Notice Board

According to experts, Kuwait's real estate sector may remain stagnant in 2023

 
 
 

The real estate sector in Kuwait will remain stagnant in 2023 due to lack of interest in private housing, investments, and speculation over land prices, said experts on Wednesday. Speaking to KUNA in various interviews, the experts also pointed out that investors were not interested in purchasing real estate in inner areas due to the lack of affordable lands, construction cost, and other factors.

Former secretary of the real-estate federation Qais Al-Ghanim indicated that there was a slowdown in real-estate activities on a global level due to a number of reasons including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the disruption in the supply chains of goods, and high inflation in the western industrial countries. Investors are buying time and very careful in using their liquidity until a clear global picture was presented, he added.

In regards to Kuwait, Al-Ghanim said that the struggle of purchasing and selling amongst clients and property owners would result in the stagnation of real estate in Kuwait. The housing real estate is the most affected due to the lack of purchase ability on parts of clients and investors opting for bank deposits with high interest rates rather than investing in real estate, he continued. On his part, director of Al-Muasher (index) real-estate company Ahmad Al-Nabhan said that stagnation might be expected as far as 2025 due to high land prices and alarming construction cost for houses.

He noted that there were speculation over government procedures to impose fees on those owning more than one piece of real estate and undeveloped lands in addition to lift subsides on electricity and water for owners of multiple homes.

Al-Nabhan also criticized the current trend in allowing apartments-style housing in private residential areas, saying that it had caused on overload on infrastructure. He stressed that the Municipality had a role in enforcing the rule of law and prevent housing in residential areas from being used for speculation and unlawful investments. Ali Al-Khadhmi, CEO of Amtar real estate, predicted that market value of real-estate housing would drop by 10 to 15 percent this year after deals within the sector fell by 45 percent in 2022.

He said that inflation could be countered via increasing interest on bank deposits and loans for housing and commercial usage, indicating that resolving the housing crisis must come through providing more land for development to balance supply and demand.

There is a correlation between the thriving of global and national economies, which would have a positive impact on real estate in general, he affirmed. According to statistics by the real-estate records and documentation department at the Ministry of Justice, 2022 saw 4,470 real-estate deals worth KD 2.7 billion (around $8.8 billion), a decrease of 14 percent in terms of value and 50 percent in terms of deals from 2021’s 8,115 deals worth KD 3.2 billion (around $10.4 billion. – KUNA

    

 
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The World's Oldest Person Died at the Age of 118

 
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A 118-year-old French nun, Sister Andre, has died in a nursing home in France, according to her nursing home.

According to Al-Rai daily, Lucille Randon, who took the name Sister Andre after joining a Catholic charity in 1944, recovered from Corona virus last year.

The French nun was born on February 11, 1904 and was the oldest living person in the world, according to the Aging Research Group’s global list of centenarians.

    

 
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The Ministry of Interior will only grant foreign students leave of absence in humanitarian cases

 
 
 

According to Major General Tawheed Al-Kandari, Director General of the Ministry of Interior's General Department of Public Relations and Security Media, requests for leave of absence from expatriates are received by the ministry's residence departments in the six governorates, along with an acceptable and documented excuse, Al-Jarida reported. Those students who have completed their studies outside of the country and have residency under Article no. 22, can apply, through their guardian, to the residency department affiliated with it, and request an absence permit after submitting proof from the university, as well as a notarized proof from the Kuwait Embassy in the concerned country.

Similarly, Al-Kandari noted that the Kuwait Embassy in the same country verifies the health condition of humanitarian cases and patients. With the exception of those whose assessment is due in the first and last place to the leaders of the residence sector, if their stay outside the country exceeds more than six months, their visa will be automatically revoked.

It was announced about three months ago that the Department would begin electronic cancellation of employment residencies within the Nationality and Residence Affairs Sector. The government sector, the partnership sector, the dependent sector, the student sector, the self-sponsorship sector, and those who have been outside the country for more than six months are covered by Article (17). By calculating their stay outside the country from 1 August 2022 until the end of this month, their residency will be automatically canceled in accordance with Article (12), Paragraph (3) of the Foreigners Residence Law.

