SUBSCRIPTION TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016 THULQADAL 6, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Cabinet irked A star rises Power outage Gold for Phelps at Kuwait’s from poverty, at Delta causes as records absence from killed defying cancellations, tumble in Rio Games3 Pakistan14 norms flight23 delays Olympic20 pool Fuel reform will serve Min 32º Max 48º fiscal policy: Moody’s High Tide 03:50 & 15:48 Low Tide Move to boost Kuwait finances hit by oil plunge 10:05 & 22:10 40 PAGES NO: 16957 150 FILS KUWAIT: The recently-approved restructuring of fuel prices by Kuwait will be helpful for implementing the state’s belt-tightening policy and lowering spending, Hijabi fencer makes US Olympics history according to the internationally-renowned Moody’s Corporation. These fuel price reforms are credit positive RIO DE JANEIRO: American Ibtihaj Muhammad for the sovereign state because they will lower current looked like all the other fencers when she stepped expenditures and bolster government finances dented on the piste, save for the nondescript black scarf cov- by the downturn in global oil prices, while reducing ering her head. With that small gesture, Muhammad wasteful overconsumption. The Cabinet approved a made history. Muhammad became the first series of fuel-related subsidy reforms, including an 83 American athlete yesterday to compete in the percent increase in higher quality ultra-premium petrol Olympics with a hijab, which she wears to adhere to prices and a 42 percent increase in lower-quality the tenets of her Muslim faith. Muhammad, ranked octane-91 petrol prices, which will go into effect on eighth in the world in sabre, beat Ukranian Olena Sept 1. Kravatska 15-13 in her first match before falling to Kuwait, also according to Moody’s report, has been France’s Cecilia Berder 15-12 in the round of 16. slower than regional peers in developing its non-oil and Muhammad will compete again on Saturday in private sectors and is particularly vulnerable to oil price the team sabre event. “I feel like it’s a blessing to be declines because oil- and gas-related revenues have his- able to represent so many people who don’t have torically accounted for around 80 percent of govern- voices, who don’t speak up,” Muhammad said. “It’s ment revenues, although this decreased to 70 percent just been a really remarkable experience.” in 2015 because of the sharp drop in oil prices. Muhammad, a New Jersey native and three-time Total revenues declined by approximately 41 percent in NCAA All-American from Duke, became an instant 2015, and it is forecast to decline another 14 percent this star when she qualified for her first Olympics earlier year. At the same time, total expenditures declined 16.5 this year. percent in 2015, but they are budgeted to increase by 1.8 Muhammad embraced the spotlight, which percent in 2016. Although fiscal gains this year from sub- helped make her an unlikely face of the US team giv- sidy reform are likely to be moderate, it is forecast that en how little publicity fencing typically receives. “It gains to accelerate should oil prices increase because the represents who she’s been her entire life. Ever since government will review prices every three months to she was a little girl, she never let anything hold her ensure that they move in tandem with global rates. back. She never set limits. She’s always striving to be Kuwait budgeted about 7.8 billion, or 6.4 percent of the very best,” said Ibtihaj’s brother Qareeb, who was GDP, to cover the cost of all subsidies in 2015, according overcome with emotion when he saw his sister com- to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). On top of this pete. “Despite the adversity she’s faced; being a direct cost, the IMF estimates that the opportunity cost Muslim, being an African-American, being a female, from low energy prices in Kuwait was 7.4 percent of she’s still confident in her ability to be successful. RIO DE JANEIRO: US’ Ibtihaj Muhammad celebrates winning against Ukraine’s Olena Kravatska in their GDP in 2015. The inflationary effect of fuel subsidy She’s my hero.” women’s individual sabre qualifying bout as part of the fencing event of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games yes- reform will likely be moderate because energy products Continued on Page 13 terday at the Carioca Arena 3. — AFP (Full Olympics coverage on Pages 17-20) make up only 2.63 percent of the Kuwaiti consumer price index basket. — KUNA 70 killed in Pak hospital blast Amir condemns terror attack claimed by Taleban QUETTA: Pakistan’s prime minister called black suits and ties traditionally worn by for security forces to “decimate” terrorists Pakistani lawyers. An AFP journalist was News after a Taleban suicide bomb tore about 20m away