Ministry of Commerce and Industry has reportedly turned down the request from the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) to raise the cost of recruiting domestic workers from 890 to 980 dinars (by more than 10%) to help the recruitment agencies to cope up with the high costs of recruitment, especially with regard to ticket prices, reports Al-Qabas daily. The ministry in its response has stressed that the cost of recruitment through offices and the recruitment company, should not exceed 890 dinars, including the cost of travel ticket and examination of the worker in his/her home country.
In a letter, a copy of which has been obtained by the daily, the ministry stressed that in the event of a violation of the decision, the ministry will, unfortunately, will have no choice but to apply the law and prevent them from doing business, noting that a working group has been formed to receive complaints related to the ministerial decision. Moreover, sources revealed that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry will launch campaigns against the domestic workers recruiting offices, specifically offices that do not comply with the ministerial decision of charging no more than 890 dinars, including travel costs and medical examinations.
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In response to recent assaults on security personnel, Kuwaiti police are using pepper spray against outlaws and in self-defence, according to a local newspaper.
According to Al Rai, police can use pepper spray in self-defence and to deal with criminals under certain regulations, according to interior ministry sources.
Sources claim that the ministry is concerned about the safety of its personnel when dealing with wanted offenders that pose a threat to people and property.
According to them, mace will be primarily useful in stopping wanted offenders who, following recent attacks against several security guards, refuse to obey police instructions.
Pepper spray can only be used in self-defence against outlaws, and excessive use is prohibited, sources said.
"When interacting with a suspect or someone acting in a way disrupting public safety or putting his life or others at risk, that person would be warned that pepper spray would be used against them to give them a chance to comply with instructions and turn themselves in," the sources said.
Several police officers have been attacked in Kuwait in recent months.
Attempting to stop a Kuwaiti motorist last year, the driver briefly abducted the policeman.
Investigators turned up a bag containing a narcotic substance in the possession of the suspect, confirming that he was a drug taker.
The suspect stabbed two policemen with a knife in the town of Jaber Al Ahmad, west of Kuwait City, in September as they tried to restrain him from attacking his parents.
As a result of stabbing a traffic officer in Al Mahboula in Kuwait's governorate of Al Ahmadi, a young Syrian man fled his home after killing his mother.
Local media dubbed the killing the Mahboula crime, and police were urged to enforce the law more rigorously and be protected.
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Because the last working day at 12 health centers around the country occurred at the end of last week, the Ministry of Health has suspended the PCR test for students at its health centers.
According to a local Arabic daily, the Ministry of Health informed the teams working on PCR swabs for pupils in those centers that their work was over, and everyone returned to their regular duties.
This strategy coincides with a decrease in infection cases and the Ministry of Education's decision to eliminate the necessity for pupils to take a PCR test before entering school.
The PCR examination service was previously offered by the Ministry of Health in 12 health centers: Saad Al-Abdullah Center, Al-Waha, Miteb Al-Shalahi, Al-Ardiya Al-Shamali, Sabah Al-Ahmad A, Al-Adan Specialist, Bayan, Al-Zalzalah, Abu Halifa, Shuwaikh Residential, Al-Zahra, and Al-Qurain.
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The Parliamentary Interior and Defense Committee approved the proposal submitted by the Secretary of the National Assembly representative Farz Al-Daihani to open visas for domestic workers, while adhering to the standards and requirements of the Ministry of Health .
Al-Daihani’s proposal stipulated that there is urgent need of domestic workers for Kuwaiti families specially for people with special needs, disabled individuals, elderly as most families work in which fathers and mothers need for domestic workers is urgent, reports Al Anba. The government has allowed entry of all workers stuck abroad, domestic or private workers. It is possible to open visas for new domestic workers adhering to all health requirements.
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The Ministry of Social Affairs and Societal Development has asked the Communications Commission to suspend more than 21 social media accounts, in addition to a telephone number used for unauthorized fundraising campaigns, reports Al-Seyassah daily quoting sources.
Sources confirmed the commission can block websites, social media accounts and telephone numbers once proven the administrators have violated the regulations of the ministry. In the past, the ministry obliged those who committed such violations to sign a pledge to not repeat the violations; but now, they are referred directly to the Public Prosecution.
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The Civil Service Commission (CSC) announced Thursday that Eid Al-Fitr holiday would be on Sunday (May 1), ending Thursday (May 5). All ministries and state authorities would resume work on May 8 (Sunday), the CSC said in a press statement. State authorities with special working hours should arrange their work timing in a manner that would serve the public interest, it added.