The Director General of the General Department of Public Relations and Security Media at the Ministry of Interior, Major General Tawheed Al-Kandari, said that the residence affairs sector in the ministry receives, through the residence departments in the six governorates, requests for leave of absence for expatriates, along with an acceptable and documented excuse, Al-Jarida reported. Students who complete their studies outside the country and hold residency Article no. 22, can apply, through their guardian, to the residency department affiliated with it, and request an absence permit after submitting proof from the university, as well as a notarized proof from the Kuwait Embassy in the concerned country.

Al-Kandari pointed out that the same applies to humanitarian cases and patients, with proof of their health condition also certified by the Kuwait Embassy in the same country. In the case that their stay outside the country exceeds a period of six months, their stay will be automatically cancelled, except for those whose assessment is due to the leaders of the residence sector first and last.

It was announced about three months ago that the Department would begin electronic cancellation of employment residencies within the Nationality and Residence Affairs Sector. The government sector, the partnership sector, the dependent sector, the student sector, the self-sponsorship sector, and those who have been outside the country for more than six months are covered by Article (17). According to Article (12), Paragraph (3) of the Foreigners Residence Law, their residency is automatically canceled by calculating the period of their stay outside the country from 1 August 2022 to the end of the month.

    

 
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In three months, over 340 Kuwaitis and expats reported their children's drug abuse

 
 
 

Within the framework of continuous efforts to combat the phenomenon of drugs and to raise awareness of its dangers, reliable sources said more than 340 citizens and residents reported their addicted children during the past three months. After realizing their inability to contain the situation, they urged the concerned authorities to correct their behavior, treat them and rehabilitate them, reports Al- Qabas daily. The sources said, “We consider this step as a good one that serves as a societal awareness of the dangers of this devastating scourge.

These deadly toxins represent an imminent danger to young people who are the wealth of the nation. Everyone must join efforts to combat them and besiege their promoters, as well as implement plans aimed at treating addicts. An addict who presents himself to the Public Prosecution Office or whose family reports him, is exempted from punishment and subject to treatment and rehabilitation. The voluntary admission of a person who uses or is addicted to drugs or psychotropic substances, to the addiction treatment center located in the Sabah Health Zone, either alone or with any of his family members, is the first correct step on the right path.

Awareness
The Ministry of Interior, represented by the Criminal Security Sector’s Drugs Control General Department, focuses, in its periodic awareness bulletins, including the booklet ‘Drug Prevention Messages’, on the fact that an addict is examined after he surrenders on his own to ensure that he has used or is addicted to drugs or psychotropic substances.

The attending physician in the addiction treatment center opens a file for him, and then he is directed either to enter the center or go to the outpatient clinic after signing an acknowledgment of acceptance of treatment. The first step in treating a drug user is to remove the drug toxins from the blood during a period from seven to ten days, according to a medical treatment program. It will then be followed by psychological and social treatment and many programs that support his recovery and prevent relapse. In the event that the addict does not come forward voluntarily, the alternative step is for his family to present a “complaint of addiction” report to the Drugs and Liquor Prosecution in accordance with Law No. 74/1983 or Law No. 48/1987.

After that, the report is referred to the Drug Control General Department for coordination and implementation of the Prosecution orders. The subject is invited to attend, and if he does not comply, he will be arrested. He is then sent for treatment to the addiction treatment center, where the specialist doctor examines him. If it is proven that he has abused drugs, the Public Prosecution office will be notified of that, and an order will be issued to detain him for a period not exceeding three weeks. This detention period will be renewed according to the procedures followed.

As for the third step, it is for the abuser or addict or any of his relatives to apply directly to the Drug Control General Department where they will be directed to file an addiction complaint with the Drugs and Liquor Prosecution. The addict will either be referred to an addiction treatment center, or will be directed to follow up with a counseling office until he recovers, or will be sent to specialized centers abroad for treatment. According to Law No. 74/1983 regarding combating drugs and regulating their use and trafficking, article 34 of the law stipulates that no criminal case shall be leveled against a drug user who voluntarily comes forward for treatment, and the patient is placed under observation in a sanatorium for a period not exceeding three weeks.”

