KUWAIT: Zain, the leading digital service provider in Kuwait, announced the offering of distance learning services and solutions to corporate customers in partnership with Classera, a global leader in e-learning platforms. Through this partnership, Zain offers a complete set of e-learning services to meet the needs of the education sector during the COVID-19 pandemic over Zain’s superfast network.

Zain’s offering of these solutions comes in line with the company’s belief in the importance of continuing the education process amid the exceptional circumstances the country is currently undergoing. As a leading Kuwaiti private sector organization, Zain is extremely keen on making its tech capabilities available to serve the needs of Kuwait’s public and private education organizations as per the highest international standards by offering world-class distance learning solutions.

Zain now offers a complete set of e-learning services in partnership with Classera, an internationally renowned online platform with several e-learning and digital transformation awards. Classera, which serves over 3 million users in more than 14 countries around the world, offers virtual school solutions that are in line with the digital transformation goals of public and private schools in Kuwait. The solutions comprehensively serve Kuwait’s schools’ needs, especially urgent ones due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Classera’s solutions are bundled with Zain’s superfast Internet via a variety of flexible plans to guarantee the best operational efficiency.

Classera’s services and solutions, offered by Zain, include a wide range of unique features, such as Learning Management System, Student Information System, Student Behavior Management System, Advanced Student Attendance Management, social learning, adaptive learning (Smart Mate), virtual classrooms, Bursar System, Assessment System, surveys and evaluations, Gradebook System, Messaging System, student calling, System Intelligence and BI, e-certificates, training management, announcements, instant notifications, and much more.

Zain strongly believes in the crucial role played by private sector organizations in supporting social and economic sustainability projects, especially during crises. Springing from its growing commitment towards practicing its social responsibility, the company is committed to printing a positive print through all its activities. This has led Zain to embrace the most crucial issues in the community, including the support of the country’s education process by making its tech capabilities available.

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is ready to restart commercial flights at Kuwait International Airport and Saad Al-Abdullah Airport from August 1 with a total capacity of 10,000 passengers daily in the beginning. But travelers – both those departing Kuwait for holidays or other travel and those arriving – have many outstanding questions that are yet to be answered.

All passengers arriving to Kuwait will need a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result no older than 96 hours. “Furthermore, we will choose 10 percent of arriving passengers for random PCR tests upon arrival to make sure their tests were proper,” Director General of the DGCA Yousef Al-Fouzan told Kuwait Times in an exclusive interview.

Those traveling should undergo the PCR test in Kuwait, but it’s not yet clear where it can be done. Currently, only the health ministry can administer the PCR test and provide a negative certificate. The call center of the health ministry told Kuwait Times that Kuwaitis can have their PCR test done at Sabah Hospital, while expats should arrange one through their embassy. When contacting European embassies, they said they have no clue about where the test can be done.

“We are now finalizing the procedure of performing 1,000 PCR tests daily by National Aviation Services (NAS), which should be clear before August 1. We also proposed to let private clinics conduct PCR tests so more people can travel. When the plan of conducting the PCR tests at the airport is finalized, we will announce the dates, procedure and fees,” explained Fouzan. For those travelling for one or two days, they can use the same PCR test done before departure, as it’s valid for three days,” he added.

The problem of the PCR tests is one of the key issues limiting traveler numbers. As Fouzan explained, the number of daily passengers was set by the ministry of health. “This number was set as there is no capacity to conduct more PCR tests in a day, which is an essential condition for travel to most countries. The rules are changing almost daily, and some countries have stopped requiring the PCR test,” he said.

“The three-phase plan for the airport’s operating was prepared about a month ago, and since then, many rules and requirements have changed in various countries. So the 30 percent operating capacity from August 1 till February 2021 may change in the coming weeks. The DGCA will evaluate the situation after the first week of operations. I expect an increase in the number of flights and passengers, especially departures,” Fouzan said.

Passengers should check with the country of destination on the latest updates of their requirements. “The rules are changing every day, so passengers should keep an eye on the news before leaving. For instance, the UAE does not require a PCR test, as they do it for all arrivals at their airports. The same applies for Lebanon and Turkey. The UK, for instance, announced obligatory quarantine for all arrivals for 14 days with strict penalties for violators,” he said.

The DGCA is in the phase of preparing the flight schedule. “We are now receiving the schedules from the airlines so we can set the total flights. There won’t be any privilege or priority given to any category of passengers. In the past, we were operating about 400 flights daily on average, but now the number won’t exceed 100 flights,” Fouzan pointed out.

Passengers should be present at the airport four hours prior to departure. “This period was set due to safety measures and to avoid crowds. The stores and restaurants at the airport are open, including the duty-free shops. We have started applying social distancing measures at the airport through stickers on the ground and other instructions at the airport advising people to wear gloves, wash hands and maintain social distancing.

