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SUBSCRIPTION SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015 RABI ALAWWAL 13, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Hundreds of Lebanon Indonesia West Brom senior citizens imposes visas pledges AirAsia stroll on abandoned on Syrians probe as plane Pulis bow, in hospitals2 for first8 time parts12 found Newcastle20 out Govt faces heat after Min 09º Max 23º High Tide raising diesel prices 12:31 & 22:53 Low Tide MPs slam price gouging, want decision reversed 06:01 & 17:33 40 PAGES NO: 16392 150 FILS Saudis to reopen By B Izzak KUWAIT: A large number of MPs yesterday criticized the Baghdad embassy government and specifically the ministry of commerce for failing to take necessary actions on the conse- DUBAI: A Saudi delegation will travel to Baghdad in quences of lifting subsidies on diesel and kerosene, with the coming week to start preparations to reopen an some MPs demanding an immediate reversal of the embassy in the Iraqi capital for the first time in 25 decision. The government began implementing the first years, official Saudi media said yesterday. A thaw in lifting of public subsidies with the start of the New Year, the once chilly relations between Sunni-ruled Saudi raising the price of diesel and kerosene to 170 fils per Arabia and Shiite-led Iraq could help strengthen a litre from just 55 fils. regional alliance against Islamic State militants who A number of local sectors have been affected by the have seized territory in Iraq and Syria. three-fold increase, especially activities related to trans- Saudi Arabia closed its Baghdad embassy in 1990 port and use of the fuels. According to some MPs, some after the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Iranian bread bakeries have decided to shut down, say- Kuwait. It has long accused Iraq of being too close to ing they cannot cope with the increase in the price of Shiite Iran, its main regional rival, and of encourag- kerosene which they use abundantly in their ovens, espe- ing sectarian discrimination against Sunnis, a charge cially since the price of Iranian flatbread has not been Baghdad denies. The Saudi move would help return increased for many years. But the chairman of the Kuwait Iraq to the Arab nation “after an absence since the Cooperative Societies Union Ali Hassan announced that toppling of the Saddam Hussein regime and the the union has struck an agreement with KNPC and the penetration of the Iranian regime into the joints of ministry of commerce to exclude the kerosene provided the Iraqi state,” said Abdullah Al-Askar, head of the to Iranian bakeries operating in various co-ops from the foreign affairs committee on Saudi Arabia’s Shoura new prices. Council, which advises the government on policy. MP Youssef Al-Zalzalah said the rise in the price of Saudi Arabia began cautious moves towards rap- diesel has become an excuse for companies to raise prochement after the appointment in August of prices, adding that a large number of concrete compa- Haider Al-Abadi as Iraq’s new prime minister. Senior nies have informed their customers that they will raise members of the kingdom’s ruling Al Saud dynasty their charges due to the rise in diesel prices. The lawmak- had branded his predecessor, Nuri Al-Maliki, a pup- er demanded to know the supposed role of the com- pet of Iran, according to US embassy cables released JERUSALEM: A member of the Palestinian scouts raises a baton during a ceremony commemorating the merce ministry’s consumer protection department to Continued on Page 13 birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) outside the Dome of the Rock in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, intervene to stop such artificial and unjustified price rises. Islam’s third holiest site, yesterday. — AFP Continued on Page 13 Tycoon slams Saudi fiscal policy RIYADH: Billionaire Prince producer in the Organisation of prince said. As a result of failing Alwaleed bin Talal has lashed out the Petroleum Exporting to check rising spending, a total at the Saudi fiscal policy after Countries, also said it estimates of $53 billion will be withdrawn projecting the largest ever budg- 2014 actual budget deficit at from fiscal reserves, estimated at et deficit for 2015 following the $14.4 billion as both spending $750 billion, in just two years, he slump in oil prices. “We have and revenues far exceeded pro- said. reached the danger point... after jections. Alwaleed also criticised the starting to withdraw from the Alwaleed, a member of the way Saudi reserves are invested, reserves,” to meet the budget Saudi ruling family and the saying because most of them are shortfall, Alwaleed said in a letter wealthiest Arab private investor, invested in US and European addressed to the finance minis- said Riyadh should not have let bonds, they have low yields at ter. Last week, the world’s biggest spending rise above