Saddam speaks for the first time

British newspaper News of the World claims to have the first interview with fallen dictator Saddam Hussein. In its Sunday, 4th of December issue, the newspaper claims that Saddam denies that he was caught in a hole, and that he was captured while getting ready to pray at dusk! Other highlights include:

• He hasn't seen sunlight in over a year
• Lives in a 12-square-meter room
• He is unhappy with the prison puddings
• He is not allowed to shave intentionally, so that he appears "ugly and mad" on tv
• He would have fought back when captured if only he had a gun nearby
• Refused to go under the knife and cleans his own clothes in fear of being poisoned
• He claimed to be behind the so-called insurgency
• His cigarettes are running out!
  

Kuwait Politics Database

Nebras E-zine interviewed Dr. Michael Herb from Georgia State University and highlighted his Kuwait Politics Database. It is a very interesting political breakdown of the Kuwaiti elections, and the politicians involved. Data is broken down by districts, sessions, candidates, and more. Further, you will find background information about politicians including members of parliament, ministers, and members of the ruling family. A very useful database indeed!

Random News Update

• LeadDog recently released new geospatial technology featuring the streets of Kuwait City.
• ESPN2 will air a documentary called "Operation Hardwood" chronicling Michigan State's basketball coach Tom Izzo to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. It is scheduled for Saturday, November 19, at 4 pm US Eastern Standard Time.
• Rigzone is looking for a pipeline design engineer for "long term residential conracts based in Kuwait."
• In its September/October 2005 issue, Foreign Affairs published an article titled "Can Democracy Stop Terrorism?" featuring survey data on several countries including Kuwait. The survey data was obtained from the 2003 Pew Global Attitudes Project.

Bird Flu Detected in Kuwait

The BBC confirmed today that two cases of avian (bird) flu were detected in Kuwait. These are the first detections in the region. The infected birds were culled last week.

Religious Freedoms Report & Kuwait

Al-Watan newspaper published an article about the International Religious Freedom Report 2005, released on the 8th of November. After a quick search, the English version of the report was found. The section related to Kuwait can be found here.
Highlights of the section related to Kuwait include:

• There was some improvement in the status of respect for religious freedom during the reporting period.
• Religious Demographics note: It is unknown what the process was in calculating this.
• A private company, the Book House Company Ltd., is permitted to import a significant number of Bibles and other Christian religious materials, including videotapes and compact discs, for use solely by the congregations of the country's recognized churches.
• Women continue to experience legal and social discrimination.
• During the reporting period, there were no reports of the Government prohibiting state employees from displaying or practicing any elements of their faith. However, in late 2003, the headmistress of a public high school in Farwaniya district reportedly dismissed several female students for failure to wear the Islamic hijab (headscarf). The school readmitted the students and the headmistress was criticized widely in the local media.
• The Ministry of Interior, General Customs Department, arrested and deported 32 individuals in 2004 for allegedly practicing sorcery and confiscated alleged sorcery-related materials during the reporting period.
• While some discrimination based on religion reportedly occurs on a personal level, most observers agree that it is not widespread.
• The liberation of Iraq's Shi'a majority has increased the assertiveness of Shi'a in the country, who achieved some important gains against institutionalized discrimination during the reporting period. Some hardline Sunni Islamist extremists became more outwardly hostile toward Shi'a religious practices and distributed virulently anti-Shi'a leaflets outside Sunni mosques during the reporting period. To prevent an escalation in sectarian tensions and demonstrate the Government's commitment to religious freedom, the Prime Minister met separately with the various religious and political groups during the year to promote religious tolerance and combat extremism.

Arizona Trial Update

The attorney for one of the females involved in the fatal hit-and-run accident in Arizona claimed discrimination against his client because of her Arab descent. That claim came after the county attorney requested that her passport be held by the court.
Three Initial Pretrial Conferences are scheduled for 11/10 and 11/14.

Israel & Kuwait- Shimon Peres

It seems that Israel and Kuwait are inching towards formal relations, as suggested by earlier media reports. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Shimon Peres talked favorably about Kuwait, and how it intervenes "positively" in the Palestinian cause.

• Al-Seyassah article (.pdf)
  

New Universities in Kuwait- Part II

It is official! As mentioned previously in Kuwait2005, The Cabinet of Ministers in Kuwait approved today draft laws to license two educational institutions (the names as they were provided by the Cabinet):

1. Kuwait School of Technology
2. American Middle East University

EXTRA! EXTRA! Who was on Saddam's payroll?

The Independent Inquiry Committee into the United Nations Oil-For-Food Programme released a report on Thursday, uncovering a large list of individuals and companies who benefited from Saddam's oil coupons. To the dismay of Middle Eastern leaders, the committee is very explicit and clear in naming the culprits. The list includes a vast array of companies and individuals. Some of the notable inclusions are (numbers are for barrels lifted not allocated):

• Khaled Jamal Abd Al-Nasser, Egypt, 5.8 million barrels
• Al-Dulaimi Group, Qatar, 3.6 million barrels
• Toujan Al-Faisal, Jordan, 1.0 million barrels
• Sheikh Issa Bin Zayed Al-Nahayan, UAE, 1.0 million barrels
• Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nahayan, UAE, 1.96 million barrels
• Sheikh Hamad Bin Ali Bin Jabr Al-Thani, Qatar, 8.89 million barrels
• Communist Part, Belarus, 3.44 million barrels
• Liberal Democratic Party, Belarus, 6.56 million barrels
• Socialist Party, Bulgaria, 3.02 million barrels
• Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chad, 1.05 million barrels
• George Galloway, UK Member of Parliament , 6.68 million barrels
• Welfare Party, Hungary, 1.10 million barrels
• Congress PArt, India, 1.01 million barrels
• Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jordan, 1.90 million barrels
• Son of President Lahoud, Lebanon, 2.28 million barrels
• Government of Namibia, 4.07 million barrels
• Ministry of Oil and Gas, Oman, 3.08 million barrels
• Palestine Economic Institute, 3.69 million barrels
• Palestinian Liberation Front, 2.05 million barrels
• Labor Party, Romania, 3.31 million barrels
• Communist Party, Russia, 106.9 million barrels
• Deputy Prime Minister, Russia, 1.50 million barrels
• Peace and Unity Party, Russia, 46.41 million barrels
• Presidential Office, Russia, 16.40 million barrels
• Leith Shbeilat, Jordan, 13.86 million barrels
• Communist Party, Slovakia, 2.52 million barrels
• Faras Mustapha Talas, Syria, 3.06 million barrels
• Communist Party, Ukraine, 7.90 million barrels
• Government of Yemen, 4.71 million barrels
• Radical Party, Yugoslavia, 4.06 million barrels

Companies involved in financing these robberies include:

• Bayoil
• Mitsubishi
• Shell International Trading
• Taurus Petroleum Limited
• VITOL

Sharjah and Kuwait Manufacturing (SKM) was involved in providing air conditioners, medical equipment and appliances, to Iraq. They were paid 6.18 million dollars for three contracts.

