THULQADA 12, 1440 AH MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019 28 Pages Max 46º Min 29º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17882 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Blackout disrupts Manhattan, Egypt opens two ancient Djokovic claims fifth Wimbledon England win World Cup 6 darkens Broadway theaters 22 pyramids, unveils new finds 28 crown in record-breaking final 28 after Super Over drama EU opens new mission in Kuwait to boost relations, cooperation Mogherini commends Amir’s wisdom, hails Kuwait as force for peace By Ben Garcia Zain Saudi Arabia’s net income KUWAIT: The EU’s diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said yesterday the bloc is increasing its engagement in the Middle East, as she opened a new growth soars to record-high mission in Kuwait City. The office in Kuwait’s tallest skyscraper is the third such EU mission in the Gulf, after Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. “This also sends a mes- Bader Al-Kharafi: Market capitalization of Zain sage to the whole region; the European Union is KSA has more than doubled over the last 12 months increasing its presence and engagement in the Middle East,” Mogherini said at the opening ceremony. “What happens to the Gulf matters to Europe and what hap- RIYADH: Zain Saudi Arabia (Zain pens to Europe matters to the Gulf,” she added. KSA), announces record-high finan- The ceremony in the Al Hamra Tower, which is also cial results for all key indicators for home to the French embassy, was attended by Kuwait’s the first six-months and second quar- Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. ter ended 30 June, 2019, with the The opening, decided several months ago, comes amid operator serving 8.3 million cus- a tense standoff between the United States and Iran tomers. which has affected the Gulf. “In a moment of regional and global tensions, Kuwait is a voice of wisdom and KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and force for peace and this is what made us natural part- European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini pose for a picture in front Key Operational and Financial ners,” Mogherini said. of a plaque during the opening ceremony of the European representative office yes- notes for the three months ended Continued on Page 24 terday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat (See Page 3) 30 June, 2019: 1. In June 2019, Zain KSA signed a new Islamic two-year (renewable) Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Murabaha Junior Credit facility agree- Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi ment amounting to SAR 2.25 billion MPs blast Al-Arabiya for insulting Kuwait with a syndicate of five core Saudi the Kingdom on its network, success- Arabian and regional banks to refi- fully exceeding speeds of 1000 Mbps By B Izzak erosity”, a clear reference to Kuwait’s neutral sides in the rift but made huge mediation nance a US $600 million facility 4. Zain KSA’s 5G technology stance in the two-year old feud between efforts to resolve it. The information ministry Lawmakers yesterday strongly Qatar on one hand and Saudi Arabia, United issued a statement yesterday strongly criti- became available at Neom Bay KUWAIT: 2. During Q2 2019, the company lashed out at Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya news Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt on the oth- cizing the Dubai-based channel for the insult. made an early voluntary payment Airport, making it the first airport in channel after they claimed an announcer er. The four countries imposed a total boycott It said Kuwait refuses to get involved in mat- towards the Senior Murabaha financ- the region to offer a 5G network deliberately slandered and insulted Kuwait. against Qatar accusing it of backing terror- ters that do not concern the country, deplor- ing agreement amounting to SAR 300 5. The launch of appealing B2B and Saudi news anchor Sarah Darandawi was ists. At the same time, Kuwait’s Amir and gov- ing remarks by the news anchor on Al- million, reflecting the company’s solid individual data monetization initia- reading a story about Qatar reportedly low- ernment remained neutral and have exerted Arabiya as tantamount to a grave insult. cashflow generation; bringing the total tives and packages have resulted in ering the price of alcohol in preparation for great efforts to end the rift. Kuwait will always be committed to the repayment amount to SAR 1.425 bil- an impressive uptake leading to the World Cup 2022, which Doha is hosting. Lawmakers and social media activists unity of the Gulf region through its efforts to lion in the past nine months healthy growth in customers, ARPU After finishing the story, the anchor com- strongly criticized the announcer, describing quell any internal