Scores Flee As Hurricane Wreaks Havoc in Texas
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SUBSCRIPTION SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2017 THULHIJJA 5, 1438 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Awqaf Secretariat Indian city under Trump’s first Subs keep Man grants $600,000 siege after pardon spares Utd perfect, to bedoons clashes over ‘rape political ally Sterling planning2 hajj guru’ kill6 36 Joe Arpaio9 saves16 City Scores flee as hurricane Min 30º Max 45º wreaks havoc in Texas High Tide 03:12 & 15:29 Low Tide Authorities warn more catastrophic flooding to come 09:37 & 21:46 32 PAGES NO: 17316 150 FILS CORPUS CHRISTI, United States: Hurricane Harvey left Turkey arrests 5 a trail of devastation yesterday after the most powerful storm to hit the US mainland in over a decade slammed into Texas, destroying homes, severing power supplies over Qatar news and forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee. Harvey roared ashore late Friday, first pummeling the agency hacking town of Rockport as a category four hurricane, packing sustained winds of 215 km per hour. A few hours later it DOHA: Qatar said yesterday that Turkey has arrest- ed five people in connection with the alleged hack made a second landfall just north of Rockport as a of Doha’s state news agency, an incident which Category Three hurricane, with winds of 125 mph, the sparked the current Gulf political crisis. The arrests National Hurricane Center said. were announced by Qatar’s most senior legal figure, Over the next hours Harvey lost strength as it moved Attorney General Ali bin Fetais Al-Marri. “Our friends inland over south Texas and eventually dropped to a in Turkey answered us a short time ago,” he said in still-dangerous Category One storm, with winds of 75 comments published by the Qatar News Agency miles per hour. Although the NHC said Harvey was likely (QNA). “Five people were arrested and they are to become a tropical storm later in the day, experts said being investigated. The prosecutors in Qatar are that a vast area of Texas would face potentially devas- working with the Turkish authorities to follow the tating floods over the coming days while some commu- case.” The nationality of the suspects was not given. nities were hit by localized tornados. Emergency servic- The alleged hack of the QNA website took place on es were struggling to make headway as rains continued May 24, attributing explosive political remarks to to lash down while the coast guard was responding to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. The May Day calls from tugboats caught out at sea. remarks covered sensitive regional political subjects President Donald Trump, aware of the damage to such as Iran, Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, Israel George W Bush presidency’s for his tardy response to and the United States. Less than a fortnight later, Saudi Hurricane Katrina, said he was closely monitoring the Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates relief efforts and urged everyone to “Be Safe!” “There’s severed ties with Qatar over its ties to Shiite Iran and widespread devastation. support for Sunni Islamist extremist groups. ARANSAS PASS, Texas: An overturned trailer sits in a park in the wake of Hurricane Harvey yesterday. — AP Continued on Page 11 Qatar denies the charges and says Sheikh Tamim did not make the statements, but that the website was hacked. Doha called in the FBI to help with the PAGE PAGE hacking investigation and has accused the UAE of Police probe knife attacks Fugitive Thai ex-PM in being behind the cyber-attack. The UAE has denied in Brussels and London Dubai, aiming for UK the claims. — AFP 6 LOCAL SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2017 Local Spotlight Kuwait today By Muna Al-Fuzai [email protected] Photo shows Hajj pilgrims in Makkah n the past, Kuwait had an exceptional role and distinguished status with regards to freedom of Iexpression, expats, fighting corruption, a strong parliament, key public figures and an influential Topnotch services for Kuwait pilgrims press that defended the rights and freedoms of citi- zens and Arab causes and conflicts in general. Today, after half a century, some of us are wondering Awqaf grants KD 200,000 to illegal residents whether we are still holding the same position in front of the world, and what have we lost in the past JEDDAH: Kuwait’s Hajj mission is fully pre- during his tour among Kuwaiti Hajj groups. It has also aided students of limited income 30 years. What has happened to us? pared to provide topnotch medical services He called on the group to abide by Saudi families to pay school fees, he said, indicat- Mistakes happen, and this is normal for any gov- to its pilgrims, said a Kuwaiti official yester- laws regarding Hajj to ensure a safe and