KAKAMMPI News

WASHINGTON: The US government on Wednesday announced what it said was the last remaining package of weapons available for Ukraine under existing authorization, with Congress now needing to decide whether to keep supporting Kyiv's battle against Russian invasion. "The year's final package" includes air-defense and artillery munitions, the State Department said in a statement. It added that Congress, where Republicans are split on supporting Ukraine, should "act swiftly" to renew the flow. President Joe Biden has made backing Ukraine a priority, and US weapons and financial assistance have been crucial in helping the pro-Western country battle against a far larger attacking Russian force. However, right-wing Republicans have led a push to halt the effort, refusing to authorize new budget outlays if the Democrats don't first agree to sweeping, tough new measures against illegal migration over the US southern border. The final tranche of aid is worth u...

KUWAIT: Two bodies found by Iraqi authorities are believed to be those of a missing Kuwaiti and his Saudi companion who had disappeared in the western Anbar province, Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Salem Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah said on Tuesday. Expressing his “anguish” over the harrowing ordeal, the minister extended his condolences to the families of the victims, saying his ministry is in close contact with Iraqi authorities to uncover the details of the incident. Sheikh Salem praised the efforts of Iraqi authorities in discovering the fate of the missing individuals in a prompt and timely manner. Hunters from wealthy Gulf states often make trips to Iraq’s southern and western desert in search of hawks. Iraqi security officials had said on Monday an initial investigation showed that one of the victims’ vehicles was attacked by gunmen and contact had been lost with the two. The desert region is known to be a hiding place for Islamic State militant groups that are still act...

RIYADH: GCC Secretary Jasem Al-Budaiwi said on Thursday that the freshly crafted free trade agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Republic of South Korea would boost commercial exchanges between the two sides. The GCC said in a statement that Al-Budaiwi signed a joint statement with South Korean Trade Minister Ahn Duk Geun to conclude negotiations and reach a free trade agreement between the GCC and Seoul. This agreement will contribute to an increasing volume of bilateral trade and commercial exchange in goods and services and enhance economic diversification between the GCC member states and South Korea, he said. According to the statement, Al-Budaiwi said that the signing came after over five rounds of negotiations and reflected the real common desire to strengthen the strategic partnership and economic cooperation between the two sides. According to Al-Budaiwi, who was cited in the statement, the free trade agreements are a result of the GCC leaders’ directives t...

TOKYO: Kuwait’s crude oil exports to Japan in November fell 3.6 percent from a year earlier to 7.00 million barrels, or 233,000 barrels per day (bpd), marking the second consecutive month of decline, government data showed Thursday. As Japan’s third-biggest oil provider, Kuwait supplied 9.0 percent of its total crude imports, compared with 9.4 percent in the same month of last year, the Japanese Natural Resources and Energy Agency said in a preliminary report. Japan’s overall imports of crude oil in November edged up 0.5 percent year-on-year to 2.59 million bpd, up for the first time in five months. Shipments from the Middle East accounted for 94.6 percent of the total, down 0.8 percentage points from the year before. By country, Saudi Arabia remained in the top spot, with imports from the kingdom jumping 18.1 percent from the year before to 1.11 million bpd, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 974,000 bpd, down 9.0 percent. Qatar ranked fourth with 121,000 bpd and the US fifth...

By Ghadeer Ghloum & Chidi Emmanuel KUWAIT: Christmas and the New Year have a long history and continue to be practiced by various Christian communities in the Middle East. In Kuwait, Christmas and the New Year are celebrated in unique and diverse ways. Celebrations vary depending on the Christian denomination, work schedule and environment. Kuwait Times explores some common ways people celebrate Christmas and the New Year. Church services There is a flurry of activities during this festive period. From Christmas Eve until the New Year, church services are an integral part of the celebrations for Christians in the Middle East. Many churches hold special liturgies, including midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ (PBUH). “Christmas and the New Year are very important days in the life of every good Christian. We celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Day and usher in the New Year with prayers and thanksgiving,” Reginald Ado, an African expat, t...

