RCSI Bahrain honours Palm Association and Esterad

Thanks to the generosity of the Palm Association, a local charity committed to supporting less fortunate Bahraini families and Esterad, the Kingdom's only publicly quoted investment company, 13 students were able to take their first steps towards a future in medicine and nursing and embark on their journey at RCSI Bahrain this year. As a thanks for their efforts and generous contribution, RCSI Bahrain organised a dinner for all those involved.

The sponsorship of the 13 students, 5 medical, 3 nursing and 5 masters in nursing students, is a reflection of Esterad's commitment to its strategy to help promote the importance of further education for young Bahraini's.

Subhi Ben Khadra, CEO of Esterad, commented:

"Esterad Charitable Trust is proud to be associated with this project. Whether we help create a new model for medical research or pioneer innovative ideas for further education in Bahrain, we are ultimately empowering the most talented people in each field and encouraging them to pursue their potential, thus ultimately allowing them to serve their community in the future."


Commenting on the sponsorship, a member of the Palm Association committee and a Meducation coordinator said, "You get a great feeling when you help people become more motivated and guide them to the source of their own power. The generosity of Esterad and RSCI Bahrain has been a great inspiration for us and certainly pushed us ladies to strive harder to make sure our youngsters who are serious about their medical education and who want to give back to their country, get the chance to do so."

Professor Kevin O'Malley, Foundation President of RCSI Bahrain said, "We are very fortunate to have the Palm Association's support and are very grateful for Esterad generosity. Often students wishing to continue on with further education are unable to do so due to the costs involved. Sponsorship allows those students who ordinarily may not be able to pursue the root of further education, to do so, and gain a specialist education in their career of choice. I would like to thank both Esterad and the Palm Association for their efforts and contributions."

Opened in 2004, RCSI Bahrain is a not-for-profit University whose role is to provide healthcare education and training to international standards for students from Bahrain, other GCC countries and beyond. Acredited by the Higher Education Council in Bahrain and the GCC Medical Schools Deans' Committee in February 2006, RCSI Bahrain has continued to grow its curriculum and now offers additional healthcare programmes including the regions first Masters in Nursing programme which was launched in early May 2009.

Source:ameinfo.com/

HEALTH-BAHRAIN: Men Bring HIV Home

Somaya Al Jowder: "Most of the women contracted the virus through sexual relations mainly with their infected husbands"





MANAMA, Dec 2 (IPS) - Umbassil* is unlike other engaged women. Instead of planning her wedding she is wondering where she will have her baby. She is not pregnant but she knows that Bahrain's maternity hospitals will not admit her because she is HIV positive.

The 26 year old who refuses to allow HIV to stop her from living her life to the fullest, is bothered by the prospect of being forced to deliver her baby in a country other than her own.

"I have come to terms with artificial insemination and caesarean section (C-section) to protect my future husband and baby from contracting the virus, but I cannot accept (that I have) to deliver far away from my country and family members," she told IPS.

Umbassil contracted the virus a few months ago from her previous fiancée who initiated unprotected sex. The two were married according to Muta'a or the temporary marriage custom prevalent in many Arab countries, which does not have legal sanction but is socially accepted.

She discovered her HIV status only after she underwent an HIV/AIDS test, which is a compulsory procedure for the government to acknowledge a marriage.

"It (sex without condoms) is a selfish act by most infected husbands who don't consider the health and well-being of their wives," comments Dr Somaya Al Jowder, director of the National Programme of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases. All Bahraini citizens infected with HIV are treated free under the government-run programme.

A total of 42 women like Umbassil have tested positive in Bahrain after unprotected sex with their infected fiancées or husbands.

Unfortunately, says Al Jowder, most infected people here do not disclose their HIV/AIDS status for fear of rejection.

In Bahrain, there is a lot of ignorance around the disease, even among health professionals, she told IPS. Doctors refuse to do an invasive C-section for HIV positive women, even though it reduces the risk of their babies contracting the virus. But hospitals do admit them for normal deliveries.

Infected Bahraini women face far more discrimination than the men who are responsible for bringing HIV into homes in this patriarchal society.

"There are 180 living HIV/AIDS patients, including 42 women, and they are few compared with Bahrain's population that exceeded 1 million at the end of 2008. Most of the women contracted the virus through sexual relations mainly with their infected husbands," Al Jowder said in an interview.

"We advice the females to not conceive and tell her about the best family planning methods, but if they insist, then we monitor their pregnancies and put them on medication (AZT) to save the babies," she explains. Pregnant women are prescribed the drug, which is administered free for all Bahraini citizens, from the fourth month of pregnancy.

HIV positive mothers delivered more than 10 healthy babies naturally in the last 20 years. In five cases the women were not on AZT. The drug reduces to 2 percent the chances of babies contracting the infection from their mothers.

Umbassil has been told that the best maternity facilities for HIV infected pregnant women are available in Egypt and Lebanon. But she is worried about how she and her fiancée would be able to afford the high cost of treatment.

So far, she has kept her HIV status a secret from everybody except her current fiancée and therapy and medical groups. "It is hard for me to hide such a horrible fact, but I have no option as my in-laws might force my fiancée to dump me," she says.

Fear of social prejudice has forced Umali, an AIDS activist "outside my country" from publicising her 15-year-old HIV status. She has not told her friends or relatives in case they refuse to let her into their homes.

Her husband, a reformed drug addict who campaigns, like her, for Bahrain's HIV/AIDS community in international fora, infected her.

"I'm an AIDS-fighting activist outside my country as there I feel free to fight for my right and defend HIV/AIDS patients. At home I have to put up with maltreatment and ignorance," says Umali.

She says she is very close to her sisters "but they don't eat anything I make or from my dishes for fear of infection," she confides. "It hurts when the people dearest to you don't accept a glass of water from you."

Social prejudice is not the only problem for Shafiqa who got the virus from her late husband 14 years ago. The lack of sensitivity from people who should know better bothers her more, she says, giving the example of a laboratory where she goes for a blood test regularly.

"We have to check the level of the virus in our blood regularly, so many lab specialists refuse to take our blood because we are HIV/AIDS patients, although they are wearing gloves all the times," she told IPS.

Shafiqa says that if medical professionals are unaware that HIV/AIDS patients are more at risk from infections contracted from so-called normal people because of their weak immune systems, how can ordinary people know any better.

The Bahrain government, through the National Programme of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases, is planning to draft a law to protect the rights of HIV/ AIDS patients, including women, and eliminate discrimination.

*All names used are pseudonyms to protect the women interviewed

Bahrain best country for expats: poll

By Adam Gonn/Manama

A new poll commissioned by HSBC Bank International has rated Bahrain the top nation for expatriates in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region and among the top five globally.

The Expat Experience poll which is in its second year, surveyed 3,146 people working in 30 different industries and 50 countries, regarding their integration into local society, as well as their quality of life.

“In Bahrain, we have made a commitment to creating an attractive business environment for international companies looking to access the trillion dollar market of the Gulf,” Kamal Ahmed, chief operating officer of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) told The Media Line.

