Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with a number of private schools’ owners at Seif Palace yesterday. — KUNA photos

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Seif Palace yesterday a number of private schools’ owners, including Mohammad Al-Saddah, Noura Al-Ghanim, Dr  Hanan Al-Mutawa and Mohammad Abdulrahman Al-Shuaibi.

Meanwhile, His Highness the Amir received Chairman of the Central Tenders Committee (CTC) Abdullah Saud Al-Abdulrazzaq. His Highness the Amir also received Chairman of the Board of the Kuwait Telecom Company (VIVA) Dr Mahmoud Ahmad Abdulraman and a number of senior executives. The meetings were attended by Amiri Diwan Advisor Mohammad Daifallah Sharar.

Furthermore, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received CTC Chairman Abdulrazzaq, as well as VIVA and Saudi Telecom Company (STC) officials. The meetings were attended by head of Protocols at His Highness the Crown Prince Diwan Sheikh Mubarak Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah.

Also yesterday, His Highness the Crown Prince separately received a number of scholars who presented their PhD thesis. During the reception, Dr Tahani Al-Saeed, presented her thesis on the impact of e-training programs on developing the skills of social services researchers in schools.

Meanwhile, Dr Majid Al-Azmi presented his thesis on an Islamic study on monetary contracts in the Egyptian-Kuwaiti civil law and Dr Majid Al-Anezi presented his thesis on Islamic law. Moreover, Dr Faisal Al-Mekrad presented a thesis on administrative contracts and Dr Ali Al-Mutairi’s thesis was on the quality of medical care provided to type 2 diabetes patients. – KUNA

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KUWAIT: Northwestern wind will increase the chances of dusty weather in Kuwait, said a meteorologist yesterday. Speaking to KUNA, executive at the Kuwaiti meteorology department Abdulaziz Al-Qarawi said that the dry and hot northwestern wind, known as Al-Bawareh, will prevail in the upcoming days.

The northwestern wind will alternate in force between strong and weak, said the official, noting that dust will probably be at its highest during noon. This weather is expected to continue till Wednesday with speeds between 25-50 kilometers per hour. -KUNA

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KUWAIT: Kuwait’s public prosecutor wants an appeals court to increase a sentence handed down to three royals for insulting the authorities from five years to 29, according to remarks published yesterday.

Dherar Al-Asoussi said he had petitioned the court also to convict the men of using social media to insult the Gulf state’s ruler. A lower court last month sentenced the three royals, including a nephew of HH the Amir, and two others to five years in jail for insulting top judges online. It also sentenced a sixth man to one year and another to 10 years in absentia. Six more were acquitted.

All were acquitted of the charge of insulting HH the Amir. Asoussi told Al-Qabas newspaper he has challenged the rulings and demanded that all 13 defendants be given harsher jail terms of up to 29 years each for insulting HH the Amir, judges and spreading false news about Kuwait. The appeals court has not yet set a date for the hearing. Its rulings must be verified by the supreme court.

The royals given jail terms include Sheikh Athbi Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, HH the Amir’s nephew and a former head of the secret service police.  The convicted men remain free but the interior ministry said yesterday security forces raided Sheikh Athbi’s house but he was not there.

A statement posted on the ministry website said they had wanted to arrest him to serve his jail term. It said security men found an automatic rifle and a gun and some ammunition which were confiscated, but it did not say if police had tried to arrest the others.

All 13 were charged with using WhatsApp and Twitter to insult the judges and publish false news accusing them of accepting bribes. Also convicted was Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al-Sabah, the editor of Al-Watan newspaper and television which were closed by the government for violating corporate finance rules in a decision ratified by the courts. – AFP

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KUWAIT: MP Ali Al-Khamees (left) confronts MP Hamdan Al-Azemi (right) during a parliament session at the National Assembly yesterday. – Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: Tempers flared in the National Assembly session yesterday when a number of MPs quarreled during a heated debate over amendments to the municipality law. Strong arguments broke out when the government insisted that the addition of new residential areas to existing electoral districts for the municipal council should be done by the government through an Amiri decree and it should be included in the law.

MP Hamdan Al-Azemi and some other MPs objected saying the whole article in the law was rejected in the last session and should not have been brought up for debate. Azemi then angrily protested at the voting to approve the government’s request, saying this is not a real assembly and MPs are not real men.

