SAFAR 25, 1442 AH MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020 16 Pages Max 37º Min 22º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 18255 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Kuwait calls on NAM states Immigration impasse, virus Hamilton matches Schumacher Nadal wins 13th French 4 to cooperate to tackle crises 9 clobber US crab industry 16 record with 91st Formula 1 win 16 Open, 20th Grand Slam Crackdown on gatherings in bid to halt virus spread Police on highest level of alert • Kuwait reports 548 COVID-19 cases, 3 deaths KUWAIT: Police are actively pursuing violators of Meanwhile, the health ministry announced that preventive measures against the spread of the nov- the number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Amir receives letter from Saudi King el coronavirus, the interior ministry confirmed yes- Kuwait rose by 548 yesterday to take the total to terday, adding that officers have dispersed various 111,116 cases. Three more deaths took Kuwait’s public gatherings in the past few days. The interior death toll from the outbreak to 658, health ministry ministry’s warning comes as the data showed. In terms of health zones, Cabinet is set to discuss during Ahmadi governorate recorded 145 its weekly meeting today the cases, followed by 91 in Farwaniya, health situation in Kuwait, with 123 in Hawally, 100 in the Capital and the possibility of reintroducing 89 in Jahra, ministry spokesman Dr lockdowns or other measures to Abdullah Al-Sanad said. curb the spread of COVID-19. Kuwait has registered 16 COVID- The government lifted a five- related deaths in the past three days, month-long curfew on Aug 30, in addition to 1,675 new cases. The 2020, but maintained a ban on number of people hospitalized with public gatherings including wed- the virus stood at 7,190 as of yester- dings, parties and receptions day, 140 of whom are in intensive involving people other than the care units, said Sanad. This is an 11- host’s family members. patient increase from the previous “The security apparatus day, which recorded 134 ICU implements the decisions of the patients. Cabinet and instructions of health Sanad added that 2,717 swab tests authorities to face the spread of Tawheed Al-Kandari were conducted in the past day, to the coronavirus,” Director take the total to 782,255 tests. Some General of Relations and Security 546 people recovered from the virus Information at the Interior Ministry Brig Tawheed in the last 24 hours to take the total of recoveries to KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receives at Seif Palace yesterday Saudi Al-Kandari said. He added that policemen remain 103,268, the ministry earlier said. Urging the public Minister of State Prince Turki bin Mohammad bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, who delivered a letter from King “on the highest alert” to deal instantly with any to be mindful of health precautions, Sanad said fol- Salman bin Abdulaziz regarding ties between the two countries and their peoples. — KUNA (See Page 2) violation of the ban on gatherings, noting that nec- lowing social distancing rules is the only way to essary legal action will be taken against violators. halt the spread of the virus. “You have a president who is News in brief Trump claims immune... so now you have a president who doesn’t have to hide in a basement Israel opposes F-35 sale to Qatar like his opponent,” he added - in a jab he’s ‘immune’ at the Democrat Biden and his far more JERUSALEM: Israel will oppose any US sale of cautious approach to campaigning in a F-35 warplanes to Qatar, Israel’s intelligence from COVID pandemic. It is not yet clear to what minister said yesterday, citing a need to maintain degree contracting COVID-19 confers Israeli military superiority in the region. WASHINGTON: US President immunity from future infection, with Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen made the com- Donald Trump yesterday declared early studies suggesting a few months ments on Israeli Army Radio when asked about a himself immune from COVID-19 as he while newer ones have indicated it Reuters report that Qatar had submitted a formal prepares to return to the campaign could last longer. request to Washington to buy stealthy F-35 trail in a fight to regain ground against While it acknowledges that - gener- fighter jets. — Reuters surging White House rival Joe Biden. ally - a person who recovers from a “It looks like I’m immune for, I don’t viral infection is protected against new know, maybe a long time and maybe a infection, the World Health China calls for new Mideast forum short time, it could be a lifetime, Organization cautioned in August: “For nobody really knows, but I’m immune,” COVID-19, we do not yet have enough BEIJING: China’s