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Tuesday, March 15, 2016
KUWIAT TODAY Issue 1
DOZENS OF SYRIAN RESIDENTS OF KUWAIT BARRED FROM RE-ENTERING
Several Syrian residents of Kuwait said Monday that airport officials there have kept them waiting for more than 48 hours, barring their re-entry on suspicion of having forged passports. Ayman Nashewati, a 42 year-old sound engineer who works in Kuwait, told The Associated Press he returned on Saturday after a weekend visit to nearby Dubai and was placed in a waiting room with other Syrians suspected of having forged documents. He said more than 50 Syrians, including children, were transferred Monday to a nearby airport hotel until further notice. He said they are
being asked to pay for their hotel accommodations, and have been told they can cancel their residency and depart the country if they want to leave. Kuwaiti officials could not be immediately reached for comment. Stateaffiliated newspaper al-Qabas on Monday quoted an unnamed official as saying that Kuwaiti authorities have been instructed not to accept Syrian passport holders due to alleged incidents of fraud with passports issued in the Syrian capital, Damascus. Kuwait is home to more than 130,000 Syrian nationals, according to Kuwaiti government statistics released in 2014.
Kuwait was one of the first Gulf Arab countries to sever ties with Syria and pledge support to the rebels seeking to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad. Many Syrians who need to renew their passports and apply for other government documents must either travel to Damascus or to the United Arab Emirates, where a Syrian Embassy is still open. Abu Tarek, another Syrian national who spoke to the AP but requested anonymity for fear of repercussions, said his wife was granted re-entry, but that he and their three children were kept waiting at the airport. Continued on Page 4
Kuwait regrets truce violations
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaled Al-Jarallah on Monday voiced regret at breaches of Syria’s recently announced ceasefire over the last couple of days, but believed that the ceasefire would hold. Speaking to reporters following the opening of the fourth meeting of the international working group on stability, affiliated to the international coalition against the so-called Islamic State (IS), Al-Jarallah said if violations continued, then there would be an alternative plan agreed by involved parties, mainly the US and its allies. He added that Kuwait could play part in this context within the framework of the international coalition. Continued on Page 2
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Table of Contents
KUWAIT REGRETS TRUCE VIOLATIONS
3 - GOVERNMENT 4 - KUWAIT NEWS 6 - GULF NEWS 10 - EVENTS 11 - TECHNOLOGY 12 - LIFE 13 - BUSINESS 14 - CULTURE 15 - WORLD 16 - SPORT
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KUWAIT TODAY BREAKING NEWS KUWAIT
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaled Al-Jarallah on Monday voiced regret at breaches of Syria’s recently announced ceasefire over the last couple of days, but believed that the ceasefire would hold. Speaking to reporters following the opening of the fourth meeting of the international working group on stability, affiliated to the international coalition against the so-called Islamic State (IS), Al-Jarallah said if violations continued, then there would be an alternative plan agreed by involved parties, mainly the US and its allies. He added that Kuwait could play part in this context within the framework of the international coalition. The UN Security Council late on Friday adopted unanimously Resolution 2268 endorsing US-Russian joint statement on Cessation of Hostilities in Syria. The resolution was drafted by both International Syrian Support Group (ISSG) co-chairs Russia and the US. Earlier on Sunday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir said there were violations of the ceasefire from Russian and Syrian regime aircraft by targeting civilians and moderate opposition groups. Speaking at a joint news conference with Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen, Al-Jubeir called on Syrian regime and Russian to commit to the truce which became effective last Saturday. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah sent on Saturday two cables to US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In his cables, His Highness the Amir welcomed the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2268 endorsing the US-Russian joint statement on Cessation of Hostilities in Syria. His Highness the Amir appreciated both leaders’ efforts to adopt this joint statement, hailing it as a genuine step and a glimpse of hope for ceasing several years of hostilities in Syria which have so far claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Syrian people. His Highness the Amir wished that this could lead to a political solution to the Syrian crisis in
order to put an end to the tragic situation and humanitarian sufferings of the brotherly Syrian people inside and outside Syria, to fulfill t h e i r l e g i t imate demands and to bring security and stability back to Syria. His Highness the Amir also hoped that all involved parties would s t i c k to t h e resolution so that the international community can focus on fighting and eradicating terrorism. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern over reports of violations of a three-day-old ceasefire in Syria on Monday and urged all parties to respect the truce. “We have seen encouraging signs that the ceasefire is largely holding, but at the same time we have seen some reports about violations,” Stoltenberg told a press conference in Kuwait City. “Of course, that is of concern because it is important that all sides should respect the agreement,” which is the best way to renew efforts for a political solution to the devastating fiveyear conflict, he said. The ceasefire deal was brokered by Moscow and Washington and took effect at midnight on Friday. It entered its third day largely intact on Monday despite accusations of violations from both sides. Stoltenberg said NATO was also concerned about Russia’s military buildup in Syria, where it has carried out a fivemonth bombing campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad. “We are concerned about the Russian military buildup we have seen in Syria,” whether it is military or air force, he said. The NATO chief said Russian air strikes had “mainly targeted” nonjihadist rebels rather than the Islamic State group, which has been targeted by a US-led coalition. He said the Western alliance had no plans to send ground troops to Syria as part of the campaign against the jihadists. Turkish armed forces shelled positions of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria in coordination with the USled international anti-jihadist coalition, local media reported on Monday. Turkish artillery fired 50 to 60 shells from howitzers positioned in its southern Kilis region against IS targets in the north of Syria’s Aleppo province, the private Dogan news agency reported. A fragile ceasefire has taken effect in Syria, but jihadists
are excluded from it. It was the fi rst attack in several weeks since Turkey, a member of the international coalition against the IS group, stuck jihadist positions in Syria. Turkish artillery have fired on IS targets in Syria and in Iraq after a deadly suicide attack in Istanbul’s tourist hub of Sultanahmet in January. The ceasefire deal in Syria, brokered by Russia and the United States, has been in place since Friday midnight. UN chief Ban Ki-moon said there been some incidents but the ceasefi re was generally holding. The deal does not apply to territory held by the IS group and al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. Turkish artillery has fired Kurdish militia forces this month, saying it was responding to incoming fire. Ankara said the Syria truce should have excluded the People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia, which it considers to be a terror group linked to its own Kurdish militants. However the United States works closely with the YPG as the best fighting force on the ground in northern Syria the battle against IS. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday that a shaky cease-fire in Syria is holding “by and large” despite sporadic fighting that continued across Syria and growing accusations of violations that threatened to derail the truce, now in its third day. A war of words between the Syrian government and Saudi Arabia, a key backer of the Syrian opposition, added to the rising tensions. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said recent statements by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir were “lies meant to boost the morale” of militants who have suffered setbacks in Syria in recent weeks and demonstrate the kingdom’s “destructive role” in Syria. Monday’s statement came a day after al-Jubeir reiterated Saudi Arabia’s longstanding position that Syrian President Bashar Assad has no place in the future of Syria and that he must leave power, either peacefully or through military means. Al- Jubeir also accused Syrian forces of violating the cease-fire. Speaking to reporters Monday in Geneva, Ban confirmed receiving a letter from the High Negotiations Committee, the main umbrella opposition group, complaining of continuing violations by the Syrian government and its Russian and Iranian backers. The letter sent Sunday urged the UN to help “specify the territory covered by the truce to prevent hostilities in the designated inclusion zones.” The Russia-US-brokered cease-fire that went into effect at midnight Friday excludes the Islamic State group as well as al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria, the Nusra Front. The cease-fire has significantly reduced violence across the war-ravaged country, bringing some respite to civilians particularly from airstrikes. Source : arabtimesonline.com 1
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
GOVERNMENT
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KUWAIT MPS APPROVE EXTRA $500M FOR EUROFIGHTER JETS Kuwait’s parliament Tuesday approved a bill allowing the government to spend an additional $500 million on buying Eurofighter “Typhoon” warplanes. The new funding comes on top of $10 billion additional defense spending already approved by parliament in January to upgrade the country’s military.
