SUBSCRIPTION SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2015 RABI ALAWWAL 27, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net MP calls for Hala February Late Congo Oman salvage international festival kicks goal spoils pride with law against off on a home party at win against blasphemy2 musical40 note African19 Cup Kuwait19 ICC opens examination Min 05º Max 18º into Israeli war crimes High Tide 11:10 & 17:27 Low Tide US blasts ‘tragic irony’ Palestinians welcome probe 04:29 & 15:46 40 PAGES NO: 16406 150 FILS • THE HAGUE: The International Criminal Court launched Ejected smoker a preliminary probe Friday that could clear the way for a full-scale investigation into possible war crimes in grounds plane Palestinian territories - plunging the court into the most politically charged conflict it has ever tackled. ICC pros- ecutor Fatou Bensouda said her office would conduct with hoax call an “analysis in full independence and impartiality” into alleged war crimes by Israel, including those committed By Hanan Al-Saadoun during last year’s Gaza offensive. Her decision comes after Palestine formally joined KUWAIT: Security forces at Kuwait International the ICC earlier this month, allowing it to lodge war Airport were mobilized yesterday after receiving a crimes and crimes against humanity complaints against call about a bomb on an Al-Jazeera flight bound to Israel as of April. Nearly 2,200 Palestinians and 73 Israelis Beirut. Following standard security inspection pro- were killed during last summer’s war in Gaza. The US cedures, security forces discovered the call was a criticized the decision late Friday, saying it opposed hoax, made by a Kuwaiti in his twenties who had actions against Israel at the ICC as “counterproductive to been forced out of the plane for smoking onboard. the cause of peace”. “It is a tragic irony that Israel, which Security sources said that after refusing to has withstood thousands of terrorist rockets fired at its refrain from smoking, the pilot insisted on remov- civilians and its neighborhoods, is now being scruti- ing the passenger, and he made the call in retalia- nized by the ICC,” US State Department spokesman Jeff tion. The man was arrested and further investiga- Rathke said in a statement. tions are in progress. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earli- er reacted angrily to the prosecutor’s decision, calling it “scandalous” and “absurd” since “the Palestinian Authority cooperates with Hamas, a terror group that Abe pledges commits war crimes, in contrast to Israel that fights ter- ror while maintaining international law, and has an independent justice system”. “Here’s the ultimate folly of $2.5bn in aid this decision - it is the democracy of Israel, a world AL-JABAA: A Palestinian protester argues with a member of the Israeli security forces during a demonstra- leader in fighting terrorism, which is to be hauled to the tion yesterday against the 14-year blockade of a road leading to this village south of the West Bank city of dock in The Hague, while the terrorist war criminals for Mideast Bethlehem. — AFP Continued on Page 13 CAIRO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged yesterday $2.5 billion in humanitarian and development aid for the Middle East as he launched a regional tour Churches torched in Niger protests that includes visits to Jordan and Israel. In a speech in Cairo, Abe pledged $200 million in non-military assis- tance for countries affected by the Islamic State (IS) group’s bloody expansion in Iraq and Syria, which Hollande defends ‘freedom of expression’ spurred an exodus of refugees to neighboring coun- tries. “Japan will newly carry PARIS: A violent mob torched at least sev- of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), with a sec- out assistance of 2.5 billion en churches in Niger’s capital Niamey yes- ond day of rioting erupting in Niger. US dollars in non-military Oil price slump puts at terday during fresh protests against Charlie Around 1,000 youths wielding iron bars, fields including humanitarian Hebdo magazine, as France’s president clubs and axes rampaged through the city, assistance and infrastructure stressed his commitment to “freedom of hurling rocks at police who responded development, intended for risk clean energy push expression”. With France still reeling from with tear gas. The French embassy in the entire region,” Abe said, last week’s deadly attacks that killed 17 Niamey urged its citizens to stay at home, ABU DHABI: Falling oil prices could many renewable energy projects,” he according to an official tran- people, jittery European countries stepped the day after a rally against Charlie Hebdo have a negative impact on global told participants. script. up security, with soldiers patrolling the in the country’s second city of Zinder left Speaking to Egyptian efforts to develop renewable energy Renewable energy, which relies on