Category: Information

Here’s some good news to start the week. The Kuwait Society for Animal Welfare (KSAW) is a newly established animal rescue nonprofit organization, recently approved by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour.

KSAW is the latest animal rescue organization to receive official status, and despite being newly launched, it has already outlined its goals, which include:

⁠- Organizing vaccination, spay, neuter, and health care campaigns for stray animals to limit the spread of diseases and epidemics that can be transmitted to humans.

• ⁠Rehabilitating stray animals and pets abandoned by their owners and putting them up for adoption. This will play a role in reducing the number of neglected animals suffering on the street and the resulting environmental and health risks.

• Holding free educational events and courses on a wide range of animal-related topics, including responsible pet ownership; the benefit of the relationship between people and animals, especially children; and the phenomenon of cruelty to animals developing into violence against people.

Although there are already animal rescue groups in Kuwait doing an incredible job saving and caring for animals, being an official nonprofit organization comes with several advantages like the ability to partner with international NGOs, collaborate with the local government on animal rescue campaigns, and to legally request support.

This is wonderful news for the welfare of animals in Kuwait. To stay updated on the activities of the Kuwait Society for Animal Welfare, follow them at @ksaw_q8

Baseball has been played in Kuwait since the late ’70s, yet not many people know about it. It feels like one of Kuwait’s best-kept secrets.

I love catching a Friday game when the weather’s perfect. The baseball fields are green and really lush, so it always feels like you’re in the heart of the US with kids in baseball gear roaming around, while spectators enjoy lemonade and corndogs.

Since the weather is getting better, registration for the 2024/25 season is now open. If you’re looking for an activity for your kid, or maybe you’re an adult looking to play baseball for fun and socializing, here are the details:

Registration is open till October 16 and there are three divisions:

Youth Baseball (Coed) – Ages 4+
Registration fee is 100KD for the season

Girls “Fast Pitch” Softball – Ages 14+
Registration fee is 100KD for the season

Adult Softball (Coed) – Ages 13+
Registration fee is 50KD for the season

The fees cover the cost of field staff, field maintenance, and baseball equipment (bats, balls, and tees). All you need to bring is your own glove.

Practice is twice a week, one day in the middle of the week and Friday. Once the games start, Friday becomes game day.

Baseball season runs from October 20 to February 23, while the adult baseball season runs from October 4 to April 25. The baseball fields are located at The Hunting & Equestrian Club right off the 6th Ring Road, near Murouj.

If you’re interested in signing up you can WhatsApp them on 97883026. Their instagram account is @q8baseball

Over the summer, Lush released a watermelon soap with 100% of the profits going toward childhood mental health services in Palestine, and it has recently become available at Lush in Kuwait.

The “Watermelon Slice” feels right at home on their shelves, which is why I love this simple idea so much. Right next to the watermelon slices, they have the following message written:

You can’t wash away the trauma children experience during conflicts – but when you buy this soap, 100% of the profits will be donated solely to projects providing urgently needed professional mental health support and trauma counselling for children in Gaza and the West Bank.

Lush sells the watermelon slices by weight, so the thicker the slice, the more it costs and the more you donate. I love it.

The third season of Winter Wonderland is around the corner, and this year brings a few changes.

Last year, Winter Wonderland opened its doors in October, but this year the opening is being pushed back to November when the weather is expected to be more agreeable.

The 2024/2025 season will be shorter, as the park is scheduled to close at the end of February, just before Ramadan begins.

Last year, one of the main complaints was the late weekend opening hours (3:30 PM). This year, I’ve been told the park will open earlier, though no specific time has been shared.

There will also be a few new rides this year.

Many will be delighted to know that ticket prices are being reduced.

Finally, a new addition this year is the TEC loyalty program (above). TEC quietly launched this feature in their app, allowing you to collect points with every purchase at any TEC project. These points can then be redeemed for tickets or game credits at the park.

To stay posted on Winter Wonderland, you can follow their account @wwlkuwait or @tecq8

If you want to see the construction progress of the park, the vlogger @mohamedalwazzan lives across the street and tends to post videos anytime major work is taking place.

Qudra is a Kuwait-based freelance marketplace that links freelancers with clients. Their platform is designed to easily connect talent in Kuwait and the MENA region with clients in need of various services, such as graphic design, digital marketing, interior design and more. The app offers tools like secure payments, direct communication, and comprehensive freelancer profiles, making it easier for clients to find the right match for their projects.

For freelancers, Qudra offers you a space to showcase your skills to a relevant audience. I’ve also heard too many stories of freelancers completing work only to have clients take it without paying. With Qudra, your payment is secured before you start, and once the project is completed, the funds get released to you.

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A post shared by Qudra (@joinqudra)

Qudra offers numerous benefits to clients seeking freelance services. It simplifies the hiring process by providing you access to a diverse pool of local talent with a wide range of skills. Alternatively, you can post a job listing with a specific budget and have freelancers reach out to you.

