Coronavirus: Kuwait raises budget of ministries, government agencies by $1.6 bln
March 16, 2020, 4:52 pm

Coronavirus: Kuwait raises budget of ministries, government agencies by $1.6 bln

Expatriates wait for mandatory coronavirus testing in a makeshift testing centre in Mishref, Kuwait, March 14, 2020. (Reuters)

Kuwait’s cabinet approved a bill to increase the budget of the ministries and governmental departments by 500 million dinar ($1.62 billion) for the fiscal year 2020/2021, to support their efforts in coping with the spread of the coronavirus, state news agency KUNA reported on Monday. bln

The cabinet also approved the establishment of a temporary fund for receiving financial contributions from different institutions, companies and individuals, in order to support the government’s efforts in facing the outbreak.

The cabinet also introduced a draft law to punish those who are aware they are infected with a communicable disease and caused the transmission of the infection to another person intentionally with a prison sentence of five years maximum and a fine of no less than 10,000 dinar ($32,364) and no more than 50,000 dinar ($161,818) or one of those two penalties. bln

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kuwait stood at 123 cases as of Monday, according to the ministry of health. LEVANT

source: Tuqa Khalid LEVANT

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”