KUWAIT: The Manpower Authority has initiated the procedures for implementing the decision of the Demographic Structure Amendment Committee regarding the Kuwaitization of government contracts. It aims to encourage young people to work in the private sector, as it asked government agencies to review their contracts before signing them to ensure the availability of job security clauses for workers in government contracts, as well as to review conditions that increase the percentage of national employment and create new job opportunities. The Authority has also started preparing conditions and procedures that oblige contractors to grant workers some benefits, such as health insurance, annual travel tickets, and salary scales. These conditions will be submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval. According to official sources, the increase in national employment in government contracts is expected to provide at least 5,000 jobs for Kuwaitis next year. This can also reduce expatriate...

Employees in private sector also permitted to work from home KUWAIT: Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled Al-Sabah on Thursday issued a decision allowing expats in the private sector to work part-time jobs provided the original employer/sponsor allows them, the Public Authority of Manpower said in a statement. The decision takes effect from the start of next month, the authority said. Under the decision, expats are allowed to work part-time for a maximum of four hours daily, except for the contracting sector, where there is no limit. To be able to do a part-time job, expats must obtain the approval of their employers and secure a work permit for that purpose from the Public Authority of Manpower. According to the statement, the main aim of the decision is to allow the better utilization of expat manpower already in Kuwait instead of new recruitment to help efforts underway to rebalance the demographic structure in the country, which is heavily tilted in favor of expats, who fo...

NEW DELHI, India — India's government has recently targeted high-profile journalists with Pegasus spyware, Amnesty International and The Washington Post said in a joint investigation published Thursday. Created by Israeli firm NSO Group and sold to governments around the world, Pegasus software can be used to access a phone's messages and emails, peruse photos, eavesdrop on calls, track locations and even film the owner with the camera. Amnesty said journalists Siddharth Varadarajan of The Wire and Anand Mangnale of The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project had been targeted with the spyware on their iPhones, with the latest identified case occurring in October. "Our latest findings show that increasingly, journalists in India face the threat of unlawful surveillance simply for doing their jobs, alongside other tools of repression including imprisonment under draconian laws, smear campaigns, harassment, and intimidation," said Donncha O Cearbhaill, Head ...

For the very first time, Filipino Catholics in Truro in Nova Scotia were able to attend the "Simbang Gabi” in their adopted country. More than a hundred Filipino faithfuls trooped to the Immaculate Conception Church for their first-ever evening Masses in Truro on Dec. 17. Community leaders Peachy Forbes and Ruby Lapatha collaborated with their parish priest, Fr. Jim O’Connor, and with the members of the Filipino Association of Truro to bring the Simbang Gabi to their church. Marisol Aggabao, member of the Filipino Association of Truro, said they fully supported this idea especially since fellow Filipinos who have been away from the homeland for many years. "It's about time to recognize and to bring [our] cultural heritage," she said. "These are our custom in the Philippines. For Filipinos to see that here in Truro, we're all excited." During the Simbang Gabi, children also serenaded the parishioners with their performance of Christmas carols. Agga...

A plane made a bumpy landing at London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday, as Storm Gerrit caused heavy winds to batter parts of the UK. The storm caused travel disruption and damaged houses and cars in some places, with emergency services working to clear the affected areas.

Data released by the US Census Bureau on Thursday said the world population grew by 75 million people over the past year. On New Year's Day it will stand at more than 8 billion people. The projected world population on January 1, 2024 is 8,019,876,189, up by 75,162,541 (0.95%) from New Year’s Day 2023. At the beginning of 2024, 4.3 births and two deaths are expected worldwide every second, according to the Census Bureau. US POPULATION GROWTH SLOWS The US had a growth rate of 0.53%, just over half the worldwide average figure. It added 1.7 million people and will have a population on New Year's Day of 335.8 million people. The slowest-growing decade currently was in the aftermath of the Great Depression in the 1930s, at 7.3%. If the current pace continues through the end of the 2020s, it could be the slowest-growing decade in US history, at less than 4%, William Frey, a demographer at The Brookings Institution told the AP news agency. "Of course growth may tick up ...

