Author: News Desk

Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp messaging service rolled out a system across Brazil on Monday that will allow users to send money to individuals or local businesses within a chat, attaching payments as they would a photo or video. WhatsApp is working with Cielo, Brazil’s largest credit and debit card operator, to process the payments. The news sent Cielo’s shares soaring 30% on a day when stocks worldwide, including in Brazil, were in red due to fears of a second coronavirus wave. WhatsApp tested the system in India beginning in 2018. The Brazil launch will be the first nationwide rollout and will…

Saudi Arabia has reported 4,507 new cases and 39 deaths from coronavirus, taking the total cases to 132,048. The death toll raised to 1,011 after reporting the new deaths. Meanwhile, 3,170 patients fully recovered from the virus, bringing the total recoveries to 87,890. In line with recent trends, the majority of the new cases were in the capital Riyadh (1,658), followed by Jeddah (413) and Mecca (389). https://twitter.com/media_ksa/status/1272507565092540417?s=20 Also Read: Bahrain registers 46th COVID-19 death Kuwait records 511 new cases, mostly among citizens UN rights council agrees to urgent debate on racism, police violence

Bahrain has announced the death of a 75-year-old female citizen from coronavirus, taking the country’s total deaths to 46. It’s the 4th death in one day. The country has reported 317 new cases of coronavirus, among 151 expatriate workers, 164 new cases are contacts of active cases, and 2 are travel-related, after conducting over 6,500 additional COVID-19 tests. Meanwhile, 379 additional recoveries from COVID-19 were reported. The total cases have driven to 18,544 of which 13,197 have recovered, which means that over 71 percent of the confirmed cases have recovered from the virus. Currently, there are 5,301 active cases. Also, there are 140 COVID-19 cases receiving…

Kuwait has reported 511 new coronavirus cases, the majority of the cases are from Kuwaitis which is 243, taking the total confirmed cases in the country 36,431, according to the Ministry of Health. 2 patients died of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 298. 772 new recoveries have been reported in the country, raising the total recoveries to 27,531. Kuwait has done 2,775 NP swab tests in the past 24 hours, as the country ramps up its efforts to test more people and detect cases early, according to the health ministry. So…

The United Nations’ top human rights body will hold an urgent debate on allegations of “systemic racism, police brutality and violence against peaceful protests” in the United States on Wednesday, a statement said. The decision by the U.N. Human Rights Council followed a request last week by Burkina Faso on behalf of African countries, it said in a statement on Monday. The United States is not a member of the 47-member state forum in Geneva. “The death of George Floyd is unfortunately not an isolated incident,” the letter said, referring to an African American who died on May 25 under…

Bahrain has been urged to come up with a new economic plan to tackle challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Parliament’s first deputy chairman Abdulnabi Salman also stressed the need for new alliances and partnerships in a changing post-coronavirus world.⠀ “Thinking in such a positive manner will help us advance with positive strides and create a bright future while benefiting from the successful plans and programmes drawn up by the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus, he told Akbar Al Khaleej.⠀ Mr. Salman also urged the government, the legislative authority, and other decision-making bodies to organize a national forum to…

Oman has registered 4 deaths and 1,043 daily cases of coronavirus, most of the new cases are from citizens by 614 and the rest 429 from foreigners, taking the total cases to 24,524. The death toll reached 108 after reporting the new death. Meanwhile, 1,079 new recoveries were announced, bringing the total to 9,533. 3,283 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours, across the sultanate. The decrease in traffic accidents contributed to the availability of intensive care rooms for patients. Also Read: Legal steps taken against a men salon for offering massage Greece welcomes foreign visitors, restarts summer tourism…

General Director of Southern Governorate Police announced on Monday that legal steps against a men salon in Riffa for violating rules against coronavirus by offering massage services. The actions were taken in coordination with the Health Ministry and the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry. An Asian worker was arrested red-handed while offering the service. Legal proceedings are being taken and the case was referred to the Public Prosecution. Also Read: Greece welcomes foreign visitors, restarts summer tourism Thailand ends curfew, as no local coronavirus cases recorded in 21 days Bahrain registers 2 more deaths

Greece reopened its main airports to more international flights on Monday, hoping to kick-start its vital tourism sector after three months in lockdown. Tourism employs about 700,000 people and accounts for some 20% of Greece’s economic output, so how the sector fares is significant for the country’s recovery. Greece emerged from a decade-long debt crisis two years ago. About 33 million tourists visited the Mediterranean nation last year, generating revenues of 19 billion euros. Passengers arriving from airports deemed high-risk by the European Union’s aviation safety agency will be tested for the coronavirus and quarantined up to 14 days, depending…

Thailand on Monday lifted a nationwide curfew after more than two months and allowed restaurants to resume selling alcohol as the coronavirus crisis eased, with 21 days since a recorded case of local transmission. The Southeast Asian nation of about 70 million people was the first country outside China to report a case of coronavirus, on Jan. 13 and has been a relative success story in containing it, with just 3,135 confirmed cases and 58 fatalities. Some 2,987 patients have recovered. Officials have credited Thais’ early adoption of wearing masks – ubiquitous in public since January – as well as…