Court Rejects Petitions Against Partial Curfew Mps Demand Quick Debate on Bill to Pardon Opposition Activists
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SHAABAN 5, 1442 AH THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 16 Pages Max 35º Min 14º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 18386 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Recruitment of Filipino domestic Afghan sewing factory Dozens of sinkholes pock Skid and spin: Libyan drift drivers 3 helpers to commence from April 5 offers lifeline to widows 12 Croatia’s quake-hit villages 14 burn rubber for ‘unity and peace’ Court rejects petitions against partial curfew MPs demand quick debate on bill to pardon opposition activists By B Izzak The bill will also allow over a dozen former opposition MPs and activists, who have been liv- Zain pays out dividend of 33 fils per share KUWAIT: The lower court yesterday rejected ing in self-exile in Turkey, to return to the country, KUWAIT: Zain Group Annual General Meeting (AGM) two petitions challenging the government’s order as it will revoke hefty jail sentences issued against was held yesterday at Zain Group’s headquarters in to impose a partial curfew to combat the spread of them. The former lawmakers - who include Kuwait, with a livestreaming available for shareholders the coronavirus pandemic. The court said the Musallam Al-Barrak, Faisal Al-Mislem and Jamaan and qualified parties, attended with a quorum of 72.49 health minister is authorized by law to recommend Al-Harbash - were convicted of storming the percent that approved the recommended cash dividend such measures to combat the spread of serious Assembly building following a demonstration in of 33 percent (33 fils per share) to the shareholders diseases. Nov 2011 and were handed several years in jail. already registered in the company’s record as of April 1, The court however called on authorities to con- The men had left Kuwait before the verdicts were 2020. Cash dividends will be paid to shareholders com- tinuously review the restrictions and measures in a passed in the summer of 2018. mencing April 7, 2021. bid to establish a balance between serving public A majority of lawmakers had placed passing the Zain Group Chairman Ahmed Al-Tahous said: interests, securing the safety of the society and pardon bill at the top of their agenda in the runoff “The COVID-19 pandemic broadly affected safeguarding the health system on one hand and to the Dec 5 Assembly polls. To give priority to the economies across the globe, which were plunged preserving the rights of individuals and their eco- draft law, the Assembly must vote and approve the into a state of uncertainty. On its part, Zain Group nomic and social rights on the other. The court motion. mobilized all its resources to provide vital and Zain Group Vice-Chairman and CEO Bader Nasser specifically called on authorities to revise the In a related development, the Assembly’s interi- meaningful connectivity during the lockdowns, Al-Kharafi duration of the curfew and restrictions on travel. or and defense committee will debate today Meanwhile, seven lawmakers yesterday submit- amendments to a highly controversial law that bars implementing more digitalization initiatives to better ted a petition calling on the National Assembly to people convicted of insulting the Amir or religions serve businesses, governments, and societies, aiming Zain Group stands in solidarity with the multitudes debate a draft law granting a pardon to opposition from contesting general elections. The constitu- to lessen the impact of the pandemic on society.” around the world who have been affected by the activists during the first Assembly session. MP Farz tional court on Sunday based its ruling to revoke Zain Group Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Bader scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic and expresses its Al-Mutairi said he and six other MPs filed the the membership of leading opposition MP Bader Al-Kharafi said: “2020 has been a turbulent year in heartfelt sorrow for those who have and continue to request, which requires the Assembly to give top Al-Dahoum on the law. If the panel completes ways that governments, businesses, and individuals succumb to the virus.” Kharafi began his speech at the priority to debating the pardon bill. If approved studying the amendments, it could also be debated could not have imagined or predicted at the start of General Assembly with a tribute to six Zain employees who passed away during the pandemic. (See Page 8) and signed by HH the Amir, the bill will release in the next session, expected to be held on the year. dozens of activists from jail. Tuesday. ble by the end of March. News in brief Philippines to Most of the active infections are in Metro Manila where targeted lock- downs, night-time curfews and a stay- Kuwait reports 1,504 cases, 8 deaths shut border