Author: News Desk

China’s notorious dog-meat festival has opened in defiance of a government campaign to improve animal welfare and reduce risks to health highlighted by the novel coronavirus outbreak, but activists are hopeful its days are numbered. The annual 10-day festival in the southwestern city of Yulin usually attracts thousands of visitors, many of whom buy dogs for the pot that are on display in cramped cages, but campaigners said the numbers this year have dwindled. The government is drawing up new laws to prohibit the wildlife trade and protect pets, and campaigners are hoping that this year will be the last…

Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI is returning to the Vatican on Monday after a four-day visit to Germany to visit his ailing elder brother, the Regensburg diocese said. Benedict, a Bavarian native, was expected to fly back from Munich airport around midday. The 93-year-old retired pontiff arrived in Germany on Thursday to be with his 96-year-old brother, the Rev. Georg Ratzinger. On Saturday, he greeted old neighbors and prayed at his parents’ grave. He stayed at a seminary during his trip, visiting his brother twice a day. Benedict has lived at a monastery on the Vatican grounds since shortly after his…

Bahrain Training Institute (BTI) offered 14,767 virtual training sessions since the launch of distance training and education in March and until the end of May, the institute director-general said. Samah Al Ajjawi said the institute has demonstrated great ability to perform in exceptional circumstances that necessitated setting an appropriate strategy for greater activation of the virtual education system and ensure the smooth continuation of the training process. During the nine weeks of the virtual courses, the trainees used the Teams program more than 128,097 times and virtual lessons and classes were provided in more than 238 courses under 27 training…

Oman has registered 6 deaths and 1,605 new cases of coronavirus, the highest daily cases, most of the new cases are from foreigners by 921 and the rest 684 from citizens, taking the total cases to 31,076. The death toll reached 137 after reporting the new deaths. Meanwhile, 856 new recoveries were announced, bringing the total to 16,408. 4,544 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours, across the sultanate. Also Read: Bahrain records the oldest deceased from COVID-19 Abu Dhabi eases movement restriction starting on Tuesday Dubai to allow foreigners to enter from July 7

Abu Dhabi has eased restrictions to allow movement between its cities for all residents starting on Tuesday but extended restrictions on entry into the emirate by non-residents, its media office said on Monday. Abu Dhabi, the largest and wealthiest member of the United Arab Emirates federation, extended a ban on entering the emirate without a permit for another week, the media office said in a tweet, while allowing residents to exit the emirate freely. The news follows the achievements of promising indicators in the number of cases of COVID-19 found through testing in Abu Dhabi. Movement within the emirate is…

China reported 18 new coronavirus cases for June 21, 9 of which were in the capital Beijing, the National Health Commission said on Monday. This compared with 26 confirmed cases a day earlier, 22 of which were in Beijing. Local authorities are restricting movement of people in the capital and stepping up other measures to prevent the virus from spreading following a series of local infections. Another seven asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, those who are infected but show no symptoms, were reported as of June 21 compared with six a day earlier. China does not count these patients as confirmed cases.…

Health authorities in South Korea said for the first time on Monday it is in the midst of a “second wave” of novel coronavirus infections focused around its densely populated capital, stemming from a holiday in May. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) had previously said South Korea’s first wave had never really ended. But on Monday, KCDC director Jeong Eun-kyeong said it had become clear that a holiday weekend in early May marked the beginning of a new wave of infections focused in the greater Seoul area, which had previously seen few cases. “In the metropolitan…

Chairperson of Bahrain Journalists Association (BJA) Ahdia Al-Sayed extended congratulations to Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of HM the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), on SCW’s selection as winner of the Honorary Award for Excellence in Caring for Arab Family 2020, which is granted by the Arabia Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Network. She took pride in choosing SCW for the honour, praising the council’s efforts to support Bahraini women in various fields. She also lauded the council’s achievements brought about thanks to the directives of HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al…

Bahrain has announced the death of a 90-year-old male citizen from coronavirus. The total deaths have soared to 64. It’s the oldest deceased from the virus. The MOH expressed its condolences to the family of the deceased. The total cases have driven to 21,764 of which 16,419 have recovered, which means that over 74 percent of the confirmed cases have recovered from the virus. Currently, there are 5,281 active cases. Also, there are 169 COVID-19 cases receiving treatment, of which 32 are in a critical condition. So far the country has conducted 477,788 tests, as per the government statics. Also Read: Bahrain: Four…

Director-General of Capital Governorate Police has arrested in cooperation with the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science four Asians, 43, 42, 34 and 30, after they agreed with a friend of the victim to follow and attack him, of which an among of BD2500 was taken from him. He said that an investigation into the case led to identifying the arresting the suspects and the confiscation of the stolen money. Legal proceedings are being taken to refer the case to the Public Prosecution. Also Read: Bahrain confirms 434 new cases, 3 deaths Bahrain attracted FDI valued at more…