May 13, 2012

Page 1

SUNDAY, MAY 13, 2012

@alwatandaily

Issue No. 1433

16 PAGES

www.alwatandaily.com

150 Fils with IHT

Information Minister: Al-Shamali will not resign

Mohammed Al-Salman, Mohammed AlKhaldi, Osama Al-Qatari and Ahmed AlShemmari

Staff Writers

KUWAIT: The Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah dismissed on Saturday press reports claiming that the Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali intends to resign ahead of the planned questioning in Parliament. The minister made the comments during an exhibition organized by Grade 10 students at the Movenpick Hotel. Al-Mubarak called for the formation of a Parliamentary Ethics Committee to curb malpractices, particularly the use of derogatory language in the National Assembly on the part of executive and legislative authorities, alike. Meanwhile, the minister of finance has reportedly assigned a team to examine the two interpellations filed against him by a group of lawmakers. The minister is facing questioning from MP Obeid Al-Wasmi, on one hand, and MPs Musallam Al-Barrak, Khaled Al-Tahous and Abdurrahman Al-Anjeri, on the other. Reports have merged that the minister plans to compile two memos in order to refute the claims highlighted in the motions. According to parliamentary sources, Minister Al-Shamali is determined to

step up to the podium and deal with the interpellations despite numerous recommendations that he resort to other choices within Constitutional and legal parameters. The sources said that certain top government officials have affirmed that the Cabinet will hold on to Al-Shamali, being an instrumental technocrat in the government. The minister’s outstanding performance, despite the mammoth tasks on his shoulders, was reportedly praised by these unnamed officials. Furthermore, the sources indicated that AlShamali has been a target since the previous Parliament, adding that the issue at stake has nothing to do with the alleged malpractices or shortcomings on the part of the minister. A moderate member of the Majority Bloc revealed that he has been informed that a Cabinet reshuffle may take place, in which Al-Shamali might be redeployed to another ministerial portfolio such as Development Affairs if need arises.The source however expressed confidence that Al-Shamali will be able to rebut the claims made by his interpellators. The member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, reported that the interpellation intends to undermine key economic sectors such as the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) and its overseas offices. He added that the incumbent minister of finance has always faced up to his critics and

Kuwait pays tribute to late Amir Sheikh Saad for accomplishments KUWAIT: Fourth anniversary of the demise of the late Father Amir Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah falls today (Sunday), a distressing occasion that marks end of life of a profound leader who has left his marks on Kuwait’s history. On this occasion, Kuwait pays tribute to a leader of unique traits and long record of accomplishments for the homeland, defending rights and independence of the country against external expansionist schemes. Sheikh Saad, who served, during the last years of his life as Crown Prince and Father Amir, had taken part in drafting the National Constitution, participating in marathon sessions that included legal experts for laying down a corner stone for the modern State of Kuwait. The late Amir, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, named Sheikh Saad as the Crown Prince on January 31, 1978, after the latter served as the minister of defense, secu-

rity, interior. He was the first figure to serve as minister of interior and the second to occupy the top post of the defense. Sheikh Saad, the fourth Amir of the Constitutional State, headed 11 Cabinets between 1978 and 2003. During his long service in this senior and sensitive post, Sheikh Saad manifested shrewdness in coping with internal and external developments that posted a threat to the country’s security and independence. Keenly, the late Father Amir had sought to bolster Kuwait’s security and defense potentials and resources, seeking in particular to enhance skills of the national manpower and material capacities. His contributions were so extensive, playing a role is enacting legislations and laws for regulating social security, the sectors of housing naturalization and employment. More on 2

remained steadfast, in the face of the scathing attacks from critics. In another development, the Rapporteur for the Parliamentary Legislative Committee MP Mohammad Al-Dallal revealed that the committee expects the National Assembly Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun to refer a formal letter, which assigns the committee to enforce the Parliament’s Internal Charter in relation to barring MP Mohammad Al-Juwaihel from entering the Parliament following his unruly action toward MP Dr. Hamad Al-Matar. The lawmaker added that the committee will equally consider a request to expedite the process of forming a Parliamentary Ethics Committee and set out a mechanism for reinforcing the provisions of the Internal Charter. For his part, MP Nabeel Al-Fadhl said the blunder committed by Al-Juwaihel is indefensible. However, he warned that the action should not be a cover for the mistakes involving the members of the Majority Bloc, while expressing hope that the Ethics Committee will be set up soon. In a similar vein, MP Marzouq Al-Ghanem affirmed that the actions that take place at the National Assembly do not befit the status of the Abdullah Al-Salem Chamber (Parliament). The MP suggested that all these problems can only be addressed through raising the level of awareness amongst the people of Kuwait.

