skiing Page 9 THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Page 14 Established in 1977 / www.arabtimesonline.com markets FRIDAY-SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12-13, 2021 / RAJAB 1-2, 1442 AH emergency number 112 NO. 17612 16 PAGES 150 FILS MoH LAUNCHES FIVE COVID VACCINATION CENTERS Kuwait lists 1,048 new cases, 5 deaths Variant versions in works Rewards eyed Newswatch Kuwait inflation up by 2.95 pct in December AstraZeneca expects autumn vaccine update KUWAIT CITY, Feb 11, (Agencies): Kuwait said 1,048 KUWAIT CITY: His Highness LONDON, Feb 11, (AP): AstraZeneca said Thurs- fended the company’s efforts to develop and ramp the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al- KUWAIT CITY, Feb 11, (KUNA): Kuwait’s in- people were tested positive for Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on flation rate in December, last year, rose by 2.95 day it expects to have a new version of its COVID-19 up production of the shot amid criticism from the Wednesday sent a cable of con- percent on a year-on-year basis, the Central Sta- vaccine ready for use by this autumn as drugmakers European Union and a preliminary study that raised coronavirus with five related gratulations to chairman of Sakhr tistics Bureau (CSB) said on Thursday. respond to concerns about emerging variants of the concerns about the vaccine’s ability to combat a deaths reported on Thursday Software Company Mohammad In its monthly consumer prices index (CPI) re- disease that may be more transmissible or resistant variant of COVID-19 first discovered in South Af- taking the total cases up to Al-Sharekh on winning the 2021 port, CSB noted that the monthly rate rose by 0.34 to existing vaccines. rica. King Faisal Prize. percent in December compared with a month prior. The Anglo-Swedish company, which makes a While rollout of the vaccine hasn’t been perfect, 175,031 as deaths rose to 985 Al-Sharekh won the award, On the scale of individual sectors, there were vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, said regulators in a number of countries have found the respectively, according to the given by King Faisal Foundation, significant rises for food and beverages (9.81 per- it is working with the university’s scientists to adapt vaccine to be safe and effective, and AstraZeneca health ministry. for his efforts in Arabicizing and cent), culture and recreation (7.23 percent), com- the shot to combat new variants. Researchers began will produce 100 million doses this month, Soriot producing computer programs, modities and miscellaneous goods and services this work months ago when the variants were first said. Only a handful of vaccines have been autho- The number of people hospital- and his contribution to enriching (5.73) and telecommunications (5.3 percent). detected, said Mene Pangalos, head of biopharma- rized for widespread use out of hundreds that began ised with the virus currently stands Arab and Islamic culture. Other sector rises were witnessed in home fur- ceuticals research for AstraZeneca. development a year ago, he noted. at 10,150, with 114 of them in inten- His Highness the Amir wished “We’re moving fast and we’ve got a number of “One hundred million doses in February means sive care units, according to ministry Al-Sharekh success to raise the nishings and household maintenance (4.18 per- cent), transport (3.34 percent), cigarettes and to- variant versions in the works that we will be picking 100 million vaccinations, which means hundreds of spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad, country’s fl ag in all regional and from as we move into the clinic,” Pangalos said on a thousands of severe infections that are avoided, and international arenas. bacco (2.43 percent), clothing and footwear (2.19 who revealed that some 10,659 swab percent) and healthcare (1.73 percent). conference call with reporters. it also means thousands of deaths that are avoided,” His Highness the Crown The comments came as CEO Pascal Soriot de- Soriot said. tests were conducted over the last day Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ah- out of a total of 1,640,047. mad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and He went on to urge nationals and expa- His Highness the Prime Minister triates alike that abiding by health precau- Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Ham- tions, mainly, following social distancing ad Al-Sabah sent similar cables. rules, is the only way to halt the spread (KUNA) Fitch downgrades ratings of Kuwaiti banks of the virus. ❑ ❑ ❑ — Details Page 5 — The ministry had earlier reported that KUWAIT CITY: Naser Al- some 631 more people had been cured of Omari of Kuwait has won the the virus over the past day, raising the to- 2021 Sony World Photography tal of those to have overcome the disease Awards’ national awards catego- to 163,895. ry for his captivating depiction of Kuwait’s Ministry of Health an- a