l Two injured after bullets hit Dubai plane... Kuwait

Gulf Daily News
Wednesday, 28th January 2015
Email: gdnnews@gdn.com.bh
3
l Two injured after bullets hit Dubai plane...
By RAJI UNNIKRISHNAN
BAHRAIN’S national
carrier cancelled its flight
to Baghdad yesterday
after a Flydubai plane,
carrying 154 passengers,
was shot at while landing
in the Iraqi capital.
Gulf Air is “monitoring”
the security situation in
Iraq and could suspend its
two other flights this week
– scheduled for tomorrow
and Saturday – over security
concerns, however, no decision has been made.
Suspects
It follows reports of two
passengers, including a
young girl, suffering minor
injuries when three or four
bullets hit the body of a
Flydubai plane as it was
landing at Baghdad International Airport on Monday
night.
Iraqi authorities have
rounded up suspects in
farmlands south of the airport, which sits on the city’s
western outskirts.
However, it was not clear
whether the shooting was
intentional as celebratory
gunfire into the air is common in Iraq.
Gulf Air, which operates
three weekly flights to the
Iraqi capital – on Tuesday,
Gulf Air cancels
after shooting
Thursday and Saturday – said
its decision on suspending its
other flights would depend on
the security situation in Baghdad.
“In light of recent events
in Iraq, Gulf Air can confirm the cancellation of flight
GF201 which was scheduled to depart Bahrain yesterday to Baghdad due
to security concerns,” said a
statement.
“The airline is monitoring
the security situation around
Baghdad International Airport
and working closely with airport and security officials in the
Iraqi capital.
“Gulf Air is wholly committed to the safety and security of
its passengers and crew.”
However, an airline spokeswoman confirmed their daily flights to Najaf was not
affected.
“We will decide on the flights
scheduled [to Baghdad] in the
coming days after monitoring
the security situation, which we
are doing continuously,” she
told the GDN.
Kuwait freezes assets
of former AUB chairman
KUWAITI authorities have reportedly issued orThe newspaper also stated that Mr Al Rajaan
ders to freeze the property and assets of the for- planned to challenge allegations of wrongdoing
mer head of a Bahraini bank.
and seek to lift the asset freeze.
The GDN reported yesterday that
Neither Mr Al Rajaan nor repreformer Ahli United Bank (AUB)
sentatives of AUB could be reached
chairman Fahad Al Rajaan had refor comment yesterday.
signed from his position for “personMr Al Rajaan was listed among
al reasons”.
the 500 most powerful Arabs in the
However, Kuwaiti newspaper Al
world in 2013 and had served as
Jarida has claimed that Kuwait’s
chairman of AUB since 2000.
Public Prosecution has issued orders
He is also chairman of Wafra Into freeze his property and assets, as
vestment Advisory Group, Kuwait;
well as those of his relatives.
Ahli United Bank, Egypt; United
It said Mr Al Rajaan was wanted
Bank of Kuwait, London; and Kufor questioning over allegations of
wait Real Estate Investment Consorfinancial misconduct at the Kuwait
tium.
n Mr Al Rajaan
Social Security Department, where
He is also director-general of Pubhe was formerly director-general.
lic Institute for Social Security, Kuwait.
Young musicians show off skills
THE 16th annual BSME
Young Musicians of the
Gulf competition began at
St Christopher’s School
yesterday.
A total of 111 of the region’s
top young music talents are
taking part in the three-day
event.
Soloists, aged seven to 18,
performed on the opening
day.
Three music experts from
the UK have flown in to judge
the competition.
They are conductor and examiner Richard Dickins, conductor Christopher Adey and
flautist and teacher Atarah
Ben-Tobin.
Performances ranged from
instrumental pieces on cello,
flute, piano, tabla and violin
and included vocal renditions from Carmen and more
classical pieces.
“The judges were extremely impressed by the high standard of performances in the
first round,” said deputy head
of senior school Steve Keeble.
Twenty-five musicians, including last year’s winner
and runner-up, qualified for
the second round and will
perform again at St Christopher’s, Isa Town, today for a
place in the semi-final, which
will also be held today at the
school’s Saar campus at 7pm.
The 25 ensembles will
perform for the judges
tomorrow morning.
The grand finale will be
held tomorrow at the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa
Sea and Spa Hotel starting at
7pm.
The contest is being sponsored by Euro Motors.
The competition, which has
grown into a premier music
event for young people in the
region, was inaugurated by
St Christopher’s School in
1998.
Ten schools from Kuwait,
Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah,
Doha and Bahrain are taking
part in the contest.
For ticket details for
the final, call 17788101 or
17598600.
“Gulf Air is taking the Aviation Authority.
“An investigation is unnecessary precautions while
“After landing at Baghdad derway to establish what
working closely with govern- International Airport on Jan- happened.”
ment and airport authorities in uary 26, 2015, damage to the
Iraq briefly suspended air
Iraq to prepare for all eventu- aircraft fuselage consistent traffic on Monday, but most
alities.
with small arms fire was dis- flights resumed yesterday
“However, daily flights to covered on Flydubai flight morning.
Najaf remain unaffected.”
FZ 215,” said a Flydubai
The GDN previously reFlydubai, operated by bud- spokesman.
ported that Bahrain resumed
get carrier Dubai Aviation
“All the passengers disem- flights to Iraq in 2012 after
Corporation, suspended all barked normally through the jet its decision to suspend operits flights to Iraq along with bridge.
ations to Iran and Iraq over a
Emirates Airlines, Air Arabia
“Passengers from Baghdad political dispute in Decem1/27/15
11:27ber
AM 2011.
and EtihadMalibu-FastTrack-GDN-QP-H18x12.7W.pdf
Airways following to Dubai were 1accommodated
a directive from UAE’s Civil on a replacement aircraft.
raji@gdn.com.bh