New Universities in Kuwait

According to Al-Qabas newspaper, four new license requests have been submitted on behalf of foreign educational institutes to open branches in Kuwait. However, the article does not mention the requesting institutions, and states that these are American and Dutch institutes. After some research, it seems the following universities could be the ones mentioned in the article:

• Middle East American University in affiliation with Purdue University
• Boston University
• University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine
• Science and Technology College of Kuwait in affiliation with the India Institute of Technology in Delhi
  

What are the highest ranked Kuwait-related websites?

According to Alexa, Salmiya dot net is the highest ranked Kuwait-related website, coming in at 2543 worldwide. It is worthy to mention that 6arab.com comes in at 476 overall, but is categorized in Middle East rather than Kuwait. For the complete list click here. Following is a list of the top 10 Kuwaiti websites according to Alexa:

1. Salmiya dot net at 2543
2. Kuwait Airways at 9242
3. Kuwait University at 29452
4. Indians in Kuwait at 29617
   
5. Kuwait International Airport at 87865
   
6. Wataniya Telecom at 97941
   
7. Ministry of Finance at 173332
8. Public Authority for Applied Education and Training at 136188
9. Gulfnet International at 148466
   
10. AiwaGulf at 158039

Please note this is Alexa's ranking of most popular sites for Kuwait. However, notable sites missing from the official list include:

1. Al-Watan at 6747
2. Al-Seyassah/Arab Times at 9042
   
3. Al-Rai Al-Aam at 9353
4. Al-Qabas at 10561
   
5. KUNA at 12842
   
6. NBK at 16004
   
7. MTC-Vodafone at 58119
   

The Hero of Qadisiya...The Hero of Arabs

...Should have stayed away from Kuwait!

Saddam's Trial to Open Soon

Congratulations to all the people out there who were/are affected in any way by the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. His trial is set to start within the hour.

Global Corruption Report 2005

Transparency International released the Global Corruption Report for 2005. Kuwait came in at 44 overall in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index. Finland was first, while Bangladesh and Haiti tied for 145th.

Kuwait vs. Brazil Match

The 5-time world champions Brazil will end this season with two friendly games in the Arab World. Brazil will play the UAE national team on the 12th of November, and then head to Kuwait to meet Al-Kuwait Club on the 15th.

• Tickets for the game in Abu Dhabi range from $48 to $409 while tickets in Kuwait range from $34 to $103.
• Brazil faced Arab teams many times in the past including:
• Saudi Arabia (4 times recording 4 Brazil victories)
• Algeria (3 times recording 2 Brazil victories and a tie)
• Egypt (4 times recording 4 Brazil victories)
• Morocco (2 times recording 2 Brazil victories)
• Tunisia (1 time recording a Brazil win)
• Tickets for the match in Kuwait can be ordered from the Kuwait Club site.
  

Weather Forecast in Kuwait- Calm For Now

The political storm has passed for now. After the Amir's wise move of restating his confidence in Sheikh Sabah, and sending a strong message to Sheikh Salem Al-Ali, it seems the policitcal situation is calm again. However, this is not the end of this chronic battle for power, as actions encourage reactions. Time will tell how things will be set straight as the Amir promised in his recent statement. Further, politicians expect a retaliation for taking this battle for power into the public domain. Time will tell.

Political Situation in Kuwait- Latest Developments

After Sheikh Salem Al-Ali's fiery statement to Al-Qabas newspaper, some controlled reactions have been published today.

• Sheikh Jaber restates his confidence in Sheikh Sabah and promises to set things straight.
• Member of Parliament Ahmad Al-Sadoun chips in.
• Al-Seyassah's editorial focuses on the need for solution for the political stalemate.
• Kuwaiti government calls for unity.
  

It's Heating Up- Kuwaiti Style

According to Kubbar, the temperature in Kuwait is currently 35.7 degrees Celsius with calm winds. However, it seems things are heating up according to this news item.

Kuwait & Israel: Stepping Towards Normalization?

After the announcement earlier about GCC countries preparing to lift the economic embargo on Israel, the New York Times ran this story about possible steps taken by Kuwait to ease hostilities toward the zionist nation.
Highlights of the story include:

• Kuwaiti newspapers floating ideas about easing hostilities towards Israel to help Palestinians. Note: People laughed at Saddam when he claimed he is going to liberate Palestine when he invaded Kuwait in 1990.
  
• Al-Seyassah pushing for lifting the economic embargo on Israel.
• An interview with former Minister Saad Bin Tefla who said, about lifting the economic embargo, "if it's good for our allies, maybe it's good for us."
• Ahmed Al-Sarraf claimed that "we owe Israel alot" since it did not retaliate to Iraq's Scud missiles in 1991. Had Israel retaliated, "it would have affectd our cause significantly," he added.

Basically, a free trade agreement with the US does not permit an economic embargo on Israel. So once you read that Kuwait signed a free trade agreement with the US, you will know that the embargo has been lifted.

Arizona Women Plead Innocent

The two women involved in a hit-and-run accident in Arizona have pleaded innocent during their arraignment hearing earlier this morning.

• Note: The story was carried by the Associated Press.
  

Todd DeGain Roadside Memorial

Kuwait 2005 would like to share with you this picture of the roadside memorial in memory of Todd DeGain. Our deepest condolences to all his family, friends, and loved ones. May he rest in peace. Thanks Nate.

