SUBSCRIPTION MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2013 SHAABAN 15, 1434 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Syria-linked Gunmen kill Egypt army India hold clashes kill nine foreign says it’s nerve to sink at least eight tourists in ready to England in in Lebanon9 Pakistan12 save15 nation rainy20 final Oppn ex-MPs to boycott Max 44º polls, Awazem to take part Min 29º High Tide 00:50 & 11:25 Constitutional court to explain ruling on June 26 Low Tide 06:03 & 19:10 40 PAGES NO: 15849 150 FILS By B Izzak Snowden flies to KUWAIT: Twenty-seven former opposition MPs yester- day signed a statement in which they vowed to boycott Russia, seeking the forthcoming elections, but the opposition’s attempt to garner popular support for the boycott was dealt a Ecuador asylum heavy blow after the Awazem tribe, the largest in the country, decided to participate. The Awazem announce- MOSCOW: Former US spy Edward Snowden arrived ment was made by the tribe’s chief Falah bin Jame’ at a yesterday in Russia, requesting asylum in Ecuador to large gathering of the tribe. Jame’ told his tribesmen escape the US legal authorities after leaking sensa- that he believes that “after the court ruling, we should tional details of cyber-espionage by Washington. Snowden, the target of a US arrest warrant issued participate”. Former opposition MP Falah Al-Sawwagh, a Friday after he blew the lid on massive secret surveil- member of the tribe who is boycotting, appealed to the lance programs, arrived in Moscow on a direct flight tribesmen not to change their opinion, especially since from Hong Kong and was expected to head to South the single-vote amendment does not serve the interests America via Cuba. The Hong Kong government said of the tribe. earlier it had “no legal basis” to prevent Snowden Meanwhile, the constitutional court yesterday set leaving because the US government had failed to next Wednesday as the date to respond to a petition provide enough information to justify its provisional asking the court to explain parts of its landmark ruling arrest warrant for the former National Security issued last week to order the National Assembly dis- Agency (NSA) contractor. solved and to confirm the controversial amendment to Snowden, 30, landed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo the electoral law. The petition was filed by member of airport on a scheduled Aeroflot flight at 5:05 pm the scrapped Assembly Abdulhameed Dashti, who said (1305 GMT), an AFP correspondent at the airport that parts of the ruling were not clear and need some said. He did not emerge into the main terminal area explanation. where crowds of journalists quizzed his jet-lagged Dashti said that unlike a similar ruling issued by the and bewildered fellow passengers if they had seen same court a year ago, the new verdict did not call for the fugitive ex-agent on the flight. Airport officials reviving the Assembly that was elected in 2009 and dis- said Snowden in fact never crossed the border and solved in December 2011 after street protests by the would spend the night in the Vozdushny Express ZOUK MOSBEH, Lebanon: Palestinian contestant Mohammed Assaf raises his trophy next to Lebanese opposition. Fresh election were later held in Feb 2012 “capsule hotel” inside the departures area ahead of singer Assi Al-Hallani (left) and host Annabella Hilal after winning the ‘Arab Idol’ singing contest early yes- but the election process was nullified on June 20, 2012 his next flight. — AFP (See Page 7) terday. — AFP (See Page 40) Continued on Page 15 MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2013 LOCAL Premier attends opening of multi-purpose hall for deaf KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister with special needs in order to develop and Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah to the Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah their creative and sport skills. club. The inauguration ceremony was patronized and attended the opening of a The State of Kuwait believes in the attended by Minister of Social Affairs and multi-purpose hall for the deaf at Kuwait importance of blending the people with Labor Thikra Al-Rashidi, senior officials sport club for the deaf on Saturday special needs in society in all cultural and from the Prime Minister Diwan and the evening. sport domains, and to be treated equally Public Authority for Youth and Sport. Sheikh Jaber inaugurated the hall with their fellow citizens, said the minister. Chairman of board of Kuwait sport club which consisted of a handball court, a vol- The government is well aware of the for the deaf Ismail Karam announced the leyball court and a swimming pool, all importance of backing the people with multi-purpose hall would be named after built in line with international standards special needs “so that our society remain a His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh for people