Author: News Desk

Saudi Arabia has made it compulsory for all cafes and restaurants to provide electronic payment methods to customers in order to reduce cash circulation and enable consumers to rely on electronic payments. The move is a part of the initiative launched by the National Program to Combat Commercial Cover-up. The program has applied its fifth stage of the initiative to compel retail stores and outlets to provide electronic payment methods, which so far has covered 50 commercial activities, accounting for 70 percent of the retail sector. The remaining 30 percent of all retail activities must implement electronic payment services by Aug.…

Kuwait Center for Government Communication (CGC) announced the lift of the ban on international travel to and from the country starting from August 1. Citizens and residents of the country are allowed to travel to and from Kuwait, except for residents coming from Bangladesh, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran and Nepal. ♦ Kuwait to reduce fees of private schools by 25 percent Kuwait had suspended all commercial flights to and from Kuwait International Airport in mid-March as part of the government’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

Bahrain’s Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) today announced that it will start accepting requests for new work permits starting from August 9th, 2020, following its temporary suspension in March due to COVID-19 disruptions. The decision to reopen work permit issuance will allow private employers to hire employees from abroad, and comes following a decision issued by the Government Executive Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. The LMRA has altered the private sector’s hiring process by requiring the announcement of vacancies in local newspapers,…

The Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF), handed over a cheque to Mr. Ashish Kumar, Country Manager of Air India responsible for Bahrain, Jordan & Egypt, towards flight fare for individuals who couldn’t afford to purchase tickets to travel to India due to COVID-19 pandemic situation. ICRF has so far supported over 45 individuals to travel back to their hometown through Vande Bharat Mission Flights and other Chartered Flights. ICRF Chairman Aruldas Thomas expressed special thanks to the generous sponsors who contributed to this great cause. ICRF is a non-government, non-profit organization established in 1999, working under the patronage of the Ambassador…

Minister of Health, Faeqa bint Said Al-Salah, has extended deepest congratulations to medical and health teams, as well as volunteers at the precautionary quarantine centres in Hidd, marking Eid Al-Adha, stressing the key role they are playing amid the exceptional circumstances the entire world is going through as a result of the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The minister praised the unwavering support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. She also extended sincere thanks to His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa,…

Filmmaker SS Rajamouli and his family members have tested positive for COVID-19. The Baahubali director shared the news on Twitter on Wednesday. Rajamouli added that he and his family are home quarantined. The filmmaker tweeted, “My family members and I developed a slight fever few days ago. It subsided by itself but we got tested nevertheless. The result has shown a mild COVID positive today. We have home quarantined as prescribed by the doctors.” ♦ Aishwarya Rai and her daughter Aaradhya test positive for COVID-19 ♦ Amitabh Bachchan, son Abhishek Bachchan test positive for COVID-19 He further wrote, “All of us are feeling…

Bahrain Coast Guard Commander Major-General Alaa Siyadi announced on Wednesday that the grace period to registered old boats that are less than 15 feets and their owners don’t have ownership documents, including the Jet Skiis has ended. He said that the 2.5 year grace period per law 2 of 2018 issued on 14 January 2018 about the registration rules and safety of small boats of loads of less than 150 tonnes. The law obliges the owners of all boats to register them at the Registeration and Licence Division of the Coast Guard. He called upon applicants while applying at the…

The Lower Criminal Court sentenced a defendant, who was infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), to three years in jail with force and fined him BD 1000. The convict was accused of exposing doctors at an examination centre to infection. According to a notification by the Public Health Directorate, the defendant turned up at the examination centre for a coronavirus checkup as the last examination he had undergone proved he had contracted the virus. During checkup, he deliberately removed the face mask and coughed in front of the doctors at the centre. He also coughed deliberately in his hand and…

Sweden will scrap recommendations against travel to four European countries from Thursday, including neighbours Norway and Denmark, amid signs that coronavirus infections are falling. Sweden decided to forego a hard lockdown and kept most schools and businesses open throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, a divisive strategy that has set it apart from most of Europe. The government said it would stop advising against non-necessary travel to Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. It added that current travel restrictions for other countries within the European Union and the United Kingdom would remain until Aug. 12. Daily COVID-19 death rates and the…

Leasing giant AerCap has reduced its order for Boeing’s grounded 737 MAX aircraft by 15 planes, leaving it with 80 of the planes on order as regulators continue to review the 737 MAX’s return after two fatal crashes. The world’s largest aircraft lessor, which in May deferred deliveries of dozens of MAX aircraft, said it is uncertain when and under what conditions its five MAX aircraft on lease will return to service and the rest will be delivered. AerCap reached agreement with Boeing this month to restructure its order book as a result, it said on Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Administration…