The EDB has the overall responsibility for creating the right climate to attract foreign investment.

“For those moving to our country, we know the factors they face when organising a new life,” Ahmed said, “and this report shows that Bahrain is not just the ideal location to do business in and from, but a great place to live as well.”

“We were really excited to have 12 new countries featured this year and Bahrain was one of the unexpected new entries,” Betony Taylor, corporate communications manager with HSBC Bank International told The Media Line.

“Expats living in the country rated it really highly for ease of integration,” Taylor said. “Overall it ranked as the best country to join local community groups and co-ordinate health care.”

“Respondents found it less easy to make local friends and learn the languages (Arabic, Farsi and Urdu),” Taylor said. “But the country ranked in the top five when it came to finding a home, setting up finances, and finding good schools.”

According to the survey some 81% of all expatriates in Bahrain are ‘expat-lifers’ meaning they stay for over five years, something often taken by analysts as an indication of satisfaction.

The survey included 23 parameters ranging from organising children’s schooling, finding somewhere to live and finding love.

Bahrain like many other Gulf countries is rich in natural resources such as oil and natural gas which currently provide 70% of the national income. Fears Bahrain’s economy may be overly reliant on these finite resources have prompted the government to work on diversifying the national economy.

The main fields under development are construction, Islamic banking and an emergent metal industry using the country’s cheap energy prices to establish aluminium and iron smelting plants.

While a large expatriate community has contributed to the country’s knowledge and skills base vital to its economic diversification, criticisms have been levelled at the policy for causing high unemployment rates as nationals are unable to compete with expatriates for jobs in the private sector.

The official unemployment rate in Bahrain stands at 3.5%, although the actual figure is believed to be much higher. In order to tackle this problem a new initiative has been set up to replace high numbers of expatriates with nationals.

The new programme aims to place 35,000 well-educated Bahrainis with high-skill levels in positions currently held by qualified expatriates and to train 150,000 nationals with high school degrees to take up entry level positions in the private sector. - The Media Line

Source:gulf-times.com/

Fatal flaw in Bahrain's human rights record

There is a spanner in the works which will stop Bahrain from ever achieving a clean human rights record, unless it is dealt with.

I am talking about the bodies of law enforcement, the police, the public prosecution and the courts - all of which ignore two fundamental human rights.

One is the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and the other is the right to liberty, two inalienable rights denied in this country on a daily basis.

A case in point is the repeatedly delayed trial of 43 people in connection to an alleged prostitution racket at a hotel which was raided and closed in October.

Among those arrested in the raid were hotel staff, some of who were in jobs in which it is highly unlikely that they would be aware of, let alone involved in, the alleged sex racket.

So unless the law now says that if you work in a hotel and the police find prostitutes there, then you too are guilty, at least some of the 43 should have been let go or at the very least granted bail.

But that would require the police and public prosecutors taking time to look at each case individually and in cases such as this, it does not seem to happen.

Instead, they are all charged, chucked in jail and left there until the court sorts it all out, one way or another.

What is needed in this country is a writ of habeas corpus, under which the police or prosecution can be ordered to produce any detained individual in court, so a judge can assess if there are legal grounds for that person to be held.

A writ of habeas corpus may be filed by any prisoner, or rather by his or her legal representative.

This would put the onus on investigators to gather far more evidence before they arrest someone and it would also make bail a far more likely outcome of the initial court hearing.

The system as it is works like trawl fishing - throw out a big enough net, haul in enough suspects and maybe the guilty will be in the catch too.

As a result innocent people may spend months in custody, robbing them of their jobs and credibility in the community. lhorton@gdn.com.bh

Source:gulf-daily-news.com/

AI urges clemency for Bangladeshi in Bahrain

London, Dec 5 (bdnews24.com)—Amnesty International is appealing to the King of Bahrain to stop the execution of a Bangladeshi man, currently facing what would be a rare execution in the country.

Jassim Abdul Mannan is facing death by firing squad unless the Bahraini king, Shaikh Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa, grants clemency.

In Bahrain, the king ratifies death sentences and if he does so Mr Abdul Mannan could be executed within weeks. Amnesty International has issued an "urgent action" appeal, meaning its supporters are contacting the Bahraini king and the Bahraini embassy in London.

Amnesty International UK anti-death penalty campaigner Kim Manning Cooper said: "Amnesty opposes the death penalty in all instances, but it's especially disappointing when a country that rarely carries out executions bends upon this cruel and unnecessary punishment.

"We are not seeking to minimise the impact of a serious crime like murder, but King Khalifa should exercise mercy and prevent this judicial killing."

Mr Abdulmanan was originally sentenced to death by the country's High Criminal Court in January 2007, after being found guilty of the murder in October 2005 of another Bangladeshi called Ridar Mian. Two other Bangladeshi nationals implicated in the case were sentenced to life imprisonment.

After all the three men lodged an appeal in April this year, the country's Supreme Appeal Court reduced the two life sentences to 15 years' imprisonment but upheld the death sentence against Jassim Abdul Manan. On 16 November 2009, the Court of Cassation in Bahrain upheld the death penalty against Abdul Mannan, leaving only the king to decide his fate.

The death penalty is rarely carried out in Bahrain. In the last five years it is believed that only six people have been sentenced to death. In December 2006, three Bangladeshi nationals were executed, the first people to be put to death in Bahrain since 1996. Amnesty fears that the death penalty in Bahrain is disproportionately used against foreign nationals.

In December last year, the Bahraini government abstained in the vote for a United Nations resolution calling for a moratorium on executions globally. The resolution was passed by a vote of 106 in favour to 46 against, with 34 abstentions.

