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Kuwait FM welcomes Moldovan counterpart

Kuwait FM welcomes Moldovan counterpart

12/05/2025
LOC19:11
16:11 GMT
Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya received his visiting Moldovan counterpart Dr. Abdulla Khaleel
KUWAIT, May 12 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya received his visiting Moldovan counterpart Dr. Abdulla Khaleel and his accompanying delegation at Kuwait International Airport on Monday. (end) mt
Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya received his visiting Moldovan counterpart Dr. Abdulla Khaleel
Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya receives his visiting Moldovan counterpart Dr. Abdulla Khaleel

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Overtime Assignment Rules Tightened
Overtime Assignment Rules Tightened

Arab Times

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  • Arab Times

Overtime Assignment Rules Tightened

KUWAIT CITY, June 9: The acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice Tariq Al- Asfour has issued Administrative Decision No. 986/2025 on the conditions, regulations, and mechanisms for assigning overtime work. According to Article 1 of the decision, overtime assignments in all sectors and departments of the ministry must be based on actual work needs and subject to the following conditions: 1. The employee's last two performance evaluations must be rated as 'Excellent.' 2. The employee must not hold a position associated with judicial work (i.e., positions within the judicial assistants' incentive cadre). 3. The employee must have completed at least four years of service with the ministry by the date the overtime assignment is issued. 4. The employee must not be subject to any reduced working hours or partial absence from work, regardless of the reason. 5. The employee must not be a shift worker, or assigned to evening sessions, or working in service centers during the evening shift. 6. The employee must not have received any financial reward for participating in a work team or committee during the same fiscal year in which the overtime assignment is requested. 7. The employee must not have been suspended from work or referred to the Public Prosecution or criminal court for a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude or dishonesty, unless the suspension period has ended, the investigation concluded that the employee is not responsible, or the employee has been acquitted prior to being assigned overtime work. 8. The employee must not have been subjected to a disciplinary penalty that restricts promotion, in accordance with Article 68 of the Civil Service Law, unless the penalty was rescinded prior to the overtime assignment. 9. The total overtime work period for an employee must not exceed 40 working days during the fiscal year in all sectors and departments of the ministry, including those under the Judicial Affairs budget. 10. The number of employees assigned to overtime work within any fiscal year must not exceed 25 percent of the total staff in the requesting organizational unit, whether it is a department, division, or section. 11. No employee may be assigned to overtime work unless it has been approved by the competent authority and a formal assignment decision has been issued. Article Two, which specifies the mechanism for assigning overtime work, stipulates the following: 1. Requests for overtime work submitted by any department must first be referred to the head of the sector, who will then refer them to the Undersecretary. The Administrative Affairs Department shall conduct the necessary study to ensure the requests meet the established conditions and regulations. The requests will then be submitted to the Undersecretary for final approval. If the request is not approved, the Administrative Affairs Department shall send a written explanation to the requesting department for its information. 2. The fingerprint system shall be used to verify that the employee was present during the designated overtime period. The overtime compensation shall not be disbursed until the end of the workday, and only after confirming that all assigned tasks have been completed and the employee has fully committed to working the required number of hours in person. Article Three stipulates that all relevant authorities shall implement this decision and notify the concerned parties accordingly. Administrative Decisions No. 932/2018 and 994/2024 are hereby repealed.

Your Highness the Prime Minister, the thread and needle are in your hands. So what's next? Either work or leave
Your Highness the Prime Minister, the thread and needle are in your hands. So what's next? Either work or leave

Arab Times

time25 minutes ago

  • Arab Times

Your Highness the Prime Minister, the thread and needle are in your hands. So what's next? Either work or leave