That triggered a reaction from MP Ali Al-Khamees who shouted back at Azemi, insisting that the lawmakers are real men. MP Hamad Al-Harshani also got himself involved in the heated exchanges by accusing Azemi of disrupting the assembly session. At this point, Azemi threw a book at Khamees but missed him to hit MP Mohammad Al-Huwailah.

MP Sultan Al-Shimmari then took part in the quarrel by shouting at Azemi to stop. The two lawmakers then threw shoes at each other as many other MPs came to prevent them from reaching each other. Speaker Marzouk Al-Ghanem then stopped the proceedings and ordered the assembly hall to be vacated.

A few minutes later, Al-Ghanem resumed the session and said that Azemi apologized to other MPs and the whole issue was now over. But Azemi insisted that the apologies were reciprocal and it did not come from him alone.

Shortly afterwards, the assembly voted to approve the government’s request and the whole municipality law which prompted MP Azemi to walk out of the session which was immediately closed by the speaker.

Before the quarrels, the National Assembly agreed to extend until the next term an investigation launched by the public funds protection committee into allegations that many state-owned farms were illegally distributed to people who do not qualify.
Head of the committee MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji said that it has been found that some officials at the agricultural authority are partners in the allotted farms and called on Public Works Minister Ali Al-Omair to submit all required documents to the committee. MP Khalil Abdullah said that some officials who are summoned by the probe committee provide false information or refuse to provide facts citing secrecy laws.

Omair told the assembly that the government has provided all the necessary names and information to the committee and that they did not have anything to hide. But a number of MPs insisted that important information related to the probe has not been given by the government and some MPs claimed that certain names were not given to protect them.

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KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti citizen was arrested for mocking security forces, abusing his telephone and filing a fake report. Security sources noted that the suspect was seen in a video clip posted on social media calling the emergency hotline 112 to report a fake accident to mock and disturb the police.

Residency violators caught
Residency detectives arrested seven Filipinas in violation of residency laws, said security sources, noting that the suspects were arrested during an inspection of a number of cafes in a Hawally shopping mall. The sources added that their sponsors are being summoned.

Food inspection campaign
As part of the ‘Your Health Matters to Us’ campaign, Hawally municipality inspection teams inspected a number of stores and restaurants in the governorate, said security sources, noting that the three-hour inspection campaign resulted in confiscating and destroying 523 kg of food items including expired butter, fillings and frozen chicken, and filing 24 citations.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

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Young Voices

Nearly a quarter of Kuwait’s entire population is under the age of 14 and yet with the exception of school assemblies, we never hear their voices. During Ramadan, Kuwait Times likes to publish a special series that engages with its readership in a more direct, personal way to learn their concerns, issues and viewpoints.

This Ramadan, we will chat with some of our youngest readers about their lives in Kuwait, in an attempt to see the world through their eyes. What do they see for the future of our beautiful country? What would they improve and how would they change it? By listening to their future plans, stories, and experience in Ramadan, we can remind ourselves and hopefully our readers of the ties that bind us all together as a species. These are the voice of Kuwait’s future and we invite them to share their thoughts with us here.

Adam Kanaan is an 11-year-old boy who is passionate about Shotokan karate and learning about marine life.

Q: What is your plan for the holiday?
Adam: Reading, getting my black belt in karate and spending time on the beach with my family and friends.

Q: What are the places you go to in Kuwait to have fun?
Adam: I like going to the beach.

Q: What do you like about Kuwait?
Adam: I like that the summer lasts for a long time, so we can go to the beach more often.

Q: Tell me about yourself. How do you see yourself as a grown up?
Adam: I like buildings, and I want to be an architect.

Q: Tell us a joke.
Adam: Why did the student eat his homework? Because his teacher told him it was a piece of cake.

Q: What do you like the most about Ramadan?
Adam: Being with my family and friends.

If you would like your child to be interviewed for this special series, please email us at local@kuwaittimes.net

By Athoob Al-Shuaibi

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Kuwait Times

Abdulaziz Ahmad Al-Azmi

KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti boy who had been missing for about 10 days was found dead in a metal scrap yard in Amghara.