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Around the world, Ramadan is a time of piety and prayers, fasting and feasting, and spending time with family and friends. But as is often the case, every nation and community develops a set of traditions and customs over the ages that come to symbolize the culture of the land. Kuwait too has its own unique Ramadan traditions that have been observed by generations of locals and residents of this country, and are a source of comfort and belonging.
Kuwait’s rapid transformation from a sleepy fishing and pearl diving backwater to an affluent, modern state also turned many local traditions on their head, while some quietly disappeared. Daq al-harees (crushing of wheat) was a pre-Ramadan tradition in old Kuwait, where a family bought large amounts of wheat that was crushed by skilled women accompanied by folk singing, but the custom now has waned.
The Abu Tubailah no longer walks the streets of the neighborhood with his drum to wake people up for suhour (predawn meal), and has retired to become a cultural figure. And after iftar (breaking of the fast), people nowadays prefer to spend their time watching big-budget soap operas on TV or head to malls and coffee shops rather than stay at home with the family.
Nevertheless, a few of Kuwait’s rich traditions of Ramadan have stood the passage of time, continuously evolving to reflect changing social, financial and familial developments. And after two years of disruption due to the coronavirus pandemic, they are set to make a return this year.
Graish
Graish is the traditional pre-Ramadan feast when family members and even neighbors gather before the onset of the fasting month. In the olden days, the women of the house would empty the larders of their homes of foods that are not usually eaten in Ramadan, and extended families would gather to partake in the potluck. These days the food is usually ordered from restaurants and the gatherings are smaller, but the tradition continues.
Girgian
Among Kuwaiti Ramadan traditions, Girgian is one that is the most popular, and the most evolved. Girgian is marked on the 13th, 14th and 15th of Ramadan, when children go ‘trick or treating’ to collect candies and nuts door to door. There’s a reason why Girgian is celebrated in the middle of the lunar month. In pre-oil – and pre-electricity Kuwait – the full moon would provide illumination for the children to trudge across the neighborhood.
According to late Kuwaiti historian and astronomer Saleh Al-Ojairi, the word Girgian is derived from the word gargaa, which refers to the loud clanging sound heard when a household pot made of metal is struck. Today, Girgian has become thoroughly commercialized, with the simple confectionery of yore replaced by gourmet chocolates and exotic nuts housed in brand-name bags and pouches that are often more expensive than their contents. Parents also make separate bags with the names of their children printed on them, and try to outdo other families in coming up with the most exclusive presentations.
Ghabqa
A ghabqa is a gathering of family and friends in the evenings of Ramadan. Like Girgian, ghabqas today are lavish corporate affairs where companies invite clients and employees along with their families for a night of fun and feasting, with the media in attendance too.
Iftar cannon
In this modern, technological era of precision timekeeping, astronomical calculations and even mobile apps, the iftar cannon is an unlikely survivor of the bygone era, when the sound of the blast signaled to the faithful it was time to break their fast. The ‘midfa al iftar’ takes place every day at the beautifully restored Naif Palace in Kuwait City. The firing of the cannon attracts dozens of families and children daily, and is broadcast live on Kuwait TV and radio. The open yard in the palace where the ceremony takes place is set up to resemble pre-oil Kuwait, complete with vintage cars, artisans and children in traditional garb. The firing is conducted by three uniformed guards in red livery.
Qiyam al-layl
In line with the trend across the Arab and Islamic world, the Kuwaiti society has become more conservative and religious. Though not a social tradition, congregation tahajjud prayers during the last ten nights of Ramadan are observed in most mosques across the state. But the popularity of qiyam al-layl prayers has skyrocketed in the past decade, with the Grand Mosque leading the renaissance.
Thousands attend the nightly prayers daily, with well over 100,000 worshippers converging on Kuwait’s largest mosque on the night of 27th Ramadan. The best reciters of the Holy Quran lead the prayers, headlined by Sheikh Meshari Al-Afasi, who has become famous across the Muslim world for his mellifluous recitation of the holy book. As they say, the only thing constant in this world is change, and Ramadan traditions are no exception. Some customs may have died, but the spirit of this holy month is alive and thriving.
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According to EFG-Hermes Group's latest report, Kuwaiti banks are expected to achieve the highest growth in profits on an annual basis during the first quarter of 2022.
A Kuwaiti bank's profit growth for the first quarter is expected to be 33 percent on an annual basis, compared to 21 percent for banks in the UAE, 15 percent for Saudi banks, and 21 percent for banks in Qatar.
