Trump nod to F-16 for Bahrain Hill informed

Transcription

1 tennis Page 43 THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Established in 1977 / FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 31-APRIL 1, 2017 / RAJAB 3-4, 1438 AH emergency number 112 NO PAGES 150 FILS Amir home from Arab Summit, thanks Jordan King KUNA photo HH the Amir and his accompanying delegation being welcomed back to Kuwait by HH the Crown Prince, other sheikhs and officials. KUWAIT CITY, March 30, (KUNA): His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah arrived home on Wednesday evening after leading Kuwait s delegation to the 28th Arab Summit in sisterly Jordan. He was received by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Speaker of the National Assembly Marzouq Al-Ghanim, Sheikh Jaber Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Sheikh Faisal Al-Saud Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, the Deputy Chairman of the National Guard Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al- Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The dignitaries receiving His Highness the Amir also included the Deputy Continued on Page 37 Twelve held from mosque after citizen calls concern KUWAIT CITY, March 30: The State Security personnel are interrogating 12 men -- Kuwaitis, Saudis and Egyptians -- who were seized from a mosque in Al-Qadsiya area, reports Annahar daily. Police, security officers and state security men rushed to the mosque after a Kuwaiti called the Operations Room of the Interior Ministry and complained about the suspicious looking bearded men meeting people inside the mosque. The security forces immediately surrounded the mosque and seized from the men leaflets and Islamic books. The Saudis and Egyptians said they arrived in the country a few days ago from Saudi Arabia. During interrogation, they said they belong to an Islamic group (Jamaat al Dawa and Tabligh), a non-political group and that their job is to spread faith. Continued on Page 37 By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, March 30: The Negative Phenomenon Committee of the National Assembly met Thursday with several government and private entities to discuss the issue of drug abuse. Committee Chairman MP Mohammed Al-Hayef said the discussions were fruitful and important. He added, according to statistics the role of all stakeholders is taken into account since there is no designated body to Anti-drug authority eyed MPs discuss drug abuse fight this menace. He disclosed a proposal has been submitted to the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee to establish the Anti-Drug Authority. He pointed out in the coming days the committee will complete discussions on this issue with other government agencies which had not been invited for this meeting. He stressed on the importance of establishing the anti-drug abuse body and rehabilitation centers to treat drug addicts. He is also of the Continued on Page 37 Newswatch KUWAIT CITY: Envoy of His Highness the Amir, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Thursday offered condolences on demise of Sheikh Hamad Bin Saif Al-Sharqi, Deputy Ruler of the UAE emirate, Al-Fujairah. His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al- Mohammad, who arrived in the UAE earlier yesterday, expressed the sorrow sentiments to Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammad Al-Sharqi, member of the Supreme Council, Al-Fujairah s Ruler, Sheikh Mohammad bin Hamad Al-Sharqi, Al-Fujairah s Crown Prince, as well as to Al-Sharqi family. He conveyed solace from His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince and the people of Kuwait on death of the Deputy Ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Saif at the Grand Council in Al-Rumailah in the Emirate of Al-Fujairah. (KUNA) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: An Emirati academic held since August 2015 over his tweets has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, activists and state-run media reported, just days after another activist was detained by authorities in the Western ally nation. Nasser bin Ghaith has been held after tweeting criticism of Egypt, an ally of the UAE, which is a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. Ghaith was convicted of communicating with secret organizations linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as making offensive online posts, according to a report Wednesday by the state-run WAM news agency. The Brotherhood is considered a terrorist group by the UAE, which hosts US forces fighting the Islamic State group. Amnesty International criticized the sentence, calling it another devastating blow for freedom of expression in the United Arab Emirates. (AP) WASHINGTON: US officials say President Donald Trump has given the US military greater authority to go after al-qaeda linked militants in Somalia. The officials say Trump s decision approves a Pentagon request to allow more aggressive airstrikes in the African nation s southern region. It also allows American forces to increase assistance to the Somali National Army and other allies fighting al-shabab. Portions of southern Somalia, excluding the capital Mogadishu, will be considered a warzone. That gives US special operations forces the authority to accompany partner troops closer to the fight and call in offensive airstrikes quicker. (AP) WASHINGTON: The United States is imposing sanctions on seven people for allegedly supporting the Islamic State group or al-qaeda, including a member of the IS cell dubbed The Beatles. Continued on Page 37 US$/KD /80 Euro/KD Yen/KD British /KD KSE pts at closing March 30 See Page 35 Dow pts at 21:45 March 30 See Page 36 Nasdaq pts at 21:45 March 29 FTSE pts at closing March 30 Nikkei pts at closing March 30 Gold $1,248.8 per oz (London) NYMEX crude $50.43 per barrel Brent crude $53.01 per barrel 3-month $ LIBOR rate % Trump nod to F-16 for Bahrain Hill informed WASHINGTON, March 30, (AP): The Trump administration has told Congress it plans to approve a multibillion-dollar sale of F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain without the human rights conditions imposed by the State Department under president Barack Obama. If finalized, the approval would allow the Gulf island to purchase 19 of the jets from Maryland-based Lockheed Martin Corp, plus improvements to other jets in Bahrain s fleet. Though Congress has opportunities to block the sale, it is unlikely it will act to do so, given the Republican majority s strong support for the sale. The decision is the latest signal that the Trump administration is prioritizing support for Sunni-led countries seen as critical to opposing Iran s influence in the Mideast over human rights issues that Obama had elevated. Bahrain, home to the US Navy s 5th Fleet and an underconstruction British naval base, is a predominantly Shiite island off the coast of Saudi Arabia ruled by a Sunni monarchy. Government forces, with help from US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, crushed the 2011 uprising by Shiites and others who sought more political power. Under Obama, the US withdrew approval before the fighter jet deal was finalized because it said Bahrain hadn t taken steps it had promised to improve human rights. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker s office said the committee was told Wednesday by the State Department that it plans to proceed with the sale. The State Department declined to comment. The notice triggers a 40-day consultation period in which committee staff can review a draft of the Bahrain approval, ask questions about the sale and raise any concerns. Then the State Department will send a formal notification to Congress, setting off a final, 30-day review period, during which Congress could pass a joint Continued on Page 37 A federal policeman takes a break from inspecting houses during fighting against Islamic State militants on the western side of Mosul, Iraq on March 29. (AP) US opens probe into civilian deaths DAESH claims attack in Baghdad BAGHDAD, March 30, (Agencies): The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an overnight suicide attack Baghdad that left 17 people dead and 48 wounded. The Site Intelligence group, which monitors extremist groups, reported the claim Thursday in which the IS group warns Iraqi Shiites that the flame of the battle in Mosul will come to them in Baghdad, Karbala, and Najaf. On Wednesday night, a suicide truck bomb targeted a police checkpoint on Baghdad s main southern entrance. Three policemen were among the dead while the rest were civilians, police and health officials said on condition of anonymity under regulations. The attack came as US-backed forces are launching fierce fighting in western Mosul. After the beginning the operation to retake Mosul in October, Iraqi authorities in January declared they have liberated eastern Mosul. A senior US general said on Wednesday it will be difficult to maintain extraordinarily high standards to avoid civilian casualties in Mosul, even as the US military begins a formal investigation into an explosion in the Iraqi city that is believed to have killed scores of civilians. The US military has acknowledged the US-led In this Feb 16, 2017 file photo, a US fighter aircraft F-16 performs during Aero India 2017 at Yelahanka airbase in Bangalore, India. The Trump administration told Congress on March 29, that it plans to approve a multibillion-dollar sale of F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain without the human rights conditions imposed by the Obama administration. (AP) coalition probably had a role in the March 17 explosion but said Islamic State also could be to blame. Local officials and eyewitnesses say as many as 240 people may have been killed in the Al-Jadida district when a huge blast caused a building to collapse, burying families inside. When asked in a congressional hearing about the standards used by the US military to avoid civilian casualties, General Joseph Votel said it would be difficult to apply those standards in the narrow, crowded streets of the Old City in west Mosul. I do agree that as we move into these urban environments, it is going to become more and more difficult to apply extraordinarily high standards for the things that we re doing, although we will try, Votel said at a House Armed Services Committee hearing. Votel, the head of US Central Command, said there had been no change in the rules of engagement, but commanders closer to the fighting had been given more authority in order to reduce potential delays. US officials have said that an increase in civilian casualties was to be expected as the war against the insurgents entered its deadliest phase. Iraqi special forces and police battled Islamic State militants in close-quarters fighting to edge Etihad to lend out passenger ipads DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 30, (AP): One Mideast airline affected by the ban on most electronics in the cabins of US-bound flights will lend ipads to its top-paying travelers. Etihad Airways said on Wednesday that it will offer the tablets to US-bound passengers in first and business class, along with vouchers for free onboard Wi-Fi starting on April 2. The US government last week barred passengers from 10 Mideast and North African cities from carrying electronics larger than cell phones onto US-bound Continued on Page 37 closer to the al-nuri mosque in western Mosul on Wednesday, tightening their control around the landmark site in the battle to recapture Iraq s second city. The comments about standards by Votel are likely to cause concern. Human rights groups already are slamming the US military for an increase in the allegations of civilian casualties in recent weeks. Amnesty International has said the high civilian toll in Mosul suggested US-led coalition forces had failed to take adequate precautions to prevent civilian deaths. Votel said Islamic State militants were aware of US sensitivities to civilian casualties and were exploiting them by using human shields in Mosul. What exactly happened on March 17 is still unclear. Iraqi military command has said one line of investigation is whether Islamic State rigged explosives that ultimately caused the blast that destroyed buildings. A US probe into the incident has moved from an assessment to a more formal investigation, Votel said. It will be a more formalized approach to really Continued on Page 37 Assault on Raqqa Rebels gain against IS AMMAN, March 30, (RTRS): Syrian rebels have seized large areas from Islamic State in southern Syria in the last two weeks as the jihadist group prepares to defend its Raqqa stronghold in the north from a US-backed assault, rebel commanders say. The advances by Westernbacked Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions have helped to reduce the risk of Islamic State fighters regrouping in areas near Damascus and the Jordanian border as they face major defeats in Syria and Iraq. Western intelligence sources have worried for months that militants fleeing from their main urban strongholds of Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq could find a safe haven in the vast areas of the Syrian Desert bordering Jordan. The rebels fighting in southern Syria have received military aid funneled via Jordan in a programme overseen by the US Central Intelligence Agency. Their sudden gains are a culmination of months of covert operations in which they have ambushed and cut communications lines to weaken the militants stronghold in the Continued on Page 37

2 LOCAL 2 Prince Saud Al-Faisal Conference Center opens in Riyadh Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled recalls exploits of late Saudi FM Saud Al-Faisal RIYADH, March 30, (KUNA): Kuwait s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on Thursday recalled the virtues and exploits of late Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Al-Faisal. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled pointed to Al-Faisal s copious career as a diplomat and a politician, referring to his support to Kuwait in the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion of the country more than quarter a century ago. This was the core of a statement Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled made at the inauguration ceremony of Prince Saud Al-Faisal Conference Center at the GCC headquarters in Riyadh, on the sidelines of the 142nd meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council in the Saudi capital today. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled voiced pleasure and pride for taking part in the inauguration of the Prince Saud Al-Faisal Conference Center. He emphasized the diplomatic achievements and the honorable copious record of the late prince on the regional and international scenes. Naming the center after Al-Faisal comes in recognition of the great services the late prince rendered to the Arab and Muslim nations, and his solid defense of their interests and causes, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said. Al-Faisal was an experienced politician who combined wisdom, sound views and opinions and political acuity through the four decades he led the Saudi foreign policy. The Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister Foreign Minister highlighted Al-Faisal s great efforts for the GCC, thanking the officials at the GCC Secretariat for naming the new center after his name. Kuwait s Direct Aid collects $8.2m for famine-hit Somalia Social media facilitates donations, records of relief efforts KUNA photo Kuwait s FM Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled speaks during the inauguration of Prince Saud Al-Faisal Conference Center at GCC headquarters in Riyadh. A file photo of a humanitarian project in one of the African countries. KUNA photo The new loan agreement being signed between KFAED and Sri Lanka to finance the Kalu Ganga Development Project. Kalu Ganga Development Project to be financed Kuwait, Sri Lanka ink KD 5m loan deal KUWAIT CITY, March 30: A supplementary loan agreement was signed today in Kuwait between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development whereby the fund will make a loan of Kuwaiti Dinars five million KD 5,500,000 (equivalent to about $17 million) to assist in financing the additional costs of Kalu Ganga Development Project. The loan will be the second loan for financing the said project, as the fund is making at present a loan of KD 10 million (equivalent to about $34 million), by virtue of the Agreement No. 781 signed on 9/3/2009 for financing the same project. It is worth mentioning that in extending its loans and developmental assistance, Kuwait Fund depends exclusively on its own resources. The supplementary loan agreement was signed on behalf of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka by His Excellency Dr RHS Samaratunga, Secretary, Ministry of Finance whereas Hamad Al-Omar, Deputy Director-General of the fund signed the loan on behalf of the fund. Waleed Al-Bahar, Regional Manager for East South Asia & Pacific Countries and Fawaz Al-Adasani, Assistant Regional Manager for East South Asia & Pacific Countries at Kuwait Fund attended the signing ceremony and Charitha Weerasinghe, First Secretary and Head of Chancery to the Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the State of Kuwait, attended the signing ceremony. The purpose of the project is to increase agricultural production in the Mahaweli Basin through providing the water needed to increase cultivated land, thereby increasing food production and improving the living standard of the population. The project is a component of the Mahaweli development program, initiated by the government in the nineteen sixties for the purpose of increasing agricultural and livestock production, creating work opportunities, and improving living standards in the areas of the Mahaweli Basin. Upon signature of this loan agreement, this loan will be the 15th loan extended by the fund to the Republic of Sri Lanka, considering that the fund has already extended 14 loans to it, totaling about KD million (equivalent to about $247 million). The fund has also extended to Sri Lanka 2 technical assistance the total value of which is KD 455,000 (equivalent to about $1.52 million) to finance the Technical and Economic Feasibility Studies for projects in agricultural and energy sectors. Critical, complicated cases to be discussed MoH to host 39 int l doctors, consultants in April By Marwa Al-Bahrawi Al-Seyassah Staff KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Ministry of Health will host 39 international doctors and consultants next month for discussing critical and complicated cases in several medical specialties such as allergy and immunity, burns and plastic surgery, heart diseases, nose, ears and throat, genetic diseases, blood diseases, nerves, nuclear medicine, body parts implantation besides others. The ministry will also host specialists in international health relations and health occupational management. The visiting consultants will be coming from 24 Arab and foreign countries such as Spain, Slovakia, Turkey, Great Britain, USA, Egypt, Germany, Canada, France, Holland, China, Finland, New Zealand, Greece, India, Australia, Iran, Ireland, Jordan, Senegal, Pakistan, Tunisia, Morocco and Sudan. The visit will include a tour of a number of private and public hospitals and medical centers such as Al-Rashed Allergy Center, Al-Babtain Center for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Sabah Al Ahmad Cardiac Center, Farwaniya Hospital, Adan Hospital, Jahra Hospital, Zain Hospital, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait Medical Genetic Center (KMGC) among others. KUWAIT CITY, March 30, (KUNA): A popular campaign launched Wednesday by the Kuwait s Direct Aid Society has managed to collect donations estimated at KD 2.5 million (roughly $8.2 million) for fighting famine in Somalia. In statements to KUNA, the society s General Director Dr Abdullah Abdulrahman Al-Sumait said the collected money would be spent on a number of projects to save the lives of Somalia people who are suffering from severe drought and famine. He added that the society would start the implementation of the projects as of next week. He thanked the generous donors as well as the Kuwaiti government for facilitating the launching of the popular campaign for aiding the Somali people. Earlier, the Direct Aid Society launched the relief aid campaign for Somalia, through its local branches and electronic media sites, in order to combat famine that threatens the lives of Somali people. The campaign was aiming at collecting KD 500,000 (around $1.65 million) for digging big water wells at Somali villages to meet their needs for at least 10 years. The first stage of this campaign collected KD 300,000 (around $900,000) to deliver 15,000 food baskets for about 90,000 Somalis. The second stage gathered KD 200,000 (around $660,000) to build eight health centers. Meanwhile, the arrival of social media applications and websites have revolutionized the way people interact on the internet and in recent years, these tools were put to use in facilitating donations and the documentation of humanitarian efforts. With a few clicks and swipes, people donating for humanitarian causes could select the amount of money they were willing to spend and make sure that their donation reached those who are in desperate need for aid. A number of humanitarian workers, volunteers, and enthusiasts told KUNA that they became more informed about humanitarian causes through social media. What made it interesting to them was the fact that with little effort, people could make a tremendous difference on the ground by donating money online and also promoting causes on cyberspace. Social media, used in the correct way, will create a sense of trust between donors and humanitarian aid organizations, Farhan Al-Enizi told KUNA. Before the advent of social media, people were a bit wary when it came to donating money, Al-Enizi revealed. He affirmed that social media made it more safe to partake in humanitarian efforts due to the in the moment aspect that these cyber tools bring to the table. Some people were inspired by social media s humanitarian activists such in the case of Ahmad Al-Daihani who affirmed that he got interested in carrying out relief aid efforts after following the social media account of an aid worker. He stressed that social media created this direct connection amongst people that official channels rarely provide, adding that this was the most prominent feature of these applications. The sense of trust in social media s humanitarian message is not only a matter of interest locally; activists in other countries share the same viewpoint. Saudi Arwa Al-Braik said that she used social media to help her in carrying out humanitarian efforts in the capital Riyadh. Dr Al-Sumait Photo by Bassam Abu Shanab Indian Ambassador Sunil Jain talking to the press. 2 nations to hold joint ministerial meets in Sept Indian PM Modi expected to visit Kuwait soon: envoy KUWAIT CITY, March 30: The Indian ambassador to Kuwait said the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi is soon expected to visit Kuwait upon invitation of his Kuwaiti counterpart HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Also expected to visit India, at his convenience, is HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah, at the invitation of Indian Council for Cultural Relations under the distinguished visitors program. Speaking to the press at the embassy premises, the Indian Ambassador Sunil Jain said Kuwait and India will hold a joint ministerial meeting on Sept 18-20, 2017, that will cover various areas of cooperation between countries including petrochemicals, aviation, visa waiver agreement, cooperation in the oil and gas sector, etc. The Indian side will be led by Minister of State for External Affairs N.J. Akbar and the Kuwaiti side will be headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Anas Al-Saleh. He added, prior to the ministerial meeting two working groups representing both sides will meet on medical and oil and gas cooperation issues. The envoy said, India has been relentlessly working for the past seven years for what he called big investments from Kuwait to India in the petrochemicals sector. He added the Petrochemicals Industries Company (PIC) of Kuwait will be working with India s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Limited to look for investment opportunities in India s petrochemical sector. Finalize In another area, the ambassador said, We are working to finalize the visa waiver agreement between both countries for diplomats, government officials and those holding diplomatic passports. He disclosed in the area of aviation, both countries will work out the modalities between Air India and Kuwait Airways since the former does not fly to vital Indian destinations including Mumbai, Trivandrum and Delhi while the latter does. The agreement between both airlines will help commuters from both countries, he added. He disclosed to improve the air connectivity between both countries. India s Indigo and GoAir airlines have been given the green light by Indian Civil Aviation authorities to start flights to Kuwait. On the issue of improvement of consular services, the ambassador informed, News in Brief Renew work permits : The official spokesperson of Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) and Director of Public Relations Department Aseel Al-Maseed revealed that owners of small and medium enterprises can now renew the work permits of their employees in all service centers affiliated to the authority, reports Al-Seyassah daily. In a press statement issued on there are plans to hire the services of one more outsourcing center to meet the increasing demand for services. He added, instead of three, there will be six outsourcing centers all over Kuwait and which will render passport, visa and attestation services. He said the visa and attestation services will be completed the same day if applications are submitted in the morning. In a day or two, he said, applications will be invited from prospective agencies who would want to provide these services. He disclosed, over the past year services has increased and said last year 96,000 passports were issued (an increase of 10 percent) and 14,000 visas to Kuwaitis and other nationals and 95,000 attestation services. Salaries Speaking of one of the two thorny issues, the Indian envoy said, the embassy has been doing it best and meeting the concerned government authorities to ensure 3,000 workers who are working for an unidentified well-known contracting company are paid their salaries. He added, assurances have been given by the concerned minister that the salaries of some of the workers will be paid by the concerned government institution where they are working under the contractor within a few days. On the issue of nurses, the ambassador said, efforts have been exerted by the Indian and Kuwaiti sides to streamline the recruitment so that those selected don t pay money to middlemen, although of late it is believed the middlemen have been finding loopholes to send nurses to Kuwait. He headed, the deputy head of mission of the Indian Embassy, Subhasis Goldar has been meeting the Minister of Health Jamal Al-Harbi on this issue. Meanwhile, the Indian CBI has taken into custody M.U.V., 50, the main accused in million-dollar nursing recruitment scam. He was arrested by plainclothesmen after he landed at one of the airports in India yesterday from a GCC country. The Interpol had earlier issued a red corner notice against the man. The suspect is believed to be the owner of Al Zarafa Travels and Manpower Consultants Pvt Ltd. Al Zarafa is said to have carried out the recruitment under a contract with a Kuwait-based agency for recruiting 1,200 nurses for the Ministry of Health, Kuwait. Thursday, March 30, Al-Maseed said this service is provided exclusively to employers whose files have less than ten workers registered under it. He explained that this service will be provided in Sharq Center Service at Liberation Tower during morning and evening shifts, and the service centers at Jaber Al-Ali, Jahra, Sulaibikhat (Government Mall) area during morning shift.

3 LOCAL 3 Al-Shall Report Fiscal year ends with KD 4-5 bln estimated deficit Public budget deficit real, substantially big Financial Deficit To start with, we are not responsible for the public policy and we do not claim our reports are immune. But we confirm that the public budget deficit is real, substantially big, and serious. We absolutely disagree with claims of some sources that allege the deficit is either non-existing or the public budget achieves surplus. We raise this issue now because a difficult fiscal year has ended with a deficit we estimated it at KD 4-5 billion which is definitely less than the real figure if we resort to the public finance science. Therefore, the claims of no deficit, if believed, might lead to destabilizing the country politically, economically and socially in future, says Al-Shall Economic Report prepared by Al- Shall Consulting Co headed by Jassem Al-Saadoun. When the IMF Managing Director states that there is no deficit, for instance, like many others, she assumes that adding the investment revenues about KD 3-4 billion to oil revenues at the price prevailing at the time of the statement (November 2015) in addition to non-oil revenues, which are small, is enough to cover the deficit in a certain financial year. However, the public finance science does not endorse the public revenues unless they are sustainable, i.e. resulting from an economic activity-taxes. As for selling oil, is nothing but replacing a material asset with a monetary asset and oil is exhaustible or vulnerable to scientific aging which means weaker need for it and less value like nowadays. Therefore, Norway has excluded 96% of oil revenues from public revenues since the 1970s and transformed that into a sovereign fund for the retirement of future generations. In other words, it applied literally the principles of public finance science. If Kuwait applies these principles, the real financial deficit will score three times the value of the anticipated deficit, or about KD 12 billion. But it is almost impossible now. The IMF Managing Director either believes that we understand the difference between the sustainable and the unsustainable, and one fiscal year is an exception, or she is concerned only with the potential lenders. In Kuwait, with the inevitable increase of public expenses by time, and with the negative essential change in the importance of traditional oil, and with the pressure on its prices and production quantities and with projections for 400,000 citizens to enter the labor market within the next 15 years, there will be no general reserve nor future generations reserve by that time. Loans interests and premiums will consume a significant portion of public revenues. What remains then will not be adequate enough to meet peoples necessities. To see how things changed and developed, the 6 GCC states doubled their loans from the global market to finance their deficits by 15 times in 2016 vis-à-vis their volume in Some of them are considering selling part of their future oil production to finance their current deficit. Most people will not benefit from future apology for the disastrous consequences of the continued current financial policy. Neither will the apology now for the absent awareness that the boom of oil market in the near past would have not continued. The best policies are the preventive ones which prevent the occurrence of damage or at least significantly reduce its volume. This is of course better than the belated policies which deal with harm if it occurs. This time, harms will be beyond repair if we continue marketing the idea that there is no real deficit in the public finance. Oil and Public Finance March 2017 Last Friday the current fiscal year 2016/2017 ended. As a reminder, expenditures allocations in the budget were estimated at KD billion and total revenues estimates were at KD billion with KD billion as oil revenues (84.2% of total revenues). Oil revenues were estimated based on the following assumptions: crude oil production quota at about 2.8 million barrels per day, estimated price is US$ 35 per barrel, the approved exchange rate is 300 fils per dollar, about KD million production costs will be deducted. Non-oil revenues were estimated at KD billion. Photo by Bassam Abo Shanab File photo shows traders on Boursa Kuwait floor. Thursday trading ends in green zone. See Page 35 Therefore, the hypothetical deficit anticipated for the budget scored about KD billion without deducting the 10% from total revenues to the future generations reserve. However, what matters is the actual results in the final account. The average price for Kuwaiti oil for the FY 2016/2017, from April 2016 to March 2017 scored US$ 44.7 per barrel, which is US$ 9.7 per barrel, 27.7%, higher than the hypothetical budget price at US$ 35 per barrel. The average oil price for FY 2015/2016 scored US$ 42.7 per barrel. This means that the average price for the Kuwaiti oil in FY 2016/2017 is higher by 4.7% than the average price for FY 2015/2016. Kuwait is supposed to have achieved actual oil revenues for FY 2016/2017 about KD 12.3 billion, which is higher by 43% than value of estimated budget revenues (about KD 8.6 billion). Adding KD 1.6 billion in non-oil revenues, anticipated total revenues will score KD 13.9 billion for the entire fiscal year. If that is achieved, and assuming spending all estimated expenditures in the budget in the amount of KD 18.9 billion, and without deducting what is to be transferred to the future generations reserve it is meaningless in case of a deficit funded by the general reserve or by borrowing guaranteed by the future generations reserve the actual deficit would score about KD 5 billion. However, this figure would be less if deductions from estimated expenses in the budget occur during the revision of actual expenses in the final account. Under all circumstances, the fiscal year will continue with real and continued deficit for the second consecutive fiscal year. We expect it to settle at between KD 4 to 5 billion when the final account is issued. Aggregated Performance for Banks Sector 2016 Kuwaiti ten banks sector contributed 41.8% of the market capitalization of Boursa Kuwait on 31/12/2016 and its profits contributed by 50% to its total profits for 149 listed companies, which announced their profits, which scored about KD billion. Though the economy was exposed to great pressure due to the decline in oil prices, the 10 banks scored net profits by KD million up by KD 41.9 million, or by 5.9%, from KD million profits achieved in They are up by 14.4% compared with KD million profits for The rise was due to reduced total amount of provisions by -16.1%. On the other hand, the banks operational profits before deducting provision dropped by KD 18.7 million, or by 1.4%, and scored KD billion vis-à-vis KD billion. The rise in operational expenses exceeded the rise in operational incomes. This means the price of assets owned by or mortgaged to banks improved while no improvement occurred to the operation environment. The following graph displays continued improvement in the banks results after the financial crisis in Profits of the fourth quarter of the year 2016 scored KD million; increased by 26.1% than the profits of the fourth quarter of 2015, which scored KD million. It also increased by 2.7% than the third quarter for the year 2016 (KD million), 16.5% higher than the second quarter and 10.4% higher than the first quarter. Five traditional banks achieved profits of about KD million, 64.7% of total banks net profits of the 10 banks up by 3.2% compared with While share of the Islamic banks scored KD million, 35.3% of the 10 bank s net profits, and are up by 11% from their 2015 level. This means the performance of Islamic banks during 2016 achieved a higher growth. Price multiplier to profitability (P/E) for the banking sector scored 14.2 times improved compared to 16.1 times. Profitability indexes of the banks rose slightly compared with Return on assets rose to 1.1% (1%). Return on equities also rose to 8.2% (8.1%). distributions of the 10 banks scored about KD million (KD million), a 9% increase. Al Juman Center mentions that provisions ratio to loans and advances balance differ. The highest belongs to the Gulf Bank by 8.2% then to Kuwait Ahli Bank by 7.1%. The lowest belongs to Warba Bank by 1.5%. the overall average to the 10 banks scored 5.2%. The concentration of loans and advances balance is still high. NBK s share out of net loans and advances scored 29.9% and KFH 20.1%. This means that 2 banks out of the 10 captured 50% of the loans and advances while the other 8 banks took the other 50%. The lowest went to the recent Warba Bank by 2% and Kuwait International Bank got 3.1%, both are Islamic Banks. Comparing the performance of Al-Shall Index Thu Thu Diff Close Diff Company Name 30/03/ /03/2017 % 2016 % 1 The National Bank Of Kuwait (5.9) The Gulf Bank (0.8) Commercial Bank Of Kuwait (4.4) Al-Ahli Bank Of Kuwait Kuwait International Bank (1.7) Ahli United Bank Burgan Bank Kuwait Finance House (6.6) 9.0 Banking Sector (4.7) Commercial Facilities Co International Financial Advisors (5.4) National Investments (5.2) Kuwait Investment Projects (1.0) 13 Coast Investment & Development (1.1) 24.7 Investment Sector (0.2) Kuwait Insurance Company (8.6) (5.3) 15 Gulf Insurance Company (17.9) 16 Al-Ahleia Insurance Company Warba Insurance Company Insurance Sector (2.1) (6.8) 18 Kuwait Real Estate Company (12.0) United Realty Company the 10 banks, NBK continued to achieve the highest contribution in profits which scored KD million (52 fils earnings per share), about 39% of the net profits, a rise by 4.6% vis-à-vis KFH achieved the second highest profits by KD million (32 fils profit per share) or 21.8% of the 10 banks net profits and a growth rate by 13.3% compared with Therefore, two banks, NBK and KFH took 60.8% of the total profits of the 10 banks. While, Warba Bank achieved the least contribution to the profits balance but the highest growth in level and achieved KD 2.6 million (KD 1 million), a growth rate by 157.5%. Boubyan Bank achieved KD 41.1 million profits (KD 35.2 million), the second highest in profit growth rate, which scored 16.6%. Performance of Boursa Kuwait First Quarter 2017 March performance was less active than that of February Value and volume indexes and the number of deals dropped and value of the general index (AlShall). Total liquidity of the Boursa in March scored KD million (KD million in February 2017), a -24.6% drop. Total liquidity during the first quarter (63 working days) scored KD billion which equals 94.2% of 2016 liquidity. Daily trading average value for the first quarter scored about KD 42.9 million, up by three times compared with the average trading value for the fourth quarter of 2016 and 3.2 times of the average daily trading value for the first quarter of Liquidity trends since the beginning of the year still indicate that half of listed companies got only 3.4% only of that liquidity, including 50 companies there from which got about 0.2% only out of that liquidity and 4 companies remained without any trading. As for liquid companies, 14 of them whose market value is equal to 1.7% only of the value of listed companies, got 21.3% of the Boursa liquidity. This means that the high liquidity activity still deprives about half of the listed companies from it. On the contrary, it strongly goes to valueless companies, which is an unhealthy condition. Therefore, it was not strange to notice that gradual decline in the Boursa activity. The distribution of liquidity among the 4 categories of companies were as follows: The Highest 10% in Liquidity: 18 listed companies contributed by 54% to Boursa value while they took about 48.7% of the Boursa liquidity, including 12 big companies which contributed by about 47.9% of the Boursa value and got about 77.5% of the liquidity of that category, and 6 small companies which took 22.5% of the liquidity of that category whose market value did not exceed 0.8% only of all Boursa Kuwait companies value. While some big companies obtained high deserved liquidity, deviation is still significant towards small companies. The Highest 10% in Market Value: that category contributed by about 70.6% of the Boursa value and took 30.6% of its liquidity. However, they contained obvious liquidity deviation in favor of 7 companies which captured about 84.8% of the liquidity of that category leaving approximately 15.2% of that category liquidity for 9 other large companies. The Lowest 01% in Market Value: that category contributed by 0.3% to the Boursa value but took 2.8% of Boursa liquidity. 7 companies within this category captured 98.3% liquidity of this category, while 9 other small companies got only 1.7% of that category liquidity. That liquidity deviation in this category suggests a very high dose of speculation on some of its companies. Liquidity of Boursa Sectors: there are 5 active sectors in the Boursa that contribute by 86.9% to its value; they got 91.3% of liquidity suggesting coordination between liquidity and the weight of those sectors in the Boursa value. But there was deviation within those sectors in the direction of liquidity. The financial services sector obtained 26.6% of Boursa liquidity, equivalent to about 2.7 times its contribution to its value. The real estate sector got 21.1% of Boursa liquidity which equals 2.6 times its contribution to its value. (The two sectors are speculative ones). The banking sector got 23.2% of Boursa liquidity which accounts for 47.8% only of its contribution to its value. This means its share of liquidity is less than half of its contribution to value. The remaining 7 sectors, liquid and non-liquid, all acquired liquidity ratios close to their contribution to the Boursa value. The Weekly Performance of Boursa Kuwait The performance of Boursa Kuwait for last week was less active compared to the previous one, where all indexes showed a decrease, the traded value index, the traded volume index, number of transactions index, and the general index. AlShall Index (value weighted) closed at points at the closing of last Thursday, showing a decrease of about 14.2 points or about 3.5% compared with its level last week, while it increased by 25.7 points or about 7.1% compared with the end of The following tables summarize last week s performance of Boursa Kuwait Description Week 13 Week 12 Diff 30/03/ /03/2017 % Working days 5 5 AlShall index (36 Companies) % Boursa Kuwait index (price) 7, , % Value Trade (KD) 135,813, ,039,943 Daily average (KD) 27,162,697 32,407, % Volume Trade (Shares) 1,300,252,800 1,893,494,858 Daily average (Shares) 260,050, ,698, % Transactions 29,209 34,934 Daily average (Transactions) 5,842 6, % Most Active Sectors & Companies Description Value Traded % of Total Companies KD Market Kuwait Finance House 14,169, % Ahli United Bank B.U.C 13,221, % National Bank Of Kuwait 9,178, % Alimtiaz Investment Co. K.S.C.C 7,944, % Agility Public Warehousing Company 6,514, % Total 51,028, % Description Value Traded % of Total Sectors KD Market Banks Sector 46,006, % Financial Services Sector 31,625, % Real Estate Sector 27,432, % Industrials Sector 15,319, % Telecommunications Sector 7,515, % Al Shall Index Week 13 Week 12 30/03/ /03/2017 Increased Value (# of Companies) 4 17 Decreased Value (# of Companies) 23 6 Unchanged Value (# of Companies) 9 13 Total Companies From March 23, 2017 to March 30, National Real Estate Company (3.8) (1.9) 21 Salhiah Real Estate Company (1.3) 4.2 Real Estate Sector (2.0) The National Industries (1.5) Refrigeration Industries Co Gulf Cable & Electrical Industries (2.1) Contracting & Marine Services Co Industrial Sector Kuwait National Cinemas (12.7) Kuwait Hotels Company (5.7) 28 The Public Warehousing Co (4.6) Mobile Telecommunications Co - ZAIN (2.2) Safat Energy Co (8.1) 33.3 Services Sector (4.4) Livestock Transport & Trading Co (0.9) Danah Aalsafat Foodstuff Company (9.0) Kuwait Food Co (0.8) (4.6) Food Sector (0.9) (4.4) 34 Sharjah Cement Co Gulf Cement Co (1.1) Umm Al-Qaiwain Cement Industries (2.3) 14.7 Non Kuwaiti Companies General Index (3.5) 7.1

4 LOCAL 4 Need to find immediate solution to population imbalance issue MP renews calls for imposing tolls on expats for using roads KUWAIT CITY, March 30: MP Safa Al-Hashem has renewed her calls for imposing tolls on expatriates for using roads and charging them for medical services, reports Al-Qabas daily. She urged for finding an immediate solution to the population imbalance issue, stressing the importance of training and qualifying blue-collar citizens. She affirmed that her calls have been widely welcomed on the Kuwaiti street. MP Al-Hashem insisted that the floods experienced on some roads do not mean the calls for imposing tolls for the use of the roads must be withdrawn. She said she wonders why expatriates are objecting to the resolution of the demographic problem evidently witnessed in the country. The lawmaker revealed that one of the hospitals in Egypt, where she went during her visit there, had refused to treat her under the pretext that the hospital is specified for only Egyptians. Meanwhile, she indicated that His Low oil prices fail to bog down construction sector in Kuwait Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, during a meeting for discussions on cancelation of the Public Authority for Transportation, informed the parliament s Budget and Final Accounts Committee about some personal struggles and problems due to which they intend to cancel the Public Authority for Transport. MP Al-Hashem said she wondered about the move to cancel the authority over some personal disputes, revealing that Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak did not do what he should have done to settle those disputes and struggles. In addition, the lawmaker held members of the parliament s Legislative Committee responsible for the severe campaign launched against amendment of the citizenship law, clarifying that the committee members should have explained the amendments to the public. She stressed her approval for extending judicial control over the revocation of citizenships. The Big 5 Kuwait to be held from Sept Some of the Amiri Diwan employees during the Open Day held at Sirb Circuit. Amiri Diwan organizes Open Day for employees The Amiri Diwan organized an Open Day for its employees at Sirb Circuit on Wednesday, March 29. Activities of the event, which continued for six hours, were aimed at enhancing the spirit of togetherness, reports Al Rai daily. Director of Administration and Financial Affairs at the Amiri Diwan Abdulaziz Ishaq expressed his excitement over the participation of employees in the event. In the museum, the employees enjoyed seeing the collection of historic and classic cars. Director of the museum Abdulaziz Al- Yaseen said they were happy to Al-Rai daily photo welcome the employees of the Amiri Diwan in a recreational atmosphere far from the routine of work, which is good for the employees. The Sirb Circuit also has children s games, restaurants and car shows which was enjoyed by the visitors. KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Despite the low oil prices, four of the five major construction projects currently ongoing in Kuwait are taking place in its oil and gas sector. According to a press release, the non-oil project is that of Kuwait National Railway Network, which is worth $10 billion, while the oil-related projects are Al- Ahmadi Olefins III worth $9 billion, Clean Fuel phases 1 and 2 at Mina Abdullah Refinery worth $8 billion, Clean Fuel phase 3 at Ahmadi Refinery worth KD 5 billion, and phase 1 of the Process Plant at Al- Zour Refinery worth KD 5 billion. Meanwhile, the fifth edition of the country s largest construction exhibition, The Big 5 Kuwait, will be held from Sept at the Kuwait International Fair Grounds. This year, a record-breaking number of exhibitors and visitors are expected. With construction being a catalyst for economic growth in Kuwait, the Big 5 Kuwait 2017 will be a significant platform for decision makers and professionals of the construction sector to stay up-to-date with the latest developments and opportunities in the market. The event will also offer a series of complimentary and CPD (Continued Professional Development) certified workshops which will be delivered by experts in the industry. According to the latest report of BNC commissioned by The Big 5 Kuwait, about 34 percent of all current project investments in the country are in this sector. The government, based on its five-year plan of , is investing $100 billion for improving all upstream and downstream facilities. About 11 projects of planning and design phases are worth more than $1 billion, and have combined estimate value of $33.8 billion. Projects All of the 722 active projects in Kuwait are worth a total of $234.4 billion. The urban construction sector has the highest number of projects, with nearly 73 percent of all construction activities in the country. This includes an estimated $29 billion worth of building projects including the South Saad Al- Abdullah New City project worth $4 billion and the Nawaf Al-Ahmad City project, worth $3 billion. Portfolio Exhibitions Director Andy Pert said, The construction sector of Kuwait is showing clear signs of recovery at an ongoing steady pace this year. This is an excellent time for players of the construction industry to launch business in Kuwait. Projects in the initial stages of constructions are valued at $48 billion, and indicate a steady flow of new investments. The main drivers of growth of the construction market in Kuwait are emerging sectors such as tourism and travel, as well as urban construction projects. In order to create an efficient operating environment for businesses to thrive, the expansion and improvement of facilities and infrastructures in several sectors is essential. Based on the Vision 2035 and the objective to transform Kuwait into a financial and commercial hub in the Gulf region, the government is investing $1 billion in the hospitality and tourism sector with the aim of attracting 440,000 tourists by 2025, which is 60 percent higher compared to 2015, and creating 30,000 jobs within the next ten years. Kuwait s Ambassador Al-Budaiwi handing over the invitation to Christine Defraigne. Al-Ghanim invites Belgian Senate president Kuwait s Ambassador to Belgium Jasem Al-Budaiwi handed Belgium s Senate President Christine Defraigne Thursday an invitation letter by National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al- Ghanim to visit Kuwait. The visit will boost and enhance bilateral ties between Kuwait and Belgium, Al-Budaiwi told KUNA, noting that both countries enjoy solid relations boosted by exchange of bilateral visits, joint interests, and shared values. Defraigne welcomed and accepted the invitation, and said she expects to visit Kuwait this year alongside an Kuwait Today Prayer Timings Fajr... 04:20 Sunrise... 05:40 Zohr... 11:52 Asr...15:23 Maghrib... 18:05 Isha... 19:23 Weather Expected weather for the next 24 hours: By Night: Clouds will increase gradually with light variable wind changing to light to moderate north easterly wind, with speed of km/h with a chance for scattered rain later on. By Day: Mostly sunny with light variable wind, with speed of km/h. Station Max Min Exp Rec Kuwait City Kuwait Airport Abdaly Bubyan Jahra Failaka Island Salmiyah Ahmadi Nuwaisib Wafra Salmy days forecast - Weather Friday, March 31 Expected weather...partly cloudy/cloudy + dust + thunder rain Max Temp...27C Min Temp...18C Wind Direction...SE Wind Speed km/h Saturday, April 1 Expected weather... Partly cloudy + scattered rain Max Temp...28C Min Temp...19C Wind Direction...SE Wind Speed km/h Sunday, April 2 Expected weather...mostly sunny Max Temp...28C Min Temp...19C Wind Direction...N-NE Wind Speed km/h Monday, April 3 Expected weather...sunny + rising dust over open areas Max Temp...29C Min Temp...16C Wind Direction...NW Wind Speed km/h Marine Forecast Station Max Min Sea Today s Exp Rec Surf Waves Ht Dirn South Dolphin ft NW Umm Mudayrah ft NW Beacon M ft NW accompanying delegation comprised of Belgian senators, he said, adding that the Senate chief also expressed her appreciation and gratitude to Al- Ghanim s invitation, and pointed out the Kuwaiti-Belgian ties importance. There are several issues of common interest that Defraigne intends to discuss with her Kuwaiti counterpart when she visits the country, the Kuwaiti diplomat noted. We welcome her and the accompanying delegation and look forward to this visit which will add to the relations between Kuwait and Belgium, affirmed Al-Budaiwi. (KUNA) 3 Asian drivers arrested for thefts KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Police have arrested 3 Asian drivers for stealing from cars of neighbors of their sponsors in Al- Sadiq area, reports Al-Anba daily. A security source said the arrest came after a Kuwaiti filed a complaint accusing an unidentified person of breaking the side glass of his vehicle and stealing KD 400. Investigations conducted by securitymen led to the arrest of the three drivers. During interrogation they are said to have admitted to the charges. Beacon N ft NW Qaruh Island ft NW Umm Al-Maradim ft NW Sea Island Buo Salmiyah ft NW 4 days forecast - Marine Friday, March 31 Expected weather...partly cloudy/cloudy + dust + thunder rain Sea state...moderate to rough at times Wave height ft Max Temp...27C Min Temp...18C Wind Direction...SE Wind Speed km/h Saturday, April 1 Expected weather... Partly cloudy + scattered rain Sea state... Slight to moderate Wave height ft Max Temp...28C Min Temp...19C Wind Direction...SE Wind Speed km/h Sunday, April 2 Expected weather...mostly sunny Sea state... Slight to moderate Wave height ft Max Temp...28C Min Temp...19C Wind Direction...N-NE Wind Speed km/h Monday, April 3 Expected weather...sunny + rising dust over open areas Sea state...moderate to rough at times Wave height ft Max Temp...29C Min Temp...16C Wind Direction...NW Wind Speed km/h Tide times at Shuwaikh Port 1st high tide:...13:22 2nd high tide:...02:05 1st low tide:...07:38 2nd low tide:...19:59 Sunrise:...05:41 Sunset:...18:05 Recorded yesterday at Kuwait Airport Max temp...28c Min temp...16c Max Rh... 87% Min Rh... 29% Max Wind...SE 36 km/h Total Rainfall in 24 hrs...0 mm Recorded yesterday at South Dolphin Min/Max/ Air Temp...20/22C Min/Max Rel Hum... 48/84% Wind Direction/Wind Speed... S/26 km/h Prev Wave Dir/Max Wave Ht...N/3 ft Min/Max Sea Surface Temp...-/- C Sea Current...Upwelling Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Meteorological Dept. deaths Khaleel Ibrahim Abdullah Al Elaiwi, 62 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolences: (Men) Khaldiya, Block 2, St. 29, House 15 Tel (Women) Qosour, Block 1, St. 29, House 23 Tel Naqwa Noman Mezyed Al Saidi, 69 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolence: (Men) Saad Al Abdullah, Block 4, St. 419, House 22 Tel (Women) Saad Al Abdullah, Block 4, St. 813, House 1 Tel Abdullah Shaiwih Abdullah Al Hajri, 85 years old buried on Thursday. Condolence: (Men) Sharq, Arabian Gulf St. Diwan Al Mulla Tel (Women) Bayan, Block 5, St. 4, Avenue 1, House 5 Tel Habib Salman Husein Al Shamali, 60 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolence: (Men) Da iya, Block 4, Hamza St. House 18, Huseiniyat Al Shamali Tel (Women) Qairawan, Block 3, St. 309, House 42 Tel Amsha Athah Al Otaibi, widow of Hamdan Mehaimeed Haneef Al Otaibi, 76 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolence: (Men) Eqaila, Block 2, St. 212, House 118 Tel (Women) Riqqa, Block 1, St. 15, House 223 Tel Aysha Bader Abdullah Al Khethair, 16 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolence: Only at the cemetry Tel Ahmad Abdul Aziz Ahmad Al Hajri, 65 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolence: (Men) Kaldiya, Block 3, Blodan St. House 12 Tel (Women) Mishrif, Block 6, St. 1, House 10 Tel Ibrahim Abdullah Al Matouq, 82 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolence: Rumaithiya, Block 9, Abu Hanifa St. House 11 Tel Muna Saad Al Mojamad, widow of Khaled Saqer Al Makhankhi, 50 years, buried on Thursday. Condolence Dasma, Block 5, St. 57, House 1, Tel Maryam Ali Ahmad Al Baloshi, widow of Isa Husein Al Baloshi 83 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolences: Jabriya, Block 11, St. 108, Huseiniyat Al Balosh Tel Abdullah Methker Al Qwayi, 85 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolences: (Men) Farwaniya, Block 2, Nasser Al Hamad St./146, House 79 Tel (Women) Eshbeliya, Block 2, St. 204, House 11 Tel Sulaiman Ali Abbas Ali Mohammad, 61 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolences: (Men) Bayan, Block 12, Al Imam Al Hasan Mosque Tel (Women) Rumaithiya, Block 10, Abu Hanifa St. Huseiniyat Al Atra Al Tahera Tel Jameela Hadi Mohammad, widow of Abdul Qader Salem Abdullah, 79 years old, to be buried on Friday at 9.00 a.m. Condonces: (Men) Tent, 6th. Ring Road, OPP. Sabah Al Nasser Tel (Women) Jleeb Shuyoukh, Block 14, St. 341, House 20 Tel Huda Salman Yaqoub, widow of Jasem Mohammad Al Mejabil, 62 years old, to be buried on Friday after Asr prayers. Condolences: (Men) Salam, Block 2, St. 220, House 105 (OPP. Bebe Salem Mosque. Tel (Women) Salam, Block 6, Ali Naqi St. House 29 Tel Lafi Mohammad Ayed Al Herais Al Mutairi, 78 years old, buried on Thursday. Condolence: Sabahiya, Block 3, St. 10, House 182 Tel March 30, 2017

5 LOCAL 5 Organization s chief meets with PAAAFR s Al-Hassawi FAO keen on backing Kuwait s food production sector ROME, March 30, (KUNA): The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director- General Jose Graziano da Silva Thursday affirmed the organization s keenness on supporting Kuwait s successful policies in reviving food and agricultural products sectors. This came during a meeting between FAO chief and Director- General of the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) Faisal Al Hassawi today on the sidelines of an international event to stop destructive beetle wiping out palms in the Near East. Al-Hassawi is in Rome to attend an the three-day meeting to debate and define an international action plan to stop the spread of the Red Palm Weevil, a pest that attacks date and coconutproducing palms and ornamental palms. Da silva also stressed that organization is eager to back Kuwait s experiments in the areas of benefiting from sewage and water esources optimally. He also expressed his appreciation to Al-Hassawi s efforts aiming to activate and develop the deep-rooted and growing relationships between Kuwait and FAO to enhance security food in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Meanwhile, Al Hassawi thanked FAO Director-General for organizing the event, underlining that the Red Palm Weevil problem is currently affecting the entire Near East region. Its solution requires coordination and collaboration among countries and between farmers, scientists, government officials and the private sector, he said. He also confirmed the country s participation at a joint event organized by FAO with the League of Arab States at the upcoming FAO Conference to address water scarcity in the region, where Kuwait will share its experience in water treatment facilities. He reviewed progress made in bilateral cooperation programs between Kuwait and FAO. The meeting discussed how to benefit from FAO s potentials and experiments in improving criteria of quality of Kuwait s farms products. The two sides agreed on considering several common initiatives and continuing plans and programs to meet needs of Kuwait. KUNA photo Envoy of His Highness the Amir, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al- Ahmad Al-Sabah, headed to the UAE on Thursday to offer condolences on demise of Sheikh Hamad Bin Saif Al-Sharqi, Deputy Ruler of Al-Fujairah. Top & above: some photos from the distribution of food packets. RIHS executes dinner project Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS) Bayan branch executed a dinner project and distributed about 4,000 food packets to some 4,000 modest families inside Kuwait, in collaboration with Kuwait Awqaf Public MoSAL floats two tenders Bid to supply diapers & supply of workers for the service to inmates By Fares Al-Abadan Al-Seyassah Staff KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor has floated two separate tenders for the Social Welfare sector. The first tender is related to supply of diapers and the other tender is for supplying workers to provide services to inmates, informed sources say. They revealed that the abovementioned tenders were merged previously but they have been separated for accountability purposes in case of negligence in the services provided to inmates. The sources explained that the ministry has requested 787 male and Financing bank portfolios targeted CBK carries out inspection tours of number of Islamic and other banks KUWAIT CITY, March 30: A team from Central Bank of Kuwait has been carrying out inspection tours of a number of Islamic and other banks, targeting the financing bank portfolios, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting an informed source. He said the team has been checking the files with the aim of ascertaining that the banks are following the instructions of the Central Bank of Kuwait. The source explained that the team has been making adjustments in the contracts signed between the clients and the banks and verifying that they do not include any illegal clauses. Foundation. The officials also distributed more than 60,000 meals to various communities at different forums the society organized, and gave out meat to over 1,200 other families. female workers to take a number of positions for inmates services. This includes 148 male workers and 339 female workers for Social Welfare Sector, 141 male and 49 female workers for South Sabahiya Center, 26 male and 48 female workers for laundry service, 28 supervisors, and eight barbers and hairdressers. They went on to explain that the ministry specified the following minimum salaries for these workers: KD 370 for service manager, KD 270 for assistant service manager, KD 220 for training manager, KD 160 for supervisor, KD 135 for inmate helpers, KD 150 for hairdressers and barbers, and KD 85 for laundry workers. The team is making note of the benefits, fees and commissions. It is making sure the clients have been handed copies of the contracts and it has been following up the procedures for offering credit cards. He stressed that the team is also ensuring the Central Bank instructions issued in 2013 concerning launching units for protection of clients with the aim of raising banking awareness, receiving their complaints and answering their questions are followed in addition to explaining the instructions issued by the Central Bank of Kuwait and the terms and conditions. Kuwaiti health system advances to int l standards, says minister KUWAIT CITY, March 30, (KUNA): Minister of Health Dr Jamal Al-Harbi has said international indices and report affirm that the health system in Kuwait is up to international standards. He disclosed this at the sidelines of the activities of the first National Doctors Day celebration in Kuwait (an initiative of the Amiri Hospital). He added the level of development attained in healthcare puts Kuwait side by side with advanced countries. He pointed to reduction in mortality rate among infants, children below five years old and mothers, eradication of polio, and fulfilling the international immunization criteria. He praised the efforts of doctors and medical service providers, and emphasized the health system in Kuwait could not have reached this far without their expertise, commitment and hardwork. Proficiency He also said the level of proficiency of medical staff has improved a great deal through medical scholarships, training courses and workshops. He reiterated the importance of human resource development and continuous support of doctors and health care providers who are considered the backbone of the country s health system. For his part, Director of the Amiri Hospital Dr Ali Al-Alanda stated the celebration of National Doctors Day is an opportunity to say thank to doctors for their tireless efforts and dedication to duty and to renew their pledge to deliver the best service to patients. He noted the Amiri Hospital will be witness to revolutionary development through construction and expansion activities. He pointed out that the new wing of the hospital to be completed and handed over in 2018 has 415-bed capacity, indicating the Amiri Hospital will have capacity for 830 beds if the expansion work is completed. He noted the Casualty Department of Amiri Hospital received 27,000 patients in 2016, of which 20,000 were admitted to various wards, while the Outpatient Clinics received 85,000 patients and conducted 20,000 surgeries in the same period. First National Doctors Day celebrated Photos by Rizk Taufiq Above: Some photos from the activities of First National Doctors Day celebration. Conspiracies keep me away from drama industry: Shawq Al-Faraj says he learns new things from new artistes KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Despite all the experience he has in the film industry, renowned Kuwaiti actor Saad Al-Faraj says he learns new things from new artists, adding, wise is he who learns from others, reports Al-Rai daily. With the completion of his new film Al-Waqt Al-Dai, Al-Faraj said he is optimistic about the future of cinema and arts in general despite some setbacks witnessed here and there. Meanwhile, Kuwaiti actress Kuwaiti society offers medical aid to Yemen RIYADH, March 30, (KUNA): The health committee of the Kuwait Relief Society has provided 55 tons of medical supplies and a number of ambulances to some Yemeni governorates. Yemen s Health Minister Nasser Baoum received a delegation, led by the head of the committee Dr Mohammad Al-Sharhan, in the southern city of Aden on Thursday. During the meeting, Baoum expressed gratitude to the State of Kuwait and the Kuwaiti people for their generous support to Yemen, since the 1970s. Al-Sharhan said that they visited Aden for the first time after the city was liberated in August During the current visit, the second phase of health relief will be implemented providing medications and ambulances for the Yemeni people. The third will start next month to support the medical services in the country. The aid has been ordered by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Humanitarian Leader, to alleviate the sufferings of the Yemeni people. Shawq clarified that her absence from the drama industry in the past two years is due to conspiracies against her created by some people in the field who are standing in her way from participating in several plays, reports Al-Rai daily. She lamented, How can I be replaced by some amateurs with all due respect to them each and every time I get an opportunity to feature in a drama work? It is unbelievable Every time my name is listed in a play, I get replaced with newcomers who have not completed even two years in the art field. When asked whether it is because of some differences she has with her colleagues or officials in the industry, Shawq indicated that differences are always present in any profession. However, the relations among artistes as well as between artistes and producers play a big role in the industry and to receive opportunities to be featured in drama work, she added.

