SUBSCRIPTION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 MUHARRAM 3 , 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Education a Tunisians in Former farmer Revenge win basic right historic vote crowned leaves Serena for bedoon spurred by as new on top of kids: KSHR3 Arab13 Spring Miss40 Uganda the19 world New ministers sworn in Max 34º Min 20º before Assembly reopens High Tide 00:23 & 13:52 KUNA denies report on minister’s resignation Low Tide 07:29 & 19:29 40 PAGES NO: 16324 150 FILS KUWAIT: New Minister of Education and Incidentally, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) Higher Education Dr Bader Al-Issa and new yesterday denied that it transmitted news on Minister of Justice and Awqaf Yaqoub Al- the resignation of Issa. The agency rejects as Sane were sworn before HH the Amir “baseless” a report on Twitter that Minister Al- Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Issa quit only two hours after he was sworn KUWAIT: (Above) Members of the legislative and executive branches gather at the diwaniya of National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al- at Bayan Palace yesterday. HH the Crown in. KUNA urged the media to abide by accu- Ghanem in Abdullah Al-Salem yesterday before the start of the new parliamentary term. (Right) HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- racy and objectivity regarding the agency’s Jaber Al-Sabah (center) receives new Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Bader Al-Issa (left) and new Minister of Justice and Sabah and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh news. It also stresses that it retains its legal Awqaf Yaqoub Al-Sane (right) at Bayan Palace yesterday. HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (second left) and Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah were rights to prosecute those behind the “false” HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah (second right) are also seen. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat and KUNA also present. news.— KUNA Technical reasons behind closure of Khafji oilfield Jarallah admits differing viewpoints RIYADH: Kuwait Foreign Ministry Undersecretary ed works”,” adding that “the Kuwaiti side knows and Khaled Al-Jarallah stated yesterday that “purely techni- understands these measures. “ “We are totally confident cal reasons” were behind the decision to stop oil pro- that production will be back to normal when these duction from the joint Al-Khafji oilfield in the joint zone technical reasons vanish,” he added. between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. “Halt of Crude production from the Khafji oil- oil production in the zone is due to techni- field had been halted temporarily to cal, rather than political, reasons,” Jarallah comply with environmental rules, accord- told reporters after his participation in the ing to an industry source and an internal 12th session of the committee in charge of letter seen by Reuters. But the closure of following up the implementation of the the offshore field, which has an output of Gulf Cooperation Council’s joint action res- between 280,000 to 300,000 barrels per olutions. day, revived speculation of renewed ten- He however admitted the two countries sions between the two countries. Sources have different viewpoints over the issue. told Reuters last week that an onshore “Relations between the two sisterly coun- gas gathering plant in Khafji needed to tries are too strong to be impacted by the be repaired after a gas leak and that the difference in views over the joint zone and repairs could take around six weeks.” joint production and its decisions, Jarallah On pan-GCC disputes, Jarallah said. “He argued that Kuwait and the Saudi revealed that an operations room has Arabia could resume production from the been formed to contain any emerging divided zone till technical matters are Khaled Al-Jarallah differences or disputes among GCC addressed. “The wisdom of the leaders of the two coun- states. He said that the differences are numerous, tries and love between the two people are sufficient to adding they are the result of huge and continuing GCC contain these issues.” activities. He expected that the Saudi, UAE and Bahraini Jarallah explained that “”our brothers in the kingdom ambassadors would return to Doha and pan-GCC har- want to carry out maintenance and environment-relat- mony would return shortly. — Agencies Kuwait fiscal reserves at $548bn: Audit Bureau Gulf seen riding out oil plunge KUWAIT: Kuwait had accumulated reserves of $548 bil- lion as of June 30 after continued growth in the first six MPs inquire months of 2014, a local daily reported yesterday. The reserves are invested in two state funds, the State Reserve Fund with $149 billion and the Reserve Fund for about hajj Future Generations with $399 billion, Al-Qabas newspa- per said, citing a report by the Audit