Source:bdnews24.com/

HRH PREMIER PRAISES BAHRAINI ECONOMIC SUCCESSES

MANAMA, DEC.5.(BNA) -- HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRIME MINISTER PRINCE KHALIFA BIN SALMAN AL KHALIFA TODAY ASSERTED THAT WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN BAHRAIN DURING LONG DECADES IS THE OUTCOME OF THE EFFORTS EXERTED BY ALL BAHRAINIS AND THEIR COHESION WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP.
HRH THE PREMIER EXPRESSED HIS PRIDE OVER THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SUCCESSES REALIZED DURING THE LAST DECADE UNDER THE WISE LEADERSHIP OF HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA. SPEAKING TO AL BILAD NEWSPAPER, HRH THE PREMIER ALSO CALLED FOR THE NEED TO PRESERVE THIS HIGH LEVEL OF SUCCESS AND PROMOTE IT BY ENGAGING IN OTHER CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND COMPLETING OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS RELATED TO EDUCATION, HEALTH AND HOUSING. HRH THE PREMIER ALSO EXPRESSED HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE AND WISHED TO CARRY OUT MORE SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE KINGDOM. THE SUCCESS OF BAHRAINI ECONOMIC EXPERIENCES AND PLANS IS DUE TO THE POTENTIAL OF THE BAHRAINI INDIVIDUAL WHO IS THE REAL FORTUNE IN THE KINGDOM, HE ADDED. /OUR AMBITIONS ARE ENDLESS, AND WE WILL NEVER SPARE ANY EFFORT TO SERVE OUR NATION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE MORE PROSPERITY AND PROGRESS,/ HRH THE PREMIER SAID, ADDING THAT DEVELOPMENT IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS WHICH IS ASSESSED FROM TIME TO TIME. SPEAKING ABOUT THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS, HRH THE PRIME MINISTER AFFIRMED THAT BAHRAIN HAS SUCCEEDED IN AVOIDING ITS REPERCUSSIONS THROUGH THE NUMEROUS PRECAUTIONARY AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES TAKEN TO SOLIDIFY THE KINGDOM'S WORLDLY TRUSTED ECONOMY. BAHRAIN'S ECONOMY GREW BY 6.5 ' IN 2008 BECAUSE THE KINGDOM DEALT WITH THE CRISIS REALISTICALLY AND SCIENTIFICALLY AND TOOK THE NECESSARY PROCEDURES TO PROTECT IT, WHICH LIMITED THE EFFECTS, HE ADDED. HRH THE PREMIER ALSO LAUDED THE ECONOMIC STRATEGY ADOPTED BY BAHRAIN ECONOMIC VISION 2030 AND THE MAJOR ROLE PLAYED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS CROWN PRINCE SALMAN BIN HAMAD AL KHALIFA IN BOOSTING THE GOVERNMENT'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL POLICIES TO UPGRADE ECONOMY. HRH THE PREMIER ALSO HAILED THE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN THE FINANCIAL AND BANKING SECTORS TO MAKE SURE A CRISIS AS SUCH WILL NEVER HAPPEN. THE PREMIER ALSO PRAISED THE BAHRAINI-ASIAN RELATIONS, ESPECIALLY THAT WITH THAILAND. HRH THE PREMIER ALSO INDICATED THE VARIETY OF INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH ASIAN COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY IN INDUSTRIAL, AGRICULTURAL AND SERVICE SECTORS. HRH THE PREMIER ALSO CALLED FOR BOOSTING ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL COUNTRIES IN GENERAL AND THOSE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION IN PARTICULAR. HRH THE PREMIER ALSO STRESSED THE NEED TO ACHIEVE ALIMENTARY SECURITY FOR GCC COUNTRIES THROUGH ATTAINING SELF-SUFFICIENCY AT THE LEVEL OF THE MAIN FOODSTUFFS IN ORDER TO AVOID THE REPERCUSSIONS OF ANY GLOBAL CRISIS AND PRICE RISES. GCC COUNTRIES HAVE SUCCEEDED IN SECURING THEIR NEEDS AT REASONABLE PRICES, HE ALSO SAID. HRH THE PREMIER CALLED THE NEIGHBOURING GCC COUNTRIES TO BUY ASIAN FERTILE LANDS AND CARRY OUT AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS TO MEET LOCAL FOOD NEEDS. IN ANOTHER CONTEXT, HRH THE PREMIER HAILED THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN BAHRAIN IN ALL DEVELOPMENT FIELDS, NOTING THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS KEEN TO ENSURE THE PARTICIPATION OF BUSINESSMEN OR THEIR REPRESENTATIVES IN THE OFFICIAL VISITS AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION MEETINGS. WHQ 05-DEC-2009 19:15

Source:bna.bh/

Scott Wilson appoints Bahrain Country Director

Kareem Shamma.



Scott Wilson, the global integrated design and engineering consultancy, appoints Kareem Shamma as the Country Director of Bahrain, effective from December 2009.

Mr Shamma most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of a leading Real Estate Development company in Bahrain.

Kareem Shamma, a British national with a Masters and First Degree in Engineering from Imperial College, University of London, brings to the role over 25 years of GCC experience in the fields of engineering, development and construction, with both technical and commercial skills gained in many sectors ranging from real estate to infrastructure. As the Country Director - Bahrain, Mr. Shamma is now responsible for enhancing Scott Wilson's operations in Bahrain and the GCC.

Commenting on the appointment, Eddie Foster, Regional Director of Scott Wilson said


"Appointing Mr. Shamma brings significant high level regional development experience to Scott Wilson. His proven leadership ability and managerial expertise covering everything from major coastal, infrastructure and industrial works through to mixed - use real estate, commercial, and leisure developments and in markets that have covered Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, UK, Turkey, Indonesia, Jordan; make him warmly welcomed to the team."


"We're very pleased to have a person of Mr. Shamma's caliber on board to ensure we remain synonymous with the delivery of high quality engineering and environmental services in Bahrain, while also offering a competitive service to assist our continued expansion in local, regional and international markets" added Mr. Foster.

Kareem Shamma commented: "I am looking forward to joining such a well-established and reputable firm as Scott Wilson, which operates from a network of 80 offices worldwide with over 6,000 dynamic employees. This appointment portrays the Group's growing importance as one of the region's top design and engineering consultancies."

"I believe the work of the Country Director is vital to the implementation of Scott Wilson's continuing growth and innovation in the region, and I am privileged to have been asked to take on the role" added Mr. Shamma.

Source:ameinfo.com/

Long-term effect on Bahrain is ruled out

MANAMA: Bahrain is unlikely to suffer any long-term effects from the financial restructuring at Dubai World.

The Bahrain stock market is likely to come under pressure and fall when it re-opens after the Eid break today, taking its lead from falls in other regional markets over the past few days, according to Securities & Investment Company (SICO) head of asset management Shakeel Sarwar.

"I think we have seen the worst of the sell offs in the regional markets," he said.

"First day trading in Bahrain will see negative sentiment, as will Oman.

"But the situation shows signs of improvement with indiscriminate selling probably over.

From Sunday we will see some gradual improvement with stock markets still under pressure, but we will not see the falls we have seen elsewhere in the region in the wake of the Dubai announcement." In Bahrain, the financial sector and real estate will take the brunt of the downturn on the markets with defensive stocks like the telecom sector less affected, he said.

"Financial sector stocks will suffer from contagion until the banks come out with announcements about their exposure to Dubai World and the Dubai real estate sector," he added.

"My view is that Bahrain will have no or a very limited exposure to the problems in Dubai. "Yesteday, Egypt's banks announced that they had no exposure to Dubai World and their markets bounced back." "There is currently a lack of information about Bahrain bank's exposure to the Dubai market," said Bahrain Association of Bankers deputy chairman Salah Hussain.

"Some institutions will have invested in the Dubai real estate market and there will be some exposure to the emirate's banks, but how much is not clear at the moment.

"We have to hope that the UAE government will come in and continue to provide support and if that happens, any impact on Bahrain is likely to be minimal." He said that some of Bahrain's wholesale banks, particularly investment banks were likely to have some exposure to real estate in Dubai as well as well as exposure through money markets with Dubai banks." Dubai ruler and UAE Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum yesterday said Dubai was "strong and persistent", in spite of some of the global reaction to debt restructuring plans.