6 LOCAL 6 DIWANIYA A DIGEST OF PUBLIC OPINION Old civilizations thrived in Kuwait Sabbiya area By Ahmad Al-Sarraf The distance from the Capital Governorate to the farthest populated area of the country is not more than 100 kms, while the distance from the Capital to the sun is 150 million kms and light can travel this distance in 8 minutes because the speed of light is 300,000 kms per second. Astronomer Adel Hassan Al- Saadoun says: If we get out of the solar system and be within the Milky Way galaxy, which contains more than 200 billion stars, the closest to us is the Alpha Centauri, which is about 4.3 light years away. The light year is the distance traveled by light in a year, measured by multiplying the speed of light in the second, which is 300,000 kms in 60 (the number of seconds per minute), and the result is multiplied by 60 (the number of minutes per hour), then multiply the result by 24 hours. The output is , the number of days of the year, so distance of the light year is 9.05 trillion kms per year. Alpha Centauri is about 40 trillion kms away from us. In comparison with the sun, Centauri is about 300,000 miles away from Earth. If we send a spaceship traveling at 28,000 km per hour, it will reach in 165,000 years. After waiting for so long for change in the Ministry of Awqaf, I mean the post of undersecretary, which has become a prize for different religious political parties; the ministry has recently published reports in various newspapers on The excavation team at the site in Sabbiya. Relics dating back to 5,000 BC found KUNA photos Top and above: Gulf expedition discovered 14 graves and a big water well. People from the Islamic Age also lived in Sabbiya. Other Voices Science, education, morality the arrangement of visits of a few Kuwaiti scholars to give religious lectures in various mosques in the provinces. This is a phenomenon that has come back very strongly perhaps for devoting itself or promoting a specific religious political trend, or for the benefit of a group of clergymen and preachers. It is strange to find the religion, the religion that has been described as the religion of instinct, after 1400 years of its revelation, and after more than 100 years of formal education, and three times of religious education, the presence of huge numbers of graduates from religious institutes, thousands of winners who have learned it by heart, not to mention the army of graduates of the Faculty of Sharia, we still need those who cross the border and come to us, often in exchange for monetary rewards, to give lectures on religion. We do not deny that many need these religious teachings, but religion is easy and clear, and does not need all these lectures. The evidence is that it has prevailed when also illiteracy ruled the day, particularly ignorance. What we need to learn about is modern science, developed education, moral values and to live with each other in harmony. Why does the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs not invite specialists in these areas instead of putting it at the mercy of the advocates of a specific political party? habibi.enta1@gmail.com Al-Sarraf KUNA photo KUWAIT CITY, March 30, (KUNA): Sabbiya, an area in northeast of Kuwait, bears witness to human life and civilizations that existed in this historic area thousands of years ago. Sabbiya, 50 kms from Al- Jahra City, includes historic sites and ancient archaeological relics, some of them dating back to the Ubaid civilization, which was one of the first civilizations in earth. Sabbiya was named after the Sabba sect who lived in Kuwait half a century ago or even more. The Sabba were skilled in melting and manufacturing of gold. Their name was similar to the name of their religion, explained Abdullah bin Nasser, a historian and researcher in Kuwait s history, in a statement to KUNA. Bin Nasser said Sabbiya witnessed three historic periods; the first was the Stone Age where the Ubaid civilization lived 4,500-5,500 BC. The civilization was named after a small hill known as Ubaid Hill. He said evidence of life were also found. Archaeologists found tools used by humans 7,300 years ago, foremost the Raha, a tool consisting of rocks used to crush seeds. A skull of a human being who lived 4,000 BC was found as well. Bin Nasser said archaeologists also found a boat and a pearl, two necklaces made of sea shells, as well as colorful pottery pieces dated to 5,000 BC. The recent discovery was a foot-print of a human being. Bin Nasser noted discovery of a rock, called the Rock of Mudeera, which has drawings of some animals which resembled herding in ancient times. The historian said the second age in Sabbiya was the Bronze Age, which acquired this name because humans back then used metals. Bin Nasser said a Gulf expedition discovered 14 graves and a big water well. People from the Islamic Age also lived in Sabbiya. Bin Nasser said a Kuwait team of archaeologists discovered remains of a fortress with a wall around 30-meter-long. In each of the four corners is a round-shape tower. The fortress was believed to be the Kadhema Fortress, which was famous in the Islamic culture. Historians wrote about Kadhema, a distinguished feature in Sabbiya, when they mentioned the history of this particular region. Barrak attacker killed himself KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Personnel from the Criminal Evidences Department have already compiled a report on the death of an inmate of the Central Prison who had quarreled with the former MP Musallam Barrak, reports Al- Qabas daily. According to the report the inmate committed suicide and there is no suspicion about murder or poisoning. The source pointed out the Attorney-General Counselor Dirar Al-Assousi personally supervised the investigation and had instructed his deputy to oversee the investigation to find out if someone had pushed the victim to end his life and bringing him to justice. The source added, the autopsy report shows no criminal evidence. Iran must walk the talk No light at the end of tunnel IT LOOKS like the Iran/Gulf dialogue has reached a deadlock or rather has become a hopeless case because there is no light at the end of the tunnel. We say this because the Iranian provocative and aggressive statements against the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member States persist, columnist Khalad Ahmad Al-Tarrah wrote for Al-Qabas daily Thursday. Speaking of the visits paid by the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to the Sultanate of Oman and the State of Kuwait respectively, these visits coincided with some statements issued by the Iranian officials that mostly revolved around Tehran s keenness to protect and boost the stability and good neighbourly relations with the Gulf region. But it looks like these statements were for media consumption and did not reflect real Iranian intentions and did not stop the Iranian intervention in the internal affairs of the Gulf countries. This is exactly what was emphasized recently by the deputy foreign minister our dear brother Khaled Al-Jarallah when he warned of the Iranian interventions in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain. He hinted these interventions will negatively affect the Gulf/Iranian strategic dialogue and the security and stability of the region. This statement was published by the Al-Qabas newspaper on March 16, As a matter of fact, the attitude of the State of Kuwait in dealing with the Gulf issues has never been biased to one party. It rather keeps abreast with the international and regional agreements in this connection and this attitude is based on diplomacy respecting the sovereignty of other States, good neighborhood and the non-intervention in the internal affairs of countries in the region Arab or non-arab. In other words, the Kuwaiti mediation and good diplomatic offices are actually aimed at ingraining mutual understanding and cooperation among all countries of the region over the basic principles related to the Iranian/Gulf strategic dialogue Al-Tarrah and this means readiness to achieve the targeted objective, but unfortunately Tehran currently lacks this political readiness and will. Take for example the Iranian Foreign Ministry s recent statement which was carried by the Iranian Farsi News Agency which attacked the sisterly country of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia accusing Riyadh of agitating wars in the region to destabilize the security in this part of the world by supporting the Syrian opposition and its war on Yemen. However, the above statement coincided with another statement that was issued by the Secretary- General of Iranian Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani on March 17, 2017 where he was quoted as saying terrorism is exported to the world by a Saudi agency and the Kingdom manages the most active factory to promote terrorism in the world. He added, the world knows this fact. He hinted any military force that enters Syria without permission from Damascus, is an occupation power and this phrase, without permission from Damascus means the bloody Syrian regime. I don t actually know which world Iran talks about and how the Iranian support to the Houthis in Yemen and to the terrorist parties in Syria such as Hezbollah can be classified. As a matter of fact, the entire world represented by its international and regional institutions is currently against the Iranian policy, because this policy is based on supporting regional conflicts and riots. Yes, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has intervened in Yemen, but this happened at the request of the legitimate Yemeni government in cooperation with international institutions. Moreover, its role in Syria was aimed at stopping massacres in Damascus the massacres carried out by the Syrian regime with support from Iran. This happens although Tehran still denies the political and military reality which currently prevails in Syria. It is needless to say the Iranian record in terms of challenging the international community is documented and the last of which was represented by the so-called ballistic missiles and related violations which were actually monitored by the concerned international institutions and the entire world and this means the Iranian government must confess this reality and review the contradictions in its attitudes to define its attitude towards the Gulf/Iranian dialogue. In this context, we suggest the success of the Gulf/Iranian dialogue entails that Iran should have a true will and keep in mind that the stability of the Gulf region shall serve the interests of Iran and the Gulf countries. In other words, any mediation will make no progress in the absence of true will, determination and the political environment that should be based on supporting a positive and fruitful dialogue among all the countries of the region. In conclusion, we suggest Iran must translate its commitment to the Gulf/Iranian dialogue into a reality and keep abreast with the statement that was issued recently by the Iranian Ambassador to Kuwait on March 19, 2017 when he said Iran s commitment to the Gulf/Iranian dialogue is not a temporary one. Also: The Arab Summit which kicked off recently in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, actually rose to the ambitions of the Arabs leaders and subjects, columnist Abdurrahman Al-Awwad wrote for Al- Sabah daily Thursday. During this summit, the Arab monarchs, Amirs and presidents actually handled many dangerous issues related to the Arab security and reached the necessary prescription to solve the sensitive issues. In this context, we cite the speech of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad which actually covered all Arab issues. This speech has touched the hearts of Arabs everywhere. Moreover, HH the Amir has elucidated the extent of Kuwait s involvement in the Arab and Islamic issues. In his speech, HH the Amir said the so-called Arab Spring actually damaged the Arab world. He said this destabilized the security and stability of the sisterly countries. The development and construction has stopped in view of the negative associations of the so called Arab Spring where the said associations have stretched to many countries in our Arab world. Certainly, the content of HH the Amir s speech emphasizes the permanent keenness of the State of Kuwait for maintaining the security and the stability of the entire Arab region. Apart from the above, HH the Amir in his speech called for learning the lesson from the Arab countries and correct the march to immunize our communities, boost coherence of our internal fronts and achieve the legitimate aspirations of our peoples. Moreover, HH the Amir has confirmed that what is currently facing the Arab world can be deemed as a gross challenge and this means the Arabs must commit to other methods different from the current one, hoping this summit will constitute an outset to remain committed to a serious march while the Arabs must concentrate on specific topics by diagnosing the impediments which currently face the Arab world and keep the other topics to be handled by committees at ministerial levels. With the deterioration of oil prices in the past two years, the Gulf countries are trying to coexist under new conditions, and work hard to create new resources of revenue, Dr Anwar Al-Shurai an wrote for Al-Shahed daily. Kuwait also announced the government plan for the future through its economic reform document but no steps have since been taken in that direction, although Government stresses the importance of alternative resources of income. The government restricts its efforts toward a single path to rationalize consumption and lift subsidies, while it s quick to adopt prompt and temporary solutions with loans to balance the deficit in public budget. Our problem in Kuwait is that our Government manages the economy in the diwaniya style. In a diwaniya, a man consults his friends about his medical condition and each of them advices him in a different way. However, they all despise each others opinion including the doctor s. An international economy expert and Nobel prize winner on his visit to Kuwait said he has yet to see any government that wrecks its own economy on purpose like the Kuwaiti government. It is essential for the country to engage experts and specialist consultants or associates in resolving development-related issues, given that many international agencies and institutions have success stories to share in that aspect, Dr Yaqoub Ahmad Al- Sharrah wrote for Al-Rai daily. Washington-based United Nations affiliated World Bank is one of such institutes with about 185 member countries and thousands of workers, the majority of them Americans. The bank was established to help countries attain economic growth and deal with poverty and backwardness. Due to its increasing burden in the past few years, the World Bank has been facing series of criticisms for lack of concrete and realistic successes in developing countries. The recent rains caused damage and havoc in most parts of Kuwait. Will anyone be held accountable? Will the license of any contractor be revoked? Will any official be referred to the public prosecution or the issue will pass unnoticed? Perhaps, we might hear statements, saying this year s rain is extraordinary, so let s move After all, they are all our sons (yallah kulhum awladona), columnist Talal Al Saeed wrote for Al Seyassah daily. What happened in Area 10 in general and Sabahiya in particular will not go unchallenged, and those responsible should be held accountable without delay. It s a shame we have just discovered the drainage system in the aforementioned area is very old. It is a shame we only discover new corruption cases with each rainfall. It is not the first time we have seen floods in many areas, but not one person was held accountable in the past and the trend is expected to continue. Nobody will take responsibility for the issue, so the rain that came unannounced will be blamed. It seems that mud houses are stronger than our modern buildings. Our forefathers were better equipped than our engineers of today! Our modern buildings cannot withstand the rain and we really need to restore things to pre-corruption era, because the recent flood clearly reflects the level of corruption and fraud in the state institutions. Strangely, they are still searching for causes since we first experienced the issue of flying gravels. The Kuwaiti society is following the ongoing race of the MPs to create a hole in the legal and sovereign establishment which manages the citizenship affairs, Abdullah Beshara wrote for Al-Qabas daily. The MPs attempts are aimed at fulfilling their electoral promises. They are not wasting any time and starting way too early to form alliances and coordinate among themselves. Some of them have called for celebration of the victory even before the battle started. They are looking forward to receiving the gratitude of their voters. The most dangerous aspect in this regard is that the MPs are presenting draft laws that none of their predecessors had called for. They only care about restoration of the revoked citizenships. They do not care about the forgery that was committed to obtain the citizenship. They have no idea about the dangers in allowing dual citizenship. They are actually seeking to weaken the power of the state especially when no action is taken against those who offend the national figures. Let us imagine how Kuwait will be after dual citizenship is allowed and if the state will not punish those who forged documents for citizenship and those who do not respect the national figures. What about the expatriate woman who acquires Kuwaiti citizenship through her Kuwaiti husband but later divorces him or becomes a widow and then marries another man from her native country? In this case, she will continue to receive the benefits that women who are originally Kuwaiti get. Parliamentary attempts are being made to open new ways related to the identity matter, which will lead to further disputes in the society. Hope rests on the government which knows well that the calls made by MPs are nothing more than their political ambitions which need to be brought to an end at the earliest. Compiled by Zaki Taleb

7 LOCAL 7 Pakistan envoy opening the event. B deshi caught forging work permits Six Ethiopians held for running bogus domestic labor office KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Officers from the General Department of Residence Investigations raided a bogus domestic labor bureau in Mahboula area run by six Ethiopians who were arrested during the raid. According to a press release, the department, after receiving a tip-off about the bogus office involved in activities of deception and fraud targeting citizens and expatriates, gathered information to verify the allegations. Armed with search and arrest warrant, the officers raided the office and arrested six Ethiopians, discovering that there are involved in several cases including absconding. They were referred to the concerned authorities for necessary legal measures. Meanwhile, detectives from the same department arrested two Bangladeshi expatriates for forging work permits to bring Bangladeshi workers to the country at a cost. The arrest came after a person reported that he was cheated by the duo when they claimed that they are able to get work permits at a cost. Doctor s car stolen Around 2,600 thefts reported in 2016 KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Statistics released by the Ministry of Interior for 2016 shows that total number of reported thefts during the year were 2,600, and that 1,462 of them were felonies and 1,138 misdemeanors, equivalent to 7 crimes per day, reports Al- Qabas daily. The statistics also show the theft of vehicles, shop breakins and houses is the most common type of crime. The statistics added the thefts have become widespread in recent times. Most common are car break-ins parked in front of Kuwait homes, residential areas and market markets and workplaces. Car stolen: An Egyptian Intensive investigations were carried out and the security teams discovered that the suspects have been producing work permits and sending them to Bangladesh. When they checked doctor working for the Jahra Hospital has filed a complaint with the Naeem Police Station accusing an unidentified person of stealing his car which was parked in the multi-storey car park, reports Al-Rai daily. The doctor said after his evening duty he went to the car park but did not find his vehicle. the systems, the work permits were found to have been forged. The suspects were arrested and referred to concerned authorities for necessary legal measures. Stagnation main reason for shutting down Shuaiba plant At the football stall. Mina-Al-Ahmadi will cater to gas demand: KNPC Surgical instruments on display. Exchanging mementos. SCCI fair pulls crowds Pak products on display The Embassy of Pakistan Kuwait organised a Made in Pakistan exhibition through Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) premises on March 27 and 28, Top quality items such as footballs, surgical instruments, leather garments, industrial gloves and shoes, track suits, boxing gloves, martial arts dresses, military and police-band uniform accessories were on display at the exhibition. The event was inaugurated by the Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Kuwait Ghulam Dastgir. Director member of KCCI Tariq Al-Mutawa, Assistant Director KCCI Khaled Yousef Al-Manea, Head of Exhibitions Dept and Arab communities businessmen Dhari Riad Al- Rumaih were present during the opening of the exhibition. Head of SCCI delegation Wahab Jahangir, Director Pakistan Business Center Hafiz Muhammad Shabbir, President Pakistan Business Council Arif Butt were also in the forefront at the ceremony. Ex-Minister of Justice and Parliament Affairs Syed Jamal Al- Shahab graced the occasion too. The event was sponsored by Al-Hafiz Group of Companies, Kuwait who put in an elaborate effort to make the exhibition a success. Branding, designing, setting up pavilions for various goods required hard work by the staff members, said Hafiz Shabbir, owner of the Al-Hafiz Companies. Visitors were warmly welcomed by the exhibitors, social workers and media personnel. Quality products from Pakistan were diligently exhibited at the stalls. Turnout was encouraging despite the clash with office timings. VOOP media, Pak media, Aghaz media, Chattan media, PIK (Pakistanis in Kuwait) Media, Pakistan Upto Date, Kuwait Upto Date, Nawae Waqt and local media teams from Al-Qabas, Al-Rai, Al-Shahed newspapers and Waqt News TV and Kuwait TV played major role in making the exhibition successful, added Hafiz Shabbir. Al-Hafiz Company and Pakistan Business Council once again lauded the efforts put in by workers to present a great show. Director Pakistan Business Center Hafiz Muhammad Shabbir pledged to hold more such exhibitions to promote Pakistani products in Kuwait. UAE is already a large market for Pakistani items and Kuwait having a diverse population can prove to be a promising outlet for such commodities too, he said. Director member of KCCI Tariq Al-Mutawa said bilateral trade between Kuwait and Pakistan stands at 340 million dollars only which we will increase in the future. He praised the high quality of products at the Made in Pakistan exhibition and wished the organisers well in all future endeavours. KUWAIT CITY, March 30, (KUNA): The decision to shut down Kuwait s long-running Shuaiba refinery was the result of thorough studies that found the facility to be unfit for business, Minister of Oil Essam Al-Marzouq said on Thursday. Speaking to the press, Al- Marzouq, who is also Minister of Electricity and Water, said that the decision to close the refinery on Friday is largely an economical one and that the establishment will still be used to store oil products. Moreover, he noted that the country seeks to boost its oil refining capacity to meet the growing needs of the local market, adding that the closure of Shuaiba refinery will not be detrimental to oil production. On future projects, he said that Kuwait will sign a deal to partner with Oman s Duqm refinery, which has a capacity of 200,000 barrels per day, on April 10th. On a related note, the Minister of Oil said that Kuwait National Petroleum Company s (KNPC) Clean Fuel Project would be 84 percent complete by the end of the month, with an expected total cost of KD four billion ($13 billion). Progress He also pointed out that an ad hoc committee tasked with monitoring the progress of an OPEC decision to slash oil production is not looking into ways to extend the accord, as such decisions are left to the discretion of OPEC oil ministers, who are set to meet on May 26th. Kuwait s Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery will meet the growing need for gasoline consumption with Shuaiba refinery out of the picture, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) CEO Mohammad Al-Mutairi said on Thursday. In a statement to the press, Al-Mutairi said that Mina Al- Ahmadi refinery features two units for gasoline production, in addition to a third for gas compounds. Moreover, he said that KNPC s refining capacity would be 746,000 barrels per day (bpd) after the closure of the long-running Shuaiba refinery, a figure that largely hinges on the needs of the local market. He pointed out that after KNPC s Clean Fuel Project comes to fruition next year, the company s refining capacity will be boosted to 801,000 bpd. The KNPC CEO also spoke of plans to import fuel oil as local fuel consumption has skyrocketed. On plans to privatize fuel stations, he said that it is still tentative at this point and that the company fully supports the country s private sector. Top and above: Pictures taken during the shutting down of the refinery. News in Brief 30 illegals held: The so-called Quartet Committee which was formed upon instructions of the Council of Ministers is said to have arrested 30 residence and labor law violators during a swoop on Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, reports Al-Rai daily. The committee comprises members from the ministries of Interior, Social Affairs and Labor, Commerce and Industry, and the Kuwait Municipality. All those arrested have been referred to the Deportation Center. Porter drunk: Police have arrested a Bangladeshi porter working for a police station for driving under the influence of alcohol, reports Al- Anba daily. The Bangladeshi, identified only as Safar, was arrested on the Fahaheel Motorway for reckless driving. At the time of arrest he was under the influence of alcohol. Players fight: Two players were involved in a brawl during the final of the handball match between Kuwait and Salmiya, reports Al-Shahed daily. One of them accused the other of violent tackle and things ran out of control. The support staff of both clubs has blamed the poor refereeing which they said was the prime cause of the incident. Poor refereeing also led to the suspension of the match more than one time. Drunkards held: Police have arrested 3 Kuwaiti youths for consuming alcohol and endangering lives of others by performing stunts, reports Al-Rai daily. The drunkards were reportedly driving opposite the Yarmouk Sports Club. While issuing citations the officers got the smell of alcohol from their mouths. One to the youths reported resisted arrest and insulted the police officer. Teacher beaten: Police have arrested a Kuwaiti woman and her brother for assaulting a teacher of a Farwaniya high school, reports Al-Shahed daily. A police source said this happened when the woman with her brother went to the school to inquire why her son was punished. When the mother was told that her son had humiliated a teacher, she requested to see the teacher. The mother then argued with the teacher, while the brother held his hands behind his back and the mother punched him in the nose and hit him with shoes which caused injury to his nose. The mother and her brother have been referred to authorities. Girl rescued: A Kuwaiti girl Semi-paralyzed in hit KUNA photos Dog taken to US for treatment KUWAIT CITY, March 30: A semi-paralyzed dog made its way to Richmond, US, Monday afternoon all the way from Kuwait City, reports Al-Rai daily. The name of the female dog is Diamond and many months ago, it was hit by a car and left for dead. The animal survived the accident but lost one hind leg and the other was rendered useless as a result of which it dragged itself along the sands of Kuwait City. That s where Diamond met Sue Bell of the Northern Virginia rescue group Homeward Trails. Sue was in Kuwait helping dogs in need, but when she met Diamond, she knew that the dog was in desperate need of better care. who was trapped inside a car after a traffic accident on Ta awon Street was referred to Mubarak Hospital amid serious injury, says Al-Seyassah. The Operations Room of the Interior Ministry dispatched a rescue team to the scene after receiving report about the incident, and firemen managed to cut the vehicle to remove her. She was referred for treatment. Meanwhile, two Asians suffered various degrees of injuries in a two vehicle collision on Salmi Motorway. Paramedics referred them to Jahra Hospital for treatment. Pakistani robbed: A Pakistani man lodged a complaint against a person who physically assaulted him and stole his wallet containing KD 600, says Al-Seyassah. The man said the suspect forced him to stop by throwing stones at his vehicle while he was driving in Qasser area, and assaulted him before stealing the sum. A case was registered.

8 LOCAL 8 Court Cases By Jaber Al-Hamoud Al-Seyassah Staff KUWAIT CITY, March 30: The Commercial Circuit of the Court of First Instance ordered the termination of the manager of a renowned entertainment company with limited liabilities due to negligence and failure to carrying out her duties. According to the lawsuit filed by the company s legal counsel Lawyer Khawla Mubarak Al- Hassawi, the Al-Hassawi company had agreed with the manager and others to establish an entertainment company with limited liabilities based on an article in the memorandum of association, stipulating the manager (respondent) would manage the affairs of the company but she had failed to do so despite several calls. An extraordinary general assembly was held in the presence of the respondent whereby it was agreed that she should be relieved of her duties from the management of the company but the company administration did not consider that decision, which forced the shareholders of the company to file the lawsuit. Man acquitted: The Criminal Man acquitted of graft Manager dismissed in dereliction of her duty Other Voices Court presided over by Judge Mut eb Al-Ardhi acquitted an individual of charges of being an accomplice in illegal appropriation of public funds as well as of charges of statute of limitation over a case filed against him for forging documents to help an individual obtain Kuwaiti nationality. According to the case file, the Public Prosecution accused the defendant of forging documents which led to issuance of Kuwaiti nationality to someone else undeservingly. Everything that was acquired through that nationality was considered as forgery. The salary which the beneficiary of Kuwaiti citizenship received was considered embezzlement and illegal appropriation of the public funds. Representing the defendant was Lawyer Sarah Suleiman who stressed that the allegations leveled against her client had exceeded the statute of limitation of those involved in the case, due to which the prosecution loses ground for prosecuting her client. Jail for blogger: The Criminal Court Thursday sentenced an individual to five-year imprisonment with KD 3,000 guarantee for suspending the sentence execution. According to the case file, the Public Prosecution had charged the suspect of publishing posts deemed offensive to the entity of His Highness the Amir on his Twitter account. He was also accused of misusing his mobile phone. You are just a number By Yousef Awadh Al-Azmi To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Shakespeare In other words, you need to be true to yourself before anything else. If you are not like that, it will be difficult for you to be true to any other person. This is natural just like the way night follows the day. I am addressing none other but you. Therefore, don t turn left and right. Read these words with insight and do not give it a deaf ear because I will not believe that you lack comprehension abilities. Definitely, I cannot assume you are Al-Azmi naturally smart, which is why I write to you. Just be yourself. Whatever I am writing is for the smart people only; I hope you understand. I do not mind whether you agree with me or not. What is important is that you contemplate on what I am writing to you. I promise I will not use complicated phrases, and I will also not explain things for you. All that is needed is from you to use your smartness, insight and understanding skills. So far, I hope there is no problem. Believe me, things will proceed whether you exist or not. Days and nights will continue alternating flexibly at their prescribed timings. The hour and minute hands will continue with their circle. Everything will continue in symphony and coordination. Neither your happiness nor your sorrow will ever change anything as far as time the alternation of days and nights is concerned. You are just a moving number. You are just a statistic. Today you are in the column of ones and tomorrow you will be in the column of tens and then hundreds, until your final destination and the final number that you will hold on to with your life, which is your age. After your demise, you will enter the column of negatives. This is the way News in Brief Kuwait not included : The new security measures imposed by the UK government on flights arriving from the airports of six countries Kuwait not included has nothing to do with political or economic agendas, says the Al-Qabas daily quoting the British Ambassador to Kuwait Matthew Lodge. According to these security measures passengers travelling from these countries will not be allowed to carry with them electronic gadgets, including laptops. The six countries are Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Tunisia. However, passengers traveling directly to Britain via the Kuwait International Airport will be subjected to strict security measures which may take a long time and so passengers are requested to be at the airport much before takeoff to give the authorities enough time, Lodge said in a press statement. Lodge added the new security measures came from the British life is. It is about calculations between life and death. You are just a number and your account will be closed sooner or later. When you talk about ambitions and hope, I will talk about your past. Kindly, do not tell me about the future while the present is still open and the past continues to spill its profits and losses into the present. Before looking into the future, you must first deal with your past professionally like an auditor and with the mentality of an administrator who is reorganizing the new organizational structure of an establishment. The most important elements that you need are the alphabets that will launch you from the past to the present and perhaps to the future. What is most important of all is to handle the present with touches of the past and aspirations for the future. This should be done on a realistic manner, where you start the next trip of life with tools that will cement pillars for you to be in harmony with your inner self, intellectual entrustment and moral adherence of the past, and current and future aspirations. This kind of adherence is the backbone of the realistic approach towards life. Being weary and sensitive will not do any good in your life. You will end up being an obstacle to your present self. Its effect will also appear in your future. For you to avoid that from happening, moral inhibition and self respect are the key factors as well as dealing with what is happening to you objectively. Do not let hate and misfortune find a place in you because that will be the source of your negativity and pessimism. Instead, be the source of positivity and make sure positivity and optimism will always triumph. Never subject yourself to hesitancy and seclusion. I have given you the moral safety locks that you need in this life. Be confidence and decisive in running your life. Be strong but not violent. Be soft but not weak. Now I wonder if you understood anything what I have been telling you. government s keenness on the safety and security of passengers based on accurate security assessment of the potential risks. The safety and security measures are improving at the Kuwait International Airport, and we are cooperating with all the concerned parties in this field and we must continue this fruitful cooperation, Lodge affirmed. Theft strategy: Police are looking for an unidentified person pelting stones at the cars of expatriates, forcing them to pull over and then robbing them, reports Al-Rai daily. According to a complaint filed by a Pakistani who was driving in the vicinity of the Jahra fire station, the suspect pelted stones at his car and forced him to pull over. The complainant said that the man then assaulted him and robbed him of KD 655. He has submitted a medical report to substantiate his claim. The daily added, an Indian also has filed a similar complaint. Minister of Defence Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah with senior officers at the drill site. Defence minister visits Kuwait-GCC drill site The military exercise, Eagles Resolve 2017, involving Kuwaiti, GCC and American troops and personnel, is a fertile entity for expertise swap and contributor to the efforts for regional stability, said the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, during a tour of the drill site, lauded the maneuvers which depict the solid relationship bonding the GCC countries. The minister, who was briefed by senior officers, inspected the participating teams of the Ministry of Interior, the National Guards and Kuwait Fire Service Directorate (KFSD). The drill got started on March KUNA photo 21 on Kuwaiti territories with participation of units from the Gulf Peninsula Shield Force in cooperation with the United States of America. It is scheduled to end by April 10. (KUNA) Reckless driving, low penalties cause of spike in traffic mishaps By Najeh Bilal Al-Seyassah Staff KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Various roads in Kuwait are high with the blood of thousands of traffic accident victims; dead or injured, and millions of dinars are exhausted in the form of material losses each year. The situation rings a dangerous alarm amid series of red signals to ensure that serious steps are taken to curb the catastrophic incidents. Among the many citizens and expatriates commenting on the issue, a Kuwaiti man named Bumunthir stated the high rate of accidents in the country is due to reckless driving by the youth. He blamed the authorities for flexible penalties against motorists charged for manslaughter who end up paying fines only. He also said some motorists trivialize life of victims since their insurance policy covers the payment of blood money only. He noted many of the motorists drive under the influence of alcohol and illicit drugs, therefore, the government should be decisive in dealing with traffic issue. Another citizen Hadi Al-Kanderi complained about motorists who move in a zigzag manner on the road, saying it s a very dangerous scenario since any minor crash automatically leads to multiple accidents that may cause deaths and injuries. He urged the authorities to stop the import of fabricated spare parts, especially tires that cannot stand the hostile weather conditions. Bahah Mamdouh reasoned that traffic accidents increase in all countries across the globe as the population increases. He hopes that government will put traffic vehicles on standby at the beginning and the end of all major roads to rescue whoever is involved in an accident, especially as ambulances are a bit delayed. Many motorists found drunk, under drugs influence KUNA photo Al-Hashimi II, one of the world s largest wooden ships, evokes Kuwaiti pride in the country s pearl diving and sea sailing pasts. In 2000, then First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and current Amir of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah inaugurated the vessel at a ceremony in the Radisson SAS Hotel. The ship took two years to build and was a testimony to Kuwaiti creativity and artistry. (KUNA) He said this measure may help reduce the rate of blood lost before the arrival of ambulances. An official of one insurance company Mohammad Mehraz said the system of insurance encourages some people to drive in a reckless manner thinking the insurance company will take care of their cars and pay blood money on their behalf in case of accident. He stated competition among the insurance companies to offer such services encourages such careless and irresponsible attitude. Agencies add: Campaign launched: Personnel from Waste Removal Department at the Capital Municipality in collaboration with public hygiene sector embarked on field campaigns to restaurants, shops and stores located in Sharq, Qibla and Shuwaikh areas to guarantee safety of foods served to citizens and expatriates, reports Al-Seyassah daily. The campaigns resulted in the confiscation and destruction of 190 kilo grams of expired foods, and issuance of 125 violations covering unlicensed advertisements, foodstuffs unsuitable for human consumption, and hygiene. The teams also removed 13 construction violations, encroachments on state property, and wooden fences. Public Relations Department of the Municipality has called on citizens and expatriates to notify the sector on violations via hotline or social media (@ kuwmun. Escape bid foiled: Police have arrested an unidentified Egyptian who was attempting to escape from the country after accidentally running over a compatriot and killing him on the spot, reports Al-Rai daily. A security source said the Egyptian was driving a caterpillar along the coastal area opposite Sulaibikhat laying asphalt on the road. He reportedly does not have licence to drive heavy vehicles. He reversed the caterpillar, ran over the victim and killed him on the spot. He was arrested a few hours before the flight took off for Egypt. Man dies in mishap: The remains of an unidentified person who was run over and killed on the spot by a Kuwaiti motorist have been referred to Forensics to identify the corpse, reports Al-Rai daily. The daily added, the victim was not holding any identification document. Then daily did not say if the motorist has been arrested or not. Pigeons stolen: A 43-year-old Kuwaiti has filed a complaint with the Saad Al-Abdullah Police Station accusing a thief of stealing 48 pigeons worth KD 6,500 from his camp opposite to Saad Al-Abdulla City desert, reports Al-Anba daily. Personnel from the Criminal Evidences Department lifted fingerprints from the area to identify the culprits. Call to conserve energy Public sector power consumption rises: report KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Recent statistics suggests that government s consumption of electricity and water may have gone up by 12.4 percent at a rate of KD 278 million per annum due to the recent raise sanctioned by Law No. 20/2017, reports Al-Qabas daily. It indicated the consumption rate has reached the aforementioned sum, and it s clear that government s current share of electricity and water is 18 and 11 percent respectively. Statistics added government sector consumes about 8.6 billion kilowatts of electricity annually; noting 15.4 imperial billion gallons of water was used up last year. Water tariff raised to KD 4 per 1,000 imperial gallons instead of the previous 600 fils for government offices and buildings, despite electricity tariff was calculated by 25 fils per kilowatt as approved recently. The daily quoting a source indicated government could reduce wastage by implementing conservation system in all its buildings to ensure the rate of subsidy is reduced to the minimum level. He said most of the buildings are old, unfriendly to the environment, and consume power in a large quantity. This should have reduced with the advent of smart electricity and water systems.

9 LOCAL/GULF 9 The confab aims to implement 137th session s resolutions Kuwait s FM takes part in GCC Ministerial Council meeting RIYADH, March 30, (KUNA): The 142nd session of GCC Ministerial Council kicked off Thursday with participation of GCC foreign ministers, including Kuwait s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al- Sabah. The meeting is a continuation to the march of joint Gulf action toward attaining further achievements, and commitment to the wise directions of GCC leaders, Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, who also chairs the current session, said in his opening speech. This session aims at following implementation of the 137th session s resolutions, which Bahrain hosted in December 2016, Al-Khalifa said, adding that the meeting also seeks to improve ties between GCC States and other countries in the region and rest of the world. It also aims at enhancing ways to coordinate joint coordination, exchange of views on important regional and international issues, and ways to restore security and stability in crisis-stricken countries, said the Bahraini minister. The strength and steadiness of Gulf countries stand in facing surrounding challenges and threats, regardless of their sources, as well as tireless efforts and qualitative steps in building their own abilities, and boosting the safety of home front; affirms the principles of joint fate and high interest that Gulf leaders work seriously to achieve and preserve, he noted. Amir s speech at summit charts course of Arab joint action: FM Arab leaders adopt Amman Declaration KUNA photos The Arab Summit venue with the Virtual Reality Technology. VR present at Arab Summit The latest Virtual Reality (VR) technology is strongly present at the media center covering the Amman Arab Summit, held at the East Grand Hotel in the Dead Sea region. Journalists, media figures, and guests at the hotel can enjoy a VR tour to of various historic sites in the Kingdom of Jordan. One of the VR tour includes Mount Citadel, one of the seven mountains of Amman City. The tour brings to life an ancient archaeological palace located on the top mountain. Another tour using VR, takes visitors to the Al-Azraq Castle (Blue Palace) located in the center of the Al-Azraq oasis, 100 km east of Amman. (KUNA) Move to identify resource growth KGOC awards geoscience study to GeoConsulting Co KUWAIT CITY, March 30, (Agencies): Kuwait Gulf Oil Company (KGOC) has awarded the project for conducting a multi-year integrated geoscience study to identify resource growth potential in the onshore Partitioned Zone to the CGG GeoConsulting Company, a fully integrated geosciences company that provides geological, geophysical and reservoir capabilities to companies from the oil and gas sector. The project team will comprise of geoscience experts from both GCC GeoConsulting and KGOC. With the aim of delivering a robust portfolio of exploration prospects and asset development infill opportunities, this team will work together to integrate the recently acquired and processed 3D seismic data concerning the partitioned zone with the multiple geological, petrophysical and production data sets. The final geologic and seismic interpretations and data will present a consistent and continuous reference study for KGOC concerning the partitioned zone with detailed subsets for each producing field. Palestinians mark Land Day Press Tel Aviv to halt settlements, Arab League urges int l community Director of Exploration Project Kuwait at KGOC Mohammad Al-Haimer affirmed that KGOC is pleased to work with CGG over this project, which is of high importance for KGOC, indicating that they were impressed with the in-house integrated geoscience capabilities of CGG and their experience in performing similar studies around the world as well as their depth of knowledge which will benefit the project. He added that KGOC is looking forward to working closely with CGG and identifying the resource growth potential of the partitioned zone onshore. Meanwhile, COO of CGG Sophie Zurquiyah expressed the honor felt by CGG in being selected by KGOC to undertake such a high-profile integrated study which will draw upon the expertise, capabilities and knowledge of the GeoConsulting team which has considerable experience in performing similar studies. She affirmed that the support of CGG will deliver insight and value to KGOC in achieving its business objectives. CAIRO, March 30, (KUNA): The Arab League, on the Land Day, urged the international community to coerce Israel halt settlements construction and demolition of Palestinians villages and houses. On the 41st anniversary of the occasion, the league said in a statement that Israel must be forced to stop enacting racist laws namely ones that ban prayer calls and others designed to speed up demolition of thousands of Arabs homes. The Land Day symbolizes the Palestinians commitment to their homeland and identity and rejection of the Israeli occupation. The Palestinian people continue to face policies of violence, racial clearance, judaization of the land and the sanctities, the league said in a statement. It called on the UN to pressure Israel abstain from collective punishment against the Palestinians, expropriation of Palestinians lands and draining their resources. The Land Day is a distinguished Arab and Palestinian occasion for recalling the injustice suffered y the Palestinian people, it says. Meanwhile, Israeli troops on Thursday hurled tear gas and fired rubber-coated ammunition and bullets at Palestinian demonstrators marking Land Day in village of Madma south of Nablus. More than 45 Palestinians suffered from suffocation or injuries, the Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement. The troops attacked the protestors when they tried to plant saplings on lands south of Nablus. We have come out to plan olive saplings but scores of Israeli soldiers along with settlers and guards of settlements confronted us with gunfire, said Walid Assaf, in charge of the settlements affairs at the Palestinian administration, in a statement to KUNA. The Israeli Army troops tried to prevent the Palestinians from planting their fields to help Jewish settlers seize them, he added. Some 620,000 settlers live in 423 settlements and outposts in the West Bank some 46 percent of the territory. Security Council Resolution 2334 stipulates that settlements in the occupied territories are illegitimate. Land Day has been observed yearly since 1976, when the Palestinians protested expropriation of 21,000 donums of land. DEAD SEA, Jordan, March 30, (KUNA): First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said that the speech delivered by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the Arab Summit earlier Wednesday included examples and lessons for developing Arab joint action. His Highness the Amir has set forth a methodology of Arab cooperation to confront the challenges and dangers surrounding the region, and to fortify societies and to correct the path to enable Arab unity, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said. The minister made the comments in an interview with KUNA and Kuwait TV, before leaving Jordan after the conclusion of the 28th Arab Leagues summit. He pointed out that such speech was direct and candid, and it is what was needed to assess our approach and style on we work to strengthen our unity and cohesion of our societies. He added that Arab leaders had presented 16 items out of 27 decisions which were adopted within the framework of emphasizing the path toward Arab joint action and achieving Arab economic integration to meet the aspirations of the Arab peoples. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled noted that Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Libya current developments, as well as the main and vital Palestinian issue, were basic and fundamental issues, and were among the summit s main discussions. On bilateral meetings held with Arab leaders, Sheikh Sabah said that His Highness the Amir met with Jordanian King Abdullah II at the beginning of the summit, and the two the summit s agenda reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries. The minister noted that His Highness the Amir received on the sidelines of the summit, the Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abbadi, where they discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled noted Kuwait s leader paid a visit to his brother the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, during which the two discussed bolstering ties in all fields. The minister added that the summit in Jordan was a success and expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Jordanian leadership, government, and people for their efforts to ensure its success. Message Meanwhile, the 28th Arab Summit concluded its work on Wednesday with the issuance of Amman Declaration, a message to the world emphasizing the importance of adhering to Arab peace initiative, the rejection of foreign interference in Arab affairs and boosting Arab cooperation in combating terrorism. The declaration, which was read by Arab League Secretary-General Ahmad Abul Gheit at the closing session of the summit, stressed importance on continuing exerting efforts by Arab leaders to re-launch serious and effective Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations that shall end the political blockage and follow a specific timetable for ending the conflict on the basis of a two-state solution. The declaration continue stressing on the need to have an independent Palestinian state on the lines of June 4, 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital as the only way to achieve security and stability. The declaration stressed that a comprehensive and lasting peace is a strategic choice as embodied in the Arab peace initiative adopted by the Beirut summit in The initiative, also supported by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), is still the most comprehensive plan that has the potential of achieving historic reconciliation based on Israel s withdrawal from all Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese territories to the June 4, 1967, borders, and addressing all final status issues, foremost of which are the issues of the (Palestinian) refugee, security and peace by all Arab countries with Israel. The Declaration affirms rejection of all unilateral Israeli steps aimed at changing the facts on the ground, undermining the two-state solution, and calling on the international community to implement the resolutions and international legitimacy. Most recently, the Security Council resolution 2334 of 2016 which con- Canada aspires for mega enterprises in Kuwait Canada plans to promote mega enterprises in Kuwait s infrastructure, with prospected participation of other foreign entrepreneurs according to the partnership formula bonding the private and public sectors, says the nation s envoy in Kuwait. Ambassador Martin Morrow, in a statement to KUNA on fringes of a demns Israeli settlements and land confiscation. The leaders also renewed their support to the outcome of Paris Conference of January 2017, which renewed commitment to the international community on the two-state solution as the only way to achieve a lasting peace. The leaders also reject all steps and measures taken by Israel to change the legal and historical situation in the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and commend efforts being made by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan under the leadership of King Abdullah II. The declaration also called for the implementation of all Security Council resolutions on Jerusalem, especially resolutions 252 of 1968, 267, 465 in 1980 and 478 in 1980, which are considers all Israeli measures null and void and aimed at changing the features and identity of East Jerusalem, demanding that all world s embassies not transfer to Jerusalem or to recognize it as the capital of Israel. The declaration also stressed on the need to implement the decision of UNESCO Executive Council issued at the 200th session on October 18, 2016, which calls for an end to Israeli violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque and to recognize the management of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque Waqf as the sole legal authority administration and maintenance. The leaders renewed support with the brotherly Palestinian people and supporting all efforts to achieve Palestinian reconciliation and form a government of national unity under the Palestinian national authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The declaration also called for the intensification of efforts to find a peaceful solution to end the Syrian crisis in order to achieve the aspirations of the Syrian people, preserve Syrian unity of Syria, and protect its sovereignty and independence. The leaders also called for an end HH the Amir arrives in Kuwait after attending the Arab Summit in Jordan. Ambassador Martin Morrow attends a seminar at the Canadian Embassy. seminar held by the embassy, indicated that she was awaiting some details from her government concerning the aspired investments in Kuwait. Jim Quick, President and CEO at Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, expressed readiness, in a statement at the forum, to help KUNA photo KUNA photo narrow the technological gulf between Kuwait and his nation Quick, whose country is the third globally in aircraft production, elaborated saying that the global fleet is forecast to grow by five percent, with 40,000 planes, worth $5.9 trillion, expected to be put in operation in coming years. (KUNA) the existence of all terrorist groups based on the outcomes of Geneva 1 and based on statements by the international support group for Syria, resolution 2254 of The leaders noted in this regard that in Syria there is no military solution to the crisis and no way to stop the bleedshed except by reaching a peaceful settlement that achieves a transition to a political reality formulated and agreed upon by all components of the Syrian people. The Amman declaration underlined the importance of Astana talks in order to establish a comprehensive ceasefire on all Syrian territories, urging the international community to continue supporting the host countries of the Syrian refugees and stressing on the need to implement results of the London conference. Adopting On the Syrian refugee crisis, Arab leaders called for adopting new programs to support Syria neighboring countries at the Brussels conference, to be held on April 5. They ordered the League s ministerial council to consider setting up a specific mechanism to help alleviate the burdens on Arab countries hosting Syrian refugees. On Iraq, the Amman Declaration reiterated that Iraq s security, stability, cohesion and territorial integrity are a cornerstone of regional security and stability and Arab national security, stressing full support of Iraq in its efforts to eliminate terrorist groups and liberate Mosul from the so-called Islamic State (IS) gangs. The declaration also praised the great achievements made by the Iraqi army in liberating other Iraqi provinces and regions. The leaders expressed full support to all efforts aimed at restoring security and security to Iraq and achieving national reconciliation by devoting a political process to establishing the state of citizenship and ensuring justice and equality for all components of the Iraqi people, with no discrimination or exclusion. The declaration also supports Arab alliance efforts in Yemen and ending the Yemeni crisis based on the Gulf initiative and its mechanisms, including the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference and Security Council Resolution 2216 in Which protects the independence and unity of Yemen and prevents interference in its internal affairs, including reconstruction initiatives that will help the brotherly Yemeni people rebuild their country. The leaders stressed as well on the need to achieve security and political stability in Libya through a national reconciliation based on Al-Sukhairat agreement, which preserve Libya s unity, also renewing support to efforts exerted by Libya s neighboring countries and the UN. The declaration asserted on the need to support Libyan legal institutions while supporting the four-way dialogue hosted by the Arab League with the participation of the European Union (EU), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) for reaching an agreement to end the crisis. The declaration also stressed Arab leaders stand with Libyan brothers in their efforts to defeat terrorist gangs and eradicate the threat posed by terrorism in Libya and its neighbors. The leaders also expressed commitment to devoting all necessary resources for the elimination of terrorist gangs in all fronts whether military, security, or intellectual confrontation. Arab leaders also affirmed their continued fight against terrorism and the elimination of its causes within a comprehensive strategy that is central to resolving regional crises, promoting the values of democracy, respect for human rights and citizenship, and confronting ignorance and exclusion in the fragmentation of the despairing environments in which terrorism thrives.

10 INTERNATIONAL 10 World News Roundup OnLine Unreal when it targets you Faceless tormentors boost trolling online By Michael Kunzelman One morning near the end of her long-shot congressional campaign, 25-year-old Erin Schrode rolled over in bed, reflexively checked her cellphone and burst into tears. With mounting horror, she scanned a barrage of anti- Semitic s from anonymous trolls. Get out of my country, kike, read one. Get to Israel to where you belong. That or the oven. Take your pick. Included was a photograph of Schrode digitally stamped with a yellow Jude star, the badge that Nazis forced Jews to wear during the Holocaust. Schrode, a Democrat and activist who would come in third in the June primary in her Northern California district, had become the latest target of The Daily Stormer, a popular neo-nazi website known for orchestrating internet trolling campaigns. After the site published a post about the Jewess and her candidacy, a reader posted Schrode s contact information in the comments section. Over the past 10 months, her and social Schrode media accounts have been polluted with a torrent of slurs and disturbing images. Her tormentors are faceless. They hide behind screen names, in the shadows. Andrew Auernheimer says he is not one of them, but he applauds their vitriolic spirit. A notorious computer hacker and internet troll associated with The Daily Stormer, Auernheimer scoffs at the notion that anyone can be harmed by mean words on the internet. For him, anonymous trolling is a modern form of a generations-old, distinctly American political tactic. Being offensive is a political act, he said. If something pushes up against polite civilization, it s for a purpose. Auernheimer, whose anti-semitic rhetoric matches the swastika tattooed on his chest, chuckled at the mention of Schrode s name. Why should I have any empathy? What s she ever done for me? he asked. I don t feel any empathy for any Jew anywhere. Trolling is a calling card of the alt-right an amorphous fringe movement that uses internet memes, message boards and social media to spread a hodgepodge of racism, anti-semitism, misogyny and xenophobia. Troll tactics edged into the mainstream with the 2014 birth of GamerGate, an online campaign against feminists in the video game industry. GamerGate arguably provided a blueprint for some white nationalists and other extremists who rallied around Donald Trump s presidential campaign, flooding the internet with Pepe The Frog cartoons and other hate symbols. Culture The Daily Stormer s founder, Andrew Anglin, published a primer in August that attempted to define the alt-right and explain its origins. At the core of the movement is a trolling culture bred on the 4chan.org website, he wrote. Anglin s initial June 3 post on Schrode the first of at least six about her linked to a Jewish Telegraphic Agency report on her bid to become the youngest women ever elected to Congress. A commenter posted Schrode s cellphone number, addresses and links to her social media accounts. The initial post called her a hissing weasel. Today, a photograph of Schrode is the first image returned by a Google search for that term. The attacks weren t limited to s or tweets. She said somebody hacked her campaign website on election day, changing her name throughout to Adolf Hitler. She also said she received a voic from someone making a hissing noise. Schrode noticed other spikes in her harassment after she appeared on Tucker Carlson s Fox News show in December and after The Huffington Post published an article she wrote in November about her experience as the target of trolls. Every day, I m reminded that I m Jewish, said Schrode, co-founder of an environmental nonprofit. It s not normal to wake up and hear that people want you dead or in another country. Some days, she can laugh it off. More often, a single nasty tweet can compound a bad day or ruin a good one, making her feel lonely and suffocated. I hate to admit that s the power these monsters have over me, but on some days that s the truth, she said. In November, Schrode posted a video on Twitter of her getting shot by a rubber bullet while she interviewed a man at the Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access pipeline. One of the responses to her post was a crudely fabricated image of her bloodied body in front of armed police officers wearing swastika armbands. The Twitter user who created and posted that image responded with a lol when an Associated Press reporter inquired about the message via a tweet. I sent her some memes that were offensive, I guess, the user wrote. Heart Auernheimer is known online as weev. He trolls for the lulz, a slang term he defines as the joy that you get in your heart from seeing people suffer ironic punishments. The reality is internet trolling is entertaining. People love to watch it. It s become a national sport, Auernheimer said. It s something that anyone can jump into. Other targets of The Daily Stormer s trolling campaigns have included prominent journalists, a British Parliament member and Alex Jones, a radio host and conspiracy theorist whom Anglin derided as a Zionist Millionaire. More recently, Anglin published the telephone numbers and other personal information of Jewish residents of Whitefish, Montana, where white nationalist Richard Spencer has a home. Anglin accused the families of engaging in an extortion racket against Spencer s mother and has vowed to lead neo-nazi skinheads on an armed march through the town. He also posted a photograph and Twitter handle of a young boy whose mother is one of Anglin s targets in Whitefish. Keegan Hankes, a research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center, said Anglin and his website have fueled a surge of trolling activity by far-right extremists over the past two years. He s very good at manufacturing outrage, Hankes said. He tends to pick his victims for calculated reasons. Auernheimer, 31, has served as a technical consultant for The Daily Stormer. In 2014, he wrote a post for the site about his time in prison. A federal jury convicted him of identity theft and conspiracy charges in 2013 for his role in developing a program that exploited an AT&T security flaw to collect 114,000 addresses of ipad users. (AP) Capitol Hill police stand guard at the Botanical Gardens on Capitol Hill on Washington on March 29, after a woman struck a US Capitol Police cruiser with a vehicle near the Capitol on Wednesday morning and was taken into custody, police said. (AP) Woman accused of trying to run down police Houses are damaged following a storm early in the morning in Rockwall, Texas on March 29. A powerful storm system with winds exceeding 60 mph has damaged homes in suburban Dallas, knocked out power to tens of thousands across Texas and brought heavy rain that inundated some areas. (AP) Mahmood America Trump Immigrant to join Calif race: A Pakistani-born doctor announced Wednesday that he is joining the 2018 race for lieutenant governor on a platform of saving the Affordable Care Act, providing free community college education and fighting what he termed Donald Trump s hate. I am a proud Muslim and I love America, Dr Asif Mahmood said at a news conference in front of the downtown federal building that houses a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office. President Trump continues to attack people like me: immigrants, people of color and Muslims, Mahmood said. I say President Trump has it all wrong. It s time to get tough on hate. California must be the leader of the Trump resistance, and I will fight him every step of the way. The pulmonologist said he came to the United States because he wanted his family to live in a place that celebrates diversity and tolerance. Born in a small, rural village, Mahmood moved to Kentucky in the 1990s to complete medical school. He came to Southern California in 2000 and lives near Los Angeles with his wife and three teenage children. As a first-time candidate, Mahmood s challenge is to build a statewide coalition, potentially anchored to civil rights. He starts as a virtual unknown and Muslims make up a tiny percentage of people living in California. To be competitive and grow beyond a niche candidacy, he must craft a message that resonates with the large, diverse pool of voters in a state that is home to 1 of every 8 A woman was arrested near the US Capitol in Washington after she drove erratically, crashed into another vehicle and tried to run over officers on Wednesday, police said. No one was hurt in the commotion, during which police fired shots. Although preliminary, this incident appears criminal in nature with no nexus to terrorism, Capitol Police spokeswoman Eva Malecki said at a news conference. Malecki said officers tried to stop an erratic driver, who made a U-turn and drove away, nearly hitting officers and striking at least one other vehicle. Police chased and stopped the car and fired shots as they tried to arrest the suspect, Malecki said. She declined to say why officers opened fire, Politics and said the incident was being investigated. Police identified the woman as Taleah Everett, 20, who was held on seven counts of assault of a police offi cer and two counts of destruction of property, among other charges. Everett was in custody on Wednesday evening and could not be reached for comment. Operations inside the Capitol building appeared normal. Tourists filed through the Capitol Rotunda, and the US Senate opened its session with Republican Majority Leader Mitch Mc- Connell urging confirmation for Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. In 2013, Capitol Police shot and killed the driver of a car carrying a 1-year-old girl after a chase from near the White House to the Capitol. (RTRS) Trump, conservatives try to put aside bitterness Common ground on tax sought Americans. Lt Gov Gavin Newsom, the incumbent, is barred by term limits from seeking a third WASHINGTON, March 30, (RTRS): Raw feelings and mistrust could pose an obstacle to President Donald Trump and hard-line conservative lawmakers in his Republican Party as they seek to rebound from defeat on healthcare legislation by launching into an overhaul of the US tax code. Trump has accused the Freedom Caucus lawmakers of snatching a defeat from the jaws of victory with their rejection of the White Housebacked healthcare bill to replace President Barack Obama s 2010 healthcare reform bill. In interviews with 10 of the roughly three dozen House Freedom Caucus members, the lawmakers said they were eager to put aside tensions over the healthcare debacle and seek common ground on tax reform. But there is no consensus, even within the conservative faction, on details of a tax-reform bill, with some members open to discussing ideas such as the border tax plan supported by House leaders and others opposed to it. Representative Warren Davidson, a Freedom Caucus member from Ohio, said Republicans should leave aside the blame game and work through their policy differences before launching tax reform legislation. Some people are still in that hurtfeelings and frustration stage, Davidson said. I do think it s smart to take the time to get it right. Republican Representative David Schweikert of Arizona, a Freedom Caucus lawmaker who sits on the taxwriting House of Representative Ways and Means Committee, could emerge as a bridge between the conservative faction and House leaders. The panel will work closely with House leadership on the tax bill. Schweikert said he planned to consult with rank-and-file members to discuss plans and listen to their priorities. He said giving companies incentives to invest in plants and equipment was one of the items on his own wish list. My personal fixation is very simple: What maximizes economic growth? Schweikert said. Caucus Representative Mark Meadows, chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said the group has no formal position on the structure of tax reform legislation. But Meadows listed the top priorities on his own wish list: Lower taxes, lower taxes and lower taxes. A 35-page blueprint developed by House Republican leaders, known as a Better Way, will serve as a starting point for the tax-reform discussions. The plan calls for streamlining the term and is running for governor. Mahmood, a Democrat, said he did not think his religion would be an obstacle in a Authorities investigate after a deadly crash involving a van carrying church members and a pickup truck on US 83 outside Garner State Park in northern Uvalde County, Texas on March 29. The group of senior adults from First Baptist Church of New Braunfels, Texas, was returning from a retreat when the crash occurred, a church statement said. (AP) income tax system and cutting the corporate income tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent. It would exclude export revenue from taxable income and impose a 20 percent tax on imports. The border tax proposal has divided the business community and is a top flashpoint for lawmakers. Big exporters such as General Electric Co say the tax would boost manufacturing and jobs. But retailers like Target Corp have said the border tax would hike consumer prices and hurt the economy. Trump, a businessman who had never been in public office until he took over at the White House on Jan. 20, has at times praised the border tax idea but at other times has been noncommittal. Virginia Congressman Dave Brat said he would insist that the tax bill not add to the deficit, while Meadows said he would not necessarily insist on that. Other conservatives said they needed more information about the tax bill to form an opinion and some space from the contentious health care debate. We just had a major battle on a Republican welfare plan and that has consumed to a large degree my time and mental effort, said Alabama Representative Mo Brooks. When we have a tax reform bill I can evaluate, that s when I ll start voting on it, Brooks said. state known for diversity. (AP) Heroin use, addiction up in US: Heroin use in the United States has risen five-fold in the past decade and dependence on the drug has more than tripled, with the biggest jumps among whites and men with low incomes and little education, researchers said on Wednesday. Whites aged 18 to 44 accounted for the biggest rise in heroin addiction, which has been fueled in part by the misuse of opioid prescription drugs. The findings are troubling because the people most affected have few resources to deal with the problem, said Dr Silvia Martins, an associate professor of epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, and her colleagues. We are seeing that heroin use has increased in the past 10 years, Martins said in a phone interview. It is more prominent among whites with lower incomes and education and young adults. Heroin use, which includes those who have tried the drug but not become dependent on it, and addiction also rose more among unmarried adults. Although a jump was seen among women, it as was not as prominent as for men. The researchers found no differences in heroin use or addiction among the major regions of the country. (RTRS)

11 INTERNATIONAL 11 Politics Focus on disinformation Senate hearing targets tactics WASHINGTON, March 30, (AP): Some tactics Russia used to meddle in last year s presidential election would give shivers to anyone who believes in American democracy, the Senate intelligence committee s top Democrat says. Sen Mark Warner of Virginia spoke ahead of a committee session Thursday that will address how the Kremlin allegedly uses technology to spread disinformation in the US and Europe. Warner and the panel s chairman, Sen Richard Burr, R-NC, provided an update of the committee s investigation into activities Russia might have taken to alter or influence the 2016 elections and whether there were any campaign contacts with Russian government officials that might have interfered with the election process. There were upwards of 1,000 paid internet trolls working out of a facility in Russia, in effect, taking over series of computers, which is then called a botnet, Warner told Warner reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday. Warner said the committee was investigating to find out whether voters in key states, such as Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, might have been served up Russian-generated fake news and propaganda along with information from their traditional news outlets. We are in a whole new realm around cyber that provides opportunity for huge, huge threats to our basic democracy, Warner said. You are seeing it right now. Burr added that Russians are trying to influence elections in Europe as well. I think it s safe by everybody s judgment that the Russians are actively involved in the French elections, Burr said. The first round of the French presidential election is to be held next month. Scheduled to appear at the committee s open hearing are: Eugene Rumer, director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Roy Godson, professor of government emeritus at Georgetown University; Clint Watts, senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute Program on National Security; Kevin Mandia, chief executive officer of the cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc; and retired Gen Keith Alexander, former director of the National Security Agency and president of IronNet Cybersecurity. Disputes Pledging cooperation, Burr and Warner said they would steer clear of politics in their panel s probe of Russian meddling. They made a point of putting themselves at arm s length from the House investigation that has been marked by partisanship and disputes. Democrats have called for House intelligence committee Chairman Rep Devin Nunes to recuse himself because of his ties to the Trump team, especially because the investigation includes looking at contacts that Russians had with President Donald Trump s associates. Nunes, R-Calif, met with a secret source on the White House grounds last week to review classified material, which he says indicates that Trump associates communications were captured in incidental surveillance of foreigners. Nunes says he sees no reason to step aside. Burr said that so far, the Senate committee has requested 20 individuals to be interviewed. Five have been scheduled, and the remaining 15 are likely to be scheduled within the next 10 days. Additional witnesses could also be interviewed. Burr identified just one of the witnesses: Trump s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The White House has said that Kushner, a senior adviser to Trump, has volunteered to answer questions about arranging meetings with the Russian ambassador and other officials. Asked whether the committee had spoken to former national security adviser Michael Flynn or his representatives, Burr told reporters, It s safe to say that we have had conversations with a lot of people, and you would think less of us if Gen Flynn wasn t in that list. An attorney for Flynn said his client had not yet been interviewed by the Senate committee. One of Flynn s lawyers, Robert Kelner, said they have had discussions with committee staff members, but Flynn has not been contacted directly. Also: WASHINGTON: A Russian opposition leader sharply critical of President Vladimir Putin told US lawmakers Wednesday that he narrowly escaped death last month after being poisoned with a substance his doctors still haven t been able to identify. In congressional testimony, Vladimir Kara- Murza said his survival shows there are near misses in the Russian government s campaign to silence its political opponents. He told lawmakers the official diagnosis was toxic action by an undefined substance. He said he suffered multiple organ failure and was placed in a medically induced coma for several days after being hospitalized on Feb 2. The episode was reminiscent of a mysterious poisoning he suffered two years earlier when he nearly died from kidney failure. Kara-Murza s appearance before the Senate Appropriations foreign operations subcommittee is part of a broader inquiry into what the panel s chairman, Sen Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, has called Russia s misadventures throughout the world. Graham is one of a few congressional Republicans to openly criticize President Donald Trump s push for closer ties with Russia after US intelligence agencies concluded Moscow interfered in the 2016 presidential election. The purpose of the hearing was to make a case for creating a counter-russia account in the US government s budget, according to Graham. The money would be used to finance and empower countries and organizations that are fighting back against Putin s regime, he said. It s in American taxpayers interests that we push back against Putin s efforts to dismantle democracy throughout the world, Graham added. Trump triggered a bipartisan backlash in early February when he repeated his desire to improve relations with Putin during an interview with Fox News Bill O Reilly. O Reilly called Putin a killer. Trump answered, We ve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country s so innocent? Kara-Murza is the vice chairman of Open Russia, a private foundation run by exiled Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Tourists kayak through Santa Elena Canyon on the Rio Grande river, along a cliff face that is Mexico (left), at Big Bend National Park in Texas on March 27. Here the Rio Grande slides between two sheer cliff faces, one in Mexico and one in the United States, that tower 1,500 feet above the water. (AP) US President Donald Trump speaks at a women s empowerment panel on March 29, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP) America Turkey to take legal steps: Turkey will take the necessary diplomatic and legal steps regarding the arrest of a top banker from Turkey s Halkbank in the US, an adviser to President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday. An executive from Turkey s fifthlargest listed bank by assets, Halkbank, is accused of conspiring with Turkish- Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab, who is already on trial. Turkey s justice minister had said earlier the arrest was a completely political move. Speaking at an interview with broadcaster NTV, presidential adviser Cemil Ertem also said he expected Turkey s economic growth to exceed 2.5 percent in the final quarter of (RTRS) Melania helps present awards: Melania Trump helped present State Department awards Wednesday to 13 women from around the globe who were recognized for demonstrating courage and leadership in the face of adversity, a group she praised as true heroes. The first lady, on her first visit to a Cabinet department, joined Thomas Shannon, undersecretary of state for political affairs, to present the Secretary of State s International Women of Courage Award. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was traveling to Turkey. The award is given to women around the world who have shown courage and leadership while advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality and women s empowerment often at personal risk. One of the honorees, Natalia Ponce de Leon, of Colombia, started a foundation to defend and protect the human rights of victims of acid attacks after a stalker doused her face and body with sulfuric acid in March Another woman, Malebogo Molefhe, of Botswana, became an advocate for female victims of gender-based violence after she was attacked, including being shot eight times, by an ex-boyfriend in She uses a wheelchair due to injuries suffered during the assault. Wednesday s honorees hail from Bangladesh, Botswana, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Niger, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, Vietnam and Yemen. In April, the women will take part in a State Department-sponsored exchange program in several US cities. More than 100 women from more than 60 countries have been recognized with courage awards since 2007, the department said. Mrs Trump s participation in the award ceremony amounted to a rare public appearance for her in Washington, outside of the White House. She hosted a White House luncheon for International Women s Day earlier this month. Wednesday s appearance also fell in the middle of a busy week in the nation s capital for the first lady. She and President Donald Trump hosted a White House reception Tuesday night for all 100 US senators and their spouses. Mrs Trump also planned a third appearance Thursday in Washington, but the White House has not released any details. After joining Shannon at the State Immigration Policy discriminates against Muslims, hurts economy Hawaii judge extends ban block HONOLULU, March 30, (AP): A federal judge in Hawaii decided Wednesday to extend his order blocking President Donald Trump s travel ban, preventing the government from suspending new visas for people from six Muslim-majority countries and halting the US refugee program. US District Judge Derrick Watson issued the longer-lasting hold on the ban several hours after hearing arguments. Hawaii says the policy discriminates against Muslims and hurts the state s tourist-dependent economy. The implied message in the revised ban is like a neon sign flashing Muslim ban, Muslim ban that the government didn t bother to turn off, state Attorney General Douglas Chin told the judge. Extending the temporary order until the state s lawsuit was resolved would ensure the constitutional rights of Muslim citizens across the US are vindicated after repeated stops and starts of the last two months, the state has said. Watson s ruling is an affirmation of America s value of religious freedom and allows Muslims and refugees to face less uncertainty, the state attorney general s office said in a statement. Chin was traveling to Mexico for a western states attorneys general meeting and heard about the ruling while boarding a plane, said Deputy Attorney General Joshua Wisch, special assistant to Chin. Protect The government argued the ban falls within the president s power to protect national security. Hawaii has only made generalized concerns about its effect on students and tourism, Department of Justice attorney Chad Readler told the judge via telephone. The Trump administration had asked Watson to narrow his ruling to cover only the part of Trump s executive order involving the six-nation ban. Readler said a freeze on the US refugee program had no effect on Hawaii. Watson rejected that argument, preventing the administration from halting the flow of refugees. It makes little sense to do so, he wrote. That is because the entirety of the Executive Order runs afoul of the Establishment Clause, where openly available data support a commonsense conclusion that a religious objective permeated the government s action. Watson said in court that the government only argued for that narrower interpretation after a federal judge in Maryland blocked the six-nation travel ban but said it wasn t clear that the refugee suspension was similarly motivated by religious bias. Watson noted that the government said 20 refugees were resettled in Hawaii since Is this a mathematical exercise that 20 isn t enough?... What do I make of that? the judge asked Readler. The government attorney replied that 20 is simply a small number of refugees. In whose judgment? Watson asked. Hawaii was the first state to sue over Trump s revised ban. The imam of a Honolulu mosque joined the challenge, arguing that the ban would prevent his Syrian mother-in-law from visiting family in Hawaii. In his arguments, Chin quoted Ruling allows Hawaii lawsuit to work way through courts HONOLULU, March 30, (AP): A federal judge in Hawaii who temporarily blocked President Donald Trump s revised travel ban hours before it was set to take effect issued a longer-lasting order Wednesday. US District Judge Derrick Watson held a hearing Wednesday on Hawaii s request to extend his temporary hold. Several hours later, he issued a 24-page order blocking the government from suspending new visas for travelers from six Muslim-majority countries and halting the US refugee program. Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin argued that even though the revised ban has more neutral language, the implied intent is still there. He likened it to a neon sign flashing Muslim Ban, which the government hasn t bothered to turn off. Chad Readler, a Department of Justice attorney defending Trump s executive order, told the judge via telephone that Hawaii hasn t shown how it is harmed by various provisions, including one that would suspend the nation s refugee program. Watson disagreed. Here s a look at Watson s ruling and what comes next: THE PREVIOUS RULING This month, Watson prevented the federal government from suspending new visas for people from six countries and freezing the nation s refugee program. The ruling came just hours before the ban was to take effect. Watson, nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama in 2012, agreed with Hawaii that the ban would hurt the state s tourism-dependent economy and that it discriminates based on nationality and religion. Trump called the ruling an example of unprecedented judicial overreach. The next day, a judge in Maryland also blocked the six-nation travel ban but said it wasn t clear that the suspension of the refugee program was similarly motivated by religious bias. The federal government appealed the Maryland ruling to the 4th US Erdogan Melania Circuit Court of Appeals and sought to narrow the Hawaii ruling. THE LATEST RULING Like his temporary order, Watson s new order notes that Hawaii has shown the state s universities and tourism industry will suffer from the ban. A plaintiff in Hawaii s lawsuit, the imam of a Honolulu mosque, will be harmed if the ban is enforced, Watson said: These injuries have already occurred and will continue to occur if the Executive Order is implemented and enforced; the injuries are neither contingent nor speculative. Government attorneys have tried to convince the judge not to consider comments Trump has made about the travel ban. The court will not crawl into a corner, pull the shutters closed, and pretend it has not seen what it has, Watson wrote. Watson also refused to narrow his ruling to only apply to the sixnation ban, as the government requested. The ruling won t be suspended if the government appeals, Watson said. Enforcement of these provisions in all places, including the United States, at all United States borders and ports of entry, and in the issuance of visas is prohibited, pending further orders from this court, he wrote. WHAT S NEXT FOR HAWAII S LAWSUIT? Watson s ruling allows Hawaii s lawsuit challenging the ban to work its way through the courts. While we understand that the President may appeal, we believe the court s well-reasoned decision will be affirmed, the Hawaii attorney general s office said in a statement. Ismail Elshikh, the imam of a Honolulu mosque who joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff, argues that he s harmed by Trump s order because it prevents his Syrian mother-in-law from visiting family in the US It s not clear how Watson s ruling will affect the mother-in-law s ability to obtain a visa. The Department of Justice didn t immediately comment after Watson issued his decision. Trump s comments that the revised travel ban is a watered down version of the original. We cannot fault the president for being politically incorrect, but we do fault him for being constitutionally incorrect, Chin said. Earlier this month, Watson prevented the federal government from suspending new visas for people from Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen and freezing the nation s refugee program. His ruling came just hours before the federal government planned to start enforcing Trump s executive order. Trump called Watson s previous ruling an example of unprecedented judicial overreach. The Department of Justice didn t immediately comment on the latest ruling. Watson wrote that he won t suspend his ruling if the government appeals. Enforcement of both provisions of the ban is prohibited nationwide until he orders otherwise. Hawaii s ruling would not be directly affected by a decision siding with the federal government in the Maryland case, legal experts said. The 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals set a hearing for May 8 to consider the administration s appeal. What a ruling in 4th Circuit in favor of the administration would do is create a split in authority between federal courts in different parts of the country, said Richard Primus, a professor of constitutional law at the University of Michigan law school. Department, the first lady later appeared at a White House panel discussion on women s empowerment, where Trump introduced his wife, a former model, as a very highly accomplished woman. He mentioned that her poll numbers are higher than his, and also said she feels so strongly about empowering women. Since her husband s Jan 20 inauguration, the first lady has lived mostly at the family s Trump Tower penthouse in midtown Manhattan with the couple s son, Barron, 11. She often meets the president in Palm Beach, Florida, when he spends weekends at his waterfront estate there. Trump has said his wife and son will move to the White House after Barron s school year ends. (AP)

