Riyadh Expels Canadian Envoy, Recalls Its Own Over Interference
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THULQADA 25, 1439 AH TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018 Max 47º 28 Pages Min 35º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17602 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Cricket extremely popular Duterte unveils Bangsamoro Morocco’s ancient city Pom-pom girls and kiss cams: 4 during weekends in Kuwait 8 autonomy law, urges peace 20 of Volubilis rises again 26 Badminton gets edgy to win fans Riyadh expels Canadian envoy, recalls its own over interference Saudi Arabia freezes new trade with Ottawa, to relocate students RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has suspended scholarships to and investment transactions with Canada while retaining detained and accused of undermining national security Canada and will relocate students already there, state its right to take further action”. and collaborating with enemies of the state. Some have media said yesterday, after the kingdom abruptly cut ties The decision came after Canada demanded the imme- since been released. with Ottawa over criticism of its jailing of rights activists. diate release of human rights activists detained in a new The Saudi foreign ministry slammed the Canadian Riyadh, which suspended diplomatic relations with crackdown, including Samar Badawi, the sister of jailed statement, signalling its growing annoyance over Western Canada yesterday, will “stop training, scholarship and fel- blogger Raif Badawi. Ottawa said it was “seriously con- criticism of its human rights record. “Using the phrase lowship programs” there, state-run Al-Ekhbariya televi- cerned” and was seeking “greater clarity” on Riyadh’s ‘immediately release’ in the Canadian statement is very sion reported. Plans to relocate 7,000 students and their move. “We are seriously concerned by these media unfortunate, reprehensible, and unacceptable in relations families in Canada to other countries, primarily the United reports and are seeking greater clarity on the recent between states,” the ministry tweeted. States and Britain, were already underway, education statement from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed, heir to the region’s ministry official Jassem Al-Harbash said. Marie-Pier Baril, a Canadian foreign ministry spokes- most powerful throne, has introduced a string of reforms The kingdom early yesterday gave Canada’s envoy woman. “Canada will always stand up for the protection such as lifting a decades-long ban on women drivers in a Dennis Horak 24 hours to leave the country, in an abrupt of human rights, very much including women’s rights, and bid to overhaul the kingdom’s austere image as it pre- rupture of relations over what Riyadh slammed as “inter- freedom of expression around the world. Our government pares for a post-oil era. But the 32-year-old has simulta- ference” in its internal affairs. “The Canadian position is will never hesitate to promote these values and believes neously pursued a hawkish foreign policy. In April, an overt and blatant interference in the internal affairs of that this dialogue is critical to international diplomacy.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his Samar Badawi the kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the Saudi foreign ministry Samar was arrested along with fellow campaigner “serious concern” over the continued jailing of Raif tweeted. “The kingdom announces that it is recalling its Nassima Al-Sadah last week. Samar’s brother Raif was Badawi to Saudi King Salman. Badawi’s wife Ensaf Haidar discouraging other critical Western governments from ambassador to Canada for consultation. We consider the arrested in 2012 and sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 has been granted asylum by Canada, where she is raising speaking out, observers say. “Canada is easier to cut ties Canadian ambassador to the kingdom persona non grata years in jail for “insulting Islam” in a case that sparked an their three children now aged 14, 13 and 10 as a single with than the rest,” Bessma Momani, a professor at and order him to leave within the next 24 hours.” The international outcry. The latest arrests come weeks after mother. Canada’s University of Waterloo, told AFP. ministry also announced “the freezing of all new trade more than a dozen women’s right campaigners were Riyadh’s singling out of Canada is aimed at strongly Continued on Page 24 Javad Zarif himself accused Trump of “bully- towns and cities over water shortages, high Trump firm as US ing” and of being isolated in his hostility to the prices and wider anger at the political system. Islamic Republic. A first phase of US sanctions Severe reporting restrictions have made it against Iran goes into effect overnight, target- impossible to verify the swirl of claims coming set to re-impose ing Iran’s access to US banknotes and key through social media, though journalists con- industries