Author: News Desk

Tokyo: Naomi Osaka called lighting the Olympic cauldron one of the greatest achievements of her life. “Undoubtedly the greatest athletic achievement and honor I will ever have in my life. I have no words to describe the feelings I have right now but I do know I am currently filled with gratefulness and thankfulness,” she wrote in a tweet. The tennis star will be representing Japan in the Olympics.

LONDON:  Britain’s rapid economic bounce-back from the coronavirus pandemic slowed sharply in July as a new wave of cases forced hundreds of thousands of workers to self-isolate under government rules to limit the spread of the disease. Supermarkets and hauliers say staff shortages are making it hard to restock shelves and deliver goods, and Friday’s monthly purchasing managers’ index (PMI) data gave the first clear evidence of the scale of the impact. The IHS Markit/CIPS flash composite PMI dropped to 57.7 in July from 62.2 in June. A reading above 50 indicates growth in the economy but the reading was…

Berlin: Spain and the Netherlands will be classified as high incidence areas by the German government starting Tuesday following a surge in the number of coronavirus infections there in recent weeks, said dpa international. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control and prevention made the announcement on Friday based on the infection numbers. Anyone returning to Germany from countries under that classification have to quarantine for 10 days if they have not been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19. However, the quarantine can be shortened by testing negative for the coronavirus after five days. According to the German travel…

Bahrain: Information Affairs Minister, Ali bin Mohammed Al-Romaihi, has extended sincere congratulations to brotherly Egypt’s leadership and people on their country’s celebration of its National Days. The minister asserted that the Bahrain TV and Radio’s celebration of the anniversary of the glorious July 23 Revolution today is part of the real role the media should play towards brotherly countries with which Bahrain enjoys a long history of strong relations. In a statement to Bahrain TV, Al-Romaihi stressed that the media reflects the nature of countries and those in charge of it, noting that Bahrain and Egypt boast rich civilisations and a…

Bahrain: Deputy Chairperson of the Services Committee at the Shura Council, Hala Ramzi, has affirmed Bahrain’s unwavering keenness to carry on enhancing women’s empowerment and advancement across various fields. These efforts are made through enacting the necessary legislation and implementing a number of national initiatives and programmes that ensure women equal opportunities and participation as essential and indispensable partners in the comprehensive development march witnessed by the kingdom during the prosperous era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the first supporter of Bahraini women, she said, paying tribute to Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa,…

Haiti: Kidnapped from church, shot at during an evening commute, chased out of their homes as flames licked up the street. Stories of abduction, lethal attack and indiscriminate destruction are endless in Haiti’s seaside city of Port-au-Prince, where everyone seems to know someone who barely made it out alive — and where many did not, in what rights organizations describe as a particularly dangerous year even before the assassination of former president Jovenel Moise drew the world’s attention. Haiti’s elite were congregating Friday in the historic northern port city of Cap-Haitien for Moise’s funeral. Once he is laid to rest…

A new tropical depression has formed over the open waters of the West Pacific, that could impact the Olympic games next week. Tropical Depression Nepartak has formed about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) southeast of Japan,  currently has maximum sustained winds of 55 kph (35 mph), according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The forecast track from the JTWC brings the storm to mainland Japan by Tuesday, with Tokyo in the forecast cone. Nepartak is currently classified as a subtropical cyclone and is expected to remain subtropical through its forecast period. This means the strongest winds consolidated near the center of…

Tokyo: Deputy President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee and Head of Bahrain’s delegation to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, has lauded the strides made by Saudi Arabia in the sports field thanks to the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abduaziz Al Saud, and interest of Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali made the statements while meeting here today the Saudi Sports Minister, President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee…

Kabul: The United States has carried out airstrikes to support Afghan government forces who have been under pressure from the Taliban as U.S.-led foreign forces carry out the final stages of their withdrawal from the country. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Thursday the airstrikes were in support of Afghan security forces in recent days but did not provide details. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes were on Wednesday night on the outskirts of the southern city of Kandahar, killing three of their fighters and destroying two vehicles. “We confirm these airstrikes and we condemn this in the…

Tokyo: Six-time world champion Mary Kom and men’s hockey captain Manpreet Singh led the way as India made its way at the Parade of Nations during the Opening Ceremony of Tokyo Olympics on Friday at the Japan National Stadium. https://twitter.com/i/status/1418542532556824582