In a bid to alleviate the escalating issue of traffic congestion on Kuwait's roads, authorities are gearing up to evaluate the driving licenses of all expatriates residing in the country. Local Arabic news outlet, Al Jarida, reports that this initiative aims to revoke nearly 300,000 driving licenses held by expats.

Top-level officials have issued stringent guidelines for the revocation of driving licenses for expatriates who do not possess a university degree and earn less than 600 KD per month. This measure is expected to significantly reduce the number of vehicles on the roads, thereby easing traffic jams and streamlining transportation in Kuwait.

As the country grapples with the challenges posed by increasing traffic, this proactive step to reassess expatriate driving licenses demonstrates the government's commitment to finding viable solutions for maintaining smooth road transportation. It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the expat community and the overall transportation system in Kuwait.

If your visa designation changes in Kuwait, it could potentially impact your eligibility to possess a driving license. Nevertheless, you can follow specific procedures to recover your license after a change in your visa status. In this article, we will detail the process of regaining your driving license in Kuwait after a visa designation change, common causes for losing a driving license, and advice on how to avoid such issues.

Step 1 - Regaining your driving license after a visa designation change in Kuwait:
a. Visit the General Traffic Department (GTD): Approach the GTD in the governorate where your driving license was initially issued., and inquire about your blocked driving license. Present your civil ID at the counter , and the staff will provide you with a document containing your details.

Step 2 - Go to the Asma Muroor Maktab Wakil office: Meet with the manager  at the Asma Muroor Maktab Wakil office, who will direct you to the appropriate office. Provide necessary documents: Submit your original driving license, passport, Civil ID, and a copy of your updated employment contract, which reflects the new designation.The officials there will check your original documents and unblock your driving license online.

Step 3 - Prepare a BADLE TALAF application: Visit any typing center to type up a BADLE TALAF application, which should mention your current designation. Get your sponsor's signature on the application.

Gather necessary documents: Carry a salary certificate in Arabic, as well as all original documents supporting your previous and current designations.

Pay the required fee: Purchase a 5 KD stamp for the designation change.

Step 4 - Submit your application, the 5 KD stamp, and other necessary documents to the concerned GTD office. They will then issue a new driving license.

By following these steps, you can efficiently unblock and regain your driving license in Kuwait after a designation change on your visa. Remember to share your experience to help others who may encounter similar situations.

 The victims of electronic robbery crimes in the country lost about KD50 million in the last 15 months — KD38 million in 2022 and KD12 million from the beginning of 2023 until Monday, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting a reliable security source. The source told the daily that about 20,000 citizens and expatriates have fallen victim to cyber crime gangs over the past 15 months, indicating that majority of the victims are elderly and those who lack experience in modern technology.

The source stressed the need to be armed with informational and technological awareness in order to avoid falling into the trap of cyber robbery gangs, which have become a threat to the security of individuals and institutions. He pointed out the Cybercrime Department faces a major challenge in raising awareness to protect privacy, especially after the spread of artificial intelligence applications in this field. He explained that cybercrime aims to harm electronic infrastructure by disrupting digital systems or stealing data of public and private institutions. He said people’s data can be obtained easily now due to the presence of social networking sites. He underscored the importance of strengthening cybersecurity in government and private institutions, unifying efforts, raising public awareness, and developing information security techniques and systems to address cybercrimes and raise safety indicators in various fields and levels.

The source confirmed that majority of cybercrime victims are elderly, as this age group has no sufficient experience with technology to confront the professional methods used globally in electronic fraud, especially since WhatsApp messages and anonymous calls are the most common means for fraudsters to seize the funds of this category.

The source also warned about the danger of downloading applications, which give remote access to smart phones without knowing how to use them, as misusing them enables anyone to have full access to the content of the mobile phone remotely.

Consequently, the Ministry of Interior warned citizens and expatriates about fraudulent operations that surfaced recently; carried out by some weak-minded people from outside Kuwait who impersonate police officers while using telephone numbers and electronic communication apps.

In a press statement, the ministry advised the public to be wary of such gangs; reiterating that any official authority in the country — whether banks or security agencies — does not require citizens or expatriates to provide bank data that are considered the property of the customers and may not be disclosed to any party. Also, the source warned of fraud and swindling by impersonating K-Net Company, stressing the need to verify each link before paying, and the need to distinguish between a trusted link and a fake link.

