9 hours ago
Emirates will restart services to Beirut, Lebanon from 1 February 2025 with a daily flight. The airline will also reinstate daily services to Baghdad in Iraq on the same day. From February, Emirates’ daily flights to Rafic Al Hariri International Airport will be served by a Boeing 777-300ER in three classes, offering more than 5,000 seats both ways each week, and adding more choice, increased comfort and enhanced connectivity from Beirut to Dubai and onwards to the airline’s network of more than 140 destinations. From 1 April 2025, the airline will scale up its operations and layer on a second daily service to Beirut with the addition of the EK957/958 morning service, which is also set to be operated with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in three classes. The airline will operate to Beirut and Baghdad with the following schedule (all times are local):
9 hours ago
The House of Representatives’ Financial and Economic Affairs Committee has officially recommended that the government consider the partial privatisation of Gulf Air, the national airline of Bahrain. This recommendation was made during a recent committee meeting chaired by MP Ahmed Al Salloom. The committee approved a proposal that urges the government to sell a portion of its ownership stake in Gulf Air, while still retaining a controlling interest of 51% through Mumtalakat Holding Company, the investment arm of the Bahrain government. This recommendation is based on a detailed proposal put forth by MP Khalid Buanaq and is driven by several key motivations that the committee believes are essential for the airline’s future. Primarily, the committee aims to address the substantial government subsidies currently allocated to Gulf Air, which represent a significant expense within the national budget. By pursuing partial privatisation, the committee anticipates a reduction in these subsidies, thereby easing the financial burden on the government. In addition to reducing subsidies, the partial privatisation is expected to lead to a comprehensive restructuring of the airline’s board and executive management. This restructuring is viewed as a crucial step toward enhancing the overall performance, operational efficiency, and profitability of Gulf Air. The […]
9 hours ago
A Bahraini consultant doctor has been acquitted of medical negligence charges by the Lower Criminal Court. The charges stemmed from allegations that the doctor prescribed inappropriate medication, resulting in an 18% impairment to the patient’s health, as assessed by a forensic physician. The court’s acquittal hinged on insufficient evidence to prove the charges. The court cited Article 255 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which mandates acquittal if the alleged offense is unproven or not punishable. The court found the evidence presented insufficient to establish guilt, specifically highlighting the lack of supporting evidence for a single doctor’s testimony alleging medical negligence. The court’s decision was further bolstered by a report from the National Committee for the Regulation of Professions and Health Services, which concluded that no medical negligence had occurred. This finding was supported by additional medical testimony presented during the investigation and trial. The court’s ruling emphasised that the prosecution’s evidence fell short of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The doctor’s defense lawyer, Mahmood Rabie, argued that the prosecution’s evidence was insufficient to meet the legal standard of proof required in criminal cases. He stressed that criminal judgments must be based on certainty and not mere conjecture or […]
9 hours ago
A recent alert from the global cybersecurity firm Trend Micro has raised concerns over a series of concentrated cyberattacks targeting routers and IP cameras in Bahrain. Since late 2024, the company has observed widespread attacks on businesses in Japan and other countries, orchestrated through a botnet composed of compromised Internet of Things (IoT) devices. These attacks leverage malware derived from the notorious Mirai and Bashlite strains, exploiting vulnerabilities that allow for remote code execution and weak passwords. Once the malware infects a device, it connects to command servers to receive attack instructions, which include various methods of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, among other functionalities like updating the malware and activating proxy services. Analysis from Trend Micro’s research division indicates that the attacks primarily target North America and Europe, with particular emphasis on the US (17% of attacks), Bahrain (10%), and Poland (9%).
9 hours ago
A man injured in a traffic accident has been awarded BD4,500 by the High Civil Court, even though the driver involved was acquitted by the Lower Criminal Court. The incident occurred in January 2023 at 4:40 pm, when the victim was crossing a road and was struck by a vehicle. He suffered a fractured pelvis and a disability assessed at 22 per cent.