Barricades will be placed at the counters to distance passengers from the staff. Also, onboard meals will be given in pre-packed boxes. Also, nobody will be allowed to enter the airport without a facemask,” said Fouzan. Thermal cameras will check the temperature of all passengers. If any passenger has a high temperature, a PCR test will be done. If the result is positive, they will be sent to hospital.     

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health said Monday that no coronavirus deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, but confirmed 559 new infections. Thus, the death toll remained unchanged at 408, while the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 59,763, the Health Ministry’s Spokesperson Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad said. The fresh cases included 337 Kuwaitis (60.29 percent) and 222 non-Kuwaitis (39.71 percent), he elaborated.

In addition, 138 COVID-19 patients were still receiving medical treatment in intensive care units, Dr Sanad pointed out. Medical teams carried out 3,355 COVID-19 tests over the last 24 hours, bringing the total count of tests to 462,704 since the outbreak of the virus in the country, he added.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Health said 652 people recovered from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours to raise total recoveries to 50,339. – KUNA

KUWAIT: State-owned Kuwait Airways announced yesterday that it will resume flight service to the following cities starting from August 1: Amman, Sarajevo, Bahrain, Baku, Beirut, Cairo, Chennai, Delhi, Doha, Dubai, Geneva, Istanbul, Trabzon, Bodrum, Kochi, Lahore, London, Mumbai and Munich. Passengers are responsible for meeting all health requirements of departure and arrival countries.

Fifteen flights
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation announced that 15 flights were set to depart Kuwait International Airport yesterday, carrying a total of 2,760 passengers. They included seven flights to Egypt, four flights to India, two flights to Qatar, and two flights to the UAE.

Suspected case
The citizen’s service building in Al-Rawda was closed for fumigation yesterday, as an employee there was suspected to have contracted the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). It did not announce when the building will be reopened.

Oil price down
The price of Kuwaiti oil went down by 16 cents to $42.99 per barrel on Monday compared to $43.15 pb last Friday, said the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) yesterday. Globally, the price of the Brent crude futures went up by 14 cents to $43.28 per barrel, the same case with the West Texas Intermediate, which gained 22 cents to $40.81 pb.

PharmD program
Kuwait University’s approval of the Doctor in Pharmacy (PharmD) program is culmination of College of Pharmacy’s relentless endeavors to develop pharmacology and pharmacists in specific, the Ministry of Health said Monday. PharmD is “professional certificate in pharmacology which supports a vision to the development of the profession of a pharmacist in Kuwait,” said Dr Abdullah Al-Bader, MoH’s Assistant Undersecretary for Medicine and Medical supplies. PharmD graduates, he added, would meet demands of MoH’s departments of pharmacies.

KUWAIT: A motorist was killed and four others were injured in a three-vehicle collision reported on Al-Ghous street opposite Jaber Al-Ali on Monday. Qurain firefighters rushed to the scene after the accident was reported, and they worked immediately on freeing the victims who became trapped in their wrecked vehicles.

One of the victims was pronounced dead on the scene, while the others were rushed to hospital, some of whom in a critical condition, Kuwait Fire Service Directorate said in a statement. An investigation was opened to reveal the circumstances behind the accident.

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) celebrated the graduation of NBK wave 23 program for newly hired employees who have successfully met the admission criteria for this intensive Academy Program that is especially designed for young Kuwaiti university graduates. The program activities were completed through blended learning, in line with the measures taken to fight coronavirus (COVID-19) and to keep trainees safe.

The Academy’s training program, that included 19 trainees, covered various areas of the banking industry such as banking principles, risk management, financial accounting, marketing, negotiation, consumer and commercial lending. Moreover, the participants went through training related to creativity and innovation, design thinking and data analysis. Indeed, the program focused on acquainting trainees with work principles and ethics, NBK core values, as well as intensive behavioral skills courses.

It is worth noting that the Academy program content undergoes continuous reviews and additions in order to keep it up to date with the latest international researches and studies related to the banking sector. The NBK Academy Program, that was launched 12 years ago, has been supporting NBK’s strategy to employ, train and develop the professional skills of newly graduated Kuwaiti talents, in addition to attracting them to work in the financial services industry.

The Academy reflects NBK’s vision to support sustainable human capital development as one of its top strategic priorities and a shared responsibility between the various governmental institutions and the private sector. The NBK Academy was inaugurated in 2008 with the aim to pave the way for new Kuwaiti graduates to join the banking services sector. The Academy provides graduates with the best training programs developed in cooperation with leading international institutions to meet the demands of the labor market.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s electricity load index jumped to a new record at noon on Monday, recording 14,783 MW of total consumption as temperature reached 50 C degrees at Kuwait International Airport. Consumption jumped by 600 MW in one day after the index had recorded 14,130 MW on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Electricity and Water sources said that the total consumption load is expected to keep increasing as temperatures continue to rise, urging consumers to use power-saving electronic devices especially during peak hours around noon.

The Kuwait Meteorological Department indicated in its forecast for today that the weather will be hot and relatively humid especially over coastal areas with light to moderate south easterly wind with speed of 12 – 35 km/h causing rising dust. Today’s maximum temperature is expected to reach 46 C degrees.

