Local - The Times Kuwait

Transcription

THE DIPLOMAT
C
ontinued development of relations with the State of Kuwait is one of
the priorities in the foreign policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, says H.E.
Jusupbek Sharipov, Kyrgyzstan's Ambassador to Kuwait. Underlining
that Kyrgyz-Kuwaiti relations are based on mutual wishes of both people
to cooperate constructively with each other, the ambassador adds that
bilateral relations between the two countries have considerable potential
for growth in all areas of cooperation, including political, trade-economic,
social and humanitarian domains.
250 Fils
Issue No 722
Established 1996
21 - 27 December, 2014
See Page 3
www.timeskuwait.com
Kuwait maintains Fitch Ratings despite fall in revenues
T
he international rating agency, Fitch
Ratings, has maintained Kuwait’s
ceiling at AA+, despite the continued
decline in world oil prices, which could
lead to a fall in Kuwait’s annual revenues.
In its latest report, Fitch Ratings has
affirmed Kuwait’s Long-term foreign and
local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDR)
at ‘AA’. The outlooks are stable; Kuwait’s
ceiling has been affirmed at ‘AA+’ and the
short-term foreign currency IDR at ‘F1+’.
Key rating drivers that reflect the stable
rating, include Kuwait’s resilience to the
decline in oil prices that has occurred so
far in 2014 and a very high per capita oil
exports, which have consistently generated
large fiscal and current account surpluses.
Despite the prospect of lower oil prices,
surpluses in excess of 20 percent of GDP
are forecast each year to 2016,.
Fitch estimates that the FY14 fiscal
breakeven oil price is US$48 per barrel
and the 2014 external breakeven is $D40
per barrel. These are among the lowest
of all rated sovereigns. An exceptionally
strong sovereign balance sheet is the
key support for the ratings.Fitch forecasts
that sovereign net foreign assets will rise
to 269 percent of GDP at end-2014, the
strongest of all rated sovereigns, and
that the net creditor position will rise to
54 percent of GDP. Both are expected to
improve over the forecast period. Current
account surpluses are substantial.
Kuwait posted the second largest
current account surplus of any Fitchrated sovereign in 2013, at 39.7 percent
of GDP, the third consecutive year that
the surplus exceeded 30 percent of GDP.
Fitch expects the surplus to decline in line
with the agency’s forecast of lower oil
prices, but still forecasts a surplus of
25 percent of GDP in 2016. The surplus
has not been below 20 percent of GDP
since 2003.
Continued on Page 4
News laws aimed at raising
Kuwait’s global profile
A
number of ministries and governmental bodies are
seeking to introduce a slew of laws that could strengthen
Kuwait’s position on the international arena in various
domains.
For starters, the Kuwaiti Society for the Protection of
Intellectual Property (KSPIP) is aiming to turn the Intellectual
Property Committee, which is currently under the Ministry
of Commerce and Industry into an independent authority.
Head of the KSPIP, Sheikh Salman Al-Dawood Al-Sabah
Continued on Page 13
On Purchase of KD 100 worth of 22 ct Gold or Diamond Jewellery,
get a Scratch & Win Coupon.
We request you to be cautious and not be cheated by similar names.
Diplomat
The Times Kuwait 21 - 27 December, 2014 timeskuwait.com
Kyrgyzstan
3
Gateway to Central Asia
His Excellency Jusupbek Sharipov
Staff Report
O
n the occasion of the 20th
Anniversary of establishing
diplomatic relations between
Kyrgyzstan and Kuwait, Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Kyrgyz Republic to the State
of Kuwait, His Excellency Jusupbek
Sharipov, spoke with The Times
Kuwait about the strong bilateral
relations between the two countries
and his hopes of further reinforcing
these ties in all fields.
The ambassador began by
speaking about current KyrgyzKuwait relations and its potential for
growth on all fronts: “Our relations
have long historical roots and
continued development of relations
with the State of Kuwait is one of the
priorities in the foreign policy of the
Kyrgyz Republic. Modern interstate
by a very high level of mutual trust.
And, most importantly, the KyrgyzKuwaiti relations are based on
mutual wishes of both people to
cooperate constructively with each
other. Bilateral relations between our
countries have considerable potential
for growth in all areas of cooperation,
including in political, trade-economic,
social and humanitarian domains.
Also, there is another factor that adds
to our high degree of cooperation;
Kyrgyzstan also has the most liberal legal,
tax, customs and investment laws to develop
these sectors. In addition, the Kyrgyz
”
Republic has a non-visa regime for a number
of countries, including Kuwait.
relations received a boost after the
establishment of diplomatic relations
between the two countries, which this
year on December 14, marked the
20th anniversary. For us, this period
was very important and successful as
it helped to create a strong basis for
mutual cooperation.”
“I would like to point out that
communications between our two
countries are currently characterized
”
today, Kyrgyzstan and Kuwait are
faced with similar problems and
are moving towards comprehensive
modernization and democracy,” said
the diplomat.
Elaborating on the economic
situation in Kyrgyzstan and pointing
to areas that might be of interest
to Kuwaiti businessmen, the envoy
noted, “The economy in Kyrgyzstan
is a developing one, based on free-
market relations and private property
values. While socio-economic reforms
being carried out in the country have
already begun to produce results,
almost all spheres of economic activity
of Kyrgyzstan need investment.
According to the World Bank and
other international organizations,
in 2014, with its increase in gross
national product, Kyrgyzstan moved
from being listed as a poor country to
the category of developing countries
with an average income.”
“In the last few years the GDP
growth of our economy was around
10.5 percent, however in recent years,
due to ongoing economic crisis around
the world, we expect economic growth
to be only around half this figure. But,
despite this downfall, the economic
development of our country remains
stable and predictable. Kyrgyzstan is
also gradually becoming attractive for
foreign tourists and businessmen. By
the end of 2013 the country was visited
by 3.5 million foreign tourists. We are
very glad that there is an increased
interest in Kuwait to Kyrgyzstan. I would
like to assure Kuwaiti investments
and businesses that they can work in
Kyrgyzstan practically in all spheres
of activity and without limitations. I
take this opportunity to emphasize
that our embassy is always ready to
help everyone to set up and organize
business in Kyrgyzstan.”
Elaborating on Kyrgyzstan’s plans
to focus on implementing an exportoriented production strategy to
boost the national economy, and the
cooperation opportunities between
Kyrgyzstan and Kuwait in this field,
the ambassador said: “Lessons from
the global crisis have shown that it is
imperative for all states to modernize.
We closely follow the international
experience and are committed
to expanding and strengthening
integration with individual countries,
as well as with groups of nations
and regional blocs.”Pointing out
that Kyrgyzstan has huge resources
for the development of the mining
industry, hydropower, manufacturing
industry, various forms of tourism and
the production of organic agricultural
products among others, the envoy
added: ”Kyrgyzstan also has the
most liberal legal, tax, customs and
investment laws to develop these
sectors. In addition, the Kyrgyz
Republic has a non-visa regime for
a number of countries, including
Kuwait. We hope that these measures
will be attractive for domestic and
foreign investors. We welcome
Kuwaiti investors to participate in the
Kyrgyz economy, including through
the mechanisms of implementation
of different projects in Kyrgyzstan,
whether investment, innovation or
infrastructural. Our country is famous
with the high-quality drinking water
and ecological clean agricultural
products, including the best fruit,
sheep, and mountain-honey. All this
we are ready to export to Kuwait.”
Highlighting the importance of
promoting cultural ties as a means
of further strengthening bilateral
relations,
Ambassador
Sharipov
said that holding Days of Culture of
Kyrgyzstan in Kuwait and Kuwaiti
Cultural Days in Kyrgyzstan were
important for developing relations on
the popular level. He added: ”Indeed,
the Days of Culture has become
a good tradition in international
relations for the development of
cultural ties between the countries.
We are planning next year to hold
Days of Kyrgyz culture in Kuwait and
Kuwaiti Cultural Days in Kyrgyzstan.
These cultural exchanges will provide
opportunities to introduce people of
both countries to the culture of the
other, while also helping to establish
contacts between the cultural teams
and identifying priority areas for
cooperation in the field of culture and
art. I want to note with satisfaction
that there are mutual interests in
cooperation in this direction.”
On the academic side, the diplomat
noted: “I would also like to inform you,
today in Kyrgyzstan, we are seeing
a boom for studying the Arabic
language. This reflects the mood and
great interest of our society to learn
more about the Arabic culture. And
it is natural process, because our
countries are Islamic countries and
our population, especially the young,
want to learn the language of the Holy
Quran, want to know more about the
Arab countries, including Kuwait,
about its history and culture. Arabic is
also taught in our leading universities.
I am glad to see that in Kuwait there is
a keen interest in Kyrgyzstan. KyrgyzKuwaiti cooperation in the humanitarian
sphere has great prospects, including
through universities. We are interested
in teaching students from Kuwait at the
leading universities of Kyrgyzstan and
to sending students from Kyrgyzstan
to universities in Kuwait. Currently
some Kyrgyz citizens are studying in
Kuwaiti educational institutions. I think
by the active mutual support we will
increase the number of our students in
our countries significantly.”
Asked about the recent visit to the
region by the President of Kyrgyzstan
His Excellency Almazbek Atambayev
and the potential for a similar visit
to Kuwait in the near future, the
ambassador said: “From 2 to 8
December, 2014, our president made
official visits to the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and
the State of Qatar and stated that
Kyrgyzstan had found new friends in
the Arab world. During the visit several
bilateral documents were signed
between Kyrgyzstan and
Continued on Page 8
4
Local
Embassy of the Republic of Kenya celebrates Jamhuri Day
E
mbassy of
the Republic
of Kenya
celebrated the 51st
Anniversary of their
Independence
Day - Jamhuri Day
with a reception
recently. The event
was attended by
diplomats, prominent
Kuwaiti and Kenyan
nationals and media
personnel.
Al Mulla Exchange stages hilarious
Gujarati play ‘Mummy Tu Aavi Kevi?’
A
l
Mulla
International
Exchange, Kuwait’s premier
money exchange company,
treated their Gujarati patrons to
an exciting evening with the play
‘Mummy Tu Aavi Kevi?’.
The event was held on
the 11 and 13 December at
the Cambridge High School,
Mangaf and Safir International
Hotel respectively. The event
marked the 90th and 91st
function sponsored by Al
Mulla Exchange as part of the
company’s strategic vision of
prioritizing customer service.
More than 500 guests attended
the show on the first day and
the number doubled to more
than 1400 customers on the
second day. The play ‘Mummy
Tu Aavi Kevi?’ tells the story of
a typical Gujarati family who live
