RABIA ALAWWAL 8, 1442 AH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 16 Pages Max 34º Min 15º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 18266 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Egyptian official suspended for Egypt starts voting in first Syrians spruce up famed Real bounce back with 3 offensive remarks about Kuwait 5 stage of parliamentary polls 12 castle after years of war 16 rousing win over Barca Kuwait dismayed by cartoons, rejects Islamophobic offenses Some co-ops remove French products • Protesters in Irada Square slam Macron KUWAIT: The foreign ministry said on Friday mission’s position is “consistent and unwavering”, Kuwait has followed with deep dismay the contin- he added, as is the position of the government. ued circulation of caricatures lampooning Prophet “We do not accept such offenses under any cir- Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). In a press state- cumstances. The Kuwaiti mission continuously seeks ment, the ministry announced its backing of a to present and adopt decisions and initiatives at statement by the Organization of Islamic UNESCO that support peace, respect divine religions Cooperation (OIC), which expressed the Muslim and reject hostility and hatred. Last year, Kuwait’s del- world’s rejection of such offenses and practices. egation led an Arab and Islamic movement to approve The ministry warned about the danger of official a resolution at a UNESCO meeting condemning racist political discourses supporting such assaults on practices against Islam (Islamophobia), and it was religions or prophets. approved unanimously,” he said. Such acts instigate hatred, enmity, violence and The OIC earlier expressed strong indignation at undermine international efforts to promote the val- the publication of the caricatures depicting the holy ues of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, the min- Prophet (PBUH), lashing out at French officials for istry argued. It cautioned against the continued “sowing acrimony” to further political gains after backing of such insults and any discriminatory poli- the incident. “Any attempt to ridicule prophets, irre- cies which associate Islam with terrorism. These spective of faith, is strongly condemned,” read an acts do not reflect the reality, ignore tolerant Islamic OIC statement, equally deploring any “acts of ter- teachings which condemn terrorism and gravely rorism in the name of religion”. offend Muslims worldwide, the ministry concluded. This comes after a middle school history teacher Kuwait’s permanent mission to UNESCO also was beheaded earlier this month after he had shown expressed its “utter rejection” of offensive remarks his students cartoons of Prophet Muhammad made about Islam and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). (PBUH), which Muslims consider highly blasphe- “Freedoms do not mean insulting the symbol of mous. The OIC said the incident was a “lone wolf” Islam, our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and insult- attack and does not in any form represent the KUWAIT: French products are removed from shelves of a supermarket in Salmiya on Friday in protest against car- ing the Islamic religion,” Kuwait’s representative at Islamic faith. toons depicting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) published in French media. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat the United Nations agency said in a statement. The Continued on Page 2 crime that compromises honor and honesty unless where the application was submitted at least seven News in brief Registration for their status has been restored to them. Those who days before election day. A candidate is not allowed were convicted of insulting God, the prophets and to run in more than one precinct and must relinquish Trump: Egypt may ‘blow up’ dam the Amir will be permanently disbarred from running their candidacy from other constituencies, otherwise Assembly polls for parliamentary elections. their candidacy in all precincts will be cancelled. WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump To obtain and submit the candidacy application, Those in public employment are not allowed from on Friday voiced anger at Ethiopia over its con- opens on Oct 26 hopefuls should go to Khawla Joint Girls School in the day after closing of candidacy applications until struction of a huge dam on the Nile River and Shuwaikh residential area’s block 2 between 7:30 am the end of the election process to practice their jobs. appeared to suggest that Egypt may destroy it. KUWAIT: The interior ministry yesterday and 1:30 pm to receive the application. They should Ministers and members of the judiciary, public pros- “They’ll end up blowing up the dam. And I said announced it will receive applications from parlia- bring along their original citizenship certificate, civil ecution and the investigation department are not it and I say it loud and clear - they’ll blow up mentary election candidates from Oct 26, 2020 to ID and two photographs. The applicant must per- allowed to run