A Kuwaiti defendant accused of killing a local woman denied wrongdoing on Tuesday as his court case was postponed until the end of the month.
Farah Hamza Akbar was murdered and her body was left outside a hospital in eastern Kuwait last month. She was killed despite pleas from her family to authorities to provide protection for her, after she had been subjected to a campaign of threatening harassment.
Her death sparked anger among Kuwaitis who are now demanding greater protection for women.
Kuwait’s criminal court charged the perpetrator with forced kidnapping, the intent to kill as well as premeditated murder, in addition to kidnapping Akbar's daughter and niece.
During Tuesday’s hearing the defendant denied the charges made against him.
He informed the court that he works with the army’s intelligence service while studying psychology at Kuwait University.
The next hearing will be held on May 25, the court said.
The defendant reportedly abducted Akbar in front of her daughter and niece.
A statement from the interior ministry reported that a man had seized Akbar from her car and taken her to an unknown location before leaving her outside the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
He was arrested shortly afterwards and confessed to stabbing her in the chest, the ministry said.
The suspect was first detained on harassment charges brought by Akbar’s family before his release on bail.
Kuwait’s punishment for first degree murder is death.
Akbar’s sister, Dana, said "may God give victory to the truth" hours before the court case started.
"I wish that the justice system will apply retribution as soon as possible," she said.
After her death was announced, Farah Hamza Akbar’s name became one of the most popular hashtags on Twitter in Kuwait.
Activists launched a social media campaign earlier this year known as "Lan Asket" which means I will not be silent in Arabic to highlight the issue of harassment, following dozens of reported incidents from women.
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The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
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Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
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Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
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- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
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- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
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Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
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Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
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Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
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