in an urban environment. The
more traditional Gujarati mother
is encouraged to change into
a modern Mother after her
children
are
embarrassed
by her old-age ways. The
transformation into a ‘21st
Century Mom’ leads to a whole
lot of hilarious situations that
had the crowd break into peals
of laughter. The writer Dhiruben
Patel and director Manoj Shah
are credited for this comedy.
Kuwait maintains Fitch Ratings despite fall in revenues
Continued from Page 1
Despite rising spending and falling oil
revenues, the surplus is forecast to only fall to 25
percent of GDP in 2016. There are tentative signs
that the non-oil economy is gaining momentum,
reflected in the award of several projects in
recent months and private sector credit growth
at around a five-year high. Fitch expects nonoil growth of around 4 percent over 2014-16.
Headline real GDP growth will be lower, based on
Fitch’s assumption that oil production will be cut
in both years. Structural indicators are generally
weaker than rating peers. Human development,
business and World Bank governance indicators
are well below the ‘AA’ median, but GDP per
capita is substantially above the median. The
economic policy framework is a weakness,
reflecting limited monetary autonomy and a
weak fiscal framework.Kuwait’s oil accounts for
around 40 percent of GDP and the bulk of fiscal
and external revenues. Oil reserves are large
Publisher & Editor-In-Chief
Tareq Yousuf Al-Shumaimry
[email protected]
Managing Editor
Reaven D’Souza
[email protected]
and cheap to extract and production capacity is
being increased. At forecast oil prices, Kuwait will
continue to accumulate assets, further enhancing
its capacity to deal with economic shocks.
The main factors that individually or
collectively could lead to positive rating action
are: Improvement in structural weaknesses such
as reduction in oil dependence, strengthening in
governance, the business environment and the
economic policy framework.
The main factors that, individually or
collectively, could lead to negative rating action
are: Sustained low oil prices that erode fiscal and
external buffers, regional and serious political
events. Fitch forecasts Brent crude to average
$83 per barrel in 2015 and $90 per barrel in
2016. Production cuts of 5 percent in 2015 and
1 percent in 2016, likely in line with some other
large producers, are forecast in order to support
the oil market. Kuwait could likely tolerate much
lower prices over the forecast period without
facing undue pressure on its rating.
P O Box 5141, Safat 13052, Kuwait
Tel : 24814404, 24810109
Fax : 24834815
Email : [email protected]
Printed in: Arwa Universal Printing Press
Dimensions
5
Mind Spark
Unlocking the debating potential of students
Maurya Kala Parisar Kuwait, a socio-cultural organization of people from Bihar and Jharkhand in Kuwait, marked the
130th birth anniversary of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of the Republic of India, by holding a debating
competition for students of Indian schools in the country.
By Madhuri Madhukar
T
Staff Report
he ‘Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Debate
Competition 2014’ under the title of ‘Mind
Spark – Unlocking the Treasure Within’,
was held at the Reyazat Villa in Ras Salmiya on
Friday, 19 December. More than 100 students of
classes 8 to 11, from 13 Indian schools in Kuwait,
participated in the event. A large gathering of
students, teachers and parents attended the
exciting debates and enthusiastically supported
the debaters.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who served two consecutive
terms as President of India from 1952 to 1962, was
also the President of the Constituent Assembly that
was mandated to frame the Constitution of India.
Recipient of India’s highest civilian honor the Bharat
Ratna, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was also an eminent
scholar and educationist, after earning a Doctorate
in Law from the University of Allahabad in 1937, he
served in various educational institutions as teacher
and principal before immersing himself in the India
Freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
There can be no better role model for Indian
students than Dr. Rajendra Prasad, said Ujwal Ritwik,
the president of the Maurya Kala Parisar, while
speaking about the debate competitions organized
by his association for students. Since 1995, the
Maurya Kala Parisar, which is registered with Indian
Embassy in Kuwait, has been active in supporting
social causes and promoting cultural events in the
country. Highlighting some of the activities of the
association in 2014, the president said it included the
highly successful Maurya Manch 2014 with its Dinkar
Poetry Awards, the Sports and Wellness Day and the
Ethnic Food Festival.
Besides providing an anchor for different cultural
events, the Maurya Kala Parisar has been involved
in socially beneficial causes, including developing
positive qualities in individuals, especially the
children. The organization has demonstrated its
commitment to fostering optimism, positive attitude,
courage, future-mindedness, interpersonal skills and
social responsibility among students.
The exciting debating competitions, which
extended for well-over four hours, centered on two
topics; the first was on ‘Internet and social media
make us less intelligent’, while the second was on
‘India needs a presidential form of government’.
The competitions, which saw the students divided
into groups based on their class and took place in
different halls over four debating sessions, was a
creative venue for the students to express their ideas.
The event began with students from class 8 speaking
on both the selected topics, followed by students
from class 10 and 11 debating on the first topic. After
a short break for refreshments, students from classes
9, 10 and 11 debated on the topic of ‘India needs
a presidential form of government’. This was then
followed by class 11 debating whether ‘Internet and
Social Media make us less intelligent’.
Students speaking for the topic ‘Internet and
social media are making people less intelligent’,
stated how people around the world spend a lot
of time on the internet and then complained that
they did not have time to complete their work. They
also spoke about how we have become so much
dependent on the internet and social media for intercommunications that we were in danger of losing
our personal touch with each other. Presenting the
opposite view, students attempted to prove the
importance of internet and social media in our lives
by stating how it helped us to know more about what
is happening in the world around us, even if we are
far removed from the event, and how it provided us
with latest information at the click of a button.
Meanwhile, the two groups speaking for and
against the topic ‘India needs a presidential form
of government’, engaged in fierce debate on the
virtues and vices of this form of government. One
group upheld the view that our country should have
a government like the USA, where the president is
elected by the people. They pointed out that this
would make the president more accountable to the
people and better able to efficiently carry out his
work for the betterment of the country. Opposing this,
the second group said that the parliamentary form
of government is fine for a country like India with its
large and diverse population. They cited some of the
changes that have taken place in India and made the
point that a parliamentary form of government was
better at managing and representing the diversity
of the country. They pointed out that change could
be brought about more quickly and more efficiently
through the people working together for the country.
Reactions of the student participants were
a mixture of both joy at having done well or for
participating in the event, while some felt sad that
they could not do as well as their expectations. But
a large number of parents who were present on
the occasion welcomed such an event and hoped
this would be repeated more often as it would help
students improve their academics as well as improve
their inter-personal and public speaking skills. The
first and second place winners from the four sessions
were then given a third topic, ‘School examinations
should be open book’, and allowed 20-minutes each
to prepare and speak on the subject. The students
were judged on how well they understood the
topics allocated to them, the clarity with which they
were able to present their views and opinions, their
debating style, their composure and voice delivery
as they pitched their points across to the audience.
The panel of seven judges had a hard time
picking a winner from the eight semi-finalists of the
‘Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Debate Competition’.
Eventually, Miss Asama Khanam Patan of Class
IX, from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, emerged as the
Best Debater for 2014. The president thanked all
the sponsors for their generous support, as well as
students, teachers and parents for their participation
and attendance in making the debating competitions
a resounding success. Noting that the competition
was the first of its kind for the association and
one of the largest competitions ever for students,
considering the number of participants, Mr. Ritwik
commended the volunteers and members of the
organizing committee for helping make the event
a grand success. He added, “Above all, we thank
our members with whose help we seek to transform
a few accomplishments into a lasting movement.”
At the end of the program, the Event Coordinator,
Abhay Kashyap, thanked the participants and urged
the students to prepare and return next year for even
more exciting competitions.
6
O
Local
Ooredoo is a main sponsor to
Kuwait Industrial Union's youth initiative
oredoo announced its sponsorship to
the Kuwait Industrial Union’s latest youth
project, the Entrepreneurs’ Innovation
Project. The project, which is also sponsored
the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs, aims to
adopt youth innovative ideas and help them
start up their businesses, in cooperation with
a number of esteemed industrial organizations
and training facilities.
Commenting on this, Ooredoo Public
Relations Manager, Fatemah Dashti, said:
“We are happy to be selected by the Kuwait
Industrial Union as a sponsor for this event.
We are Ooredoo are firm believers in enriching
the lives of individuals. Youth in Kuwait are a
big segment consisting of more than 60% of
the total population. This is a national asset,
and investing in it goes along with the wishes
of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-
Ahmed Al-Sabah. In more than one event, the
Amir stressed on the importance of investing in
youth and enabling them, providing them with
opportunities and activating their role within
community.”
The initiative of the Kuwait Industrial Union and
its partners aims to contribute in the country’s
efforts to vary sources of income, especially
in the current economic circumstances. It
also aims to empower youth and encourage
innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of
industry. Ooredoo’s participation comes as part
of its corporate social responsibility program,
which continues to pursue opportunities for
enriching communities.
Fancy dress competition at
Bhavans Jack and Jill, Mangaf
B
havans Jack and Jill, Mangaf organized a fantastic Fancy
Dress competition for the students from the UKG and LKG
classes last week.
The UKG children portrayed characters such as Swamy
Vivekananda, Mother Teresa, Kalpana Chawla, Rakesh Sharma
and more. Many glorious historical characters came alive through
the efforts of the enthusiastic participants.
The children from LKG disguised themselves as fruits and