KUWAIT: The Interior Ministry carried out a total of 996,272 online transactions, including 471,441 last week, a senior ministry official announced. “The ministry’s digital portals have achieved a substantial leap in developing online services and transactions,” said the Ministry of Interior’s Relations and Security Media Department Manager Brigadier Towheed Al-Kandari, adding that this reflects the ministry’s keenness on protecting public health amidst the extraordinary circumstances of the spread of COVID-19.

Kandari added that MOI’s website; www.moi.gov.kw, provides several services, including online appointment booking, which helps finalizing various kinds of transactions, saving time and effort in the process, and helping reduce crowds at various MOI departments. Further, Kandari invited all citizens and expats to use online services in order to avoid putting themselves and their health under risk, adding that the ministry’s website provides explanation on how to use online services as well as the forms needed for various transactions.

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: After nearly a hundred days of lockdown and a week after the government finally reopened the area – how is Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh now? Kuwait Times visited the area – known to many as Hasawi or Abbasiya – and found most of the barbwire placed on the dividers of roads is still in place. Only the police checkpoints have been removed. The life of many people in the area is not yet normal and they are searching for jobs. Although many have returned to work, others however are not yet permitted by their employers to return to their jobs. Kuwait Times spoke to several people and businesses in Jleeb to gauge their sentiments.

Some people sitting in side streets complained they have no work – some of them were fired, but many are waiting for the go-ahead from their companies to resume work. They said they are ready to work even in construction to earn money just to survive. “I lost my job and I don’t have anything right now. Thank God I survive every day because my friends are supporting me. I want to find work as soon as possible because I have a family in Egypt to support,” said Ahmed, an Egyptian waiting by the roadside for someone to hire him for any construction job.

“I will try to apply to companies that need my services. I used to work in a small shisha cafe in Jleeb, but they closed in March. They told me to look for a new job because they are not going to open anymore. But very few companies are hiring new staff, and just to make some money, I am waiting for transport to take me to Kuwait City to do a construction job. I don’t mind it as long as I get some money,” he said.

Ahmed’s friend Osama works in Shuwaikh, but he said his job is very irregular and he gets only half his salary. “I work in an office in Shuwaikh, but my boss told me to come every other day with half the salary. I also didn’t get paid since March. From July, they told me I will receive only half of my salary since there are few customers and we are three on the job, so we will work in rotation,” he said. “So I am trying to use some of the days off to work extra – I need money; my family needs money too. That is why I told my friend to accept extra work even if it’s unrelated to our jobs,” he said.

Not allowed to work
Rubel, a Bangladeshi cafeteria worker, said he hasn’t been allowed to work till now. “I am working in Sharq as an office tea boy. They told me not to come to work – maybe they are afraid I might have coronavirus since I reside in Jleeb. Since April, I have no job and no salary. I want to work, but no work is available,” he rued.

Noel Panotes, a Filipino working in a furniture company, resigned before the lockdown. He wanted to leave Kuwait, but as he waited to collect his indemnity, he was trapped by the lockdown, forcing him to remain in Kuwait. During the lockdown, his company told him to leave the company accommodation and he was forced to look for anyone who could give him shelter before he leaves Kuwait.

“I was forcibly evicted by my company from the accommodation and I could not do anything about it. I stayed four years with the company, but since they were not giving us salary on time and hadn’t paid me for four months, I resigned. But while waiting for the unpaid salary and the indemnity, I was caught in the lockdown, so I stayed at the accommodation,” he told Kuwait Times.

“But they told me to leave the company accommodation in the middle of the pandemic in May, so I looked for a place to temporarily stay until I am able to leave Kuwait. The embassy is helping me with repatriation, and I hope I will be able to leave soon. Till now I am here in Jleeb with a family that was kind enough to accept me. During the lockdown, I survived because of some help from other people. I hope to go home soon,” Panotes added.

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: MP Safa Al-Hashem submitted a proposal yesterday calling to stop issuing residency permits to expats who reach 60 years of age and to deport all expats undergoing treatment at psychiatric hospitals. In addition, the proposal calls on the government to issue a decision banning expats from working two jobs and those found to violate the decision should be deported immediately.

The lawmaker said that her proposal comes as part of efforts to amend the population structure and the large increase in the number of expats, which has increased the burden on the country’s infrastructure. The proposal calls to set up a government committee that will be assigned to resolve problems associated with the imbalance in the population composition. Hashem has been regularly targeting expats in the country and stepped up her campaign since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers did not discuss topics related to moving the country into the third phase to return to normal life. The Cabinet is now expected to discuss the issue on Thursday. MP Hashem, who heads the Assembly’s financial and economic affairs committee, said yesterday that the panel is due to debate next week a government draft law seeking permission to borrow KD 20 billion over the next 10 years to meet the growing budget deficit.