In an effort to prevent scammers from accessing users' banking information, Kuwait's Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) warns against opening fake links, sending short messages, or sending sponsored ads using the ministry's name. The ministry said in a press release that it does not ask users to provide personal banking information or an image of their ATM card when they file a complaint via its digital platforms or the government's Sahel app.

Additionally, it does not send verification or OTP messages to complainants. The ministry advised the public to make sure that the link they received ends with “moci.gov. kw”, not with “.net or .com” or any other domain extension. When submitting commercial complaints and reports, please use the official portal of the ministry’s commercial control and consumer protection sector “ccas. Alternatively, you can download the government (Sahel) app by going to moci.gov.kw.

Al-Rai daily reports that the Civil Service Commission is waiting for approval from the Ministry of Finance to increase wages and salaries under the 'strategic alternative' project.

Sources explained that this study is part of the government's work program under the title "Manpower" for the 17th legislative term (2022-2026). According to the study, implementing the strategic alternative will take place over three stages, and procedures for implementing the first stage will be initiated after the CSC study has approved the plan.

Al-Ujairi Scientific Center said “the instability of the weather in the country comes due to the transition from one season to another and the overlap between seasons, which results in unstable movement of winds accompanied by thunderstorms and hail,” reports Al-Rai daily. The center said in a statement that “the two periods of the Sarayat that preceeds, and the Sarayat that we are living in now, are an overlap between the two intimate seasons, which end on April 2, followed by the entry of the Dra’an season, and thus we witness a set of climatic changes and unstable weather.”

He pointed out that the next season, known as Dra’an, is characterized by the Sarayat, which is considered one of the distinctive signs in it, and it is a phenomenon that is transient before hot air replaces cold air, causing rising dust. He indicated Dra’an is considered one of the most dangerous seasons, given that the winds change their speed and directions making them to predict accurately.

Meanwhile, the Kuwait Municipality announced that the Public Cleanliness and Road Works Departments in the Municipality Branch of the Capital and Hawalli Governorates have recently dealt with more than 1,257 reports of water pools presence in a number of areas of the two governorates, following the recent rains the day before yesterday.

The municipality said in a press statement on Tuesday, that the two aforementioned departments immediately dealt with reports received regarding water pools in order to drain them and restore the flow of traffic in the streets due to the rainy situation that the country was exposed to yesterday. They explained that the efforts of the cleaning teams pay all attention to raising the level of cleanliness in all areas, in addition to dealing promptly with the complaints of citizens and residents that are received through WhatsApp service and hotline service (139) from the Emergency Department of the Services Department, or which are monitored through social media.

After heavy rains hit the country last Sunday evening, the engineering affairs departments in the educational districts inspect the conditions of the schools, especially in the low-lying residential areas, reports Al-Rai daily.

According to engineering sources, even new schools suffer from leaking water, ceiling damage, and water collecting inside some air conditioners that ultimately damage them.

Also damaged by the rain water were the school furniture, walls, and interior decoration, showing that leakage of water has damaged the entire structure of the school, a problem experienced by almost all schools.

The Safety Department of Farwaniya Governorate in Kuwait has issued a violation report against the contractor responsible for a soil slide in the Ardiya Industrial Area. This was announced by the Kuwait Municipality on Tuesday. According to the municipality’s press statement, the supervisory team inspected the site and found that the building under construction was in the basement excavation stage and that the contractor had a valid safety and demolition license.

Pictures taken before the collapse showed support from the street side where the collapse occurred, and work had been stopped to ensure the safety of passers-by and services.

The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy reported that the soil collapse caused a collapse in the services area of an industrial plot under construction, leading to the interruption of all services adjacent to the plot. The ministry has taken necessary measures, and the water line has been isolated, resulting in water interruption in the Ardiya industrial area until the line is repaired, reports Al Rai. The municipality has also coordinated with the judicial police team to take legal action against the contractor responsible for the collapse of the service area.

A field tour conducted by the members of the Municipal Council’s Environmental Affairs Committee at the waste and asbestos dumping sites in Mina Abdullah and Shuaiba areas recently revealed an unsatisfactory situation, reports Al-Rai daily. This situation entails a new environmental disaster that will negatively affect the air, water and soil as well as the population, in the event that things remain as they are and the environmental authorities do not come together to deal with it and solve it. 