Security sources said that an unidentified male corpse was found in the area, and after conducting investigations including DNA tests, detectives found that the deceased’s DNA matched that of the parents of missing Kuwaiti child Abdul Aziz Al-Azmi.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

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Kutayba Alghanim is pictured with Khair Al-Kuwait representatives.

KUWAIT: The Chairman of Alghanim Industries, Kutayba Yusuf Alghanim met last week with the board members from the charity organization, Khair Al-Kuwait, to discuss the latest developments regarding the restoration of houses for the Children’s Home – an orphanage launched by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor’s Social Welfare Sector.

Representatives from Khair Al-Kuwait included Vice Chairperson – Sheikha Maryam Mohammad, Al-Sabah, Secretary General – Nasser Mohammed Al-Ayyar and board member and Head of the Facilities Committee, Engineer Fawzi Al-Rowaished.

The Khair Al-Kuwait Organization awarded Kutayba Alghanim with its medal, in appreciation of his financial and moral support. This is Khair Al-Kuwait’s highest honor and the first time that a person gains that recognition. Kutayba Alghanim was also named “Person of the Year” during the “To My Orphan Brother” celebration, organized by the Ministry of Education last April, in recognition for his outstanding work with orphans.

In August of last year, Alghanim Industries, one of the largest, privately-owned companies in the region, announced that it will bear the full cost for the second phase of the Children Home Project. This includes the restoration and renovation of six houses, the construction of an outdoor playground and a central kitchen. Today, the restoration of the houses is complete and back in the care of the Ministry of Social Affairs, while the outdoor playground is under construction.

These new houses will be modeled on the United Nation’s SOS Children’s Villages system, which is based on the ‘Alternative Mother’ concept, where orphaned children are given the opportunity to live and grow up in independent homes with ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ and a self-styled alternative mother. This will replace the old system used previously in the orphanage, where all the children lived in dormitory housing, without the sense of family warmth.

Alghanim Industries made its contribution through Khair Al-Kuwait, a charity organization operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor to complete the restoration of The Children Home Project within the Social Welfare Sector in Shuwaikh. The work is being carried out in five phases. The first phase completed, which included the restoration of four homes, a clinic, a theater, and a multi-purpose hall. While the second phase is under construction, with the support of Alghanim Industries.

Important segment
Chairman of Alghanim Industries, Kutayba Yusuf Alghanim said: “I am pleased that I am able to contribute to Khair Al-Kuwait, which supports an important and sensitive segment of our society, and embodies the spirit of the humanitarian work – an inherent trait within the Kuwaiti national identity.”

He added, “We have the ability to change the lives of orphaned children, deprived of their loved ones, by placing them in new homes with surrogate mothers. By creating a healthy family atmosphere, just like the rest of the children living with their parents and siblings. All of this prepares and enables children to engage with society more easily, whether in school or in the workplace when they’re older. I would like to extend my appreciation and gratitude to Khair Al-Kuwait for their great efforts in caring for these orphans.”

Chairperson of Khair Al-Kuwait, Sheikha Feryal Duaij Al-Sabah, said: “This recognition of Kutayba Alghanim’s humanitarian role is well deserved, for his great contribution which impacts the continuation of our work to provide the best to the orphans. I encourage all residents of this generous country to have an active role in the work of the Khair Al-Kuwait Organization towards all targeted segments, whether it’s the orphaned children or the elderly or the disabled or the ill.”

The Children’s Home is the only entity in Kuwait that is responsible for housing and taking care of orphans, launched by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor – Social Welfare Sector. It welcomes children of all ages, who are then cared for until the age of 12. After that age, boys are transferred to specialized housing units, while girls are also transferred to specialized housing units. Both buildings are also part of the Social Welfare Sector, within the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.

This initiative comes as part of Alghanim Industries’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, which is committed to giving back to the community, supporting education and encouraging entrepreneurship. At present-day, the company devotes most of its efforts towards The Children Home Project because of its great impact towards the lives of orphaned children in Kuwait.

