SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 RAJAB 4, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Leading opposition figure Min 24º Max 38º deported to Saudi Arabia High Tide 03:00 & 14:35 Low Tide Ajmi bundled off to Khafji on one-way travel document 08:55 & 21:45 40 PAGES NO: 16499 150 FILS KUWAIT: Kuwait has deported a prominent opposition figure to neighboring Saudi Arabia months after revok- ing his citizenship, his group said yesterday. Saad Al- Top brass move towards joint force Ajmi, former spokesman of the Popular Action Movement (PAM), was arrested by secret police on CAIRO: Arab League military chiefs decided yester- Tuesday and escorted to the Saudi city of Khafji by road day to form a panel to examine all aspects of building at night, PAM said in a statement. As part of a crack- a region-wide military force aimed at combating down on the opposition, the jihadists, including the Islamic State (IS) group. The Kuwaiti government revoked bloc agreed in March to set up the force, with mem- Ajmi’s citizenship in September bers given four months to decide on its composition, on the basis of an article in the precise rules of engagement and budget. Top brass nationality law that bans dual gathered at League headquarters in Cairo decided “to citizenship. set up a high-ranking committee under the supervi- Local media said Ajmi was sion of army chiefs to examine all aspects of this accused of holding Saudi citi- issue,” said a statement at the end of their meeting. zenship, which he has denied. “The panel will examine the mechanisms and budget Ajmi has filed a lawsuit to chal- needed to set up the joint Arab military force, and Saad Al-Ajmi lenge the government’s action. also the legal framework.” The authorities have revoked the citizenship of several It was not immediately clear when the committee dozen other figures with links to the opposition over will actually be formed, but the statement said it the past year, including a former Islamist MP and the would meet in the next few weeks. The meeting, owner of a television channel. PAM said that Ajmi was attended by Arab League chief Nabil Al-Arabi, was deported on a one-way Saudi travel document issued chaired by Egyptian Armed Forces’ Chief of Staff by the kingdom’s embassy in Kuwait. There has been no Lieutenant General Mahmud Hegazy. Kuwait was official comment on the issue so far. Last October, represented by Army Chief of Staff Lt Gen Human Rights Watch called on Kuwait to stop targeting Mohammad Khaled Al-Khudr. opponents by revoking their citizenships, and to rein- Continued on Page 13 CAIRO: Army chiefs from Arab League nations meet at the Arab League headquarters yesterday. — AFP state their nationalities. — AFP News Work contracts PAGE Real strike late to PAGE in brief will be unified end Atletico jinx Kuwait set to apply FATCA requirements KUWAIT: All countries that are signatories to the Assembly passes reforms to sports law Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) agree- ment are committed to provide the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with all required information by September, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. Any MPs agree to electronic notification law for courts delay in providing the information will be a matter between the Ministry of Finance and the IRS, the min- By B Izzak istry said in a statement. The local committee in charge of concluding the FATCA agreement with the IRS was Chevron to shut joint KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday working hard to meet IRS deadlines in coordination passed key amendments to the sports law with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Bank, Wafra oilfield in May but suspended the adoption of the single- the Capital Markets Authority, the Union of Banks and vote system in sports bodies’ elections the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, it added. The KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia: A Saudi Arabian mits and materials may impact the com- until the legal panel has reviewed the pro- committee, once done with official procedures and pro- unit of US oil major Chevron has told its pany’s ability to safely continue produc- vision. The approval came amid strong crit- tocols regarding FATCA, would have to get constitution- Kuwaiti partner it plans to shut down an tion. Efforts continue with all appropriate icism by a majority of lawmakers of offi- al approbation and lawmakers’ endorsement before a oilfield jointly operated between the two parties to resolve the issue,” said Sally cials overseeing most sports activities, final agreement is reached with the IRS, said the state- Gulf OPEC countries next month over long- Jones, Chevron spokeswoman in an blaming them for Kuwait’s retreat in ment. Any bank or financial institution that does not standing disputes, three industry sources emailed