sources, experts warned yesterday at a solar, wind and other sources, is essen- streets of Belgium for the first time in 35 four dead and 45 injured. “Be very cautious, politicians and businessmen, years. avoid going out,” the embassy said on its he said Japan would “provide conference in Abu Dhabi. Oil prices tial for meeting global CO2 emission tar- have fallen by almost 60 percent since gets. Delegates from more than 150 Anger mounted in several Muslim coun- website as rioters also ransacked several assistance for refugees and tries over the satirical magazine’s depiction Continued on Page 13 displaced persons from Iraq June, crashing on worries over global countries attended the opening session Shinzo Abe and Syria”. “I will pledge assis- oversupply and weak demand in a fal- of the IRENA conference, including Israel tance of a total of about 200 tering world economy. Participants at with has no diplomatic ties with the million US dollars for those countries contending with the International Renewable Energy UAE. Representatives from more than ISIL (IS), to help build their human capacities, infrastruc- Agency (IRENA) conference that opened 110 international organisations are also ture, and so on,” he added. A Japanese foreign ministry yesterday in the oil-rich United Arab taking part in the meeting. “The story of official told AFP that much of those funds would go Emirates (UAE) said the trend could renewables is rapidly evolving and as towards assisting neighboring states hosting refugees. spell doom for plans to shift to clean the importance of renewable energy The money is included in the $2.5 billion figure, she energy. grows, so does the relevance of the said, which also includes loans to improve Egypt’s pow- The fall in oil prices could be a “game agency’s work,” IRENA director general er grid. changer”, Italy’s Deputy Minister for Adnan Amin told the conference. Continued on Page13 Economic Development Claudio He said that total world investments Vincenti told the two-day meeting. Oil in renewable energies had reached $264 price rises in the past encouraged clean billion in 2014, $50 billion more than the energy investments, said Vincenti, previous year. At the meeting, the Abu Grateful Dead adding that a long-term fall in prices Dhabi Fund for Development, in part- could shift the balance among various nership with IRENA, will announce a planning final energy sources. He did not elaborate. series of loans for five renewable energy Salem Al-Hajraf, representing Kuwait at projects in developing countries, organ- resurrection the conference, agreed that falling oil isers said. Abu Dhabi-based IRENA, with prices posed a “major challenge” this 137 member states and the European NEW YORK: Surviving members of the Grateful Dead year as was the case two decades ago. Union, aims to promote the sustainable are planning a reunion in a likely finale to the band that “The fall of oil prices in the 80s was a use of all forms of renewable energy. NIAMEY, Niger: Smoke billows in a street as people demonstrate against French spawned a countercultural movement through their main reason behind the collapse of Continued on Page 13 weekly Charlie Hebdo’s publication of cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) legions of traveling fans. The Grateful Dead, who near the grand mosque in the capital. — AFP emerged from the hippie movement in California in the 1960s and whose fans include late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, will celebrate the band’s 50th anniversary IS uses kids in propaganda with shows on July 3, 4 and 5 at Soldier Field in Chicago. The stadium - the oldest US football stadium still in targeting new generation use and home to the Chicago Bears - was the site of the Grateful Dead’s last show with frontman Jerry Garcia BAGHDAD: A young boy raises a pistol, ment and to perpetuate the “caliphate” after decades of touring in July 1995. Garcia - who sang, aims at two kneeling men and fires, in a the group has declared in areas it holds in shocking propaganda video highlighting Iraq and Syria. Charles Lister, a visiting fel- played guitar and wrote songs - died one month after the Islamic State jihadist group’s efforts to low at the Brookings Doha Center, said the concert, signaling an end to a cultural era in which indoctrinate another generation with its that over the past six months IS media free-spirited “Deadheads” followed the band from show brutal ideology. The boy, who doesn’t materials “have steadily escalated the lev- to show and swapped bootleg recordings. look older than 11 or 12, has allegedly el of violence involving and being carried The reunion will feature the band’s surviving mem- just executed two men said to have con- out by children, with this video being the bers - Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bob fessed to spying for Russia, the voiceover most extreme level reached so far”.