RABIA ALAWWAL 21, 1441 AH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2019 28 Pages Max 21º Min 16º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17987 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Govt lacking real program: Afghan pomegranate growers From Mosul to Baghdad, a song Clippers post 49-pt win 2 Kuwait Democratic Forum 14 squeezed as prices plunge 21 of Iraqi solidarity and resistance 28 over struggling Hawks Amir tells speaker Assembly will stay amid political crisis Defense minister’s letter to be debated in the Assembly By B Izzak KD 240 million corruption case to the public to ask the state Audit Bureau and the Anti- prosecution and sent the names of former Corruption Authority to investigate the letter KUWAIT: As the country appears to be defense minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al- of the defense minister. The Anti-Corruption sliding into a political crisis following a pub- Sabah, who is currently interior minister, and Authority said yesterday it was ready to lic clash between the ministers of defense five top army officials. The interior minister receive complaints against corruption. and interior, National Assembly Speaker responded by issuing a public statement cat- The speaker said that a majority of MPs Marzouq Al-Ghanem yesterday said he was egorically denying any involvement in the are neutral in the ongoing row, adding that informed by HH the Amir that the Assembly alleged embezzlement in the army fund. the country’s situation is under control. The is staying. Ghanem told reporters that a let- Sheikh Nasser also said that the Cabinet liberal Kuwait Democratic Forum called for ter sent by Defense Minister Sheikh Nasser resigned on Thursday over the embezzlement comprehensive political changes and that the Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah over the out- case and not as mentioned by the Cabinet. formation of the next government must be come of an investigation conducted by the The public prosecution yesterday report- based on a clear reform program. The ministry over alleged graft will be placed on edly sent the alleged corruption case to the Islamic Constitutional Movement called for the agenda of the Assembly’s next session special ministers’ tribunal for a trial, which allowing the judiciary and supervisory bod- for a possible debate. means that the tribunal will summon the inte- ies to examine all accusations made in con- KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets National In an unprecedented spat in public, the rior minister to question him. A number of nection with the alleged corruption in the Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem yesterday.—KUNA defense minister said he referred an alleged lawmakers yesterday signed a motion calling army fund. to public property. In a speech aired on Khamenei backs state television, Khamenei said “some lost their lives and some centers were Aramco declares damaged”. The protests flared hours petrol price hike after it was announced that the price of $1.71tn valuation TEHRAN: Iran’s supreme leader yester- petrol would be raised by 50 percent day threw his support behind a decision for the first 60 liters (16 gallons) and by to hike petrol prices, a move that sparked 300 percent for anything above that in blockbuster IPO nationwide unrest in which he said “some each month. It is a rise many consumers can ill RIYADH: Saudi Arabia yesterday put a value of lost their lives”. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei up to $1.71 trillion on energy giant Aramco in what blamed “hooligans” for damaging prop- afford, given that Iran’s economy has could be the world’s biggest IPO, but missed erty and said “all the centers of the been battered since May last year Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s initial tar- world’s wickedness against us have when President Donald Trump unilater- get of $2 trillion. Aramco said it would sell 1.5 per- cheered” the street protests. A policeman ally withdrew the US from a 2015 cent of the company in a blockbuster initial public was killed in the western city of nuclear agreement and reimposed crip- offering worth $24-25.6 billion, scaling down Saudi Kermanhshah in a clash with armed “riot- pling sanctions. The rial has plummeted, Arabia’s original plan to sell up to five percent of ers”, the second confirmed death since inflation is running at more than 40 the firm. “The base offer size will be 1.5 percent of protests erupted across Iran on Friday. percent and the International Monetary the company’s outstanding shares,” the state- Several people were also wounded Fund expects Iran’s economy to con- owned energy giant said as it began taking bids and dozens arrested in two days of tract by 9.5 percent this year and stag- demonstrations that saw motorists block nate in 2020. TEHRAN: A man holds a