China on Thursday (December 28) said it will not turn a blind eye to repeated "provocations and harassment" by the Philippines, amid heightened tensions over a spate of run-ins in the West Philippine Sea. At a news conference, Wu Qian, a spokesperson at the defense ministry said the China Coast Guard took necessary enforcement measures which were justified and legitimate. Calling the accusations "purely false hype," Wu Qian, a ministry spokesperson, said the Philippine side insisted on sending vessels to "intrude into" waters near a disputed shoal and "proactively rammed" a Chinese Coast Guard vessel. Manila earlier this month accused the Chinese coastguard and maritime militia of repeatedly firing water cannons at its resupply boats, causing "serious engine damage" to one, and "deliberately" ramming another. Relations soured between the two neighbors over the West Philippine Sea under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos...

A young child was pulled out alive from the rubble of a collapsed building on Thursday after a deadly airstrike in Rafah. Rescuers carried the little girl away from the rubble and rushed her to Kuwaiti hospital amid chaotic scenes. It happened after an Israeli air strike on Thursday killed 20 Palestinians and wounded 55 in Rafah, a major town near Gaza's southern border with Egypt, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra said. The building that was hit was housing displaced civilians, according to local medics and residents. Palestinian health ministry said that the toll of Palestinians killed in the war so far to 21,320 - nearly 1 percent of Gaza's population. Thousands more dead are feared to be buried or lost in the ruins.

The Los Angeles County jury has ordered a transportation company to pay Guillermo Aviles a sum of $17.5 million for damages due to negligence that resulted in his death. According to court records, the driver of the Access Service van neglected and abandoned Aviles, a 61-year-old Filipino, who tripped upon exiting the vehicle, causing his head to hit the pavement and his eventual demise. The incident happened in 2020 after Aviles underwent dialysis treatment and was being transported back to his home in Long Beach, California. The order comes after the Los Angeles County Superior Court jury sided with the arguments presented by Aviles family's lawyers, emphasizing the driver's responsibility to ensure the safe return of their passengers. In a video sent by Attorney Raphael Javid of The Javid Trial Firm to GMA Integrated News, it can be seen that the driver did not assist or escort the victim into the house, despite knowing that the victim was disabled. The video also sho...

NEW YORK — The California Labor Commissioner's Office has concluded a $5.5-million settlement against Adat Shalom Board and Care Inc. in a wage theft lawsuit, compensating 148 caregivers, mostly Filipino immigrants, at the employer's six adult care facilities in Los Angeles. Despite providing around the clock care to elderly residents, the workers were only compensated for six hours daily. The initial payment of $2 million from the settlement has already been distributed to the workers, many of whom have dedicated numerous years to their roles in the healthcare facilities. The investigation was initiated in June 2017 following a report of labor law violations from the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), which resulted in citations issued in 2018. Adat Shalom Board and Care Inc. and its owner-operator Angelica Reingold appealed the citations, which were upheld in 2021. Subsequently, the Labor Commissioner's Office filed a lawsuit to reverse the improper transfer of assets, l...

Two Filipinas who were victims of human trafficking in Malaysia have returned to the Philippines in time for Christmas, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Monday. The repatriated individuals, whose names were withheld by BI, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on December 20. The victims said they left the Philippines earlier this year via a boat trip through the Palawan-Kudat route because they were “enticed by promises of employment as waitresses in clubs.” They were, however, deprived of any compensation for their work when they started their jobs, according to Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco. “One of them even faced further distress when she expressed her desire to return home. Instead of letting her go, her employer reported her to Malaysian authorities for working without a proper visa, resulting in her detention,” he said. Tansingco said the situation of the victims served as a reminder of the challenge...