Source:gulf-daily-news.com/

Bahraini banks' profit seen affected by Dubai woes

Bahraini banks earnings could be hit by Dubai exposure

Financials

* Impact will depend on provisions required by central bank

* Expected to take hits on investment portfolios


MANAMA, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Profit at Bahraini banks will likely be affected by Dubai's debt woes due to provisions booked on their exposure and hits on their investment portfolios, an analyst and a banking executive said on Tuesday.

Dubai said last week it would ask creditors of Dubai World [DBWLD.UL] and Nakheel [NAKHD.UL] to agreed to a standstill on billions of dollars of debt, shocking international investors and bankers.

Bahrain has established itself as a regional banking centre alongside Dubai, catering to investing the region's oil wealth abroad and mostly in regional private equity and real estate.

A large chunk of Dubai's debt is related to billions of investments in property it made before its real estate bubble burst late last yaer.

"Banks in Bahrain are likely to have some sort of exposure to Dubai, so profitability will be affected depending on the specific exposure of each bank," said Suleman Soorani, a banking analyst at Bahrain-based SICO Investment Bank.

"The extent depends on the level of provisioning the central bank will require banks to book and which loans they'll have to book as NPLs (non-performing loans)," he said.

The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, a government holiday in Bahrain. The Bahrain Stock Exchange .BSE has been open for two days since Dubai's announcement last week, but trading has been light with only a few stocks being traded, while bourses elsewhere in the Gulf Arab region saw losses.

A treasurer at a Bahrain-based bank who spoke on condition of anonymity said most banks in Bahrain had exposures to Dubai through investments.

"There is a reasonable volume of Dubai government bond holdings in the Bahraini banks," he said.

Most Bahraini banks have weathered the global financial crisis reasonably well as they shunned investments in toxic assets, but they have posted losses or lower profits in 2009 on bad loans and falling property valuations.

The property exposure of Islamic banks in particular has raised concerns.

Islamic investment house Gulf Finance House GFHB.BH (GFH) has said it is renegotiating terms of the Dubai Land real estate project, liabilities to which it put at $302 million at end-June.

Soorani said he estimated GFH's net investment in the project at some $270 million.

(Reporting by Frederik Richter; Editing by Judy MacInnes)

Source:reuters.com/

Bahrain's economy 'has survived global crisis'

MANAMA: Bahrain has succeeded in withstanding repercussions from the global economic meltdown.

"The financial situation remains stable and assuring thanks to our balanced economic policies," His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa said yesterday.

He was speaking as he chaired a meeting of the Economic Development Board's (EDB) executive committee. He also highlighted the importance of precautionary measures to protect Bahrain's solid financial standing.

"Contrary to most countries, the impact of the meltdown was less detrimental to this region," he said.

He expressed his confidence in the capacity of UAE officials to deal with the current crisis competently. He also highlighted the remarkable developments achieved by the UAE and other GCC countries.

Finance Minister Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Central Bank of Bahrain Governor Rasheed Al Maraj and EDB chief executive Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa highlighted the impact of the crisis on the region.

They discussed precautionary measures to deal with potential repercussions. Initiatives to maintain oil and gas supplies and meet Bahrain's needs also came under the spotlight.

Oil Minister and National Oil and Gas Authority chairman Dr Abdulhussain Mirza gave an update on the industry and electricity sector. Upgrading the output of Bahrain Oil Field and intensifying explorations are part of initiatives ensuring Bahrain's energy security, he said.

Source:gulf-daily-news.com/

Bahrain loss 'a national shame'

All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen (centre) celebrates with teammate Ivan Vicelich after New Zealand had beaten Bahrain 1-0 to qualify for the 2010 football World Cup.








Beaten coach Milan Macala continues to avoid the media but there has been no lack of reaction - all of it negative - to his side's World Cup failure at the hands of New Zealand with the missed penalty labelled "a national shame".

Macala, the 66-year-old Czech under pressure for his job now, has failed to front up with his reasons for Bahrain's 1-nil loss to New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday night, a result that sent the All Whites through to next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.

But the Gulf Daily News didn't hold back in condemning this Bahrain performance. Football writer Vijay Mruthyunjaya was at the Cake Tin to witness the Bahrain meltdown amidst some relentless All Whites pressure.

Here's how he summed it up: "It was supposed to be the dawn of a new era but it turned out to be darkness at noon for Bahrain. No, the reasons were not due to any celestial malfunctioning or effects of climate change, but merely due to human errors at ground level.

"A botched penalty when an away goal was all that was needed to clinch a World Cup berth for the first time and a litany of basic errors combined with repeated blunders cost Bahrain dear.

"Like four years ago, Bahrain did not come agonisingly close this time around. They missed the plane by 'no show'.

"The team on view was hardly recognisable, the defenders repeatedly fumbled, the midfielders made basic errors and the forwards seemed to have left their shooting boots back home at the National Stadium in Riffa which is about 15,000km from here and around 10 hours behind.

"And that attempt from the penalty spot was a national shame. Once the golden opportunity was missed, the Bahraini players' shoulders seemed to drop noticeably and their body language changed drastically. From there on it was only a matter of time as all their half attempts were well-thwarted by a solid defence and an even more solid goalkeeper Mark Paston.

"Thus Bahrain's ambitious bid to become a beacon for tiny nations vying for global glory ended on a gloomy note on a cold and bone-chilling wintry night at the packed Westpac Stadium in Wellington."

Macala's silence was in contrast to leading football figures in Bahrain. Here's how they reacted to another missed opportunity with penalty-taker Sayed Mohammed Adnan copping plenty of criticism.

Successful Muharraq club coach Salman Sharida: "I was excited and confident that Bahrain would make it through to South Africa, but after watching the team miss all those chances again like they did in the first leg, I had some fear that New Zealand were going to surprise us, and they did. The Bahrain team received all support they need but failed to live up to their billings"

Bahrain beach soccer head coach Gustavo Zloccowick: "Some players were nervous out there, maybe the pressure got to their heads. I was surprised that Sayed Mohammed Adnan did not convert the penalty; he is always a sure-shot. We missed our chance."

Al Shabab club coach Jassim Mohammed: "It was a big shock for me and to all Bahrain. I never thought the same scenario of our match against Trinidad and Tobago four years ago will be repeated. Even the goal that we conceded was very similar to the one against Trinidad. We were hoping that the team would have learnt from that match, but the players in general were not in their form and again showed disarray in the crucial stages of the game."

Ad Feedback Al Najma club coach Abdulaziz Amin: "That was an awful shot by Sayed Mohammed Adnan for the penalty. I think he was under a lot of pressure because he is also fighting to win the 2009 Asian Player of the Year award. I also think Milan Macala should have produced two strikers from the beginning instead of one to pile more pressure on New Zealand."

Bahrain have to rebound quickly from this World Cup disappointment. They face Yemen in a crucial Asian Cup qualifying match at home in Manama on Thursday.

