Source : Agencies | 03 Dec 2013

Four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will announce the introduction of a common currency by the end of December, a Bahraini daily reported on Sunday.

The common currency to be announced by Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia will be pegged to the dollar, a source told Akhbar Al Khaleej.

Source : World Bulletin / 12 Nov 2013

Kuwait's government plans to form a special committee to review subsidies on goods and services which are costing the Gulf Arab state more than 4.5 billion dinars ($15.9 billion) a year, daily al-Qabas reported on Sunday, citing government sources.

Like other wealthy countries in the region, Kuwait does not tax earnings and provides a generous welfare system for its citizens. All residents, including foreigners, benefit from subsidised petrol, cheap electricity and water, while Kuwaiti nationals get extra support for housing and food.

By Habib Toumi / 15 Apr 2013 

Around one fifth of Kuwait’s high school students tried drugs, a study has indicated.

According to the survey of 11,380 public and private school students conducted by the Public Authority for Youth and Sport in Kuwait, 19.6 per cent said that they took drugs for pleasure or due to peer pressure.

By Elizabeth Dickinson / 22 Mar 2013

Kuwait plans to cut the number of foreign workers by 100,000 every year for the next decade, reducing its expatriate population by more than half.

The move, slated to start next month, would reduce the dependence on the 1.8 million expatriates who currently work in Kuwait, many of them in unskilled or service positions.

By AFP / 9 Mar 2013

The wealthy Gulf state of Kuwait plans to build around 174,000 houses by 2020, the housing minister told parliament on Thursday, in projects that will cost billions of dollars.

"Currently, we have more than 100,000 applications for houses from citizens. The number grows by over 8,000 a year and we expect to require around 174,000 units by 2020,"Salem al-Othaina said in a special parliament debate.