12 INTERNATIONAL 12 World News Roundup Brexit EPP vows united front History pointing to tough negotiations LONDON, March 30, (Agencies): It took Britain more than a decade of trying to join the European club. It s now got just two to get out and strike a new relationship. If anyone thinks that will be easy for Britain, a look back to its entry half a century ago will show how difficult and protracted talks with the EU can be. Successive British governments slogged away at trying to convince the original six members Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany to let it into what was then the European Economic Community. Membership in 1973 took 12 years of on-andoff discussions that at various times humbled the British. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan got so distraught he confided in his diary in 1963 that all our policies at home and abroad are in ruins after French President Charles de Gaulle vetoed Britain s first bid to join. De Gaulle would Macmillan torpedo Britain s second attempt four years later, too. Boy, was it tough, said Piers Ludlow, a historian at the London School of Economics who is a specialist on Britain s postwar relations with Europe. The past talks highlight some of the challenges Britain faces today. While the international political situation is different, the negotiations promise to be even trickier: with far more EU members involved and more complex and interdependent economies. British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday formally began the divorce talks with the EU. Her government is hoping to settle the exit terms alongside talks over the creation of a deep and special partnership. The EU wants to first reach a deal on the exit deal and has insisted that any future relationship must be seen to be inferior to full membership. Nine months on from the British vote to leave the EU, the two sides are finally setting up their stalls. The past suggests that it will be the British who will have to make the bulk of the concessions. Ludlow noted that in the early 1960s, Britain thought it would be relatively easy to join because of its status as a top European power echoing the rhetoric from Brexit proponents today, who argue they ll get a good deal from the EU because the EU has a lot to lose through its strong trade ties. Instead, the years of discussions showed the Europeans, and the French in particular, to be stubborn negotiators. Consensus For them, of course it is rather harder to reach a consensus opinion because they ve got their own national interests and they ve got to reach agreement among the six, Geoffrey Rippon, Britain s chief negotiator during the early 1970s, had said. Now there are 27 countries to negotiate with. And once again, there are concerns on the British side that the French will prove the most intransigent. As Rippon said all those years ago: They re hard bargainers. The EU side will be more efficient today, as it has a more powerful executive Commission to lead the dayto-day talks. The Commission has built up decades of experience on trade negotiations, handling them on behalf of all member states. But even so, it will take time for all the EU member states to agree on each point of negotiation. Canada s recently concluded trade deal with the bloc took seven years. Anyone involved in enlargement/trade deals over the past 60 years can tell you, it s not a fun beast to negotiate with, Ludlow said of the EU. It s like a ponderous giant; that s the nature of the beast. Michel Barnier, a former French diplomat, will be the EU s lead Brexit negotiator and is already setting the terms of the agenda. While admitting that the EU hopes to get a new trade deal within the two years, Barnier has insisted that discussions cannot proceed until Britain settles its multibillion exit bill what it owes on such things as pension obligations to EU staffers and budgetary contributions it has already committed to. And there s more than just trade to be discussed, with topics ranging from security cooperation to airlines access to European skies. Ludlow says the cost of the divorce bill has added a fraught element in much the same way financial matters did decades ago when Britain tried to join. Back then, Britain fought hard not to be one of the largest net contributors to the European budget but eventually conceded defeat to get the green light on its accession. Also: ST JULIAN S, Malta: Pro-European allies of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday set out a firm line on Britain s exit negotiations, including an exit bill for London among the main priorities of the EU s overall stance. With control of the main EU institutions in Brussels and counting EU negotiator Michel Barnier among their ranks, the centre-right European People s Party (EPP) will be one of the most important pressure groups behind the scenes of the talks. At a two-day congress dominated by Britain s formal decision to quit the bloc on Wednesday, Europe s most powerful political family said it will seek to ensure the rights of EU citizens in Britain continue, that Northern Ireland avoids a hard border with Ireland and that London settles its accounts on leaving. The exit bill must be paid in full by the United Kingdom, said Frenchman Joseph Daul, leader of the EPP that is broadly made up of centre-right Christian Democrats. The party will not allow the cherry-picking we saw over the past few decades, chairman Manfred Weber said, adamant that Britain cannot shape the new future relationship in the way London did as an EU member, opting in and out of certain areas. A possible bill of 60 billion euros ($64 billion) has been mentioned in Brussels since last year, but officials stress it is only a very rough estimate and needs to be discussed in two exit negotiations that are expected to start in mid-may. To the music of the 1970s hit We Are Family at a luxury hotel in Malta, the EPP pledged not to allow Britain to exploit divisions between centre-right governments during the talks. Although a now familiar promise by all European Union leaders, it may hold more weight because of the divisions among European socialists, particularly in France, traditionally a twin engine of the European Union along with Germany. Britain s Prince Philip, in his capacity of Colonel, Grenadier Guards, chats with members of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards as they applaud the fi nal whistle from the sidelines, of the Manchester Cup inter-company football match at Lille Barracks in Aldershot, England on March 30. The Duke of Edinburgh on Thursday presented the Manchester Trophy to the winners of the Manchester Cup, met Sergeants in their Mess and stayed for lunch in the Officers Mess. (AP) Britain s former Prime Minister David Cameron gestures as he delivers a public lecture Ukraine s Place in a Changing World at the Institute of International Relations of the National University in Kiev, Ukraine on March 29. (AP) Prince Charles Britain Masood Prince Charles joins folk dance: Britain s Prince Charles joined in a traditional folk dance Thursday during his visit to Romania, Italy and Austria, a trip seen as an effort to reassure European Union nations that Britain remains a close ally. The prince s nine-day tour with his wife, Camilla, is designed to highlight the UK s relationship with European partners in areas such as military ties and combatting human trafficking, according to his official website. Britain formally triggered two years of negotiations to leave the EU on Wednesday. On Thursday, Charles visited the Village Museum in the Romanian capital Bucharest, which features rural houses from the country s different regions. He also joined women and girls dressed in embroidered peasant blouses in a traditional jig known as hora, and watched craftsmen painting eggs and religious icons on stone and wood. Charles is enamored of Romania s rural traditions and owns two properties in the northwest Transylvania region, which he visits every year. He even boasts of sharing common lineage with Vlad the Impaler, the 15th century Romanian prince. (AP) Brexit may not push Scots: Brexit may not be a game-changer in the debate about Scottish independence, according to research published on Thursday that suggests Scots want similar outcomes as other Britons do from the United Kingdom s exit from the European Union. The survey by NatCen, a respected social research organisation, found that 93 percent of Scots favoured maintaining free trade with the EU, compared with 88 percent in Britain as a whole. On immigration, 64 percent of Scots said EU and non-eu immigrants should be subject to the same controls, versus 68 percent across Britain. The gap was wider on willingness to trade off between those two issues. In Scotland, 61 percent said Britain should allow free movement of people in return for free trade with the EU, while the figure for the whole of Britain was 54 percent. Scots, who represent about 8 percent of the UK population, voted to remain in the EU in last year s referendum while the United Kingdom as a whole voted to leave. (RTRS) Police, Muslims link hands: Police officers, Muslim youths and hundreds of others linked hands Wednesday on Westminster Bridge to honor the four people who died in an attack that started on the span a week earlier. Britain Britain not blackmailing bloc on security UK seeks to convert EU law The bridge fell silent at 2:40 pm to mark the moment when Khalid Masood began mowing down pedestrians, killing three. Masood then fatally stabbed a policeman in LONDON, March 30, (Agencies): The British government set out on Thursday how it will handle the mammoth task of converting European Union laws into domestic legislation in preparation for its exit from the bloc, seeking to ease business uncertainty about life after Brexit. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Theresa May formally notified Brussels of Britain s intention to leave the EU after more than 40 years of membership, during which tens of thousands of EU-related laws have made their way onto the British statute book, governing almost everything from farming to finance. On Thursday, her ministers set out how they intend to unpick that complex legislative web by initially converting the entire body of EU law into British law - a step seen as necessary to ensure continuity for businesses trading across EU borders. The plan centres around a Great Repeal Bill due to be laid before parliament in May. The bill will transpose EU law, repeal the 1972 European Communities Act which formalises Britain s EU membership, and give ministers the power to change existing laws to make sure they work after Brexit. The bill will convert EU law into United Kingdom law, allowing businesses to continue operating knowing the rules have not changed overnight, and providing fairness to individuals, whose rights and obligations will not be subject to sudden change, Brexit minister David Davis told parliament. Analysis by Thomson Reuters says 52,741 laws have been introduced in the UK as a result of EU legislation since 1990, and research published by parliament estimates 13.2 percent of UK primary and secondary legislation enacted between 1993 and 2004 was EU-related. The bill is expected to be subject to close scrutiny, with companies saying they cannot plan without knowing what comes after Brexit, forcing them to put investment programmes on hold and sometimes delaying major infrastructure projects. Drugmakers are concerned that Brexit will mean the UK leaves the EU-wide European Medicines Agency, forcing the creation of a separate British system for drug approvals. That will mean more red tape and could delay new medicines reaching Britain. The government s proposals did not specifically address those concerns, which are replicated in other industries such as finance and aviation where firms worry leaving the EU will mean leaving regulatory bodies that authorise them to trade. Membership Aides said membership of EU agencies would be a matter for May s negotiation. The plan also raised hackles among some politicians who fear the government will use the Brexit process to reshape EU laws without proper parliamentary scrutiny as they move them into British law. The Liberal Democrats called it a shameless power grab and the main opposition Labour Party demanded tighter controls on the powers that the government wants to grant itself to amend legislation without consulting lawmakers. Meanwhile, Britain s chief negotiator in the country s divorce from the European Union on Thursday rejected suggestions the U.K. has threatened to end security cooperation unless it gets a good trade deal, as the UK announced plans for the huge task of replacing thousands of EU laws and regulations with domestic law. Davis said May s letter triggering talks on Britain s departure made clear Britain wants to continue to work with the EU on a range of issues, including security, for both sides. We want a deal, and she was making the point that it s bad for both of us if we don t have a deal, Davis told the BBC. Now that, I think, is a perfectly reasonable point to make and not in any sense a threat. May s six-page letter triggering two years of divorce negotiations makes a courtyard on the grounds of Parliament. Police say Masood, a native Briton, was inspired by extremist ideology, but that there s no evidence he had direct links to Undated handout photo of Britain s Prince William (left), Kate Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry wearing charity headbands issued by The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. The three royals are spearheading a campaign to encourage people to talk openly about mental health issues. The young royals released 10 fi lms Thursday as part of their Heads Together campaign to change the national conversation on mental health. (AP) 11 references to security, and said that without a good deal, our cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism would be weakened. The tabloid Sun was in no doubt about what May meant: Your money or your lives, was its front-page headline Thursday, along with the words PM s Brexit threat to EU. Britain is a European security powerhouse one of only two nuclear powers in the bloc and with some of the world s most capable intelligence services. May said Wednesday that Britain will probably have to leave the EU police agency, Europol, after Brexit but wants to maintain the degree of cooperation on these matters that we have currently. Home Secretary Amber Rudd, whose responsibilities include intelligence and security, also denied there was a threat, but told Sky News: If we left Europol, then we would take our information... with us. The fact is, the European partners want to keep our information. Senior European leaders responded positively to the warm overall tone of May s letter but they could not miss the steely undertone. I find the letter of Mrs. May very constructive generally, but there is also one threat in it, said European Parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhoftstadt, saying May seemed to be demanding a good trade deal in exchange for continued security cooperation. It doesn t work like that, he told Sky News. You cannot abuse the security of citizens to have then a good deal on something else. A day after triggering its EU exit process, the British government began outlining Thursday how it intends to convert thousands of EU rules into British law when it leaves the bloc in The government published plans for a Great Repeal Bill that will transform more than 12,000 EU laws in force in Britain into U.K. statute so that the same rules will apply after exit day as before. the Islamic State group or al-qaeda. One 30-year-old man remains in custody; a second man was released without charge Wednesday. Nurses and doctors from St Thomas hospital, where many of the injured were treated, joined the vigil on the bridge, which was closed for the event. Schoolchildren clutching yellow roses held signs reading, Islam says no to terror and Please don t kill innocent people as they walked across the span that crosses the River Thames. Hundreds of members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association wore T-shirts with the message I am a Muslim, ask me anything. Zafir Malik, an imam from the association, said the group wanted to show the attack had nothing to do with Islam. We re here to show that we are united with our fellow countrymen and remembering those who have fallen, especially (police constable) Keith Palmer, he said. We are here and showing our solidarity for the country. The commemoration came as an inquest opened into the deaths of American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, school administrator Aysha Frade, 44, and Palmer, 48. Detective Superintendent John Crossley said more than 35 people were hurt in the March 22 attack, with injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to extensive bone fractures. (AP)

13 INTERNATIONAL 13 People walk under cherry blossom trees and enjoy the sunshine on an unusually warm spring day on the shore of the Lake of Geneva, in Lausanne, Switzerland on March 30. (AP) Extremism France Italy nabs pro-is trio Germany deporting potential attackers Amri BERLIN, March 30, (Agencies): Germany has deported 10 potential attackers since January as part of a tougher approach towards failed asylum seekers after one of them killed 12 people in an attack on a Berlin Christmas market, security sources said on Thursday. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and other top officials have been pushing for quicker deportations of those denied asylum, while working with Morocco, Tunisia and other countries to speed up the repatriation process. Tunisian Anis Amri, a supporter of Islamic State, attacked the Berlin market in December after being denied asylum. He was shot dead by Italian police days later. Shortly after the incident, German s Joint Terrorism Prevention Centre (GTAZ), reviewed the open cases of all other potential attackers like Amri, the sources said. A total of 10 potential attackers have since been successfully deported in a joint effort with the affected German states, said one of the sources. The suspected militants were sent back to mainly North African countries, the sources said, without providing details. The change in approach was agreed by de Maiziere and Justice Minister Heiko Maas at a meeting on Jan 10, where both men agreed that the Amri case must not be repeated. In Amri s case, one of the obstacles to physically deporting him was Tunisia s failure to issue replacement identification papers, despite the availability of fingerand handprints. Vigilant Meanwhile, a top police official says Germany needs to remain vigilant against the threat of extremist attacks. Holger Muench, the head of Germany s Federal Criminal Police Office, told reporters on Thursday that attacks in Germany are possible anytime. He said the loss of territory by the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria would lead the group to increase its efforts to commit attacks, especially in Western countries. Security authorities in Germany consider 616 extremists potentially dangerous enough to carry out an attack. Of those, about half are currently abroad and of the others who are in Germany, about 100 are in prison. A 19-year-old German man has been convicted of belonging to the Islamic State extremist group and sentenced as a youth to 3 years and 3 months in prison. The Duesseldorf state court on Wednesday convicted Hossam A. of membership in a terrorist organization. His last name was not released in accordance with German privacy regulations. The court says Hossam A. served as a guard and in an IS combat unit in Syria from August 2014 to March 2015, when he was 17 years old. According to the court, he made a wide-ranging confession during his 11-day trial. The verdict can be appealed. Also: ROME: Italian police arrested three Kosovars sympathetic to Islamic State on Thursday on suspicion of operating a jihadist cell that had discussed blowing up the historic Rialto bridge in Venice. A minor from Kosovo was also detained to prevent him from interfering with the probe, police said. All had papers allowing them to live legally in Italy. Up to three other Kosovars were also under investigation over their ties to those arrested, Adelchi D Ippolito, Venice s chief prosecutor, told a news conference streamed online. Police had been monitoring the group since last year. They tapped their phones, bugged their apartments and followed their online communications, and what emerged was disturbing and worrying, D Ippolito said. Ion Ficior, 88, former commander of the communist era the Periprava labor camp from 1958 to 1963, is led handcuffed to a police car, shortly after his arrest in Bucharest, Romania on March 29. A Romanian court on Wednesday upheld the 20-year sentence for crimes against humanity of former prison commander Ficior for the deaths of 103 political prisoners while he was in charge of a communist-era labor camp. (AP) Putin Europe Poroshenko Putin ready to meet Trump: President Vladimir Putin on Thursday voiced readiness to meet with US President Donald Trump at an upcoming Arctic summit, while reiterating rejections of allegations that Russian meddled in the US presidential election. It wasn t the first time Putin floated the idea of a meeting with Trump. Russia had hoped for a thaw in relations with the United States after Trump s election, but that has been dashed by the congressional investigation of possible links between Trump s campaign and Russia. Putin, speaking at an Arctic forum in Arkhangelsk, said he would be glad to meet with Trump at a summit bringing together Arctic nations leaders. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, whose country is set to take the rotating leadership in the Arctic Council in May, said Thursday he would be honored to host such a meeting. Also Thursday, Putin again dismissed what he called endless and groundless accusations of Russian meddling in the US election, describing them as part of the US domestic political struggle. (AP) Face of protests son of Putin ally: Russian high school student Roman Shingarkin had some explaining to do when he got home after becoming one of the faces of anti- Kremlin protests at the weekend. His father is a former member of parliament who supports President Vladimir Putin. At the height of a protest in Moscow on Sunday against what organisers said was official corruption, 17-year-old Shingarkin and another young man climbed onto the top of a lamp-post in the city s Pushkin Square. Hundreds of protesters in the square cheered and whistled as a police officer, dressed in riot gear, shinned up the lamp-post and remonstrated with the two to come down. Macron leads French election race Leftists locked in rivalry PARIS, March 30, (RTRS): Two leftwingers in France s presidential race refused to call a truce on Thursday in a battle that looks sure to knock them both out of a contest that polls say will be won by centrist Emmanuel Macron in a runoff versus far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Socialist Benoit Hamon vowed to fight to the end despite being deserted by key members of his party while hard left rival Jean-Luc Melenchon, buoyed by a poll surge, ruled out a merger with him that could put the Left back in play. With the left-wingers locked in a seemingly suicidal combat, Macron relished announcements by several rightand left-wing politicians, including Socialist defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Socialist ex-prime minister Manuel Valls, that they would vote for him instead of Hamon. I have a problem in politics at the moment: there are lots of people backing me, joked Macron, a 39-year-old who promises to transcend the Left-versus-Right divide of politics in France, where the jobless rate in a sluggish economy is near 10 percent. That said, there s some consolation in the fact that for others the problem is that people are leaving them, he said at a meeting between candidates and farming sector representatives. Hamon s struggle his potential score of votes is hovering slightly above 10 percent is complicated by the defections of Socialist party grandees, not to mention competition outside his party from Melenchon, who has overtaken him in several polls of voting intentions. They refused, and the police officer retreated, to jubilation from the protesters down below. Shingarkin was eventually detained when, after the protest in Pushkin Square had dispersed, police persuaded him to climb down. He was taken to a police station but as a minor, he could not be charged. From the Furious at Valls decision to defect to Macron, Hamon told public service radio channel franceinfo: Of course I will stay through to the finish. Melenchon, a political veteran whose potential election score in polls has risen to as high as 15 percent in the past few days, several points above Hamon, said on Wednesday he was not going to bow out in favour of a single Hamon candidacy. I will negotiate with nobody, he told a rally in the city of Le Havre. His spokesman said the Socialist Party, long split between moderates and hardliners, was now as good as dead. Only the two top candidates in the April 23 opener go on to the May 7 runoff. Opinion polls put the two frontrunners Macron and Le Pen in the mid-twenties, way above those of Melenchon and Hamon and ahead of erstwhile favourite Francois Fillon, a conservative former prime minister. Firebrand A Harris Interactive poll found that 53 percent of voters felt Hamon should pull out of the race in favour of Melenchon, a firebrand left-winger who quit the Socialist party several years ago and is now candidate of the Left Party, or what the French call the Left of the Left. A Kantar poll showed Melenchon apparently enjoying a late surge in popularity, with a 19-point rise putting him at the top of a popularity league ahead of all others in the election race. That poll did not measure voting intentions. Sandwiched between the trailing leftists and the two leading candidates police station, he had to ring his father to ask to be picked up. (RTRS) Poroshenko condemns attack: Ukraine s president on Wednesday condemned the overnight shelling of the Polish A US soldier gives high fi ve to a child as a convoy of NATO troops, a part of NA- TO s reinforcement of its eastern fl ank, stops in the district of Wesola in Warsaw Poland on March 29. The troops are on their way to Orzysz training compounds in northeast Poland. (AP) in the polls, Fillon vowed too to fight on despite a financial scandal. Fillon said he would overcome damage inflicted by a judicial inquiry into allegations he paid his British wife and children for minimal assistance work in a misuse of hundreds of thousands of euro of parliamentary funds. I can look you straight in the eyes and say: the examining magistrates will never prove that my wife s job was a fake, Fillon told RTL radio. Meanwhile, more than one in two French voters believe struggling Hamon should drop out of the presidential race in favour of a rival left-winger who has overtaken him in surveys of voting intentions, a poll showed on Thursday. The Harris Interactive poll was conducted after Wednesday s announcement by former prime minister Manuel Valls that he would join a growing number of fellow Socialists who refuse to vote for Hamon, their own party s official candidate. The disarray on the left has called into question the survival of the Socialist Party and cleared a path for independent centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen to emerge as favourites to win the presidency. Hamon s problems partly reflect the depth of public disenchantment with the Socialists after five years of rule by Socialist President Francois Hollande. Hamon, livid at Valls decision to join other key Socialists defecting to Macron, brushed off talk of an early election race exit, saying in an interview on public service radio channel franceinfo: Of course I will stay through to the finish. Consulate in a western city and vowed to track down those responsible. Petro Poroshenko also ordered extra protection for consulates and embassies in Ukraine following the incident in Lutsk, his spokesman Svyatoslav Tsegolko said on Facebook. No one was injured in the early morning attack, which involved a shell fired from a grenade launcher. Poland s Foreign Ministry said that it had summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to express Warsaw s deep concern and indignation and demand that Ukraine act decisively and immediately to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. (AP) Nearly 150 feared dead: A rubber boat packed with migrants sank in the Mediterranean and the presumed sole survivor a 16-year-old Gambian boy told rescuers he believed all other passengers drowned, the International Migration Organization (IOM) said on Wednesday. A humanitarian vessel, the Iuventa, found the boy hanging onto a fuel tank in the sea on Tuesday. He was transferred first to an Italian Coast Guard ship, then to a Spanish frigate and brought to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa early on Wednesday. He said that everyone else died. But there s some hope that the Italian Coast Guard picked up others, said IOM spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo in Rome, after speaking to staff in Lampedusa. It should become clear on Thursday whether others survived, as a Coast Guard vessel disembarks migrants in eastern Sicily that day, he said. (RTRS)

14 INTERNATIONAL 14 World News Roundup Mideast New settlement soon Israel prepares for next war with Hezb JERUSALEM, March 30, (Agencies): Between a collection of concrete buildings with Arabic graffiti that are designed to simulate a typical Lebanese village, dozens of Israeli officers are gearing up for their next battle with Hezbollah guerrillas. It s a mission the Israeli military has focused on intensely in the decade since it fought an inconclusive month-long war with the Iranian-backed group. But this drill at a base in northern Israel takes on added significance in the wake of rising tensions between the old adversaries. The friction includes a rare clash along the Syrian border this month in which Israel shot down an anti-aircraft missile fired at its planes as they were carrying out an airstrike on a suspected Hezbollah weapons convoy from Syria to Lebanon. In the past month alone, Hezbollah s chief Hassan Nasrallah has also threatened to strike Israel s nuclear facilities if Israel were to attack, and Israel has detailed a contingency plan to evacuate up to a quarter-million civilians from border communities to protect them from attacks from Hamas, Hezbollah or other Nasrallah Islamic militant groups. In another sign of the escalating feud, Israel s military chief, Lt Gen Gadi Eisenkot, revealed intelligence that Hezbollah s top military commander was killed in Syria in May 2016 by rivals within the group perhaps even on orders from Nasrallah himself. Though officers taking part in the drill insisted their training was business as usual, the backdrop clearly offered a reminder of what could await. We are trying to give the commanders and the soldiers the environment that looks like the real war so that they can have the feeling, when they will have to go to war, they will feel that they did it before. This is the purpose of the training to prepare for the real thing, said Col. Kobi Valer, commander of the Elyakim Military Base in northern Israel. The forces need to know that this could be their last training before the war. Bombarded Hezbollah fired more than 4,000 rockets on Israeli communities in the 2006 war, while Israel bombarded targets in southern Lebanon. The month of fighting killed an estimated 1,200 Lebanese, most of them civilians, as well as 44 Israeli civilians and 121 Israeli soldiers. The Israeli airstrikes caused massive destruction to residential areas in south Lebanon and south of Beirut areas where Hezbollah maintains a presence and has large support among the predominantly Shiite population. They also flattened entire blocs of residential apartments and destroyed roads, bridges, ports and power plants across the country. Despite its military superiority, Israel ended the monthlong war with a feeling that it had not delivered the crushing blow it had sought. A commission of inquiry found the military to be inadequately prepared for the battle, which broke out after Hezbollah carried out a surprise cross-border attack and captured two Israeli soldiers, and many troops acknowledged that they had underestimated Hezbollah s capabilities. Still, the war was credited with re-establishing Israel s deterrence and ensuring more than a decade of calm on the northern front. In recent years, Hezbollah has been bogged down in Syria s civil war fighting in support of President Bashar Assad, where the group has suffered heavy casualties. Although Nasrallah appears to be in no rush to resume hostilities with Israel, his group has gained valuable battle experience that has worried Israel, which says Hezbollah has significantly built up its weapons stockpile since 2006 and upgraded its arsenal to about 150,000 missiles, including longer range and guided systems capable of striking anywhere in Israel. Israel has repeatedly stated it will act to prevent Hezbollah getting advanced munitions and is widely believed to have carried out several airstrikes in recent years on weapons convoys destined for the militant group. Just recently, it made a rare admission of such a strike after Syria fired missiles at its jets. Still, Israel fears some advanced weapons like surface-to-sea weapons or anti-aircraft missiles might already have reached Hezbollah. Israel, meanwhile, has been building up its missile defenses. A system called David s Sling to intercept medium-range missiles from Hezbollah is due to become operational in early April. That would mark the completion of a multilayer missile defense system that includes Iron Dome for short range rockets and Arrow, designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles high in the stratosphere. Believe Israeli intelligence does not believe Hezbollah is interested in sparking war this year, but an unplanned escalation as a result of all the developments could happen. In the mock village in Elyakim, the reserve officers focused on the type of urban warfare that their comrades struggled with in Using paintball pellets to simulate battle, they raided structures featuring colorful murals of Nasrallah and other top Hezbollah figures and opened fire at fellow officers playing the roles of guerrillas. Moving in swift formations, commanders hollered orders as the troops ascended the various structures firing yellow paint pellets toward their supposed adversaries. All of this facility is meant to give us a more realistic feeling, said Capt. Ofek Sinai, a 26-year-old reserve platoon commander. Undoubtedly, doing this a few weeks every year makes people more confident about fighting in a real war. Netanyahu set to approve new settlement: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he expected to sign off on Thursday on building the first new settlement in the occupied West Bank for two decades, even as he negotiates with Washington on a possible curb on settlement activity. Netanyahu was due to convene his security cabinet later in the day to approve the new enclave, government officials said. I made a promise that we would establish a new settlement, Netanyahu told reporters. We will keep it today. There are a few hours until then and you will get all the details. He made the pledge in the run-up to the eviction in February of 40 families from the West Bank settlement of Amona. Israel s Supreme Court said the dwellings had to be razed because they were built illegally on privately owned Palestinian land. Israel and the administration of US President Donald Trump are in discussions on limiting the construction of settlements, which are built on land Palestinians seek for a state. Women wave their national flags during a rally marking the 41st anniversary of Land Day, on the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun border crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip on March 30. Land Day commemorates riots on March 30, 1976, when many were killed during a protest by Israeli Arabs whose property was annexed in northern Israel to expand Jewish communities. (AP) Israeli soldiers train with paintball guns during a drill at an Army base near Elyakim, Israel on March 29. Between myriad concrete buildings with Arabic graffiti that are designed to simulate a typical Lebanese village, dozens of Israeli officers are gearing up for their next battle with Hezbollah guerrillas in the wake of rising tensions between the old adversaries. Arabic is random letters. (AP) Netanyahu Mideast Gulen E. Libya jet crash kills 4: A fighter jet belonging to east Libyan forces crashed in a residential area south of the city of Tobruk on Wednesday, killing the pilot and a family of three, military officials said. The MiG jet suffered a technical fault while it was being piloted by Saleh Joudah, the commander of Tobruk air base, said Ahmed al-mismari, spokesman for the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA). Libya is home to a patchwork of armed groups with shifting loyalties. The LNA, which does not recognise the UN-backed government in Tripoli, has made territorial gain in recent months in eastern and central Libya, while also fighting rival factions inside areas under its control. (RTRS) Coalition rift mended : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resolved a dispute with his finance minister on Thursday over broadcast regulation, an issue that had put a strain on the governing coalition and fed speculation of an early election. Critics had accused Netanyahu of using the issue as a pretext for engineering an early national vote that could delay any peace moves under the new US administration and also put off the his possible indictment over suspected corruption. But coalition partners and members of Netanyahu s own right-wing Likud party balked at the idea of an early ballot, and brokered talks with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon. On March 18, Netanyahu cited concerns over job losses when he scrapped an agreement with Kahlon on setting up a new public broadcasting watchdog on April 30 intended to replace an existing authority widely seen as antiquated and inefficient. (RTRS) US may extradite Gulen : Turkey expects the United States to take concrete steps on the extradition of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom it blames for a failed coup attempt last July, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday. Speaking at a joint news conference with visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Cavusoglu said Washington should take administrative steps including the temporary detention of Gulen. (RTRS) Israel extends arrest of teen: Israeli police say a court has extended the arrest of a 19-year-old American-Israeli Jew suspected in recent bomb threats against Mideast Israel to cut $2 mln from UN dues Trump endorsed Palestinian state US Jewish community centers. Police say they are keeping the suspect in custody for another week and placing his father under house arrest. A court has JERUSALEM, March 30, (Agencies): Prominent US lawyer Alan Dershowitz said in an interview Thursday that President Donald Trump spoke to him clearly about a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, suggesting a shift in Trump s stance. Trump broke with longtime US policy last month when he withheld clear support for an independent Palestine, saying he could endorse a one-nation solution to the conflict. I m looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like, Trump said in a February press conference at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Dershowitz, who is Jewish and close to the Israeli prime minister, told Israel Army Radio that he discussed the matter with Trump during a meeting on March 18, and that Trump endorsed two states in their conversation. Clearly he was talking about a two-state solution. He was not in any way suggesting, at least in his conversation with me, a one-state solution, Dershowitz said. He said Trump is anxious to convey the message that he really wanted to have a peace agreement and believes that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is anxious to make a deal, Dershowitz said. Anxious Nabil Shaath, Abbas foreign affairs adviser, confirmed that Abbas is anxious to reach a peace agreement with Israel and said it was important that Trump reportedly lent his support to the two-state solution. Netanyahu s bureau and Israel s Foreign Ministry declined comment on Dershowitz s interview. For nearly a half-century, the Israeli military has occupied the West Bank, land Palestinians want for an independent state. Over the past two decades, the international community has overwhelmingly backed the idea of a twostate solution as the best way of reaching peace in the region. But Trump s campaign platform made no mention of a Palestinian state, and his appointed ambassador to Israel has expressed skepticism about a two-state solution in the past. Trump s inner circle includes aides with ties to the West Bank settler movement, which objects to the creation of an independent Palestine. Netanyahu has not formally abandoned his stated support for the twostate solution, but has stopped mentioning it in his speeches since Trump was elected. Instead, he has made vague statements about seeking a region-wide peace agreement. Dershowitz said he was pleasantly surprised by Trump s knowledge of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying Trump spoke to him about the main issues that would need to be solved in a two-state approach: competing claims to Jerusalem, security concerns, demilitarization of a Palestinian state, and Palestinian refugees demands to return to land they fled or were expelled from during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that led to Israel s independence. The White House has been holding intensive talks with Israel in recent weeks about an agreement concerning Israel s future settlement building policy, but the sides have not come to an agreement yet. Netanyahu said reaching an understanding with Washington on the settlements would be good for Israel. But he has also pledged to honor a promise to build a new settlement to replace Amona, an illegal settlement outpost built on private Palestinian land that was dismantled following an Israeli Supreme Court ruling. I promised from the beginning that we would create a new settlement, Netanyahu said Thursday. I believe I gave the first commitment in December and we will fulfill (the commitments) today. There are a few more hours and you will know all of the details later. According to Israeli media, Netanyahu will convene his Security Cabinet late Thursday and is expected to hold a vote to approve a replacement settlement in the West Bank. President Donald Trump gained his first ambassador Wednesday when attorney David Friedman was sworn in as America s envoy to Israel. Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath of office to Friedman and hailed Trump s decision to nominate his former bankruptcy attorney for the sensitive diplomatic post as one of the clearest signs of the president s commitment to the state of Israel and the Jewish people. The president of the United States of America is a lifelong friend of Israel and the Jewish people and, under his leadership, if the world knows nothing banned the publication of their names. Israeli media say the suspect s father told the court on Thursday that his son spent hours alone in his room on the Israeli police stand around the body of a Palestinian woman in Jerusalem on March 29. Israeli police say officers have shot and killed a Palestinian woman who attacked them with a knife in Jerusalem. (AP) else the world will know this: America stands with Israel, Pence said as Friedman s wife, Tammy, their five children and most of their grandchildren watched. Ron Dermer, Israel s ambassador to the US, also attended the ceremony. Friedman, whose nomination faced resistance from Democrats and some Jewish groups, said he was humbled by the trust Trump had placed in him. He also noted his standing as the first of Trump s ambassador nominees to win Senate confirmation and be sworn in to office. Unbreakable Those facts speak volumes about how highly the Trump-Pence administration prioritizes our unbreakable bond with the state of Israel, Friedman said. He said he recently resigned from the law firm in which he was a founding partner. The Senate approved Friedman s nomination last week by a vote of 52-46, largely along party lines. Republican lawmakers brushed aside complaints from Democrats that the combative Friedman lacked the temperament to represent the US with such a key Middle Eastern ally. The son of an Orthodox rabbi, Friedman has been a fervent supporter of Israeli settlements, an opponent of Palestinian statehood and a defender of Israel s government. Israel announced Wednesday it is reducing its required payment to the United Nations by $2 million following recent anti-israel votes. Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said the decision to reduce the annual payment was taken following votes critical of Israel at the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. The General Assembly requires all 193 UN member states to pay a percentage of the United Nations regular budget, based on their GDP. According to the UN Secretariat, Israel is expected to pay about $11 million this year, or 0.43 percent of the regular budget. Under Article 19 of the UN Charter, any country in arrears of its dues payments in an amount that equals or exceeds the contributions due for two preceding years can lose its vote in the General Assembly. As of March 15, three countries were banned from voting because of arrears Libya, Sudan and Venezuela. computer and that he was unaware of any suspicious behavior. (AP) Block Booking.com court: A Turkish court has ordered the travel website Booking.com to be blocked in a dispute with the country s main travel agency association, Turkey s state-run news agency reported Wednesday. The Anadolu Agency reported that a commercial court in Istanbul ordered the move against Booking.com as a precautionary measure while the case is ongoing. Lawyers for the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies had argued that Netherlands-based Booking.com was engaging in unfair competition in the marketing of hotels in Turkey. Anadolu said that government authorities are expected to block access to the website as soon as they receive official notification from the court. In a written statement, Booking.com said it disagreed with the ruling and would appeal. As an e-commerce and technology company, we are convinced that we contribute to healthy competition in the market by offering Turkish consumers a transparent and easy platform to compare and book accommodation all over the world, the company said. (AP)

15 INTERNATIONAL 15 North Korea Silver lining in error Malaysia releases Kim s body to North KUALA LUMPUR, March 30, (RTRS): Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Thursday that the body of Kim Jong Nam, half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has been released to North Korea, bringing an end to a diplomatic spat that escalated over nearly seven weeks. Najib said nine Malaysians barred from leaving North Korea had been allowed to board a plane to leave Pyongyang, adding on Twitter that the plane was expected to reach Kuala Lumpur at 5:00 am Malaysian time (2100 GMT). The Malaysians left Pyongyang in a Royal Malaysian Air Force business jet, which headed immediately west out of North Korean airspace before turning south towards Malaysia, according to flight tracking website planefinder.net. Following the completion of the autopsy on the deceased and receipt of a Jong Nam letter from his family requesting the remains be returned to North Korea, the coroner has approved the release of the body, Najib said in a statement. The statement did not mention Kim by name. Kim was assassinated at Kuala Lumpur airport on Feb 13. Malaysian police say Kim was killed by two women who smeared super toxic VX nerve agent on his face. An Indonesian woman and Vietnamese woman have been charged. A joint statement by the North Korean government released simultaneously said both countries managed to resolve issues arising from the death of a DPRK national in Malaysia at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur. DPRK stands for North Korea s official name, the Democratic People s Republic of Korea. Reaffirmed The importance of bilateral relations was reaffirmed. In this connection, both countries agreed to positively discuss the re-introduction of the visa-free system and work towards bringing the relations to a higher level, read the statement from North Korea. Malaysia imposed a travel ban on North Koreans leaving the Southeast Asian country in a tit-for-tat move after Pyongyang barred Malaysians from leaving its borders. Najib said on Thursday that North Koreans will now be allowed to leave Malaysia. North Korea were angered by Malaysian authorities, who identified North Korean suspects and wanted to question others, including a diplomat at their embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Pyongyang has maintained that the body was that of Kim Chol as stated in his passport, and not Kim Jong Nam. Malaysia also expelled the North Korean ambassador for being diplomatically rude, though Najib later said that ties with Pyongyang would not be severed in a bid to calm relations. In related story, Malaysian authorities wrongly identified the slain half-brother of North Korea s leader as a South Korean national and first alerted Seoul s embassy in Kuala Lumpur soon after his death, sources familiar with the incident told Reuters. The police error did have a silver lining: It enabled Seoul to quickly inform Kuala Lumpur the dead man was probably Kim Jong Nam, halfbrother to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Kim was murdered around mid-morning on Feb 13, when Malaysian police say two women smeared super toxic VX nerve agent on his face at the budget terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport. After examining the victim s passport, Malaysian authorities confused the Democratic People s Republic of Korea, the formal name of North Korea, with the Republic of Korea, the official name of its estranged southern neighbour, the sources said. Malaysian authorities contacted the South Korean embassy, sending along copies of documents found on Kim s body. After the mix-up was realised, North Korea s diplomatic mission in Kuala Lumpur was informed on the day of the murder, the sources said. Requests Malaysian police did not respond to requests for comment. The confusion over Kim s nationality also explains why it was the South Korean media that initially broke the news. Within 24 hours of his death, South Korea s National Intelligence Service had briefed lawmakers in Seoul that Kim Jong Nam was believed dead. It then was leaked to the South Korean media. Hours after the news emerged in South Korea, Malaysian police confirmed that a North Korean man had died at the airport, without disclosing his identity. South Korean and US intelligence sources say North Korea masterminded the attack, which Pyongyang denies. North Korea does not even acknowledge the dead man is Kim Jong Nam. Pyongyang continues to refer to him as Kim Chol, the name on the diplomatic passport Kim was carrying when he died. South Korean intelligence officers say Kim Jong Un had issued standing orders for the elimination of his elder half-brother. Kim Jong Nam s murder was remarkably public, according to North Korea analysts. The assassins chose an airport covered by CCTV cameras and a designated weapon of mass destruction possessed by only a few states, North Korea among them. The effect had to be planned, said Robert L. Gallucci, a former US chief negotiator with North Korea over its nuclear programme. They wanted to underline impunity, that they can act with impunity. The brazen nature of the assassination also made collecting evidence relatively easy. After the first chaotic day, the investigation was taken over by Malaysia s Special Branch which combines the roles of elite police unit and domestic intelligence agency. The two women who smeared the VX nerve agent on Kim described by police as Vietnamese entertainment outlet employee Doan Thi Huong and Indonesian spa masseuse Siti Aisyah were arrested three days after the killing. Hiroshi Imazu (second right), Chairman of Research Commission on Security of Japan s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) submits a proposal on missile defense to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (right), flanked by former defense minister Itsunori Onodera (second left), head of LDP panel, at the prime minister s office in Tokyo on March 30. (AP) Japan ruling party urges strike ability amid NKorea threat Japan s ruling party urged the government Thursday to consider arming the country with more advanced and offensive capability, such as striking enemy targets with cruise missiles, further loosening the self-defense-only military posture Japan has had since the end of World War II. The Liberal Democratic Party s Ousted South Korean president Park Geun-hye leaves after hearing on a prosecutors request for her arrest for corruption at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on March 30. (AP) Xi Asia Trump Xi to meet Trump: President Donald Trump will meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for the first time on April 6-7 at Trump s Florida resort, China s foreign ministry announced Thursday, amid a range of pressing issues from trade, to North Korea and territorial claims in the South China Sea. The future relationship between the world s No. 1 and No. 2 economies has been uncertain following the election of Trump, who accused China during his campaign of unfair trade practices and threatened to raise import taxes on Chinese goods and declare Beijing a currency manipulator. It is unclear whether Trump will follow through with either threat. He is now seeking Beijing s help in pressuring North Korea over its nuclear weapons and missiles programs. China is the North s most important source of diplomatic support and economic assistance. In February, Trump reaffirmed Washington s long-standing One China policy in a call with Xi, in an apparent move to ease concerns in China that he might use Taiwan as leverage in negotiations over trade, security and other sensitive issues. The policy in place since 1979 requires Washington to maintain only unofficial ties with Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters that Xi would meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, without providing any more details. (AP) Troops reductions: China s plans to reduce troop levels are on track, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday, after a 2015 announcement by President Xi Jinping that the People s Liberation Army would cut 300,000 troops, with most of the cuts due by the end of council on defense policy urged the government to immediately start studying ways to bolster Japan s capability to intercept missiles with a system such as the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD system, that the US and Seoul have agreed to install in South Korea. The panel cited a new level of Maritime threat from North Korea, which fired four missiles this month, three of them landing inside Japan-claimed exclusive economic waters. North Korea s provocative acts have reached a level that Japan absolutely cannot overlook, the party s security panel said in the proposal given to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. We should not waste any time to strengthen our ballistic missile defense. The panel noted that North Korea s recent missile launches have shown advancing technology, with a capability to launch from a mobile facility or submarine, use solid fuel, as well as fired to a high-altitude trajectory which makes it harder to trace and respond. (AP) Lawmaker pushes for Duterte impeachment over defeatist stance China seeks to survey seas: Manila MANILA, Philippines, March 30, (Agencies): The Philippines said Thursday that China wants to survey potentially resource-rich seas off the country s northeast coast but Manila will agree only if a Filipino scientist is allowed to observe. Acting Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo told ABS-CBN News Channel that a number of Chinese requests to survey Benham Rise have been denied because China rejected that condition. Some requests are still pending. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has said that Chinese survey ships were spotted crisscrossing the Benham Rise area from July to December last year. It was not clear what the ships were doing. Chinese officials have said their ships have the right of innocent passage through the area. Benham Rise is on the opposite side of the Philippines from where the countries are locked in a dispute over ownership of islands and shoals in the South China Sea. The UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf confirmed in 2012 that Benham Rise is part of the extended continental shelf of the Philippines, where it has sovereign rights to explore and exploit oil, gas and other mineral resources, including sedentary species. Manalo said after the Chinese ships presence in Benham Rise was reported the Department of Foreign Affairs sent a diplomatic note to China to inquire what they were doing there. Respect China replied that number one, they fully respect and recognize sovereign rights of the Philippines on Benham Rise and secondly, it is not an area under dispute, he said, adding they were satisfied with their explanation. This was confirmed two or three times so the implication is they will follow the rules laid out by UNCLOS and that s how we are going to deal with this issue, he added, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. On Wednesday, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon told a Senate hearing that a Chinese ship seen in the area conducted research but the Philippines has no indication as of now that it surveyed what s on the seabed. It also could not be established if the research was done inside or outside the country s exclusive economic zone, he added. There was no such thing as man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea, China s Defence Ministry said on Thursday, and reiterated that any building work was mainly for civilian purposes. The building has included airports, harbours and other facilities, involving in some cases the dumping of massive amounts of sand to build up land on what were reefs or structures that may only have been exposed at low tide. But ministry spokesman Wu Qian implied that was perhaps a misunderstanding, though he said there was construction work China, which hopes the measures will leave it more money to spend on high-tech weapons for its navy and air force, and result in a leaner and more strategic military, has struggled to resolve the grievances of those previously laid off, however. Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said there were detailed arrangements in place for the reductions and things were proceeding smoothly. This year it will achieve its set aims on schedule, Wu told a regular monthly news briefing, without elaborating. An unidentified van believed to be carrying the body of Kim Jong Nam comes out from the forensic department at Kuala Lumpur Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on March 30. Malaysian police on Thursday stopped guarding the morgue that held the body of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un s murdered halfbrother, after the van departed amid reports that his remains will leave the country. Shortly after the van left the hospital, police left the building and the morgue was reopened to the public. (AP) which China had every right to do as the Spratlys were inherent Chinese territory. There is no such thing as man-made islands, Wu told a regular monthly news briefing. Most of the building is for civilian purposes, including necessary defensive facilities. The South China Sea is generally stable at present, but some countries outside the region are anxious about this and want to hype things up and create tensions, Wu said, using terminology that normally refers to the United States. Pressed to explain his comment that were no man-made islands, Wu declined to elaborate, saying China had already provided a full explanation of its construction work. On Monday, a US think tank said China appeared to have largely completed major construction of military infrastructure on artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea and can now deploy combat planes and other military hardware there at any time. Meanwhile, a Philippines lawmaker filed supplementary charges on Thursday to an impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte, accusing him of taking a defeatist stance by doing nothing to challenge Beijing s activities in the South China Sea. Opposition congressman Gary Alejano said Duterte had made a slew of remarks that proved he had no intention to protect Philippine sovereignty and had alienated key allies like the United States through rants and unstoppable outbursts. Also: HANOI: Vietnam on Thursday denounced Taiwan s military drills on and around a disputed South China Sea island, labelling them a serious violation of its sovereignty and a threat to maritime security. China claims most of the energy-rich waters through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. Taiwan s claim to Itu Aba is complicated by the fact that China considers Taiwan sovereign territory. Taiwan and China both claim the South China Sea using old maps that date back to the late 1940s when the Nationalists ruled China. The defeated Nationalists fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing to Mao Zedong s Communists. Taiwan has been self-ruled ever since. Taiwan s coast guard said that the live-fire drills around Itu Aba were routine. The scheduled drills began on Wednesday and end on Friday. Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said the drills were a serious violation of Vietnam s sovereignty over the (Spratly) archipelago, threatening peace, stability, and maritime safety and security, stressing and complicating the situation in the East Sea (South China Sea). China sets rules on beards, veils BEIJING, March 30, (RTRS): China will step up a campaign against religious extremism in the far western region of Xinjiang on Saturday by implementing a range of measures, including prohibiting abnormal beards, the wearing of veils in public places and the refusal to watch state television. Hundreds of people have died in recent years in Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uighur people, in unrest blamed by Beijing on Islamist militants and separatists, though rights groups say the violence is more a reaction to repressive Chinese policies. In February, military veterans demonstrated in central Beijing for two days, demanding unpaid retirement benefits in a new wave of protests highlighting the difficulty of managing demobilised troops. Previous protests have been sparked by pension problems suffered by some demobilised soldiers who fought against Vietnam in (RTRS) Arrest decision looms: A South Korean judge was expected to deliberate into the early hours of Friday on whether to arrest ousted president Park Geun-hye, the country s first democratically elected leader to be thrown from office, in a corruption scandal that has dominated politics for months. Park, who could become South Korea s third former leader to be jailed, is accused of colluding with a friend, Choi Soon-sil, to pressure big businesses to contribute to now-defunct foundations set up to back her policy initiatives. She gave about eight hours of testimony at Seoul Central District Court on Thursday and was being held at the prosecutors office next door while the judge studied evidence and arguments to rule on whether to an issue an arrest warrant. The decision was not expected to come until the early hours of Friday, a court official told Reuters. Park, 65, arrived expressionless at the court to plead her case that she should not be arrested or held while prosecutors investigate the scandal. (RTRS)

16 INTERNATIONAL 16 World News Roundup Asia Africa 1 in 10 in extreme poverty No proof aid went to Hamas: Australia CANBERRA, Australia, March 30, (Agencies): The Australian government said Thursday it had found no evidence that any of its donations to the Christian charity World Vision had been siphoned to Islamic militant group Hamas. But Australia s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said its World Vision funding in Gaza would remain suspended while Israeli charges against the global aid agency s Gaza manager Mohammed el-halabi remain unresolved. DFAT has reviewed the management of its funding to World Vision in the Palestinian Territories. The review uncovered nothing to suggest any diversion of government funds. the department said in a statement. Australia s funding to World Vision in the Palestinian Territories remains suspended until we have considered the outcomes of the court case against Mr. el- Halabi and reviews being undertaken by World Vision Australia and World Vision International into this issue, it added. Australian is the biggest single donor to World Vision s humanitarian work in Gaza, providing more than $2 million in the past three years. El Halabi Australia and Germany suspended funding in August after Israeli authorities charged el-halabi with diverting around $50 million to Hamas to help build tunnels and purchase weapons. Israel s internal security service Shin Bet alleged el-halabi created fictitious humanitarian projects to get the funds to Hamas. The Shin Bet alleged he underwent Hamas training in the early 2000s and was planted by the group at World Vision in 2005, where he climbed the ranks to become director of the Gaza branch. El-Halabi has pleaded not guilty to all charges. 1 in 10 in extreme poverty: Some 400 million people, a tenth of Asia Pacific s population, live on less than $1.90 a day the global definition of extreme poverty despite the region s impressive economic growth, the United Nations and the Asian Development Bank said on Wednesday. Taking into account wider indicators of poverty such as health, education and living standards for the same period from 2010 to 2013, the number of poor was far higher at 931 million, or one in four, said a report released at a forum in Bangkok. In addition, around 11.7 million people were subject to forced labour in the region in 2012, the highest in the world, while nearly a billion worked in poorly paid jobs with no social protection, the report added. We are still not at a stage where we can claim that our successful economic and social gains are irreversible, Shamshad Akhtar, executive secretary of the UN regional office in Asia, told the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development. Corruption, lack of human rights protection and rising inequality pose systemic barriers for the region in building an inclusive and prosperous future, the report said. Trump s consultant to meet Aussie govt: The big data company credited with helping Donald Trump win the US presidency has registered a company in Australia and plans to meet the country s ruling conservative Liberal Party next week, according to documents and a government official. Cambridge Analytica, which has also said its psychographic methods helped the successful campaign for Britain to leave the European Union, has registered an Australian office at a property currently being redeveloped in the Sydney beachfront suburb of Maroubra, corporate filings show. The presence of Cambridge Analytica in Australia underscores its efforts to capitalise on two high profile successes in the past year and enlarge its footprint in established Western democracies. Thousands told to evacuate: Australian authorities told 40,000 people to evacuate to higher ground on Thursday as a storm system generated by a powerful cyclone that pummelled the northeast two days ago swept down the coast with heavy rain. Cyclone Debbie hit as a category four storm in the north of tropical Queensland state on Tuesday, smashing tourist resorts, bringing down power lines, flattening canefields and shutting down coal mines. Driving rain fell most heavily on Thursday in hinterland and coastal areas either side of the state capital, Brisbane. This severe weather system that began with Cyclone Debbie and is tracking down the coast is causing havoc across our state, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters in Brisbane. The cyclone was downgraded to a tropical low depression on Wednesday but on Thursday was driving squalls with torrential rain across a 1,200-km (745-mile) stretch of Australia s east coast, swelling rivers, causing flash floods and prompting authorities to tell 40,000 people to evacuate. Cambodia marks deadly attack: Hundreds of members of Cambodia s opposition party held a ceremony Thursday marking the 20th anniversary of a grenade attack in the nation s capital that killed 16 people. The 1997 attack was widely seen as an assassination attempt on Sam Rainsy, a former finance minister, political leader and fierce critic of Prime Minister Hun Sen. Sam Rainsy escaped with minor injuries in the attack, in which four grenades were thrown. But others at the anti-corruption protest where the attack occurred died and more than 100 people were wounded, some seriously. Speaking by video link from Paris, Sam Rainsy said the victims are still waiting for justice. He has lived in self-imposed exile since 2015 to avoid legal problems he says were instigated by the government. RB heir appearance postponed: An heir to the Red Bull fortune won another delay Thursday in facing charges over an alleged hit-and-run that killed a police officer almost five years ago. Vorayuth Boss Yoovidhya has been a no-show for meetings with prosecutors on several occasions, complaining through his attorney of unfair treatment, or citing duties out of the country. This week an Associated Press report that he s been living lavishly, traveling to Formula One races, snowboarding in Japan and cruising in Venice, has sparked additional pressure. Vorayuth had been scheduled to meet with prosecutors Thursday, but Prayuth Petchkun, deputy spokesman for the attorney general s office, said Vorayuth s lawyer asked for the meeting to be rescheduled to April 27. He said the defendant has something to attend to in England. A layman prepares the portraits of victims during a Buddhist ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the March 30, 1997 attack, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on March 30. Hundreds of members of Cambodia s opposition party held a remembrance Thursday marking the 20th anniversary of a grenade attack that killed 16 people.(ap) A Kashmiri villager shouts freedom slogans during the funeral of a local suspected rebel commander Tauseef Ahmed Wagay at Yaripora, about 60 kms south of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir on March 29. Thousands attended the funeral of Wagay, a day after he was killed in a gunbattle with government forces in Kashmir. Three civilians were also killed and dozens injured in anti-india protests that erupted Tuesday following the gunbattle. (AP) A masked protester throws an exploded tear-gas shell back at Indian policemen in Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir on March 29. (AP) Lat/Am Temer eyes WH visit: Brazilian and US officials are in talks about a White House visit by President Michel Temer to discuss bilateral trade and investment issues, two sources in Temer s office said on Wednesday. US President Donald Trump invited Temer for a visit during a March 18 phone call, when the two leaders discussed deepening commercial and business ties between the Western Hemisphere s largest economies, the sources said. Trump s promises to defend US companies from foreign competition have worried Washington s partners in much of Latin America, especially Mexico which is under pressure to rework a free-trade deal with its northern neighbor. But the center-right Temer government hopes to see business opportunities opening up with the United States as it struggles to rescue the Brazilian economy from a twoyear recession. (RTRS) Mexican editor shot: A Mexican journalist was shot and injured early on Wednesday in the eastern state of Veracruz, the state attorney general s office said, the latest in a spate of attacks against reporters in Mexico. The 51-year-old news editor at La Opinion de Poza Rica, a newspaper in the violent oil-drilling city of Poza Rica in the drugravaged state, was shot outside his home early on Wednesday morning. The attorney general s office in a statement identified him only as A.A.G. but the State Commission for the Protection of Journalists named him as Armando Arrieta Granados. The wounded editor is in hospital, the statement said, and local media said he was in grave condition. So far this month, three journalists have been killed across Mexico, which is grappling with rising crime. (RTRS) Colombia OKs gen as VP: Colombia s Congress backed the appointment of retired General Oscar Naranjo as vice-president, replacing German Vargas Lleras who stood down to qualify for a run at the presidency next year. President Juan Manuel Santos nominated the former national police chief and peace negotiator to focus on security in the Andean nation. Subcontinent Pakistan halts extradition of US man Russia resurrects interest WASHINGTON, March 30, (AP): As America s 16-year war in Afghanistan drags on, Russia is resurrecting its own interest in the graveyard of empires. The jockeying includes engaging the Taleban and leading a new diplomatic effort to tackle Afghanistan s future, all while Washington leaves the world guessing on its strategy for ending the conflict. Uncertain of Moscow s intentions, the Trump administration will stay away when Russia hosts regional powers China, India, Iran and Pakistan, and several Central Asian countries, for another set of Afghan talks next month. Afghanistan s government is attending, but the US declined an invitation, saying it wasn t consulted ahead of time. No one has invited the Taleban. For Russia, dogged by memories of the Soviet Union s disastrous, 1980s occupation of Afghanistan, it s a surprising turn at the head of the country s proverbial peace table. And it coincides with the Kremlin s campaign to wield greater international authority at the US expense elsewhere, including intervening in Syria s war and pushing for a settlement on President Bashar Assad s and its own terms. Moscow even has sought to broker new Israeli- Palestinian negotiations, challenging Washington s grip on the Mideast peace process. Consequence For the United States, the new Russian foray into Afghanistan may represent another worrying consequence of a perceived American retrenchment. The perception has intensified overseas as President Donald Trump formulates new policy. Since taking office, he has scarcely mentioned Afghanistan, the US military s largest deployment in a war zone. Russia sees a gap and is trying to fill it, said Jonah Blank, a South Asia expert at the RAND Corp It s looking Naranjo was approved with a total of 168 votes in his favor in the lower house and Senate, while 21 lawmakers cast null or blank votes. Santos, whose second four-year term ends next year and who is barred from running Temer Trump around for opportunities, for any place where it can expand its own influence and freedom to pursue its own interests, and undermine US alliances and partnerships. President Vladimir Putin s government is an unlikely peace broker in Afghanistan, but the Afghans are grappling with great uncertainty. They re waiting to see if Washington sends more troops as GenJohn Nicholson, top US military commander in Afghanistan, advocates or adjusts strategy amid increased Taleban attacks and Afghan military setbacks. In the past year, insurgents have sought to overrun several provincial capitals. Railway officials say eight coaches of a passenger train derailed in northern India and 32 people were injured. Indian Railways spokesman Anil Saxena said the last eight coaches of the Mahakaushal Express train rolled off the tracks in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh state early Thursday. Local villagers and railway workers pulled out hundreds of passengers from the coaches that had fallen on their sides. Some of the injured received first aid at the site, while around two dozen were taken to hospitals. Railway police and engineers were investigating why the coaches derailed, Saxena said. A Pakistani court has temporarily barred the extradition of a US citizen of Pakistani origin accused of planning a terror attack in New York with help from the Islamic State group, a defense lawyer said Wednesday. No information has emerged so far about the plot involving Talha Haroon, who was detained in Pakistan last September, or about the assistance he allegedly got from the country s Islamic State affiliate. The request for Haroon s extradition was made sometime after his arrest and approved by a district magistrate in January. again, was defense minister when Naranjo, 60, took the post as police chief in (RTRS) Caracas jails oil co official: Venezuelan officials say they ve arrested a senior manager at the state oil company on corruption charges at a moment when the oil-rich country is struggling with fuel shortages. The chief prosecutor s office says on its webpage Wednesday that international commerce manager Marco Antonio Malave is accused of conspiring with Petroleos de Venezuela s contractors importing supplies for the domestic market. It says the 47-year-old official was arrested on March 23. That was a day on which gasoline shortages had caused long lines at gasoline stations in the capital and much of the rest of the country. (AP) Congo govt corrupt ANC s ally objects to Gordhan fi ring JOHANNESBURG, March 30, (Agencies): The South African Communist Party, an ally of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), has formally objected to a plan by President Jacob Zuma to sack Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, a senior SACP official said on Thursday. The party registered its objection to the planned dismissals of Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas during a meeting with Zuma on Monday, deputy secretary general Solly Mapalia Gordhan told a news conference. We objected both to the removal of the comrades as well as the intended replacements, of course even the reasons given, he said referring to Gordhan and Jonas. Comrade Pravin (Gordhan) has run that ministry with absolute cleanliness, and that s what is impressing us, it s one of the best-run departments. Congo govt corrupt : The US ambassador to the United Nations said Wednesday the United Nations is partnering with a corrupt government in Congo and she called for a large cut in the world s largest peacekeeping mission in the troubled African nation. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Ambassador Nikki Haley said the UN mission in Congo is aiding a government that is inflicting predatory behavior against its own people. Her comments came a day after Congo said the bodies of an American and a Swedish investigator for the UN and a Congolese colleague were found Monday in a shallow grave in a region that has seen months of deadly violence between government troops and local militias. Congo says it will investigate. Congo to probe deaths: Congo s government said Wednesday it will investigate the deaths of an American and a Swedish expert for the United Nations and their interpreter, whose bodies were found in a shallow grave Monday after the team disappeared more than two weeks ago. Sweden said it was opening a murder investigation, and the UN Security Council strongly condemned the killings. American Michael Sharp, Swedish national Zaida Catalan and their interpreter Betu Tshintela went missing March 12 along with driver Isaac Kabuayi and two motorbike drivers in Central Kasai province while looking into recent large-scale violence and alleged human rights violations by the Congolese army and local militia groups. Buhari submits noms: Nigeria s President Muhammadu Buhari has submitted the names of two ministerial nominees to the Senate, the upper house said on Wednesday, moving to reassert his authority after returning from seven weeks of medical leave. Buhari nominated Stephen Ocheni, of Kogi state and Suleiman Hassan from Gombe state, to fill the vacant labour and environment ministries, said the Senate on its official Twitter account. Nigeria Senate prez cleared: The president of Nigeria s upper house of parliament has been cleared of any wrongdoing over allegations that he attempted to evade payment of customs duties on a car, the chairman of the Senate committee that investigated the claims said on Wednesday. The car duty allegations related to newspaper reports that the Senate failed to pay import duties of 74 million naira ($240,650) on a bulletproof car worth 298 million naira. Ethiopia extends emergency: Ethiopian lawmakers on Thursday extended the country s six-month state of emergency for an additional four months. The widely expected move came amid reports of continued violence and anti-government activities in some remote, restive areas. The state of emergency, called after months of sometimes deadly protests demanding wider political freedoms, has hurt one of Africa s fastest-growing economies. Hunt for Kony continues: A Ugandan military official says the hunt for fugitive warlord Joseph Kony will continue in the jungles of central Africa despite US withdrawal from the mission. Army spokesman Brig Richard Karemire said Thursday that Uganda is thankful for US support over the years in efforts to defeat Kony s Lord s Resistance Army. American forces were deployed as advisers in 2011.