Defense Minister Sheikh Khaled Jarrah al-Sabah told MPs the $10 billion will be spent over the next 10 years while the new funds will be used as an advance payment for the Typhoon jets. The Eurofighter consortium said in September that Kuwait had agreed to buy 28 Typhoons in a deal worth 7-8 billion euros ($89 billion). The extra funds will be withdrawn from state reserves.
Also in November, Kuwait signed 2.5 billion euros worth of fixed and provisional military deals led by the purchase of 24 Airbus-built Caracal helicopters. Paris said Kuwait would buy the helicopters for one billion euros, with an option for a further six. Other deals included the provision of French light armored vehicles and patrol boat maintenance. Source : www.dailystar.com.lb
‘GOVT KEEN ON COMBATING SOCIAL ILLS, YOUTH VIOLENCE’ The government is keen on combating social ills and problems especially the ones associated with youth violence, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah said Tuesday. Speaking at a regular session for Parliament, the minister briefed the National Assembly on the Cabinet’s weekly meeting yesterday which addressed problems caused by violence amongst youth. A report by the Interior Ministry suggested that acts of violence among youth had dropped by nine percent in 2015 when compared to the previous year, said Sheikh Salman, adding that this drop was attributed to the government’s policy launched mid 2013. The government is working with the civil society to spread awareness on the matter and will continue to work on preparing strategies to bring youth violence to an end, said the minister. Meanwhile, Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah lauded humanitarian work carried out by Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS). This remark was made by Sheikh Salman after a meeting with KRCS Chief Dr Hilal Al-Sayer and his deputy Anwar Al-Hasawi, Ministry of Information (MoI) said in a press statement on Tuesday. The KRCS’s officials expressed their appreciation to MoI on highlighting KRCS aid campaigns delivered to the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan, as well as other humanitarian assistance dispatched to the displaced in Iraq and Yemen. The minister was given a book that documents 50 years of KRCS’ humanitarian work. The government has set aside KD 102 million for 119 months (which amounts to KD 10 million annually) in the new developmental plan for improving the country’s image at the international level, and for supporting culture, arts and communication, reports Al-Qabas daily. Source : www.arabtimesonline.com
GOVERNMENT PROPOSES NEW GASOLINE PRICES — DEFICIT EYED The government has proposed the following gasoline prices: 90 fils for Premier, 119 fils for Super and 127 fils for Ultra, says MP Mohammad Tana. Tana made the announcement after the parliamentary Finance and Economic Affairs Committee meeting presided over by National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanim Sunday. They discussed a number of topics related to the economic situation, ways to address deficit in the State budget and clarifications on the vision of the government in this regard. Tana disclosed the citizens will be compensated in case the prices of gasoline, electricity, civil ID or driving license issuance will increase, but no agreement has been reached on the mechanism. He confirmed the citizens, especially the low and middle-income earners, will not be affected. On the other hand, MP Saud Al-Hariji said the government has presented recommendations regarding petrol and electricity prices.
He added the government suggested subsidizing gasoline 91 but not Ultra, although nothing has been finalized yet. The government’s vision to support the national economy consists of six integrated pivots, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of Oil Anas Al-Saleh said on Sunday. They are financial reform, redrawing the state role in national economy, enhancing the role of the private sector, involving citizens in owning projects and reforming the labor market and the civil service system, in addition to legislative and executive reform, Al-Saleh added. The minister made the press statement after he attended a meeting for the Parliamentary Committee on Financial and Economic Affairs. The meeting discussed the executive measures and programs for the implementation of each pivot, he said. There are 23 short-term programs and 13 mediumterm, besides 4 short to medium term ones.
According to the minister, the parliamentary committee also discussed a government proposal for rationalizing fuel subsidy. A number of MPs suggested offering this subsidy to a certain category of citizens. The proposal will be discussed. Moreover, the committee addressed a study submitted by the Ministry of Electricity on the new consumption categories. Discussions will be resumed on Thursday. Rationalization of subsidy aims to avoid any harm on low and medium-in-come classes, the minister said. He noted that the government seeks to boost the culture of rationalization through repricing services. The issue will feature high on the agenda of a meeting between the legislative and the executive authorities on Thursday, that will also address the draft document which National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanim aspires to on economic reforms, AlSaleh said. www.arabtimesonline.com
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KUWAIT NEWS
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
KUWAITI OIL KUWAIT SAID TO DEPORT 1,053 B A R R E L 'ILLEGALS' IN TUESDAY RAID DROPS TO “The raid was part of security campaigns launched regularly by the ministry to arrest law$27.58 ON breakers, convicts and wanted people,” the ministry MONDAY said. The price of a Kuwaiti oil barrel dropped 47 cents reaching $27.58 (Dh101.3) per barrel on Monday, compared to $28.05 per barrel on Friday, as announced by the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) on Tuesday. According to the Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) oil prices rose by 3 per cent in international markets yesterday, affected by China’s measures taken to improve its economy and the low production rate of crude oil within Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and the US. Source : www.gulfnews.com
Kuwait is deporting 1,053 foreigners living illegally in the country, following a series of raids in which 4,000 people were detained. According to reports, the Ministry of Interior has issued a statement revealing that 4,015 people were detained after officials conducted raids in Jleeb Al Shuyoukh on Tuesday.
