Author: News Desk

The Italian Eni oil company has started drilling the first exploration oil well in Block 1, the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) announced. The drilling is part of the Exploration and Production Sharing Agreement signed between NOGA and Eni on May 1, 2019, to pursue petroleum exploration and production activities in the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Block 1, which is an offshore area of over 2,800 km2, situated in the northern territorial waters of the Kingdom of Bahrain with water depth ranging from 10m up to 70m. Commenting, Oil Minister, Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, praised His Majesty King…

Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, announces the launch of point to point flights beyond its Bahrain International Airport hub allowing the airline to expand its operations to new destinations as well as extending passenger services to new markets. Gulf Air launched flights between Athens and Larnaca allowing passengers from either location to buy tickets and commute between both Mediterranean cities. Similarly, it later launched flights between Bangkok and Singapore where passengers can buy tickets to fly between both Far Eastern capitals. These flights will be available for booking and tickets will be sold on Gulf Air’s website or…

Tokyo 2020 organizers on Wednesday said the consumption of alcohol at Olympic venues will be banned as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Kyodo news agency reported. Health guidelines released on Wednesday also said that people with Covid-19 symptoms or a body temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius will not be allowed into Olympic venues, the agency said. The Olympic competitions will be held in about 40 arenas in Tokyo and other Japanese regions, according to Deutsche press agency (dpa). The Games were delayed by a year because of the global health crisis. The Olympics are…

Bahrain’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows increased by  $1.007 billion  in 2020, according to the latest World Investment Report (WIR 2021) from the UN Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The annual report charts global investment flows, analyses trade trends, and examines government policies that seek to expand world trade. The report highlighted that global FDI contracted by 35% to $1 trillion in 2020, with an expectation for flows to bottom out and increase by 10-15% in 2021. Despite global trends, Bahrain experienced a 3.3% increase in inward FDI stocks, reaching $31.7 billion in 2020. Also highlighted was Bahrain’s stock…

Riyadh: President of Human Rights Commission (HRC) Dr. Awwad bin Saleh Al-Awwad met today with The Philippines’ Special Envoy and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Chief of Presidential Protocol (PAFA) Robert E.A. Borje. During the meeting, they discussed issues of common interest and means of enhancing bilateral relations, especially in the field of human rights.

SHARJAH: Throughout the spring semester, Sharjah Sustainable City (SSC) and American University of Sharjah (AUS) hosted a four-part webinar series focused on sustainability and the built environment. The webinars brought together practitioners from SSC and academics from AUS to discuss energy and climate change, smarter mobility, eco-districts and sustainable materials. The webinar series provided an opportunity for students to expand their knowledge beyond classroom discussions and theoretical ideas to how SSC is implementing sustainable practices on the ground. The students were able to learn about the successes and challenges faced in the development of sustainable housing and communities. “Collaborations such…

DUBAI: The challenges posed by the spread of Covid-19 pandemic have shown the incessant need to digital shifts in customs services and procedures to better serve global travel, trade and supply chains, according to Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs. He made the remarks at a virtual ceremony on the launch of Dubai Customs’ ‘iDeclare’ smart application. “Digital transformation is at the core of Dubai Customs’ strategies and plans to ensure streamlined passenger traffic and trade. For this, the smart iDeclare Application is gaining more importance these days supporting Dubai International Airport in its mission as one of…

Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation has begun implementing its seasonal programme, “Eid Clothing”, ahead of Eid Al Adha. Hamad Salem bin Kordous Al Ameri, Director-General of the Foundation, said that the foundation aims to achieve its goals in charitable work based on its social responsibility in line with the approach established by the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. He added that the Foundation – with the generous follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation; and H.H. Sheikh Omar bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy…

South Korea said Wednesday it has agreed to additionally contribute $2 million to funds operated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in a bid to boost cooperation with the lending body. The agreement was reached after Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki and EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso held a virtual meeting Tuesday, according to Seoul’s finance ministry, Yonhap News Agency reported. Under the agreement, South Korea will additionally contribute the money to two EBRD trust funds designed to support the transition into the market economy by eastern European and Central Asia nations. The meeting was arranged to exchange views…

Poland is introducing a mandatory seven-day quarantine for all travellers from Britain in a bid to curb the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, the health ministry said on Tuesday. Britain is currently seeing a rise in cases due to the more contagious Delta variant, which was first identified in India. “The decisions made on quarantine for travelers arriving from Great Britain are intended to reduce the risk of transmission of the Delta coronavirus variant from the endangered area,” Health Minister Adam Niedzielski was quoted as saying by state news agency PAP. “We must take care of our citizens…