17

18 INTERNATIONAL 18 World News Roundup In this image made from video provided by NASA, US astronauts Peggy Whitson (above), and Shane Kimbrough work on the outside of the International Space Station on March 30. An important piece of micrometeorite shielding was lost during the spacewalk. (Inset): In this Nov 17, 2016 file photo, Whitson waves from a bus prior to the launch of Soyuz MS-3 spaceship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. (AP) Spacewalking astronauts lose piece of shielding, floats away Spacewalking astronauts lost an important piece of cloth shielding needed for the International Space Station on Thursday when it floated away. Astronaut Peggy Whitson immediately reported the mishap to Mission Control, which tracked the bundle as it drifted off. NASA said it would be monitored to make sure it doesn t come back and hit the station. The shielding protects against micrometeorite debris. It was one of four pieces that Whitson and Shane Kimbrough were installing over the spot left by a relocated docking port. NASA spokesman Dan Huot said the three remaining shields were installed to cover the most vulnerable spots. It was a disappointing turn of events in a record-setting spacewalk for Whitson, the world s oldest and most experienced spacewoman. It was the eighth spacewalk of her career, the most ever performed by a woman. There was frustration in her voice as she informed Mission Control. Huot said it was not immediately clear who let the shield go or how it got away; it s supposed to be tethered to the station or spacewalker at all times. Spacewalkers have lost objects before but usually the items are small, like bolts. In 2008, an astronaut lost her entire tool kit during a spacewalk. Each fabric shield weighs 18 pounds. When unfolded, it is about 2 inches thick and measures about 5 feet by 2 feet, according to NASA. The entire 250-mile-high space station is protected, in some fashion, against possible debris strikes. The docking port was disconnected during a spacewalk last Friday by Kimbrough, the space station s commander and a sixtime spacewalker. Then flight controllers in Houston moved it to a new and better location Sunday. It will serve as one of two parking spots for commercial crew capsules under development by SpaceX and Boeing. The spacewalkers hooked up vital heater cables to the docking port and removed a cover from the top. Then they turned to the shields, and that s when one of the folded coverings got away. Mission Control instructed the astronauts to retrieve the cloth cover just removed from the docking port, and try to fashion it over the gaping hole left by the lost shield. (AP) Environment Space Block order Groups fi le suit over Trump climate actions CHICAGO, March 30, (AP): Environmental groups that vowed to fight President Donald Trump s efforts to roll back his predecessor s plans to curb global warming made good on their promise Wednesday, teaming up with an American Indian tribe to ask a federal court to block an order that lifts restrictions on coal sales from federal lands. The Interior Department last year placed a moratorium on new coal leases on federal lands to review the climate change impacts of burning the fuel and whether taxpayers were getting a fair return. But Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive order that included lifting the moratorium, and also initiated a review of former President Barack Obama s signature plan to restrict greenhouse gas emissions from coalfired power plants. Environmentalists say lifting the moratorium will worsen climate change and allow coal to be sold for unfairly low prices. Trump It s really just a hail Mary to a dying industry, said Jenny Harbine, an Earthjustice attorney who filed the lawsuit in US District Court in Montana on behalf of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Sierra Club, and Center for Biological Diversity. Respond The White House did not immediately respond to an seeking comment on the lawsuit. The Department of Justice declined comment. Environmental groups have been preparing for months to fight the Trump administration s environmental rollbacks, including by hiring more lawyers and raising money. Trump, who has called global warming a hoax invented by the Chinese, said during his campaign that he would kill Obama s climate plans and bring back coal jobs. Advocates said they also will work to mobilize public opposition to the executive order, saying they expect a backlash from Americans who worry about climate change. This is not what most people elected Trump to do, said David Goldston, director of government affairs at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Poll after poll shows that the public supports climate action. A poll released in September found 71 percent of Americans want the US government to do something about global warming, including 6 percent who think the government should act even though they are not sure that climate change is happening. That poll, which also found most Americans are willing to pay a little more each month to fight global warming, was conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. Meanwhile, the largest US electric company sued 30 international and domestic insurance companies Wednesday, saying they should cover part of the utility s multibillion-dollar cleanup costs in the Carolinas for toxic byproducts left from decades of burning coal to generate power. Charlotte-based Duke Energy Corp. said it filed a lawsuit in state court alleging breach of contract by insurers that have refused to pay claims that could total hundreds of millions of dollars. In this March 16, 2017 photo, a potato plant grows inside a Mars simulator in Lima, Peru. The simulator mimicks the harsh conditions found on Mars. (AP) Guan Discovery Chatters Dirty air kills over 750K: A study that measures the human toll of air pollution from global manufacturing and trade shows how buying goods made far away can lead to premature deaths both there and close to home. More than 750,000 people die prematurely from dirty air every year that is generated by making goods in one location that will be sold elsewhere, about one-fifth of the 3.45 million premature deaths from air pollution. The study says 12 percent of those deaths, about 411,000 people, are a result of air pollution that has blown across national borders. It s not a local issue anymore, said study co-author Dabo Guan, an economist at the University of East Anglia in England. It requires global cooperation. It has long been known that that the environmental burden of manufacturing often falls heaviest on countries where companies set up shop to take advantage of low labor costs and relatively loose environmental regulations. But this is the first study to bring together economic, manufacturing, trade, atmospheric and health data to calculate the number and location of premature deaths from air pollution. It found that people in Western Europe buying goods made elsewhere were linked to 173,000 overseas air pollution deaths a year, while United States consumption was linked to just over 100,000 deaths, according to the study published in Wednesday s journal Nature. (AP) Naia young mother : More details have emerged about one of the oldest sets of human remains found in the Americas, a young woman nicknamed Naia whose nearly complete skeleton was discovered in 2007 Plant grows in frigid, high carbon-dioxide surroundings Potato hints of life in Mars LIMA, Peru, March 30, (AP): In a lab in the Peruvian capital of Lima, a simulator mimicking the harsh conditions found on Mars now contains a hint of potatoes on the red planet. Peruvian scientists built a simulator akin to a Mars-in-a-box: Frosty belowzero temperatures, high carbon monoxide less than a millimeter of rain a year, making its terrain somewhat comparable to the Red Planet s parched ground. life: a nascent potato plant. concentrations, the air pressure International Potato Center re- After experimenting in the Andean nation s dry, desert soil, scientists have successfully grown a potato in frigid, high carbon-dioxide surroundings. Though still in early stages, investigators at the International Potato Center believe the initial results are a promising indicator that potatoes might one day be harvested under conditions as found at 6,000 meters (19,700 feet) altitude and a system of lights imitating the Martian day and night. Though thousands of miles away from colleagues at NASA s Ames Research Center in California providing designs and advice, Peru was in many ways an apt location to experiment with growing potatoes on Mars. searchers transported 700 kgs (1,540 pounds) of the soil to Lima, planted 65 varieties and waited. In the end, just four sprouted from the soil. In a second stage, scientists planted one of the most robust varieties in the even more extreme conditions of the simulator, with the soil Mars has no organic soil replaced by crushed hostile as those on Mars. rock and a nutrient solution. The findings could benefit not only Lands Live-streaming cameras caught every future Mars exploration, but also arid regions already feeling the impact of climate change. It s not only about bringing potatoes to Mars, but also finding a potato that can resist non-cultivable areas on Earth, said Julio Valdivia, an astrobiologist with Peru s University of Engineering and Technology who is working with NASA on the project. The experiment began in 2016 a year after the Hollywood film The Martian showed a stranded astronaut surviving by figuring out how to grow The birthplace of the domesticated potato lies high in the Andes near Lake Titicaca, where it was first grown about 7,000 years ago. More than 4,000 varieties are grown in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, where potatoes have sprouted even in cold, barren lands. The Peruvian scientists didn t have to go far to find high-salinity soil similar to that found on Mars, though with some of the organic material Mars lacks: Pampas de la Joya along the country s southern coast receives tiny movement as a bud sprouted and grew several leaves while sensors provided around-the-clock monitoring of simulator conditions. The winning potato: A variety called Unique. It s a super potato that resists very high carbon dioxide conditions and temperatures that get to freezing, Valdivia said. NASA itself also has been doing experiments on extraterrestrial agriculture, both for use on spacecraft and perhaps on Mars. in a water-filled cave in Mexico s Yucatan Peninsula. A study has determined that as thought, the young woman was between 15 and 16 when she died by falling into the cave about 13,000 years ago. Researchers add that she was about 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall and weighed about 110 pounds (50 kgs) at her heaviest, though there was evidence she had suffered episodes of Sakuji Yoshimura, the director of the Institute of Egyptology, Waseda University (center), leaves the site of Cheops second solar boat below the Pyramids site in Giza, Egypt on March 29. Egypt inaugurated its largest on-site antiquities laboratory, to restore the second ceremonial boat of Pharaoh Cheops, known for building the largest of Egypt s iconic Pyramids. The project, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Higashi Nippon International University, is set to complete the initial phase of repairs of the 4,500-year-old vessel by (AP) famine. She had broken her arm but it later mended. Finally, the new study suggests she may have recently given birth before she died. Mexico s National Institute of Anthropology and History said Wednesday the study was based on X-ray and other tests on the skeleton, which has been pulled out of the cave bit by bit over the last several years. The study was conducted by James Chatters of Applied Paleoscience, a consulting firm in Bothell, Washington, and other researchers. (AP) Part of Khufu s boat unearthed: A plank of wood believed to be from the boat of an ancient Egyptian king has been unearthed near the Great Pyramid at Giza, archaeologists said on Wednesday. The boat, which is the second such vessel to be found on the site, was believed to have been built for King Khufu who ruled Egypt during the fourth dynasty more than 4,500 years ago. First discovered in the 1980s, experts say they have so far uncovered 700 pieces of the boat from the site and now believe that they have unearthed most of its pieces. We are celebrating the extraction of the largest plank of wood, said the project s main supervisor Mamdouh Taha, adding it measures 26 metres (85 feet) long. Archaeologists and conservation experts extracted the piece from a pit nearly threemeters underground and moved it to a conservation centre located next to the discovery site. (RTRS)

19 Vin Diesel on Paul Walker: We don t want to let him down Fate of the Furious footage feels very different Film LAS VEGAS, March 30, (Agencies): The Fate of the Furious is in, and it s good according to first reactions to the upcoming film. Universal Pictures surprised CinemaCon audiences on Wednesday with an unannounced screening of the eighth film in the franchise and praise spread quickly on Twitter. The Hollywood Reporter s Rebecca Ford said it was perfection, while the trade publication s Aaron Couch said it is exactly what you buy your ticket for, calling out Jason Statham s film-stealing sequences. Couch also noted that there are a few so bad they re good moments that the improbable franchise has become known for, including a particularly over-the-top sequence with a submarine. IMDB s Keith Simanton said director F. Gary Gray, a newcomer to the franchise fresh off of Straight Outta Compton, is up to the task. Slashfilm s Peter Sciretta wrote that it takes the ridiculousness to a whole new level, but feels very different. And Steven Weintraub of Collider.com singled out Dwayne Johnson in particular who he called a straight up superhero. Johnson, among other things, deadlifts concrete and coaches a girls soccer team. The Fate of the Furious reunites the Los Angeles street racers, including Michelle Rodriquez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, and Nathalie Emmanuel, taking them to the streets of Cuba, New York, Berlin and to the frozen Russian landscape. Charlize Theron joins as a dreadlocked baddie with nuclear ambitions and Scott Eastwood teams up with Kurt Russell as an agent in training. Official reviews are embargoed until April 10 before it races into theaters on April 14. Vin Diesel choked up while paying tribute to the late Paul Walker at CinemaCon on Wednesday. He said that he decided to go forward with The Fast and the Furious franchise to make good on a promise Walker made that there would be an eighth chapter in the long-running series. That film, The Fate of the Furious, opens next month. Universal later surprised the audience by debuting the full movie. It was Paul Walker who promised eight, Diesel said. It played over and over again in my brain. Walker died in an automobile crash in He was 40-years old. Part of Paul s legacy lives through every frame that we shoot, Diesel said. Diesel, who has called Walker his best friend, said the actor continues to live through the characters. You are reminded of this angel that was so integral to this concept of brotherhood for our millennium, Diesel said. There s something beautiful about that. There s something celebratory about that. Fighting back tears, Diesel put a hand over his eyes. I always feel like he s looking down on us so we didn t want to let him down, Diesel said. Diesel wasn t the only member of the franchise to reflect on Walker s legacy. We move and operate in the memory of Paul Walker, co-star Tyrese Gibson added. CinemaCon is an annual exhibition industry trade show unfolding this week in Las Vegas. Diesel said that The Fate of the Furious will kick off a new trilogy. Before each Fast and Furious movie, he said he asks himself a question. How do you reinvent yourself? Diesel said. How do you defy expectations? When Diesel announced in 2015 that the series would move forward, he used CinemaCon as a platform, telling theater owners that the film would be the best movie ever made. Hold me to that, he said. Also: LOS ANGELES: Jason Momoa told theater owners at CinemaCon that he was leaving on Wednesday evening to fly to Australia to begin production on Aquaman. Consequently, the superhero film didn t have a trailer to show exhibitors. That didn t stop Momoa and director James Wan from debuting a video rich with production art that promised to take audiences to a dazzling underwater universe. I want the audience to experience Atlantis in the way that Aquaman experiences it as well, said Wan, whose credits include The Conjuring, Insidious, and Furious 7. Variety Features FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 31-APRIL 1, 2017 NEW YORK: To help shed her early reputation, Angelina Jolie agreed to be drug tested during production of 2001 s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, according to a new book. The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday released an excerpt from an upcoming biography of the former studio head Sherry Lansing, Leading Lady. Lansing stepped down as Paramount Pictures chairman and chief executive in When casting the then 24-yearold Jolie for Lara Croft, Lansing had concerns about Jolie s stability. This was shortly before the actress wed Billy Bob Thornton. Then-Paramount production president John Goldwyn said the studio had Jolie undergo random drug tests. Director Simon West recounts that Jolie, eager for the part and to prove herself, said she would do anything including daily drug tests to prove that I m worthy. (AP) LOS ANGELES: Charlize Theron dazzled exhibitors twice at CinemaCon on Wednesday: in the spy thriller Atomic Blonde, and as the villainess in The Fate of the Furious. Footage from Atomic Blonde received two showings at the annual gathering of theater owners first at Universal s morning presentation and then again a few hours later as the conclusion to the Focus Features presentation. Focus is the specialty division of Universal. Theron stars in and produces Atomic Blonde, formerly called The Coldest City, and set in Berlin in 1989 on the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall. She plays a spy from MI6 sent to take down an espionage ring. (RTRS) LOS ANGELES: Beauty and the Beast shows no signs of slowing down. The Disney smash has earned more than $700 million in its first three weeks of release, and it could top the domestic box office chart yet again with roughly $40 million. Whether Beauty and the Beast three-peats as the weekend winner depends on how many people turn out for Boss Baby or The Ghost in the Shell, two In this image released by Paramount Pictures, Chin Han appears in a scene from Ghost in the Shell, which opens on March 31 in the US. (AP) new wide releases scheduled to hit theaters. Despite appealing to the same family audience as Beauty and the Beast, Boss Baby looks to be in the stronger position. The animated feature about a young boy struggling to adjust to life with his attention-grabbing baby brother is on track to debut to $30 million when it opens across 3,773 Film Horror, adventure on display in Cruise s Mummy Dunkirk footage gets hearts racing LAS VEGAS, March 30, (Agencies): A propeller stops midair. Soldiers packed like sardines on a pier cower in fear of an unseen threat. Those are the images Christopher Nolan left CinemaCon audiences hanging onto Wednesday as he premiered new footage from Dunkirk, his long-awaited epic about the storied World War II evacuation. It s something British people grow up with. It s in our DNA, Nolan said. It s something that s been close to my heart for a long time. Nolan told the audience of theater owners that he wanted to tell the story in the most visceral way possible, putting audiences on the beaches, in the air and running with the troops. The Interstellar and Dark Knight director shot the film entirely on large format celluloid and said theaters are the only way to experience the suspenseful survival story. The only platform I m interested in talking about is theatrical exhibition, Nolan said. I want to thank you all for everything you ve done for my films. Without you there is no audience. The film s large eclectic ensemble cast includes veterans like Kenneth Branagh and Mark Ryland, Nolan mainstays Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy, pop star Harry Styles and a few newcomers like Fionn Whitehead. It arrives in theaters on July 21. An impassioned Christopher Nolan introduced intense footage from his World War II epic Dunkirk, expressing his goal of taking moviegoers back to the massive 1940 evacuation. This is a story that needs to carry you through and make you feel you are there, Nolan told exhibitors at Warner Bros. presentation on Wednesday afternoon at CinemaCon, the annual theater owner trade show taking place this week in Sin City. Dunkirk will focus on the rescue through a quickly assembled British fleet of more than 800 boats, which saved more than 335,000 soldiers who had been cut off by the German Army. As the rescue was concluding, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill told Parliament, We shall fight on beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in fields and in the Jolie streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender. Calling it one of the greatest stories of human history, the London-born Nolan told the crowd at Caesars Palace that the event looms large for the British 77 years later. The footage shown to exhibitors included a pair of soldiers trying to bring an injured soldier across a crowded bridge while Tom Hardy s fighter pilot character is battling Nazis. The footage ends with a dock full of Brit soldiers waiting to be strafed and Hardy s plane running out of gas. Best Several exhibitors said afterwards that the Dunkirk footage was the best shown at the presentation. In his preamble, Nolan said that the men on the beach were beaten back fiercely to the sea with their backs to the water. Though only a few miles from their home country, the peril they faced was immense. At its heart it s a survival story, he noted. The enemy is closing in on the British on this beach with no escape... They were faced with the choice between surrender and annihilation. The cast includes Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Fionn Whitehead, Aneurin Barnard, Harry Styles, James D Arcy, Jack Lowden and Barry Keoghan. Universal Pictures is going back to its roots monsters. The studio on Wednesday debuted footage from its upcoming adventure film The Mummy, which opens a monster universe drawing on Universal s vault of classic properties like Bride of Frankenstein, Invisible Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Tom Cruise stars in the Alex Kurtzman-directed The Mummy, which is equal parts action and horror as Cruise s explorer Nick Morton attempts to combat an ancient evil that has been unlocked and threatens to destroy the world. Sofia Boutella is the Mummy, once an Egyptian princess who turned to the dark side when denied the Theron locations. DreamWorks Animation produced the picture, which is being distributed by Fox. The studio didn t offer up a budget. Critics don t care for the film, with Variety s Owen Gleiberman knocking Boss Baby as a wee bit tiresome. (RTRS) throne. Kurtzman and the cast, including Boutella, Annabelle Wallis and Jake Johnson, discussed Cruise s famous commitment to eye-popping stunts. I think I was brought onto this movie to be afraid to do stunts with Tom Cruise, Johnson said. Tom does it all and he makes his co-stars do it too. And I do mean make. Johnson laughed that when he would complain when he got hurt or bruised, Cruise would quip back: Yeah, we jumped off a building dummy. It hurts! Cruise, who is on location for a shoot, delivered a video message to the audience. My love for this began with universal classic films, Cruise said. To usher in a new age of gods and monsters is something that makes me very proud and excited. Audiences can meet the original monster June 9. Wonder Woman is here to save the world, and, possibly the future of Warner Bros DC Comics universe. New footage featuring actress Gal Gadot s lassowielding superhero stole the show Wednesday night at CinemaCon, which also featured some peeks at Aquaman and Justice League. It also marked Ben Affleck s first public appearance since acknowledging he d recently completed rehab for alcohol addiction. The Batman star didn t say anything, but just stood alongside his Justice League director Zack Snyder and co-stars Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller. But it was Wonder Woman s show, even though Gadot wasn t in Las Vegas. The sepia-soaked extended clips highlighted the World War I espionage thrills as Diana/Wonder Woman adjusts to life with mortals. Co-star Chris Pine, who plays an American soldier, said the Patty Jenkins-directed film had a Casablanca feel. Even the new Justice League footage spotlighted Gadot s Wonder Woman as she breaks into Affleck s supposedly secured bat cave with ease and informs the caped crusader that they would need to assemble to defeat a threat. LOS ANGELES: Warner Bros used CinemaCon as a springboard to reveal the title for its Annabelle sequel Annabelle: Creation while underlining the massive success of its New Line horror brand. The studio showed a promo Wednesday to show exhibitors the creepy trailers for Annabelle: Creation, directed by David F. Sanberg and Stephen King s It, directed by Andres Muschietti. The presentation included interviews with the directors along The Conjuring director James Wan all who praised New Line for its willingness to explore horror stories outside the usual parameters of the genre, starting with The Conjuring in (RTRS)

20 NEWS/FEATURES 20 People & Places Film For here resonates India Zee flies Beyond the Clouds with Majidi LOS ANGELES, March 30, (RTRS): Sambhar, a village in Rajasthan, located some 200 miles from New Delhi, is adjacent to India s largest saline lake and produces some 10% of the country s salt. It has some glamorous antecedents too having hosted prominent Bollywood productions like Jodhaa Akbar, Delhi-6, P.K., and Highway. For much of March 2017, Sambhar witnessed a film shoot rather different from Bollywood. Iranian auteur Majid Majidi, director of award-winning films such as Children of Heaven and Baran, chose a house in the village to stand in for a residence in Mumbai, where his latest film Beyond the Clouds is set. Majidi had been planning to make an India-set film some eight years ago. There are many similarities between Iran and India in culture, language and clothes, says Majidi. Sometimes we even use the same words and slang as well. The director s quest to make a film in India led him to Mumbai-based production house Eye Candy Films ( The Legend of Michael Mishra ) and plans were announced for Floating Gardens, a film with Majidi the same genre and aesthetic of Children of Heaven and Baran, according to Majidi. Floating Gardens was set aside temporarily to focus on Clouds, a Hindi-, English- and Tamil-language coming of age story about a brother-sister relationship, described by Majidi as a social subject like my other films, but in different layers, where we pay attention to poor people who suffer from social problems, who do not have the chance to express themselves. Produce Clouds will be Indian media conglomerate Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited s first international production via its Zee Studios outfit. Shareen Mantri and Kishor Arora produce for Eye Candy, and Reza Tashakkori serves as executive producer. Zee Studios has produced a number of Indian films, including 2016 blockbusters Sairat and Rustom. While Zee Studios and Eye Candy declined to reveal the budget of the film, Variety has learnt from reliable industry sources that the figure is around $12 million. Initial Bollywood names being considered for the female lead included Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut ( Queen.) In the end, after a lengthy audition process, Majidi cast Malavika Mohanan, so far known for Malayalam-language films Pattam Pole and Nirnnayakam, with debutant Ishaan Khattar as the male lead. Unlike Bollywood films that are done mostly on sets, 90% of this film is shot on realistic locations, says Majidi. He could not find a location that matched his vision in Mumbai, but found the perfect match in Sambhar. Majidi is working with an entirely Indian crew on the film. Having previously employed legendary cinematographer Vittorio Storaro on Muhammad, Majidi chose Anil Mehta (Oscar-nominated Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India.) I wanted to use someone who knows the light, the color and the rich culture of India. It was very important to have a local crew, said Majidi. The filmmaker also renewed his Muhammad relationship with double Oscar-winning Indian music composer A.R. Rahman ( Slumdog Millionaire.) ZSI and Eye Candy will show footage to international buyers at the Cannes film market in May and the companies are already in negotiations with some US studios for North American rights, says Vibha Chopra, head of distribution & marketing, Zee Studios International, the Zee division that focuses on acquisition and distribution of films for the international market. The plan is to premiere the completed film at A-list festivals later in the year before an international commercial rollout. After wrapping Clouds, Majidi will revive Floating Gardens and another currently untitled India-set drama, this time revolving around the difficult lives of children who work in coal mines. The challenges faced by immigrants and the battle over healthcare lend renewed relevance to the premise of For Here or to Go? which bears a 2015 copyright date yet directly addresses these and other hot-button issues of the day. Brightly amiable while not particularly urgent, this handsomely made US indie opens regionally March 31. Including both English and Hindi dialogue, the film will speak most effectively to apprehensive immigrants caught between uncertain Stateside status and cultural displacement. It s 2008, the recession has just hit, and, in the heart of Silicon Valley earnest young tech worker Vivek Pandit (Ali Fazal) has a problem. After seven years of hard work for a company to which he s not emotionally invested, he s about to land a plum position at a healthcare start-up by virtue of innovative software he s written. Unfortunately, the would-be entrepreneur has neglected his immigration paperwork, and when the company finds out he has less than a year left on his visa, it backs away from hiring him. Vivek has other issues as well, chief among them an alarming parade of townhouse roommates that include confident Sam (Samrat Chakrabarti), conflicted gay co-worker Lakshmi (Omi Vaidya), flaky Amit (Amitosh Nagpal) and a mysterious weekend visitor who lands them on the FBI s watch list. Eased Vivek s tensions are eased somewhat by recent law-school grad Shweta (Melanie Kannokada), whom he meets at a Bollywood speed-dating event. Their courtship is highlighted, fittingly, by a town square flash-mob dance number called There s a Party on the Dance Floor. Adding some gravitas is Shweta s author father Vishwanath Prabhu (Rajit Kapur), who exhorts talented Indians to return home to make their fortunes, even though the advice clashes with the goals of his Stateside business partner Raj Mehta (Keith Stevenson). Writer-producer Rishi S. Bhilawadikar s too-busy script nevertheless scores legitimate points about the complexities and paradoxes of the visa application process, the resulting limbo in which many legitimately productive immigrants find themselves, and other frustrating and soul-searching issues facing ethnic communities. Given the set-up, Vivek s eventual fate, inspired by advice from an unlikely savior, plays as anti-climactic. Director Rucha Humnabadkar (who has a cameo as a TV presenter) and DP Tristan Nyby caught their numerous Northern California locations on particularly sunny days, matching the dispositions of the pleasant but not overly strident leads. (From left): Shaun Robinson and Colin Trevorrow listen as Naomi Watts speaks during the Focus Features luncheon and studio program celebrating 51 years during CinemaCon at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 29 in Las Vegas. (AP) Katherine Heigl, a cast member in the upcoming fi lm Unforgettable poses before the Warner Bros Pictures presentation at CinemaCon 2017 at Caesars Palace on March 29 in Las Vegas. (AP) Clinton Variety Murad LOS ANGELES: Noreen Fraser, a TV producer whose own cancer diagnosis turned her into an activist against the disease, has died. She was 63. Fraser died Monday at her Los Angeles home of metastatic breast cancer, her family said. She joined forces with other prominent women, including Katie Couric, to found Stand Up to Cancer. The organization holds celebrity-filled telethons and has raised a reported $300 million-plus for research since Its aim is to get lifesaving treatment to patients more quickly through collaborative research. (AP) LOS ANGELES: Since the election, there s been endless chatter that Chelsea Clinton might follow in her parents footsteps. But in an interview with Variety, she quashed those rumors. I am not running for public office, Clinton said. Clinton has been grilled about a number of hypothetical political careers since she was a young girl, growing up in the Arkansas Governor s Mansion and the White House. I really am constantly surprised by the stories of me running for, fill in the blank Congress, Senate, City Council, the presidency, Clinton said. (RTRS) MONTPELIER, Vt: An illustrator whose memoir and graphic novel about growing up with a bisexual father was adapted into a Tony Award-winning musical has been selected as Vermont s cartoonist laureate. The Burlington Free Press reports that Alison Bechdel is Vermont s third cartoonist laureate and will be honored next month at the Statehouse. The Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction made the announcement Tuesday. (AP) CHICAGO: The daughter of author Amy Krouse Rosenthal plans to finish a project her mother started before her death earlier this month following a battle with cancer. Rosenthal wrote more than 30 books. A Film Five Came Back and changed H wood war depiction Hall gave new life to Ghost New York Times essay titled, You May Want to Marry My Husband, was widelyshared online after being published 10 days before she died on March 13. LOS ANGELES, March 30, (RTRS): Taking on a remake can be daunting for a cinematographer, with pressure to honor the original but also to re-create the story and put a personal spin on it. Imagine the angst in taking on a multimedia franchise. Such was the task of cinematographer Jess Hall, who, working with longtime friend and collaborator director Rupert Sanders, had to reimagine Ghost in the Shell, a Japanese property that originated in 1989 as a manga series by artist Masamune Shirow. Since 1995, the series has gone through multiple film and TV anime adaptations. In 2013, an original video series appeared, followed by another TV series and, two years ago, Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie. Along with comic books, there are also videogame versions. But Paramount s Ghost in the Shell, which debuts March 31 with Scarlett Johansson in the lead role of a counter-cyberterrorist, adds to the degree of difficulty by being a liveaction film. The sci-fi tale, set in mid- 21st century Japan, follows a cyborg called Major who just happens to be Public Security Section 9 s best weapon against the world s most nefarious criminals. Sanders and Hall met, and began collaborating, when they were in school at Saint Martins School of Art in London. Hall shot Sanders first test commercial for Sony more than 15 years ago, and they ve teamed up on multiple awardwinning commercials for the likes of Guinness, Nike, and Adidas. Hall recalls his early creative experiences in the UK. The whole thing with art school in England is you get your hands dirty, he says. I was animating from early on, using an optical printer and developing my own 16mm film. We were encouraged to get to know the medium in a very hands-on way. While Ghost is their first feature together, Sanders and Hall have each done significant movie work: Hall s credits include Hot Fuzz, The Spectacular Now, and Transcendence. Sanders helmed the 2012 hit Snow White and the Huntsman. It s always brilliant for the creatives when the director has a long-time working relationship with the cinematographer, notes Richard Taylor, CEO and co-founder of New Zealand s Weta Workshop, which provided prosthetics, animatronic puppetry, and all the physical props for Ghost. And in the case of Rupert and Jess, their solid understanding of each other s work processes proved to be a great benefit to us all on this project. Hall, who shot the film on an Arri Alexa 65 with customized lenses in collaboration with Dan Sasaki, VP of optical engineering at Panavision, says that he and Sanders have aimed for a tactile focus to their work. We have always incorporated models, miniatures, and all sorts of elements, Hall notes. Our approach has always been to get as much in camera as possible to reduce the amount of CG needed in post. Complex Jess has a comfortable understanding of what it takes to put together the sort of complex imagery that Rupert requires for a VFX-heavy film such as Ghost, notes Taylor, bringing a level of visual flair that complements the original source material. Hall was meticulous in his preparation for Ghost : Two years passed from the day he went to Hong Kong where he snapped more than 2,000 reference pictures for the film to the final days of photography. That s a lot of visual richness and depth to draw from, Hall explains. The more we started working with the other heads of department in figuring out how to manufacture this world, the clearer it became that all the elements needed to be integrated CG, miniatures, animatronics, prosthetics, lighting, set design. Everything had to intersect, and the design had to be refined and full of detail. For the film, special effects producer Dayton Taylor designed a full-body photogrammetry rig an 80-camera dome system that enabled Hall and his team to capture live performance simultaneously from every angle and then integrate these elements into their CG backgrounds. It was the first use of such a system on a major motion picture. It was important to us all that the Rosenthal s daughter, Paris, wrote on Instagram on Monday that she plans to complete a project on the photo-sharing platform that her mother began before her Zack Synder (center), director of the upcoming fi lm Justice League, discusses the fi lm with cast members (from left) Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller, Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck during the Warner Bros Pictures presentation at CinemaCon 2017 at Caesars Palace on March 29 in Las Vegas. (AP) retro- 80s sci-fi aesthetic of Shirow s work was evoked through every element of the picture, says Taylor. This visual creative styling shines throughout every shot thanks to the decisions made by Jess. William Wyler lost his hearing, George Stevens never made another comedy, and John Huston suffered what is now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after years of filming scenes of death and destruction. The three directors, along with Frank Capra and John Ford, were not the only ones changed by their experiences documenting World War Two. Hollywood itself was also changed, the documentary Five Came Back shows, bringing a new realism to way the war was depicted in the movies and its effects on those who served and those who stayed behind. The toll the war took on these men was profound, said Mark Harris, author of Five Came Back that was adapted for the documentary. Their experiences making documentaries and short films gave them an appetite for independence and autonomy and (made them) strive harder for realism and immediacy in their Hollywood features, Harris added. Five Came Back, released on Netflix on Friday, tells the stories of the war time directors and adds commentary by modern filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Greengrass, Guillermo Del Toro and Lawrence Kasdan. Although none of the five signed up for combat, all left successful careers and saw action during their years filming many of World War Two s biggest turning points. The decision to document the war came from General George Marshall s belief that Hollywood filmmakers could grab people s hearts in a way that newsreel films couldn t, said Harris. Before the United States entered the war, audiences were very used to a sterilized Hollywood war, with bloodless combat, Spielberg reflects in the documentary. death to share a 1,2,3, list daily for 123 days. (AP) NEW YORK: Nadia Murad, the human rights activist who survived the murderous reign of ISIS, is working on a book. Tim Duggan Books, a Penguin Random House imprint, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that it had acquired The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State. Murad s memoir is scheduled for Oct 31. In a statement released through her publisher, Murad noted that she had lost numerous friends and family members to ISIS and hoped her story would influence world leaders to act. Murad s village in Iraq was captured by ISIS in August (AP) NEW YORK: Poet Jenny Xie (SHUH) has won the Walt Whitman Award for an outstanding debut collection. The Academy of American Poets told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Xie was chosen for Eye Level. As winner of the Whitman prize, Xie will receive $5,000, a six-week residency in Italy and a publishing deal with Graywolf Press, which will release her book in April (AP)

21 NEWS/FEATURES 21 Music ACMs play to audience Zohra aims to send a positive message Ahmad KABUL, Afghanistan, March 30, (AP): Afghanistan s first and only all-female symphony is trying to change attitudes in a deeply conservative country where many see music as immoral, especially for women. The symphony s two conductors show how difficult that can be, but also how satisfying success is. One of them, Negin Khpolwak, was supported by her father when she joined the Afghanistan National Institute of Music and then became part of its girls orchestra, called Zohra. But the rest of her family was deeply against it. Her uncles cut off ties with her father. They told him he is not their brother anymore, said Khpolwak, now 20. Even my grand-mother disowned my father. Khwolpak had learned about the music institute at the orphanage in Kabul where she spent most of her life. Her father sent her to the orphanage because he was afraid for her safety in their home province of Kunar in eastern Afghanistan, an area where Taleban militants are active. The institute is one of the only schools in Afghanistan where girls and boys share classrooms, and it draws its students from the ranks of orphanages and street children, giving them a chance at a new life. Khpolwak studied piano and drums before becoming the orchestra s conductor. More than 30 girls aged 12 to 20 play in Zohra, which is named after a goddess of music in Persian literature. In January, the orchestra, which performs traditional Afghan and Western Classical music, had its first international tour, appearing at the World Economic Forum in Davos and four other cities in Switzerland and Germany. The formation of the orchestra is aimed at sending a positive message to the community, to send a positive message to the girls, to encourage families and girls to join the music scene of the country, said Ahmad Naser Sarmast, the institute s founder and director. Experienced Sarmast has experienced firsthand the militants hatred of music. In 2014, a Taleban suicide bomber blew himself up at a concert Sarmast was attending. He was wounded and a German man in the audience died. The Zohra orchestra was created in 2014 when one of the institute s students, a girl named Meena, asked Sarmast if there could be a group where girls could play together. Sarmast leaped at the idea. Since then, Meena has disappeared. Last year, the 7th grader told the school she had to attend her sister s wedding in her family s village in eastern Nangarhar province. She never returned, a sign of how tenuous people s situation is in a country where war rages, communications are poor and poverty is rife. Sarmast said the school has not been in contact with her, but he s hopeful she ll return to the school and Zohra. The orchestra s other conductor, 18-year-old Zarifa Adiba, faced resistance from her family just as Khpolwak did. When she joined the school in 2014, she only told her mother and step-father, not her four brothers and her uncles, because she knew they would disapprove. Her mother and step-father tried to tell them about the importance of music without mentioning Adiba but they weren t convinced. If my brothers and uncles had known about me learning or playing music, they 100 percent would have stopped me because they had a very negative view toward music, Adiba said. Her family s opposition to music was so intense she hesitated to join the orchestra s trip to Davos. But she ended up going, and as one of the conductors she was widely interviewed in the media there and appeared on TV. When she returned, her uncles were the first to congratulate her. Two of her brothers are still not happy about her involvement with music but now she has the support of the rest of the family, she has more courage, and she said she is sure her brothers will eventually come around. I changed my family, now it is time for other girls to change their families because I am sure that slowly all Afghanistan will change, she said. As the television industry deals with overall declines in total viewership, organizers behind the Academy of Country Music Awards are focused on keeping the core country music audience coming back each year to watch the genre s biggest stars party in Las Vegas. The ACM Awards, airing live Sunday on CBS (8 pm Eastern), are relying on two likable co-hosts, tried and true stars of the format, cross-genre collaborations, a party vibe and new music to keep fans tuned in. The audience that CBS draws to it on a weekly basis is right dead smack in the wheel of country music, said Jack Sussman, the network s executive vice president of special, music and live events. Our audience is that audience and our job is to grow that above and beyond the core whenever we can. After decades of hosting the show in Los Angeles, the ACM Awards moved to Las Vegas in 2003 and several days of concerts, pool parties and songwriter showcases lead up to the televised show, which gives it a loose, fun atmosphere that artists enjoy, said R.A. Clark, an executive producer at Dick Clark Productions. We are the away game, he said. It feels more like a party than an awards show. The awards show has had positive ratings swings in recent years. In 2013, the show was watched by 15.5 million people, according to the Nielsen company, outdrawing the rival Country Music Association Awards show held the previous November for the first time. During a special 50th anniversary show in 2015 held at a football stadium in Arlington, Texas, just under 16 million people tuned in and gave the show its best viewership in 17 years. But viewership took a steep drop last year to 11.2 million when the awards show went up against The Walking Dead season finale and the iheartradio Music Awards. Marc Berman, editor-in-chief of the website Programming Insider, said ratings for all television, whether its awards shows or scripted series and even some sports, have been declining. The CMA Awards, the American Music Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards have been losing viewers over the past three years as viewership becomes more fragmented. This July 22, 2012 fi le photo shows US singer-songwriter Bob Dylan performing on stage at Les Vieilles Charrues Festival in Carhaix, western France. (AP) Minaj Variety DiCaprio LONDON: Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten, this week releases a book of his lyrics spanning more than 40 years and says he has no plan to stop writing music. The Anarchy in the UK and Save the Queen singer this week releases Mr Rotten s Songbook, a collection of his annotated lyric sheets from punk band Sex Pistols and the more experimental Public Image Limited (PiL), as well as neverbefore-seen artwork. I m never going to stop, it s the only thing I found that I m any good at, that s debatable if I m actually good at it but it s as good as I can get, Lydon told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. (RTRS) LONDON: British pop punk band Busted say their reunion after a decade apart feels normal now as they adapt to a new music industry since the height of their success in the early 2000s. Charlie Simpson, James Bourne and Matt Willis announced in late 2015 that the trio, known for hits like What I Go To School For and Year 3000, was reforming. They have since been on an arena tour in Britain and Ireland and released the album Night Driver in November. It kind of feels normal now. It doesn t really feel weird or strange anymore, it kind of feels like this is our band and we re doing it again. It kind of feels right, Willis told Reuters in an interview. (RTRS) NEW YORK: The Wilhelmina talent and modeling agency has signed Nicki Minaj to its celebrity division. The agency said in a statement Wednesday that it will work to further the six-time American Music Award winner s influence in fashion and beauty. She is a style pioneer and an icon, Wilhelmina CEO Bill Wackermann said. Minaj said of Wilhelmina in the statement: They get me, adding: I love the synergy between my music and how it inspires my fashion. Known for bold and often risque looks, the nine-time Grammy nominee is a regular on fashion show front rows around the world. She was filmed just days before the recent London attacks posing in a blackand-silver dress and jeweled headpiece on Westminster Bridge, reportedly for a new video promoting a track she collaborated on with Drake and Lil Wayne. (AP) ST LOUIS: Chuck Berry fans will have their chance to pay their respects to the late rock n roll visionary. Berry s family announced in a statement Wednesday that a public viewing will be held from 8 am to noon April 9 at The Pageant club, where Berry frequently performed in his hometown of St Louis. That In this Feb 15, 2017 photo, musicians rehearse before their concert in Kabul, Afghanistan. (AP) Music Family, friends say goodbye to George Michael Dylan archives open in Oklahoma will be followed by a service for Berry s family and friends, including those in the music industry. The Pageant s owner and longtime Berry friend, Joe Edwards, told The Associated Press that Berry will lie in repose in an open casket, giving fans their last glimpse of the music legend. Berry was 90 when he died March 18 at his home near St. Louis. TULSA, Okla, March 30, (Agencies): Part of music icon Bob Dylan s oncesecret 6,000-piece archive, including thousands of hours of studio sessions, film reels and caches of unpublished lyrics, has opened in Oklahoma, curators announced this week. More than 1,000 pieces spanning Dylan s six-decade career are available to scholars at the Gilcrease Museum s Helmerich Center for American Research in Tulsa. The public will get a glimpse of some of the material when the Bob Dylan Center opens in the city s downtown Brady Arts District in about two years. The center will, fittingly, occupy another part of a building that houses a museum devoted to Oklahoma-born Woody Guthrie, one of Dylan s major influences. The George Kaiser Family Foundation and the University of Tulsa announced last year that the collection had been acquired from Dylan for an estimated $15 million to $20 million. The foundation also snapped up Guthrie s archives in 2011, paying $3 million. The Woody Guthrie Center opened two years later. A couple hundred books have been written about Bob Dylan, maybe equal to or more books than have been written about Abraham Lincoln, but none of the writers have had the access to any of this material, said Stanton Doyle, a senior program officer at the foundation. I think people will get an insight into Dylan and his creative process that s never been released. The archive is a goldmine for Dylan fans. There are pages of unrecorded verses one for a song called No Particular Length of Time lyrics scrawled across hotel stationary; pocket memo books of every shape and color, filled with notes on royalty rates and telephone numbers for notables like Allen Ginsberg and John Lennon. Faxes from former president Jimmy Carter and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and letters from former first lady Michelle Obama, director Martin Scorsese and Bono are also in the trove. Then there are the audio recordings and film reels enough so that it would take around 113 days to consecutively listen to and watch all of the available material, estimates curator Michael Chaiken. Nobody knew Bob held onto so much stuff, Chaiken said in an interview Wednesday. The materials we are opening up have never been seen before by the public at large. Chaiken found himself doing a deep dive on the sessions that would become the album titled John Wesley Harding. To hear the alternate versions to All Along the Watchtower, it was amazing, Chaiken said. He s like a Miles Davis character when he goes into the studio, there s so much improvisation going on and moving things around, trying to find the rhythm. When it was announced that the archive was coming to Tulsa last year, it raised a few highbrow eyebrows among those who wondered why it wasn t going to an Ivy League school, for example, or a much larger city like New York or Los Angeles, or even to Minnesota, where the singer is from. Curators explained then that the move was vintage Dylan zigging when everybody else was zagging. Dylan did it his way again last year when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, but declined to attend the traditional Nobel Prize banquet in December, citing other commitments. It was announced Wednesday that he ll accept his diploma and medal this weekend while performing concerts in Stockholm. Singer George Michael s publicist says his funeral has been held in London. The private funeral service took place Wednesday at Highgate Cemetery in north London. Michael s publicity agency, Connie Filippello Publicity, said in a statement it was attended by family and close friends The family thanked his fans for their many messages of love and support and asked for its privacy to be respect- Berry s classics include Johnny B. Goode, Sweet Little Sixteen and Roll Over Beethoven. (AP) NEW YORK: Longtime friends Leonardo DiCaprio and Q-Tip hung out at an intimate showcase for an Australian band making its New York City debut late Wednesday. In this March 25, 2017 photo, Steve Greenthal adjusts the wax head of Star Trek character Uhura on its body next to a fi gure of Captain Kirk at the Fullerton Airport in Fullerton, Calif. For many television watchers the kiss between Uhura and Kirk was the fi rst interracial kiss seen on TV. The Hollywood Science Fiction Museum recently took possession of wax fi gures of all seven crew members from the 1960s Star Trek TV series. (AP) ed. Karl Marx and authors George Eliot and Douglas Adams are among the famous people buried at Highgate. A post-mortem investigation found that Michael died of natural causes as the result of heart disease and a fatty liver. The former Wham! singer was found dead at his country home in Oxfordshire on Dec 25 at age 53. The singer had battled health problems and drug addiction. Several luxury cars with blackedout windows arrived and later left Highgate Cemetery in north London, Reuters reporters said. British media said Michael s mother is buried there. Born in London in 1963 as Georgios Kyriacos Panayiatou, son of a Greek Cypriot immigrant father and English mother, Michael became one of the best-selling British recording artists of all time. He sold over 115 million records worldwide by the time of his death. In his career with Wham! and as a solo singer, his hits included Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Last Christmas, Careless Whisper and Faith, winning him legions of fans. The outside gates of Highgate Cemetery, the final resting place of such luminaries as communism s founder Karl Marx, biologist Herbert Spencer, historian Eric Hobsbawm and scientist Michael Faraday, were covered to restrict the view of the private ceremony. Family and close friends gathered for the small, private ceremony to say goodbye to their beloved son, brother and friend, a family statement from the singer s publicist said, without confirming the venue. George Michael s family would like to thank his fans across the world for their many messages of love and support. Earlier this month, a coroner said the singer, who was part of the hugely popular Wham! duo in the 1980s before embarking on a successful solo career, died of natural causes. It said there was no need for further inquiries into his death at the age of 53. The Oscar-winning actor and Grammywinning rapper were in the small audience at Ludlow House as trio Chase Atlantic performed songs in a stripped, raw form. DiCaprio bobbed his head from his plush chair while sitting next to Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Nina Agdal and chatting with the leader of A Tribe Called Quest. Q-Tip went to the stage to watch when the band asked people to come closer, as DiCaprio, in a fedora, sat back. The audience included music industry insiders, record label players and some press. Chase Atlantic performed songs from its three-song project released in January, Part One, as well as tracks from another three-song album, Part Two, to be released Friday. (AP) MEZIERES, Switzerland: Usher, Lauryn Hill, Macy Gray and Erykah Badu are booked to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival during its 51st edition, organisers said on Thursday. The eclectic lineup for the June 30-July 15 event includes Ibrahim Maalouf, Beth Ditto of indie rock band Gossip, Phoenix, as well the Two Brians double billing of Brian Ferry of Roxy Music and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. Tickets for one of Europe s most prestigious music festivals go on sale on Friday. Trombone Shorty & the Orleans Avenue open for headliner Usher & The Roots on July 5, with top-end tickets at 295 Swiss francs ($296.01). The big night with Usher, you know him, he s coming with The Roots, very funky. We really wanted to see Trombone Shorty again who dazzled us in It shows the spectrum of R & B and soul. (RTRS)

22 22 click Food 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. Adults, kiddos will be thrilled Mustard, sherry inspire adult-friendly chicken tenders By Melissa D Arabian At the dinner table, however, I served them to the family, calling the dish fried chicken to my husband, and chicken tenders to my kiddos. I m a big believer in cooking only one meal for the whole family I m not a short-order cook but certainly the name could vary a little? Success on all fronts! My husband is the fried chicken lover of the bunch, but he watches what he eats fairly strictly. And he was sold on the chicken crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside; no dipping sauce needed. (But hey, if you want to grab some low-fat yogurt or ranch dressing, I wouldn t stop you.) The secret to this adult-friendly chicken tender recipe is a few hours in a simple low-cal marinade made of sherry and Dijon mustard, which tenderizes the chicken and then serves as the glue for panko bread crumbs. Using panko means lots of texture and crunch without an overly heavy coating. (Another option: pulse up some fresh bread in a processor to create jagged, fluffy bread Chicken thighs with onions and olives Cauliflower adds vitamin dose to pizza crust By Melissa D Arabian Cauliflower is a wonder-veggie. No longer relegated to boiling and covering with a bright orange cheese sauce (sorry, Mom), cauliflower is stepping out in the place of starch like rice in stir-fries or instead of wheat flour in pizza dough. Cauliflower is mild, so it takes on whatever flavors you throw at it, which helps it be the convincing chameleon that it is. Cauliflower is as healthy as our moms told us, providing a hefty dose of vitamins, including C, K, B6 and folate, as well as smaller doses of other vitamins and minerals, plus filling protein and fiber. All in about 25 calories per cup. So, it s a worthy vegetable, and now that it is available in riced form in mainstream grocery stores across the country, it s time to take a look if you haven t already. Let s start with pizza crust. Steamed, riced cauliflower is mixed with a binder (usually egg and cheese), and then shaped into a pizza crust shape, baked and then topped with traditional pizza toppings. Bake up a few of these crusts and keep in the freezer for last minute pizza night that is healthier than takeout. Since my daughter is gluten-intolerant, I ve been making pizza crust for years with cauliflower, resulting in a few key pieces of advice from the trenches. The biggest challenge with cauliflower crust is keeping it together, since there is no stretchy gluten working for you. But, no problem, if you follow my tips: First, once you cook the cauliflower, make sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Excess water will keep the crust from staying together. In fact, I like to go a tiny step further and add just a little bit of absorbent flour just a tablespoon or two of coconut or oat flour make a big difference. Next tip: bake the crust and flip it over This March 26, 2017 file photo shows Dijon and sherry chicken tenders in Coronado, California. (AP) This Jan 18, 2017 photo shows pizza made with cauliflower crust in Coronado, California. (AP) before adding any toppings. If you aren t flipping it, you can t get the firm crusty texture to form, and that really helps the crust taste and feel pizza-like. Final tip: make smaller pizza crusts instead of one big huge one. They are just easier to manage and keep intact. Top your pizza crust with whatever toppings you like lots of cheese and meat if you simply eating low-carb, or load up with roasted veggies and a light sprinkling of part-skim mozzarella if you want to stay low-cal. But for the crust, follow my recipe for the no-fail step-by-step. Foolproof cauliflower pizza crust Start to finish: 40 minutes Servings: 4 small pizza crusts, 1 per serving 4-5 cups riced cauliflower (buy it riced, or pulse in food processor until rice-sized); 1 egg; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese; 1-1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 2 tablespoons of coconut flour (or other absorbent flour, such as oat or quinoa flour) fine cornmeal for sprinkling, optional salt and pepper. Heat oven to 400 F. Place the riced cauliflower in a microwave-safe dish with 2 tablespoons of water, cover and cook in microwave for 4-5 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Remove from microwave, drain off water, gently pressing out excess moisture with a spoon, and cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the egg with the cheeses, garlic and Italian seasoning. Place the cooled cauliflower in several paper towels, or in a thin clean dish towel, and gently but firmly squeeze out excess moisture. (You may be surprised by how much liquid you can squeeze out.) Add the squeeze cauliflower to the egg and cheese mixture. Sprinkle in the coconut flour, salt and pepper and mix well. Mixture will not stick together like regular dough. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 mounds, and gently shape them into pizza crusts, doing your best to push the dough together to make clean edges. Bake until dark golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Flip with a spatula. If using, sprinkle the bottom of the sheet with a little cornmeal when you flip the crusts. Top the crusts with any sauce, cheese, toppings and bake until melted, about 10 more minutes. Tip: You can bake extra crusts without toppings and freeze them for future use. As Spring rolls in there is often still a chill in the evening air as families and friends gather in their homes for dinners. A richly flavored and warming meal is still very welcome at this time of year. Tender chicken thighs can sit for an extra bit of time in the oven without drying out, which is handy for a meal that often can t be timed precisely. A sauce dense with onions, lemon and olives also keeps the meat moist, and hits nice notes of savory, sweet, tart and salty. A bit of hot sauce keeps it lively. If you have a huge pan you can double the recipe, or just make two pans worth for a bigger group. You could serve this right from the pan, or move the cooked chicken to a plate for a moment, transfer the onions and olives and all of the wonderful sauce to a shallow serving platter, and then place the chicken back on This February 2017 photo shows braised chicked with green olives and onions in top. Serve with a big bowl of mashed potatoes, or maybe even polenta, depending on your tradition. Chicken thighs with onions and green olives Serves 4 to 6 Start to finish: 1 hour 40 minutes 3 pounds chicken thighs (about 6 to 8); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 4 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 cup pitted green olives, halved; 1 teaspoon hot sauce; 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges; 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Pat the chicken dry. Combine the salt, cumin, paprika, pepper and allspice. Rub the spice mixture evenly onto the thighs, on both sides. Heat the oil in a very large, deep, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side, and then transfer them to a paper-towel-lined surface. Do this in batches if necessary. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat left in the pan, reduce the heat to medium low, and add the onions. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes until they are very soft and browned, but do not allow them to get too dark; adjust the heat as necessary. You can add a tablespoon of water from time to time if they appear to be getting too brown. Stir in the broth, olives, hot sauce and lemon wedges. Return all of the chicken to the pan, skin side up, nestling the pieces into the sauce. Cover the pan, place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and tender and the skin is crisped. (AP) 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 crumbs, and you ll only need a slice or two of bread for a full recipe of tenders.) Spraying the tenders with an oil mister combined with high oven heat work together to create a crispy crust not quite fried, but pretty darned close. With boneless skinless chicken breast meat boasting 31 grams of protein per serving (and fewer than 4 grams of fat), this easy chicken tender recipe may take a permanent spot in your weeknight dinner menu rotation. Both the adults and the kiddos will be thrilled. Dijon and sherry oven chicken tenders Start to finish: 35 minutes, plus marinating time Servings: 4 1/4 cup Dijon mustard; 1/4 cup dry sherry; 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, or dried herbes de provence, or dried tarragon; 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast tenders, or boneless skinless chicken breast cut into strips about one-inch wide and three inches long; 1 cup panko bread crumbs olive oil in a spray mister (or nonstick spray) Place the mustard, sherry, herbs, salt and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag and mix the contents by squishing the bag a little. Add the chicken to the bag, coating well with the mustard mixture. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1-8 hours. Once ready to bake, heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Fit a baking rack on a large baking sheet. (Cover the baking sheet with foil to catch drips and make clean up easier.) Lightly spray the baking rack with olive oil to keep chicken from sticking. Place the bread crumbs on a plate and use a fork to remove chicken tenders from the marinade and toss in crumbs to coat on all sides. Place the breaded chicken tenders on the baking rack on the baking sheet and spray the top of the chicken lightly with the olive oil mister. Bake the chicken until cooked through to 160 degrees, about minutes. Serve. Cooks note: Add 1 tablespoon of honey to the marinade for honey-mustard tenders. (AP) and screening mammography as the most effective way to save lives by detecting breast cancer at early stage. For more information visit: fightingwithcancer.webs.com/ Latest Chinese Embassy notice: Documents issued in Kuwait and to be used in China mainland shall first be notarized and legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kuwait, and then be legalised by Chinese Embassy in Kuwait. Specific requirements and information for document legalisation, please refer to the website of Chinese Embassy in Kuwait. For documents issued by member countries of the Apostille Convention*, after getting Apostilles from the competent authorities, they can be used in Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR of China directly. *Refer to the Convention of Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents 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 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. 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. New York. (AP) Continued on Page 23

23 23 Anwar Memento being presented to Hyma Reddy by Mini Keerthy Khaleel Razeeana Don t be a slave of your past Welfare Kerala Kuwait conducts women s empowerment seminar KUWAIT CITY, March 30: With an objective to widen the horizon of grassroots public engagement and action on gender issues and women s empowerment initiatives and thereby strengthening the social foundations of both personal and public life of women, Welfare Kerala Kuwait conducted a Women s empowerment seminar on International Women s day at Pravasi auditorium, Kuwait. The essential bravery for an empowered woman was the theme of the seminar and was inaugurated by Dr Hyma Reddy founder of life again movement. She has been well known for her re-birth after her fight against cancer. She now actively devotes her life for eliminating the pain of thousands of needy cancer patients. Don t be a slave of your past, be creative and joyful in your day to day life and share your happiness with others she urged the packed audience. Razeena Mohiudeen presented the topic. Welfare Kerala Kuwait Vice-President Mini Venu Gopal in her presidential address said that women should come to the forefront of governance not only in the household administration but also in building the nation through political engagements. Addressing the audience Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi award winner Sunil Cherian reiterated that the history of women in India has been eventful and many women have held high offices including that of the President, Prime Minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Leader of the Opposition, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers and Governors. Hence by learning lessons from the rich tradition, the modern women also should come forth and show her bravely to perform their effective role in building the society. Leaders from various organizations actively participated in the seminar including famous writers and social reform activists like Dharma Raj, Shobha Suresh, Keerthi Sumesh, Shiny Franco, Khaleelurahman and Anwar Saed. The discussion dwelled on wide-ranging issues affecting women in a male dominated world. The participants discussed the way forward in bringing about tangible changes in the community in creating gender equality and achieving women s empowerment in all realms of social, political, education and economic life and significantly in strengthening the social foundations of women in political struggle. Mini Venugopal presented the memento to Dr Hyma Reddy, Abdul Ghafoor Thrithala rendered poems and a Documentary on the subject prepared by Raziya Nizar was presented, Rafeeq Babu handled the instant quiz session, and Waheeda Faisal compered the program. Earlier Simi Akbar welcomed the gathering and Manju Mohan with her thought provoking speech concluded the session by saying that Women in India will remain backward until they are not socially and politically empowered and should show the bravery to resist with power the exploitation and harassment. click Latest Continued from Page 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! April 2 KTAA 18th annual exhibition: Kuwait Textile Arts Association will hold its 18th annual exhibition on Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 7:00 pm. Venue: Alfunoon Hall, Dahiyat Abdulla Al Salam, exhibition hours: Monday, April 3 and Tuesday April 4, 2017, Time: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The exhibition will feature the judged show of recent works of members of Kuwait Textile Arts Association, Sadu weavers and also showcase display pieces from Weaving Stories a contemporary interactive exhibition and outreach initiative honoring the textile arts of Kuwait along with display Walls of Appreciation and Wall of Recognition as special features. Human Care Society Kuwait conducted annual event 2017 Shanti Sabha on March 24 at Jamiyat Islah Centre, Rawdah, Kuwait. The topics spoken in this event are Significance of Quran and its message by Bro Shafi, president of universal Islamic research center and Islam is the way for global peace by Bro Siraj Ur Rahman, General Secretary of UIRC and also they spoke about various topics in this event. This event held successfully by huge number of attendees. April 3 Fresh at Dar Al Funoon: Dar Al Funoon will hold the opening of the exhibition titled Fresh by Karim Ghidinelli on Monday, April 3, 2017 at 7:00 pm, in the presence of the artist. Karim Ghidinelli was born in Brescia, Italy. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees at Savannah College of Art & Design, Savannah, GA. He has widely exhibited in the United States of America and Europe. For the third time, Ghidinelli will present his most recent work at Dar Al Funoon. Karim lives and works in New York, USA. Artist s statement: Fresh, as in renewed, innovative and free. Freshness as the liberation from stagnant and redundant policies and tendencies. Fresh as positive, peaceful and meaningful evolution. In this ever certain world of absolute truths and populist totalitarianism. I offer no answer, merely the honesty of my journey, my reflections and dilemmas, I d rather continue to ask, than attempt an overly simplistic answer. The exhibition continues through April 22, Gallery hours Sunday to Thursday: 10:00 am-1:00 pm and 4:00-8:00 pm. Saturday: by appointment. Getting To The Gallery A1-Watiah, Behbehani Compound, House No. 28. For further information call website: April 7 CIGI to conduct CLP in Kuwait: The Kuwait Chapter of CIGI, acronym for Centre for Information and Guidance India, is all set to begin its flagship program CLP (Community Leadership Program) in Kuwait. An introductory session to CLP was conducted at Rajdhani Palace Hotel where in more than 100 members representing various socio-cultural and religious organizations of Kuwait participated. The 120 minutes presentation was delivered by CIGI Senior Resource Persons Sameer Mohammed and Engineer Afzal Ali. The session that briefed the scope and benefits of CLP included tips and exercises on leadership, creative thinking and nonverbal communication. The presenters detailed the CLP program, which is scheduled to begin on the 7th of April. A comprehensive course plan has been designed in which the total course will be divided into three sets namely Individual Development, Family Orientation and Sociological Development. The Individual Development set includes various sessions that focus on personality development, creativity & problem solving skills, effective leadership, essential life skills, career enhancement workshops, emotional intelligence, spiritual psychology, motivation and empowerment. The Family Orientation Set includes modules on interpersonal relationship, pre-marital counselling, child & geriatric counselling, family improvement program, student psychology and counselling, remote & applied parenting. Social Development set includes sessions on project management skills, team building, effective communication, public speaking and presentation skills, conflict resolution, social psychology and behavior modeling techniques. The course will span over 12 months with 3-hour sessions held on the first Friday of every month. Prominent speakers from India and other GCC chapters will be addressing the sessions. Various live scenarios, workshops and practical approaches will be among the methodologies used during the classes. The venue of the program will be announced later. Registration and other detailed information are available on and The session began with the Quran recitation by CIGI visionary Ashraf Mohammed followed by the welcome speech and introduction of speakers by Chief Coordinator Abdul Azeez. Vice President Faseehullah presided over the function. The Chairman of CIGI Kuwait Chapter - Dr Amir Ahmed inaugurated the session and Abdul Gafoor delivered the vote of thanks. April 15 DAI Experience Science: Scientists from the Islamic world helped Continued on Page 24