vegetables, wild animals and birds in addition to offering a
description of their characters. Their presentations were judged
by a judgment panel comprised of teachers and parents.
The amazing number of participants and the hard work of the
children, teachers and parents were a testimony to the school’s
commitment to providing a multi-dimensional child centered
education to the future generation.
Rathi Ravindran, the Principal, gave a small speech that
extolled the participants, the parent community and the teachers
for their support of the program.
Local
7
Bahrain honors Indian businessman Yusuff Ali with top civilian award
O
n the occasion of celebrating the 43rd
National Day of the Kingdom of Bahrain
and the 15th anniversary of the accession
of His Majesty Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to the
throne, the kingdom honored a number of people
for their contribution to nation-building.
In his address to a gathering at the royal
palace in Manama, His Majesty the King of the
Kingdom of Bahrain King Hamad stated, “As we
are accustomed every year to honor outstanding
national efforts on this auspicious occasion, we
are pleased to honor the efforts of pioneers of
national work for their outstanding and dedicated
contributions in serving this beloved nation and
community.”
Prominent Indian businessman and Managing
Director of Lulu Group M.A. Yusuff Ali, was among
those honored with the ‘Wessam Al Bahrain’
(Medal of Bahrain - Order of the King). With the
bestowal of this honor, Mr. Yusuff Ali became the
first-ever non-Bahraini to receive this prestigious
award from the King.
His Majesty the King presented the Kingdom’s
top civilian honor to Mr. Yusuff Ali, in appreciation
of his rich contribution to the progress of the
Kingdom, during a grand function held at the royal
palace in Manama.
The occasion was marked by the presence
of the Prime Minister of Bahrain H.E. Khalifa
bin Salman Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain
H.E. Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and Deputy
Supreme Commander of Bahrain Defense Force,
royal family members, ministers and other high-
ranking officials. The event was also marked with
a spectacular parade by the Bahrain Defense
Forces.
Lulu Group, which has a strong presence in
the Kingdom of Bahrain, has always aligned its
business plans and economic inputs to reflect
the vision of the leadership of Bahrain and the
aspirations of the people of the Kingdom. As part
of this commitment to the country, Mr. Yusuff Ali
has been working closely with the leaders and
government from the start and, as a result, Lulu
Hypermarket has not only grown rapidly but has
also contributed richly to the progress of the
Kingdom.Thanking His Majesty Hamad bin Isa
Al Khalifa, for bestowing him with this great and
esteemed honor, Mr. Yusuff Ali said he attributed
his success to the prudent leadership of Bahrain
as it gave him all the support without which, he said
“we wouldn’t have made any of our achievements
in this country”.
Showing bold entrepreneurship to invest in the
GCC at the time of the first Gulf War, Mr. Yusuff
Ali became one of the prominent businessmen
in the Gulf. As Managing Director of Lulu Group,
which runs a chain of hypermarkets across Gulf
countries, Yemen and India, Mr. Yusuff Ali is
also the Director Board Member of Abu Dhabi
Chamber of Commerce.
Also awarded India’s top honor which includes
Padma Shri, Pravasi Bhartiya Samman. He is the
first NRI to get such award and was also topped
in Forbes top 100 Indian leaders in the Arab
World 2014.
KidZania Kuwait hosts
a fun and engaging workshop
for its industry partners
K
idZania Kuwait, the exciting kid-sized metropolis, recently hosted a
workshop for its industry partners to give them hands-on experience
of the role-play jobs and activities available within KidZania.
The event celebrated and thanked KidZania’s industry partners for
their continuous support in helping replicate the real world in a kid-centric
city, where children can learn while having fun. Through interactive group
exercises, the industry partners got to engage in different activities within
each establishment to help them see KidZania through a child’s eyes.
Fernando Medroa, Vice President of Leisure and Entertainment at M.H.
Alshaya Co. said: “Four years ago, when we started construction, this city
was just an empty box. Today, it has developed into a premium entertainment
destination for children in Kuwait.”
“The ability to combine learning with fun to instill valuable lessons in our
children is the kind of revolution education needs today. I would like to extend
my heartfelt gratitude to all those who took part in the success of this project”,
said Mona Al Furaih, Director of School Activities, the Ministry of Education.
Since its opening last year, KidZania Kuwait has collaborated with 39
leading international and local brands, which play a pivotal role in adding
a sense of realism and credibility to the establishments. They help educate
children through experience, in a fun, interactive and safe environment.
Wishing all our patrons
Merry Chriﬆmas
&
Happy New Year
SINCE 1985
Our branches
Hawally
Sharq
Fahaheel
Farwaniya
Al-Rayan
Jahra
Fintas
Salmiya 2
22626782
22626783 /4
23911174
23911175
22425131
22425132
24565111 / 222
24565333
23911174
23911175
23900026
23900027
24726126 / 7
24740003 / 4
25729292
25729293
Salmiya 1
25722223
25722224
Marina Mall
22244523
Sharm El-Sheikh
Everyone’s First Choice
+20693604548
[email protected] - [email protected] - www.mughalmahal.com
8
Local
NCCAL opens calligraphy gallery
On the occasion of the World Arabic Language Day, an Arabic
calligraphy exhibit themed ‘verses and lines’ was opened by National
Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) on 18 December. The
gallery featured magnificent portraits of Quranic verses gathering a
constellation of Kuwait calligraphers and formative artists. The UNESCO
chose 18 December as it coincided with the day the UN General
Assembly adopted recognition of Arabic as one of the official languages
of the UN, to celebrate World Arabic Langue Day.
Ministry proposes jobless expats’ deportation
To end the social problem of bachelors living in private residential
buildings, a Ministry of Commerce and Industry proposal, consisting
eight main items, includes deportation of all unemployed expatriates
and allocating land for housing bachelors. It also activates control
bodies to conduct inspections, to issue citations against violations
and to notify violators to vacate premises. Violators are to be punished
upon refusal to vacate within legal period of six months by cutting off
electrical and water supply followed by a KD 500 and KD 1000 fine
for the first and second violations respectively to be paid by landlord.
New measures to tackle ‘malicious absconding’
The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) endorsed a new document
form to inhibit malicious expatriate workforce absconding reports and
extortion by sponsors and visa traders and report such cases. Employers
(sponsors) require filing reports at police station within two weeks from
the date of presenting a case to the authority, or else, it will be rendered
null and void. The authority completely registered only 2,000 of 12,000
absconding reports at the Ministry of Interior. A PAM-Ministry of Interior
agreement extends period of rectifying residence status from two months
to three. It will also stop transfer of workers on government contracts from
2015, except when employers decide to do so for a new
project. A center to shelter distress expatriate workforce
will also be built to accommodate about 700 individuals.
Wild animals smuggled,
10-day jail for ‘lion-keeper’
Indian citizens can now sit for
US CPA exam in Kuwait
After the death of a Filipino maid after an attack by
a lion inside a citizen’s home, the Director of Public
Relations at the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs
and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) Shaker Awwad said
smuggling happens in spite of the law prohibiting import
of wild animals including carnivores as well as reptiles
and monkeys. The customs department at the Kuwait
International Airport vouched on its keenness to prevent
entry of any kind of animals except after PAAAFR
approval. The General Department of Investigation
issued a decision to put the lion-keeper behind bars for
10 days and referred the case to the Central Prison.
The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the National
Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
and Prometric announced that testing for the Uniform
CPA Examination in Kuwait will be open to all qualified
citizens and permanent residents of India. Beginning
in Middle-East in August 2011, with testing available
in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon and the UAE, qualified
candidates from India now can travel to any of the
Middle-East locations to take the exam by registering
on Prometric.com/cpa and conducting their exams at
Prometric test sites throughout the Middle-East.
Visa conditional on passport validity
The validity of expatriates’ visas in Kuwait is conditional
to the validity of their passports; meaning, in case the
passport expires, the visa will be considered expired
by law. Falling into such a situation, including failure
of their passport renewal or extension data-updating
with the Residency Affairs Department, may result in
punishments reaching a maximum of three months in
jail and a minimum fine of KD 300.
Clients furious as hackers steal
KD 4 million from banks
A gang hacked into several accounts in local banks
in two days and stole KD4 million, as per the reports
of a local daily. A number of complaints of unknown
cash withdrawals led to investigations that revealed a
hacker-gang obtained details of banking clients, forged
microchips and debit cards, and withdrew money from
ATM machines. Cameras installed at ATM machines
and records from other surveillance equipments will be
used to identify the suspects.
Kyrgyzstan: Gateway to Central Asia
Continued from Page 3
these countries, and the president also established our
embassies in the UAE and the State of Qatar. At the moment
we are preparing for an official visit of President Atambayev
to the State of Kuwait in the coming year.” “In the past, due
to historical circumstances, Kyrgyzstan had limited relations
with foreign countries, but now as a sovereign state we are
trying to use the opportunity available today to develop
bilateral relations with all countries and to attract external
resources for modernization of our country and national
economy. We are ready to strengthen cooperation with all
countries that have an interest in cooperating with us. Today,
it is even more important for us to attract foreign investments
effectively for the sustainable development of our national
economy, to become a full member of the international
community, to provide access for Kyrgyzstan to the global
resources and high technologies, as well as to find a niche
for export of our products on the world market. Returning to
the Kyrgyz-Kuwaiti relations, I would say that the necessary
groundwork has already been made in bilateral relations,
but we must work very hard to implement the vast and rich
potential of our countries for mutual cooperation.”
In conclusion, Ambassador Sharipov said that he was
extremely pleased and proud to represent Kyrgyzstan in
Kuwait and thanked the government and people of Kuwait
for their support and hospitality and wished them all peace
and prosperity.
Bhutan celebrates
National Day
O
n the occasion of the National Day of the
Kingdom of Bhutan, the Ambassador of
Bhutan to Kuwait H.E. Dasho Tashi Phuntsog
