Mediterranean as thousands of migrants attempt the perilous sea crossing into Europe from Northern Africa and the Middle East on flimsy rafts and boats. Almost 5,000 deaths were recorded last year, the deadliest year on record, according to the International Organization of Migration. (RTRS)

14 INTERNATIONAL 14 World News Roundup Tunisians wave their national and party flags of the Islamist Ennahdha Party during a rally on Jan 14 in the Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the capital Tunis to mark the sixth anniversary of the 2011 revolution. (AFP) Iran Morocco After Rafsanjani s death Iranian Guards set to entrench their power BEIRUT, Jan 15, (RTRS): Iran s Revolutionary Guards look set to entrench their power and shift the country to more hardline, isolationist policies for years to come following the death of influential powerbroker Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Former president Rafsanjani long had a contentious relationship with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is both the strongest military force in Iran and also has vast economic interests worth billions of dollars. With a presidential election in May and a question mark over the health of Iran s most powerful figure, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, analysts say the Guards will soon have opportunities to tighten their grip on the levers of power. Rafsanjani, who died on Sunday aged 82, had criticised the Guards expanding economic interests, which range from oil and gas to telecommunications and construction, their role in the crackdown on protests after disputed 2009 presidential elections and the country s missile programme which the Guards oversee. Khamenei Rafsanjani was a high-profile member of the Assembly of Experts that selects the Supreme Leader. Though he favoured an easing of security restrictions on Iranians at home, opening up to the West politically and economically, he was a respected go-between who could balance the influence of hardliners. During mourning ceremonies this week, senior Revolutionary Guards commanders appeared on state TV to praise Rafsanjani, a companion of the Islamic Republic s founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and one of the pillars of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Critics But analysts say many are quietly celebrating the departure of one of their biggest domestic critics. They re going to be very happy, said Ali Ansari, director of the Institute of Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews. They re shedding a lot of crocodile tears. With Rafsanjani out of the picture the Guards can play a crucial role in determining who becomes the next Supreme Leader by steering Assembly members toward a candidate more sympathetic to their interests, analysts say. All of the candidates you hear about who could replace Khamenei are much more hardline and have more radical views, said Mehdi Khalaji, a former seminarian from Qom who is a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The hardline camp in Iran has defined itself by a deep distrust of Western governments and rigid opposition to internal political reform, whereas Rafsanjani was the leading force behind moderate President Hassan Rouhani s election win. Deal The 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and Western powers was also anathema to hardliners and they have often used the deal, and the economic openings it offered Western companies, to criticise Rouhani s government. The question of who could replace Khamenei, 77, was first raised in earnest when he was hospitalised in State TV showed Khamenei, who became the Islamic Republic s second Supreme Leader in 1989, in a hospital bed with a string of officials visiting. Analysts said this was done to help the public recognise that a change at the top was inevitable. In the event of Khamenei s death, the Assembly of Experts 88 members will hold a closed-door session to push for the candidate of their choice before a final vote is taken. Analysts expect the Revolutionary Guards to play a significant role. Photo shows Moroccan doctor Asma Lamrabet posing at her home in Rabat. Lamrabet is used to multi-tasking mixing her writing with a career in medicine but perhaps her most noteworthy balancing act is being both a faithful Muslim and a committed feminist. (AFP) Mideast Anne Frank link found : Israel s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial says researchers excavating the remains of one of the most notorious Nazi death camps have uncovered a pendant that appears identical to one belonging to Anne Frank. Yad Vashem says Sunday it has ascertained the pendant belonged to Karoline Cohn a Jewish girl who perished at Sobibor and may have known the famous diarist. Like Frank, Cohn was born in Frankfurt in Researchers are trying to confirm whether they were related. The Israel Antiquities Authority has been conducting excavations at the former camp in Poland since 2007 and has already uncovered the gas chamber foundations and the original train platform. (AP) Tunisia marks revolution: Tunisia on Saturday marked the sixth anniversary of the fall of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali without fanfare, after official recognition of failure on the economic and social fronts. On the anniversary of the uprising which inspired Arab Spring revolts across the region, several protests were staged and the presidential convoy was stoned by demonstrators. In Tunis, a crowd gathered on Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the presence of political and civil society groups, but local media said no other ceremonies appeared to have been organised elsewhere in Tunisia. Prime Minister Youssef Chahed acknowledged on national television on Friday night that authorities had so far failed to address the grievances of the Tunisian people that had fuelled the 2011 revolution. If we want this democracy to become strong and resistant, we must achieve the economic and social objectives of the revolution, namely the economy and dignity, he said. Today, we are not achieving this because unemployment and social inequalities have increased, said Chahed. President Beji Caid Essebsi on Saturday announced a package of new projects during a visit to the central province of Gafsa. (AFP) Jordan reshuffles cabinet: Jordan s interior minister lost his job Sunday after criticism following a deadly jihadist attack, in a government reshuffle that also saw long-serving foreign minister Nasser Judeh cast aside. Ten people including a Canadian were shot dead at the popular Jordanian tourist Asma Lamrabet a Muslim feminist polymath Burqa sales ban splits Morocco RABAT, Jan 15, (AFP): Morocco s ban on the sale and production of burqa fullface Muslim veils beloved of Salafists has sharply divided opinions in the North African country. The burqa is not an item of clothing just like any other... it s an instrument of oppression, a horrific negation of women, an insult to half of humanity, according to award-winning French- Moroccan novelist Leila Slimani. Slimani, in an opinion piece on news website Le360, said the burqa ban signalled that Morocco was moving towards greater equality between the sexes. Another vocal supporter, Nouzha Skalli, a lawmaker and former family and social development minister, said the ban constituted an important step in the battle against religious extremism. While there has been no official announcement, media reports said the interior ministry order banning the burqa would take effect this week. Completely We have taken the step of completely banning the import, manufacture and marketing of this garment in all the cities and towns of the kingdom, Le360 quoted a high-ranking interior ministry official as saying. Interior ministry officials on Monday started carrying out awareness-raising campaigns with traders to inform them of this new decision, said another website, Media 24. Le360 said the measure appeared to be motivated by security concerns, since bandits have repeatedly used this garment to perpetrate their crimes. Most women in Morocco, whose King Mohammed VI favours a moderate version of Islam, prefer the hijab headscarf that does not cover the face. The niqab, which leaves the area around the eyes uncovered, is also worn in Salafist circles and in more conservative regions in the north, from where thousands of jihadists have gone to fight in Syria and Iraq. destination of Karak on December 18, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. Following the attack, some 50 lawmakers called for a motion to censure interior minister Salama Hammad. (AFP) Israel strikes Hamas post: The Israeli military struck a Hamas post in the southern Gaza Strip Sunday in response to a Palestinian attack on an Israeli military vehicle, the military said. No one was wounded in the exchange but it marked a rare flare-up along the tense border that has remained largely quiet since a bloody 50-day war between Israel and Gaza militants in the summer of Despite the cease-fire that has largely held since, militants in Gaza occasionally launch rockets toward Israel. These are mostly by smaller factions rather than the ruling Hamas militants but Israel typically responds to any fire toward it and holds Hamas responsible for all attacks emanating from the territory it controls. (AP) Blackout hits Libya: Western Libya was plunged into darkness late on Saturday as a Writers and intellectuals have condemned the burqa ban. No authority in the world has the right to impose a dress code on a woman or a man for their everyday life, wrote columnist Abdellah Tourabi, in a view widely shared on social media in Morocco. Is the burqa foreign to Moroccan culture? he asked. Sure, but slim jeans were not the apparel of the sultans and our grandmothers were not crazy about Victoria s Secret bras, Tourabi said. On the web, a social media commentator suggested the interior ministry go further by banning makeup as it used more to cover up women s faces. The Salafists have been less subtle in their criticism. Outspoken preacher Abu Naim condemned the Satan-worshippers and atheists serving the interests of the Jews behind the burqa ban. And yet, Morocco considers the wearing of the Western swimsuit on the beaches an untouchable right, was the bitter comment of another preacher, Hammad Kabbaj. Oussama Boutaher, coordinator of a committee which defends Islamist detainees, said the ban was outright discriminatory and would turn devout Muslims into second-class citizens. Also: RABAT: Moroccan author Asma Lamrabet is used to multi-tasking -- mixing her writing with a career in medicine -- but perhaps her most noteworthy balancing act is being both a faithful Muslim and a committed feminist. A tireless advocate for gender equality in a region where women s rights often lag far behind those of men, Lamrabet has accumulated a body of work showing how feminism and Islam can co-exist despite centuries of male-centred dogma. There s a tendency to conflate models and ideals. But just as there are different models of democracy, there are blackout already affecting the south spread to the capital, Tripoli, and other major cities, the national power company said. The blackout extended from Libya s western border with Tunisia to the city of Ajdabiya, nearly 900 km (560 miles) to the east, national power company GECOL said in a statement. The electricity grid had collapsed because a number of cities in western Libya had rejected terms for sharing out power cuts, it said. (RTRS) Turkey proposes visa to EU: Turkey s Frank Essebsi different types of feminism, she tells AFP in her Rabat offices. So if Moroccan feminists fight for true equality with men on the ground or against the marriage of minors, Saudi (women) claim the right to drive, vote and live in freedom. Although women in Morocco have far more freedom than their Saudi counterparts and gender equality is theoretically guaranteed by law, the north African kingdom has yet to adopt legislation criminalising violence against women, and child marriage is not uncommon. Lamrabet s key message is that gender inequality is less to do with the tenets of Islam and more down to its interpretation within male-dominated societies. Her latest work, Faithful and Feminists, examines passages of the Quran and argues that there is nothing in the text itself to enshrine female subordination. In all religious traditions, you find a certain stereotypical representation of women, she says. The problem doesn t come from religious texts but instead from the interpretation of these texts by men. It is for this reason, argues the Rabat native, who writes award-winning texts in between a career as a pathologist, that it s absolutely necessary to read the Holy Quran in context. When the Quran speaks of reason and justice, they need to be seen as universal concepts. But there are some verses that respond to given historical circumstances, says Lamrabet, her thick black hair draped in a bright blue veil. We must keep this spirit, but not take it literally. Although wholly committed to universal women s rights, Lamrabet says she took inspiration from renowned Indian feminist theorist Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak in her belief that the feminist cause has long been dominated by Western voices. foreign minister says a final proposal has been prepared regarding visa-free travel in Europe for Turkish citizens, an issue that has led to major tensions between Ankara and Brussels. Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday that Turkey would be submitting the proposal in the coming days. He says we re going to demand from the European Union that this matter be bound to a concrete calendar. Turkey and the EU reached a deal in March to curb migration to Europe in return for incentives that included visa liberalization for Turks. However the issue hit a hurdle over Turkey s reluctance to change its counterterrorism laws. (AP) Jet shot down in Benghazi: A fighter jet from Marshal Khalifa Haftar s forces was shot down over Libya s Benghazi on Sunday as it carried out raids on jihadist positions, a military source said. The MiG-23 went down after being targeted by extremist militias, said a commanding officer with Haftar s forces. The pilot ejected himself and survived unharmed, he said. (AFP)

15 INTERNATIONAL 15 Pro-government activists stand around a giant US fl ag as they take part in a rally denouncing the impeachment of South Korea s President Park Geun-Hye in Seoul on Jan 14, Park was impeached by parliament last month over an influence-peddling scandal involving a secret confi dante that sparked a storm of public fury and nationwide protests. (AFP) Diplomacy Philippines Back in the delta American envoy Kerry meets Viet Cong foe CA MAU, Vietnam, Jan 15, (AFP): Viet Cong veteran Vo Ban Tam remembers the first time he crossed paths with John Kerry on the banks on the Bay Hap river, a day that ended in bloodshed. Almost a half-century later, the now 70-year-old Mekong Delta shrimp farmer locked eyes with the US Secretary of State on Saturday and they warmly grasped hands in mutual respect. Kerry returned to the Vietnam waterway at the end of a visit to the Communist nation, less than a week before he was to leave office, searching for the spot where he won a Silver Star for bravery as a young US Navy lieutenant. On February 28, 1969, as the skipper of Swift Boat PCF-94, Kerry was patrolling when Vo Ban Tam s unit launched an ambush. The plan, the Vietnamese guerilla told his former adversary on Saturday, was to use rifle and grenade fire to lure the heavily-armed American craft into range of a shoulderheld rocket launcher. This tactic had paid off for the Viet Cong in the past but on this day Kerry made a dramatic decision, deliberately beaching his boat then storming ashore to pursue the operator. Kerry Grabbing an M-16 rifle the then 26-year-old chased down the guerilla and shot him dead, saving his crew from a counterattack. Vo Ban Tam remembered the dead man, 24-yearold Ba Thanh, as a respected member of the Viet Cong s main force in Ca Mau province, trained to use the prized launcher. He was a good soldier, he recalled, speaking through an interpreter on the banks of same river, shortly after Kerry re-visited the scene of the ambush for the first time. Kerry had never before learned the name of the man he shot. During his unsuccessful 2004 White House campaign, opponents tarnished his war record by claiming he killed a teenager. Memory But US officials preparing for Kerry s visit tracked down Vo Ban Tam and his account confirmed Kerry s memory that his slain adversary was an adult. Vo Ban Tam admitted that thanks to Kerry s action the Viet Cong had not been victorious that day. But he recalled proudly how his comrades often had the upper hand. We were guerrillas, we were never there where you were shooting, he boasted, telling Kerry they could hear his boat coming that day a kilometre off. Well, I m glad we re both alive, Kerry said. Kerry returned from Vietnam later in Despite holding Silver and Bronze stars for valour and three Purple Hearts for being wounded in action, he became a prominent anti-war activist. The tall, young, erudite Yale graduate stood out among veterans and his devastating testimony before a Senate committee in 1971 sealed his celebrity. He forecast that Washington s search-and-destroy missions and brutal pacification measures would fail to overcome the Vietnamese determination to resist foreign occupation. On behalf of his own American comrades in arms, he famously demanded: How can you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake? Kerry went on to become a senator, a presidential candidate and finally secretary of state -- and he never forgot Vietnam, becoming a leader in the post-war reconciliation. Now, with just days to go before the start of Donald Trump s presidency marks the end of his tenure at the State Department, Kerry plans more visits. He wants to work on environmental problems with the Lower Mekong Initiative while he and fellow veterans are involved in plans to open a US-funded Fulbright University in Vietnam. A baby grimaces when water sprinkled by a priest hits him as thousands of residents carry religious icons of the baby Jesus during the annual Sto Nino (baby Jesus) feast in Manila on Jan 15. The Philippines is Asia s bastion of Catholicism and the Sto Nino feast is one amongst dozens of religious festivals honouring various saints and religious icons, a legacy of three centuries of Spanish rule across the archipelago. (AFP) Trump Asia Ban One China not negotiable : Beijing on Saturday warned the US that the One China policy was non-negotiable, after Donald Trump suggested he could abandon the decades-old diplomatic principle and boost ties with Taiwan. It is not up for negotiation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement. There is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable region of China, and the government of the People s Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing China. Trump has threatened to get tough with what he sees as unfair Chinese trade practices, and suggested that the One China policy could become a bargaining chip. Everything is under negotiation, including One China, he told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published Friday. Trump has already irked China by accepting a congratulatory phone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen after he won the presidential election, upending decades of diplomatic precedent in which the White House has foregone direct communication with the leader of Taiwan. Beijing considers the island to be a breakaway province to be brought back within its fold, by force if necessary. We urge the relevant party in the United States to realise the extreme sensitivity of the Taiwan issue and to respect commitments made by previous American governments (and) avoid undermining the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, Lu Kang added. (AFP) China appoints new Tibet gov: China has appointed a new governor of Tibet, one of the country s most politically sensitive regions, state news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday. A thirty-five-year veteran of the Com- Blast militants and their hostages Duterte threatens martial law MANILA, Jan 15, (Agencies): Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to impose martial rule to prosecute his deadly war on drugs, three decades after the nation shed dictatorship with a famous People Power revolt. If I wanted to, and it (the illegal drugs problem) will deteriorate into something really very virulent, I will declare martial law if I wanted to. No one will be able to stop me, Duterte said in a speech on Saturday night. The 71-year-old former state prosecutor said the aim would be to preserve the Filipino people and the youth of this land. Duterte won elections in May last year on a pledge to wipe out illegal drugs, promising an unprecedented crackdown to stop the Philippines from becoming what he termed a narco state. The crackdown has left at least 5,700 people dead in just over six months, raising concerns of a breakdown in the rule of law with security forces and vigilantes carrying out extrajudicial killings. The Philippines longtime ally, the United States, has led international criticism of the killings, with outgoing President Barack Obama urging Duterte to prosecute his war the right way. Duterte has reacted furiously to the criticism and vowed to continue his war until illegal drugs are eradicated. Duterte has raised the prospect of imposing martial law previously. However Saturday s comments were the most direct threat. Martial rule would allow Duterte to use the military to enforce civilian law and detain people at length without charging them. The Philippines last endured martial law during the 20-year rule of dictator munist Party, Qi Zhala, 58, has also served as the region s Communist Party vice-secretary and the party boss of regional capital Lhasa, according to his resume, published by party mouthpiece the People s Daily. He replaces Luosang Jiangcun who was named secretary of the region s National People s Congress in the same Xinhua announcement. Students are heading to a venue for college entrance examination under snow falling in Gifu, on Jan 15. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued warnings against snowstorms and heavy accumulation in Sea of Japan coastal areas. (AFP) Ferdinand Marcos, who was accused of plundering billions of dollars from state coffers and overseeing widespread human rights abuses. Marcos declared martial law in 1972, invoking the threats of crime and a communist insurgency, and lifted it in His rule ended in 1986, when millions took to the streets in the largely bloodless military-backed People Power revolt. A new constitution drawn up in 1987 in an effort to avoid another dictatorship specified a single six-year presidential term. It also said the president could impose martial rule for just 60 days and only to stop an invasion or a rebellion. Parliament can revoke the measure within 48 hours while the Supreme Court can review its legality. But Duterte, speaking to local businessmen in his southern home town of Davao city, warned he could ignore the 60-day limit. Troops Meanwhile, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he has ordered his troops to bomb extremists who flee with their captives in a bid to stop a wave of kidnappings at sea, calling the loss of civilian lives in such an attack collateral damage. Duterte has previously stated that he had told his Indonesian and Malaysian counterparts their forces can blast away as they pursue militants who abduct sailors in waters where the three countries converge and bring their kidnap victims to the southern Philippines. He said in a speech late Saturday that he had given the same orders to Filipino forces. He said he instructed the navy and the coast guard that if there are kidnappers and they re trying to escape, bomb them all. They say hostages. Sorry, collateral damage, he said in a speech to business people in Davao, his southern hometown. He said such an approach would enable the government to get even with the ransom-seeking militants. You can t gain mileage for your wrongdoing, I will really have you blasted, he said. His advice to potential victims? So, really, don t allow yourselves to be kidnapped. Duterte s remarks reflect the alarm and desperation of the Philippines, along with Malaysia and Indonesia, in halting a series of ransom kidnappings primarily by Abu Sayyaf militants and their allies along a busy waterway for regional trade. On Saturday, ransom-seeking Abu Sayyaf gunmen freed a South Korean captain and his Filipino crewman who were abducted three months ago from their cargo ship. The gunmen handed skipper Park Chul-hong and Glenn Alindajao over to Moro National Liberation Front rebels, who turned them over to Philippine officials in southern Jolo town in predominantly Muslim Sulu province. The Moro rebels, who signed a 1996 peace deal with the government, have helped negotiate the release of several hostages of the smaller but more violent Abu Sayyaf, which is blacklisted by the US as a terrorist organization for kidnappings, beheadings and bombings. Duterte s adviser dealing with insurgents, Jesus Dureza, said he was not aware of any ransom being paid in exchange for the freedom of the sailors. At least 27 hostages, many of them foreign crewmen, remain in the hands of different Abu Sayyaf factions, he said. Managing the remote Himalayan region of Tibet remains a difficult issue for China, which has struggled with decades of often violent unrest in protest at Chinese rule, which started when Chinese troops marched into Tibet in China says its rule has brought prosperity and stability, and rejects claims from Tibetan exiles and rights groups of widespread repression. Of Tibetan ethnicity, Qi originates from neighbouring Yunnan province. He held official posts in Yunnan before transferring to Tibet in As governor, he is the secondmost powerful figure in the region, after the regional Communist party boss. (RTRS) THAAD deployment appropriate: Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is expected to run for president of South Korea, said on Sunday it is appropriate for the country to be the site of a US anti-missile system that is due to be deployed later this year. Since the reality is the Korean peninsula is in a quasi-war-like state, such action made by the government is appropriate, Ban was quoted by South Korea s Yonhap News Agency as saying. China objects strongly to the planned deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system as it worries its powerful radar can penetrate its territory. Ban said he understands THAAD deployment is made as a defensive measure, as ultimately North Korea is developing nuclear missiles and accumulating ballistic missile technology, he was quoted as telling reporters at the memorial for the 2010 sinking of a navy ship that South Korea blames on the North. There is the issue of relations with neighbouring countries. This problem can be solved diplomatically, Ban said, according to Yonhap. (RTRS)

16 INTERNATIONAL 16 World News Roundup Lat/Am Subcontinent More dead feared Indian boat accident death toll rises to 26 NEW DELHI, Jan 15, (Agencies): The death toll from a boat accident in eastern India rose to 26 on Sunday, a senior official said, warning of more casualties with rescue workers still scouring the waters. The non-motorised wooden boat, packed beyond capacity with revellers returning from a kite festival, capsized Saturday in the Ganges river near Patna, the capital of Bihar state. The exact number of missing could not be ascertained due to the absence of a passenger list but police said the boat was carrying at least 40 people. Rescue workers were working round the clock looking for survivors, Anirudh Kumar, joint secretary of the state disaster management authority said. Workers pulled out 22 bodies in the night and this (Sunday) morning four more bodies were recovered, he told AFP by phone. The boat capsized not very far from the shore. Some people managed to swim to safety. But we are fearing the number of dead could go up further. Among those to survive the Modi tragedy was an 18-month toddler, now recovering in a city hospital, Kumar said. The revellers were on their way back from the annual Hindu harvest festival of Makar Sakranti, marked by kite-flying and other festivities. State Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered an inquiry into the accident and announced compensation of 400,000 rupees ($5,900) for the families of the victims. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the deaths while cancelling an event he was scheduled to attend in Patna on Sunday. Boat accidents are common in the country, mainly because of overcrowding, poor maintenance, lax regulations and a lack of life jackets and other safety equipment. Some 20 people died after a ferry capsized in a rainswollen river in India s northeastern state of Assam in September More than 100 people lost their lives in 2012 in Assam when a boat sank in the Brahmaputra river during a storm. Airport in N. Indian city reopens: The international airport in the northern Indian city of Lucknow has resumed operation after a nine-hour shutdown due to a major radar problem. The airport was shut at around 4 p.m Saturday and all flights to and from Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state, were canceled, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. The airport s director P.K. Srivastava said on Sunday the repair work required fitting new electronic cards into the VHF Omni Directional Radio Range, or VOR, a type of short-range radio navigation system for aircraft. The airport was reopened at 1 a.m. Sunday. Apart from domestic destinations, some airlines use Lucknow s airport to fly to and from the United Arab Emirates. Bulls lock horns at Nepal festival: The bulls pawed the ground sending a dusty cloud into the air before locking horns to a huge cheer from the crowd that had gathered in a makeshift arena in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal. The bullfight in the remote village of Taraka, about 76 kms (46 miles) from Nepal s capital Kathmandu, takes place each year to mark the end of winter, according to the Hindu calendar. Thousands gathered to watch the fight on Saturday, which sees 14 pairs of bulls butt heads, with the winner of each bout taking home 3,000 rupees ($27) in prize money. Unlike its Spanish counterpart, bullfighting in Nepal requires no matadors as the bulls usually buffalo fight each other. The bulls are fed a special diet of eggs and lentils to prepare them for the fight which comes at a quiet time for the farming communities of the area when there is little growing in the fields. A woman walks with her children during snow fall on Nadir Khan hill in Kabul, Afghanistan on Jan 15. (AP) Bangladesh police escort alleged Islamist militant Jahangir Alam (center), in Dhaka on Jan 14, after his arrest in connection with an attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery last year. Bangladeshi police on Jan 14 said they arrested an Islamist extremist accused of being one of the masterminds of last year s deadly siege at a Dhaka cafe where 22 hostages were killed. (AFP) Myanmar Rohingya crisis meet on Jan 19: The Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) announced on Sunday holding an extraordinary meeting for member countries foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on January 19 to discuss the situation of Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar. The meeting, called to be held by the Malaysian government, will discuss the serious steps OIC and the international community should take to encourage Myanmar to allow entrance of humanitarian aid to Rakhine State, as well as resolving root causes of violence, said an OIC press release. It will also tackle allowing further negotiations and dialogues to take place between various communities in Myanmar, to guarantee the Rohingya displaced people to return home safely. It will further discuss the situation of more than 120,000 displaced Muslims inside the country. (KUNA) Muslims hope on envoy s visit: Muslim villagers in western Myanmar s troubled Rakhine state said Sunday that they hope positive change will result from a UN envoy s visit to the region, where soldiers are accused of widespread abuses against minority Muslims, including murder, rape and the burning of thousands of homes. UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Yanghee Lee concluded a three-day visit Sunday to probe the situation in northern Rakhine, where an army crackdown has driven an estimated 65,000 Muslim ethnic Rohingya to flee across the border to Bangladesh in the past three months. We really hope that her visit brings a positive change for Rohingya and we hope to gain our human rights, a displaced Rohingya man living temporarily in Kyee Kan Pyin village said on condition of anonymity due to security reasons. The crackdown began in October after nine policemen were killed in attacks by a shadowy group along the border. The government and the army have rejected the accusations of abuses and killings, saying recently that they have simply been conducting a clearance operation in the region. (AP) Leadership change looms: Myanmar s strongest ethnic armed group is set for its biggest leadership shake-up in a quarter century, senior sources told Reuters, raising the prospect of a period of instability in a group that is key to Aung San Suu Kyi s signature peace process. The United Wa State Army (UWSA) Afghanistan Roadside bomb kills 7 Women fight IS LONDON, Jan 15, (Agencies): Gul Bibi, an Afghan grandmother well into her eighties, never expected to become a fighter. But now she is one of more than a hundred women in Afghanistan s northern Jawzjan province who have taken up arms against Islamist militants. Nearly all of the women have lost a husband, son or brother to the Taleban or the newly active Islamic State in the province bordering Turkmenistan. I lost nine members of my family. The Taleban and Daesh (Islamic State) killed my five sons and four nephews, Bibi said by phone from Jawzjan. I have taken up arms to defeat the terrorists so other people s sons won t get killed. Determined to protect their families, the women approached a local police commander, Sher Ali, in December and asked him for guns and ammunition. They came to me and said that if I didn t provide them with weapons they would kill themselves - before Daesh or the Taleban could, Ali told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State. The women are not a properly structured group, he said; they have no uniform and have not received any military training other than how to point a gun at the enemy and shoot. The Taleban has carried out attacks in Jawzjan for the last decade, part of a country-wide insurgency to topple the Afghan government and drive out foreign troops. Active Islamic State became active in the province a gateway to Central Asia in early 2016, when a Taleban commander and 50 of his fighters declared allegiance to the ultra-hardline group, said Mohammad Reza Ghafoori, spokesman for Jawzjan governor. On Dec 25, Islamic State fighters attacked Garmjar village and killed five civilians, burned down about 60 houses and forced 150 families to flee, he said by instant messenger. A woman in her twenties, who did not want to give her name, said her husband and many other family members had been killed by the Taleban. Now she is fighting back, she said. I hit the Taleban with this PK (machine gun), and the Taleban fled. boasts some 30,000 soldiers who control a secretive, China-dominated statelet the size of Belgium in the remote hills on Myanmar s eastern border. This year the group s political wing, the United Wa State Party (UWSP), is holding elections for the first time since Lee Suu Kyi Most of the their men died. I will stand against Daesh and will hit them too, she said by phone from Jawzjan. The women fighters are not registered with the army or police and the government has not licensed their weapons, Abdul Hafiz Khashi, head of the security department of Jawzjan police, was reported as saying in the Afghan media last week. Although local police have cautiously welcomed the new defence force, he said, the rag-tag women s unit has raised concerns among higher authorities. We do not support any armed group, unless they come under one of our forces, Najib Danish, the deputy spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said from Kabul. Help We hope they join the Afghan security forces, so we can help them as part of our troops, he said. But the women accuse the Afghan army of failing to protect their families from the militants. First they killed my brother, then they killed my cousin, my uncle and my brother-in-law, said Zarmina, another woman fighter. Now that I have taken up arms, I am going to fight to the death. Thousands of civilians have been killed in Afghanistan in violence since the Taleban government was brought down in the US-led campaign of Afghan armed forces control no more than two thirds of national territory, and have struggled to contain the Taleban insurgency since the bulk of NATO soldiers withdrew at the end of Meanwhile, at least seven civilians, including a women and three children, were killed when their truck hit a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said. The villagers were travelling from Pacheer Agam district to a nearby village in Nangarhar province, Hijratullah Rahmani district governor of Pacheer Agam told AFP. Unfortunately, in the blast, seven civilians, including a woman and three children were killed and one wounded, he said. No one claimed responsibility, but the interior ministry in a statement blamed enemies of peace and stability, a term Afghan officials use to refer to Taleban. 1992, with at least some of the old guard who have led the statelet since its 1989 formation set to stand down, three senior Wa officials said. The election will also include the chairman, but whether he will be replaced is unknown, said one of the sources. Those who are sick or old would retire. The party is going to cultivate a new group of young talents, the person added, referring to the party s top decision-making Politburo. A second Wa official with direct knowledge of the matter described the vote as an earth-shattering event within the reclusive Wa State hierarchy. Reuters visited the self-proclaimed Wa State in October a rare trip by a major international news organisation where officials described for the first time its inner workings. (RTRS) Panama ups EU visa restrictions: Most EU visitor visas will no longer be accepted for entry into Panama under a new decree highlighting a general tightening of migration restrictions in Central America. The sudden change in policy, reported in Panamanian media Saturday, comes a month after a similar step in neighboring Costa Rica. Both countries will continue to accept visitor visas issued by the United States, as well as those issued by Britain, which is outside the EU s visa-free internal Schengen zone and which is due to soon leave the European Union entirely. The moves however do not affect most European citizens, who are able to enter both Central American countries without visas for short stays. Americans can also visit visa-free. Under the decree signed in Panama by President Juan Carlos Varela on Dec 28, a previous measure which allowed visitors with a multiple-entry EU Varela visa to also use it to enter Panama was scrapped. EU residency was also insufficient to enter. The new decree says tourists requiring a visa to Panama must have a Panamanian visa, or residency or a multiple-entry visa valid for more than a year from Australia, Britain, Canada or the United States. Panama said the change was made to better focus resources and to boost checks on nationalities that have the biggest incidence on the security index in the country. (AFP) Ricardo Lagos to run again: Ricardo Lagos, a leading opponent of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet who later went on to serve as president from 2000 to 2006, on Saturday accepted his party s nomination to run in the 2017 presidential election. The 78-year-old, who will represent the center-left Party for Democracy (PPD), vowed to improve communication between politicians and the public, invest in infrastructure, push forward with pension and education reform and tackle low productivity. The role of progressives is to carry on pushing at the limits of what is possible, he said during an acceptance speech at a cinema in Santiago, surrounded by young Chileans. Lagos is well-known in Chile for his central role in the battle to bring democracy to the country in the 1980s. Pinochet finally stepped down after losing a 1988 plebiscite on his rule, after a successful no campaign that Lagos helped lead. As president, Lagos was seen as a business-friendly moderate. He disappointed some on the left for not doing more to tackle deep inequality in the country, a top copper producer. (RTRS) Chile city in state of emergency: Chile on Saturday declared a local state of emergency over wildfires plaguing the landmark tourist-draw city of Valparaiso. The hilly Pacific city, part of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been put under military authority to coordinate firefighting and government asset deployment efforts. Located 120 kms (75 miles) northwest of the capital Santiago, Valparaiso is the seat of the Chilean Congress and spans 40 hills, offering stunning views of the sea. Thousands of tourists stroll its narrow cobblestone streets and ride cable cars up the steep hills each year. At the moment, 19,000 hectares (73 square miles) of mostly woodlands have been lost, officials said. The city was a famous port of call in its heyday, from the mid-19th century to the early 20th. But the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 brought its glory days to an abrupt end. (AFP) Brazil seeks tougher jail terms: The state of Sao Paulo is considering transferring four leaders of Brazil s most powerful drug cartel to federal prisons and stricter jail terms for 12 jailed leaders following an outbreak of gang-related violence across prisons, O Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported on Saturday. According to the paper, which did not say how it obtained the information, the state is analyzing whether to ask federal authorities to keep as many as 12 jailed leaders of the PCC gang under a so-called strict disciplinary regime for a year. One of the targets of the disciplinary action would be Marco Herbas Camacho, known by his alias of Marcola and the PCC s most prominent leader, Estado said. Calls to a Sao Paulo state spokeswoman seeking comment were not immediately answered. (RTRS) Migrants hope for Trump solution: Dozens of Cuban immigrants remained stranded in Nuevo Laredo across the border from Texas on Saturday, uncertain what would happen following Washington s decision to end their privileged immigration access this week. Some waited near the mid-point of the bridge over the Rio Grande. Others looked for food and shelter in Nuevo Laredo, determined to wait until Presidentelect Donald Trump is inaugurated next Friday with the hope that he will reverse President Barack Obama s decision to end the so-called wet foot, dry foot policy that had given Cuban immigrants special access to the country. There s nothing else but to wait to see what happens, staying in Mexico would be the last option because our goal was to get to the United States, said Irina Ricardo Martinez, who travelled for two months after departing Cuba for Ecuador with her husband. To wait until the 20th (inauguration) until Trump comes in to see what happens, I think that he s going to change the law. (AP)

17 INTERNATIONAL 17 Africa Lift after Trump approval: The Obama administration s preliminary decision to ease sanctions on Sudan came with the full approval of the incoming Trump administration and after months of secret meetings, Sudan s foreign minister said on Saturday. The United States said on Friday it would lift a 20-year-old trade embargo against Sudan, unfreeze assets and remove financial sanctions as a Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Ghandour, speaks during a press conference on Jan 14, in the capital Khartoum. The US President on Jan 13 informed Congress that he will lift trade and investment sanctions against Khartoum after a sixmonth probation period. (AFP) response to Khartoum s cooperation in fighting Islamic State and other groups. The move will be delayed by 180 days to see whether Sudan acts further to improve its human rights record and resolve political and military conflicts, including in Darfur. This puts the final decision in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump and his secretary of state, who is likely to be Rex Tillerson, a former oil executive. (RTRS) Gambia s Barrow in Senegal: Gambian president-elect Adama Barrow is in neighbouring Senegal and will remain there at the request of west African leaders until his planned inauguration this week, Senegalese sources said Sunday. Senegalese President Macky Sall accepted on Saturday in Bamako to welcome Gambian president-elect Adama Barrow in Dakar until his inauguration, the official APS agency said citing an official. Barrow is expected to take power on Jan 19 when President Yahya Jammeh s mandate runs out, but the long-serving leader has refused to cede power after disputing the result of a Dec 1 election won by Barrow. A source with the Senegalese presidency confirmed to AFP that Barrow was in Dakar following consultations with heads of state from the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) at a Bamako summit. Barrow is in Dakar as of Sunday, just after midnight, the official source told APS. The Senegalese president accepted the request of his Liberian counterpart Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the current ECOWAS president, it added. (AFP) Gunmen kidnap 7: Gunmen kidnapped five students and two staff, including a Turkish national, from an international school in Nigeria s southern state of Ogun, police said on Saturday. The kidnappers, who abducted the six Nigerians and Turkish staff member late on Friday, have not made contact with police or school authorities and no arrest has been made, Ogun police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi said. We have deployed police operatives and are making serious efforts to release the victims unhurt and bring the culprits to book, he said. (RTRS)

18 INTERNATIONAL 18 World News Roundup In this Dec 7, 2016 file photo, a Marine wears knee braces and a backpack that harvest energy from his movements during an exhibition of green energy technology in Twentynine Palms, California. The Marine Corps and Navy have led an unprecedented push to ease the Department of Defense s reliance on fossil fuels under the Obama administration. Those projects championed under Obama now face uncertainty under President-elect Donald Trump, who has chosen a Cabinet with climate change skeptics and fossil fuel promoters. (Inset): In this Dec 7, 2016 file photo, Marines stand near an artillery piece that links to solar panels during the exhibition. (AP) Technology Ecology Vow to end policies Shift to green clashes with Trump s promises TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif, Jan 15, (AP): At a sprawling desert base, a Marine recharged his radio s batteries simply by walking, while nearby fellow troops examined a rocket artillery system and a drone both powered by the sun. Navy and Marine Corps brass, accompanied by green energy executives, showcased the energy-harnessing knee braces and other innovations at a renewable energy demonstration at Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base, one of many such events that have taken place at military bases across the country as part of the Defense Department s unprecedented shift away from fossil fuels under the Obama administration. The Pentagon has invested millions over the past decade into everything from hybrid electric ships to wind turbines. While a growing number of military leaders have declared global warming a national security threat, the strategy clashes with President-elect Donald Trump s vow to end policies that undermine fossil fuel producers. Trump has a chosen a Cabinet with climate change skeptics, though his Trump pick for defense secretary, retired Marine Gen James Mattis, has advocated green technology to curtail risky fuel-supply runs for troops in conflict zones. It s not known if Mattis would support buying alternative fuels for ships and aircraft, among the military s biggest petroleum users. He didn t respond to requests seeking comment. Republican lawmakers have lashed out at many of the green initiatives for the Defense Department one of the world s largest energy consumers especially the Navy s Great Green Fleet that deployed ships run partly on biofuel amid falling oil prices. Military leaders say alternative energy makes warriors more agile and effective on today s battlefields. Troops At the recent demonstrations, a Marine wore knee braces with tiny generators that transformed the energy he produced from walking to recharge batteries. The technology allows troops to generate their own power for as long as three days. The event also featured a M777 howitzer and a drone that use solar power. To do something other than continue these programs would be a mistake, said Joe Bryan, the Navy s deputy assistant secretary for energy. My expectation is that will be recognized no matter where people are on the political spectrum. Rising sea levels threaten Navy bases worldwide, and it would be shortsighted for the military not to address climate change, Bryan said. Trump s transition team did not respond to questions about whether it would end the strategy. Republican lawmakers have said the Pentagon has propped up the alternative energy industry, investing in programs that are not sustainable. The Defense Department has been working toward generating 25 percent of its power from renewable sources by The Navy and Marine Corps set a goal to draw half of its power from renewable energy sources by GOP legislators have criticized the Obama administration for spending roughly $120 billion on climate change initiatives while putting in motion $1 trillion in defense cuts. This image obtained from SpaceX shows a Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on Jan 14. SpaceX launched 10 satellites for Iridium, a mobile and data communications company. (AFP) Discovery SpaceX launches rocket: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from California on Saturday and placed a constellation of satellites in orbit, marking the company s first launch since a fireball engulfed a similar rocket on a Florida launch pad more than four months ago. The two-stage rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 9:54 a.m. carrying a payload for Iridium Communications Inc., which is replacing its entire global network with 70 next-generation satellites. The satellites were deployed about an hour after launch. About nine minutes after the rocket blasted off, to cheers from the control room, its jettisoned first stage landed upright on a socalled droneship in the Pacific Ocean south of Vandenberg part of Spacex s effort to make boosters reusable. The company has succeeded six times previously with landings on a barge or ashore. A camera aboard the first stage gave viewers a you-are-there experience as it returned to Earth, flared landing rockets and made a perfect upright touchdown on the floating pad. The return to flight is an important step for SpaceX, billionaire Elon Musk s California-based company that has about 70 launches in line, worth more than $10 billion. In addition to commercial launches, SpaceX ferries supplies to the International Space Station and is developing a capsule capable of carrying astronauts to the station. SpaceX officials say they identified all possible causes of the Sept 1 accident during prelaunch testing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and took corrective action. The investigation involved the Air Force, NASA under its administrator Charles Bolden, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, which issued a license for the launch. (AP) Japan aborts mini-rocket mission: Japan s space agency Sunday aborted a mission to use a mini-rocket to send a satellite into orbit after the spacecraft stopped sending data to ground control shortly after liftoff. The SS-520 rocket, which stands around The bald and the bold Eagles resurgence comes at a price PORTLAND, Maine, Jan 15, (AP): The eagle has landed on chickens and rare birds, with talons at the ready. The resurgence of the bald eagle is one of America s greatest conservation success stories. They have come back so strong that in some areas, they are interfering with efforts to preserve more jeopardized species, such as loons and cormorants, wildlife biologists say. And their proliferation is leading to encounters at livestock farms that sometimes end badly and illegally for the eagles. Federal protections mean farmers can do little to keep them away, said Ken Klippen, a poultry scientist and former farmer who heads the National Association of Egg Farmers. It s a fully protected bird. If you have foxes, coyotes, raccoons, a farmer can do something about that, he said. But if it s a bald eagle? His hands are tied. The Pennsylvania Game Commission investigated a case in which an eagle was shot dead in the East Penn Township area in In Steuben County, New York, a sheep farmer and two other people were accused of poisoning sheep carcasses to kill eagles that threatened lambs. And authorities investigated suspicious deaths of 18 bald eagles in Maryland and Delaware last year. Bald eagles were chosen as an American symbol in 1782 and underwent a steep decline in the early and middle 20th century, pushed to the brink of extinction by pesticides, habitat loss and indiscriminate hunting. Arms A 1930 issue of Popular Science stated that the birds had died off so much that it was possible they would soon be seen only on coins and the coat of arms of the United States unless drastic action saved them. Such action came in the form of federal protections, including the 1940 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which prevents almost everyone from so much as disturbing the birds and still stands today. The eagles recovered so much that they were removed from the endangered species list in Today, Audubon Society bird counts show their numbers are climbing, and scientists with the society say they will probably continue to do so. Counters found about 30,000 of them in 2015, more than double the 1995 the size of a power pole, lifted off at 8:33 am (2333 GMT) into a clear sky at the Uchinoura Space Centre in southern Kagoshima Prefecture. The rocket, regarded as one of the smallest units in the world capable of sending satellites into the space, was carrying the three-kilogramme (6.6 pound) TRICOM-1 observation satellite. But officials aborted the mission within minutes of takeoff after the space agency stopped receiving data from the rocket Miracle on the Hudson legacy: nearly 70,000 slaughtered birds NEW YORK, Jan 15, (AP): Birds took the blame for bringing down the jetliner that Sully Sullenberger landed on the Hudson River eight years ago this weekend. They have been paying for it with their lives ever since. An Associated Press analysis of bird-killing programs at the New York City area s three major airports found that nearly 70,000 gulls, starling, geese and other birds have been slaughtered, mostly by shooting and trapping, since the 2009 accident, and it is not clear whether those killings have made the skies safer. Federal data show that in the years after bird-killing programs LaGuardia and Newark airports ramped up in response to the gutsy landing, the number of recorded bird strikes involving those airports actually went up. Combined, the two airports went from an average of 158 strikes per year in the five years before the accident to an average of 299 per year in the six years after it, though that could be due to more diligent reporting of such incidents. At the seaside Kennedy Airport, count. They live in every state but Hawaii. In Maine, where the breeding population of great cormorants is small and efforts to save them are underway, the bald eagles are a problem, said Chris DeSorbo, director of the raptor program at the Biodiversity Research Institute in Portland. Cormorants are seabirds that are widely distributed around the globe, but North America has only a few breeding colonies from Maine to Greenland, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Common loons, decimated by hunting, also sometimes fall victim to eagles and are the subject of repopulation efforts in New England and elsewhere. Eagles are very opportunistic predators. They are going to try to take advantage of an easy meal wherever they can, DeSorbo said. In this case, I think seabird colonies can represent a Musk Bolden which is on a major route for migrating birds and had a robust slaughter program even before the Flight 1549 crash, the number of reported strikes has ticked up, too, while the number of birds killed there has dropped slightly in some recent years. Advocates for the birds say officials should find other, more effective ways to protect aircraft. There has to be a long-term solution that doesn t rely so extensively on killing birds and also keeps us safe in the sky, said Jeffrey Kramer, of the group GooseWatch NYC, suggesting better radar systems to detect problematic flocks. Officials involved in the bird-killing programs say they believe they ve made flying safer, with their strongest argument that there hasn t been a major crash involving a bird strike in the New York area since the Miracle on the Hudson. We do our best to reduce the risk as much as possible, said Laura Francoeur, the chief wildlife biologist at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the airports. There s still a lot of random chance involved. low risk food resource for them. In other areas, the eagles are assuming a role they played centuries ago agricultural pest. And it s not just chickens they re getting. Lee Straw, a Maine farmer who raises sheep on an island, said his weaker lambs sometimes fall prey to eagles. There s nothing you can do, Straw said. It s survival of the fittest anyway. Such predation is to be expected because bald eagles are apex predators, said Mark McCollough, an endangered species biologist with the federal Fish and Wildlife Service. The service doesn t consider it a problem, but rather indicative of the species success at rebuilding. Yes, eagles are having an effect on other species of wildlife, he said. But that s natural. Predation like that probably occurred here hundreds of years ago. after the launch. Local media said data stopped arriving 20 seconds after liftoff. The first stage of the rocket s flight went as planned. However, we were unable to receive [data] from the unit as it continued the flight, the agency said in a statement. The rocket later fell back to earth, landing within a designated safety area in waters off the coast of southeast Japan, according to officials. (AFP)