Kuwait's banks' allocations decreased in the second half of 2021 compared to the first half of the year, and credit quality improved, suggesting better risk costs in 2022. According to banking sources, consumer spending continues to propel the strong growth of individual loans, although the pace has slowed since 2021.
According to the report, revenue growth at Kuwaiti banks is expected to reach 5% on an annual basis during the first quarter of this year. Meanwhile, "Hermes" estimates loan growth at 10% and 84 basis points of risk during that period. Based on the same data as the first quarter of 2021, 131 basis points.
A decrease in total revenue of 5 percent, in combination with a slight increase in provisioning costs on a quarterly basis, will result in a 10 percent decline in gross profit for Hermes on a quarterly basis.
Results of the first quarter of 2022 are projected to show the following trends:
1 – Kuwaiti banks recorded a 10 percent credit growth on an annual basis, driven by double-digit growth in individual loans and a slight improvement in the credit demand from companies due to improved business conditions.
2 – Net interest margins are generally stable on an annual and quarterly basis, since "Hermes" anticipates an increase of 25 basis points in the discount rate by the Central Bank of Kuwait in the second quarter of this year will boost margins.
3 - Annual provisions decreased from a high base. Kuwaiti banks continue applying strict rules of the Central Bank of Kuwait (Kuwaiti banks continue to apply NPL coverage rates that have increased in 2021). NPL ratios have decreased across the sector.
As for Gulf bank stock prices, the report indicates that they have been performing well since the beginning of the year following the possibility of several rate hikes in 2022, and the periodic recovery in demand for loans as well as the high oil prices, as well as the fact that the economies of the Gulf countries generally are not as vulnerable to the repercussions of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as those of other emerging markets.
EFG Hermes anticipates strong double-digit increases year-over-year in first quarter bank profit for most countries in Middle East and North Africa.
For many of the banks they cover (particularly Kuwaiti banks), the macro fundamentals are generally supportive, especially in the Gulf countries.
A forecast for the first quarter of 2021 indicates that companies will demand more credit as a result of improved business activity, which in turn will lead to a recovery of bank revenues.
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According to the Ministry of Interior, 42,529 expatriates were deported from the nation between January 1, 2019, and July 11, 2021, costing the State Treasury 2.1 million dinars (the cost of their trip tickets).
According to a local Arabic newspaper citing Interior sources, the sponsors of these deported ex-pats would be held responsible for the deportation costs and will be tracked until the whole sum is paid.
This came in the ministry’s reply to a question by MP Mohalhal Al-Mudhaf, a copy of which has been attained by the daily.
In response to a question about the issuance of an administrative decision to deport a Jordanian following his statement to the media about the Ministry of Health's decisions on the issue of 'Corona,' the Ministry of the Interior reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring freedom of opinion in accordance with Article 36 of the Constitution, which states that "every person has the right to express and publish his opinion."
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Indian expats were arrested for growing poppy plants in their garden. The General Administration of Narcotics Control was informed by the Ahmadi Security Directorate accordingly permission was sought from the Public Prosecution and after inspecting the garden the suspects were arrested, plants were referred for the forensic department.
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The Ministry of Education has instructed the administrations of schools to stop the issuance of travel permits to teachers before and after the official holidays and weekends, reports Al-Rai daily. The daily obtained a copy of the ministry’s circular to the administrations of schools, stating that based on the letter of the undersecretary dated Jan 6, 2015; the administrations of schools are allowed to grant travel permits to non-Kuwaiti teachers as a competent authority in this regard.
However, to ensure the smooth flow of work, a decision was taken later to stop granting leave days before and after the weekend, end of the school year, and official holidays — National Day, Liberation Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, Hijri New Year, Isra and Mi’raj, and the Prophet’s (PBUH) birthday.
The ministry indicated that the law prohibits the employee from taking sick or emergency leave before or after the holiday or official leave. Therefore, he should not be granted a permit to travel on these days. A teacher, who goes on special leave, obtains his travel permit from the Vacation and Final Departure Department in the concerned educational district, not the administration of the school.
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In engineering and technology, which are the domains of the pioneering institute, it ranked 101st in the world and third in India, as per the 12th QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022 announced on April 6.
IIT-Kharagpur has been named as one of the top universities of the world for the study of several subjects in the domain of engineering, according to the latest edition of QS World University Ranking.