and Mrs. Kezang Choden held a reception at the
Al Afrah Ballroom in the Crowne Plaza Hotel on
17 December. Kuwait Minister of Social Affairs
and Labour Hind Al-Sabeeh was the Chief Guest
at the elegant ceremony attended by dignitaries,
members of the Diplomatic Corps, media and
special invitees.
Local
9
Christmas
10
Christmas markets
Traditions from A
P
opular across central Europe, the Christmas markets
are famous for their elaborate decorations, lights and
shopping stalls. Throughout some of Europe’s biggest cities,
vendors, craftsmen and women, bakers and more gather to
sell and showoff their talents.
Open usually from late November until the day before
Christmas, 24 December, these markets typically include
handmade crafts and toys, holiday ornaments, famous
foods, wines and pastries that are specific to that region.
Aside from area residents these markets are sought-after
by travelers. In most of the markets, shows, performances,
carolers and other musicians play at various times over the
course of the market season.
Some of the biggest and most well-known Christmas
markets are found in Vienna, Austria, Munich, Germany,
Prague, Czech Republic and Stockholm, Sweden.
Although the Christmas holiday season i
carolers and tasty treats, not all Christmas
same. Read below for a list of 10 holi
Boxing Day
Nativity scenes
T
he day after Christmas in many
countries is known as Boxing Day
and is a public holiday. The
European tradition, which has
long included giving
money and other gifts to
those who were needy
and in service positions,
has been dated to the
Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown.
It is believed to be in reference to the Alms
Box placed in places of worship to collect
donations to the poor. In the UK, Canada
and Australia, Boxing Day is similar to
Black Friday in the United States,
with stores putting on huge sales
and people pouring in to get the best
deals.
St. Lucia Day
W
hile these have become a staple for
the Christmas holiday, perhaps one of
the largest nativity scenes is set up in Saint
Peter’s Square in Rome, Italy. Just outside
Saint Peter’s Basilica, also accompanied by
a large Christmas tree, the life-size scene is
not unveiled until Christmas Eve.
It has become a popular spot for both
tourists and Italian citizens, as the
Pope also conducts his midnight
mass inside the Basilica.
The glass pickle
T
he year, 13 December, marks St.
Lucia Day in Sweden and Denmark.
This Swedish tradition is linked back to a
folkloric figure named Lucia, who brought
light to the country during the dark winter
days. The annual candlelit procession
has origins back into the late 1700s but
the tradition became more popular in the
1900s, according to the Swedish Institute’s
website.
For the yearly march, a competition takes
place to name the national Lucia. Each town
names their own Lucia as well. On Lucia
Day, the chosen girls and boys dress in long
white robes with red sashes and carry some
variety of a candle. The girls typically wear a
wreath of lit candles on their heads.
The day consists of singing the holiday’s
songs, eating ginger snap cookies and
drinking glogg, a Scandinavian traditional
Christmas drink.
W
hile this story’s
origins are said
to be Germanic, the
tale goes that the
glass pickle is the last
ornament hung on the
Christmas tree, hidden
somewhere among
the decorations. On
Christmas morning, the
first child to discover
the pickle gets an
extra present. If it is an adult who discovers the pickle, they
are the recipient of a year’s worth of good luck.
The town of Berrien Springs has capitalized on this
unusual tradition with an annual Christmas Pickle
Festival. The festival features a ‘Dillmeister’ who
distributes fresh pickles during their parade.
And of course, you can buy the famous
pickle ornaments all over the town.
Christmas
Around the World
11
Letters to Santa
A
is typically known for its wintry weather,
traditions around the world are one in the
iday customs from around the globe.
well-known tradition across the globe, writing letters to
Santa Claus has become a standard for the Christmas
season. However, the Canada Post has truly made this
custom a reality for children around
the world.
Santa Claus today has his own
postal code and he can be written
to in any language, even Braille.
Santa will actually write you back
too. According to the Canada
Post, letters to the big man do not
even require postage and Santa’s
response is delivered back for free.
Together volunteers from the
postal service help respond to all
the letters sent to Santa each year.
The Gavle Goat
Krampusnacht
A
lso known as the ‘night of Krampus’,
this holiday is celebrated on the eve
of St. Nicholas’ Day, 5 December,
in Austria and other parts of
Europe. Typically portrayed as a
quintessential devil, Krampus
is the evil counterpart of St.
Nicholas, who takes the reins in punishing
bad children.The night of Krampusnacht
usually entails masquerades wherein
people dress as devils, witches and other
notoriously sinister beings. While the night
has origins in Europe, its celebration has
made its way to even American cities.
A
tradition since 1966 in the Swedish town
of Galve, this festive display has caused
the town havoc for multiple years. The 13 meter
high and three ton straw-made statue was built
to showcase the traditional Swedish Christmas
straw goat, which normally is made in sizes
small enough to fit on a mantle.
Broom stealing
L
ike
many
other
places in the world,
Norway
celebrates
Christmas Eve with a big
dinner and the opening
of presents; however
what
differentiates
the country is what
households do after
the commotion. At the
conclusion of the night,
all the brooms in the
house are hidden.
It is a long-lasting belief that on the night of the
holiday evil spirits would come out and steal brooms
from families and proceed to ride them around in
the sky. So, as a result all the broomsticks are
hidden due to superstition. In Norway, it is
also a Christmas Eve tradition to leave
a bowl of porridge in the barn for the
gnome who protects the farm.
Christmas pudding
O
nce called Plum
Pudding, this British
tradition, also popular in
Australia, has been served
throughout history around the
Christmas holiday season.
The pudding itself takes
hours to cook and then it is
usually served still flaming
hot or actually flaming.
However, the making of the
pudding is legendary for
its wish-making tradition.
Customarily, all those who
stir the batter are supposed
to make a wish. Sometimes,
the bakers even drop a
coin into the batter and
the person to find it on
Christmas is considered the
lucky one.
The inauguration of the goat takes place
every year on Advent Sunday in Castle Square
within the city. The Galve Goat stands in the
square from inauguration day until a few days
after New Year’s Eve, unless it gets burned
down which has happened on multiple
occasions.
12
Local
What: TICA Cat Show
This one-day cat show in Kuwait involves four ring
shows for all breeds of cats, for which, entries close
on 15 December and limit 125 cat presenters. Entry
fee for Champion/Open/Premiership: 1st cat – KD20,
Kitten Class – KD15 and Household Pet Class – KD15.
Cage size is 106cm(L)*67cm(W)*75cm(H).
Who: The Kuwait Cat
Fancers
presents
the
show
with
judges Marie France
Dendauw
and
Geneviey Basquine.
Where: Hall 5,
Kuwait International
Fairgrounds (KIF),
Mishref
When: 10 January, 2015, Check in on 2 January
begins at 8am
How: For sponsorship opportunities, visit www.
kcfclub.com, for information, mail at [email protected]
or call at 67763380 / 99845548.
GASTRONOMY
ART
What: Dream Expo Fashion Exhibition
Where: Ground floor exhibition hall at 360 Mall
When: 23, 24, 25 December, 10am–10pm
How: Call on 90914000
What: Mural Painting for Kids
Workshop 'Mural Painting for
Kids' in a private garden will
teach its young participants
how to work collaboratively to
create a mural. Several painting
techniques will be demonstrated.
Space is limited to 10 people.
Workshop cost is KD25 and is
open for ages 7-12 years old.
Who: Visual Therapy
When: 22 December, 10am–1pm
How: Email at [email protected] to
register
What: Teen Dasmania
Fun and interactive exercise group classes aiming to
meet teenagers’ daily physical needs with separate
classes for girls and boys of age group 10–15 years.
Where: Dasman Diabetes Institute, Fitness Center
When: 12 January 2015 onwards, Mondays and
Wednesdays, 4pm–6pm
How: Call on 22242989, Price – KD30/8 sessions
What: Kuwait Yacht Show
The 3rd Edition of (Kuwait
Yacht Show) KYS, lines
up local, regional,
international
exhibitors,
Kuwait’s
world
champions in water
sports for daily in-water
shows showcasing a wide variety of yachts, boats at
the KYS 2015.
Where: Marina Crescent
When: 3-7 February 2015
How: Mail at [email protected] or Call at 25720810 /
25716177. What: What’s Cooking?
Stop by the TIES
Center to watch a free
demonstration of alltime favorite dishes
and international
specialties. The
cooks will guide you
through the steps
to prepare the dishes
and invite you to taste
the results.
Who: The TIES Center
Where: Shuhada Area – Block
4, Street 413,
Villa 67 – Kuwait
When: 14, 21, 28 December, 6pm
How: Visit http://tiescenter.net, Call on 25231015 /
25231016 / 97798222, Email at [email protected]
What: The Sacred Paths
Showcasing photographers from the Middle-East,
whose work documents their journeys
through various countries in
the region, the exhibition
engages the symbolic,
political, social and
personal meanings in
three sections: ‘The
Body’,
‘The
Land’
and
‘The Leader’. This show is
curated by Abed Al Kadiri and was exhibited in
Modern Museum – Hungary in 2013 as part of Zenith
Art Exchange.
Who: 13 Photographers from Middle East, mostly
acclaimed photojournalists.
Where: Life Center – Shuwaikh Industrial Area, Block
2, Street 28, Top floor (Eureka/Midas building)
When: Until 4 Jan 2015, 10am-8pm Saturday to
Thursday.
What: Britain In Kuwait
The 9th British Trade Exhibition in Kuwait – Britain In
Kuwait (BIK) is a country related exhibition tailored
to suit everyone’s taste that covers all segments
including healthcare, retail, hospitality, motor
vehicles, military and the oil sector. The Duke of
York has personally opened the exhibition a number
of times and this year, BIK will welcome yet another
British VIP alongside H.H. Sheikh Naser Mohammed
Al Ahmed Al Sabah.
Who: British Embassy in Kuwait, Kuwait-British
Friendship Society
BIK has lead 70 percent of its exhibitors re-exhibiting
consistently.
Where: Salwa Al Sabah Ballroom
When: 15, 16, 17 January 2015
EXHIBITION
What: The Effects of Food
Additives on the Body
and Mind
Queries
like
‘what
are
the
effects
of
addictive
chemicals
in
food?’, ‘why do food companies add so many
chemicals?’, ‘why is fast food bad for you?’, ‘what do
neuroexyto toxins do to your food and to your brain?’,
will be answered.
Who: Dr. Kamel Al-Farraj will answer these questions
Where: Shuhada Area – Block 4, Street 413, Villa 67 –
Kuwait
When: 23 December, 7pm
How: Visit http://tiescenter.net,
Call on 25231015 / 25231016 / 97798222,
Email at [email protected]
What: ‘Naughty or Nice’
At this Santa-kids’ event, kids
can spend time with Santa,
tell him what they would like
for Christmas next year
and take pictures with him,
see a magician perform
amazing magic tricks for
an hour, for KD10 each, get
a game of bowling, an arcade
card, a
cozmo bag, a coloring book, a
McDonalds
kids’ meal, Christmas goodies, a stocking in addition
to the time and picture with Santa and the Magic
Show. Kids in a Christmas outfit can participate in
fashion parade for prizes of KD20 vouchers.
Where: Cozmo Discovery
When: 26 December, 5pm–7pm
What: Monday at the Market
Enjoy new collections
and great music,
try out new
food and shop
for some unique
items.
Where: Shuwaikh
