RAMADAN 8, 1440 AH MONDAY, MAY 13, 2019 28 Pages Max 40º Min 26º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17831 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net ‘Love vs hate’ in the Mosques attacked Manchester City retain 6 latest Indian polls 24 in Sri Lankan town 28 Premier League trophy IMSAK 03:18 Fajr 03:28 Dhur 11:44 Asr 15:20 Magrib 18:32 Isha 19:59 MPs fume as govt boycotts special session on amnesty 7 MPs sign motion to debate tax on expat remittances By B Izzak and its institutions. He said the Kuwaiti people will never forget the “heroes” who defended the state establish- KUWAIT: A special session demanded by 22 lawmakers ments and public funds and committed no crime but to discuss a draft law for granting amnesty to some polit- they were punished by jail terms and forcing them to ical prisoners was not held yesterday because the gov- live abroad. ernment boycotted the meeting although 29 MPs He said that the government should have attended and showed up. The government said it decided to boycott expressed its opinion regarding the important issue. MP the meeting because it was not consulted ahead of the Hamdan Al-Azemi called on lawmakers to stop their coop- session which is a prerequisite for cooperation and coor- eration with the government over its boycott, saying that dination with the National Assembly. MPs should boycott sessions or walk out from Assembly Several MPs vented anger on the government, meetings including the meetings of committees and the describing its action as a humiliation to the National debate to pass the budgets. MP Osama Al-Shaheen also Assembly and called for non-cooperation with the gov- criticized the government for not attending the session, ernment. The special session was demanded by mostly saying that it is incorrect that the government’s attendance opposition lawmakers to debate a bill that stipulates par- is essential for holding Assembly sessions. doning dozens of opposition activists and ex-MPs who Meanwhile, seven MPs have signed on a motion to were handed jail terms for taking part in storming the debate urgently on May 14 a draft law for imposing a National Assembly building in November 2011 following five-percent tax on remittances of expatriates. MP a protest against corruption. Khalil Al-Saleh who collected the signatures said several Most of those who have been condemned to prison other MPs support the bill. The government, the Central terms have been living outside the country since last Bank and the Assembly legal and legislative committee summer and have repeatedly said that entering the had all rejected the proposal saying it will have adverse National Assembly building did not amount to a crime consequences on the Kuwaiti economy and expats as especially that the action did not cause any damage. The well, besides promoting a black market for transferring session was not held because the Kuwaiti law stipulates money. But the Assembly’s financial and economic that the presence of at least one Cabinet minister is affairs panel brushed aside all the rejections and decid- essential for the Assembly session to be legal. ed to approve the bill and sent it to the Assembly for MP Mohammad Al-Mutair, who collected the signa- debate. It was not immediately known if the Assembly KUWAIT: Deputy Speaker Essa Al-Kandari calls off a special National Assembly session which failed to convene tures and submitted the motion, said the government’s will agree to discuss the bill tomorrow and if it has yesterday due to lack of quorum. — KUNA boycott of the session is an insult to the Kuwaiti people enough support to pass. ing another carrier rotated out of the Ramadan Kareem Iran: US military Gulf last month. “An aircraft carrier that has at least 40 to 50 planes on it and presence in Gulf 6,000 forces gathered within it was a Gloating over someone’s serious threat for us in the past but now...the threats have switched to grief ‘prohibited in Islam’ ‘an opportunity’ opportunities,” Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Guards’ aerospace division said. GENEVA: The United States’ military He added, “If (the Americans) make a By Hassan T Bwambale presence in the Gulf used to be a serious move we will hit them in the head.” threat but now it is an opportunity, a The commander of the Guards, Major mong Islam’s articles of belief is to believe in senior commander of Iran’s preordainment. Allah (to Whom belongs all General Hossein Salami, said in a parlia- Revolutionary Guards said yesterday, ment session yesterday that the United Amight and majesty) had predetermined what according to the Iranian Students’ News will happen and what will not happen - among oth- States has started a psychological war in Agency (ISNA). The US military has sent the region, according to a parliamentary