Addiction
Consultant Bibi Al-Amiri, Head of the Mental Health Lighthouse for Children and Adolescents at the Kuwait Center for Mental Health affiliated with the Ministry of Health, said drug addiction is medically considered a “psychological disorder” that requires an intensive treatment program. Dr. Al-Amiri explained that “psychological disorder” is an incubating environment for drug abuse and addiction due to the ease of response to external influences, such as the environment affected by the scourge of drugs, bad people, and others. The factors associated with the disorder, such as severity of fear, anxiety, shyness in front of others, isolation, etc., lead them to drug use of all kinds in order to help them overcome the difficulty and not undergo the correct psychological treatment.

Those involved in the scourge of drugs usually begins at the age between 13 and 15 years due to the factors related to this age such as high impulsiveness, and desire to discover and identify narcotic substances in natural synchronization with the development and formation of the brain. Those who have a genetic (biological) susceptibility are more likely to be addicted than others in order to feed their internal needs. About 50 percent of mental disorders for children begin before they reach 14 years of age. She stressed the need to shed light on these categories in order to search for defects and find radical solutions to them in order to avoid their occurrence or to treat them in the event of addiction.

Al-Amiri said, “The distribution of mental disorders of all kinds around the world is numerically close, but the difference lies in their severity and the sources of treatment. This severity appears more clearly in our regions due to the presence of the so-called “genetic basin”, including autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar. The presence of an addict within the family circle puts him in a state of constant fear and anxiety about the unknown because of the lack of a sense of total safety, which may gradually affect the rest of the family, and thus generate other cases that are subject to abuse and addiction. Discovering imbalances and knowing the target segments early opens the door to avoiding and protecting all groups. Activating the role of psychological treatments through schools, clubs, sports and ministerial facilities, and others is no less important than the rest of the other efforts in the same field.

 
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Weather to improve but temp to fall

 
 
 
 

 The Kuwait Meteorological Department expected the weather to improve gradually from Tuesday afternoon as clouds decrease and chances of rain recede. The weather forecast observer Abdulaziz Al-Qarawi, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that the country will be affected by an air elevation accompanied by a cold air mass.

Al-Qarawi stated that the country was affected since Monday afternoon, by a rainy condition that started light gradually as a result of the extension of a surface depression accompanied by a moist air mass that coincided with the presence of a deep depression in the upper layers of the atmosphere. He added that this led to the proliferation of low and medium cloud interspersed with some cumulus clouds, accompanied by moderate to heavy thunderstorms in some areas especially the southern ones during the night and dawn of the day, and wind activity with a decrease in horizontal visibility in some areas and sea waves rising to more than 7 feet. He also pointed out that the amounts of rain recorded varied in most of the country’s stations.

In Kuwait Airport, it recorded 29 millimeters, while it recorded 44 millimeters in Wafra, 27 millimeters in Al-Ahmadi, 21 millimeters in Al- Abraq, and 29 millimeters in Kuwait City. These quantities are expected to increase during the coming hours. (KUNA)

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PART announced Ghazali shut down for 10 days

 
 
 

 The Public Authority for Roads and Transportation (PART) announced the closure of Al-Ghazali Road towards Shuwaikh Port for a period of ten days, reports Al-Qabas daily. The authority said the closure is carried out in coordination with the General Traffic Department, and the road is scheduled to be reopened on January 26.

It added that the closure period extends from 1:00 am to 5:00 am. The authority’s statement did not explain the reason for the closure, but it has been carrying out maintenance work for days and spreading asphalt on Ghazali Road towards the Sixth Ring Road, to deal with the phenomenon of fl ying gravel that appeared in the wake of the rains that the country witnessed last week.

 
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Kuwait’s Cabinet issues a statement for amnesty

 
 
 

Kuwait’s Cabinet issued a statement regarding a decree pardoning the freedom-restricting penalty imposed on a number of individuals in a court ruling. In its statement, the cabinet outlined the “belief of the political leadership… (in) national reconciliation that brings good to the people of this nation,” labeling the decision “the opening of a bright new page.”

The move is aimed at “stability,” the document mentioned, highlighting that “Kuwait is more important through its children.” “This step will create an atmosphere for fruitful cooperation between the executive and legislative authorities in accordance with the constitutional foundations and remove all obstacles that would hinder development and achievement,” it said.

