Iran Near Weapons-Grade Enrichment

cricket markets THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Page 16 Established in 1977 / www.arabtimesonline.com Page 10 FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 29-30, 2021 / JUMADA AL THANI 16-17, 1442 AH emergency number 112 NO. 17600 16 PAGES 150 FILS U.S. HOLD ON F-35s TO UAE AMONG ARMS SALES Iran near weapons-grade enrichment Interfaith meeting in Ur Grace extends time for 90% near violators of residency TEHRAN, Jan 28, Pope to meet Shiite leader Sistani in Iraq (AP): Iran has ex- KUWAIT CITY, Jan 28, (Agencies): Minister of In- ceeded 17 kilograms ROME, Jan 28, (AP): Iraq’s top Catholic official said Thursday that a hope,” Sako said. “We have always been persecuted and we have paid terior Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali Al-Sabah has issued a of 20% enriched ura- deadly suicide bombing in Baghdad hasn’t thwarted Pope Francis’ plans for our faith to Christ and the Gospel with our blood, not only in the past decision giving a new grace period to residency viola- to visit, and he confirmed the pontiff would meet with the country’s top but also recently.” tors to help them adjust their status as of the first of nium within a month’s Shiite cleric, Ali al-Sistani, in a significant highlight of the first-ever pa- But the first visit by a pope to Iraq also has a strong interfaith com- February and March 2. time, state TV reported pal trip to Iraq. ponent. Francis is scheduled to travel to Najaf on March 6 to meet with Those who didn’t adjust their residency status dur- Thursday, moving its The Chaldean patriarch, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, provided the al-Sistani, one of the world’s leading Shiite leaders, and to host an inter- ing this period will be punished, in line with the law, first details of Francis’ March 5-8 itinerary during a virtual news con- faith meeting that same day in the ancient city of Ur, the birthplace of the prevented from obtaining valid residency and deport- nuclear program closer ference hosted by the French bishops’ conference. The Vatican has prophet Abraham, according to Sako. ed, the Ministry’s security media department said in to weapons-grade en- confirmed the visit, but it still could be called off given the coronavirus Francis has spent years trying to forge improved relations with Mus- a statement. richment levels amid pandemic. lims. He signed a historic document on human fraternity in 2019 with They also will not be allowed to come back to Ku- heightened tensions The trip is aimed primarily at encouraging the country’s beleaguered a prominent Sunni leader, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of wait, it added. Christians, who faced decades of discrimination by the Muslim majority Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning in Cairo. The decision gives further time for the violators to with the US. before being targeted relentlessly by Islamic State group militants start- Brother Amir Jaje, an Iraqi Dominican who is an expert on Shiite rela- legalize their status so as to avoid any punishment and Parliament Speaker Mo- ing in 2014. tions, said he hoped Sistani would also sign onto the fraternity document, measures to be taken by the ministry after the end of hammad Bagher Qalibaf, “What we Christians expect (from the pope’s message) is comfort and which calls for Christians and Muslims to work together for peace. this period, it noted. during a visit to the country’s Fordo nuclear facility, said in a televised speech that in less than a month, scientists passed 17 kilograms (37.5 pounds) of 20% enriched uranium. Uranium enriched to 20% is a short technical step away from weapons-grade 90% enrichment. Western nations have criticized Iran’s enrichment activity and called on Tehran to adhere to a 2015 nuclear accord. Iran has said it would produce 120 kilograms of 20% enriched uranium per year, or 12 kilograms per month on average, so 17 kilograms would exceed that timetable. Roughly 250 kilograms (550 pounds) of 20% enriched uranium are needed to convert it into 25 kilograms of the 90% enriched needed for a nuclear weapon. The development brings Iran closer to crossing the line between nuclear operations with a poten- tial civilian use, such as enriching nuclear fuel for power-generating reactors, and nuclear-weapons work, something Tehran has long denied ever carrying out. Former US president Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally with- drew America from Iran’s nuclear deal, in which Tehran had agreed to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lift- ing of economic sanctions. After the US then ramped up sanctions, Iran gradually and publicly aban- doned the deal’s limits on its nuclear development. President Joe Biden, who was vice-president when the deal was signed during the Obama administration, has