YOUR HIGHNESS the Prime Minister, Your Excellency, the Minister of Finance, and Your Excellency, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, if boosting the gross domestic product is truly a top priority for the state, then it must think outside the box, and avoid recycling outdated solutions. Introducing fees and taxes will not yield results during an economic downturn, especially amid limited commercial activity, the absence of a clear structural development plan in all sectors, and a halt in reforming laws that hinder investment, such as the usufruct law, which still contains several obstacles, along with other legislation needed to stimulate growth in industry, agriculture, and various vital services. Shuwaikh Industrial Area and other industrial zones are clear examples in this regard. I urge His Highness the Prime Minister, along with the Ministers of Finance and Commerce and Industry, to visit these areas and witness firsthand the scale and vibrancy of economic activities being driven entirely by individual efforts, with minimal government involvement, while the government remains occupied with issues that provoke public concern and contribute to social unrest. In Shuwaikh Industrial area, as in all similar areas, there are many activities that attract investors. These businesses operate almost entirely through the efforts of expatriate residents. Citizens are largely absent from these activities, benefiting only through rental income or by investing in licenses issued to them. As a result, a huge portion of profits is transferred abroad. Foreign workers, employees, and investors lack the motivation to remain in Kuwait long-term due to the absence of incentives found in neighboring countries, such as policies that support entrepreneurship, encourage innovation, and ensure economic stability. In countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, investors are offered strong incentives, attracting many Kuwaiti companies to invest there. In contrast, Kuwait ties usufruct rights to the annual renewal of licenses, creating uncertainty for factory and facility owners and discouraging them from investing in development. Therefore, the Council of Ministers should focus on utilizing the labor force represented by stateless residents (Bedoun) and those whose citizenship has been revoked, rather than relying solely on decisions to revoke citizenship and suppress creativity. To be clear, I am not referring to those who lost their citizenship due to fraud or dual nationality. I hope the government encourages the Bedoun residents and those whose citizenship has been revoked to work in these areas, and makes them feel secure, so they can spend their money inside Kuwait. I suggest the government offer investors the option to purchase industrial and commercial plots during a specific grace period, similar to the system in Saudi Arabia, or will become a fair partner in the rental value. This approach would kill two birds with a stone. Also, Saudi Arabia provides tax incentives for industrial, agricultural, and renewable energy projects. It is true that in recent years, some parliamentary blocs have attempted to obstruct development under flimsy pretexts, but their real aim was to secure a 'share of the cake' or fuel disputes between MPs and ministers. Today, ministerial positions have largely stabilized, giving ministers significant potential to drive development and amend obstructive, outdated laws enacted during previous National Assembly terms. Indeed, several laws need reconsideration, and Kuwait must break free from the constraints imposed by the stagnation of innovative ideas that encourage investment and the growth of the national economy. We have repeatedly stated that undeveloped land holds little value unless facilities are established on it and profitable production is achieved. Only then does its value increase significantly. Moreover, trademarks gain importance as indicators of economic strength and stability. Unfortunately, in Kuwait, these matters are often treated as if they were mere market transactions, rather than issues of national significance. Your Highness the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers can no longer claim any excuse for failing to develop the economy. The Cabinet now holds 'the thread and the needle' in its hands and has full control over the process. The Council today combines both legislative and executive powers. Therefore, either work or leave!

Italians head to polls in referendum on citizenship and labor
Italians head to polls in referendum on citizenship and labor

Arab Times

time8 hours ago

  • Arab Times

Italians head to polls in referendum on citizenship and labor

ROME, June 9, (AP): Italians headed to the polls Monday on the second and final day of referendums that would make it easier for children born in Italy to foreigners to obtain citizenship, and on providing more job protections. But partial data showed a low turnout, well below the required 50% plus one threshold, risking to invalidate the vote. Campaigners for the change in the citizenship law say it will help second-generation Italians born in the country to non- European Union parents better integrate into a culture they already see as theirs. Partial data from Italy's Interior Ministry published at 2100 GMT on Sunday showed that national turnout stood at 22.7%, just over half of the 41% registered at the same time of the day in the latest comparable referendum held in 2011. The polling stations close later Monday at 1300 GMT. The new rules, if passed, could affect about 2.5 million foreign nationals who still struggle to be recognized as citizens. The measures were proposed by Italy's main union and left-wing opposition parties. Premier Giorgia Meloni showed up at the polls on Sunday evening but didn't cast a ballot - an action widely criticized by the left as antidemocratic, since it won't contribute to reaching the necessary threshold to make the vote valid. "While some members of her ruling coalition have openly called for abstention, Meloni has opted for a more subtle approach," said analyst Wolfango Piccoli of the Teneo consultancy based in London. 'It's yet another example of her trademark fence-sitting.'' Supporters say this reform would bring Italy's citizenship law in line with many other European countries, promoting greater social integration for long-term residents. It would also allow faster access to civil and political rights, such as the right to vote, eligibility for public employment and freedom of movement within the EU. "The real drama is that neither people who will vote 'yes' nor those who intend to vote 'no' or abstain have an idea of what (an) ordeal children born from foreigners have to face in this country to obtain a residence permit,' said Selam Tesfaye, an activist and campaigner with the Milan-based human rights group Il Cantiere.

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