ers. If someone is tested by calamity or atrocity or forces, including an aircraft carrier and else, there is wisdom behind it. It is prohibited for a spokesman. “Commander Salami, with B-52 bombers, to the Middle East to believer to rejoice in a misfortune that seemingly attention to the situation in the region, counter what US officials have said are strikes anyone whom he treats as an enemy or presented an analysis that the Americans “clear indications” of threats from Iran whom he doesn’t like or whom he competes with. have started a psychological war to its forces there. because the comings and goings of their AL-UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar: A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Whoever rejoices in the misfortune of another Bomb Squadron is parked on the ramp at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. — AFP what assurances does he have that a similar or The USS Abraham Lincoln is replac- Continued on Page 24 worse catastrophe cannot strike him? Moreover, is he aware of Allah’s plans? Whatever you regard as calamity may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. five million Muslims, who hail mostly God Almighty tells Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Germany eyes from Turkey and Arab countries. Some reports but the Iranian Press TV web- thus what can be translated as: “If a blessing befalls 900 mosques in Germany are run by the UAE emirate of site cited a Lebanese broadcaster, you, it grieves them (ie your enemies), but if a Turkish-Islamic Union of the Institute for Mayadeen, saying seven oil tankers calamity strikes you, they say: ‘We took our pre- ‘mosque tax’ Religion (Ditib), under the authority of were attacked in the port. “The media cautions beforehand’ and they turn away rejoicing. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s gov- Fujairah denies office of the government of Fujairah Tell them that nothing will befall us except what BERLIN: Support is growing in Germany ernment. Its imams are paid by the denies the veracity of the media reports Allah has decreed for us. For He is our guardian and for a “mosque tax” to make Islamic insti- Turkish state, and the group has come blasts report saying strong explosions rocked the protector and on Him let the believers rely.” (At- tutions less dependent on potentially anti- under scrutiny with some of its members port of Fujairah this morning,” it said. Tawbah 9: 50 - 51) Among the things that Prophet democratic or “radical” foreign funding suspected of spying on Turkish dissi- DUBAI: The government of Fujairah, a “The operations at the port are Muhammad (PBUH) used to seek refuge with Allah sources, a media report said yesterday. dents living in Germany. member of the United Arab Emirates going as usual.” A spokesperson for (the Almighty) from - was his enemies rejoicing in The federal government sees it as “a pos- At the height of a bitter row between federation, denied yesterday media the US Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth his predicament. Abu Huraira (RA) narrated thus: sible path”, according to an answer to a Germany and Turkey in mid-2017, two reports about blasts at the port of Fleet said they had no comment at “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to seek parliamentary query, the Welt am Sonntag German ministers warned in a Spiegel Fujairah, according to a statement this time when contacted by Reuters. refuge with Allah from the difficult moment of a newspaper reported. Several of Germany’s Online commentary that Erdogan’s “dan- tweeted by its media office. Fujairah, just Tensions are running high in the severe calamity, from being overwhelmed by 16 states had also signaled support in gerous ideologies must not be imported outside the Strait of Hormuz, is one of region after the US military sent destruction, from being destined to an evil end, and principle for the idea which would mirror to Germany via certain mosques.” In oth- the largest bunkering hubs in the world. forces, including an aircraft carrier, to from the malicious joy of enemies; rejoicing in his Germany’s voluntary Christian “church er cases, some mosques have come The strait is vital oil and natural gas cor- the Middle East to counter what the predicament.” (Al-Bukhari # 6, 616) tax”, the newspaper said. under police scrutiny or been closed for ridor for the global energy market. White House says are “clear indica- You might rejoice in a person’s calamity and then Concern has grown in Germany about preaching radical and militant Islamist The statement didn’t identify the tions” of threats from Iran to its God Almighty (Allah) responds by bestowing mercy the influence of foreign funding sources ideas. Welt am Sonntag said that, in the media outlets that published these forces there.