The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with personnel from the Ministry of Interior, conducted an extensive check on transactions of the automobile sector, including leasing companies and offices specialized in buying and selling from outside the agency, reports Al-Rai daily. Relevant sources indicated that the increase in the inspection of the books of these authorities came as part of a broader supervisory move towards this sector, in parallel with the recent Commerce Ministry decision regarding the closure of the well-known car buying and selling office.

The sources pointed out that the list of newly monitored violations is unending, but it is free of any suspicions related to money laundering and terrorist financing operations. It is useful that the list includes more than one legal violation, not the least of which was obligating those who rent cars to pay the rental value.

The sources explained members of the committee formed by the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of the Interior discovered that some offices collect from their clients the rental value for the period during which the rented car was out of service, even though it is covered by a comprehensive insurance policy, which means that these offices obtain the rental value twice. One of them is sums collected from the customer that are not due, which makes the procedure contrary.

The sources pointed out that according to the law, all car rental companies must insure their cars with a comprehensive insurance policy, noting that in the event that any of these cars suffers breakdowns, the renter is not legally obligated to pay the rental value for the period in which his rental benefit is stopped, no matter how long the period.

The Natural Medicine and Health Rehabilitation Hospital of the Ministry of Health, honored a batch of Chinese doctors and nurses who specialize in providing traditional Chinese medicine services, reports Al-Qabas daily. The MOH honored the outgoing Chinese medical team consisting of about 17 doctors and nurses of both sexes out of the 222, which was part of 22 batches sent by the Chinese government to Kuwait. In a farewell ceremony held by the Chinese Embassy, on the occasion of the end of their work in the country and in appreciation of their role, efforts and constant cooperation in the interest of patients.

The Chinese ambassador to Kuwait, Zhang Jianwei, said that Kuwait is the first among the Gulf countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, as well as the only Gulf country where a Chinese medical team is stationed. He added, that in early 1976, the Chinese government sent the first batch of the Chinese medical team to Kuwait. He added that during 4 decades, China has sent a total of 222 medical workers who have diagnosed and treated nearly 800,000 patients in Kuwait.

He explained that the program of sending the Chinese medical team to Kuwait is just one example of our health cooperation and strategic partnership, pointing to the concerted efforts between the two countries in facing the challenges posed by the (Covid 19) pandemic, as Kuwait provided medical aid to China, while China sent a group of medical experts to help Kuwait during the outbreak of the pandemic.

In turn, the Director of the Physical Medicine and Health Rehabilitation Hospital, Dr. Salah Al-Shayji praised the role of the medical team to provide support and assistance in the hospital, indicating that they are committed to the rules and regulations of the hospital and respect our culture and the regulations of the Ministry of Health.

Al-Shayji praised the medical team’s professional and meticulous skills, pointing out that they are keen to provide appropriate treatment to patients and are working to spread the culture and technology of Chinese medicine, which makes the hospital distinguished by providing more diverse medical services. For her part, Director of the International Relations Department at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Rehab Al-Watian, revealed that the new Chinese medical team will arrive in Kuwait on November 5, expressing her aspiration to implement positive initiatives to enhance health diplomacy and cooperation between the two friendly countries, which have deep relations for the benefit of both parties in various fields.

A leopard was spotted at Brindavan Gardens forcing the authorities to order its closure while a giant crocodile was sighted in a stormwater drain in the heart of Mysuru, on Saturday.  

The leopard was found sauntering along the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam when a few workers tending to the adjoining Brindavan Gardens spotted it.

In the blink of an eye the leopard sprang to the nearby steps of the Visvesvaraya Canal and entered the gardens where it camouflaged itself in the vegetation before making a dash and raced behind the Royal Orchids Metropole Hotel.

An official in the KRS said the Forest Department was immediately alerted and senior officers reached the spot and combed the area. But since there was no sighting of the leopard’s movement, they have decided to place a cage with a bait hoping that the leopard will be trapped.

Though Brindavan Gardens receives thousands of visitors on a daily basis, the rush is higher during weekends and holidays, especially in the evenings. But the leopard was spotted at around noon and there were only a handful of tourists. However, in their own interest and safety the dam authorities asked them to leave the place immediately while the ticket counters were closed making the KRS and the Brindavan Gardens out of bound for tourists for the rest of the day.

The official said they did not want to take risk with so many tourists and children around and hence closed the gardens. ‘’A decision to reopen the gardens will be taken only on Sunday provided there were indications of leopard movement outside the park’’, the official added. So there is uncertainty whether the Brindavan Gardens will be open to the public on Sunday.

