US Briefs Kuwait, Gulf on Iran Nuclear Talks
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SUBSCRIPTION SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014 SAFAR 1, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Modify Obama presses Sold-out Cosby Messi equals lifestyle to on with show goes La Liga avert heart immigration ahead amid sex scoring attacks3 reform 9plan assault40 claims record18 US briefs Kuwait, Gulf Min 11º Max 29º on Iran nuclear talks High Tide 13:07 & 23:48 ‘Big gaps’ remain • ‘Moment of truth’ nears Low Tide 06:35 & 16:27 40 PAGES NO: 16351 150 FILS VIENNA: US Secretary of State John Kerry held telephone discussions with Gulf states and other allies yesterday, US Bahrain election hit by boycott officials said, as efforts intensified to reach a deal with Iran on its nuclear program by tomorrow’s deadline. Diplomatic sources said on Friday that Kerry and Iranian MANAMA: Bahrain went to the polls yesterday for Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif were discussing its first legislative elections since a failed pro- new ideas to unblock the negotiations between Tehran democracy uprising in 2011, with the opposition and six powers: the United States, Britain, France, Germany, boycotting the vote in the tiny Gulf monarchy. The Russia and China. key US ally remains divided nearly four years after Kerry held a conference call with the foreign ministers security forces in the Sunni Muslim-ruled kingdom of Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain, and crushed Arab Spring-inspired protests led by major- separate calls with the foreign ministers of Turkey and ity Shiites. Al-Wefaq, the main opposition group, Canada, a senior US State Department official said. Kerry warned on the eve of the vote that failure by met Zarif and European Union envoy Catherine Ashton lat- Bahrain’s rulers to ease their “monopoly” on power er yesterday. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was could trigger a surge in violence. also due to speak with Saudi Prince Saud Al-Faisal, French In the Shiite village of Sanabes, west of Manama, officials said. clashes erupted between youths and security forces The negotiations in Vienna are intended to resolve a 12- in the afternoon, an AFP reporter said. Security year-old standoff between Iran and the West and remove forces fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, at least one source of tension from a region in growing tur- some of whom were masked and armed with petrol moil. But officials said earlier in the week that deadlock bombs. Voting had been due to last 12 hours until remained on key issues, and that the deadline, already 1700 GMT, but this was later extended for two more extended by four months along with a partial easing of hours, according to state media, in a likely bid to sanctions, might need to be pushed back again. “We hope boost turnout. The move came after officials said we’re making careful progress,” Kerry said before a meeting only 10 percent of eligible voters had cast ballots with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. two hours before polling stations were to have “But we have big gaps. We still have some serious gaps, been closed. which we’re working to close.” Steinmeier, arriving in the Almost 350,000 Bahrainis have been called to Austrian capital earlier yesterday, said that the final week- elect a 40-member parliament, with most of the 266 end of talks, after months of negotiations, was a “moment candidates Sunnis. The vote has been denounced of truth”. by critics as a farce. The boycott means turnout will But the likelihood of Iran and six world powers reaching be a key marker of the validity of the vote, which an agreement is “very small”, a European source close to comes nearly four years after authorities crushed a the talks said yesterday. The source, who spoke on condi- month-long uprising calling for democratic reform. tion of anonymity, said discussions about the possibility of Al-Wefaq withdrew its 18 lawmakers after the crack- extending the negotiations beyond tomorrow’s self- down. RIFFA, Bahrain: Bahrainis vote at a polling station in a pro-government area yesterday. — AP imposed deadline might begin today. Continued on Page13 Continued on Page13 Tension ahead of Ferguson decision FERGUSON, Missouri: Tensions were old Michael Brown dead on August 9. high yesterday in the St Louis suburb of Brown’s killing triggered two weeks of Saudi freed Ferguson, with a US grand jury poised to violence that inflamed racial tensions in decide whether to prosecute a white the St. Louis suburb of 21,000, which has police officer for killing an unarmed black an African American majority and an from Gitmo teenager. US President Barack Obama has overwhelmingly white police