KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Amnesty Urges Kuwait to Release Top Writer [Jun 5]
“Amnesty International appealed to Kuwait on Saturday to immediately release a prominent writer whose family and lawyer insist he is being illegally detained.  In a letter addressed to the Gulf state’s ruler, the London-based rights watchdog called for all charges against Mohammad Abdulqader al-Jassem, who has been in custody since May 11 pending a trial, to be dropped.  “Amnesty International considers that Mohammad Abdulqader al-Jassem is a prisoner of conscience, held solely on account of his legitimate exercise of his right to freedom of expression, and is calling for his immediate and unconditional release,” it said in a statement.  Jassem has been charged with undermining the emir’s status, attacking the regime and spreading false information that harmed Kuwait’s national interests, which carries a penalty of several years in jail..”  [Complete Report]

KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Kuwaiti Journalists Tied to Israel: Iranian Ambassador  [Jun 4]
“Iran’s outgoing ambassador to Kuwait has accused some of the local journalists of receiving money to attack Iran and defend Israel, Kuwaiti media reported.  “They are journalists for hire and promote Zionists,” Ali Jannati allegedly said, arguing that the Israeli government often praised them and that their views were always given prominence on the Israeli foreign ministry website, Al Aan reported on Thursday.  “Kuwait’s democracy and press freedom are not found in other countries. The existence of a free press is a highly positive thing and we benefit a lot from opinion pieces and political analyses. We also welcome criticism on domestic and international issues,” he said.  “However, there are some fabricated news about the Islamic Republic of Iran and some of the opinion pieces are by journalists paid to write against Iran. Anti-Iran news are concocted and there is no attempt to check their veracity or accuracy,” he said, quoted by Al Jareeda daily.  However, no names or references were given by the ambassador at the farewell lunch he hosted for journalists in Kuwait..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait Foreign Assets Soar to $277 bln: Report  [Jun 4]
“The foreign assets of OPEC member Kuwait swelled to 277 billion dollars at the end of the fiscal year to March 31, up from 238 billion dollars a year earlier, the Al-Jarida newspaper said Friday.  The assets are held in two state-owned funds, the Reserve Fund for Future Generations (RFFG) whose assets grew to 220 billion dollars on March 31 up on 196 billion dollars the previous year.  The second fund is the General State Reserve with 57 billion dollars at the end of the last fiscal year up from 42 billion dollars, Al-Jarida said.  Finance Minister Mustafa al-Shamali gave a briefing on Kuwait’s financial postion to parliament at a secret session on Thursday and declined to reveal any figures to reporters.  Kuwaiti foreign investments, which were estimated to have soared to a record 300 billion dollars in 2008, were severely affected by the global economic crisis.  The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said in its 2009 World Investment Report that Kuwait sovereign wealth fund assets shrank by 94 billion dollars last year due to the economic meltdown.  But KIA categorically denied the report without providing any figures..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait Partnership  [Jun 4]
“A group of higher education officials from the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) college in Kuwait visited the University of Dayton to explore partnerships between the two schools.  PAAET officials Meshal Metle, dean of the College of Business Studies; Wael Alhasawi, dean of the College of Technological Studies; and Muhammad Alhatem, director of quality control, visited the University from May 21 through May 26 to explore ways the two institutions might join forces.  “We believe the University of Dayton is an excellent educational opportunity for PAAET students to continue their education,” said Metle. “There are many opportunities to pursue and we look forward to working with our University of Dayton colleagues to make a stronger partnership a reality.”..”  [Complete Report]

KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Sister Demands Release of Jailed Kuwaiti Blogger  [Jun 3]
“The sister of a prominent Kuwaiti blogger, on trial accused of insulting the head of state, said Thursday the charges against him were political and called for his release.  Blogger and journalist Mohammad Abdul-Kader al-Jassem faces up to 18 years’ imprisonment if convicted, according to his lawyers. He was detained on May 11 after a complaint against him was issued by the office of Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah.  “We demand his release and the dropping of all charges against him,” his sister Sabiha Abdul-Kader al-Jassem told Reuters during a visit to London. “The charges are all political because of his criticism of the government.”  She added: “What I want to say to the world is that Mohammad Abdul-Kader al-Jassem is a lawyer and author … and cannot in any way break the law in anything he does or writes. He practised his right, the right we in Kuwait have been used to, freedom of expression, freedom to write, freedom to publish.”..”
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-49032620100603

KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Kuwaiti Activists Given Heroes’ Welcome  [Jun 2]
“Kuwait lawmaker Waleed Al Tabtabai has vowed to return to Gaza with humanitarian aid hours after he was released by the Israelis who had detained him in a deadly raid on Freedom Flotilla.  “I will go back to Gaza to support the Palestinians. What the Israeli forces did was pure piracy and I refused to answer questions during their investigation with me,” the MP said.  “The Israelis beat me up, handcuffed me and did not allow me to use the bathroom,” he told the media upon his arrival in Jordan before his transfer alongside 15 Kuwaitis to Kuwait City.  The activists who included a lawyer and reporters working for Kuwait news Agency (Kuna) were welcomed at the airport at around 10 am by Jassem Al Khorafi, the parliament speaker, Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammad, the prime minister, officials and relatives in a joyous reunion..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait’s Mina Abdulla Refinery Back to Full Capacity After Fire  [Jun 2]
“Kuwait’s Mina Abdulla oil refinery is operating at full capacity following a shutdown yesterday after a fire in a pipeline connected to a hydrogen unit, Kuwait National Petroleum Co. spokesman Mohammed al-Ajmi said today.  “The refinery is back to full capacity now since 2:00 a.m. this morning,” al-Ajmi said in a phone interview from Kuwait. “The fire was extinguised at 7:40 last night, the affected hydrogen unit has been isolated.”  Mina Abdulla is the second-largest of three refineries in the country and has a capacity of 270,000 barrels a day of oil..”  [Complete Report]

UAE, Kuwait Ink MoU on Civil Aviation Cooperation [Jun 2]
“The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA) and Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) entered into a memorandum of agreement (MoU) for boosting joint cooperation in civil aviation sector.  The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the regional civil aviation conference which concluded here yesterday, by Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of the GCCA and Fuawz Al Farah, Chairman of DGCA.  The memo, inked within the framework continued GCC coordination in civil aviation, envisages joint cooperation in diverse areas of exchange of knowledge, training, consultation and expertise.  Under the agreement, both parties will take optimal benefit from available potentials in both countries in fields like inspection, licensing, investigation of air crashes and assessment..”  [Complete Report]

KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Kuwait May Decide on New Oil Refinery by September  [Jun 1]
“Kuwait’s top oil policy body may decide by the end of September whether to build a fourth oil refinery to meet domestic fuel demand and for export after political opposition quashed the project last year.  The Supreme Petroleum Council will review technical committee findings on whether to resume the project at its next meeting, the committee’s head and council member Imad Alatiqi said in an interview in Bahrain today. The council could make a decision on the plan from this month through September, he said.  Kuwait, holder of the world’s fourth-largest crude oil reserves, put on hold a plan for what would be the Persian Gulf country’s fourth refinery in March 2009 after the government canceled contracts following political opposition. Costs for the project had almost quadrupled by 2007 to 4 billion Kuwaiti dinars ($13.7 billion), Alatiqi said.  “The economics of the project had changed,” leading a government audit committee to object to the plan, he said. “We have to address all the comments and questions of the audit committee or it won’t be worthwhile relaunching a project with any loopholes or problems in the plan.”..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait, Iraq Likely to Reach Deal on Border Wells  [Jun 1]
“Chairman and Managing Director of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) Sami Al-Rushaid announced Tuesday that Kuwait and Iraq would reach an agreement on the exploitation of the oil wells on their border areas soon.  Speaking to reporters after the award ceremony of the Chairman’s Award for Health, Safety and Environment, Al-Rushaid said the two countries set up a joint panel to probe the border issue with KOC leading the Kuwaiti side.  He downplayed concerns about the impact of Iraq’s exploitation of its southern oil wells on Kuwait’s interests, saying that Kuwait’s two northern wells of Al-Retqa and Al-Abdaly account for small percentage of the country’s oil production.  The contract, signed by KOC and Shell on the development of Jurassic oil gas wells in northern Kuwait, has been brought into force recently,” he said, noting that experts from both sides are supervising the project..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait Extends Hours Women Allowed to Work  [Jun 1]
“Females working in certain sectors, like banking and hospitality, in Kuwait will be able to work up until midnight under new Labour Ministry rules, it has been reported.  Female journalists, medical workers and lawyers will also be able to work nightshifts until this time, the Kuwait Times reports.  Dr. Mohammad Al-Afasi, Labour Minister, announced the new rules, according to the report, citing Al-Watan newspaper.  However, women will be banned from working in physically demanding roles, including handling petrochemicals and in manufacturing roles where chemicals are used, the report said.  The new rules also cover an outside work ban for both men and women between 12 noon and 4pm from June 1 until the end of August because of the extreme summer heat..”  [Complete Report]

KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Kuwait to Meet on Israeli Aid Boat Raid  [May 31]
“Kuwait’s cabinet is to hold an emergency meeting on Monday after a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla carrying 16 Kuwaitis including an MP, the official KUNA news agency reported.  Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah called the meeting to discuss the latest developments related to the aid convoy, KUNA cited communications minister and government spokesman Mohammad al-Baseeri as saying.  Islamist MP Waleed al-Tabtabai was among 16 Kuwaiti nationals on board one of the six ships carrying aid destined for Palestinians in Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli siege for four years.  Parliament speaker Jassem al-Khorafi condemned what he called the “heinous Israeli crime against the freedom convoy which was on a peaceful and humanitarian mission..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait Oil Official: Crude Could Fall to $60  [May 31]
“One of Kuwait’s oil officials believes the price of a barrel of crude oil could fall to $60, reports Maktoob.com.  The website quotes the official speaking to Kuwait daily al-Seyassah. “The drop in prices could continue and reach $60 a barrel and it is an issue correlated to the global economy, ” Nawal al-Fuzaia, Kuwait’s national representative to OPEC, told al-Seyassah.  He went on to say that a range of $70 to $80 was fair for both consumers and producers. Maktoob says that the benchmark US crude futures fell to $73.97 a barrel on Friday, equating to the worst monthly loss since December 2008..”  [Complete Report]

First Iraqi Envoy to Kuwait in 20 Years  [May 31]
” Iraq’s first ambassador to Kuwait since the invasion 20 years ago has arrived amid increasing tension between the two countries over the payment of war reparations.  Mohammed Hussein Bahr al Ulum avoided questions from a swarm of journalists when he flew into Kuwait Airport from Dubai on Sunday. Officials at the Iraqi Embassy said yesterday that the ambassador would arrange a press conference within the next two weeks to address concerns, including what many believe to be an Iraqi attempt to avoid paying money owed to Kuwait by dissolving Iraqi Airways last week.  The Iraqi Embassy in Kuwait opened in temporary quarters in 2005 after the permanent building was wrecked by locals when coalition forces brushed aside Saddam Hussein’s army in 1991..”  [Complete Report]

Yemen, Kuwait Review Media Cooperation  [May 31]
“Chairman of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) Yasin al-Masoudi met on Monday with the Kuwaiti ambassador to Yemen Salem Ghasab al-Zamnan.  During the meeting, the talks focused on media cooperation between media personnel in the two countries as well as means of how to reinforce this kind of cooperation.  Al-Masoudi affirmed the depth of the Yemeni and Kuwait ties and the role played by journalists in the two countries to boost and improve these ties, noting the active role of the Kuwaiti ambassador in preparing cooperation and communication opportunities between Yemen and Kuwait media institutions.  For his part, the ambassador pointed out that the Yemeni and Kuwaiti relations witness a big growth and are always improving to achieve progress in the process of relations development..” [Complete Report]

Kuwait’s May Output for Neutral Zone Reaches 260,000bpd [May 31]
“Kuwait’s oil production from the shared Neutral Zone it shares with Saudi Arabia hit 260,000 barrels per day (bpd) in May, a senior official said on Monday.  While speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Manama, Bader al Khashti, managing director, Kuwait Gulf Oil Company, said: “We produced around 260,000 bpd this month, we have four rigs in operation.”  Kuwait said in April that the two countries have boosted output capacity from the shared zone to 610,000 barrels per day from around 550,000 bpd.  But it said they have drawn back from long term plans plans to further boost capacity to 700,000 to 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) by 2030 as the fields in the zone are declining.  Kuwait and Saudi Arabia plan to increase the percentage of oil recovered from the fields with oil major Chevron to maintain onshore output..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait, Japan Begin Preparatory Talks on Joint Committee  [May 31]
“Kuwait and Japan on Monday began working-level preparatory talks before the first meeting of the Japan-Kuwait Joint Committee due later this week, with the both sides planning to raise their concerns to share and to discuss content of a planned joint statement.  The Kuwaiti participants were to present such issues as the nation’s five-year plan, introduction of nuclear power generation project, needs on renewable energy and energy conservation, as well as regional projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.  The Japanese side was expected to note the importance of early conclusions of a bilateral investment treaty and GCC-Japan free trade agreement (FTA) and to underline promotion of exchanges in line with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Kuwaiti-Japanese diplomatic ties in 2011..”  [Complete Report]

KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Kuwait MP Requests Probe of Prime Minister Over Pollution  [May 30]
“Kuwait’s lawmakers and the government are apparently set for a fresh clash after an opposition MP on Sunday filed for an interrogation of the prime minister over a failure to tackle pollution.  “This is mainly a humanitarian quizzing. I have tried all ways to resolve the pollution issue, but to no avail,” Khalid Al Tahous, MP for the Popular Action Bloc, said after he filed a 19-page request to question Shaikh Nasser Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah. “The grilling is to highlight how the state laws have not been applied and how people who have abused the system and caused the deterioration of living conditions in the Ali Sabah Al Salem area (formerly Um Haiman) have not been held responsible for their acts. I do hope that the MPs would get familiar with the grilling before they issue any judgement,” Al Tahous said.  Al Tahous had often said that he would push for the parliament probe of the government if it did not move to tackle the pollution problem affecting several residential areas in the area, located south of Kuwait City..”  [Complete Report]

Lawyers Call for Revision of Kuwait Divorce Laws [May 30]
“Lawyers and sociologists in Kuwait have called for rewriting the divorce laws after official figures indicated that 42 per cent of marriages ended in separations in 2009.  “There are many reasons for the alarming increase in divorce rates, but the Kuwaiti law is also to blame,” lawyers said. “Under the law, a divorcee gets a salary, a house, a car and a maid and at the same time, she is free of all marriage commitments,” Kuwaiti newspaper Al Seyassah quoted the lawyers as saying.  Laws and legal texts that do not place family bonds and cohesion at the top of the priorities should be amended as they are often the direct or indirect causes of high divorce rates, the lawyers said.  “The phenomenon is widespread mainly among newly-married couples, which denotes that they were not ready for marriage. Their lack of experience and their inability to appreciate the commitments and responsibilities associated with the marriage are the main cause of this phenomenon,” the lawyers said..”  [Complete Report]

Hamas Praises Kuwait’s Part in Freedom Fleet  [May 30]
“Hamas-led dismissed government in Gaza welcomed here yesterday a Kuwaiti ship’s participation in the Gaza-destined “Freedom Fleet” as a “praiseworthy move”. Speaking to reporters, Ismail Haniya, the prime minister of the dismissed government in Gaza, said: “The presence of the (Kuwaiti) ship shows that the great Kuwaiti people stand beside Gaza and the people of Gaza.  We greet Kuwait’s Amir, people and government. We wish that the Kuwaiti and Algerian ships, together with other ships, could safely reach Gaza.” Earlier in the day, Haniya joined a rally at Gaza harbor as part of underway preparations for receiving the “Freedom Fleet”, which is hoped to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip.  He urged the international community, mainly the UN and the EU, to pressure Israel to allow the ships to enter the Palestinian territory. The “Freedom Fleet” consists of a cargo ship funded by Kuwait raising the flags of Turkey and Kuwait, a cargo ship funded by Algeria, and a cargo ship funded by Europe from Sweden and Greece, and five vessels to transport passengers..”  [Complete Report]

KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Kuwait MP Requests Probe of Prime Minister Over Pollution  [May 30]
“Kuwait’s lawmakers and the government are apparently set for a fresh clash after an opposition MP on Sunday filed for an interrogation of the prime minister over a failure to tackle pollution.  “This is mainly a humanitarian quizzing. I have tried all ways to resolve the pollution issue, but to no avail,” Khalid Al Tahous, MP for the Popular Action Bloc, said after he filed a 19-page request to question Shaikh Nasser Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah.  “The grilling is to highlight how the state laws have not been applied and how people who have abused the system and caused the deterioration of living conditions in the Ali Sabah Al Salem area (formerly Um Haiman) have not been held responsible for their acts. I do hope that the MPs would get familiar with the grilling before they issue any judgement,” Al Tahous said.  Al Tahous had often said that he would push for the parliament probe of the government if it did not move to tackle the pollution problem affecting several residential areas in the area, located south of Kuwait City..”  [Complete Report]