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Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: King Abdullah II of Jordan is seen off by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the airport. — Amiri Diwan photo

KUWAIT: King Abdullah II of Jordan, along with his accompanying delegation, on Monday wrapped up a brotherly visit to the State of Kuwait during which he expressed greetings to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The King and the Jordanian officials were seen off at the airport by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- Hamad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al- Sabah. — KUNA

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KUWAIT: Education Minister Dr Bader Al-Essa stressed that Kuwait University colleges are ready to receive new high school graduates who match admission conditions and explained that the police academy’s suspension of accepting new cadets would not affect admissions at KU. Responding to a question about suspending the appointment of expatriate teachers at Education Ministry, Essa denied receiving any such instructions from relevant state bodies.

Courts roundup
The cassation court yesterday suspended an earlier ruling that sentenced six bedoons to one year in prison for illegal congregation and set another hearing on September 22 to pass its verdict. Separately, the administrative court yesterday annulled a decision made by Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Subaih on dissolving Yarmouk Co-op’s board of directors.

Automation
Acting Director of the Public Authority for Manpower Ahmad Al-Moussa said that he signed a contract with the National Technology Enterprises Company’s (NTEC) CEO Anas Merza to automate the authority’s transitions and present outstanding electronic services to the labor sector.

By A Saleh

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(From Left) Amiri Diwan Advisor Mohammad Abu Al-Hassan, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al- Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah lead worshipers during prayers.

KUWAIT: Imam Al-Sadeq mosque attack martyrs’ families yesterday touted His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s visit to the renovated mosque today as reflecting national unity between the ruler and the ruled. In separate remarks to Kuwait TV and KUNA, they voiced thanks and appreciation to His Highness the Amir for his visit to the mosque which embodied the firm and historical bond between the leadership and people.

Ahmad Al-Refa’i, son of the martyr Abdulhameed Al-Refa’i, highly commended His Highness the Amir’s initiative and the government’s care, hailing His Highness the Amir as “the kind father” who always patronizes such occasions. He recalled that the fact that His Highness the Amir went immediately to the site of the mosque blast was a “spontaneous behavior” that was impressed by everyone in the country.

His Highness the Amir’s directives and initiatives following the mosque bombing, including the holding of the mourning service at the Grand Mosque, have boosted national fabric and encouraged everyone in the country to condemn terrorism openly, he added.

Yusuf Al-Hader, son of the martyr Mohammad Al-Hader, expressed believe that the coincidence of the reopening of the Imam Al-Sadeq Mosque with the first anniversary of the terrorist act undoubtedly reflects the heed and care the wise leadership gives to people.

Naif Al-Faili, the martyr Ali Al-Fail’s son, said His Highness the Amir’s visit to the renovated mosque is a significant day for the martyrs’ families. His Highness the Amir’s immediate presence in the site of the mosque bombing had granted the martyrs’ families full confidence in the political leadership’s great support to them, he added.

Mohammad Al-Khawaja, the martyr Dr Jassem Al-Khawaja’s son, said His Highness the Amir has supported the martyrs’ families since the terrorist incident took place in June 2015. Ali Al-Sheikh, son of the martyr Hussein Al-Sheikh, expressed sincere thanks and appreciated to His Highness the Amir for his visit to the mosque as a great paternal gesture.

Waleed Buhamad, son of the martyr Taher Buhamad, said all the martyrs’ families were impressed by His Highness the Amir’s initiative yesterday. He thanked His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Crown prince, Kuwaiti government and people for sympathizing with them during this tragedy. A terrorist blast had hit Imam Al-Sadeq Mosque in Kuwait City on June 26, which left 26 worshippers dead and 227 others wounded.-KUNA

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KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday overwhelmingly passed the new public tenders law which governs the awarding of public projects worth billions of dinars every year. The Assembly also began debating the budgets and final accounts of government departments and authorities and approved five of them. It will continue debating budgets today.

The new public tenders law, which was described as historic as the process of its amendment took almost three decades, allows for the first time foreign companies to take part in public projects without a local agent as the case has been for over a half century. The law also reforms the process of awarding projects by allowing the Central Tenders Committee (CTC) to pick up the second lowest bid if it is technically better. CTC board has been expanded to seven members three of whom will be replaced after two years. The law also exempts oil rigs and exploration from the need for prior supervision and also exempts all military procurements from the same.