The reports issued by the Environment Public Authority (EPA) described the environmental situation in Kuwait’s landfills as “highly dangerous” due to the volume of gases emitted from those landfills. In this regard, the Chairperson of the committee Eng. Alia Al-Farsi stressed the need to work towards generating electric power by using the technology of incinerators with international technical and environmental specifications, in addition to converting waste into RDF-produced fuel, fertilizers, and other waste treatment methods. She insisted that the approach must be serious about these projects, announcing that the fourth structural plan identified the sites designated for solid waste management to establish treatment sites at these sites in the future. In a statement issued on the sidelines of the tour, Eng. Al-Farsi affirmed that the committee’s strategy is in line with EPA to limit some waste dumping sites, and to work on converting them into treatment sites, as well as to work on treating and rehabilitating existing landfills, and restoring their lands.

Waste
She said the aim of the visit was to benefit from waste and residues in accordance with the terms of reference of the Kuwait Municipality and to keep pace with future urban development, especially since the landfill site in Mina Abdullah is one of the operating landfills with an area of about two million square meters and receives municipal waste (solid, household, agricultural, commercial, miscellaneous, sand and non-hazardous industrial waste.

Furthermore, a member of the environmental committee Eng. Munira Al-Amir said, “The tour offered a closer look at the real situation of landfills, and to know the mechanisms used in the collection, sorting, backfilling and recycling process. It also revealed all the details to ensure that our legislative decisions are compatible with the real solution, for what we see on the ground. We also observed the shortcomings, especially in terms of urban cleanliness, which is one of the first concerns because of its great impact on the environment and human health. I took several steps to help develop the hygiene file in general, as I submitted many questions that were discussed during the parliamentary sessions. I also submitted two proposals, one of which was approved by the parliament, and by the minister, and a decision was issued, which is the use of expert offices to develop technical foundations for cleaning contracts, setting control standards, and cost levels, with an emphasis on the need for national cadres to work along with this advisory team throughout the study period to receive expertise from them.

As for the other proposal, it is related to the classification of cleaning companies and a review of the tenders and mechanisms for offering these works to get out of the current situation. It will be discussed in the council committees to make the right decision in this regard.” She highlighted the reality of the current situation in landfills, which requires attention, adding, “Unfortunately, it is not reassuring, especially after the recent reports issued by EPA about the volume of gases emitted from landfills, including the Mina Abdullah landfill where a high-risk impact on air, water and soil was observed. This will in turn affect the population because of the emissions emanating from it, which requires prompt action on the authority’s part as well as by MPs, the Environmental Affairs Committee, and everyone who has a role in this regard.”

Also, the committee member Eng. Farah Al- Roumi said, “During the tour, the waste collection and sorting mechanism was reviewed, along with the size or area of the available landfills, their compatibility with nature, and the quantity of waste. The amount of waste that is received at the Mina Abdullah landfill is about 2,500 tons per day.” She explained that the current situation in landfills will be assessed to determine the needs and solutions required to enact appropriate regulations and laws.

Cleanliness
The council is in the process of preparing a new regulation for cleanliness. Therefore, a shift must be made from the system currently used in landfill sites for the disposal of municipal solid waste by replacing it with a modern environmental system for waste treatment, recycling, and reducing the waste of large areas used for backfilling.

The Shuaiba site is used for asbestos waste (hazardous waste), which is asbestos fibers. The site was handed over to the municipality in 2016, and the municipality operates and manages it according to the directives of EPA. Article 8 of the environment law No. 42/2014 obliges the concerned authorities to make a complete inventory of the types, quantities, and locations of asbestos waste in the country, within a period of 5 years from the date of issuance of the law, and to dispose of these hazardous wastes in a qualified site.

In addition, Eng. Munira Al-Amir revealed that the Municipal Council is currently working on issuing a new hygiene regulation that will contribute to the development of an integrated work system for the disposal of various wastes, to develop the status quo as quickly as possible through the use of modern technology for sorting and recycling. She urged the national cadres and the private sector to be part of this system and save the natural resources from exposure to further pollution. Eng. Al-Amir affirmed her confidence that all concerned parties in the hygiene file will work to provide all means of cooperation required to solve this crisis as quickly as possible and with the required effectiveness.

