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Kuwait Celebrates 60th National Day, 30th Liberation Day

Kuwaitis miss National Day celebrations canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic | KUNA
Kuwaitis miss National Day celebrations canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic | KUNA
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Kuwait Celebrates 60th National Day, 30th Liberation Day

Kuwaitis miss National Day celebrations canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic | KUNA
Kuwaitis miss National Day celebrations canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic | KUNA

Today, Kuwait is celebrating its 60th National Day and the 30th anniversary of its liberation amid political and social developments. The most prominent of these changes is Emir Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah succeeding the late Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Seeking to calm political disputes between the Gulf country’s legislative and executive authorities, Emir Nawaf issued a decree on Wednesday to postpone parliament meetings for a month starting from Thursday.

Based on Article 106 of the constitution, the decree aims to both quell rising tensions and give the prime minister an opportunity to form the cabinet.

On Jan. 24 the emir reappointed Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah to nominate a new cabinet and the premier had been holding consultations with MPs ahead of doing so.

More so, Kuwait’s Constitutional Court rejected all lawsuits contesting the annulment of the National Assembly’s elections that were held in 2020.

This year’s National Day falls amid renewed discussions on the economy, corruption, enhancing transparency, and the general amnesty law.

Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Kuwait was forced, for the second year in a row, to cancel public events celebrating its National Day.

Popular celebrations, parades, and artistic evenings were canceled.

A rise in the rate of coronavirus infections forced Kuwait to close its land and sea border crossings with certain exceptions made for shipping workers and returning citizens and their immediate family members and companions.

The shutdown was decided by the country’s Council of Ministers.

The government also warned it might resort to stricter measures to curb the spread of the virus.

Kuwait reported on Tuesday 1,015 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 186,004.

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry also announced eight more deaths, taking the death toll to 1,057.

It is noteworthy that Kuwaiti diplomacy succeeded in helping end the Gulf crisis between Arab Quartet countries (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt) and Qatar.

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Gulf

Saudi Arabia Condemns Drone Attacks on Kuwait Launched from Iraq

A view of Kuwait City, Kuwait. (KUNA)
A view of Kuwait City, Kuwait. (KUNA)
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Saudi Arabia Condemns Drone Attacks on Kuwait Launched from Iraq

A view of Kuwait City, Kuwait. (KUNA)
A view of Kuwait City, Kuwait. (KUNA)

Saudi Arabia strongly condemned on Friday the drone attacks against Kuwait that were launched from Iraq.

A Foreign Ministry statement underlined the Kingdom’s “categorical rejection of the violation of the sovereignty of nations and attempts to threaten the security and stability of the region.”

It reiterated importance of the Iraqi government “acting responsibly towards those threats against the Gulf countries.”

Saudi Arabia expressed its solidarity with Kuwait’s government and people and support for all measures the country takes in protecting its sovereignty, stability and security.

Kuwait's army said two drones launched from Iraq ‌targeted two ‌northern border ‌posts ⁠on Friday, causing damage. ⁠It added there were no casualties.

Iraq's prime minister ⁠ordered an investigative ‌committee ‌to examine the ‌attack and ‌identify those responsible, Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari ‌said, adding Iraq condemned the attack ⁠in ⁠a call with his Kuwaiti counterpart.

Kuwait had on Wednesday summoned the Iraqi envoy to the country to protest attacks against it by Iraqi armed factions.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi strongly condemned the “treacherous attacks” on Kuwait.

“The continuation of these brutal attacks from Iraq is a flagrant violation of the principles of good neighborliness and all international laws and norms,” he said.

He expressed the GCC's “full solidarity with Kuwait, affirming absolute support for all measures it takes to safeguard its sovereignty, security and stability.”

The Muslim World League (MWL) strongly condemned the drone attacks.

In a statement, Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa “reiterated condemnation of these criminal attacks, which violate the sovereignty of countries in the region and threaten their security and stability.”

He expressed his full solidarity with Kuwait, its leadership, government and people, in all measures taken to safeguard its security, sovereignty and the safety of citizens and residents.

Gulf

Mohammed bin Salman, Zelenskyy Meet in Jeddah

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Jeddah on Friday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Jeddah on Friday. (SPA)
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Mohammed bin Salman, Zelenskyy Meet in Jeddah

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Jeddah on Friday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Jeddah on Friday. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received in Jeddah on Friday Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Zelenskyy had arrived in the Kingdom earlier on Friday. He was welcomed by Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz and other senior officials upon his arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport. 

Separately, Crown Prince Mohammed received a written message from Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis on bilateral ties between their countries. 

Gulf

Kuwait Announces New Attack Launched from Iraq

File photo of smoke rising from a building in Kuwait following recent Iranian attacks (AFP)
File photo of smoke rising from a building in Kuwait following recent Iranian attacks (AFP)
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Kuwait Announces New Attack Launched from Iraq

File photo of smoke rising from a building in Kuwait following recent Iranian attacks (AFP)
File photo of smoke rising from a building in Kuwait following recent Iranian attacks (AFP)

Kuwait said a new attack targeted its territory from Iraq, in a repeat of similar incidents reported in recent weeks during the Iran war.

The official spokesman of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense, Colonel Staff Saud Abdulaziz Al-Atwan, said in Statement No. 60 that two sites belonging to Kuwait’s northern land border posts were targeted this morning in a “criminal act of aggression involving two explosive-laden drones guided by fibre-optic cables, originating from the Republic of Iraq,” resulting in material damage without any human casualties.

The statement added that the Ministry of Defense confirms the competent authorities immediately began taking the necessary measures to deal with the incident.

No immediate Iraqi comment was issued regarding the Kuwaiti announcement, noting that Kuwait and several Gulf states have complained in recent weeks of attacks launched from Iraqi territory.

On April 14, the Saudi Cabinet stressed its categorical rejection of violations of state sovereignty and attempts to threaten regional security and stability, reiterating its strongest condemnation of blatant attacks targeting the country and Gulf states using drones launched from Iraqi territory, and underscoring the importance of the Iraqi government acting responsibly in addressing these threats.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs also summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Iraqi embassy in the country, Omar Al-Obaidi, handing him a strongly worded protest note expressing condemnation and denunciation of terrorist attacks launched from Iraqi territory targeting vital facilities in Gulf Cooperation Council states, despite the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

In the note, delivered by the Director of the Arab Affairs Department at the ministry, Ahmed Al-Marashda, the UAE affirmed its absolute rejection of these attacks, stating they were carried out by armed factions and groups loyal to Iran, constituting a violation of the sovereignty and airspace of the targeted states and a clear breach of international law and the United Nations Charter.