projections, around 2.4 percent annually. The crude exporter announced an especially after oil prices began reserves are currently managed expansionary 2015 budget with to decline. Oil income con- by the Saudi Arabian Monetary the largest-ever deficit of $38.6 tributes about 90 percent of pub- Agency, or the central bank. billion. lic revenues in the OPEC kingpin Alwaleed called for the creation It projected spending at which pumps around 9.6 million of an independent sovereign Alwaleed bin Talal $229.3 billion, a slight rise from barrels per day. If the govern- wealth fund to invest the Brent crude, Saudi Arabia is last year’s estimates, and rev- ment had contained last year’s reserves and increase the returns expected to lose half of its oil rev- KARAK, Jordan: Safi Yousef Al-Kaseasbeh, the father of Jordanian pilot 1st Lt enues of $276 billion posted in Muath Al-Kaseasbeh, and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal greet each enues at $190.7 billion, sharply spending within projections, a to around 7-8 percent. If oil prices down from $228 billion projected surplus of at least $50 billion remain at the current level of 2013. Oil income in 2014 was other as the patriarch and other Christian clergymen visit the Kaseasbeh family estimated at $248 billion. — AFP to show their support and solidarity yesterday. — AP in 2014. Saudi Arabia, the lead would have been posted, the under $60 a barrel for benchmark Father of captured pilot Amal Clooney Qaeda suspect dies asks IS to treat him well threatened with days before US trial AII, Jordan: The father of the Jordanian has been no word on Kaseasbeh or his pilot captured by the Islamic State group fate. arrest in Egypt NEW YORK: A Libyan accused over the 1998 He was questioned by the agents on appealed yesterday to the militants to The Islamic State group follows an Al-Qaeda bombings of US embassies in Africa board the flight, initially waiving his right to a treat his son well and with respect. The extremist version of Islam that considers LONDON: British human rights lawyer Amal Clooney died on Friday, days before he was to stand lawyer, during which he made an incriminat- pilot, 1st Lt Muath Al-Kaseasbeh, was tak- rivals, even some fellow Sunni Muslims, as claimed in an interview published yesterday that she trial in New York, his lawyer and family said. ing statement. But Libi had sought to sup- en captive on Dec 24 after his F-16 fighter apostates, and the group has executed was threatened with arrest in Egypt after identifying Abu Anas Al-Libi, 50, was on the FBI’s most- press the statement in court, saying he was jet crashed near the extremists’ de facto captured Iraqi and Syrian Muslim soldiers flaws in the judicial system that later contributed to wanted list with a $5 million price on his head on hunger strike at the time, raising ques- when he was captured by US troops in the capital of Raqqa in northern Syria. The 26- in the past. Still, the group may want to the convictions of three Al-Jazeera journalists. tions about the extent to which he was cog- year-old Jordanian is the first known for- negotiate a prisoner swap or other con- Libyan capital Tripoli in Oct 2013. He and nizant when he waived his rights. Clooney, a rights lawyer who married Hollywood star Saudi businessman Khalid Al-Fawwaz were Investigators told the court Libi had informed eign military pilot to fall into the militants’ cessions from Jordan. George Clooney in a lavish Venice ceremony last year, due to stand trial on Jan 12 over the attacks them of the hunger strike during the flight, hands since the US-led international coali- Separately, militants linked to the helped compile a report for on the US embassies in Kenya but that he had been hooked up tion began its aerial campaign against the Islamic State group rounded up dozens of the International Bar and Tanzania that killed 224 peo- to an IV and under medical IS in September. men from two villages in northern Iraq Association in Feb 2014 that ple and wounded around 5,000. supervision. He was responsive, Speaking to reporters from his home following a quarrel that led to the burning raised questions about the Libi, a computer expert, died understood his rights, knowingly village of Aii in central Jordan, the pilot’s of the extremist group’s flag, tribal leaders independence of judges at a hospital in the New York waived them and spoke willing- father, Safi Yousef Al-Kaseasbeh, said yes- said yesterday. The latest move by the and prosecutors in Egypt. area on Friday, his lawyer ly, and at no point appeared terday that he is “confident” that his son is extremist militants came as the United “When I went to launch Bernard Kleinman told The confused, investigator George “in safe hands in a place where he is Nations said that last year saw the highest the report, first of all they Washington Post, saying the Corey said.

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