KUWAIT: Recent statistics issued by the Public Authority for Roads and Land Transport revealed that the authority had signed 48 contracts over 10 years, from 2013 to 2022, with a total value of 2.091 billion dinars, and that during the same period, it signed 118 maintenance contracts worth 281 million dinars.

The statistics, a copy of which was obtained by Al-Rai, showed that 70 percent of the total highways are not under maintenance contracts, compared to 30 percent that are still under contract. It showed that the problem of flying gravel appeared in 2005, followed by the formation of 8 technical committees to study all asphalt problems. The problems were limited to 8 basic topics, with 42 recommendations issued to address the problem.

The sources added that in 2018, the technical committee that was formed at that time (the Independent Legal Technical Committee) issued a recommendation to cancel the law establishing the authority for three reasons — the overlap of powers and specializations with the Ministry of Works, the difference of visions among its senior leadership, and the provision of budgets that will be spent on developing each from the Ministry of Works and PART.

48 new contracts were signed as follows — 2013: 1 contract signed, 2014: 7 contracts signed, 2015: 3 contracts signed, 2016: 9 contracts signed, 2017: 11 contracts signed, 2018: 2 contracts signed, 2019: 3 contracts signed, 2020: 7 contracts signed, 2021: 3 contracts signed 2022: 2 contracts signed

The 118 maintenance contracts that were signed — 2013: 23 contracts signed, 2014: 13 contracts signed, 2015: 9 contracts signed, 2016: 25 contracts signed, 2017: 14 contracts signed, 2018: 9 contracts signed, 2019: 4 contracts signed, 2020: 6 contracts signed, 2021: 9 contracts signed, 2022: Signing of 6 contracts for committees to investigate the deterioration of roads, 2005 — The emergence of the problem of flying gravel; 2011: Formation of a committee to study the phenomenon of flying gravel; 2013: Formation of a technical committee to study the causes of steel flying from the asphalt surfaces of some roads and ways to avoid it; 2014: Formation of a technical committee regarding the study of the phenomenon of flying gravel, determine its causes and proposed solutions to address it and avoid its recurrence; 2015: Formation of a committee to follow up on the recommendations of the previous committee formed by the Ministry of Works. 2018: Formation of 3 committees, the first of which was formed in June (a technical committee to inspect newly implemented or maintained highways), and the second was formed in December (Independent Legal Technical Committee to investigate the phenomenon of flying gravel and other asphalt defects on roads and streets).

Also, in December, the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research presented a study of the deterioration of asphalt roads and the adequacy of the measures taken by the Ministry. In June 2020, a technical committee was formed to evaluate and review the procedures followed. In the maintenance and treatment of highways and internal roads. In November of the same year, a memorandum of understanding was signed regarding cooperation in the areas of improving the work of implementing, constructing and maintaining roads between the Government of Kuwait and the State of Qatar.

KUWAIT: Task Force Security personnel referred an expatriate to the General Administration for Narcotics Control after he was caught in Salmiya area, in possession of two bags of crystal meth, reports Al-Anba daily. A security source said that the task force patrols suspected a person of trying to get away from the patrol as soon as he saw it, which prompted the Interior Ministry men to follow him.

When they confronted him, a small bag fell from him, which turned out to contain crystal meth. When they searched him before the patrol took him, another bag was found with him. It turned out to be He also had a bag of crystal meth, so he was referred to the competent authority.

KUWAIT: The latest statistics issued by the Sharia Documentation Department in the Ministry of Justice revealed that the number of Kuwaiti-Kuwaiti marriages from the beginning of January until the end of October 2023 reached 7,300, reports Al-Qabas daily. The daily obtained a copy of the statistics showing that the number of Kuwaiti men who got married to non-Kuwaiti women totaled 1,100; while 420 Kuwaiti women got married to non-Kuwaitis, 170 non-Kuwaiti men got married to non-Kuwaiti women and 48 Kuwaiti women got married to Bedoun men.

The highest number of marriage and divorce cases recorded is among university degree holders. Divorce among Kuwaitis is prevalent among couples with a smaller number of children, considering that the highest number is among couples with only one child — a total of 650 divorce cases in the last 10 months. The lowest number of divorce cases is among Kuwaiti couples with many children — 130 among couples with six children, 320 among those with four children. The statistics disclosed that the highest number of marriages between Kuwaiti men and non-Kuwaiti women under a marriage contract inside Kuwait are women from Saudi Arabia — 380 Kuwaiti men got married to Saudi women, eight to American women, nine to African women, 98 to Moroccan women, 117 to Asian women, 38 to Egyptian women, 63 to Syrian women, 97 to Iraqi women, 50 to Jordanian women, 15 to European women, 36 to Lebanese women, three to Palestinian women, 15 to Bahraini women, four to Qatari women, one to an Omani woman and one marriage to an Emirati woman.