The ministers also praised “the father of all,” His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, for his “noble Amiri initiative” to pardon the individuals. “This honorable Amiri pardon was issued by the pure will, firm determination and sincere desire of His Highness the Amir,” added the cabinet

 
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Loan interest rates should not exceed 6.5% per year, according to CBK

 
  

 

A maximum interest rate of 6.5 percent annually should not be exceeded on consumer loans and housing installment loans in Kuwait, according to the Central Bank of Kuwait (3.5 percent discount rate, plus a margin of 3.0 percent under the current interest rate structure), reports Al-Qabas daily. As evidenced by surveys conducted by the Central Bank of Kuwait on interest rates applied continuously, the Central Bank stated in response to a question from MP Osama Al-Zaid that this borrowing cost is lower than that of major world countries and countries in the region.

 The Central Bank explained in its statement that the interest rate structure at the level of local bank loan and deposit portfolios, as well as the intervention of the Central Bank of Kuwait, determines the maximum interest rate on loans. Banks are bound to these maximum interest rates without having to have minimum or maximum interest rates on customer deposits in return.

Additionally, if the discount rate increases, banks can increase interest rates on loans within the maximum limits, while the interest rate on deposits may not always increase, which the Central Bank of Kuwait does within the framework of monetary policy operations, by interfering in a way that ensures consistency in the work of the interest rate structure to ensure that dinar deposits are attractive and competitive.

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In February, there are holidays for Isra and Miraj, and National and Liberation Day

 
  

 

The Council of Ministers approved holidays of Isra and Miraj and the National Day for Isra and Miraj: on 19th Feb, work will resume on the 20th of Feb while National and Liberation Day: from the 25th to the 27th, and work will resume on the 28th of February

The Kuwaiti Cabinet studied Monday recommendation of the follow-up committee of implementing major development projects on the periodical report submitted by the Ministry of Public Works regarding Kuwait International Airport Terminal 2. This came during the Cabinet’s weekly session, headed by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at Sief Palace, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Barrak Al-Shaitan said after the meeting.

The Cabinet decided to task the Ministry of Public Works and the Central Agency for Public Tenders with taking necessary steps to cut red tapes, Al-Shaitan noted. The Cabinet then discussed National Assembly affairs and was briefed on the Speaker’s letter submitted on January 10 by MP Mubarak Al-Hajraf concerning the grilling motion against Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment Abdulwahab Al-Rushaid.

The motion will be listed on the next parliament session’s agenda in line with the Article 135 of the bylaw. The Cabinet expressed reassurance about the minister’s responses, stressing that interpellation is a constitutional right for MPs.

On Arab and international political affairs, the Cabinet expressed Kuwait’s strong condemnation of the terrorist attack that took place near Afghanistan Foreign Ministry headquarters and resulted in casualties and injuries. The Cabinet stressed Kuwait’s principled and firm position of rejecting all kinds of violence and terrorism, affirming standing with the Afghan people, offering sincere condolences to the relatives of the victims, and wishing a speedy recovery to those injured. The Cabinet further voiced Kuwait’s sympathy and solidarity with Nepal over a passenger plane crash in Pokhara, offering condolences to its leadership, government, people and relatives of the victims

 
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Kuwait has inaugurated a model bus stop

 
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The model bus stop inaugurated in Hawally

 

In a step that is considered a gateway to improving the public transport environment in Kuwait, Hawally Governorate has inaugurated a model bus stop for public transport bus passengers, which is the first of its kind, as it contains an air conditioning unit, outlets for charging mobile phones, and surveillance cameras around the clock, reports Al-Qabas daily.

This bus stop, which will be a precursor to 15 other stations in the Capital Governorate, is characterized by its innovative design, as it meets the needs and requirements of passengers, with a modern concept, and is in line with international standards. In a press statement, the Hawally Governor Ali Al-Asfar said, “The aim of the project is to eliminate congestion by 80 percent if it is circulated to the rest of the governorate.” He called for the contribution of private companies to develop means of transportation and bus stops.

Regarding the costs of establishing the bus stop, Al-Asfar said, “The governorate was the one that undertook its construction, and the cost amounted to KD 5,000.” He went on to say, “The governorate was keen for the maintenance period to be ten years in order to ensure the quality of service. What we lack is for some state agencies to help us deliver electricity so that we can implement the project in crowded areas within four months.

The bus stop contains automated doors and air conditioning units to provide comfort for passengers and to protect them from humidity and hot weather. There are also CCTV cameras installed to maintain security therein.”

