Month: June 2024

Brussels, The Kingdom of Bahrain, represented by a delegation led by Abdulla Faisal Al Doseri, Bahraini Ambassador to Belgium and Head of the Diplomatic Mission to the European Union (EU), participated in the second edition of the Schuman Security and Defence Forum 2024.

Participants from more than 60 countries and representatives from international and regional organisations attended the forum.

The forum aimed at discussing common security and defense issues between the EU and international partners, including strategic partnerships, hybrid security threats, human security and the role of women, youth and the environment within the framework of security and defense, maritime security, counterterrorism, and sustainable security partnerships.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa sent a cable of congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah, the newly appointed Crown Prince of Kuwait.

His Majesty wished him continued success in serving his country and achieving the aspirations of the Kuwaiti people in terms of progress, development and prosperity under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Meshaal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Amir of Kuwait.

HM King Hamad praised the solid deep-rooted Bahraini-Kuwaiti relations and the mutual keenness to strengthen them.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Gaza, The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has suspended its work in Rafah after the Israeli army entered the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip.

“UNRWA had to stop health and other critical services in Rafah,” the UN agency’s chief Philippe Lazzarini wrote on social media platform X on Saturday evening.

The aid organisation is now working from the city of Khan Younis north of Rafah and from the central Gaza Strip. “In Khan Younis we restarted operations despite damage to all our facilities,” Lazzarini wrote.

The UNRWA staff had left Rafah and were continuing their work in Khan Younis, according to the Deutsche Press Agency (dpa).

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued their operation in Gaza’s Rafah on Saturday despite extensive international criticism.

According to the UNRWA chief, there are currently 1.7 million people in Khan Younis in the south of the coastal area and in the central Gaza Strip.

UNRWA began to gradually resume its work in Kha
n Younis following the withdrawal of the Israeli army in April and is now primarily providing services there.

Previously, the agency’s work focused on Rafah. Lazzarini said all 36 of the aid organisation’s shelters there are now empty.

UNRWA said thousands of displaced people are now living amidst rubble and in destroyed aid organization facilities in the Jabalia refugee camp after the Israeli army recently withdrew from the town in the north of the Gaza Strip.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Seoul, South Korea’s exports extended on-year gains to the eighth straight month in May on the back of strong shipments of semiconductors, data showed Saturday.

Outbound shipments rose 11.7 percent on-year to US$58.1 billion last month, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Imports shed 2 percent on-year to $53.1 billion last month, resulting in a trade surplus of $4.96 billion. South Korea has been maintaining a trade surplus for 12 consecutive months, Yonhap News Agency reported.

It was also the highest trade surplus in 41 months.

By sector, exports of chips jumped 54.5 percent year-on-year to reach $11.38 billion, maintaining growth for seven straight months.

The growth came amid the rising global demand for automotive chips, along with premium memory chips, the ministry said.

Outbound shipments of display products also rose 15.8 percent over the period to $1.63 billion, the highest monthly figure for 2024, tracking the robust performance of the smartphone sect
or.

Car exports moved up 4.8 percent to $6.49 billion, the highest for any May, following the increased sales of premium eco-friendly cars and SUVs.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Riyadh, The Public Security of Saudi Arabia has started enforcing penalties for those violating Hajj regulations and instructions without a Hajj permit in Makkah, the central area, the holy sites, the Haramain train station, security checkpoints, screening centres, and temporary security checkpoints. This measure will be in effect from June 2 to June 20.

The Public Security has announced that a fine of SAR 10,000 on anyone found violating Hajj regulations without a permit, applicable to citizens, residents, and visitors, SPA reported.

Residents will be deported to their home countries and barred from re-entering Saudi Arabia for specified periods as stipulated by law.

The Public Security emphasised that repeat offenders will face a doubled fine, noting the importance of adhering to Hajj regulations and instructions.

The penalty for anyone caught transporting Hajj violators without a permit is imprisonment for up to 6 months and a fine of up to SAR 50,000. There will also be a demand for the confiscation o
f the vehicle used in the offence by a court order.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Beijing, China’s Chang’e-6 touched down on the far side of the moon on Sunday morning, and will collect samples from this rarely explored terrain for the first time in human history, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced.

Supported by the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, the lander-ascender combination of the Chang’e-6 probe successfully landed at the designated landing area at 6:23 a.m. (Beijing Time) in the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Source: Bahrain News Agency