Two Filipinas who were victims of human trafficking in Malaysia have returned to the Philippines in time for Christmas, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Monday. The repatriated individuals, whose names were withheld by BI, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on December 20. The victims said they left the Philippines earlier this year via a boat trip through the Palawan-Kudat route because they were “enticed by promises of employment as waitresses in clubs.” They were, however, deprived of any compensation for their work when they started their jobs, according to Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco. “One of them even faced further distress when she expressed her desire to return home. Instead of letting her go, her employer reported her to Malaysian authorities for working without a proper visa, resulting in her detention,” he said. Tansingco said the situation of the victims served as a reminder of the challenge...

An overseas Filipina worker was reportedly forced to work as a scammer in Thailand and was allegedly physically abused by her Chinese employer. According to GMA Integrated News’ JP Soriano’s report on Unang Balita on Wednesday, alias “Rhea” was working as an online casino agent together with her partner in Thailand. According to the OFW’s sister, Rhea was earning well in Thailand even if she is staying there using a tourist visa. But the alleged physical abuse started when the OFW was transferred to a different place in Thailand where her Chinese employer locked her up in a building and forced her to dupe money through scamming. Rhea was allegedly asked to either continue her work as a scammer or pay her Chinese employer money. The Chinese employer reportedly asked Rhea to pay him P100,000 to P1 million before she would be allowed to leave. GMA Integrated News raised Rhea’s case with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers. Foreig...

An overseas Filipina worker was reportedly forced to work as a scammer in Thailand and was allegedly physically abused by her Chinese employer. According to GMA Integrated News’ JP Soriano’s report on Unang Balita on Wednesday, alias “Rhea” was working as an online casino agent together with her partner in Thailand. According to the OFW’s sister, Rhea was earning well in Thailand even if she is staying there using a tourist visa. But the alleged physical abuse started when the OFW was transferred to a different place in Thailand where her Chinese employer locked her up in a building and forced her to dupe money through scamming. Rhea was allegedly asked to either continue her work as a scammer or pay her Chinese employer money. The Chinese employer reportedly asked Rhea to pay him P100,000 to P1 million before she would be allowed to leave. GMA Integrated News raised Rhea’s case with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers. Foreig...

The recently approved orders hiking the minimum wages in Taiwan and Hong Kong are set to benefit thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Wednesday. In a statement, the DMW said the Taiwan Ministry of Labor (MOL) mandated a 4.05% increase in the monthly minimum salary from NT$26,400 (P46,378.70) to NT$27,470 (P48,223.43), effective January 1, 2024. The wage order also hiked the minimum hourly wage by NT$7 from NT$168 (P295.14) to NT$183 (P321.48). The Migrant Workers Department said, citing MOL data as of October, that 151,562 Filipinos are working in Taiwan. Of the said number, 123,768 are working in the manufacturing sector and stand to benefit from the wage hike. The DMW, moreover, is projecting another 17,721 workers in the said category to be hired by the end of the year. “We thank Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Labor Department respectively for enacting wage legislation that recog...

Nine overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and five children arrived in the Philippines from Lebanon on Thursday morning amid ongoing tension between Israel and Hezbollah militants. The Department of Foreign (DFA) said they arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City via flight PAL PR685. DMW Assistant Secretaries Venecio Legaspi and Francis Ron de Guzman personally welcomed the repatriated OFWs. The repatriated OFWs received aid from the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), including on-site assistance and reintegration services. So far, a total of 111 OFWs in Lebanon have been repatriated to the Philippines. On October 21, the Department of Foreign Affairs placed Lebanon under Alert Level 3 in light of the rising tension between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah due to Hamas attacks. Alert Level 3 means the DFA is calling for a voluntary repatriation of Filipinos in the affected country. On December 10, violence escala...