MP Saadoun Hammad protested at exempting the oil rigs and exploration saying the matter had already been rejected during the initial debate last week. MP Jamal Al-Omar said the State Audit Bureau should investigate in future Kuwait’s investments in Areva, the French nuclear and renewable energy giant, which Omar claimed Kuwait’s losses amounted to half a billion euros. Some reports have said that Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) was considering pulling out of the investment.

Budgets
The assembly then began debating the budgets of a large number of government departments and authorities and later the state budget before going into summer recess early next month. Head of the assembly Budgets Committee MP Adnan Abdulsamad said as a result of the sharp drop in oil prices, the budget deficit for the 2016/2017 fiscal year soared to around KD 12 billion. He said the committee tried to cut budget allocations but the cuts have been way below ambitions because of the lack of cooperation from ministries and departments and because the finance ministry did not make extra effort.

Later, MPs debated and approved the budgets and final accounts for the Development Bank, Public Authority for Housing Welfare, the Central Bank, Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS) and the newly-established Transport and Roads Authority. A number of MPs criticized the budget and management of PIFSS whose previous director is facing legal action in a corruption scandal. MP Hamdan Al-Azemi said the Institution has been holding a huge amount of cash which does not serve its investments. He also said the current director worked under the previous one and as a result should not remain in his position.

Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh said PIFSS is holding plenty of cash because if its conservative investment policy. He also said that the Public Prosecution informed him that no one of the current PIFSS officials is involved in the corruption scandal. A number of MPs also criticized the government’s failure to make any progress in diversifying sources of income away from oil.

Mega projects
In a related development, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Minister of State for Planning and Development Hind Al-Subaih said yesterday that the five year plan 2016-2020 has 32 mega projects costing KD 23.5 billion. She said that oil projects account for 42 percent of the cost of mega projects followed by 32.4 percent for transport. Subaih said the council of ministers has approved the development plan for the 2017/2018 fiscal year which has 165 projects costing KD 4.7 billion, in addition to 121 projects continuing from the previous years at a cost of KD 4.3 billion.

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KUWAIT: Photo shows some weapons and a gun disguised as a pen found in the home of Sheikh Athbi Al-Fahad Al Sabah.

KUWAIT: The hunt for a renegade nephew of Kuwait’s Amir has turned up a gun disguised as a pen in his home, adding yet another layer of mystery to a bizarre case involving two other ruling family members and others. Police officers who raided the home of Sheikh Athbi Al-Fahad Al Sabah found the James Bond-style weapon, with what appeared to be a trigger in the pump of the pen, the Interior Ministry said Monday.

The pen, found along with a Kalashnikov rifle, a handgun and ammunition, made the front page across oil-rich Kuwait yesterday, with the prominent newspaper Al-Rai calling it an “assassination device.” It’s unclear why Sheikh Athbi would own such a weapon, though he once ran Kuwait’s National Security Office, the nation’s intelligence agency. Sheikh Athbi has been on the run since May 30, when prosecutors say he, two other ruling family members and four other individuals were found guilty in a plot to publish anonymous Twitter posts sharing fabricated videos of judges receiving bribes. He received a five-year prison sentence, which can be appealed.

The videos appear to be tied to a larger ongoing political scandal involving faked videos suggesting high-ranking officials were planning a coup. Prosecutors imposed a gag order on the case, and ruling family members have apologized on state television. Kuwait’s once-assertive parliament has largely been taken over by pro-government lawmakers since Arab Spring-inspired protests in 2011. Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, 86, serves as emir, and the monarchy controls all key government positions.- AP

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KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah visit the Imam Al-Sadeq Mosque in Al-Sawaber area yesterday.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, accompanied by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah visited the Imam Al-Sadeq Mosque in Al-Sawaber area yesterday. His Highness the Amir was greeted by Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Yaqoub Al-Sane.

His Highness toured the mosque after the completion of renovations and repairs for all the damages following the heinous terrorist attack last year. His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Crown Prince then signed in the guestbook. The Amir and the Crown Prince then met families of the martyrs who were killed by the heinous incident, stressing that “our national unity is the impregnable fence to maintain security, besides the national spirit manifested by the people of Kuwait, as well as love, dedication to their homeland and loyalty to it. With God’s help we would fend off all criminal and terrorist acts”.

