Kuwait Times

Kuwait hopes Lebanese President election paves way for stability

KUWAIT: (From left) Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al- Jarallah, German Ambassador to Kuwait Karlfried Bergner and the ambassador’s spouse cut the cake at a ceremony to celebrate Germany’s national day. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

KUWAIT: Kuwait on Monday said Houthis’ firing of a long-range missile against the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, was a “provocation of feelings of Muslims.” This act “is a serious challenge to the will of the international community and all efforts aimed at reaching a peaceful solution that guaranteed security and stability for the Yemeni people,” Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah told reporters on sidelines of a reception held by the German Embassy marking the national day. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Executive Committee would hold a meeting to discuss Houthis’ attack on Makkah, which brought condemnation from Arab and Islamic countries.

Jarallah said Kuwait would participate in the Executive Committee meeting, calling upon all countries around the world to condemn the attack. He said UN Secretary General envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Sheikh Ahmad was mandated with contacting all Yemeni parties to create a common ground. He said Kuwait was ready to host the signature of a peace agreement in Yemen. Kuwait hosted UN-sponsored Yemeni talks between April 21 and August 6, but no agreement was reached.

On ties with Germany, Jarallah cited first Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah’s recent successful visit to Berlin. “We are looking for further promoting relations with Germany at all levels, and we must not forget that Germany is an economic strategic partner and there are huge Kuwaiti investment there,” he said. Jarallah said Kuwait and Germany were coordinating efforts against terrorism.

Meanwhile, Jarallah expressed hope that the election of Michel Aoun as President of Lebanon would pave way for stability for Lebanon and its people. “We have followed the historic parliamentary session in Lebanon, and followed the voting process to elect his excellency the President,” he told reporters as he congratulated the Lebanese people for the election of Aoun, ending two years of presidency vacuum. The Lebanese parliament has elected Aoun with 83 MPs in favor while 36 abstained and seven ballots were invalid. – KUNA

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Kuwait Times

Snacks being served at parliamentary candidates headquarters

KUWAIT: Parliamentary candidates across the nation kicked off their election campaigns amid a palpable democratic atmosphere, many of them employing unconventional forms of entertainment in a bid to entice voters.

Away from political rhetoric, candidates have spared no expense with designing their campaign bases, equipped with air conditioning, bright lights and the ever ubiquitous phone chargers, which have become a necessity in today’s ultra-connected world.

Moreover, many candidates have partnered with confectionary companies to dole out sweet preparations such as fruit and candy, in addition to coffee and tea, all in an effort to keep visitors satisfied. To put things in perspective, work to erect these campaign bases has cost anywhere from KD 15,000 to 45,000, however, voters seem to be divided on whether such measures are warranted.

Dana Al-Kharaz, one of many voters who will head to the polls on November 26, described these campaign bases as a link between the candidates and the electorate, rather than mere acts of “showmanship.”

Similarly, another voter, Mohammad Jassim, said that the bases help forge a ‘first impression’ of the candidates. As a soccer aficionado, Jassim is elated that many of these bases contain large television screens that display the latest games and championships.

Meanwhile, Nada Al-Hajji’s remarks were in sharp contrast to those of Jassim and Al-Kharaz, as she put much emphasis on the ideologies of the candidates vying for a seat in parliament. “What matters is what candidates do after they are elected,” she quipped. – KUNA

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Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Embassy in the US, the ambassador and the embassy lawyer are closely following the case of a Kuwaiti student who is currently detained at a US prison, high-ranking sources at the foreign ministry stressed. Nayef Al-Rasheedi could possibly face a nine-year prison sentence for having some images and videos on his mobile phone that were deemed by US authorities as ‘suspicious’. The sources added that serious attempts are underway to reduce Rasheedi’s sentence or have him released under guarantees from the embassy.

The sources urged all Kuwaitis travelling to the US or other countries not to have any suspicious images or videos on their mobile phones in order to avoid legal accountability, especially since many countries are under threat from terrorist groups. Earlier, bloggers had urged the foreign ministry to intervene in solving the problem and have the Kuwaiti student released, reminding that he is only 19 and has been in prison for five months now.

Health insurance
The Ministry of Educaiton (MoE) has not paid its expat employees’ health insurance to the health ministry for seven months, from January till the end of August 2016, said the assistant undersecretary for financial affairs Yousef Al-Najjar. Najjar urged MoH undersecretary Khaled Al-Sahlawi to provide him with the overdue sums to pay them. Separately, and on instructions from Education Minister Bader Al-Essa to amend Arabic curricula to tackle students’ weakness in learning Arabic, MoE’s public education sector approved including stories and novels in Arabic curriculums in intermediate and secondary schools. MoE also asked the fatwa and legislation department to review a related tender and report back with any remarks.

Sports complex
The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) yesterday announced that its sports complex would open by Nov 6 under the auspices of Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah. PAAET’s students’ affairs dean Dr Hussein Al-Mukaimi said the complex includes a main football stadium with a capacity of 8,000 fans, multipurpose courts and an Olympic-sized swimming complex, which would enable the complex to host several championships.