19 Film Witherspoon, Kidman on changing Hollywood We have to start seeing women on film as they really are LOS ANGELES, Jan 15, (RTRS): For 25 years, I ve been the only woman on set so I had no one to talk to, Reese Witherspoon said, as she sat with her many female co-stars of HBO s Big Little Lies at the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Saturday. They call it the Smurfette syndrome, the Oscar-winner joked of being the sole woman surrounded by many men. Then she quipped: Who gave birth to all these Smurfs? Thanks to Big Little Lies, Witherspoon doesn t have to worry about the Smurfette syndrome. But that s only because she took action and shepherded the project herself, alongside her former producing partner Bruna Papandrea and co-star Nicole Kidman. Based on Liane Moriarty s 2014 novel of the same name, Witherspoon and Kidman who both serve as executive producers and star in the seven-part limited series optioned the book rights through their separate production companies. The A-list duo became invested in the story because of its opportunity to put many diverse women on the screen. I think what was great about reading the novel for the first time is that I saw myself in different stages of motherhood all through my life. I was a mom at 22, I was a mom at I ve been divorced, I ve been re-married. Witherspoon said, speaking of the varying characters, played be herself, Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz and Laura Dern. They showed every spectrum and color of a woman s life. I thought it was incredible to have so many parts for women in one piece of material. I m passionate because things have to change, Witherspoon said at the press event in Pasadena, California. We have to start seeing women on film as they really are... We need to see real women s experiences... The constant incredible talent of women playing wives and girlfriends, I had enough. Kidman said that when she read the book, she related to the female characters, though the comic drama adapted by David E. Kelley centers on a larger-than-life premise: three mothers of kindergartners whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder. This piece is about women helping each other and women supporting each other, which was very important to Reese and I, Kidman noted. I love that it s about women coming together and making something happening very quickly, with friendship being the core of it. Excited Kidman added, We were excited to show the lives of these women in a very authentic way, and yet, entertaining. When asked how she spots projects that she wants to produce, Witherspoon responded, I think the constant question for me is, how am I discovering something about a woman on film that I ve never seen before? With this piece, I feel like it was such a unique opportunity to have women at every age, every color talking about motherhood. That is the common denominator. Motherhood is the great equalizer. Parenthood is a great equalizer. Kravitz also said that she was excited to play a mother something that s a stretch from real life for the actress. I hadn t played a mother yet. And I m not a mother yet, so it felt like new and beautifully interesting territory, Kravitz said. Both Witherspoon, 40, and Kidman, 49, complimented their co-stars Kravitz, 28, and Woodley, 25, with Witherspoon admitting that she was delightedly shocked that the budding actresses wanted to join the project. It s a unique opportunity working with these two beautiful and amazing and incredibly talent young women, Witherspoon said. I couldn t believe you signed on. We were really excited. Interested The cast shared that director Jean-Marc Vallee, who s at the helm all seven episodes, played a huge part in bringing the cast together. Witherspoon said he was less interested in rehearsal and more interested in getting everyone together for dinner. We see each other as humans, Witherspoon explained of the benefit of getting to know her co-stars outside of work. We are on this journey as women. Kidman echoed Witherspoon s sentiment of women supporting other women on set. I m at the stage in my life when I want to work with people that I really like, Kidman said. This is the perfect combination. It s so refreshing to spend time with all of these women, Witherspoon added, giving a nod to her cast for the collective performance, going as far to say, I really feel more strongly than anything I ve ever done, and this is the greatest ensemble experience I ve ever had. Witherspoon hopes that her stellar experience on the HBO series translates off screen into the high-powered offices in Hollywood. Stressing the importance of creating deeper and realistic roles for women, she said, These are the kinds of things the shift consciousness. Variety Features MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2017 LOS ANGELES: Oscar winners Brie Larson and Jennifer Hudson will help announce this year s Academy Award nominees. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Friday revealed the actresses will be among those who announce nominees in 24 categories on Jan 24. Also presenting will be Oscar nominees Jason Reitman and Ken Watanabe and Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Chivo Lubezki. In a departure from previous years, the academy is ditching a live audience for the nomination announcements and will livestream them on its website, Oscars.org. Some of the presentation will also air on Good Morning America. Jimmy Kimmel is hosting this year s ceremony, which will air on Feb 26 on ABC. Larson won the best actress award last year for Room, and Hudson won the supporting actress award in 2007 for Dreamgirls. (AP) LOS ANGELES: Maren Ade s Toni Erdmann was named the top foreign language film at the 28th annual Palm Springs Film Festival. This year s winners were announced at a luncheon on Saturday during the fest, which runs through Jan 16. Erdmann, a German comedydrama starring Peter Simonischek and Sandra Huller, was lauded by the jury of international film critics (FIPRESCI) for its originality, human complexity and unique tonal orchestration that seems natural and uncalculated. It is also an observant look at corporate culture carried by two wonderful performances. Gael Garcia Bernal s turn in Neruda earned him the prize for best actor in a foreign film, while Isabelle Huppert took the actress prize for Elle. Bernal s performance is the heart of the film s tonal shifts, infusing the historical drama with the very poetry of its subject matter, the jury said of the actor. And of Huppert, it commented, Models wear costumes for the Marni s Men s Fall-Winter collection, part of the Milan Fashion Week, unveiled in Milan, on Jan 14. (AP) See Page 21 Her intelligence, self-assurance, and gift for conveying rich emotional tones have never been more strikingly displayed. (RTRS) LOS ANGELES: Hidden Figures faced tough competition from horror film The Bye Bye Man on Friday the 13th, but Film A rare French dramedy set at a medical institution Step by Step a tale of hopes By Elsa Keslassy Fabien Marsaud, aka Grand Corps Malade, is a popular French slam poet who has been filling concert halls across the country and has collaborated with some of France s biggest music stars including Johnny Halliday and Charles Aznavour. But before undertaking this career in music, Marsaud was a promising basketball player whose dreams of becoming a professional athlete got smashed by an accident that left him quadraplegic for some time. Step by Step is the feature film adaptation of his autobiographical novel Patients, a bestseller which chronicles Marsaud s experiences in a physical therapy center where he made true friends and regained, to some extent, the use of his limbs. Step by Step is produced by Mandarin Cinema, the Paris-based outfit behind OSS 117, Les Kairas, Frantz and The Innocents. Gaumont is co-producing, selling and will be distributing in Step by Step in March. As with Intouchables, Gaumont has been orchestrating a vast promotion tour across France for Step and Step and has already garnered strong viral buzz and a positive word-of-mouth, notably among French multiplex exhibitors who gave the film their labels. Some insiders are already comparing Step by Step with Intouchables for its potential to strike a chord among a wide range of audience, from young adult to families from diverse ethnic, social and economic backgrounds. Like the French comedy La Famille Belier, Step by Step opened Sarlat Film Festival and won the audience prize (along with two other awards). It also played on opening night at Arcs Film Festival last month and might be shown at Tribeca. Variety met with Marsaud during the UniFrance Rendez-Vous to discuss about the making of Step by Step and what he hopes to achieve with it. Question: How did you find the strength to revisit this chapter of your life and shoot in the actual physical therapy center where you spent one year? Answer: It happened 20 years and I don t have a bad Larson memory of my time there. Granted, everything that s in the film is based on something I saw or heard but the idea with this film wasn t to make a biopic and find some kind of catharsis. Pablo (Pauly) doesn t really play me, that s why we didn t call him Fabien, and I didn t ask him to imitate me. I wanted to make it a universal tale, one that can speak to many people. More than anything, it s a film about friendship, family, relationships, about hopes, about what it s like to be handicapped and about life in a hospital. Q: So why did you want to adapt your book if it wasn t to talk about your own experience? Aspiring A: I think that, in all objectivity, my story is a very unusual one an aspiring athlete who becomes tetraplegic at 20. I discovered another world at this physical therapy center, I met wonderful people who, like me, had lost their autonomy and it was both very though and very funny at times. I found out that the disabled have a special brand of black humor which is very trash and harsh. Q: It s also one of the rare French dramedies set at a medical institution which shows doctors and nurses in a realistic and non-stereotypical way. A: Yes, we ve been getting such an upbeat feedback from nurses, even nurse schools, physical therapists who told us the film was particularly interesting because it gave them the perspective of patients. The staff described in the movie is based on real people. I didn t mock any one, I tried to describe them with humanity. The character of the physical therapist was an amazing professional and a warm man. Q: It was certainly a challenge to make a film entirely set at a hospital. Did you watch any other medical dramas to give you some ideas about how to work within that constraint and make the film visually appealing? A: With Mehdi, we drew up a list of hospital movies that we wanted to watch and in the end we watched none because we started having ideas and we went with them. For instance, at the beginning of the movie we filmed Ben (the main character) in closeups and fixed shots to reflect Hudson looks to easily hold of all newcomers including Ben Affleck s Live by Night and Monster Trucks on its way to a second straight box office victory over the four-day holiday weekend. After narrowly beating out Rogue One last week, Fox s Hidden Figures earned $5.5 million on Friday from 3,286 locations the fact that he s completely paralyzed, and we gradually shifted to a wide shot once Ben finally regained some autonomy and was able to move around in his wheelchair. We wanted to do some beautiful images and find some natural light even if we were filming in a hospital. Q: Step by Step is anchored by a great cast of fresh talent like Pablo Pauly, who plays your alter ego, Nailia Harzoune, who plays his love interest, and the actors who play your buddies, Soufiane Guerrab, Franck Falise and Moussa Mansaly. It s nice to see new faces in a French comedies. How did you find them? A: It s one of my biggest pride with this film. Mehdi Idir (who co-directed the film) and I really wanted to show new faces that people had not seen before we worked hard to find them, we did a casting for three or four months. We knew that the film would only work if the actors were good, I mean it s not a special effects movie, it s really driven by characters. I m so proud of their performances, I think their careers are going to take off. Q: With the presidential election coming and the rise of the far right in France, Step by Step could also have a positive impact on the perception of minorities namely French-Arabs and black men from under-priviledged suburbs which are usually depicted negatively in films. And to a larger extent, it shows disabled people like we ve never seen them. Was it intentional? A: Yes, it s one of the goals of the film. It s to show very different kinds of disabled people; there are jerks, though ones, nice ones, funny ones. It s just what Soufiane Guerrab s character says in the film: At first, when you re disabled, it becomes your primary identity, and people just perceive you as a disabled person, but reality is much more complex. It s a prejudice that s similar to the one that minorities face because people don t always look beyond appearances. Q: Was it a one shot as a director or do you see yourself directing another film at some point? A: Yes, definitely. I m already thinking about another film with Mehdi Idir! And in parallel, I m pursuing my music. I have a record coming out at the end of the year and I look forward to begin touring again. (RTRS) on its way to four-day total of $28 million. STX s Bye Bye Man made $5.4 million on Friday from 2,220 theaters and should end up with about $15 million by the holiday weekend s end. The horror film is in the mix with returners Sing, La La Land and Rogue One which should all end up in the $15 to $16 million range. CBS Films-Lionsgate s Patriots Day scored decently in its move to wide release after taking $4.1 million on Friday. The movie should end up with about $14 to $15 million this weekend. Open Road s Jamie Foxx police thriller Sleepless made $3 million at 1,803 theaters and should pick up $10 million this weekend. (RTRS)

20 NEWS/FEATURES 20 People & Places Music Bowie for Brit Awards Singer Holliday pulls out of Trump concert PASADENA, California, Jan 15, (Agencies): Broadway star Jennifer Holliday has backed out as a performer at next week s presidential inaugural following protests from her gay and black fans, further dimming the event s already low celebrity wattage. Holliday, best known for her Tony-winning role in Broadway s Dreamgirls, said in an interview Saturday she hadn t considered that singing at a Thursday concert by Washington s Lincoln Memorial would be judged a statement of support for US President-elect Donald Trump. She decided to withdraw at 3:00 am after reading commentary about how her participation was being seen. She apologized for a lack of judgment. It just really hit home for me, she said. The gay community has been a big part of my life and my career. I feel there really wouldn t be a Jennifer Holliday or a Dreamgirls in the 21st Holliday Century without them. I needed to at least hear them out and learn why it would be such a great disappointment for them. Several prominent entertainers have declined to perform at Trump inaugural festivities. Country star Toby Keith, the rock band 3 Doors Down and actor Jon Voight are in the lineup Thursday. Jackie Evancho will sing the national anthem at the inauguration Friday. Holliday said it was painful to read racial epithets, insults such as Uncle Tom and people wishing that she were dead just for singing a song. She had been scheduled to sing the Stephen Foster song Hard Times Come Again No More. I had no idea it would be interpreted as a political statement, she said. That s my fault for not paying attention to what the climate is like in the country right now. Betrayal She cited an article by Kevin Fallon in The Daily Beast, which explained why Holliday s role as Effie in Dreamgirls made her an icon in the gay and lesbian community during the initial AIDS outbreak in the 1980s. In that context, learning Holliday was performing at the inaugural feels like a betrayal, Fallon wrote. It is heartbreaking. Holliday said she wasn t concerned about a social media backlash from Trump supporters, or the president-elect himself. It couldn t be worse than what she had already read from her supporters, she said. US President Barack Obama s inaugurations attracted top names like Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and others, in sharp contrast to those Trump has gathered. But Trump has insisted that s how he wants it, saying the swearing-in festivities should be about the people, not the A-list. Star-studded inaugural events for Obama at the Lincoln Memorial in 2009, and for Bill Clinton in 1993, were televised at the time by HBO, but the network s chairman said Saturday that won t be the case this year. HBO had been contacted shortly after Obama s election to discuss its interest in the inaugural show, and top talent had already committed to the project, said Richard Plepler, the network s chairman and CEO, on Saturday. By contrast, he said the Trump transition team contacted him two weeks ago and wasn t saying anything about performers. I didn t know what the show would be, Plepler said. In order to do one of these things you must have the time and planning and coordination for the kind of production that would make it a good show. He stressed that politics had nothing to do with HBO s decision. Trump s team has made the concert available to air at no cost but no network has publicly come forth to say it would. CNN said Saturday it would cover the event, but it wasn t clear how much will be shown on the air. Meanwhile, the National Mall in Washington could become a sea of bright pink the day after Donald Trump is inaugurated as US president if the vision of a pair of Los Angeles women is realized. For two months, Krista Suh and Jayna Zweiman have called on people around the world to make 1.17 million pink group for those attending the Women s March, a rally on Jan 21 organized with hopes of bringing attention to civil and human rights issues. David Bowie could be in line to receive two posthumous Brit Awards after being shortlisted Saturday for next month s ceremony. Bowie, who died on Jan 10 last year, was nominated for best British male solo artist alongside Craig David, Skepta and Michael Kiwanuka. He was also shortlisted in the British album of the year category for Blackstar, released on his 69th birthday two days before he died. The other nominees are grime artist Skepta for Konnichiwa which won the Mercury Prize for best British album The 1975 s I Like It When You Sleep For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, Kano s Made In The Manor and Kiwanuka for Love and Hate. Britain s top music awards ceremony takes place at the O2 Arena in London on Feb 22, hosted by Canadian crooner Michael Buble. Bowie won the best British male solo artist award in 2014 and in his acceptance speech, read in his absence by supermodel Kate Moss, he urged Scotland to stay in the United Kingdom. Ellie Goulding, Emeli Sande, Anonhni, Lianne La Havas and Nao were nominated in the 2017 best British female solo artist category. Radiohead are up for the best British group award, where they face Little Mix, The 1975, Bastille and Biffy Clyro. The best international group nominees are Drake and Future, Kings of Leon, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, A Tribe Called Quest and Twenty One Pilots. The five shortlisted for best international male solo artist were Bon Iver, Bruno Mars, Drake, Leonard Cohen and The Weeknd. The international female solo artist award sees a sibling rivalry between Beyonce and Solange, who are also competing with Christine And The Queens, Rihanna and Sia. Singer-songwriter Rag n Bone Man has already been named the 2017 critics choice award winner. The statuette to be received by this year s winners was designed by the late British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid. The Brit Award ceremonies have been peppered with colourful incidents. In this May 1, 2016 file photo, an Asian elephant performs during the national anthem for the final time in the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Providence, RI. (AP) Yoshik and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra in concert at Carnegie Hall on Jan 13 in New York City. (AFP) Variety LOS ANGELES: Nicole Kidman says her comments that Americans should support President-elect Donald Trump were merely a statement of her belief in democracy, not an endorsement of the incoming president. The Oscar-winning actress s earlier remarks sparked both criticism and praise online after they were aired by the BBC earlier this week. Kidman tells Access Hollywood that her comments were misconstrued. She says, I was trying to stress that I believe in democracy and the American Constitution, and it was that simple. When an interviewer pressed her for more details, Kidman threw up her hands and said she was done commenting on the topic. Kidman was born in Hawaii to Australian parents and holds dual citizenship in Australia and the US. Kidman won an Oscar for 2002 s The Hours and currently stars in Lion. (AP) LOS ANGELES: US President-elect Donald Trump s impending move to the White House is a huge challenge for comedians, according to Freaks and Geeks producer Judd Apatow, a humorist himself. It s hard to be super funny about it because we all feel we might die, Apatow said during a panel with journalists about the new HBO series Crashing he created with stand-up comic Pete Holmes. Donald Trump can t resist lashing out at Meryl Streep. He s not strong enough to think I look like a leader by not responding, added the Girls series producer. Trump called celebrated actress Streep a Hillary flunky and one of the most overrated actresses in Hollywood after she berated Trump without ever naming him for his divisive rhetoric as she received a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles last week. There are some real situations where he needs to be more thoughtful and quiet, and that s what you can t joke about, Apatow said. (AFP) The big top comes down Ringling Bros closing ELLENTON, Florida, Jan 15, (AP): After 146 years, the curtain is coming down on The Greatest Show on Earth. The owner of the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus told The Associated Press that the show will close forever in May. The iconic American spectacle was felled by a variety of factors, company executives say. Declining attendance combined with high operating costs, along with changing public tastes and prolonged battles with animal rights groups all contributed to its demise. There isn t any one thing, said Kenneth Feld, chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment. This has been a very difficult decision for me and for the entire family. The company broke the news to circus employees Saturday night after shows in Orlando and Miami. Perform Ringling Bros has two touring circuses this season and will perform 30 shows between now and May. Major stops include Atlanta, Washington, Philadelphia, Boston and Brooklyn. The final shows will be in Providence, Rhode Island, on May 7 and in Uniondale, New York, at the Nassau County Coliseum on May 21. The circus, with its exotic animals, flashy costumes and death-defying acrobats, has been a staple of entertainment in the United States since the mid-1800s. Phineas Taylor Barnum made a traveling spectacle of animals and human oddities popular, while the five Ringling brothers performed juggling acts and skits from their home base in Wisconsin. Eventually, they merged and the modern circus was born. The sprawling troupes traveled around America by train, wowing audiences with the sheer scale of entertainment and exotic animals. By midcentury, the circus was routine, wholesome family entertainment. But as the 20th century went on, kids became less and less enthralled. Movies, television, video games and the internet captured young minds. The circus didn t have savvy product merchandising tie-ins LOS ANGELES: Mark Hamill wants the last laugh. The actor, who s voiced the Joker since 1992 s Batman: The Animated Series, Kidman Apatow or Saturday morning cartoons to shore up its image. The competitor in many ways is time, said Feld, adding that transporting the show by rail and other circus quirks such as providing a traveling school for performers children are throwbacks to another era. It s a different model that we can t see how it works in today s world to justify and maintain an affordable ticket price. So you ve got all these things working against it. The Feld family bought the Ringling circus in The show was just under 3 hours then. Today, the show is 2 hours and 7 minutes, with the longest segment a tiger act clocking in at 12 minutes. Try getting a 3- or 4-year-old today to sit for 12 minutes, he said. Feld and his daughter Juliette Feld, who is the company s chief operating officer, acknowledged another reality that led to the closing, and it was the one thing that initially drew millions to the show: the animals. Ringling has been targeted by activists who say forcing animals to perform is cruel and unnecessary. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a longtime opponent of the circus, wasted no time in claiming victory. Protests After 36 years of PETA protests, which have awoken the world to the plight of animals in captivity, PETA heralds the end of what has been the saddest show on earth for wild animals, and asks all other animal circuses to follow suit, as this is a sign of changing times, Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wrote in a statement. Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, acknowledged the move was bittersweet for the Felds but said: I applaud their decision to move away from an institution grounded on inherently inhumane wild animal acts. In May of 2016, after a long and costly legal battle, the company removed the elephants from the shows and sent the animals to live on a conservation farm in Central Florida. released another recording on Saturday of himself reading Donald Trump s tweets in the voice of the cartoon villain. Am I the ONLY one man enough to confront this #OverratedFlunkyLoser without resorting to an ad hominem assault? Hamill tweeted with a link to the audio. Hamill s tweets of choice? The ones Trump rattled off after the Golden Globes which said that, Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesn t know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes. He also called her a Hillary flunky who lost big. Steep gave a speech while accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award during the ceremony that prompted the attack. While she did not mention him by name, Streep denounced Trump s instinct to humiliate and referenced the time he mimicked a disabled reporter during a campaign rally. Hamill hit the recording studio last week as well to wish everyone a Happy New Year a la Trump as the Joker. With a little help... Got the app to send out my 1st soundbite, he tweeted last Saturday. Stay tuned for I am #TheTrumpster. Chances are there will be more dramatic readings to come. (RTRS) LOS ANGELES: HBO s Paolo Sorrentino-directed miniseries The Young Pope is a visually opulent feast, an examination (per Sorrentino) of the solitude that comes along with power and a meditation on the nature of God. But with a title like that, and with Jude Law as the eponymous youthful head of the Catholic Church, it has naturally turned into one of the few fun things on Twitter these days. Law does not have a real Twitter presence, and so had missed the first big wave of Young Pope Twitter memes, until various members of the press enlightened him, Law explained to reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour on Saturday morning in Pasadena, California. Having spent the last week in New York and here doing lots of press, I ve Law become very aware, he said. I didn t even know what a meme was. But they re very funny and imaginative. Tweet volume does not actually correspond in a statistically meaningful way to TV ratings, but Law is looking at the deluge with an upbeat attitude. I hope it will just provoke and prompt interest, Law said, adding that screenings in Europe had large, young audiences, and memes tend to be the province of the young. (RTRS) LONDON: Victor Lownes, a former executive of Playboy who helped forge the brand s hedonistic ethos and put much of the swing into the Swinging London era, has died at 88. Friend Barbara Haigh, a former bunny girl at London s Playboy Club, said Lownes died in his sleep Wednesday at a London hospital after suffering a heart attack at a New Year s party. Haigh called Lownes a total gentleman, adding he was the best boss anyone could ever have wished for. Born in Buffalo, New York, in 1928, Lownes met Hugh Hefner at a Chicago party in the 1950s and recognized a kindred spirit. Lownes went to work for Hefner s new Playboy magazine, whose blend of sophistication and titillation was a recipe for riches in the increasingly permissive but firmly male-dominated times. The first Playboy Club opened in Chicago in 1960, offering live music and comedy, alongside cocktails served by hostesses in bustiers and bunny ears a costume based on Playboy s tuxedo-wearing bunny logo. In the 1960s, Lownes traveled to Britain to open Europe s first Playboy Club, complete with a casino, in London s Park Lane. Its opening night in 1966 drew an elite crowd that included Julie Christie, Woody Allen and Rudolf Nureyev; Beatles and aristocrats were soon among its clientele. Lownes became a pillar of London nightlife, holding epic parties at his home in the city and later at Stocks House, an 18th-century country mansion where he installed Britain s largest hot tub and set up a training camp for Playboy bunnies. An unapologetic hedonist, he is credited with an entry in the Oxford Dictionary of Humorous Quotations: What is a promiscuous person? It s usually someone who is getting more sex than you are. (AP) LOS ANGELES: Based on Diana B. Henriques book of the same name, HBO s upcoming film The Wizard of Lies tells the story of Bernie Madoff, the Wall Street con man whose Ponzi scheme bilked $65 billion from clients. The film s star, Robert De Niro, was asked Saturday at the Television Critics Association winter press tour whether he thought Madoff was a sociopath. The only thing that I feel is that his kids didn t know and his wife didn t know, De Niro said. What he did is beyond my comprehension. So there s a disconnect somehow that I still would like to understand. Henriques, however, came down firmly on the question. Yes, she said, when asked if she thought Madoff was a sociopath. I don t think you can conduct your life with such a lack of empathy for the devastation that your causing without meeting that fairly spongy definition. Henriques served as a consultant on the film, which Barry Levinson directed. Levinson said that, despite De Niro s presence, the film would have been difficult to do as a theatrical feature. The business is rapidly changing, Levinson said. Theatrical is going one way. We re seeing the cable world, seeing HBO delving into subjects that are not happening. Executive producer Jane Rosenthal said that cable made more sense as a platform for the film. (RTRS) BEIJING: China s conglomerate Wanda, owned by the country s richest man, said its turnover fell by 14 percent in 2016 despite a surge in receipts in the entertainment sector where it has multiplied its investments. Wanda, which is owned by Wang Jianlin and has been on a high-profile overseas acquisition spree in recent years, said it had recorded a decline in revenue for the first time in at least eleven years. The group did not provide a detailed breakdown, but in 2015 it reported revenues of billion yuan, which would imply a turnover of roughly 250 billion yuan (34 billion euros) in Wanda pointed to a sharp slowdown in commercial real estate, to an oversupply of shopping malls in Chinese cities, and to an overcrowded online market to explain the drop in revenue. Commercial real estate revenues fell by 25 percent in 2016, according to a statement released by the group on Saturday, but added that the company had opened 50 new Wanda Plazas. (AFP)

21 NEWS/FEATURES 21 MILAN a guy thing Marni Dirk Bikkembergs Emporio Armani Dolce&Gabbana D&G court millennials The new princes MILAN, Jan 15, (AP): If turmoil brings innovation and renovation, Italian menswear is in for a creative burst. Fashion houses are continuing their reboot of Milan Fashion Week menswear offerings, with notables like Bottega Veneta and Gucci sitting out this round, preferring to combine menswear and womenswear previews next month. That is making room for a plethora of newcomers. The data indicates that menswear is worth the re-think. Euromonitor market research forecasts that between now and 2020, growth in sales for men s attire and accessories globally will outpace that of women. Last year alone, Italian menswear produced 9 billion euros in revenue. Here are some highlights Saturday of menswear previews for next fall and winter on the first day of Milan Fashion Week: Dolce&Gabbana Dolce&Gabbana have one-upped themselves, moving the young millennial crowd that has populated their front row in recent seasons onto the runway. Pop star Austin Mahone, dapper in a tux with tapered legs, set the mood, dancing up and down the runway throughout the show, making the moves on the ladies, who included Sylvester Stallone s three daughters. Dolce&Gabbana s show was titled The New Princes and it s clear that they are catering to a young, selfie-savvy generation bred on social media. In an ultimate branding move, the designing pair created a pair of faceq app-like images of themselves on jackets and sweaters. Alongside the brand s trademark tailored suits, the new collection includes zany plush animal head hoods or backpacks, and Rasta knit hats or crowns over baseball caps, fun-loving Harajuku touches for a generation that prizes its juvenile side. Jeans and jackets were covered with appliques, with royal motifs from crowns to hearts emerging as decorative emojis. Versace The new Versace man is both a traveler who means business and a sportsman who knows how to relax. His suits fit close to the body, paired with dark glasses and two-toned sneakers, topped with double-breasted overcoats, knitted blanket jackets or belted trenches. After hours, he relaxes with hoodies under bomber jackets, worn with the day s trousers or athletic pants. And on the weekend, he hits the outdoors in plaid shirts and shearling coats. Models crisscrossed the runway beneath arched gates, suggesting a Middle Eastern market. The exotic vibe also was reflected in ethnic patterns that cut diagonally along jackets, or were put tile-like on bombers. Versace s neoclassic Greek patterns were replaced this round with photographic prints of classical sculptures. This is a collection about the different tribes of Versace men, Donatella Versace wrote in show notes, and the powerful positivity that can happen when men from different places, different cultures join together. Marni Marni has taken a rumpled, colorful turn. The new Marni man, as imagined by creative director Francesco Risso in his debut season, is something of a light-hearted vagabond. The brand s heritage fur appears in hats that have the appearance of colorful wigs, as square tufts on jacket sleeves, wisps on collars and finally, in their full glory, as fluffy overcoats. Variety LOS ANGELES: After 40-plus years in the music business, a man s gonna have some stories. Veteran music mogul Jimmy Iovine, now head of Apple Music, charmed the Television Critics Association press tour crowd on Saturday with tales of his time in Emporio Armani the trenches with everyone from Dr Dre to John Lennon to U2. Iovine s partnership with Dre is the subject of the HBO documentary The Defiant Ones, directed by Allen Hughes and set to premiere in the spring. Iovine recalled his first meeting with Dre, not long after Iovine had launched his Interscope Records banner in What impressed him most was the quality of the sound Dre managed to capture on his landmark Death Versace Row Records recording The Chronic. The low frequencies emanating from the subwoofers that help define the hip-hop had been a huge challenge to capture as a recording. But to Iovine, Chronic sounded like Pink Floyd s The Wall or Sgt Pepper, he recalled. I said Who did this? Who engineered this? When Iovine learned that Dre engineered the recording himself, Iovine knew he was Versace Emporio Armani Emporio Armani Fashion Dolce&Gabbana Above and below: Models present creations by Emporio Armani; Versace; Dolc&Gabbana; Marni and Dirk Bikkembergs during the Men s Fall- Winter Fashion Week on Jan 15. (AFP) chance to spend an evening with British actor Idris Elba after he auctioned himself off to raise money for an African girls charity. I d like you to be my Valentine. That s right love, just you and me. No-one else around, just us, Elba said while sipping champagne in a video posted on website Omaze, which raises money for charities through celebrity experiences. By donating money to charity W.E. Can Lead, members of the public are eligible to win a candlelit meal with the actor, according to Omaze. Proceeds from the auction will help finance the charity s aim of offering mentorship, educational support and leadership skills to teenaged girls in Sierra Leone. immensely talented. I fell in love with the music, he said. The documentary focuses on the odd-couple relationship between Iovine and Dre, who came from very different background but clicked on a level that transcended race, age and experience. (RTRS) LONDON: Lonely hearts this Valentine s Day will have a unique Lennon Elba Elba, best known for his role in US television series The Wire, was last year named as one of the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hands out the Oscars. The actor, whose father is from Sierra Leone, is one of the frontrunners to be cast as the next James Bond, the fictional British spy movie franchise. (RTRS) NEW DELHI: Madame Tussauds unveiled a waxwork of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan last Thursday ahead of the museum s opening later this year in the Indian capital of New Delhi. Bachchan, 74, is one of Indian cinema s most revered and influential actors and has been a mainstay on screens for five decades. We looked at the culture and of course, we have a lot of Indian visitors in our existing attractions as well. Their feedback is so positive... that we said we need to be there, Marcel Kloos, Merlin Entertainments director of new openings in emerging markets said. Guests at the unveiling photographed themselves alongside Bachchan, as well as with a waxwork of American popstar Lady Gaga. The Delhi branch above the city centre s famed Regal Cinema is India s first Madame Tussauds, the museum s twenty-third globally and its ninth in Asia, where a growing middle class are prepared to pay to see wax figures of their favourite stars. (RTRS) PARKES: Elvis may have left the building almost 40 years ago, but he and several clones have just arrived on a train chugging into Parkes railway station from Sydney, marking the start of the 25th Parkes Elvis Festival in the southeastern Australian town. For five days in early January, the King of Rock and Roll lives on in this celebration of all things Elvis, including a tribute contest, a Miss Priscilla lookalike competition, a parade and gala dinner, and even a renewal of vows ceremony presided over by Elvis himself. This year, the iconic festival is themed after Elvis classic 1964 film Viva Las Vegas, with fans donning not only rhinestone-studded jumpsuits and their best wigs, but also sequins and feathers, as buskers entertain the crowds. (RTRS)

22 22 Somethin different gardening By Lee Reich Early winter is when poinsettias come into the limelight, showing off their colors in homes and shop windows. But a poinsettia is more than just seasonally flamboyant. To check out more of this plant s botanical flair, set your holiday poinsettia on a table in good light so that you can look closely at its flowers. The flowers are not those large, red, leaf-like structures; those are just that modified leaves called bracts. The bracts are for attracting pollinating insects. The flowers are in the cyathiums, the little, greenish, cup-shaped structures above the bracts. Each cyathium contains a single female flower surrounded by a harem of males. Pluck a cyathium from the plant and slice it in half from top to bottom. A magnifying glass helps here. You ll see the cyathium s inner wall is lined with numerous tiny flowers This undated photo shows a poinsettia flower in New Paltz, New York. (AP) which, when the flower is mature, protrude up through the cup s opening. These are all male flowers. You might also see a stalk attached to the very bottom of the cyathium, protruding up through the cup opening and capped by what looks like a turban. That is the female flower. On the outside of the cyathium is a single yellow gland that looks like the mouth of a fish poised to ingest food. Next time a friend comments on the beauty of your poinsettia flower, take out a magnifying glass and examine a few cyathiums before looking up and nonchalantly agreeing. Have you ever wondered how stores always manage to have blooming poinsettias for the holiday season? The poinsettia can be fooled into blooming at any time of year merely by exposing it to artificially shortened days. Along with chrysanthemums and most strawberries, poinsettia is a short-day plant. That is, short days induce it to form flower buds. ( Short-day plants actually are responding to long nights, but the phenomenon was originally thought to depend on day length, and the term stuck.) To bloom for Christmas, commercial poinsettias are given artificially long nights by being covered with shade cloth. You can use this trick to make your poinsettia bloom again whenever you want. But first, your plant needs a rest. In the next few weeks, dropping leaves and fading flowers will tell you that it wants to be left alone, kept slightly cool, and watered just enough to keep its stems from shriveling. The plant should start to perk up in about April. Shorten the stems and give it good light preferably outdoors, once the weather warms and fertilizer and water as needed. In late summer, move the plant back indoors, to a sunny window. Begin the light treatment three months before you would like the plant to bloom. Make sure it gets 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness daily by moving it into a dark closet or covering it with an opaque bag. Uninterrupted darkness means just that; even a flash of light during the plant s night will be read as two shorter nights. After eight weeks, flower buds will be evident, and you should have a blooming poinsettia within a month. If you want bloom for Christmas next year, start the light treatment in the middle of September. Poinsettia, like other members of the spurge family, oozes a white sap when its leaves or stems are cut. That sap is bitter and irritating, and can cause stomach upset but, contrary to popular myth, it is unlikely to be fatally toxic to a dog or cat. (AP) Food click Alcoholics Anonymous: If you know someone who can t stop drinking and would like to help them please check us out and we promise to try to help at There are no fees. This is a genuine public service. Drinking problem?: Friends of Bill W. are available to help. Totally confidential. rohsecretary@gmail.com Narcotics Anonymous: NA can help with addiction problems. Totally confidential: English/Arabic. Cancer online support group: If you are Cancer patient or family member fighting with this deadly disease, come join our online support group. Best way of dealing with this disease is providing support and share our experience with each other. There are lot of things which even doctors can t tell so be member of this website and start sharing your experiences which may help others. October is recognized as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). The primary purpose is to promote self examination and screening mammography as the most effective way to save lives by detecting breast cancer at early stage. For more information visit: This Nov 9, 2015 file photo shows breaded cauliflower cutlets with marinara sauce in Concord, New Hampshire. (AP) Turn your healthy eating resolution into reality Ready for breaded cutlets of a different kind? By Sara Moulton Let s say that one of your New Year s resolutions is to eat healthier and lose some weight. Join the crowd, right? In practice, what we probably mean among other things is that we plan to eat more vegetables and less meat. It s a challenge. But if you try this dish a wonderful vegetarian version of breaded veal (chicken) cutlets swimming in a marina sauce you will see how easy and satisfying it can be to turn a resolution into reality. You start by slicing a whole head of cauliflower into cutlets. The idea is to end up with thick slabs of the vegetable. One easy method for doing this is to cut the head in half down the center, then turn each half on its cut side and cut the halves into 1/2-inch-thick slabs. There will always be a few loose bits from the ends, but those also can be breaded and cooked as described below. You ll want to take care with the breading, too. It s a three-step process: dust the steaks lightly with cornstarch, coat them well with an egg mixture, then finish them with a layer of breadcrumbs. This is standard operating procedure among culinary pros. The three layers provide a more substantial crust than any other single coating or combo of coatings. Now it s time to brown your vegetable cutlets. You could do it in a skillet just as you would a breaded meat cutlet but that would require a ton of oil (those breadcrumbs just soak it up). And remember, it s the new year and you re on a new path. So we bake them instead, which requires a lot less oil. The key is to place the cutlets fairly close to the heat source. In my electric oven that s the top of the stove. If they re not properly browned at the end of the prescribed cooking time, just leave them in the oven a little longer. Then dig in. The biggest flavor is going to come from the marinara sauce. Your brain likely won t care at all whether the cutlet is veal or vegetable. But your body will thank you. Breaded Cauliflower Cutlets with marinara Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (45 minutes active) Servings: 4 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tsp minced garlic; 1 large head cauliflower; 3 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1/2 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt; 1 tsp kosher salt, divided; 1/2 cup cornstarch; 1-3/4 cups panko breadcrumbs; 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese; 1-1/2 Sought-after product in culinary world Prized Maine scallops surge to record price PORTLAND, Maine, Jan 15, (AP): Maine s scallops have surged to a record high price at the docks this winter after several years of rising in value, according to fishing regulators in the state. Fishermen harvest Maine scallops with dragging boats or by hand while diving in frigid waters. The scallops are selling for about $13.50 per pound at the dock, the scallop manager for the state Department of Marine Resources said. In 2015, they sold for $12.70, which was a record, and more than three times the price in The state s scallops are sought after in the culinary world and typically sell for about $20 to $25 per pound to customers, which is slightly more than other sea scallops. This year s high prices are a boon to fishermen, who seem to be catching about the same amount as last year, said Dana Black, a fisherman out of Blue Hill. He said fishermen have been able to catch large, meaty scallops that are especially prized by buyers. cups speedy marinara (recipe below) or store-bought marinara, heated. Heat the oven to 400ºF. In a small bowl, combine the oil and the garlic. Set aside. Pull off any leaves from the stem end of the cauliflower and trim off just enough of the stem so the cauliflower stands flat on the counter. Slice the cauliflower head in half down the center top to bottom. One at a time, set each half onto its cut side. Starting from one end of each half, slice crosswise to create 1/2-inch-thick slices. This will yield 3 to 4 cutlets from the center of each half, with the small ends being chunks. The chunks can be prepared as the cutlets, or reserved for another use. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, 3 tbsp of water and 1/2 tsp of the salt. On a sheet of kitchen parchment, combine the cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt, In this Dec 17, 2011 file photo, five-inchwide scallops are sorted on a fishing boat off Harpswell, Maine. (AP) stirring the mixture with a fork to combine. On a second sheet of parchment, combine the panko with the cheese, stirring with a fork. One at a time, coat the cauliflower cutlets (and trimmings, if using) on both sides with the cornstarch, knocking off the excess. Next, dip each in the egg mixture, coating them on both sides and letting the excess drip off. Finally, coat them with the panko mixture, patting the crumbs on well. Set aside. Strain the garlic oil through a mesh strainer, pressing hard on the garlic to get out all the oil. Discard the garlic (or reserve for another use). On a rimmed baking sheet, spread half of the oil in an even coating. Set the baking sheet on the oven s top shelf and heat for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and quickly arrange the prepared cauliflower on it in a single layer. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, drizzle the This year shouldn t be any less than last year in fact, it could be better, Black said. Scallop season in Maine runs from December to April, with December often a busy month. But bad weather this December held back some of the fleet from getting on the water. The state is affording fishermen extra days at sea to compensate. Maine s scallop fishery is a small piece of the worldwide industry based around the shellfish. The US scallop fishery, based mostly in Massachusetts, Virginia and New Jersey, was worth more than $400 million last year. The fishery in Maine collapsed a little more than 10 years ago before rebuilding in the wake of conservation efforts. Fishermen caught more than 450,000 pounds of the scallops last year, the third highest total since One of the reasons price for the scallops is up is because dealers are offering more money by the pound for especially big scallops, which appear more plentiful this year, said Trisha Cheney, the scallop manager for the state marine department. That s really indicative of a healthy resource, she said. tops of the cauliflower evenly with the remaining oil, turn them over, then bake for another 15 minutes. Divide the cauliflower among 4 serving plates, then serve topped with marinara. Speedy marinara Start to finish: 35 minutes (10 minutes active) Makes about 2-1/2 cups 2 large cloves garlic, smashed; 1 tbsp extravirgin olive oil; Hefty pinch red pepper flakes; 28-ounce can plum tomatoes (preferably fireroasted), chopped; kosher salt. In an unheated medium saucepan, combine the garlic and the oil. Turn the heat to medium and cook, turning over the garlic several times, until it is just golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and a hefty pinch of salt, then bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook at a brisk simmer until the sauce is reduced to about 2-1/2 cups, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the garlic. Season with salt. (AP) Latest Invitation to Grand Mosque: The Visits Department is pleased to invite you to visit the Grand Mosque, which is one of Kuwait s most treasured religious and cultural landmarks to discover the beauty of Islamic arts and architecture. Free guided tours are available all year round on official working days between (9-11 am) and (5-7 pm), within a special tour program designed to cater to the needs of different age groups. The program is as follows: Reception; Auditorium show; (according to age group); Touring the Mosque; Q & A; Art workshops; (according to age group between 5 and 18 years old); Snack break; Distribution of the Grand Mosque publications and souvenirs; End of tour. According to these age groups: Age group: 5 to 9 years old: Morning: 60 visitors max; Evening: 20; 10 to 15 years: Morning: 100 visitors max; Evening: 45; 16 and above: Morning: 140 visitors max, Evening: 105: Tour language: Arabic- English- French; Arabic (English upon prior request); Arabic- English- French; Arabic (English upon prior request); Arabic- English- French: Arabic (English upon prior request) Rules and Regulations: Please arrive in time for your visit. All visitors are kindly required to abide by the mosque s dress code. Male visitors should wear long pants. Shorts and sleeveless shirts are not allowed. Female visitors: should wear head cover and long loose clothing (available at the mosque). Foods and drinks are not allowed inside the prayer halls. For school visits, teachers are responsible for their students and are required to cooperate with the staff members of the Grand Mosque. Photography is allowed inside the Grand Mosque (please note that disrespectful poses are strictly prohibited). If you would like to book a tour, please contact us: Tel: / / gmvisits@gmail.com Fax: Chinese Embassy notice: Please be noted that effective starting today, the photo used in a Chinese visa application must meet the requirements (For details, please visit the website of Chinese embassy org/eng/). Application with non-compliant photos will not be processed. Thank you for your attention and cooperation. IEI Kuwait Chapter membership: The Institution of Engineers (India), Kuwait chapter invites all its members to update their membership information for the year and actively participate in the chapter activities. Indian engineers residing in Kuwait are welcome to join the pool of more than 700,000 engineers by becoming corporate or non-corporate members of The Institution of Engineers (India). IEI, Kuwait Chapter conducts many technical events for the benefit of its members. Please watch for the upcoming events in your registered or announcement in the media. The chapter has science club activities for member s children, and ladies wing activities for the member s family. IEI, Kuwait chapter has facility to register student members for AMIE Examination for those interested in pursuing career enrichment. Continued on Page 24

23 23 Become a man of values Sparsh-instilling the essence of benevolence at ICSK Senior KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Values are guiding principles or standards of behaviour, which are regarded desirable, important and held in high esteem by a particular society in which a person lives. As a premier institution in Kuwait, The Indian Community School Senior aims at convincing and humanizing the magnitude of moral values among students in this postmodern technologically advanced world. Students must love their own values in life; to build a strong character as it will help them to lead their life as it should be lead. It is an inevitable factor for the fulfillment of life s purpose. To initiate the feelings of empathy and to instill in the students the maxim Try not to become a man of success, rather become a man of values, the school has initiated many activities. Sparsh is an activity initiated by ICSK Senior to sensitize the students on the sufferings and undue discrimination around them. Through this activity, students are encouraged to visit, share, contribute and understand the sufferings of the people around. They visit old age homes, orphanages, schools for the disabled children, cancer centres etc as a part of this. They make cards and sing and dance with them so that they can spread smiles on their faces. They distribute food, toys and clothing so that they can lend a helping hand to the disadvantaged people of the society. Short video clippings on their visits are screened and appreciated at the school to encourage participation by all. They also take up other socially relevant activities such as planting trees, elimination of plastics, cleanliness drive, conduct health education classes, take seminar on hygiene to villagers, take classes for street children etc. Group discussions and seminars were also conducted as a part of this. Sparsh the value based activity envisaged and pioneered by Dr V. Binumon, the Principal Indian Community School, (Senior) Kuwait was successfully presented on Jan 4, amidst much enthusiasm and goodwill. The motive behind such a presentation was to inculcate strong values in the young students of Indian Community School. All the videos presented were original for its reference to the values which added to the quality of life. Every single video was exceptional in their depiction of the deepest involvement of the children in the activity chosen by them. The videos also deeply affected the children present as audience in such a way that many were moved beyond words. A photo from the event Three months of summer vacation were utilized to complete this project. It was not merely to imbibe values but also tone up other skills like confidence measured body language, interactive skills, team co-operation and coordination which will enhance a child s personality. Evaluated by experienced judges who are sensitive to the cause of humanitarianism, the video presentation ushered in a new era of value based education. The Judges Mrs Ayesha Famy, Mrs Aasia Baig and Mrs Indira Radhakrishnan shared the views on upholding values there by resulting in the culmination of an exceptional endeavor of value based education. An initiative like this from ICSK has definitely helped the students evolve into better human beings with a mind set to give rather than to receive. In the Senior Secondary Level, Venessa Emilia Suares of class XII C secured the First position, the Second Position is shared by Abisha Abinesar of class XI A and Sneha Sridharan of class XI D. The Third Position is shared by Anikah Anna, Bertin Paul, Meril Susan, Thansiha Khatoon class XI E and Anamika Anil Kumar class XII B. In the Secondary Level, Alma Trisa Sunil of class VIII A bagged the First Position and the Second Position was shared by two groups Sonal Ghosh, Amreen Amanullah, Cleona Fernandes, Breanne Banze, Eman Hashimof class IX & Moses Kurien, Reshma Sarah Mathews, Rithika Raghupathy, Aleena Ann Daniel, Cliffton George Daniel of class X A. Abhijit Satheesh of class X C & Fiona Francis Fernandes of class VIII B shared the Third Position.