Incidentally, this is the second time that a leopard has been spotted at the KRS since the last few months. A case was placed earlier to trap it but the leopard proved elusive.

Kuwait’s skies witnessed at 1:20 pm Tuesday partial solar eclipse, which remained visible until 3.44 pm — a space phenomenon deemed the most significant in the country this year. Director of space sciences at the Scientific Club Issa Al-Nasrallh told KUNA the partial sun eclipse is the first recorded in Kuwait since ending constraints of the coronavirus on June 21, 2020, when the Kuwaiti skies witnessed an eclipse at a rate of 60 percent of the sun size. Earlier on December 26, 2019, another partial eclipse was witnessed when the sun appeared blurred at its rise. The phenomenon will recur in Kuwait on August 2, 2027, and there will be another one on March 20, 2034, he added.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdullah Al- Salem Al-Sabah Cultural Center said shape of the eclipse varied from one region to another. The concealed side of the sun is seen larger in northern regions. Khaled Al-Ajman, the museum curator at the center, told KUNA the partial eclipse lasted for two hours and 24 minutes. Kuwait’s citizens and residents performed eclipse prayer Tuesday as it is an obligatory sunna whenever there is an eclipse of the sun. Kuwait’s skies witnessed at 1:20 pm partial solar eclipse, which remained visible until 3.44 pm. (KUNA)

The Ministry of Education did not receive any official instruction to require wearing masks in schools, reports Al-Anba daily quoting sources who affirmed the current public health condition is stable.

Sources said parents or guardians should not send their children to school if they exhibit certain symptoms such as cough, cold, fever and nausea; indicating the administration of the school must be informed about this. Sources affirmed the concerned students will be allowed to take special exams, provided a medical certificate is submitted.

In addition, a number of employees and some officials at the ministry are suffering from seasonal influenza; and some of them are absent from work as they need to rest in order to fully recover from the disease, sources revealed while stressing there is no reason for the public to be alarmed as this is common whenever the season changes.  

 The transactions of citizens in various sections of the General Traffic Department (GTD) at the Ministry of Interior can now be completed within a few minutes; as the department issued a circular on the allocation of paths and counters for the quick completion of transactions, reports Al-Rai daily. This is in compliance with the instruction of First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled to ease procedures for citizens who expressed satisfaction over such move.

On Monday morning, the daily’s staff visited the Capital Traffic Department building; during which they observed commitment to the circular in all sections — technical inspection of cars, driving licenses, payment of fines, coordination and follow up.

A number of citizens praised this development, stressing it will greatly contribute to the immediate completion of transactions that require personal attendance, and relieve them of the torment of crowding and waiting in long queues. They consider this a step in the right direction, especially since GTD is the main artery of the ministry and its one of the important sectors serving a large number of citizens and expatriates. They expressed gratitude to the ministry, while hoping this will be implemented in other government agencies.

This came after Director General of GTD Major General Yousef Al-Khadda issued a circular for all traffic departments to establish special lanes and counters to expedite the completion of transactions. He affirmed this is in compliance with the directive of the minister to remove all obstacles that citizens used to face in the processing of their transactions. GTD previously allocated a special section for people with special needs through which they can complete their transactions while inside their vehicles; in addition to activating electronic services for online completion of transactions through the ‘Sahel’ and ‘My Identity’ applications.

According to Kuwait Financial Center (Markaz), the high cost of basic materials, logistical costs, and lack of supply chains are causing the increase in construction costs. 

Markaz added, in a report entitled “Construction Cost in Kuwait and its Components”: The main factors in this change are the rise in the prices of basic materials and the rise in inflation rates worldwide, reports a local Arabic daily.

He explained that the significant increase in the prices of primary raw materials, such as structural steel supports, rebar, timber, copper tubes and cables, in addition to the shortage of labor at the level of the construction sector in the region, are the main reasons for the increase in construction costs in recent years.

To find out the effects of increasing inflation rates globally, the report delved into the study of rising prices of imported goods and their impact on development in the Gulf region, where geopolitical tensions and disruptions in global supply chains have increased the cost of construction in the GCC countries.

Forty percent of respondents to a Turner & Townsend survey focused that increases in construction costs significantly affect the delivery of completed development projects, while 60% indicated that a shortage of skilled labor directly affects the delivery of construction projects.

In light of the transformations that the world is going through, the report indicated that the construction industry in Kuwait is currently witnessing an increase in the cost of construction as a result of rising labor costs, and increasing prices of materials and transportation services.

Last February, the average cost of building one square meter of private housing was estimated at 230 dinars, compared to about 170 dinars per square meter before the start of the Corona virus pandemic, an increase of nearly 35% due to materials and labor costs.