On the marriage of Kuwaiti women to non-Kuwaiti men, the statistics revealed that 200 Kuwaiti women got married to Saudi Arabians, nine to Europeans, 11 to Americans, 20 to Asians, 21 to Iraqis, 16 to Syrians, nine to Jordanians, 11 to Egyptians, five to Africans, two to Lebanese, eight to Bahrainis, 25 to Qataris, 13 to Emiratis and eight to Omanis. The highest number of marriages among Kuwaitis in terms of educational level is the university graduates with 2,500; 46 with primary school diplomas are married to various nationalities, those with intermediate diploma among Kuwaiti-Kuwaiti marriages reached 760, two are illiterates — a university graduate woman married an illiterate man and an illiterate man married a woman with an intermediate certificate.

The number of marriages among Kuwaitis with higher degrees reached 21, compared to 200 among doctorate degree holders with various types of specialization. The number of marriages among Kuwaiti women to men of various nationalities with different academic degrees reached 105. In addition; 4,100 of more than 200,000 marriage contracts recorded by the Public Authority for Civil Information ended in divorce, while 364 of those who got married in the current year got divorced. Most of these divorce cases were recorded among university students with 800, 61 among those with primary school education, and nine illiterate people of various nationalities.

KUWAIT: Al-Ojeiri Scientific Center announced on Sunday that the winter solstice would fall on December 22nd. The Winter Solstice occurs when the sun becomes at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky, leading to short daytime hours and long evenings. The center said in a statement, obtained by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), that the same month would witness a group of astronomical events like the meteor showers called the Geminids. (KUNA)

KUWAIT: The Philippines is expected to allow Filipino workers to return to Kuwait in the first quarter of the upcoming year. Talks between Kuwaiti and Filipino authorities are scheduled for early next month, with the goal of lifting the ban that was imposed in May. The discussions will involve the Philippine Ministry of Labor, private employment agencies, and the Kuwaiti side, focusing on reviewing the domestic workers agreement and outlining procedures for the resumption of sending Filipino workers to Kuwait.

Bassam Al-Shammari, a specialist in the field of domestic workers, expressed optimism about this development. He welcomed the potential return of Filipino workers, emphasizing that the timing aligns well with the upcoming month of Ramadan, during which there is a heightened demand for domestic workers, reports Al Rai. This development follows a series of events, including a visa suspension in May 2023, which came after the Philippines temporarily halted sending new domestic workers to Kuwait in February 2023 following the murder of Filipino worker Jullebee Ranara. The Philippine government announced that it would take steps to assess and prevent abuses, particularly “rape and ill-treatment of Filipina workers” in Kuwait

KUWAIT: In a significant development, Kuwait is set to invest $10 billion in Pakistan through the signing of seven memoranda of understanding (MOUs). The investment agreements were approved by the Pakistani Federal Cabinet in its recent meeting, covering diverse sectors such as the environment, mining, and food security.

Landmark agreement: Kuwait commits $10 billion investment in Pakistan with seven MOUs. Reports from Pakistani news outlets indicate that the expected visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar to Kuwait will mark the formal signing of these seven MOUs, underlining the deepening economic relations between the two nations.

The Kuwaiti investment projects slated for establishment in Pakistan encompass various sectors, including water reservoirs, mining facilities, protection of mangrove forests in coastal areas, information technology, and initiatives to enhance food security. The Private Investment Facilitation Board in Pakistan played a pivotal role in facilitating these agreements, showcasing joint efforts to strengthen economic cooperation with Kuwait.

The Pakistani Cabinet expressed its appreciation for the Private Investment Facilitation Board and relevant ministries, recognizing their efforts in fortifying the strategic partnership with Kuwait. Kakar emphasized the importance of cooperation among Pakistan’s provinces to ensure the swift implementation of approved projects with Kuwait. He directed stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of planned Kuwaiti investments in Pakistan to achieve long-term economic gains.

This substantial investment deal signals a positive step towards bolstering economic ties between Kuwait and Pakistan, with a focus on strategic projects spanning critical sectors to drive mutual growth and prosperity.