THULHIJJA 8, 1441 AH WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2020 16 Pages Max 43º Min 32º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 18194 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Cabinet assures Amir’s ‘Safe haven’ gold has a Israel city’s bid to honor Games postponed as MLB 3 health condition is stable 9 rich 3,000-year history 13 Egyptian diva stirs anger 16 rocked by virus outbreak Taxis back on streets, curfew eased, mall timings extended Civil aviation authority applies final touches to air travel resumption plan KUWAIT: Kuwait entered phase three of a five- media platforms, has been designed to provide trav- phase return to normal life yesterday, with curfew elers with a solid understanding of the health proto- restrictions eased to be from 9 pm to 3 am. Taxis cols and safety measures that need to be followed were also back on the roads yesterday after more during their journeys, Saad Al-Otaibi, the chief of an than four months of suspension as part of measures ad hoc committee looking into the matter, told to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, they are KUNA ahead of the August 1 airport reopening. only allowed to carry one passenger. As more countries require incoming passengers The Municipality also extended opening hours of to provide negative COVID-19 test results, he said malls to be from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm with the start travelers should register their flight details online of the third phase. Under this phase, government at www.kuwaitmosafer.com in order to schedule and private offices can operate at up to 50 percent an appointment for their coronavirus diagnostic capacity. Resorts, hotels and furnished apartments tests. A smartphone app has also been launched in were also allowed to reopen. The Cabinet will a bid to simplify travel procedures for passengers, review the curfew hours in its first meeting after the the official added, reminding them to adhere to Eid Al-Adha holidays. strict health precautions including wearing face- Meanwhile, Kuwait’s aviation regulator said on masks and following social distancing rules. Monday that all preparations are firmly in place as Kuwait International Airport will resume commer- the country looks to open its airport for commercial cial flights from Saturday as part of a three-phase flights this week after a four-month hiatus. A bilin- plan, starting with no more than 30 percent KUWAIT: Taxis are seen after they were allowed to resume operations yesterday. — Photo by Fouad Al-Shaikh gual guidebook, which can be viewed on social capacity. — Agencies on the agenda of the next regular session, which will be companies won contracts with the government worth Muwaizri files determined by the Assembly office. dozens of millions of dinars, which constitute a flagrant Muwaizri claimed in the grilling that the minister violation of the constitution. committed a large number of grave constitutional and Muwaizri also accused the minister of failing to do to grill Saleh legal violations that necessitated filing this questioning. enough to stop illegal arrests, detentions and even tor- He claimed in the grilling that the interior minister con- ture at police stations and other interior ministry cen- By B Izzak tinued to practice businesses while in the Cabinet and ters in total violation of the country’s constitution and that his businesses benefited from his post as a mem- laws. He said merely based on suspicion or a com- KUWAIT: Leading opposition MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri ber of the Cabinet, alleging his companies were award- plaint, interior ministry interrogators immediately call yesterday filed to grill Interior Minister Anas Al-Saleh ed contracts worth millions of dinars. suspects before carrying out any investigation to over alleged wide-ranging violations that include police The lawmaker said in the grilling that the Kuwaiti establish if the suspicion or complaint is serious. And abuses, irregularities in electoral rolls and carrying out constitution and laws ban any minister or senior official when the suspects arrive at police stations, they are commercial activities as a minister. Assembly Speaker from conducting any commercial or financial deals immediately detained before any interrogation, adding Marzouq Al-Ghanem said he received the grilling and with the government while in their posts. But he said that all these practices breach the law. informed the Cabinet. He said the grilling will be listed Saleh benefited from his Cabinet post and that his Continued on Page 2 Shuaib Al-Muwaizri Anas Al-Saleh The pandemic has, however, badly Virus forces hit India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, which have shut or heavily restricted major markets, while fears about Najib handed 12 animal sellers catching the virus are keeping cus- tomers away ahead of the main festival online for Eid on Saturday. “We were traumatized by years in jail over the loss of