Egypt funeral turns happy after dead man awakes

LUXOR, Egypt: The funeral of a 28 year-old waiter in southern Egypt turned into a celebration when he woke up after being declared dead. Hospital officials had pronounced dead Hamdi Hafez alNubi, who came from the village of Naga Al-Simman in the southern province of Luxor, after he suffered a heart attack while working. His family says grieving relatives took him home and, according to Islamic tradition, washed his body and prepared him for burial Friday evening. A doctor sent to sign the death certificate found it strange that his body was warm. At closer observation she discovered he was still alive. His mother fainted upon hearing the good news. With the doctor’s assistance, both Al-Nubi and his mother were awakened and soon were celebrating with guests. -AP

Clashes rage in Syria, opposition meets abroad

An Afghan boy stacks up bricks at a brick factory in the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, May 12, 2012. (AP)

Jury convicts Balfour of murdering singer Hudson’s family members South Sudan police withdraw from disputed Abyei: UN

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UNITED NATIONS: South Sudan has withdrawn its police from the disputed Abyei region on its border with Sudan, the United Nations said on Friday, after the UN Security Council threatened the African neighbors with sanctions to try and stop an escalating conflict. Sudan and South Sudan both claim Abyei, a border region containing fertile grazing land, which Khartoum took in May last year - triggering the exodus of tens of thousands of civilians - after a southern attack on an army convoy. Recent border clashes between Sudan and South Sudan, which culminated with South Sudan seizing a disputed oil field, prompted the Security Council to pass a resolution last week threatening sanctions if the two sides did not follow an African Union roadmap stipulating a cease-fire and a return to talks. “The UN Interim Security Force for Abyei reports that yesterday South Sudan’s inspector general officially ordered the withdrawal of the South Sudan police service from the Abyei area,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters. “Following the announcement, some 700 South Sudan police, with the UN mission’s logistical support, relocated to South Sudan,” he said. “The UN mission is in the process of verifying that all South Sudan police elements have withdrawn from the Abyei area.”-Reuters

BEIRUT: Rebels fought the army in northern Syria on Saturday, activists said, and Syrian dissidents abroad gathered to try to unify and project themselves as a credible alternative to President Bashar Al-Assad. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported fighting in Idlib province, on Syria’s northern border with Turkey and a hotspot of the 14-month-old revolt against Assad’s rule. “Violent clashes are raging between Syrian regime forces and armed military defectors ... The sounds of strong explosions were heard followed by security forces using heavy and medium machinegun fire,” the British-based Observatory said. Violence has rumbled on despite a ceasefire declared a month ago by international envoy Kofi Annan and the presence of a UN monitoring mission now with about 150 observers on the ground. Opposition leaders abroad flew to Rome to try to strengthen their fractured Syrian National Council (SNC), which is seeking international help in the struggle against Assad. Political jockeying within the SNC has prevented it from gaining full international endorsement. Executive members told Reuters they may choose a new president or restructure the council in a bid to garner broader support. -AP See also 4

Soldiers remove a body bag containing the remains of victims of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 crash in Mount Salak, in Indonesia’s West Java province, May 12, 2012. A rescue team found no survivors but several bodies on Thursday when it arrived at the wreckage of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 passenger plane that crashed into Mount Salak on May 9, 2012, during an exhibition flight with 45 people on board. (Reuters)

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Saudi king sacks adviser over gender comments

Price of Kuwaiti crude drops to $107.80 per barrel

KUWAIT: The price of Kuwaiti crude oil dropped 1.10 US dollars to $107.80 per barrels (pb) on Friday compared to $108.90 pb on Thursday, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) reported on Saturday. The bearish trend of prices of oil on the international markets came following reports about modest growth of China’s industrial sector. Its output grew at a limited scale, in April, first such record in three years. Such indications coincided with reports about general sluggishness shrouding the whole Chinese economy. Market jitters coupled with a surprise declaration by JPMorgan Bank regarding two billion dollars worth of losses, thus prompting investors to shun high-risk assets. Moreover, forward contracts for the Brent for the June delivery dropped 86 US cents. Likewise, the US light crude deals for the same month dropped $1.04. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency (IEA), which offers advises to authorities of 22 advanced nations, said global oil supplies grew from 600 barrels per day to one million bpd in April. Now, these supplies