24 24 High note Cezary s Picks Matana s Coin Coin a musical monument By Cezary Owerkowicz Special to the Arab Times The beginning of President Obama s term was also a turning point for some artists in the States, the beginning of a new époque without discrimination post-racism époque. A historical moment is a temptation for historical scale projects and dreams. One of the dreamers became New York s sound experimentalist, jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and improviser Matana Roberts. She found that such a turning point is a good moment to look back at the history of the States. She started to plan the Wagnerian scale project to narrate the history of her country using music. The history of such giant is long, rich and complicated difficult to put into one CD album than what she planned ambitiously from the beginning series of 12 albums. Easy to say, not so to play but she started. America always looks for new ways to square with Owerkowicz its history, she says. We passed a long time since the period of segregation and lynches. However, I am not only an advocate of Afro-Americans and I do not accept their exclusivity on this history. My work from one side represents from the other side the questions widely understood as Americanism. She marked her competence in that subject through the title of the cycle, Coin Coin. This is the nickname of Marie Therese Metoyer - an Afro-American heroine and liberated slave. In the 18th century, Louisiana established a community for other liberated slaves. It was a nickname that Matana got from her parents as a child. Why? Was it by chance? Not really. Her grandfather grew up as an orphan in a similar community led by Metoyer. It explains why Coin Coin became the girl s first heroine. After several years of searching the history of her family s roots simultaneously with the history of Afro-American saxophonist, Roberts made the subject of a musical serial. Ensemble For the time being, Matana released every two years (2011, 2013, 2015) three parts of the cycle: the first album, Gens De Couler Libres, was recorded live with an ensemble of 14 musicians; the second, Mississippi Moonchile, with six musicians was recorded in a studio; and the third, River Run Thee, is a solo (Constellation). Three other chapters are in the preparation stage. Matana composes pieces and collects documentation as far back as half of the 18th century. She discovered family traces in South regions known for major racism tension; her grandmothers came from Mississippi and Memphis while her grandfather was from Louisiana. In the first album, Matana personified Metoyer, saying black girls were sold even on auction. The third reminds us of the not so well-known story about George Lydiard Sulivan, captain of the British Royal Navy who hunted for hunters, tacked slave hunters, and liberated them for five years. That story is described in the logbook edited in 1873 as, Dhow Chasing in Zanzibar Waters. The South is beautiful and I wanted to see it with my own eyes, she said. My ancestry is one of the sources of this project; it motivated me to make the next attempts, searching and efforts. In River Run Thee, there are saxophone, synthesizers and piano as well as local records from Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana. Into vocalizations, she intersperses fragments of talks, current US anthem and the previous, My Country, Tis of Thee or Stephen Foster s Beautiful Dreamer. Taking from different traditions, Roberts music describes the fate of her family: From the South, they moved to Chicago. Her mother grew up in the Southern workers district, and her father, in the poor district on the West Side. Most of his friends went to prison and he was told to get a job at Campbell Soup Factory. The uncles and cousins History on saxophone studied in order to avoid contact with police. She got her passion for music from her family. Her grandmother took her to the Opera, parents arranged music education and music was present at home all the time. Matana has been playing clarinet since she was eight years old and dreamed of playing in an orchestra but switched to saxophone later. Aside from music at home, there were talks about politics and she read history of the South while working at the library (NB together with the widow of Malcolm X). Matana was fascinated by the Riot Grrrl movement and was involved in improvised sessions of the Association for Advancement of Creative Musicians where she met the cream of rack and jazz society in Chicago. Matana composes music with pictures. It started to be one of the favorite techniques when she moved to New York in Besides many great musicians, she met sculptors, video artists and film makers. She also uses graphic notation of music - Anthony Braxton, or earlier, Sun Ra. She exposes music links with John Cage, John Zorn, LaMonte Young or Brian Eno in addition to visual artists Romare Bearden or Jean-Michele Basquiat so her albums are graphic creations as well. Information The cover of Coin Coin album is a collage of old photos, documents and abstract painting. Music substance is also a collage. Roberts describes her composing process as panoramic soundquilting. NB: Quilting - sewing different fabrics together in the 19th century American tradition had double meaning: coding information on underground railway system as a way to escape for slaves. Matana recalls that quilted fabrics were from fragments of used clothes of family members. It was like a family album of untypical photos. (I would never imagine it!) She opened the last album with the words: I like to tell the story. The most interesting for me are stories about how people deal with social obstacles emanating from the face and gender, and how they overcame them. A major part of American history was built through word of mouth or narration. Music improvisation is based on spun out stories, it means the next aspect of my work. It seems to be something always present in my life. I like to share stories but I also admire abstract narration. The next part was built from the life story of Roberts including her social activities. She is deeply involved as she organizes meetings and debates regularly. During summer, she was actively involved in open-ended public explorations as part of an extended residency. She entitled the series, I Call America, at Whitney Museum; based on America Is Hard to See exhibition. She loves personal contacts and hashtag activism especially in social actions. On Twitter, she writes tens of posts daily. She wants to be in touch with her audience and familiarize herself with social problems which, in her opinion, are essential. During her trip to the South, she established a blog and released c-a 800 photos (from 5,000 done). It is possible to follow her archive and Internet stories on #southsojourn2014. What is the real aim of her ambitious cycle of records? When I started Coin Coin, my mother called it a musical monument of human experience - I still believe that it is the right description, says Matana. Through my work, I try to develop myself as an artist and a citizen. I am eager to follow the fate of that young lady, Matana Roberts, as an artist and citizen (activist). How successful she would be with her unique projects? Aside from my eagerness to know, is it possible to write (or tell) history through saxophone (or any other instrument)? Editor s Note: Cezary Owerkowicz is the chairman of the Kuwait Chamber of Philharmonia and talented pianist. He regularly organises concerts by well-known musicians for the benefit of music lovers and to widen the knowledge of music in Kuwait. His address is: and cowerkowicz@hotmail.com (From left): Ayman Al-Ali, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Journalism Excellence Award; Glen Mulcahy, the guest speaker; and Dr Amir Zeid, Director of RISE Center Glen Mulcahy Dr Amir Zeid Lecture throws light on future of disruption in media AUK s RISE holds lecture on VR, AI & Mobile KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: The Center for Research in Informatics, Sciences and Engineering at the American University of Kuwait presented a lecture entitled, Mobile, VR & AI the Future of Disruption in Media presented by the renowned Glen Mulcahy, Head of Innovation at RTE, Irish national broadcaster, and founder of the MOJOCON conference for mobile journalism. The lecture gave a fresh perspective on how technology is incorporated in media, journalism and news reporting. The lecture has been facilitated by the Organizing Committee of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Journalistic Award. RISE Director Dr Amir Zeid gave his welcoming remarks noting that nowadays, technology is finding its way into everything, with media and news reporting being no different. Taking over, Mulcahy began to clarify that broadcasters in click Latest Continued from Page 22 For more information and on chapter membership, kindly contact IEI, Kuwait chapter office on extn. 314 between 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm (Sunday through Thursday) or through to ieikwt@hotmail. com. You may also contact Engr Ashok Kumar ( ) or Engr Karthikeyan ( ) for any further clarification. Share your story with Amricani: Do you or any of your family members, acquaintances or friends happen to have a story with the American Missionary hospital in Kuwait (Mustashfa Lemraicani) during the years from , the official period of offering medical services in Kuwait? Please share with us your story or your memory during those old days by writing the event and sending it to the following address: Mystory@darmuseum.org.kw Notes: 1. Please send your story only to the above mentioned . Story shared in Instagram, Facebook or Twitter will not be considered. 2. Please write your story or memory and sign it with your full name, and your contact number. 3. It will be great if you send us your personal photos or those of the place related to the story (optional). Your story will be part of a new book to be published by DAI. I am confident that your contributions will be an essential part of the history of Amricani. Share with us! Jan 20 Santhwanam Anniversary & AGM: Indian voluntary organization Santhwanam Kuwait announces its 16th most places are not catching up fast enough with new trends; they not only tend to ignore them, but they are in denial, taking no effective action to address them. Mulcahy aims to empower journalists to be complete storytellers on their own, as opposed to relying on a full crew. Technology has advanced to the level that regular consumer products are competent enough to produce broadcast-quality reports. This not only saves money, but even the paperwork required for authorizations and permits are drastically reduced from a broadcaster s perspective. Futuristic Moving on to newer and more futuristic technologies, the speaker then discussed 360 recording cameras and the impact of VR (Virtual Reality). Viewers are no longer bound by the fixed angle that the producers want them to Anniversary-cum-Annual General Body Meeting on Friday, Jan 20, 2017 at Abbasiya United Indian School Auditorium at 5:00 pm. Since its inception in 2001 the organization has surged forward to a state wide presence with medical relief to more than 8500 poor patients and underprivileged families in India. It has helped many Indian expat patients in Kuwait for repatriation and further support for medical treatment. Every month the organization extends helping hand to an average of 80 poor patients and less privileged people in the society with medical treatment aid, basic living support, self-employment initiatives, etc. Many more are benefitted through other various special social welfare programs designed for each year. These special projects are chosen in view of their beneficial impact to a large number of people to whom the organization cannot reach out directly by themselves. Such humanitarian projects are implemented in association with well known and trustworthy NGOs in India. Its voluntary services are supported by more than 2,700 expat Indians in Kuwait and 50 active volunteers working to reach out the needy. Over the years, Santhwanam has risen as a source of valuable support to large number of helpless individuals afflicted by disease, poverty and calamities in diverse ways. It s noble and timely help to all individuals helped them to recover safely and live more fulfilled lives. The Volunteers welcomed all expat Indians for the Anniversary & AGM event on and thanked everyone for their continued support. Contact volunteers for more information: , , , , Jan 25 Debating Championships: The trials to select the National Schools Debating Team which will represent Kuwait at the World Schools Debating Championships in Bali in August 2017 will take place from 3:30 pm-7:30 pm on Feb 1 at the British School of Kuwait. Interested parties see, but through 360 technologies, the experience is extensively more immersive especially if seen through a VR headset. Drones are also being used to provide coverage for news reporting, which not only catches hard-to-reach angles but is four times cheaper than sending a professional camera man on a helicopter. While technology has contributed to the advancement of many professions, Glen warned that AI (Artificial Intelligence) is reaching worrying levels. Big conglomerates are using the data collected from us to provide media tailored around our interests and online activities which could be thought of as a borderline impeachment of privacy. It also predicted that by 2029, AI will pass the Turin test; this essentially means that we will not be capable of differentiating between a human and an AI must register their intention to attend no later than Jan 25, 2017 in order to be considered. To register your interest and to receive further details please contact Abigail Bartholomew at q8debates@ gmail.com General IEI Kuwait membership: The Institution of Engineers (India), Kuwait chapter invites all its members to update their membership information for the year and actively participate in the chapter activities. Indian engineers residing in Kuwait are welcome to join the pool of more than Actor Abdulrahman Hussein made his debut in a movie titled 000, alongside actors Abdullah Al- Turkimani, Abdulrahman Hussein, Shaima Qantas and Hussain Al- Shamasi, reports Al-Anba daily. Filmed outside Kuwait, the movie produced by A&H Company with Director Hussain Dashti tells the story of a young prisoner named Mohammed who s held in a foreign prison and subjected to torture until he encounters a journalist sent by a human rights organization to follow up the case, but she must be prepared for a battle with the top officials of the detention facility. computer. Bringing the lecture to an end, the speaker wanted to remind the audience that broadcasting networks need to up their game and start incorporating methods and technologies of this new era for news reporting, agreeing with Einstein that, We cannot solve a problem by using the same thinking that created the problem in the first place. The AUK Center for Research in Informatics, Sciences, and Engineering (RISE) serves as AUK s primary source for research and development activities, a bridge to industry, and an important venue for community outreach. RISE adapts an integrative model by forging connections between academic disciplines, local & international innovators, academia & industry, as well as technology & society. 700,000 engineers by becoming corporate or non-corporate members of The Institution of Engineers (India). IEI, Kuwait Chapter conducts many technical events for the benefits of its members. We have upcoming technical seminar in August and a mega workshop in September. Please watch for further details in your registered e- mail or announcement in media. The chapter has science club activities for member s children, and ladies wing activities for the member s family. IEI, Kuwait Chapter has facility to register student members for AMIE examination for those interested in pursuing career enrichment. For more information and on chapter membership, kindly contact IEI, Kuwait Chapter office on extn 314 between 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm (Sunday through Thursday) or through to ieikwt@hotmail. com. You may also contact engr Ashok Kumar ( ) or engr Karthikeyan ( ) for any further clarification. KIFF anti-drugs campaign: As part of the Fraternity fest, Kuwait India Fraternity Forum (KIFF) is conducting Anti-Drugs Campaign among Indians living in Kuwait. According to the available statistics of Indian Embassy, 60% of the convicted Indians in Kuwaiti Jails are arrested on drug-related cases. The recent cases of death and captives of Indian drug abusers is a threatening news. To defend and to campaign against such social crisis by protecting individuals as well as the society has become obligatory. In this current situation, Kuwait India Fraternity Forum is conducting campaign by distributing handouts, conducting counseling, seminars etc. to educate the Indians living in Kuwait informed President Saifudheen Nalakath in a press release. For more details contact: or at kiffkuwait@gmail.com. NYF offers free yoga classes: NYF Kuwait offers free yoga, breathing, meditation and reiki classes by a well-experienced female yoga teacher Continued on Page 28

25 25 Remembrance Kuwait One of the pioneers of modern Arab literature Dr Al-Otaibi lives on in people s hearts thru his timeless poems By Bader Abu Raghabah A-Otaibi Kuwaiti Freelance Journalist Exclusive to the Arab Times Jan 15, 2017 marked the 22nd death anniversary of eminent Kuwaiti litterateur, poet, and scholar the late Dr Abdullah Al- Otaibi. He also was a multifaceted personality as a writer, educationist, journalist, critic and lyrcist. Al-Otaibi was one of the pioneers of modern Arabic Literature and his works constitute a great treasure of Kuwaiti literature in terms of their nationalistic theme. Abdullah Al-Otaibi was born in 1943 and hailed from esteemed Al-Ziyadi clan of Otaibah, the famous Arabian tribe. He got his early schooling in Kuwait and completed his higher education in Egypt later where he gained degrees in Arabic language and literature from Cairo University. He was received his PhD in Arabic literature in 1977 after he presented his masterpiece dissertation entitled The War and Peace in the Arabic Poetry. Firstly, he started his career as an Arabic teacher in a secondary government school affiliated to the ministry of education in 1967 and head of the Arabic department in the faculty of arts at Kuwait University after he began his academic career and became a Professor in He held many honorary positions in several prestigious institutions such as Bader Al-Otaibi National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), Kuwait Writers Association and Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). As a journalist, Al-Otaibi was served as an editor in chief for Al-Bayan magazine and Al-Mjalah Al-Arabiyah magazine for human sciences. Al-Otaibi s first poem had been published in 1964 and he had published many books in poetry such as his work on Kuwaiti poet Abdullah Sinan which was co-authored with poet Khalid Saud Al-zaid, the significant book which was released in Some of his other books were Studies in the Kuwaiti Vernacular Poetry (1984) and The Poetry of Peace in the Ignorant Era (1975). Dr. Abdullah also had to his credit two collections of poems, entitled The Sanctuary of Dream (1988) and The Bird of Tidings (1993). He was regarded as one of the most leading national poet of Kuwait in his time due to the distinguishing values of his poetry which was patriotism and he dedicated his self early to write epic poetry and operettas in the love of his own country, Kuwait. His epic poetry was highly distinguished and some of them are The days caravans Dr Abdullah Al-Otaibi (1981), I am the comer (1982), The Arabian time (1983), The echo of history (1986), The conversation of wall (1988) and The convoy of loyalty (1990). Abdullah s operettas were also commendable and some of are I am Kuwait (1991), The people of Kuwait (1992) and The patients necklace (1994). Al-Otaibi expressed his feelings and emotions towards his motherland and nation in a very unique way through his poetry. The significance of his writing was blurred the line between the life in past and present which reflect always the rich tradition and heritage of Kuwait. He was a highly talented writer and Undoubttedly the creative genius in him made him great. He passed away in London (UK) on Jan 15, 1995 after a long illness, and he was buried at Al-Sulaibikhat graveyard in his homeland, Kuwait. Al-Otaibi survived by his widow (Hind Al-Zaid), two sons (Dhari and Muhammad) and two daughters. Dr. Abdullah Al-Otaibi has not been forgotten and immortal in hearts of the Kuwaiti people through his timeless poems. Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center. (KUNA Ghazi Qafaf) Pioneers of Kuwait Young sheikh starts his political career Sheikh Sabah inspires confidence in people This is the fifth in a series of articles on His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad, pioneer in the political development of modern Kuwait and 15th ruler of Kuwait Editor By Lidia Qattan Special to the Arab Times The election of the new Amir, HH Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem in 1950 marks the beginning of a new era in the life of the nation, in it Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad started his working career. From his first involvement in state affairs as head of the Cultural Department his open minded attitude towards his employees created an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation that inspired confidence in everyone working with him. His father s open mindedness to innovations and his uncle s emphasis on the importance of education in the life of the nation combined to his own observation during his traveling abroad made him deeply aware of the draw-back of illiteracy in the development of his country. Kuwait was then going through a transitional period of transformation, in which the younger generation had to shoulder the responsibility of economical, political and social changes going on at a phenomenal speed. To meet those challenges the education system had to be completely innovated. In 1951, the Sweden scientific method of education the best in Europe at that time was implemented. Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad was 23 years old when he became the Chairman of the Teachers Society in 1952; that same year in February he sponsored the society s first seminar on Educational Affairs in Kuwait ; in March the first edition of Al Ra id (The Pioneer) magazine appeared in town; then in April Sheikh Sabah sponsored the seminar on Fighting Illiteracy. Subsequently he took part in other seminars held by the Teachers society, till on the 19th of July 1954, HH the Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem appointed him member of the Supreme Executive Committee responsible for drawing-up working plans for the administration of state affairs and following-up their implementation. Such a responsibility flared Sheikh Sabah s enthusiasm in a deeper involvement in state affairs especially at that time the government had to deal effectively with a sharp growing decision load. Appointed Director General of the Social Affairs and Labor Department established that same year (1954)Sheikh Sabah drew-up a strategic working plan whose rules were designed to provide work opportunities to Kuwaiti citizens stabilize relations between employers and employees and organize foreign personnel entering the country for work in the oil industry and in any other field. Solutions Dealing with workers entering the country in an ever increasing number, some legally, others illegally, was a task requiring speedy solutions to prevent surplus of labor and problems associated with it. To meet this situation Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad issued a resolution preventing Government institutions and departments Lidia Qattan from employing non- Kuwaitis, unless by permit issued from his own department. Priority was given to Arab workers. In spite of his decree the need of specialized personnel prompted the other departments to employ the workers they needed regardless of nationalities. Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Failing to cooperate with his department, they rose the problem of finding jobs for Kuwaitis who were leaving their traditional occupation when the sailing industry and the pearl-diving industry faded away and they had to turn to other jobs for their livelihood. Most of them had been sailors and pear divers, hence they were lacking the qualification needed for working in other fields; so the temporary solution was to employ Kuwaitis in various departments even if they were not needed! Faced by the new problem Sheikh Sabah made a detailed study of many factors and their impact on local employment conditions; the conclusion of his investigation was to send groups of young Kuwaitis abroad for crash courses training with the cooperation of the Education Department. At the same time the Sheikh suggested to build a Technical College in Shuwaikh to train young people for a technical career, and personally took the initiative of implementing the project in He also organized centers providing technical vocational training in various fields for young Kuwaiti men and women. To spur women s emancipation he was encouraging Women societies to be established along with Child and Mother s Care centers. Training centers for the disabled and people of special needs were also organized, and for the first time centers were established for looking after the elderlies. Knowledge From the beginning of his involvement in Social Affairs & Labor Department- Sheikh Sabah was particularly concerns in preparing the younger generation for the job-market most needed. He also sought to spur them in competitive innovations that served their interest and the ultimate interest of their country. Fully aware of the importance of Scientific and technical knowledge in the development of his country the Sheikh spurred the cooperation of the Education department and of the KOC (Kuwait Oil Company) in preparing young people for the job. The KOC quickly complied with establishing vocational training centers for young Kuwaitis to engage in the oil industry, while the Education Department intensified Boyscouts activities that fostered cooperation and team-work and began to organize trips to Arab and other countries for trainings and athletic tournaments to spur enthusiasm in competitive matches. Other programs were devised to take care of young people s problems, whether psychological, social or physical and spur the development of their potentials through vocational training. For those talented in the fine arts theatrical performance and sports facilitating opportunities were provided for them. Besides providing structural opportunities for young people to ensure their future and very keen preserving the rich folklore of his people, hence he established the Folklore Center in 1956 for preserving the cultural heritage and spurring the theatrical movement to emerge into a real form of art in Sport clubs began to appear but the local sport movement reached international standard through the assiduous efforts of his dynamic younger brother Sheikh Fahad Al Ahmad whose pioneering role the Kuwaiti sport movement to the Olympics and succeeded in making the Arabian and Asian sport an effective part of the Olympic world sport movement. Besides taking charge of the Social Affairs Department, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad was entrusted with the Printing and Publishing Department. There he established the printing press for printing test-books and note-books for the Education Department Among his first concerns at the printing press was to publish an official gazette Kuwait Al Youm (Kuwait today) to keep people informed on government bulletins and to record any developments going-on in the country. Before this gazette appeared in town any official government bulletin was pinned on to the wall of a corner building at the Souk Al Tujjar (The Merchant s Market) or at the Souk Al Dehen (The Oil Market), where most of the men gathered. Another major task of the government press was to publish old Arab books and manuscripts to preserve them for posterity. The issuing of Al Arabi, one of the most prestigious magazines in the country, and perhaps in the Arab world, has been one of the printing press most proud achievements. In Jan 26, 1961, the Printing and Publication law was issued, consisting of 44 articles divided into four categories. This law ensured freedom of expression, while protecting moral values and safe-guarding the interest of the country and the dignity of other nations. To be continued

26 26 Fantasy World s outdoor play toys help kids physical development Children s physical fitness a major concern for parents KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: With the rise of technological advancements, there has been a shift in trends. Kids now entertain themselves through smartphones and tabs by playing games and watching videos for countless hours. This is a major concern for parents as it involves no physical activity, which idles them as they spend a substantial amount of time on their device. Before technology became very popular amongst all age groups, children used to go outside and play, discovering the environment around them as a means of entertainment. Outdoor play helps children develop their physical fitness, having a very healthy lifestyle, thus obesity and diabetes amongst kids was very uncommon. Additionally, children s physical fitness develops their confidence and self-esteem and helps develop their mental health. According to researchers physical activity helps calm kids down thus they become more attentive and focused in the classroom. Dr Ebaa Al-Ozairi, Chief Medical Officer, Consultant Diabetologist Endocrinologist and Clinical Nutritionist at Dasman Diabetes Institute, stated recently that: Parents should take advantage of the weather these days to urge their children to opt for the games that require movement such as cycling, running, playing football and get involved in other creative outdoor activities. These activities have a positive impact on their health, especially since obesity in children is on the rise. Dr Al-Ozairi stressed that obesity is considered as the gateway to many diseases such as type 2 diabetes and other conditions. Hence advised that parents should encourage their children to adopt a more physically-active lifestyle as it contributes to one s wellness. She further advised to get exposed to the direct sunlight to synthesize vitamin D, and to cut down fatty and junk food. However, today s kids are not engaged in physical activity but instead sit and gaze for many hours on their smartphones and tabs; hence many health problems rise amongst the children. It becomes a challenge for parents today to encourage their children to exercise and stay fit. Fantasy World acknowledged this problem and offers a wide array of outdoor play toys and products that aid children s physical development and well-being as the brand believes that kids truly deserve the best. Fantasy World caters to every child s desire but also understands genuine parental concerns. That is why it has provided many solutions that answer the needs of both parents and children alike. Speaking on the outdoor products Harvey Dulku, Fantasy World s Retail Director said: We understand that children s health is very important. As it improves their physical and emotional capabilities, and helps them to become more independent. Now is a great time to spend outdoors and enjoy the pleasant weather. We understand parents continuously strive to find ways to improve their kid s physical fitness, and for that reason we are always on the look for the latest outdoor products that encourage kids to play outdoors. Fantasy World is known for having the latest, best and trendiest toys in Kuwait and that it never compromises on the quality of the toys it offers. The stores are known to be the ultimate hub for outdoor play products that encourage kids to explore the great outdoors. In parallel, Burhan Abdul Malik Kazi, Fantasy World s Marketing Specialist said: We have a wide range of high quality products brought from different parts of the world in our outdoors and sports section. We have the high quality Eastern Jungle Gym (exclusively available only at Fantasy World) value for money Plum Activity Gym sets. We have wide range of Trampolines and Inflatable bouncers that come in different attractive shapes and sizes for children to jump all day long, it s really amazing to find the amount of calories children burn while jumping, laughing and having fun in them. Fantasy World also offers traditional garden games and life sized toys that can be enjoyed in gardens, so your children will now be playing the same snakes and ladders or ludo but not in their app but physically in your backyard or garden. Kids health is not only a major concern for older kids but also for those in the early years of life which is why we at Fantasy World has a wide assortment of high quality outdoor products from renowned brands like Little Tikes and Kiddieland for the early years. Customers are invited to visit any of Fantasy World s stores in Kuwait to explore and experience new toys available at Al Rai, Bustan Mall, The Avenues and Souq Sharq. Voice any inquiries and concerns by visiting Fantasy World s social media platforms on Facebook (fantasyworldtoyskuwait), Instagram (fantasyworldtoys) and YouTube (fantasyworld Kuwait). Burgan Bank reveals Yawmi draw winners KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Burgan Bank on Sunday announced the names of the lucky winners of its Yawmi account draw, each taking home a prize of KD 5,000. The lucky winners for the daily draws took home a cash-prize of KD 5,000 each, and they are: 1. Ali Salh Naser Abdulla Alnajdy; 2. Iqbal Atshan Khalaf Fares; 3. Zahrah Khamees Mahmoud Alzaabi; 4. Huda Sayed Hadi Syed Mohd Alawi; 5. Sh: Nawal Mohammed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. In addition to the daily draw, Burgan Bank also offers a Quarterly Draw with more chances to win higher rewards, entitling one lucky customer to win KD 125,000 every three months. The Yawmi Account offers Daily and quarterly Draws, the Quarterly Draw requires customers to maintain a minimum amount of KD 500 in their account for 2 months prior to draw date. Additionally, every KD 10 in the account, will entitle customers to one chance of winning. If the account balance is KD 500 and above, the account holder will be qualified for both the quarterly and daily draws. Burgan Bank encourages everyone to open a Yawmi account and/or increase their deposit to maximize their chances to becoming a winner. The more customers deposit, the higher the chances they receive of winning. For more information on opening a Yawmi account or about the new quarterly draw, customers are urged to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch and receive all the details, or simply call the bank s Call Center at where customer service representatives will be delighted to assist with any questions on the Yawmi account or any of the bank s products and services. Customers can also log on to Burgan Bank s www. burgan.com for further information. Manish Malhotra launches virtual reality fashion show Etihad Airways hosts Indian master couturier ABU DHABI, UAE, Jan 15: Etihad Airways, in association with Lakmé Fashion Week, today hosted master couturier Manish Malhotra in Abu Dhabi as part of the airline s latest initiative as the preferred carrier of the global fashion industry. Renowned for modernising costumes in Bollywood, India s vibrant film industry, the celebrity designer has redefined the fashion industry with his eponymous label taking Indian couture to the global stage. He visited the airline s state-of-the-art Innovation Centre and Training Academy and officially launched his Etihad Airways-sponsored virtual reality fashion show, which was filmed using the pioneering technology at Lakmé Fashion Week in Mumbai last August. With over 75 models on the catwalk, viewers are able to immerse themselves in the show and feel part of the extravagant event, with Manish Malhotra becoming the first Indian fashion designer to present a virtual reality experience. Etihad Airways used the same VR technology to give viewers unprecedented access to the airline s awardwinning Airbus A380 by immersing them in the aircraft cabins in a virtual reality film Reimagine featuring Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman. Lakmé Fashion Week was one of a series of fashion events around the world sponsored by Etihad Airways as part of its three-year agreement with WME IMG to be the industry s preferred airline. The next edition of Lakmé Fashion Week takes place in Mumbai from Feb 1. Innovation During his visit, the acclaimed designer was given a tour of the Innovation Centre that houses mock-ups of Etihad Airways A380 and Boeing 787 premium cabins, including its award-winning three-room suite The Residence. The visit also covered a tour of the cabin crew training facilities and a Q&A session about the fashion industry, and his lifestyle and travel experiences that was streamed live on social media. Patrick Pierce, Etihad Airways Vice- President Sponsorships, said: As the international fashion industry prepares for its first major event of the year with another edition of Lakmé Fashion Week in Mumbai next month, we are delighted to host Manish Malhotra in Abu Dhabi. He is an energetic, innovative and visionary designer who has helped elevate Mumbai into one of the world s fashion capitals. We are proud to collaborate with him, particularly in India where Etihad Airways is a key player serving many cities across the country with our strategic partner Jet Airways. The influence of fashion spans a huge audience, from mass fashion consumers to the global fashion elite of designers, models, Climb and Slide Swing for little kids Susana Al-Barrak, Manager, Consumer Banking at Gulf Bank handing over the keys to the winner Al Azmi receives key to new Cadillac Escalade from Gulf Bank s red & salary account draw Gulf Bank would like to congratulate Fahed Mohammad Al Azmi, the lucky winner of the Red and Salary Account quarterly draw held on the Jan 5, 2017 at The Avenues during the exciting event when Gulf Bank s Al Danah account KD One million prize set a new Guinness World Records TM Achievement for the largest prize linked to a bank account in the world! The lucky new red and Salary car winner was welcomed at the Cadillac showroom in Al Rai Area by Ms Susana Al-Barrak, Manager, Consumer Banking at Gulf Bank. Ms Al-Barrak presented the winner the key to the brand new Cadillac Escalade. During 2016, Gulf Bank s Salary Offer consisted on instant gifts up to KD 200 and quarterly draws in which it gave away 4 Cadillac cars to the following quarterly lucky winners:- First Quarterly winner (March 31, 2016): Salem Saleh Salem Alajmi (Cadillac CTS) Second Quarterly winner (June 30, 2016): Mrs. Mariam Manish Malhotra is pictured at Etihad Airways Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi, flanked by airline management, Patrick Pierce, Vice-President Sponsorships (left), and Amina Taher, Head of Corporate Communications. Mega prize draw gets bigger Al Tijari announced Al Najma winners KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al Najma Account daily draw on 15th January The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by Abdulaziz Ashkanani. The winners of the Al Najma daily draw are:- Sabria Rajb Hassan Ali KD 7,000/; Abdulrahman Shaker Ali Mohammed KD 7,000/; Mohammad Mazafar Haji Mohammad Din KD 7,000/; Ahmad Sanded KD 7,000/; AbdelHameed Ahmed Shawa KD 7,000/. Al Najma awards are now brighter and bigger than ever with the revamped Al Najma account, all your dreams will be turned to reality. On top of offering the highest daily prize in Kuwait for KD 7,000, now our Mega prize draws got bigger to reach KD 250,000. The new prizes scheme for Al Najma account daily draw to win KD 7,000. Quarterly draws to win great prizes that would start from photographers and editors all of whom Etihad Airways is looking to convert into loyal customers. Etihad Airways positioning as a premium 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 services You deserve to win! Open an account now with just KD 500 and you will enter all draws. lifestyle airline is reflected by its innovative and stylish designs in product and service on board its luxurious aircraft, including the A380s serving Mumbai, London, Sydney, Eastern Jungle gym The new Cadillac Escalade car at Al Danah Yearly Millionaire draw event Adel Fahad Alkhamees (Cadillac SRX) Third Quarterly winner (Sept 29, 2016): Ahmad Abdul Azeez Qasem Al Matrood (Cadillac CTS) Fourth Quarterly winner (Jan 5, 2017): Fahed Mohammad Al Azmi (Cadillac Escalade) For further information about Gulf Bank s red account and other prize draws, visit one of Gulf Bank s 56 branches, call the Customer Contact Center on , or go online at Melbourne and New York from its Abu Dhabi hub a perfect fit for high flyers from the fashion industry. Manish Malhotra, who has completed 26 years in the movie industry and recently celebrated 11 successful years of his label, said: I am thrilled to launch the immersive virtual reality experience with Etihad Airways at its state-of-the-art Innovation Centre to allow viewers to share in the excitement of attending my Lakmé Fashion Week Festive collection showcase. Even after 26 years, it is always special marking firsts from partnering with Etihad Airways for the first time, to being the first Indian designer to create a virtual reality show. It feels great to see all the effort and hard work along with innovation and creativity result in this unprecedented experience. I have travelled to Abu Dhabi many times and I absolutely love the city for its culture and history. It s a fascinating destination where traditionalism meets modernism and technology. Initiative Jaspreet Chandok, Head of Fashion, IMG Reliance, added: We see Manish Malhotra as part of the Lakmé Fashion Week family and we are very happy to have our long-term association with Etihad Airways also continue with this fantastic initiative taking the event to the Middle East. Lakmé Fashion Week has always taken the lead on technology in fashion and we are delighted to have Etihad Airways host the launch of the Manish Malhotra virtual reality show at their amazing Innovation Centre. Manish Malhotra s repertoire not only includes designing and styling Bollywood celebrities, but also introducing opulent contemporary Indian wear, with his diffusion and couture range. His creative aesthetics and sense of fashion have made him a first choice for high net worth individuals, global corporates and affluent families across the world. He designed for Michael Jackson during his visit to India, and also styled Hollywood celebrities Jean-Claude Van Damme, Reese Witherspoon in Mira Nair s Vanity Fair, Kylie Minogue, and the wedding outfits for the Princess of Riyadh. Etihad Airways and Jet Airways together operate 252 weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and 15 Indian cities Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, Pune, Lucknow, Goa and Mangalore. Both carriers combined enjoy the biggest share of international passenger traffic to and from India. During 2017, joint capacity will rise to 280 weekly flights with increased frequency and new Indian points added to their network Chandigarh, Kannur and Tiruchirappalli.

