JAMADA ALAWWAL 22, 1442 AH WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2021 16 Pages Max 21º Min 10º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 18327 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Violent, ‘brutal’ crimes UK shuts schools as Germany Turkey’s social divides Attiyah claims third stage 4 on the rise in Kuwait 6 braces for extended lockdown 13 laid bare in Netflix hit 16 win as ‘Mr Dakar’ leads Gulf states sign ‘solidarity and stability’ agreement Full ties restored between Qatar and quartet • Amir congratulates GCC leaders • GCC summit honors late Amir Sheikh Sabah, Sultan Qaboos • Saudi Crown Prince embraces Qatari Amir on arrival AL-ULA, Saudi Arabia: (From left) Kuwaiti Amir HH Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Omani Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Dubai Ruler and UAE Prime Minister and Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum and Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Nayef Al-Hajraf pose for a photo before the opening session of the 41st GCC summit in this northwestern Saudi city yesterday. — AFP photos (See Pages 2 & 3) AL-ULA, Saudi Arabia: Gulf leaders full ties have been restored between signed a “solidarity and stability” deal Qatar and the four nations that had yesterday after the leaders of Saudi severed relations with Doha. “What Arabia and Qatar publicly embraced, happened today is... the closure of the bringing Doha back into the regional folder of all points of difference and a fold after a three-year rift. Saudi full return of diplomatic relations,” Arabia had led a coalition of countries Prince Faisal bin Farhan told a press in the Gulf and beyond to cut ties and conference at the conclusion of the transport links with Qatar in June landmark regional summit. 2017, charging that it was too close to HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Iran and backed radical Islamist Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah groups - allegations Doha denied. congratulated GCC leaders for con- Those countries, along with Oman cluding the Al-Ula Declaration, which and Kuwait which have mediated “reminds us of huge endeavors” the between the two sides, signed a rap- late Amir HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad prochement deal in the Saudi city of Al-Sabah made to make this declara- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomes HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (left) and Al-Ula, after Riyadh overnight re- tion possible. “As I congratulate you Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani (right) upon their arrival in Al-Ula for the GCC summit yesterday. opened its land, sea and air borders to on this historic achievement, Doha. Saudi foreign minister later said Continued on Page 2 MPs required to declare non-cooper- 3 MPs file to ation with the prime minister, leading to either dismissing the premier or World Bank tips dissolving the National Assembly grill PM amid elected just a month ago. fragile recovery The filing of the grilling came after heated debate chaotic scenes during the Assembly’s first regular session after Deputy for MENA in 2021 By B Izzak Speaker Ahmad Al-Shuhoumi, who chaired the session, rejected two DUBAI: The World Bank yesterday predicted a KUWAIT: Kuwait yesterday motions by opposition MPs to form a moderate economic recovery for the Middle appeared headed for political turmoil parliamentary investigation committee East and North Africa (MENA) in 2021, while after three opposition MPs filed to to probe events that took place at the highlighting the many challenges still posed by grill HH the Prime Minister Sheikh inaugural session on Dec 15. the coronavirus pandemic. The Washington- Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and more Shuhoumi insisted that it is uncon- based institution said the pandemic had seen the than 30 lawmakers publicly declared stitutional to form a parliamentary KUWAIT: MPs attend a parliament session at the National Assembly region’s economies shrink by about 5.0 percent their support of the grilling. The num- panel to investigate events at an yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat in 2020, inflicting heavy job losses and a sharp ber of supporters is well over the 25 Continued on Page 2 increase in the number of people living below the poverty line of less than $5.50 a day. “Among oil exporters, growth is expected to recover to 1.8 percent this year, supported by Iran claims Seoul holding normalizing oil demand, the scheduled easing of the OPEC+ oil production cuts, policy support, $7bn as destroyer arrives and the gradual phasing out of domestic pan- demic-related restrictions,” it said in a report. TEHRAN: Iran yesterday accused release of the ship and dispatched its Saudi Arabia, the largest economy in the South Korea of holding $7 billion of its anti-piracy unit to the region. “We are Arab world, will benefit from the resumption of funds “hostage” but stressed that not hostage-takers,” Iran’s govern- public projects, which had been postponed at Tehran’s seizure of a Korean tanker in ment spokesman Ali Rabiei told a the beginning of the crisis, and the recovery of Gulf waters was not a tit-for-tat move. press conference. “We are used to demand after a sharp rise in VAT, it said, tipping The Islamic Revolutionary Guard such allegations. But ... it is the gov- a 2.0 percent expansion. Growth should also Corps on Monday sent out naval ernment of Korea that has taken over accelerate to 1.5 percent in Iran thanks to the speedboats to seize the Hankuk Chemi $7 billion of ours hostage on baseless recovery of domestic consumption and with 20 crew aboard, accusing it of grounds”. He added that the seizure This undated picture released yesterday shows South Korean Navy’s Continued on Page 2 “breaking maritime environmental law”. was based on a court order after destroyer ROKS Choi Young. — AFP South Korea has demanded the Continued on Page 2 2 Established 1961 Wednesday, January 6, 2021 Local Kuwait’s Amir thanks Saudi King for hosting 41st GCC Summit Sheikh Nawaf hails historic, solid Kuwaiti-Saudi ties His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al- AL-ULA, Saudi Arabia: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is wel- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- Ahmad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah welcomes His comed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman upon his arrival to Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, to Jaber Al-Sabah waves as he arrives to Kuwait after Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber attend the 41st GCC Summit. — Amiri Diwan and Saudi Royal Palace photos attending the 41st GCC Summit. Al-Sabah back to Kuwait. AL-ULA, Saudi Arabia: His Highness the Amir also wished good health for the countries all success to achieve their the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- Saudi King and prosperity to the people people aspirations. Upon his arrival in Jaber Al-Sabah expressed in a cable in the kingdom under his leadership. Saudi Arabia to head Kuwait’s delegation yesterday his thanks and appreciation His Highness the Amir had earlier partaking in the GCC 41st Summit, His for Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin stressed the historic and brotherly solid Highness the Amir was received by Saudi Abdulaziz for the warm welcome and ties between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, hospitality during participation in the His Highness the Amir, in a statement GCC Secretary-General Dr Nayef Al- 41st GCC Summit, held in Al-Ula. Hajraf and Kuwait’s Ambassador In his cable, His Highness the Amir to Saudi Arabia Sheikh Ali Al- praised the Saudi King for naming Khaled Al-Sabah. this summit after the Late Amir of Upon his arrival back to Kuwait Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Commitment after heading Kuwait’s delegation Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Sultan of at the summit, His Highness the Oman Qaboos bin Said Al-Said, to unity among Amir was received by His which represented a gesture of Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh dedication to past leaders. His GCC states Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Ahmad Al- Highness the Amir also extended Jaber Al-Sabah, accompanied by his congratulations to GCC leaders Parliament Speaker Marzouq Ali His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- for Al-Ula summit’s final commu- Al-Ghanem, His Highness the Sabah leads state officials welcoming His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al- nique in which they affirmed com- Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah back after attending the 41st GCC Summit. mitment to unity among GCC countries, upon his arrival to Al-Ula city, expressed Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and several which represented a regional and Arab happiness, appreciation and brotherly senior officials. Diwan Chief Sheikh Faisal Saud Al-Sabah, Abdullah Al-Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah, achievement that would bolster Gulf and sentiment feelings towards the Kingdom, His Highness was accompanied by Undersecretary of the Amiri Diwan and Head of Media and Cultural Affairs at Arab unity, and in turn benefit people in its leaders and people. His Highness the Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad Director Ahmad Fahad Al-Fahad, the head Amiri Diwan Yousef Hamad Al-Roumi and the Gulf and Arab world. His Highness Amir also wished the Gulf and Arab Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Amiri of Amiri Protocol Sheikh Khaled Al- several state officials.