Market, 5th Street
When: Every
Monday 6pm – 10pm
What: Hala February 2015
Taking into account the mid-year school holidays
falling during these
days,
a
matter
that would make
the events joyful
for all, the ‘Hala
February’
Festival
will kick off with a
focus on benefits
from
discounts
and special offers
provided
by
shopping centers (malls), cooperative societies,
companies and shops participating in the festival,
which is the first in Kuwait, for citizens and expatriates.
The festival would also showcase various events
chiefly concerts, poetry, religious events and sports
for children as well as other activities that contribute
to the reunion of family members.
Who: The Supreme Committee for the ‘Hala February’
Festival
When: 8 January–8 February
WORKSHOP
MEET
BAZAAR
What: A Night In
Grab a bean bag and chill at
this music show. Tickets for
KD 5.
Where: Bayt Lothan
When: 24 December,
doors open at 6pm, show
starts at 7pm
What: Network Security and Privacy Protection
Learn how to protect yourself from hackers. There
will be a chance for questions and answers after the
presentation.
Who: Chris White
Chris will dive into the details of his job, which he
does for the U.S. government to protect their data
and network.
Where: Shuhada Area – Block 4, Street 413, Villa 67
– Kuwait
When: 30 December, 7pm
ENTERTAINMENT
What: Winter Fashion Fair
The Winter Fashion Fair features garments for all ages,
gifts, home accessories, design and lifestyle articles,
tableware and kitchen accessories, paper, office
and stationery goods, floristry, handicraft supplies,
art products, souvenirs, toys, jewelry and seasonal
goods.
Where: Hall 4A , Kuwait International Fairgrounds
(KIF), Mishref
When: 18-27 Dec
SPORTS
MUSIC
What: Kuwait International Fair for cars
Where: KIF, Mishref
When: 14–20 Dec, 10am–10pm
What: Horeca Kuwait
A hospitality and food exhibition, Horeca Kuwait will host
a large number of international chefs from Kuwait and
beyond, who will take part in a wide range of culinary
arts competitions throughout the event.
Who: Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel and Spa
Where: Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel and Spa,
Badriah ballroom
When: 19, 20, 21 January 2015
Local
13
The Times 7-A-Side Football Tournament hailed a great success
The Times Football Tournament’s 2nd Edition held on Friday, 12 December, was hotly contested by the sixteen participating
teams for the glittering trophy and was enjoyed by the large crowd gathered at Al-Bayan stadium.
M
assoud Michael Antoun, General
Manager of Kuwait International Bank
(International Banking Division) was the
Chief Guest. The participants were divided up
into two sets: Group ‘A’ featured Rising Stars,
Kerala Challengers, United Goans Centre, DHL
FC., Goa Maroons, F.C. Sparx, Soccer Kerala and
host Santos United whereas in Group ‘B’ were
Navelim Youth Centre, Kuwait Goans Association,
Curtorcares United, Indian Strikers, Malabar
United, Skynet Raiders, AVC Sports & Cultural
Association and Don Bosco Oratory.
All teams showed strong determination to fight
it out with tactical football prowess and fast play
from the start in the knock-out format with most
of the matches either ending in a goal-less or in
a draw. The top four teams that reached to play
the semi-finals were Malabar United, Curtorcares
United, Soccer Kerala and DHL FC. Indian
Football Referees Association (IFRA) officiated
the tournament under the guidance of President
Sarto Baptista. At the semi-final stages, Malabar
United defeated Curtorcares United by a 3:0
goal margin, and Soccer Kerala had a tough time
dealing with DHL FC and the result was decided
via tie breaker - sudden death, final score being
3:2. A game of housie was conducted where the
two prizes were claimed by Darwin (Jaldi 5) and
Steven (Topline) and the prizes were given by
Ex-KIFF Vice President, C. Gaspar Almeida and
well-known Konkani writer, author and poet, Lino
B. Dourado to the lucky winners. The organizers
gave a breathing space in-between for the teams
before the finals.
The final game of the tournament had the two
teams from Kerala - Malabar United and Soccer
Kerala teams playing superbly, but Malabar
United with determination won The Times Trophy
by scoring 3 goals. It was great to end the day on
such a high note.
At the prize distribution ceremony, Santos
United President, Carmo Santos graciously
thanked the Al-Bayan Stadium authorities, his
fellow committee members and players and the
participating teams, KIFF committee members,
IFRA officials and all those involved in making the
tournament a big success.
A word of gratitude and special mention was
made for the tournament’s sponsors including
Shivy Bhasin, Managing Director Bhasin Co.,
Al Mailem Group of companies (TOYO Tyres),
Kuldeep Singh Lamba, Managing DirectorAl Mailem Group, Deepak Malhotra, General
Manager - Ogab & Hamoud Malik Co., Canon
– Naser Al-Sayer Group, Kuwait Qatar Insurance
Co., and The Times Weekly Newspaper.
Shyam Kumar (Kharafi National Co.) was
presented a Memento by BM Viegas for his
long services with KIFF as Treasurer/Member.
Sylvester Pereira of Santos United was honored
with a Memento by Carmo Santos for his 10 years
services.
Individual prizes went to Jibu Varghese of
Malabar United for scoring the first goal of the finals,
Jinesh of Soccer Kerala was declared the player
of the match and best goal keeper was awarded
to Shaneer of Malabar United. The best discipline
team was claimed by Curtorcares United. This
was the second time The Times publications has
sponsored the tournament organized by Santos
United and a special mention was made by the
President Carmo Santos toward Reaven D’Souza
for the generous gesture. While presenting the
Times trophy to the captains, the chief guest
Massoud Michael Antoun congratulated the
winners, Malabar United and the runners-up
Soccer Kerala. He expressed his appreciation to the
organizers and highlighted the sporting spirit and
discipline that should be continued, commenting
further that he enjoyed the tournament matches
and being in the company of football enthusiasts
on the invitation of Santos United. Gifts were given
to the IFRA officials. Snacks, tea and coffee were
served to the attendees.
flydubai launches five new routes News laws aimed at raising Kuwait’s global profile
to expand in Central and Southeast Europe
D
ubai-based flydubai is celebrating further
expansion to its footprint across Central
and Southeast Europe with the inauguration
of routes to Bratislava, Prague, Sarajevo,
Sofia and Zagreb. The addition of these new
destinations brings the total number of routes
launched so far this year to 23, the most routes
launched in one year since flydubai began
operations in 2009.
flydubai passengers now have access to
a choice of historic and culturally rich cities,
with convenient travel links to the wider Europe
region. These new destinations provide year
round travel options from spectacular mountain
scenery with a choice of ski resorts to rivers,
lakes and beautiful coastlines. In addition to
Dubai’s extensive investment in infrastructure,
with airports rivalling those of established air
transport centres around the world, the UAE
Government has introduced visa on arrival
services for 46 European nationalities including
Czech Republic, Croatia, Bulgaria and Slovakia,
to ease travel and stimulate bilateral business
and tourism exchanges.
The new services respond to growing
demand for affordable and reliable connectivity
through Dubai and these new destinations will
link travellers to flydubai’s wider network, which
totals 89 destinations across 46 countries.
Passengers will also benefit from Dubai’s
efficient aviation hub providing opportunity for
onward travel to more than 200 destinations.
flydubai recently announced the addition
of three new routes to its growing network.
Flights to Chennai in India, Hargeisa in
Somaliland and Nejran in KSA will commence
in the first quarter of 2015. flydubai has a fleet
of 43 new Next-Generation Boeing 737-800
aircraft and operates more than 1,200 flights
a week across the Middle East, GCC, Africa,
Caucasus, Central Asia, Europe and the Indian
Subcontinent.
Continued from page 1
said that this change was needed as part
of Kuwait’s quest for international commercial
and financial recognition. “Transforming the
committee into an independent authority will
attract foreign investors, which will see the step as
a legal procedure that will ensure and protect their
interests,” said Sheikh Salman. He added that the
ongoing shift in laws governing intellectual property
protection requires such change within the nature
of the committee; therefore, the transformation will
be beneficial for Kuwait’s commercial and financial
aspirations. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Commerce and Industry Dr. Abdulmohsen
Al-Madaj had announced on 6 December the
establishment of the committee as a measure to
better protect intellectual property. Meanwhile,
a draft law on ‘patient’s rights’ has been drawn
up, which the Assistant Undersecretary of the
Ministry of Health for Quality and Development,
Dr. Walid Khalid Al-Falah hailed it as one of the
most important laws in the field of health services
in developed countries.
Al-Falah said the draft law when approved will
allow Kuwait catch up with leading countries in this
field in order to make a big leap in the quality of
patients care in particular, and human rights in the
country in general. He explained the law will boost
confidence in the health system as a whole and
preserves the rights of patients and beneficiaries
of the health care facilities of various levels.
14
Local
Ambassador of Kyrgyz Republic
holds reception for Independence Day
O
n the occasion of the
Independence Day of
the Kyrgyz Republic
and the 20th Anniversary of
establishing diplomatic relations
between the Kyrgyz Republic
and Kuwait, Ambassador of the
Kyrgyz Republic to Kuwait H.E.
Jusupbek Sharipov and Mrs.
Nurila Sharipova organized a
reception on 14 December at the
Jumeirah Hotel, Kuwait. A large
number of officials, members
of diplomatic corps and Kyrgyz
community attended.
CRYwalk proud of third successful year
Nikon Middle East and Ashraf & Co Ltd. organizes
amazing event for photography enthusiasts
N
O
rganized by FOCC (Friends of CRY Club, Kuwait), the CRYwalk completed
its third year of fruitful growth. FOCC organizers were thrilled that a large
number of children participated in this charitable endeavour. On 12 December,
the children gathered in Mahboula for the walk that would support unfortunate
children in India who do not have the opportunities to lead a normal childhood.
The total distance walked by all was 382 km, at an average of 6.47 km per
child. It was the energy and enthusiasm of the younger children which surprised
and thrilled all. The highlight of the walk was the 5 year old girl who finished an
amazing 6 km. Older children also took time off from their studies to be part of the
cause and walked the regulatory minimum of 1 km. The organization is grateful to
all the participants for supporting the cause.
ikon
Middle
East,
in
collaboration with Ashraf &
Co Ltd, hosted a photography
event
for
amateurs
and
professionals at the Kuwait
Holiday Inn, Salmiya, last
week. Award-winning Nikon
photographer Bryan Peterson
gave a talk about his photography
work and experiences as well
as mingled with photography
enthusiasts and Facebook fans.
In the lead-up to the event,
Nikon also held a photo
competition on Facebook which
was open to all photographers
in Kuwait. Bryan was the judge
and he selected one talented
winner who walked away with
the latest Nikon D750 Full frame
DSLR worth KD 749/- awarded
by the renowned photographer
himself. The Nikon event was