The Philippines is seeking separate labor agreements with Malta and Albania to ensure the protection of rights and benefits of the increasing number of Filipino workers there, a Philippine envoy said Monday. Philippine Ambassador to Italy Neal Imperial, also in charge of Malta and Albania, said the proposed pact would not only safeguard Filipino workers against exploitation and abuse, but prevent illegal recruitment. “The Philippines' paramount consideration has always been the protection of the rights and promotion of the welfare of our overseas Filipino workers. Therefore, any bilateral agreement signed with another country must have provisions that adequately ensure the well-being of our OFWs and protect them from possible abuses,” Imperial said via e-mail. Around 10,000 Filipino accountants, engineers, manager, chefs, hotel staff, bus drivers, nurses and caregivers are employed in Malta, while 400 are in Albania, he said. The Philippines is one of the world’s largest export...

In commemoration of International Migrants Day, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Monday acknowledged the achievements and sacrifices made by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) for their families and the nation. During the 2023 National Forum on Migration, DMW Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara said this year’s International Migrants Day holds a significant meaning not just for OFWs, but also for the 22-month old department as it is the first time it would be celebrating the event as a fully constituted national government agency. “This day is very important primarily because this is a day where we look back, we celebrate the achievements, and we recognize the sacrifices of the overseas Filipinos and their families who also shine a spotlight on the prevailing issues that concern our overseas Filipino workers,” Alcantara said. “Even if as we find ourselves in the midst of the holiday season, where everything seems to be a rush, let us remember everyday and especially today...

Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jimmy Pacheco, who was held hostage and later freed by militant group Hamas, arrived in the Philippines on Monday morning. Pacheco was welcomed by his family at the airport, according to GMA Integrated News' Sandra Aguinaldo. In a press conference, Pacheco said that it will be his first time to celebrate Christmas with his family since he started working in Israel. “Sa Paskong ito masayang-masaya at ito iyong unang Pasko na mangyayari sa amin na magsama-sama since nag-OFW ako,” he said. (This Christmas will be joyful because this is the first Christmas that we will spend together since I started working as an OFW.) Although the Philippine and Israel government vowed to provide assistance to Pachecos family, the 33-year-old Filipino caregiver said he will still return to Israel for work to secure the future of his family. “Gaya ng sinabi ko po sa asawa ko, babalik po ako ng Israel dahil para ma-secure ko po kahit ganoon iyong nakaraan ko, maibiga...

A Filipino is now being hailed as a hero in Dublin, Ireland, after assisting a young female student who was among the four victims of an attack by an Algerian suspect in Parnell Square last month. The incident, which took place on November 23, is still vivid in the mind of Filipino nurse Leo Ralph Villamayor — especially since it happened while he was on his way to his graduation. "I thought it was just a rumble, like people fighting on the street," said Villamayor, offering a firsthand account of the incident. When a young girl collapsed in front of him, Villamayor said this prompted him to immediately provide basic life support, introducing himself as a nurse first to erase doubts on his skills. "My first response was to try to help, but they ignored me and pushed me away until I decided to shout, 'I'm a nurse.' They then gave way so I could assess the child," he said. It was not easy, Villamayor said, as at that time the place had already erupt...

All 15 Filipino crew members of a marine vessel hit by a drone attack near the Red Sea are safe and have been accounted for, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). In a statement released on Saturday, DMW said the "Al Jasrah," a container ship, was struck by missiles in a drone attack orchestrated by Yemeni Houthi rebels on Friday, December 15, 2023, as it was crossing the Bab al Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. "The DMW was informed by the ship’s manning agency and its shipping company that all members of the crew, including 15 Filipino seafarers, are safe and accounted for," the statement read. DMW said Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac already issued instructions to the department’s Sea-Based Operations Units to monitor the situation and work closely with the vessel’s manning and shipping company to assure the safety of the Filipino seafarers. —Sherylin Untalan/ VAL, GMA Integrated News

Both Canada and Japan are looking to hire skilled workers, JP Soriano reported Monday on 24 Oras. According to the Department of Migrant Workers, the government of Saskatchewan Province in Canada was hoping that the Philippine government would sign a recruitment agreement for Filipino workers by next year. The agreement would cover workers in the healthcare and non-healthcare industries. Meanwhile, Because the DMW was looking to make the Philippines Japan's primary source for skilled workers, they established a "Japan Desk" at the DMW main office. The Desk would soley focused on sending workers to Japan. "Tinitignan is agriculture, sa hospitality, of course. Marami rin yung sa kanilang factories, manufacturing, at na mention nila yung care workers," said DMW Undersecretary for Policy and International Cooperation Attorney Patricia Yvonne Caunan. One of the challenges of the Japanes and German labor markets is the requirement that workers be able to speak ...

