Assembly rejects proposal to quiz Central Bank chief

40 Pages·2015·13.43 MB·English

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THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 JAMADA ALAWWAL 21,1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net
Sculptor Sami ‘Top Gear’ The Real PSG knock
3 36 37 20
Mohammad presenter Fouz: Love Chelsea
to showcase brushes off yourself out of CL
his works suspension first
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L Assembly rejects proposal
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7 to quiz Central Bank chief
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GE MPs blast govt for not implementing laws Low Tide
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By B Izzak
11 feared dead
KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday rejected a
in US military proposal by several MPs to investigate the Central Bank
governor over alleged misuse of power by trading in
chopper crash shares of a bank under his supervision. Only 15 MPs of
the 40 members present supported the move, while the
rest - including all Cabinet ministers in the chamber -
rejected the motion. Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh said
MIAMI: Seven US Marines and four aircrew were feared
the government is totally
dead yesterday after an army helicopter crashed during
opposed to the proposal because
a night training exercise in Florida, military officials said.
the alleged violations of Governor
The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was reported missing
Mohammad Al-Hashel are being
Tuesday around 8:30 pm (0030 GMT yesterday) near
investigated by the public prose-
Eglin Air Force Base. The area was under heavy fog. A US
cution, which makes the parlia-
military official told AFP that all 11 personnel were
mentary probe meaningless.
feared dead, but officials were still treating the matter as The Capital Markets Authority
a search and rescue mission. was the first to raise the issue
Base spokesman Andy Bourland said search and res- about two months ago, alleging Al-Hashel
cue teams located debris from the aircraft at around that Hashel broke a law which bars him from dealing in
2:00 am. “Search and rescue efforts are underway at the shares of banks under his supervision. Hashel categori-
accident site currently,” he added, noting the accident cally denied the allegations in an official statement, say-
was under investigation. A second helicopter returned ing that he only received less than 1,000 shares in a bank
safely to the base. The aircraft, assigned to the 1-244th being a Kuwaiti citizen through a public subscription in
Assault Helicopter Battalion in Hammond, Louisiana, which all Kuwaitis received an equal number of shares.
were participating in what the military called a routine He denied that he has ever benefited from insider infor-
training mission with the Marine Special Operations mation.
Regiment from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. “My KUWAIT: Indian actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai is flanked by President of Longines Walter MP Saleh Ashour opposed the proposal, saying any
thoughts and prayers are with their families as the Von Kanel (left) and Behbehani Group President Ali Morad Behbehani at a ceremony to announce a move like this may negatively impact the national econ-
search and rescue continues,” Defense Secretary Ashton partnership between Longines and Behbehani Group at The Avenues mall yesterday. Rai is Longines’ omy because of the sensitivity of the Central Bank gover-
Carter told lawmakers during a hearing. — AFP ‘Ambassador of Elegance’. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat (See Page 37) nor’s post.
Continued on Page 13
News Riyadh recalls envoy from Sweden
i n b r i e f
STOCKHOLM: Saudi Arabia has recalled Erik Boman said earlier yesterday that noting that “women’s rights do not only
its ambassador to Sweden, accusing it of “diplomatic relations are not broken, but benefit women, but society as a whole”.
Apple apologizes as flagrant interference in its internal affairs Saudi Arabia’s ambassador has been Saudi Arabia is the only country in the
outage hits services as the rift between the two countries recalled”. The move comes amid a deep- world where women are not allowed to
WASHINGTON: Apple apologized to users yesterday deepens in the wake of Stockholm cutting ening rift in which Sweden cancelled a drive. The sexes are strictly segregated,
after a major outage of its online services, affecting cus- military ties. Riyadh said the move yester- controversial military cooperation deal women are required to dress in black from
tomers worldwide. The tech giant’s status page showed day was in response to criticism of Saudi after Saudi Arabia prevented Wallstroem head to toe when outside the home and
the App Store, iTunes, iBooks store and Mac App store Arabia’s human rights record by Swedish Monday from making a speech on human also still need permission from a male
went down from 0900 GMT and were still offline at 1900 Foreign Minister Margot Wallstroem, rights at the Arab League. Wallstroem had guardian to work and to marry.
GMT. Similar outages were seen in Apple online services which it said was “harmful to the king- been invited to the Cairo meeting in Wallstroem said “the explanation we
in Britain and France. The Next Web, the international dom”. Her remarks, which Riyadh did not praise of her government’s decision in have been given is that Sweden has high-
technology news site, said it had reports of outages identify, were “flagrant interference in October to recognize a Palestinian state. lighted the situation for democracy and
affecting more than 40 countries. “We apologize to our internal affairs, which is not accepted in Her speech, published by the Swedish human rights and that is why they do not
customers experiencing problems with iTunes and other international conventions”. The foreign foreign ministry, mentioned neither Saudi want me to speak”. She has rarely com-
services this morning,” Apple said in a statement emailed ministry added that because Wallstroem’s Arabia nor her feminist foreign policy mented on Saudi Arabia but, in January,
to AFP, blaming an “internal” domain name system error. comments do not “go well with amicable agenda, but stressed women’s and human criticized the kingdom’s treatment of
“We’re working to make all of the services available to relations between countries, the kingdom rights. “Freedom of association, assembly, blogger Raef Badawi, who had been sen-
customers as soon as possible, and we thank everyone of Saudi Arabia has recalled its ambassa- religion and expression are not only fun- tenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in
for their patience.” Apple’s iCloud and mail services were dor from Sweden”. damental rights and important tools in prison for insulting Islam.
also down, but appeared to have been restored after Swedish foreign ministry spokesman the creation of vibrant societies,” it read, Continued on Page 13 Margot Wallstroem
around four hours, according to the status page. Other
services such as FaceTime, messaging and Apple TV did
not appear to be affected. The outage made it impossible
for iPhone and iPad users to download music or to install
or update apps on their devices.
Bahrain arrests student
for singing Quran verses
DUBAI: A Bahraini high school student and two
teachers have been charged with “insulting Islam”
after the boy sang verses from the Holy Quran
accompanied by musical instruments, the official
BNA news agency reported yesterday. Islam allows
intonation of Quranic verses, and recordings of
chanting are frequently heard in marketplaces or
on the radio and television, but singing them to
musical accompaniment is prohibited. Prosecutor
Adnan Fakhro said authorities have “investigated
the incident of a video published on social media of
a student singing verses of the Holy Quran, accom-
panied by musical instruments”. The report, which
did not identify the instruments used, said the inci-
dent took place during an art competition.
Authorities have questioned “the student who sang
and the two teachers who trained him on the song
and played music,” Fakhro’s statement said. The trio
are being held pending further investigation.
According to Islamic tradition, tajweed, the recita-
tion of Islam’s holy book, adheres to strict rules of
intonation which vary according to a number of
recognized reading styles.
Nurses, medics in
demand in UAE
DUBAI:The healthcare sector in the UAE, which has been
steadily growing on the back of high population growth,
rapid urbanization and rising personal incomes has
stepped up its recruitment drive, with a number of hospi-
tals, clinics and other medical providers now looking to
hire more nurses, according to a Gulf News report yester-
day. In a new survey conducted by a UAE-based job list-
ing website, it was found that six in 10 healthcare compa-
nies (63 percent) in the UAE are keen on hiring additional
medical staff in the next three months to meet the grow-
ing demand for healthcare services.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
L O C A L
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets Armenian Prime Minister Hovik His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs
Abrahamyan yesterday, in the presence of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Yaqoub Al-Sane and Chairman of the Public Anti-Corruption Authority Abdulrahman Al-Nemash.
Sabah. —KUNA photos
Amir receives Armenian PM
Agriculture, tourism deals signed
KUWAIT:His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh
Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday received Armenian Prime Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Deputy Prime
Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and delegation accompany- Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry Dr
ing him. HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- Abdulmohsen Al-Mudej, and by Armenia’s Minister of
Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan and Minister of Economy
Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah attended the meeting. Karen Chshmaritian.
During the meeting, the Armenian Prime Minister National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim also
handed a letter to HH the Amir from Armenia’s President met the visiting Armenian Prime Minister, and the two
Serzh Sargsyan, tackling bilateral relations between both sides discussed bilateral cooperation prospects between
countries and means of enhancing these relations in all the two countries, as well as the latest regional and inter-
fields, in addition to an invitation to HH the Amir to visit national developments. Chairman of the Financial and
Armenia. Economic Affairs Committee MP Faisal Al-Shaya attended
the meeting. Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan
Two deals arrived in Kuwait yesterday on a two-day visit upon an
Later, HH the Prime Minister met his Armenian coun- official invitation extended by HH the Prime Minister
terpart at Bayan Palace, where they reviewed relations Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.
between the two friendly countries and the ways of
developing them to achieve the interests of the two Anti-Corruption Authority
friendly peoples. They also discussed key topics on In other news, HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-
regional and international levels as well as their stances Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-
toward them. Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah separately received Minister of
Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and Armenia’s Minister of
Following the meeting, the two sides inked two deals Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Yaqoub Al-Sane, and Chairman
Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan sign an agricultural deal between the two countries, as Kuwait’s Prime Minister His
on executive programs in the agricultural and tourist of the Public Anti-Corruption Authority Abdulrahman Al-
Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan look on.
fields for 2015-2017. The deals were signed by Kuwait’s Nemash. — KUNA
Arab ministers meet amid
Islamic endowment
‘crucial changes in region’
law to be proposed
Kuwait backs Arab crackdown on terrorism
KUALA LUMPUR: Kuwait Awqaf (Endowment) the bank in the sector of overhauling the legisla-
Public Foundation (KAPF) will propose a law that tive waqf, in its capacity as the coordinator of
will take into consideration the various interop- the awqaf file as designated by the Islamic min-
ALGIERS: The Arab Interior Ministers’ extreme ideologies. improving security and stability of Arab
eration of endowment implemented by Islamic isters’ conference.” The secretariat and the bank
meeting in Algeria is taking place at a “The magnitude of threats surround- citizens. He said Algerian President
sects and schools of thought, a Kuwaiti official made accomplishments at the level of updating
delicate time amid crucial and accelerat- ing us requires unity and serious work in Abdulaziz Bouteflika was playing a major
said yesterday. awqaf institutions and in addition to drafting a
ing events rocking the region, a senior order to confront all forms of extremism role in boosting Arab security.
The draft law for the legislation is being final- law to be used as a guideline in the sector, he
Kuwaiti official said yesterday. At the and ideological deviation which are dis- Sheikh Mohammad said Arab coun-
ized, said Dr Abdulmohsen Al-Jarallah Al- added.
forefront of the meeting’s agenda is the tant from Islam and Islamic Sharia,” tries needed to confront spread of
Kharafi, KAPF’s Secretary General, during his
issue of combating terrorism “which has Sheikh Mohammad said after arriving in rumors through social media network,
speech at the opening of a forum on endow- Various projects
become a danger to all societies and is Algiers Tuesday. Arab countries should cyber-crimes, counterfeiting, money
ment governance organized by KAPF and the Ahmad Al-Khalmishee of Morocco echoed an
condemned by Islam and all lofty human join hands to address security concerns laundering and drug trafficking. “Iam
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). identical impression regarding the awqaf sector
values,” Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister in order to contribute to economic devel- confident the Arab interior ministers will
He expressed hope that such step would help in Kuwait, adding that Kuwait has contributed
and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad opment, he added. approve a number of decisions that will
facilitate endowment efforts in the Muslim with various projects, namely publishing and
Khalid Al-Sabah said. Sheikh Mohammad underlined address circumstances in our region ...
world. Regarding a law for endowment for non- translating books related to waqf.
