Author: News Desk

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, on Thursday received Piyush Srivastava, who handed him a copy of his credentials as Ambassador-Designate of the Republic of India to the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Minister praised the historical friendship relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Republic of India, stressing Bahrain’s interest in advancing these relations at various levels, and in strengthening bilateral cooperation for the common interests of both sides, wishing the ambassador success in his duties. Ambassador Srivastava  expressed the Republic of India’s pride in its strong friendly relations with the Kingdom of Bahrain, and…

Labor and Social Development Minister Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan announced that a total of BD 17 million will be distributed to citizens benefiting from government support on August 15. Minister Humaidan praised the decision to unify the date for the disbursement of five direct government support programs for eligible citizens, which was issued by the Cabinet in January, stressing that unifying the disbursement date, since its implementation starting from February 15, contributed to maximizing citizens’ benefit from the amounts of all support programs simultaneously, to enable them to benefit from it. The support includes social allowance, living standard improving…

England launched a new version of its delayed COVID-19 smartphone app on Thursday using Google and Apple contact tracing technology, as well as providing local infection data and QR code check-ins at venues. The app was supposed to be the linchpin in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plan for a “world beating” COVID-19 test-and-trace system that would control local flare-ups of the virus and allow the economy to reopen. But it has been dogged by problems. An earlier version developed by the National Health Service missed its May target, and in June the government abandoned the centralised technology it was pursuing in…

Kuwait’s Cabinet has approved a new foreign residency draft law that proposes sweeping penalties against visa traders and expatriates working illegally in the country, Kuwait Times reported. The new law aims to clamp down on illegal practices surrounding the employment of expat workers, such as employing workers tied to a different sponsor or illicitly purchasing residency permits for workers. It increases fines and jail time for those who overstay their visa or enter the country illegally, according to the report. Visa traders who facilitate the entry of illegal expats and renew residencies or employ expats illegally will be fined between…

Gold rose on Thursday on a softer dollar, consolidating further above the key $1,900 level after a dramatic retreat earlier this week from an all-time high. Spot gold was up 0.6% at $1,929.13 per ounce by 0708 GMT, a day after slipping below the $1,900 level in choppy trade. Prices hit a record high of $2,072.50 on Friday. U.S. gold futures eased 0.5% to $1,938.90. The dollar slipped 0.2% against rivals, making gold cheaper for holders of other currencies. “The fall that took gold below $1,900 has flushed out a lot of weak longs and it looks like now we’re…

A Court of First Instance in North al-Batinah convicted a citizen for violating the ban on any kind of movement issued by the Supreme Committee on COVID 19,  said a statement from Public Prosecution. The court sentenced him to one year in prison, imposed a fine of RO2,000, and withdrew his driving license for a period of six months from the date of the ruling. ♦ Oman to start new academic year from August ♦ Oman in constant touch with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers ♦ Expat workers in Oman fell by over 9 percent The investigation authority was convinced that the convict violated the…

Uber Technologies would be forced to shut down its ride-hailing operations in California if a court ruling that blocks it from classifying its drivers as independent contractors goes into effect, the company said in a court filing. A California judge on Monday granted the state’s request for a preliminary injunction blocking Uber and rival Lyft Inc from classifying their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. Several hundred thousand “gig” workers, including many at ride-hailing companies and app-based food delivery services, are affected by the law known as Assembly Bill 5 (“AB5”), which took effect on Jan. 1. The shutdown…

The Minister of Education in Oman has issued a decision regarding the postponement of the start of the 2020/2021 academic year to August 30 from previously decided August 16. Dr. Madiha bint Ahmed Al-Shaibania, Minister of Education, issued a Ministerial Resolution No. (139/2020) regarding the start of the 2020/2021 academic year. The first article of the decision is to postpone the start of the 2020/2021 academic year and the work of educational supervisors and school administration supervisors in educational directorates in the governorates, the General Directorate of Private Schools, members of the administrative and teaching staff, and the jobs associated…

Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Saeedi, Minister of Health, said that the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines depends on international accreditation of the vaccines, their safety, and their readiness for use. The minister reaffirmed that the Sultanate is in continuous contact with approved international companies to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available. In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), the minister pointed out that the Sultanate keeps coordinating with major vaccine producing firms around the world and that Oman will get the vaccine in time.

Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange (TADAWUL) plans to launch an environmental, social or governance (ESG) index in cooperation with global index provider MSCI by the fourth quarter of this year or first quarter of 2021, the bourse’s chief executive said on Wednesday. The index will include at least 70 Saudi listed companies and will be based on MSCI standards, Khalid Al-Hussan said at a virtual event. “Globally we understand that ESG is becoming an investment requirement and we don’t want to be behind this in the Saudi market,” he added. Demand for climate-friendly and sustainable investments has been on the rise…