for parliament unless they resign in that dam. And they have to do something,” Nov 4, 2020. Those planning to contest the National sonally fill in the application and pay a deposit of advance. Election committee chiefs, members and Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. — AFP Assembly elections on Dec 5 have to meet several KD 50 (through K-Net) as mentioned in article 21 of their first-degree relatives are not allowed to run in conditions, including: To be an original Kuwaiti law 35/1962. The applicant should then take the constituencies where these committees are operat- according to the law; their name must be on elec- application to their area’s police station at least sev- ing unless they resign from them. If the applicant is a Israel will not oppose F-35 sale toral lists; they must not be younger than 30 years en days before election day. member of the military or police, they must present on election day; they must be able to read and write A candidate can also withdraw their candidacy evidence proving their end of service at the time the JERUSALEM: Israel said on Friday it will not Arabic; and they must not have been sentenced for a through a letter submitted to the police station application is submitted. oppose US sales of “specific weapons systems” to the UAE, in an apparent reference to the F- year-old civilian-backed government moments after 35 warplanes sought by Abu Dhabi. Under a Sudan agrees he formally moved to end the nation’s designation as principle of preserving Israel’s “qualitative mili- a state sponsor of terrorism, achieving a major tary edge”, the US consults with it on proposed objective for Khartoum. Reporters were escorted sales of advanced arms to other countries in the to normalize into the Oval Office where Trump was on speaker- region. Asked about potential F-35 sales to the phone with Sudan’s leadership and Israeli Prime UAE, US President Donald Trump said the ties with Israel Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally of the “process is moving along”. — Reuters embattled Republican president. WASHINGTON: Sudan on Friday became the lat- “This truly changes the region. It changes the est Arab nation to agree to recognize Israel in a lives of our peoples for the better and allows us to US condemns Turkey S-400 test diplomatic triumph for President Donald Trump focus on the task of building our nations, building announced days before US elections. The United our future,” Netanyahu was heard telling Trump. WASHINGTON: The US strongly condemned Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed an accord at the Trump said that more Arab states are also looking WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump speaks to the NATO ally Turkey on Friday after Turkish President White House last month to normalize relations with to recognize Israel including regional power Saudi leaders of Sudan and Israel as he announces that Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the first test of a Israel but Sudan carries added symbolism as an Arabia, home to Islam’s two holiest cities. “We have Sudan will normalize relations with Israel at the White Russian-made S-400 air defense system and dis- Arab nation that has been at war with Israel. at least five more that want to come in and we’ll House on Friday. — AFP missed US criticism. “We object to Turkey’s testing Trump announced the agreement by Sudan’s Continued on Page 2 of this system, which risks serious consequences for our security relationship,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said. “It is true about the tests, difficulties of turning it into lasting they have been done and will continue,” Erdogan Libyans voice peace on the ground. “We’ve seen a told reporters in Istanbul. “We’re not going to ask lot of deals in the past,” said Hassan America for permission.” — AFP Mahmud Al-Obeydi, a 40-year-old hope, doubts secondary school teacher from the eastern city of Benghazi. “What’s Pakistan stays on ‘grey list’ over ceasefire important is the implementation.” Friday’s deal was signed in Geneva PARIS: A global dirty money watchdog decid- TRIPOLI: Libyans have reacted with by military delegates from the two ed on Friday to keep Pakistan on its “grey list”, a mix of hope and skepticism after the main warring parties in the North despite progress by Islamabad on meeting signing of a nationwide ceasefire deal African country, which plunged into international anti-terrorism financing norms. intended to pave the way towards a violence in 2011 with the NATO- political solution to the country’s backed revolt that toppled veteran The Financial Action Task Force urged Pakistan GENEVA: This handout photo shows Head of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces dele- grinding conflict. While observers dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The to complete an internationally agreed action gation Emrajaa Al-Amami (left) and Head of the Government of National Accord’s have welcomed the UN-backed deal, Tripoli-based unity government and plan by Feb 2021.