By A Saleh

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Kuwait Times

Zain invests in digital frontier as part of strategic future

KUWAIT: Emre Gurkan, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer at Zain, speaks to Kuwait Times. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: Telecom providers across the globe are under pressure from a bevy of today’s disruptive technologies, especially emerging over the top (OTT) services like WhatsApp, Viber and others. The result has become an inflection point for multinational telecom operators. Some are shifting toward becoming, in effect, local utilities providing digital services, but meanwhile holding fast to a diminishing population of traditional customers.

Others are forging a new path, establishing themselves as the digital lifestyle provider of choice, and more importantly reinventing the concept of telecom operator to include a much broader, more diversified portfolio that offers technology solutions, smart city partnerships and a vision of an all-encompassing digital future.

Zain: The digital frontier
Zain, Kuwait’s biggest telecom operator by subscribers, is at the forefront of this strategic mind shift. Tacking with the winds of change is never easy, especially for a multibillion-dollar multinational with operations in eight countries across the region. But as one of the only privately-held telecom providers in the region, Zain is more agile and flexible when it comes to responding to challenges.

Kuwait Times sat down with Emre Gurkan, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer at Zain, to learn more about the telecom’s strategy and vision for the future. Zain’s strategy for the future rests on six pillars, said Gurkan: “Customer experience, operational effectiveness, value management, business-to-business (enterprise), talent development and most importantly for the future, Zain Digital Frontier Innovation.”

ZDFI is the brainchild of the Zain board of directors’ subcommittee charged with Zain’s evolution. Led by Zain Vice Chairman Bader Al-Kharafi, Zain has established an executive-level subcommittee tasked with implementing a group-wide focus on innovation, shareholder value and the future as part of ZDFI. ZDFI will lead the charge in transitioning the telecom provider’s transition to a digital, data-centric future through a multi-tiered platform. First, Zain will focus on capturing relevant technologies through an ‘innovation funnel’ that identifies current and future trends in the market – both regionally and globally – and develops opportunities through acquisitions, development or partnerships.

A second effort will focus on the development of digital verticals across a broad spectrum of segments including video streaming, VoIP, e-commerce, financial and tech services and healthcare. Zain has inked partnerships with FOO, a mobility solutions developer and consultancy firm as well as global games provider Zeptolab (Cut the Rope game) and booking.com
A third pillar of the ZDFI strategy will be corporate ventures. Zain will take developing an entrepreneurial platform to a whole new level with a corporate venture strategy that gives Zain access to a broader portfolio of investments and helps it identify potential opportunities relevant to the region. Already, Zain has invested in three venture capital firms including MEVP, EarlyBird and Wamda.

“The Internet is about building scale,” explains Juha Korhonen, Innovation and Digital Services Director at Zain. The business logic is changing, with cooperation in digital services and more cooperative business models.

Shareholder value
Cooperation and collaboration are key to Zain’s strategic plans. The multinational is not only identifying potential existing opportunities, but is also spearheading an entrepreneurs’ network that will establish an entire digital ecosystem for the region.

Another initiative by Kharafi is the Zain Innovation Campus, known as ZINC. The first campus, established in Jordan two years ago, is already enjoying successes, and Zain will now open a similar one in Kuwait. The entrepreneur network will bring together all the components needed to swiftly bring profitable and exciting new digital ideas to market, including venture capitalists, a startup incubator, the infrastructure and an already established customer base, focus groups and the talent and experience of a multinational corporation.

At Zain’s recent two-day Digital Innovation Forum, leadership from across the group converged in Kuwait to share strategies, experiences and best practices and identify important developments in e-commerce, OTT, digital content and e-health.
A sort of digital town hall, the forum, like the Zain Digital Innovation Frontier program itself, is part of a larger reorientation taking place at Zain. Rather than relinquishing the pitch to younger, faster but relatively inexperienced players in the new digital era, Zain is leveraging its decades of experience, established customer base, entrepreneurial network and a cutting edge innovation strategy to reinvent itself.

The strategy that will position the company not only to continue earning profits but build value for shareholders, shape the future digital landscape of the region and respond effectively to global disruptive technologies. “Innovation and flexibility are the lifeblood of modern technology companies with digital disruption offering huge growth opportunities that will benefit many of our stakeholders including customers,” explained Gurkan. “Continuous transformation is a must in modern businesses and Zain is well on its way to transforming itself to become a digital lifestyle provider.”

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Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Communications yesterday said Gulf Bridge International (GBI) would be carrying out maintenance to the underwater Internet cable in the Arabian Sea from Nov 2-6, which would affect Internet services in Kuwait and GCC countries.

The ministry, in a brief statement, urged local Internet providers in Kuwait to seek alternative international cables during the maintenance period to prevent slow service.

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Kuwait Times

Hopefuls to challenge decisions in court

KUWAIT: The legal committee reviewing applications filed by candidates to contest the National Assembly polls later this month decided yesterday to bar 47 candidates from the race due to a variety of reasons. A number of candidates said they were informed by the committee of its decision and vowed they will challenge the decision today at the administrative court.
The list includes former opposition MPs Bader Al-Dahoum and Safa Al-Hashem, the only member of the ruling family to contest, Sheikh Malek Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, and controversial former MP Abdulhameed Dashti, who has been sentenced to 31 years and six months in jail.