Source:stuff.co.nz/

Bahrain’s Ithmaar Bank to invest in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Bahrain-based Ithmaar Bank is set to invest in Malaysia’s infrastructure, agriculture and hospitality sectors to pave the way for its regional expansion.

The investment bank, which has a stake in a Malaysian takaful company via an associate, will use funds from its clients in the Middle East and elsewhere to invest in these core sectors.

Chairman Khalid Abdulla-Janahi, without going into specifics, told StarBiz Ithmaar was in discussions with relevant parties and was confident the negotiations would bear fruit. He also declined to elaborate on the amount of investment in these sectors.
Khalid Abdulla-Janahi ... ‘We look at projects that not only will provide our clients with current income but also future capital appreciation.’
He added that there were plans for further investments in Malaysia.

“We look at projects that not only will provide our clients with current income but also future capital appreciation,’’ he said during an interview.

Apart from investing in Malaysia, Ithmaar would encourage Malaysian investors to invest in the Middle East, Khalid said.

“As one of the leading investment banks in Bahrain, we will invest on behalf of our clients based on their needs. Post 9/11, after the terrorist attacks in the United States, the direction of our investment has been Asia and the Far East.

“For us, the growth is in this region and in emerging markets due to their good economic prospects. Ithmaar will invest in Malaysia and use it as a platform to springboard to other regional markets,’’ he added.

According to Khalid, trade financing is another area it is looking at to facilitate financing for both buyers and traders.

Currently listed on the Bahrain and Kuwait Stock Exchanges, the bank has a paid-up capital of US$598mil and total equity worth US$1.1bil with operations in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as Asia and Europe.

Asked if Ithmaar was looking at increasing its stake in MAA Takaful Bhd, Khalid said it intended to do so as at the end of the day, it must be a win-win situation for both parties.

MAA Takaful is a 75:25 joint venture between MAA Holdings Bhd and Bahrain’s Solidarity Company BSC, a 40% unit of Ithmaar Bank.

Khalid said he understood that MAA Holdings and Solidarity were in discussions on the latter raising its equity stake in MAA Takaful.

The recent financial sector liberalisation plan increased foreign equity ownership limits to 70% from 49% for investment banks, Islamic banks, insurance companies and takaful operators.

On whether the Dubai World debt crisis had affected Ithmaar’s business as investor confidence had been shaken, Khalid said: “It basically affects everyone. Confidence will be strained and pricing of financing will also go up.

“Investors must not look at this incident in the short term but in the medium to long term. This is a liquidity issue and not a solvency one and I think there are business opportunities in the Middle East for investors to tap.”

The investment bank would also be undertaking a restructuring exercise that would transform it into the largest retail bank in Bahrain in terms of equity size. The exercise would be completed by the end of the first quarter next year, he noted.

Source:thestar.com.my/

Disappointing day for Bahrain

BAHRAINI sailors began poorly in the first GCC Regatta Championship being held at the Kuwait Maritime Sports Association.

It was a disappointing day for Bahrain as none of the 13 Bahrainis, competing in four different classes, were able to claim victories in the three-day championship which also features participants from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and host country Kuwait.

Bahrain's best result was achieved by Ebrahim Abdulla in the laser standard section where he came second to host country's Adel Khalid of Kuwait who is presently leading in this class.

Coming third in yesterday's race was Nayef Al Hadda, also of Kuwait, while Bahrain's other representative and Abdulrahman's younger brother Ebrahim was fourth.

Other results include an eighth-place finish by Ahmed Abdulaziz in the laser radial class, Omar Abdulaziz took third place in the laser 4.7 behind winner Saeed Salem of Kuwait and Qatari Fares Al Bakri who came second.

Ebrahim Shuwaiter was the fastest among Bahrainis in the first race of the optimist junior class where he finished fourth.

The remaining sailors from Bahrain were Ebrahim Daij who took sixth place, Omar Hazeem was 10th while Jassim Shuwaiter, the younger brother of Ebrahim, could only finish 13th.

The technical meeting was held earlier yesterday during which the organising committee members briefed teams representatives on the tournament rules and regulations.

The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of social affairs Minister Dr Mohammed Al Affasi who welcomed the delegations and thanked them for taking part in the championship.

Source:gulf-daily-news.com/

Bahrain Bay looking forward

Bahrain Bay CEO Bob Vincent is still positive.
Bahrain Bay's CEO Bob Vincent says despite a tough year, the US $2.5 billion mega project has delivered on its infrastructure requirements and greater momentum is forecast for 2010.

There is no doubt that 2009 has been tough for developers across the region and while some have vanished and others drastically under-delivered on promises, Bahrain Bay is keen to tell the world it has weathered the worst of the storm.

Last week, the master developer held a press conference and site tour for the region's media to deliver three key messages: infrastructure for the project is being delivered on target; all third party developers are still onboard; and several will start construction in 2010.

The US $2.5 billion (BD943 million) project is located off the north eastern coast of Manama, occupying prime real estate beside the upcoming Bahrain Financial Harbour and in front of the iconic World Trade Centre.

With a population of around 13,000 and more than 40 buildings and towers designed by leading architecture firms, Bahrain Bay is expected to not only become an iconic development, but will help change the perception and function of Manama, as well as the country itself.

In mid-2008 the development was hurtling along at the breakneck speed considered normal during the peak of the construction boom. The 430,000m² of land reclamation had been completed, infrastructure work had started and the project's three anchor developments had begun construction on site.

By the end of 2009 it was expected that these projects, and several others, would be well into construction, but only one has remained relatively on track while the remainder went back to the drawing board to redesign according to new market expectations.

Two of the anchor developments have both suffered significant delays. Raffles City Bahrain completed its substructure in mid-2009 before delaying the tender for main construction, while the Four Seasons Hotel stopped work onsite after piling.

The one exception is the $150 million headquarters for the Arcapita Bank, the third anchor development. The headquarters covers 49,000m² and will offer 18,000m² of office space. Construction started in March 2007 and is expected to be finished by the end of 2010.

For the public regularly passing by this prominent project, the visual progress of Bahrain Bay in 2009 has been somewhat of a letdown following the hype and momentum of 2008. But CEO Bob Vincent is keen to set the record straight.

"Everything we expected to deliver, we have," he says.

"We began 2009 knowing it would be tough, but we have still had a successful year and we believe that has put us in a very good position for 2010.

"That could be a factor of luck, but it is also a factor of good management."

Overall Vincent says the economic downturn has probably set Bahrain Bay back by between six to 12 months, but he is quick to point out that the expectations set in 2007 were probably too high.

"The thing you have to keep in mind is that you can't consider 2007 or 2008 as a normal construction and development cycle; it was the peak of a boom period," he says.

"So while there has been slippage from the expectations of 2007, Bahrain Bay has not fallen behind what would be considered a realistic and normal development programme.

"It's a very big project and it's not uncommon for a project of this size to be developed over two or even three economic cycles."