Because of that, “it is incumbent on us importance of Arab interior ministers’ and a number of security agreements,”
Muslim countries, Kharafi said that KAPF was Malaysia is hosting the fourth international
to consecrate our efforts to fight terror- meeting because it would contribute to he said. — KUNA
embarking on the second phase of the project, forum on waqf governance, organized by
ism, dry up its sources of funding, and
affirming that the foundation was up to the task Kuwait’s Awqaf Secretariat General, in coordina-
protect our children from its errant slant
of coordinating endowment efforts in the tion with the International Islamic University
and deviation from the teachings of
Islamic world. and the Islamic Development Bank. — KUNA
Islam,” said the minister, who is attending
the meeting. He added that also high on
Kuwait’s experience
the agenda of the meeting is the prob-
Meanwhile, IIUM Rector Zalikha Bint Qamar
lem of illegal use of drugs which he said
Eddine said that Malaysia aspires to study and
“is an anathema that targets one of the
take lessons from Kuwait’s awqaf experience.
nation’s most valued component, that
The Kuwaiti waqf governance experience is very
being the youth.”
important at the global level and Malaysia
Sheikh Mohammad emphasized that
aspires to benefit from it, she said on the side-
both these societal scourges: terrorism
lines of the forum. She added that Kuala Lumpur
and drugs are transnational, affecting the
would dispatch scholars to Kuwait to examine
whole world and endangering all. “We
this sector firsthand.
look ahead to exert more efforts toward
Waqf governance in Malaysia is facing
intensifying the level of cooperation
numerous problems and is lagging behind oth-
among our countries’ security apparatus-
er states in this field-such as Kuwait, Turkey and
es and continue exchanging expertise
Morocco, Qamar Eddine said. Explaining further,
and information on all security matters
she said waqf in Malaysia has not reached level
to achieve safety and development for
of legislation and lacks research.
our nations,” he said.
Abdullah Ould Mohammad, an advisor at the
Islamic Development Bank, said in the mean- KUALA LUMPUR: KAPF’s Secretary General Dr
Arab efforts
time that Kuwait’s Awqaf General Secretariat is Abdulmohsen Al-Kharafi speaks at the forum’s
Sheikh Mohammad had stated earlier
ALGIERS: Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad “considered the most important strategic ally of opening. — KUNA
that Kuwait supports every Arab effort
Khalid Al-Sabah is seen during the meeting. — KUNA
aimed at cracking down on terrorism and
Kuwait lawyers visit law
Kuwait strongly supports
institutions in The Hague
women’s rights: Official
BRUSSELS:A delegation of Kuwait Lawyers Association visit- Visiting these internationally renowned institutions is so
NEW YORK:The Kuwaiti government has taken measures to
ed a number of UN-affiliated law institutions in The Hague, significant due to their importance in terms of boosting inter-
ensure that women get their full rights, a Kuwaiti official said
Netherlands, Tuesday. The delegation visited the Peace Palace, national relations, said Othman Al-Saif, a delegation member.
on the sideline of a UN meeting yesterday.
which is home to a number of international judicial institu- He added that this visit would mark the beginning of coopera-
Since independence, Kuwait had adopted various meas-
tions, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the tion with the PCA. Meanwhile, Abdulmalek Al-Awadhi, head of
ures to empower women to ensure they get their full rights,
Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), and Hague Academy of international relations committee at Kuwait Lawyers
said Sheikha Latifa Fahad Al-Salem Al-Sabah, chairperson of
International Law, said Tareq Al-Shumaimri, Counselor at Association, expressed his gratitude to Kuwait Embassy for its
the Kuwaiti cabinet’s women affairs committee in her address
Embassy of Kuwait in The Hague. organization of the delegation’s visit. — KUNA
to the UN’s 59th session of the commission on the status of
women.
The most recent achievement in this domain was the
establishment of a family court that will ensure the rights of
women, said Sheikha Latifa, who heads Kuwait’s delegation to
the meeting. She added that Kuwait not only promotes
women’s right locally but was eager to support any UN effort
on this aspect internationally especially when it came to the
rights of women in Palestine.
The annual high-level gathering, which began on March 9,
NEW YORK: Sheikha Latifa Fahad Al-Salem Al-Sabah is will continue till the 20th of this month. Government officials
seen on the giant screen making her address to the and activists will take stock of progress and remaining chal-
UN’s 59th session of the commission on the status of lenges for implementing this landmark agreement for gender
women. — KUNA equality and women’s rights. — KUNA
THURSDAY, MARCH12, 2015
LO C A L
Girl in pink, boy in blue:
discrimination starts early
Human Rights Society holds symposium on women
By Nawara Fattahova ment to empower this resolution to
strengthen the role of women in building
KUWAIT: Marking the International and strengthening peace,” said Netefi.
Women’s day, the Kuwait Society for “The Kuwaiti women were always sup-
Human Rights (KSHR) held a symposium on portive of man, partners in making peace
women’s rights and discrimination against and defending it inside the country and
them on Tuesday at its premises. abroad. There are many examples for this in
“The United Nations Security Council our history, from which the most significant
(UNSC) Resolution 1325 on achieving may be Sheikha Mariam bin Sheikh
peace and security for women is one of the Abdullah who played a great role in resist-
important tools to achieve equality ing the aggressors,” Netefi said.
between genders. It also presents a critical
turning point in the human security issue. Gender discrimination
This resolution also includes women’s par- Dr Sawsan Husni Mahmoud, Consultant
ticipation in different levels of decision in Education and Development in the
making in addition to participating in United Kingdom highlighted that individu-
national, regional, and international al insti- als are responsible for the gender discrimi-
tutions which includes peace negotiation, nation in the same way as the institutions
conflict resolution and peace keeping as and governments. “Discrimination between
policewomen, soldiers, civil servants, and genders starts right after birth. Parents
representatives of the UN Secretary dress the baby girl in pink, while dressing
General,” said Khuloud Al-Netefi, the boy in blue. When they grow a bit they
Chairperson of the Women and Children are differentiated by activities. As a result,
Committee at KSHR. girls have to wash dishes, cook or clean,
while the boys play on the street. If the par-
Decision-making ents have a boy and a girl and a budget
The UNSC Resolution 1325 is a docu- only for educating one, they will choose
ment consisting of 18 points. “This resolu- the boy, although in fact the girl needs it
KUWAIT: Sami Mohammad poses with one of his works at his exhibition. —Photos by Joseph Shagra
tion is focusing on women’s participation in more as she will raise the future genera-
decision-making and peace operations tion. We also should review the curricula
Veteran Kuwaiti artist
including protecting the rights of women and develop it in addition to respecting
and girls. I call upon the Kuwaiti govern- human rights,” Mahmoud said.
to showcase his works
‘Sami Mohammad: A Retrospective’ opens Saturday
By Faten Omar the young sculptors are serious in human figures and will ask me to demand. I never stop working.
their work, because it requires give them a soul - then he will Even now, when I’m 70 years old, I
KUWAIT: Renowned Kuwaiti artist patience and a lot of effort. I’m send me to hell. I’m a rational per- receive orders. I am a fulltime
and sculptor Sami Mohammad has ready to teach anyone who wants son and think Almighty God artist. All my life I have worked as
been a pioneer for over fifty years to learn more, and I am already knows what I can do and what I an artist.
in Kuwait. Most of his artworks deal training two amazing young men can’t. He knows that I know he is KT: When did you make your
with the ideas of freedom, oppres- who aspire to be sculptors. the only one who can put souls first sculpture?
sion, genocide and suffering. KT: Does the government sup- inside people. A long time ago Mohammad: In 1971. It was a
Among his 120 pieces, the best port your work? before Islam, people practiced idol figure of ‘hunger’.
known are ‘Box’, ‘Sabra and Shatila’, Mohammad: The government worship. But history will not KT: Are there other members of
‘Hunger’ and ‘Mother’. Mohammad, supports us artists via the Free Art repeat. Ours is an open mind now. your family who are artists?
70, will exhibit his artworks at the Atelier, which was the reason why I KT: Why do you focus on Mohammad: There is no one
Contemporary Art Platform at the in my family linked to art, but my
Life Center in Shuwaikh Industrial children are interested in music
KUWAIT: Dr Sawsan Mahmoud, Consultant in Education and Development in Area. The exhibition, called ‘Sami and photography and they appre-
the United Kingdom (left), and Khuloud Al-Netefi, Chairperson of the Mohammad: A Retrospective’, ciate my work.
Women and Children Committee at Kuwait Society for Human Rights are opens on Saturday. KT: What do you like doing when
seen during the symposium. —Photo by Joseph Shagra Born in 1943 in Sharq, he stud- you are not making sculptures?
ied at the College of Fine Arts in Mohammad: I like to play the
Cairo from 1966 to 1970 and lute, listen to music, take pictures
Georgian corner opened
trained as a sculptor from 1973 to of my work and make a documen-
1975 at the Johnson Atelier in New tary about my works.
at National Library Jersey. He was a founding member KT: How did you learn to weld?
of both the Free Atelier in 1960 and Mohammad: I learned welding
of the Kuwait Society for Formative and sculpting techniques through
KUWAIT: The Embassy of Georgia to the ed today represents different areas of Arts in 1967. One of his works was specialized courses.
State of Kuwait in cooperation with Kuwait Georgian art, linguistic research and litera- presented at the 55th Venice KT: Who is your typical client?
National Library launched recently a ture, and it will become the foundation of Biennale in 2013, which was the Mohammad: My clients visit
Georgian Book Corner, which is aimed to the broader collection available for ordi- first time Kuwait participated in the me at my home, and they trust me
increase Kuwaiti readers’ familiarity with nary readers as well as for scholars and event. He has written a book about because I work hard and I’m devot-
Georgian literary and artistic traditions as researchers. Among the books are albums his work and career, The Art of Sami ed to them. I’m honest with my
well as to encourage the study of the lan- donated by the Ministry of Culture and Mohammad, which was published Sami Mohammad showing some of his works. clients. When I make the sculp-
guage, literature, and history of Georgia. Monument Protection of Georgia and rep- in 1995. tures, I tell them how many pieces
The first selection of books which is donat- resenting the heritage of such Georgian I will make. When you make one
painters like self-taught genius primitive Kuwait Times spoke with the piece, the price will be higher. My
artist Niko Pirosmani, as well as Elene artist at his studio. Excerpts: sculptures begin from KD 30,000
Akhvlediani, Petre Otskheli, Zurab KT: When did you become an up to KD 100,000. My expensive
Nijaradze and many others. artist? Which artists inspired sculptures have been gifted to
The most prominent place in this collec- you? Qatar and Dubai. My sculpture on
tion belongs to the jewel of the Georgian Sami Mohammad: I was talent- a street of Dubai is called ‘Kuwaiti
pre-Renaissance poetry, the medieval epic ed since childhood, but I owe my Sidra’.
poem, ‘The Knight in the Panther’s Skin,’ success to my Egyptian teacher KT: Do you sell your works
written approximately in 12th-13th cen- Anwar Seraj at the Kuwaiti Free Art online?
turies AD by immortal Shota Rustaveli. The Atelier, which was created in 1959, Mohammad: No I do not. I
work of Rustaveli has been translated into when I was 16 years old. Seraj deal with people face-to-face. Till
many languages and the Arabic translation taught me how to sculpt and now, I take orders from customers
of the poem was performed by Syrian directed me in the correct way. directly. My sculptures are
translator Nizar Khalil in 1984, published in KT: When did you become an renowned in all Arab and Western
Syria. “The Knight in the Panther’s Skin” is artist? Are you self-taught or countries.
considered to be one of the world’s master- classically trained? KT: How does the actual sculpt-
pieces and belongs to the world cultural Mohammad: I started sculpting ing process work? How long
heritage. Apart of its poetic beauty, in my twenties. I developed myself does it take?
Rustaveli’s work has an egregious impor- in this area in late 1960s in Egypt, Sami Mohammad with Abdul Razzaq, the gallery’s director. Mohammad: First, the sculptor
tance for both the scholars of Georgian specializing in all categories in should choose the base material,
studies and for researchers of the Middle sculpture, and I wanted to special- grew up as a sculptor. The govern- women’s bodies and trapped and the time will depend on the
East. It provides unique information about ize in human anatomy. ment supports us by providing art people? size and shape of the statue. I find
the lifestyle, traditions and customs of dif- KT: What inspires you as an materials, and we were sent abroad Mohammad: At first, I liked to it difficult to carve on demand. It is
ferent social groups in the region of that artist? to learn more. sculpt women’s bodies, but after easy for me to work with peace of
period. Mohammad: What has inspired KT: What materials do you use? the 1970s, I began to embody the mind, and it may take weeks or
Georgian Ambassador to Kuwait Gocha me is the issue of human suffering. Mohammad: I use stone, clay, cause of suffering and moved months. My ‘Sabra and Shatila’
Japaridze and his spouse Nunu Berozashvili Through my exposure to the daily wood, basalt, aluminum, iron and away from the female form piece took months to finish.
generously donated a copy and the Arabic- news and tragedies that I see every marble. because it cannot bear the conflict KT: Anything else you would like
Georgian Diplomatic Dictionary for the day, it is inspiring me to be a mirror KT: Did you face problems in and violence which I want to show. to add?
