SUBSCRIPTION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2015 RABI ALAWWAL 19, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Recap of Prosthetic limbs WHO announces Snell comes major local put Pakistani Ebola milestone on strong as events in terror survivors as Guinea Bulls topple 2015 - Part4 I together12 again outbreak28 ends Raptors20 MPs flatly against any Min 05º Max 20º fuel, utility price hike High Tide 01:50 & 15:55 Discrimination alleged at prosecution Gitmo Kuwaiti to be freed Low Tide • 09:22 & 21:23 40 PAGES NO: 16741 150 FILS By B Izzak KUWAIT: Lawmakers’ opposition to reported govern- 545 arrested in Ardiya crackdown ment plans to increase fuel prices amongst other spending cuts has gained momentum, with more MPs KUWAIT: More than 500 people were arrested in a joining the fray. The reports said that an international police crackdown in Industrial Ardiya yesterday, the consultancy group has advised the government to lift second in a week following a similar campaign in subsidies on petrol prices in addition to electricity and Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh in which thousands of residency water, besides other measures to cut spending. The violators were arrested. The Interior Ministry increase of petrol prices is expected to be enforced announced that 545 expatriates were arrested for vio- soon, perhaps within weeks, according to reports, but lating residency and labor laws during a campaign in it could take longer to increase the prices of electricity the ‘handicraft zone’ in the area yesterday, while 66 and water. vehicles were impounded. An unprecedented move by neighboring Saudi Up to 502 personnel, including 102 officers and 400 policemen, along with 35 patrol vehicles, partici- Arabia to apply massive cuts to subsidies could have pated in the campaign, which came as per instruc- increased MPs’ fears that the Kuwaiti government could tions of Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister adopt similar measures. MP Faisal Al-Kandari warned Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and his that any government measures to reduce spending undersecretary Lt Gen Suleiman Al-Fahd, the min- and the budget deficit must be directed to companies istry’s Public Relations and Security Media and not citizens, who should continue to enjoy the oil Department said in a statement. windfall. Last week, 3,338 people residency law violators He insisted that the government can reduce and people wanted for various offenses were arrested spending through measures that do not negatively during a crackdown in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh that lasted impact the income of the people and recalled that for several hours and saw the participation of 1,700 most of the financial benefits Kuwaiti citizens are officers. The campaigns in the two areas which are enjoying came through laws and cannot be changed heavily populated by expatriates come as part of without amending those laws through the National efforts to ‘cleanse’ the areas of corruption, crime and Assembly, which totally rejects the principle of cut- violators, the ministry explained. “The security cam- ting subsidies. Kandari said that MPs will not remain paigns are preventive security measures during which KUWAIT: Policemen round up suspected residency violators during a raid in Industrial Ardiya yester- silent toward government plans to tax people while the law is enforced on the ground,” it added. — KUNA day. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat leaving companies. Continued on Page 13 Kuwait to send Qatar father emir’s troops to fight surgery successful Houthi rebels Amir sends congratulations KUWAIT: Kuwait has decided to send troops to Saudi Arabia to resist cross-border attacks by the DOHA/KUWAIT: Qatar’s former emir Yemeni Houthi movement, Kuwaiti daily Al-Qabas Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani has reported yesterday citing an informed source. undergone an emergency operation in Though a nominal member of a Saudi-led coalition Switzerland after breaking a leg while on that has bombed the Iran-allied Houthis for nine holiday, the government said yesterday. months, Kuwait has held off sending ground troops The former ruler, known as the “Father to the conflict in which scores of soldiers from Emir” in Qatar, was flown to Zurich on neighbors the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saturday for treatment following the Saudi Arabia have been killed. weekend incident, according to an official “Kuwait decided on the participation of its statement. “Following a successful opera- KUWAIT: Labor union members stage a protest outside the Manpower Public ground forces, represented by an artillery battalion, tion, his Highness the Father Emir is cur- Authority yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat in operations to strike at positions of Houthi aggres- rently in Zurich recovering and undergo- sion against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the ing physiotherapy treatment,” it said. paper said. The Kuwaiti foreign ministry did not The royal family was thought