Author: News Desk

Russia defaulted on its international bonds for the first time in more than a century, the White House said, as sweeping sanctions have effectively cut the country off from the global financial system, rendering its assets untouchable. The Kremlin, which has the money to make payments thanks to oil and gas revenues, swiftly rejected the claims, and has accused the West of driving it into an artificial default. Earlier, some bondholders said they had not received overdue interest on Monday following the expiry of a key payment deadline on Sunday. Russia has struggled to keep up payments on $40 billion…

The Group of Seven rich democracies will commit on Tuesday to a new package of coordinated actions meant to raise pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine, and will finalise plans for a price cap on Russian oil, a senior U.S. official said on Monday. The announcement came as the White House said Russia had defaulted on its foreign sovereign bonds for the first time in decades – an assertion Moscow rejected – and as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke virtually with G7 leaders meeting at an alpine resort in southern Germany. Zelenskiy asked leaders of the Group of…

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion is expected to have a disproportionate impact on Black women and other women of color, who have traditionally faced overwhelming costs and logistical obstacles in obtaining reproductive healthcare, experts said. The reversal of Roe v Wade leaves the decision of whether or not an abortion is legal in the hands of state governments. While some states have recently reaffirmed the right to an abortion, 26 states are likely or certain to ban abortion in most or all circumstances. More Black women live in states that will…

Leading Democratic women called on President Joe Biden and Congress on Sunday to protect abortion rights nationwide after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, in a ruling that has heightened political tensions between the federal government and states. Two Democratic progressives, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, urged Biden to use federal land as a safe haven for abortion in states that ban or severely restrict the practice, after the high court on Friday overturned the landmark 1973 ruling that had recognized women’s constitutional right to abortion. “Forcing women to carry pregnancies against their will, will kill…

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment (MISA), will tomorrow host a high-level Italian business delegation, led by Luigi Di Maio, Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Saudi-Italian Investment Forum will see participation by a range of private sector representatives from both nations, with the aim of exploring mutually beneficial investment opportunities. With a focus on finance, infrastructure and mobility, tourism and culture, and renewable energy, the forum will feature interactive presentations spotlighting how a world of opportunity awaits Italian investors, as Saudi Arabia’s globally recognized reform agenda continues to progress. The…

The Crown Prince’s International Scholarship Program (CPISP) has started its ‘Candidacy Program’, which is the final step in the 2023 scholarship selection process. The CPISP held an orientation at the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) headquarters to brief the scholarship candidates, from both public and private schools, on the training they will receive during the program. CPISP Director Dr. Cynthia Gessling commended HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister’s vision to upskill young Bahrainis and congratulated the candidates for being short-listed. During the Candidacy Program, students will complete a number of courses with a focus on critical thinking,…

Saudi Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz received the Commander of the Pakistani Army, General Qamar Javed Bajwa. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations, especially in the military fields, and opportunities for developing them, discussing issues of common interest, SPA reported. In implementation of the order of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, HRH the Crown Prince conferred on the Commander of the Pakistani Army King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent Class in recognition of his distinguished efforts in strengthening bonds of…

Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah HH Dr. Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi has stressed the importance of teaching the Arabic language to students, developing teaching methods, and motivating students to learn it. Arabic is the historical, cultural and scientific legacy for them as well as the language of the Holy Quran, Dr. Shaikh Sultan said at the opening ceremony of the First International Forum for Arabic Teachers. The forum is organized by the Sharjah Education Academy under the theme “Arabic: Future and Identity”, UAE news agency WAM reported. The forum is part of the second edition of…

Russian missiles hit an apartment block and kindergarten in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Sunday, in strikes U.S. President Joe Biden condemned as “barbarism” as world leaders gathered in Europe to discuss further sanctions against Moscow. Up to four explosions shook central Kyiv in the early hours, in the first such attack on the city in weeks. Two more blasts were heard on the southern outskirts of the city later in the day, a Reuters reporter said. “The Russians hit Kyiv again. Missiles damaged an apartment building and a kindergarten,” said Andriy Yermak, head of the president’s administration. A Reuters…

A growing number of large U.S. companies have said they will cover travel costs for employees who must leave their home states to get abortions, but these new policies could expose businesses to lawsuits and even potential criminal liability, legal experts said. Amazon.com Inc, Apple Inc, Lyft Inc, Microsoft Corp and JPMorgan Chase & Co were among companies that announced plans to provide those benefits through their health insurance plans in anticipation of Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that had legalized abortion nationwide. Within an hour of the decision being released, Conde Nast chief…