MOHARRAM 18, 1441 AH TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 28 Pages Max 46º Min 25º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17934 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Premier inaugurates sports Purdue files for bankruptcy in In Ethiopia, busted Beetles Braun crushes grand slam 2 center for visually impaired 13 bid to settle opioid crisis cases 21 ‘pimped out’ for hip youth 28 as Brewers beat Cards Coalition says weapons used in Saudi attacks ‘came from Iran’ US hints at military response • Oil prices surge • Houthis threaten new attacks RIYADH: The weapons used to strike Saudi oil facilities were Iranian-made, the Riyadh-led coalition said yester- MPs call on govt to beef up day, heightening fears of regional conflict after the US hinted at a military response to the assault. The weekend security after drone breach strikes on Abqaiq - the world’s largest oil processing facility - and the Khurais oilfield in eastern Saudi Arabia By B Izzak country including the National have roiled global energy markets, sending prices spiking Assembly, schools and others. He said yesterday. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels claimed KUWAIT: Lawmakers yesterday he has sent two questions to the responsibility for the strikes but Washington has squarely called on the government to beef up defense and interior ministers about blamed Iran, with President Donald Trump saying the US security measures following what they the incident and also about the govern- is “locked and loaded” to respond. called a “very serious breach” after a ment’s failure to implement an Saudi’s energy infrastructure has been hit before, but drone intruded into the country’s air- Assembly recommendation to set up this strike was of a different order, abruptly halting 5.7 mil- space. MP Riyadh Al-Adasani accused an independent body for dealing with lion barrels per day (bpd) or about six percent of the the government of not being sufficient- contingency plans. world’s oil supply. The Saudi-led coalition, which is bogged ly ready to face such violations, adding Dallal said during a debate of the down in a five-year war in neighboring Yemen, reiterated that the government should have dealt security situation in the country, law- the assessment that the Houthis were not behind it, point- with the breach immediately. makers called on the government to ing the finger at Iran for providing the weapons. The lawmakers made the remarks establish a body for disasters and Russia urged “all countries to avoid hasty steps or after the government said an investiga- catastrophes, but nothing has so far conclusions that could exacerbate the situation” while the tion has been launched by security happened. He said the government is European Union stressed all sides should show “maxi- authorities regarding a report saying required to take all measures neces- mum restraint”. China also called on the US and Iran to that a drone was seen over Bidaa coast sary to safeguard Kuwait’s airspace, in “exercise restraint... in the absence of a conclusive inves- early Saturday. The government held a addition to sea and land borders and tigation or verdict”. RIYADH: Spokesman of the Saudi-led military coalition Colonel Turki Al-Maliki speaks meeting with top security and military prevent the reoccurrence of the drone Continued on Page 24 during a press conference yesterday. — AFP officials and then announced launching incident. Dallal said regional military the investigation after the report said and security tensions are a major the drone flew over HH the Amir’s resi- source of concern for Kuwaitis and patrol of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard evision broadcast footage from the deck of a dential palace in Salwa. Adasani said expatriates, and condemned the Iran seizes new Corps intercepted the vessel carrying trawler-sized vessel with open hatches show- security agencies should have been attacks on two major Saudi oil facilities 250,000 liters of fuel near the Strait of ing tanks full of what appeared to be fuel. It is ready for any security incident and on Saturday. Hormuz, state TV’s website said, citing a com- the second such seizure this month, after a effectively deal with it, adding that it Meanwhile, Islamist MP Mohammad boat in Gulf for mander of the force. “This boat was sailing boat suspected of smuggling fuel was was clear that the government is not Hayef yesterday cautioned the minister from Bandar Lengeh towards United Arab detained and its 12 Filipino crew members ready to deal with the drone. of education over failure to implement Emirates waters before it was seized 20 miles arrested in the Strait of Hormuz on Sept 7. MP Mohammad Al-Dallal stressed sex segregation at the newly-opened smuggling fuel that a drone approaching vital installa- campus in Shadadiya. He said he will (32 km) east of Greater Tunb island,” Brigadier Iran, which has some of the