free to attend on a first-come,
first-served basis, suitable for
both professional and amateur
photographers. The response
was overwhelming.
Find us on Instagram
@thetimeskuwait.com
Like us on facebook
Fallow us on twitter
TimesKuwait
TimesKuwait
Viewpoint
EXCLUSIVE to
Divest in a Better Future
15
THE TIMES KUWAIT
Mike McGinn
Former mayor of Seattle, the first city to commit
to divestment from fossil fuels
S
ometimes the best measure of a movement’s momentum is the
reaction of its critics. When, in early October, the Australian
National University (ANU) announced that it would sell its
shares in seven fossil-fuel and mining companies, it triggered a
chorus of criticism from the country’s conservative politicians.
These nominal champions of the free market were quick to tell the
university what it should do with its money. The Treasurer of Australia,
Joe Hockey, disparaged the ANU’s decision as being “removed
from reality.” Others chimed in, calling it “a disgrace,” “very strange,”
and “narrow-minded and irresponsible.” Never mind that the sums
involved were relatively small – making up less than 2 percent of the
university’s estimated $1 billion portfolio.
As the drive to divest from fossil fuels picks up speed, such
panicky responses are becoming increasingly common. The outrage
of Australia’s conservatives reminds me of the reaction I received
when I testified before the US Congress in 2013 that we should
“keep our coal in the ground where it belongs.” David McKinley, a
Republican congressman from West Virginia, in the heart of America’s
coal country, replied that my words “sent a shiver up [his] spine,” then
changed the subject to the crime rate in Seattle, where I was Mayor.
Even ExxonMobil appears shaken. The company recently
published a long, defensive blog post responding to what it described
as a “full-throated endorsement” of fossil-fuel divestment by Mary
Robinson, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s special
envoy for climate change. The fossil-fuel industry clearly sees the
divestment movement as the political threat that it is. When enough
people say no to investing in fossil-fuel production, the next step has
to be keeping coal, oil, and gas in the ground.
That is a necessary step if we are to head off the most dangerous
consequences of climate change. To prevent world temperatures
from rising above the 2º Celsius threshold that climate scientists
believe represents a tipping point beyond which the worst effects
could no longer be mitigated, we will need to leave approximately 80
percent of known fossil-fuel reserves untapped.
Oil and coal companies and their political allies warn us of fiscal
catastrophe if we do that – as if heat waves, droughts, storms, and
rising seas did not bring their own fiscal and social catastrophes.
As Mayor of Seattle, I supported the creation of energy-efficient
buildings, the development of solar, wind, and hydroelectric power,
and a shift toward walking, biking, and public transit as alternatives
to driving – strategies that can help to build a more resilient economy
and provide viable alternatives to fossil fuels. But they cannot prevent
the worst of global warming, particularly if they result in coal and oil
simply being sold elsewhere.
As imperfect as our governance systems are, at some point the
public and its leaders may demand that we confront the truth about
global warming. At that point, they will put in place the regulatory or
legal controls needed to reduce fossil-fuel use dramatically.
If you are a prudent and cautious investor, contemplate that
possibility for a moment. Stock values in the fossil-fuel industry
– which are based on the assumption that companies will be able
to extract and burn all known reserves – will plummet. Investing in
these companies, it turns out, is extraordinarily risky. As anyone who
receives investment statements knows, “past performance is no
guarantee of future performance.”
That reality implies another compelling case for divestment. To be
sure, some will claim that the world will never change and that we will
continue to depend on fossil fuels forever. But one has only to look to
Seattle, where gay couples marry in City Hall and marijuana is sold in
licensed retail outlets, to see the human capacity to reexamine deeply
held assumptions. The prudent investor, and the wise business
leader, will look where the economy is headed, not where it has been.
The ANU’s decision looks like a sage one to anyone not in thrall
to oil and gas companies, and it will only look wiser with the passing
of time. Good on them. When I put Seattle on the path to divestment
in 2013, my decision was well received by the young people who
will have to live with the consequences of global warming, as well as
the general public. As the political pressure mounts, the university’s
administrators need only listen to the students.
We need more courage like that shown by the ANU. Its leaders
bucked the power of coal and oil interests, which wield enormous
power in Australia. If they can do it to popular acclaim, others can,
too.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2014
A New Direction for Global Health
It is easy to be discouraged about the state of international cooperation today, but global health remains an area in
which the world has come together to do significant good. Over the last dozen years, international initiatives have
delivered HIV/AIDS treatment to millions, expanded childhood immunization, and spurred a dramatic increase in global
support for addressing other health challenges, from malaria to maternal health.
Mitch Daniels
Tom Donilon
Tom Bollyky
I
nternational support for global health is an investment in developing
countries’ future prosperity and the wellbeing of their people. It is an
investment that the world’s richest countries can well afford.
The returns on that investment have been remarkable. Child
mortality is plunging. Millions who would have otherwise perished
from HIV/AIDS are still alive. Countries that were aid recipients are
increasingly self-sufficient – and have become better trade and
strategic partners as a result.
But the health needs of low- and middle-income countries
are now shifting. Dramatic changes in urbanization, global trade,
and consumer markets – which occurred over decades in wealthy
countries – are happening at a faster rate, and at a much larger scale,
in still-poor countries. These trends have brought substantial health
benefits, such as better sanitation and increased food production, but
have given rise to significant challenges as well.
Ebola is one high-profile example. Prior to this year, Ebola had
killed fewer than 2,000 people, all in Central Africa, since it was
first identified in 1976. The virus has killed more than three times
that number in 2014, with enough cases spreading internationally
to dominate nightly news broadcasts and spook voters in recent US
state and local elections.
A major reason is the growth of small- and medium-size cities.
Urbanization is increasing in West Africa at a rate of 3 percent per
year (compared to 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively, in North America
and Europe). The result has been the proliferation of settlements of a
million people or fewer living with limited public-health infrastructure.
These cramped cities are ideal incubators for outbreaks of
emerging infectious diseases like Ebola. With greater trade and
travel to the region, outbreaks are likely to spread before international
containment can coalesce.
Another example of changing global health needs is the stunningly
fast increase of heart disease, cancers, and other non-communicable
diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries. Once
thought to be challenges for affluent countries alone, these diseases
have quickly become the leading cause of death and disability in
developing regions, killing nearly eight million people before their 60th
birthdays in 2013.
Some of the same factors at work in the recent Ebola outbreak drive
the high rates of NCDs. Inhabitants of densely packed urban areas in
emerging economies often face both indoor and outdoor pollution,
and are less likely to have access to adequate nutrition. Most health
systems in these countries are not built for chronic or preventive care
and lack basic consumer protections. From 1970 to 2000, cigarette
consumption tripled in developing countries. Diseases that in highincome countries are preventable, like cervical cancer, or treatable,
such as diabetes, are often death sentences in developing countries.
International investments have not yet adjusted to changing global
health needs, especially with respect to NCDs. In 2010, US$69.38 of
international aid was spent for each year lost to death or disability from
HIV/AIDS (as measured in disability-adjusted life years, or DALYs),
$16.27 was spent per DALY lost to malaria, and $5.42 per DALY lost
to poor maternal, newborn, and child health. But only $0.09 was spent
per DALY lost to heart disease, cancer, and other NCDs.
Meanwhile, the emerging NCD epidemic is worsening. Indeed,
the World Economic Forum is predicting $21.3 trillion in losses from
these diseases in developing countries by 2030. From 1990 to 2010,
death and disability from NCDs in low-income countries increased
300 percent faster than the rate of decline in infectious diseases.
Yet progress on NCDs is possible. Despite much higher rates of
obesity in high-income countries, premature death and disability from
heart disease, cancers, and other NCDs have declined substantially.
Most of the tools and policies underlying this success are cheap,
but not widely implemented in developing countries. They include
low-cost drugs to reduce heart attacks, vaccines to prevent cervical
cancer, and the same tobacco taxes and advertising rules that
dramatically cut smoking rates throughout Europe and the US.
If, over the next decade, low- and middle-income countries could
improve NCD prevention and treatment at the same rate as the
average rich country from 2000 to 2013, they would avert more than
five million deaths. That return is comparable to the most successful
global health investments in HIV and childhood immunization, and it is
an investment worth making for the same reason: a peaceful, inclusive
global economy presupposes healthier, more productive lives.
Mitch Daniels, a former director of the US Office of Management
and Budget under President George W. Bush, is President of Purdue
University. Tom Donilon was US National Security Adviser to President
Barack Obama from 2010 to 2013. They are Co-Chairs of the Council
on Foreign Relations-sponsored Independent Task Force on Noncommunicable Diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Tom
Bollyky, a senior fellow for global health, economics, and development at
the Council on Foreign Relations, was project director of the Independent
Task Force.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2014.
16
India
Indian MP laments lack of protection for migrant workers
B
Among the unsung factors in India’s near-miraculous survival of the global economic recession over the last five years were
the remittances that kept coming in from our mainly blue-collar workers in the Gulf. India receives the highest amount of
remittances in the world at roughly $70 billion, almost three times the amount of FDI that comes into the country.
y far the largest share comes
from the Gulf countries - Bahrain,
Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, and the UAE - which sent us a
combined sum of $32.7 billion in 2014,
almost half of all remittances received.
And most of those represent the sweat
and toil of laborers, masons, clerks,
shop assistants, domestic workers and
others.
In a recently published article, on
