TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2015 JAMADA ALTHANI 4, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Situation in Ted Cruz, Egypt, Ethiopia Ex-tennis star Yemen ‘very heavy on faith, and Sudan sign Bob Hewitt dangerous’: launches White accord over guilty of rape Jarallah3 House bid7 Nile13 waters in18 South Africa Police break up protest Min 09º Max 29º by opposition activists High Tide 02:20 & 14:25 MoI warns citizens to abide by gatherings law Low Tide 08:35 & 21:20 40 PAGES NO: 16469 150 FILS KUWAIT: Kuwaiti riot police dispersed hundreds of opposition protesters who rallied yesterday to demand Amir, Cabinet hail the release of political prisoners and press for demo- cratic reforms in state. More than 500 activists gathered fair judicial system outside the National Assembly for the third week in a row after authorities jailed opposition leader and for- mer lawmaker Musallam Al-Barrak for insulting HH the Amir. The previous two gatherings were peaceful and passed off without police interference. But as a few dozen protesters marched towards par- liament yesterday, police used batons to beat activists, forcing them to disperse. Kuwait National Committee for Monitoring Violations, a private rights group, said on Twitter that several protesters were hurt and others were arrested. Rights activist Nawaf Al-Hendal said the protesters included women and former members of parliament. He said at least a dozen people were arrest- ed in the melee. Earlier in the day, the interior ministry had warned protesters to abide by a law that regulates rallies, affirm- ing its keenness on maintaining the country’s security. In a press statement, the ministry emphasized its KUWAIT: Policemen disperse opposition protesters during a demonstration out- Continued on Page 13 side the National Assembly yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (right) meets Deputy Chairman of Kuwait’s Supreme Judicial Council and the Cassation Court and President of the Constitutional Court Judge Yousef Al- Mutawa at Bayan Palace yesterday. — KUNA MP files to grill commerce minister KUWAIT: HH the Amir reaffirmed con- gent work in dealing with various cas- By B Izzak shareholders to call for a general the minister if half of the elected law- fidence in and support of the Kuwaiti es, especially those affecting the assembly meeting of the firm. makers support the motion. judiciary at Bayan Palace yesterday. “I sanctity of public money,” HH Sheikh KUWAIT: MP Roudhan Al-Roudhan Assembly speaker Marzouk Al- The issue with the company would like to personally express, as Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday filed a request to grill Ghanem said he received the grilling began last year when a group of well as on behalf of the Kuwaiti peo- said. Commerce and Industry Minister and listed it on the agenda of the shareholders filed a complaint to the ple, confidence and pride in the coun- “We praise their application of jus- Abdulmohsen Al-Mudej over alleged Assembly session of April 7. The min- Assembly’s complaints committee try’s fair judicial system, which is tice, equality and rule of law to pro- violations regarding a local invest- ister can accept to be grilled or can that the board of directors of the known for its integrity and neutrality, tect the safety and stability of our ment company. Roudhan claimed in request the Assembly to delay the company illegally rejected repeated and to protect it from any humilia- country and the rights and dignity of his first-ever grilling request that the debate for two weeks or more. The requests to convene a general tions or doubts in its sacred task. We its citizens through abiding by the law minister has assisted the board of debate could lead to a no-confi- assembly meeting to elect a new would also like to applaud the efforts and the constitution, as the judicial directors of a local investment com- dence motion if 10 MPs agree to sign board whose term had ended in of the judicial workforces for their dili- Continued on Page 13 pany to dodge repeated demands by it. This could lead to the dismissal of Continued on Page 13 Abdulmohsen Al-Mudej Sultan Qaboos back in Oman Amir welcomes return • Omanis rejoice MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos of Oman flew home Oman was an isolated country living on the yesterday after spending more than eight margins of the modern world with little or no months in Germany for medical treatment infrastructure. Qaboos has since transformed that was completely successful, state televi- his Gulf sultanate - which sits atop proven gas sion reported. Qaboos returned after “having reserves of 660 million cu m - into a modern completed medical treatment in Germany state. But his prolonged absence for treat- whose results were crowned as a total suc- ment stirred fears over succession. In Oct cess,” the television announced. Footage 2011, Qaboos, who has no children or broth- showed the 74-year-old sultan walking unaid- ers, amended the process of choosing his suc- ed