The Ministry of Interior has unveiled a convenient service on the Sahel government app, allowing users to easily check their biometric completion status. This feature aims to assist individuals in determining whether they still need to undergo fingerprinting or if the process has been completed.

Below are the instructions to verify your Biometric status using the Sahel app. We've included English translations of each screenshot to assist those who may not understand Arabic, ensuring clear comprehension throughout the process.

1. Accessing this service is simple; users can navigate to the 'Security services' section within the Sahel app and locate the "Service" section at the bottom of the screen.  (Second button from the right on the bottom bar)

2. Select "Ministry of Interior" from the list of services."

3. Go to the sub-menu under the 'Ministry of Interior' and choose the fifth option from the top, which is "Inquire biometric appointment."

4. This action will lead you to a new page, where you can check the status by entering your Civil ID number.

5. If your biometric is successfully completed, the next page will show a green tick (as shown in the screenshot). Or else a red tick.

The Ministry of Finance is taking proactive steps to overhaul the pricing of government public services as part of the public financial sustainability axis outlined in the government work program for 2024-2027. Informed sources revealed to Al-Anbaa that the ministry is collaborating with various government agencies to conduct “intensive” meetings aimed at implementing this initiative.

During these meetings, a comprehensive strategy for the repricing process of government services will be devised. This includes the development of a clear mechanism to analyze the cost and impact of government “goods and services.” The initiative aims to streamline service pricing by establishing a database containing essential information such as service names, definitions, descriptions, types, categories, and the number of transactions conducted annually.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance intends to elucidate the objectives of the repricing initiative and the necessary data requirements. This includes outlining the goals of the initiative and specifying the types of data needed to facilitate the repricing process effectively.

The initiative underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing financial sustainability and optimizing the delivery of public services. By ensuring transparency and efficiency in service pricing, the government aims to improve fiscal responsibility and enhance overall governance.

As discussions progress and plans are solidified, stakeholders anticipate positive outcomes that will contribute to the long-term financial stability and effectiveness of government operations.

The Ministry of Interior announced the addition of a ‘To Whom It May Concern’ certificate issuance service exclusively for polling day to vote in the “Nation 2024” elections through the ‘Sahel’ application.

The ministry stated that this service allows citizens to extract the certificate electronically, print it, submit it to the polling committee, and participate in voting on election day.

The number of first-time residency permits issued by the end of 2023 reached 84,975 and the number of canceled residency permits during the period reached 57,060, Al-Anba daily reported.

According to the data, the number of existing visa holders in Kuwait reached 2.93 million. This includes 47,530 Article 14 (temporary residency); 96,500 Article 17 (government employees); 1.5 million Article 18 (private sector employees); 972 Article 19 (investor or foreign partner in a business); 786,000 Article 20 (domestic workers); 504,170 Article 22 (family visa); 735 Article 23 (students) and 1,980 Article 24 (self-sponsored).

Meanwhile, the number of Residency Law violators decreased from 133,440 in 2022 to 121,190 by the end of 2023, the report added. According to the report, half of the Residency Law violators are domestic workers (Article 20) whose number reached 60,700 by the end of 2023; followed by 28,080 Article 18 visa holders; 25,270 Article 14 visa holders; 6,146 Article 22 visa holders; 701 Article 17 visa holders; 196 Article 24 visa holders; 23 Article 19 visa holders and six Article 23 visa holders.

The Al-Ujairi Center and Al-Ajiri Scientific Center have announced an upcoming celestial spectacle set to grace the skies of Kuwait and the wider Arab region this Saturday. According to a statement provided to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Wednesday, the center revealed that a triple conjunction between the moon and the planets Mars and Saturn is on the astronomical agenda.

The event, slated to unfold before dawn on Saturday around 4:01 am local time, will see the moon align with both Saturn, often hailed as “the pearl of the solar system,” and Mars, famously known as “the red planet.” This rare cosmic alignment is anticipated to capture skygazers until sunrise.

During this celestial phenomenon, observers will have the opportunity to witness all three celestial bodies with the naked eye. The moon, taking on the form of a crescent, will mark the final crescent of the holy month of Ramadan. However, the spectacle will gradually fade with the increasing light of the morning twilight as sunrise approaches at precisely 5:33 am.

Additionally, the moon will also form a conjunction with Venus, the brightest planet in the solar system, presenting skywatchers with a mesmerizing sight of the two celestial entities side-by-side in the sky just before sunrise on Sunday.

