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INTERNATIONAL
Omicron poses very high global risk, world must prepare: WHO
GENEVA: The heavily mutated Omicron coronavirus variant is likely to spread internationally and poses a very high risk of infection surges that could have "severe consequences" in some places, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on…
Saudi Arabia to allow conditional entry ‘from all countries’ despite Omicron
Saudi Arabia will allow entry to travellers "from all countries" as long as they have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine inside the kingdom, it said on Saturday, a day after suspending flights from seven African countries due to the…
US, Canada restrict travel from SA as new variant sparks concern
WASHINGTON: The United States, Brazil, Canada, and Saudi Arabia became the latest countries Friday to restrict travel from southern Africa, where a new Covid strain labelled a "variant of concern" has been discovered in a potentially heavy…
Eight killed in bombing near school in Somalia
MOGADISHU: Eight people were killed in a car bombing near a school in Somalia s capital Mogadishu on Thursday, police said, the latest attack claimed by Al-Shabaab.
Anguished parents rushed to the scene of the blast, which wrecked the…
Saudi Arabia allows direct entry from Pakistan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has announced on Thursday that it will allow direct entry from six countries including Pakistan, Indonesia, and Egypt without spending 14-day quarantine in a third country.
The new directive will come into force from…
UAE bans waive over DH1B debit owed by Emiratis
The UAE’s Non-performing Debt Relief Fund announced that 20 banks and financial institutions had waived the debts of 4,511 Emirati citizens, with a total value of more than AED1,157,388,000.
The banks that participated included First Abu…
India announces bill to ban cryptocurrencies
India’s government will introduce a bill to ban private cryptocurrencies and create a framework for a central bank-backed digital money, parliament said in a shock announcement.
The proposed bill “seeks to prohibit all private…
Bulgaria bus crash kills at least 45 people
At least 45 people including 12 children have died as a bus carrying mostly North Macedonian tourists crashed in flames on a highway in western Bulgaria hours before daybreak.
Seven people who leapt from the burning bus were taken to…
Saudi-led coalition destroys drone launched by Houthi rebels
RIYADH: The Saudi led Arab coalition in Yemen has intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Houthi rebels toward Saudi Arabia's Najran region.
According to Saudi state television, the drone targeted Najran airport.
Austria: Thousands of people protest against coronavirus
In Austria, tens of thousands of people protested in Vienna against coronavirus restrictions after the government announced a new lockdown and vaccine compulsion.
The far-right opposition Freedom Party is among the protestors.
Such…