The lawmaker however warned that without a clear roadmap by the government on how it is going to spend the loan, neither the committee and nor the Assembly will approve the controversial draft law. She said that Kuwait’s creditworthiness is still very strong, but said this is being tarnished by a number of corruption cases that have been recently exposed, like the Eurofighter aircraft deal and Kuwaiti investments in California, in addition to trafficking in persons and the Malaysian sovereign fund case.

A parliamentary panel formed to probe violations in the oil sector yesterday recommended that a number of top former and current executives in oil companies should be referred to the public prosecution over suspected violations that cost the sector over KD 3 billion. The committee, which held dozens of meetings, made nine recommendations – all calling to refer oil sector officials to the public prosecution, including the former CEO of Kuwait National Petroleum Co, his deputy and others, head of the panel MP Al-Humaidi Al-Subaei said.

The report claims suspected violations in appointments, promotions and in mega contracts that cost public funds billions of dinars, Subaei said. Member of the committee MP Saleh Ashour said the panel recommended that dozens of projects, individuals and companies be referred to the public prosecution over major violations.

KUWAIT: Foreign Minster Dr Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Sabah briefed the Cabinet on Kuwait’s welcome of the UN demand from the country to provide treatment to UN staff from Central and West Asia that have critical coronavirus infections in Kuwait’s hospitals as the country has a successful experiment in dealing with the COVID-19 and thus mortality rate reduced compared with several countries. The Cabinet praised the UN’s choice of Kuwait, saying this mirrors the international confidence in Kuwait’s health system and its efficiency.

Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Maryam Aqeel also informed the ministers about the unanimous adoption by the UN Human Rights Council of the third periodic report of Kuwait’s human rights’ file, within the mechanism of the universal periodic review of the Council. The Cabinet voiced great satisfaction about, and pride for this civilizational achievement as a well-deserved testimony for Kuwait’s efforts and its sincere interest in continuing to advance human rights issues.

This came during the Cabinet’s weekly meeting held Monday via videoconference, and chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. At the onset of the meeting, the Cabinet members expressed their happiness over the successful surgery of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday, wishing him well-being, and a speedy and full recovery, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh said.

In this regard, the Cabinet lauded the sincere sentiments, prayers and love of the nationals to “our father and leader His Highness the Amir” that reflected the depth of relations and cohesion, throughout the successive generations, between the Kuwaiti people and their leader, Saleh also Interior Minister, added. The ministers expressed their appreciation, and thanks for, to the leaders and presidents as well as senior officials of the sisterly and friendly countries for their follow-up and concern with His Highness the Amir’s health condition. They, meanwhile, wished a speedy recovery and well-being to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

COVID-19 developments
Minister of Health Dr Sheikh Basel Humoud Al-Sabah told the ministers about the latest developments regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on local, regional and international levels, based on the statistics in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) report in terms of the infected cases, recoveries, deaths and patients at intensive care units (ICU). The Cabinet accepted the generous donations provided by a number of people and bodies on restoring and constructing several facilities and projects in Kuwait, appreciating highly these initiatives which will be in favor of Kuwait’s interests.

The ministers discussed the recommendations by the economic affairs committee on some bills regarding adopting the final statements of the 2020-2029 fiscal year of institutions with independent budgets, bodies with attached budgets and financial management. The Cabinet decided to approve these bills and referred them to His Highness the Amir, in preparation for sending to them the National Assembly.

Labor cities
Moreover, the Cabinet discussed the recommendation of the public services committee on the project of the labor cities in Kuwait, and the ministers were informed about the report on the workshop held by the committee to deal with methods so as to address all obstacles that may face the project, in light of the visual presentations and reports by the Ministry of Public Works, the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, and the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects.

It decided to assign the Ministry of Public Affairs, Kuwait Municipality, the Public Authority for Manpower, the Public Authority for Industry and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation to take measures on safeguarding temporary or permanent housing of labor.

It also tasked the Public Authority for Manpower, in coordination with the competent authorities, with intensifying inspection campaigns to ensure full compliance with the conditions and specifications appropriate of workers’ housing. The Cabinet assigned the Public Authority for Civil Information, in coordination with the competent authorities, to ensure the compliance of the actual housing of labor affiliated with government agency contracts with the addresses registered in the civil card and take the necessary legal measures regarding violators.

Immediate release
In implementation of the Decree No 87/2020 on the amnesty regarding the remaining sentence restricting freedoms or reducing it and the fine against 2,044 people, Minister Saleh informed the Cabinet about the immediate release of those included and reducing the penalty for others who were covered by the aforementioned decree.

The Cabinet was also briefed on the public service committee’s recommendation on the issue of using trucks and heavy machinery on the north road leading to the Wafra area and its effects on the safety of drivers and residents of Sabah Al-Ahmad residential city. It asked the competent bodies to deal with this issue. – KUNA

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah phoned on Monday Saudi Arabia King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. In his phone call, His Highness the Amir inquired about the health of the King, wishing him the best and full recovery. During the phone call, King Salman congratulated the Amir on the recent successful surgery, wishing him the best and for the two nations.

