SUBSCRIPTION MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015 JAMADA ALTHANI 3, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Kuwaiti farmer Suarez scores succeeds in as Barca beat growing white Madrid 2-1 to strawberries4 extend20 lead Kuwait striving to meet Min 14º Max 24º drinking water demand High Tide 01:35 & 13:50 Calls for conservation as World Water Day marked Low Tide 07:55 & 20:30 40 PAGES NO: 16468 150 FILS KUWAIT: Assistant Undersecretary for Planning and Development at the Ministry of Electricity and Water Dr Mashaan Al-Otaibi said yesterday that the Ministry is facing various challenges in its endeavor to meet the growing demand and achieve self-sufficiency of potable water. “On top of the challenges are the grow- ing population, urban communities’ expansion and the highly water-consuming lifestyle,” Otaibi said in a speech on behalf of Minister of Electricity and Water Ahmad Al-Jassar at a function held yesterday to mark World Water Day. He estimated the per capi- ta of drinking water for peo- ple living in Kuwait at 70 cu m a year. “This is much below the international water poverty line of 500 cubic meters per person a year,” he regretted. “To fill this gap and meet the growing demand for potable water, Kuwait has established a number of highly sophisticated water Mashaan Al-Otaibi desalination stations nationwide,” he said. Otaibi revealed that the total production of Kuwaiti desalina- tion plants is about 530 million imperial gallons. “There are plans to increase water production up to 900 million imperial gallons in the coming seven years,” he added. He clarified that the under-construction Al-Zour North project will produce nearly 100 million imperial gallons per day by 2020. Furthermore, Doha and Khiran desalination plants will produce 60 million imperial gal- lons and 125 million imperial gallons respectively. “Kuwait also plans to increase potable water reservoirs to 5,000 million imperial gallons,” he noted. Otaibi stressed on the importance of changing people’s KUWAIT: A man runs for cover during heavy rain yesterday, continuing a trend of scattered rain that has hit Kuwait since Wednesday. The weather changes are a fea- lifestyle to conserve water. ture of the Sarayat season, which continues until mid-May. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat (More pics on Page 3) Continued on Page 13 ‘Dizziness’ tobacco Obama rips Bibi over comments hooking UAE teens Israel vote won’t affect Iran nuclear talks ABU DHABI: Despite campaigns on the were doing medwakh,” Rizwana WASHINGTON: US President Barack election win, saying the United States is risks of smoking, teenagers in the Burhanuddin Shaikh, associate profes- Obama criticized Israeli Prime Minister “evaluating” options for peace in the United Arab Emirates are turning to a sor at the department of community Benjamin Netanyahu over his warning region. “We take him at his word when little-known tobacco product five times medicine at the Gulf Medical University, that Arab Israeli voters would vote “in he said that it wouldn’t happen during US Marine more potent than cigarettes and said to told AFP. Then there is its potency. droves”. In his first public comments his prime ministership, and so that’s why cause seizures. Omar, an 18-year-old According to Palat Menon, a researcher about Tuesday’s elections that saw we’ve got to evaluate what other options Corps urges Sudanese student in Abu Dhabi, at the Centre for Advanced Biomedical Netanyahu score a surprise third term, are available to make sure that we don’t describes how each hit of medwakh - a Research and Innovation in the Gulf Obama told The Huffington Post he had see a chaotic situation in the region,” legal product inhaled from a small pipe Medical University, each gram of med- “indicated that that kind of rhetoric was Obama said. ‘vigilance’ - makes him feel. “It’s a horrible habit. wakh contains around 44 milligrams of contrary to what is the best of Israel’s tra- Even as Netanyahu scrambled to deny But if I don’t do it my head hurts,” he nicotine - the equivalent to four or five ditions”. The White House said earlier this he had ruled out the creation of a WASHINGTON: The US Marine Corps yesterday said. “I feel I need it.” cigarettes. “In an average pipe, six mil- week that Obama had warned Palestinian state - long the starting point urged “vigilance” after a group claiming to be Omar is not alone in smoking med- ligrams of nicotine get inhaled in 15 to Netanyahu on Thursday that his last- for Middle East peace efforts and a cor- Islamic State hackers published what they said were wakh, which means “dizziness” in Arabic; 20 seconds, and that is what gives you a minute campaign pledge to oppose the nerstone of US policy - the White House the names and addresses