According to these figures, the cost of building a private housing unit with an area of 1,240 square meters increased from 210,000 dinars (170 dinars per square meter) before the outbreak of the epidemic to 285 thousand dinars (230 dinars per square meter). This cost is $741 per square meter, which while high, is still lower than the cost of building villas and the high rise in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have an average cost per square meter of $1,396 and $1,835 per square meter respectively.

The report attributed the relatively low construction costs in Kuwait, compared to high market conditions, to the state’s support for building materials prices, in addition to implementing price control policies and banning the import and re-export of major building materials, such as wood and iron.

The report pointed out that construction costs in Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are affected by changes in global supply chains, increasing material costs, and global social and economic policies.

It is estimated that commodity prices will remain above average for the next five years, and therefore metal prices are expected to remain at historically high levels. The World Bank predicts that commodity, mineral, and energy prices will decline in 2023, but remain high.

Director of Ophthalmology at the Ministry of Health Dr. Ahmad Al- Foudari warned on Monday that looking at the sun during solar eclipse could lead to eyesight damage or blindness.

This came in a statement for KUNA, in which he warned from staring at the sun for long as this phenomenon begins on Tuesday at 13:20:30 P.M., reaches its peak at 14:35:34 P.M., ends at 15:44:13 and the eclipse would reach a percentage of 53.4 percent. (KUNA)

The Ministry of Interior’s Residency Affairs Department issued a decision to cancel residence of expats holding Article 17(govt sector visa), 19 (partners visa), 22 (family visa), 23 (students visa) and 24 (self sponsorship visa) if they are outside Kuwait for more than 6 months. The duration of presence outside Kuwait will be calculated starting from 1st Aug 2022 last date to enter will be 31st Jan 2023. Those expats who stay outside Kuwait for 6 months and more their residence will be automatically cancelled in accordance with the provisions of Article 12, paragraph 3 of the Expats Residence Law.

Previously decision was made for holders of Article 18 (private visa) who were outside Kuwait for 6 months and more from May 2022 calculation had begun. Expats on Article 18 have to enter Kuwait before 31st Oct 2022.

The Ministry of Interior from a humanitarian point of view due to pandemic crisis some airports were shut in some countries hence had provided expats to stay outside Kuwait for over a period of 2 yrs. 

A report issued by the Central Administration of Statistics for second quarter of 2022 shows the number of workers is about 655,000 (compared to 639 thousand at the end of the second quarter of 2021), distributed almost equally among the male and female workers – male about 315,000 and female workers numbering about 339,000, reports Al-Jarida daily.

A report says a quarter of the total expatriate workers in Kuwait is domestic workers and that the male employees from India lead the others with about 213,000 (210,000 at the end of the second quarter 2021), while the Philippines takes the lead for female employees with about 161,000 (137,000 at the end of the second quarter 2021), and India leads the numbers of domestic workers of both sexes by 46.2 in percent of the total domestic workers, followed by the Philippines with 24.7% of the total.

The statistics showed in general, four nationalities – India, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka account for about 95.1 percent of the total number of domestic workers out of 10 nationalities, while the other six nationalities make up for only about 2.1 percent and the lowest 0.2 percent. Among the ten domestic workers exporting countries, 3 African countries are led by Ethiopia with a share of 1.5 percent of the total labor force, then Benin with 0.4 percent, and Sudan with 0.2 percent.

The 43.5 metre Launch Vehicle Mark 3 weighing around 644 tonne carried 36 satellites weighing 5,796 kg or about 5.7 tonne
The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) heaviest rocket Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3 or GSLV Mark 3) which took off from the second launch pad (SLP) of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota at 12.07 a.m. (IST) has successfully orbited 36 satellites of U.K.-based OneWeb.

This is OneWeb’s 14th launch, bringing the constellation to 462 satellites. This launch represents more than 70% of its planned 648 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite fleet that will deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity worldwide.

The 43.5 metre LVM3 weighing around 644 tonne carried 36 satellites weighing 5,796 kg or about 5.7 tonne. With this launch, LVM3 has made its entry into the global commercial launch service market.

LVM3-M2 is the dedicated commercial satellite mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Department of Space, Government of India. This mission is being undertaken as part of the commercial arrangement between NSIL and m/s Network Access Associates Limited (m/s OneWeb Ltd), a U.K. based company. OneWeb is a joint venture between India’s Bharti Enterprises and the U.K. government.