The Public Authority for Manpower and the Ministry of Interior are collaborating to implement measures that will halt the processing of files of non-compliant companies. These companies have failed to pay for travel tickets of individuals listed in their records, including those who have violated residency laws, been registered for absconding, or work at sites outside their companies.

Reliable sources have indicated that the suspension encompasses all companies that have not shown adherence to monitoring the cases of their detained employees at the Residence Affairs Department, reports Al Qabas. These cases involve individuals who have received deportation orders from the country due to violations of the Labor Law or the Residence Law.

The spokesperson also noted that the Ministry of Interior and the Public Authority for Manpower are working together to automatically block the files of non-compliant companies until corrective action is taken and the process of deporting the violating worker is completed. Furthermore, the tripartite committee, led by the Public Authority for Manpower and in partnership with residence affairs investigations, apprehended a total of 493 individuals who violated the residence and labor laws across six different regions during March.

The committee conveyed the detained violators to the Residence Affairs Investigation facility to undergo legal proceedings and be deported from the country. The individuals committed a range of offenses, including expiration of residency, violation of public morals, absconding from sponsors, migrant labor, and begging.

On March 23, the world marked the first day of Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. For 29 or 30 days, depending on the lunar calendar, practicing Muslims around the world refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from sunrise to sunset — yes, even water is off limits. The act of piety and sacrifice is meant to strengthen their relationship with God.

While the worship aspect is more or less the same for all Muslims observing Ramadan, different communities have distinct cultural rituals they uphold during the month. If you’re new in Kuwait, some of these traditions may leave you confused, or even dumbfounded. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered: Here’s our attempt to demystify some of the confusing situations you might come across in Kuwait during Ramadan.

You can’t eat, either

You’re not fasting and you feel hungry, but you’re in a public place; do you eat? Well, the answer is no. Eating or drinking in public between dawn and sunset is illegal in Kuwait, even if you’re not Muslim. If you’re caught, you face a maximum fine of KD 100 and/or a maximum one month in prison.

Free food for all

Picture this: A car pulls up at the entrance of your favorite coop. Someone steps out of the vehicle and begins calling passers-by to come grab one of the many rectangular boxes in his open trunk. What’s going on, you might ask? That person is distributing boxes of pre-packed hot meals – it’s also probably the only time when it’s safe to get an opaque box from a stranger’s car. The boxes typically contain food you would eat to break your fast: rice and meat, water, dates, a yogurt drink and a vegetable stew. Anyone is welcome to get a box, regardless of nationality, race, socioeconomic status or religion.

Closer to iftar time, it’s not uncommon for strangers to hand out water and dates at traffic lights. Some parents set up free-water-and-date stands with their children at street corners within residential areas. Don’t feel taken-aback if you find yourself getting approached by a stranger who gives you an envelope of money. The gesture is one of many acts of generosity displayed by Muslims in Kuwait during the holy month.

Why the long lines?

It’s ironic that food is the running theme in a Ramadan list. But socially, the month has become synonymous with hours-long gatherings over a full course meal — and inevitably overconsumption. This explains the uptick in campaigns asking people not to waste food during Ramadan. It’s also the reason behind the extra-long lines at your favorite restaurants or grocery stores. You will notice that certain types of food surge in popularity during the month, such as samosas, lentil soup, tashreeb and one infamous deep purple berry drink.

Watch out for road rage

Although Ramadan is all about patience, the way many people behave during the month could leave you scratching your head. One thing to look out for is the blatant disregard of all driving rules, especially during the last hour before Maghreb prayers. If you’ve driven in Kuwait — or commuted as a passenger — you probably know that road etiquette is close to non-existent. But the closer you’re driving to the time people break their fast, the more you’re likely to encounter road rage and drivers zigzagging through traffic. So be extra careful.

Counterintuitive slacking

You might be surprised to find that some of your Muslim colleagues are not putting in their best effort at work, despite the emphasis Islam puts on self-discipline in Ramadan. Unfortunately, it’s become somewhat socially accepted for people to slack during the month, with many demanding that it becomes mandated as a holiday. The opposite is also true for some people who make it a point to work harder during the month for larger spiritual rewards or to distract them away from their cravings.