27 27 h o r o s c o p e By Jacqueline Bigar Happy birthday for Monday, Jan. 16, 2017: This year you approach matters differently from how you have in the past. At times, you might be overly assertive, which could backfire on you. Try to verbalize hurt feelings before they evolve into anger. If you are single, you attract a lot of potential suitors. Fall 2017 will provide more stability and a potential Mr. or Ms. Right. If you are attached, the two of you often are seen out on the town as a couple. Plan on spending plenty of one-on-one time together as well. VIRGO can be petty at times. The Stars Show the Kind of Day You ll Have: 5-Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-Average; 2-So-so; 1-Difficult Capricorn - (Dec 22 - Jan 19) *** Break through a friend s angry defenses, and you will be more content. You might spurt out a sarcastic statement or two, but know that it is normal to get angry when experiencing an issue with someone you care about. Tonight: Try to imagine how the other party feels. Aquarius - (Jan 20 - Feb 18) **** A friend might decide to go on a rampage. While he or she could have a good reason, this type of interaction really doesn t appeal to you. Examine what is happening between you and this person. Money and/or jealousy could be a critical issue. Tonight: Lighten up the moment. Pisces - (Feb 19 - Mar 20) **** You could be full of energy that needs to be directed positively. If it s not, you are likely to experience a backfire or a disagreement with a loved one. Listen carefully to someone s words, but don t make more of what is being said than need be. Tonight: Happiest among the crowds. Aries - (Mar 21 - Apr 19) *** Note a change in attitude with an authority figure. You ll discover that there are fewer control games, and as a result, you ll also experience better interactions in general. Still, don t be surprised if you feel anger mounting. Look at what is happening. Tonight: Off to the gym. Taurus - (Apr 20 - May 20) **** While others seem to hit a wall, you ll discover how easy it is to jump right over it. Still, a friend or an associate who feels angry might be directing his or her negativity at you. Listen to what is said and see if it applies to you. Try not to close down. Tonight: Use your imagination. Gemini - (May 21 - June 20) *** You are coming from a place where you might want to rethink a financial decision you have made with a partner. If you hit a problem with someone you need to answer to, back off rather than increase the friction with a kneejerk reaction. Tonight: Reach out to a loved one. Cancer - (June 21 - July 22) **** Speak your mind, but try not to use an inflammatory tone. Someone around you easily could be triggered. You don t want a problem to begin where there isn t one. You are likely to be justifiably tired by the end of the day. Tonight: Head home; forget meeting a friend. Leo - (July 23 - Aug 22) *** You have a social style that attracts many people. However, you will note a fussiness emanating from several people. You also might be criticized. Don t take on others energy, but still look to see whether the comments are relevant. If not, just smile. Tonight: Where the fun is. Virgo - (Aug 23 - Sept 22): **** You will want to express some deep feelings. With a child or loved one, you can expect a positive response. Be careful with associates and friends, though, as they could be highly reactive. You might find that the door gets slammed in your face. Tonight: As you like it. Libra - (Sept 23 - Oct 22) **** Understanding carries you far, especially as several people around you could be short-tempered. What purpose would an argument serve? Try to stay out of issues for now. You also might opt to have an important conversation in a few days. Tonight: Get some extra R and R. Scorpio - (Oct 23 - Nov 21) **** Understanding a loved one will take talent, as he or she easily could lose his or her cool. You have been there -- you know what that s like. Still, avoid a hassle at all costs. Listen to this person s grievance, which might be as simple as wanting more of your time. Tonight: Out late. Sagittarius - (Nov 22 - Dec 21) *** Others seem feisty, and before you know it, you have joined their tribe. Note what is triggering your temper and try to work through it; you will be better for the effort. Understand someone else s resistance. Tonight: If need be, work late or check in with an older relative. Born today: Radio host Laura Schlessinger (1947), actress Debbie Allen (1950), singer/ songwriter Sade Adu (1959) home decor indoor gardening beauty tips taste buds fabric wall art satin pothos clammy feet cheesy bread Make a triple trio of fabric-covered wall plaques to add spice and splash to a special space in your home. Wrap three fabrics over artist s canvas squares and secure the fabric using a staple gun to make this quick, easy, and inexpensive textile display. You can use any size for your wall art. Cut fabric 1-1/2 inches larger than your canvas on all sides. Wrap excess fabric to the back of the canvas frame, pulling it taut and smooth. Staple to the frame beginning at the center of each side and moving to the corners. Miter the corners and secure with staples. For a finish that s impervious to dust and moisture, brush two coats of decoupage medium onto the fabric surface. Dear Abby Photo of mom in body bag infuriates daughter By Abigail Van Buren Satin Pothos is just as easy to grow. Keep it warm and take care not to overwater this house plant. Cold drafts and soggy soil are two things it won t tolerate. Big, heart-shaped leaves are dark-green and splashed with silvery gray, giving them a satin sheen. Light: Bright light, no direct sun. Water: Water thoroughly and allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings. Keep soil barely moist in winter Temperature: Average to warm 65-85ºF/18-29ºC. Soil: Mix 1 part peat moss-based mix and 1 part sand or perlite for good drainage. Supply: Baking soda and white wine vinegar. Method: Baking soda is a well-known deodorizer, which also absorbs moisture so you can sprinkle some into sneakers or powder onto feet. Also cleanse feet daily as much as possible, don t forget to dry between toes. Three to four times a week, soak feet in water with white wine vinegar. White wine vinegar helps cleanse and balance oils within the skin. Ingredients: 8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese, 1 lb shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 to 1 cup chopped green onion, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sour cream, 3-4 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 to 2 loaves of French or Italian bread Method: In a bowl, mix together the cheeses and the green onion. Stir in the mayonnaise and sour cream. In a separate small bowl blend the butter and garlic until smooth. Add the butter mixture to the cheese mixture. Preheat broiler. Slice loaf of bread in half horizontally, lay crust side down. Spread cheese mixture over the bread. Place under the broiler until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from broiler and let sit for 5 minutes until cool enough to handle. Slice the bread with a bread knife. Serve. Dear Abby: I am a 58-year-old female. My mother passed away in my home almost exactly a year ago. I took care of her for the last three years of her life. After she died, my brother and his wife came to my home at 1:30 p.m. The funeral home didn t arrive to pick her up until 8:30 that night. Later that evening, after my mom was gone and my brother and his wife left, my daughter came to me and announced that my sister-in-law had secretly taken pictures of Mom in the body bag on the stretcher as she was being wheeled out of my home. She didn t know that my daughter had seen her. I am furious, horrified and hurt beyond description! My mother always liked to look nice and made a special effort to look good for a picture. The coroner had told me to go into another room when they were taking her because he said I wouldn t want that as my last memory of her. I have never said anything to my sister-in-law, but I can t seem to let this go. It s killing me. Am I overreacting? Please, I need your advice. Missing mom Dear missing mom: I am Abigail Van Buren truly sorry for your loss, but you may be overreacting. Not everyone grieves in the same way, and similarly, not everyone feels the same way about taking pictures of deceased loved ones. During Victorian times the practice was quite common. I don t know why your sister-in-law felt compelled to take the photos, but it could have been a gesture of love and respect. If you want to know why she did it, you should calmly ask her and let her explain. Dear Abby:I have been seeing my boyfriend for about a year. He s three years younger than I am, which hasn t been an issue for us. However, recently, because of work scheduling, I have been waiting at his house until he comes home and spending more time with his father. I am extremely ashamed that I have developed feelings for his dad. His dad has a girlfriend. I am aware this is inappropriate, but I am not sure how to handle this. Anonymous in Illinois Dear Anonymous: The way to handle it is to accept that your boyfriend s father has a girlfriend and is probably not looking for anything extracurricular. And further, if anything should develop, recognize that it would not only devastate your boyfriend, but would also probably destroy his relationship with his father. Dear readers: In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday we remember today: To retaliate in kind would do nothing but intensify the existence of hate in the universe. Along the way of life, someone must have sense enough, and morality enough, to cut off the chain of hate. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA (Source: Universal Uclick) Goodbye 2016, Welcome 2017 The 365 page book titled Opportunity was enthusiastically opened by the students of class 11-G on Jan 2, on a divine note with the Islamic prayer and its translation, followed by the school prayer. The entire ICSK(Senior) fraternity bid an emotional farewell to 2016 and heartily applauded and welcomed 2017 as the New Year balloons were released by Dr V. Binumon, Principal, ICSK (Senior) and Dr Sam. T. Kuruvilla, Vice-Principal, what s on today emergency Site for checking travel ban Intimate Reflections at Dar Al Funoon: Dar Al Funoon will open a solo exhibition by Nurieh Mozaffari Intimate Reflections on Jan 16 at 07:00 pm. The artist will be present. Nurieh Mozaffari was born in Iran. She became seriously interested in painting at the age of 18 and soon after embarked on a BA majoring in Art in Iran. Later, she completed a Masters degree in painting at the Art University in Teaching in the Faculty of Art at a university was a natural next step. In between and subsequent to her studies her work has appeared in many exhibitions both joint and solo. Nurieh s work has been exhibited internationally since She had more than 20 solo exhibitions and over 100 group exhibitions among them Museum of Contemporary Art Tehran, Institut Du Monde Arabe Paris Art Gallery Vancouver Museum Canada. Her works have been exhibited four times in the Iranian paintings biannual. The exhibition will run until Feb 2. Gallery hours: Sunday to Thursday 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Saturdays by appointment. For details contact CAP to showcase Until : Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) is showcasing Until an exhibition by Kuwaiti artist Ghadah Alkandari will run until Feb 22. Ghadah Alkandari is a Kuwaiti artist born in Delhi in In 1992 she received a BA in Mass Communications ICSK (Senior).A power packed speech, stressing on faith, positivity and optimism in 2017, lifted the spirits and energy levels of the audience. A New Year Pledge was delivered by the vice-principal, where students resolved to transform themselves into academically and socially responsible beings. A western musical extravaganza followed by a fast, rhythmic dance enthralled the audience of teachers and students. As a token of from the American University in Cairo. But it was a six-week painting course at the School of Visual Arts that shaped my current painting style, which was also influenced early on by both classical painters: Cezanne, Matisse, Schiele, Modigliani and Klimt, and comic books: Mad Magazine, Archie and Asterix. Her body of work ranges from largescale acrylic paintings, primarily figurative, exploring the wide spectrum of human emotion and familial complexities, to smaller intimate pen and ink surreal drawings detached and focused on everyday happenings. The artist had numerous solo exhibitions in Kuwait, and has participated in several group exhibitions locally and internationally, including the Arab Culture in Diaspora exhibition in Kuwait, Femmes Artistes Du Koweit at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris (2006), Approaches to Figurative Practices at the Third Line Gallery, Dubai (2007), and JAMM Contemporary Art Auction in Kuwait (2010). Since 2009, Ghadah Alkandari uses her blog prettygreenbullet as a platform to display her work on a daily basis. Football coaching workshops: Interested in Coaching/professional development? This weekend Everton Academy, Bayan will be welcoming three top coaches from Glasgow Celtic F.C., the Scottish Premier League Champions, including their International Academy Manager, A photo from the event Tony Massie. They will be delivering a certified Celtic Coach Education program on Saturday, 6-8pm, Sunday, 6-8pm and Monday, pm. Certificates will only be awarded to coaches attending all 3 sessions. Places are limited - register at Bayan office any evening 5-8pm. TIES Center events: TIES Center announces following events Tajweed and Recitation: Learn and practice the art of reciting the Holy Quran (tajweed). The instructor will also answer questions related to the meaning of the Arabic words and verses. Every Sunday & 10 11:30am; every 5-6:30pm. The TIES Center is the social and educational hub for English Speaking expats in Kuwait. For more information, please call or info@tiescenter. net or visit Father s Love Int l Ministries: Have you had a challenging week? Want to hear something different for a change? Something positive and energizing? At FLIM, you will find all this and much more... Love, laugher, life and liberty. You will find a community of God-loving believers, who come every Friday, Saturday, Monday and Wednesday to praise and worship together. There always a word of blessing and edification for everyone who comes to the Father s House. So, don t be left out! Come join the family! You will be restored, received, renewed their deep love, appreciation, thankfulness and gratitude, the students of 11-G, accompanied by their class teacher and co-class teacher, gifted the principal and vice-principal with New Year greetings, floral bouquets and mementos. The much appreciated New Year assembly concluded on an inspiring and motivating note by the principal, reminding students to grab hold of all the golden opportunities that came their way in number 112 Civil ID info: and greatly rewarded! Father s Love Encounter Service on Friday at 11:00 am to 2:00 pm African service on Saturday at 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Empowerment Services on Monday at 6:30 pm 8:30 pm Tamil Service on Wednesday at 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Please call , , El Shaddai weekly fellowship: The El Shaddai DWXI-PPFI Kuwait Chapter invites all the Filipino in our weekly fellowship. Every Monday, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm St Joseph Hall (Basement), Holy Family Cathedral, Kuwait City. Every Friday (except 1st Friday), 12:30 pm to 4 pm, Sacred Heart Hall, Holy Family Cathedral, Kuwait City. For more information please call any of the following nos: , , , , and BBBC weekly services: Bible Believers Baptist Church (BBBC) in Mangaf invites you to visit us for our weekly services in English. Friday morning Bible teaching starts at 10:30 am. The Sermon and Children s Church begins at noon. On Monday evening we hold our prayer meeting and Bible study at 7 pm. For more details, please call or faithful.stewards@ gmail.com

28 28 Couch slouch AMC, BBC team for Spy Homeland comes home to eye of political storm LOS ANGELES, Jan 15, (RTRS): In this stormy political season, leave it to Homeland to adroitly land in the eye of Hurricane Trump. Producers of the Showtime drama series, which returned on Sunday, chose New York as the setting for its sixth season more than a year ago. They ve been working for months on a storyline examining the post-9/11 fallout for the civil rights of Muslims in the US and upheaval in the national security community caused by a transfer of power in Washington. But as much as the Homeland team as proven their ability during the past few years to predict headlines, showrunner and exec producer Alex Gansa admitted that the writing staff had to work through what felt like an existential crisis on Nov 9. After Election Day we all came into the story room and wondered if Homeland had just become counterfactual to the point of irrelevance, Gansa told Variety. Nebulous The new season takes place during that nebulous transition period between a presidential election and the inauguration 72 days of adjustment and upheaval in Washington under any circumstances. Homeland decided to elect a female president, played by Elizabeth Marvel, who is an avowed maverick with a deep-seated suspicion of the inner-workings of the intelligence community in which Carrie Mathison and Saul Berenson ply their trade. But it wasn t the gender of Homeland s fictional president-elect that made the writers nervous after Donald Trump s upset victory over Hillary Clinton. The uncertainty of a Donald Trump presidency felt outside the bounds of imagination, Gansa said. We were initially concerned that what was happening in the real world was so much more uncertain than what we were dramatizing on television. Just in the past few days, the real presidentelect has validated many of the choices the Homeland team has made for their president-elect, Elizabeth Keane. Trump s recent scrapes with the CIA and other aspects of the national security industrial-complex are mirrored in Homeland scripts this season. The storyline was influenced, as always, by the Homeland team s annual research field trip to Washington, DC. Gansa was struck by what he learned about how the post-election transition period can change the viewpoints of a president-elect, despite their campaign rhetoric, once they begin to receive high-level briefings from intelligence officials. President Obama, for one, modulated his criticism of drone warfare after receiving his first briefings while still in his transition headquarters in Chicago, Gansa learned. At a fraught moment for political discourse, Homeland s story choices this season are sure to provoke equal amounts of debate and catcalls. Disillusioned by the ineffectiveness of waging war against international terrorism, Claire Danes Carrie has done a 180-degree career turn and set herself up in Brooklyn as an advocate for the legal rights of American Muslims. She becomes involved in a case that very deliberately pushes the First Amendment boundaries of what many Americans would consider acceptable speech. Sekou Bah, played by J. Mallory McCree, is a young man who immigrated from Africa as a kid and is angry about the fact that his father was deported just after 9/11. He takes to the internet to deliver screeds against the federal government and praise Islamic militants. We went to great lengths to make Sekou a guy whose behavior would be abhorrent to a large portion of America, but the question is: is it illegal? Gansa said. These are all questions that federal judges and juries have to weigh all of the time. Meanwhile, Mandy Patinkin s CIA lifer Saul is facing the challenge of working for a president who comes into the office questioning the value of continuing the scorched-earth campaigns to root out domestic terror cells. And Rupert Friend s ruthless CIA operative Peter Quinn has gone through quite a personal transformation as he recovers from the nearly fatal exposure to chemical weapons that he suffered at the end of Season 5. Also: LOS ANGELES: AMC has teamed with BBC to produce a limited series adaptation of John le Carre s famed novel The Spy Who Came in From the Cold with Ink Factory and Paramount Television. The deal marks a reunion for the team that produced The Night Manager, another le Carre adaptation shepherded by Ink Factory. Slumdog Millionaire s Simon Beaufoy is on board to write the episodes. Spy is a deep tale of intrigue in one of the most uncertain times in history, said Joel Stillerman, president of original programming and development for AMC and SundanceTV. The novel is set in 1962 at the height of the Cold War. It revolves around the battle between a hard-drinking British intelligence officer and an East German counterintelligence operative. click A flyer of the event General Continued from Page 24 for all age groups. Classes are given on the basis of different health problems, stress and other problems by different techniques. Contact: Leadership Excellence Course: The Leadership Excellence Course (LEC) is a course modeled on the Seerah of Rasoolullah who is the best model of leadership for all mankind. The LEC focuses on the lessons that we can learn from the Seerah of Rasoolullah and see how we can apply them in our lives to become winners in this world and the next. The objectives of the course are 1. Understand what leadership is from the Seerah of Rasoolullah and how to apply it in our lives today 2. Understand the purpose of our lives and learn to live that purpose with confidence 3. Understand the importance of connecting to Allah and learn how to do it 4. Understand how to leverage your strengths and overcome weaknesses 5. Understand how to articulate your life goal and create a road map to achieve it. For more information please visit www. leckuwait.com or call / AWL registration: If you would like to join the American Women s League (AWL), please call or or kuwaitawl@yahoo.com. All American women and wives of Americans are welcomed. Ugandans register with UIK: Are you a Ugandan living and working in Kuwait? Would you like to get in touch with other Ugandans in Kuwait both socially and professionally? Then please get in touch with us. We would like to invite you to register with the Ugandans in Kuwait (UIK) association, an informal organization of Ugandans living and working in Kuwait. The purpose of this exercise is to get together as Ugandans and to consider taking the first steps to establishing a more formal organisation. This association is voluntary. It is designed to create a forum for Ugandans in Kuwait to foster a sense of community, to communicate more effectively with each other and to encourage Ugandans out here to work together. We are also planning a celebration to mark 50 years of Ugandan s Independence this year. If you have any questions regarding this association or if you are interested in registering, then please send us an at ugandansinkuwait@gmail.com. We hope to hear from you soon. Free drum music classes: Free professional drum music classes are available at A flyer of the event Salmiya for all age groups from beginners to advanced by a well experienced drum teacher. For more details: Experience Science for Adults: Registration is now open for Experience Science for Adults. Why should kids have all the fun?! The five week programme will be held on Saturday from 10:00 am-11:30 am at the Yarmouk Cultural Centre. Registration is limited to 16. You may register at either the Amricani Cultural Centre, Sunday to Thursday 10:00-3:00 or the Yarmouk Cultural Centre, Sunday to Thursday 10:00-6:00. For more information, please education@darmuseum.org.kw Islamic classes in French: The Enlightenment into Islam is offering Islamic Classes in French for ladies. Timings 4:30 to 7 pm. Every Wednesday. Please register at the office (Women s Section), 2nd floor. For more information please contact us. Telephone , , , Fax (attention Enlightenment into Islam) Bridge game: Bridge tournament is being held every Sunday and Wednesday at 20:00 hours, played at the Graduates Club, next to Kuwait Engineering Society. Interested Bridge pairs or individual players please contact Mohammed Merchant, Tel: , , tv highlights Cinema Cinema programme from Thursday 12/01/2017 to Wednesday 18/01/2017 Moana Sharqia 1 11:45, 14:00,16:15 (No Fri) Sharqia 3 13:45, 16:30 (Fri) Muhalab 2 14:15 (No Fri) 16:45 Fanar 2 16:15 Marina 1 15:30, 17:45 Avenues 2 13:15 (No Fri) 15:45, 18:00 Avenues 8 20:00 Avenues 10 13:45, 16:00, 18: :30 (No Fri) 14:45, 17:15, 19: : :45 (No Fri) 15:15, 17:30 Al-Kout 2 14:15, 16:30, 18:45 Bairaq 2 15:30, 17:45, 20:00 Grand Gate 3 14:00, 16:15, 18:30, 20:45 Dangal (Hindi Film) Sharqia 1 18:30 (Tue, Wed) Muhalab 1 15:45 (No Fri) 19:00 (No Thu, Fri, Mon) Fanar 3 15:30 (No Fri) 18:45 (No Thu, Fri, Mon) 22:00 Avenues 4 19:00 Avenues 7 13:00 (No Fri) Avenues 10 21:00, 00: :45, 17:00, 20:15, 23: :00 (No Fri) 18:00 Bairaq 3 18:30 The Great Wall Sharqia 1 21:45 (Sun, Tue, Wed) 00:15 Sharqia 2 19:30 (Fri) Sharqia 3 Muhalab 1 Fanar 1 Fanar 3 01:15 Marina 1 18:45 (No Fri) 13:00 (No Fri) 22:15 (No Thu, Fri, Mon) 13:30 (Fri) 00:45 11:30, 14:00 (No Fri) 18:00, 22:45 (No Thu, Fri, Mon) 13:15 (No Fri) 20:00, 22:15, 00:30 Avenues 2 20:15, 22:30 Avenues 3 13:30, 16:15 (No Fri) 19:00 (Sun, Tue, Wed) 21:45 (No Thu, Fri, Mon) 00:30 Avenues 11 21: : :00 (No Fri) 15:15, 17:30, 19:45, 22:00, 00: :15 (No Fri) 14:30, 16:45, 19:00, 21:15, 23: :45, 22:00 Al-Kout 1 00:30 Al-Kout 2 12:00 (No Fri) 21:15, 23:30 Al-Kout 4 19:30 Bairaq 2 13:00 (No Fri) 22:15, 00:30 Laila 15:30 (No Sat) Grand Hamra 3 14:45, 17:00, 19:15, 21:30 00:00 (Thu, Fri) Grand Hamra 5 14:45, 20:00 Grand Gate 7 14:15, 16:30, 18:45, 21:00, 23:00 Khaidi No. 150 (Telugu Film) Sharqia 1 15:30 (Fri) 21:30 (No Sun, Tue, Wed) Muhalab 1 16:00 (Fri) 19:00 (Thu, Fri, Mon) Muhalab 3 13:45 (Fri) Fanar 1 15:30 (Fri) 21:30 (Thu, Fri, Mon) Fanar 3 19:00 (Thu, Fri, Mon) Avenues 1 19:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 22:30 (Thu, Fri, Mon) Avenues 6 Al-Kout 3 13:45, 16:45 (Fri) 15:30 (Fri) 18:30 (Thu, Fri, Mon) 21:30 (Thu, Fri) Plaza 15:45, 22:00 Ajial 2 15:45, 18:45, 22:00 Passengers Grand Hamra 7 18:00, 20:15, 22:30 Grand Gate 8 20:45, 23:00 Gautamiputra Satakarni (Telugu Film) Sharqia 1 18:30 (No Tue, Wed) Sharqia 2 16:00 (Fri) Muhalab 1 22:00 (Thu, Fri, Mon) Muhalab 2 14:00 (Fri) Fanar 1 18:30 (Thu, Fri, Mon) Fanar 3 Avenues 3 15:45 (Fri) 13:30, 16:15 (Fri) 19:00 (Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon) 21:45 (Thu, Fri, Mon) Plaza 18:45 Ajial 1 16:15, 19:00, 21:45 Within Grand Gate 6 15:00, 17:15, 19:00, 21:15, 23:15 A Monster Calls Sharqia 2 12:45, 15:00, 17:15, 19:30 (No Fri) 21:45, 00:05 Sharqia 3 Muhalab 3 Fanar 4 Marina 2 Avenues 4 Avenues 9 00:45 Avenues 11 18:45 (Fri) 12:15, 14:30 (No Fri) 16:45, 19:15, 21:30, 23:45 13:00 (No Fri) 15:15, 17:30, 19:45, 22:00, 00:15 12:15 (No Fri) 14:45, 17:00, 19:15, 21:30, 23:45 12:15 (No Fri) 14:30, 22:15, 00:30 16:45 (No Mon) 12:30 (No Fri) 14:45, 17:00, 19:15, 23: :15 (No Fri) 14:45, 17:00, 19:15, 21:30, 23: :30 (No Fri) 13:45, 16:00, 18:15, 20:30, 22:45, 01:00 Al-Kout 1 13:15 (No Fri) 15:30, 17:45, 20:00, 22:15 Bairaq 1 12:15 (No Fri) 14:30, 16:45, 19:00, 21:15, 23:30 Laila 17:45 (No Sat, Sun) 22:45 Grand Hamra 1 14:15, 16:45, 19:30, 22:00 00:15 (Thu, Fri) Grand Gate 2 14:30, 17:00, 19:30, 21:45 00:00 (Thu, Fri) Patriots Day Sharqia 3 13:15, 16:00 (No Fri) 21:00, 23:45 Muhalab 2 11:30 (No Fri) 19:00, 21:45, 00:30 Fanar 2 13:30, 21:45, 00:30 Marina 3 13:00 (No Fri) 15:45, 18:30, 21:15, 00:05 Avenues 5 11:45 (No Fri) 14:30, 17:15, 20:00, 23:00 Avenues 6 12:30, 15:15, 18:00 (No Fri) 20:45, 23:30 Avenues 7 13:30 (Fri) 00: :30, 16:15, 19:00, 21:45, 00: :15 (No Fri) :15, 21:15, 00:05 Al-Kout 3 Bairaq 3 21:45, 00:30 12:45, 15:30 (No Fri) 18:30 (No Thu, Fri, Mon) 21:30 (No Thu, Fri) 00:15 How to find us Laila 20:00 (No Sat, Sun) Grand Hamra 6 14:00, 16:45, 19:30, 22:00 00:45 (Thu, Fri) Grand Hamra 9 14:30, 17:15, 20:00, 22:30 01:00 (Thu, Fri) Grand Gate 1 14:00, 16:45, 19:15, 22:00 00:30 (Thu, Fri) Grand Gate GC 15:00, 17:30, 20:00, 22:30 01:00 (Thu, Fri) Surf s Up 2: Wavemania Fanar 1 16:15 (No Fri) Fanar 3 11:45 (No Fri) 13:45 Avenues 8 11:30 (No Fri) 13:30, 15:45, 18: :00 (No Fri) 15:00, 17:00, 19: :00 (Sun, Tue, Wed) Bairaq 3 12:45 (No Fri) 14:45, 16:30 Grand Hamra 7 14:00, 16:00 Grand Gate 5 14:30, 16:30, 18:15, 20:15, 22:15 Assassin s Creed Fanar 1 20:15 (No Thu, Fri, Mon) 01:00 Marina 3 13:30 (Fri) Avenues 2 00:45 Avenues 8 22:30, 01:00 Avenues 9 12:15 (No Fri) :30 (No Fri) 13:45, 18:45, 21:15, 23: : : Zahra a Area, South Surra, 6th Ring Road, corner of King Faisal Highway 2. Ajial Ajial Complex, Fahaheel 3. Al Bairaq Between Jaber Al Ali East & Al Agalia West 4. Al Fanar Al Fanar Complex, Salem Al Mubarak Street, near Sultan Center, Salmiya 5. Al Kout Al-Kout Complex, at the end of the Coastal Road, Fahaheel 6. Al Muhalab Al Muhalab Complex, Behind Hawally Clinic, Hawally 7. Al Sharqiya Arabian Gulf Street, Souq Sharq, near the Amiri Hospital 8. Laila Gallery Salem Al Mubarak Street, near Sultan Center, Salmiya 9. Marina Marina Mall, Between Salem Al Mubarak Street & Arabian Gulf Street, Salmiya 10. Metro Metro Complex, Farwaniya, near Crowne Plaza Hotel & Farwaniya Garden 11. Plaza Salem Al Mubarak Street, near Sultan Center, Salmiya 12. The Avenues The Avenues Mall, Al Reggai near Al Rai, 5th Ring Road & Ghazali Road Intersection NB: Friday no show before 1:30 pm Regular show KD3:000; 3D-Digital KD3.500; VIP show KD On Monday, price is KD1.500 except Digital movies. Cinescape cinema movies inquiries and Fax Back hotline The Scientific Center IMAX Opp Holiday Inn, Salmiya, Gulf Road 14. Grand Al-Hamra Grand Al-Hamra, tel: , cinemas.com 15. Grand Gate Grand Gate, tel: , Grand Hamra 5 17:15, 22:30 Grand Hamra 8 14:15, 17:00, 19:45, 22:15 Bairavaa (Tamil Film) Fanar 2 18:30 Avenues 9 15:00, 18:15, 21: :15, 18:30, 21:45 Ajial 3 15:30 18:30 (Thu, Fri) 21:30 (Thu) Ajial 4 16:00, 19:00, 22:00 Warrior s Gate Avenues 1 12:30 (No Fri) 15:00, 17:30 19:45 (Sun, Tue, Wed) 22:15, 00:30 (No Thu, Fri, Mon) 01:15 (Thu, Fri, Mon) Avenues 10 11:30 (No Fri) :30 (No Fri) :30, 15:45, 18:00, 20:15, 22:30, 00: :45 Al-Kout 4 12:30 (No Fri) 15:00, 17:15, 21:45, 00:05 Hacksaw Ridge Grand Hamra 2 19:00, 21:45 00:30 (Thu, Fri) Grand Gate 4 14:15, 17:00, 19:30, 22:15 00:45 (Thu, Fri) OK Jaanu (Hindi Film) Avenues 7 16:15, 21: :30 (No Fri) :45 (Thu, Fri, Sat) 17:45 (No Mon) 20:45 Ajial 3 21:30 (No Thu, Fri) La La Land Avenues 7 19: :30, 20:00 Grand Hamra 4 14:30, 17:00, 19:45, 22:15 Sing : :30 (Sat) Grand Hamra 2 14:30, 16:45 Grand Gate 8 14:00, 16:15, 18:30 The Monster :00, 00:15 Laf Wa Dawaran (Arabic Film) :30 Taht Al Tarabeza (Arabic Film) :00, 23:15 Shatamanam Bhavati (Telugu Film) Ajial 3 18:30 (No Thu, Fri) 21:30 (Fri) IMAX Imax film programme at The Scientific Center Sunday Humpback Whales 3D 10:30 am, 07:30 pm Flying Monsters 3D 11:30 am, 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 12:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 05:30 pm Secret Ocean 3D 08:30 pm Monday Humpback Whales 3D 12:30 pm, 06:30 pm Flying Monsters 3D 10:30 am, 05:30 pm, 08:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 09:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 11:30 pm, 07:30 pm Tuesday Humpback Whales 3D 11:30 am 09:30 pm Flying Monsters 3D 12:30 pm, 05:30 pm, 08:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 10:30 am Journey to Space 3D 06:30 pm Mysteries of the Unseen World 07:30 pm Wednesday Humpback Whales 3D 05:30 am Flying Monsters 3D 11:30 am 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 08:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 12:30 pm Mysteries of the Unseen World 10:30 am Secret Ocean 3D 07:30 pm Thursday Humpback Whales 3D 11:30 am 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Flying Monsters 3D 10:30 am 07:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 05:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 08:30 pm Secret Ocean 3D 12:30 pm Friday Humpback Whales 3D 08:30 pm Flying Monsters 3D 02:30 pm, 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 03:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 04:30 pm Secret Ocean 3D 07:30 pm Mysteries of the Unseen World 05:30 am Saturday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Humpback Whales 3D 10:30 am 07:30 pm Flying Monsters 3D 11:30 am, 02:30 pm, 05:30 pm, 08:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 04:30 pm, 09:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 01:30 pm, 06:30 pm Secret Ocean 3D 03:30 pm Mysteries of the Unseen World 12:30 pm Notes: All films are in Arabic. For English, headsets are available upon request. Film schedule is subject to changes without notice. For information call or visit

29 HEALTH 29 Bulgaria reports virulent bird flu Gadget mountain rising in Asia threatens health JAKARTA, Indonesia, Jan 15, (Agencies): The waste from discarded electronic gadgets and electrical appliances has reached severe levels in East Asia, posing a growing threat to health and the environment unless safe disposal becomes the norm. China was the biggest culprit with its electronic waste more than doubling, according to a new study by the United Nations University. But nearly every country in the region had massive increases between 2010 and 2015, including those least equipped to deal with the growing mountain of discarded smartphones, computers, TVs, air conditioners and other goods. On average, electronic waste in the 12 countries in the study had increased by nearly two thirds in the five years, totaling 12.3 million tons in 2015 alone. Rising incomes in Asia, burgeoning populations of young adults, rapid obsolescence of products due to technological innovation and changes in fashion, on top of illegal global trade in waste, are among factors driving the increases. Consumers in Asia now replace their gadgets more frequently. In addition, many products are designed for low cost production, but not necessarily repair, refurbishment or easy recycling, said the study. It urges governments to enact specific laws for management of electronic waste or rigorously enforce existing legislation. Recycling Only South Korea, Taiwan and Japan have long established recycling systems based on laws introduced in the 1990s. Open dumping of lead- and mercury-laden components, open burning of plastics to release encased copper and unsafe backyard operations to extract precious metals are the norm in most countries including Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, which also lack laws governing the treatment of electronic and electrical waste. The study said open burning and unsafe recycling is associated with a slew of health problems for workers and communities near recycling operations They include infertility, childhood development problems, impaired lung function, liver and kidney damage, inheritable genetic damage and mental health problems. In this Jan 13 photo, the owner of a used electronic goods stall sits as he waits for customers at his shop in the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. (AP) Backyard recyclers are after gold, silver, palladium and copper, mainly from printed circuit boards, but the crude acid bath extraction process releases toxic fumes and is also inefficient, recovering only a portion of the valuable material. Also: SOFIA: A virulent bird flu virus has spread to 55 poultry farms in Bulgaria prompting the veterinary authorities to announce a cull of some 430,000 birds since it was first detected in the middle of December, agriculture minister Dessislava Taneva said on Saturday. The Balkan country has also registered four cases of bird flu in wild ducks since mid-december. Bulgaria has imposed a nationwide ban on poultry markets and on the hunting of game birds, and has already spent over a million levs ($543,714) to cull birds in a bid to contain the outbreak. In Bulgaria, we have usually registered bird flu in wild birds in the past few years. It is the first time we have had so many outbreaks in farms, Taneva told Bulgarian Darik radio.

30 Ooredoo Oman profit drops Saudi s Almarai Q4 net profit up 1 pct, close to forecasts Ooredoo Oman, the sultanate s No 2 telecom operator, reported a 5.4 percent fall in fourth-quarter net profit on Sunday. The fi rm, majority-owned by Qatar s Ooredoo, made 8.7 million rials ($22.6 million) in the three months to Dec 31, down from 9.2 million rials in the year-earlier period, it said in a bourse statement. Gulf Baader Capital Markets forecast: 10.6 million rials net proft. Fourth-quarter revenue of 68.2 million rials, versus 65.2 million rials a year earlier. Full-year profit of 46.3 million rials, versus 41.6 million rials in Ooredoo Oman competes with Oman Telecommunications (Omantel) for market share. The telecom operators will have to pay a 12 percent royalty fee on their revenues in 2017, up from 7 per cent in the previous year. (RTRS) Saudi Arabia s Almarai, the Gulf s largest dairy company, reported a 1 percent increase in fourth-quarter net profit on Sunday, broadly in line with analysts forecasts, and said cost controls would continue to be a priority. Almarai said net profit totalled million riyals ($130 million) in the three months to Dec 31, up from million riyals in the year-earlier period. Six analysts polled by Reuters had forecast on average that Almarai would make a quarterly net profi t of 519 million riyals. Almarai said earnings were hit by a 12.4 million riyals impairment of assets, changes in foreign exchange rates and higher funding costs during the quarter. Improving efficiency and cost control measures would remain a priority given the changing economic environment and the increasing competitive conditions, Almarai said. It reported quarterly sales of 3.61 billion riyals in the fourth quarter, up 0.7 percent from a year earlier. Saudi retailers had to contend last year with government austerity measures imposed to curb a state budget defi cit, including utility price increases and reduced fi nancial allowances for public sector employees. Almarai said on Dec 6 that its board had recommended a cash dividend of 0.9 riyal per share for 2016, lower than the cash dividend of 1.15 riyals for (RTRS) Market Movements Change Closing pts JAPAN - Nikkei , (Jan 13) GERMANY - DAX , (Jan 13) FRANCE - CAC , (Jan 13) EUROPE - Euro Stoxx , (Jan 13) HONG KONG - Hang Seng , (Jan 13) Change Closing pts AUSTRALIA - All Ordinaries , (Jan 13) S. KOREA - KRX , (Jan 13) PHILIPPINES - All Shares , (Jan 13) INDIA - Sensex , (Jan 13) HONG KONG - Hang Seng , Business Iran parliament passes 5-year economic plan Plan includes sharp rise in foreign investment DUBAI, Jan 15, (RTRS): Iran s parliament passed a five-year economic development plan on Sunday that includes a sharp rise in foreign investment, though Tehran may not achieve that while US president-elect Donald Trump is in office. The plan lets the government arrange up to an average of $30 billion of foreign financing each year, in addition to $15 billion of annual direct foreign investment in Iran, and up to $20 billion of foreign investment conducted with local partners. Such volumes of foreign investment would mark a big increase from levels seen in the past few decades. Since 2000, net inflows of foreign direct investment rarely exceeded $4 billion, according to the World Bank a small amount by the standards of major emerging markets. Investment has been deterred by red tape and restrictive regulation, and more recently by international sanctions. Many though not all of those sanctions were lifted last January after Tehran signed a deal with world powers limiting its nuclear programme. Trump has threatened to either scrap the nuclear agreement or seek a better deal. At the very least, tighter enforcement of remaining sanctions by Washington could make companies around the world more cautious about trading with or investing in Iran. Iranian officials have said they want foreign capital and technology to modernise a wide range of industries, estimating the key oil and gas sectors need about $180 billion of funds for expansion and maintenance during the next decade. The development plan, many details of which have yet to be published, calls for efforts to create jobs and curb inflation, which the government of President Hassan Rouhani has brought down to single digits from over 40 percent a few years ago. But as part of the plan, lawmakers earlier approved expanding military spending to 5 percent of the annual budget from almost 2 percent previously. This would include developing Iran s long-range missile programme, which Trump has pledged to halt. The development plan also features aspects of a resistance economy promoted by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has called for Iran to make its economy more self-sufficient so that it can resist outside pressure. The plan has to be approved by the Guardian Council, which vets legislation passed by parliament, before it takes effect. Meanwhile, Iran exported 11 million barrels of condensate to South Korea in December, partly delivered from tankers located outside the Gulf, the Iranian oil ministry s news website SHANA said on Sunday. Three South Korean companies bought a total of 11 million barrels of gas condensates from Iran in December, so the Asian country remains the biggest receiver of condensate from Iran, SHANA said. The report was published as a denial of a Reuters story that quoted a source with knowledge of Iran s preliminary tanker schedule as saying Iranian condensate exports were set to fall 17 percent to a five-month low in January, as main buyer South Korea cut purchases by nearly half and takes more barrels from Qatar. It appears that Reuters report is based on monitoring of vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz (at the mouth of the Gulf), while Iran had several supertankers full of con- Egypt to cut subsidies, boost revenues CAIRO, Jan 15, (AFP): Egypt will make further signifi cant cuts to energy subsidies, raise taxes and seek more international financing as it pursues economic reforms this year, Finance Minister Amr El- Garhy said on Sunday. Speaking at a Cairo press conference, Garhy said the steps are part of ongoing economic reforms the country urgently needs. The International Monetary Fund approved last year a $12 billion loan after Egypt floated its pound and cut energy subsidies. The finance minister also revealed that the IMF loan carries an interest rate of 1.5 to 1.75 percent. The reforms come as Egypt faces major economic challenges after the political turmoil that followed the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime leader Hosni Mubarak. Economic growth has slowed, investment has fallen sharply and currency reserves have plunged. Egypt s government agreed in November to slash fuel subsidies as part of the IMF reform package but because the country fl oated its currency at the same time, the subsidy bill ballooned, Garhy said. The cost of subsidies rose as a result of the exchange rate we currently have and... that we as a state import a large part of our petroleum needs, he said, without providing fi gures. This, right now, is the biggest challenge the government faces on the economy, Garhy said. The Egyptian pound, which had been pegged at 8.83 to the dollar before November, was trading at more than 18 pounds to the dollar on Sunday. Garhy said the government was also planning to raise the rate of the value added tax by one point to 14 percent as of July. Egypt introduced VAT in September and in December also raised tariffs on hundreds of imported items by up to 60 percent as it seeks to boost government revenues. Garhy said the IMF deal had raised investor confi dence in Egypt, especially as the fund regularly reviews the implementation of the reform package. IMF oversight and twice-yearly reviews allow all investors... to be assured of the level of seriousness of this (reform) programme, Garhy said. The full details of the IMF deal have not yet been disclosed, but as well as providing the interest rate Garhy said Sunday that each tranche would be repaid within 10 years of disbursement, with a 4.5- year grace period. Egypt will also seek to raise more money on international markets, he said, starting with a roadshow from Monday to promote a Eurobond issue in the United Arab Emirates, United States and Britain. densate located since earlier in open seas and near China that covered some of theses sales, SHANA said. Although Reuters report referred to January sales, SHANA did not give condensate export figures for January. Iran, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, does not publish monthly data on its condensate and crude exports. Iran scored a victory when it was exempted from an OPEC deal agreed in November to reduce production by 1.2 million bpd, and traders have expected it to raise output slightly and boost exports to reclaim market share. Tehran has also been aggressively marketing oil from its offshore storage. It has sold more than 13 million barrels of oil that it had long held on tankers at sea. In this fi le photo, the GAC Motors EnSpirit, an electronic hybrid conceptual car, is displayed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The EnSpirit concept is a small four-door SUV with a retractable cloth roof. Inside are light wood accents and a long center stack that features a little bonsai tree in the rear. The EnSpirit is a plug-in hybrid, and GAC says it can go around 60 miles in electric mode before the small gas engine kicks in. (AP) Road ahead for EVs in US seen bumpy China and Europe markets drive shift to electric cars DETROIT, Jan 15, (RTRS): Electric cars will pick up critical momentum in 2017, many in the auto industry believe just not in North America. Tighter emissions rules in China and Europe leave global carmakers and some consumers with little choice but to embrace plug-in vehicles, fuelling an investment surge, said industry executives gathered in Detroit this past week for the city s annual auto show. Car electrification is an irreversible trend, said Jacques Aschenbroich, chief executive of auto supplier Valeo, which has expanded sales by 50 percent in five years with a focus on electric, hybrid, connected and selfdriving cars. In Europe, green cars benefit increasingly from subsidies, tax breaks and other perks, while combustion engines face mounting penalties including driving and parking restrictions. China, struggling with catastrophic pollution levels in major cities, is aggressively pushing plug-in vehicles. Its carrot-and-stick approach combines tens of billions in investment and research funding with subsidies, and regulations designed to discourage driving fossil-fueled cars in big cities. The road ahead for electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States, however, could have more hairpin curves. Regulators in California and a group of other US states are pushing ahead with state-level rules mandating rising quotas for electric, or zero emission vehicles. But plug-in registrations in the United States fell in 2015, and the market share of electric-only vehicles declined further to 0.37 percent in 2016, as cheap fuel drove demand for gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to roll back environmental and climate rules. Groups representing established automakers asked Trump to review Obama administration fuel economy targets out to 2025, even before the outgoing administration formally signed them into effect on QNB seeks growth in SE Asia after Q4 profit rises DUBAI, Jan 15, (RTRS): Qatar National Bank (QNB) is broadening its horizons in Southeast Asia after the Gulf s largest lender reported a 8.3 percent rise in fourth-quarter net profit, according to Reuters calculations. It follows a year in which the bank cemented its position as the largest lender in the Middle East and Africa by assets after completing the 2.7 billion euro purchase of Finansbank, Turkey s fifth-largest private lender. The takeover helped lift its fourthquarter net profit to 2.75 billion riyals ($755 million), compared with 2.54 billion riyals in the corresponding period of 2015, according to Reuters calculations based on the bank s annual results. The figures on Sunday came below analysts expectations. EFG Hermes had forecast net profit at 2.99 billion riyals for the three months to Dec. 31 while SICO Bahrain had expected 3.44 billion riyals for the period. Competition among leading Gulf banks to expand outside the region is becoming intense at a time when opportunities for growth are limited at home amid weak oil prices and lower state spending. A merger between National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank will create one of the biggest lenders in the Middle East and Africa when the deal closes in QNB said it was now targeting becoming a leading bank in the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia by 2020 after achieving its goal of becoming a Middle East and Africa icon by In addition to its foothold in Turkey, QNB, which has a presence in more than 30 countries, also owns a business in Egypt and a 23.5 percent stake in pan-african lender Ecobank International. QNB has a more limited presence in South East Asia, although the bank said in August 2016 it had been given approval to open a branch in India offering banking services. For 2016 as a whole, QNB reported a net profit of 12.4 billion riyals, up 10 percent from 2015, according to a statement. QNB s board proposed a cash dividend for 2016 of 3.5 riyals per share and a bonus share dividend which would award one free share for every 10 shares currently owned. In 2015, it awarded a cash dividend of 3.5 riyals per share and a bonus share dividend of two free shares for every 10 shares held. Friday. Automakers have also asked Trump to work toward a single, national set of rules to govern automotive greenhouse gas emissions, a move that could spark legal challenges to electric car quotas in California and other states on grounds they present a separate standard. Still, industry executives in Detroit said hitting the brakes on electric vehicles in the United States would not relieve the pressure to bring them to market, because China and Europe are forging ahead with policies to expand sales of plug-in cars. That is why Ford is moving forward with previously announced plans to invest $4.5 billion for plug-in vehicles by 2020, Chief Executive Mark Fields said earlier this month. The industry is changing, the infrastructure s starting to build, and that s why our view is (that) within the next 15 years we ll see more electrified offerings than we ll see gasolinepowered, Fields said as he unveiled a $700 million plan to build a battery SUV and other plug-in vehicles in Flat Rock, Michigan. To drive the shift to electric, industry executives said they needed more help from governments. In China, Europe and the United States, automakers are advocating new infrastructure money go to public electric car charging networks. In the United States, EV manufacturers are pushing for the continuation of a $7,500 federal tax subsidy for consumers who buy a fully electric car. Even if Trump were to try to eliminate it, it would take time as Congress would have to act. Will this time be different? Volatility & cyclicality in oil prices and industry John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own Editor By John Kemp Extreme volatility and strong cyclicality have been the defining characteristics of oil prices and the industry since the first modern oil well was drilled in Pennsylvania in Oil prices are much more volatile than the prices of manufactured goods or services, and in this they resemble other industrial and agricultural commodities. Volatility is apparent at all time scales from the very short term (tick-by-tick and daily movements in futures prices) to the longer term (month-to-month and year-toyear). But price moves are not random and display clear evidence of cyclical behaviour, again at all time horizons from the very short term to decades. Volatility and cyclicality are not incidental features of oil markets that can be wished or managed away. Volatility and cyclicality are fundamental characteristics of oil markets. Prices, production and consumption do not return promptly and smoothly to equilibrium following a disturbance to the market. The problem of oil is that there is always too much or too little, Myron Watkins, professor of economics at New York University, wrote 80 years ago. The basic feature of the petroleum industry... that matters most is that it is not self-adjusting, according to economist Paul Frankel. Because of the lack of adjustment mechanisms the industry has an inherent tendency to extreme crises and hectic prosperity is followed all too swiftly by complete collapse Frankel argued. Defied The industry has defied repeated attempts to tame the cycle and provide greater stability. Frankel s description has remained accurate for six decades and his book remains the best short primer on the oil business. Frankel blamed boom and bust on the sluggish response of both production and consumption to even a large change in oil prices. The lack of ready substitutes for oil as a transport fuel and in petrochemicals ensures consumption responds slowly and in a limited way to a change in prices. Capital intensity and the high ratio of fixed to variable costs in all parts of the supply chain from exploration and production to refining and marketing ensure supply is also price-inelastic in the short term. Low price-elasticity of both supply and demand are what Frankel meant by lack of self-adjustment in the industry. But other factors beside lowprice elasticity contribute to the extreme instability and cyclicality of oil prices. Given the capital-intensive nature of the oil business, investments in new production capacity and changes in production take a long time. Bringing a complex offshore oil field onstream can take 10 years from discovery to initial production. Training experienced seismologists, drilling supervisors and petroleum engineers can take even longer. The oil industry s mass layoffs during the price slump of the 1990s were still hampering its ability to increase production a decade later, contributing to the price boom of the 2000s. Investment By their nature, investment decisions must be based on expectations about where oil prices will be in three to 10 years when projects come onstream and then over the succeeding 10 to 20 years of field production. But there is evidence that expectations, which are meant to be forward looking, are strongly influenced by the recent past, introducing a backward-looking element. Oil companies are generally too bullish about future prices following a boom and too bearish about future prices following a slump. Backward-looking expectations coupled with lengthy delays in bringing new capacity onstream contribute to the cycle of underand over-supply. The same problem is also apparent on the consumption side where households and businesses entrench often backward-looking expectations about future prices in purchases of long-lived capital equipment. The oil industry is also characterised by multiple feedback loops which affect the speed of adjustment. Negative feedback mechanisms dampen the impact of an initial disturbance and are therefore stabilising and promote a rapid return to equilibrium. Fuel-switching, efficiency and energy conservation policies are all negative feedback mechanisms on the demand side of the market which promote an eventual return to balance. Capital budgets, cash flow and the availability of debt and equity finance all act as negative feedback mechanisms on the supply side. But there are also positive feedback mechanisms which amplify and prolong the impact of an initial disturbance and are therefore destabilising and delay return to balance. (RTRS)

