Автор: Юрий Бахтин

Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved parliament on Friday and suspended key constitutional articles for no more than four years. He and the cabinet will assume the National Assembly’s duties as the country addresses political deadlock and corruption in state institutions. The move follows April elections, the first under the emir who took office in December 2023.

The emir stated in his televised address that «The unhealthy atmosphere experienced by Kuwait in previous years has encouraged the spread of corruption to reach most state facilities, and unfortunately it reached the security and economic institutions,» adding that «it has even affected the justice system.» «We have faced difficulties and obstacles that cannot be tolerated,» Sheikh Mishal said. He said the failure to form a government was the result of «the dictates and conditions of some» legislators. «Kuwait has been through some hard times lately … which leaves no room for hesitation or delay in making the difficult decision to save the country and secure its highest interests,» he added.

The April elections returned a parliament that quickly encountered difficulties in cooperating with the executive on cabinet formation. Several lawmakers had refused to participate in the government, leading to the impasse. Sheikh Mishal, who succeeded Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah last December, had previously dissolved the prior assembly in February citing constitutional violations. These events underscore the recurring challenges in Kuwait’s unique semi-democratic system.

Disputes between the elected National Assembly and the government-appointed cabinet have triggered multiple parliamentary dissolutions throughout Kuwait’s history. The assembly possesses greater powers than comparable institutions in other Gulf Cooperation Council states, often resulting in policy paralysis. No parliament has completed a full term since 2016, with earlier full suspensions taking place in 1976 and 1986. This pattern has impeded critical reforms aimed at diversifying the economy beyond oil.

Repeated political instability has curtailed investment and stalled projects designed to modernize infrastructure and reduce oil dependency. Kuwait has lagged behind neighboring countries in implementing vision programs for economic transformation due to the persistent gridlock. The current suspension grants the emir and cabinet full authority to enact legislation during the interim period. Such measures are intended to facilitate the advancement of national development priorities.

Over the four-year period, authorities will conduct a comprehensive study of the democratic experience to address its shortcomings. The emir stressed that the difficult decision was essential to save the country and secure its highest interests amid hard times. Following the dissolution, a new government was formed headed by Ahmad Abdullah al-Sabah to support the reform agenda. This has paved the way for progress on previously delayed initiatives in energy and economic diversification.

Sources:
— https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/11/political-turmoil-in-kuwait-as-emir-dissolves-parliament
— https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/kuwaits-emir-dissolves-parliament-suspends-some-constitution-articles-2024-05-10/
— https://apnews.com/article/kuwait-politics-emir-meshal-parliament-95dc1a5ad790505803f26a2e4a96a786

The Ministry of Education has revised the hours for distance learning for secondary students, setting the school day from 9:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. The new schedule includes six periods of 35 minutes each with educational content distributed to fit the timeframe. Acting Undersecretary Engineer Muhammad Al-Khalidi issued the decision on April 16, 2026, which applies to public schools, special education institutions, religious education institutes and private schools and takes effect immediately.

The revision is intended to better organize the educational process and align it with current developments. It aims to ensure continuity in academic learning while taking into account prevailing circumstances. The ministry has called on all relevant authorities to adhere strictly to the new schedule to maintain educational quality. Schools must adjust their daily routines accordingly to meet the requirements of the updated directive.

Secondary level distance learning will now follow this uniform timetable across different institution types. Public and private schools will operate under the same hours for online classes. Special education and religious education programs are likewise bound by the 9:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. window.

The six 35-minute periods replace previous configurations for e-learning at the secondary stage. This structure supports focused instruction in each session. Curriculum distribution has been planned to cover key topics within the allotted time.

The decision remains in force until the ministry issues a new update. Officials have emphasized the need for full compliance from all parties involved. This includes teachers, students and school administrations in the specified categories of institutions.

Implementation of the schedule is part of ongoing regulation of the education sector during periods of distance learning. The adjusted hours provide a defined structure for the school day. Coordination between the ministry and schools will facilitate a smooth transition to the new timings.

