KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Abdullatif Al-Meshari issued a ministerial decision on Sunday to form a permanent committee for women’s housing affairs chaired by Sheikha Bibi Yousef Saud Al-Sabah.

According to a statement from the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW), the decision underscores “the importance of women’s role in society and the need to guarantee their rights through specialized committees.” The new committee builds on an earlier initiative from October 2024 that established a temporary task force on the same issue — now made permanent with expanded powers to ensure dignified housing for women.

The committee’s responsibilities will include reviewing grievances related to women’s housing under the government’s rental scheme, handling special cases, organizing housing allocation lotteries, and supervising properties designated for women. Among those properties are key residential complexes such as Sabah Al-Salem, Tima and Sulaibiya.

The PAHW explained that the committee is tasked with “putting forward the best visions for women’s housing, overseeing relevant real estate, and exploring development options.” It will also study and recommend policy updates to improve project execution and streamline housing services for women.

The committee consists of eight members, including Deputy Director for Distribution and Documentation Bader Al-Subaie, Director of Follow-up Mohammad Al-Adwani and Housing Research Supervisor Asmaa Al-Jafour. Additional members include Interior Ministry representative Ali Al-Ustath, legal expert Abdulaziz Al-Efaisan, Fawziya Dashti, a representative from the Kuwait Credit Bank and Bashaer Al-Bather.

Notably, the committee is authorized to form subcommittees or working groups — whether from its own members or external experts — to tackle specific issues. However, outside contributors will not have voting rights.

Taskforce to committee

The decision formalizes efforts that began in October 2024, when Minister Al-Meshari first appointed Sheikha Bibi to lead a special team tasked with reviewing the state of properties designated for women and proposing improvements. That team was originally given four months to complete its work.

In March 2025, the team’s mandate was extended to allow further evaluation of women’s housing needs and incorporate feedback from female citizens. The PAHW noted at the time that “the recommendations made during this period are currently under review and being implemented in accordance with existing housing regulations.” — Agencies

KUWAIT: The South African Embassy in Kuwait commemorated Nelson Mandela International Day with a special visit to the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) women’s shelter in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh. Led by Acting Head of Mission Busisiwe Mpungose, the embassy team dedicated 67 minutes, reflecting Mandela’s 67 years of public service to engaging with the shelter’s residents through various sports and recreational activities. These included indoor billiards and outdoor volleyball, designed to promote teamwork, unity, and well-being among the women.

During his remarks, Acting head of mission at the South African Embassy to Kuwait, Busisiwe Mpungose paid tribute to Nelson Mandela’s legacy, calling on all to take action, inspire change, and make a lasting difference in the lives of others. She added: “It is truly an honor for us at the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa to be here with you today,” the Ambassador began, acknowledging the significance of the day and its alignment with the enduring values championed by the late President Mandela.

Quoting Mandela’s powerful words—“It is in your hands to make our world a better one for all, especially the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized”—the ambassador underscored the relevance of the message in today’s global context. “This message is more relevant than ever,” she noted, “reminding us that the responsibility to create more than just a better world lies within each of us.”

The ambassador extended sincere gratitude to the Kuwaiti government and its institutions for their steadfast support and humanitarian efforts. She praised their work with local shelters and their commitment to empowering vulnerable individuals during difficult times, calling their dedication “a true reflection of Madiba’s vision.”

Speaking directly to those residing in shelters, the ambassador offered words of encouragement: “Your strength and determination have kept you going. We stand here to encourage you to remain hopeful for the brighter days ahead.” She went on to emphasize that Mandela Day is not merely about remembering a historic figure, but about embodying his values of unity, compassion, and service to others. “Whether it’s supporting a local charity, helping those affected by disaster, or simply showing kindness in our daily lives—every small action contributes to building a better world,” she said.

The ambassador conveyed well-wishes for good health and continued success to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, along with hopes for enduring peace and prosperity for the Kuwaiti nation.

During the visit, the delegation also received briefings on the shelter’s important services such as legal aid, healthcare, and psychological support. To further assist the residents, the embassy generously donated clothing. Mpungose expressed deep admiration for the shelter staff’s commitment to protecting and supporting vulnerable women and extended sincere thanks to PAM and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their collaboration and hospitality. The visit underscored the Embassy’s dedication to Mandela’s values of kindness, care, and community empowerment.

KUWAIT: A senior scientist at Kuwait’s Dasman Diabetes Institute (DDI) has harnessed cutting-edge artificial intelligence to unlock new insights into the molecular mechanisms of diabetes, paving the way for future drug development.

Dr Anwar Mohammed, Head of the Precision Health Analysis Unit and Senior Scientist at DDI, led a research study that demonstrates how AI can revolutionize our understanding of complex biological structures related to diabetes. The research was recently published in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

By using AlphaFold 3, a powerful AI model developed by Google DeepMind, Dr Anwar modeled the interaction between the KLF15 zinc finger domain and DNA — a key element in understanding type 2 diabetes at a molecular level.

The accuracy of ‘AlphaFold 3’ was confirmed by comparing the modeled structure with experimental X-ray crystallography data, said DDI in a press statement. Dr Anwar also incorporated molecular dynamics simulations and binding energy calculations to identify critical hotspots that could support the design of targeted therapies.

“These applications can help understand disease mechanisms and design targeted therapies which are anticipated to yield advancements in healthcare and drug discovery,” said the statement.

Dr Anwar’s research highlights the growing role of AI in structural biology, a field that seeks to understand the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules like proteins and DNA and how that is related to their interactions. His findings emphasize AI’s ability to accelerate the development of targeted therapies — especially crucial for chronic diseases like diabetes.

Dr Anwar also credited the institute and its founding organization for enabling this work. He expressed gratitude for DDI’s and KFAS’ continuous support for Kuwaiti scientists in the field of research, science and medicine. Founded by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), Dasman Diabetes Institute has long been recognized as a regional leader in diabetes research. Its ongoing support of innovation continues to position Kuwait on the frontlines of global scientific progress.