Author: News Desk

Riyadh: The world’s largest oil company, Saudi Aramco, reported $30.4 billion in third-quarter net income on Sunday, bolstered by a surge in oil prices and recovery in demand as the coronavirus pandemic eases. Saudi Arabia’s majority state-owned oil giant Aramco said its net income more than doubled from $11.8 billion during the same three-month period a year earlier. Last year’s figure came after profits plunged dramatically as global coronavirus lockdowns slammed oil prices. Aramco CEO Amin Nasser described the company’s third-quarter results as “exceptional,” a result of “increased economic activity in key markets and a rebound in energy demand.” He acknowledged…

Australian officials plan to roll out COVID-19 booster shots soon to prevent a resurgence of cases, as residents in the two largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne begin to enjoy more freedoms after months-long curbs. Australia has ditched its COVID-zero strategy in favour of suppressing the coronavirus, after largely stamping out infections for most of this year, and is now aiming to live with the virus through higher vaccinations. Officials are gradually shifting their focus to booster shots as double-dose vaccinations levels in Australia’s adult population nears 75%. Almost 87% of people above 16 have received their first dose since…

New Zealand reported 109 new locally acquired coronavirus cases on Monday, the bulk of them in its largest city, Auckland, as the country saw its second-worst day of daily infections since the pandemic began. Once the poster child for stamping out COVID-19, New Zealand has been unable to beat an outbreak of Delta variant of COVID-19 centred in Auckland, despite the city remaining under a strict lockdown for more than two months. The country over the weekend also reported the first community case of the virus in its South Island in nearly a year, a cause for further headache, though…

Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa received British Ambassador to Bahrain, Roderick Drummond. The minister affirmed the depth of the historical relations between the two kingdoms,noting  the advanced level of cooperation in various fields, especially in the financial and economic field. Shaikh Salman stressed the importance of continuing to strengthen cooperation and push it towards a broader horizon to achieve more investment opportunities for the benefit of both countries. They discussed ways to enhance coordination, reviewed topics of common interest and the global economy.

Millions of Afghans, including children, could die of starvation unless urgent action is taken to pull Afghanistan back from the brink of collapse, a senior United Nations official warned, calling for frozen funds to be freed for humanitarian efforts. World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley told Reuters that 22.8 million people – more than half of Afghanistan’s 39 million population – were facing acute food insecurity and “marching to starvation” compared to 14 million just two months ago. “Children are going to die. People are going to starve. Things are going to get a lot worse,” he said…

A “brave” question in the news conference brought some moments of amusement for India captain Virat Kohli in an otherwise chastening night for his team, who were thrashed by arch-rivals Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup on Sunday. India went into the Dubai blockbuster with a 12-0 record in World Cup matches against their neighbours but Pakistan ended that streak with a 10-wicket victory in the Super 12 Group Two clash. In the post-match conference Kohli, who will step down as India’s captain in the T20 format after the tournament, was asked if the team erred by not including rookie batsman Ishan…

His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, received some of his former teachers at Ibn Khaldoun National School at the start of the 2021-2022 academic year. HH Shaikh Nasser stressed that the support accorded by HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to education in Bahrain has opened wide horizons in education based on a well-defined methodology that contributes to the formation and development of Bahraini youth. Modern education holds a significant importance in the vision of HM the King for a bright future for the Kingdom,…

Labor and Social Development Minister and Labor Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) Board of Directors Chairman Jamil bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan received Indian External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Minister V. Muraleedharan. The meeting reviewed relations between the two countries and ways to develop them and enhance cooperation in human development and social care, and to benefit from leading experiences and investment opportunities that generate quality jobs. Humaidan briefed the Indian minister on the Kingdom’s efforts and its most prominent initiatives in the field of workforce protection as implementation of advanced national labor legislation in line with international labor standards. He highlighted…

Morocco has launched a campaign to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children from 12 to 17, becoming one of the first African countries to inoculate that age group, reports AP. The World Health Organization says that the North African country has already given around 33 million doses to adults this year. Now, Morocco is focusing its efforts to vaccinate younger people. Parental authorization is required and vaccination isn’t mandatory. But those who don’t want to vaccinate their children will have to follow a distance education program and their kids won’t legally be allowed to attend school in person. Access to good…

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, H.E Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, met today with the Minister of State for External Affairs of India, H.E V. Muraleedharan, as part of his official visit to Bahrain. The Foreign Minister welcomed Mr. V. Muralidharan, praising strong historical friendly relations between Bahrain and India, and growing cooperation between them at all levels. The Minister of Foreign Affairs reviewed the outcomes of the ministerial meeting of the joint higher committee between Bahrain and India, which was held in New Delhi last April. He stressed the Kingdom’s keenness to continue high-level periodic…