SUBSCRIPTION WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2013 RAJAB 12, 1434 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Apple denies Indian bowlers’ tax ‘gimmicks’ bail rejected amid mounting as police criticism25 arrests18 actor Mixed reactions over Max 41º Min 27º massive oil reshuffle High Tide 09:10 & 21:59 Low Tide Opposition to shun polls if single-vote upheld 02:48 & 15:53 40 PAGES NO: 15816 150 FILS By B Izzak boost the efficiency of the oil sector. But Shiite MP the series of decisions that introduced massive In a surprising decision on Monday, Kuwait Abdulhameed Dashti strongly lashed out the changes in the oil sector. Petroleum Corp (KPC) board of directors changed KUWAIT: A number of MPs expressed mixed reac- appointments, describing the measures as an act MP Nabeel Al-Fadhl also criticized the appoint- the top posts in its eight subsidiary companies in tions over the massive reshuffle on Monday in the of “vengeance” against Kuwait and the oil sector. ments, claiming they have strengthened the grip addition to changing a number of leading posts in oil sector, with some welcoming it and others He said MPs are impatiently awaiting the of the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM), the KPC itself. According to the decision, all managing strongly criticizing it as politically-motivated, Assembly session on May 28 to see what they are political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, on the directors of the eight companies were removed while the opposition made no reaction to the going to do with the request to grill Oil Minister oil sector. MP Saleh Ashour said that because the and new managing directors were appointed. changes. Islamist MP Khaled Al-Shulaimi wel- Hani Hussein who has reportedly tendered his oil minister has submitted his resignation, he And for the first time, chairmen were appointed in comed the changes, describing the step as resignation like other Cabinet ministers. Dashti should have not made the sweeping changes in all the companies as per the requirements of the “reformist”, and hoped the new appointments will said the minister should have stayed away from the oil sector. Continued on Page 15 Oil workers Giant tornado levels US town on strike 9 children among 24 dead • Rescuers dig for survivors KUWAIT: Around 80 percent of workers at Kuwait’s main, state-run oil services company are on strike calling for better pay, a union official said yesterday, the latest sign of wage pressures in the country. The walkout by the workers, who provide security, fire protection and health services for oil firms, began on Sunday but had not affected oil production in the OPEC member state, union official Saad Al-Sebayie said. Well over 1,000 of around 1,400 staff at Oil Sector Services Co (OSSC), owned by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, have been gathering in a union building instead of turning up for work, he said. OSSC was not immediately available for comment. The workers were asking for their jobs to be moved to a higher pay bracket, Sebayie said. The union had warned state oil compa- nies of the planned action in advance, he added. — Reuters JIZAN: The headless bodies of five Yemenis are dis- played in public yesterday. Saudis arrest 10 Iran ‘spies’ 5 Yemenis beheaded RIYADH: Saudi authorities have arrested 10 more sus- pects in an alleged Iranian spy ring unveiled two months ago, an interior ministry spokesman said yester- MOORE, Oklahoma: An aerial view shows Plaza Towers Elementary school yesterday as rescue workers make their day. The eight Saudis, a Lebanese and a Turk bring the way through the structure. (Inset) A boy is pulled from beneath a collapsed wall at the school on Monday. — AP number of people arrested to 28, the official SPA news agency quoted the spokesman as saying. However, a OKLAHOMA CITY: US rescue teams scoured a shat- she attributed to possible double reporting. Seven of Some of the children killed by the mid-afternoon Lebanese arrested in March has since been released. tered town for survivors yesterday after a giant torna- the dead youngsters were found at a school, she twister were buried when the two-mile wide funnel of “The results of investigations by security services have do tore through the outskirts of Oklahoma City, killing added. Meanwhile, at least 101 people have been wind - that lasted about 45 minutes - demolished an led to the arrest of the other 10 involved in spying for at least two dozen people, including nine children. pulled alive from under debris, said Terri Watkins of elementary school in the Oklahoma City suburb of this cell,” the spokesman said. State medical examiner’s office spokeswoman Amy the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Moore. US President Barack Obama declared a “major On March 19, the interior ministry said authorities Elliott told reporters 24 victims had been confirmed Management, and local broadcasters said