KUWAIT: The Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) will hold a high-level dialogue seminar on Wednesday under the title “KUNA Dialogue,” as part of the activities marking Kuwait’s designation as the Capital of Arab Culture and Media 2025. Speakers include Al-Qabas Editor-in-Chief Walid Al-Nisf, Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Dr M Ziad Al-Alyan, Kuwaiti Journalists Association President Adnan Al-Rashed and Al-Jarida Editor-in-Chief Nasser Al-Otaibi.

In a press statement Tuesday, KUNA said the event will bring together prominent thinkers, opinion leaders and media professionals from Kuwait and across the Arab region. The initiative, the agency noted, reflects its national mission and commitment to responsible media, as well as its belief in the importance of strategic integration across media platforms.

KUNA stated that its role has expanded beyond traditional news dissemination to support a comprehensive national media message. The selection of Kuwait as Capital of Arab Culture and Media for 2025, it added, affirms the country’s pioneering cultural, intellectual and media contributions, highlighting Kuwait as a regional beacon of creativity that has long upheld responsible freedom and fostered broad horizons for cultural and media innovation.

The agency emphasized that the designation also reflects the strong support of the country’s leadership for media, culture and the arts. It said the “KUNA Dialogue” will serve as a forum to review Kuwait’s media journey over the decades in light of current challenges, particularly the digital revolution and the rise of artificial intelligence in media production.

The program includes three discussion sessions. The first, titled “Official Media Between Past and Present,” will address the role of KUNA and other news agencies in supporting national media, the evolution of Kuwait Radio from its founding to the digital era, and Kuwait TV’s role in shaping the national image. Speakers include former KUNA Deputy Director General for Editorial Affairs Saad Al-Ali, Al-Rai Editor-in-Chief Waleed Al-Jassem, Kuwait Radio Programs Director Dr Yousef Al-Suraye, and Kuwait TV Cultural and Religious Programs Director Bader Al-Dai.

The second session, “Journalism and New Media,” will explore the state of print journalism amid digital transformation, the role of electronic and social media as news platforms, and the ethical and professional challenges facing journalists today. Panelists include Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA) Secretary General Dr Farid Ayar, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) Director General Abdullah Buhaji, Jordan News Agency (Petra) Board Chairman Nabil Gheishan, and former Petra Director General Ramadan Al-Rawashdeh.

The third session, titled “Integration of Media Roles,” will focus on cooperation among KUNA, radio, television and the press in conveying accurate information, the press’ role in national media and reinforcing Kuwaiti identity, and a forward-looking vision for Kuwaiti media in 2030. — KUNA

KUWAIT: 1900: A French vessel visited Kuwait during rule of the seventh ruler Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah. An officer on the ship took photos considered to be the first taken of Kuwait.

1967:  Kuwait Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah signed a decree supporting Arab countries directly affected by the Israeli aggression and occupation, with KD 55 million.

1968: Kuwait Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah signed a decree to establish a Military College. Studies began on November 2 with the first batch of officers graduating in May 1970.

1969: Kuwait Police Academy received its first group of cadets.

1972:  Kuwait Blind Association was established.

1993: Former Board Chairman of Kuwait Blind Association Hamad Al-Humaidi passed away at the age of 76. Al-Humaidi held a diploma from Cairo in the teaching of the blind.

2013: Oqab Mohammad Al-Khatib, a pioneer of the educational and theater movement in Kuwait, passed away at the age of 92.

2017: Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and Mali signed a KD 9.5 million-loan agreement to fund a water project in the West African country.

2021: Historian and media figure Saif Marzouq Al-Shamlan passed away at the age of 94.2021 — Kuwaiti director and pioneer of the country’s cinema movement Khaled Al-Seddiq Bastaki died at the age of 76 after an extensive career in production, cinema and television, namely the film “Bas Ya Bahar” in 1972.

2024: Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Center signed a grant worth USD seven million to contribute to the cancer treatment of Syrian refugees in the Kingdom of Jordan. — KUNA

 KUWAIT:  The opening of the third runway and the new airport watchtower on October 30 will help boost operational capacity, said an official at the Public Authority for Civil Aviation on Tuesday. In an interview with KUNA, Deputy Director General for Planning Affairs and Projects at the Public Authority for Civil Aviation Engineer Saad Al-Otaibi affirmed that the two projects were part of the authority’s plans to reinforce Kuwait’s status as a regional hub for aviation and logistic services.

He indicated that Kuwait International Airport infrastructure was entering a new phase of comprehensive development, boosting operational capacity, improving services for travelers, and increasing state income. The Civil Aviation’s four-point comprehensive development strategy focuses on improving infrastructure to better serve travelers, boosting the airport’s operational capacity, increasing income via involving the private sector in administrative projects, and training cadres and staff to handle operations according to international standards.

He revealed that current projects at Kuwait international airport included the third runway, which stretches for 4.58 kilometers, making it one of the world’s longest runways.Al-Otaibi asserted that the opening of the runway would boost air safety and increase operational capacity, adding that the new watchtower project is equipped with the latest navigational technology, allowing air traffic control to direct over 600,000 landing and take-off operations annually, leading to a boost in state income and air safety.

The new projects will provide 20,000 job opportunities for national cadres, he revealed, saying that the Future Leaders Program to train Kuwaiti youth will include this vital sector. He went on to say that involving the private sector to operate commercial facilities within the airport, such as hotels, duty-free shops, and lounges, would be good for business and operational capacity, citing the operations at Terminal 4 (T4) in 2018 as an example of success endeavor.

Regarding the Terminal 2 (T2) project, Al-Otaibi said that it was one of the grandest projects in the history of the country, affirming that it would be an important monument and integral part of the country’s development vision.Speaking on the Civil Aviation Authority law, Al-Otaibi said that it was a leap in the governance of the sector and aligned with global standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), pointing out that the law separates between monitoring and operational tasks to ensure transparency and independence of operations and services.

He touched on Kuwait International Airport’s passing of the detailed security inspection by ICAO by a score of 88 percent as part of the regular and official framework set by the organization, saying that such reflected improved standards set by the Civil Aviation. — KUNA