Kuwait's badly needed reform programme

Dr Badr al Daihaani wrote in the Kuwaiti daily Al Jarida that the political situation in Kuwait had been marred by irresponsible individual acts by some parliamentarians. As solution, he put forward a number of points for the consideration of political actors. The writer suggested introducing reforms spanning the fields of politics, economics and public administration. He stressed that political parties should work in accordance with the constitution and their financial resources be regularly audited. These steps should be consolidated by establishing a supreme commission that would supervise election processes and ensure they are free and fair. Another relevant issue to modern Kuwait, according to the writer, is to promote national unity and strengthen the social fabric. "This is possible through fostering such concepts as constitutional citizenship, social justice, rule of law and equal opportunities." If there was a failure to observe these measures, social and economic security would suffer a major setback, a disadvantageous situation for people of limited income, warned the writer. The government needs to draw a timetable for implementing development projects that improve public services, restructure public administration and, most important of all, address the structural irregularities of the national economy.

"The Iranian election results not only have revealed political changes, but also social and cultural ones. Whether the votes will be recounted, or a second round of elections will be held, these social and cultural occurrences will be very decisive for millions of Iranians," wrote Bessam Dhaw in a comment piece for the Qatari daily Al Watan. The presidential elections were significant in that they brought into focus two broad political trends. On the one hand, the rural population and the urban poor backed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, while the richer class in the cities, the middle class and a large segment of the youth stood by Mir Hossein Mousavi. The re-elected president has over the last four years devoted attention to the poor and rural population, although his efforts have not paid off. Yet he gained his public's trust in these areas, and they voted for him again. Mousavi presented himself as the representative of the velvet community and a mouthpiece for those who would like to modernise domestic and foreign Iranian policy. Mousavi and his supporters would like particularly to ease the confrontation with the West and seek a moderate regional role in addition to improving economic and social conditions. Both political leanings will continue expressing themselves in the future. Conservatives will defend their agenda, and reformists will tend to support a strong Iran without an extremist ideological discourse.

Commenting on the chaotic situation in Somalia, Amjad Arar wrote in the UAE paper Al Khaleej that the country was caught in a vicious circle and violence was the order of the day. "Somalia lives under the yoke of its leaders and is widely ignored by most of the Arab countries. It is also exposed to the whims of its neighbouring countries which use it to serve their own interests. "After decades of bloodshed, Somalis need to understand that the exchange of irrational accusations is less likely to put them on the safe track. Nor will it help to provide enough food for the hungry or shelter for the homeless. Tribalism is against progress. It is no guarantee for building a nation, civil institutions or a bright future." Somalis need to understand that it is their own responsibility to solve their problems no matter what the challenges are. International mediation cannot alone bring breakthroughs in their crisis. Somalia has very difficult and complex problems that need comprehensive solutions, and so far analysts have not come up with a plausible account of the situation there. The writer urged Somalis to surmount the narrow-minded approach to governance based on sectarianism and tribalism and act as citizens of one nation if they want to bring their country to the safer shore.

"Many countries in Africa and Asia have acquired the habit of attributing the causes of their own crises to Britain. And this is exactly what the Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki did when he tried to justify the causes of the crisis in his country," wrote Abdul Rahman al Rashed in an opinion piece for the London-based daily Al Sharq Al Awsat. Mottaki devoted most of his speech to accusations that the British were behind the clashes and abetted the protests. He claimed that many people had flown from London to Tehran just prior the elections. "Iran's government found itself in a dire position with no compelling explanation of recent events, so it turned against Britain. The current crisis has in fact been led by some of establishment leaders and it is absurd to think they came from London to plot the protests in the heart of Tehran. It is also absurd to think that they are acting according to British intelligence's injunctions. Were the hundreds of thousands of Iranians who took to the streets all puppets moved by the British media?" Protesters believe their votes were stolen, and the poll results were rigged. They also believe they have the right to claim the recount of votes. The authorities are afraid of humiliation if they conduct a recount. Instead they shot live bullets and chose a scapegoat to save their own skins. * Digest compiled by Mostapha El Mouloudi melmouloudi@thenational.ae

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The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

FINAL RESULT

Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)

Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2

Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross

NO OTHER LAND

Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

Rating: 3.5/5

Where to buy

Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
not be younger than 25 years old
not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially

Killing of Qassem Suleimani

National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate

Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead

Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble

Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks

Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence

Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile

The%20specs%20

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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013

The Bio

Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village

What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft

Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans

Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal

Rating: 2/5

Mountain%20Boy

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GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

FIGHT CARD

1. Featherweight 66kg

Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)

2. Lightweight 70kg

Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)

3. Welterweight 77kg

Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)

4. Lightweight 70kg

Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)

5. Featherweight 66kg

Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)

6. Catchweight 85kg

Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)

7. Featherweight 66kg

Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)

8. Catchweight 73kg

Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)

9. Featherweight 66kg

Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)

10. Catchweight 90kg

Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)

Kanguva

Director: Siva

Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley

Rating: 2/5

Virus and the economy

Harvey Jones: Stock market crash could be buying opportunity

Peter Cooper: Key is adopting a long-term financial strategy

Harvey Jones: Steps to take to protect your money amid crisis

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Wonka

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Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Kumulus Water

Started: 2021

Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid

Based: Tunisia

Sector: Water technology

Number of staff: 22

Investment raised: $4 million

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

The biog

Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah

Date of birth: 15 November, 1951

Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”

Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry

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Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

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