RABI ALAWWAL 6,1440 AH WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018 22º 28 Pages Max 150 Fils Established 1961 Min 20º ISSUE NO: 17683 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Crown Prince returns Smartphones double-edged Search for bodies, answers Williams sparks Clippers over 2 home after private visit 6 sword for terrorist outfits 24 after Calif wildfire kills 42 28 Warriors in overtime upset All schools, public bodies shut as heavy rain forecast Govt forms fact-finding committee • Oil minister forced to submit probe report By B Izzak Amir, Abbas hold official talks KUWAIT: The government yesterday decided to sus- Call to scrap pend work at all ministries, state institutions, universities and public and private schools today as a precautionary 10-year-old measure. The step was taken in line with forecasts by local and global meteorologists that the country will wit- ness unstable weather conditions in the coming hours. cars rejected Forecasts indicate heavy downpours and active winds By A Saleh with high speed, the Cabinet said on its Twitter account yesterday. It added the precautionary move was taken to KUWAIT: The ministerial services committee ensure the safety of both citizens and expatriates. The rejected a proposal from the traffic council that Cabinet appealed to all people to be cautious and follow called for banning 10-year-old cars from the road, instructions and guidelines issued by official bodies and and preferred to wait because the time is “not suit- Kuwait TV in this matter. It prayed to Allah to protect the able”. Sources said the proposal is one of several country and people from any risks. For its part, the Civil presented to the council to deal with the traffic cri- Service Commission announced today will be a day off, sis and reduce traffic congestion. in line with the Cabinet’s decision. They said the Environment Public Authority Earlier yesterday, Minister of Public Works Hussam presented the proposal to make the air cleaner Al-Roumi told the National Assembly that the govern- from emissions produced by old cars, adding that ment has launched a fact-finding investigation into the it expects cars in Kuwait’s climate to perform well heavy rains that lashed the country during the past two for no more than seven years, because high tem- weeks. The committee, which has independent represen- peratures do not allow cars to remain in good con- tatives, has been given complete authority to carry out dition long enough. its investigation on the results of flooding that caused Sources said EPA believes vehicular emissions severe devastation in several areas of the country. affect the environment, and this is why it wanted to KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- relations and means of boosting them in various fields The announcement came during a special debate participate in the technical inspection of vehicles Jaber Al-Sabah received yesterday at Bayan Palace and expanding cooperation frameworks between the called by MPs over what they allege is a government to ensure that cars do not have noxious emissions. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his accom- two countries in a way that serves their common inter- failure to face the heavy rains and their impact. But the But the ministerial services committee believes panying delegation, and official talks were held between ests. The talks were held in a cordial atmosphere amid debate could not be completed as the Assembly could implementing this proposal will constitute a finan- the two sides. Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali keenness of both sides to bolster cooperation and coor- not extend the duration of the session because of a lack cial burden on citizens and expats. Jarrah Al-Sabah said that the talks dealt with bilateral dination at all levels, he added. — KUNA of quorum. Continued on Page 24 Gulf economy Al-Kharafi empowers women at Zain Fewer foreign KUWAIT: Zain Group, the leading recovering, mobile telecom innovator in eight students coming markets across the Middle East and but faces oil Africa hosted its second annual to United States Women Empowerment forum at the WASHINGTON: The number of international students Four Seasons Hotel, Kuwait on volatility: IMF entering US colleges and universities has fallen for the Monday, gathering 300 female par- second year in a row, a nonprofit group said yesterday, ticipants from across the group, DUBAI: Economic growth in the energy-rich Gulf will amid efforts by the Trump administration to tighten including CEOs of each Zain opera- recover in 2018 from a contraction last year but restrictions on foreigners studying in the United States. tion and their respective human remains vulnerable to volatility in crude oil prices, the New enrollments for the 2017-18 school year slumped resources heads. The initiative is the IMF said yesterday. The global lender predicted that an 6.6 percent compared with the previous year, according brainchild of Zain Vice-Chairman overall energy