fl ock of fl amingos in northern nounced Thursday the launch of five Kuwait. additional COVID-19 vaccination The image, titled ‘The Queen’ centers, bringing the total number to taken in the Jadailiyat area, 15 centers, in addition to two halls at northeast of Kuwait, was one of Kuwait International Fairs Ground in 54 national and regional winners Mishref Area. selected by a jury out of more The new vaccination centers are lo- than 330,000 photos from around the world, Al-Omari told KUNA. cated in South Khaitan Health Center in The shot is distinguished by the Farwaniya Health District, the Ab- the stagnation of one of the birds dulrahman Al-Zaid Health Center in the in the middle of a surrounding Hawally Health District, the Northwest mobile fl ock, giving the image a Sulaibikhat Health Center in the Capital greater aesthetic due to the timing Health District, and the Sabah Al-Ahmad of its capture, he said. Health Center in Al-Ahmadi Health Dis- The photographer said he trict and Al-Nahdha Health Center in was delighted at this achieve- Al-Jahra Health District, added ministry ment, which he dedicated to the statement. Kuwaiti leadership and people. Earlier in the week, the Ministry an- (KUNA) nounced the launch of COVID-19 vac- ❑ ❑ ❑ cination center at Al-Masayel Health KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s For- Centers, Al-Naseem Health Center, Me- eign Ministry on Wednesday teb Obaid Al-Shalahi Health Centers, deplored in the strongest terms and Al-Siddeeq Health Center, Hamad the continued “terrorist” attacks Al-Humaidhi and Sheikha Al-Sadirawi launched by Yemeni Houthi mi- Health Center. litias towards Saudi Arabia. Vaccinations are also offered in North- The militias targeted Saudi ern Ardhiya Health Center, Salwa Spe- Abha International Airport with a cialist center, Hamad Al-Saleh Health booby-trapped drone on Wednes- center, East Ahmadi Health Center and day. Jaber Al-Ahmad center. Continuing terrorist acts confi rms danger to security Situation and stability in the region, and An annual report on developments in poses a fl agrant challenge to the epidemiological situation in Kuwait international humanitarian law and the Gulf Cooperation Council coun- through targeting civilians and Iranians ride past missiles on their motorcycle during a rally marking the 42nd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, at Azadi (Freedom) Square in Tehran, tries since the beginning of the Corona civil areas, the ministry said in on Feb 10. Iranians Wednesday began a vehicle-only rallies in cities and towns across the country to mark the anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution. pandemic until the end of 2020 showed a statement. The decision for replacing traditional rallies and demonstrations by vehicle-only move came as a measure to prevent spread of the coronavirus as the country Kuwait ranks second in the Gulf in terms The ministry stressed the ne- struggles to stem the worst outbreak of the pandemic in the Middle East with death toll nearing 59,000 and some 1.48 million confirmed cases of the virus. cessity that the international The country on Tuesday launched a coronavirus vaccination campaign. (AP) of the death rate, with 217 deaths per community represented in the million people, and third rank in terms Security Council assumes its role infection rate with 35,004 cases, and to deter these acts as they pose a fifth (penultimate) in terms of the num- blatant threaten to international Control at airport urged ber of PCR swabs, with 291,695 per mil- peace and security, it noted. lion people. (KUNA) The report, a copy of which has been ❑ ❑ ❑ obtained by the Al-Seyassah daily, con- firms that the epidemiological curve of SANAA: Heavy fi ghting between MPs focus on compensation for closures the State of Kuwait until the end Dec government forces and Houthi 31, 2020 is 150,584 recorded new cases rebels has killed more than two By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh sions continue, the government should of corona, at a rate of 35,004 per million dozen people in the past three compensate all those who suffered from days in the central Marib prov- Arab Times Staff people, in addition to 934 deaths, a rate of damages, he narrated. 217 cases per million people. ince, Yemeni offi cials and tribal The lawmaker went on to say that the leaders said Tuesday. Iran starts producing KUWAIT CITY, Feb 11: The Budgets The report also showed a clear increase committee called for postponing the col- The war in Yemen erupted in and Final Accounts Committee in the Na- in infections during May last year, then 2014, when Iran-allied Houthi tional Assembly discussed the budget of lection of payments for loans that the a significant decrease while maintaining rebels seized the capital and the Education and Higher Education Min- citizens obtained either from the National this decline until mid-November, noting much of the country’s north.