Meanwhile, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah phoned Saudi Arabia Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, inquiring about the health of King Salman bin Abdulaziz. His Highness the Crown Prince wished the King good health and prosperity. In turn, the Saudi Crown Prince also inquired about His Highness the Amir’s health, wishing him a speedy recovery and wellbeing.

Successful surgery
Separately, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received on Monday a cable of congratulations from His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on his successful surgery. In the cable, His Highness the Crown prince expressed thanks to Allah Almighty for the safety of His Highness the Amir and the success of the surgery, forwarding congratulations of Kuwait citizens and residents to His Highness on this occasion.

His Highness the Crown Prince wished His Highness the Amir wellbeing and good health so that he could complete his march of goodness and development. In return, His Highness the Amir sent a thanks cable to His Highness the Crown Prince, expressing his sincere thanks and appreciations, and wished him good health and well-being.

His Highness the Amir received similar cables from National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem, Chairman of the National Guard His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, his Deputy Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, President of the Supreme Judicial Council and Presiding Judge of the Court of Cassation and Constitutional Court Yousef Jassem Al-Mutawa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Ahmad Mansour Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, as well as Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabah.

World leaders
In the meantime, His Highness the Amir received a congratulatory cable from Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al-Said. In the cable, Sultan Haitham wished His Highness a speedy recovery after his successful surgical operation. In return, His Highness the Amir sent a cable to the Sultan of Oman thanking him and his people for sincere feelings, wishing him good health and wellbeing. His Highness the Amir received similar cables from Bahraini Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa, as well as Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo.

Moreover, His Highness the Crown Prince received on Sunday a phone call from Jordan’s King Abdullah II inquiring about the health of His Highness the Amir. His Highness the Crown Prince thanked King Abdullah II for his brotherly and sincere sentiments and wished him good health and wellbeing. His Highness Sheikh Nawaf also received a call from Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces Gen Abdelfattah Al-Burhan. During the phone conversation, the Sudanese leader checked on His Highness the Amir and wished him perpetual wellbeing.

His Highness the Crown Prince voiced much thanks and appreciation to the Sudanese general for good sentiments and sincere prayers, wishing him well. His Highness the Crown Prince also received a similar call from Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq Leader Humam Hamoudi, while His Highness the Prime Minister received a phone call from the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Dr Ahmad Al-Tayeb inquiring about His Highness the Amir’s health. – KUNA

KUWAIT: The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kuwait rose to 60,434 after the country registered 671 new infections in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health announced today. The death toll increased to 412 after Kuwait registered four coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, the ministry said.

The new infected cases included 395 Kuwaitis (58.87 percent) and 276 non-Kuwaitis (41.13 percent), the Health Ministry’s Spokesperson Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad said. Infections according to health zones were as follows: 200 in Al-Jahra, 158 in Al-Ahmadi, 123 in Al-Farwaniya, 116 in Hawally and 74 in Al-Assima (the capital).

There are 9,103 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment in Kuwait in total, including 127 patients receiving treatment in intensive care units, Dr Sanad pointed out. Five people were discharged from quarantine during the past 24 hours, Dr Sanad said, noting that they were advised to quarantine themselves at home for 14 days.

Medical teams carried out 4,157 COVID-19 tests over the last 24 hours, bringing the total count of tests to 466,861 since the outbreak of the virus in the country, he added. Earlier today, the Ministry of Health said 580 people recovered from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours to raise total recoveries to 50,919. – KUNA

KUWAIT: The civil aviation authority has presented a set of rules for the safe resumption of air travel, as Kuwait prepares to open its airport for commercial flights next month while assuaging travel concerns of coronavirus-wary passengers. The protocols encompass measures including random testing of passengers arriving at and departing from Kuwait International Airport, Saleh Al-Fadaghi, deputy director general for airport affairs at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said in a statement.

The new rules mandate all travelers to wear protective facemasks and keep a hand sanitizer in their possession, besides strictly abiding by social distancing guidelines, he said. As per the new guidelines, departing passengers are required to provide negative COVID-19 test results before boarding their flights (details on where to undergo the tests have not been made available as of now). Passengers are also instructed to keep hand luggage to a minimum. Fadaghi explained manual checks of tickets have now been scaled back as a result of the pandemic in favor of the more popular digital e-tickets, whose scanning requires no physical contact.

The new measures call on passengers to be present at the airport no less than four hours before departure to ensure a smooth and convenient journey, added the official. Commercial flights at Kuwait International Airport will resume from Aug 1 after a four-month hiatus, part of a three-stage resumption plan starting at no more than 30 percent capacity.

Meanwhile, Qatar yesterday relaxed restrictions aimed at controlling the novel coronavirus, allowing citizens and permanent residency holders to travel outside the country and return at any time, and residents outside the country to return starting Aug 1. The government communications office (GCO) said arrivals from low-risk countries are required to take a coronavirus test at the airport and sign a formal pledge to adhere to quarantine at home for a week, state news agency (QNA) reported on its twitter account, citing a statement from GCO.