the plight of the Indian migrant workers,
Dr. Shashi Tharoor, MP from Kerala and
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing
Committee on External Affairs, said that
despite their invaluable contributions
to our country, many Indian migrant
workers continue to face exploitative
working conditions, forced labor, nonpayment of wages and other forms of
human rights abuse that sometimes
plunge them into slavery-like conditions.
The kinds of challenges that
migrant workers face often begin at
the recruiting stage by visa brokers
and recruiting agents. “I have heard
countless stories of migrant workers
landing in the wrong country and being
stranded there, being jailed for having
the wrong documents, finding their
salary or work conditions are not what
they were promised,” said Mr. Tharoor,
a former UN Under-Secretary-General.
Lack of pre-departure training
and authentic, timely information
relating to overseas employment,
recruitment agencies and emigration
procedures make workers dependent
on intermediaries and vulnerable to
exploitation. Also the inability to access
remedies compounds their plight. The
power differential between workers
and recruiting agents makes it difficult
for workers who face abuse to secure
justice. Enforcement mechanisms are
not strong enough and complaints
registered rarely lead to convictions.
International Migrants Day,
December 18, celebrates the spirit of
millions of migrants across the world. It
recognizes that a large section of these
men and women put their freedom and
sometimes even their lives at risk to
follow their dreams and aspirations. It is
a good occasion for us in India to think
of how we can protect our migrants
better. The Indian Emigration Act
1983, which has been used to regulate
the recruitment and employment of
migrant workers, has been criticized
by government commissions and
NGOs. Reports by the Ministry of
Overseas Indian Affairs have specified
the shortcomings of the recruitment
process and expressed the need to
modernize the legislative framework into
a more effective instrument in facilitating
legal migration and empowering
emigrants. It is now time for the Indian
government to treat this issue with the
seriousness it deserves. When it comes
to migrant workers, it should be the
State’s number one priority to protect
their lives and dignity in a foreign
country. A new law that empowers
workers with adequate information
and support from their home country
will help reduce the likelihood of
exploitation abroad.
In a country like India, with
unemployment and underemployment
problems and excess human
resources, a robust emigration law will
help fulfill the aspirations of millions
of citizens going abroad in search of
better economic opportunities.
Closing India’s Technology Gap
Raghunath A. Mashelkar
Anu Madgavkar
I
t is a notable irony that India, which produces solutions
to many of the knottiest information-technology problems
faced by the world’s largest companies, has benefited little
from technological progress. Fortunately for India’s citizens,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi intends to change that.
The gap between India and its emerging Asian counterpart
China is significant. Whereas China has created the world’s
largest online bazaar and become a global leader in
renewable energy, India has just begun to explore the potential
of e-commerce; IT remains beyond the scope of millions of
small and medium-size enterprises; and most citizens remain
cut off from the digital economy.
To bring India up to speed, Mr. Modi’s government
announced in August a national digital initiative: 1.13 trillion
rupees ($19 billion) in investment to bring broadband
communications to 250,000 villages, provide universal
mobile access, expand online government
services, and enable online delivery of
all sorts of basic services. Needless to
say, this will do much to advance India’s
e-government ambitions. Technology
trends are helping Mr. Modi’s cause. The
rapid decline in costs and increase in
performance capabilities of a range of
digital technologies – including mobile
Internet, cloud computing, and expert
systems – make large-scale adoption a
distinct possibility in the coming decade,
even in relatively poor India.
These digital technologies – together
with advances in genomics (supporting
agricultural and medical innovation) and
unconventional energy (wind, solar, and
shale oil and gas) – will enable financial
inclusion for hundreds of millions of
Indians and potentially redefine how
services like education, food allocation,
and health care are delivered. Research
by the McKinsey Global Institute indicates
that, by 2025, these factors are likely to
contribute at least US$550 billion – and as
much as US$1 trillion – to India’s annual
income.
The gains would be distributed among a
variety of sectors, even some that currently
have low levels of technology adoption.
Existing applications in agriculture, health
care, education, and infrastructure can
collectively contribute $160-280 billion
to annual GDP – and, more important,
empower ordinary Indians.
Indeed, educational innovations – such
as adaptive learning and remote teaching
– could enable some 24 million workers
to receive more years of education and
find higher-paying employment. Mobile
financial services will give 300 million
Indians access to the financial system,
allowing them to build credit. And
precision agriculture – using geographic
information systems and data to guide
planting, watering, and other activities
– can help 90 million farmers increase
their output and reduce post-harvest
losses, with access to timely market data
bolstering their incomes.
Moreover, some 400 million Indians
in poor rural areas can gain access to
better health care in field clinics, where
health workers can diagnose and treat
some ailments using low-cost diagnostic
tools, expert software, and online links
to physicians. Finally, by digitizing
government services, such as fooddistribution programs for the poor, India
could eliminate the leakage that diverts,
according to our estimates, half of the
food from intended recipients.
For India to derive the full potential
of these technologies, it will need to
dismantle barriers to adoption. McKinsey’s
Internet Barriers Index for 25 countries
classifies India as part of a cluster
(along with Egypt, Indonesia, Thailand,
and the Philippines) characterized by
medium-to-high barriers in four key areas:
infrastructure, affordability, incentives,
and capability.Even with low prices for
devices and data plans relative to the
entrepreneurship,
such
as
India’s
cumbersome procedures for starting new
businesses. Moreover, as the experience
of India’s mobile telephony sector clearly
demonstrates, scaling up for massive
impact requires more than start-up
innovation; it also demands a regulatory
environment characterized by a liberal
approach to pricing, manufacturing and
distribution.
Sustaining the benefits of technological
adoption and innovation will require
continued investment and adjustment to
compensate for its disruptive effects. For
example, the automation of knowledge
work – the software and systems that are
rest of the world, Internet access in India
remains beyond the grasp of close to
a billion people. Furthermore, network
coverage and the adjacent infrastructure
remain inadequate, particularly in rural
areas. And, though 48 percent of urban
Indians are computer literate, only 14
percent of rural Indians are able to use a
computer efficiently. Indian policymakers
should be working with the country’s
tech industry and other private-sector
actors to implement measures that would
enable technology adoption. These
include ensuring ongoing investment
in broadband backbone networks,
establishing inter-operability standards,
and creating a supportive environment for
low-cost devices.
In order to spur growth in onlineservices delivery, the authorities must
also address broader challenges to
increasingly capable of performing human
tasks that require judgment – could affect
19-29 million jobs by 2025. Technology
can help create new – perhaps better –
jobs to replace those that are lost, but only
if India’s education and training systems
prepare workers adequately.
With thoughtful planning, productive
collaboration between public and private
institutions, and capable execution,
India’s government can clear the way
for technological progress. The social
and economic benefits of a successful
strategy cannot be overstated.
Raghunath A. Mashelkar is President of
the Global Research Alliance and Chairperson
of India’s National Innovation Foundation. Anu
Madgavkar is a senior fellow with the McKinsey
Global Institute.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2014.
Hungary
TRAVEL
17
This place of zesty paprika,
soothing thermal baths, vibrant,
youthful nightlife and a cowboy
culture in an urban environment,
reflects a perfect contrast —
the hottest of choices in the
coolest of places.
H
ungary is landlocked, like its neighbors
Austria, Slovakia and Serbia, yet, it still
deserves the nickname ‘land of waters’.
Mighty rivers cross, divide and define this region
which cradles the largest lake in Europe (Lake
Balaton). The Danube River splits the capital
into ‘Buda’ (draped across hills to the west) from
‘Pest’ sprawling over the flat plain opposite.
Located over a very active geo-thermal area, it
has over a thousand thermal water springs and
the second largest thermal lake in the world for
bathing (Lake Hévíz).
These very same elemental forces that
brought about its thermal springs, also created
hundreds of kilometers of limestone caves
through erosion. Acrobatics and heel-clicking
folk songs, back-to-front surname-first monikers
and an inscrutable language, the Hungarians
remain entirely distinct from any of their neighbors.
From the sandy beaches of Lake Balaton
to
Turkish-influenced Pécs and Kiskunság
National Park, Hungary is elegant, romantic and
a land of adventure.
Why to go?
Imagine bathing in a steaming hot, outdoor
spa under a dark winter sky or sipping hot
coffee in the glow of thousands of twinkling
lights from the Christmas market at the Basilica.
Imagine enjoying a hearty Hungarian dinner on
the banks of the Danube with the historic Castle
District lit up majestically in front of you.
More gentle than striking, more pretty than
stunning, Hungary has always marched to a
different drummer. Its scenery, architecturally,
is a treasure trove, with everything from Roman
ruins and medieval town houses to baroque
churches, neoclassical public buildings and
Art Nouveau bathhouses and schools. Walk
through Szeged or
Kecskemét,
Debrecen
or Sopron to discover an architectural gem
at virtually every turn. Some people go out of
their way for another glimpse of their ‘hidden’
favorites like the Reök Palace in Szeged, the
buildings of Koszeg’s Jurisics tér or the Mosque
Church in Pécs.
Top things to see
Fabulous views of Budapest’s Parliament
building and Danube River frontage from the
Fisherman’s Bastion on Castle Hill
Whip-cracking
performances
of csikos (cowboys) astride bareback horses
Almond trees in blossom and ceramics,
embroidery and other folk arts in Tihany
The
galleries,
museums,
mosques,
beautifully preserved synagogue and Ottoman
era baths of Pécs.
Week-long Sziget music festival, Europe’s
biggest, on a leafy island in the middle of the
Danube.
Top things to do
Plunge in for a hot soak and rub down with
the locals in the steamy surrounds of Budapest’s
elegant thermal baths
Cruise the Danube on a ferry from Budapest
to Szentendre, a former artists’ colony
Dip your toes in the northern shore of Lake
Balaton, Hungary’s freshwater ‘Riviera’
Race
against
time;
participate
in
a szabadulós játék: a thrilling live escape game