foreign minister Wang Yi has Trump said in a Fox News interview, a data to confirm if antibodies protect, called for a new forum to defuse tensions in the day after his doctor affirmed he was what antibody levels are required, or Middle East after a meeting with his Iranian no longer a transmission risk for the how long protection will last.” WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump takes his mask off before speaking counterpart where he reiterated Beijing’s sup- disease. Continued on Page 2 from the South Portico of the White House during a rally on Saturday. — AFP port for Tehran. Wang and Javid Zarif also reaf- firmed their commitment to Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, an implicit rebuke of the US for abandoning the accord during their India virus Hopes dashed Saturday meeting in Tengchong city. — AFP cases cross for Karabakh Lebanon closes bars, nightclubs 7 million ceasefire BEIRUT: Lebanon said yesterday it will close bars and nightclubs to help contain the COVID- NEW DELHI: India’s coronavirus cases surged past STEPANAKERT: Hopes that a Russian-brokered 19 outbreak which has killed more than 450 seven million yesterday, taking it ever closer to over- ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan might people. The interior ministry shut bars and taking the United States as the world’s most infected hold were further eroded yesterday, with both nightclubs until further notice and enforced country. Health ministry data showed a rise of almost sides accusing the other of intensive shelling of local lockdowns on 169 villages and districts 75,000 cases yesterday, taking the total to 7.05 mil- civilian areas and escalating two weeks of fierce across the country. It also reiterated a 1 am-6 lion, second only to the US which has recorded 7.67 clashes. Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said that MUMBAI: A security guard wearing a facemask as a am curfew as well as a ruling that masks must million infections. overnight shelling by Armenian forces on the preventive measure against COVID-19 is pictured be worn when travelling. — Reuters Experts say that the true number may be much country’s second largest city, Ganja, had left at higher, with testing rates in the vast country of 1.3 bil- yesterday. — AFP least seven people dead and 33 wounded including lion people - home to some of the planet’s most children, less than 24 hours after the halt to fight- Iran gas explosion kills 5 crowded cities - much lower than in many other coun- Possible factors for this include India’s relatively young tries. This is borne out by a string of studies measuring ing was supposed to take effect. population, immunity thanks to other diseases - and Rescuers in red helmets dug through piles of DUBAI: A suspected gas explosion flattened a antibodies to the virus among the Indian population under-reporting. The number of people who have debris with their bare hands in search of signs of building and shops in a marketplace in southwest that have indicated infection rates could be several recuperated from the disease reached 6 million. Iran yesterday, killing at least five people, a fire offi- times higher than officially recorded. The rise in infections in India comes as the govern- survivors, an AFP journalist in the city reported. cial said, in the latest in a series of fires and blasts. India’s death toll of 108,334 as of yesterday is also ment continues to lift restrictions to boost an economy They retrieved one nearly naked body and ginger- State television showed rescue teams looking for lower than in the US and other countries with higher battered by a severe lockdown imposed in March. On ly put it in a white bag to be taken away in an survivors in the rubble of the two-storey residential caseloads. The United States has recorded 214,000 Thursday, cinemas are set to reopen -albeit at 50 per- ambulance while several horrified residents building located near a historic marketplace in the deaths while Brazil, with two million fewer infections cent capacity - and experts fear the upcoming festival watched on and wept. old district of the city of Ahvaz. — Reuters than India, has lost nearly 150,000 lives so far. Continued on Page 2 Continued on Page 2 2 Established 1961 Monday, October 12, 2020 Local Kuwait’s Amir accepts King Salman’s invitation to visit Saudi Arabia Crown Prince receives letter from Saudi counterpart KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets Saudi Minister of State His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets Saudi Minister of State Prince Turki bin Mohammad bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz. — Amiri Diwan and KUNA photos Prince Turki bin Mohammad bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz.