MANAMA, BAHRAIN – Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi has said that the hosting of the 19th Manama Dialogue here reinforces the country's leading role in analyzing key political, defense and security issues in the Middle East and beyond.The conference brings together global senior officials...

Manama, Bahrain-- Bahrain and Thailand have held discussions to enhance economic cooperation in a meeting between top officials of the two countries.In this regard, Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Political Affairs Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, today met Worawoot Pongprapapant, Director-General, Department of South Asian, Middle...

A report by S&P Global Ratings forecasts improved fiscal positions due to higher oil prices, fiscal consolidation and a robust non-hydrocarbon activity.

Manama, Bahrain-- Bahrain and Russia have held discussions to enhance cooperation in various fields of the two countries' economies. In this regard, Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Bin Daina, Minister of Oil and Environment and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, met Roman Panov, the President of the Russian GEOTEK company, a...

The emergency meetings of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation come after over one month of Israeli bombardment has killed more than 10,000 people in Gaza, many of them children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. With Israel's leaders rebuffing talk of a ceasefire until the captives...

Manama, Bahrain--Export Bahrain and Alibaba.com have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost global trade and economic growth in Bahrain.The MoU signed during the 6th China International Import Exhibition held in Shanghai, will enable Export Bahrain and Alibaba.com to leverage their respective strengths and expertise to facilitate trade, reduce...

Manama, Bahrain - Batelco, part of the Beyon Group, announces its latest service “Mobile Peering” for members of the platform. Batelco is the first in the MENA region to offer a Mobile Peering service, which is an open interconnecting solution, enabling mobile operators and Internet Packet Exchange (IPX) providers to...

Manama, Bahrain - In a convenience store in Bahrain, 14-year-old Jana Abdullah carries a tablet as she shops, checking a list of Western brands to avoid as Israel pounds Gaza in its campaign to destroy Hamas.Jana and her 10-year-old brother, Ali, used to eat at McDonald's nearly daily but they are...

Dubai, UAE-- A day after Bahrain's parliament announced that its ambassador to Israel is being recalled, the Jewish state said it had not been informed about such a move, adding that relations with the Gulf state were “stable”.According to Israel's Foreign Ministry, the country has not received any “announcement or...

Bahrain's expulsion of Israel's ambassador and halted trade may foreshadow a broader economic realignment in the Middle East, threatening key regional trade pacts.

DUBAI, UAE - Bahrain has recalled its Ambassador from Israel and decided to suspend economic relations with Tel Aviv in a show of support for the Palestinian people.Bahrain’s move comes amid Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, the Council of Representatives which is the lower house of parliament of the...

London, UK-- Bahrain and the UK have discussed way to boost bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and economic fields between the two countries.The discussions were held between Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Bahrain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Lord Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State for the Middle East, North...

Manama, Bahrain--The Supreme Council for the Environment (SCE) signed a cooperation agreement with Foulath Holding Company to boost sustainable development goals in Bahrain.The agreement aimed at planting and preserving mangrove trees in line with the sustainable development goals (SDGs).Amna Hamad Al Rumaihi, Acting Director of the Communication and Environmental Awareness...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - GFH Capital is considering the offering of its unit in Saudi Arabia on the Tadawul.GFH Group's plans are unchanged with regard to listing in other markets, CEO Razi Al Murbati said.The group is listed on the stock exchanges of Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait, indicating...

The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also called for the release of some 200 hostages held by Hamas, as well as the restoration of basic services for Palestinians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Manama, Bahrain--Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB) has attracted $295 million in direct investments within the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector as part of a total projected direct investment worth $1.4 billion, during the first nine months of 2023. Stemming from 14 local and international projects, the direct investments...

As Israel prepares for a ground offensive into the Gaza Strip, the international community has mobilized to try to protect civilians and prevent the conflict spreading across the region. But Tel Aviv's avowed determination to crush Hamas, the group behind the October 7 attack on Israel, are hampering mediation efforts.

"No to the occupation! No to America!" chanted demonstrators gathered in central Baghdad after Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr called for a protest "in support of Gaza" and against Israel, an AFP journalist reported.

Sochi, Russia -.Starting in 2024, travelers from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Malaysia  and Bahrain may no longer need tourist visas to visit Russia,  Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dmitry Vakhrukov said on the sidelines of the FTT-2023 Forum of Tourism Territories, Tass reported."I reckon this could happen next year. We...

Israel imposed a total siege on the Gaza Strip and cut off the water supply as it kept bombing targets in the Palestinian enclave in response to the Hamas surprise assault it has likened to the 9/11 attacks. Israel has counted over 700 dead and launched strikes on Gaza that...

MANAMA, BAHRAIN – This week’s US$186 million (BD 70 million) issue of Government Treasury Bills has been oversubscribed by 270 percent. The bills, carrying a maturity of 91 days, are issued by the CBB, on behalf of the Government of Bahrain. The issue date of the bills is October 4,...

Manama, Bahrain - A fourth Bahraini soldier has died after an attack this week on his country's contingent in the Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen's Houthi rebels, the Gulf archipelago's army said.Bahrain had previously announced the deaths of three of its soldiers in Monday's attack near the Saudi border with Yemen. It...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Saudi Arabia on Tuesday condemned an attack on its territory that killed two Bahraini military personnel near the border with war-torn Yemen.Bahrain's military said late Monday that one officer and one enlisted soldier had been killed in what it described as a drone attack perpetrated by Yemen's Houthi rebels.The...

The victims "were martyred while performing their sacred national duty to defend the southern borders of the sister Kingdom of Saudi Arabia", which has led a military coalition against Yemen's Houthi rebels since 2015, the military said in a statement. The incident occurred as Saudi Arabia is pushing for a...

MANAMA, BAHRAIN - This week’s BD 70 million (US$186 issue of Government Treasury Bills has been oversubscribed by 149 percent.The bills, carrying a maturity of 91 days, are issued by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The issue date of the...

MANAMA, BAHRAIN - The Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) and the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) have decided to jointly provide training programs aimed at strengthening the global Islamic finance community.The programs cater to professionals from financial institutions, regulatory bodies, supervisory authorities and legal experts within the Islamic...

Manama, Bahrain--Spire Technologies has obtained licenses from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), authorizing it to operate as a fully regulated open banking ancillary service provider in Bahrain.The approval from the CBB will effectively enable Spire Technologies to expand its offerings, delivering expert financial insights and swift digital solutions to...

Bahrain FinTech Bay is a fintech ecosystem builder.

According to some activists at least 800 inmates joined the strike, the biggest in Bahrain's history. But Bahraini authorities said only 121 inmates took part. The mass hunger strike was suspended after 36 days in the wake of assurances from the authorities to improve conditions. Activists said some prisoner's health...

This was Investcorp's fourth exit in India in just a few years.

Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), Russia's Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov said that his country has offered the complete cancellation of tourist visas to Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. "We are exploring the topic of making the transition to visa-free travels," he added.

Manama, Bahrain--GCC Secretary-General Jassim Al-Budaiwi has emphasized the crucial role of the private sector in ensuring a sustainable and resilient Gulf economy. Al-Budaiwi made these remarks during his speech at the 62nd meeting of the Board of Directors of the Gulf Chambers, hosted by Bahrain.The meeting was chaired by Hassan...

Cairo, Egypt-- Vowing to expand their relations to cultural, educational, environmental, and energy fields, Arab states and Japan have expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation between the two.Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, participated in the third session of the Arab-Japan Political Dialogue chaired...

Saudi Arabia and UAE lead the region in rapidly embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, shifting from traditional factories to smart ones.

"The foreign minister and I agreed that we should work together to increase the number of direct flights, the tourism, the trade volume, the investment," Eli Cohen said during a ceremony to inaugurate Israel's new embassy. The embassy in the capital Manama will replace the first embassy Israel opened in...

Cohen's trip comes less than two weeks before the third anniversary of the accords in mid-September. Despite now having steady ties, Bahrain and the UAE have joined other Gulf Arab states in issuing a series of condemnations against Israel this year.

With a prolonged internal conflict anticipated and both the military and economy showing signs of strain, Israel's regional standing is being affected, say experts.

GCC banks experienced robust lending growth during Q2-2023, despite multi-decade high rates from US hikes, with loans from GCC-listed banks hitting a record $1.9 trillion.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The Gulf Federation for Electronic Sports was established Thursday on the sidelines of the Next World Forum, to support, nurture, and develop Gulf talents through annual tournaments hosted by all countries.The launch was attended by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi E-Sports...

DUBAI, UAE - Bahraini authorities have agreed to offer prisoners extra rights, including more visiting hours, following a mass hunger strike that activists say is the largest in the country's history.The interior ministry late on Monday said it would "increase the duration of visitations" and was looking to raise the time...

Manama, Bahrain--Bahrain and the United States have reviewed joint cooperation, partnership and strategic dialogue in the political, economic and security fields.The review came up in a meeting between Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Political Affairs Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and Paul Dean, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the...

Manama, Bahrain--Bahrain has indicated its keenness to encourage investments in the kingdom's oil and environmental projects through partnerships with the private sector, especially banks, to achieve sustainable development goals.Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Daina, Oil and Environment Minister, Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, has affirmed the government’s keenness to encourage...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - After being banned in several Arab countries, blockbuster film Barbie in Saudi Arabia is drawing huge crowds.The unexpected success of the film Barbie in Saudi Arabia has become a symbol of the dramatic societal changes taking place in the Middle East. Despite calls for its ban...

But by 2050, sea levels could rise by at least 0.5 metre, according to the minister, citing the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Some experts view the estimate as conservative. Rising seas aggravate flooding, threaten coastlines and could pollute Bahrain's already scarce groundwater reserves with salty seawater.

With support from a military force from neighboring Saudi Arabia, Bahrain crushed the 2011 protests which had demanded a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister.Bahrain faced US criticism at the time, with former president Barack Obama imposing an arms embargo for four years. But Obama's successor Donald Trump fully...

Manama, Bahrain - Tamkeen, a semi-autonomous government agency, tasked with developing Bahrain's private sector has decided to support the Bahrain-based business-to-business (B2B) tendering platform, Procural, as part of its effort to create new jobs for Bahrainis. The support will enable Procural to enhance its ability to use cloud-based technology and...

Three thousand additional US personnel on troop-landing warships have already passed through the Red Sea, and US-led maritime forces are warning ships against approaching Iranian waters. The moves follow a spate of capture and attempted capture of ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz, the U-shaped gateway to the...

Central banks are prioritizing fiscal and monetary policy coordination to boost macroeconomic stability, cut inflationary pressures, and support long-term growth.

Manama, Bahrain - The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has said its monthly issue of the Sukuk Al-Salam Islamic securities has been oversubscribed by 319 percent.Subscriptions worth BD 137.151 million ($364m) were received for the BD 43 million ($114m) issue, which carries a maturity of 91 days.The expected return on...

Its net profit rose to US$4.14m as against US$3.96m last year.