 
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For a number of days, Kuwait Airport operated without a license

 
 
 

On January 8, Imad Al-Jalawi, Deputy Director General for Air Navigation Services, wrote to the Director General of the General Administration of Civil Aviation to inquire about the expiration of Kuwait International Airport's license certificate on December 31, 2022, and was informed that the renewal took place on time on January 1 for two years.

Al-Qabas daily reports that the deputy director had no news about the renewal, which prompted him to write in his official letter.

It was alleged that the airport operated without a license for several days after its license certificate expired on December 31, 2022, and it was not renewed before it expired.

Several sources told the daily that the airport's operation following the expiration of its license could lead to problems with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in addition to fears that some major airlines will not fly to Kuwait.

The letter sent by the Deputy Director General for Air Navigation Services, Imad Al-Jalawi, to the Director General of the General Administration of Civil Aviation, stated, “We inform you that the Kuwait International Airport license certificate expired on Dec 31, 2022, and the Air Navigation Department addressed the Aviation Safety Department on Dec 15, 2022 in the same regard, and the statement of the Safety Department said the certificate had not yet been signed; therefore, “please kindly instruct those who are required to approve the new certificate, as one of the airlines has contacted the air control officials to inquire about the validity of the airport certificate, due to its importance to the authorities of the state licensing airlines.”

 
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Thunderstorms and rain are expected in Kuwait

 
 
 

Rainy weather is expected to start gradually Monday evening until Tuesday afternoon across the country, said Kuwait Meteorology Center on Sunday. The presence of a deep low pressure in the atmosphere mixed with high surface humidity creates the perfect conditions for low and mid-level clouds formation, as well as thunderstorms, indicated meteorologist Abdulaziz Al-Qarawi.

Light to moderate rainfall is expected with the possibility of some heavy downpours over the southern part of the country. High wind and low visibility make for bad sea condition as waves expected to reach up to six feet. Al-Qarawi said conditions will improve as a cold weather front is expected to arrive later on Tuesday bringing dry cold conditions.

The Ministry of Interior on Sunday cautioned the public to be cautious of the turbulent weather with forecast rainfalls in some regions. The ministry in a statement urged people in difficulty to call 112 for emergency aid. Kuwait since the dawn has witnessed sporadic rainfalls amid low visibility, particularly sensed by motorists. (KUNA)

 
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Kuwait's COVID situation is stable.

 
 
 

The COVID-19 situation in Kuwait is stable and under control, said Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi on Sunday. This came on the sideline of the 13th conference for the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences. Dr. Al-Awadhi affirmed that the ministry gathered daily random samples to make sure that the situation was monitored. The three-day conference is focusing on sexually transmitted disease and the Islamic answer to this problem. Treatments and means of prevention would be discussed during the course of the event.

The World Health Organization, meanwhile, appealed to China to keep releasing information about its wave of COVID-19 infections after the government announced nearly 60,000 deaths since early December following weeks of complaints it was failing to tell the world what was happening.

The announcement Saturday was the first official death toll since the ruling Communist Party abruptly dropped antivirus restrictions in December despite a surge in infections that fl ooded hospitals. That left the WHO and other governments appealing for information, while the United States, South Korea and others imposed controls on visitors from China. The government said 5,503 people died of respiratory failure caused by COVID-19 and there were 54,435 fatalities from cancer, heart disease and other ailments combined with COVID-19 between Dec. 8 and Jan. 12.

The announcement “allows for a better understanding of the epidemiological situation,” said a WHO statement. It said the WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, talked by phone with Health Minister Ma Xiaowei. “WHO requested that this type of detailed information continued to be shared with us and the public,” the agency said. The National Health Commission said only deaths in hospitals were counted, which means anyone who died at home wouldn’t be included.

It gave no indication when or whether it might release updated numbers. A health official said the “national emergency peak has passed” based on an 83% decline in the daily number of people going to fever clinics from a Dec. 23 high. The report would more than double China’s official COVID-19 death toll to 10,775 since the disease was first detected in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019. China has counted only deaths from pneumonia or respiratory failure in its official toll, which excludes many fatalities that might be attributed to the virus in other countries. Meanwhile, high-speed train service resumed Sunday between China’s mainland and Hong Kong under restrictions that allow 5,000 passengers from each side to make the trip daily and require a negative virus test within the previous 48 hours.