GCO said the list of low-risk countries will be published on the Ministry of Public Health’s website and will be reviewed every two weeks. Travellers from low-risk countries who have obtained COVID-free certificates from an accredited testing center within 48 hours of travelling will not have to take a test at the airport. The measures come as the third phase of a four-phase plan to lift coronavirus restrictions starts at the beginning of August. Qatar has reported 10,7430 coronavirus cases so far, with 160 deaths and 10,4191 recovered. — Agencies

KUWAIT: Kuwait called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to immediately end Israeli crimes and violence against Palestinians, especially that the world is facing the threat of the coronavirus pandemic. The remarks came in written speech, presented by Kuwait’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, during the UNSC’s session on the situation in the Middle East late Tuesday. Kuwait and other Arab countries have boosted their efforts to stand in the face of Israeli escalation in the past few months, as the world was trying to fight the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Otaibi.

Meanwhile, he noted that in June, UNSC’s member-states warned Israel against annexation and considered it a violation of the international law. Israel continues to expand settlements, violating UN resolution 2334, and it is also preventing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, he added. The Kuwaiti diplomat affirmed that Israel will take the opportunity in every global crisis to escalate attacks against Palestinians, calling on UNSC to exert further efforts to bring Israel to justice.

He also called on ending arrest operations, destroying Palestinian buildings, protect Palestinians against the crimes of settlers and end the 13-year siege on Gaza. Otaibi underlined the importance of expanding the work of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).He reaffirmed Kuwait’s commitment to the views of the Arab and Islamic World on the peace process and the two-states solution and having an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. – KUNA

KUWAIT/KOCHI/NEW DELHI: With no job or savings, Indian electrician Shibhu Clemance had hoped to return to work in Kuwait – until he learned of a proposal to drastically cut back on migrants in the country. The 38-year-old, who lost his job in February due to the coronavirus pandemic, is among more than a million Indians in Kuwait, the largest expat group in the Gulf country of 4.4 million.

But after the coronavirus hit oil prices and local jobs, the country is considering new limits that could force about 800,000 to leave and slash their remittances – a crucial lifeline for families back home. The proposal is in a new bill that would cut the total number of migrant workers in the country by 40 percent and require that the number of Indians should not exceed 15 percent of the Kuwaiti population.

“I came to the Gulf and toiled hard to provide a better life for my children. The COVID-19 crisis and now the new Kuwait law have shattered my dreams,” Clemance told Reuters by phone from Mangaf. Before he lost his job in February, he sent 40,000 Indian rupees ($530) to his wife and two children who live in a cramped house in the southern Indian state of Kerala with his in-laws and six other relatives.

Without a home of his own in Kerala and with little hope of finding work in a state that has been receiving India’s largest influx of returning migrants, Clemance fears going back to his family. The government has yet to approve the bill, but the prime minister said last month he wants to cut the expat population of about 3 million.

National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem has proposed a gradual reduction in foreign workers, starting with a 5 percent cut in numbers and indicated the country needed fewer low-skilled migrants. Parliament will finalize the bill before the current session ends in October, before sending it to the government for approval.

Indians working in Kuwait sent home almost $4.6 billion in 2017, about 6.7 percent of the country’s total incoming remittances that year, according to World Bank data. But a global recession in the wake of COVID-19 has decimated jobs and slashed cash flows. The World Bank estimates remittances to India will drop by 23 percent from $83 billion last year to $64 billion this year.

For Litty Shibhu, Clemance’s wife, managing the household and taking care of her large family without the monthly transfer from Kuwait has been tough. “We are in real trouble since the money stopped coming … Every day Shibu calls me and shares his sorrows. I’m planning to sell my gold to help him,” the 29-year-old said. “We will virtually be on the street if my husband is compelled to return. I can’t even sleep thinking about this.”

Her concerns are echoed throughout the southern state of Kerala, which has the largest number of people working in the Gulf at about two million, according to a 2018 migration survey by the Centre for Development Studies. State data shows 70 percent of the Indians in Kuwait are from Kerala. Since the 1960s, remittances from the Gulf have been the backbone of Kerala’s economy, making up nearly 20 percent of the state’s gross domestic product, according to the survey.

If Kuwait passes the bill, it could further overwhelm Kerala at a time when it has been scrambling to reintegrate nearly half a million people returning from overseas and other Indian states, migration experts say. S Irudaya Rajan, a member of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs’ research unit on international migration, said the expat bill was a knee-jerk reaction that would fizzle out after the COVID-19 pandemic. “Even if Kuwait means business it will not have a huge impact on expatriates since most of them concentrate on the 3D jobs – dirty, dangerous and demeaning,” he said. “These are categories that local nationals are unlikely to step in and take.”