force and called for calm, Missouri’s governor town government. “I’m here for justice. If WASHINGTON: A Saudi Arabian held at the US prison declared a state of emergency and acti- we don’t get justice, aint nobody gonna in Guantanamo Bay for 12 years has been sent home, vated the state National Guard, and the get no peace,” said 22-year-old Ebony, the Pentagon said yesterday, leaving 142 prisoners at FBI has deployed an extra 100 personnel who works in security and refused to give the jail President Barack Obama has pledged to close. to the area. Police helicopters trained a second name. “We’re going to keep Mohammed Al-Zahrani, regarded as a previously search lights over Ferguson late Friday as protesting until we know what’s right active member of Al-Qaeda, is the latest of seven pris- a small gaggle of protesters braved the gets done,” she told AFP. “I want to see oners freed from the controversial jail in Cuba in the cold to demand that officer Darren Darren Wilson go to jail.” past three weeks, and his release comes just days after Wilson stand trial for shooting 18-year- Continued on Page 13 authorities transferred five inmates to Georgia and SAN FRANCISCO: Police officers look over the scene where a window washer fell Slovakia. The 45-year-old, once considered to present 11 storeys onto a moving car Friday. — AP a “high risk” to American interests, was transferred from the prison on a specially chartered flight Friday. Zahrani was approved for removal last month by a special review board created by Obama in his efforts to Window washer falls shut the prison, a Pentagon statement said, adding that Congress was duly informed of the transfer. As on car in San Francisco part of the deal to release him, Zahrani will take part in a rehabilitation and counseling program in Saudi SAN FRANCISCO: A worker who fell 11 at San Francisco State University who Arabia. The review board, composed of representatives storeys from a San Francisco building was on her way to the gym, said. “It all from six government agencies, including the State and onto a moving car, crushing its roof and happened so quickly. It was so instanta- Defense departments, decided on October 3 that sending shattered glass flying into the neous.” Zahrani no longer represented a threat to the United street survived but was in critical condi- The man, identified by police only as States. tion. The man fell screaming from the window washer, was moving equipment Ian Moss, spokesman for Cliff Sloan, the State roof of a downtown building Friday, but on the roof of a bank building in the Department envoy who negotiates transfer deals, was conscious when paramedics reached heart of San Francisco’s financial district praised the Saudi rulers and the “close partnership” the area, police said. He remained in criti- and not on a window-washing platform between Washington and Riyadh. “Our two govern- cal condition at a San Francisco Hospital when he fell, San Francisco police Sgt ments will continue to work together to take appropri- Friday night, officials said. Danielle Newman said. The platform was ate steps to mitigate any potential threats that may be The car’s driver, Mohammad Alcozai, on the ground at the side of the building, posed by Guantanamo detainees transferred to Saudi was not injured. He told KGO-TV that he’s and cables were hanging from its sides. It Arabia,” Moss said. — AFP FERGUSON, Missouri: Demonstrators protest the shooting death of Michael happy to be alive especially after his car’s was not clear whether the man was set- Brown near a police station on Friday. — AFP roof almost completely collapsed in the ting the platform up, but he was working accident. He said he is praying that the with a partner, police said. worker survives. “I’m very happy that I Bahman and about 20 other people didn’t get hurt,” Alcozai told the news ran to the man, who was on his back. The Jokowi causes buzz by flying economy channel shortly after the accident. man was lucid, though he was bleeding. JAKARTA: Indonesia’s new President Joko clamoured to shake his hand, with some tak- Hopefully other officials can follow in his “Hopefully he can make it. I pray for him The bystanders, who included a nurse, Widodo caused a stir this weekend by opting ing selfies on their phones. Some, though, footsteps,” tweeted Anita Tobing. Widodo that he can make it.” Alcozai said he saw put clothing on the man as they waited to fly economy class to watch his son’s high thought it was a publicity stunt. “Why should said he did not use the presidential private something hit his car shortly after making for the ambulance. The man worked for school graduation in Singapore, drawing he go through the metal detector, join the jet or the VIP terminal because he was travel- a left turn.