The institute ranked 37th in 2022 an improvement from its 44th position in 2021 in mineral and mining engineering and 80th in 2022 from 90th in 2021 in electrical and electronic engineering globally, an IIT Kharagpur release said on Friday.
In engineering and technology, which are the domains of the pioneering institute, it ranked 101st in the world and third in India, as per the 12th QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022 announced on April 6, it said.
In the QS ranking IIT Kharagpur has been ranked among India’s top three domestically. It was placed in the first position in respect of statistics and operational research, besides in agriculture and forestry and in the second position in mineral and mining engineering, environmental sciences, economics and econometrics. The institute was placed in the third position in engineering and technology, computer science and information systems, chemical engineering, besides accounting and finance, the release said.
Speaking on the QS Rankings, the institute director Prof V K Tewari said, “IIT Kharagpur stands out from other IITs with its multi-disciplinary mandate to transform its education curriculum to a knowledge economy along with focusing on skill development and entrepreneurship.”
In the QS World University Rankings by Subjects 2022, Jadavpur University ranked fifth among the best Indian institutions among the top 500 worldwide in arts and humanities, a university spokesperson said.
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Kuwait General Administration of Customs confirmed that its Kuwaitization rate has reached 99 percent, indicating this is part of its strategy to develop the skills of the national workforce in a bid to make them fully qualified for their jobs, reports Al-Anba daily. The administration made the announcement in response to rumors spread on social media that it has terminated the Kuwaiti consultants.
The administration then clarified that the rumor may have stemmed from the decision of the Civil Service Commission on the return of seconded consultants to their original employers starting from Dec 31, 2021. The administration took the necessary steps for the return of some seconded Kuwaiti consultants to the Legal Advice and Legislation Department. Due to its need for a consultant, the administration later hired an expatriate — its only consultant at present. The administration also affirmed its commitment to clarify rumors in order to ensure the smooth flow of work.
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A recent statistic issued by the Central Administration of Statistics showed that 27,200 expatriate workers left the local labor market in just three months, indicating that the number of foreign workers in the market was 1,479,545 last December and it has dropped to 1,452,344, reports Al-Qabas daily.
Despite the decrease in the number, residents of Egyptians maintained the top spot in the local labor market (excluding the family sector), followed by Indians, Bangladeshis in third place, then the Pakistanis, Filipinos, Syrians, Nepalese, Jordanians and Iranians respectively.
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The Minister of Health Dr Khaled Al-Saeed said there is no intention at the present time to give any other doses (fourth dose), noting that the Ministry of Health is working according to the existing epidemiological situation and said, “We deal with it flexibly, but when things change there will be another talk,” reports Al-Rai daily.
Meanwhile, a Ministerial Resolution No. 143 of 2022 has been issued which stipulates the continuation of the payment of training allowances for doctors and dentists while they are on leave, provided that the decision is implemented from the beginning of this month
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The famous Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre in Kuwait was named the winner of the Leading Culture Destinations Berlin Awards, dubbed the "Oscar for Museums" around the world, in the category of "New Cultural Destination of the Year" in the Middle East and North Africa on Thursday.
The award acknowledges Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Centre as a cultural symbol of innovation and unique experiences that serves as a prominent destination for local communities and guests, according to the organizers, Leading Culture Destinations, and visit Berlin organizations.
The Kuwaiti center competed against 38 other cultural sites from 21 countries for the prestigious honor.
Maha Al-Mansour of the Amir Diwan cultural center’s department and Talal Al-Aqab of the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre's relations department got the award.
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The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition clarified to media outlets that it is not true that salmonella outbreaks in many European countries and the United Kingdom have been linked to Kinder chocolate products. All food products, including those in the European warning, are subject to laboratory testing to ensure their safety and compliance with standards.
An authority statement said that it immediately reported the incident to the International Network of Food Safety Officials INFOSAN, which is investigating the incident to provide us with the latest information and developments before approval of the sale of the product can be made.
According to the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, news and information should always be verified before being published and obtained from official sources.
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Accelerating global warming is driving a rising tide of impacts that could cause profound human misery and ecological disaster, and there is only one way to avoid catastrophe: drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Spread across 10,000 pages, these are the main takeaways from a trio of UN reports on climate change published in August 2021, February 2022 and on Monday.
