Kuwait to Resume Friday Mosque Prayers

Kuwaitis wearing face masks walk inside the reopened Avenues Mall, the country's largest shopping center on June 30, 2020 in Kuwait City. (AFP)
Kuwaitis wearing face masks walk inside the reopened Avenues Mall, the country's largest shopping center on June 30, 2020 in Kuwait City. (AFP)
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Kuwait to Resume Friday Mosque Prayers

Kuwaitis wearing face masks walk inside the reopened Avenues Mall, the country's largest shopping center on June 30, 2020 in Kuwait City. (AFP)
Kuwaitis wearing face masks walk inside the reopened Avenues Mall, the country's largest shopping center on June 30, 2020 in Kuwait City. (AFP)

The Kuwaiti government announced Monday the resumption of Friday prayers at mosques as of July 17.

Health authorities recorded five new coronavirus deaths, putting overall fatalities at 373 since the outbreak months ago.

The Ministry of Health announced 703 new infections, bringing the total to 50,644.

In a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), official spokesperson of the Ministry of Health Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad said 152 patients were receiving treatment at intensive care wards.

The Ministry also announced the recovery of 538 people, bringing the tally to more than 41,000.

In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Health said in a statement that 4,207 new confirmed cases have been reported, bringing the total number to 213,716. As many as 4,398 cases have recovered, taking the total to 149,634, and 52 new deaths have been reported, raising the toll to 1,968.

Oman recorded five more deaths due to COVID-19. With this, the toll has risen to 218 fatalities. The Ministry of Health reported 1,557 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 47,735.

In Qatar, the Ministry of Public Health confirmed 546 cases of COVID-19 and 1,614 recoveries, bringing the total number of people recovered from the disease to 93,898. The Ministry also announced five new deaths.



Qatar's Emir Makes Cabinet Reshuffle

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. QNA
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. QNA
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Qatar's Emir Makes Cabinet Reshuffle

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. QNA
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. QNA

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday appointed the CEO of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Mansour Ibrahim al-Mahmoud, as the country's next minister of health.

The Emir appointed Mohammed Saif Saeed al Suwaidi as QIA's next CEO.

As part of Tuesday's cabinet shuffle, Qatar's Emir also appointed Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani as the country's new minister of commerce and industry.
Sheikh Faisal is QIA's chief of Asia-Pacific and Africa investments and the chairman of Qatari telecoms group Ooredoo. It is unclear if he will remain in those roles.
The Emir appointed Lolwah bint Rashid Al-Khater as the new education minister. She served previously as minister of state for international cooperation and led Qatar's global humanitarian efforts, especially in Gaza and Lebanon.