statement. almost all sports competitions. MPs point- comply properly with the requirements of FATCA would familiar with the matter said. The planned The loss of Wafra, which has an output ed out that sports officials are exploiting be subject to financial fines and punitive measures, said closure in May of the joint Wafra onshore capacity of around 200,000-250,000 barrels sports institutions for their own selfish the statement. oilfield in the Neutral Zone between Saudi per day of Arabian Heavy crude, will be felt benefits, while others blamed political dis- Arabia and Kuwait was communicated by more in Kuwait, which has far less spare putes for Kuwait’s performance in major Saudi Arabian Chevron to Kuwait Gulf Oil output than its neighbor. Diplomatic and sports competitions, especially football. India takes Jazeera off Company, according to the sources. industry sources have told Reuters that MP Ahmad Al-Qudhaibi said the new air in Kashmir map row This comes after the crude output from Kuwait has been placing restrictions on amendments are expected to improve the NEW DELHI: India’s government took Al Jazeera another jointly operated field, Khafji, was Chevron which operates Wafra on behalf of level of sports in the country, but insisted news channel off the air yesterday for five days halted in October to comply with environ- Saudi Arabia, as a result of various disputes that there is a need to privatize sports after officials insisted it had repeatedly shown mental regulations. Chevron’s decision mainly related to the right to operate. The clubs. MP Yousef Al-Zalzalah said sports wrong maps of disputed Kashmir. Al Jazeera in was mainly down to problems getting sources say Kuwait was angry because it clubs have become places for political KUWAIT: Awqaf and Justice Minister India showed a blue screen yesterday with a sign work permits from the Kuwaiti authorities was not consulted when the Chevron con- groups and political and sectarian dis- Yaqoub Al-Sane gestures during the saying “as instructed by the ministry of information for its expatriate staff, the sources said. cession to operate Wafra was renewed by putes. National Assembly session yester- and broadcasting, this channel will not be avail- “Current difficulties in securing work per- Riyadh in 2009 until 2039. — Reuters Continued on Page 13 day. — KUNA able”. An official said the order was made earlier this month over the maps that showed parts of the Himalayan Kashmir region in archrival Pakistan International drug gangs and China, an extremely sensitive issue in India. Al Anstey, managing director of Al Jazeera English, prey on Filipinos abroad called the ban “a disproportionate response”. “Unfortunately, this is the latest in a series of ongo- MANILA: Filipina maid Mary Jane Veloso silently next to him during an interview ing issues. Our journalists have not been granted faces imminent execution in Indonesia, in Manila. visas for years now,” Anstey said. New Delhi impos- but relatives say her only crime was to Veloso lived in a poor farming region es tight restrictions on all printed maps, insisting fall victim to international drug gangs about three hours’ drive north of Manila. they show all of Kashmir as being part of India. who are threatening to kill them if they Life became increasingly tough after she speak out. Echoing horror stories told by broke up with her sons’ father and had to hundreds of other Filipinos in jails provide for them alone. She flew to Bullock named world’s around the world, the 30-year-old single Malaysia after being promised a job most beautiful woman mother claims she was duped into ferry- there, but was told on arrival that the NEW YORK: Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock was ing narcotics. She insists she would never only work available was actually in named the world’s most beautiful woman in 2015 by have gambled her life and two sons’ Indonesia, her parents said. While in People magazine yesterday and laughed when she futures on a bag of heroin. But she is one Malaysia, the drugs were secretly sewn heard about the honor. “No, really. I just said, ‘That’s of several foreigners whose executions into her suitcase, according to her par- ridiculous,’” she told the magazine. Bullock, 50, who won for drug crimes are drawing closer in ents. Veloso was arrested five years ago a best actress Academy Award in 2010 for her role in Indonesia. at Yogyakarta airport with 2.6 kg of hero- “The Blind Side”, said she found beauty in her role as a Veloso believes, according to her par- in in her suitcase. She is on death row mother to her 5-year-old son, Louis. “Real beauty is qui- ents, that she was tricked by a criminal with others including two Australians et. Especially in this town, it’s just so hard not to say, ‘Oh, gang as she desperately sought work and a Frenchman whose legal appeals I need to look like that,” she said about Los Angeles.