NEW YORK - A Filipino-American teacher has pleaded guilty in the US District Court in Hawaii for producing, possessing, and distributing child pornography following the discovery by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of explicit images and videos of his student victims in his possession in 2022. Alden Bunag, 35, is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2024 and may face 15 to 30 years of imprisonment on charges of multiple counts of child pornography. According to court documents, Bunag sexually abused multiple victims aged 13 to 14 in 2016 and 2017. He also distributed child pornography from 2019 to 2022. In addition to the potential 15- to 30-year sentence, Bunag may also face an additional 20 years in prison for the charge of sexually assaulting a minor. This charge stemmed from his engagement in a sexual relationship with his 13-year-old student during lunch break. Bunag is a substitute teacher at Pearl City High School and a part-time temporary teacher at Lima Intermediate Sc...

Thousands of job opportunities in Hungary and Austria are available for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). In a 24 Oras report by JP Soriano on Thursday, the DMW said Hungary alone is looking for 10,000 to 20,000 skilled Filipino workers. DMW said it has spoken to Hungarian labor officials who have offered “world class” benefits that include housing for qualified OFWs in the manufacturing, agricultural and hospitality sectors. The Czech Republic and Austria have also struck a deal with the Philippines for the sustainable recruitment of 5,000 to 10,000 skilled workers. In exchange for Filipino healthcare workers, these countries will sponsor scholarships for Filipino students to ensure an adequate number of skilled workers in the country. “Gusto din nila tumulong (They want to help) to ensure that there will be more Filipino workers, not only for Austria but for the Philippines, so nandyan yung mga scholarship, yung mga traini...

MANILA, Philippines — The spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday warned Filipinos about a China-led campaign to “taint” his credibility as a source of information about the country’s defense of the West Philippine Sea. PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said that China is currently engaged in a disinformation campaign aimed at undermining the government’s transparency initiatives about the WPS, which include attempts to damage Filipino officials’ credibility. Tarriela was commenting on a report by Philstar.com that documented a coordinated attempt by anonymous accounts to spread narratives alleging the PCG spokesperson was a covert “CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) agent” working for the United States government. Tarriela said he has been a “prime target” of pro-China accounts that seek to frame him as a “biased source.” “These falsehoods are designed to undermine the factual information I present, which exposes their bullying and aggressive behavior, and to ...

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:04 pm) — Students in the Philippines remain among the world’s weakest in math, reading and science, new findings by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed, with recent test scores showing no significant improvement from the country’s performance in 2018. Despite the education department’s firestorm of reforms and preparations following a dismal showing in PISA 2018, just less than a quarter of Filipino students who took the test in 2022 reached the minimum level of proficiency in all three subjects of math, reading and science, according to PISA results released on Tuesday. Similar to 2018, the latest PISA scores show the Philippines performed worse than the global average in all categories, with its placement in the country rankings moving up by just a few spots above countries that dropped ranks due to the pandemic’s impacts on student learning. The latest results also come off the back of the Philippine education system’s slo...

ROME - Italy has withdrawn from China's vast Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, more than four years after becoming the only G7 nation to sign up, a government source said Wednesday. The long-expected decision was quietly communicated to Beijing three days ago without any official announcement, according to the Corriere della Sera daily. An Italian government source confirmed to AFP on Wednesday that Rome had pulled out, giving no details beyond saying it was done in such a way as to "keep channels of political dialogue open". Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has long been opposed to Italy's participation in an initiative viewed by many as an attempt by Beijing to buy political influence -- and whose economic benefits to Rome were limited. The deal was due to automatically renew in March 2024 unless Italy opted out by the end of this year. But Meloni and her hard-right government were also wary of provoking Beijing and risking retaliation against Italian compa...

