KUWAIT: The Kuwait Army carried out a joint field exercise in cooperation with the Kuwait Fire Force (KFF) at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, aiming to enhance readiness and strengthen field coordination among participating entities.

In a press statement, the Army’s General Staff said on Wednesday that the drill aimed to unify operational concepts in handling emergency situations according to the highest safety and response standards.

The exercise comes as part of implementing the cooperation protocol signed between the Kuwait Army and KFF, which aims to establish the foundations of joint work and unify efforts under a single national framework in line with the state’s vision to promote integration between military and civilian entities.

The statement explained that the exercise included the execution of several virtual scenarios and simulated reports to mimic various types of emergencies. This provided an opportunity to test response speed, evaluate the effectiveness of operational procedures, and assess how well the roles of the participating teams were aligned.

The drill involved several units from military authorities, ministries, and state institutions, including the the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, as part of ongoing joint coordination and efforts to bolster comprehensive emergency preparedness. — KUNA

MAKKAH: The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Head of the Kuwaiti hajj Mission Dr Bader Al-Mutairi, announced on Tuesday that all Kuwaiti pilgrims—estimated at approximately 8,000—have arrived in Saudi Arabia as part of 60 organized hajj convoys. The announcement comes as preparations intensify for the start of the annual pilgrimage.

In a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Dr Al-Mutairi said that mission teams from various participating entities are operating at full capacity and are providing services around the clock at the holy sites to ensure the comfort and safety of Kuwaiti pilgrims.

He added that preparations at the key pilgrimage sites of Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah have been completed in advance, underscoring the mission’s goal of facilitating a safe and organized environment for pilgrims to carry out their religious duties.

Dr Al-Mutairi urged all Kuwaiti pilgrims to adhere to official guidelines issued by the Saudi authorities and to cooperate with the supervisory and service teams accompanying the Kuwaiti hajj mission.

The mission includes several government and NGOs tasked with supporting pilgrims. These include the Ministries of Islamic Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Information, and Health, along with the General Fire Force, the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, the Public Authority for Youth, and the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS).

In a related development, KRCS Secretary-General Fahad Al-Mandeel confirmed the organization’s participation in this year’s hajj mission. KRCS volunteers will provide humanitarian aid, first aid services, and logistical support to pilgrims.

Al-Mandeel told KUNA that both male and female volunteers from the society will take part in the mission as part of KRCS’s ongoing humanitarian role in serving pilgrims. He highlighted the society’s continued collaboration with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and other official bodies.

He also commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its extensive efforts in organizing the hajj season, noting the early preparations, high-quality services, and coordination with international hajj missions, including Kuwait’s.

According to Al-Mandeel, the KRCS delegation will deliver field medical services in coordination with Kuwaiti medical teams, assist elderly and ill pilgrims, and distribute necessary medical and informational materials. This is part of a broader, pre-planned program aimed at supporting pilgrims throughout the season.

He praised the dedication of KRCS volunteers, describing their participation as both a national and humanitarian responsibility. Al-Mandeel concluded by thanking all cooperating entities and expressing hope for a safe and spiritually fulfilling hajj for all pilgrims. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Zain announced the kick-off of the sixth season of its Youth Summer Program, one of the company’s flagship initiatives under its community strategy to empower the next generation of national talent in the private sector and prepare a creative workforce capable of succeeding and excelling in today’s dynamic job market.

This year’s edition comes in partnership with the Kuwait News media organization, Kuwait Times English daily, INJAZ Kuwait, and for the first time, V-Thru, Kuwait’s leading virtual drive-thru platform, offering participants new hands-on training experiences in digital marketing, smart operations, and the logistics sector.

The program will host 35 university students from various majors in a one-month journey that combines fieldwork, hands-on training, and workshops focused on personal and professional skills, all within an interactive environment designed to reflect the needs of the fast-evolving digital job market.

Commenting on the launch, Hamad Al-Musaibeeh, Corporate Relations Department Manager at Zain Kuwait, said: “We’re proud to launch a new season of our summer program, which has become a highly anticipated annual milestone for ambitious youth. It’s not just a training opportunity, but a holistic platform for developing professional and leadership skills and guiding participants toward careers aligned with their talents and ambitions. Our growing partnerships with leading local organizations reflect our commitment to expanding the program’s scope and impact year after year.”

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He added: “This year, the program offers four core training tracks. The first is the field track at Zain’s retail branches across Kuwait, where participants will be trained in customer service, marketing, sales, and teamwork. The second is the media track in collaboration with Kuwait News and Kuwait Times, where participants will explore content creation, editing, journalism, and photography and videography.”

Al-Musaibeeh continued: “In addition, we have the career skills track in partnership with INJAZ Kuwait, which includes intensive workshops on leadership, communication, career planning, and job market readiness. Finally, the new technical and operations track in collaboration with V-Thru offers students practical experience in a startup environment, with exposure to digital marketing and logistics operations.”

Jana Khaldoun Alnaqeeb, Director of PR and CSR at Kuwait News and Kuwait Times, commented: “Our continued collaboration with Zain in this program for the second year running stems from our belief in the importance of involving youth in shaping media messages and providing them with the tools to understand the media’s impact. This season, we’ll focus on nurturing creativity and initiative among students through editorial and field experiences that reflect their authentic voices.”

Jaber Ashkanani, Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at INJAZ Kuwait, stated: “We are pleased to continue this strategic partnership with Zain, which spans over 20 years of collaboration aimed at preparing a well-informed generation capable of facing future challenges and the job market.”

He added: “This year, we are especially delighted to collaborate on delivering the ‘My Career Path’ program for enrolled youth, which focuses on developing leadership skills, creative problem-solving, as well as verbal and written communication skills, among other competencies that help young people become qualified, professional contributors to the workforce.”

“At V-Thru, we believe it’s our responsibility to pass on the knowledge, experience, and values we’ve gained through building one of Kuwait’s fastest-growing tech startups,” said Abdullah Al-Shalabi, Co-Founder and CEO of V-Thru. “This initiative reflects our commitment to investing in local youth and preparing them to thrive in a digital-first economy.”

“In turn, we gain valuable insights from this generation, their perspectives help us understand the evolving needs of tomorrow’s market. The program also serves as a strong recruitment channel: several of our top-performing employees started as interns.”

He added: “This partnership with Zain allows us to scale our impact by reaching even more students and fresh graduates, giving them hands-on exposure to real-world challenges in technology, operations, marketing, and customer experience. Together, we’re not just creating internship opportunities, we’re building a pipeline of future leaders for Kuwait’s innovation ecosystem.”

Zain’s Summer Program is held under the umbrella of its youth empowerment platform Future University Network (FUN), one of the company’s longest-running sustainable initiatives launched in 2008. Hundreds of students have benefited from the program over the years, many of whom later joined Zain’s workforce after graduation as full-time employees.

In the program’s last edition, participants completed over 90 training hours across various fields. The program achieved remarkable success, reflected in the valuable feedback shared by students and Zain’s partners, further underscoring the importance of continuing and expanding this initiative to meet the evolving aspirations of future generations.