Author: News Desk

Bahrain has launched a digital COVID-19 vaccine passport, one of the first countries to do so, the Gulf state’s media office said on Wednesday. Governments and developers around the world are exploring how certificates and passports could help to reopen economies by identifying those protected against COVID-19. Bahrain’s ‘BeAware’ app displays a green shield alongside an official certificate detailing the person’s name, date of birth, nationality and which vaccine was received. Users must have received two doses of a vaccine, separated by 21 days, and then wait for two weeks for antibodies to develop, the statement said. “Authorities can verify…

A winter storm that left millions without power in record-breaking cold weather claimed more lives Tuesday, including three people found dead after a tornado hit a seaside town in North Carolina and four family members who perished in a Houston-area house fire while using a fireplace to stay warm. The storm that overwhelmed power grids and immobilized the Southern Plains carried heavy snow and freezing rain into New England and the Deep South and left behind painfully low temperatures. Wind-chill warnings extended from Canada into Mexico, The Associated Press reported. In all, at least 20 deaths were reported. Other causes…

The Deputy King, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, today received the Governor of the Southern Governorate, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa, at Riffa Palace. At the start of the meeting, His Royal Highness was presented a copy of the book ‘Riffa’s Glory: Past and Present’, authored as a tribute to Riffa’s development. His Royal Highness recognised the importance of books as bearers of cultural significance and appreciated the Southern Governorate’s efforts in capturing Riffa. His Royal Highness affirmed that promoting cultural heritage is central to Bahrain’s development path, which aims to integrate the…

Billionaire Elon Musk said on Monday bitcoin was “on the verge” of being more widely accepted among investors as he expressed his support for the cryptocurrency in a chat on social media app Clubhouse that drew thousands of listeners. The comments followed his use of the “#bitcoin” tag on his Twitter profile on Friday, which pushed the crytocurrency up 14%. Musk, CEO of Tesla Inc, is known for making comments on Twitter that move markets and he acknowledged this during his debut on the invitation-only app Clubhouse. “I am a supporter of bitcoin,” he said. “I was a little slow…

Software giant Microsoft Corp is confident its search product Bing can fill the gap in Australia if Google pulls its search over required payments to media outlets, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday. Australia has introduced laws that would force internet giant Google and social media heavyweight Facebook Inc to negotiate payments to domestic media outlets whose content links drive traffic to their platforms. However, the Big Tech firms have called the laws unworkable and said last month they would withdraw key services from Australia if the regulations went ahead. Those services include Google’s search engine, which has 94%…

Bahrain Business and Professional Women International Federation (BPW Bahrain) has elected the new members of its Board of Directors for the fifth term (2020-2022). Shaikha Hend bint Salman Al Khalifa, BPW Bahrain President stressed the vital role of the board during the last two years, exerting tireless efforts to serve the Federation goals through carrying out many fruitful activities and successful events. She also expressed her deep gratitude to all the members for their tremendous contributions for the sake of highlighting BPW’s main functions and supporting more individuals, businesses and companies owned and run by Bahraini women and men to…

Greek authorities have confirmed the first detection of the South African variant of the new coronavirus in the country, prompting top health officials to fly to the area where it was found for meetings on Sunday. The minister leading the government response to the pandemic and the head of the country’s public health body met with doctors and the local bishop in the northern city of Thessaloniki. The variant is believed to be more contagious than the original type and it was detected in a 36-year-old deacon in a suburb of the city. “We will be doing screenings to isolate…

Under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) will celebrate the Bahraini Women’s Day 2021, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the SCW’s establishment as a national monument concerned with following up on the advancement of Bahraini women. Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of HM the King and President of the SCW, today approved the theme of the Bahrain Women’s Day 2021, which is “Bahraini Women in the National Development… a March of Progress in a Dedicated Nation”. The Bahrain Women’s Day 2021 also coincides with…

The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) has clarified that expatriates who left Saudi Arabia on exit and re-entry visa and did not come back before the expiry of the visa, are not allowed to re-enter the Kingdom for a period of three years. However, this is not applicable to those who come back to the previous employer with a new work visa. The Jawazat’s clarification came in response to queries from many foreigners who want to come back to the Kingdom after leaving the country years ago on exit and reentry visa and did not return before the expiry of…

The National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) today granted approval for the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India under the name ‘Covishield’. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine will support national efforts towards vaccinating vulnerable members of the public at risk of developing complications from COVID-19, including the elderly and people with chronic diseases, as well as other vulnerable groups identified by the Ministry of Health. The decision comes following extensive research conducted by the NHRA in cooperation with the Clinical Research Committee at the NHRA and the Immunization Committee at the Ministry of Health, which considered the results of…