Breaking News Arizona Case

Kuwait 2005 has learned from its sources that the American citizen (identified herself as such to police) and Kuwaiti student involved in the Arizona accident have been indicted as following:

• Jeep Driver (American)-
  
• Count 1- Leaving scene of a fatal accident, a class 4 felony
• Count 2- Driving or actual physical control while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, a class 1 misdemeanor
• Count 3- Extreme driving or actual physical control while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, a class 1 misdemeanor
• Ford Driver (Kuwaiti)-
• Count 1- Leaving scene of a fatal accident, a class 4 felony
• Count 2- Liquor-unlawful acts, a class 1 misdemeanor
• Both individuals are set to appear for arraignment on October 5th, 2005.
  

Note: Legal sources expressed their surprise at this decision, stating that drinking, driving, and death usually yield manslaughter or second-degree murder charges. Another informed source attributed this decision to the failure of the responsible individuals to prove that the Jeep driver was driving erratically, despite her hitting Todd DeGain, and a telephone pole a short while after that. Again, an interesting decision by all means. Stay tuned.

Arizona Police Report

The Arizona Republic published excerpts from the police report filed for the 09/14 accident. Following are some highlights:

• Woman in Jeep, who also hold U.S. citizenhip, appeared very relaxed, insisting she had hit a pole. She was also seen on her cellphone making phone calls.
• Both girls were trying to find a friend's house at the time of the accident.
• Both cars hit Todd DeGain.
• Both women admitted drinking before the accident.
• Jeep driver told police she was suffering from jet-lag as she had just arrived from Kuwait the day before.
• Jeep driver asked if she was going to jail for the rest of her life, while making phone calls to family members, and lawyers in Kuwait and the U.S.
• Mesa Police contacted the Kuwaiti Ambassador's Office.

Israel, Kuwait, and the Trade Emabrgo

Al-Rai Al-Aam tipped Kuwait 2005 to news about the trade embargo on Israeli goods being lifted by four countries in the GCC. After searching for the source, the news was verified. Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth published a story today claiming that Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Dubai, will soon announce the end of the economic embargo on Israel. The newspaper claims that this change is a direct result of American pressure on the GCC states mentioned, as they seek to reach free-trade agreements with the U.S. The newspaper also claims that Saudi Arabia was excluded from this deal amid fears of fueling terrorist attacks, a position America accepted.

• Note: Bahrain already announced lifting its economic embargo on Israel.
  

Todd DeGain- Remembered by Friends

Arizona Republic- An article featuring the life of Todd DeGain, the victim of the Mesa hit-and-run accident involving two Kuwaiti citizens. In comparison to previous "opinion" pieces, this article does justice to DeGain, a father of a 7-years-old Ryan, and a person loved by many. May he rest in peace. Other details include:

• Both girls were released on bail and await a preliminary hearing in Maricopa County Superior Court on Friday (yesterday).

Arab Times republished the Arizona Republic's story.
Court appearance was scheduled for 09/23/2005 (yesterday) at 8.30am. State of Arizona vs. Two Kuwaiti citizens. The honorable Commissioner B. Owens presided. Details coming soon.

Jarhead- Desert Storm at the Movies!!

Desert Storm is back! The movie Jarhead is based on a soldier's experiences before and during Desert Storm of 1991. The cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, and Jamie Foxx. The planned release date in the US is sometime during the first 10 days of November, 2005.

New "Old" News

The sister of one of the girls involved in the Arizona tragedy has spoken. This opinion piece was dated September 14th by the Daily Star. Here is a reponse by Kuwait2005:

• "Talking is usually my favorite therapy" 1st paragraph- That is why God Gave us two ears and one mouth- So we speak less and listen more. If you did that, you would not have said what you said in this lousy opinion piece.
• "They turned both my family and my best friend's family tragedy into the hot gossip of the week" 2nd paragraph- Yes it is a tragedy by all means, and no this is not hot gossip. This is news. When prominent individuals, or their relative, get into trouble, they become today's news. Just because the Kuwaiti media is not covering this does not make it gossip! It is still factual news. Besides, remember a guy names De Gains? Do you think his family are in this tragedy too? You say yes but you don't mention him. Why? Because you are a self-centered, typical, snobby Kuwaiti girl who thinks laws were made for the poor. This is what drives this story!
  
• "Did anyone stop to think how these two scared women are feeling"- Not really! They are in the USA where nobody is above the law. The De Gains family, who you fail to mention, are worthy of more sympathy and condolences.
• "I felt sick to my stomach. What kind of society do we live in? When does someone's tragedy become an amusing topic of discussion" 3rd paragraph- Society is not to blame. This is a direct consequence of the actions of these two girls. As to what kind? The kind where relatives of prominent figures are shoved into the news once something happens, just like any other society that has some sort of democracy. As for your sickness,there are many good doctors all over Kuwait, unless you want to be sponsored by the Ministry of Health for treatment abroad, which you can if you wanted to!
• "Do these people not have sisters? Do these people not have a conscience?"- Yes they do. Most have a clean conscience that realizes when to sympathize with the plight of others, and when not to. "Crude judgments" is just being hypocritical! But being who you are, the last sentence would be a redundancy (go look it up in the dictionary!).
  
• "I am not condoning what my sister and friend did" 4th paragraph- Please do. You think people care what you do now!
• "Life has a funny way of showing us"- Funny? What is funny about this whole episode?
  
• "Let us just take this story with a grain of salt"- A man lost his life and you do not have the decency to use better wording out of respect for the victim. I am surprised you made it fine through 24 years of life. You come off as even snobbier than the other two girls!
• "Posting cruel comments about them in an attempt to feel better about yourself"- If news commentary became what you said it is, then why not post a decent opinion where you acknowledge the loss of the De Gains family instead of pointing at people? Told you, you are even snobbier.
• "They have strong, beautiful souls"5th paragraph - Save the cliches.
• "Other stories will come along and take its place"- Thank you. Finally you say something that is not offensive, and true!

General response to the opinion piece by Shahad Bishara:

• This is an appalling opinion piece that reflects your true skewed image of yourself and things around you. People are not slaves and you their master for you to label, point fingers, and tell them what to do. This is the age of technology, where even people in remote locations can find out what is going on around the world. Show some decency and respect to others.
• One thing I looked for in your opinion piece is an apology, or at least condolences, to the De Gains family. Nothing was there which again reflected the "high" moral and behavioral standards you hold. Offering an apology or condolences is not by any means an admission of guilt. It is simply an admission that a man lost his life, and that we as human beings sympathize with the De Gains family.
  