Dahoum said on his Twitter account the election authority decided to ban him from contesting the Nov 26 polls without stating any reason. He said he will immediately challenge the decision. Dahoum’s lawyer Adel Abdulhadi said his client was barred over an apparently minor reason and he plans to fight it in court.

Hashem, a member of the dissolved house before she resigned over a year ago, said she received a letter informing her that she cannot run due to a court verdict against her. She said she will fight the ban. Hashem was previously convicted of slander against former Islamist opposition MP Mubarak Al-Duwailah and was fined KD 150. Duwailah said he does not wish to see any candidate barred for minor verdicts.

Sheikh Malek made no comment on the decision to exclude his candidacy. He was the only ruling family member to file his nomination papers. Dashti, who has been living outside Kuwait since March, managed last week to obtain a court order to allow his son to file nomination papers on his behalf. The government has appealed against the order, and yesterday the appeals court said it will issue its verdict on the case next Tuesday.

The government lawyer told the court that Dashti must submit his own nomination papers in person, and accordingly he must be present at the election department. Dashti’s lawyer submitted at the court a medical certificate showing that he was receiving medical treatment and could not travel. Other candidates who were barred include controversial former MP Mohammad Al-Juwaihel.

Of the candidates barred, 31 were banned because they had been convicted in court, while the remaining 16 did not complete required procedures. They can all challenge the decision in court and get orders to be re-registered. A total of 454 candidates, including 15 females, filed applications to contest the 50-seat Assembly polls scheduled for Nov 26.

Candidates have already begun their election campaigns, with many focusing on the economy and subsidies, security issues and relations with Iran in addition to corruption and the form of the next government. The return of a majority of the opposition groups and individuals is certain to make the polls highly competitive.

By B Izzak

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Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: A matchmaker failed to realize the dream of a citizen to get married after she took KD 500 to find a match for him. The 29-year-old citizen agreed with a matchmaker to search for a woman for him according to certain criteria and signed a contract for that and paid KD 500, but three months elapsed without any result, and she kept telling him to wait until she finds a suitable match. When the citizen realized he will not get anything from her, he asked to meet her in a public place, where she paid him KD 150 and asked him to wait for the rest. When he insisted to get the full amount, she ignored him and left. The man went to Rawda police station and lodged a complaint.

Domestic violence
A citizen justified beating his Iranian wife by saying “she ridicules everything”. The woman went to Adan Hospital and obtained a medical report showing the injuries she sustained, then went to Fitnas police station where she filed a complaint. She said this is not the first time he beat her, adding that she cannot bear his behavior any more. The citizen was summoned, and he did not deny her assertions, and said she is always ridiculing things and does not like anything. – Al-Anbaa and Al-Rai

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Kuwait Times

NEW YORK: Bolstering human rights is a top priority for the State of Kuwait, said a researcher in a speech to a UN social, humanitarian, and cultural committee meeting late Tuesday. Sarah Saleh Al-Zouman, member of the Kuwaiti diplomatic delegation partaking in the 71st UN General Assembly, told the meeting that her country was very keen on implementing legislations and policies aimed at improving the situation of human rights in Kuwait. Kuwait is keen on signing on all international agreements pertaining to the protection and development of human rights, said the researcher.

As part of Kuwait’s interest in the progression of human rights, Zouman, reflected on her country’s gratitude towards the expatriate population, saying that they were an integral part of society due to their immense contribution to the development of Kuwait. She added that Kuwait has worked and continues to cooperate with the UN on human rights development, mentioning that the constitution of the country and its laws prioritized the protection of human rights.

Zouman reaffirmed that Kuwait will work with other international partners to reinforce notions of human rights worldwide, saying that problems like terrorism, the spread of armed conflicts, human trafficking, and others dilemmas had violations of human rights as one of the most significant components.

On the subject of human rights violations, the Kuwaiti researcher condemned the never-ending Israeli aggression against the people of Palestine, saying that such vile actions against the innocent Palestinians should be put to an end. – KUNA

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Kuwait Times

Candidates invited to submit applications

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Information yesterday decided to cancel item 6 of article 8/2016 of e-media law. By this decision, the ministry is taking its hands off controlling polls carried out by licensed websites and electronic media facilities for the upcoming November 26 parliament elections. It also allows running those polls without the ministry’s prior approval, said the ministry in a press release. The ministry last July began implementing the law on regulating electronic media, which was approved and published in the state’s official gazette last February.

Applications
Meanwhile, Assistant Director General of the General Department of Legal Affairs for elections in the Interior Ministry Colonel Salah Al-Shatti invited candidates running for the upcoming parliamentary elections slated for November 26 to submit applications of their representatives involved in monitoring the electoral process until the fifth of November.
Shatti said that the representative is required to be registered in the electoral registration in any of the five constituencies, whereas the candidate’s agent who acts on behalf of a candidate must be registered in the electoral registry of the candidate’s constituency. He explained that the agents and representative must supply a copy of their civil id and two personal photos, saying that the General Department of Legal Affairs would issue their needed identity cards seven days before the elections. He said that 100 schools and 542 committees for male and female voters have been designated for the elections day.

Withdrawal
According to the Ministry of Interior, candidates who wish to withdraw from the race can submit a request to the Elections’ Affairs Department up until seven days before elections’ day, or November 19. As per Law 20/2012, the first 10 candidates with most votes will win a seat in parliament in each constituency. The electorate can only vote for one candidate per the constituency they’re registered in. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has dissolved the parliament on October 16, citing various challenges and regional critical conditions.

