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SUBSCRIPTION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017 JAMADA ALAWWAL 10, 1438 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Workers hold Qatar Petroleum Snapshots Brady fairytale sit-in over boss says Trump of football as Patriots unpaid salaries, ‘very positive’ clubs in fightback seals ‘extortion’5 for21 oil sector Kuwait16 Super20 Bowl Info minister ‘resigns’ after Min 06º grilling over sports ban Max 21º High Tide 09:18 & 17:48 Cabinet hails Sheikh Salman, blasts interpellation Low Tide 02:40 & 14:07 40 PAGES NO: 17134 150 FILS By B Izzak Roof works cause cultural center blaze KUWAIT: Information and Youth Minister Sheikh Salman Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah yesterday submitted his resignation By Hanan Al-Saadoun and Meshaal Al-Enezi to the Cabinet two days before a scheduled no-confidence vote against him following a grilling over Kuwait’s sports KUWAIT: The fire department yesterday said construc- ban. Government sources and MPs said Sheikh Salman tion work on the titanium roof of the Sheikh Jaber Al- quit after about 31 MPs said they will support the no-confi- Ahmad Cultural Center caused the fire that ripped dence vote against him scheduled for tomorrow, meaning through the complex yesterday. Firefighters on a crane that he will be voted out of office. The motion against him sprayed water onto the building, a structure covered needs the support of only 25 MPs. Approving a no-confi- with geometric Islamic patterns. The department said in dence motion means the minister will be automatically a statement on Twitter that the fire was put out and dismissed. caused no injuries. It added five fire departments The Cabinet, which met yesterday, did not make any helped battle the blaze, which sent thick smoke pour- announcement on the resignation, but a statement ing from the futuristic-looking, waterfront complex. charged that the grilling last week included a number of Head of the Amiri Diwan’s Financial and constitutional and legal violations. The statement also com- Administrative Affairs Abdulaziz Ishaq said firefighters mended the minister and praised his defense during the responded promptly and effectively when the fire 10-hour marathon grilling by opposition MPs Waleed Al- broke out as a result of construction work. Ishaq, who Tabtabaei, Abdulwahab Al-Babtain and Al-Humaidi Al- also heads the committee in charge of the cultural cen- Subaei over the international sports ban and alleged finan- ter, added that the building was completely evacuated cial and administrative violations. at the time of the blaze, which only resulted in material The official announcement of the resignation is expect- damage. He thanked the Kuwait Fire Service ed to be made today. An Amiri decree will be issued accept- Directorate (KFSD) and all those involved in dealing ing the resignation and possibly assigning other ministers with the mishap. to the two portfolios. Reports said that State Minister for Parts of the roof were seen to be missing after the Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah blaze, but it was unclear if that was the result of the will be given the information post, while Commerce construction work or the fire. The center was launched Minister Khaled Al-Roudhan will get the youth portfolio. in October with a performance at its 2,000-seat opera During the grilling, the lawmakers accused the minister house by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Broadway musi- of failing to lift the 15-month suspension on Kuwaiti sports cal “Cats” was due to open on Thursday at the sprawling and of playing a role in issuing the legislation that the 214,000-sq-m center, located in the heart of Kuwait International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA cited for City. (See Page 4) KUWAIT: Firefighters work at the site of a fire at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center yesterday. — AP slapping the suspension in Oct 2015. Continued on Page 13 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017 LOCAL KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Sabah meets with Al-Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Fawaz Al-Khaled Al- Sabah meets with Al-Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Fawaz Al-Khaled Al- meets with Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Hamad Al-Sabah. Hamad Al-Sabah. Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah. Amir receives Al-Ahmadi Governor KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Separately, His Highness the Highness the Crown Prince also Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al Jaber Al- Amir received the head of the hosted Minister of Information and Sabah received Al-Ahmadi Governor Financial Controllers Agency Dr Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Fawaz Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Abdulaziz Dkheel Al-Dekheel, who Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al- Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace yesterday. presented to him a special report Humoud Al-Sabah. His Highness the Sheikh Fawaz presented His regarding executive measures taken Crown Prince then met with Highness the Amir with a memorial to implement legislative dues, in Minister of Health Jamal Mansour gift from the people of Al-Ahmadi accordance with the provision 23- Al-Harbi. Governorate on the occasion of the 2015 law, concerning establishing a Meanwhile, His Highness the 11th anniversary of His Highness financial controller’s agency. Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf the Amir’s assumption to power, the Dekheel later presented a copy of received Chief of the Security 56th anniversary of the independ- the report to His Highness the Bureau Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah Al- ence of Kuwait, and the 26th Crown Prince. Salem Al-Sabah and, separately, anniversary of Kuwait’s Liberation. In other news, His Highness the member of the municipal council Sheikh Fawaz later presented a simi- Crown Prince received Deputy Osama Al-Otaibi. His Highness also lar gift to His Highness the Crown Prime Minister and Minister of received the new ambassadors of Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- Defense Sheikh Mohammad Al- Cyprus, the Comoros and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with Head of Financial Controllers Agency Jaber Al-Sabah. Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. His Morocco.— KUNA Dr Abdulaziz Dkheel Al-Dekheel. His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with the new ambassador of Morocco. meets with the new ambassador of Comoros. meets with the new ambassador of Cyprus. — KUNA photos Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic tours the Scientific Center. Europe can’t host huge number KUWAIT: Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic visits the Sheikh Jaber Al- Ahmad Cultural Center.—KUNA photos of refugees: Croatian President KUWAIT: Croatian President Kolinda Grabar- received a large number of them in past years,” tive and positive” her meetings with parliament Kitarovic yesterday said the world should under- she said. Graber-Kitarovic, meanwhile, affirmed speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem, His Highness the stand Europe did not have full resources to host backing to Kuwait’s quest to waive Schengen Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad huge number of refugees, thus forcing some visa, while urging Kuwaitis to seize investment Al-Sabah and other senior officials. Graber- countries to close their borders. “Countries of the opportunities in her country. Croatia fully sup- Kitarovic said the Croatian government was world should understand that Europe does not ports Kuwait’s bid to exempt its citizens from the adopting “serious measures” to attract foreign have all necessary capabilities to help every- European Union’s (EU) Schengen visa, Graber- investors, including from Kuwait. body, which force some European countries to Kitarovic said. “Croatia is a country open for trade, we have close their doors in face of refugees,” she said. She said her visit to Kuwait aimed at dis- investments ... in many domains including ship She attributed this action to these countries’ cussing a host of international issues of mutual building, defense industries, agriculture and “inability to provide decent living conditions” for concern, specially peace and fight against terror- food products, in addition to a giant food indus- the refugees, Graber-Kitarovic said in a state- ism. The visit, the first by a Croatian President try complying with the Islamic Sharia,” she said. ment to KUNA and Kuwait TV following the since the European country’s independent in She added that there was a small Muslim com- opening of the Croatian Embassy in Kuwait, early 1990s, aimed at promoting bilateral rela- munity in Croatia, which was contributing to before she left the country yesterday. She called tions and cooperation. She expressed content development of the country. for seeking sustainable solutions to organize after His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Asked about Britain’s leaving of the European immigration coupled with ending conflicts that Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah decorated her with Union, Graber-Kitarovic said the will of majority of forced those people to flee to save havens. the Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer. Graber- the British people should be respected although Graber-Kitarovic said she discussed refugee Kitarovic also presented His Highness the Amir “we are not happy about it.” On the opening of issue with the Kuwaiti leaders she met. “Croatia with the Grand Order of King Tomislav, the most NATO’s Regional Center in Kuwait last month, she is a transit for immigrants and refugees who fled prestigious state order of Croatia, in recognition said she knew very well the importance of this from conflicts in their countries. They stay for a of his role in supporting international peace and center in the region specially that she used to be short period of time and then move to other security.