ing that illegal residents received some of ernment, but correcting them sometimes is hard, if day. The delegation’s team is currently dis- trouble-free trip for the pilgrims. this assistance too. Al-Rakhis urged citizens not impossible. For example, the government com- tributing medicine and equipment to Meanwhile, Awqaf General Secretariat willing to contribute to the donation to Kuwaiti Hajj groups in Makkah, head of the announced yesterday that it granted KD contact the secretariat. Minister of Awqaf mitted a vital mistake in recent years when it grant- Kuwaiti delegation’s medical services 200,000 ($600,000) to illegal residents and Islamic Affairs, Minister of State for ed citizenship to persons who don’t deserve it, while Mubarak Al-Ajmi said yesterday. Al-Ajmi, planning to perform the hajj, said the Municipal Affairs, Mohammad Al-Jabri, has many bedoons and Arabs sacrificed their lives in old meanwhile, called on Kuwaiti missions to Acting Deputy General Secretary Musaed recently declared that the secretariat and Arab wars or for the liberation of Kuwait, but did not follow Saudi Arabia’s health regulations for Al-Rakhis. The sum, which was delivered Al-Zakat House together earmarked KD receive the same privilege. This is not something the safety of pilgrims. to the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic 300,000 (some USD 900,000) to pilgrims minor, because social injustice leads to negative On his part, head of Kuwait’s Hajj dele- Affairs, would be given for pilgrimage from the illegal residents’ community. feelings of insecurity and a lack of sense of belong- gation Khulaif Al-Othaina affirmed that expeditions to help this segment of the ing and loyalty. It could badly affect the society in Kuwaiti Hajj groups are strictly following faithful cope with the hajj expenses, he No health threat the long term. the rules and regulations of the Hajj and said in a statement. Iranian pilgrims in Makkah in Saudi The demographic imbalance and granting of citi- Omra law. The delegation is well concerned The secretariat, in the past, donated KD Arabia are all right and not facing any zenship to non-eligible people have inserted people about the wellbeing of Kuwaiti pilgrims 100,000 ($300,000) to this segment of the health threat during this year’s hajj season, Acting Deputy General and families from other countries with different cul- and it will exert all efforts to meet their society to cover DNA print costs. Up to an Iranian medical official said. The health Secretary of Awqaf General tural and intellectual backgrounds as well as cus- needs, said Al-Othaina in a press statement 9,580 had benefited from this financial aid. conditions of Iranian pilgrims are very Secretariat Musaed Al-Rakhis toms and traditions in the Kuwaiti environment. appropriate, and there is not any health Now the government is trying to face this issue, but problem whatsoever, the official said in a ment of infrastructure and vital services, it seems to be out of control, because the key peo- press release yesterday. However, five noting that the number of pilgrims within ple who were involved in this issue have died and Iranian pilgrims have died due to heart the past 48 years have increased from their children are innocent, as they have constitu- attack in Makkah so far, he said, noting that around half a million annually to around tional rights that can’t be ignored. So we have to 48 Iranian pilgrims are now at hospital for three million pilgrims. bear the consequences of this illegal act as a com- medical treatment. The number of Iranian Providing his input on the report, head munity and society. pilgrims has notably dropped this year, of operations at the ministry Abdulkhaleq compared with previous years. A total Al-Zahrani said that development projects The other thing here is that many Kuwaiti citizens 86,500 Iranian pilgrims are expected to in Makkah, Al-Madina, and other regions have allowed the spread of corruption at all levels. I attend Hajj this year. have considerably increased number of pil- know that many accuse the government of wasta grims both from abroad and within Saudi and corruption as well as appointment of expatri- Pilgrims increase Arabia. The new train project linking ates without restriction, but who allowed all this The number of Hajj pilgrims increased in Makkah, Al-Madina, and Jeddah will help chaos? The citizen - who should be a good model for the last four decades due to the continuous ease transportation for Hajj pilgrims, said his community and in front of expats. expansions in ritualistic sites and multifac- Al-Zahrani, adding that the expansion proj- I have a good example. When a citizen hands a eted services in Makkah and elsewhere, ects in the Haram (holy sanctuary) in luxury car to his Asian driver, he tells him if he has a said a Saudi ministerial report.