Author: News Desk

Bahrain :  The National Medical Taskforce for Combatting the Coronavirus (COVID-19) today held a press conference to provide an update on the Kingdom’s COVID-19 response, at the Crown Prince Centre for Training and Medical Research, in Bahrain’s Defence Force Hospital. Following approval by the Government Executive Committee, the Taskforce announced that the Kingdom will remain on the Yellow Alert Level until 14 February, 2022. The Taskforce noted that this decision was made to maintain the progress of national efforts to combat COVID-19, to preserve public health. HE Dr Waleed Khalifa Al Manea, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health and member…

Bahrain : An annual survey to measure customer satisfaction with e-Government channels and services has been launched by the Information and e-Government Authority (iGA). The questionnaire is available through the National Portal, bahrain.bh and other communication electronic channels. iGA CE Mohammed Ali Al Qaed said that the survey implements directives by the Minister of Interior, General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa on the importance of listening to the public feedback and involve them in the continuous improvement plans of eGovernment services and channels. Participants in the survey will include individuals and representatives of the public and private sectors. The survey has been…

YAOUNDE :  The death toll in a stampede outside a game at the African Cup of Nations soccer tournament in Cameroon has risen to eight, as witnesses blamed security officials for making fatal errors and competition organizers decided Tuesday to suspend all further games at the stadium pending an investigation. Another seven people were in serious condition in the hospital after the crush Monday night at the game between host Cameroon and Comoros at the Olembe Stadium in the capital, Yaounde. The African soccer body has moved the next game due to take place at the Olembe on Sunday to…

Kuwait’s defence minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al Ali Al Sabah will face a vote of no confidence in parliament on Wednesday over a number of decisions, including one to allow women to enlist in the country’s military. Women were formally allowed to join Kuwait’s police forces in 2007. In October, the country approved a new decision allowing them to join the military. It will allow Kuwaiti women to enlist in combat roles for the first time after years of being restricted to civilian positions, the army said in October. Defence Minister Sheikh Hamad said the door had been opened for women to join…

US President Joe Biden swore into a microphone after Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked him about inflation at a meeting with economic advisers at the White House on Monday. Mr Biden was meeting Cabinet secretaries and members of his Competition Council when journalists began shouting questions about his approach to Russia’s military build-up around Ukraine. Mr Biden complained that he was being asked about Russia and Ukraine instead of the Competition Council. That is when Mr Doocy of Fox News shouted a question about inflation. “Do you think inflation is a political liability in the midterms?” Mr Doocy asked. “No – that’s a great asset,”…

Dubai’s latest skyscraper Uptown Tower reached 329 metres last week when the 79th level had its final pouring of concrete for the roof. The building will reach 340 metres when the building’s steel crown is finished in a couple of months, DMCC, a free zone and trade and enterprise hub, said. More than 23,000 vehicles have delivered about 140,000 cubic metres of concrete to complete the project, and 30,000 tonnes of steel was used as reinforcement. Ninety per cent of the tower’s façade is finished, up to level 70. It took teams only two days per floor to construct the…

Bahrain: Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) has announced that it has started the third batch registration volunteering for civilians to join the reserve force, for relatives of workers and retirees in BDF and the National Guard (military and civilians). Applicants must be Bahraini nationals, aged between 18 and 55, have good conduct and have not been convicted for a felony or a misdemeanor that breaches honor or trust, and medically fit for military service in the reserve force and successfully pass the medical examination prescribed according to the BDF military medical committees. The age limit does not apply to technicians and…

Bahrain : Bahrain has today qualified to the 2023 World IHF Men’s World Cup, which will be co-organised by Poland and Sweden. The national team edged Iraq 34-31 in the 20th edition of Asian Championship, to book a berth in the world cup for the sixth time in the history of handball in Bahrain. Bahrain also qualified to the semi-final of the Asian Handball Championship, being hosted in Dammam, in the Eastern Province, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The national squad will take on Iraq and the winner will lead Group B in the main playoff phase and play…

Bahrain : The Nasser bin Hamad International Open Championship for Hunting with Falcons (Jeerat category) will open tomorrow, Tuesday. Falconers from Bahrain and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries will take part in the competition, scheduled to kick-off at the Bahrain International Endurance Village. The championship, which runs until Thursday, is part of the eighth edition of the Nasser Season for Falcons and Hunting. The annual competition is organised by the Bahrain Traditional Sports Committee (Mawrooth), which is an offshoot of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS). Committee member Mohammed bin Ayedh Al Adhba Al Merri stressed…

LONDON : The British government announced Monday that it is scrapping coronavirus travel testing requirements for the vaccinated, news hailed by the travel industry as a big step back to normality. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that “to show that this country is open for business, open for travelers, you will see changes so that people arriving no longer have to take tests if they have been vaccinated, if they have been double vaccinated.” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the change would take effect Feb. 11, coinciding with a midterm holiday break for many schoolchildren. “Border testing of vaccinated travelers…