Source:arabianbusiness.com/

Bahraini stripped of 1,500 gold

LONDON -- The IOC has stripped Bahraini middle-distance runner Rashid Ramzi of his 1,500-metre Olympic gold medal and disqualified four other athletes because of doping in Beijing.

The International Olympic Committee took action yesterday against five athletes who tested positive in April in retroactive tests for CERA, an advanced version of blood-boosting drug EPO.

The Moroccan-born Ramzi was the only gold medallist from Beijing caught for doping. He had given Bahrain its first Olympic track and field gold.

The IOC also stripped Italian cyclist Davide Rebellin of his silver medal in the Beijing road race. German cyclist Stefan Schumacher, Croatian 800-metre runner Vanja Perisic, and Greek race walker Athanasia Tsoumeleka were disqualified.

BMW on board

LONDON -- BMW is the latest top-tier domestic sponsor of the 2012 London Olympics, and organizers remain in talks with additional potential investors.

The German carmaker was presented as the official automotive sponsor of the games in a deal worth an estimated $67-million US in cash and services.

Head Games

NEW YORK -- Fans will have a chance to design the artwork that will appear on U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn's helmet during the Vancouver Olympics.

NBC said fans as young as 13 can submit entries online from Nov. 23-Dec. 21.

A team of judges will narrow the entries to three finalists, which will be displayed on NBCOlympics.com in early January. Fans can then vote for their favourite, though Vonn will have the final say.

Lucky No. 7 for luger?

CALGARY -- Wilfried Huber's first Olympic Games were in Calgary in 1988.

After sliding in every Games since then, the Italian luger aims to close his career in Canada in 2010 and make Olympic history while doing so.

Huber could be the first athlete to participate seven Winter Olympics at the Games in Vancouver. But first he must qualify for the Italian Olympic team to stake that claim.

Source:torontosun.com/

Deutsche Bahn in $25bn Qatar and Bahrain rail deal

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn has signed a 17bn euro ($25bn; £15bn) contract to build rail and underground lines in Qatar and Bahrain.

For Qatar's capital Doha, Deutsche Bahn will design and build a four line metro system with 98 stations.

A high speed train line to neighbouring Bahrain is also planned, with trains reaching speeds of 350km/h (220mph).

The contract will create a new company called the Qatar Railways Development Company.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani and German transport minister Peter Ramsauer were present when the deal was signed in Doha.

Qatar Railways Development Company will be 49% owned by Deutsche Bahn and 51% by Qatari Diar, Qatar's state-owned infrastructure and property development firm.

Deutsche Bahn said that it hoped to win more contracts in the Middle East following what it hoped would be a fruitful partnership with Qatar.

Source:bbc.co.uk/

Nearly 60% of Bahrain’s doctors are women – gov’t

Fifty seven percent of doctors and 67 percent of dentists working for the Bahrain Ministry of Health are women, the latest government figures reveal.

The data for last year shows that women are making in-roads in the healthcare sector, in particular Bahraini’s, who make up a large proportion of the ministry’s female staff.

Sixty percent of all Health Ministry employees are women and of that 81 percent are nationals, Gulf News reported.

“Female nurses make up 88 percent, while women in supervisory positions are 51 percent, specialist ranks 58 percent, and executive ranks 44 percent of Bahrainis for 2008,” Dr Mariam Al Jalahma public health and primary care assistant under-secretary, said.

Princess Sabeeka welcomed the news, but added: “Although achievements have been made to empower women, we still have more to do. We should be proud of our achievements and appreciate the contributions of women.”

Speaking at an event to mark Bahraini Women Day, Al Jalahma said life expectancy of the women in the kingdom was rising.

In 2007 the average age was 77.3 years, compared to 73.8 in 2003.

“The mortality rate of chronic diseases amongst women was reduced from 10.8 out of every 100,000 people in 2003 to 7.1 in 2007,” she said.

She said the mortality rate of mothers during pregnancy, birth and labour had also reduced.

The government of Bahrain has given the medical field high interest and allocated a large part of the state budget for medical projects, Shaikh Khalifa said, calling on doctors to set up medical plans and programs capable of training and rehabilitating doctors to ensure high quality health services, emphasizing the need for cooperation between government and private heath establishments and bodies.

Source:biomedme.com/

Bahrain to celebrate milestone in style

MANAMA: Bahrain is preparing to celebrate 10 years of His Majesty King Hamad's rule in style. The Culture and Information Ministry has launched a logo marking this year's Accession Day under the slogan, "Ten Bright Years". All ministries and government departments will hold their celebrations under this slogan.

The ministry has designed it and sent a circular to all ministries and government departments. The 38th National Day and the 10th Accession Day will therefore be held under a unified slogan, already approved by the Royal Court. The logo is rectangular in shape with a golden background bearing Bahrain Royal Crest on one half, while the other half features the slogan "Ten Illuminating Years" carved in Arabic calligraphy on Arabesque background. Under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad, Bahrain TV will unveil its new identity, signaling the start of the National Day and Accession Day festivities. A number of high profile events has also been lined up to mark this year's celebrations. It includes a series of sports and cultural competitions, in addition to contests inspired by the national heritage.

A photography exhibition will also be held under the theme: "Bahrain in the eyes of the world".

Other events include, Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad's Endurance Championship and first youth poetry festival.

Class medals will be distributed and the popular allegiance and loyalty rally will also be held as part of the month-long celebrations.

Source:gulf-daily-news.com/

Heliocentris autonomous power supply solution for Bahrain oil company

Heliocentris Fuel Cells, a German-based specialist in clean energy storage solutions, has received two more orders for the supply of autonomous fuel cell power supply solutions. The clients are the oil company Bahrain Petroleum in Bahrain, and an unidentified German university.

The solutions are hybrid energy storage systems consisting of batteries, fuel cells, electrolyzers, and adapted power electronics that store locally generated solar or wind power. For the oil company project, Heliocentris will also deliver the solar photovoltaic and wind solutions.

The two projects have a total volume of approximately €300 000 (US$450 000).

‘After just recently receiving an order for a complete energy storage system, we are pleased about the two additional projects for similar energy solutions,’ says Dr Henrik Colell, CEO of Heliocentris Fuel Cells. ‘The associated significant increase in sales confirms our growth strategy towards hybrid storage solutions.’

Heliocentris Fuel Cells is based in Berlin, with a subsidiary in Vancouver, Canada. The company specializes in clean energy storage solutions based on a smart combination of batteries, fuel cells, and energy management.

Application areas for Heliocentris Fuel Cells are mobile and stationary applications that require longer ranges than current batteries can provide. Examples are electric vehicles, onboard and emergency power supplies, as well as electricity supply for off-grid applications such as monitoring stations or energy self-sufficient houses.

Source:renewableenergyfocus.com/

BULLS RULE IN RAIN TO STRIKE FOUR PAST BAHRAIN.