www.arabianbusiness.com
KUWAIT URGES LEBANON TO BE 'PART OF ARAB REGION', VOWS TO 'MAINTAIN AID'
KUWAITI MAN KILLED BY LIONESS IN S. ARABIA A Kuwaiti citizen was killed by a lioness at a pit-stop in Hafr Al-Batin, Saudi Arabia. When the lioness attacked the citizen, the latter’s friend stabbed the lioness to death and called for an ambulance. However, before an ambulance arrived at the location, the victim succumbed to the deep wound he sustained. According to gathered information, the man was breeding some wild animals at the pit-stop. Meanwhile, explosives experts combed approximately 200 square/ meters area off the Wafra Road in search of landmines after a Kuwaiti citizen called the Operations Room of the Interior Ministry and reported stumbling upon an item that resembles a landmine. Security sources said personnel from the Explosives Department raked through the area after verifying the item was remnant from the Iraqi invasion. No other explosive materials were found. A case was registered. And, two Kuwaiti citizens were arrested in Thaher area in possession of two bottles of foreign liquor. Source : www.arabtimesonline.com
Around 3,000 people were released after having their papers inspected, but the remaining 1,053 were sent for deportation. They were found to be overstaying their legal residency in Kuwait or to have committed crimes in the country. The ministry statement said police secured targeted areas to ensure nobody could escape before demanding to see people’s documents, according to Gulf News.
“We checked the documents of those detained and allowed 2,378 people to go. However, 1,170 were referred to the competent authorities for deportation. The list includes seven who were wanted in relation with felonies.” Jleeb Al Shuyukh is a neighbourhood inhabited mainly by workers from South Asia and other Arab countries. Kuwait has been implementing a crackdown on illegal residents– last month it was said to have deported 1,170 foreigners who had been living in the Khaytan area.
Kuwait reassured Monday that it will maintain its support and aid for Lebanon despite the latest diplomatic rift between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf states. “The Kuwaiti aid for the brotherly Lebanese people will continue,” Kuwait's Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khaled al-Sabah announced. But he noted that “Lebanon is required to be part of its Arab region and its concerns and problems.” The top Kuwaiti official's remarks come despite the fact that his country has joined Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf countries, except for Oman, in warning citizens against visiting Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia started its measures on February 19 when its foreign ministry announced that the kingdom was halting around $4 billion in military aid to the Lebanese army and security forces in response to what it called "hostile Lebanese positions resulting from the stranglehold of Hizbullah on the state" and Hizbullah "terrorist acts against Arab and Muslim nations."
Around 90 Lebanese citizens have also been fired from their jobs in Saudi Arabia, according to media reports.
The kingdom also attributed its move to Lebanon's refusal to join the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in condemning attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran last month. Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil said Lebanon abstained from voting on the two resolutions in line with its famous “dissociation” policy and because Hizbullah was described as “terrorist” in the Arab statement. Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran after demonstrators burned its embassy and a consulate following the Saudi execution of a prominent Shiite dissident, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Source : www.naharnet.com
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
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Tuesday, March 15, 2016
GULF NEWS
QATAR HH THE EMIR MEETS WINNERS OF EDUCATION EXCELLENCE AWARD
HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met Tuesday at the Ritz Carlton Doha with the winners of the ninth Education Excellence Day award for academic year 20142015.
UAE
HH the Emir said that the he was keen on meeting the winners to listen to their views on the country and development. HH the Emir added that Qatar was continuously looking for national talent that pushes the country forward in all fields. HH the Emir added that education was an important phase, but business and work after graduation was an even more important step. His
Highness urged the young to stand resilient in the face of bureaucracy to facilitate development for their generation and the coming ones. HH the Emir discussed with the winners the recent changes to the cabinet and mergers of ministries. His Highness said that these changes will improve efficiency and help the country achieve its 2030 national vision.
Furthermore, HH the Emir stressed that development projects, spending on infrastructure, education and health well remain at good levels despite the fall in oil prices. For their part, their winners expressed their thanks to HH the Emir for attending the event, which reflected the commitment of HH the Emir to education. Source : www.qna.org.qa
AIRBUS PUTS NEW A380 ON HOLD AS EMIRATES FACES CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS
Airbus is putting the development of a revamped version of its A380 aircraft on hold as the superjumbo’s biggest customer, Emirates Airline, faces capacity constraints at its Dubai hub. Bloomberg reported a senior official at Airbus as saying that the re-engined model of the A380, which has been requested by Emirates, is unlikely to be launched for about another decade.
OMAN
Average pay rises in Oman and across the GCC are set to be lower in 2016 than at any time over the past 10 years, despite the rising cost of living caused by cuts in government subsidies, according to the latest research released by online recruitment firm GulfTalent.
“They’re [Emirates] not in a position to go ahead, and if they’re not in a position to go ahead with A380neo, we certainly aren’t,” Airbus chief operating officer John Leahy told the newswire. “They would be a key launch customer.” Emirates is by far the largest customer for the superjumbo, having ordered 140 aircraft. It has also expressed an interest in buying around 100 of the newer A380 if it is built. However, in recent years, orders from other airlines for the A380 have dwindled, and support from other customers for the A380neo looks limited. “That airplane, if we did it, would come out in the middle of the next decade,” Leahy said Tuesday. “There’s nothing imminent about that airplane.”
While capacity at Dubai International Airport has risen to 90 million passengers a year thanks to the recent launch of Concourse D, further growth at the airport remains limited. Last year, 78 million passengers made their way through the airport, making it the busiest in the world for international traffic. At some point in the mid-2020s, Emirates will shift its operations over to Al Maktoum International Airport in Jebel Ali, which could handle as many as 240 million passengers a year. Last year, Emirates president Sir Tim Clark said that the airline could double in size after it makes the switch over to the new airport. www.arabianbusiness.com
OMAN SALARIES PROJECTED TO GROW THIS YEAR Professionals in the UAE are expected to enjoy the region’s second highest salary increase at 5.3 percent.
“Many professionals in 2016 are likely to face a doublewhammy of rising living costs coupled with stagnant wage growth. As a result, real salary inQatar is next with 4.7 per- creases net of inflation are cent, followed closely by Ku- expected to be significantly wait and Oman at 4.6 and 4.4 lower than in previous years” percent respectively. the report says.
In addition to lower pay rises, the study reports a marked slowdown in recruitment activity, with employers much more cautious in adding to their payroll. Much of the recruitment activity is now focused on replacement hiring only. Source : tmesofoman.com
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Tuesday, March 15, 2016
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GULF NEWS
SAUDI'S JABAL OMAR APPOINTS YASSER AL-SHERIF AS CEO
SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia's Jabal Omar Development has appointed Yasser al-Sherif as its new chief executive, the firm said in a statement on Wednesday.
The appointment comes in light of a new company strategy that depends on dynamic leadership to help support and improve its performance, Jabal Omar said.
