Mps Call for Resolving Bedoon Issue, Demographic Imbalance Lawmakers Slam Constitutional Court Ruling, Corruption, Foreign Aid by B Izzak
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RABI ALTHANI 20, 1440 AH THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2018 28 Pages Max 24º Min 11º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17718 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net MPs call for resolving bedoon issue, demographic imbalance Lawmakers slam constitutional court ruling, corruption, foreign aid By B Izzak KUWAIT: MPs yesterday urged the government to New KPC CEO swiftly find a solution to the decades-old problem of bedoons or stateless people and warned against the demographic imbalance that has made the Indian and hopeful for oil Egyptian communities as large as that of Kuwaitis. Debating HH the Amir’s speech that he delivered at the market recovery start of the current term, lawmakers also continued to threaten to grill ministers, mainly the new Oil Minister KUWAIT: The CEO Khaled Al-Fadhel if he fails to take measures to rectify of Kuwait Petroleum violations committed by the former administration. Corporation (KPC) MP Hamdan Al-Azemi blamed lawmakers and the Hashem Sayyed Assembly speaker for making the Assembly weaker, Hashem said yester- “because 30 out of 50 MPs want to become ministers day that he expected and try to appease the speaker, because he has reserved the local oil industry seats in the Cabinet”. MP Mohammad Hayef threatened to reach new heights to use constitutional tools because of the bedoon issue, in the foreseeable Hashem Hashem which has remained unresolved for a very long time. He future. In a statement said that Kuwait must retain its Islamic identity, adding KUWAIT: (From left) MP Safa Al-Hashem, Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Housing Jenan Boushehri and to KUNA shortly this issue must remain Kuwait’s top priority. Minister of State for Economic Affairs Mariam Al-Aqeel attend a parliament session at the National Assembly yesterday. after being assigned to his post, Hashem thanked Continued on Page 24 — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat Kuwait’s political leaders for their tremendous confi- dence in him, saying he hoped to live up to their expec- tations. He promised to “have the oil industry’s best interests at heart”, which in turn would put the econo- humans, plants and the environment. my on the path towards development. Outrage over “We found some of the chemical is “We are confident in the capabilities of the nation’s leaking into the soil, which will affect this youth to face the biggest challenges,” he said, citing a hazmat dumped land on which people will start building “positive atmosphere” as a necessity for optimal per- soon. These abandoned tanks contain formance. Hashem spoke of his “unyielding conviction” toxic liquids including combustible mate- that all of the oil sector’s goals will ultimately come to in Khaitan yard rials, engine oils and other dangerous fruition, highlighting the industry as among the pillars of chemical waste,” he told Kuwait Times. the national economy. He thanked KPC’s work- By Nawara Fattahova The containers were discovered by force for their sheer diligence and commitment to activists based on their environmental develop the oil industry. KUWAIT: Environmental activists found investigations yesterday, but they have Earlier yesterday, a decree was issued appointing abandoned containers containing haz- been there for over a year. “When we Hashem as deputy Chairman and CEO of KPC. ardous material in South Khaitan yester- contacted the environmental police, they Decree number 374/2018 stated that a board has day, dumped on empty land that was informed us that this waste has been there also been formed comprising Khaled Saleh recently distributed by the housing min- for over a year, as there was a case in Bohamra, Sami Fahd Al-Reshaid, Dr Fadhel Ali Safar, istry for citizens to build houses on. court against the company that dumped it Jamal Abdulkhaled Al-Nouri and Dr Mohammad According to Khalid Al-Hajeri, Chairman in this location. The case is over and the of Green Line Environmental Group, this owner was arrested,” explained Hajeri. Abdullatif Mohammad Al-Faris. — KUNA KUWAIT: Tanks of chemical waste are seen dumped in a yard in South Khaitan yesterday. is a disaster that will negatively affect Continued on Page 24 say they were sprung from prison with Mubarak seeks the help of the Palestinian group Hamas As TikTok videos and operatives from Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement. permission to In sworn testimony, Mubarak declined take hold, parents to answer all of the judge’s questions until testify in trial the presidency granted him “permission” scramble to keep up to reveal “sensitive” information related to CAIRO: Egypt’s deposed president Hosni national security. “If I talk, I will open PARIS: Millions of teenagers seeking their 15 seconds Mubarak yesterday asked current many subjects that I am barred from dis- of fame are flocking to TikTok, but many of their