Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf has pardoned at least 37 people, including political figures and members of the ruling family, in a move hailed by the government as a step towards national reconciliation.
The move is expected to lead to “fruitful co-operation between the executive and legislative authorities, in accordance with the constitutional foundations”, the Council of Ministers said on Tuesday.
It will also remove obstacles to development and support reform plans to “create an atmosphere for working as a team to advance everything that is in the interest of the country and its citizens”.
The list of those pardoned includes Kuwaitis living abroad, who were sentenced in absentia. The Council of Ministers said the Emir’s decree covered a group of people “shrouded in the clothes of exile”.
They include three members of the ruling family — former security official Athbi Al Sabah, Khalifa Al Sabah and Ahmed Al Sabah.
The three are among five defendants whose prison terms were upheld by the Kuwaiti Court of Cassation in May 2017 after they were sentenced to five years in jail each on charges of insulting senior figures on social media.
Kuwaiti women’s rights activist Dalal Almusallam, currently in exile in London, confirmed on Wednesday that she had been pardoned.
She welcomed the move but said she would not return to the country unless she was given a ministerial post.
Also pardoned was Abdulhamid Dashti, a Shiite former member of parliament who has lived in exile in Geneva since 2016.
He was sentenced in absentia on several charges, including that of insulting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Mr Dashti, with an accumulated 73 years in prison terms, confirmed that he had been pardoned.
“I will return once all those who have been pardoned in exile have returned. I will announce the date of my return to the homeland at a later time,” he said.
The names of those pardoned were published in local newspapers.
Sheikh Nawaf's move comes amid a continuing impasse between parliament and the government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Sabah, the Emir's son.
Two ministers are expected to be questioned by MPs next week after the government withdrew from and boycotted a parliamentary session last week.
The Emir issued two decrees in 2021 granting pardons or reduced sentences to 35 dissidents to fulfil the demands of members of the previous parliament that was dissolved after a months-long stand-off with the government.
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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.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
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Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