Al-Sherif previously held various positions at a number of Saudi companies in the finance and banking sector, including heading risk management at Saudi banks and is a board member on other publically listed and private Saudi companies, the statement added. Jabal Omar signed an agreement with the Ministry of Finance to defer payments on a 3 billion riyal ($800 million) loan, it said in February. www.arabianbusiness.com
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GULF NEWS
BAHRAIN'S GULF AIR SET TO ADD BAHRAIN NEW RIYADH FLIGHTS IN SAUDI PUSH
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
TWO KUWAITI MEN JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER THE EMBASSY OF KUWAIT IN
KUWAIT
Bahrain's Gulf Air has announced plans to increase its Riyadh service with an increase of four additional afternoon flights per week from Thursday. The increase takes the airline’s weekly flights between Bahrain International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh from 28 to a total of 32. This supplements a recent permanent increase in the carrier’s Jeddah service, to a total of four daily flights, which started on February 22. “Today, Gulf Air operates direct flights to five destinations within Saudi Arabia - Dammam, Riyadh, Madina Al Munawarah, Jeddah and Gassim... we are delighted to provide superior travel solutions that cater to the travel needs of our Saudi passengers,” said Ahmed Janahi, Gulf Air acting chief commercial officer.
“This not only helps us further satisfy passenger need but also creates improved connections for those passengers connecting to and from Gulf Air’s network of onwards destinations across the globe.”
I n J a n u a r y , G u l f A i r a nno u nced r estr uctur ed o r der s fr o m b oth B oeing a nd A ir bus, wo r t h a to ta l o f $ 7 .6 billio n. The Boeing order upgrades a previous 2008 order of 16 787-8 Dreamliners, for the larger 787-9, which will also offer greater range capability. The new aircraft will replace Gulf Air's current wide-body fleet and provide future network expansion opportunities, the airline said. Source : www.arabianbusiness.com
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Just a few days after the Embassy of Kuwait in Beirut issued an advisory for its citizens to leave Lebanon, the Lebanese security agencies on Thursday found the bodies of two Kuwaitis, who were apparently murdered as they sustained gunshot wounds in different parts of their bodies, inside the employees’ accommodation at Laredo Restaurant in Dhahar Al-Wahsh, East Beirut, reports Al-Seyassah.
Preliminary investigation revealed the restaurant belonged to the victims while the c i rc u m s t a n c e s s u rrounding the murder were not immediately known — whether it was politically motivated, an act of terrorism or a criminal action. According to Lebanon’s Watania Media Agency, the victims were identif ied as Hussein Nassar (born in 1958) and Nabeel Ghareeb (born in 1960). It revealed the security officers cordoned off the place before starting investigations to establish the circumstances and motives behind the killing. Head of the investigation Rami Abdullah was at the crime scene during the initial investigation.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
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GULF NEWS
FOUND SHOT DEAD IN LEBANESE RESTAURANT BEIRUT ISSUED AN ADVISORY FOR ITS CITIZENS TO LEAVE LEBANON
KUWAIT TODAY It has also been of the victims’ reported that the bodies. information obtained diswife of one of the Other closed that the victims were in some days ago to regvictims lost con- Al-Kahala ister a real estate property, where they live on their own, their names. tact with him in under Sources added there were no of forced entry in the t h e p a s t t w o signs crime scene or torture marks on the victims’ bodies. Lebanese security days, prompting Meanwhile, sources stressed it is too early to about political motives beher to report to talk hind the murder, whereas the Kuwaiti Embassy continues to with the highest t h e e m b a s s y communicate level of authority to determine the motive behind the killing which contacted and to arrest all those involved. Also in a press statement, Head Al-Kahala Municipality security agencies ofGeorge Bajani asserted the killing of the two Kuwaitis is a and this resulted criminal act, not politically- motivated. Source : Arab Times in the discovery
BREAKING NEWS KUWAIT
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EVENTS
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
NBK AWARDED ‘BEST PRIVATE BANK FOR 2016 IN KUWAIT’ – AWARD REFLECTS THE CONSTANT CONFIDENCE CUSTOMERS VEST IN NBK: KHALIFE
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National Bank of “Awarding NBK the “Thanks to its largest prestigious title of l o c a l a n d i n t e r n a- NBK continues to Kuwait (NBK) has “the Best Private Bank- tional network strate- enjoy collectively been awarded the ing Services” in Ku- gically located in the the highest credit “Best Private Bank wait for another year, major world financial ratings in the region surpassing renowned centers, NBK has alfor 2016” in Kuwait global banks and fi- ways maintained a from the three interin Euromoney’s An- nancial institutions, d o m i n a n t a n d a d- national rating agennual Survey sur- reflects the constant vanced position to cies Moody’s, Fitch confidence the cus- provide the best bankp a s s i n g g l o b a l tomers vest in NBK ing and investment Ratings and Stanbanks in wealth and their appreciation solutions that covers a dard and Poor’s. management and of the outstanding wide range of internaquality of its services tional markets, taking The Bank’s ratings are p r i v a t e b a n k i n g and products,” said into consideration the supported by its high s e r v i c e s . N B K Khalife. “This award specif ic prof ile of capitalization, prutopped the list of is another testimony each and every cus- dent lending policies, of NBK`s leading posi- tomer,” noted Khalife. and its disciplined n o m i n e e s , o u t- tion as the highest“I take this opportu- approach to risk manmatching renowned rated bank in the Mid- nity to express my agement, in addition international banks dle East and among sincere thanks and to its highly recogthe 50 safest banks in gratitude to both the nized and very stable in the field of Pri- the world.” trust of NBK clients management team. vate Banking Serv- Khalife added “the ex- as well as the invalu- N B K w a s a l s o ices. cellent, strong and du- able efforts of the Pri- n a m e d a m o n g rable relationships vate Banking team at Euromoney’s Annual NBK has always main- NBK that enabled the Global Finance’s list Survey data is com- tained with its high bank to win such a of the 50 safest piled from the indus- net-worth customers, prestigious title,” said banks in the world try’s experts and ana- enabled the bank to Khalife. l y s t s w o r l d w i d e . assume a unique and for the tenth conNBK’s Best Private leading position in the Euromoney is a lead- secutive time. ing British Financial Bank awards include: “Best Private Bank in Kuwait”, “Best Private Bank for Ultra High Net Worth Clients in Kuwait” and “Best Private Bank for Super Affluent Clients in Kuwait”. Malek Khalife, NBK’s General Manager, Private Banking Group, received the awards at a glittering dinner and awards ceremony recently held in London.
field of wealth management and private banking on both local and regional markets. NBK also succeeded in maintaining the highest service quality standards while consistently endeavoring to provide the most innovative spectrum of investment and wealth management products and solutions to satisfy the increasingly changing needs of customers.”
magazine that organi ze s a n n u a l ly t h i s event. The Private Banking Awards event covers over 60 countries each year. The results are voted by experts and analysts worldwide. The results are also based on other major criteria such as the services provided, asset management, wealth management and client relationship management.
