Author: News Desk

Dubai : The number of visitors to Dubai is expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in the remaining few weeks of 2021 during the peak holiday travel period, in a further sign of the airport’s and tourism industry’s continued recovery. Dubai International Airport (DXB)’s Terminal 3 is expected to handle more than 1.6 million passengers in the second half of December during the month’s peak seasonal travel period, operator Dubai Airports said in a statement on Monday. Visitors to Dubai exceeded 1 million during the month of October and DXB handled 1 million passengers per week in November, with origin-destination passengers reaching…

India : Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate today on forex violation allegations related to the Panama papers. The probe agency recorded the 48-year-old actor’s statement in Delhi on allegations of stashing wealth abroad, the sources said. Aishwarya Rai, the daughter-in-law of megastar Amitabh Bachchan, had been summoned earlier too but had twice sought more time. The Enforcement Directorate started investigating allegations of foreign exchange violations in 2017. It had issued notices to the Bachchan family asking them to explain their foreign remittances since 2004 under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) of the Reserve Bank of…

UAE  : Expo 2020 Dubai has suspended its daily parades and some other activities that carry the risk of potential close contact as a precaution to curb Covid-19. Entertainment in which performers interact with visitors has been put on hold, organisers said on Monday. Coronavirus screening centres on site have been expanded with an additional fourth PCR centre to ensure regular testing of frontline staff and entertainers. On Sunday, the UAE reported 285 new Covid-19 cases, the highest figure in 12 weeks, though numbers remain low compared to earlier in the year. Officials stressed that most events at the world’s fair will continue over…

HONG KONG : Pro-Beijing candidates dominated Hong Kong’s legislative elections, beating out moderates and independents in the city’s first public poll after Beijing passed a resolution to amend the city’s election laws. Candidates loyal to Beijing won a majority of the seats in Sunday’s election after the laws were changed to ensure that only pro-Beijing “patriots” could run the city. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said during a news conference Monday she was “satisfied” with the election despite a 30.2% voter turnout — the lowest since the British handed Hong Kong over to China in 1997. She said that…

WILMINGTON : The COVID-19 omicron variant is “just raging around the world,” the White House’s top medical adviser said Sunday as President Joe Biden prepares to issue “a stark warning of what the winter will look like” for unvaccinated Americans. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “the real problem” for the U.S. hospital system is that “we have so many people in this country who are eligible to be vaccinated who have not yet been vaccinated.” The prospect of a winter chilled by a wave of coronavirus infections is a severe reversal from…

Beirut : U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday urged Lebanese leaders to put people first and implement reforms to rescue the country from a financial depression and its worst social crisis in 30 years. Guterres met President Michel Aoun at the start of a four day visit for talks with politicians, civic leaders and humanitarian workers on how the world body can help the country overcome mounting problems. “It is essential for leaders to put the people first, and implement the reforms needed to set Lebanon back on track, including efforts to promote accountability and transparency, and root out corruption,”…

Bahrain : The Global Artificial Intelligence Group, in partnership with His Highness Shaikh Nasser Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Centre, is organizing the first virtual Bahrain International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education. The event will be held under the patronage of Higher Education Council (HEC) Secretary-General and Deputy Chairperson of its Board of Trustees Dr. Shaikha Rana bint Isa bin Daij Al Khalifa. President of Artificial Intelligence Society Bahrain and ICT researcher Dr. Jassim Haji thanked Dr. Shaikha Rana for patronizing the conference and including AI in Bahraini universities and developing its curricula in line with the requirements of the labor market. Dr. Hajji added that the…

Abu Dhabi :  The World Future Energy Summit is set to bring together industry leaders from around the world to showcase their technologies and innovations at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). The event, on January 17-19, will provide unparalleled business, networking and knowledge exchange opportunities throughout Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, according to organisers. The 14th annual event will explore themes of sustainability and the global transition to clean energy at the exhibition, showcase technologies and innovations from around the world, and host industry forums discussing the latest trends and best practice. The summit will host 11 country pavilions…

Dubai :  The Kingdom of Bahrain has participated in the 22nd Conference of Ministers Responsible for Cultural Affairs in the Arab World, which kicked off here today. Director-General of Culture and Arts at the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), Shaikha Hala bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, participated in the two-day conference on behalf of BACA President, Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa. UAE Minister of Culture and Youth, Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Director-General of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO), Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, and Egypt’s Minister of Culture and Chairperson of the 21st session…

Bahrain :  Under the patronage of HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, Chairman of the General Sports Authority, President of Bahrain Olympic Committee, the National Day Weightlifting and Powerlifting Championship concluded yesterday. The three-day event was held in coincidence with 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. It was attended by HH Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al…