Red Bull Salzburg 4–1 Bahrain (H/T: 1-0). Bulls goals: Pitak, Carboni, Lokvenc and Vujic

Red Bull Salzburg emerged triumphant from the first friendly of their Irdning training camp after thumping Bahrain 4-1 (H/T: 1-0). Around 500 spectators witnessed goals from Pitak (10 mins), Carboni (58 mins), Lokvenc (78 mins) and Vujic (84 mins) as Salzburg at times exhibited some flashy, free-flowing football.

Red Bull Salzburg kicked-off against the team ranked 101st in the world by FIFA in the following formation: Ochs; Steinhöfer, Miyamoto, Meyer, Alex; Pitak, Lindlbauer, Carboni, Jezek; Leitgeb; Zickler.

Despite the rain lashing down on the Irdning pitch the friendly proved to be a lively affair with plenty of action at either goalmouth.

The Bulls got their first opportunity in the sixth minute: Jezek rifles a volley just over after being supplied by Zickler.

10 minutes: Red Bull Salzburg take the lead! Alex is brought down giving new recruit Christoph Leitgeb the chance to take a free-kick in his first game for the Bulls. The Austrian chips the ball into the middle where Pitak is placed perfectly to head home for a 1-0 lead!

Ten minutes later, Salzburg have their next good move. Pitak receives the ball from Carboni via Steinhöfer but can only find Ibrahimi, the Bahrain goalkeeper, from short range.

25 minutes: Ali should equalise for Bahrain and despairingly sees his shot come agonisingly close.

33 minutes: Leitgeb is given another chance to demonstrate his set-piece ability and successfully picks out Pitak again from a free-kick. This time the Czech is standing unchallenged on the six-yard line, makes contact with his head again but sends the ball over.

Leitgeb then creates yet another chance from a free-kick, with Zickler heading at the goalkeeper this time. It has been a fantastic debut so far for the young Austrian.

The Bulls head down the tunnel with a narrow but deserved 1-0 half-time lead. Özcan replaces Ochs in the Salzburg goal as Pitak gains another chance shortly after the break: A Jezek free-kick from the right is met by the Czech and sent crashing over the Bahrain goal.

56 minutes: An unexpected equaliser as Ismael fires a tasty shot from a good 20 yards out over Özcan and into the back of the net.

Red Bull Salzburg hit back and race back into the lead two minutes later: Jezek's corner bounces out to Carboni who takes aim yards outside the penalty area and places the ball into the far corner with delicious precision: 2-1 after 58 minutes!

65 minutes: Giovanni Trapattoni makes a mass substitution. Steinhöfer, Pitak, Leitgeb, Jezek and Zickler all leave the field to be replaced by Sonko Pa, Vonlanthen, Lokvenc, Vujic and new signing Sasa Ilic, who a few seconds later is inches away from getting a goal with his first ever touch as a Bulls' player!

78 minutes: 3-1 to Red Bull Salzburg! Alex weaves ssome magic on the left side to surge through the defence and play the perfect centre to Lokvenc. The Czech applies a calm and collected finish from the inside left.

Immediately following the goal RBS make another substitution: Lindlbauer makes way for Obermair.

84 minutes: 4-1 to the Bulls! Vonlanthen departs on a fantastic run, leaving a number of opponents for dead. He then hoists the ball to Vujic who can head into the net from five yards!

Vonlanthen is forced to leave the field two minutes from time with a light strain and Salzburg must complete the 4-1 triumph with ten men.

Source:redbulls.com/

BAHRAIN CONGRATULATES UAE ON NATIONAL DAY

MANAMA, DEC.2 (BNA) -- HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA SENT A CABLE OF CONGRATULATION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SHAIKH KHALIFA BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN , MARKING HIS COUNTRY'S NATIONAL DAY.
HIS MAJESTY WISHED SHAIKH KHALIFA GOOD HEALTH AND HIS PEOPLE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT , HAILING THE OUTSTANDING TIES BONDING BOTH COUNTRIES AT VARIOUS FIELDS. HRH THE PRIME MINISTER PRINCE KHALIFA BIN SALMAN AL KHALIFA SENT SIMILAR CABLES TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SHAIKH KHALIFA BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN AND UAE DEPUTY PRESIDENT , PRIME MINISTER AND RULER OF DUBAI SHAIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM. HRH THE CROWN PRINCE SALMAN BIN HAMAD AL KHALIFA SENT CABLES OF CONGRATULATION TO THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SHAIKH KHALIFA BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN, UAE DEPUTY PRESIDENT , PRIME MINISTER AND RULER OF DUBAI SHAIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM AND ABU DHABI CROWN PRINCE AND DEPUTY SUPREME COMMANDER OF ARMED FORCES SHAIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN. EM// 02-DEC-2009 14:23

Source:bna.bh/

Yemen partakes in 1st Arab Media Leaders Forum in Bahrain

MANAMA, Dec.02 (Saba) – A Yemeni media delegation is participating in the 1st Arab Media Leaders Forum, which its events begun on Wednesday in Bahrain capital, Manama, and will last for two days.

The two-day forum, attended by over 100 Arab media officials, discusses a number of issues including the impact of the international changes on the media sector and the effect of the capital on the media industry as well as the different challenges facing the Arab media sector development and how to tackle them.

The forum was initiated with publicizing Bahrain's Award for Freedom of Press, which will be granted on the World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2010.

In the first session of the forum, Bahraini Culture and Information Minister Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khaifa affirmed that the forum aims at exchanging points of views between the Arab media leaders ,reviewing challenges and developing strategies for promoting the Arab media performance.

The Bahraini minister pointed out that Bahrain's Award for Freedom of Press to be granted annually to individuals or institutions in press freedom field is a step devoted for supporting and developing the free and responsible media.

BA

Saba

Source:sabanews.net/

Yemen partakes in 1st Arab Media Leaders Forum in Bahrain

MANAMA, Dec.02 (Saba) – A Yemeni media delegation is participating in the 1st Arab Media Leaders Forum, which its events begun on Wednesday in Bahrain capital, Manama, and will last for two days.

The two-day forum, attended by over 100 Arab media officials, discusses a number of issues including the impact of the international changes on the media sector and the effect of the capital on the media industry as well as the different challenges facing the Arab media sector development and how to tackle them.

The forum was initiated with publicizing Bahrain's Award for Freedom of Press, which will be granted on the World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2010.

In the first session of the forum, Bahraini Culture and Information Minister Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khaifa affirmed that the forum aims at exchanging points of views between the Arab media leaders ,reviewing challenges and developing strategies for promoting the Arab media performance.

The Bahraini minister pointed out that Bahrain's Award for Freedom of Press to be granted annually to individuals or institutions in press freedom field is a step devoted for supporting and developing the free and responsible media.

BA

Saba

Source:sabanews.net/

Bahrain's youth hailed by Crown Prince

MANAMA: Bahrain's youngsters continue to prove their ability in being productive and constantly develop their skills to be integrated in the labour market, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa said yesterday.

He was speaking during a visit to the Bahrain Training Institute (BTI) in Isa Town.

"I am particularly happy with what's being achieved by the BTI's trainees and officials, whose contributions are beneficial to our nation's growth," said HRH Crown Prince Salman, who is also Economic Development Board chairman.