NBK enjoys the widest banking presence with a local and international network reaching 4 continents. NBK’s international presence spans many of the world’s leading financial centers including New York, Europe, GCC, Middle East, Singapore as well as China (Shanghai). arabtimesonline.com
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
TECHNOLOGY
ZAIN INVESTS IN UAE SMART CITY ADVISORY FIRM
The move to allow Zain to create smart city business unit Kuwait-based telecom ope r a t o r Z a i n G r o u p a nnounced a strategic investment in smart city advisory and consulting firm NeXgen Group. Zain said the investment will enable the company to create a specialized business unit delivering smart city services to governments and real estate developers facilitating the deployment of smart city solutions and managed services across Zain’s regional footprint. NeXgen is headquartered in the United Arab Emirates.
The investment was announced at the recent Mobile World Congress event, and comes exactly on year after a strategic cooperation partnership was announced between the two companies. Zain said its smart city business unit will focus on delivering solutions and managed services, and will include design and integration for applications including smart living in city districts, smart safety and security, smart education and health, and smart metering for the utility sector among others.
“With this strategic investment, we want to be able to develop all the different verticals for smart cities and make sure that we have both the platforms and the analytics,” said Zain Group CEO Scott Gegenheimer. “We see growth opportunities in smart city projects across all the markets where we operate, but Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will be probably our key markets in terms of smart city developments.” Zain’s investment in NeXgen Group builds on the establishment of the Zain Digital Frontier and Innovation business unit. ZDFI is said to focus on innovation, digital services, corporate venturing and smart cities. Zain operates mobile networks in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, Jordan and Bahrain, and currently offers LTE services in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Jordan, as well as in Lebanon through the operation it manages on behalf of the Lebanese government. www.rcrwireless.com
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OOREDOO ‘HONORS’ OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTORS, TOP RETAILERS — GESTURE OF GRATITUDE
Ooredoo Kuwait, a member of the international Ooredoo Group, organized a special ceremony to honor its official distributers who have achieved the highest sales in 2015. The event was held at Ooredoo’s headquarters and was attended by a number of distributers representatives and a number of Ooredoo senior managers. This ceremony is considered to be a gratitude gesture to the company’s official distributers and partners for their outstanding performance in 2015 and the desired results they achieved. During the ceremony, Chief Sales Officer, Tamer Shibl and Senior Director of Direct Sales, Yousef Dashti awarded the winners with the highest sales figures on the most recent prepaid products launched over the past year, along with certificates of appreciation and trophies. The top ten official distributers received KD 1,000 worth of prizes, another 20 winners received various cash prizes. The grand prize was a Ford Mustang 2016, and was won by The British Telecom Company who achieved the highest sales on selected products including highest sales percentage.
The level and standards of performance where measured by the latest inventory management systems and sales monitoring systems, that is used exclusively by Ooredoo Kuwait operations department to secure the highest sales through different point of sales. Commenting on the event, Yousef Dashti said: “We are pleased to host our partners and official distributors in this event to honor them for the ongoing support they provide us with and their contribution to the success of our business. Ooredoo and its partners have been working together for so many years and we are looking forward to further collaborate with each one of them in the very near future.” Over the past months, Ooredoo had launched new prepaid packages to meet the various needs of its customers, such as XPlus package, XL package and Xpat packages. The company has obtained a unique method in distributing products to retail shops through a Kuwaiti team who are trained and educated to develop new and effective distribution methods to different locations that have a positive impact on the sales results. www.arabtimesonline.com
12
LIFE
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
OSCARS CROWN ‘SPOTLIGHT’ AS BEST FILM DICAPRIO FINALLY NABS OSCAR GOLD
Leonardo DiCaprio won his long-awaited first Oscar for revenge epic “The Revenant” Sunday but journalism drama “Spotlight” took best picture in a surprising end to Hollyw o o d ’s g l i t t e r i n g awards season. The night was overshadowed by a simmering race row, addressed head-on by black host Chris Rock, who delivered a series of caustic jokes targeting the Academy’s overwhelmingly white male membership. As well as DiCaprio’s best actor award, “The Revenant” picked up the statuettes for best director for Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu — his second in a row — as well as for best cinematography. But “Spotlight”, a searing study of The Boston Globe’s investigation into child sex abuse in the Catholic Church, grabbed best picture honors in one of the shocks of the 88th Academy Awards.
The film had only taken one other award — best original screenplay — a n d H o l l y w o o d ’s Dolby Theatre gasped as a stunned cast and crew headed onstage to accept the trophy. “This film gave a voice to survivors.
And this Oscar amplifies that voice, which we hope will become a choir that will resonate all the way to the Vatican,” co-producer Michael Sugar told the audience.
“Pope Francis, it’s time to protect the children and restore the faith.” A defeat for “Creed” star and Tinseltown darling Sylvester Stallone was the other big surprise of the night, as he was snubbed for best supporting actor, with the trophy going against the odds to Britain’s Mark Rylance for “Bridge of Spies.” George Miller’s stark action epic “Mad Max: Fury Road” was the big winner in the technical categories, taking home Oscars for best costumes, production design, make-up, film editing, sound editing and sound mixing. DiCaprio’s success for his grueling star turn as 19th century fur trapper Hugh Glass came 22 years after his first of four unsuccessful acting nominations. For the 41-year-old actor, the fifth time was a charm. He thanked a long list of figures who have helped him in his career, including filmmaker Martin Scorsese, before speaking on his passion — climate change. “Climate change is real. It is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work together and stop procrastinating,” DiCaprio said to applause.
Fi rs t- t i m e n o m i n e e Brie Larson picked up a widely predicted best actress statuette, having dominated the awards season with her performance as a kidnapped mother in “Room.” But it was not all celebration, as a row over the lack of ethnic minority acting hopefuls overshadowed Hollywood’s biggest night. Realize “Well, I’m here at the Academy Awards — otherwise known as t h e wh i te Pe o p l e’s Choice awards. You realize if they nominated hosts, I wouldn’t even get this job,” joked Rock, 51, who continued with a series of jibes at the Academy throughout the night. For the second year running, all 20 nominees in the main acting categories were white, and an angry social media backlash under the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite has grabbed the awards season headlines. Rock, who hosted despite calls for him to j o i n a b oyc o t t , u nleashed a fierce monologue — one he apparently rewrote in the wake of the scandal to hold the Academy’s 6,000-plus voting members, overwhelmingly white men, to account.
Tribute Former radio DJ Inarritu, just the third f ilmmaker to win b a c k- t o - b a c k A c a demy Awards for best director, picked up the theme as he hailed his latest Oscar as a tribute to diversity.
