Author: News Desk

New Zealand has eliminated transmission of the coronavirus domestically and will lift all containment measures except for border controls, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday, making it one of the first countries to do so. Public and private events, the retail and hospitality industries and all public transport could resume without social distancing norms still in place across much of the world, she said. “While the job is not done, there is no denying this is a milestone … Thank you, New Zealand,” Ardern told reporters. “We are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus in New Zealand…

Shares in Britain’s AstraZeneca fell 2.1% in early trades on Monday after a report it had approached U.S. rival Gilead Science about a possible merger to form one the world’s largest drug companies, according to Reuters. If combined, the two companies would have a market capitalisation of about $232 billion, based on Friday’s closing share prices. A merger would also unite two drugmakers at the forefront of efforts to fight the new coronavirus but could be politically sensitive as governments seek control over potential vaccines or treatments. In a research note, Evercore ISI analyst Umer Raffat questioned why the British group would…

Bahrain has announced the second death from coronavirus in 24 hours, a 40-year-old male expatriate, a registered active case of coronavirus, taking the country’s total deaths to 26. The patient was suffering from underlying and chronic health problems. The dead patient was in the intensive care unit (ICU) for treatment. The country has been reporting more deaths in recent days. The Ministry of Health expresses its heartfelt condolences to the individual’s family at this difficult time. The patient, along with all other active COVID-19 cases, had been placed in isolation and received extensive 24-hour treatment from a specialised medical team. The total cases…

Though staying at home, the Indian School Bahrain (ISB) students celebrated World Environment Day with full zest on June 5. The students virtually engaged in meaningful activities to show their love and respect for the environment.  Pertaining to this year’s theme of biodiversity, activities were held online to stimulate students’ interest in environmental causes and at the same time to hone their talent. The school received an enthusiastic response to virtual activities held in connection with the day. The students were asked to send poems, articles slogans, posters and photos of nurturing plants. ‘We received around 500 creative works from…

Kuwait’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has allowed mosques to reopen in some areas as of Wednesday after almost three months of closure. In a press statement, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Dr. Fahad Al-Afasi said that mosques in the model residential areas, sparsely-populated areas, will receive worshipers for the five daily prayers starting as of noon prayer on Wednesday, June 10. He, however, noted that the weekly Friday noon sermon and prayer will be performed only at the Grand Mosque in Kuwait City and will be broadcast on the official Kuwait TV. Only the mosque’s preacher and…

Several Bollywood stars have been labelled “hypocrites” after speaking out against racism to lend support to global protests while promoting products in India designed to make people’s skin lighter. A series of A-list Bollywood actresses, including Priyanka Chopra, shared posts on social media to protest against the death of George Floyd who died in police custody after a white officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. “End this race war here in the U.S., and around the world. Wherever you live, whatever your circumstances, NO ONE deserves to die, especially at the hands of another because of their…

The Ministry of Education has held a virtual meeting with representatives from the 77 private schools in Bahrain to discuss preparedness and plans for the next academic year. Plans should take into account health and educational aspects, including psychological preparation for students when schools re-open and the precautionary measures to ensure a safe return to class. The meeting also reviewed readiness for distance learning based on their experience in the second semester. The schools were told to abide by the ministry’s plan on the conditions and mechanisms for activating virtual learning. The meeting reviewed the schools’ proposals that will contribute…

Saudi Arabia has reached 101,914 coronavirus cases, the highest cases in the GCC and 15th globally beyond Mexico, after reporting its second-highest daily toll of 3,045 cases and 36 deaths. The death toll raised to 712 after reporting the new deaths. Meanwhile, 1,026 patients fully recovered from the virus, bringing the total recoveries to 72,817. In line with recent trends, the majority of the new cases were in the capital Riyadh (717), followed by Mecca (623), and Jeddah (351). https://twitter.com/media_ksa/status/1269609017032298496?s=20 Also Read: Gulf Air charter flights from Saudi Arabia Bahrain registers 362 new cases, 1 death UAE finds 540 new…

Kuwait has reported a steep increase of 717 new coronavirus cases, the majority of the cases are from Kuwaitis which is 331, taking the total confirmed cases in the country 31,848, according to the Ministry of Health. 10 patients died of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 264. 923 new recoveries have been reported in the country, raising the total recoveries to 20,205. Kuwait has done 3,661 NP swab tests in the past 24 hours, as the country ramps up its efforts to test more people and detect cases early, according to…

UAE has announced 540 cases, and 1 fatality from coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the total cases in the country to 38,808, according to the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP). The new death takes the total fatalities to 276. 745 new recoveries were also announced, bringing the total recoveries to 21,806. This means over 56 percent of the confirmed cases have fully recovered from the virus. The new cases were found after conducting more than 44,000 coronavirus tests across the country. More than 2.5 million COVID-19 tests were conducted across the country to date. The ministry expressed its…