24 24 Photos from the event. Alappuzha Jilla Pravasi Association celebrates Kizhakkinte Venice ULSAV Alappuzha Jilla Pravasi Association Kuwait (AJPAK) conducted its first annual day celebration Kizhakkinte Venice ULSAV-2017, at the Integrated Indian School, Jleeb Al Shuyoukh Kuwait on March 27. The celebration was a grand success and was noted by the presence of an overwhelming crowd and by the cultural programs performed. The cultural meeting was presided by the Association President Rajeev Naduvilemuri and it was inaugurated by Advisory Board Member Sam Pynummood by lighting a sacred lamp in its traditional way. General Convener Shri Binoy Chandran and ladies wing Chairperson Smt Sulekah Aji rendered felicitation speeches. Ramesh Chennithala, opposition leader in Kerala Legislative Assembly, addressed the overwhelming audience with his felicitation speech through videocall. Association s General Secretary Sunny Pathichira gave welcome speech and Joint Treasurer Mathew Chennithala delivered vote of thanks. The association proudly presented its Souvenir in the Cultural meeting. Advisory Board Member Babu Panampalli received a copy of the Souvenir from Sam Pynummod together with Vice-President and Souvenir Committee Convener. Thomas Pallickal and Joint Convener Sajan Pallipad. Pramil Prabhakaran and Ashwin C.V. received mementos for their dedicated efforts for the make-up of the beautiful Souvenir and Hamsa Payyannoor, MD of Metro Medical Care, received memento from Mrs Suja Ninan. The Chenda Melam by Knanaya beats Kuwait and the dance skit, Joint Military Program, by DK Dance attracted audience and earned the appreciation at great length. Followed by the Cultural Meeting there were Ganamela and Chirimelam which were immemorable feast to the audience. Ganamela was conducted by renowned play back singers Smt Chitra Iyer, Smt Lekha Ajay (Folk Songs fame) and Manoj K.P.A.C. and Chirimelam by Jain Cherthala and Rajesh Adimali (Asianet Comedy Star Fame) from India. Association members including Women Wing s contributions were commendable to the great success of the program. Dr A.T. Varghese and Family Ever Rolling Trophy and third winner Mathew Eapen and Family Ever Rolling Trophy. YMCA Kuwait cordially invites all members and families to attend the program. For more informaclick Latest Continued from Page 23 build the foundation of today s science. In biology, astronomy, chemistry, physics, optics, and math, Muslim scholars like Ibn Haythem, Ibn Hayyan, Al-Fazari, and others, made significant contributions to their fields. Experience Science is a special programme led by Dr B (Dr Bahareh Azizi), who s planned some pretty cool experiments that include strawberry DNA, Oreo moon phases, and bending light! Designed for children ages 10-13, each Experience Science 90 minute session (3:30-5 pm), which will be held at the Yarmouk Cultural Centre, includes a look at the role of Muslim scientists in a specific field, what s happening in that field today and a couple of hands-on experiments. Week One (April 15): Human Biology and DNA Week Two (April 22): Astronomy Week Three (April 29): Chemistry and Alchemy Week Four (May 6): Optics and Physics Week Six (May 13): Family Day at Amricani To register your year-old for this programme, please visit the museum shop at either the Yarmouk or Amricani cultural centres. Spaces are limited; to register, education@ Association introduces VISION 2026 IMA conducts spectacular annual family picnic KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Indian Muslim Association (IMA) has organized its yearly IMA Family Desert Picnic on Friday, March 24, IMA has been organizing this event regularly every year. It is one of the most awaited and highlighted events of IMA which brings out hundreds of families and friends together to spend some quality time in a beautiful location, away from all the hustle and bustle of the busy city life. The theme of the event was taken from the verse of Quran O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] Surah Al- Baqarah [2:208]. And the event was perfectly canvassed with the theme and was giving out a very beautiful picture throughout. The organizers of IMA had planned the event very smoothly from pickup points to drop without any hindrance and provided all the amenities and services required at the venue. The premises had separate tents for men and women. Breakfast was arranged for the participants. The event started with darmuseum.org.kw May 3 YMCA Kuwait Ecumenical Quiz: YMCA Kuwait is conducting the 5th Annual Bible Quiz for the members from all the churches in Kuwait on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at Light House Church, NECK from 6:30pm onwards. The sections of the Bible based on which the quiz is going to be Photos from the event. conducted are all Chapters from book of Genesis, Zachariah, Luke and Revelation. The first three winners will be presented with ever rolling trophies and medals. First winner Mariam Ever Rolling Trophy, second winner the Quran recitation followed by welcome speech of Rizwan Ahmed, Chief Organizer of the event giving instructions of the program Javed Ahmed, introduced the IMA VI- SION 2026, which is an initiative to support mega Vision 2016 program undertaken by Indian NGO Human Welfare Foundation to address acute humanitarian problems faced by several underdeveloped areas in India. IMA VISON 2026 initiative supports many projects related to the field of education, health care facilities, vocational centers for ladies, micro finance facilities for providing interest free loans, disaster relief programs in emergency situations, community development programs, mass marriages, orphan age sponsorships and drinking water projects to name a few which will ultimately benefit more than three million Indian Muslims. Masood Shahab, President IMA delivered speech on the important topic of Hold the rope of Allah strongly. Unity in the community and said that we have to shun marginal differences and unite for the cause of the community. He further emphasized to follow teaching of peaceful coexistence and harmony while living in multi-cultural societies. Various games and activities were arranged such as football, volleyball, kabaddi, running race, short put and tug of war. Similar activities were conducted for women separately in the area designated for them with female volunteers. IMA PR conducted a parallel session Mushaira Urdu poetry for the Literature and poetry loving participants. Many prominent Urdu Poets presented their poetry and got applauses from the audience. The audience had lots of fun and appreciated the poets with big applauses. Friday sermon was given by Sharafuddin B.S. and he highlighted the importance understanding broader concept of Islamic teachings, which encompass everything for the successful life in both worlds. The chief guests of the event Dr Abdullah A-Ateeqi (Bo Qutaibah), Abdullatif Al-Munaifi, Mohammad Kohiya (Bo Muhannad) & Mohammad Ali along with Abdul Momin from Masjid Al Kabeer attended the program. They appreciated the efforts taken by IMA for organizing such an event and congratulated them. They also said that Indian Muslims are one of the most respected and brightest communities in the world. Kids program was conducted with video & live skit performance on the topic of Respect your parents, Respect your neighbors and a beautiful speech on Islam & morality which followed with the national song of India. IMA Youth wing presented a cultural act play on the topic of Enter into Islam completely. More than 100 Prizes were awarded to the winners and runners; men women and children, who participated in sports and games competitions. A raffle draw was conducted and names of 9 winners were announced. The Raffle draw winners will avail an opportunity to go for an Umrah Trip. The program concluded with Al-Asr prayers. tion please contact Mathew Varkey (Convener) Mob# General 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 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 Continued on Page 25

25 25 Preliminary data on airline bookings show continued growth Int l travelers cite politics as factor in US trips NEW YORK, March 30, (AP): Some international travelers are citing politics as a factor in whether to visit the US this year, according to survey research by the tourism marketing agency Brand USA. The findings add to existing concerns about the tourism industry. Other new data shows that a slowdown in international arrivals to the US began last spring and continued through August, likely due to the strong US dollar and sluggish economies elsewhere. A survey for Brand USA asked travelers from 11 countries how the political climate influenced the likelihood of them visiting the US in the next 12 months. Those saying the political climate made them less likely to visit increased from December to February among travelers from every country surveyed but China. Travelers from Mexico registered the most concern over political sentiment as a factor against visiting. Travelers from Canada, Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom and France registered moderate sensitivity over political sentiment. Travelers from India, Japan, Brazil and South Korea were the least sensitive to the US political climate as a factor against visiting, but their likelihood of visiting also decreased over the three-month period, just less dramatically than the others. Chinese travelers were the only nationality in the survey who said the US political climate made them more likely to visit. Brand USA surveys typically provide a multiple-choice list of factors influencing travel plans. Last summer, respondents began writing in issues related to politics as a factor. So we created a discreet option for that and began to measure that, Brand USA economist Carroll Rheem said in an interview. When international travelers were asked in December and again in February what if any impact the political climate has on their likelihood to visit the US... over the course of time we saw an increase in that as a reason for people being discouraged from visiting the US, she said. International arrivals to the US last year experienced the first sustained decline since the US economy began to recover from the recession, according to newly released and revised arrivals data from the US Department of Commerce National Travel and Tourism Office. Between April and August of 2016, international arrivals to the US dropped nearly 4 percent compared with the same five months of 2015, declining from 17.8 million to 17.1 million, the data shows. Prior to the second quarter of 2016, international arrivals to the US had climbed every quarter year-over-year since late It takes months for arrivals data to accurately be compiled from all US international airports and border crossings, so whether the downward trend continued into fall 2016 and winter 2017 won t be clear for some time. Despite concerns raised by arrivals and survey data, Rheem said preliminary data on airline bookings to the US for 2017 shows continued growth. That booking data is consistent with what we re hearing from the trade, Rheem said. They ve said things are stable if not growing. So some of the headlines out there about dramatic downward shifts or challenges in bookings are not really consistent with what we ve been seeing in that data. Rheem cautioned that it s hard to tell what the impact of the political concerns showing up in surveys might be. Arrivals data shows what s already happened, but surveys merely hint at future behavior. There s a good group of these people who have concerns who have a wait-and-see approach about vacation planning, she said. And there are others who are somewhat impacted or slightly negative but at the same time will end up booking. It s not a complete deterrent, but it s a bit of a concern. Sentiment versus booking behavior don t always break in the same direction, she said. Brand USA adjusts its marketing strategies in response to survey trends in an effort to make travelers feel secure about concerns that might prevent a visit. One strategy involves inviting influencers individuals with large online or social-media followings to visit the US and then tell stories about their (hopefully positive) experiences. Art click General Continued from Page 24 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 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 Salmiya for all age groups from beginners to advanced by a well experienced drum teacher. For more details: Indian Embassy SPDC notice: Attention of all Indian associations/indian schools in Kuwait is once again drawn to Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) which was introduced by Government of India in the academic year with the objective to make higher education in India accessible to the children of overseas Indians and promote India as a centre for higher studies. Under the scheme, 100 PIO/NRI students were awarded scholarship of up to US$ 4,000 per annum for undergraduate courses in Engineering, Technology, Humanities, Liberal Arts, Commerce, Management, Journalism, Hotel Management, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and some other courses. The scheme is open to NRIs/PIOs from over 40 countries (including Kuwait) having substantial Indian Diaspora population. The Scheme was revamped and launched in July Under the revamped Scheme, number of scholarships has been enhanced from 100 to 150 with introduction of 50 scholarships for children of Indian workers employed in the Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries. The Scheme is now applicable to four categories of applicants: (i) Persons of Indian Origin (ii) Non-Resident Indians (iii) Children of Indian workers working in ECR countries (including Kuwait). (iv) Children of Indian workers in ECR countries - studying in India The institutions that are covered under this Scheme are: (i) NITs, IIITs, Schools of Planning and Architecture (ii) A Grade institutions accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and recognised by University Grants Commission (UGC). (iii) Other institutions covered under Direct Admission of Students Abroad (DASA) scheme. Income criteria will be applicable to all four categories. Applicants will seek scholarships after they obtain admission in the approved list of educational institutions. Applications are required to be submitted online at SPDC portal - in/login/index.php. Last date for submission of applications was extended till Oct 14, Nodal officer for SPDC is P. Bharadwaj, Deputy Secretary (OIA-II), Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, Tel: , dsoia2@mea.gov.in 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 In this Oct 23, 2003 file photo, fireworks light the Walt Disney Concert Hall after Esa-Pekka Salonen conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Los Angeles. (AP) 10:00-6:00. For more information, please education@darmuseum.org.kw TIES Center classes: TIES Center is conducting a series of classes about some of the Prophets and Messengers of God who strove very hard to spread monotheism and teach their respective peoples how to worship God. Their message was not only spiritual; they also taught people how to conduct their daily lives and develop the living conditions on earth. In this series, we will focus on the following Rare Harriet Tubman photo up for auction Frank Gehry archive gets home in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, March 30, (Agencies): A massive archive containing papers, drawings and models of work by Frank Gehry is getting a home in the adopted hometown of the worldrenowned architect. The Getty Research Institute announced Tuesday that it has hundreds of thousands of sketches, drawings, models, photographs, slides and paperwork involving 283 projects that Gehry designed between 1954 and They include documents about Gehry s famous Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles, a bouquet of shiny, curved metal blocks that was completed in Gehry contributed to the essential concepts which put Los Angeles and its particular architectural vision at the center of the global architectural discourse, said Maristella Casciato, senior curator of architectural collections at the Getty Research Institute. The Frank Gehry Papers archive covers a period ranging from Gehry s early graduate studies at the University of Southern California to his winning 1988 entry in the Disney concert hall competition. It s hard to look at your work and to try to dictate what people will take away from it... for me these models and drawings represent a lot of work; a lot of trial and error; and a lot of my heart and soul, Gehry said in an to the Los Angeles Times ( I guess my hope is for people to find some inspiration in all these efforts. The archive includes 1,000 sketches, more than 120,000 working drawings, more than 100,000 slides, hundreds of boxes of office records, personal papers, and correspondence, 168 working models, and 112 presentation models, according to a press release from the institute. There also are digital files for some projects. Some material was purchased and some was donated, the Getty Research Institute said. The Canadian-born Gehry moved to Los Angeles in 1947 and opened an architectural practice there in His style has been characterized by the use of chain-link fencing and metal cladding and by forms that twist the traditional rectangular structure of buildings or flow and curve in non-linear shapes. His most famous works included the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain; the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, the Vitra Design Museum in Germany and his own home in Santa Monica. A photograph of Harriet Tubman, believed to be the earliest-known image of the antislavery crusader and showing her as younger than she is normally depicted, will go up for auction in New York on Thursday. The photograph, previously unseen by scholars, shows Tubman in her late 40s, wearing an intricately decorated blouse and voluminous skirt, and sitting in a chair, leaning one arm on its back. It s quite remarkable: This is what she looked like in her prime Civil War period when she was working as a spy for Lincoln, Wyatt Day, the specialist organizing the sale at Swann Auction Galleries, said in a telephone interview. He noted the photograph was taken about three years after the American Civil War ended in All of the images show her as an older woman, maybe in her 70s. She looks a bit tired, and here she looks vibrant and strong. Kate Clifford Larson, a historian and Tubman biographer, said the photograph, which was brought to Swann last year after being purchased at auction by a collector of vintage photos about 10 years ago, could help the public reimagine Tubman. There are so many details about it that are thrilling, she said in a phone interview. She s so much younger and she s dressed so beautifully, so it helps us look at her in a different way. Tubman, who escaped from slavery in Maryland when she was in her 20s, later led dozens of black slaves to freedom using the Underground Railroad and became a Union Army spy during the Civil War and women s suffragist. The US Treasury Department said last year it planned to put her on the face of the $20 bill, replacing former President Andrew Jackson, making her the first African-American so honored. The photograph for auction is in the form of a carte de visite, a 19th-century custom in which people would leave photos of themselves as a calling card. It appears in a carte-de-visite album compiled by the Quaker abolitionist Emily Howland. The album is estimated to sell for $20,000 to $30,000, the gallery said. Day said research had shown the photographer Benjamin F. Powelson, who made Tubman s carte de visite, only spent time near Tubman s home in Auburn in upstate New York from 1868 to 1869, when Tubman was about 48. Also: PARIS: French artist Abraham Poincheval, prophets: Adam, Nouh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Ayoub (Job), Yousuf (Joseph), Mousa (Moses), and Eisa (Jesus) - may peace, mercy and blessings of Allah (to Whom all might and majesty is ascribed) be upon them all. We will not only focus on historical facts, but will also deduce some important lessons whose application in our daily interactions and chores determine our success and salvation. Join us every Thursday at 7 pm to learn about the life and times of those messengers of firm resolve. The TIES Center is the social and educational hub for English Speaking Muslims in who famously spent two weeks inside a bear sculpture and a week inside a rock, began his latest feat on Wednesday - hatching eggs. The 44-year-old, who specialises in performance art, will mimic a mother hen by incubating 10 eggs with his own body heat inside a glass vivarium until they hatch. He reckons the endeavour will take from days. I will, broadly speaking, become a chicken, Poincheval said last month. Poincheval says he seeks to explore varying concepts of time for different species and natural objects in his performances. The best way to understand objects is not from a distance but by entering them, he says. In his latest experiment, Poincheval sits on a chair with the eggs in a container fixed under the seat. He calculates that the heat from his body kept high by him being wrapped in a thick, insulating blanket designed by Korean artist Seglui Lee will maintain the right temperature directly over the eggs. He will eat certain foods such as ginger to raise his body temperature. He will be able to stand up and leave his place over the eggs for no more than 30 minutes a day to receive meals that will be brought to him. For his own calls of nature he will use a box beneath him, though he will not be able to get up to relieve himself. This is the first time in his explorations that Poincheval confronts the world of the living. Last month, he spent a week in a bodyshaped slot carved out from a limestone rock in the same contemporary art museum in Paris, eating stewed fruit, soups and purees. Before that, he had spent a fortnight living inside a hollowed-out bear sculpture in Paris s Museum of Hunting and Nature in April 2014, eating worms and beetles to mirror a bear s diet. Kuwait. For more information, please call or info@tiescenter.net or visit 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; This undated file photo provided by Swan Auction Galleries shows a photograph of 19th century abolitionist Harriet Tubman. (AP) Continued on Page 26

26 26 Crowning its exceptional performance in 2016 Warba earns Bank of the Year award from The European KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Warba Bank, Kuwait s best investment bank and corporate consultancy institution, earned the Bank of the Year Kuwait 2016 Award from The European. This award is another valuable addition to the group of awards the bank has earned last year, and comes as a testament to its exceptional performance and fast growth, in addition to the distinguished financing solutions and innovative investment tools with high returns that it offers to investors. Warba Bank s selection for the award was based on its achievements in corporate governance standards, diversified banking products, and special customer service; in addition to its social responsibility efforts. The European s annual awards program nominates companies via digital voting. A panel of judges with long experience in various fields helps a team of researchers guaranteeing quality in the selection of the winners. The magazine s awards program was designed to provide detailed analysis of the best performance of companies in all economic sectors. In regard of this award, Shaheen Hamad Al-Ghanim, CEO of Warba Bank, said: We A historic cultural performance Burgan Bank sponsors 1st classical music concert at JACC KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Burgan Bank is proud to have been part of the first ever classical music performance at Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Centre for two complete symphonies by Beethoven and Fauré. The Bank s sponsorship of this performance marks a historic moment for Kuwait as it is the first time classical music symphonies are played in full by an orchestra and choir. Ahmadi Music Group (AMG), whose world-standard performance left the audiences astounded, conducted two symphonies at the Music Hall of Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Centre; world renowned classical pieces of Beethoven s Fourth Symphony and Fauré s Requiem, with the orchestra and choir performing and bringing out the best of what classical music has to offer. Burgan Bank s support of this historic event is part of its efforts to spread cultural knowledge, enrich the community, and present the best of worldly arts to Kuwait. AMG is one of the oldest and largest arts organizations in Kuwait, with concert records that go back to the 1950 s. The currently independent organization holds performances across Kuwait. Its aim is to provide opportunities and encourage active musicians and instrumentalists in Kuwait to perform as well as to take part in their choral works and operas. The bank has been supporting the AMG for four years as part of its investment in entities that contribute to the advancement of society and culture. It is worth mentioning that Burgan Bank s support to this initiative falls under its fullfledged community program entitled EN- GAGE Together to be the change. This program sheds light on important aspects affecting every segment of the society by promoting social welfare through educational, cultural, social and health initiatives. Burgan Bank s approach to ENGAGE begins with a vital principle that as a Kuwaiti financial institution, its conduct and policies should be aligned with the needs and interests of the Kuwaiti society. click General Continued from Page 25 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 www. tiescenter.net. Bridge game: Bridge tournament is being held every Sunday and Wednesday at 20:00 hours, played at the Graduates Club, next to Shaheen Hamad Al-Ghanim, CEO of Warba Bank with the award. at Warba Bank are proud to earn the Bank of the Year Kuwait 2016 Award from a prestigious magazine such as The European. KUWAIT CITY, March 30: VIVA, Kuwait s fastest-growing and most developed telecom operator, won the excellence award for VIP Customer Service in Kuwaiti telecommunications sector, as part of the second edition of the Kuwait Public Relations and Customer Service Award hosted by Kuwait s Public Relations Association under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah. Her Excellency minister of social affairs and labor minister of state for economic affairs Ms Hind Al-Sabeeh presented the prize trophy to Ayman Salem Al-Mutairi, Senior Corporate Communications at VIVA, in recognition of VIVA s Al-Diwan Division efforts in serving the VIP customers round the clock with best offers and packages to make their life easier and more convenient. The award comes in line with the vision of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the transformation of Kuwait into a financial and commercial center Kuwait The Kuwait Public Relations Association stated that it has hired international judging committee from inside and outside Kuwait, in addition to a company specialized in statistics A photo from the event It is a new addition to the series of awards that the bank has earned in 2016 in recognition for its great achievements in all business units. We in the assessment process of the participants. This award aims to motivate public relations consider these awards as a confirmation of the bank s distinguished performance. He added: We promised our clients in the beginning of 2016 that Warba Bank will achieve positive results by the end of the year, and we successfully managed to keep our promises. The results exceeded expectations as net profits grew by 158 percent to reach KD million. In addition, Warba Bank achieved remarkable success in covering the initial underwriting of sukuks issued with a value of KD 250 million, and that by five folds. Its sukuk marketing tour included regional and international capitals, and the sukuks were recently listed in Nasdaq Dubai, while they will soon be listed in the Irish stock market. As all of Warba Bank s indicators are growing, and to support this growth, it recently cooperated with a major international consultancy company to adopt a five-year strategic plan ( ) that seeks to make Warba Bank a leader in Islamic banking services and consultancy services in Kuwait, in addition to offering advanced digital retail services for individuals. Telecom s best offers, packages make customers life easier VIVA wins excellence award for VIP Customer Service Kuwait Engineering Society. Interested Bridge pairs or individual players please contact Mohammed Merchant, Tel: , , A flyer of the event. Al-Sabeeh presenting the prize trophy to Al-Mutairi. Sports Chess Round Robin Challenge: Registrations are open for chess coaching and the Annual and customer service employees to excel in their work and achieve success. Round Robin Challenger Series. Send your name, Civil ID No, mobile number, age, rating to saviosgomes@gmail.com with CCR in the subject. Exhibition on at 360 Mall KIB sponsors Hala Ramadan expo KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Kuwait International Bank (KIB) announced its sponsorship of the Hala Ramadan Exhibition for the fourth consecutive year, which is taking place at 360 Mall from March 29 to April 2, Coming under the umbrella of the Bank s comprehensive social responsibility program, the sponsorship aims to support the projects and initiatives of young local talents. The exhibition will feature a number of young, creative, and talented small business owners, showcasing a collection of their products and projects. It will also present a diverse range of Ramadan products, with the Holy Month fast approaching. On his part, Manager of the Corporate Communications Unit at the Bank, Nawaf Najia, stated: KIB constantly seeks to sponsor activities and initiatives that support small business owners in the community. This reflects the Bank s Al-Ghanim further noted that Warba Bank continues its notable performance in 2017 as a bank that offers distinguished solutions. It is currently preparing a series of innovative solutions that will be revealed soon to help establish a new creative era in the Islamic banking industry characterized with presenting interactive services and flexible financing solutions that meet clients needs and aspirations. Warba Bank earned several awards in 2016 including: Best Investment Bank in Kuwait, Best Corporate Consultancy Institution, Fastest Growing Bank in the Arabian Gulf, Middle East and North Africa, and Fastest Growing Bank in Kuwait from the Banker Middle East. Furthermore, it also received the Best Company in the Arab World award from Forbes Middle East. These awards came in recognition of the bank s achievements in the Islamic banking sector despite its relative young age. Additionally, its ability to achieve remarkable results is reflected by its financial data and main performance indicators, as well as its fast approach and quality performance in financing and innovative services it provides in this field. No entry fee. Kwt-Brits football supporters: A new football supporters website for British expats living and working in Kuwait has been set up by an Everton supporter, Trevor Powell. The Kuwait Brits Football Supporters Association (KBFSA) site aims to provide contact information for supporters of each others whereabouts and also in the future hopes to organise social events such as quizzes and even five-a-side matches on a home international teams basis. We need expats to register their support and hence we can then start to cast around for a suitable meeting venue. The site can be accessed at Free fitness classes: Free fitness classes at B.FIT studio in Salmiya! Classes include Zumba, Masala Bhangra workout, aerobics, toning & much more. Contact for further information. Hurry and enroll now! Courses Islamic and Arabic courses: Islamic and Arabic courses are being offered at the Enlightenment into Islam Center starting from 5:00-7:00 pm. Registrations can be done at the main office Women s Committee in Qurtoba. For more information contact: , , and IPC Arabic Course: IPC Rawdah Ladies Section will commence the Arabic Conversation Course. The students must have successfully completed at least 3 levels of Arabic. Placement test will be taken by those who took Arabic class outside IPC. Class is every Friday from 9-11 am. IPC Rawdah IPC Islamic Courses: Say: O my Lord, let me grow in knowledge. IPC is offering Islamic courses in English (for ladies only). Muslims and non-muslims are welcome. 1. Tilawa Surah Ar-Rad and Surah Ibrahim Sundays at 5:30-7:00 pm; 2. Principles of Tafsir (part 2) - Sundays at 7:00-8:30 pm; 3. Tajweed 3 - Tuesday, at 5:30-7:00 pm; 4. Jesus in Surah Mariam (part 2) - Tuesdays at 7:00-8:30 pm. Instructor: Sr Zeinab Hassan Ashry Place: IPC - Women Section Al-Rawdah, Area 3, Street 30, House 12, opp 4th Ring Road. ipc_sch@yahoo.com, Telephone: 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) Embassies Vidya Lakshmi Portal: Vidya Lakshmi Portal has been launched on Aug 15, 2015 by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, New Delhi. Under this scheme, any Indian student can apply for educational loan online by browsing on The main purpose of this portal is to have facilities of education loan, scholarship and other student friendly facilities through one link. Students can apply from his/her home, institution, kiosk or Cyber café. The portal is linked with Centre for Good Governance National-e-Scholarship Portal: Students can also apply for scholarship. Besides, a good number of student-friendly schemes are also mentioned in the portal. Students can apply, view and track their educational loan application to banks anytime by accessing the Portal which would be useful for students, parents, institutions, bankers, employers, researchers, etc. Brazilian Embassy notice: A Embaixada do Brasil solicita a brasileiros/as que efetuem e/ ou atualizem sua matrícula consular. (formulário na página: The Embassy of Brazil requests Brazilian citizens to register or to update their consular registration (form ongoing commitment to its social responsibility program which targets the youth segment, and its efforts to connect and engage with this segment to identify their interests and cater to their needs. Additionally, KIB strives to engage closely with its customers at various social events. For that reason, a team from KIB will be present at a booth in the exhibition, and will be prepared to answer all questions related to the Bank s products and services, as well as its new campaigns and offers that are designed to meet the various needs of all segments of the population. Customers can call Al-Dawli Weyak at , or visit the website ( or follow the Bank s accounts on Facebook (facebook.com\aldawlibank), Twitter and Instagram (@aldawlibank), to learn more about KIB s competitive products and services.

27 27 h o r o s c o p e By Jacqueline Bigar Happy birthday for friday, March 31, 2017: This year options appear when you are relaxed, yet also sensitive to those around you. To many people who have observed you over the past few years, you seem more centered and less vulnerable to impulsive and/or irrational whims. If you are single, you attract many different people. Picking the right person depends a lot on what type of bond you are seeking. If you are attached, the two of you often want to experiment and try out new places together. You might surprise others when you and your sweetie decide to take an exotic trip. GEMINI lives for the moment, just like you do. 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) *** If you want to clear out a lot of work, now is the time; your efficiency is at a high point. Consider checking out a thrift shop or two. Do not hesitate to make your feelings known. Try not to have the expectation of gaining clarity from others. Tonight: Make it an early night. Aquarius - (Jan 20 - Feb 18) **** You simply can t seem to rein yourself in. You ll want to have some fun, especially feeling as independent as you do. Follow someone else s guidelines for one weekend. See if you can adjust to a different style. There are a lot of options possible. Tonight: Let the fun begin. Pisces - (Feb 19 - Mar 20) **** You clearly have a lot of ground to cover. It appears as though your popularity is soaring this week, which could be a source of frustration for someone else. This person probably is jealous, but don t let it get to you. You can t be tripped up right now. Tonight: Let it all hang out. Aries - (Mar 21 - Apr 19) **** You are in the mood to chat and share news. Take a hard look at your finances before the weekend starts. You could feel as if you don t have enough funds to let go in the way you would like to. Be open to a change of plans. Tonight: You hear more mixed feelings about your ideas. Taurus - (Apr 20 - May 20) ***** You seem more stable than you have been in a while. You might decide to change direction if you are not content. Express your caring side. A professional or community event demands your presence. Others appreciate your feedback. Tonight: Have a long-overdue chat. Gemini - (May 21 - June 20) ***** You might decide to change your plans. Touch base with a friend with whom you often discuss important decisions, and remember to remain sure of yourself. What you come up with might be more viable than you initially had thought. Tonight: Go for what you want. Cancer - (June 21 - July 22) *** Pay attention to what is being discussed. You might feel as if someone is pushing you so hard that you have to respond. Use care with an individual who could be as fragile as you are. Try to explain what ails you rather than blame anyone. Tonight: Express your feelings. Leo - (July 23 - Aug 22) **** Your judgment about a money matter will be right-on. A discussion with a partner or loved one must be solid and come from strong logic. Emotions might run high. Express your feelings about what seems to be occurring. Tonight: Observe someone else s ability to let go. Virgo - (Aug 23 - Sept 22): **** You are a force to be dealt with. Your public persona is more secure than how you feel most of the time. Somehow, you ll manage to convince yourself and others that you are grounded. Express your more caring feelings. Tonight: Your popularity is at a high point. Libra - (Sept 23 - Oct 22) ***** You might have a desire to take off. Some menial chore could be holding you back. Detach from the present moment and recent hassles, and try to relax. If you re considering going out of town, you will need to confirm meeting times and places. Tonight: Follow the music. Scorpio - (Oct 23 - Nov 21) **** Others are expressing their interest in being as dominant and accessible as you are. Know that everyone s personality is different, thus making their capacities different. Allow those around you to make their own decisions. Tonight: Go along with a loved one s suggestion. Sagittarius - (Nov 22 - Dec 21) **** Your efforts to relate to someone else could go way beyond the call of duty. Look within yourself and see whether you might want to adjust your plans accordingly. An interaction with a partner might be touchy, as he or she seems particularly me-oriented. Tonight: Do your thing. Born today: Actor Richard Chamberlain (1934), former U.S. Vice President Al Gore (1948), former US Rep Barney Frank (1940) home decor indoor gardening beauty tips taste buds curtain illusion grape ivy aloe vera for hair fall mushrooms paprikash Introduce a rental to luxury with gorgeous drapes. Hanging several sets of drapes along a wall is an apartment-approved way to give your walls personality without the permanency of wallpaper or paint. It also gives the illusion that there are windows hidden behind the drapes, rather than just an expanse of blank walls and one tiny window. Ellen Danica, the variety of grape ivy pictured here is often called oakleaf ivy because its leaves are more deeply cut than other types of grape ivy. Regardless of the variety, grape ivy is a vine with tendrils that readily cling to a trellis or stake. It offers shiny, deep green leaves that create a very nice texture. Why We Love It: Even though it s a vine, grape ivy has more of a mounding habit - so it s a perfect choice for lush, tidy-looking hanging baskets. Name: Cissus rhombifolia Growing Conditions: Medium light; degrees F.; keep evenly moist Size: To 6 feet as a vine Hair fall is an ever existent problem in out lives. And it constantly captures our attention! We are unable to think of anything. Aloe Vera is a perfect for healing the scalp and bringing the ph balance to normal. It also has cleansing properties that cleans the pores out. Blend aloe vera gel with 1/2 tsp. lemon juice Add 2tbsp. coconut oil. Mix it and apply on your scalp and hair. Wash your hair as usual after 20 min. Ingredients: 1/2 tsp caraway seed, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, sliced, 300g cup mushrooms, 1 large green pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks, 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika, 400g tomatoes, 1 vegetable stock cube, 4 tbsp soured cream, pasta, microwave jacket potato or crusty garlic bread Method: Heat a large sauté pan or wok, add the caraway seeds and lightly toast over the heat for a few seconds. Add the oil, then tip in the onion, mushrooms and pepper, and season well (salt will help draw the moisture from the mushrooms). Cook, stirring frequently, for about 6-8 mins until the vegetables are softened and the onion is starting to turn golden. Stir the paprika into the vegetables, tip in the tomatoes, stock and half a can of water, and leave to cook for 5 mins. Top portions with the soured cream and parsley, if using, and serve with pasta, jacket potatoes, or garlic bread. Dear Abby Teen will rather text than talk to her crush By Abigail Van Buren Dear Abby: There is a boy I like at school. He is a very well-known person around school. I m not. I do have a wide variety of friends, and I even talk to some of his. My friends know I like him, and they would like for me to talk to him. I wouldn t mind that, but what would I say? They want it to happen in person, but I want to do it by text, where I feel more me. What should I do? Tennessee teen Dear teen: Listen to your friends and approach him in person. A smile and a hello should break the ice. Then follow it up with a question about some activity that s happening at school. Abigail Van Buren Dear Abby: Could you please address the etiquette of tasting samples at stores, events, food shows, etc.? People walk up and try to grab a sample with dirty, bleeding, scabby hands not realizing that other people will also be sampling that food. Samples are supposed to be GIVEN to each person. And when that happens, the food handler should be wearing clean gloves and be the only person touching the food. Please let people know that once someone without gloves touches this food, the demonstrator must discard it for health reasons. Also, samples cannot be given to children without their parents permission, and any food allergies must be addressed before someone asks for a sample. Mary in Florida Dear Mary: Your suggestions are not only good manners, they also make common sense. I hope that readers who don t know better will learn from your letter for the sake of everyone s health. Dear Abby: Enough to Share (Dec. 5) was interested in supporting her daughter s friends through the college application process. Enough could mention to the family that SAT and ACT fee waivers should be available through the school counseling department if the twins are considered low-income. Students should also know about government assistance programs, such as the Pell Grant, which can give additional money toward tuition for any low-income student. They can get more information through their schools when they fill out their FAFSA forms. Title I teacher Dear teacher: Thank you for the pertinent information. Read on for some instructive input from another reader: Dear Abby: Many schools have Helping Hands funds available for this purpose and would allow the family to donate to these specific girls anonymously, if need be. As an educator, I encourage everyone to reach out to a local school to offer help to struggling high school students. If they are in a position to do so, they should ask if they can sponsor a student in the college application process or sign up to mentor. A little goes a long way 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) FRIDAY what s on today emergency Site for checking travel ban FOCUS to conduct TIPS 2017: FOCUS International Kuwait conducts TIPS 2017 on March 31. For more details contact , , Website: Scrabble sessions are back: Scrabble sessions are back for all to come, learn and play with us at Better Books, Salmiyah, Bldg 19, next to Badur Travel, opposite the Ministry of Private Education, on Friday afternoons from 2:30-5:30 pm. Inviting all kids aged 8 and above to join me and play competitively with me Rohaina. Classes are held every Saturday from pm. Bknelled, Euphuize, Waqf, Zooeae are some of the lovely words and there are 200,000 more you can learn with us. But the fun part is playing this wonderful game competitively. So come and see us and call Rohaina Tanweer. FBC tournament: Filipino Badminton Committee (FBC) is inviting all badminton enthusiast in Kuwait to join their regular badminton tournament being held every Friday from 8 am to 7 pm at Kuwait Disabled Sports Club, Bin Khaldoun Hawalli. Over 10 badminton courts are now available for badminton practices and tournament and it is open for all nationalities and from different badminton organizations. Exclusiveprivate court are also available on per hour rental. For more information, please contact Dr Chie Umandap Congratulations to Almira Ahmed Khalil Ahmed for your outstanding performance and clinching First Position in Standard 5 Indian Central School Kuwait. Having earned the All Round Student honor, the sky is just the beginning for you. We wish you all the best in life. Much love from the family. Arnis/Eskrima training: Eskrimador- Kuwait a member of Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation now opens a new batch of training. Learn the Philippine national sports, which is Arnis/Eskrima with the authentic style and techniques. Training schedule will be every Friday from 11:00 am to 1:00 Kaifan Sports Complex-Karate Gym. Text or call # Herms. Free IFRA coaching classes: Indian Football Referees Association (IFRA) will be starting free refresher/coaching classes for existing referees, new recruits, those aspiring to be referees and even those who would like to learn about the laws of the game at IEAS Salmiya (Don Bosco). Classes will be from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm every Friday. Those interested may call or get in touch with any IFRA member A flyer of the event. A flyer of the event. for registration. Holy Quran classes: Emanway Foundation Musk is offering classes to teach English-speaking ladies (and girls ages 5 and up) to read the Holy Quran in Arabic. The method is al-qaedah Noorania, a traditional program which has been used for many years around the world. (Note: Al-Qaedah simply means base ; this can be likened to a basic phonics program.) No Arabic knowledge is required. Every Friday from 4:00 to 5:15 pm, beginning Oct 4. Al-Salam Area (south Surra), Block 2, Street 201, House 30. Classes are free, but seats are limited, so register now by calling Tagalog Khutba for Filipinos: The Ministry of Awqaf, Islam Presentation Committee, & Kuwait Philippine Cultural number 112 Civil ID info: Center (KPC Center) invites all Filipino Muslim & Muslima to hear Khutba (Sermon) in Tagalog every Friday at Marzouq Al-Badr Mosque, Abu Bakr Al-Siddeeq St (at the back of Ambassador Supermarket and SM Supermarket, near Salhiya Police Station & Kuwait Airways Bldg) in Kuwait City. There will be a community started and lunch after Friday prayers at KPC Center in Farwaniya. For further information, please call KPC Center, Tel St Paul s Church activities: English Worship Services on Fridays at am and on Sundays at 6.30 pm at St Paul s Church in Ahmadi. The Friday English Service has got separate sessions for Children and Youth. Chinese Worship Services on Fridays at am at House No 16, Street 9, Block 11, Salwa. Urdu Worship services on Thursdays at 5.35 pm at St. Paul s Church, Ahmadi and on Fridays at 5.45 pm at Diwaniya of NECK Campus, Kuwait City. Please contact Fr Harrison Chinnakumar for English and Urdu Congregations and his phone numbers are or and address: chaplain@stpaulskuwait.com. For Chinese congregation, please contact Zhu Peijin and her number is and address is: greenolivettc@hotmail.com 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 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 , , SATURDAY 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, 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.

28 28 Vampire Slayer cast reunites Grace & Frankie: Fonda, Tomlin savor seniorities NEW YORK, March 30, (AP): The message of Grace and Frankie is: There s life after 70. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin press on as the title characters whose longtime husbands (played by Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston) abruptly left them for each other at the series inception. When our law-partner husbands tell us they ve been having an affair for 20 years, we re bereft and cast adrift, says Tomlin. What happens when you re in your late 70s and the rug is pulled out from under you? poses Fonda. The answer they and their show are promoting: There can be a third act that s pretty robust and pretty fun, as Fonda puts it. Don t write us off just because we re over the hill. Cause there s a lot of other hills still to come that are pretty exciting. As the third season begins, the oftenfractious friendship shared by uptight Grace and free-spirited Frankie has steered them into marketing a product designed to meet the special needs of women of their vintage. Thus does Grace and Frankie, between generous laughs, continue to explore growing older while thumbing its nose at Father Time. Fonda and Tomlin (today hale and hearty at, respectively, 79 and 77) are the best advertisements for what the series is about. They first worked together in a certain hit film nearly four decades ago. Fonda had attended a live performance by Tomlin and I fell in love with her. I was preparing a movie called 9 to 5 that was kind of serious. But after I saw her show, I thought, I can t do a movie about secretaries if Lily Tomlin isn t one of them. And we had to totally redo the movie so it was funny. Tomlin says she came to the project totally in awe of Fonda, and, referring to Fonda s Oscar-winning performance in the 1971 thriller Klute, confides, I had already worn a Klute hairdo for a couple of years. With their on-screen reunion for Grace and Frankie, Fonda says Tomlin, once again, is good for me to be around. I come from a long line of depressed people, and Lily s humor is right close to the surface. I tend to depression, and she finds laughter in everything. We have fun together. Even so, the series presents challenges. In the first season, Fonda unexpectedly identified with the abandonment issues her character was going through. It kind of shatters Grace, she says, and it did for me, Jane, as well. It triggered something in me. It was really hard to be playing somebody going through that. Thinking back on it seems to bring Fonda to Couch slouch the brink of tears. Or not, she argues with a smile. I just have something in my eyes. And there are other demands besides the emotional. Like working 16 hours a day when you re almost 80, Fonda says. And we have to be learning our lines. Some of us, she adds with a comically knowing eye in Tomlin s direction, have quite a challenge that way. I have no problem learning lines! Tomlin chortles. She is just so full of it! Lily stumbles around and forgets her lines, persists Fonda, then, when it s all put together, it all turns out perfectly. She somehow makes it seem so fresh. When I forget MY lines, I just feel sort of like I m a dud. This is just crazy talk, Tomlin counters, then reports that, a few days before, she watched a couple of episodes, and oh, I m sorry you re really good. You think? says Fonda, as if caught by surprise. Oh, yes. Just terrific. Aw, thanks, says Fonda, clearly touched. But it all begs the question: How do these veteran actresses do it? Fonda: You ve got to get enough sleep. Tomlin: You ve got to squat. Fonda: Squat over what? Tomlin: Just squat. So that you stay flexible. Fonda: I get eight or nine hours of sleep. Which means when I get home I go right to sleep. Also: LOS ANGELES: Buffy Summers and her old pals from Sunnydale High are reuniting to celebrate the 20th birthday of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Series creator Joss Whedon talks with stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan and 10 other cast members on EW Reunites: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which premieres Wednesday on the streaming People/Entertainment Weekly Network. This is like a high school reunion, but much worse because they all still look really great, Whedon says. He and series stars including David Boreanaz, Nicolas Brendon, Charisma Carpenter and Michelle Trachtenberg share memories of their days on the show and reflect on its enduring impact. Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered in 1997 and ran through Its title character battled vampires, demons and other dark forces while navigating everyday teenage struggles. Whedon was nominated for an Emmy for his writing on the show in In this image released by FX, Holly Taylor portrays Paige Jennings in a scene from The Americans. (AP) Young, digital hungry consumers make it an ideal market Vice takes its edgy journalism to Middle East DUBAI, March 30, (RTRS): Vice Media is bringing its edgy style of journalism to the Middle East to tap what it believes is an underserved market of young, digital hungry consumers. Vice announced its arrival with a party on Wednesday at the glitzy Armani Hotel in the world s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, the global trade hub where the New York-based company will set up its regional headquarters. Vice reckons the region s youthful population coupled with some of the highest smartphone penetration rates in the world in countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates make it an ideal market to expand into. That s just a tremendous opportunity and we think that this is the time that we come in and steal a lot of market share, Vice Co- Founder and Chief Executive Shane Smith told Reuters in an interview in Dubai on Wednesday. Vice, which is aiming for 50 staff in Dubai by the end of the year, will launch a website and digital channel this summer and is in active discussions about a 24-hour regional cable channel to be broadcast from the emirate. It will produce news and lifestyle content in multiple languages including Arabic, English, Farsi, Turkish and Urdu. Vice has documented migrant worker abuses in Dubai, won acclaim for a documentary while embedded with Islamic State and garnered widespread attention when it took former National Basketball Association star Dennis Rodman to North Korea. We re always going to be looking at social justice, we re always going to be looking at environmental justice, we re always going to be looking at being on the right side of history, especially with millennials and our audience, Smith said. Vice is likely to run into the same obstacles it has faced elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa, where journalists are most subjected to constraints of every kind, according to global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders. Worth $4.2 billion at its last valuation, Vice has transformed in 23 years from a punk magazine in Montreal, Canada, into a global multimedia brand. Its regional partner is Afghan media company Moby Group, whose Dubai offices are a few kilometres (miles) from the Trump International Golf Club which featured in a 2016 VICE episode on U.S. cable channel HBO about migrant worker exploitation. Vice and Moby share a common shareholder in 21st Century Fox and the Afghan company holds a license from the U.S. Treasury s OFAC allowing it to expand into Iran - a market Vice wants to tap. tv highlights Cinema Cinema programme from Thursday 30/03/2017 to Wednesday 05/04/2017 Akher Deek Fe Masr (Arabic Film) Sharqia 1 13:15 (No Fri) 20:00, 22:15 Fanar 3 21:30, 23:45 Marina 1 22:15 Avenues 1 13:15 (No Fri) 15:30, 17:45, 20:00, 22:15, 00:30 Avenues 4 12:45 (No Fri) 17:45 (No Mon) 22: :15 (No Fri) 14:30, 16:45, 19:00, 21:15, 23: :00, 19:45 Al-Kout 2 11:45 (No Fri) 16:45, 21:30 Bairaq 3 18:00, 20:45, 23:15 Laila 20:15 Don t Knock Twice Grand Gate 8 14:45, 17:15, 19:15, 21:15, 23:15 Daylight s End Sharqia 1 15:30, 17:45, 00:30 Fanar 2 12:00 (No Fri) 21:45, 00:05 Avenues 7 11:45 (No Fri) 14:00, 18:15, 20:30, 22:45, 01: :45 (No Fri) 15:00, 19:30, 21:45, 00:05 Al-Kout 4 12:45 (No Fri) 15:00, 21:45, 00:05 Smurfs: The Lost Village Sharqia 2 13:00 (No Fri) 15:00, 17:00, 19:00, 21:00 Muhalab 3 12:00 (No Fri) 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00 Fanar 4 11:45 (No Fri) 13:45, 15:45, 17:45, 19:45, 21:45 Marina 3 12:00 (No Fri) 14:00, 16:00, 20:00, 22:00 18:00 (No Thu) Avenues 5 13:00 (No Fri) 15:00, 17:00 19:00 (No Tue) Avenues 11 12:00 (No Fri) 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00, 22: :15 (No Fri) 14:15, 16:15, 18: :00 (No Fri) 15:00, 17:00, 19:00, 21:00, 23:00 Al-Kout 1 Bairaq 1 12:00 (No Fri) 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00 13:00 (No Fri) 15:00, 17:00, 19:00, 21:00, 23:00 Laila 16:15, 18:15 Grand Hamra 5 14:45, 17:15 Grand Hamra 6 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00, 22:00 Grand Gate 1 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00, 22:15 Grand Gate GC 15:00, 17:00, 19:00, 21:00, 23:00 01:00 (Thu, Fri) Kong: Skull Island Sharqia 2 23:00 Muhalab 1 14:30 Muhalab 2 19:30 (No Fri, Sat, Mon) 22:30 Fanar 2 14:15, 19:15 Marina 1 15:15, 19:45 Avenues 2 12:15 (No Fri) 14:45, 19:45, 22:15, 00:45 Avenues 4 15:15, 00:15 Avenues 8 13:30, 16:00 Avenues 11 00: :15 (No Fri) 14:45, 17:15, 19:45, 22:15, 00: :30 (No Fri) 17: :45 (No Fri) 18:45, 23: :45 (No Thu, Fri, Mon) :30 (No Fri) 16:45, 21:45, 00:15 Al-Kout 2 14:15, 19:00 Bairaq 2 17:30 Grand Gate 4 14:15, 16:45, 19:30, 22:00 Max Steel Grand Hamra 1 14:15, 16:15, 18:15, 20:15, 22:15 01:00 (Thu, Fri) Grand Gate 5 14:45, 16:45, 19:00, 21:00, 23:00 Get Out Sharqia 3 12:30 (No Fri) 14:45, 21:45, 00:05 Muhalab 1 12:15 (No Fri) 17:00, 22:15, 00:30 Fanar 1 13:00 (No Fri) 15:15, 20:00, 22:15, 00:30 Marina 2 12:45 (No Fri) 15:00, 17:15, 19:30, 21:45, 00:05 Avenues 5 21:00 (No Fri) Avenues 6 23:15 11:30 (No Fri) 13:30, 15:45, 18:00, 20:15, 22:30, 00: :30 (No Fri) 14:45, 17:00, 19:15, 21:30, 23: :15, 22:30, 00: :00 Al-Kout 1 22:00, 00:15 Al-Kout 4 17:15, 19:30 Laila 22:30 Grand Hamra 2 14:15, 16:30, 19:15, 21:45 00:00 (Thu, Fri) Grand Hamra GC 15:00, 17:30, 20:00, 22:30 01:00 (Thu, Fri) Grand Gate 2 14:15, 16:30, 19:15, 21:30 23:45 (Thu, Fri) Naam Shabana (Hindi Film) Sharqia 3 17:00 Muhalab 1 19:15 Muhalab 2 Fanar 3 Avenues 8 21:30 13:30, 16:30 (No Fri) 12:45, 15:30 (No Fri) 18:30 (No Fri, Mon) :45 (No Fri) 14:45, 17:30, 20:30, 23:15 Ajial 4 15:45, 21:15 18:30 (Thu) Collide Sharqia 3 19:45 Muhalab 3 22:00, 00:05 Fanar 4 23:45 Marina 1 13:15 (No Fri) 17:45, 00:30 Avenues 9 19:15, 21:15, 23:15, 01: :45 (No Fri) 14:15, 16:15, 18:15, 20:15, 22:15, 00:15 Al-Kout 2 23:45 Grand Gate 7 20:15, 22:15 00:15 (Thu, Fri) Sleepless Muhalab 2 11:30 (No Fri) 01:00 Avenues 7 16:15 Avenues 8 11:30 (No Fri) 00: :00 (Fri, Sat) 00:30 Grand Hamra 3 15:00, 17:00, 19:00, 21:00 23:00 (Thu, Fri) Guru (Telugu Film) Muhalab 2 13:30, 16:30 (Fri) Fanar 3 19:30 (Fri, Sat, Mon) 15:30 (Fri) 18:30 (Fri, Mon) Ajial 2 15:30, 18:30, 21:30 (No Thu) Life Fanar 1 17:45 Marina 3 00:05 Avenues 10 11:45 (No Fri) 17:00, 21:45, 00: :00 (No Fri) 15:30, 20:30, 22:45, 01: :15, 16:30, 21:15 Grand Hamra 4 15:15, 17:30, 20:00, 22:30 Grand Gate 6 14:00, 16:15, 18:45, 21:15 23:30 (Thu, Fri) Power Rangers Fanar 2 16:45 Avenues 2 17:15 Avenues 10 19: : :30 (Sat) 16:00 (No Thu, Fri, Mon) :15, 19:15 Grand Hamra 5 19:45, 22:30 00:45 (Thu, Fri) Grand Hamra 7 14:30, 17:00, 19:30, 22:00 Safra 5 Njoom (Arabic Film) Fanar 5 12:00 (No Fri) 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, Avenues 3 20:00, 22:00, 00:05 12:15 (No Fri) 14:30, 16:45, 19:00, 21:15, 23:30 Avenues 4 20: :00, 00: :15 (No Fri) 15:30, 17:45, 20:00, 22:15, 00:30 Al-Kout 3 Bairaq 2 How to find us 12:30 (No Fri) 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30, 22:30, 00:30 11:30 (No Fri) 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: , 13:30, 15:30, 20:00, 22:00, 00:05 Grand Hamra 8 14:30, 16:45, 19:30, 22:15 Grand Gate 3 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30, 22:30 00:30 (Thu, Fri) Hebbuli (Kannada Film) Avenues 8 18: :30 Smurfs: The Lost Village (Arabic Film) Avenues 9 13:15 (No Fri) 15:15, 17: :00 (No Fri) 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, Bairaq 3 20:00, 22:00 12:00 (No Fri) 14:00, 16:00 Ajial 3 17:00 19:00, 21:00 (Thu) Grand Gate 7 14:15, 16:15, 18:15 Logan Avenues 10 14: :05 The Windmill Massacre :30 Hamah (Kuwaiti Film) :30 (Thu) 17:00 (Thu, Fri) Honey Bee2: Celebrations (Malayalam Film) :30 (Thu, Fri, Mon) Plaza 15:45, 21:30 (Thu) 18:45 Ajial 1 15:45 (No Fri) 18:45, 21:45 Dora (Tamil Film) Plaza 15:45 (No Thu) Ajial 4 18:30 (No Thu) Plaza Ajial 3 Ajial 1 Kavan (Tamil Film) 21:30 (No Thu) 19:00, 22:00 (No Thu) Loot 2 (Nepali Film) 16:00 (Fri) Katamarayudu (Telugu Film) Ajial 2 15:30, 18:30, 21:30 (Thu) IMAX Imax film programme at The Scientific Center Sunday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Flying Monsters 3D 10:30 am 07:30 pm A Beautiful Planet 3D 11:30 am 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 12:30 pm Humpback Whales 3D 05:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 08:30 pm Monday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am A Beautiful Planet 3D 10:30 am 05:30 pm, 07:30 pm Humpback Whales 3D 11:30 am 09:30 pm Flying Monsters 3D 12:30 pm, 06:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 08:30 pm Tuesday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Journey to Space 3D 10:30 am 04:30 pm Flying Monsters 3D 11:30 am 09:30 pm A Beautiful Planet 3D 12:30 pm, 02:30 pm, 05:30 pm, 08:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 01:30 pm Humpback Whales 3D 03:30 pm, 06:30 pm Secret Ocean 3D 07:30 pm Wednesday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Flying Monsters 3D 10:30 am 05:30 pm A Beautiful Planet 3D 11:30 am 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Humpback Whales 3D 12:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 07:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 08:30 pm Thursday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am A Beautiful Planet 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 Humpback Whales 3D 08:30 pm Friday A Beautiful Planet 3D 02:30 pm, 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 03:30 pm Humpback Whales 3D 04:30 pm Secret Ocean 3D 05:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 07:30 pm Flying Monsters 3D 08:30 pm Saturday Showtime Available for Groups 09:30 am Flying Monsters 3D 10:30 am 05:30 pm, 07:30 pm A Beautiful Planet 3D 11:30 am 03:30 pm, 08:30 pm Journey to Space 3D 12:30 pm, 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Humpback Whales 3D 01:30 pm Kenya: Animal Kingdom 3D 02:30 pm Secret Ocean 3D 04:30 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 Trump, Christie pledge to combat opioid addiction in US FDA approves first drug for aggressive multiple sclerosis TRENTON, NJ, March 30, (AP): US regulators have approved the first drug for an aggressive kind of multiple sclerosis that steadily reduces coordination and the ability to walk. The Food and Drug Administration approved Ocrevus late Tuesday after a large study found it slowed progression of the neurological disease and reduced symptoms. While there are more than a dozen treatments for the most common form of MS, there s been nothing specifically for people with the type called primary progressive MS. That type of MS is relatively rare, affecting about 50,000 Americans. The drug was also approved for relapsing forms of MS, which progress more slowly. It s given intravenously every six months. The drug was developed by Genentech, part of Swiss drugmaker the Roche Group. Genentech, based in South San Francisco, California, said the initial list price without insurance will be $65,000 a year. In primary progressive MS, the disease s course varies among patients, but symptoms gradually worsen from the start and there usually are no periods when symptoms subside. Most of the estimated 400,000 Americans with MS have the relapsing-remitting type, in which symptoms can wane for months, even years, between flare-ups. Symptoms are caused by the immune system attacking the fatty coverings on nerves in the brain and spinal cord that protect them, much like insulation on electrical wiring. As the coverings deteriorate, nerve messages aren t properly transmitted, disrupting movement and muscle control. Shortened For patients with primary progressive MS, life span on average is shortened by six years, said Dr. Fred Lublin, director of the MS center at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. Since 1993, 14 drugs have been approved to slow the most common form of MS, but everything tested against primary progressive MS failed until now, said Lublin, a consultant to Genentech who was on the committee overseeing the study. This therapy not only provides another treatment option for those with relapsing MS, but for the first time provides an approved therapy for those with primary progressive MS, Dr. Billy Dunn, director of the FDA s Division of Neurology Products, said in a statement. In the study testing Ocrevus for primary progressive MS, which involved 732 patients, Ocrevus had a modest but definite slowing effect on the rate at which people develop disabilities, said Lublin. Compared to study participants getting dummy infusions, patients given Ocrevus infusions had slower declines in walking ability and slower disability progression over nearly 2-1/2 years. The Ocrevus group also had fewer new brain-damaging lesions develop but slightly higher rates of certain side effects, including upper respiratory tract infections and tumors developing in various parts of the body. The drug was also tested in two large studies involving 1,656 patients as a treatment for relapsing forms of MS. In those 96-week studies, patients given Ocrevus had lower relapse rates and reduced worsening of disability compared to participants given Rebif, a standard drug for relapsing MS, according to the FDA. Ocrevus will be available in the US within two weeks, Genentech said, noting the average price of MS medicines has quadrupled over the past 12 years. As a first step in reversing that trend, the company said, it priced Ocrevus 25 percent below Rebif s list price. President Donald Trump is vowing to step up efforts to combat the nation s opioid addiction crisis, and he s tapped New Jersey Gov Chris Christie to lead the fight. Trump convened an emotional roundtable Wednesday with Christie, members of his Cabinet, law enforcement chiefs, recovering addicts and advocates. It was the first public event tied to the launch of a new addiction This photo provided by Genentech shows the company s drug Ocrevus. (AP) commission that Christie, a longtime Trump friend and formal rival, will chair. Trump listened intently as Vanessa Vitolo and AJ Solomon, two recovering addicts from New Jersey, described their harrowing battles with substance abuse. Both became hooked on prescription pain killers, and quickly transitioned to heroin. Trump also heard from a mother whose son died from an overdose after a long battle with addition. Her son, Trump told the mother, hadn t died in vain. Overdose We want to help those who have become so badly addicted. Drug abuse has become a crippling problem throughout the United States, said Trump, citing statistics that show drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in the country. This is a total epidemic and I think it s probably, almost un-talked about compared to the severity that we re witnessing. Christie, a longtime friend of the president, headed Trump s presidential transition before he was unceremoniously replaced by incoming Vice President Mike Pence in the days after the election due to disagreements over its direction.