A spokesman for India’s foreign ministry said it was monitoring developments in Kuwait and the foreign ministers of both countries had discussed the bill. Robert Mogielnicki, resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, DC, said the impact on remittances would depend on when and how Kuwait enforces the expat quota. “We’re talking about a tremendous demographic transformation. What is clear is that that’s not going to happen overnight,” he said. He said Kuwait had historically been slow to enact economic reforms, but the current pressures had brought a sense of urgency.

Last month, the Indian government created a database of the skills and experience of returning migrants to help fill jobs in Indian and foreign companies. Kerala has already devised a plan for the reintegration of incomers, said Harikrishnan Nampoothiri, chief of NORKA-Roots, a state government agency for the welfare of expats and returnees. It includes upgrading skills to help people migrate again in the future, a financial scheme of up to 3 million rupees ($40,000) so they can start their own businesses, subsidized loans and mentoring camps.

Yet Vinoy Wilson, a father of three who works as a department store supervisor in Kuwait, had little hope of finding a job in India that would pay enough to fund his children’s education and repay the money he borrowed for a new home in Kerala. Although his salary was slashed by 25 percent a few months ago, the 40-year-old said it was still enough to cover monthly expenses and send money back home to his mother-in-law. He said he worried that he would be among the first low-skilled workers to be packed off, meaning he would have to sell his “dream” home. “I don’t know where I will go if I lose my job. I have loans that I can’t repay without a steady income,” he said. – Reuters

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Opposition MP Riyadh Al-Adasani yesterday asked His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah about what the government has done toward lawsuits filed last week by US Justice Department against former Kuwaiti defense officials.
Adasani said the US Justice Department through its offices in California filed several lawsuits to recover over $100 million that were allegedly embezzled by former officials in the Kuwaiti defense ministry between 2009 and 2016.

Adasani said that the former high-ranking Kuwaiti officials used the defense ministry military attache office in London to open at least six unauthorized bank accounts in the United States and transferred over $100 million to them from Kuwaiti public funds. He also said the US is seeking to recover $104.38 million suspected to have been used in money laundering operations. The lawmaker asked the prime minister to provide him with copies of the correspondence exchanged between government officials over procedures taken regarding this case.

The US Justice Department said last week it has filed seven lawsuits seeking the forfeiture of real estate, a private jet, a yacht and additional assets purchased with public funds allegedly embezzled by former high-level officials in Kuwait’s ministry of defense, part of which were transferred to California bank accounts operated by the son of a convicted felon.

In order to disguise the nature of the bank transfers, some of them were falsely described as being intended for military purposes, the Justice Department said on its website. According to the complaints, these funds were actually transferred to several California entities that had no business or contractual relationship with the ministry of defense.

The funds in the bank accounts were used to purchase or contribute to the improvement of a parcel of land in Beverly Hills known as “The Mountain,” three homes in Beverly Hills, a penthouse and an apartment in Westwood, a private jet, a yacht, a luxury sports car and approximately $40,000 worth of memorabilia of boxer Manny Pacquiao, it said.

Adasani recalled that he had raised several issues with suspected corruption armament deals, the Eurofighter aircraft and Caracal helicopter deals, in addition to the suspected corruption in the Airbus deal and the alleged graft case involving former social security agency chief. The lawmaker also called for more in-depth investigation into the alleged corruption in the ports fund and the Malaysian sovereign fund and others.

In the meantime, MP Mohammad Al-Dallal yesterday submitted a proposal calling for a comprehensive investigation into suspected irregularities into state land distributed to people to encourage agricultural production. The lawmaker’s call came a few days after the court of cassation decided to nullify the allotment of around 400 parcels of state land for violating the rules.

By Sajeev K Peter

KUWAIT:  An ‘unprecedented exodus’ of foreigners from Kuwait following jobs losses, financial crises and health insecurity triggered by the global pandemic will have far-reaching implications on Kuwait’s economy in the medium-term, impacting real estate, consumer and retail sectors the most.

“The coming months will witness a significant downturn in economic activity in many key sectors in Kuwait if a new residency law proposal becomes a reality. If the law is passed, nearly 2 million foreigners will have to leave the country, impacting the agility of the country’s economy in the medium-term,” said Abdulkareem, a financial analyst working with an audit firm in Kuwait.

According to travel industry officials, the real impact will be felt only once commercial flights resume international operations on August 1. Currently, only chartered and special flights are flying out of Kuwait’s airports. While the country’s real estate industry bore the brunt of this ‘exodus’, other sectors like construction, consumer, hospitality and tourism are also feeling the pinch of the downturn inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.

“Sincerely thank Almighty God for making my destiny in Kuwait as an Equater,” Indian expat Sajeev Koshy posted on his Facebook page along with a picture in PPE gear from Kuwait International Airport’s departure gate minutes before his flight took off from Kuwait. Koshy, who worked with EQUATE Kuwait, bid farewell to Kuwait after working in the country for 25 years. More than 158,000 expatriates are estimated to have left Kuwait over the past three months, while many others are packing their bags to leave the country soon.