9 hours ago
Doubts over mismatched car details and ownership records have cleared a 29-year-old man accused of embezzling a rental vehicle and owing BD1,530 in arrears. The court’s decision followed a compelling defence by lawyer Hanan bin Hammouda, who dismantled the prosecution’s claims by presenting evidence that contradicted the allegations. The charges alleged that between 2023 and 2024, in the Southern Governorate, the man rented a car from a company but failed to return it or pay the daily fee of BD8, resulting in overdue charges of BD1,530. However, Bin Hammouda argued that her client had returned the car and provided a criminal report to back up her claim. An employee of the rental company filed a complaint, claiming the defendant had not returned the car.
9 hours ago
The Kingdom of Bahrain has expressed its appreciation for the successful mediation efforts undertaken by the Sultanate of Oman, which led to the release of the crew of the “Galaxy Leader” vessel. The crew, consisting of 25 individuals of various nationalities, had been detained off the coast of Yemen for over a year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended Oman’s dedication in resolving this humanitarian crisis and underscored the importance of their efforts in promoting regional peace and security. Bahrain also expressed hope that this initiative would serve as a pivotal step toward fostering effective international cooperation and partnerships aimed at de-escalating tensions in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden regions. The Kingdom reiterated its support for the protection of maritime navigation and commercial shipping, by international law and relevant international agreements and resolutions. Bahrain’s endorsement highlights the country’s commitment to supporting peaceful solutions and contributing to the stability of the broader regional and global maritime community.
9 hours ago
False claims about a university degree and hidden health troubles were exposed in court, leading a woman to successfully annul her marriage contract. The Court of Cassation upheld the decision, rejecting the husband’s last-ditch appeal and ordering him to foot the legal bill. The woman, represented by lawyer Ibtisam Al Sabbagh, argued that her husband had deceived her at the time of their 2020 marriage by claiming he had finished university. In reality, he was still in secondary school, attending an adult literacy programme. Deception Adding to the deception, the husband failed to disclose his intellectual disability, learning struggles, and history of attending special education schools in a Gulf country. Witnesses backed the woman’s account, with the court accepting their statements as reliable. Initially, the Court of First Instance sided with the husband, but the woman appealed, and the Court of Appeal overturned the ruling, agreeing that the fraud gave her grounds to annul the marriage. The husband then turned to the Court of Cassation in an effort to reverse the decision. Judgment The court based its judgment on Article 116 of the Family Law No. 19 of 2017, which allows either spouse to annul a marriage if they were […]
9 hours ago
The White House announced on X that mass deportation flights of illegal aliens have already started: “Just as he promised, President Trump is sending a strong message to the world: those who enter the United States illegally will face serious consequences.” On Thursday, ABC News confirmed that four military cargo planes—two C-17s and two C-130s—are being positioned for deportation flights of illegal aliens. Just as he promised, President Trump is sending a strong message to the world: those who enter the United States illegally will face serious consequences. pic.twitter.com/yqgtF1RX6K — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 24, 2025 Click Here To Read More
16 hours ago
The oil price is lower following President Trump’s comments on oil President Donald Trump has said he will ask Saudi Arabia and other Opec nations to “bring down the cost of oil” and doubled-down on his threat to use tariffs. In a speech to executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, the US president said he was ‘surprised’ that Opec hadn’t brought down the price of oil before the elections. “Right now the price is high enough that that war will continue,” he said, referring to the Russia-Ukraine war and suggesting that the higher oil price was helping to sustain funding for the conflict in Moscow. “You gotta bring down the oil price, that will end that war. You could end that war,” he added The president’s comments on the oil price came after he spoke to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday. According to Saudi state media Bin Salman pledged to invest as much as $600bn in the US over the next four years. However, this figure was not mentioned in the White House statement after the call. Despite the cordial exchange, Trump said he would be asking “the Crown Prince, who’s a fantastic guy, […]
17 hours ago
The JEC Tower in Saudi Arabia will become the first building in the world to reach a height of 1 km (0.62 miles) New details have been revealed on what is arguably Saudi Arabia’s most ambitious current architecture project: the world’s new tallest skyscraper, which will rise to an incredible height of over 1 km (0.62 miles) in the Red Sea port city Jeddah. First unveiled as the Kingdom Tower, the project went through a few names before settling on the Jeddah Economic Company Tower (or JEC Tower). It’s designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, the former being most famous for designing the current world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, which reaches 828 m (2,716 ft). Saudi Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, who leads the project, has confirmed that the gigantic tower will reach a height of over 1 km (0.62 miles). However, he has also now said that its final height has not actually been decided and that it might even go taller. At a minimum then, this will put it at over twice the height of the Empire State Building, and almost twice the height of the USA’s tallest skyscraper, the One World Trade Center. Work on this unprecedented […]
