Author: News Desk

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund) announces new data from Bahrain’s Ministry of Health, obtained during the Kingdom’s national vaccination campaign, confirming the safety and high efficacy of the Russian Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine. An efficacy study was conducted in Bahrain in accordance with WHO guidelines involving more than 5,000 subjects. Overall efficacy beyond 14 days after administering a second dose was estimated at 94.3%. Analysis is based on data collected between February and early May 2021. The data of the Ministry of Health confirmed that, of those vaccinated with Sputnik V and infected 14 days…

Biden drops Trump attempt to ban TikTok, WeChat President Joe Biden on Wednesday withdrew a series of Trump-era executive orders that sought to ban new downloads of WeChat and TikTok, and ordered a Commerce Department review of security concerns posed by those apps and others. The administration of former President Donald Trump had attempted to block new users from downloading the apps and ban other technical transactions that Chinese-owned short video-sharing app TikTok and WeChat both said would effectively block the apps’ use in the United States. The courts blocked those orders, which never took effect. A separate U.S. national…

Ferrari has turned to technology industry veteran Benedetto Vigna to drive the luxury sports car maker known for its roaring, high-octane engines into a new era of silent, electric powertrains. Vigna, 52, currently runs the biggest division of semiconductor maker STMicroelectronics (ST), where he has worked since 1995 and helped pioneer the sensors first used in iPhones to rotate the screen by turning the handset. Vigna’s appointment announced on Wednesday shows Ferrari’s development strategy remains firmly anchored in manufacturing cutting-edge, high-end sports cars for an electric era, rather than repositioning itself as a pure luxury goods company. It also highlights the…

The US tax authority on Tuesday said it was investigating the leak of tax records of the country’s super rich, including Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, included in a media report. “I can’t speak to anything with respect to specific taxpayers,” Internal Revenue Service (IRS) chief Charles Rettig told the Senate Finance Committee. “I can confirm that there is an investigation, with respect to the allegations that the source of the information in that article came from the Internal Revenue Service,” he added. The unauthorized disclosure of confidential government information is illegal, said a spokesperson for the US Treasury Department,…

Under the patronage of Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) President Dr. Abdulhussein bin Ali Mirza, Majid Al Futtaim Company and Yellow Door Energy Company signed an agreement virtually to install the largest central solar energy system with a maximum production capacity of 6.2 megawatts to provide clean energy for The Bahrain Mall. The event was attended by Chief Sustainability Officer at Majid Al Futtaim Holding Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, Carrefour Bahrain Director at Majid Al Futtaim Retail Jerome Eckel, Chief Commercial Officer at Yellow Door Energy Rory McCarthy, CIO of Economic Development Board Mahmood Al Aradi and a number of experts from the…

Deputy Prime Minister and Ministerial Committee for Development and Infrastructure Projects Chairman Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa said that Bahrain’s positive and rapid economic growth in the prosperous reign of HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and with the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, have been accompanied by a strong drive to provide high-standard infrastructure through strategic projects, especially in the electricity and water areas. The government’s belief in the importance of electricity and water as important sources of energy, and the backbone of other services and…

Advisor to HM the King for Media Affairs, Nabil bin Yacoob Al-Hamar, on Wednesday received the Chief Executive Officer of the National Communication Centre (NCC), Yousif Mohammed Al-Binkhalil. Al-Hamar lauded the important role played by NCC in supporting the media sector in Bahrain, and enhancing media cooperation and coordination among various government entities, which contributes to developing the government’s media discourse, and improve communication with the citizens, as well as government entities, locally and abroad. He also commended NCC’s efforts to defend national issues, and highlight the kingdom’s achievements attained during His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s prosperous…

Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister, Essam bin Abdullah Khalaf, on Wednesday issued an edict on reducing municipal fees for 151 Bahraini families living in rented houses for the months of April and May 2021. Khalaf said that the edict is in line with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to alleviate the burden of living on the citizens, and within the framework of the Cabinet’s decision to deal with the citizens who live in rentals and home owners on equal par regarding municipal fees. The minister…

A 48-year-old male, Hussein Ahmed Issa Barakat, has died this morning at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), following infection with COVID-19. The serving inmate was being treated at SMC under the supervision and care of the Ministry of Health. His condition required his placement on a respirator in recent days. A review of the deceased’s medical records has confirmed that he was vaccinated in February and March this year. In accordance with COVID-19 procedures for inmates, the deceased was isolated following a positive COVID-19 test and placed under the care of the Ministry of Health prior to his transfer to the…

Bahrain extends precautionary measures until June 25 The National Medical Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), headed by the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Health, HE Lieutenant-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, has extended COVID-19 precautionary measures until June 25, 2021. The decision was made following thorough analysis of data analytic trends as well as obtaining the Government Executive Committee’s approval. Precautionary measures are beginning to have an impact and reduce COVID-19 daily case numbers but the downward trend of case numbers needed to be maintained. The Taskforce noted that activities will gradually resume, based on the data, after…