SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2014 THULQADA 16, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net UN honor to BJP head Long tongues, Nishikori loses be shared charged leaping cats US Open, wins with Kuwaiti over hate in 60th World $940,000 bonus people:2 Amir speech13 Records40 book from16 Uniqlo Obama eyes air strikes in Max 44º Min 28º Syria, fixing Iraqi army High Tide 00:28 & 12:29 Kerry vows global coalition will defeat IS Low Tide 06:33 & 19:08 40 PAGES NO: 16282 150 FILS WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama seemed poised to authorize air strikes against the Islamic State FM to visit in Syria, ahead of a speech to brace his nation for a long duel with the jihadists. In a much -anticipated White House address, Obama was also expected to announce Palestine a plan to rebuild Iraq’s splintered army. He called Saudi King Abdullah, a pivotal member of the coalition he is KUWAIT: Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled building to battle IS, and gathered top defense and Al-Sabah will visit the Palestinian territories next intelligence chiefs, while finalizing a strategy for the week for talks on reconciliation among the kind of prolonged new intervention in the Middle East Palestinians, an official said yesterday. The visit will be he has always abhorred. the first by a senior Kuwaiti official since the Officials said Obama was also pressing Congress to Palestinian Authority sign off on $500 million in aid to equip and train “mod- was created two erate” Syrian rebels, who would be on-the-ground part- decades ago. “The visit of ners for any US air campaign. The complex blend of Sheikh Sabah to forces opposed to both President Bashar Al-Assad and Palestine on Sunday IS was, meanwhile, scrambled again by a bomb blast comes within the frame- which killed nearly 50 members of the leadership of the work of Kuwaiti moves Islamist Ahrar al-Sham faction. to consolidate joint Arab Obama was to use his speech from the ceremonial action,” foreign ministry state floor of the White House to warn that the fight undersecretary Khaled against IS could be prolonged. “You will hear from the Al-Jarallah was quoted President how the United States will pursue a compre- as saying by the official hensive strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL,” Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled KUNA news agency. a senior official said on condition of anonymity. The Jarallah said the min- plan will include US military action against Islamic State ister would seek to bolster reconciliation between forces and new support for the opposition in Syria and the Palestinians, without providing any other the new government in Iraq. The New York Times said details about the visit. In 2012, the Palestinians Obama was ready to sign off on air strikes in Syria to reopened their embassy in Kuwait City, 22 years compliment those carried out on Islamic State targets in after it was closed over the perceived support of Iraq. The White House would not confirm the report, but the Palestine Liberation Organisation for Iraq’s WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama talks on the phone with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz from invasion of Kuwait. — AFP lent it credibility by refusing to deny it. the Oval Office of the White House yesterday. — AFP Continued on Page 13 News in brief US, Gulf facing own failures Special stamp to DUBAI: In finally tackling the jihadist of swathes of Iraq and Syria and commit- mark Amir honor threat in Syria and Iraq, Washington and ted widespread atrocities, has been the KUWAIT: Minister of Communications and Minister of Gulf Arab states are confronting a “mon- inadvertent creation of efforts to help State for Municipal Affairs Essa Al-Kandari said yesterday ster” that has come back to bite them, Syria’s less-radical opposition against that Kuwait Post will issue a special stamp to mark the UN partly through their own failings, analysts President Bashar Al-Assad - himself honoring and naming of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- say. After a stop yesterday in Baghdad, US backed by Iran and Russia. Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah a ‘Humanitarian Leader’. In Secretary of State John Kerry will hold In the past three years, wealthy busi- statements to KUNA, Kandari said that the UN honoring talks today with Arab states and Turkey in nessmen, clerics and charities from Saudi of the Amir comes in recognition of His Highness’ great Saudi Arabia to broaden an international Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait have channelled contributions to humanitarian and relief action world- alliance set to act against the Islamic State funds to rival Sunni armed groups in Syria, wide. In a major ceremony at the United Nations in New movement (IS). In a speech to the nation, with a nod from their governments. The York on Tuesday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon rec- President