30 CEO and vice chairman step down at Dubai Holding Mubadala nearly triples net profit in 2016 The chief executive and vice chairman of Dubai Holding have left the company, it said on Thursday, continuing a string of high-profile staff changes at the investment vehicle of the emirate s ruler. The departures come a few days after Abdulla al-habbai was chosen as chairman of the investment conglomerate by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-maktoum, giving him responsibility for a $35 billion portfolio of assets in more than 20 countries. Dubai Holding Chief Executive Fadel al-ali and vice chairman and managing director Ahmad Bin Byat had decided to step down from their positions, the company said in a statement. Both of them have played an exceptional role in building the business and have been instrumental in making Dubai Holding the globally recognised investment conglomerate and national champion that it is today, the company said. Al-Habbai, who is also chairman of real estate developer Meraas Holding, will oversee the business, Dubai Holding said without elaborating. Dubai Holding s previous chairman, Mohammed Abdullah al- Gergawi, resigned last month, having headed the company since it was founded in (RTRS) Abu Dhabi s state-owned Mubadala Development Co, which is merging with fellow Abu Dhabi-owned International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC), said on Thursday its net profit nearly tripled in Mubadala, which is focused on developing Abu Dhabi s economy through local companies such as clean energy firm Masdar and stakes in international players such as General Electric, is among the few statecontrolled firms to publish results. The company reported a net profit of 3.3 bln dirhams ($899 million) for 2016, compared to a net profit of 1.2 bln dirhams in Its total comprehensive income, which comprises all forms of income, was 4.1 bln dirhams in 2016, recovering from a negative 1.3 bln dirhams in 2015 when the market value of some assets fell. Its revenues grew to 31.5 billion dirhams in 2016 from 29.7 billion dirhams in the previous year, while income from financial investments, the main driver of its profit totalled 5.4 billion dirhams in 2016 versus 3.4 billion dirhams in It has been a strong year for Mubadala in terms of profits and revenue growth and managing our leverage, Khaldoon al-mubarak, chief executive & managing director told Reuters. (RTRS) Market Movements Change Closing pts AUSTRALIA - All Ordinaries , GERMANY - DAX , FRANCE - CAC , EUROPE - Euro Stoxx , PHILIPPINES - All Shares , INDIA - Sensex , Change Closing pts JAPAN - Nikkei , S. KOREA - KRX , HONG KONG - Hang Seng , Business Riyadh expected to sell up to $10bn of Islamic bonds Saudi considering changes to debut dollar sukuk structure DUBAI, March 30, (RTRS): Saudi Arabia is considering whether to change the structure of its planned US dollar sukuk issue, which would be the kingdom s first international issue of Islamic bonds, banking sources told Reuters on Wednesday. Riyadh is expected to sell up to $10 billion of sukuk with an issue that could take place in the next few weeks, bankers say. It has been planning a hybrid structure for the sukuk. The structure would comprise a mudaraba agreement, a form of Islamic investment management partnership, plus a murabaha facility that would trade commodities with a special purpose vehicle. But potential changes to that structure are now under discussion to make the instrument more easily tradable and less complex to understand for international investors, the sources said. A spokesman for the Saudi finance ministry declined to comment. Some bankers who are not involved in the deal said they believed the debate over the sukuk structure might be the reason that Saudi Arabia had not already launched the issue, given the current favourable market conditions with low credit spreads in the region. A hybrid mudaraba-murabaha structure is being used in a private placement of riyal-denominated sukuk now being conducted by Saudi Aramco, the national oil company. But this structure may be too complex for some international investors, possibly to the point of testing their appetite for the issue, said one banker familiar with the debate, declining to be named because the matter is private. While Gulf investors and a sub-set of Western institutions would probably be comfortable with a hybrid sukuk structure, Riyadh might need to attract a wider investor base for an issue approaching $10 billion, which would be the world s largest dollar Islamic bond sale. So the structure may be changed to an ijara format, a lease-financing structure which is common among sovereign sukuk issuance around the world and is better known internationally, some bankers said. An ijara sukuk, however, might require the transfer of some assets pledged for the sukuk into a special purpose vehicle. Shifting sovereign assets into an SPV could lead to legal and regulatory hurdles, the bankers said. The complexity of sukuk and investors lack of familiarity with them has long been recognised as barrier to Aramco formally appoints banks to advise on share sale LONDON, March 30, (RTRS): Saudi Aramco has formally appointed JPMorgan Chase & Co, Morgan Stanley and HSBC as international financial advisers for its initial public offering, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The trio join Moelis & Co and Evercore, which have been appointed independent financial advisers, one source said of what is expected to be the world s biggest share sale. The Saudi authorities aim to sell up to 5 percent of Aramco, listing the shares in Riyadh and at least one foreign exchange to raise cash for investment in new industries in a bid to diversify away from oil exports in an era of cheap crude. Aramco has appointed Saudi Arabia s NCB Capital and Samba Capital as local advisers, the growth of the market. For that reason, two top standard-setting bodies in Islamic finance have in the last few months proposed new guidelines for sukuk, aiming to make them more transparent and standardised. sources said. Reuters previously reported that JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, Moelis and Evercore had been asked to work on the global listing, while HSBC was a leading contender to join them. Samba Capital was earlier named as one of two local advisers. One source said all the banks had now been onboarded, a term indicating they had been fully briefed on the IPO process, and had been tasked with work that includes helping ensure systems on the Saudi stock exchange, the Tadawul, can be integrated with a foreign exchange. Saudi Aramco has yet to pick a foreign site to list. When asked for comment, Saudi Aramco said it did not respond to rumour or speculation. Officials at The new issue would be Saudi Arabia s second international bond sale after a $17.5 billion debut conventional bond issue last October. That was the largest-ever emerging market debt sale. NCB Capital were not immediately available and other banks have previously declined to comment on their role. Meanwhile, PetroChina will consider taking part in national oil giant Saudi Aramco s initial public offering based on market conditions, it said on Thursday, the second Chinese oil major to discuss becoming an investor this week. Saudi Aramco has raised this plan to PetroChina, president and vice-chairman Wang Dongjin said on Thursday at a briefing following the announcement of China s largest oil and gas producer s 2016 results. I think we will make our evaluation and study based on the market situation, Wang said. On Monday, Sinopec Corp said The kingdom started tapping international debt markets to diversify its sources of finance and plug a huge budget deficit caused by low oil prices. Citi, HSBC and JP Morgan are the Aramco president had visited the firm and both sides would have talks on the IPO, which is expected to be the world s largest equity sale. Wang said PetroChina was also in talks with Aramco on its Yunnan Petrochemical plant and about the possibility of supplying its enhanced oil recovery technology to Saudi oil fields. We are also having discussions on the joint venture Yunnan Petrochemical. We are making very active progress, he said. Sources told Reuters in 2015 that Aramco was looking to invest $1-1.5 billion in its new refinery in the country s southwest. The company expects oil prices to range between $50-58 per barrel this year, recovering from the multiyear lows hit early in global coordinators on the planned issue. BNP Paribas and Deutsche Bank are also involved with lead roles, and other banks might join the group of lead managers, banking sources have said. Funds moving cash into bonds, divided on Kuwait s bull market Photo by Bassam Abu Shanab The file photo shows a view of Kuwait Stock Exchange. The Mideast funds are moving cash into bonds even as the managers are split on Kuwait s bull market. DUBAI, March 30, (RTRS): Middle East fund managers expect to increase their allocations to bonds over the next three months and favour Saudi Arabia over the United Arab Emirates among equity markets, a monthly Reuters poll found. The poll of 13 leading fund managers, conducted over the past week, found 46 percent of managers plan to move more excess cash into fixed income and 8 percent to reduce their holdings. That is the second most positive balance towards bonds since the poll was launched in September 2013, and is a shift from last month, when 8 percent said they would lift allocations and 15 percent would cut them. By lifting dollar interest rates in mid-march, the US Federal Reserve s made the income from bonds more appealing. More US rate hikes are expected this year, International index hopes make Saudi attractive which could hurt capital values of bonds but that is outweighed by other factors. Liquidity in the Gulf bond market has been improving as governments have increased issuance; Saudi Arabia is preparing for a US dollar sukuk issue that could total as much as $10 billion. The ability to trade more easily has made bonds more attractive to institutional investors. Also, some managers who had been overweight in cash are parking it in interest-bearing securities, earning between 2.2 and 2.8 percent for a high-rated sovereign note, until first-quarter earnings from Middle Eastern companies set the tone for equity markets in coming months. As we approach Ramadan and the summer holidays which typically see low volumes in equity markets the above-average cash position is being deployed in fixed income and to defensive, low-beta stocks, said Talal Samhouri, head of asset management at Amwal Qatar. Fund managers are still positive on balance towards regional equities but have become slightly less so, the survey shows. Thirty-one percent plan to raise allocations and none to reduce them, compared with figures of 62 percent and zero last month. Gulf stock markets have underperformed emerging markets in general in the last few months, partly because of expectations for more austerity steps by Gulf governments, and it is not clear when this trend will end. I believe markets will continue to perform in the same trading range as March 2017 until Q1 results are announced, and a clearer direction of companies financial performance for 2017 becomes evident, NBAD Securities head, Mohammed Ali Yasin, said. Within a regional equities portfolio, managers prefer Saudi Arabia by a considerable margin, with 62 percent planning to increase their allocations towards Saudi stocks and none to cut them, levels unchanged from last month. Last week, the Saudi exchange said it would extend the period for settling trades and introduce shortselling on April 23, reforms that may help the market join international equity indexes. MSCI will decide in June whether to review Saudi Arabia for possible inclusion in its emerging market index, while FTSE will decide in September whether on an upgrade. We expect the upcoming MSCI and FTSE reviews of Saudi to draw significant foreign inflows over the next two years, Waha Capital s managing director of capital markets, Mohamed Eljamal, said. Kuwait s stock market is up 20 percent in heavy volume since the start of this year, far outperforming the rest of the region. But while some managers cite the Kuwaiti government s strong financial position, which has allowed it to avoid most austerity steps, others think the rise is excessive. Twenty-three percent of managers expect to raise their Kuwaiti equity allocations and the same proportion to reduce them. We do expect some of the Kuwaiti outperformance to unwind, Al Rayan Investment s senior director of asset management, Akber Khan, said. Bid to ease reforms impact Egypt govt considering raising food subsidies CAIRO, March 30, (Agencies): Egypt s government is considering raising food subsidies provided to millions of people every month by 29 percent to help ease the impact of rising prices on poorer families, two sources at the finance ministry said on Thursday. Around 70 million of the country s 92 million population are beneficiaries of a subsidy card programme that entitles them to 21 pounds ($1.16) worth of goods every month, in addition to five loaves of bread per person per day. We are considering increasing the level of support through the subsidy card in the 2017/18 budget to 27 pounds to alleviate the impact of the economic reform programme on lowincome people, a senior ministry official who declined to be named told Reuters. Another source said the ministry was also considering an exceptional 10 percent increase in salaries for government employees to partly offset recent price rises. A surge in inflation to a 30-year high since Egypt dropped the pound s peg to the dollar in November has driven up living costs in the importdependent country, with food and drinks prices rising over 40 percent in the year to February. Details released on Wednesday after the draft budget was approved by the cabinet showed food subsidy spending was set at billion pounds in the coming financial year, up from billion expected for Supply Minister Ali Moselhy had earlier this week put proposed food subsidy spending for next year even higher, at 86 billion pounds. But he said on Thursday the budget did not include any increase in the monthly card subsidies. Until now, there is no increase in the level of support via the cards, he said. Finance Minister Amr El-Garhy declined to comment on the issue: All Iran posts its trade surplus for second time in 37 years BEIRUT, March 30, (RTRS): Iran posted its second trade surplus in 37 years for the past Iranian calendar year, which began in March 2016 and ended last week, according to customs data cited in a report by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Non-oil exports exceeded imports by $246 million, the report said withut giving any reasons for the trade surplus. But the lifting of sanctions last year helped Iran move toward re-establishing old business ties and taking preliminary steps towards building new ones. Imports have also been curbed by the weak rial compared to the period before sanctions and because Iran was forced to produce many things itself during the things are being considered... I don t want to go into them now, he said. Garhy told a conference in Cairo the government was trying to stick to an economic reform plan which has unlocked billions of dollars in loans from the International Monetary Fund and other lenders, while at the same time protecting people from the worst impact of the price rises. The budget has presented great difficulties and challenges, between implementing the economic reforms on one hand and retaining the social protection plan on the other, Garhy said. The African Development Bank (AfDB) said it disbursed $500 million to Egypt on Thursday, the second of three expected tranches aimed at helping to revive the economy. The loan will support projects including social housing, youth employment and sanitation work. The government s proposed budget will increase expenditure in local currency terms by nearly 20 percent to trillion Egyptian pounds ($65.35 billion). It targets GDP growth of 4.6 percent, with an expected deficit of 9.1 percent, compared to percent in the current year. Garhy said he predicted inflation, which rose to its highest level in more than three decades last month, would start easing by November or December. Deputy Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk told the same conference that he expected to see inflation fall to an average of 15.2 percent during the financial year. Annual urban consumer price inflation hit 30.2 percent last month. The economic picture for Egypt is improving, ratings agency Moody s said on Wednesday, but a public backlash will likely lead the Mideast country to slow reforms undertaken to secure a bailout from the international Monetary Fund. years of sanctions. The lifting of sanctions was part of a landmark deal struck between the Islamic Republic and western countries in 2015 which forced Iran to restrict its nuclear program. The positive trade numbers could provide a boost for moderate president Hassan Rouhani, who has pointed to the agreement as his administration s signature achievement, during presidential elections in May. Non-oil exports during the past Iranian calendar year reached $43.9 billion, a 3.5 percent increase over the same period during the previous year, the IRNA report said. Imports for the past Iranian calendar year hit $43.6 billion, a 5.2 percent increase over the same period during the previous year.

31 BUSINESS 31 victims of Swiss Madoff awarded compensation average US 30-year mortgage rate slips to 4.14% A former Swiss fund manager found guilty last year of cheating 2,000 investors out of around 800 million Swiss francs ($803 million) was ordered to reimburse one group of victims 207 million francs by a court on Thursday. Nearly 1,200 investors were demanding around 420 million francs in compensation from Dieter Behring, who was dubbed by media as Switzerland s Bernie Madoff, after the American swindler. Switzerland s Federal Criminal Court made the award. A court spokesman did not specify how many investors would be compensated, but the Aargauer Zeitung reported that 816 investors were awarded compensation while 373 more were told to pursue civil court claims. It remains unclear how much money the investors will actually see because their claims exceed what authorities seized from Behring. Behring was sentenced to 5-1/2 years in jail in September, more than a decade after his investment empire collapsed. He was accused of fraud and money laundering. Behring, who has denied wrongdoing, is appealing against his conviction and the compensation order. (RTRS) Long-term US mortgage rates fell this week for a second straight week, slipping further from their highest levels of the year reached two weeks ago. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the rate on 30-year fixed-rate home loans declined to 4.14 percent from 4.23 percent last week. The benchmark rate stood at 3.71 percent a year ago and averaged 3.65 percent in 2016, the lowest level in records dating to The rate on 15-year mortgages eased to 3.39 percent from 3.44 percent. Despite the runup in mortgage rates that started after the November election, Americans stepped up home buying in January. Many buyers likely sought to close their deals before rates increased further. The Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate on March 15 for only the third time since 2006, but economists at S&P Dow Jones Indices say higher rates won t slow home sales until later this year. Data issued Tuesday showed that US home prices jumped in January from a year earlier at the fastest pace in nearly 2 years, as a tight supply of houses for sale spurred bidding wars in many cities. (AP) US economic growth revised higher in Q4 Economy boosted by consumer spending It clearly has to be less ambitious Trump tax plan may curb appetite for US stocks NEW YORK, March 30, (RTRS): Wall Street has tempered its expectations for sweeping US tax cuts in the wake of President Donald Trump s stinging healthcare defeat, a move that could push investors to embrace cheaper global stocks after the heady US rally of recent months. The White House turned its attention to an overhaul of the tax code after Republicans were forced on Friday to pull legislation that would have begun dismantling the Obama administration s 2010 healthcare law. Trump made tax cuts, including a lowering of the rates paid by corporations, a pillar of his 2016 presidential campaign. His Nov. 8 victory whetted the appetite of business and investors who saw passage of a tax bill as a virtual slam dunk. But the Republican infighting that doomed the healthcare bill in the House of Representatives and the evaporation of the savings that it was seen generating have made the endeavor more problematic. Now it appears some of the initiatives in the tax bill will have to be scaled back or even eliminated, said Robert Willens, an independent tax analyst. It clearly has to be less ambitious. Others are even less optimistic. Getting corporate tax relief done in 2017 has gone from a decent chance to remote, said Michael Purves, chief global strategist at Weeden & Co. That s a huge contributor to potential earnings. Economists at investment bank Goldman Sachs see some downside risk to their original expectation for a tax cut of around $1.75 trillion over 10 years, though they still see a deal passing. Trump has said he wants to cut corporate taxes to a range of 15 percent to 20 percent, from 35 percent. A watered-down version of his tax goals could rattle the concern among money managers that US equities valuations are stretched. Analysts expect S&P 500 profit growth of 11 percent this year according to Thomson Reuters data with many analysts not yet baking a tax cut into that estimate a big increase over 1.4 percent growth in What (the healthcare bill failure) does in my mind is further emphasize the case for international and emerging market equities, said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank. On a forward price-to-earnings basis, the US market is around the most expensive it has been in years compared with the United Kingdom, Europe and emerging markets. Against Japan, it is at its most expensive in at least six months. WASHINGTON, March 30, (RTRS): US economic growth slowed less than previously reported in the fourth quarter as robust consumer spending provided a boost that was partially offset by the largest gain in imports in two years. Gross domestic product increased at a 2.1 percent annualized rate instead of the previously reported 1.9 percent pace, the Commerce Department said on Thursday in its third GDP estimate for the period. The economy grew at a 3.5 percent rate in the third quarter. Despite the upward revision to the fourth quarter, the economy grew only 1.6 percent for all of 2016, its worst performance since 2011, after expanding 2.6 percent in There are signs that economic activity slowed further in the first quarter, with the trade deficit widening in January and both consumer and construction spending weakening. With the labor market near full employment, the data likely understate the health of the economy - GDP also tends to be weaker in the first quarter because of calculation issues the government has acknowledged and is trying to resolve. Some of this softness is due to seasonal adjustment issues that will reverse later in the year, said Gus Faucher, deputy chief economist at PNC Financial in Pittsburgh. Consumer spending will lead growth thanks to higher incomes from more jobs and rising wages. The Atlanta Federal Reserve is forecasting GDP rising at a rate of 1.0 percent in the first quarter. Though the moderate growth pace has been sufficient to lower unemployment, it is a challenge to President Donald Trump s goal of boosting annual growth to 4 percent by slashing taxes, increasing infrastructure spending and cutting regulations. The Trump administration has offered few details on its economic policies, but both business and consumer confidence have surged following the businessman-turned-politician s electoral victory last November. After last week s failed attempt by Republicans in the US House of Representatives to repeal the Obama administration s 2010 healthcare law, economists say Trump faces a tough road ahead implementing his progrowth agenda. The primary question is whether the next few years will resemble the last several years with growth of around 2 percent or whether better days lie ahead, said Jim Baird, chief investment officer at Plante Moran Financial Advisors in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Specialist Anthony Matesic (left), and trader Glenn Kessler work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, on March 30. US stock indexes edged higher in early trading Thursday as investors weighed the latest batch of company earnings, deal news and economic data. (AP) Strong start to the year for funds in general Funds in Q1: Foreign markets were first NEW YORK, March 30, (AP): Anyone with an American-only 401(k) account missed out in the first quarter. Funds that own stocks from Latin America, Asia and other foreign markets were some of the best performers during the first three months of the year. Hundreds had returns that were more than double those of the most popular US stock funds, which were no slouches themselves. The largest US stock fund had one of its best quarterly performances in years. It was all part of a strong start to the year for funds in general. Not only did stock funds of all types power higher, so did bond funds. Just over 93 percent of all the funds tracked by Morningstar had positive returns in the first quarter, as of Wednesday. Fortunately, more investors seem to have taken advantage. Money poured into stock funds in the final months of 2016, mostly focused on the US market due to excitement that a Republican-led Washington would US debt to reach 150 pct of GDP in 30 years CBO WASHINGTON, March 30, (RTRS): US debt held by the public will balloon to 150 percent of economic output by 2047 unless tax and spending laws are changed, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said on Thursday, far exceeding the record level just after World War II. The new projections show steeper 30-year debt growth than last year s long-term forecast by the non-partisan budget analysis agency, and could make it harder for some members of Congress to support a tax reform plan that is partly financed with higher deficits. Last year, the CBO estimated US public debt would grow to 141 usher in business-friendly policies. Here s a look at the trends that helped shape the quarter for mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. All of the return figures are through Wednesday. Foreign led the way For years, foreign stock funds did nothing but frustrate. Every peek higher would inevitably give way to another tumble, and the largest foreignstock fund returned less than 1 percent annualized for the decade through What made the ride even more frustrating was that US stocks nearly doubled over the same time, after including dividends. Even with the mediocre performance, many investors continued to buy foreign stocks, looking for ways to diversify their portfolios. Yes, US stocks had been on top for a long time, but they likely couldn t stay that way forever. And foreign stocks were looking cheaper than their US counterparts by several measures, following the percent of gross domestic product by 2046, while the record was 106 percent of GDP in That level would be reached in 2035, the CBO said. Under this year s projection, CBO predicts public debt for 2017 to be about 77 percent of GDP, growing to 89 percent in 2027, and 113 percent in The new forecasts assume that the Affordable Care Act, the healthcare law known as Obamacare that House Republicans failed to replace last week, stays in place for the long term. The projected debt growth reflects CBO s estimates of the rising costs of caring for a growing The dollar was slightly stronger against a basket of currencies, while prices for US Treasuries fell. US stocks were trading higher. Economists polled by Reuters had expected fourthquarter GDP would be revised up to a 2.0 percent rate. The government also reported that corporate profits after tax with inventory valuation and capital consumption adjustments increased at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter after rising at a 6.7 percent pace in the previous three months. Profits were held back by a $4.95 billion settlement between the US subsidiary of Volkswagen AG and the US federal and state governments for violation of environmental regulations. As a result, the economy grew at only a 1.0 percent rate when measured from the income side, braking sharply from the 5.0 percent pace of growth in the third quarter. Growth in consumer spending, which accounts for more than twothirds of US economic activity, was revised up to a 3.5 percent rate in the fourth quarter. It was previously reported to have risen at a 3.0 percent rate. Consumer spending is being supported by a tightening labor market. A separate report from the Labor Department on Thursday showed initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 3,000 to a seasonally split in performance. That patience was rewarded in the first quarter, and Vanguard s Total International Stock Index fund returned 9.2 percent for its best quarter in nearly four years. Returns were even bigger for the types of funds that have been the most frustrating recently: those that invest in emerging markets. The dollar s falling value in the first quarter helped, because it meant returns denominated in South Korean won or Mexican pesos were worth more in dollars. The MSCI Emerging Markets index returned 8.8 percent in their local currencies, but 13 percent in dollar terms. Still strong in the US Foreign stock funds may have overshadowed their US counterparts, but both delivered in the first quarter. The largest US stock fund returned 5.6 percent, for example. That s the second-best performance in the last three years for Vanguard s Total Stock Market Index fund. Justice Dept watchdog criticizes asset forfeiture program WASHINGTON, March 30, (AP): A government watchdog on Wednesday identified what it called weaknesses in the Justice Department s asset forfeiture program, including poor data collection and analysis, and inadequate training of local and state officers. The program, long criticized by advocacy groups and members of Congress concerned about oversight, permits law enforcement to take possession of cash and property seized during investigations. More than $6 billion in forfeited funds has been shared with state and local law enforcement since fiscal year 2000, and over $4 billion has been returned to crime victims during that same period, according to the report from the department s inspector general. The report said the department does not collect adequate data to determine whether law enforcement seizures of funds truly benefit criminal investigations or the extent to which they infringe on civil liberties. The inspector general s office reviewed 100 cash seizure investigations involving the Drug Enforcement Administration but said the DEA could verify that only 44 had advanced or been related to ongoing investigations, resulted in the development of new investigations or led to arrests or prosecutions. When seizure and administrative forfeitures do not ultimately advance an investigation or prosecution, law enforcement creates the appearance, and risks the reality, that it is more interested in seizing and forfeiting cash than advancing an investigation or prosecution, the inspector general s office wrote. population of people over 65, growth in interest costs, and assumptions of slower economic growth due to reduced assumptions about productivity gains. Annual deficits are expected to average 8.6 percent of GDP in the period versus 2.9 percent expected for 2017 and 4.0 percent for the period. The long-term projections extend CBO s assumptions made in its 10-year budget outlook in January, which showed falling deficits for the next two years, but growth thereafter. Net interest costs in 2047 are expected to be 6.2 percent of GDP, compared with 1.4 percent in 2017 adjusted 258,000 for the week ended March 25. Claims have now been below 300,000, a threshold associated with a healthy labor market for 108 straight weeks. That is the longest stretch since 1970, when the labor market was smaller. Domestic demand increased at a robust 3.4 percent rate in the fourth quarter, the fastest pace in two years. Some of the increase in demand was satiated with imports, which increased at a 9.0 percent rate. That was the biggest rise since the fourth quarter of 2014 and was an upward revision from the 8.5 percent growth pace reported last month. Patent and trade secrets suit Waymo versus Uber, honing the litigation gamesmanship and about 1.2 percent in 1967, the CBO said. But the wild card in the CBO 30-year projections are real interest rates. Real interest yields on 10-year Treasury notes are assumed to average 1.5 percent over 30 years, rising to 2.3 percent in Much higher interest rates, coupled with different assumptions in productivity and healthcare cost growth, could produce significantly different outcomes, CBO said. The CBO said that its debt-to- GDP ratio could range from 85 percent with low rates and strong growth, to 244 percent with weaker growth and higher rates. Exports fell more than previously estimated, leaving a trade deficit that subtracted 1.82 percentage point from GDP growth instead of the previously reported 1.70 percentage points. Robust domestic demand and import growth meant stronger inventory investment than previously estimated. Businesses accumulated inventories at a rate of $49.6 billion in the last quarter, instead of the $46.2 billion reported last month. Business investment was revised lower to reflect a more modest pace of spending on intellectual property, which increased at a 1.3 percent rate instead of the previously estimated 4.5 percent pace. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters. Editor By Alison Frankel You know a case is momentous when a seemingly routine proposed briefing schedule turns into a hot dispute. Waymo s patent and trade secrets suit accusing Uber of hijacking its technology for driverless cars is only five weeks old, but lawyers for both sides are already deep in litigation chess games. On Monday, Uber s lawyers at Morrison & Foerster and Boies Schiller & Flexner filed a motion to compel arbitration of Waymo s trade secrets and California unfair competition claims. The motion claimed Waymo s lawyers at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan are trying to get away with a bit of litigation trickery. According to Uber, the crux of Waymo s case, filed in federal court in San Francisco, is that engineer Anthony Levandowski, who led Waymo s self-driving tech team for years, downloaded more than 14,000 sensitive files before he left the company to start up his own self-driving venture, which was later acquired by Uber. Levandowski, Uber said, signed two different employment contracts during his nine-year stint at Google and Waymo, both of which are subsidiaries of Alphabet. The agreements contained provisions requiring the engineer to arbitrate disputes with the company. Uber s lawyers argued that because Waymo is accusing Uber of benefiting from Levandowski s supposed violation of his employment contract, Levandowski s arbitration clause applies. Legal Uber s brief cited cases to back its argument, which is based on the legal principle of equitable estoppel. In the closest parallel to the Waymo case, a federal judge in San Jose ordered the tech company Torbit to arbitrate its case against a fired software developer who allegedly misused Torbit trade secrets when he started his own company, Datanyze. Datanyze wasn t subject to the employment agreement between Torbit and the developer, but the judge ruled the claims against the company were intertwined with allegations against the former employee. But Waymo, unlike Torbit in the Datanyze case, did not name its former employee as a defendant. It sued only Uber, not Levandowski, the former Waymo engineer who supposedly misappropriated Waymo data and brought it to his new employers at Uber. Uber s motion called that elision a deliberate attempt to get around precedent requiring Waymo to go to arbitration. Despite the myriad allegations about Levandowski s serious misconduct while a Waymo employee, Waymo omits him as a named defendant, Uber s motion said. Waymo s purpose for proceeding in this curious manner seems clear: through artful pleading, it hopes to avoid arbitrating the misappropriation claims at all costs. Waymo, meanwhile, contends there is something fishy about the timing of Uber s motion to compel arbitration. Uber first suggested at a hearing on March 16 that it would try to force Waymo into arbitration instead of litigating in federal court. On March 22, according to Waymo, Uber lawyer Arturo Gonzalez of MoFo said in an to a Waymo lawyer that the motion would be filed the following day. Instead, Uber waited until three days later to file its motion. Motion The timing is significant because the judge overseeing the litigation, US District Judge William Alsup of San Francisco, has scheduled a May 4 hearing on Waymo s motion for a preliminary injunction to block Uber from using supposedly misappropriated information. The judge told both sides at the March 16 hearing that he didn t want to go to the trouble of a preliminary injunction hearing if the case is going to end up in arbitration. Uber has proposed an expedited schedule to get its motion before Judge Alsup on April 13, three weeks before the May 4 injunction hearing. The proposed schedule would only give Waymo until April 3 to file its opposition to Uber s arbitration motion. That s not long enough, Waymo said in a filing Tuesday and Waymo should not be disadvantaged by Uber s delay. If Uber had filed its motion on March 23, Waymo said, an ordinary briefing schedule would have given Waymo a full allotment of 14 days to oppose arbitration and still allowed Judge Alsup to hold a hearing before the May 4 injunction session. Rather than accept the consequences of their own delay, defendants have asked Waymo to sacrifice half of its 14 days to respond to defendants motion so that their motion could be heard before May 4, Waymo said. It is unreasonable for defendants to seek to have Waymo s response time cut in half simply because defendants delayed filing their motion. (RTRS)

32 BUSINESS 32 Morocco s BMCE bank reports record net profit for 2016 NBAD raises $587 million in green bond debut Moroccan lender BMCE Bank of Africa said on Thursday its 2016 net profit rose 4 percent to a record 2 billion dirhams ($204 million) thanks to rising margins and commission income. Consolidated net income rose 10 percent to billion dirhams last year, the bank said in a statement published by L Economiste newspaper. Income from interest and commissions made up 87 percent of the bank s income, BMCE said, while costs to cover risks rose 12 percent to 1.6 billion dirhams. It did not give details. BMCE, like other big lenders in Morocco, has faced higher risks in sub-saharan Africa where it has been expanding aggressively, as well as bad loans in its home market after years of economic turmoil following the financial crisis and Arab spring. Total bad loans rose to 8.8 billion dirhams from 7.3 billion dirhams at the end of 2015, data from the bank showed. BMCE s return on equity (ROE) was 12.6 percent in 2016, down from 13 percent in Total assets jumped 9.5 percent to billion dirhams, the bank said. Sub-Saharan subsidiaries Bank of Africa, La Congolaise de Banque and Banque de Developpement du Mali contributed 32 percent to BMCE s profit, the bank said. (RTRS) The National Bank of Abu Dhabi has issued the Gulf region s first green bond, raising $587 million for projects to fight climate change, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) said on Thursday. Proceeds from so-called green bonds help to finance projects in renewable energy, energy-efficiency, green transport and waste water treatment. London Stock Exchange today welcomes the listing of the first ever green bond from the Gulf region, issued by National Bank of Abu Dhabi, the exchange said in a statement. (The bank) is spearheading the potential to unlock and promote green finance across the Middle East region, Darko Hajdukovic, head of fixed income of funds and analytics at London Stock Exchange, said. The five-year bond is listed on the LSE. Global green bond issuance could reach $ billion this year as demand for low-carbon infrastructure investment continues, Swedish banking group SEB said on Thursday. (RTRS) Boursa Kuwait weekly report Bourse witnesses negative week as indices dip The KSE Indices witnessed a negative week as indices decreased this week. The KSE price index closed at 7, a decrease of 0.20 percent down points compared to the previous week. As the MUDX witnessed a decrease this week of 3.01 percent to close at for the week. Moreover, the market blue-chip index the KSX15 closed on a decrease of points down 3.04 percent during the week to close at The reported weekly volumes were 1, million shares compared to 1, million shares in previous. Among the major contributors, the Financial Services Sector (contributing percent) witnessed million shares of trading compared to million shares in the previous week, while Real Estate Sector (contributing percent) witnessed million shares of trading compared to million shares in the previous week. The overall Market Cap witnessed a decrease this week as it stood at KD billion down 3.1 percent on weekly basis. As for the blue chips, National Bank of Kuwait NBK (Mcap KD 3.90 billion) saw its market cap decrease by 5.7 percent during the week. However, Mobile Telecommunication Co Zain (Mcap KD 1.96 billion) saw its market cap decrease by 1.09 percent during the week. Ahli United Bank AUB (Mcap KD 1.48 billion) saw its market cap decrease by percent during the week. On the total market breadth, Of the 56 Islamic Companies,4 advanced while 41 declined during the week. The Islamic universe market cap witnessed its market cap a decrease of 3.52 percent to close at KD 7.96 billion. The universe heavyweights Kuwait Finance House KFH (Mcap KD 3.05 billion) saw its market cap decrease by 5.97 percent during the week. Boubyan Bank (Mcap KD million) saw its market cap decrease by 1.20 percent this week. Furthermore, Kuwait Telecommunication Co VIVA (Mcap KD million) saw its market increase by percent during the week. Correction due, say strategists Developed market share prices looking expensive BENGALURU, March 30, (RTRS): Developed market share prices are looking expensive, according to a plurality of strategists and brokers, with a majority in a global Reuters poll saying those major indexes are due for a correction of 10 percent or more this year. Stock markets everywhere have rallied so far in 2017, with Wall Street hitting record highs on hopes that the US administration will usher in financial deregulation and sweeping tax cuts. Last month, the US Standard & Poor s 500 market capitalisation pushed above $20 trillion for the first time. But the blistering rally stands in contrast to much more measured views from global fund managers, who have trimmed recommendations for equities or left them unchanged at best in their model portfolio this year. Many are now arguing that markets have become too reluctant to consider several key risks, including potentiallydisruptive elections in Europe and no guarantees that the US administration s stimulus plans will be put into action. The view that President Donald Trump will soon light a fire under the economy may have peaked, according to the latest Reuters poll of strategists who forecast US shares will gain less than 3 percent between now and year-end. Strongly Julian Emanuel, executive director of US equity and derivatives strategy at UBS Securities in New York, said stocks have been pricing in a strongly pro-growth agenda. But it has yet to be fully implemented, and the devil is in the details, said Emanuel, who sees the S&P 500 ending the year at 2,300, about 50 points lower than where it closed on Wednesday. He said he is cautious on stocks in the near-term. On Friday, Republican leaders pulled legislation to overhaul the US healthcare system, a key 2016 election Trump campaign promise, which has led to questions about his ability to deliver other pledges, including sweeping tax cuts. Still, views from more than 200 equity strategists and brokers around the world were bullish, with the outlook for almost all the 22 indexes upgraded from just three months ago, when almost everyone missed the size of the recent rally. Most indexes have already surpassed the levels predicted in December for where they would trade by mid-2017 and many have even breached end-2017 forecasts made three months ago. But while the general view is for stock markets to keep rising, corporate earnings now have to catch up to justify the surge in share prices, with valuations for a majority of stock indexes already trading above their 5-year averages. Bullish That is definitely the case for developed market shares, according to a near-majority of ever-bullish strategists and brokers polled by Reuters, something they have not said in recent years. Absolutely, it is definitely expensive. It is expensive by virtue of the fact people are too optimistic on earnings, said Emanuel referring to the S&P 500. A majority also predict a correction of 10 percent or more for developed market stocks. Such a drop is generally considered normal, but the last time stock markets went through that kind of a correction was at the beginning of last year. Still, there is an increase in confidence. The recent surge in equity markets is also based on a view the world economy at last is in a synchronous upturn, along with inflation. But that is at odds with the outlook for bond markets, with bond strategists as a whole in a separate Reuters poll still not very concerned about global inflation. Emerging market stocks are expected to notably outperform developed economy shares this year. Brazilian stocks are likely to rise for the second straight year to a record high in 2017, above the previous high hit almost a decade ago. India s benchmark BSE Sensex share index is also expected to scale a new record high by mid-year, with forecasts upgraded significantly from just three months ago. EQUATE Group records net profit of $679 mln for 2016 Group achieves $1.2 bln EBITDA and margin of 33% despite challenges KUWAIT CITY, March 30: The EQUATE Group, a global producer of petrochemicals, announced today $679 million in total net profit for the fiscal year ending Dec 31, The EQUATE Group combines EQUATE Petrochemical Company, its subsidiaries, and The Kuwait Olefins Company (TKOC). EQUATE Group s CEO Mohammad Husain said, At all levels, 2016 was an extremely difficult year with prices dropping by more than 14% and the feedstock was limited during the first half of the year for our Group as a whole. Despite these difficulties, the group made several achievements; we became the world s second largest producer of Ethylene Glycol (EG) with a total production capacity of 2.4 million metric tons annually (MTA). We made excellent progress on our new 750,000 MTA EG plant in the US Gulf Coast (USGC) with advantaged feedstock. Construction commenced in the fourth quarter of The project is on time, on budget, and will be ready to start our operations during Husain added, While securing investment grade ratings by S&P (BBB+) and Moody s (Baa2), the Group successfully issued a total of $2.25 billion bonds. This issuances made us the first non-financial and non-banking Kuwait-based enterprise to tap into such capital market products. The petrochemical market witnessed several challenges during The average price for crude oil was around $42 in comparison with an average of $50 in Despite those developments, the Group, with strong focus on operational efficiency and cost control, was able to maintain its solid profitability and cash flow, achieving $1.2 billion EBITDA and an EBITDA margin of 33%, noted Husain. On the outlook for the petrochemical industry in 2017, Husain said, Despite high feedstock limitation in some of our locations and fluctuating oil prices, impacting all other business sectors, we expect demand for our products to increase around 4.5% for PE and 4% for EG. EQUATE Group participates in certain downstream segments. So, the support of our employees, shareholders and customers allows us to grow at these rates on the basis of sustainability, reliability and innovation. Regarding EQUATE Group s current strategic focus, Husain said, Our two main focus areas are completing our USGC EG plant on time in 2019, and achieving maximum operational efficiency through the holistic integration of MEGlobal. These steps are critical for our strategic expansion plans as an international petrochemical enterprise with operations in Kuwait, the Americas and Europe. In addition, towards the end of 2017, we will have a major Turnaround (TA) for our Kuwait-based plants, which will include ethylene, ethylene glycol and other units. It will be one of the biggest TAs for petrochemicals in the Middle East & Africa. In conclusion, Husain extended overall appreciation and gratitude to EQUATE Group s employees, shareholders, customers and other stakeholders for being Partners in Success. Company utilizing Yardi Voyager as service platform The EQUATE Group is a global producer of petrochemicals that create a better world. The Group combines EQUATE Petrochemical Company (EQUATE), its subsidiaries and The Kuwait Olefins Company (TKOC). The EQUATE Group is the world s second largest producer of Ethylene Glycol (EG) with industrial complexes in Kuwait, North America and Europe that produce Ethylene, EG, Polyethylene (PE) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). The products are marketed throughout Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As a leading global enterprise, the EQUATE Group strongly pursues sustainability principles and best practices wherever it operates through partnerships with various stakeholders including employees and customers as well as societies as a whole in fields that includes human development, environment, education, health and public awareness. The EQUATE Group s shareholders include Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Boubyan Petrochemical Company (BPC) and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company (QPIC). The Group provides reliable services and solutions that enables global customers and stakeholders to grow and attain the success they seek by being Partners in Success. Markaz to adopt cloud-based, mobile solutions for its ops EQUATE President and CEO Mohammad Husain KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Kuwait Financial Centre Markaz announced that it will utilize Yardi Voyager 7S, the browser-agnostic and mobile-enabled software as a service platform along with Yardi s Orion Business Intelligence. Hussein Ali Zeineddin, Senior Vice-President, MIS & Operations at Markaz said: Implementing the right solution was extremely important to our business. The Voyager platform will not only help us streamline our entire operation; the business intelligence functionality means we can access real-time analytics, inform strategies and enhance decision making. Nael Gemassmer, Vice-President of international for Yardi said: Yardi is pleased to provide Markaz with a platform to help manage such a highly regarded operation. We are excited by the growth we are seeing in Kuwait which is testament to the investment we have made across the Middle East region. Markaz has earned a credible name for itself amongst the top performing fund managers in Kuwait due to its strong and consistent performance spanning many years. The company offers full-fledged services in asset management and investment banking. Asset management services offered by the company include Investment Advisory Services, GCC & International Investments and Private Equities. Markaz s Assets Under Management (AUM) as of Dec 31, 2016 is KD 935 million ($3.05 billion). Yardi develops and supports industryleading investment and property management software for all types and sizes of real estate companies. Established in 1984, Yardi is based in Santa Barbara, California, and serves clients worldwide from offices in Australia, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America. For more information, visit:

33 BUSINESS 33 culture change at VW may take time, HR chief says unions threaten to scupper Linde-Praxair merger Creating a new era of accountability at Volkswagen after its emissions scandal may take time, as it requires radical changes to the German carmaker s decades-old corporate structure, its head of human resources told Reuters. Volkswagen s (VW) drive to become more transparent and decentralise power is seen by investors as a key part of its efforts to rebuild trust following its admission in September 2015 that it cheated US emissions tests on diesel engines. But reformers are battling a long-tradition of management hierarchies and some investors think their task is made harder by a tightly-knit ownership dominated by the company s founding families and home state of Lower Saxony. Good ideas are worth nothing if they fail because of structural blockades, VW human resources chief Karlheinz Blessing said in an interview published on Thursday. Not only the values must be right but also the structure, he said, adding progress was being made to reduce the number of committees, streamline the development of models and move managers more frequently to improve their leadership skills. Before dieselgate, there was an extreme deference to authority at VW and a closed-off corporate culture that some critics say may have been a factor in the cheating. (RTRS) Linde labour representatives will vote against the German industrial gases group s planned $65 billion merger with US rival Praxair, the head of the German works council told Reuters on Thursday, in a move that could scupper the deal. The merger would entail significant job losses to achieve the promised $1 billion of synergies, with Linde bearing the brunt, while workers would lose their influence on strategy with the headquarters set to move from Germany, Gernot Hahl said. Linde and Praxair are racing to finalise a deal by Linde s annual shareholder meeting on May 10, after agreeing a non-binding term sheet in December. It would then have to be approved by the boards of both companies. Our position in the supervisory board is: No, we will not approve the merger, Hahl said by phone. Linde s supervisory board, half of which is made up of labour representatives, voted unanimously in favour of the intention to merge in December, in exchange for job guarantees through 2021 for Linde s 8,000 German workers. Linde had until now characterised negotiations with its workers as constructive. After a meeting with Linde executives last week, the company s European works council sent a letter to staff saying it had become obvious the merger would lead to significant job losses in European countries outside Germany. The company employs several thousand people elsewhere on the continent. (RTRS) ECB policy makers want to stick to plan One calls for flexibility AMSTERDAM/FRANK- FURT, March 30, (RTRS): The European Central Bank needs to stick to its already laid out policy path, several policymakers argued on Thursday, although a top conservative urged them to leave the door open to a more rapid reduction in stimulus. Economic growth is gaining momentum and the eurozone may be on its best economic run in a decade. But inflation is still not moving decisively higher, the policymakers argued, hinting at little appetite for now to amend the ECB s policy stance. The comments gel with Reuters report on Wednesday that policymakers are wary of making any new change to their policy message after small tweaks Italy seen missing privatisation target for second year ROME, March 30, (RTRS): Italy s commitment to selling off public assets is petering out as politicians look ahead to elections early next year, making it harder to cut the country s huge public debt and leaving it vulnerable to any rise in interest rates. In late 2015, then-prime Minister Matteo Renzi said the debt would come down the following year for the first time in eight years, thanks partly to privatisations worth 0.5 percent of gross domestic product. In the end, the state managed to sell less than a fifth of its targeted amount this month upset investors and raised the spectre of surging borrowing costs for the bloc s indebted periphery. With inflation at a four-year high, critics of the ECB, particularly in Germany, have called on the bank to start winding down its unprecedented stimulus measures, including a 2.3 trillion euro asset-buying scheme designed to rekindle growth and inflation. We are not yet sufficiently confident that inflation will converge to levels consistent with our aim in a durable manner, ECB chief economic Peter Praet said, referring to ECB s 2 percent inflation objective. Although eurozone inflation was at 2 percent year-on-year in February, core inflation remains low. Early March inflation figures suggest a dip with Spain dipping to 2.1 percent from 3.0 percent and Germany at 1.5 percent from 2.2 percent. Inflation dynamics still remain reliant on the very substantial degree of monetary accommodation which prevails, Praet added. The ECB next meets on April 27, before the final round of the French presidential election. A potentially contentious run-off could also encourage the bank to act with caution. Arguing for steady hand, Austrian central bank chief Ewald Nowotny said there was no need to deviate and the national debt rose to a new high of almost 133 percent of gross domestic product, the highest ratio in the euro zone after Greece. Renzi confirmed the same privatisation target for this year before he resigned in December after Italians rejected his planned constitutional reform in a referendum, but the prospects for selling state assets have continued to dwindle. With the ruling Democratic Party (PD) embroiled in a bruising leadership battle and elections slated for early 2018, senior PD members including from the already charted course while Finnish central bank governor Erkki Liikanen expressed support for the ECB s policy path expressed in its socalled forward guidance. The strategy for 2017 has largely been set and from my point of view there is no reason to depart from this, Nowotny said in Vienna. The asset buys are set to run at least until the end of the year and talks about how and when to wind it down have not yet started. The sole dissent and relatively minor came from Klaas Knot, the Dutch Central bank chief who has opposed many of the ECB s easing measures. He argued for flexibility, suggesting an earlier end, but only if Renzi himself have recently voiced doubts about whether privatisations are a good idea after all. As elections come into sight, privatisations don t seem to be the government s focus, said Gianluigi Mandruzzato, head of economic analysis at BSI, part of EFG International. The most appetizing items on the government s slate are the state railway company, which is wholly state owned, and the post office, of which 65 percent remains in public hands after a first tranche was sold in But it failed to follow up with the sale of a planned second tranche of the post office in 2016, citing unfavourable market conditions. While the market picture has improved, with the Milan bourse up 5.5 percent this year after falling about 10 percent in 2016, the political will seems to have disappeared. Infrastructure Minister Graziano Delrio recently admitted to problems in selling the railways and Antonello Giacomelli, a junior industry minister, warned of the dangers of letting the post office fall into the hands of foreign investment banks which could close branches and cut staff. the economy continues to outperform expectations. Only if the economy does even better than we now expect in our estimates could we consider bringing the tapering forward, Knot said, referring to the ECB s plans to buy 60 billion euros worth of bonds each month until the end of the year. Sector s Q1 seen strong Investors bet on a quiet tech revolution in Europe LONDON, March 30, (RTRS): It s not banking or mining shares, but rather technology stocks, that have come up trumps in Europe this year and are poised to end the first quarter as the best-performing sector. European tech companies often pale in comparison to the glamour of peers across the pond such as Facebook, Snap Inc and Amazon, and are dwarfed in terms of market value. The US sector, at $4.3 trillion, is worth more than eight times Europe s. Investors, however, have been quietly buying into a European industry they see as being at the heart of disruptive digital developments across a slew of sectors. Tech stocks in Europe have risen nearly 12 percent in the first quarter, outstripping the broader market, which is up 4.8 percent, and also their performance in the first three months of last year when they fell 5.4 percent. Driverless cars, iris-scanning technology and augmented reality are just a handful of the themes at play globally in which European companies such as STMicroelectronics, Infineon Technologies and SAP are involved. Many European software firms are involved in corporate back-offices, keeping systems efficient and running - a less headline-grabbing side of the tech sector but one that can be important for companies across all industries looking to cut costs. Exposed Every consumer is exposed to Google, or Facebook, or Twitter... something like SAP, which actually is in most corporations, is less visible to the end consumer, said Marcus Morris-Eyton, European equities portfolio manager at Allianz Global Investors. Tech now accounts for nearly a quarter of Morris-Eyton s portfolio, and SAP is his biggest position. The mining sector was the standout performer in Europe over the course of 2016, gaining 61.9 percent, followed by oil stocks which rose 22.9 percent - far ahead of technology firm shares which were up 3.4 percent. Banking stocks endured a turbulent first half, dragged down by problems in the Italian sector, but after hitting a low in July they rallied almost 47 percent to the end of the year. These trends were expected to continue into 2017, but so far banks are only up 4.6 percent in the first quarter, miners are up 6.2 percent and oil stocks are down more than 3 percent. Like many sectors, the commodities and financial industries have since last week been hit by investor concerns that US President Donald Trump may not be able to deliver on all his tax and infrastructure pledges, after his healthcare plans were blocked. Automation Tech is less exposed to immediate political and economic developments, according to analysts, and are more governed by long-term global trends in technologies such as automation, driverless cars and augmented reality. (In tech) there s always this level of innovation that keeps people engaged and keeps people investing for those opportunities almost irrespective of the economic cycle, said Steve Sherman, senior portfolio manager at BNP Paribas. Flows into tech have been strong globally, with tech sector-focused funds seeing the biggest inflows year-to-date since 2009, according to data from Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Likewise Europe-listed robotics and automation exchangetraded fund (ETF) ROBO hit a new record high last week and saw record monthly inflows in February of $80.6 million. ABB and Krones are among its top 10 holdings. The move towards digitization across industries has market participants particularly excited. Morgan Stanley analysts highlighted SAP s S/4 HANA enterprise cloud software which helps integrate data and applications, and also its new product line for the internet of things (IOT) - where everyday objects are connected to networks to send and receive data. At Evenlode, one of Britain s best-performing investment funds last year, portfolio manager Hugh Yarrow holds stocks such as Sage and Relx whose digital analytics are being increasingly used in law, accountancy and finance. Italy court acquits S&P and managers in downgrades case TRANI, Italy, March 30, (RTRS): An Italian court acquitted credit ratings agency Standard & Poor s and five of its former and current managers of market manipulation charges relating to past downgrades of the country s sovereign debt, a judge said on Thursday. Ratings agencies have come under fire in Italy for cutting ratings in 2011 and 2012, piling on further pressure after financial and political jitters sent borrowing costs soaring. Judge Giulia Pavese read the ruling in a courtroom in the city of Trani, in southern Italy, where she also announced the acquittal of an analyst at competitor Fitch in a parallel case. Trani prosecutors alleged that agency reports and ratings moves on Italy and its banking system were mismanaged during the debt crisis, provoking sharp losses on Milan s stock market. Prosecutor Michele Ruggero had sought jail sentences of between two and three years and fines of up to 500,000 euros ($536,900) for the officials, and a 4.6 million euro fine for the agency. We did everything we could. Now we will wait to read the court s reasons for the verdict and decide whether to appeal or not, Ruggero said on Thursday. Italian courts usually explain their reasoning within 90 days after issuing a verdict. S&P, which had maintained that none of the accusations were backed up by proof, welcomed the acquittal, saying it and its employees had now been granted the justice they deserve. Fitch said it was pleased by the acquittal of former analyst David Riley, which came almost a year after a Milan judge dropped a case against the agency s Italy unit and its country head. We have always believed that this case was without merit, Fitch said in an ed statement. Models pose with Kia Motors Stinger sedan during a media preview of the 2017 Seoul Motor Show in Goyang, South Korea on March 30. (AP) Models pose with Ssangyong Motor s G4 Rexton, sports utility vehicle or SUV, during a media preview of the 2017 Seoul Motor Show in Goyang, South Korea on March 30. (AP) Seoul Motor Show to showcase 243 vehicles A man looks at Honda s Clarity Fuel Cell vehicle during a media preview of the 2017 Seoul Motor Show in Goyang, South Korea on March 30. The exhibition will be held from March 31 to April 9 with 27 brands showing their latest cars and concepts. (AP) A man takes a photo of Hyundai Motor s Grandeur Hybrid vehicle during a media preview of the 2017 Seoul Motor Show in Goyang, South Korea on March 30. (AP) Hyundai Motor s FE Fuel Cell Concept car is unveiled during a media preview of the 2017 Seoul Motor Show in Goyang, South Korea on March 30. (AP) Future of Asian luxury cars, EVs at auto show GOYANG, South Korea, March 30, (AP): South Korea s largest auto show provides a look at the future of Asian premium cars and electric vehicles, as well as efforts by Asian auto and tech companies to catch up in the field of autonomous driving. The biennial Seoul Motor Show opens Friday in Goyang, north of Seoul, for a 10-day run. There are 243 vehicles on display. Two are making their world premieres: Hyundai Motor s Grandeur hybrid electric vehicle and Ssangyong Motor s G4 Rexton sports utility vehicle. Eighteen others are making their Asian debuts. Although usually smaller than auto shows in Frankfurt, Detroit or Shanghai, the Seoul Motor Show is nonetheless a place to read auto trends and consumer tastes among trend-setting, tech-savvy consumers in the world s most populous continent. This year s highlight is Kia Motor s first luxury sports sedan, Stinger, which launches a new era for premium sports cars built in South Korea, home to the world s fifth-largest automotive group. Growing interest in environmentally friendly cars among South Koreans will be in the spotlight as well. The show is missing Volkswagen and Audi, after South Korea halted sales last summer of dozens of their diesel car models for using software to cheat emission tests. Here are some highlights of the show. Kia Stinger The star of the show is the Stinger, Kia s five-passenger sports sedan. It is Kia s first premium sports car and the first fastback sedan made by any South Korean carmaker. Many see the Stinger as a game changer for Kia, which is seeking to challenge European sports cars and expand in Western markets. Designed in Frankfurt, the rear-wheeldrive sedan is based on its GT concept in Kia is displaying the Stinger at a booth near Ferrari and Maserati, an expression of the youthful car maker s self-confidence. Of the three Stinger lines, the top tier employs a turbocharged 3.3 liter engine that produces 370 horsepower with a 0-to-62 mph speed of 4.9 seconds. The Stinger goes on sale in South Korea in the spring and will be released overseas during the second half of the year. Pricing hasn t been announced. Kia plans another premium sedan early next year, a large-size sedan. Hyundai Hyundai Motor is putting its electric vehicles at the forefront. It is revealing the hybrid electric version of its steady-selling Grandeur sedan which boasts a claimed fuel efficiency of 16.2 kilometers per liter (38.2 miles per gallon). It also is giving a first look at a fuel cell concept car. Hyundai plans to release its second-generation fuel cell electric vehicle early next year. An executive demonstrated how in the future humans will be able to speak to a device to summon a driverless car to one s door. In 2019, Hyundai, South Korea s largest automaker, plans cars that will allow drivers to remotely turn on the lights or set the temperature inside a house. Mapping robot and self-driving car Naver, the parent company of mobile messaging service Line, is investing in autonomous driving technology and says it will use data acquired from it to tackle everyday questions such as the location of the nearest parking spot. We are not doing it for cars or auto technology, Naver Labs CEO Song Chang-hyun said. The company, which operates the most-visited web portal in South Korea, one of the few countries in the world not conquered by Google, said its self-driving cars are navigating roads to gain more data on buildings, streets, traffic and parking so it can make its maps more sophisticated and help people determine things like the location of the least-crowded nearby cafe, or when to take the least crowded bus during a morning commute. Naver also is demonstrating its M1 robot, which can move around areas that are too small for self-driving cars. The M1, about half the size of a human, can even navigate through the rows of bookshelves in a library. Ssangyong s second new car since india tie-up South Korea s smallest carmaker, Ssangyong Motor, is unveiling its second new car since its 2011 tie-up with India s Mahindra Group. The G4 Rexton, a large sports utility vehicle, is Ssangyong s new flagship product since its mini SUV Tivoli put the once-deeply ailing carmaker onto a path to recovery. Thanks to the popularity of the Tivoli and rising demand for sports utility vehicles, Ssangyong posted its first annual income in nine years in Details about engines, pricing and sales were not announced. Electric vehicles About one fifth of the vehicles on display are electric, a sign that automakers are responding to the South Korean government s push for more electric vehicles. South Korea plans to increase the proportion of environmentally friendly vehicles in the domestic market to 20 percent by 2020 from just 2 percent in If it achieves that goal, more than 1 million electric vehicles will be sold in the country by Jaguar, Honda, Lexus, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz are using the Seoul Motor Show to show their existing electric vehicles, while Hyundai, Kia and Genesis are presenting their plans for plug-in models, fuel cells and hybrid cars.

