Newspapers of Kuwait: Al Qabas, Al Rai, Kuwait Times and the KUNA agency

In Kuwait, the news is read in Arabic in Al Qabas, Al Rai, Al Anba, Al Jarida or Al Seyassah, and in English in Kuwait Times and Arab Times, alongside the KUNA agency and Kuwait TV, most of them freely available online.

A press born with independence in 1961

Kuwait gained independence in 1961, the year Kuwait Times appeared, presented as the first English-language daily in the Gulf, along with Al Rai Al Aam, which later became Al Rai. Al Seyassah followed in 1965, Al Qabas in 1972 and Al Anba in 1976.

The distinctive role of parliamentary debate

For decades, the elected National Assembly fed a more combative press than elsewhere in the Gulf. Kuwait City dailies reported the questioning of ministers and government crises, until the emir suspended Parliament in May 2024.

Al Qabas, Al Rai, Al Anba: different sensibilities

Al Qabas, backed by merchant families, is known for its economic investigations. Al Rai belongs to a group that also owns a television channel, Al Anba focuses on local news, and Al Seyassah publishes outspoken editorials on regional politics.

The 2006 law and the arrival of Al Jarida

A press law passed in 2006 opened the way for new daily newspaper licences. Al Jarida, launched in 2007, carved out a place with pages of political and economic analysis, alongside the older titles based in the Shuwaikh area.

Kuwait Times and Arab Times for expatriates

Foreigners, mainly from India, Egypt, Bangladesh and the Philippines, make up a majority of the population. Kuwait Times, Arab Times and Times Kuwait cover residency rules, domestic work, traffic and embassy announcements for these readers.

Apps, social networks and fast news sites

Kuwaiti dailies post most of their alerts on X, Instagram and WhatsApp, all heavily used in the country. Their mobile apps offer the day's edition, and many local news accounts relay ministerial announcements around the clock.

KUNA, the official agency since 1976

The Kuwait News Agency, KUNA, distributes decisions by the emir, the government and ministries, in Arabic and English. It is the reference source for decrees, appointments, Kuwaiti oil prices and diplomatic visits, and newsrooms rely on it daily.

Kuwait TV and Radio Kuwait

The Ministry of Information runs Kuwait TV and Radio Kuwait, which broadcast news bulletins, official ceremonies and Ramadan programmes. Private channels linked to newspapers, such as Al Rai TV, round out the broadcasting available to viewers online.

Oil, the stock market and football

The business pages follow the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Boursa Kuwait and the state budget, which depends heavily on hydrocarbons. Sport puts football first, with Al Qadsia and Kuwait SC, along with motorsport and camel racing.

Laws, prosecutions and self-censorship

Criticism of the emir, religion or neighbouring countries can lead to prosecution under Kuwaiti law. Journalists and internet users remain cautious, especially on social media, which is also governed by the 2015 cybercrime law.

Reading for free and checking a dispatch

Newspaper websites are largely free, with PDF editions for some titles. To check a regional story, compare them with the Iraqi press and the Saudi press, two neighbours whose news directly affects Kuwait.

Memories of 1990 and a magazine culture

The Iraqi invasion of August 1990 left a lasting mark on newsrooms, some of which published in exile. Kuwait is also known for the cultural monthly Al Arabi, founded in 1958 and read across the Arab world and its media.

How to follow Kuwait from abroad

1. Choose an Arabic-language daily such as Al Qabas or Al Rai and an English title such as Kuwait Times.
2. Check KUNA for decrees by the emir, Council of Ministers decisions and official statements.
3. Turn on notifications from the newspapers' X or Instagram accounts for public holiday and residency announcements.
4. Watch Kuwait TV live on National Day, 25 February, and on Liberation Day.
5. Compare Al Seyassah and Al Jarida on the same political story to gauge differences in tone.

Online access to Kuwaiti media

Kuwaiti reference points

• Languages: mainly Arabic, English for the expatriate press
• News agency: KUNA, Kuwait News Agency
• Public broadcasting: Kuwait TV and Radio Kuwait
• Major dailies: Al Qabas, Al Rai, Al Anba; English-language: Kuwait Times
• Time zone: UTC+3, no daylight saving time
• Currency: Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)

Confusions to avoid with the Kuwaiti press

• Confusing Kuwait's Al Rai with the Jordanian daily of the same name, or the Kuwaiti Al Watan, closed in 2015, with other Gulf papers called Al Watan.
• Sharing a supposed decision on visas or residence permits posted by an anonymous account without checking it on KUNA.
• Reading an old parliamentary debate as if it were recent, when the National Assembly has been suspended since 2024.
• Taking an Al Seyassah editorial as an official Kuwaiti government position, when it expresses the line of its owner.

Your questions about Kuwaiti newspapers