SUBSCRIPTION TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2014 JAMADA ALAWWAL 17, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net UN plays US, EU impose Mick Jagger’s Firearms key role in sanctions as girlfriend expert tells empowering Crimea turns L’Wren Scott of Pistorius’ women to Moscow found dead love of guns 2Foreign9 recruitment13 15 Max 26º Min 10º set to begin on April 1 High Tide 00:42 & 13:12 Low Tide Ministry finalizes rules to regulate labor market 07:14 & 19:31 40 PAGES NO: 16108 150 FILS By A Saleh KUWAIT: Local companies can start recruiting foreign Co-pilot spoke last words from jet workers on April 1 based on new regulations that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor recently finalized. KUALA LUMPUR: The co-pilot of a missing Malaysian The new instructions, meant to regulate the labor mar- jetliner spoke the last words heard from the cockpit, ket, fight illegal hiring and ensure that employers the airline’s chief executive said yesterday, as investi- adhere to labor laws, allow employers to hire workers gators consider suicide by the captain or first officer freely compared to the past when a specific list of pro- as one possible explanation for the disappearance. No fessions were exempt from a ban on issuing work per- trace of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been mits to foreign workers. found since it vanished on March 8 with 239 people However, the new regulations make sure that a work- aboard. Investigators are increasingly convinced it er is recruited for a job that matches his or her field of was diverted perhaps thousands of miles off course specialty, through academic qualifications and prior by someone with deep knowledge of the Boeing 777- work experience. Moreover, a medical examination and 200ER and commercial navigation. clean criminal record from the country of origin are still A search unprecedented in its scale is now under required to obtain a work visa. way for the plane, covering a area stretching from the With regards to transferring commercial visas to shores of the Caspian Sea in the north to deep in the work permits, a process that was stopped in February, southern Indian Ocean. Airline chief executive Ahmad the new regulations stipulate that permission can only Jauhari Yahya also told a news conference that it was be given to businessmen and investors ‘who execute unclear exactly when one of the plane’s automatic investment or commercial projects in Kuwait’. tracking systems had been disabled, appearing to While private companies will have freedom to recruit contradict the weekend comments of government labor forces that they need, the new regulations include ministers. measures to ensure that firms do not hire workers they Suspicions of hijacking or sabotage had hardened don’t need or employ staff illegally. For example, if a further when officials said on Sunday that the last worker is caught working for an employer other than radio message from the plane - an informal “all right, his original one, then the license of his original employ- good night” - was spoken after the system, known as er will be suspended and he will be banned along with “ACARS”, was shut down. “Initial investigations indi SEPANG, Malaysia: An unidentified woman wearing a mask depicting the flight of the missing Malaysia his first degree relatives from obtaining a new license Continued on Page13 Airline, poses in front of the ‘wall of hope’ at Kuala Lumpur International Airport yesterday. — AP for 5 years. Continued on Page13 MP threatens to grill oil minister Call to allow political parties By B Izzak smuggling and a contract with will implement the court verdicts. international oil major Shell. The National Assembly had KUWAIT: Opposition MP Riyadh Al- He also called on the minister to formed committees to probe the Adasani yesterday gave Oil Minister implement three final court verdicts three controversial issues of Dow, Ali Al-Omair a three-day ultimatum that reinstated three top oil execu- diesel smuggling and the Shell con- to answer a number of questions he tives who had been sacked several tract but the panels have not yet had sent to him and to implement months ago in a major shakeup of completed their investigation. court verdicts reinstating three for- the oil sector. The three executives Adasani also said that a panel that mer oil executives. Adasani said he of Kuwait Petroleum Corp had con- was formed to investigate allega- would submit a request to grill the tested the decision to sack them to tions that former lawmakers oil minister by Thursday if he fails to the court which ordered reinstating received millions of dinars in bribes answer several questions he had them immediately in their past posi- was useless and that he will sent regarding the Dow deal, diesel tions. The oil minister has vowed he Continued on Page13 Obama tells Abbas ‘risks’ needed for Mideast peace WASHINGTON: US President Barack to embrace this opportunity,” Obama yesterday told Palestinian Obama said as he sat side-by-side leader Mahmoud Abbas that