• Near the end, you mention how this is news today, and something else will be the news tomorrow. Thank you. I have been trying to make this point ever since the story broke! This story is already dying down, and nobody really cares what happens, except for a few family and friends.
• Finally, before you start getting defensive and point fingers at others, you must know that your fathers social standing is driving all of this. If it was two other girls named A and B, this story would not have made it into the news cycle in Kuwait. But since it is girls C and D, this story rocketed across the Atlantic and back a few million times. You made the Dean's Honor List in 2001. You should know better. This is life.
  

Arizona update- Rolling Story

• East Valley Tribune story - passports in custody and bail info.
• KPHO Phoenix- Court appearance. You need to scroll down to the video titled "Women arrested in fatal hit and run."
• Al-Watan newspaper- Pathetic news about making bail of $300 thousand when it is actually $150K plus $75K= $225K!!! The pathetic news also fails to say that one of the girls is not a student at ASU. Finally, Kuwaiti girls never ever drink and drive! Welcome to freedom of press Kuwaiti style! Note: Does this mean any Kuwaiti citizen who gets into trouble will be bailed out like this? Food for thought.
• Arab Times- azfamily.com story republished here (updated Sept. 17, 2005 at 4.30am US Eastern Time Zone)
• ASU Web Devil- Accident occured on Alma School Road near Baseline Road (updated Sept. 17, 2005 at 6.00am)
• Al-Watan- News about Kuwaiti Foreign Minister and Kuwait's Ambassador to the US trying to help, and how that despite making bail, the two girls remain in captivity (updated Sept. 18, 2005 at 2.25am)

P.S. If this post is not displaying correctly it is Blogger's fault!

Unfortunate Incident in Arizona involving Kuwaities

No comment!

Video

Story

Story #2

Human Development Report 2005- Kuwait

As you might have read in local newspapers, the Human Development Report for 2005 is out. To obtain a complete official copy of the report click here (I advise you to use save as.. option from the UNDP site instead of opening the .pdf file right there. Also, the 6.3 megabytes .pdf file is completely searchable!). For Arabic, there are parts, including a summary, available here.
The report includes detailed data about education, economics, political participation, the environment, technology, gender-related development, and other areas of interest. Brief notes about Kuwait from the report include:

• In the Human Development Index, HDI, (2003 data) Kuwait ranks 44th with a value of 0.844. Norway ranks first with a value of 0.963.
• Life expectancy at birth is 76.9 years
• Adult literacy rate (15 years-old and above) is 82.9 percent
• GDP per capita is $18, 047
• Live expectancy index value= 0.87
• Education index value= 0.80
• GDP index value= 0.87
• HDI trend for Kuwait
• 1975= 0.763
• 1980= 0.777
• 1985= 0.780
• 1990= N/A
• 1995= 0.813
• 2000= 0.837
• 2003= 0.844
• Demographic Trends
• Fertility rate (births per woman)
• 1970-1975= 6.9 births
• 2000-2005= 2.4 births
  

Kuwaiti Tennis - US Open

Abdullah Muqadas again represented Kuwait in the juniors competition of a Grand Slam. This time it was at the US Open where he faced 9th seeded Thiemo de Bakker from Holland. Muqadas lost two sets to nil with a score of 6-1 and 7-6 (7-3 tiebreak). He will not feature in the junior's doubles competition. Better luck next time. Muqadas is currently ranked 1161 in singles, his highest rank ever. As for doubles, Muqadas is ranked at 795. His career record stands at 3 wins and two losses. For more information click here.

Kuwaiti Prisoners in Cuba

• I came across a website, by coincidence, that is dedicated to the Kuwaiti prisoners in GITMO. If you are interested, God Forbid, click here to access the site.
• Kuwait University advertised its scholarship offerings in July. Just in case you missed it here is a re-run. Scholarhsips advertised include Medicine, Business, and the Languages Center. Click here to access the advertisements.
• An interesting country study published by the Library of Congress. Looks at politics, economy, society, etc. in Kuwait. Very interesting!
  

Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait- 15 Years Later

The 2nd of August marks the passage of 15 years since Iraq invaded Kuwait (note: it is not an anniversary as most are wrongly writing.) Despite political attempts to convert the Iraqi invasion into a "Saddam" invasion, many Kuwaities remember with sadness and anger the events that unfolded 15 years ago. Sadness again covers the skies of a free Kuwait today for the passing away of one of the liberation war heroes in King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.
Despite the loss, it is gratifying to see a tyrant like Saddam weak and broken, and waiting for a death sentence. Following are before and after pictures of Saddam, once hailed as the champion of all Arabs. So we don't forget:

Above: Saddam the great warrior and champion of all Arabs and Muslims

Above: Saddam the criminal as he sits in court- Which Saddam do you prefer?!

Most Powerful Women in the World

Forbes magazine recently released its list of the 100 Most Powerful Women, headed by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Two Arab women made the list, with one being Saudi's Lubna Olayan at #97, and the other from Jordan at #80.

On the homefront, Forbes released a parallel list of Middle Eastern Women to Watch that featured former Kuwait University President Dr. Faiza Al-Khorafi, Head of Corporate Banking at NBK Shaikha Al-Bahar, and Founder, Vice Chair and Managing Director of Global Investment House Maha Al-Ghunaim.

Health Impact of 1990 Iraqi Invasion - Harvard Study & Kuwait's FIFA World Ranking

Local media have recently picked up on the results of Phase I of Harvard's study on the public health impact of the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Basically, results showed that individuals who stayed in Kuwait during the ordeal are much more likely to suffer in terms of health. For more detailed results in English, CLICK HERE. For a brief summary in Arabic (PDF), CLICK HERE. The poor local media are focusing on whether the study intruded on privacy rights of patients, instead of examining the results, and elaborating on them. How typical!

Note: The study was conducted after the Kuwaiti government solicited the services of the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) three years ago.

Note II: My brother was chosen as a sample in the study, and we were visited at home by representatives of HSPH (a man and a woman who were both Egyptian) who asked him to sign participation documents. However, they never showed up again! Maybe they realized that Kuwait was not the perfect place for research incorporating house-visits!

And please, keep the conspiracy theories at bay! This is not yet another Western conspiracy against Islam. It is merly a study that Kuwait will shove in the face of the UN to get compensation for environmental and health damages that resulted from the invasion of 1990.