Whether you’re looking to hire or showcase your skills, Qudra makes the process seamless and efficient, revolutionizing the growth of Kuwait’s freelance economy.

To find out more or to download the app, head over to Qudra.app

The official Sahel account just announced that the English version of the app is launching soon. They didn’t share a date, just that it’s coming soon.

According to a source involved in the project, the app had English built into the software a couple of years ago, but the launch was delayed because several entities within Sahel had not finished adapting to English and the related data. This caused the rollout of the English version to take longer than expected.

To stay posted on the launch, follow @sahelkw

I recently found out the price of Ozempic in the US and it’s over 8x more expensive than Kuwait which is crazy. So I decided to check the prices around the world and Kuwait seems to be pretty good when compared to places like the US or the UAE. Oddly, I think Kuwait is the only country where you don’t need a prescription for it.

Here is a list comparing the price of Ozempic in Kuwait vs other countries:

Australia: KD 26
Bahrain: KD 33
Canada: KD 45
Denmark: KD 37
Egypt: KD 76
France: KD 25
Germany: KD 32
Japan: KD 52
Kuwait: KD 35
Netherlands: KD 32
Qatar: KD 67
Saudi Arabia: KD 31
Sweden: KD 30
Switzerland: KD 44
UAE: KD 95
UK: KD 28
USA: KD 295 (yup, not a typo)

Below are the official prices for the new iPhones in Kuwait. These are the prices all authorized Apple resellers in Kuwait will be following:

iPhone 16

iPhone 16 128GB KD299.9
iPhone 16 256GB KD329.9
iPhone 16 512GB KD399.9

iPhone 16 Plus

iPhone 16 Plus 128GB KD329.9
iPhone 16 Plus 256GB KD364.9
iPhone 16 Plus 512GB KD439.9

iPhone 16 Pro

iPhone 16 Pro 128GB KD374.9
iPhone 16 Pro 256GB KD409.9
iPhone 16 Pro 512GB KD480.9
iPhone 16 Pro 1TB KD554.9

iPhone 16 Pro Max

iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB KD444.9
iPhone 16 Pro Max 512GB KD519.9
iPhone 16 Pro Max 1TB KD589.9

Some of the prices are slightly higher than last year, for example when you compare the 15 Pro with the 16 Pro, this year its KD2 higher:
iPhone 15 Pro 128GB: KD372.9
iPhone 16 Pro 128GB: KD374.9

If you purchase the iPhone 16 Pro 128GB online from the US Apple Store and shipped it to Kuwait, even with taxes and shipping it would still be cheaper, costing around KD345. This is because the US has the lowest iPhone prices. Compared to the rest of the world though, Kuwait’s prices are somewhere in the middle.

Here’s a price comparison for the same phone in different parts of the world, in case you’re planning to pick one up on your next trip:

iPhone 16 Pro 128GB

Australia: KD367
Canada: KD326
Denmark: KD432
France: KD415
Germany: KD404
Hong Kong: KD337
India: KD436
Italy: KD419
Kuwait: KD375
Netherlands: KD415
Spain: KD412
Switzerland: KD378
Thailand: KD362
UAE: KD358
USA: KD305
UK: KD400

If you’re interested in purchasing it locally, pre-orders in Kuwait will be starting tomorrow (Friday) at official Apple resellers.

Apple recently announced the new iPhone 16 and 16 Pro, and I was just informed by @gaitkuwait that the new phones will be officially launched in Kuwait on Friday, September 20th.

Pre-orders will open on September 13th at 3 PM.

I have the iPhone 15 Pro, and the difference between it and the new 16 Pro seems fairly minor. However, the higher resolution sensor on the wide-angle lens is enticing since I use that lens frequently for my blog. Plus, the new 16 Pro also has the 5x lens, which last year’s model lacked unless you had the larger Max version.

Tomorrow, IKEA will be launching their new concept in Kuwait called ‘IKEA for Business’. I got a sneak peek of the store, and I left impressed.

The new store felt like a movie set because they built various shops with shop fronts inside a large warehouse-like building. The idea is that they wanted customers to see in person how you could fit out an entire shop or office with just IKEA furniture and accessories.

When I first walked into the IKEA store, I stepped into the offices of a recycling company called RRR—complete with cubicles, private offices, a waiting room, and everything you’d expect from a real office. The next area had a more casual office vibe, which turned out to belong to a make-believe marketing agency called Mirage. It was more colorful and less serious looking, completely different to the previous corporate looking offices.

After leaving the office area, I found myself on a street lined with a nail salon, flower shop, and café. None of them were real, of course, but they looked and felt convincing, complete with working faucets and functional equipment. To the left of the nail salon were stairs that led me up to a women’s hair salon. I walked through it and emerged out the other side onto a rooftop restaurant.