to be holi- Labor unions stage sit-in immediately respond to requests for comment. daying at a Moroccan resort in the Atlas Kuwait’s participation in the Yemen war has so far Mountains. The injury was confirmed by to protest ‘interference’ been limited to the air force. one of his sons, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad. Mostly Gulf Arab forces intervened in a civil war “For anyone who’s asking about the Father By Meshaal Al-Enezi social affairs and labor minister and the in Yemen on March 26 after the Houthis forced its Emir, he’s good and well, praise God,” he Sheikh Hamad authority in the union’s internal affairs government into exile and appeared poised to seize wrote on Twitter. “He broke his leg and had gratulate him on successful surgery of KUWAIT: Several Kuwaiti labor unionists through the issuance of the labor union the whole country. The conflict that followed saw surgery and now is in the physical therapy Sheikh Hamad. HH the Deputy Amir and organized a sit-in in front of Manpower activity organizing rules. Arada claimed this Gulf and pro-government ground forces claw back phase... thanks for asking.” Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- Public Authority in protest against its is a flagrant violation of international some strategic territory, but has left almost 6,000 HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al- Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the Prime Minister alleged interference in the internal affairs of treaties and the state’s constitution, without people dead and plunged the already impover- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday con- Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al- labor unions. President of the Arab Union of regard to the state’s reputation. ished country into a humanitarian crisis. Saudi gratulated, in a cable, Sheikh Hamad on Sabah sent similar cables. Municipalities and Tourism Workers and He said labor organizations have protec- Arabia and its allies view the Houthis as a proxy for the successful operation he underwent, A statement yesterday from the President of Kuwait Municipality Workers’ tion from any interference and limits by the Iranian power in the Arab world - something the wishing him a speedy recovery. Sheikh Schulthess Clinic in Zurich said the former Union Mohammad Al-Arada said the sit-in authorities on their activities and rules. Islamic Republic and the Houthis deny. — Agencies Sabah also sent a cable to Qatari Emir emir had undergone surgery on his left was in protest of the interference by the Continued on Page 13 Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to con- Continued on Page 13 Losses deal Erdogan meets King Salman blow to IS ‘Cooperation council’ mulled BAGHDAD: The Islamic State group’s self-proclaimed RIYADH: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yes- plane. The Saudi Press Agency confirmed the two lead- “caliphate” is far from dead but back-to-back losses in terday accused Syria’s president of “mercilessly” killing ers discussed the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, as well Syria and Iraq have turned a series of setbacks for the hundreds of thousands of people and criticized Russia developments in war-torn Libya and Yemen, where jihadists into a losing streak. IS’s seizure of Ramadi in for backing him. Erdogan was speaking to reporters Saudi forces are battling Shiite rebels. Iraq in May along with Palmyra in Syria sent the before departing for Saudi Arabia, where he met King Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said Saudi alarming signal that it could still expand a year after Salman for talks focused on the Syrian civil war and Arabia and Turkey agreed on the need to set up a seizing swathes of the two countries. It has since energy cooperation. Turkey and Saudi Arabia are strong “strategic cooperation council” to strengthen military, retreated however, and recently losses have come in backers of the rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian economic and investment cooperation between the quick succession: Baiji, Sinjar and now Ramadi - all in President Bashar Al-Assad, who is supported by Russia two countries. “The meeting produced a desire to set up Iraq - as well as a key dam on the Euphrates in Syria. and Iran. a high-level strategic cooperation council between the “Controlling and governing population centres Erdogan said his government and Saudi Arabia are two countries,” Jubeir told a joint news conference with and key infrastructure is important to the group’s working “in solidarity and consultation” to find a politi- his Turkish counterpart after talks in Riyadh between claim to statehood, and these losses chip away at the cal solution for Syria, as both countries push for an King Salman and Erdogan. He said the council will deal credibility of that claim,” Firas Abi Ali, Middle East agreement that would remove Assad from power. The with security, military, economic, trade, energy and analyst at research firm IHS. The capture of the state-run Saudi Press Agency said Erdogan’s talks with investment between the two countries.