price recovery from 2015-2016 lows to an annual survey released by the Institute of and Group CEO, Bader Al-Kharafi, would spur the economies of the six-nation Gulf International Education. That follows a 3.3 percent who delivered informative keynote Cooperation Council to grow by 2.4 percent in 2018 decline in new international students tallied in the 2016- addresses on leadership develop- and 3.0 percent in 2019, after a contraction of 0.4 per- 17 academic year. ment as well as holding discussions cent last year. Several factors are driving the decrease. Visa and with the participants. immigration policy changes by the Trump administration Grouping Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi KUWAIT: Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Bader Al-Kharafi delivers the Reaffirming his personal commit- have deterred some international students from enrolling, Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the GCC states keynote address during the annual Women Empowerment Forum on Monday. ment to women empowerment with- college administrators and immigration analysts said. A together pump over 17 million barrels per day and in Zain, Kharafi made two significant strong dollar has made US college tuition relatively more depend heavily on crude revenues. But “the growth of inclusiveness and equal opportu- both the development of more ‘regional first’ announcements - one expensive, Canadian and European universities are com- outlook for oil exporters remains subject to significant nities in which Zain personnel across future female leaders and in more being the application of flexible peting fiercely for the same students and headlines about uncertainty about the future path of oil prices,” the IMF all operations may work productive- females joining the company. I firm- hours for working mothers with mass shootings also may have deterred some students, said in its Regional Economic Outlook for the Middle ly and thrive. ly believe that championing gender children up to kindergarten age, and said Allan Goodman, president of IIE. East and North Africa (MENA). Commenting on the second diversity at Zain will create com- two, the creation of a new position “Everything matters from safety, to cost, to perhaps After their earlier extended recovery, oil prices have annual forum and the progress to petitive differentiation, fast-track and appointment of Maryam Saif as perceptions of visa policy,” Goodman said. “We’re not shed a fifth of their value in just one month, with Brent date, Kharafi said: “We are confi- our strategic ambitions of unlocking Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer hearing that students feel they can’t come here. We’re crude trading Tuesday at under $70 a barrel for the dent that implementing a series of the tremendous growth opportuni- (CIDO) to drive new empowerment hearing that they have choices. We’re hearing that there’s first time since April. targeted women empowerment ini- ties in the digital arena and at the initiatives that define, enhance and competition from other countries.” Continued on Page 24 tiatives through awareness, realiza- same time improve the company’s Continued on Page 24 continue to cultivate an environment tion and motivation will result in bottom line.” (See Page 11) Council to discuss the escalation of violence. as both sides warned the other that it would Hamas announces Kuwait, which represents Arab countries at respond forcefully to any further violence. the council, and Bolivia asked that the closed- Egypt has negotiated ceasefires following door meeting be held later yesterday, diplo- previous flare-ups, while UN Middle East truce with Israel; mats said. envoy Nickolay Mladenov has also been “Egypt’s efforts have been able to achieve seeking a long-term truce between the two Kuwait requests a ceasefire between the resistance and the sides in recent weeks. Mladenov had earlier Zionist enemy,” the statement by the Gaza called the escalation “extremely dangerous” groups said. “The resistance will respect this and said on Twitter that “restraint must be UNSC meeting declaration as long as the Zionist enemy shown by all”. After an Israeli security cabinet respects it.” The violent escalation between meeting that reportedly lasted some six hours GAZA CITY: Palestinian militant groups in Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza was yesterday, a statement was issued saying the the Gaza Strip announced an Egyptian-bro- the worst since a 2014 war. Seven Palestinians ministers “instructed the (military) to continue kered ceasefire with Israel yesterday after a were killed in Gaza over the course of some its operations as necessary”. Netanyahu had severe escalation of violence threatened to 24 hours as Israeli strikes targeted militants cut short a visit to Paris as tensions rose and descend into full-blown war. The groups, and flattened buildings while sending fireballs arrived back home on Monday. including Hamas, issued a joint statement say- and plumes of smoke into the sky.