The two sides are reopening travel links that were suspended under Beijing’s “zero-COVID” strategy, which aimed to keep the virus out of China. Hong Kong imposed different but similarly severe restrictions that blocked most international travel. Candice Zhong, a resident of the neighboring mainland city of Shenzhen who arrived in Hong Kong, said she planned to visit the city’s two major theme parks. “I want to come to Hong Kong to see what it’s like now,” Zhong said at the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway terminal. “I will go to Disneyland and Ocean Park.”

 
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Kuwait's re-entry deadline is January 31st

 
 
 

The residence affairs sector of the Ministry of Interior has no intention of extending the campaign to join a family and those who have been outside the country for more than 6 months, indicating that all campaigns under Article 22 “joining a family” for students, wives and others must happen before January 31, 2023.

The source told the Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Residency Affairs, Fawaz Al-Masha’an, has ordered the automatic cancellation of the residence permit of all expatriates who have been outside the country for 6 months at the end of this month, saying their residence permits will be automatically cancelled and they will not be entitled to re-enter except with completely new procedures and approvals.

The source added, the situation that the whole world faced during the Corona pandemic necessitated the Ministry of Interior to take humanitarian decisions, including renewing residence permits without the person coming to the country within 6 months, as well as renewing their residence while they are outside the country, and by the end of this month, all these privileges will end.

The Ministry of Interior had announced that the Nationality and Residence Affairs Sector would begin the electronic cancellation of the residency of workers, Article 17 (government sector), Article 19 (partner in the private sector), Article 22 (joining a family), Article 23 (student), and Article 24 (self sponsor), who have been outside the country for a long time (more than 6 months).

 
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Kuwait Will Receive an Improved Covid-19 Vaccine

 

To prevent Coronavirus and its mutants from increasing infections during the next few weeks, the Ministry of Health is considering providing a booster dose with the enhanced vaccine.

According to sources, an enhanced (booster) vaccine for Moderna will soon arrive in Kuwait, preparing for the start of booster doses for those who wish to receive them in order to combat new mutations and build continuous immunity among the population.

Kuwait's Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday the discovery of a mutant Coronavirus called XBB.1.5, which belongs to a subset of Omicron mutants.

The Ministry reaffirmed the stability of the epidemiological situation and the lack of anxiety, while emphasizing the importance of adhering to prevention guidelines.

 
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Two Arab women are competing for the Miss Universe title

 

A world of beauty lovers, beauty contest enthusiasts, and beauty contest enthusiasts will be watching the Miss Universe contest for the 71st Miss Universe in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA this evening, where 86 beauty queens, including two Arab beauties, will compete. Many are wondering who these two beauties are — the Arab representative to the Miss Universe competition.

The 71st Miss Universe, the winner, will be elected after the event was postponed last year.

Sixteen contestants will be selected from 86 participants, five will be shortlisted, and three will be selected, resulting in Miss Universe 2022.

In preparation for Saturday's party, the first celebration of the competition was held Wednesday, in New Orleans, and included wearing different costumes.

Yasmina Zeitoun from Lebanon and Evelyn Khalifa from Bahrain are the two Arab participants. In 2022, Yasmina Zeitoun was crowned Miss Lebanon, while Evelyn Khalifa is a model and pianist.

Evelyn Khalifa was born in 1998. Her father is Bahraini and her mother is Russian. She studied finance and banking, took courses in taekwondo and dance, and was the advertising face of Dior makeup products.

As for Yasmina Zaytoun (20 years), she is from the town of Kfar Shuba in southern Lebanon. She won the title that Miss Lebanon 2018 and retained for four years after the competition could not be held during the last three years, beginning due to the popular protests in October 2019, then the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial crisis in the country.

The queen, who studies journalism, is 167 centimeters tall and weighs 51 kilograms, won $100,000 provided she represents Lebanon in the Miss World and Miss Universe competitions.

Later this year, another contest will be held to select Miss Universe 2023.

 
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A serious vulnerability in the Chrome browser puts the data of 2.5 billion users at risk

 
 
 

The Google Chrome browser and other browsers based on the Chromium project have been found to have serious security vulnerabilities, affecting about 2.5 billion users worldwide.