are higher by 3.9 million per day as compared to the level that existed a year ago - 90 percent of the hike was result of higher production by oil producers of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Oil prices have been battered by rising OPEC output that has helped boost US crude oil inventories and by the political and economic turmoil resulting from the euro-zone’s debt crisis. OPEC said its own production had risen in April to 31.62 million barrels per day (bpd) as Iraq ramped up and Libya’s oil industry recovered. And the increased flows have helped push oil down $15 from a March high of $128 a barrel. “Higher OPEC crude oil production underscores the current trend of plentiful supply in excess of market requirements,” OPEC said in its monthly Oil Market Report. Secondary sources now say that OPEC pumped 1.62 million bpd above its supply target, and demand for its own oil, in April. More on 9

Sarkozy faces a slew of probes after immunity ends

PARIS: Outgoing French leader Nicolas Sarkozy will face a slew of legal probes into corruption and campaign financing violations after he leaves office next week and loses his presidential immunity. Sarkozy could face questioning as soon as midJune as he will lose his immunity a month after his successor, Socialist Francois Hollande, is sworn in on May 15. The outgoing leader has denied any wrongdoing in a raft of cases, but the conviction last year of his predecessor Jacques Chirac on graft charges has shown that French courts are now willing to go after former leaders. “In the past the kind of behavior that Nicolas Sarkozy is accused of was very common, but the courts did not launch prosecutions,” said Philippe Braud, a political analyst at the Paris-based Centre for Political Studies. “Things have very much changed. The courts have become more courageous.” The most immediately dangerous case for

Sarkozy involves a series of overlapping inquiries surrounding alleged illegal campaign financing by L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, France’s richest woman. Magistrates are investigating claims that Bettencourt’s staff handed over envelopes stuffed with cash to Sarkozy aides to finance his 2007 campaign, with her former book-keeper testifying to one 50,000 euro ($65,000) donation. Under France’s electoral code, individual election campaign contributions may not exceed 4,600 euros. Sarkozy and his camp have also been accused of ordering an illegal police investigation to identify an official leaking information on the Bettencourt scandal to a journalist from the newspaper Le Monde. Judges have charged both a prosecutor close to Sarkozy and the head of France’s domestic intelligence agency, Bernard Squarcini, with having illegally obtained the journalist’s mobile phone logs in 2010. -AFP

Greece’s hard left leads new vote

ATHENS: Greece’s president summoned party leaders on Saturday for one final attempt to avert new elections, but the effort looked doomed to fail after politicians deeply divided over austerity plans said they would stick to their guns. Greece’s political landscape is in disarray a week after an election left parliament almost equally divided between parties backing and opposing an EU/IMF bailout that keeps Athens afloat in return for pledges of deep spending cuts and tax hikes. If President Karolos Papoulias fails in a final attempt to persuade leaders to form a coalition, he will have to call a new vote in June. Opinion polls predict the balance of power would tip decisively towards the bailout’s radical leftist opponents, potentially jeopardising Greece’s membership in the euro zone. Papoulias called the leaders of the three biggest parties for coalition talks on Sunday at 0900 GMT, after Socialist leader

Evangelos Venizelos became the third and last of them to acknowledge he had failed to assemble a coalition. Without a government to negotiate a new aid tranche from the EU and IMF, Greece risks bankruptcy in weeks and - as European leaders now openly acknowledge - potential ejection from the common currency. A week of efforts to put together a government failed because of disagreement over the bailout. Party officials said on Saturday they would not change their stances. “There is no change (to our position),” said Panos Skourletis, a spokesman for the anti-bailout Left Coalition SYRIZA party, which placed second on Sunday and has since seen its popularity increase as anti-bailout voters rally around its charismatic 37year-old leader, Alexis Tsipras. “It is obvious that there is an effort to bring about a government that will implement the bailout. We are not participating in such a government,” Skourletis said. -Reuters

Women perform a traditional dance during the Rocket Festival, also known as Bun Bang Fai, in Yasothon, 531 kms (330 miles) northeast of Bangkok, May 12, 2012. The festival marks the start of the rainy season when farmers are about to plant rice. (Reuters)


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