A night owl’s haven

If you’re a night owl, Ramadan will become your favorite time of the year. Most, if not all, shops and restaurants stay open past midnight. The ambiance at night, especially towards the end of the month, is always lively. Crowded streets and shopping centers are a trademark for this time of the year, with many people choosing to do their Eid shopping last-minute.

Kuwait on Monday witnessed closed roads and monster traffic jams after a heavy downpour flooded major highways and areas across the country late Sunday and paralyzed life in the holy month of Ramadan. All state efforts were stymied by the heavy thunderstorm, after the weather department had forecast scattered rain. According to the Kuwait Meteorological Department, rainfall reached up to 36.5 mm in Rabiya, 22.5 mm in Jahra and 13.8 mm in Salmiya.

Kuwait is experiencing its relatively short spring season, in which weather is known for being moderate, with some weather fluctuations occurring, and rain may fall accompanied by thunderclouds. During this time of the year, Kuwait is affected by the so-called “Sarayat” season, which is characterized by radical and sudden changes in weather. According to Meteorologist Abdulaziz Al-Qarawi, rain is expected to return Thursday night.

Videos and pictures of submerged streets flooded social media soon after the thunderstorm. The interior ministry announced major roads were closed including the Maghreb Road intersection with Fourth Ring Road, the Fourth Ring Road intersection with Ghazali Road (towards Shuwaikh Port), Canada Dry Road intersection with Airport Road (towards Kaifan) and Jahra Road intersection with Ghazali Road (towards City Center). The interior ministry later announced the reopening of Maghreb and Fourth Ring Roads in both directions after draining the rainwater.

First Deputy Prime Minister, Interior Minister and Acting Defense Minister Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah inspected the roads to check traffic and security conditions after the rain. The minister was briefed on security deployment of police patrols and the mechanism of dealing with accumulated rainwater.

Kuwait has previously suspended schools the day after heavy rains, but the education ministry preferred to keep schools open on Monday despite the road closures. “All educational facilities are safe and fine after the heavy rains,” Spokesman of the Ministry Ahmad Al-Weheidah said in a press release, adding there was no need to suspend study. Pictures and videos from Sunday night through Monday morning showed Kuwait Fire Force, police, National Guard and army officers helping in pumping out water and removing submerged cars from flooded roads.

Despite these efforts, public anger mounted on social media Sunday, and again on Monday as closures to main highways such as Maghreb Road brought most roads around Kuwait to a crippling standstill. People took to Twitter and other social media platform to denounce the government’s failure to prepare for the heavy rains despite earlier promises by officials to prevent this problem from recurring.

No official indication has so far surfaced on the approval of the suspension of work in the last 10 days of Ramadan, reports Al-Anba daily quoting a reliable source from the government.

The source pointed out it is difficult to implement such a proposal; especially since the Eid holiday could be five to nine days. He explained this depends on the duration of the holy month – whether it will be 29 days according to Al-Ajiri calendar or the month will be completed in case of not sighting the crescent, as well as the directives of the Council Ministers. Another government source disclosed in an exclusive statement to the daily that the Civil Service Commission has not been officially informed regarding the suspension of work in the last 10 days of Ramadan.

As a result of the absence of scientific planning and lack of reliance on expert opinions, and a misunderstanding of how to apply “flexible working hours”, most roads and streets came to a standstill, after vehicles continued to move at a snail’s pace and did not stop at a specific time in the morning or evening, reports Al-Rai daily. An informed security source told the daily “the application of flexible working hours with the beginning of the month of Ramadan contributed to an increase in the number of vehicles on the roads throughout the hours of the day, from the start of shifts in schools at 9:30 am, until after the end of the third shift, in addition to that the crowds and congestion in the streets at night, as people go to the markets, noting that the vehicles move relentlessly for 16 hours a day, and does not subside until midnight until the start of the morning shift.