This rare cosmic alignment offers enthusiasts and stargazers a unique opportunity to marvel at the wonders of the universe. As the event unfolds, observers are encouraged to seize the moment and witness this remarkable display of celestial harmony in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) declared on Wednesday the suspension of operations across all ministries, government agencies, public bodies, and institutions on Thursday, April 4th, deeming it a day of rest. In a statement posted on its official social media account (X), the CSC noted that entities with unique operational requirements would adjust their schedules accordingly, prioritizing the public interest.

Meanwhile, the Kuwait Banking Association, in coordination with the Central Bank of Kuwait, has declared the closure of local banks on Thursday, as a day off in observance of the 2024 National Assembly elections. This decision aims to allow employees the opportunity to participate in the electoral process. Normal operations will resume on Sunday, April 7th. In preparation for the National Assembly elections, Kuwait’s Cabinet declared Thursday a public holiday. The decision, made during the weekly session chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace, mandates the closure of all ministries, government bodies, and public institutions on April 4. Decree 29/2024 designates Thursday as a day of rest, urging citizens to participate in electing members of the National Assembly.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) declared on Wednesday the suspension of operations across all ministries, government agencies, public bodies, and institutions on Thursday, April 4th, deeming it a day of rest. In a statement posted on its official social media account (X), the CSC noted that entities with unique operational requirements would adjust their schedules accordingly, prioritizing the public interest.

Meanwhile, the Kuwait Banking Association, in coordination with the Central Bank of Kuwait, has declared the closure of local banks on Thursday, as a day off in observance of the 2024 National Assembly elections. This decision aims to allow employees the opportunity to participate in the electoral process. Normal operations will resume on Sunday, April 7th. In preparation for the National Assembly elections, Kuwait’s Cabinet declared Thursday a public holiday. The decision, made during the weekly session chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace, mandates the closure of all ministries, government bodies, and public institutions on April 4. Decree 29/2024 designates Thursday as a day of rest, urging citizens to participate in electing members of the National Assembly.

Google has agreed to purge billions of records containing personal information collected from more than 136 million people in the U.S. surfing the internet through its Chrome web browser.

The massive housecleaning comes as part of a settlement in a lawsuit accusing the search giant of illegal surveillance.

The details of the deal emerged in a court filing Monday, more than three months after Google and the attorneys handling the class-action case disclosed they had resolved a June 2020 lawsuit targeting Chrome’s privacy controls.

Among other allegations, the lawsuit accused Google of tracking Chrome users’ internet activity even when they had switched the browser to the “Incognito” setting that is supposed to shield them from being shadowed by the Mountain View, California, company.

Google vigorously fought the lawsuit until U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected a request to dismiss the case last August, setting up a potential trial. The settlement was negotiated during the next four months, culminating in Monday’s disclosure of the terms, which Rogers still must approve during a hearing scheduled for July 30 in Oakland, California, federal court.

The settlement requires Google to expunge billions of personal records stored in its data centers and make more prominent privacy disclosures about Chrome’s Incognito option when it is activated. It also imposes other controls designed to limit Google’s collection of personal information.

Consumers represented in the class-action lawsuit won’t receive any damages or any other payments in the settlement, a point that Google emphasized in a Monday statement about the deal.

“We are pleased to settle this lawsuit, which we always believed was meritless,” Google said. The company asserted it is only being required to “delete old personal technical data that was never associated with an individual and was never used for any form of personalization.”

In court papers, the attorneys representing Chrome users painted a much different picture, depicting the settlement as a major victory for personal privacy in an age of ever-increasing digital surveillance.

The lawyers valued the settlement at $4.75 billion to $7.8 billion, relying on calculations based primarily on the potential ad sales that the personal information collected through Chrome could have generated in the past and future without the new restrictions.

The settlement also doesn’t shield Google from more lawsuits revolving around the same issues covered in the class-action case. That means individual consumers can still pursue damages against the company by filing their own civil complaints in state courts around the U.S.

Investors apparently aren’t too worried about the settlement terms affecting the digital ad sales that account for the bulk of the more than $300 billion in annual revenue pouring into Google’s corporate parent, Alphabet Inc. Shares in Alphabet rose 3% to close Monday at $155.49, giving the company a market value of $1.9 trillion.

Austin Chambers, a lawyer specializing in data privacy issues at the firm Dorsey & Whitney, described the settlement terms in the Chrome case as a “welcome development” that could affect the way personal information is collected online in the future.

“This prevents companies from profiting off of that data, and also requires them to undertake complex and costly data deletion efforts,” Chambers said. “In some cases, this could have a dramatic impact on products built around those datasets.”