of 100 military personnel the product is reportedly popular head spin,” he said. creation of a Palestinian state and his indicated it could withdraw its unwaver- and urged supporters to kill them. The warning among young people throughout the Shereena Al-Mazroui, section head comments about Israeli Arab voters ing support for Israel at the United came after a group calling itself the Islamic State United Arab Emirates. One puff is of non-communicable diseases at the would force a rethink in Washington. Nations. The US president vowed to keep Hacking Division posted information about mem- enough to make the smoker light-head- Abu Dhabi Health Authority, said that “Although Israel was founded based cooperating with the Israeli government bers of the air force, army and navy, including pho- ed, or as one 17-year-old ex-smoker although little is known about the prod- on the historic Jewish homeland and the on military and intelligence operations, tos and ranks, on the Internet, according to moni- who identified himself as “Clique-C” uct, preliminary research suggests a link need to have a Jewish homeland, Israeli but stopped short of confirming whether toring group SITE Intelligence. described the feeling, “relaxed”. Based between medwakh and seizures. “Some democracy has been premised on every- Washington would continue to block The US Marine Corps said it was visiting all affect- on 2013 statistics from the American users, after they take the puff, they suf- body in the country being treated equal- Palestinian efforts to obtain statehood ed staff, and urged caution online. “Vigilance and Cancer Society and the World Lung fer from seizures, dizziness and faint,” ly and fairly,” Obama said. “And I think through the United Nations. force protection considerations remain a priority for commanders and their personnel,” US Marine Corps Foundation, 15.6 percent of male she said. “This phenomenon has spread that that is what’s best about Israeli The United States - a veto-wielding Lieutenant Colonel John Caldwell said in a state- teenagers smoke tobacco daily in the more within the last 10 years. The democracy. If that is lost, then I think that member of the UN Security Council - has ment, adding that the threat remained “unverified”. UAE, as do 18.1 percent of men. tragedy is that it has begun with chil- not only does it give ammunition to folks opposed moves at the United Nations to “It is recommended Marines and family members And while there are no official statis- dren.” who don’t believe in a Jewish state, but it recognize a Palestinian state, saying that check their online/social footprint, ensuring privacy tics on the use of medwakh among Medwakh is usually sold cheaply in also I think starts to erode the meaning must be part of a negotiated peace deal. of democracy in the country.” It has also shielded Israel from often settings are adjusted to limit the amount of avail- young people, researchers say the habit tobacco shops and grocery stores near able personal information.” is widespread. “We did a study in (the schools, in small glass bottles with no The interview, which took place Arab-led UN votes castigating the Jewish Friday, was published in full Saturday. state for various actions, including The Pentagon regularly tells service members to emirate of) Ajman on schoolchildren packaging or content details. be careful about what they post online. and we found that 36 percent of them Continued on Page 13 Obama also criticized the Israeli leader’s alleged human rights abuses. tough stance on the Palestinians after his Continued on Page 13 Continued on Page 13 Houthis seize strategic Yemeni city ADEN: Houthi fighters opposed to Yemen’s forces had meanwhile deployed in Lahj Sunni areas in the centre and west have led president took over the central city of Taiz in province north of Aden, in anticipation of a to months of clashes with local tribes and Al- an escalation of a power struggle diplomats possible Houthi advance. Houthi militiamen Qaeda, raising fears that the poor and heavi- say risks drawing in neighbouring oil giant killed one protester in Taiz when they ly armed country at the base of the Arabian Saudi Arabia and its main regional rival Iran. opened fire to disperse thousands of people peninsula might descend into civil war. The Residents of Taiz, on a main road from the demanding that the rebels withdraw, United Nations Security Council was set to capital Sanaa to the country’s second city of activists said. A few dozen were choked by discuss Yemen after Hadi, a US ally, accused Aden, said that Houthi militias took over the tear gas. the Houthi militia of staging a coup and city’s military airport without a struggle from Eyewitnesses in the central province of appealed to the UN for “urgent intervention”.