world’s cheapest tions in the country is a very serious watch the ministry’s measures to TEHRAN: Iran has seized a boat suspected of General Ali Ozmayi was quoted as saying. fuel prices due to heavy subsidies and the fall development, adding that it means that implement segregation after the initial being used to smuggle fuel and arrested its 11 “The boat’s 11 crewmembers have been of its national currency, has been fighting ram- any drone can breach any site in the opening chaos. crewmembers near a vital oil shipping lane, arrested,” he added, without saying when it pant fuel smuggling by land to neighboring state television reported yesterday. A naval happened or giving their nationality. State tel- Continued on Page 24 Ghanem meets Sisi 3 killed in 3-way crash CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi received Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem at Etihadiya Palace yesterday. During the meeting, Ghanem conveyed greetings of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and his wishes for more development for Egypt. Sisi also conveyed, via the visiting top lawmaker, his greetings to HH the Amir, wishing him a long healthy life. The meet- ing also discussed bilateral ties and recent regional and international developments. Sisi also noted the historic Egyptian-Kuwaiti rela- tions, stressing on the need for continuous cooperation between the two sides, pointing out that these bonds were boosted during Sisi’s visit to Kuwait in August. Meanwhile, Ghanim noted that Kuwait deeply appreci- KUWAIT: Three people were killed in a three-vehicle collision on King Abdulaziz Road ates Egypt’s political position in the Arab world. The that resulted in a blaze. Fahaheel firemen put out the fire and found the charred bod- meeting was attended by Egyptian Speaker Ali ies of the three victims, which were recovered by forensics. — By Hanan Al-Saadoun Abdelaal and Kuwaiti Ambassador to Egypt CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi meets Kuwait’s National Assembly Mohammad Al-Thuweikh. — KUNA Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem at Etihadiya Palace yesterday. — KUNA Outsiders lead Erdogan hosts in Tunisia Putin, Rouhani presidential poll for Syria summit TUNIS: With more than half the votes ANKARA: The latest summit on Syria hosted counted in a presidential election, by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Tunisians have delivered a political Ankara with his Russian and Iranian counter- earthquake by rejecting established Nabil Karoui Kais Saied parts started yesterday, with attention focused leaders for a little known law professor on Damascus’ push on the last rebel-held bas- and a media mogul jailed on suspicion of television station and the charity he tion of Idlib. Presidents Vladimir Putin and tax evasion. Kais Saied and Nabil Karoui founded after his son died to present Hassan Rouhani met Erdogan for separate bilat- are leading 24 other candidates, who himself as a champion of the poor and a eral talks in the Turkish capital before they sat included the prime minister, two former scourge of government, while his critics down together for their fifth summit on the con- prime ministers, a former president and describe him as an ambitious, unscrupu- flict since 2017. the defense minister, and appear certain lous, populist. He denies all claims of Iran and Russia have been staunch support- to advance to a runoff vote next month. wrongdoing against him, including old ers of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, while It represents a sharp rebuke of elect- tax evasion and money laundering Turkey has called for his ouster and backed ed governments that have struggled to charges which kept him in jail on election ANKARA: (From left) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip improve living standards or end graft opposition fighters. But with Assad’s position Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for pictures prior to a trilateral meeting on day, calling them an undemocratic plot. looking increasingly secure, Turkey’s priority after Tunisia’s 2011 revolution introduced “We hope that Karoui will keep his Syria yesterday. — AFP has shifted to preventing a mass influx of democracy and inspired the “Arab promises and keep helping us like he did refugees from Idlib into Syria’s northwest. “We Russian airpower, despite a series of ceasefires. Russian airstrikes have continued in the Spring”. “He will fight corruption and in recent years (with his charity),” said a are in complete agreement in aiming for a last- Turkey has 12 observation posts in Idlib to region despite the latest ceasefire agreed by establish a just state and continue the woman at Tunis fish market, who did not ing political solution for Syria’s political unity enforce a buffer zone agreement struck a year Ankara and Moscow on Aug 31. “A zone of de- process of the revolution,” said fishmon- want to be named.