31 BUSINESS 31 sterling flash crash had no single driver, no data to suggest market abuse BIS There is little if any data to support suggestions that traders may have deliberately spurred October s flash crash in sterling, a Bank for International Settlements report said pointing instead to a range of structural factors. The report from the BIS Markets Committee steered clear of discussing the conduct of individual banks or traders in the 9 percent fall and recovery of the pound over a few minutes around the start of the Asian trading day on Oct 7. The Financial Times reported last month that regulators had been looking at the activity of a Japan-based trader at US bank Citi, the world s single biggest currency trading institution, during the currency s fall. Citi has said its trading operations functioned appropriately in a thin and illiquid market. Based on the available evidence, this event (the flash crash) appears to have been the product of a confluence of factors, the committee, made up of representatives of the world s major central banks, said in the report, stressing that it had not considered specific issues around market conduct during the event. It pointed chiefly to the generally low liquidity of the market at the time of day when the crash took place, along with the execution of stop-loss and options hedging orders triggered by the sharp changes in the exchange rate. Other factors such as fat finger errors and potential market abuse cannot be ruled out given the incomplete data set, but there are little, if any, hard data to substantiate them, the report said. Group committee chairman, Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor Guy Debelle, said the report s conclusions had been factored in to ongoing work on a global code of conduct for the giant $5 trillion a day foreign exchange market. There are direct lessons... which have been taken on board, Debelle said. These include... participants obligation to consider the disruptive consequences of their trading activity, governance around algorithmic execution of trades, and how market participants might best determine the low (or high) point of pricing in a flash event. The sudden fall in the pound was the latest in a series of such events on major financial market in the past three years, generally assumed to be linked to a drop in day-to-day risk taken by banks and a move towards more computer-driven trading. Sources familiar with discussions at BIS meetings told Reuters last month that there was growing concern among regulators about the need to address such crashes but that central banks would be reluctant to go as far as outright intervention. (RTRS) NBK Q4 net profit estimated at KD 69.21m Following are the fourth-quarter earnings estimates for some selected companies and banks in the GCC. Editor Kuwait Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Agility in millions of dinars. SICO Bahrain Agility reported a net profit of million dinars in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Burgan Bank in millions of dinars. EFG Hermes Burgan Bank reported a net profit of million dinars in the fourth quarter of for Kuwait Finance House in millions of dinars. EFG Hermes Kuwait Finance House reported a net profit of million dinars in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for National Bank of Kuwait in millions of dinars. EFG Hermes National Bank of Kuwait reported a net profit of million dinars in the fourth quarter of for Viva Kuwait in millions of dinars. SICO Bahrain Viva Kuwait reported a net profit of million dinars in the fourth quarter of for Zain in millions of dinars. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Zain reported a net profit of million dinars in the fourth quarter of Saudi Arabia Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Abdullah Abdul Mohsin Al Khodari Sons Co. in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes Abdullah Abdul Mohsin Al Khodari Sons Co. reported a net loss of 1.04 million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Alinma Bank in millions of riyals. SICO Bahrain Alistithmar Capital Aljazira Capital Albilad Capital Average Alinma Bank reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Almarai in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Alistithmar Capital NCB Capital Albilad Capital Aljazira Capital Average Almarai reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Al Rajhi Bank in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital SICO Bahrain Aljazira Capital EFG Hermes Albilad Capital Average Al Rajhi Bank reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Arab National Bank in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes Average Arab National Bank reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital Albilad Capital National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Banque Saudi Fransi in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Average Banque Saudi Fransi reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital EFG Hermes Aljazira Capital NCB Capital SICO Bahrain Albilad Capital Average Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following are third-quarter net profit estimates for Fawaz Abdulaziz Al Hokair Co in millions of riyals. Q %change EFG Hermes NCB Capital Fawaz Abdulaziz Al Hokair Co reported a net profit of million riyals in the third quarter of The company s financial year starts on April 1. for Jarir Marketing Co. in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital SICO Bahrain Aljazira Capital EFG Hermes NCB Capital Albilad Capital Average Jarir Marketing Co. reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Mouwasat Medical Services in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital SICO Bahrain Aljazira Capital EFG Hermes Albilad Capital Average Mouwasat Medical Services Co. reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for National Commercial Bank in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital SICO Bahrain National Commercial Bank reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for National Industrialization Co. (Tasnee) in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes NCB Capital Average National Industrialization Co. (Tasnee) reported a net loss of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Riyad Bank in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Average Riyad Bank reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Saudi Arabia Fertilizers Co. (SAFCO) in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital Albilad Capital SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes NCB Capital Average Saudi Arabia Fertilizers Co. (SAFCO) reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Samba Financial Group in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Average Samba Financial Group reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes Albilad Capital NCB Capital Average Saudi Basic Industries Corp. reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Saudi British Bank (SABB) in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes Average SABB reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Saudi Cement in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Albilad Capital NCB Capital Average Saudi Cement reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Saudi Electricity Co. in millions of riyals. NCB Capital Saudi Electricity reported a net loss of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Alawwal Bank in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital EFG Hermes Alawwal Bank reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Saudi Telecom Co. in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital EFG Hermes Aljazira Capital SICO Bahrain NCB Capital Albilad Capital Average Saudi Telecom Co. reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Savola Group in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes Albilad Capital NCB Capital Average Savola Group reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Saudi International Petrochemical Co (Sipchem) in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain NCB Capital Average Saudi International Petrochemical Co. (Sipchem) reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for YANSAB in millions of riyals. Alistithmar Capital Albilad Capital SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes NCB Capital Average YANSAB reported a net profit of million riyals in thefourth quarter of for Zain Saudi in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes Aljazira Capital NCB Capital Albilad Capital Average Zain Saudi reported a net loss of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Qatar Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Al Meera Consumer Goods in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes Al Meera Consumer Goods reported a net profit of 21.7 million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Commercial Bank of Qatar in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain QNB Financial Services Average Commercial Bank of Qatar reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Doha Bank in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes QNB Financial Services SICO Bahrain Average Doha Bank reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Industries Qatar in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain QNB Financial Services Average Industries Qatar reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Masraf Al Rayan in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes QNB Financial Services Masraf Al Rayan reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Ooredoo in millions of riyals. SICO Bahrain Ooredoo reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Qatar Electricity and Water Co in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes QNB Financial Services Qatar Electricity and Water Co reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Qatar Gas Transport Co (Nakilat) in millions of riyals. QNB Financial Services Qatar Gas Transport Co (Nakilat) reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Qatar Insurance in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes Qatar Insurance reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Qatar International Islamic Bank in millions of riyals. QNB Financial Services Qatar International Islamic Bank reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profitestimates for Qatar Islamic Bank in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes QNB Financial Services SICO Bahrain Average Qatar Islamic Bank reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of for Qatar National Bank in millions of riyals. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Qatar National Bank reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Qatar Navigation (Milaha) in millions of riyals. QNB Financial Services Qatar Navigation (Milaha) reported a net profit of million riyals in the fourth quarter of UAE Abu Dhabi for Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Deutsche Bank Average Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of for Aldar Properties in millions of dirhams. SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes Aldar Properties reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) in millions of dirhams. SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for First Gulf Bank in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Deutsche Bank Average First Gulf Bank reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of for National Bank of Abu Dhabi in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Deutsche Bank Average National Bank of Abu Dhabi reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of for Union National Bank in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Union National Bank reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of Dubai for Air Arabia in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Air Arabia reported a net profit of 55.9 million dirhams in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Arabtec Holding in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes Arabtec Holding reported a net loss of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of for Aramex in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Aramex reported a net profit of 57.6 million dirhams in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Drake & Scull International in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes Drake & Scull International reported a net profit of 15.8 million dirhams in the fourth quarter of for Dubai Islamic Bank in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Deutsche Bank Average Dubai Islamic Bank reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of for Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co (du) in millions of dirhams. SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co. (du) reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of for Emaar Properties in millions of dirhams. SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes Emaar Properties reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of for Emaar Properties in millions of dirhams. SICO Bahrain EFG Hermes Emaar Malls reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Emirates NBD in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes SICO Bahrain Deutsche Bank Average Emirates NBD reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for DAMAC Properties in millions of dirhams. EFG Hermes DAMAC Properties reported a net profit of million dirhams in the fourth quarter of Bahrain Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Ahli United Bank in millions of dollars. SICO Bahrain Ahli United Bank reported a net profit of million dollars in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Aluminium Bahrain in millions of dinars. SICO Bahrain Aluminium Bahrain reported a net loss of million dinars in the fourth quarter of Following is a fourth-quarter net profit estimate for Bahrain Telecommunications Co (Batelco) in millions of dinars. SICO Bahrain Batelco reported a net profit of 8.60 million dinars in the fourth quarter of Oman for Bank Dhofar in millions of rials. EFG Hermes Gulf Baader Capital Markets Bank Dhofar reported a net profit of million rials in the fourth quarter of for Bank Muscat in millions of rials. EFG Hermes Gulf Baader Capital Markets SICO Bahrain Average Bank Muscat reported a net profit of million rials in the fourth quarter of for National Bank of Oman in millions of rials. EFG Hermes Gulf Baader Capital Markets National Bank of Oman reported a net profit of million rials in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Ooredoo Oman in millions of rials. Gulf Baader Capital Markets Ooredoo Oman reported a net profit of 9.30 million rials in the fourth quarter of Following are fourth-quarter net profit estimates for Raysut Cement in millions of rials. EFG Hermes Gulf Baader Capital Markets Raysut Cement reported a net profit of 5.14 million rials in the fourth quarter of 2015.

32 BUSINESS 32 what you need to know now about the upcoming tax season It s a new year and time to put the last one to bed, which means filing your taxes. The Internal Revenue Service says to expect a few changes when the nation s individual income tax fi ling season opens on Jan 23. Here are some of the changes you should be aware of: NEW DATE: Taxes are usually due on April 15, but this year that falls on a Saturday. And Emancipation Day, a holiday in Washington, DC, will be observed on Monday, April 17. So that pushes the nation s deadline to fi le returns and pay any amount due to April 18. You don t have to wait until then to meet with a tax professional or start the process though. DELAYED REFUNDS: A new law may delay refunds for some low to moderate income taxpayers who file early. The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act, known as the PATH Act, requires the IRS to withhold refunds on tax returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax GCC health sector Credit until mid-february. The change is designed to give the IRS more time to detect and prevent tax fraud. The affected refunds will start being released on Feb 15 but they may not arrive in bank accounts until the week of Feb 27, as it will take more time for financial institutions to accept and deposit the refunds. The three-day holiday weekend involving President s Day on Feb 20 may also affect the timing of when funds are available. NEW ID NUMBERS: The PATH Act also requires that certain individual taxpayer identifi cation numbers, known as ITINs, be renewed. Any ITIN that hasn t been used on a tax return at least once in the past three years, as well as any ITIN with middle digits of 78 or 79, must be renewed before a return can be processed. Anyone filing a tax return with an expired ITIN could experience return processing and refund delays, as well as denial of some tax benefits until the number is renewed. An ITIN renewal application could take up to 11 weeks to process during tax filing season. (AP) Global Investment House Market to expand at CAGR of 12.5% up to 2020 Despite growth, healthcare expenditure still low compared to rest of the world KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: The healthcare industry in GCC has gained momentum over the past few years, driven by the need to address healthcare service capacity constraints and simultaneously improve the quality of health infrastructure amidst a population that is growing swiftly. Demographic transition, a rise in the region s aging population, rapid growth in lifestyle risk factors (a natural consequence of an increase in household income), and the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases were and still are the prime reasons for the demand for healthcare. Major investments in healthcare by GCC countries over the past few decades have resulted in significant improvement in the outcome of the region s overall health status. The health systems established by GCC states are focused on fulfilling the core public health functions of childhood immunization, food safety, environmental health, and essential child and maternal health services. Healthcare expenditure While, the expenditure on healthcare has increased over the past few years, the level of expenditure is still low when a comparison of different indicators is made with the international community; say for example the percentage of healthcare spending to GDP in the GCC is less than half when compared to the developed countries. It is perhaps because of this that a deficiency exists within the system and that a major expenditure is undertaken by GCC countries on sending patients abroad for treatment. Among the GCC countries, Bahrain has the highest healthcare expenditure as a % to GDP of 5% for 2014 while Qatar s healthcare expenditure to GDP was at 2.1%. However, Qatar leads GCC in terms of GDP per capita which stands at a whopping USD96,733 in 2014 whereas the lowest GDP per capita is in Oman at USD19,310. In terms of absolute healthcare spending, GCC spent USD64.4bn in 2014 as compared to USD58.3bn in 2013 registering a rise of 10.5%YoY. Interestingly, GCC s average GDP per capita stands remarkably higher than the world average, even almost equivalent to the developed world whereas the healthcare expenses per capita is slightly higher than the world average and markedly lower than that of developed economies which indicates sizeable room for growth in the healthcare industry in GCC. To prove that further, GCC regions also stand far behind the developing world, let alone the developed worlds in terms of healthcare expenditure (government) as a % of total (budgetary) expenditure. Growth Drivers & Challenges Population growth is a driving force for any country s healthcare services, which help in giving shape to the system and attract investments. The collective population of the GCC is around 53mn, as of 2015 and population has been increasing at a 10-yr CAGR of 4.0% which is quite high as compared to the world average of just 1.2%. High influx of expatriate population, already high birth rates and greater life expectancy are major factors driving that. Life expectancy in the GCC improved to an average of 76.4 years in 2014 (as per World Bank) from approximately 62 years in This essentially means that statistically people are living much longer than what they used to do over 40 years ago, leading to slower subtraction from the population equation. Moreover, this also highlights the rise in the ageing population which draws attention towards the demand for specialized old age health centers and pain management centers. It should also be understood that an ageing population is closely associated with a drain on the healthcare resources since typically 4/5th of a person s healthcare needs are incurred after his age of retirement. Previously, a wide gap existed between the GCC and developed nations with regard to under-five mortality rates, which has now significantly narrowed. A child born in the GCC now has greater chances of survival, pushing up the infant age group size. This highlights the greater need for specialized pediatric-focused healthcare needs within the system. Health insurance in GCC To meet the growing demand for healthcare and reduce the burden of healthcare expenses on the public sector, some GCC countries have recently introduced Mandatory Health Insurance (MHI). This initiative has increased the private sector s share in health infrastructure, establishing facilities growth in private care, which has led to expansion in health service utilization in the region. Saudi Arabia took the lead in implementing mandatory health insurance policy for the private sector, benefiting both locals and expatriates. Qatar and UAE have also implemented mandatory health insurance, while Bahrain has had a compulsory health insurance scheme for nationals since 2003 and is planning to roll out mandatory insurance policy for expatriates. In Kuwait, expatriates must have health insurance in order to receive a residency permit, but this does not provide them access to Kuwaiti private health providers. Things will change however when the new Dhaman scheme is implemented through the PPP model which will require higher premium but in turn provide the expatriates access to a new state of the art hospital system. Health insurance is expected to drive demand for medical services as out-of-pocket expenditures decrease, which in turn is expected to draw private investment into the healthcare sector. Therefore, MHI is expected to drive healthcare investment and development in the private sector and likely to witness complete implementation in the region. Among the various global challenges related to health systems is the rising concern of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries. After handling infectious diseases over the past five decades through essential health services, countries are now struggling with the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and the risks related to them. The increasing prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and the move away from traditional, nutritious diets to fast-foods have led to an increase in diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cancer, heart conditions and other lifestyle related diseases in the GCC. This has been exacerbated by the sharp increase in the income of population (represented by the GDP/ capita). As per International Diabetes Federation s Diabetes Atlas, in 2015 all GCC countries with the exception of Oman were amongst the top 10 countries where diabetes was prevalent among the population aged between 20 and 79; Oman was among the top 20. The GCC average comes at a massive 19%, significantly ahead the 9% average for the world. The rising threat of non-communicable diseases in GCC would not only pressure healthcare financing but also affect economic efficiency as the rate of sickness among the working class would be higher. These factors, combined with an aging population, are projected to further pressure healthcare spending as the threat of NCD diseases continues to rise. According to PWC s global strategy consulting team, individual GCC country studies show NCDs account for 9 30% of the public healthcare spending. Qatar has the highest spending per capita, with NCDs comprising 22% of the total healthcare spending. Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE hold a median position wherein NCDs account for 7 11% of the healthcare spending. Oman has the lowest per capita healthcare spending and spends merely 6% of the total healthcare expenditure on NCDs attributed to its relatively traditional lifestyle. Shortcomings The GCC had 600 hospitals in 2008 which grew to 684 by 2013 which exhibits a CAGR of 2.7%. Public sector hospitals dominate GCC s hospital base constituting around 62% of the total as of Saudi Arabia and the UAE have the largest number of hospital with 65% of the total hospitals in Saudi Arabia, which is a function of their population; only 2% of the total hospitals are in Oman. The majority of general hospitals in the region indicate a clear opportunity for specialized and super-specialty hospitals. The Super speciality hospital is the one which focuses on specialities like Neurosurgery, Cardiac Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Surgical Oncology etc. The GCC healthcare industry is deficient as a collective when compared to the developed world. In terms of hospital beds per 1,000 the GCC (1.7) is markedly lacking even when compared to the developing world (2.0) and the world average (3.0). The GCC region lacks local healthcare professionals and depends on expatriates to fulfil the services demand. Governments have taken initiatives to improve the situation. As training locals will take time, dependence on experienced doctors and nurses from overseas is expected to continue over the medium term. In terms of physicians per 1,000 the GCC (2.1) is better than the developing world (1.3) but is lower when compared to the developed world (2.4) and the world average (3.4). In terms of nurses per 1,000 the GCC (5.7) fares much better but still stands no chance against the developed world (8.9). Noteworthy, expatriates account for the significant portion of the healthcare workforce, take for example KSA (which is GCC s largest healthcare market) where ~64% of the total healthcare workforce is non-citizens. The GCC s reliance on expats is expected to grow due to the lack of adequate training facilities and qualified local manpower leading to an increase in the financial burden and uncertainty associated with bringing in expatriate workforce. Healthcare systems in the region continue to fall short of global standards despite growth witnessed in healthcare in the region. Most GCC countries lack health indicators, such as hospital beds, physicians, and medical staff, compared with developed countries. This performance gap, coupled with a growing aging population, justifies the need for huge investments from governments and private sectors in GCC to improve availability and access to healthcare-related services. GCC healthcare market Based on estimates from AON Hewitt s Global Medical Trend Rates 2016 Survey report, the average net medical trend rate of GCC countries was % in 2015, and is estimated to expand % in Hence, we considered the 2016 growth rates for the forecast period and thus arrived at the healthcare market valuation for the entire region to be between USD90 and 130 billion by The outlook for the sector remains positive given the rising demand for healthcare services and secondly government s efforts to promote healthcare led by a mix of public and private initiatives. Also, rising life style related disease, favorable demographics and socioeconomic conditions will add to the prosperity of healthcare in the region. In 2015, GCC has total 90,426 hospital beds across the region and a total of 224,509 nurses. This translates into approximately 1.7 beds per 1000 people in GCC while the ratio for nurses 2016 data highlights banks role as pioneer in this market: Al-Roshood KFH volume traded in sukuk market hits $11.4bn KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Kuwait Finance House Group (KFH-Group) volume traded in the Sukuk market reached $11.4 billion for the year Such volume is yet another outstanding achievement to be added to KFH record as a primary dealer and a global Sukuk market maker said Abdulwahab Essa Al-Roshood, Group Chief Treasury Officer at KFH. H added, in a press release, that the bank managed in 2016 to achieve remarkable development in the Sukuk market at the regional and global levels as it motivated and encouraged a number of conventional and Islamic financial institutions to enter the market. KFH occupied a great share of the secondary market short-term Sukuk trading issued by International Islamic Liquidity Management (IILM) since KFH was nominated Primary Dealer. He emphasized that this volume of Abdulwahab Essa Al-Roshood trading has contributed significantly to the increase of liquidity and to the support of Islamic financial markets. Sukuk boost Islamic finance, strengthen its pillars and highlight KFH role as a pioneer in this market. He reiterated the focus on the Group efforts, indicating that managing KFH Group efforts contributed in reinforcing leadership in the Sukuk Market, especially that the Group banks are spread over key regions including Turkey, Malaysia and Bahrain. Al-Roshood stated that Sukuk are the most significant and powerful low risk investment financing tool which contributes effectively to the process of encountering liquidity crises. Sukuk are characterized as instruments of high liquidity, active secondary market, flexibility and good returns. Sukuk represent a significant investment outlet for banks and an effective tool to manage liquidity in accordance with CBK regulations. In addition, Sukuk contribute in increasing shareholders profit. He highlighted that Sukuk contribute significantly in financing income generating and productive projects, thus activate economic growth, indicating several countries worldwide voice interest and mull deliberately issuing sovereign Sukuk in an attempt to plug their budget deficit. Meanwhile, International Islamic Liquidity Management, IILM expressed appreciation for KFH s excellent and strong performance, indicating that KFH has contributed strongly to the distribution of the IILM Sukuk. Bahrain s Nogaholding approaches banks for debut bond programme DUBAI, Jan 15, (RTRS): Nogaholding, the investment arm of Bahrain s National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA), has approached banks with the aim of setting up an international bond programme, sources close to the situation said on Sunday. A potential fund-raising exercise by the Bahraini company in the international debt markets would come at a busy time for the Gulf, as banks, corporates and governments seek to borrow US dollars to offset the negative impact of lower oil prices. The holding company for oil and gas assets owned by Bahrain s government plans to appoint a global coordinator to help it arrange the programme, which would be followed by bond issues after Nogaholding obtained a credit rating, the sources said. A spokeswoman for Nogaholding declined to comment. comes at 4.3 per 1000 people in GCC for GCC will require more of healthcare workforce and infrastructure to cater to its growing healthcare demand. Hence, a supply demand gap analysis has been worked out wherein requirements for numbers of beds and nurses have been estimated at an average growth rate of 2.5% for both based on the last 3 year average growth rate and it has been then compared with the OECD average rate for 2014 which stood at 3.3 beds and 7.9 nurses for every 1,000 people. This then brings up the surplus/deficit which might arise in the years to come. Significant improvements in the GCC healthcare industry over the past years could be ascribed primarily to investment and expansion in public health infrastructure. Over the past decade, the private sector has gradually been increasing investments in the emerging healthcare industry in GCC to capture a larger share in the market, driven by insurance reforms in some countries. The governments are also supporting private sector investments to diversify their economies. Currently, the governments finance the majority of the region s healthcare expenditure. The public sector finances around 63 89% of the total healthcare expenditure across GCC countries, compared with most developed nations and other emerging markets, which depend on the private sector. This is likely to change due to oil and gas prices being significantly lower than the previous year s levels, which would impact the GCC healthcare industry. Moreover, it is essential for the countries to streamline healthcare investments and spending, improve availability and access to health services, and ensure quality solutions in the healthcare sector. Over the past few years, investments in outpatient care have gained popularity among the private sector. The introduction of mandatory health insurance initiatives in some GCC countries has led to sizeable expansions in private care facilities. The private sector now holds a significant share in health infrastructure and services in some GCC countries. Public Private Partnerships GCC countries will likely face immense challenges in managing healthcare cost in future. Healthcare spending is gaining momentum, driven by the rising occurrence of chronic diseases in the region amongst other factors. In the current healthcare model, the government assumes most of the direct monetary burden and other social costs pertaining to healthcare. However, in the current economic scenario where the region is witnessing a drop in crude oil prices, the model seems unsustainable in the long term. Hence, the governments need to apply a methodology to encourage private sector investments to curb cost, improve service quality, and provide access to expertise. GCC countries can use PPPs as a medium to manage increasing healthcare cost, to boost competencies in the healthcare system and effect systematic transformation in the sector. As per a Frost & Sullivan study, healthcare PPPs have enabled governments globally to cut their costs by as much as 25%. The PPPs would have to be tailored to the specific requirements of the particular GCC country and healthcare system. Directly adopting PPP models from overseas would prove ineffective as schemes would need to be altered to suit the country s requirement. Governments across the world have successfully adopted PPP models that have helped them improve efficiency and reduce cost. Urbanization, demographic transition, and increasing levels of chronic diseases have rendered it expensive for governments to develop adequate resources and healthcare access for the masses. Hence, GCC countries are keenly exploring private sector contributions not only in the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary healthcare space but also in primary care facilities; however, this process is still in the nascent stage. Continued on Page 33 The bond programme could be either for conventional bonds or for sukuk, said one of the sources, adding that since Nogaholding s latest US dollar fund-raising exercise was an Islamic loan, a sukuk programme seemed more likely. In March last year, the company raised a $570 million murabaha facility with a five-year maturity. Murabaha financing is a cost-plus-profit arrangement compliant with Islamic finance standards. That loan, which was Nogaholding s debut in the syndicated credit markets, saw the participation of lenders Ahli United Bank, Arab Banking Corp, Arab Petroleum Investments Corp, BNP Paribas, Gulf International Bank, HSBC, Kuwait Finance House, National Bank of Bahrain, Qatar Islamic Bank and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

33 BUSINESS 33 Indian airlines soar but experts warn of turbulence ahead A major acquisition by Indian budget airline SpiceJet this week underscored the vast potential of the world s fastest-growing aviation market, but experts say woefully inadequate infrastructure and high operating costs could threaten the industry s rapid expansion. India s burgeoning middle classes are taking to the skies in ever greater numbers, with passenger growth of 20 percent in 2015 according to industry body IATA nearly double China s 11-percent increase over the same period. Low-cost airlines are rushing to expand their fl eets to take advantage of that growth, encouraged by a fall in fuel prices that last year pushed several private operators into profit for the fi rst time. SpiceJet, India s fourth biggest airline with a 13-percent market share, said Friday it was buying up to 205 Boeing planes worth $22 billion to fuel a major expansion of its domestic operations. Experts say the country s aviation sector holds vast untapped potential, with just 100 million of India s 1.2 billion people taking to the skies last year. But they warn that India s rickety infrastructure could hold back future growth, with just 90 of the country s more than 460 airports currently operational. Consistent 20-percent-plus growth per se is not a cause for celebration if the institutional framework is weak, said Kapil Kaul, South Asia head of industry advisory and research firm CAPA. This only increases safety and security risks. And skill shortages are also emerging. An urgent fix is required. (AFP) This file photograph taken on Sept 8, 2012, shows an aircraft of Indian airline Spicejet making a final approach for landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. (AFP) global and GCC financial markets report Kuwait Financial and Investment Co GCC economies adjust to low oil prices Kuwait Finance and Investment Company (KFIC) clarified in its financial annual report that the International markets closed the year 2016 in bullish territory after enduring a difficult start to the year, with positive economic data coming from Advanced Economies and Emerging Markets. Geopolitical events continued to impact economies on a global standpoint, with the ongoing war in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and numerous terrorist attacks in Turkey creating major security uncertainty around the Middle- East and Europe. In the United States, the US Federal Reserve was expected to raise interest rates in June 2016, but due to the surprise decision of Brexit, the Fed decided to delay raising interest rates until December 2016, and markets reacted positively towards this news. Donald trump shocked the world as he won the presidential race to the white house, against all expectations, and US equities also rallied due to the fresh fiscal policies which he would introduce such as ease banking regulation, reducing taxes, and spending heavily on rebuilding infrastructure. A trend toward stronger US economic growth and inflation could be accelerated by President-elect Trump s fiscal plans. Despite the disruption of Brexit, Europe has continued to progress towards a path of slow but steady growth as the ECB has continued to add more stimulus and has continued to boost the quantitative easing measures. Emerging Markets have also performed positively, with the exception of China s economy which has gone through a rebalancing phase and has slowed down due to the fall in commodity prices (further weakened by oil s collapse beginning in 2014). GCC nations have endured a difficult time economically as the slump in oil prices has forced governments to adjust to the new era of lower oil prices. Countries have been encouraged by agencies such as the IMF to accelerate structural reforms to diversify their economies away from Petrochemicals, boost the functional role of the private sector, and create jobs for their swiftly growing labor forces. Another strategy implemented by GCC governments was to issue international bonds to ease the burden on fiscal reserves and improve overall market liquidity. Saudi Arabia made headlines when it issued international bonds at a grand scale believed to be worth USD 17.5b, which was the biggest bond sale from an emerging market nation. Qatar also raised USD 9bn in sovereign bonds, Abu Dhabi sold USD 5bn worth of sovereign bonds, and Kuwait s planned bond issue worth USD 9.9bn has been delayed until In Saudi Arabia, strict austerity measures were implemented which included reducing minister s salaries, decreasing capital expenditures, and delaying paying contractors for construction projects. The Saudi budget for 2017 indicates that austerity measures will continue to take place as subsidies on utilities such as water and electricity will be partially reduced and fuel prices are expected to rise by +40%. Major spending increases were set aside for Healthcare which increased by +15% and Education & Training by +5% from The 2017 budget is expected to see costly subsidies on utilities such as water and electricity cut, while fuel prices are expected to rise a further +40%. In Kuwait, plans were made to introduce income tax, spending cuts and privatization on many public services to attract more foreign investment and boost the economy. However, the parliament was dissolved with cabinet members disagreeing over austerity measures due to fiscal budget constraints and this has delayed the release of the 2017 budget details. In the UAE, the cabinet approved the AED 48.7bn budget allocated for 2017 which was up by +2.6% compared to the previous 2016 budget. The main focus on the budget was to boost infrastructure spending by +27.0% as compared to the prior year. Oman s 2017 budget assumed an average oil price of USD 45.0/bbl. The ministry has vowed to focus on issuing international bonds as a method of boosting funds. Oman also has plans to sell major stakes in a string of state companies over the next several years such as Muscat Electricity Distribution Co, which will be completed in the first half of Qatar s 2017 budget intends to reduce the government s deficit and support growth measures through higher capital spending. Capital project spending will be targeted at transportation and infrastructure +21.2% of total spending, health +12.3% and Education +10.4%. The government also reiterated that it will continue to finance the fiscal deficit through domestic and external debt instruments and not draw down on accumulated reserves. Meanwhile, Bahrain has scaled back 22 municipal projects due to be completed within as a result of budget cuts. This all comes at a time where Bahrain was stripped of its investment grade credit rating by S&P to BB with a stable outlook, from BBB- with a negative outlook, which in essence sets it to junk category. Global equity markets The MSCI World index gained +5.3% as financial markets were supported by strong monetary easing policies, rising oil prices, and improving consumer confidence. In Europe, Germany s DAX index closed the year +6.9% higher, France s CAC 40 gained +4.9% and UK s decision to vote for Brexit resulted in a YTD performance of +14.4% for the FTSE 100 as the pound sharply devalued against the USD. In the United States, the S&P 500 rallied by +9.5% as the Federal Reserve delayed raising interest rates until December 2016 and markets rallied after Donald Trump surprised the nation by winning the Presidential election. In Emerging Markets, MSCI EM Index closed the year +8.6%. Brazil s Ibovespa gained +39.0% however mostly due to the Brazilian Real currency depreciating by -39.0%. The new government under Michel Temer is under pressure to improve the country s shrinking economy and get the budget deficit under control. China s Shanghai s Composite fell by -12.3% as investor confidence worsened due to China s GDP slowing down to +4.0% from +6.0%, and the Yuan has significantly devalued against the dollar leading to many capital outflows and a blow to economic confidence. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 closed flat at +0.4% as the Japanese economy slowed down which encouraged the government to increase expected stimulus measures. Commodities rallied sharply as OPEC and Non-OPEC members both agreed to initially freeze output in February 2016 and then cut oil supply production in November Brent increased +23.4% to USD 56.8/bbl and WTI gained +20.5% to close at USD 53.7/bbl. Gold and Silver were robust safe-havens for currency devaluations as Gold gained +8.6% to close at USD 1,152 per ounce and Silver improved by +14.9% to close at USD 15.9 per ounce. Regional Indices The beginning of the year 2016 witnessed oil prices collapsing to their lowest point in January, along with increasing geopolitical tension in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, and finally investors reacting negatively towards strict austerity measures implemented by GCC governments to combat the rising budget deficits. Markets rallied sharply on the backbone that OPEC and Non-OPEC members first agreed to freeze oil supply in February 2016 and then formally agreed to cut oil supply production in November Liquidity deteriorated within the first half of the year but government intervention such as issuing bonds internationally helped improve overall market liquidity. UAE s DFM index was the top performing index and Kuwait s Weighted Index was the worst performing index in the region. Kuwait s KSE Weighted Index finished the year -0.4%. Oil & Gas sustained a loss of -15.2% and Banks fell by -7.1%. Industrials reported a strong finish as it rose +17.9%, Consumer Goods increased +16.5%, and Telecom gained +11.3%. Saudi Arabia s Tadawul index closed the year +4.3% higher with Energy rising +40.1%, Petrochemicals jumping +25.0%, and Real-Estate gaining +21.5%. Hotels were hit heavily as the sector performance dropped -44.0% and Retail endured a difficult year as the sector fell -18.5%. UAE s DFM index rallied by +12.1% with Telecom rising +21.6%, Investment and Financial Services +19.2%, and Real Estate jumping +17.1%. Abu Dhabi s ADSM Index gained +5.6% mostly due to Real Estate rising +20.4% and Telecom gaining +16.8%. Negative performance was seen from Industrials -12.7% and Financial Services & Investment -11.4%. Qatar s QE Index gained +3.3% with positive performance from Industrials +3.8%, Telecom +2.1% and negative performance from Real Estate -6.9%. Oman s MSM 30 Index gained +6.9% mainly due to excellent performance from Banking +18.4% and Industrials gained +9.4%. Bahrain s BSE Index remained flat at +0.4% with flat performance from Banking +0.8% and negative performance from Hotels & Tourism -14.3%. Automation already rendering low-skilled US labour obsolete Robot arms replace factory hands PARIS, Jan 15, (AFP): Donald Trump has been crowing as companies including Ford renounce plans to move factories to Mexico. But the main beneficiaries of this shift back to the US aren t saying much by way of celebration industrial robots don t tend to speak. While globalisation s detractors blame countries such as China and Mexico for stealing the factory jobs of the West, experts point to less obvious culprits which are harder to scapegoat and to overcome in an interconnected economy with complex supply chains. Since US manufacturing employment peaked in the late 1970s, according to Michael Hicks of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University in Indiana, 95 percent of job losses were due to productivity improvements including automation and computer technology, rather than trade. Indiana is one of the rust-belt states where Trump triumphed in November, and the president-elect has promised a punitive border tax against Market to Continued from Page 32 Fair instances of PPP deals can be seen across the GCC, particularly in KSA and the UAE, evident from the large number of international hospitals in these countries. The Abu Dhabi government has formed PPPs with major international hospitals such as Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, Varned, and Bumrungrad. Kuwait has formed a separate organization, Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (previously known as Partnerships Technical Bureau), to facilitate its PPPs. Kuwait also plans to launch the Dhaman scheme (mandatory health insurance for expatriates) as a PPP initiative which comes with its own healthcare network infrastructure; this is going to replace the current government health insurance outsourcing companies as he bids to become the greatest jobs producer that God ever created. But while the US economy is pumping out manufactured goods in record volumes, it is achieving that feat with 7.3 million fewer factory hands than in 1979, government figures show. Automation has transformed the productivity of manufacturing since industrial robots first started painting, cutting, welding and assembling in the 1960s. And experts point to more recent innovations such as artificial intelligence, management apps and 3D printing as new threats to shop-floor workers as well as to white-collar staff. Hicks who has known former Indiana governor Mike Pence, Trump s incoming vice president, for years dismissed recent announcements by Ford, Indiana air-conditioning brand Carrier and others as political theatre. The apparent change of heart of these American companies is due to the hard math of expected tax cuts and regulatory changes (under the Trump administration), he told AFP in a phone interview, noting that under company projections, robots rather than wages will account for the bulk of planned investment that is being redirected from Mexico to the US. Vows to renegotiate trade pacts, or declare China a currency cheat, played well for Trump on the campaign trail but trends such as automation have already rendered much lowskilled US labour obsolete. The total output of US manufacturing rose more than 250 percent from 1980 to 2015, but its workforce slumped by roughly 40 percent in that time, according to analysis by the Brookings Institution in Washington. These diverging lines which reflect the sector s improved productivity highlight a huge problem with Trump s promises to help workers by reshoring millions of manufacturing jobs, Brookings expert Mark Muro wrote in a blog post. required for a residential visa. These efforts have led to a rise in private prepaid plans and a drop in out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare. Multi-billion projects The healthcare construction market in the GCC appears to be growing at a steady rate as various high-value construction projects are being developed in the region. According to the BNC Project Intelligence Database, there are approximately 709 healthcare construction projects with a combined estimated value of USD65bn out of which 133 healthcare projects are each worth over USD100mn. These projects make up almost 80% of the total value of all healthcare projects in the region. However, there are also many healthcare projects on hold, including Dubai healthcare City in the UAE (USD1.8bn), Bahrain Health Oasis in Bahrain (USD1bn) and King Faisal Medical City in Saudi Arabia (USD1bn). Saudi Arabia makes up approximately 53% of all healthcare projects in the GCC. The UAE has the second highest number of healthcare projects in region at 17%. The combined estimated value of healthcare projects between Saudi Arabia and the UAE is USD40.6bn, and they account for over 60% of total value of all healthcare projects. Kuwait constitutes only 6% of all healthcare projects but in dollar terms, Kuwait makes up around 11% of all total project values in the GCC. The variance is because of several mega construction projects in the country. Examples of some of the mega construction projects in Kuwait include Jaber Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah Hospital, Al Jahra Hospital Extension and the New Farwaniya Hospital Expansion. Each project is worth over USD1bn and they have a combined estimated value of USD3.8bn. Britain could change its economic model: finmin Britain wants reciprocal markets EU deal: Hammond BERLIN, Jan 15, (Agencies): Britain could change its economic model to regain competitiveness if it were to leave the European Union without an agreement on market access, British finance minister Phillip Hammond said in a German newspaper interview published on Sunday. In a thinly veiled threat that Britain could use its corporate tax as a form of leverage in Brexit negotiations, Hammond told Welt am Sonntag he hoped Britain would remain a European-style economy with corresponding tax and regulation systems. But if we are forced to be something different, then we will have to become something different, Hammond said when asked directly about Britain s plans to lower corporate tax. If we have no access to the European market, if we are closed off, if Britain Retail group launches training for job seekers NEW YORK, Jan 15, (AP): Trying to stem high turnover in store jobs, nonprofit groups and chains such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot and the Home Shopping Network are launching a program to help people develop the skills to land entry-level jobs and advance in a retail career. As more people shop online, stores say they need workers who come in with more knowledge and can offer were to leave the European Union without an agreement on market access, then we could suffer from economic damage at least in the short-term, he said. In this case, we could be forced to change our economic model and we will have to change our model to regain competitiveness, Hammond said. We will change our model, and we will come back, and we will be competitively engaged. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the EU must consider limiting Britain s access to its market if London fails to accept the bloc s four freedoms in Brexit negotiations. The EU s single market emerged from the 1992 Maastricht Treaty on European integration. This enshrines the EU s four freedoms of movement of goods, capital, people, and services. British Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly said she will not reveal her Brexit negotiating strategy before triggering Article 50 of the EU s Lisbon Treaty, a step expected by the end of March. Britain and the EU should reach a deal allowing reciprocal access to each other s markets though London cannot better service. The training and credential program, led by the nonprofit arm of the National Retail Federation trade group, includes sales and inventory basics, dealing with customers, how to use technology like kiosks and more. The skill gap is a huge challenge in America broadly, said Ellen Davis, a senior vice-president at the trade group and executive director of the NRF compromise on regaining immigration control, finance minister Philip Hammond said Sunday. London and Brussels should not fight against each other s red lines but work in the space in between to find an agreement on Brexit, the chancellor of the Exchequer told Germany s Welt am Sonntag newspaper. Hammond said Britain had not taken a firm position on post-brexit EU immigration, but the message from the June referendum vote to leave the bloc was: we must control our immigration policy. He said European Union citizens would be free to travel to Britain and do business there but the debate was over the right to work, settle and set up business. Clearly we need people to come and work in our economy to keep it functioning, he said. But as for having no control, that has to stop. Hammond said Britain wanted market access without Brussels politics. We are optimistic that we will be able to reach an agreement that gives reciprocal access to each other s markets. The logic is there, he said. Foundation. Talent is a significant challenge in retail at all levels. More than 20 major retailers including Neiman Marcus and Ashley Stewart have pledged general support for the Rise Up program being launched Sunday. It s part of a broader credential plan that would help workers move up that may include training for store supervisors and in specific areas like retail analytics.