both with Abbas in the Oval Office. US seizes he and Israeli leaders must make “It is very hard, very challenging. tough political decisions and take We are going to have to take some control of “risks” for peace. Meeting Obama at tough political decisions and risks if the White House, Abbas said Israel’s we able to move forward,” Obama rogue ship release of a fourth tranche of said. The US leader wants Abbas to TRIPOLI: US Navy Seals boarded Palestinian prisoners by March 29 agree to a US framework to extend and took control of an oil tanker would show how serious Prime peace talks past an end-of April yesterday that had loaded crude at Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was deadline. Little tangible progress a rebel-held port in eastern Libya about extending peace talks. “As I has been made in the past seven and escaped to sea, the Pentagon said to Prime Minister Netanyahu months. He said that everyone said. The weak Tripoli government’s when he was here just a few weeks already understood the shape of an failure to halt the tanker had ago, I believe that now is the time .... Continued on Page 13 plunged the country into one of its biggest crises since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled by a NATO- backed uprising in 2011, with par- liament ousting Prime Minister Ali Zeidan, who fled the country. No one was hurt “when US forces, at the request of both the Libyan and Cypriot governments, boarded and took control of the commercial tanker Morning Glory, a stateless vessel seized earlier this month by three armed Libyans,” Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a state- ment. The operation was approved by President Barack Obama and was conducted in the early hours of yes- terday (just after 0200 GMT) in WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama and Palestinian President international waters southeast of Mahmoud Abbas shake hands during a meeting in the Oval Office of Cyprus. the White House yesterday. — AFP Continued on Page13 TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2014 LOCAL London mayor appoints Alshaya to IBAC KUWAIT: In the context of its work to build British Ambassador to Kuwait Frank Baker strong business relations and develop trade said: “I am delighted that Mohammed opportunities between Kuwait and the UK, Alshaya has accepted the Mayor’s invitation The British Embassy in Kuwait has to join IBAC. His experience, as executive announced the appointment of Mohammed chairman of one of the world’s leading inter- Alshaya to the Mayor of London’s national franchise operators, and as Joint International Business Advisory Council Chairman of the Kuwait Britain Business (IBAC). Council (KBBC), means that he will bring an The Council, which Includes nearly 50 invaluable new perspective to the Council. global business leaders, collectively advise This move also shows the deepening rela- the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, on how tionships between the UK, in particular to maintain London’s position as a top glob- London, and Kuwait — relationships that al city. With increasing commercial and cul- provide real benefit, across the board, to tural links between Kuwait and the UK, the both countries.” appointment of a well-known Kuwaiti busi- Mohammed Alshaya added: “I am hon- KUWAIT: A group photo of the participants of the workshop held yesterday at the UN House. ness leader to IBAC sends a clear message oured to have been asked by the mayor to about the importance both sides attach to join IBAC. This further strengthens the this historic trading relationship. Alshaya’s already strong relationship our two nations membership of IBAC will also support the enjoy - politically, culturally and economical- UN plays key role in Identification of commercial opportunities ly. I very much look forward to working with for Kuwaiti businesses, particularly In the UK. the mayor and the Council’s distinguished empowering women Commenting on this appointment, members.” Kuwait hosts workshop By Nawara Fattahova “Promoting Legal Empowerment of Women in development agenda,” he stated. the State of Kuwait”. These studies addressed the “This year, the Secretary-General of the United KUWAIT: On the occasion of celebrating following key issues: Women’s nationality and cit- Nations Ban Ki-moon has asked us all to focus on International Women’s Day, the United Nations izenship, women’s economic empowerment, achieving the Millennium Development Goals for House held a roundtable workshop titled women’s rights in family and marriage and women and girls, not only the specific MDG relat- ‘Equality for Women is Progress for All’ yesterday. women protection from gender-based violence. ed to women’s empowerment but also to ensure This workshop aimed to highlight the impor- Dr Mubashar Riaz Sheikh, UN Resident that women are fully and equally represented in tance of equity in favor of women and girls for Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative said the enjoyment of each of the Millennium the development of all fields of life.