at-home order for all children are being used to curb the spread. The KUWAIT: Kuwait yesterday reported 1,504 new to foreigners ban on overseas arrivals was coronavirus infections, taking total cases to announced late Tuesday by the gov- 213,673, while eight people died, taking the death ernment’s COVID-19 task force and toll to 1,194. Up to 9,277 virus tests were con- MANILA: The Philippines will close its border to foreigners and restrict takes effect March 20. Overseas ducted in the past 24 hours, as total PCR tests Filipino workers will be exempt, but reached 1,933,173. Earlier, the health ministry the number of Filipinos entering the country as authorities battle to con- the number of passenger arrivals will confirmed the recovery of 1,452 people, as total be limited to 1,500 a day, it said. recoveries climbed to 198,273. — KUNA tain a spike in coronavirus infections. The temporary measures come after Authorities have blamed the infec- the number of daily cases hit a seven- tion surge on poor compliance with Oil demand to reach record month high of 5,404 on Monday and health protocols, such as wearing a MANILA: A city employee disinfects a street at an informal settlers area experts predict the figure could dou- Continued on Page 2 on Tuesday. — AFP PARIS: Global oil demand will return to pre-pan- demic levels in two years and reach record heights by 2026 unless governments take swift action to tion is very dangerous.” meet climate goals, the International Energy West Bank In Israel more than 4.3 million peo- Agency said yesterday. Oil markets and the world ple - nearly 46 percent of the popula- economy are recovering from the massive collapse hospitals tion - have been fully inoculated in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic, against the coronavirus with twin the IEA said, adding as people get vaccinated and doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab. The restrictions are lifted, demand will return to its overwhelmed country is gradually reopening hotels, 2019 level by 2023. — AFP (See Page 9) along with restaurants, bars and cafes. RAMALLAH: As Israel pushes ahead That is in stark contrast to the occu- with one of the world’s most intense pied West Bank, where aside from 6 get death for maiming teen coronavirus vaccination campaigns medical staff and some 90,000 work- and normality slowly returns, nearby ers with permits to enter Israel, only a AMMAN: Jordan’s state security court sen- Palestinians without access to vac- handful of the 2.8 million residents tenced six men to death yesterday after convict- cines are flooding hospitals already at have received jabs. breaking point. “We have reached the ing them of maiming a 16-year-old boy in a case Yesterday, the Palestinian Authority red line,” said Palestinian minister Mai that triggered public outrage. The victim has since took delivery of 60,000 Pfizer- DURA: An intubated COVID-19 coronavirus disease patient receives an Al-Kaila. “The alarm has been rung in BioNTech and AstraZeneca injection while lying in an intensive care unit of Dura Public Hospital regained the use of one eye after receiving spe- Palestine, the epidemiological situa- cialist treatment, but he lost both hands to his Continued on Page 2 west of Hebron on Tuesday. — AFP assailants’ vendetta against his father. A total of 17 people were implicated in the teenager’s abduc- tion from the city of Zarqa last October. — AFP Georgia state Democratic party leader they were praying for his recovery. “We Asian women suggested the attack matched “a pat- never know when we’re at the wrong tern” of violence on Asian-Americans place at the wrong time because this Three Iran revelers killed during the pandemic. was so all of a sudden,” she said. Police among 8 shot Four of the victims were killed at separately confirmed that four women TEHRAN: Three people were killed and nearly Young’s Asian Massage near Acworth, a had been killed in attacks on two other 1,900 injured celebrating Iran’s traditional fire dead in Atlanta suburb of Georgia state capital Atlanta, spas in the northeast of the city. festival in the run-up to this weekend’s Persian the Atlanta Journal-Constitution report- Describing the scene in northeast New Year, emergency services said yesterday. ATLANTA: Six Asian women were ed. Captain Jay Baker of the Cherokee Atlanta, the city police department said: The Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations, during among eight people shot and killed at County sheriff’s office told the paper “Upon arrival, officers located three which participants jump over bonfires to purify spas around the US city of Atlanta, rais- the victims were two Asian women, a females deceased inside the location themselves and ward off evil spirits, are part of ing fears yesterday that it might be the white woman, and a white man, while a from apparent gunshot wounds.” While Iran’s pre-Islamic heritage.