34 BUSINESS 34 Raysut Q4 net profit falls Oman s Raysut Cement reported a 11.9 percent decrease in fourth-quarter net profit on Sunday, according to Reuters calculations. Net profit of 4.53 million rials ($11.78 million) in the three months ending Dec 31 versus 5.14 million rials a year earlier. Reuters calculated based on financial statements in lieu of a quarterly breakdown. EFG Hermes forecast: 5.50 million rials net profit. Gulf Baader Capital Markets forecast: 4.90 million rials net profit. Raysut full-year net profit billion riyals, up from million rials a year ago, a bourse statement said. (RTRS) Name: Kuwait Sharia Compatible Indices Providers: Al Madar Finance & Investment Co. Description: Index of Sharia compatible companies traded on the KSE Website: Bloomberg Today s Today s closing Prev closing % 1-week 3-month YTD 12-month 24-month Index name ticker value as of value value change change change change change change Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Composite AMIC January 15, % 3.61% 19.95% 5.41% 20.17% -8.50% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Kuwait Only AMIC January 15, % 3.67% 18.74% 5.52% 18.24% % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Active AMIC January 15, % 12.74% 43.64% 19.59% 48.53% -7.95% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Banking Sector AMIC January 15, % 5.05% 20.14% 6.38% 10.57% % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Investment Sector AMIC January 15, % 8.61% 42.37% 22.05% 38.11% % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Insurance Sector AMIC January 15, % 10.28% 33.50% 12.47% -5.50% % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Real Estate Sector AMIC January 15, % 5.27% 18.40% 8.83% 13.12% -8.01% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Industrial Sector AMIC January 15, % 6.44% 18.17% 7.61% 9.03% -7.81% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Services Sector AMIC January 15, % 1.83% 21.85% 3.62% 27.20% -8.21% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Food Sector AMIC January 15, % -0.44% 0.56% 0.29% 32.46% -4.10% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Islamic Sector AMIC January 15, % 4.92% 23.95% 6.65% 17.47% -9.16% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Non Kuwaiti Sector AMIC January 15, % 2.53% 51.09% 3.21% 78.34% 64.68% Kuwait Stock Exchange Index - Price KWSEIDX January 15, , , % 5.53% 17.70% 8.26% 18.17% -5.70% S&P 500 SPX January 14, , , % -0.10% 6.64% 1.60% 20.97% 13.09% DJ Islamic Index. DJIM January 14, , , % 0.44% 2.02% 2.28% 15.94% 5.61% weekly report on FX markets Markets anxiety grows as Trump era nears Report prepared by Ahmed Shibley The US Dollar turned lower last week as the unwinding of the socalled Trump trade a catch-all for the market gyrations following the US presidential election resumed as expected. The greenback has been mostly on the defensive since the calendar turned to 2017, managing only a brief respite after data revealed an unexpectedly strong pickup in wage growth in December. Going into the new year, the standby narrative envisioned accelerating growth and bubbling inflation powered by a hefty dose of fiscal stimulus championed by the President-elect. This would spur the Fed to adopt a steeper rate hike path. Not surprisingly, this proved to be overwhelmingly supportive for the greenback and pushed it to the highest level in 14 years. Cooler heads returned as January began and optimism soured as markets questioned moves to relative extremes on the basis of a fiscal platform that was still largely unknown. Tellingly, investors were willing sellers of the US Dollar after the release of cautiouslyworded minutes from December s FOMC meeting but uninspired to buy it by a steady stream of hawkish comments a week later. Traders disappointment with the absence of specifics in Mr Trump s first press conference since July is likewise understandable within this context. It may deepen further still as anxiety about the murky path forward grows more urgent on approach to the Presidential inauguration on January 20. At this late hour, it would probably take a truly Herculean effort to counter all of the markets doubts before the oath is taken. Fed Chair Janet Yellen is famously measured in her remarks and so is unlikely to ignite the spark of rate hike speculation with pair of speeches in California next week. Meanwhile, a pickup in headline CPI inflation would need to significantly exceed the projected acceleration to a core year-on rate of 2.2 percent to get the markets undivided attention. On balance, this bodes ill for benchmark currency, at least in the near term. Fiscal policy aside, the Fed is still the only major central bank looking to meaningfully tighten and the late-2016 move may yet be shown as prescient. This points to a broadly upward trajectory for the US Dollar in the months ahead. It may be some time yet before this central tendency reasserts itself however. The failed run at the December high (118.66) keeps the near-term outlook for USD/JPY tilted to the downside, but the key developments coming out of the U.S. economy may prop up the exchange rate next week especially as the Federal Reserve appears to be on course to further normalize monetary policy in The U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) may get increased attention this time around and spark a bullish reaction in the dollar as the headline as well as the core reading for inflation are both projected to pick up in December. Indeed, signs of stronger-than-expected price growth may push the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) to further prepare U.S. households and businesses for higher borrowing-costs as officials warn the near-term forecast for consumer price inflation was somewhat higher than in the previous projection. Fresh comments from New York Fed President William Dudley, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari, Chair Janet Yellen and Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker may also heighten the appeal of the greenback as the 2017-voting members are scheduled to speak over the days ahead, and the group of central bank officials may endorse a more hawkish outlook for monetary policy as the staff s forecast for real GDP growth over the next several years was slightly higher, on balance, largely reflecting the effects of the staff s provisional assumption that fiscal policy would be more expansionary in the coming years. In turn, Fed Fund Futures may continue to highlight bets for a June rate-hike, with market participants currently pricing a greater than 60% probability for a move ahead of the secondhalf of the year, but more of the same from central bank officials accompanied by another set of mixed data prints may drag on interest rate expectations and generate a more meaningful pullback in USD/JPY. Ever since the Brexit referendum in June, markets have volleyed the various prospects that might come from the actual execution of the split from the European Union. Little has been clear ever since the surpriseresignation of ex-pm David Cameron just days after the referendum. Taking his place was Theresa May, and the addition of a PM-transition during internal discussions about how to best execute Brexit has brought considerable volatility into both U.K. politics and economics. In early October, the prospect of a Hard Brexit began to gain more traction. This led into the flash crash in GBP in early-october; but just a month later the Bank of England shifted their forward-looking inflation-expectations from dovish in response to Brexit to more-hawkish in response to rising prices. The month of November saw a historic move develop in the U.S. Dollar after the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President, but the British Pound was actually stronger throughout the month as investors began to shift from bearish views to more bullish stances. But uncertainty around Brexit has persisted, and a bulk of that uncertainty has been a negative for Sterling as a hard Brexit is looking increasingly more likely. On Tuesday, we ll finally get some element of clarity on the matter from PM Theresa May when she delivers a speech designed to lay out her plans for Britain s execution of Brexit. Just before Christmas, Theresa May told senior Members of Parliament that she would make a speech in the new year to share those plans and strategies to forge a truly global Britain that embraces and trades with countries across the world. This is that speech; but more recent indications from PM May have appeared to indicate that a Hard Brexit may be more likely as Swiss International Financial Brokerage Co she s laid out the priorities of taking control of immigration and leaving the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. Notice that within those priorities is not access to the single market, and this has many concerned that the execution of Brexit may be more acrimonious than initially-feared. As the prospects of a hard Brexit have grown more likely, price action in the British Pound has gotten more and more bearish. On Wednesday of this week, we saw the big picture support zone that showed up postflash crash in Cable become tested again. After a quick break of the prior three-month-low, buyers returned to bid prices back up-above ; but that strength was short-lived and we ve moved right back down towards support. Also on Tuesday we get the next iteration of data for that previously bullish driver for Sterling and that s the prospect of higher rates of inflation in response to the sharp repricing in GBP post-brexit. The Bank of England had discussed this at their most recent Super Thursday when they increased forward-looking inflation expectations and this had helped to firm price action in GBP until Hard Brexit fears took over again. But the combination of these two very relevant, yet opaque drivers for the British Pound and the U.K. can present a daunting back-drop for nearterm trend identification in GBP-pairs. As such, the forecast on the British Pound will be set to neutral for the week ahead until more clarity is had on Brexit and inflationary pressure within the U.K. economy. On Wednesday, Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz will announce what is anticipated to be no change in rates, but in a low rate environment, much of the focus appropriately turns to the Central Bank outlook. Given the sharp rise in the Yield Curve in everywhere except Japan, there is a focus on whether or not Poloz will be discussing the next action from the Bank of Canada as a hike down the economic road as opposed to a stimulus measure or a cut, which could further push the Canadian Dollar higher. After Wednesday s Bank of Canada meeting on Wednesday, we will have CPI in Canada on Friday, which, is anticipated to tick higher given the overall tick higher in commodities and borrowing costs. Two components worth keeping in mind as we come to an arguably important pivot point in the Canadian Dollar is its prior stability against the USD and the relative strength it currently enjoys alongside other commodity currencies. Over the second half of 2016, USD/CAD moved higher by ~6.5%, which is a lot on an absolute basis, but little compared to other major moves lower against the USD as seen by GBP/USD, EUR/USD, and most notably, USD/JPY. These three pairs saw a move between 10-20% in favor of USD, which helps show on a relative basis that the Canadian Dollar had a hard time weakening thanks in part to rising Oil prices. CAD currently sits as one of the strongest currencies in G10FX alongside AUD that is working on its third weekly advance and NZD with a ~2.5% weekly appreciation. Given the commodity dollar-bloc strength, it s fair to think that the momentum could continue, which would likely translate further into both technical and fundamental favor likely leading to further CAD strength. Thursday s USD/CAD move brought the lowest price since October, and the previously mentioned momentum would favor continuation without a USD/ CAD close above Wednesday s high of They ve risen on hopes for better demand out of China. These hopes in turn hang on twin pegs. The first was a shock December surge in Chinese factory gate prices, to levels not seen since The second is renewed hope for China s overall economic showing in We ll get official Gross Domestic Product figures on Friday January the 20th, but an estimate already released by the influential National Development and Reform Commission put growth at 6.7%. That would be bang in the middle of Beijing s January range estimate and, even though it would still be the slowest growth for nearly thirty years, it would be more than enough to offset hard-landing worries. This belief seems to be very strong. Even a set of Chinese trade data which might charitably be called patchy failed to put a dent in AUD/USD on Friday. It s possible that currency traders remained focused on rising imports, to the point where they ve managed to overlook exports 6% swoon. The Australian currency s other big helper has come courtesy of a certain amount of rethinking about what President Trump will mean for the market once he s behind the Oval Office desk. Trump was maddeningly elusive in his first proper meeting with US journalists this week, failing to put much flesh on the bones of his policy program. Currency investors who d frantically bid the greenback higher since November, causing it to rise against just about everything including the Aussie, are now more inclined to wait until they hear concrete policy proposals. Can the Aussie bull-run last another week in this atmosphere? Well, there are risk events, of course. China s GDP data will be be one, but there are some scheduled data darts that will hit closer to home. We ll get official employment statistics from the Aussie s home country, along with home loan volumes and, perhaps most tellingly, a look at January s consumer confidence. November s retail sales numbers have already underwhelmed. Looking forward, the headline event on China s economic calendar will be the Q Gross Domestic Product (GDP) print that is scheduled to release at 21:00 EST on January 19th. China s Deputy Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao told a week ago that he is confident that the economy will maintain a 6.7% growth, as in the previous three quarters, or above this level. Continued on Page 36 investment funds Funds Fund Manager Valuation Valued date Currency Net Asset Prev NAV Prev NAV Dated Value (NAV) National Bank of Kuwait Money Market Funds Watani KD Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Oct 4, 2016 KD Sept 27, 2016 Watani KD Money Market Fund II NBK Capital Weekly Nov 29, 2016 KD Nov 22, 2016 Watani KD Money Market Fund (Islamic) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Oct 4, 2016 KD Sept 27, 2016 Watani Foreign Currency Money Mkt Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Oct 4, 2016 USD Sept 27, 2016 Watani Foreign Currency Money Mkt Fund (Euro) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Oct 4, 2016 Euro Sept 27, 2016 Watani USD Money Market Fund (Acc to Islamic Shariah principles) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Oct 4, 2016 USD Sept 27, 2016 Watani USD Money Market Fund (Acc to Islamic Shariah principles) II NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Oct 4, 2016 USD Sept 27, 2016 Watani USD Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Nov 22, 2016 USD Oct 18, 2016 Watani KD Money Market Fund (Acc to Islamic Shariah principles) II NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Nov 22, 2016 KD Oct 18, 2016 Equity Funds NBK Gulf Equity Fund NBK Capital Weekly Oct 13, 2016 USD Oct 6, 2016 NBK Kuwait Equity Fund NBK Capital Weekly Nov 17, 2016 KD Oct 16, 2016 NBK Qatar Equity Fund NBK Capital Weekly Oct 13, 2016 USD Oct 6, 2016 Gulf Equity Investment Fund NBK Capital Weekly April 7, 2016 USD Ijara Fund Thahabi Ijara Fund VI Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly April 30, 2016 USD Feb 29, 2016 Thahabi Ijara Fund VII Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly April 30, 2016 USD Feb 29, 2016 Islamic KD Ijara Fund II Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly May 31, 2016 KD March 31, 2016 Islamic KD Ijara Fund III Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly May 31, 2016 KD Feb 29, 2016 Islamic KD Ijara Fund IV Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly May 31, 2016 KD March 31, 2016 Islamic KD Ijara Fund V Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly May 31, 2016 USD March 31, 2016 Islamic Equipment Leasing Fund I Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2016 USD April 30, 2016 Islamic Equipment Leasing Fund II Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2016 USD April 30, 2016 Islamic Equipment Leasing Fund III Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly July 31, 2016 USD May 31, 2016 Islamic Equipment Leasing Fund IV Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2016 USD May 31, 2016 Islamic Equipment Leasing Fund V Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly July 31, 2016 USD May 31, 2016 Islamic Equipment Leasing Fund VI Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly July 31, 2016 USD May 31, 2016 Islamic Equipment Leasing Fund I Ltd Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2016 USD May 31, 2016 Multi Asset Funds Thahabi Multi Asset Fund Con Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly June 30, 2016 USD April 30, 2016 Thahabi Multi Asset Fund Mo Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly June 30, 2016 USD April 30, 2016 Gulf Bank Al Basha er GCC Equity Fund Kwt. Fin. & Inv. Co. & Gulf Fin. House Monthly Nov 30, 2016 USD Oct 30, 2016 Coast Fund Coast Investment & Dev. Co. Monthly Dec 30, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Sanaya Dow Jones Kuwait Index Fund Industrial & Financial Investment Co. Weekly Dec 29, 2016 KD Nov 24, 2016 Markaz Capital Preservation Program 1 Monthly Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Markaz Capital Preservation Program 2 Monthly Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Markaz Gulf Real Estate Fund Bi-annual Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Al Ahli Bank Al Ahli Gulf Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Al Ahli Kuwaiti Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Burgan Bank Burgan Equity Fund Burgan Bank Monthly Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 27, 2016 Boubyan Bank Boubyan KD Money Market Fund Boubyan Bank Weekly Dec 27, 2016 KD Nov 29, 2016 Boubyan KD Money Market Fund II Boubyan Bank Weekly Dec 27, 2016 KD Nov 29, 2016 Boubyan Capital Investment Co. Boubyan USD Liquidity Fund Boubyan Capital Investment Co Dec 27, 2016 USD Nov 29, 2016 Boubyan Kuwait Real Estate Fund Boubyan Capital Investment Co Dec 31, 2016 KD Sept 30, 2015 Kuwait Investment Co. Local Fund Al Raed Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Jan 5, 2017 KD Dec 31, 2016 Kuwait Investment Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Dec 30, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Al Hilal Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Jan 9, 2017 KD Dec 31, 2016 Al Atheer Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 International Global Bond Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Dec 28, 2016 USD Dec 21, 2016 Diversified Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Jan 4, 2017 USD Dec 28, 2016 European Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Dec 30, 2016 Euro Nov 30, 2016 Pacific Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Jan 4, 2017 USD Dec 28, 2016 North American Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Tw. Monthly Dec 30, 2016 USD Nov 30, 2016 National Investment Co. (NIC) Al-Wataniya Fund NIC Monthly Nov 30, 2016 KD Oct 31, 2016 Al-Darij Fund NIC Monthly Nov 30, 2016 KD Oct 31, 2016 Mawarid Fund NIC Monthly Nov 30, 2016 KD Oct 31, 2016 Zajil Fund NIC Monthly Nov 30, 2016 KD Oct 31, 2016 Al Mada Investment Fund NIC Weekly Nov 30, 2016 USD Oct 31, 2016 Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) Mumtaz Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Nov 24, 2016 KD Nov 17, 2016 MIDAF Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Nov 24, 2016 KD Nov 17, 2016 Islamic Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Nov 24, 2016 KD Nov 17, 2016 Markaz Arabian Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Nov 10, 2016 KD Nov 3, 2016 Funds Fund Manager Valuation Valued date Currency Net Asset Prev NAV Prev NAV Dated Value (NAV) FORSA Financial Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly Oct 31, 2016 KD Sept 30, 2016 Real Estate Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly Oct 31, 2016 KD Sept 30, 2016 Markaz Fixed Income Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly Nov 24, 2016 USD Nov 17, 2016 Mawazeen International Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Nov 27, 2016 USD Nov 20, 2016 Markaz MENA Islamic Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Nov 15, 2016 USD Oct 31, 2016 Kuwait & Middle East Financial & Inv. Co. Al Rou yah Fund KMEFIC Monthly Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Gulf Gate Fund KMEFIC Monthly Oct 31, 2016 KD Sept 30, 2016 Global Investment House Index Funds GCC Large Cap Index Fund Global Weekly Dec 29, 2016 KD Dec 22, 2016 Equity Funds Al-Mamoun Fund A Global Weekly Dec 29, 2016 KD Dec 22, 2016 Al-Mamoun Fund B Global Weekly Dec 29, 2016 KD Dec 22, 2016 GCC Large Cap Fund Global Bi-weekly Dec 27, 2016 USD Dec 22, 2016 Al-Noor Fund Global Bi-weekly Dec 27, 2016 SAR Dec 22, 2016 Global Saudi Equity Fund Global Bi-weekly Dec 27, 2016 SAR Dec 22, 2016 Money Market Funds Global Money Market Fund Global Weekly Nov 20, 2016 USD Sectoral Funds EPADI Fund Global Weekly Dec 27, 2016 USD Dec 20, 2016 Islamic Funds Global GCC Islamic Fund Global Weekly Dec 27, 2016 USD Dec 20, 2016 Al-Durra Islamic Fund Global Monthly Dec 29, 2016 KD Dec 20, 2016 Kuwait Finance & Investment Co (KFIC) Al Wasm Fund KFIC Weekly Jan 4, 2017 KD Dec 21, 2016 Al Basha er GCC Equity Fund KFIC Monthly Nov 30, 2016 USD Sept 30, 2016 KAMCO KAMCO Investment Fund KAMCO Monthly Nov 30, 2016 KD Oct 30, 2016 KAMCO GCC Opportunities Fund KAMCO Monthly July 31, 2016 USD Feb 29, 2016 KAMCO MENA Plus Fixed Income Fund KAMCO Dec 31, 2016 USD Nov 30, 2016 KAMCO Real Estate Yield Fund KAMCO Nov 30, 2016 USD Oct 30, 2016 Kuwait Education Fund KAMCO Quartely Sept 30, 2016 KD Wafra International Investment Co. Wafra Equity Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Nov 30, 2016 KD Oct 31, 2016 Wafra Bond Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Dec 30, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Masaref Investment Fund ISKAN Weekly Dec 30, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Fajir Islamic Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Dec 30, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Shuaa Capital Co. Emirates Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Weekly Jan 3, 2017 AED Dec 20, 2016 The Arab Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Weekly Jan 3, 2017 USD Dec 13, 2016 Al Aman Investment Al Aman Islamic Fund Al Aman Investment Weekly Nov 1, 2016 KD Oct 31, 2016 Tharwa Investment Co. Tharwa Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Weekly Nov 10, 2016 KD Oct 31, 2016 Tharwa Arab Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Bi-weekly July 31, 2016 USD June 30, 2016 Tharwa World Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly March 31, 2016 USD March 15, 2016 Tharwa Islamic Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 10, 2016 Bank Al-Bilad Al Seef Fund Bank Al-Bilad Daily Jan 1, 2017 KD Dec 25, 2016 Commercial International Bank CIB Money Market Fund (Osoul) CI Asset Management Weekly Jan 15, 2017 EGP Jan 11, 2017 CIB II Equity (Isthethmar) CI Asset Management Weekly Jan 15, 2017 EGP Jan 11, 2017 CIB and Faisal Islamic Al Aman CI Asset Management Weekly Jan 11, 2017 EGP Jan 8, 2017 Hemaya CI Asset Management Weekly Jan 2, 2017 EGP Dec 1, 2016 Thabat CI Asset Management Weekly Jan 15, 2017 EGP Jan 11, 2017 Takamol CI Asset Management Weekly Jan 15, 2017 EGP Jan 11, 2017 Misr El Mostakbel CI Asset Management Weekly Jan 15, 2017 EGP Jan 11, 2017 Noor Financial Investment Co. Noor Islamic Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly Feb 29, 2016 KD Dec 31, 2015 Al Zumorroda Investment Co. Zumorroda GCC Fund Al Zumorroda Investment Co Monthly Jan 31, 2016 KD Dec 31, 2015 KFH Capital Investment Co. Muthanna Islamic Index Fund (MUDX) KFH Capital Investment Company Daily Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Muthanna GCC Islamic Banks Fund KFH Capital Investment Company Daily Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 Baitak GCC Fund KFH Capital Investment Company Weekly Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 30, 2016 CapCorp Investment Co. CapCorp Local Fund CapCorp Investment Company Weekly Sept 29, 2016 KD July 31, 2016

35 BUSINESS 35 SAFCO reports 25 pct drop in profits Saudi Arabia Fertilizers Co (SAFCO), a unit of Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), reported on Sunday a percent drop in its fourth-quarter net profits, to million Saudi riyals ($75.85 million), blaming lower product prices and higher costs. The firm, which reported a fall in profits in 13 of the preceding 14 quarters according to Reuters data, was forecast by five analysts on average to make a profit of million riyals in the three months ended Dec 31. Saudi companies issue brief earnings statements early in the reporting period before publishing more detailed results later. Like many petrochemical firms in the kingdom, SAFCO s earnings have been hit hard by falling oil prices, which have dragged down product prices and reduced the benefits to their margin of subsidised energy and feedstock costs. SAFCO is also a big producer of ammonia and urea and, since mid-2013, manufacturers worldwide have voiced increasing concerns over the continued fall in urea prices due to China s increased output. (RTRS) Kuwait s bourse soars pts; volume up NBK rallies 20 fils; Jazeera Airways slips By John Mathews Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Kuwait stocks rose sharply in a broad rally on Sunday to kick off the week on strong note. The price index, rallied pts, the highest single day gain of the year, to close at 6, pts. The sentiment was markedly bullish on firming oil price. The KSX 15 benchmark jumped pts to 9,26.41 points taking month s gains to 32 points while weighted index climbed 6.56 pts. The volume turnover meanwhile soared past the 700 million mark. 736 million shares changed hands a 46.5 pct surge from the last session. The sectors closed mostly in the green turf. Technology outperformed the rest with 5 pct gain whereas insurance slipped 0.39 pct, the biggest loser of the day. In terms of volume, financial services mustered the highest market share of 39 pct while real estate trailed with 32.9 percent contribution. Among the prime movers, National Bank of Kuwait rallied 20 fils on back of 2.3 million shares to close at 680 fils and Kuwait Finance House gained 10 fils with a volume of over 10 million shares. Mabanee Co was up 10 fils at KD and Humansoft Holding vaulted by 100 fils. Zain rose 10 fils on back of 3.8 million shares to 420 fils while Wataniya Telecom gained 20 fils. Kuwait Telecommunications Co (VIVA) rose 10 fils to 900 fils and Agility climbed 20 fils taking the month s gains to 60 fils. KIPCO rallied 10 fils to 510 fils and Sokouk Holding Co added 2.5 fils with brisk trading. The company has incurred a net loss of KD 2.26 million and loss per share of 3.96 fils in the first nine months of The market opened on a strong note and headed north in early trade. The main index continued to soar amid heavy buying across the sectors and peaked at 6, pts in the final minutes before closing with hefty gains. Top gainer of the day, KBT rallied 10 pct to 55 fils while Investors Holding Co climbed 9.4 pct to stand next. Wethaq Takaful slumped 5.9 percent, the steepest decliner of the day and Abyaar Real Estate Co topped the volume with 52.7 million shares. Mirroring the day s rally, the winners outnumbered the losers by 8 to shares advanced whereas 13 closed lower. Of the 147 counters active on Sunday, 23 closed flat. 8,487 deals worth KD 53.5 mln were transacted a 45 pct surge in value from the day before. National Industries Group rose 2 fils to 136 fils after trading 6.8 million shares and Gulf Cable was up 10 fils at 420 fils. Kuwait Portland Cement Co stood pat at 950 fils and Kuwait Cement Co gained 10 fils. Jazeera Airways dropped 20 fils to 680 fils and ALAFCO stood pat at 240 fils. Kuwait Food Co (Americana) paused at KD and Al Qurain Petrochemical Co climbed 9 fils to 255 fils. Equipment Holding Co dialed up 2 fils on back of over 9 million shares. Dipped Combined Group Co dipped 20 fils to 560 fils and RISCO was up 10 fils at 315 fils. Shuiaba Industrial Co added 5 fils to wind up at 295 fils and Automated Systems Co stalled at 244 fils. NAPESCO was unchanged at 850 fils and Alrai Media Group Co clipped 2 fils. YIACO was down 10 fils at 760 fils and Heavy Engineering Industries and Shipbuilding Co closed 8 fils up. Kuwait Foundry Co and ACICO Industries gained 10 fils each to close at 222 fils and 295 fils respectively while NICBM gave up 2 fils. Independent Petroleum Group jumped 25 fils to 390 fils. OSOS rose 10 fils to 160 fils whereas PAPCO held ground at 95 fils. Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport Co inched 1 fil higher and KGL Logistics Co paused at 74 fils. Contracting and Marine Services Co rose 5 fils to 60 fils. Zimah Holding rallied 4 fils on back of 11 million shares and Mezzan Holding gained 10 fils to settle at 950 fils. Metal and Recycling Co gained 4 fils while Boubyan Petrochemical Co rose 10 fils to 530 fils. In the banking sector, Gulf Bank rose 4 fils to 244 fils while Al Ahli Bank and Burgan Bank were up 5 fils each to end at 305 fils and 310 fils respectively. Kuwait International Bank took in 2 fils on back of 2.6 million shares. Ahli United Bank climbed 10 fils to 415 fils whereas Commercial Bank stood pat at 425 fils. Boubyan Bank added 5 fils and Warba Bank stalled at 220 fils. National Investment Co and International Financial Advisors dialed up 2 fils while Commercial Facilities Co gained 4 fils. Kuwait Investment Co inched 1 fil up and Unicap followed suit. Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) closed 4 fils up at 95 fils. KAMCO eased 1 fil to 93 fils whereas Coast Investment Co and Securities House Co took in 2 fils each. Securities Group was unchanged at 95 fils and KFIC followed suit to close at 43 fils. Noor Financial Investment Co rose 3 fils to 54 fils and KMEFIC did not budge from its earlier close of 30 fils. Bayan Investment Co was up 2.5 fils at 49.5 fils and Warba Insurance Co closed 4 fils up at 106 fils. The market was buoyant during last week. The price index closed higher in all the five sessions and rallied 276 pts week-on-week. It had gained 474 points from start of the month and was up 2.37 pct during whole of KSE, with 208 listed companies, is the second largest bourse in the region. In the bourse related news, Shuaiba Industrial Co has recorded a net profit of KD 1.66 million and earnings per share of fils in 2016, 9M up from net profit of KD 1.33 mln and earnings per share of fils in same period of Aqar Real Estate Investments Co has registered a net profit of KD 923,223 and earnings per share of 4.34 fils in the January-September period down from net profit of KD 1.72 million and EPS of 7.63 fils in the 9M of Jeeran Holding Co has logged a net profit of KD 431,750 and earnings per share of 3.17 fils in the first ninemonths of 2016 up sharply from net profit of KD 177,518 and earnings per share of 1.30 fils in the 9M of Kuwait Building Materials Mfg has registered a net profit of KD 159,204 and earnings per share of 5.3 fils in the January-September period as against net profit of KD 363,059 and earnings per share of 12 fils in the same period last year. Hilal Cement Company has logged a net loss of KD 3,709 and loss per share of 0.04 fil in the January- September period of 2016 narrowing from a net loss of KD 117,151 and LPS of 1.39 fils in same period in Mideast stocks Egypt index climbs to fresh high Saudi bourse stalls, Dubai retreats DUBAI, Jan 15, (RTRS): Stock markets in the Gulf diverged on Sunday with Saudi Arabia stalling near a sixweek low and Dubai retreating on profit-taking, while Kuwait continued to outperform. Saudi Arabia s index added 0.1 percent. Nine of the top 10 performers were from the insurance segment with Wafa Insurance in the lead, jumping 9.1 percent. Interest in the sector has risen partly because of local media reports late last year that Saudi Arabia was looking at the possibility of including haj and umra pilgrims in a compulsory health insurance scheme. Almarai rose 0.4 percent after the Gulf s largest dairy company reported a 1 percent increase in fourth-quarter net profit to million riyals ($130 million), roughly in line with analysts forecasts. Sales rose marginally and the cost of sales fell. Analysts at NCB Capital said that despite the relatively flat earnings and revenue growth, strong margin expansion from lower operating expenditure and improving sales in Almarai s poultry segment were important positives. The company, one of the few in Saudi Arabia that give forward guidance, said it would continue to focus on costs control, efficiency gains and cashflow preservation while maintaining its strategic direction of profitable growth. However the results revealed the dairy and juice segment had suffered its first year-on-year decline in sales, according to NCB Capital. This sent some other food producers lower, with Saudia Dairy and Foodstuff dropping 3.4 percent. Bank Aljazira, the first bank to report earnings in the kingdom, reported a 4.4 percent drop in fourth-quarter net profit to 152 million riyals. Aljazira cited higher impairment charges for credit losses. The bank s stock closed 0.4 percent higher after trading lower for most of the session. However, some other banks were knocked lower, with Saudi British Bank dropping 1.4 percent. Egypt s main index rose to yet another record close in healthy trading volume. The index has risen 56 percent since the currency was floated on Nov 3. Arabian Cement jumped its 10 percent daily limit for a third consecutive session to 9.91 Egyptian pounds. Analysts have said the company is trading at a discount to its fair value and there is further upside potential because of improving industry fundamentals and an expected rise in product prices. National Bank of Oman lost 1.2 percent after posting a 19.9 percent fall in fourth-quarter net profit, at the low end of analysts estimates. Kuwait s stock market gained 1.9 percent with the largest logistics firm in the Gulf, Agility, and National Bank of Kuwait each climbing 3.0 percent. Kuwait s index is up 8.2 percent since Jan 1, outperforming the region after a long period of sluggish performance. Sentiment is very positive in the market but no change in fundamentals, said Bader Al Gahnim, head of regional asset management at Kuwaitbased Global Investment House. From an economic perspective the country is well positioned due to prudent fiscal management and a lower fiscal break-even oil price. Dubai s index pulled back 1.1 percent, its largest single-day decline in a month, retreating from a 15-month high hit last week. Some of last week s biggest gainers were among the main drags builder Drake & Scull dropped 3.6 percent and Amlak Finance lost 2.2 percent. Abu Dhabi s index edged down 0.1 percent. International Fish Farming Holding (Asmak) jumped 6.9 percent after a blog posting suggested a wellknown Abu Dhabi individual investor had bought a strategic stake in the company. But contacted by Reuters, an Asmak spokesman denied that, and said the company had also communicated the denial to the Abu Dhabi exchange. Saudi Arabia The index added 0.1 percent to 6,931 points. Dubai The index lost 1.1 percent to 3,678 points. Abu Dhabi The index fell 0.1 percent to 4,675 points. Qatar The index edged up 0.3 percent to 10,742 points. Egypt The index rose 0.5 percent to 13,288 points. Kuwait The index added 1.9 percent to 6,223 points. Oman The index fell 0.3 percent to 5,744 points. Bahrain The index edged up 0.3 percent to 1,215 points.

36 Amazon s Gandhi flip-flops spark anger in India emission probes could widen beyond Renault Flip-flops bearing the face of India s independence icon Mahatma Gandhi for sale on Amazon triggered fresh outrage Sunday, days after the e-retail giant was forced to stop selling Indian fl ag doormats. On Wednesday, India demanded Amazon apologise for selling insulting doormats featuring India s national fl ag, with Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj warning of tough action against the company. Amazon removed the offending products from its website, but the controversy had barely died down when Twitter users began posting screengrabs of the pink Gandhi flip-flops on sale on Amazon USA. #Amazon should be banned in India. They have crossed the limit. This is ridiculous! Mayank Parmar posted on Sunday. #Amazon must rollback its slippers with face of Mahatma Gandhi on it. Respect our leaders and avoid controversy, wrote another user Ashok Tanwar. The fl ip-fl ops, which cost $16.99, are described on the website as professionally printed and a product that will look great and make someone smile. Amazon could not immediately be reached for comment Sunday but the fl ip-fl ops appeared to have been taken down from their site. (AFP) A judicial investigation into diesel emissions testing in France could widen beyond Renault after tests showed other carmakers had exceeded the authorised levels, the French environment minister said on Sunday, without elaborating. Shares in Renault fell more than 4 percent to their lowest level in around a month on Friday after a source at the Paris prosecutor s office said it had launched a judicial probe into possible cheating on exhaust emissions at the French carmaker. Volkswagen s admission that some of its diesel vehicles were fi tted with software designed to hide the true level of emissions they produced has highlighted that most cars spew out far greater amounts of health-threatening nitrogen oxide (NOx) in everyday driving conditions than in laboratory tests. A number of anomalies were noted on Renault vehicles. The controls performed far exceeded the permissible standards. This is also the case for other carmakers to a different extent. So there could be other investigations, Environment Minister Segolene Royal said in an interview with French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche. (RTRS) BUSINESS 36 Dollar edges lower in volatile trade; euro pares back losses Oil slips on US inventory forecast; gold gains By National Bank of Kuwait T he week started on a continued strength in the US Dollar as markets were eager to listen to the first post-election speech of president-elect Trump. To markets disappointment, the press conference did not provide any further details as to the potential fiscal policies causing a major setback to the Dollar and to risk in general. Although there was a very brief mention of a major border tax on companies leaving the US and that Obamacare will be repealed and replaced almost simultaneously, overall markets were however disappointed at the lack of substance around policy in particular. In this whole political mess, markets chose to ignore another set of important news around the balance sheet unwinding comments out of the Fed and the positive comments from the Fed chair Yellen. Indeed, the later was largely positive, saying that unemployment has now reached a low level, the labor market is generally strong and wage growth is beginning to pick. The Fed Chair also said that Dodd-Frank bank regulation made important changes and that she would not want to see it rolled back. Moreover, Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker mentioned that the Fed can start considering stopping balance sheet reinvestment and later start unwinding the balance sheet when the Fed funds rate gets to 100 basis points. St Louis Fed President James Bullard reiterated by saying that the committee may be in a better position to allow reinvestment to end or to otherwise reduce the size of the balance sheet. Last but not least, Chicago Fed president Charles Evans expects that president-elect Donald Trump s stimulus policies to increase growth over the next two years. He stated that policymakers look forward to refining that when we actually see proposals that are moving forward and likely to be implemented. As improvements in the economic outlook materialize, the US would need less accommodation. He also said earlier in the month that three rate hikes this year is not implausible. In summary, the US dollar traded broadly lower during the week while stocks struggled in a tight range as markets continue obsessing over the new president elect political moves. On the other side of the ocean, politics also remain the major driver of the economy. In the UK, Prime Minister Theresa May renewed hard Brexit fears as she seems leaning against Britain keeping bits of its EU membership. Markets interpreted her words as a sign that the Prime Minister prioritizes control of the country s borders over the access to the single European Market. She reiterated being tempted to say that the people who are getting it wrong are those who print things saying I m talking about a hard Brexit, or it is absolutely inevitable it is a hard Brexit. I don t accept the terms soft and hard Brexit. Adding to the tension were comments from Scotland s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who stated she was not bluffing when speaking about a second independence vote in Scotland. In the same fashion, markets ignored better than expected UK economic figures indicating that the economy continues to perform relatively well despite the political uncertainty. Although data on industrial production, manufacturing output and exports all came in above consensus, investors have continued to shy away from the Pound in the wake of the unclear path of the government towards the European negotiations. In summary, on the currency front, the Dollar index had a volatile week opening the week at and reached a 25 day low of The index managed to close the week at The Sterling Pound opened the week at and reached a low of against the US dollar. However, the Pound recovered with the release of positive economic data and managed to close the week at Despite many election posing threats in 2017, the Euro was able to recoup some of its losses during the week. The currency s rally was not triggered by events within the Eurozone, but by events in the US and the UK. After managing to reach a short lived high at , the Euro closed the week at On the commodities front, news was out that Saudi Arabia has cut February term crude supplies to refiners in India and Southeast Asia, seeking to comply with an OPEC deal, but it has held most of its exports to the rest of Asia steady for a second month according to market reports. Oil prices fell slightly after the US Energy Information Administration said crude oil production this year is expected to rise by 110,000 barrels to 9 million barrels per day compared with a year ago due to the rise in oil prices. Also, Gold moved on the Dollar weakness and extended a recent rebound towards the $1,200 level. Job openings increased marginally to 5.52 million in November from a revised 5.45 million in October and below market expectations of 5.59 million. Over the month, quits rate was unchanged at 2.1% and the layoffs and discharges rate was unchanged at 1.1%. The elevated level of job openings suggests that the labor market conditions remain strong. Another evidence of a healthy labor market is jobless claims coming at 247,000 this week, an increase of 10,000 from the earlier week s level. This marks 97 consecutive weeks of initial claims below 300,000, the longest streak since On a different front, US retail sales accelerated in December on the back of a stronger demand for motor vehicles and provided further evidence that the economy ended the fourth quarter with positive momentum. In the previous month, retail sales rose 0.6% from a small gain of 0.2% in November. The increase in sales was supported by holiday shopping in December, reflecting a boost in confidence after the election and a solid increase in hourly pay. For all of 2016, sales climbed 3.3%, exceeding the 2.3% advance a year earlier. The final figures for US wholesale inventories in November increased more than expected posting their largest increase in two years and suggesting inventory investment would again support economic growth in the fourth quarter. Wholesale inventories were revised upwards to show an increase of 1.0% on a monthly basis in November. That was the largest increase since November Moreover, the component of wholesale inventories that goes into the calculation of gross domestic product rose 0.7% in November. Producer price growth in the US came in line with economist estimates in the month of December at 0.3% and 1.6% on a yearly basis, the largest yearly gain in just over two years. The increase in producer prices was primarily due to a jump in energy prices, which spiked by 2.6% during the previous month. Excluding food and energy prices, core producer prices increased by 0.2% in December after rising by 0.4% in November. Europe & UK Investor confidence surprisingly turned positive and implies more growth potential ahead in the euro zone. The index for the Euro zone climbed by 8.2 points and reached the highest value since August It came at 18.2 from 10.0 in the previous month. At the same time, economists expect more economic upside potential for Eastern Europe and Austria due to its strong ties with the east of Europe The Euro zone unemployment was unchanged at 9.8% in November from the prior month coming in line with consensus market expectations. This is the lowest rate since July 2009 and also declined from the 10.5% seen in November The rate of youth unemployment increased to 21.2% from 20.9% previously, although there was a net reduction from the 21.8% seen a year ago. German unemployment held at a record low of 4.1% and the French unemployment rate fell to 9.5% from 9.7%. In contrast, the Italian unemployment rate increased to 11.9% from 11.8% and also rose from 11.5% a year ago, which will maintain concerns surrounding structural Italian weaknesses. UK manufacturing output has increased in November, increasing 1.3% on a monthly basis, well ahead of the market expectations of a 0.5% increase. The increase in production was due to an increase in mining and quarrying output following the end of a maintenance period in the oil and gas industry and an increase in manufacturing. The industrial output in total was up 2.1% in November, suggesting the sector will make a decent contribution to 4Q GDP. Currently, the annual rate of manufacturing growth is 1.2%, but the PMI is historically consistent with annual growth of around 3% on a yearly basis. Certainly, the pound s fall will boost international competitiveness and therefore should be supportive for exports of manufactured goods. UK House prices in the final quarter of the year were 2.5% higher than in the earlier quarter. The annual rate of growth increased, rising for the second consecutive month, from 6.0% in November to 6.5% in December. Slower economic growth, pressure on employment and a squeeze on spending power, together with affordability constraints, are expected to reduce housing demand during UK house prices should, however, continue to be supported by an ongoing shortage of property for sale, low levels of house building, and exceptionally low interest rates. Total UK home sales however have started to depict a different picture as in the three months from September to November, sales were 9% lower than in the same period last year. Asia The Japanese consumer confidence jumped in December from the previous month, improving for the first time in three months hitting the highest level in more than three years. The news comes amid a solid performance from Tokyo s equity market and a weak yen. On the other hand, the index is still in contraction at 43.1 in December up by 2.2 from the previous month. Chinese consumer inflation rose at a slower but steady pace, while producer prices improved sharply, pointing to improved productivity and growth in the economy. The consumer price advanced 2.1% on a yearly basis, after climbing 2.3% in November. China s producer prices however, rose the most in more than five years in December as prices of coal and other raw materials soared, adding to expectations that global inflation may be stronger in The producer price index jumped 5.5% in December from a year earlier, the most since September 2011, compared with a 3.3% increase in November. Kuwait The USD/KWD opened at on Sunday morning. US dollar BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK KFH KBE Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK KFH KBE Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Danish krone Cyprus pound BEC Muzaini Dollarco Gulf Bank ABK KFH KBE BEC Commercial Bank Gulf Bank Al-Ahli Bank BEC Muzaini Exchange Buy Buy Buy Buy US dollar Gold 999 kg 11, Gold tola 1, Gold ounce Gold gm 22k Gold gm 21k Gold gm 18k gm gm Sterling pound Indian rupee Yemeni riyal Euro Pakistani rupee Thai baht Japanese yen Sri Lanka rupee South African rand Swiss franc Bangladesh taka Korean won Canadian dollar Philippine peso Syrian pound Swedish krona Australian dollar Iranian Riyal Saudi riyal Hong Kong dollar Lebanese pound UAE dirham Singapore dollar Malaysian ringgit Bahraini dinar Jordanian dinar Indonesian rupiah Omani riyal Egyptian pound New Zealand dollar All rates in KD per unit of foreign currency travellers cheques local gold Sterling exchange rates Jan 15 Euro Rates Jan 15, 2017 Previous Week Levels This Week s 3-Month Expected Range Currencies Open Low High Close Minimum Maximum Forward EUR GBP JPY CHF A consensus forecast from Bloomberg agreed with a 6.7% increase. The GDP print itself seems less likely to turn into a surprise on Thursday. More importantly, traders will want to take a close look at the breakdown of China s major sectors, in the effort to find out more clues on the economic outlook in Also, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos next Tuesday, which is expected to attract global attention. China s industrial sector has shown improvements in the third quarter with multiple enhanced indicators: Both the official PMI and Caixin PMI reads in the fourth quarter stayed above 50, in the expansion territory. In specific, the Caixin PMI in December 2016 hit 53.5, the highest level in 45 months. Electricity consumption by the industrial sector, a major component in Keqiang Index, grew from October to November (December read is not available yet). In terms of investment, total investment picked up from a 16-year low of 8.1% reached in July 2016 to 8.3% in both October and November. Also, companies began to increase borrowing according to the December New Yuan Loans report: newly issued corporate medium-term to long-term loans increased to $695.4 trillion, rising +71% month-over-month or +50% year-overyear; this indicates that companies may have started to expand their businesses. In 2017, the Chinese government will maintain proactive fiscal policy with increasing expenditures and tax cuts, which are expected to further support domestic industries. On the other hand, China has been facing growing challenges in international trade, including the weak global demand as well as rising trade disputes with major partners. In December 2016, China s exports plunged -6.1% in Dollar terms, not only worse than a -3.8% forecast from Bloomberg but also marking the largest fall since Based on the breakdown of trading figures provided by China s Customs, the growth of China s exports to U.S. slowed down by -2.1% in December in Yuan terms and the growth of imports from U.S. slowed down by -13.5%. Trump s pick on trade could put China on an even more difficult spot. This is one of the major risks that may impact the country s growth. According to China Academy of Social Science, a leading Chinese think tank, the economic expansion is expected to drop to 6.5% in 2017, which means it may provide limited support to the Chinese Yuan. Next week, Chinese President Xi will attend Davos Forum as the first Chinese president. When there is a major national event for China, Yuan volatility tends to drop, such as what was seen during the G20 meetings in China last September. Also, at the Davos meeting, President Xi may address major Chinese policies as well as comment on China s global role, both worth keeping an eye on. Currently, the USD/CNH is waiting for justifications for a new trend; China s economic outlook and policy in 2017 may provide more clues. For more information please visit Markets anxiety Continued from Page 34 Davos leaders struggle for answers as Trump era dawns DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 15, (RTRS): The global economy is in better shape than it s been in years. Stock markets are booming, oil prices are on the rise again and the risks of a rapid economic slowdown in China, a major source of concern a year ago, have eased. And yet, as political leaders, CEOs and top bankers make their annual trek up the Swiss Alps to the World Economic Forum in Davos, the mood is anything but celebratory. Beneath the veneer of optimism over the economic outlook lurks acute anxiety about an increasingly toxic political climate and a deep sense of uncertainty surrounding the US presidency of Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated on the final day of the forum. Last year, the consensus here was that Trump had no chance of being elected. His victory, less than half a year after Britain voted to leave the European Union, was a slap at the principles that elites in Davos have long held dear, from globalisation and free trade to multilateralism. Trump is the poster child for a new strain of populism that is spreading across the developed world and threatening the post-war liberal democratic order. With elections looming in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and possibly Italy, this year, the nervousness among Davos attendees is palpable. Regardless of how you view Trump and his positions, his election has led to a deep, deep sense of uncertainty and that will cast a long shadow over Davos, said Jean-Marie Guehenno, CEO of International Crisis Group, a conflict resolution think-tank. Moises Naim of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace was even more blunt: There is a consensus that something huge is going on, global and in many respects unprecedented. But we don t know what the causes are, nor how to deal with it. The titles of the discussion panels at the WEF, which runs from Jan , evoke the unsettling new landscape. Among them are Squeezed and Angry: How to Fix the Middle Class Crisis, Politics of Fear or Rebellion of the Forgotten?, Tolerance at the Tipping Point? and The Post-EU Era. The list of leaders attending this year is also telling. The star attraction will be Xi Jinping, the first Chinese president ever to attend Davos. His presence is being seen as a sign of Beijing s growing weight in the world at a time when Trump is promising a more insular, America first approach and Europe is pre-occupied with its own troubles, from Brexit to terrorism. British Prime Minister Theresa May, who has the thorny task of taking her country out of the EU, will also be there. But Germany s Angela Merkel, a Davos regular whose reputation for steady, principled leadership would have fit well with the WEF s main theme of Responsive and Responsible Leadership, will not.

