Author: News Desk

The biggest, most sophisticated Mars rover ever built — a car-size vehicle bristling with cameras, microphones, drills and lasers — blasted off for the red planet Thursday as part of an ambitious, long-range project to bring the first Martian rock samples back to Earth to be analyzed for evidence of ancient life. NASA’s Perseverance rode a mighty Atlas V rocket into a clear morning sky in the world’s third and final Mars launch of the summer. China and the United Arab Emirates got a head start last week, but all three missions should reach their destination in February after a…

Kuwait’s crown prince received a call from the deputy head of the national guard reassuring him of the health of HH Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, state news agency KUNA reported. Sheikh Sabah, who has ruled Kuwait since 2006, arrived in the United States last week to complete medical treatment, and is in a stable condition, Kuwait’s cabinet said on Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday raised the possibility of delaying the nation’s Nov. 3 presidential election despite its date being enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, drawing immediate objections from Democrats. It was not clear whether Trump was serious. Any such move would require action by Congress, which holds the power to set the timing of elections. Trump, without evidence, repeated his claims of mail-in voter fraud and raised the question of a delay, tweeting: “delay the election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???” Trump’s tweet came shortly after the United States reported its worst economic downturn since…

His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa has issued directives to the Coordination and Follow-up Committee of the “Feena Khair” campaign to support convicts with unpaid fines who are facing financial problems. The support will be provided as part of the project, in cooperation with the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments. HH Shaikh Nasser said that the directives to support Bahraini citizens with unpaid fines who had received court verdicts and who are facing financial problems are in emulation and appreciation of the humanitarian initiatives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa…

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa congratulated the Bahraini citizens and the expatriate community on Eid Al Adha, wishing them many happy returns and abundant health and wellness. Marking the occasion, HM the King expressed congratulations, thanks and appreciation to the National Taskforce, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, for their impressive results and success in handling the coronavirus pandemic and containing its repercussions. He praised the sacrifices and dedicated efforts of the frontline heroes, including the medical and nursing staff, the…

At his veterinary practice near the French city of Lyon one morning in June, Gilles Renevier prepared to perform a castration on a poodle. When not attending to animals, he turns to his other role: attempting to neuter the expansion ambitions of Amazon. Renevier leads a group of local volunteers that has succeeded in suspending construction at a site that campaigners and a senior local official say is earmarked to become a logistics hub for the online retailer. Building at the site is on hold while a legal challenge the vet helped spearhead makes its way through the courts. In…

Organizers of a Facebook advertising boycott said on Thursday the campaign would “not go away” until their concerns were addressed and they would ask advertisers in Europe to join their cause. The campaign, set up in June by U.S. civil rights groups, aims to pressure the world’s largest social media company to take concrete steps to block hate speech and misinformation from its platform in the wake of George Floyd’s death in May. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has not yet taken the “type of meaningful action that we want to see”, the “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign said in a…

The 14th edition of the Geosciences Conference and Exhibition (GEO) conference and exhibition have been postponed until October 2021. It was scheduled to take place on 14 – 17 September 2020, which got postponed to 4 – 7 October 2021. The decision was made considering various government decisions, reviewing information from healthcare experts, staying in communication with the venue and assessing possible impacts/restrictions on travels. The conference opening ceremony is re-scheduled to take place at Ritz Carlton Hotel on 4th October 2021 and the conference and exhibition will take place from 5 – 7 October 2021. Postponed dates are confirmed by…

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.