Author: News Desk

Saudi Arabia has banned its citizens from travelling to 16 countries following the re-outbreak of COVID-19. These include Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Indonesia, Vietnam, Armenia, Belarus and Venezuela. The ban comes following a steady increase in the number of daily COVID-19 infections over the past few weeks. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has ensured the public that it has not detected any cases of monkeypox in Saudi Arabia yet, Al Arabiya reported. Dr. Abdullah Asiri, deputy minister of health for preventive health, said that the Kingdom’s health sector is…

The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) participated in the first International Festival of Gold and Jewelry held in Uzbekistan on May 21-25. Shouq Al Alawi, Director of Handicrafts Department in BACA, presented a research on embroidery and goldsmithing in Bahrain. She explained the historical and cultural legacy of the gold industry in the Kingdom and the connection of this industry with the customs and traditions of Bahraini people, in addition to the stages of development of goldsmithing and embroidery of all kinds in Bahrain. Al Alawi said that the existing of gold in Bahrain dates back to 2050…

The National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD) is continuing to honor its pledge to plant trees and shrubs at various sites across Bahrain to contribute to the expansion of green areas and help fight climate change. On Monday, NIAD, in cooperation with the Ministry of Works, Municipality Affairs and Urban Planning and the Supreme Council for the Environment, planted 131 Hibiscus Tiliaceus trees at Road 40 Intersection in Seef District, thanks to the generous support of CrediMax. The planting was the 32nd by the “Forever Green” campaign under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife…

AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation (MKF) announced the launch of a special edition of its Youth Enrichment Program, Ithra, for students of the Canadian School Bahrain. The program’s values are based on the students needs and presented by specialized trainers and will be held at the school for six weeks starting from the 15th of May 2022. The program will be held twice a week, featuring interactive workshops and physical activities based on the following values: self-confidence, responsibility, managing stress, teamwork, effective communication, treasure-hunting, planning, taking initiative, creativity, goal setting and Ithra talk. The leading program was designed with the participants’ study…

The Russian rouble firmed around 4% against the dollar and euro on Monday, heading back towards multi-year highs hit last week, supported by capital controls and an upcoming month-end tax period. By 1050 GMT, the rouble was 4% stronger against the dollar at 57.85 , not far from 57.0750, its strongest mark since late March 2018, hit on Friday. It had gained 4.4% to trade at 60.05 versus the euro , nearing its strongest point since June 2015 of 59.02, also reached on Friday. The rouble has firmed about 30% against the dollar this year despite a full-scale economic crisis…

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan, capping a series of critical comments about China while in Asia that an aide said represented no change in U.S. policy toward the self-ruled island. Biden’s remarks, made during his first visit to Japan since taking office, and as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida looked on, appeared to be a departure from existing U.S. policy of so-called strategic ambiguity on Taiwan. China considers the democratic island its territory, under its “one China” policy, and says it is the most sensitive and important issue…

A Ukrainian court sentenced a Russian soldier to life in prison on Monday for killing an unarmed civilian in the first war crimes trial arising from Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion. Vadim Shishimarin, a 21-year-old tank commander, had pleaded guilty to killing 62-year-old Oleksandr Shelipov in the northeastern Ukrainian village of Chupakhivka on Feb. 28 after being ordered to shoot him. Judge Serhiy Agafonov said Shishimarin, carrying out a “criminal order” by a soldier of higher rank, had fired several shots at the victim’s head from an automatic weapon. “The court has decided: Shishimarin Vadim Evgenyevich … is found guilty ……

Only Ukraine has the right to decide its future, the Polish president told lawmakers in Kyiv on Sunday, as he became the first foreign leader to give a speech in person to the Ukrainian parliament since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion. Kyiv has ruled out any peace deal that would involve it ceding territory and has dismissed calls for a ceasefire that would involve Russian forces remaining in territory they have occupied, saying this would simply give Moscow time to rebuild its forces. “Worrying voices have appeared, saying that Ukraine should give in to Putin’s demands,” Andrzej Duda said. “Only Ukraine…

The Kremlin said on Monday that the West had triggered a global food crisis by imposing the severest sanctions in modern history on Russia over the war in Ukraine. The war – and the West’s attempt to isolate Russia as punishment – have sent the price of grain, cooking oil, fertiliser and energy soaring. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that he was in intense contact with Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, the United States and the European Union in an effort to restore grain exports from Ukraine as a global food crisis worsens. Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said,…

The U.S. Senate approved nearly $40 billion in aid for Ukraine on Thursday sending the bill to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign into law as Washington races to keep military assistance flowing nearly three months after Russia’s invasion. The Senate voted 86-11 in favor of the package of military, economic and humanitarian assistance, by far the largest U.S. aid package for Ukraine to date. All 11 no votes were from Republicans. “This is a large package, and it will meet the large needs of the Ukrainian people as they fight for their survival,” Democratic Senate Majority…