Sources:
— https://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/kuwait-sets-900-am-to-115-pm-schedule-for-online-secondary-classes/
— https://timeskuwait.com/ministry-of-education-revises-school-hours-for-distance-learning/
— https://www.facebook.com/kuwaittimesdaily/posts/kuwaits-education-ministry-announced-changes-to-the-online-class-timings-for-hig/1399257242248007/

Two women traveling from Riyadh to Kuwait via a hired driver and rental company encountered a frightening ordeal after crossing the border on April 17. The driver demanded payment despite an advance transfer of 250 Kuwaiti dinars to the firm and threatened to return them to Saudi Arabia, while diverting the vehicle into isolated desert areas near oil refinery zones in southern Kuwait. The passengers shared their live locations with friends and pressed to visit a police station as they feared for their safety until the driver took them to the company owner’s residence in Shuwaikh.

The women had booked the service through a company recommended by an embassy in Kuwait that initially reassured them with polite representatives and advance driver details. The assigned driver contacted them via WhatsApp the night before departure with questions already settled through the company. Early parts of the trip passed without incident as the driver remained conversational and even offered food along the way.

The atmosphere shifted abruptly after entry into Kuwait when the driver insisted on direct payment and stated he held no employment with the rental company. He had instead accepted the job through a separate ride dispatch platform creating immediate confusion inside the vehicle. Reliance on translation applications became necessary due to language barriers yet these tools failed completely after the border when internet service dropped.

The driver warned that he would turn the car around for the full return to Riyadh unless compensated on the spot. He then left the highway for desolate desert roads close to southern oil facilities heightening the sense of isolation. The women repeatedly requested a police station visit while maintaining continuous contact with friends through shared location data.

Attempts to reach the rental company met with silence as calls went unanswered and messages ignored for some time. The owner responded only after the women issued a final warning that they would report the incident to police. A heated argument in Arabic between the owner and driver then unfolded inside the car amplifying the passengers’ anxiety since they could not understand the exchange.

Instead of heading straight to authorities the driver proceeded first to the company owner’s home in Shuwaikh to settle his payment. The owner appeared dismissive upon arrival claiming he had been asleep despite the mid-afternoon timing. He handed 165 Kuwaiti dinars to the driver in front of the women before they could finally leave the location.

The driver called the women afterward to complain that he received less than the full prepaid sum. «It felt like we were no longer in control of where we were going» one of them later recounted. Friends who tracked their location met them at the residence to ensure their well-being.

Sources:
— https://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/nightmare-on-the-road-riyadhkuwait-journey-leaves-two-women-terrified/
— https://x.com/arabtimeskuwait/status/2045043051261829356
— https://248am.com/mark/information/kuwait-to-saudi-and-bahrain-by-car-everything-you-need-to-know/

Kuwait Interior Ministry and Army General Staff officials met on Friday to discuss enhanced security coordination. Major General Abdulwahab Ahmed Al-Wuhaib and Lieutenant General Khalid Dirj Saad Al-Shuraian reviewed cooperation at the ministry headquarters. The talks aimed to improve joint readiness and integration for national stability.

The undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior and the chief of the Army General Staff reviewed a range of issues of mutual interest. They examined specific ways to enhance cooperation and operational integration between the ministry and the General Staff. Focus was placed on raising the level of joint readiness and the capacity to respond to evolving security challenges. The officials discussed how to achieve deeper integration to support the national security system.

Deeper integration between the military and security agencies was deemed essential for maintaining stability in the country. The meeting highlighted the importance of this collaboration in keeping pace with current security developments. Both parties agreed on the need to intensify joint efforts across various domains of common concern. This step is part of broader measures to enhance performance efficiency in security operations.

Al-Wuhaib recently visited the Special Security Forces where he reviewed their workflow and operational readiness. He was briefed on coordination mechanisms with other military and security entities during the inspection. The undersecretary underlined that ongoing field operations show close coordination and harmony among the Kuwait Army, the Ministry of Interior and the Kuwait National Guard. He described this integration as a key pillar for effective response to challenges.

Both Al-Wuhaib and Al-Shuraian reaffirmed their commitment to continued coordination and intensified joint work. They stressed the significance of these efforts in enhancing overall performance efficiency. The leaders expressed their dedication to keeping abreast of security developments through sustained partnership. The meeting concluded with a shared understanding on advancing these objectives.

The discussions between the Interior Ministry and the Army General Staff form part of Kuwait’s efforts to strengthen its security apparatus. Regular high-level engagements ensure that strategies are aligned and resources are utilized optimally. This approach has been evident in multiple recent activities involving senior security officials. The commitment to integration helps build a resilient system capable of addressing diverse security requirements.