with special needs. society of cooperation, progress and open- Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Minister of information and minister of ness on all of its segments,” he added. Addressing the ceremony, Karam said state for youth affairs Sheikh Salman Al- The constitution of Kuwait, said Sheikh the members of the board and general Sabah, addressing the inauguration cere- Salman, guaranteed rights of all citizens in assembly agreed to name the hall, follow- mony, said the information ministry was in addition to the law No. VIII of 2010 which ing a proposal by the club’s honorary the process of appointing sign language organized rights of people with disabili- chairman Fahad Bushaiba. interpreters for news bulletins and other ties. He noted that Kuwait sport club for Karam said the government was keen programs. the deaf was established in 1975 and has on supporting people with special needs This step, he added, is part of the min- 500 members, making it one of the by increasing the annual financial alloca- istry’s contribution to blending the deaf biggest at the Arab and continental levels. tions for the club. Bushaiba thanked into society and defending their rights. He praised full support of His Highness Sheikh Jaber for attending the inaugura- Sheikh Salman said one of priorities of the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber tion ceremony, and thanked Sheikh the ministry of youth affairs’ strategy was Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Salman for keenness to remove all obsta- to attach greater interest to the people Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah cles facing the club. — KUNA News Interior Ministry’s officials urged to in brief redouble efforts ahead of elections Constitutional Court session KUWAIT: Kuwait Supreme Constitutional Court announced yesterday that it will hold a session on New panel to supervise polls Wednesday June 26 to examine a request for explana- KUWAIT: First Deputy Prime chaired by First Deputy Prime that regard, Al-Qabas daily report- ble and inform the prime minister Islamist groups. On that regard, tion to ruling No. 15 of 2013 over the challenges to Minister and Minister of Interior Minister and Minister of Interior ed that Al-Rashidi was told to who wants to guarantee clean sources told Al-Rai recently that the electoral law and parliament. In its ruling last Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hamoud Al- Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al- make a decision sooner than later elections”, the sources said. the Kuwait Democratic Forum week, the Supreme Constitutional Court ordered the Jaber Al-Sabah called on the secu- Sabah, and will be tasked with on order to remove any complica- On a related note, a govern- does not have plans to stop mem- dissolution of current parliament, elected in rity services and traffic depart- securing the elections process tions which could result if she ment insider told Al-Qabas that a bers from contesting in the elec- December 2012, and the organization of new parlia- ment yesterday to redouble their and all other duties that were runs for parliament. Unnamed committee was formed featuring tions despite announcing rejec- mentary elections in two-month period. The court effort and work in order to cope handled by National Election sources quoted in the report members from the social affairs, tion to the upholding of the sin- also rebuffed a challenge to law No 20 of 2012 which with the advent of the holy Committee before it was dis- explained that the minister is interior and Islamic affairs min- gle vote system. While predicting brought a one-person, one-vote system in place of month of Ramadan and the forth- solved by a Constitutional Court required to fill a significant num- istries to examine donations col- that the group supports former the former rules that allowed voters to cast ballots for coming parliamentary elections. ruling last week. ber of leading vacant posts in the lected during Ramadan, and MPs Mohammad Al-Abduljader in four candidates. This came during a coordination The same source further told ministry, and filling them before insure that charity money is not the second constituency and meeting the minister held along Al-Jarida that Minister of Social resigning and then running in the used to fund election campaigns. Faisal Al-Shaya in the third, the Ramadan well-wishers with a number of ministry officials Affairs and Labor Thekra Al- elections could be interpreted as The government feels confi- sources noted that the ‘Forum’ His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- to prepare for the next phase. Rashidi prefers to stay in her posi- ‘favoritism’ to boost her chances dent of holding successful elec- informed its members that sup- Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Crown Prince The minister listened to brief- tion post elections rather than of winning.