Lawyers Call for Revision of Kuwait Divorce Laws [May 30]
“Lawyers and sociologists in Kuwait have called for rewriting the divorce laws after official figures indicated that 42 per cent of marriages ended in separations in 2009.  “There are many reasons for the alarming increase in divorce rates, but the Kuwaiti law is also to blame,” lawyers said. “Under the law, a divorcee gets a salary, a house, a car and a maid and at the same time, she is free of all marriage commitments,” Kuwaiti newspaper Al Seyassah quoted the lawyers as saying.  Laws and legal texts that do not place family bonds and cohesion at the top of the priorities should be amended as they are often the direct or indirect causes of high divorce rates, the lawyers said.  “The phenomenon is widespread mainly among newly-married couples, which denotes that they were not ready for marriage. Their lack of experience and their inability to appreciate the commitments and responsibilities associated with the marriage are the main cause of this phenomenon,” the lawyers said..”  [Complete Report]

Hamas Praises Kuwait’s Part in Freedom Fleet  [May 30]
“Hamas-led dismissed government in Gaza welcomed here yesterday a Kuwaiti ship’s participation in the Gaza-destined “Freedom Fleet” as a “praiseworthy move”. Speaking to reporters, Ismail Haniya, the prime minister of the dismissed government in Gaza, said: “The presence of the (Kuwaiti) ship shows that the great Kuwaiti people stand beside Gaza and the people of Gaza.  We greet Kuwait’s Amir, people and government. We wish that the Kuwaiti and Algerian ships, together with other ships, could safely reach Gaza.” Earlier in the day, Haniya joined a rally at Gaza harbor as part of underway preparations for receiving the “Freedom Fleet”, which is hoped to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip.  He urged the international community, mainly the UN and the EU, to pressure Israel to allow the ships to enter the Palestinian territory. The “Freedom Fleet” consists of a cargo ship funded by Kuwait raising the flags of Turkey and Kuwait, a cargo ship funded by Algeria, and a cargo ship funded by Europe from Sweden and Greece, and five vessels to transport passengers..”  [Complete Report]

KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Kuwaiti Lawmaker Calls for Formal Recognition of Kosovo [May 29]
“A Kuwaiti MP has called upon Kuwait to recognise Kosovo as an independent state.  “We urge our government not to wait any longer and recognise diplomatically the state of Kosovo,” Mohammad Al Hayef said.  “Most Gulf Cooperation Council member countries have already recognised Kosovo and Kuwait too should do it. Such a move is necessitated by the right of faith brotherhood and the sense of Islamic identity,” he said.   Kosovo declared its independence on February 17, 2008.  The UAE on October 14, 2008, became the first Arab country to recognise the state, followed by Saudi Arabia on April 20, 2009, Bahrain on May 19, 2009 and Jordan on July 8, 2009.  Other Arab countries that recognised Kosovo are Mauritania on January 12, 2010, Djibouti on May 12, 2010. Somalia on May 19 became the 69th country to recognise Kosovo as an independent state.  The United States, Canada, Australia and 22 out of 27 European Union states recognise Kosovo as independent..”  [Complete Report]

KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Daughter of Imprisoned Kuwaiti Activist Pleads to Emir  [May 28]
“The daughter of an imprisoned Kuwaiti activist has made an unprecedented televised emotional appeal to the country’s Emir, urging him to order his release.  Sumaya Al Jasem said on Al Rai television on Thursday evening that she was making the appeal to see her father Mohammad Al Jasem back home because he was innocent and had never attacked the Emir.  “My father has been detained for two weeks now. I want to clarify his positions and to stop those who want to unfairly accuse him of things he never said or wrote,” she said in the live appeal.  “I appeal to the father of all Kuwaitis, His Highness the Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah. I do not know how to begin this plea, but I would like to read out excerpts from what my father had said about the Emir and the Al Sabah family.”  “He said, and I quote ‘I state my views publicly. There are those who support them and those who oppose them. I do not head a political party or a secret organisation. I do not seek to get anybody removed from their chairs or to harm them.’..”  [Complete Report]