Researchers at Imperva said that the vulnerability is serious because it allows hackers to steal sensitive files such as cryptocurrency wallet contents and login credentials, reports Al-Rai daily.

The researchers discovered a flaw in the way Chrome and Chromium-based browsers (the open source web browser project) handle symbolic links.

Researchers explain that "Symlinks" are files that point to other files or directories in operating systems, and allow these files or directories to be treated as if they were in the same location as the original files.

"These (symbolic links) can be useful for creating shortcuts, redirecting file paths, or organizing files in a more flexible manner," according to the researchers. But if these files are not handled properly, they can become a vulnerability for hackers.

Researchers described a possible attack scenario in which a hacker creates a fake cryptocurrency wallet and website asking users to download its recovery keys.

If the user downloads these files, they may contain symbolic links to sensitive files on the user's computer, and the browser's failure to handle these files may result in the theft of cryptocurrency wallets and credentials.

The worst part, according to the researchers, is that the victim will be completely unaware that their sensitive data has been compromised, especially since many cryptocurrency wallets and other online services require users to download recovery keys to access their accounts.

The attacker would exploit this common practice by sending the user a zip file containing a symbolic link, instead of the actual recovery keys, according to the researchers.

The security vulnerability is currently being tracked and addressed by Google with version 108 of the Chrome browser.

Prior to downloading any recovery keys, users should install the latest version of the browser and browsers based on the Chromium project.

 
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Kuwait is the Middle East's largest gas importer

 
 
 

Since the LNG terminal in the Al-Zour region began operating in early July 2021, Kuwait has become the largest and most important market for importing natural gas in the Middle East and North Africa region. According to a report issued by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), the terminal has an estimated design capacity of 22 million tons per year.

According to the report, Kuwait imported about 2 million tons of natural gas during the second quarter of 2022 and about 1.9 million tons in the third quarter, making the total amount imported by Kuwait through Al-Zour port during the first nine months of 2022 about 4.8 million tons, which is a new record for Kuwait — total imports of liquefied natural gas by the end of 2022.

The report pointed out that the majority of Kuwait’s imports of natural gas came from three main destinations:

- Qatar accounts for 45%

- Nigeria 24%.

- The United States of America 11%

 
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Smart Cameras Can Detect Mobile Phone Users While Driving

 
 
 

Kuwaiti roads have recently been equipped with smart traffic cameras to improve safety for motorists, according to a ministry official.

According to Lieutenant General Tawheed Al-Kandari, Director General of Relations and Security Information, these high-sensitivity cameras can detect drivers using mobile phones while driving, a major cause of accidents, as well as speeding and violating light signs. Unhallowed turns are also caught on the new cameras.

Lieut. Gen. Al-Kandari affirmed that application of the state-of-art cameras would help in decreasing accidents that inflict losses in materials and souls.

Dr. Badr Al-Rajhi, a law professor at Kuwait University, said they would be quite useful in deterring violators and reducing accident fatalities.

In spite of this, he believes that adherence to the law is the "guarantee for our traffic security and safety on the roads." He also agrees that using a mobile phone while driving is a primary cause of accidents, advising both drivers and riders to buckle up.

According to his peer at the Faculty of Law, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Enezi, motorists must adhere to ethics and a sense of responsibility toward people's safety rather than simply paying tickets.

Nonetheless, this type of camera will be useful for enhancing traffic safety and instilling a sense of fear among drivers.

Recently, the MoI announced the installation of 6-generation cameras on roads and at some public locations to monitor illegal use of mobile devices while driving, failure to wear a seat belt, illegal turns or driving backwards.

According to MOI statistics, there were 3.4 million traffic violations between January 1 and November 30 of 2022. One hundred and seventy lives were lost in accidents, with lack of focus among drivers being the primary factor.

 
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Kuwaitization is put on hold for four years at KU

 
 
 

According to Al-Qabas daily, Kuwait University Council has agreed to stop Kuwaitization for four years. In a letter sent to the deputy directors and assistant secretaries of Kuwait University, written by Dr. Suad Al-Fadhli and Dr. Fayez Al-Dhafiri, of which the daily has obtained a copy, the University Council has decided to retain the administrative and technical staff at Kuwait University whose expertise is currently needed.

 
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IFL Kuwait