SHAABAN 3, 1440 AH MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 28 Pages Max 28º Min 21º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17801 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Defense minister chairs China virtual reality arcades More than 40 zoo animals Cambridge beat Oxford by 2 joint committee talks 19 aim for real-world success 24 evacuated from Gaza Strip 26 two seconds in boat race Panel recommends five-year cap on new expat residencies Up to 30 involved in bank account scam: MP By B Izzak The new measure, if approved, will be the harshest are suspected to be involved in a large money-laun- cerned minister. The lawmaker had said that the issue measure against expatriates, who have faced strict dering scam, which is under investigation by the pub- began after some local banks reported to authorities KUWAIT: The higher committee for tackling the government measures during the past few years. MPs lic prosecution. MP Riyadh Al-Adasani, who was the suspicious transactions into the accounts of several demographic structure has reportedly recommended have repeatedly made proposals to limit the stay of first to break the news about the scam, said at least leading personalities, including at least two current to the government to impose a five-year cap on the expatriates in the country as an important means to four people among the group have already been MPs and several businessmen. stay of expatriates in the country. The committee rec- restructure the demographic balance in the country, indicted, but did not provide further details. Some of He later said that based on the files of the cases, ommended to the council of ministers to issue a deci- which is massively tilted in favor of expatriates, who those involved are major investment and real estate financial movements in some accounts reached sion stipulating that expatriates who arrive in the number more than three million against just 1.4 million companies in which the state holds key stakes. around KD 11 million, adding that the case is more to country after the decision takes effect will be forced Kuwaitis. MPs have also called for dismissing expats Adasani said several current and former MPs are do with money laundering rather than bribery, like the to leave the country after five years. These expatriates from government to create jobs for nationals. involved in the scam, which is “more to do with mon- infamous 2009 bribery case in which 13 MPs had will not be allowed to stay in the country after the In another key development, an opposition law- ey laundering”, and warned that any shortcomings in allegedly received more than KD 50 million in politi- completion of the five years under any circumstances. maker yesterday said up to 30 MPs and businessmen legal procedures will lead to a grilling of the con- cal bribes. A suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based militants in Pakistan claims Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 40 Indian para- Qatari Amir meets Kuwaiti speaker military police on Feb 14. The risk of conflict rose dramat- ically on Feb 27, when India launched an air strike on India planning what it said was a militant training base inside Pakistan. The following day Pakistan shot down an Indian fighter attack this month jet and captured its pilot who was later released. Earlier yesterday, Pakistan summoned the Indian deputy high KARACHI: Pakistan has “reliable intelligence” that India commissioner to protest against any “misadventure”, will attack again this month, its foreign minister said, Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal drawing condemnation from New Delhi which described said in a tweet. the claim as irresponsible. Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s “We have reliable intelligence that India is planning a comments came after tensions over a February standoff new attack on Pakistan. As per our information this could between the archenemies had appeared to ease. He said take place between April 16 and 20,” Qureshi told yesterday that an attack could take place between April reporters in his hometown of Multan. He said the ambas- 16 and 20, adding that Pakistan had told the five perma- sadors of the permanent members of the UN Security DOHA: Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al- The two sides examined, during the meeting, the nent members of the UN Security Council of its concerns. Council in Islamabad had been informed about “the plan” Thani received at the Amiri Diwan yesterday the visit- historic and brotherly relations between the two “India rejects the irresponsible and preposterous two days ago. “I am saying it with responsibility and I ing Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly countries and the necessity to further bolster these statement by the foreign minister of Pakistan with a clear have a responsible position, I know each word I say Marzouq Al-Ghanem and an accompanying delega- bonds, in addition to the latest developments in the objective of whipping up war hysteria in the region,” a would make headlines in