Author: News Desk

Tokyo :  Japan’s prime minister outlined Friday a record 56 trillion yen, or $490 billion stimulus package, including cash handouts and aid to ailing businesses, to help the economy out of the doldrums worsened by the coronavirus pandemic. “The package has more than enough content and scale to deliver a sense of security and hope to the people,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters. The proposal from Kishida was set for Cabinet approval later in the day, but still needs parliamentary approval. Kishida has promised speedy action, and parliament is expected to convene next month. The plan includes doling out…

India : In a surprise announcement, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Friday his government will withdraw the controversial agriculture laws that prompted yearlong protests from tens of thousands of farmers and posed a significant political challenge to his administration. The decision is a major climbdown by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party government, which enjoys a brute majority in Parliament but has been often accused by opposition leaders and constitutional experts of ramming through laws without enough consultation. The decision also came ahead of key elections in states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, and on the day of the Guru Purab festival, when…

Baghdad : The Governor of Karbala Governorate, Nassif Jassim Al-Khattabi, received the Consul General of the Kingdom of Bahrain in Najaf, Ambassador Abdullatif Jassem Al-Sakran. The Governor welcomed  the Ambassador, congratulating him on the occasion of assuming the position of Consul General of the Kingdom of Bahrain in Najaf. He praised his efforts to strengthen joint cooperation between both countries, appreciating Bahrain’s stances in support of the Republic of Iraq in all forums and its participation in the international coalition to combat terrorism in  Iraq. The Ambassador expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Governor, looking forward to strengthening joint…

Washington : Reviving three-way North American summit after a five-year break, President Joe Biden on Thursday joined with the leaders of Canada and Mexico to declare their nations can work together and prove “democracies can deliver” even as they sort out differences on key issues. But as Biden, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, spoke of their mutual respect, the three leaders also found themselves dealing with fresh strains on trade, immigration, climate change and other matters. “We can meet all the challenges if we just take the time to speak to…

TIJUANA : As darkness fell, about 250 police officers and city workers swept into a squalid camp for migrants hoping to apply for asylum in the United States. Migrants had to register for credentials or leave. Within hours, those who stayed were surrounded by enough chain-link fence to extend twice the height of the Statue of Liberty. The Oct. 28 operation may have been the beginning of the end for a camp that once held about 2,000 people and blocks a major border crossing to the United States. There may be more camps to come. First lady Jill Biden sharply…

Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday she doesn’t feel underused, pushing back against media reports of White House tensions between her office and the president’s. “I’m very, very excited about the work that we have accomplished,” Harris said in an interview aired on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “But I am also absolutely, absolutely clear-eyed that there is a lot more to do, and we’re gonna get it done.” President Joe Biden has tasked Harris with addressing migration at the southern U.S. border, voting rights, COVID-19 vaccinations and other issues. Last week, she was in France, part of a U.S. effort to mend relations with America’s…

Bahrain : The Economic Development Board (EDB) confirmed it will continue to attract investments in the logistics sector to enable its continued growth and further its contribution to the country’s GDP, in support of the Kingdom’s comprehensive development, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and to achieve the development visions of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Economic Development Board. The EDB will focus on the subsectors offering companies strong competitive advantages, including integrated logistics services (3PL), courier and express, niche logistics services, as…

Bahrain : His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today issued Edict (63) of 2021, adopting the Annual Report of the Education and Training Quality Authority (BQA) for 2021. The edict stipulates the following: Article 1 The Annual Report of the Education and Training Quality Authority for the year 2021 is adopted and shall be published in accordance with the BQA system of issuing reports of the national reviews and examinations issued by Edict (49) of 2009. Article 2 This Edict shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall take effect…

Riyadh : The Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a ‘health passport’, which ensures that citizens and residents traveling between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia meet criteria set by both Kingdoms to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19). The move supports the efforts of the National Taskforce for Combatting the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The MoU was signed by iGA Chief Executive, Mohammed Ali Al Qaed and SDAIA President, Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi at a ceremony at SDAIA’s premises in Riyadh, in the presence of Shaikh Hmood bin…

Bahrain : His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al-Faisal, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the High Equestrian Commission and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Horse Racing Club in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today arrived in the Kingdom of Bahrain, to attend the third edition of the Bahrain International Trophy. Upon arrival, His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club High Committee, welcomed HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al-Faisal to the Kingdom of Bahrain wishing him a pleasant stay in his second…