Licenses
In the meantime, Kuwait Municipality yesterday announced it has licensed 118 spots for candidates running for the parliamentary elections slated for November 26 in all constituencies. A statement by the Public Relations said that Kuwait Municipality would not hesitate to simplify all procedures pertinent to obtaining a license for the candidates.

It said that 30 licenses were issued in the Capital Governorate and 15 posters, adding that 77 illegal posters have been removed. It pointed out that seven licenses were issued in Farwaniya, 19 in Jahra, 32 in Ahmadi, 10 in Mubarak Al-Kabir and 20 in Hawally.

It said that each candidate would be given two headquarters; one for men and another for women, stressing the importance of facilitating an adequate space for car parking without obstructing traffic. It said that advertisements in front of schools is prohibited, adding that the headquarter must be 500 meters away from schools for the safety of students. – KUNA

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KUWAIT: Victoria Orero from the US Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking (second from left) is taken on a tour inside the labor shelter yesterday.

KUWAIT: Officials at the labor shelter operated by the Public Authority for Manpower received yesterday Victoria Orero from the US Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, who was accompanied by a delegation including the US embassy’s political officer Lloyd Freeman, the embassy’s political affairs officer Ahmed Fauzi and Sara Al-Saleem, a legal researcher from Kuwait’s foreign ministry.

The visit comes after a request from the US State Department’s human trafficking office. The delegation met the labor department assessment and follow-up manager Salem Al-Ajmi and shelter manager Falah Al-Mutairi, and briefed them about the social, psychological and legal services the shelter provides. The delegation also toured the shelter’s facilities.

Databases
Secretary general of the Supreme Planning and Development Council Khaled Mahdi said that in collaboration with the Audit Bureau and UNDP, the council’s secretariat general is putting final touches to special databases for the health, education and oil sectors according to international standards and regulations, so that they develop the Audit Bureau’s abilities and manpower resources to enable it to perform better monitoring of various state establishments’ performance. Speaking to reporters after the first workshop organized by the Audit Bureau, Mahdi said that the workshop was meant to set paths through which the executing company PWC would provide consultancy. Mahdi added that within an agreement signed by Kuwait and UNDP, further workshops will be held jointly by the Audit Bureau and the Supreme Council for Planning and Development in this regard.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi

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Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Lawyers Association held a seminar titled ‘We Have an Addict in our House’ on Tuesday, presented by addiction treatment consultants Mona Al-Yatama and Ghanima Karam. The session was moderated by lawyer Dana Al-Rasheed.

Karam spoke about how to spot drug addiction signs and symptoms. “Due to the fact that most individuals will not freely admit that they have a drug addiction problem, it falls upon family and friends to help that person get the professional drug rehab treatment they need to turn their lives around. But in order to do this, loved ones must be able to ascertain whether or not the person in question even has a drug addiction at all,” she said.

Although every drug addiction is different, there are a number of classic signs and symptoms that occur across almost all different types of substance abuse and dependency, including a sudden loss of interest in family and friends, loss of interest in hobbies and activities once found fulfilling, bloodshot eyes or dilated pupils, irritability and sudden mood swings.

Karam said according to unofficial 2016 statistics, there are 7,750 addicts in Kuwait and the number is increasing. “The addicts may have liver damage or AIDS. Family members are often well placed to help people make safer choices about drugs and to contact support services for further help,” she said.

Yatama noted that it is important that the people around a person who uses drugs share their knowledge about the situation so that a consistent approach can be adopted. Consensus is vital – its absence can enable the person using drugs to take advantage of the people around them. She spoke about the common mistakes in drug treatment. “There are many mistakes families do when they discover that their children are addicted,” she said.

“There are some families who hold their children against their will in the house for days to make them quit, which is wrong, since they need clinical addiction treatment,” Yatama said. She pointed out that families sometimes force addicts to abuse drugs or drink alcohol inside the house rather than outside. “There are parents who give their children anti-drugs pills, which reduce the effects of the drugs, but they will create a bigger problem. The addict may overdose, and he is now addicted to the drugs as well as the pills,” she said.

By Faten Omar

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Kuwait Times

Ghanem has best chance for speakership: Ashour

KUWAIT: The administrative court yesterday ruled to allow two candidates barred by the election authorities to run in the election after studying their urgent petitions. But the government immediately filed an objection against the ruling and will challenge the verdict at the appeals court. Those allowed are former opposition Islamist MP Bader Al-Dahoum and new candidate Mane Al-Ajmi, who were among 47 candidates barred by the election authorities on Tuesday.

A majority of those barred have filed petitions at the court. The authorities barred 31 for receiving verdicts against them while the remaining 16 were banned for not completing procedures of their applications. The government objection will only temporarily prevent the two candidates from running until the appeals court settles the issue.

