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News Summary Report Mon/September 10, 2018
Domestic Affairs MP Ashour threatens to grill Social Affairs Minister Sabeeh
MP Saleh Ashour warned yesterday that he will file to grill Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind AlSabeeh if she does not answer questions on dissolving a Shiite charity society earlier this year.
Ashour said in a statement that he had grilled the minister in May this year for dissolving the society over alleged financial irregularities and claimed during the debate of the grilling that three ministries; the Foreign, Interior and Awqaf in addition to the central bank had made complaints against the society called Al-Theqalain which Ashour chaired.
He added that he asked the ministries about the complaints and they said they had already sent it to the Social Affairs Ministry. The lawmaker said that he had asked Sabeeh to provide him with details of those complaints and she refused because the issue was under legal investigation.
The lawmaker said that Sabeeh is obliged under the law and the constitution to answer his questions but she has declined. Ashour said that he is not interested in grillings but if he does not get the answers he had demanded he plans to either grill all the four ministers separately or grill Sabeeh for being directly responsible. He gave the minister an ultimatum to provide the information he had demanded or face a fresh grilling which is expected to be submitted at the start of the new term next month- Kuwait Times
Cabinet Holds its Weekly Meeting
The Cabinet held its weekly meeting at Seif Palace on Sunday under the chairmanship of His Highness Prime Minister, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
After the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Anas Al- Saleh’s announcement came on the occasion of the coming of the new Hijri year 1440.
On the occasion and on behalf of the Cabinet, Al-Saleh extended to His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Crown Prince and the Kuwaiti people the most sincere congratulations and blessings along with wishes of a blessed year for the Arab and Islamic nations and peace and security for all humanity.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Sabah Al-Hamad Al-Sabah briefed the Council on His Highness the Amir’s recent visit to Washington DC and the positive talks held by the President of the US, Donald Trump, which aimed at discussing ways to strengthen the historical and strategic relations between the two countries. Regional and International situations and ways to support stability and peace in the region were also discussed.
The Deputy Prime Minister expressed satisfaction at the fruitful results of the visit, which resulted in the signing of a number of memorandums of understanding aimed at enhancing cooperation between Kuwait and the US mainly by the Ministry of Interior, the General
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Authority for Communications and Information Technology, and the General Administration of Customs.
The Cabinet also reviewed the recommendations of the Committee on Economic Affairs on the first report of the technical team for development and efficiency enhancement of technology and its services to decide on entrusting the Central Agency for Information Technology in coordinating with all ministers and government agencies to quickly complete the electronic link between them.
The services will be made available monthly through the State Portal of the Council of Ministers, including the identification of obstacles and non-cooperative parties. The Cabinet then reviewed the Committee’s recommendation on the obstacles facing the Tourism Projects in implementing its plans to decide on instructing the Ministry of Finance to take necessary measures in ensuring that government entities’ and companies’ development projects go into effect in the appropriate time.
The Cabinet reviewed discussions on political affairs in the light of current developments in the political arena at the Arab and international levels. The Council expressed sincere congratulations to the newly elected President, Arif Abdulrahman on the occasion of his victory in the Presidential elections of the Republic of Pakistan, wishing him further progress and prosperity.
Profound condemnations were expressed by the Council on the Houthi militia’s boats targeting international shipping navigation in the Red Sea and praised the efforts of the Arab Coalition in thwarting this criminal operation.
The Council also condemned the dual terrorist attacks that targeted a sports club west of the Afghan capital of Kabul, which resulted in many deaths and injuries, confirming Kuwait’s position in rejecting such acts that are contrary to all religious values and humanitarian norms- KUNA
Civil Service Commission Says Next Tuesday Hijri New Year Holiday
Kuwait’s Civil Service Commission on Sunday announced that next Tuesday the 11th of September will be an official holiday marking the new Hijri year 1440.
A press statement by the commission referred to instructions NO. 8 of 2018 issued on the Hijri holiday of New Year 1440, and due to tomorrow Monday being the 30th of the month of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the holiday will be next Tuesday.
Previously the commission issued a declaration directed to all Ministries, governments, and institutions on September 04, mentioning that the Hijri New Year holiday will be on Monday the 10 or Tuesday the 11th of this month.
