Author: News Desk

BELGRADE :  When Russian regulators approved the country’s own coronavirus vaccine, it was a moment of national pride, and the Pavlov family was among those who rushed to take the injection. But international health authorities have not yet given their blessing to the Sputnik V shot. So when the family from Rostov-on-Don wanted to visit the West, they looked for a vaccine that would allow them to travel freely — a quest that brought them to Serbia, where hundreds of Russian citizens have flocked in recent weeks to receive Western-approved COVID-19 shots. Serbia, which is not a member of the European Union, is…

Kabul : A suicide bomber attacked a mosque in Afghanistan’s northeastern Kunduz province on Friday, killing 46 people and wounding more than 140, the state-run Bakhtar news agency said. No group immediately claimed responsibility. The blast follows several attacks, including one at a mosque in Kabul, in recent weeks, some of which have been claimed by Daesh. The attacks have underscored security challenges for the Taliban, which took over the country in August and have since carried out operations against Daesh cells in Kabul, Reuters reports. “This afternoon, an explosion took place in a mosque… as a result of which…

Bangkok :  Director General of the Protocol Department at Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chittipat Tongprasroeth received Ambassador Mona Abbas Radhi who presented a copy of her credentials as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bahrain to Thailand. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations and ways of strengthening them. The ambassador-designate and the Thai official expressed keenness on enhancing bilateral cooperation, especially in light of Bahrain’s presidency of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue.

London : National Security Advisor, Royal Guard Commander, Major-General His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, met here the British Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa,relations between the two friendly countries, in addition to areas of bilateral cooperation in the education fields, through the exchange of the best modern practices and the two countries’ experiences in education, in order to consolidate the ongoing partnership between them. The UK Education Secretary welcomed HH Shaikh Nasser’s visit, stressing the importance of bolstering cooperation between the two kingdoms, thanks to their long-standing relations.…

London : HM the King’s Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, has asserted that the achievements of the Bahraini equestrian sports at external races prove its distinguished status and steady progress, reiterating his support for participation in such competitions to continue raising the national banners. In this regard, HH Shaikh Nasser praised the success of his filly, “Fast Attack”, in winning the Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket, UK, noting that the victory will be a catalyst for all Bahraini participation in the upcoming events. HH Shaikh Nasser indicated…

Mexico : Soldiers in Mexico discovered a total of 652 Central American migrants hiding in three sealed refrigerated cargo trucks, the country’s INM immigration agency said on Friday. The migrants lacked air, food and water in the trailers, a statement said. They are believed to have been victims of human smugglers and have been handed over to the security forces of the state of Tamaulipas, dpa reported. Among the victims were 349 minors, 198 of them unaccompanied, the agency said. The vast majority came from Mexico’s southern neighbour Guatemala, according to the report. The trucks had reportedly been stopped Thursday…

Bahrain : Director-General of Traffic, Brigadier Shaikh Abdulrahman bin Abdulwahab Al Khalifa, has asserted that the legal procedures for traffic violations, including crossing speed limits have been the same since the endorsement of the new traffic law in February 2015. He said that crossing the speed limit is among the most common traffic practices that risk the safety of road users and the lives of the violated drivers. The Director-General explained that setting speed limits on roads is based on many criteria, on top of them protecting lives and traffic safety. Other factors include the design of the road, number…

Brasilia : President Jair Bolsonaro of the Federative Republic of Brazil received the Ambassador-designate of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Federative Republic of Brazil, Bader Abbas Al-Helaibi, who presented his credentials as Bahrain Ambassador to Brazil. President Bolsonaro welcomed Ambassador Al-Helaibi, congratulating him on being the first ambassador of Bahrain to Brazil, affirming the support of the Brazilian government for him to carry out his duties to the fullest. He also expressed his feelings of respect to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The President also asked the Ambassador to convey his greetings and appreciation to His…

Paris : Abolhassan Bani-Sadr, who became Iran’s first president after the 1979 revolution before fleeing into exile in France, died on Saturday aged 88. He died at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris following a long illness, his wife and children said on Bani-Sadr’s official website. Bani-Sadr had emerged from obscurity to become Iran’s first president in January 1980 with the help of the Islamic clergy. But after a power struggle with radical clerics, he fled the following year to France, where he spent the rest of his life, Reuters reports. His family would like him to be buried in Versailles,…

LONDON: British employers increased pay for new staff by the most since at least the 1990s, according to a survey that will be studied by the Bank of England as it tries to assess how persistent the recent jump in inflation might be. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation said firms were still seeking to hire in September but staff availability fell sharply again, pushing up starting salaries for permanent and temporary workers by the most in the survey’s 24-year history. REC Chief Executive Neil Carberry said competition for staff was widespread, from food processing and logistics – including the acute…