when the bomb went in brief through a Pakistani hospital yesterday, off. “There were huge black clouds and killing at least 70 people. The bomber dirt,” he said. “I ran back to the place and struck a crowd of some 200 gathered at saw dead bodies scattered everywhere No hacking of Kuwait the Civil Hospital in the Balochistan and many injured people crying. There Central Bank systems provincial capital Quetta after the fatal were pools and pools of blood around KUWAIT: None of the Central Bank of Kuwait computer shooting of a senior local lawyer earlier and pieces of human bodies and flesh.” or electronic systems has been hacked, the Central Bank in the day. More than 100 were wound- Nurses and lawyers wept as medics said yesterday. Anwar Al-Ghaith, in charge of the IT ed, officials said. Video footage showed from inside the hospital rushed out to department, said in a statement that the Central Bank’s bodies strewn on the ground, some still help dozens of injured, he said. “People cyber and electronic systems are well secured and pro- smoking, among pools of blood and were beating their heads, crying and tected against any possible outage. In response to shattered glass as shocked survivors mourning. They were in shock and grief,” reports about infiltration of Central Bank networks, he cried and comforted one another. added the journalist. TOKYO: People look at a big video screen on the street as a speech by Japanese affirmed that the Central Bank operates advanced secu- Many of the victims were clad in the Continued on Page 13 Emperor Akihito to the nation is televised yesterday. — AFP rity systems to abort any hacking attempts. Japanese emperor Family of clock teen sues school hints at abdication CHICAGO: The family of a Muslim teen arrested for taking a homemade clock to school - only to have TOKYO: Emperor Akihito said yesterday mechanism for a royal departure, which it mistaken for a fake bomb - filed a lawsuit yester- his advancing age and weakening health currently does not exist. day claiming his civil rights mean he may no longer be able to carry Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in a swift were violated. “Those are vio- out his duties, setting the stage for Japan response, said the government would lations of his civil rights,” to prepare for an historic abdication. take his remarks “seriously”. “Considering Ahmed Mohamed’s attorney “There are times when I feel various con- the emperor’s duties, as well as his age Susan Hutchison said at a straints such as in my physical fitness,” the and the burden (of the job), we have to press conference announcing 82-year-old said in a national address. “As firmly look at what we can do,” he said. the lawsuit. “The only justice we are in the midst of a rapidly ageing Tomitaro Hashimoto, an assistant profes- we have in our American legal society, I would like to talk to you today sor at Reitaku University, said while the system is money. So, we are about what would be a desirable role of emperor did not use the word abdication, suing for justice.” The family has received no apology. “I got the emperor in a time when the emperor, “his message clearly called on the public Ahmed Mohamed too, becomes advanced in age,” he said. to concretely consider the way for that in a lot of support in the begin- Speculation about Akihito’s future the future”. “Legally, he can’t request a ning, but it’s the hate that sticks,” Mohamed told emerged last month with reports he had revision of law,” said Hashimoto, an expert the news conference. QUETTA: Pakistani lawyers and security officials gather around the bodies of vic- told confidantes that he would like to on the imperial system. “That’s why he tims of an explosion at a government hospital yesterday. — AFP step down in a few years, in what would can’t ask directly.” be the first abdication from the Any eventual move by Akihito to step Chrysanthemum Throne in two centuries. down, which would see him replaced by ‘Bring us home,’ plead stranded Filipinos “I am worried that it may become difficult his eldest son Crown Prince Naruhito, for me to carry out my duties as the sym- appears to have wide support. A survey JAKARTA: Thousands of Filipino workers ices”, according to a foreign affairs depart- ly around $400-500 a month. Some have not bol of the state with my whole being as I by the Asahi Shimbun daily published stranded in Saudi Arabia due to a massive ment statement. “That is the initial relief but been paid for up to eight months. Saudi Arabia have done until now,” he said, wearing a yesterday showed that 84 percent of peo- layoff triggered by a slump in oil prices have we are telling the government to concen- has seen an unprecedented influx of migrant dark suit and sitting at a table in the pre- ple surveyed backed the idea.