The administrative court will today issue its verdict in the case of former MP Safa Al-Hashem who was barred for receiving a verdict against her on a slander case. Hashem filed a petition yesterday. Former controversial MP Abdulhameed Dashti also filed a similar petition through his lawyer as he has been outside Kuwait since March. Dashti was handed jail terms totaling over 31 years for insulting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Dashti said on his Twitter account that the court will rule on his case on Nov 9. Dashti is also fighting another court case regarding his registration as a candidate, which was carried out by his elder son Talal at the orders of the court. The government appealed the order and the appeals court is due to issue its ruling on Nov 8.

In a related development, former MP Saleh Ashour said yesterday that the National Assembly was dissolved mainly in order to reduce the chances of the opposition from winning seats in the election. He also harshly criticized the opposition groups and individuals for contesting the election after a four-year boycott, although prominent opposition leader Musallam Al-Barrak and several opposition activists are still in jail.

Ashour said that the opposition, which is contesting the election, should issue an apology from Barrak and others. He said dissolving the Assembly also serves its members and boosts their chances of winning the election. The former lawmaker said that three to four candidates are expected to contest the post of the next Assembly speaker and that the chances of outgoing speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem are the best, unless the government changes its mind and doesn’t support him.

Meanwhile, former education minister and ex-MP Ahmad Al-Mulaifi strongly criticized Ashour, accusing him of raising sectarian issues, adding that Shiites, Sunnis, bedouins and urbanites are all integral parts of the Kuwaiti society. Mulaifi and Ashour are contesting the election from the first constituency.

By B Izzak

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Kuwait Times

60% say Clinton will have ‘positive impact’ on Kuwait

WISCONSIN: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. (INSET) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton jokes about GOP challenger Donald Trump during a rally in Sanford, Florida. — AP photos

WASHINGTON: Among Arabs, Kuwaitis have the most negative view of US Republican candidate Donald Trump, and only half have a positive view of his rival Hillary Clinton, a public opinion survey from the Arab Center in Washington, DC showed late Tuesday. Some 69 percent of respondents from Kuwait said they disapprove of the real estate mogul, compared to his overall 60 percent disapproval rating in the region, the results revealed.

Meanwhile, 50 percent of respondents from Kuwait said they approved of the former first lady, compared to her overall 56 percent approval rating in the region. Kuwait was among the eight countries from which a total of 3,200 people over the age of 18 were randomly selected to answer questions on the upcoming US election. The other countries were Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories (West Bank and Gaza), Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. There were 400 respondents from each nation, and questions were asked over the phone.

The most favorable view of Trump is in Iraq at 34 percent, and the least favorable view of Clinton is held by Palestinians at 54 percent, results showed. Overall, 66 percent of the Arab public prefers a Clinton administration if they had to choose between her and Trump, and only 11 percent said they would like to see a Trump presidency. Another 11 percent said they have no preference, and the remaining 11 percent said they do not know. The strongest preference for Clinton is in North Africa, primarily in Morocco and Tunisia, the data showed.

When it comes to US foreign policy towards the Arab world, 35 percent of Kuwaiti respondents said the Nov 8 election will mean “some change” in policy, versus 31 percent who feel there will be “no change” when the next president is sworn in. As to how the election would affect Kuwait itself, just over 60 percent of Kuwaiti respondents said Clinton would have a “positive impact” on their country. Less than 10 percent thought the same of Trump.

Meanwhile, 34 percent of Palestinians believe that neither candidate will do any good for their cause, the survey said, but Clinton is favored at three times the rate as Trump. The most faith in Trump lies in Iraq, where 19 percent of respondents believe that he would have a positive impact on their country specifically. Overall, 30 percent of Arabs do not expect the election results to create change in how the US approaches the Middle East, but they also appear to be divided, because an almost equal number believe there would also be “some change”.

When asked what top two issues the next Administration should focus on, the prevailing answer across the region was that the US should stop meddling in Arab affairs, yet close behind was a desire for the US to combat the so-called Islamic State (IS). Surprisingly, “a just solution to the Palestinian cause” was ranked third, while “a solution to the Syrian crisis in line with the aspirations of the Syrian people” was ranked fourth. Addressing the crisis in Yemen came in last, even below the category of “other”.

The Arab Center Washington DC said 60 percent of Arabs “follow the US presidential race on a regular or occasional basis”, and the majority – 59 percent – keep up with developments via satellite television. Thirty percent track the news via the internet, the survey showed. The think tank, led by Executive Director Khalil Dahshan, is a non-profit that describes its mission as “furthering economic, political, and social understanding of the Arab World in the United States.” The margin of error for each country-level sample is pegged at 5 percent. – KUNA

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KUWAIT: Kuwait Meteorological Center has predicted dusty weather and scattered clouds to prevail with a little chance of rain tomorrow. Meteorologist Yasser Al-Bloushi forecast a significant decrease in temperature today with light to moderate northwesterly wind with speeds of 15-40 km/h with a chance of dust during the daytime. He also predicted haze with light to moderate northwesterly wind with speeds of 10-30 km/h to prevail by nighttime and a little chance of rain tomorrow.

Jailed student
The secretary of the National Union of Kuwaiti Students in the US Talal Al-Thafeiri said the union has been following up the cases of Kuwaiti students in the US. Thafeiri added that the union is in constant contact with the Kuwaiti Embassy with regards to detained Kuwaiti student Nayef Al-Rasheedi to make sure he receives all possible legal services. Thafeiri stressed the union has always defended Kuwaiti students and played a significant role in releasing other students who were returned to Kuwait three months ago. “Students facing any problems can contact the union through the info available on its website nuks.org,” he underlined. Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that attempts to release the Kuwaiti student, who was arrested in New York because his mobile phone contained “illegal photos and videos,” have failed but they have assigned a lawyer to follow up the case.