BTI has made good use of Tamkeen's training programmes and insurance against unemployment scheme, he said.

HRH Crown Prince Salman also discussed the new BD9 million expansion at the BTI.

The expansion's first phase will include the construction of a three-storey building on an area of 16,170sq/m at a cost of BD6m.

The second phase will feature a BD3m three-storey information technology building on an area of 5,796sq/m

Source:gulf-daily-news.com/

Bahrain Gulf Air to shift to narrow-body planes

Carrier has up to 20 Boeings, 35 Airbus planes on order

Stocks

* Cannot say how many orders will be confirmed

* To focus on shorter Middle East routes

* Will cancel 15 routes, open 20 others


MANAMA, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Bahrain's state-owned carrier Gulf Air [GULF.UL] plans to shift its order book from wide-body to narrow-body planes and regional jets as it realigns its network to focus on shorter routes, its chief executive said.

Gulf Air has up to 20 Boeing (BA.N) 787s on order, as well as 15 Airbus (EAD.PA) A320s and 20 Airbus A330s, a wide-body aircraft.

CEO Samer Majali, who joined three months ago to restructure the loss-making firm, said on Monday the airline will cancel 15 routes and open 20 new ones as part of a new strategy to increase traffic in the Middle East.

He declined to say how many of the Boeing planes on order Gulf Air could use under its new strategy.

"We are talking with the manufacturers of the airplanes to see how we can satisfy the plan with the requirements of the contracts we have," he told a media conference in Manama.

"This is exactly what we're going to be discussing with Airbus in particular, in view of the fact that we're also going to expand our narrow-body order beyond the 15 that we already contracted for."

He also said the carrier plans to lease a number of regional jets for next year, while deciding over the next couple of months from which manufacturer to purchase jets.

Manufacturers of regional jets, typically with a capacity of 100 or less, include Brazil's Embraer (EMBR3.SA), Canada's Bombardier (BBDb.TO) and Mitsubishi Regional Jet, partially owned by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T).

Gulf Air also plans to sell five of its A340 aircraft as it plans to close its routes to Shanghai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

The carrier was established as a regional airline but has struggled to find its niche after previous shareholders Oman, Abu Dhabi and Qatar gave up their stakes. It expects to make an operating loss of $510 million this year.

It is now squeezed in between regional low-cost airlines such as Air Arabia AIRA.DU and Bahrain Air, and state-owned airlines of rich oil producers with large fleet expansion programmes, while Bahrain cannot afford to plough funds into its state-owned companies.

The Gulf Arab state's sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat plans to sell a stake of at least 25 percent in Gulf Air once the carrier becomes profit-making, its chief executive said.

Bahraini investors had already expressed interest, said Talal Al Zain.

Gulf Air plans to break even by 2012.

Source:reuters.com/

Bahrain to host world snooker

BAHRAIN will host the World Snooker Championship in 2011. This was announced yesterday by Bahrain Billiards and Snooker Federation president Shaikh Abdulla bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa.

Bahrain won the right to host the prestigious biennial event following unanimous support from the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF).

The championship is set to bring to the kingdom the world's top amateur snooker players, both men and women.

It will be the first time Bahrain will be hosting the event. The kingdom previously staged the World Under-21 Snooker Championship in 2005.

"Hosting the world championship confirms the high level we have achieved in Bahrain snooker," Shaikh Abdulla said. "We have become one of the region's more developed countries in the game, and we are looking forward to staging a grand tournament."

This year, the world championship was held in Hyderabad, India.

Source:gulf-daily-news.com/

Songwon opens Middle East, Africa headquarters in Bahrain

Korean additive manufacturer Songwon Industrial Co. Ltd. (Ulsan) has opened its Middle East and Africa headquarters in Bahrain, saying demand for its core products in the region is growing rapidly as it becomes “one of the most important markets for us,” according to Jongho Park, chairman and CEO of Songwon Industrial. The new regional facility, which also includes recently established local warehouses, will be lead by Peter Fleming who was named sales director Middle East and Africa effective Nov. 24. Fleming’s prior experience includes time with Chemtura, where he led their Asia Pacific business, as well as time with Polysar, which was acquired by Bayer. Most recently Fleming worked as a management consultant at Oriental Pacific Consulting PTE Ltd.

The company said it chose Bahrain on the basis that it’s well located to efficiently serve the region, with Songwon’s new warehouses there creating an “efficient and reliable supply chain”. In addition, Songwon says basing a support team at the site will improve its ability to respond to customer requirements. Songwon’s logistics partner in Bahrain for shipments to Middle East is the Gulf Agency Co. (GAC). The company’s warehouse is located in Manama at the former Gulf Air terminal, with the amount of space used determined by market needs.

The move into the Mid East reflects a year-long effort by the company to expand its geographic reach. In May, it announced the creation of a new Japanese subsidiary, Songwon Japan KK. In January, the company added two new distributors in India: Jayvee Organics Private Ltd. and Qualichem Specialties Private Ltd. Songwon supplies antioxidants, light stabilizers, ultraviolet light absorbers, heat stabilizers, plasticizers, lubricants, surface coating agents, polyurethane, alkyl phenols, biphenol, flocculants, and other chemicals.

Source:plasticstoday.com/

Sikorsky Aircraft Delivers UH-60M BLACK HAWK Helicopter to Bahrain Defense Forces

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. today celebrated the formal delivery of a UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter to the Defense Forces of Bahrain. It is the first of nine aircraft that will ultimately be delivered. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. .


The delivery also marks the beginning of the first squadron of UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopters that will be operated by an international military organization. The Royal Bahrain Air Force will fly the aircraft for military operations that include protection of sovereign borders as well as protection and defense of U.S. and coalition strategic facilities.


"The Bahrain Air Force is getting a powerful tool in the UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter," said Doug Shidler, Sikorsky Vice President, U.S. Government Programs. "The sophistication and capabilities of this aircraft will greatly enhance the Bahrain military's ability, and will serve their country well for years to come."


Bahrain officials signed the U.S. Army Letter of Offer and Acceptance on May 7, 2007, to purchase nine UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopters through a Foreign Military Sale (FMS), the first such sale for the UH-60M aircraft.


The aircraft are being completed at Sikorsky's Military Derivatives Completion Center in Horseheads, N.Y. Deliveries are scheduled to continue into 2010.


The UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter is a twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter designed to a U.S. Army requirement to carry an 11-man squad and four-man crew under combat conditions. Sikorsky Aircraft has been manufacturing the BLACK HAWK helicopter for the U.S. Army since 1978. The UH-60M helicopter is the latest and the most advanced model to be fielded to the U.S. Army.


The UH-60M helicopter provides additional payload and range, improved handling qualities, lower operating costs, and greater survivability than earlier generation BLACK HAWK helicopters. These improvements are achieved with improved engines, revolutionary rotor blade design, improved durability transmission system, advanced digital avionics and an integrated "glass" cockpit.


Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

Source:pr-canada.net/