The announcement includes the halting of work for one day on the first of the month of Muharram as an official holiday on the occasion of the Hijri New Year – KUNA
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Dismissal or Prosecution for those in Charge of A/C Crisis
Informed sources confirmed that the Cabinet, which was held yesterday, granted Minister of Education, Hamed Al-Azmi full support and power to hold accountable any delinquent person, who is proven to be involved in the Air-condition crisis at schools, and to dismiss him or refer him to the public prosecution.
On his part, Al-Azmi declared that the procedures taken by the Ministry of Education during the past days to deal with breakdowns of the A/Cs at some schools were fruitful as the main problems were revolved and work at schools is normal.
Al-Azmi noted that 900 AC units were distributed on educational zones. This means that 200 AC units were dedicated to Al-Ahmadi educational zone, 200 for Hawalli, 200 Mubarak Al- Kabeer, 100 for Al-Jahraa, 100 for the Capital and 100 for Farwaniya. He confirmed that the Ministry is keen on providing additional ACs if necessary.
While informed sources told Al-Qabas newspaper that electric current is cut from some schools in Al-Sabahiya region due to a technical failure, parents conformed that the problems of air- conditions were not radically resolved – Al-Qabas
Kuwaiti Official Stresses Importance of Involving Community into New Kuwait 2035 Vision
The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, Dr. Khaled Mahdi, stressed Sunday the importance of involving the community in (New Kuwait 2035) vision to achieve His Highness the Amir’s desire to turn Kuwait into a financial and commercial center attractive to investment.
The current phase of media support project for the development plan and the vision of (New Kuwait 2035) will see launch of many messages, the most important of which is that Kuwait is an economic base and an international corridor of trade, finance and services, Mahdi said.
These messages serve to achieve the vision of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, especially in light of the global economic changes, which must be aligned to accomplish strategic directions and make Kuwait a global economic corridor, he added.
He noted that the stage of engaging the community in the vision of “New Kuwait 2035” comes after defining the vision in general, “ Now is the time to involve them to learn more about the vision through this unprecedented program and pilot launch, which is developed after the end of the trial period”.
For his part, Chairman of Policy and Information Committee in the Supreme Planning Council, Dr. Fahad Al-Rashed, assured the need to combine efforts and translate them into actions to support and realize the vision of (New Kuwait 2035).
Al-Rashed stressed the need to involve young people to identify the promising competencies
“as it is our duty to all work hard to achieve this vision”. Undersecretary of Ministry of Information for Press and Publication Affairs, and Chairman of the Media Support Committee for Development Plan, Mohammed Al-Awash said, the Ministry of Information is working
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hard to simplify the goals and requirements of the vision for every citizen and resident.
Al-Awash stressed the readiness of the Ministry to provide the necessary media support through innovative ways to involve the community in achieving the vision of (New Kuwait 2035).
(KAFO) Project Manager Dr. Fatima Al-Mousawi said, the project aims at identifying and highlighting the competencies, stressing that the project seeks to identify the talented and accomplished young people with the vision of “New Kuwait 2035”- KUNA
Kuwait’s Education Minister: Air-Condition Issues Resolved, Work Normal in Schools Kuwait’s Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Hamid Al-Azmi said Sunday that following the measures taken by the Ministry during the past few days to deal with the failure of the air-conditioners in some schools, most of the major problems have been completed and work in all schools is back to normal.
On the sidelines of an inspection tour between a number of public education schools in the Mubarak Al-Kabeer and Hawalli education zones, the Minister told reporters.
200 units were distributed to Ahmadi educational schools, 200 to Hawally educational area, 200 to Mubarak Al-Kabeer educational area, 100 to Al-Jahra educational area, 100 to the Capital educational area and 100 to Farwaniya educational area, he explained.
Minister Al-Azmi stressed that the Ministry is keen to provide more air conditioning units to the educational areas if necessary, indicating simultaneously that work is underway is full swing to solve all the problems that faced the start of the academic year as soon as possible.
Dr. Al-Azmi stressed his keenness to preserve the safety of students, members of the educational body and the administrative body and to use all available means to ensure their comfort and provide the appropriate atmosphere during the school day.
In his congratulations to the members of the educational and administrative bodies and parents on the start of the new school year and regular school attendance in all grades with the start of the secondary school students, he praised the efforts of members of the educational and administrative staff in schools as well as educational areas.
