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.

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s roads are cracking under pressure—literally and figuratively. From deteriorating asphalt to heavy congestion, road and transportation engineer Abdulmuhsen Alqunaie outlines the country’s biggest infrastructure challenges—and the solutions that could fix them.

Alqunaie began by comparing Kuwait’s road congestion to a house designed for three people suddenly being inhabited by seven. “When we design roads, the first critical step is conducting traffic and population analysis and study,” he explained. “We look at every detail—the number of malls, the number of houses, the grocery stores, the pharmacies. We analyze the traffic growth for the following 20 years and more.”

He stressed that once a master plan is finalized, adherence is key. “Let’s say I have a block with one pharmacy, a barbershop and three houses. I will study the area and say, well, we need two lanes here and a roundabout there. Twenty years later we can’t have someone change the barbershop to a popular pizza place. If we do, then we would have to flip the entire map,” he said. “One small discrepancy impacts everything.”

Kuwait’s centralization of government and business operations—particularly in Sharq, Mirqab, and Jibla—also plays a major role in pressure points forming on roads like the 1st Ring Road and highways 30, 35, 40, 50, 80, and 85.

“The entire country is commuting there,” he said, calling for a decentralization strategy. “We need a secondary business hub in Kuwait where most of the heavy offices can be relocated. Carrying one gallon of water is difficult, but if we split it into one-liter bottles, it’s easy to carry it bit by bit.”

Abdulmuhsen Alqunaie

Road design sketches created by Abdulmuhsen Alqunaie as he envisions solutions to Kuwait’s road woes.

A sketch created by Alqunaie which reimagines Road 225 in Mina Abdullah with bike lanes and sidewalks.

A section of a road showing surface cracks, a common issue in Kuwait.

Material matters

Alqunaie also cited asphalt quality as a concern. “We are not adjusting to the reality we live in, particularly with the rising heat waves and sandstorms,” he said. He advocated for Kuwait to adopt the ‘Superpave method’, an asphalt design approach, over the widely used ‘Marshall method’. ‘Superpave’ allows for tailoring asphalt for better performance and longer life based on a geographical area’s temperature extremes, traffic loads, and utilization of the road or highway.

“Superpave involves filling every gap with aggregate pieces, essentially preventing any empty void. But it’s not really used in Kuwait and it would need proper parameters and standards to be perfected.” But asphalt type alone isn’t enough. “We also need very detailed traffic studies that are particular with the size of heavy trucks and buses. All these factors are important to the quality of the road.”

On maintenance, he praised the ‘Abu Dhabi Pavement Strategy’, which mandates inspections every two years and resurfacing every five to ten years. “Mill and overlay involves removing the top five-centimeter layer and then replacing it with fresh asphalt. Later on, full reconstruction happens every 20 years depending on the situation.”

One of the most visible issues—gravel scattering during rainfall—has a simple but often ignored cause: low bitumen content. “The bitumen acts like glue. If it’s less than required, there’s nothing holding the aggregate together. One rainfall, and it all washes away.”

He also criticized rushed road patchwork that skips crucial steps like tack and prime coats. A prime coat protects the soil under the road from moisture loss, while a tack coat promotes bonding between existing and new asphalt layers. “They’re like the cheese holding the burger patty with the bread,” he said.

Why projects stall

Alqunaie pushed back on a common public assumption that road delays are always the fault of either the contractors or the authorities. “I keep hearing people blaming the contractors or the authorities, but I want to assure you that that’s not the case. Some things are difficult to control, and that’s natural.”

“Let’s say we agree to start at 6 am Monday and finish in two weeks. If one step falls off schedule, the entire operation is compromised,” he said. “It’s like a restaurant. If the server is late, the food’s late. If the janitor is sick, the restaurant isn’t presentable.” He quoted a proverb he believes applies to roadwork: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

Turning to pressing needs, Alqunaie urged immediate attention to bridge rehabilitation. “We need inspections, then rehabilitation measures. We need to galvanize the steel with zinc and take detailed traffic studies to understand weight loads.” He also recommended smart traffic light systems in Kuwait City, Salmiya, and Hawally. “We need proper detection and timing technologies.”

Plans for walking, cycling

Asked about long-term priorities, Alqunaie said the Ministry of Public Works should focus on urban mobility and public engagement. “The ministry has been on a great and impressive path, lately. They have shown great progress with recent road repairs like Highway 30. However, one thing I would advise is we need to strengthen the overall planning organizational sequence.”

Inspired by projects in Abu Dhabi and Doha, he called for integrated transport networks: bike shares, scooters, sidewalks, and a revived metro plan. “The key isn’t just building these networks but convincing the public to use them—maybe even rewarding them. That could drop traffic by 20 percent.”

He dismissed the idea that Kuwait’s weather rules out walking and cycling. “Countries with severe rainfall and snowstorms still have people walking and biking. With proper shading and environmental control, I am optimistic.” He noted that small details matter too. “The quality of paint used for arrows, the type of reflectors, the presentation of bus stops. It’s all part of the same picture.”

Lessons from abroad

Drawing on years of transportation work in the United States, Alqunaie emphasized two key takeaways: perspective and strategy. While at Keolis Commuter Services in Boston, he helped digitize decades of rail system records. “It made things easier for the future of the railroads.”

At Boston Public Works, he contributed to bridge rehabilitation and public outreach. “We passed out flyers on car windshields to notify drivers about closures—better than phone notifications.”

At MassDOT, he worked on making streets safer and more accessible. “We worked on improving streets for cyclists and wheelchair users. Everything was digitized and connected through one database and software.” And sometimes, the job meant getting hands-on. “I stood at an intersection on a cold November night for two hours with a pencil and clipboard, just to take traffic counts.” In a country facing mounting infrastructure challenges, Alqunaie’s insights paint a picture of what could be achieved through clear planning, technical discipline, and public engagement.