Author: News Desk

MANILA :  The death toll in the strongest typhoon to batter the Philippines this year has reached at least 146, and the governor of an island province especially hard-hit by Typhoon Rai said there may be even greater devastation that has yet to be reported. Gov. Arthur Yap of Bohol province in the central Philippines said 72 people died there, 10 others were missing and 13 injured, and suggested the fatalities may still considerably increase because only 33 of 48 mayors were able to report back to him due to downed communications. In statements posted on Facebook, Yap ordered mayors…

LONDON :  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is walking a political tightrope as he faces increasing attacks from both friends and enemies amid a surge in COVID-19 infections. For the second winter in a row, Johnson is betting vaccines will be his savior, urging everyone to get booster shots to slow the spread of the new omicron variant, hoping to avoid further politically unpalatable restrictions on business and social activity. The threat to Johnson and his Conservative Party was on stark display last week as the prime minister reeled from one political crisis to another. On Tuesday, Johnson faced the…

WASHINGTON:  Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said Sunday he cannot back his party’s signature $2 trillion social and environment bill, dealing a potentially fatal blow to President Joe Biden’s leading domestic initiative heading into an election year when Democrats’ narrow hold on Congress was already in peril. Manchin told “Fox News Sunday” that after five-and-half months of negotiations among Democrats in which he was his party’s chief obstacle to passage, “I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can’t. I’ve tried everything humanly possible. I can’t get there.” Manchin’s choice of words seemed to crack the door open to continued talks…

Abu Dhabi :  All UAE federal government employees and the public seeking federal government services nationwide are required to follow the Green Pass Protocol on Alhosn app effective 3rd January, 2022, to have access to federal entities, with entry to these departments to be confined to the individuals who have received two doses of UAE-approved COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots. A negative PCR test every 14 days is needed to maintain the green status in Al Hosn app. This was announced by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), in collaboration with the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority…

London : The United Kingdom reported more than 12,000 further confirmed cases of the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the latest daily figures provided by health authorities on Sunday. The UK Health Security Agency said on Twitter there had been an additional 12,133 confirmed cases of Omicron over the previous 24 hours, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 37,101.

Islamabad : Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, participated in the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Afghanistan, which was held here today, under the patronage and in the presence of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and President of the Islamic Summit, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Dr. Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and OIC Secretary-General, Hussain Ibrahim Taha, participated in the meeting. Representatives of…

Saudi Arabia’s public health authority has advised against all unnecessary travel outside the kingdom, especially to high-risk countries affected by the Omicron variant of Covid-19. Citing the “accelerated spread of the virus in many countries”, the authority also recommends that all travellers arriving in the kingdom self-isolate for at least five days. New arrivals in Saudi Arabia should take a PCR test if they experience respiratory symptoms or a high temperature, the health authority said. The health authority said incoming travellers should continue to follow preventative measures including mask-wearing and hand-washing. On Saturday, Saudi Arabia reported 80 new Covid-19 cases,…

India : Due to a rise in the cases of coronavirus due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)  urged people to avoid crowding and follow Covid-19 guidelines. The Mumbai civic body also warned of strict action against offenders. BMC commissioner Iqbal Chahal has appealed people to avoid gatherings on Christmas and New Year. In a revised guideline, the BMC has said that squads will be deployed at ward level to take action against violators. It also reiterated adhering to Covid-19 rules during weddings and other ceremonies. The city civic body has appealed people to adhere…

Bahrain : A three-storey high largest luminous monument embodying the coats of arms of the Kingdom of Bahrain was unveiled in the Capital Governorate. Capital Municipality director-general Mohammed Saad Al Sahli inaugurated the emblem 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. Strategically located at the intersection between King Faisal Highway and Bahrain Bay, the emblem-shaped luminous monument is 12 metres high – that is…

Bahrain  : His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa arrived this evening in Rabat, the Kingdom of Morocco, on a private visit. HM the King was received on arrival by Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch who led the well-wishers.