par- President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi for “per- cussing without permission,” he said. The ents are only now learning about the express-yourself mission” to disclose sensitive information former president acknowledged that at video app - often to their dismay. The social network in the retrial of ousted Islamist leader the time, he had received information became the most downloaded on Apple’s App Store in Mohamed Morsi. Toppled in 2011 after from his intelligence chief on the infiltra- the first half of this year according to market analysis mass protests against his nearly 30-year- tion of militants from the Gaza Strip to the firm Sensor Tower, beating out titans like Facebook, rule, Mubarak took the witness stand in a country’s east during the uprising. Instagram and Snapchat. The site, owned by China’s ByteDance, boasted 500 Cairo court to testify about jailbreaks “General Omar Suleiman informed me million users as of June following its purchase last year allegedly orchestrated by Morsi and other on January 29 (2011) that 800 armed mili- of Musical.ly, which greatly expanded its reach in the members of his Muslim Brotherhood tants infiltrated through the border,” he CAIRO: Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak arrives with his sons Gamal (center) Continued on Page 24 and Alaa (right) to testify at a makeshift courthouse yesterday. —AFP US. Analysts say it filled the void left by Vine, which group during the uprising. Prosecutors introduced countless numbers of teens to the creative possibilities of ultrashort videos but failed to find a sus- thousands of arrivals, as most facilities tainable business model. were built decades ago for men arriving “TikTok capitalizes on short-term creative content Second child that other platforms don’t encourage, by their design alone. and community,” said Brian Solis at the US tech adviso- “We need help from Congress. We ry firm Altimeter. “If there is one thing Silicon Valley migrant dies need to budget for medical care and can learn from Chinese app development, it’s that it is mental healthcare for children in our tuned in to viral-as-a-service, meaning that their most in US custody facilities,” McAleenan told CBS News. popular apps have really been about making content The official said he expected almost and personas viral and also hyper-engaged,” he said. WASHINGTON: America’s border 25,000 migrant children to be in US cus- Yet critics say its surging popularity among young security head warned yesterday officials tody by the end of the year - a greater girls in particular exposes them to caustic comments were overwhelmed by the “enormous number than ever before. “That’s an and other potential abuse by their peers, while offering flow” of families crossing from Mexico, enormous flow, that’s very different from a choice hunting ground for sexual predators. The app appealing to Congress for healthcare what we’ve seen before,” he said, adding itself promises a video-sharing community that’s “raw, funding after a second child died in cus- that the onset of the flu season was tax- real and without boundaries” and claims to be appro- tody. US Customs and Border Protection ing the ability of staff to properly care RAXRUHA, Guatemala: A boy carries a picture of Guatemalan seven-year-old Jakelin Caal priate for children aged 12 and older. Parents aren’t Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said the for every child. as her coffin is taken from Raxruha to the cemetery in San Antonio Secortez, both vil- always convinced, given the numbers of young girls agency was unable to cope with the Continued on Page 24 lages in the Alta Verapaz department, on Tuesday. — AFP Continued on Page 24 2 Established 1961 Local Thursday, December 27, 2018 Public Works Minister underlines commitment to infrastructure plans Necessary measures to reclaim retained earnings: Finance Minister KUWAIT: Making sure that proper infrastructure is in cabinet reshuffle. “I have been placed in front of a great place for key residential projects is among the govern- challenge; a challenge that spurs me to work more dili- ment’s chief priorities, Minister of Public Works Dr gently and serve Kuwait continuously at any position I Jenan Boushehri said yesterday. The minister’s remarks am assigned to,” minister Afasi added. came in response to a question by a lawmaker, during Afasi said that during his service as minister of awqaf yesterday’s parliament session, over a residential project he had made several accomplishments; such as a new planned for Kuwait’s southern suburb of Khaitan. administrative structure separating divisions’ jurisdic- Boushehri, who also serves as minister of state for hous- tions and creating new posts. Elaborating, Afasi said he ing, underlined that “responsibility for infrastructure is was co-architect of the “new mosque covenant” for reg- primarily held by the ministry of public works.” ulating activities at the mosques, enactment of waqf Meanwhile, Finance funds laws, regulations for Minister Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf research and manuscripts’ said that the government is authentication.