Govt Firm on New Diesel Prices, but Open to Talks
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SUBSCRIPTION TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015 RABI ALAWWAL 22, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net FM leads Arab Children return ‘Boyhood’ wins Qatar ‘ready’ delegation to Taleban big at Globes; for 2015 men’s to support massacre school next stop, handball world Lebanon4 in11 Pakistan the38 Oscars championship19 Govt firm on new diesel Min 04º Max 17º prices, but open to talks High Tide 04:10 & 17:07 Low Tide HRW urges Kuwait to drop charges against Mulla 10:35 & 23:38 40 PAGES NO: 16401 150 FILS By B Izzak and Agencies 2-year passport KUWAIT: Oil Minister Ali Al-Omair yesterday reiterated IN TOP that the government has no intention of reversing a validity needed decision to raise the prices of diesel, kerosene and avia- tion fuel, but kept the door open for negotiations with for first iqama MPs for a compromise. The minister told reporters that FORM! the government’s resolve on prices does not prevent it KUWAIT: A security source said that iqama affairs from negotiating a proposal by several MPs to suspend departments have received instructions not to issue the increase temporarily and start implementing it on a residency visa to any person who enters the coun- April 1. try for the first time whose passport validity is less The decision to scrap subsidies for the three fuels than two years. The source said that this decision was taken in October and implemented at the start of became active Sunday, adding that it applies to all the new year. A large number of MPs strongly objected those who want iqamas, be it the government, pri- to the implementation after the hike in diesel and vate companies, domestic helpers, etc. kerosene prices led to an increase in the prices of a The source said there an awareness campaign number of products and services. Several MPs even will be launched in a few days about enforcing arti- called on the government to reverse the decision. cle 15 of the law that links the iqama period with Omair’s statements came on the eve of an expected the validity of the passport, which means the iqama debate called by a number of MPs to discuss the conse- validity will not exceed passport validity. The source quences of raising the prices of diesel and kerosene. The said the decision aims at sparing expats from hav- debate request was filed last week. The minister said the ing new violations, as no iqama will be granted to responsibility of the government is to prevent any cor- an expat whose passport’s validity is less than one ruption or exploitation of these products. A number of full year, in order to protect the expat and national diesel smuggling cases are currently before the public security after discovering forgeries in 7,000 Syrian prosecution, said the minister, adding that besides passport renewals. The source said those who want smuggling, the issue has an economic aspect. an iqama for two years should have a passport valid Omair said that the finance minister amended the for two years and the same for those who want a ZURICH: Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo smiles after receiving the 2014 FIFA Ballon decision to raise the prices of diesel and kerosene from one-year iqama. — Al-Qabas d’Or award for player of the year during a ceremony at the Kongresshaus yesterday. — AFP (See Page 20) Continued on Page 13 Debate on free expression rages Erdogan blasts Netanyahu for ‘daring’ to attend rally HONG KONG: Blanket news coverage varying degrees - have said the maga- around the world of the Charlie Hebdo zine was wrong to publish cartoons lam- Potential shale massacre, culminating in Sunday’s huge pooning Islam. But others in the West march in Paris, is increasingly laced with have voiced their own unease with oil, gas reserves debate among opinion-makers about unequivocal support for the publication’s the limits of free expression and the right often controversial stances. “The mes- found in Kuwait to offend. The immediate aftermath of sage was clear... that what is at stake is the attack, which saw Islamist gunmen not merely the right of people to draw KUWAIT: An unofficial specialized study has shown storm the offices of the satirical French what they wish but that, in the wake of a potential existence of shale oil in Kuwait, as there weekly and leave 12 dead, saw countless the murders, what they drew should be are 23 calcareous clay layers expected to be a posts on social media in which Twitter celebrated and disseminated,” Teju Cole source of shale oil and gas, an expert said. and Facebook users voiced solidarity wrote of the victims of last week’s Comparing these layers with the layers of Eagle with the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie, or “I am assault. But, he added in the New Yorker, Ford