including cars and carpets. firmed a heavy build-up of riot police Sunday sanctions on Iran “The Iranian regime faces a choice,” Trump night in the town of Karaj, just west of Tehran, said in a statement. “Either change its threat- that has been a focal point of unrest, and said WASHINGTON: US President Donald ening, destabilizing behavior and reintegrate mobile internet had been cut in the area. Trump yesterday told Iran to change its with the global economy, or continue down a Zarif lashed out at Trump, but acknowl- “destabilizing” behavior or risk further eco- path of economic isolation. I remain open to edged there were difficult times ahead. “Of nomic isolation, hours before the re-imposi- reaching a more comprehensive deal that course, American bullying and political pres- tion of sweeping sanctions against Tehran, addresses the full range of the regime’s malign sures may cause some disruption, but the fact though he left the door open to a new nuclear activities, including its ballistic missile pro- is that in the current world, America is isolat- deal. After Trump pulled Washington out of gram and its support for terrorism,” the ed,” Zarif told reporters, according to the the historic 2015 multilateral accord in May, to Republican leader added. semi-official ISNA news agency. Iranian the consternation of his European partners, a Renewed US hostility has already sparked President Hassan Rouhani was due to give a new pact seemed unlikely in the short term, a run on Iran’s currency, which has lost around televised address to the nation yesterday to given his conditions - and Tehran’s anger. half its value since Trump’s announcement. It outline plans for tackling the currency decline Against a backdrop of political turmoil and has added to tensions inside Iran, which has and impact of sanctions. TEHRAN: A woman walks in front of a mural painting depicting the Iranian flag in the protests in Iran, Foreign Minister Mohammad seen days of protests and strikes in multiple Continued on Page 24 capital yesterday. — AFP in the latest disaster on Sunday evening. News in brief Indonesia National disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said there were Eid holiday from Aug 19-23 fears a number of people were trapped in quake kills 98; the ruins of a collapsed mosque in the KUWAIT: The Eid Al-Adha holiday will begin on northern village of Lading-Lading. Aug 19 and end on Aug 23, the Cabinet announced imam’s video Footage he posted on Twitter showed the yesterday. The council noted that work in ministries large concrete mosque had pancaked. A and government institutes will halt during this entire lack of heavy equipment and shattered period. — KUNA goes viral roads were hampering efforts to reach sur- MATARAM, Indonesia: Indonesia yes- vivors in the mountainous north and east terday sent rescuers fanning out across of the island, which had been hardest hit. Body found on missing yacht the holiday island of Lombok and evacu- Najmul Akhyar, the head of North ated more than 2,000 tourists after a Lombok district, estimated that 80 per- KUWAIT: The authorities on Sunday located a powerful earthquake killed at least 98 cent of that region was damaged by the yacht that capsized at sea two weeks ago some 1.5 people and damaged thousands of build- quake. “We expect the number of fatali- nautical miles off Kuwaiti shores, and recovered a ings. The shallow 6.9-magnitude quake ties to keep rising,” Nugroho said. “All deceased individual on board. The missing vessel, sparked terror among tourists and locals victims who died are Indonesians.” He which was found amid a wide-scale search opera- alike, coming just a week after another said up to 20,000 people may have had tion, comes after authorities rescued six other deadly tremor surged through Lombok to quit their homes on Lombok and Kuwaiti crewmembers in Kuwait Bay, read an inte- and killed 17 people. Rescuers yesterday paramedics, food and medication were PEMENANG, Indonesia: Indonesian search and rescue personnel work on a collapsed rior ministry statement. The body was sent to the searched for survivors in the rubble of badly needed. mosque in North Lombok yesterday, a day after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck criminal investigation unit. — KUNA houses, mosques and schools destroyed Continued on Page 24 the area. — AFP Pepsico CEO stepping down because of the development of the Ilisu NEW YORK: Pepsico Turkey moves Dam project, which aims to drastically announced yesterday that improve energy supplies for the Indra Nooyi is stepping Kurdish-dominated southeast. The mov- down as chief executive after bathhouse to ing of the Artuklu Hamam, which reports 12 years at the helm of the US said is at least 650 years old, is the latest soft drinks and snacks giant. avoid flooding such transfer of a major historical build- ing in the area to avoid being buried She will be replaced by Indra Nooyi President Ramon Laguarta HASANKEYF, Turkey: Turkish author- underwater.