Google is still facing legal threats on the regulatory frontier that could have a far bigger impact on its business, depending on the outcomes.

Get ready for a shift in the weather as Kuwait braces for the Dharaan season, with rising temperatures and increased atmospheric instability. The Al-Ojairi Scientific Center has announced that this season will last for 26 days, starting from Wednesday.

The Dharaan season is characterized by the Sarayat phenomenon, which brings about transient weather patterns. During this period, the sun's angle allows for direct heating of the soil, which in turn accelerates air currents. This leads to a transition from cooler to warmer weather conditions, accompanied by dustiness in the air.

Divided into two segments, each lasting 13 days, the Dharaan season signifies the transition from spring to a warmer climate.

The Central Bank of Kuwait has announced an expansion of ATM services in various commercial complexes during the Eid period. This initiative aims to meet the increasing demand for new banknotes of Kuwaiti dinar in smaller denominations, particularly for the distribution of Eidiya among citizens.

In a recent press statement, the Central Bank revealed that ATM services will be accessible in prominent locations such as the Avenues Mall, 360 Mall, Al Kout Mall, and the Assima Mall. The service will be operational from April 2 until the second day of Eid Al Fitr, facilitating easier access to smaller denomination banknotes. This collaborative effort involves cooperation with KNET and the respective mall management.

This expansion of ATM services builds upon the positive reception observed in previous years. It offers convenience to the public by eliminating the need to acquire various denominations of banknotes, particularly the smaller ones that are typically scarce in conventional ATMs.

The first phase of the study on the railway link between Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be completed within the next three months, reports Al-Anba daily quoting sources from the Ministry of Public Works. Sources revealed this phase includes determining the route that will start from Kuwait (Al-Shaddadiya area), passing through the city of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Sources said the necessary procedures and approvals for the first phase are currently being finalized; indicating the second phase is the design phase that requires approximately one year, while the third phase includes implementation and construction within three years. It is expected that the project will be completed in 2028.

Sources explained the project aims to achieve safe and efficient railway transportation and facilitate the transportation mechanism between the two countries; which will promote increased trade exchange and economic growth, and ensure the safety of passengers and properties. The distance between Kuwait and Riyadh is estimated at 650 kilometers. Studies showed that travel time will be reduced to two hours through the railway link project. The fees for consulting services for conducting the financial, economic and technical feasibility studies for the project will be shouldered equally by Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as per the stages and scope of services. The consulting fees will not be collected until after the outputs for each stage are approved by both parties, sources added.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has unveiled a significant milestone in its digitization efforts by launching 24 new electronic services on the "Sahl Business" unified government application for electronic services.

These services, announced in a statement, mark a rapid expansion in automation and digital enhancement aimed at streamlining processes for business owners and companies accessing Ministry services. The 24 services are distributed across five different departments within the Ministry, covering a wide range of sectors.

In the Real Estate Department, services include obtaining a Certificate of No Objection, renewing brokerage licenses, obtaining licenses for publishing real estate sale advertisements, and more.

The Companies Department now offers services like requesting extract printing, commercial register visa printing, joining the reconciliation committee, and managing reconciliation committee requests.

Additionally, the Individual Establishments Licenses and Permits Department introduces services for joining the reconciliation committee and tracking license modification requests.

Furthermore, the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Department launches services for notifications, penalties, and inquiries about violations, while the Commercial Supervision Department introduces an inquiry service for violations.

The Ministry emphasized that these services are part of ongoing efforts to modernize and improve the business environment, aligning with technological advancements to streamline processes and save time and effort for individuals, business owners, and companies.

The Kuwaiti Cabinet is gearing up to designate Thursday, April 4, 2024, as a public holiday, as revealed by a trustworthy source speaking to Al Qabas newspaper. This strategic decision is aimed at facilitating government employees' participation in the forthcoming National Assembly elections by providing them with ample time to cast their votes.

The source emphasized that the Cabinet is poised to formally endorse the public holiday during its upcoming session, ensuring widespread access for voters to exercise their democratic rights.

Kuwait has been ranked at the bottom among Gulf countries in the Global Tourist Visa Openness Index for 2023, as per the report compiled by the United Nations Tourism Organization. The index assesses the ease of obtaining tourist visas, with Kuwait scoring 12.96 points, the lowest in the region. In contrast, the UAE secured the top spot among Gulf nations with 67.80 points, followed by Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.

