Stranded Umrah Pilgrims Back in Kuwait After Harrowing Ordeal 52 Expats Stuck in Kingdom for 20 Days After Passports Go Missing from Hotel
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SHAABAN 19, 1440 AH WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2019 Max 31º 28 Pages Min 16º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17815 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Stranded umrah pilgrims back in Kuwait after harrowing ordeal 52 expats stuck in kingdom for 20 days after passports go missing from hotel By Sajeev K Peter KUWAIT: Forty-four out of 52 umrah pilgrims from Kuwait, who were stranded in the holy city of Makkah after losing their passports and documents, returned to Kuwait yesterday. They had spent more than 20 traumatic days in the kingdom waiting for new travel documents. They arrived to a rousing welcome early yesterday, and were received at the border by police officers, office- bearers of the India Sunni Jamaat organization, volun- teers and relatives. However, eight of the pilgrims could not enter Kuwait as they only had exit passes and no passports, and had to go back to Makkah. According to sources, the tour oper- ators who took the pilgrims to the kingdom on umrah visas offered to help them complete their formalities and promised them air tickets to go back to their respective countries at the earliest. “We entered Kuwait around 6 o’clock in the morning, as we had to spend almost a day at the Kuwait-Saudi border because eight people in our group didn’t have passports,” said Razak Cheruthuruthy, one of the pilgrims. He said Kuwaiti officials had to KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah presents the Amir Football Cup to captain of Kuwait SC Hussein Hakim and other players at Jaber Al-Ahmad resolve some technical problems, as they were entering International Stadium yesterday. Kuwait SC defeated Qadsiya 2-0 to secure their 14th Amir Cup. — KUNA (See Page 28) the country on new passports. Continued on Page 24 News in brief Anas Al-Saleh. MPs have also threatened to MPs file to grill grill the prime minister and finance minister. MP Al-Humaidi Al-Subaei has said he will Public sector Ramadan timings file to grill Commerce and Industry Minister Khaled Al-Roudhan, and yesterday said he KUWAIT: The Civil Service Commission decided info minister working hours for government departments during the will grill the health minister if what he called month of Ramadan will be from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. By B Izzak “treatment tourism” abroad does not stop. These timings apply to the ministries of commerce, The grilling against Jabri was filed by awqaf, justice, public works, education, services and KUWAIT: Three opposition lawmakers MPs Riyadh Al-Adasani, Mohammad Al- information, authorities of housing care, ports, agricul- yesterday filed to grill Information Minister Dallal and Adel Al-Damkhi, who said after ture, youth, sports, environment, industry and minors’ Mohammad Al-Jabri over alleged adminis- handing over a copy of the grilling that their affairs, departments of customs and fire, Credit Bank, trative and financial violations and misuse main object is reform and fighting corrup- Zakat House, Municipality, Civil Service Commission of powers. Acting Assembly Speaker Essa tion. The grilling accuses the minister of and the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters. Al-Kandari said the grilling will be listed on having committed a number of legal, finan- The timings for all other departments are from 10:00 the agenda of the April 30 session, but the cial, technical and administrative violations am to 2:30 pm. — A Saleh minister has the right to postpone the at the ministry of information, the Public debate for two weeks. Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish This will be the second grilling on the Resources and the Public Sports Authority, agenda of the next session, after a grilling which fall under the minister. KUWAIT: MPs Riyadh Al-Adasani, Adel Al-Damkhi and Mohammad Al-Dallal filed to Saudi Arabia executes 37 against Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Continued on Page 24 grill Information Minister Mohammad Al-Jabri yesterday. — Photo by Fouad Al-Shaikh RIYADH: Saudi Arabia yesterday executed 37 of its citizens convicted of terrorism. The executions were proclaimed its caliphate in mid-2014. carried out in Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, the province IS claims Lanka “Those that carried out the attack that of Qassim and the Eastern Province. The men were targeted members of the US-led coali- executed “for adopting terrorist and extremist thinking tion and Christians in Sri Lanka the day and for forming terrorist cells to corrupt and destabilize blasts, releases before yesterday are Islamic State group security”, said the official Saudi Press Agency. It said one person was crucified after his execution. —AFP fighters,” IS propaganda agency Amaq pic of attackers said in a statement. In a later statement, the group gave