Minister Al-Azmi started inspection tour of several schools since early morning hours, accompanied by Assistant Undersecretary of Educational and Planning Facilities, Yasin Al- Yasin and a number of ministry officials – KUNA
KRCS Affirms Commitment to Society Development
Deputy Chairman of Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS), Anwar Al-Hasawi affirmed on Sunday KRCS’s commitment to the society development and supporting efforts to help needy families to continue their education.
The campaign aims to bring 5,000 students back to school after dropping out of the educational process for economic reasons and for lack of tuition fees, Al-Hasawi told KUNA on the sidelines of the donation campaign (Donate to Teach Them) in Al-Kout Mall.
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“Every donation means a chance for a child to return to school seat”, Al-Hasawi added. The educational campaign comes within the framework of the humanitarian role of KRCS to achieve its main goal in educating children in need, stressing the importance of the educational case like other relief and medical issues in terms of contribution to the construction of the human, he noted.
The Deputy Chairman assured the initiative of Al-Kout Mall to embrace this campaign strengthens the partnership between KRCS and private sector institutions and all donors of citizens and residents in Kuwait to contribute to humanitarian work.
Finally, he called on the private sector, foundations, donors and individual shareholders to play their social role in donating to the society by going to Al-Kout Mall, KRCS website or at its headquarters to cover the educational costs of the needy families inside Kuwait – KUNA Kuwait ranks ‘worst for expats’; Bahrain remains the best
According to a recent poll by Expat Insider, Kuwait is the worst country to work in for an expat.
The poll takes into consideration factors such as quality of life, ease of settling in and overall general satisfaction. Kuwait was placed 68th, a position it held from 2014-2016, and came second last in 2017.
Kuwait is also in the bottom five of the Working Abroad and Family Life Indices, with a slightly better, albeit below-average, result for personal finance (50th). Two factors that both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia had difficulty with were in the Friendliness and Finding Friends Indices coming dead last in both.
Almost two-thirds of respondents in Kuwait said that making friends was difficult, while 44%
are not satisfied with the opportunities to make new friends in general. Respondents in Saudi Arabia faced similar such issues but fared slightly better in comparison – Kuwait Times Al-Manfouhi Forms a Committee to Dedicate Lands
General Manager of the Municipality, engineer, Ahmad Al-Manfouhi issued a decision of forming lands dedication committee to be presided by him and membered by Mohamed Al- Zoubi, Vice of the GM for Urban Planning Sector and Saad Al-Muhailbi, Director of Structural Planning Department, and Manal Al-Asfour, Manager of Urban Planning Department.
Al-Manfouhi determined specialties of the committee, which include studying locations that need to be dedicated to government bodies, and issues to be referred to it from GM of the Municipality, and vice manager for urban planning sector affairs. He noted that the Committee shall have the right to depend on what it deems as competent and experienced, whenever the need persists.
Al-Manfouhi decided that the starting date for the work of the Committee shall be the same date of issuing the decision till 31 March 2019 – Al-Qabas
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$ 1.1 Billion to Purchase Eurofighter Typhoon
Al-Rai knew from informed sources that the balance of the current fiscal year includes $ 1.1 billion to purchase Eurofighter Typhoon.
The sources indicated that the sum of KWD 340 million is dedicated to the budget of the Ministry of Defense to purchase Air transportation machinery and equipment.
Sources further noted that the sum is dedicated to purchasing warplanes contract (Eurofighter model), which extends for more than one fiscal year, as per the clarification note of the Ministry for the current fiscal year (2018/2019) – Al-Rai
Al-Awadhi to be Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Nation Affairs
Diplomatic sources indicated appointment of Ambassador, Fahad Al-Awadhi as assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Nation Affairs as a successor to Ambassador Aziz Al-Daihani, who is transferred to work at the Kuwaiti Embassy at the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Ambassador Al-Awadhi received his work tasks last week, and currently he is in Cairo as a chairman of the Kuwaiti delegation to prepare for the ministerial meeting for the 150 round for the Ministerial Council of the Arab League – Al-Rai
Accelerating Electronic Connection between Government Bodies
The Prime Minister asked to accelerate electronic connection between government authorities and to provide services via the electronic portal of the State of Kuwait.
The Cabinet viewed in its weekly meeting, which was held yesterday and presided by His Excellency the Prime Minister, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, the recommendation of the Economic Affairs Committee regarding the first report of the technical team to develop and optimize the technological efficiency.
