Author: News Desk

Children and youth represent 67 percent of the Saudi population in the current year, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). Young Saudis in the age group of 15-34 years make up 36.7 percent of the Kingdom’s total population, the authority said in a special report titled “Report of Saudi youth in numbers,” released on Sunday to mark the World Youth Day 2020, which falls on Wednesday, August 12. The report includes population, social, economic, educational, health, cultural and recreational statistics of the Saudi youth. Saudi Arabia’s total population is estimated at 34.8 million including 10.5 million foreigners. “The…

The number of expatriate workers in Oman fell by 9.3 percent in the first half of this year compared to the same period of last year. The number of non-Omani workers in the private sector dropped by 10.1 percent while expatriate workers in the domestic sector and the government sector saw a decrease of 6.2 percent and 5.7, respectively, according to statistics released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The NCSI monthly statistics showed that the number of expatriate workers in the Sultanate was 1,589,883 by the end of June including 1,259,814 employed by the private sector,…

Bahrain has begun phase three of clinical trials for a COVID-19 vaccine, in cooperation with those in charge of the experience from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and their Chinese partners, Supreme Council of Health (SCH) President and National Medical Task Force to Combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chairman, Lieutenant-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, has revealed. SCH chief was speaking as he received here today a delegation of the officials of the potential vaccine, including those in charge of the experience in the UAE, Dr. Nawal Al-Kaabi and Dr. Waleed Abbas, in addition to representatives of Sinopharm’s China…

Under the patronage of the President of the Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) Dr. Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza, AIESEC launched the first version of “Ebtikar” program on August 9-31. The program aims to spread awareness about climate change and renewable energy among youth 17-25 years old participants from both genders who will compete in teams and evaluated by sustainable energy specialists, through a competitive atmosphere and supervision of sustainable energy specialists to find solutions to the issues given to them. Dr. Mirza praised AIESEC’s role and efforts in developing youth and direct their skills to sustainable contributions for a better future. He…

Saudi Arabia will soon begin Phase III clinical trials on around 5,000 people for a COVID-19 vaccine developed by China’s CanSino Biologics, a Saudi health ministry spokesman said on Sunday. Last month, CanSino’s co-founder said the company was in talks with Russia, Brazil, Chile and Saudi Arabia to launch a Phase III trial of the vaccine candidate, Ad5-nCOV. The vaccine uses a harmless cold virus known as adenovirus type-5 (Ad5) to carry genetic material from the coronavirus into the body. ♦ Oxford COVID-19 vaccine triggers immune response, trial shows ♦ U.S. government awards Novavax $1.6 billion for coronavirus vaccine Researchers said last…

The UAE has called on the international community to bolster its efforts to tackle the linkages between terrorism and organised crime, including through strengthening legal frameworks and the implementation of relevant UN resolutions. The UN Security Council held an open debate on the threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, specifically linkages between terrorism and transnational organised crime. In a written statement to the UN Council, the UAE said, “The UAE co-sponsored [Security Council Resolution 2482 in 2019] because we strongly believe that our efforts to counter international terrorism cannot succeed without cutting of all sources of funding, including…

North Korea’s ruling party has delivered special aid packages of food and medical equipment to residents of Kaesong, near the border with the South, after imposing a lockdown there due to COVID-19 concerns, state media said on Sunday. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared an emergency and imposed a lockdown on the small border town last month after a person, who defected to South Korea in 2017, returned to Kaesong across the highly fortified border showing coronavirus symptoms. Pyongyang has not confirmed any coronavirus infections but has been taking strict quarantine measures and screening the town, while providing food,…

The head of the Grand Ajam community center (maatam) said that they are working on the preparations to mark Ashura in accordance with the precautionary measures approved by the relevant authorities in order to protect public health and safety. The ban on gatherings and adherence to wearing facemasks and other preventive measures to combat the coronavirus are essential in marking Ashura, as public health and safety is a fundamental issue and there can be no complacency that might put people’s safety at risk, he added. Indicators confirm that overcoming the coronavirus will take time and that it requires efforts, cooperation…

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said reopening schools in September was a social, economic and moral imperative and insisted they would be able to operate safely despite the ongoing threat from the pandemic. His comments follow a study earlier this month which warned that Britain risks a second wave of COVID-19 this winter twice as large as the initial outbreak if schools open without an improved test-and-trace system. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Johnson said restarting schools was a national priority. Schools would be the last places to close in future local lockdowns, he was quoted by another newspaper…

Director-General of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science announced on Sunday the arrest of an Asian, 28, suspected of being heroin and Shabu dealer. He said that an investigation into collected information led to his arrest led handed, while drug money and other tools seized. Legal Proceedings are being taken to refer the case to the Public Prosecution.