17 hours ago
Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, has suggested that Bitcoin could reach $700,000 per coin, citing its growing role as a hedge against economic instability. His projection, sparked by a discussion with a sovereign wealth fund, highlights the increasing momentum of institutional adoption and its potential to reshape market dynamics. Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, recently speculated that Bitcoin could potentially reach valuations as high as $700,000 per BTC. This projection arises against the backdrop of intensifying concerns about currency debasement and global economic instability, positioning Bitcoin as a hedge against vulnerabilities in traditional financial systems. Fink’s remark was not an outright endorsement but rather a reflection on a recent meeting he had with a sovereign wealth fund. The fund sought advice on whether to allocate 2% or 5% of its investment portfolio to Bitcoin. According to Fink, if institutional adoption continues to grow and similar allocation strategies are embraced broadly, market dynamics could drive Bitcoin to such remarkable heights. Fink made this striking statement during a recent interview, explaining that Bitcoin’s potential for exponential growth is closely tied to fears of economic downturns and fiat currency devaluation. Fink described Bitcoin as an “international instrument” capable of mitigating localized economic fears. […]
17 hours ago
A seemingly minor parking dispute outside a private residence escalated into a violent assault,resulting in the sentencing of five men to one month in prison, according to the victims’ lawyer, Abdulatheem Abbas Hubail. The five defendants were found guilty of assault following a confrontation with two victims neartheir home. Hubail reported that the court handed down a one-month prison sentence for eachdefendant, although this sentence was suspended pending the payment of a 100 Bahrainidinar bail for each individual. Court records indicate that the altercation began when the first defendant allegedly punchedthe first victim in the face, initiating the assault. The victim sustained injuries including a bruise, a laceration to the lower lip, and pain in the middle finger of his right hand. The other four defendants then joined in the attack against the second victim. The fourthdefendant punched the victim in the back, while the fifth defendant grabbed and pulled him.The second and third defendants also participated in the assault. As a result, the second victim suffered injuries including a scratch on his left cheek, swellingand bruising near his right eye, abrasions on his left arm, and contusions to the back of hishead. The severity of the injuries required medical […]
18 hours ago
The Emirates A350 launch follows operations to Edinburgh, Kuwait, and Bahrain Emirates will introduce its Airbus A350 aircraft to India on January 26, expanding services to Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The airline will operate daily flights on two routes: Mumbai route: Ahmedabad route: Dubai’s Emirates launches new A350 services to Mumbai and Ahmedabad “The roll out of Emirates’ A350 aircraft to India, featuring the airline’s latest interiors, industry-first technologies and innovations, reinforces Emirates’ commitment to customers in India and beyond, and offers exceptional levels of comforts onboard,” the airline said in a statement on Wednesday. The A350 launch follows operations to Edinburgh, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Emirates currently serves nine points in India with 167 weekly flights, including daily A380 services to Mumbai and Bangalore. The aircraft offers four cabin classes, including Premium Economy.
18 hours ago
On January 12, RTA opened a new bridge that offers direct access to visitors to Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates The new bridge access is part of a broader strategic partnership between the Mall of the Emirates and the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Mall of the Emirates, operated by Majid Al Futtaim, has announced a series of infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving accessibility and reducing travel times for visitors. Among the key developments is a new bridge access from Umm Suqeim Bridge, which opened on January 12. “Our partnership with the RTA marks a significant step forward in enhancing accessibility to Mall of the Emirates. This milestone reduces customers’ travel time from 15 minutes to 8 minutes, improving the convenience of our visitors,” Khalifa Bin Braik, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management Business Unit told Arabian Business. Road upgrades around Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates set for completion this year Drivers coming from Umm Suqeim Bridge can now access the mall’s car park directly, avoiding the U-turn near the Dubai Police Academy. This improvement is expected to ease congestion and streamline the visitor experience. The new bridge access is part of a broader strategic partnership between the Mall […]