80,000 Domestic Helpers to Return Directly to Kuwait
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RABIA ALTHANI 17, 1442 AH WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2020 16 Pages Max 24º Min 15º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 18298 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Lavish election campaign Two thirds of school-age kids BTS’ ‘Life Goes On’ debuts F1 world champion Lewis 2 events are off the menu 6 without Internet access: UN 13 at No. 1 on US chart in first 16 Hamilton COVID-positive 80,000 domestic helpers to return directly to Kuwait 600 workers to return daily over 4 months • First flights from India, Philippines KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil “The success of the plan, in its initial stages, will Aviation (DGCA) said the return of foreign domes- move us to other stages for the return of the rest of tic workers to the country on direct flights will the categories of residents in an orderly manner in begin on Monday, Dec 7, with plans for a 14-day coordination with concerned government agencies COVID-19 mandatory state quarantine for 80,000 and in cooperation with the private sector,” added individuals put in place. The plan will save on costs Fawzan. for employers (sponsors), paving the way for direct State carrier Kuwait Airways and locally-owned flights back instead of being subject to costs per- Jazeera Airways will be in charge of airlifting the taining to a quarantine period abroad as was the workers and have been urged to provide competi- case before the decision, DGCA Director General tive prices for the flights, Acting Deputy Director Youssef Al-Fawzan said in a press statement. Saleh Al-Fadaghi said. Kuwait-based aviation serv- The huge endeavor, which will witness the entry ices provider NAS has been handed the roles of of 600 people a day, has been given a four-month transportation, housing, catering, cleaning and timeframe. It will begin with India and the security, with costs reduced to KD 270 per person Philippines, followed by other unspecified countries, from KD 550, he added. according to Fawzan, and will include logistical On Monday, the Cabinet decided to allow services, shelter, catering and security. The workers domestic helpers to start returning to the country will stay at one of 58 state quarantine buildings, from Dec 7, according to government spokesman where they will undergo three PCR tests and Tareq Al-Mazrem. He added the Cabinet set the receive three meals a day under health ministry cost of each returning maid at KD 270 to cover KUWAIT: Directorate General of Civil Aviation Director General Youssef Al-Fawzan (center) holds a press con- supervision. Men and women will be housed in sep- quarantine expenses. The amount does not include ference with other DGCA officials yesterday. -— KUNA arate facilities. airfare, Mazrem said. — KUNA to rallies and dinner banquets. At least 10 candi- country. The government has also made prepara- News in brief Election rallies dates, most of them from the predominantly tribal tions to allow people infected with the coronavirus fourth constituency, held such rallies and published to cast their ballots by allocating special isolated MoH licenses two COVID drugs return as low pictures on their Twitter accounts showing large voting booths. Analysts meanwhile are predicting a crowds many of whom without face masks. low turnout because of the pandemic. Election spe- KUWAIT: The health ministry The new development comes amid a lackluster cialist Saleh Al-Saeedi, writing in Al-Qabas Arabic has authorized the drug bam- turnout seen election campaign that almost entirely depended on daily, said he expects the number of voters who cast lanivimab for emergency use to treat mild to moderate cases of By B Izzak social media and television interviews. Authorities their ballot to be low due to coronavirus concerns. COVID-19 in adult patients have slapped a total ban on public rallies and dinner Saeedi said this will benefit Islamists and tribal can- and children over 12 years old KUWAIT: A number of candidates, including ex- banquets to prevent contacts between people. didates because they have more committed and loy- who have risk factors that MPs, have broken a total ban on the traditional Authorities have advised voters to abide by strict al voters, who will likely brave pandemic concerns make them more vulnerable. election campaigns to contain the spread of the health measures on election day on Dec 5, especial- to vote for their candidates. Assistant Undersecretary for Drug and Food coronavirus pandemic, hosting hundreds of voters ly after a sharp drop in new coronavirus cases in the Continued on Page 2 Control Affairs Dr Abdullah Al-Bader said barici- tinib was licensed to be used as an added drug to remdesivir to treat COVID-19 cases in adult patients and children over two years old receiv- ing