The index rates countries on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating easier visa acquisition processes. According to the report, there has been progress in visa facilitation in the Middle East, with the percentage of travelers requiring traditional visas decreasing from 71% in 2015 to 57% in 2023. Furthermore, electronic visa availability increased from 10% to 15%, and visa-on-arrival availability rose from 17% to 24% during the same period.

Additionally, the rate of mutual visa exemption within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states surged from 2% in 2018 to 87% in 2023. It’s worth noting that the report’s methodology focuses solely on measures applicable to temporary visitors (tourists) holding ordinary passports.

The Ministry of Health has introduced new regulations for doctors over 65, requiring them to undergo medical examinations every two years to ensure their fitness to practice. General practitioners are permitted to work in various medical settings, including accident departments and outpatient clinics, with exceptions for specialized surgeries.

Furthermore, dentists at the general practitioner level are authorized to work in private clinics, health centers, and hospitals, subject to specific conditions outlined in the decision. Doctors and dentists holding certain titles are restricted from practicing in the private sector unless supervised by licensed establishments for training.

To advance to higher technical levels, doctors must fulfill continuing medical education requirements approved by the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialties. Additionally, applicants have the right to file grievances within a specified timeframe, with decisions made by the Undersecretary. The decision emphasizes consistency in title qualifications between the government and private medical sectors, considering years of experience in specific specialties.

Al-Kout Mall, located in Fahaheel, has made history by installing the world's largest illuminated Ramadan crescent on its premises. Standing at an impressive height of 15 meters, this remarkable crescent has been officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

The unveiling ceremony of this monumental crescent took place under the esteemed patronage of Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Faisal Al-Ghareeb. This event marked a significant moment not only for Al-Kout Mall but also for the community, symbolizing the spirit and significance of Ramadan.

According to astronomical calculations, the first day of Eid Al-Fitr will fall on Wednesday, April 10th, Al-Ujairi Scientific Center announced.

The crescent of Shawwal for this year will be visible on the evening of Monday, April 8 at 9:22 pm Kuwait time, and the crescent of the month of Shawwal will remain visible for 55 minutes on Tuesday, April 9th, evening for 55 minutes. According to astronomical calculations, the period of the blessed month of Ramadan will complete 30 days.

The center stated that the time for Eid al-Fitr prayer will be on Wednesday, April 10th at 5:43 a.m. Kuwait time.

Yousef Kazim, the spokesperson for the unified government application "Sahel," has announced the introduction of a new electronic service by the Ministry of Interior on the Sahel app. This service, available in the "Security services" section, facilitates the verification of the necessity of performing a biometric fingerprint.

Kazim explained that this inquiry service enables users to confirm the need for a biometric fingerprint, whether for themselves or for others, such as family members or domestic workers.

To schedule an appointment for the biometric fingerprint scan, users must access the "Appointments" list on the Sahel app. They can then select "Book an Appointment," followed by "Ministry of Interior," "General Administration of Criminal Evidence," and "Biometric Fingerprint." Finally, users can book an available appointment at designated sites where the Ministry of Interior has installed biometric fingerprint devices.

For users whose smartphones are incompatible with the Sahel app, Kazim noted that they can book biometric fingerprint appointments through the "Meta" platform for government appointments.

With the end of the first month of the period set for citizens and residents to undergo the biometric enrollment process, the Ministry of Interior has affirmed that it will stop all of the ministry’s transactions for those who do not undergo this process within the period granted from March 1 to June 1. In this context, a security source revealed to Al-Seyassah that all travelers coming to the country, irrespective of whether they are Gulf Arabs, residents, or visitors, via the airport and land ports in Abdali, Salmi, and Nuwaiseeb, are subject to a biometric fingerprint procedure.

He said this procedure is considered obligatory, and whoever refuses to undertake it will be sent back to where he came from, except citizens. During His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah’s recent visit to the Ministry of Interior on the occasion of Ramadan, Undersecretary Lieutenant General Sheikh Salem Al-Nawaf announced the ministry’s plan to implement the biometric fingerprint system across all ports of the country by mid-May 2023.

This initiative involves the General Administration of Information Systems, the General Administration of Forensic Evidence, and the Ports Security Sector. Data for 1,694,000 individuals, including citizens, Gulf citizens, residents, visitors, and Bedouns, has been created and updated. Efforts are underway to collect fingerprints from the targeted groups through designated centers. The Ministry of Interior revealed the designated centers and commercial complexes for biometric enrollment, including the governorate security directorates and the personal identification sections in Ali Al-Sabah and Jahra areas for residents. Additionally, biometric services will be available at the Avenues Mall, 360 Mall, Kout Mall, Capital Mall, and the Ministries Complex