the international press,” he said, tion. Ghanem conveyed to Sheikh Tamim greetings regional arena. The meeting was attended by spokesman for India’s foreign office said in a statement. stressing the reliability of his claim. He said the planned from HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Secretary of the Kuwaiti National Assembly and the “This public gimmick appears to be a call to Pakistan- aggression was aimed at “increasing diplomatic pressure Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and his good wishes for Qatar. parliamentary caucus MP Odah Al-Ruwaei, caucus based terrorists to undertake a terror attack in India.” against Pakistan”. Sheikh Tamim asked Ghanem to relay his greetings to treasurer MP Mohammad Al-Dallal and MP Safaa Al- The foreign office said India reserved the right to Qureshi did not elaborate on what evidence Pakistan HH the Amir and HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Hashem, as well as Kuwait’s Ambassador to Qatar respond firmly and decisively to any cross border mili- had or how he could be so specific with the timing, but he Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Hafidh Al-Ajmi. —KUNA tant attack, accusing Pakistan of being complicit in such said Prime Minister Imran Khan had agreed to share the attacks on India. Continued on Page 24 the Palestinians. Netanyahu vows It is a move the Israeli far-right has long pushed for. Settlements built on land occu- pied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War are Escalating Libya to annex West deemed illegal by the international commu- nity and their ongoing construction is seen Bank settlements as a major barrier to peace. Taking conflict prompts Netanyahu at his word, Palestinians seeking JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister statehood in the West Bank, Gaza and East international alarm Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to annex Jerusalem called his settlement annexation settlements in the occupied West Bank if he remarks a violation of international law wins tomorrow’s elections, a deeply contro- regarding occupied territory. versial move that could prove to be the Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat death knell for the two-state solution. His said Netanyahu’s statement on annexation comments late Saturday, just days before was “not surprising”. “Israel will continue to the closely-fought April 9 poll, could be brazenly violate international law for as seen as an appeal to right-wing voters who long as the international community will do not believe in the feasibility of a peace continue to reward Israel with impunity, agreement with the Palestinians. particularly with the Trump administration’s “I will apply (Israeli) sovereignty, but I support,” he said on Twitter. don’t distinguish between settlement blocs “His declaration is not just in the heat of TRIPOLI: Spokesman of the Libyan forces of the and isolated settlements,” he said in an ... electioneering campaigns,” said Hanan Government of National Accord (GNA) Mohamed interview with Channel 12 television. He did Ashrawi, a Palestine Liberation Gnounou holds a press conference in the capital not provide details on how quickly he Organization official. “This is the end of any yesterday. — AFP JERUSALEM: A supporter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wear- planned to move ahead with it and whether chances of peace.” A spokesman for Hamas, ing a mask with the face of US President Donald Trump marches with a sign it would involve all settlements. If done on a the Islamist militant group that runs the TRIPOLI: The conflict shaking Libya escalated reading in Hebrew “guardian of Israel” along an alley of the Machane Yehuda large-scale, annexation could end already Gaza Strip, said “the response to (Israeli) market yesterday. — AFP yesterday as forces of strongman Khalifa Haftar fading hopes for a two-state solution with Continued on Page 24 launched an air strike on a suburb of Tripoli and the UN-backed government vowed a major counterof- fensive. The United Nations called for an urgent ble for what has happened to him. The two-hour truce to allow evacuations of civilians and Ghosn to name lawyers have it. It will be released soon,” the wounded, while the unity government said the she told the newspaper. Carole added that fighting had so far killed 21 people. Rivalries she had fled Tokyo on a flight to Paris - between the two camps threaten to plunge the names as wife with support from the French ambassador country into a full-blown civil war after Haftar on to Tokyo - because she “felt in danger”. Thursday launched an offensive on Tripoli. flees Tokyo Despite her Lebanese passport being Oil-rich Libya has been riven by chaos since the confiscated by Japanese authorities, Carole NATO-backed uprising in 2011 that killed dictator PARIS: Arrested former Nissan boss said she was able to use her American pass- Muammar Gaddafi, as rival administrations and Carlos Ghosn is set to name the people he port to board a flight and was accompanied armed groups have battled for power.