“There is a line in the film that says, ‘They don’t listen to you when they see the color of your skin’,” Inarritu said. “So what a great opportunity to our generation to really liberate o u r s e lve s f r o m a l l prejudice and, you know, this way of thinking and make sure for once and forever that the color of skin becomes as irrelevant as the length of our hair.” The first acting award of the night went to Sweden’s Alicia Vikander, who dazzled on the red carpet in a strapless pale yellow Louis Vuitton gown, for her supporting role in transgender love story “The Danish Girl.” “This is insane,” a visibly moved Vikander said, hailing her co-star Eddie Redmayne: “Thank you for being the best acting partner. I could have never done it without you. You raised my game.” It was a huge night for “Spotlight” director Tom McCarthy, who also picked up the Oscar for best original screenplay. Adam McKay and Charles Randolph took the adapted screenplay Oscar for financial crisis satire “The Big Short” — which had also been a best picture contender. Mexico’s Emmanuel Lubezki made history with his third consecutive Oscar for cinematography, for his dramatic work on “The Revenant.” One of the moments of the night came when Lady Gaga led the Oscars in a rally against campus sexual assault, bringing together survivors who joined arms in solidarity.
The pop star, who recently has spoken out about being raped as a teenager, was introduced by VicePresident Joe Biden, who personally took part in Hollywood’s biggest night to lend his voice to the cause. Erik Davis, managing editor of film website Fandango described the evening as “one of the most consistently entertaining Oscar shows in memory.” “Whether or not it was intentional, the show had a unifying theme, and every Chris Rock joke was a perfect riff on that theme,” he said. With deft timing and an impactful blend of humor and searing commentary, host Chris Rock took the bull by the horns at the Oscars, attacking the diversity crisis roiling the industry and not letting go all night long. Rock didn’t merely ack n owl e d g e t h e e l ephant in the room. From his first words to his farewell remarks, he brought it stage front and center, and kept it there. “I counted at least 15 black people in that montage!” he said of the opening film clips. He went on to call the Oscars the “White People’s Choice Awards,” and noted that if they had nominated potential hosts, “I wouldn’t have this job. You’d all be watching Neil Patrick Harris right now.” “With opportunity comes responsibility,” Boone Isaacs said. “It’s not enough to just listen and agree. We must take action.” arabtimesonline.com
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
BUSINESS
13
KUWAIT’S GATEHOUSE KUWAIT STOCK EXCHANGE INKS $137M DEAL TO CLOSES ON MIXED BOARD BUY 10 US HOTELS Kuwait, March 01 (QNA) - Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended Tuesday's trading session on a mixed board as the price index gained 28.26 points reaching 5,235.65 points, the weighted index went down by 0.6 points reaching 357.68 points and the
KSX 15 fell by 0.98 points to stand at 840.04 points. Number of trades stood at 3,391, value of traded stocks was at KD 11.5 million, while share turnover amounted to KD 128.8 million. Source : www.qna.org.qa
MAJORITY OF UAE RESIDENTS SAY THEY EXPECT BUSINESS TO IMPROVE
Kuwait’s Gatehouse Capital has signed off a $137 million deal to acquire 10 ‘select service’ hotels in the US. The firm, a subsidiary of Gatehouse Financial Group, said that the deal was completed in conjunction with US hotel management firm Interstate Hotels & Resorts and private investment company Waramaug Hospitality. The Marriott-branded properties are all based in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The purchase marks Gatehouse’s second investment into select service hotels, following the acquisition of a Marriott Residence Inn in Manhattan two years ago. Kuwait’s Gatehouse Capital has signed off a $137 million deal to acquire 10 ‘select service’ hotels in the US. The firm, a subsidiary of Gatehouse Financial Group, said that the deal was completed in conjunction with US hotel management firm Interstate Hotels & Resorts and private investment company Waramaug Hospitality.
The Marriott-branded properties are all based in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The purchase marks Gatehouse’s second investment into select service hotels, following the acquisition of a Marriott Residence Inn in Manhattan two years ago. “As the US economy continues to expand, the select service hospitality market exhibits attractive investment characteristics,” Gatehouse chairman Fahed Boodai said, in a press statement. “The Portfolio [of these 10 hotels] is wellpositioned to capitalise on demand from business travellers, as the hotels are located in close proximity to several Fortune 500 corporations, including Ford Motor Company, CH Robinson, United Health Group, and Harley-Davidson. “The Midwest United States is home to many high performing global businesses, giving us further confidence that this is a solid investment opportunity with significant capital growth potential and secure income returns.” arabianbusiness.com
The majority of UAE residents expect business conditions to improve within the next year, but a substantial proportion believe conditions at present are “bad” and job opportunities are scarce, according to a survey. The latest Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Consumer Confidence Index from recruitment firm Bayt.com and YouGov, indicates a generally positive outlook from UAE residents on the future of the country’s economy. It said 60 percent of survey respondents said they expect business conditions to improve in a year’s time, while almost half (48 percent) said they expect the economy to improve within the next six months, compared to one in five who expect it to get worse. However, the majority of UAE residents still believe economic conditions are tough at present, with only a quarter (26 percent) of respondents saying they think the country’s economy has improved in the last six months, and 43 percent saying they believe it has receded. Thirty percent said they believed it has stayed the same, while 12 percent said they “didn’t know or couldn’t say”. The same mixed picture applied to respondents’ evaluation of employment opportunities. At present, only 19 percent of UAE survey respondents agreed with the statement, “There are plenty of jobs available across various industries”, while 27 percent said “there are few jobs available across few industries” and 25 percent said “there are few jobs available across various industries”. Sixteen percent said, “There are plenty of
jobs available but across a few industries only”. However, respondents’ outlook for the future was more positive with 30 percent of saying they expect job availability to increase in the next six months. The survey also found that 31 percent of employed UAE respondents perceived that the number of employees in their company has increased over the past six months, while 35 percent perceived the opposite to be true. But 38 percent of employed UAE respondents said they expect the number of employees in their organisation to increase over the course of the next six months. Almost half (47 percent) of employed respondents said they were satisfied with the career growth opportunities available in their current job, and 33 percent said they were dissatisfied. Some 37 percent said they were satisfied with their current compensation, but 42 percent said they were dissatisfied with their salary and allowances. With regard personal finances, the survey found that 40 percent of UAE respondents reported that their personal financial situation was “the same as it was six months ago”, while 27 percent said it was worse, and 25 percent said it was better. Again, the outlook is marginally more positive – with 51 percent of respondents predicting their personal financial situation will improve in the next six months. However, 58 percent believe cost of living will rise over the same period, and only a quarter (23 percent) said it would remain the same. Source : arabianbusiness.com
14
CULTURE
KARL LAGERFELD TO OPEN FIRST CONCEPT STORE IN KUWAIT CITY Paris, France - KARL LAGERFELD is pleased to announce the opening of its first concept store in Kuwait City, Kuwait, on February 7 2016. Located in Phase 2 of The Avenues Mall , it is the latest addition to a growing retail network of KARL LAGERFELD stores worldwide, joining numerous recently-opened points of sale across Europe, Asia and the Middle East including Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai and Jeddah. The KARL LAGERFELD Avenues Mall store is situated on the ground floor of the mall and showcases the brand's iconic, accessible-luxe women's collections including ready-to-wear, footwear, bags, watches,