The government has proposed a legislation to streamline the population in the country and resolve the demographic imbalance. Foreigners number around 3.35 million and formed 70 percent of the country’s population of around 4.8 million at the beginning of 2020. The government is weighing a proposal to introduce a quota system for expat communities with a view to regulating their numbers. If the draft law becomes legislation, around 2.5 million foreigners will have to find their way out of the country in the coming years.

The government reportedly cancelled around 154,000 work permits of foreigners earlier this year. Another 40,000 expats outside the country did not renew their residency and an estimated 30,000 expats without valid residencies had left the country, making use of the amnesty program announced by the government in April.

Thousands of people working in small businesses such as restaurants, hotels, barbershops and beauty parlors, garment and textile shops and gold and jewelry shops either lost their jobs or had their wages halved, forcing many of them to take the painful decision to leave the country.

A good number of expatriate taxi and bus drivers, one of the worst sectors affected by the crisis, are also planning to leave. Taxi and bus services remain closed and it is unclear when they will be allowed to operate again.

“A glaring impact of this exodus may probably be felt in the apartment sector in the country. Thousands of flats are lying vacant today, mostly in expat neighborhoods like Jleeb, Salmiya, Fahaheel, Mangaf and Riggae. And we don’t expect any pickup in demand anytime soon,” said Jalaluddeen, a property market expert.

Meanwhile, many expat families residing in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh are shifting to other localities such as Salmiya and Riggae amid speculation that the authorities are planning to raze apartment buildings in the area ahead of building a new residential city. Many landlords offered some rent relief, some as much as 50 percent off monthly rent to stem the exodus. But many others did not reduce rents at all.

While a majority of citizens support the government initiative to curtail the population of foreigners, a few have raised concerns over the practical difficulties involved in drastically reducing expat numbers. They point out the inevitability of utilizing expat manpower in certain sectors like domestic labor, driving, construction and manual labor.

“A massive reduction in expat population will have serious repercussions on Kuwait’s economy, particularly on the real estate, consumer and construction sectors. The retail sector will also be affected badly with shopping malls and supermarkets taking a substantial sales hit,” said an expert who did not want to be named.

Secretary of the Real Estate Union Qais Al-Ghanim has expressed his dissatisfaction over the decisions being taken without consulting the private sector. Real Estate Development Company Vice President Sulaiman Al-Mudyan recently said it is a difficult task and the proposal to attain a proportion of 70 percent citizens and 30 percent expats in the population structure appears unrealistic.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received on Tuesday a congratulatory cable from Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa. In the cable, King Hamad wished His Highness the Amir a speedy recovery after his successful surgical operation. In turn, His Highness the Amir thanked King Hamad for his sincere sentiments, wishing him good health, and prosperity for the Kingdom of Bahrain. His Highness the Amir also received a congratulatory cable from Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa.

In the cable the Bahraini Crown Prince, also Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister wished His Highness the Amir everlasting good health, wellbeing and speedy recovery after his successful surgical operation. In turn, His Highness the Amir thanked Bahrain’s Crown Prince for his sincere sentiments, wishing him good health, and prosperity for Bahrain under the wise leadership of King Hamad Al-Khalifa.

Meanwhile, His Highness the Amir received a cable from King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on his recent successful surgery. In the cable, King Bhutan wished His Highness the Amir swift recovery and Kuwait to prosper under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir. His Highness the Amir responded in a cable, expressing gratitude and wished King Bhutan good health and progress as well as prosperity for his country. His Highness the Amir received similar cables from Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf, Secretary General of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen, as well as Sheikh Mubarak Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

In the meantime, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah received a phone call from United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressing sincere sentiments and congratulations on His Highness the Amir’s successful surgery, wishing him good health and well-being. His Highness the Prime Minister thanked the UN chief and expressed appreciation for the kind sentiments, which reflected on the strong ties between Kuwait and the international organization.  — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health said Wednesday that there were 751 new coronavirus infection cases during the past 24 hours, increasing the toll of contaminations to 61,185. Five deaths were also recorded during the same period, putting the mortality toll at 417. The ministry announced earlier that 601 people recovered from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, raising total recoveries to 51,520.

Ministry’s spokesperson Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad said that the 751 cases included 429 Kuwaitis (57.12 percent) and 322 non-Kuwaitis (42.88 percent). Dr Sanad said infections according to health zones were as follows: 253 in Al-Ahmadi, 177 in Al-Jahraa, 155 in Al-Farwaniya, 97 in Hawally and 69 in Al-Assima (the capital). There are currently 127 critical cases undergoing treatment in intensive care units, with the caseload of cases that still get medical treatment amounting to 9,248.

Three people were discharged from quarantine during the past 24 hours, Dr Sanad said, noting that they were advised to quarantine themselves at home for 14 days. Medical authorities conducted 4,139 swab tests during the past 24 hours, with the whole number of such examinations amounting to 471,000.– KUNA