34 BUSINESS 34 Addoha profit rises 18% Addoha, Morocco s biggest property developer by market value, reported an 18 percent jump in net profit for 2016 to 1 billion dirhams ($100 million). Gross margin rose to 34 percent last year from 28 percent in 2015 in the high-income segment, the company said in a statement published in L Economiste newspaper on Thursday. Its operating margin rose slightly to 15.8 percent from 14.6 percent. The company has been working to reduce debt in the past three years and bolster cashflow, it said. Operating cashflow increased slightly to 2.72 billion dirhams in 2016 from 2.48 billion dirhams a year earlier. (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 March 30, % -3.80% 7.02% 7.02% 15.57% -4.56% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Kuwait Only AMIC March 30, % -3.65% 6.29% 6.29% 13.11% -7.33% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Active AMIC March 30, % -4.58% 21.74% 21.74% 39.63% 9.08% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Banking Sector AMIC March 30, % -9.04% 2.79% 2.79% 4.24% % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Investment Sector AMIC March 30, % -6.93% 18.23% 18.23% 29.69% % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Insurance Sector AMIC March 30, % -3.50% 46.24% 46.24% 28.51% % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Real Estate Sector AMIC March 30, % -2.67% 7.67% 7.67% 9.92% -8.14% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Industrial Sector AMIC March 30, % -0.29% 25.07% 25.07% 25.14% 5.92% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Services Sector AMIC March 30, % -0.01% 6.23% 6.23% 22.17% -1.39% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Food Sector AMIC March 30, % -1.01% -4.27% -4.27% 1.32% -7.67% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Islamic Sector AMIC March 30, % -7.72% 7.23% 7.23% 14.28% -6.08% Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Non Kuwaiti Sector AMIC March 30, % -6.23% 20.92% 20.92% 83.78% % Kuwait Stock Exchange Index - Price KWSEIDX March 30, , , % -0.20% 22.29% 22.29% 33.71% 11.83% S&P 500 SPX March 29, , , % 0.54% 4.97% 5.46% 14.90% 14.83% DJ Islamic Index. DJIM March 29, , , % 0.68% 7.28% 7.76% 11.77% 7.15% Westinghouse troubles loom over SC, Georgia nuke projects Toshiba s nuclear woes a hot ticket for bankruptcy fi nanciers We don t want just to produce products, we want to produce creators Haier boss looks far beyond appliances QINGDAO, China, March 30, (AP): After Haier Group bought the General Electric Co appliance unit last year, the Chinese company s chairman says he gave its American managers unusual orders: Ignore me. Zhang Ruimin built Haier from a failing refrigerator factory in the 1980s into the biggest maker of major appliances. Now, he is trying to transform a traditional manufacturer with 60,000 employees in 25 countries into a nimble, Internet Age seller of consumer goods and services from web-linked washing machines to food delivery. To do that, Zhang has broken up Haier into a networked company of hundreds of independent business units with orders to act like customer-focused startups. He says GE Appliances will be given almost total autonomy. One of their senior managers asked, how are you going to control us? said Zhang in an interview at Haier headquarters in this eastern Chinese city. I said, I m not your boss. I m not your leader. The leader is one person: The user. Zhang, who at 68 is still on the job a decade after many Chinese CEOs have retired, is leading Haier through radical changes to compete in a fastevolving global market changes that now include GE Appliances and its 12,000 employees, most of them in the United States. Haier s approach is a high-profile example of a wave of management experiments by Chinese companies as they expand into global markets. The founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, Jack Ma, announced plans in 2013 to split it into 25 divisions to revive the innovative spirit of its startup days. After buying Volvo Cars in 2012, automaker Geely Holdings left Swedish managers to run the company while they also cooperate on developing cars its Chinese brands might export. Companies that grew rapidly during China s boom of the past decade also are spending heavily to invent or buy technology to improve their competitive edge as the economy cools. Midea Group, another Chinese appliance maker, bought one of the leading makers of industrial robots, Germany s Kuka, last year. Haier s tie-up with GE Appliances should help both companies, said Dinesh Kithany, the chief appliance industry analyst for IHS Markit. Haier gets GE technology while the American brand gets access to Haier s distribution network to expand its global presence and can learn from faster-paced In this fi le photo, factory workers watch as a machine uses suction to lift a box containing an air conditioner at a Haier factory in Jiaozhou near Qingdao in eastern China s Shandong Province. Zhang Ruimin built Haier from a failing refrigerator factory in the 1980s into the Chinese product development. GE Appliances is a perfect decision for them, said Kithany. Zhang launched his overhaul of Haier in 2005, splitting structures with thousands of employees into units sometimes as small as a few dozen people to focus on a single appliance or service. Headquarters acts like a venture capital investor: Employees propose new businesses and, if Zhang and other executives like them, receive financial backing. They have to hit financial targets but are left to manage the venture. That network has expanded to include ventures launched with outside entrepreneurs who get money and other support from Haier. We don t want just to produce products, said Zhang. We want to produce creators. In person, Zhang is amiable and quiet. With bushy, salt-and-pepper hair, he seems more like a popular high school teacher than one of Asia s most acclaimed executives a striking contrast to some of the forceful egos of the Chinese business world. He chuckles and shrugs as he talks about challenges Haier faces. biggest maker of major appliances. Now, he is trying to transform a traditional manufacturer with 60,000 employees in 25 countries into a nimble, Internet Age seller of consumer goods and services from web-linked washing machines to food delivery. (AP) At GE Appliances, no managers from China moved in after the $5.4 billion acquisition closed in June. The only public change was three words added to the bottom of the US brand s website: A Haier Company. Haier took a similar approach at Fisher & Paykel, a New Zealand appliance brand acquired in Haier has tried to speed up product development by using the internet to ask potential customers for suggestions and feedback, an approach taken by Chinese smartphone brands. The company says a new appliance can go from drawing board to market in as little as one year, down from more than three. Zhang s management changes are more impressive than we see anywhere, said William A. Fischer, a professor at the IMD business school in Switzerland who has followed the company for a decade. He co-wrote the 2013 book, Reinventing Giants: How Chinese Global Competitor Haier Has Changed the Way Big Companies Transform. He trusts his employees to play more of a leadership role, said Fischer. Fischer said a group of European executives he took to Haier headquarters two years ago refused to believe its decentralized style could work. I was struck by how daring Haier was in their thinking. And the people I was working with were hostages to very traditional ways of working, said Fischer. The strategy appears to be paying off. Last year s profit rose 12.8 percent from 2015 to 20.3 billion yuan ($2.9 billion) on revenue that increased 6. 8 percent to billion yuan ($29.3 billion). Transaction volume on its business-to-business and consumer-oriented internet platforms rose 73 percent to billion yuan ($39.6 billion). Some of my contacts at Fisher & Paykel say they are better off now under Haier than they were on their own, said Kithany. Haier s decentralization could help at a time when President Donald Trump is promising to raise US duties on Chinese goods and pressure for trade restrictions is growing in Europe. Years ago, Haier identified seven economic protection zones including North America and the European Union that might limit trade, Zhang said. It set up factories in each one. NEW YORK, March 30, (Agencies): Westinghouse Electric Co s financial distress sparked a feeding frenzy among Wall Street lenders keen to give the nuclear developer a lifeline while it reorganizes in bankruptcy, according to court papers and people familiar with the matter. Westinghouse, the nuclear arm of Japanese conglomerate Toshiba, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Wednesday after facing billions of dollars in cost overruns at power plants under construction in Georgia and South Carolina. It has a proposal in hand for $800 million in bankruptcy financing from the credit arm of Apollo Global Management, which must be approved by a bankruptcy judge. The private equity firm won the high-profile deal after Westinghouse said it was inundated with offers from investment banks, private equity houses and hedge funds for the financing, a so-called debtor-in-possession (DIP) loan, Westinghouse s turnaround adviser said in court papers. It s a coveted corner of the market, said David Tawil, president of Maglan Capital, a distressed-focused hedge fund. People like DIPs a lot; there s not a lot of opportunity. With lenders starved for yield, there are few opportunities to park nearly $1 billion and earn about 10 percent, the all-in interest rate on the loan, according to a person familiar with the matter. Lenders were drawn to Westinghouse to provide the DIP because of the size of its funding needs, and because, unlike most companies facing bankruptcy with too much debt, it had no other loans or bonds already backed by its collateral. (That s) extremely rare, when you have no secured debt on a company, Tawil said. Westinghouse also has a profitable nuclear services and maintenance business separate from its troubled power plant construction division that was highly attractive to lenders. The company received 14 proposals for the financing, according to court papers. Investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc and affiliates of hedge fund Highbridge Capital Management and private equity firm Silver Point Capital went as far as to file a letter with the bankruptcy court late Wednesday saying they could provide a much more favorable financing package than Apollo s. But then they withdrew it, offering no explanation. Goldman and Apollo declined to comment. Westinghouse did not immediately return a request for comment. Westinghouse said in a statement Wednesday that it obtained financing to maintain its operations and made arrangements to continue work on the projects in South Carolina and Georgia while it assesses their viability. Westinghouse also said it will continue projects in China, and that its operations in its Asia and Europe, the Middle East and Africa aren t affected by the bankruptcy filing. In South Carolina, Westinghouse is a partner with state-owned utility Santee Cooper and publicly-traded SCANA Corp on the construction of two reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station near Jenkinsville. SCANA said in September that the cost of building the reactors had increased nearly $3 billion from the original $11 billion estimate in The first reactor was supposed to open in 2017, but has been delayed at least two years. SCANA officials told investors on a conference call Wednesday that all options remain on the table, from finishing both reactors, to finishing one reactor and delaying completion of the other or abandoning the project altogether. The company said it will spend at least the next 30 days reviewing its options. This fi le photo, shows the cooling towers (right), and nuclear reactor containment buildings area (left), at Plant Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant in Waynesboro, Georgia. Westinghouse Electric Co, the US nuclear unit of Japan s Toshiba Corp, fi led for bankruptcy protection on March 29, calling into question the future of a number of billion-dollar nuclear projects under construction, including two in the US. (AP) 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 II NBK Capital Weekly March 28, 2017 KD Jan 17, 2017 Watani USD Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly March 28, 2017 USD Jan 17, 2017 Watani KD Money Market Fund (Acc to Islamic Shariah principles) II NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly March 28, 2017 KD Jan 17, 2017 Watani USD Money Market Fund (Acc to Islamic Shariah principles) II NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly March 28, 2017 USD NBK Kuwait Equity Fund Watani Investment Co. Weekly March 23, 2017 KD Gulf Equity Investment Fund Watani Investment Co. Weekly March 23, 2017 USD Gulf Bank Al Basha er GCC Equity Fund Kwt. Fin. & Inv. Co. & Gulf Fin. House Monthly Feb 28, 2017 USD Jan 31, 2017 Coast Fund Coast Investment & Dev. Co. Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Sanaya Dow Jones Kuwait Index Fund Industrial & Financial Investment Co. Weekly Jan 26, 2017 KD Dec 30, 2016 Markaz Capital Preservation Program 1 Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Dec 31, 2016 Markaz Capital Preservation Program 2 Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Dec 31, 2016 Markaz Gulf Real Estate Fund Bi-annual Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Al Ahli Bank Al Ahli Gulf Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Al Ahli Kuwaiti Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Burgan Bank Burgan Equity Fund Burgan Bank Monthly Feb 26, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Boubyan Bank Boubyan KD Money Market Fund Boubyan Bank Weekly Feb 28, 2017 KD Feb 21, 2017 Boubyan KD Money Market Fund II Boubyan Bank Weekly Feb 28, 2017 KD Feb 21, 2017 Boubyan Capital Investment Co. Boubyan USD Liquidity Fund Boubyan Capital Investment Co Feb 28, 2017 USD Feb 21, 2017 Boubyan Multi-Asset Holding Fund Boubyan Bank Feb 28, 2017 USD Jan 31, 2017 Kuwait Investment Co. Local Fund Al Raed Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly March 23, 2017 KD March 16, 2017 Kuwait Investment Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Al Hilal Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Feb 13, 2017 Al Atheer Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 International Global Bond Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly March 22, 2017 USD March 15, 2017 Diversified Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly March 22, 2017 USD March 15, 2017 European Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Jan 31, 2017 Euro Dec 30, 2016 Pacific Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly March 22, 2017 USD March 15, 2017 North American Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Tw. Monthly Feb 28, 2017 USD Jan 31, 2017 National Investment Co. (NIC) Al-Wataniya Fund NIC Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Al-Darij Fund NIC Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Mawarid Fund NIC Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Zajil Fund NIC Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Al Mada Investment Fund NIC Weekly Feb 28, 2017 USD Jan 31, 2017 Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) Mumtaz Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly March 16, 2017 KD March 9, 2017 MIDAF Kuwait Financial Center Weekly March 16, 2017 KD March 9, 2017 Islamic Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly March 16, 2017 KD March 9, 2017 Markaz Arabian Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Nov 10, 2016 KD Nov 3, 2016 FORSA Financial Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Real Estate Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Markaz Fixed Income Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly March 16, 2017 USD March 9, 2017 Mawazeen International Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly March 19, 2017 USD March 12, 2017 Markaz MENA Islamic Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly March 16, 2017 USD Feb 28, 2017 Kuwait & Middle East Financial & Inv. Co. Al Rou yah Fund KMEFIC Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Gulf Gate Fund KMEFIC Monthly Oct 31, 2016 KD Sept 30, 2016 Global Investment House Funds Fund Manager Valuation Valued date Currency Net Asset Prev NAV Prev NAV Dated Value (NAV) Index Funds GCC Large Cap Index Fund Global Weekly March 9, 2017 KD Feb 23, 2017 Equity Funds Al-Mamoun Fund A Global Weekly March 9, 2017 KD Feb 23, 2017 Al-Mamoun Fund B Global Weekly March 9, 2017 KD Feb 23, 2017 GCC Large Cap Fund Global Bi-weekly March 7, 2017 USD Feb 21, 2017 Al-Noor Fund Global Bi-weekly Jan 31, 2017 SAR Jan 24, 2017 Global Saudi Equity Fund Global Bi-weekly March 7, 2017 SAR Feb 21, 2017 Money Market Funds Global Money Market Fund Global Weekly Nov 20, 2016 USD Sectoral Funds EPADI Fund Global Weekly March 7, 2017 USD Feb 21, 2017 Islamic Funds Global GCC Islamic Fund Global Weekly March 7, 2017 USD Feb 21, 2017 Al-Durra Islamic Fund Global Monthly March 9, 2017 KD Feb 23, 2017 Kuwait Finance & Investment Co (KFIC) Al Wasm Fund KFIC Weekly March 16, 2017 KD Feb 15, 2017 Al Basha er GCC Equity Fund KFIC Monthly Feb 28, 2017 USD Dec 31, 2016 KAMCO KAMCO Investment Fund KAMCO Monthly Jan 31, 2017 KD Nov 30, 2016 KAMCO GCC Opportunities Fund KAMCO Monthly July 31, 2016 USD Feb 29, 2016 KAMCO MENA Plus Fixed Income Fund KAMCO Jan 31, 2017 USD Dec 31, 2016 KAMCO Real Estate Yield Fund KAMCO Jan 31, 2017 USD Dec 30, 2016 Kuwait Education Fund KAMCO Quartely Sept 30, 2016 KD Wafra International Investment Co. Wafra Equity Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Wafra Bond Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Masaref Investment Fund ISKAN Weekly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Fajir Islamic Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Shuaa Capital Co. Emirates Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Weekly Feb 7, 2017 AED Jan 31, 2017 The Arab Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Weekly Feb 7, 2017 USD Jan 31, 2017 Al Aman Investment Al Aman Islamic Fund Al Aman Investment Weekly Dec 31, 2016 KD Nov 1, 2016 Tharwa Investment Co. Tharwa Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Weekly March 13, 2017 KD Dec 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 March 13, 2017 KD Dec 31, 2016 Bank Al-Bilad Al Seef Fund Bank Al-Bilad Daily March 15, 2017 KD March 1, 2017 Commercial International Bank CIB Money Market Fund (Osoul) CI Asset Management Weekly March 30, 2017 EGP March 27, 2017 CIB II Equity (Isthethmar) CI Asset Management Weekly March 30, 2017 EGP March 27, 2017 CIB and Faisal Islamic Al Aman CI Asset Management Weekly March 30, 2017 EGP March 27, 2017 Hemaya CI Asset Management Weekly March 1, 2017 EGP Feb 1, 2017 Thabat CI Asset Management Weekly March 30, 2017 EGP March 27, 2017 Takamol CI Asset Management Weekly March 30, 2017 EGP March 26, 2017 Misr El Mostakbel CI Asset Management Weekly March 27, 2017 EGP March 23, 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 Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Muthanna GCC Islamic Banks Fund KFH Capital Investment Company Daily Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 Baitak GCC Fund KFH Capital Investment Company Weekly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017 CapCorp Investment Co. CapCorp Local Fund CapCorp Investment Company Weekly Feb 28, 2017 KD Jan 31, 2017

35 BUSINESS 35 Abu Dhabi s TAQA reports $5 bln loss Abu Dhabi National Energy Co (TAQA), the state-controlled oil explorer and power supplier, on Thursday reported a full-year loss of billion dirhams ($5.05 billion) for The net loss was largely fuelled by a 16.9 billion dirham post-tax impairment, related to its oil and gas assets, due to the lower commodity price environment, TAQA said in a statement. TAQA, 75 percent-owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, recorded a net loss of 1.8 billion dirhams for the previous year. It did not provide a quarterly earnings breakdown for Like most global oil firms, TAQA has been under pressure because of the drop in oil prices. The company has reported losses in the preceding six quarters. TAQA has embarked on a major cost-cutting programme, which is said had generated 13.2 billion in cost savings over the past two years. Annual revenue fell 17 percent to 16.1 billion dirhams, which TAQA said was largely due to lower commodity prices and volumes. Oil production fell to 137,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed), a decrease of 5 percent compared with TAQA said its Iraq project the 30,000 boed Kurdistan Atrush facility is on track with first oil expected this year. (RTRS) Kuwait equities close month on strong note Americana soars 80 fils; KFH fl at By John Mathews Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, March 30: Kuwait stocks headed north on Thursday to wind up the month on a strong footing. The price index climbed pts in volatile trade to 7, points helped by renewed buying in select heavyweights. The telecom service providers shone whereas banks closed mixed. The KSX 15 benchmark rose 6.24 pts to points trimming the month s losses to 30 points while weighted index inched 0.26 pts lower. The volume turnover meanwhile saw a modest rebound after threeday drop. 2,55.64 million shares changed hands a 7.16 percent rise from the day before. The sectors diverged. Telecommunications outpaced the rest with 2.63 percent gain whereas oil and gas shed 1.79 pct, the worst performer of the day. In terms of volume, financial services clocked the highest market share of 38.7 pct and real estate followed with percent contribution. Among prime movers, National Bank of Kuwait rose 10 fils to 660 fils on back of 3.3 million shares and KAMCO took in 2 fils. Kuwait Food Co (Americana) soared 80 fils on razor thin trading to close at KD Advanced Technology Company jumped 70 fils. Zain was up 5 fils at 455 fils on back of 1.4 million shares and Wataniya Telecom (Ooredoo) leapt 60 fils to KD Kuwait Telecommunications Co (VIVA) climbed 20 fils extending Wednesday s gains and Agility gave up 10 fils to close at 620 fils. Kuwait Finance House was flat at 530 fils after seesawing earlier in the session and Boubyan Bank too did not budge from its earlier close of 410 fils. The bank s fourth quarter profit rose 13.5 pct year-on-year to KD m and for the full year the profit was up 16.6 pct to KD mln. The market opened weak and headed south in early trade. The main index pulled up briefly before resuming the slide and bottomed at 6, pts as sentiment turned sour. It rebounded thereafter as buying kicked in and peaked at 7, pts in final minutes before closing with modest gains. Top gainer of the day, National Slaughter House spiked 10 pct to 55 fils while Zimah Holding rallied 9 percent to stand next. Commercial Bank of Kuwait dipped 5.4 percent, the steepest decliner of the day and Manazel topped the volume with over 17 million shares. Despite the day s upswing, the losers outnumbered the winners. 45 stocks advanced whereas 7 closed lower. Of the 147 counters active on Thursday, 45 closed flat. 6,758 deals worth KD million were transacted a 8.2 pct drop in value from the day before. National Industries Group eased 2 fils to 130 and Gulf Cable was down 15 fils at 470 fils. Heavy Engineering Industries and Shipbuilding Co fell 4 fils to 218 fils and Shuaiba Paper Industries gave up 4 fils before settling at 410 fils. Jazeera Airways was flat at 580 fils off early lows and ALAFCO too did not budge from its earlier close of 242 fils. NICBM and Hilal Cement Co both stood pat at 216 fils while Boubyan Petrochemical Co shed 10 fils. Slipped Kuwait Foundry Co slipped 5 fils to 310 fils and Equipment Holding Co clipped 2 fils. NCCI gained 10 fils and Al Qurain Petrochemical Co paused at 340 fils. Educational Holding Co closed 5 fils lower at 270 fils. NAPESCO dived 40 fils to KD and Burgan Well Drilling Co fell 2 fils. Automated Systems Co gave up 5 fils whereas Combined Group Contracting Co closed flat. KPPC dialed up 2 fils and KCPC was up 10 fils at 184 fils. PAPCO climbed 7 fils to 104 fils and Jeeran Holding eased 2.5 fils. AWJ Holding took in 2 fils and Nafais was down 10 fils at 230 fils. Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport Co inched 1 fil into red and KGL Logistics followed suit. Mezzan Holding stalled at KD and Al Rai Media Group added 2 fils. Kuwait Cement Co gained 10 fils and Kuwait Portland Cement closed flat. In the banking sector, Commercial Bank of Kuwait shed 25 fils whereas Gulf Bank and Al Ahli Bank were unchanged at 246 fils and 305 fils respectively. Ahli United Bank gave up 5 fils to end at 305 fils. Kuwait International Bank dialed up 2 fils on back of 1.5 million shares and Burgan Bank stood pat at 330 fils off early lows. Warba Bank held ground at 255 fils. KIPCO and Kuwait Investment Co were unchanged at 495 fils and 100 fils respectively whereas National Investment Co dialed up 2 fils. International Financial Advisors inched 0.5 fil up on back of 2.8 million shares while KMEFIC closed 1 fil in red. Securities House Co and Securities Group Co paused at 48.5 fils and 99 fils respectively whereas Bayan Investment Co eased 0.5 fil. Alola and Aayan fell 2 fils each whereas KAM- CO dialed up 2 fils. KFIC eased 1 fil. Noor Financial Investment Co and Unicap were flat at 52 fils and 50 fils respectively whereas Osoul Investment Co stood pat at 66 fils. Ektittab Holding edged 0.5 fil up and Sokouk Holding closed 0.5 fil in red. Kuwait Real Estate Co was flat at 66 fils after trading over 10 million shares while United Real Estate Co rose 5 fil to 104 fils. Mabanee Co and National Real Estate Co paused at 840 fils and 102 fils respectively. The market was mixed during the week. The main index closed lower in three of the five sessions and has shed 14 pts week-on-week. It has gained 246 points from start of the month and is trading pct higher yearto-date. KSE, with 208 listed companies, is the second largest bourse in the region. In the bourse related news, Al Mazaya Holding net profits soared 31.7 pct to KD 2.59 million in last quarter of 2016 while profits rose 10 pct to KD million during the fiscal year of The board has recommended an annual cash dividend of 8% or 8 fils per share. Gulf Glass Manufacturing Co s fourth quarter net profit dipped 64% in KD 14,000 from KD 39,000 in same period last year. During the fiscal year of 2016, profits was down 48 percent to KD 1.21 million. Al Mowasat Health Care has posted KD 1.8 million profits during the fourth quarter of 2016 and for the fiscal year of 2016, earnings rose 35.3 pct to KD 4.52 million. Injazzat Real Estate Development has posted a net profit of KD 550,000 in the last quarter of 2016 and during the fiscal year of 2016, the bank earned KD 3.2 million. The board has recommended a cash dividend of 5% or 5 fils per share for FY Ajial Real Estate Entertainment Company (AREEC) net losses narrowed by 22.7 pct to KD 8,88,620 from KD 1.15 million in Q4 of The annual profits in 2016 clocked KD 1.5 million and the board has recommended the distribution of cash dividends at 5% of capital. Mideast stocks Dubai index buoyed by blue chips Most Gulf markets edge higher DUBAI, March 30, (RTRS): Most stock markets in the Gulf ended the week on a slightly positive footing on Thursday with Kuwait s index managing to rebound from heavy losses earlier in the session. The Kuwaiti index swung 0.3 percent in a volatile session, after dropping as much as 2.0 percent earlier in the day as some shares which had pulled back in the first hour of trade triggered buy orders at those price dips. Telecommunications operator Zain added 1.1 percent to dinars, rebounding from a session low of.445 dinars. In a Reuters poll of 13 leading regional fund managers, conducted over the past week, 23 percent of managers expected to raise their Kuwaiti equity allocations and the same proportion to reduce them. But while some managers cite the Kuwaiti government s strong financial position, which has allowed it to avoid most austerity steps, others think the 22 percent rise in the index since the start of the year is excessive. In Saudi Arabia, banking shares helped carry the index 0.8 percent higher with all 12 lenders advancing 1 percent or more. Mid-sized Bank Aljazira was the top gainer among them, jumping 7.8 percent. Other cyclical shares were also strong with bookstore and electronics retailer Jarir jumping 3.1 percent. Yanbu National Petrochemical, however, fell 0.4 percent after saying it planned a temporary shutdown at two of its facilities. The financial impact was estimated to be 110 million riyals ($29.3 million) and would be reflected in second- and third-quarter results, it added. Elsewhere, Dubai s index climbed 1.0 percent with daily traded volumes doubling from Wednesday s very low levels. Most mid-to-large cap companies made gains; Emaar Properties adding 1.1 percent and its retail operating unit Emaar Malls Group rising 1.5 percent. In neighbouring Abu Dhabi, the index was lifted 0.2 percent higher on the back of gains in second and third tier shares. Eshraq Properties jumped 4.9 percent. But shares of First Gulf Bank and National Bank of Abu Dhabi fell in their final day of trading as a separate entity. FGB declined 0.4 percent and NBAD dropped 1.9 percent. On April 1 the two lenders will merge to form a bank under the name National Bank of Abu Dhabi. Shares of Waha Capital slumped 7.6 percent as its they went ex-dividend on Thursday. In Doha, the index lagged behind and fell 0.3 percent. Vodafone Qatar lost 1.4 percent. Egypt s index edged up 0.1 percent in very low volumes with declining shares outnumbering advancing ones 20 to nine. Oriental Weavers Carpet was the top performer on Thursday jumping 4.7 percent while property investment company Porto Group was the worst performer, dropping 3.7 percent. Saudi Arabia The index added 0.8 percent to 7,002 points. Dubai The index rose 1.0 percent to 3,480 points. Abu Dhabi The index edged up 0.2 percent to 4,444 points. Qatar The index fell 0.3 percent to 10,391 points. Kuwait The index added 0.3 percent to 7,029 points. Egypt The index edged up 0.06 percent to 12,995 points. Oman The index edged down 0.05 percent to 5,550 points. Bahrain The index fell 1.8 percent to 1,356 points.

36 BUSINESS 36 Ford hires 300 for Canadian connected car research Alaska Airlines, Branson clash over licensing fees Ford Motor Co is hiring more than 300 engineers for a new connected-vehicle research center in Ottawa, Ontario, the automaker said Thursday. Ford said the center is part of a $500 million Canadian ($376 million) investment. The company also plans to increase sustainability and fuel economy research at its Windsor and Oakville operations. Ford will hire 100 additional hardware and software engineers in the US to support the work of the Ottawa team. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said Thursday that federal and provincial governments will provide Ford with conditional grants of up to $102.4 million Canadian dollars ($77 million) for the projects. Today s investments will help create and maintain almost 800 great jobs for Canadians in Windsor and across Ontario, while equipping Canadians with the skills they need to design and build the cars of the future, Trudeau said in a statement Thursday. This is about positioning Canada as a global center for automotive innovation, creating better opportunities for Canadians, and keeping Canada s automotive manufacturing sector competitive. (AP) Alaska Airlines could be headed toward a showdown with Richard Branson over millions of dollars in licensing fees. Alaska took control of Virgin America last year. Branson, the British billionaire who helped create Virgin America, told reporters in Seattle this week that Alaska must pay royalties for the Virgin name under a licensing deal that runs until But Alaska Airlines has a different opinion because it plans to drop the Virgin brand, probably in Alaska s general counsel said Wednesday that Branson was correct only about the length of the contract. What he didn t mention is there are lots of ways out of the contract, Kyle Levine said Wednesday. No, we do not need to keep paying for a brand that we are not using. In a written statement, Branson s UK-based Virgin Group said the licensing agreement with Alaska has clear obligations, including a royalty payment, and that Alaska has said Virgin America will honor its obligations. Virgin Airlines paid $7.7 million in licensing fees to a Bransoncontrolled company in its last full year before the Alaska takeover. But that was before a 40 percent rate hike that likely pushed the fee to more than $10 million. (AP) the bottomline Wall Street pares back gains as SEOUL/NEW YORK: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd unveiled its Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone as it battles to regain the market leadership it lost to Apple Inc after the embarrassing withdrawal of the fire-prone Note 7s. Boasting some of the largest wrap-around screens ever made, the long-awaited S8 is the South Korean technology company s first new premium phone after it permanently halted sales of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in October after a failed recall attempt. The incident cost Samsung $5.5 billion in profit and dealt a heavy blow to its reputation. (RTRS) NEW YORK: Shares of Lululemon Athletica Inc fell more than 17 percent Wednesday after the athleticinspired sportswear company said it d had a slow start to the year and offered a weaker outlook than expected for the current quarter. The company known for its yoga gear did report solid growth in both earnings and revenue for its fiscal fourth quarter. CEO Laurent Potdevin, who took the helm in 2014, said that 2016 marked a milestone year where the company returned to positive operating income growth for the first time in three years. But he acknowledged that Lululemon had issues in the early part of this year with the assortment of merchandise it offered shoppers and with visual merchandising. Potdevin promised that people will see more color as early as next week. (AP) CALGARY, Alberta: Cenovus Energy announced Wednesday it will pay $17.7 billion Canadian ($ 13.2 billion) for most of ConocoPhillips Canadian assets. Houston-based ConocoPhillips is the latest company to reduce exposure to Canada s oil sands the world s third-largest oil reserves. Cenovus CEO Brian Ferguson called it a transformational acquisition for the Calgary-based company. The deal includes ConocoPhillips s 50 percent interest in FCCL Partnership, an oil sands venture between the two companies in northern Alberta, as well as the majority of ConocoPhillips s Deep Basin conventional assets in Alberta and British Columbia. The combined assets have forecast 2017 production of approximately 298,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily. (AP) LOS ANGELES: Walt Disney is expected to increase its share of the cost of expanding Hong Kong Disneyland and to end up owning a larger stake in the theme park. In documents submitted this week to Hong Kong s legislature (Legco), Disney has agreed to an equal split of the $1.41 billion (HK$10.9 billion) expansion and upgrade of the park, though it currently owns only 47 percent of the facility. The proposal reduces the burden for the Hong Kong government by some $45.2 million (HK$350 million). Disney will also waive variable management fees for two financial years. In return, the government s ownership stake will fall from 53 percent to 52 percent, while Disney s will increase from 47 percent to 48 percent. (RTRS) ALBANY: A Germany-based power electronics supplier will set up packaging operations at the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute near Utica. Gov Andrew Cuomo last week announced Danfoss Silicon Power, a unit of the Denmark-based Danfoss Group, has been approved to lease the institute s Computer Chip Commercialization Center for 15 years. New York will invest $100 million to complete portions of the facility that includes two cleanrooms, a lab and office space. Danfoss will lease facility and tools from the state. (AP) DETROIT: Volkswagen is paying more than $157 million to 10 states to settle environmental lawsuits over the company s diesel emissions-cheating scandal. The company says the money will go to Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. All 10 states follow California s clean air standards. The settlement covers 3-Liter six-cylinder diesel engines and is separate from a $603 million agreement reached last year with 44 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico that covered 2-liter engines. (AP) LONDON: Lloyd s of London is setting up a subsidiary in Brussels so that it can continue to write insurance in Europe once Britain leaves the European Union. Lloyd s, which is an insurance market, says the move is necessary because EU rules prevent it from selling insurance in the single market if it isn t registered and regulated inside the bloc. Lloyd s says in a statement Thursday that it chose the Belgian capital for its EU base because it provided a robust regulatory framework. (AP) HELSINKI: Swedish low-cost fashion brand Hennes & Mauritz AB said Thursday its first quarter sales disappointed, causing a plunge in the company s share price, as customers increasingly shop online. Net sales during the December- February period grew 7 percent to about 47 billion kronor. Net profit dipped to 2.46 billion kronor ($278 million) from 2.54 billion kronor a year earlier, partly because of higher mark-downs. The share price plunged more than 13 percent to kronor ($25.27) in mid-day trading in Stockholm. H&M CEO Karl-Johan Persson described the sales growth as below our plan. (AP) ISTANBUL: The head of a Turkish travel association says a court ruling in Turkey against Booking.com, a travel website based in the Netherlands, is not linked to political tension between the two countries. Turkey s state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Cetin Gurcun, secretary general of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, as saying Thursday that the association had lodged a case against Booking.com for unfair competition in Gurcun says ties between Turkey and the Netherlands were good at the time. A Turkish court on Wednesday ordered a halt to Booking.com activities in Turkey while the legal case is ongoing. Relations between the two countries deteriorated in recent weeks over Dutch restrictions on Turkish ministers efforts to campaign for diaspora votes ahead of a referendum on whether to expand the Turkish president s powers. (AP) investors await fresh catalysts NEW YORK, March 30, (RTRS): US stocks pared gains in early afternoon trading on Thursday as investors sought fresh triggers in the run up to the first-quarter earnings. All the three major indexes were also weighed down by a 0.4 percent drop in Apple s shares to $ CNBC s Jim Cramer suggested there could be a pause in the stock after Samsung s new Galaxy S8 flagship device received positive reviews. Economic data earlier in the day showed that the domestic economy grew at a faster pace in the fourth quarter than previously estimated. Gross domestic product increased 2.1 percent, compared with the previously reported 1.9 percent, the Commerce Department said. The market has been range bound in the past few days after hitting a series of record highs, powered by President Donald Trump s pro-growth agenda. That rally stalled recently as investors assessed the impact of Republicans failure to pass a healthcare bill on tax reform and the rest of Trump s economic agenda. We expect the rally to fade today, given intraday overbought conditions and a lack of positive momentum, said Katie Stockton, chief technical strategist at brokerage BTIG. The rapid climb in equities has raised concerns regarding valuations, with the S&P 500 trading at nearly 18 times earnings estimates for the next 12 months against its long-term average of 15 times. The market will be looking at quarterly earnings to see if the lofty valuations can be supported. First-quarter earnings for S&P 500 companies are expected to rise 10.1 percent, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The market has been quiet in the past few days and are looking forward to the first-quarter earnings in the absence of any major economic data, said Paul Nolte, portfolio manager at Kingsview Asset Management in Chicago. At 12:50 a.m. ET (1650 GMT) the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up points, or 0.12 percent, at 20, The S&P 500 was up 2.85 points, or 0.12 percent, at 2, The Nasdaq Composite was up 4.07 points, or 0.07 percent, at 5, Seven of the 11 major S&P sectors were higher, with the financial index s 0.88 percent rise leading the advancers. Lululemon Athletica plunged as much as 23.4 percent to a more than one-year low of $50.80 after the Canadian yoga and leisure apparel retailer said first-quarter comparable sales were expected to fall. The stock was among the biggest drags on the S&P. ConocoPhillips rose 7.2 percent to Oil prices higher as OPEC grapples with oversupply $49.24 after the company said it agreed to sell oil sands and western Canadian natural gas assets to Cenovus Energy. Cenovus was down 12.2 percent at $ Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the NYSE by 1,593 to 1,250. On the Nasdaq, 1,494 issues rose and 1,278 fell. The S&P 500 index showed 20 new 52-week highs and one new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 78 new highs and 16 new lows. Asia Asian shares turned lower on Thursday after touching near two-year highs, while the dollar benefited from waning expectations that the European Central Bank was poised to end its easy policy. Financial spreadbetters expected some of the gloom to extend to European trading, with spreadbetters predicting Britain s FTSE 100 would open lower. France s CAC 40 and Germany s DAX were likely to open higher, with the DAX continuing to close in on record highs seen in MSCI s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.2 percent, stepping back from morning trade when it nudged close its loftiest levels since June Australian shares firmed 0.4 percent, helped by an overnight gain in oil prices. Strong energy shares had helped the US S&P 500 end higher overnight. China stocks were headed for a fourth day of losses amid worries over property market prospects, sharp declines in newly-listed stocks, and liquidity stress as the month-end approached. The CSI300 index was down 1.0 percent, while the Shanghai Composite Index lost 1.2 percent. The Federal Reserve s monetary outlook and policymaking under US President Donald Trump have held sway in financial markets over the past few months. While investors have more or less come to terms with rising rates in the United States, concerns remain around the Trump administration s ability to get US growth into a higher gear. Last week s failure of Trump s US healthcare reform bill reinforced those doubts. The dollar index, which tracks the US currency against a basket of six major rivals, was slightly up on the day at It was lifted to a one-week high overnight as the euro slipped on concerns about the impact of Brexit as well as news that ECB policymakers are keen to reassure investors that their easy-money policy is far from ending. The euro was down 0.1 percent at $1.0756, after Reuters reported ECB policymakers were wary of changing their policy message following tweaks this month that upset investors and raised the spectre of a surge in borrowing costs. Prime Minister Theresa May formally began Britain s exit from the European Union on Wednesday, launching a two-year negotiation process before the divorce comes into effect in late March Sterling steadied at $ after skidding to a one-week low of $ overnight. Brexit, to some extent, has been covered in the market already. People went short, covered, and went short again, said Kaneo Ogino, director at foreign exchange research firm Globalinfo Co in Tokyo. As for the dollar, demand is still steady from pure commercial orders, but the Japanese fiscal year ends this week and Tokyo investors don t want to take new positions, Ogino said. Against the yen, the dollar added 0.1 percent to , well above this week s low of , its lowest since Nov. 18, following Trump s healthcare reform blow. Despite the dollar s gains on the day, it was far lower than levels above 115 yen hit a few weeks ago, and Japan s Nikkei stock index shed 0.8 percent. Investors have bought Japanese stocks mainly because of the strong dollar-yen trend. Trump s healthcare defeat threw a wet blanket on the Japan market s rally since last November, said Takuya Takahashi, a strategist at Daiwa Securities. Japanese stocks soared more than 10 percent since Trump s election on hopes his administration would boost US economic growth to 3 percent or even higher. The healthcare setback raised fears that Trump might face challenges in getting his promised stimulus and tax reform policies passed as well, which pressured the greenback and US Treasury yields. The US is continuing to do well. Europe isn t doing as badly as it was and because of the commodity pickup last year, emerging markets are doing okay, he said. US crude futures added 0.3 percent to $49.67 a barrel in Asian trading, while Brent crude futures rose 0.2 percent to $ Oil prices had surged more than 2 percent on Wednesday as US crude inventories grew less than expected, supply disruptions continued in Libya and the OPEC-led output cut looked likely to be extended. China s main indexes capped the fourth day in the red as lingering concerns over liquidity were further heightened by curbs on property investment. The blue-chip CSI300 index fell 0.9 percent, to 3, points, while the Shanghai Composite Index lost 1 percent to 3, points. Smaller caps led the decline, with the tech-heavy start-up board sliding 1.8 percent to a five-week low. Zhang Qi, an analyst at Haitong Securities, said liquidity worries kept investors sidelined. China s central bank skipped open market operations for a fifth day and was set to drain 40 billion yuan on Thursday. The property market was another area of concern for investors, as an increasing number of cities joined a broad move by authorities to slap curbs on home purchases. Oil Oil prices rose further on Thursday, building on two days of increases after Kuwait gave its backing for an extension of OPEC production cuts in an attempt to reduce global oversupply. Brent crude oil was up 20 cents at $52.62 a barrel by 1330 GMT. US crude oil was 45 cents higher at $49.96 a barrel. Both benchmark crude contracts rose more than $1 a barrel on Wednesday to their highest levels for two weeks, rebounding from four-month lows. The futures contracts appeared to be searching for a new trading range, brokers said. There is a significant chance that a short-to-medium-term bottom has been found, said Tamas Varga, analyst at London brokerage PVM Oil Associates. Kuwait oil minister Essam al-marzouq said on Thursday his country was among several nations supporting the extension into the second half of the year of a deal between OPEC and other exporters to limit production, state news agency KUNA reported. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has agreed to reduce its oil production by 1.2 million bpd during the first six months of 2017 and so far most OPEC members appear to be sticking to the deal. A Reuters survey showed OPEC oil output has fallen for a third straight month in March and members have now complied with 95 percent of their commitments under the deal. Gold Gold dipped on Thursday as the dollar strengthened, but losses were capped by continuing economic uncertainty around Britain s departure from the European Union and approaching French elections. The potential for the rise of the far right in European elections this year, along with British Prime Minister Theresa May formally triggering divorce proceedings from the EU on Wednesday has served to enhance gold s appeal as a safe-haven investment, negating some of the effects of a strong dollar. We might see support from the French elections if the first round suprises us by the results being better than expected for (far right leader) Marine Le Pen. That might give a little bit of a boost for gold, said Bernard Dahdah, a precious metals analyst at Natixis. Spot gold was down 0.25 percent at $1, an ounce by 1413 GMT and US gold futures slipped by 0.5 percent to $1,248. The market seemed to take the notification of the (triggering of) Article 50 in the UK relatively smoothly, but I suspect the worst is yet to come on that, said ANZ analyst Daniel Hynes. BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK KFH KBE BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK KFH KBE BEC Muzaini Dollarco Gulf Bank ABK KFH KBE exchange rates March 30 Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy Buy US dollar Danish krone Cyprus pound Sterling pound Indian rupee Yemeni riyal travellers cheques US dollar Sterling Euro local gold BEC Commercial Bank Gulf Bank Al-Ahli Bank BEC Muzaini Exchange Euro Pakistani rupee Thai baht Japanese yen Sri Lanka rupee South African rand Swiss franc Bangladesh taka Korean won Gold 999 kg 12, Canadian dollar Philippine peso Syrian pound Gold tola 1, Gold ounce Swedish krona Australian dollar Iranian Riyal Gold gm 22k Saudi riyal Gold gm 21k Hong Kong dollar Lebanese pound Gold gm 18k UAE dirham Singapore dollar Malaysian ringgit gm Bahraini dinar gm Jordanian dinar Indonesian rupiah Omani riyal Egyptian pound New Zealand dollar All rates in KD per unit of foreign currency

37 INTERNATIONAL 37 Somalis fleeing Yemen war caught in nighttime sea attack Military operations escalate in Yemen as famine looms: UN UNITED NATIONS, March 30, (AP): Military operations in Yemen are escalating and the humanitarian and economic situation is rapidly deteriorating in the Arab world s poorest nation, which is on the brink of famine, the UN special envoy for the country said Wednesday. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the UN Security Council to pressure Yemen s government and Shiite Houthi rebels to engage constructively on political and security measures that he presented to them aimed at ending the war and creating a transitional government. A Saudi-led military coalition, supported by the United States, began striking the rebels and their allies in March 2015, hoping to drive the Houthis from the capital, Sanaa, and restore the internationally recognized government. But the rebels remain in control of Sanaa and much of northern Yemen. The conflict, which has killed more than 10,000 civilians and displaced over 3 million people, has ground into a stalemate and UN peace efforts have faltered. It is my firm belief that further military escalation and humanitarian suffering will not bring the parties closer together, Ahmed told the council. He reiterated his call to the international community to speak with a unified and bold voice to the parties. And he urged the Security Council to use all of its diplomatic weight to push for the relevant parties to make the concessions required to reach a final agreement before more lives are lost. We must give peace another chance, Ahmed said. The council called on all parties to engage meaningfully with the special envoy s proposals and make progress towards a cease-fire and an enduring political settlement. It also called for regional efforts to be harmonized. The situation in Yemen is increasingly grave and distressing, the council s members said in a statement. Civilians are paying the highest price for the ongoing violence. The council called on all parties to the conflict to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and commercial imports, including food, through all ports in Yemen, including Hodeida, to avert famine. Meanwhile, three rockets that fell in the darkness nearby were the first sign of trouble for 150 Somali migrants packed into a boat off Yemen s coast earlier this month. Moments later, bullets tore into the vessel near the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, killing more than a dozen men on the upper deck, four survivors told Reuters. It was the beginning of a halfhour attack on March 16 that killed 43 civilians. A coalition led by Saudi Arabia that is fighting the Iran-allied Houthi militia in the Arabian Peninsula country has denied carrying out the attack. But eyewitnesses say the assault came from a warship and a helicopter and implicates the coalition, which is the only party to the conflict operating helicopters. Reuters was unable to independently confirm these accounts. We heard the sound of the Apache (helicopter) coming towards us. It was maybe 40 or 50 metres above us, said 20-year-old survivor Ibrahim Hussein. The gunfire did not come from one direction. It fanned back and forth. Each time, it hit many people...people were shot in their abdomen, head, feet. The United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Human Rights Watch have collected similar testimonies. According to survivors accounts, the vessel carrying the refugees across the Red Sea was hit by shelling from a coalition warship, without any warning, followed by shooting from an Apache helicopter overhead, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra ad al-hussein said last week. The coalition, which receives US arms and logistical support, has denied responsibility. There was no firing by any coalition forces on Friday in the area in which the attack is alleged to have taken place, General Ahmed al-asseri told Reuters days later, accusing the Houthis of smuggling weapons and launching attacks via the port. Amir home Continued from Page 1 Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the Acting Deputy Minister of the Amiri Diwan Affairs Lt-Gen Khaled Abdullah Boudy, and the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, as well as a number of senior military and police officials. During his visit to Jordan, His Highness the Amir was accompanied the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the Deputy prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Anas Khaled Al-Saleh, Chief of Staff of His Highness the Amir s Office Ahmad Fahad Al-Fahad, Advisor to the Amiri Diwan Mohammad Abdullah Abul-Hassan, Head of the Amiri Honorary Ceremonies Sheikh Khaled Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah Al- Nasser Al-Sabah, the Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Suleiman Al-Jarallah, Head of the Amir Diwan s Media and Cultural Affairs Dept Youssef Hamad Al-Roumi, Head of the Amiri Diwan s Political and Economic Affairs Dept Sheikh Fawaz Al-Saud Al-Nasser Al- Sabah, and the Assistant Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah as well as a number of senior officials. His Highness the Amir meanwhile, Wednesday night sent a cable of thanks to Jordan s King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein. In the cable, His Highness the Amir expressed his appreciation to the warm reception and hospitality during heading the Kuwaiti delegation to the 28th Arab Summit. His Highness the Amir extolled the constructive resolutions of the summit that serve fair issues of the Arab nation, and contribute to meeting aspirations and achieving goals of the Arab countries. His Highness the Amir wished everlasting well-being for Jordan s King, and further progress and prosperity for the Kingdom under the wise leadership of the King. Twelve held Continued from Page 1 The State Security men are interrogating to know the motive of these men. MPs discuss Continued from Page 1 opinion that the media and educational institutes can play a huge role in highlighting the dangers of drug abuse. In another development, MP Riyadh Al-Adsani said he has prepared the grilling request against HH the Prime Minister but a date to submit the request has not yet been set. He added, he will neither accept a government nor wait for a ruling by the Constitutional Court to present the interpellation against the Prime Minister. On another issue, Al-Adsani said he will request for a special session to discuss the housing issue. Meanwhile, MP Ahmed Al-Fadhel has called on the Ministry of Education, through a parliamentary proposal, to create a curriculum for the tenth grade under the name (legal education). He said the curriculum should include the basics of the legal definition of penal, criminal and personal status in all its chapters. He demanded that this curriculum be included in the academic year 2017/2018. He also proposed the appointment of law graduates to teach the legal education subject. Trump nod Continued from Page 1 resolution or take other steps to stop the sale. Lockheed had lobbied strenuously for the sale s approval, even as rights groups and pro-democracy activists urged the administration not to jettison human rights conditions. Corker, a Republican from Tennessee, praised the move and said the caveats would have been unprecedented and counterproductive for security and human rights. There are more effective ways to seek changes in partner policies than publicly conditioning weapons transfers in this manner, Corker said in a statement. Among the steps the Obama administration had sought from Bahrain was the release of Nabeel Rajab, a famed human rights activist who helped lead the 2011 protests. Rajab, whose trial UN chief offers support for Iraq s fight against DAESH BAGHDAD, March 30, (Agencies): The UN chief offered support for Iraq s fight against the Islamic State group during a visit to Baghdad on Thursday, even as the country faces a growing humanitarian crisis following the months-long battle for Mosul, Iraq s second-largest city. At a joint press conference with Antonio Guterres, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-abadi said Iraqi forces were doing their utmost to protect civilians in the fight against IS and accused the extremists of intentionally putting civilians in harm s way while also intensifying their propaganda machine to spread rumors. Guterres expressed support for Iraq s fight, condemned IS crimes against civilians and pledged continued aid for the some 3 million Iraqis displaced by the fighting. Hours earlier, as the secretary-general arrived in the Iraqi capital, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a suicide truck bombing in Baghdad the previous night that killed 15 people and wounded 45. The fight to take back Mosul began in October, backed by the US-led international coalition. After routing IS from the eastern part of the city, Iraqi forces in February launched a push to drive the militants from the western half. The Tigris River separates Mosul into its eastern and western sector. Shortly after landing at Baghdad International Airport, Guterres said on Twitter that his visit is to focus on the dire humanitarian situation on the ground. Amid reports of dozens of civilians killed by airstrikes in Mosul, he added that protection of civilians must be the absolute priority. Guterres met with Iraq s president and parliament speaker as well as the prime minister. The UN chief also plans to meet leaders in Iraq s northern semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Since the start of the Mosul military operation, more than 350,000 people have fled the fighting, according to UN figures. On Thursday, Iraq s militarized federal police inched deeper into Mosul s old city a dense urban core in the city s western half where they met with stiff resistance from IS militants. First Lt. Walid Khalid of the 3rd brigade Federal Police said his troops advanced about 100 meters (yards) in the last two days. The distance between IS and us is 50 meters, yesterday, we killed four IS fighters and right now their bodies are in the street. Khalid told The Associated Press. The situation is very good and the Iraqi air force is doing well. He said the troops were about 100 has been repeatedly delayed, awaits sentencing on a charge of spreading false news via Twitter over his posts about the ongoing Saudi-led war in Yemen, as well as allegations of torture by authorities at a local prison. The State Department said as recently as this week that it was calling for Rajab s release. The US has said Bahrain lacks evidence against him. Since the beginning of a government crackdown nearly a year ago, activists have been imprisoned or forced into exile. Bahrain s main Shiite opposition group has been dismantled. Lawmakers recently approved military tribunals for civilians while its feared domestic spy agency regained some arrest powers. Independent news gathering on the island also has grown more difficult. Meanwhile, a series of attacks, including a January prison break, have targeted the island. Shiite militant groups have claimed some of the assaults. Bahrain has accused Iran s Revolutionary Guard of training and arming some militants, something the Shiite regional power has dismissed as a futile and baseless lie. Bahrain s government and Lockheed did not respond to requests for comment. In prepared remarks before a hearing Wednesday of the US House s Armed Services Committee, the head of the US military s Central Command acknowledged the delay in Guterres pledges continued aid for displaced Iraqis Turkey, US same page against IS: Tillerson US faces tough choices in Syria ANKARA, March 30, (RTRS): US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson acknowledged on Thursday that Washington faced difficult choices in the fi ght against Islamic State in Syria but sought to downplay differences with NATO ally Turkey over support for Kurdish militia fighters. Speaking after meetings in Ankara with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and senior government ministers, Tillerson said there was no space between Turkey and the United States in their determination to defeat Islamic State. Erdogan and his government have been incensed by US support for the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, seen by the Pentagon as a reliable partner but by Turkey as a hostile force with deep links to Kurdish PKK militants who have waged a three-decade insurgency against the Turkish state. It is particularly frustrated by the use of YPG fi ghters in a planned US-led offensive to retake Islamic State s Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, an operation in which Ankara has long said it wants to play a role. What we discussed today are options that are available to us. They are difficult options. Let me be very frank, it s not easy, they are difficult choices that have to be made, Tillerson told a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. meters from a symbolic mosque where the IS leader, Abu Bakr al-baghdadi, declared the extremists self-styled caliphate in the summer of Also Thursday, the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist groups, reported the IS claim of responsibility for the bombing late Wednesday in Baghdad. In the claim, IS warns Iraqi Shiites that the flame of the battle in Mosul will come to them in the cities of Baghdad, Karbala, and Najaf. In the attack, a suicide truck bomb targeted a police checkpoint on the Iraqi capital s main southern entrance. Three policemen were among the 15 dead while the rest were civilians, police and health officials, speaking on condition of anonymity under regulations. The militants have suffered a string of defeats over the past two years in the lead-up to the Mosul operation, but have continued to regularly launch attacks in and around Baghdad. A series of large-scale bombings claimed by IS has also struck Baghdad since the operation to retake Mosul began. Iraqi and coalition officials have repeatedly warned that after Mosul, IS the fighter jet sale to Bahrain continues to strain our relationship. We continue to urge the government of Bahrain to reverse steps it has taken over the past year to reduce the space for peaceful political expression in its (Shiite) population and have encouraged the Bahrainis to implement needed political reforms in the country, US Gen Joseph Votel said. Rebels gain Continued from Page 1 southeastern border area close to Iraq, the rebels say. Extensive areas have fallen into our hands. (Islamic State) has been pushed out of them in heavy clashes in 16 days of battles, said Talas al Salameh, the commander of the Osoud al Sharqiya, the biggest of the FSA groups in the area. (Islamic State) had cut roads and were in control and had been positioned in former Syrian army bases with a strong presence and with heavy armour. We cut links between their areas and as a result they began to retreat, al-salamah said. In northern Syria, Islamic State has come under growing military pressure in recent months from separate campaigns being waged by the US-backed Arab and Kurdish fighters, by the Cavusoglu said Washington accepted there was no difference between the YPG militia and the PKK. Tillerson condemned recent PKK attacks in Turkey but made no such acknowledgement. He said his talks focused on the creation of stabilization zones in Syria so refugees could return home and that a number of options on how to secure such areas were being explored. Turkey, sheltering more than 2 million Syrians, has long called for such safe areas but the idea has gained little traction among Western allies who question how such zones can be carved out without a signifi cant foreign military presence. Tillerson s visit comes at a diffi cult time in US-Turkish relations. Ties soured under former US President Barack Obama and offi cials in Ankara have been hoping for a reset under Donald Trump, but there have been few signs of improvement. Aside from differences over Syria, relations have also been strained by the continued presence in the United States of Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Erdogan for a failed coup last July and whom Ankara wants extradited. Cavusoglu said Turkey expects Washington to take concrete steps will likely return to its insurgent roots as it loses more territory in both Iraq and neighboring Syria. Crouching in his Mosul home, Abu Ayman suddenly felt the ground rock as if struck by an earthquake when a massive explosion tore through his street, filling the room with dust and shattered glass. Then came the screams and cries from next door. His account describes horrific scenes after the blast that may have killed more than 200 people on March 17, as the battle to recapture Iraq s second city from Islamic State advances though the cramped and densely populated western districts. Running outside, Abu Ayman said, he saw several houses on the street flattened and severed limbs scattered in the rubble. Frantic residents scrambled to pull relatives out of the collapsed homes, where they had sheltered from bombardments. I ran to my next-door neighbour s house and with others we managed to rescue three people, but at least 27 others in the same house were killed, including women and children of relatives who fled from other districts, he Russian-backed Syrian army and by Turkey-backed FSA groups. The US-led coalition against Islamic State is backing an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the campaign to isolate and capture Raqqa city on the other side of the country. Salamah said Islamic State had pulled hundreds of fighters from the areas where his group, working with four others, had made its advances, suggesting they had been redeployed to help defend Raqqa and Deir al-zor province to the east. The advances have taken place in a swathe of sparsely populated territory stretching from the town of Bir Qassab, some 50 kms (30 miles) southeast of Damascus, all the way to the borders with Iraq and Jordan, a desert area known as the Badia. In the event of the fall of Raqqa and Mosul, where would they go? They would be coming here. So we decided to work and kick them out of this area before they would come to us, Salameh told Reuters in a phone interview. The rebels have also seized control of the eastern slopes of the Qalamoun mountains to the northwest of Bir Qassab, where Islamic State s presence had disappeared as it moved its forces further north, he said. The rebels say their campaign in the area had been gradually escalated over the last five months. on Gulen s extradition, including his temporary detention. US officials have in the past said that is a matter for the US judicial system. Tillerson s trip was further clouded by the arrest in New York on Monday of an executive of Turkey s state-run Halkbank, who is accused of conspiring with Turkish- Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab in a multi-year scheme to evade US sanctions on Iran. Cavusoglu described the arrest of the banker as a political move and said the US attorney who launched the case against Zarrab had close ties with Gulen s supporters. Tillerson s visit comes less than three weeks ahead of a referendum at which Erdogan is seeking constitutional change to boost his powers, a move which his opponents and some European allies fear will bring increasing authoritarianism. Tillerson did not meet members of the Turkish opposition during his visit, apparently avoiding domestic issues while trying to keep the focus on the fi ght against Islamic State. It was a change in tone from US visits under Obama. Then Vice President Joe Biden said during a Jan visit that Turkey was setting a poor example for the region by intimidating the media and curtailing internet freedoms. said. We pulled some out of rubble, using hammers and shovels to remove debris. We couldn t do anything to help others as they were completely buried under the collapsed roof. The risk of civilian casualties in western Mosul was always high as Iraqi government forces and their allies stage the assault. Tens of thousands of residents are trapped in homes around the Old City, where local people say jihadist fighters are using them human shields or herding them into buildings as cover. US-led military commanders supporting the Iraqi forces acknowledged on Tuesday that a coalition strike probably played a role in the civilian deaths in the al-jadida district, but said Islamic State could also be to blame. Exactly what happened on March 17 remains far from clear, but if confirmed those high casualties would mark the worst loss of Iraqi civilian life in a single incident since the 2003 US-led invasion, and risk damaging the Shi ite-led government s efforts to keep the war from alienating Mosul s Sunni population. Said Seif, an official in another FSA faction, the Shahid Ahmad al-abdo group, said 250 square kms (96 square miles) had been captured in the Badia alone. Salameh said at least 117 of his fighters had been killed in ferocious fighting over the last few months in what he said were relentless assaults and ambushes by the militants. DAESH claims Continued from Page 1 look into the details of this as much as we can to establish what happened, establish what the facts are, identify accountability and then certainly identify the lessons learned out of that, he told the hearing. The UN chief visited Iraq on Thursday amid a growing humanitarian crisis due to months-long fighting against the Islamic State group in Mosul, Iraq s second-largest city. As Antonio Guterres arrived in Baghdad, the extremist group claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide truck bombing in the Iraqi capital the previous night. The fight to take back Mosul began in October, backed by the US-led international colaition. After routing IS from the eastern part of the city, Iraqi forces in February launched a push to drive the militants from the western half. The Tigris River separates Mosul into its eastern and western sector. Shortly after landing at Baghdad International Airport, Guterres said on Twitter that his visit is to focus on the dire humanitarian situation on the ground. Amid reports of dozens of civilians killed by airstrikes in Mosul, he added that protection of civilians must be the absolute priority. Guterres was to meet with Iraq s president, prime minster and parliament speaker before heading north to the self-ruled Kurdish region. Since the start of the Mosul military operation, more than 350,000 people have fled the fighting, according to UN figures. On Thursday, Iraq s militarized federal police inched deeper into Mosul s old city a dense urban core in the western half of the city where they met with stiff resistance from IS militants. First Lt Walid Khalid of 3rd brigade Federal Police said his troops advanced about 100 meters (yards) in the last two days. The distance between IS and us is 50 meters, yesterday, we killed four IS fighters and right now their bodies are in the street. Khalid told The Associated Press. The situation is very good and the Iraqi air force is doing well. He said the troops were about 100 meters away from a symbolic mosque where the leader of the extremist group, Abu Bakr al-baghdadi, declared its self-styled caliphate in the summer of Also Thursday, the Site Intelligence group, which monitors extremist groups, reported the IS claim of responsibility for the Baghdad bombing late Wednesday. In the claim IS warns Iraqi Shiites that the flame of the battle in Mosul will come to them in the cities of Baghdad, Karbala, and Najaf. Etihad to Continued from Page 1 flights. Medical devices were exempted Ėtihad s hub in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, was among the cities affected. The government-owned carrier operates 45 flights a week to six American cities: Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington. Newswatch Continued from Page 1 The State Department is declaring El Shafee Elsheikh as a global terrorist. He was one of the Britishsounding captors accused of beheading hostages. The US is also targeting radical British preacher Anjem Choudary. He has said he ll continue recruiting for IS after being sentenced to a British prison. (AP) DHAKA: As many as eight militants have blown themselves up with a grenade north of the Bangladeshi capital rather than surrender to officers who had cornered them in their hideout, police said on Thursday. Police urged the militants in Nasirpur, northeast of the capital Dhaka, to give themselves up on Wednesday, but instead they detonated the grenade. Up to eight militants, including a female, were killed, Monirul Islam, the chief of police for counterterrorism and transnational crime, told reporters. (RTRS) MUSCAT: Qatar on Thursday denied it was violating a new labour law by blocking migrants from leaving the country, saying it was committed to enforcing reforms to improve the rights of millions of foreign workers. A new law making it easier for migrants to change jobs and leave the oil-rich Gulf state where many of them have been recruited to build soccer stadiums ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup came into effect in December. But rights groups say the new law is not being enforced and that scores of migrant workers from countries such as India, Bangladesh and Nepal have been refused permission to leave the country since the law was passed. (RTRS) SEOUL: A South Korean court said on Friday it had approved a warrant to arrest ousted president Park Geun-hye, who was removed from office in March over allegations of bribery. Park can be held in a cell for up to 20 days while she is investigated on charges including bribery and abuse of presidential power. (RTRS)

38 LEISURE 38 Scratch pad C 2012 The New York Times, distributed by The New York Times Syndicate odds n ends A bee flies over daisies in a park in Frankfurt, Germany. Weather forecasts predict sunny weather for the next few days in most parts of Germany. (AP) 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 3 Minutes 59 Seconds Your Working Time Minutes Seconds Word by Word Hunger Hunger is the best sauce. Al jooi ahsan al salsat. Numbers 7518 Yesterday s solution Jooi Seven thousand five hundred eighteen Sabat alaaf wa khamso maah wa thamaniyata ashar contract bridge Sunday: By Steve Becker NEW YORK: Friday is National Crayon Day and Crayola says it will mark the occasion by retiring one of its colors. Crayola says the announcement revealing which color is getting retired will be livestreamed on Facebook on Friday morning. On Facebook, news of the impending color retirement brought suggestions as to which colors it should or shouldn t be. Others lamented that Crayola is retiring a color at all. (AP) EASTON, Pennsylvania: A judge has fi ned a Pennsylvania golf course $1,000 in its ongoing dispute with a couple who says errant balls are still hitting their property despite a previous court order. The (Allentown) Morning Call reports a Northampton County judge fi ned Morgan Hill Golf Course on Monday because it reopened the course during warmer weather earlier this month without installing cameras that are to track all golf swings and the trajectory of all golf balls coming from the 13th hole. Jerzy and Halina Wisniewski say more than 50 balls have been hit onto their property, prompting the club to twice move the 13th tee to prevent that. Golf course lawyer Erv McLain says the course denies wrongdoing and expects to prove to a jury it s not responsible for the balls being hit onto the Wisniewski property. (AP) NAIROBI, Kenya: The price of ivory in China has dropped sharply as the country plans to end the legal trade in ivory later this year, a leading elephant conservation group said in a new report Wednesday. Chinese demand for tusks has been driving African elephants toward extinction, experts say. The Chinese government in recent years has taken steps to stop the trade in ivory, which is used for ornamentation and souvenirs. China s ivory factories are to be shut down by Friday, followed by the closing of retail outlets by the end of this year. The new report surveys the price of ivory in markets across China between 2014 and early this year. It found the price dropped from $2,100 per kilogram in early 2014 to $730 in February. Conservationists say tens of thousands of elephants have been killed in Africa in recent years as demand for ivory in Asia, particularly China, increased. Past estimates of Africa s elephant population have ranged from 420,000 to 650,000. Some conservationists estimate that up to 20,000 elephants are killed by poachers every year to meet demand. This is a critical period for elephants, said Iain Douglas- Hamilton, president and founder of Save the Elephants, which carried out the research. With the end of the legal ivory trade in China, the survival chances for elephants have distinctly improved. We must give credit to China for having done the right thing by closing the ivory trade. There is still a long way to go to end the excessive killing of elephants for ivory, but there is now greater hope for the species. Other factors behind the drop in the price of ivory include an economic slowdown in China resulting in fewer people being able to afford luxury goods, and a crackdown on corruption that has dissuaded business people from buying expensive ivory items as favors for government offi cials, the new report says. (AP)

39 SPORTS 39 Everton seek rare win over Liverpool Wenger needs Arsenal to see off City This is a Dec 19, 2016 file photo of Liverpool s Divock Origi (right), competes for the ball with Everton s Ross Barkley during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park stadium in Liverpool, England. Everton s derby on April 1, against neighbor Liverpool, which is one of the sides fighting to clinch a place in Europe Äôs top competition. Everton would move to within three points of fourth-place Liverpool with a win at Anfield. (AP) Tension mounts Juve s Higuain braces for Napoli return MILAN, March 30, (RTRS): Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain will return to Napoli on Sunday for the first time since his acrimonious departure in July, adding further fuel to the often bitter rivalry between the clubs. The Serie A match also represents Sassuolo vs Lazio bein SPORTS 4 HD 19:00 local (Saturday) Roma vs Empoli bein SPORTS 4 HD 21:45 local (Saturday) Torino vs Udinese bein SPORTS 4 HD 13:30 local (Sunday) Pescara vs Milan bein SPORTS 4 HD 16:00 local (Sunday) Fiorentina vs Bologna bein SPORTS 7 HD 16:00 local (Sunday) Genoa vs Atalanta bein SPORTS 8 HD 16:00 local (Sunday) Palermo vs Cagliari bein SPORTS 10 HD 16:00 local (Sunday) Napoli vs Juve bein SPORTS 4 HD 21:45 local (Sunday) Inter vs Sampdoria bein SPORTS 4 HD 21:45 local (Monday) third-placed Napoli s last, faint hope of catching the championship leaders and, if that were not enough, bad feeling is still simmering after a controversial Italian Cup match between them four weeks ago. The second leg of that semifinal tie will be played at the same San Paolo stadium the following Wednesday. Higuain spent three seasons at Napoli where he became a crowd favourite especially after scoring a Serie A record 36 goals for them last season. Admiration, however, turned to scorn and outright hostility when the Video refs set to drive major rule changes IFAB Argentine, who still had two years to run on his contract, moved to Juventus after they agreed to pay a 90 million euro ($96.67 million) buyout clause in his contract. When news of his move first emerged, supporters gathered in the city centre to tear up pictures of Higuain and set fire to replicas of his number nine shirt. A banner bearing his In this Feb 7, 2016 fi le photo, Napoli s Gonzalo Higuain (front left), celebrates with teammate Marek Hamsik after scoring during a Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Carpi, at the San Paolo stadium in Naples, Italy. Higuain is prepared for a fi ery reception when he returns to Napoli for the fi rst time since his move to bitter rival Juventus. (AP) LONDON, March 30, (RTRS): As soccer s lawmaking body forges ahead on how best to implement key rule changes through the use of video referees, European powerhouse Spain fears being left behind through a lack of domestic cooperation. David Elleray, the technical director of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), said video assistant referees could help bring modifi cations to the handball rule to make the game fairer with the introduction of penalty goals being mooted. The former referee said incidents like Luis Suarez s handball on the line during Uruguay s 2010 World Cup tie against Ghana was discussed. The African side missed the resulting penalty and a chance to advance to the semi-finals. The IFAB is looking at 25 areas of the game aiming to make it fairer and handball is one of those, the 62-year-old Briton told the Times on Thursday. One of those areas we are discussing is incidents similar to the handball by Luis Su rez in the 2010 World Cup. A lot of people have said in those kind of incidents why can t you give that as a goal if it is clearly going in?. photograph was tied to a dust cart. At Napoli games this season, vendors outside the stadium have been selling toilet rolls with Higuain s photograph on the packaging. When Juventus and Napoli met in Serie A in Turin in October, there was an air of inevitability as Higuain scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 win for his side. They clashed again in Turin on March 1 in the first leg of their Italian Cup semifinal and Napoli were left fuming after they had a penalty appeal turned down while their rivals were awarded two and converted both in a 3-1 win. Even the mayor of Naples, Luigi de Magistris, joined the criticism, using the city s official website to complain that Napoli were victims of disgrace upon disgrace. Juventus, aiming for a sixth successive title, have dropped only two points in their last 10 Serie A matches, a run which has taken them eight points clear of AS Roma with Napoli a further two behind. Despite security worries, Juventus LONDON, March 30, (RTRS): Everton will target a first victory over Liverpool in nearly seven years on Saturday knowing that if they succeed an unlikely pursuit of a topfour finish might start to be taken seriously. Spurred by Romelu Lukaku s goals, Ronald Koeman s side have closed steadily on the battle for Champions and Europa League qualification and victory in Saturday s early kickoff at Anfield would, temporarily at least, lift them into fifth spot. Defeat, on the other hand, would leave them isolated in seventh and struggling to catch the teams above them. Everton were beaten 1-0 at Goodison Park earlier this season when Sadio Mane s stoppage-time goal ensured bragging rights remained in the red half of Merseyside. Liverpool won the corresponding fixture 4-0 last season and Everton have to rewind all the way back to October 2010 for their last win over their arch-rivals, a 2-0 victory at Goodison. Their last win at Anfield came in a feisty affair in 1999 when Kevin Campbell scored the winner and three players, including Liverpool s Steven Gerrard, were sent off. Hardly the kind of run to inspire Liverpool vs Everton bein SPORTS 2HD, 11HD 14:30 local (Saturday) Man U vs WBA bein SPORTS 7HD 17:00 local (Saturday) Leicester vs Stoke bein SPORTS 9HD 17:00 local (Saturday) Hull vs West Ham bein SPORTS 10HD 17:00 local (Saturday) Burnley vs Spurs bein SPORTS 11HD 17:00 local (Saturday) Watford vs Sunderland bein SPORTS 12HD 17:00 local (Saturday) Saints vs Bournemouth bein SPORTS 2HD, 11HD 19:30 local (Saturday) Swansea vs Boro bein SPORTS 2HD, 11HD 15:30 local (Sunday) Arsenal vs Man City bein SPORTS 2HD, 11HD 18:00 local (Sunday) much hope but Koeman s side have lost only one of their last 12 Premier League games compared to Liverpool s rather up-and-down form which has seen them win only three of their last 10. Both sides were dealt blows in the build-up to the 228th Merseyside derby with Everton defender Seamus Coleman breaking his leg during Ireland s World Cup qualifier against Wales. Liverpool will also be missing Adam Lallana after he suffered a thigh injury playing for England and manager Juergen Klopp will be sweating on the return of Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho from international duty with Brazil. Fourth-placed Liverpool are six points above Everton, having both played 29 games two more than the sides separating them Arsenal and Manchester United. While the teams below them jostle for positions Chelsea s title march has been relentless and the Blues can tick In this Sept 9, 2016 file photo, PSG s Hatem Ben Arfa controls the ball during a French League One soccer match Paris-Saint-Germain against Saint-Etienne at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. Frustrated by his lack of playing time, the former France winger has made clear he could look for another destination during the summer if his personal situation does not improve. (AP) off another three points with victory over Crystal Palace. Tottenham Hotspur, 10 points behind Antonio Conte s side in second place, have not given up the chase but three points at a Burnley side who have won nine of 14 at Turf Moor will be paramount if they are to maintain their lingering hopes. At the other end of the table Swansea City host second-from-bottom Middlesbrough on Sunday while on Saturday Jermain Defoe, fresh from scoring on his international return with England, returns to the thankless task of trying to fire Sunderland off the foot of the table away at Watford. When this season s Premier League fixture list was released, Arsenal against Manchester City in April looked like a potential title decider. In reality, neither team goes into Sunday s game with a realistic hope of catching leaders Chelsea, but instead are focusing on keeping their own faltering seasons on track. For either side, failure to qualify for the Champions League would be unacceptable, but for third-placed City and the sixth-placed Gunners, this is a genuine possibility. Next month the pair meet in the FA Cup semifinal but right now Sunday s Premier League clash is far more significant. Victory for Arsene Wenger s Arsenal would end a Premier League win drought of nearly two months, and be their first over one of the Big Six since they beat Chelsea 3-0 in September, a result which saw the west London side s coach Antonio Conte change tactics and kick-start a charge towards the title. That must seem a lifetime ago to Wenger, who knows another substandard showing on Sunday will increase the fans desire to see the Frenchman leave when his deal expires after the season. Having had a two-week international break to fix things after a 3-1 loss at West Bromwich Albion last time out, Wenger desperately needs one of his big names to step up against City. Neuer out for two games with foot injury Schalke out to throw spanner in rivals Dortmund works BERLIN, March 30, (RTRS): It was 10 years ago when Borussia Dortmund killed off Schalke 04 s Bundesliga title shot, beating them in their Ruhr valley derby on the penultimate matchday of the season. The royal blues are now hoping they can pay their bitter local rivals back when they host them on Saturday, with Dortmund fighting to hold on to the third spot that leads to an automatic Champions League group spot next season. Schalke on the other hand are recovering from a prolonged slump that has seen them in the lower half of the table for much of the campaign. All this will matter little in Germany s most hard-fought derby, said Schalke captain Benedikt Hoewedes. Other things decide the derby, unlike normal games. These are ambition, passion, engagement on the pitch, he said. Our focus is to be the better team in every respect on the pitch on Saturday, Hoewedes told reporters. Our opponents are a good team and they deserve to be in third spot at the moment. Hoewedes knows full well the derby could not have come at a better time for his team, buoyed by their Europa League quarter-final qualification. They have also won their last two league matches to rise to ninth spot and rekindle hopes of European football next season. In the weeks leading up to the international break we got a lot of positive results. We are in the Europa League last eight and also beat Augsburg and Mainz 05, Hoewedes said. So we are going into the derby with a lot of self-confidence. High wages stop English players venturing abroad LONDON, March 30, (RTRS): Young English players are pricing themselves out of career-enhancing moves to European clubs, with damaging knock-on effects for the national team, former England striker Tony Woodcock says. Assessing the chasm that exists between England and world champions Germany when it comes to results at major tournaments, Woodcock said more young English players should play abroad rather than settle for fat salaries and reserve team football with Premier League clubs. I was with the Borussia Dortmund guys last week and they say the problem is that they would probably want to take SOCCER some young English players who are not getting a kick in the Premier League, Woodcock told Reuters by telephone. The problem is they are earning so much in the Premier League that clubs in Europe are not prepared to pay that. You are stifling your own career because you want the fancy car and huge salary. According to the latest edition of the Global Sports Salaries Survey, the average Premier League wage is just over $3.2 million per year, way ahead of the Bundesliga average of around $1.4 million. Woodcock s comments come after England manager Gareth Southgate called for the English game to shed its island mentality if it is to catch up with Germany at club and international level. But Woodcock, who played for Bundesliga side Cologne after winning the English title and European Cup with Nottingham Forest in the late 70s, said there is a long way to go. While the likes of Tottenham Hotspur s Dele Alli and Manchester City s John Stones are being lauded as the future of English football, Woodcock said that Germany set the standard when it comes to developing international class players. The statistics show Germany are miles ahead, Woodcock, who won 42 England caps and also scored 56 goals for Arsenal in a four-year spell, said. It s a conveyor belt of talent in Germany and I don t see that happening in England. You have young English lads earning far more money than their German counterparts but they are not improving. They should take less go to Europe and show how good they are. Youngsters in England earn three or four times more than they would do in Germany. But in Germany they play every week. Dortmund, though, are even more successful, having won four of their last five Bundesliga games and also advancing to the Champions League last eight and the German Cup semifinals. The Bundesliga s leading striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, has rediscovered his scoring form after a brief goal drought earlier this season, taking his tally to 23 league goals, including scoring the winner in Dortmund s 1-0 win over Ingolstadt on March 19. Thomas Tuchel s team is on 46 points, one ahead of fourth-placed Hoffenheim and three behind RB Leipzig, who are second. The derby is for us the start of our defining weeks, Dortmund sports director Michael Zorc said. That s why this game is even more important for us now. Dortmund face AS Monaco in the Champions League next month before taking on holders Bayern Munich in the German Cup last four. The Bavarians, whose president Uli Hoeness is already accepting congratulations for a widely expected title win in the coming weeks, are In this Oct 29, 2016 file photo, Dortmund s Socratis (left), and Schalke s Max Meyer challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 in Dortmund, Germany. (AP) Hertha vs Hoffenheim bein SPORTS 5HD 21:30 local Schalke vs Dortmund bein SPORTS 4HD 16:30 local (Saturday) Bayern vs Augsburg bein SPORTS 5HD 16:30 local (Saturday) Frankfurt vs M gladbach bein SPORTS 5HD 19:30 local (Saturday) Ingolstadt vs Mainz bein SPORTS 5HD 16:30 local (Sunday) Leverkusen vs Wolfsburg bein SPORTS 5HD 18:30 local (Sunday) 13 points clear at the top and host Augsburg. Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will miss the club s next two league matches due a training ground injury that required minor surgery, the German champions said on Thursday. Neuer underwent surgery on a foot injury late on Wednesday, ruling him out of their Bundesliga matches against Augsburg on Saturday and Hoffenheim on Tuesday, Bayern said. The Bavarians, who are chasing a treble of titles this season, are 13 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with nine games left and are close to a record-extending fifth consecutive league crown. They also face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals next month.