Corner, reads a statement by the embassy. to what is happening to people Kuwait or in the region for show- For that, a strong and muscular Mohammad: I would like to
since 1970. Kuwait, my country, is ing your kind of art? body is required. thank Amer Al-Hunidi, the owner
secure and stable though. Mohammad: What I really face KT: What are you working on of CAP, who appreciates art. I
KT: What advice can you give is that in our Arab society, sculp- now and what are your plans for thank his support for Kuwaiti cul-
to budding artists? ture is ‘forbidden’. When I started the future? ture, and I am grateful to Abdul
Mohammad: I advise beginners my work, my mother told me that Mohammad: I am working Razak, the director of the gallery,
turn to a professional sculptor to be sculpture is haram because God now on my current exhibition at who coordinated the exhibition
trained professionally. I hope that will punish me for making these the CAP, and I also work on satisfactorily.
KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) participated in the 20th Economy Makers and Employment Opportunities
Exhibition, which took place recently at Kuwait University’s College of Administrative Sciences under the auspices of Minister of
Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah.
THURSDAY, MARCH12, 2015
LO C A L
Stage set for Kuwait Times Student’s Art Competition’s conclusion
Abdul Aziz Arty Svetlana Arndt Abdul Kareem Al-Enizy Ameera Ashkinani
KUWAIT: Minister of Information and l Earned a bachelor’s degree in faculty of l Awarded “European medal of Franz Abdul Kareem Al-Enizy Russia Gallery 2009. Awards:
Minister of Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al- arts from Kuwait University. Kafka” by the European circle “Franz l Born in Kuwait in 1960 l First prize in the Kuwait Teachers Society’s l GCC Creative Arts Forum Awards 2010
Hmoud Al-Sabah will attend the closing cer- l Member of Kuwait Journalist association Kafka” (Prague) in Berlin-September l Bachelor’s degree in Psychology - Faculty photo competition on April 1981 - l Kuwait Creative Art Festival Award (HH
emony of Kuwait Times’ student’s art compe- and member in international for fine and 2001. of Arts, Kuwait University. Second prize in the teachers photo com- the Amir’s Award) 2013
tition ‘Kuwait Beautiful and Green.’ art c association. Asian hand craft l “World Prize of Salvador Dali” by the l President of the Kuwaiti Union for petition in 1981 - Earned a certificate of l Kuwait International Contemporary Art
Kuwait Times Deputy General Manager Association. Alliance Salvador Dali international, Advertising - Kuwait Journalist appreciation from the Ministry of Forum 2014
Adnan Saad, who is also the competition l Participated in multiple local and inter- Czech Republic, Spain, 2003. Association member. Education - Earned a commemorative
organizer, announced that a total of 95 national exhibitions from 1982- 2008 l Award in literature from the Almadina l Participated in all Kuwait Fine Arts plaque at the 1st Kharafi Panel for Modern Some advice from the judges
schools participated in the art competition including Bulgaria , Havana , Korea , Culture Society, Madrid, Spain, 2006 for Association galleries since 1986 - partici- Kuwaiti Arts in December 2004 - Won the How you can win the art competition:
being organized in cooperation with Russia , Saudi Arabia , Qatar and the year- her poem “A blue bird in my palm” - pated in multiple local, Arab and interna- Martyr’s Exhibition award in August 2005 - l Draw a picture by yourself!
Chevron, Zain and Gulf University for ly gallery exhibitions organized by “Pajaro Azul”. tional galleries including: 1st Kharafi Panel Won the His Highness the Amir Award in l Make sure you understand everything
Science and Technology. Kuwait and United Emirates. l Trebbia 2007 European award for the for Modern Kuwaiti Arts in December February 2008. that’s required and what you’re agreeing
He added that the objective of this com- l Carecatcher artist at Al Arabi magazine support of Arts and Creative Activities 2004 - National Day and Liberation Day to.
petition is to make students aware about the and previous at Al Waten Newspaper. (together with her husband Mohammed Exhibition on February 2005 - Martyr’s Ameera Ashkinani l The picture can show anything you
fragile environment of Kuwait, and the wider l Participated in Kuwait Water Painting Al-Qadiri, General Manager of Ghadir Exhibition 2005 - Small Arts Festival March l Born in Kuwait appreciate in Kuwait (nature, city, people,
Kuwaiti population aware about national gallery on May 2006, Al Kharafi panel for Gallery Kuwait), Prague (Czech Republic, 2006 - Arab World Culture Festival in Paris l B.A. Holder in Arts Education animals and different plants and flowers,
environmental issues through the student modern Kuwaiti arts in December 2006. Jan 2008). in April 2006 - Kuwaiti Water Paintings l Arts Education Supervisor at MOE sea and sky).
community. Port Saeed Art exhibition2004; First per- l Awarded Novo Prize at Gallery in May 2006 - Kuwaiti Arts l Use symbols of Kuwait such as flag, coat
Student’s ranging across all ages and sonal exhibition on1992 at Kuwait Hajduboszormeny Symposium, Hungary, Exhibition in Berlin in September 2006 - Memberships: of arms, Kuwait memorials.
grades will represent their schools. Students Culture and Art Council. 2010. Kuwait Exhibitions for Visual Arts l Kuwait Fine Arts Association (KFAA) l The picture must be complete.
have already received the drawing sheets l From memories to memories personal Creativity in February 2007 - 1st personal l International Association of Art (IAA) l The picture should be clearly signed.
and they may draw anything related to caricature exhibition at Kuwait Svetlana Arndt exhibition (Hawajes) at the Kuwait Fine l GCC Fine Arts Societies Union (GFASU) l If you’re not sure, ask questions.
planting and beautifying Kuwait. They are Association for formative Art. l Ukrainian female artist. Arts Association in November 2007 - l Arab Plastic Arts Union (APAU) l Understand the theme.
required to complete the painting by March l Earned a certificate of appreciation from l A graduate from TTC (Teacher Training Transparency Gallery for Fine Arts on l Enter your best.
19, 2015 and send it back to Kuwait Times. A the Kuwait National Assembly for Culture College) Zaporozhe, Ukraine 1984-86. February 2008 - Small Arts in Bait Participations: l Don’t give up.
panel of judges comprising of Kuwaiti and and Art Council. l State Pedagogical University of Kiev, Abdullah on February 2008 - 2nd Kuwait l Kuwait Creative Arts Festival 2007-2015 l Don’t draw dark and frightening scenes
expatriate artists will evaluate the artworks l Earned a gold medal at caricature exhibi- Specialty “Teaching and Methodology of Festival for Fine Arts Creativity in February l Kharafi International Biennale 2006-2012 or copies of other artworks.
according to the age categories of students. tion during GCC meeting on 1994, been Initial Education”. 2008 - Modern Kuwaiti Arts Gallery in l Kuwait Forum for GCC Art 2010, 2011 l Listen to an art teacher’s instructions.
The criteria for any winning entry will be elected to participate in Monte Carlo l Teacher of initial classes of secondary Bahrain in May 2008 - Kuwait Forum for l Kuwait Contemporary Art Exhibitions in l Examine artworks.
based on the students’ creativity, unique- Competition 1994, earned the golden school, Ukraine. Gulf Fine Arts Creativity in May 2008 - Germany, Bahrain, Riyadh, Jeddah, Russia, l Practice using different drawing materi-
ness, amount of effort and technique. plaque on the level of Arab countries l Teacher of initial classes of secondary Small Arts Festival 2008 - ‘Kuwait in Ukraine, Roma, Madrid and London als.
organizes yearly by the United Arab school Kiev, Ukraine. Egypt’s Heart’ Festival as part of the l Personal Exhibitions: l Participate in training workshops.
The Judges: Emirates 1995 . l Methodologist of the General Secondary Kuwaiti Cultural Week in June 2008 - 3rd l Adeem Al-That (Self-Crust) 2009 at Kuwait Students, you only have one week to fin-
Abdul Aziz Arty l Awarded “Prize for Art activities” of the Education Department of the Institute of Kharafi Panel for Modern Arab Arts in Formative Art Association ish your art work. Please all drawing sheets
l Kuwaiti male formative artist. He was European Union of Arts in Prague (Czech System Research of Education of November 2008 - 3rd Kuwaiti Festival for l Human Gestures 2011 at Kuwait should be sent back to Kuwait Times office
born in Kuwait in 1960. Republic) May 2001. Ukraine. Fine Arts Creativity in February 2009 - Formative Art Association before 19 March 2015. Good luck.
Gulf Bank participates in
ACK’s 4th MOTO BAZAAR
Attendees at ACK’s 4th Moto Bazaar visit Gulf Bank’s booth.
KUWAIT: Gulf Bank recently participated in the 4th MOTO the red account, the Bank’s dedicated program specially
BAZAAR event which took place at the Australian College designed for students aged 17 to 24 years. The account
of Kuwait (ACK). requires no minimum deposit to open and can be used as
This year’s bazaar brought students, their family and savings accounts with monthly interest payments. In addi-
friends together in creative atmosphere where youth set tion, red account holders receive regular special offers and
up booths to sell their products and enjoy the festive pro- discounts at over 150 outlets in Kuwait.
gram at the bazaar. In addition, bazaar attendees enjoyed a To find out more about the red account and its unique
classic car and motorcycle show. Over the two-day MOTO benefits for young people, students can visit the Bank’s
BAZAAR event, Gulf Bank had a fully manned stand show- stand at ACK, visit any one of Gulf Bank’s 59 branches, or
casing the bank’s red account as well as to assist students call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805. Information
with any banking requirements. is also available on the Bank’s bilingual website at www.e-
Gulf Bank’s presence aims at informing students about gulfbank.com/red.
KUWAIT: KUNA Board Chairman and Director-General Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij Al-Ibrahim Al-Sabah
met a visiting CNN Arabic delegation yesterday, and held talks on aspects of cooperation between
both news organizations. During the meeting, they discussed the possibility that the CNN Arabic can
provide training courses to KUNA staff at its centers in Dubai or the US city of Atlanta. The visiting del-
egation expressed willingness to give KUNA access to its news video services. —KUNA
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
L O C A L
Stomach bug bites Kuwait
Crime
R e p o r t
Debtor takes
By Meshaal Al-Enezi She added that the infection is caused by Airline officer charged ing commuters trips to their destinations
contaminated food or water. It can be A senior official at a local airline was so long and difficult. The roads grid had
own life KUWAIT:Dr Wafa Al-Hashash, Head of the detected by blood tests, gastroscopy and referred to prosecution on charges of profi- been developed in over 30 years.
Liver and Digestive System Unit at Sabah stomach biopsy, she said. teering by getting KD 130,000 worth airline
Health Zone, warned of the growing num- tickets for him and his friends. Wasting water
ber of Stomach Bug cases in Kuwait. She Court upholds women’s petitions Abdullah Al-Kandari, Head of the
By Hanan Al-Saadoun
stressed that over half of the world’s popu- A Kuwaiti court yesterday ordered Traffic patrols Municipal Council’s Environmental Affairs
lation is already infected with this bug, also divorcing a citizen considering her com- Yousif Al-Ghareeb, Municipal Council Committee, warned that squandering
KUWAIT: A 24-year-old citizen hanged himself in his
known as stomach spiral bacteria, which plaint that her husband smokes, said secu- Member and Head of Hawally Committee, water outside houses leads to the damage
Mubarak Al-Kabeer house. A security source said he had
leads to stomach and duodenum ulcers rity sources. In another court ruling, a man- urged relevant authorities intensify traffic of roads and infrastructure that costs for-
married recently and had become a father, adding that he
and, sometimes to cancer. Many people date was made on the complaint of a patrols on heavily congested roads during tunes to be repaired. Kandari added that at
killed himself because of loans and financial problems,
might not even realize they are infected female student to carry on with her post- rush hours so that they could help ease the least 20 percent of Kuwait’s 380 million gal-
according to his family.
with these bacteria that cause symptoms graduation studies at Kuwait University traffic flow. lons daily consumption of fresh water (76
like congestion, abdominal pain, contrac- which the concerned committee at KU had He added that certain spots and roads million gallons) is wasted and that this calls
tion and iron deficiency, Dr Hashash said. earlier rejected. usually get blocked with heavy traffic mak- for stricter penalties.
Two tons waste
lifted off Umm
Al-Namil Island
Protester arrested
Citizenship investigations
department detectives arrested
citizen Khalifa Al-Hashash who
staged a sit-in in front of the
Nationality and Passports
Department building in Dajeej.
Hashash had several placards
calling for justice and restoring
the nationalities of those whose
nationalities were revoked. The
source said Hashash was sent to
state security.
KUWAIT: First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah speaks
during the parliament’s session yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat
MPs reassured about
State’s foreign policy
KUWAIT: The State of Kuwait’s foreign policy is based on Al-Sabah in their address to the parliament at the start of
moderation and balance, First Deputy Prime Minister and the new legislative term. The Kuwaiti Government adopts a
Drug dealers caught
Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al- policy of moderation and balance, amid “this scorching tur-
Two men were arrested with 250 gm of opium. Information Sabah affirmed yesterday. bulence in the region, and we pray to His Almighty Allah to
about an Iranian man trading in drugs was received by the Speaking at yesterday’s Parliament session, the minister spare us repercussions of these events.”
DCGD, which then following legal procedures raided his expressed understanding of concerns expressed by some In other news, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled leaves for Riyadh
house and found 50 gm of opium. He told police that he MPs in this respect, assuring the lawmakers that broad today to head Kuwait’s delegation to the 134th round of
gets the drugs from another Iranian man, who in turn was lines of the country’s foreign policy are declared by His the ministerial council of the Gulf Cooperation Council. His
arrested and 200 gm of the drug was found. Both were Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and accompanying delegation will include a number of senior
sent to concerned authorities. His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak ministry officials.— KUNA
KUWAIT: Kuwait Dive Team lifted two tons of fishing nets
and other neglected materials and waste from Umm al
Namil island seabed and beach.
The project of Umm Al-Namil cleanup, one the team’s
important operations, was conducted in coordination with
the islands team affiliated with Kuwait City Municipality,
said Waleed Al-Shatti, Head of the team’s marine opera-
tions. The team, which is affiliated to the Environmental
Voluntary Foundation (EVF), used small boats to reach the
island where the divers succeeded in lifting the fishing
nets, plastic waste, dead birds and sunken boats, Shatti
said. He added that the first phase of the operation was
conducted during the high tide to reach the island easily,
stressing on the continuation of the team’s task to carry out
‘Spice’ possession the cleanup operation of this island as well as other Kuwaiti
Farwaniya police arrested a Kuwaiti man with 50 islands.
envelopes of ‘Spice’ drug that has become popular The 569,000 square meters Umm al Namil Island is
lately. He also had KD 3830, believed to be collected located within Kuwait Bay, is only 600 meters from the
from drug sales. Kuwaiti mainland, and ranks fifth in size after Boubiyan,
Failaka, Warbah and Miskan. It is a habitat for diverse
marine creatures such as crabs, shrimps and fish, as well as
being a bed nest for large flocks of birds. — KUNA
Smuggling foiled
KUWAIT: The Civil Defense Department carried out a mock
Kuwait airport customs officers foiled a Sri Lankan man’s
exercise to evacuate the main building of the electricity and
attempt to smuggle four kilograms of heroin. The drugs
water ministry in South Surra. Fire and medical emergencies
were hidden in 15 cans of beans.
participated in the exercise. — By Hanan Al-Saadoun
KUWAIT: Kuwait Municipality Ahmadi branch conducted
inspection campaigns at supermarkets in Sabahiya,
resulting in issuing nine citations for not following gen-
eral hygiene, working without receiving health certifi-
cates and employing workers before receiving their
health certificates. — By Hanan Al-Saadoun
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
From the Arabic press
Crime
Al-Watan
R e p o r t
On education
Conman in reforms, again
police net
By Dr Shamlan Al-Essa
KUWAIT: Detectives arrested a Kuwaiti fashion T
he courageous steps being taken by Education
designer for conning a citizen. Lawyer Sultan Al-
Minister Dr Bader Al-Essa in the education field
Mandeel filed a complaint on behalf of his client
are reforms that deserve to receive support from
against the designer, who offered the client to the state and society so as to realize those reforms. The
be her partner in a shop, with promises of good minister says that the higher education ministry tries to
profits. The client agreed because of the design- collect debts from students who have learning difficul-
er’s reputation, but when she did not deliver on ties and therefore did not complete their studies. He
her promises and there was no project two years said the ministry is keen on following this matter,
later, the victim resorted to the police to get her adding that there are special committees that work
money back. hard on preparing an integrated plan for the admission
mechanisms in the higher education institutes. It is also
keen on having Kuwaiti students getting their admis-
Maids charged with theft sion as it is serious on students completing their uni-
versity studies.
A citizen accused two of her maids of stealing
We support any serious steps taken by the minister
a diamond ring worth KD 8,000 by breaking
in the field of reforming education, and no one denies
into her cupboard. Surra police are investigat-
that our students in all education stages from the ele-
ing. A thief broke into a polyclinic in Fahaheel
mentary through secondary are suffering because of
and stole the cash box with KD 1,504 in it.
the sterility of the educations system, which forces the
student on learning by heart and receiving information
Al-Anbaa instead of creativity and innovation. The school stage is
Drug dealer arrested the most critical stage in forming the mentality, princi-
Andalus police arrested an Iraqi man who tar- Kuwait indispensible in ples and abilities of our children from the age of 4 - 8,
geted cafe patrons to sell them ‘Spice’ and so they should get good education in a changing world
‘Chemical’ drugs after receiving them by courier. that only recognizes outstanding performance.
A security source said information was received fighting IS: Pentagon We are aware that the new minister cannot deal
that the man sold drugs to university and insti- with all complicated educational issues which include
tute students, and was caught. The suspect had updating and developing students, teachers, adminis-
50 envelopes of spice and KD 3,830. He told tration, curricula and methods. For success to be
police he gets the drugs by courier and sells it to achieved in all educational stages, a societal movement
KUWAIT: Kuwait is an integral member in source said during the recent visit of US deprive the terrorists from finding a safe
students. that is aware of the importance of education which is
the anti-IS international alliance not only Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to haven,” the source said.
not easy on early education and training is required.
for logistically supporting the alliance, but Kuwait. “Attacking IS in Mosul would only Commenting on training Syrian oppo-
The question: How can outstanding students who
for other strategic supports it provides, a commence once the Iraqi troops are sition, the source said that it would be
Fugitive caught are searching for knowledge instead of a degree to get
US defense secretary source said. The ready for it and that preparations are cur- done to help them defend the Syrian
a job and the social status, be prepared?
Hawally detectives arrested a citizen who is a support Kuwait can extend include rently pending including air strikes, cut- people from IS attacks.
The steps by the higher education ministry in being
suspect in 32 cases that vary from thefts, sources such as efforts in fighting radical ting enemy communication lines and iso- “President Obama sees that the
strict in the admission policy to the university and
robberies and drug use. He had a pistol, 20 ideologies, funding the organization as lating Mosul. Anti-IS strike and operations Syrians will never be stable with Asad in
applied institutions are very important. I say it very
Kuwaiti nationality certificates, medical doc- well as the human aids it presents, the would continue in both Iraq and Syria to power,” stressed the source. — Al-Anbaa
frankly and clearly, out of my humble experience in
uments, 40 mobile phones, nine computers
university teaching, which was extended over 30 years,
and six expensive watches. He told police he Nisf’s reinstatement suspended
that university education is in danger, and the academ-
spent the stolen money on entertainment.
ic and scientific level of new students who are coming
out from the general secondary is very weak and is not
KUWAIT: The Cassation Court decided to accept the govern- ship and oppressing liberties. They also warned that up to the required level. Is it realistic that students are
System failure
ment’s request to stop the implementation of a decision by such practices have been hindering Kuwait’s resump- admitted to the college of social science, with a gap of
A security source said the traffic department’s the appeals court to return Sami Al-Nisf as chairman of Kuwait tion of its leading regional cultural role. In protest over 75-80% and cannot read a few lines in the scientif-
computer stops displaying fines when they reach ic material, and cannot express themselves fluently?
Airways until a final decision is made. Meanwhile, the against the ministry’s practices, the information min-
KD 3,150 or 50 citations. Any violations that Who can believe that some female university stu-
Cassation Court decided to extend the period of a decision istry’s censorship committee member and writer
exceed this amount can only be known after dents do not know the location of Kuwait bay and a
over Al-Kharafi Group’s demands from Al-Watan newspaper to Abdullah Khalaf has resigned. Some writers described
paying the KD 3,150, or by consulting the min- college is located in Shuwaikh? We have highly out-
pay KD 20 million until March 31. Kharafi Group is seeking the the ministry’s practices as IS-like that have been
istry’s information center. The source said a standing students in the colleges of medicine, apllied
amount from Al-Watan over purchases of paper and printing ‘beheading creativity’, thinking that writers would
report will be sent to Interior Ministry medicine, engineering, science, math and others, but
supplies, which Al-Watan has not paid for. — Al-Qabas ‘bury’ their heads in the sand and keep silent about it.
Undersecretary Lt Gen Suleiman Al-Fahd to solve most social and arts majors are below standard.
Dr Khalifa Al-Waqian said that researchers, thinkers and
the problem. The source said this problem has Strict measures in accepting students in university
Authors frustrated intellectuals were no longer able to handle major education and scholarships is required, and in order
embarrassed traffic officers, as a citizen pub-
KUWAIT: A number of Kuwaiti writers and authors recently issues because they were surrounded with endless not to be unfair to all applicants be them general sec-
lished a clip on social media showing that he has
slammed what they described as a series of abuse and arbi- restrictions and impediments. Dr Suleiman Al-Askari ondary graduates, a test is required to be admitted.
traffic fines totaling KD 23,000, which was proven
trariness practiced by the Ministry of Information, noting stressed that no censor is able to judge a literary work This rigorousness is required because grades of the
right after referring to the information technolo-
that it has been killing ‘Kuwaiti creativity’ through censor- unless he is, at least, as cultured and educated as the general secondary are not right, because students of
gy center at the ministry. —Al-Rai
authors themselves. — Al-Jarida private schools, especially the bi-lingual ones have dif-
ficult tests and their curricula are foreign, that is why
Violators to be fined their grades are less than those of government second-
KUWAIT:Minister of Communications and Municipality ary graduates. In order to be unfair to anyone for schol-
Affairs Essa Al-Kandari stressed that public funds viola- arships, all must pass the TOEFL test with at least 500
tors would be legally held accountable, be them small points in order to be admitted to foreign universities.
or senior officials. “If by his own actions, an employee I was hurt and attacked, and was sent to the prose-
cution because I said the truth about some of our stu-
causes damage to others who go to court, sue their
dents describing them as hollow drums, and I may be
departments and win cases and get compensations, the
tough in my evaluation, but is there an ideal way to
department will sue that particular employee and have
change the reality of sick education other than being
him pay the compensation,” he explained. In directives
strict, and increasing care of our children before they
circulated in both ministries under his jurisdiction,
are lost? — Al-Watan
Kandari stressed that laws mandate public servants do
their jobs properly and stick to rules and regulations.
“They should also dedicate working hours for job duties
alone,” he underlined. — Al-Jarida
Al-Jarida
MoE enforces retirement Strange political
KUWAIT:Education Minister Dr Bader Al-Essa said com-
pulsory retirement for those in supervisory jobs situations
includes directors of educational areas and there are no
exceptions, “even for my family”. Essa said retirement is
mandatory for MoE employees who have worked 35 By Dr Hassan Jouhar
years or more, adding that there is no change for
employees who have served for 34 years or less. He
T
he political situation in Kuwait is going through a
commented on a report by the Kuwait Institution for
state of strange illogical contradictions as the
Scientific Research on building schools in south Ali Al-
opposition and public movements have subsided
Salem by saying, “of course we will build various schools
almost next to zero levels, while systematic corruption
in that area as soon as we see the report”. — Al-Rai
prevails in all constitutional establishments including
the parliament, if not sponsored by official bodies.
What is even stranger is this boldness that corruption
Al-Anbaa advocates have been showing in discussing ideas and
taking attitudes that mock and take people’s intelli-
Mind ‘Socratization’ gence very lightly. Things have turned so bad that some
lawmakers admire corrupt, custom-tailored legislations
such as reviving the bad debts law at this particular time
when oil prices have retreated to one third of what they
By Salah Al-Sayer
were a year ago, leading to huge deficits.
‘M One other strange thing lies in the fact that the
e against my brother, me and my brother
majority of the people are angry and well aware that the
against my cousin and me and my cousin
country was steeply falling into desperate, depressing
against the world.’ This common saying is
levels of corruption, especially after the futile measures
such a terrible concept that encourages fanaticism the government took against opposition members such
and prejudice. Yet, it proved very useful and wise in as detainment, imprisonment and withdrawing citizen-
ancient times when fanaticism for tribes, families and ships. The question now is: What’s next? What options
clans provided individuals with protection. It also can we use to stop political deterioration and corrup-
provided them with job opportunities when family tion? Can we ever revive hopes of reform? These are def-
members and cousins used to work together in herd- initely difficult questions that pose great challenges for
ing or agriculture long before many of them received any political blocs because the majority icons are step-
education. The true alliance in those days was one ping backward and got lost in internal conflicts and
made in both good and vicious causes! agendas because they had been infiltrated and dis-
‘You have to be a wolf amongst wolves.’ This is persed. They imposed radical religious slogans regard-
another saying that calls for brutality and savagery. It less of any national reform projects. They are prioritizing
portrays people as a group of predators living in a Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Yemen. They tried
jungle and urged to act as fierce as wolves do with dragging the masses to such controversial agendas that
other animals. It encourages lupine, vicious behavior have created internal divisions. Enthusiastic youth are
with people to avoid being ‘eaten’ by other ‘human no more impressed by those icons, who except for
monsters.’ Just like the previous saying, this one no being former lawmakers, lack any leadership potentials.
longer fits our era, though it used to be very useful in On the other hand, the government and its allies
ancient times when tribes used to conquer each oth- have taken full control of the media, the press and satel-
er and wars, in which the mightier had the upper lite TV channels.
hand, were endless. Opposition activity is now limited to social media
So many of those proverbs, sayings and ideas that networks and smartphones despite the fierce competi-
still dominate our minds and conscience and form tion they get from others also using these technologies
our collective concepts and mentality are no longer and the huge amount of mind-distracting rumors.
fit for ‘human consumption’ in this modern civilized If there is any hope that the national opposition
age. Therefore, we need to review them and work on resumes it role, I believe this would come through
‘deleting’ them from the minds of younger genera- resuming dialogue amongst various political, social and
tions through intense media and educational pro- public factions with an attempt to focus on one unques-
grams. We need to restructure and update mentali- tionable goal and exclude any narrow-minded mottos
ties and ideologies, because according to Socrates, or agendas in addition to bringing younger members
getting rid of old rigid ideas is but an introduction to who have not been tarnished by sectarian, tribal or
regional concepts forward to take the leadership.
generating new time and age-appropriate ones.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
House for sale
in Indonesia
Iraq dismisses Saudi worries about Iranian control
with free wife
Page 8 Page 12
ALEPPO: A wounded woman, still in shock, leaves Dar El Shifa hospital in Aleppo, Syria. — AP
Syria’s civil war eclipsed by IS terror
BEIRUT: As Syria’s civil war rages into a fifth year, the daily tries, all this money and armaments and so on?” he said. the first few years of the Syrian revolution, there were Hokayem, senior fellow at the London-based
suffering of its people has been overshadowed by atroci- “You supposed that he’s a dictator who is killing his good two clearly identified sides to the conflict. Today, it’s a war International Institute for Strategic Studies, does not
ties committed by the Islamic State group that have people, so the people are against him, regional countries of everyone against everyone,” said Bitar. The past year expect a political solution in the foreseeable future. “The
sparked international horror. Four years after anti-regime are against him, and the West is against him-and he suc- saw a dramatic decline of the Western-backed rebel Free levels of violence may drop because a lot of people have
protests broke out on March 15, 2011, jihadists control ceeded,” Assad said, referring to himself. Syrian Army, which after some initial military gains already been killed and there will be a transfer of popula-
large tracts of territory, a defiant President Bashar Al- against Assad’s forces has since been reduced to a sprin- tion,” he said. “But it’s very difficult to see Syria being put
Assad is clinging to power and revolutionary dreams ‘Everyone against everyone’ kling of weak and underfunded groups. Syria’s economy together any time soon.” Pro-democracy activists have
have faded. The sickening tactics of IS have captured the The revolution has evolved into a complex conflict and infrastructure have been destroyed. Hunger and cold lost hope. “What revolution are we talking about now? I
world’s attention in a conflict that has killed more than with many sides-from regime forces backed by Lebanese knock on every door. am totally convinced the international community has no
210,000 people. With a brutality shown to the world in Hezbollah Shiite militants and Iranian military officers to More than 12 million people are in need of humanitar- conscience,” said Yazan Homsy, who endured a nearly
their own slick film productions, the jihadists have opposition rebels, jihadist rivals and Kurdish militia. “In ian aid and over 11 million have fled their homes. Emile two-year regime siege of his home city Homs. — AFP
beheaded hostages, hung the bodies of “infidels” and
“spies” from crosses, and thrown homosexuals from
rooftops.
They have paraded caged prisoners and enslaved
women through the streets, released gruesome videos of
the murder of Western hostages and burned alive a
Jordanian fighter pilot. They have attacked minority com-
munities and destroyed ancient artefacts. “IS has gone so
far in its horror that it has succeeded in persuading the
West that it represents the ultimate enemy, and that
everyone else is a lesser evil,” said Karim Bitar, researcher
at the Paris-based Institute for International and Strategic
Relations. “We have therefore returned to the state of
mind that looks at everything through the prism of the
war against terrorism,” he said.
IS began gaining prominence in 2013 as an Al-Qaeda
affiliate before essentially being disowned by the global
extremist network. After initially avoiding confrontation
with the Syrian army, it began openly fighting the regime
the next year. By then, IS had captured territory in Syria’s
north and east from anti-regime rebels and Al-Qaeda’s
official Syrian branch Al-Nusra Front. Last June IS
declared an Islamic “caliphate” spanning swathes of Syria
and neighboring Iraq. Foreign fighters have streamed
into Syria to join the jihadist ranks, causing alarm over-
seas about the prospect of battle-hardened militants
coming home.
‘A lesser evil’
By agreeing in 2013 to hand over its chemical
weapons to a global watchdog, Syria ensured that the
West would not intervene militarily against Assad, even
after a deadly chemical attack that killed hundreds out-
side Damascus. With a US-led coalition now waging daily
air strikes against the jihadists, the West increasingly sees
Assad as a potential partner in the war against IS. Calls for
his departure have fallen by the wayside. UN envoy
Staffan de Mistura recently described Assad as “part of
the solution”. “We have begun to think once again, like
we did before the Arab revolutions, that authoritarianism
is a lesser evil and that we should engage authoritarian
regimes,” Bitar said.
In a recent interview with Portuguese television, a
confident Assad brushed off Syria’s uprising as a Western
conspiracy, much like he did in the very first stages of the
revolt. “How could a revolution collapse or fail if you have
the support of the West, the support of regional coun-
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
I N T E R N AT ION A L
Iraq dismisses Saudi worries about Iranian control
CAIRO:Iraq’s foreign minister dismissed Saudi con- Arab League meeting. “We want relations with Faisal told a news conference last week. Asked expressed concern about Iran’s growing influence in
cerns that Iran was taking control of his country and Saudi Arabia and with Iran ... Our openness to Saudi about those comments, Jaafari said the fighting in Yemen, where it has supplied weapons, money and
he said Baghdad sought good relations with both Arabia does not mean our relations with other Tikrit was the result of Iraqi efforts, adding: “It’s no training to the Shiite Houthi militia, according to
regional powers. Sunni Muslim powerhouse Saudi countries will flag ... and this does not mean Iraq is secret there are countries supporting us”. Iraqi offi- Yemeni and Iranian officials. Jaafari sought to high-
Arabia, the main regional rival of Shiite Iran, fears becoming Persian.” Powerful Iranian-backed militias cials say Iran helped organize Shiite volunteers and light evidence of improving Iraqi-Saudi relations.
Tehran’s growing influence in Iraq, whose govern- have taken charge of the battle against Islamic State militia forces last year after Grand Ayatollah Sistani “We have cooperated to define a building for the
ment is Shiite-led. Riyadh is also concerned that Iran militants in Iraq since the Iraqi army deserted en appealed to Iraqis to defend their country following Saudi embassy in Baghdad ... and we welcomed a
will gain from any nuclear deal it manages to clinch masse last summer. Iran has recently sent an elite big territorial advances by Islamic State. delegation from the Saudi foreign ministry,” he said.
in its ongoing negotiations with the West. Revolutionary Guard commander to oversee part of However, the officials put the number of Iranian Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iraq after then-dictator
“Iran has supported Iraq but did not send armies the battle in Tikrit north of Baghdad. advisers in Iraq in the hundreds, far fewer than the Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. Earlier this
to Iraq and did not interfere in Iraq’s sovereignty”, “The situation in Tikrit is a prime example of 3,000 US officers training Iraqi troops. US and coali- year, Saudi Arabia’s late King Abdullah ordered mis-
Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari said in an inter- what we are worried about. Iran is taking over the tion forces are also conducting air strikes against sions to be opened in Baghdad and Arbil, capital of
view in Cairo late on Tuesday after attending an country,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al- Islamic State fighters in Iraq. Saudi Arabia has also Iraq’s Kurdish region. — Reuters
Question marks hang over
Darfur peacekeeping force
Armed groups attack with impunity
ZAM ZAM CAMP:One of the world’s largest peacekeeping overhaul the mission and improve its effectiveness. “What is
forces is being cut back and revamped as it has been failing to happening at the moment is not working,” a Security Council
protect civilians in Darfur, the vast Sudanese region where ambassador said. “It’s expensive. The mission is dysfunctional
gunmen roam in Land Cruisers and on horseback. While diplo- in a number of ways.” The ambassador added that the goal was
mats and UN officials feel a smaller version of the joint United “a sharp refocusing and contraction of the mission.” According
Nations-African Union force could be more effective, question to several UN officials, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon grew so
marks over its future terrify some of the millions of people frustrated with UNAMID last year that he said it should be shut
caught up in nearly 12 years of bloodshed. The Darfur conflict down. The comment was more an expression of exasperation
began in 2003 when mainly non-Arab tribes took up arms than a recommendation for policy, the officials said. Asked
against the Arab-led government in Khartoum, accusing it of about Ban’s comment, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric
discrimination. The mass killings of a decade ago have eased, referred to Ban’s latest report on Darfur to the Security Council
but the insurgency continues and Khartoum has sharply esca- and its description of the worsening humanitarian and security
lated attacks on rebel groups over the past year. situation and challenges UNAMID faces - including movement
Residents of sprawling camps for people displaced by the restrictions and attacks against peacekeepers.
fighting describe being driven from their homes by Arab fight- “This is exactly why the Secretary-General believes it is
ers from a government militia that Western officials and essential for the United Nations to continue to carry out its
activists say is a new form of the feared “Janjaweed” brigades. mandated responsibilities in Darfur, the protection of civilians
“They entered houses made from straw and grass and looted being chief among them,” he added. Ladsous has been calling
all our money and livestock,” said Ezdeen Salih, a 37-year-old in for improvements UNAMID for years, though council diplomats
Zam Zam, the biggest camp for the displaced in Darfur said of say previous success was marginal. And if the latest attempt to
an attack she blamed on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). restructure the force is unsuccessful, Security Council diplo-
Almost half a million people were displaced last year alone, the mats say they will consider other options - including a UN
highest annual total since the height of the conflict in 2004, UN withdrawal from the mission. TIKRIT: Iraqi pro-government fighters celebrate as they advance into Tikrit, 160 kms north of Baghdad, during a
figures show. “They beat the men with sticks and burned our military operation to regain the city from jihadists from the Islamic state (IS) group yesterday. — AFP
homes,” Salih said. “They told us to never come back, saying Peacekeepers sanctioned Iraqi forces take half of
that the area had become an Arab area and that we are sup- Khartoum has always been reluctant to cooperate with the
porting rebel movements. We fled with our children.” Late last force. Civilians are paying the price. According to the UN, about
year Khartoum ordered UNAMID out of the country after it 4.4 million people need humanitarian assistance in Darfur and Tikrit’s northern district
began investigating an alleged mass rape by Sudanese soldiers more than 2.55 million remain displaced. One of the biggest
in Darfur. The government denies any wrongdoing by either problems has been the joint nature of the force - the African
the soldiers or the RSF. UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous Union and the United Nations together. “The hybrid mission
said it was unlikely the mission would simply pull out of Darfur. experiment has proven to be an abysmal failure,” another
Advances stalled by bombs, snipers and minefield
But the United Nations says discussions with Khartoum on an Security Council ambassador said. Meanwhile, UN officials say,
eventual exit strategy for the force have begun, even as efforts the council’s interest in Darfur has waned as more high-profile
to make the force more efficient proceed. conflicts like Syria and Iraq take priority. BAGHDAD: Iraqi security forces and militia fighters cap- State fighters blew up a bridge over the Tigris, which could
Last week the UN Security Council received a report on a tured part of Tikrit’s northern Qadisiya district yesterday in hinder a coordinated assault on the city from different
Exasperation strategic review of the mission conducted by the UN peace- their first advance into the city seized nine months ago by directions.
UNAMID has faced allegations by Western powers it has not keeping department. Reuters obtained a copy. It said the mis- Islamic State militants, security officials and the provincial
done enough to protect civilians and withheld information on sion is slimming down its ranks, sending home incompetent governor said. The home city of executed former president Ramadi attacks
the scale of violence against civilians and peacekeepers by the units, cutting unnecessary jobs, redeploying troops stationed Saddam Hussein, Tikrit is the focus of Baghdad’s biggest If Iraq’s Shiite-led government is able to retake Tikrit it
Sudanese army and allied militias. UN officials acknowledge at dozens of outposts around Darfur and working to improve counter-offensive to push back last year’s Islamic State would be the first city clawed back from the Sunni insurgents
shortcomings and note that this is one reason for their push to its capacity to protect civilians. —Reuters sweep through much of northern and central Iraq. and would give it momentum in the next, pivotal stage of
More than 20,000 troops and Iranian-backed Shiite the campaign - to recapture Mosul, the largest city in the
Muslim militias known as Hashid Shaabi, supported by north. Mosul is the biggest city held by the ultra-radical
local Sunni Muslim tribes, launched the offensive 10 days Islamic State, who now rule a self-declared cross-border
ago, seizing territory to the east and along the Tigris river caliphate in Sunni regions of Syria and Iraq. Over the past few
to the north and south. On Tuesday they took the town of months Islamic State has gradually lost ground in Iraq to the
Al-Alam on the northern edge of Tikrit, paving the way for army, Shi’ite militias and Kurdish peshmerga forces, backed
an attack on the city itself. “The governor of Salahuddin by air strikes carried out by a U.S.-led coalition of mainly
announces the purging of half of Qadisiya district, the Western and allied Arab states. The United States says
largest of Tikrit’s neighborhoods,” a statement from gover- Baghdad did not seek aerial backup from the coalition in the
nor Raed Al-Jubouri’s office said. The army and militia fight- Tikrit campaign. Instead, support on the ground has come
ers raised the national flag above a military hospital in the from neighboring Iran, Washington’s longtime regional rival,
section of Qadisiya they had retaken from the militants, which has sent an elite Revolutionary Guard commander to
security officials said. oversee part of the battle. In the western province of Anbar,
Yesterday morning’s offensive then stalled when suicide car bombers in seven vehicles attacked Iraqi army
advancing troops came under sniper fire and paused to positions in the provincial capital Ramadi, about 90 km west
defuse roadside bombs and booby-trapped buildings. To of Baghdad, police and medical sources say. A total of five
the west of the city, advancing forces were halted by a people were killed in the attacks, including two policemen,
minefield on the outskirts of the city. To the south, the and 19 were wounded, a medical source said, stressing that
army and two military helicopters shelled Islamic State the toll was only preliminary. One of the car bombs exploded
positions but no ground operation was taking place, the near a bridge in the west of the city and damaged part of the
sources said. Security officials said on Tuesday that Islamic bridge, a police source said. — Reuters
IS executes ‘Israeli spy’
BEIRUT:A video posted online by Islamic State
militants showed a boy fatally shooting
Muhammad Musallam, an Israeli Arab accused
by the group of having signed up as a jihadi to
spy for Israel’s intelligence service. The video,
published by the group’s Furqan media outlet,
showed Musallam, 19, sitting in a room wear-
ing an orange jumpsuit, talking about how he
had been recruited and trained by Mossad. He
said his father and elder brother had encour-
aged him.
After that, it showed Musallam being
escorted to a field and then being shot in the
head by a boy, described by an older, French-
speaking fighter as one of the “cubs of the
caliphate”. Reuters could not immediately veri-
fy the authenticity of the footage, which also
appeared on Twitter feeds used by Islamic
State supporters. Israeli security officials said
they were aware of the video but could not
confirm that it was authentic. JERUSALEM: The parents of Arab-Israeli Mohammed Musallam (por-
The video, about 13 minutes long, showed trait) react at the family’s home in the East Jerusalem Jewish settle-
Musallam on his knees when the boy armed ment of Neve-Yaacov after the Islamic State (IS) released a video pur-
with a pistol and wearing a military uniform portedly showing a young boy executing their son, who IS claimed
fires one bullet into Musallam’s forehead. The infiltrated the group in Syria to spy for the Jewish state. — AFP
boy then fired three more shots into his body.
In the video, Musallam said he had joined
Pakistan fines Qatari royal
Islamic State to report to the Israelis on
weapons caches, bases and Palestinian recruits. for hunting without permit
Israel and his family denied that he was an
Israeli spy. An Israeli security official had said
Musallam went to Syria to fight for Islamic PESHAWAR:Pakistani authorities have fined a Qatari royal $800 for
State in October last year. Musallam’s father has hunting birds with falcons without a permit in the northwest of the
denied his son was a spy, saying a month ago country, officials said yesterday.
that his son had gone missing while on a The royal, identified as Sheikh Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman bin
tourist trip to Turkey. Hamad, was caught in Dera Ismail Khan district of northwestern
Said Musallam and the youth’s mother, Um Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in November, Ishtiaq Urmar, the environment
Ahmad, wept at their home in East Jerusalem and wildlife advisor to the provincial chief minister said. The prince also
when they learned of his death. Clutching her did not have permits for the three hunting falcons he brought into
son’s photograph, Um Ahmad told reporters: “A Pakistan and they were detained, Urmar added.
spy of 19? How is that possible? Why would he He said the Qatari’s hunting trip ended and he left after paying an
have gone there if he were a spy?” Said 80,000 rupee fine ($800). The issue of Gulf royals coming to Pakistan to
Musallam said his son had been trying to hunt with falcons is becoming increasingly controversial. Last year a
return home when he was captured. He Saudi royal illegally hunted more than 2,000 houbara bustards, which
accused the militants of forcing his son to say are protected under Pakistani law.
he was a spy before killing him just for show. And last month another Saudi prince came to hunt bustards,
“Mohammad was told by them to say about believed in the Middle East to have aphrodisiac properties, despite a
himself that he works for the Israelis,” Said court-imposed ban. Critics say the Pakistani government is too willing
Musallam said. “They took him as a victim, only to sacrifice the country’s wildlife for the amusement of wealthy Gulf
to show the world, so the world would be royal families, which donate large sums in aid. — AFP
afraid of them.” — Reuters
THURSDAY, MARCH12, 2015
I N T E R N AT ION A L
Racist chant dents University of Oklahoma’s image
NORMAN: Almost a generation ago, all National Merit scholars and enrolls sequences forever.” Also on Tuesday, that street again.” But fraternity mem- white fraternity. He said more than 10 ternity-sorority system. “Some are
the University of Oklahoma set out to more of them than any other public Beauton Gilbow, the fraternity’s house bers say chapters at Oklahoma have percent of the roughly 100 members doing quite well. They’re making
raise its profile, seeking to build a university in the nation. It has pro- mother, issued a statement that taken steps to diversify, recruiting of his Phi Kappa Psi fraternity now are progress,” Boren said. “Others are still
regional school that served mostly stu- duced 29 Rhodes scholars. Boren also addressed a video from 2013 showing more African-American, Asian and African-American. locked in the past, and they need to
dents from the Southwest into a lead- expanded the honors program and her repeating a racial slur against Hispanic students. “We’ve always fos- Bell said some fraternities and realize that it enriches the experience
ing institution that attracted top schol- raised large amounts of money for blacks as music plays in the back- tered a community where anyone sororities are more diverse than oth- and the friendships that are involved if
ars. President David Boren made strik- endowed chairs - so much that the ground. Gilbow said she was singing who is qualified can enter. We don’t ers, and Boren acknowledged at a they become more diverse as organi-
ing progress, achieving a reputation state had to scale back an offer to along to a song. She said she was look at your race,” said Jordan Bell, an news conference Monday that more zations. “I don’t think we can paint the
that now extends well beyond the match the donations. “heartbroken” by the portrayal that she African-American senior from needs to be done to attract minority whole Greek system with a broad
Sooners football team that once was racist but understood how the Washington, DC, who joined a mostly students to the university and the fra- brush.” —AP
defined the campus. But those A horrible mistake video must appear in the context of
improvements seem in peril after The video was taken on a bus the week’s events.
members of a fraternity were caught going to a Founder’s Day event at a
on video chanting a racial slur. The country club. The person who record- Fraternity and sorority
chant referenced lynching and indicat- ed it has cooperated with the investi- A “house mom” is a housing direc-
ed black students would never be gation, Boren said Tuesday ahead of a tor who might oversee staff and
admitted to OU’s chapter of Sigma Board of Regents meeting. Also finances at a sorority or fraternity
Alpha Epsilon. Tuesday, one fraternity member seen house. Some students at OU, particu-
Boren, a former Oklahoma gover- on the video and parents of another larly African-Americans who make up
nor and US senator, acted swiftly. He issued statements apologizing. In a about 5 percent of the campus popula-
immediately severed ties with the fra- statement emailed by his father, Parker tion, said racism is alive and well and
ternity and ordered members to vacate Rice said the incident “likely was fueled that a mostly segregated fraternity and
their house. On Tuesday, he expelled by alcohol,” but “that’s not an excuse.” sorority system is at least partially to
the two students who appeared to be He said he was “deeply sorry” for the blame for creating an environment
leading the chant for creating a hostile performance, calling it “wrong and where racism can thrive. “It’s too segre-
educational environment and prom- reckless,” “a horrible mistake” and “a gated,” said Markeshia Lyon, a junior
ised others involved would face disci- devastating lesson” for which he is from Oklahoma City who is black.
pline. “I have emphasized that there is “seeking guidance.” “That’s something that’s passed down,
zero tolerance for this kind of threaten- He said he withdrew from the uni- and that’s something that needs to
ing racist behavior at the University of versity Monday and that threatening change.”
Oklahoma,” Boren said in a statement. calls to his family prompted them to Lyon recalled trying to attend a fra-
Since taking the helm of the state’s leave their North Dallas home. The par- ternity party her freshman year with
flagship university more than 20 years ents of Levi Pettit posted a statement several friends, all of whom were
ago, Boren has made ambitious efforts online saying they were shocked by African-American, and being told they OKLAHOMA: University of Oklahoma students march to the now closed University of
to recruit top students and faculty. The their son’s actions, that he “made a hor- were not welcome. “It was very hurt-
Oklahoma’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house during a rally in Norman, Okla. —AP
school offers generous scholarships to rible mistake, and will live with the con- ful,” she said. “I would never set foot on
Back in political fray, Clinton
ends silence on email uproar
Comments ‘provide more questions than answers’
NEW YORK: Presumed 2016 presi- ed emails were not permanently Called to testify can determine which documents
dential hopeful Hillary Clinton deleted. Asked directly if she or her Republicans kept up the pres- should be public and which should
stormed back onto America’s politi- team destroyed any work emails, sure, demanding the entirety of remain private.” Gowdy also said he
cal stage Tuesday, seeking to quell she was unequivocal: “We did not.” Clinton’s correspondence be would urge Clinton to appear twice
concerns she used private email The former first lady and US senator reviewed for release. “Secretary before his committee, first to “clear
while secretary of state but has been accused, mainly by her Clinton didn’t hand over her emails up her role and resolve issues sur-
acknowledging it was not the Republican opponents, of trying to out of the goodness of her heart-she rounding her exclusive use of per-
“smarter” option. In her first public improperly keep her emails out of was forced to by smart, determined sonal email,” and then in a public
comments since the controversy the public domain. and effective oversight by the hearing on Benghazi.
erupted last week, Clinton said she While Clinton apparently con- House Select Committee on Clinton, who has laid low for
exclusively used a personal email travened State Department guide- Benghazi,” House Speaker John months, had come under mounting
account as a “matter of conven- lines against conducting official Boehner’s spokesman said, referring pressure to address the emails,
ience,” and insisted that the private
UTAH: Photo shows the firing squad execution chamber at the Utah State server she used suffered no security
Prison in Draper, Utah. —AP breaches.
She also said “no classified mate-
Utah to allow
rial” was divulged in the emails,
while promising she had turned
over all work communications to the
State Department. But of the 63,320
‘firing squad’
emails Clinton sent and received
during her four years as top diplo-
mat, she defiantly said about 30,000
of them were personal, private
records-such as those planning her
UTAH: Lawmakers in Utah voted on Tuesday ly carried out lethal injections that led to daughter’s wedding and “yoga rou-
to bring back executions by firing squad if inmates’ physical distress and drawn-out tines”-and had been deleted.
lethal injections are unavailable, which deaths, and that death by firing squad was And in a move not calculated to
would make it the only state in the country more humane. Republican state silence her critics, she said the
to permit the practice. Utah used firing Representative Paul Ray of Clearfield, the bill’s Clinton family server on which all
squads for decades before adopting lethal sponsor, said someone executed by gunfire her emails were stored would not be
injections in 2004. The Republican-spon- typically dies in three to five seconds. “It’s a turned over to the government or
sored bill, which passed the state Senate by quick bleed-out,” he said. Utah previously an independent commission.
18-10, was introduced amid national con- used firing squads, including in the execution Clinton, mindful of how several
cerns about the efficacy of lethal injections. of Gary Gilmore, a convicted murderer who in Republican lawmakers have ques-
The measure, approved last month by the January 1977 became the first person to be tioned her actions, said she had tak-
Utah House of Representatives, says a firing put to death in the United States in 10 years, en “unprecedented” steps to comply
squad should be used if “the state is unable after insisting the sentence be carried out. with the law requiring official
to lawfully obtain the substance or sub- The previous year, the US Supreme Court records be kept. “Looking back, it
NEW YORK: Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks to the media after keynoting a
stances necessary to conduct an execution had upheld various death penalty statutes, might have been smarter” to use
Women’s Empowerment Event at the United Nations in New York City. —AFP
by lethal intravenous injection 30 or more ending a hiatus stemming from a constitu- two separate phones and email
days” before the date set for the procedure. tional ban against “cruel and unusual pun- accounts, Clinton told reporters
Several US states have had to search for new ishment.” The last person to be executed in after speaking at a United Nations business on personal email, she to the panel investigating the terror which Republicans have seized on
drugs for their lethal injection cocktails after Utah by firing squad was Ronnie Lee women’s conference. “I thought one insisted her actions were legal. The attacks in Libya in 2012 that killed as a sign Clinton may have sought to
many pharmaceutical companies, mostly in Gardner in 2010. Gardner was convicted of device would be simpler, and obvi- 20-minute appearance, her first four Americans. keep sensitive emails private despite
Europe, imposed sales bans about four years murdering a lawyer inside a Salt Lake City ously it hasn’t worked out that way.” before a swarm of reporters since Smelling fresh blood, committee her official communications being
ago because they objected to having med- courthouse in 1985. The bill now goes to Some 21 months after she left the email revelations last week, chairman Trey Gowdy warned that part of the public record. The email
ications made for other purposes being used Utah Governor Gary Herbert. In a statement, office, following a State Department was an effort for the famous Clinton’s comments provided more publication process will take
in executions. a spokesman for the Republican governor request to her and previous secre- Democrat to tamp down the questions than answers. “Without months, but the State Department
Supporters of the legislation said three said he had not yet decided whether to sign taries of state, Clinton turned over uproar before she possibly launch- access to Secretary Clinton’s person- said it would soon release an initial
states - Oklahoma, Ohio and Arizona - recent- the measure. —Reuters some 55,000 pages of emails. “We es a run for the White House, as al server, there is no way for the batch of 300. Potential Republican
went through a thorough process to early as April. But the press confer- State Department to know it has presidential rival Jeb Bush recently
identify all of my work-related ence was less a study in seamless acquired all documents that should released 250,000 emails from his
Obama and Republicans emails and deliver them to the State preparation for an all-but-certain be made public,” Gowdy said. “I see time as Florida governor. The
Department,” she said. But she campaign rollout and more a form no choice but for Secretary Clinton Democratic National Committee
offered no avenue for proving that of crisis management before two to turn her server over to a neutral, noted that Bush too used a private
relations hit new low
potentially embarrassing work-relat- dozen television cameras. detached third-party arbiter who account on a private server. —AFP
Venezuelan president seeks decree powers amid US rift
WASHINGTON: Relations between President at every turn. It’s the starkest sign yet that
Barack Obama and congressional Republicans Republicans see an adversary, not a potential
have hit a new low. There has been little direct partner, in Obama’s White House - even on for- CARACAS: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro specter of an external threat to justify his request. Venezuela “an extraordinary threat to the nation-
communication between Obama and the eign policy issues where partisan differences will request Tuesday special decree powers to “Using the external enemy, which is imperialism, al security” of the United States. The two nations
Republican leadership since they took full con- have traditionally been somewhat muted. “The confront what he termed “imperialist aggres- the government takes advantage to build a more have not exchanged ambassadors since 2010.
trol of Congress in January. Obama has threat- mutual efforts to work together under this sions” from the United States, as relations repressive legal framework,” Edgard Gutierrez, The US State Department restricted visas to
ened to veto more than a dozen Republican- administration have just disappeared, so I think between the countries sank further. Maduro will coordinator of the Venebarometro polling firm, dozens of Venezuelan officials last month,
backed bills. And House Speaker John Boehner there’s a sense now that extraordinary things submit his request to the National Assembly, said. Rocio San Miguel, head of the Control prompting Maduro to demand Washington to
infuriated the White House by inviting Israeli occasionally need to happen to be sure that the dominated by his ruling socialist party, a day Ciudadano NGO specializing in security issues, reduce its diplomatic presence in Caracas and
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address president understands how strongly the after US President Barack Obama ordered new said the legislation would “be an instrument require visas for US tourists.
Congress without consulting the administration Congress feels,” said Sen. Roy Blunt. sanctions against seven Venezuelan officials over against the internal enemy ... to undermine
first. But the dispute over Obama’s high-stakes The dismal state of the relationship has large- an opposition crackdown. The Venezuelan human rights.” US sanctions ‘sick joke’
nuclear negotiations with Iran has put the rela- ly sunk the slim prospects for bipartisan cooper- leader wrote on Twitter that he would attend the Venezuela’s regional allies Cuba and Ecuador
tionship perhaps beyond repair. ation in Obama’s final two years in office, with assembly session to “personally deliver the Special powers likely closed ranks behind Caracas. An official statement
The president and his advisers are seething one exception being work on international trade request for the Enabling Law for Peace and Maduro, who was elected to succeed his late published in communist Cuba’s state-run media
over Republican efforts to undermine the sensi- agreements that the White House and Sovereignty.” mentor Hugo Chavez in April 2013, had obtained called the US sanctions “arbitrary and aggressive.”
tive discussions with Iran, most recently by send- Republicans have long supported. And with He had declared on national television late one-year-long powers to impose economic laws It was the first confrontation between Havana and
ing an “open letter” to the country’s leaders Obama firmly eying his legacy, even his own Monday that he would ask for an “anti-imperialist by decree later that same year. Chavez issued Washington since the two countries agreed to
warning that any nuclear deal could expire the advisers have conceded that a president who law to prepare ourselves for all scenarios and win hundreds of decrees during his 1999-2013 seek normal relations in December. “Cuba again
day Obama walks out of the Oval Office. “I can- took office vowing to bridge partisan divides is through peace,” but he did not provide details. administration. Maduro’s popularity has sunk in reiterates its unconditional support and that of
not recall another instance in which senators virtually powerless to influence his political Shortly after the US sanctions were announced, the past year amid an economic crisis, galloping our people for the Bolivarian Revolution, the legiti-
wrote directly to advise another country - much opponents. Maduro recalled his envoy to Washington and inflation and huge lines outside supermarkets mate government of President Nicolas Maduro,
less a longtime foreign adversary - that the presi- “We don’t have the ability to communicate denounced the US action as “the most aggres- plagued by drastic food shortages. and the heroic brotherly people of Venezuela,” the
dent does not have the constitutional authority with them,” Dan Pfeiffer, Obama’s recently sive, unjust and harmful blow against Venezuela.” He is likely to gain special powers again. statement said. Ecuador’s leftist President Rafael
to reach a meaningful understanding with departed senior adviser, said in an interview with The US State Department denied that Maduro would need 60 percent of the unicamer- Correa took to Twitter to denounce the US sanc-
them,” Vice President Joe Biden, who spent near- New York magazine. “They are talking to people Washington was promoting “instability” or seek- al assembly’s votes, a majority his party holds tions as “grotesque” and a “sick joke.” The European
ly four decades in the Senate, said in an unusual- who agree with them, they are listening to news ing to undermine Maduro’s administration, with with 99 pro-government deputies out of 165 Union said it was closely watching developments
ly harsh statement. outlets that reinforce that point of view, and the spokeswoman Jen Psaki saying “the goal of the lawmakers. Maduro has accused Washington of in Venezuela but would not join Washington in
For their part, Republican lawmakers call president is probably the person with the least sanctions is to persuade the government of backing an opposition plot to overthrow him in a imposing sanctions. The secretary general of the
their outreach to a hostile nation a reasonable ability to break into that because of the partisan Venezuela to change their behavior.” coup that would have involved bombing the Organization of American States, Jose Miguel
response to an administration they say has bias there.” Not surprisingly, each side blames the Analysts and non-governmental organiza- presidential palace. The US government has dis- Insulza, said the regional body’s permanent coun-
spurned Congress and ignored its prerogatives other for letting things get so bad. —AP tions said Maduro could seize on the special missed the charges as baseless. In activating the cil should hold a meeting about the US-Venezuela
powers to curb individual rights, invoking the sanctions, Obama called the situation in oil-rich row. —AFP
THURSDAY, MARCH12, 2015
I N T E R N AT ION A L
Nemtsov’s murder suspect ‘tortured, forced to confess’
MOSCOW: A former Chechen police offi- court in Moscow heard the men were possible “interference in a criminal case”.
cer who admitted taking part in the mur- being probed under a section of the “They will be subject to an investigation
der of Russian opposition activist Boris Russian criminal code relating to murders aimed at clarifying their motives,” investi-
Nemtsov “likely confessed under torture”, a carried out for financial gain, in a sign gators said in a statement. Nemtsov, 55,
member of the Kremlin’s human rights investigators believe Nemtsov’s murder was shot four times in the back on
council said yesterday. Zaur Dadayev was a hit. February 27 as he walked along a bridge
allegedly confessed and was charged but in central Moscow with his girlfriend.
has now insisted to the council’s Andrei ‘I am innocent’ The killing sent shockwaves through
Babushkin that he is “innocent” and only Babushkin said Dadayev claimed he the opposition which accuses Putin of
made the admission under duress. “There had made the confession under duress steadily suppressing dissent, and the
are reasons that lead us to believe Zaur after being arrested in the North Caucasus Kremlin of being behind the murder of
Dadayev confessed under torture,” region of Ingushetia last week, alleging one of its last outspoken critics.