37 INTERNATIONAL 37 Executions draw swift condemnation from human rights groups Bahrain executes 3 convicted in deadly police bombing DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan 15, (AP): Bahrain on Sunday carried out its first executions since an Arab Spring uprising rocked the country in 2011, putting to death three men found guilty of a deadly bomb attack on police. The executions of the Shiite men drew swift condemnation from human rights groups and sparked outrage among opponents of the Sunni-ruled government, who see the charges as politically motivated. Activists allege that testimony used against the condemned men was obtained through torture. Bahrain s public prosecution said the death sentences were carried out by firing squad. Photos shared by activists purporting to show the bodies of the men showed a tight grouping of multiple gunshot wounds to the heart. The executions were the first in the US-allied nation since 2010 and followed a spike in protests in solidarity with the convicted men. Abbas al-samea, Sami Mushaima and Ali al-singace were found guilty in 2015 of killing two Bahraini policemen and an Emirati officer deployed to bolster the country s security forces in a bomb attack the previous year. A court upheld their death sentences last Monday. Bahrain is a tiny island nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia that hosts the US Navy s 5th Fleet, which patrols the waters around the Arabian Peninsula and is the naval counterweight to nearby Shiite powerhouse Iran. Government forces crushed the 2011 uprising with help from allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, but the country continues to face lowlevel unrest led by a majority Shiite population that feels marginalized by the Sunni monarchy. Bahrain also maintains close ties to Britain, which is building a naval base of its own in the country. Over the past two and a half months, Prince Charles, Mushaima Al-Singace Prime Minister Al-Samea Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson have all paid visits to the island. Johnson made a point of underscoring Britain s opposition to the death penalty hours after the sentences were carried out. The Bahraini authorities are fully aware of our position and I have raised the issue with the Bahraini government, he said in a statement. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets Saturday in solidarity with the condemned men as rumors spread that their executions were imminent. Images shared on social media showed activists blocking roads with burning debris and hurling petrol bombs in clashes with police. Nicholas McGeehan, a researcher who monitors Bahrain for Human Rights Watch, called the executions inflammatory and unjust as he urged the kingdom s allies to publicly and unequivocally condemn these killings. Amnesty International deputy director Samah Hadid called the executions a deeply regressive step. Protests and clashes continued Sunday despite a heavy presence of riot police deployed in predominantly Shiite areas. Witnesses said shops were shuttered in Daih, where the 2014 bombing happened. Garbage bins were seen overturned and set alight in the streets. One police officer was wounded when several people shot at a police patrol in Bani Jamra, west of the capital Manama, the Interior Ministry said Sunday. It gave no further details. The Ashtar Brigade, a Shiite militant group that claimed the 2014 police attack and a number of other bombings in Bahrain, took responsibility for the attack on the police officer on social media. The Associated Press could not immediately verify the post, though it came in a forum often used by the group. Iran, which supported the 2011 uprising but denies any role in the violence, condemned the executions. The lack of transparency in the unfair trial of the three Bahraini citizens was confirmed by the international community, human rights and all popular bodies all around the world, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said in remarks carried by state-run media. Lebanon s Iran-backed Shiite group Hezbollah also condemned the execution of the three men, calling it a crime and extrajudicial killing that would undermine any chance for a political solution in Bahrain. Astana stands MPs file to Continued from Page 1 its agendas to serve their individual interests, while others continue to uphold the demands made by some regional parties, especially the one that suggested the current Syrian president and his regime to step down. However, the stepping down of the regime and its leader has currently become impossible due to several factors, namely the change of balance force on the field, where the opposition factions are cornered in several scattered areas while the influence of DAESH and Nusra Front continue to increase. The status quo in Syria renders major countries to recalculate their stance towards the authority of the current opposition leaders for the transitional period, fearing that the situation might turn into that of Somalia and Libya. Undoubtedly, this situation reminds us of South Yemen shortly preceding the British withdrawal. Following Britain s announcement of its impending withdrawal from Aden, some armed factions at that time hastily tried to impose themselves as the force in the new Yemeni balance under the pretext of resistance. After the withdrawal, the vacuum was filled with communists, as at that time the Soviet Union had its hand on South Yemen. It is the same thing that Hezbollah in Lebanon did when it claimed that it liberated south of Lebanon after Israel had announced its withdrawal months before its actual withdrawal. Therefore, Lebanon was transformed into a semi-iranian field controlled by Hassan Nasrallah. Indeed, the situation in Syria is different to some extent, as the conflict is mainly between local forces, even though its end will lead to cementing Iranian-Russian occupation, and perhaps Turkey. This will happen as long as those factions continue to practice the methods of the wolf - they neither ousted Al-Assad even after six years of war nor got what they hunted down or learnt from the fox s wisdom. Therefore, they ought to accept the Astana dialogue, which if it succeeds, will undoubtedly bring to an end the most horrific misery of Syria in modern history. Continued from Page 1 bills and approved a draft law on donations, grants and foreign aids. Committee Chairman MP Mohammed Al-Dallal revealed they also approved a draft law on protecting nationality which is similar to the Citizenship Law. He added that they talked about bills on protection of teachers and amendment of the Housing Care Law, indicating the latter includes good stipulations concerning divorced Kuwaiti women or those who never got married. In addition, Al-Dallal affirmed the committee unanimously agreed to lift the immunity of MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei and they will prepare a report in this regard which will be forwarded to the Parliament for deliberation in the next session. Kuwait push for Continued from Page 1 than 70 world diplomats gathered in Paris on Sunday to say they want peace in the Mideast and that establishing a Palestinian state is the only way to achieve it. French President Francois Hollande said he was sounding an alert that peace talks should be revived for the security of Israel, security of all the region before violent extremists and Israeli settlements destroy any hope of a two-state solution. While the Palestinians welcomed Sunday s conference, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it rigged and cooked up behind Israel s back to force it to accept conditions against national interests. US President-elect Donald Trump s administration did not take part, and even the conference organizers weren t expecting any breakthroughs. But French diplomats think there s nothing to lose by trying. They fear Trump will unleash new tensions in the region by condoning settlements on land claimed by the Palestinians and potentially moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to contested Jerusalem. The French president warned Trump against any improvised or destabilizing actions after he takes office Friday. It is not a question of dictating to the parties, Hollande insisted, acknowledging Netanyahu s hostility toward the conference. Only direct Deadly clashes grip flashpoint area near Syria s capital: monitor Fighting derails plans to fix damaged Damascus water source BEIRUT, Jan 15, (Agencies): Heavy fighting gripped a flashpoint region near Syria s capital on Sunday, leaving seven civilians dead and threatening a nationwide truce designed to pave the way towards peace talks. Further east, Syrian government troops lost ground to a brutal assault by the Islamic State group near the key Deir Ezzor military airport. The escalating violence across Syria in recent days augurs ill for peace negotiations in Kazakhstan later this month. In the Wadi Barada region northwest of Damascus, fresh clashes broke out between rebel groups and advancing government forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Regime shelling of the Deir Qanun village killed seven civilians and wounded at least 20 other people, the Britain-based monitor said. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said it was the highest toll there since the nationwide truce came into force on Dec 30. Omar al-shami, spokesman for the Wadi Barada Media Committee, told AFP shells struck a temporary shelter where displaced women and children had been seeking refuge. The activist group published gruesome pictures of what it said was the aftermath of the attack, including photographs of blood-stained floors and body parts wrapped in blankets. Ceasefire Many of Syria s battlefronts have quieted since the entry into force of the nationwide ceasefire brokered by regime backer Russia and opposition ally Turkey. The deal excludes IS and its jihadist rival, the Fateh al-sham Front formerly known as Al-Nusra Front. On Sunday, IS fighters edged closer to the key Deir Ezzor military airport, despite heavy air strikes by government warplanes. The Observatory said the raids on Sunday killed five civilians, including two women and two children, in Deir Ezzor. It was the second day of the jihadist group s brutal assault on regime-held territory around the city, the capital of the oil-rich province by the same name. The fresh advance came despite more than 120 air strikes carried out by regime forces on jihadist positions since Saturday morning, in addition to heavy artillery fire, said Abdel Rahman. IS unleashed a wave of tunnel bombs and suicide attackers against government forces on Saturday, leaving 12 government fighters dead. Another 20 IS jihadists were killed in the clashes. The extremist Sunni Muslim group has lost swathes of territory in northern Syria to Kurdish fighters as well as to a Turkish-backed rebel alliance, but it remains on the offensive in other parts of the country. In addition to its push in Deir Ezzor, IS recently recaptured Palmyra in central Syria from government forces. The conflict began with protests against the rule of President Bashar al- Assad in 2011 but has since morphed into a multi-front war. Although they support opposing sides in Syria s war, Moscow and Ankara have worked closely to negotiate the nationwide truce and to prepare negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians can lead to peace. No one will do it in their place. The world cannot, should not resign itself to the status quo, he told the gathered diplomats from across Europe, the Mideast and other regions, as well as from the United Nations, Arab League and other international organizations. Hollande urged them to support peace efforts by offering economic incentives to Israelis and Palestinians. US Secretary of State John Kerry, who has been increasingly outspoken about Mideast tensions, was in Paris defending American interests at the Iraqi special forces advance inside Mosul University grounds, during fighting against Islamic State militants in the eastern side of Mosul, Iraq on Jan 14. (AP) In parts of city, a semblance of normality despite war Mosul University fully liberated BAGHDAD, Jan 15, (AP): USbacked Iraqi government troops on Sunday fully liberated the sprawling complex of Mosul University, an Iraqi military spokesman said, a major step in the massive operation to retake the Islamic State groupheld city of Mosul. The spokesman for the Joint Military Command, Brig Gen Yahya Rasool, declared the campus was under the full control of Iraqi special forces, officially known as the Counter Terrorism Service, who raised the Iraqi flag over its buildings. The troops searched campus buildings and removed bombs left by IS militants, Brig Gen Haider Fadhil of the special forces said. Fadhil added that the troops also entered the nearby Andalus neighborhood, which he expected would be fully retaken later in the day. Iraqi forces had entered the university grounds Friday and managed to secure more than half of the campus the next day amid tough resistance from IS militants, who mainly deployed sniper and mortar fire to slow down the advancing troops. Sunday s progress is the latest in a string of swift territorial gains in recent weeks by the US-backed Iraqi military. Some 30,000 troops a force that includes not only Iraq s conventional army but an array of other armed groups, including Shiite and Sunni paramilitary troops and Kurdish fighters are taking part in the Mosul offensive which begun Oct 17. talks in the Kazakh capital Astana on Jan 23. US president-elect Donald Trump s transition team has been invited to take part in the talks, but has not yet officially responded. Attendance by the new president s team would be a strong signal of Trump s determination to improve relations with Russia. Meanwhile, the Syrian army and conference. His last major diplomatic foray before he leaves office, it marked the end of eight years of failed US efforts at Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy. Netanyahu declined an invitation to a special meeting after the conference, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was initially expected, but his visit to Paris was postponed. The Israeli prime minister said the gathering would do little to promote peace and marked the last flutters of yesterday s world. Tomorrow will look different and tomorrow is very close, he said in apparent reference to Trump s incoming administration. The Islamic State group captured Mosul in 2014 along with nearly a third of Iraqi territory and large parts of neighboring Syria. Iraq s secondlargest city, Mosul is the last major IS urban bastion in the country. In some parts of Mosul, you can almost forget that a war is being waged over the city between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants who still control more than half of it at least momentarily. Cars clog the streets, stalls are heaped with fresh produce and bicycles weave through the traffic, as the city slowly emerges from more than two years under the iron grip of Islamic State. Retaken As Iraqi forces prise away more and more of the militants largest urban stronghold, a semblance of normality is returning to eastern districts that were retaken in the early stages of a campaign that began nearly three months ago. But reminders of the conflict and the militants legacy are never far away. We are trying to forget, said 19- year old Wisam, slicing meat off a skewer to serve a customer in the Zuhour neighbourhood. It will take time some things have got inside our heads. Around his stall, the market was bustling with people enjoying the freedom to walk around undisturbed by the Hisba, which enforced Islamic State rules and punished infractions with fines and flogging. Young men ran after a ball on a soccer pitch, some wearing shorts, allied militia clashed with rebels near Damascus on Sunday, threatening to disrupt planned repairs to a pumping station that supplies most of the capital s water, a war monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the army and the allied Lebanese militia Hezbollah had made some gains against rebels in the Wadi Barada area. Heavy fighting reached which were forbidden under Islamic State. The logos on their football shirts, however, are still missing: the militants deemed them un-islamic and ordered they be removed, particularly those resembling a cross. Occasionally, the militants themselves came to play, prompting everyone else to flee in fear of being caught in the crosshairs of coalition planes targeting Islamic State, said 22-year old Osama, who runs the pitch. Under militant rule, matches had to stop at prayer time and players only ever had one eye on the ball, Osama said. The other eye was on the street, in case an Islamic State patrol drove past. There is still a mark where a mortar bomb tore through the synthetic turf, and only shards of glass remain in the window panes after a car bomb exploded nearby when Iraqi forces retook Zuhour in early November. Many people stayed in their homes throughout the battle, defying predictions of an exodus from the city where as many as 1.5 million were said to live. Those who left both during the fighting and before are also returning, even though basic services such as electricity, health facilities and water have not been restored. The municipality has resumed work, but much of its equipment was damaged by Islamic State, which converted some of its vehicles into car bombs, so authorities are borrowing them from other provinces. the outskirts of the Ain al-fija town, where the waterworks is located, the British-based war monitor reported. Artillery shelling by government forces killed nine people and wounded at least 20 others in the nearby Deir Qanoun village, it said. A local media office for opposition activists said the shelling hit a centre for displaced people. Palestinian officials hope the conference can lay out terms for eventual negotiations, notably on how to share Jerusalem and the need to stop Israeli settlements. We see in it as an attempt by the global community, by the international community, to lead the foundations and the requirements of just peace by having clear terms of reference, Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, said Sunday in Ramallah. Ashrawi also warned of growing racism and extremism, and expressed fears that Trump would fuel tensions. According to a draft statement obtained by The Associated Press on Friday, the conference will urge Israel and the Palestinians to officially restate their commitment to the two-state solution. It also will affirm that the international community will not recognize changes to Israel s pre-1967 lines without agreement by both sides. A draft circulating Sunday did not include direct reference to moving the US embassy, a move that could be seen as recognizing Jerusalem as Israel s capital after decades of insisting that the city s status must be determined by direct negotiations. Israeli and Palestinian leaders have not negotiated even indirectly since a failed US-led peace effort in While the conference was underway, a few hundred pro-israel demonstrators, waving Israeli flags and placards denouncing the summit, gathered outside Israel s embassy in Paris. The Palestinians and a number of Arab states have not expressed a will for peace, Serge Klarsfeld, a wellknown famous French Nazi hunter, said. If it existed and if the Arab world recognized the existence of Israel, we would find the means to solve all the problems very quickly. The demonstrators loudly booed French lawmaker Pierre Lellouche when he took the podium and declared himself in favor of a two-state solution and the halting of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories. Ariel Goldmann, president of the French Jewish association Fonds Social Juif Unifié, called the conference a mockery of dialogue, a mockery of peace, a historical mockery. Goldmann said he was sad that France is lending itself to such a maneuver. Newswatch Continued from Page 1 A Lufthansa spokesman confirmed that the plane, which was flying from Salalah in southern Oman to Cologne, had made an emergency landing in Kuwait for aviation authorities to carry out investigations. It had 287 passengers and 10 crew on board. No evidence of explosives was found on the plane, he said. A statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of Kuwait, published on state news agency KUNA, confirmed no explosives were found on board. A Eurowings spokesman said passengers would be flown back to Germany from Kuwait on the same plane, an A330 jet. The pilot and relevant authorities had decided on an emergency landing as a preventive measure, he said, but declined to give further details of the incident. Passengers had left the plane and were being looked after in a hotel while awaiting details for continuing flight home, he said. (RTRS) RIYADH: Shelling from Yemen has killed a Saudi soldier on the kingdom s southern border, the interior ministry said Sunday. A Border Guards post in Najran region came under attack from intensive shelling at 5:00 pm (1400 GMT) Saturday, killing a corporal, the ministry said. Army troops intervened to support the Border Guards. (AFP) KOLKATA: At least six people were killed in a stampede during a Hindu religious festival Sunday in eastern India, an official said. The stampede took place as hundreds of thousands of people had assembled on the banks of the Buriganga river in West Bengal state, said the state s development minister, Mantu Ram Pakhira. (AP) DUBAI: Iran will not renegotiate its nuclear agreement with world powers, even if it faces new US sanctions after Donald Trump becomes president, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday. Trump, who will take office on Friday, has threatened to either scrap the agreement, which curbs Iran s nuclear programme and lifts sanctions against it, or seek a better deal. (RTRS) DUBAI: Britain and the United Arab Emirates launched a joint military exercise dubbed Sea Dagger 2017, Emirati state news agency WAM reported on Sunday. The exercise, which WAM said was aimed at training on the planning, implementation and management of joint military operations, takes place as Gulf Arab and American rivalry with nearby Iran continues to simmer. (RTRS) CAIRO: Egyptians in al-arish, a city in the restive north of the Sinai Peninsula, are threatening civil disobedience to protest against what they claim to be the extrajudicial killing of six youths by security forces. The Interior Ministry announced Friday that police killed 10 Islamic militants in a shootout in al-arish. However, the residents said six of those killed had been in police custody since October.

38 LEISURE Sherman s Lagoon By J.P. Toomey N E W Y O R K T I M E S CROSSWORD 38 Mutts By Patrick McDonnell Hagar The Horrible By Chris Browne Beetle Bailey By Mort Walker Garfield By Jim Davis Baby Blues By Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott Conceptis Sudoku The grid must be so completed that every row, column and 3x3 box has every digit from 1 to 9 inclusive Answer to yesterday s puzzle Challenger DIRECTIONS: Fill each square with a number, one through nine. Horizontal squares should add to totals on right. Vertical squares should add to totals on bottom. Diagonal squares through center should add to total in upper and lower right. THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE SOLUTION. Today s Challenge Time 0 Minutes 58 Seconds Your Working Time Minutes Seconds Word by Word Sure Watheqan Better to be sure than sorry. Lean takoon wathiqan khair men an tosbeh nademan Numbers Yesterday s solution An owl is pictured on Jan 12, in Hannover zoo. (AFP) contract bridge By Steve Becker Scratch pad odds n ends PRIEN, Germany: Some 30 swimmers braved the frosty waters of Germany s Chiemsee over the weekend, racing to be crowned Ice King of the famous lake near Munich. In driving snow, with air temperatures around freezing and water temperatures around 4 degrees Celsius, men and women competed in several disciplines such as breast stroke and freestyle in a 50 m course off the town of Prien. The lake is known for its beautiful scenery and for a palace on one of its islands. Begun but never completed by Ludwig II of Bavaria, the palace was meant to the king s own Versailles, but he stayed only a few nights at the palace before his premature death in Competitor Mirko Roever told Reuters TV he enjoyed the challenge. Ice swimming is one of those things where you ask yourself: Why are you doing this? Well, for the health, the stamina, Roever said. And it requires a bit of willpower. That is very important. To overcome your weaker self and be able to say that you did it. That is the great thing about it, he added. Ice or winter dips are common in Scandinavian and Baltic countries, where swimmers will take to saunas afterwards to warm up. (RTRS) SEATTLE: The federal government is considering whether it should set up an area off Washington s San Juan Island where endangered killer whales would be protected from motorboats and other disturbances. Most motorized vessels would be banned under a proposed whale protection zone sought by three conservation groups. Puget Sound orcas face multiple threats, including pollution, lack of prey and impacts from boats. The zone is a commonsense approach that can be implemented immediately, Orca Relief Citizens Alliance, Center for Biological Diversity and Project Seawolf said in a petition fi led with NOAA Fisheries. The agency announced Thursday it is seeking input from industry, tribes, government agencies and others on the November petition before deciding whether to proceed. NOAA Fisheries said studies indicate that the whales forage less in the presence of boat traffi c. The orcas rely heavily on underwater sounds to fi nd food and communicate, and boat noise may disrupt that process. Killer whales can be found in many oceans, but this small distinct population can typically be found in Puget Sound from spring to fall. They use unique calls to communicate with one another and eat salmon rather than marine mammals. (AP) 7455 Seven thousand four hundred fifty five Sabat alaf wa arbai maah wa khamsa wa khamsoun

39 SPORTS 39 Poland suffer damaging defeat to Brazil Big guns Denmark and Spain romp at worlds PARIS, Jan 15, (AFP): Spain, Denmark and Croatia all won their second pool matches at the World Handball Championships on Saturday while Poland, bronze medallists last time out, suffered a damaging defeat to Brazil. Olympic champions Denmark romped past Egypt in Group D after the Africans had started their tournament brightly beating Qatar on Friday. Casper Mortensen and Lasse Svan Hansen scored five and six times respectively in the first-half giving the Danes a lead by the break and 12 of their 14 outfield players had scored by full time. For us, it was a great game. We won with a lot of goals, but it was a hard match. Egypt played very well and played a very hard defence also, said Denmark coach Morten Olsen. Against Sweden, it will be a special game. It s always special against Sweden, we also want to be the best in Scandinavia, so we will try in two days to win against them. Spain and Croatia both had a HANDBALL tighter time of it. The Iberians were leading Tunisia by just two points with ten minutes to go in their Group B game but thanks to David Balaguer s three late goals they eventually prevailed The Spaniards now have four points and are level with Slovenia, who edged Iceland In the second half, we had to stay concentrated as Tunisia never gave up. Our goalkeeper stopped many shots and we could then go a lot on the counter-attack, said Spain s Valero Rivera. Hungary were missing their star player Laszlo Nagy with an ankle injury but still ran Croatia close over the first 45 minutes before a late flurry gave the Croats a win, leaving them sole leaders of Group C ahead of Chile and Germany. In Group A, Norway also had a second win beating Russia after their 22-year-old keeper Torbjorn Bergerud actually scored and with 14 saves won the man of the match award. The hosts and defending champions France had pulverised Brazil in their opener with a one-sided win, but the Latin Americans redeemed themselves Saturday with a win over Poland, who will now struggle to qualify for the next round. Macedonia beat Angola in Group B and look well set to make the cut for the latter stages of the tournament. Denmark s left back Michael Damgaard Nielsen (left), prepares to shoot during the 25th IHF Men s World Championship 2017 Group D handball match Egypt vs Denmark on Jan 14 at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris. (AFP) Spaniard hopes to lift Mother of Pearl Trophy Cabrera-Bello continues victory quest at Commercial Bank Qatar Masters DOHA, Qatar, Jan 15: Ryder Cup star Rafa Cabrera-Bello will attempt to become the third Spanish winner of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters when he competes in the landmark 20th edition of the European Tour event at Doha Golf Club from Jan Cabrera-Bello enjoyed arguably his best-ever year in 2016, finishing eighth on The Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex despite not adding to his two European Tour titles and shone on his debut at both the Olympic Games and The Ryder Cup. As well as securing seven top-five finishes on the European Tour and PGA TOUR last year, the Spaniard tied for fifth in the Olympics in Rio in August, was undefeated at September s Ryder Cup in the USA and led Spain to eighth place at November s ISPA HANDA World Cup of Golf in Australia. This month, the 32 year old will compete in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters for an eighth straight year as he endeavours to emulate compatriots Sergio Garcia (2014) and Alvaro Quiros (2009) by lifting the Mother of Pearl Trophy. Cabrera-Bello has already come close on three occasions, finishing Davis floors Pedraza, captures IBF title Jack and DeGale fi ght to draw NEW YORK, Jan 15, (AFP): Badou Jack knocked out a tooth and almost knocked out the referee but he couldn t convince the judges Saturday that he did enough against James DeGale to become the unified supermiddleweight champ. Both boxing champions suffered knockdowns in the action-packed title fight which ended in a draw after two judges scored it and the other had it in favour of BOXING DeGale. The fighters retained their belts and each complained afterwards that they had won the fight at the Barclays Center arena. World Boxing Council champion Jack was knocked down in the opening round when he got hit by a left hand. It was the third time he had been knocked down in his career, but he gained a measure of revenge by knocking out one of DeGale s teeth NHL Results/Standings in the 10th round. DeGale barely survived the final round when he was knocked down by a right uppercut on the chin. He managed to get up but threw very few punches during the rest of the 12th round. International Boxing Federation champ DeGale was standing next to Jack and had heard enough. DeGale said he felt those punches James DeGale, of England, punches Badou Jack, of Sweden, during the second round of a boxing bout on Jan 14 in New York. (AP) WASHINGTON, Jan 15, (RTRS): Results and standings from the NHL games on Saturday. St Louis 4 San Jose 0 Los Angeles 3 Winnipeg (OT) 2 Edmonton 2 Calgary (SO) 1 Minnesota 5 Dallas 4 Anaheim 3 Arizona 0 Carolina 7 NY Islanders 4 Western Conference Central Division W L OTL GF GA Pts Minnesota Chicago St Louis Nashville Dallas Winnipeg Colorado Pacific Division W L OTL GF GA Pts Anaheim Edmonton San Jose Calgary Los Angeles Vancouver Arizona Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L) joint runner-up last January after tieing for third in 2011 and 2014, the year he missed out on the playoff between Garcia and Mikko Ilonen by one shot. I definitely feel like I can win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, I have been very close in the past. I really like the course at Doha Golf Club and I know I can play well on it, said Cabrera-Bello, who last month teed off his 2017 European Tour season by finishing runner-up at the UBS Hong Kong Open, after leading for the first three days. I m always comfortable playing in Qatar as the weather is so similar GOLF to the Canary Islands where I come from. It s sunny, there s usually a nice breeze and it s quite cool, so I really feel at home. The fans are nice and there s always a relaxed atmosphere. After his tie for second in Qatar last January, Cabrera-Bello followed up with another joint runner-up finish in Dubai the following week. In April, he broke into the top 30 of the Official World Golf Ranking after the Masters Tournament and has since remained from Jack in the 12th. He managed to gather his senses and buy some time by getting into a clinch. One of the strangest moments in a brutal, but thrilling, fight took place at the end the fifth round, when Jack accidentally punched Arthur Mercanti Jr, sending the referee staggering across the ring. Mercanti shook it off, took a couple of sips of water, and returned to action for the sixth round. Jack s promoter Floyd Mayweather also complained about the scoring. Mayweather my win out in the end as the two will probably have to set up a rematch to determine who is the best 168-pound fighter in the world. On the undercard, Gervonta Davis knocked out Jose Pedraza in the seventh round to capture the IBF junior lightweight title. The 22-year-old Davis won his 17th straight fight with no losses with a dominating performance against the Puerto Rican, who was making the third defence of his title. Montreal 5 NY Rangers 4 Toronto 4 Ottawa 2 Detroit 6 Pittsburgh 3 Florida 4 Columbus 3 Nashville 3 Colorado 2 Boston 6 Philadelphia 3 Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA Pts Montreal Boston Toronto Ottawa Florida Tampa Bay Detroit Buffalo Metropolitan Division W L OTL GF GA Pts Columbus Washington Pittsburgh NY Rangers Philadelphia Carolina New Jersey NY Islanders around that mark, ending 2016 as World Number 27. Cabrera-Bello represented Spain alongside Garcia at the Rio Olympics before partnering his famed compatriot in the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National, recording a win and a draw before he beat Jimmy Walker in Sunday s singles. Cabrera-Bello then took on the senior role at the World Cup where he partnered rookie Jon Rahm and gave A fi le photo of Spain s Rafa Cabrera-Bello in action. Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens prepares to cover the puck near Jesper Fast #19 of the New York Rangers during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on Jan 14 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (AFP) Habs 3-goal outburst in 3rd sink Rangers 5-4 MONTREAL, Jan 15, (AP): Alexei Emelin, Max Pacioretty and Paul Byron scored in a 62-second span of the third period to lift the Montreal Canadiens over the New York Rangers 5-4 on Saturday night. Alex Galchenyuk scored in his return after injuring his knee Dec 4, and Brian Flynn also had a goal for Montreal. Brandon Pirri, Rick Nash, J.T. Miler and Derek Stepan scored for the Rangers, who were coming off a 4-2 loss at home to Toronto on Friday night. The Rangers Antti Raanta played for the first time since Dec 29 but left in the first period with a lower-body injury after stopping 10 of 10 shots. Henrik Lundqvist replaced him and allowed five goals on 22 shots a night after losing to the Maple Leafs. Wild 5, Stars 4 In Dallas, Jason Zucker scored the winner with 6:45 to play as Minnesota beat Dallas after blowing a four-goal lead. Zucker skated into the paint as Dallas goalie Kari Lehtonen blocked a shot. The puck bounced off Zucker s chest and into the goal just before the net came off its moorings. A replay review confirmed the goal. Three Minnesota players scored in the first 4:01, and the Wild led 4-0 before the period ended. Panthers 4, Blue Jackets 3 In Sunrise, Florida, Jaromir Jagr scored early in the third period, helping lead Florida past Columbus. Shawn Thornton, Vincent Trocheck and Jonathan Marchessault also scored for Florida while Trocheck, Aaron Ekblad, Jason Demers and Jakub Kindl had assists. James Reimer made 30 saves. With the Panthers leading 3-2, Jagr swatted in a loose puck behind Joonas Korpisalo for his eighth goal of the Spain the first-round lead with a birdie putt on 18. However, as he looks to add to victor ies in 2009 and 2012, Cabrera-Bello has had enough of fast starts and close finishes, having amassed seven runner-up finishes and seven thirds on the European Tour. I ve finished high up the leaderboard many times, but I m very patient and know my next victory will come, he said. I m playing well and as long as I remain consistent, another win will come. I think I have a good chance in Qatar and will certainly give it my best shot. Hassan Al Naimi, President of the Qatar Golf Association, said: Rafa Cabrera-Bello has been one of the most consistent performers at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in recent years and is always popular because of his friendly nature and rapport with the fans. We were all delighted to see him perform so well last year, shining on a big stage at the Olympics and then excelling on his Ryder Cup debut. He s playing as well as he ever has, so it would be no surprise if he s again contending on the final day at Doha Red Wings rally to rout Penguins season 1:27 into the third.. Hurricanes 7, Islanders 4 In Raleigh, North Carolina, Brock McGinn had a goal and three assists while linemates Jordan Staal and Elias Lindholm each had a goal and two assists as Carolina pulled away late to beat New York for its fourth straight victory. The Hurricanes overcame a 3-1 deficit with three straight goals in the second period and improved to in their last 16 home games. Red Wings 6, Penguins 3 In Detroit, Andreas Athanasiou went end to end with the puck, split defenders and scored early in the third period, giving Detroit its first lead in a win over Pittsburgh. Detroit coach Jeff Blashill won a challenge shortly after on a potential tying goal by the Penguins. It was negated because of goaltender interference caused by Pittsburgh s Evgeni Malkin pushing Detroit s Justin Ab- Ondrej Kase #86 of the Anaheim Ducks looks to center the puck ahead of Jakob Chychrun #6 of the Arizona Coyotes during the third period of the NHL game at Gila River Arena on Jan 14 in Glendale, Arizona. (AFP) Golf Club. First held in 1998, the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters has helped establish Qatar as a world-class sporting venue and is considered the country s annual must-attend sporting and social event. Sitting at the heart of the European Tour s Middle East swing, the tournament attracted over 25,000 spectators in 2016 and was broadcast to a global TV audience of over 400 million. Tickets for the 20th Commercial Bank Qatar Masters are now available for purchase at Virgin Megastores (online and in-store in Doha), Doha Golf Club, St Regis Hotel Doha, Intercontinental Hotel Doha, Radisson Blu Hotel Doha, Fnac Lagoona Mall and online on the following websites: q-tickets. com, 800tickets.com and iloveqatar. net. Tickets are priced as follows, starting at QAR150: Thursday, Jan 26, General admission ticket, QAR 150; Friday, Jan 27, General admission ticket, QAR 200; Saturday, Jan 28, General admission ticket, QAR 200; Sunday, Jan 29, General admission ticket, QAR 200; Season Pass Thursday to Sunday, Includes general admission on all four days, QAR 450. delkader into Jared Coreau. Bruins 6, Flyers 3 In Boston, Brad Marchand had two goals and three assists to lift Boston over slumping Philadelphia. Tuukka Rask was back in goal for Boston after leaving the previous game because he was hit in the throat area by a shot in the opening period. He made 21 saves. Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Torey Krug and David Krejci also scored for the Bruins. Krejci s was his 500th point. Marchand had an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left. Ducks 3, Coyotes 0 In Glendale, Arizona, Hampus Lindholm, Nick Ritchie and Ryan Kesler scored, and Jonathan Bernier earned his first shutout of the season in Anaheim s victory over Arizona. Lindholm s second goal of the season came 5:49 into the opening period and Richie got his 10th just 35 seconds into the third. Maple Leafs 4, Senators 2 In Ottawa, Ontario, Nazem Kadri scored twice and Curtis McElhinney made 35 saves, leading Toronto past Ottawa. It was McElhinney s first start with the Leafs after being picked up off ICE HOCKEY waivers earlier in the week from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Tyler Bozak and Connor Brown also scored for the Maple Leafs, who moved into a tie with the Senators for third in the Atlantic Division at the halfway point of the season. Predators 3, Avalanche 2 In Denver, Filip Forsberg scored with 11:54 remaining in the third period while Cody McLeod had a goal and a fight against his former team as Nashville rallied for a win over Colorado. Forsberg lined in a shot shortly after corralling a faceoff. Mike Fisher had tied up the game about 3 minutes earlier on a breakaway. Blues 4, Sharks 0 In San Jose, California, Colton Parayko had a goal and an assist and backup Carter Hutton earned his fifth career shutout in St Louis victory over San Jose. Parayko opened the scoring with a power-play goal and added an assist on David Perron s score to help the Blues bounce back from lopsided losses to Boston and Los Angeles earlier this week. Jori Lehtera also scored and Alex Steen had an empty-net goal for St Louis. Kings 3, Jets 2, OT In Los Angeles, Jeff Carter scored his 23rd goal of the season at 1:36 of overtime as Los Angeles rallied for its fifth victory in seven games. Carter converted Jake Muzzin s 100th career NHL assist for the winner after Dustin Brown tied it for the Kings on a rebound goal with 5:08 left in regulation. Captain Anze Kopitar had three assists for Los Angeles, which improved to 9-1 in overtime this season. Dustin Byfuglien scored Winnipeg s second power-play goal with 12:22 to play, but the Jets lost for the fourth time in five games despite bouncing back solidly from an embarrassing loss. Oilers 2, Flames 1, SO In Edmonton, Alberta, Leon Draisaitl and Mark Letestu scored in the shootout, lifting Edmonton over Calgary. Patrick Maroon scored in regulation for the Oilers, who have won two straight and four of their last six.