Torched oil wells in Kuwait

In other news, the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking released today showed Kuwait improving one position to 55th overall! This puts us ahead of the likes of China, Australia, Oman, Latvia, Wales, Algeria, and Scotland! Kuwait's next World Cup Qualifying opponent Uzbekistan also jumped one position to 53rd overall. Brazil retained its top spot.

FIFA: Kuwait improved from June 5th to July 5th despite June 8th quadruple by South Korea!

Mihai Stoichita New Kuwait Coach

Finally, Kuwait Football Assoiation hired Romanian Mihai Stoichita to coach its national football (soccer) team. The one year deal is believed to be worth between $300, 000 and $460, 000. Stoichita's first task is to earn one point from the away match at Uzbekistan to qualify for a two-legged play-off against Bahrain in the World Cup Qualifiers.
The winner of that play-off shall then play another two-legged play-off against the 4th ranked team from the CONCACAF region (currently Guatemala with 5 matches to go), and the winner qualifies to the World Cup Finals in 2006.
Stoichita's faces a tough uphill climb as Uzbekistan has not lost at home in World Cup Qualifying matches since February of 2004. Kuwait ranks 56th in the current FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, while Uzbekistan ranks 54th.

Kuwait's Oil Reserves

The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) released its 31st Annual Report which showed that Kuwait ranked fourth in the list of countries with highest oil reserves for the year 2004. Saudi Arabia ranked first, followed by the UAE then Iraq. To view a copy of this report click here. To view the Annual Statistical Report for 2004 by OAPEC click here.

Kuwait Coach Srecko Katanec

Kuwait has recently announced that Srecko Katanec will be the new coach of the national football team hoping to salvage a doomed world cup 2006 qualification campaign. Who is the new coach? Following are some tidbits.

• Born July 16, 1963 in Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Started playing at 7 years of age with Ljubljana (1970-1981)
• Transferred to Olimpija (Slovenia) from 1981-1984
• Joined Dinamo Zagreb, Croatia, from 1985-1986
• Joined Partizan Belgrade, Yugoslavia, from 1986-1989
• Joined Stuttgart, Germany, from 1989-1990 (Loan then transfer)
  
• Joined Sampdoria until 1994
• Played in the Yugoslav national team from 1983-1990 then continued in the Slovenian national team from 1991-1994
• Coached Slovenian U-21 team, HIT Gorica, then Slovenia's national team
• Left Slovenia after an argument with player Zlatan Zahovic:

• Zahovic is believed to have said in the dressing room after a match against Spain, "I can buy all of you, I can buy the whole association, I can buy Smarna Jore (Katanec's home town). I can't stay in a team like this where you (Katanec) will substitute me in a game like this in the World Cup."

• Coach Srecko Katanec's name translates as "lucky"
• "Luck can decide a lot of things." (Srecko Katanec)
• Only non-playing reserve players to have been sent off in finals: Yugoslavia's Srecko Katanec on 30/6/90 and Argentina's Claudio Caniggia on 12/6/02
• Likes aggressive and pressing football

Details of Saddam's Life in Prison

• Saddam Tame Behind Bars
• After more than a year in jail, more details about Saddam's life behind bars are coming out. In its July issue, GQ magazine interviewed American soldiers who were responsible for guarding Saddam in his prison. Following are some highlights:
• Saddam tried to flee in a taxi cab when American troops were closing in. Saddam stated that "U.S. planes attacked the palace to which he intended to escape rather than the one he was in, injuring some of his bodyguards. But then he started laughing, recalls Reese. Saddam said America, they dumb. They bomb wrong palace." - Kudos to Saddam for smartness!
• In one conversation, Saddam compared himself to Jesus, saying "that's how it was for me. If his Judas never said anything, nobody ever would have found him, he said. Saddam claims that the only man who knew where the dictator was had ratted him out for money.
  
• Saddam loved Cheetos in prison and would get grumpy if he did not get any. Doritos corn chips soon won out. Nice!
  

5th Annual Trafficking in Persons Report

The U.S. Department of State released on Friday its 5th Annual Trafficking in Persons report. Kuwait has been highly criticized and placed as a Tier III country, which could trigger economic penalties. Other countries placed in Tier III include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Sudan, Togo, Cuba, and Ecuador. The section on Kuwait states that the country is a main destination for men, women, and children trafficked from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Phillipines, for labor exploitation. Other comments from the report

• "The Government of Kuwait issued public declarations against trafficking, but there is no evidence of judicial action against traffickers, despite ongoing reporting of physical and sexual abuse of domestic workers, physical abuse of laborers, and physical abuse and exploitation of trafficked child camel jockeys."
• "Kuwait made minimal efforts to protect trafficking victims over the last year."
• "During the reporting period, Kuwait took limited actions to investigate and prosecute traffickers."
• Notes:
• The repoort provides a narrative for almost all countries except the country issuing the report. With serious trafficking issues in the U.S., the authority of the report seems to be diminished.
  
• The report is useful for highlighting issues that need to be addressed. However, a serious effort requires naming names, and identifying major traffickers. But since these traffickers are mostly billionaires who pay-off many government officials, it would not be morally acceptable to release their names!
• The report fails to provide statistics to clearly and systematically highlight the problem. Again, this diminishes the credibility of this report, especially since it describes countries with imperfect governments who can spin this any which way they want.
  

Invasion of Kuwait in History

The 2nd of August, 1990, was overwhelming for all Kuwaities. However, what else was going on that day? Following are some tidbits:

• Sven-Erik Soderman, driving an Opel Kadett at Mora, Sweden, set a world's record in stunt driving after he reached a speed of 102.14 mph while driving his car on two side wheels.
• New York Yankees 5 Detroit Tigers 6 (After 14 innings). Also, Yankees rookie Kevin Maas hits his 10th home run in just 77 at bats.
• OJ Simpson trial judge to be Lance Ito celebrated his 40th birthday. Also celebrating a birthday was actor Peter O'Toole from Lawrence of Arabia (57th).
• This day also marked the following:
• Grenada- Emancipation Day
• Lesotho- National Tree Planting Day
• Malawi- Bank Holiday
• U.S.- National Ice Cream Sandwich Day
• Coming soon: A Timeline of terror and Kuwait
  

Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay

Following is a list of Kuwaiti idiots said to be currently detained in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There is a long list of names and court documents related to these names provided by the Associated Press. If you know any name here, i recommend you go throw yourself in the garbage. To obtain the court documents, in pdf format, just click on a name.