The cabinet assigned the Central Bureau for Information Technology to coordinate with ministries and government authorities to accelerate electronic connection among them, provided that that the Bureau shall send a monthly report to the Cabinet including determination of obstacles and non-cooperative authorities – Al-Rai
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Economy
Kuwait Bourse Ends Sunday’s Trading on Mixed Boards
Boursa Kuwait ended trading Sunday on mixed board as the Premier Market Index rose 19.79 points to reach 5,325.12 points.
The Main Market Index went down by 66.82 points to reach 4,799.60 points. The value of trades was at KD 11.4 million with the volume reaching 63.5 million shares, done through 3,612 deals – KUNA
Kuwait stocks kick off week with a downtick
Kuwait stocks sagged Sunday after eking modest gains in the previous week. The All Shares Index dropped 10.87 points in sluggish trading to close at 5,138.55 points weighed by some of the mid-caps even as the overall sentiment remained mixed.
The Premier Market climbed 19.7 pts to 5,325.12 points taking the month’s gains to 64 points while Main Market skidded 66.8 pts to 4,799 points. The volume turnover meanwhile receded for second day. Over 63 million shares changed hands – down 10.8 pct from the day before.
The sectors swayed in both directions. Basic materials outshone the rest with 1.15 percent rise whereas real estate tumbled 6.4 pct, the biggest loser of the day. Volumewise, banks cornered the highest market share of 27 pct and fi nancial services was close behind with 25 percent contribution – Arab Times
Banks Fund Housing with More than KWD 140 Thousand
The formed committee that is presided by CBK completed the draft law of real estate mortgage, which shall grant banks an opportunity to strongly participate in funding real estate loans, and to contribute in solving the population crisis.
Informed sources told Al-Rai Newspaper that the proposed draft law, which shall be presented to Fatwa and Legislation Department, sets forth that banks shall provide the whole real estate funding sum, while the citizen shall enjoy the same funding privileges he gets at present from the Credit Bank on his/her loan. It stipulates also that the government shall compensate banks by bearing interests on behalf of the beneficiary.
Sources indicated that the project optimizes the level of real estate funding to sums that exceed the total value that is prescribed at present to KWD 140 thousand (distributed as housing loan 70 thousand KD and another loan with 70 thousand KWD) – Al-Rai
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External Affairs
Al-Khaled Received Credentials of Ambassadors of Qatar and Hungary
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled received a copy of the credentials of the new ambassadors to Qatar (Bander Al-Atteya) and Hungary (Istvovan Gyula Shush).
Al-Khaled expressed his best wishes for the new ambassadors and wished them success in their work in Kuwait. He also wished more prosperity and growth for the relations between Kuwait and their countries.
On his part, Deputy Foreign Minister, Khaled Al-Jarallah met yesterday with the Egyptian Ambassador, Tareq Al-Quni. During the meeting, they discussed a number of mutual relations between the two countries in addition to development of conditions on the regional and international levels – Al-Qabas
HH Deputy Amir congratulates HH Amir on 4th humanitarian title anniversary
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday received a congratulatory letter from His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the UN honoring of His Highness as “Humanitarian Leader” and the State of Kuwait as “International Humanitarian Center”.
In his cable, His Highness the Crown Prince expressed pride in the UN accolade to His Highness the Amir saying that it was a result of the noble initiatives of His Highness the Amir, a matter which has placed Kuwait on the world’s humanitarian map and uplifted its status on the international arena. His Highness the Crown Prince wished His Highness the best of health and more prosperity for Kuwait and its people.
His Highness Deputy Amir said the Kuwaiti people were proud of this unique achievement, which crowned His Highness the Amir’s great efforts, contributions and initiatives in the humanitarian field. In return, His Highness the Amir sent His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince a reply letter, voicing sincere thanks and appreciating His Highness noble sentiments – Arab Times
The 70th National Day of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Head of the Mission of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Ju Myong Chol hosted a reception on the occasion of the 70th National Day at the Crowne Plaza Hotel over the weekend.
Higher officials, diplomats, members of the Korean community and media persons attended the event – Arab Times
Kuwait Congratulated Tajikistan
His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad sent a cable of felicitations to President of Tajikistan, Imam Ali Rahman congratulating him on the occasion of the National Day for his country, and wishing everlasting progress and prosperity for it.
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His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad sent a similar cable – Al-Rai