The source added, “The new situation put security men and traffic patrols on constant alert around the clock, after the matter was limited to specific hours before, as the crowds used to start with students going to schools and employees to their workplaces at one time, and then returning.” The roads fl owed to their normal state, but after applying the flexible working hours, which allowed each entity to choose the appropriate time for its employees’ working hours according to 3 shifts, a continuous movement of activity and a high density of vehicles reflected on all the streets of the country, which makes the idea of flexible working hours lose its purpose of achieving fl exibility. The source believed that “some patchwork solutions are not suitable to keep pace with the traffic crisis, and some serious steps must be taken in this regard, such as relying on mass transport, withdrawing driving licenses from those who do not meet the conditions, and setting fees on some highways, in addition to doing away with traffic lights.”

Meanwhile , the Ministry of Works said “the total area of the internal road network is 50 million square meters, while the area of highways is 25 million square meters,” and said urgent attention must be paid to the First and Fourth Ring Roads, the completion of the Sixth and Seventh Ring Roads, the Subbiya, Abdali and Salmi roads, and highways. As for the internal road network that needs maintenance, the area is about 30 million square meters (more than half of the total area), reports Al-Rai daily.

Despite the great efforts made by the Ministry of Works to solve the problem of deteriorating highways or internal roads, the crisis requires long-term solutions and plans that are carefully implemented within a specific timetable. The sources stated that the plan for laying asphalt according to the improved mixture, from 2019 to 2022, resulted in the completion of maintenance of 11.2 million square meters on highways, and 16.8 million square meters of internal roads, and the ministry benefited during that period due to the closure of roads during the Corona crisis and the accompanying curfew, and worked to double the maintenance of roads to 4 times compared to what was being accomplished in the past.

The sources added, “After the heavy rains that the country witnessed this year, and with the reassessment of the roads again, it was found that 93 percent of the roads that were paved, since the implementation of the plan began in 2019 until now, did not cause any damage as a result of the rains while only seven percent developed cracks in the asphalt.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior stressed on Sunday, the need to coordinate with the concerned authorities to deal immediately with all water gathering places to reopen roads to ensure smooth traffic flow.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior Lieutenant General Anwar Al-Barjas urged the concerned authorities to deal immediately with rain water accumulated at various places.

The ministry said in a statement issued by the General Department of Security Relations and Media that the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Lieutenant General Anwar Al-Barjas, visited the security and field agencies concerned to find out what happened and inquire their procedures while dealing with the repercussions of rain. He added that Lieutenant General Al-Barjas inspected a number of roads affected by the amount of rain, and also followed up the work of the security services and state authorities in dealing with water pools there.

First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior and Acting Minister of Defense Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah had visited a number of roads to view the security situation and traffic due to heavy rains in the country on Sunday evening. The Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday evening, that water has accumulated in a number of roads in the governorates of the capital, Farwaniya, Hawalli and Jahra, due to the wave of rains in the country.

The General Department of Relations and Security Media at the Ministry of Interior said in a press statement that the closed roads due to the wave of rains that the country is witnessing in Farwaniya Governorate, “Sabah Al-Nasser area, block 4 and the Rabieh region opposite the National Bank and Hammoud Al-Jaber Street opposite the Fifth Ring Road, Habib Al- Manawer Street, the intersection of the Fifth Ring Road with the Al-Andalus area, and the intersection of Saqr Al-Nasafi. They indicated that the water collected in a number of roads in the Hawalli Governorate, the Maidan Hawalli area, behind Kuwait Winter Wonderland and opposite the Hittin Trolley, and in the Jahra Governorate, the Fourth Ring Road before the Doha Link opposite Amghara and Jahra Road at the intersection of Ajian.

It also referred to the water gathering in the Sixth Ring Road, next to the Saad Al-Abdullah area, the Sixth Ring Road opposite the Saad Al-Abdullah area, and the Fifth Ring Road (the tunnel of the Sulaibiya and Kairouan areas). The intersection of the first Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh area, the intersection of Al-Jahra Road with Al-Ghazali Road, and the City Center roundabout.

Popular Malayalam film actor Innocent, known mostly as a comedian for his unique style and dialogue delivery in a career spanning over four decades and 500 films, died here on Sunday. He was 75. Innocent was also a former member of Lok Sabha from 2014-19, winning the seat from Kerala's Chalakkudy constituency as an independent candidate backed by the Left. He also served as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) for several years.

The actor, a cancer survivor after he was detected with the deadly disease as far back as 2012, had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kochi for the last two-and-half weeks for breathing issues. He is survived by his wife Alice, and son Sonnet.