more than disaster” as crews combed the wreckage of the had arrested 16 Saudis, an Iranian and a Lebanese in dead, scaling back from a previous count of 51 that 200 people have been injured. Continued on Page 15 Continued on Page 15 Syria ‘destroys’ Israeli vehicle Hezbollah sends elite fighters to Qusair BEIRUT: Syria said its troops destroyed an Israeli vehicle that crossed into its territory from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights yesterday and warned that any attempt to violate its sovereignty would meet “immediate and firm retaliation”. Israel said the incident took place on its side of the Golan ceasefire line, that the vehicle was damaged but not destroyed, none of its soldiers were hurt and they returned fire. The clash highlighted the potential for renewed conflict along a frontline that has become increasingly fraught after nearly four decades of calm overseen by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and his father. In this photo taken on May 17, 2013, Saudi mountaineer Raha Muharraq cele- It also followed Israeli airstrikes near Damascus brates on the summit of Mount Everest. — AFP against suspected missile stockpiles two weeks ago, after which Syria threatened to retaliate. Assad is bat- Saudi Everest climber tling a two-year-old uprising in which rebel forces, including radical Islamists, have taken swathes of rural territory and attacked army posts near the Golan fron- happy to change views tier. There are frequent reports of cross-border gunfire KATMANDU: The first woman from returning from the mountain that her from Syria during clashes between army and rebel Saudi Arabia to scale Mount Everest next goal is to climb the highest peaks forces but yesterday’s incident was the first time since said she doesn’t intend to inspire a in all seven continents. She said she has the start of the crisis that Syria’s armed forces said they movement, but would be happy to already scaled five of them. Muharraq, targeted Israel’s military. change people’s opinions of Saudi 27, was among hundreds of climbers “Our noble armed forces destroyed an Israeli vehicle women and Saudi women’s opinions of who reached Everest’s 8,850-m (29,035- ... which entered from the occupied territories and themselves. Raha Muharraq told foot) summit in recent days because of crossed the ceasefire line,” Syria’s military leadership said BEIRUT: Syrian activists shout pro-Syrian revolution slogans during a protest reporters in Katmandu yesterday after Continued on Page 15 in a statement broadcast on state media. against the participation of Hezbollah members in the fighting in the Syrian Continued on Page 15 town of Qusair at the Martyrs Square. — AP WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2013 LOCAL KUWAIT: Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at Seif Salman Al-Sabah returned here on Monday after attending the 27th GCC youth Palace yesterday.—KUNA meeting in Bahrain.—KUNA Workshop debates emerging No coronavirus cases in Kuwait threats to national security KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Health Ministry reiterated that no cases of the coronavirus have been recorded in the country to date, emphasizing at the same time it is ful- ‘Citizens, expats must shoulder responsibilities’ ly ready to treat any such case, in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Health Ministry Undersecretary Dr Khalid Al- Sahlawi said yesterday that the ministry is in full con- tact with WHO to get the latest information on this severe respiratory infection and how to deal with it, in the case of an infection. It has been also keeping a close watch on disease control centers across the country for any emergence of the virus. The ministry has been appealing to the public to take precautions to minimize the chances for contract- ing any disease caused by a virus, such as avoiding crowds, washing hands frequently, and not visiting patients in hospitals suffering from diseases caused by viruses. —KUNA Warning siren system to be tested today KUWAIT: The warning sirens system will be tested at 10 am today across Kuwait’s six governorates, it was announced here yesterday. In a press statement, the Interior Ministry said the move is meant to test the validity By Nawara Fattahova of the sirens and raise citizens’ and residents’ awareness about siren sounds and their meanings as well as to identi- KUWAIT: The Security Strategic Studies fy areas that require installing more warning siren devices. Institute of the National Security College at The statement highlighted the importance of this experi- the Education and Training Sector of the ment in promoting the concept of civil defense among citi- Ministry of Interior is holding a three-day zens and residents. “The siren trial will remind everyone of workshop titled ‘National Security of the duties they should carry out during times of emergen- Kuwait in the Shadow of Local and cies,” it said.