Bureau, Kuwait’s state accounting watchdog. Both funds are run by the rules, cars Kuwait Investment Authority, the country’s sovereign wealth fund. By B Izzak The report said the reserves had increased by $15.7 billion in the first six months of the year. Kuwaiti authori- KUWAIT: MP Humoud Al-Hamdan yesterday asked the ties have not officially disclosed the amount of their minister of awqaf and Islamic affairs about new hajj reserves, but estimates had put them at around $500 bil- rules that have shocked many pilgrims, according to lion at the end of March this year. Kuwait, which says it him. He requested a detailed report about the new sits on around 10 percent of global crude reserves and rules applied by Saudi authorities during the hajj sea- pumps around three million barrels per day, has posted son this year which ended about a month ago. The a budget surplus in each of the past 15 fiscal years. Oil lawmaker asked about measures taken by the ministry income makes up 94 percent of public revenues. after Saudi authorities prevented administrators After first deducting 10 percent of revenues for its accompanying hajj caravans from donning the ihram, sovereign wealth fund, that percentage was increased to or the special hajj garb. He also asked that a number of 25 percent in the last two fiscal years. The state has a pilgrims found that their hajj licenses were not authen- native population of 1.25 million and is also home to tic and what has the ministry done in this regard. about 2.8 million foreigners. Continued on Page 13 Continued on Page 13 MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 LOCAL KUWAIT: (From left) HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receives HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace yesterday. — KUNA Lebanese town ‘proud’ over honoring of Amir MPs hail Kuwait’s contributions KFAR SIR, Lebanon: A number of Lebanese officials voiced pride over the UN honoring of HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as a ‘Humanitarian Leader’ and Kuwait a ‘Humanitarian Center’. In a celebration held on the occasion in the town of Kfar Sir in southern Lebanon, attendees, including politicians, religious figures and dig- nitaries, underlined the Amir’s entitlement of such an esteemed honor from the world’s highest entity, which enhanced Kuwait’s glob- al humanitarian status. Ooredoo opens new “This is a humble celebration compared to His Highness’ magnitude and pioneering experience in serving humanity regardless of branch in Hawally color, race or religion,” Ayoub Hameed, repre- sentative of parliament Speaker Nabih Berri; KUWAIT: Ooredoo in Kuwait launched its targeting key locations in the country. under whose patronage the celebration was newest branch in Hawally, Beirut Street, on Commenting on the occasion of the held, told KUNA. “We in Lebanon are the most Thursday, October 23, as part of the com- launch, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdullah aware of His Highness the Amir’s philanthrop- pany’s plan to expand across Kuwait. The Al-Thani, CEO and General Manager of ic work and of Kuwait’s role in supporting branch launch comes after the release of Ooredoo Kuwait said: “We will continue to international peace and security. Kuwait unique internet bundles, inclusive of free launch more branches in key locations deserves to be a world symbol for humanity,” tablets. Ooredoo also recently revamped its across Kuwait to get even closer to our Hameed, who is also chairman of the Kuwaiti- Shamel bundles, coupling them with free clients. It is important for us to be conve- Lebanese parliamentary friendship commit- smartphones like the bestselling iPhone 5S niently located within reach to all cus- tee, added. and Galaxy S5. The new branch follows the tomers.” Aside from its branches and official Representative of the Kuwait Fund for Arab company’s revamped design, which focus- retailers across Kuwait, Ooredoo Kuwait has Economic Development (KFAED) in Lebanon es on giving customers a smooth experi- an interactive online shop accessible Nawaf Al-Dabous said that contribution to the ence during their visit to the store. The around the clock, with exclusive offers and development process in Lebanon “under- launch comes as part of the company’s free delivery. It can be accessed on scores Kuwait’s true will in lending a helping plan to expand its presence across Kuwait, shop.ooredoo.com.kw hand to all.” Meanwhile, MP Yassin Jaber told KUNA “We in the south specifically value Kuwait’s role and support in building the Nabatieh Governmental Hospital. This cele- bration is merely a small part in returning a big favor,” he pointed out. Former interior minister Ziad Baroud said Kuwait had always followed a peaceful policy, as this state “has a leadership that managed to comprehend the concept of difference of opin- ions and knows that development is the means to stability”.