Kuwaittimes 6-2-2019.Qxp Layout 1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
JAMADA ALTHANI 1, 1440 AH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2019 28 Pages Max 20º Min 07º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17752 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net 147 projects participate Jolie visits Rohingya camps, Dutch former anti-Islam MP Mourinho avoids jail but hit 319in Maker Faire Kuwait says plight ‘shames us all’ 24 says he’s become a Muslim 28 by fine for tax fraud in Spain All birds at Rai pet market culled over bird flu fears Kuwait bans Indian poultry and eggs, lifts ban on Mexican chicken products By Ben Garcia Envoy delivers message KUWAIT: Kuwaiti authorities destroyed scores of birds yesterday at the pet market to Saudi Crown Prince (also known as the bird market) in Rai to pre- vent the spread of bird flu. The birds were culled and placed in black garbage bags, which were then taken to an undisclosed loca- tion to be incinerated. “All the birds here were slaughtered because of bird flu - we won’t take any chances,” said a vet, who did not give his identity pending an official announcement. Asked if bird flu is dangerous and contagious to humans, he said so far there have been no transmissions of the virus to humans. “The ministry of health will come up with a bulletin on the matter,” the vet told Kuwait Times. All the shops were forcibly closed and cus- KUWAIT: Workers collect birds to be destroyed at the pet market in Rai yesterday. — Photo by tomers were turned away as officials from the Ben Garcia Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) worked in cooper- that their birds were being destroyed. A Kuwait last suffered a major outbreak of ation with the environmental police and offi- Bangladeshi shop attendant who had hun- bird flu in 2007. On Feb 13, 2007, PAAAFR cers from the Municipality to eradicate dreds of birds at his shop, said it was very reported the initial outbreak of H5N1 in poul- infected and potentially infected birds. Trucks unfortunate that the birds that were not sick try in Wafra. Subsequently, 131 influenza virus KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s envoy, Deputy and police cars were on standby at the mar- had to be killed. “They had collected birds infected poultry were confirmed from 20 farms Minister of Amiri Diwan affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, deliv- ket. Avian influenza (H5N1), informally known from many shops. One shop experienced it throughout the country. The disease resulted in ered a written letter from the Amir to Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister as bird flu, is a viral infection that can infect first, then I heard many birds fell ill and died high mortality rates among infected flocks, and Minister of Defense Prince Mohammad bin Salman yesterday. The message not only birds, but also humans and other ani- the following day. This morning the especially in commercial broiler farms in Wafra dealt with the solid ties between the two brotherly countries, regional and interna- mals. However, most forms of the virus are Municipality came to check - the next thing and among poultry raised in privately owned tional issues and topics of common interest. — KUNA restricted to birds. they were killing all the birds to prevent the residential homes and backyard farms. Many shop owners were shocked to hear spread of bird flu,” he said. Continued on Page 24 tax expats for the air they breathe in Kuwait and for News in brief Hashem calls for walking on the streets. Expatriates pay annual health insurance fees and an By-elections on March 16 array of medical charges at public hospitals and clinics, taxing expatriates; and are charged 250 percent more than Kuwaitis for KUWAIT: The government will organize by-elec- electricity and water consumption. They are also tions in the second and third constituencies on Dallal slams maid charged for their work permit and residence renewals, March 16 after the court of cassation sentenced two in addition to several other charges. Expatriates are MPs to prison terms. The government, in a meeting only slightly more than double the number of Kuwaitis chaired by HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber recruitment offices and not three times more. Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, received a letter from “Why do you want to impose VAT on Kuwaitis while National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem By B Izzak we have a defect in the demographic structure, where officially declaring the seats of MPs Waleed Al- expatriates are three times the number of Kuwaitis and Tabtabaei and Jamaan Al-Harbash vacant, an official KUWAIT: MP Safa Al-Hashem yesterday claimed the the government does not charge them one fils,” she said statement said. The Cabinet assigned Deputy government collects no charges from expatriates in the during a National Assembly session. The lawmaker said Premier and Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al- country. Commenting on a response to her question by there are 5,000 Kuwaiti debtors who are unable to Jarrah Al-Sabah to prepare for by-elections in these Finance Minister Nayef Al-Hajraf about value-added repay their loans, adding that she only inquired about constituencies on March 16. — KUNA tax (VAT), Hashem wondered why VAT should be bad debtors and not all debtors. imposed on Kuwaitis when the government “collects Meanwhile, MP Mohammad Al-Dallal said he had KUWAIT: MP Safa Al-Hashem speaks during a National nothing” from expatriates, who are three times the asked the former minister of social affairs and labor Assembly session yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat Expats’ burial based on area number of Kuwaiti citizens. Hashem has earlier called to Continued on Page 24 KUWAIT: The Municipal Council’s technical com- mittee approved a proposal to bury deceased The UAE borders Saudi Arabia, the expats according to the governorates they had Pope holds birthplace of Islam, but unlike its larger resided in, and decided that those from Farwaniya, neighbor, which outlaws all non-Muslim Hawally and Jahra would be buried in Jahra ceme- places of worship, Abu Dhabi allows tery, those from the Capital would be buried in historic public Christians among its large migrant work- Sulaibikhat cemetery and those from Ahmadi and force to practice their faith discreetly. Mubarak Al-Kabeer would be buried in Subhan mass in UAE Francis, who has made outreach to cemetery. The committee shelved a proposal to shift Muslim communities a cornerstone of his all theaters out of residential areas and build a cen- ABU DHABI: Pope Francis held a historic papacy, wrapped up his historic three- ter to serve all areas. It also rejected a proposal to public mass for an estimated 170,000 day visit with the mass. ban serving shisha in cafes and restaurants fre- Catholics at a stadium in the capital of the The pope’s public comments in Abu quented by families. — Meshaal Al-Enezi United Arab Emirates yesterday, capping Dhabi have centered on calls to end wars the first ever papal visit to the Gulf where across the Middle East and protect the Islam was born. The pontiff waved at the rights of all citizens. In a homily yesterday, enthusiastic crowd carrying yellow he turned to the tens of thousands of Rental curbs on ‘bachelors’ Vatican flags and banners as he rode in an migrant workers living in the Emirates. “It is open-top Popemobile into Zayed Sports most certainly not easy for you to live far KUWAIT: Official Municipality sources said the City Stadium, where an altar with a large from home, missing the affection of your ‘bachelors’ committee’ will discuss a proposal to cross was set up for the unprecedented loved ones, and perhaps also feeling uncer- ABU DHABI: Pope Francis blesses a child as he arrives to lead mass at the ban renting houses to expats in private residential open-air service in a country that nor- tainty about the future,” the pope said. Zayed Sports City Stadium yesterday. — AFP areas. Expats will not be allowed to reside among mally restricts worship to inside churches. Contined on Page 24 Kuwaiti families unless they provide marriage con- tracts endorsed by Kuwaiti embassies abroad or local authorities, photocopies of their wives’ civil Dramatic footage from the scene IDs, sign contracts with owners with separate civil 10 dead in Paris showed flames shooting out of the win- numbers for the rented units and then register the dows and firemen climbing narrow lad- contracts with area mayors. — A Saleh ders to rescue terrified residents, some building blaze, dressed only in pyjamas, from the top of the eight-storey block. The blaze left at Briton held for wearing Qatar shirt arson suspected least 10 people dead and 33 injured - eight of them firefighters. LONDON: Britain is assisting a British national PARIS: At least 10 people died and 30 Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said a arrested in the UAE, the Foreign Office said yester- were injured in an overnight blaze at an 40-year-old woman who lived in the day following reports that a man was being apartment block in Paris that police sus- building and had “prior psychological detained for having worn a Qatar football shirt pect was deliberately started by a problems” had been arrested near the there. The Guardian newspaper reported that Ali female resident with psychological scene, where the acrid smell of smoke Issa Ahmad, 26, had traveled to the UAE for a holi- problems, officials said yesterday. The still hung in the air several hours after day, bought a ticket for the second round match fire on the upper floors of the building the blaze was extinguished.