Author: News Desk

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a jovial approach to a state dinner at the White House after a busy day of meetings and appearances on his US state visit. In a toast to US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden at a dinner in his honour on Thursday, Mr Modi jested on the topics of Indian and American cultural exchange and his singing chops. “I know your hospitality has moved your guests to sing. I wish, I too, had the singing talent,” Mr Modi joked. “I could have also sang before you all.” Mr Biden and Mr Modi are using the…

India : Opposition parties in India on Friday pledged to “unite” to fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming national elections. The polls to elect the country’s next government are expected to be held in March and April next year, as Mr Modi completes his second term in office in May. Representatives of as many as 17 opposition parties on Friday met in Patna city in the eastern state of Bihar to deliberate on a roadmap and launch a joint fight against the government. The opposition parties accuse Mr Modi’s government of damaging India’s secular credentials by resorting to religious…

Washington : A “debris field” was discovered on Thursday by a robotic deep-sea vessel searching for a missing tourist submersible on the ocean floor near the wreck of the Titanic, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Experts are reviewing the information gathered by the remotely operated vehicle that was deployed from a Canadian ship, the agency said on Twitter, without offering additional details. The desperate search for the 22-foot (6.7-meter) Titan submersible had reached a critical stage on Thursday morning, when the air supply for the five people on board was estimated to have nearly run out – or possibly run…

Manama : Nawaf bin Mohammed Al-Maawda, Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister, High Committee for Hajj and Umrah Affairs Chairman, expressed thanks and gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for their support to the  Bahrain Haijj Mission. The minister made the statement during a visit to the Bahrain International Airport where he met Bahraini prilgrims before heading to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to performs the Hajj rituals. Judge Isa Sami Al Mannai, Justice, and Islamic Affairs Undersecretary, Religious Affairs…

Manama : The Kingdom of Bahrain is committeed to empowering women and bridging the gender gap, said Minister of Sustainable Development Noor bint Ali Al Khulaif.  This commitment, she said, reflects the visions of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the unwavering support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. She also attributed these strides to national efforts led by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of HM the King and Supreme Council of Women (SCW) President. Bridging the gender gap is key to…

Luxembourg : Bahrain’s Ambassador to Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Head of the Diplomatic Mission to the European Union Abdulla bin Faisal bin Jabr Al Dosari met Veronica Dockendorf, Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. During the meeting, the ambassador commended growing ties between the two countries, stressing the importance of further expanding relations to serve common interests. Dockendorf praised relations between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of Bahrain, stressing her country’s keenness on expanding joint cooperation. Regional and international issues were also discussed.

Manama : The Information &eGovernment Authority (iGA) has published its foreign trade report for May 2023, in which data on Trade Balance, imports, exports of products with national origin, and re-exports have been showcased. As per the report, the value of imports has shown a decrease of 8%, reaching BD475 million during May 2023 in comparison with BD518 million for the same month in 2022. The top 10 countries for imports marked 69% of the total value of imports, while the remaining countries accounted for 31%. According to the report, China ranked first for imports to Bahrain, with a total…

Abu Dhabi : The UAE has launched the Andalusia: History and Civilisation initiative, under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court. The initiative is organised by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre and the National Library and Archives. The launch of the six-month initiative, in partnership with the Kingdom of Spain, reflects the UAE’s unwavering belief in the necessity of openness with civilisations and convergence among cultures and religions. The UAE, through the initiative, aims to shed light on the Andalusian civilisation through an array…

Kuala Lumpur : Defending champions Japan will begin their bid to defend their AFC Futsal Asian Cup  title in Group H of the 2024 Qualifiers while Islamic Republic of Iran’s aim for a 13th crown will start in Group C. A total 31 teams were drawn into eight groups with the eight group winners and seven best second-placed teams among all groups qualifying for the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2024. These 15 teams will join the Host Member Association (MA), to be determined at a later stage and who will receive automatic qualification, to form the final cast at the…

At least 41 women were killed in a riot at a women’s prison in Honduras on Tuesday – with most burnt to death. President Xiomara Castro blamed the violence on “mara” street gangs that often wield power inside prisons. Twenty-six of the victims were burnt to death while the remainder were shot or stabbed at the prison in Tamara, about 50km north-west of the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, said national police investigation agency spokesman Yuri Mora. Relatives awaiting news about inmates gathered outside the morgue in Tegucigalpa. They confirmed that inmates in the prison had told them they lived in fear of the Barrio…