fragrances, eyewear, and an exclusive selection of limited-edition novelty items. S p a n n i n g 7 5- s q u a r e metres, the store's décor provides a virtual window into the world of KARL LAGERFELD, enc a p s u l a t i n g t h e d esigner's distinctive essence that's creative and cool. A monochromatic black and white colour scheme juxtaposes sleek, modern furnishings and classic accents - from polished black steel and illuminated mirrors to digital screens and natural wood flooring. The concept shop also reflects the brand's affinity for the digital world, doubling as a virtual win-
dow to the designer himself. Shoppers are invited to use KARL iPads to view the latest collections and news. Since opening in 2007, The Avenues Mall has continuously enhanced the shopping experience in Kuwait, setting new benchmarks and standards throughout the country and the industry. The Avenues is considered to be one of the largest malls in the world and is home to over 800 stores spread throughout its seven districts. The KARL LAGERFELD Avenues Mall store will be open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Source : www.zawya.com
‘REVENANT’ OF MEXICO FILMS — CINEMA REVIVAL All three films were shot “Rather than calling it a by another Mexican, Em- new wave, we should talk manuel Lubezki, who made about several waves,” history by winning his said Jean-Christophe Berthird consecutive Oscar for jon, film critic and forbest cinematography after m e r a d v i s o r a t t h e filming “The Revenant” Cannes film festival. under extreme winter con- The “Three Amigos” created their own producCall it cinema’s reve- ditions. Cuaron and their tion firm, Cha Cha Cha nant: Left for dead two Inarritu, friend Guillermo del Toro films, in 2009. decades ago, Mexico’s form “The Three Amigos” “There is a special relabetween them, a movie industry is now of Mexican directors who tionship have conquered Hollywood. v e r y s t i m u l a t i n g e xt h r i v i n g u n d e r a But other less famous change,” said Daniela Migolden generation of film-makers have won chel, director and cofounder of a film festival film-makers who have prizes at prestigious film in the Mexican western festivals in Europe. scooped up Oscars for The five-year haul is im- city of Morelia. show their films to three years in a row. pressive: Mexicans have “They each other during editing won nine Oscars, four and they sometimes proAlejandro Gonzalez Inar- Golden Globes, three duce each other’s work,” ritu became only the prizes at the Cannes film she said. Behind this trio, third director to win festival, two best film who live in the United back-to-back Oscars, re- awards in Berlin and a States and make Hollywarded on Sunday for his Golden Lion in Venice. wood features rather than survival epic “The ReveMexican-themed movies, nant,” a year after his tri- But that’s not all. While is another generation of Mexicans make a name umph for “Birdman.” abroad, production is soar- promising film-makers Before him, countryman ing back home, from 10 such as Amat Escalante, Alfonso Cuaron won the films made in 2000 (when who won best director at best directing statuette I n a r r i t u’s f i r s t f i l m , Cannes in 2013 for his for the sci-fi thriller “Amores Perros,” came drug war drama “Heli.” “Gravity” in 2014. out) to 120 per year today. arabtimesonline.com
Tuesday, March 15, 2016 FALLEN JAPAN IDOL EMERGES AS SURVIVOR — NORI-P OVERCOMES ‘BULLYING’ CULTURE
Former pop idol Noriko Sakai, who fell spectacularly from grace after being arrested on drugs charges, is a rare breed in Japan: a female celebrity who has suffered public humiliation and survived. The swift demise of mixed-race sweetheart Becky over an alleged affair with a married man recently highlighted Japan’s harsh treatment of women in the entertainment business, but Sakai insisted that redemption is possible — for those with thick skin. “I don’t like losing,” the 45-year-old told AFP in an interview. “I used to play softball at school. It was very tough pulling tyres around the schoolyard in winter (for training). If you made a mistake you would get a slap across the face, it was different to how it is today. “It was very spartan,” added Sakai, who is set to embark on an Asian tour to mark a new mini album and celebrate 30 years in pop. “It toughened me up for later life, gave me that tenacity.” Sakai, who two decades ago cultivated a sweet, girl-next-door image similar to Becky’s brand, was given a suspended jail sentence in 2009 for using illegal stimulants. Her comeback, following a three-year hiatus, was little short of remarkable in a country which wants its female entertainers not only to entertain, but to be squeaky clean — not elegantly wasted. A native of Fukuoka in western Japan, Sakai has just returned from Taiwan, where the singer-actress was greeted at the airport by hundreds of fans and around 50 television crews and media. “I got a taste of what it feels like to be Lady Gaga,” she laughed. “I didn’t expect an amazing welcome like that. I’m very grateful my fans have stayed with me and I’ve been able to have such a long career.” Source : www.arabtimesonline.com
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
15
WORLD
KERRY STRESSES NEED TO END SUICIDE BOMBING AT IRAQI FUNERAL KILLS AT LEAST 27 — WARNING ON MOSUL CONFLICTS IN SYRIA, YEMEN DAM COLLAPSE
US Secretary of State John Kerry stressed the need to move now to end the conflicts in Syria and Yemen in talks with top Saudi officials on Friday, a senior US official said. Kerry also sought to reassure officials of the importance of US-Saudi ties a day after President Barack Obama was quoted in a US magazine as saying regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran need to “share the neighborhood” and establish a “cold peace”. Meeting at a Saudi military base outside Hafr Al-Batin near the Saudi border with Iraq, Kerry held talks with Saudi King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef, Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir. “We have to talk about Syria,” Kerry said after he met the king as he began a separate discussion with the three other officials, according to a US pool reporter accompanying him. They were joined by Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed AlNahyan at the northeastern King Khalid Military City base, scene this week of the “Northern Thunder” exercise. Syrian peace talks are set to get under way in Geneva next week, and the main Syrian opposition group, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, has said it will attend. The UN-brokered talks will take place two weeks after the start of a cessation of hostilities agreement that has reduced the violence but not completely stopped the fighting, with further out-
breaks reported in western Syria on Friday. The cessation is the first truce of its kind in a five-year-old war that has killed more than 250,000 people and driven millions of Syrians from their homes. “Kerry emphasized that now is the time to keep moving forward toward ending the conflicts in Syria and Yemen,” a senior US State Department official said in an email. Washington and allies including Saudi Arabia and Turkey back opposition groups representing political and armed factions in Syria’s civil war while Russia and Iran support President Bashar Al-Assad. In another regional conflict, Riyadh and a coalition of Arab states entered Yemen’s civil war a year ago in an attempt to restore President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after the Houthis and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh ousted him. The US official said Washington supported UN efforts to get all the Yemeni parties into talks. He also said that during his meetings, “Kerry reaffirmed the strong US commitment to our valued and important partnership with Saudi Arabia.” Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Shiite majority Iran are locked in a regional power struggle. Saudi Arabia, a US partner, may have been irked by an article in The Atlantic magazine quoting Obama as saying the two “need to find an effective way to share the neighborhood and institute some sort of cold peace”. Source : Kuwait News
A suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral for the relative of a Shi’ite Musl i m m i l i t i a c o mmander in Iraq’s eastern province of Diyala on Monday, killing at least 27 people in an attack claimed by Islamic State. The bombing in Muqdadiya, 80 kms (50 miles) northeast of Baghdad, killed six local commanders of the Hashid S h a a b i u m b re l l a group of Shi’ite militias who were attending the funeral ceremony, security officials and police in Diyala said. Islamic State, an ultrahardline Sunni group that controls large parts of northern and western Iraq, claimed responsibility for the blast, according to a statement posted on the SITE monitoring group’s Twitter account. The killing of the commanders, four of whom were from the Asaib Ahl alHaq militia and two from the Badr Organisation, is likely to inflame sectarian tensions in the mixed province.