Barack Obama is also due to United States, Britain, France and Turkey ognized the role of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- outline a strategy to confront IS and have also given military assistance to Sabah as a humanitarian leader. address criticism his administration has opposition groups like the Free Syrian failed to respond to the rise of a group Army, with unintended results. “There is whose atrocities have shocked the world. obviously a risk anytime the US plays the PACI services stop Analysts say after so long spent dither- proxy game that those proxies could for maintenance ing, the attempt at a coordinated effort mutate into something antithetical to US KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Civil Information against IS is a welcome change. “It’s good interests down the road or transfer US (PACI) announced that its services will be closed for that they’re finally trying to choke the arms to hostile actors,” said Frederic maintenance from 2:00 pm today until Sunday. The monster that they - if not created - at least Wehrey, US Middle East politics and Gulf stoppage will affect distributing civil IDs during the fed,” said Francois Heisbourg of the Paris- expert at Carnegie Endowment for afternoon period today, receiving visitors at centers based Foundation for Strategic Research. International Peace. US Secretary of State John Kerry looks over papers while flying from Jordan to that normally work on weekends, as well as renewal Experts said IS, which has seized control Continued on Page 13 Iraq yesterday. — AFP services via phone or online, said General Director Essam Al-Asousy. Gitmo ‘living grave’ for Tourists turned off Gulf not worried by oil price slide dozens cleared to leave KUWAIT: A top Kuwaiti oil executive said the energy-rich as Kerala goes dry Gulf states are not worried by the slide in oil prices after WASHINGTON: After more than a Brent crude slumped to a 17-month low yesterday. “We decade held without charge, dozens of KOVALAM, India: British tourist John ready to imbibe the essence of (a) total are not worried at the drop in oil prices; we expect it to Guantanamo detainees ought to have Packer flew out to the tropical beaches of liquor ban,” said Chief Minister Oommen rebound to its previous levels soon. We are optimistic,” the sight of freedom, but hard-won deals for Kerala for a leisurely six-month break, but Chandy last month as he announced the acting oil undersecretary, Ali bin Sabt, told reporters on their release are languishing awaiting a news of an imminent alcohol ban across plan. the sidelines of a Gulf meeting in Kuwait City. But he final Pentagon signature. Some 79 of the the southern Indian state has made him Temperance activists may be happy acknowledged that the drop in prices “affects Gulf 149 prisoners still incarcerated at the US rethink his destination. “It won’t cut it for but Suman Billa, a top civil servant in the economies and requires coordination among the Gulf military base in Guantanamo Bay, south- me,” said the 41-year-old tiler, drinking a tourism ministry, said the ban was a Cooperation Council (GCC) states,” which heavily rely on ern Cuba, have been approved for trans- beer at one of the laid-back seafront “major concern”. “We take about a million oil exports. Sabt was speaking as senior GCC energy offi- fer after being assessed as posing no restaurants in the resort town of Kovalam. international tourists every year for whom cials prepared for a regular meeting of oil ministers today. security risk to the United States. Most of “When I come away I want a nice few wine and beer is a part of their diet,” Billa Sabt attributed the drop in crude prices to seasonal, politi- them were told as long ago as 2009 or beers, to enjoy myself - I’ve worked hard told AFP. Along with holidaymakers’ cal and psychological reasons besides the return of some 2010 that they would face no charges for it,” he told AFP. spending, the state has been raking in countries to production. Among other issues, the GCC oil and were now eligible to be either sent With its sweeping coastline, riverboats earnings from conferences and other ministers are scheduled to discuss proposals to unify home or to a third host nation. and emerald tea plantations, Kerala has business events at hotels. “There’s always prices of petroleum products in the six-nation alliance. Yet they are still waiting. In recent become a leading tourist draw in India, a cocktail and dinner that goes along with months US officials have nailed down promoting itself as ‘God’s Own Country’. it. So I think it would be particularly unat- deals which could see the fairly swift But behind the paradisiacal slogan, the tractive if we were to say: ‘Do come, but Libya PM says ‘only 7’ release of a couple of dozen detainees state has a damaging drinking problem sorry, we won’t be able to serve you any citizens held in UAE from different countries, administration among its 34 million population, leading alcohol’,” Billa said.