Author: News Desk

London : The number of people who contracted the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has exceeded 226.97 million people , while 4,872,573have passed away due to the pandemic, according to a Reuters tally. Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

TORONTO :  Foreign investors are growing more worried that Canada’s federal election on Monday could result in a deadlock that hampers Ottawa’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and further slows the economic recovery from the crisis. Polls show Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s center-left Liberals virtually tied with the opposition Conservatives ahead of the Sept. 20 vote, raising the prospect that no party will be able to form even a stable minority government. Adding to the uncertainty is an expected increase in mail-in voting that could delay the counting of ballots in some key electoral ridings. Financial markets generally view Canadian…

ZURICH : The World Economic Forum (WEF) is to take place in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos next year on Jan. 17-21, reverting to an in-person meeting of world and business leaders, organisers said on Thursday. The meeting will focus on accelerating stakeholder capitalism, harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and ensuring a more inclusive future of work, WEF organisers said in a statement. The COVID-19 pandemic forced organisers last year to shift the WEF annual meeting to Singapore and then cancel it altogether, raising questions over whether the high-profile event would return to Switzerland at all. Reuters

China has denounced a historic security pact between the US, UK and Australia, describing the alliance as “extremely irresponsible” and “narrow minded”. The pact, announced on Wednesday, will see the US and UK provide Australia with the technology to build nuclear-powered submarines for the first time. It is being widely viewed as an effort to counter China’s influence in the contested South China Sea. The region has been a flashpoint for years and tensions there remain high. On Thursday, Chinese Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the newly announced alliance risked “severely damaging regional peace… and intensifying the arms race”.…

Bahrain: His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today issued Decree-Law 22/2021, promulgating the issuance of the Execution Law in the Civil and Commercial Matters. The Prime Minister, and ministers, each in their respective capacity, shall implement the provisions of this decree-law which takes effect six months after its publication in the Official Gazette.

Bahrain : Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, today paid inspection visits to several BDF units, where he was informed about their combat readiness and administrative preparedness, as part of his constant field visits to all BDF’s branches and units. The Commander-in-Chief stressed the BDF’s unwavering resolve to carry developing its branches and modernising its training programmes, in implementation of the sound visions of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander, so that Bahrain remains secure and stable. He urged all BDF affiliates to continue working with…

Geneva: The head of the United Nations called Thursday for “immediate, rapid and large-scale” cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to curb global warming and avert climate disaster. Ahead of the annual U.N. General Assembly meeting next week, Antonio Guterres warned governments that climate change is proceeding faster than predicted and fossil fuel emissions have already bounced back from a pandemic dip., AP reports Speaking at the launch of a U.N.-backed report summarizing current efforts to tackle climate change, Guterres said recent extreme weather — from Hurricane Ida in the United States to floods in western Europe and the deadly heatwave…

Bahrain :  The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has introduced a new license category of investment firms under the CBB Rulebook Volume 4 – Investment Business. The new license category caters to the business models of specialist fund managers who operate/manage/market Collective Investment Undertakings (CIUs) i.e. funds, targeted at ‘accredited investors’ only (i.e. investors with a net worth of USD 1 million and above and not offered to ‘retail investors’ as defined under the CBB regulations). Examples of such funds include private equity funds, hedge funds, structured funds, real estate funds, venture capital funds and other alternative investment funds. The…

Bahrain : Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, celebrated today the 5000th flight departure from Bahrain International Airport’s new terminal as flight GF003 to London Heathrow marked the operational milestone. A small event was organised at the departure gate of the mentioned flight that was attended by the airline’s executive management and a number of officials from Bahrain International Airport, Bahrain Airport Services, Bahrain’s Civil Aviation Affairs and the Ministry of Interior. Passengers of that flight were also included in the celebration by handing them special commemorative giveaways marking the 5000th departure. Gulf Air’s Acting Chief…

Manuka honey, premium lamb and fresh-as-can-be seafood. There are some ingredients that New Zealand is known for and Tiaki, the official restaurant of the New Zealand pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, will pay tribute to all of them. The pavilion recently unveiled its licensed concept, which launches on October 1 and will continue for the six-month duration of the Expo, and The National got a sneak peek. Thought has clearly been put into every aspect of the restaurant, starting with its name. Tiaki means to care, safeguard, protect and preserve in the Maori language, underpinning the New Zealand pavilion’s theme for Expo…