Author: News Desk

Bahrain joined the United Arab Emirates in agreeing to normalize relations with Israel on Friday. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted the news after he spoke by phone to His Highness King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said. “This is truly a historic day,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, saying that he believed other countries would follow suit. “Opening direct dialogue and ties between these two dynamic societies and advanced economies will continue the positive transformation of the Middle East and increase stability, security, and prosperity in the region,” the…

His Majesty King Hamad’s Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs and Supreme Council for Youth and Sport (SCYS) Chairman, HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, has expressed delight after his horse “Line of Departure” and filly “Queen Daenerys” secured incredible victories in the Doncaster race in the UK, and the Prix Joubert race at ParisLongchamp, France, respectively. He said that the victories embody His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s unwavering support to equestrian sport in the kingdom, adding that the backing has contributed to stunning achievements in grand events abroad. Shaikh Nasser praised the abilities and…

More than 3,000 volunteers, including citizens and residents, have participated in phase III clinical trial for a COVID-19 inactivated vaccine so far. The National Medical Taskforce for Combating Coronavirus (COVID-19) is overseeing the trial of the potential vaccine at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC), as part of its efforts to limit the spread of the pandemic. The participants highlighted the importance of taking part in the clinical trials to contribute to efforts to reach a vaccine to the pandemic from which the entire world is suffering, affirming that their experience was positive, as they reported no health…

Kuwait’s education ministry has suspended all kinds of exams, both paper and online, in the new academic year (2020-2021) for all educational classes until students are able to physically attend schools, a newspaper reported quoting a source from the educational sector. The daily said the Public Education Sector has asked the general instructors to prepare proposals on the evaluation mechanism for intermediate and high school students, which will most likely be as follows: 25 per cent each for attendance, participation, duties and reports. The source clarified there will be no evaluation for kindergarten and primary school students, and their classes…

Egypt will hold parliamentary elections on Oct. 24-25, elections commissioner Lasheen Ibrahim told a televised press conference on Thursday. Egypt last held elections for the House of Representatives in 2015. The chamber is dominated by supporters of President Abel-Fattah al-Sisi, who took power in 2013 after the army removed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi following mass protests against his rule. In 2018 Sisi was re-elected with 97% of votes, the same proportion that the former military commander secured four years ago for his first term but with a lower turnout. In August, Egypt held elections for a newly created Senate, an…

AstraZeneca’s pause of an experimental vaccine for the coronavirus after the illness of a participant is a “wake-up call” but should not discourage researchers, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief scientist said on Thursday. “This is a wake-up call to recognise that there are ups and downs in clinical development and that we have to be prepared,” Soumya Swaminathan told a virtual briefing from Geneva. “We do not have to be discouraged. These things happen.” Governments are desperate for a vaccine to help end the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused more than 900,000 deaths and global economic turmoil, and the…

Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) on Thursday has announced that the recruitment of domestic workers will recommence starting on 14 September 2020. The LMRA noted that efforts are currently underway to coordinate with domestic expatriate employees employment offices, approved by the authority. This will ensure a smooth recruitment process which prioritises the health and safety of the Kingdom’s citizens and residents. The LMRA highlighted the importance of increased awareness and commitment by all to ensure mitigation efforts are supported to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). In this regard, the LMRA warned against dealing with unlicensed domestic expatriate employees…

The Oman education ministry has issued a health protocol for schools, which will reopen from November 1. The health protocol includes clear precautionary measures provided by the Ministry of Education, such as checking the temperature, sterilizers, face masks, and a one and a half physical-distancing in classes. According to the World Health Organization, children of the first circle do not have to wear face masks. There are other aspects related to informing the guardian if a student develops a fever, for example, and the guardian has to inform the school in case the student is infected. We have set a…

International donors have raised $700 million – less than half the target – to purchase future coronavirus vaccines for poor countries in a global initiative to ensure eventual vaccines do not go only to rich countries, a World Health Organization official said on Thursday. The COVAX Advanced Market Commitment has an initial target of $2 billion to buy the vaccines. “Up to today, what has been mobilised so far is $700 million … So there is a great deal of work to be done to diversify the possible sources of funding,” Matshidiso Moeti, Africa regional director for the WHO, told…

The Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) today issued an edict, temporarily suspending the license granted to the Golden Gate project’s developing company, GG Developers SPC, for three months. Based on the provisions of Law 27/2017 promulgating the real estate sector regulations, the decision, which takes immediate effect, was taken as a result of the violations committed by the developer. The decision aims to preserve the unit buyers’ funds, and ensure the smooth progress of the Golden Gate project, RERA said.