With only four more launches to go, OneWeb remains on track to activate global coverage in 2023, while its connectivity solutions are already live in regions north of 50-degrees latitude.This partnership with NSIL and ISRO demonstrates OneWeb’s commitment to provide connectivity across the length and breadth of India by 2023. From Ladakh to Kanyakumari and Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, OneWeb will bring secured solutions not only to enterprises but also to towns, villages, municipalities and schools, including the hardest-to-reach areas across the country.

The Public Authority for Civil Information announced 14 services that it offers to citizens and residents from now on will be completed exclusively via the unified government application Sahel only, reports Al-Jarida daily. The authority said in a press statement the move to convert its transactions to the Sahel application comes in support of the state’s goals towards digital transformation, which depends on digital services instead of applicants visiting PACI personally.

The sources added that the digital transformation will speed up the pace of completion in order to save time and effort, which will be reflected in improving the performance of the services provided by the authority. It is noteworthy that the Public Authority for Civil Information provides more than 20 services through the unified government application Sahel in order to facilitate the completion of the transactions of individuals and entities.

The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy restored the power supply to all parts of the chalets area in the south of the country after the emergency power failure that occurred in the main transfer station Al-Zour A, reports Al-Rai daily.

The Minister of State for Municipal Affairs, Abdulaziz Al-Moajil instructed the municipality to coordinate with the Ministry of Interior to deport expat contractors who violate the rules and regulations of building construction including clearing of rubble, reports Al Jarida.

Al Moajil stated that strict application of the law will limit abuse and violate laws and regulations set by the municipality.

 Following the recent announcement by the Ministry of Health about the increase in the emergence of respiratory symptoms with the beginning of the current viral disease season, health sources told Al-Qabas, that hundreds of people who visit hospitals daily, are infected with the H1N1 virus previously known as swine flu, which has spread widely in the country, with the return of students to schools. The sources said that most cases of visits to primary health care centers and emergency departments in hospitals show that they suffer from the same symptoms, such as high fever, sneezing, coughing and shortness of breath, stressing the need to take vaccinations against viral diseases and seasonal influenza.

The sources added that the medical and nursing staff in health centers and public hospitals has received instructions from ministry officials to continue using the face masks while on duty, because of the increase in seasonal flu infections during the past two weeks, to protect the working medical staff and limit the spread of viruses.

The sources called on segments of the society to be careful and beware of seasonal influenza, especially the elderly, children and people with chronic diseases, and those who suffer from genetic diseases or respiratory problems, noting that infection with H1N1 may cause serious complications later in limited cases. In a related context, Ghanim Al-Salem, a consultant in internal diseases, gastroenterology and endoscopy, confirmed that the H1N1 virus has recently been noticed in the country, since a significant number of infections have been recorded, indicating that the virus has become a seasonal virus which was earlier called the swine flu.

Al-Salem addedm “despite the spread of the H1N1 virus in the country, the cases that require hospitalization are very limited, and the presence of hundreds of patients infected with the virus daily does not spell danger.” He recommended five quick actions in this regard — quick diagnosis of whether it is a common cold or otherwise, check for dengue fever, abdominal pain, vomiting or continuous bleeding, keep the room temperature constant and the environment clean and keep distance from people who show symptoms.

In an official statement, the Ministry of Health reaffirmed its commitment to prevent cholera and to deal with any infected cases, whether they originate in Lebanon or elsewhere. The Director of the Department of Infection Prevention and Sterilization at the MOH, Dr. Ahmed Al-Mutawa, said that Kuwait has an infrastructure of water and sewage networks that operate with high efficiency to prevent the outbreak of the disease in the country.

Al-Mutawa explained that a person can get infected with the disease by consuming contaminated foods or liquids, while guaranteeing that the country is devoid of such contamination due to the efforts of the health control, as well as its continuous follow-up and adequate public health awareness.

He added that the chances of transmission of cholera infection to the country are very small, unlike transmission of airborne viruses, such as seasonal diseases during winter. The official added that cholera is a bacterial disease that usually spreads through contaminated water or food and causes diarrhea, severe dehydration, nausea and fatigue. He indicated that if not treated, infection can be fatal.

Additionally, Al-Mutawa noted that in addition to drinking contaminated water and eating food contaminated with cholera bacteria, the disease can also be spread by eating raw vegetables and fruits, undercooked food, and food prepared and stored by individuals infected with the disease, whose symptoms usually appear within five days of infection.

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In 7 months, Kuwaiti exports amounted to 312.1 million dinars. The sources said Arab Gulf states accounted for the highest percentage of Kuwaiti exports at KD 183.7 million, followed by the group of Arab countries with KD 95.9 million, and then the European continent with KD 10.9 million.

The rest of the exports were distributed in varying proportions to African countries with an amount exceeding half a million dinars a little to 543,000 dinars, Asian and Australian countries by 3.1 million dinars and the countries of the Americas by 18 million dinars, reports a local Arabic daily.