Kuwaiti authorities are investigating 10 social media influencers on suspicion of money laundering. Public Prosecutor Dherar Al-Asousi ordered the freezing of their assets and bank accounts while imposing a travel ban after the Financial Investigation Unit flagged balances that could not be explained by earnings. The case involves prominent online personalities whose accounts were reportedly inflated by millions of dinars.

Prominent names in the probe include Fouz Al Fahad, known online as The Real Fouz with 3.2 million Instagram followers and owner of a beauty salon and makeup line. Farah Al Hady, who has more than 5 million followers and her own cosmetics brand, is also under scrutiny along with fashion personality Dana Al Tuwarish and Boutiqaat founder Abdul Wahab Al Essa. The investigation initially focused on five influencers before expanding with authorities linking some transactions to the popular e-commerce platform that allows influencers to run virtual boutiques.

One account was allegedly inflated to 20 million Kuwaiti dinars, equivalent to about 65 million U.S. dollars, while others reached up to 10 million dinars. The individuals had acquired luxury properties, yachts, jewelry, expensive watches and other high-value items. Officials determined these assets could not be justified through legitimate business earnings alone.

Al-Asousi directed the action after initial investigations confirmed the suspicions raised in the unit’s complaint. Al Fahad addressed her followers directly regarding the case. «I want to reassure my followers […] I am fine! Everything is okay! These are just routine legal work. Authorities have the right to investigate anything they feel is suspicious. They can question me and look into my account — I am happy to comply. They will find that everything is clean,» Al Fahad said.

The development has impacted Boutiqaat with reported sales dropping more than 90 percent since details of the case emerged. The platform continues to operate online without issuing a public statement on the allegations. Authorities continue to examine whether the site served as a conduit for the suspected activities.

Kuwait has faced repeated concerns about its exposure to corruption and money laundering. The country’s leadership has pledged that no one will be protected by position or name if involved in crimes affecting public funds. This probe highlights ongoing official efforts to monitor financial transactions tied to digital commerce and influencer marketing.

Context engineering is viewed as essential for organizations integrating artificial intelligence into enterprise resource planning system upgrades. The approach embeds company-specific documents, process flows, historical data and validation rules directly into AI models. This allows the systems to operate with understanding comparable to an experienced internal subject matter expert, helping deliver relevant results, maintain compliance and realize expected returns on technology investments.

Context engineering addresses several persistent challenges that have long complicated ERP transformations. Stakeholder availability is often limited by day-to-day operational demands while business data exists in fragmented forms across multiple repositories and file types. By consolidating technical design documents, product specifications, historical records and validation rules into a secure AI environment, the method ensures end-to-end traceability and audit readiness that generic solutions cannot provide.

Oliver Toloui, director of account management and delivery, pointed to the fundamental role of context. «In ERP implementations, context is king,» he said. «This is why a more sophisticated approach is essential – Context Engineering.» The framework enables AI systems to generate customized testing scopes and detailed manual test steps tailored to an organization’s specific processes within hours rather than weeks.

Defects discovered later in the development cycle can cost up to 10 times more to remediate with each advancing phase. Context engineering supports proactive error detection and self-correction capabilities that lower overall project risks and expenses. It further boosts employee productivity by automating repetitive validation tasks and allowing personnel to concentrate on strategic initiatives instead of manual script creation.

The practice reflects a broader industry transition from reliance on prompt engineering toward systematic context management in AI applications. Multiple tiers of information ranging from immediate working memory to compressed historical knowledge and unchanging business rules are engineered to optimize model performance. This ensures consistency with company practices, reduces inconsistencies and improves handling of intricate multi-step ERP workflows.

Enterprises with decades of accumulated operational experience stand to gain significantly from these techniques. Context engineering transforms AI from a tool that produces fast but potentially irrelevant outputs into one capable of delivering precise, compliant and actionable results. As digital transformation accelerates, the ability to effectively engineer context will determine the success of AI-driven ERP initiatives in delivering promised returns.

Sources:
— https://www.qualitestgroup.com/insights/blog/context-engineering-the-key-to-successful-ai-driven-erp-upgrades/
— https://blog.ifs.com/context-engineering-from-erp-to-ai-and-the-future-of-work/
— https://www.cognizant.com/us/en/glossary/context-engineering