40 SPORTS 40 ICC mulling bid for Olympic inclusion in 2024 Host South Korea aims for second haul at 2018 Winter Games PYEONGCHANG, March 30, (RTRS): South Korea has set a target of 20 medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, including at least eight gold, to finish in the top four of the medals table for the first time, according to a senior sports official. If South Korea achieves its target at next year s Games, it will surpass its record gold tally of six at the 2006 Torino Olympics and at Vancouver four years later. South Korea won a record 14 medals at Vancouver, taking six silver medals and two bronze to finish fifth overall. Lee Right now, I d say we re locked to win about six gold medals, Lee Jae-kun, head of the National Training Centre in Seoul, was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency on Thursday. The key is to try to turn a couple of silver medals into gold medals. Lee added that South Korea was targeting four silver medals and eight bronze. Last month, sports data firm Gracenote Sports predicted that Norway would top the medals table for the first time in 16 years, while the hosts were tipped to tie their record gold medal haul. While short track speed skating is South Korea s best bet for gold, the country is also counting on its first OLYMPICS gold medal from a sliding event, with men s skeleton racer Yun Sung-bin having won silver at last year s world championships. Meanwhile, the time is right for cricket to return to the Olympics and a decision on applying for inclusion in 2024 will have to be made within months, the head of the sport s governing body said on Thursday. The founder of the modern Olympics, Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, was enthusiastic about cricket, a sport dominated by Britain and former British colonies such as Australia and India, but it has only Timberlake follows Swift as F1 Austin crowd-puller LONDON, March 30, (RTRS): Singer Justin Timberlake has been confirmed as the headline act at this year s US Formula One Grand Prix as organisers seek to build on the crowd-pulling success of Taylor Swift s appearance at the 2016 race. Timberlake, whose Oscarnominated song Can t Stop the Feeling won him a 10th Grammy Award, will appear on stage on Saturday Oct 21 at Austin s Circuit of the Americas (COTA) after qualifying. Last year s race ended a trend of declining audiences and drew a record crowd of 269,000 with once featured in a Games in Paris in We need to make a decision by, I guess, July of this year so that we can submit an application by September, Dave Richardson, chief executive of the International Cricket Council (ICC), told reporters. And of course it s not what cricket wants, its whether the IOC wants us. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will choose between 2024 bid cities Paris and Los Angeles Swift s first concert of the year watched by some 80,000 people. Last year did what we hoped it would do, which is not only enhance an already great event but also give us the chance to expose a lot of new people to the sport, COTA chairman Bobby Epstein told Reuters. And it worked. I think where we saw a big change was in the average number of tickets sold per transaction, which told me that families were buying. And so I think we ll see that continue. The 2017 F1 season, which began in Melbourne last weekend, is the first with the sport being run by American company Liberty Media, which took control of Formula One in January. Liberty replaced CVC Capital Partners as the sport s commercial rights holders, with Chase Carey ousting 86-year-old Bernie Ecclestone as commercial supremo. F1 has long struggled to get a foothold in the American market, so hopes are high that Timberlake s performance can build on last year s successful race weekend. at a meeting in Lima in September, with new sports also under consideration. Baseball and softball are set to return in Tokyo in Richardson said it did not matter which city won the bid. Both (cities) would... probably be opportunistic for us, especially the US option, but also in Europe, he said at the SportsPro Live conference at Wembley Stadium. You d have to spend a little bit more money on cricket pitches in France than in the US but it s not impossible. I think the majority of the members, and certainly myself, think the time is right, Richardson added. I think we ve come to the conclusion that the overall benefit to the game of helping to globalise it and grow will outweigh any negatives. Also: BERLIN: The International Olympic Committee said on Thursday it had disqualified four Russian athletes from the 2012 London Olympics after retests of their samples came back positive for banned substances. The IOC said all four Victoria Valyukevich, a triple jumper who was eighth in the women s competition, hammer throwers Gulfiya Khanafeeva and Mariia Bespalova, and weightlifter Khadzhimurat Akkaev, who did not compete due to a back injury, had tested positive for anabolic steroid turinabol. Spain s Fernandez proves there is more to skating than just jumps HELSINKI, March 30, (RTRS): Javier Fernandez proved that being a world champion is not just about being a quad-jumping powerhouse when he produced a mesmerizing short programme to hold off a throng of challengers at the figure skating world championships on Thursday. The Spaniard s pursuit of a hat-trick of world titles could not have got off to a better start with a hypnotic performance to Spanish guitar music Uno finishes second, Chan in third Patrick Chan, of Canada, skates his short program at the World figure skating championships in Helsinki, Finland on March 30. (AP) Five-day final ended in draw Victoria clinch hat-trick titles ALICE SPRINGS, Australia, March 30, (AP): Victoria clinched its third consecutive Sheffield Shield domestic cricket title when its five-day final against South Australia ended in a draw on Thursday. After finishing in first place during the season, Victoria needed only to draw the final to clinch its hat trick of titles. The Victorians ensured that by piling on innings of 487 and 323 runs, setting South Australia, which scored 287 in its first innings, an improbable target of 524 in 69 overs to win the Shield title at Traegar Park. South Australia, led by Travis Head s unbeaten 137, finished from 65 overs before the rival captains shook hands to end CRICKET the match. Victoria has won the three titles under three different coaches in three seasons. Jon Holland, a left-arm orthodox spinner, was voted player of the match after his seven-wicket haul in the first innings. The championship decider was held in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, the so-called Red Center of Australia, because Victoria could not host a home final in Melbourne. The Australian Football League has begun play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, while another cricket venue, the Junction Oval in the Melbourne suburb of St. Kilda, was undergoing renovations. FIGURE SKATING Malaguena to earn a score of , shattering his previous personal best by almost five points. Fernandez s skills left the rest of the field trailing and Shoma Uno proved to be the best-of-the-rest, finally emerging from the shadow of his more illustrious compatriot, Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu, to finish second with The old-school style of Patrick Chan also won over the judges as he broke the 100-point barrier in an international meet for the first time to finish third with He was the only competitor in the top six to attempt only one quad in the two-minute-40-second routines. Before the start of the competition, all the hype had been about the number of high-scoring jumps the Next Gen of skaters were cramming into their programmes. On Thursday, 20 of the 36 skaters had ambitions to execute the jump that requires four complete aerial revolutions before touch-down on the ice. Of those, seven had included two quads in their short programmes. American Nathan Chen, the first man in history to land four different types of quads (Lutz, flip, toeloop, Salchow) and five in total in his free skate at this year s U.S. Championships, has been seen practising six quads for Saturday s free skate in Helsinki. He was flying high when he earned a whopping points for his quadruple Lutz-triple toeloop combination, the highest score for a single element on Thursday. But he soon came back down to earth with a painful thud when he fell over on his triple Axel. A score of meant the Four Continents champion trailed in sixth place, 1.06 points behind Hanyu. The Japanese favourite lost momentum after he misjudged his takeoff for his quadruple Salchow-triple toeloop combination and landed on a bended knee following the first jump. Although that glitch left him points adrift of Fernandez, Hanyu is not completely out of the running for gold and will be harbouring hopes of gaining revenge on his training partner. Results 1. Javier Fernandez (Spain) Q; 2. Shoma Uno (Japan) Q; 3. Patrick Chan (Canada) Q; 4. Jin Boyang (China) Q; 5. Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan) Q; 6. Nathan Chen (U.S.) Q; 7. Mikhail Kolyada (Russia) Q; 8. Jason Brown (US) Q; 9. Denis Ten (Kazakhstan) Q; 10. Maksim Kovtun (Russia) Q; 11. Alexei Bychenko (Israel) Q; 12. Kevin Reynolds (Canada) Q; 13. Brendan Kerry (Australia) Q; 14. Deniss Vasiljevs (Latvia) Q; 15. Michal Brezina (Czech Republic) Q. Scoring runs will help captaincy Kohli softens stance on relationship with Aussies MUMBAI, March 30, (RTRS): India captain Virat Kohli believes his postmatch comments in Dharamsala regarding his friendship with Australian players has been blown way out of proportion and clarified they were directed only at a couple of individuals. The hard-fought series witnessed plenty of acrimony, the most notable being Kohli s criticism of counterpart Steve Smith for gesturing towards his dressing room for guidance on whether to review an lbw decision in the second Test at Bengaluru. Immediately after India clinched the series 2-1 with Tuesday s win, Kohli said he would not regard any Australian cricketer as a friend ever again, going against the good will he felt CRICKET towards the tourists prior to the first test. My answer at the post-match conference has been blown way out of proportion, the feisty 28-year-old, who is also captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, said on his verified Twitter account on Thursday. I did not categorically say the whole Australian team but only a couple of individuals. I continue to be in good terms with the few guys I know & who I ve played with at RCB & that doesn t change. Kohli s Bengaluru-based Twenty20 side includes Australians Shane Watson, Travis Head and Billy Stanlake, while pacemen Mitchell Starc and Kane Richardson also played for the team under his stewardship last season. Australia captain Smith will lead the Punebased team in the popular tournament starting on Wednesday, while compatriot David Warner leads champions Hyderabad and Australian allrounder Glenn Kohli Maxwell will skipper the Punjab side. Kohli is facing a race against time to be ready for the start of the tournament as he continues his rehabilitation from the shoulder injury that forced him to miss the fourth and final Test against Australia. Former Australia batsman Brad Hodge has apologised to Virat Kohli for comments suggesting the India captain missed the fourth Test in Dharamsala to rest his injured shoulder ahead of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 campaign, starting next week. Kohli was ruled out on the morning Australia s captain Steven Smith plays a shot during the first day of their fourth Test cricket match against India in Dharmasala, India on March 25. (AP) of the series-decider against Australia after failing to recover from the injury he sustained in the third Test in Ranchi, leaving Ajinkya Rahane to lead India to an eight-wicket victory. You would think that your captain would get out there and get amongst the fight and get in there, Hodge, who will coach the Gujarat franchise in the IPL, told Fox Sports while discussing Kohli s absence from the crunch clash. You d hope as a sportsman that he s seriously injured. Because if you miss one game of Test match cricket and you re fronting up the next week for RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore) versus whoever... you d be pretty dirty if he didn t front up to a Test match and try and win a valuable series against Australia. The 28-year-old Kohli said on Tuesday that it would take him a few weeks to be 100 percent fit. He leads the Bangalore side but is likely to miss the start of the IPL when his team take on defending champions Hyderabad on Wednesday. Hodge was heavily criticised in India for his comments and opted to address the situation on social media. I take this opportunity to apologise to the people of India, cricket fans, the Indian national cricket team and particularly Virat Kohli for my previous comments, Hodge said in a lengthy apology on his verified Twitter account. My intention was never to harm, criticise or be derogatory toward anyone. They were intended to be lighthearted comments with the utmost respect to the Indian Premier League which I have thoroughly enjoyed through the years. The public and fans have every right to be upset, and the backlash I have received has certainly driven this home. Florida-based golfer decides whether to play in Lotte on April Chinese women golfers may shun LPGA event amid China-S. Korea tensions SEOUL, March 30, (RTRS): Chinese golfers on the US women s tour may decide not to play in a tournament next month in Hawaii sponsored by South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group, a sign that fallout from a diplomatic row between Beijing and Seoul over a missile defence system is increasingly spilling into the sports world. Rio Olympics bronze medallist Shanshan Feng decided not to play after she and three other Chinese players - Simin Feng, Jing Yan and Xiyu Lin - were informed it was in their best interests not to take part in the event due to its association with Lotte, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. One of the sources said that at least one player received an instruction not to attend the Lotte event from someone connected to China s national team. The source declined to name the player and it wasn t immediately clear how such a message had been passed onto the others. However, Simin Feng herself, and Shanshan Feng s agent in China, both denied in interviews that the players were being pressured by the Chinese authorities to pull out. The four of us were talking about it a little bit because now it s such a sensitive issue, said Simin Feng, who is currently in California preparing for the first major of the season. Feng The Orlando, Florida-based golfer, who finished in the top 10 in two Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) events last year, said that she Retired champion Rowsell Shand never experienced sexism had yet to decide whether to play in the Lotte-backed LPGA tournament on April I m really for my country and with the politics nowadays, both countries are not at a very good situation. But the 21-year-old added: No one really LONDON, March 30, (RTRS): Double Olympic champion Joanna Rowsell Shand, who retired from international cycling earlier this month, has defended embattled British Cycling, saying that she never experienced sexism during her stellar 10-year career. Funding body UK Sport is investigating British Cycling after technical director Shane Sutton quit last year over allegations of sexual discrimination against track cyclist Jess Varnish and an ingrained culture of fear. Rowsell Shand, who also won five World Championships and four European titles, said that although British Cycling was not perfect, she had never personally faced discrimination in the decade she spent working with the governing body. It s not my experience, seriously came up to us and said, you really shouldn t play. Relations between Beijing and Seoul have been damaged by the plans to deploy the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system in South Korea to defend against Rowsell said in an interview with the Times published on Thursday. I ve come through the whole system and won two Olympic gold medals and I wouldn t have been able to do that if I d experienced sexism. I didn t fear British Cycling. I accepted the commitment that was needed... and dedicated a decade of my life to it. I came out with some good results and I m glad I did it. the threat from North Korea. China is concerned that the system s powerful radar could also be used to track Chinese missiles, undermining its security. Earlier this year, Lotte approved a land swap with the South Korean British Cycling is not perfect and people s complaints need to be addressed, but they have done a lot of good. Varnish s allegations were supported by former British Olympic champions Nicole Cook and Victoria Pendleton, while Wendy Houvenaghel, a silver medallist at the 2008 Beijing Games, has also spoken out against the body. authorities, enabling the system to be deployed on a site that is part of a golf course the company owns. The move prompted a backlash against Lotte in China, with Chinese authorities closing dozens of its retail stores following inspections.

41 SPORTS 41 Event founder, ATCUAE Prez Ben Sulayem takes trip down memory lane Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge holds centre stage at Yas Marina ABU DHABI, UAE, March 30: The official pre-event press conference for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge powered by Nissan was held at the Yas Marina Media Centre on Thursday. The event fires into life with a timed super special stage at the Al-Forsan International Resort from 3 pm on April 1. Event founder and ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was joined at the pre-event press conference by several leading sponsors and competitors. Al-Tareq Al-Ameri represented the host venue and Abdullillah Wazni attended on behalf of Nissan in his role as General Manager of Marketing and Corporate Communications. ADNOC s Ibrahim Al-Marooqi, Arwa Al-Kindi of Abu Dhabi Aviation and Al-Ain Water s Fashahat Beg completed the line-up of RALLYING sponsors in attendance. Sulayem spoke about the history of the rally, since its inception in 1991, and the risks of competing without suitable hydration on an event of the scale and difficulty of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. He recalled his first experience of taking part in the Jordan Rally as a rookie rally driver back in the 1980s, when he was advised not to continue after suffering the effects of salt depravation and dehydration. Rallying is just a part of the motor sport set-up in the Middle East now alongside circuit racing, karting and, of course, motorcycling, said Ben Sulayem. We have a wonderful facility in Yas Marina, but rallying was really the start of the motor sport tradition in the Middle East. The UAE Desert Challenge was a round of the FIA World Cup as far back as Ben Sulayem and leading sponsors were joined by drivers Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi, Aron Domzala, Emil Khneisser, Ahmed Al-Maqoodi, Yayha Al-Helai and riders Sam Sunderland, Paolo Gonçalves, Mohammed Al-Balooshi and Pablo Quintanilla. Abu Dhabi Racing s Al-Qassimi was able to test his new PH Sport Peugeot 3008 DKR in the deserts near Sweihan on Wednesday and was impressed with his findings. This is the latest version of the Peugeot and I was happy with the test. It is rear-wheel drive, so I am not sure how A photo taken during the Abu Dhabi Challenge press conference at Yas Marina. it will be in the difficult dunes, but I have the engineer with me from the Dakar, who worked on Stéphane Peterhansel s winning car. We will see. Al-Attiyah and Domzala headed straight from the media conference to make a shakedown test in the desert with their Toyota Hiluxes, as Al-Balooshi talked about his goal of competing against the factory riders on home sand, Quintanilla set his sights on a first Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge win for Husqvarna and Al-Maqoodi hoped to follow up the win in last year s Dubai International Rally with T3 success in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Meanwhile, Al-Helai talked at length about his fondness for the event, after taking part in each of the 27 editions since 1991, and Khneisser mentioned his desire to succeed for Nissan on an event that the Japanese manufacturer has supported for 14 years. Rafal Sonik claimed the FIM Quads Cross- Country World Championship for the fourth successive season last year and the Pole is back to defend his title. His closest rivals in 2016 were Sebastien Souday, Ignacio Casale and Camelia Liparoti, but only the Italian female is present in Abu Dhabi to challenge Sonik. That doesn t mean that the Yamaha rider will have everything his own way, however. Fellow countryman Kamil Wisniewski has considerable experience on his Honda and the likes of Dutchman Kees Koolen, Argentina s Lucas Innocente and the Kazakh quartet of Kirill Solokha, Azamat Tleuessov, Timur Baizhiyenov and Sergey Kistanov will be aiming for a podium finish. Adding strength to an impressive line-up of 17 quads are the Emirati riders Humaid Al-Mashghouni, Mohammed Al-Shamsi and Khalifa Al-Raeesi and Kuwait s Fahad Al-Musallam. Russia s Maxim Antimirov, England s Kyle Stockman, Peruvian Alexis Hernandez Ponce and Guatamala s Rodolfo Schippers complete the parade of quads. The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the Ruler s representative in Al-Dafra region, and has invaluable support from Al Dafrah Region Municipality, Abu Dhabi Municipality, the UAE Army, Abu Dhabi Police, National Ambulance Service, Yas Marina Circuit, ADNOC, Abu Dhabi Aviation, Al-Ain Water, Abu Dhabi Waste Management, Rotana and Centro Hotel Yas Island, the Qasr Al-Sarab Resort and Al-Forsan Circuit. Friday sees the conclusion of technical scrutineering and the final preparation of vehicles and motorcycles before the start. The leading riders pass their technical checks around noon and the top seeded cars, including Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi s Peugeot 3008 DKR and Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah s Toyota Hilux, follow in the early afternoon. Baseball s new trend Saying NO to ground balls Batting lineup With Ortiz gone, fewer primary DHs left in AL NEW YORK, March 30, (AP): Big Papi was a big hitter, and that was really his only duty for most of his 20 major league seasons. So when David Ortiz retired last year after more than 2,000 games as a designated hitter, baseball lost one of the few remaining players who rarely played the field. Going into the 45th season since the designated hitter was approved for the American League, more managers now appear willing to spread around the DH starts instead of putting the same player in that slot just about every day. There were 135 players who got DH starts for the 15 AL teams last season. That is an average of nine players per team, the same number that would fill an entire batting order. A lot of teams have gotten away from just a strict DH, and revolve it and give guys off days without really giving them off days, Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost said. And that may even be the case now for the Royals, whose lineup for more than a decade including two World BASEBALL Series in the first half of the 1980s featured Hal McRae, among the first players to spend most of his career as a DH. Kansas City more recently had Kendrys Morales ( ) and Billy Butler ( ) filling that role pretty much on an everyday basis. Morales 139 DH starts last season matched Ortiz with Boston for the most, but he left for Toronto and a big free-agent deal. I ve enjoyed it, having Billy Butler and Kendrys Morales the last couple of years just as a DH because they were both very productive guys for our team, Yost said. But I do see the advantage of being able to give guys half-days when the opportunity presents itself. Only five players started more than 100 games at DH last year, with some managers using that slot to keep key position players in the batting lineup while providing them an occasional day off from the field. The DH spot also allowed slugging first baseman Albert Pujols to play 152 games for the Los Angeles Angels even while dealing with a foot issue through last season. NHL Results/Standings Mets Jeurys Familia accepts suspension NEW YORK, March 30, (AP): New York Mets All-Star reliever Jeurys Familia accepted a 15-game suspension under Major League Baseball s domestic violence policy, discipline stemming from an altercation last October. The suspension announced Wednesday was the fourth and least severe under the policy, which was agreed to in August New York Yankees reliever Aroldis Chapman was penalized 29 games, Colorado shortstop Jose Reyes 59 days and Atlanta outfielder Hector Olivera 82 games. Familia was arrested Oct. 31 on a simple assault charge, but prosecutors later dropped the case. Under MLB s domestic violence policy, a player can be disciplined without a criminal conviction. Familia is eligible to participate in all spring training activities and exhibition games leading up to the Mets opener Monday against Atlanta, and then must sit out the team s first 15 games. He can participate in up to six minor league games while serving the penalty. Barring any postponements, Familia would be eligible to return April 20 at home against Philadelphia and would lose $730,328, which is rds of his $7,425,000 salary. In this July 12, 2016 photo, American League s Mark Trumbo, of the Baltimore Orioles, hits during the MLB baseball All-Star Game in San Diego. (AP) NEW YORK, March 30, (AP): Josh Donaldson and Reggie Jackson stood off to the third base side of the batting cage, a pair of former American League MVPs discussing their craft in spring training. When the Blue Jays star hopped in to take his swings, October pulled out his phone to shoot video, a visual aid for his job as a special adviser to the Yankees. Josh s swing, it s something new and different, the 70-year-old Jackson said. I wanted him to interpret it for me. Donaldson is an early adopter to a growing big league trend hitters fixated on producing fly balls. Or, as Donaldson put it recently on Twitter: BASEBALL Just say NO... to ground balls. Donaldson put his career on the upswing by, well, swinging up, and he s not alone. Toronto teammate Jose Bautista achieved stardom by adding some loft, and Chicago Cubs slugger Kris Bryant has prioritized hitting the ball in the air his entire career. Detroit s JD Martinez and the Dodgers Justin Turner have made millions since deciding to shoot for the sky. It doesn t take an aerospace degree to see why. On ground balls in 2016, big league hitters had a.239 average and.258 slugging percentage. On line drives and fly balls combined, they hit.411 with a.785 slugging percentage. For those that want to dig deeper, there s never been more to explore. Over the past two seasons, MLB.com posted data provided by Statcast, a tracking system that records the distance, speed and trajectory of batted balls. The numbers make one thing clear it s good to hit the ball hard, but it s better to hit it hard and high. I ve done a lot of research, Donaldson said. I m confident in what I do and I believe in it. Before the 2013 season, Donaldson re-engineered his swing with the help of Bobby Tewksbary, a hitting instructor whose playing career topped out in the independent Can-Am Association. The 33-year-old works out of a facility in Nashua, New Hampshire, and has helped a number of major leaguers, including Chris Colabello, AJ Pollock and Matt Joyce. Tewksbary is on a mission to make hitters better by debunking the axiom against swinging up. He felt his own career was hindered by the hitting instruction he got as a young player he was always told to swing down on the ball. Johnny Little League coach says to swing down, get on top, and hitters will literally swing down, he said. Tewksbary thinks the terminology does more harm than good and he s not nearly the most famous dissenter of that baseball adage. WASHINGTON, March 30, (RTRS): Results and standings from the NHL games on Wednesday: St Louis 3 Arizona 1 Los Angeles 4 Calgary 1 Washington 5 Colorado 3 Chicago 5 Pittsburgh 1 Western Conference Eastern Conference Central Division Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA PTS W L OTL GF GA PTS Montreal Chicago Ottawa Minnesota Toronto St Louis Boston Nashville Tampa Bay Winnipeg Florida Dallas Buffalo Colorado Detroit Pacific Division Metropolitan Division W L OTL GF GA PTS W L OTL GF GA PTS Washington Anaheim Columbus San Jose Pittsburgh Edmonton NY Rangers Calgary NY Islanders Los Angeles Carolina Vancouver Philadelphia Arizona New Jersey Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L) Blackhawks overwhelm short-handed Penguins Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (right), of Russia, passes the puck by Colorado Avalanche left wing Blake Comeau in the third period of an NHL hockey game on March 29, in Denver. (AP) PITTSBURGH, March 30, (AP): Artemi Panarin and Richard Panik started a four-goal first period for Chicago, and the Blackhawks moved closer to locking up the Central Division title with a 5-1 victory over the short-handed Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night. Marcus Kruger and Marian Hossa also scored during an explosive first period as the Blackhawks moved nine points clear of secondplace Minnesota with five games ICE HOCKEY left in the regular season. Tanner Kero added a breakaway goal in the third. Patrick Kane picked up two assists to move past Sidney Crosby and into second place in the NHL scoring race. Corey Crawford stopped 31 shots for Chicago, which beat the Penguins in regulation on the road for the first time since Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 31 saves but received little help outside of Bryan Rust s third-period goal. The defending Stnley Cup champions saw their winless streak reach four games, and their chances to catch first-place Washington atop the Metropolitan Division took another hit. Kings 4, Flames 1 In Calgary, Alberta, Jarome Iginla scored his 100th game-winning goal, got an assist and drew blood in a fight during what might have been his Saddledome finale, helping Los Angeles beat Calgary in a brutal game. The animosity stemmed from a game March 19, when Calgary rookie Matthew Tkachuk elbowed Kings defenseman Drew Doughty in the face. Tkachuk, a 19-year-old rookie, was suspended two games. Kyle Clifford approached Tkachuk near center ice before the game, and players from both teams gathered to exchange words. Tkachuk fought Braydon McNabb in the first period and was dropped by an upper cut. Kings top Flames in chippy game All-Pro CB Sherman could be traded Retired RB Marshawn Lynch considering comeback to NFL WASHINGTON, March 30, (RTRS): Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday that retired running back Marshawn Lynch is considering a return to the NFL. Carroll said he talked to Lynch, who retired from the NFL and Seahawks after the 2015 season, about 10 days ago. He came through the office and had a good visit, Carroll told Lynch reporters at the NFL meetings in Phoenix. I know that he is somewhat entertaining the thought of it. I can t tell you how strong it is. You ve got to talk to him. And that chance isn t happening. All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman could be traded by the Seahawks before the start of the 2017 season. Several teams showed interest in Sherman, according to Carroll and general manager John Schneider, but the Seahawks are currently inclined to keep the shutdown left Capitals 5, Avalanche 3 In Denver, Marcus Johansson and Evgeny Kuznetsov each had a goal and an assist, Jay Beagle and John Carlson also scored and Washington kept rolling with a 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night. The Capitals have 110 points, five ahead of idle Columbus, and are on track to clinch the President s Trophy for most points in the league for the second straight season. They ve won six straight games. cornerback on the roster. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he plans to make a decision about the future of quarterback Tony Romo before training camp. Romo s status with the team has been in limbo since free agency began three weeks ago. The Cowboys have been seeking FOOTBALL a trade partner for the 36-year-old veteran, but thus far no team has been willing to take on Romo s contract for the 2017 season. If no trade is made, the Cowboys intend to release Romo. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has stayed away from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the home of the New England Patriots, since the Deflategate saga happened, but he has every intention of being there for the league s season opener in September. I plan to be at the kickoff game, a smiling Goodell said at the annual league meetings in Phoenix in response to a question. Blues 3, Coyotes 1 In Glendale, Arizona, Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrik Berglund scored, Berglund added an assist and St Louis beat Arizona. The Blues have won 11 of 13 games and have points in 12 of those. St Louis Carter Hutton stopped 22 shots. He faced only 13 in the first two periods combined, then saved a breakaway attempt by Tobias Rieder early in the third period before Alex Goligoski scored a power-play goal at 14:37.

42 SPORTS 42 Alaves look to upset leaders Real Barca s Messi dependence to be tested at Granada MADRID, March 30, (RTRS): Barcelona will have to prove they are not dependant on Lionel Messi when the champions visit Granada on Sunday without their suspended Argentine talisman as they seek to keep La Liga leaders Real Madrid in their sights. Messi, who is serving a one-match domestic ban having accumulated five yellow cards, has scored 41 goals in all competitions this term for Barca and has been at his mesmeric best in recent weeks. While Granada, who 19th in the standings and hurtling towards relegation, still believe it would take a nearperfect performance to cause an upset, the stats show Barca are vulnerable without their main man. He has missed three of Barca s 28 league games this term and the consequences of his absence have been dramatic, with the team dropping points on two occasions, drawing with Malaga and losing at Celta. They also lost 2-1 to Alaves when he came on as a substitute and gave away the lead to draw 1-1 with Atletico Madrid after he had been forced off the pitch through injury. Barca s unconvincing record without the Argentine, who was also hit with a four-game international ban this week for insulting an official, has not gone unnoticed by the Spanish media, who have said the team suffer from Messi dependence. Battling Granada, however, know they will still need to be at their Espanyol vs Betis bein SPORTS 3HD 21:45 local Villarreal vs Eibar bein SPORTS 3HD 14:00 local (Saturday) Osasuna vs Bilbao bein SPORTS 3HD 17:15 local (Saturday) Sociedad vs Leganes bein best to get any sort of result. Barca, who are two points behind Real, having played a game more, will be SPORTS 3HD 19:30 local (Saturday) Malaga vs Atletico bein SPORTS 3HD 21:45 local (Saturday) Sevilla vs Gijon bein SPORTS 3HD 13:00 local (Sunday) Real vs Alaves bein SPORTS 3HD 17:15 local (Sunday) Valencia vs Depor bein SPORTS able to count on the two other parts of their formidable strikeforce in Luis Suarez and Neymar. 3HD 19:30 local (Sunday) Granada vs Barca bein SPORTS 3HD 21:45 local (Sunday) Celta vs Palmas bein SPORTS 3HD 21:45 local (Monday) Brazilian Neymar is on a particularly hot streak after scoring for his country in 4-1 and 3-0 wins over Uruguay and Paraguay respectively. Suarez, meanwhile, has happy memories of his last visit to Granada, where he fired Barca to the title on the final day of last season with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win. Real have an almost clean bill of health for their game at home to Alaves, with suspended midfielder Casemiro their only absentee. The visitors, however, will be without their midfield heartbeat Marcos Llorente, who is prevented from playing against his parent club due to the terms of his loan deal. Alaves, who have reached the King s Cup final this season for the first time in their history, have been a thorn in the side of Spain s biggest clubs on their return to the top flight, having won at Barca and drawn 1-1 at Atletico Madrid. But we know you have to play at 200 percent against these teams if you have any chance of winning and you need a dose of luck. Soccer Roundup Charlotte Hornets guard Marco Belinelli (21) drives to the net past Toronto Raptors forward P.J. Tucker (2) during second half NBA basketball action, in Toronto on March 29. (AP) NBA Results/Standings WASHINGTON, March 30, (RTRS): Results and standings from the NBA games on Wednesday. LA Clippers 133 Washington 124 Utah 112 Sacramento 82 Golden State 110 San Antonio 98 Memphis 110 Indiana 97 New Orleans 121 Dallas 118 Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Boston Toronto Philadelphia NY Knicks Brooklyn /2 Central Division W L PCT GB Cleveland Milwaukee Indiana Chicago /2 Detroit Southeast Division W L PCT GB Washington Atlanta Miami Charlotte Orlando Milwaukee 103 Boston 100 Charlotte 110 Toronto 106 Miami 105 NY Knicks 88 Atlanta 99 Philadelphia 92 Oklahoma City 114 Orlando (OT) 106 Western Conference Northwest Division W L PCT GB Utah Oklahoma City /2 Portland /2 Denver /2 Minnesota Pacific Division W L PCT GB Golden State LA Clippers /2 Sacramento Phoenix LA Lakers /2 Southwest Division W L PCT GB San Antonio Houston Memphis /2 New Orleans /2 Dallas Schweinsteiger flummoxed by US WC howler New AFA boss vows to get Leo ban reduced BUENOS AIRES, March 30, (Agencies): The Argentine FA, lacking proper leadership since 2015 and fearful its national team might not reach the World Cup finals without banned captain Lionel Messi, elected a third-tier club chairman and former roadsweeper as its president on Wednesday. Claudio Tapia of Barracas Central, who play in the Primera B Metropolitana division, was the sole candidate in the election but still needed the support of a majority of delegates, which he achieved by scooping 40 of 43 votes cast. He will serve a four-year term, but some of the power behind the scenes is expected to be wielded by his deputy Daniel Angelici, who is president of top flight Boca Juniors and was a key figure in promoting Tapia s candidacy. Tapia, who is also known as Chiqui (little one), said one of his first tasks would be to get Messi s four-match suspension reduced and said it was imperative everyone got behind beleaguered coach Edgardo Bauza. Messi was suspended on Tuesday after FIFA said he had directed insulting words at an assistant referee during their 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Chile on Thursday. The match officials did not include the incident in their reports but FIFA acted on video evidence and Messi missed Tuesday s 2-0 defeat to Bolivia in La Paz. (We) will make the necessary efforts before FIFA for the sanction to be... reduced because it is unjust, Tapia said. Messi will miss games away to Uruguay and at home to Peru and Venezuela, before returning for their final match in Ecuador in October. Tapia said it was crucial to give Bauza backing if he was to help Argentina rise from fifth place in the South American qualifying campaign. Only the top four teams qualify automatically for Russia in 2018 while the fifth-placed team must go into an intercontinental playoff against a side from the Oceania zone. We must back him... as well as all the players, he told a news conference. We must meet with him to sit down and see what s best (for the team). We must find the way to recover our confidence so our beloved Argentine national team represents us in Russia and does its best possible. The AFA has been under the administration of a FIFA-appointed Regularising Committee, headed by Argentine Armando Perez, since last June after a presidential election in 2015 ended in a tie between two candidates when only 75 delegates had a vote. For all the talk of how the United States has embraced soccer, it became clear there is still some way to go to complete the conversion after newly arrived Bastian Schweinsteiger was asked if he thought his club, Chicago Fire, could win the World Cup. Chicago is a huge sports city, boasting fanatical followers of ice hockey, American football, basketball and baseball. Last year, 60,000 even turned out to watch Ireland shock New Zealand in a rugby union test. But not everybody has quite bought into the other football. Schweinsteiger, who helped Germany win the sport s ultimate trophy in 2014, was facing the media on Wednesday after his move from Manchester United and though he has excellent English, the midfielder was understandably bemused when asked if he felt his arrival might help Fire win the World Cup. A team official hurriedly whispered that the question must refer to the World Club Cup but while Schweinsteiger was preparing to answer, the reporter rephrased the question, making it painfully obvious he was indeed referring to the most-watched sporting event in the world. General Manager Nelson Rodriguez stepped in to gently explain to the reporter that clubs do not compete for the World Cup a tournament where the United States has featured The Chicago Fire s new player Basitan Schweinsteiger, of Germany, holds his jersey during an MLS soccer press conference at The PrivateBank Fire Pitch in Chicago on March 29. (AP) in the last seven editions, reaching the knockout stage in four of them. Mike Petke will get another chance to lead a Major League Soccer franchise. Real Salt Lake introduced Petke as its new head coach Wednesday. The former New York Red Bulls coach replaced Jeff Cassar, who was fired three games into the season. Petke spent two seasons with the Red Bulls, amassing a record in that stretch. New York claimed the 2013 MLS Supporters Shield and reached the 2014 Eastern Conference finals during his tenure. In Utah, Petke is tasked with turning around an RSL club mired in an 11-game winless streak in regularseason MLS play dating back to Salt Lake has scored just one goal in four matches so far this season, but Petke is confident he can get the offense back on track. It s a very high-powered offense, Petke said. They are just an animal waiting to be released from a cage. Now it s on myself and the coaching staff to put them in the right situation and the right positions for them to break out of that cage. Salt Lake originally hired Petke to coach the Real Monarchs, the franchise s USL affiliate, in December. The move raised eyebrows in the wake of Cassar s quick ouster this season. RSL general manager Craig Waibel denied Petke was brought into the organization with the intention of having him succeed Cassar at some point. Midfielder Lindsey Horan will miss the US women s national team s upcoming training camp and matches against Russia because of a strained hip flexor. Coach Jill Ellis is calling up 17-year-old midfielder Jaelin Howell to replace Horan. Horan will remain with her club, the Portland Thorns, and rehab her injury. Howell was a starter in the center midfield for the US at the FIFA U-17 Women s World Cup in Jordan last fall. She is currently with the US under-23 women s national team in Portland, Oregon. Howell will join the US team on Thursday in Frisco, Texas. The team plays Russia on April 6, and again on April 9 in Houston. The US is also without Morgan Brian, who is sidelined with a knee injury.

43 SPORTS 43 Venus outlasts Kerber as Halep ousted Nadal advances in Miami Venus Williams of the United States, returns a shot against Angelique Kerber of Germany, during a quarterfinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament on March 29 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (AP) Historical recognition Marker for Tilden rejected again PHILADELPHIA, March 30, (AP): A state history group has again rejected a proposed marker honoring tennis ace Bill Tilden, whose complicated legacy includes three Wimbledon titles but also two arrests for sexual misconduct with teenage boys. Tilden became the first American to win Wimbledon in 1920 and won seven US championships. In 1950, The Associated Press voted him the greatest player of the first half of the century. A year ago, a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission panel that approves the markers rejected a plan to put a marker at Philadelphia s Germantown Cricket Club, citing Tilden s convictions in the 1940s. Tilden had spent seven months in jail after police caught him with a 14-year-old boy in his car and another 10 months at a prison farm for violating probation. Karen Galle, who coordinates the historical marker program, confirmed on Wednesday that the commission had again voted against a Tilden marker on March 22 after it had earlier voted 4-1 to reject the idea. While the significance of this athlete s tennis career and talent are indisputable, his convictions for sexual misconduct with underage boys preclude recognition, commission spokesman Howard Pollman said. The approval of a historical marker may be perceived to dishonor victims of sexual abuse, Pollman said. Historians have said the state is trying to heal from the sexual-abuse scandal involving another sports figure, former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. Sandusky was convicted of molesting several boys but maintains he s innocent and is appealing. Tilden was arrested in Beverly Hills, California, in November 1946 after the 14-year-old was caught driving the star s car erratically. Officers reported that when the teen exited the car, his pants zipper was down. Police charged Tilden, who was in the car, with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and he signed a confession. Tilden was arrested again in 1949 after he was caught in the company of one teen boy and was accused of groping another teen. Tilden, born to a wealthy Philadelphia family, was featured regularly in magazines, newspapers and newsreels during his career. He was friends with Hollywood elite and played at the White House at the invitation of President Warren Harding. Best of the Rest Cole joins Persib: Former Chelsea and West Ham striker Carlton Cole has joined Indonesia s Persib Bandung, the club announced on Thursday. The 33-year-old, who has been out of contract since leaving US side Sacramento Republic in October, joins former Chelsea team mate Michael Essien at the Indonesian team ahead of the league kick-off on April 15. (RTRS) Iranian club fined: Iranian football club Esteghlal FC has been ordered to pay fines totaling $51,000 over the misconduct of its spectators who flashed laser beams at opposing players and the referee during two recent matches. The Asian Football Confederation s disciplinary committee also said Wednesday that if there are further similar breaches over the next two years, Esteghlal FC will be forced to play a home game in an empty stadium. (AP) Arfa frustrated: For Hatem Ben Arfa, signing with Paris Saint-Germain was supposed to be the end of a long and tortuous road back to the limelight. But less than a year after landing at France s biggest club, Ben Arfa has the blues. Frustrated by his lack of playing time, the former France winger has made it clear he could look for another destination if his personal situation does not improve. Arriving in a big club, I expected when I joined Paris that it would be difficult. But I did not think it would be as complicated as it is, the much-traveled Ben Arfa said in a video posted on social networks. (AP) KEY BISCAYNE, Florida, March 30, (AP): Venus Williams whacked a winner on her fifth match point, then spun and threw a celebratory fist toward her father, who watched from the front row while munching popcorn. The taste of victory never gets old. Venus and her dad have been coming together to Key Biscayne for 20 years, and she moved a step closer to her first title in the event since 2001 by beating topranked Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3 Wednesday night in the Miami Open quarter-finals. It was Williams 15th career win against a No. 1 player, but her first since Four-time Key Biscayne runner-up Rafael Nadal advanced to the men s semifinals by beating American Jack Sock 6-2, 6-3. Nadal s opponent Friday will be Fabio Fognini, who became the first unseeded player in 10 years to reach the men s semis at Key Biscayne when he beat 2016 runner-up Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-2. The tournament was once known as the Williams Open because of the way Venus and Serena dominated. Now Venus, seeded 11th and 36 years old, is in the semifinals for the first time in seven years. Her younger sister, an eight-time Key Biscayne champion, is out with a knee injury. But their father and coach, Richard, is attending a tournament for the first time in nearly a year after battling health issues. He watched the quarter-final in the photo pit along the baseline, and received a hug from his daughter as she came off the court. My dad is one of the loves of my life and the reason I m here in this TENNIS game, Venus told the fans, who responded with cheers. Later she added, He has always loved popcorn. We always ate popcorn together when I was a child. That s a great childhood memory. Venus opponent Thursday night will be No. 10 Johanna Konta, who became the first British woman to reach a semifinal at Key Biscayne by beating No. 3 Simona Halep 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2. She s living the dream, Williams said. I ve got a dream too. No. 2 Karolina Pliskova will play No. 12 Caroline Wozniacki in the other semifinal. Williams has enjoyed a resurgence this year, reaching the Australian Open final before losing to her sister. She took charge against Kerber when the German double-faulted on the final two points of the opening set, and broke serve twice more early in the second set to pull away. Kerber saved four match points before Williams closed out the victory with a backhand winner. It was a matchup of offense against defense, with Williams the more aggressive player, charging the net often. Sometimes I didn t quite get it over that line, but I kept going for it, Williams said. I was aggressive, and that s when I play my best. Kerber stayed rooted to the baseline and was on the defensive even when she served, facing 13 break points and losing serve five times. She ll remain No. 1 next week despite her loss. She reclaimed the top ranking this month after Indian Wells, replacing the sidelined Serena Williams. Venus improved to at Key Biscayne, where she made her debut in 1997 and won the title in 1998, 1999 and She lives 90 minutes north in Palm Beach Garden and considers the tournament her hometown event. She was the oldest woman to enter the draw but hasn t been taxed physically, winning every set in her four matches. Nadal is playing Key Biscayne for the 13th time, making it his longest title drought at any tournament. He committed only 12 unforced errors against the No. 13-seeded Sock, rallied from a break down in the second set and improved his lifetime record against Americans to Fognini, 29, matched his best showing in an ATP Masters 1000 event. By beating the No. 2-seeded Nishikori, Fognini improved to 9-44 against top-10 players, and he became the first Italian man to reach a semifinal at Key Biscayne. He s playing well, Nadal said. It will be a good test for me. I m happy to be in the semifinals. I ll have to play my best and play aggressive like I did today. Rafael Nadal of Spain, hits a backhand against Jack Sock, of the United States during a quarter-fi nal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament on March 29 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (AP) Top and above: Photos taken during the Capital and Mubarak Al-Kabeer Bowling Training Centers for Girls bowling tournament. Al-Rakam bags intermediate crown Capital s Al-Hajji clinches amateur bowling title KUWAIT CITY, March 30: In the Second Joint Bowling Tournament of Capital and Mubarak Al- Kabeer Bowling Training Centers for Girls, Sarah Al-Hajji won in the amateur category for the Capital Bowling Center for Girls, followed by Sheikha Manae in second place, and Dallal Al-Manae in third place. The tournament, which was held at the Capital Training Center of Bowling, was part of the project titled Our children are our hope organized by Ministry of Education and Public Authority for Sports. The tournament witnessed participation of about 70 girls. The event was attended by Assistant Undersecretary for Education Development at Ministry of Education Faisal Al-Maqseed, Director of Sports for All Department at Public Authority for Sports Dr Hamoud Al- Action shot taken during the tournament. Fuleiteh and Manager of the Capital Center for Bowling for Boys Adhari Shamsaah among other officials and representatives. LONDON, March 30, (RTRS): Use of illegal performance-enchancing drugs are a major concern for the Rugby Union and the switch from the amateur to professional era has played a major part in the issue, former England captain and coach Martin Johnson has said. With 14 out of 42 athletes banned in the past two years by UK Anti- Doping coming from Rugby Union in England and Wales, Johnson believes he has a reason to be worried about the increasing use of banned substances. Johnson, however, said lucrative professional era has been the major contributing factor to the problem. Now the game is professional and we live in a different time where kids can see a livelihood and a good livelihood out of doing it, then you ve got to be very careful, he added. All Blacks fl anker Liam Messam will become the eighth player to make 150 Super Rugby appearances when the Waikato Chiefs face In the intermediate category, Janna Al-Rakam came first, followed by Lulwah Al-Rashid in second place and Fatmah Mubarak in third place. New Zealand teams likely to achieve another clean sweep South Africa s Bulls in Hamilton on Saturday. The 33-year-old Messam will become the sixth New Zealand player to reach the milestone. Australian captain Stephen Moore and former Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe are the only non- New Zealand players to surpass the mark. It s a special occasion for Liam, his whanau (family) and our club this Saturday when he runs out for his 150th game for the Chiefs, coach Dave Rennie said in a statement on Thursday. Former All Blacks hooker Messam Keven Mealamu holds the record for Super Rugby appearances with 175, though Canterbury Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett is BOWLING For the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Bowling Center for Girls, Haifa Muhammad took first place in the amateur category, followed by Fatmah Wael in second place and Aliya Muhammad in third place. In the intermediate category, Kawthar Al-Saleh came first, followed by Stephanie Al-Safar in second place and Maryam Al-Kandari in third. Assistant Undersecretary for Education Development at Ministry of Education Faisal Al-Maqseed said the project Our children are our hope attracts distinguished participation from students of both genders, adding that in the near future, the fruits of such a project will have positive returns on the society, especially in the sports aspect. Jaguares only surprise as Super Rugby reaches 6th round WELLINGTON, New Zealand, March 30, (AP): Super Rugby teams will have completed a third of the regular season by the end of this weekend s sixth round, and the tournament is playing out as expected. The one surprise so far has been the form of Argentina s Jaguares, a test-strength side which has won four of five matches. They are placed second behind last year s finalists the Lions in their Africa conference and would be fourth on a combined table. While the Jaguares performance provides some chance for tournament organizers to argue last year s expansion of Super Rugby to 18 teams has RUGBY not entirely failed, the Argentinians form so far has to be regarded with caution. Their only away win came at the expense of the lowly Southern Kings, and their home wins have been over the Lions, the Cheetahs and the Queensland Reds, while they lost in Cape Town to the Stormers. The Jaguares are among four teams to have byes in the weekend s shortened round. The best matches are the South African derbies between the Stormers and Cheetahs in Cape Town and the Lions and Sharks in Johannesburg. New Zealand teams seem likely to achieve another clean sweep of their weekend matches: the Dunedinbased Highlanders face the winless Melbourne Rebels, the Aucklandbased Blues meet the Western Force, the Hamilton-based Chiefs take on South Africa s Bulls while the defending champion Hurricanes meet the Reds. On Sunday, the Crusaders face the New South Wales Waratahs at Sydney to complete the round. The Rebels, Force, Reds and Waratahs occupy four of the bottom seven Messam to reach 150th Super Rugby cap milestone Johnson worried about doping at elite level places on the championships table, while the ACT Brumbies who also have a bye this weekend are the best-placed Australian team in eighth. The Rebels have yet to win a match this season, the Force, Reds and Waratahs have each won one and the Brumbies two out of five. None of the Australian sides has beaten a New Zealand opponent this season and the Waratahs and Reds were both heavily beaten in matches in South Africa. Those performances have fueled calls for one Australian side to be cut from Super Rugby next season, along likely to surpass that mark this year having played 173 times for the Christchurch-based side. The Crusaders face the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on Sunday. Australia s players union has stepped up the battle to keep fi ve Super Rugby sides from the country in the competition as organisers work on pushing through a raft of changes that could be introduced as early as next year. Governing body SANZAAR, made up of the South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina rugby unions, have reached an agreement on modifications to the heavily criticised 18-team tournament but no details have been released. Fevered speculation about the shape of the agreement followed, with media reports in Australia and South Africa indicating that up to three teams from those two countries would be axed for with one or two South African teams, and tournament organizer SANZAAR is reported to have agreed. But which teams will go remains a fraught question. Reports this week suggested the Perth-based Force are set to be cut, but that brought denials from the Australian Rugby Union and an impassioned defense of the Force from its administrators and players. SANZAAR s delay in revealing how the tournament will be re-structured next season is leading to anxiety among all Australian players who face the prospect of 20 percent of professional positions in Australia being lost if one team is cut. Australia s Rugby Union Players Association says the loss of an Australian team will lead to an increasing exodus of players to teams in Europe and Japan. The challenge during this period of uncertainty is that it has clearly obstructed teams and players from negotiating and entering into contracts with certainty over the future and there is no doubt that has made overseas opportunities more attractive for some players, RUPA chief executive Ross Xenos said.

44 PRIME TIME friday (all times are kuwait local) 07:00 west brom vs arsenal/soccer...bein sports 08:30 roma vs lyon/soccer... bein sports 6hd 10:00 psg vs bayern/soccer... bein sports 2hd 11:00 cavaliers vs bulls/basketball... bein sports 8hd 12:00 wta miami 2017/tennis... bein sports 12hd 13:30 bilbao vs madrid/soccer... bein sports 3hd 17:00 atp 1000 miami/tennis... bein sports 10hd 21:45 panathanaikos vs cska/basketball bein sports 7hd 44 Sports Latest sports scores at Westbrook s NBA record triple-double inspires Thunder win Warriors tame Spurs, solidify lead Bucks knock Celtics out of 1st place ORLANDO, Florida, March 30, (AP): Russell Westbrook had 57 points the most in a triple-double in NBA history 13 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a overtime win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. Westbrook, a leading MVP candidate, led the Thunder to their largest comeback in team history, rallying Oklahoma City from a 21-point deficit in the second half as he recorded his 38th triple-double of the season. And like the 13-point outburst in the final three minutes against Dallas on Monday night for the win, Westbrook was again the catalyst as he hit big shots in the fourth quarter, including the tying 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds remaining to force the extra period. Enes Kanter added 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Thunder, and Victor Oladipo had 13 points while returning to Amway Center for the first time since being traded by the Magic last June. Evan Fournier finished with 24 points and Terrence Ross added 23 for the Magic. Warriors 110, Spurs 98 In San Antonio, Stephen Curry scored 29 points, Klay Thompson had 23 and the Golden State Warriors rallied from a 22-point deficit in the opening quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs for their ninth straight win. Golden State extended its lead over San Antonio to 3-1/2 games for the league s best record, beating the Spurs for the first time in three meetings this season. Kawhi Leonard had 19 points and Oklahoma City Thunder s Russell Westbrook makes an uncontested dunk against the Orlando Magic during the fi rst half of an NBA basketball game on March 29, in Orlando, Florida. (AP) five assists for San Antonio. Leonard shot 7 for 20 from the field while being guarded by a rotation of defenders. The Spurs had a five-game winning streak halted. Manu Ginobili had 18 points for San Antonio and LaMarcus Aldridge added 17. Bucks 103, Celtics 100 In Boston, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points and nine rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks knocked the Boston Celtics out first place in the Eastern Conference. Malcolm Brogdon, one of the leading contenders for NBA Rookie of the Year, finished with 16 points and nine assists. He had six key points in the final 2:46 to help Milwaukee fend off a late Boston charge. The Bucks (39-36) have won five of six, including four straight on the road. Boston (48-27) had won four in a row. The loss put the Celtics back in BASKETBALL second in the East, percentage points behind idle Cleveland. Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics with 32 points. Avery Bradley added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Heat 105, Knicks 88 In New York, Goran Dragic had 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and the Miami Heat breezed past the New York Knicks. Reserve James Johnson added 18 points for the Heat. Josh Richardson finished with 17 points as Miami (37-38) improved to 26-8 since an start. Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Knicks, who were eliminated from postseason contention for the fourth straight season since winning the Atlantic Division in Carmelo Anthony was scoreless in the first half and finished with nine points on 4-of-12 shooting. The Knicks fell for the ninth time in 11 games. Hornets 110, Raptors 106 In Toronto, Marco Belinelli scored 21 points, Kemba Walker had 19 and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Toronto Raptors. Walker hit two big 3-pointers in the final 2 minutes, including one that gave the Hornets a lead with 37.5 seconds left. He also had four rebounds and two assists, helping Charlotte (34-41) stop Toronto s six-game win streak. The Hornets went 8 for 10 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter. They finished the night 16 for 32 from beyond the arc. DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points for Toronto (45-30), and Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and 15 rebounds. The loss prevented the Raptors from clinching home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Hawks 99, 76ers 92 In Philadelphia, Dwight Howard had 22 points and 20 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Hawks over the Philadelphia 76ers. The Hawks have won two straight Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (second from left), shoots as Washington Wizards center Ian Mahinmi (left), of France, guard Bradley Beal (second from right), and forward Otto Porter Jr defend during the second half of an NBA basketball game on March 29, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won (AP) following a seven-game losing streak that stunted their push in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. Atlanta is still in the fight for a fifth seed with Milwaukee, Indiana and Miami. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kent Bazemore each scored 19 points for the Hawks. Richaun Holmes led the Sixers with 25 points and Dario Saric had 15. Saric was only 5 of 18 from the floor, but remains the leading contender for NBA Rookie of the Year. Pelicans 121, Mavericks 118 In New Orleans, Anthony Davis had 30 points and 13 rebounds, DeMarcus Cousins added 29 points and 16 rebounds in his return from a two-game absence, and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Dallas Mavericks. Back from a right ankle sprain, Cousins played 40 minutes. His baskets included a 29-foot 3-pointer at the end of the first half and he was 10 of 12 at the free-throw line. Davis highlights included an offensive rebound and dunk with 1:50 left as New Orleans won for the seventh time in 10 games. Results/Standings Page 42 FIFA reveals proposed slots for 48-team 2026 WC ZURICH, March 30, (RTRS): FIFA announced its proposed slot allocation for the expanded 48-team World Cup on Thursday, including an automatic place for Oceania, 16 places for Europe up from 13 and a six-team inter-zonal playoff tournament for two more spots. The proposals will be submitted to the FIFA Council at its next full meeting in Bahrain in May for a final decision, FIFA said. Under the proposal, made by the FIFA Bureau, for the enlarged tournament beginning in 2026, Europe would get 16 direct places, Africa nine, Asia eight, South America six, CONCACAF six and Oceania one, totalling 46 teams. The host nation would qualify automatically and its slot would be taken from the allocation of its confederation. In the most innovative part of the proposal, the two remaining places would be decided by a six-team playoff tournament which would take place in the World Cup host nation, possibly in the November before the finals, FIFA said. That tournament would include one team from each confederation, except UEFA, and an extra one from the continent of the host country. FIFA decided in January to increase the tournament from 32 teams to 48. The current allocation is 13 places to Europe, five to Africa, four to Asia and South America and three to CONCACAF. Asia, South America, CONCACAF and Oceania also get a place in two inter-zonal playoffs. The proposal shows how football has grown around the world over the last 40 years. As recently as 1978, when the World Cup had only 16 teams, Africa and CONCACAF were given only one place each while Asia and Oceania had to share one place between SOCCER them. According to the FIFA world rankings, the top nine teams in Africa currently include Burkina Faso, who have never played at a World Cup, and Democratic Republic of Congo, who took part only once as Zaire in CONCACAF S top six include Panama and Haiti while St Kitts and Nevis are seventh. Asia s top eight include Uzbekistan and Qatar while China are ninth and Syria 10th. 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. Annual Subscriptions: Individuals KD 45/- Companies and Official Departments KD 75 Airmail charges extra for overseas Tel: Fax: