SUBSCRIPTION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017 JAMADA ALTHANI 2, 1438 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Efficient use of German hostage Border walls: Kuwait Times budget needed to beheaded by ‘Turnkey’ answer infographic: enhance quality Philippine to threats real NBA Power of education4 militants7 and14 imagined Rankings18 Hayef submits draft law to Min 08º Max 26º curb security restrictions High Tide 00:31 & 13:38 Low Tide Fadhalah to file grilling against PM on March 5 06:31 & 19:33 40 PAGES NO: 17153 150 FILS By B Izzak KUWAIT: Islamist opposition MP Mohammad Hayef and a Cyber attacks against Gulf on the rise number of lawmakers yesterday submitted a draft law to regulate what he called “oppressive” security restrictions RIYADH: Gulf countries must tighten coordination imposed on Kuwaitis, expatriates and bedoons. He said to fight an increasing number of cyber attacks, the measure adopted by security agencies is unconstitu- experts said yesterday, as one official blamed hack- tional and has been used to harm a large number of peo- ers in Iran. The comments came at an international ple, adding that it constitutes a violation of basic human conference in the Saudi Arabian capital after the rights. Hayef said security restrictions have become a Shamoon 2 virus in January reportedly disrupted threat to the future of many people and are illogical and labor ministry computers. All Gulf Cooperation reactionary, since they remain in force for long durations. Council countries are at risk, Saleh Al-Mutairi, direc- Several opposition MPs have in recent months com- tor general of the Saudi National Cyber Security plained that security authorities impose such restric- Centre, told the conference. tions against people seen as opponents of the govern- “There is an increase in targeting GCC countries,” ment. The restrictions could be used to prevent target- he said, noting that both financial and government ed people from getting jobs, identification cards and bodies have been targeted. “If we cooperate we will other amenities. Hayef said security restrictions have be able to protect all sectors,” he added, reporting been imposed on some people simply for taking part in that his center responded to 124 “breaches” last year. a protest or a public rally. He said that in some cases, GCC members Bahrain and Kuwait were also the tar- restrictions are extended to include all members of the gets of increasing attacks over the past year, accord- family. He said that currently, such restrictions are ing to cyber security experts. imposed randomly, and accordingly the measure Hackers tried to penetrate the computer systems requires to be regulated. at Bahrain’s interior ministry, said Lieutenant Colonel Meanwhile, MP Khaled Al-Otaibi yesterday submit- Bassam Al-Maraj, a ministry director. Maraj said the ted a draft law stipulating that any amendment to the attempted breach originated in Iran, and singled out election law must be approved by the constitutional “Bahraini people living in Iran”. Bahrain, like Saudi court before it becomes effective. The lawmaker said Arabia, sees Iran as linked to unrest throughout the the draft law requires the court to issue its verdict over Middle East. the amendment within one month and the period is reduced by half when the amendment is made through Continued on Page 13 an Amiri decree. RIYADH: Participants attend the second International Cyber Security Conference in the Saudi capital yesterday. — AFP Continued on Page 13 Aramco to invest $7bn in Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR: Saudi Arabia’s Aramco Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated will invest $7 billion in a giant Malaysian oil Development Project. refinery project, Prime Minister Najib It is being led by Petronas, which Dirty dozen: UN Razak said yesterday, as he declared ties said last month development was more with the kingdom were “at an all-time than 50 percent complete, with the seeks new drugs high”. The deal between Aramco and project set to come online in 2019. Malaysian state energy firm Petronas for Victor Shum, vice president for energy against superbugs the $27 billion project will be signed at global consultancy IHS Markit, said PARIS: The UN’s health agency urged the world yes- today, the prime minister said. “This is a the deal was a “win-win situation”. terday to create new drugs to tackle 12 killer super- huge investment and is very significant,” “Having Saudi Aramco as a partner with bugs which are resistant to antibiotics and threaten said Najib. The vast scheme under con- Petronas is a boost for the project and an explosion of incurable disease. The “priority struction in the southern state of Johor for Malaysia,” he said. pathogens” include germs that cause deadly infec- near the Singapore border is known as the Continued on Page 13 tions of the bloodstream, lungs, brain or urinary tract, but do not respond to an ever-longer list of medicines. In more and more cases, none of the existing drugs work. “Antibiotic resistance is grow- HOLLYWOOD: (From left) Best Supporting Actor Mahershala Ali, Best Actress ing, and we are fast running out of treatment Emma Stone, Best Supporting Actress Viola Davis and Best Actor Casey Affleck options,” said Marie-Paule Kieny, assistant director- pose in the press room during the 89th Oscars on Sunday. —AFP general at the World Health Organization (WHO), which published the list. “If we leave it to market forces alone, the new antibiotics we most urgently ‘Moonlight’ takes best need are not going to be developed in time.” Governments should put in place policies to boost public and private funding for drug research pic Oscar after mix-up and development against the listed microbes, the HOLLYWOOD: Coming-of-age drama towards burying the #OscarsSoWhite WHO said in a statement. The agency previously “Moonlight” won the best picture Oscar controversy of the past two years, with warned that if nothing is done the world was head- yesterday, but not before the film indus- two of the four acting prizes and a hand- ed for a “post-antibiotic” era in which common try’s biggest night was marred by one of ful of other major awards going to infections and minor injuries become killers once the worst fiascos in its history, as “La La African American nominees. But the again. Bacteria can develop drug resistance when Land” was mistakenly handed the award stunning final stumble was a nightmare people take incorrect doses of antibiotics. Resistant first. Until the final minute the film indus- of a Hollywood ending that no one want- strains can be contracted directly from animals, try’s biggest night had run smoothly, ed to see. Tinseltown legends Warren water and air, or other people. marked by plenty of political statements Beatty and Faye Dunaway, stars of 1967 When the most common antibiotics fail to work, - mainly jabs at US President Donald crime classic “Bonnie and Clyde” and more expensive types must be tried, resulting in KUALA LUMPUR: University Malaya Vice Chancellor Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Trump - and light-hearted jokes from both past Oscar winners, were meant to longer illness and treatment, often in hospital. host Jimmy Kimmel. give the best picture Oscar to Barry (right) presents an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters to Saudi Arabia’s King Continued on Page 13 Salman yesterday. —AFP The evening also represented a move Jenkins’ film. — AFP (See Pages 36-40) Dumbphones survive smartphone rise Offline AI revolution awaits ‘superphones’ BARCELONA: Dumbphones - handsets that 400 million sold in 2016. In certain emerging an Oscar in 2015 for his role as scientist just make calls and send texts - were set to markets such as India, their sales still outstrip Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of disappear as technology moved on, but they smartphones. Basic phones accounted for Everything”, made headlines as he became have survived in emerging markets and over 55 percent of all mobiles sold the third the latest in a growing band of smartphone among nostalgics of simpler devices in the quarter of 2016 in the world’s second most refuseniks. “It was a reaction against being West. Their continued appeal was under- populous country, according to the glued permanently to my iPhone during scored on Sunday in Barcelona on the side- International Data Corporation, a market waking hours. The deluge of emails was con- lines of the Mobile World Congress, the research firm. And dumbphone sales are con- stant and I found myself trying to keep up in world’s biggest mobile expo, as Nokia tinuing to rise in this major market by about real time, at the expense of living in the unveiled a revamped version of its iconic 3310 four percent per year. moment,” the 35-year-old said of his decision model, more than a decade after it was Even in developed nations where the tele- to go back to a less sophisticated phone. phased out. coms market is mature, the phones continue Within any age group, it’s not hard to find Dumbphones remain useful to telecoms to sell. “Today they are niche markets, either people who refuse to join the smartphone operators to “relaunch or accelerate” mobile for those looking for vintage or for those who revolution. “I have no interest in a smartphone phone use as they are relatively inexpensive, are anti mobile Internet or old people,” said - it’s expensive, fragile and I don’t see the use said Julien Miniconi, a telecoms expert at con- Thomas Husson, a mobile analyst at Forrester, for it,” said Sandrine, 39, a Paris-based illustra- sulting firm Wavestone. “It makes sense espe- a research group. Young kids also use them as tor. “There is also the whole commercial cially in countries where the network is not a first phone.