Exploring the store was surprisingly fun, like a KidZania for adults since they had hotel rooms, a kids nursery, a company board room, and various offices all for customers to interact with and explore.

The coolest thing wasn’t even what was on display—it was that IKEA now functions like a design studio with a contractor. Previously, they’d help design a room or bathroom, but they wouldn’t handle finding a painter or taking care of plumbing for example. With IKEA for Business, that’s changed. They now can manage everything from design to execution, so you don’t have to deal with anyone else. Super convenient.

If you want to check out the new IKEA store, it’s located in Shuwaikh where their first original store used to be, right next to the new Spark gym (Google Maps). Opening hours will be 10 to 10 and they open to the public from tomorrow.

Kuwaiti musicians Ghazi Al-Mulaifi and Amin Abdal have both been nominated for a Grammy in the Best Latin Jazz Album category. Ghazi and Amin played a key part on the album Virtual Birdland by Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra.

That album was nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album at the 64th Grammy Awards which took place back in 2022, but Amin and Ghazi only recently found out that they were also nominated because of their role. Ghazi was a composer and performing artist on the album as Boom Diwan, while Amin was the recording engineer for the band.

This makes them the first Kuwaitis to be nominated for a Grammy, and the first from the Arabian Gulf.

Boom Diwan is a band that blends Kuwaiti bahar music with jazz and you can follow them @boom.diwan. You can also follow Ghazi and Amin at @ghazimusic and @xxmrfarixx.

The new Nissan Patrol got released yesterday and the Kuwait prices are already available. The price of the entry level Patrol starts at KD 19,399 while the top of the line model is priced at KD 30,499. Here are the prices:

Patrol 3.8L, V6 (310HP)
XE: KD 19,399
SE T2: KD 20,950
SE Titan: KD 23,499
SE Platinum City: KD 26,099

Patrol 3.5L, V6 Twin Turbo (425HP)
LE-T1: KD 23,499
LE-T2: KD 24,999
LE-Titanium: KD 26,950
LE-Titanium+: KD 27,950
LE-Platinum City: KD 30,499

Nissan Kuwait already have the car up on their website along with the details on what every version of the car has in terms of equipment so if you want more details, click here.

Yesterday CITRA launched new mobile network frequencies in Kuwait which will be used for the upcoming 5G Advanced network (also called 5GA or 5.5G). 5G Advanced has a number of benefits over regular 5G with the main ones being:

• Faster Speeds
• Enhanced Coverage
• Increased Reliability
• Lower Power Consumption
• More accurate device positioning

From my understanding (someone correct me if I’m wrong), 5G and 5G Advanced have the same max speed, but 5G Advanced has the ability to achieve +20% faster speeds more often (for example during peak hours or network congestion).

According to CITRA, 5G Advanced should be available in Kuwait by maximum June 2025. If you want to try it out they have a demo display for the next couple of days at Al Hamra Tower.

There are currently plans to transform Failaka Island into a major tourism resort, which sounds great—except Failaka is also a significant archaeological and historical site. That’s why I’m glad to hear that initial steps are being taken to protect it.

The National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) and the World Monuments Fund signed a memorandum of understanding a few days ago to enlist Failaka Island in the UNESCO’s world heritage list. Dating back 4,200 years, the island has witnessed five different civilizations and was last inhabited 34 years ago, before the 1990 invasion.

There are several benefits to designating Failaka as a World Heritage site. It would boost tourism, attract funding from international bodies, NGOs, and governments, and provide access to UNESCO’s technical expertise for conservation. Most importantly, it would also raise awareness and encourage the government and authorities to prioritize protecting the island’s cultural, historical, and natural value. This includes not only archaeological sites, but also other significant historical buildings on the island.

The first step now is to study the island, identify key heritage sites, and determine how they can be utilized for cultural tourism. Once the study is complete, the file will be submitted to UNESCO.

I can’t stress enough how important this step is for preserving the island for future generations. Thank you to everyone involved in making this happen. @kw_nccal

Like the current waterfront project that extends from Kuwait Towers to the SVN resort, Shuwaikh Beach is also getting redeveloped as part of Kuwait Municipality’s ongoing efforts to enhance leisure and recreational spaces in Kuwait.

The project was designed by the multidisciplinary architecture firm Pace, and is sponsored by NBK. With the designs now finalized, the project has entered the tendering phase.

The 1.7km-long project will feature upgraded facilities, including a running track, bicycle track, mosques, and several main areas tailored to community needs like sports fields, recreational areas, and extensive green spaces.

Based on the renderings, one of the cool things I like about the Shuwaikh Beach project is that it looks like it will be a lot greener than the new waterfront near Kuwait Towers. The sandy beach area is also getting revamped, and wooden benches will be installed to provide a peaceful and comfortable coastal experience.

This project is expected to be completed by May 2025.