• Abd Al Aziz Sayer Uwain Al Shammeri, Kuwait
• Abdullah Saleh Ali Al Ajmi, Kuwait
• Abdullah Kamel Abudallah Kamel, Kuwait

Hobbs is Coming to Kuwait

• UK-based retailer Hobbs to open in Kuwait
• Hobbs, a women's fashion retailer, is set to announce plans of opening in Kuwait and the US. This will be the first expansion for the retailer outside the UK, as it intends to increase its stores from 66 to 90. Details of a timeline are yet-to-be released. This Is London

Women's Rights in Kuwait and Newsweek

After a short hiatus, we resume our news service.

• Newsweek Examines Women's Rights in Kuwait
• In it's May 23rd issue, Newsweek (International Edition) will publish an article about women's rights in Kuwait. Despite the artcile's somewhat fair look at the current situation, the writer Carla Power (talk about ironic), fails to provide a full picture. Following are some comments:
• "Armed only with a dog-eared NEWSWEEK ID, I ambled through the gates of the National Assembly last week. Unscanned, unsearched, my satchel could easily have held the odd grenade or an anthrax-stuffed lunchbox. The only person who stopped me was a guard who grinned and invited me to take a swig of orange juice from his plastic bottle." Note: Due to the guard's good intentions, the westerner did not like the fact she was not searched. Had she been searched etc., her comments could have been something to the tone of "the guards fondled me in an attempt to search me." As for the "swig" of juice, what purpose does this comment serve?
• "Mariam Al-Enizi, 20, studying business administration at Kuwait University, doesn't think women need the vote. "Men are better at politics than women," she explained, adding that women in Kuwait already have everything they need. Welcome to democracy, Kuwaiti style." Note: It is appaling that a Newsweek reporter would anchor her story with two sources only. This source is a young woman, and due to the slow progress of democracy, her opinions are used here to make a Power point. The reporter should at least attempt to spotlight the opinions of intellectual Kuwaiti women, and not stop short. As for Kuwaiti style, i'm diassappointed to inform Carla that it requires two individuals from different genders. Therefore, she can never experience true Kuwait style. Rejoice Kuwaiti women everywhere, for Carla Power is here to rescue you from the caves of darkness!!!
  

Copyright Piracy & Kuwait

• Kuwait on US Copyright Piracy Priority Watch List
• Kuwait, along with a few other countries, has been placed on the US copyright piracy priority watch list. In its report, the Office of the US Trade Representative stated the following about Kuwait:
• "Kuwait is being maintained on the Priority Watch List this year due to its high rates of copyright piracy and its lack of progress in amending its copyright law to meet international obligations."
• "Furthermore, Kuwait has not yet fully implemented the 2002 work plan that outlined the steps it would take to increase IPR enforcement. In 2004, IPR enforcement efforts remained insufficient and penalties for infringement remained inadequate to deter potential offenders. Kuwait proposed a draft copyright law in 2004, which has not yet been passed by Kuwait’s legislature."
• "The U.S. copyright industry reports that Kuwait continues to have high levels of retail optical disc piracy, as well as problems with corporate end-user software piracy, cable piracy, and Internet piracy."
• "We urge Kuwait to improve the situation by making public declarations at the highest level that piracy in Kuwait will not be tolerated, increasing the frequency of raids on suspected infringers, prosecuting offenders, imposing deterrent sentences, publishing the outcomes of inspection raids in order to deter others, and amending its copyright law in the near future to correct its deficiencies."
  
• "Kuwait has made some progress, such as Kuwait Customs’ creation of a special IPR unit in April 2004 that began taking some enforcement actions. The Ministry of Commerce also stepped up enforcement efforts in late 2004."
  
• "Although these are positive steps, we hope that key ministries with IPR enforcement responsibilities, including the Ministry of Information, will take further measures to combat IPR infringement over the long term. We will continue to address these issues under the U.S.-Kuwait Trade and Investment Framework Agreement signed in February 2004."
• For the full report click here
  

Stat-Attack

Following are some statistics related to Kuwait compiled from various sources including the United Nations, the World Health Organization, CIA Factbook, and other media outlets.

• Kuwait ranks first world-wide in percent of breeding birds under threat. As of 2000, 35 % of breeding birds in Kuwait are threatened. This is followed by the Phillipines (34.18%) and New Zealand (32.67%).
• As of 2003, Kuwait is second world-wide in total population sex ratio, meaning there are 1.52 males for each female. Qatar leads the list with 1.9 males for each female. You have been warned.
  
• In Tsunami aid, Kuwait is first world-wide in terms of funds pledged per capita at $45.80 per person. This is followed by Australia ($41.55 per person) and Norway ($38.56 per person).
• In crude oil refining capacity, Kuwait is first world-wide with a capactiy of 407.29 barrels per day per 1000 people, followed by Bahrain (373.03 barrels) and Singapore (282.08 barrels).
  
• Kuwait also leads in a number of health-related cateogries including migranes, congenital malformations, scarlet fever, bone disorders, anaemia, and endocrine disorders. 1990 anyone?
  

GCC Democracy

• Democratization in Gulf Monarchies: A New Challenge to the GCC
• This is a well-written article about the future of democracy in the GCC. The author, Joseph Kechichian, evaluates the development of democracy in the GCC countries, and the obstacles faced. Issues raised about Kuwait included women's rights, bidun, Islamic extremism. and discrimination against minorities. Kechichian provides a systematic review that is worth a read. Middle East Policy Council
  
• Coming Soon: Kuwait and a New Concept of International Politics
• This is a pitch for the yet-to-be-released book "Kuwait and a New Concept of International Politics" by Mamoun Fandy. It should be released on the 30th of April. Amazon
  
  

Headlines From The Past

• Why Was Flight BA 149 Allowed to Land in Kuwait on the Day of the Invasion? A Special Investigation
• Although this piece is from 2003, it is worth another look. Stephen Davis launched his own investigation to find out how BA 149 was allowed to land in Kuwait, when the Iraqi invasion was already underway. 385 passengers and crew were on board the BA 149 flight, and were later taken captive by Iraq. Davis talked to several sources and stated that the flight was allowed to land because there were 10-12 special agents on board. These agents boarded the plane late in Heathrow, and were never seen once the plane landed in Kuwait. Davis stated that the agents' mission was to set-up an intelligence network as the invasion was occuring. This claim is supported by sources in the Kuwaiti resistance who said that western commandos had arrived on the first day of the invasion. Further, Davis points to the possibility of British military personnel being present at the control tower at Kuwait airport, and insisting that the flight be allowed to land. The flight was more than an hour away from landing in Kuwait when the invasion started, which raises many questions about why it was allowed to land, and not diverted. A very interesting piece of work. New Statesman
  