hospital treatment with ventilators. — KUNA Economy back to pre-COVID level China probe lands on Moon BEIJING: An unmanned Chinese spacecraft in 2021: OECD landed on the Moon yesterday, state media reported, marking only the second time the PARIS: The global economy may get back to pre- country had successfully placed a probe on the pandemic levels by the end of next year as vaccines lunar surface. The Chang’e-5 spacecraft “landed help propel recovery, but growth is likely to be on the near side of the moon late Tuesday”, the uneven, the OECD said yesterday. Signs that vac- Xinhua report said. The mission’s goal is to cines could now be weeks away from distribution shovel up lunar rocks and soil to help scientists have injected cautious optimism as the year limps to learn about the Moon’s origins, formation and a close with COVID-19 having claimed some 1.4 volcanic activity on its surface. — AFP million lives. “For the first time since the pandemic began, there is now hope for a brighter future,” OECD Car tears through pedestrian zone Chief Economist Laurence Boone wrote in her introduction to the organization’s latest review of TRIER, Germany: At least two people were killed the global economic outlook. “Progress with vac- and several injured when a car tore through a cines and treatment have lifted expectations and pedestrian shopping street in the German city of uncertainty has receded,” she said, acknowledging Trier yesterday, police said, adding that the driver that virus containment measures would likely be had been arrested. Police spokesman Karl-Peter necessary for some months to come. TOKYO: Skyscrapers in Tokyo’s Shinjuku area are seen during sunset yesterday. — AFP Jochem told reporters that the driver was a 51-year- Continued on Page 2 old German from the local area and that “the danger is over”. Smartphone footage showed the driver lying face down on the street, being held down by tists to trace the origins of the virus. several officers next to the damaged SUV. — AFP Mystery still They will have to investigate both the suspect animals and how the first patients may have been infected. “We Bahrain delegation in Israel shrouds origin want to know the origin and we will do everything to know the origin,” WHO TEL AVIV: A 40-strong Bahraini delegation of COVID-19 chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Israel yesterday for two days of talks told reporters on Monday. on boosting economic cooperation and tourism PARIS: While many scientists are But success is by no means after the two countries normalized relations in racing to find vaccines to tame the assured. The first cases were reported September. Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi spread of the coronavirus pandemic, in the Chinese city of Wuhan a year Ashkenazi had been due to visit Bahrain this week other researchers are probing the ago, before countries across the world but the trip was cancelled, diplomatic sources past, trying to unravel one of the began to record growing infections. told AFP. The two states will sign today a memo- greatest mysteries of the virus: The WHO said the first cases in randum of understanding that includes the estab- WASHINGTON: This transmission electron microscopic image shows the virus Exactly where it came from. The Wuhan are believed to date from the lishment of a bilateral forum to promote mutual that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the US, emerging from the sur- World Health Organization has assem- beginning of December. tourism. — AFP face of cells cultured in a lab. — AFP bled an international team of 10 scien- Continued on Page 2 2 Established 1961 Wednesday, December 2, 2020 Local In Kuwait, lavish election campaign events off menu Online platforms take place of traditional campaigning KUWAIT: Lavish banquets served in opulent mar- paign, said the association’s director, Fahd Al- quees are nowhere to be seen this election season Arbach. “This period is usually the main driver of in oil-rich Kuwait, where the coronavirus pandemic their business in normal times,” he said. has forced a ban on traditional over-the-top cam- paign events. Lambs on spits, mountains of rice, Online shift and platters of sweets usually attract hordes of The weekend elections are the first since the new potential voters to campaign events in the small Amir His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- Gulf state, which holds parliamentary elections on Jaber Al-Sabah took office on September 29 follow- Saturday. ing the passing of the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Unlike its more authoritarian neighbors, Kuwait Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. A few electoral banners has a dynamic political dotted through the streets life with an active par- are the only reminder of liament that doesn’t hes- the nation’s political calen- itate to take the govern- dar.