Innocent's body will be kept at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Kadavanthra in Kochi from 8 am to 11 am on Monday for the public to pay their homage. Later, his body will be brought to his hometown in Irinjalakkuda, where the body will be kept at the Irinjalakkuda Townhall there from 1 pm to 3.30 pm, and later at his residence.

The funeral will be held at the St Thomas Cathedral, Irinjalakkuda at 10 am Tuesday.

The month of Ramadan can be considered the month of live chicken, because of its popularity as a desirable food commodity due to its delicious taste, and the ease and speed of cooking it as well as the consumer confidence in its source and the method of slaughtering. However, its high price deprives families with limited income of buying it, as the price of one kilogram of chicken has jumped to KD 1, and the cost of one tray of eggs has jumped to KD 1.5, due to the huge boom in subsidized corn prices, which have increased about four times, reports Al-Rai daily.

According to the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Mubarakiya Poultry Company Tawfiq Al-Saleh, Kuwait has seven companies working in the field of poultry and egg production. These companies are capable of meeting 60 percent of the market’s need for poultry and 120 percent for eggs. The price of subsidized corn rose from KD 30 per ton to KD 118, after the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) reduced the subsidy for this material.

This has contributed to an increase in the price of live chicken and eggs by 70 percent. Al-Saleh highlighted other factors for the rise in prices besides the change in the price of subsidized fodder. They include increases in rents, wages, costs of maintenance work, and the materials that chickens need such as soy, food concentrates, medicines, etc. He called on PAAAFR and the Kuwait Flour Mills Company to revert to the previous status of corn subsidies so that the prices of live chicken and eggs can be reduced. While it seems that the first to be affected are those with limited incomes and those looking for halal slaughter, the exhibitions for selling live chickens are witnessing remarkable activity during the month of Ramadan. The daily monitored the movement before the start of the fast.

One of the sellers Hussein Mahmoud said he usually sells 100 to 150 chickens daily but this number increases in the month of Ramadan to nearly 300. He indicated that consumers are keen for halal slaughter in the month of Ramadan to be assured of his meal when he breaks his fast and the safety of his fast. Mahmoud stressed that the price of a kilogram of live chicken is KD 1, which has been set by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He revealed that most consumers usually seek large chickens of weight reaching two kilograms, while some prefer chickens of medium weight ranging between 800 grams to 1,200 grams.

Mahmoud added that inspectors from the municipality and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry are constantly inspecting the shops that sell chicken to ensure the safety of the supply and the cleanliness of the shop as well as the health requirements that must be taken into account by the worker so as not to fall under legal accountability. One of the consumers, Salem Karim who happened to be present during the tour said, “I do not eat frozen chicken. The live chicken that I buy is slaughtered in front of me, as the hands of a Muslim is more righteous than the one abroad. We do not know what he eats or how it was slaughtered”. He called on officials to pay attention to the cleanliness of the shops that sell chicken.

The AlShall Consulting Company stated in its weekly report that with the recent US Federal Reserve hike in interest rates, the gap between the discount rate on the dinar and the basic interest on the dollar ranged between 0.75 and 1 percent, reports Al-Rai daily. AlShall added it does not believe that the increase in interest rates last week is aimed at curbing inflation only as in the previous eight cases, but rather fall under the objective of supporting confidence, as in the statement of the European Central Bank when it raised the interest rate of the euro by 0.5 percent.

The report pointed out that the target of the previous increases is to curb inflation, cool the heat of the labor market, and limit the growth of private consumption, all of which will be achieved by the repercussions of the recent banking crisis, while for one of the most important sources of inflation, which is oil prices, Brent crude lost about $ 4.9 a barrel between March 9 and March 22, that is, prices fell by about 6 percent, and “we may soon witness the beginnings of layoffs if economic growth slows down.” The report stressed that “the banking crisis on March 10 was not expected, but it did happen, and as a result of its occurrence, extraordinary emergency meetings were held in the United States, which included the American president and his team, the Congress, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and all major financial companies that changed many previous convictions, and consumed all the weekend. Between 10 and 12 March this year, it took its decisions before opening the financial markets at the beginning of the week, followed by a similar effort in Switzerland the weekend that followed, and all the monetary and financial authorities of the world shared their communication and concern, except for Kuwait, which is not alone, and it is the most affected by the repercussions of the crisis. It was and continues to be completely without public administration.” The report noted that the rise in interest rates in the current circumstances has risks in two directions, the first is the possibility of curbing economic growth at a greater and faster rate than the target, which means entering an era of deeper and longer recession than is possible, and the second is the possibility of deepening the financial sector crisis.