40 SPORTS 40 Hosts stun Poms by 3 wickets in 1st ODI Kohli, Jadhav centuries help India beat England PUNE, India, Jan 15, (AFP): Skipper Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav hit blistering centuries to help India chase down 350 and stun England by three wickets in the first one-day international in Pune on Sunday. Kohli (122), who was leading the limited overs side for the first time, and Jadhav (120) put on 200 runs for the fifth wicket as India achieved the target with 11 balls to spare. Allrounder Hardik Pandya kept his nerves to take India home with his unbeaten 40 off 37 deliveries, hitting a huge six to finish off the match in style. Earlier put into bat, England posted their highest-ever ODI total against the hosts in India, 350-7, with Jason Roy (73), Joe Root (78) and Ben Stokes (62) scoring halfcenturies. In their reply India were tottering at 63 for four when Kohli and man of the match Jadhav combined forces for a blazing counter attack India s Kedar Jadhav celebrates after scoring a century (100 runs) during the first one-day international cricket match between India and England at The MCA International Cricket Stadium in Pune on Jan 15. (AFP) that caught the Eoin Morgan-led side unawares. Comeback man Yuvraj Singh (15), who returned to the ODI team after a three-year gap, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (6), playing his first match after relinquishing his limited overs captaincy, failed to fire. But the 28-year-old skipper lived up to his epithet of King Kohli as he smashed 8 fours and 5 sixes during his 105-ball stay at the crease. The star batsman, who brought up his 27th ODI hundred with a six off Chris Woakes, batted with purpose to bring alive a capacity crowd at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium. However, it was the lesser known Jadhav, who was the aggressor in the partnership, putting the England attack to the sword. Local boy Jadhav, who recorded his second ODI ton in just his 13th game, hit 12 fours and 4 sixes in his 76-ball knock. The match took an interesting turn after both the centurions got out with India still needing over 50 runs. Kohli was out to seam bowler Ben Stokes while Jadhav succumbed to paceman Jake Ball, who ended up with three wickets. But Pandya s blitz ensured that India took a 1-0 lead in the threematch series. In the England innings, Stokes 40-ball 62 propelled his team to a formidable total. After being put in to bat, England lost Alex Hales early on. But opener Roy and Root added 69 for the second wicket to lay a solid Winners celebrate during the Fifth Arabian Horse Beauty Contest awarding ceremony. Ghabra Asayel, Asayel Al-Shamal win 1st place at 5th Arabian Horse Beauty Contest Kuwait s Fifth Arabian Horse Beauty Contest for local purebred Arabian horses was held for three days from Jan 12 at Bait Al-Arab, Kuwait Stud Show arena under the patronage of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. More than 200 local foundation for others to build on. Root, who joined the side on Thursday after the birth of his son last week, piloted the innings and got support from Jos Buttler (31) and then Stokes. Root s stay was cut short after horses participated in this beauty contest. The mare Ghabra Asayel from Khaled Al-Neghamshi Stable won fi rst place for the fourth time. The mare Asayel Al-Shamal from Al- Neghamshi Stable also won fi rst place for the Most Beautiful Horse. a slower ball from Jasprit Bumrah got the batsman caught at long on. Stokes, who hit two fours and five sixes, then took charge to smash his fifty in just 33 balls. England added 105 runs in the last eight overs of the innings. Pakistan beat Australia, level 5-match series 1-1 Hafeez leads tourists to six-wicket win MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan 15, (AP): Standin captain Mohammad Hafeez led Pakistan to its first victory on the tour of Australia with a sixwicket win in the second one-day international of the five-match series on Sunday. Hafeez, leading Pakistan in the absence of injured captain Azhar Ali, carried Pakistan to off 47.4 overs with a 72-run knock to level the series 1-1. Left-arm fast bowlers Mohammad Amir took 3-47 and Junaid Khan made a comeback to international cricket with an opening burst of two wickets to dismiss Australia for 220 in 48.2 overs. Hafeez was standing in as captain CRICKET after Azhar injured his right hamstring in Pakistan s 92-run defeat at Brisbane and was unavailable for the Melbourne match. The boys did a great job for us, especially Amir, Imad and Junaid as the ball was not coming onto the bat, Hafeez said. This is the way to move forward and we ve got everything to win the series. The next three games are open for us and hopefully we can do the job for Pakistan. Shoaib Malik one of the three replacements Pakistan made from the first ODI shared 53-run stand with Asad Shafiq (13) to make sure Hafeez s effort wasn t in vain and Pakistan recorded its first ODI win against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground since Hafeez was also a late inclusion as the 16th player in the Pakistan s ODI squad after he cleared his illegal bowling action and was primarily included in the squad for his offspin bowling. Australia had its chances but couldn t grasp the two opportunities provided by Hafeez. Captain Steve Smith missed a twohanded sitter of Hafeez in Mitchel Starc s first over before Pakistan could have begun its run-chase as Sharjeel Khan (29) then grafted a 68-run opening stand with Hafeez. Hafeez was again missed at short cover by a leaping Pat Cummins just after he flicked Starc to the square leg boundary and raised his half century off 81 balls. We went a little bit too hard with the bat... ordinary with the bat in these first two games, aside from Wade s hundred (at Brisbane), Smith said. We needed to build partnerships, (but) we haven t been able to play naturally against them and we were outplayed by Pakistan. CRICKET Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez hits out against Australia s bowling during their one-day international (ODI) cricket match at the MCG in Melbourne on Jan 15. (AFP) Australia vs Pakistan Scoreboard MELBOURNE, Jan 15, (AFP): Scoreboard after the Australian innings in the second one-day international against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. AUSTRALIA U. Khawaja c Sharjeel b Junaid D. Warner c Rizwan b Junaid S. Smith b Imad M. Marsh c Imad b Amir... 0 T. Head c Rizwan b Hasan G. Maxwell b Imad M. Wade b Malik J. Faulkner c Asad b Amir M. Starc run out (Junaid)... 3 P. Cummins c Rizwan b Amir... 0 J. Hazelwood not out... 0 Extras (lb7, w11) Total (48.2 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-31 (Warner), 2-40 (Khawaja), 3-41 (Marsh), 4-86 (Head), (Maxwell), (Smith), (Wade), (Starc), (Cummins), (Faulkner) Bowling: Amir (1w), Junaid (3w), Imad (2w), Hasan , Hafeez (1w), Malik Babar Azam (34) also added a further 72 runs with Hafeez to ease the run-chase before both were caught by Josh Hazlewood in successive overs in the space of two runs. Azam sliced a catch off Starc and Faulkner had Hafeez caught at mid-on. Earlier, Amir took three wickets as Pakistan capitalized on its early breakthroughs to dismiss Australia with 10 balls to go in the innings. Smith tried to marshal the innings, grafting for 60 runs from 101 balls to top the scoring before he dragged a ball from Imad Wasim onto his stumps. Malik bowled Matthew Wade for 35 and the lower-order failed to bat out the allotted 50 overs, with Junaid running out Starc (3) and Amir following up his early dismissal of Mitch Marsh (0) to take the last two wickets with well-targeted short balls. Pakistan had Australia in trouble at 78-5 in the series-opener but Wade led the rally with his maiden ODI century PAKISTAN Sharjeel Khan c Wade b Faulkner Mohammad Hafeez c Hazelwood b Faulkner Babar Azam c Hazelwood b Starc Asad Shafiq c Wade b Starc Shoaib Malik not out Umar Akmal not out Extras (lb6, w7) Total (4 wickets, 47.4 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-68 (Sharjeel), (Babar), (Hafeez), (Shafiq) Did not bat: Mohammad Rizwan, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan Bowling: Starc (2w), Hazelwood (1w), Cummins (1w), Faulkner , Head (1w), Marsh (2w) Pakistan win by 6 wickets Series: 1-1 Umpires Chris Gaffaney (NZL) and Paul Wilson (AUS) Third Umpire Chettithody Shamshuddin (IND) Match referee Jeff Crowe (NZL) A Pakistan lineup containing three changes had Australia struggling again in Melbourne at 86-4, with Junaid removing openers David Warner (16) and Usman Khawaja (17). But this time Pakistan s bowling attack maintained the pressure through the innings after Smith won the toss and elected to bat. The Australians swept the test series 3-0 and were convincing winners in the first of five ODIs before Pakistan finally broke the losing streak. The organizing committee of the contest granted Mai Stable the award for the Pioneer Farm. The young mare Munifa Al- Wawan from Al-Wawan Stable and the colt Jawaher Ghjazi, which belongs to Mohammad Al-Ghemlas, won fi rst place in the category for India vs England Scoreboard PUNE, India, Jan 15, (AFP): Final scoreboard of the fi rst one-day international between India and England in Pune on Sunday: ENGLAND J. Roy st Dhoni b Jadeja...73 A. Hales run out (Bumrah)...9 J. Root c Pandya b Bumrah...78 E. Morgan c Dhoni b Pandya...28 J. Buttler c Dhawan b Pandya...31 B. Stokes c Yadav b Bumrah...62 M. Ali b Yadav...28 C. Woakes not out...9 D. Willey not out...10 Extras (b1, lb11, w6, nb4)...22 Total (7 wickets; 50 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Hales), (Roy), (Morgan), (Buttler), (Root), (Stokes), (Ali) Bowling: Yadav (1nb, 3w), Pandya , Bumrah (3nb, 1w), Jadeja , Ashwin (2w), Jadhav , Singh Did not bat: A. Rashid, J. Ball INDIA L. Rahul b Willey...8 junior horses. The Deputy Chairman of the organizing committee Mohammad Al- Khamees said the close results between the participants reflect their high-level, stressing that holding the competition for the fi fth year helped in encouraging Kuwaiti horsemen. S. Dhawan c Ali b Willey...1 V. Kohli c Willey b Stokes Y. Singh c Buttler b Stokes...15 M.S. Dhoni c Willey b Ball...6 K. Jadhav c Stokes b Ball H. Pandya not out...40 R. Jadeja c Rashid b Ball...13 R. Ashwin not out...15 Extras (b1, lb4, w 11)...16 Total (7 wickets; 48.1 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Dhawan), 2-24 (Rahul), 3-56 (Singh), 4-63 (Dhoni), (Kohli) Bowling: Woakes (2w), Willey (3w), Ball (4w), Stokes (2w), Rashid , Ali , Root Did not bat: J. Bumrah, U. Yadav Toss: India Result: India won by three wickets Series: India lead the three-match series 1-0 Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), CK Nandan (IND) TV umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI) Match referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe). Tourists 66-3 at stumps Bangladesh collapse, give NZ sniff of unlikely victory Bangladesh s Taskin Ahmed bowls during day four of the fi rst international Test cricket match between New Zealand and Bangladesh at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Jan 15. (AFP) WELLINGTON, Jan 15, (RTRS): New Zealand captured three late wickets on Sunday to give themselves a sniff of an unlikely victory against Bangladesh in the first Test at the Basin Reserve. The visitors were 66 for three in their second innings at the end of the fourth day s play, with an overall lead of 122 runs. Mominul Haque was on 10 while night watchman Mehedi Hasan was run out for one with three balls left of the day s play. Mitchell Santner had started the collapse of three wickets for 16 when he bowled Tamim Iqbal for 25, before Neil Wagner had Mahmudullah caught by wicketkeeper BJ Watling for five. Santner then ran Mehedi out with a direct hit to give his side confidence for the final day s play, with two of Bangladesh s top-order batsmen under injury clouds. Opening batsman Imrul Kayes retired hurt on 24 after he appeared to suffer a pulled muscle while taking a quick single. Captain Mushfiqur Rahim did not field in New Zealand s innings of 539 due to suspected broken fingers, though he was seen padded up to bat if required on Sunday. Imrul took the gloves in Mushfiqur s absence and snared five catches, a record for a stand-in wicketkeeper, in New Zealand s innings that was anchored by Tom Latham s career-best 177. Latham, whose previous best was 137 against Pakistan in 2014, had resumed on 119 with Henry Nicholls, who was on 35 and the hosts on 292 for three. Both were untroubled as they took New Zealand to 347 for three before Nicholls was caught at leg slip by Mehedi off Shakib Al Hasan for 53. Watling and Latham then took New Zealand past the follow-on target of 395 but the opener was trapped in front by Shakib shortly after, just when a double century was on offer. Part-time off-spinner Mahmudullah then took two wickets in one over, the first from a wide long hop that Watling shaped to smash to bring up his 13th test half century but succeeded only in nicking to Imrul. Watling trudged off for 49 and was quickly followed by Tim Southee, who CRICKET was trapped in front for one just four balls later. Santner then made a careerbest 73 before he was the last man out, bowled by Subashis Roy. It was his second test half century. Scoreboard BANGLADESH 1st innings 595 for 8 decl (S. Al Hasan 217, M. Rahim 159, M. Haque 64, T. Iqbal 56, S. Rahman 54no; N. Wagner 4-151) NEW ZEALAND 1st innings (Overnight: 292-3) J. Raval c Kayes b Rabbi...27 T. Latham lbw b Al Hasan K. Williamson c Kayes b Ahmed...53 R. Taylor c Mahmudullah b Rabbi...40 H. Nicholls c M. Hasan b Al Hasan...53 C. de Grandhomme c Kayes b Roy...14 B. Watling c Kayes b Mahmudullah...49 M. Santner b Roy...73 T. Southee lbw b Mahmudullah...1 N. Wagner c Kayes b Rabbi...18 T. Boult not out...4 Extras (b-10 lb-3 nb-1 w-16)...30 Total (all out, overs) Fall of wickets: 1-54 J.... Raval, K. Williamson, R. Taylor, H. Nicholls, C. de Grandhomme, T. Latham, B. Watling, T. Southee, N. Wagner, M. Santner Bowling. M. Hasan (w-1); S. Roy (nb-1); T. Ahmed (w- 2); K. Rabbi (w-1); S. Al Hasan ; Mahmudullah BANGLADESH 2nd innings T. Iqbal b Santner I. Kayes retired hurt...24 M. Haque not out...10 Mahmudullah c Watling b Wagner...5 M. Hasan run out (Santner)...1 Extras (nb-1)...1 Total (for 3 wickets, 18.3 overs)...66 Fall of wickets: 1-50 T. Iqbal,2-63 Mahmudullah,3-66 M. Hasan To bat: S. Al Hasan, M. Rahim, S. Rahman, T. Ahmed, S. Roy, K. Rabbi Bowling T. Boult ; T. Southee ; M. Santner ; N. Wagner (nb-1) Referees Umpire: Marais Erasmus Umpire: Paul Reiffel TV umpire: Nigel Llong Match referee: Javagal Srinath

41 SPORTS 41 Scheyer wins downhill; Vonn 13th upon return Kristoffersen edges Hirscher again in WC slalom duel WENGEN, Switzerland, Jan 15, (AP): Henrik Kristoffersen s hot streak in World Cup slalom extended to his fourth win of the season on Sunday, and Marcel Hirscher was runner-up yet again. Defending a first-run lead, Kristoffersen was slower than Hirscher at the last time check but the Norwegian raced through the final gates for a 0.15 seconds winning margin. Felix Neureuther of Germany was 0.63 back in third. SKIING Hirscher seemed to have been expecting victory, and put on a weary expression in the finish area while holding up a thumb and forefinger slightly apart to suggest how close he had been. Kristoffsersen thumped his chest with his right fist upon crossing the line, then skied over to share an embrace with the Austrian star. Kristoffersen now leads the World Cup slalom standings from Hirscher, who has been runner-up in three of his rival s victories. Still, Hirscher extended his clear lead in the overall standings with Kristoffersen rising to second. First placed Austria s Christine Scheyer smiles on the podium at the end of an alpine ski women s World Cup downhill in Altenmarkt- Zauchensee, Austria on Jan 15. (AP) The 22-year-old Olympic bronze medalist s 14th career World Cup victory was his 13th in slalom. He also won last Sunday at nearby Adelboden, and completed back-to-back wins at Clermont into Euro quarters as Saracens draw PARIS, Jan 15, (AFP): Clermont edged Bordeaux-Begles to qualify for the European Champions Cup quarter-finals on Sunday as defending champions Saracens left it late to snatch a thrilling draw with Scarlets. France fly-half Camille Lopez kicked three penalties for Clermont in an error-strewn game in which they were reduced to 13 men early on. Irish counterpart Ian Madigan booted two of his own penalties as the visitors ran out 9-6 victors in western France. the Swiss venues for the second straight year. Hirscher has had to get used to being runner-up, at Wengen and against Kristoffersen. Hirscher has 41 career World Cup race wins, but none at this storied venue where he has placed second three times in slalom. After two slaloms affected by the weather in January, the conditions offered a fair test Sunday. Light morning snow dusted the race hill adjoining the course for the classic Clermont, with 21 points in Pool 5, joined Irish provinces Munster and Leinster, from Pools 1 and 4 respectively, in the last eight. But there was no automatic qualification for Saracens, who were chasing a 14th Champions Cup win RUGBY in a row. They had to rely on an injurytime try from England winger Chris Ashton, converted by Owen Farrell, downhill that was canceled Saturday due to heavy overnight snow. Kristoffersen had a dominating win by 1.83 seconds at foggy Adelboden, but 13 racers had been within a second of the defending World Cup champion in Sunday s morning run. On a weekend of surprise results in men s and women s races, the lowranked No. 46 starter Christian Hirschbuehl leaped up to place fourth, trailing Kristoffersen by Meanwhile, Christine Scheyer of to snatch a draw in Llanelli. Scarlets had dominated much of the game and looked set for a memorable victory over the champions. But a turnover at the death handed Saracens the opportunity they needed. Winger Nathan Earle scored the English side s first try thanks to fine offloading skills from full-back Alex Lowzowski. Dan Jones kept the penalties ticking over for a 9-5 halftime lead for Scarlets, stretching that with his fourth early in the second half. But Lowzowski again turned provider, his break and inside pass seeing Ashton scoot through for his first try. Scott Williams hit straight back, lining up a long, flat pass from scrum-half Aled Davies to cross under the posts. Farrell and Jones traded penalties before the England fly-half made a crucial break and found the ubiqitious Ashton on his shoulder to break Scarlets hearts. Saracens, on 20 points, now top Pool 3, with second-placed Toulon playing Sale later Sunday. Austria upset the pre-race favorites to win a women s World Cup downhill Sunday, while Lindsey Vonn placed 13th in her first race in nearly 11 months. Not being able to push out of the start gate as usual, the American was more than half a second off the lead at the first split and finished 1.54 behind the Austrian. The four-time overall champion, who holds the women s record of 76 victories, was out nursing a knee injury and a broken arm since February last year. The fracture in her right upper arm also damaged nerves, which was still limiting mobility of her hand. After announcing a few days ago that she had come to win, Vonn still saw the positives of her comeback race after 322 days. Vonn had three weeks left, including speed weekends in Germany and Italy, to find her best form for the world championships in St Moritz, Switzerland. Booker scores 39, helps Suns beat Spurs Clippers cruise past Lakers Raigad Cricket Club Champion team of Kokan Cup MEXICO CITY, Jan 15, (AP): Devin Booker scored a career-high 39 points for the second straight game in Mexico City as the Phoenix Suns beat the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday in the fifth regular-season game in the country. Booker was 12 of 22 from the field and Eric Bledsoe added 17 points and 10 assists. Coming off a loss to Dallas in their Mexican opener Thursday night, the Suns overcame an 11-point deficit to snap a two-game losing streak. Kawhi Leonard had 38 points for the Spurs (31-9). Booker made two baskets in the last minute, including a dunk off a BASKETBALL Waghivare Cricket Club Runners-up team of Kokan Cup Kokan Cup 2017 concludes Raigad Club emerge champions KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15: Kokan Cup 2017, a cricket tournament organized by Rizwan Khan, Shamsuddin Barday and team, concluded on Friday the Jan 13th, best teams from Ratnagiri, Raigad and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra, India, along with local teams like Gulfex Challengers participated in the tournament. The tournament was sponsored by Al Ansaf Al Khalijiya General Trading & Contracting Co, Marwa Restaurant Co, Al Dar Al Oula General Trading & Contracting Co and GULFEX Co (Al Babtain Group). The event was co-sponsored by Habibullah Mohimtully, Shafeequr Rahman, Asif Rumani, Siraj Khadas, Javed Rumani, Jamil Parkar, Munaf Kapdi, Haseeb Chougle, Masood Barde, Imtiyaz Chougle and CRIC-TEN who provided the Online Live Cricket scoring platform. The 12 teams were divided into 4 groups of 3 teams each who played into the league rounds. Overall top 8 teams based on points and net run rate were selected for the knockout stage to play the quarter-finals, semifinals and finals. The teams qualified for the semifinals were Azad Cricket Club, Raigad Cricket Club, Chiplun Fighters Kuwait and Waghivare Cricket Club. Among the semi finalists, Raigad Cricket Club and Waghivare Cricket Club pervailed to battle in the final of the Kokan Cup In the final match, Raigad Cricket Club proved worthy to become the Champions by comprehensively defeating Waghivare Cricket Club by 8 wickets. Umar Khan was declared the Man of the Match in the final game. Raigad Cricket Club earned the Champions title of the Kokan Cup 2017, Wagivare Cricket Club being the Runner Up team. The presentation ceremony was held immediately after the final match, was blessed by the presence of Ahmed Shihadah, GM of GULFEX (Al Babain Group), Nazir Mohammed, MD, Al Ansaf Al Khalijiya, Habibullah Mohimtuley, Insurance Manager, Al Babtain Group, Hassan Ali, Lubricant Division Manager, GULFEX, Zahid Wangde, Finance Manager, DHL Khalid Abdul Gani, Khalil Rumani and CRICKET Suganan, Finance Manager, GULFEX. The organizers thanked all the sponsors, chief guests, participants and supporters for their contributions in making the event a grand success. Chief guest Ahmed Shihadah was kind enough to say a few inspiring words about the tournament, sportsmanship and his experiences on sports and the game of cricket which sparked a big round of applause in the audience. Along with the Champions and Runner Up awards, there were other awards presented by the respected chief guests in the presentation ceremony. Momentos were awarded to the Umpires, Scorers and for valuable contributions in the tournament. Other award winners were, SajjadWaliley as Best Batsman, Atif Rajiwte as Best Bowler, Bilal Rumane as the Man of the Series, GULFEX was named as the Best Debutante team and Dabhil Cricket Club won the Fairplay award. Finally the presentation ceremony concluded with thank yous and appreciation for all the people involved in making the event a success. Finally the Kokan Cup organizers would like to thank Khalid Khadas, Shoiab Surve, Sattar Dalvi, Mubin Surve and Mazhar Batte for their expertise and assistance to make the event a great success. break with Bledsoe to put the Suns up Leonard made two free throws to get San Antonio within one, P.J. Tucker made two free throws for Phoenix, and the Spurs Danny Green missed an open 3-pointer to seal the win for the Suns. Clippers 113, Lakers 97 In Los Angeles, DeAndre Jordan scored 24 points on 12-of-13 shooting as the Los Angeles Clippers shot 52 percent to cruise past the Lakers on Saturday. Jordan had 21 rebounds and Chris Paul added 20 points and 13 assists to help the Clippers improve to 6-0 in They are off to their best start since going 7-0 to begin 1974 when the franchise was located in Buffalo. Their streak is the longest active one in the NBA. Jordan Clarkson scored 21 points for the Lakers. Bulls 107, Pelicans 99 In Chicago, Jimmy Butler scored 28 points in his return from the flu while Dwyane Wade had 17 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter in Chicago s victory over New Orleans. Butler returned after missing two games, and had 19 points in the first half. Taj Gibson added 15 points and 16 rebounds to help the Bulls snap a three-game losing streak. Anthony Davis had 36 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks for New Orleans. Jazz 114, Magic 107 In Salt Lake City, Gordon Hayward scored 23 points to help Utah beat Orlando, a victory tem- Best Debutant team of Kokan Cup presented by Zahid Wangde Los Angeles Clippers guard Austin Rivers shoots as Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game on Jan 11, in Los Angeles. (AP) pered by the loss of Rodney Hood to a right knee injury with 1:44 remaining. On a fast break after Rudy Gobert blocked N i k o l a Vucevic s shot, Hood was hurt when his right knee buckled as he went up for a layup. Hood screamed in pain and Booker clutched the knee immediately upon falling. The Jazz said it was a hyperextended knee and Hood was walking gingerly but without assistance in the locker room. NBA Results/Standings Gobert added 19 points and 19 rebounds for Utah. Hood had 14 points. Elfrid Payton had a careerhigh 28 points and added nine rebounds and nine assists for Orlando. Wizards 109, 76ers 93 In Washington, John Wall had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while Bradley Beal added 20 points as Washington used a second-half spurt to beat Philadelphia. The 76ers had won three straight for the first time in more than three years. They played without rookie star Joel Embiid. He sat out to rest after scoring 24 points Thursday night against Charlotte. Jahlil Okafor, who hadn t played in the last three games, had a season-high 26 points for the 76ers. WASHINGTON, Jan 15, (RTRS): Results and standings from the NBA games on Saturday: Utah 114 Orlando 107 Washington 109 Philadelphia 93 Phoenix 108 San Antonio 105 Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Toronto Boston /2 NY Knicks /2 Philadelphia /2 Brooklyn Central Division W L PCT GB Cleveland Milwaukee /2 Indiana Chicago Detroit /2 Southeast Division W L PCT GB Atlanta Washington Charlotte /2 Orlando /2 Miami Chicago 107 New Orleans 99 LA Clippers 113 LA Lakers 97 Western Conference Northwest Division W L PCT GB Utah Oklahoma City /2 Portland Denver Minnesota Pacific Division W L PCT GB Golden State LA Clippers Sacramento /2 LA Lakers Phoenix Southwest Division W L PCT GB San Antonio Houston Memphis New Orleans /2 Dallas /2

42 SPORTS 42 Mahrez scores twice but Algeria held by Zimbabwe Burkina Faso fight back to hold Cameroon FRANCEVILLE, Gabon, Jan 15, (AFP): Riyad Mahrez scored twice but Algeria had to settle for a 2-2 draw with rank outsiders Zimbabwe as their Africa Cup of Nations campaign got off to a slow start in Franceville on Sunday. Newly-crowed African player of the year Mahrez gave Algeria an early lead in the Group B match but Kudakwashe Mahachi quickly equalised and a penalty before the half-hour mark scored by Nyasha Mushekwi had the Warriors in front. In an action-filled encounter Zimbabwe whose build-up to the finals was overshadowed by a row over bonuses were just eight minutes away from claiming a famous victory before Mahrez struck again to secure a share of the spoils. Those two sides were due to meet each other in Franceville later on Sunday, at 1900 GMT. Amid calls from opponents of the government in Gabon to boycott the Cup of Nations there was a sparse crowd in the 20,000-seat stadium in the south-eastern city. Those who were there witnessed a cracking match, with Zimbabwe recovering brilliantly from a nightmare start. They lost striker Knowledge Musona to an early injury and then fell behind in the 12th minute as Leicester City star Mahrez ran onto Islam Slimani s pass and cut inside Costa Nhamoinesu in the area before curling a delightful Cameroon s midfielder Christian Bassogog (right), challenges Burkina Faso s defender Yacouba Coulibaly during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Group A football match between Burkina Faso and Cameroon at the Stade de l Amitie Sino-Gabonaise in Libreville on Jan 14. (AFP) shot in off the far post with his left foot. But Zimbabwe were level only five minutes later, South Africa-based Mahachi beating goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi with a speculative low strike on his left foot from the left-hand edge of the box. Remarkably, they went in front as the half-hour mark approached, Mushekwi sending Mbolhi the wrong way from the penalty spot after a foul in the area by Mokhtar Belkhither. Zimbabwe won 2-1 in the only previous meeting of the nations at the tournament, 13 years ago, and they missed chances to go further in front in this game. Only a great save by Mbolhi prevented Khama Billiat SOCCER from adding to the lead after he had turned Algerian captain Aissa Mandi inside out at the start of the second half. Algeria then stepped up the pressure and Ramy Bensebaini headed against the bar and Elisha Muroiwa struck the frame of his own goal as he attempted to clear a Faouzi Ghoulam cross. In between those two incidents Algeria appealed for a penalty as Mahrez went down when he collided with goalkeeper Tatenda Mkuruva in the box. Zimbabwe looked like they might hold on, but substitute Cuthbert Malajila shot straight at Mbolhi with a great chance and Algeria went straight downfield to equalise, Mahrez s shot from 20 yards going straight under Mkuruva and in. A brilliant Benjamin Moukandjo free-kick was not enough for Cameroon to win their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday as Burkina Faso battled back to draw 1-1. Moukandjo, the Indomitable Lions captain, curled in a superb effort from a dead ball 10 minutes before the interval in the Group A game at the Stade de l Amitie in Libreville. However, 2013 runners-up Burkina Faso recovered to equalise with a quarter of an hour left, Issoufou Dayo bundling the ball in with a close range header after Banou Diawara s free-kick was saved. The result means there is nothing between any of the sides in Group A after hosts Gabon were held to a 1-1 draw by Guinea-Bissau in the tournament s opening match earlier in the day. Gabon play Burkina Faso and Cameroon face Guinea- Bissau in the next round of matches on Wednesday at the same venue. Cameroon have won the Cup of Nations four times but their build-up to this year s tournament has been overshadowed by a raft of withdrawals by key players, including Liverpool defender Joel Matip and Schalke striker Eric Choupo-Moting. Nevertheless, Hugo Broos s side have not lost since a narrow friendly defeat to France in May last year and they started well, an organisational gaffe that prevented the national anthems being played prior to kick-off clearly not upsetting them. Algeria s forward Islam Slimani (right), heads the ball with Zimbabwe s midfielder Willard Katsande during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Group B football match between Algeria and Zimbabwe in Franceville on Jan 15. (AFP) HH Crown Prince to attend final match KUWAIT CITY, Jan 15, (KUNA): His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will attend and patronize the final match of the Crown Prince Best of the Rest Repilov extends luge lead: Russia dominated the luge World Cup on Sunday, taking victories in four races as Roman Repilov won the overall sprint trophy. Repilov won a men s sprint and was second to fellow Russian Semyon Pavlichenko in another men s race, while Tatyana Ivanova took the victory in the women s sprint. The Russians rounded out their successful weekend with team relay gold on a track which they know well due to frequent training camps there. (AP) Messi is indispensable : Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu sought to clarify the club s position on Lionel Messi s future on Saturday following a week of institutional upheaval by declaring that renewing the Argentine maestro s contract was indispensable. We want Leo to stay here, we want him to renew with us and he s very important for the club and for Barca. We re working hard on it and when two people want the same thing there s always a happy ending, Bartomeu told Catalan network TV3. (RTRS) Football Cup between Al-Kuwait and Al-Qadesia Sports Clubs at 05:30 pm local time in Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium on Monday. Costa is injured : Chelsea manager Antonio Conte confirmed top scorer Diego Costa missed Saturday s 3-0 win over Leicester City through injury but declined to say if he expected his top scorer to be available for their next Premier League match against Hull City. The Italian chose his words carefully in an interview after the game, denying that he knew about a bid for the striker from China or a row between the pair in training last week, both of which were reported in multiple British media outlets. (RTRS)

43 SPORTS 43 Guardiola rocked, Everton crush City Lukaku on target LIVERPOOL, Jan 15, (AFP): Pep Guardiola suffered the largest league defeat of his managerial career as Manchester City slumped to a 4-0 loss against Everton on Sunday. Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas put Everton in control at Goodison Park before teenager Tom Davies scored his first goal for the club and debutant Ademola Lookman completed the rout after coming on as an 89th minute substitute. It was another chastening experience for City boss Guardiola, who Lukaku wasn t used to such humiliation in his trophy-laden spells at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. The defeat was City s fourth in their last eight league games and left them 10 points behind leaders Chelsea. Lukaku s 12th goal of the season continued his rich vein of form and SOCCER the Belgian striker was too hot for City s error-prone defence to handle through a torrid afternoon for Guardiola and company. As has been the case so often this season, Lukaku s opener in the 34th minute showed up frailties in City s defence and goalkeeping as Davies intercepted a Gael Clichy pass just inside the visitors half and found Mirallas sprinting into the City area. With Yaya Toure slow to respond to the runner, and Nicolas Otamendi playing Everton on side from a deep position, Mirallas was able to pick out Lukaku, who finished with a clinical left-foot strike. The opening goal had drawn an instant response from Guardiola s team as Sergio Aguero came within a whisker of connecting with Kevin De Bruyne s low cross just six yards from goal. And Raheem Sterling, from a cleared City corner, just missed the home goal with a powerful half-volley from outside the area. Although the game had been finally balanced, City had enjoyed the Everton s Mason Holgate (left) and Manchester City s Sergio Aguero battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park, in Liverpool, England, on Jan 15. (AP) better chances, even before the opening goal. After 11 minutes, Sterling failed with a strong penalty appeal after he went down under slight contact from goalkeeper Joel Robles as he appeared poised to score from another perfect cross from the excellent De Bruyne. And the Everton keeper was again forced into action, with a strong block to thwart David Silva as the Spaniard looked set to convert yet another decisive pass from De Bruyne. In first half stoppage-time, City almost snatched what would have been a deserved equaliser after Clichy s left-wing cross found Bacary Sagna whose athletic leap allows him to power a goal bound header which was nodded off the line by Davies. Better was to come for Everton a minute into the second half when Lukaku sparked the move that led to the second goal, his through ball Lazio s Ciro Immobile is fouled by Atalanta goalkeeper Etrit Berisha (left), during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Atalanta at the Olimpico Stadium in Rome on Jan 15. (AP) Storm pips McIlroy for dream SA Open triumph JOHANNESBURG, Jan 15, (AFP): Graeme Storm of England defeated world number two Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland in a play-off Sunday to win the South African Open 83 days after losing his European Tour card. Storm, 249 places below McIlroy in the world listings, regained the right to compete only because American Patrick Reed was sidelined for playing insufficient events last season. This is a dream come true. The whole experience this week has been absolutely incredible, said Storm after his triumph at Glendower Golf Club in Johannesburg. I also have to thank Patrick Reed. I got my playing card back because he did not play enough events and I have embraced the second chance with both hands. I am in shock, he admitted after winning a competition first staged in 1893, and the second oldest national golf championship after the British Open. What can I say? This is surreal. I have just beaten a golfer who is the best in the world right now. Gracious loser McIlroy said: Justin Thomas drives off the fourth tee during the third round of the Sony Open golf tournament, on Jan 14, in Honolulu. (AP) Obviously it is disappointing to finish runner-up, but Graeme has played well all week and what a story it is for him. He thought he had lost his card at the end of last year and now he is standing with a trophy in his hands after the first event of this year. I am delighted for him. I wish I could have done a little more, but it is not a bad way to start the season and gives me something to build on in the weeks ahead. GOLF Storm, whose only other European Tour triumph came 10 years ago in the French Open, won with a par four at the third extra hole when McIlroy missed a seven-foot putt. It was the third time McIlroy, who trails Australian Jason Day in the world rankings, had been involved in a European Tour playoff, and the third time he failed. Three strokes ahead going into the final round, Storm carded a 71 while McIlroy, second overnight, fired a 68. Storm had a let-off at the penultimate hole of the final round, which he parred, when McIlroy dropped a stroke having taken two shots to get out of a greenside bunker. They finished on under par one stroke ahead of Englishman Jordan Smith, who closed with a 68. being touched by City defender John Stones into the path of Ross Barkley. The England midfielder produced a superb pass for Mirallas whose equally excellent shot from 15 yards flew beyond the dive of Bravo. As City struggled to gain a foothold, Silva s free-kick found ex-everton defender Stones, booed by his former supporters with every touch, who headed directly at Robles. But for all their possession, City Roma, Napoli, Lazio and Inter all win Rivals keep pressure on Juve MILAN, Jan 15, (AFP): Radja Nainggolan hit a first-half winner as Roma won 1-0 at Udinese to close the gap on leaders Juventus in Serie A on Sunday. Juventus, bidding for a record sixth straight league title. But the Old Lady of Turin was given another reminder of potential obstacles on the way to the Serie A title with Roma, Napoli, Lazio and Inter all winning. Roma travelled to Udinese looking to make it three wins on the trot having suffered their last reverse in a 1-0 defeat at Juventus last month. After just 12 minutes Nainggolan turned on Kevin Strootman s chip from deep in midfield to beat Orestis Karnezis with a right-footed volley from eight yards. Luciano Spalletti s men should have doubled their lead when a penalty was awarded minutes later for handball in the area, but a nervous-looking striker Edin Dzeko ballooned his effort over. Juventus are now just a point ahead of Roma although the Turin SOCCER giants have a game in hand following Italian Super Cup commitments last month. In Doha, the champions were beaten on penalties by AC Milan. Napoli s last league defeat also came at Juventus, at the end of October, but at home to league strugglers Pescara the Azzurri were kept scoreless until Lorenzo Tonelli, Marek Hamsik and Dries Mertens hit one apiece in a fruitful second half. Tonelli got the hosts off the mark with his second goal in as many games when he rose to meet Jorginho s free kick from the left to send a bouncing header past Albano Bizarri in the Pescara net. Napoli doubled their lead moments later, Hamsik volleying Piotr Zielinski s long ball past Bizzarri from a tigh angle. A curling drive from Lorenzo Insigne deflected off target and Bizzarri did well to fingertip Jorginho s screamer on to the crossbar from the corner. But the keeper was left helpless in the dying minutes when struggled to place Robles under pressure. On a rare occasion that the home defence allowed Aguero too much space on the edge of their area, the Argentinian s low shot was turned behind expertly by Robles. Any lingering hope of a comeback evaporated in the 78th minute when Davies capped a brilliant midfield display with a deserved goal, his first for the club - the move having been Sampdoria s Patrik Schick (left), and Empoli s El Hadji Assane Diousse compete for the ball during the Serie A soccer match between Sampdoria and Empoli at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium in Genoa, Italy, on Jan 15. (AP) Mertens, after winning back possession in deep, completd a onetwo with Allan to flick past the keeper from close range to claim his 12th goal of the campaign. Lazio remain fourth, at five points behind Juventus, after Ciro Immobile s second-half penalty secured the points in a 2-1 win over Atalanta. Former Lazio keeper Etrit Berisha was out to make a brave stop from the feet of Immobile in the early stages but Atalanta were first off the mark, Andrea Petagna beating Federico Marchetti with a volley from Remo Freuler s cross on 21 minutes. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic rose to meet a free kick at the back post to head Lazio s leveller on the stroke of half-time. Milinkovic-Savic was in the thick of the action again just after the hour, the Serbian prompting Berisha out to close him down and winning a penalty when the keeper failed to make contact with the ball. Immobile stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way with his 11th league goal of the season. AC Milan, in fifth at nine points adrift, are away to Torino on Monday. Inter Milan moved up to sixth with a 3-1 win over Chievo on Saturday when Mauro Icardi hit the opener to stretch his leagueleading goals tally to 15 for the season. started when he collected the ball in his own half. Davies carried the ball half the length of the field, exchanged passes with Barkley and then lifted the ball over Bravo, with Lukaku ensuring the ball crept over the line. Lookman, signed from Charlton this month, added a fourth goal in stoppage-time after Seamus Coleman had charged down a poor attempted clearance by Stones. Best of the Rest Nice lead under threat: Nice s Ligue 1 lead is under threat after they were held to a goalless draw at home by bottom club Metz on Sunday. A week after being knocked out of the French Cup, Nice were toothless in the absence of playmaker Younes Belhanda and striker Mario Balotelli, who missed the game through injury and suspension respectively. The result left them with 45 points from 20 games, three ahead of second-placed Monaco, who will leapfrog them into top spot if they beat Olympique de Marseille away later on Sunday. Champions Paris St Germain are third on 42 points after Julian Draxler earned them a 1-0 win at Stade Rennais on Saturday. Nice barely threatened in a dull encounter against Metz, who had won only one of their previous 11 league games. (RTRS) Bayern sign Rudy, Suele: Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich have bolstered their defensive options by signing Hoffenheim team mates Sebastian Rudy and Niklas Suele for next season, the German champions said on Sunday. With captain Philipp Lahm and Spaniard Xabi Alonso nearing the end of their careers, Rudy, 26, will provide another option in defensive midfield, while 21-year-old Suele will be charged with plugging holes in Bayern s central defence. Both players are Germany internationals and have enjoyed stellar seasons for unbeaten Hoffenheim, who are fifth in the Bundesliga. They will both join Bayern at the end of the current campaign. (RTRS) Kane enjoys best week: New dad Harry Kane admitted his hat-trick in Tottenham s win against West Bromwich Albion completed one of the best weeks of his life. Kane s wife Kate gave birth to the couple s first child, daughter Ivy, last weekend and the England striker celebrated the new addition to the family in memorable fashion. After missing last week s FA Cup win over Aston Villa due to the birth, Kane returned to the lineup to fire a hat-trick in Tottenham s 4-0 win at White Hart Lane on Saturday. (AFP)

44 PRIME TIME monday (all times are kuwait local) 08:00 saudi vs belarus/handball... bein sports 7hd 09:30 fina aquatics world bein sports 1hd 10:30 iceland vs tunisia/handball... bein sports 7hd 12:00 bahrain vs qatar/handball... bein sports 7hd 13:00 degale vs jack/boxing... bein sports 1hd 14:00 knicks vs raptors/basketball... bein sports 1hd 16:00 bulls vs grizzlies/basketball... bein sports 1hd 22:15 denmark vs sweden/handball... bein sports 7hd 44 Sports Latest sports scores at Reds drop to third Ibrahimovic rescues Man Utd in Liverpool draw Pats topple Texans as Falcons tame Seahawks New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (front right), tackles Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, on Jan 14, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP) Lewis makes history SOCCER Ibrahimovic MANCHESTER, UK, Jan 15, (AFP): Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored an 84th-minute header as Manchester United prevented Liverpool from recapturing second place in the Premier League table in a 1-1 draw on Sunday. Paul Pogba stood to be United s fall guy at Old Trafford after conceding a soft first-half penalty for handball, which James Milner converted, only for Ibrahimovic to save his blushes. Ibrahimovic s 19th goal of the season extended United s unbeaten league run to seven games, but after winning the previous six, momentum has been lost. Jose Mourinho s side remain sixth, four points off the Champions League places, while Liverpool rose one place to third, seven points below leaders Chelsea and beneath Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference. After draws against Sunderland and Plymouth Argyle and a defeat at Southampton, Liverpool have gone four games without victory at the start of a calendar year for the first time since But with United five points below them, Jurgen Klopp s men remain the more likely champions. An abdominal injury to Nathaniel Clyne saw Liverpool s 18-year-old right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold given a full league debut and he had the onerous task of handling the livewire Anthony Martial. Martial scored a memorable goal against Liverpool on his United debut last season and he fashioned the first opening with a deep cross for the leaping Ibrahimovic, who could only volley wide. Ibrahimovic gave the visiting fans a heart-in-mouth moment when he chased down Dejan Lovren s weak back-pass, with Simon Mignolet s clearance striking him and looping onto the roof of the net. United appeared to be taking control and in the 19th minute Henrikh Mkhitaryan bisected the Liverpool defence with a neatly judged pass for Pogba, only for the Frenchman to scuff wide with his left foot. Liverpool s play had been more conspicuous for misplaced passes than anything else, but errors from Phil Jones and Pogba enabled them to take the lead in the 27th minute. Jones s heavy touch allowed Roberto Firmino to rob him on the edge of the box, obliging Marcos Rojo to tidy up at the expense of a corner. Mourinho took remedial action at the interval, sending on Wayne Rooney for his 450th league appearance and withdrawing Michael Carrick, with Herrera dropping into the holding role. United spurned a great chance to equalise when, having robbed Alexander-Arnold on halfway, Martial sprinted into the box to meet Mkhitaryan s low cross, only to miscue his attempt at a back-heel. But with Carrick off, United s back four was exposed to counter-attacks. Divock Origi saw a shot deflected wide, a missed header by Jones allowed substitute Philippe Coutinho to slip in Firmino, obliging De Gea to block, and Georginio Wijnaldum headed Emre Can s cross over. It was left to Ibrahimovic to ride to United s rescue, the Swede steering a fine header over Mignolet from Antonio Valencia s cross after Marouane Fellaini s header came back off the post. The noise that Mourinho had called for after United s midweek League Cup semifinal first-leg win over Hull City duly arrived, but Liverpool withstood the crescendo. Standings P W D L GF GA Pts Chelsea Tottenham Liverpool Arsenal Man City Man Utd Everton West Brom Stoke Burnley Bournemouth West Ham Southampton Watford Leicester Middlesbrough Crystal Palace Hull Sunderland Swansea Note: Standings read as played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against and points. LOS ANGELES, Jan 15, (AFP): The New England Patriots advanced to the AFC title game for a record sixth straight time as Dion Lewis scored touchdowns three different ways in a win over the Houston Texans on Saturday. Lewis became the first player in National Football League history to score on a kickoff return, pass and run in a playoff game to help set up a conference title showdown against either the Kansas City Chiefs or the Pittsburgh Steelers. You gotta give these guys a lot of credit. We didn t play particularly well but we hung in there and ended up making enough plays to win, said coach Bill Belichick. In the other playoff game Saturday, Matt Ryan carried high-powered Atlanta to the NFC title game FOOTBALL as the Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks Lewis scored on a 98-yard kickoff return, caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady and ran for a one-yard touchdown in the final quarter. Lewis s kickoff return score was the first in Patriot s playoff history. He was also guilty of fumbling away a kickoff, leading to a Houston touchdown, and he fumbled on a running play in the fourth quarter. The only other players to score on a kickoff return, run and pass are Chicago Bear s legend Gale Sayers (1965) and Kansas City s Tyreek Hill, who did it earlier this season. Brady finished 18-of-38 for 287 yards with two interceptions, for the Patriots who are seeking their fifth Super Bowl championship in franchise history. Brady said the games are going to get more difficult going forward. Julian Edelman caught eight passes for 137 yards. Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler finished 23-of-40 for 198 yards and had a touchdown pass to C.J. Fiedorowicz. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu catches a touchdown pass over Seattle Seahawks Jeremy Lane (20) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football NFC divisional playoff game on Jan 14, in Atlanta. (AP) In Atlanta, Ryan led the offense by throwing for three touchdowns as the Falcons outgunned the Seahawks. Ryan has now won both his playoff games against the Seahawks but is winless in four postseason starts against other NFL teams. He completed 25-of-36 passes for 334 yards and went without an interception for the fifth straight game while engineering drives that produced points on five of the team s first six possessions at the Georgia Dome stadium. The Falcons, who had lost at Seattle in the regular season, will play either Dallas or Green Bay on Jan 22 for a berth in the Super Bowl. Saturday s win earned the Falcons their fourth NFC Championship game in franchise history and equaled a second round win over Seattle in 2012 that served as Ryan s only previous postseason win. Julio Jones caught six passes for 67 yards and a touchdown before sitting out most of the fourth quarter after re-injuring his foot. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson completed 17-of-30 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked three times and intercepted twice. Seattle was unable to run the ball against the Falcons as Thomas Rawls rushed for just 34 yards after gaining 161 against Detroit a week earlier. Ryan s three-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu clinched the victory with less than four minutes remaining. Wilson was intercepted by Deion Jones and the Falcons took a knee at the one-yard line to run out the clock and end the contest. Valencia ease relegation fears MADRID, Jan 15, (AFP): Valencia moved four points clear of La Liga s relegation zone as goals from Martin Montoya and Santi Mina sealed a first league win in nine games in a 2-1 victory over Espanyol on Sunday. The home fans once again called for Singaporean owner Peter Lim to leave the club before kick-off after a disastrous campaign that has seen two coaches and the sporting director leave the Mestalla. However, there was finally some relief on the pitch in the first game since interim coach Voro Gonzalez was put in charge until the end of the season as Montoya rounded off a fine team move to give Valencia the perfect start after 17 minutes. THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Published by: Arab Times Publishing House Editor-in-Chief AHMED AL JARALLAH Editorial Office: Airport Road, Shuwaikh P.O. Box 2270, Safat, Kuwait Telephone: & Fax: arabtimes@arabtimesonline.com Advertising: Tel: Ext: 175 Fax: advt@arabtimesonline.com Annual Subscriptions: Individuals KD 45/- Companies and Official Departments KD 75 Airmail charges extra for overseas Tel: Fax:

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