BEIRUT: The Islamic State group yes- the noms de guerre of seven people it UAE launches ‘Ministry of Possibilities’ terday claimed a series of bombings that said were behind the “blessed attack” killed more than 320 people in Sri Lanka, that targeted Christians during their “blasphemous holiday”. Amaq also DUBAI: The UAE yesterday unveiled a new branch of and released a photo and video of the government, a Ministry of Possibilities, three years after men it said were responsible. The mas- released a photo of eight men it said launching a department in charge of happiness. “The vir- sive casualty toll would make the Easter were behind the blasts. Seven of them An image grab taken from a video by the Islamic State allegedly shows eight men it tual ministry, administered by the cabinet, will address Sunday attacks the deadliest overseas had their faces covered and three of said carried out a string of deadly suicide bombings on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, pressing national portfolios and build future government operation claimed by IS since the group them held knives. lined up at an undisclosed location. — AFP systems,” tweeted Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al- Continued on Page 24 Maktoum, the UAE’s premier and ruler of Dubai. — AFP makers - small electrical implants in the Self-powered chest of abdomen - to help regulate their heartbeats after chronic or acute illness. Survivors offered NZ residency Even with recent technological advances, ‘pacemaker for pacemaker batteries can be rigid or WELLINGTON: New Zealand will grant permanent bulky, and may need replacing several residency to all survivors of the mass shooting at two life’ unveiled times over the lifespan of a device. Christchurch mosques in which 50 Muslim worship- Energy harvesters, which generate pers were killed, it said yesterday. Immigration New electricity from pulses sent by the body, Zealand said a new visa category called the PARIS: Scientists yesterday unveiled a have shown to be effective in recent Christchurch Response (2019) visa had been created. battery-free pacemaker that generates years, but only in small animals such as People who were present at the mosques when they its energy from the heartbeats of pigs in rats, as well as cell models with low were attacked on March 15 can apply, as can immedi- what could pave the way for an “implant energy demands. PARIS: A handout photo shows a symbiotic pacemaker (battery-free device), able to ate family members. — Reuters for life” in humans suffering from heart Continued on Page 24 defects. Millions of patients rely on pace- generate its own energy from heart beats to power a cardiac pacemaker. — AFP 2 Established 1961 Local Wednesday, April 24, 2019 Ambassador to the Russian Federation Abdulaziz Kuwait’s Speaker Al-Adwani and the diplomatic staff of the embassy. Ghanem, leading a parliamentary dele- concludes official gation, held talks with Matviyenko and Deputy Chairman of the State Duma (lower house) Sergei visit to Russia Neverov. Boosting parliamentary cooperation between the Ghanem and Neverov, and sharing experience in the field was discussed during the MOSCOW: Kuwait National Assembly Speaker meeting, in addition to issues of mutual concern, Marzouq Al-Ghanem concluded yesterday a especially the recent developments in Yemen, three-day official visit to Russia, which was upon Libya, Syria and Palestine. Moreover, the two an invitation from Chairperson of the Federation sides agreed on holding meetings prior to Inter- Council (upper house of the Russian parliament) Parliamentary Union’s conferences to unify views Valentina Matviyenko. He was seen off by Kuwait and stance on different matters. — KUNA KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. — KUNA Amir to attend teachers’ honoring ceremony today KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- condolences to President of the Philippines Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is set to attend an Rodrigo Duterte over the victims of the series of awards’ ceremony to honor distinguished teachers, earthquakes that jolted a number of cities in the held under His Highness’ auspices, the Amiri Diwan country. In the cables, His Highness extended announced yesterday. The event will be held today deepest condolences, wishing mercy to the at 10:00 am at the Public Authority for Applied deceased and swift recovery for the injured. His Education and Training main theatre in Shuwaikh. Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- In other news, His Highness the Amir received at Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the MOSCOW: Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem meets with Deputy Chairman of Bayan Palace yesterday His Highness Sheikh Nasser Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- the State Duma (lower house) Sergei Neverov. — KUNA Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Hamad Al-Sabah sent cables of similar sentiments Separately, His Highness the Amir sent a cable of to President Duterte.