smartphone connected to a Wi-Fi network without Internet from investors in a price range of 30-32 Saudi access at an office in the Iranian capital yesterday. — AFP riyals per share ($8-8.5). highways and others attack and set fire Continued on Page 24 The much-delayed offering, a cornerstone of de facto ruler Prince Mohammed’s ambitious plan to diversify the oil-reliant economy, could exceed the minorities as well as activists, journalists world’s biggest listing - the $25 billion float of ‘Terminator’ and possibly some in the international Chinese retail giant Alibaba in 2014. Aramco had community following the 2005-15 presi- initially been expected to list on two exchanges, storms to victory dency of his older brother Mahinda with a first flotation of two percent on the king- Rajapaksa. Yesterday, Gotabaya dom’s Tadawul bourse, followed by a further three Rajapaksa, 70, thanked all voters in an percent on an overseas exchange. in Sri Lanka election that heightened ethnic and reli- But the firm has said there are no current plans gious tensions in a country that only a for an international stock sale and the IPO seems COLOMBO: Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who decade ago emerged from a brutal civil to be banking on local demand, with one-third of spearheaded the brutal crushing of Tamil war that cost 100,000 lives. the offering reserved for Saudi retail investors. Tigers a decade ago, stormed to power “I am conscious that I am also the Aramco kicked off its investor road show yester- yesterday but promised to be a presi- president of those who used the vote day, but a source close to the company told AFP it dent for all Sri Lanka’s races and reli- against me,” he said as he was formally will not be marketing the shares overseas, includ- gions after a divisive election. Seven declared the hands-down winner with 52.25 percent of the vote. “It is my duty ing the United States, as originally planned. The months after Islamist extremist attacks to serve all Sri Lankans without race or source did not offer an explanation but analysts that killed 269 people, Rajapaksa was religious discrimination,” he said. “I said it was because the listing was not compatible elected on Saturday on the back of a nationalist campaign promising security promise to discharge my duties in a fair with US regulatory requirements. Aramco has also and to crush religious extremism in the manner.” Election results showed minori- shied away from plans to list on foreign exchanges Buddhist-majority country. ty Tamil and Muslim communities voting such as New York owing to litigation risks. However, Rajapaksa’s triumph will overwhelmingly for the ruling party COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s President-elect Gotabaya Rajapaksa waves at supporters as Continued on Page 24 alarm Sri Lanka’s Tamil and Muslim Continued on Page 24 he leaves the election commission office yesterday. — AFP Strikes resume in Lebanon tycoon Iraq to bolster forgoes PM job anti-govt protests under pressure BAGHDAD: Iraqis flooded the streets of the capital and BEIRUT: Lebanon slipped deeper into political southern cities yesterday in a general strike that bol- crisis yesterday after the withdrawal of a top can- stered the weeks-long movement demanding a govern- didate for prime minister narrowed the chances of ment overhaul. Sit-ins have become the go-to tactic for creating a government needed to enact urgent the rallies that erupted in early October in rage over cor- reforms. Mohammad Safadi, a former finance min- ruption, a lack of jobs and an out-of-touch political class. ister, withdrew his candidacy late on Saturday, They have resisted efforts by security forces to snuff saying it was too hard to form a “harmonious” them out and yesterday, thousands came out across the government with broad political support. country after activists called for a general strike. Safadi was the first candidate who had In the southern hotspots of Kut, Najaf, Diwaniyah and appeared to win some consensus among Nasiriyah, schools and government offices were shut as Lebanon’s fractious sectarian-based parties since swelling crowds hit the streets. Protesters cut roads in Hariri quit as prime minister on Oct. 29, pushed the oil-rich port city of Basra by burning tyres and in out by sweeping protests against the ruling elite. Hillah, south of Baghdad, students and other activists Faced by the worst financial strains since a 1975- massed in front of the provincial headquarters. “We’ll 1990 civil war, Lebanon has pledged urgent keep up our protest and general strike with all Iraqis reforms it hopes will convince donors to disburse until we force the government to resign,” said Hassaan some $11 billion pledged last year. BASRA: Anti-government protesters draped in Iraqi national flags walk into clouds of smoke from burning tyres Al-Tufan, a lawyer and activist.