Security officials and witnesses said the situation inside Muqdadiya was tense, with dozens of Shi’ite militia members deployed in the streets and security forces absent. Militia elements have been accused of attacking Sunni Muslim mosques and residents in Diyala following similar bombings in January, but the groups have denied the allegations and blamed Islamic State. Iraqi officials declared victory over the Sunni insurgents in Diyala a year ago, but although it no longer controls signifi cant territory in the eastern province, Islamic State has remained active there. The attack follows the deadliest bombing inside the capital Baghdad so far this year, which left 78 people dead in a Shi’ite district on Sunday. The US embassy in Iraq has released evacuation recommendations it said could help save up to 1.5 million lives at risk from a catastrophic failure of the Mosul Dam.
Concern has grown in recent months over a possible collapse of Iraq’s largest dam, which would unleash a wave that would devastate second city Mosul and flood much of the capital Baghdad. The dam in northern Iraq was built on an unstable foundation that continuously erodes, and a lapse in required maintenance after the Islamic State jihadist group briefly seized it in 2014 weakened the a l r e a d y f l awe d structure. “We have no specifi c information that indicates when a breach might occur,” the US embassy said in a statement posted on its website late Sunday. “But out of an abundance of caution, we would like to underscore that prompt evacuation offers the most effective tool to save lives of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis living in the most dangerous part of the flood path in the event of a breach.” www.arabtimesonline.com
16
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
SPORT
KUWAITI WORLD CUP HEROES SEEK TO GET FIFA BAN LIFTED
Four of Kuwait’s 1982 World Cup heroes are touring the Gulf region lobbying soccer chiefs in an attempt to have a FIFA ban on the country’s football association overturned. World soccer’s governing body suspended the Kuwait Football Association (KFA) in October after a deadline to change a government sports law was not met. Kuwait, home to influential sports power broker Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, is now banking on former soccer stars to get back into the sporting fold. A delegation led by Kuwaiti MP Abdullah alMaayouf, who played for the country at their only World Cup finals, has already met senior soccer officials from Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to push Kuwait’s case for reinstatement. Source : Arabian Business
SCORPIONS WIN KDD-KBL 2016 FEB PLAYOFF KDD–Kuwait Badminton League 2016 has 2 playoffs – one playoff was held in February and the next is scheduled for September 2016. The Scorpions emerged victorious with a clinical 43 win over Lions and Rainbow Archers won the 2nd runners up title defeating ACME Acers 5-2. The Scorpions, Winner KDD–KBL 2016, February playoff – owner Rajesh Panicker & Amith Krishnan. Anto Santiko, Aneef K Latheef, Sarin Joseph, Jabbar Farooqi, Sreekumar Gopinathan Nair, Saju Thomas, Mohammad Elkhyat, Sajeeve Punnakkal, Choi Yougie, Manju Roney, Juvy Caina, Pradeepan PM, Sayooj Ajaykumar, Manas Manoj, Keegan Sanctis; Dinesh Nair and Vishnu Sreekumar (international players) .Jerosh Koshy, Kishore Kumar, Bibin Mathew, Sanal Nambiar, Erwin Mercado, Emmanuel Elesis, Shahoor Ali, Nanang Reska, Syam SP, Alma Levy, AinurJubail, Suraj Arun Bapu, Adarsh Kamath, Iyan Sumarna, James Varghese–international player. Source : Arab Times
FITNESS FIRST, ON AN EXPANSION SPREE IN KUWAIT Fitness First Middle East (FFME), one of world’s leading fitness brands has continued to expand in the region with two new; the brand’s fifth and sixth clubs in Kuwait in March 2016. The new premium clubs are spread across 1100 square meters each with exclusive and separate facilities fo r b o t h m e n a n d women and are located in Sama Mall in Al Eqaila area behind Gate Mall. Each facility offers its members p re m i u m s e r v i c e s , best-in-class exercise equipment and a great exclusive environment to work-out and unwind. The expansive facility features group exercise studio with swing yoga facility for ladies and dedicated spinning studio for men, FitZone – freestyle, free weights and strength area with the latest functional training equipment as well as the multifunctional Synergy 360 training system. The clubs are fitted with an
extensive range of Life Cardio Equipment such as Treadmills, Bikes, Elipticals, Power Mill and New Flex Striders; all with attachable TV screens. An amazing variety of Free Weights, Plate L oad e d Eq u i p m e n t and New Insignia Line of strength machines from Life Fitness are an attraction at these clubs. Complete with Hammer Strength and Sy n e r g y 3 6 0 F u n ctional Training Unit, both the clubs are well kitted out with an array of Freestyle range of products such as Battle Ropes, TiYR, Bulgarian Bags, Slam Balls, Core Bags, Escape Octagon Olympic Lifting Platform, Vipr’s and TRX frames; making them a thorough and fully-equipped fitness destinations for fitness aficionados. Always providing more to its fitns offerings; members can also take advantage of exhilarating Group Exercise Classes with their free access as part of their member-
ship. Members can also opt for personal training by internationally certified fitness instructors and avail of the luxurious changing rooms with saunas and a relaxation area or the exclusive members lounge with wireless internet and complimentary drinks. Furthermore, members have access to the Sky Lounge and Cardio area, which features a waterfall for added relaxation. George Flooks, FFME Chief Operating Officer said, “We have an incredibly great and growing team and the momentum is on our side. We are at a place in our evolution where demand for fitness has been on the rise in the middle east and everyone is getting even m o r e f i t n e s s c o nscious. We have scaled our business and growth objective after i n te g rat i n g t h e d emand for specialized and experienced fitness solutions in the region. Source : MENAFM
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Issue 1
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