Author: News Desk

Bahrain : Saar Club table tennis player Mohammed Abbas clinched the National Day championship after beating his teammate Sayyed Mortadha Hussein by three sets to two. The championship was held on the occasion of the kingdom’s National Days, in commemoration of the establishment of the modern Bahraini State as an Arab and Muslim state, founded by Ahmed Al Fateh in 1783, and the anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession to the Throne. Bahrain Table Tennis Association Chairperson Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa presented the winner with a trophy in the public category. Vice Chairman Ali Al Madeh crowned…

Dubai : A musical production helmed by world-renowned director Shekhar Kapur and with music from Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman will premiere at Expo 2020 Dubai’s Al Wasl Plaza in January. The Musical, the show will follow the story of a curious young girl and a wise old man as they take audiences on a visual journey of discovery. Kapur has described the spectacle as “an anthem to our planet, to our Mother Earth”.  The show will include seven original compositions by Rahman, two of which were launched on December 22 during his concert at Expo 2020. Lyrics have been written by Sohaila Kapur,…

Bahrain :  Following approval by the Vaccination Committee, the National Medical Taskforce for Combatting the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has announced that a second booster shot has been approved for individuals aged 18 years and above who received three doses of the Sinopharm vaccine (first dose, second dose, and first booster shot), after 3 months of taking the first booster shot. The Taskforce explained that eligible individuals can take the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Sinopharm vaccination as a second booster shot. The Taskforce highlighted that the National Vaccination Campaign will continue its endeavours to safeguard public health, and called on all individuals who…

Bahrain : The Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs, HE Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, the Chief Executive of the Information and e-Government Authority, HE Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, and the Assistant Undersecretary for Commercial Registration and Companies at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Nibras Mohammed Talib, today held a press conference on initiatives aimed to further develop government services, at Gudaibiya Palace. HE Al Mubarak highlighted that the government, led by HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, is committed to further enhancing the quality and efficiency of its services provided to the Kingdom’s citizens and residents,…

Bahrain :  An official source at Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, said that all Gulf Air flights are operating according to the usual schedule without delay and at their full capacity. The official commended the efforts of Gulf Air’s cabin crew that have successfully ensured the airline continues to work in full capacity. The source further commended the commitment of all employees of the fleet’s aircrafts to the precautionary measures since the onset of the global pandemic, to preserve the safety of all. The official stressed that Gulf Air is committed to following all the health precautionary measures approved by…

Bahrain : Health Minister Faiqa bint Saeed Al Saleh has chaired the National Committee to Combat Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases meeting, with all committee members representing various government agencies and relevant professional associations. The Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Dr. Maryam Al Hajri, reviewed the decisions and recommendations of the committee, after which the minister briefed them on the Sports Cardiology Conference that was held in Bahrain. Dr. Al Hajri presented a brief on the Kingdom’s celebration of World Diabetes Day, where she affirmed the efforts aimed at promoting awareness of diabetes and the importance of taking all measures to prevent…

Riyadh :  Minister of Labor and Social Development Jamil bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan headed Bahrain’s delegation in the 41 session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs. The session discussed efforts to implement the social dimensions of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, reviewing Arab national plans, strategies and policies to eliminate poverty, and reviewing Arab efforts and initiatives in combating the coronavirus pandemic and its repercussions. The session focused on many proposals related to enhancing care and rehabilitation services for people of determination, including preparing a second Arab contract for people with disabilities and a guide to emergency evacuation for people…

A fire caused by a “major industrial accident” at an industrial facility in the US state of Texas injured four people, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday morning. The blaze at the ExxonMobil facility in Baytown that houses a chemical plant, an olefins plant and a 560,500 barrels-per-day oil refinery, began about 1am, the company said on Twitter. “Our fire teams are working to extinguish the fire. We are conducting personnel accounting,” Exxon said. “At this time, emergency vehicles and flames may be noticeable to the community. We are co-ordinating with local officials, and working to resolve the…

WASHINGTON :  U.S. health regulators on Wednesday authorized the first pill against COVID-19, a Pfizer drug that Americans will be able to take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus. The long-awaited milestone comes as U.S. cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all rising and health officials warn of a tsunami of new infections from the omicron variant that could overwhelm hospitals. The drug, Paxlovid, is a faster, cheaper way to treat early COVID-19 infections, though initial supplies will be extremely limited. All of the previously authorized drugs against the disease require an IV or an injection.…

India’s federal Health Ministry has asked regional governments to impose nightly curfews and set up war rooms to tackle the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant that has sparked fears of an impending third wave of the virus. The Health Ministry said 223 cases of the highly contagious variant had been detected in the country as of Wednesday. Omicron was first detected in the country on December 2. In its latest advisory to states, the federal ministry warned that the variant is “three times as transmissible” as the previously dominant Delta strain. It asked states to impose nightly curfews, regulate gatherings and reduce attendance permitted…