Author: News Desk

The average lifespan of Omanis reached as high as 77.2 years, with 75.2 for men and 79.2 for women at the end of 2019 against 49 years in 1970. At the same time, the total fertility rate stood at 2.7 births per woman between the age of 15 and 49 years during the period from 2015 to 2019. According to data from the annual statistical book issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the average life expectancy rate of the total population stood at 78.2 by December 2019 up from 78.1 in the previous year. “Life expectancy…

Shares in Chinese online retail giant Alibaba ground out gains on Monday as profits for smaller peer JD.com buoyed expectations for its own results later this week, countering hint of more U.S. moves against it and other Chinese companies. At a news conference on Saturday, when asked if he was considering a ban on other Chinese-owned companies including Alibaba to follow that on social video app TikTok, U.S. President Donald Trump said: “Well, we’re looking at other things, yes.” The White House has been piling pressure on Chinese-owned entities in the run in to elections this year and financial markets are…

His Excellency Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa launched remotely on Monday eight new e-services. They include 76 Interior Ministry services for the public as part of the reinforcement of precautionary measures against coronavirus. The new services were launched in cooperation with the Information & eGovernment Authority, Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs, General Directorate of Traffic, General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science and Customs Affairs. They include services related to the issuance of Good Conduct Certificate, inquiry about the progress of the certificate issuance applications and check the certificate’s validity. Along with, visa extension, inquiry…

U.S. President Donald Trump has looked at banning additional Chinese-owned companies following his decision to ban the short-video app TikTok, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on Monday. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Meadows said the administration was focused particularly on Chinese companies that collected personal data and could pose a national security risk. “Most of what the president has looked at is banning other Chinese apps that might collect personal information and have potential national security risk,” he said. ♦ Microsoft aiming to buy TikTok’s entire global business ♦ US TikTokers prepare for life without the video…

Nigeria will reopen its airports for international flights from Aug. 29, its aviation minister said on Monday. The airports have been closed since March 23 to all but essential international flights as part of the country’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said four flights would begin landing daily in Lagos, and four in Abuja, with strict protocols. “It is safe to fly, if we observe all those protocols in place,” Sirika said at a briefing in Abuja. Africa’s most populous nation, which recorded its first confirmed coronavirus case in late February, now has 49,068 confirmed…

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday said that the state’s gyms could open as soon as Aug 24 at 33% capacity as long as they enforce strict health measures, including mask-wearing, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Localities must inspect every gym before it opens or within two weeks of it opening to ensure compliance with health guidelines, Cuomo told a news conference. As part of the state’s reopening plan for gyms, air ventilation systems must meet certain guidelines and people must sign in and out so that the gym maintains a ready contact-tracing list, Cuomo said. “Localities can…

The administrative and teaching staff will resume work on September 6 as previously announced, said the Bahrain education ministry. In a statement today, Public Relations and Media Director Dr. Fawaz Al-Sheroogui said that students would return to schools on September 16. ♦ Bahrain Education Ministry announces scholarships plan ♦ Bahrain to allow parents to choose learning options The Cabinet, which held its weekly session today, said that it had approved a proposal regarding the suspension of studies in public and private schools as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, which has already been achieved through decisions issued on the…

Finance ministers from the Group of Seven rich countries on Monday noted improved economic conditions in their economies, but underscored their concerns about the debt problems facing low-income countries, a U.S. Treasury spokesperson said. During a teleconference hosted by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the ministers repeated their call for all official bilateral creditors to fully implement the G20 debt freeze for the poorest countries, and agreed to consider additional options, including extending the initiative into 2021, the spokesperson said. The meeting also included the leaders of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, who have urged the Group…

Bahrain’s Ministry of Finance and National Economy has today reported positive signs of a return to growth across non-oil sectors, as the Kingdom continues to take measures which balance health policy objectives whilst minimising the economic impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry confirmed total exports increased by 2% between May and June, and by 12% between June and July, as business activity increases across the Kingdom. This was also evident by the monthly number of new commercial registrations (CR) created, with the number of company CRs up 59% in June and up a further 7% in July, while…

India’s electricity generation in the first 15 days of August rose for the first time since early March, provisional government data showed, as the country opened up industries and lifted restrictions to control the spread of coronavirus. Power generation rose 2.6% in the first 15 days of August compared with the same period of last year, a Reuters analysis of daily load despatch data from federal grid operator POSOCO showed, compared with a 1.8% fall in July. In the second half of last month, electricity generation declined 3.1%. Power use has picked up from previous months when India was under…