discord, read a statement 3. Zain KSA made the first 5G call in and revenue. (See Page 11) mented “we are waiting for comments by her action as “insolence” and insulting to the by the ministry, which called for an end their friends in Kuwait over this Qatari gen- country, insisting that Kuwait has not taken Continued on Page 24 approaching Kuwaiti ports or leaving them, News in brief Kuwait moves to explained Sheikh Yusuf. Relations between Iran and the West have become increasing- Ashour: Halt expat recruitment ly strained after Britain seized an Iranian protect seaports tanker in Gibraltar last week and London KUWAIT: MP Saleh Ashour yesterday accused said its warship HMS Montrose had to fend the government of failing to rectify the distorted amid tensions off Iranian vessels seeking to block a demographic structure and called for an immediate British-owned tanker from passing through KUWAIT: Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA) halt in the recruitment of expatriates and dismissing the Strait of Hormuz. signed Saturday a cooperation protocol The most recent incidents followed a large numbers of foreign workers who are not with the ministry of defense, enabling the spate of attacks on tankers since May needed, who constitute a big burden on public navy to prepare security plans for the pro- around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of services. Ashour said on Twitter that a report in a tection of ports nationwide. “The protocol Oman, which the United States has blamed local daily said labor offices in Egypt receive 5,000 was signed at a time the region is experi- on Iran and are denied by Tehran. The two applicants monthly for jobs in Kuwait, which means encing a critical security situation,” KPA foes came close to direct military conflict 60,000 workers come annually from Egypt alone, Director General Sheikh Yusuf Abdullah last month when Iran shot down a US and many others from other countries. — B Izzak Al-Sabah said in a statement. “Therefore, drone and President Donald Trump we need collaboration of efforts between ordered retaliatory air strikes, only to call the two sides (KPA and navy) in order to them off minutes before impact. Tensions maintain security of Kuwaiti sea ports, and have risen sharply since Washington PACI wants to set up new centers to make sure we are ready for any emer- stepped up economic sanctions against gency,” he added. Iran and moved to bring its oil exports to KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Civil The protocol, signed at Mohammad Al- zero as part of a “maximum pressure” poli- KUWAIT: Representatives of the ports authority and navy sign a cooperation proto- Information has written to the finance ministry Ahmad Naval Base, stipulates training of cy to make Iran halt actions that it said col on Saturday. — KUNA about opening service centers for expats just like navy forces on towing and guiding of ships undermined regional security. — Agencies those for Kuwaitis. Informed sources said PACI deals with more than 3.3 million expats from all governorates to register their data and issue civil IDs. PACI wants specialized companies in this field to open these centers and link them with the main Muslims in database, maintaining data privacy at the authority. The role of these centers will only be to update Assam fear and enter data. PACI will not bear the cost of establishing these centers, but will fix the fees and provide supervisors. — Al-Rai for future KAMRUP, India: Born in India 71 years ago, Mohammed Rehat Ali is still trauma- tized a month after his release from a Airport sees 12% rise in passengers Qatar’s coastguards take part in the inauguration ceremony of the new building of detention camp, struggling to shake off a the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security yesterday. — AFP fear for the future shared by millions - ASSAM, India: In this photograph taken KUWAIT: Kuwait International Airport’s passen- many of them Muslims - under Prime on July 1, 2019, Mohammed Rehat Ali ger traffic rose by 12 percent in June compared to Al-Thani and commander of US Naval Minister Narendra Modi. The push to ren- holds a supreme court order declaring the same period a year earlier, the Civil Aviation Forces in the Middle East Vice Admiral der stateless people described as “infiltra- him an Indian citizen. — AFP Authority said yesterday. Some 1.36 million travel- Qatar opens Jim Malloy attended the ceremony at the tors” by Modi’s right-hand man has been ers converged on Kuwait airport last month, com- Al-Daayen naval base in Semaisima, 30 limited to the north-eastern state of Assam, him a Bangladeshi and sent him to a deten- pared to 1.2 million passengers in the same period biggest coast km from Doha on Qatar’s eastern coast. but his Hindu nationalist party wants to tion camp.