Kuwaiti-origin exports to the world reached their peak last July, with total exports of 76.8 million dinars, followed by February with total exports of 72.8 million dinars, and May with total exports of 39.4 million dinars, while April recorded the lowest value of exports with 24.8 million dinars. In June, exports totaled 26.8 million dinars.

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The General Directorate of Traffic revealed that about 3,000 expat driving licenses were revoked in the first week due to violation of conditions on which they were granted. This decision comes on the instructions of the First Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior Sheikh Talal Al Khaled to reopen expat drivers license files.

3,000 Expats driving licenses were blocked and were listed to be withdrawn. The licenses which have been withdrawn are due to change in work permit or they transferred the residence to another field of work hence they have lost one of the conditions either based on work profession or salary.

Reviewing all the licenses will take about two months at least, if conditions are not met the licenses will be blocked and the owner will be summoned. If the person doesn’t hand over the license it will be blocked through Kuwait Mobile ID and Sahel application, reports Al Rai.  In the event it is detected that he is still driving the vehicle despite the driving license has been revoked he will be dealt according the law and will be deported from Kuwait for not complying with the laws

Kuwait is preparing to launch the first edition of Winter Wonderland at Shaab Park on Dec 1, featuring 28 games for all age groups, including action, children and family games, reports Al-Qabas daily. This is in addition to various recreational activities and a theater that can accommodate 1,200 people for entertainment and family shows. Shaab Park is one of the important sites under the management of Tourism Enterprises Company (TEC).

Shaab Park
The site is currently untapped and it was chosen as the venue for the ‘Winter Wonderland Kuwait’ this year, as it has the necessary infrastructure for such an event. This is in line with the goal to effectively utilize the winter season this year until the main goal is achieved — equipping a huge site to accommodate the locals and visitors.

Selection
Talking about the selection of the site, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TEC Eng Muhammad Ahmad Al-Saqqaf explained that Shaab Park is the most suitable venue for the ‘Winter Wonderland Kuwait’ event this year — the first edition. This is in compliance with the royal directive to expedite the completion of development and entertainment projects that benefit the people and the commitment of the Mega Projects Committee that asked the Ministry of Finance to provide an entertainment facility which is ready for Winter 2022.

Al-Saqqaf stressed that ‘Winter Wonderland Kuwait’ is the result of the fruitful work of team formed by Minister of Finance Abdulwahab Al- Rasheed, consisting of Fadel Al-Dosari and Noura Al-Qabandi, in coordination with TEC and other concerned entities. Upon completion of the project, it will be a precedent in the implementation of entertainment projects; especially since the target completion period is less than four months — a manifestation of the commitment to develop the entertainment sector.

TEC and the Ministry of Finance team utilized the best foreign expertise specialized in organizing such events in order to transfer the experience to Kuwaiti youths and the local market, as youths will be involved in the daily operations. This project is also an economic opportunity with a positive impact on many vital sectors in the State; while other sites are currently being considered for the next season in 2023, which is expected to be in a much larger venue to include more games and entertainment events.

Kuwait Fishermen Union Chairman Dhaher Al-Suwayan has confirmed the return of sea pirates and robbers in a remarkable way, such that armed robbery happened in more than 20 fishing vessels in less than three days, reports Al-Qabas daily. In a press statement, Al-Suwayan disclosed: “Many fishermen in Fahaheel and Sharq no longer want to fish due to the lack of security for them; especially since the pirates usually steal all the fishing equipment, navigation devices, air conditioners, personal properties and their catch for the day — fish and shrimp.”

He said two red boats with four pirates each were seen recently, stressing that the situation is dangerous; hence, the need for action on the part of the concerned authorities and protection for Kuwaiti fishing vessels. He hopes the concerned authorities will address this issue and establish a fixed security checkpoint in the commercial waters; so the Kuwaiti fishermen can fish safely to supply the local market with fish and shrimp, affirming the union has informed the concerned authorities.

Last week, the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica reached its largest size since 2015, and despite this significant growth, scientists say that the size of the hole is still declining as a general trend.

The ozone hole is formed annually over Antarctica, and this is the third year in a row that the hole has grown significantly, and the area of ​​the hole is approximately 10 million square miles (26.4 million square kilometers), according to what was published by the “Russia Today” website.

However, a local Arabic daily quoted Paul Newman, chief Earth scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, as telling the Associated Press that All the data suggests that the ozone layer is improving.

Ozone is made up of three oxygen atoms and makes up very little of our atmosphere, but it has a huge impact on our planet.

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