two of my uncles to NEW DELHI: Prancing in front of a COVID-19 and didn’t want to sacrifice 1MDB scandal camera with its blond mane blowing in an animal,” Saddid Hossain told AFP in the wind, “007” is one of thousands of Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka. “But we KUALA LUMPUR: goats being sold online as Muslims have to stay within our religious tradi- Former Malaysian prime prepare for a key religious festival tion, so we’d rather buy from an online minister Najib Razak shaken this year by the coronavirus cow seller.” was sentenced to 12 pandemic. Millions of goats, sheep and Faced with deserted markets, live- years in jail yesterday cattle are slaughtered annually on Eid stock breeders and traders have after being found guilty Al-Adha - the festival of sacrifice - turned to websites, apps and social in his first trial over the one of two major holy days observed media to showcase their animals. ISLAMABAD: Muhammad Naeem uploads a picture of a goat on his website multi-billion-dollar by Muslims across the world, including Fahad Zariwala promotes goats such ahead of Eid al-Adha at a farm on July 22, 2020. — AFP 1MDB scandal. The some 600 million in South Asia. Continued on Page 2 Kuala Lumpur High Court also ordered him to pay a fine of 210 mil- national security advisor Robert lion ringgit ($49 million) Najib Razak Trump bets O’Brien had tested positive. The facility after he was convicted has been awarded a contract to mass of seven charges related to the looting of sover- on vaccine for produce an experimental vaccine eign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad. developed by Novavax, as part of a Najib was found guilty earlier yesterday of multi-billion dollar government initia- corruption over the 1MDB scandal that cost him shot in arm tive dubbed Operation Warp Speed. his government. The ex-prime minister was con- The plan involves investing heavily victed on all charges in his first trial related to the WASHINGTON: US President in leading pharmaceuticals to aid their looting of sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Donald Trump vowed to defeat the development and manufacturing efforts, Development Berhad. Billions of dollars were coronavirus by “unleashing American with the goal of delivering 300 million stolen from the investment vehicle and spent on scientific genius” as he toured a doses of vaccine by Jan 2021. It’s “never everything from high-end real estate to pricey COVID-19 vaccine facility in the swing been done before, but we suspect it’s art, while investment bank Goldman Sachs also state of North Carolina on Monday. going to work, and work very well,” became embroiled in the scandal. Trump appears to have pinned his added Trump, who later donned a black Anger at the looting played a large part in the hopes on the swift emergence of a suc- mask and toured the lab. shock loss of Najib’s long-ruling coalition in cessful vaccine to both contain the The United States is by far the elections in 2018, and he was arrested and hit country’s still raging epidemic and worst-hit country in the world, with with dozens of charges following his defeat. The revive his faltering re-election hopes. more than 4.2 million confirmed verdict was a test of Malaysia’s rule of law. It “We will achieve a victory over the COVID-19 cases and nearly 150,000 came about five months after Najib’s scandal- virus by unleashing American scientific deaths. Though the number of new cas- plagued party returned to power as part of genius,” he told reporters at Fujifilm es has leveled off over the past few Continued on Page 2 Diosynth Biotechnologies in days, the US has failed to push its curve MORRISVILLE, North Carolina: US President Donald Trump wears a mask as he Morrisville, hours after it was revealed Continued on Page 2 tours a lab making components for a potential vaccine on Monday. — AFP 2 Established 1961 Wednesday, July 29, 2020 Local Kuwait’s Deputy Amir receives Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Bangladesh, Yemen prime ministers inquire about Amir’s health KUWAIT: His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The Yemeni Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah official wished for the wellbeing of His Highness the received at Seif Palace yesterday His Highness Sheikh Amir. His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled thanked Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. the Yemeni official for his sincere sentiments, wish- Separately, His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown ing the best for the Yemeni people and government. Prince received on Monday a telephone call from In other news, His Highness the Deputy Amir and Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- inquired about health of His Highness the Amir Sabah addressed a cable of condolences to Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, wishing Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman him life-long good health and wellbeing.