from a royal aircraft and then along a red cessor. The sultan, whose closest relatives are carpet before being driven away. cousins, appointed five top officials to a coun- HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al- cil that would be involved in confirming the Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable to new sultan in case of any royal family dispute. Sultan Qaboos welcoming his safe return to Oman’s population is estimated at around his country. Kuwait and its people are sharing four million. Nearly 1.8 million of them are for- the joy of the Omani people on the occasion eigners - mostly Asians. In 2011, the usually of Sultan Qaboos’ return, the Amir said in his sleepy sultanate was caught up in the Arab SINGAPORE: People pay their respects at the tribute area at Singapore General cable, and wished the Omani leader contin- Spring protest movement that touched much Hospital following the death of former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew (seen on ues his leadership of the country towards of the region. Two civilians died in demonstra- poster) yesterday. — AFP (See Page 12) more development and prosperity. tions demanding political and economic In his last public address, Qaboos reforms, shaking the government and leading appeared on television in November to tell his Qaboos to implement a series of reforms and nation that he would miss the 44th anniver- to arrest scores of activists. In an effort to pla- Singapore in mourning sary of his inauguration and national day, say- cate protesters, Qaboos announced the cre- ing his treatment was giving “good results”. ation of 50,000 new jobs, a monthly Scores of people took to social media net- allowance for registered job seekers and a as founding father dies works to celebrate the return of Qaboos, who higher minimum wage for nationals working is the longest serving leader in the Middle in the private sector. He also reshuffled his SINGAPORE: Singapore was plunged turned a tiny territory lacking natural East and the only one many Omanis have cabinet. into mourning and world leaders united resources into a world player in finance, ever had. The sultanate derives 79 percent of its in tribute yesterday after the death of trading, high-tech industries and ship- “For eight months, Omanis have been revenues from oil, of which it produces only Lee Kuan Yew, the iron-fisted politician ping - all the while exerting a tight politi- praying that their leader would recover,” said about one million barrels per day. The non- who transformed a colonial backwater cal grip long decried by rights campaign- one post on Twitter using the Arabic hashtag OPEC member has projected a budget into a world financial centre. His son, ers. Lee’s blend of economic reform allied “Good news: Qaboos has returned”. “This deficit this year of $6.47 billion, representing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, issued a with political authoritarianism was of leader deserves all this love. He has devoted 8.0 percent of gross domestic product. statement before dawn announcing the particular appeal to communist China as himself, his time and efforts to Oman,” said Unlike other Gulf monarchies, Oman enjoys passing of his 91-year-old father at it opened up in the early 1980s. another. State television played celebratory good relations with Iran, which allowed it to Singapore General Hospital following a President Xi Jinping praised Lee as an MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos of Oman walks down from music and replayed footage of the sultan’s play a key mediating role between the West long illness. “He fought for our independ- “old friend of the Chinese people” and his airplane after landing in the capital yesterday. - plane landing in Muscat. and Tehran, mainly over Iran’s disputed ence, built a nation where there was said he was “widely respected by the AFP When Qaboos took the reins of power, nuclear program. — Agencies none, and made us proud to be international community as a strategist Singaporeans. We won’t see another like and a statesman”. him,” he said in an emotional TV address. Tearful mother Sharon Tan, 39, and Local media reported that more than her five-year-old son Ryan Mackay were Saudi king invites Iraqi PM 11,000 people turned up at the main among the first to arrive outside the gate of the Istana state complex to get Istana. “I brought Ryan here to share an GHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al- Iraqi President Fuad Masoum visited cooperation of all the sons of the Iraqi peo- condolence cards - with many leaving important part of Singapore’s history to Abadi received an invitation from King Saudi, and Riyadh announced in January ple and by volunteers from the sons of the flowers - as a private family wake began him and also to help him understand Salman to visit Saudi Arabia, as relations that it would reopen an embassy in Iraq for areas,” Abadi told Salman, according to a inside the former British colonial head- why mummy is so sad,” she said.