‘One Hundred and One Nights’ aims to transform Kuwait KUWAIT: As preparations are in full swing for the Kuwait Festival for Tourism and Entertainment due in January as part of Kuwait’s vision to become a financial, economic, and cultural hub, several concepts come to the surface, aiming at boosting non-oil revenues, given the paramount significance of tourism. The festival to be held under the slogan “Kuwait: One Hundred and One Nights, is chiefly intended to transform Kuwait into a distinctive financial, economic, and cultural center. The country’s tourism sector should be developed and promoted with a view to raising its revenues, which could contribute to bolstering the national economy and boosting Kuwait’s non-oil resources. Comparatively, the real estate sector, with all its various domains and infrastructure as a whole, has an integrated connection with the tourism sector, thus serving an all-out vision meant to transfer Kuwait into a touristic destination by means of roping ...

KUWAIT: The government has finalized the new residency law and prepared its amendments, anticipating its review by the parliamentary interior and defense committee, with approval expected from the full house next month. The proposal comprises 37 items across 7 chapters, outlining regulations for foreigners’ entry, deportation, iqama trade and penalties. Additionally, it grants Kuwaiti women married to foreigners the right to sponsor their husbands and children, provided they haven't obtained nationality as per article 8, pertaining to expat women naturalized through marriage to a Kuwaiti. The proposal mandates hotels and aparthotels to report the residence of foreigners, while a ministerial decision will determine fees for residency permits, renewals and all entry visas. It prohibits iqama trade through exploitation, imposing penalties of up to 3 years in jail and a fine ranging from KD 5,000 to KD 10,000 for violators. Residency trade pardons fall only under the jurisdiction of ...

By Passant Hisham Strangers living under one roof as rent prices soar KUWAIT: Sharing an apartment with several strangers, each coming from a different culture and background, yet trying to find harmony and peace in living together, is not easy for everyone. With high rentals of apartments that exceed the average monthly salaries of most expats, more and more of them are driven towards apartment sharing as a more economical way to live. While this solves a financial problem, it brings other problems to the fore. Kuwait Times highlights some of the most common challenges faced by expats in these circumstances. When an Egyptian woman, who preferred to remain anonymous, first moved to Kuwait, she knew nobody except a woman who made her stay with her to share the apartment rent together. She expected a peaceful and safe environment in that place, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. She recalled an incident where her flat mate’s cousin knocked on the door and asked for her permission...

KYIV: Ukraine launched an enquiry on Sunday into what it said was an “execution” by Russian forces of two unarmed Ukrainian soldiers who had signalled their intention to surrender. Ukrainian officials condemned the reported incident as a “war crime”. There was no official reaction from Moscow. On Saturday a short video, whose authenticity could be confirmed by AFP, was posted on Telegram showing two men coming out of a shelter, one with his hands above his head, before lying on the ground in front of another group of soldiers. This is followed by what appears to be gunfire, and rising smoke, before the video cuts off abruptly. The public prosecutor’s office in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk said that according to “preliminary data”, the images were filmed near the village of Stepove, close to Avdiivka, an eastern town where fighting is raging. “The video shows how a group of people in Russian uniforms shoot at close range two unarmed servicemen in the uniform of the Armed ...

GAZA: The Zionist entity struck Gaza targets Sunday in its war on Hamas sparked by the Oct 7 attacks, as international concern deepened over the mounting civilian death toll on the third day of fighting after a truce ended. More than 15,500 people have been killed in the besieged Palestinian territory, according to the Gaza health ministry, in more than eight weeks of combat and heavy bombardment. But the White House believes the Zionist entity is “making an effort” to minimize civilian deaths in Gaza, a senior official said Sunday. Speaking on the US Sunday talk shows, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby also insisted that US intelligence was unaware of any secret, advance Hamas blueprint for its Oct 7 attack on the Zionist entity. The New York Times reported last week that Zionist authorities had obtained such a document a year before the attack occurred. Kirby told ABC’s “This Week” that the Zionist entity had responded to US appeals to protect civilians. “We believe th...