The three tomes-each with its own roster of hundreds of authors-focus on physical science, impacts and the need to adapt, and finally how to slash carbon pollution. This will be the sixth such trilogy since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) delivered its first report in 1990 and positioned itself as the final word on the science behind global warming. Here are five key findings from the three reports:
Beyond a doubt
Whatever climate sceptics might say, scientific evidence has removed any lingering doubt that human activity is “unequivocally” responsible for global warming, which has seen the planet heat up an average of 1.1 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. The atmospheric concentration of CO2 – the main driver of warming, emitted mainly by burning fossil fuels-rose at least 10 times faster between 1900 and 2019 than any time in the last 800,000 years, and is at its highest in two million years.
Bye bye 1.5C?
The 2015 Paris Agreement calls for capping global warming “well below” 2C, and 1.5C if possible. A crescendo of deadly impacts already being felt and a slew of new science has led most countries to embrace the more ambitious aspirational goal. But that ship may have sailed. In every IPCC projection for a liveable future, Earth’s average surface temperature increases by 1.5C or 1.6C by around 2030 – a decade earlier than estimates made only a few years ago.
In theory, it will be possible to cap temperature increases to below the 1.5C threshold by the end of the century, but even a temporary “overshoot” could cause irreversible damage to fragile ecosystems at the poles, in the mountains, and in coastal areas. If countries do not improve on the emissions reduction pledges running to 2030, made under the Paris treaty, even staying under 2C will be a serious challenge. Current national policies would see Earth warm 3.2C by 2100.
Avalanche of suffering
Once a problem on the distant horizon, the devastating consequences of climate change have become a here-and-now reality. Nearly half the world’s population-between 3.3 and 3.6 billion-are “very vulnerable” to global warming’s deadly impacts, which are certain to get worse. Heatwaves so extreme as to literally be unliveable; superstorms made more deadly by a water-logged atmosphere and rising seas; drought, water shortages, more disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks…
These and other impacts are set to become worse, and will disproportionately ravage Earth’s most vulnerable populations, including indigenous peoples. Hundreds of millions could eventually be forced from their homes by sea levels-pushed up mainly by melting ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica-that will continue to rise across the next century no matter how quickly humanity draws down emissions. Even if global heating is capped at 2C, oceans could gain half-a-meter by 2100 and two meters by 2300, double the IPCC’s estimate from 2019.
Only option left
The IPCC insists that it does not provide recommendations, only background information and policy options so decision makers can make the right choices to ensure a “liveable future” for the planet and its inhabitants. But all roads leading to a 1.5C or even a 2C world “involve rapid and deep and in most cases immediate greenhouse gas emissions reductions in all sectors”-including industry, transportation, agriculture, energy and cities.
Hitting those temperature goals will require a massive reduction in fossil fuel use, the IPCC says: 90 percent, 25 percent and 40 percent less coal, gas and oil, respectively, by 2050, and 90 percent, 40 percent and 80 percent less by 2100. The use of coal plants that do not deploy carbon capture technology to offset some of their pollution to generate power must decline by 70 to 90 percent within eight years.
Tipping points
The new trio of IPCC reports emphasize as never before the danger of “tipping points”, temperature thresholds in the climate system that could, once crossed, result in catastrophic and irreversible change. The good news is that we seem to have pulled back from emissions scenarios from human sources that could by themselves result in a 4C or 5C world. The bad news is that “low probability/high impact” tipping point scenarios in nature could lead us there all the same.
The disintegration of ice sheets that would lift ocean levels a dozen meters or more; the melting of permafrost containing vast stores of the same greenhouse gases we are desperately trying to keep out of the atmosphere; the transformation of the Amazon basin from tropical forest to savannah-all could be triggered by additional global warming. Where are those triggers? Scientists are not sure, but they do know that the risk is much higher in a world that has warmed 2C above 19th-century levels than one that has warmed 1.5C. Above 2.5C, the risk is “very high”. – AFP
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Experts and astronomical centers in Kuwait have unanimously agreed that the month of Ramadan will complete 30 days of fasting and accordingly, the first day of Eid al-Fitr will be Monday, May 2, reports Al-Jarida daily.
Based on these timings, the Eid holidays will be 9 days, starting from Friday 29 of this month until Saturday, May 7, with Sunday, May 1 and Thursday, May 5 counted as days of rest because they fall between two days off.
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This year's Ramadan, the average length of fasting hours in a day in Kuwait is around 15 hours. In the month of Ramadan, the number of fasting hours varies by country, depending on the length of the day, which is determined by the distance between the country and the equator.
New Zealand has the shortest fasting hours this Ramadan, with fasting hours of around 11 hours and 20 minutes, while Finland, Norway, Greenland, and Russia have the longest fasting hours, with fasting hours of up to 20 hours in these nations.
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