School expansion
The Ministry of Education’s assistant undersecretary for educational facilities and planning Khaled Al-Rasheed said that the ministry is currently arranging with the Ministry of Public Works to technically examine a few private school buildings in Jahra and decide whether they can bear building a third floor as requested by the owners, who will pay for the testing costs. Separately, Kuwait Municipality approved a request by the Ministry of Education to adjust the boundaries of a location allocated to build a primary school for girls in Garnata.

By A Saleh

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KUWAIT: Buses are seen at the main KPTC depot in Mirqab. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The recent hike in gasoline prices in Kuwait has caused many motorists, whether nationals or expatriates, to rethink whether to continue using their private cars or seek other alternatives. The sudden move by the government to increase petrol prices prompted many drivers to also try to find a better way to compensate for the loss incurred as a result of such a move.

Using taxis can be more expensive than abandoning private cars, while resorting to public transportation like buses seems like the best options for many. As seen in several developed countries, public transportation has always played a key role in having lesser traffic congestions as well as lower cases of “road rage”.

And with the prices of fuel going up, many car users shifted their attention to public transport means in order to save money as a result of the increasing petrol price, yet they encountered many dilemmas such as shabby bus stops, fewer number of buses that use certain routes, the blazing heat while waiting for the bus and most importantly, the experience of using the bus.

In separate interviews with KUNA, a number of bus passengers, including nationals and expatriates, affirmed that they would not hesitate to use public transport to help reduce traffic congestions and to cut down the use of their cars, especially as fuel prices have gone up. However, they said they would do so if extraordinary additions to public transport are made, including an increase in buses, shaded and air-conditioned bus stops, reasonable fares and prompt service.

Mohammad Adnan, a Kuwaiti citizen, told KUNA that he does not mind using public transport if the services provided by the Kuwait Public Transport Company (KPTC) meet international standards in this regard. He added that he used to take the bus before he got his driving license and enjoyed the ride, which saved him the trouble of dealing with the traffic jam and lack of parking spaces. He hoped public transport in Kuwait can one day become better that those in a number of neighboring GCC states, as “Kuwait has the resources and potential to do so”.

Nabil Naser, another Kuwaiti, said that he would prefer using public transport, especially since fuel prices have risen, which make using the car troublesome. He said that he gets KD 200 a month in university allowance, which with the petrol price hike, made his living conditions a little harder. He added that he would ride a bus for sure if it can take him directly to the university and back to try to save some money for his personal use.

Ali Ahmad, an expat from Egypt, told KUNA that he owns a car that he used to drive daily to work, but was shocked when petrol prices went up, which made him rethink going back to public transport, which he used a few years back. Ahmad added that public transport means in Kuwait are satisfactory, but still need to be improved by increasing the number of buses, shaded bus stops and more routes. He pointed out that some new destinations in Kuwait cannot be reached by public buses, a matter which makes the trip to work a “dilemma”. Saad Farhan, another expat from Yemen, said that he is thinking of selling his car and using public transport as he cannot afford to pay for the new fuel prices, as his salary is limited.

KUNA interviewed Executive Director for Transport Affairs at KPTC Abdullah Saleh Nasser, who called for coming up with legislations and laws that regulate the public transport sector in Kuwait similar to those in a number of GCC states and Europe. Nasser said that public transport in Kuwait is in dire need for state support for it to be able to carry out and provide better services for passengers.

He expressed optimism that the Public Authority for Roads and Transportation would carry out its tasks to rejuvenate Kuwait’s transport network from all perspectives such as infrastructure, roads and bridges, as well as lands that would eventually help in the development of public transport operations to best serve the country. He pointed out that only minimal support goes to public transport in Kuwait, while in other GCC countries, the government subsidizes operations by around 70 percent of the total cost.

Nasser also called for facilitating a comprehensive network for public transport in Kuwait, in addition to having the concerned authorities including the Ministry of Public Works, Kuwait Municipality and the Public Authority for Roads and Transportation work together for the best interest of this vital sector.

Asked whether the recent government decision to raise fuel prices had an impact on people using public transport instead of their private cars, Nasser said the decision has had little effect on customers, due to a lack a comprehensive public transport network that the country requires. Also, asked whether the company has plans to modernize its fleet to reduce the usage of personal cars, Nasser said KPTC has always been concerned about its fleet, with the latest specifications and technology that match the infrastructure and environment in Kuwait.

The official added that fares of KPTC buses are very affordable compared to those in some neighboring GCC states, in addition to safety, saying that there had not been any loss of lives in its fleets since many years. He said the company’s buses had never stopped since it was founded, while in neighboring countries, bus services had halted for some time due to a previous oil price crisis in the eighties.

Nasser added that the company is very keen on making sure that drivers of its buses adhere to all safety and traffic regulations, adding that violators will be punished. He concluded by saying that the company is eager to have its services compete with neighboring countries once the infrastructure and regulation support public transport.