said he hopes to re- turn the US to the deal. KUNA photo Kuwait’s Minister of Defense Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah on an inspection tour that included a number of military units. – See Page 5 Hold on arms sale The Biden administration has put a temporary hold on several major foreign arms sales initi- Time needed to fix demographic imbalance ated by former president Donald Trump. Officials say that among the deals being paused is a massive Bonds, asset sales seen to right economic imbalance $23 billion transfer of stealth F-35 fighters to the United Arab Emir- By Sulaiman Al-Jarallah Assembly support us in our endeavor to adjust the ates. That sale and several other massive purchases of US weap- Deputy Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times economic imbalance. We put great confidence in Newswatch their understanding. We are partners in correcting onry by Gulf Arab countries had been harshly criticized by Demo- Jobs bill to axe expats KUWAIT CITY, Jan 28: Within the framework the economic path and amending the imbalance.” Speaking of the political file and the govern- crats in Congress. The officials KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait listed of a government “Glasnost” which opts for dis- did not identify the other sales that By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh closure and openness in all issues that are of con- ment’s relationship with the National Assembly, Arab Times Staff 588 new coronavirus infections in response to the desire shown by MP Musaed had been temporarily halted. and one virus-related death on cern to the nation, especially at this watershed and The new administration is historic stage Kuwait and the world is passing Al-Ardhi to interrogate him within the constitu- KUWAIT CITY, Jan 28: MP Hesham Al-Saleh has submitted a bill Thursday taking the total cases tion and the law, the Prime Minister said, “I say to reviewing the sales but has not up to 163,450 as deaths rose to through, and keeping in mind the good principle made any determination about on amending Civil Service Law No. 15/1976 in order to nationalize that believes in the ‘fourth authority’ (the press) him hello and welcome.” 958 respectively, the health min- He added: “The constitution and the law govern whether they will actually go public sector jobs. istry said. His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah through, the State Department According to the bill, the appointment, reshuffle, promotion and del- Al-Khaled met held a meeting with the editors-in- us during interrogation, and if we disagree, there The number of people hospi- is something to decide on the matter,” indicating said. It called the pause “a rou- egation of employees must be based on the decision of the relevant talised with the virus currently chief of local newspapers. tine administrative action” that executive institution, except the supervisory jobs which require the is- stands at 6,105, with 46 of them This is the third time the Prime Minister met that during the 15th legislative term of the parliament he emphasized on four ‘NOs’ – No to refer most incoming administrations suance of a special decree. in intensive care units, according with the editors-in-chief since the emergence of the take with large-scale arms sales. The bill stipulates that the recruitment of expatriates must be on to ministry spokesman Dr Ab- Corona pandemic, and in a brainstorming session, the interrogation to the Constitutional Court, no to refer it to the Legislative Affairs Committee, no to “The department is temporar- temporary basis and only if no Kuwaiti or anyone under the other cat- dullah Al-Sanad, who revealed Sheikh Al-Khaled put the facts in front of everyone, ily pausing the implementation egories is available for the job. The order of priority in recruitment is that some 9,964 swab tests were whether with regard to the economic and financial request an extension of the time, no to discuss it conducted over the last day out of in a secret session. of some pending US defense as follows: situation or with regard to the relationship with the transfers and sales under Foreign A. Kuwaitis a total of 1,500,913. (KUNA) National Assembly, stressing at the same time on ❑ ❑ ❑ Military Sales and Direct Com- B. Children of Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaitis two firm positions – the citizen will get support mercial Sales to allow incoming C. Bedouns KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s rank- without putting a hand in his pocket and that inter- leadership an opportunity to re- D. Citizens of other countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council ing improved by seven spots on rogation is the right of the every deputy within the Options to get out view,” the department said.

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