His Highness prayed to Allah Almighty to bestow his mercy on the martyrs and keep Kuwait safe always. His Highness the Crown Prince said that a year after this grave event, “we all thank Allah Almighty for the renovation of the mosque in a record time”, praising the return of life to normal and to prove unity of the nation in confronting deviant thoughts and ideologies, asking Allah Almighty to keep Kuwait safe of all evil thoughts.

His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Crown Prince performed the prayer in the mosque. His Highness the Amir was accompanied during the visit by His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.- KUNA

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KUWAIT: A citizen in his forties beat a female citizen in her eighties and her son in his sixties, and broke the elderly woman’s wrist. Both victims filed a complaint at Rumaithiya police station. The citizen and her son had disputes with the suspect, who attacked them and escaped. The victims went to Mubarak Hospital, where they were treated.

Absconding sisters found
Policemen arrested two sisters who were reported absconding and sent them to Mubarak Al-Kabeer detectives. This is the fourth time the two were reported absconding. The two Kuwaiti sisters escaped from their family house in Mubarak Al-Kabeer, reported their father, and detectives were asked to look for them. They were found in Maidan Hawally.

Couple arrested
Capital police arrested a couple – both citizens – in an abnormal condition in Sharq. They had 23 illicit tablets. Police stopped the couple’s car and found that the man was also wanted over a KD 7,000 debt.

Smuggling foiled
Doha customs officers foiled an attempt by a Kuwaiti citizen and an Iranian man to smuggle out more than 500 types of subsidized food items aboard a wooden boat to Iran. The customs officers searched the boat thoroughly until they found the subsidized food on its way out of the country. Both men were sent to concerned authorities.

Man beats his ex
A citizen beat his ex-wife in the street in front of passersby and fled. The citizen waited for the woman in Rumaithiya following a dispute between the two, then stopped and beat her. The woman lodged a complaint at the police station.

Drunk man enters sponsor’s house
An Indian man entered the living room of his sponsor’s house by mistake, but got in more trouble as he reeked of liquor. The citizen from Rehab called police for help to control his servant, as he had drunk too much. He was arrested and sent to concerned authorities.

Skipper dead
An Iranian skipper died after falling from a ferry docked at Doha port. The skipper was fighting for his life when he was pulled out, but later died at Sabah Hospital. All sailors on the ferry (four of them) were held for questioning. The skipper suffered a severe head injury. Separately, a citizen in his sixties died while making wudu (ablution) in Saad Al-Abdullah after he collapsed suddenly. His body was recovered by the coroner. – Al-Rai

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KUWAIT: A Farwaniya police patrol arrested seven men (three citizens, an Egyptian, an Iraqi, a Yemeni and an Indian) dressed in women’s attire and shooting a video outside Jaber Stadium, said security sources. Case papers indicate that on patrolling the area, patrol officers spotted three vehicles parked opposite Jaber Stadium in an industrial area and on approaching, policemen saw that a group of men were dressed in women’s garments. They had extra women’s clothing and cameras in their vehicles. The suspects were referred to state security for investigations. They said that they had been shooting a comedy video to post on Instagram without prior permission, which is illegal. Further investigations are still in progress.

Government’s work
Denying that he has any intentions to join the Cabinet or assume any government position, chairman of the parliamentary priorities committee MP Yousef Al-Zalzalah stressed that he prefers parliamentary work to governmental work. Zalzalah added that government work was restricted to the entire government team’s performance even if a member has a different viewpoint. He also criticized the government’s performance, noting that it lacked cooperation and coordination and that this was behind delaying many projects.
Accordingly, Zalzalah suggested establishing a special body within the Cabinet to help various ministers coordinate their work and overcome any hindrances while executing various projects. Further, Zalzalah referred to a report made by Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of State for Planning and Development Affairs Hind Al-Subaih in which she pointed out that there was a severe lack of cooperation and coordination amongst government bodies in terms of executing development projects.
“I am not completely satisfied with this government and a reshuffle must be made in many portfolios because there is only a handful of good ones, but the others have to step down,” he added, noting that a message had been conveyed to His Highness the Prime Minister that his Cabinet performance would remain below par unless he renewed some ‘blood’.

Passed laws
Rapporteur of the parliamentary educational committee MP Humoud Al-Hamdan reconfirmed the parliament’s importance in passing many laws and said that since the beginning of the current parliamentary term, 37 laws had been passed including ones that had been in drawers for years, although many parliaments went in and out of office. “However, thanks to both powers’ cooperation, this parliament managed to pass many laws,” he added. Speaking at a ghabqa held to honor his constituents in Fintas that was attended by a number of ministers and dignitaries, Hamdan said that the parliament was currently discussing 40 final statements before approving their budgets.

Value added tax
The GCC financial and economic cooperation committee members (finance ministers) are scheduled to meet today in Jeddah, said the GCC secretariat general, noting that the meeting will be dedicated to discuss various issues on top of which will be the recommendations made concerning the unified value added tax and transitional tax projects.

Fake degrees
A committee formed by Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Dr Bader Al-Essa to examine and investigate some fake degrees, papers, researches and promotions recently finished its work and submitted a report accordingly. The results are yet to be announced. Notably, the committee had been investigating some fake degrees referred to by the State Audit Bureau. Separately, Director of Information Systems Department at the Ministry of Higher Education Tareq Al-Marzouq said that the total students who applied for get scholarships reached 6,672 so far, including 3,388 for scholarships overseas and 3,284 for local ones.

By A Saleh

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Young Voices

Nearly a quarter of Kuwait’s entire population is under the age of 14 and yet with the exception of school assemblies, we never hear their voices. During Ramadan, Kuwait Times likes to publish a special series that engages with its readership in a more direct, personal way to learn their concerns, issues and viewpoints.

This Ramadan, we will chat with some of our youngest readers about their lives in Kuwait, in an attempt to see the world through their eyes. What do they see for the future of our beautiful country? What would they improve and how would they change it? By listening to their future plans, stories, and experience in Ramadan, we can remind ourselves and hopefully our readers of the ties that bind us all together as a species. These are the voice of Kuwait’s future and we invite them to share their thoughts with us here.

Mohammad Jamal Sabagh is a six-year-old Syrian boy who is crazy about animals. Sabagh told Kuwait Times that he has two names, Mohammad, after Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), and Jamal, after his grandfather.

Kuwait Times: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Mohammad: I want to be a veterinarian to help animals all over the world.

KT: What is your experience in Ramadan?
Mohammad: I love Ramadan because we eat food together at the same table, but after Ramadan we only do that on Fridays.

KT: What is your favorite thing to do in Kuwait?
Mohammad: I love going to the zoo – I would love to become a lion, tiger, cow or sheep.

KT: What do you want to change about Kuwait?
Mohammad: I want to make the sea bigger to reach the sky.

KT: What was the nicest thing you did for someone?
Mohammad: If I see a child, I let it play with my toys.

KT: What would be your ideal allowance? Tell me how would you use it.  
Mohammad: I would give my allowance to poor people who do not have money.

If you would like your child to be interviewed for this special series, please email us at local@kuwaittimes.net
By Faten Omar

The post ‘I love Ramadan because we eat together at the same table’ appeared first on Kuwait Times.

Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: Civil aviation statistics showed a seven percent increase in the number of passengers using Kuwait International Airport in May, as 1.003 million passengers used the airport compared to 937,070 in May 2015.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) explained that the total number of passengers arriving to Kuwait in May was 487,220 compared to 449,250 in May 2015, and departing passengers were 516,250 in May this year compared to 487,820 in May 2015.

Statistics also showed that the total incoming and outbound flights using Kuwait international airport in the same period were 8,832 compared to 8,630 last year. Cargo-wise, statistics showed that the total weight of air cargo transported through Kuwait airport in the same period was 17.6 million kilograms compared to 16.75 million kilograms in May 2015.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi

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Kuwait Times

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah greets high-ranking Kuwait Army officials.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah urged the armed forces Tuesday to be vigilant, and to confront all bids aimed at undermining Kuwait’s security, safety and stability.

His Highness the Amir, in a speech during a visit to Kuwait Army Officers’ Club, said the region was experiencing critical challenges from which Kuwait was not very far. “This requires vigilance and forceful confrontation to all attempts aimed at undermining our country, or threatening its security, safety and stability, ” His Highness the Amir said.