• Did the US OK the Iraqi Invasion? A Transcript of US Ambassador's Meeting with Saddam
• Many people around the world speculated about the role of the United States in the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait of 1990. The focus was manily on a meeting between US Ambassador to Iraq April Glaspie and Saddam held on the 25th of July, 1990. The New York Times obtained a transcript of the meeting from Iraqi sources, which the US State Department have constantly declined to comment on its accuracy. The transcript shows that the US clearly understood that Iraq was about to launch a military attack on Kuwait, yet there is speculation about the magnitude of that attack. Following are some quotes from the transcript (New York Times International):
  
• The Ambasssador told Saddam that "we(US) have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts, like your border disagreement with Kuwait. I was in the American Embassy in Kuwait during the late 60's. The instruction we had during this period was that we should express no opinion on this issue and that the issue is not associated with America." (Saddam smiles)
  
• Saddam said, "assure the Kuwaitis and give them our word that we are not going to do anything until we meet with them. When we meet and when we see that there is hope, then nothing will happen. But if we are unable to find a solution, then it will be natural that Iraq will not accept death" signalling clearly that a military action was in the works.

The Genographic Project

• Who Was Your First Ancestor? The Genographic Project Could Have the Answer
• Have you ever wondered who your first ancestor was? If yes, then this project aims to shed light on possible answers in a 5-year effort "to understand the human journey—where we came from and how we got to where we live today." You can participate for $126.50 (international) and $107.50 (US & Canada). This fee will be used to support the study, and process your DNA. You will be sent a welcome kit that includes a swab kit for you to submit DNA samples from your saliva. Further, all information is anonymous, and results are promised in 4-6 weeks. The study will not provide results saying that your first ancestor is John Doe, but provide a map showing how your ancestors got from the origin of man to where you are today. Sounds interesting people! National Geographic
  

Headlines

• Kuwaiti Business Charged with Defrauding US Government of $3.5 million
• Despite being somewhat old news, it is worth mentioning that Ali Hijazi, managing partner of Kuwaiti business LaNouvelle General Trading and Contracting Company, and Jeff Mazon, a former employee of Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR) and Halliburton have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Illinois of attempting to defraud the US government of more than $3.5 million in militray contracts. Advice to future defrauders: Do it in the Middle East you are commended, do it elswhere you get prison. US Department of Justice
  
• Optimism and Self-Esteem Related to Academic Achievement
• In a study that looked at the relationship between academic achievement and optimism, self-esteem, anxiety, and pessimism, Freih El-Anzi, from the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) in Kuwait, found the existence of positive and negative relationships. After sampling 400 students, both male and female, El-Anzi found a positive correlation between academic achievement and self-esteem and optimism. Further, he found a negative correlation between academic achievement and anxiety and pessimism. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal
  
• American Scholar Examines Ayyub Al-Ayyub, Kuwaiti Heritage
  
• In this article, William Kopycki discusses the Kuwaiti heritage in the paintings of Ayyub Husayn Al-Ayyub. "Recognition of Al-Ayyub as a highly accomplished Kuwaiti artist whose work strives to re-capture visions of an earlier and simpler era of Kuwait’s history and time; Citation of Ayyub’s authorship of several published monographs devoted to recording Kuwaiti folklore and traditions in print, from children’s games, memoirs of Kuwait’s local history and linguistic studies of Kuwaiti Arabic; Approaches used in still life, scenic paintings and the human figure; Offer of explanatory notes in all paintings to shed light about the traditional practices and way of life enjoyed by Kuwaitis." Digest of Middle East Studies (DOMES)
  

News Headlines

• Lebanon's Safety From a Kuwaiti Perspective

• In this editorial, the authors examine the safety of Lebanon from a Kuwaiti perspective. Despite being a "suck-up" editorial, the author, Melhim Karam Melhim, examined the development of reforms in Kuwait, and tied that to Lebanon's issues. Basically, the author wanted to talk about his recent visit to Kuwait and meeting the prime minister. It is not one of the better pieces out there, yet it is worth pointing to. You can find an Arabic copy in the latest issue of Al-Hawadeth magazine. Monday Morning
  
  
• Did Boutros Ghali Benefit from Saddam Hussein's Regime? Maybe!
  
• As the United Nation's oil-for-food scandal evolves, more and more accusations and fingers are being pointed. The latest being the invisible finger pointed at former UN Secretary Boutros Boutros-Ghali after revelations that Ghali was a good friend of South Korean businessman Tongsun Park. The problem is that Park accepted millions of dollars from Saddam Hussein's regime under the oil-for-food program, making his friendship with Ghali somewhat suspicious. Thank God Mr. Ghali took over the UN in January 1992! Oh, and Mr. Ghali can sue me if he does not like what is written here. He does have enough money now to do that! AP through New York Times
  
  
• Future Security Challenges Facing the GCC
• This is a well-written article about the future of the GCC from a security perspective. Michael Knights states that the "balance of power in the Persian Gulf is undergoing a radical reordering." If you are interested in security of the GCC, this is a must read. However, only an abstract is available. Jane's Intelligence Review
  
  
  

More Headlines

Following are some headlines about, or related to, Kuwait:

• Halliburton Seeking Kuwaiti Graduates
• Halliburton, one of the world's largest oil and gas services provider, is seeking to recruit Kuwaiti individuals with American college degrees. They are mainly interested in engineering and management information systems majors. Applications will be accepted throughout the summer. Kuwait Cultural Office-USA
  
• Kuwaities in US Requested to Participate in 2005 National Census
• All Kuwaiti citizens currently in the US are requested to particpate in the 2005 National Census being conducted in Kuwait. The Kuwaiti embassy in Washington, D.C., will mail you the required documents, which you can fill-in and send back before May 1st. Kuwait Cultural Office-USA
  
• EDUKEX Back in Kuwait- UK Best on Display
• The UK educational exhibition is coming to Kuwait. It will be held at the Sheraton hotel on the 23rd (opening ceremony at 5.30pm) and the 24th of April, 2005. Admission is free. Participants have not been revealed yet, but if the same exhibition at Qatar is an indicator, expect to see more than 25 institutions including Cardiff University, Kingston College, University of Leeds, University of Manchester, University of Liverpool, and Aston University. British Council- Kuwait
  

Monday News Headlines

Following are some news headlines related to Kuwait:

• Washington Post Examines Reform and Ideology in Kuwait, Morroco
• Craig Whitlock and Steve Coll, both writers for Washington Post Foreign Service, examine reform steps and the battle of ideology raging in Kuwait and Morocco. "Morocco and Kuwait, monarchies at opposite ends of the Arab world that have moved faster than many of their neighbors to adopt political reforms, offer case studies of how the simultaneous pursuit of democratic change and repression of terrorism has created new sources of tension and uncertainty."
  
