SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016 JAMADA ALTHANI 1, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Amir Iran test-fires Total solar Avenging patronizes missiles marked eclipse Ibrahimovic KU graduation with ‘Israel must sweeps across knocks out ceremony2 be13 wiped out’ Indonesia28 Chelsea20 Heavy rainfall shuts UAE Min 16º Max 29º schools, disrupts flights High Tide 00:16 & 13:07 Low Tide Unstable weather likely to continue today 07:07 & 19:14 40 PAGES NO: 16809 150 FILS DUBAI: Schools were ordered shut, flights suspended and the stock market was closed down in the United Arab Kuwait to let Emirates as rare heavy rain hit the desert Gulf state yester- day. Education authorities said schools will stay closed today private sector as more thundery weather is forecast. Flights at Abu Dhabi airport resumed yesterday afternoon after being suspended manage ports for several hours, and Dubai International also experienced delays, aviation authorities said. The rains disrupted the Abu DUBAI: The government plans legislation that will let the Dhabi Air Expo held at the capital’s Al-Bateen airport. private sector manage commercial ports and the coun- Abu Dhabi’s stock market said it suspended trading and try’s international airport, with the government retaining cancelled all morning deals after many traders could not its ownership of the assets, a senior government official told Reuters on Tuesday. Like other Gulf states, Kuwait is reach the bourse. Images posted on social media showed under heavy pressure to cut costs and improve the effi- vehicles half-submerged in flooded streets in Abu Dhabi ciency of its economy as low oil prices cause it to run a and gusty winds lashing through palm trees lining the city’s state budget deficit. streets. Others showed shades and construction barriers There is an urgent need “to revitalize the ports, whether that had collapsed on cars. In Dubai, police registered more sea or air, for commercial business”, Minister of Commerce than 250 road accidents by midday, local media reported. and Industry Yousef Al-Ali said on the sidelines of a busi- The weather agency in the UAE, which ranks among the ness conference in Kuwait. “We need to develop the man- world’s 10 driest countries, said more rain is expected today. agement and transfer it to the private sector.” The current The country’s annual rainfall stands at 78 mm, more than 15 law only allows for the transfer of ownership in state assets. Although Kuwait has discussed outright privatization, it times less than the amount for an average year in Britain. has run into political and technical obstacles, so officials But the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology are now talking of simply transferring management. Ali did said some 240 mm of rainfall was recorded yesterday near not specify when the new legislation would be passed. Al-Ain. If the law is amended, it will provide Kuwaiti companies Social media user expressed mixed feelings about the such as logistics giant Agility, KGL Logistics and Jazeera unusual weather. “Not #london or #dublin, this is Dubai Airways opportunities to get involved, said Mustafa today after heavy rain!” wrote Andrea Colonnelli on Twitter Behbehani, chairman of the Kuwaiti Gulf Group for posting a video of cars wading through a flooded street. Administration and Economic Consulting, a local firm. “They Another video posted on the micro-blogging site have the experience to manage the airport and the ports showed a man kayaking through a flooded residential area. and they operate abroad - Agility has international opera- A construction zone barrier is seen on parked cars after it fell following a heavy rainstorm yesterday in Abu tions, and KGL and Jazeera as well,” he said. — Reuters “2 days of rain in #Dubai, my neighbour is kayaking,” read Dhabi. (Inset) A woman covers her shoes with plastic bags as she walks in the rain in Dubai yesterday. — AFP/AP one comment. — AFP THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016 LOCAL KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah pictured with the audience at the Kuwait University graduation ceremony for excellent students of the 2014-2015 academic year. —KUNA photos His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- Hamad Al-Sabah seen during the event. Amir patronizes KU graduation ceremony KUWAIT: Kuwait University held a graduation ceremony yes- Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, ebrates the National Day and the Liberation Day anniver- ing measures to issue a law on establishing public and pri- terday for excellent students of the 2014-2015 academic National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim, His saries. He praised His Highness the Amir’s support for vate universities in the country, to give students the oppor- year, under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti students, who will play a vital role in society’s devel- tunity to receive top-rated education in all fields. On his Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Upon his arrival, His His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- opment. He also mentioned His Highness’ orders to establish part, the university’s chairman Hussein Al-Ansari said that Highness was received by Minister of Education and Minister Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Sabah Al-Salem University City in Shadadiyah. KU has been exerting great efforts to provide the best edu- of Higher Education Bader Al-Essa, Kuwait University chair- Defense Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, top Sheikhs and Meanwhile, he noted that Kuwait University is facing a cation for society, adding that the university will celebrate man Hussein Al-Ansari and the teaching staff. the graduates’ families. challenge to receive the increasing numbers of students, its 50th establishment anniversary next November. KU has The ceremony held for both bachelor degree and higher Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education adding that there are currently about 37,000 students regis- by now seen the graduation of 113,166 students, he also education students was attended by His Highness the said that the ceremony comes in special times as Kuwait cel- tered in 17 faculties of KU. The minister said that KU is tak- noted. —KUNA National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim University’s Chairman Hussein Al-Ansari speaks His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- greets the graduating students. during Kuwait University graduation ceremony. Jaber Al-Sabah receives flowers from one of the graduating students Minister of Education and Minister of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Higher Education Bader Al-Essa speaking at meets the graduating students. the Kuwait University graduation ceremony. THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016 LOCAL Kuwait inaugurates new headquarters at Arab League News in brief CAIRO: Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al- Jarallah yesterday inaugurated Kuwait’s new permanent representation headquarters at the Cairo-based Arab League. Speaking at the launching ceremony, Al-Jarallah Kuwait’s Embassy in UAE issues said the State of Kuwait is keen on reactivating its role weather advisory for Kuwaitis within the Arab League’s framework and on promoting and bolstering Arab cooperation and coordination. The ABU DHABI: The Embassy of Kuwait in the UAE issued yes- opening of the new representative office stems from terday a weather advisory to Kuwaiti citizens in the UAE as Kuwait’s role in, and contribution to, the promotion and the country is experiencing turbulent weather conditions. consolidation of common Arab moves, boasting that his The advisory asked Kuwaitis to stay indoors and follow offi- country has a long history of efforts to overhaul the cial information regarding the best way to behave appro- Arab bloc. priately under severe weather conditions. It asked anyone The new headquarters is bearing on Kuwait’s history as needing assistance of any kind to contact the embassy at it used to be the premises of many Kuwaiti ambassadors this no. 00971506817788. The UAE has been exposed for to Egypt, Al-Jarallah pointed out. On his part, Kuwait’s two days now to a low pressure front, causing torrential permanent representative at the Arab League rains and thunderstorms and high winds, reaching an apex Ambassador Ahmad Al-Baker said the new building, just today in the cities of Al-Ain and Abu Dhabi. like other Kuwaiti representative offices worldwide, aims to promote Kuwait’s cultural and humanitarian image and GCC nations ban dealing with to defend its interests and gains. Kuwait has been playing Hezbollah-affiliate channels a crucial role in bolstering the Arab League since the country joined it, he said, calling for necessarily support- Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah inaugurated Kuwait’s new permanent representa- RIYADH: Information Ministers of Arab Gulf countries ing and overhauling this bloc. —KUNA tion headquarters at the Cairo-based Arab League. —KUNA have agreed to take all legal measures to prevent deal- ing with TV channels related to the Lebanese Hezbollah and its affiliate bodies. The agreement is in compliance with decisions of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Kuwait seeking to establish an and Arab Interior Ministers, both declaring Hezbollah and its affiliate bodies as “terrorist” groups, a statement said. The statement, issued after the information minis- ters’ meeting, said the legal measures would be applied industrial base, diversify income on all production companies, producers and every media-related content relevant to Hezbollah. Experts forecast upbeat oil prices scenario MANAMA: Dean of Diplomatic Corps in the regional level. He also praised Bahraini Administrative Consultation, said in an “and this is assuring with respect of restor- Bahrain, the Kuwaiti Ambassador Sheikh Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Ali bin interview with Kuwait News Agency ing balance after the bearish period; now it Azzam Mubarak Al-Sabah said yesterday Khalifa Al Khalifa’s visit to the KOC wing at (KUNA) that the recent tentative agreement is gradually moving up and this means we Kuwait is seeking to establish an industrial the exhibition.