The report added, “In order to deepen the crisis of the financial sector, from our point of view, there are two angles — the first angle is the possible expansion of default cases of medium and small banks, and their number in the United States is estimated at 190 banks, only 4 of which have been prolonged so far, with total assets of about $550 billion and total deposits of $317 billion.” The report explained that most of these banks suffer from an imbalance between their assets and liabilities, and most of their long-term investments are funded with short-term debts such as deposits and customer portfolios.

The report stated that the second angle is the cost of financing for borrowers, as the world’s total debt, sovereign and private, is at a record level, just under $300 trillion, or about 3.38 times the size of the global economy, and the high costs of servicing those debts may lead to a series of bankruptcies at the level of countries and major institutions, especially since it coincided with a major correction in the stock exchanges of the world, which is something that must be hedged and monitored continuously, “noting that” these risks may mean that the current increase may be the last, while the statements of the (federal) president about continuing to raise it if necessary. The US Treasury Secretary’s statement about excluding the guarantee of all uninsured deposits, fall within the affirmation of their confidence in the soundness of the banking sector’s conditions in order to enhance the confidence of its customers.

On the other hand, the AlShall report indicated that according to the latest detailed data issued by the Public Authority for Civil Information on population and employment statistics at the end of December 2022, the total population in Kuwait amounted to about 4.737 million people, a growth of 8 percent compared to the end of 2021 when it reached 4.386 million people (4.217 million people according to the Central Administration of Statistics), with an absolute increase during 2022 of about 351.2 thousand people, while the absolute decline for the whole of 2021 was about 285 thousand people, meaning that it recorded a decline of 6.1 percent during 2021 compared to a decrease of 2.2 percent. percent in 2020. The report pointed out that the total number of workers in Kuwait amounted to 2.858 million workers, or 60.3 percent of the total population, while this percentage for Kuwaitis reached about 31.7 percent of the total number of citizens, and the percentage of non-Kuwaiti workers out of the total non-Kuwaiti population reached about 73.8 percent.

The report explained that when compared to the end of 2021, we find that the percentage of Kuwaiti workers out of the total number of workers in Kuwait decreased from 18.1 to about 16.8 percent as in December 2022, and the percentage of female workers out of the total Kuwaiti workforce stabilized at 51.1 percent at the end of 2022 and the end of 2021, while the percentage of female employment out of the total employment in Kuwait was about 29.5 percent.

The report stated that the number of Kuwaiti workers increased by about 12 thousand workers, to reach approximately 481 thousand, up from about 469 thousand at the end of 2021, and the number of workers in the government reached about 380.6 thousand workers, or 79.1 percent of the total number of Kuwaiti workers, while Unemployment of Kuwaitis is believed to have increased to 26.1 thousand workers, or 5.4 percent of the total Kuwaiti workforce at the end of 2022, compared to 25.4 thousand workers, or 5.4 percent at the end of 2021.

In other news, it seems that the battle for controlling stable deposits is still open at the bank, and that there are banks that do not mind paying high interest to win them, even if their prices sometimes approach the pricing rates for the loans they grant to a wide segment of clients, especially the elite, reports Al-Rai daily. In this regard, the daily learned from informed sources that 13 banks recently participated in the bidding on two deposits offered by a government agency, one of which is 25 million dinars, and the other is 20 million dinars, noting that both are for a year, noting that among the competitors there were two branches of external banks operating In the local market, while two banks participated in the auction, one of them local and the other a branch of a Gulf bank, without offering any prices, as only their participation was recorded.

According to Al-Rai daily, the Subsidies Evaluation Committee at the Ministry of Finance decided to increase Ultra 98 gasoline's price to 225 fils per liter effective April 1.

Kuwait National Petroleum Company and Oula Fuel Company also specified the prices of other gasoline types as follows: 85 fils per liter for Excellent 91 and 105 fils per liter for Special 95 between April 1 and June 30, 2023.