Author: News Desk

The U.S. economy grew at a solid 6.4% rate in the first three months of the year, setting the stage for what economists believe may be the strongest year for the economy in about seven decades. Growth in the gross domestic product, the country’s total output of goods and services, was unchanged from two previous estimates, the Commerce Department said Thursday, an acceleration from the 4.3% pace of the fourth quarter. Economists believe that economic growth has continued to accelerate in the current quarter, which ends this month, as vaccinations become widespread and Americans eager to get outside are being…

The European Parliament on Thursday approved a landmark law to make the European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions targets legally binding, paving the way for a policy overhaul to cut planet-warming pollution faster. https://youtu.be/-w9j48o8v9s Negotiators from the Parliament and the EU’s 27 member countries reached a deal in April on the climate law, which puts tougher emissions-cutting targets at the heart of EU policymaking. Guterres said the zero-emission target was “gaining momentum”, and called on countries and private sectors to make this target their “new normal”.

Anti-virus creator John McAfee found dead in cell Anti-virus software entrepreneur John McAfee has been found dead in a Barcelona prison cell, just hours after a Spanish court agreed to extradite him to the US to face tax evasion charges. The Catalan Justice Department said prison medics tried to resuscitate him, but were not successful. It said in a statement that “everything indicates” Mr McAfee took his own life. A controversial figure, Mr McAfee’s company released the first commercial anti-virus software. In October 2020, he was arrested in Spain, and accused of failing to file tax returns for four years,…

The Italian Eni oil company has started drilling the first exploration oil well in Block 1, the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) announced. The drilling is part of the Exploration and Production Sharing Agreement signed between NOGA and Eni on May 1, 2019, to pursue petroleum exploration and production activities in the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Block 1, which is an offshore area of over 2,800 km2, situated in the northern territorial waters of the Kingdom of Bahrain with water depth ranging from 10m up to 70m. Commenting, Oil Minister, Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, praised His Majesty King…

Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, announces the launch of point to point flights beyond its Bahrain International Airport hub allowing the airline to expand its operations to new destinations as well as extending passenger services to new markets. Gulf Air launched flights between Athens and Larnaca allowing passengers from either location to buy tickets and commute between both Mediterranean cities. Similarly, it later launched flights between Bangkok and Singapore where passengers can buy tickets to fly between both Far Eastern capitals. These flights will be available for booking and tickets will be sold on Gulf Air’s website or…

Tokyo 2020 organizers on Wednesday said the consumption of alcohol at Olympic venues will be banned as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Kyodo news agency reported. Health guidelines released on Wednesday also said that people with Covid-19 symptoms or a body temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius will not be allowed into Olympic venues, the agency said. The Olympic competitions will be held in about 40 arenas in Tokyo and other Japanese regions, according to Deutsche press agency (dpa). The Games were delayed by a year because of the global health crisis. The Olympics are…

Bahrain’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows increased by  $1.007 billion  in 2020, according to the latest World Investment Report (WIR 2021) from the UN Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The annual report charts global investment flows, analyses trade trends, and examines government policies that seek to expand world trade. The report highlighted that global FDI contracted by 35% to $1 trillion in 2020, with an expectation for flows to bottom out and increase by 10-15% in 2021. Despite global trends, Bahrain experienced a 3.3% increase in inward FDI stocks, reaching $31.7 billion in 2020. Also highlighted was Bahrain’s stock…

Riyadh: President of Human Rights Commission (HRC) Dr. Awwad bin Saleh Al-Awwad met today with The Philippines’ Special Envoy and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Chief of Presidential Protocol (PAFA) Robert E.A. Borje. During the meeting, they discussed issues of common interest and means of enhancing bilateral relations, especially in the field of human rights.

SHARJAH: Throughout the spring semester, Sharjah Sustainable City (SSC) and American University of Sharjah (AUS) hosted a four-part webinar series focused on sustainability and the built environment. The webinars brought together practitioners from SSC and academics from AUS to discuss energy and climate change, smarter mobility, eco-districts and sustainable materials. The webinar series provided an opportunity for students to expand their knowledge beyond classroom discussions and theoretical ideas to how SSC is implementing sustainable practices on the ground. The students were able to learn about the successes and challenges faced in the development of sustainable housing and communities. “Collaborations such…

DUBAI: The challenges posed by the spread of Covid-19 pandemic have shown the incessant need to digital shifts in customs services and procedures to better serve global travel, trade and supply chains, according to Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs. He made the remarks at a virtual ceremony on the launch of Dubai Customs’ ‘iDeclare’ smart application. “Digital transformation is at the core of Dubai Customs’ strategies and plans to ensure streamlined passenger traffic and trade. For this, the smart iDeclare Application is gaining more importance these days supporting Dubai International Airport in its mission as one of…