shale in the US, a large amount of reserves of Charlie”. “just because one condemns their brutal shale gas is expected to be found in Kuwait, said Publications in Russia, China, Malaysia murders doesn’t mean one must con- Head of Al-Sharq Petroleum Consulting Company TABUK, Saudi Arabia: Saudi men make a snowman in the Aleghan Heights, locat- and elsewhere - countries that have been done their ideology”. ed some 1,500 km northwest of the Saudi capital Riyadh, on Jan 10, 2015 after a Abdul-Samea Behbehani. criticised for suppressing free speech to Continued on Page 13 heavy snow storm hit parts of the Middle East. — AFP Behbehani pointed out that Saudi Arabia is cur- rently developing five experimental wells of shale gas in the Ghawar field and in other fields near its border with Jordan. But Behbehani admitted that Saudi cleric condemns the process is facing challenges. Oil shale is an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock contain- anti-Islamic snowmen ing kerogen (a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds) from which liquid hydrocarbons called shale oil can be produced. Qatar pulls risqué perfume Behbehani said shale oil well production contin- ues up to five years, indicating global production by DUBAI/DOHA: A prominent Saudi cleric want which does not have a soul, includ- 2020 is expected to reach 12 trillion cu ft. The cost has whipped up controversy by issuing a ing trees, ships, fruits, buildings and so of producing a shale oil barrel is between $30-$40, religious ruling forbidding the building of on,” he wrote in his ruling. That provoked down from $60-$70 before the current drop in oil snowmen, described them as anti- swift responses from Twitter users writing prices, he said. “Some countries have announced Islamic. Asked on a religious website if it in Arabic and identifying themselves with the discovery of large quantities of shale gas. China was permissible for fathers to build snow- Arab names. “They are afraid for their tops these countries with 1,115 trillion cu ft, fol- men for their children after a snowstorm faith of everything ... sick minds,” one lowed by Argentina (808 trillion cu ft), Algeria (707 in the country’s north, Sheikh Twitter user wrote. trillion cu ft) and the US (655 trillion cu ft) as well as Mohammed Saleh Al-Munajjid replied: “It Another posted a photo of a man in other countries like Canada, Mexico, Australia, is not permitted to make a statue out of formal Arab garb holding the arm of a snow, even by way of play and fun.” “snow bride” wearing a bra and lipstick. South Africa, Russia and Brazil,” he said. Quoting from Muslim scholars, Sheikh “The reason for the ban is fear of sedition,” As for reserves of shale oil, he pointed out that Munajjid argued that to build a snowman he wrote. A third said the country was Russia has announced the discovery of 75 billion POITIERS, France: Worshippers remove building material at the mosque in this was to create an image of a human being, plagued by two types of people: “A peo- barrels, the US 58 billion barrels, China 32 billion city in west-central France following an arson attack yesterday. The fire is an action considered sinful. “God has giv- ple looking for a fatwa (religious ruling) barrels, Argentina 27 billion barrels and Libya 26 bil- believed to have been started in reprisal to the attack against the French satiri- en people space to make whatever they Continued on Page 13 lion barrels. — KUNA cal magazine Charlie Hebdo on Jan 7.— AFP ‘Muslim’ Birmingham IS hackers seize US Centcom accounts WASHINGTON: US Central Command sus- Command, located in Tampa, Florida, oversees remark draws mockery pended its Twitter page yesteray after a group the US-led air war against the group in Iraq declaring sympathy for Islamic State jihadists and Syria and other American forces in the LONDON: A Fox News commentator’s “What he should do is look at Birmingham hacked its social media accounts and posted Middle East. The hacking of CENTCOM’s social remark about the British city of and see what a fantastic example it is of internal documents. In an embarrassing prop- media accounts came as President Barack Birmingham being “totally Muslim” was bringing people together of different aganda jab at the American military, a black- Obama was delivering a speech on cyber widely mocked on Twitter yesterday, faiths, different backgrounds,” he said. and-white banner with the image of a hooded security. while Prime Minister David Cameron Emerson later apologized, saying it fighter and the words “CyberCaliphate” and “I It was unclear if the hacking represented a called the expert a “complete idiot”. was a “beautiful city” and announcing that love you ISIS” replaced Central Command’s genuine threat to sensitive computer net- Security analyst Steven Emerson said he would make a donation to standard Twitter banner.