Author: News Desk

Manama : Bahrain will ban outdoor work during the afternoon in July and August. The ban on work under direct sunlight and in open places will run from midday until 4 pm, the Ministry of Labour said. The aim is to protect workers and ensure their safety from heat stress, sunstroke and various summer diseases, and to reduce occupational accidents during the hottest months of the year, the ministry added. The Labour Ministry has embarked on an awareness-raising campaign, urging everyone to comply with the provisions of the edict. It also distributed brochures, multilingual leaflets and posts that include instructions…

ISLAMABAD : At least 350 Pakistanis were on an overloaded boat that capsized and sank in open seas off Greece last week, Pakistan’s Interior Minister said on Friday, promising to arrest and prosecute the human smugglers responsible. The fishing boat with a capacity of 400 people had over 700 people on board when it sank on June 14, Rana Sanaullah told the country’s parliament, adding that a total of 281 Pakistani families had contacted the government to seek help. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan told lawmakers in the National Assembly that an estimated 700 migrants were on the boat when it sank…

German air taxi maker Volocopter completed a series of flight tests in Neom, the futuristic city being built in Saudi Arabia, as part of the kingdom’s push towards sustainable and smart mobility. This marks the first time an eVTOL, or electric vertical take-off and landing, aircraft performed test flights in Saudi Arabia, Neom said in a statement on Wednesday. “This safe and successful test flight represents an important milestone of the Saudi aviation sector,” said Abdulaziz Al Duailej, president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation. This builds on Neom’s announcement in 2022 of a $175 million Series E investment in German air…

India: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Egypt will give a “fresh impetus” to the historic and strategic ties between the two nations, experts say. Mr Modi will be flying to Cairo on Saturday after a four-day state visit to the US, with plans to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh El Sisi, a select group of high-level ministers and members of the Indian diaspora. On a more cultural note, he is also expected to visit the refurbished 11th-century Al Hakim Mosque. Mr Modi’s visit to the North African country will be his first ever, as well as the first official visit by an Indian…

Dubai : Hundreds of cars lined up bumper to bumper outside Dubai International Airport on Friday, as residents dialled into vacation mode at the start of a possible nine-day break for Eid Al Adha. Many planned their trips months in advance to book tickets to their home countries, while others took advantage of late-saver deals for holiday getaways. Airport authorities are geared up for the travel rush expected during Eid Al Adha and the start of the summer holidays. The peak day for outbound travel will be Saturday June 24, when about 100,000 are expected to fly out from Dubai. In Abu…

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…