Babushkin said after a visit to the suspect’s that he spent two days manacled and with Investigators have said they were looking
Moscow prison cell on Tuesday. a sack over his head. “They shouted at into the possibility that the former deputy
“We cannot confirm that he was tor- me all the time, ‘You killed Nemtsov, didn’t prime minister was killed over his support
tured as we are not investigators but we you?’. I said, ‘no’,” Babushkin reported for French satirical magazine Charlie
did find numerous wounds on his body,” Dadayev as saying. The suspect said he Hebdo which published images of the
said Babushkin, who was swiftly rapped had eventually admitted to the killing to Prophet Mohammed. But close allies of
over the knuckles by investigators for secure the release of an ex-colleague, the prominent activist in Russia’s margin-
meddling in their probe. The shooting of Ruslan Yusupov, who was detained along- alized opposition dismissed that claim as
Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister side him. “They said that if I confessed “absurd”.
who became an outspoken critic of they would let him go. I agreed. I thought I Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-loyal
President Vladimir Putin, just yards from would save him and they would bring me strongman leader of Russia’s Muslim
the Kremlin was the highest-profile killing to Moscow alive,” Dadayev was quoted as Chechnya region, also decried Dadayev’s
of an opposition leader during Putin’s fif- saying by Babushkin. arrest, describing him as a “real Russian
teen years in charge. “I thought that I would be brought to patriot”. Authorities have also said they are
Dadayev, a former deputy commander Moscow and would be able to tell the probing the possibility that Nemtsov was
in a special Chechen police unit, was court the full truth. That I am innocent,” murdered for criticizing Russia’s role in the
charged by a Moscow court on Sunday Dadayev reportedly said. Russia’s power- Ukraine conflict or as part of a plot to desta-
MOSCOW: Zaur Dadayev, charged with the murder of Russian opposi- with the murder alongside Anzor ful investigative committee condemned bilize the country. Rights groups have con-
tion figure Boris Nemtsov, is escorted by a policeman at the Basmanny Gubashev who worked for a private secu- Babushkin’s statement as breaking the law sistently condemned widespread abuses in
district court in Moscow. —AFP rity company. The two men and three oth- and said that he and a colleague who visit- Russia’s notorious prison system and dur-
er suspects were remanded in custody. A ed Dadayev would be questioned over ing interrogations by officials. —AFP
Court clears Berlusconi
in bunga bunga sex case
Ruling gives centre-right leader political boost
ROME: Italy’s top court has defini- ernment and electoral system. Stealer.” He maintained he only tried knew full well that Ruby was only
tively cleared Silvio Berlusconi of Tuesday’s late night verdict came to help the Moroccan national when just 17 at the time of their encounter.
charges that he paid for sex with an after a hearing in which a senior she was later arrested for an alleged “He had a dragon’s passion for
underage dancer and then abused prosecutor had described the elderly theft because he thought she was a minors,” the prosecutor told the
his position as prime minister to party-lover as having a “dragon’s pas- niece of the then Egyptian president court.
cover it up. After nine hours of sion” for teenage girls. Berlusconi Hosni Mubarak. The appeal court Berlusconi was not present at a
deliberations, the judges at the was convicted in 2013 of the most appeared to accept that argument hearing which analysts had billed as
Court of Cassation delivered a rul- serious charges he has faced in a when it ruled that Berlusconi had crucial for his ability to reassert con-
ing that brings to an end a lengthy scandal-tainted career, only to be not abused his power. The court also trol over his fragmenting party.
legal saga which lifted the lid on the acquitted on appeal a year later. The ruled that Berlusconi had not com- Giovanni Orsina, an academic at the
“bunga bunga” sex parties the bil- quashing of his seven-year prison mitted a crime in having sex with LUISS business school in Rome and
an expert on the media magnate’s
impact on Italian politics, said the AVALLON: A French gendarme stands as the road is close in Avallon yester-
distraction of legal battles had
day after a group of “battle-hardened” armed thieves attacked two heavily
helped Renzi emerge as the domi-
guarded vans carrying jewels at the Avallon French motorway toll in the
nant figure in Italian politics.
dead of night, making off with a haul worth some nine million euros ($11
“Berlusconi’s clarity of mind basically
million). —AFP
disappeared (with the tax convic-
tion),” he argued. “Since then he has
French motorway heist nets
been uncertain, unclear and politi-
cally ineffective.” But with the Ruby
9-million euro jewelry haul
case now out of the way, Orsina
believes Berlusconi could inflict “real
damage” on Renzi’s reform agenda.
AVALLON: A group of “battle-hardened” stepped away, making off with at least 11.5
Renzi reforms threatened armed thieves attacked two heavily guard- million euros in cash collected from a Bank
Renzi relied on support from ed vans carrying jewels at a French motor- of France building.
Berlusconi to steer landmark labor way toll in the dead of night, making off Musulin became an overnight Internet
reforms through parliament late last with a haul worth some nine million euros sensation at a time when the super-rich
year. But their alliance collapsed last ($11 million), police said yesterday. were being blamed for the financial crisis.
month after Renzi successfully Security forces were working to find those Investigators soon found packets of cash
backed an actively anti-Berlusconi behind the heist, which took place around totaling 9.11 million euros in a lock-up
candidate, Sergio Mattarella, to midnight on a motorway in the Yonne dis- garage in the southeastern city of Lyon
become Italy’s new president. The trict some 200 kilometers southeast of near where the abandoned van was found,
Forza Italia leader has since vowed to Paris, searching within a large perimeter and after some 10 days on the run, Musulin
fight proposals to effectively abolish around the area and under the watch of air gave himself in. The rest of the cash was
the Senate and adopt a new electoral support. never found. When it comes to jewelry, the
law designed to produce govern- A police source, who wished to remain country’s most spectacular heist was a
ments with working parliamentary anonymous, said there were around 15 double robbery at a Harry Winston shop in
majorities. robbers, all “heavily armed and battle- an upmarket part of Paris in 2007 and
Two file pictures combo shows former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi (left) and Karima El- Berlusconi’s entire political career hardened.” No one was hurt in the holdup 2008.
Mahroug, nicknamed Ruby. —AP has been overshadowed by allega- and the Avallon toll booth itself was not In the first holdup in October 2007, four
tions of criminal behavior and serial damaged, prosecutors and the firm man- masked gunmen wearing decorators’ over-
lionaire tycoon and former prime term and a lifetime ban from public Ruby as he did not know she was court cases: and they are not com- aging the motorway said, suggesting the alls robbed employees at the store. The
minister organized in his Milan villa. office triggered a counter-appeal by under 18, the legal minimum for a pletely over. He could yet be convict- work of professionals. The vans were found thieves had spent the night in the jewelry
It also leaves the 78-year-old, prosecutors to the Court of prostitute to sell sex in Italy. ed on charges that he paid off many burnt and abandoned in a field not far shop with the help of a security guard at
who served three terms as premier, Cassation. After a three and a half of the young women who attended from the toll station, and it was as yet the store, who let them in the previous
free to resume a central role in poli- hour hearing earlier on Tuesday, the ‘Like Mel Brooks film’ his famous soirees in return for false unclear exactly how the assault unfolded. evening. The robbers made off with 120
tics at the helm of his centre-right judges spent nine hours considering Prosecutor Edoardo Scardaccione testimony in the Ruby trial. Also out- watches and 360 pieces of jewelry worth
Forza Italia party. Berlusconi has the case before delivering their had told Tuesday’s hearing that standing is a charge that he paid a First big van heist since 2009 more than 32 million euros. Then just over
just finished serving a community eagerly-awaited and potentially Berlusconi’s antics had held Italy up senator three million euros ($4.0 mil- Attacks on armoured vehicles carrying a year later, in December 2008, four men-
service order for corporate tax hugely significant verdict. to ridicule. “The Mubarak’s niece lion) in 2006 to join his party and jewels or cash often require special equip- including three wearing women’s clothes
fraud and remains embroiled in The billionaire businessman episode was worthy of a Mel Brooks destabilize a centre-left government. ment such as explosives or assault rifles, and wigs-entered the same store, again
several other legal cases. But they whose empire includes the AC Milan film,” he said. “The whole world was Past experience however suggest the and while they occurred regularly at the with the help of the guard. In less than 20
are thought unlikely to prevent him soccer club, has always denied pay- laughing at us behind our backs.” tycoon’s lawyers may be able to string beginning of the 2000s in France, they minutes, they took 104 watches and 297
from potentially energizing opposi- ing for sex with a 17-year-old dancer Scardaccione also unsuccessfully out both cases for sufficient time for have dwindled in recent years. The last pieces of jewelry worth 71 million euros
tion to Prime Minister Matteo called Karima El-Mahroug who went attempted to convince the judges the charges to be dropped without a major such heist was in 2009 when and fled in a car. Last month, eight men
Renzi’s plans to reform Italy’s gov- by the stage name “Ruby the Heart that Berlusconi and his entourage judge ever making a ruling. —AFP armored van driver Toni Musulin escaped were sentenced to up to 15 years in jail for
with his vehicle after two of his colleagues their role in the double heist. —AFP
3 London schoolgirls ‘stole jewelry’ to fund Syria flight
Contenders turn Spain polls
LONDON: Three London schoolgirls got the cash to fund herself,” said
who fled to Syria are believed to have Kadiza’s sister Halima Khanom. “I really into four-way ‘tag-wrestle’
stolen family jewelry to fund their travel, hope the police would now make it
police said Tuesday as the trio’s relatives their business to establish where these
MADRID: For decades Spanish politics was a Carving up the vote
expressed disbelief at their actions. funds came from because it clearly was-
two-horse race, but it has turned into a four-way A poll by Metroscopia published by centre-
Schoolfriends Kadiza Sultana, 16, and n’t from home,” added Kadiza’s cousin
tag-wrestling bout ahead of several potentially left newspaper El Pais on Sunday placed
15-year-olds Shamima Begum and Fahmida Aziz. The girls are among 26
transformative elections this year. The govern- Ciudadanos in fourth place in voting intentions
Amira Abase, left their homes last British young women who have gone to
ing conservative Popular Party (PP) and main- with the electorate carved up broadly evenly
month and flew to Istanbul, from where join IS fighters in Syria, according to
stream opposition Socialists (PSOE) that have between it, PP, PSOE and Podemos. With 18.4
they are believed to have joined Islamic Rowley, who is assistant commissioner
alternated in power since 1982 face an electoral percent of the vote, Ciudadanos was just behind
State (IS) jihadists in Syria. of London’s Metropolitan Police. But he
assault on two fronts. Spain’s economy is gradu- the PP which had 18.6 percent, according to the
Giving evidence before parliament’s said that so far “we have no evidence to
home affairs committee, Britain’s suggest they are involved in terrorism”, ally recovering from years of recession after a poll. Ciudadanos’ share has surged from 8.1 per-
national police lead on counter-terror- and they could return home to Britain 2008 financial crash, but voters are still angry at cent in January and 12.2 percent in February.
ism, Mark Rowley, said the girls paid a without facing charges. the cutbacks imposed by the PP in that crisis Podemos topped the Metroscopia poll with 22.5
travel agent more than £1,000 (1,409 and corruption scandals that have stained both percent ahead of the Socialists on 20.2 — but
euros, $1,506) for their flights. Asked ‘Normal teenager’ the big parties. no party had an absolute majority.
where they found the money, he said: Earlier, Abase’s father Hussen Abase Radical leftist party Podemos has for months The poll came just three weeks ahead of the
“We think it’s linked to theft from fami- told the committee that his daughter been clipping their wings in opinion polls and in first of this year’s regional elections, in the big
lies. We think it’s linked to taking jewelry was a victim-adding that he believed recent weeks another contender has surged southern region of Andalusia. Its findings sur-
from one of their family members.” she had been “terrified” by police atten- into view: centrist party Ciudadanos (“Citizens”). prised analysts and the PP, which realizes the
However, family members later said that tion following the flight of another Now, with local, regional and national elections challengers have the power to unify voters from
the girls must have found additional schoolfriend to Syria in December. lined up between March and November, new various older but less powerful parties. “It is a
funds elsewhere, as the jewelry that was Police spoke with Sultana, Begum and alliances may have to be made, analysts say. fact that we are going to have a very strong
LONDON: Sahima Begum (left), older sister of Shamima Begum
missing was not of great value. Abase and four other girls from the “The PP and PSOE are two political parties, but Podemos and a strong Ciudadanos, which will
and Fahmida Aziz (right), first cousin to Khadija Sultana, leave the
“We haven’t lost £2000 worth of jew- same London school after the 15-year- Podemos and Ciudadanos are two social phe- be eating up the smaller parties,” said one PP
House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, after giving evi-
ellery,” Shamima’s sister Renu Begum old girl went missing in December, and nomena, and that is more volatile,” said Ignacio lawmaker who asked not to be named. “We will
dence on the background and details leading to the disappear-
told ITV News. “I feel there is someone gave them a letter requesting further Urquizu, a sociologist at Madrid’s Complutense have to see what happens in Andalusia, and
out there helping in terms of funding permission from their parents to talk to ance of the three schoolgirls who fled their London homes for the University. above what happens the day after.” —AFP
because there’s no way my sister has them. —AFP conflict in Syria. —AFP