The Public Authority for Roads and Land transportation was established according to law no. 115 of 2014 and deals with transportation via land of commuters, goods, luggage and equipment from one place to another on various modes of transportation. The Kuwait Public Transport Company was established under Amiri decree no. 60 of 1962. KPTC has earned the international quality certificate ISO 9001. – KUNA

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Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: This handout photo released by the Interior Ministry yesterday shows domestic helpers being escorted to the Residency Affairs General Department’s building following their arrest for breaking residency and labor regulations

KUWAIT: More than 2,000 domestic workers were deported following their arrest in crackdowns against domestic help offices carried out in the past 10 months, an Interior Ministry official announced yesterday.

All detainees were arrested on absconding charges and violating labor regulations by seeking jobs with other employers than their original recruiter, Director General of the Residency Affairs General Department Major General Talal Maarafi said. Authorities carried out 1,387 crackdowns from January 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016, during which 2,048 maids were arrested, including 248 from Zimbabwe alone. All of the maids arrested were later deported through Kuwait International Airport, he said.

Meanwhile, Maarafi revealed that residency detectives launched inspection campaigns in Ahmadi and Hawally recently, resulting in issuing 13 citations against domestic help offices for violating expats’ residency law no 17/59 and domestic helpers’ law 68/2016, in addition to arresting four domestic helpers reported absconding, while 25 domestic helpers who were sent to the shelter. Their sponsors are being summoned for questioning.

Scam
In other news, Hawally detectives arrested a man on swindling charges after he collecting money from people as rents for nonexistent apartments. Investigations had went underway after several people filed identical complaints, in which they said that they paid advanced payments to a man who advertised for apartments for rent on social media. The suspect was identified as a 34-year-old unemployed Kuwaiti man, and later arrested in an ambush. He pleaded guilty to charges during interrogation after being confronted with evidence, then sent to the proper authorities to face legal action.

Drills
The Interior Ministry’s relations and security media department announced that the coast guards’ marine formations are scheduled to conduct live ammunition drills in territorial waters in the period of November 6-8, 2016. The drill will be held from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm on those days in Garouh and Um Al-Maradem islands, in the following coordinates:  Site 1: 048.37.5″E and 28.55.0″N. Site 2: 048.30.2″E and 28.46.8″N. Accordingly, and for public safety reasons, the department urged all sea-goers, fishermen and sailors to stay off the locations mentioned above during the drills.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

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Kuwait Times

Haider Alzaeem

An Iraqi contemporary artist who travels between Kuwait, Iraq and London, is tackling realism and imagination with vivid lifelike paintings of marine life. Haider Alzaeem sees the mystery of daily life and translates that into his work. Haider said an artist cannot develop without being always active, not only in drawing, but also identifying aspects that need improvement or even change. He said the artist must also have an attentive ear to what those who see his work are saying, in order to go to higher levels, and enhance the standards of his contributions.

Formative artist Haider Al-Zaeem said, there are events that influence his art work, and that the majority is about an event or a story he lived and translated onto canvas as his feelings dictate his brush. He said that there are no shortcuts to success.

Patience, hard work and dedication are the only means to reach the sought after goals and bring dreams into reality. Haider Alzaeem said, it is obvious that art as a whole is evolving very quickly, increasing competition and outstanding works are being introduced.

This proves that both the artist’s and the observer’s tastes matured further, which brings more confidence in the art movement.

Haider who displays a great affinity to ornamental fish, said there are large varieties of beautiful creatures on earth, some can be seen, others can be kept at home, just as beautiful fish that remain under water, with beauty that stun the eye and imagination, and I find it great to embrace an aquarium and have a school of fish that shows a magnificent display of artistic movements, that only brings joy and relaxation. He said fish provides his atelier an artistic atmosphere with all the colors that provoked my brush to draw them and transfer them on the canvas with oil colors.

Haider Alzaeem said the success of art has certain requirements as far as the artistic, intellectual and aesthetic value are concerned, adding that he looks at this work like a son who is growing up and becomes an adult and let him free. Haider concluded that the artist cannot decide who can keep his work, but hopes that whoever keeps it, realize the value of it and give it good care and attention.

By Abdellatif Sharaa

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Kuwait Times

Sheikha Bibi Duaij Al-Sabah, Chairperson of Al-Sadu House Handcraft Society

As Kuwait’s pace of modernization accelerates, it rapidly loses iconic buildings and artifacts of its cultural heritage, but at least one beautiful example of its architectural history is still standing tall. Sadu House is a unique tourist attraction of Kuwait, and a symbol of protecting and preserving Kuwait’s past. It strives to protect the interests of bedouins and their ethnic handicrafts. ‘Al Sadu’ is the term used by the bedouin to refer to the traditional weaving process.

Kuwait Times spoke with Sheikha Bibi Al- Sabah to learn more about Sadu House. Sheikha Bibi Duaij Al-Sabah, Chairperson of Al- Sadu House Handcraft Society grew up around Sadu House. Her mother, Sheikha Altaf Al- Sabah, was one of the founders of the Sadu project launched in 1978, and which moved into the house in 1980. Sheikha Bibi aims to get more Kuwaitis to experience the tradition professionally and not only as a passion, and promotes it to the younger generation to make them feel that they are a part of this beautiful culture.