• The writers evaluate the ideological battle in Kuwait by pointing to the "recent and unprecedented violence, a long-simmering contest between Islamic groups and urban liberals over Kuwait's political and cultural identity has intensified, just as the wider Arab world debates the risks and benefits of rapid political liberalization."
• They also include some riveting quotes from Dr. Shamlan Al-Essa and Dr. Ahmad Al-Baghdadi. "The government is not strong enough to face all these problems between liberals and Islamists," Baghdadi said. "This is the easiest solution: Everybody shut up," he added. Ex Al-Watan newspaper editor-in-chief Mohammed Al-Jassem accused the government of intimidating "editors and sought broad powers to close newspapers in the name of national security." He added that "the government will use the security issues to implement their dreams of political control."
  
• Other individuals quoted in this article include members of Parliament Naser Al-Sane and Hassan Johar, and director general of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ahmad Al-Haroun. A very interesting article that sheds light on an an important issue in Kuwait, and the Middle East in general. Washington Post
  
• Dr. Ahmad Al-Baghdadi Changes Course and Decides to Keep Writing
• Being in the middle of the ideological debate in Kuwait, Dr. Ahmad Al-Baghdadi decided to come out of retirement and keep writing his column in the daily Arabic-language newspaper Al-Seyassah. AP through Washington Post
  
• Bodies of 41 Kuwaiti POWs Found in Amarah Mass Grave
• An excavation of a mass grave in the Southern Iraqi town of Amarah uncovered the bodies of 41 Kuwaiti citizens thought to be kidnapped, tortured, and killed during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. 605 Kuwaiti citizens have been missing since that bloody invasion, and to this date, only 231 bodies have been recovered. While mass graves are excavated in Iraq, Saddam sits comfortably in his jail cell, enjoying three meals a day and other amenities provided to him by his masters, the US military. AP through Washington Post
  

More Exclusive Images

Here are some more exclusive images of the mysterious blood that appeared in a house in Kuwait. Feel free to comment.

Kuwait. News. First. Exclusive!

This is a real story that happened in Kuwait a couple of days ago. You will only find it here.
The story happened in Kuwait on Friday around noon. The maid had just finished cleaning the house, and was about to switch on the lights of one of the bathrooms. Suddenly, a loud booming noise is heard, thunder-like images are seen, and a short-circuit occurs. This happened over a matter of a few seconds. Apparently short-circuits do create these situations. However, the twist is the blood that appeared out of nowhere. Immediately after the BOOM, blood stains appeared on the floor. They started from the bathroom where the short-circuit occured, and led to another bathroom. According to the people there, there were 9-10 stains of blood. Each stain had a big stain and a smaller one. The blood was fresh and did not belong to anyone in the house mentioned. Further, the maid was positive that she cleaned the area involved a couple of hours before the incident. You are welcome to submit an explanation while DNA testing is conducted to analyze the blood. Results will be shared here once available. Keep in mind that the blood was fresh, did not belong to anyone in the house since everybody was fine, and did not look like human blood. These are some pictures of the blood stains. This is not a hoax.

Classic Advertisements

Thanks for q8nn and Kuwaitism for these valuable classic ads. No comment is required, as that would be adding insult to injury.

Friday News Headlines

Following are some news headlines related to Kuwait:

• Kuwait Investment Authority, Shareholders Resist Dismantling Daimler-Chrysler
• Financial sources said that Daimler-Chrysler shareholders are resisting calls to dismantle Daimler-Chrysler. This includes Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), which owns a 7.2 percent share of the company. According to the sources, KIA rejected offers because they were too low. Reuters
• For The Fashion Lovers: Kuwaiti Companies Acquire New Franchising Deals
• MOTEXHA, a fashion trade show that was held in Dubai recently announced that the show was a big success, with franchising deals and inquiries from all over the Middle East. Soon, fashion lovers in Kuwait can expect to see brands such as Frou Frou maternity and children's wear, Calonge leather prodcuts, Art & Gems bags, K&S Antonoiu leather products, Schutz and Democrata shoes, International FZE orthopedic shoes, and everybody's favourite, JBS swimwear! MOTEXHA
  
• Source: Indian Workers Placed in Dangerous Minefileds on the Kuwait-Iraq Border
• A source told an Indian newspaper that hundreds of Indian workers have been "dumped" in dangerous minefields along the Kuwait-Iraq border for fencing work. The newspaper claims that the workers were promised jobs in the infrastructure sector in Kuwait, only to find themselves stuck in the middle of minefields. The newspaper also claims that these workers are suffering in silence, as they have huge financial commitments back home. NEWINDPRESS
• Fiji Firm Opens First Gulf-Region Office in Kuwait
• Meridian Services Agency, a company from Fiji, announced the opening of its Kuwait offices. It is the first registered company from Fiji in the Gulf region. The company claims its Kuwait office is important for speeding up the processing of job applications. However, there is no mention of the types of jobs sougth. Fiji Times Online

Thursday News Headlines

Following are some news headlines related to Kuwait in different international media outlets:

• Qatar Airways Holidays Opens Office in Kuwait
• This means more destination and offers for tourism hungry Kuwaities. Destinations include China, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Maldives, Morroco, South Africa, Italy Spain and Turkey. For reservations in Kuwait call 242-3888. Qatar Airways
  
• Kuwait Guantanamo Prisoner Did Not Know About 911
• Nasser Al-Mutairi, recently released from prison in Guantanamo Bay, said he did not know of the September 11 attacks until late in 2001. He said that there were no radios or television sets which made it difficult to know what was happening in the world. AP through Washington Post