Author: News Desk

Manama : Blue Aster Capital B.S.C., a Bahrain-based investment business firm licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain, today announced the launch of the SP Realty Fund Protected Cell, a Bahrain-domiciled, closed-ended Exempt Collective Investment Undertaking (CIU) with an initial target size of AED 150 million. The Fund was announced during the Gateway Gulf Forum 2025, hosted by the Economic Development Board (EDB) of the Kingdom of Bahrain on November 2-3. The SP Realty Fund aims to deliver attractive, risk-adjusted income and capital appreciation opportunities to accredited investors through participation in strategically located real estate development projects in Dubai. The…

Manama : Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce and Chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME)Development Council, has announced the launch of the SME Fund following the signing of strategic partnership agreements between Bahrain Development Bank (BDB), the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), and Al Salam Bank. The announcement was made during the Gateway Gulf 2025 Forum in the presence of senior officials and representatives from government entities and the banking sector.Commenting on the occasion, Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, highlighted that the launch of the…

Manama : Sarah Ahmed Buhiji, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), emphasised the Kingdom’s commitment to establishing itself as a leading destination for luxury and sustainable tourism. She highlighted the Authority’s efforts, in collaboration with public and private partners, to balance modern tourism infrastructure and experiences with the preservation of the kingdom’s unique cultural and natural identity. This came during her participation at the third edition of the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum 2025, held under the theme “Rethinking Global Investment for New Trade Dynamics,” organised by the Economic Development Board (EDB). Buhiji participated in a panel discussion…

Manama : Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy, participated in the panel session “Navigating Uncertainty in Global Markets” at the third edition of the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum 2025, alongside Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates, and Rt Hon Alderman Alastair King, Lord Mayor of the City of London, as part of the third edition of the Gulf Investment Gateway Forum 2025. The forum, held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, saw…

Doha : Bahrain won three silver medals and one bronze medal at the fifth edition of the WorldSkills GCC Doha 2025, held from October 26-31. The silver medals were awarded to Hadi Al Matooq and Hamad Abdullah from Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Institute of Technology in the Autonomous Mobile Robotics (Team) category; Yousif Sabaa from the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) in Design; and Hassan Ahmed from the University of Bahrain in Mechanical Engineering CAD. Bahraini contestant Ali Fadhel won a bronze medal in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning. Hadi Abdulmahdi Al Kuwaiti from Al Jabriya Secondary Technical Boys…

Manama : Under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the 26th Island Classic Charity Golf Tournament, organised by the American Mission Hospital at the Royal Golf Club, has concluded.His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, participated with the Victorious team on the third day of the tournament and with the Safriya team on the second day. On this occasion, HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad said that His Majesty the King’s patronage of the tournament reflects His Majesty’s great interest and continued…

Hanoi : Floods triggered by record heavy rains have killed at least nine people and left five others missing in central Vietnam. Six of the fatalities were in Danang, home to one of the country’s most popular beaches, and the ancient town of Hội An. The floods have also inundated more than 103,000 houses, mostly in the country’s top tourist sites of Hue and Hội An. Heavy rains continue to lash the UNESCO-listed former imperial capital Hue and the ancient town of Hội An, the agency said, after rainfall in the area hit a record high in the 24 hours…

Manama : Osama bin Saleh Al Alawi, Minister of Social Development, participated in a workshop aimed at updating and activating the unified GCC ethical charter for social workers. The two-day event, organised by the Gulf Association for Social Workers and the Bahrain Philanthropic and Social Work Society in cooperation with the GCC Executive Office, seeks to enhance ethical and professional standards across the region’s social sectors. Minister Al Alawi said that social work is central to building cohesive and compassionate communities, highlighting the importance of updating the charter to reflect Gulf values and modern professional practices. He underlined Bahrain’s commitment…

Riyadh : Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of the Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), participated in the ninth Future Investment Initiative (FII9) Forum in Riyadh. The forum was attended by global leaders, including former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Speaking at a high-level session titled “Are Foreign Direct Investments Moving Away from the West?”, Alkhulaif highlighted the Kingdom of Bahrain’s success in attracting sustainable investment through a flexible, innovation-driven economy supported by skilled national talent and forward-looking policies. She noted that Bahrain’s continued diversification efforts have strengthened its position as a dynamic and…

Manama : The Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, in the presence of Colonel Mohammed Abdullah Al Harram, Assistant Chief of Public Security for Operations and Training and Secretary of the Committee for Countering Extremism, Terrorism Financing and Money Laundering, hosted a workshop on public-private partnership in implementing targeted financial sanctions. The event was organised by the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF). The workshop aimed to enhance cooperation and exchange expertise among stakeholders in the public and private sectors, highlighting best practices to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in applying targeted financial sanctions and…