Kuwait Times: Tell us about the history of Sadu House.

Sheikha Bibi: The house was built in 1936 in the Kuwaiti architectural style by Yousef Al- Marzouq. Al-Marzouq was a prominent merchant trading with India, especially in wood, who made the distinctive woodwork a focal point of the house. When the house was purchased by Shereen Behbehani in 1938, a second floor was added along with new tiles and European fireplaces. The house has four open courtyards and traditional long rectangular rooms throughout.

In the 1960s, the house was purchased by the state and was under the Ministry of Information, and later the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters. In 1978, we reached an agreement to make the building the headquarters of Al Sadu project – which was under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Affairs – for the preservation of Bedouin weaving, and it was used as a showcase for the traditional weavings of Kuwait. The Al Sadu Weaving Cooperative Society was established in 1991 to boost the project.

KT: From which materials was it built and who built it?

Sheikha Bibi: This is one of the first houses to be built of concrete to reinforce the stone structure. The design was by an Indian, and it was built by Kuwaiti workmen and carpenters under the supervision of Kuwaiti builder Rashid Al-Benai.

There is a small museum in the house that explains the story of weaving. We also have a library for scholars that houses books about regional crafts as well as our commissioned studies on Sadu weaving. The gift shop displays traditional work by local artists inspired by traditional weavings. There are rugs/wall hangings, bags, wallets and home furnishing items for sale, and all the proceeds go to the local weavers and artisans.

KT: Are there any particularly interesting architectural features or design elements of the house?

Sheikha Bibi: The house shows strong Indian decorative influences exemplified in the wooden patterns and motifs on the doors, windows and wall cabinets. The house also has 17 badgirs (wind catchers). They are spread throughout the house to make sure it is wellventilated and cooled.

KT: What were some interesting events/activities that took place in the house?

Sheikha Bibi: Three years ago, we had an event that was dedicated to the house. We called it “The Story of the House” and invited a member of the Behbehani family. He shared his childhood stories and memories with us and told us that he was born in one of the rooms in the corner. It was an emotional homecoming event for the Behbehani family.

KT: What are the missions of Sadu House?

Sheikha Bibi: The Sadu Society is dedicated to preserving, documenting and promoting the rich and diverse textile heritage of Kuwaiti Bedouins, from the nomadic weaving of the desert to the urban weaving of the town. It is the first weaving craft cooperative in Kuwait. The shares are owned by the artisans, with profits going to supporting the artisans and their work.

KT: How does the house itself serve as a focal point of Kuwait heritage, tradition and culture?

Sheikha Bibi: Our project honors and celebrates the values of productivity and creativity as embodied in traditional textile arts. These important aspects of material culture reflect and reinforce a cultural identity for both present and future generations. The house as a traditional building reflects Kuwait’s social and cultural history as well. As the headquarters of the Sadu weaving story, it strives to create a holistic experience for visitors. As you go inside, you get to understand two narratives – of traditional architecture and weaving.

By Faten Omar

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Kuwait Times

Traditional Kuwaiti houses were characterized by their simple designs and aesthetics that are rarely found in the modern era. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Traditional Kuwaiti houses were characterized by their simple designs and aesthetics that are rarely found in the modern era. An old Kuwaiti house usually consisted of “Al- Housh, Al-Laiwan, and Al-Mdraban” which are roughly translated to the yard, the shaded pathways, and the inner corridors.

According to the “traditional Kuwaiti house”, a book authored by Mohammad Ali Al-Khars and Mariyam Al- Agrogah, the construction of old Kuwaiti houses were usually carried out by a master builder, a contractor in modern terms, who employed other workers to carry out the task.

The book added that houses back then usually had three yards facing several rooms which are either used as a gathering place “Diwaniya”, a kitchen, or a place to raise cattle. As for how dwellers used to traverse their houses, the book revealed that Al-Laiwan, usually shaded and covered pathways, connected different parts of the house together.

It also provided cover for women of the household to travel freely without being detected by unwanted stares. Al-Mdraban used to connect rooms and courts directly to each other back in old Kuwaiti houses, said the book, adding that the financial capabilities of the owners back then dedicated how many yards, courts, or other rooms were built. — Kuna

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Kuwait Times

Liquefied gas accident

KUWAIT: A truck accident, which led to the spillage of liquefied gas in Al- Ahmadi area, is under control, said Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC) yesterday. In a statement obtained by KUNA, KOTC said that the truck driver sustained minor injuries due to the accident which occurred at 12:17 am localtime. It added that rescue teams from partner companies and state bodies provided assistance to contain the spillage.

Mice in supermarket
Kuwait Municipality has confirmed the tape that is being circulated on social media, showing mice in a supermarket in Salmiya. Hawally Municipality men later inspected the supermarket. A citation was issued for non-compliance with cleanliness conditions. Samples of some food materials were taken and sent to the laboratories

Road party closed
Traffic Department and Ministry of Public Works will briefly close part of the Sabah I Road (1st Ring) – one lane in Abdallah Al-Ahmad road that is heading from Al-Matabba roundabout to the Mubarak Al-Kabeer cross road near the bourse and grand mosque from dawn Saturday 5/11 until 5:30 am Sunday 6/11.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun, Agencies

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