gone global, in which teams lock themselves
in a room and then spend 60 minutes working
through numerous riddles to get out again –
not only by solving puzzles but also, crucially,
identifying them in the first place.
Hungary Revealed
Great Plain and Northeast: The mysterious
Nagyalföld (Great Plain) stretching from
Budapest to the Tisza River has been the
heart of Hungarian myth and legend for
centuries, kept alive by Gypsy violinists,
literature and fine art. The Plain and its
horsemen and shepherds represent the
Hungarian ethos through its poems, songs,
paintings and stories. The annual horse and
herding show at the national park recreates
this pastoral tradition. The biggest attraction
here is Lake Tisza, Hungary’s secondlargest lake and a water-lover’s paradise.
Much of the alföld, turned into farmland for
growing apricots and raising geese, has
other parts a little more than grassy, saline
deserts sprouting juniper trees. Kiskunsági
Nemzeti Park, including the Bugac Puszta,
protects this unique environment.
Bükk Hills: Much of the Bükk range, taking its
name from the beech (bükk) trees growing
here, forms Bükk National Park. Karst
formations, upland plateaus, thick pine
forests and abundant wildlife attract hikers
and cyclists to hillside villages of Szilvásvárad,
famous for its Lipizzaner horses.
While the southern slopes support wine
production, including the famous Bull’s
Blood red, nearly in the dead-centre of Bükk
National Park, Répáshuta makes an excellent
base for exploring nearby caves and, further
afield, the Bükk Plateau. The long and windy
hillside village has a handful of guesthouses
and private rooms, a game restaurant and a
folk-craft exhibition. The hilly drive from Eger
through Répáshuta to Miskolc is extremely
enjoyable by the once-weekly bus journeys.
Pécs: Blessed with a mild climate – ideal for
viticulture and fruit production, especially
almonds, an illustrious past and a number
of fine museums and monuments, Pécs is
an interesting city to visit in Hungary. Its
handful of universities nearby Mecsek Hills
makes many travelers put it second only to
Budapest on their Hungary ‘must-see’ list for
a lively nightlife.
Zemplén Hills: The northern Zemplén Hills,
on the border with Slovakia, is full of hiking
opportunities and romantic castles and castle
ruins
at Boldogkováralja and Sárospatak.
The long-distance Eurovelo 11 cycling route
skirts the hills, from Slovakia near Göncs and
continuing east to Sátoraljaújhely following
the Tisza River’s path south at Tokaj.
Eger: Beautifully preserved baroque architecture
in Eger is a jewelry box of a town with loads
to see and do. Explore the bloody history of
Turkish occupation and defeat at the hilltop
castle, climb an original Ottoman minaret,
listen to an organ performance at the colossal
basilica, or relax in a renovated Turkish bath.
Then spend time traipsing from cellar to cellar
in the Valley of Beautiful Women.
Lake Balaton: At Lake Balaton – in June or
September – the water is warm, everything is
open and it feels summery –without intense
humidity. Outside of the high season it is easy
to wing it, still for your best bet, keep an eye
out for signs saying ‘szoba kiadó’ or ‘Zimmer
frei’ (Hungarian and German, respectively,
for ‘room for rent’) or many of its villas too.
Danube: The Danube, Hungary’s dustless
highway and the second-largest river
in Europe, cuts through hills to the north
of Budapest. Over the millennia the
unrelenting mass of a wild stretch of nature
and an outdoor playground – the Börzsöny
Hills, on the left bank and the Pilis Hills on the
right have forced the river into a handful of
tight, bunched curves, creating arguably the
prettiest stretch of the Danube.
Esztergom: Now a sleepy town, but for so
many years the Pope’s ‘eyes and ears’
in Hungary, has the biggest basilica and a
mammoth edifice containing artwork and a
crypt worthy of age-old bishops. Visegrad
too, once the seat of royals, nowadays sits in
the intimidating ruin of a 15th-century palace
and hilltop castle.
18
Food
D N NG
N KUWAIT
The Butcher’s Den
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Edible
Christmas
trees
A Christmas tree is one of the most iconic features of a traditional Christmas
celebration; you cannot imagine one without the other. However, if you want to have
a Christmas tree and eat it too, you will have to come up with one using any of the
innovative recipes below. With their colorful appearance and festive charm, these
desserts are sure to be a memorable addition to any holiday table.
Cupcake Christmas tree
Gingerbread-Cookie Tree
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
200g butter, softened
200g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
200g self-raising flour
2 tbsp milk
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dark-brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup dark unsulfured molasses
2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups all-purpose flour,
plus more for work surface
Cream Cheese Frosting
Confectioners’ sugar, for
dusting
For the icing
300g butter
525g icing sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
Green food coloring
Sweets, to decorate
Large white chocolate star, to decorate
Edible gold spray
You will need
24-hole mini muffin tin
48 green mini-muffin or petit four cases
Small plant pot or mini bucket
(roughly 13cm across the top)
12cm foam cone (measured across base)
Cocktail sticks
Green paint
Preparation:
Heat oven to 180C and line the muffin tin with muffin cases.
Put half the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl, and beat
until pale and fluffy. Add one egg and mix well. Add half the
flour and milk, and mix with a spatula until combined. Use 2
teaspoons to distribute the cake mixture evenly among the
cases and bake for 12 minutes until risen and golden, and
a skewer inserted to the center comes out clean. Transfer
to a wire rack to cool. Repeat to make another batch of 24
mini cakes.
While the cakes are cooling, make the icing. Put the
butter and icing sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth.
A d d the vanilla and food coloring, and blend again until
evenly colored. Transfer the icing to a piping
bag fitted with a small star nozzle. Once the
cakes have cooled, use a skewer to make
a small hole in the base of each cake. To
decorate the cakes, pipe blobs of green
icing over the surface of each one.
Now you are ready to start assembling
your Christmas tree. Paint the foam
cone all over with green paint and
leave to dry. Push the cone into the
pot. To build the tree, push a cocktail
stick into the base of each cake and
press it into the cone. Continue until
the cone is covered in cakes, trying
to keep them as close together
as possible. You may have some
left over, which you can serve
alongside the tree. Spray the
chocolate star gold and put on
top of the tree, then decorate the
rest of the tree with sweets. The
cakes will last for 3 days.
Preparation
Put butter and sugar into
the bowl of a mixer
fitted with paddle
attachment. Mix
on medium-high
speed until pale
and fluffy. Add
in egg, then
molasses,
spices,
baking
soda, and
salt. Reduce
speed to low and
gradually mix in flour.
Divide dough into quarters and shape
into disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm.
Preheat oven to 190C. Roll out the cooled disks
into 1cm thick cookies on a lightly floured work
surface.
Cut out shapes using cookie cutters in graduated
sizes using each cutter once for every tree.
Arrange cookies by size on parchment-lined
baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Bake until
firm, about six minutes for small cookies and 10
minutes for large. Let cool 5 minutes. Transfer
cookies to wire racks, and let cool completely.
To assemble trees, put frosting into a pastry bag
fitted with a small plain tip and pipe a dime-size
dot of frosting in center of second-largest cookie;
sandwich with larger cookie.
Repeat in descending pairs with larger cookies on
top to make 5 sandwiches. Pipe a scalloped 1cm
thick border of frosting on top of larger cookie of
largest sandwich.
Top with the second-largest sandwich,
larger cookie up, and repeat to make a tree
of 5 sandwiches. Top with frosting, then
smallest cookie, then more frosting and a
star (standing upright). Cookie trees can
be refrigerated up to 6 hours. Dust with
confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Walking into The Butchers Den,
the name alone probably points
you in the right direction – beef.
Dominating the menu at The
Butcher’s Den is the choice of
meats they offer – Australian
Wagyu of varying grades, USDA
organic and Argentinean under their Speciality Meat Cuts section,
a USDA CAB (Certified Angus Beef) section and USDA Prime Cuts.
An oddball, like Cotton Candy, or something as surprising as Bacon
and Chocolate Chip Cookies can be found waiting on the tables of
The Butcher’s Den. Served sauces such as Béarnaise, Mushroom,
Peppercorn and a Mixed Berry Jalepeno sauce, although the flavours
come from the meat itself, make the servings here taste so much more
than merely beef. This place is full of good steaks to the delight of beeflovers.
Location: Al Bida’a Strip
Contact: 22263140
Benihana
Cuisine: Japanese
Benihana
restaurants
are
traditional
Japanese
hibachi
steakhouses, which feature the
Japanese cooking method known
as “teppanyaki.” From mouthwatering steak, tender chicken,
succulent seafood and gardenfresh vegetables to a variety of sushi and other Japanese favourites,
meals here are prepared fresh and served by a performing chef, right
before the customer’s eyes. Their menu includes Benihana Delight,
Benihana Special and Benihana Trio with traditional Sushi rolls and
Traditional Steak Dinner as well.
Location: Avenues - Phase II
Contact: 22597095
Mais Alghanim
Cuisine: Arabic
The history of Mais Alghanim
Restaurant dates back to its
founding father, Edmond Barakat
(Abu Emile), when he opened
a canteen for the employees of
Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons
Co., called ‘Mess Alghanim’. Over
the time, strong ties and personal relations grew between Abu Emile,
Kuwaitis, and expatriate families extending over three phases and three
generations, changing the name ‘Mess Alghanim’ to ‘Mais Alghanim’.
Forwarding into the beginning of the third phase in 2003 to its present
location, it is in a building of true traditional Kuwaiti design preserving
the heritage and genuine tradition.
Location: Sharq, Mahboula
Contact: 22251155; 22250655
Salad Boutique
Cuisine: Salads
Salad Boutique is a bistro known
for its difference and it’s creative
approach to food. Specializing in
serving salads as a main course,
in all flavours and textures, each
of their recipes is prepared
distinctively
from
personal
experiences, travels and international world of taste and ingredients.
Salad Boutique, a small fascinating eatery nestled between residential
buildings, serves as a place to spend both casual or intimate evenings
as well as a place to celebrate special moments.
Location: Jabriya, Shaab Al Bahari, The Avenues
Contact: 25355755
Want to feature your restaurant in our ‘Dining in Kuwait’
section and reach out to our wide reader base?
Email us at [email protected] with a brief
about your restaurant along with an image.

Local - The Times Kuwait

Transcription

Similar documents

DeBrand Chocolate Shop Opens in Kuwait

Directions to Investment Dar Company

The Advancements and Future Applications of the Kuwait National

Ramadan Mubarak

Thursday 20 November - Lycée Français de Koweït

Kuwait Physical Therapy Association World Physical Therapy Day

Schlumberger Spouses Association Kuwait Chapter

CALL FOR - The Society of Petroleum Engineers

Lisa Swarbrick

Dasman Bilingual School Profile