His Highness the Amir was accompanied during his visit by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Deputy head of National Guard Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

His Highness the Amir said the government was keen on the development of the army and military facilities with state-of-art equipment. His Highness the Amir said he was fully confident in the army’s capability to confront all circumstances. He praised Allah the Almighty to bestow his blessing on the armed forces who were protecting the country at the front-lines, and to have mercy upon souls of the martyrs.

His Highness the Amir was received by Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Khaled Jarrah Al-Sabah, Deputy Chief of staff of the Army General Sheikh Abdullah Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Defense Ministry Undersecretary Jassar Al-Jassar.

General Sheikh Abdullah Al-Sabah, in another speech, said terrorist groups have used sectarian conflicts in the region to spread chaos and destruction in some of the regional countries, as well as planting seeds of discord among peoples.

He said terrorism has reached Kuwait when terrorists bombed Imam Al-Sadeq Mosque in the holy month of Ramadan last year. “However, our people have united and showed national unity thus defeating terrorism,” he said.

General Al-Sabah reiterated that the armed forces were ready to sacrifice their lives to defend the security and stability of Kuwait. He affirmed that the Kuwaiti Army was ready to repel all threats against the country’s territorial safety.

His Highness the Amir was accompanied by Minister of Amiri Diwan Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Amir’s Chief of Staff Ahmad Fahad Al-Fahad, Head of the Amiri protocols Sheikh Khaled Abdullah Al-Sabah, Undersecretary of Highness the Crown Prince’s Diwan Sheikh Mubarak Faisal Al-Sabah and head of the Media and Cultural Affairs at the Amiri Diwan Yusuf Al-Roumi. – KUNA

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Kuwait Times

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah greets National Guard officers, in presence of Kuwait National Guard’s Chief His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said Tuesday the critical period being undergone by the Arab region require the National Guard personnel to double their efforts and remain vigilant.

“I am fully confident that you are aware of the turmoil in our region that require you as officers and soldiers to be wary on any mischief-makers who might attempt to tamper with the security of the country and the citizens,” he said.

His Highness the Amir made the comments during his visit to the presidency of Kuwait National Guard on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan. He was accompanied by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

They were warmly welcomed by the National Guard’s Chief His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, Vice chief Sheikh Mashal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Undersecretary Lieutenant General Staff Hashem Abdulrazzaq Al-Rifa’i as well as other senior officers.

His Highness the Amir commended the National Guard as the first partner of the Armed Forces, saying: “You have an honorable record of professionalism and patriotism. The achievements you have made deservedly earned you the respect of everybody.”

He also praised the efforts being made by president and vice president of the National Guard to enhance the preparedness of the National Guard through training programs and field drills as well as acquisition of the latest military equipment.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary of the National Guard Lt Gen Staff Hashem Al-Rifa’i expressed, on behalf of the National Guard officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers, the Ramadan greetings and best wishes for His Highness the Amir.

He thanked His Highness the Amir for maintaining this kind tradition of visiting the National Guard in the holy month of Ramadan and for inaugurating the new headquarters of the National Guard Presidency.

“This inspiring annual tradition and your wise instructions give impetus to the leaders and personnel of the National Guard to pursue the march of giving, allegiance and self-sacrifice for the homeland,” he said.

Wise leadership
Lt Gen Staff Al-Rifa’i attributed the achievements made by the National Guard in protecting the security of the country to the wise instructions and leadership of His Highness the Amir, pledging to do more for the sake of the homeland.

He cited the following “three gigantic projects” which have been implemented by the National Guard; first, the helicopter project; second, the comprehensive command and control project; and third, the chemical defense and radiation observatory system.

He added that the National Guard will continue to play its strategic role in responding to any emergency in collaboration with other key state institutions, noting that the National Guard opened channels of security cooperation with several friendly countries in terms of training programs and visit exchanges. During His Highness the Amir’s visit a documentary entitled “Esnad” (support) was screened to show the facilities and services of the new headquarters of the National Guard.

His Highness the Amir was accompanied by Minister of Amiri Diwan Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Amir’s Chief of Staff Ahmad Fahad Al-Fahad, Head of the Amiri protocols Sheikh Khaled Abdullah Al-Sabah, Undersecretary of Highness the Crown Prince’s Diwan Sheikh Mubarak Faisal Al-Sabah and head of the Media and Cultural Affairs at the Amiri Diwan Yusuf Al-Roumi. – KUNA

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