DUBAI — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged Friday to take necessary measures to reduce Japan's reliance on coal-fired power generation, aiming to achieve its commitment to realizing carbon neutrality by 2050. In a speech at a U.N. meeting on climate change in the United Arab Emirates, Kishida added Japan plans to enhance financial support for international lenders to aid developing nations in securing funds to tackle environmental issues. Kishida, who promised to work with other countries to "triple" the global volume of green power, is in Dubai to attend a summit-level gathering of the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP28. Kishida, meanwhile, said Japan will help establish a new fund within the African Development Bank, and is ready to expand loan capacities for the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank by around $9 billion. He added Japan will host the first summit meeting on reducing carbon...

Israel carried out deadly bombardments in Gaza for a second day on Saturday after a week-long truce with Hamas collapsed despite international calls for an extension. Clouds of grey smoke from the strikes hung over Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry said nearly 200 people had been killed since the pause in hostilities expired early Friday. Both sides blamed each other for breaking the truce, with Israel claiming that Hamas had tried to fire a rocket before it ended and that it failed to produce a list of further hostages for release. "What we're doing now is striking Hamas military targets all over the Gaza Strip," Israel Defense Forces spokesman Jonathan Conricus told reporters on Saturday. As hostilities resumed, Hamas's armed wing received "the order to resume combat" and to "defend the Gaza Strip", according to a source close to the group who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak to the media. International...

Israel struck Gaza targets Sunday in its war on Hamas sparked by the October 7 attacks, as international concern deepened over the mounting civilian death toll on the third day of fighting after a truce ended. More than 15,500 people have been killed in the besieged Palestinian territory, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, in more than eight weeks of combat and heavy bombardment. Israeli air and artillery strikes hit Gaza's northern frontier with Israel, throwing thick clouds of smoke and dust into the sky. The Israeli army reported 17 rocket salvos from Gaza into Israel on Sunday, adding that most were intercepted and there was only slight material damage. The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said at least 160 Palestinian deaths were reported in two incidents in northern Gaza Saturday: the bombing of a six-story building in Jabalia refugee camp, and of an entire block in Gaza City. Repeated bursts of heavy automatic weapons fire were heard over an AFPTV livecam. The war ...

BEJING — China on Monday said the United States was responsible for "deliberate stirring up" of tensions in the South China Sea, after a US warship navigated through waters claimed by Beijing. "On December 4, littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords illegally entered the waters adjacent to Ren'ai Reef in the Nansha region of China without the approval of the Chinese government," Southern Theatre Command spokesman Tian Junli said. The Second Thomas Shoal -- referred to in Chinese as Ren'ai Reef -- is about 200 kilometers from the western Philippine island of Palawan, and more than 1,000 kilometers from China's nearest major landmass, Hainan island. China's military on Monday "followed the entire operation", said Tian, adding that the "deliberate stirring up of the South China Sea by the United States is a serious infringement of China's sovereignty and security". "Troops in the theatre of command maintain a high sta...

The app appears to work very simply: users can scan the barcode of a product or enter its name, and within seconds they are told to what extent the manufacturer "supports Israel." Then "No Thanks" is displayed — an appeal not to buy certain products. Videos on TikTok and X show that companies such as Coca-Cola and Nescafé are among those listed. The app was launched on November 13, and has been downloaded over 100,000 times so far, and social media comments suggest people around the world from India to Belgium are interested in the app. The conflict between Israel and Hamas has escalated drastically since the militant Islamist group Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the European Union, the USA, Germany and other countries, attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking around 240 hostages. According to the Hamas-led Health Ministry, almost 15,000 people have been killed on the Palestinian side since October 7 as a result o...