SUBSCRIPTION WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016 RAJAB 27, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Hundreds Saudi plans Metallics reign Atletico oust arrested in stock market on tech-heavy Bayern to reach Khaitan reforms to draw Met Gala Champions crackdown5 foreign21 money red36 carpet League20 final No visa transfer from govt Min 21º Max 41º contracts to private sector High Tide 08:39 & 20:55 Low Tide Govt defers debate on reforms • Talks held over school fee hike 01:52 & 14:53 40 PAGES NO: 16864 150 FILS By B Izzak Activists call to end Syria bloodshed KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al- Subaih yesterday denied reports that the door was open to transfer workers on government projects to the private sector. The minister added those holding domestic helper residencies are also not allowed to transfer to the private sector. She announced that meet- ings will take place before the holy month of Ramadan, which begins early June, to take new decisions and determine changes regarding the local demographic structure. She provided no further details. Authorities are taking all necessary measures to ensure a balance in the labor market and the demographic structure with the aim to achieve development goals and pave the way for foreign investments in the country, Subaih said. She said that studies and research on the ratios of work permits for for- eigners being conducted by the higher population com- mittee and the manpower authority will continue. Hind Al-Subaih Foreign workers who have been hired by contractors operating a government proj- ect are required to leave the country immediately after the project is completed. Despite measures by authori- KUWAIT: Activists gather in front of the National Assembly yesterday for a candlelight vigil yesterday in solidarity with victims of bombardment in the north- ties to control the demographic mix, the number of ern Syrian city of Aleppo. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat expatriates has swelled to around three million people, By Meshaal Al-Enezi demanded conveying their message to Demonstrators also expressed for an immediate halt to the “mas- constituting about 70 percent of Kuwait’s population. the world to stop the war and find rejection of all regimes, tyrants and sacres in Aleppo that have been docu- Meanwhile, the government has asked the National KUWAIT: A group of young human immediate alternative peaceful solu- those killing their own people. “We are mented through photos and videos Assembly to delay a scheduled debate on govern- rights activists staged a vigil at Irada tions. “This is the least we can do for the not here today to represent a certain while the international community ment-sponsored economic reforms in its session next Square opposite the National Assembly Syrian people,” they stressed, pointing sect, party or tribe - we are here today turns a blind eye”. Demonstrators also week until further notice, said MP Ahmad Lari, rappor- yesterday to express solidarity with chil- out that wars always claim the lives of for humanity,” they added, expressing urged Arab regimes and particularly teur of the priorities committee. The request came dren and civilians besieged in several innocent and unarmed people like chil- strong rejection to wars and regional GCC leaders to intervene to resolve because of the absence of the prime minister, who is areas in Syria. The sit-in was held under dren, women and the elderly to make conflicts and called all Arabs to adopt the problem and stop the killing of currently leading a high-level delegation on a tour to the title ‘Syria Under Fire’. Demonstrators some political gains. the same concerns. They also called innocent people. four Asian countries. Continued on Page 13 PM visits Bangladesh News Saudi minister ‘not satisfied’ in Brief with female employment rate UN Yemen envoy Binladin workers to be paid soon bids to revive talks KUWAIT: The UN envoy has met delegates of Yemen’s RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s labor minister is labor market,” Labour Minister Mufarrej warring parties separately in a bid to restart peace dissatisfied with the level of female Al-Haqbani told reporters. But still, “I am negotiations after a protest walkout by the govern- employment in the conservative king- not satisfied at all” with their employ- ment, the United Nations said yesterday. The govern- dom but their not being allowed to drive ment rate, he said. ment delegation quit on Sunday in protest at the rebels’ is not to blame, he said yesterday. The kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030 seizure of one of the few loyalist army bases in the Female Saudi unemployment rose last plan, released last week to diversify the northern mountains in a blow to the peace talks year to almost 34 percent while the over- economy away from oil, calls for launched on April 21. UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh all jobless rate for Saudis fell to 11.5 per- increased female participation in the Ahmed met both government and rebel delegations cent, according to official figures cited by workforce and a lowering of overall late on Monday in a bid to find a swift resolution to the Jadwa Investment, a local securities firm. unemployment to seven percent. More dispute over the rebels’ seizure of the Al-Amaliqa base “We tried (during) the last four years to and more job sectors have opened to on Saturday despite an April 11 ceasefire. Foreign increase the female participation in the Continued on Page 13 Minister Abdulmalek Al-Mikhlafi, who heads the gov- ernment delegation, told Sky News Arabia there would be no more direct or indirect talks with the rebels until they withdrew from the camp and gave guarantees there would be no further breaches of the ceasefire. Oil to stabilize DHAKA: HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah is received by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed at the airport yes- at $50-60: KPI terday. Bangladesh is the first leg of an Asian tour that will take Sheikh Jaber DUBAI: The chief executive of Kuwait Petroleum and his accompanying delegation to Vietnam, South Korea and Japan. — KUNA International said yesterday that he expected oil prices to stabilize between $50 and $60 a barrel by the end of 2016 or early 2017, Kuwait’s official KUNA news agency reported. It also quoted Bakheet Al- IS kills US Navy SEAL Rashidi as saying prices could reach $80 a barrel in three to four years’ time. Brent crude is currently BAGHDAD: The Islamic State group combat in the country against IS. around $46 a barrel. “We think this increase in price broke through Kurdish defenses in Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said is following the fundamentals of the market,” he northern Iraq yesterday and killed a US the death occurred during an IS attack told KUNA. “It is an issue of supply and demand.” Navy SEAL deployed as part of the US- on one of the Kurdish peshmerga KPI, also known as Q8, refines and markets fuel, led coalition against the jihadists. The forces’ positions north of Iraq’s jihadist- lubricants and other petroleum products. It is an attack came as the United Nations said held second city Mosul. international subsidiary of state-owned oil and gas RIYADH: Saudi and foreign investors attend the Euromoney Saudi Arabia confer- that fighting with IS in northern Iraq A US defense official said the US firm Kuwait Petroleum Corp. ence in the capital yesterday. — AFP could displace another 30,000 people, SEAL’s death was the result of “an adding to millions who have already orchestrated attack”. A coalition military fled their homes. And in Baghdad, official said the American was killed at throngs of Shiite pilgrims braved the 9:30 am (0630 GMT) by “direct fire” after Bribery for services rampant in Mideast threat of bombings by IS, which have “enemy forces penetrated” the pesh- DUBAI: A new report released yesterday by country, 77 percent of respondents said they times in 2014 and 2015, and gave a 3 percent killed dozens of people in recent days, merga line. The SEAL was a member of an anti-corruption watchdog shows that on had to pay a bribe to access public services. margin of error. Public anger over corruption to take part in a major annual religious a “small team” that was present at a average, almost a third of the people in nine The interviews in Yemen were carried out among government officials, social inequality commemoration. peshmerga encampment behind the countries surveyed in the Middle East have before the start of March 2015 Saudi-led and the lack of justice and transparency were The sailor from the special opera- original front line during the IS attack, had to pay a bribe to access some kind of airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Shiite rebels, after catalysts of the 2011 Arab Spring movements tions force was at least the third coali- which involved explosives-rigged vehi- public service. The poll by Transparency which the country’s crisis descended into war. that ousted longtime leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, tion member killed by enemy fire in cles, bulldozers and infantry, the official International also found that courts have the Around 50 percent of people surveyed in Yemen and Libya. Iraq since IS overran swathes of the said. “They fought, but they’re a small worst bribery rate out of six services that were Egypt, Sudan and Morocco said they paid Transparency International’s chief Jose country in 2014. President Barack number and they’re not supposed to surveyed. The watchdog interviewed nearly bribes for public services. Ugaz said that failing to stop bribery also Obama hailed the 2011 withdrawal of be in direct contact,” and they departed 11,000 people - or about 1,200 people in each Transparency International also surveyed affects people’s human rights.